So.  Today I’m putting my money where my mouth is and I’m taking my two younger goddaughters (Boo-Boo and her sister Loo-Loo) to the Edina Aquatic Center for a day of summer fun.  Because nothing is more fun than making sure two children under the age of 9 don’t drown.  PLEASE DON’T DROWN.  I’m fairly certain their mother would never talk to me again if they did.

*That’s Boo-Boo.

On the plus side, this is a very economical way to spend the day with two of my favorite people.  Tickets are a mere $10 per person for the whole day.  And since they are little people, lunch won’t be that expensive (I plan to run over to McD’s for Happy Meals.  Because outings with Aunt Erin = Happy Meals.).  I’m guestimating I’ll spend $15 for all three of us.

*And that’s Loo-Loo. 

Lunch and tickets bring my total per person for the day to less than $15 – which is well under my $25 limit.  Yay me!  Now if I can just make sure they make it home alive…

*If you are not a fan of consignment, or don’t live around the TC, skip to the bottom for a random frugal leftovers tip.

How To Consign:

1.  Make sure your clothing is clean, wrinkle-free, with no rips/tears/missing pieces, and that everything is on a hanger.

2.  If you do not have an appointment, check to see if they offer drop-in service BEFORE you go.  If there is no drop-in available, make an appointment.

3.  Most consignment shops are now looking for fall/winter clothes and cleaning out the summer wear.  If you want your items to sell now, bring them in according to the season.

4.  Remember, they won’t take everything, especially if the items are older than 2-3 years.  All consignment stores are looking for on-trend, stylish and classic items.  Check their websites for specific requirements.

Where To Consign:

Beeline Consignment Boutique, 952-473-6755-, http://www.beelineboutique.com/, Minnetonka Blvd in Deephaven.

B-Squad Vintage, (612) 825-4847, http://www.b-squad.com/, 3500 Nicolet Ave, Mpls.  They buy vintage clothes and records as well as furniture and electronics.  Plus, they’ll make house calls.

Divine Find Consignment, 651-429-3463, http://www.divinefindconsignment.com/, White Bear Lake.

My Sister’s Closet, http://mysistersclosetmn.com/, Grand Ave area in St. Paul and in Minneapolis on Hennepin.

Plums Plus Size, 763-788-7588, http://www.plumsplussize.com/, the ONLY plus-sized-only shop around, located in Columbia Heights.

Second Tyme Around, 651-438-3863, 1745 N Frontage Rd Hastings.

Today In Consignment News:

Just Between Friends Consignment Events, http://www.jbfsale.com.  They hold two sales events per year, per location.  JBF sells at 50 to 50% off retail, and pay out up to 70% on sales to consigners.  There is an upcoming event in Eden Prairie, 12th-14th, Eden Prairie Community Center.

Newcomer to the Cities – Clothes Mentor, http://www.clothesmentor.com/.  They are a franchise, so each is independently operated.  They buy your clothes right away, and carry sizes 0-26.  I like the location in Edina – VERY friendly service.

Bibelot now offers consignment at their Como Ave location called REWEAR, http://www.bibelotshops.com/.  Check their site for consignment hours and guidelines.

*Random frugal tip about Chinese food leftovers:  If you are like me, you have a bad reaction to the MSG in Asian foods.  However (if you’re like me), you may still continue to get Chinese take-out, regardless of the headaches and bloating you’re left with, along with the leftovers.

Suffer no more!  Take your leftover sauce/meat/veggies and put them in a colander.  Rinse them thoroughly until there is no sauce left.  Drain well.  Then when you are ready to eat, heat up some sesame oil in a pan and sauté the plain meat and veg.  Season with soy, garlic, rice wine vinegar, sriracha sauce, what-have-you.  I did this today for lunch, and the results were fanTAStic.  Sure beats tossing the leftovers in the trash.

Yesterday, I hauled out my bossy pants from the closet and went to work on my Links Page.  NOTICE – I removed any site that hasn’t been updated since May.  I’m sorry, and I mean no offence, but I’m trying to have up-to-date content up in here, and that includes my links.  I also reconfigured where everyone is located, so stop by today to see your new seat assignment.

