Challenge Day 30- Pigskin Party

So, what's cheaper than the bar specials at your favorite local bar for some football watching?Watching the game at home with friends, of course. So, for Challenge Day 30, opening day of college football season, that's exactly what I did. My friend, Leyf, gets the credit for thinking up the cute name, and she was my host for this evening. She did it up right, too, very low-maintenance and relaxed. They got a bunch of food and asked everyone to bring whatever they wanted to drink. Turn that television on to your favorite game, and you have yourself a party. I chose to bring my new favorite, the Wine Cube, and it was a hit, and there was plenty of it to go around. 

Challenge Day 29- East Blvd Bar and Grill

I had to put my challenge activities on hold, once again, to take care of my poor, hurt little puppy, but that's OK, I'm glad to do it. 

I was going to go to East Blvd. Bar & Grill and grab a few beers, but I'll just do that later. I've been many times before, though, so I'll tell you what I know for sure. We'll just pretend like I went today. 

Their patio is awesome, definitely sit outside. Also, they have great beer specials. When you are ordering be sure to ask what the specials are. They also have them posted on a chalk board if you enter from the back, not the front patio entrance. Often good beers, are on special for $2, like Widmer Brothers. 

They also have a daily food special, which is worth checking out. The food isn't expensive, though, so if you're going to go with just anything on the menu, I highly recommend the quesadilla. 

This place is a Charlotte tradition, so go be a part of Charlotte and enjoy the delicious food and beer.

Challenge Day 28- AMC Special Prices

I had to take today off of my challenge because one of my dogs fractured her "wrist," and she needed me to just hang with her. See the photo to check out her sad-but-cute hot pink cast. I was going to check out Epicentre at 5, but I'll do that next week instead, so stay tuned for that. 

Instead, I want to let you all know about some special prices that AMC Theatres is running (www.amctheatres.com). The great thing is that this isn't just a Charlotte thing, my out-of-town readers, this is all nationwide. AMC is doing A.M. Cinema, a very cute name if you ask me. Basically, on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays movies that start before noon are $4-$6/ ticket. These are first-run movies too. Usually for prices like that you have to wait and see the movie at the second-run theatres. Going to a movie before noon may not be what you do every weekend, but every once in a while, it's a fun little option. 

Now, here's the cool part, the special is a little different, and as best as I can tell from the website, there is no end in sight for this special. At the Northlake and Carolina Pavilion locations, all movies are $5, Monday-Thursday all day and Friday- Sunday until 4pm, excluding holidays. I'm sorry to say, but I'm going to have to say goodbye to Regal Cinemas at Phillips Place. Matinees are $7.50 there!

While you are at the AMC Theatre website, also be sure to join Moviewatchers. This is their frequent movie-watcher program that is free to join. You earn points for buying movie tickets at concessions and earn movie tickets and concessions. It's a great thing! 

There are some great movies out there right now, so enjoy your movie watching at a serious discount!

Challenge Day 27- Camille's and The Members Project

For today, Challenge Day 27, I got a free lunch and I got to contribute to changing the world, also for free. 

Have you been to Camille's yet (www.camillescafe.com)? I'm telling you, it's delicious. I had the tuna salad for lunch today and it was absolute perfection. Another great things about Camille's is that there is an abundance of coupons out there for the. The particular one that I used today (Buy one, get one free menu item- I had 2 co-workers who also ordered lunch) came from signing up for their email list at the website. I definitely recommend this as I recommend all email lists. They will periodically send coupons, etc. to your email. They also have a couple coupons in the fantastic Citipass book. But, my very favorite Camille's coupon is one that you can print at www.360charlotte.com. This coupon is for "Free lunch for the office gopher who picks up lunch for the office." The one catch about this one is that your order has to be a $50 minimum, but, still, how cool is that idea? As someone who is often the gopher, I think more places should do that. 

Another thing to note about Camille's, when you look at the menu, it seems that your only side option is chips and salsa, but it's not. There are many fruit options and also cottage cheese available for no additional charge.

I also today found out about a cool thing that American Express is doing right now, The Members Project (www.membersproject.org). People can nominate different projects that they want to do, anyone can go and vote for their favorite and then American Express will provide the finds. It's that easy. So, go on out there an check out the projects.

Challenge Day 26- JT Posh

I really love anywhere that calls itself a savvy consignment boutique, and that's exactly what I got to experience for Challenge Day 26. JT Posh (www.jtposh.com) opened up last year, and I really love this place. They only take designer/couture clothing and accessories. Since it's "used" the prices are drastically reduced. I use the term "used" very loosely, though. Many of the items still have the tags on, no joke!

This particular day, I walked up to the store only to see a sign bearing one of my favorite words, SALE. Really a sale at a "savvy consignment boutique," what could be better? I mean this stuff was super cheap. Unfortunately on this particular trip, I didn't find any treasures. There was one dress that I really liked, and that would have been $12, but it just didn't fit quite right, and trust me, I tried. That's the nature of shopping at a consignment store, though. It's hit or miss, but definitely worth it. I try to pop in once a month just to see what they have.

Another thing that I really love about this place as an animal lover, is that they don't take real fur. I know that my pets thank them for being so chic!

