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Fish Discount Shopping Club LIVE radio: Save with Sami on May 18

May 18, 2013 By sami

Tune in today, Saturday, May 18, 2012, when I’ll be co-hosting the Discount Shopping Club show from 8a-12p.

We’ll have AMAZING deals ALL DAY today to bring you into Summer – so make sure you keep your radio tuned to 94.1 or 93.7. The fabulous deals on family-friendly Nashville fun are back! We’re selling discount tickets to Nashville Shores, Nashville Sounds, Holiday World, Splashin’ Safari and MORE!

Make sure to tell them you’re stopping by from SamiCone.com

If you missed any of my weekly savings segments on the Family Friendly Morning Show with Doug & Jaci Velasquez, you can listen here and catch up!

Filed Under: Deals & Freebies, Radio Tagged With: club, discount, listen, Money, radio, save, Shopping

Top 3 Ways to Save on Spring Break Travel

March 28, 2013 By sami

For many of us Spring Break is really upon us, so whether you’re looking to save on Spring Break trips you’ve already booked, or you simply need some tips to make a last minute getaway possible, I’ve got the details on my top ways to save on spring break travel that I shared recently on Fox 17 TN Mornings!

1. Book a Spring Break Staycation in your Hometown

With the economy being what it is, every town is looking to take care of their locals. Contact your local Convention & Visitors Bureau to find the most up-to-date tips on what fun & free activities are being offered this spring break. Here in Nashville, metro students can visit the Country Music Hall of Fame for free, plus get discounts for the adults accompanying them…and that’s just one example!

2. Spring Break Day Trip

We’re lucky living in Nashville: within just a couple hours we can drive to great destinations like Chattanooga, Atlanta, Birmingham, Memphis… I could go on! We even love heading up to Chicago in our car (don’t forget, there’s a Legoland Discovery Center & American Girl Store there!). Look at where you could get to within a day and then call your intended tourist destination to see if they partner with any local hotels to offer discounted packages.

We’re planning a 2 day trip to Chattanooga because we found out about the Tennessee Aquarium’s package with The Chattanoogan; not only will we get to stay at Chattanooga’s only AAA Four Diamond-rated full-service hotel, but we’ll also be able to take advantage of all the great things the TN Aquarium is offering for spring break (we’re especially excited about the Keeper Kids program that’s free with admission!).

In fact, several hotels in the area are offering special Spring Break packages with discounts up to 30% off, so just when you thought you couldn’t afford to travel at the last minute, here you go!

3. Pick Famous Spring Break Travel Destinations

Normally I tell people to avoid traveling when everyone else is, but if you want to travel to some of the top Spring Break destinations, play different hotels against each other and use the competition to your advantage to get a good price! Sometimes an old-fashioned telephone call to the manager on duty can do wonders to drop your hotel rate!

If you have a great relationship with a hotel chain, of course check with them first, otherwise be willing to stay somewhere new. A few Orlando properties offering special spring break rates:
*The Castle Hotel (1.877.317.5753)
*Hard Rock Hotel Orlando (stay more, save more – up to 30% off!)
*Orlando World Center Marriott: “More is Less” Sale -15% off three-night stays or 20% off four-night getaways - starting at $155/night, bookable now for stays May 1- May 15, 2013.
*staySky Hotel (with the fabulous “Pirate Plunge” pool & 17% savings through 3/31)

These are just a few ideas to help you this Spring Break and for future Spring travel.

Watch the video from today’s Spring Break savings show on Fox 17 TN Mornings:

How do you save money when you travel with your family?

Filed Under: Deals & Freebies, Travel, Travel Tips, TV Tagged With: fox, Money, save, spring break, tip, Travel, tv

Old Navy Stuff and Save Coupon 2013

December 1, 2012 By sami

OLD NAVY Stuff and Save Coupon 2013

The Old Navy Stuff and Save coupon 2013 has just finished, but I’ll let you know as soon as a new Old Navy stuff and save coupon for 2013 comes up again.