What spurred this spate of housecleaning?  Other people’s bad Interweb habits (not you guys, but those OTHER PEOPLE).  Whilst I was researching tomorrow’s segment for Fox 9’s Morning Buzz, which I will appear on at approximately 9:30 AM (Shameless Plug Alert), I unintentionally discovered oodles of out-of-business… businesses.  Which added unnecessary hours to my research time – and you know wasted time makes me cranky.

From that experience, I concocted my very own Standards Of Conduct for businesses.  None of them are particularly hard, and all of them are downright inexpensive, if not FREE.  And FREE, as we know, is BEST.

Standards Of Conduct for Promoting Your Biz on the Interwebs:

1.  Your business should have a web site.  Google’s Blogger is easy to use and free.  You can post the basic information about your place of business on the right, and then have a blog/event announcements/coupons/random musings on the left.  Hey, it’s how I got my start on the WWW.

2.  If you have a web site, update your content.  Let me repeat that for the back row – UPDATE YOUR FREAKIN’ CONTENT.  During my research, I saw sale announcements for stores still in business that date back to April.  Heads up guys, it’s almost August.  BTW, if you use a simple blog format like Blogger, updating your site takes about 5 minutes.  And once again, the cost is FREE.

3.  The more you update your web site, the higher up on the Google Search (or other search engines) you’ll be.  Which makes your site easier to find.  Which means more people will hit your site.  Which makes you go even HIGHER on the search page.

4.  Get a Facebook Page, especially if you don’t have a web site.  Then, invite everyone you know to “Like” your page.

5.  Make your Facebook Page name easy to understand.  For example, mine is The Cheap Chick.  My buddy Lou’s is the name of her career coaching biz – Find Your Fit.  That way, when people are trying to search for your biz on FB, they’ll actually find it.  Also, if you have a web site, put a link on it to FB, for even easier connections.

6.  As with your site, UPDATE YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE.  Seriously, a friend of mine’s FB biz page says “I should really write something here…”  And she’s had it for months.  Updating FB takes all of 10 seconds, and every time you update, your Page pops up on your Fans’ News Feed (aka, the front page).  You can ask questions, post photos, announce events, give 1 day deals to Fans, post a coupon… the opportunities, they are endless.  AND FREE.

7.  If all you have for a web presence is an address and phone number, that’s okay.  People still use the phone for actual calls and not just texting.  However – reset your number of rings to less than 10.  Last night I was calling around to confirm my sources and GAH.  I had to wait for 20+ rings just to get to the voicemail messages.  Guys, if I’m a consumer, I won’t wait past 10 rings.  If your answering service hasn’t picked up by then I would assume you no longer exist and move on.

8.  If all you have is a phone number, you really need to make that message sound professional.  If I’ve just waited forever for your machine to pick up, and you sound like a bored teen on the message, I’d assume your business is subpar, and not worthy of my patronage.

Sorry to sound so cranky, but HONESTLY.  These are all free ways to promote a business, so why isn’t everyone taking advantage of them?

The big foodie news in the TC (or the Twin Cities, for those of you who don’t live in Minnesota) is the arrival of food trucks to our downtowns.  Food trucks, or food carts, are vehicles that serve food (As opposed to trucks that deliver food.  More on that in a different post.).  Such as tacos, hot dogs, sandwiches, and even tasty Ethiopian food.  YUM.

Why am I excited about food trucks?  Because they are a tasty and inexpensive alternative to dining in a bricks-n-mortar restaurant, they offer speedy service, and they are more exciting (food-wise) than fast food.

The only problem?  They can be difficult to find.  You may need the investigative skills of Jessica Fletcher (80’s shout out, woot!) to find a food truck.  Here are my food findings, plus tips on locating a truck near you.

Seek out the latest news on food trucks at these local sites – TC Foodies, Heavy Table, and the Minneapolis/St. Paul section of Chowhound.  Once you hear of a food truck you’d like to try out, look for their hours and locations on Facebook or Twitter.  Or you can call their bricks-n-mortar restaurant (if they have one), or by searching their website (if they have one).

Food trucks I found:

Chef Shack, http://chefshack.org/, 507-358-4220.  Use their Facebook page to find them throughout the week.  M/W/F at 5^thnd Hennepin from 11 to 2 PM, Mears Park today for lunch, Friday MPR for lunch. They are “Chef Shack” on Facebook.

