Mother's Day freebies

There are so many great freebies out there for Mother's Day. Here are some of the ones that I have discovered.

Free Breakfast on Mother's Day before 11:00 am at IKEA

Free admission to public gardens on May 6th for National Public Gardens Day.

TCBY is giving free frozen yogurt to moms on Sunday, May 8th.

Your local Lowes is running a free Mother's Day Build and Grow Clinic on Saturday, May 7th. Take the kids to make a flower vase for mom.

Make a free garden stake and mother's day card at Jo-Ann Fabrics on Saturday, May 7th from 11am til 2pm. Make sure that your local Jo-Ann's is participating.

Buy one get one free lunch or dinner buffet at Souper Salad on May 8th.

Mom's get in free with purchase of one adult ticket at Medieval Times. Plus she'll get a flower.

Crafts for Mom ebook from FaveCrafts.

Free printable Mother's Day cards from 123printcards.

Free Mother's Day printable coupon books.

Recipes, crafts, cards and more for Mom from Kaboose.

The FirstWatch daytime cafe has free chocolates for mom when you buy an entree.

Do you know of some other Mom's Day freebies?

Free trees at Lowes on Earth Day

Lowes is giving away one million trees on Earth Day, Saturday, April 23rd, 2011.

What a great way to celebrate the day.

If you don't have a yard to plant this tree in, then get one and plant it in your mom's yard or your friend's yard or your kid's school yard.

Trees, planted in the proper place can shade your house, dropping the temperature considerably and saving you from 10-50% on air conditioning costs.

OK, maybe this baby tree won't shade your house this year, bit it doesn't take that long to grow into a proper shade tree.

Take a family picture in front of the tree each Earth Day and watch your tree and family grow together.

If you don't know the proper way to plant a tree, check out this video by The Division of Forestry. This video shows how to use a tree planting tool called a dibble bar, but you can also just use a shovel.

I figure Lowes will run out of trees fast, so go early if you want a tree. One per person. I also suggest you check with your local Lowes to make sure they are participating in the promotion.

In case you miss the Lowes give away, check to see if your town has a free tree program. Glendale, California residents can get a free tree by going to the Tree Power Shade Tree Program site.

Free comic book day 2010

No kidding. Free comic book day is the first Saturday of May each year. This year, the first Saturday is May 1, 2010.

Comic book stores all over North America and the world will be giving away free comic books.

Find your closest participating store here.

Which free comic did you choose?

Free Paper Toys

When I was teaching crafts at a school with a limited art budget, I became quite adept at coming up with art projects that required nothing more than paper, scissors and some folding skills.

Oh, I surely wish that I had known about Marilyn Scott-Waters' wonderful free paper toys site. I think we would have made each and every project on her list.

There are dozens and dozens of simply beautiful projects. I think my favorite two are the Penny Butterfly (design and color the wings, then place a penny on each wingtip and balance on your finger) and Fairy Furniture.

Marilyn's whimsy and joyful-create communicates in all that she does. Reading her journal and looking at her artwork just made me want to invite her over for a cup of tea served in little buttercups.

If you are a parent, art teacher or lover of things whimsical, check out these creations. They are sure to become favorites of your little (and not so little) artists.

Free Inkjet Printer Ink

Over the years, the cost of printers has gotten lower and lower. Sometimes you can get a new printer for practically nothing (with rebates.) But, the cost to buy the ink is absurdly high.

I used to shell out almost $100 dollars to get a set of replacement ink cartridges for my color inkjet printer.

Then, I discovered I could buy ink cartridges for a fraction of the cost of buying them at Staples or even Frys.

Instead of paying $15 for a cartridge, I now pay less than $2 a cartridge AND I can return the empties to Staples and get a $3 Staples credit.

Oh... wait, this is better than Free. I'm actually making a dollar to use these cartridges!

So where do I get this great ink? The Abacus 24-7 Private Store.

Now, I do know that some companies will tell you that if you use any ink other than their brand that your warranty will be voided. The fact is that you will save more money buying this off brand ink to replace your full set of cartridges twice, than it will cost to buy a new printer. You do the math.

By the way, you can also buy toner to refill your laser cartridges. I just purchased toner to refill my laser cartridge. The toner cost $8.95. To buy a new cartridge would have cost $86.99.

I purchased this toner from Laser Tek Services, Inc.

Yes, I did have to get out a screw driver and read some instructions, but I saved almost $80!

Now you have no excuse not to print out a lovely letter to send to your mother to tell her you love her.

Free Swap in Los Angeles - Sunday, December 20, 2009

What is a Free Swap?
A Free Swap is like a garage sale, but everything is free.

You bring some of your stuff (make it good stuff, NOT broken, torn, dirty stuff) and then you take some of the stuff that other people bring.

What kind of stuff to bring?
Clothes, housewares, music/film/books, crafts, homemade goodies, tools, toys, garden fresh vegetables, games, art, electronics that work, stuff you got but never used, etc. You get the idea.