Challenge Day 25- Brixx

For Challenge Day 25, I went to Brixx for one of the best deals in town, $1.50 Domestic Microbrew Drafts. We're talking the good beers here. If $1.50 Coors Lite is a good deal, then this is other-worldly. On this particular night, I had a fantastic Highland Gaelic, I love anything that brewery puts out, and also tried a new beer, Bell's Summer Ale. Both were delicious. 

Did I mention that I had a coupon from my favorite coupon book, Charlotte Citipass, for buy one, get one free entrees, so the food was a great deal also. Especially since, I can't ever eat a whole pizza there, so I have lunch all ready for tomorrow.

I also started my new Brixx MBA card (Masters of Beer Appreciation, I know, it's a great name) while I was there. The program is simple, try new beers. You get a card and they check them off for you as you go. 8 beers, you get a bottle-opener key chain. 16 Beers, you get a free pizza. 24 Beers, you get a t-shirt. And, 32 Beers, you get a Brixx Bash, $50 in free appetizers and food for you and your friends. How much does it cost you to join this program? Nothing. Now, how Cheap and Free is that?

Challenge Day 24- Chicken Parmesan & a Wine Cube

Every good cheap and free-er knows that the best deal in town is a great night in. For Challenge day 24, I chose to hang at home and make a fabulous meal of Chicken Parmesan and some delicious Chardonnay from a wine cube. Let's talk wine cube first. Have you seen these things? They are only sold at Target and for $12.99 you get this fabulous cube with a spout on the side that is the equivalent of 4 bottles of wine. That's right, wine on tap in your very own fridge. You do the math, that's a little over $3/bottle, almost as cheap as the famous two-buck Chuck, but much more yummy. OK, next making dinner. I know that many people scoff at cooking, but it's actually something that I really enjoy. I subscribe to many food/recipe magazines, and the Chicken Parmesan in question was out of the latest Bon Appetit. It was delicious and easy, no joke. If you'd like a copy of the recipe, shoot me an email at ktamerlano@gmail.com. I'd be happy to share.

Challenge Day 23- Whitewater Center adoption event with 'A Rare Breed of Love'

For Challenge Day 23, I did something fun that also helped some homeless puppies get a chance to find a home. I wrote about it earlier this week, but today at the Whitewater Center, Jana Kohl, the author of "A Rare Breed of Love" (www.ararebreedoflove.com) came out with her dog, Baby, who was rescued from a puppy mill to help to educate the public about the horrors of puppy mills. Does that sound like a gloom and doom kind of event? Good news! It wasn't. There was festival style atmosphere with Bryan Harrell (www.byranharrell.com) singing bluesy songs about Baby's story, Park Road Books (www.parkroadbooks.com) selling copies of "A Rare Breed of Love," and Jana signing the books and posing for photos. Also, Project Halo (www.projecthalo.net) brought out some of the cutest adoptable puppies around. I held a 3 month old Beagle mix and a 4 month old Border Collie mix all day, and, yes, they found some prospective homes. It's only a matter of time before they get to go to their forever homes. All of this was going on with the beautiful Whitewater Center (www.usnwc.org) as a backdrop. The weather was beautiful and the cause was beautiful. It was a great day.

Challenge Day 22- Frazier Park Dog Park, Public Art Walking Tour

For Challenge Day 22, I really just couldn't work 5 days this week, so I took Friday off. 

My day started out at the new dog park that just opened up last week at Frazier Park in Wesley Heights. I love that I can take my girls to do something fun and it is less that 10 minutes from my house. No more driving out to Pineville-Matthews Rd. for me. Needless to say, the ladies loved the new dog park. It had everything that they need, namely grass and water to drink. 

Once I had snuggled with my thoroughly tired puppies, I went uptown to do the public art walking tour. If you all haven't noticed, there is a ton of art in uptown. If you go online to the Arts & Science Council's website (http://www.artsandscience.org/) you can get the map & script, which gives you full info on the pieces in uptown. My favorite, I think, was the Writer's Desk, which is in front of Imaginon. The pieces all had literary references, which I loved. I also really liked the Wind Silos which are near the 7th Street Station. I'm sure you all have noticed these, they are shiny and really beautiful and now knowing that they are supposed to be silos, I'm sure I'll be hearing a collective, "Ohhhh." 

Charlotte has really done a lot of work to make uptown beautiful and even more is happening. Stay tuned, Charlotte is getting cooler by the day.

Challenge Day 21- Habitat for Humanity ReStore

Are you looking to do some remodeling on the cheap? Or, maybe you just want a new couch? Well, then Challenge Day 21's place is for you, The Habitat for Humanity ReStore (www.charlottestore.org).

I went to check it out and was super impressed. The idea behind the ReStore is that, let's say, you are remodeling your kitchen. You rip out the cabinets which are still fine, just not your style. Well, you then donate them to the restore and they can sell it to someone who does like that style. The ReStore is a great fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. So far this year, the Charlotte ReStore has funded 8 houses, which is awesome.

Maybe you don't need cabinets or a bath tub. How about checking out their great selection of furniture and home accessories. I definitely almost left with a couch, chair, and ottoman that looked brand new to me and was only $450. Too bad I just don't have the space. I'll keep checking back, and I'm sure that I'll find a great deal for me.

