Rizzoli & Isles Giveaway

We know some readers are fans of the TNT series Rizzoli & Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander, based on the book series by Tess Gerritsen. 

If you’re a fan of the Monday night show (or even if you’ve not seen it yet) enter our freebie giveway!

One ABQ on the Cheap reader will receive a free book The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen and a T-shirt.

If you haven’t seen Rizzoli & Isles, here’s a description from the show’s press kit:

“Boston detective Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon) and medical examiner Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander), are complete opposites and good friends who solve crimes and bust some of Boston’s most notorious criminals.  Jane, the only female detective in Boston’s homicide division, is a tough and gutsy cop who doesn’t let her guard down (except with Maura), dodges her overprotective mother and is better at basketball than her brother. Maura is usually more comfortable among the dead than the living. She is always impeccably dressed in designer duds with a steady, sometimes icy temperament. And she’s working on curbing her tendency to diagnose the people she meets – including her first dates. Jane and Maura often find themselves working together as both use their brilliant minds and expertise to figure out the “who done it” as well as the “how done it” of Boston’s most complex cases. Despite their many differences, Jane and Maura are best friends, with a quirky and supportive relationship.”

I used to work with my best friend, and it wasn’t half as dramatic as this. Then again, it was on a fashion magazine, and we didn’t deal with many killers.  Although come to think of it, some of those Paris fashion designers could be a little temperamental and some of the more outlandish outfits on the catwalk could be described as a crime…

Find out more about Rizzoli & Isles including video clips. The show airs on TNT Mondays at 10 pm Eastern / 8 pm Mountain Time.

Win a Book and T-Shirt
One ABQ on the Cheap reader will receive a free book The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen and a T-shirt.  

Enter the giveaway by noon on Tuesday August 31, 2010.

To enter: Leave a comment below this post. Any comment – about the Rizzoli and Isles show, about ABQ on the Cheap, about what free/cheap thing you’re doing this weekend… anything to get your name in the hat. Just please keep it decent… we are a family site

• Submit your comment by noon, Tuesday August 31, 2010
• Comments need to be approved before they’re published, so if yours doesn’t show up at once, don’t worry, as long as it’s submitted by noon on Tuesday, you’re cool.
• One winner will be drawn at random from all qualifying entries – ie submitted as a comment, not by email.
• One entry per person please, only from U.S. residents. Multiple entries by the same person (yes, we can tell!) will be disqualified.
• All times are local Mountain Time

The prize is supplied courtesy of the Rizzoli & Isles team at TNT.

–Tania

Winners of the Spot My Mistake Giveaway

Thanks to everyone who entered the Spot My Mistake Giveaway! 
The error in last Friday’s Food Freebies & Deals post that tickled me was calling her Dora the Explora (like Explora in Old Town, instead of Dora the Explorer). Because… well, half my mind was on children, and as I only have half a mind at the best of times, that’s what came out my fingers.  (Especially as I must have typed Explora about a hundred times in the last year, writing about it for my Albuquerque guidebook. It’s hard-wired in.)

Lots of you spotted it and we may have an underground movement to change Dora’s name permanently.

Many other eagle-eyed readers picked up on a typo of othewise instead of otherwise. (Note to self: when writing posts early in the morning, have coffee FIRST. Like, a gallon of it.)

There were all kinds of other comments too. For example:

• “Keep up the good work, know you have been “osmosised” by Albuquerque, and that is a good thing.” Ha! Cheers Robert Palacioz! I’m glad to be “osmosised”, which is not half as painful as it sounds. 
   
• “Well you must be authentic New Mexican now if your talking like us New Mexicans. I’m guess’n its the use of the word Sandwhiches but at least its not how the people in Espanola, NM say “Sangwhiches” Or maybe its that you spelled Walmart correct and didn’t say Wally World.” Thanks Mario Herrera, I’m deeply chuffed at being called authentic New Mexican, there is no finer compliment, and I’ll bear the Wally World and sangwhiches notes in mind next time!

 Whatever you said, or even if you didn’t find an error, everyone who commented on either the Giveaway Post or the original Food Deals Post went in the drawing, and the winners of a $25 restaurant gift certificate are:

• Olivia Kaesberg
• Virginia
• Lauri Michael

We’ll have more giveaways soon. Thanks for playing, for ALL the feedback and guesses, and thanks for the kind words many of you added – I sure appreciate it. ABQ on the Cheap readers are the best!

