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More strategies for cheap fun this summer

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TBO.com

Published: July 16, 2011

Updated: 07/16/2011 06:07 pm

Here's a roundup of bargains and deals from our Free & Cheap blog at TBO.com. You'll find them here each Saturday.

Learn about freezing – with free ice cream

Sunday is National Ice Cream Day and MOSI is doing its part by offering free samples of Blue Bell ice cream noon to 2 and hosting an ice cream-eating competition.

While dealing with the brain freeze, you can also watch a cryo freezing demonstration – using liquid nitrogen.

MOSI is at 4801 E. Fowler Ave., across from the USF Sun Dome.

Bargain-hunter strategy

Keep track of what your kids plead for so you can look for bargains later.

Look closely for deals when you're walking up and down the aisles of a department store.

Shop out of season.

These are some strategies followed by our Free & Cheap bloggers, which they shared during roundtable discussion this week.

Search Free & Cheap at TBO.com to view the roundtable webcast.

Free movies for kids

By now, you may be running out of things for the kids to do (in the AC) during the summer break. How do free movies and popcorn sound?

Westfield Countryside mall in Clearwater has them every Tuesday and Thursday at 3 p.m. through October, with titles like Toy Story, Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Cars.

A temporary theater has been set up just outside the huge Cobb theater under construction. It has a big screen, stadium seating, and bean bag chairs.

Want more? There's face painters, balloon artists and other kid's entertainment.

Search Free & Cheap at TBO.com for the schedule.

Be brave, cancel to save

Competition is a wonderful thing. You can use it to your advantage to secure some nice savings on things you pay for every month, or year.

Recently, my Sirius/XM radio subscription came up for renewal. I remembered last year when I got a bill for a staggering $400. I called and threatened to cancel, and bingo! My bill came down to about $88.

Here's the secret: You have to be willing to cancel your service.

It's worth trying with subscriptions, too. I even got a better rate for my daily newspaper by threatening to quit!

Free beer, with pizza

Charlie & Millie's Pizza House, 10953 Seminole Blvd., Largo, is offering a deal that might be too good to pass up this summer: free beer.

Customers who order a large pizza get a free pitcher, Monday through Thursday all summer.

Really cheap dental care

If you lack dental insurance, you can get some basic care at a discount with Dr. Randall Diez of Tampa while also helping those in need.

For $39, patients can get an exam, cleaning and x-rays, with proceeds going to Metropolitan Ministries. The offer is good through Wednesday.

Dietz is at 5010 Gunn Highway, Tampa, Call (813) 960-5869 for an appointment.

Peter Bernard

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