Is it Free?
Yes
.......

There is going to be a Free Swap
Sunday, December 20th from 9am to noon
at Valley Village Park, 5000 Westpark Drive, Valley Village, CA.

This park is just on the WEST side of the 170 Hollywood Freeway,
between Riverside Drive and Magnolia. It's also very close to the
134/101 Ventura Freeway. Please Google Map it, since it's not on a
main street. It's the half-circle-shaped park.

Google Map tiny URL: http://tinyurl.com/yggsh3b

The Swap will be in the picnic area next to the children's playground. It's
got picnic tables and a paved area. It is outside, so dress for the weather.
There is street parking.

Guidelines:
Everyone is welcome.

People are encouraged to bring at least something, to swap. But you
can bring more than you take, or vice versa.

Please don't bring unrepairable junk.

If you're bringing stuff, please arrive by 11am so others have a
chance to review your goodies.

We will try to find a charity to pick up the unclaimed stuff, but we
don't know if that's possible on a Sunday. Please plan to take back
your stuff that is left over. (In other words, don't drop off and leave.)

Swaps are more than just bringing your stuff, grabbing and running. Swaps are also a social event. A time to get to know some pretty cool people. So bring your smile and holiday spirit with you. You never know who or what you will find at a swap.

See you all there!

Free Balloon Rides in Orange County, CA

I have always wanted to take a balloon ride. I'm pretty sure my desire to do so comes from the scene in the Wizard of Oz where the "no-longer Great and Powerful Oz" flies away. I was always sooo upset with Dorothy for missing that ride.

Now, you don't have to miss the ride and you can do it for FREE!!

Get this. There is a Great Park being constructed in Orange County. It is on the site of the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in Irvine, California which is half way between Los Angeles and SanDiego. The Park is being promoted as the First Great Metropolitan Park of the 21st Century and is planned to be twice as large as Central Park in New York City. The design of the park has a great emphasis on sustainability with plans to generate and demonstrate cutting edge technology to inspire people to make changes in their lives.

You can read about The Great Park Design here.

Meanwhile, they have gotten their first attraction up and running. It is the Great Park Balloon ride... kind of like the one the Wizard flew off in, but not exactly.

This balloon is tethered to the ground so it won't go flying away. It's max height is 500 feet (which is plenty to see the planned park with a 360 degree view.) The balloon is not hot air, it is a giant helium balloon and is environmentally safe, non-polluting and virtually silent.

Rides are first come, first fly. The balloon only flies Thursday through Sunday and won't fly at all if it is too windy. The balloon will hold up to 30 people and can accommodate wheel chairs.

For times and directions click here. For more information about the Great Park Balloon and flight conditions, you can call the Visitor Center at their toll free number (866) 829-3829.

If you are looking for a unique first date idea, I'd certainly consider this.

Free Land in Kansas

No kidding. They are giving out free land in Kansas. Just like the land rush that was the central theme of the Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman 1992 movie, "Far and Away."

Well, I don't think that people are going to line up with a horse and wagon and plant flags to claim their land. But, indeed there is land to be claimed.

Apparently there are some little towns in rural Kansas that don't want to disappear. They have created a program to tempt people to come and settle in Kansas.

The web site states their simple and direct plan: "Kansas is a great place to live, play, work or own a business. We would like you to consider moving to Kansas and have created incentives to draw you to our wonderful state. Several communities in Kansas are offering free land and other incentives. Our goal is to help our rural areas sustain and grow economically."

This is a powerful offer and a smart move on the part of the people of Kansas. Check it out. KansasFreeLand.com

Free land. Hum.... as my brother says, "Land. Get some. They aren't making any more of it."

Bobbi's Bargains Works!

Just had to share this email I got from one of my readers (yes, I know that I need to work on my comment section so that it is more user friendly.) This email outlines exactly why I LOVE freecycle and encourage all of my readers to sign up and use freecycle. (Don't know what I am talking about? Read the very first post on this blog.)

Dear Bobbi,

You know where to find all the great deals. I wanted to validate you and thank you for that.

At your suggestion, I joined my local Freecycle group.

A couple of weeks ago, I was making some split pea soup, and I thought, "Some home-made whole wheat bread would go great with this. I need a breadmaker." I put it on Freecycle, and by 2pm, someone had e-mailed me and by 6pm I had my breadmaker. We've made about 5 loaves of bread since. Last Saturday I put an ad on for a kitty condo, and I had it by 5pm.

We had a jaccuzzi that came with our house that we've never used. It was a big piece of "stuff" sitting in the backyard since 2004. I put it on Freecycle and yesterday someone picked it up!

Thank you for your great tips!

ML,

L.H.

I love hearing from my readers. Let me know if my posts help you and if there is something you would like me to write about more.

Thanks for reading... and writing.

