The Frugal Bostonian

On August 8th Fenway Park is hosting Futures at Fenway.  Its a minor league double header, and has alot of family activities.  Tickets are as low as $5 $7 per person (upper bleachers).*  This would be a great opportunity for someone just wanting to be in the ballpark for a game without paying the usual major league prices.  Or, if you had a bunch of kids, you might be able to afford to get them all in.  I’ve been in the park for other events, but have never to this one, but I imagine that for $5 $7 you can’t go wrong.

I expect that the parking prices will be at the usually inflated premium, so take public transportation or find some other way to get there (not to be cynical, but it will likely be $40 a car, but maybe the prices will be less).  I’d get my Red Sox gear at Marshalls or TJ MAXX, eat lunch before going to the park, and get ice cream afterwards at the cold stone creamery in the nearby movie theater complex.  The ice cream will be the most expensive part of the day, but it will be better than what they have in the park and will still cost less.

*The lowest price ticket is $5.  However, ordering online results in a $2 “convenience” charge per ticket, bringing the total cost to $7  I am trying to determine if going to the box office eliminates the “convenience” charge as it would not be particularly convenient for me.  I detest “convenience” charges.  It is certainly more “convenient” and less expensive for the vendor to sell the tickets online through a computer rather than a salesperson, yet they charge the consumer more.  I’d be less offended if they called it something other than a “convenience” fee.

I did not actually order tickets, so it is possible there is some other fee tacked onto the price, but I suspect there is not (please leave a comment if you buy tix and find out that I am mistaken in this assumption).

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http://www.mlb.com/bos/ticketing/futures_at_fenway.jsp

Mark your calendar! The Boston Red Sox will proudly host the fourth annual Futures at Fenway presented by Comcast Minor League doubleheader at Fenway Park on Saturday, August 8.

Minor League Baseball’s stars of tomorrow will once again be playing regular season games at “America’s Most Beloved Ballpark”. Beginning at 12:05 p.m., game one will feature the Red Sox Double-A affiliate Portland Sea Dogs taking on the Bowie Bay Sox from the Baltimore organization. The second game will showcase the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox battling the Norfolk Tides, also an affiliate of the Orioles.

The afternoon of baseball will allow fans to enjoy moderate ticket prices, discounted concessions, and a fun-filled family atmosphere. Children in attendance will have the chance to take part in various activities throughout the day. From on-field promotions to autograph sessions with the stars from both games, fans will be a part of the action.

Tickets for this one-of-a-kind event will go on sale Saturday, March 21 beginning at 10 a.m. (EDT). Tickets for this one-of-a-kind event are on sale now. Fans with disabilities may call (877) REDSOX-9 to purchase accessible seating (while supplies last). The Red Sox’ TTY number for hearing-impaired fans is (617) 226-6644.

My internet connection crashed about 48 hours ago.  I thought the service provider might have been hit by lightening, but hours later, the problem persisted.  I tried unplugging everything, reboots, reconfiguring devices, yet my cable modem remained in standby mode (at least I was sure it was getting power).  No home internet meant I could not look for a solution online.

Fortunately, I had kept the paperwork and cd rom that came with the cable modem and was able to easily located these items.  The user manual was on the cd rom.  I popped the cd rom into the compuer, looked at troubleshooting, and found the solution (which was as easy as pressing a button I had not realized was on the modem).

Lack of home internet is almost a crisis for me.  Had this persisted, I would have been looking at paying for help, or buying new equipment (although in the interim, I would have gotten online elsewhere to look for a solution, but that would have been hard to implement as I would not have had access to my network to try various things).

Bottom line: having access to the user manual saved me alot of time and aggravation (and ultimately, maybe some money).  Keep these things somewhere handy!  It’s not necessary to save the box the hardware came in (although I fold smaller boxes and keep them, in case I decide to resell the item at some time in the future).

The sales receipt was with the user manual.  I bought this device three years ago, and paid $20 after rebate.  Previously, I had been renting one for $3 a month.  Over the course of three years, I would have paid $108.  My total savings for buying it has been $88 (and who knows if I would have gotten the user manual and other documentation if I were merely “renting” the hardware).

The Highland Street Foundation is inviting folks for free admission to many area attractions on Fridays.  The dates of the free admissions are listed below.  If you haven’t been to Plymouth Plantation, try it for free on August 7th.  I haven’t been there in awhile, but its a great living history museum of life in 1630.  It will make you appreciate your running water and electricity even more!

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Celebrating 20 Years of Grantmaking Support

Since its establishment in 1989, the McGrath Family and the Highland Street Foundation (HSF) have donated more than $103 Million to many worthy non-profit organizations including $80 million to groups in Massachusetts alone.

To recognize their 20th Anniversary, HSF will sponsor Free “Fun Fridays”, inviting Massachusetts residents and tourists to visit a designated museum or Boston attraction for free, ten Fridays this summer. For details on dates and locations, please see below.

Free “Fun Fridays” for the Entire Summer!
Locations and Free Admission Dates Listed Below
Free Admission to some of Massachusetts’ most treasured resources
Underwritten by the Highland Street Foundation

Free Friday Flicks at the Hatch Shell are back! This time they have a schedule with the names of the movies rather than making you guess.  Movies start at sunset, bring a chair, blanket, or something to sit on.  Bring something to eat (there are always some really nice looking picnics).  If you are running over after work, grab some fast food in the Back Bay or Beacon Hill.  Open drinking of alcohol is not allowed.

