Get a $25 Gift Card to Home Depot when you spend $20 on ConAgra products at Publix stores, valid till June 29

Publix, the grocery chain in the Southeast, is running a nice promotion. Spend $20 on qualifying ConAgra products, get a $25 Home Depot gift card via mail-in rebate. Qualifying products include Chef Boyardee, Hunt's, Peter Pan Peanut Butter, Snack Pack, Van Camp's, Libby's, Slim Jim, Hebrew National All Beef Franks, Gulden's Mustard, Reddi-Wip, Crunch 'n Munch, Fiddle Faddle and Poppycock.

Most Publix stores have a coupon book next to the promotion display which contains the rebate form and additional coupons for most of these products, so you save even more money. There is also a smaller promotion of get $10 when you spend $10.

More details at your nearest Publix store. Promotion runs from May 29 to June 29.

Update on Fidelity MySmartCash account, interest yield down to 1.5%

One of my earliest posts when I started this blog was about Fidelity's MySmartCash Checking account. Well, 4 months later, thanks to all the rate cuts being implemented by the Federal Reserve, the interest rate on this account is down to just 1.5% APY. Spectacular? Not at all. But better than most other banks given that its still a checking account with great features? Absolutely.

There are checking accounts available that yield over 5% but their requirements are so onerous that I don't even bother.

Take a survey from DHL, get a free Rand McNally Atlas

This couldn't get any easier. Take a very short survey from DHL and get a Rand McNally Road Atlas free within 2-3 weeks. That's it!

Survey link

Free Credit Reporting for 9 months from TransUnion

Looks like TransUnion, one of the big 3 credit reporting bureaus, lost a case and has agreed to settle. As a part of the settlement, they will provide free credit monitoring to anybody who had any kind of credit line - auto loan, credit card, student loan, mortgage, store card, etc. open between Jan 1, 1987 and May 28, 2008, so looks like everybody is covered.

Registering for this offer begins June 16, so hold your horses until. Go to the website below to get this done.

Settlement link

Movie Tickets for $7, use at AMC, Regal, Cinemark, UA, Landmark and Pacific theaters

BulkTix sells discounted movie tickets to various theater chains. Thanks to some coupons, you can get free shipping, discounts, etc. (coupons cannot be combined). There are two types of tickets - "Value" for $7 but can be used only after the second weekend after release or "Ultimate" for $8 which can be used from the first show onwards.

The various coupon codes are -

"freeship" for free shipping, "tryitout" for $4 off $60 (any 8 tickets) and "fiveoff" for 5% off a $100 order. Remove the quotation marks before entering the code.

Website link

Walgreen's "In Store" Coupon - $10 off $30, valid May 30 only

Walgreen's has a very nice coupon available for use on May 30 - $10 off a $30 purchase.

Coupon link

Use this coupon with the Free After Rebate stuff at Walgreen's either in their May or June catalog and make some money.

Free Magazine Subscriptions

Once you realize that offers like this exist, you will never pay for another magazine again. Here are some free subscription offers -

PC Magazine

US News & World Report - Digital Edition

Islands - Digital Edition

Tango

Waterski

Electronic Gaming Monthly

Computer Gaming World

So what's the catch? Probably some increase in junk mail volume but there is no financial obligation at all.

Biscotti-filled Ceramic Gift Jar for under $5 at Sam's Club

Sam's is clearing this out from its stores (item #84641) and has marked the price down from $19.99 to $4.81 which is very good if you or somebody you know enjoys eating Biscotti.

This is available in stores only, not online.

Canon A580 8MP, 4x Optical Zoom Camera for $109 at Dell with free shipping

Dell has the Canon A580 camera on sale for $149.99. Use coupon code Z2QNS7MFCK092V to knock off $41 off the price to reduce it to $108.99 + any applicable taxes. Shipping is free.

Link to product page on Dell

Free Tall Iced Coffee at Starbucks every Wednesday until July 23

This has not yet been confirmed as a nationwide promotion but you can always drop in to your local store to check. Stores have coupons which you will have to collect in advance to actually get this free coffee.

Logitech Di Novo Edge Keyboard for $70 after rebate from Amazon

Frankly, I do not think I will ever buy a keyboard for $70. But those who use it swear by it, so while this deal is not for me, it may be hot for you.

