Portland On The Cheap

Sunday early edition!

Article of the Week:

“Fiscal Fitness: Save $157.86 Just by Asking.” Offers seven tips for haggling and negotiating a deal. From Dayana Yochim of The Motley Fool.

Monday, February 8th:
- It’s Martini Monday at Claimjumper restaurants. All day in the saloon only, pay just $3 for select martinis. Coupon is required, click here to view and to print.

- Just in time for Valentine’s Day Week: Marie Callender’s is having their $6.99 Pie Sale (plus deposit for the pie tin). Yum!

- Portland State University Monday Night Art Lecture Series, 7:30pm at the Shattuck Hall Annex. Tonight’s featured artist is Julie Ault. Free admission, open to the public.

Tuesday, February 9th:
- Oregon Zoo’s second Tuesday of the month offers up admission of just $2 for all. Ride MAX and get an additional $1.50 off admission (just show proof of fare at the ticket window).

- Denny’s Free Grand Slam breakfast, 6:00am – 2:00pm, as seen on the Superbowl…if you can remember last year, lines were super-long, so you have been warned!

Wednesday, February 10th:
- Community Cinema Independent Lens Series at the Turnbull Portland Center in Old Town Portland. Free admission to the film “The Eyes of Me,” an “up-close look at four teens who have lost their sight. Set in Austin, TX, this film follows their high school experiences of dating, academic responsibilities, fitting in, family problems and preparing for college over the course of one dynamic year.” 6:00pm start.

Thursday, February 11th:
- Museum by Moonlight at the World Forestry Center. 6:00pm – 9:30pm, 21 and over. $8 admission, but go to the web site to print a coupon good for $2 off each admission (valid for two). Features the current exhibit “The Chocolate Story.”

Weekend on the Cheap:

- Portland Opera at the Multnomah County Central Library this Friday from 12:00pm – 1:00pm in the U.S. Bank room. Free.

- The Portland Seafood & Wine Festival runs this Friday from 2:00pm – 10:00pm and on Saturday from 12:00pm – 9:00pm. Adult tickets are $12.00 each with a portion going to the Oregon Chapter of the National MS Society. There will be a $2 discount price on tickets purchased within the first 2 hours of the festival each day. Food item prices range from $1 and up. Wine sampling starts at .50 and prices for menu items varies from $2 to $15.00. While this event has the potential to have costs add up, we are including this on our Weekend on the Cheap because of the value you receive. Plus, if you are one of the first 500 people each day through the gates, you’ll receive a commemorative wine glass to use at the festival and then take home with you!

- Portland Children’s Museum First Friday free admission from 5:00pm – 8:00pm.

- Bank of America Museums on Us weekend: Bank of America cardholders can receive free admission to the Portland Art Museum and the Pittock Mansion this Saturday and Sunday during normal hours. Just show your debit, credit or bank card to get one free admission.

- Viking Pancake Breakfast! From web site: “What better way to start the day than with a plate of delicious, all-you-can pancakes? Our popular breakfast also includes sides of eggs, sausages, fresh fruit, applesauce, orange juice, tea and bottomless coffee – all served up with Norwegian charm from 8:30 am to 1:00pm Adults: $6. Children 5-12: $3 (under 5: free). Children’s Nordic story time in the library from 10-11am.” At Norse Hall, 111 NE 11th Avenue this Sunday.

- Chips and dips tastings this Saturday and Sunday from 11:00am – 5:00pm at all area New Seasons Markets.

- OMSI First Sunday means $2 admission for all at OMSI during regular hours.

- Superbowl Sunday: it’s Superbowl XLIV, catch the action (or lack thereof) at a local watering hole, at home with some friends or on the big screen with new friends at a local McMenamins theater.

- If the Superbowl isn’t your style, and saving money is, then check out “Bargain Hunting 101: The Mother of All Clearance Sales” where 50 of Portland’s best and most unique boutiques and vendors come together for a huge end-of-season clearance sale. Sunday from 12:00pm – 5:00pm at the Crystal Ballroom. It’s the Mother of all clearance sales and admission is free!

