Groupon has a HUGE money saver today (1/17/12). Get a 1 year Wednesday – Sunday subscription to the Orlando Sentinel, for just $20.00! Newstand price for the Sunday paper alone is $1.79 PER COPY!

Go HERE for more info.

The Fine Print

• Expires Jan 23, 2013
• Limit 2 per person. Limit 1 per order. Shipping address and email address required at time of purchase. Valid only for new subscribers or those who haven’t received home delivery in the past 30 days. Valid only in select service areas.

The game will take place on Sunday, December 11th at 2pm. Admission is FREE!!

Please spread the word. These boys practiced at least twice a week as a team so that they could play during the PWSB, and this is their moment on the field. WE NEED YOU to help cheer them on from the sidelines and in the stands.

PLEASE COME OUT. Did I mention that it is FREE ADMISSION? Just show up and CHEER your head off!

The Pop Warner National Champion West Orange Wildcats Challenger Cheerleaders will be there supporting their favorite team. See their 12/7/11 performance on youtube HERE.

Q: You are staying at the Daytona Beach Hilton Ocean Walk and when you are checking in the oh so not even happy to have a job front desk employee, but one that really does a great job checking people in asks if you took a cab to the hotel or not. Not if you plan to valet or self park. I ask why does it matter if I took a cab or not. She replied that if I took a cab then she would not have to explain the various parking options. Made sense when you think about it. But, I happened to drive and then she asked if I was going to valet or self park? Self-park, I replied. Having been at the groundbreaking for this building over two decades ago, I knew there was a lot diagonally across the street. She said it costs $10.00 a night to park there. No problem, and she told me to swipe my room key to get the entrance gate to go up. Got my free meal vouchers and upgraded room because I am a member of HHonors, and off to park my car. Parked and then went to my room. Uneventful so far. Then I remembered that I left something in my car, and instead of taking the elevator down, I did what I usually do, I took the stairs down, 16 stories.

As I approached the parking gate, I noticed that the EXIT arm was in the UP position. Made a mental note and went back about my business, played on the beach for a while, had dinner, and walked past the parking lot, and noticed that the EXIT arm was still up. When I got back to the hotel I left the valet person know, and they replied that it is usually like that. “Well doesn’t that mean anyone can park there?” I asked. Looking at me like I was an idiot the girl behind the glass replied “ah, yeahhhh”. Decided to let someone else that might actually care. Found a security person who told me pretty much the same thing. I asked him then why is the hotel charging people to park there. Because they are trained to charge for parking was his reply. I asked to see the hotel manager on duty. There wasn’t one. I asked for the resident manager, “we don’t have one” was his reply. I decided it was a lost cause and figured I will wait until I check out to bring it up again.

Fast forward to the next morning. I did what I came to Daytona to do, and my job at the speedway was done before the sun rose. I came back to the hotel for brunch. Guess what I saw when I came back to the parking lot? If you said the EXIT gate was down, well you are wrong amigo.

I took a couple of photos, because you know you can never have enough photos of an EXIT gate to a hotel parking lot. They are at the bottom of this post, enjoy, it is some really nice urban landscape photography, Ansel Adams would be proud. If you have no idea who Ansel Adams is, ask your parents.

So, after I had brunch, went back to the room, gathered my things, I went to check out. GREAT! Guess who was at the front desk, does this person ever go home? Though I knew I did not have to go through the charade of actually checking out, I wanted her to ask if everything was OK or not. I asked her why I paid $10.00 to self park in a lot that has the EXIT arm in the UP position. “Because you self parked there and that costs $10.00 per night”. Yes, that is true, but what does the hotel do if someone just parks there and does not tell you? “That’s dishonest and no one does that.”, was her terse reply. “Are you sure” “Yes, this is a Hilton and we do not do business with dishonest people.” I was caught off guard by that statement. As if they know the actual business that every one of their guests is involved with.

I gathered my wits and when she asked me again if everything was ok or not with my stay I slid her my bill and said that it will be better when she refunds me my $10.00 for parking. “But that is dishonest sir.” I’m not lying about wanting my $10.00 back. You know the gate arm is broken and that you are pretty much letting anyone park there for free.” Now, I would like my money back. She refused, no manager was on duty, and the resident manager was at church. Hey, at least she admitted to what I already knew to be true, almost all Hilton Hotels have a resident manager that actually lives on the property.

I figured that instead of leaving a voice mail on the RM’s machine, I would instead make sure that everyone knows how to get FREE parking at the Daytona Beach Hilton Ocean Walk. BTW, they DO NOT issue parking passes, which means that they have no way of looking at a car and knowing if that car belongs to someone staying at the hotel or not.

Yes, in the photo is a booth, which from what I understand is only used when there is an event at the Ocean Center, Peabody Auditorium, Spring Break, Bike Weeks, and Speed Weeks.

During brunch I DID in fact encounter an employee that actually LIKED his job, even said so. His name is Joseph and works in Doc Bales’ Grill. His very professionalism made my entire stay and if I owned a hotel, Joseph would be the person who at that moment I would want my employees to be like. Maybe he was in a great mood, maybe he really is a great person, have no idea, but I do know, he appears to work hard and it showed.

