Cheap & Free in Charlotte

Help Children Without Shoes!!

2010-04-06T09:37:00.000-04:00

I love when cheap and free fabulous-ness can help others, it really is the best way to be thrifty... Well, on April 8th, we all have that opportunity. Tom's Shoes (super comfortable, super cute) is hosting One Day Without Shoes. They are asking people to go barefoot on April 8th to raise awareness for all of the many children who go barefoot everyday and how hard it is to go barefoot. I'm sure that my going completely barefoot all day wouldn't exactly fly at my job, but I am going to wear a shoe that I can slip on and off fairly easily and will be as barefoot as I can on April 8th. If you are in a position to go barefoot, go for it! If you can't go barefoot all day, at least try and be barefoot on a hard surface of some sort, just for the appreciation of what these kids go through. And, just for those of you who don't know, when you purchase a pair of Tom's shoes, they give a pair of shoes to a child in need. What more motivation to buy a great pair of shoes do you need other than that?

Groupon.com

2010-03-18T09:22:00.001-04:00

I just discovered a fabulous website and it was completely by accident. I was looking for deals in Las Vegas and stumbled upon the fabulous website Groupon. They have daily deals for all sorts of cities throughout the United States, so this isn't just a Cheap and Free in Charlotte deal or even just Las Vegas. Anyone can take advantage of it! Here's how it works... A business offers up it's deal for the day and they seem to all be at least half off of something, that I saw, Groupon says the deals are 50-90% off, pretty awesome! Then people start buying the deals right there online and the business sets a minimum number of people who have to buy the deal before anyone gets the deal (hence the group in groupon). If the minimum number of people sign up, they charge your card and send you a link to print your Groupon. If not enough people join, no one gets it (and you won't be charged). It seemed that it was often 20 people, but for instance, today's deal in Charlotte is for an equestrian center and 318 people have already bought the deal and it's only 9:20, so doesn't seem like meeting those minimums is an issue. You can even sign up to receive the daily deal to your inbox, click here to sign up. Definitely check it out, I want to hear about the great deals you get!

The new Bloom

2010-03-18T05:45:00.003-04:00

I'm so excited because a fabulous new grocery store has opened up right around the corner from my house. If the location wasn't enough, it's a Bloom grocery store which is a specialty style grocery store owned by the same company that owns Food Lion, so apparently it's cheaper than Harris Teeter. The only reason that I say "apparently" is because I haven't gotten a chance to actually do a good comparison, but it does seem cheaper. It certainly doesn't hurt that I got in the mail 4 coupons for $5 off of a $25 purchase each dated for one of the first 4 weeks they are open, so they at least have my attention. Couple that with the fabulous goodie bag that I got at the sneak peak happy hour Tuesday night before the grand opening. It was a great Bloom reusable shopping bag stuffed full of full-sized food and products: cereal, soup, peanut butter, chips, snack mix, dryer sheets, cookies, pasta... that maybe isn't even all, but the point is it was good! They have all sorts of computers all around the store so that you can look up a price or look up info about a product, so they also have me from that fun, techy standpoint. Overall, like I said, so excited!

Starting up my blogs again!

2010-03-17T15:41:00.004-04:00

OK, so I took a looooong break from my blogs, very near a year. Well, I hope you all are ready and excited because I am starting them back up again! I got busy with my paying job and just didn't have time to blog (though I never stopped looking for great deals!) There are still a ton of great Charlotte deals to write about, so keep checking back! I'm bursting with tips, so I hope you enjoy!

Easter Brunch at 131 Main

2009-04-12T13:02:00.000-04:00

OK, so this wasn't all that cheap and it certainly wasn't free, but I want to give them a shout out because they didn't jack up their prices simply because it was Easter. Plus, 131 Main is a nice restaurant with pretty nice prices, in my opinion, if you are looking to have a slightly fancier meal (Buddy and I love going on dates there).
Do you know that they were charging $50 per person at the Ballentyne Resort for Easter brunch? That's just preposterous to me! Three of us had brunch for less than that at 131 Main. Now, they weren't doing a massive buffet, we just got our meals, but do you really need all that food anyway. I know that I certainly don't. My fantastic Brioche French Toast was plenty enough for me, and it was one of the most delicious things that I have ever tasted!

Dogswalk Against Cancer

2009-04-04T11:51:00.003-04:00

How about a super fun time for you and your pet that also raises money for a very worthy cause. Well, that's what the Dogswalk Against Cancer is! It's $20 to register and you do get a cool shirt for that money, plus it's a donation to the American Cancer Society to fund research to find a cure for human and animal cancers. I have lost some close family members to cancer and am also a huge animal lover, so I participate in this every year. The walk starts at Metro Paws, where there were free Chik-fil-a breakfast biscuits, Starbucks coffee, and Monster Energy Drink. We then walked to Canine Cafe for free (dog) treats and mingle time and then we walked back to Metro Paws for playtime. Like any good walk, we picked up tons of swag. Free tennis balls pet food cups, pet food samples, key chains, magnets, pens, tons of great giveaways. This is one of my favorite events all year, can't wait until Dogwalk 2010!

Cocktail Class at Cantina 1511

2009-03-30T21:58:00.002-04:00

I was so psyched when my friend Sharon invited me to this! It's funny how people have gotten into the fact that I will almost always be in for a cheap and/or free event. Here's how the cocktail class worked at Cantina: for $15 you got to learn how to make and then subsequently drink 3 differents cocktails and then there was food too. My first thought was, OK, how much food and drink are we actually going to get? Well, the answer is a ton! Let's just say that it's a good thing that I walked after having my cocktails and I was stuffed. There was even dessert, 2 of them! The other cool thing is that we all got copies of all of the recipes for the food and the cocktails. Plus, there were a few drawings too, and we actually won Bobcats tickets. How cool is that?

Free Wine at Polished

2009-03-21T23:37:00.001-04:00

I haven't treated myself to a manicure and pedicure in forever, so when my friend, Sarah, decided that is one of the things that she wanted to do for her bachelorette party, I was doubly excited for the party. I booked us girls at Polished, a favorite place of my friends, Meigan and Leyf, that I had never been to. Well, for starters, a manicure and pedicure at Polished is only $35, not bad. Here's the best part, while you are there you get free wine (or beer, soda, water, etc.) It was so fabulous being with all of the girls getting pampered and sipping our wine. Congratulations and good luck, Sarah!

Free Arby's Roastburger

2009-03-19T19:29:00.000-04:00

I love getting free food, especially in this crazy economy. Plus, Arby's is my favorite fast food, OK, it and Chick-fil-a are tied, but free is still awesome. I definitely recommend joining Arby's Extras. Basically, you just sign up on the website and they will email you offers and info about new products at Arby's. The best part is that immediately when you sign up the first coupon on your email box will be for a free Roastburger when you buy a soda. This is a perfect coupon for me because I don't like fries, plus, drinks are less than $2, so for less than $2 you are getting a drink and a sandwich. And, yes, the Roastburger is as delicious as it looks on the TV. Go for the Bacon/ cheddar variety. I loved it!

Birthday Party at Swoozie's

2009-03-14T14:32:00.000-04:00

Swoozies's celebrated their birthday over the weekend, and that can only mean good things for their customers. My mom and I headed over to check it out and were happy to find out that we would get 20% off of anything we purchased and they were handing out free delicious cupcakes that Tizzert's had made especially for the occasion. My mom found a hilarious pack of napkins that say, "Does this napkin make my butt look big?" We were cracking up, so, of course, she had to have them. She is going to use them the next time her girls come over and I would love to be a fly on the wall to hear all of their laughter! Nothing for me, except for that free cupcake, but keep your fingers crossed for me that they call and tell me that I won one of their drawings!

IKEA

2009-03-13T22:01:00.000-04:00

At long last, I was able to make it up to the new IKEA, and, boy, was it ever worth it! I immediately walked in and just let out a sigh. Wonderfully chic items for my home that are super affordable just make me happy. And, why shouldn't they?
The first thing that I saw and loved was a beautiful table runner for my kitchen table. I've been meaning to replace my current one, but haven't found one that I liked and could afford. Well, this one was $7.99, it went right into the cart. Next, I found the matching chair cushions, another thing that I have been wanting but can't justify spending the money. These were $5.99 each, and I only have 4 chairs. That's right folks, complete refacing of the table for only $32. What is better than that? The other items that I bought were kind of boring but amazing because of their cheap-ness. I got a bowl for my cat for $.49 (yes, you read that correctly) and a spray bottle that buddy uses for his laundry for $.99.
I've heard a lot of people buzz that the items at IKEA are not good quality and that is why they are cheap. Don't assume that things need to be expensive to be good quality (Google Mitchum deodorant, nobody bought it when it was cheap, so the company raised the price and now people buy it. How stupid we are as consumers) I have many pieces of furniture from IKEA that I have had for 5+ years and they are all in excellent shape. IKEA is the best and don't let anyone tell you any differently!

Earring Sale at Maddi's Gallery

2009-03-12T19:13:00.002-04:00

Have you been to this wonderfully cute gallery on East Blvd? Everything is adorable and unique. Yes, there are many expensive items (remember these things are made, not manufactured) but the fabulous thing about Maddi's is that they have a special every month. This month all earrings are 20% off and when you buy 4 pairs, your 4th pair is 30% off. I found a great pair that I can wear with just about anything. With the discount, I came out of there with a beautiful new accessory for less than $20.
Now, I can't fail to mention the other things that I bought that weren't in the earring category. I found a great necklace on their sale table that was half off (always check the sale table in any store first, that's my tip for you) Plus, Miss Mandy got a beautiful new collar that was only $12. They cost at least that at Petsmart and I'm happy to have supported someone who made that collar by hand. Plus, she looks beautiful. Both of us got accessorized!

Community Health Services Casino Night

2009-03-07T23:37:00.000-05:00

OK, so at $45 per ticket, this isn't exactly cheap, but it is definitely a good value. For that $45 we got all we could eat (delicious food too), all we could drink (Carolina Blond and great wines) and gambling. Plus, this was a fundraiser for Community Health Services, so it all benefited a good cause. My thought it that if you tried to go out to eat at a restaurant, drank and then had some form of entertainment, you would likely spend more than $45/person, and wouldn't be helping anyone out. Oh, and we had a blast! All around, a good night!

