‘Back 2 School’ Campaign Collects School Supplies

Kroger is the drop-off point if you want to donate backpacks, paper and other supplies.

Kroger’s Atlanta Division, in partnership with the Children’s Restoration Network and WSB-TV, is holding its 18th annual “Back 2 School” campaign from July 16 – 28, during which 125 Kroger stores will serve as school supply drop-off sites to benefit metro Atlanta children. Children’s Restoration Network, a local nonprofit agency focusing on homeless children in metro Atlanta, works with more than 130 shelters and group homes which house more than 4,000 youth each year, making success of this campaign vital. “Children’s Restoration Network provides hope and support to families in our community as they work toward ending the cycle of homelessness,” Glynn Jenkins, director of communications and public relations for Kroger’s Atlanta Division, …

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Where To Buy Girl Scouts Cookies

Here are some locations for cookies, in case you don't know a Girl Scout.

If you haven't ordered Girl Scout cookies yet, there's still hope. Girl Scouts will be selling Thin Mints, Samoas and other varieties this weekend and next at locations in Decatur and Avondale Estates. Sales will wrap up in April. Here are some spots where you can buy cookies: Saturday, Feb. 18 Intown Ace Hardware, 1404 Scott Blvd., Decatur. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Skip's, 48 N. Avondale Road, Avondale Estates. 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Decatur Square, 101 E. Court Square, Decatur. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Little Shop of Stories, 133 E. Court Square, Decatur. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19 St Thomas More Church, 624 W. Ponce De Leon Ave., Decatur. 8-11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 20 Kroger, 720 Commerce Drive, Decatur. 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25 Intown Ace Hardware, 1404 …

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Frugal Family

Frugal Family: Free Callaway Gardens, Photo Exhibit

You can visit Callaway Gardens, take in the UNC Men's Glee Club of hear stories.

We want to let you know about things around town that are cheap, easy, or free. You can help with this column by telling us about upcoming deals. Just add them to the comment box or email the author to be added to a future column. Complimentary admission to Callaway Gardens Deal: Callaway Gardens is offering complimentary admission in January and February. Normally it costs $18 for adults and $9 for kids 6-12. Check website for operating hours and details. 17800 U.S. Highway 27, Pine Mountain. 706-663-2281. Good through: Feb. 29, 2012.   Photo exhibit at the Decatur Library Deal: Free. DeKalb resident, local businessman and noted photographer Arthur Ratliff will display his photographs from Columbia, South America. 215 Sycamore St., …

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Kroger Supermarket Tours Will Continue Next Year

Residents need to sign up by Jan. 9 for the first tour.

Decatur Active Living recently put out this information: Decatur Active Living is happy to announce that the popular Kroger Supermarket Tours will continue in 2012 the second Saturday of each month at 10am at the downtown Kroger. The tours, led by Nutrition Graduate Students at GA State, teach participants about food labeling, making healthy choices and share healthy recipes. The students have also chosen a theme for each months tour. A recent participant said, “The tour turned out to be very helpful. I really like the fact that Lori taught us how to read the labels correctly. She also took the time to answer questions very patiently.  I am into healthy living and eating, yet I learned so much especially during the tour of the dairy and …

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Frugal Family

Frugal Family: Preparing For The Holidays

This week's deals: Cheap turkey, Christmas ornaments and flu shots.

  We want to let you know about things around town that are cheap, easy, or free. You can help with this column by telling us about upcoming deals. Just add them to the comment box or email the author to be added to a future column. This Weeks Deals: 1. Carolina Turkey at Kroger, 3479 Memorial Dr, Decatur, GA and other area locations Deal: 79 cents/lb. with card Good Through: November 20 2. Chef's Mat 18"x 30" at Big Lots, 2738 Candler Road Decatur, GA 30034 Deal: $18 Good Through: November 19 3. Emerson 3.4-cu.-ft. chest freezer at Target, 2400 North Druid Hills Rd NE, Atlanta, GA Deal: $139 Good Through: November 19 4. Celebrate It brand Christmas ornaments and ribbon at Michael’s, 4000 LaVista Rd, Tucker, GA Deal: 50% off Good Through…

Kroger Shoppers Get Nutrition Tours

Learning to read labels a big part of the tour organized by the grocer and Decatur Active Living.

