Two great Passover cookbook deals

Jdeal has got two great new Pesach cookbook deals going on:

The first one is the Gluten Free Passover Cookbook by Anne Luder.  This cookbook goes for $21.86 on Amazon, but for the next few hours, you can get it for $15 (including free shipping) when you grab this Jdeal.  What a great gift for your Celiac and GF friends...

The next one is The No Potato Passover Cookbook by Aviva Kanoff.  This one really has my curiosity piqued, as I'm usually swimming in potatoes on Pesach.  When you buy this Jdeal, you can get this cookbook for $23 (including free shipping).  It normally goes for $35 with the shipping.

Half-price annual subscription to Delight Gluten Free magazine

Jdeal has got a new offer out:  get an annual subscription to Delight Gluten-Free magazine for $9 (usually $18).  Get it here. Here's what Jdeal has to say about Delight:

Filled with enlightening in-depth articles, glossy photographs and gourmet recipes that are tasty as well as adhering to dietary restrictions, Delight Gluten-Free Magazine is on par with other popular mainstream food magazines on newsstands today.

Gnocchi with Vodka Sauce, Zucchini Walnut Bread with Honey Butter, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cheesecake are just a couple of their recipes that are not diet-y at all, and would satisfy even the fussiest diner.

Other articles are varied and thoughtful, covering practical topics such as how to create food for a school age child to choices that can be made at a high-end restaurant. They are also sensitive to the Kosher community, and have written articles specifically targeted to them such as "The Kosher Conundrum: When Another Diet Clashes with Gluten-Free" by Andrea Neusner.

$75 worth of Melissa and Doug toys for $55, with free shipping

GiftHero.com is whole different type of toy store. Founded by two New York City Jewish moms when their kids were in nursery school, GiftHero offers a collection of educational toys from top kids' brands.  They have a large selection of Melissa and Doug toys available.  Here's how to get $75 worth of toys (including Melissa and Doug) for $55, with free shipping.

1. First, click here to purchase the Jdeal voucher for $40 worth of merchandise at GiftHero for $20. The Jdeal voucher is good through 03/05/2012, and there is a limit of one voucher per person. 
2. Once the voucher lands in your JDeal account, go shopping at GiftHero. Free shipping starts at $75.
3. Use the voucher to pay for $40 worth of merchandise and then use your credit card for the rest.  Because you used the voucher, you'll end up saving $20 on your purchase, with free shipping at $75.

Deal scenario:

• Purchase the Jdeal voucher here for $20.
• On the GiftHero site, purchase this Melissa and Doug Fold and Go dollhouse ($50), Melissa and Doug Decorate Your Own Jewelry Box ($13) and Melissa and Doug Decorate Your Own Wooden Race Car ($13).
• Your total on the site will be $76. Your $20 Jdeal voucher will cover $40, and your credit card will cover the other $36.
• Shipping is free.
• So, you'll end up paying $56 for $76 worth of Melissa and Doug toys.  (It's like getting almost two of the toys for free.)

$7 for an annual subscription to Jewish Way magazine, today, 11/13/11 only

Jdeal has got a nice deal for Jewish Way magazine:  $7 for an annual subscription.  This deal is good for 11/13/111 only. Click here to snag this half-price Jdeal.

About Jewish Way magazine:

JEWISH WAY is a lifestyle magazine created with the passionate goal of integrating the Jewish Community. It consists of wide-ranging articles written by professional writers, prominent Rabbis and significant community leaders. Our main focus is to explore and present all the elements relevant to leading a meaningful and enriching life. JW covers all the Jewish holidays, reviewing their deeper meanings and spiritual insights. The magazine also contains sections on Jewish education, the younger generations, life in Israel, travel, food recipes, interior design, health, fashion, a community events calendar and much more. With attractive content, deluxe print quality, eye-catching covers and rich illustrations, Jewish Way has proven to appeal to all family members. It is published three times a year and it reaches our readers’ homes three weeks prior to every major holiday.

A year's subscription to Bitayavon magazine (the kosher Bon Appetit) for $14, from Jdeal

Love food?  Jdeal has another no-brainer deal for all you foodies and culinary junkies out there, $14 for a year's subscription to Bitayavon magazine.  "Bitayavon" is Hebrew for Bon Appetit.  Written and produced by a renowned team of kosher connoisseurs, Bitayavon will help you bring some creative flair to even your most basic kosher fare.  I got my first issue last month, and even pathetic old me was able to make their braised lamb chops recipe for Joshua for dinner that night.

