The Deal: $29 for Four Salsa Lessons*.
I may have mentioned this before, but I’m very lazy. I don’t particularly enjoy working out. So, to trick myself into doing things that are active, I have to buy deals for lots of fun and exciting activities that have a side effect of burning questions. Enter, Salsa at Extreme Dancesport!
These classes are a ridiculous amount of fun. I am really, really enjoying myself. You do have to sign up for a full series of four classes in a row, so I had to make an effort to actually find four Tuesdays where I didn’t have any other plans. I’m glad I did. The instructor is fun and vivacious. It’s a big class, so she has an advanced student helping her. She takes time to make sure everyone can get close enough to see her feet to follow what we’re doing. She goes through the steps slowly, with and without music, and makes sure that everyone gets it before moving on. So, I’m learning how to dance, I’m burning calories, and - it’s fun!
I’m assuming that I am not the only person who bought this deal, because the classes are huge. We have so many people that the instructor was surprised to walk in and see us all the first time. That’s good and bad - it’s good if you want to hide in the middle and hope no one notices how bad you are (except when you rotate to the front). It’s good because I suspect it’s a gold mine for the studio, and they’ll offer more deals in the future - after all, 40 students for a four-class series at $29 earns them more money than 10 students for the series at $60 per person - and they’ve got the space to hold a ton of people. I’d be tempted to go back at some point, if the timing were right. I will note that there were far more women than men (not surprising) and that most of the men were there with their fiancés to learn to dance for their wedding (and, by “most”, I mean “all but one”). The instructor is really good about rotating us around so everyone gets a partner, but, if you’re female, be prepared to spend some time dancing alone. Either way, be prepared to have a blast.
Cost: $29
Value: $60
Savings: $31
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,379.92.
-------
* This link is to Amazon, because I couldn't find the Living Social link, which is where I bought it. However, the deal is the same.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Fun Fact - Airline Reward Miles
Many frequent flier programs have special shopping websites where customers can earn additional miles by making purchases through their websites. I know that Living Social and Groupon have deals with both Delta and United (I don't know about the other airlines, but it's easy enough to check). So, if you're planning to buy deals anyway, and you usually fly on the same airline, check it out - you can get one mile per dollar spent, which can add up over time.
Nothing earth-shattering, but, hey, why not?
Nothing earth-shattering, but, hey, why not?
Monday, October 1, 2012
Bites of Boston Food Tour - the South End
The Deal: $33 for Bites of Boston Food Tour of the South End.
I admit, I was much more interested in the food here than the history. However, I learned a lot. I hear this deal is also offered fairly regularly, which is good, because I want to get another one when I have company in town. I actually think everyone on the tour had bought the same deal. The vouchers aren’t valid on Saturdays, though, so keep that in mind if your guests are only in the area for a limited time.
We started at The Parish Cafe II for bites of chipotle meatloaf sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy. Much like the owner of the cafe, I grew up with a large family that ate a lot of meatloaf - and I hated it. Needles to say, this sandwich was far better than the meatloaf I remember from my childhood. Next, we had bacon wrapped figs, stuffed with almonds at Orinoco Kitchen (YUM!). The vegetarians got what I believe was a cheese-stuffed plantain? It also looked pretty good. On to Flour, which was great, because my friend had just told me how awesome it was. We got a Chunky Lola cookie, which was really good, even though it has ingredients that I ordinarily don't care for (that's the point, right? Branching out?). We also got fried clams from Morse Fish Company, then we got to sample two cheeses at South End Formaggio. The cheese was amazing - I'm going back. Finally, we wound up at the Upper Crust Pizzeria, which was delicious, as usual. As you’re trying all these delicious things, you’re also walking around the South End, learning about the history, and the culture, and the people who live there. I was pleasantly full at the end, but not stuffed. There's a good amount of food, but ti's not overwhelming.
Even if you have food issues, they worked with people to get them substitutes for things they couldn’t eat. They also send out information in advance re: what to wear, where to park, bring water, and things like that. They have a website that makes signing up easy.
The tour guide was friendly, interesting, and informative. I intend to look and see what other tours they offer in other locations. I don’t know that it would be worth spending full price, but with the discount, I had a very nice afternoon, and I felt like I really got good value. Plus, I now know all the good places to eat in the South End! (and even went back to try a different one yesterday.)
Cost: $33
Value: $52
Savings: $19.00
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,349.82.
I admit, I was much more interested in the food here than the history. However, I learned a lot. I hear this deal is also offered fairly regularly, which is good, because I want to get another one when I have company in town. I actually think everyone on the tour had bought the same deal. The vouchers aren’t valid on Saturdays, though, so keep that in mind if your guests are only in the area for a limited time.
We started at The Parish Cafe II for bites of chipotle meatloaf sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy. Much like the owner of the cafe, I grew up with a large family that ate a lot of meatloaf - and I hated it. Needles to say, this sandwich was far better than the meatloaf I remember from my childhood. Next, we had bacon wrapped figs, stuffed with almonds at Orinoco Kitchen (YUM!). The vegetarians got what I believe was a cheese-stuffed plantain? It also looked pretty good. On to Flour, which was great, because my friend had just told me how awesome it was. We got a Chunky Lola cookie, which was really good, even though it has ingredients that I ordinarily don't care for (that's the point, right? Branching out?). We also got fried clams from Morse Fish Company, then we got to sample two cheeses at South End Formaggio. The cheese was amazing - I'm going back. Finally, we wound up at the Upper Crust Pizzeria, which was delicious, as usual. As you’re trying all these delicious things, you’re also walking around the South End, learning about the history, and the culture, and the people who live there. I was pleasantly full at the end, but not stuffed. There's a good amount of food, but ti's not overwhelming.
Even if you have food issues, they worked with people to get them substitutes for things they couldn’t eat. They also send out information in advance re: what to wear, where to park, bring water, and things like that. They have a website that makes signing up easy.
The tour guide was friendly, interesting, and informative. I intend to look and see what other tours they offer in other locations. I don’t know that it would be worth spending full price, but with the discount, I had a very nice afternoon, and I felt like I really got good value. Plus, I now know all the good places to eat in the South End! (and even went back to try a different one yesterday.)
Cost: $33
Value: $52
Savings: $19.00
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,349.82.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Newport Dinner Train
The Deal: $99 for a Dinner Train for Two Newport Dinner Train.
I’m going to file this one under “Not sure I actually saved any money,” but I had a lovely evening. The deal stated that, for $99, you could get a dinner train for two people, with an ordinary price of $168 (for savings of $69). The fine print states that this does not include gratuity - fine. Whenever I use a Groupon, I tip on the full price of the meal. So, you have to pay $23 on top of the voucher price (this is the amount they tell you when you book the reservation). I bought this awhile ago, but I usually do my research in advance, and I swear I went to the website to look up the full price before buying the voucher. After all, it’s only a deal if you’re saving money, right?
So, the Newport Dinner Train has two options - Murder Mystery Dinner Theater, or Romancing the Rails candlelit dinner for two. The reason that I bought the deal is that I have always, always, always wanted to go to a Murder Mystery Dinner Theater. The addition of the train was really just a bonus. The Murder Mystery Tour is currently$68.95 per person, so the total for two people would be $137.90, not the $168 printed on the website. Again, I thought I looked into this earlier, so I’m not really sure where the discrepancy is. Late season discount? Maybe. The Romancing the Rails Dinner is only $59.95 per person, so that’s $119.90 for two. That’s only $20 more than the voucher price.
The people were very nice. There was a scheduling mix-up, and they were really great about working with me to find a date that I could still go, even though it was something that was in no way their fault. They returned phone calls and emails promptly. They agreed to extend the vouchers through the end of October so we could still use them (that ended up not being necessary, but I appreciate the gesture).
Onto the tour. We wound up on the romance train, instead of the Murder Mystery. The ambiance was good. The ribs were absolutely delicious. I can’t speak for the chicken, because my boyfriend ate it so fast he forgot to offer me a bite, but that seems like a good sign. The salad was simple, but something about it was very satisfying. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but - no need. It was delicious, and I really enjoyed it. The green beans and mashed potatoes were also excellent. Dessert was cheesecake with chocolate sauce. I’m not a huge fan but, as cheesecake goes, it’s tasty. As we were eating, we took a train along the beach at sunset - absolutely beautiful views. We also learned about the history, economy, and geography of Rhode Island (Wait. It’s really an island??? Seriously???) We had a lovely evening. I don’t know that I would recommend driving all the way to Newport to do it (even at a discount), but if you’re going to be in the area, anyway, it’s definitely something to consider for a different experience that is more interesting than just getting dinner somewhere.
Cost: $99
Estimated Value: $119.90
Estimated Savings: $20.90.
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,330.82
I’m going to file this one under “Not sure I actually saved any money,” but I had a lovely evening. The deal stated that, for $99, you could get a dinner train for two people, with an ordinary price of $168 (for savings of $69). The fine print states that this does not include gratuity - fine. Whenever I use a Groupon, I tip on the full price of the meal. So, you have to pay $23 on top of the voucher price (this is the amount they tell you when you book the reservation). I bought this awhile ago, but I usually do my research in advance, and I swear I went to the website to look up the full price before buying the voucher. After all, it’s only a deal if you’re saving money, right?
So, the Newport Dinner Train has two options - Murder Mystery Dinner Theater, or Romancing the Rails candlelit dinner for two. The reason that I bought the deal is that I have always, always, always wanted to go to a Murder Mystery Dinner Theater. The addition of the train was really just a bonus. The Murder Mystery Tour is currently$68.95 per person, so the total for two people would be $137.90, not the $168 printed on the website. Again, I thought I looked into this earlier, so I’m not really sure where the discrepancy is. Late season discount? Maybe. The Romancing the Rails Dinner is only $59.95 per person, so that’s $119.90 for two. That’s only $20 more than the voucher price.
