What a gorgeous weekend – and 65 on Wednesday! These temperatures have me looking forward to spring. I hope you’ve enjoyed the warm weather and lots of savings during the past week.
On Monday, I purchased my first bottle of buckwheat honey from Fresh Market (www.freshmarket.com) – another super food marked off my list! Because it is so dark, the flavor and scent are very strong. I add one teaspoon to my hot, green tea each night. To mask the strong flavor, I also add cinnamon to taste and… voila! Monday also brought the debut of our family photos. I must say, they are too cute. On my list of things to do this week is to select the poses that I’d like to purchase. On Monday night, Andrew and I were able to use a $10 coupon at Peking Garden (www.pekinggardenraleigh.com) – talk about a surprise in the mail. The pad thai with tofu was zhen bang!
Tuesday night was my regular night with Grace Ann – walking and dinner. I think of the Mexican dinner (www.elrodeogrill.com) as a reward for our three mile stint, and the $6 coupon made the meal even more enjoyable. Try the veggie wrap with vanilla vinaigrette……mmmmm. Grace Ann introduced me to the Regal Crown Club. By joining, you earn rewards for going to the movies, like free movie tickets, popcorn, and drinks!
On Wednesday, my mother told me about Triangle Restaurant Week (http://trirestaurantweek.com). She heard about the event on the news. January 24 – 30, participating restaurants offered $15 lunches and $20 or $30 dinners. For restaurants like Mura, Ruth’s Chris, and Gravy, these prices were greatly discounted, but not enough to fit into my budget. Missed it? No worries, the event happens again June 6 – 12. Wednesday brought good news. I applied to be an examiner (www.examiner.com), and was accepted! This way, I’ll be able to write about the same subject matter that I blog about, and will be able to share with more folks searching for ways to save money. I am super excited about this new opportunity! On Wednesday night, Andrew and I used a $1 coupon to… you guessed it… Shish Kabob. My tuna salad gyro was a perfect after-gym meal.
On Wednesday and Thursday, Pei Wei (www.peiwei.com) offered a card, redeemable for a free Korean BBQ meal. So, I picked up mine on Thursday night. While in Brier Creek, Andrew and I used a BOGO free coupon at A Slice of New York Pizza (www.slicenypizza.com). One (huge!) slice of roma tomato hit the spot.
This weekend brought the NHL All-Star Weekend, a two day event covering seven city blocks, and all free! Two thumbs up to the city of Raleighwood for hosting such events that attract visitors and stimulate cash flow. I did not attend but I’m sure my hockey nut friends Rob and Andrea can fill us in with all the details!
On Friday, I purchased soymilk for the first time – the Trader Joe’s vanilla version. It is super tasty, with 5 grams of protein and 1 gram of dietary fiber per serving. Friday night, Andrew and I rented “Dinner for Schmucks” for $1 through Redbox. Steve Carell is a genius. I laughed the entire time. Hysterically.
On Saturday night, Andrew and I were able to use another surprise BOGO coupon, received in the mail. We had a great date night at Johnny Carino’s (www.carinos.com) and I was able to get an inexpensive and healthy meal of angel hair with artichokes and, later, a strap for my yoga mat.
Tonight, Andrew and I visited Lowe’s again and learned about the WaterSense high efficiency toilet rebate program. Certain high efficiency toilets qualify for a rebate of $100! There is no limit to the number of qualifying toilets purchased and the rebate program lasts as long as the money is available to reward participating customers. So, not only would the purchase allow you to save water with each flush, but you’d only pay $38 per toilet (for the model that I am considering)! I hope to make this transition very soon.
Here’s to a fabulous and inexpensive week! I’ll let you know how the new Pei Wei Korean BBQ dish is. There is at least one fun and free event in the near future – the Superbowl (and the commercials)!
Fashion Cents on a Dime 