What to Do this Weekend in Denver

I'm not too inspired by the happenings for this weekend so I am limiting my suggestions to what to do in Denver.

The best thing is that two museums are FREE today, thanks to SCFD:

- Denver Museum of Nature and Science
- Museo de las Americas

Another idea is to get a jump on your holiday shopping, save money and help worthy nonprofit organizations, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado, at the Cherry Creek or Park Meadows Macy's Community Shopping Day. Buy a savings pass for $10 and you'll get $10 off $25, plus 20% off everything all day.
If you have other suggestions for what to do this weekend, please leave a comment below!

Sunday Savings

SAVE MONEY AT COLORADO GROCERS, DRUGSTORES AND MORE
King Soopers - The 10 item mega event continues. As there are coupons available for most of the mega event items, you can really save and even get many of the items for FREE! Last week I purchased $246 of groceries at King Soopers for $92 - a 64% savings.
Rite Aid - Get an Oral-B toothbrush FREE through Single Check Rebates.
Walgreens - There's a $5 of $25 purchase included with today's circular, but not any great Register Rewards deals. There is an in-ad coupon for 4 Progresso soups for $5. Add the $1 off 4 from today's SmartSource and you get 4 for $4.
Many other retailers have bonus coupons in their ads this week, including JCPenney, Michaels, Toys R Us and Sports Authority. There is also a 15% savings pass for Macy's on the back page of the main section of the Denver Post.
My coupon spreadsheet, including printables, is available here. To get full use out of it, download it as an Excel spreadsheet so you can see all four spreadsheets, sort, auto filter, etc.
The photo shows my freebies for the week - most are from King Soopers 10 item mega event.

What to Do This Weekend in Colorado

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN DENVER
As part of Denver Arts Week, 11 Denver Museums are offering FREE admission from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. tonight, Nov. 7. The list includes the Denver Art Museum (FREE all day - 10a.m. to 10 p.m.), Denver Museum of Nature and Science and the Colorado History Museum. For more details, including the FREE shuttle service schedule, click here.

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN DENVER WITH KIDS
The Children's Museum of Denver is also part of the Denver Arts Week promotion, so take advantage of the opportunity to go to this great place for FREE.

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN COLORADO
Head to downtown Longmont Sunday for a historical ghost tour. The tour will provide an opportunity to meet history's notable citizens, "some gone, but not forgotten, some forgotten, but not gone." Tickets are $12.50 and reservations, which are required, can be made a 303-776-3611.

Sunday Savings

COLORADO TIPS ON DRUGSTORE, GROCERY AND COUPON SAVINGS
Readers, I must apologize that I haven't been doing many Colorado getaway posts. I have a huge backlog of things to write about, but somehow never get around to it lately. Could there be some correlation between my less-frequent posts and the fact that I went back to work around the same time??? And, became a Denver Examiner?

The working thing has also gotten in the way of my acquiring all the freebies possible. As you can see in the photo, even less this week than last. But still good stuff.

I did have fun giving some of my freebie stockpile to my college-aged nephew today. He walked away with a razor, toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner, mouthwash and probably a few other things I can't recall now. That saved him at least $20 on stuff he would have bought and I had on hand for FREE.

Anyway, I suppose I am rambling as I'm not too inspired by today's ads. Here's what there is to note:
King Soopers - It's $5 off instantly when you buy 10 items time yet again. A bit of a pain, but there are some deals like $.49 Gatorade, Swiss Miss hot chocolate, Bumble Bee tuna and Halls or Ricola cough drops. For $.99 you can get SunnyD, Land O Lakes butter spread, Cheez-Its and a lint roller. Be sure to check for coupons to get additional savings. For example, there is a $1 off 2 Land O Lakes coupon from the Oct. 18 SmartSource insert, so you could get two spreads for $.98 total!
Rite Aid - Single Check Rebate deals are: FREE Nova Max and Accu-Chek blood glucose monitors, $.75 Crest products with coupon from today's Proctor & Gamble insert, FREE Oral-B CrossAction power toothbrush with coupon from today's P & G insert. You can also get Kashi Go Lean cereal for $.49 with in ad coupon and this printable, and a variety of Gilette disposable razors for $2.99-$3.99 with in-ad coupon and the coupon from today's P & G insert.

Find what coupons are out there through my coupon spreadsheet. The first tab (view in Excel) shows today's coupons; the second features all coupons since Sept. 20. I'm also adding a spreadsheet with printable coupons. There do have print limits, but are some coupons remain active all month or longer so it is worth taking a look.
What other sources do you use for coupons? Please leave a comment to let us know!

Sunday Savings

COLORADO TIPS ON DRUGSTORE DEALS FOR THE WEEK OF OCT.25, PLUS COUPON SPREADSHEET
Walgreens: Robitussin To Go, Chapstick Fresh Effects, Dulcolax Balance, Beano to Go and Super Poligrip are all FREE through Register Rewards. Tip: I found the Robitussin near the registers, not in the medicine aisle.
Rite Aid: GE 2-pack light bulbs after FREE through the Single Check Rebate program. Vaseline Sheer Infusion body lotion is $.99 through SCR, or FREE with the $1 coupon from the 10/18 Red Plum newspaper insert. Kotex pads, tampons or liners are also $.99 through SCR. There are Kotex coupons from the 10/4 SmartSource insert, but you have to buy two products. If you got this route, with the SCR and coupon you can get 2 for $.99-1.25 each.
This week I am adding a new feature to Sunday Savings -- my coupon spreadsheet. One tab has coupons just from this week's paper, the other tab has all coupons since Sept. 20. While I haven't clipped all these coupons, I do use this spreadsheet as a quick way to see if there is a coupon out there on an item I want. For example, I used the auto filter to go to "V" and quickly find that there was a coupon for the Vaseline lotion on sale at Rite Aid. I try to point out when there are good coupon matches to sales, but usually only search the things I am interested in. I don't like anything seafood related so you'll never find me looking to see if there is a Starkist tuna coupon. So, if Starkist is on your grocery list, now you can check for yourself to see if there are additional savings to be had. I hope it helps!
The photo shows my freebies from the previous week. Quantity is smaller than usual, but I definitely think the items are quality, with a few of them retailing for $10+. I like FREE better!
Please leave me a comment if you like the coupon spreadsheet. Or, please share how you organize your coupons!

What to Do this Weekend in Colorado

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN COLORADO WITH KIDS
It's that spooky time of year when there is a pumpkin fest, trick-or-treat street or other fall-themed event every weekend. The Denver Post has a nice festival guide. Additionally, the City of Fort Collins is hosting Treatsylvania Trick-or-Treat Street at The Farm at Lee Martinez Park. There will be a petting zoo, hayrides, pony rides, a not-t00-spooky haunted house, cookies and trick or treating. Kids are $5, adults are FREE. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Treatsylvania is open today from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. If the weather turns poor tomorrow, head to Pump it Up of Littleton for FREE bouncing, trick-or-treating and prizes.
If you're not ready for Halloween yet, you can spend the day looking at books at Barnes and Noble and have some quality time with your little one while enjoying FREE hot cocoa and a cookie when you print the fifth coupon down from this link. Special thanks to reader Monica for this tip!

