The Tulsa Slice of the Coupon Craze: Black Friday Edition

Want to avoid succumbing to the dirty, Black Friday "doorbuster" secrets harbored by the big-box retailers? I don't know about y'all, but I prefer the un-trampled version of my face, especially if it means I only get $25 off a $700 flat-screen TV out of the deal. That's why, with the help of the real doorbusters listed below, I plan to shop local this Black Friday.

Here is a preview of the deals that will be available at T-Town area retailers:

BCBC Modern. Mention the ad on pg. 19 of the Nov. 19 edition of Urban Tulsa Weekly and get 25 percent off any one accessory from this ultra-hip furniture store that makes its home at 51st and Sheridan. Make haste, my friends, because this offer ends Nov. 30.

Little Black Dress. Spend $100 at this Cherry Street women's boutique, get 10 percent off. Want an even better deal? Spend $250, get 15 percent off; spend $400, get 25 percent off. Wow - those are good deals on designer wear, people. Good this Friday and Saturday only, from 10am-6pm.

Eco Baby + Kids. Get 15 percent off throughout this kids' Brookside store where Mom can shop guilt-free when you bring in clothing and other essentials for infants and children up to age 5 during the first week of December (Nov. 30-Dec. 5) to benefit Emergency Infant Services.

Baby Bump. Anyone taking advantage of the Eco Baby + Kids/Emergency Infant Services offer also gets 15 percent off spa and ultrasound services at this new Brookside boutique and u/s studio for mommies-to-be.

Rock All Access. Bring the ad on pg. 20 of the Nov. 19 edition of Urban Tulsa Weekly into this south Tulsa treasure trove of all the rock star clothes you always wanted (for you and your mini-you) before noon on Black Friday and get $50 off True Religion goodies. Plus, get up to 70 percent off select merchandise from 10am-8pm.

Spexton Designer Handcraft. Take advantage of the BOGO sale on over 50 new bangle and neckwear designs for women handcrafted one at a time by these Tulsa-based contemporary jewelry geniuses, now through Dec. 24. Check out this incredible deal - really, folks, when you see this jewelry and the craftsmanship that goes into each piece, you'll fall over yourself trying to agree with me - at the downtown location on Third Street as well as at the new location on Brookside.

Shoe Gypsy. Clip the ad on pg. 43 of this week's UTW and get 15 percent off any purchase of $100 or more. If this deal won't get you into this new, cute little shoe shop on Cherry Street (as if the shoes weren't enough), nothing will. Plus, if you like big, fat gift cards - think, $100 - text the word "GYPSY" to 74700 for a chance to win just that.

QuikTrip. Get $1 off any QT Kitchens wrap, sandwich or salad when you present the coupon printed at Coupons.com. We can only hope there will one day be coupons for the taquitos, my personal favorite food offering at this Broken Arrow-based convenience store chain. Yum, yum.

The Glass Slipper. Sleep in and save anyway at this little shoe boutique at 81st and Lewis. Get 20 percent off any footwear purchase of $100 or more made before 4:30pm on Sunday.

Tulsa Stained Glass. Celebrate Black Friday by staying the heck out of it. Instead, stop by TGS/Art Play Center on the southwest corner of 41st and Memorial between 10am and 5pm and make a free holiday ornament. Refreshments will be served, too.

The Cigar Box. There's nothing like a nice cigar on Christmas Eve. Or, on New Years Eve. Or, on any eve, for that matter. Stock up cigars and accessories this Black Friday and into the weekend and get a $10 gift certificate for spending $25.

In your far-flung attempts to gather local Black Friday deals, don't forget to take advantage of the still-effective offers listed in these previous versions of The Tulsa Slice of the Coupon Craze:

• Gardner's Used Books & Comics, Priscilla's and Feet First for Kids in the Nov. 16 edition of TSCC
• The Melting Pot, Sage Culinary Studio, Baby Booty, Happy First, Little Black Dress and Spa Lux in the Nov. 8 edition of TSCC
• Car Trends, Dog Dish, Utica Square, Backwoods, Southern Agriculture, The Crossing Wine & Spirits and Star Jewelers in the Nov. 1 edition of TSCC

Got a local deal staked out and you're not afraid to share? Leave the details in the comments, or feel free to e-mail me the need-to-know goods.

