Best Bets

BEST BETS

• Save 15% flying with AIR CANADA until June 15th Use the promo code B964THD1. This is good on TangoPlus, Latitude and Executive Class that you book online

• CISL MARKETPLACE. Check the icon on the top of the CISL Website. Once you click this, there are four deals waiting: Car detailing, Odd Jobs, Perfect Health Spa and Beltone Custom Ear plugs. All these deals are $65.00

• FREE DISPOSAL IN MAY- If you are a Vancouver resident you may dispose of household garbage free until May 31st at the city Landfill in Delta. The landfill is open 7am to 7 pm every day. More info at 326-4600

• Allegiant Air is offerring new, nonstop jet service to the California coast from Bellingham International Airport for the summer. The new seasonal service will begin June 6th with low-fare flights to San Francisco and to San Diego on June 12th. To celebrate, the carrier will offer introductory fares to San Francisco for as low as $59 each way and flights to San Diego for as low as $69 each way. Allegiant's $59 and one-way introductory fares are limited, must be purchased by May 10, 2008 and is valid for travel through Aug. 31, 2008. Introductory fares are not available on all flights

• Fans of the TV series Lost, Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives can now catch up with their favorite characters online. Episodes of the three CTV shows have been posted for viewing at CTV.ca. The network says this is the first time the series will be available online on a free, ad-supported basis in Canada. Each new episode will be posted after its West Coast broadcast and be available for 28 days

• Here's a freebie - Viking River Cruises will send you a free DVD about traveling to Europe, Russia and China by cruise ship. If you are interested using the Offer Code is 14M. Details at www.vikingrivercruises.com

• TORONTO BLUE JAYS - See some of the games this spring for just a twoonie. If you are headed to the Ontario capital, take advantage of this great deal. Games include Tuesday, May 6th with the Tampa Bay Rays, then the ballpark lights up Tuesday, May 20th for the L.A. Angels of Anaheim plus Tuesday, June 10th for the Seattle Mariners. Here's the link: www.Toronto.bluejays.mlb.com

• Call Home For Free. Want to talk to your family and friends back home in England for free? All you need is a cellphone or computer and you are set. The only thing they ask is that you listen to a one-minute commercial before you start your chat, then you can talk for as long as you like at no cost - www.talkster.com

• DORMANT BANK ACCOUNTS - In Canada there is 320 Million dollars sitting in banks - unclaimed - is some of that yours? Friends? Relatives? Check the site out for yourself at www.bankofcanada.com. Click on the icon for Unclaimed Balances.

• NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC - Limited time offer! Get one year of National Geographic for only $15. Order now and save 74% off the newsstand price. Subscribe now  

• Cheap Parking - There is a lot located next to the Renfrew Skytrain Station that offers all day parking for just $2.00. So, if you are paying the daily downtown use this scenario: $2 for the day, pick up a pack of faresavers (Zone 1) for $19.00, which gets you 10 rides at $1.90 a ride. That's $5.80 a day with transit and parking versus whatever downtown

• Do you have digital cable? You might want to look for this freebie: the CBC has rebranded two of it's channels and are offering them for free until April 29th. The former Country Canada is now called Bold, while the Documentary Channel will be known simply as Documentary. Bold is 80 per cent Canadian content and will be home to performing arts, drama and comedy programming. Documentary will showcase renowned films from Canada and around the world. Check your cable provider for details

• CANADIAN TIRE - Seasonal Service: oil , lube, filter, rotating tires for $29.99 plus some taxes and fees

• CACTUS CLUB RESTAURANT- Starting soon some of Rob Feenie's recipes will start blooming at two locations on a test basis. They are the West Broadway location and Ash Street eatery. His trademark touch is easy to spot: organic and sustainable products. Gee, I wonder what he will do to the mini hamburgers?