Free Milkbone Dog Biscuits

2009-03-01T14:51:00.003-05:00

So, I was thumbing through this week's People (free mini subscription, of course) and between the info on the Oscars and Michelle Obama, I came across a Milk Bone dog biscuit ad. And, at the bottom of that ad there was a coupon, and do you know what it said? "Get a free box on is!" Well, don't mind if I do. I'm sure that this coupon/ad is running in other magazines also, but it's for sure in the March 9, 2009 People with Michelle Obama on the cover wearing the awesome pink dress. It's almost worth it to buy the magazine to get the coupon, really. The pups need their treats anyway, so you may as well get yourself a magazine in the process. Mandy and Ella are certainly going to be excited for their free box of treats!

Free Diet Dr. Pepper

2009-02-26T20:53:00.002-05:00

Yep, that's all there really is to it, right up there in the title: Free Diet Dr. Pepper. Go out to www.freedietdrpepper.com, register, and they will send you a coupon for free Diet Dr. Pepper in the mail in 3-4 weeks. Yes, you have to wait, but, come on, it's free Diet Dr. Pepper!

Abita Beer Tasting at Brixx

2009-02-25T20:45:00.000-05:00

Pizza. Beer. Both are delicious things that I love, and I now know that Abita Beer is delicious beer!

I went with some friends tonight to Brixx for a beer tasting, and for only $7 we got lots of beer and lots of pizza. Abita is a brewery out of Louisiana, so there was this whole Mardi Gras/New Orleans theme going on. In addition to wearing beads, we had little pimento cheese toasts and crawfish pizza and I have to say I will probably dream about that crawfish pizza tonight.

I loved all of the beers that we tasted, but I think the Amber was my favorite, then the Purple Haze. Oh yeah, and I won a prize. They did a drawing for an awesome Purple Haze pint glass, and, hooray, I won.

Also, for those of you who are working on getting your Brixx MBA, be on the lookout for when they are doing other tastings like this. It's now required to attend one to get that MBA. Buddy is only 8 away from his, I need 12! Free $50 worth of food, here we come!

Free Pancakes and Free Tacos

2009-02-24T20:36:00.001-05:00

All I have to say is Happy Fat Tuesday! I didn't partake in any of these freebies because I am trying to be super good so I can look great in my friend, Sarah's, wedding in April... But, I wanted to give a shout out to iHop and Jack in the Box for the awesome deals today.

The Tuesday before Lent can be called a lot of things, Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, etc, but it is also Pancake Day or Shrove Tuesday. Years and years ago, Lent meant no flour, eggs, etc., so Shrove Tuesday became a great day to celebrate and eat pancakes to use those items up. Fast forward to today and iHop is serving free pancakes and just ask you to give a small donation to Children's Miracle Network if you so desire. There's nothing wrong with delicious pancakes and helping little kiddos.

Jack in the Box has a little different thing going on... I guess the story is that Jack Box (you know the guy from the commercals with the creepy cartoonish head and man hands?) was hit by a bus and is undergoing treatment. They are giving updates on the website www.hangintherejack.com and this is also where you could print a coupon for 2 free tacos, good only today. I suggest checking this site daily to see if they will do it again... This is marketing at it's finest. I think it's crazy clever.

Why pay for food when they are giving it away?

Candy & Potter's Volunteer Army

2009-02-21T14:23:00.001-05:00

My friends, Kim & Sharon, and I went to volunteer with Candy & Potter's Volunteer Army today and we had an absolute blast! For those of you who don't know, Candy & Potter are a husband and wife duo who do mid-days on 107.9 The Link. Once a month, they organize a large volunteer project for the "army" to partake in. Kim and I had been talking about volunteering with them for, seriously, over a year and today is the day that it finally worked out for both of our schedules, so we roped Sharon into going with us also. We were clearing brush, leaves, etc. and beautifying the new ropes course at Alexander Youth Network. Our backs hurt and we had mulch down our pants but you couldn't wipe the smile off of anyone there's face when the kids came and sang us their spirit song. It was then that we all really knew exactly why we were there, and it felt really, really good.

Take a survey, win some really awesome paper products!

2009-02-19T18:15:00.001-05:00

A friend of mine works at Carolina Pad & Paper and sent me an email asking me to take their monthly surveys. Of course, I love giving my opinion, and I definitely have one on cool notebooks and pads of paper, I'm an absolute sucker for those sorts of things! We all remember Lisa Frank, right? Well, I LOVED her stuff! So, I get to the website and find out that everyone who fills out the surveys gets entered into a monthly drawing. That's never much of an encouragement because I'm just not someone who wins prizes. Well, wouldn't you know it? I won! My prize pack arrived today and I'm so thrilled with all of my new, beautiful notebooks, folders, etc. It's like the first day of school on crack and I'm enamoured!

Tuesday Nights at Arpa

2009-02-17T22:24:00.004-05:00

I went to Arpa tonight for seriously some of the best deals in Charlotte. On Tuesdays, select tapas and appetizers are half off. Incredible, right? Well, add to that $10 large pitchers of Sangria (that's about $2 a glass), plus deals on Bud Select, Corona, and Corona Light. We had a fabulous time, and it's so fun to share the Tapas with the table, such a communal, sharing feel. It's like an event that is all about the food, and food is good. My very favorite is the croquettes, yummy ham and shrimp all on a little fried bit of yumminess. Pair that with a delicious glass of Sangria and some fun conversation, and, really what more do you need?

Send a virtual cupcake and support the fight against Ovarian Cancer

2009-02-16T22:34:00.000-05:00

We've all seen the adorably perky commercials for Electrolux appliance with Kelly Ripa, right? How can you not just love her? Well, now you can have a whole new reason. If you go to the Kelly Confidential section of the Electrolux website, you can create and send a virtual cupcake to your friends. It's fun to create and choose all of the little options, plus for every cupcake sent, Electrolux will donate $1 to the fight against Ovarian Cancer, what a great cause. I made a little birthday cupcake and sent it to my friend Gretchen in honor of her 29th birthday this Saturday. So, have some fun making your cupcake, help fight ovarian cancer, and the best yet, no calories!

Half-Priced Bottle of Wine Night at Loft 1523

2009-02-13T23:51:00.000-05:00

What could be a better end to a stressful week than sitting on a fabulous patio drinking fabulous wine poured by a fabulous bartender? I can't think of any, and that's exactly what I did tonight. On Tuesdays and Fridays at Loft 1523 bottles are half off, such a great savings. Plus, the bartender, Russ, is so great that he'll make sure that you get yourself the right bottle. When I walked up to the bar to order, I told him that I wanted a red and asked him what he recommended. He then asked me all sorts of questions like what is my favorite scent and what seasonings do I like to cook with. The result was me drinking the perfect Pinot Noir. And, no one could have planned that perfect weather last night, but it was a great time to be hanging out on Loft 1523's awesome patio. For those of you reading the blog from outside of Charlotte, I'll just describe my outfit for you: jeans, short-sleeve top, flip flops. Everyone really should live in Charlotte! Such a fabulous city for so many reasons!

Warhol Exhibit at the Mint

2009-02-10T21:54:00.004-05:00

So, just to clear up any confusion, that's not a Warhol piece in the photo. No photography was allowed in the actual exhibit area, so I took a photo of my favorite piece in the Mint Museum. You will know that I have arrived, when that hangs above my super chic sofa. (BTW, I don't have a super chic sofa, so I guess I'll be needing that also)

Enough about that and back to Warhol. My friends Sharon and Erin and I went and I'm so glad that we did. It was fascinating. Everyone knows about the Marilyn Monroe Warhol piece, but there are so many iconic images that I had no idea were Warhol that I truly enjoy. Honestly, my favorite Warhol piece was one that he did of Santa Claus. There was a whole series of myths, which is where St. Nick fell, along with Superman and the Wicked Witch of the West. I also enjoyed learning about the history and the processes surrounding the pieces, so great. It was wonderful to be able to learn about a real piece of our history. Oh yeah, and for free. Don't forget folks, the Mint Museum is free every Tuesday after 5pm, so get out there and get cultured!

"You have to be willing to get happy about nothing." -Andy Warhol

Crossroads Charlotte: The Movie

2009-02-03T23:13:00.001-05:00

Have you ever thought about what Charlotte will be like in 2015? Will this city have prospered or tanked? Who will be our leaders? Some fantastic artists and poets have really profound ideas about these things and this is what Crossroads Charlotte: The Movie is all about.

My friend, Sharon, and I attended the free premiere at the new Epicentre Theater and it was amazing, even life-changing. The movie is comprised of 4 very different stories of how Charlotte's future could turn out, from the very bleak 'Fortress Charlotte' to the happy existence of 'Eye to Eye.' There are also some wonderful poetic responses to the 4 stories, the most moving one to me being the response to 'Fortress Charlotte.' Everyone in Charlotte needs to see this movie. All of the attendees of the 6 free premieres last night received a free copy of the DVD, so there are quite a few of these rolling around the city. Plus, it will be airing on WTVI on February 19th. Be looking for your very own Cheap & Free Blogger, as I was interviewed for for my reaction after the film.

We are at a crossroads, quite literally, right now, and we all need to decide if we are going to be the change that we want to see in the world or if we are going to just sit back and hope that someone else does it. Crossroads Charlotte is so much more than just a movie, it's a movement. Get involved and let everyone know what you are going to do shape Charlotte's future.

Super Bowl Sunday at Ed's

2009-02-01T23:08:00.002-05:00

So, Buddy and I are Steeler's fans... Do you think we enjoyed the Super Bowl this year? Oh, yes we did! Of course, we headed up to Ed's with a bunch of friends. They were running a great deal. It was $10 to reserve yourself a seat and for the $10 you got a buckets of 5 beers, $2 each and the beer we chose was Bud Select, not a bad deal. What we did was reserve 4 spots and that allowed us to reserve the biggest table they had, so we would be sure and have enough seats for all of our friends. There were beer specials and drink specials galore. I definitely reccommend trying an applesuce shot, they were only $4 each that night. I seriously want a candle that smells like the applesauce shot! Ed's was also doing a raffle, $1 a ticket and all proceeds went to the Make a Wish Foundation, great cause. We bought 5 tickets, and, wouldn't you know it, we won a little grill shaped like a football. Oh, the entertainment wasn't too bad either! Woohoo Steelers! 6 Super Bowl wins! "We're from the town with the great football team! We cheer the Pittsburgh Steelers!"