At more than 40% off a year's subscription, $14 is a steal.  Order Bitayavon now through Jdeal.

Half-price annual subscription to Commentary magazine

Jdeal has an terrific offer out now:  half-price subscription to one of the best Jewish conservative political magazines around: Commentary. $15 buys you a full year of Commentary, "America’s premier monthly magazine of opinion and a pivotal voice in American intellectual life."  Click here to snag this great Jdeal.

The Fine Print: Offer expires 10/31/2011. Only valid for new subscribers. Limit one voucher per person; unlimited purchases may be made as gifts. Please allow 4-6 weeks for first issue to arrive.

Jdeal: more than half off a year's subscription to "Jewish Review of Books"

There's a nice Jdeal available today:   55% off a year's subscription to Jewish Review of Books:  $9 for a $19.95 subscription.  New subscribers only.  Just bought mine. Click here to snag this Jdeal.

Two great Jewish deals: $25 plus shipping for a Lulav/Esrog set from Jdeal and $30 (with free shipping) for a KosherLamp from Kosher Kouponz

Fellow MOTs, heads up on these two great Jewish social purchasing deals:

Get a  Etrog/Lulav set from GotEtrog.com, including zippered plastic sheath for lulav. Usually $35 plus $12-$15 for shipping; save $10 with this special Jdeal and get it for only $25 plus $12-$15 shipping. If you live in Los Angeles, you have the option of picking it up in person. When you purchase this Jdeal, you will pay $25; when you redeem it on GotEtrog.com, you will pay the $12-$15 in shipping costs.  I never thought I'd live to see the day when you could order an Etrog/Lulav set online, but there you are.

Click here to snag this Jdeal before it's gone.

Get a  KosherLamp for only $29.99 (includes shipping) from JudaicaSeeds.com. We have one of these in every bedroom. No, you don't eat the lamp. The rotating cover allows you to "turn off the light" on Shabbat (please doublecheck with your local halachic authority). KosherLamps usually go for $49.30 with shipping, so this is quite a deal. 

Click here to get this Kosher Koupon while you can.

$12 for two one-year magazine subscriptions or $23 for four one-year magazine subscriptions

Today's Jdeal offers you either $12 for 2 one-year subscriptions or $23 for 4 one-year subscriptions, from any of these magazines.   This Jdeal offer will disappear at midnight Eastern time, today, 7/17/11.  Click here to snag this Jdeal.

Heads up design junkies, check out this fabulous Jdeal: $10 for $20 worth of unique home designs and gifts from Israel's Animi Causa Boutique (free shipping)

The only thing I don't like about this Jdeal is that you can only buy one.  How am I going to choose what to buy at Animi Causa?  Get $20 worth of merchandise at Animi Causa (with free shipping worldwide) for $10, with today's Jdeal. 

Animi Causa (which means "for reasons of spirit"), one of Israel's well known innovative manufacturers of high quality and modern multi-use furniture, is a reputable designer, developer and producer of high quality products. By combining advanced state-of-the-art modern technologies with individual artistic finesse, Animi Causa is heralding a unique Israeli style. Animi Causa's commercial success is the result of the artistic and commercial symbiosis of Mrs. Sarit Attias and Mr. Amit Axelrod, owners and co-founders of the company. Passionate about good design, they believe inspiration can come from every part of life - whether that be architecture, art, product design or even fashion. The brand's diverse range reflects that passion.

Check out Key Pete ($13.90), a magnetic key ring holder:

or this Flower Fruit bowl ($19.99 for the small, $29.99 for the large):

or Wireblooms ($10.99), a way of making unsightly wires into art pieces:

or these Bottle Screws ($13.90).

If you're a design junkie, as I am, this Jdeal is a no-brainer.  Click here to purchase this Jdeal at a truly unique, high-design vendor.

The Fine Print:

Worldwide shipping is free.  Expires 09/13/2011. Limit one voucher per person, may buy one additional as gift. Redeemable online only. Not valid with other offers and subject to availability. Tax not included. Must use in one visit; no cash or credit back.