The people were very nice. There was a scheduling mix-up, and they were really great about working with me to find a date that I could still go, even though it was something that was in no way their fault. They returned phone calls and emails promptly. They agreed to extend the vouchers through the end of October so we could still use them (that ended up not being necessary, but I appreciate the gesture).
Onto the tour. We wound up on the romance train, instead of the Murder Mystery. The ambiance was good. The ribs were absolutely delicious. I can’t speak for the chicken, because my boyfriend ate it so fast he forgot to offer me a bite, but that seems like a good sign. The salad was simple, but something about it was very satisfying. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but - no need. It was delicious, and I really enjoyed it. The green beans and mashed potatoes were also excellent. Dessert was cheesecake with chocolate sauce. I’m not a huge fan but, as cheesecake goes, it’s tasty. As we were eating, we took a train along the beach at sunset - absolutely beautiful views. We also learned about the history, economy, and geography of Rhode Island (Wait. It’s really an island??? Seriously???) We had a lovely evening. I don’t know that I would recommend driving all the way to Newport to do it (even at a discount), but if you’re going to be in the area, anyway, it’s definitely something to consider for a different experience that is more interesting than just getting dinner somewhere.
Cost: $99
Estimated Value: $119.90
Estimated Savings: $20.90.
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,330.82
Monday, September 17, 2012
New England Dessert Showcase
The Deal: $20 for VIP Access to the New England Dessert Showcase.
Now, this event has some pretty low reviews on Yelp, but I actually had a nice time (Note: I did not have the problems getting in that many people reported. There was no line). Then again, I do understand that the VIP access really turned out not to be all that it was cracked up to be. First, it includes admission to a kick-off party the night before and a wrap-up party the day after. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I don’t really have an entire two days to devote to delicious desserts (although I wish I did). Also, I didn’t appreciate being automatically subscribed to the Anthem Entertainment Newsletter when I signed up for the deal - I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have checked a box agreeing to that. Anyway, my bigger issue was that, apparently, so many people RSVPed to the kickoff party that they split it into two locations - which means that my friends and I were separated, and the end result was that most of us chose not to go. That’s OK, though, right? After all, I’m still getting a bunch of delicious desserts for $20, and a VIP gift bag.
The gift bag left much to be desired. Honestly, it was nothing but ads for other businesses, and coupons for places that aren’t convenient enough to me that I’m likely to ever go. The one saving grace was that it also included what turned out to be a $10 gift card for Finale - and I guarantee, I can use that. Even better - I went with a friend visiting from out of state. They don’t have Finale in her area, so she gave me her gift card, and I wound up with $20. Since Finale does brunch, I’m pretty happy with that. We did also each get a raffle ticket, although I won nothing. Had I won Red Sox box tickets, I think I would be even happier with this deal.
On to the event itself - dessert, dessert, dessert. YUM! I wish I’d brought Tupperware (of course, that may not have been allowed). They had everything your heart could desire - fruit tortes, parfaits, chocolate-covered strawberries, cinnamon rolls, brownies, cookies, candy, and, my personal favorite - warm lava cake topped with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, and candy. YUM. It was amazing. Even though I managed to stuff myself ridiculously in the first hour, all things considered, $20 for a delicious brunch is not a bad deal. Also, I enjoyed the chocolate tempering presentation from Finale’s Executive Chef, even though she ultimately used the chocolate to make peanut brittle, which I didn’t get to try. Ah, well. Had I paid full price for this VIP ticket, I would have been pretty disappointed (not even a drink ticket, and the drinks were expensive). But, for $20, I had a nice time with my friends, and enjoyed a new experience, and I was happy.
Also, when the whole thing was over, they had a promotion where the first twenty people to email them with their favorite dessert received free admission to Anthem’s next event - so I now get to go to their Spa Bar Event at the end of the month at no cost. Not bad for $20.
Cost: $20.00
Value: $40.00
Savings: $20.00**
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,309.92
**This total doesn’t include the value of the Finale gift cards, so, technically, I got back the $20 that I spent on the admission.
Now, this event has some pretty low reviews on Yelp, but I actually had a nice time (Note: I did not have the problems getting in that many people reported. There was no line). Then again, I do understand that the VIP access really turned out not to be all that it was cracked up to be. First, it includes admission to a kick-off party the night before and a wrap-up party the day after. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I don’t really have an entire two days to devote to delicious desserts (although I wish I did). Also, I didn’t appreciate being automatically subscribed to the Anthem Entertainment Newsletter when I signed up for the deal - I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have checked a box agreeing to that. Anyway, my bigger issue was that, apparently, so many people RSVPed to the kickoff party that they split it into two locations - which means that my friends and I were separated, and the end result was that most of us chose not to go. That’s OK, though, right? After all, I’m still getting a bunch of delicious desserts for $20, and a VIP gift bag.
The gift bag left much to be desired. Honestly, it was nothing but ads for other businesses, and coupons for places that aren’t convenient enough to me that I’m likely to ever go. The one saving grace was that it also included what turned out to be a $10 gift card for Finale - and I guarantee, I can use that. Even better - I went with a friend visiting from out of state. They don’t have Finale in her area, so she gave me her gift card, and I wound up with $20. Since Finale does brunch, I’m pretty happy with that. We did also each get a raffle ticket, although I won nothing. Had I won Red Sox box tickets, I think I would be even happier with this deal.
On to the event itself - dessert, dessert, dessert. YUM! I wish I’d brought Tupperware (of course, that may not have been allowed). They had everything your heart could desire - fruit tortes, parfaits, chocolate-covered strawberries, cinnamon rolls, brownies, cookies, candy, and, my personal favorite - warm lava cake topped with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, and candy. YUM. It was amazing. Even though I managed to stuff myself ridiculously in the first hour, all things considered, $20 for a delicious brunch is not a bad deal. Also, I enjoyed the chocolate tempering presentation from Finale’s Executive Chef, even though she ultimately used the chocolate to make peanut brittle, which I didn’t get to try. Ah, well. Had I paid full price for this VIP ticket, I would have been pretty disappointed (not even a drink ticket, and the drinks were expensive). But, for $20, I had a nice time with my friends, and enjoyed a new experience, and I was happy.
Also, when the whole thing was over, they had a promotion where the first twenty people to email them with their favorite dessert received free admission to Anthem’s next event - so I now get to go to their Spa Bar Event at the end of the month at no cost. Not bad for $20.
Cost: $20.00
Value: $40.00
Savings: $20.00**
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,309.92
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Starbucks
The Deal: $5 for $10 at Starbucks.**
This may be the greatest deal I’ve ever found. I don’t like Starbucks. I think it’s insanely over-priced, way too busy, and the coffee tastes burnt. It’s not good. Worse, once Sarbucks became so popular, everyone else started charging way too much for their coffee, because they can. I am primarily a mocha drinker, and there is something very wrong with the chocolate they use. I’m not the only one who thinks so. (Thanks to my best friend for pointing out that their non-chocolate drinks might not make me ill. Unfortunately, I only like mochas and regular coffee.) Oh, and the drinks I do like? Have roughly 400 calories, which means that I have to choose a mocha or lunch.
I know what you’re thinking - why would you buy this, if you hate Starbucks? Because everyone else in the entire world loves them. My best friend goes there at least once a day. My boyfriend goes there all the time. People are constantly wanting to meet at Starbucks, stop at Starbucks, etc. Plus, I travel fairly frequently, and they’re everywhere. In my hometown, it’s the only convenient place for getting work done when necessary. I can’t avoid the place - as much as I hate it, and as much as I make the effort to look for smaller, privately owned coffee shops I can go to instead, So, if I’m going to be forced to go to a coffee shop that I can’t stand, I might as well get the coffee for half-price. I guarantee I'll use the $10 without even trying. So, thank you, Living Social, I am extremely grateful.
I do have the Starbucks app on my phone, because I get gifts from other people sometimes, and this deal loaded right onto the app, no problem. It just lists two cards now, instead of one - $10 from this deal, and $4 left from a gift I got from Christmas last year (like I said, I don't go there often). Just need to pick the right one to make sure this $10 gets used before March, and I'm good. Easy. Yay for saving on (mediocre) coffee (that I have to buy, anyway)!
Cost: $5.00
Value: $10.00
Savings: $5.00
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,289.92
** Living Social doesn’t let me link to their vouchers, and I can’t see the deal itself, so I hope you enjoy this Forbes article about it.
This may be the greatest deal I’ve ever found. I don’t like Starbucks. I think it’s insanely over-priced, way too busy, and the coffee tastes burnt. It’s not good. Worse, once Sarbucks became so popular, everyone else started charging way too much for their coffee, because they can. I am primarily a mocha drinker, and there is something very wrong with the chocolate they use. I’m not the only one who thinks so. (Thanks to my best friend for pointing out that their non-chocolate drinks might not make me ill. Unfortunately, I only like mochas and regular coffee.) Oh, and the drinks I do like? Have roughly 400 calories, which means that I have to choose a mocha or lunch.
I know what you’re thinking - why would you buy this, if you hate Starbucks? Because everyone else in the entire world loves them. My best friend goes there at least once a day. My boyfriend goes there all the time. People are constantly wanting to meet at Starbucks, stop at Starbucks, etc. Plus, I travel fairly frequently, and they’re everywhere. In my hometown, it’s the only convenient place for getting work done when necessary. I can’t avoid the place - as much as I hate it, and as much as I make the effort to look for smaller, privately owned coffee shops I can go to instead, So, if I’m going to be forced to go to a coffee shop that I can’t stand, I might as well get the coffee for half-price. I guarantee I'll use the $10 without even trying. So, thank you, Living Social, I am extremely grateful.