 How much sodium is in chicken broth?  What’s the difference between free-range and cage-free eggs?  You can learn answers to these and other nutrition questions at your downtown Decatur Kroger.  The grocer has partnered with the City of Decatur Active Living Department to offer free nutrition tours. According to nutrition tour guides, Ben Xie and Christi Cannon, the most important thing for a grocery shopper to know is how to read nutrition labels.  “You need to watch for sodium, cholesterol, fat, fiber and carbohydrates,” Xie said.  He added that the first thing a shopper should start with on the nutrition label is the serving size.  “The sodium, cholesterol, etc. are for one serving size, but most people eat more than one serving,” he …

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Frugal Family

Deals on Food, Health and Entertainment

Save money or do something for free: Dining, entertainment and shopping.

We want to let you know about things around town that are cheap, easy or free. You can help with this column by telling us about upcoming deals. Just add them to the comment box or email the author to be added to a future column. This week's deals: 1. Kyoto Joe’s online coupons, 2650 N. Decatur Road, Decatur, GA 30033 Deal: Large chicken teriyaki with veggies for $3.99 or gyro, fries and can of soda for $4.99 Good Through: Ongoing 2. $1 sushi at Garlic Thai Cuisine and Sushi Bar, 340 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur, GA 30030 Deal: $1 sushi Sunday through Thursday from 5:30-7 p.m. Good Through: Ongoing 3.  Vitamins at Kroger, Multiple locations, Decatur, GA Deal: Kroger brand vitamins are buy one get one free with Plus card. Good through: …

Coupon Patch

Coupon Patch: Buying Coupons - What’s the Point?

Buying coupons seems so counterintuitive but it actually could save you money.

When I first learned that people sometimes bought coupons, I clutched at my pearls and wondered aloud, “Heavens, why would someone do that?” Superficially, this idea seems rather ridiculous. Coupons are about saving you money, so why would you buy them? Plus, coupons say right on them that they’re not for sale, so how could this system even be legal? Spend Less Money to Get Exactly What You Will Use Here’s the truth. Buying Sunday papers for two dollars each week is all well and good if you only want one or two copies of a coupon. But the circulars for which you’re paying a few dollars also contain many coupons you would never want or use. (They may even be for junk food! My goodness!) If you instead buy coupons on eBay or from one of the …

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Coupon Patch

Coupon Patch: Tips and Tricks for Using E-Coupons

Coupons you load directly onto your store card are gaining popularity. Make them work for you!

As I noted last week, manufacturers really want to get coupons into the hands of the ever-growing consumer group that doesn’t regularly buy the newspaper. Printable Internet coupons are one way to do this, but e-coupons, which don’t require you to print anything or carry anything but your store card, are gaining in popularity as well.   Get Clicking and Get Saving E-coupons are usually made available at the beginning of each month. As with printable coupons, a limited number is available and when they’re all claimed, they’re gone. You can find e-coupons primarily through www.cellfire.com and www.shortcuts.com. Kroger.com also has its own (occasionally overlapping) e-coupons available. All you need to do is set up an account, give the …

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Coupon Patch

Coupon Patch: The Big Hunt

Tips and tricks to help you build your coupon stash right away

Are you ready to run out and start saving money? First, you need to acquire your coupons! You probably think you know where to get them. But there may be places you have yet to explore. The Sunday newspaper - The easiest and most straightforward way to get your coupons for the week is to buy the paper. If you don’t want to run to your local store each Sunday, you can just subscribe to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution - there are Sunday-only subscriptions available, and the paper often offers deals and specials to save you even more money. You can also pick up the bundled “double paper” - the early and late editions of the Sunday paper are packaged together for $3 instead of the $4 you’d normally pay for two copies. And if you’re lucky, you…

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