Welcome to Tampa Bay Freebies! My job is to scour the web, the radio, the television and every single resource I can to bring you all the freebies in the Tampa Bay area!!!
March 1, 2011 Join IHOP on Tuesday, March 1, 2011, 7 a.m. - 10 p.m., for National Pancake Day and receive one complimentary short stack!* In return for the free flapjacks, we ask you to consider leaving a little something behind for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other designated local charities. Thanks to our guests' generosity, IHOP raised more than $2.1 million last year. IHOP began its National Pancake Day in 2006, and since then, has raised $5.35 million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other local charities and given away more than 10.1 million buttermilk pancakes.
Thanks to Camille Gomez for reminding me about this awesome freebie!
As part of today's More Money Monday posts I thought I'd tell all of you about the Groupon deal going on right now! Get 3 Redbox Rentals for $1!!! Get your offer HERE
Here is a list of some of the top offenders in terms of carcinogenic risk. Of course, these products don't necessarily lead to cancer, but why take the risk when there are safer alternatives available?
1. Air fresheners:
Sweet-smelling air often comes with napthelene and formaldehyde, both known carcinogens, as well as a host of other toxic chemicals.
For a fresh scent, start by removing the odor's source rather than trying to mask it. If something still stinks, try zeolite, baking soda, or natural fragrances from essential oils. For more information, see Easy Greening: Air Fresheners.
2. Art and craft materials:
Common art supplies may contain harmful ingredients. For a full list of specific products to avoid by brand, see the items prohibited for use in California schools by the California EPA: Art Hazards List (PDF). To guard against exposure to carcinogenic and/or highly toxic ingredients:
Watch out for lead and other heavy metals in paints, glazes, and enamels. Use vegetable-based dyes and paints instead.
Use water-based glues, paints, and markers and avoid hazardous solvents like rubber cement, paint thinners, and solvent-based markers.
3. Automotive supplies:
Given how unhealthy auto exhaust is, it's no surprise that the fluids we feed our cars aren't very safe either. Antifreeze and brake fluids that contain ethylene glycol are highly toxic, and windshield wiper fluid is extremely poisonous. As little as 2 tablespoons can be deadly to a child.
Similarly, used motor oil presents a serious health threat through skin contact, skin absorption, inhalation, or ingestion. The health problems are cumulative, so with each exposure to used motor oil the amount of risks to the body's system increase.
If you need to use automotive supplies, keep them locked away and dispose of remnants or containers at your local hazardous waste facility.
4. Dry cleaning:
Conventional dry cleaners use tons of chemicals, such as perchloroethylene (tetrachloroethylene), naphthalene, benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene, all of which are carcinogenic. These chemical fumes can stick around on your clothes for days.
If your garments require a trip to the cleaners, ask for the wet-cleaning option at the cleaners, and seek dry cleaners that use liquid C02 or citrus juice cleaners. For more information, see Healthy and Green Dry Cleaning.
5. Flea, tick, and lice control:
Avoid lindane-based pesticides. California considers lindane to be carcinogenic. In rare cases, lindane has caused seizures and death, even among people who used lindane according to the directions.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) used in paints are known human carcinogens. In addition, the VOCs in paint are released into the air and may continue to off-gas at low levels for years after application.
You know how awful mothballs smell? Consider that your body's way of telling you: Bad, bad, bad! When you smell mothballs, you are essentially inhaling insecticide. Mothballs are nearly 100 percent naphthalene, a carcinogen, or paradichlorobenzene, a toxin.
Many people use cedar to combat moths, but it is not effective against adult moths.
8. Cleaning products:
Not all cleaning products contain carcinogens, but here are the worst offenders.
Mold and mildew cleaners can be a nasty bunch, often containing formaldehyde. Try a natural approach to killing mold and mildew by using vinegar and tea tree oil.
Carpet and upholstery cleaners are designed to strip stains and dirt from heavy textiles by using noxious substances. The worst of the ingredients is perchloroethylene, a central nervous system toxicant and respiratory irritant.
Instead, try using a steam cleaner with water or a natural-based cleaner. Next time you're shopping for furniture, aim for styles that use slipcovers that can be removed and washed or water-process dry-cleaned.
Furniture polishes achieve a shine with nitrobenzene, a reproductive toxin and central nervous system toxin that can be absorbed through the skin. Look for an all-natural polish, or make your own using 1/8 cup olive oil or other vegetable oil mixed with 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 tablespoon vodka.
