A Slate full of frugal ideas

Posted by Ted McEnroe January 2, 2009 at 4:45 pm

We try to come up with lots of our own frugal ideas – but it would be rude to steal them from anyone else. So instead, we’ll just give you this handy-dandy link to a list from Slate Magazine of a few sites that are part of a growing interest in saving money.

Among them, Wise Bread, which seems to be about saving almost anything – the lead story as I write this is about cutting calories. The two-year-old site has a strong following, and is worth a look.

There’s also slickdeals.net, which is a barebones “Here’s some good stuff on sale” site you can scan to your heart’s content.

And there’s much more. Check it out in Slate.

And speaking of good deals – we have a few lingering half-price bargains at NECN’s Project Half Price. There are certificates to Aura, the great restaurant in Boston’s Seaport Hotel, and Asian C, a neat Asian fusion bistro in Hingham, Mass. Plus, half-price coffee deals from the Coffee Break Cafe in Quincy and Braintree, Mass., and even some indoor golf bargains from GolfTEC, so you can get your game in shape while the only things flying outside are snowflakes.

Check them out at necn.projecthalfprice.com.

Friday blowout for Project Half Price!

Posted by Ted McEnroe December 18, 2008 at 10:25 am

Everyone else is having a pre-Christmas sale – so why not Project Half Price!

We have a major blowout Friday at 8am – with deals from some amazing places – half-price certificates from:

Clink., the fabulous restaurant at the Liberty Hotel in Boston. The menu changes daily, but the unique atmosphere is always a conversation piece. Buy a $100 gift certificate for $50.

Vintage, a West Roxbury landmark giving an urban feel in a more suburban location, and featuring a great wine list. (With a name like Vintage…). Get $100 gift certificates for $50.

Three great Worcester restaurants – Bocado, Mezcal and Block 5 Bistro Bar – all operated by Niche Hospitality Group. Bocado takes you on a journey for the taste buds with Mediterranean-inspired tapas and other cuisine. Mezcal features Southwestern and Mexican cuisine with homemade ingredients and a large selection of tequlias. And Block 5 Bistro showcases an eclectic spin on comfortable American cuisine, in a cool building in Worcester’s Canal district. Your $100 gift certificate can be used at any of the restaurants – for just $50.

And if food isn’t your the thing on your gift list… take a swing at some great deals from Golf Tec. You can brush up on your swing (or maybe cut your lost golf ball budget for 2009) with some winter lessons. Your $100 certificate (on sale for $50) can be applied to lessons at any of their greater Boston locations.

It’s your last chance to get certificates before the holidays, and it will sell out fast.

They all go on sale Friday at 8am… and when they’re gone, they’re gone.

Here… and gone!

Posted by Ted McEnroe November 28, 2008 at 9:42 am

Thanks to everyone who made week one of our new ‘Project Half Price’ campaign such a success. Our certificates for Bricco, Mare and Trattoria il Panino sold out less than 40 minutes after their official sale time of 8am.

So, if you missed out – don’t despair. We are going to be selling certificates every Friday at 8am. Coming up Friday, December 5 – gift certificates for Asian C, the wonderful Chinese and Japanese restaurant, just south of Boston in Hingham, Massachusetts.

Remember, the certificates go on sale each Friday at 8am in limited quantities. And when they’re gone, they’re gone!

Update: More on Project Half Price deals this week

Posted by Ted McEnroe November 25, 2008 at 6:58 pm

So, I promised more on our Black Friday kickoff for the new NECN site “Project Half Price” – and here’s how it works. Think of it like the Filene’s Basement ‘Running of the Brides’, but without the pushing, the shoving, or the lace.

It works this way. Every Friday at 8am, you can go to our Project Half-Price site (necn.projecthalfprice.com), and there will be restaurant gift certificates on sale. $100 gift certificates for $50, or $50 gift certificates for $25. But they will always be in limited quantities – and when they’re gone, they’re gone.

