Category Archives: Pleasant Hill

It’s almost officially Black Friday!!! Make sure you have a game plan to tackle all your favorite stores. To get you started, the Diablo Reporter has gathered a HUGE list of local Black Friday Freebies!!!! Be prepared for packed stores and parking lots! Stay safe!

All offers are on 11/29/13 unless otherwise noted.

Contact Amber Olsen for a FREE facial and color consultation! She is offering a BUY ONE GET ONE HALF OFF on EVERYTHING! (925) 586-8504 to order!

► FREE Black Friday Cash Back Shopping

► FREE Workouts at Gold’s Gym on Black Friday

► FREE AFTER REBATE ► 3 Appliances from Kohl’s – 11/25 thru 11/29

These particular appliances can be as little as FREE after Kohl’s cash and rebates!

• Presto Cool Touch 20-in. Electric Griddle – $19.99 (reg. $39.99)
• Crock-Pot 4-qt. Programmable Slow Cooker – $19.99 (reg. $39.99)
• Bella Rotating Waffle Maker – $19.99 (reg. $39.99)
• Bella Panini Maker – $19.99 (reg. $39.99)

Here is a scenario to get THREE for FREE

Buy 3 of the appliances listed above for $59.97 Save 15% off with code BLACKFRI at checkout Pay $50.97 at checkout

Earn $15 in Kohl’s Cash Submit 3 of the $12 Pre-paid Visa mail-in rebates – $36 in rebates Final price = FREE after you figure in the Kohl’s cash and rebates!

► FREE Black Friday Stuff at TigerDirect.com 11/29 and 11/30

These offers are valid Black Friday (11/29/13) and the following Saturday (11/30/13).

TigerDirect.com has a couple of nice FREE After Rebate offers that would be nice FREE Christmas Gifts to give or keep for yourself.

• FREE CuiZen 6-cup Rice Cooker – Sale price $9.99 but FREE After Mail In Rebate
• FREE Eastwear 15.6″ Laptop Backpack – Sale price $9.99 but FREE After Mail In Rebate
• FREE 120 disc carrying case for CDs/DVDs – Sale price $9.99 but FREE After Mail In Rebate

Prices are valid in stores only – not online.  Limit 1 per person. While supplies last. No rainchecks.  No substitutions.

You will find all of these items in the TigerDirect.com Black Friday Sale Flyer.

► FREE Coffee on Black Friday at QuickChek 

► FREE Day of Fitness at Bally’s Total Fitness for “Feeling Fat Friday” (Black Friday)

► FREE Black Friday Stuff at CVS 11/28 thru 11/30. You will need a FREE CVS Extracare card to take advantage of these offers.

• Free CVS Batteries – 4 pack – AA or AAA $4.39 Value – You will need to get the coupon at the in-store CVS Coupon Center for this one
• Free Mars Candy Bar Singles (Twix, Snickers, M&M) 75¢ Value –  After extrabucks Rewards
• Free GUM Toothbrush 2 Pack – $2 Value – After extrabucks Rewards

► FREE Black Friday Bonus Bucks (up to $500) at Sports Authority to First 80 11/28 & 11/29

► FREE gift cards!  Half Price Books opens at 7 a.m. on Friday. The first 100 customers through the door get a free tote bag and a $5 gift card. One bag per store will have a $100 gift card.

► FREE gift cards! The first 100 people in line at Big Lots stores at 6 a.m. Friday morning will get a $10 reward card. One person at each store will get one for $100.

► FREE Seattle’s Best Coffee on Black Friday

► FREE Black Friday Stuff at Costco – Cookbook – Starting 11/29

Costco will once again be giving away their FREE Holiday Cookbook starting on Black Friday.  These are available in stores through 12/1/13 while supplies last.

The new FREE cookbook is called Enjoy Cooking the Costco Way and features recipes using Costco products.

► FREE cd! Macy’s is giving away a free Lil Wayne compilation album when you spend $50 or more.

► FREE jersey! Toys R Us is giving away a free jersey when you buy select Nerf Dart Tag items.

► FREE gift cards! Walmart Get a free $100 gift card when you purchase select smartphones, possibly yielding a profit.

