13 Things Your Butcher Won't Tell You

Butchers share their secrets, tips, and what's in your meat.

By Michelle Crouch

From Reader's Digest

Images from this article

© Hemera/Thinkstock

Don’t be fooled by supermarket brand names. The label to look for is USDA Quality Grade.

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© Hemera/Thinkstock

Don’t be fooled by supermarket brand names. The label to look for is USDA Quality Grade.

1. Don’t be fooled by supermarket brand names like Butcher’s Brand, Rancher’s Reserve, and Blue Ribbon. The label to look for is USDA Quality Grade. Prime is the best (and most expensive), followed by choice, select, then standard.
2. A big part of our job is window dressing. We flip brown meat over, cut off fat, and dab away blood that might turn you off.
3. Your beef may get ground in Iowa, stuffed in a long tube of plastic, and trucked to our store, where we regrind and package it.
4. Some companies pump carbon monoxide into packaging to keep the meat from turning brown.
5. Make sure you check the price per pound or per serving. The regular size is often cheaper than the family pack.
6. Why are you so wedded to the cut of beef your recipe calls for? We can suggest cheaper options.
7. My favorite cut? The hanging tender. Also known as a hanger steak or a bistro steak, it’s got great flavor at a good price.
8. Take the meat tray at the bottom of the stack or the farthest in back. Just like milk, it tends to be fresher.
9. Save $1.50 to $2 a pound on boneless pork chops. Buy a whole boneless pork loin roast and slice it into chops an inch thick.
10. Yes, that 92/8 ground beef is lean, but if you make burgers with it, you might be disappointed. Your favorite burger joint probably uses beef that’s much fattier.
11. Even if those chicken breasts say “100 percent natural,” they may still be injected with sodium-laden broth, salt water, or seaweed extract. Always check the label.
12. Some of the best tasting cuts are the ugliest ones, like the flap meat on the belly part of beef.
13. Ask me to help. Even if it’s already on a tray wrapped in cellophane, I can cut the fat off a roast, trim a flank steak into stir-fry strips, or grind up a chuck roast. Then I’ll neatly wrap it back up for you. All for no extra charge.
Sources: Butchers in New York City; Charlotte, North Carolina; San Francisco; Kingston, New York; and Timberville, Virginia; Lee O’Hara, author of Beef Secrets Straight from the Butcher; and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

Also, 9 More  Secrets Your  Butcher Won't Tell You

1. If you throw your meat straight into the freezer in the packaging it came in, freezer burn is a virtual certainty. Instead, take the meat off the tray, rewrap it with plastic food wrap or aluminum foil, then put it in a Ziploc freezer bag and squeeze out as much air as possible.

2. Want to save a few bucks per pound at a butcher shop? Try buying a whole top sirloin and asking me to cut it into steaks. Or get a whole chuck and ask me to make you some chuck roasts, beef stew cubes, and ground meat out of it. The bigger the cut, the more money you’ll save.

3. London Broil is a cooking method, not a cut of meat. A package labeled that way is probably a top round roast, a very tough steak that otherwise wouldn’t be worth much. But if we label it as a London Broil – which means you should cook it medium rare with lots of seasonings, then slice it real thin against the grain – it’s at least edible.

© Noel Hendrickson/Digital Vision/Thinkstock

Don't throw your meat straight into the freezer in the packaging it came in or it will get freezer burn. 

 

4. Most people cook their meat too long. Get a cooking thermometer and remember, food keeps cooking even after you remove it from heat. So that filet mignon that’s rare when it comes off the grill will be medium rare after you rest it.

5. Despite all the hype, most of us think “Certified Angus Beef” is a marketing gimmick that doesn’t necessarily indicate the meat is any better than other beef with the same USDA grade. Though I have to admit, it does look spiffy on that black tray.

6. I know grass-fed beef is the hot thing, and it’s supposed to be healthier, but it sure doesn’t taste as good.

7. Like your steak well done? That’s your call, but don’t bother buying an expensive cut. Once you cook it that much, it all tastes pretty much the same… kind of like shoe leather


8. Want fresh meat? Check the pack date. Ideally you want to get packages dated that day or the day before.

9. Your mother had good intentions, but a little pink inside your pork is fine. In fact, it’s preferable. Pork that’s white all the way through is likely to be dry and tasteless. Just make sure its internal temperature is at least 160 degrees.