The Tulsa Slice of the Coupon Craze

The Melting Pot. Do you fondue? In my world, these immortal words sealed a life-long friendship, and they can in yours, too. Get $100 in Melting Pot gift certificates for yourself when you buy your beloved food freak a $100 gift certificate to the same. Then, share the love - and the melty cheese and oozing chocolate.

Sage Culinary Studio. If you already get the newsletter, always packed with good foodie information for both parents and kids by owner Catherine deCamp herself, put to good use the 10 percent discount on all purchases from the retail section at Sage during November and December. The gift-giving holidays are fast approaching, after all, and Sage is full of everything from kid-themed cookie kits to whisks sized for the hands of the pint-sized. If you're not signed up for the Sage newsletter, do so on the Web site.

Anything and everything kiddo. Calling all parents: Have you checked out the MomShop section of tTownmoms.com? It's like Just Between Friends Sale (a kids-and-more consignment business that has hit the serious big time that was, by the way, born in a Broken Arrow living room) and Craigslist made eyes at each other and then, as many of us are wont to do, had a baby. Find goodies from burp cloths to the next family pet all in one place, minus the Craigslist crazies.

Tulsa retailers like Baby Booty, Happy First, Little Black Dress and Spa Lux. Shop local and save big, thanks to the gals at 918moms.com. These coupons, honored at a couple dozen retailers, some dealing exclusively in the Tulsa area, are good until the end of the year (unless otherwise stated, of course, but the good majority of them are). Forget the mall, moms - shop local.

Dilly Deli. Moms, right now you can snag a free kid's lunch when you buy an entree for yourself at the Blue Dome District's hottest little sandwich shop. Simply mention the ad on 918moms.com.

Yokozuna. Add a little extra somethin'-somethin' to that next date night with a free appetizer from the downtown restaurant everybody's buzzing about, Yokozuna. Just grab an entree and mention the ad on 918moms.com.

Buns and Roses. Bring in a toy and try this new downtown deli with the name that could bring back parachute pants and ratted bangs for 10 percent off, Monday-Friday. Thanks to Tulsa Restaurant Deals for posting about this sweet deal.

Tulsa Restaurants. So many, they're like the stars. Speaking of Tulsa Restaurant Deals, go ahead and add this blog, new to the Tulsa scene, to your Google Reader. You won't want to miss out on a single deal that makes you go yum.

Brady Theater. Snag free concert tickets and updates at the Old Lady on Brady. Just whip out your phone and text "concerts" to 91217.

RadioRadio. Who doesn't love this band that calls Tulsa home? Download free a copy of the track, I, Computer (the Beau Hill Euro Mix) at the band's Web site. Thanks to the folks at TulsaOriginalMusic.com for re-posting from RadioRadioBand.com about this free and easy way to own some local tunes.

Sand Springs Cultural and Historical Museum. Sand Springs, that little town northwest of Tulsa proper and the land where 8 out of 10 of people who sometimes are reluctant to admit that they're related to me call home, boasts quite a little museum-slash-archtectural gem. Originally the Page Memorial Library Building, the 1929 structure is an Art Deco icon, listed on both the State of Oklahoma and National Registers of Historic Places. Since 2002 it's been a museum, bursting with exhibits sure to please the young and old alike. Admission is free every day the museum is open, Tuesday-Saturday, no coupon necessary. Check the Web site for times.

Tulsa Children's Museum. Load up the kids and head to Tulsa Historical Society, at 2445 S. Peoria Ave., to check out the newest exhibit from Tulsa Children's Museum, known here in T-Town as the museum without walls. The latest shenanigans from the folks at TCM have to do with "Your House, My House," a hands-on playground of different types of dwellings from around the world. The exhibit is free and open to the public. Check the Web site for available days and times.

Dining in Tulsa with Restaurant.com

If you haven't heard of the discount gift certificates site Restaurant.com, then you're probably not like me (thank your lucky stars), spending more time than you care to admit obsessively clicking around on coupon sites on the World Wide Web. Sites like CouponMom.com have been practically shouting about the site from the rooftops, touting half-price or less for restaurant gift certificates.

