80% Off Restaurant.com Gift Certificates!

 

 

This website specializes in selling gift certificates to a number of restaurants for a fraction of the cost. For example, you can usually get $25 gift cards for around $10 (but with the codes you’ll get here it’s usually only $2!).

The only catch is that it usually requires a minimum purchase ($25 cards is usually a minimum of $35) and tax and gratuity are added after the discount. But hey, $12 + tax and tip for a $35 dinner is not too shabby. The best part is that these certificates don't have an expiration date so you can save them for a special occasion.

Use the code LOVE at checkout to get $25 gift certificates for $2 (or $50 for $4)! Code valid until February 14th.

Regal Cinemas Movie Tickets for Only $5!

Sorry, it appears this deal has sold out! :( But still check out the Rubio's deal posted below!

The daily deal site, Plum District, is currently offering movie tickets at Regal Cinemas for only $5! This is great because most Regal Theaters (especially the ones in LA) sell tickets upwards of $12 each!

Just go to the Orange County, CA page to get this deal. Limit 2 per person. Deal ends tonight at midnight.

PLUS: The Los Angeles page is offering $5 for $10 worth of food at Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill. Great option for a date night - $15 for dinner and a movie!

Dining Deals Just in Time for the Weekend!

Going out this weekend? Check out these great dining deals!

• T.G.I. Friday's: Click HERE to get 20% off your entire order. Valid until 1/27.
• Jack in the Box: Click HERE to get a FREE Chicken Fajita Pita with purchase of a large drink. Valid until 1/31.
• P.F. Chang's is offering a 4 course dinner for 2 for 39.95. No coupon necessary. Check out the menu options HERE

Girls Lunch

I had the pleasure of having lunch Wednesday with my college roommates. One lives in San Francisco and was down in LA for the day to attend a conference so we decided to make it an excuse for a nice lunch out.

We decided to splurge and go to lunch in Beverly Hills - specifically, Villa Blanca - yes, the restaurant owned by one of the "Real Housewives" of Beverly Hills. We'll take criticism on our TV watching later...

Yes, it was a decadent lunch, but it was a treat since we all hadn't been able to get together in a long time. However, we were pleased to find out that they had a "recession priced" menu for lunch. Almost everything was under $20 and some of the pastas, sandwiches and salads were under $15 - which, for Beverly Hills, is actually cheap!

We had a wonderful lunch without breaking the bank. This is a great tip if you've been dying to try a really nice restaurant but are hesitant about the prices. Try it for lunch! Often, it's the exact same menu, priced 30-50% off.

$30 Date Night

This past Saturday night, my boyfriend and I decided to do a date night. We hadn't gone out on a proper date in a while so we decided to make a night of it and do dinner and a show.

For dinner, we went to one of our favorite Italian restaurants. A couple of weeks ago, they were on groupon: $9 for $20 worth of food. I used $9 groupon credit I had left (credit was for a referral) so it was free! Our total after the groupon, tax and tip was just $10!

I am a huge fan of the musical RENT and in the three years we've been together, I had never dragged taken my boyfriend to see it (I'll spare myself the embarrassment of how many times I've seen it). I saw that Goldstar had tickets for a local production of it on sale for $10, so I jumped on the deal. The show was actually pretty high caliber and we both had a great time.

So all in all, we spent $30 for a really nice sit down dinner and a great show. Goes with my mantra that your social life doesn't have to suffer simply because you're on a budget. It just takes a little bit of planning :)

Free Appetizer at Chili's

Click HERE to print a coupon for a free appetizer at Chili's with the purchase of any entree. Valid until 1/30.

80% off at Restaurant.com - $25 Gift Certificates for $2!

This website specializes in selling gift certificates to a number of restaurants for a fraction of the cost. For example, you can usually get $25 gift cards for around $10 (but with the codes you’ll get here it’s usually only $2!).

The only catch is that it usually requires a minimum purchase ($25 cards is usually a minimum of $35) and tax and gratuity are added after the discount. But hey, $12 + tax and tip for a $35 dinner is not too shabby. The best part is that these certificates don't have an expiration date so you can save them for a special occasion.

Use the code SPOON at checkout to get $25 gift certificates for $2 (or $50 for $4)! Code valid until January 13th.

Dining Deals Just in Time for the Weekend

Peet's Coffee - BOGO any beverage. Valid through 1/18. Print HERE.

Starbucks - $2 Artisan Breakfast Sandwich with any drink purchase. No coupon necessary. Read more about this deal HERE. Valid through 1/10.

