Hi, it’s me, Marla Jo, your columnist and deals maven. Check out my Cheapo Travel column in the Sunday Travel section. If you know a great deal, let me know at mfisher@scng.com. You can also find me at Deals Diva on Facebook and Twitter. And don’t forget to read my humor columns on Wednesdays in the Register.
Got kids? Head to the Urban Kids four-day consignment sale Thursday through Feb. 19… Four times a year, this event draws thousands of families looking for gently used kids’ clothing, shoes, toys, baby gear and more. Shoppers can save 50-90 percent off buying new. Shop early if you can. $10 admission Thursday, free the other days. Sale on Sunday. 6905 Warner Ave., Huntington Beach. Learn more: UrbanKidsConsignment.com
All national parks and monuments will be free to visit on Feb. 20, in honor of Presidents Day, so head on out and see some nature! I suggest getting there first thing in the morning, because these free days are very popular. We drove out to Joshua Tree for the last free day, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, leaving at 6 a.m. so we’d arrive early. We saw the sun rise over the desert and had a great early hike, leaving just as people started pouring onto the trail. Perfect timing! The next 2017 free days will be April 15-16 and 22-23.
Ooh, I love this deal. Get a free entrance pass to Anza-Borrego State Park’s most popular hiking trail –Borrego Palm Canyon – to celebrate the golden anniversary of the Anza-Borrego Foundation. The passes are only good either March 25-26 or April 1-2, and only for the first 100 people who sign up for the weekend vehicle passes. So put down the paper and sign up right now at theabf.org/BPCforFree. The canyon in question is a kid-friendly three-mile hike that ends in a palm oasis and waterfall. Normal day use fee is $8. The foundation is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a benefit festival on April 1. Learn more: theabf.org
This is an excellent freebie: If you join the Benihana Chef’s Table loyalty club, you’ll receive a $30 coupon you can use during your birthday month. It’s good toward dinner only, Monday through Thursday, with the purchase of at least one adult entree. And they’ll send you other offers, too. Learn more at Benihana.com
You can save on your ferry ride to Catalina Island, if you buy the Groupon deal now available for the Catalina Flyer for $39 weekdays, $44 weekends, compared to the regular fare of $70. Note this large catamaran only goes to Catalina once a day, from Newport Harbor. (It is not the Catalina Express.) This is a good deal, but I wouldn’t buy unless you know exactly when you plan to go and call immediately to make a reservation. Or you’ll end up like me, desperately hoping to get on standby on the last weekend the deal was available. Learn more at Groupon.com and search for “Catalina Flyer.”
If you want to learn more about your family history, come explore from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday and the third Wednesday of the month with the Aliso Viejo Library Geneaology Club. Beginners to experts welcome. Use the Ancestry.com Library Edition to discover your family tree, using documents from all over. Bring your own laptop or use a library computer. Location: 1 Journey, Aliso Viejo. Learn more: 949-360-1730
Do you know about YipIt.com? This website collects half price deals from all sorts of sites such as Groupon, Living Social and the like, and puts them together so you don’t have to search each one. If you click on the link, it then takes you from the YipIt website directly to the discounter page. I particularly like to use this when I travel. For example, if you’re heading to San Francisco, you might want to search out restaurant and activity deals there. You do have to sign up and give them your email address.
On Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Friends of Cypress Library, 5331 Orange Avenue, is holding a Vintage Record Sale of 33, 45, 78s, classic and popular music. Most for $1 each. All proceeds support Cypress Library programs and services.
Please don’t buy tickets from Craigslist. My daughter’s boyfriend did recently, and was scammed out of $320. Try StubHub instead. If you’ve never used StubHub.com to buy or sell a ticket, you should give it a try. This online service’s easy-to-use software lets you list your tickets for sale easily, and upload them if they’re electronic. You pay a small commission if they sell. Buyers can purchase direct from fans. You can find deals on here, too, cheaper than the original price, when people just want to get rid of tickets, especially right before an event. I recommend using the “instant download” function which allows you to get your tickets electronically, reducing the chance of counterfeits. I’ve both bought and sold, and I’m a fan.
Contact the writer: mfisher@scng.com or 714-796-7994
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