Bargain Biatch

Dump Cable But Keep Dexter

Cutting some of my cable channels like Cinemax and Showtime but I’ll give up my HBO when they pry the remote out of my cold dead fingers.  But what to do about Dexter on Showtime?  I need much more immediate gratification than waiting for Season 4 to become available on Netflix so I wanted hunting online for ummmm…. “unauthorized” videos.  I did a Google search and up popped a lot of sites advertising streaming and downloads of the series and many of them free.  Not all delivered and a handful like some of the Megavideo links only let you watch a certain number of minutes at a time.  And then there were others that didn’t have user controls so you had to watch from beginning to end and couldn’t pause to rewind.  Which wasn’t so bad. I watched a few on Blinkx, but my favorite link was a Japanese site that allowed all access and controls.  They only trade off was the Japanese subtitles at the bottom of the screen.  They were tiny and not at all distracting and the site was totally free. Since the Internet is so fluid and (bootleg) sites go up and down you have to check regularly to see what’s still up and running.  SO over the past 7days I binged and watched all 12 episodes and my jaw is still hanging on the floor from the season finale and it’s final bloody scene. OMG!

Help Haiti Take A Survey

Just breaking out of my self-absorption to think about more ways to help Haiti.  Many neighborhood businesses are taking donations of money clothes and shoes including my neighborhood Bikram Yoga Studio. You can also donate accumulated points and dollars from online survey accounts.  Nearly all of the sites have set up a link to contribute your earnings to some kind of Haitian relief fund.  May as well since I “earned” the money by filling out mindless surveys.  My friend Leila left for Haiti over the weekend with an EMS tech and another worker to bring food, water and anything else they could carry.  She set up a PayPal account  for donations Via her email or phone number email:[email protected] 347 416-3483.  And since some of the survey sites deposit your earning directly into PayPal is was totally easy to transfer the contents to support her efforts.

Welcome Winter Restaurant Week!!

 

I'm delighted to welcome the 2010 Winter restaurant week.  After the rigors of my 30-day Bikram Yoga Challenge I’m feeling dehydrated and deprived of delicious food.  Plus fitting in 1-½ hours of hot yoga  (really 2 hrs) left little time to pursue my true passion… gluttony. This year I think I’ll change it up and try some lunch options.  It will give me a chance to visit some of the fancier restaurants that are out of my bargain budget.  I have my eye on Megu; I heard that they do an awesome lunch, elegant with beautiful food pairings and stellar presentation.  And also Café Boulud apparently lives up to all the hype and is (almost) worth the regular price.  And then over to one of Lidia Bastianichs’ eateries.  I watch her show and she’s a great chef and people rave about her restaurants.  Apparently the food and service are fantastic which in rude ass New York is an oxymoron.  And finally I’m planning to check out Tocqueville, but after the official restaurant week since they offer a year round 3-course lunch prix fixe menu that is the real deal.

Movie Review: A for Awesome Avatar

I was debating whether to include Avatar in my Movie review due to the jacked up 3D price. But the friend I whining to told me to shut my popcorn hole because even with the extra $3 or $5 added for goofy glasses, it was still cheap entertainment.  And if you want maximize your admission fee, (or have no job) go to the theater early.  Not only will you get the requisite 15minutes of previews, you can watch interviews and shorts specially created for that pre preview time.  OK I missed that but still totally got my money’s worth, and not just because the movie was long, it was fantastic.  Truly a visual spectacle that will revolutionize filmmaking.

Lower My Bills NOW!

Just to piggyback on my last tech post, I thought I’d dig deeper into how to cut my bill for cable TV, phone and Internet.  I came across a website called Bundle My Services that lets you check the services that you wanted bundled and they’d come up with some  packages.  After entering my address and the preference to stick with Verizon the only option was with my current shit provider Direct TV or Comcast which I’m still considering.  But if you’re not already locked into to Verizon, there were many more (cheaper) choices.  And the site was very user friendly including an option to talk to a sympathetic and helpful “live” ….I guess as opposed to dead or zombie (undead) representative.  And in addition to cable/phone/internet bundling, they have other categories like rate quotes for utilities and home and financial services.

So since I saved no money there, I decided to make my quarterly call to AT&T, my cell phone provider and the only option I have for my fancy iphone. I needed to call anyway to dispute and $7 blocked call charge I incurred while I was in Peru. Hey it’s my 7 bucks.  I called them up and easily got the charge reversed and then was connected to a retention specialist.  I’d recently read about a price war between wireless providers so I thought I’d try to make a deal. The rep looked at my current usage and advised me to start talking more, basically from morning till night since I have over 4000 rollover minutes. But barring that, she offered an unadvertised plan for their “best customers” that’s $10 cheaper. It lets me keep my rollover minutes and there was no fee to switch even though my current contract wasn’t up until August. Score!!!! And does anyone know if I can sell my minutes on eBay?

Phone/Internet/Cable and the SanDiego Chargers Have Fans In Mexico

Finally back in action after 3 days without internet and only sporadic email but still a bit cranky since it’s day 25 of my 30 day Bikram yoga challenge.  

Anyway a bargain post on phone/internet/TV service “experience”.

First the Verizon tech center is south of the border and FYI, in Mexico and they are big San Diego Charger fans….things you learn after 3 hours on the phone.

Second, if your equipment goes down or need replacing ask them to foot the bill.  In my case it was the old ass modem that they sent when I first got DSL that died. The tech said that I could buy a new one, like at Best Buy, and then call back to get it configured.  I suggested that they should replace it for free, expedite the shipping, track it and call me when it arrived to get it set up.  And they did.