Typically, each season, the Old Navy Stuff and Save sale comes up once and will save you an extra 30% off your entire Old Navy purchase when you use your Old Navy credit card. The past few Old Navy Stuff and Save events feature even bigger savings on the first day of Stuff and Save (like 35% off), and then tapers down for the following week.

You’ll also get a free tote during stuff & save too (even though you can buy more than actually fits in side the tote

You can see all the Old Navy Stuff and Save coupon details and dates from holiday 2012 below to get an idea of what kind of savings to expect:

There are a couple deals I especially love! First, their POP pants are on sale for women for just $19 PLUS you still get the Stuff & Save discount on top of that…not only do they have great colors but the Rock Star jeans are a great alternative to jeggings and flattering on all body types:

I also picked up a great deal on a toggle coat today. They are on sale for $30 PLUS the Stuff & Save discount, so I got an off-white beauty for only $18!

To find the latest Old Navy coupons, visit my Old Navy Discount Code 2012 post that is constantly being updated.

Old Navy Stuff and Save Coupon Details

Where: In stores or shop OldNavy.com
Code to Use: STUFFSAVE
When to shop & What you’ll save:
November 27: Save 40% off your card purchase
November 28 – December 1: Save 30% off with your card purchase

Filed Under: Clothes, Deals & Freebies, Shopping Tagged With: clothes, old navy, sale, save, Shopping, stuff

Picaboo Photo Coupon: Pay $35 for $100 of Picaboo Photo Products

October 10, 2012 By sami

There is a Picaboo photo deal going on over at Living Social right now: get $100 worth of photo products from Picaboo for only $35.

I can’t believe there are so many photo deals going on right now! (well, maybe I can, this is the prime time of year for family photo taking

We bought a similar Picaboo deal last fall and used it to buy photo calendars for all our family for Christmas! You can also use this towards any of their products – even Christmas cards!

The only thing we didn’t realize is that you can’t pair it with any other Picaboo promotions like free shipping. The good news is that you do NOT have to use the entire $100 in one transaction.

Filed Under: Deals & Freebies, Photos Tagged With: Christmas, deal, eversave, gift, holiday, photo, picaboo, save

Watch Sami live on Talk of the Town September 24, 2012

September 24, 2012 By sami

Watch me live on Talk of the Town today, Monday, September 24, 2012!

It’s National Coupon Month, so I’m going to share some of my top 3 tips to save on grocery shopping so you can start saving 50% off RIGHT AWAY on your grocery budget each month.

Tune in to NewsChannel 5 at 11am if you live in Nashville, or check back later and I’ll post the video here on my blog.

If you want to learn even more, make sure you come to my Grocery Savings Workshop tonight.

Filed Under: Deals & Freebies, TV Tagged With: frugal, Kids, mom, nashville, save, september, splurge, talk of the town, tv

Get a $10 Starbucks Gift Card Half Off!

September 4, 2012 By sami

Did you hear? You can get a $10 Starbucks Gift Card for only $5 from Living Social!

It is the National Featured deal when you click through above. I’m not sure if you can buy more than one and I have a feeling these won’t last long!

We just got back in town tonight, but as soon as I saw this deal, I knew I had to let you know (and get one for myself!)

Filed Under: Deals & Freebies Tagged With: card, deal, gift, half, living, save, social, Starbucks

Save vs. Splurge: Talk of the Town August 15, 2012

August 15, 2012 By sami

talk of the town sami 300x200 Save vs. Splurge: Talk of the Town August 15, 2012
If you heard me share some of my favorite “Save” vs. “Splurge” items on Talk of the Town on August 15, 2012, but didn’t catch all the tips…or just want to learn more…here you go!