Watch a video. Help a dog.

2009-01-31T13:37:00.002-05:00

It's really as easy as the title says. At Pedigree.com, they have 4 really funny "Maybe You Should Get a Dog" videos to watch and for each video watched, they will donate food to shelter dogs. As of right now, over 200,000 videos have been watched, meaning that over 200,000 meals have been donated to shelter dogs, and that's a great thing. Plus, the videos are really, really funny! My favorite is the first one about the guy who owns a bison. So, on this lovely Saturday afternoon, you can give back for free just by sitting there and watching videos on your computer. Come on, you know you were going to get on YouTube at least once today, just do this too!

NOFO on Liz Blue Plate Specials

2009-01-29T21:57:00.002-05:00

Oh, how I love a dinner special. Now, this particular night it wasn't I who ate the special, it was buddy. I went out to dinner with some girlfriends at NOFO on Liz and brought home dinner to my buddy. Well, awesomely, Thursday's Blue Plate Special is Meatloaf w/ gravy, mashed potatoes & green beans for only $8.75. That's quite a lot of food for quite a little amount of money. They have a special Tuesday-Friday and they range in price from the $8.75-$12.95. Plus, and I didn't get to take advantage of this special, early birds who dine from 5:30-6:30 receive an additional $1.50 off. Are you kidding? That's incredible! I'm willing to eat an early dinner for savings like that! Plus, another cool thing about them is that all desserts are only $5! I was too full this time, but knowing this now, I will certainly be leaving room the next time I go. Yum!

Free Coffee Day at Panera

2009-01-28T13:33:00.001-05:00

I'll be honest, I was really disappointed with free coffee day at Panera. Why, you ask? Well, I didn't get any coffee.

I went to Panera to pick up a large order for my office at lunch time and I saw the station where the coffee was theoretically to be handed out. There was even a girl standing there to hand out the coffee. There was also a girl there from the Make a Wish foundation, and signs were asking that if you liked the coffee to please make a $1 donation to them. OK, I'm good for a $1 donation. Let's go back to my earlier statement: I didn't get any coffee. The two girls (the one from Panera and the one from Make a Wish Foundation) were too busy talking and weren't handing out any coffee. I'm serious! I was there at probably their busiest time of day, and not one person was walking around with a free cup of coffee. They lost the opportunity, not only to have people sample the new coffee at Panera, but for people to donate to the Make a Wish Foundation, and that's just a shame.

I do, however, need to mention the shining star of Free Coffee Day at Panera, and that was the guy who was handing out free samples of their new yogurt parfait. He was so on it. The moment that I walked in that door, he had greeted me and I had my sample. And let me tell you, that yogurt parfait was delicious, I absolutely 100% recommend it. Wish I could tell you a little something about the taste of the coffee...

Girls Night Out on a Tuesday

2009-01-27T23:17:00.004-05:00

So, of course, Charlotte Restaurant Week can mean only one thing: Girls Night Out. I went with some of my ladies tonight to Customshop where we enjoyed a fabulous meal. For their $30 prix fixe menu, you could choose from one of two wines, one of three appetizers, one of three entrees, one of two sides and one of two desserts. That's a ton of food! Here's what I ate/drank: red wine, gnocchi with shrimp, chicken with pancetta and butternut squash, amazingly delicious brussels sprouts, and chocolate pate with shortbread. The only thing that I would change about my fantastic meal is that I would order the bread pudding instead of the chocolate pate, but since my ladies were happy to let me steal a few bites, I couldn't imagine a more delicious and fun night out. I would do many things for more of that gnocchi right now.

But wait, there's more! Two of my ladies and I weren't quite ready for our evening to be over, so we headed down to Loft 1523 and were happy to discover that it was half off bottle of wine night. The vibe in there is awesome and the bartender is amazing, everything that you could want from a bar. I immediately felt like a regular and that's a great feeling. So perfect.

Great food, great drinks, great conversations, great deals. What more could you ask for in a girls night out? I can't think of much!

Free reading of 'Living Out' and a free cup of coffee

2009-01-25T17:21:00.003-05:00

I had a fantastic free afternoon in uptown Charlotte today! Since, it's Sunday and I was lucky enough to find a street-parking spot, even my parking was free!

I started out by heading to Starbucks for a free cup of coffee. They are giving a free tall coffee (I love the Pike Place Roast) to anyone who pledges to volunteer 5 hours of their time in conjunction with the inauguration and Obama's call to service. All I had to do was fill out my pledge card and the barista gave me my delicious cup of coffee.

From there I headed over to the Levine Museum to meet my friend, Erin. Not only is the Levine Museum free every Sunday, today they were doing a free reading of the first act of the play 'Living Out,' which will be performed at the Great Aunt Stella Center starting February 19th. The best part is that Sheri Lynch from 107.9's Bob & Sheri show was taking part in the reading and the discussion afterwards. Living Out is a comic look at the relationships that exist between mom's and their nannies. There was then a discussion afterwards about this relationship, especially pertaining to Latin American nannies, and the historical aspect of this. The museum has a fascinating exhibit right now up about domestic service in the gilded age south, and the tie in was enlightening. The discussion was great and the play was hilarious, I hope to be able to go see the play in its entirety next month!

Free Obama Sticker

2009-01-24T08:12:00.006-05:00

Are you as excited about the hope and change that comes along with our new president? How about the fact that he is just a cool guy? Well, why not make it known to the world? Moveon.org is giving away free Obama stickers, even the shipping is free! It's designed by Shepard Fairey, the artist who created the iconic HOPE poster. You know the really cool red and blue one? Be a part if history! Get your Obama sticker today!

Get up to 40 free prints from Shutterfly!

2009-01-21T10:44:00.003-05:00

Now through 2/2/09, Shutterfly is giving you the opportunity to earn up to 40 free prints! All you have to do is create a Share Site and/ or add photos to an existing Share Site. A Share Site is basically a place where you can upload photos and tell about yourself and what you are doing and then tell your family and friends to just check back periodically to see how and what you are doing. It's a little like Facebook, but the great thing is, for example, my parents don't have Facebook, so they never get to see photos that I upload on there. This is a way for them to stay connected. If you create a new Share Site, you get 30 free 4X6 prints and if you add photos to an existing Share Site, you get 10 free 4x6 prints. I did both, so I'm psyched to pick out which photos I want to print instead of just leaving in the computer.

E-Rewards

2009-01-20T09:15:00.002-05:00

So, another quirk about me, is that I love filling out forms and surveys. Please, please, just ask me for my opinion or for demographic information. Weird, I know... You know how you have to fill out so many forms at the doctor, well, I don't mind it. Lucky for me, I have found a way to get a little something in return for filling out surveys, E-Rewards. It's a consumer research website and basically I filled out a profile and then they email me when there is a survey for me to take that matches my info and then I earn points for taking the surveys. Plus, unlike so many of these sites, it's free to join. I've been a member for about a year now, and in that time I have earned 2 $25 gift certificates to American Eagle, 12 free movie rentals from Blockbuster, and a subscription to Prevention magazine. Not too bad for doing something I actually like to do.

A very special THANK YOU to the Humane Society of Charlotte's Spay/ Neuter Clinic

2009-01-19T21:24:00.003-05:00

Many of you all know my baby puppy Ella's story. She was found on the side of the road in October and needed a home. Well, puppies found on the side of the road don't usually come to you with all of their medical needs taken care of. We were lucky that our dog daycare, All Wags, had been taking care of her and that they had started her shots, but the big thing that Miss Ella Bo Bella needed was to be spayed. Our vet, who I absolutely adore, quoted us at a little over $400, and that amount seemed so staggering after the vet bills from Maddie that we almost weren't able to give Ella a home. That was until I found the Humane Society's Spay/ Neuter Clinic. You have to go on a waiting list, but they will do the spay surgery for only $50, a miracle. Ella's surgery was today and they took amazing care of her. She's doing fabulously and I just can't say thank you enough. The Humane Society is performing a wonderful service to our community by having this clinic. Thank you, thank you, thank you! If you are in need of a spay or neuter surgery or would like to give them a donation, please visit the Humane Society of Charlotte's web page.

Get Outside!

2009-01-19T15:18:00.001-05:00

OK, I know that it is cold, but cabin fever will drive you crazy! Plus, as a native Ohioan, trust me, this really is nothing. My dog-loving friends and I decided to take advantage of the public dog parks and the day off of work in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., and took the dogs to the dog park at Frazier Park for a fun, outdoor play date. The dogs, of course, had a blast and it was good for all of us to get out of the house and breathe in some of that crisp winter air. We only lasted outside for about 45 minutes, but everyone was glad that we had ventured out in the cold.

A very, very easy way to help a very, very good cause

2009-01-14T09:30:00.003-05:00

Share Our Strength has launched a brand new campaign to raise funds to help end childhood hunger. "Operation No Kid Hungry" responds to President-elect Obama's call to action to end childhood hunger by 2015. Seriously, how awesome would that be?!

Share Our Strength has partnered with AT&T to offer two great ways that you can support and participate in "Operation No Kid Hungry":

1.Donate by text: Text "SHARE" to 20222 on your mobile device to donate $5. AT&T will match all text donations up to $100,000. Help us meet this challenge grant! Find out more here. I know times are tight for most everyone right now, but your $5 will actually become $10 and that can help a lot of people. You'd be surprised how much food banks can do with the money that they get.
2.Hold a food drive: Beginning January 19th, a national day of community service, help feed those in need by holding your own community food drive. Visit http://strength.org/ to find a food bank and a list of the most needed nutritious foods.

For more information about "Operation No Kid Hungry" and how you can help end childhood hunger, visit Share Our Strength's website: http://strength.org/.