Dandelion Kitchen, http://dandelionkitchen.com/, 612-836-7636.  Located at the Midtown Farmer’s Market on Saturdays and Tuesdays, locations and times on their website.  Everything is $5!  Drinks are $2.  They are “Dandelion Kitchen” on Facebook.

Barrio Taco Truck, http://www.facebook.com/BarrioLowertown#!/BarrioLowertown?v=info 651-222-3250.  They primarily do festivals, like Lumberjack Days this 22^nd through the 25^th.  Call the restaurant for hours and locations.

128 Mobile Café, http://128cafe.net/ 651-645-4128.  Tuesday nights in Stillwater 4:30 to 8:30, Wednesdays  and Thursdays in downtown St. Paul by Wabasha (parking dependent) for lunch.  Fridays are wild card – with occasional late night dining outside the Turf Club.  They usually serve ribs, pulled pork, fresh fish sandwiches, and vegetarian options.  Call the restaurant for hours and locations.

The Magic Bus Café, http://magicbuscafe.com/ 612-722-6278.  They serve hot dogs priced between $4 and $6.  Hours, locations and menu are on the website.

She Royal Food Truck, http://www.sheroyalcoffee.com/ 612-746-4141.  They offer DELICIOUS Ethiopian foods, and everything is between $5 and $6 (water and soda is a mere $1).  The owner is Samson Benti, and he is a doll.

Foxy Falafel, http://foxyfalafel.com/about/  Serving up falafels (dur), and their locations and times are on the web site.

Border Taco Truck, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saint-Paul-MN/Border-Tacos/254293040376 , Located on University and Hamline in St. Paul.  Maybe.  So I was told, but they weren’t there at 11 AM on Tuesday of this week, so…

Sonny’s Ice Cream Cart, http://www.cremacafeminneapolis.com/ 612-824-3868.  Crema Café Mpls on Facebook.  Check on Facebook or call the restaurant for hours and locations.

Olive Pizza, wood-fired pizza available at the Midtown Farmers Market.  Currently, no web site or phone number available.  I heard about them at the Midtown Farmers Market website ttp://midtownfarmersmarket.org/.

What food trucks are you noshing at this summer?

Instead, Keith stated at the beginning of my segment that the key to bartering is sinple – find someone more gullible and less intelligent than you to bargain with.  That way, you’ll always come out on top.  I tried to keep a straight face whilst rebutting this comment.  And I failed.  And it all when downhill from there… sigh.

However!  There will be no unplanned (and secretly HYSTERICAL) digressions during today’s post.  Here is the stuff I tried to tell you about on the TV.

Bartering:  exchanging goods and services, instead of using money to buy them.  Also called trading or swapping.  It’s a trend that’s growing in popularity across the country, partially in part to Internet sites like craigslist, organizations like Time Bank, and social networking like Facebook.

1.  What can you barter?  Popular swaps include clothing, books and other media, coupons, recipes, toys, furniture, and even real estate.  Popular trades include event tickets.  And bartering encompasses everything from exchanging electronic equipment for sporting goods, to lawn mowing for child care.

2.  Craigslist and other sites.  On the Minneapolis/St. Paul’s list, there is a section completely dedicated to bartering.  Just check under the For Sale column and click on Barter.  I’ve found a concrete contractor willing to exchange services for a snowmobile, boat, or toys.  There is even a page for swapping houses.

On the Twin Cities Moms Like Me site, they have groups for coupon swaps, toy swaps, clothing swaps, book swaps, etc.  There are swap pages on Flickr for food, clothing and media, which I’ve discussed before on the Buzz.

And another cool site for bartering – BarterQuest.com.  You can swap goods, services AND real estate.

3.  There are national organizations helping people barter, the most prominent being TimeBank.org.  One of the local branches of Time Bank is HourDollars.org for the residents in St. Paul.

From their website:  “As a member, you EARN hours by providing a service (such as gardening, minor home repair, piano lessons, or driving) to another member who requested the service. You then use your earned hours to PURCHASE a service from any member in our service directory.

You decide what services you would like to offer. Everyone’s time is valued equally: one hour of actual service is always equal to one hour of credit in the program, regardless of the type of service provided.
A database keeps track of services that members are willing to provide, the number of hours they have earned, and the balance of hours in their accounts.”

