Search results matching tag 'Joan Melcher'

Free health screenings available across the country

Joan Melcher — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:01:00 GMT

Most health care providers will tell you that early detection is at the heart of good health care.

The drugstore giant has partnered with two nonprofits to provide free health screenings in mobile clinics that are traveling the country this year and next. Six free screenings are being offered.

The AARP/Walgreens Wellness Tour will visit more than 3,000 communities in the lower 48 states and Puerto Rico and deliver more than 2.5 million free health screenings over a two-year period. The nine buses will target underserved areas.

Check here to see if your state is one of 26 the tour will reach this year.

The National Urban League and Walgreens Wellness Tour is targeting urban communities with a schedule that runs through February 2010. You’ll need to click on “National Urban League Tour” (.pdf file) at the bottom of this Web page for the schedule in your state.

In short, here’s the deal for both tours:

Free screenings are offered for cholesterol, blood pressure, bone density, glucose level, waist circumference, and body composition/body mass index. The estimated total value of the six screenings is $140.
You must be 18 or older to participate.
Appointments are not necessary. Screenings are on a first-come, first-served basis.
All screenings are done in the tour bus and results are provided on site.
Arrangements will be made for people with disabilities, and a Spanish-speaking crewmember is available on each bus.
AARP membership is not required for the AARP/Walgreens screenings. All participants will be given a free one-year AARP membership courtesy of Walgreens, which can be transferred to another party if the recipient is under 50 years of age. Participants who belong to AARP will be given a one-year membership extension.

Have more questions? Here’s a good place to find answers. For example:

I’ve been told to consult with my doctor, but I don’t have a doctor or can’t afford health insurance. What do I do? There are federal and state programs to help people access health care, even if they cannot afford health insurance. (This AARP Web page can help you find them.)

Free photo-editing class offered online

Joan Melcher — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:53:00 GMT

How many times have you wished you could wipe that telephone pole out of the picture? Or crop away an empty space to put your subject front and center?

Round up all those wayward photos. A free photo-editing class is available online this summer, taught by a professional photographer.

Thanks to Christina at Northern Cheapskate for the heads-up on this.

Here are the details:

Jessica Sprague, a contributing editor at Creating Keepsakes magazine, is the instructor. You can register and sign up here for the two-week class.
You’ll need to have a copy of Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. (If you don’t, you can download Photoshop Elements for Windows for a 30-day free trial by going to this site and clicking on Photoshop Elements 7. You'll be given a chance to register and then download the software for a trial.)
Each day you’ll get an e-mail from Jessica that introduces new techniques. You won’t need to be online at a set time; lessons can be accessed anytime.
Instructional help will include content in a video format, an online forum and a gallery to share your work.
Free registration runs through June 28; the first class is July 6.

Christina said she's taken an online class from Jessica and termed it "phenomenal," adding, "I learned lots of neat new tricks in Photoshop Elements, and I loved how well Jessica presented all the information and made it easy to go back and review."

Yes, Virginia, it’s true -- freebies from the government

Joan Melcher — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:00:00 GMT

Many people have fun touting the irony implied in this sentence: “We’re from the U.S. government and we’re here to help.”

But there is some truth to the concept.

Witness a recent blog post at Mr. Cheap Stuff, what blogger Dean calls the government’s top 10 freebies.

Whether it’s planning for a trip on one of America’s scenic byways or ordering an exercise DVD for your kids, free help can be had at the click of a mouse.

Here are some of our favorites from the sites listed on Mr. Cheap Stuff:

Easy, healthy and thrifty recipes for family meals (.pdf file) from the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.
The center also offers MyPyramid Menu Planner, which allows you to build your own food pyramid by planning meals through an interactive program that provides daily limits and calories along with food choices and goals. Menus can be constructed for several people, and ongoing prompts help you to replace or add foods to reach your goal.
Did you know you can get free tours of federal buildings and monuments by simply asking your congressman? Here’s the link to make your request.
Tired of those pesky telemarketers? Register up to three telephone numbers, including your home land line and cell phone, on the Do Not Call Registry.
Want to have a card sent from the White House in celebration of a special occasion? Arrange to have one mailed to an honoree of your choice by filling out a form here.
Plan a trip on one of America’s 125 scenic byways, with all the pertinent information easily downloadable from this site, including miles and time needed for travel, maps, camping sites and bicycle/pedestrian options.

Free educational opportunities for children include:

An interactive computer game where kids can blast off to another planet by fueling their rocket with food and physical activity from the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.
Lessons in advertising and consumer concepts delivered by animated characters in a virtual mall, courtesy of the Federal Trade Commission.
A free fitness DVD for kids age 5-9 and their families.

Find great deals at government surplus sales

Mortgage trouble? New government Web site can help

Even more freebies for Father’s Day

Joan Melcher — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:38:00 GMT

The Web is heating up with Father’s Day freebies and deals, in addition to those we’ve already reported. Father’s Day is Sunday, June 21, in case you’ve been in a cave or otherwise out of touch.

