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The Ultimate Trick and Treating Experience is at Valleyfair (& Get Discounted Tickets!)

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Whew. Valleyfair has done it again. They’ve put together a spook-tacular Halloween event and it’s now open! PLUS – I’ve found CHEAP, discounted tickets!

I visited Valleyfair with my kids during the “Tricks and Treats” opening weekend, and enjoyed some food samples and exploring the park. Most of the rides are open, but everything is Halloween-themed and very family-friendly.

The difference this year – 2022 – is that there is no ValleyScare. Instead, their Tricks and Treats event is for everyone, whether you want some scares or just a fun, candy-themed season.

valleyfair tricks treats 2022

There ARE some scares at Valleyfair, but I wouldn’t call them too scary for kids. For example, there are costumed “monsters” and spooky characters throughout the park, but there’s no blood, gore or truly scary sights.

[Read more…]

Twin Cities October 2022 Events Calendar for Families

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October means fall festivals, pumpkins and Halloween!

October Calendar!

I’ve updated the Deals & Events Calendar for October and there are many fun activities this month!

There are fall festivals, Halloween events, trick-or-treat events, truck events and more.

Some highlights:

  • Hyland Hills Chairlift rides – October 8-9 in Bloomington
  • Twin Cities Book Festival – October 15th in St. Paul
  • Fall Festival – October 15th at the Wargo Nature Center
  • Half Haunted Halloween – October 22nd at Wood Lake Nature Center
  • Pumpkin Night in the Park – October 22nd at Springbrook Nature Center
  • St. Cloud Kids and Parents Expo – October 29th
  • Halloween Trail Walk – October 29th at Viking Lakes, Eagan 
  • Tamarack Trick or Treat – October 29th in White Bear Lake
  • AND MANY MORE!

Plus, of course, there are festivals like the Twin Cities Harvest Festival, and Severs Fall Festival.

Be sure to plan your shopping for the month (and year) with my guide, What to Buy in October to Save Money!

[Read more…]

What to Buy (& Skip) in October to Save Money 2022

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What to Buy October

Did you know that there are different things on sale each month of the year? 

A while back I put together a Month to Month Shopping Guide that lists the best items to buy each month to save money!

Here I am highlighting the best items to buy this month!

October

Halloween deals are happening this month! However, note that the best deals are right before and right after Halloween.

It’s also pizza month so watch for pizza deals!

Or make this homemade pizza recipe!

Plus, National Taco Day is October 4th, so watch for taco deals!

October is the best time to buy:

Tires and car supplies are discounted for Fall Car Care month.

Halloween candy, decorations, costumes – the closer to Halloween, the better the deals, but the lower the selection

Summer clearance items; best time to stock up on next summer’s patio furniture or buy a grill

Appliances and vacuums: New models arrive so you’ll find sales on last year’s kitchen appliances and washers and dryers

Winter gear: Get good early deals on coats, hats and scarves

Camping gear, as summer camping season comes to an end

Travel! Warm destinations want to attract families now that kids are in school, and it’s not yet the holiday season. (I recommend visiting places right here in the midwest – check out my travel page!)

SPAM Museum Austin

Cars! October through December is when dealerships are trying to get rid of old models. Bonus – go at the end of the month as they’re most motivated to meet sales quotas. Check out my guide “5 Tips for Buying a Car for Less.”

What NOT to Buy Right Now:

Electronics. These will go lower in price next month for Black Friday so wait if you can.

Seasonal produce on sale now:

Acorn squash
Apples
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Butternut squash
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Cranberries
Grapes
Leeks
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Parsnips
Persimmons
Pomegranates
Pumpkins
Rutabagas
Spinach
Sweet potatoes
Swiss chard
Turnips
Winter squash.

Discount Days

Indigenous Peoples/Columbus Day – 50% off clothing, shoes and home items at thrift stores like Savers and Unique Thrift Stores

View the full month to month list here!

And be sure to view my Deals & Events Calendar for more deals and fun this month!

National Coffee Day Freebies & Deals 2022 (Thursday, September 29th)

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National Coffee Day

It’s National Coffee Day on Thursday, September 29th, 2022! On this day, you can get free (or discounted) coffee at these locations in the Twin Cities and/or nationwide.

It’s fall, and I think as the air gets chillier, a warm cup of coffee sounds so wonderful. I think that’s why National Coffee Day is always on September 29th, right after fall begins. This is a starter list – I’ll be posting more deals as I find them!

(Note: The cappuccino and muffin in the above photo I took are from Penny’s in Minneapolis. Yeah, I know – Looks yum-o, right? Um, yeah! Ah-ma-zing. But all the coffee in this post is fabulous too – but even better ‘cuz it’s FREE or discounted!)