COLORADO TIPS - WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN DENVER
With the beautiful weather today, it might be nice to take a stroll downtown, stopping for tastes of local microbrews. The Denver Microbrew Tour starts at 3 p.m. at the Great Divide Brewing Co. The tour continues for 1.5 miles and features several stops, microbrew sampling and beer fun facts. Tickets are $20.

COLORADO TIPS - WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN COLORADO
Head to Weld County for a Haunted Hay Ride. The ride will take you through an old mine and a ghostly field, then walk through a corn maze where you might just get spooked by a surprise "boo" or two. Tickets are $7 and rides run from dark until 10 p.m.

Sunday Savings (on Tuesday)

COLORADO TIPS ON GETTING FREE STUFF AT OFFICE SUPPLY AND DRUGSTORES
I had to work at the Denver Marathon on Sunday and didn't get a chance to write my weekly Sunday Savings post. However, when I did have a chance to look through the newspaper, I found some deals so good I absolutely had to share them -- even if two days late.
Office Max: A five-pack of multi-purpose paper, a set of banker's boxes (those ones you fold and use to store files), file folders and a two-pack of Sharpies can be yours for FREE. To get the deal, you must be a MaxPerks member. If you're not, it is free to join and you can sign up in the store. Your purchase price will be credited back to your MaxPerks account in about a month. The Office Max I went to yesterday was starting to run out of these items, but expected a new shipment on Wednesday, so call your nearest Office Max and find out what they have. Remember, even if you don't need these free items, they still are worth picking up and then donating to a nonprofit organization. My favorite is the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado! If you are going to Office Max, bring your old toner cartridges. They'll recycle them and credit your MaxPerks account with a $3 credit per cartridge.
Rite Aid: As usual, the Rite Aid ad didn't come in my paper, but I stopped in tonight and found lots of items you can get FREE through the Single Check Rebate program. The freebies are: Zantac, various NeilMed nasal spray products, Zucol Coldcare lozenges, various Kids Chloraseptic sore throat products, Children's Coldcalm Pellets, various Little Colds products, Blink Tears, Little Allergies, Sambucol Immune System Booster, eos lip balm and Cepacol Fizzlers.
The photo shows my freebies for last week.
What was your best shopping deal from last week? Please leave a comment below to let me know.

Brunswick Zone Offers Free Bowling

COLORADO TIPS - HOW TO BOWL FREE IN DENVER AND COLORADO SPRINGS

I'm passing along a "tip" from my very favorite Denver Examiner. Word is that now through Nov. 24, Brunswick Zone is offering a free game of bowling when you bring in a printable coupon. The Examiner article provides the link to the coupon and more details. Do note that while the Examiner only mentions Denver locations, I checked the Brunswick Zone web site and found there are also a couple of Colorado Springs locations.

Sunday Savings

COLORADO TIPS ON GETTING DEALS THIS WEEK AT GROCERY AND DRUG STORES

• King Soopers - I matched the current KS ad against current coupons and really didn't find anything to rush out for. The best deals are Campbell's tomato or chicken noodle soup 2 for $1. Add a 10/4 coupon for $.40 off 4, doubled to $.80, and you can get four cans for $.30 each. Dove deodorant is on sale 3 for $7. Add a 10/4 coupon for $1 off and you can get 1 for $1.33.


• Rite Aid - If you need to stock up on medicines, be sure to head to Rite Aid today. With the Single Check Rebate program, all of these items are FREE: Comtrex, Sucrets, Breathe Again, BodiHeat, Children's Throat Cooler, Coldwar, Simply Saline, Bee M.D., Allergen Block, Carmex, Sinus or Allergy Buster. As a reminder, the Rite Aid rebate program is easy. You just go online, enter some data from your receipts for all your purchases for the prior month and Rite Aid does the rest. Proofs of purchases are not needed. Another good deal is Mars candy on sale for $1.88. Pair it with $1 off 2 coupons from the 9/27 or today's paper (Red Plum insert) and you can get two bags of candy for your trick-or-treaters for $2.76.


• Sunflower Farmers Market - All natural chicken breast is on sale for $1.67 a pound when you buy a family pack. Stock up! As always, there are great produce deals as well. Cantaloupe is 3 melons for $1 and various apples are $.77 a pound. These deals are good through Wednesday (most grocery stores sales change at the end of the day Tuesday).

The photo shows my freebies for the week.

Did you get an Office Max, Office Depot, or Staples ad this week? I didn't so if there are deals out there, please share by leaving a comment below.

COLORADO TIPS - WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN COLORADO

Right now it looks like it might be partly sunny on Sunday. If so, consider going "leaf peeping." We went to Breckenridge Oct. 24-27 and saw some beautiful colors, with plenty of leaves still waiting to change. We also saw bighorn sheep on the drive back down I-70. Get out and enjoy before snow is here to stay!

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN THE DENVER AREA

According to my husband, the thing to do this weekend in watch football. But if you do want to get out, try Historic Golden's Knock Your Boots Off Beer Tasting & Chili Cook Off on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tickets are $20, kids are FREE.

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN THE DENVER AREA WITH KIDS

Historic Arvada is hosting the Festival of Scarecrows on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The FREE festival features scarecrow and giant pumpkin contests, a pumpkin patch, hay rides and a costume parade for kids. If you're not in the Halloween spirit yet, try something a bit more educational: Dino Discovery Day. Sixty experts will on hand at Dinosaur Ridge to point out fossils and answer questions on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is FREE.

Sunday Savings

COLORADO TIPS - SAVE AT GROCERY AND DRUG STORES
I'm vacationing this weekend in Breckenridge, where, despite some early snow, the Aspens are still thriving and beautiful. Since I don't have access to my newspaper, I can't give my full Sunday Savings report, but here's what I do know:

• There should be three coupon inserts in your paper. Click here to see an alphabetical listing of the coupons included in that insert. Thanks My City Mommy for putting this together. Tip: Print and save these listings. It's a quick way to check if you do have a particular coupon when you are looking at ads.
• King Soopers still has $5 off when you buy 10 Nestle or Kraft products. Lots of these items have coupons and with King Soopers double coupons, you can really snag some steals. I shopped the 10 item mega event last week and got four $5 instant savings rewards. In all, I bought $140 of groceries for $68 ($72 in savings!). My sister also reported great savings from her trip to King Soopers.
• Walgreens has some great Register Rewards deals, including FREE Emergen-C, Oral-B toothbrush, Robitussin, Vaseline lotion, Chapstick, TheraFlu and more. Check out My City Mommy's report here (remembering there may be some regional differences so always check your ad or online).
• Rite Aid has a $5 of $25 printable coupon here. Rite Aid is also offering money back on your purchases made between Sept. 13 and Oct. 17, as reported in last week's Sunday Savings. This week you can pick up a FREE Gillette Fusion razor, Crest toothpaste, and Nivea lip care with rebates and coupons. The Freebie Blogger has the weekly ad details here. Tip: Don't be afraid of the rebate program. You can complete your rebate request online for all your rebate items in the month and it is easy! You enter some information from your receipt (the date, register number, etc.) and it automatically detects what items you're owed rebates on. Then a few weeks later, you get a check in the mail. You do not need to send in proofs of purchases.

