Santa's Coming Town...

... actually he's already here!

Want to get a photo with Santa for free?

 Bass Pro is up to their usual free festiveness with their free 4x6 with their awesome Santa & perfect wilderness back drop.  We take the Tightwad Tikes here each year.  While we're there we have them craft too!

Add a little holiday cheer to your day and watch this free Santa’s Reindeer Cam. Santa will feed the reindeer at 11 AM, 6 PM & 9 PM ET (10 AM, 5 PM & 8 PM CT) daily. You can also request to be added to the “Nice List” that is scrolling on the barn in the back. Find information about being added to the list in the FAQ’S.

Send a free personalized video message or schedule a free personalized call from Santa. Your video message will be sent via email. You can schedule your phone call for a specific date and time and may schedule more than 1 call if you have more than 1 child. Whether they have been Naughty, or Nice… Santa can offer great words of encouragement!

After Christmas Clearance

How many of you beat the path to the seasonal section the day after 'the big day'?

I do. But I'm not usually one of the door standers you see before the store opens. I don't even try to compete with the few ones who sprint to the back of the store & take almost every last pack of Christmas napkins or snowman toilet paper, only to leave a sprinkling of others staring at the empty shelf.
Not my style.

But Sunday, I did saunter into Target after church & although I didn't get the tree I was hoping for, I settled on a couple of 'gifty' type of things.

What did I score?
a mentos explosion kit (which I gave away at a party yesterday)
burt's bees chapstick (which was also given away yesterday as a door prize)
princess nail polish (will go into our 'gift bin')
more princess stuff (ditto)
a snowflake linen tablecloth (which was used at yesterday's party)
matching snowflake napkins (ditto!)
a really cool 4-dip fancy toille/cardinal thin glass thingy (already sat out & put smelling reed thingy with)
SEVERAL peperidge farms/etc holiday cookies (I will keep out what we'll use the next month & throw the rest in the freezer)
tree ornament/balls (I already wrote Tightwad Daddy's players names/numbers on the balls & gave them away yesterday at our soccer party)

These were all 50%. I USED to wait & not buy much until all was 75% off. Now, nothing's left, as there is so much competition out there at the 50 off.
My guess is that in the near future, big box stores won't even start off at 50 off, they'll start at something absurd like 30 off (like some places do); as they know stuff WILL get bought.

What did you get? And what do you do w/ your goodies?

25 Days of Free Music at Amazon

Another sign that Christmas is around the corner!...Go HERE to get started. Today is something by Indigo Girls.

25 Days of Free Music...yay!

Another sign that Christmas is around the corner!...
Go HERE to get started. Today's tune is by Fleet Foxes (one of my favorites!)!

Home of the FREE

There is a lot to do here in the home of the free, for FREE...

Take the Kids to Applebee’s - According to Facebook, in celebration of the 4th of July, on the 3rd 4th & 5th Applebee's is giving away free kids meals. Two kids under 12 can eat free for every paying adult. call ahead to see if your neighborhood Applebee’s is participating.



Free Samples at Walmart - Kraft is celebrating Independence Day a little early with free sampling events at Walmart stores across the country from July 1-3. You’ll get to try all kinds of products at no charge. Again, make sure to call ahead before counting on your store participating.

Free Country Music - Country music seems like a good choice for this all-American holiday. Get a whole playlist of free songs from People Country Magazine.

Six Flags is hosting a 'Salute to Heroes' & offering our active military members free admission from July 1-4. Active and reservists receive a free one-day admission ticket at the main gate. Special discounts available for family members with military ID’s or up to 4 accompanying guests. Valid military ID required. There'll be Military displays, booths, and entertainment.

Free Chick-fil-A - Some Chick-fil-A locations are rewarding patriotic customers with free food. Come into the store on Saturday, July 3 (since Chick-fil-As are closed on Sundays) and if you’re wearing red, white and blue you’ll receive a free Spicy Chicken Sandwich. This deal may not be everywhere (I know W County mall location is participating), so call ahead.

Clearance Goodies...

...and stuff that's marked down....

