Saving Money Smyrna-Vinings Style

No one, and we mean no one, can resist delicious malt-vinegar seasoned popcorn shrimp, fried fish and hushpuppies at . Of course, you may not be aware that the Captain has broadened his menu to include more healthful options including a seasoned tilapia platter and a wild Alaskan salmon salad, both served with ginger teriyaki, scampi, or sweet chili sauce. Sides are also appealing and above-the-norm for a fast-food establishment: broccoli, corn on the cob, green beans, fried okra, and roasted red potatoes. Every Thursday, Captain D’s spreads the love by offering Kids’ Day, which means with any adult entree purchase at regular price, you get two kid’s meals for not another penny more (dine-in only). Also, when you join their Kids’ Birthday Club online, each child receives a coupon for a free meal on their birthday.

Those crazy cows at are up to some bovine shenanigans again and have designated this Friday as Free Fryday. To debut their clever new Dip & Squeeze Heinz ketchup packets, all Chick-fil-A restaurants are giving out free medium waffle fries to one and all. Simply mention you’re there to try out the newfangled ketchup packets and get free fries. Offer is good only from 2 - 4 p.m. But really, free fries?

Get the scoop on local savings through the ScoopMama website. Just join online and get access to great offers, delicious deals and family-friendly information. ScoopMama’s Daily Scoop will pop into your inbox with spectacular local deals on restaurants, kids’ activities and products your family uses all the time. Normally a whopping 40 - 75 percent off regular prices, the featured deals must be purchased that very day through the “Buy Now” option. By referring other families to join ScoopMama, you earn credit when they make their first purchase. ScoopMama is your passport to a motherload of savings.

Go wild with the exotic animals that call the ATL home, for nothing but the gas it costs to get there. That’s right, free Zoo Atlanta passes for a family of four are available through the Cobb County Library. Each adult cardholder is allowed access to a Zoo Atlanta Family Pass for a day, courtesy of a new partnership between Zoo Atlanta and the Georgia Public Library Service. The pass must be checked out at the participating library’s front desk and may be used once per year, per card, per household. Although not valid for fee-based events or programs and may not be combined with other discounts or promotions, this is a roaring great deal. Visit www.zooatlanta.org for full details on accessing and using the Zoo Atlanta Family Pass, or call your local public library for more information.

The Imagine It! Children’s Museum is a bit out of our patch, but a generous sponsorship from Target gives you an excellent reason to make the short drive downtown. Target Imagine It Free Second Tuesdays offers free admission to this miniature wonderland for visitors who come to the museum on the second Tuesday of every month. Issued on a first-come, first-served basis, the tickets will be available at Imagine It starting at 1 p.m. during each Target Free Second Tuesday. Once the Museum reaches capacity, visitors must leave before other visitors are issued tickets. Reservations are not accepted and the museum closes at 7 p.m.