Archive for the ‘Deals’ tag
Great local deals for Austin families
Hatchling Heather is based in Austin, Texas, and she’s always looking for great local deals… especially those that are kid-friendly. A company called Juice in the City just launched an Austin-based local deal site (and they’re in other cities, too) and she wanted to share these deals with you.
These deals are similar to a Groupon, except that they are selected by local moms, so I know they’re finding deals relevant for moms like me. Another awesome perk about this deal site is that they hire moms to find deals and promote them; I know several stay-at-home moms who write posts for Juice in the City and are making some extra cash. Interested? Check out the promo for Juice in the City by my friend, Gigi Ross.
Have you tried the Juice?
Not sure what I mean? Well, Juice in the City is now live in Austin! Juice in the City is not your ordinary daily deal site, though; every single one of their deals is personally discovered by a local Austin mom. You can be sure that when Juice offers up a deal, it’s been mom-tested and mom-approved!
Juice offers crazy-good deals on everything from restaurants to summer camps to spas and the deals are focused on locally-owned businesses, so you can feel good that your money is being put right back into YOUR community. Subscribe to the North Austin deals if you’re in that part of town, or South Austin deals if you’re in that neck of the woods. Hurry, so you don’t miss a thing!
Deals for 7/28, as suggested by you
It’s seemed like a pretty slow deal day, so I asked our Twitter followers if they’ve seen anything good today. Here are some of their suggestions. Thank you for your help, everyone!
- @cbowers21 says: JCPenney has a big sale going on plus 15% off both in store and online. Also free shipping for orders $49 or more.
- @ElChileCafe says: 1/2 price house pizzas +$1 off drinks at The Red House Pizzeria [in Austin, TX] daily!
- @DailySaving says: This one was great, I used it today… RT: @thisfrugal_life 1-Yr Subscription to Shape Magazine Only $2.99!
- @doofard says: Breakthrupcb has 40% off all clothes.
- @asevans13 says: I heart this dessert company: RT @sweetstdesserts Take 10% off your New & Featured Product purchase w/code 498NWFTR010P
- @luischinea says: Check this one out: [printable coupon for $2.99 lunch at Quiznos]
- @heartsabustin2: 30% off my Christmas in July section until August 1! www.heartsabustin.etsy.com
- @CoupTessa: 65% off X-Treme Rock Climbing [in Miami, FL]!
- @Bestlaminate says: Roberts Harmony Silent pad – just $29 w/FREE s&H (at Lowes $63)
@Earlybird’s first deal a little wormy: Some thoughts on using Twitter for deals
Twitter posted its first @earlybird deal today. We haven’t written or said much about @earlybird yet, partly because we wanted to see it in action before discussing it. But we’re really excited that Twitter is participating in the deals space and we’re honored to be among their suggested users for Deals and Discounts on Twitter.
The first @earlybird deal was a ticket offer for @DisneyPictures‘ new film The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. While we think @earlybird is a good idea, their first deal attempt hit some rough spots. They had to repeat (and reword) the deal a few times because redeeming it was a bit tricky.
If even Twitter can trip up a bit, then of course it will be difficult for all the merchants out there to get it right. We thought now seemed like a good time to revisit some of the things we’ve learned running CheapTweet. Posting deals in a real-time, short-form channel like Twitter is actually quite different than announcing deals in email newsletters, blog posts, or even Facebook.
Lots of people tweet about coupons and discounts; the CheapTweet search engine finds about 40,000 deal tweets every day. And each day, we tweet about a handful of these deals to @CheapTweet Twitter followers. We’ve seen every kind of deal you can imagine – the good, the bad, and the oh-so-spammy. And since we find 40,000 new deals every single day, there’s a lot of data to learn from.
We’ve written a few times about how to effectively tweet deals. There is our original post on Twitter Tips for Retailers and its updated companion, More Twitter Tips for Retailers. These posts are based on our experience aggregating and filtering the millions of deals we’ve seen on Twitter the past two years.
What we’ve learned is that tweeting deals comes down to three things:
- Keep it simple
- Don’t repeat yourself
- Offer something people want
Take a look below for some more info on these three things and some examples of where @earlybird tripped up.
Keep it simple
Deals must be simply worded and easy to redeem. The first @earlybird deal required several steps and a coupon code to actually redeem the deal. Ideally, there should be only one click to get to the product for sale. Don’t send Twitter users to your Facebook page before routing them on to your website. Don’t make them fill out long forms, remember complicated coupon codes, or take multiple steps to save a few bucks. Above all, make sure customers can quickly and easily purchase. Don’t make them ask you what to do.
The simpler the redemption process is, the more redemptions you’ll get.
Don’t repeat yourself (much)
On Twitter, it’s easy to miss a tweet. Things move so fast and many of us follow hundreds of other people. This means tweeting a deal a few times seems like a good idea, just to make sure everyone has a chance to see it. In fact, we often encourage that – over a period of hours or even days. But posting a deal a bunch of times in a row is overwhelming and unnecessary. Especially if you have to tweet multiple times to clarify what the deal is or how to redeem it (see previous point). This definitely tripped up @earlybird.