I do have the Starbucks app on my phone, because I get gifts from other people sometimes, and this deal loaded right onto the app, no problem. It just lists two cards now, instead of one - $10 from this deal, and $4 left from a gift I got from Christmas last year (like I said, I don't go there often). Just need to pick the right one to make sure this $10 gets used before March, and I'm good. Easy. Yay for saving on (mediocre) coffee (that I have to buy, anyway)!
Cost: $5.00
Value: $10.00
Savings: $5.00
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,289.92
** Living Social doesn’t let me link to their vouchers, and I can’t see the deal itself, so I hope you enjoy this Forbes article about it.
Friday, September 14, 2012
New Service - Zozi
Just found another one of these sites - check it out! It's called Zozi, and I just made my first purchase - painting classes, complete with wine, for $25. I'll be posting the details soon. In the meantime, you can get $10 in credit by using the following link and signing up for the service.
Yes, I want $10!
I've been lax, not because I'm not buying/using deals, but because I've been busy. No worries - lots more deals to discuss, coming soon.
Yes, I want $10!
I've been lax, not because I'm not buying/using deals, but because I've been busy. No worries - lots more deals to discuss, coming soon.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
DealsGoRound Changing Their Look
I haven't explored too deeply yet, but, essentially, here's what I've learned.
- The new site can be found at www.mycabbage.com
- You can upload all your deals from sites like Groupon or LivingSocial and have them all in one site. If you're like me, and you buy crazy numbers of deals all the time, this can be really helpful for two reasons.
- You can see which ones are expiring.
- You can share with your friends and plan events.
- They're no longer charging a fee to sell your deals.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Sea to You Sushi in Brookline
The Deal: $30 for Sushi-Making Class.
This deal runs every couple of months. The link is to an old page, but the deals are available frequently. Essentially, for $30, you can go to this place in Brookline, learn how to roll your own rolls - regular, inside-out, and jumbo rolls. We also learned how to do fancy cuts, which means impressing your friends (and charging more, in restaurants). You can eat as much as you want while you’re there, and you can take more home with you. Bring tupperware - they’ll give you a plate with some plastic wrap, but I had way too much to effectively take it home that way.
There are two classes on Saturdays, at 1 and 3 pm. I paid $3 for avocado, because I don't like cucumber and didn't want to end up with a bunch of rolls with nothing but tuna in them. I didn't really need to worry - they also had sweet potato and carrots, in addition to the cucumber - and fish. We had crab legs, cooked tuna, cooked salmon, and, as a special treat, raw tuna. There was spicy sauce, eel sauce, and sesame seeds to top off the rolls.
This is better than the average lunch or dinner deal, because it was interactive. We got the food, which was yummy, but we also now know how to make sushi, which should come in handy at my dinner club next month. I would highly recommend this deal to anyone who likes sushi and/or cooking/entertaining. It was a really good way to spend a Saturday afternoon (and I’m still eating the leftovers).
Cost: $60 (I bought two)
Value: $120
Savings: $60
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,284.92
This deal runs every couple of months. The link is to an old page, but the deals are available frequently. Essentially, for $30, you can go to this place in Brookline, learn how to roll your own rolls - regular, inside-out, and jumbo rolls. We also learned how to do fancy cuts, which means impressing your friends (and charging more, in restaurants). You can eat as much as you want while you’re there, and you can take more home with you. Bring tupperware - they’ll give you a plate with some plastic wrap, but I had way too much to effectively take it home that way.
There are two classes on Saturdays, at 1 and 3 pm. I paid $3 for avocado, because I don't like cucumber and didn't want to end up with a bunch of rolls with nothing but tuna in them. I didn't really need to worry - they also had sweet potato and carrots, in addition to the cucumber - and fish. We had crab legs, cooked tuna, cooked salmon, and, as a special treat, raw tuna. There was spicy sauce, eel sauce, and sesame seeds to top off the rolls.
This is better than the average lunch or dinner deal, because it was interactive. We got the food, which was yummy, but we also now know how to make sushi, which should come in handy at my dinner club next month. I would highly recommend this deal to anyone who likes sushi and/or cooking/entertaining. It was a really good way to spend a Saturday afternoon (and I’m still eating the leftovers).
Cost: $60 (I bought two)
Value: $120
Savings: $60
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,284.92
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Evolve Fitness in Cambridge/Framingham
The Deal: $20 for 20 visits to Evolve Fitness in Cambridge.
So, I admit it. I screwed up this deal. Groupon was offering two options - 20 visits for $20 or 30 visits for $30. I took the 20 visits, because I travel a lot and wasn’t sure I’d make it to the gym 30 times before January (Yes, you read that right - I wasn’t sure I’d make it to the gym 30 times in more than six months, starting when I bought this in June. Bite me.). Now, having been to the facility a couple of times, I really wish I’d gone for the extra 10 visits. It’s really nice. I want to go more, but I’m not prepared to spring for a membership right now. (For an overview of their sales techniques and how I felt about them, check out my Yelp review.) Also, they have two facilities, even though I've only been to the Cambridge one. But it could be convenient, even if you're not near Cambridge. They run these deals all the time - I found three within the past year or so, so it's not too late to find another one.
The main issue here is that you have to listen to their sales pitch before the workout, and sometimes when you leave. My last visit there was in the middle of the day, and everyone left me alone. Did they see my review? I don’t know. But I appreciated just being allowed to work out in peace. The upshot is that I really could, if I wanted, use my Groupon to take weekly spin classes for four months, for $20. I could even go twice some weeks. It’s an awesome deal. I’m sure I’ll use all 20 visits before January, but, if I wind up not having time, I’m confident that I’ll get my money’s worth.
The class schedule is really nice - they have a variety of classes, both in the mornings and the evenings. You’re allowed to call and schedule a place in the class up to 24 hours in advance, so you never have to worry about showing up and not being able to get in. There are also different types of classes - cardio, weights, a combination, spin, yoga… I even saw a note about capoeira classes on Monday nights, which I really want to look into. The parking lot is a fair size, and they have agreements with other businesses in the area to use their parking lots during peak gym hours. There’s a list at the front desk. The place is clean, and they have TRXs, which I like.
So, essentially, I moved to my new place a year ago, I’ve been able to work out every single time I’ve ever wanted to (unless I actually go kamikaze and go to the gym 18 times in the next 15 days), I’ve managed to visit several different facilities, I haven’t had to sign a single contract, and I’ve spent less than $100. Awesome.
Cost: $20
Value: $175
Savings: $155
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,224.92
So, I admit it. I screwed up this deal. Groupon was offering two options - 20 visits for $20 or 30 visits for $30. I took the 20 visits, because I travel a lot and wasn’t sure I’d make it to the gym 30 times before January (Yes, you read that right - I wasn’t sure I’d make it to the gym 30 times in more than six months, starting when I bought this in June. Bite me.). Now, having been to the facility a couple of times, I really wish I’d gone for the extra 10 visits. It’s really nice. I want to go more, but I’m not prepared to spring for a membership right now. (For an overview of their sales techniques and how I felt about them, check out my Yelp review.) Also, they have two facilities, even though I've only been to the Cambridge one. But it could be convenient, even if you're not near Cambridge. They run these deals all the time - I found three within the past year or so, so it's not too late to find another one.
The main issue here is that you have to listen to their sales pitch before the workout, and sometimes when you leave. My last visit there was in the middle of the day, and everyone left me alone. Did they see my review? I don’t know. But I appreciated just being allowed to work out in peace. The upshot is that I really could, if I wanted, use my Groupon to take weekly spin classes for four months, for $20. I could even go twice some weeks. It’s an awesome deal. I’m sure I’ll use all 20 visits before January, but, if I wind up not having time, I’m confident that I’ll get my money’s worth.
The class schedule is really nice - they have a variety of classes, both in the mornings and the evenings. You’re allowed to call and schedule a place in the class up to 24 hours in advance, so you never have to worry about showing up and not being able to get in. There are also different types of classes - cardio, weights, a combination, spin, yoga… I even saw a note about capoeira classes on Monday nights, which I really want to look into. The parking lot is a fair size, and they have agreements with other businesses in the area to use their parking lots during peak gym hours. There’s a list at the front desk. The place is clean, and they have TRXs, which I like.
So, essentially, I moved to my new place a year ago, I’ve been able to work out every single time I’ve ever wanted to (unless I actually go kamikaze and go to the gym 18 times in the next 15 days), I’ve managed to visit several different facilities, I haven’t had to sign a single contract, and I’ve spent less than $100. Awesome.
Cost: $20
Value: $175
Savings: $155
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,224.92
Monday, July 23, 2012
Davide Restaurant, the North End
The Deal:$14 for $35 at Davide Restaurant.
I’ve been meaning to try Groupon Now for awhile now, but I usually have a place in mind when I’m going out to eat, or I’m in an area where it’s not available. Tonight, I found myself downtown, wanting to eat out with a friend, with no idea where to go. So, I pulled out my phone to see what I could find. Davide is on Commercial Street, near the water, so it was a nice walk on a hot summer night.
Groupon Now is an interesting idea. You pull up deals near your physical location, and, once purchased, you have until a specified time to use them (this one happened to expire at 9:00 p.m. I think it’s usually at closing.). If for some reason you aren’t able to use the deal by the end of the day, Groupon automatically refunds your money. So, you can change your mind and not lose anything.