Sources: Butchers in New York City; Charlotte, North Carolina; San Francisco; Kingston, New York; and Timberville, Virginia; Lee O’Hara, author of Beef Secrets Straight from the Butcher; and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

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1.03.01

Don't Be Fooled By Product Labels

 Don't Pay More for Meaningless Words & Phrases

October 12, 2010 @ 2:00 pm - Written by Trent
Categories: Getting Started,Shopping
Bookmarks: del.icio.us, reddit
Every time I go shopping for a food item or a household item, I’m always bombarded with all sorts of nonsensical and largely meaningless terms plastered all over products. The words are often tied to products that, frankly, I view as overpriced for various reasons.

I decided to catalogue a few of these wonderful meaningless words that people pay for.

New The “cult of the new” is an expensive one that has a lot of adherents. New products are usually priced quite highly – and usually attract buyers who are simply looking for a “new” experience. At the same time, of course, “new” products are ones that have not stood the test of time. They might be good – they might be awful. For my dollar, I think I’ll stick with a Consumer Reports recommendation and pick up a product that I know works that doesn’t have that “new” premium price.

Now 28% better! Whenever you see a comparison like this, ask yourself two things: in what way is it better and how is that “better” actually measured? If you read this type of statement and think for a moment, you realize that it could mean anything at all – better blue color in the liquid laundry detergent and so on. Unless the product is precisely stating what the improvement is, such a statement doesn’t have any meaning – or value – at all.

Hypoallergenic It’s a nice-sounding term that doesn’t mean a thing. Why? There is no official standard for what the word means. There isn’t even a voluntary standard that defines the term. It does not mean that the product won’t cause an allergic reaction. It might, at best, mean that the marketers think that the stuff in the product probably won’t cause an allergic reaction – which really doesn’t mean much at all, does it?

Fragrance-free Wouldn’t it be nice if “fragrance free” actually meant that the product doesn’t contain any fragrance? In truth, the product is usually “smell-free” or some attempt at it. Instead of not including a fragrance, what often happens is that a finished product with a fragrance in it has something added to eliminate or mask the smell. If it’s done well enough, marketers will slap this label on it – but if you’re allergic to fragrances, it really doesn’t mean much at all.

All natural The word “natural” can basically mean anything. There are no standards at all for what this word means. Try this: compare a “natural” product to a similar one that doesn’t have “natural” written on the label and see what exactly is different in the ingredients list. I’ll go ahead and tell you: not much is different.

Never tested on animals This one actually is true on the shallow surface: the product hasn’t been tested on animals. However, that statement is saying nothing at all about the ingredients that make up the product – most of those were likely tested on animals before they were approved for wide use. There are almost no ingredients in cosmetics and medicines for human use that weren’t already tested on animals.

Best-of-breed Such statements usually imply that the product is the best among its competitors. However, when you’re allowing the company to define who the competition is, they usually define that competition as narrowly as possible: “dog foods that use these 25 ingredients and these 6 coloring agents” or something to that effect. It’s easy to be best-of-breed when you’re the only one in the group.

Organic A caveat: when you actually see the USDA Organic label on food products, that label has specific meaning: the item comes from (or the ingredients come from) a farm that lives up to the USDA Organic standards for plant and animal treatment, which encompasses quite a few things – no hormones, no pesticides, and so on. However, the word “organic” is often used in contexts that have nothing to do with farms or the USDA Organic certification – it’s just used as a buzzword for a product that’s trying to sell itself as being “all natural,” as mentioned above.

Superfood This is yet another term without any sort of legal definition. Thus, it’s ofen applied to all kinds of things to encourage sales – particularly high-priced fruits, vegetables, juices, and vitamins. Guess what? A well-balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables of all kinds will take care of your nutrition needs without spending extra money on the exotic semi-bogus “superfood” of the week.

 Nontoxic Again, this is a term that has no standard definition and no verification process to ensure that the product meets that non-existent definition. If a manufacturer thinks the product probably won’t kill you if you eat it and doesn’t contain anything that’s blatantly known as a toxic chemical, they can put a “nontoxic” label on it. But if it’s not food, why are you eating it anyway?

Johanna @ 2:37 pm October 12th, 2010
Some others that I’m familiar with:

“Farm fresh” (or similar) means nothing. On a carton of eggs, for example, it means nothing about the conditions in which the hens are kept.

“Hormone free” on eggs or poultry meat means nothing, since it’s against the law in the US to give hormones to poultry.

“Cage free” on poultry meat means nothing, since birds raised for their meat are not kept in cages (they’re kept in crowded sheds). On eggs, it does mean something – that the hens are kept in crowded sheds instead of crowded cages.

“Free range” on eggs or poultry meat means that the birds are kept in a crowded shed with a door that gives them access to an enclosed outdoor area. But it could be a tiny door and a tiny outdoor area, so that most of the supposedly “free range” birds never actually go outside.

“Multigrain” does not mean whole grain. Unless it says otherwise, a multigrain product is probably mostly refined white flour. Check the ingredients list if you want to know.