Offer something people want
Finally – and most important of all – a deal simply must be relevant to its audience. If it’s not relevant, it’s spam. Figure out what your customers are looking for and give it to them. Sure, there’s no way to tweet something that absolutely everyone will like, but you can definitely avoid tweeting a deal no one wants. For example, we know that if we tweet about a deal from Starbucks, it’ll get retweeted dozens of times – lots of people like Starbucks.
When choosing what other deals to tweet about for our followers, we think about ourselves, our parents and our kids (well, our friends’ kids, but you get the point). If any of those groups would like a deal, then we’ll tweet it. If none of them would like it, then we won’t tweet it. You can’t really blame Twitter for this one, since Disney’s usually a pretty good bet, but the Sorcerer’s Apprentice hasn’t exactly gotten rave reviews.
Really, what we’ve learned is that, like other interactions on Twitter, posting deals is more than just tossing out 140 characters of text. We’re happy that Twitter is posting deals through @earlybird and we can’t wait to see what tomorrow’s deal will be. Social media channels like Twitter are a great place to post and find deals. And even with today’s hiccups, today’s @earlybird deal worked and saved people money.
If you post deals to Twitter, you want our search engine to pick up your deals and post them on CheapTweet.com, make sure you’re following our deal tweet guidelines. Or just ask us! We’ve seen it all and can help you figure out the best way to make sure your deals are clicked on and retweeted. Find us on Twitter at @cheaptweet.
A big list of official stores on CheapTweet
To make it as easy as possible to find the deals you want when you want them, here’s a list of the official pages for some of the most searched-for brands and stores on CheapTweet.
Take advantage of these Twilight-related deals
If you can read this sentence, then it’s possible that you’re familiar with the ‘Twilight’ series of books and movies about vampires and werewolves. Maybe. I know, it really hasn’t been very popular, so it’s possible that you’ve missed it. Oh wait, I mean the exact opposite of that. Of course you’ve heard of Twilight – everyone’s heard of it. Babies know what Twilight is.
So, if you’re a fan of the series – or if you just want to take advantage of a good deal – we’ve got good news. This week’s release of “Eclipse”, the latest movie in the series, means there are a ton of Twilight-related deals on CheapTweet. Here are some of the best. Some of these are expiring soon, so check the details before purchasing.
- Mary Kay $10 off a $30 purchase from @MaryKay_Diane. Just put “Eclipse” in comments when ordering.
- Twilight cast autographs on sale from @canadagraphs
- Scene It? Twilight Deluxe Edition for $18.15 from Amazon. Was $29.99.
- 22% off Eclipse soundtrack from Barnes & Noble
- Free shipping on jewelry inspired by Twilight from @Curly_Rocks
- 10% off vampire fang ice cube trays from WeeCanShop. Use code “tweet”.
- Free drink and Twilight cup from Cineplex Theaters. Valid with purchase of popcorn.
- Twilight DVD on sale for $14.99 from Amazon. Was $25.99.
Also, we made a Twilight-themed happy hour video a few months ago. Here it is again if you missed it. Hayes is totally on Team Jacob.
PS – I considered these (really terrible) alternate titles for this post. Can you do better? Add them in the comments.
- Deals with a Real Bite
- You Just Can’t Eclipse These Deals
- There’s no Twilight to These Savings
- (Were)Wolf Down These Good Deals
- These Deals Will Really Slay You
- Twilight + Twitter = Great Deals
- Forget Team Edward or Team Jacob – How about Team Savings?
Deal wrap up for June 25, 2010
Here’s a really quick video wrap up (only 1 minute!) of this week’s best deals. These deals are only good for a few a more days, so check them out now. Links are posted below.
- 30% off at Old Navy, ends 6/29
- BOGO entrees at Hard Rock Cafe, ends 6/30
- 20% off in-stock games from EA
- 10% off refrigerators, freezers, washers and dryers at Best Buy, limited time
Check out the CheapTweet DealStream – get a personalized, constantly updated feed of deals just for you.
So many Memorial Day savings in CheapTweet Happy Hour #17
It’s Memorial Day weekend! In addition to being a time when we honor and remember the men and women who have died in service to our country, it’s also a weekend spent playing outside with family and friends, and typically marks the start of summer.
It’s also one of the best weekends of the year to shop, as basically every store in the United States runs a big sale. We’re posting a bunch of our favorite sales and coupons below, but there are lots more on CheapTweet. Links are posted below the video.
Have a great long weekend!
