Special Effects for Funky Photos

Item: BeFunky Photo Effects

Price: Free

Where to Try: BeFunky.com

Review: Add professional-looking special effects to your favorite photos in seconds -- no artistic skills required.

With nine options (including the "Warholizer" and the "Cartoonizer") there's hours of photorific fun at BeFunky.com. For example, see what "Charcola" did to the image above.

The site is free -- you don't even have to register to try it out -- and after uploading your photo, your new funkified image is displayed in seconds. What you do with the image is up to you-- you can purchase the image on shirts, mugs, magnets, keychains, stickers and more right on the site.

FREE Cookie from Mrs. Field's

It's National Cookie Month!

As if you needed a reason to eat cookies.

But just in case you do, here's another reason: they're free.

Stop by any participating Mrs. Fields store TODAY between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. for your free chocolate chip cookie.

Not sure of the location of your closest Mrs. Fields? See the store locator.

Final Day for FREE Chocolate

Remember: Tomorrow is the last day to sign up to get a free candy bar from Mars at the Real Chocolate website.

Be one of the first 250,000 people to register after 9 a.m. and get a coupon in the mail for your choice of Mars product, including M&M's, Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, Twix or Dove bars (I have two of the latter waiting for me as I type).

I've received just a handful of emails from Mars since I signed up for my first candy bar coupon in May-- a small price to pay for free chocolate.

How I Got My New Coffee Table

I'm no dumpster diver. I swear.

But when I saw a nice long coffee table on the sidewalk not even a block from our apartment, I did a double-take.

I wasn't the only one. Another woman stopped at nearly the same time, but luckily her eye was on another table that was sitting with the trash. She wheeled that one (yes, it had wheels) to her place while I called Paul.

In a few minutes he had the table in our living room while our old "coffee table" (really just a wooden trunk, filled mostly with our financial papers) was dismissed to the corner of the room.

It's not the best table in the world-- it certainly has a few scratches, and the top is certainly not real wood. But the price was right for something I expect will be left behind whenever we move out of this apartment.

So to recap: Yes, I will take a coffee table from the side of the road. No, I will not pick through garbage. For anything.

Last Chances for Free Coffee, Chocolate & Ice Cream

Christian this the summer of free food. But unfortunately summer is winding down.

Luckily you still have a few more weeks to get your fix. Here's a rundown of the three best giveaways that Thrifty Under Fifty has highlighted, along with their expiration dates:

• Free Mocha from McDonald's: Today, Aug. 3, is the last day to get your 7-ounce iced mocha or 8-ounce hot mochas. The drinks are available for the asking between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. at participating McDonald's.

• Buy-One-Get-One Free Sundaes from Ben & Jerry's: Every Monday through Aug. 31 at a Ben & Jerry's scoop shop, with coupon.

• Free Mars Candy Bars: Register online every Friday through Sept. 25.

Free Outdoor Movies Under the Stars

A movie under the stars. What more could you ask for?

Stars, for one. And maybe a more comfortable seat. But other than that, free outdoor movie screenings are just about perfect.

I dragged my husband to my first New York City free movie screening last week. It was my birthday, and he couldn't say no. We got to Hudson River Park's Pier 54 at about 6:30 p.m., two hours before the scheduled start of "Vicky Christina Barcelona." We had no problem finding a spot up front for our blanket and picnic supper. It wasn't long, however, before the majority of the pier was packed with Woody Allen-loving bargain hunters.

New York offers many free outdoor movie spots. The most well-known is probably the Bryant Park Summer Film Festival on Monday nights, but About.com lists a slew of others.

I didn't look up into the sky after the movie started, but I suspect the only stars you'll see are on the big screen. Not quite the meaning of a movie under the stars, but it'll have to do.

A Sundae Every Monday from Ben & Jerry's

I didn't understand the appeal of Ben & Jerry's until I visited the factory in Vermont in February. One taste there and I was hooked.

If you feel the same, now you can get your fix for half price. Find a friend, print this coupon and visit a Ben & Jerry's scoop shop any Monday through Aug. 31 for buy-one-get-one-free sundaes. Now that's a sweet Monday.

Passport Photos from the Comfort of Your Home

Several weeks ago I wrote about shooting, cropping and submitting my own passport photos instead of opting for the overpriced pictures taken at drugstores.

The results? A-OK.

My husband and I each received our renewed passports in the mail last week, no questions asked. The best part: We actually like these passport photos.

Whether you're applying for your first passport or a renewal, I highly recommend using ePassportPhoto to help make sure the photos you take meet federal regulations. Free and easy to use-- it doesn't get much better than that.

Free Restaurant Giveaways for Your Birthday

Make a happy birthday happier with free food from your favorite restaurants.