“Wheat” does not mean whole wheat. “Enriched wheat flour” is refined white flour. Unless it says “whole wheat,” it’s not whole wheat.

“18 grams of whole grains per serving” is not very much – it’s about a tablespoon. Don’t confuse “grams of whole grains” with “grams of fiber.” (18 grams of fiber, on the other hand, is a lot – more than half of what you need for the day.)

And finally, a surprising one that does mean something:

“Healthy” in the name of a product means that it must meet certain standards for fat and sodium. At least, that’s the law – there’s no guarantee that the manufacturer isn’t in violation of the law. Always check the “nutrition facts” label if you want to know about that sort of thing.

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1.03.01

10 Ways to Winterize Your Home

Submitted by: justinsvr  Tip Hero 12/10/2008 9:17 AM

After reading the article 10 Ways to Winterize Your Home on MSN.com, I realized it was time to stop procrastinating and get to work on my pre-winter prep. Although I'd much rather just turn up the thermostat than do the grunt work, I know that my wallet will thank me for a little effort. Here are the top 10 to do's: 1) Clean out & repair gutters (this will help prevent water dams and keep excess water away from your house) 2) Block Leaks (walk around with a lit incense stick to determine where, if any, the leaks are and then use caulk, tape to reduce drafts) 3) Insulate! I found out a couple years ago that my New England house had no insulation, so I had some blown in. Even if you house is insulated, attic and basement spaces may need periodic updating 4) Check the Furnace or better yet hire someone to clean it and make sure it is working properly 5) Clean and Inspect Your Air Ducts 6) Swap out Your Screens for Storm Windows or Coat them with a Plastic Sheeting Kit 7) Clean out Your Chimney and keep the damper closed! 8) Reverse ceiling fans to push the warm air down 9) Wrap water pipes 10) Test your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. (When I installed my new furnace in the basement, NStar required that I install a carbon monoxide detector in the basement, that way we would be alerted immediately if something was wrong with the furnace. Carbon Monoxide leaks can be deadly.)

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1.03.01

Splitting Pills

Save money on prescriptions by splitting pills.  Talk to your doctor about prescribing double the strength you need in you medications and purchase a pill splitter for about $5 to $6 and split them. 

As described by Consumer Reports
"Pill-splitting saves money because pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies often charge nearly the same amount for a particular medicine regardless of its dose. For example, a once-a-day drug may cost $100 for a month’s supply of both a 100mg dose and a 50mg dose. Thus, if your doctor prescribes the 50mg pill, it’ll cost you $100. But if he prescribes the 100mg pill and instructs you to cut it in half, $100 will buy you two months worth of medicine. If you take several medicines, that kind of savings can mount up."


List of Meds they say can be safely split:  There are probably many more check with your doctor or pharmacist. 

Amlodipine (Norvasc)
Atenolol (Tenormin)
Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
Citalopram (Celexa)
Clonazepam (Klonopin)
Doxazosin (Cardura)
Finasteride (Proscar)
Levothyroxine (Synthroid)
Lisinopril (Zestril)
Lovastatin (Mevacor)
Metformin (Glucophage)
Metoprolol (Toprol)
Nefazodone (Serzone)
Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
Paraxetine (Paxil)
Pravastatin (Pravachol)
Quinapril (Accupril)
Rosuvastatin (Crestor)
Sertraline (Zoloft)
Sildenafil (Viagra)
Simvastatin (Zocor)
Tadafil (Cialis)
Vardenafil (Levitra

Birthday Freebies

While searching the net looking for great deals, I ran across Birthday Freebies.  Here is the list.

Birthday Freebies

Posted on 10.03.2006 by Goob in Coupons, Food, HIF Exclusive

 

(Click on Birthday Freebies above to go to original link and original author.) 

QUICK NOTE: I’ve noticed that many of these offers not only send you a free coupon on your birthday, but will also send you a coupon the very day you sign up for the club AND at every one year anniversary of you signing up. Throw in all the free coupons they send around your birthday and you can get multiple meals a year for free
LAST UPDATED: 10-04-2010
Over three years ago, I put together a comprehensive list of companies that give away birthday freebies, from food to coupons to toys. Since then, I’ve routinely updated the list in order to make sure it’s the best of its kind on the Internet. Many of these offers and coupons are via e-mail, so be sure to sign up in advance! And remember, all deals are subject to location participation. So if you’re standing in the middle of Applebees screaming for a free dessert and they aren’t budging, don’t blame me!