MSRP is $199. Amazon's sale price is $120 with the final price being $70 after a $50 rebate from Logitech. Shipping is free if bought directly from Amazon.

Link to product page on Amazon

Link to rebate

Logitech Quick Cam Deluxe for Notebooks - just $10 after rebate on Amazon

Amazon has this web cam for just $10 after a $30 manufacturer's rebate. While the product says "for Notebooks", this doesn't mean you cannot use it elsewhere. Logitech has simply designed it in such a fashion that you can easily clip it on to your laptop's LCD panel, that's all. As always, shipping is free since your initial expense is over $25.

Link to product page

Link to rebate

Info on free movie screenings

Most new movie releases have a few screenings before or around the actual release where you can get in free. As you can expect, free seats are generally limited and go extremely fast. My challenge typically was to actually find out more info about the free screening like when & where. Thanks to a helpful tip from a neighbor, found a site where all this data is available and you can book seats. Enjoy!

Link to Film Metro

Crucial Ballistix 2x1GB PC2-6400 Desktop RAM for $19 after rebate at Fry's

Fry's is having a sale on desktop memory with 2x1GB sticks of Crucial Ballistix going for just for $19 after a $30 rebate. Shipping is free as well.

Link to Fry's product page

Link to rebate

HP tx2000z touch screen laptop starting at $600 + shipping at Office Depot from May 25

Office Depot has the HP tx2000z touch screen laptop on sale starting at $600 after rebate before shipping starting May 25. I say "starting" at $600 because you have to go to the store, configure what you want on the in store kiosk, pay and then wait for the machine to be shipped to you.

Pretty good specs - 2.0 GHz dual core CPU, 250GB hard drive, 2GB RAM, webcam, etc. An upgrade to a 320GB hard drive is only supposed to be $11 more, from 2GB to 3GB RAM is $25 more, 8-cell instead of a 6-cell battery is $45 more. Upgrade to a 7200rpm hard drive is not available. Shipping will be an additional $50.

This machine is much better than its predecessor tx1000z. It has an active touchscreen and a digitizer, so you can supposedly use fingers as well on the screen.

Logitech MX3200 Laser Desktop for just $25 after rebate on Amazon

Amazon has this very good desktop set (keyboard + mouse) for just $24.99 after a $30 manufacturer's rebate. Shipping is free. Reviews on this set are very good with above average battery life. Its a Logitech rebate, so you will get it within 3 months.

Link to product page on Amazon

Link to Rebate

Vizio 42" Plasma TV for $749 at Walmart

You would think that a plasma TV sold at Walmart cannot have great quality. You may be wrong though. Vizio, in a relatively short span of 2 yrs, has slowly taken over as the big volume seller moving large numbers through discount stores like Costco and Walmart. Most reviews have been positive thanks to the above average picture quality and tons of connectivity options.

While this model is only a 720p version, I personally do not see that as an issue given that there are no 1080p broadcasts in the US (and with no plans for any right now). The only 1080p programming available is on the new high-def DVDs and frankly, its impossible to make out the difference in picture quality unless you are sitting just 3-4' away from the TV.

Link to the Walmart product page

If your local store doesn't carry it, you can get it shipped free to it, then pick it up.

Acer Core 2 Duo Laptop for $500 at Office Depot on May 25 and 26

As part of its Memorial Day sale, Office Depot has a very good deal on an Acer Extensa laptop. Great specs - Core 2 Duo T5550, 3GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, webcam, 15.4" screen plus all the usual good stuff. Price is $499.99 after $75 instant savings and a $125 rebate before taxes. Item number is 109445.

Given OD's typical tactic of having very limited stock on hand, I suggest you buy this today before the sale begins, then go to the store on May 25 or 26 and do a return-rebuy to get the price adjusted and qualify for the rebate. Obviously, all this only if you really want the laptop. OD's rebates have become quite reliable so I wouldn't worry too much about it as long as you keep good records.

Link to OD ad

$25 CVS gift card with a new or transferred prescription, valid till June 7

Go to the link given below and print out the coupon which will not be available beyond a few days. This coupon entitles you to get a $25 CVS gift card when you get a new or transfer a prescription to the CVS pharmacy.

