A number of businesses are honoring veterans and active-duty personnel with freebies and discounts in honor of Veteran's Day, and some deals are available to all of us.

Travel blogger Michelle Deal-Zimmerman already mentioned free admission to national parks like Assateague and Monacacy today.

Applebee's is giving free meals to active and former military personnel from a limited menu during business hours today.

The CouponDivas tell us that servicemen and women will receive free Krispy Kreme doughnuts, free bloomin' onions at Outback Steakhouse, free dinner at Golden Corral from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and free entrees or individual pizzas at Uno Chicago Grill on Veterans Day.

Any other discounts or deals that we missed? Please share them with your fellow readers!

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Free
        

Are you a Bank of America cardholder? Then you qualify for free admission this weekend to the American Visionary Art Museum or the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture.

You can take advantage of Bank of America's Museums on Us program with any Bank of America ATM, debit or credit card at participating institutions across the country --- not just these two in Maryland. 

Just bring it to the museum along with a photo ID to gain free admission during the first weekend of any month, which includes Nov. 7 and 8. 

Check the free museum admission site for more freebie weekends.

Then, if you need a pick-me-up after absorbing all that culture ... 

Continue reading "Free museum admission, free coffee and ice cream: Cheap Trick Thursday" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 3:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Free
        

AirTran Airways said today that it will offer buy one, get one free WiFi session on its flights next month.

The airline, which is the only major airline with wireless Internet on all of its planes, will offer the deal from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31. The free session will have to be redeemed by Jan. 31, 2010.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 1:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Free, Technology, Travel
        

Dunkin Donuts will give members of the military a free medium coffee every Tuesday in November.

They just have to present a military ID.

The promotion is part of its "Thanks to You" initiative to recognize local heroes. The donut chain will honor police officers in December.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Food, Free
        

Kids of all ages can eat free on Halloween!

It's not what you're thinking. In addition to all the gorging on candy and other treats this weekend, several restaurant chains have stepped up to offer free meals to children with an adult meal purchase. Thanks to the ladies over at CouponDivas.com for the tip.

Uno Chicago Grill will offer a free make-your-own-pizzas for costumed kids, decorate-your-own-pumpkins and Craisin dried cranberry trick-or-treat snacks in addition to other activities. The hours for the promotion are 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Locations will also offer a party for adults starting at 8 p.m. with contests and other events.

Call to be sure your nearest one is participating, but up to two kids will get free meals with an adult purchase all day Halloween at Austin Grill, in addition to other fun stuff. The restaurant also offers free kids meals every Tuesday with adult purchase, as well as a movie after 6 p.m.

At Applebee's locations, the restaurants are giving trick-or-treaters coupons for a free kids meal with an adult purchase (to be redeemed at a later date). Restaurants may also have additional coupons that diners could take home and distribute themselves.

What if you're not toting small children on Oct. 31? Kids of all ages will still get free treats ...

Continue reading "Eat free or cheap on Halloween!" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food, Free
        

This year Halloween falls on a weekend, which means that kids don't have to wait until school lets out to don their costumes and celebrate.

If you're still planning your Halloween itinerary, check out Charm City Mom blogger Kate's list of Halloween weekend fun. 

She's collected some great destinations there, including the free 3-D showing of Coraline at the Enoch Pratt Free Library and the Fells Point Halloween Children's Event, with costume contests, face painting and pumpkin decorating.

In addition, The Charles Theatre is offering free kids' admission to a film screening of Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein. 

(photo: Christopher T. Assaf/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Free
        

KFC is handing out more free grilled chicken on Monday, Oct. 26, a promotion I'm sure that many people are eager to avoid after a free KFC grilled chicken coupon offer first mentioned on the Oprah Winfrey Show in May.

It ended disastrously when overloaded servers turned away unhappy customers in droves when they ran out of chicken or just decided not to participate. The Louisville, Kentucky-based company ended up having to issue grilled chicken rainchecks to frustrated diners.

But KFC executives aren't giving up. This time, no downloads, printing or paper coupons are required. Just go to the store and pick up your free chicken, according to the Associated Press.

In case you were wondering, here are the details from KFC: 

Continue reading "more free KFC Grilled Chicken: Cheap Trick Thursday" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 3:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Free
        

Try a cup of Starbucks new VIA Ready-Brew instant coffee today through Monday at all locations as part of the VIA Ready-Brew Taste Challenge.

They want to see if you can taste the difference between the instant variety and the regularly brewed stuff. In exchange, you'll get either a gift card for a free tall brewed coffee --- or, if you're sold on VIA, $1 off a 3-pack or 12-pack of the Ready Brew.

The coupon for the free coffee must be redeemed on a future visit, by the way.

Thanks to Matt Brown over at In Good Faith for the tip.

 (photo: Associated Press)

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food, Free
        

Two Ace Hardware stores -- Waverly Ace Hardware and Federal Hill Ace Hardware -- will give away free smoke-alarm batteries in exchange for used ones next week.

The promotion, from October 4 through October 10, is part of National Fire Prevention Week.

The old batteries will be recycled through the Ace Hardware battery recycling program. Just bring each old battery (individually encased in a plastic bag) to any Ace Hardware location. The batteries will be recycled by AERC Recycling Solutions in southern Virginia.

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Consumer safety, Free