OK, so maybe you don't need a single thing for your home, then how about a cool place to hang out. Check out Julia's Coffe, attached to the restore. It's a funky little coffee shop with an incredible vibe, and second hand books. There truly is something for everyone at the ReStore.

Shopping with a conscience? What could be better!

Challenge Day 20- McCormick & Schmick's

For Challenge Day 19, I was able to partake in one of the best hidden secrets of living life cheap and free. Some friends and I went to McCormick & Schmick's for drinks and appetizers. They have unbelievable happy hour specials! 

I had $1.95 hummus. Yep, $1.95! And, it was a large portion too, large enough to make it my dinner. Hummus isn't your thing? How about a Half Pound Cheeseburger with fries or a Pulled Pork Sandwich with fries for $1.95. Is that more your idea of a meal? There are also $3.95 and $4.95 appetizers, but for those prices you are getting amazing things like an Ahi Tempura Roll. Just try to find those prices for sushi anywhere else. And, you know it's good quality fish. It's McCormick & Schmick's, a great seafood restaurant. 

Now, how about those drink specials? I chose a $2.75 Coors Light Draft. Yes, more expensive than my usual Coors Lights, but, really, the $1.95 Hummus evened that out for sure! If you're in the mood for something a little more on the classy side, for $5, you can choose Sangria, wine or classier bottled beer.

If you're free on a Tuesday, there is more great stuff going on than just the appetizer and drink specials. They also have a lobster special. Yes, lobster! For $11.95, you can get a steamed 1 lb. lobster w/ cole slaw and drawn butter. Also, if you sit out on the patio on a Tuesday, they have free live music.

And you thought you couldn't afford to go to McCormick & Schmick's...

Challenge day 19- Arpa Tuesday Night

Today, Challenge Day 19, I went with some friends to Arpa for, seriously, the best deal in Charlotte. On Tuesdays at Arpa, pitchers of Sangria are $10 and Tapas are 1/2 off. For the 3 of us, no joke, our bill was $28! I'll tell you all of the deliciousness that we ate. We had: Hummus and Pita, Tzatziki & Pita, Chicken Souvlaki, yummy mushrooms, and Chicken and Manchego Croquettes. Really? So good! That $10 pitcher of Sangria gave us 4 glasses, and a glass of Sangria is usually $6 there. Plus, the added bonus of the pitcher of Sangria is all of the wine-soaked fruit in the bottom. It was so good, my favorite was the apples. Yes, we were super classy and were sticking our forks in the pitcher to get the fruit out. I'm pretty sure that's not OK, but we were doing it anyway. Sometimes, you just have to go for it.

Challenge Day 18- I have a meeting, so I'm plugging a great event!

Hi all! I have a meeting after work today, so no fun challenge event for me today, but I did want to take the time to plug a very cool event that I have been working on for Project Halo (www.projecthalo.net), an animal rescue that I work with. This Saturday, August 23rd from 5-7 come on out to the Whitewater Center (www.usnwc.org) for an evening with Jana Kohl, Bryan Harrell & Project Halo. Jana Kohl is the author of the fabulous book A Rare Breed of Love (www.ararebreedoflove.com) and is a huge advocate for animal rescue as well as being against puppy mills. She will be doing a book signing and a talk. You can also meet her adorable dog, Baby, who was rescued from a puppy mill. Bryan Harrell (www.bryanharrell.com) is a musician who has written an album titled A Rare Breed of Love inspired by the book and by Baby's story. He will be performing an acoustic set. Last, but certainly not least, there will be Project Halo dogs available for adoption along with a raffle to benefit Project Halo. Come on out for a kid and dog-friendly event!!

Way to use that VIC card!!

I had a very cheap and free time at Harris Teeter today! The manager actually had to be called over to approve my transaction because I spent less than my VIC card savings. I spent $83, but saved $86 (so, yes, I still qualified for week one of the luggage giveaway). Run, don't walk, if you like shrimp. Right now, frozen raw shrimp which is normally $26 a bag, is buy one, get two free. Quite the savings, and a huge driver in my massive savings today. I felt quite accomplished as I walked out of the store having used fabulous grocery shopping skills!

Challenge Day 17- Backyard BBQ

Day seventeen's cheap and free activity was all my friend, Mark. He was awesome and hosted a backyard BBQ. This is a fantastic cheap & free way to get together with a bunch of friends. I definitely recommend hosting one sometime soon. It is much cheaper than all going out to dinner, and, in my opinion, 10 thousand times more fun. Everyone brought something, so you get to try out different people's food, and the grill was going full force cranking out some delicious meat. The drinks were flowing as was the conversation. I also think there is something about making food with your friends that brings you closer together. Plus, we had the added bonus of getting to play with Mark's great dog, Gracie, always good when there is a little canine friend around. Thanks for the invite, Mark! What a fantastic way to spend a Sunday night!

Mustard

I adore coupons! That's not surprising to anyone, I would think. This little story about what happened to me today just reaffirms that adoration. So, I'm in Target doing my shopping and I needed to get lunch meat. It was on special, another thing I adore. On top of the package was a coupon for $1 off any French's mustard. I'm a big fan of the Spicy Brown and am almost out, so I'm considering this to be my lucky day. I didn't even know the half of it! I get to the aisle and the delicious Spicy Brown mustard was on special for $.95. No joke, Target ended up paying me $.05 to get mustard. That's about as fabulously cheap and free as you can get! 