► FREE stuff Walgreens has a great HUGE list of free after rebate (rewards) items for the Thanksgiving shopping  days.  These offers are valid 11/28/13 (Thanksgiving Day) through 11/30/13. All of these items will be featured in the Walgreens Sale Flyer for 11/28/13.  Register rewards are valid toward a future purchase at Walgreens.  They DO expire, so make sure you use it quickly.  In fact, you can purchase something on the same visit immediately after you receive the register reward.  That way you certainly won’t forget. These offers are good for in store only.  Limit 1 coupon per customer per printed offer. A Walgreens Balance Rewards card is required to get the sale price as well.

Here’e Walgreens free register rewards items:

• Free $15 Gift Card with Purchase of 2 $25 iTunes Cards
• Free 25 4×6 Photo Prints with $10 Purchase of Gerber Foods
• Free Herbal Essences Shampoo or Conditioner – $2.99 Value
• Free Swisse Multivitamins – Men’s/ Women’s – 60 Ct – $10 Value
• Free Scunci No Damage Hair Elastics – $3 Value for 2
• Free Crest Toothpaste – $3 Value
• Free Pro-NRG Protein Water – $1.99 Value
• Free Opti-Free Solution – $2 Value
• Free Magnilife Foot Cream – $9.99 Value
• Free Neilmed Sinus Spray or Gel – $5 Value
• Free Tums Refreshers – $4.50 Value
• Free Schiff Digestive Advantage – $8 Value
• Free Gelusil Antacid – $3 Value
• Free Sleep Sheets Sleep Aid – $4.99 Value
• Free Dream Water Sleep Shot – $2.50 Value
• Free Cepacol Lozenges – $1 Value
• Free Got 2B Shampoo – $4.99 Value
• Free Walgreens Maxi Pads – $1.99 Value
• Free Magnilife Restless Legs Cream – $8 Value
• Free Psssst! Instant Dry Shampoo – $4.99 Value
• Free Reach Toothbrush – $3 Value
• Free Blistex Lip Protectant – $2 Value

► FREE gear at Gamestop! Get a free $25 gift card and free backpack when you buy the Wii U Skylanders SWAP Force Bundle for $300. Get either a free LEGO toy set or free LEGO keychain when you buy a LEGO game.

► FREE stuff! Rite Aid has several free After Rebate (rewards) items for the Thanksgiving/Black Friday shopping weekend.  These items are featured in the Rite Aid sale flyer that is valid 11/28/13 thru 11/30/13. Rite Aid Wellness+ Card required.

Here’s the list of free stuff that you can get:

• Free 3 Carmex Lip Balm – $3 Value
• Free 3 Yardley Moisturizing Soap – $3 Value
• Free Conair Brush or Scunci Elastics – $1.99 Value
• Free Rite Aid Nuts or Trail Mix – $1 Value
• Free 2 Rite Aid Tape – $1.50 Value
• Free Philips Earbuds – $7.99 Value

► FREE Black Friday Stuff at Office Depot– Batteries – 11/28 thru 11/30. Energizer Max Alkaline Batteries AA or AAA, 4-PK are on sale 2 for $4 with a $4 Mail In Rebate (not reward) making them free. You do have to look for specially marked packages with the rebate form and info. Offer valid 11/28/13 through 11/30/13, while supplies last, in store only, no rainchecks.

► FREE Black Friday Stuff at World Market – Downton Abbey Tea Cup – First 100 – 11/29

Cost Plus World Market will open at at 7AM on Black Friday, 11/29! They will open back up Saturday and Sunday at 8AM. On Friday, 11/29 only, be one of the first 100 customer in line to score a FREE Downtown Abbey Tea Cup in Gift Box (no purchase necessary!). And, from 11/29-12/1 they will be offering up an Abbey Tote Bags as a gift with a $20 in-store purchase. There will be a new tote bag each day, while supplies last.

► FREE Black Friday Stuff at OfficeMax – Batteries – 11/28 thru 11/30. This is a FREE After Rewards offer. Choose 20 Packs of AAA or AA Duracell Coppertop alkaline batteries. You will pay $16.99 per pack and get $16.98 back in MaxPerks Bonus Rewards making them 1¢ per pack! Offer valid 11/28 thru 11/30. LIMIT 2 – In store only. Member’s MaxPerks ID card must be presented at time of purchase.