These aren't shady, smelly, tuck-tail-and-run restaurants we're talking about here. Instead, Restaurant.com offers gift certificates honored at some of the swankiest restaurants in T-town.

As I wrote on the tTownmoms.com forum earlier today, I've used gift certificates I purchased on Restaurant.com several times, each to positive effect.

However, I don't think they should be viewed as free money for dining out, and I don't think they'll make such great gifts this holiday season. Instead, they should be viewed as a really beefy coupons, good for a sizable chunk off the bill at the end of the night.

I know, I'm such a party pooper. But, let me show you why.

Come watch me muddle through some coupon math on my blog at Ttownmoms.com.

The Tulsa Slice of the Coupon Craze

Looking for coupons, discounts, deals and steals in Tulsa's indie scene this week? Try these on for size.

More than 170 Tulsa-area stores and restaurants. Buy gifts for your loved ones this holiday season with the Family & Children's Services Care Card. You get 20 percent off the things you need (and want) while giving $50 to F&CS clients in need. The Care Card is available for purchase at several of the participating shops and eateries (click here for a full list), or at the F&CS central office at 650 S. Peoria. Don't delay - that juicy discount is good only until Nov. 8.

Yokozuna. Get a small carafe of hot sake for $2 to celebrate the grand opening of the newest, decidedly swankiest addition to the Elliot Nelson empire of Blue Dome District eateries.

Car Trends. Get 10 percent off on any in-stock item excluding labor, sale items and special orders as found on the Tulsa People Web site.

Dog Dish. Get $5 off any $20 purchase at the friendliest pet store in the Farm Shopping Center at 51st and Sheridan with the coupon found on the Tulsa People Web site.

Emerge Medical Day Spa. 20 percent off any spa service at the home of that Emerge claims is Tulsa's only non-surgical face lift, as found on the Tulsa People Web site.

Desi Wok. Get a free appetizer with the purchase of any two adult entrees and two beverages at one of Tulsa's favorite Indian/Asian restaurants with the coupon on page 29 of the Oct. 29 edition of Urban Tulsa Weekly.

Utica Square. Between now and Nov. 26, go to UticaSquare.com to sign up to win one of three $100 Utica Square gift certificates. Winners will be notified right after Thanksgiving, just in time for holiday shopping.

Gardner's Used Books & Comics. Get 20 percent off your next purchase at this bookstore housing more than 2 million (yes, two million) books, CDs, DVDs, videos and gifts under $6.95 with the ad on page 61 of the Oct. 29 edition of Urban Tulsa Weekly.

Backwoods. Present the ad on page 41 of the November 2009 issue of Oklahoma Magazine to get 25 percent off any one item. The offer is good through Dec. 31, so it'd be a great way to snag a holiday gift for that loved one who loves the outdoors.

Southern Agriculture. Remember man's best friend this Christmas and use the coupon of page 55 of the November 2009 issue of Oklahoma Magazine to get $7 off any purchase of $25 or more.

The Crossing Wine & Spirits. Use the coupon on page 103 of the November 2009 issue of Oklahoma Magazine or on page 66 of the November 2009 issue of Tulsa People to get 10 percent off your next wine purchase.

Star Jewelers. Hoping for a different kind of ice storm this year, ladies? Leave this site open next time you leave the computer desk. Spend $150 at Star Jewelers between now and Dec. 22 and get your choice of a free gift, valued at $100.

Holiday Hints Coupons. Check back at TulsaPeople.com from now until Christmas for special holiday coupons and values from TulsaPeople advertisers. Be sure to sign up for the TP Prize-A-Day Holiday Giveaway, too. When Tulsa People says the word "giveaway," they don't mean it in a casual sense. With a chance every 24 hours to win prizes like a $100 gift card from Moxie, a $300 Bungie High Back office chair from BCBC Modern and killer restaurant gift certificates, you might just get a not-so-little something extra under the tree for yourself this year.

What fantabulous Tulsa-specific deals did you come across this week?

The Tulsa Slice of the Coupon Craze

Looking for deals in Tulsa's indie scene this week? Try these on for size.