Challenge Day 16- Farmer's Markets Galore

Day sixteen of my challenge was all about produce (OK, dog treats, crumb cake, and eggs too). Once again, my Saturday started out at the Tailgate Farmer's Market with my little Mandy in tow. You've already heard me rave about this market, so I won't go on again (A little... it's awesome!), but they are doing a really cool thing through Saturday, August 30th. The market is doing a cookbook exchange. Do you have cookbooks that you aren't using? Doesn't everybody? Well, take them over to the market and you can swap them. It's all on the honor system and any books that are leftover when it is all done will be donated, a super fantastic idea. 

Mandy and I were able to pick up dog treats and produce, all at great prices. If you enjoy spoiling your dogs, like I do, check out My Sugar Bean (www.mysugarbean.com). These treats are all healthy and homemade, not to mention adorably decorated. You just look at the packaging and know that these treats are made with love. The prices absolutely can't be beat, and they get Mandy and Maddie's paw of approval.

From there, I dropped Mandy off at home and headed to the Kings Dr. Farmer's Market (Corner of South Kings Drive and Morehead) This is truly a great market. They have pretty much any type of produce that you need and the prices are amazing. I was able to get avocadoes for $1.19 each, and I paid over $2 each at the grocery store last weekend. Also, I love that for most of the items there, you can pay all together. There are usually some vendors on the side who are separate but their items are so fabulous, it's worth opening your wallet more than once. 

If you have a favorite farmer's market, let me know. I am also a big fan of the Center City Green Market. I'll try to get uptown next Saturday to write about them.

Challenge Day 15- Grand Opening Party at Plan B

For the fifteenth day of my challenge, I went to Plan B's Grand Opening with friends. Yes, Plan B has been open since May, but this was the official Grand Opening Celebration. It was a fantastic time, as most grand openings are. 

There were a couple of great bands that played, plus, as an added bonus, we got to watch Michael Phelps win the 100M Butterfly, a truly awesome moment to be in a bar. Plan B couldn't have planned that bit of entertainment any better for their party. The drink specials were in full effect, with the delicious $5 Plan B shot being introduced, a bit pricey, but it's the size of 2 shots, so not actually too bad. 

A beer distributor was there handing out freebies. I left with a Smirnoff t-shirt that is pretty cool and that I actually would wear. They also gave away an all-expense paid trip to Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, my free challenge hasn't yet resulted in me winning a cool trip, but my day will come. Refer back to my tips, enter every contest that you can. Winning them is awesome. 

I'm going to add a new tip, keep on the lookout for grand openings. They are always a fabulous cheap & free thing to do. As soon as you hear of or see a new, cool place start looking on the Internet. Likely, the website will have a link to be added to an email list for updates. I know that with each of the grand openings in the Epicentre, they were ticketed events. Act early, get on those email lists and, you too, will be a ticket holder. Look at you being all fabulous in Charlotte!

Challenge Day 14- The Common Market

For day fourteen of the challenge, my friend Dana and I went to my new favorite place in Charlotte, The Common Market. If you have never been there, get in your car right now and go (or walk if you are lucky enough to live super close), except for the middle of the night, there is something awesome going on at The Common Market. 

On Thursday nights (today) there is a free wine tasting starting at 7pm. If you

 get there early, spend plenty of time perusing the store. Right now, they have their back-to-school wine tasting going on, which is 10% off any wine over $10 and 15% off 6+ wines over $10. They also have a fantastic selection of organic wines that are $7.99/bottle or $12.99/2 bottles, a wonderful deal.  

I also have to give some major props to The Common Market for carrying Wailua Wheat beer by Kona Brewing Company. I was in Hawaii last month and was at the Kona Brewing Company and they told me that this beer was not available in the mainland. Well, The Common Market has it. I told the cashier as I bought it ($9 for a classy six-er, not bad) my story and he replied, with a very cool, "we know." 

If you drive by, it looks like nothing special. If you go in, you'll know that it's like nowhere else that you have ever been. Dana and I chose to sit at the bar and the bartender was an absolute delight. He let us know that in addition to the fabulous Thursdays, Wednesday is even better with a beer/food tasting. 

The best thing about this place, is that they have this wonderful wall of novelties next to the bar that are for sale. Keep drinking those beers, and the "smoking baby" will be the funniest thing 

that you have ever seen in your life. I will be back there as often as I possibly can. Everyone in Charlotte: GO, GO, GO!

P.S. Dana and I had the time of our lives. We talked, we laughed, and as Mama P. likes to say, "Friends are like pennies. The more you have, the richer you are." Go out and have an awesome time with your friends!

Challenge Day 13- The New Marshall's

For day thirteen of my challenge, I went and checked out the New Marshall's in the Metropolitan at Midtown. This store is brand new, having just opened up last week. 

The first thing I'm going to let you know is that you are going to pull in and ask yourself "where in the world should I go?" Marshall's is located on the third floor. One awesome thing about this complex is that there are a ton of fantabulous stores going in (What up, Trader Joe's?), and there is plenty of parking, a very good thing. When you walk in the store looks great, but, I have to say, I'm going to give it mixed reviews. 

