Weekend Picks

I'm not doing the weekend picks this week for a simple reason: ADAMS AVENUE STREET FAIR. It's going on both days and you get to hear tons of cool music for free. You can probably get some samples in the food area, and if you choose wisely, get a few bargain bites ($2 for 10 mini donuts? I'm so there). So please see the detailed link below to read up on the Fair and get out and go! Should be a beautiful weekend. 'Nuff said.

Check it out! Free museum day on Saturday. You just have to print out the Museum Card linked below. Enjoy!

Free Museum Admission : Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day

Enjoy free general admission to select Museums in San Diego and around the nation on Saturday, September 27, 2008, courtesy of Smithsonian Magazine.

You and a guest can enjoy free general admission to participating museums and cultural venues in San Diego and nationwide with the Museum Day Admission Card.

The following San Diego and area Museums and Cultural Venues are participating in the Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day 2008 free admission event:

• Museum of San Diego History - Balboa Park, 1649 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101
• Mingei International Museum San Diego - Balboa Park, 1439 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101
• Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego - 1100 & 1001 Kettner Boulevard
• San Diego Air & Space Museum - Balboa Park, 2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101iego, CA 92101

• California Center for the Arts, Escondido Museum - 340 North Escondido Boulevard, Escondido, CA 92025
• Mingei International Museum Escondido - 155 West Grand Avenue, Escondido, CA 92025
• Museum of Contemporary Art La Jolla - 700 Prospect Street, La Jolla, CA 92037
• Museum of Making Music - 5790 Armada Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92008
• Quail Botanical Gardens - 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas, CA 92024
• San Diego Archaeological Center - 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA 92027
• San Dieguito Heritage Museum - 450 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas, CA 92023
• The Adobe Chapel Museum - 3963 Conde Street, San Diego, CA 92110
• The Whaley House Museum - Old Town, 2482 San Diego Avenue, San Diego, CA 92110
• William Heath Davis House - 410 Island Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101

Click here to download the Museum Day Admission card for free. The Museum Day Admission Card is also available in the September 2008 issue of Smithsonian Magazine.

Free general admission does not include admission to special exhibits, IMAX screenings or for use with other offers. Limit one Admission Card per household; each card is valid for up to 2 guests. Check the Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day 2008 website for more information and details.

27th Annual Adams Avenue Street Fair

The Adams Avenue Street Fair is the biggest Free Two Day Street Fair in Southern California...talk about a niche market! Regardless of that bit of marketing ingenuity, AASF is totally awesome.

This year it will be held on Saturday, September 27th & Sunday, September 28th. Over 70 live performances will be spread between six stages from 32nd and 35th Streets in Normal Heights, over the course of the two day event.

Three beer gardens will appease the adults, while a multi ride carnival will keep the kids occupied. 300 food and merchandise vendors will line the streets to help you part ways with your pocket book!

For photographers, this event is a giant photo op. Proximity to the performers is as close as can be, and the folks in (ab)Normal Heights really make this a festival that highlights the local color.

We will definitely be taking and posting a ton of our photos online on our Flickr page.

Things We Did On The Cheap - Week ending 9/21/08

What we week we had!

Sunday 9/14
We rode the FREE Tram at Balboa Park with Felix for the first time. He absolutely loved it.
Took photos at Balboa Park.
Used a B1G1 coupon at Yog-art...saved $5.00

Monday 9/15
Used our CVS ECB card and a coupon to save $4.50 on diapers -- ended up paying $11 for 60 pack of diapers and a gallon of milk!

Tuesday 9/16
Went for a bike ride with family...FREE.
Used B1G1 coupon at Souplantation...saved about $8.00...Join Club-Veg for periodic great deals!

Wednesday 9/17
Attended Yelp's Beer Fest Pre-Party & San Diego Film Festival VIP Party for FREE.
Hangover the next day...priceless.

Thursday 9/18
Went to see The Dutchess (with Keira Knightly) and had desserts and tea from Heaven Sent Desserts for FREE.

Friday 9/19
Went to Bonita Sunnyside Library to pick up CDs and DVDs for the weekend viewing party, FREE.
Worked all day at Sunnyside with their FREE wi-fi.

Saturday 9/20
Went to Hidden Canyon Park in Carlsbad with Felix and his friend Zoe, FREE.
Went to San Diego Central Library and borrowed books and media for the week, FREE.



Sunday 9/21
Used our KPBS card and had a B1G1 breakfast at Hob Nob Hill.
Went and saw the Cat-ilacs (super lame!) play to a geriatic crowd at Seaport Village...at least it was FREE.
Went to Quizno's (5 meat sub, $5) and bought a Gargonzola and Pecan Salad, three bottles of water and a fruit juice box (about $4.50), for an impromptu picnic by the bay.