- 25% off at Stride Rite
- 20% off at Half Price Books
- Extra savings and coupons at sponsor Stein Mart
- Up to 60% off at Sears
- An extra 5-20% off everything at Kmart
- $5 off a $25 purchase at Old Navy, plus other in-store discounts
- Up to 75% off at Pottery Barn Teen
- Up to 65% off electronics from Dell
- Sale at American Apparel Outlets
- Lots of discounts at Ace Hardware
- 40% off Guess clothing and accessories at Amazon
- So many travel deals
- And thousands more Memorial Day discounts on CheapTweet
5 ways to find exactly the deals you want with CheapTweet
We’ve built CheapTweet with shoppers and deal-hunters in mind. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to find exactly the deals, coupons, and discounts you’re looking for, whenever you want them. Here are five ways to get a personalized deal experience with CheapTweet.
1. Set up your DealStream
The CheapTweet DealStream is a personalized feed of deals built just for you. The DealStream automatically monitors all the thousands of deals we find every day and keeps tracks of the ones you might like – you just have to tell it a little about what you like. And then only the most relevant deals are displayed in your DealStream, which you can access from CheapTweet.com or via an RSS feed. Your DealStream is updated all the time, so there are always new deals for you.
Sign up for a CheapTweet account to get your DealStream set up. It’s a quick and easy process, and there are more details here about how to set up and use your DealStream.
2. Search for a keyword or product
If you’re looking for a coupon for a specific item or store, use our search function to find that particular coupon. You can search for any kind of keyword, product name, store or brand, etc… Just type what you’re looking for into the search box and see what kinds of deals we can find for you.
3. Browse by category
Sometimes you just feel like browsing, right? We’ve organized all our deals into categories. Try looking around at some of our most popular deals in a category and see if there’s anything you like. For example, check out our Fashion and Beauty category. There are a lot more categories on CheapTweet, for everything from TV & Video to Pets to Travel (and so many more!). You can get to any category from the top navigation menu on CheapTweet.com.
4. Follow your favorite merchant
Each store, merchant, and brand has its own page on CheapTweet.com. This is the fastest way of looking through a merchant’s official deals and seeing what kinds of sales are going on now. Some of our favorites include Old Navy, Starbucks, DSW Shoes and Home Depot. There are thousands of merchants on CheapTweet, so look around for your favorites. We link to their websites and to their Twitter accounts, so it’s easy to purchase from them or follow them on Twitter.
5. Ask us for help
We are always here if you have any questions! If there’s something you’re looking for but can’t find, just ask. We’re happy to help and are available on Twitter and Facebook, and of course by email.
Tax Day = Free Stuff Day
April 15 has a bad reputation. It’s Tax Day in the US and lots of us are feeling the sting of paying our taxes. But, did you know APril 15 is also a really great day for deals? Here are a few of our favorites. Most of these are good today only, so act quickly!
5 tips to help you save money on Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day can be stressful and oh so expensive. There’s a lot of pressure to have the perfect romantic day; jewelry stores start running Valentine’s Day commercials right after Christmas, restaurant reservations are booked a month in advance, and roses get more and more expensive every day. But, you don’t have to spend a ton of money to have a memorable Valentine’s Day. Here are five ways you can save money this February 14th.
1. Cook dinner at home.
Eating Valentine’s Day dinner at a fancy restaurant can be very expensive, not to mention crowded. Instead, cook something at home. You can experiment with a new recipe or cook an old favorite. Add some candles and presto, a romantic, candlelit dinner! As a bonus, if you have special occasion china, this is a great opportunity to use it.
2. Skip the roses.
Around Valentine’s Day, the price of roses skyrockets, especially red ones. If you want to give flowers to your valentine, try another variety. There are so many beautiful kinds of flowers; roses are definitely not the only option. In fact, you could buy a potted plant and it will last even longer.
3. Buy handmade.
Why spend hundreds of dollars on overpriced chain store jewelry when you can buy a handcrafted, one-of-kind piece of jewelry for much less? Sites like Etsy offer so many beautiful choices and almost all of them are considerably less expensive than what you’ll find at the mall. Plus, you’ll be supporting an independent artisan.
4. Start a new tradition.
Instead of celebrating your love the same way everyone else does – flowers, candy, fancy dinner out – try something new. Think of something silly, fun or just different that you can do together, and make a commitment to do it every year. A friend of mine and her husband go to Waffle House on Valentine’s Day. They’ve been doing that for ten years, and it’s sweet and cheap! Check out the fun and inexpensive things you can do in your town. For example, there are a ton of free things to do if you live in the Bay Area and here are a few cheap dates ideas if you live in Austin.
5. Make your own cards and gifts.
One of the best ways to show your love and appreciation for your partner is by making a gift. Some of my favorite gifts have been made by the gift-giver. For example, think about making a photo album or scrapbook, a framed photo or artwork, a thoughtful note, and so on. Anything that reflects how you feel about your valentine or an important part of your relationship will work. Be creative!
Also, be sure to check out all the Valentine’s Day deals we’re finding on CheapTweet. From the biggest name brands to the smallest local and independent sellers, we’ve got the best sales, discounts and coupons for all your Valentine’s Day needs.