► FREE Black Friday Dog or Cat Antlers at Petco with ANY Purchase – 11/29 ONLY

Petco will be offering up a FREE pair of dog or cat antlers with any purchase on Black Friday, 11/29, for Petco Pals Cardholders. Plus, you can snag 50% off select treats, supplies, toys, and apparel in-store on Friday, November 29th, as well.

► FREE stuffed stocking! The first 100 customers through the door at every Petsmart store will get a free stocking stuffed with dog and cat treats and more than $100 worth of coupons. Most stores open at 7; but some open at 6 a-m so call your store ahead to find out.

► FREE Lobster Tail! Red Lobster will give you a free Maine lobster tail with the purchase of any adult dinner entrée on Black Friday. You do have to “like” Red Lobster’s Facebook page to get a coupon to take with you.

► FREE Black Friday Donuts & Coffee at Fred Meyer Stores

► FREE Black Friday Stuff at Staples – 11/28 thru 11/30

You will be able to get these items for free after mail-in rebate.
◾Free Case of Staples Multipurpose Paper – $54.99 Value – LIMIT 1 – In store only
◾Free 500 Ct Ream of Multipurpose Paper – $6.99 Value – LIMIT 2 – In store only
◾Free Staples Photo Paper – 8.5″ x 11″ – $14.99 Value – LIMIT 2 – In store only
◾Free Pentel Pens 5 Pack – $5.29 Value – LIMIT 1
◾Free Kaspersky Internet Security Software – $59.99 Value – LIMIT 1
◾Free Quickbooks Simple Start 2014 – $99.99 Value – LIMIT 1
◾Free $20 Staples Gift Card with the purchase of a Keurig Mini K10 Brewer
◾Free $25 Staples Gift Card with the Purchase of a Keurig Office Pro K145 Brewer
◾Free HP Photo and Business Communication Paper with the purchase of HP photo and business communication paper

► FREE Black Friday Disney Snow Globes at JCPenney

JCPenney is once again giving away FREE Disney Mickey Mouse 2013 Snow Globes when they open at 4 am on Black Friday, November 29, 2013.

These have been pretty popular the last couple of years and I am sure that this year will be no exception.

The FREE Snow Globes are while supplies last and there is no mention (online or in their ad) of how many each location will have available to give away.

► FREE Layaway at Walmart through 12/13/13

Like freebies? Join us on Facebook, Twitter or bookmark us at DiabloReporter.com to stay informed on all the best local freebies!

For many, the moments after Thanksgiving dinner is a time to revel in turkey-induced food comas, to watch football, to watch movies at home, to lounge around with friends and family and begin the official countdown to Christmas.

People used to enjoy and relax in preparation for the notorious Black Friday, full of sales, shopping and coupons. Yet, this year, this sacred “day after” seems to have come a day early — in the form of Grey Thursday.

Hoping to drive more traffic to their aisles before the real day of reckoning, major stores are opening their doors early… very early.

But in trying to “find a good deal” are we missing the point? Is this phenomenon of Grey Thursday a good or bad inflection in how consumers will spend Thanksgiving Day? What comes next? White Wednesday? Are we minimizing the family oriented Thanksgiving Day experience by limited our celebration window or in the spirit of good deals are we content to become a society of consumers? Do we care about the retail worker being robbed of this valuable family time? As shown by the recent onslaught of petitions, this time off is highly regarded.

If family is rushing to the stores on Thursday afternoon and evening to take advantage of sales, then they’re not rushing to catch the football in their backyards, they’re not rushing to guess who the character is in a game of charades, they’re not rushing to be with their children and loved ones.

Are we as a society comfortable forsaking an evening of family time to stand in line for marginal savings? Does the responsibility fall to the retailers to relax their scanners for one critical afternoon on a crucial day preserved for giving thanks and not for handing over a credit card?

We will have to wait and see if “Grey Thursday” is here to stay. However,  we prefer the day’s traditional name: Thanksgiving.

Below is a list of store opening times on Grey Thursdays with times and links to the Black Friday ads and in some cases the freebie or special available for consumers if they feel the price is worth it.