These are just a few of the creative ways that you can stretch your dollar in this economy in San Diego. When you become congnizant of how much you actually spend on junk and convenience, you realize that with some planning and foresight, you can really save -- while having fun!

Weekend Picks - Sunday 9/20

Okay here's what we've got for Sunday. No Chargers game until Monday so for us, that means a whole Sunday to ourselves without having to get somewhere in the middle of the day to watch football. Kind of a nice break.

There's going to be a free concert at Seaport Village on Sunday, and it looks like the weather is going to be great so you just might see me there. Enjoy live music in Seaport's East Gazebo. Performing this weekend is The Cat.illacs 619.235.4014 http://www.seaportvillage.com/ Time: 1pm-4pm Cost: Free

YUM YUM YUM! This one is a double edged sword. It's "free", but let's face it, we're going to want to buy some of these beef skewers. So beware! The House of China is having a Lawn Program, which is an annual celebration of Chinese culture including traditional lion dances, martial arts displays, barbeque beef skewers, rice, egg rolls, noodles, moon cakes, and bubble tea. 619.234.0739 http://www.sdhpr.org/ Time: Cottages open 12n-4pm; Lawn program 2pm Cost: Free

There's another event for the World Beat Center - Family African Drumming and Percussion Saidos Sylla teaches African drumming and percussion techniques to families.619.230.1190 http://www.worldbeatcenter.org/ Time: 1pm-2pm Cost: Free. This one is not for little ones, they ask that children be at least 5 years old.

Believe it or not, that's all I've got. BUT of course there are always the multitude of farmers markets you can go to for free samples (read Edwin's post about them), all of our gorgeous beaches that are free to walk along, or visit a lovely park like Kate Sessions to enjoy some typical San Diego weather.

Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great penny-wise weekend!

The Fru-GAL (Sara)

Weekend Picks - Saturday Sept 20

Hello all,

HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT

This is the inaugural post of the Weekend Picks features. I've got to say, summer is over, autumn is here and the picks are a bit slim. BUT I can still find fun, free, or afforable stuff for us to do all weekend! As I said before, my choices for the weekend involve ways to entertain my toddler, but I will let you know if the activities are totally kid focused. The events on this Saturday edition are open to all ages. Big thanks to gocitykids.parentsconnect.com for posting all these cool events this weekend.

Saturday 9/20
Pick of the Week: Central San Diego: This is a pretty cool evening event. Open to all ages. Twilight Walk Families can explore the park at twilight and search for creatures that squeak, hoot, and howl in the night. Meet at Kumeyaay Lake Campground Entry Station. Advance registration is required. 619.668.2748 http://www.mtrp.org 9/20/08 Time: 6pm-7:30pm Cost: Free

Another cool evening event, almost made my pick of the week! Enjoy the Old Town Art and Culture Night. I love it when places open up at night for special events. Celebrate the art and culture of Old Town with 14 galleries as they open their doors for free, with drawings and refreshments, the third Saturday of each month.619.692.4260 Time: 6pm-9pm Cost: Free

North County - Free Yoga class this weekend: Family YogaFamilies with children of all ages are invited for a free yoga class at the library. Bring a yoga mat or towel for each family member.858.538.8159 http://www.sandiegolibrary.org9/20/08Ages: All Ages Time: 10:30am Cost: Free

Balboa Park: This is a pretty cool free lesson being offered this weekend at the World Beat Center. Professor Dennis Newsome teaches capoeira, an art form that combines martial arts with acrobatics, music, and dance. The sessions are open to all ages. To register, call 619.518.7782.619.230.1190 http://www.worldbeatcenter.org/ Ages: 5-18Time: 11:15am-1:15pm Cost: Free

Farmers Markets in San Diego County and Beyond

Nearly every day of the week (except Mondays), there are a few certified farmers markets throughout the county. At these markets you will find some of the best values in fresh produce.

Here is a list of all of the certified farmers markets (as of 9/17/08)

TUESDAY

Chula Vista - Otay Ranch Town Center: 4-8 p.m., Along Main Street near Barnes & Noble. Coronado: 2:30-6 p.m., corner of First and B streets (Old Ferry Landing). Escondido: 2:30-6 p.m.(4 to 7 p.m. in Summer), Grand Ave between Broadway & Kalmia. UCSD/La Jolla: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.(September thru June), UCSD Certified Farmers Market at the Price Center near the bookstore near Lyman Lane and Library Walk.