$5 Lunch Special at Fuel Pizza

2009-01-13T15:41:00.001-05:00

I have been seeing the sign about the $5 lunch special at the Fuel in the Park Road Shopping Plaza repeatedly and it had definitely peaked my curiosity. So, today, since I wasn't really feeling the Lean Pocket (insert your own Jim Gaffigan impression here) that I had brought for lunch, it was finally time to check-out what this special was all about.
Now, I'm of the school of thought that pizza isn't really all that bad for you, 1 slice of thin-crust (as they serve it at Fuel) isn't going to kill anyone's diet, Pan Pizza, though delicious, is really a different story all together. So, my hope was that I could get a slice and a side salad and that would make me a really happy girl. Even better! For the $5 lunch, there are actually 3 different combo choices and choice "C" was Slice of pizza, side salad and a Garlic Knot. Fantastic! Now, I looked this up and priced it out without the special pricing and this normally would have cost me $6.15. So, I'm pretty happy to have saved my $1.15. The other 2 options were a great deal also, but unfortunately, I didn't write them down and they aren't listed on the website. So, you'll have to just go in like I did. Trust me, you won't be disappointed, though. This is going to become one of my regular lunch options since it's a hop, skip, and a jump away from my office.

Great Friday Night Vibes at the Comet Grill

2009-01-10T00:06:00.005-05:00

I've been to the Comet Grill a bunch to eat (FABULOUS food!), but never really to hang out at night. Well, that will be changing from now on. Ed's, your parking lot neighbor may steal me from you a bit, not always just sometimes. I went tonight with some friends and we had a fantastic time. The beers are cheap, which you know I love, Yuneglings and Miller Lites are $2 every day. They also have a food special every day, you know just in case you get hungry. The Lenny Federal Band was playing tonight and they were so good, a truly great vibe. Plus, if you are ever in there and they are playing, check out the paintings above the stairs, you just may notice some similarities between two of them and the lead two guys in the band. Very cool.

Totally great deals at McCormick and Schmick's

2009-01-07T15:03:00.000-05:00

So, my friend Kim really knows how to get me out of the office for lunch (I tend to hibernate at my desk if I don't have to leave), with free gift certificates to McCormick & Schmick's. She is in their fabulous preferred guest club. It costs $25 to join, and you only pay that once, but you then get $25 in gift certificates in the mail when you get your membership kit, so the membership truly does pay for itself. In addition to that, you earn points when you eat and can earn things like free gift certificates, cookbooks, on up to fabulous trips to wine country. You also get a gift certificate for a free meal during your birthday month. The great thing Kim does too, is that she tends to take clients so fantastically, she's not even the one paying when she is earning her points. That's really making the membership work for you. If you go, definitely get the Maryland Crab Soup, it's amazing.

Donate to your local food bank just for losing weight!

2009-01-06T14:32:00.003-05:00

I'm sure that like me many of you made a New Year's Resolution to lose weight. Well, what if that New Year's resolution could benefit your local food bank? If you sign up for the Pound for Pound Challenge, for every pound that you lose between now and April 27, 2009, they will donate 10 cents to your local food bank, which is enough to put a pound of groceries on their shelves. Here in Charlotte the local food bank is Second Harvest Food Bank, a very worthy cause. I also learned at the website that in Charlotte the food insecurity rate is 12.9%, with the poverty rate being 15.5%, so they need our help. So, give yourself an extra bit of motivation to shed those pounds other than looking fabulous in a bathing suit.

Free Reusable Shopping Bag from Target

2009-01-05T19:39:00.000-05:00

For some reason I look forward to getting the mail every day, like I actually start thinking about it as the work day is coming to a close. And, then , day in and day out, it's the same disappointing mail: junk, bills, mail for people who used to live in my house, etc. Well, in today's mail there was a bright spot, very bright, like the color of Target Red bright. A few months ago, I had sent Target 5 of their plastic bags to recycle with a mailer that I saw in People magazine, and in return they sent me a coupon to get a free reusable shopping bag when I go to the store. I am all about the Green movement, so this is awesome for me. They recycled my plastic bags, plus are promoting not amassing anymore of them. I'm psyched to add to my reusable shopping bag collection!

Buddy's Birthday Lunch at Noodles & Company

2009-01-04T15:41:00.003-05:00

Happy 30th Birthday, Buddy! We decided to try the Noodles & Company as a delicious take-out lunch for Buddy's birthday. And, what a delicious lunch it was. Even better, I had a buy one, get one free coupon. Noodles & Company is a really neat concept. What's better than a noodle, really? And, the noodle is in so many cuisines. They have Asian, Mediterranean, and American Noodle Dishes. For the The Trio meal is pick a small noodles, soup or salad; add chicken, beef, shrimp or tofu; choose a side tossed green salad, caesar salad, chicken noodle soup, or tomato bisque. This meal is only $7.25, which is fantastic for all you get. I was perfectly full, didn't need more food, didn't need less. With the coupon, this deal was even better! I'll definitely make this a regular place for take-out!

Game Night

2009-01-02T23:23:00.000-05:00

So, you want to hang out with some friends, but you don't want to go to a bar and since you actually want to talk and hang out, a movie is out. Dinners out are a bit pricey (unless you check out my restaurants specials page, of course). What are you to do? My favorite way to host a cheap and free event at home, of course, Game Night! Buddy and I had a few friends over tonight to just hang out and play games, and may I suggest my new favorite game, Apples to Apples. It's the most fun, even my game-disliking friend, Sarah, has become a fan of Apples to Apples. Plus, it seems to be on sale everywhere I see it. I picked mine up at Target for only $15 after Christmas. Game Nights are super easy to host. Just invite a few friends over (less than 10 seems to be best), pop open a couple bottles of wine (Trader Joe's cheap specials are the best, of course) and sit out a few little snacks and turn Pandora on via the computer. Voila! You have yourself a fantastic night!

Chick-fil-a's New Years Gift to Me

2009-01-01T12:40:00.004-05:00

What's better than Chick-fil-a? Not much. How about if they were giving away a coupon for a free breakfast sandwich on your next visit with any purchase all day today? Well, that's exactly what they are doing today to ring in the New Year. My friend Dana and I got to go and get a fabulous brunch (they didn't open until 10:30 and were then only serving lunch, so let's class the whole thing up and call it brunch) and then sometime later we can redeem our coupons. Happy New Year to us!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T11:58:00.004-05:00

I hope that everyone had a fantastic New Year's, I know I did! We all went to the greatest bar in Charlotte, of course, Ed's. It was such a fun time and so very fabulously cheap and free! The cover was only $10, but actually a couple of us got there before 8pm and didn't have to pay, even better. The beers were all cheap as were drinks and shots. I spent my night drinking $1.50 Coors Light Drafts, plus an occasional $4 shot. Another sweet thing is that they were still doing the delicious $5.95 Cheeseburger, Chips and a Coors Light special, so a few friends of mine enjoyed that as their New Year's Eve dinner. There was a band, Hunter's Travisty, who was very good, they played lots of super fun covers, exactly what you want on New Year's Eve. Plus, we all got festive party favors to make the whole thing even more awesome!

Red Cross Racing

2008-12-30T20:27:00.003-05:00

Two things about me...

1. I love Nascar and Greg Biffle is my favorite driver.

2. I am blood type O+ and donate blood as often as I am eligible.

Did you ever honestly think that those two things could combine into something fabulously cheap and free? Well, they have. The Red Cross sponsors Greg Biffle, so Red Cross started a program where you can earn points to redeem for merchandise by donating blood. I've been saving up my points and today I redeemed my points and I can't wait to get my prizes. Here's what is coming my way: 2 1:24 Die Cast Cars, 1 T-shirt, 1 Koozie, and 1 pin. Pretty sweet, huh? The points will be resetting themselves soon, so let's see what awesomeness I can earn next year.

More Deals at Brixx

2008-12-29T21:15:00.000-05:00

OK, OK, I know that I write about Brixx a lot, but there are truly some fantastic deals to be had at Brixx. I got an email from fellow cheap-and-free-er Courtney Disposti that there was a Brixx coupon in the back of the phone book, and you know how much I love a coupon. Sure enough, buy one get one free pizza right there in the back of the phone book. Thanks for the tip, Courtney! Of course, we went on a Monday, the best night of the week because of the $1.95 Domestic Drafts. Now, here's where the deals got awesome. So, while we were there, Buddy reached the point on his MBA Card where he had drank enough beers to earn a free pizza. Our fantastic server let us use the coupon from the phone book and redeem the MBA free pizza. So, the grand total for 5 awesome beers and 2 pizzas was $10.55. And that fantastic server? He earned himself a $10 tip that night! Remember cheap-and-free-ers, always tip your servers well!

So, no blogs for awhile...

2008-12-27T12:30:00.003-05:00

I'll give a little Christmas apology to my dear readers, I've been in Oregon visiting family and still am, so, needless to say, I haven't been doing anything cheap and free in Charlotte. And, disappointingly enough, I had planned on doing a special Cheap and Free in Portland blog while I was here as an homage to this city out here that I love so much, but, would you believe it, we've been pretty much snowed in! I will advise all of you to check out the after Christmas sales, whatever city you are in. The deals are supposed to be just amazing! Let's all really stretch that Christmas money in this yucky economic time. Merry Christmas to everyone! This is my favorite time of year and I'm just going to savor it for a bit longer before it's gone for another year. When I get back into town on Monday, I promise to do a Charlotte blog and I'm also going to be posting a New Years Eve guide. Enjoy!

Outlet Shopping

2008-12-18T20:40:00.000-05:00

So, the Gaffney outlets aren't in Charlotte, but they are our closest (other than Concord Mills, which I'm not all that convinced is truly that awesome of an outlet, it's more of a shopping plaza in my mind). I had to travel to a meeting Gaffney for work and was busy in the early morning and in the later afternoon, so what's a girl to do? Shop, and get some incredible deals. I was really in need of some new work clothes, so I headed to Ann Taylor first. All of their clearance was an additional 40% off, I mean, are you kidding me? That's awesome! I did the math when I got home and everything that I bought there would have been $571 at full price. Do you want to know what I spent? $143, unbelievable! I also got a deal on some great Aerosoles tall black boots, had been $90, I paid $30. This is my kind of shopping. I like to look good, but just can't bring myself to fork out the kind of funds to do this all in full price mode. And, really, why should I when these amazing deals are out there! Make the drive down to Gaffney, it's totally worth it!