Caribou Coffee – $3 medium handcrafted beverages for all perks members. If you order ahead on September 29th, you’ll get a Size Upgrade on September 30th!

duck donuts iced coffee selfie

Duck Donuts – On Thursday, September 29th, you can receive a FREE medium Hot Coffee or medium Cold Brew with any donut purchase. There are 3 ways to get this deal.

Dunkin' Donuts

Dunkin’ – DD Perks® members can get a FREE medium hot or iced coffee with any purchase.

holiday

Kwik Trip – If you are a Kwik Trip rewards member (which is free), get a FREE Kwikery® Bake Shop Long John Donut with any Karuba Beverage Purchase!

Holiday StationStores – If you are on their email list, check your email – this year they sent a coupon for any coffee for $.99 today only.

McDonald’s – Use their app to order a hot or iced coffee for only $.99 through December 31st. You can use it up to once a day.

Panera – Currently you can sign up for Panera’s coffee subscription, and if you sign up starting September 29th you’ll receive free coffee, iced tea, lemonade and fountain sodas for 2 months. Existing Sip Club members receive $2 off barista beverages and smoothies. Offer available in-app only.

[Read more…]

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow Party – November 19th (Discounted Tickets)

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hot wheels monster trucks

Hot Wheels: Monster Trucks Live “Glow Party” is coming to the Target Center in Minneapolis on Saturday, November 19th at 12:30pm and 7:30pm and you can save up to 37% right now from Groupon!

It’s the FIRST-EVER Monster Trucks Glow Party!

From Monster Jam:

The first-ever Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party brings audiences the only opportunity to see real-life versions of the famous Hot Wheels monster truck toys in the DARK!

Mega Wrex™, Tiger Shark™, Boneshaker™, Bigfoot® and more, plus the all-new Gunkster™, will light up the floor in outrageous monster trucks competitions and battles. Event performances will also feature a dazzling dance party, spectacular laser light shows and Hot Wheels toy giveaways. Plus, a special appearance from the car-eating, fire-breathing transforming robot MEGASAURUS, and the electrifying high-flyers of Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live, Freestyle Motocross! Special kids pricing is available for all shows providing a great value for the whole family!

DISCOUNTED TICKETS

Tickets are regularly $39.49 and up but you can get tickets from $25 and up! That’s 37% off!

  • Tickets are available in specific sections: 109, 113, 129, 133, 215, 227, 235
  • Must purchase passes in the same transaction to sit together.
  • Free admission for children under 2 if sitting on parent’s lap! [Read more…]

From Animals to Oz to Ziplining: Plan this Epic Family Trip to Northeast Kansas!

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Late this summer my kids and I went on an action-packed road trip to KANSAS! We wanted an affordable road trip to a midwest destination that we’ve never been to but has many hidden gems – and we discovered many in Kansas!

greetings from kansas mural

Kansas is just a few states away from Minnesota, but you can get there from the Twin Cities in one day’s drive. What’s great is that it’s pretty direct taking I-35 straight to Kansas City, then I-70 west from there to Topeka.

We chose to take two days to get down there – we made the 4-hour drive from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area to Des Moines for one night, and then drove to Topeka the next day, where we arrived by about 1pm. 

There’s actually a TON of stuff to do throughout the state of Kansas, which would surprise many people because Kansas is often thought of just a flat state or “flyover country.” Even to me, growing up in the midwest myself, Kansas didn’t seem like as much of a destination, but more of a place to stop on the way “to” somewhere. But after actually spending 5 very busy days there, just in one part of the state, and going to a media event showcasing all of what Kansas has to offer, I can tell you for certain: PUT KANSAS ON YOUR BUCKET LIST! I’m so glad we did, because my kids and I had a BLAST. 

kansas i 70 route map

In fact, because there’s so much to see in Kansas, we had to narrow our trip just to the northeast area, on and around I-70, which is closest to our home state of Minnesota. We visited four cities: Topeka, Wamego, Manhattan, and Abilene, which are all not far from each other. And to be honest – we had an action-packed trip, and had one full day in each city, but even then, barely saw as much as we wanted to! Still, I’m excited to share with you our epic trip to northeast (and part of northcentral) Kansas, and I hope can you plan a similar trip with your family!

Note: My kids at the time of this trip were 14 and 11, and everything we did on this trip was perfect for their ages. There are places like children’s museums and great playgrounds in these cities as well, if you have younger kids.  [Read more…]

Free MN Fall Passport from Explore Minnesota (Deals & Freebies Galore!)