WEDNESDAY

Carlsbad: 2-5 p.m., Roosevelt Street between Grand Avenue and Carlsbad Village Drive. Ocean Beach: 4-7 p.m. (4 to 8 p.m. in Summer) 4900 block of Newport Avenue.

THURSDAY

Oceanside: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Pier View Way at Coast Highway. Oceanside: 4 to 8 p.m.Tremont and Pier View Way. Chula Vista: 3-7 p.m. (closes an hour earlier in winter) Third Avenue at Center Street. North Park: 3 p.m. - sunset, CVS Pharmacy parking lot at University and 32nd St. Horton Square/Downtown: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., from March to mid-October, 225 Broadway. Tierrasanta: 3 to 7 p.m. De Portola Middle School at 11010 Clairemont Mesa Blvd and Santo Rd.

FRIDAY

La Mesa Village: 3-6 p.m., Allison Street, east of Spring Street (at La Mesa Village).
Rancho Bernardo: 9 a.m.-noon, Bernardo Winery parking lot at 13330 Paseo Del Verano Norte.
Borrego Springs: 7 a.m. to noon (Nov thru May) Christmas Circle Community Park at Christmas Circle and Palm Canyon Dr.

SATURDAY

Pacific Beach: 8 a.m.-noon, Mission Boulevard between Reed Avenue and Pacific Beach Boulevard (at Promenade Mall). Vista: 7:45-11 a.m., corner of Eucalyptus and Escondido avenues (City Hall parking lot). Poway: 8 - 11:30 a.m., corner of Midland Road and Temple Street (in Old Poway Park).
Del Mar: 1-4 p.m., corner of El Camino Del Mar and 10th Street (City Hall parking lot). Scripps Ranch: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ellen Browning Elementary School at 10380 Spring Canyon Carlsbad: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Roosevelt St between Grand Ave and Carlsbad Village Dr.

SUNDAY

Hillcrest: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., corner of Normal and Cleveland streets (DMV parking lot). Solana Beach: 2-5 p.m., 410 to 444 South Cedros Ave at Rosa St. La Jolla: 9 a.m.- 1 p.m., Girard Avenue at Genter Street (La Jolla Elementary School). Downtown Third Avenue Market and Asian Bazaar: 9 to 1 400 block of Third Avenue between Island Ave and J Street. Leucadia/Encinitas: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Paul Ecke Elementary at Union St and Vulcan St.

We highly encourage patronizing these farmers market. Doing so spurs the local economy and keeps that money in San Diego. Besides the benefits of having great fresh produce that is locally grown, you also get great deals!

Are You Ready for Some Football?

Are you a Chargers Fan?

If so, one of our favorite restaurants in the city is having a Chargers party on Sunday 9/28/08.

Here are the specifics:
Bully's East Restaurant
2401 Camino Del Rio South
San Diego CA 92108

San Diego Chargers vs Oakland Raiders in an AFC West Grudge Match -- game time is 1:00 pm.

They will be having food and drink specials throughout the game.

Come for breakfast and they will have a $5.00 pre-game breakfast.
They will also have a $2.00 half time menu and a game day appetizer special!
Bully's will also be having giveaways all game long.

Come early, stay late. Bully's is totally awesome!

Free Gelato at Chuao Chocolatiers 9/21/08

Chuao Chocolatiers is turning six! To celebrate they will be offering free gelato on Sunday, September 21st between 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm at all of their locations.

Here is the press release:

Guess who's turning 6?

CHUAO CHOCOLATIER!

Celebrate the big day with a scoop of FREE gelato or sorbet at one of their four San Diego chocolate cafes:

UTC
Del Mar Highlands
The Lumberyard in Encinitas
The Forum Shops in Carlsbad

Experience exotic flavors including the Picante gelato- California raisin fondue and cabernet caramel blended with chiles into dark chocolate gelato.

One scoop/ flavor per person while supplies last. Not valid with any other offer. Subject to availability.

Best of all, this is a weekend when the Chargers do not play on Sunday (they have a Monday night game against the Jets!)

Enjoy!

Saving Money - The CVS Way

One of the ways I save money is by shopping at CVS. You can read tons about using this program by seaching on google for 'CVS 101'. I have been using CVS for about 4 months and I'm now completely sold on the program. I love CVS!