The photo shows my freebies for the week. This is a pretty good haul considering this pic only reflects Sunday through Wednesday since I left town Thursday. I look forward to returning home and seeing what else came in the mail!
Please leave a comment below to share your Sunday Savings tips.

What to do this Weekend in Colorado

COLORADO TIPS - WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN COLORADO

• Visit a museum! Many Colorado museums, including Boulder History Museum, Luther Bean Museum and Miramont Castle are offering FREE admission, thanks to Smithsonian magazine's Museum Day. Click here to find participating museums and here to request the required free admission card.
• Paonia is hosting the Mountain Harvest Festival featuring live music and local vendors including handmade arts and crafts, food, beer and wine. There's also a chili cook-off today and a farmer's market on Sunday.

COLORADO TIPS - WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN DENVER

• As I mentioned last week, this is the last -- and by last, I mean last time ever -- chance to go to Oktoberfest Denver. If you want to stay inside, head to the Denver Museum of Art or the Molly Brown House. Both are FREE as part of the Smithsonian magazine Museum Day.

COLORADO TIPS - WHAT TO DO IN DENVER THIS WEEKEND WITH KIDS

• Yes, it's FREE museum day for the kids too. Museum Day includes the Denver Botanic Gardens, so go see Jurassic Gardens with life-sized dinosaurs, prehistoric plants and fossil digs today for FREE before the exhibit closes on Sept. 30. Or, visit the Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys.

What are you doing this weekend? Please share by leaving a comment below.

FREE Ice Cream!

FREE ICE CREAM AT COLORADO COLD STONE CREAMERY LOCATIONS

Usually I give you tips, but today I am giving you the "scoop!" Head out to a Colorado Cold Stone Creamery location between 5 p.m.-8 p.m. tonight and get a FREE three-ounce sample of Jack's Creation. Jack is a child with a life-threatening illness who has received a wish from the Make-A-Wish chapter in NY. Jack was also asked to concoct a special treat for tonight's "8th Annual World's Largest Ice Cream Social." He combined Sweet Cream ice cream, brownies and caramel, then topped it off with sprinkles. Way to go, Jack!

The social is happening in Colorado, throughout the U.S. and beyond to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Donations are strongly encouraged in exchanged for your taste of Jack's Creation. Monies donated at Colorado locations tonight benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado so your donation stays local.

I'm heading to Breckenridge tonight for vacation and will be visiting the location there.

Will you attend? Please leave me a comment below and let me know if you are and where you'll be going.

Win a $50 Target Gift Card from STL Mommy

Giveaway!
My husband is sometimes jealous of the relationship I have with my sisters so please don't tell him that my real love is Target! Now that my secret is out, I'll share how excited I am to see that My St. Louis Mommy (founder of the My City Mommy sites) is hosting a giveaway for a $50 Target gift card. My blogging about this helps my chance of winning. But, if I can't be the winner, I hope one of my readers will be. You can enter for yourself here. Good luck.

Sunday Savings

COLORADO TIPS ON THE HOTTEST SHOPPING DEALS

King Soopers: It's 10 item event time - buy 10 mix and match items and get $5 off instantly. There are tons of products to choose from, but here is what I am going for (please note price shown is only when you buy 10): 5 Lean Cuisine entrees at 1.67, plus a $1 off 5 coupon from one of last Sunday's Red Plum inserts, 1 Hot Pocket Pizzeria line item for $1.49 with $.50 coupon doubled from the same Red Plum insert, 1 Nestle Tollhouse Morsels for $1.99 with $.50 coupon doubled from that same great Red Plum insert, 1 Velveeta cheese for $3.99 with a $1 off coupon I had in my coupon organizer (sorry, I don't know where this one came from), and 2 Kraft Philadelphia cream cheeses for .$99 each, with another coupon I had for $1 off 2. This makes my grand total for the 10 items $12.96!

• Office Depot: Awesome! Printer paper is $.99 after a rebate that will give you a $5 visa prepaid gift card. I'll be getting the limit of two on this. I have three reams right now (I stocked up on another $.99 sale), but between printable coupons and other things I print, I burn through paper. Don't worry, I recycle every piece when done!
• Rite Aid: Here's an exciting new deal from Rite Aid. Save your receipts between now and Oct. 17, enter your info at riteaid.com (or on the form found at the store) and get money back! It's $5 back on $25-$50, $10 back on $51-$100, or $20 back when you spend over $100. This is really a good deal because I am assuming they look at what you paid on your receipt, not counting other rebates. So, if you pay $5 for an item and later get $5 back through Rite Aid's existing Single Check Rebate program, I still think the $5 you actually paid will count toward your total even though you are getting that money back. Ok, that sounds really confusing, but what I'm trying to say is if you shop right you could make money on this deal. Their best deal this week is 2 4-packs of GE lightbulbs for $1 (on sale 2 for $4 with $3 off 2 in ad coupon).
• Sunflower Market: 2 cantaloupes are $1, but I'm going because Hansen's soda is on sale for $1.89 and I have a $1 coupon and Mission wraps are $1.99 and I also have a $1 coupon. I think I'll pick up a rotisserie chicken for $4.99 as well -- I have a recipe I'm making this week that calls for cubed or shredded chicken and think I'll take the easy way out with the rotisserie.
• Walgreens: Cream of whatever soup is a fall cooking staple (lots of my Croc-Pot recipes call for it). You can stock up now with Walgreens' in-ad coupon making the cream-of-soups .$89. But wait, there's more: here's a printable for $1 of 2, making 2 just $.78! There are also two $.25 coupons off of 4 Campbell's condensed soups in the Smart Source coupon insert in today's Denver Post. The trial size of ThermaCare Heat Wraps are FREE with a sale price of $2.49 and $2.49 in Register Rewards. Plus you could make money with this printable coupon for $1. Bic Soleil disposable razors are $4.99 with $1 in Register Rewards, plus $3 coupon in today's Smart Source insert for a final price of $.99. (The razors are also on sale for $3.99 at Target.) A gallon of milk is $1.99, limit 2.

Beyond the weekly sales and newspaper inserts, here a few hot printable deals that are out there:

• $10 of $10 or more on a Sears Junior's item
• $10 of $10 or more at Great Indoors for "soft bath" (I'm guessing things like towels), windows or bedding
• $.75 off (or $1 off at Kings Soopers or Safeway with double coupon savings at the $1 doubling maximum) a Wishbone salad dressing, including their Spritzers, which I think are cool, but haven't tried yet
• BYGO Dentyne gum

As always, the photo shows my freebies for the week. From greeting cards to lotion and cereal samples to a "The Magic School Bus" kids' book, everything shown was free through samples, other online offers or smart shopping.
What great deals did you find? Please share with other readers by leaving a comment below.

