Burrito Dinner & Movie Ticket - Only $12!

movie ticket - $10
medium popcorn - $5
small drink - $3.75
an affordable option for dinner and a movie - priceless!

California Tortilla recognizes the outrageous prices of snacks at the movie theater and is offering an alternative for those on a budget. At any several of the DC area locations near movie theaters, you can buy your movie ticket and a burrito (or burrito bowl if you prefer) just $11.99! Don't go to the ticket booth at the theater first. You must pay at California Tortilla.

Here are the details on the participating locations:

• 7th St. California Tortilla: after 4pm Monday through Friday, all day Saturday and Sunday. Regal Cinema directly across the street.
• Arlington California Tortilla: all day, every day. AMC Courthouse Theater.
• Olney California Tortilla: all day, every day. Olney 9 Theater.
• Rockville California Tortilla: all day Monday through Thursday, all day Saturday and Sunday. Regal Cinema right next door.
• Germantown California Tortilla: all day, every day at the Regal/Hoyt Cinema, right down the street.

Amazing Bloomingdales Sale!

Between April 26th and April 30th, Bloomingdale's is offering an additional 40% off all sale merchandise online and in stores. Enter the code APR40 at checkout to redeem the code online. Some reports suggest this code may also work on non-sale items.

Sunny Vacation

I'm off to Key West for a much needed long weekend. I'll be staying at the lovely La Te Da Hotel, but doubt I'll find many deals down there. I'll be back next week with a tan and more money saving tips. Stay tuned!

Save Bed Bath and Beyond & Linens 'n Things Coupons

Earlier this week, I was nominated for the "Sexiest Female Blogger" on the Best DC Blog. By the time I found out about the contest and my nomination, I had already been eliminated and identified as a "LOSER" in capital letters on the website. One of the voters suggested I get the axe because "coupons are not sexy." I disagree.

You've all been bombarded with the direct mail coupons from Bed Bath & Beyond and Linens N' Things. These coupons are good for in-store purchases only and offer 20% off or $5 off a purchase of $15 or more. These coupons may also show up in the weekly circulars in your Sunday paper. Thanks to a BB&B insider, I learned a few secrets about these coupons and recommend stashing them away whenever you come across one.

1. These coupons never expire.
Disregard the expiration date.

2. You may use as many coupons as you'd like in one transaction.
Although the coupons say only one coupon per transaction, you may actually apply a coupon to every single item in your shopping cart for a discount on all the items.

3. Both stores accept each others coupons.
Have a stack of Bed Bath & Beyond coupons, but like the selection at Linen's N Thing's better? No problem. Bring your BB&B coupons and LNT will treat them as if they were their own. You can even mix and match in the same transaction.

Save on Lunch: Subway For About $3

Another great bargain lunch can be found at Subway. Look closely at the menu, usually on the far right, near the sides and drinks and you will find the Mini Sub, which has just replaced the former Deli Sandwich.

The mini sub is similar to the classic subs, but served on a 4-inch roll, instead of a 6-inch roll. You have a choice of several different breads, as well as tuna, ham, roast beef or turkey. You can load your mini sub with all of the standard toppings as well. Best of all, this sandwich is $2.49 everyday. Take your change to the vendor on the street corner and add a bag of pretzels or Sun Chips for just $0.50 (they cost $0.89 inside at Subway) and you've got a $3 lunch! (That picture is of the tuna mini sub I ate for lunch today.)

Bluefly Offers Discounts on Dwell Bedding

I had been hunting for a new queen sized duvet cover for several months. The modern, clean look of the Dwell bedding collection was at the top of my list, but $250 for a duvet cover and pillow shams is more than I can swallow. I was at the end of my rope and considering settling for a solid white one. Luckily, that all changed yesterday.

While browsing the Bluefly website in search of winter coats on sale, I did a quick check of the "house" category and found a large selection of Dwell bedding at a major discount!

There was not only one, but three or four patterns I liked and had to chose from. I selected this one, and with a discount from Google Checkout, spent just $120 on the order, including shipping.

More Coupon Codes!

A bargain hunting informant has passed along a new website with a vast library of online coupon codes. Check out RetailMeNot and search by URL, most recent, most popular and various categories.