As a quick overview, you must sign up for CVS's program called Extra Care Bucks. Once you are signed up, you are ready to start saving! CVS runs a weekly ad on Sundays, which I follow like a hawk. They have all sorts of different things on sale, but then they also offer certain items where you can get Extra Care Bucks (ECB's) back when you make your purchase. This is key! For instance: Buy $10 worth of candy, get $5 ECB's. What's it mean? When you make your purchase, a $5 coupon prints out on your receipt. This can be used in the store for pretty much anything you want, except alcohol.

This is all well and good, but you have to make the program work for you. You can't buy things just because they offer ECB's on it (trust me, it's tempting). It has to be something you would buy at full price anyway - this is how the program is valuable.

So what I do is clip the regular coupons that come in the paper on Sunday (of course), then I check through the CVS flyer. As a mom, I am looking for the diaper and wipe sales (which they have almost every week), I also buy grocery items there (limited, but some stores have larger grocery sections than others), and some household products. Where i really make the deals is dish washing detergent, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo - stuff everyone needs. If you really watch the sales, you can get these things almost for free. How? Watch: Colgate is on sale for $2.50 with a $1.00 ECB. I also have a coupon for Colgate for $1.00 off. I am now getting the toothpaste for 50 cents. Get it?

I could go on..but I won't. Another tip is to ALWAYS scan your card when you walk in the store. There is a machine right near the entrance at every CVS. The machine spits out coupons that only you can use. A few times a month, it prints a $3 off/$15 purchase coupon. This is an awesome coupon! Only to be beaten by the $4 off/$20 purchase coupon.

If you have questions, please ask! I haven't been to a Ralphs/Vons etc. in months. I buy through CVS primarily (purposely buying as much stuff there as possible to increase my overall spending) and I now shop at Food4Less soley. But that's another blog.

Happy saving!

Welcome to our Blog!

And thanks for stopping by! Please - take your shoes off and make yourself at home. There's Shasta in the fridge. This is the first post of the other half of our dynamic duo. There isn't going to be any posts from the little one for a couple of years.

So why this blog? Being a San Diego native, there is a perception that living in San Diego can't be done on the cheap. It just isn't so! There are certainly some activities that require a little more dinero, but there are dozens of cool and fun activities that cost little or no money. We aim to point you in that direction.

One of the features of this blog will be Weekend Picks. This will feature some events going on in the coming weekend that are either free or super cheap. Sometimes the activities will be more kid focused, but generally, kid friendly events have many adult activities built in. Weekend Picks will be up by Friday afternoon, at the latest.

We're just barely getting started so it's going to get way better than it already is. So check back - and check back often!

Ethnic Markets and Grocery Stores

Do you want a good deal on ethnic products and produce? Go to the source!

Being in San Diego, one of the great benefits is the abundance of ethnic markets. If you want Asian produce, get it at Zion Market, Seafood City or Ranch 99. If you need some Middle Eastern or African spices, go to Vine Ripe Market or North Park Produce. If you want to make a Mexican dinner, stop by Pancho Villa's Farmers Market or Northgate Market.

The choices are limitless and inexpensive. Going directly to these markets could save you 30-50% off Ralph's or Vons prices. And the variety will be tenfold from your more mainstream grocers.

Produce is usually cheaper at these markets, especially for the ethnic specific items. Fresh fish is usually available at many of the Asian markets. If you are looking for different parts of pigs or cows or are looking for goat or lamb, your best bet will be at these ethnic markets.

You can save a ton and stretch your dollar by visiting these colorful and interesting ethnic markets!

Mariscos German - Taco Truck on 35th and University

San Diego's contribution to the culinary world is the Fish Taco. It may be our signature dish.

Instead of going to the usual and more mainstream Rubio's, try something off the beaten path...Mariscos German's Taco Truck parked on the corner of 35th and University.

This mobile extension of the locally owned and wildly popular Mariscos German restaurant in Barrio Logan is amazing!

They offer a $.99 fish taco that is to die for. The rest of the food is delicious also...albeit higher in price. But nothing, I mean nothing, beats the fish tacos. These maybe one of the best values in town.

This is an unpretentious place that has plastic chairs and tables, no waiter service, takes cash only and is in a parking lot of a liquor store.

If that does not scare you off, you will wholeheartedly enjoy this place!

Free Tuesdays at Balboa Park Museums

Tuesdays at Balboa Park are awesome!