The selection of brands and styles in the women's clothing section wasn't anything special. I always seem to be on the look-out for work dresses, and, I'll be honest, I couldn't find a single dress. I'll entertain the thought that I may have missed something, but I really don't think I did. 

The shoe department is great! If I even remotely needed a pair of shoes, I could've come out with a couple pairs at great deals. 

I was loving the housewares section too. There was a great selection of items, however, I was looking for a frying pan and couldn't find any good brands. Next time, I need a comforter, I know exactly where I will be shopping. 

The Men's section, also, was really great. There was a good selection of brands and a variety of styles, plus a really nice suit section. 

The store is missing my very favorite section of any Marshall's, the clearance section, but they haven't really been open for long enough to have that. Yes, I love clearance on closeout prices. I'm sure that this will come, give them a couple weeks. 

Overall, for now, I'm saying that it's definitely worth checking out. The very nature of the closeout store makes it somewhere that you need to check often, so I'll keep checking and keep you all posted. Happy Bargain Shopping!

Challenge Day 12- RealEyes Bookstore

I have lived in Charlotte for about a year and a half and up until about a month ago, I could not find a used bookstore (as a bargain shopper, I love used bookstores). That was, until I read about RealEyes Bookstore on the Internet while doing research for my August challenge. So, on day twelve it was finally time to go check out RealEyes (www.realeyesbookstore.com). 

They are located in the very eclectic NODA neighborhood and they fit in fabulously. It just feels and smells like a place where you could curl up and look for books to read all day. I'll be honest, I have been to the Dog Bar across the street many times and had never really fully taken in what the stores across the street were. Well, I was missing out. On their website it says that they give books to local organizations and if you donate 10 books you get 1 for free. I've sold books before and you usually don't get much, so this sounded like a fantastic deal to me. And it was, for my 10 books, I was able to get "Walking in Circles Before Lying Down," a book I actually almost bought over the weekend at Target. Also, when you are in there be sure to check out the bargain shelves right when you walk in, everything there is $.99-$3. There was some really amazing a beautiful older books. 

 

One final note about this great place that I will be now be visiting regularly, check out all of the bulletin boards and fliers that are up. This place is a zenith of cheap and free events!

Challenge Day 11- Plan B

For the eleventh day of my challenge I went with some friends up to Plan B on East Blvd. I've mentioned them before, and I know that I will again. Coors Light drafts are $2 every day in addition to another beer special depending on the day of the week. They also have a food special each day of the week. 

This is also a great place for their special events. They have started sponsoring pub crawls with other bars in their neighborhood and they are a blast and a spectacular source of cheap & free fun. Watch their door for signs, I'll let you know through the blog too when one is coming up. There are often bands playing in the evenings and they get some pretty good acts. Plus, if you are lucky enough to be there when the magician is there, you are in for a treat. I really don't know how this guys does what he does, but he is amazing and fun. 

The wait stuff is super nice and their rooftop patio is amazing. This place is an all-around winner!

Challenge Day 10- Lunch and a Movie

Challenge day ten was a bit low-key. I spent the afternoon on a lunch and movie date, totally done on the cheap. We started out at Brixx where we were able to use a buy one, get one free coupon out of the Charlotte Citipass book. You know how much I love that book! This alone saved $10. I cannot stress enough how much I love coupons; they are seriously awesome. Just a side note, another great source for coupons is the Clipper magazine. It will come in your mailbox and you may be tempted to toss it aside as junk mail. Do not; this is a valuable source of savings!

From Brixx, we headed off to the movies to see Step Brothers (a hilarious movie!), while movies are a bit pricey; the savings here is that we went during the day. By going to a matinee, the savings is from $2-$3 per movie ticket. I also picked up a flier for a new rewards program that Regal Theaters is now doing. I’ll definitely be going online to sign up (www.REGmovies.com). If I’m going to the movies anyway, I may as well be earning points toward free tickets. The second-most awesome way to get things for free is to earn it by doing something you would do anyway (most awesome is winning a contest)!

Challenge Day 9- Animal Day

Day nine of my challenge was all about animals, both my dogs and panthers (the Carolina kind).

I had a suggestion to go to the Tailgate Farmers Market, so that is how I started out my Saturday morning. I am on the Tailgate’s email list (which I suggest, they will send you an update of the attending vendors before the market, go to http://charlottetailgatemarket.com/default.aspx and click on "Contact Us"), so I knew that they had a new dog-treat vendor today. My dog, Mandy (AKA the Peanut), and I went so that she could sample her treats before we bought them because my dogs have discerning taste for some reason. We also were able to get some great tomatoes, honey, olive oil, and all-natural cleaner, all local. The prices at this market are fantastic and after being there for only a moment, you will know that by supporting it you are doing fantastic things for the local economy and also for our Earth.

Mandy and I then went to Earth Fare where they were hosting a fundraising event for the Humane Society of Charlotte. For a $10 donation, my little Mandy was able to get a massage, her photo taken, enter a number of contests, and get some free samples, in addition to supporting the Humane Society; always a good thing.

