Five Great Deals: March 9-15

We're all watching our family budgets these days. Whether shopping with coupons or looking for two-for-one deals, we're taking advantage of all sorts of offers and savings that help us stretch our dollars.

This column gives you five great local deals each week to help your family’s bottom line. Do you know any great deals this week that we missed? Add them in the comments!

 1. Hi-Tech Hot Seat - March 9 thru 11 

Deal: Play your favorite slots and table games at with your Dream Card for your chance to win. Find yourself in the hot seat during any one of their hourly drawings from 11AM – 8PM and take home that day’s prize:

Wednesday, March 9 - Dell Latitude Laptop
Thursday, March 10 - Sony HD Camcorder
Friday, March 11 - Energy Star Washer & Dryer

Wednesday is also $10 Free Play: Beginning at 6AM on  Wednesday the 9th enjoy $10 in FREE BONUS SLOT PLAY with your Dream Card.

2. Body piercing

Deal: Ask for Larry at on Bank Street in New London and mention Patch.com and get $10 off any body piercing not including dermal implants.  Spirit Gallery Tattoo  is the area's only tattoo studio and fine art gallery hybrid. Spirit Gallery Tattoo creates tattoos custom designed for your body. Check out their website www.spiritgallerytattoo.com.  Nice work!

3. Coupons

 Deal:  Coupons.com had 185 coupons you could print out when I last checked and printed.  Not unheard of stuff either, good stuff, like Windex, Folgers, Yoplait, Pillsbury, Maybelline, Kashi, Glade, Pledge, DVD's.  But wait, there's more.  Click the local coupons in the upper left hand corner, pop in your ZIP code and get $25 restaurant coupons for $3! 

4. www.freecycle.org

Deal:  Do you like free stuff?  Do you want to get rid of stuff that still good for someone else but just not for you anymore?  Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nlfreecycle/ and sign up.  People in the area post stuff they want to get rid of -- for FREE.  You can also unload that crazy heavy piano for somone who wants it.  The deal is they usually pick-up big items but for safety's sake meeting in a parking lot is good too.  It all comes in your email and you just have to pick it up when you say you will.  No shows are no good.

5. Target swimwear

Deal:  All swimwear at is on sale.  Perfect if you have a vacation planned or you like the best selection.  Women's swimwear is $14 for swim separates. Men's trunks are $14-16. Little girls up to 5T are $8,  Girls 4-16 1 or 2 pieces are $12 per suit. Little boys $7 and 4-16 boys trunks are $9.  Also tons of sandals, beach cover-ups and shorts.