My love-hate relationship with social purchasing "Groupon-type" deals

As a frugal blogger, I have a great deal of exposure and access to social purchasing sites, and of late, I have been developing a love-hate relationship with these "Groupon-type" deals. Social purchasing sites are those deal-a-day websites, like Groupon (the first and probably the most famous), Living Social, Deal Nation, Tippr, Buy With Me, etc.  I've bought many of these deals over the past two years.  Naturally, I am always checking out the local deals in Denver, where I live, but I also particularly like the Jewish social purchasing sites, like Jdeal, Kosher Kouponz, and Shoof, because they are geared toward kosher-keeping members of the Jewish community like my husband and me.

The companies that offer these social purchasing deals are springing up like weeds, under many different names and with all sorts of variations on the Groupon business model.  Most of the time, they offer me tremendous bargains, usually 50% or more of goods or services, without my having to worry about a limited time sale, entering a promo code or clipping a coupon. However, like all popular money-saving trends, I'm discovering certain pitfalls along the way that make me occasionally question the value of buying these deals.

1. I forget that I've bought them and they expire.
   I've tried to overcome this issue by printing them out and keeping them in one place, but more often than not, I just forget they are there.  So far, I've been lucky enough to recover the money I've spent on expired deals. Thankfully, there are state laws governing the use of gift cards (which is what these are in a technical sense) that allow you to at least recover the face value of the deal. i.e., if you buy a $25 for $50 coupon, and forget to use it, it will just be worth $25 after it expires.  I can't tell you how frustrating it is to buy a great deal only to let it expire.  If you've got an expired deal, especially if it's recently expired, call the vendor as soon as you can to see if he'll still honor it (there are some that will just to make their customers happy) or if minimally, he'll give you the face value.  Check with your state laws to seen what the vendor is obligated to do.  Some of the more veteran social purchasing sites, like Groupon, routinely send out email reminders to use your deals before they expire.   I wonder how much money vendors have made off of customers abandoning expired deals, thinking they blew it and the deals are just worthless.
2. I can't use the coupons when I want to use them.
   I bought a local deal on housecleaning.   I called the vendor almost two weeks in advance to schedule the cleaning the day before we were getting some company, and was told that the company was overwhelmed with the deals and couldn't come to clean my house for three months!  Same thing happened with a car detailing deal that I bought.  I called the company three weeks in advance to schedule the detailing right before Passover, and was told that they wouldn't be able to detail my car for another two months.  I wish vendors would only sell as many deals as they can handle.  When I purchase a service, I want to be able to use the service when I want to use it, or it's really not that valuable to me.
   
3. They deals are misrepresented and are not bargains at all.
   A friend of mine bought a Groupon for AAA membership deal.  The deal was for $20 for a "regular membership" which would have been half off the regular AAA annual rate.  What a steal, right?  Except when she tried to redeem it, it turned out to be only for a six month membership, not the annual one, so basically, it was just a regular price membership.  My friend was very disappointed, but she got in touch with Groupon immediately and they refunded her purchase, no problem.  When you are about to redeem a coupon, make sure the deal is exactly what it represented itself to be, and if you receive an unexpected and unpleasant surprise, don't be shy, return the deal.
4. The deal you want to buy is great, if you don't count shipping, taxes, and the fact that there are coupon codes out there that will net you a better deal. 
   Make sure that deal is the best that you can do before you buy it. Can you apply the amount of the coupon toward shipping?  Since you can almost never use these types of deals in combination with other discounts, is there a promo code out there, stacked with cash back, that will result in a much better deal?  Do your research before you buy the deal.

What about you?  Have you gotten burned by problems with a social purchasing deal?  Or have you had nothing but positive experiences with them?  Are you as addicted as I am?

Jdeal: $14 for Jamie Geller's "Quick & Kosher: Meals in Minutes" (a $24.49 value)

ONLY 4 HOURS TO GO ON THIS GREAT JDEAL!  Snag it before it's gone!

$14 for Jamie Geller's Quick and Kosher: Meals in Minutes (plus flat rate of $2.95 shipping in the US).  I'll admit it, I bought this voucher about 20 seconds after seeing it on Jdeal, because I've been lusting after this cookbook for a while. Compare this $14 Jdeal price to the identical book on Amazon for $23.09 or at Eichler's for $27.99.  Yeah, a 40%+ savings on one of the hottest kosher cookbooks out today?  I think this is what you call a serious no-brainer. Click here to get the voucher.