Free Directory Assistance and Driving Instructions - 1-800-FREE-411

OK, I'm going to let the cat out of the bag. I remember when telephone directory assistance was free. Actually I remember when you spoke to an actual operator when you dialed "0" and could ask her for a phone number. OK, I remember when we didn't have area codes. OK, I don't remember when you had to call the operator just to place a local call. BUT, I have heard the story of when my father called his mother from Europe (he was a soldier in WWII) and the local operator told him that she knew his mother wasn't at home because she had seen her walking up the street to the beauty parlor. Would he like her to connect him to the beauty parlor? He said, yes. She did AND she listened to the call and everyone in town knew what he had said before my grandmother told them. True story.

Free directory assistance? Could this be true? YES! I don't lie. Is there a catch? YES! Of course there is. But the catch isn't too bad, considering that (depending on your phone carrier) you could save anywhere from $1.25 to $3.49 (according to the 1-800-FREE-411 web site.)

Here's how it works.

You call 1-800-FREE-411 and you hear a short (10 second) advertisement. You are asked if you want to be connected to the advertiser. If you do nothing, then you are asked some questions that lead you to getting the phone number you are looking for. Supposedly, there is also a way to get driving directions. There is another advertisement and then the number is read to you. It is read THREE times so that you can actually get it written down. You can also do this whole thing in text messages. (Don't ask me how, I don't text.)

This seems like a pretty good deal. HOWEVER, I can tell that if you are mentally "zoning" that you can accidentally get yourself connected to advertisers. You can also accidentally get yourself opted in to some text messaging advertising. So, if you are going to use this service, BE AWAKE! Listen to the entire prompt. This site is not for the mentally challenged.

That being said, I think this is an AWESOME deal and a great service. Their FAQ section is very good and makes you feel (rightly or wrongly) that they are trustworthy and really aren't trying to rip you off or send you spam if you don't want it.

So, you no longer can use the excuse that you left your brother's phone number at home and couldn't afford directory assistance to get the number and that's why you didn't call him on his birthday. You'll have to think up a new excuse.

Free Font Maker

Have you ever wanted to make your own typeface? I have.

I had a friend who was a genius at drawing fonts (typefaces). I was soooo jealous. I couldn't even hand letter a simple "This way to the bathroom" sign (which is why I learned to typeset) without it looking like a 4-year-old had lettered it.

Now, with the magic of technology, even I can create customized letters. I'm so excited!

Introduction to FontStruct from fontstruct on Vimeo.

So, check out this cool, free, downloadable font maker at fontstruct.com

Of course, if you aren't feeling artistic today, you can download someone else's creation. Just wait til my type-obsessed friend, Sally, sees THIS!

Of course, my first letter is going to be a "B."

Free Movie Screenings - Los Angeles area

One of the best things about living near Hollywood is that there are a lot of movie screenings available. However, finding a way to get invited to those screenings can be pretty tricky.

Being the Bargain Queen that I am, I have a way to get my readers on a very special list so they will be invited to free movie screenings. These screenings take place in the Los Angeles, Orange County and Ventura County areas (of Southern California.) You get to choose your area.

There are movie screenings going on all the time. Once you are on "the list" you will get email notice of the name, location and date/time of upcoming screenings about 4 days ahead of time. You choose which ones you want to attend. However, if you say you are going to go to a screening and then don't go... you will be taken off the list. The "ticket" is always good for at least two people - sometimes more. Sometimes you even get free popcorn and a drink. Sometimes the screenings are in the private screening theatres on the major studio lots. Nice!

Unfortunately, I can't post the link here.

You have to email me at Bobbisbargains@hotmail.com and ask for it. Put "free movie screening request" in the subject line.

Once I receive an email from you requesting the Free Movie Screenings information with your name and email address, I can then send you instructions on how to get on this list. I promise I will NEVER give this information to anyone and you can use a nickname if you want. I will, however, automatically put you on my email list once you request this. If you don't want to be on my email list, let me know and I won't put you on the list ... and I will still send you the free movie screening information. But... why would anyone want to opt out of MY email list??

OK... this is the best deal of the day. Don't pass it up.

Freecycle - how to get free things

As my first tip from Bobbi's Bargains, I am going to tell you about one of the best ways to get FREE stuff that you actually WANT and to get rid of stuff (for free) that you don't want anymore.

There is an international network called "Freecycle." Their motto is "changing the world one gift at a time." There are groups all over the world. At this time there are almost 4,000 groups and over 3 million members. Just looking at the list of countries and members is fascinating.

Here is how this works: you sign up to be part of the group closest to you. You receive emails on a daily basis telling about items that people are offering. You email them back and arrange to get the items. You do the same thing when you want to get rid of something. The only rule is that the item must be absolutely free.

I have gotten furniture, books, craft items, and clothes. I have given away moving boxes, furniture, clothes, toys, books, a large piece of broken glass (hey... someone wanted it and I didn't have to haul it to the dump), computer monitor, etc.

This is one of the greatest recycling projects on the planet and sooo much fun.

So, now you go to www.freecycle.org and sign up.

Keep me infoed. I'm curious to see what kind of wonderful goodies my friends get from this gigantic giveaway.