
Congratulations to all those who sent in their cheap tips as part of the Parenthood DVD contest. If you missed this contest, start working on your cheap tips now because we have another DVD contest coming up.
Here are our winners and their cheap tips:
Katiuska Carrazana of Miami:
- Best happy hour: Friday’s at Happy Wine, 5792 SW 8th St., Miami.
Andy Cohn of Miami:
- BIG 105.9 has weekly dining deals. On Wednesdays at 9 a.m. they have Pauly’s Picks, where you get a $100 gift certificate for $50. For good restaurants, you have to be quick. On Thursdays they have Doc’s Deals, a $50 certificate for $25. They also have WIOD Deals.
Ruth Hara of Miami:
- Best cheap date: any guy in Miami — ’cause they’re cheap!
- Best cheap place to take your kid: the library — and maybe they’ll learn something.
- Best cheap hotel: Travelodge (locally, any hotel west of I-95).
- Best cheap eats: Steak n’ Shake (half-off shakes 2 to 4 p.m. weekdays).
- Best thrift shop: Douglas Gardens in Miami, Red White & Blue in Hialeah and North Miami.
- Best cheap fun: sightseeing on the MetroMover, which is free.
- Additional cheap tip: sign up on all the lists.
Grecia Morales of Miami-Dade:
Ella Pedre of Miami:
- Best cheap date: Free movie screenings during the week.
- Best cheap happy hour: The Bar in Coral Gables. Ladies drink free between 5:30 and 7:30
- Best cheap place to take your kid: Miami Children’s Museum on Target’s free night and several museums have specific days that have free admission.
- Best cheap hotel: I like to stay at La Quinta. It is cheap, clean and the fresh waffles for breakfast are great.
- Best cheap eats: McDonald’s 49-cent hamburgers and 59-cent cheeseburgers Wednesday and Sundays, Subway’s $5 foot long or you can check out the culinary schools. You get great food by students that could end up being the next top chefs.
- Best thrift shop: Every Wednesday is “Wacky Wednesday” at the Salvation Army Family Stores in Miami-Dade and Broward. All clothing is 50 percent off.
- Best cheap fun: Our county parks offer great amenities for free! Hopefully, they will not start charging for parking. Our libraries offer great movies to borrow for free.
- Best cheap beauty salon services: La Belle Beauty Academy offers cheap services from their students. You can check out other beauty schools and see if they do, too!
Stephanie Beck:
- The best DATE, HAPPY HOUR and EATS are all combined at Morton’s Steak House in West Palm Beach (and other South Florida locations, though hours may vary). The setting is elegant and impressive and conducive to conversation (DATE), the HAPPY HOUR is all night in the bar offering inexpensive drinks, wine and beer, and the EATS are delicious and $5 each! You can make it dinner easily since they offer a delicious salad, mini burgers and filet sandwiches and gorgonzola french fries … yummy!
Andrea Knafo, Broward mother of three:
Karen Usry of Hollywood:
- My best cheap date is in Hollywood. Stroll along the Broadwalk and people watch. Stop for a slice of pizza at Roccos and listen to the live music on most nights (I love Wednesdays), then end the night with a scoop from Ben and Jerry’s. Oh. and some smooching on the sand.
Honorable mention goes to Susan Moss, organizer of the Labyrinth Café folk music series in Fort Lauderdale, one of our favorite cheap music opportunities.
Do you have a great cheap tip we didn’t mention? Leave a comment here, and stay tuned for our next DVD contest.