Olive Garden - $5 off any two dinner entrees. Valid through 1/23. Print HERE.

Thanks to The Frugal Find

New Jamba Juice Coupons for Next Week!

Jamba Juice is offering 3 coupons next week for coldbuster smoothies, steel cut oatmeal, or probiotic fruit and yogurt blend. These are great coupons if you're looking for a cheap, quick and healthy breakfast out.

Valid 1/10-1/19.

$5 off $15 at T.G.I. Friday's

Go here to print out a coupon for $5 off your food purchase of $15 or more at Friday's.

Valid until 1/13.

Free Wine Tastings at the Olive Garden

Did you know that when you sit down for dinner at the Olive Garden, you can request to sample up to 3 of their wines? This is a great way to try some new wine (or get a free drink in before your dinner).

I've been offered samples in the past but was not aware that you could get mulitples!

Limit 3 samples per person for those over 21.

Restaurant.com - Last Minute Stocking Stuffers

This website specializes in selling gift certificates to a number of restaurants for a fraction of the cost. For example, you can usually get $25 gift cards for around $10 (but with the codes you’ll get here it’s usually only $2!).

The only catch is that it usually requires a minimum purchase ($25 cards is usually a minimum of $35) and tax and gratuity are added after the discount. But hey, $12 + tax and tip for a $35 dinner is not too shabby. The best part is that these certificates don't have an expiration date so you can save them for a special occasion.

Use the code HOLIDAY at checkout to get $25 gift certificates for $2 (or $50 for $4)! Code valid until December 24th.

Deal of the Day

The Entertainment Book for 2011 is now out and I would highly suggest you get yourself a copy. These books have coupons that total over $14,900 in savings and they're good for the entire year (expiration dates vary, but most them are good until November 2011). The books are broken up into different sections including dining, fast food and casual dining, entertainment and retail services.

There are books made for different cities and in large metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, there various books made to cover each region (i.e. San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, etc.). Each book offers great discounts for restaurants, attractions and other services such as dry cleaning in your area. I ordered my book for $28 which included free shipping - I've barely had it for 2 days and have already saved $15 on things I was going to purchase anyway. A few examples of coupons found in my book: 2 for 1 admissions to Dodger and Clippers games, half off bowling, $5 off when you spend $20 at Friday's, Black Angus and Chevy's. Believe me, this is something that will pay for itself in the first month that you have it.

To order your book, click here

Group Coupon Sites Will Save Your Social Life

If you're low on cash these days, the best investment you can make to save your social life is to join the many group deal sites available out there. For example, last month I really wanted to go to the movies because I hadn't been since Sex and the City 2 came out (the disappointment from that movie could fill a whole other post, not to mention that I had spent $12 to see that mess). Luckily, livingsocial.com was offering a deal of $20 for 4 movie tickets through a partnership with Fandango. $5 for a movie?! You can't even get a small popcorn at the movies for $5.

The way these deals work is that each website partners with a merchant to offer one HUGE (50-90% discount) deal per day. Each city gets their own exclusive deal that is valid for purchase for 24 hours only. There are different restrictions for each deal (i.e. one per household, deal valid for 6 months, etc.) They offer everything from 50% off a massage at a local spa, to 75% off your oil change; it just varies on what is available that day. The most important thing to remember is that it's not a good deal unless it was something you were going to buy anyway and it's something you're sure you're going to use. So please, if you have a bad memory and will forget to use the coupons - don't spend your hard earned money!

Below are some of the websites I'm currently subscribed too. You get one email from them per day so if you're worried about that, make sure to set your filter to sort these out.

Groupon

LivingSocial

Tippr

Lifebooker - High end salons in New York and LA post great deals when they have a cancellation or an appointment slot they were never able to book. If your schedule is flexible you could score great deals on mani-pedis, massages and hair cuts.

Restaurant.com - This one is a little different because it specializes in selling gift certificates to a number of restaurants for a fraction of the cost. For example, you can usually get $25 gift cards for around $6. The only catch is that it usually requires a minimum purchase ($25 cards is usually a minimum of $35) and tax and gratuity are added after the discount. But hey, $16 + tax and tip for a $35 dinner is not too shabby. The best part is that these certificates don't have an expiration date so you can save them for a special occasion. Plus, they usually have codes to use at check-out which make these even cheaper. The code for this month is "GOBBLE" and when you type it out at check-out will only make a $25 certificate $2! (Code valid until 11/25)