A little later on, after my girls were thoroughly tired and had had a fabulous day, I went uptown to tailgate. Even if you don’t have tickets to the Panthers game, tailgating is a great, cheap & free time. You can take your own drinks and snacks uptown, which is a huge savings over going to a bar. Plus, every TV and radio station has a booth setup, so there are lots of freebies and fun stuff available to you. Arrive early and take advantage of all that uptown on a game day has to offer.

Challenge Day 8- Movie Time

Today, the eighth day of my challenge, I went to one of my favorite Charlotte summertime activities, Movies in the Park. This happens once each month, May-August, on the first Friday of the month at sunset in Freedom Park. Watershed Charlotte sponsors this family and dog-friendly movie showing, and any and all are welcome. People brought blankets, chairs, picnics, dogs, kids and more and spread out in front of the amphitheatre for tonight’s showing of Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium. There is a great energy at this event, and it’s hard to describe it exactly, but everyone just seems happy. It’s such a pure and wonderful good time sitting outside on a blanket watching, my favorite genre of movie, children’s movies with many references intended only for adults.

After the movie in the park, I was still in the mood for more movies, so I swung by Blockbuster to rent a movie. I do think that at $4.99/rental, Blockbuster is a bit pricey. But, there’s a little hidden secret. Next time you go there, look closely at your receipt. Amongst all of the words is a survey request. Put your thoughts about your visit into the website and you will be emailed a coupon for a $1.99 rental. Now, that isn’t expensive. You can do the survey once each month per email address. And, the survey request will even be listed on the receipt for your $1.99 rental, so if you keep filling out the survey, you can never pay that $4.99 again.

Challenge Day 7- Happy Birthday Charlie!

Day seven of the challenge brought me to my friend Charlie’s birthday celebration. Can you have a cheap and free fabulous birthday celebration? Oh yes, you can. My friends and I chose to go to Ed’s Tavern. I had a fedora-style happy birthday hat that I brought along just to get the party started. You know you are going to have a good night if someone starts out in a funny hat.

If you haven’t been to Ed’s Tavern yet, give it a try. It is a fantastic neighborhood bar, keep on going regularly and before too long, you will have your very own Cheers situation where everybody knows your name. Ed’s has fantastic food and with no item on the menu over $10, except $14.95 for 20 wings (Come on, that’s a lot of wings), it’s a fantabulous deal for a good meal. I’m a sucker for the turkey sandwich, and if you are grappling with which side to get, go crazy and get the Hungarian cucumber salad, break the mold of getting fries with that, you won’t regret it. In addition to the cheap menu, they also have daily food specials to make it a little bit cheaper.

Now, let’s talk drink specials, they have a different one every day. Today, Thursday, Coronas and Corona Lights are $2, have a little taste of Mexico for super cheap. They also have a variety of beers that are $1.50 every day; Coors Light, Miller High Life Light, Miller High Life, and Pabst.

Also on Thursdays, Ed’s has Total Team Trivia starting at 9pm (http://www.totalteamtrivia.com/). You play three rounds with 12 questions each. There are prizes after each round, like a pitcher of beer or a round of shots, and then there is a grand prize, which is usually an Ed’s gift certificate. And what do you think you need to pay to play the game and have a chance at the prizes? Nada, zippo, zilch. It’s a fantastically free thing to do with a group of friends. Our group unfortunately didn’t win any of the prizes, but we were close. We’ll be back and try our hand at winning again. Don’t like general trivia? Come to Ed’s on a Wednesday when they will be playing Music Trivia starting at 9pm. On both trivia nights, though, I would strongly suggest arriving early to get a table, especially if you are with a large group.

Happy Birthday, Charlie!

Challenge Day 6- Arpa

Day six of the challenge was a ton of fun. I went to Arpa in uptown Charlotte with some girlfriends. The first Wednesday of every month Arpa offers 6 wine tastings and 6 tapas tastings for $12. It was an amazing deal and we had an amazing time. I especially liked that it made me try new foods and wines that I wouldn’t normally try on your own, and the best thing yet is that the tapas and wines are different each month. I very much enjoyed the watermelon gelee and the crab salad. The sommelier who brought us the wine was super educated and super entertaining and nice. Plus, the wines are all available for purchase and at cheap prices too. The most expensive one was $19/bottle and the least expensive one was $9/bottle, pretty cheap in the wine world. All in all, seriously, we had a great time. Check it out, check it out, check it out! I’ll be there the first Wednesday of September, I guarantee it. Also did I mention the great beer specials every Wednesday night? Michelob Ultra and Michelob Ultra Amber are $2 each. Mich Ultra Amber is one of my favorite beers. 

Oh, and if you’re not feeling Wednesday night at Arpa, check it out on a Monday. All flatbreads are half price and all draft beers are $2 each. Can’t get enough of those tapas!

Challenge Day 5- Mint Museum of Art

For today, the fifth day of my challenge, I did something that I have been talking about doing ever since I moved to Charlotte. Some friends and I went to the Mint Museum of Art. I have found that this is something that a lot of people have been meaning to do. Well, do I have news for you all! Not only is the Mint Museum of Art open for extended hours on Tuesdays (10am-10pm), but admission is free after 5pm.