First, and this is important - you cannot access your voucher on your phone once you get to the restaurant. It’s in a dead zone. Pull up the voucher first and take a screen shot so you can give them the number, because your phone won’t work there. Mine didn’t, and this apparently happens often. Luckily, they offered to take $35 off, and they allowed me to call with the voucher number once I got to a place that had service. (If they hadn’t, Groupon would have refunded my $14, but that’s not the point - I chose to eat there because of the deal).
The place is downstairs, and it’s very nice. The atmosphere is rather intimate, yet there’s peppy music playing. It was a little incongruous, but I liked it. Our bread was a little burnt, as was the bruschetta. Honestly, the bruschetta tasted mostly like olive oil. The salad was fine - but it was literally field greens with a bit of vinaigrette for $9. I know, I know - what else do you expect from a “field greens” salad on the menu? Some tomatoes or nuts might have been nice. Maybe some red onions. I don’t know. The entrée was very good, though - I got veal scaloppini with prosciutto and fontina, on a mountain of polenta (which looked like mashed potatoes, so I had a bit of surprise when I took a bite), and sautéed spinach on top. It was all very well prepared. I don’t know if I’d want to pay full price, but the end result was that we got a tasty meal for about half the normal cost, so this deal is definitely worth using, if you’re in the area.
Cost: $14.00
Value: $35.00
Savings: $21.00
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,069.92.
I’ve been meaning to try Groupon Now for awhile now, but I usually have a place in mind when I’m going out to eat, or I’m in an area where it’s not available. Tonight, I found myself downtown, wanting to eat out with a friend, with no idea where to go. So, I pulled out my phone to see what I could find. Davide is on Commercial Street, near the water, so it was a nice walk on a hot summer night.
Groupon Now is an interesting idea. You pull up deals near your physical location, and, once purchased, you have until a specified time to use them (this one happened to expire at 9:00 p.m. I think it’s usually at closing.). If for some reason you aren’t able to use the deal by the end of the day, Groupon automatically refunds your money. So, you can change your mind and not lose anything.
First, and this is important - you cannot access your voucher on your phone once you get to the restaurant. It’s in a dead zone. Pull up the voucher first and take a screen shot so you can give them the number, because your phone won’t work there. Mine didn’t, and this apparently happens often. Luckily, they offered to take $35 off, and they allowed me to call with the voucher number once I got to a place that had service. (If they hadn’t, Groupon would have refunded my $14, but that’s not the point - I chose to eat there because of the deal).
The place is downstairs, and it’s very nice. The atmosphere is rather intimate, yet there’s peppy music playing. It was a little incongruous, but I liked it. Our bread was a little burnt, as was the bruschetta. Honestly, the bruschetta tasted mostly like olive oil. The salad was fine - but it was literally field greens with a bit of vinaigrette for $9. I know, I know - what else do you expect from a “field greens” salad on the menu? Some tomatoes or nuts might have been nice. Maybe some red onions. I don’t know. The entrée was very good, though - I got veal scaloppini with prosciutto and fontina, on a mountain of polenta (which looked like mashed potatoes, so I had a bit of surprise when I took a bite), and sautéed spinach on top. It was all very well prepared. I don’t know if I’d want to pay full price, but the end result was that we got a tasty meal for about half the normal cost, so this deal is definitely worth using, if you’re in the area.
Cost: $14.00
Value: $35.00
Savings: $21.00
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,069.92.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
New England Aquarium Whale Watch
The Deal: New England Aquarium Whale Watch - $22.00.
So, this deal didn’t really work out as well as anticipated. It’s not entirely Living Social’s Fault, or the New England Aquarium Whale Watch, but I still don’t feel that I necessarily got the benefit of my bargain. We did have a lovely time, though.
First of all, you are supposed to be able to show the voucher to redeem the deal. What no one tells you is that you need to give the Aquarium the number off your voucher to schedule your reservation. As soon as you do that, the voucher is marked as “used”… and you can neither print it to bring it with you nor use the app to pull it up on your phone. This was a problem, because no one mentioned it before we made our reservations. So, if you want to use a similar deal in the future, do yourself a favor and print the voucher in advance.
Second…. in retrospect, perhaps I should not have purchased a deal that was 100% dependent on having nice weather in New England. The vouchers expired June 15. We scheduled a whale watch for June 2. It poured all day. The weather was terrible. We got a call, after we were about halfway there, that the watch had been cancelled. (All was not lost, though, because we had free passes to the Aquarium.) At that point, there was only 13 days left to use the voucher, and I was scheduled to be out of town for the only intervening weekend. Luckily, they told us that we could have until the end of June to use the vouchers. So, we schedule another watch for June 16. Annnnnnnnnnnnnd - the weather sucked on June 16. We couldn’t go.
Most people who had scheduled whale watches for that day were issued refunds. We couldn’t get a full refund, obviously, because we hadn’t paid full price. We also couldn’t reschedule because, well, it’s summer, and we’re busy people. We won’t both be in town again between June 15 - June 30, which is the absolute last day we could use the vouchers for $22. So, they gave us the option of doing the Harbor Tour instead. But not at half price. We didn’t have to pay for it, but the Harbor Tour usually only costs about $24. So, we saved $2 each. Not really the deal I was hoping to get.
Don’t get me wrong. The Harbor Tour was lovely. We had a really nice time. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see any whales. And it wasn’t quite the awesome deal I expected. So, if you want to ever do a deal that depends on nice weather, make sure all necessary parties will be in town to actually use it before it expires. (Or maybe considering not living in New England…)
Cost: $22
Estimated Value: $24
Estimated Savings: $2
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,048.92.
So, this deal didn’t really work out as well as anticipated. It’s not entirely Living Social’s Fault, or the New England Aquarium Whale Watch, but I still don’t feel that I necessarily got the benefit of my bargain. We did have a lovely time, though.
First of all, you are supposed to be able to show the voucher to redeem the deal. What no one tells you is that you need to give the Aquarium the number off your voucher to schedule your reservation. As soon as you do that, the voucher is marked as “used”… and you can neither print it to bring it with you nor use the app to pull it up on your phone. This was a problem, because no one mentioned it before we made our reservations. So, if you want to use a similar deal in the future, do yourself a favor and print the voucher in advance.
Second…. in retrospect, perhaps I should not have purchased a deal that was 100% dependent on having nice weather in New England. The vouchers expired June 15. We scheduled a whale watch for June 2. It poured all day. The weather was terrible. We got a call, after we were about halfway there, that the watch had been cancelled. (All was not lost, though, because we had free passes to the Aquarium.) At that point, there was only 13 days left to use the voucher, and I was scheduled to be out of town for the only intervening weekend. Luckily, they told us that we could have until the end of June to use the vouchers. So, we schedule another watch for June 16. Annnnnnnnnnnnnd - the weather sucked on June 16. We couldn’t go.
Most people who had scheduled whale watches for that day were issued refunds. We couldn’t get a full refund, obviously, because we hadn’t paid full price. We also couldn’t reschedule because, well, it’s summer, and we’re busy people. We won’t both be in town again between June 15 - June 30, which is the absolute last day we could use the vouchers for $22. So, they gave us the option of doing the Harbor Tour instead. But not at half price. We didn’t have to pay for it, but the Harbor Tour usually only costs about $24. So, we saved $2 each. Not really the deal I was hoping to get.
Don’t get me wrong. The Harbor Tour was lovely. We had a really nice time. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see any whales. And it wasn’t quite the awesome deal I expected. So, if you want to ever do a deal that depends on nice weather, make sure all necessary parties will be in town to actually use it before it expires. (Or maybe considering not living in New England…)
Cost: $22
Estimated Value: $24
Estimated Savings: $2
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,048.92.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Fuji Steakhouse, Redux
Groupon is re-running their deal for Fuji Steakhouse in Needham. So, for the next 4 days you, too, have the option of buying a deal that will all you to enjoy up to $30 worth of delicious Japanese food at half price!
Click here.
Click here.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Deals on the Road - Denver
The Deal:15% off at the Table Mountain Inn
Well, I'm on the road visiting family, so I bring you this very special edition to talk about a slightly different kind of money-savings awesomeness - Yelp check in offers. Yes, I realize no one else can visit this place unless they're planning a trip to Denver, but the point is that Yelp check-in offers can be super useful.
I'm in an unfamiliar town, and looking for somewhere to enjoy a nice breakfast. So, I pull out my phone and open the Yelp app, looking for restaurants in the area. I then filter it further to weed out places that are not open at 8 am on a Sunday morning (my favorite filter, probably). And what do I see? The Table Mountain Inn, located a few miles away, gives me 15% off when I check in with Yelp while I'm there. They had exactly what I wanted for brunch (Eggs Benedict), at a reasonable price - plus I got a discount. That's wonderful! (I love Yelp check-in offers).
The food was pretty good. They have Eggs Benedict with shaved steak and a chipotle sauce, which was pretty good. The waitress never let my coffee cup get empty, despite having a ton of other customers to deal with. She was also very pleasant. I appreciate that brunch comes with a free cinnamon roll, and the fruit selection was pretty good. We got a pretty good brunch for three, for around $35.00.
Cost: The cost of brunch, pre-discount, was roughly $32.00.
Savings: $4.80.
Total Estimated Savings: $1,046.92.
Well, I'm on the road visiting family, so I bring you this very special edition to talk about a slightly different kind of money-savings awesomeness - Yelp check in offers. Yes, I realize no one else can visit this place unless they're planning a trip to Denver, but the point is that Yelp check-in offers can be super useful.