What to Do This Weekend in Colorado

WHAT TO DO IN DENVER

• Eight lucky Tip's Colorado readers and their guests are off the the Colorado Fall Home Show. You can join them today from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. or Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for just $10 if you bring a nonperishable food donation ($12 otherwise). Children under 12 are FREE. Held at the Colorado Convention Center, the show has 300 exhibitors and two demonstration stages, primed to get you inspired to tackle those fall home improvement projects.


• While you're downtown, head over to the Ballpark neighborhood for Ocktoberfest Denver. There's German food, music, dancing, and, you guessed it, beer. There are also fun events such as a Mr. Ocktoberfest contest today at 1:30 and Haute Dog contest tomorrow at noon. Be sure to check out all the fun either this weekend or next as 2009, after 40 years, will be the last year of fest. They say you're not supposed to cry over spilt milk, but what about a shelved steins? I'm not even a beer drinker and it makes me sad.

WHAT TO DO IN DENVER WITH KIDS

• Today is a FREE day at the Denver Botanic Gardens. My sister took her boys through the Jurassic Gardens exhibit recently and reported a good time was had by all. Even better when it's FREE. Thanks SCFD! Denver Botanic Gardens closes today at 5 p.m.

WHAT TO DO IN COLORADO

• The Colorado Mountain Winefest continues in Palisade through Sunday. There are winery tours, grape stomps, jazz concerts and wine and food pairings, including a wine and Enstrom's chocolate pairings -- yummy! If you haven't been to Colorado Wine Country, you are in for a real treat.
• If you prefer beets to grapes, check out Sterling's Sugar Beet Days today or tomorrow. Sugar Beet Days offers homemade craft items, food, fun and FREE entertainment.

Colorado Wine Country Trip - Palisade

COLORADO TIPS - PALISADE WINERIES
As I mentioned in an earlier post, we went to Palisade last month for the Palisade Peach Festival. While we had fun at the festival, especially seeing the alpacas, the real treat was discovering the heart of Colorado Wine Country. We had such a great time in Palisade, we decided to hit wineries in Grand Junction, Cedaredge, Eckert and Paonia. And, we can't wait to go back.
I had originally thought I could do one post about Colorado Wine Country, but there are just too many wonderful things to share. So, I'm going to give some attention to each city we stopped through and perhaps to some of the sites and attractions along the way. First of course is Palisade.
We started at Grande River Vineyards and tasted their rarely produced ice wine. It is rare because it is only made after growing seasons that include a freeze during the day. It was a little sweet for our tastes, but we were happy we tasted a wine that comes along so infrequently.
Next we went to St. Kathryn Cellars. We enjoyed the staff and wine there. Pat educated us about the Talon Winery group (newly owns St. Kathryns, as well as Confre Cellars and Meadery of the Rockies, along with the Colorado Wine Room in Fruita). Evelyn joked with us that "Sweet Scarlet," which I had to try because of the wonderful name, was the perfect hot tub wine. We agreed. Confre Cellars is attached to St. Kathryns so we stopped in and tried both wine and fudge there. Yum!
A later stop was Plum Creek Cellars, said to be one of Colorado's oldest wineries. Their experience was evident as we enjoyed many of the wines they produced.
Our next and final Palisade stop was Meadery of the Rockies. The Meadery is known for its world-class honey wine known as mead. It was nice to try the mead as it was new to us, but, like the ice wine, this runs a little sweet for our tastes.
There are several other wineries we didn't get a chance to visit. We were sad about that, but it helps give us an excuse for another visit!

Click here to view more photos from Palisade wineries.
Click here for Peach Festival photos.

Have you been to Palisade? If so, please share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

Sunday Savings

COLORADO TIPS: GROCERY & DRUGSTORE DEALS
This is a great week for coupons! There are five inserts in today's Denver Post. Here are the other deals about town:

• Albertsons: Betty Crocker Potatoes are $.75 when you buy 6. Print a $.40 BC Potatoes coupon here, plus one for $.25 from the Smart Source insert and you can get 6 for $3.85. This offer can be combined with El Paso products that have a coupon for $.60 off 2. Buy 2 El Paso products and 4 potatoes and you can get all 6 items for $3.25. Betty Crocker cake mix, frosting etc., Chex Mix, Steamers and some other brand/products are on sale $1 when you buy 6. Buy two Chex Mix products with the coupon found here for $1 off 2, a Warm Delights with $.50 off in the Smart Source insert, two tubs of frosting with a $1 off 2 coupon found here, and the $.50 off Steamers found here and your total for the 6 items is $3. Jennie-O Deli Style Turkey Breast is buy one pound for $5.99, get another FREE. If you knew how much turkey much husband eats, you'd know I am getting this deal for sure! (Note: My Alberstons is an "LLC," which is different than other Alberstons. Check your ad before going out for these deals.)
• King Soopers: Healthy Choice frozen entrees are on sale 5 for $10. Pair one of each $2 coupons you can print through this link and you get 5 for $6. I know what I'm having for lunch this week! Simply Potatoes are $.99 ($2 off). I think their Red Potato Wedges make a great and easy side dish, but my freezer is too full from the last time they were $.99. Mentos gum is 10 for $10 with a .50 coupon in this week's Smart Source coupon circular. The coupon says do not double, but I think King Soopers might anyway so you're looking at FREE or $.50. Del Monte Fruit Naturals are 10 for $10 as well with a $1 off 3 coupon available here (final price 3 for $2).
• Kmart: There's a $10 gift card coupon in the ad for a new prescription, valid through Oct. 10. As I mentioned in another post, most pharmacy deals are for transferred prescriptions only.
• Rite Aid: I am so happy. I actually received the Rite Aid circular in my newspaper this week. Of course, it would happen on a week with just decent deals, not screamin' deals. The best deal is the $.99 Suave products. Add your $.50 Body Wash coupon from this Sunday's Red Plum insert and your final price for the Body Wash is $.49.
• Walgreens: Progresso soup with in-ad coupon is 4 for $5. Add $1 off 3 found here, plus $.50 off 2 in the Smart Source insert and you get 4 for $3.50. True North Nut Crisps or Clusters are $3 with $3 in Register Rewards. I'm not sure what these are, but will I try them for FREE? Absolutely! A jumbo 2-pack of Lysol wipes are $5.49 (a 10.98 value). Add the $1 of 2 from the Smart Source insert and you pay $4.49.
  

My "freebies" photo shows a few splurges again this week. Each ream of paper was $.99, the optical mouse was was $.99, the photo paper was $.99, and each CD-R pack was $.99. Still, not a bad haul for under $7 considering it would be a decent deal to get the two reams of paper for that price.
Did I miss anything? Please leave a comment below and let me know.