6AM – 5PM – K-mart

• Select Board Games Buy 1 Get 1 FREE
• Men and Women’s Sleepwear Buy 1 Get 1 FREE
• Route 66 Men’s Western Flannel Shirt Buy 1 Get 1 FREE
  Men’s Outerwear Accessories Buy 1 Get 1 FREE
• Buy Participating Xmas DVD’s priced at $5 = FREE Carpi Sun 10 pk
• Mega Bloks Hot Wheels Build It Car in Cylinder Buy 1 Get 1 Free
• ALL Footwear Buy 1 Get 1 FREE

• Thermal Underwear for the Whole Family Buy 1 Get 1 Free
• Power Rangers 6.5-in. Battle Morphin Figure or Power Rangers DX Megazord CLAWZORD Buy 1 Get 1 FREE
• Laugh & Learn Singin & Storytime Puppy Buy 1 Get 1 FREE
• Mega Bloks Power Rangers Gosei Grand Megazord, Kre-o Construction Sets and Mega Bloks Sets Buy 1 Get 1 Free
• Mix & Match 3-pc. Shower Gel w/ Pouf Buy 1 Get 1 Free
• Fisher-Price Imaginext Toys Buy 1 Get 1 FREE
• VTech InnoTab Software Buy 1 Get 1 FREE
• All Fisher-Price Little People Buy 1 Get 1 FREE
• Leapad Explorer games software Buy 1 Get 1 FREE
• Octonauts Toys Buy 1 Get 1 FREE *Road Rippers Buy 1 Get 1 FREE

7AM – 11PM Big Lots – If you spend $150 November 28-30^th you’ll get $10 off your next purchase.

7AM – 10PM –  CVS –  Offers are valid 11/28 through 11/30/13.  You will need a FREE CVS Extracare card to take advantage of these offers.

• Free CVS Batteries – 4 pack – AA or AAA $4.39 Value – You will need to get the coupon at the in-store CVS Coupon Center for this one
• Free Mars Candy Bar Singles (Twix, Snickers, M&M) 75¢ Value –  After extrabucks Rewards
• Free GUM Toothbrush 2 Pack – $2 Value – After extrabucks Rewards

8AM – 11PM on Black Friday – JCPenneys – Thanksgiving Day shoppers can receive a $25 off $25 coupon with purchase of a JCPenney 4-pack of gift cards totaling $100. The $25 off $25 coupon is for one time use in-store only from Saturday, Nov. 30 through Tuesday, Dec. 24. Some exclusions may apply and you will need to check the coupon for further details.

Other discounted with mail in rebate include:

• Hamilton Beach 4-quart slow cooker – $9.99 after $10 mail-in rebate
• Hamilton Beach 12cup coffee maker – $9.99 after $10 mail-in rebate
• Hamilton Beach Cooks griddle or waffle maker – $9.99 after $10 mail-in rebate

8PM – 10PM – Walgreens – Walgreens has a great HUGE list of free after rebate (rewards) items for the Thanksgiving shopping  days.  These offers are valid 11/28/13 (Thanksgiving Day) through 11/30/13. All of these items will be featured in the Walgreens Sale Flyer for 11/28/13.  Register rewards are valid toward a future purchase at Walgreens.  They DO expire, so make sure you use it quickly.  In fact, you can purchase something on the same visit immediately after you receive the register reward.  That way you certainly won’t forget. These offers are good for in store only.  Limit 1 coupon per customer per printed offer. A Walgreens Balance Rewards card is required to get the sale price as well.

Here’e Walgreens free register rewards items:

• Free $15 Gift Card with Purchase of 2 $25 iTunes Cards
• Free 25 4×6 Photo Prints with $10 Purchase of Gerber Foods
• Free Herbal Essences Shampoo or Conditioner – $2.99 Value
• Free Swisse Multivitamins – Men’s/ Women’s – 60 Ct – $10 Value
• Free Scunci No Damage Hair Elastics – $3 Value for 2
• Free Crest Toothpaste – $3 Value
• Free Pro-NRG Protein Water – $1.99 Value
• Free Opti-Free Solution – $2 Value
• Free Magnilife Foot Cream – $9.99 Value
• Free Neilmed Sinus Spray or Gel – $5 Value
• Free Tums Refreshers – $4.50 Value
• Free Schiff Digestive Advantage – $8 Value
• Free Gelusil Antacid – $3 Value
• Free Sleep Sheets Sleep Aid – $4.99 Value
• Free Dream Water Sleep Shot – $2.50 Value
• Free Cepacol Lozenges – $1 Value
• Free Got 2B Shampoo – $4.99 Value
• Free Walgreens Maxi Pads – $1.99 Value
• Free Magnilife Restless Legs Cream – $8 Value
• Free Psssst! Instant Dry Shampoo – $4.99 Value
• Free Reach Toothbrush – $3 Value
• Free Blistex Lip Protectant – $2 Value