- Willamette Week’s new Cheap Skate Deal Box includes a heads-or-tails free meal, a free screening of Star Trek, a free concert by Sea Wolf and more.

Spotlight: McGrath’s Fish House

We recently stopped into McGrath’s Fish House for their Crab Celebration promotion and left the restaurant full (with leftovers) and the damage to our wallet/pocketbook was minimal.

We sat in the bar and one of us ordered from the regular menu while the other ordered from the bar menu. We timed our visit to coincide with their happy hour:

Happy Hour (in the bar only; no drink minimum required)
Monday – Thursday 3:00pm – 6:00pm and from 9:00pm – close
Friday 3:00pm – 5:00pm

$2.99 Appetizers
Asian Ahi Nachos
Ponzi Salmon Stack
Pear, Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad
Pesto Artichoke Pizza Crackers
Blue Cheese Potato Wedges
Crispy Turkey Club Rolls
Pair of Oyster Shooters
Stuffed Mushrooms
Calamari Wasabi Caesar Wrap
Brushetta Caprese

Cocktails
$3.50 Well Drinks
$4.50 Daiquries
$4.50 Margaritas
$4.50 Specialty Teas
$4.50 Bloody Mary
$3.00 Glass of domestic brews
$4.00 Gusto size of domestic brews
$4.00 Glass of microbrew
$5.00 Gusto size of microbrew
$3.50 Glass of La Terre wine: Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet, White Zinfandel

Menu prices are reasonable and in addition to seafood, they offer chicken, pasta, steak, and sandwiches. Adult entrees include sourdough bread, fresh steamed veggies, choice of garden salad or coleslaw AND your choice of: red potatoes, penne pasta, rice pilaf, fish house fries, cottage cheese or sliced tomatoes. In place of the regular salad, you can also upgrade (for a nominal charge) to other starters like clam chowder, Fisherman’s stew, petite shrimp Louis or a pear, bleu cheese and walnut salad.

If you have little ones, McGrath’s has a kid’s menu with meals starting at $3.99. Finally, sign up for their e-club and around your birthday you’ll receive a voucher good for $10 off your next meal (must be used within two weeks of birthday). And with their current special of Crab, Steak and Prawns for just $12.99 (plus all the accompaniments above), you can’t go wrong!

McGrath’s has locations in Vancouver, Milwaukie and Beaverton, as well further south in Salem, Corvallis, Eugene and Bend. Their Crab Celebration ends next week on Thursday, February 11th (we can’t have specials like that for Valentine’s Day Weekend now can we?!). Enjoy the weekend and Go Saints! Or Colts! Just make it a great game, please!

Article of the Week:
“Go vegetarian to save money.” Personally, we love our burgers and BBQ ribs too much to give up meat entirely, but this article sure does give us pause to consider having a couple meat-free days during the week! Not only is it easier on the wallet, but over the long term the positive health benefits are hard to deny.

Monday, February 1st:
- Music Millennium presents Community day with free refreshments, special one-day deals, live music and more. The 7:00pm Songwriters Circle features Lisa Mann, Steve Hefter and Jarad Miles.

- Free Denny’s burger and fries for the first 500,000 people who sign up for the new Denny’s Rewards program online here. The free burger and fries will be available for redemption March 1st through March 7th, 2010. Sign up now until February 14th, or until 500,000 have signed up. And you don’t need to be a Rewards program member to take advantage of a free Grand Slam breakfast next week on Tuesday, February 9th!

Tuesday, February 2nd:
- LOST final season premiere at 9:00pm, ABC. Get caught up with a replay of last season’s cliff hanger finale at 8:00pm. The Bagdad will show both on their big screen with doors opening at 7:30pm. Free, 21 and over only.

Wednesday, February 3rd:
- World Forestry Center’s Wondrous Wednesday offers $2.00 admission all day to the Discovery Museum. 10:00am – 5:00pm.

- Film Screening: “Papers” at Lewis and Clark College Templeton Campus Center, Council Chamber. 7:00pm, which will be followed by a panel discussion with film creators, participants, and other experts. Free.