Here’s the scoop on free food:

Some Chick-fil-A outlets are treating dads to a free handspun 14-ounce milkshake. The offer is good on Saturday, June 20, for fathers who are accompanied by a child. You’ll want to find out if your local outlet is participating.
You can treat your father to a free piece of chocolate cake at Romano’s Macaroni Grill with this coupon. The offer is good for one customer per party and expires July 20.
Participating A&Ws are charging dads 90 cents for a Papa Burger on Sunday.

Now for the entertainment:

If you happen to live near one of the nine cities in North America with a Medieval Times Castle, you can treat your dad to a two-hour feast and tournament June 19-21 when you purchase a full-price adult ticket. You’ll need to use the promotion code listed on the Web site and order tickets online.
Have a father who’s more interested in putting than joisting? Dads play free at Putting Edge Fun Centers on Father’s Day. Check here for a participating Putting Edge near you.

Don’t forget the personal touch:

Check out Picture People’s offer of a free portrait with this coupon.
If you’re graphics-savvy, downloading a set of photo “masks” will allow you to make a personal Father’s Day card that features your own photo placed in a choice of 12 attractive designs.

And don’t forget to look closer to home. Many great local deals for dads can be found on the Web.

Here are a few that caught our eye:

A free Rancher’s Ribeye steak for dads (one per table) at the Blacksmith Restaurant in Bend, Ore., on Father’s Day.
A free scoop of ice cream for fathers at Kilwin’s in Charlotte, N.C.
Free entrance for dads to Leu Gardens in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m

Free sliders, floats and a good ole cup o’ joe

Joan Melcher — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:13:00 GMT

Two of the nation’s oldest fast-food chains are celebrating birthdays by inviting customers to line up for some treats on the house. They’re among the food freebies we found this week.

White Castle is celebrating its 88th birthday by offering a coupon for an original slider that’s good through July 12.

Another White Castle promotion, for a pulled-pork slider, runs through June 30. The coupons are good for one sandwich per customer per visit.

Need something to wash it down with? Go over to your local A&W and get a free small root beer float from 2 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 19. A&W is celebrating its 90th anniversary.

No purchase is necessary to join in A&W’s party, but participation among outlets may vary, so you’ll want to check to see if your outlet is in on the deal.

Two days later, A&W will treat fathers to a Papa Burger for 90 cents in celebration of Father’s Day. Participation and prices may vary.

Other deals:

There’s free coffee at Borders stores that have Seattle’s Best Coffee cafes with this coupon through Thursday, June 18.
If you’re willing to buy three pretzels to get one free, Pretzelmaker and Pretzel Time are offering that deal at participating locations. No coupon is necessary, and the offer is good through July 27.

Related reading:

Freebies and fun for Father’s Day

Wallet vs. waist: Fast-food cost per calorie

Show your kids that frugality can be fun

Summer movies -- for free or a buck

Passport to Adventure offers free incentives to kids

Joan Melcher — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:16:00 GMT

Outdoor gear retailer REI wants kids to explore the outdoors and it’s providing incentives with its Passport to Adventure program.

Kids ages 5-12 can win prizes (and not just some trinkets -- we’re talking cool REI kids’ gear) when they keep an adventure journal, documenting hikes, biking and other outdoor adventures.

First, parents need to pick up a journal at an REI outlet or download one from the cooperative’s site. Next, it’s time to pick an activity. REI provides an interactive map to locate parks and other outdoor adventure sites in your area.

The maps appear to be quite comprehensive. We checked the map for our town and found all the usual outdoor haunts, as well as a conservation area we haven’t visited. All directions are given from the nearest REI store.

After your child finishes the outdoor adventure, you send a filled-in tear-off postcard from the adventure journal or fill out an online form to get a certificate of completion for a prize.

Prizes available include a whistle and binoculars that incorporate other functions in their designs, including a compass, thermometer and magnifying glass.

Want to learn more about what sorts of activities may be in store for your kids? Read about the adventures of Elise and Amara Hachfeld, who have participated in the program since it was launched in the summer of 2007.

Freebies and fun for Father’s Day

Joan Melcher — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:41:00 GMT

First a little history: The first Father’s Day was organized in 1910 in Spokane, Wash., by a woman who was raised by her father after her mother died. The woman was Sonora Smart Dodd and the “first father” was William Jackson Smart.

It took a few decades to get the ball rolling: Father’s Day was recognized by a joint resolution of Congress in 1956 and declared a national observance in 1972.

Father’s Day, which falls on June 21 this year, is now the fifth highest card-sending holiday.

We found several fun sites for sending cards as well as some enticing deals to help in feting your dad on his day.