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Celebrate the 24th Annual Free Friday Flicks movie series with WBZ NewsRadio 1030 and the DCR at the DCR Hatch Shell on the Charles River Esplanade in Boston!

Free Friday Flicks are classic and popular movies shown for FREE each Friday night at sundown throughout the summer at the DCR Hatch Shell!  Free Friday Flicks have become a summertime tradition for New Englanders.  People of all ages gather at the banks of the Charles River with their own chairs, blankets, and picnics to enjoy these FREE movies under the stars.  Come on down with your family and friends to enjoy these movies with us!  Arrive early to get your spot on the lawn and visit the WBZ tent for lots of free giveaways, food samples and more!

In the event of inclement weather, please call the Free Friday Flicks Hotline for cancellation information:  617-787-7200.

2009 WBZ Free Friday Flicks Schedule:

June 19: The Tale of Despereaux

July 10: Kung Fu Panda

July 17: Get Smart

July 24: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

July 31: Mama Mia!

August 7: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

August 14: Inkheart

August 21: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

August 28: Iron Man

I was in the Prudential Mall today and noticed signs advertising free family movies on Saturdays in July and August at 6 p.m. in the courtyard. I’ve never been to one of these movies, but hope to give it a try.

It seems like free family movies are all over the place: Fridays at the Hatch Shell, Saturdays at the Pru, and a few other scattered ones on weekdays.

McDonald’s is giving away free hot or iced mocha coffee drinks from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Monday through August 3rd.

The hot coffee is a 7 oz size, the iced version is 8 oz.  While not “huge,” these are definitely large enough to be considered a regular drink.

I’ve had the iced version and it is pretty good.  It’s also somewhat expensive, over $2, so if you want to try one of these, do it on the free Monday!

I have not gone to McDonald’s for this promotion yet, but suspect that it might be crowded, especially in the morning.  But, you don’t need to buy anything to get this freebie, so it might be worth a small wait.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is having free admission neighborhood nights on July 23rd and August 6th.   I’ve been to these before.  The only drawback is that it tends to be crowded.  When I went last year, there was about a 45 minute wait outside (bring raingear if the weather is threatening, as you will be OUTSIDE while you wait).

It’s a great way to see enough of the museum to decide whether you want to come back again at a less crowded time!

From the Museum’s website:

Neighborhood Nights 2009!
Each Night: Free admission to the museum for everyone ~ live music ~ museum exploring and art-making activities for children and families

July 23rd: “Pleasure Gardens”
Celebrating Isabella Gardner’s love for plants, flowers, and gardens!

~ Our beautiful courtyard garden will inspire you to decorate your own flower pot.
~ Plant seeds in peat pots to grown at home.
~ Create a musical wind chime to enhance your outdoor space.
~ Listen to the toe-tapping music of the Berklee Bluegrass Band.

FREE admission all evening long!

Date: Thursday, July 23, 2009
Time: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

I finished my purchase and was handed a receipt that included an offer of $2 for participating in a survey.

This survey required a phone call, which was to a toll free 1-800 number.  The call was answered by a voice mail type system with interactive questions (i.e., push “1″ if you agree, “2″ if you do not agree).

There were four generic questions: how was the experience, would you come back, would you recommend the store to others, etc.  After I finished, I was given a 5 digit code to write on the slip.  The whole thing took less than five minutes; they did not collect personal information, and since I did not use a “value card” (or whatever they call those things), I don’t think Shaws will be able to start bothering me.

I went to Shaw’s today (required to go back to the same store, not a different branch) and used the coupon with my purchase.  Shaw’s took the $2 off.

Since I knew I would be going back to the supermarket, this was a worthwhile deal to me.  I will do it again the next time I get a receipt with the offer.

I found this on Boston.com, the movie looks interesting.  Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend, but hopefully the theater will be full.

Chipotle is sponsoring free screenings of the movie at the Kendall Square Cinema on July 15 and the Coolidge Corner Theatre July 16, both at 7:30 p.m. It’s first come, first served, so you might want to get there early.

I was walking around downtown and found myself wanting a snack.  A Dunkin Donuts was nearby, and it had a large window sign for “wake up wraps” for $.99. I went in and got one, it was an egg with cheese in a soft-taco like wrap.  Total cost with tax was $1.04.  It was a perfect size and price.  Although not necessarily the healthiest thing one could eat (nutrition information below), it wasn’t bad (and it was way better than getting an order of fries at McD’s or a Frostee at Wendy’s).  This snack was just enough at the time, and it kept me from going hog wild when I was eating later.

Wake-Up Wrap
	Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1 Wrap Servings 1 Calories 170 Calories from Fat 90 % Daily Value, Calories: 2,000 Total Fat 10g 16% Saturated Fat 4g 20% Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol 105mg 35% Sodium 450mg 19% Total Carbohydrates 14g 5% Dietary Fiber 1g 2% Sugar 1g Protein 7g Vitamin A 6% Vitamin C 0% Calcium 10% Iron 4% Calories 2,000 2,500 Total Fat Less than 65g 80g Saturated Fat Less than 20g 25g Cholesterol Less than 300mg 300mg Sodium Less than 2,400mg 2,400mg Total Carbohydrate 300g 375g Dietary Fiber 25g 30g Calories per gram: Fat 9 Carbohydrate 4 Protein 4