Yummies

• Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum, Taco Bueno and Burger King. Donate $1 at Taco Bueno or Burger King and get a coupon booklet worth $20 in discounts at Tulsa Zoo, Bueno and King. Benefits Operation Roadtrip: Giraffes at Tulsa Zoo. Yay, new giraffes!
• Cosmo Cafe. Join the e-mail list and the VIP Birthday Club to score sweet discounts way more than just one special day a year.
• Assorted local eats and shops. Look on the back of your latest Tulsa PAC ticket stubs - deals are sometimes printed on the back. For example, on the back of our tickets to Jellydots (a kids' band that played in Tulsa late this summer) was printed a BOGO entree coupon good at indie downtown restaurant El Guapo's Cantina. Yum!
• Te Kei's. $5 off any purchase of $25 or more. Must go to ValPak.com to get the coupon. Valid only the Utica Square location.
• Fuji Japanese Cuisine. Two dinners for $15.95, a $10 savings, in Scene Section on page D6 of this Sunday's edition of Tulsa World.
• Free sandwich at Tulsa's beloved hometown convenience store chain, QuikTrip, still up at tTownmoms.com/coupons.

Shops

• Gardner's Used Books. Follow Gardner's on Twitter and Facebook for a daily dose of book, comic and music specials.
• The Stock Pot. My favorite Tulsa restaurant supply store and more. Get $5 off any purchase of $25, or $10 off any purchase of $50 or more in the latest ValPak.
• Ihloff Salon & Day Spa. Follow Ihloff on Twitter and Facebook and get access to salon and spa specials and discounts. The latest example? A complimentary application of renewing lip treatment to, what else, plump and hydrate those smackers.

Halloween

• Camp Cute & Spooky. Get coupons for $1 off admission to this kids' Halloween festival at Discoveryland! at area QuikTrip and Incredible Pizza locations.
• Scream Country Haunted Forest. Text FEAR to 91011 to win tickets. Yikes!

Assorted Fun

• ORU Basketball. BOGO tickets in the latest ValPak.
• Eton 6 Movie Theater. Free large popcorn with the purchase of a large drink in the latest ValPak.

Did I miss a good, Tulsa-specific coupon or discount that no one in the 918 should ever have to live without? Holler at me.

Happy saving, T-Town!

Photo shot at Cosmo Cafe, 71st and Memorial.

The Tulsa Slice of the Coupon Craze

Thanks to mega-sites like Coupons.com, clippable grocery savings are more than within reach of any consumer with Internet access, a working printer and a pair of scissors.

But, did you know tons of coupons from Tulsa's independent restaurants, retailers and entertainment powerhouses are out there, just waiting for you to snag 'em, clip 'em and, most important, use 'em?

It's true. It's just a matter of finding them.

I began making mental notes of where these deals typically hide earlier this year when I started to notice local businesses were adding coupons and discounts to their ads, Web sites and e-newsletters.

I love that Tulsa businesspeople are noticing and co-opting the trend of ad coupons that's blowing up on the national stage. A quick look inside the pages of magazines that claim women as a demographic focus - think pubs like All You Magazine, Real Simple, Rachel Ray Everyday and Family Circle - will show what I mean. See an ad for Libby's canned veggies? Odds are that these days it'll be combined with a coupon.

Advertisers are getting hip to the fact that not only are coupons hot, but the group of consumers willing to clip and use them is growing to include men and young women. Increasingly often, coupons drive what makes it into the grocery cart and what doesn't.

These ad coupons are all fine and good for when we need 50 cents off a box of brownie mix or, if we're lucky, $1 off Target-brand trash bags. But, what about the man or woman who is passionate about supporting local business? Buying local is smart in so many ways - economically and environmentally, just to name two - and local publications and advertisers are starting to partner to bring some of the coupon love to Tulsa clippers.

Here's a quick-and-dirty list of places to start hunting for Tulsa coupons:

Urban Tulsa Weekly. Check the margins of each page for sweet discounts on local fare and more. Heck, you might even find savings on the meal you're eating in the restaurant where you picked up that copy of you-tee-dub in the first place.

Oklahoma Magazine. Again, it's all in the ads.