Here are a few fun facts about the Mint Museum of Art. It is housed in what was the first branch of the United States Mint. The name makes sense now, huh? Also, it opened in 1936 and was the first art museum in the state of North Carolina.

The permanent collection was amazing, but I really enjoyed the temporary exhibit of the graphic work of Clare Leighton. They were all wood engravings and to see the engravings and see what detail had to go into it to be able to make the print was amazing to me.

If you are going through the museum with children or are just feeling playful yourself, there are different activities for each room. Most of the rooms have a scavenger hunt page to look for things like certain parts of a painting or a drawing of a farmer. There are also activities like mask coloring. These items make the museum a fantastic, interactive experience for all ages.

Definitely pick up the calendar of events at the front desk before you leave. There are many programs that are free or very little cost going on at various times. This is also a great resource to know what exhibits are coming up. Stay tuned for when I check out the Mint Museum of Craft and Design later in the month, free the third Thursday of each month with free jazz.

Save money on coupons? Fantastic!

My very favorite Charlotte source for coupons is the Charlotte Citipass book. Yes, you have to pay for the book, but even if you only use 2 or 3 of the coupons, it will more than pay for itself. Right now they are doing pre-sale for the 2009 book until August 11th. The book will be $30, but if you order before August 11th, it is only $25, and that includes shipping and handling, and the book will ship to you on August 11th (allow 10 days for it to arrive). This book has tons of buy one get one free coupons for various fabulous restaurants. A friend of mine and I used one of the coupons at La Vecchia's uptown and we got a 4- course meal for two plus a bottle of wine for $70. We were adding up what it would have cost from the menu and we saved well over $50. Such a fantastic deal! There are also coupons for movie theatres, sporting events and all sorts of other fabulous things. Check out this link for more information and to order http://www.charlottecitipass.com/purchase.html.

Challenge Day 4- My Favorite Frequent Shopper Cards

This evening I had a meeting for an animal rescue that I volunteer with, Project Halo (http://www.projecthalo.net/), so no challenge activity, but I wanted to let you all know about what I think are the best frequent shopper cards/programs.

Aveda Pure Privilege
The first one that I love is Aveda Pure Privilege. Yes, you do have to pay for the card, but you get a free gift that is worth the amount of the membership (When I got my membership a few years I think it was $20 and I got a gift-set with a case and travel sized toiletries). You will also get a birthday gift every year and it has been a free bottle of their Purefume for the last few years, and that is $20 in the store and has some really great scents. Oh, and also, you pay for life; you’ll never have to pay again. You earn points for your purchases and can redeem them for such items as purses made out of recycled paper (very cool, I have one, and I always get a ton of compliments on it), Seventh Generation cleaning supplies, Aveda products, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, etc. It’s all really cool stuff. You can even help to reserve your seat on the Karma bus and have a tree planted in your name as one of your rewards. I like to do that every couple of times I redeem points and give a little bit back to the Earth. If you’re going to buy Aveda products anyway, the card is worth it.

Love Your Body Card
Another cool store with a great card is The Body Shop. This is also one that you have to pay for and it is an annual fee, but with this one you get a discount off of all of your purchases in addition to earning points, so chances are that you will save enough on the total purchase to pay for buying the card (again, this one is around $20), In addition to the discount, you also earn free products in different dollar amounts as you earn more points. Plus, if you earn enough points, you get your membership for the following year for free. You will get a birthday gift with this program too, usually a certificate for a bottle of body wash. This is another one, which if you are going to buy the products anyway, definitely get the card. Another plug for both the Body Shop and Aveda is that they both are companies with an incredible commitment to the Earth. Both use recycled items, don’t test on animals (The Body Shop actually takes a stand against it) and use fair-trade items. Great, great companies.

Best Buy Rewards
I also really like the Best Buy Rewards program. It’s free and you earn merchandise certificates. All you have to do is present the card when you make a purchase and you earn your points. You go online to manage your points and when you have enough points to get a reward certificate, you redeem it, simple as that.

Hallmark Gold Crown Card
This next one is an oldie but a goodie and that is the Hallmark Gold Crown Card. Greeting cards are crazy-expensive and I did try to learn card-making as a skill once, but I’m just not all that good at it, so in the time being, at least I can earn points for those greeting card purchases. You get more points when you buy more cards in one purchase, so I try to go in knowing what is coming up and what I will need a card for, so I can do the bulk thing. There is always an item that is free or discounted with the purchase of three Hallmark cards too.

Restaurant Cards
I also am a big fan of any restaurant that does a stamp card. I will actually choose a place where I can get a stamp over one where I can’t. If Restaurant A will eventually be giving me a free sandwich and Restaurant B won’t, you do the math. However, the one thing with these with these (and I am guilty of violating this too) is to keep them with you and remember to present them. I’m pretty sure that I have three Pita Pit cards started, and I went in one day to pick up a huge order for my office and I completely forgot to present my card and missed an opportunity for a lot of points. One thing to note is that most places will combine your cards into one. Let me know if you have any favorite cards that I may not have discovered yet. Happy Savings!