My 28th birthday is today, but I've received coupons and birthday deals for more than two weeks. I won't be using them all-- a couple are from restaurants that aren't even located in New York City, where I now live. But don't be surprised if you find me in an ice cream shop or two with a coupon in my hand this month.

Getting free birthday food is easy. Just go to the website of your favorite restaurants and sign up for the e-newsletter. If the registration asks for your birthday, that's a good sign. Some of the websites even specifically state that you'll get a birthday surprise.

Here's the offers I've received so far. I'll be updating this list as I learn about and sign up for more. What free birthday food have you received? giveaway

Cold Stone Creamery: free Cold Stone Creation, coupon good for two weeks

Baskin-Robbins: free 2.5 ounce scoop, coupon good for 10 days

Panera Bread: free mini-bundt cake, coupon good for one month

BD's Mongolian Barbeque: free stir fry meal, coupon good for two weeks

FREE Mocha Mondays at McDonald's

I don't like coffee. I visit Starbucks purely for the pastries.

But for those who can't get going without a morning (or an afternoon or an evening) jolt of caffeine, here's a deal for you.

Participating McDonald's restaurants are distributing FREE 7-ounce iced mochas and 8-ounce hot mochas from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Monday, beginning today, through Aug. 3.

McDonald's estimates it will give out 10 million samples, so go get your share.

FREE Candy Bar in 3 Weeks or Less!

Free chocolate, here I come!

A few weeks ago I wrote about how Mars is giving away up to 250,000 coupons a week for a free Snickers, Milky Way, 3 Musketeers, Twix, M&M's or Dove bar. Just register at the Mars Real Chocolate Relief Act on Fridays through Sept. 25.

I first registered in mid-May and received an email stating that my coupon was to arrive in about six weeks.

But good news: I got my coupon a few days ago, less than three weeks after I filled out the form! I signed up for my second coupon at the end of May, so I expect to receive another soon.

Best of all, I haven't received a bit of spammy junk email, so kudos to Mars. And thanks for the chocolate!

FREE Chocolate Every Friday!!!

The only thing better than chocolate?

FREE chocolate.

Every Friday through September, Mars is giving away up to 250,000 coupons for free Mars products including M&M's, Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, Twix and (my personal favorite) Dove bars.

Sign up each Friday at the Mars Real Chocolate website. I did last week and got an email informing me that my coupon would arrive in about six weeks.

The Mars promotion continues until Sept. 25. You know what that means: I have 19 more candy bar coupons to collect.

More FREE Ice Cream

Cold Stone Creamery's latest ad asks if you love your mom.

The more important question: Does your mom love ice cream?

If the answer to both questions is yes, find last weekend's Sunday ad inserts. Hopefully, your ad includes a coupon for a free Create Your Own Yogurt or Ice Cream + 1 Mix-In for your mom when you order one for yourself.

This may be a regional offer, so check your coupons carefully or call your local Cold Stone to see if they are honoring this promotion.

As if you needed an excuse to get ice cream.

Free Piece of KFC Chicken: Today Only!

KFC is promoting its new grilled chicken by giving one free piece to each and every person who walks through the door of participating restaurants today.

Shhhh. Hear that? I think the colonel is calling your name.

Museums, Absolutely Free

I'd hardly call myself a culture vulture, but I do look forward to visiting museums in new cities. What I don't like is paying a $20 admission fee.

If you work for a large corporation, check if your employer offers discounts to tourist attractions. Thanks to my husband's place of work, we get into some of New York City's top museums (including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art) absolutely free simply by showing his work identification and a business card.

We first learned about these types of programs not from my husband's employer, but instead from a friend and his wife. When they stayed with us for a weekend last year, she got us all free tickets to the American Museum of Natural History. Score!

The lesson: Look for deals your company offers beyond your hometown. Discounts and free tickets may shave a few bucks off of your next vacation.

And another lesson: Periodically check if any offers have been added or eliminated. We recently tried visiting the Guggenheim only to be rebuffed at the ticket counter. It's relationship with my husband's employer had disappeared.

Double the Fun with Thrifty Gum

Item: New Slim Pack of Wrigley's gum

Price: FREE

Where to Buy: Any grocery store

Review: I don't chew gum, but I'll give it a try if it's free.

Check your SmartSource advertising insert for a coupon for a FREE Slim Pack of either Doublemint, Juicy Fruit, Wrigley's Spearmint, Big Red or Winterfresh gum. Coupon expires May 31, 2009.

Coupons occasionally vary based on your location. I'm in Brooklyn, New York, and received mine this past weekend.

Happy chewing.

Image from: Kalyx.com