4.  You can use your social network, like Facebook or Twitter, to set up bartering groups like a child care co-op.  Create a private page, invite your friends/neighbors/family to join, and set up the parameters of how the co-op will work in the Information section.  Just be sure you and your children have met the other members in person, and have visited their homes.  You want the kids to feel comfortable with the other members, too.  I even found tips for setting up your own child care co-op just by Googling it!

Lemme ask you – do you barter, trade or swap?  With who?  And for what?  Please share with the group in the Comments below.  Thanks!

Who are you?  Who, who, who, who?*

Every so often, I look at my hit counter (located over there on the right, underneath the map of the world, cleverly labeled with a Britney Spears lyric).  And when I click on that tab, I can see how many visitors stopped by Ye Olde Blogge.  As I stare obsessively at the numbers, I wonder, “Who are these folks?  What compels them to stop by my site?  When is lunch?”

That is why today’s post is all about you, the random visitor to The Cheap Chick Empire.  Please leave a Comment below, telling us a little bit about yourself.  Such as:

Who are you?  You can use an alias, especially if you’re on the run from the CIA.

Are you into frugal living and being thrifty?  Is that why you’re here?

If you’re not here for the frugal aspect, why do you read The Cheap Chick?

Then, share something completely random, like “My grandmother taught me how to play poker,” or “I’m still afraid that the boogeyman lives in my closet.”

Thank you in advance for playing along.  If I can better understand why you’re all here, I can better serve your frugal needs.  Remember, this site is ALL ABOUT YOU.  Except for when it’s about me…

And, because this IS a frugal living website, here are a few quick-n-thrifty tips for you to know and share:

1.  If you live in the Roseville area, constant reader Shan has great news – the Roseville Library has finally reopened to the general public.  You’ll find separate rooms for the kids and teens, a huge DVD selection, even more new releases, two stories filled with books, and open floor plan.  Very open.  A bit too open (it can get noisy for a library), but who am I to quibble?

2.  GoJane.com is having a huge sale on their site – 20% off everything, and up to 60% off their dresses.  It’s a bit trendy and teeny-bopper, but with a bit of clicking, you’ll find something right for your body type and age.

3.  For the menfolk, Duluth Trading Company is having their online tent sale, with stuff up to 60% off.  For example, their long-tail T-shirts (the ones that prevent plumber’s crack) are on sale for $12.99.  They also carry flat-front pants and shorts.  Guys, trust me on this one, PLEATS ARE UGLY.  And do you really need all that extra space up front?  I don’t think so…**

*My mom is hopelessly devoted to Roger Daltrey.  It’s too bad she never reads my blog…

**Yes, the Cheap Dude wears flat front pants.  It’s one of his many charms.

Usually when I go shopping, I expect the stores I frequent to be open for business.  At least during the normal retail hours of 10 am to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday.  However, there are a few shopping opportunities around the TC which require advance scheduling, the use of a calendar, and a good memory.  Why?  Because they aren’t always open.  But, oh, when they are…

Lillian Shoppes.  My buddy, Lin, reminded me of this fun and funky gift/accessories store mere moments ago.  REAL TIME FRUGAL UPDATES, PEOPLE.  Lillian Shoppes are open 4 days a month, with locations all across the TC and outlying areas.  The prices are reasonable, the staff is awesome (I’d be a happy camper, too, if I only worked 4 days a month), and the party-like atmosphere makes Lillian Shoppes one of the more exciting places to spend your dough.

Fun Sisters Boutique.  If you are new to the TC, there are three things you must do – by a good winter parka, befriend someone with a boat on a nearby lake, and schedule an excursion to the closest Fun Sisters.  They carry every trendy, knock-off accessory known to woman-kind, and their prices are fabulous.  Also?  They tend to be open more often than Lillians.

Tuesday Morning.  If you do not live in MN, are in the market for home goods, and have time to check the web first (to make sure they’re open), then skibble on down to Tuesday Morning.  Located inside and out of the TC, this chain sells everything from candles to kid’s books, luxury linens to picture frames, and a whole manner of throw pillows.  This is a great place to restock your gift closet.  Or, you know, buy a ton of pillows.