–Tania

Spot My Mistake: Win a $25 Restaurant Gift Certificate

ABQ on the Cheap is giving away 3 x $25 restaurant gift certificates. Enter by noon on Monday August 16.

I had to laugh when I realized I’d made a not-so-deliberate mistake in this Friday’s Food Freebies & Deals round-up. It’s a very Duke City kind of mistake, and I couldn’t bring myself to change it, so it’s still there.

Can you spot it? My error doesn’t involve the accuracy of any information, it’s just a ‘where was my mind?’ typo.

Tell me the mistake in the comments box beneath the Food Freebies & Deals post, and everyone who makes a guess by noon on Monday August 16 will be put in a hat (well your name will, I don’t suppose even one of you would fit in a hat) for a drawing to win one of three $25 gift certificates from Restaurant.com.

Everyone will be entered whether you’re right or wrong, but hopefully there are no other blunders in the
Food Freebies & Deals post. Oh mercy, what have I opened myself up to? This could get embarrassing.

Clue: The mistake is quite fitting to the deal I was writing about, and only Albuquerque folk would get why I made the typo. And it is only an error in the writing – all the actual information and links are correct. You don’t have to read too far to find it. (Note: Comments won’t be approved to publish to the site till after the giveaway is over, so don’t worry if it doesn’t appear. If you sent it, I got it.)

To enter:

• Leave a comment either below this post or below the Food Freebies & Deals post saying what you think the mistake is.
• Submit your comment by noon, Monday August 16, 2010
• The 3 winners will be drawn at random from all qualifying entries – ie guesses submitted as a comment, not by email.
• Comments won’t be approved to appear on the site until after the giveaway is over. (Sorry, you can’t just copy what another eagle-eyed reader spotted!) But as long as they’re sent by Monday noon – you’re cool.
• One entry per person please, only from U.S. residents. All times are local Mountain Time.
• Three winners each receive a $25 Restaurant.com gift certificate by email, to be used at any local or national restaurant in the program, with no expiration date. Currently in Albuquerque that’s Sophia’s Place, Peppers Cantina, Asian Cafe, Casa Chaco, Cazuela’s Mexican Grill. $25 certificates usually require a minimum purchase of $35, so you might have to pay a little to top up the freebie!

–Tania   FYI: I’m using my Restaurant.com affiliate link ( if you buy your own certificates, a few cents go in the tip jar to support ABQ on the Cheap – thank you for using the links). And if you’ve read the Friday food post you’ll know they’re discounting dining certificates by 80% till August 16 with the promo code: BIG. So you can be sure I’m buying the giveaway gifts with that promo code, so the winners get a deal, and I save too!

Free Music MP3s with Disney’s 50 Day Giveaway

Disney’s biggest ever giveaway of free music is a great deal for fans of Disney movie and TV show songs.  During the 50 Days of Disney Music promotion you can download music from Bambi, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story, Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place, Camp Rock, High School Musical, and more!

They’re releasing a new MP3 each day over the 50 day giveaway, and it’s not clear yet how long each one will be available as the promo has only just begun. But if you see one you like, it’s probably best to download it there and then.

The free MP3 download links are posted daily in two places:

• The @DisneyMusic Twitter Page  - you DON’T need a Twitter account to get the MP3 – just scroll down till you spot a Tweet marked #50days with a link to the download.
• The Disney Music Facebook Page – you DO need to log into Facebook to see the free MP3 link on the wall posts.

Thanks to our sister site Houston on the Cheap for tipping us off to the freebie!