Watch the video from today’s Save vs. Splurge segment:

As much as I love to save money, nothing frustrates me more than when I buy something at a steal and then have to replace it a week later because it breaks or wears out! That being said, here are a few things that’s worth the extra money up front so it has a longer life in your budget:

FASHION

Invest in a few key pieces that will outlive the trends. Things like a great, light trench coat that can double as a blazer, a cardigan that can pack easily and double as a shirt…
cn4980877 Save vs. Splurge: Talk of the Town August 15, 2012 …or a fun purse that doubles as a laptop bag and transitions from day to night are perfect to spend a little more on and hang onto in your closet for a long time.
cn4953120 225x300 Save vs. Splurge: Talk of the Town August 15, 2012 What I love even more is a store like Banana Republic that offers high quality clothes at a great value. Compared to most retailers, you can truly get a great deal any day of the week, but considering all the amazing sales & coupon codes they offer, there’s no excuse for not getting quality items at an affordable price.

shoe side 300x153 Save vs. Splurge: Talk of the Town August 15, 2012

Another fashion splurge is a great pair of shoes. If you’re on your feet all day (especially busy moms), you know your feet affect how your entire body feels. My new discovery is Therafit Shoes. You can’t even buy them in stores yet, but I love both the colors and the technology that lets you adjust your support yourself based on what you’re doing at the time! Whether it’s more support when you’re going for a run or a little less when you’re at the mall, they’ve created technology so individuals can create their own comfort level.

—Other fashion splurges: great fitting pair of jeans
—-Saves: trendy tops and accessories

BACK TO SCHOOL

Invest in a good backpack. It doesn’t matter how much they love the latest cartoon character, the bag will most likely break and their tastes will change. We just bought a character backpack from one of the “buy a backpack, get a lunch bag free” sales and it broke on the first day of school! Get something with a good lifetime warranty and great customer service, like Lands End backpacks.

I immediately fell in love with the tagline for their ClassMate Backpacks: your “most durable value for back to school”. I also had to order their new line that was designed for kids, by kids. The Dash backpacks have a bottom section to keep smelly shoes and dirty clothes separate from the main compartment and the MADBOX lunch box has a velcro freezer compartment that can keep your cold foods separated from those that don’t need to be refrigerated. In the mind of this mom, they’ve thought of it all.
I also found out that Lands End makes “Iron Knee” pants…what parent doesn’t want those? I can’t tell you how many pairs of khaki school pants we went through last year, so I’m excited to give these a test run! Lands End was the first company to make two-day shipping standard without a surcharge anywhere in the continental U.S, so they recognize that when you need something (especially for school), they’re going to get it to you ASAP, and not penalize you for it!

—-other splurges: reliable computer (after mine just crashed and lost all our family memories, it’s made me see the value of not buying the cheapest computer off the shelf)

—-saves: water bottles (they get lost anyway and should be replaced often), school uniforms (get hand me downs or shop consignment sales, like the Little Sprouts Sale in Cool Springs this weekend.)

TOYS

Don’t buy a lot of little toys, consider having grandparents and relatives combining to make a larger purchase that every kid in the family can enjoy (like a Trampoline and Enclosure Set or Wii that also plays movies/streams internet) or a toy that will last beyond this birthday (like an American Girl doll) that also has accessories you can add on to each holiday.
IMG 5369 300x225 Save vs. Splurge: Talk of the Town August 15, 2012 —other splurges: Wooden toys that can be passed down, camping gear or something to be used as a family

—saves: plastic dolls, things they outgrow/have to ‘upgrade’ quickly (like bikes)

HOME

Find one piece of furniture you love to spend your money on, then work your room around it – a funky chair or a comfy couch.
—saves: You can always find great decorative pieces at yard sales, good will or even Craig’s List!

What are some of your favorite splurge items?

To find out more information on how to book a workshop or speaking event, contact me.

Some links in this post are affiliate links, but only for products I already love and I think you will too!

Filed Under: Deals & Freebies, Kids, Travel, TV Tagged With: 2012, august, list, save, splurge, talk, talk of the town, town

Watch Sami live on Talk of the Town August 15, 2012

August 14, 2012 By sami

In addition to co-hosting the Family Friendly morning show tomorrow, you can also watch me live on Talk of the Town this Wednesday, August 15, 2012!