Daytona Beach, FL Sunday, October 30, 2011. Pay the Daytona Beach Hilton their $10.00 for overnight parking OR go in through the exit? Which would you do. BTW, they know that the arm is stuck in the open position. Photo: Mark E. Lepow

So, the morals question is this, do you admit to parking and pay the $10.00 or jet park there knowing that the hotel doesn’t have a clue as to who should be parking there or not?

Leave your answer in the comments.

If you would like to subscribe to this magazine (12 issues/$19.95), please click HERE or the logo above above.

For those that have no idea what Swag Bucks is, it is a search engine that pays you to use it. No, NOT EVERYTIME you search, but you will be surprised how often you will gain “SwagBucks” just for typing a few characters into their search bar.

Here is the painless method to join (and find out more prior to signing up):

1. Go here and register.

Both Kathy and I have enjoyed searching via SwagBucks, and like telling people about the company.

If you have never seen All You magazine (exclusively at WalMart stores or various sites online), it is packed with money saving coupons and is one that I read every month as soon as it arrives in our mailbox. Kathy and I regularly find coupon match-ups weekly using this magazine.

If you would like to subscribe to this magazine (12 issues/$19.95), please click HERE or the logo above above.

What are you doing this coming Sunday morning (March 6th)?. I know for many of our readers the answer is going to church. But if you are not going to be at church or have free time this coming Sunday morning (March 6th) the company I work for, Sommer Sports, is having a Half Marathon and 5K Run/Walk in Tavares, FL (Wooton Park) and we need a bunch of volunteers to help put the event on.

We need people to help with registration in the morning, pass out water along the course, hand out finisher medals, collect the timing chips, and of course helping with the post race food tent. NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IS NEEDED. Everything you would need to work with will be provided to you at the race.

For more information, please visit send an EMAIL or call 352-1320, ext 100

Thank you very much for helping.

Mark

Our family pretty much keeps LEGO in the black bricks,
so I am being honest when I tell you the above deal is a
good one.

Even if you already have the Police Boat in your
house, if you take advantage of this deal, you now will have
a very inexpensive gift for a neighbor child on their birthday
or during the holidays.

The above banner pretty much says it all.

Spend $35.00 at lego.com and get a FREE LEGO City Police Boat.

Click on the banner above or HERE to to advantage of this GREAT deal.

Enjoy, Mark

FREE sample of Quaker Life Bar

FREE sample of Playtex Sport

Quick and Easy Children’s Clothing Swap! Why buy new clothes for kids, when you can swap ‘em for a fraction of the price?

Sign Up  for Free today at OutGrowingIn.com!

If you would like to subscribe to this magazine (12 issues/$19.95),
please click HERE or the cover image above.

Here are the coupons, all of which are manufacturer:
B1G1 Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Nail or Moisture Renew Lip Gloss (exp 2/28)

B1G1 Glade Fabric & Odor Eliminator (exp 6/30)

50¢/1 Halls Cough Drops (exp 3/31)
50¢/1 Starkist SeaSations product (exp 3/31)
50¢/1 New York Brand frozen product (exp 4/18)
50¢/1 Reames Egg Noodles (exp 4/21)
50¢/1 Minute Rice (exp 4/30)
50¢/1 Mezzetta or Napa Valley Bistro (exp 6/30)

55¢/1 Smithfield Bacon (exp 3/31)
55¢/1 Eggs carton WYB Kikkoman product (exp 6/30)

75¢/1 Colgate Wisp product (exp 3/31)
75¢/1 Eight O’Clock Coffee (exp 3/31)

$1.00/1 Marrying Daisy Bellamy by Susan Wiggs (exp 2/25)
$1.00/1 Whey Protein Plus (exp 2/25)
$1.00/1 Nature’s Bounty product (exp 3/4)
$1.00/1 Disney or Marvel Multivitamins (exp 3/4)
$1.00/1 Ester-C product (exp 3/4)
$1.00/1 Osteo Bi-Flex Liquid, 6 pk (exp 3/4)
$1.00/1 White Cloud bathroom tissue (exp 3/21)
$1.00/1 Woolite All in One Carpet Cleaning Tool (exp 3/31)
$1.00/1 Quaker Instant Oatmeal (exp 3/31)
$1.00/1 Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Dog Biscuits (exp 3/31)
$1.00/1 Colgate Sensitive Toothpaste (exp 3/31)
$1.00/1 NYC (New York Color) product (exp 4/1)
$1.00/1 Taco Bell Home Originals (exp 4/30)
$1.00/1 Quaker Life Soft Baked Bars (exp 5/31)
$1.00/1 Campbell’s V8 Soup (exp 5/31)
$1.00/1 Downy Wrinkle Releaser (exp 6/1)
$1.00/1 Mucinex-D (exp 9/30)

$1.00/2 Fit Me product (exp 4/21)

$1.50/1 Olivari Mediterranean Olive Oil (exp 4/1)

$1.50/3 Hormel Chili, Hash, Bacon Toppings, Spam, Dinty Moore, Chicken Breast or Compleats (exp 4/18)