–Tania

Milk the Moment Giveaway And Events

Exclusive ABQ on the Cheap giveaway to win a Family Fun magazine subscription, T-shirts, & tote bags. Read how and about Milk the Moment events this weekend… 

The Milk Mustache Mobile arrives in Duke City this weekend, bringing free family fun and samples in the Milk the Moment Tour.  Holy Cow, Milkman! The tour events include:

• Free samples of milk from local dairies to take home
• Free milkshake and star in your own free souvenir Milk Mustache photo with your family
• Chat with the registered dietician for nutrition tips and how to make a healthy family meal
• Enter the “Milk the Moment” contest to win a trip for four to San Francisco for dinner with celebrity chef Tyler Florence
• Kids (and big kids) play the NFL Fuel Up to Play 60 football toss to win a free mini football
• Play Pass the Gallon through Facebook – for each virtual gallon of milk you give to friends, the Milk Mustache campaign gives $1 to Feed America

Here’s where it’s happening:
- Saturday, March 20: Rio Grande Zoo parking lot from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Sunday, March 21: Cottonwood Mall outside the central food court from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2 – 4 p.m.
- Monday, March 22: Albuquerque Aquarium parking lot from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

GIVEAWAY for ABQ on the Cheap readers!

We’ve got goodies to give away, thanks to the Milk the Moment tour organizers:

1st prize: A year’s subscription to Family Fun magazine, a Got Milk? T-shirt, a tote bag, and a frisbee.
Two runners up: Each win a Got Milk? T-shirt and tote bag.

To enter: Leave a comment in the box below with your fave place to drink milk in Duke City – in whatever form. Shakes, lattes, they all count!

Submit your comment in the box below by midnight Monday March 22, 2010.

The winners will be drawn at random from all qualifying entries – ie submitted as a comment, NOT by email!

One entry per person please (and we can only mail prizes within the U.S.) Comments don’t show up immediately until they’re approved.

And if you want to be the first to hear about future giveaways – subscribe to ABQ on the Cheap by email or RSS feed!

–Tania

We’re Giving Away Two Tickets to Tinkertown: March 20

An ABQ on the Cheap reader will win 2 free tickets to the pre-season tour of Tinkertown Museum this Saturday 20th at 2pm. Find out how to win…

On Tuesday, we posted about the free pre-season tour of Tinkertown Museum in celebration of Obscura Day, and within 15 minutes of our feed going out to subscribers, y’all snapped up the last remaining tickets! If you got to the party late and were disappointed, the lovely owner of Tinkertown and the organizers of Obscura Day are generously offering a further 2 tickets exclusively to an ABQ on the Cheap reader for this ‘sold out’ event!   Here’s our original post that tells you all about it.

Obscura Day is an international celebration of unusual places around the world. It’s sponsored by Atlas Obscura, a guide to the world’s wonders, curiosities, and esoterica.

No more tickets are available at the booking site, but one ABQ on the Cheap reader will win a pair of tickets to this pre-season visit to Tinkertown Museum on the Turquoise Trail, starting at 2 pm (till 4 pm) on Saturday March 20, 2010.

To enter: Leave a comment in the box below with your suggestion of another wondrous or curious quirky Burque place that you’d like to see in an Obscura Day event next year.

Submit your comment by 9 am on Friday March 19. The winner will be drawn at random soon after 9 am.

One entry per person please, and be sure to fill an email address in where we can reach you on Friday morning to arrange your prize tickets. Comments don’t show up immediately until they’re approved, but as long as they’re submitted by the 9 am Friday deadline – you’re cool.

And if you want to be the first to hear about future offers – subscribe to ABQ on the Cheap by email or RSS feed!

–Tania

Friday Food Freebies and Deals for 7/10/09

Got a sweet tooth? A yen for fish? Or simply a yen for “cheap”? We’ve got all three covered!