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Well, fall is here in Minnesota! And now through November 30th, 2022, Explore Minnesota is giving everyone a FREE MN Fall Passport to help you save money all across Minnesota this fall!

mn fall passport

There are a TON of great deals including freebies at breweries, BOGO deals at wineries, discounts at corn mazes and hotels and much more. There are places in the Minneapolis/St Paul area and all across the state.

Deals include:

  • FREE Beer Flight at 22 Northmen Brewing Company – Alexandria
  • $1 off a pumpkin at Big Springs Farm Pumpkins & Corn Maze LLC – Lanesboro
  • FREE Guided Tasting at Carlos Creek Winery – Alexandria
  • $1 off admission at Center Creek Orchard – Fairmont
  • $2 off a classic tour at Glensheen Mansion – Duluth
  • $1 off admission to Historical and Cultural Society of Clay CountyHormel Historic Home
  • FREE tour of Hormel Historic Home – Austin (Read about our visit here!)
  • Buy One, Get One FREE Admission to Judy Garland Museum & Children’s Discovery Museum – Grand Rapids
  • 50% Off Adult Corn Maze Admission at Montgomery Orchard – Montgomery
  • $2 Off Regular Admission – Combo Ticket at Paul Bunyan Land Haunted Hidden Hollows – Brainerd
  • One Free Farm Tour Ticket at Redhead Creamery – Brooten
  • Free Medium Feed For Animals at Fresh Acres Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch – Monticello
  • AND MANY MORE!

Just sign up for the passport and then show the info on your phone as you visit these fun places.

Go take a road trip to explore some fun new places and get some great deals!

Print this FREE Halloween Bucket List for more fall fun:

Halloween Bucket List Printables

Free Medium Cold Brew or Hot Coffee at Duck Donuts (Redeem by September 24th)

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FREE COFFEE FROM DUCK DONUTS!

duck donuts coffees

National Coffee Day is Thursday, September 29th, but I’m partnering with Duck Donuts to offer a FREE coffee to you right now!

There are 2 Duck Donuts locations in the Twin Cities – Woodbury and Mall of America, and many more nationwide. I post often on social media about our visits to both Twin Cities locations. We love their warm, made-to-order donuts and coffee!

Get the free coffee deal here!

Here’s how it works:

You’ll enter your email address, and then you’ll need to download and register the Duck Donuts Rewards App (if you haven’t already). Then a reward for a free medium hot coffee or cold brew will automatically be added to your rewards!

The deal will be good for one use, September 22 – 24. No purchase required.

duck donuts iced coffee selfie

I love their cold brew coffees! I recently got one with vanilla.

Then on National Coffee Day, September 29th, Duck Donuts is offering all guests in-shop, through the app and online the opportunity to enjoy a free medium hot coffee or cold brew with the purchase of any donut.

*Online orders must use the code COFFEEDAY to redeem

“The Amazing Castle” at the Minnesota Children’s Museum – Discount & Giveaway!

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“The Amazing Castle” is open at the Minnesota Children’s Museum!!!

And you can save $3 per ticket when you mention my blog or code TCFM at the admission desk!

PLUS – I have 4 tickets to GIVE AWAY! Read more about the exhibit and enter below!

Amazing Castle 5 MCM
 
This “Amazing Castle” exhibit features:
 

🏰 Exhibit Entry and Big Book – From the moment visitors walk through the entrance to “The Amazing Castle,” they are transported to a magical time and place—and the fantasy begins! Lord Ben and Lady Evolent welcome children and adults and make sure the castle is a safe and healthy place to live. Visitors can begin their adventure by reading the story of “The Amazing Castle,” which introduces the castle citizens and depicts the interconnectedness of those living within its walls.

Amazing Castle 1 MCM

🏰 The Keep – The Keep is a fortress sure to be enjoyed by our youngest royals. Toddlers create a miniature, magical community in a castle-inspired dollhouse, build their own fortress out of stone blocks and play with a castle busy wall.

[Read more…]

Twin Cities Harvest Festival & Corn Maze 2022 – Ticket Giveaway! (Ends 9/20)

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Twin Cities Harvest Festival

Fall is definitely approaching – I know because we’ve had a few chilly mornings already! (Had to dig out my fall jacket…)

But one of the best things about fall is fall festivals and corn mazes…like the Twin Cities Harvest Festival!

And great news!

The Twin Cities Harvest Festival is back in Brooklyn Park in 2022!

Admission is FREE for the marketplace, but the corn maze and activity area are $12 per person. 

And I’m excited to announce I have 1 family pack of 4 tickets for the activity area to give away ($48 value)!!!

The festival is September 17th through October 30th.

We’ve gone several times throughout the years and we LOVE it.

FREE Admission for Marketplace

PLUS like the last couple of years, admission is FREE for the marketplace, pumpkin patch and food trucks!

[Read more…]