Thursday, February 4th:
- Portland First Thursday monthly art gallery walk in downtown Portland, Old Town and the Pearl District. 5:00pm – 8:00pm, free.

Weekend on the Cheap:

- The World Forestry Center’s annual ChocolateFest is this weekend with Friday hours of 6:00pm – 9:00pm and Saturday/Sunday from 10:00am – 5:00pm. $8 adults, $7 seniors (62+), $5 children. There’s a $2 Metro Parking fee, but it is waived if you take MAX and show proof of fare.

- The last Neighborhood Fix-It Fair is this Saturday at Parkrose High School in far NE Portland, 8:30am – 2:00pm. Free admission. “Fix-It Fairs are packed with resources for helping you to create a healthy home, including how-to classes on various home and garden topics; money-saving, cost effective tips; free giveaways; and free minor tune-up and flat tire repair for students and families” (so bring your bike). Look for exhibits, hourly workshops and a free lunch.

- This Sunday McMenamins Crystal Ballroom celebrates their 96th Birthday with a Free-For-All from 1:00pm – 8:00pm. This is an all-ages event with free tours, samples, kids’ entertainment and music galore.

- Great Clips is offering $7.99 haircuts at all Portland area stores now until this Sunday, January 31st. No coupon necessary, just walk in!

- The Portland International Auto Show rolls into town this Thursday – Sunday; see web site for discount days and coupons.

- These are the final days to take advantage of the free 2-week membership offered by Bally Total Fitness. As part of the Discovery Health National Body Challenge, free 14-day memberships are available for download between 12/29/09 and 1/31/10 and can be redeemed between 1/1/10 and 2/14/10. The pass is valid for 14 consecutive days from date of redemption.

- This weekend is also the last weekend to save $50 on the Mt. Hood Meadows “4 Time Learn to Ski or Snowboard $160 Special.” Price increases to $210 on February 1st. Click here for further details; while the $160 special is a great price, we actually think the 3-time ski or snowboard lesson package for $99 is a better deal and there is no deadline to sign up.

- Willamette Week’s new Cheap Skate Deal Box features the Mystic Trader clearance sale, a free concert at the Hawthorne Theater, the Northwest Agricultural Show and more.

- Restaurant.com is offering 80% off their gift certificates, where you can get a $25 gift certificate for $2. Use promotion discount code “BONUS” at check out, offer is valid now until Sunday, January 31st.

- Hot Tub Time Machine has a bunch of free screenings of the movie coming up at the end of February and beginning of March. Click here to get your passes. All screenings are now full.

- For a great run down of more free events and happenings for this weekend, go to Aroundthesunblog.

Spotlight: Chevy’s Fresh Mex

A quick spotlight on enjoying some grub at Mexican restaurant chain Chevy’s Fresh Mex, on the cheap:

- Get to their Happy Hour! Offered Monday – Friday from 3:00pm – 7:00pm in the Cantina only, and from 9:00pm until close seven days a week. Specials include a $3 drink menu featuring original frozen margaritas, domestic draft beers, house wines and well drinks. You need some eats to go with the drinks, so Chevy’s also serves up appetizers for half price. Choose from the following (prices are from the Hillsboro location):

$6.29 Chicken Flautas
$4.99 Chili Con Queso
$4.99 Red Chile Pork Taquitos
$7.49 Spicy Wings
$8.99 – $9.99 Fajita Nachos
$8.99 Nachos Grande
$11.99 Fresh Mex Sampler Platter

The best part is that there is no drink minimum and you still get your free chips and salsa.

- Sunday Funday: every Sunday you can get tableside guacamole for $3, $2 off Cadillacs, and $1 for a scoop of deep fried ice cream.

- If you have kids, buy a regular priced entree Tuesday nights and get a free kids meal.

- Split an entree. The size portions are pretty substantial to share, and many times I feel pretty full just from snacking on those fresh chips and the smokey salsa.

- Military discount—all military personnel in uniform get 50% off.

- Go around your birthday for a free meal! You must sign up for the Compadres Email Club and get a voucher for a free entree on your birthday (valid one week before and one week after your birthday).