Coupon link

50% off Godiva chocolates at Macy's

Macy's is having a sale on Godiva chocolates, a straight discount of 50% which is pretty big for this premium brand. Find them at the link below -

Godiva chocolates at Macy's

$100 off on 40GB PS3 at Walmart from June 1 - June 7

Walmart will give customers a $100 gift card for every purchase of the PS3 made between June 1 - June 7.

Logitech V400 Cordless Laptop Mouse for $9.49 after rebate & shipping

PC Connection has the Logitech V400 Cordless Laptop Mouse for $30 + $9.49 shipping. There is a $30 manufacturer's rebate on it making the final price < $10.

I have done over 50 Logitech rebates in the last 3 yrs, have never had any issues.

Link to the product page

Link to rebate

Walgreens $5 off $20 coupon - valid only on May 23

If you shop at Walgreens regularly for stuff other than prescriptions, here is a coupon that will help - $5 off a $20 purchase, but valid only one day on May 23. Print it out and take it into your nearest store. Its valid for multiple uses (but don't make it blatant).

Coupon link

3 Doors Down - Full Album available for download on Amazon for just $1

Amazon has this new album available for download for just 99 cents. This is brand new, released today. Even if you don't like all songs, can't beat the price.

Album link on Amazon

30% discount on all Credit Reports and Scores at MyFICO, valid till May 26, 2008

MyFICO.com is offering a 30% discount on all credit reports and scores until May 26. Use coupon code EQFX30 or WATCH30 (for ScoreWatch).

MyFICO link

Baskin Robbins BOGO coupon valid till May 27

Baskin Robbins has a Buy One Get One free coupon available till May 27 that gets you a free 3-oz soft serve cone when you buy another of equal or greater value.

Link to coupon

Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere compact speakers for iPod for $20 after rebate on Amazon

Amazon has the Logitech Pure-Fi compact speakers for just $20 after rebate with free shipping. This is a pretty good set with standard Logitech quality.

Note that the page shows a price of $35 after rebate, please add the product to your cart and check out to get an additional $15 off during purchase.

Link to Amazon product page

Rebate link

Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine - Free

Get a year's subscription to this magazine by signing up at the link below. There is no obligation whatsoever and you will not get a bill. If you don't want to renew after a year, simply ignore the renewal notice. Note of caution - your junk mail volume may go up a bit.

Magazine sign-up link

VTech 2-handset 5.8GHz Cordless Phone for $20 + shipping at Fry's

Fry's has this highly rated phone on sale for just $20 with no rebates. Shipping isn't free, but its not terribly expensive. If you look elsewhere, typical sale price is around $60 so this is a pretty good deal.

Go to the Fry's link below for more details and features about this product -

Link to Fry's

Discover Card - New Account Bonus Offers

Discover Card has a couple of bonus offers available for new account sign-ups. Offer #1 gives you cash back of $100 after you spend $500. Offer #2 gives you a Garmin Nuvi GPS when you sign up for the Discover Miles card.

I personally prefer the first offer because that card has 5% cash back on various categories throughout the year (you need to register every time a new category comes up which is a pain). This card also gives additional cash back when you shop at select websites through the Discover website.

Link to Offer #1 - use code DAPJ

Link to Offer #2 - yes, its legit

Free iPod Nano when you open a checking account with Bank of North Georgia and meet requirements

Bank of North Georgia is offering a free iPod Nano when you open a checking account by June 20, 2008, enroll in online banking and pay 3 bills by July 31, 2008. The iPod will be shipped by Oct 1, 2008.

Other fine print -

• Account has to be open for at least 90 days else a fee applies
• Value of the iPod will be reported on a 1099-INT
• Offer is for new customers only
• You may get an iPod which is not the one pictured on their website

They have a free checking account available, bill pay is free as well. Account opening requires a visit to their branch. See the link below for locations and more details about this offer.

Offer link

Generic Prescription Prices

I am sure most of you are aware of this but prices of over 300 generic prescription drugs have fallen dramatically in the last year or so. Most are now around $4 for a 30-day supply. Here is what I am aware of so far, let me know any additional data points -

Walmart - $4 for 30 days

Kroger - $4 for 30 days, $10 for 90 days

Publix - $4 for 30 days, Free for 14 days (once)

Walgreens - $4 for 30 days

Household Bank 2% Cash Back Card

Household Bank (owned by HSBC) has a new credit card offering 2% cash back on all purchases upto a maximum of $400 cash back annually. From what I have read in various reviews, credit limits can be pretty low though and qualifying for it is a fairly convoluted process. Annual fee also depends on the qualification process. However, jumping through the hoops may be worthwhile for the fairly generous cash back.