A long life free of heart disease does not come just from controlling the standard measures like blood pressure and cholesterol. Sure, keeping tabs on these indicators is essential to gauging your heart's health, but a few other numbers—some surprising—can be meaningful as well.
1. Alcohol intake
Bottom line: The American Heart Association suggests that otherwise healthy individuals who drink should do so in moderation. That is defined as one to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. And be careful with that pour: The AHA defines a drink as one 12-ounce beer, a 4 ounce glass of wine, 1.5 ounce of 80-proof spirits, or 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits.
2. Salt intake
Bottom line:The AHA recommends Americans limit salt intake to 1.5 grams daily. Be wary: Sodium creeps in via unexpected sources, and it's not so much the salt shaker on our table that's to blame. Research suggests we get as much as 80 percent of our daily salt intake from processed foods.
3. Sugar intake
Bottom line: According to the AHA, women should get no more than 100 calories per day of added sugars and men should stop at 150 calories per day.
4. Resting heart rate
Bottom line: A normal resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Check yours by finding your wrist's pulse, counting the beats in a 15-second period, then multiplying by four.
5. Hours of sleep per night
Bottom line: Get eight hours of sleep per night. Making it happen isn't easy, we know.
6. Exercise
Bottom line: For a clean bill of health, the major health associations (including the AHA and the American College of Sports Medicine) suggest a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week—say, brisk walking that boosts your heart rate. This translates into 30 minutes of exercise on five days of the week. Twice-weekly strength training of eight to 10 exercises, up to 12 reps each, is also on their to-do list.
Whiteson at NYU Langone Medical Center suggests that those who don't have heart disease should bump that recommendation up to 60 minutes a day, five days a week of vigorous activity, where you're breathing pretty heavily and sweating. But he offers a concession: "You can break it up" into, say, three 20-minute sessions per day, since "the effect of aerobic exercise is cumulative." He also thinks those without heart disease should do strength training thrice weekly. Individuals with heart disease should always discuss a new exercise regimen with a doctor first, he says.
7. Cigarettes
Bottom line To protect against heart disease (not to mention cancer, stroke, and reproductive problems), the goal is to smoke exactly zero cigarettes.
8. Blood sugar
Bottom line: The more controlled, the better. The normal range for a fasting blood glucose test is typically less than 100 milligrams per deciliter; prediabetes is indicated by a level between 100 and 125 mg/dL and diabetes by a reading of 126 mg/dL or above. A normal hemoglobin A1C level is below 6 percent, and those with diabetes should aim to keep it under 7 percent.
9. C-reactive protein
Bottom line: According to the American Heart Association, a hs-CRP measure of 1 mg/L means you are at low risk of developing cardiovascular disease, a measure between 1 and 3 mg/L means you are at average risk, and levels above 3 mg/L means your risk is high. Getting the test may be helpful, says Yancy, if you are at intermediate risk for heart disease based on other risk factors and your doctors would like another data point to determine treatment. But "there is no need to check CRP if a person already has high risk or truly is in the healthy bracket," he says.
10. Waist circumference
Bottom line: Men should have a waist circumference of less than 40 inches. The figure for women is less than 35 inches.
11. Body mass index
Bottom line: People with BMIs less than 18.5 are underweight. Target BMI range is between 18.5 and 24.9. Overweight is considered between 25 and 30, and a BMI above 30 puts you in the obese category.
12. Blood pressure
Bottom line: "The only number that really matters is 120 over 80," which is the cutoff for a normal blood pressure reading, says Yancy. The more one's blood pressure surpasses that level, the more damage to the vascular system, heart, and kidneys. The top number is called systolic blood pressure and is the measure of pressure while the heart beats. The bottom number is called diastolic and is the measure of pressure between heart beats. A reading above 120/80 but below 140/90 is considered prehypertension; anything above that is high blood pressure. Both require attention and steps to bring the blood pressure back under control.
13. Cholesterol
Bottom line: You're aiming for total cholesterol below 200 mg/DL; above 240 mg/DL puts you at twice the risk of coronary artery disease as a person within the normal range. HDL should be above 40 mg/DL for men and above 50 mg/DL for women (women tend to have higher HDL before menopause); above 60 mg/DL is categorized as protective to your heart. LDL ideally should be below 100 mg/DL, though up to 129 mg/DL is near optimal. High LDL is considered 160 mg/DL or above. Triglycerides should be below 150 mg/DL; a measure above 200 mg/DL is considered high.