What to Do This Weekend in Colorado

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN COLORADO
It really is sad the devastation the pine beetle is bringing to the trees in our beautiful state. Frisco is taking a stand with the 2nd Annual Beetle Fest. Walking Main Street Frisco is a fun time in itself and the festival adds live entertainment, a bug petting zoo and more.
If you are thinking beer not beetles, try the Vail Ocktoberfest. There will be live bands, keg bowling and of course beer and brats. Vail's Mountain Haus is offering rooms at 40% off.

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN DENVER
Check out the 7th Annual Sunnyside Music Festival Saturday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Many Northwest Denver eateries including Gaetano's and Red Trolley Ice Cream will be there if you want to fill your belly. Breckenridge Brewery, Tastes Wine Bar and Bonacquisti will be there too.
HandleBar & Grill has a great September weekend breakfast special: $4.95 gets you eggs, hash browns, choice of meat and pancakes. Yum.

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN DENVER WITH KIDS
Denver Museum of Nature and Science is FREE this Sunday!
Rocky Mountain PBS Kids is hosting Fun Fest 2009 on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is FREE and activities include a petting zoo, climbing wall and bounces houses, plus a chance for your kids to meet their favorite PBS Kids characters. Another option is the Washington Park Community Fair.
What are you doing this weekend? Please leave a comment below and let me know.

Free Food Monday through Thursday

COLORADO TIPS DISHES ON FREE FOOD
FREE food is everywhere this week. Here's what you can get and when:

• Sept. 7 (tomorrow): FREE small flavored brewed coffee at Seattle's Best Coffee inside Borders. Click here to print coupon.
• Sept. 7: FREE Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich -- just wear any sports team apparel.
  
• Sept. 7: FREE beer for old jeans at the Old Man Pub in Broomfield from 6-8 p.m.
• Sept. 8: FREE entrees for first 500 people at Qdoba's 500th location at 6703 S. University Blvd. in Centennial. Doors open at 10:30 a.m.
  
• Sept. 9: FREE regular roast beef sandwich with any soft drink purchase.
• Sept. 9: FREE flowers at Bloomfield Florist in Denver, Greenwood Village and Thornton. This is an FTD promotion celebrating Good Neighbor Day. (Yes, I know this isn't food, but it's cool so I wanted to include it anyway. Consider it food for the soul.)
  
• Sept. 10: Panera Bread is having a sampling day with free tastes of its Breakfast Power, BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad, Napa Chicken Salad Sandwich and Macadamia Nut Blondie. If you have your heart set on this as your reason to head to Panera, it's probably a good idea to call first to confirm participation.
  

Which item gets your mouth watering? Please leave a comment below to let me know.

Sunday Savings

COLORADO TIPS: GROCERY, DRUGSTORE AND OFFICE SUPPLY DEALS
I'm actually home this weekend and have the newspaper and coupon-cutting scissors in hand! Here are the deals I've found:

• King Soopers: Mix and match Coke and Pepsi 12-packs and get 5 for $12. Betty Crocker cake mix is on sale 10 for $10. Coupons.com has a .50 off cake mix (King Soopers should double this so your cake mix would be free) when you buy a frosting.
• Safeway: Lucerne 2-gallon milk is $.99 with in-ad coupon (stores should have them if you don't get the paper) through Tuesday only. Another in-ad coupon expiring Tuesday is $.99 Kraft singles. Safeway brand 24-pack water is $2.78.
• Walgreens: Chex Mix is $.99. Add Coupons.com $.50 coupon and you get them for $.49. General Mills cereals are on sale for $1.99, with bonus coupons.com coupons available ranging from $.50-$1. The Windex Outdoor All-in-One window cleaner is on sale for $9.99 with a $3 Register Rewards coupon. Click here for an additional $2.50 off and it's like paying $4.49. I've wanted to try this outdoor window cleaner, but have been waiting for the right sale. I'm excited! (It doesn't take much, apparently.)
  
• Rite Aid: Once again, the ad didn't come in my paper. I looked at it online, but didn't seeing any deals worth making a special trip. However, there seemed to be some in-ad coupons that could make for better deals (e.g. $2 Swiffer refills coupon on top of the $3.99 sale price?). I can't read the coupon fine print well enough though to say for sure. Hopefully you did receive the ad and can check it out.
• Target: Be sure to clip the $10 FREE gift card with for a new or transferred prescription. This is great because most other pharmacy offers are only for transferred prescriptions.
• Kmart: In-ad coupon for $5 off $50.
• Office Depot: There are some great deals on the back page of their ad that are available today and tomorrow only: $.99 5-pack CD-R; $.99 USB optical mouse after mail-in $9 savings, $.99 photo paper after instant and mail-in savings; $.99 printer paper after $5 mail-in savings; $1.99 10-pack CD-R; and a $7.99 4G USB drive after $17 instant savings. I need a USB drive so am on my way to Office Depot after I post this!

Today's photo shows my free or nearly free things for last week (Aug. 30-Sept. 5). I splurged and spent $5 total for all the 9 candle/air freshener products shown -- not bad considering the Sense and Spray alone retails for $7 or so! Click here to see the previous week -- everything in this photo was FREE. Since I was back from multiple vacations, I did grocery shop to fill the bare cupboards. I purchased $239 worth of groceries at King Soopers for $127!
What's your best recent deal? Please leave a comment below and let me know.

WIN Tickets to the Colorado Fall Home Show

FIRST GIVEAWAY FOR TIP'S COLORADO
One of my blogging goals has been to offer great contests for my readers. Thanks to the wonderful people at the Colorado Fall Home Show and GroundFloor Media, Tip's Colorado is now giving you several chances to win tickets to the Colorado Fall Home Show.
The Colorado Fall Home Show unites more than 300 companies to create a one-stop home improvement marketplace. The focus is renovation, remodeling and sustainable living. There will also be two demonstration stages where experts will show us non-handy types how it is done. The best part is that a portion of the show's proceeds are given back to Colorado's horticulture industry in the form of grants and scholarships.
Attend the show at the Colorado Convention Center Saturday, Sept. 19 from 10 a.m.-8 p.m., or Sunday, Sept. 20 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, free for children under 12. But here's how you and a friend can attend for FREE (enter just one way or all five!):

• Send me an email (look for email link in the sidebar after you click) and tell me why you want to go the Colorado Fall Home Show.
• For a bonus entry, follow me on Twitter (@coloradotip), then send me an email letting me know you're a follower. Please include your Twitter address.
• For a third chance to win, follow one of my favorite charitable organizations, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado, on Twitter (@wishcolorado) and send me an email letting me know. Again, please include your Twitter address.
  
• For a fourth entry, fan Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado on Facebook and send me an email letting me know. Please let me know your Facebook name.
  
• Finally, tweet or mention this contest on Facebook and get two bonus entries (four if you tweet AND Facebook). Be sure to send me an email letting me know.

