Monthly Archives: July 2009

University Bowl 101…

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At University Bowl, take advantage of the free student bowling program.  Students bowl their first game free, Monday through Friday, 9am-12pm.  Make sure you print out the consent form first.  Shoes are required but available for a discounted rate – $2.25 per pass holder.

Also make sure you join them on Aug. 5th for Customer Appreciation Day!  From 5pm-7pm, bowl for FREE!  First come, first served, limit to 2 games per person!  Shoe rentals for only $1.79!

Want to hear about all the specials in the future?  Become a fan on FB and join their mailing lists.

BUXR – hot deals this week!!!

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You may have noticed I’ve added a new side bar widget “Current Deals @ BUXR.”  I have found incredible deals at buxr.com and now you can too!  Don’t wait for me!  Sign up for an account now:

This site also offers a lot of incentives to spread the word and find your own great offers to share.  Monthly and daily monetary awards are given out for best offers found, details here.  Once you join and Buxr and refer friends who signup and buy products you’ll get a commission (2-10%) of whatever the site makes!  People have made thousands of dollars!  Even if you’re just buying you’ll still get a nice little kick back.

I had a hard time finding the “Affiliate Tab” mentioned in the FAQ…so I included it.

From their “About Me” section” on using BUXR:

  • Browse the shopping deals we pick and post daily in our shopping section and save money buying stuff. Look at it as an opportunity to get more for less, to treat yourself to an occasional gadget and not break the bank.
  • Bargain hunting should be fun and we have tried to spice it up with our daily and monthly contests. You don’t need to do anything special though, you participate whenever you submit deals to Buxr or vote deals up/down on our website.
  • If you have a blog or website, you can share our shopping deals with your readers/visitors and earn a commission when they buy stuff.

Look at all the things I’ve found on BUXR today!

  • 100 FREE 4×6 Prints (new members only!) from Snapfish, sign up now!
  • $5 off $25 @ Payless which comes in handy if you have kids heading back to school.
  • Fantasy Football?  Seasons coming up so host your NFL Draft Party @ Dave & Buster’s and get all kinds of GREAT incentives!!!!
  • EL POLLO LOCO is offering FREE Pollo Bowl with purchase of a Pollo Bowl
  • FREE Chocolate coupon through September!  Sign up for a reminder – every Friday visit the website and receive a voucher for M&Ms, Snickers, Twix, Dove, 3 Musketeers, or Milky Way.
  • Pizza Hut – Get 20% off any ONLINE order
  • Office Depot – $15 off $50 Purchase Printable Coupon
  • Bath & Body Works – Hand Soap Event (all kinds of fun discounts and freebies!)
  • Victoria’s Secret – 40% OFF Any Single Clearance Item + FREE Shipping
  • Office Depot – $20 off $80 Purchase
  • Amazon Prime – 3 months trail
  • 25 Favorite Very Veggie Tunes (MP3 Downloads) $1.99, regularly $22.76!
  • Webcam 2 Pack!
  • Panda Internet Security 2009 – 3 User Panda Security licenses included!  FREE after rebate.
  • Thinking about making an iPhone purchase?  Refurb Apple iPhone 3G 8GB w/ 2-yr Contract - $49.99 from AT&T!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you give a mouse a cookie…

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The Magik Theater located in downtown San Antonio only produces plays based on children books.  I know they visited my daughter’s public elementary school to preform “School House Rock” and they also visited her private summer school program to give another theatrical performance.

Seating 600 parents and children, the list of performances are rich and fun.  They recently announced the return of the production, “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”, which we were wait listed for when we waltzed up, expecting to get a ticket to the show on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  They did find us a seat but suggested in the future either purchasing the tickets online or coming on a slower day (weekday or night).  Times normally range from Mon/Tue-Friday from 9:45 and 11:30, with additional showings on Friday at 7pm and Saturday at 2pm.  Plenty of options for everyone.

Up-coming shows include “The Kid who Ran for President” and “The Nutcracker: A Holiday Comedy.”  After the show, kids have a chance to buy souvenirs and get their programs signed by the enthusiastic cast members.  We normally buy the shirt from the show to support the theater and then ask the cast members to sign it.  (They’ve always had sharpie markers – bring a camera though, GREAT Kodak moment.)

They also have a small snack bar and you can eat during the performance.  There’s a balcony but don’t sit up there if your kid is the kind to want to jump…

Especially if you’re looking for a place to entertain the kiddos, out of the heat, head to the Magik Theater while its showing from July 29 – August 15!