- Use discount coupons. Check your mailbox, just about every month Chevy’s sends out a flier with a buy one entree / get one entree for $3.99 coupon. The Entertainment book also has two coupons for a BOGO for $3.99, as well as a $5.00 off coupon if your bill totals $25 or more. Plus, the Compadres Email Club will send occasional coupons via email.

Chevy’s is located in Tanasbourne, Lake Oswego, Clackamas and Vancouver. Please call ahead as these promotions may be changed or altered at any time by management discretion. Thanks for reading and enjoy this last weekend of January!

Use discount code ‘BONUS’ to get 80% off the regular price

Article of the Week:
“Free stuff: Get it, give it, swap it.” From MSN Money. If you think FreeCycle is the only web site to get free stuff, think again and read on.

Monday, January 25th:
- *Just added: free Oreo Cookies offer, you must connect via Facebook. Begins at 12:00pm Pacific time and ends when supplies run out (they’re giving out 150,000 packages) or at 8:59pm PST, which ever comes first.
- History Pub Monday at McMennamins Kennedy School presents: “Easy Company Soldier: Don Malarkey’s Account of the Band of Brothers and WWII.” 7:00pm, free for all ages (canned food donation is encouraged).

- Blue Fiddles web series premiere at the Hollywood Theater. Catch all three episodes starting at 7:00pm, free. For more details, please click here.

Tuesday, January 26th:
- VOTE. Ballots due at 8:00pm. Whether you support or oppose Measures 66 and/or 67, exercise your right and be counted! Here is a list of drop-off locations in Multnomah County, Washington County and Clackamas County.

- Rose Quarter Development Project proposal presentations beginning at 5:30pm. Free, registration required.

- OMSI Science Pub at McMennamins Mission Theater. Starts at 7:00pm, $2 suggested cover charge. Science Pub is open to ages 21+, or minor with adult. Tonight’s topic: “Hot Rocks: Oregon’s Volcanic Past…and Future!”

Wednesday, January 27th:
- WorkSource Oregon will present a free employment workshop on Wednesday and Thursday at the Cornelius Public Library. The Wednesday session is in English. Begins at 5:30pm.

- Ground Kontrol’s monthly Free Play Party beginning at 6:00PM. $5 cover gets you free video arcade and pinball games all night, plus DJs starting at 9pm. 21 and over.

Thursday, January 28th:
- WorkSource Oregon will present a free employment workshop on Wednesday and Thursday at the Cornelius Public Library. The Thursday session is in Spanish. Begins at 5:30pm.

- Last Thursday on Alberta Street. In addition to the regular happenings along Alberta, Oregon First will host a benefit for the Oregon Humane Society featuring paintings by artist Ron Kiino from 5:30 – 10:00pm at 5136 NE Garfield Avenue.

Weekend Picks on the Cheap:

- Artist talk and opening reception for the exhibition “What Is a Trade?” this Thursday afternoon 4:00pm at the Lewis and Clark Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art. From web site: “Donald Fels and Signboard Painters of South India exhibits 16 large-scale paintings that explore trade and globalization in India.”

- The Portland Art Museum offers free admission this Friday from 5:00pm – 8:00pm.

- Writers Talking: Jess of Get Sconed! Meet the author of this local vegan-blog with free samples and tips this Saturday from 1:00pm – 2:30pm at the Multnomah County Central library.

- Free benefit concert for relief efforts in Haiti this Sunday at 7:00pm at McMenamins Kennedy School. Donations gladly accepted.

- Willamette Week’s new Cheap Skate Deal Box features a free week of Kung Fu, a free avalanche clinic, deeply discounted wedding dresses, cheap beer and more.

- Taco Bell has reposted their free Fresco Taco coupon as part of their Drive Thru Diet campaign.