All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 14. You can enter one way or all five to increase your chances to win. You don't need to include your phone number or address. Winners will be notified by email; tickets will be held for you at will call. Winners will be chosen through a random drawing. Winners may only win once. Eight pairs of tickets will be awarded.
Good luck!

What to Do This Weekend in Colorado

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN DENVER

Great food, live music, carnival rides, children's activities, shopping.... Yep, A Taste of Colorado has it all. If you go, be sure that one of the food items you "taste" is from Maggiano's Little Italy. Maggiano's is donating all of its proceeds to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado. Yummy and charitable! Taste runs today through Monday so you have many opportunities to attend. Do consider alternate transportation options like the light rail to save yourself parking headaches and money.

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN DENVER WITH KIDS

A Taste of Colorado is certainly a family friendly event, but if you don't want to fight the crowds with a toddler in tow, you can go more low key with a FREE game of bowling. In honor of National Bowling Day (who knew?!), many bowling alleys are offering a FREE game on Saturday, Sept. 5. You can request your coupon for a FREE game here. To find a participating bowling alley, click here. If bowling is not your family's game, also consider the Colorado Balloon Classic and Boulder Creek Hometown Festival (see below for more information).

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN COLORADO

Colorado Springs is hosting the 33rd annual Colorado Balloon Classic. While there are events Saturday through Monday, I recommend going on Saturday or Sunday as there will be balloon glows those evenings. Lots of people have hot air balloon rides on their "bucket list." I think seeing a balloon glow should also be on the list -- they are beautiful and unique experience worth enjoying. Last but not least, Boulder is hosting the Boulder Creek Hometown Fair. Activities include live performances, a food court and beer garden, a chili cook-off and much, much more.

How are you celebrating the last weekend of summer? Please leave a comment below and let me know.

FREE Shopping Money!

HOT COLORADO TIP - $10 MALL GIFT CERTIFICATE FREE
Am I dreaming? This seems too good to be true, but I pinched myself and think it is! General Growth Properties has teamed up with TLC's "What Not to Wear" to offer free $10 gift cards. Supplies are of course limited and Park Meadows is already out, but Southwest Plaza (Littleton) still has about 400 cards, Foothills Mall (Ft. Collins) has about 300 and Chapel Hills (C. Springs) has about 50. Providing you the links to this offer is a bit tricky for various reasons, but try here (it may default to Chapel Hills Mall as it is the last site I visited). If that doesn't work, Google the desired mall name, go to their Web site and look for a TLC ad/link. This should be at the bottom right of the mall's page. Then follow the links to get to the offer. There are actually two offers: one for a FREE $10 card (limited) and one for a $10 card after you spend $75 at the mall. Finding the coupon may sound hard, but I promise it isn't. And isn't it worth a few clicks to get free shopping money?!
Did you get a free $10 gift card? Please leave a comment and let me know!

Sunday Savings

COLORADO SHOPPING DEALS
Third week in a row I'm slacking (visiting Allenspark with family) and can't give my lowdown on the deals. But, look to The Freebie Blogger for Walgreen's deals and My City Mommy for a $5 off $25 Walgreen's coupon on those deals! My City Mommy also lists all the coupons you should find in your paper. Looks like a good week for coupons!
What deals did you find? Please leave a comment and let me know.

What to Do this Weekend in Colorado

WHAT TO TO THIS WEEKEND IN COLORADO
This weekend I am in Allenspark, Colorado celebrating my niece and sister's birthdays. If you want a nice mountain getaway without all the commercialism and I-70, I recommend Allenspark. If you want more of a town, Estes Park is another great option in the area. Lyons makes a nice day trip. Walk mainstreet, sample some cherry cider, then visit the antique stores and restaurants. I'm blogging from Allenspark's Tapestry of Life Coffee House and do suggest you stop in if you are in Allenspark or driving down the Peak to Peak Highway (Highway 7). Great coffee, awesome looking homemade pies, plus wine and beer too. Of course the best part is the mountain views and peaceful setting.
What did you do this weekend? Please comment below and let me know.

Ryan, Nicole and Others Drink for Free at the Front Porch

COLORADO TIPS ON DENVER HAPPY HOURS
"Kelly, Kelly, Kelly, Kelly, Kelly..." Does it date me to admit this song is running through my head as I write the post? Make me odd for remembering it? In any case, the last few days of this month your name might bring you something better than the sweet, but oh-so-simple song Woody composed for his wife Kelly on the show Cheers. Your name could be your ticket to FREE drinks!
On every night but Wednesdays, The Front Porch on 15th in between Lawrence and Larimer streets downtown offers FREE drinks all night to people with specific names. Name not on the list? Don't despair. The Front Porch offers a great happy hour of $3.50 you-call-its from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30. Or, tonight (and all Wednesdays) are flip nights -- order a drink, flip a coin and guess correctly, the drink is FREE. Sundays you ca get in on a Wii bowling tournament and win a $30 bar tab.
Now for the roll call (starting tomorrow):

• 8/27 - Ryan, Somara & Nicole
• 8/28 - Laura
• 8/29 - Tiffany
• 8/30 - Stephanie & Jack
• 8/31 - Casey, Chris & Dustin

Have you been to The Front Porch? Please leave a comment to let me know what you thought of the place.

Sunday Savings (on Monday)

COLORADO SHOPPING DEALS

I am slacking once again and am not home to review my paper and tell you about the deals. Thankfully, you can always count on The Freebie Blogger and My City Mommy. Deals this week are at Walgreens, Rite Aid and Office Depot. As always, check the local ad (you can view it online) before heading out for a specific deal as there can be regional differences. Also, on hot rebate deals (Office Depot free scientific calculator), you may want to call your local store to make sure they still have the item. My City Mommy also reports on the coupons that were in the Sunday paper. Another great spot for coupons is Coupons.com.

I also can't share my freebies photo this week as I lost my camera somewhere on the way to North Carolina. I did need a better camera for my blog anyway so, does anyone know any great deals on a good digital camera?

For now, I am off to the beach at Nags Head with the local restaurant/tourist attraction coupon book in hand :)

Did you get any great deals this week? Please leave a comment and let me know.

What to Do this Weekend in Colorado

COLORADO TIPS FOR THE WEEKEND

There are a ton of things to do this weekend. It actually makes me a bit sad I'm vacationing in North Carolina and can't make any of them. In any case, summer is winding down so get out there and do something fun!

What to Do in Denver

It's the first year for the Cherry Creek North Food & Wine event so go out and support them. FREE stuff includes daily culinary demonstrations and the things you do have to pay for support a nonprofit dedicated to make arts experiences accessible in Colorado. Eat, drink and be cherry!

What to Do Around Colorado

Another first is the BoulderFest featuring artists like Rebecca Folsom, the Big BanG Band and the Nacho Men. Breweries, wineries and local eateries will also be providing sampling opportunities.

If you want to head to Colorado Wine Country based on my earlier glowing recommendation (and still more posts to come on the subject), check out the Mesa Verde Food, Wine & Arts Festival in Cortez. You won't be disappointed, especially if you visit some of the local wineries in addition to the festival.

