Saturday, November 20, 2010

Hansel the Squirrel

Adornment Blue Holiday 5x7 folded card
Get custom holiday cards online at Shutterfly.com.
View the entire collection of cards.

Friday, November 12, 2010

50% Off Clearance at Tuesday Morning

Tuesday Morning stores, like Marshall's or TJMaxx, offer brand name goods, often high end products, at a fraction of the price. Clearances at these stores reduce those prices even further.

This weekend - through Saturday, Nov. 13, Tuesday Morning stores around Metro Detroit are offering 50% off their already reduced clearances.

Sounds like a great opportunity to get start Christmas shopping!

Free Movies

Have you ever walked into a movie theater and seen a huge line of people waiting for a movie that hasn't even come out? Do you want to join that exclusive club?
1) It's not exclusive
2) It's free
3) Here's how you can get started seeing free movies before they hit theaters:

There are two primary screening websites - set up accounts at
www.gofobo.com
www.filmmetro.com

Film Metro posts screenings at random times. When a movie in your area is available, reserve it immediately - screening passes go very quickly - sometimes within minutes or even seconds and sometimes in hours. To some extent, it depends on the location. The majority of screenings in the Metro Detroit area are at the Emagine Novi and the Birmingham Uptown Palladium.

For Gofobo, you will frequently require a code to RSVP and reserve a screening pass. On each individual movie screening webpage on Gofobo, you will frequently see a list of partners. The partners are the ones sponsoring the screenings and usually will be the ones giving away codes. Frequently, partners will be local radio stations - sometimes they will offer the codes through online or phone-in contests. Gofobo will also occasionally send codes via email - but this is rare and the codes are used up very quickly. Codes may be, but usually aren't unique to an individual. If you really want to see a free screening of a certain movie, do Google searches for the movie, theater and screening date to find out who may be offering passes and enter any applicable contests. Local contests have great odds - you may not win every one, but y0u'll win a fair number every year if you enter consistently.

Also, check http://buzzbo.com/det for free screening passes and contests. They offer free screening passes through Gofobo frequently.

Screening passes are almost always good for up to two people - though you'll have the option to choose 1 or 2. Be sure to arrive at the theater approximately an hour in advance - maybe an hour and a half if you're going to see a blockbuster movie. If you decide not to use your tickets, please cancel via filmmetro or gofobo in advance, so someone else will have a chance to see the movie.

If you do succeed in getting a pass and entering the theater, you may encounter one more hurdle - security. Many advance screenings feature heavy security to ensure that no one films the movie. This can mean confiscating your cell phone (you'll get it after the film) or other electronic items. Sometimes they use a metal detector wand as well (like airport screening) to make sure you're not hiding a camera or recording device. Even if you are allowed to take your cell phone in, you will be escorted out of the theater if you're found using it. Do yourself a favor and leave the phone in the car.

Now you can sit back, relax and enjoy the show. Usually free screenings are pretty good - otherwise they wouldn't be screening them in advance. And since it's free, why not try a movie you might not go to otherwise - you may be pleasantly surprised.

Good luck and see you at the movies!