Sometimes companies get away with egregious behavior simply because their victims don't know the law. It's illegal, for example, for a company to knowingly report false credit information or for collection agencies to keep calling you after you've told them in writing to stop. Knowing the law, and letting the companies know you know, is sometimes effective in getting bad behavior to stop.
If your complaint involves a contract, warranty or guarantee, read all the fine print that came with it. You don't necessarily have to limit yourself to the remedies prescribed in these documents, but you should at least know what the company promised.
Know What You Want
Be clear in your mind and in all your communications with the company about what you want to happen. That way you won't get sidetracked. After all, the customer service rep's job, typically, is not to make you happy. It's to get you off the phone.
If the rep suggests ways to fix your problem at all, it will usually be ways that don't cost her or the company much. When my new laptop's hard drive failed for the second time, Dell wanted to send me yet another replacement part. But I knew from the start of my call that I wasn't getting off the phone until a replacement computer was on its way.
I'm assuming, by the way, that what you want is both reasonable and doable. Your definition of those two terms may vary from the company's, but you can't be ridiculous about it. The dry cleaner that ruined your jacket, for example, should be expected to buy you a new one. You shouldn't expect free dry cleaning for life.
Be Concise
Boil your story down to its essential elements; you might even practice first with a friend before you pick up the phone. Nattering on about irrelevant details will just make it easier for the rep to tune out or miss the point. Besides, you're going to have to repeat your story over and over and over to get results. Might as well save yourself some time by editing in advance.
Don't Be a Jerk
My husband, the most effective complainer I know, puts it this way: You don't have to be nice, necessarily. You do have to be polite. Hubby has used this not-nice-but-polite approach to get us a 50 percent discount on a garage door that was incorrectly installed, a free upgrade on our TiVo service (again, botched installation) and a number of other concessions from companies that initially insisted there was no way to accommodate us.
I've found being nice sometimes greases the wheels. My favorite ploy is to chat them up, then ask them how they would handle my problem if it were theirs, instead of mine. Many times, they'll respond to this treatment by connecting me with someone who can actually solve my dilemma.
Remember: The Company's Problems Are Not Yours
Customer service reps love to tell you exactly why the company's procedures don't allow them to do what you need them to do. Guess what: You don't have to care. How the company chooses to conduct its business is not your concern. What is your concern is getting your problem fixed, however the company ultimately decides to do it.
Carve Out Some Time
I'm convinced some companies try to wear you out with excessively long hold times. You can't force them to pick up the phone, but you can fight back by outwaiting them. Get yourself a portable phone or, better yet, a portable with a headset. That way you can do other things to keep your sanity while waiting for the company to see reason.
It took me three hours on a Saturday morning to persuade Dell to see things my way. I survived innumerable transfers, two disconnects and endless stretches on hold largely because I wasn't tethered to a desk the whole time. Thanks to my portable headset, I was able to play with my daughter, sort mail and even do a little light housekeeping while I talked to Sandy, Matt, Phyllis, Jason, Raina and the rest of the Dell crew about how they were going to get me a replacement computer.
Get Names and Call-Back Numbers
Sometimes you don't have three hours in a row to spend on the phone. Rather than start over from the beginning each time you dial, make sure you know how to get back in touch with the people who handled your last call. Having a name and number also comes in handy when you get transferred into voice-mail hell or the phone simply goes dead -- not that a customer service rep would ever, ever deliberately hang up on you. (Ahem, Sandy.)
Take Notes
I don't know why, but reps are inordinately impressed when you can tell them exactly when you were told what by whom. These details can also help when you're enlisting others to come to your aid.
When in Doubt, Get It in Writing
Consumer advocates usually recommend putting disputes in writing. The reality is that most problems get handled over the phone, and you don't necessarily have to conduct business by snail mail. If the issue involves a lot of money, taxes, legal issues or your credit report, however, put everything in writing and send the letters by certified mail, return receipt requested. Keep a log of all your communications with the company and copies of every relevant piece of paper.