• TICKETSTONIGHT.CA- Day of concerts, theatre and other related events. Limit of four tickets. Get them in person at Vancouver Tourist office (Burrard and Canada Place). Daily 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• SEATCOUNTER.COM- Check how many seats are left on flights and then try to find the best deal on flights around the world

• TransLink says monthly pass sales have gone up 11% since fares were hiked two months ago. FareSaver tickets have also become more popular.The biggest increase was in three zone pass sales.They're up nearly 19%.Pre-paid tickets and passes offer cost savings over paying by cash.TransLink thinks pass sales are also up because they're now tax deductible

• Wanna do a day trip? How about Nanaimo? Catch the new B.C. Ferry (Coastal Renaissance) from Horseshoe Bay as a walk on passenger. Then ride local transit into downtown Nanaimo. You can catch a small ferry to Protection Island which is a great spot in the harbour City. Then come back to Vancouver. You will be relaxed. Check www.secretnanaimo.com for more deals and ideas

• MAMMA MIA - Have a girls night out to the Musical featuring the hits of ABBA. There are group discounts for 20 or more by calling 1-800-889-8457

• $99 dollar flights to Cancun - Read the fine print on those ads! The extras, the fuel surcharge, the airport taxes, the other gov't fees. Check the flight time. Is it a night/overnight flight? That could mean you likely won't get into your room until mid afternoon the first day. Lots of these flight are last minute. If you can go within days, you might get a great deal. Check with this website: www.tripadvisor.com for actual reviews of the hotels from ordinary folks

• YVR Coupon for parking - There are two lots that offer a printable coupon at www.yvr.ca. One offers parking for $8.50 a day and the other for $10.50 a day. Read the fine print at both parking lots at the Vancouver International Airport.

• Perfume and Cologne samples - Sometimes just a great smile will get you several samples from just about any department store cosmetic counter. They usually have very small sample bottles that you can take home- I have found these are great for traveling with and if I find one others dig from the smell -Well then I go back and buy it - Just ask and see what you get. Now here's a way to get a free sample mailed to you www.lacoste-essential.com - follow the links.

• It's coupon week for the grocery stores: THE REAL CANADIAN SUPERSTORE  is offering a $25 gift card with $200 worth of groceries. Clip the coupon from the flyer. Spend $200 with your SAVE ON MORE VISA and earn 10,000 POINTS (use the coupon). SAFEWAY has a coupon for $5 off an unforgettable dozen rose arrangement. Clip and bring into the store.

• The Canadian Ski & Snowboard Industry has developed a beginner experience specifically geared to today's time -crunched and budget conscious consumer. Discover Skiingand Discover Snowboarding are all-inclusive lift, lesson and rental packages at Canadian ski areas from coast to coast. Discover Cross-Countryare all-inclusive trail, lesson and rental packages for new nordic skiers.

  All Discover packages include:

  • A ticket for beginner lifts at ski areas and beginner trails at cross-country areas
  • Rentals of ski, cross-country ski or snowboard equipment
  • A one-hour group lesson from certified ski and snowboard instructors.

  Prices for Discover packages vary from ski area to ski area, with the average price at $29.95 per person. More info can be found at www.skicanada.org

• Find a freecycle club in your area, by going to www.freecycle.org. People give away things they no longer need in order to save it from landfill. Need baby equipment, new clothes, books and pretty much everything you can think of? Someone else's junk is someone else's treasure

• Want to save $15? If you go to Puerto Vallarta take the cab from outside the airport and walk over the overpass from arrivals to get a cab across the street. The Airport Authority doesn't want you to know about that so we'll tell you that dirty little secret right here

• 2008 is the 150th anniversary of the City of Denver. The city is only a few hours away by air and offers a rather incredible amount to do. You can request a visitors guide through the website at www.denver.org. On our recent trip to the Copper Canyon of Mexico many of us picked up this 160 page magazine. It is well worth getting one and going through the contents to consider this as part of an upcoming trip. The Denver Airport is a major hub in the U.S. and connects to just about any other spot you might want to head to directly
  

• Need to spend the day away from the world? How about biking around Buntzen Lake. It's an 8 km route that circumnavigates the hydro lake. There are several bridges to cross with plenty of open areas plus the surrounding mountains of course. You can park your vehicle at the entrance to the recreation area or put your bike on the C26 bus that leaves from Coquitlam Centre. More information on the park and ride is available at 604-469-9679

• From the Westender Newspaper - If you go into the lounge at Morton's Steakhouse on West Cordova between 5 and 7 p.m. weekdays you'll be treated to a mini tenderloin tip steak sandwich on the house. Now, if you tip the bartender well he'll come back with another - hold on tight OD...a domestic beer costs 9 bucks at Morton's!