Baltimore's 10 best deals, discounts and bargains: more candidates
Folks, I've got a few more candidates for inclusion on our list of the top 10 deals and discounts in the Baltimore region, part of baltimoresun.com's 10Spot feature counting down the 10 weeks to 2010.
Consuming Interests, The Sun's consumer blog, has been charged with finding the Baltimore region's best deals and discounts, and that list will be published Nov. 27 in honor of Black Friday.
In reviewing the ideas we've compiled thus far, I'm having a hard time gauging which of these bargains are too well known to mention and whether any have too small an audience to be deemed a valuable tip.
Please let us know which (if any) are your favorites, or if we've missed any winners, by weighing in via the comments field below.
Here's the original list, with the new candidates at the top:
New additions:
HOME DECOR: Plagued by blank walls in your home? Staging a house for sale? Don't plunk down too much for prints. Instead, check out the offerings at the Fine Art Department of the Central branch of the Enoch Pratt Library, where patrons can check out prints and maps --- some of them framed! --- for as long as six months. Be warned, though: hang on to the images past their due date, and you'll have to pay the standard fine of 20 cents per day.
FREE TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: The next time you need to entertain some out-of-town guests, take them on free guided tours of Mount Vernon or the Pennsylvania Avenue corridor, sponsored by the National Heritage Area.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: There are a few annual sales to look forward to, including the Smith College Club of Baltimore's annual book sale in April as well as the Restoration Hardware sale.
And the original list:
FREE STUFF: The library isn’t your only source of free reading material. Snag some secondhand tomes gratis at The Book Thing in Waverly. Trying to furnish a new home? The Baltimore Free Store sets up occasional free markets around the city where people can pick up items for no money at all.
FREE EDUCATION: Check out the offerings at the Baltimore Free School for free classes on music theory, modern poetry, art for free children and more.
DRINK: Enjoy free tastings of wines and spirits at the Wine Source in Hampden on many days of the week. Trinacria Macaroni Works, the Italian deli and supermarket on Paca Street, offers bottles of wine for as little as $4 as well as bulk groceries such as olive oil.
ENTERTAINMENT: The Walters Art Museum and Baltimore Museum of Art are free to everyone, all year round, but locals can enjoy the National Aquarium in Baltimore without paying the regular ticket price. On Friday nights after 5 p.m. from September 11 through March, you can admire the fishes for only $8 per person.
Plus, sign up for the Baltimore Fun Savers newsletter for a list of half-price tickets every week to theater performances, concerts, comedy and more.
SHOPPING: Outlets abound, even beyond Arundel Mills! For bargain basement discounts check out the Goodwill Outlet on The Alameda, where clothes and housewares are sold for $1.69 a pound.
Looking for something more high-end? Try the Saks Fifth Avenue Company Store in Aberdeen or the 'Gucci' Goodwill, a new boutique store at the University of Maryland BioPark on Poppleton Street. And remember: on the last Saturday of every month, all clothing at Goodwill is half price!