Since I’ve been bonding with tech people overseas I thought I’d shop around for prices for my overpriced communications services.  Verizon advised me that my rates are about to go up for my bundled package that includes DirectTV. Because I’m lazy I want to stick with Verizon so I don’t have change my email address and new DSL modem I went shopping for Cable. 

 

Cheap Travel For 2010

Taking a BIG BITE off a New York Times travel article about the top ways to cut your travel costs this year.  You can see the full article but here are my tops picks and a few of my own.

 

Sign up for a Twitter account.  An increasing number of travel companies are using Twitter for marketing and besides following the nauseating updates of people you don’t give a shit about, you’ll have access to last minute discounts and bargains. And if you’re serious about hunting for bargains sign up for everything, when you join travels sites you’ll get all of the insider deals and steals.

 

Consider nearby airports.  I’ve done this when flying to Miami on JetBlue.  Sometimes it’s cheaper to route yourself through a less popular destination.  Most search engines let your check fares at “nearby” airports with a click of the mouse.

 

Shrug your shoulders.  Fly off peak or shoulder season, just bit before or a bit after peak season.  So check out warm weather destinations like Mexico and the Caribbean you can find great values traveling in late fall and early spring.

 

Rent.  This was definitely the good move when I went to Buenos Aires.  They have a very well managed apartment rental system with several reputable agencies to choose from.  By renting you can get a centrally located, well-appointed apartment that’s cheaper and nicer than a standard hotel.

 

Picnic:  It’s fantastic money saver, particularly for lunch. It’s easy to grab fresh local produce and make a fancy feast on the cheap.

 

Take Public Transportation.  Being a New Yorker I find always like to test out the public transportation system and I’ve typically found it to be a viable option.  Be it bus, or train with a map and some change it can be cost effective and at time adventurous addition.

 

Or Walk:  May as well since you’ll probably overindulging on local delicacies so using your own two feet to get around will ensure that you’ll fit into your clothes when you get back.  And you can see a lot of a city by strolling and taking your time.

Movie Review: It’s Complicated..but not that interesting or believable

Much as I wanted to love a movie about a 50 plus woman choosing between 2 suitors, one of whom is Alex Baldwin, it’s complicated was just OK for me.  It’s the story of Jane/Meryl Streep who has just about gotten over her divorce and making a new, fantastic life for herself.  She’s opened and expanded her high-end bakery, her garden rivals the Whitehouse organic farm and she’s adding an addition and remodeling the kitchen in her suburban mansion.  It’s all so storybook and a bit hard to swallow.  Then she hooks up with her ex-husband Jake/Alec Baldwin at her son’s graduation and the have a drunken sex. That’s when things get complicated.  Jake has remarried to a young hot-bodied control freak wife and she has a young son. Their passion is re-ignited but she’s also exploring a budding relationship with architect Steve Martin.  The kids are foils and the their oldest daughter is planning her wedding which adds to the mix.  Would-be groom John Krasinski adds some good comic scenes but the whole thing deteriorated into a kind of madcap farce.  Meryl Streep has done this role (a few times) before …Yo Mama Mia et al …. And as much as I love her and think she looked beautiful, the flustered mugging is wearing thin.  And Alec, sigh, what a god he used to be, like one of the most handsome men on the planet….and now a FB (fat bastard) and a very hairy one at that with man boobs.  But a couple of months working out me, some boot camp in Prospect Park and Pilates and I’d have him back down to an A cup and fuckable in no time.

 

 

Book For Two And Save On Jet Blue

A couple of short travel posts if you need to get outta this icebox. First a 2-fer offered by JetBlue.  Credit this to my friend Adrina. She travels regularly to Fort Lauderdale with her boyfriend to visit his dad.  This time when she was surfing Jet Blue for cheapest fares she found she found she could get a discount for booking 2 people on the same itinerary. Individual tickets were $149 each way, still not bad fare, but when she put in 2 passengers the fare dropped to $99.  Big savings and I guess it pays to have a travel partner. I haven’t seen any other airlines offer this kind of deal but better believe that if I’m booking for two, it’ll be Jet Blue….NOT!.... if I’m going with someone else, I will not be the one paying.

And Booking Buddy is advertising some great cruise deals through Direct Line Cruises that leave from NY so no airfare required.  There are deals as low as $449 pp for 7 nights to the Bahamas. There are also deals to Bermuda and Canada.  You have to book by January 10^th but travel is good till September.  And fares do vary depending on when you travel.

Lose That Extra Chin and Save on Fitness For The New Year

A new year, welcome a hangover and tub of lard’s worth of New Year’s health resolutions.  “I vow to exercise more, lose weight blah blah blah blah.”  Whether or not you’re serious about dropping that supersized ass and extra chin you accumulated over the holidays, whatever your commitment, or lack their of, you don’t have to pay a fortune for fitness. 

 

Gym memberships can be expensive but there definitely ways to save.  First start off with the free tour which typically comes with a day pass with full access of the facilities and classes. Typically as part of the “go see”, the gym will offer a free trial membership that can last anywhere from 10 days to as long as a month. And after your freebie, if you act like you’re still unsure about joining, the gym will often extend the membership for another 10 days.  Put together a list of gyms in your area and with a little finesse, you can have free gym membersships till spring.

In addition to trial memberships, check for any employer sponsored fitness memberships that give you an employee discount. Or just co-op a group of people from work or anyone you know and join as a group, you can save a chunk of money.   Even joining with one other person will get you a deal.