So, I got these antlers at the Santa's Link to Kids Drop-Off Party

2008-12-15T23:15:00.002-05:00

Every year my office does some sort of holiday charity giving, and, as the un-official organizer, I think we have found our annual event. 107.9 The Link sponsors Santa's Link to Kids. The police department identifies kids for them who maybe won't be getting a visit from Santa Claus, and then the listeners have the opportunity to adopt them. My office adopted 3 kids and we had a ton of fun with it and got them some really great presents. Our adopted kiddos are having a merry Christmas this year. Another awesome thing about Santa's Link is the drop-off parties. They host 2 of them. The one tonight was at the Arboretum Shopping Center. Santa and Mrs. Claus were there, pony rides, singing, sleigh rides, and, of course, lots of cookies and hot chocolate. Did I mention that 107.9 brought fake snow. You should have seen the kids dancing underneath it. It was awesome. The Christmas Spirit was alive and well at this event. Merry Christmas everyone!

*OK, then I went home and put the antlers that I got at the drop-off party on my dog, Mandy. She's such a good sport*

Christmas Tree Lighting at Freedom Park

2008-12-13T18:40:00.000-05:00

I can walk to Freedom Park, so when I passed the sign that said there was a Christmas Tree Lighing Celebration there, I was totally in. There was a really great band there playing Christmas songs all rocked out, my favorite way. As an aside, if you've never heard the Sister Hazel Christmas album, it's awesome... anyway... A group was there collecting coats, hats & gloves for the homeless, and, I guess they are the ones who sponsored the band. They are trying to get one of each for every homeless person in Charlotte, so if you can help, they will continue the collecting at any Omega Sports location, I believe until December 21st. Santa, of course, was at the tree lighting, and a radio station sponsor. It was a great little Christmas spirit kind of event, I'm pretty big into having the Christmas spirit. The best part is that the park looks great! There are beautiful lights going around the lake, so if you need to catch a little bit of the spirit, take a fun jaunt around the lake. You'll be hearing subtle "Ho, Ho, Ho"s in your ears before you know it.

Bargain Book Sale at Joseph Beth

2008-12-06T18:45:00.000-05:00

So, I got my Gives Back card, right? Well, now I'm finding out about all of these other great perks to having that card. Awesome, huh? Joseph Beth is having their Bargain Books sale, so the books are already cheap, but as a Gives Back member, when I buy 3, I get 2 more for free. How awesome of a deal is that. Now, my office has adopted 3 kids from the Santa's Link to Kids and one of them is a 7-year-old little girl who loves to read. Perfect! Plus, I got this great coupon book that is only good for Gives Back members and in it is a coupon for $15 off the perfect cookbook Christmas gift for my mother-in-law (no specifics sorry, she may be reading the blog). So, for roughly $40, I got the cookbook, 4 books for the Santa's Link little girl, and 1 for myself. Not a bad Saturday afternoon of bargain shopping if you ask me. I'm telling you, the Christmas season can be cheap and free and fabulous!

Let the Troops know that you care this holiday season

2008-12-04T22:27:00.002-05:00

Xerox is doing a really great thing for our troops right now, and I urge all of you to participate. It won't cost you a thing and it will take you less than 2 minutes. Go to www.LetsSayThanks.com, there you can pick out a card and a greeting and it will be sent to a soldier who is serving overseas. No matter your opinion of this war, these are men and women just like you and me who are far away from their homes and their families. Just take a small amount of time and make a huge difference in their lives.

Free Pie!

2008-12-04T21:40:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure how I got so lucky, but I got a coupon from Earth Fare a few days ago for a free pie and a free pint of ice cream. No minimum purchase or anything like that, just free. I'm so all about that. I can't eat ice cream and neither can buddy (it's OK, you can laugh, we do), so I gave away the ice cream, but the pie is delicious. I had a yummy piece of apple pie for dessert this evening, and, of course, free food tastes better. I like to also think that free food has no calories. Shhh... let me be lost in my delusions...

Second String Santa

2008-12-03T01:28:00.005-05:00

Second String Santa is seriously one of my favorite events all year in Charlotte. Have you been? It's a fantastic kick-off to the holiday season. Here's the deal, for $20 and a toy donation or $40 you get admission and then all you can eat and all you can drink wine, beer, and soda. It's a formal event, which I love. It's great to get those dresses out of the closet that there is never any reason to wear.

It's a pretty good deal as is, but this year I discovered a way to make it even sweeter. I volunteered, for 1 hour of toy collecting, I didn't have to pay cover. That's a $20 an hour gig, pretty awesome. Plus, collecting toys was a great amount of fun. I love chatting with people, so it was the perfect job for me.

After my volunteering, then it was time to party. I pretty much danced the night away with my girls, and we had a blast.

Now, here are some amazing Second String Santa statistics: 4000 people attended, 3000 toys (including 3 bikes) and $54,000 were collected. There are a lot of kiddos who are going to have great Christmases because of the attendees and everyone involved with Second String Santa. Now, that's a great event. It's a good time, a good deal and a fabulous cause.

Give Thanks!

2008-11-27T12:31:00.003-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Here's a great thing to do that is always free, giving thanks! I actually write down five things that I am thankful for every day in a journal that I keep by my bed. It's a great way to keep this crazy life in perspective. Here are a few things that I am thankful for this Thanksgiving day: my buddy, that man can make me laugh like no one else on this earth; my dogs, it was a tough year with losing Maddie, but I'm glad that Ella found us and so is Mandy; my job, so many people are struggling with this right now, and I am thankful that, not only do I have a job, I really like my job; I'm healthy and everyone in my family is healthy; my new niece, Isabella Grace, I haven't gotten to meet her yet, but will for Christmas and just can't wait, my kitties, I love watching all of my animals hang out together. These are just a few of the fabulous things that I am thankful for. I wish you and your families a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Gives Back Card

2008-11-25T14:58:00.000-05:00

Joseph Beth Booksellers has a fabulous program called the Gives Back Card. For $25 you get the card, and here is what the card gives you: $25 gift certificate to the Bronte Bistro (the fabulous restaurant attached to Joseph Beth), a free meal on your birthday, $10 coupon for every $200 spent in the bookstore, $10 coupon for every $200 spent in the bistro, ok, and really tons of other stuff. But, now why, you ask, is it called the Gives Back Card? Well, that is because 1% of all bookstore purchases are donated back to a local charity of you choice. I chose to have mine given to the Levin Children's Hospital. It's a pretty cool card and a fantastic deal all around.

Cheap and Free Date at Brixx with Buddy

2008-11-24T23:44:00.001-05:00

We love Brixx, and I mean L-O-V-E! So, when I came upon a coupon for buy one, get one free pizza, of course, it was time to walk up to Brixx for the night. The very best night to go to Brixx is Monday for $1.95 domestic drafts. Their domestic drafts aren't what you normally think of. We're talking microbrews, the best kind of beer delicious-ness. If you go to Brixx, be sure to start working on your MBA. That's your Masters of Beer Appreciation. You get stamps for having different beers, and you get different prizes along the way, but the grand prize is the party. Oh yes, I will be earning a party!

Back for some more free wine!

2008-11-20T21:51:00.000-05:00

Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day! And, just try to keep me away from the free wine! My friend Sarah and I headed to Reid's today to see what the wine tastings were all about today during free wine week. Of course, they were pouring a Beaujolais Nouveau, which was amazingly delicious. It's a holiday that I always like to take part in. We actually had every intention to go up to the Mint Museum, but we were just having so much fun tasting the wines, and the pours were quite generous. I would say we both had about two full glasses of wine. I stuck to the Reds, but Sarah was tasting both Reds and Whites. Our favorite, though, was the Bliss Merlot. Plus, to make it even better, that's an $11.99 bottle of wine! Great wine for a great price, and the tastes are free? Fantastic!

Free Wine Tasting at Reid's

2008-11-18T21:35:00.000-05:00

Reid's Fine Foods is kicking off the holiday season right, with free wine! I headed up to Reid's tonight with my friends, Erin and Anie and we were very happy to partake. Reid's is doing free wine tastings and free appetizer tastings all week. I would say that we probably each had enough samples to equal 1- 1 and a half glasses of wine. Did I mention that I love free wine?

Buddy Loves Samples

2008-11-15T17:23:00.000-05:00

Buddy (that's what I affectionately call my husband, he calls me buddy too) hates going to the grocery store, and, I mean hates. There is one notable exception, and that is Earth Fare, and I'll tell you why he likes that store: free cheese samples. So, when I told him that Earth Fare was going to be hosting their Taste of Thanksgiving event and handing out samples of Thanksgiving dinner, he was so in. Of course, we had to enter the store near the cheese section, so we had our fill of the cheese, meandered and did some other shopping, and then made our way to the free Thanksgiving. It was delicious! My favorite quote of the day happened while I was then waiting to order our Thanksgiving turkey. Buddy said to me, "If this takes much longer, I'm going to have to get another plate." I told him to just go, and he was off and running before I got the last word of my sentence out. These plates were more than a snack too, a very enjoyable way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Giving back and getting something in return

2008-11-14T21:01:00.002-05:00

Today I got to give back in a very awesome way... A friend of mine works at Hemby Children's Hospital and today was their annual Thanksgiving party for the patients and families. I was able to go and serve the drinks and mix and mingle with the adorable kids. This is a fabulous event that they put on, and they do a similar event for each holiday. Most of these kids won't get to spend Thanksgiving at home, so the hospital brings the Thanksgiving dinner to them and their families. It's a feel good time for everyone. The kids get some time to just be kids and eat macaroni & cheese and pumpkin pie. US Foodservice donated the food and the talented culinary students at Johnson & Wales cooked and served it. As an added bonus to the great feeling that I get to carry around in my heart after seeing these very special little people, I also got to eat this fabulous Thanksgiving lunch. And, let me tell you, those students can cook! This bumps up eating at the Johnson & Wales cafeteria on my list. I can't wait to help out at the Christmas party!

Yumm... Specials on Corona Light

2008-11-13T22:14:00.001-05:00

Congratulations are in order for my one friend... She got a new job and today is that day that she actually got to quit the old job. Hooray! So, to celebrate, we all headed up to our favorite place, Ed's Tavern. And, wouldn't you know it, Corona Light's were only $2. It was a celebration for me too, that's my favorite beer, and I had completely forgotten that it was Corona Light night at Ed's. What a fabulous little surprise for me on a dreary Thursday night! As a side note, Ed's has a completely revamped menu, and it looks amazing. I haven't eaten from it yet, but I have been with a bunch of people who have gotten the sliders and they look fantastically delicious!

Donate $1 without spending a dime...