Food & Restaurants

Abuelo’s Mexican Food Embassy – Get a coupon for a free dinner entree with the purchase of an equally priced entree.
Acapulco – You’ll get a 100% free entree plus a free Guacamole right when you sign up.
Amato’s Sandwich Shop – Join the Tamatos Club and get a free birthday sandwich.
Applebees – Free dessert. They also have a newsletter, but no word if it sends out a birthday coupon or not.
Arby’s – As of 02/10, they’re offering coupons for a free Swirl Shake with any Roastburger purchase.
Atlanta Bread Company – They have a VIP eClub that you can sign up for, gaining you a free cookie on your birthday.
Auntie Anne’s Pretzels – They’ll send you monthly coupons all year long if you sign up for their newsletter, so it’s pretty safe to guess you’ll get a birthday treat.
Austin Grill – Sign up and get a free meal.
Bakers Square – Sign up for the eClub and get a free pie.
Baskin Robbins – Get a free ice cream treat if you sign up for their Birthday Club.
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s – They’ll send you a coupon for a free appetizer.
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream – Become a Chunk Spelunker and you can get some free ice cream!
Benihana’s Japanese Restaurant – They’ll send you a $30 gift certificate valid during the month of your birthday.
BD’s Mongolian’s B.B.Q. – Signup for their Club Mongo and you’ll get a coupon for a free birthday meal.
BJ’s Restaurants – Free Pazookie!! (otherwise known as a delicious dessert.)
Black Angus Steakhouse – Receive a complimentary dessert for joining the BA Prime Club and a free steak dinner for your birthday!
Bob Evans – Free kids meal for anybody under the age of 12.
Boston Market – Free kids B-Day meal coupon for kids under 12 and coupons online for their various entrees.
Bonanza Steakhouse – Yet another free birthday surprise that I can’t figure out what exactly is! Oh well, just join their club and find out when they e-mail you.
Bruegger’s – Get a free cookie and an e-mail with a goofy looking mascot.
Bruster’s – Free waffle cone when you buy a waffle cone of of equal or greater value.
Buca di Beppo – Sign up for their eClub and get a free dessert.
Buffalo Wild Wings – You either get a Free dessert with a $5 purchase.
Burger King – Free kids meal to all kids club members.
California Pizza Kitchen – Free kids meal during the month of their birthday if you register first.
Captain D’s – Join their D’s Club and get a coupon for $3 off any meal, among other freebies.
Caribou Coffee – They’ll send you a coupon for a free drink on your birthday.
Carrows – Free cake plus a free dessert now just for signing up.
Cattlemen’s – Free dessert and cowboy hat (I’d go just for the cowboy hat!)
Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse – Sign up and get a free dessert plus points for every dollar spent.
Chevy’s – Free dessert and sombrero (First a cowboy hat, then a sombrero…heck yeah!)
Chick-fil-A – No idea what the freebie is, but they ask for your birthday.
Chicken of the Sea – Join their Mermaid Club and they’ll send you a free birthday gift. I’m just hoping it’s not a tuna-flavored cake or anything…
Chili’s – Free dessert if you join their club.
Claim Jumper – Free dessert if you join now.
Coldstone Creamery – Join now and get a free creation on your birthday. (My…God…Is…This…Delicious…)
Country Buffet – Join the Mega Bar Meal club and get not only a free meal on your birthday, but a free meal just for signing up!
Country Kitchen – As long as you have valid ID, you get a free dinner entree up to $8 in value.
Culvers – Free sundae as well as a few printable coupons when you first sign up.
Dairy Queen – Free ice cream coupon via e-mail for kids 16 and under. They also have a Blizzard Club for adults with the same offer.
Damon’s Steakhouse – Here’s a little trick. All you have to do is make a new email address, sign up, and within 24 hours they will send you 10 bucks off your meal, with the purchase of another comparably priced meal. So every time you and a friend go, you can get $10 off no matter what. Plus, they send you a few coupons for your birthday!
Daphne’s Greek Cafe – Free entree on your birthday when you join their ePita club.
Del Taco – Get two free soft tacos now and a free premium milkshake on your birthday.
Denny’s – Free original Grand Slam breakfast, but only on your birthday!
Don Pablos – Free $10 gift certificate after joining the Don Pablo Habanero Club.
Einstein Bros Bagels – Not sure what their eClub will send you, but it’s probably a coupon for a free bagel.
El Chicos – I’m told you get a free dessert, but I haven’t been able to confirm this.
El Torito – Have a coupon for a free meal e-mailed to you during your bday week.
Famous Dave’s Barbeque – Free meal with advance signup.
Fazoli’s – Join their eFamily and get a coupon for a free desert.
Fire Mountain – Join the Mega Bar Meal club and get a free meal on your birthday.
Firehouse Subs – Sign up and get an email for a free sub.
First Watch – They’ll e-mail you a BOGO coupon.
Flat Top Grill – Join their E-mail Club and get a coupon for a free stir fry on your birthday.
Friendly’s – Free ice cream cone if you join their birthday club.
Fuddruckers – They have a Fudd Club which will w-mail you a coupon for a free 1/3 pound burger.
Glory Days Grill – Free sundae on your birthday if you sign up in advance.
Gold Star Chili – Get a free dessert on your birthday, plus a free treat on your anniversary of joining up AND a free appetizer just for joining.
Gordon Biersch – They say you get a special “e-gift” on your birthday, which is a Buy One Get One coupon for an entree.
Hard Rock Cafe – Free dessert
Hometown Buffet – Join the Mega Bar Meal club and get not only a free meal on your birthday, but a free meal just for signing up!
Hooters – Free song & T-shirt (Pretty soon here I’m going to have an entire outfit!) If you live on the west coast, there’s even a Hooters Club for you to join up with.
Houlihan’s – Free coupon for an entree during your next visit up to a week after b-day (Kinda complicated…but free!)