Link to Household Bank

Free Ice-cream Sundae at Walmart SuperCenter on Sunday, May 18 11am-4pm

Check out the Walmart SuperCenter in your neighborhood today, in the frozen foods section, and get a free sample of an ice-cream sundae. Available only on Sunday, May 18 between 11am and 4pm.

More info at this link

Tom Clancy Chronicles - Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six 3 - Free after Rebate at Amazon

Amazon has the Tom Clancy Chronicles PC game free after a $10 rebate. Shipping is not free until you hit $25 in total purchases, so purchase a filler like Smith Micro Revue software which is also free after a $24 rebate.

The only expense for most people is going to be 2 postage stamps for the 2 rebates since Amazon doesn't charge sales tax in most states.

Link to Tom Clancy Chronicles

Link to Tom Clancy $10 rebate

Link to Smith Micro Revue

Link to Smith Micro $24 rebate

Bath & Body Works Summer Clearance begins June 2

The semi annual Bath & Body Works clearance sale begins June 2. As always, store and online prices will vary. In my experience, store prices a little bit better than the online sale.

Portal (PC version) on sale for only $10 at Circuit City from May 18 - May 24

Portal, which was released just last month, is on sale at Circuit City for only $9.99 + taxes. Shipping is free over $25, so choose in store pickup. Or if you also plan to buy Crysis (mentioned in the previous post), then you will get free shipping and save a trip to the store.

Item link

Crysis (PC version) for only $20 at Circuit City from May 18 - May 24

Circuit City has Crysis on sale this week for only $19.99 + taxes. Regular price is $49.99. Shipping is free only over $25, so choose in store pickup to avoid paying shipping charges.

Item Link

Open a new Citibank Checking Account, get 16,000 ThankYou Points that can be redeemed for gift cards worth $150

For new customers only - open a Citi checking account by July 31, deposit at least $1,000, enroll the account in their ThankYou network and then complete either of one direct deposit, 2 bill payment activities or 3 debit card transactions per month for 3 consecutive months. Points will be rewarded within 120 days of completing all qualifying activities. They can be redeemed for $150 worth gift cards or other things available through the ThankYou network.

Offer link

American Express Gold Business Card - get 25,000 points = one roundtrip domestic ticket or gift cards worth $250

This is serious money. Apply for the Gold Business Card from American Express, get 5,000 points on signup and another 20,000 when you spend $1,000 by October 31. Also, there is no annual fee for the first year, so you save another $125.

What does this get you? 25,000 points, when transferred to any US airline's frequent flyer program, gets you a roundtrip ticket to anywhere in the continental US. Given that getting these tickets has become increasingly difficult, you can also use these points and get gift cards for various retailers (see the Amex website for details) for about $250.

But what do I do if I don't have a business? All of sell something or the other in the flea market, online, in the classifieds, etc. which is your business. Give your name as the business name since you are the sole proprietor.

Don't forget to cancel the card before the first year is over so that you avoid paying the annual fees. My suggestion would be to convert it into any fee-free card, having an additional line of credit never hurts.

Card Application Link

eVGA 7200GS 256MB PCI-E Video Card Free after Rebate at Fry's

Fry's has the low end eVGA 7200GS 256MB PCI Express video free after rebate. Shipping is not free, but that still gives you a very cheap card to play with. Offer is valid till May 20.

Link to item

Link to rebate

4GB (2x2GB) Crucial PC2-5300 Laptop RAM for $45 after rebate at Fry's, till May 20

Fry's has a good deal on Crucial 4GB (2x2GB) laptop memory until May 20. Pay $75 upfront, get a $30 rebate 2 months later for a final price of $45 + any applicable tax on $75. Shipping is free as of now.

Item link

Link to rebate

Kohl's Bonus Savings for Kohl's card holders - upto 45% off on all items including clearance

Further to my earlier post on the coupon code MAYSAVE30 that gives a straight 30%, you can also use EXTRA15 to get another 15% off!

