It Takes A Cheap Village…

…to run this Empire.  However, the Village People have nothing to do with it.  Although I do enjoy their music – very danceable.

Thank you to everyone who sends me their best frugal finds and thrifty tip!

Tip Of The Day:  The Cheap Chick Empire’s very own Stunt Girl has been hard at work, jumping off buildings and dodging fake bullets to find us fantastic deals.  Also, The Cooper Lawrence Show (the Official Radio Program of the Empire), found us a thrifty little coupon/deal announcement website you’re bound to become obsessed with.

Plus, a tip from our buddy Tashi and an update on the Official Drive In Restaurant of the CCE.  There’s lots of cheapness to love today.

Tip For The Weekend:  Pray for rain.  Seriously, the drought situation in the TC is getting a bit scary – everywhere I look there’s another dried up pond/yard/field/crop glaring at me through a haze of dust.  I’m thinking we all need to bust out our best rain dance moves this weekend, before our fair Cities shrivel up and blow away…

Further Elucidation Of My Cheap Deal:  As usual, we have a bunch of thrifty goodness from Stunt Girl F’Oh, so let’s get right to it:

”Hot tip!!!  Free Service from Google… that you can use from any cell phone (so much for all the good stuff being on iPhones and SmartPhones).  You can price check anything you are shopping for!

Text the item and the word "price" to GOOGLE (466453). It may take a minute or two, but you will receive a message back with current prices from the web.  And all it costs you if two text messages, one out, one in.

I cannot wait until I get the chance to use this.”  Me, too!  This sounds deeply AWESOME.

“And here is another tip…  My BF recently had some trouble installing a portable AC unit in our bedroom.  It has a hose that runs to the window, but the adjustable panel was nowhere near the width we needed to fit the window.  So off we went to Lowe's.

Have you see the price of a sheet of MDF lately? Well, this cheap chick was NOT going to fork over a couple of $20s just for a little piece of wood. So I think to myself, ‘I wonder if Lowe's is like a clothing store?  Maybe the discounted stuff is in the back’ – and wouldn't you know it, it was! Scrap lumber of every shape and size.  They are marked with a shot of spray paint.  We grabbed a lovely piece of plywood for 55 cents.  It was big enough for the piece we needed for the window, and after it was cut (a lovely service they provide FOR FREE), the excess was enough to cover a gap in our balcony that I forever feared my cats would fall through.

All of this, for 55 cents.  Long story short, our hard-won knowledge of bargain hunting applies to any kind of shopping, clothing or hardware, it is all the same. Trust your bargain radar!”

Will do, F’Oh!  And I’m glad the kitties are safe.

Stunt Girl and I also discovered a lovely movie theater gem whilst attending the best movie of the summer (sadly, we didn’t get to go to Star Trek together, but she did have a lovely date with the aforementioned BF).  Most AMC theaters – and possibly others – are offering a deal Mondays through Thursdays.  All tickets, all day and night long, are just $5 a person.  This does exclude holidays and movie premiers, but how often will that screw up this $5 deal?

And in case you’re keeping score, that’s a half-price ticket, my friends.  Theater tickets today run around $10 a pop.  Ouch.

One last goodie from Stunt Girl – “came across this very excellent tip from About.com.  To blend out any dark splotches or stripes from self tanning mishaps, dampen a cotton ball with witch hazel and lightly rub in a circular motion.  Wait 30-60 seconds (let the skin dry) and re-treat if further blending is needed.  Who would have thought…”

Cooper, from the Cooper Lawrence Show, e-mailed me a link to this fabulously frugal site (see how I totally name-dropped there?) called Hip2Save.com.  They gather up all the online coupons, in store deals, discounts, etc, and publish them in one handy-dandy, easy-to-use site.  There is no possible way this site can’t help you save money.  LOVE IT.

I was recently reminded of a tip my buddy Tashi told me about MONTHS ago… that I forgot to post.  Sorry, Tashi!

After you shower, apply your hair care product and then wait a few minutes (5 to 10) before you blow dry your hair.  Why?  Two reasons.  One, it cuts down your drying time, thus protecting your hair from excess heat and damage.  Two, your body temperature will cool off from the hot shower, so you won’t get all sweaty from the heat of the dryer.  I don’t know about you, but I hate trying to apply makeup to a sweaty face.

Remember, less dry time = less electricity uses = cheaper utility bill.  Plus, you’re helping to save the environment, which makes my boyfriend, Al Gore, really happy.

Last, but never least, my friends at the JaTee Drive In (the Official Drive In of the Empire) in Truman, MN are keeping their restaurant open for another summer.  You can read about it here, and be sure to visit their fine establishment this summer.  They have a Friday Fish Fry, people.  For cheap.  What could be better than that?  Answer – NOTHING.

Well, I hope I’ve filled you up with enough cheapness to get you through the weekend.  Don’t forget, if you have tip you’d like to share, or if you’d like to be appointed to a position in the Empire, please let me know.  You can always reach me at thecheapchick@gmail.com.  And stay cheap and fabulous!