2008-11-11T10:24:00.003-05:00

So, I just found out a staggering statistic... Did you know that coffee drinkers throw out 28 billion disposable coffee cups each year? That is about 100 million pounds of trash going into our landfills. Wow! Well, the folks at Good Earth Coffee are trying to do something about it. If you sign the "Brew at Home" Pledge and pledge to brew your coffee at home using a re-usable cup, they will donate $1 to the Trust for Public Land. I signed it and plan to keep my pledge. That's something that I can feel good about. While we're on the subject ladies and gentlemen, does your office have a coffee machine? If you're drinking that, you're halfway there by saving yourself some money. How about bringing in your own mug instead of using disposable? Then you can save the environment too! I also like the opportunity to express a bit of my personality with my mug selections. Favorite mug slogan of mine? "Proud owner of a rescued dog"

In-Home Testing Institute?

2008-11-10T21:59:00.000-05:00

OK, so I'll admit it like a dork... For some reason, I like filling out forms and surveys, things like that. I think it has something to do with not really being able to sit still and pay attention while watching TV. I like puzzles too, but that's another issue. Well, today in the mail, I received a long consumer survey, and, with excitement, started filling it out. Wouldn't you know that a $5 bill fell onto my lap? That's not cheap & free, that's getting paid for something I would be happy to do anyway. I certainly can't wait to send it back to them and am anxiously awaiting my next one. Shoot me an email at ktamerlano@gmail.com and I can send you the contact info, maybe they have a website and you can try to get on their mailing list too.

The Gem of the Habitat Restore

2008-11-08T15:53:00.002-05:00

I was about to title this post "The Hidden Gem of the Habitat Restore," but this gem really isn't hidden at all, I just hadn't yet noticed how awesome it was. What is this gem you say? The book section in Julia's Coffee Shop, attached to the Restore. They have some truly awesome used books for sale and at some truly awesome prices. Hardbacks are either $1.98 or $3.98 and paperbacks are $.98. Plus, they are very, very organized, alphabetical by author's last name and in different subject sections. If you know that you want a book, but don't have a title in mind, check out the employee picks, there were some great books there. I didn't actually buy anything on this trip because I'm making the vow (for about the 5oth time) to read all of the books that I own before buying any more, deal or not, but my friend, Erin, was with me and she had a huge stack of deals that she was getting!

Wine-down Wednesday

2008-11-05T21:48:00.000-05:00

I seriously work across the street from Village Tavern, and, I'm ashamed to admit it, but this is the very first time that I have been to Wine-down Wednesday. Basically, all bottles of wine are half off. How great is that? You can get a whole bottle of wine for less than the price of two glasses. Now, just because I love you all, maybe take a drinking buddy to either help you finish that deal of a bottle of wine or to sit and watch you drink it and give you a ride home!

Another thing that I love about the Village Tavern is the patio. And, that I have taken advantage of many, many times. It is big and has a great view of Southpark. Plus, now that it's getting a little cooler outside, they bring in heaters, so the patio can really be enjoyed almost year-round, unless it's raining, of course!

Freebies for Voting

2008-11-04T22:11:00.002-05:00

Happy Election Day, everybody! I hope you all voted today and I also hope that you all took advantage of some of the freebies to be had today.

I got up early to vote before work and when I was all finished, I stopped first at Starbucks for my free cup of coffee. They were giving away a free tall coffee to anyone who came in and said that they voted.

I had also heard that Chick-fil-a was giving away free chicken sandwiches at work and even verified online that Charlotte was one of the cities particpating. Unfortunately, when I went to the Chick-fil-a at Southpark Mall, I didn't get a sandwich. They just said that they had been hearing it all day, but that, no, it wasn't true. I pass the Chick-fil-a on Woodlawn on my way home and was going to try again, but there was an accident and Woodlawn was closed right there (Hope those people are OK, the cars looked pretty smashed up) so I can't verify this one. I had no luck.

Ben and Jerry's was giving away a free scoop of ice cream to anyone who voted today, but only from 5-8pm. My plan was to go get the dogs, drop them off, eat a quick dinner, and then head out again to get my free ice cream. However, I started watching election coverage and got sucked in, so decided against it. I'm still thinking about that ice cream right now.

At least I got my free coffee! I think it's great that all of these places were supporting the election in this way!

Way to use that VIC Card!

2008-11-03T18:06:00.000-05:00

I love a sale! Especially, when it is on stuff that I have to buy, like food... I got a wonderful email about a 3-day sale at Harris Teeter... Steaks are $4.99/lb; shrimp is buy 1 bag, get 2 free; and grapes are $.79/pound. What? Crazy awesome prices. Well, I went to Harris Teeter today, and the manager had to override my transaction because I saved more than I spent. No joke! My total at the store today was $88 and my VIC card savings was $94. Yeah, I got a ton of food too! We're eating steak and shrimp for awhile!

Happy Birthday Dana at Dixies

2008-10-25T09:32:00.003-04:00

I'm having to write this the following morning, had a fun night of cheap and free fun uptown last night! Yesterday was my friend, Dana's, birthday and, awesomely, I had won a party at Dixie's. Could it be more perfect? We all got free appetizers, $2 Miller Lites, $2 well drinks, and $3 "good" liquor drinks. To someone who loves Jack Daniels and Diet Coke, that $3 was a great thing to hear. The appetizers were really good too. I just had the chicken fingers, but there was spinach dip and meatballs also. The music at Dixie's is always so good too. They tend to play a lot of songs that get the whole crowd singing and dancing, a mix of today's best and the oldies but goodies. How did I win this party, you ask? By joining their email list, so check it out, there are so many fabulous deals out there!

Meet Ella!

2008-10-21T20:56:00.003-04:00

Hi all! Not something cheap and free, but I wanted to introduce you all to our new puppy, Ella! I went to drop Mandy off at her daycare, All Wags, this morning and they let me know that they had two puppies there who needed a home. One of their employees had found them abandoned in the middle of the road last Wednesday night. Miraculously, they are both unscathed by that and after a visit to the vet were both given a clean bill of health. Ever since, we lost Maddie, we have known that we would eventually be ready for another dog and little Mandy has been walking around the house giving us all the signs of being ready for a friend too. Ella has come right in and become a member of the family, you would think she had been with us forever. Right now I am sitting on the couch wrting this with Mandy on one side and Ella on the other, and I couldn't be happier!

Enter Contests!

2008-10-20T20:37:00.002-04:00

Entering and winning contests is the greatest, most fabulous way to get something cheap and free. Well, I enter a lot of contests, and lately I've been winning a lot of contests.

One thing to do is ti sign up for email lists, lots of bars and restaurants have some sort of incentive to join their email list, like be entered to win a gift card, etc. I've recently won happy hour parties at Dixie's and Howl at the Moon. The one at Dixie's is actually going to be my friend Dana's birthday party this Friday night, so more about that later.

Another fabulous contest source is Creative Loafing Fun & Free Stuff. I personally check their website every Thursday. In the past I have won concert tickets and movie passes, and more recently, I won a DVD of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which is so awesome if you haven't seen it. I'm psyched about that. I just went and picked it up today and can't wait to watch it.

One other cool contest source that I have found is to join bands' street team's. Most bands have a link of some sort on their web page or go to a site like Reverbnation and search for your favorite bands. The bands will have frequent contests and tasks with prizes. I recently won a contest that Simplified, my favorite local band was having and my prize is on it's way. Super cool!

Hands on Charlotte Day

2008-10-19T16:47:00.000-04:00

I had a fabulous Saturday today! I got up bright and early to help with registration and set-up for Hands on Charlotte Day. While I was at the kick-off celebration at the Epicentre I had the most fabulous muffin, as a side note.

Then, I headed with my group off to my project at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. We did some fantastic tasks at the ReStore, lots of pricing, rearranging, and moving items to their appropriate places. I've written about the ReStore again, but as an overview, it's a place where one can take their old home goods, fixtures, building materials, etc. and donate them to be resold as a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity. Plus, they also get donations of new items also. It's a great place to check out every once in a while to just see what they have.

After we did our feel-good volunteering, we went to the Comet Grill for another sort of feeling good, good food and some well-earned beers. Comet Grill was running a special just for Hands on Charlotte Day volunteers, 20% off all food and $1 domestic drafts. A $1 Yuengling never tasted so good than one drank after lifting, measuring and pricing large rolls of carpet for three hours.

If you are in Charlotte and have never participated in Hands on Charlotte Day or any of the Hands on Charlotte projects, definitely check it out. It's a huge amount of fun and helps to make Charlotte a better place to be.

Shutterfly.com

2008-10-17T17:38:00.002-04:00

OK, call me crazy, but I already have my Christmas cards. I love using Shutterfly.com to create the little photo cards. I know I adore receiving them, so I think others enjoy receiving mine. Get this, when I ordered 50 cards, I got 25 for free, plus 90 free address labels. No joke! The key is shopping early. I discovered this and started ordering my cards early a couple of years ago. The holidays can be a pricey time, so I love to cut costs in every way that I can.

Import Night at Brixx

2008-10-16T20:31:00.002-04:00

Thursday nights are a fabulous night to go have a beer at Brixx, so we decided to take advantage of the record high temperatures and enjoy some $2.50 imports on their patio. To top it all off, we had a coupon for buy one, get one free pizza. What could be better? Coupons and beer specials, two of my favorite things. Let's just top it all off with getting my Brixx MBA card stamped four times (yeah, the weather was really nice and sitting outside was very enjoyable) so I'm that much closer to earning my t-shirt, free pizza, and free party. It's almost cheap and free stuff overload, but, honestly, is there really such a thing as that?

The New Trader Joe's

2008-10-13T17:39:00.003-04:00

Hooray! At long last, the new Trader Joe's at the Metropolitan has opened up! I have been waiting so long for this. The food and household items at Trader Joe's are cheaper and better than at your regular grocery stores. Plus, in addition to normal items like green onions, apples, and bread, you can find some incredibly cool and unique stuff. For instance, today I picked up some crunchy green beans. They are snack that looks like a dried green bean, that is salted. I haven't tried them yet, but it sounds like a winner to me. Another not-to-be-missed item at Trader Joe's is the 21 Seasoning Salute. It's this incredible spice blend that makes everything delicious, and it's only sold at one fabulous place. Did I mention the cheap wine at Trader Joe's? It bought three bottles and the most expensive one was $4.99. Also, I had received a coupon in the mail last week, so I received a free reusable shopping bag. You know I love that!