Bonus:: Get a free Redbox Rental when you make a Walgreens Purchase between 9 am and noon on Thanksgiving Day.

8AM – 5PM – Rite Aid – Rite Aid has several free After Rebate (rewards) items for the Thanksgiving/Black Friday shopping weekend.  These items are featured in the Rite Aid sale flyer that is valid 11/28/13 thru 11/30/13. Rite Aid Wellness+ Card required.

Here’s the list of free stuff that you can get:

• Free 3 Carmex Lip Balm – $3 Value
• Free 3 Yardley Moisturizing Soap – $3 Value
• Free Conair Brush or Scunci Elastics – $1.99 Value
• Free Rite Aid Nuts or Trail Mix – $1 Value
• Free 2 Rite Aid Tape – $1.50 Value
• Free Philips Earbuds – $7.99 Value

9AM – 4PM – Old Navy – First 500 shoppers can enter to win $1 million. Plus, 50% the entire store!

4PM – 10PM – Michaels – 30% Off Entire Purchase Including Sale Items.

5PM – 9PM  – Toys R Us – Get a free jersey when you buy select Nerf Dart Tag items.

6PM – Midnight-  Best Buy –  Best Buy employee will start handing out the tickets, which serve as dibs on select items, two hours before their opening hours. Tickets are limited to one per person, per item. Freebie Giveaways start at 10:00PM Thanksgiving Day in Best Buy stores.

• Free $10 Best Buy Gift Card with Purchase of Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1″ Tablet with 16GB Memory
• Free $20 Best Buy Gift Card with Purchase of Fitbit Force Wireless Activity Tracker
• Free $20 Best Buy Gift Card with Purchase of Keurig Elite Single Serve Brewer
• Free $20 Best Buy Gift Card with Purchase of Pebble Smart Watch for Apple & Android Devices
• Free $30 Best Buy Gift Card with Purchase of Nike+ SportWatch GPS Powered Watch
• Free 32GB Memory Card with the purchase of Canon VIXIA HF R400 HD Flash Memory Camcorder
• Free Apple iPhone 4s 8GB AT&T Cell Phone with 2-year service agreement (white and black)
• Free Apple iPhone 4s 8GB Sprint Cell Phone with 2-year service agreement (white and black)
• Free Apple iPhone 4s 8GB Verizon Cell Phone with 2-year service agreement (white and black)
• Free Apple iPhone 5c 16GB AT&T Cell Phone with 2-year service agreement (pink, blue, green)
• Free Apple iPhone 5c 16GB Sprint Cell Phone with 2-year service agreement (blue, green)
• Free Apple iPhone 5c 16GB Verizon Cell Phone with 2-year service agreement (blue, green, yellow, pink, white)
• Free Camera Bag and 16GB Memory Card with purchase of Nikon D3200 DSLR Camera Double Zoom Lens Kit
• Free Camera Bag and Free 16GB Memory Card with the Purchase of a Canon EOS Rebel T3 DSLR Camera with 18-55mm IS Lens
• Free Camera Bag with the purchase of a Canon EOS REbel T3 DSLR Camera
• Free camera case and memory card with the purchase of a Canon Powershot A2600 Digital Camera
• Free Camera Case and Memory Card with the purchase of a Canon PowerShot ELPH 33 camera
• Free Camera Case and Memory Card with the purchase of a Samsung Galaxy Wi-Fi camera
• Free Dishwasher Installation, Free Delivery, and Free Haul Away with the purchase of Dishwasher priced $399 or higher
• Free Skylander Swap Force Character with the purchase of two Skylander Swap Force Characters
• Free Sport Band with the purchase of any Shine Activity Tracker
• Free Verizon Jetpack MiFi 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot with 2-year Activation
• Samsung Galaxy S4 4G AT&T Mobile Phone (Arctic Blue) Free with a two-year service agreement
• Samsung Galaxy S4 4G Spring Mobile Phone (Arctic Blue) Free with a two-year service agreement
• Samsung Galaxy S4 4G Verizon Mobile Phone (Arctic Blue) Free with a two-year service agreement