About the cookbook, from the Jdeal description:
As "The Bride Who Knew Nothing," Jamie had to quickly learn how to cook, and she designed Quick & Kosher to be the must-have accessory for every Jewish household. The book's 200+ recipes include the amount of time it takes to prep, cook and serve a full meal. Find out how much you can do in just 20, 40, or 60 minutes. All the recipes are combined into full, balanced menus so you'll know that you're serving your family and guests meals that are nourishing, as well as scrumptious and enticing. Each page includes a beautiful color photo and offers a complementary wine suggestion.

Jamie's fabulously creative food pairings and exotic interpretations of traditional fare make this cookbook an essential ingredient for your busy kitchen and a great gift for any occasion: A Shabbat or Yom Tov hostess gift, an end-of-the-school year teacher or principal gift, or the ultimate wedding/bridal shower gift. With this Jdeal, you can buy a bunch and stash them in your closet for when you are in a pinch. It will never go out of style and is beautifully designed so there's no gift wrap needed.

The Fine Print:
Expires 12/14/2011. May redeem voucher two business days after purchase. Redeemable online only. Only one voucher may be used per visit. Must use in one visit; no cash or credit back. Not valid with other offers. Subject to availability. Taxes and shipping ($2.95 shipping in US) not included.

Click here to snag this fantastic Jdeal before it's gone.

Jdeal: $15 for $40 of gorgeous ties from Jack Franklin

These hand-sewn ties are simply beautiful.  With this latest Jdeal, get $40 worth of ties from Jack Franklin ties  for $15 (over 60% off).  This is a great Jdeal that's just in time for Father's Day!  Click here to snag this great Jdeal!

From paisley, retro and striped patterns to gorgeous solid shades in variations of all the primary colors, Jack Franklin ties are cut in 100% of the highest quality silk. They are then run through Italian weavers to ensure the best quality fabric and just the right texture. They have an extra layer of wool interlining which adds a layer of thickness that helps tie a beautiful knot. And they're hand-sewn for ultimate quality and perfection.

Most ties are in the $30-$40 price range, and with $3.95 flat shipping, you will get a beautiful, hand-sewn, European silk tie, shipped, for $18.95 total!   (I bought three of these.)

The Fine Print: expires 06/07/2012. Limited to 3 vouchers per person; 3 additional as gifts. Redeemable online only. Vouchers may not be combined. Voucher must be used in one visit; no cash or credit back. Not valid with other offers and subject to availability. Taxes and shipping not included ($3.95 flat rate). 

Click here for this terrific Jdeal.

Jdeal Surprise!

12:01pm EST UPDATE:  It's a chance to win one of three Amazon Kindles!  Enter now. This is a two hour contest, so.....GO!

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Jdeal has a surprise for you (and me) today! Today (6/1/11) and every Wednesday following, at 12:00 noon EST exactly, Jdeal will feature an "seriously surprising deal." What this deal is, it's anybody's guess. You'll have two hours to try to snag it, and then the winners will be picked at 2:00pm EST. I'll have an update for you when the deal comes out!

Don't forget to check here at 12:00 EST!

Jdeal: $15 for $30 worth of Dead Sea skin care products

Dead Sea skin and beauty products have long been known for their rejuvenative qualities. (I've been using Dead Sea bath salts for years now.) Now you can buy them for half price at Beauty Secrets Outlet through this Jdeal.  BSO carries the Premier line of Dead Sea products, including salt scrubs, mud treatment, body butter, cleaner gels and toners, facial serums, eye and neck creams, masks, and more. 

Get $30 worth of products for $15, and you may purchase multiple vouchers and combine them!  You can't redeem part of a voucher (if you buy $28 worth of products on one voucher, you forfeit $2 worth of value on the voucher), and you can't use the voucher on shipping or tax.  Here's the rest of the fine print:

• Vouchers expire 11/23/2011.
• May buy unlimited number of vouchers and vouchers may be combined.
• Redeemable online only at Beauty Secrets Outlet.
• May redeem voucher(s) starting two business days after purchase.
• Not valid with other offers and subject to availability.
• Taxes and shipping not included.
• Must use in one visit; no cash or credit back and must use full amount of voucher.