Check out Simplified!

2008-10-13T09:58:00.002-04:00

Simplified is a great local Charlotte band and also one of my favorite cheap and free things to do. They play all around the city, very frequently at Mac's BBQ and the Visulite. Have a litte listen to them, you'll love it.

Musicovery.com

2008-10-06T20:15:00.003-04:00

Here's a fun free thing for everyone, not just those of you in Charlotte. Musicovery.com is my new favorite way to make being on the computer all that much more enjoyable. It is free online radio with emotion. Think of this as your musical psychologist. You log in and make a few selections about your preferences; favorite artists, favorite songs, favorite eras, favorite genres... Then, tell musicovery.com how you are feeling that day and it will play songs that will completely tune into you. You'll just sit there and be amazed at how every song just is perfect and "exactly what you needed to hear." Now, if only I could listen to online radio at work, then life would be all good.

Southend Gallery Crawl

2008-10-03T22:01:00.000-04:00

Tonight, I volunteered at the Charlotte Art League for the Southend Gallery Crawl. I did a lot of helping out with the food and answered a lot of question, plus I saw a lot of fabulous art. There was a juried art show going on also called into "Fall Into Art 2008" and the winners were announced this evening. The 1st place winner was a fabulous painting of a rooster. I know what you are thinking, a rooster? But, it really is just amazing. The show will be there until October 24th, and I definitely reccomend checking it out. The Charlotte Art League is also a great place to go if you are looking to buy some local art. Many artists have their studios there and on Saturdays you can walk through and watch them work. If you are an aspiring artist or are just looking to let your creative juices flow for a bit, Charlotte Art Leauge also offers many different classes. It definitely inspired me to get in tune more with my creative side!

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

2008-10-03T14:49:00.004-04:00

So, I totally just treated myself to a very not good for me lunch on a Friday... it's been a long week... Five Guys Burgers and Fries is delicious! This new place just opened up on South Blvd., right near where the new Lowe's is going up. It's super cheap and super good! The menu is very limited (burgers, hot dogs, fries), but they do what they do very well. I ordered the regular cheeseburger with tons of toppings. Here's the thing that I didn't know, a regular burger is actually a double cheeseburger. I just assumed that the small burger on the menu was kids size or something, I was wrong. Plus, all toppings are free, no additional amount for extra toppings, and I pretty much had a salad on top of my burger. Fries are additional and I'm not a huge fry fan, so I didn't order any. My friend, Kim, who I was with did and, of course, the small portion of that was huge also. So, if you are looking for large portions of delicious food for not a lot of money, check out this new place, sure to be a Charlotte favorite very soon!

Getting paid to taste food? Um, OK...

2008-10-01T20:52:00.000-04:00

Probably about a year ago, I filled out a questionnaire online to get myself registered with AOC Research here in Charlotte. They are a research company that does mostly taste tests. Oh, and you get paid. I have been called a couple of times for taste tests and haven't qualified based on my answers over the phone, most disappointingly for a beer taste test. Well, this time I qualified, and I was psyched. I can't tell you about what I tasted because I had to sign a confidentiality agreement, but I will tell you that it was all delicious. I was there for just a little under and hour, ate enough food for it to be my dinner, and... wait for it... I got paid $40. That's what I'm talking about.

Free Tickets to the Opening Night of Motherload

2008-09-30T21:52:00.002-04:00

I absolutely love, love, love going to the theatre! However, it's not usually the cheapest ticket in town, so when I saw on the Charlotte Culture Guide website that free tickets were available for tonight's opening night performance of Motherload, I jumped on that opportunity. All I had to do was call the box office and they mailed two tickets to me, easy as that. I also have a good friend, Meg, who is pregnant and due in December, the perfect friend to accompany me, the perpetually childless woman, to the play. We pretty much cracked up the entire time. Motherload is a one-woman show basically about being a mom. She talked about all of the things that you "should" do and all of the things that real people are actually doing. It was especially hilarious for Meg because just this past weekend her and her husband went to their parenting class sponsored by the hospital, and everything that was mentioned in the play was dead-on!

Mega Sale at J Crew

2008-09-28T17:00:00.002-04:00

I went to Southpark Mall today searching for a dress to wear to my friend, Sarah's, bridal shower. I had looked online and I was liking the selection at J Crew the most (I like to enter the mall with a bit of a plan). Well, little did I know that fantastical deals were awaiting me at J Crew. I popped over to the sale section first and saw a magnificent sign "Additional 40% off all Women's Sale." What? Amazing! Great! I even went so far as to verify the sign with one of the sales girls, and with the very knowing smile of a fellow bargain shopper, she confirmed that what seemed too good to be true was indeed true. As a bonus, they also had a ton in my size. It's usually my luck that in these situations, I can't find anything that fits. I ended up getting three fabulous dresses, all contenders for the shower and all great to wear to work also. Score! Here's the best part. My three dresses would have been $450 at full price. Would you like to know what I paid? $109. Now, that's a great shopping day. I actually like the clothes better knowing that they were a good deal!

Great American Dine Out

2008-09-24T22:11:00.000-04:00

It's a great day when something as simple as getting a latte and a scone can help to feed hungry children. This week the Great American Dine Out is going on. Restuarants around the country are participating and all you have to do is go and eat and a portion of what you pay will be donated to Share our Strength. This morning I went to Caribou Coffee on my way to the gym, and that simple act helped out a very worthy organization.

Heart Walk, Community Mosaic Project & a Yard Sale

2008-09-20T20:37:00.001-04:00

I started my Saturday morning off bright and early by participating in this year's Heart Walk. I did this last year too, and I really enjoy it. Something about getting up early and walking with the big crowd is just exhilarating. I also enjoy checking out the Frazier Park neighborhood that this walk goes through. Plus, my walking helped to raise over $300 for the American Heart Association, a very good cause.

Once, I was done with the Heart Walk, it was time to run home, do a quick change, and then head over to Ciel Gallery in Southend to work on the Community Mosaic Project. I've blogged about this cool project before, but I just can't say enough about how awesome this is. This is every person in Charlotte's chance to leave their mark on Charlotte. There will eventually be 30 mosaic's rounding the brick building that houses the Charlotte Art League and you too can place some tiles. Really, how cool is that? 20 years from now, you will still be able to walk by and point out the part that you did. Want to get involved? Check out www.communitymosaicproject.com.

Finally, and then I did do some resting on my Saturday, I checked out some yard sales on my way home. My rule for yard sales is that if people with a nicer house than mine are getting rid of their old stuff, then I'm in. And, wouldn't you know, I scored at the yard sales. I have been looking for a new magazine rack for weeks and haven't found a thing that I like. Well, found one, and I love it, and it only cost me $5. That's what I call a fabulous Saturday!

Free Loaf of Bread & Free Cookie at Great Harvest Bread

2008-09-19T21:21:00.000-04:00

Have you been to Great Harvest yet? If not, get on over there and you will never want any other bread again. If you have, then you know what I am talking about. Their Honey Whole Wheat is delicious and they have a plethora of other specialty breads, such as Cinnamon Chip. Today went I was there I got a loaf of Whole Grain Pesto Asiago and a Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookie. Now, you may be asking yourself, how was my bread and cookie free? In addition to their delicious bread, they also have an awesome frequent shopper card. When you have purchases six loaves of bread, you get a free cookie, and when you have purchases 12 loaves of bread, you get a free loaf of bread. I just happened to not redeem my cookie yet, so I had a card sitting in my wallet that was worth a free cookie and a free loaf of bread. Friday was a good day!

Free Smoothies at Smoothie King

2008-09-18T23:19:00.000-04:00

Yes, you are reading that correctly, they were handing out free smoothies at Smoothie King this morning. Now, it wasn't just any smoothie, though. This morning they rolled out new coffee smoothies, and, let me tell you, they are delicious. I chose to go with the caramel coffee smoothie, and I loved every bit of it. Plus, get this, I got a free cup too! Now, you may be asking yourself, how in the world did I even know to go get my free smoothie? I'm on their email list. Trust me, just sign up. I get at least one coupon a week and advance notice of things like this. Can't wait for the next free smoothie day. You know I'll be there!

The Dog Bar

2008-09-17T21:27:00.006-04:00

One of my favorite places in Charlotte is the Dog Bar! Really, are you surprised? I love anywhere that I can spend time with my dog. The great thing about the Dog Bar is that you can bring your dog and your dog can go off leash, a fantastic concept. All of you dog-owners out there understand how key it is that they can go off-leash. They don't sell food there, so that is how they get around the whole health code and dogs thing. They do charge a $10 membership fee that is good for 2 years, and that really just is because it is technically a private club since they serve alcohol but not food. You can, however, bring your own food so that makes it cheap, a bonus! Plus, they have a different beer special every night.

Some friends threw a memorial party for Maddie tonight at The Dog Bar and it was just fabulous and so fun. They brought food and goodie bags and the whole thing was so sweet. I loved being able to have everyone remember my girl while having so much fun. Maddie would have wanted it that way!

Free Entertainment at the Outback

2008-09-16T21:27:00.000-04:00

I went to dinner tonight with some friends tonight at Outback on East Blvd., and, actually, I wasn't planning on blogging about it because Outback isn't really all that cheap. However, we got a free comedy show at our table and that is worth blogging about. Our waiter, John, was absolutely hilarious! He kept just naturally going into comedy routines when he would come back to check on our table, and it was just kind of how he talked. He was joking about all sorts of things from his baldness to what he likes and dislikes on the Outback menu. If you get dinner and a show at Outback for just the price of dinner then that counts as a cheap activity to me!

Cheap & Free Weekend with Mom & Dad

2008-09-14T16:51:00.003-04:00

My parents came to visit this weekend and we did so many fabulous cheap & free things!

We started the weekend off on Friday with a delicious dinner at Cantina 1511, and, of course, we used a coupon. Charlotte Citipass strikes again, and we got buy one get one free entrees. We were supposed to then go the the Glue Fest for the Community Mosaic Project, but unfortunately the timing just didn't work out.

The first order of cheap and free business was a free breakfast. My parents were staying at The Hampton Inn at Phillips Place, and if you have ever stayed at the Hampton Inn, you know that they have a fantastic breakfast. No reason to go out for breakfast!