6PM – Midnight – Sports Authority – Free Black Friday Bonus Bucks (up to $500) at Sports Authority to first 80 customers on 11/28. Also available is the following free gift card with purchase:

• Free $25 Sports Authority Cash Card with $125 Columbia Purchase
• Free $25 Sports Authority Cash Card with $125 North Face Purchase

7PM – Midnight on Black Friday – Walmart –  Free Layaway at Walmart through 12/13/13. Plus, get a free $100 gift card when you purchase select smartphones, possibly yielding a profit.

7PM – 11PM on Black Friday – Old Navy – First 500 shoppers can enter to win $1 million.

7PM – 3 AM – Kmart for deals see above.

8PM – Midnight –  Sunvalley Mall – All Sunvalley Mall Stores will be open.

8PM – Midnight – Sears

8PM – 11PM –  Office Depot – Energizer Max Alkaline Batteries AA or AAA, 4-PK are on sale 2 for $4 with a $4 Mail In Rebate (not reward) making them free. You do have to look for specially marked packages with the rebate form and info. Offer valid 11/28/13 through 11/30/13, while supplies last, in store only, no rainchecks.

Also being offered is the following freebies:

• Free $20 Gift Card with Purchase of Keurig B31 Mini Plus Personal Brewer
• Free $25 Gift Card with Purchase of Keurig OfficePro B145 Brewer
• Free $25 Visa Gift Card with purchase of Kindle Fire Tablets
• Free $5 Gift Card with Purchase of 2 Boxes of K-Cups
• Free 808 CANZ Speaker with purchase of DUO Bluetooth Hedphones
• Free Lexar SDHC 8 GB Class 6 Memory Card with the purchase of Canon Digital Cameras
• Free SanDisk microSDHC 16GB Memory Card and Free Targus Stylus with the purchase of any Samsung tablet

8PM – Midnight – Dick’s Sporting Goods – Dick’s Sporting Goods is offering these freebies:

• Free $20 Off Your Next $100 Purchase Coupon with Purchase
• Free Cabin Socks with the purchase of one pair of Cabin Socks
• Free Men’s or women’s Spyder Care Sweater Gloves with the Purchase of a Men’s or Women’s Spyder Sweater
• Free pair of Adult and Youth Fleece Lined Crocs with the purchase of one pair of Adult or Youth Fleece Lined Crocs
• Free RAZR FIT XTREME Fairway Wood with the purchaase of a Razr Fit Xtreme Driver
• Free Skeet Reese Spinning or Baitcast Combo with the purchase of one Skeet Reese Spinning or Baitcast Combo
• Free Two boxes of Slazenger Raw Distance Double Dozens golf balls with the purchase of one box of Slazenger
• Raw Distance Double Dozens golf balls
• Free Wigwam Socks with the purchase of two pairs of Wigwam Socks

8PM – 1AM – Kohl’s – At 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, 8 lucky shoppers will get their purchases paid for beginning at 8 p.m. (four in-store and four online). PLUS, get $15 Kohl’s Cash for Every $50 Spent

8PM – 12PM on Black Friday –  Macy’s – Get a free Lil Wayne compilation album when you spend $50 or more.

8PM –  2AM – Office Max – This is a FREE After Rewards offer. Choose 20 Packs of AAA or AA Duracell Coppertop alkaline batteries. You will pay $16.99 per pack and get $16.98 back in MaxPerks Bonus Rewards making them 1¢ per pack! Offer valid 11/28 thru 11/30.  LIMIT 2 – In store only. Member’s MaxPerks ID card must be presented at time of purchase.

Also available is the following freebies:

• Free $10 gift card with the purchase of a Kindle Fire HD 7″ 16GB Android Tablet
• Free $10 Gift Card with the purchase of a Google Nexus 7 32GB 7″ Android Tablet
• Free $20 Off on a $200 Mastercard or Visa Gift Card
• Free $25 Gift Card with Purchase of Keurig OfficePRO B145 Brewing System

8PM – Midnight – Staples – You will be able to get these items for free after mail-in rebate.

