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Business & Tech

Money Monday: Savings for Smyrna-Vinings

Your weekly peek at hyperlocal deals in your neighborhood

Send your Smyrna-Vinings deal tips to megsavesyoumoney@gmail.com. I’d love to feature your tip in my next column. So give me a shout and I’ll return the favor with a shout out to you and your super saving ways! 

It's tough to beat a deal boasting an 80 percent discount. But I found one! For an amazingly cheap date night, check out this week’s deal from Restaurant.com. You get a gift certificate to your favorite Smyrna-Vinings (or nearby) haunts for 80 percent off the restaurant.com price by applying the code "FALL" at checkout. In many cases that means you can buy a $25 gift certificate for $2! As always, restrictions apply so make sure you read the fine print. This deal ends Friday, Sept. 30.

You’ll find two inserts in your paper this week (SmartSource & redplum.com). You’ll also find a coupon for Ted’s Montana Grill for a free onion ring appetizer.

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And with that, here are your Smyrna-Vinings specific deals for the week!

Best Deals in Dining

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Restaurant.com: Laseter’s Tavern, McCray’s Tavern, Lime Taqueria & Tequila Bar, Crepe Revolution, Varner’s Restaurant & Tavern, Taverna Fiorentina, This is It BBQ, Doc’s Food & Spirits, Johnny’s New York Style Pizza, Martini’s (& The Grill) at Sheraton Suites Galleria, Siam Square Thai Cuisine

Restaurant.com Deals Worth A Drive: Highland Tap, Pearl Restaurant & Lounge, Suburban Tap, Midtown Tavern, Taverna Plaka, Mojito, Baltimore Crab & Seafood, Fontaine’s Oyster House, Cassis/Onyx at the Grant Hyatt, Rockfish Grille, Fuji Hana Steak & Seafood, Atlanta Fish Café, MBAR, Via Food Bar, Mu Lan, Paschals, 5th Street Ribs & Blues, Basil’s, Saporito’s, Haveli Indian Cuisine, Doc Green’s, Bangkok Thyme, Carnegies, Mosaic

DealMap: Staqs BBQ ($10 for $20), Jade Palace (10% off), Taste of Atlanta ($70 for $140, 4 tickets), Various coupon books available

Still available on DealMap: Little Azio (BOGO Brunch coupon), J.R. Crickets (20 percent off)

Still available on Half off Depot: Zucca Pizza ($12 for $25), Taverna Fiorentina ($17.50 for $35), Sal Grosso ($25 for $50)

Still available on Scoutmob: Buckhead Pizza Co., Laseter's Tavern, Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee, Lime Taqueria & Tequila Bar, The Vinings Fish Company, The Big Chow Grille

Best Deals in Family & Fun:

Deals Worth A Drive:  The Dive Shop, Marietta ($25 for $50, 3 Hour Discover Scuba Session on Half off Depot), Marietta Ice Center , Marietta ($5 for $10, Admission and Skate Rental on Half off Depot), Rosewood Farm Horseback-Riding Lessons, Canton ($25 for $50 on Half off Depot)

Still available on Half off Depot: Allure Dance Studio ($45 for $90), Kangazoom ( $30 for $60 for kids 2+)

Best Deals in Health/Wellness

DealMap: Crossfit of South Cobb ($59 for $250), East West Spine & Rehab ($49 for $159)

Still available on DealMap: Joffe MediCenter Lasik ($495), Creative Healing ($40), Reich Dental Center ($50 off any service), Vitalogy Weight Loss ($59 for $90)

Still available on Half off Depot: Atlanta Hot Yoga ($39 for $125), Workout Anytime ($45 for $90), The Body Bar ($45 for $89), Fountain Laser Hair Removal ($99 for $700), Fingertips Massage ($39 for $80), Body Beautiful ($124 for $249), Joffe MediCenter Lasik ($250 for $500) 

Best Retail Deals 

Groupon: Suite Spot Home Goods ($49 for $100)

Still available on Half off Depot: Golf Warehouse Atlanta ($20 for $40)

Best Miscellaneous Deals

DealMap: Pet Agree at Vinings (20 percent off)

Half off Depot: Metropolitan Maid Service ($49 for $125), Kiwi Clean Carpet Cleaning, ($69 for $171), Hi-Tech Carpet Cleaning & Air Duct Cleaning ($250 for $600)

Still available on DealMap: Luxury Wash ($69 for $150), Flavor Limousine ($74 for $160)

Still available on Half off Depot: Mr. Mobile Auto Detailing ($59 for $175), Car Nutz Auto Spa ($19.50 for $39), Atlanta Bar-B-Que Membership ($12.50 for $25)