It’s actually my THIRD ANNIVERSARY of being the “Frugal Mom” on Talk of the Town, so I’m so share some of my favorite “Save vs. Splurge” items for fashion, back to school, toys, & home!

Tune in to NewsChannel 5 at 11am if you live in Nashville, or check back later and I’ll post the video here on my blog.

Filed Under: Deals & Freebies, TV Tagged With: august, frugal, Kids, mom, nashville, save, splurge, talk of the town, tv

Top 10 Back to School Shopping Money Saving Tips 2012

July 31, 2012 By sami

I have so many back to school savings that I still want to share with you and since school starts for so many kids this week, I thought I’d share my top 10 back to school money saving tips for 2012 in one post here!

Whether you’re looking for the 2012 Tax Free Days or one of the many teacher discount events, I’ve got the top 10 tips I’ve come up with in my years of back to school shopping just for you:

Back to School Bargains

1. Office Supply Store Extreme Deals: all the office supply stores (like Staples, Office Max & Office Depot) will be competing for your business in the coming weeks by offering a lot of freebies and penny deals, so you’ll want to stock up! Here are just a few things to keep in mind:
-Sign up for their free store rewards cards
-Teachers get a special rewards card and often get extra items beyond the limit (for example, 25 instead of 2 per customer at Staples)
-Be careful of extra purchase requirements – some may say “free”, but will require a minimum purchase or it will only be free after rewards from that store. Calculate the final cost before purchase!

2. Consider Investing in a Lifetime Guarantee
-While this may not seem like such a deal up front, knowing that you can spend money on a backpack now and never have to replace it is a smart buy! Places like Lands End & L.L.Bean offer exactly that.

3. Look for Added Value
-For example, Toys R Us is offering a free lunch bag with backpack purchase.

4. Shop all year long
-I know this doesn’t help you now, but be looking for deals on school supplies all throughout the year. Items you know you’ll need (like glue, pens, folders, markers, etc) will go on clearance several times throughout the year, so stock up when you can.

5. Teacher Appreciation Events
-Several retailers (like Banana Republic & Ann Taylor Loft) offer special teacher discounts or Rewards Cards (like mentioned above) ALL the time. Some will even hold teacher appreciation events before school starts (especially office supply stores…many of which will be this coming first weekend of August), so it never hurts to ask at your favorite store!

6. Mayor’s First Day Festival Transitions…
-in Nashville, The Mayor’s First Day festival transitions to the inaugural First Choice Festival, which is also free, and will take place Oct. 18 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at McGavock High School, 3150 McGavock Pike. Representatives from all public schools will be invited to share information about their programs and unique features in order to help families make informed decisions.

7. Tax Free Weekend
-TN Tax Free Weekend is this weekend: August 3-5, 2012. That means that clothing and school supply purchases $100 or less, as well as computers $1500 or less are all tax free!

logo big Top 10 Back to School Shopping Money Saving Tips 2012

8. Shop Consignment Sales for School Uniforms & Sports Gear
-Search consignment sales before school starts, especially for uniform essentials, shoes and sports gear
-WeeWares is a consignment sale going on this week, August 2-5, at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, with most items going half price on the 7th. (plus you’ll be helping out our family – we’re consigning there too!)

9. Donate
-With all these deals going on, please consider picking up extra supplies and donating them to a local school, shelter or ministry. There are also a lot of back-to-school drop offs going on right now that would love the extra help!

10. Ask Other Parents for Hand Me Downs
-Whether it’s passing down a textbook or uniforms that are now too small, one of the best places to get your school necessities at a steal are by asking other parents at your school! Many schools now even have their own Facebook page or private website where you can look for such things.

Last thing to consider: spend time comparing prices online before wasting gas driving around from store to store.
Better yet, shop online through sites like Ebates & Savings.com to get cash back on your purchases and take advantage of special coupon codes!

Watch my other Talk of the Town segments to find more great tips!