• Free Case of Staples Multipurpose Paper – $54.99 Value – LIMIT 1 – In store only
• Free 500 Ct Ream of Multipurpose Paper – $6.99 Value – LIMIT 2 – In store only
• Free Staples Photo Paper – 8.5″ x 11″ – $14.99 Value – LIMIT 2 – In store only
• Free Pentel Pens 5 Pack – $5.29 Value – LIMIT 1
• Free Kaspersky Internet Security Software – $59.99 Value – LIMIT 1
• Free Quickbooks Simple Start 2014 – $99.99 Value – LIMIT 1
• Free $20 Staples Gift Card with the purchase of a Keurig Mini K10 Brewer
• Free $25 Staples Gift Card with the Purchase of a Keurig Office Pro K145 Brewer
• Free HP Photo and Business Communication Paper with the purchase of HP photo and business communication paper

8PM – 11PM on Black Friday –  Target – Target has the following free with purchase offers:

• $5 Gift Card with Purchase of The Elf on the Shelf
• $10 Gift Card with Purchase of Nintendo Wii Just Dance 2014
• $10 Gift Card with Purchase of Nintendo 3DS Mario & Luigi Dream Team
• $10 Gift Card with Purchase of Xbox 360 Call of Duty: Ghosts
• $10 Gift Card with Purchase of Nutribullet Extractor
• $20 Gift Card with Purchase of Xbox 360 Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
• $20 Gift Card with Purchase of Chi Air Flat Iron
• $20 Gift Card with Purchase of Fitbit Flex Wireless Wristband
• $25 Gift Card with Purchase of Sodastream Jet Soda Maker with 4 Syrup Mixes
• $30 Gift Card with Purchase of Apple iPhone 5S 16GB with 2-Year Contract
• $50 Gift Card with Purchase of Apple iPod touch 16GB 5th Generation
• $50 Gift Card with Purchase of Samsung 50″ 1080p LED HDTV
• $100 Gift Card with Purchase of Apple iPad Air 16GB WiFi Tablet

Want more Thanksgiving Day Freebies? Click here and check out our full list! Also stay tuned for our upcoming article on Black Friday Freebies!!!

It’s Coming! Thanksgiving Day 2013 is almost here!  Join us on Thursday, November 28th for the 21st Annual Forma Gym  Turkey Trot in Walnut Creek. Your Thanksgiving morning will be filled with enthusiasm and fitness while helping raise much-needed funds for Walnut Creek schools (WCEF & P.E.A.K), The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano County, The Wellness City Challenge, the Forma Kids Foundation, and the San Pablo Corridor Coalition, which supports underprivileged children in Oakland.

Start Times – Thursday, November 28, 2013
8:00 AM – 5K and 10K Start
10:00 AM – Kids’ Fun Runs start (multiple heats based on distance & age)

Location – Civic Park in Downtown Walnut Creek

Register Today! Register to participate in the event today by selecting a division below. All entries include a race bib, short-sleeve cotton t-shirt, chip timing (5K/10K), eligibility for age group awards, post race refreshments and a great run or walk. All kids’ run finishers will receive a ribbon.

We also offer registration in-person at Forma Gym (located at 1908 Olympic Blvd.) as well as via US Mail. An entry form may be downloaded from their website (see below).

For more information please visit their website for further race information, such as a course maps, participant lists, a printable entry form, directions, past results, photos and video.  You can also connect with them on Facebook by following the event here.

Questions: Please direct questions to: info@changeofpace.com.

Location: Civic Park

Dates: Thursday, Nov 28 2013, 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Address: 1375 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94596

Directions: Google, Yahoo, Bing, MapQuest

The holidays are coming! That means that kids and parents across Contra Costa County will be out of school and off work for Thanksgiving break, Christmas vacation and New Years. If your looking for something fun and amazing to do consider a visit to the gem of Monterey, the Monterey Bay Aquarium!

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is set right on the Pacific Ocean coast and draws in over two million visitors per year. The Aquarium features over 35,000 plants and more than 600 species of wildlife, from penguins and otters to crabs, sardines and fluorescent jellyfish. See the sea otter in the video below.