I'm in an unfamiliar town, and looking for somewhere to enjoy a nice breakfast. So, I pull out my phone and open the Yelp app, looking for restaurants in the area. I then filter it further to weed out places that are not open at 8 am on a Sunday morning (my favorite filter, probably). And what do I see? The Table Mountain Inn, located a few miles away, gives me 15% off when I check in with Yelp while I'm there. They had exactly what I wanted for brunch (Eggs Benedict), at a reasonable price - plus I got a discount. That's wonderful! (I love Yelp check-in offers).
The food was pretty good. They have Eggs Benedict with shaved steak and a chipotle sauce, which was pretty good. The waitress never let my coffee cup get empty, despite having a ton of other customers to deal with. She was also very pleasant. I appreciate that brunch comes with a free cinnamon roll, and the fruit selection was pretty good. We got a pretty good brunch for three, for around $35.00.
Cost: The cost of brunch, pre-discount, was roughly $32.00.
Savings: $4.80.
Total Estimated Savings: $1,046.92.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
FiRE + iCE in Cambridge and Boston
The Deal: FiRE + iCE: $22 for Dinner or Brunch and Dessert for Two.*
These deals also spring up periodically - sometimes for dinner, sometimes for brunch, or sometimes for either. Now, I have a group of friends that eats at FiRE + iCE once every few months, anyway. So, it was quite exciting to see that I could essentially treat one of my friends to a free meal, and try out one of the delicious desserts. Although I’ve been to FiRE + iCE roughly twenty times, I never actually tried a dessert before.
For those of you who haven’t been there, the beauty of FiRE + iCE is that you get to eat as much as you want. There’s a salad bar, and then there’s a bunch of meat, vegetables, pasta, etc. You grab a plate, fill it up, then choose one or more sauces from the sauce bar (my personal favorite is the mesquite barbecue sauce). You take your bowl of yumminess and your container of sauce to a giant round bar with a huge grill in the middle.** Then, you get to watch them make your food. They chop it up, throw it around, and create a delicious meal right there in front of you while you chat with your friends. For just $16.99, you can eat as much as you want. So, two meals for $22, plus dessert is a pretty good deal. I hear rumors that there’s some sort of other menu, but I’ve never actually investigated. I usually start with a giant spinach salad heaped with steak and bacon, then move on to fish tacos. They bring rice and tortillas to the table, so don’t get too confused when trying to figure out how to eat your delightful mound of meat and veggies (there’s also tofu, and burgers).
After going over the dessert menu, I thought the easiest to share would be the fondue. It was wonderful - lots of fun. We got this lovely molten dark chocolate pot, surrounded by pound cake, brownies, strawberries, marshmallows, bananas…. I can’t even remember it all. I feel like there may have been pineapple, but I don’t eat pineapple, so I could be wrong. What I do remember was that pound cake dipped in chocolate is delicious. The whole table was really excited when this dessert showed up (I got lots of fondue forks). We had fun with a group (obviously, most of the group had to pay for their own dinner), but this would also be a good deal to split on a date, or just with a friend.
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* My apologies. I purchased this one before Buy With Me was taken over by Gilt City, so I actually can’t find a working link to show you what the deal was. That means you’ll have to just take my word for it that it said what I say it does.
** If you have food allergies, they’ll take your food and cook it in the back on a different grill.
Cost: $22
Estimated Value: $42.97 (based on the dessert I ordered).
Estimated Savings: $20.97
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,042.12.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Villa Franchesca in the North End
The Deal: $15 for $30 Worth of Upscale Italian Dinner Cuisine at Villa Francesca in the North End.
I’ve seen deals from Villa Francesca posted at regular intervals, so you may have a shot at still getting one. It’s not valid on Saturday nights, though, so plan ahead. Also… of all the deals that I have used, and I have used quite a few (you may have noticed), this was the only one where I really feel like we received a lower quality of service. It was as if the waitress assumed that, because I had a discount, I was cheap and therefore not willing to tip well. I hate when people look at me, assume I’m not going to tip well, and then give me bad service accordingly. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy, because I really don’t want to tip you 20%+ when you’ve made me feel like I’m not really good enough for you to be bringing me food. The restaurant was empty, so that has nothing to do with it. I really felt that the waitress was friendlier before hearing that we had a Groupon. She was astonished when we ordered coffee following the meal, as if anyone who buys Groupons isn’t going to spend a penny over the value. It’s a discounted coupon, not a maximum spending limit.
Now, if you just want a good Italian meal in the North End, Villa Francesca is delicious (of course, I’ve never had a bad Italian meal in the North End). The menu is interesting, and everything was perfectly prepared. I like that they refuse to cook filet mignon more thoroughly than medium (it’s even on the menu). The menu is a little pricy, so I wouldn't be likely to go there without some sort of deal. I would just say that, if you have a deal, maybe you don’t want to tell the waitstaff that until the end of the meal.
Oh, and this has nothing to do with anything, but I appreciate that you can make reservations online.
Cost: $15
Value: $30
Savings: $15
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $1,000.15.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Ken's Steakhouse in Framingham
The Deal: $20 for $40 credit at Ken’s Steakhouse.
I have always wanted to try Ken’s Steakhouse. I’m always very curious when I see the salad dressing at the grocery store (because it’s a steakhouse, not a salad place). I’ve tried the sauces. Everything is good. And I’ve heard really good things about it. So, when this deal popped up, I was really excited. Not surprisingly, the deal sold out quickly. I’m just glad I grabbed it when I did.
I had my first taste of chateaubriand on a cruise I took with my best friend in 2003. It immediately became, hands-down, my favorite steak. I haven’t seen it on a menu since (or in a grocery store). I'm sure it's out there, but apparently my normal places aren't quite swanky enough. So, imagine my delight and amazement when I sat down at Ken’s, and - there it was!! Right there, just waiting for me to try it. It was cooked perfectly, and it just melted in my mouth. The waiter was friendly and helpful - I let him talk me into trying their signature salad dressing (I’m not a big fan of lemon), and it was wonderful. I’m so glad I did. He helped my friend pick out her entree, and she said that it was one of the best meals she’s ever had. Oh, and at the end of the meal, when we were fighting over which of us got to take the last bit of bread home, he brought us an entire new loaf.
The bottom line - this was one of the best meals I've ever had, and it only cost me $20.00. My mouth is watering just remembering it.
Cost: $20
Value: $40
Savings: $20
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $985.25
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Fuji Steakhouse in Needham
The Deal: $15 for $30 Toward Hibachi Dinner Fare and Sushi for Two .
This one is another lesson in reading the fine print - and one that I likey wouldn’t have purchased if I’d been paying more attention. So, fair warning! You have to read all of the terms and conditions of the deal, even if it looks obvious from the headline (and from knowing what the restaurant serves).
Fuji Steakhouse is my friend’s favorite sushi restaurant. So, when I saw this deal posted a few days before Christmas, I was excited. I could take her out, have a nice meal, and save a few bucks. Win! Unfortunately, actually redeeming the deal required two separate trips. I failed to notice that the deal was only for the hibachi, not sushi (probably because, as you can plainly see, the headline says “Hibachi and Sushi”). When the waitress pointed out that the teeny print does say “hibachi bar only,” we were already sitting at the sushi bar, and there was a line out the door for the hibachi, and we were hungry, so we weren’t feeling compelled to move. But I wasn’t really happy at the idea that they would advertise a deal on sushi that you couldn’t really get.
We went back for hibachi a couple of week later. It was good hibachi (and my first experience with hibachi). Watching them make the food and flip eggs and stuff was really cool. The waitress kept my water glass full. Since we had just left the gym, that was a good thing. This is also another place where most of the entrees are expensive enough that it’s very easy to spend more than the price of the deal. So, keep an eye on what you’re ordering, because $30 goes fast here.
Cost: $15
Value: $30
Savings: $15
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $965.25
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Taza Chocolate Tours
The Deal: Taza Chocolate Factory Tour for Two. Plus 10% off purchases.
I know what you’re going to say, “Umm… you could just save money by not touring a chocolate factory. It’s not a necessity.” You’re right. I could. But, really, gym membership and dinners out aren’t, strictly speaking, necessary, either (although food and exercise are). Who wouldn’t want to tour a chocolate factory?
Besides, a few months ago, my friend and I were at a Yelp event where Taza handed out free chocolate samples. At that point, we were excited to see that they offered tours. (I was also shocked and surprised to enjoy things like salt & pepper chocolate.) We talked about doing it, but never set a date, and then - voila! This deal appeared in my inbox. It was serendipity.
Now, the chocolate factory tour is a good deal anyway, because it’s only $5 per person. So, $5 for two people isn’t exactly life-changing. I had a 20% off coupon from Gilt City, so for me it was $4. Best deal ever? No. A good way to spend an afternoon? YES! It's Taza Chocolate! It’s high-quality, incredibly delicious chocolate!
On top of that, the tour is fun. Taste delicious, gritty, raw Taza chocolate and let it melt on your tongue. Compare the 80% dark chocolate bar made from Dominican Republic cacoa with the 87% dark chocolate bar made from Bolivian beans. You really can taste the difference. Feel the flavors going down your throat. See what chocolate looks like on the plant, and when you open the pots (hint: slimy and gross), or as it becomes liquid. Watch the final product plop into the trays. Taste, learn, and enjoy.
Bonus: They are doing a gelato tasting on Saturday, June 2, if anyone is free. Call them for details, because that's all I know.
Cost: $4
Estimated Value: It’s tough to actually estimate this one, since 10% off on chocolate could potentially be worth hundreds of dollars to someone like me. We’ll call it $10 for the tour, since you don’t have to actually buy anything (but why wouldn’t you want to?).