We then went and picked up my dog, Mandy and headed over to the Tailgate Farmer's Market to have our starstruck time for the day by meeting Spike and Andrew from Top Chef. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get tickets for the cooking demonstration, but we got to meet them, and I got my cookbook signed and photo taken. They were so super nice and they loved Mandy, which, of course, I loved. This is one of my favorite shows and these two were my favorites from last season, so this is definitely the coolest thing I have gotten to do in a long time!

There's nothing better to me than when someone loves my dog! From there, my dad went and got himself some lunch at Price's Chicken Coop. For $8 he got a ton of food, 3 pieces of chicken, hush puppies, tater tots, slaw, and a roll. My dad is a huge lover of fried chicken, maybe even a connoisseur, so this was awesome for him.

Next stop was uptown for the Blues, Brews & BBQ festival. We took the light rail so we could save money on parking, plus it's just a great thing for out-of-town guests to get to experience. The festival was a ton of fun. I won a free UNC Charlotte 49ers T-shirt and I entered to win a Saturn car, so I'm crossing my fingers on that one. My mom and I ate delicious BBQ plates from Mac's and we stuffed for not much money. While we ate, we got to enjoy some fantastic blues music too. It was a ton of fun!

On our way walking back to the light rail, we noticed that the Levine Museum was free so decided to head on in. My dad is a big history buff, so this was great for us to get to do. They both loved the museum, and I just think it's a great one.

We were pretty tired after all of that and decided to chill at home and watch some college football for the rest of the day. I definitely love that I got to show my parents so much of our fabulous city!

Winestore

2008-09-11T22:55:00.002-04:00

Have you been to Winestore over near Southpark? If not, you should go, it's like nowhere else. Basically, you can try before you buy everyday. You purchase a rechargable card and pop it into the machines they have around the store, push a button, and your taste dispenses into your glass. The tastes vary in price and depend on the cost of the actual wine. There are also very cheeky sections of wines that will just make you smile. Having a girls night out? There's a section for that. First date? There's a section for that too. The owners are always happy to help you out and are very knowledgeble about wine. On this particular night, they were having a free wine tasting, no card necessary. Now, here's the coolest part of this tasting, the winemaker was there, all the way from South Australia, and he was just a delight. The wines were all delicious, Shiraz', my favorite. And, having the winemaker pour them for me and tell me about his winemaking process was an amazing experience. Awesomeness too, is that he signed my bottle. How cool is that? I'll be saving that bottle for sure.

Ed's Tavern

2008-09-10T22:38:00.003-04:00

Tonight I found out that I had really been missing out. I go to Ed's all the time, sometimes a couple times a week, and I have never had their infamous burger special. On Wednesdays, you can get a Cheeseburger with fix-ins, homemade chips (we're talking thick-cut and fresh, delicious), and a Coors Light Draft, all for the very low and fabulous price of $5.95. I'm normally quite the optimist, but for that price, I was expecting a small burger, chips from a bag and a smaller than normal beer. I decided to order it anyway, figuring that I could write to you all about what Ed's affectionately calls it's "Recession Buster." This meal was such a very pleasant surprise for me. I'll be getting that burger again, no doubt!

Mint Museum & Hawthorne's Pizza

2008-09-09T22:09:00.000-04:00

Tuesday night means free admission to the Mint Museum, so I went last night to check it out again with some friends. I don' t think I mentioned it in my last post about the Mint Museum, but all you need to do to get in is give them your zip code. It's that easy. The exhibits were the same from the last time I was there but still amazing! There is an Warhol exhibit coming soon that I plan to check out.

From there, we headed up the street to Hawthorne's Pizza. I had heard from many people that this was the best pizza in Charlotte, and let me tell you, all of the people who told me that were absolutely correct. I had the House Special pizza: Mozzerella Cheese, Spinach, Broccoli & Bacon w/ tomato sauce. It was unbelievably delicious and the crust is absolute perfection! Plus, my $9 pizza is definitely two meals. I can't wait for lunch tomorrow! Not to mention, my favorite part, on Tuesdays, all draft beers are only $2.50. That meant I was able to have a fabulous Blue Moon for super cheap. That's my kind of deal!

The Greek Festival & East Blvd. Bar & Grill

2008-09-07T18:03:00.002-04:00

I needed to get out of my house today and have some fun. What's more fun than the Yiasou Greek Festival? I had actually picked up a bunch of free passes at my gym, so my friends and I didn't even have to pay the $2 admission. There were rides, entertainment, and great food, not to mention some absolutely adorable babies. One actually licked my dog, Mandy, after Mandy licked him. Seriously, that's adorable.

After some spending some time at the Greek Festival, we decided to move on down East Blvd. to East. Blvd. Bar & Grille. This is one of my favorite little spots. Their patio is perfection and they always have beer specials. Today's special was $2.50 Tecate, delicious for a hot day like today. A little secret about East Blvd. Bar & Grill... they are usually cool with you having your dog there outside, so Mandy got to come with us. Yes, there is a sign that says "No Dogs Allowed," so keep in mind, that puts all of the resposibility onto you, so just be courteous and smart. You know if you have a dog who can handle sitting outside at a bar/restaurant. I also like to try and limit trying to take a dog to when they are slow, just because I wouldn't want to bother their other customers, since they are bending the rules a bit.

I hope you all are enjoying the borrowed nice weather, woohoo to Hanna curving!

How to say good-bye to a best friend...

2008-09-07T17:18:00.003-04:00

Hi Cheap and Free-ers... I'm not going to dwell on it because this really isn't the mission of my blog, but I also think that part of this blog is you all getting to know me... So, I thought that you all should know that I lost one of my dogs yesterday. Miss Maddie Sue started to not feel well about a week ago and we never imagined that it would end this way. She ended up having to have a surgery and just didn't recover. I guess her little body was too sick... She was only 3 1/2 years old and we rescued her at 4 months (or rather she rescued us), so I would have loved to have had more time with her. You know what they say, "Only the good die young," and she wasn't just good, she was great. To all of you pet-owners out there, give them an extra little squeeze from me. Maddie would have wanted it that way.

Tropical Storms are such a bummer...

2008-09-03T21:42:00.002-04:00

Hi all! A note to all who read my event calendar on Cheap & Free in Charlotte, the Roman Army Festival has been cancelled for this weekend. This event was going to take place in Fourth Ward Park, so you can see their hesitation. Be careful this weekend, and if I hear of any other cancellations, I'll be sure to post them.

Creative Loafing Fun & Free Stuff

2008-09-02T20:18:00.004-04:00

Something that I do every week on Thursdays is check Creative Loafing Fun & Free Stuff. I honestly have a reminder set on my Outlook Calendar at work to check it. This is a fabulous source of, just as the title says, fun & free stuff. Usually, the "stuff" are showings of movies before they actually open in theatres. There have been concert tickets that they are giving away and even trips. Sometimes, you just enter your name and it's a drawing. And, yes, people actually win these drawings. I actually got an email today that I won passes to go see "Clone Wars", so I'll be going to pick up my prize tomorrow. Other times it's one where they ask you to stop by their offices during a certain time and on a first-come, first-served basis you can pick up free passes. It's definitely always worth checking out. You never know what treasures you might find.

My Challenge is over!

2008-09-01T10:54:00.002-04:00

The challenge is over for August, but the fun is just beginning. I gained a new appreciation for Charlotte during my month-long challenge. This truly is an awesome city with awesome people in it. There are so many wonderful and fabulous things to do here, even I am still surprised at all that I discovered. I hope that you will be inspired to get creative and discover all that Charlotte or, for those of you not in Charlotte, your city, has to offer. I'd love to hear about your adventures too. If you haven't already, check out my website at www.cheapandfreeincharlotte.com. There is a forum on there where I would love to get some "conversation" going about what you all are enjoying that is cheap and free. The Blog isn't over, it's actually just beginning, as is the website. Please continue to check both and I promise to keep giving you info about all of the great things in Charlotte. September is an amazing month for cheap and free stuff. Charlotte Shout and also the Cultural Free for All are going on. All of the details are on my website. Enjoy!

Challenge Day 31- Howl at the Moon

2008-09-01T01:50:00.002-04:00

Challenge Day 31 brings the very first negative review. I was absolutely psyched to go to Howl at the Moon. I hadn't yet been and they were having a luau tonight. Free buffet from 6-9, free admission with a Hawaiian shirt, $3 Heineken Lights (my favorite beer), and all of the great entertainment of the dueling pianos.

Things started out alright, I wasn't about to wear a Hawaiian shirt, so I wore a floral dress, and they did let me in for free. When we walked in, we passed by the buffet and it looked really good. I wasn't hungry, but if I had been, I definitely would have eaten from the free buffet. Bravo to them for actually making a free buffet even worth mentioning. The piano players were incredibly talented, like really amazing.

It was all downhill from there. We went up and ordered a Heineken Light and a Miller High Life Light. I about fell down when the bartender said, "7 dollars." Now, either one of two things happened: A. he wasn't honoring the posted special price for Heineken Light, or B. Miller High Life Light is $4/bottle. Both situations are ridiculous and awful. Really? Are you kidding me. As if that's not bad enough, we arrived at 8pm and there was absolutely no place to sit. A dueling piano bar really is no fun if you're standing.

Now, when I say there was nowhere to sit, there actually were empty tables. These were roped off and reserved, right in the front, the prime seats. Um, there really needs to be a point that if you aren't there, you lose your reserved tables. Howl at the Moon was losing paying customers to people who may or may not show up. That's really just dumb. So, we finally saw two tables open up as we were walking out and decided to give Howl at the Moon one last chance, and this is where it got awful. We had a group of 10 people, so there little 4 tops just weren't going to cover it. Logically, we decided to move two tables together. Enter, the rudest "bouncer" I have ever come across. He actually yelled, "You can't push together tables!!!." OK, we are adults, you can just speak to us calmly. We're happy to oblige by your rules no matter how illogical they are, so there really is no reason to yell. A waitress came over and asked us how many people we had, clearly trying to smooth things over from the rude oaf of a bouncer. But, we had just had it at that point and left, likely never to return.

Boo to you, Howl at the Moon. It's time to get it together.

Challenge Day 30- Pigskin Party

2008-08-30T00:20:00.000-04:00

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.