According to Touropia, this nationally recognized aquarium comes in at number 6 of the Top 10 Largest aquariums in the world! The Monterey Bay Aquarium features an array of exhibits one of them being a 33ft high (1.3 million liter) tank, which holds a number or large aquatic animals including sharks.

Here’s the scoop if your thinking about going:

Plan at least half a day to see it. In general no matter what day you visit, after 12pm be prepared for lots of kid activity. If you want to have the whole aquarium basically to yourself then plan for a morning visit. Also the aquarium has no public parking but there are spaces all around Cannery Row and two large public parking structures a couple of blocks away.

For a wheelchair traveler the aquarium has all the modern ADA upgrades to make your visit comfortable. There are elevators and accessible restrooms all over the aquarium’s two floors and there’s even a telescope at a level for a wheelchair user on the second floor look-out patio. The Monterey Bay Aquarium does have handicapped parking for those with a disabled placard or license plate but very limited (around 6 spots). The hidden parking lot is located off Cannery Row at the stop sign right before reaching the aquarium.

The aquarium has four bookstores including the largest bookstore in Monterey. They stocked with an extensive assortment of books on marine life, the California coast, ecology and biodiversity. A self-service cafe is open form 11:00 – 5:00 pm and the newly renovated Cindy’s Waterfront restaurant is open from 11:00 – 3:00 pm. Food can be a little pricey for those on a budget but being located so close to Cannery Row there are many great local places to eat as well.

The Aquarium displays 14 species of sharks and rays. The Sharks are a popular exhibit that draws crowds all day long and can be found in a number of tanks. Many are smaller sharks but a couple of massive tanks showcase the power of larger ones, like the Hammerhead Shark in the “Outer Bay” exhibit that is a 4.5 million liter tank.

The Jellyfish Exhibit is electrifyingly beautiful! These graceful neon creatures are a must see for this aquarium visit and are in their own right a living piece of art that makes you feel weightless.

The volunteers are friendly and informative. They can assist you with questions and many are bilingual as seen on their name tags.  They can help you experience the soft, prickly and jelly like touch pond full of living sea creatures just waiting to be touched.

There were many kid friendly areas placed throughout the aquarium. This includes multiple kids play and discover areas as while as child photo stations. There’s even various learning centers like the one in the video below.

Feeding demonstrations take place daily at the sea otter, kelp forest and penguin exhibits. The staff gives an informing, entertaining presentation about various animals. Check out this clip from the penguin feeding presentation.

Make sure that you spent a tranquil moment in the wave room to hear the roar of the tide coming in over head and before you leave check out the outside patiowith breath-taking views of Monterey Bay.

The Monterey Bay Aquariums Ticket Prices:

• Child Admission (3–12, under 3 free)
• Adult Admission (18–64 and not in college) $34.95
• Senior Admission (65+) $21.95
• Student Admission (13–17 or college ID) $31.95

Aquarium Tickets or One Year Membership passes will excellent stocking stuffers. With the one year membership passes the excitement and learning can continue all year long!  For more information on membership passes, click here.  Plus each pass includes discounts at the bookstores and gift shop. Military can receive discount tickets, click here for more information. All in all this is an awesome way to spend the day! It’s beautiful, educational and an amazing adventure for adults, kids and even couples alike.

Tell us what you think? Have you ever been to the Monterey Bay Aquarium? Would you go again or like to go? Do you have any tips or suggestions for visitors? Got an amazing photo or video of your experience to share? Send it to Diabloreporter@hush.com and we will post it. Planning a trip to Monterey? Check back for our upcoming article, Monterey: The Beautiful, Historic & Full of Life.

Apparently there’s a glitch in the matrix. A computer malfunction has prevented all BART trains from running. Stations are open and employees are present, however, none of the regular trains are running.

It is predicted that the lack of running BART trains will interfere with traffic and may create more congestion and a longer commute. It’s advised that you make other travel plans for getting to work if BART was your plan.

Drive safe and stay tuned for more information!

Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 28, 2013.

This list will get bigger as the day approaches so check back often!

FREE BLACK FRIDAY STUFF

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► FREE Thanksgiving App for iPhone

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► FREE Thanksgiving Guide to Cooking Turkey

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