There’s also a very nice park, right outside the theater, covered with a lot of trees.  It has swings, slides, and many forts, a very clean, large, and comfortable downtown playground and picnic area.

Follow on FB and Twitter to get the most up to date news, their mailing list also includes summer camp information!  Look for the “Buy one, get one FREE” coupon in your Entertainment book (buy 2009′s for ONLY $7.99, normally $25!!!), every school’s favorite fundraiser!

***Final note:  Is your child’s birthday coming up and you’ve already done the Chuck E. Cheese thing?  Create a magical time and bring the party to the theater!  With 3 options, your child will enjoy the play with their friends and have everything set up with the supplies you bring when the show concludes.  Pay a little extra and even get costumed cast mates to make cameos!

8 reasons to follow Geekette Bits…

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Taking advantage of all the social media opportunities, I have tried to reach out to possible readers through multiple channels.  Something incredibly important to me and the goal of my entire blog – make your life easier…by saving you time and money!

Everything I do on my blog should do just that and here’s 8 ways I tried to take advantage of Web 2.0:

  1. Follow me on Twitter! @geekettebits
    Follow me on Twitter!Not only will you be alerted of new posts – you’ll also see them conveniently with everyone else status updates!
  2. Friend me on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/geekettebits facebook
  3. Once you add me on FB and Twitter, check out who I am following.  Businesses local to San Antonio, websites that offer GREAT deals, get the scoop before I do!  Or if you don’t want the extra noise, check out my profile to see the alerts without having to add anyone!
  4. iGoogle Gadget – have a personalized Google homepage?  Add the Geekette Bits Google gadget there!  See quick summaries of the most recent posts! 
  5. iPhone – my site is mobile friendly!  Got an iPhone?  Doesn’t have to be 3G but it’s very iPhone friendly!  Bookmark me!
  6. rss-feed-pinkRSS Feed – don’t want to mess with those other tools?  Just subscribe to RSS feeds directly!!
  7. Leave Comments - sign up for my site through Google Friend Connect to leave comments, good and bad on my posts.  Let me know what you really would’ve like information on OR what you’d like to see next time!
  8. Google Maps - I have 3 right now…whenever I post about something I try to also include it in one of 3 maps:
    • Lil’ Bits – take a quick glance on a Saturday morning to see what’s free and close…or look to see a map view of kid friendly places!
    • Geekette HotSpots – just places I think are worth checking out!
    • Great Bytes – places I’ve reviewed or want to check out or will eventually blog about!
    • Links can be found at anytime on the right hand column of my blog “Bitmaps”.

Today ONLY! Free iPhone apps!!

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Normally $14.99 and $2.99, in honor of the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo landing…get SkyVoyager and SkyGazer, respectively from iTunes!  Find more information here, here are the details, copied.

SkyGazer:  “planetarium app that gives you a precise view of the sky from any position on Earth.  If you have a telescope that’s linked to a computer, the app can control it via Wi-Fi.”

SkyVoyager:  “features a database of 300,000 stars and 30,000 deep-sky objects.  Definitely sounds like a must-have for hardcore astronomers.”

Who wouldn’t want to take the night up and look at the stars!?

FREE stuff and great coupons this week!!

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Check back each week for great coupon deals!  I’ll try to do this every Sunday!  Finding the deals, so you don’t have to!

Sun., July 19/Thru Aug. 2 - Origin.com‘s 10th birthday!  Celebrate by choosing 5 FREE samples from this extensive list with online purchase.  Along with that, FREE shipping for purchases over $50!

Also, stop by the store by Aug. 2nd for a FREE mini-facial!

Sun., Aug. 19 - 20% off coupon at Big Lots from 5pm to 9pm!

Mon., July 20 - Print out these coupons at Barnes and Nobles.

Tues., July 21 - Starbucks FREE Pastry Day!!!  Click here to add the event reminder in FB.  Don’t have a printer?  Don’t worry – pull up this website on your mobile phone and show the barista!  Starts from opening until 10:30am.

Wed., July 22 – Arby’s has specials every Wednesday if you live in various cities across the country.  Buy a soft-drink and get a FREE roastburger by printing out this coupon.

Sun., July 19 – Sun., July 26

  • Joann’s - online coupon code “TTE205A” online gets you 40% off one item!  Click here for the printable coupon to use in-store.
  • AMC Movies - printable coupon for FREE small popcorn with purchase of a drink.  Check here for other printable concession specials.  Printable coupon for large popcorn when you buy a large drink.

Mon., July 27 (Expires – Use soon!)

  • Barnes and Nobles coupon for 10% off one item, printable.
  • Payless Shoes 15% off coupon.