Estimated Savings: I spent $22.50 on chocolate, thereby saving $2.25 for a total of $8.25 saved on this one.
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $950.25
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Store Rewards Cards
Ok, this one isn't about a daily deal, but I'm still talking about saving money. Generally, I am not a fan of “extreme couponing.” My experience with coupons tends to be that they are primarily for products I don’t want, don’t use, would never consider buying without the coupon, and often cost more, even without the coupon, than the product I would have purchased otherwise. So, the thought of spending hours looking for coupons to double and triple and put together and end up taking my grocery bill from $100 to $3.50 doesn’t really appeal to me - because I value my time, and I’m not terribly excited by the idea of winding up with a lot of food that I don’t actually want to eat.
Coupon sites such as Coupon Mom are pretty big these days. Before heading to the store, I took 10 minutes with my shopping list to see what I could do to save a bit. Many of the coupons were for things like Celine Dion fragrances, which I simply have no interest in owning, or using, at any price. Some required me to shop at specific stores - if I can save $5 shopping at Wal-Mart, but it takes me half an hour each way to get there, and costs me $4 in gas, plus $2 in tolls to get there - I didn’t save any money. I actually lost money, plus the time I wasted. Many of them are for products I can’t possibly use, because I don’t have kids/pets/allergies/heartburn, etc. Some of the coupons require me to sign up for email lists, which I’d rather not do. I do appreciate that I can save $1 on contact lens solution, but I still have a five month supply, so I don’t see a lot of benefit to buying it now (especially since I live in a small walk-up apartment, and my parking space is not nearby. I don’t need to load up on stuff I can’t use now). If those sites are for you, more power to you. They don’t work for me. I didn’t end up printing any coupons. (Which is probably good because, seriously, when you factor in the cost of ink and paper, I really don't think I save anything.)
With that said, I am a big fan of store cards that give you discounts. I know, I know, the store could make everything cheaper - they won’t. I know that you can just use the courtesy cards that most of these stores now make available. But I don’t, because you get better deals if you have your own account. I do realize that some people are really concerned that the store will track your spending habits to implant aliens in their brains and force them to wear high waters, dye their hair pick, or otherwise follow their whereabouts at all times. I pity the person who has nothing better to do than follow me around. I admit, though, that companies do track your spending habits and keep that information for future use. Just ask the father who found out through a set of Target coupons that his teenaged daughter was pregnant. (Oops!)
I’m just not convinced that this type of data mining is all bad. A few months ago, I received a page of nine coupons from the local grocery store. Six of them were from items that I purchase every single time I go shopping (three, I didn’t use). After futilely searching for coupons that were relevant to me online, I went to the store. Using the handheld scanners that accept your card number in advance, I went around the store making my purchases. I also have coupons printed for me based on prior purchases. The end result is that I saved $17.86 on stuff that I was planning to buy, anyway. To me, that’s a much better deal than saving $5 by purchasing 11 jars of applesauce. If the trade-off is that some executive out there (or, more likely, someone at a much lower level) knows that I will always buy Garelick Half & Half instead of the Stop ‘N Shop brand when I have a coupon, well, I think I can live with that.
Coupon sites such as Coupon Mom are pretty big these days. Before heading to the store, I took 10 minutes with my shopping list to see what I could do to save a bit. Many of the coupons were for things like Celine Dion fragrances, which I simply have no interest in owning, or using, at any price. Some required me to shop at specific stores - if I can save $5 shopping at Wal-Mart, but it takes me half an hour each way to get there, and costs me $4 in gas, plus $2 in tolls to get there - I didn’t save any money. I actually lost money, plus the time I wasted. Many of them are for products I can’t possibly use, because I don’t have kids/pets/allergies/heartburn, etc. Some of the coupons require me to sign up for email lists, which I’d rather not do. I do appreciate that I can save $1 on contact lens solution, but I still have a five month supply, so I don’t see a lot of benefit to buying it now (especially since I live in a small walk-up apartment, and my parking space is not nearby. I don’t need to load up on stuff I can’t use now). If those sites are for you, more power to you. They don’t work for me. I didn’t end up printing any coupons. (Which is probably good because, seriously, when you factor in the cost of ink and paper, I really don't think I save anything.)
With that said, I am a big fan of store cards that give you discounts. I know, I know, the store could make everything cheaper - they won’t. I know that you can just use the courtesy cards that most of these stores now make available. But I don’t, because you get better deals if you have your own account. I do realize that some people are really concerned that the store will track your spending habits to implant aliens in their brains and force them to wear high waters, dye their hair pick, or otherwise follow their whereabouts at all times. I pity the person who has nothing better to do than follow me around. I admit, though, that companies do track your spending habits and keep that information for future use. Just ask the father who found out through a set of Target coupons that his teenaged daughter was pregnant. (Oops!)
I’m just not convinced that this type of data mining is all bad. A few months ago, I received a page of nine coupons from the local grocery store. Six of them were from items that I purchase every single time I go shopping (three, I didn’t use). After futilely searching for coupons that were relevant to me online, I went to the store. Using the handheld scanners that accept your card number in advance, I went around the store making my purchases. I also have coupons printed for me based on prior purchases. The end result is that I saved $17.86 on stuff that I was planning to buy, anyway. To me, that’s a much better deal than saving $5 by purchasing 11 jars of applesauce. If the trade-off is that some executive out there (or, more likely, someone at a much lower level) knows that I will always buy Garelick Half & Half instead of the Stop ‘N Shop brand when I have a coupon, well, I think I can live with that.
Boston Pole Fitness - Kenmore
The Deal: Three 75-minute pole dancing classes for $29. There was an alternative for a pole dancing party, which I totally would have done if I had more than three friends who would have been willing to do it with me.
The Frog Pond was easily my favorite deal, but this was a very strong second. Why? First of all, because there is NO FREAKING WAY I would ever have had the nerve to try pole dancing if Boston Pole Fitness hadn't run several deals all around the same time, meaning that, every couple of days, I was thinking, "Hmmmmm......" I mentioned it to a friend, expecting her to laugh at me - but she thought it was an awesome idea. So, while I was all excited, before I stopped to think, "What the hell am I doing?" - I bought two. This was also one of my favorite purchases, made back in November 2011 (and may be partially to blame for my bizarre addiction).
Boston Pole Fitness is located inside the Gold's Gym on Landsdowne, across the street from Fenway Park. This means that I was glad to be going on January - there's no way I'd want to fight the crowd at a Red Sox game to go pole dance. But, in January, it's an easy bus ride to Kenmore Square, and then just a short walk around the corner to Gold's Gym.
My first thought upon arriving was, "Oh, crap." There were girls in teeny shorts and high-heels prancing around up and down the pole, looking like superstars. Note: Arriving before the end of the advanced class is not good for your self-esteem and confidence. But, I did it. I tried three different classes with three different instructors, and it was awesome. Who ever thought I could learn to climb a pole upside-down? Sideways? Not me, but I can! (Sort of.) I still can't do spins, but I only went to three classes. I had an amazing time, and it was one of the most thorough full-body workouts I've ever had. Just beware - you will bruise. A lot. I wound up with bruises up and down my entire body including, mysteriously, the top of my head. Still afraid? That's OK. They have pole circuit fitness classes, which are a little less intense, and everyone is super nice. No one laughs when you fall on your head. In fact, if you can do it slowly and a little artfully, they'll applaud you for doing a perfect upside-down dismount. (Sure, that's what happened. Yup.)
Go with a friend. That takes it from stressful and difficult, yet fun, to an absolute blast, with some strenuous physical activity in the middle. Don't necessarily take your most fit friend, or one who's a professional stripper, but take someone who can help you see the fun in pole burn on your inner thighs (yes, you read that right).
Don't believe that it's awesome? Check out these reviews:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/boston-pole-fitness-boston
Cost: $29
Value: $70
Savings: $41
Total Estimated Deal Savings: $943
The Frog Pond was easily my favorite deal, but this was a very strong second. Why? First of all, because there is NO FREAKING WAY I would ever have had the nerve to try pole dancing if Boston Pole Fitness hadn't run several deals all around the same time, meaning that, every couple of days, I was thinking, "Hmmmmm......" I mentioned it to a friend, expecting her to laugh at me - but she thought it was an awesome idea. So, while I was all excited, before I stopped to think, "What the hell am I doing?" - I bought two. This was also one of my favorite purchases, made back in November 2011 (and may be partially to blame for my bizarre addiction).
Boston Pole Fitness is located inside the Gold's Gym on Landsdowne, across the street from Fenway Park. This means that I was glad to be going on January - there's no way I'd want to fight the crowd at a Red Sox game to go pole dance. But, in January, it's an easy bus ride to Kenmore Square, and then just a short walk around the corner to Gold's Gym.
My first thought upon arriving was, "Oh, crap." There were girls in teeny shorts and high-heels prancing around up and down the pole, looking like superstars. Note: Arriving before the end of the advanced class is not good for your self-esteem and confidence. But, I did it. I tried three different classes with three different instructors, and it was awesome. Who ever thought I could learn to climb a pole upside-down? Sideways? Not me, but I can! (Sort of.) I still can't do spins, but I only went to three classes. I had an amazing time, and it was one of the most thorough full-body workouts I've ever had. Just beware - you will bruise. A lot. I wound up with bruises up and down my entire body including, mysteriously, the top of my head. Still afraid? That's OK. They have pole circuit fitness classes, which are a little less intense, and everyone is super nice. No one laughs when you fall on your head. In fact, if you can do it slowly and a little artfully, they'll applaud you for doing a perfect upside-down dismount. (Sure, that's what happened. Yup.)