There are some affiliate links contained in this post.

Filed Under: Back to School, Coupons, Deals, Deals & Freebies, Kids, Shopping Tagged With: back to school, bargains, deal, Money, nashville, sami cone, save, saving, tip, top

Essential Back to School Deals 2012 Save vs. Splurge List

July 22, 2012 By sami

You’ve asked for it and here it is, your essential Back to School Deals 2012 Save vs. Splurge List!

Of course, when it comes to Back to School, you want to save money wherever possible, but there are certain instances where spending a little more up front will actually save you a lot of money in the long run. Here are my 3 favorite examples of just that:

1. SAVE: Water Bottles vs. SPLURGE: Backpack
Save: If you have young school aged children, you know that they go through a ton of water each day…but those water bottles often get left on the playground, in someone else’s car, or at an after school activity. You may want to buy your kids the best water bottle, but most today are BPA free and unless you plan on replacing them regularly, this is money down the drain.

Splurge: Instead, spend your money on a high quality backpack from a company that has a tried & true, no-fuss customer service/return policy where you can return the item at any time you’re not satisfied for a full refund of the purchase price (like the Lands End quality guarantee). I understand keeping a backpack for more than a year can be harder with young kids who want to sport their favorite superhero on their backs (and that changes each year), but you’ll spend your money much more effectively if you can convince them to go this way (plus you can still find fun patterns and colors). There’s nothing worse than being the kid who’s backpack strap breaks as you’re walking down the school hallways!

2. SAVE: Uniforms vs. SPLURGE: Shoes
Save: There is nothing more expensive than school uniforms and clothes, whether we’re talking private school or simply adhering to public school dress code. When you consider how quickly kids grow, how rough they are on their clothes and how quickly uniform standards can change, you’re going to be much better off shopping at a consignment sale, asking for hand me downs or simply buying fewer options and wearing them until they literally fall apart! Chances are by that time, you’ll need to change sizes or styles anyway

Splurge: While some may argue the same principle above for shoes, I would beg to differ. I’ve tried doing the hand-me-down & consignment shoe route, but when it comes to school, kids are usually wearing the same one or two pairs EVERY DAY! When you consider that this is the primary source of protection between your kids bones and the ground, this is an area you’ll want to invest a little more in. By the time you get a used shoe, they’re typically very worn out and not very effective in terms of support and protection, so do your kids a favor and invest in a good quality pair of shoes (like Stride Rite) at the beginning of the school year.

3. SAVE: Calculators vs. SPLURGE: Computer
Save: This tip pertains especially to those of you with students in junior high and beyond. Unless you have the next Albert Einstein on your hands (and you can ignore this tip if you do!), you won’t need the latest and greatest scientific calculator or other tech tools that are required for certain other higher level classes past the actual class they’re required for. Instead, ask parents of students the year above your student if you can buy these items from them at a discount. The same principle applies for textbooks too! Another great place to check is Craig’s List or a local Facebook Buy/Sell page that some towns have.

Splurge: I used to be in the ‘Buy the cheapest computer you can’ camp. Since technology changes so quickly, I figured by the time my computer crashed, it would be time to upgrade anyway. However, after recently living through two crashes, I’ve learned the hard way that it’s worth a few hundred dollars more up front to have the upgraded storage & processing power to avoid frequent heartache. This is especially true if you’re sending your kids off to college and won’t be physically present to fix the glitches (or be a shoulder to cry on when your student loses their term paper due to a hard drive failure!). Plus don’t forget that many companies offer student discounts, so always ask for one before you buy (even the Apple store)!

If you want more FREE money-saving tips, including fun & frugal travel tips, meal-plans, & more, subscribe for my free, peronalized newsletter that you can tailor to meet your needs!

What are your best save vs. splurge back to school tips?

Disclosure: Compensated links are present in this post, but only for items I love!

Filed Under: Back to School, Deals & Freebies, Kids Tagged With: 2012, back to school, Deals, essential, list, save, splurge, valpak