Tulsa People. TP, a Tulsa-centric, free, monthly mag, loves to give back to its readership in the form of giveaways, and I don't mean prizes like an pine tree air freshener from QuikTrip. Rather, TP doles out lots and lots of really solid prizes from local providers to loyal readers several times per month. Up for grabs in October is $100 to Gaga-a-Gogo, $200 to Ihloff Salon & Day Spa and four tickets to Little House on the Prairie at Tulsa Performing Arts Center. Squee, right? It's easy to sign up to be eligible for these giveaways at the home of Tulsa People on the Web.

Tulsa Kids. Got kids? Parents need as much savings as they can get since, contrary to popular belief, kids 12 and under and NOT free. Several of the ads in this monthly, free publication combine discounts, specials and/or coupons to some of the favorite haunts of Tulsa kids and their parental units.

Ttownmoms.com. Not only does Ttownmoms.com offer grocery coupon hunters a local source for big-name clippables, but it's also a clearinghouse for giveaways that please the punch out of Tulsa's mommies, daddies and kiddos of every age. Keep an eye on the homepage for the giveaways; the coupons are at Ttownmoms.com/coupons. Check out the play dates, too - most of those are free ways to get together with other parents and to let the kids run wild in controlled, constructive environments.

Web sites of local businesses. Love Weber's Superior Root Beer? Then you'll love the coupons for root beer, burgers and more on the Weber's Web site. Look also at Purple Glaze (a decorate-your-own ceramics studio that's a local kids' favorite), Homeland Stores, Mazzio's Italian Eatery and more.

E-mail newsletters of local businesses. Joe Momma's Downtown, Blue Jackalope Coffee & Grocery, Reasor's, Sage Culinary Studio, Tulsa Performing Arts Center, The Melting Pot and Dilly Deli come to mind - I especially love the Dilly Deli/McNellie's newsletter because owner Elliot Nelson asks customers to do top-secret stuff like mystery shop his restaurants (for pay!) and try food at his new restaurants. Sign up for the birthday clubs at local businesses, too - I scored free ice cream from Sonic Drive-In, a free chocolate fondue from The Melting Pot, free breakfast at First Watch (not locally based, I know, but there's a location here in Tulsa), a free entree at Cosmo Cafe and 1/2 off at Mimi's Cafe. Not bad, not bad.

Local events and pamphlets. Lots of times Tulsans can find freebies, coupons and discounts at events, particularly those that target a specific demographic - moms, parents, kids and the like. The accompanying pamphlets are funded by ads, and some of them feature a coupon or a discount or five. Check 'em out.

Bills and e-mails from local service providers. In my September Cox Communications bill I scored not just two $2 coupons to Tulsa State Fair 2009 (which were extra-awesome on Two-for-Tuesday), but also a BOGO coupon for Tulsa Zoo's 20th annual Hallowzooeen. Just goes to show, it literally pays to read the mail.

Text groups, focus groups and Facebook pages. Want hot deals on some of the best sushi in town? Text itr to 74700 to the folks at In the Raw Sushi for special offers, free stuff and a chance to win a $200 gift card. Next, hop on Facebook and find Trula Restaurant & Bar, the brand-spankin'-new restaurant in the ground floor of the Mayo Hotel and fan that sucker. Deals and discounts should start flowing regularly very, very soon. Then, text the word "bru" to 74700 for a chance to win $100, courtesy of The Bru House on Brookside. After that, sign up for QuikTrip's Web team survey group, where each month the QT obsessed can answer a few quick questions in exchange for some yummy QT fare. See? Your momma was wrong - smart phones and social media aren't just black holes of non-productivity.

Valpak.com. Not a locally run site, of course, but deals for Tulsa lovers are here in abundance. Plus, ValPak sends by mail bulging envelopes of coupons, both local and not, frequently enough to keep me and mine entertained and well-fed until the next envelope arrives. Found in recent ValPaks and ValPak.com: Merritt's Bakery. Eaton Square 6 Cinemas. Desi Wok. Te Kei's Chinese/Asian Kitchen. Super Saver Cinema. 71st Street Depot. Heck, yes.