Challenge Day 3- Freedom Park, Charlotte Knights Game

After yesterday’s very event-filled outing, day three was a bit more low-key. It started out with my very favorite free activity, walking my dogs through Freedom Park. Charlotte has some amazing parks and I definitely recommend taking advantage of them. I personally like to walk through the park early in the morning; it’s very calming and tranquil. There are a ton of parks here too, so I would venture to guess that you have one not too far from your home. The parks also often have different festivals or programs going on. Check out http://www.charmeck.org/ for more information. 

After a fun afternoon of grocery shopping and doing chores, I was ready to get out of the house. My one dog, Mandy, and I went to the Charlotte Knights game for Take Your Best Friend to the Park day along with some friends, both canine and human. With the prices of professional sports tickets going through the roof, minor league is a fantastic alternative. The tickets were $7 each, which is very cheap. The one thing that I will say isn’t cheap at Charlotte Knights Stadium is the parking. $3 parking is a bit much to me. I mean think of the ratio of the price of parking to the price of the ticket. Plus, the stadium is kind of out in the middle of nowhere, so there aren’t really any parking alternatives. However, at a grand total of $10, we’re not breaking the bank here and parking uptown during a professional sporting event can cost $20 or even more some time, so,overall, it’s a steal to catch some sports. Being able to take my little Mandy was a huge bonus for me. She had a blast at her very first baseball game and the stadium is a lot cleaner after she ate all of the popcorn that was lying around. Plus, Best Friends dog daycare was there handing out free tennis balls. I snagged one for each of my girls. Free dog toys? Always good!

Challenge Day 2- Volunteering at Hospitality House, afternoon in Uptown Charlotte

Day two of the challenge was a busy one. I started out my morning by volunteering with Hands on Charlotte at Hospitality House. Hospitality House is a place where families can stay while they have a family member staying in the hospital, a very worthy cause. Many of these people would end up sleeping in the hallways or waiting rooms of the hospital if it weren’t for Hospitality House. I spent time taking inventory of the items in the room and just helping out with some general organizing. You’ll come to notice me mentioning a lot of volunteering in my blog entries, and it is definitely a huge part of my life. I’ll just take a few quick sentences right now to give you all a little piece of advice from me, if you aren’t doing any volunteer work right now, start. I know that everyone is busy, but even if you can find one hour a month to give to a worthy organization, your life will be enriched in ways you can’t even imagine. The director of Hospitality House told us a fabulous Native American saying this morning: The greatest gift that you can give is your time because you can never get it back. Email me at Kelly@cheapandfreeincharlotte.com if you would like some help finding a great volunteer opportunity. 

Ok, back to my fun and busy day. I came home from Hospitality House, hung out for a bit and then headed into Uptown Charlotte. If you are a Bank of America customer, the first weekend of each month, at least until the end of the year, your museum admission is on them at select museums throughout the country (I’ve placed the link in my list). I chose to go to the Levine Museum of the New South. Fascinating! Did you know that the sit-in started in Greensboro or that air conditioning started in North Carolina? Another great thing at the Levine if you go with children, they have two different scavenger hunts that the kiddos can fill out with a little adult help and when they have completed it, take it to the front desk and get a prize. Free souvenir! 

After the museum I headed to the Wachovia Atrium where the Bon Odori Japanese culture festival was going on. I was able to watch the Matsuriza drummers (http://www.matsuriza.com/). These guys are crazily amazing! I was mesmerized. 

From there, I headed to the Uptown Culture Fusion event put on by Art Angel
Events (http://www.artangelevents.com/) in the Brevard Court. If you haven’t checked out, Brevard Court, do. I had no idea that this little gem was hiding in uptown. I tried a sample of Water Ice (http://www.whatswaterice.com/). Delicious! I suggest the Green Apple! There was a super-talented street musician roaming around, serenading the beautiful art that was all around. It was an event for emerging artists, and, let me tell you, there is some talent brewing here in Charlotte, NC.

I then pretty much stumbled upon the Criterium all-female bike race. These women are inspiring (and fast!). Culture is definitely in abundance in uptown Charlotte. Oh, and did I mention that I didn’t even spend $1, not even on parking. Plus, I tried my very first Cheerwine (free handout, they sponsor a cycling team) and that is one deliciously cherry soda.

Challenge Day 1- Southend Gallery Crawl, Plan B

Hey Y’all, day one of the challenge and doing great! 

I went to the awesome Southend Gallery Crawl this evening and I definitely recommend it. At Ciel Gallery, they were doing the Community Mosaic Project. I had the opportunity to create a part of the mosaic that they were doing, which will eventually hang on the outside of their building, so in the future when you drive by and see the mosaic of the color wheel, I did the light yellow part (see photo beside and imagine it with grout and near a brick wall). Everyone who was there participating was fabulous and I had a wonderful time. Thank you! I also went into Caleidoscope Gallery and saw all of their wonderful displays. If you haven’t been there, this is a great place! The artists are often there working on their art and they are very happy to talk to you and tell you about their inspiration. I spent some time talking to a brilliant artist named Julie L. Bowles and she was telling me about a trip she took to Paris and showing me the photos she had taken and the paintings that she had done from them. I will definitely be going back to her for gifts in the future. 

I then went and met some friends at Plan B on East Blvd. to enjoy some $1.50 Coors Light drafts. This place has the best outdoor seating in Charlotte, and a fantastically fabulous wait-staff. A great Friday night!