$2.00/1 Birds Eye Steamfresh WYB 1 Van de Kamp’s or Mrs. Paul’s item (exp 3/18)
$2.00/1 K-Y product (exp 4/30)

$3.00/1 Flexamin product (exp 3/4)
$3.00/1 Neutrogena Cosmetics (exp 3/15)
$3.00/1 Nature Made Vitamin D (exp 5/31)
$3.00/1 Nature Made Vitamins (exp 5/31)
$3.00/1 PreserVision Eye Vitamins (exp 5/31)

$3.00/2 Playtex Gentle Glide Tampons (exp 4/30)

$4.00/1 Osteo Bi-Flex softgels, caplets or powders (exp 3/4)
$4.00/1 K-Y Couples Lubricant, Intense, Kissable Sensations or Intrigue (exp 4/30)
$4.00/1 Nature Made CholestOff (exp 5/31)
$4.00/1 Nature Made Fish Oil (exp 5/31)

$6.00/1 Nature Made Coenzyme Q10, 100 mg (exp 5/31)

There you have it, all the coupons from the February 18, 2011 All You magazine. Remember, you can have this magazine mailed to your home. Click HERE for more information.

Every once in a while I will earn 50 Swag bucks, and once in a while I will hit 100 Swag bucks. Lately it has been harder to get those numbers again, so I am happy to make the 39 Swag bucks. BTW, I like redeeming 450 Swag bucks for a $5.00 Amazon Gift Card.

Funny thing is is that I just did this post about Swagbucks.com a few minutes ago

For those that have no idea what swagbucks is, it is a search engine that pays you to use it. No, NOT EVERYTIME you search, but you will be surprised how often you will gain “Swag Bucks” just for typing a few characters into their search bar.

Here is the painless method to join (and find out more prior to signing up):
1. Go here and register.

Both Kathy and I have enjoyed searching via SwagBucks, and like telling people about the company.

For those that have no idea what swagbucks is, it is a search engine that pays you to use it. No, NOT EVERYTIME you search, but you will be surprised how often you will gain “SwagBucks” just for typing a few characters into their search bar.

Here is the painless method to join (and find out more prior to signing up):
1. Go here and register.

Both Kathy and I have enjoyed searching via SwagBucks, and like telling people about the company.

Groupon has a HUGE money saver today (1/5/11). Get a 1 year SUNDAY ONLY subscription to the Orlando Sentinel, for just $10.00! Newstand price is $1.50 PER COPY.

Go HERE for more info.

Surveys
Opinion Outpost –  $100 in Amazon money. Click HERE to sign up.

Click & Earn
My Points – $80 in department store gift cards. Email us for an invite.
Swagbucks - $100 in Amazon money. Click HERE to Sign Up.

Home Parties
Premier Jewelry – $400 in free jewelry. If you live in Orlando, email Linda at lindagshipp@yahoo.com to set up your home party.

Credit Card Offers
Chase Disney Rewards – $300 in Disney money just for signing up!

iPhone Apps:
There are a bunch of FREE “Sign-In/Check-In” types of apps for the iphone, but here are two that Mark uses every single day, and he has earned GameStop gift cards, Amazon cash, and more.

Shopkick: Very simple to use, check in at a store, and scan the bar codes shown. Can use this app all day, and the points add up fast. Can “check-in” to a store without having to actually be inside the store. Click HERE to download Shopkick via the iTunes AppStore. When registering from your iPhone, please use promo code reddeer21. Entering the promo code will add 100 “kickbucks” to your account.

Free Stuff
I saved all the free candles, body wash, socks and such to use a filler in gift baskets.

Next year my goal is to do even better! How did you do this Christmas? Mark & I hope that you had as close to as possible debt free Christmas. Did you find any year long money saving methods that worked better for you than others? What were they so we can all learn from each other.

Use  $2/2 from Yellow Advantage Buy(store coupon)

and $2/2 from All the Trimmings (manuf coupon)

Get 2 FREE (except for the tax,  darn it)

I know, some of you are asking, “Mark, seriously, Alaska?” My reply is that because this is one of the states that I have wanted to visit for such a long time, that maybe, just maybe, you my faithful readers would be interested in traveling there also. The form to fill out is one page, and pretty much basic mailing info. So click on either the banner above, or HERE, and sign up.

We picked a great day to go to Lowe’s because it is annual test drive time again. Al you have to do is fill out a liability waiver, and show your Driver’s License and chose which vehicle you want to test drive. The kicker to the deal is this, A $15.00 LOWE’S GIFT CARD. Yes, I said that right, fill out a liability waiver, test drive a vehicle around the parking lot, and after that get your gift card. We did this last year and there was never a post test drive phone call. So no pressure. Since Kathy and I both did a test drive we got our pine bark mulch for FREE!

The test drives last until 4pm today, and then until 6PM on Sunday, October 31st. We will be buying top soil with the cards tomorrow. Limit one card per person per day.

Have fun taking your test day.

Just wondering how many people will be saying “Say Hello to my little friend” as they pour their sample over some stained laundry.

I have no idea how large the sample is.