Go with a friend. That takes it from stressful and difficult, yet fun, to an absolute blast, with some strenuous physical activity in the middle. Don't necessarily take your most fit friend, or one who's a professional stripper, but take someone who can help you see the fun in pole burn on your inner thighs (yes, you read that right).
Don't believe that it's awesome? Check out these reviews:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/boston-pole-fitness-boston
Cost: $29
Value: $70
Savings: $41
Total Estimated Deal Savings: $943
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
The Frog Pond: Ice Skating with Hot Cocoa
The Deal: $25 for Ice Skating, Hot Cocoa, and VIP Access for Two.
This is hands-down my favorite deal, because I just had such a great time. Also, there's a good chance it will be repeated next year, since I saw it advertised twice before I went ahead and bought it. There are two options here - for $9, you get admission with skate rental, and a free hot cocoa, normally a $17 value. That's already a pretty good deal. Or, you can pay $25 to get in, get skate rental for two, get hot cocoa, and skip the line so you don't have to wait, normally a $52 value. (Disclaimer: I wound up going on a Tuesday night, and there was no line, but that's not the point. I did the math, and we still saved money).
I would probably never have done this without the deal (Special thank you to my niece for making me learn to ice skate with her in November - literally two days before this deal was published). I always thought the pond would be full of couples, skating hand in hand. I have no idea why I thought this. I bought the deal so I could go with my boyfriend, but when he wound up unable to go, I still wanted to get my money's worth from the deal. I almost sold it, but, luckily, there were no takers. So, I called a friend, and I am so, so, so glad I did.
First, there's a freaking pond in the middle of Boston Common! Yes, I knew that. Yes, I expect most of you knew that. But what I didn't know is how beautiful it is to skate around that pond at dusk in March. And I didn't know how much fun it could be to laugh and talk to a good friend while skating around in circles. Or how cool it would be to run into other friends of ours (first time that's happened to me in 4.5 years in Boston). I suck at skating. It didn't matter. The views were amazing, the skating was fun, and the cocoa was... well, it was free hot cocoa. What do you expect? But it was fine. As a bonus, I burned about 300 calories, because ice skating is work. A word to the wise, though: the lines are ridiculously long on the weekends. I've seen them. But Tuesday is College Night so, while I am glad I chose a weeknight, it's probably better to do with a different weeknight. I can't wait to do this again next year.
Cost: $25
Value: $52
Savings: $27
Total Estimated Deal Savings: $902
This is hands-down my favorite deal, because I just had such a great time. Also, there's a good chance it will be repeated next year, since I saw it advertised twice before I went ahead and bought it. There are two options here - for $9, you get admission with skate rental, and a free hot cocoa, normally a $17 value. That's already a pretty good deal. Or, you can pay $25 to get in, get skate rental for two, get hot cocoa, and skip the line so you don't have to wait, normally a $52 value. (Disclaimer: I wound up going on a Tuesday night, and there was no line, but that's not the point. I did the math, and we still saved money).
I would probably never have done this without the deal (Special thank you to my niece for making me learn to ice skate with her in November - literally two days before this deal was published). I always thought the pond would be full of couples, skating hand in hand. I have no idea why I thought this. I bought the deal so I could go with my boyfriend, but when he wound up unable to go, I still wanted to get my money's worth from the deal. I almost sold it, but, luckily, there were no takers. So, I called a friend, and I am so, so, so glad I did.
First, there's a freaking pond in the middle of Boston Common! Yes, I knew that. Yes, I expect most of you knew that. But what I didn't know is how beautiful it is to skate around that pond at dusk in March. And I didn't know how much fun it could be to laugh and talk to a good friend while skating around in circles. Or how cool it would be to run into other friends of ours (first time that's happened to me in 4.5 years in Boston). I suck at skating. It didn't matter. The views were amazing, the skating was fun, and the cocoa was... well, it was free hot cocoa. What do you expect? But it was fine. As a bonus, I burned about 300 calories, because ice skating is work. A word to the wise, though: the lines are ridiculously long on the weekends. I've seen them. But Tuesday is College Night so, while I am glad I chose a weeknight, it's probably better to do with a different weeknight. I can't wait to do this again next year.
Cost: $25
Value: $52
Savings: $27
Total Estimated Deal Savings: $902
Monday, May 28, 2012
Waverly Oaks Athletic Club
The Deal: $30 for 20 visits to Waverly Oaks Athletic Club, to be used by June 6.
Some people would say, "Wow. You can visit the gym 20 times in one month, so that's not much of a deal." Well, my friend, if you can say that with a straight face, you go to the gym far more frequently than I do. I also suspect that you don't really live in Boston, since I've yet to find a gym with a pool for $30/month or less - and this place does have a lovely lap pool, which I have been thoroughly enjoying. So, what I've really gotten here is not one month's worth of gym visits for $30, but four months, which would usually cost me at least $20/month (for a gym I wouldn't enjoy as much). The best thing about this deal is that, unlike the Meta Body Pass, you don't have to make reservations in advance. You can go whenever you want. The worst thing about this deal is that, unlike the Meta Body Pass, you don't have to make reservations in advance. You can go whenever you want. Which, for some of us, is probably not as often as it should be. It's not as easy as I'd like it to be to convince myself to go - then again, I was able to make this deal last quite awhile, so I didn't have to sign up for a regular gym contract.
Waverly Oaks is actually one of this nicer gyms that I've been to in recent years. They have guest passes and promotions, so it may be worth checking out, even without the Groupon. They also offer corporate rebates, student discounts, couples discounts, and you may be able to get a discount from your health insurance company. They have three tiers of membership - I like the pool, and I love that they give you towels when you forget one, and have hair dryers, deodorant, and hair spray in the locker room (not to mention the super awesome thingy that swirls your swimsuit around and makes it 100% dry so you can leave it in the car for a couple of days). But I don't necessarily need a women's-only workout area, racketball courts, or my own private locker, so Gold membership doesn't have to be for everyone. They do require long-term contracts, so I appreciate this opportunity to check them out in advance.
The facility is great. In addition to the lap pool and locker room, there's a sauna, and a hot tub, and a steam room. Pick your poison. There are quite a few showers - I've never had trouble getting one. The ground floor has plenty of weight machines and free weights (also a boxing room, which is cool). Head up a level, and there are racketball courts, treadmills, exercise bikes, and rooms for the workout classes. There's also a bunch of stuff I haven't gotten around to exploring yet - there are apparently pool tables somewhere. I still have a few more days on this one. I probably won't make it all 20 times, but at least I was able to explore the gym, and I do feel better and stronger for the workouts that I did get (and I got to feel less guilty about eating things like homemade beignet).
Cost: $30
Estimated Value (per Groupon): $300
Estimated Savings: $270
Total Estimated Deal Savings: $870
Some people would say, "Wow. You can visit the gym 20 times in one month, so that's not much of a deal." Well, my friend, if you can say that with a straight face, you go to the gym far more frequently than I do. I also suspect that you don't really live in Boston, since I've yet to find a gym with a pool for $30/month or less - and this place does have a lovely lap pool, which I have been thoroughly enjoying. So, what I've really gotten here is not one month's worth of gym visits for $30, but four months, which would usually cost me at least $20/month (for a gym I wouldn't enjoy as much). The best thing about this deal is that, unlike the Meta Body Pass, you don't have to make reservations in advance. You can go whenever you want. The worst thing about this deal is that, unlike the Meta Body Pass, you don't have to make reservations in advance. You can go whenever you want. Which, for some of us, is probably not as often as it should be. It's not as easy as I'd like it to be to convince myself to go - then again, I was able to make this deal last quite awhile, so I didn't have to sign up for a regular gym contract.
Waverly Oaks is actually one of this nicer gyms that I've been to in recent years. They have guest passes and promotions, so it may be worth checking out, even without the Groupon. They also offer corporate rebates, student discounts, couples discounts, and you may be able to get a discount from your health insurance company. They have three tiers of membership - I like the pool, and I love that they give you towels when you forget one, and have hair dryers, deodorant, and hair spray in the locker room (not to mention the super awesome thingy that swirls your swimsuit around and makes it 100% dry so you can leave it in the car for a couple of days). But I don't necessarily need a women's-only workout area, racketball courts, or my own private locker, so Gold membership doesn't have to be for everyone. They do require long-term contracts, so I appreciate this opportunity to check them out in advance.
The facility is great. In addition to the lap pool and locker room, there's a sauna, and a hot tub, and a steam room. Pick your poison. There are quite a few showers - I've never had trouble getting one. The ground floor has plenty of weight machines and free weights (also a boxing room, which is cool). Head up a level, and there are racketball courts, treadmills, exercise bikes, and rooms for the workout classes. There's also a bunch of stuff I haven't gotten around to exploring yet - there are apparently pool tables somewhere. I still have a few more days on this one. I probably won't make it all 20 times, but at least I was able to explore the gym, and I do feel better and stronger for the workouts that I did get (and I got to feel less guilty about eating things like homemade beignet).
Cost: $30
Estimated Value (per Groupon): $300
Estimated Savings: $270
Total Estimated Deal Savings: $870
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Petit Robert Bistro
The Deal: $20 for $40 at Petit Robert Bistro in Brighton. On top of that, Gilt City gave me a deal since it was my first purchase, and they had some other special going on, so I wound up paying only $10.