Fri., July 31

  • And finally if you want to beat the summer heat, do it with this coupon for a $1 off a Blizzard treat from Dairy Queen.  (Doesn’t expire until 10/31/09!)
  • KFC coupons, 9 great deals!

Tue., Aug 18 - Printable or online coupon for World Market for 10% your entire purchase!

Spend an evening on Broadway at one of San Antonio’s historic theaters…

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For the next 6 Fridays, the San Antonio Woodlawn Theater presents Spotlight: The Super Sexy Stage Spectacular Broadway Review Show which will include selections from:

  • Cats
  • Chicago
  • Grease
  • Hairspray
  • Miss Saigon
  • Phantom of the Opera
  • Rent
  • Sweeney Todd
  • and much more!!!!

The show will start at Friday at 8 p.m for the next 6 weeks:  July 17 – August 21

1920 Fredericksburg Road
San Antonio, TX 78201

Directions: Google Map

Tickets:

General Admission: $10

VIP Reserved Seating: $20 regular / $15 with Spotlight Broadway Review Coupon (from Geekette Bits – print and bring to the door)!

*VIP includes a snack AND drink during intermission!!!!!

Notable FREE stuff this week online and/or in-store

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FREE Tote Bag from Worl d Market (Folow on Facebook or Twitter)

FREE Mocha Mondays – free 8 oz mocha (or 7 oz iced mocha per person, per visit) @ McDonalds every Monday until August 3rd!  Follow on Twitter.

FREE Chili Dog or Small Cone July 14th from 5pm-8pm @ Wienerschnitzel!

FREE Amazon E-Books for download.

Fee FREE Summer weekends – National Park Service will offer three fee-free wewekends this summer to encourage Americans seeking afforable vacations to visit their national parks.  Additional offers by local parks.  June 20-21, July 18-19, August 15-16 waived entrance fees!

FREE ABCs of Safety Coloring Book includes 28 pages of activities (not just coloring, connect the dots, word de-coders, etc.) to go through with your children.  Not only will it kill time during the long summer break but also educate your children on the ABC’s of safety.

Planting a family tree…

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After going through several different websites, I have found the best online resource for keeping track of your family tree.

Geni (Time’s 50 Best websites of 2008) allows users to add relatives in an incredibly user-friendly interface.  Once added, new users can edit details about their section of the tree.  Family members can post pictures, videos, comment on items, and insert contact information.  Birthdays are easily displayed in various forms, calendars, list views.

Detailed profile questions to be filled out by that relative encourage latest news sharing.  Updates can be sent out from site without having to constantly check.  Statistics are also displayed (number of boys/girls, siblings, posts, etc.)

I recommend this site for anyone who would like to keep track of their continuously growing family.  Within minutes I was able to add my sister, parents, their parents, their children, etc…you can also upload pictures for each individual for quick glances.

Geekette Bit’s best pick for online grocery lists…

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Old Mother Hubbard’s pantry was bare…and so is mine.  Attached by a magnet to my fridge is a pre-written checklists of typical grocery purchases.  I can quickly check the boxes (divided by aisle in the grocery store.)

This let me to google “online grocery lists’ to find out what my other options were.  Out of the 10 websites I investigated/joined…2 stood out in my mind the most.  Both have great qualities…if they had a baby, that website would be the perfect blend of both worlds.

1.  Zip List – pretty encompassing website, pretty interface.  Upon sign-up you start typing the name of each product you need to purchase and suggestions from a pre-filled database will be displayed.  It adds item based either on generic or specific brand names.  If you item is not already included in the list easily add it.  You control what and how many items – you can create shortcut names for items used often.  You can add to the list via text messages, email…and you can also send the list to other shoppers in your circle of friends and family.  Multiple stores can be selected so you can also organize your trip by location (stores included in the list were not only local grocery stores but also gas stations and Home Depot/Lowes.)  Once everything has been selected you can organize the sections by aisle location.  You can also group products by recipe, keeping track of purchases that way as well.

2.  Grocery Wiz – this website has a pretty interface and more importantly, the one feature Zip List does not.  Ability to browse through categories.  If Zip List had this feature I would definitely be psyched!  Another nice feauture this site boasts is alerting users of coupons currently availible for particular products.  When hovering over items with coupons, the coupon value will display and link you to the printable coupon.  Check out their sister site: Camp Wiz.

For those who just want to browse through standard grocery items, check boxes, and print a list of only those selected items this site will get the job done.  Easy interface for someone who just wants to get in and out without forgetting the necessities.