Jack in the Box – They have a printable coupon for a free dessert valid only on your birthday.
Joe’s Crab Shack – Free cake if you join their club.
Juice It Up – They promise to give you a “birthday gift” but their website doesn’t say what it is. Might be worth signing up for though.
Keg Steakhouse and Bar – They’ll give you a 10oz. prime rib dinner with Caesar salad during your birthday month, Sun-Thurs only. You might want to call ahead to confirm this though.
Keva Juice – Their Keva Klub sent me a free 24oz regular blend smoothie coupon.
Krispy Kreme – Free half dozen glazed donuts and a coffee mug with either coffee or soda in it! You might want to sign up ahead of time.
Logan’s Roadhouse – Join their Nut Club and get a coupon for a free slice of cheesecake. Sometimes they’ll sing for you as well.
Macaroni Grill – Free dessert plus an OPERA-style “Happy Birthday” song, which is always…fun?
la Madeleine – Yet another on-line birthday club that will send you coupons for free food around your birthday.
Maggianos – $10 off purchase of $30 if you sign up in advance.
Mainstreet Ventures (Large chain of different restaurants, click to see if any are near you.) – Up to 50% off your meal. It’s based on the number of people in your party. For example, 2 people dining = 50% off. 3 People dining = 33% off, 4 people dining = 25%, etc.
Marble Slab Creamery – Kids can join the Marble Slab Kids Club and get a free ice cream cone on their birthday up to age 12.
Marie Calenders – Join their eClub and get free offers not only on your birthday, but anniversary as well!
Memphis BBQ – Coupon good for a free Rack of Ribs & strawberry shortcake, but you must sign up on their website 24 hours in advance.
Mimis Cafe – A coupon for $10 off your next purchase of $20 or more.
Moe’s Southwest Grill – Signup for their newsletter and get a coupon for a free burrito. They also have a birthday club for kids under 10.
Noodles & Company – Signup for their newsletter and they’ll send ya a coupon for a free meal right around our birthday!
Not Your Average Joe’s – Sign up for their e-mail club and get a coupon sent to you for a free entree on your birthday!
O’Charley’s – Get $5 off any $20 food purchase.
Old Country Buffet – Join the Mega Bar Meal club and get not only a free meal on your birthday, but a free meal just for signing up!
Olive Garden – Free dessert if you sign up?
On The Border – Free appetizer if you sign up.
P.F. Chang’s – Free cake or cheesecake via their e-mail list.
Papa Murphy’s – Sign up for their e-club and get a coupon for a free cookie dough on your birthday.
Perkin’s – Free bakery goodie on birthdays for kids under 12.
Ponderosa – No idea what the birthday freebie is, but they promise to send you something.
Qdoba Mexican Grill – Join their eClub and get a free burrito on your birthday, as well as free chips n’ salsa just for joining up..
Quizno’s – Join their mailing list and get a free cookie. You’ll also get a coupon for a free Sammie when you sign up.
Red Lobster – Their Overboard Club will send you a coupon for $5 off two adult entrees.
Red Robin – Free Gourmet Burger if you sign up for Eclub. You have to bring in the e-mail coupon they send you.
Rock Bottom – Free appetizer for Mug Club members.
Round Table Pizza – Register with your local restaurant and get a coupon for a free personal pizza.
Ruby Tuesday – Free handcrafted burger of your choice.
Ryan’s – Join the Mega Bar Meal club and get not only a free meal on your birthday, but a free meal just for signing up!
Sagebrush Steakhouse – E-Club members get a free brownie blast.
Schlotzsky’s – Get a free sandwich if you sign up ahead of time.
Smoky Bones – Members of the Bones Club get a free meal or appetizer, not sure which.
Spaghetti Warehouse – Signup for a free meal & possibly free appetizer?
Spicy Pickle – One free entree via their pickle club.
Sonic – An advertising company for Sonic, they’ll send you coupons for free Sonic goodies if you sign up. Also, get a free Wacky Pack Kid’s Meal on children’s birthdays if you register here.
Souper Salad – Join their Souper Salad Club and they’ll e-mail you a coupon for one free birthday meal which can be used within a week or your birthday.
Starbucks – If you have a giftcard to their store, register it and receive a free coffee on your birthday. If you shop there often, it might be worth simply buying a card for yourself just to get the free coffee!
Swiss Chalet – Get a free appetizer just for joining the Rotisserie-mail plus a free birthday surprise.
Taco Del Mar – They sent me a coupon for a free Grilled Chicken Taco Salad that was valid for the month of my birthday.
Taco John’s – Get a free order of Cini-Sopapilla Bites. I’ve never had these before, but if they’re as delicious as they are hard to spell, I’m excited.
Texas De Brazil – Sign up for their e-club and they’ll send you a $40 gift certificate! This place can be pricey, but it’s so worth it.
Texas Roadhouse – They send a coupon for one free appetizer or sidekick of ribs.
TGI Friday’s – Free birthday dessert plus free appetizer just for signing up!
The Fox and Hound – Free appetizer just for joining plus free entree on your birthday.
The Old Spaghetti Factory – Kids 12 and under get a free meal.
The Palm – 3lb lobster, but you must be a member first and follow a few rules.
Tony Roma’s – Free dessert if you sign up for Romo Rib Expert Club first.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe – They’ll e-mail you a coupon for a free smoothie.
Uno’s Pizza – Sign up and get a free personal pizza on your birthday.
Waffle House – Join their Regulars Club and get a special coupon.
Wendy’s – Free kids meal for the little ones and a free frosty for us adults.
Wienerschnitzel – Free corn dog plus a free chili dog when you sign up.
Wingstop – Get 5 free buffalo wings on your birthday.
Zaxby’s – Join their Z-Mail club and you’ll get a coupon for a free meal, whether or not it’s your birthday! Kids can sign up here for their Kid Club and get not only a free meal, but a free cookie on their birthday!
Z’ Tejas – $15 coupon for the month of your birthday if you register first.