The best thing about this deal is that they offer them all the time. I get emailed deals from Petit Robert Bistro probably about once a month, from the various sites that offer them. There are also sometimes options - I believe you can get more than 50% off on some deals, if you pay more. So, keep an eye out. You can probably easily get a deal for this place, and you won't have to wait for someone to repost it on a resale site. The worst thing about this deal is the parking - if you aren't able to take the B line, and you're not willing to pay for valet, be prepared for the possibility of having to walk for awhile (unless you happen to have a Brighton resident's parking sticker).
The other thing to be careful about at this place is that it's very easy to exceed the $40 face value on the voucher, as several entrees are more than $20. But, if you're determined, you can get a flavorful and enjoyable meal, within the limits of the voucher (but you probably shouldn't order a $30 bottle of wine, like we did).
The menu is smell, but even a picky eater such as myself was able to find plenty to eat. I agonized over the choices. I actually was planning to work on my new year's resolution to try new things, since I figure that part of the joy of half price dining is to try things I wouldn't ordinarily eat but, alas, I couldn't quite bring myself to eat calf's liver. Maybe next time. For some reason, the menu made me think that the dishes didn't come with any sides - maybe this is a personal problem. So, we ordered a side of mini Brussel sprouts (the optional cream sauce is not necessary, but it is delicious). The waiter was friendly, funny, and helpful. The atmosphere was cozy and romantic. That means that I was pleasantly surprised to find that I received mashed potatoes and veggies with my meal. We had leftovers, which doesn't often happen with me and French food. I'd love to go back (but I don't think it's right to buy a Groupon for the same place every few weeks, since the idea for me is to try new places).
Cost: $10
Value: $40
Savings: $30
Total Estimated Deal Savings: $600
The best thing about this deal is that they offer them all the time. I get emailed deals from Petit Robert Bistro probably about once a month, from the various sites that offer them. There are also sometimes options - I believe you can get more than 50% off on some deals, if you pay more. So, keep an eye out. You can probably easily get a deal for this place, and you won't have to wait for someone to repost it on a resale site. The worst thing about this deal is the parking - if you aren't able to take the B line, and you're not willing to pay for valet, be prepared for the possibility of having to walk for awhile (unless you happen to have a Brighton resident's parking sticker).
The other thing to be careful about at this place is that it's very easy to exceed the $40 face value on the voucher, as several entrees are more than $20. But, if you're determined, you can get a flavorful and enjoyable meal, within the limits of the voucher (but you probably shouldn't order a $30 bottle of wine, like we did).
The menu is smell, but even a picky eater such as myself was able to find plenty to eat. I agonized over the choices. I actually was planning to work on my new year's resolution to try new things, since I figure that part of the joy of half price dining is to try things I wouldn't ordinarily eat but, alas, I couldn't quite bring myself to eat calf's liver. Maybe next time. For some reason, the menu made me think that the dishes didn't come with any sides - maybe this is a personal problem. So, we ordered a side of mini Brussel sprouts (the optional cream sauce is not necessary, but it is delicious). The waiter was friendly, funny, and helpful. The atmosphere was cozy and romantic. That means that I was pleasantly surprised to find that I received mashed potatoes and veggies with my meal. We had leftovers, which doesn't often happen with me and French food. I'd love to go back (but I don't think it's right to buy a Groupon for the same place every few weeks, since the idea for me is to try new places).
Cost: $10
Value: $40
Savings: $30
Total Estimated Deal Savings: $600
Taberna de Haro in Brookline
The Deal: $20 Dining Credit at Taberno De Haro. Chef's choice of Tapa during the meal, plus a $10 gift card to be used during the next visit.
I admit - I misread this deal before I bought it. I saw "tapas," and I got so excited that I didn't realize that I wasn't paying $10 for $20 worth of food. When I realized my mistake, I was a little disappointed - I almost didn't go to use it. Still, I had already paid, the place is easily accessible on the Green Line, and the menu looked good, so I called a couple of friends and headed on over to see what it was like. This was actually my first-ever tapas experience.
From what I hear, a tapas restaurant typically involves a lot of small, cheap plates with different things on them. As a result, I got a bit of sticker shock when I looked at some of the menu items. Taberna de Haro does have some small plates, which are fairly cheap, but they also have some more meal-sized portions. The waitress was very nice when we asked her about the portion size - she didn't try to make us feel either cheap or stupid. The higher dollar items are, as might be anticipated, able to be eaten as a full meal. This was good to know because, otherwise, the four of us may have just ordered 4 or 5 plates each, instead of 2 or 3. The nice thing about this type of place is that, as a picky eater, I get to try all sorts of different things that I otherwise wouldn't. I'm starting to learn that I may not be quite as picky as I think I am.
After some deliberation, we feasted on well-prepared, flavorful Spanish treats, such as: warm goat cheese with extra virgin olive oil and oregano on bread; sauteed spinach with garlic, pine nuts, and golden raisins; potatoes fried with hot sauce; grilled marinated pork loin, fried eggs, and French fries; and roaded duck breast with a sherry vinegar reduction and watercress. The "free" tapa with the meal was a sort of broccoli and cheese quiche (there was another option, but I don't remember what it was) - and it was completely delicious. YUM!
Overall, my total for the meal came in right around the $20 face value of the Groupon (although, I'm not a fan of sangria, so I didn't drink). This place is in Brookline, tucked away a bit. Had I not seen the deal, I wouldn't have gone in the first place (and my belly would be sad). I still have my $10 gift card, and I can't wait to go back.
Cost: $20.
Estimated Value: $40
Estimated Savings: $20
Total Estimated Deal Savings, to Date: $570
Saturday, May 26, 2012
MetaBody Fitness and Yoga Pass
The Deal: MetaBody Fitness and Yoga Pass 30 yoga classes for $20.
After moving to a new area, I was looking for a local gym that was reasonably nice, but not terribly expensive. I don't really enjoy just running on a treadmill or using an elliptical, so I won't go unless I can find a place that has a little more to offer me. So, when I found this Groupon, I was pretty excited to be able to add yoga to my normal routine of doing not much.... Or so I thought. After my purchase, I investigated, only to find that this deal was so. MUCH. MORE. It wasn't just yoga classes. It was up to 10 classes at each participating location (subject to restrictions by the individual owners). The classes are all over the Greater Boston area, and you're not limited to just yoga. I did do yoga at the Dahn Yoga Centers in Brookline and Harvard. I enjoyed it. It was different than the type of yoga I used to do at the gym. More focused on spirituality, less on the workout itself. That's OK, though, because I realize that yoga is an exercise for the mind and the body. The teachers were very good - welcoming, open, friendly, and happy to answer questions. At the Brookline location, after class ends, you can share your experiences over tea. The locations are easily accessible on the green and red lines, respectively, or the 66 and 86 buses (plus a few others, I imagine). Know your body, love yourself. I always left these sessions feeling energized and at peace.
Then, I discovered Vitality Personal Fitness, in Needham. I really can't say enough good about this place. Don't believe me? Check out my Yelp review. But the important thing is that, instead of just yoga, I got to take Kettlebells classes, core strength and training classes, and I received a great deal of personal attention that I've been able to carry with me to my personal workouts at home.
I also found a new form of exercise that I had never heard of at Capoeira Gerais Boston. There are two locations, and I started at the one located in the heart of Chinatown. This was probably the most thorough and demanding workout I've ever had - despite not being any good at it. I am the least coordinated person you will ever meet. I literally fell on my head in this class at least a couple of times. Still, I always left the sessions feeling like I had learned something and gotten an excellent workout. Bonus: everyone there was super nice, and no one ever laughed at me - even when I fell on my head. Rates vary by package, but you can average about $15 per class if you buy a full set. Thus, I got my money's work from the entire Groupon from just two classes. http://www.yelp.com/biz/capoeira-gerais-boston#hrid:SHe0lsoT3o76FI2pk3thKw/src:self
If you're looking for something a little less out there, the Meta Body pass did include things like spin classes in Marlborough, Zumba in Medford (I went to a couple of these - unfortunately, it was too far in traffic to be worth it for me), and Boot Camp in Newton (I signed up for about 15 of these, then ended up cancelling. Who wants to work out at 6 am?).
Total cost: $20.
Approximate value: $475, to date. I still have classes left to use before the end of June, and I have saved by not having to pay for a gym membership these past few months.
Estimated savings: About $550, when all is said and done (assuming I finish using it).
I Love Deals!
Who doesn’t love saving money? I’m sure by now you’ve all heard of sites where companies offer a mass discount, if a certain number of people purchase an offered coupon (and, if you haven’t, climb out from under that rock and join us in the 21st Century). The most popular around here are sites such as Groupon®, GiltCity®, TravelZoo®, and LivingSocial®. There are also companies that aren’t exclusively group discounts, but that do offer deals, such as Yelp or Google.
Over the past year or so, I admit, I’ve become completely addicted to these sites. I’ve visited Italian restaurants in the North End (delicious!), hibachi places in Needham, and tapas in Brookline. I’ve gone pole dancing, ice skating, and chocolate tasting. I’ve got tickets to food truck festivals, whale watching, sushi making, and murder mystery dinner trains waiting in the wings. And I have done all of these things at half-price (or less).
You can sign up for daily deals via e-mail through any of the company websites, or use their Smart Phone Apps. I get the emails, but you can also just visit the website each day to see what’s happening. Groupon also has immediate deals that you can use, so if you’re out and you’re hungry, you can use the app to find deals in your area. If you don’t use it that day? No problem - you get a refund. The coupons are only good for a limited time, but may be redeemed at face value after the expiration period.
****Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of these sites, do not own them, and get nothing from talking about how awesome them are - unless someone would like to send me gifts. I like gifts. And I love these sites.
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