Dads can be hungry, so we’ll start with the food:

TCBY is offering a free cup or cone of frozen yogurt to all fathers on Sunday.
Carrabba’s is offering a free appetizer for a little work on your part. Write a toast to Dad and enter a contest to win a free trip to Napa Valley for two, and you’ll get a free appetizer on your next visit to Carrabba’s, including Father’s Day. Contest entries are due no later than June 30.
If you live in one of the eight states where Texas de Brazil has steakhouses, you can take Dad out for a free dinner. Fathers eat free there Sunday with the purchase of another dinner. You’ll need to print out this coupon, and reservations are recommended.
The Pasta House Co. is providing dads with a free order of spaghetti with meat sauce and a free piece of cheesecake on Father’s Day.
Participating BJ’s Restaurants are honoring dads with a free commemorative pint glass with any beverage purchased for them on June 20 or 21.
T.G.I. Friday’s buy-one-get-one-free deal is ongoing and runs through June 22.

Personalized gifts can be fun, memorable and free if you know where to look:

You can print out coupons for Dad, including one for taking out the garbage and another for cleaning the garage -- and blanks so you can make up your own chores.
Send an e-greeting that includes music and incorporates your own photos at Smilebox or personalize an animated card at AwesomeCards.com.
Younger kids may enjoy making a card for Dad in the shape of a tie using a photo of him or completing a coloring project in his honor.

Not feeling particularly creative? Let 123 Greetings do the work for you with a broad range of free musical e-cards.

It’s a good time to stock up on organic foods

Joan Melcher — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:59:00 GMT

If you’ve gotten sticker shock when you’ve contemplated buying organic food products, help is on the way.

Stonyfield Farm is offering coupons on many popular organic products in a venture similar to the Kraft Foods promotion that had the Web buzzing last month.

We went to the site and printed out several, including a coupon for $1 off any Organic Valley cheese and another for Nature’s Path granola. There are 27 other coupons for products ranging from Earthbound Farm organic produce to Annie’s Macaroni and Cheese to Stonyfield Smoothies.

The coupons are good for 10 days after printing; no expiration date is provided. However, the promotion runs in conjunction with the release of a movie Stonyfield Farm is plugging, “Food, Inc.,” so you won’t want to wait too long. There is a limit of one coupon per offer, per household.

Another site to check out is Mambo Sprouts, which offers ongoing organic deals, including coupons. Two deals listed today that caught our attention were a $1-off coupon for any Wolfgang Puck carton of organic broth or natural stock and a $2-off coupon for a Healthy To Go box of drink mixes.

If this gets you hungry for more organic food, Allison Ray at Organic Food Coupons can help. She provides coupon-finding tips and links to coupon sites, including organic baby food, eco-friendly products, organic wine and pet products.

The cost of eating green

Free music downloads to get you rockin’

Joan Melcher — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:25:00 GMT

Tired of the same old tunes? If you’re like us, you’ve listened to most of your CDs until you can recite the words in your sleep. So it may be time to broaden horizons.

We found several places to download free music -- whether it’s country, pop or heavy metal that rocks your boat.

People magazine is offering 10 downloads of tunes by country western artists. We liked this site for its ease of operation. You see a photo of the artist or group on the site and can listen to the song and decide if you want to download it.

If you don’t like the song, it’s on to the next band or musician. The artists include Emily West, Randy Houser and Luke Bryan.

Urban Outfitters is offering 107 tunes for download in five mixes by artists ranging from Phoenix to Jeremy Jay.

You can download 22 free tunes by artists featured in Nylon magazine’s June-July issue. Songs and artists include “I’ve Got Your Number” by Passion Pit, “Death” by White Lies, and “Ghetto Love” by Spinnerette.

An ongoing freebie is iTune’s Single of the Week, which can be accessed through the iTunes Store.

And plenty of other sources of free music are out there if you know where to look.

So, get with some new aural stimulation. It might just get you dancing around the house.

At these prices, it’s time for a night on the town

Joan Melcher — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:40:00 GMT

Some of us can go weeks (maybe months) without a night (or even lunch) on the town, but we have to ask why -- when the cost of dining at a restaurant of our choice can be had for a portion of the usual price.

Restaurant.com is offering deep discounts on gift certificates through Monday, June 15 -- if you know where to look.

Jennifer Maciejewski with Cities on the Cheap has the scoop.

She reports that a $25 Restaurant.com certificate can be purchased for $2 and a $10 certificate for just 60 cents by using a promo code, but warns, “All of the vendors apply their own restrictions to each certificate’s redemption, so read the fine print before you check out to make sure it’ll be a good deal for you.”

We found only two restaurants in our neck of the woods. One didn’t accept the coupons on weekends, so we passed on it. The other offered $10 certificates for $3 before using the coupon.

Once the discount was applied, we saw two $10 certificates were going to cost us $1.20. We went for it.

There are a few restrictions at this restaurant. Only one certificate can be redeemed per party each month, the certificate is good for 90 days, and a $10 certificate can be used only with a purchase of $20 or more. But for 60 cents, what do you want?