Feb 11, 2012

Celebrate (Cheaply)

Wednesday was my 9th Wedding Anniversary! That's a really long time - yet it feels like it has flown by! We're going out tonight for a super special evening and I wanted to share with you our plans (that include HUGE savings)!!!

First, our 16 month old is spending the evening with family friends through a "Babysitting Swap" system we worked out. I babysat for them a few weeks ago so they could go out, and now they're returning the favor! So our evening is already about $50 cheaper than it would have been because we don't have to pay a babysitter! Plus, Isabella is going to have a blast playing with their little girl! It's a win-win! :-)

Second, I bought fandango movie passes in April of last year through Groupon. I paid a whopping $2 for two movie tickets! If you've never purchased tickets through fandango - it's super easy. You just go to fandango.com and enter your zip code. It shows all the theaters in your town and the movies that are showing. Click "buy" next to the movie you want to see and choose the time! When you get to the check-out, enter in a promo code (if you have one). Pay and then print your tickets. Even if you don't have a promo code, it sure beats getting to the theater early, standing in line, and risking a sell-out! Groupon, Living Social, and lots of other deal sites feature movie ticket deals frequently, so keep your eye out! Buy them and save for a special occasion! In this case, we're saving $18 on our movie tickets!

Third, I bought a restaurant.com gift certificate for an amazing Indian Restaurant (The Blue Taj)! I was able to get a $25 certificate (good towards a $45 purchase) for only $2! So, we're saving at least $23 right there on our meal! If you're unfamiliar with how restaurant.com works - it's super simple! Just go to the website, enter in your zip code, and you'll see a list of lots of local restaurants offering gift certificates for varied amounts at a discount. Chose the restaurant you want and the gift certificate amount - and then go to check out. When you get to the check out, enter a promo code for a discount! There is always a discount available for anywhere from 50-90% off! Just check here on this blog before you go (down on the right-hand side) and I always have the current promo code listed! Once you've paid, print your certificate and take to the restaurant with you! Just make sure you look at the fine print before you go to the restaurant - some of them have holiday, weekend, or alcohol exclusions, and there is always a minimum purchase required.

So, we're saving $50 on a babysitter, $18 on movie tickets, and $23 on dinner; that's $91 saved! We're getting to have a super special night out without a lot of money spent! So cheers to 9 years and I hope you can use some of these money-saving tips for a special night out of your very own!!!

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