It's Tax Season! Use TurboTax and Save Big

There are less than two week left to file taxes before the April 17th deadline. If you haven't done them already, get started this weekend!

I began using the online version of TurboTax several years ago. I continue to use it because it is easy and saves me time by storing my previous tax returns and importing basic personal information to the new return each year. H&R Block offers a very similar program.

USAA and Fidelity offer promotional prices on TurboTax for their customers. These discounts also work for non-customers, as long as you always access the site through the appropriate link. Click here to access the discounts:

USAA DISCOUNT
20% off both the Federal and State returns

FIDELITY DISCOUNT
35% off just the Federal return

TurboTax is perfect for first-time DIY tax filers. The program asks a series of simple questions (are you married? do you have any children?), prompts you to enter your W-2's and other investment data and fills in the complicated tax forms on the back end for you. Following completion of the forms, TurboTax will e-File the forms online with the government and have your refund directly deposited into your bank account within two weeks. If you file a paper tax return in the mail, you can expect to wait months for your money.

New for this year, TurboTax also offer an entirely free Federal edition. (you still have to pay for filing the state return)This might be all you need if you don't have many investments and sources of income. Check it out here and see if it works for you.

Online Outlets: Overstock vs. SmartBargains

Don't have the time to make the trip to the Leesburg Outlets, or Potomac Mills? You are in luck. The internet has introduced two fantastic websites that offer similar prices and the same giant selection you will find at typical outlet malls -- Overstock and SmartBargains. Both sites are worth bookmarking, but have different strengths and product offerings.

SmartBargains is the clear winner in women's clothing and shoe category. Thanks to a partnership with legendary discount giant Loehmann's, the overall selection and quality of brands and designer labels is unmatched. A quick search today revealed the following designer deals on SmartBargains:

• Vera Wang China
• Prada and Jimmy Choo Shoes
• 50% off these Michele and Movado Watches
• 65% off this Diane Von Furstenburg strapless top and this cropped denim jacket

Overstock also sells apparel, but focuses less on labels and brands and more on offering a comprehensive selection of consumer goods. Some of the things you'll find on Overstock include big-ticket furniture items, a larger selection of rugs and bedding, electronics, DVD's and sports equipment -- like golf clubs and treadmills.

My most recent Overstock purchase was this bedroom set:


The Overstock price was about 50% less than what I would have paid for similar furniture at West Elm or Crate & Barrel, and these pieces are unique. Additionally, I found a 10% off coupon code and placed the order on a weekend where the site was offering $1 shipping on the entire order. The total for the four items pictured was just $1,051. Prices don't get much lower, even at Ikea!

Turn Spring Cleaning in to Spending Money

How can you make room for new spring clothes and get money to buy them all at the same time? Try your luck at a local consignment shop.

Instead of shoving trash bags full of old clothes into the nearest donation dumpster, I recently took some of my used items to Secondi, a consignment boutique in Dupont Circle (1702 Connecticut Ave., NW, second floor). Secondi sells only contemporary women’s clothing, shoes, accessories, and jewelry.

First-time consigners must set up an appointment by calling Secondi, then take in no more than 20 in-season items to be sold. The clothes must be neatly folded or on hangers and, above all, clean. Secondi’s sales associates will comb through your clothing and let you know what they think will sell and what won’t, and they are picky. While I was in the shop, another woman brought an armful of nice suits, jackets and dresses, all freshly cleaned and covered in dry-cleaning bags. The Secondi staff took a swift look and told her they were going to pass on all of her items. They appeared to be too conservative and out-of-date.

For details about which clothing labels they prefer and which they don’t accept, check out the handy list on the store’s website. If the shop accepts your items, they will be put on sale that day. The items they won’t buy, they’ll offer to donate, even providing a handy tax form.

Consigners receive 50 percent of the amount the item sells for. Items under $20 stay on the floor only one month; everything else remains for three, getting marked down 20 percent each month it doesn’t sell.

My visit to Secondi has proven pretty darn successful so far. I took several tops, two dresses, a pair of designer jeans, a clutch purse, and a barely worn pair of Puma sneakers. As of last week, Secondi had sold eight of the items—and I just received a check totaling $114. The store still has 12 of my things on the selling floor, so I’ll check back later this month for an update on my sales.