Every week several museums have free admission. Here is a schedule of Free Tuesdays:

1st Tuesday of the Month
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
San Diego Natural History Museum
Reuben H Fleet Science Center

2nd Tuesday of the Month
Museum of Photographic Arts
Museum of San Diego History
Veterans Memorial Center

3rd Tuesday of the Month
San Diego Museum of Art
San Diego Museum of Man
Japanese Friendship Garden
Mingei International Museum

4th Tuesday of the Month
San Diego Aerospace Museum
San Diego Automotive Museum
San Diego Hall of Champions
House of Pacific Relations International Cottages

5th Tuesday of the Month
Normal Museum Prices in Effect

Notes:
The Timken Museum of Art is always free.
Centro Cultural de la Raza is free, donation requested.

Enjoy this great benefit of being a San Diegan! Plan your day around these free days.

Happy Hour at McCormick & Schmick's

This was originally written for Yelp...

*THIS IS A REVIEW OF HAPPY HOUR AT THE BAR*

$1.95!!

Are you friggin' kiddin' me? A 1/2 lb cheeseburger with fries for under two bones? Sure you gotta buy a drink, but with drink specials as well, you can get out of here for about $8 with an adult beverage or under $6 with an iced tea.

That is a half pound of cheeseburger, with a bun, with condiments, with a pickle, with fries. For one ninety-five! This is not a minuscule slider...

I am sure you are probably thinking how crappy is a two dollar burger? But this is still a higher end hotel restaurant. They have a reputation to uphold. So they will not be sending out a Big Mac.

The burger was cooked to a medium rare perfection. The red onions were crispy and the lettuce and tomato slices fresh. The bun was decent, but a little flimsy for the 1/2 lb of beef that it sandwiches. The cheese was a mild cheddar, which didn't get in the way of the beef.

There are other things on the menu ranging from $1.95 - $4.95 during happy hour. Drinks? Red or White house wine is around $5, while draft beers are around $6.

Since this is downtown, free parking can be a drag. When the Padres are playing, this place will be quite crowded (I don't know if they offer the special during game days).

But great things are often taxing or a struggle.

But if you find yourself downtown between 4-6 pm (M-F), make sure you make your way down to M & S for a signature $1.95 happy hour burger. It just may be the best deal in town for quality, flavor, ambiance, and joy!

The Libraries Around Town

One of the best free resources in the city and the county is the excellent library systems found throughout San Diego.

Currently, we have San Diego City, San Diego County and National City Library cards. With access to all three of these systems, we have borrowed some of the best movies ever made (Criterion Collection movies!), some of the newest music released, and the hottest best selling books.

Going to the library is also good on very hot days since they are official "cool zones", places that are air conditioned! So going to the library on hot days helps you stay cool and borrow cool material for when the sun goes down and the heat dissipates.

Libraries are also a wonderful place to do work since they offer computers (30 minutes per session) so you can access the internet. You can also bring your laptop and access the web because they all have FREE wifi.

For parents out there, libraries are a great place to bring the kids. Depending on the branch, there are great children resources such as reading time and short classes on sign language. At most of the branches, there are children specific zones for you to quietly read to your tyke, or where he can color, or where you can check out Wiggles or Thomas the Train DVDs.

Here is a list of libraries that we have reviewed for Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/list_details?list_id=y4GkP0wwMW5jgAKoqrvFMQ

Libraries remain the best and cheapest way that municipalities educate and entertain their citizens.

Free Tram in Balboa Park

How many of you have seen those trams packed with tourists circling Balboa Park? How many of you know that the tram is actually a free service?

Guess what? It is!

Catch the tram at the western end of El Prado. From there, the tram will loop through the recreational side of Balboa Park, via Cabrillo Bridge, and over to Quince on the 6th Avenue side of the park. It will loop back to the Prado and take you through the International Houses, past the Balboa Park Club, along the Automobile Museum, past the Hall of Champions, through Presidents Way to Inspiration Point on the other side of Park Blvd. From there, you retrace the route back to El Prado.

In all, this thirty minute loop allows you to view the Park in a way that tourists do. You get a little bit of tourist points of interest ("Over there is a wonderful view of the Coronado Bridge"), some interesting park tidbits ("To your right is the happiest place on earth...Dog Park!) and best of all you get to ride around the park for free to rest those sore feet after a few hours of walking around the huge Park expanse.

Two Live Cheaply In San Diego

We love the city of San Diego. We are also acutely aware of how expensive it is to live in Paradise. But we are convinced, with a little bit of an effort, you can still really enjoy this city without having to spend a fortune.

There are a ton of ways to enjoy what San Diego has to offer either free or quite inexpensively.

San Diego has happy hours, coupons, locals only events and other promos that could really help stretch your dollar in these tight economic times.

We are two people (plus one toddler) who have enjoyed the city with a simple motto "Live well, spend wisely."

We hope that you will enjoy reading our adventures in San Diego...on the cheap.