Early this morning I hit Walgreens. Here is my list of purchases:

roll of cute gift wrap (was $1.99--->.99)
non-holiday set of Burt's Bees (was $14.99--->7.49)
non-holiday looking pack of gels/lotions (was $6.99--->2.99)
paper lunch sack looking giftbags (were 4/$1--->8/$1)
Hersey minis (were $3.39-->1.69)
adhesive clips (think stockings on the wall) (were $3.29-->1.49)
cookie tray (cute milk-free sprinkly cookies) (were $3.99--->1.99)

Going to market later to score some holiday themed foods. Pilsbury 'break aparts' are dairy free (for my allergy girl), so you'll bet I'll be using this $1 off Pillsbury Cookie Dough coupon. These might be marked down to .99-$1.49 (so they could be free!!). Also looking for prepridge farms types of sausages/cheese/crackers trios. Those are great to snack on - and are holiday'ish (so should be marked down).
I also grab Christmas candy for my students (bribery!).

Stay tuned for my Target goodies.

Fun Santa Stuff

Christmas Dialer – Get one free phone call from Santa. Have your kiddo nearby when you call, because we received our phone call within 10 seconds.

NORAD Tracks Santa – We do this every year (before we had kids, we would find this site for our nephew). You can follow Santa’s progress across the globe as he makes his deliveries of toys. It’s also a great tool to get your kids to go to bed when he starts making his way to North America!

Letter From Santa - This is the free letter from Santa we use every year. There are probably more out there, but since we've used this one, it's fine, & we know we aren't going to be asked to give a c/c or donation, we'll stick with it. It also gives you a few options for your nice little girl &/or boy.

This is reposted from last year...same great stuff!

Our "Advent" - or How We Count Down to Christmas

I'm going to 'repost', as I posted it last Christmas (& I'm not one to do something over again if it's already done!).
HERE is our idea of a count down, Tightwad Style.

What Are You Doing This Weekend?

FRIDAY

St. Louis Mills. 10:00 a.m. Kids up to 8 are invited celebrate Halloween in their costumes. Activities include story time and a costume contest. The first 200 kids to register receive a goody bag filled with treats in giveaways.

Part of Bass Pro's Family Events. 4-7 pm, Trick or Treat throughout store (Costume Parade at 6 pm).

SATURDAY

Bass Pro...Mask decorating, Marshmallow roasting, sample Dutch Oven apple cobbler, noon-4.

South County Center. 18 South County Centerway Saint Louis, Missouri 63129 Go check out their Halloween Event! October 31st. Trick-or-Treating from 5-7pm. (Also, Chesterfield & Mid Rivers encourage trick or treating at their mall).

See what Macy's has up its sleeve (check your local store first!!).

Free BLACKJACK TACO on Halloween, 6 pm-midnight (this one has the Tightwad Daddy seal of approval!)

And, I got this in my in-box from Louie the Lion (Lion's Choice)... In the spirit of Halloween, we want to invite you to bring your kid(s), 12 and younger,in over the Halloween weekend (10/30/09, 10/31/09, and 11/1/09). They will receivea FREE Kid's Cone and a coupon for a FREE Kid's Meal on their next visit!Please bring in this flyer to redeem.Plus, they can help themselves to the candy, compliments of Lion's Choice!

Blues are celebrating Halloween with free & 1/2 price tickets! Kids (12 & under) dressed in costume get into the game FOR FREE. Adults in costume get a 1/2 price ticket. Plaza seats only.

Toys"R"Us is offering families a safe place to celebrate. This year, Toys"R"Us stores nationwide will host Trick "R" Treat events on Halloween, complete with costume parades, complimentary treats and giveaways. Customers can visit any Toys"R"Us store – dressed up in their ghoulish garb – on Saturday, October 31 from noon to 3pm to participate in a spooktacularly safe Halloween celebration. Toys"R"Us store employees will also be dressed in costume, showing off their spooky best. Children ages three and up who attend Geoffrey’s Trick "R" Treat Parade will receive a complimentary, reusable bag, which they can fill up with goodies and giveaways (while supplies last) as they parade around the store with everyone’s favorite mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe.

Free Mattel toy from Sears just bring the kiddiess dressed in their costumes.

SUNDAY