Promotion is restricted to current Kohl's card holders only.

Free 16oz Iced Coffee at Dunkin Donuts from 10am - 10pm on May 15

Dunkin Donuts is giving a free 16oz iced coffee from 10am - 10pm on May 15, 2008. You shouldn't get any grief from store owners, its right on their website -

Offer link

Free Laplink PC Mover software on May 15 - $50 value

Copied from a Yahoo! posting - to celebrate their 25th anniversary, Laplink is offering its PC Mover software free for downloading on May 15 - a $50 value. This is a great software if you are setting up a new PC. This software moves everything from your old machine - data, applications, application settings, everything - to your new machine, cutting down the setup pain substantially.

Deal is available only till midnight Eastern time on May 15, so download a copy even if you don't plan to use it immediately.

Link to Laplink

Free Food at McDonald's on May 15

McDonald's is offering a free Southern style Chicken Biscuit with a purchase of a medium or large drink only on May 15, 2008. Saw an ad on TV last night about this promotion.

5% cash back on gas - a small list of available credit cards

With the crazy gas price these days, every bit you can save helps. Here is a list of credit cards that offer 5% cash back on gas purchases.

1. BP Visa card from Chase - gives you 5% cash back on gas purchases at BP gas stations, 2% back on restaurant and travel purchases and 1% on everything else. The bonus is double in the first 60 days after application.

Link to BP card application

2. PenFed Platinum Rewards Card - 5% cash back on gas purchased at the pump, 2% cash back on super-market purchases and 1% on everything else. Membership to PenFed can be had by joining the National Military Family Association (NMFA).

Link to PenFed card

For a limited time, PenFed also has a "2.99% APR for the life of the balance" offer for balance transfers, see earlier post on this.

3. American Express Simply Cash Business card - 5% cash back on gas purchased at the pump, on office supplies and on your wireless phone bill; 1% on everything else.

Simply Cash application

None of these cards have an annual fee and as everybody knows, all require a hard pull on your credit report.

Discover Business Card - $100 bonus + 0% APR for 12 months + Cashback

Discover has a pretty good offer on their business card - $100 bonus after spending $1000, 0% APR for the first 12 months on balance transfers (BT fee applies, capped at $75) and 5% cash back on office supplies (2% on gas, 1% on everything else).

"I don't have a business, what do I do?" - apply as a sole proprietor under your own SSN with your name as the business name. As always, there will be a hard pull on your credit report.

Link to application

OCZ 2x1Gb DDR2 PC2-8500 Dual Channel Desktop Memory for $30 after rebate - valid till May 15

Fry's Electronics has this OCZ product for a very good price of just $29.99 after rebate (+ tax if you have a Fry's in your state) with free shipping. Note that free shipping may go away any time.

My experience with OCZ memory products and rebates has been very good (use it in my home desktop). The only hiccup is that the rebate has to be postmarked within 10 days from the order date.

Link to OCZ on Fry's

Rebate link

Apple iPhone (refurbished) back in stock online

If you have always wanted to buy an iPhone but did not want to pay the high price, then AT&T has the refurbished versions back in stock.

Online store

Price is $249 for the 8GB version, $349 for the 16GB version. Shipping is free. Limit 1 per address.

If you activate via iTunes, you will end up with a 2-yr contract. To use it as a prepaid phone, simply given 999-99-9999 as your social security number.

For those who want to unlock it, go to the link below to find everything you need -

Link to ZiPhone

Cuisinart DCC1000 Programmable Filter Brew 12-cup Coffee Maker - White under $19

This is a very low price from Amazon for a decent coffee maker. Shipping is free but you need to buy a filler for about $7 to reach Amazon's free shipping threshold of $25. Note that this is for the white version only, the black one is around $40.

Link to coffee maker on Amazon

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More shopping - Frederick's clearance sale, prices start below $5

Frederick's has also kicked off its clearance sale online with prices for some items starting at below $5. Additional discounts are available at thresholds of $100, $150 and $250 with the discount coupon automatically applied.

Sale link

No idea when the sale will end, sorry.

