The Magic House 30th anniversary celebration, free admission

Are you looking for a fun activity for the kids this weekend?  If you don't mind the 2-hour drive to St. Louis, you should definitely consider The Magic House.  They are celebrating their 30th anniversary this weekend.  Admission is free today until Sunday 10/18.  

If you have not visited it, The Magic House is a wonderful children's museum with interactive exhibits to be enjoyed by toddlers and older kids alike.  We took our little one when she was 1 year old and although she couldn't enjoy many of the exhibits, she did enjoy the fairytale exhibit, the Children's Village (hands-on grocery was the best... she was allowed to play with the plastic produce!), the unique musical instruments, and the toddler play area.  Plus, right now, the Curious George exhibit is on and will be running until January 2010.  Visit their website for details.  Here's the info on their anniversary celebration:

Happy Birthday! The Magic House is 30 and loving it. To get this party started, through generous support from Target, The Magic House is having a free-for-all weekend celebration.  In honor of this very special birthday, all party goers will be admitted to The Magic House FREE OF CHARGE on Friday, October 16, through Sunday, October 18!  
 
Visitors to The Magic House have the opportunity to donate to our 30th Anniversary fund to provide free educational filed trips for children from disadvantaged areas. For $2 per adult or $1.50 per child, the donation reflects our 1979 prices! There’s no need to R.S.V.P. for this magical birthday event, just stop by The Magic House and join in the festivities with fun entertainment for the whole family. Get in the birthday spirit with magicians, spectacular balloon creations, face painting, a fun birthday craft and of course ice cream and birthday cupcakes. And don’t forget your goody bag! With a $30 donation, you can purchase a goody bag filled to the brim with surprises and fun all valued at $30.

Main Squeeze buy 1 sandwich, get 1/2 off coupon

If you're craving for tasty natural food, make your way to Main Squeeze.  I'm not a vegetarian but I enjoy eating there because their food is simply delicious.  Use this coupon to get 1/2 off a 2nd sandwich (of equal or lesser value) when you buy one.  Good until 10/21.

Gymboree 15% off coupon

Get 15% off online and in-store at Gymboree when you click on this link and submit your email address.

Macy's men's apparel 15-20% off coupon

This weekend, use this shopping pass to get 20% off men's apparel and 15% off men's shoes at Macy's.  Plus, get a $20 savings certificate (to be used for future purchases) when you spend $100. 

Bandolino 20-30% off coupon

Bandolino is having a Friends & Family Event this weekend.  Until Sunday 10/18, get 30% off regular items and 20% off sale items using this coupon.

Ann Taylor Loft additional 25% off sale items

From now until Sunday, Ann Taylor Loft is giving an extra 25% off their already reduced sale prices.  No coupon needed.

Payless 15% off coupon

Need a new pair of shoes?  Get 15% off your in-store purchase at Payless Shoe Source using this email coupon.

More websites with local coupons

It's exciting to see more and more websites focusing specifically on Columbia and the surrounding areas. There has been an explosion of local coupons lately, even for establishments that don't normally offer them. The poor economic situation is certainly the greatest driving force of this increase but I think that the efficiency and sophistication of coupon dissemination also plays a part in the establishments' willingness to offer them. The new websites are to thank for the latter. They have given local businesses the needed platforms to reach this generation of savvy e-coupon clippers.

I've talked about the restuarant website MidMODiningGuide.com (see previous post) and the discount website DownloadADeal.com (see previous post). I have hesitated to bring up the next two website because they are heavily advertised on TV. However, in case you have not heard of them, I don't want you to miss out. So, here they are:

* For the purposes of this blog, I am only concerned with the deals and discounts offered by these websites. *

EverythingMidMO.com

As its name denotes, it offers info on Columbia and the rest of Mid-Missouri. It offers coupons to various establishments. There are many categories listed under coupons so it seems that the website intends to add more deals in the future. However, right now, all the available coupons are for food and dining. Here are some highlights:

Bennigan's -- $5 off $25

The Pasta Factory -- $5 off when you purchase 2 entrees, one per family

The Rome -- buy 1 calzone, get 1 free

360Columbia.com

This Columbia-centered website also has a coupons section. Currently, there are only a few coupons. When they add more coupons, you already know where to find them.  Example:

Country Kitchen -- buy 1 omelet, get 1 free

Christopher & Banks and CJ Banks up to $50 off coupon for teachers

Christopher & Banks and CJ Banks have a promotion for teachers only.  You can get up to $50 off if you shop today 10/11.  Get $15 off $60, $30 off $85, or $50 off $125 on regular prices AND markdowns.  If you can't shop today, you still have the chance to save from 10/12 to 10/18.  During that period, you get 25% off regular prices.  Here's the link to the coupon.

JC Penney coupons for extra savings 10/11-10/12 only

Get even better deals at JC Penney using this printable coupon.  The coupons give you 30% off regular-priced items and an extra 15% off sale items (not clearance).  All clearance items are an extra 50% off.  These coupons are good for today and tomorrow only (10/11-10/12).