Keep Moving Up the Ladder
You probably know that if you can't get what you want from a phone rep, you should ask to speak to a supervisor. But the folks with the real power may be several rungs up the ladder. If you strike out, try the company's marketing or public relations division. A letter sent to the company's president or CEO can often break through a logjam like nothing else. If a quick Google search doesn't turn up the name and address, check the web site. Don't fall for the customer service address that's prominently listed; you want the address where the CEO actually does business. If it's a publicly traded company, you'll find that in its SEC filings in the "Investor Relations" tab.
Social media may help you, or it may not. Social media expert Peter Shankman tells of the time he tried to get Delta's attention about a travel problem with repeated tweets to @Delta, only to get a response (and an offer to help) from @SouthwestAir. At least somebody was monitoring Delta-related tweets on Twitter, he says -- too bad it wasn't Delta.
Escalate
If the company is violating the law, you may need to contact the appropriate regulator. You'll need to do some research to find the right office (a Google search such as "Who regulates banks?" can get you started), but you can't necessarily count on results.
If you're having a problem with the government itself, the ultimate resource may be your local, state or federal representative. Many lawmakers pride themselves on taking care of their constituents on this grassroots level.
Then there's always the option of alerting the media. If the company's behavior has been particularly terrible or you think you might be part of a trend, you can seek out a sympathetic blogger or try contacting your local newspaper or television station to see if you can interest them in your plight.
If nothing else works, you can always hire a lawyer. It's not the easiest or most cost-effective way to get what you want, but sometimes it pays off. When a company is particularly entrenched in ignoring its consumers, sometimes that law firm letterhead is the only thing that will get their attention. For lawyers versed in consumer issues, visit the National Association of Consumer Attorneys at www.naca.net.
Get Smarter
Meanwhile, here are some other ways you can be a savvier consumer:
• Diversify your credit accounts so you have cards from different issuers. Get cards from at least two different lenders.
• Don't be afraid to close an occasional credit account if you have good scores and plenty of other open accounts and you won't be looking for a major loan in the next few months. Shuttering an account is sometimes the best way to get your message across.
• If you're not happy with your bank, consider switching to a credit union.
• Make sure your phone service still fits your needs. Drop unnecessary services and let Validas analyze your cell phone bill for possible savings.
• Check back two weeks before your trip to see if hotel or rental car costs have dropped, and rebook if so.
This was excerpted from "The 10 Commandments of Money" courtesy of Hudson Street Press, an imprint of Penguin.
Did you know that IMPROV hosts a free open mic night every Wednesday?
The Tampa IMPROV offers a free Open Mic Night in their Bar every Wednesday night starting at 10:00pm and you must 21 & up to enter (whether you’re performing or just watching).
A sign up sheet will be at the bar at 9:30pm and they accept the first 20 comedians who sign up.
Comics are given up to 5 minutes of on stage (and given a light at 4). A lottery system is used to determine the order in which the performers will go on stage (their name is assigned a number that will be drawn to determine what order they will perform).
IMPROV also runs drink specials and does ticket giveaways during those nights.
Did you know that Blue Martini has been offering free sushi and cocktails for ladies each Wednesday? I didn't until tonight and now that I know I might have to stop by more often.
With the help of Play 98.7 fm each Wednesday from 4-8 ladies get free sushi and a their first drink free. The best part? Half off cocktails the whole night for ladies and FREE COVER!!! Does it get better than that? Yes! It does...there are also giveaways for everything from spa treatments to designer handbags to concert tickets!!! Not to mention the free live show from whoever happens to be playing the Wednesday you stop by.
Go into any Moe's and join Moe's eWorld and you will receive a FREE entree on your birthday and get emails with specials and updates!
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Remember how I was telling everyone to get a newspaper yesterday for the RedPlum insert? Well, if you did then you can score a Dial NutriSkin Lotion 3oz bottle for FREE!! The bottles are $1.97 and the coupon from yesterday's paper is for $2 off. :)
Get a newspaper today! Inside there is a Red Plum insert that has a whole bunch of McDonald's coupons including a FREE Fruit & Maple Oatmeal with no purchase necessary!!!
Get a newspaper and then cash in the free oatmeal =) pays for the newspaper and then enjoy the other coupons in the Red Plum =)
The tbt* listed a free Engineering Expo at the USF College of Engineering Saturday 2-19-11 from 9am to 4pm.
The expo will have hands-on activities like a spaghetti and gumball structure competition, lock-picking, physics show, the chemistry magic show and a laser light show.
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The tbt* listed the Tampa Children's Expo as a free event being held at the Tampa Convention Center from 10am to 4pm this Saturday 2-19-11.