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15 foot HDMI cable for less than $6 shipped

PCMicrostore.com is having a sale on a nice 15-foot HDMI cable (used to connect your cable / dish box to a HD TV). Price is $10.89, use coupon code $5off$10 to knock off another $5 to drop the price to $5.89. Shipping is free.

Link to store

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Old Navy clearance sale with additional 15% discount and free shipping over $50

The Old Navy clearance sale is going on right now -

Link to Women's clearance items

Link to Men's clearance items

Use coupon code EXTRA15OFF to get an additional discount of 15%. This coupon is valid May 12 - May 14 only.

If your purchase is over $50, then you can also use code SHIPSUMMER to get free shipping. This coupon is valid till May 15, 2008.

The best part - the coupons can be stacked!

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Get 5 12-packs of Pepsi products for just $1 at Walgreens from May 11 - May 17 after $10 manufacturer rebate

The Walgreens circular for the week starting May 11 has a coupon to get 5 12-packs of qualifying Pepsi products for $11. Walgreens stores are also carrying tear-pads of rebate forms from Pepsi giving a rebate of $10 if you purchase 4 12-packs. Combine these two offers and you have 5 12-packs for just $1 + tax on the initial $11.

If you don't get the Sunday newspaper, then the Walgreens circular is available in store right by the entrance. Qualifying Pepsi products are Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Sierra Mist or Mountain Dew (a lot more qualify for the rebate but not for the Walgreens discount coupon).

If you don't want to spend even $1 but are ok with getting only 4 12-packs, then head over to Target which has them for $10 till May 17.

YupeePhone.com - Unlimited calling to 60 countries for about $20 per month including India

Yet another phone service for those who make international calls frequently. For $19.95 per month, you can use them to make unlimited calls to 60 countries worldwide including India (which normally gets excluded from most of these lists).

Calling is pretty easy - either use their own VOIP device (not free) or use your current phone service to dial any of their local access numbers (not toll-free and only a few cities).

I do not have any experience with them because I do not make as many calls. But taking the example of India, if you speak for more than 5 hrs monthly, then this may be a good option.

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Kohl's 30% off coupon for Kohl's card holders only, valid May 15 - May 20

From May 15 to May 20, use coupon code MAYSAVE30 to shop at Kohl's and get 30% off on everything including sale and clearance prices. This came on a flyer from Kohl's so YMMV on getting the discount if you don't have the actual flyer in hand while shopping. But it doesn't hurt to ask the cashier about it.

This is valid May 15 - 20 only for Kohl's card holders.

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$25 iTunes Gift Card for only $20 at Circuit City online

Circuit City's website is selling the $25 value iTunes gift card for a discounted price of $20. Free shipping over $25, so order 2 for $40 and get them shipped free.

Link to iTunes Gift Card

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Kensington Overnight Laptop Roller for $50 with free shipping

Kensington has the Contour Overnight Laptop Roller bag for $49.99 clearance price. This is a pretty decent bag if you travel for a day or two for work. Finding it in stock is a bit iffy, but I could order one about 5 minutes ago.

Link to the bag

Use coupon code CA23NT to get free shipping (typically around $16). There are other bags on sale as well, you can find more at the link below -

Link to other clearance items

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Eagle One Car Care Products Potentially Free at Pep Boys thru May 17

This requires a combination of two different offers. Pep Boys is having a sale this week from May 11 to May 17 on Eagle One Car Care products. The sale is basically buy select Eagle One products for only $8.

Eagle One is also running a separate offer where you get a rebate of $10 when you buy 2 Eagle One products. Combine these two offers and you get two products free or even make some money ($8 + tax - $10).

Link to local Pep Boys Sunday circular - check your local area circular, may be different

Link to Eagle One rebate offer

Free / Discounted Indiana Jones Tickets when you buy Dr Pepper at KMart from May 11 - May 24

KMart has a pretty nice promotion starting May 11. Buy 4 2-liter bottles of Dr Pepper (you better love this stuff!!) and get a coupon at checkout with an online code that you can redeem for a free ticket (upto $7) for the new Indiana Jones movie. If the ticket cost is over $7, then you pay the difference. Limit 4 tickets per customer, that is 32 liters of Dr Pepper!