Restaurant.com. Yeah, it's another one of those mega-sites, but plenty of great deals at local restaurants are to be had there. I often buy the $25 gift certificates to Kilkenny's Irish Pub (yes, y'all, it's still open), White Owl Pub and Hibiscus Caribbean Bar & Grill from Restaurant.com, especially when they're 80 percent off ($2 for a gift certificate worth $25? Yes, please). It's not a gimmick, folks - I've tried it many times, and it's always been a great way to dine out at Tulsa's independent restaurants for less.

918 Coupon Queen Blog. This woman, Sarah Roe, is in no uncertain terms a coupon maniac, and everyone in Tulsa is surely glad she is. Hit her site for deals on everything from mayonnaise to allergy-friendly foods to meal deals, all from everywhere from Reasor's to National Steak and Poultry to Cosi. Plus, her site is swimming with contests and, like here at TDT, your odds are pretty darned good as long as you take the sliver of time it takes to enter and, well, enter.

Want more specifics? Here are a few of the deals I've found within the past week:

Urban Tulsa Weekly, Vol. 19, No. 18

• $5 off a ride wristband at Tulsa State Fair 2009 (there's still time! It's open until 11pm tonight), pg. 6
• 10% off a starter kit at High Gravity Homebrewing & Winemaking Supplies (!), pg. 22
• Buy 1 lunch combi, get 1 at 1/2 price at La Hacienda (seriously good chiles rellenos, folks), pg. 25
• BOGO Sweet & Sour Chicken at Golden Gate Chinese Cuisine, pg. 26
• Free appetizer with purchase of any two adult entrees and two beverages at Desi Wok (home of the best Indian/Asian cuisine in town, according to many, many Tulsans), pg. 26
• BOGO Tattoo Goo at Tulsa Body Jewelry, pg. 38
• Upwards of $10 off at some of Tulsa's most-talked-about massage parlors (tee-hee!), pg. 61
• Free haircut with purchase of hair color at Sandalwood Day Spa & Salon, pg. 62

Tulsa Kids, Oct. 2009

• 1/2 off any regular priced item of ladies clothing at Goodwill Tulsa, pg. 10.
• One month free at Apollo's Karate with purchase of a $49 uniform, pg. 13.
• $50 off diagnostic testing at Huntington Learning Center, pg. 13.
• 25% off at Pictures Plus, pg. 19.
• Free trial class at The Little Gym, pg. 19
• 50% off the skills assessment test at Sylvan, pg. 27
• 10% off at Indigo Joes, pg. 31
• $1 off admission with a canned food donation at Psycho Path, A Haunted Adventure, pg. 43

Other

• Free sandwich at Tulsa's beloved hometown convenience store chain, QuikTrip
• 10% off your first purchase at Loops, A Yarn Store, in Utica Square, as found in Indie Emporium 2009 brochure
• 40% off selected Alessi at Dwelling Spaces, downtown at 119 S. Detroit Ave.
• All men's and women's basic t-shirts marked down 30% at Rainbow Swirlz (from which I purchased this little number yesterday at Indie Emporium). Hurry! Sale ends tonight.
• Free appetizer of fried plantains at Hibiscus Caribbean Bar & Grill
• Free appetizer and a free hour of pool at Magoo's Restaurant and Billiards
• $10 off all body piercing (!) at Culture Shock, 12th and Memorial
• For you feisty quilters out there (me included), a free fat quarter from The Little Quilt Shop in Sand Springs.

Didn't see your favorite local business mentioned anywhere in this post? First, if that business does offer coupons and I've missed them, let me know and I'll add them here.

If that business doesn't offer coupons, here's what I suggest: Call the biz and suggest they start offering discounts and coupons on their Web site, in their ads or in their customer e-newsletter. Explain that you, your friends and family would be more likely to patronize their business even more often if you had clippable encouragement. Be really, super nice and, hopefully for all of us, you'll get your way.

With plenty of your help, I'll post a list here at TDT of the best of the active local deals and coupons each Sunday evening from now on.

So, after you hit up Red Plum and SmartSource in the Sunday edition of Tulsa World and The Oklahoman, Sarah Roe (Tulsa's very own 918 Coupon Queen), Alicia Herrington (the one and only Penny Princess at Ttownmoms.com) and your other favorite coupon sites, be sure to stop by TDT for the scoop on entertainment coupons, discounts and freebies from your favorite places right here in T-Town, the best city ever.

Happy clipping!