What to Do in Colorado with Kids

I usually try to suggest a kids option in the Denver area knowing the little ones aren't always great road warriors, but this weekend I really think the thing to do is the Estes Park Heritage Festival. The drive really isn't bad, it gets you to the mountains and the festival is a wonderful opportunity for the kids to experience pioneer life. Activities include wagon and Stanley Steamer rides, and live demonstrations of log home building, quilting, wood carving and more.

Colorado Springs military families, don't forget free Qdoba kids meals today (Saturday).

What are you doing this weekend? Please leave a comment and let me know.

Qdoba Salutes C. Springs Military Families

FREE QDOBA KIDS MEALS

Qdoba Mexican Grill now offers kids meals. That's cool enough in itself. But wait -- there's more! Colorado Springs military families can try the kids meals FREE this Saturday, Aug. 22, simply by presenting a military ID at any Colorado Springs Qdoba location. No purchase is required. The kids meals are FREE for any child under 12.

The new menu includes mini chicken or cheese quesadillas, mini Naked chicken burritos or a taco. Each meal includes a choice of one side item (applesauce, beans or tortilla chips) and a beverage.

Colorado Springs locations are 3670 Austin Bluffs Parkway, 7140 N. Academy, 1605 Briargate Parkway, 1916 Southgate Road and 3709 Bloomington St.

Enjoy this tasty freebie!
If you try a new Qdoba kids meal, please leave a comment and let me know what you (or your kids) thought.

Evening at Lakeside "Amuses" Family

COLORADO TIPS: VISIT LAKESIDE BEFORE SUMMER'S END

Before we took off for Colorado Wine Country, we joined my sister and her five- and seven-year-old sons for an evening at Lakeside. Although I've lived very close to this amusement park for the past five years, I have not been there in the past 20. Big mistake!

Lakeside has charm that new theme parks just can't match. Plus, the lines are relatively short and prices are affordable. With coupons, our party of five enjoyed unlimited rides for under $38. We topped off the evening with soft-serve twist ice cream cones for $1.50 each. You get the sincere feeling Lakeside aims to please, not gouge.

Rides range from the mild (Ferris wheel and scenic train ride around the lake) to the wild -- a 140 foot drop tower. We tried to focus on the sunset view on our ride up the tower to calm our fears, but I was still wishing I had never locked myself into that chair as we approached the top and subsequent drop! When we were back on solid ground I was glad I had experienced the ride, but once was definitely enough.

Lakeside has limited hours now through Sept. 19. It is mostly open weekends from noon until 11 pm. Unlimited rides are $19.75 per person, but there are buy one, get one free coupons in the Entertainment book. Or, you can print this coupon and get unlimited rides for two people for $29.50. This is a fair price for a day of fun that also supports a family-run labor of love and a Denver landmark.

For more Lakeside photos, click here.

Have you been to Lakeside lately? Please make a comment under this post and let me know about your experience.

Colorado Wine Country Delights

THINGS TO DO IN COLORADO colorado tips

My husband and I took off for the Western Slope last Thursday for the Palisade Peach Festival. Our plan was to visit a few local wineries as something else to do while there. As it turned out, the Colorado Wine Country was the highlight of our five-day trip, with less than two hours of our time being spent at the Palisade Peach Festival.

We had such a great time visiting the wineries in Palisade that we continued on to the wineries in Grand Junction, Cedaredge and Paonia. I will make a separate post about each area's winery, as one post is simply not enough!

The bottom line is, if you have not been to Colorado Wine Country, plan to go as soon as you can. You’ll have a great time while supporting wonderful “mom and pop” vintners and contributing to the state’s economy.

The Sept. 17-20 Colorado Mountain Wine Fest might be the perfect time to visit. If you are interested, look into lodging as soon as possible. Palisade is probably sold out, but I am sure you can find rooms in Grand Junction (about 10 miles away). If you’re planning a trip later in the fall, be sure to check with some wineries first to make sure they are open. I got the feeling some operate seasonally only. No matter when you go, bring a cooler so you can stock up on exceptional yet affordable wine. We didn’t have a cooler and didn’t want our wine to spoil in the car so we couldn’t buy much. So, now we have to go back to Colorado Wine Country soon – not that we’re complaining!

Click here to see more photos from Colorado Wine Country.

Have you been to Colorado Wine Country? Please comment below this post and let me know what you thought.

Sunday Savings

COLORADO DEALS AND STEALS colorado tips

I’m out touring the state, so I don’t have my Sunday paper and its coupons/deals to share with you. But, you can check out The Freebie Blogger for Kmart, Rite Aid and Walgreens deals. At a quick glance, it looks like Kmart has the best deals, but I guess it depends on what is on your shopping list. Do note that the Freebie Blogger is not out of Colorado so there may be a few instances when there are regional differences (check a local ad either from the paper or online before heading out for a specific item), but for the most part the sales will be the same. Also, the Freebie Blogger uses abbreviations to point you to coupons you may have clipped in previous weeks’ papers. For example, RP = the Red Plum insert. This is a very cool feature to make sure you get the very best deals – sometimes making money on your purchases – but it only works if you are a faithful couponer.
Which brings me to another “tip.” I do recommend you clip all coupons. Although you might have a favorite brand, that brand’s competitor may have a hot deal next week, allowing you to try it for free or better. My other reason for clipping everything is to donate products to the many wonderful organizations in our state committed to helping others. Say a coupon can get you a free (or better) shampoo, bag of pet food, or school supplies. There is definitely a battered women’s home, animal shelter or public school/nonprofit for kids (Tennyson Center, Boys and Girls Club, etc.) that could put that free item to good use.
Once again, this post photo shows my free or nearly free stuff for the week. And, this was a short week. We left town Thursday, so I probably have more freebies sitting in my mailbox at home. My splurges this week were $.99 for the lotion at Walgreens and $.06 for the six notebooks from Staples. Other than that, everything else was my favorite price – FREE!
Did you find any hot deals in the paper? Please share with a comment since I am vactioning!

Colorado Weekend Happenings

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN THE DENVER

I love mac and cheese, the Gabby Gourmet and have a friend who loves Steve's Snappin Dogs (I haven't been yet), so I'm going to recommend that you check out the Mac & Cheese Challenge on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Steve's Snappin Dogs, 3525 E. Colfax. Nine restaurants are competing, Gabby is hosting and "celebrity" judges will pick the winner. colorado tips

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND WITH KIDS

FREE festivals are a great way to get out of the house. On Saturday, consider the Westminster Faire from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be crafts, entertainment, food, vendors and more. Or, head to Littleton's Western Welcome Week. Activities are too many to name, but include an Olde Town Market, a Scottish Festival (a festival in a festival!), gold panning and a children's fishing derby.

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN COLORADO

Visit a national park -- it's FREE! Read more here.

What are you doing this weekend? Please click on comment under this post and let me know.