Click here for this Dead Sea skin care Jdeal.

Jdeal: $25 for $50 worth of wine from kosherwine.com - Cheers to an amazing Jdeal!

Hurry, this deal will be gone after TODAY (5/22/11)!

This is a FANTASTIC deal, especially if you are planning to do some entertaining this summer.  Jdeal is now offering $25 for $50 at kosherwine.com.  Whether you use it to stock up on your favorite Shabbat dessert wine (did someone say Moscato D'Asti?) or to buy one of their elegant gift baskets, this is a terrific deal and a great bargain.  Really good social purchasing deals on quality kosher goods are rare and hard to come by, and they usually take place in the New York area....here's an opportunity to snag one wherever you might live!  This Jdeal is available through Sunday, 5/23/11.

(Expires 05/20/2012. Limit 1 voucher per household. Redeemable online only. Not valid with other offers. Tax and shipping not included. Subject to availability. Must use in one visit; no cash or credit back.)

Click here to get this wonderful Jdeal. L'chaim!

Jdeal: $25 for a 1 year print subscription to The Jewish Week (regularly $49)

Even out here in Denver where I live, I've been a subscriber to the New York Jewish Week for years, because it is simply one of the best (if not the best) Jewish weeklies available.

The award-winning Jewish Week delivers a world of arts and entertainment, news and events, ideas and opinions--with recipes, theater and book reviews, travel ideas, exciting things to do, even new people to meet. More than two dozen special issues will inform you on everything from Education and Careers to Kosher Wine, The Arts, Travel and Healthcare.

At full price, a one-year subscription to The Jewish Week is a bargain. At just $25 for 52 issues a year (less than fifty cents per issue), it's not just an impressive gift, it's an incredible value!

Buy this Jdeal and sign up for your subscription today. If you're not fully satisfied, The Jewish Week will refund the value of the undelivered issues to you. Talk about a great deal.

If you're making a gift subscription purchase, Jdeal will  send your gift recipient a note announcing your gift!

Enter your shipping address at checkout to receive your subscription. If purchasing as a gift, please process under separate transactions.

Click here to snag this excellent Jdeal before it's gone.

The Fine Print:

Expires 05/03/2012. New subscribers only. Limit one subscription per household, may buy additional as gifts. Valid for US and Canadian addresses only. Not valid toward existing subscriptions. Not valid for renewal. Please allow 4 weeks for first issue to arrive.

Jdeal: $45 for $90 at the world famous The Yellow Door in Brooklyn

Here's another local NY deal; please forgive me non-New Yorkers, but this was another one that was too good not to post.

Before I got married and moved out to Denver, I grew up in Brooklyn, and used to stop in at the Yellow Door all the time to browse (enviously) at the myriad of interesting housewares, chatchkes, jewelry, etc. that they sold.  I love this store. I still get compliments on the rosebud candlesticks and beaded napkin rings that we got from there ten years ago.  It's a great source for hostess gifts, and even wedding and engagement presents.  Now with this Jdeal, you can get $90 worth of Yellow Door merchandise for half off.  This Jdeal is good for an entire year, and can be redeemed in-store only.

Click here to grab this rare Jdeal at one amazing store.

Jdeal: Kosher for Passover Parve Dark Chocolate Matzel Toff, two boxes for $15.75 or four boxes for $27, shipping included

Here's another great value Jdeal! Get Dark Chocolate Matzel Toff! at fantastic prices with shipping included.  Mazel Toff! is certified Kosher for Passover and pareve by the Kof-K.  I'm sending this out to friends with kids and to some favorite clients...what a nice Pesach surprise!  And I'm keeping a box for the house for when I'm too lazy to make dessert.  All matzoh should come covered with toffee and chocolate.  You can quote me on that.

Matzel Toff! is the matzah make-over you've been waiting for - using only the finest ingredients to enrobe Streit's matzah in mouth-watering toffee and rich chocolate. This delectable gourmet treat has won the hearts - and taste buds - of everyone who has indulged in its scrumptious flavor, including Joan Hamburg, Martha Stewart and Rachael Ray, who've highlighted Matzel Toff! as a Passover favorite.