Guests can meet Tyler Florence, celebrity chef from Food Network, try free products and samples from local and national companies, get their face painted and more. For more information call 813-274-8511
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Get some FREE dog treats for your pet at Publix! Rachael Ray’s Nutrish Just 6 Dog Treats are on sale BOGO at Publix through Wednesday 2/16/2011. Combine the sale with 2 of these coupons and get both bags free! $1.50/1 Rachael Ray Nutrish Just 6 Dog Treats printable coupon.
Just because its Valentine's Day doesn't mean you have to blow your budget to let your sweetie know you love them. Sure, you can save money by making your own card or gift but hanging out together is what it's all about. HERE are some ideas to show your Valentine some love on the cheap.
More Money Monday is a weekly segment dedicated to getting more money in your pocket! I've decided that I want 2011 to be the year I get out of the red and into the black. To do that, I'll need more money! If you are anything like me-you could use more money as well. For every More Money Monday (MMM) I will post an article (or articles) that will either be about saving money, getting more money in your pocket, ways to earn more money, etc...
Below are three free downloadable Valentine's Day Craft eBooks. Each ebook has a list of crafts that are unique to each book. There are 69 crafts in total in these free Valentine's Day Craft ebooks.
Be sure to check out the list of 10 Valentines crafts on each link for the ebooks. These links can help you with finding more crafts to make for Valentine's Day.
There are 33 Valentine's Day crafts in this ebook. This Valentine's Day Craft ebook has gifts and decor, jewelry and accessories, Happy Valentine Cards, and Valentine crafts for kids. The gifts and decor section has nine crafts. The jewelry and accessories section has eight crafts. The cards section has eight card crafts. The crafts for kids section has eight crafts.
There are four sections to this Valentine's Day crafts ideas for kids ebook. There are four homemade Valentines. There are six Valentine's Day decorations. There are six gifts for kids to make. There are five school party crafts to make.
In the current Publix Green Advantage Flyer that you can pick up inside any Publix (as long as they have not run out of them) you can find this Publix store coupon: $5.00/Any 2 Mix or Match: Os-Cal, Citrucel, Ecotrin, Feosol, Geritol, Tagamet, Debrox, Vivarin, Gaviscon, Phazyme, Sominex, Gly-Oxide or Contac
Pair this coupon with the manufacturer coupons from this website HERE and you can score FREE Phazyme, Sominex or Vivarin.
The manufacturer coupons available on the site are $2 off 1 box of Phazyme, Sominex or Vivarin and you can print each of these coupons twice. The smallest box of Phazyme is $3.49 and the Sominex/Vivarin are $3.19 a box.
Publix allows you to pair one store coupon and one manufacturer coupon per item so follow this scenario and you can get 2 boxes each of the meds free:
Buy 2 Phazyme, 2 Vivarin and 2 Sominex use 2 Phazyme $2/1 manufacturer coupons and 1 Publix $5/2 use 2 Vivarin $2/1 manufacturer coupons and 1 Publix $5/2 use 2 Sominex $2/1 manufacturer coupons and 1 Publix $5/2
If you are lucky your Publix will allow what is known as overage. This means that when you use these coupons you can take the rest of the value of the coupons towards the rest of your groceries. For example- 2 Sominex is $6.38 The coupons will get you $9 off your bill leaving $2.62 overage that can be applied to the rest of your grocery bill if your store allows.
Now that I'm ready to start blogging again-let's do a giveaway!
I have two free tickets to the Valentine's Day Comedy Show at Hard Rock Cafe!!
If you would like to have them enter below =) The winner will be chosen Saturday morning and notified at that time to be able to make plans to enjoy the show.
Who is playing? Dan Levy Showtime is 9 pm; seating begins at 8:30pm
I've been getting people asking me where the freebie posts have been and have not been able to respond. I figured it best to respond via this post rather than one person at a time.
My mother-in-law Betty Grant has been ill for quite some time. She has battled with miscellaneous cancers and ailments and after one last stay in the hospital she requested to go home and succumbed to her illness early this morning at 5:26 am.
Goodbye Betty. I'll miss you! Today the heavens gain another angel. XOXOXO
The services will be this weekend and hopefully on Monday I'll be able to get back in the Freebie spirit, but I'm sure you can all understand my delay in responding to anyone let alone posting to this site.
Thanks for your patience and support in this matter.