Residence Inn Grand Junction

GRAND JUNCTION LODGING DEALS
After one bad lodging experience in France through Priceline (actually, its European affiliate booking.com), I swore I wouldn't use the site again. Still, I know our Paris mishap was half our fault because we were in a hurry. So, I tried the Name Your Own Price feature for our Grand Junction stay and we ended up in the three-star Residence Inn by Marriott for $60.
Jamie checked us in and was delightful, promptly offering a Palisade Peach Festival brochure after learning this is why we are in town.
Residence Inns offer more than just a bed and bathroom. It's a studio apartment, complete with a kitchen, microwave and dishes -- not to mention a complimentary bag of popcorn.
Despite one bad experience, Priceline (especially the Name Your Own Price feature) can offer great deals. When it comes to Name Your Own Price, I've learned some tricks so feel free to email me (click on the About Me photo on the sidebar, then look for my email to the right) if you want to know more. We're definitely happy with our $60 Grand Junction room that usually runs $130!

Dinner at the Grand Junction Ale House

GRAND JUNCTION DINING
We hit the Ale House for dinner after our drive to Grand Junction. Just what the doctor ordered. My husband had a Southwestern Salad and I opted for the chicken potpie with salad -- half guilty pleasure, half healthy. The best part was affordable drinks. We enjoyed a $14 bottle of wine and took the rest back to the hotel with us. Yes, this is legal.
Another great bonus is the Ale House's expansive outside dining. Tonight there was live music on the patio.
Although this is a semi-chain (it is affiliated with Breckenridge Brewery), I definitely recommend it as a place to eat when visiting Grand Junction.

National Parks in Colorado Free This Weekend

COLORADO NATIONAL PARKS DEALS

Whether you want to dig for dinosaur fossils or climb the Great Sand Dunes, you can do it this weekend for FREE thanks to the National Park Service. The organization is hosting a fee-free weekend Aug. 15-16. Be sure to visit the the NPS website for park locations -- these are different than Colorado State Parks, which had a free day earlier this month.

It's a haul, but if you can swing it, I recommend Dinosaur National Monument. I went last year while on a road trip to Utah. We arrived near closing so we didn't have time to do all Dinosaur has to offer and we couldn't go in the visitor center/museum as it was under renovation, but even still we had a wonderful time. The petroglyphs were amazing to see and we really enjoyed walking around the Josie Bassett Morris homestead. It's astonishing how small this home is, but yet all that Josie needed. It definitely gives you perspective and a look into a very different way of living.

I'd also like to go to Mesa Verde -- and save the $15 summer entrance fee -- but think we're headed to the Grand Junction area for the Palisade Peach Festival (and of course some wine tasting). So, we'll probably stop in at Colorado National Monument. I really don't know anything about this park. I think that is exactly the reason to go! Rumor is that the Barack Obama will be there to celebrate fee-free weekend. Regardless of one's political leanings, I always think that if you have a chance to see, and possibly meet, the president of the United States, you should take advantage of the opportunity.

Do you have a recommendation for a National Park to visit in Colorado? Please use the comment feature to let me know.

Sunday Savings

COLORADO DEALS AT OFFICE SUPPLY STORES AND DRUGSTORES
This photo shows all the great things I received for free or nearly free this week. (Scroll to the bottom for the complete description.) On top of that, I saved big on all of my grocery shopping for the week - hopefully two weeks! At Safeway, I purchased $194 of groceries for $99 ($95 in savings); at King Soopers I bought $192 for $128 ($64 in savings); and at Sunflower Market I took home $48 0f stuff, mostly great meat and produce, for $28 ($20 in savings).

Now, here are Colorado great deals you can take advantage of this week. If you're really interested in something, I recommend going to get it sooner rather than later. Many of these items will go fast.

• Staples - FREE after rebate: Casio Handheld Label Maker, Slimline Pencil Sharpener, and Handy-lines Dry Erase Markers. One Subject Spiral Notebooks are just $.01 through Wednesday, limit six.
• Office Max - One Subject Spiral Notebooks are also $.01, 24-pack Crayola Crayons are $.20.
• Walgreens - FREE after Register Rewards (a coupon for that amount off your NEXT Walgreens purchase): Colgate Total toothpaste. Jergens Naturals Lotion is just $.99 after $5 Register Rewards.
• Target - Air Wick iMotion or Freshmatic Starter Kit is $1.99 after $4 coupon from a coupon insert in today's Denver Post. Scotch Magic Tape in the new Donut Dispenser is $1 after .$50 coupon in the Red Plum coupon insert in today's Denver Post.
• Rite Aid - The Rite Aid ad is never in my paper, but The Freebie Blogger, a trusted authority, sums up the deals here.

If you subscribe to the Denver Post, sign up for Denver Post Perks today. Under the "Perk Rewards" listing, there is a link for three FREE Colorado Lottery scratch tickets, but you must request them today.

Now as promised at the beginning of this post, here's the details of my photo. Everything you see was FREE with these exceptions: the two Arm & Hammer toothpastes (my favorite brand of toothpaste) and the two Arm & Hammer Whitening Boosters cost me $4.95 for shipping; the two Speedstick deodorants cost me $.76 for both; and the six Sharpies cost me $.06 for all six.
Do you know of a great deal I missed? Please leave a comment to let me know.

Click here to see my shopper's helper after a hard day on the job!

Casa Bonita Delights Once Again

DENVER DINING
Coloradoans have a love/hate relationship with Casa Bonita. As for my family, we're planted firmly in the love camp. We never miss an opportunity to celebrate some occasion at this truly unique place. This week, we brought a first-time Colorado visitor. Now that I write this, I realize I never asked her what she thought of the place ... I was too busy enjoying myself! Maybe she will comment and let us know, but as a family friend I bet she'll be nice and say she loved it to. Regardless of what you have heard -- good, bad or neutral -- you really must go to Casa Bonita at least once.

Casa Bonita nay-sayers complain about the food, don't like the cafeteria-style line that is often up to an hour long, and perhaps think the whole place is rather cheesy. Yet for me it is all part of the experience. Yes, it is not five-star dining when you have to carry your own tray or when a staffer is running around in a gorilla costume. But where else can you go and watch cliff diving while you eat?

As for the food, I must say that I really did enjoy my chicken enchiladas. It seemed to me to be a "new and improved" recipe. But you don't go to Casa Bonita for the food. Did I mention cliff diving? If that doesn't get you, how about all-you-can-eat sopaipillas?

There are also many activities for the young or young at heart. Visit the arcade and go for a high score in skee-ball, sit down for the puppet show or watch the little ones scramble about on the floor after the pinata is cracked open. And of course, Black Bart's hideout is not to be missed.

After spending nearly three hours at Casa Bonita, it was time to go. As we did, my seven-year-old nephew commented, "I hope this place never goes out of business." Me too.

Have you been to Casa Bonita? Please comment to let me know if you are pro Casa Bonita or anti Casa Bonita and why.

View more photos.