• Free Baja Fish Taco Day: Well, yo-ho-ho and a baja fish taco! On Tuesday, July 14 (2009), sail on over to Long John Silver’s before 2:30pm to score a free fish taco. No coupon required, no rigamarole. Limit one per customer. Participating locations only. Nine LJS locations in New Mexico to serve you. (Thanks, Barb!)
• $10 off: Buca di Beppo offers this coupon for $10 off a $30 purchase. Simple. The offer looks to be good on carryout, as well as dine in, since the coupon doesn’t limit the offer. Valid through 7/21/09. There’s one Buca in the Q, and it’s over by Coronado Center.
• Free food tasting: Who knew Osuna Nursery did gourmet foods? We didn’t. But they’re hosting a tasting Saturday and Sunday, July 11 and 12, from 11:00am – 3:00pm both days. Sample Jalapeño Candied Jelly from Third Coast Gourmet & Gifts, soup mixes from The Plentiful Pantry, and Artisan Chocolate Fudge Balls from Cocopotamus. Yum! In the North Valley near Osuna and Edith.
• Free pint of Starbucks ice cream (maybe): We added the caveat because this is a giveaway through Facebook. So, first, you have to be able to log in to Facebook (thereby eliminating everyone who doesn’t use the site). Second, they’re only giving away 800 coupons per hour (sounds like a lot, until you figure how many thousands of people are vying for them). Still, if you’re into the thrill of the chase or you just can’t live without Starbucks ice cream, this may be worth a shot! Every day through 7/19/09.
• Free wine tasting: Jubilation Wine & Spirits has been hosting several beer tastings lately, but finally here’s one for wine lovers. Tomorrow, 7/11/09, from 2:00 – 4:00pm, stop by Jubilation to taste “wines that are best to drink in the summer heat.” Varieties will include orvietos, torrontes, pinot noir, malbec, a sparkling wine, and several others. Located near UNM at Lomas & Carlisle.
• BOGO Sub: Check out this coupon for BOGO Quizno’s sub sandwich. Buy one combo meal, get a second sub free! Note it’s good only at the 4411 Montaño Rd location.
• Half off dinner: Here’s one for our amigos en el valle sur. Kathy’s Carryout is legendary! Use this coupon for 50% off second dinner with the purchase of one dinner and two drinks. ¡Qué rico!
• Half off beverages: We know some of our Twitter followers are Bad Ass Coffee Co. devotees, so here’s one for them. Use this coupon for half off hot, iced, or frozen blended drink with purchase of another. Scroll down the page for other Bad Ass Coffee Co. coupons, too! Located up in Bernalillo.

Hopefully that list, along with the separate post about all the breakfast foodaliciousness occuring at Chick-fil-A will hold you until next week!

–Elizabeth Hanes

SNEAK PEEK: GIVEAWAYS FOR THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH!

What better way to celebrate the official launch of Albuquerque’s blog about all things cheap than by giving away free stuff??

Oh yes, we are going to reward you, cherished reader, for your commitment to cheapness by having a contest and giving shtuff away. If you want to pile on with a donation of your own, contact us as soon as possible so we can list you in the press release going out Thursday. If you know of someone who might want to get in on the action, be sure to use the “share” button to send them this post!

Here’s the list as of today:

• $50 gift certificate to Independence Grill, courtesy of your very own ABQ on the Cheap
• 10 coupons for a jar of El Pinto salsa, value about $35, courtesy El Pinto
• $25 gift certificate valid at Silver Owl, Glass Quill or A C Jewelers, courtesy of Matt Gassner, Wachovia Securities
• Cool bag of Ubuntu swag, including a ton of stuff from balloons to a cap to (of course) multiple copies of Ubuntu itself — enough swag to throw a veritable Linux party! (Complete list of contents will be included in the official launch announcement.) Courtesy of New Mexico Linux Corporation, New Mexico Ubuntu Loco, New Mexico LinuxFest, and Software Freedom Day
• Trio of books: New Mexico by Marcia Keegan; Insiders’ Guide to Fun with the Family in New Mexico; and Wines of Enchantment: A Guide to Finding and Enjoying the Wines of New Mexico; all courtesy ABQ on the Cheap (or, as we like to call it, “Cheap Central”)

Many thanks to those who have donated prizes so far! We appreciate your support in keeping Albuquerque cheap. Spread the word! And watch this space for more announcements or follow us on Twitter @ABQCheap.

Here’s a secret: subscribe by e-mail (at left) to the blog before the official launch on Thursday, 3/12, and earn extra entries to the giveaway! See the official rules for details!

–Elizabeth Hanes

FREE QUIZNOS SUB

A tip of the chapeau to our friend Kris at Gold Country on the Cheap for this deal.

Quiznos is giving away a million free sub sandwiches. And that’s not a lotta baloney. All you have to do is register. They’ll e-mail you a free sub coupon. Better yet? Along with your free sub coupon, the e-mail will tell you how to send a free sub to your friends.

There are a bunch of Quiznos shops in the Albuquerque and Rio Rancho area.

Hurry! They’ve given away nearly 400,000 already!

–Elizabeth Hanes