Entertainment / Services / Other

Academy Sports & Outdoors – Sign up in advance and you’ll get a $5 gift card on your bday.
Atlanta Braves – During the 2010 season, get a BOGO offer for your birthday.
Aveda – Sign up at least 28 days before your bday and get a free Personal Blends Pure-Fume
Baltimore Orioles – Free baseball ticket to a non-prime game.
Borders Bookstore – Free small coffee or tea
Boz, the Green Bear – You can join Boz’s Birthday Club in advance and your child will receive a personalized postcard in the mail as well as links to download special birthday coloring pages and other random stuff that small kids seem to enjoy.
Brunswick Bowling – Join the Bonus Zone and get a free game of bowling on your birthday.
Chuck E. Cheese’s – Their website promises a birthday special as well, which many people have said is 20 free tokens.
Cost Plus World Market – They won’t say what it is, but they promise a “surprise gift” on your birthday.
CVS – If you have an Extra Care Card, register it online and get $3 ECB on your birthday.
Dave & Buster’s – $10 game card credit when you sign up and $5 credit on your bday.
Disney Movie Rewards – Get a code via e-mail for 25 Birthday Bonus Points.
Frosty Paws – Ok, so what if this freebie is for dogs. Pets like free stuff on their birthday too! Sign up for their Birthday Club and Fido will get a tasty frozen treat come his special time of the year.
Hallmark – 20% off coupon for one item and a free card.
Harkins – Free movie (Some say they got free movie, others only got free popcorn)
Hot Topic – $10 off coupon on a minimum purchase of $20.
Medieval Times – Sign up in advance and they’ll send you a free ticket (worth $53!) to one of their feast and tournaments.
Missouri Lottery – Free-play ticket.
Old Navy – Join their email club and you’ll get a coupon on your birthday.
Proctor & Gamble – They’ll send you a batch of BOGO coupons for various products.
Ringling Brothers Circus – Sign your newborn up for a free ticket to the circus that never expires. Then just save it until your little one has a birthday later on and give it to them!
Ten Ren – Hiffer Bethany sent in a tip that her local Ten Ren has a sign offering a free Bubble Tea on your birthday with photo identification.
The Children’s Place – Register for their Birthday Club and receive 15% off on yours and your child’s birthday.
Toys R Us – Sign up ahead of time and once your child’s birthday rolls around, they’ll get a personalized letter in the mail. Plus, bring your child into any Toys R Us and they’ll get a hat & balloon before having their birthday announced over the loudspeaker. You’ll also get a $3 gift card in mail.
Various Strip Clubs – Free lap dances (Don’t ask me how I know this!)