- For more free weekend events, please go to Aroundthesunblog

Spotlight: Saving Money at the Fuel Pump

It seemed not too long ago when we could go to practically any gas station in the Portland area and get unleaded gas for less than $1.50 per gallon. Fast-forward to 2009 and into this new decade and the norm has been above $2.50 per gallon, reaching as high as $4.50 just a couple years ago. Since the sticker shock of high gas prices, we have curtailed our daily driving use and have turned to bicycling, carpooling and public transportation. We are fortunate to drive a 91 Honda Civic and a 92 Toyota Corolla and our smaller cars can average around 30mpg. Still, we try our best to save money at the pump, and these are our thoughts on this subject:

- First off, here’s an article explaining why gas prices are predicted to increase into Spring 2010 and beyond: “More Pain at the Pump: Gas Prices High and Going Higher”

- Before heading out to fill up, we’ll check our local gas prices with PortlandGasPrices.com. This site is chock full of useful data and tips and pump prices are frequently updated by user submissions. We like that we can search gas prices by city and/or zip code; search prices by looking at a map; and one can join the community and win weekly prizes like free gas!

- Get to know your neighborhood and your frequent travel routes and soon enough you’ll remember the gas stations along the way. Keep an eye out for special incentives for “shopping” there. One of our nearby gas stations offers a free car wash with a fill-up. Another will discount the gas by ten cents per gallon with a minimum $10 purchase in their mini-mart.

- Gas savings can also be had by using your “Club Card” at area grocery stores with gas stations. Fred Meyer and Safeway are the two major food retailers here in Portland with gas stations at some locations. Albertsons also has a couple locations with fuel pumps. Swing by a Costco and you’ll see the lines of cars filling up for less; annual memberships start at $50.

- Portland edition Entertainment books include a coupon for $1.00 off 8 Gallons or more of Plus or Supreme Unleaded Gasoline at area Chevron stations. The nice part is that there is a coupon good for every month of the year.

- A few years ago we received an email regarding four suggestions for getting your money’s worth at the gas pump: read the post here, dissected and discussed by Urban Legends web site Snopes.com.

- Some road warriors swear by the savings they receive via their credit cards. We have not personally taken this route, but here is a web site that provides an overview of credit card terms and incentives: Guide to Gas Station Credit Cards

- When you travel around Portland as much as we do, you’ll notice that there are areas of high gas prices and pockets of lower rates. We stumbled across this article written in August 2009 “Where to Buy Cheap Gas in Portland, OR.” Highly recommended reading!

- There are discount no-name stations with super cheap gas; there’s also ARCO…since high school our friends have always claimed that their gas is inferior. Is it? Is there a difference between name-brand gas (ie Chevron & Shell) and the no-name places? Here are two articles (with one video) that help explain:
“Can discount gas crimp your ride?” from USA Today 06/2007.
“Fuel Wars: Is Price The Only Difference Between Name-Brand And Discount Gas?” from CBS Evening news 08/2005.

- Finally, there is only so much you can do to find the cheapest gas out there—what it ultimately comes down to is getting the optimum fuel economy out of your vehicle. And for that we turn to Consumer Reports, which explains how to get the best gas mileage including some myth busters: “Fuel economy: Save money on gas”

If you have any further tips or suggestions, feel free to post a Comment and thanks for stopping by!

Article of the Week:
“Top 6 Mindless Money Wasters,’ from Yahoo Finance & Investopedia. Quick read on six ways of finding a little extra money to save.

Monday, January 18th:
- Dr. Martin Luther King events all week listed at the Portland Tribune
- 25th silver anniversary “Keep Alive the Dream” tribute to Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 11:00am – 6:00pm at Highland Christian Center with artists displays, vendor bazaar, special food court, musical performances and guest speakers. Free.

Tuesday, January 19th:
- The Tualatin Library hosts Portland author Peter Rock for his book “My Abandonment,” at 7:00pm, free. Attend this book reading and discussion regarding the discovery and disappearance of the father and his daughter that were found a couple years ago living in Forest Park.

Wednesday, January 20th:
- “The Death and Life of American Journalism,” book reading at Powell’s City of Books, 7:30pm, free.

Thursday, January 21st:
- Portland Community College Brown Bag Lunch & Learn series at the downtown Multnomah County Library, 12:00pm. Today’s topic is “Global Concerns, Grassroots Solutions.”

80% off Restaurant.com $25 Gift Certificate orders. Use code INDULGE and Pay $2 thru 01/19/10.