Link to my local KMart Sunday Circular

Dr Pepper is on sale the week of May 11 for $1.25 per bottle. Also, if you plan to shop for a few other things at KMart, here is a coupon for $5 off $50 -

KMart $5 off $50 Coupon Link

Free movie ticket from Fandango, starts May 13

The June issue of Redbook magazine has an ad for Reel Rewards on page 108 (thanks to my wife for pointing this out!) for a free movie coupon from Fandango. There are two ways to get it - spend some money or send a postcard.

1. Buy any of these items between May 13 and June 30 - Ragu Fresh & Simple Pasta Sauce Pouch, Teddy Graham Trail Mix, Capri Sun, Wheat Thins, Dockers Scoopneck Dress or Cranford DVD. Send in your receipt to the address below.

OR

2. Send a 3"x5" postcard with your name, age, address and telephone number - no purchase needed here.

Common address for both -

Redbook

Attn.: Reel Rewards

300 W 57th St

22nd floor

New York NY 10019

 

Offer valid till supplies last.Fandango Bucks can be redeemed for any movie, any show time at any theatre available for ticketing on www.fandango.com. Fandango is the nation's largest movie ticketing service and one of the Web's top movie destinations.

Canon SD870IS 8MP Camera for $255 on Amazon + FAR Photo Printer

Amazon has the Canon SD870IS 8MP, 3.8x optical zoom camera for a pretty good price of $255. Shipping is free + you don't pay any sales tax (with the exception of a few states).

If you are so inclined, you can also get an Epson R280 Photo Printer free after a $100 rebate. This is a pretty good printer for every day use, not just photos. My experience with Epson rebates has been very good over the last 3 yrs as long as you fill out the form carefully.

Camera link - Silver body

Camera link - Black body

Link to Printer - Choose Amazon as the seller

Rebate link

Staples $40 off $300 coupon valid till May 25 - for use in store, online or on phone

Staples has jumped on the economic stimulus bandwagon and has published a coupon for $40 off any $300 purchase. The only restriction - it cannot be used to buy computers.

Coupon Link

Select Wii Games on Sale at Circuit City from May 11 - May 17

Circuit City will have select Wii games on sale from May 11 to May 17, 2008 - Buy One, Get One Half Off. This is not a absolutely spectacular deal but if you are big Wii fan, then I am sure you will be happy to not pay full price.

Examples of what's on sale -

MarioKart Wii, Super Smash Bros, Mario & Sonic Olympic Games, Super Mario Galaxy, etc. are all for $49.99 with the second game (you don't have to buy the same one) for $25.

GasBuddy widget added to track gas prices and find the cheapest in your neighborhood

Given the crazy gas prices, we are all trying to save every penny possible. One of the websites I have found very useful is the one run by the GasBuddy organization. They have a myriad of micro sites as well, typically one per major city / town. I have added their widget to my blog so that your search for cheap gas becomes a wee bit easier. Hope this helps!

New blog layout up & running.... finally!!

I had always wanted to switch to a 3 column format, but struggled in making changes to the 2 column template. Finally, with some help from a fellow blogger, I got it done today.

As always, any feedback is welcome.

Penfed Visa Card - 2.99% APR for the life of the balance transferred

Pentagon Federal Credit Union (Penfed) has a pretty good offer on their credit card - 2.99% APR for the life of the balance transferred. With a 2% minimum payment every month, this is effectively a fairly cheap 4-yr loan. A few things to note though -

1. Penfed is quite conservative in lending, so they do need income verification, low debt-income ratios, etc. for large credit lines

2. There is a balance transfer fee of 1% (max $100) upfront

3. Its better if you are already a member to get decent credit limits

4. DO NOT use this card for any other transaction since all other balances will attract their regular interest rate - transfer the balance, then put this card away in a drawer

 

Offer Link

Great Savings Rates from AARP

If you qualify for AARP membership (age 50 or more), then they have pretty good savings yields through their banks in today's low yield environment.

High Yield Savings Account is offering 4.5% APY with a minimum balance of just $1. Jumbo Secure Money Market Account is offering 4.75% APY for balances greater than $50,000.

AARP link

GMAC Bank offering 12-mth CD with 4.1% APY

GMAC Bank has bumped up the interest yield on its 12-month Certificates of Deposit. Rate is now up to 4.10% APY. Minimum deposit of $500 is required.

More details can be found at the bank website.