Websites that will directly save money.

April 27, 2010 @ 2:00 pm - Written by Trent at the Simple Dollar



Craigslist (and its’ cousin, Freecycle)

http://www.craigslist.org and http://www.freecycle.org
Stuff can sometimes go very fast on there. Look for stuff that’s outrageously undervalued or free.

Ebay

http://www.ebay.com
Great place to find bargains.


PaperBackSwap
http://wwwS.paperbackswap.com
This has been my primary source of books for years. It’s simply online book swapping – mail out a book you’ve already read to someone who wants it and get a credit, then spend that credit to get a book from someone else. Get books in the mail for about $2 (the cost of sending out one of my old ones).

Skype
http://www.skype.com
Skype allows you to use the internet as your telephone service, allowing you to call any number in the U.S., Canada, and a few other countries as well as have your own phone number for about $3 a month.

FeedSifter
http://feedsifter.com
Allows you to set up automated searches of coupon sites for the things you actually want.

RetailMeNot
http://www.retailmenot.com
Of course, sometimes – in a short-term pinch when you have an urgent need for something – such coupon sites can actually come in handy. You’re going there with a purpose and you just find what you need.

DealCatcher
http://www.dealcatcher.com/
Another time when a coupon site can be useful is when you go there for a specific purpose.


Healthy Grocery List
http://www.healthygrocerylist.com
Hand in hand with a grocery store flyer,  use this site to come up with a set of healthy recipes and a grocery list for those items.. Take the flyer, find some recipes using a few of the fresh ingredients on sale, then generate a grocery list.

Gas Buddy
http://gasbuddy.com/
Find the cheapest price on gas near you.

YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/
Use YouTube all the time for do-it-yourself projects. Watching videos can save you from hiring a repairman or botching something badly.

BillShrink
http://www.billshrink.com
Shop for the best deals on purchases.


Yard Sale Treasure Map
http://www.yardsaletreasuremap.com
Love going to garage sales.  You can find some really great deals; this site makes it easy to find ones near you.

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Get Rid of Cable - Free or Cheap sites for Televison Entertainment

Connect a computer (wireless laptop, or build a home theater PC for you living room at a cost of about $250), Wii or playstation to your current television and save money using:


Hulu
http://www.hulu.com
 Disconnect your cable entirely, saving us about $40-$150 a month.  Many movies and some of the series can be found on Hulu for free.

Netflix
http://www.netflix.com
For about $9 a month you can either stream movies to your television or receive DVDs through the mail.  In fact, you are likely going to shrink your DVD collection because some of the disks are redundant with what’s available on Netflix.

CASTTV.COM is a great website to watch almost any tv show for free, sometimes the streaming is an issue but if you are patient it is worth the wait.

ABC, NBC, CBS
Also if you are interested in watching a recent episode of a show go straight to the shows networks website ie. ABC, NBC, CBS, they are getting better and better about putting the newest episodes on their website, cable networks are quickly following.

 Redbox/Blockbuster
Check out Redbox or the blockbuster box; both offer DVDs for $1 rentals.

And last but not least:

Antennas

There is another great way to watch lots of free television that doesn’t even require internet access

http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/welcome.aspx

(Build a Gray hoverman antenna and put a 20db amp on it and get several channels for less than the cost of a conventional antenna.Every thing you need to know about this is posted online.