Dock 86.  Any store that boldly proclaims 30-70% off everything on the front page of their website is a store I want to visit.  Often.  Dock 86 is a purveyor of discount furniture, mattresses, and fancy rugs, located in lovely Little Canada, MN.  The caveat?  They are only open Friday-Sunday.  Which really, folks?  Is the only time I’m in the mood to shop for furniture anyway.

So lemme ask you – are you willing to schedule your shopping in advance?  Or do sporadically-opened stores make you punchy-stabby?

For my Fox 9 Morning Buzz segment today, I polled a bunch of Twin Cities’ food critics.  I asked them where they like to dine out for less during the summer, and what they like to order whilst dining.  These are their stories:

Inexpensive Summer Eats – Where the Twin Cities Food Critics Like To Go.

Kathie Jenkins, Pioneer Press:

Bricks, Neapolitan pizza spot, salads and pizza, mostly under $10.  Gorgonzola salad with bacon and spiced pecans, the Verde pizza with prosciutto, garlic and arugula. Foccacia with robiola cheese and white truffle oil, only $6.  Bricks Neapolitan Pizza, 407 Second St., Hudson; 715-377-7670.

Abu Nader, the falafel sandwich for $7.49. Everything at this deli is made from scratch — the owner even makes the pita bread and grinds the chickpeas (edit) herself.  Abu Nader, 2095 Como Ave., St. Paul; 651-647-5391.

Dara Moskowitz-Grumdahl, Minnesota Monthly magazine:

Sea Salt, the clam fries, plus whatever the daily special is.

Rick Nelson, Star Tribune:

Drive-in restaurants – The Dari-ette in St. Paul, the Burger-ette.

The Minnetonka Drive-In in Spring Park, celebrating its 50th birthday this year.

Peppermint Twist in Delano, home of a great raspberry malt.

The Drive-In Taylors Falls, where the carhops wear poodle skirts, and the burgers are fantastic.

Wagner’s in Brooklyn Park, where they still do “broasted” chicken, and do it well.

Andrew Zimmern, Bizarre World, Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine, Fox 9:

Punch Pizza (the Highland location is his fave), Salame e funghi and greco salad.

Brasa – anything on the menu, plus they have great outdoor seating.

Que Nah – spring rolls and spicy chicken with lemon grass.

Stephanie March, Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine, My Talk 107.1:

Aster Café, newly reopened with great outdoor seating.

Victory 44 in north Mpls, charcuterrie plate, anything on their constantly changing menu.

Peter Lilienthal, Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Business magazine:

For Asian, Curry & Noodles in Hopkins, Grand Sichuan in Bloomington (they just got their beer and wine license), the new Tea House on the U of M campus, and the Bun Mi Sandwich Shop in Stadium Village for great, inexpensive sandwiches to go.

For Mexican, Pancho Villa on Eat Street.

Hidden gems, the Caribe Caribbean Café off Highway 280 in St. Paul, and the goat cheese pizzas at Cristos in Minnetonka on Hwy 7.

Where are you eating at this summer?  And what are you ordering?  Share with the masses!

Yesterday, we discussed innovative and inexpensive ways to beat the heat this summer.  Today in the TC, we can all use that advice, as we’re supposed to have a heat index of 100+ DEGREES OHMYGAHTHATSUCKSOMUCH.

In other words, life is going to be a wee bit unpleasant for the next 24 hours.  Which is no way to celebrate the middle of the week.  Therefore, today’s post will be dedicated to Things That Will Make You Happy.  Unless You Are A Dedicated Grumpy-Gus.  Also, They Are Free, Or Really Inexpensive.  As That Is How I Roll.

One place to go when you need a quick laugh is YouTube.  Don’t have the innerwebs at home?  Can’t use it at work?  Never fear, my Chicklettes!  There is FREE Internet access waiting for you at your local library!  Enjoy their insanely cold AC, check out a few books, and go online for a bit (please keep it to 30 minutes at a time, so everyone can enjoy the service).  Just turn the volume low.  You are in a library, after all.