With this Jdeal, buy two boxes of kosher for Passover Parve Dark Chocolate Matzel Toff! for $15.75 (a $25 value) or four boxes of kosher for Passover Parve Dark Chocolate Matzel Toff! for $27 (a $45.50 value) and shipping is included.  The two or four box option available at checkout via drop down menu. Each box is 7 oz and contains 2 bars of Matzel Toff. Each bar is a half sheet of Streit's Matzah enrobed in mouth-watering toffee and rich dark chocolate. 

To redeem your voucher simply enter your shipping information at checkout time. Jdeal will forward all information to Matzel Toff! for processing. All orders will be shipped out by Wednesday, April 13 arriving in time for the first night of Pesach.  Expires 04/13/2011. Not valid with other offers. Subject to availability. Domestic shipping only.

Click here to grab this fantastic Jdeal now!

Passover housecleaning deal and BOGO on kosher cheese (NY/NJ area only)

I don't normally like to post regional deals, but I'm going to make a notable exception, because these two deals were too good not to post.  For those of you readers who live in the New York/New Jersey Metro area (which doesn't include me), here they are.  The rest of you, please discuss quietly amongst yourselves.  ;)

1. Kosher Kouponz is running a BOGO on kosher cheese, redeemable only at Brach's in Lawrence, NY and Best Glatt, in Teaneck, NJ. Here are the details:

Satisfy the most demanding palate with artisan cheeses from Natural and Kosher. Rich aromatic cheddar and creamy mozzarella enrich your favorite dairy recipes. Put a zingy new spin on a tired quiche recipe with Horseradish Cheddar. Liven up a baked potato with Olive Cheddar. Feel the warmth and homestyle comfort of a classic cheddar or velvety mozzarella added to your favorite soups. Or just enjoy their pure taste, savored with your favorite wines. All cheeses are crafted under the exacting supervision of OK and Rabbi Weissmandl, and are Cholov Yisrael. 

Any of these delicious cheeses can be yours free with the purchase of a 8 oz. package of shredded Pizza Cheese or Chef's Blend. With food prices spiraling up, a deal like this can't last. Saving money never tasted so good!   Buy one package Natural & Kosher (8 oz) Shredded Pizza Cheese or Chef's Blend (8 oz) and select one of the following Natural & Kosher sliced cheeses:

• sliced Mozzarella (6oz),
• sliced Cheddar (6oz),
• sliced Olive Cheddar (6oz),
• sliced Horseradish Cheddar (6oz).

The Fine Print
Expires 05/01/2011. Limit two koupons per household.

Available only at these participating stores:  Best Glatt in Teaneck, Brachs in Lawrence

Click here to purchase. You will see a drop down menu indicating the four choices. You will need to chose your free option, and print the appropriate Koupon which you will have to present at the supermarket to redeem your free cheese, with the purchase of the shredded Mozzarella. The supermarket will give you the cheese indicated on the Koupon. A Koupon is required to receive your free cheese. There is no cost for this Koupon. There is no cash value for this Koupon.

2. Jdeal is offering a deal on housecleaning for Passover (or any day) from MyClean.com: $17.50 per h hour for either 4, 6, or 8 hours.  So you can basically buy this very low hourly rate it in increments of $70, $105 or $140.  Here are the details:

Expires 10/4/2011. Limited to one voucher per household. May buy additional as gifts. May not be combined with other offers. If additional cleaning time is needed client will be charged at normal rate of $26.50/hr (MyClean.com will confirm with client before adding any additional hours). Client may request myclean to bring regular cleaning products for an additional charge of @10 or green products for an additional charge of $20 payable day of service. Please go to MyClean.com, or call them at (646) 912-8473, for any additional information.  Must wait 24hrs after purchasing your jdeal to redeem your voucher online. Follow instructions on your voucher to redeem.

Areas of service includes any apartments or houses in Manhattan or the following areas in Brooklyn; Bay Ridge, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Carroll Gardens, Clinton Hill, Cobble Hill, Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, East Williamsburg, Fort Greene, Gowanus, Gravesend, Navy Yard, North Side, Park Slope, Plum Beach, Prospect Heights, Red Hook, Williamsburg. Click here and enter your zipcode to see if this Jdeal will cover your area.

Click here to snag this neat Jdeal.