For week one, we are starting with certificates to three of Frank de Pasquale’s great Boston restaurants – Bricco, Mare, and Trattoria il Panino. You pay $50, and get $100 worth of great food. Three different tastes of Italy – one great price.

Click on the link here – or go to NECN.com and click on the Project Half Price banner to see what we’re offering on Project Half Price.

Free Veterans Day Dinner

Posted by Courtney November 11, 2008 at 12:39 pm

A tasty thank-you to all our veterans from Zebra’s Bistro in Medfield, MA. Owner Craig Neubecker says, “I wish I could shake the hand of every Veteran, sit down with them and buy them dinner, say thank you for all they have done for us.” This Veterans Day, he’s doing exactly that. From 5:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. tonight, all veterans will get a free entrée. Reservations are recommended. Zebra’s Bistro, 21 North Street, Medfield, MA. (508)359-4100. zebrasbistro.com.

Clean up and eat up – interesting post-election idea

Posted by Ted McEnroe November 5, 2008 at 1:36 pm

This press release came through the old inbox yesterday – thought it was an interesting little idea, and a creative one from the bistro, no?

The release is below:

Don’t put your election lawn signs in your trash. One local eco-friendly restaurant will make it worth your while to keep them out of our landfills by giving you a free appetizer or $10 off any entree when you bring them your election lawn sign.

Zebra’s Bistro in Medfield, a member of the eco-friendly Green Star Restaurant group, is making this offer to keep these signs out of landfills. They will make sure they are properly recycled to keep our planet green.

“We don’t just want to see the green lawns again we want a green friendly planet” said Craig Neubecker, owner of Zebra’s Bistro. “We can do a lot to reduce our impact on the planet within the four walls of our restaurant but this is one way that we reach out beyond our four walls to our community for the greater good” he added.

Bring your lawn signs to Zebra’s Bistro located at 21 North St. in Medfield, MA, any day this week after 4:30 pm and they will make sure the signs and sign holders are properly recycled.

What to do this weekend

Posted by Courtney October 30, 2008 at 11:10 am

Haunted Happenings
Put on your witch’s hat, grab your broomstick and head to Salem, MA, better known this time of year as the Halloween capital of the world. Check out the fabulous costumes, have dinner with the dead, and listen to chilling tales. All weekend. Most events are free.

Pumpkin Ale Festival
Sample some of the best beer the fall has to offer at Cambridge Brewing Company’s annual festival. Friday, beginning at 5 p.m.

Veggie Delight
Load up on free (and yummy!) food at the annual Boston Vegeterian Food Festival. Saturday from 10 a.m. — 6 p.m. at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center. Free admission & samples.

Meal deal

Posted by Courtney October 8, 2008 at 12:21 pm

One upside of the down economy — some restaurants are chopping their prices.  The Elephant Walk recently put out a new menu, and all of the entrées are now under $20.  So if you have a hankering for French-Cambodian food (think lots of noodles, coconut milk and braising) make your way to one of the three locations around Boston.

Dunkin’ Donuts deal

Posted by Courtney October 1, 2008 at 10:33 am

If you run on Dunkin’ — you’re in for a treat.  As a way to drum up business in the tough economy, Dunkin’ is selling lattes for just 99 cents.  But only from 2-5 p.m. weekdays.  You can also get an egg & cheese for 99 cents with a coffee.  Promotions start today and run through Nov. 11.

Feeding your inner saver

Posted by Ted McEnroe August 13, 2008 at 12:13 pm

One of the best cost-savers out there in Boston is going on this month. It’s Restaurant week in Boston, where top restaurants cut their prices to make top dining a little lighter for your wallet.

Rodney Murillo, executive chef at Avila Restaurant, stopped by Good Morning Live to talk food, and whip up a great gazpacho recipe (speaking of cheap, healthy possibilities this time of year.)

To see Rodney’s recipe, click here!

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