Once you’re online, head on over to YouTube and hunt down the Old Spice Page.  The folks at the Spice are on a mission to create the funniest commercials, Twitter responses, and spokesman in the world.  Don’t believe me?  Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/user/oldspice#p/u/118/uLTIowBF0kE

I also enjoy PowerThirst, That Doesn’t Make You A Model, the original Double Rainbow, and the Double Rainbow Remix Song.  For a classic bit of comedy, check out the History of Golf, by Robin Williams.  WARNING – not all these bits are appropriate for work.  Unless you have an office with a door you can shut and lock.

If your library or other web access won’t let you play YouTube, other hilarity awaits you on the Net.  For ladies of a certain age, relive your misspent literary youth at Forever Young Adult.  My personal favorite is their ongoing, blow-by-blow retelling/review/drinking game of Flowers In The Attic.  Dude.  Do you remember how messed up that book was?

For folks of all sexes (but not ages, this is not appropriate for the kiddies), check out Sleep Talkin’ Man.  My buddy, Probie, turned me on to this site about a month ago, and it remains one of the weirdest, funniest things in the history of EVER.  You can listen to the aforementioned man talk in his sleep (thus, the name), or you can read what he said.  Honestly, I think it’s even funnier to read his sleepy-time mutterings than to hear them.  Although you do miss out on his cute British accent.

And for the folks who are Internet-adverse:

Got some free time tonight?  Then rent an old comedy classic for less than $5.  Invite a bunch of buddies over and the cost-per-viewing goes down even further.  I recommend Meatballs (Best.  Summer.  Movie.  Ever.), Tropic Thunder, The Fifth Element (not really a comedy, but it’s darn funny anyway), Monty Python’s The Holy Grail, and Foul Play.  However, if a thunderstorm hits, turn OFF the TV, unplug it, and head for the basement, toot sweet.

What are you laughing at today?  Remember, laughter is FREE.  And apparently, good for you.

Otherwise known as, “I Lived Through Winter For THIS?”

In Minnesota, where warm temperatures only comprise about one third of our yearly climate, we make the best of a cold situation by essentially living outside when the weather is nice.  (BTW, “Nice” in MN means it isn’t actively snowing/hailing/tornado-ing directly over our heads).  However, warm weather has its own challenges – mainly too much heat, and too many bugs.

Never fear, MN denizens!  The Interwebs is filled with random ways to coexist with stinging insects and 90% humidity.  Plus, I have a trick or two up my (short) sleeve.  And yes, this was the topic of discussion on today’s Cheap Chick segment on Fox 9’s Morning Buzz.  Thank you for watching, if you did.  The rest of you?  Can watch it here.

Innovative and Inexpensive Ways To Beat The Bugs AND The Heat:

How to repel bugs, without using DEET-based products:

- Try Skin So Soft from Avon, either the original formula or the Bug Guard formula.  It’s currently on sale at Avon.com for 50% off.

- Go unscented.  Perfumes, scented body washes and lotions, hairspray, even deodorant can attract stinging insects.

- Wear light clothing.  Dark clothes attract mosquitoes – not to mention, absorb sunlight to make you hotter.

- Annectodotal evidence shows that taking vitamin B-1 or eating a ton of garlic should help repel mosquitoes.  Granted, you eat too much garlic and you’ll repel just about everyone.

How to stay cool, for less:

- Cool your pulse points.  Run cold water over your wrists, or rub them briefly with ice cubes.

- Instead of using a hot water bottle to warm your bed, use an ice-water bottle to chill it down.

- Mini, round gel ice packs are just $9.95 for five, and can be placed in strategic places on your person.

- Go wading in one of the 61 free wading pools located all over Minneapolis.  Find a complete list here.

- Go ice skating at an indoor rink.  Roseville Ice Arena is open all year long, and offers public skating at just $5 per person.  There is also open skating at the Plymouth Ice Center for $4 per person.

- Go to an inexpensive movie at discount theaters like Parkview in Minneapolis or Main Street Cinema in Hopkins, and enjoy their AC.  Every Saturday, Parkview has $2 matinees of classic films the whole family can enjoy.

- Turn off all the lights, turn on a good box fan, and plug in a movie that takes place in the Arctic.  Watching people be really, really cold can trick your brain into making you feel cold.  Some suggestions include: March of the Penguins, The Thing, Alive, Iron Will, Whiteout.  (This idea comes tried and tested from the lovely due of Larue and her hubby, El Jefe.)

How are you guys chillin’ out, sans bugs this summer?