Grocery Deals for the Week

Publix

Best of the BOGO’s: Earth’s Best Organic Baby Food (Save $.83 each), Perdue Chicken Nuggets (Save $4.39), Fresh Express Salad Blends (Save $4.49), Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain Bread (Save $3.99), Orville Redenbacher’s Gourmet Popping Corn (Save $4.89), Pompeian Imported Olive Oil (Save $10.99), Bertolli Pasta Sauce (Save $2.75), Post Cereal (Save $3.25), Lysol Disenfecting Wipes (Save $4.99), Windex, (Save $5.19)  

Clip these coupons from your inserts for even better deals on sale items: Softsoap ($.35 off 1), Windex ($1 off 2), Perdue Chicken Nuggets ($2 off 1)

Publix Coupons: $6 off 2 Enfamil Infant Powder Formula, $2 off Huggies Diapers, Pull-Ups or GoodNites

Kroger

Best on Sale: Edy’s Ice Cream ($2.99), Turkey Hill or Kroger Ice Cream (2 for $5), Kraft or Sargento Cheese (2 for $5), Pepsi (Buy 2- 24 pk’s, get $2 off, get each for $5.99), Red Baron Pizza (3 for $10)

Clip these coupons from your inserts for even better deals on sale items: Softsoap Body Wash ($.75 off 1)

 And load these bonus digital coupons onto your Kroger card before you head to the store: Totino’s Pizza (Save $1 on 4), Pillsbury Toaster Strudel (Save $.50 on 2), Pringles ($1 off 2 Fat Free only)

Remember that most grocery stores will double manufacturer’s coupons of up to $.50 giving you even more savings! Be sure to check the Kroger website for Digital coupons you can load onto your card and grab the coupon flyer at your local Publix for extra coupons. Keep in mind…Kroger Digital coupons don’t double and can’t be used with manufacturer’s coupons.

For those who aren’t quite sure how some of the social media style deal sites work, you can find a quick tutorial below. 

DealMap

As a deal aggregating site just acquired by Google, DealMap collects local deals from a large number of sources (including Restaurant.com) and connects you to different deal sites to get the deal. You’ll have to check out the “about” section on the individual deal sites to confirm how they operate. 

Dealswarm

Dealswarm typically offers one new deal each day on their website. Buy a voucher in advance, print it and redeem it on-site.  They also have a mobile app for the I-Phone so that you can buy the deal of the day on your phone and then redeem it by showing the vendor your phone. Vouchers are generally non-refundable according to the website.

Groupon

Buy your “Groupon” in advance, print out the voucher and redeem it on-site. Groupon also just launched a mobile app, “Groupon Now!” for I-phones/Androids where after you download the app, you can locate deals available near you for immediate redemption.  Just buy the Groupon on your phone and redeem it on site.  Groupon Now! deals generally have to be used the same day.  Regular printed Groupons have a longer shelf life. Groupon has also started offering travel deals.

Half off Depot

This site generally has the most deals posted and they seem to stay on the site the longest of the pre-paid deals, however it’s tough to know when the deal will disappear from the site so if you’re interested, buy it before it’s gone! Buy your vouchers in advance, print them and redeem them on-site. Half Off Depot has also started offering travel deals.

Living Social

Buy their daily deal online or on your phone with the I-Phone/Android app and redeem with either your printed voucher or with your phone. Living Social has also started offering semi-local “Adventures” and out of town “Escapes.”

Restaurant.com

Search their database to find a restaurant in your community.  Many participating restaurants have different offers, (ie: $5 for $10, $10 for $25, $25 for $50), so pick the certificate (and restrictions) that suit you best! Restaurant.com provides descriptions and sometimes menus for participating restaurants.  Print our your certificates and redeem on site. Certificates must be purchased in advance. 

Scoutmob 

This is the only site that features deals that you sign up for, but don’t have to pay for in advance. Scoutmob generally offers 50 percent off up to a certain amount in each deal. There are two ways to get your deal. Sign up for the deal and print a free voucher or sign up for the I-Phone/Android app and just pull up deals on the go.  Show your server or the vendor your phone to get the deal.  

Tips to follow: Please check the sites often as they change daily. I can only promise that the deals are still active as of Monday morning. Also, before buying into a vacation offer, check to make sure you’re not signing up for a timeshare tour. And always, always, always know what you’re buying and for where. Read the fine print and find reviews if you’re not familiar with the establishment to make sure it’s reputable. I dish out the deals, but it’s up to you to make sure it’s worth your valuable time and money!

If you have a tip on a great deal or a way for me to improve this column, please feel free to drop me a line at megsavesyoumoney@gmail.com.

Happy Saving Smyrna-Vinings!

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