8 Ways to Save Money on Facebook

Submitted by: Kira @ Tip Hero  10/05/2010 3:52 PM

For those of you who can't go a day without checking up on Facebook, this article is not for you. This is for those who keep hearing about Facebook but are hesitant to try it. This is for those who aren't quite sure how a person "liking" something or "sharing" can have as big an impact as the daily news. This is for those of you who are trying to resist, daring to be different and who are constantly repeating, "why should I get a Facebook page? What's so great about it anyway?" Well, frugalistas, here is your answer. If you're a penny pincher or looking for any and every opportunity to save some cash, you might be neglecting one very important outlet if you don't have a Facebook account. Much like Tip Hero, Facebook utilizes a supportive social network and helps you connect with others. There are some great ways to save on the Book, some obvious and some not so apparent. I know a lot of non-Facebookers are strictly against the site because they don't want to share their business with the world. However, one of the best parts about Facebook is that you control who you share information with. All you have to do is appropriately adjust your privacy settings. You can also check out this great article about protecting your privacy on Facebook. So it's okay to jump on the bandwagon in this case. Check out the many ways you can save money and take advantage of the benefits of Facebook. Make Friends With Companies There are lots of ways to take advantage of coupons and deals on Facebook. You can easily benefit from company deals by becoming a "fan" of companies. All you have to do is perform a search for the company that you're looking to buy from and find their page. Some companies offer incentives for becoming their fans on Facebook. For example, if you become a fan of Sears on Facebook, you'll receive two $5 coupons; one on a $50 in-store purchase and one for a $50 online purchase. You can also follow coupon feeds on Facebook. Instead of scouring the web for daily deals, you can follow sites like Coupons.com on Facebook to find the best deals and coupons from all around. Just by "liking" a company, you'll ensure that your personal news feed will be updated with the deals of the day. Many companies also offer sweepstakes and giveaways that are specific to Facebook users. Check out your favorite stores on the Book and never miss out on great freebies and offers from your favorite companies. Note: You can also become friends with Tip Hero on Facebook as another way to keep up to date with money-saving tips! Ask Questions This may seem pretty obvious, but sometimes, people simply forget to utilize their social network to ask for help. Are you going for an oil change or a hair cut? All you have to do write a status about it on Facebook. Something like, "need to get my hair cut but don't want to spend a ton. Any suggestions?" would most likely generate a few responses from your friends. You might be friends with several people in your area who recently had a great experience and inexpensive haircut at a little-known local salon. You'll never know until you ask. Also, people generally love to post pictures on Facebook. If you have friends who post pictures of interior decor, gardening, hairstyles, or clothing, you can ask them about it and see if they have any great deals to rave about. Send Paperless Invitaions Facebook does for social events what paperless billing does for banking and credit card companies/customers. You don't have to worry about sending out paper invitations if you want to host an event. Just open up your Facebook account and create an event online. The best feature is that you can be as exclusive or inclusive as you'd like. When you create an event, you have the following choices: Create an "open" event which is open to the public. The event will be published on your profile and all of your friends will be able to view the event and RSVP. Make the event public, but hide the guest list from people who have not RSVPed (or who have not been invited). Keep the event private and you select who is invited and who can view the event page. Keep the event private and keep the guest list private to all who have yet to RSVP. So, if you are hosting a small birthday party in the near future, you might want to create a private event on Facebook and only invite your nearest and dearest. However, if you're advertising something like a walk for Breast Cancer or a Relay for Life and you need a big turnout, you'd want to create a public event for everyone on Facebook to see and RSVP to. Either way, say goodbye to casual paper invitation costs! Promote a Cause Spreading the word about a good cause is tough work. If you feel like an army of one without the resources to spread the news about a cause or effort, call Facebook to your aid. You can create, "like" or promote a cause, like Breast Cancer Awareness, and keep up to date about the ways you can get involved and make a difference. Spread the word about your cause by suggesting the cause to friends and keeping in touch with others like you who want to be involved in the effort. Chat feature In case you don't have Gmail or AIM, Facebook also offers a free chat feature. Send a quick message to a friend for a quick reply if they too are online. This is a good way to save on texting fees if you just have something quick to say while you're surfing the web. Share Photos Have you gone on a killer trip recently or want to brag about a new baby or an extra special event? Instead of spending the money to print out photos and send them out to share them, just publish them to your Facebook page. You can adjust the privacy settings accordingly so that the only people who can view the pictures are the ones you have authorized to do so. By posting pictures, you give your friends the ability to view and comment on them. You'll also be able to view and comment on pictures that people post of you. This is a fun way to share your moments and memories without spending a cent on photo printing. Marketplace Powered by Oodle, Facebook's Marketplace provides a place to buy, sell and trade. This service started as a way for people to post classified listings on Facebook, but now offers so much more. You can visit the Marketplace to buy and sell furniture and household items from/to friends or friends of friends. Facebook does the work for you by searching through your social circle to find out what people are selling. This helps to eradicate the anonymity of selling or buying through Craigslist or Ebay. Instead you can deal with people you know, or at least people who your friends know. Keep Track of Birthdays Ok, this may not save you money, but it will save you from a world of trouble at least. If you have difficulty remembering all of your friends' and family members' birthdays (or haven't written them all into your calendar), Facebook will come in handy. Everyday, Facebook will display the birthdays of the day (that are relevant to you, of course) on the right-hand side of your newsfeed. I'm sure I've just scratched the surface here, but these are the ways that I utilize Facebook on a normal basis. What are your thoughts about Facebook? If you're a fan, how do you use your Facebook to save money? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section below, and thanks for being a Tip Hero! Homepage photo credit: benstein

--- sponsored: Find Free Grocery Coupons.