Friday Freebies; Free Treats To Cool You off!

Today's a great day to partake in some cooool Friday Freebies, because it is going to be hot, hot, hot! Pinkberry Yogurt is offering a free small yogurt with toppings with the purchase of another yogurt through July 24.

The Children's Museum has free Blue Bell Ice Cream Samples from 11:30 to 1:30 today (Friday). Jamba Juice is introducing new Superfruit shots with a free shot in your Jamba Juice order.

Also, McDonald's has free smoothie samples on Fridays this month, between 11:00 and 1:00. Whew! Lots of free ways to cool down today!

Now, for some deal alerts. My CBS4 Morning News co-workers tease me about having my Christmas shopping done in July. It's true, I do shop early. Part of the reason is the Target July toy clearance sale. Bargain shoppers who favor Target Stores know about this huge July toy clearance, where tons of toys clear the shelves at 75% off. This week, I'm seeing many toys (even my son's coveted Legos) marked down from 15% to 50% off. Within the next week or so, look for those markdowns to drop even lower. My advice; if there's a toy you KNOW a child wants, you might want to pick it up sooner, rather than wait for the 75% mark. Certain toys, like the Legos I mentioned, mostly sell out before the 75% discount.

Another pitfall I try to avoid; getting too excited about the deals. Remember, kids ALWAYS change their minds before Christmas, so try not to overdo it, because over buying is not a bargain!

Don't be shy about asking an associate if they'd mind telling you which day of the week your store does its toy markdowns. Most mark down on Wednesday or Thursday, but that's not across the board.

Happy hunting! Let me know what you find in "comments." Have a great weekend.