Rent a maid

Thanks to Michelle Witt for passing along this deal: $15.00 buys you $100 worth of Molly Maid services. But then husbands miss the joy of running the vacuum!

Cincinnati Museum Center for free

Each summer the Cincinnati Museum Center (which includes natural history, Cincinnati history and children's museums) has free Friday events. And this year, you can also get access to the traveling exhibit America I AM. There are two left for this summer, 8/27 and 9/17. While the museums are free from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., you still must pay for parking. Thanks to Lisa Profitt for mentioning this event!

Restaurant.com deals

Kristin Bird supplies a new coupon code for Restaurant.com (this link takes you to Cincinnati listings, but you might want to adjust the mile radius) to save 80% on their dining certificates. The code CLEARANCE ends August 31.

Esther Price... CHOCOLATE!

So if you're not already subscribed to Groupon.com for the Cincinnati area, you might want to sign up today. Now. 5 minutes ago. Today's deal is $20 worth of Esther Price chocolates (at either Cincinnati-area store) for $10.

The coupon does expire on October 1, but I see no reason not to celebrate Valentine's Day a few months early. Or Christmas. Or Thanksgiving. Even Hanukkah. And didn't Ramadan just begin? (Although I guess that would mean you have to eat the chocolate at night...)

You do have to sign up to get this deal, and you'll then receive daily emails (Monday through Friday) with coupon offers. Call me crazy, but that's a small price to pay for chocolate...

Restaurant.com

You can save 80% at Restaurant.com by entering the word big at checkout. You can get a $25 gift certificate for $2. It says the offer ends Monday 8/16 so act fast.

Cheap symphony tickets

The Cincinnati Symphony is offering some $10 tickets -- see here for more info.

Free fries

Thanks to Jodi Marshall for passing along an opportunity: free Penn Station fries (which my 3-year-old declares to be the world's best) on Wednesday, 8/18. See here for the info.

Free sticky notes

Thanks to Steve Harms, we can all get some free sticky notes! Hooray!

Free Shakespeare

Thanks to Josh Avery for pointing to this: the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company offers free performances via Shakespeare in the Park! There's still time to catch a performance of either Hamlet or A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Free Qdoba food

This Friday, 7/30, Qdoba is celebrating its (their?) anniversary with buy-one-get-one-free entrees at the 3 area locations. No coupon necessary. See info here, or Qdoba's menu here.

Half Price Books coupons

Half Price Books has some coupons for next week (week of 7/12).

Also, they have a great kids' reading program for the summer in which kids earn free gift certificates after reading (or being read to) for at least 15 minutes each day for 5 consecutive days.

Finally, the Florence location has 50% off all clearance books this weekend. And when we were last there, they had a good bit of clearance material.

Cheap(er) cheesecake

So apparently 7/30 is "national cheesecake day" (sounds to me like a holiday our culture really needs). Cheesecake Factory will be offering "any slice" for "half price" -- currently, I don't see many details, but I'm guessing it will be restricted to dine-in customers. (But hey, have an appetizer and get some cheesecake.)

Also, if you become a Cheesecake Factory fan on Facebook, you get a personal invitation to "preview day" on 7/29, with which you can purchase a slice of cheesecake for $1.50. I'm not sure, but I'm thinking this beats the "any slice, half price" deal.

See the info -- and "like" Cheesecake Factory -- on its Facebook page.

Qdoba summer deals

Qdoba has some decent summer deals, including free kid's meals on Friday evenings. There are now 3 Cinci-area locations.

20% off @ Cold Stone Creamery

Click here for a coupon for 20% off any Cold Stone Creamery purchase through the end of June.

http://images.eonline.com/static/on/shows/20_years_of_e/docs/E!Anniversary_Coldstone_coupon.pdf

Free Coffee at Dunkin' Donuts

The best part is that it's free and tastes better than the motor oil from Coffee Emporium.

It's Free Coffee Mondays in March!

Visit your local Dunkin' every Monday this month for your Free Medium Hot or Iced Coffee. Visit www.dunkindonuts.com for the location nearest you.


Offer valid on 3/8, 3/15, 3/22 and 3/29 at participating Dunkin' Donuts locations in the Cincinnati, OH area only.

Price and participation may vary. Plus applicable tax. Limited time offer. No substitutes. One per person per visit.

Luvs Jumbo Packages for $3.70 shipped

Click here for details

Thanks to Marianne Brown

Free Chick-fil-A Sandwich

Free and Fun Things to Do this Weekend

Friday

Bring candy and icing and make a gingerbread house, 6 p.m., Williamsburg Branch Library, 594 Main St., Williamsburg. Pack your favorite decorations – the gingerbread’s provided. Registration required. 513-724-1070.

See what lurks in the darkness during a winter night hike, 6 p.m., Sycamore Park, 4082 Ohio 132, Batavia. Explore the forest on a naturalist-led hike through the park to see what creatures come out at night. 513-876-9013; www.parks.clermontcountyohio.gov

Sing along to holiday favorites at Tis the Season, 7:30 p.m., Seton High School, 3901 Glenway Ave., West Price Hill. Hear classic and modern music selections featuring the Cincinnati Metropolitan Orchestra, Children’s Chorus and the Metropolitan Singers. 513-941-8956; www.gocmo.org

Catch performances of the opera “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” 8 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday, UC Clermont Campus, 4200 Clermont College Drive, Batavia. With Northern Kentucky University chorus members. 513-732-5200

Saturday

Here’s another gingerbread house-making opportunity, this one at 10:30 a.m., Union Township Branch Library, 4462 Mount Carmel-Tobasco Road, Union Township. Bring candy and icing – all other supplies are provided. Registration required. 513-528-1744.

You can actually touch museum objects during Family ARTventures, 1 p.m., Cincinnati Art Museum, 953 Eden Park Drive, Eden Park. Meet in front lobby. Parking $4, free for members. 513-721-2787.

Experience the busy town of Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth during A Night in Bethlehem, 5:30-8 p.m., Crestview Presbyterian Church, 9463 Cincinnati-Columbus Road, West Chester Township. 513-777-6555.

Hear holiday favorites and sing along during the Sycamore Community Band Holiday Concert, 7-8 p.m., St. Bernard Church-Spring Grove Village, 740 Circle Ave., Spring Grove Village. Led by Pete Metzger. 513-697-0868; www.sycamoreband.org

Pag

Restaurant freebies

I don't know any details here, but Polly Campbell reported on the Enquirer's website about 3 restaurant chains that will send you free offers if you sign up for their email lists. I've had good success with offers from some other chains -- haven't tried these.

Free chicken

Monday (10/26) KFC is giving away free pieces of grilled chicken. KFC says it's at "participating locations," but I see no indication of where those are/aren't.