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Free and Cheap
Janine is a 20-year veteran journalist who puts her sleuthing skills to use unearthing deals and discounts for families in the Tampa Bay area. Raising her own two daughters has taught her that some of the best things in life are “free” but not necessarily “cheap.” Gayle Guyardo co-anchors “News Channel 8 Today” weekday mornings with Rod Carter. She does a special segment, “Ways to save today,” each Monday between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. Gayle is a third generation Tampa native and a graduate of Auburn University. She and her husband Mark raise four little girls - Katie, Lindsay, Ali and Ella. Todd Davis is a photojournalist with News Channel 8’s investigative team. When he’s not tracking down a story, he’s hunting down a good deal. Michael Egger, News Channel 8 photojournalist and father of three, gets four Sunday papers delivered so he and his wife can double up coupons on BOGOs. The deals are out there, so let’s find them. He vows never to pay retail. The Tampa Tribune’s retail reporter, Richard Mullins writes about consumer trends and everything you buy at the mall, grocery stores and restaurants. He believes credit cards are the window to our souls. And yes, he gets paid to wander the mall for work. Debbie, a 20-year veteran journalist, can typically be found at the end of Target aisles looking at clearance items. She’s also been known to send one her young daughters through the checkout lane to redeem a coupon. 
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Janine Dorsey
Gayle Guyardo
Todd Davis
Michael Egger
Richard Mullins
Debbie Swartz
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Sell your unwanted gift cards
Posted Dec 27, 2011 by Janine Dorsey
Updated Dec 27, 2011 at 12:56 PM
Did you get gift cards for the holidays to places you would never shop? Or would you just rather have that cold, hard cash to pay down some more pressing bills?
There’s a website that can help you out.
Cardpool.com will buy your unwanted gift cards, paying 92% of the value of the card.
Not sure how much value on your card? Just use their page to search for the retailer and they’ll tell you how much you have.
You can also buy gift cards for up to 35% off the value of the card from retailers such as Barnes & Noble, Bass Pro Shops, Fossil, Gap, Gymboree, JcPenney, Red Lobster and more.
That’s a great way to increase your savings when you also have loyalty rewards or other sales and discounts you can use at your favorite stores.
Grocery store cards such as Publix and Albertsons are among the cards offered and would work great in combination with coupons and sales.
When you buy the cards, they are shipped via USPS and arrive within seven days. You pay no fees, postage or tax. The cards have no expiration date.
When you sell cards to the site, you are emailed a free shipping label to use and are sent a check within 24 hours of receipt of the verified card.
Child free with adult ticket to Legoland
Posted Dec 27, 2011 by Janine Dorsey
Updated Dec 27, 2011 at 12:26 PM
Those who still haven’t visited the new Legoland theme park can now get in at a discount.
McDonald’s restaurants are offering a buy an adult, get a free child admission deal.
The tickets must be purchased at a special website, not at the gate.
The promo code to use with this offer is 11090603. Instructions on the site explain how to redeem the promo code to get a free child’s ticket for every adult admission purchased.
Adult admission is $75 per person.
The theme park caters to the age 2 - 12 crowd and offers rides, shows and interactive attractions.
The offer expires March 31, 2012.
Sweetbay’s prices are rising the fastest
Posted Dec 16, 2011 by Dennis Joyce
Updated Dec 16, 2011 at 01:15 PM
Winn-Dixie continues recording the highest prices on the Market Basket of 30 typical grocery items that we price each week.
But the cost of this basket of items, from bacon to vegetable oil, has risen most sharply at Sweetbay – a whopping $16 compared to $6 at Winn-Dixie.
The increase at the other three supermarkets we track – from Dec. 17, 2009, to Dec. 15, 2011 – is $7 at Walmart, $4 at Target and just $2 at Publix.
Here are the price totals compared: Walmart from $61.88 to $68.08: Target from $71.43 to $74.88; Publix from $73.85 to $80.65; Winn-Dixie from $82.10 to $88.36; and Sweetbay from $71.04 to $86.73.
Click here to compare weekly prices on each of the 30 grocery items at all five stores, dating back to September 2009.
Freebies when you buy gift cards
Posted Dec 16, 2011 by Janine Dorsey
Updated Dec 16, 2011 at 12:56 PM
Gift cards make great gifts.
They make even greater gifts when you get a little something extra with your purchase.
A few new offers we found this week include bonuses at a department store, movie theater and smoothie shop.
Burlington Coat Factory is offering a $5 bonus card when you buy a $50 gift card online through Dec. 24, 2011.
AMC Theaters will give you a $5 concession card when you buy $30 in gift cards. Offer is good in theaters only. While supplies last.
Xtreme Juice Smoothies will give you a free 16 oz. smoothie when you buy $25 in gift certificates. The offer is good through closing on Dec. 31, 2011 and no coupon is necessary.
Free shipping day tomorrow
Posted Dec 15, 2011 by Janine Dorsey
Updated Dec 15, 2011 at 01:37 PM
Those still looking to fill Christmas stockings and under the tree while still saving a buck will be happy to learn that tomorrow, Dec. 16. is “Free shipping day.”
Some retailers are also offering an additional percentage off purchases or some other sales incentive.
Specific merchant offers will be revealed on FreeShippingDay.com at 12 a.m. on Friday.
More than 2,300 merchants have signed up to participate. Online retailers include Cabelas, Kohls, Sears, Zales, Oriental Trading Company, Express, Best Buy, Soma Intimates, Dockers, Athleta, Tory Burch and others.
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