BOGOPOD: Buy One, Get One Free, Plus Other Discounts in the Conejo Valley!

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UPDATE: BOGOPOD apparently is no longer in operation.

Happens all the time.  I get some coupons in the mail, tear a few out and place them on the desk or behind a magnet on the fridge.  But when I want to use the coupons, I can't find them, they have expired or I'm somewhere else.  Frustrating!

But there's BOGOPOD! www.BOGOPOD.com  provides online "Buy One, Get One Free, Plus Other Discounts" coupons for local Conejo Valley area businesses! 

Visit BOGOPOD.com for an extensive list of discount coupons for restaurants, shopping, kids, activities, home improvement, services and much more.  All you do it find the coupon, click it, print it and start saving money!  No signup, no cost!  I love the fact that you don't have to download special software to print the coupon.  There's also a search function on the BOGOPOD website that shortcuts the process of finding what you're looking for.

Now on a separate but related topic of saving money, check out "Places Where Kids Can Eat Free in Ventura County"  here on Conejo Valley Guide to find places where you can dine out and not pay for your kids' meals!

The Coolest Foam Coffee Cups You've Ever Seen!

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Boey is a Foam Cup Artist based in Orange County. Yes, he draws pictures on disposable coffee cups! Boey does he!  I'd never seen anything like this as my boys and I enjoyed checking out his online gallery of cups today.  With Boey's permission, I've posted some of our favorites below.

It takes Boey anywhere from hours to weeks to months to create these unique pieces of art. And he sells many of these cups, nicely mounted on cork in a nice case for anywhere between $120 to $220.  Boey does not sketch the cups out, thus leaving little room for error.  If you are looking for a truly unique gift for someone...maybe the coffee drinker in your life...look no further!

The beauty of a work of foam cup art is that you can drop the cup and it won't break! Though actually drinking coffee in them would probably not be a smart move!  Learn more about Boey and his cool work at www.iamboey.com.

"Harder Faster" Added 8/31/09

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Starbucks VIA "Ready Brew" is Actually Pretty Good!

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AN UPDATE!!  It took 5 weeks, but I finally received my sample of Starbucks VIA "Ready Brew" (i.e. instant coffee) in the mail.  I'm happy to report that after initially being skeptical, I LIKE IT!

Starbucks VIA comes in these cool little packets about the size of a finger.  There are two flavors, Columbia and Italian Roast.   Each packet makes an 8 ounce cup of coffee.  I was shocked by the fact that I really enjoyed the taste of it, much more so than the terrible coffee I brewed at home this morning. 

In fact, today I bought 2 boxes of it so I have some in reserve.  They charge $10 for a box of 12, which I guess ain't that bad since it was actually pretty good!  I also like the portability of these.  Pop a few of these into your briefcase or purse and you have good tasting coffee anywhere you can find hot water!

Click the logo below to get to the Starbucks VIA website (no, I don't make money from this :< just sharing something new with all of you!)

I have ordered my sample and will not be shy about sharing my thoughts about it!  CVG would love to hear your opinions either by clicking here or by commenting at the bottom of this post.

From the Starbucks website:

"This is not instant coffee as you know it. This is rich, flavorful Starbucks® coffee in an instant.

Starbucks has found a way to offer a truly great cup of coffee that you can prepare by just adding water. Other instant coffees taste flat and lifeless. Starbucks VIATM Ready Brew is different – it’s full-bodied and flavorful, just like the Starbucks® coffee you know and love.

It’s made with the highest-quality, ethically sourced 100% arabica beans. The magic is in a proprietary, all-natural process that we spent years perfecting. We microgrind the coffee in a way that preserves all of their essential oils and flavor. No other coffee company takes this step, and it makes all the difference.

We know you might be skeptical ... but we hope you’ll give Starbucks VIATM Ready Brew a chance. Try a free sample at home. The proof is in the cup!"

The Starbucks website had this very brief press release on February 12th:

"Starbucks Statement: Instant Coffee Breakthrough
Starbucks will host exclusive events next week in New York and other cities to introduce a breakthrough new product. We have been working on this project for more than 20 years, and have a patent pending on the technology that delivers Starbucks coffee in an instant form. The instant coffee market is a $17 billion global market and it offers Starbucks a significant opportunity."

Looking For The Lowest Local Gas Prices?

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A buddy of mine tipped me off to www.VenturaGasPrices.com, a website dedicated to providing detailed information about gas prices throughout Ventura County.  VenturaGasPrices.com is part of www.GasBuddy.com, a national network of over 170 websites tracking local gas prices.

So if you are looking to save a few bucks, take a look at this site before gassing up.  Tonight I saw that premium gasoline at the Oxnard Costco is $3.11 per gallon as compared to $3.47 per gallon at the Chevron located at Thousand Oaks Blvd. and Rancho Road.  That difference would amount to over $6 on an 18 gallon tank.  Might be worth a trip to some of you.

For those who enjoy charts and historical data, there is a nice tool on the site that allows you to see gas price trends in throughout the country for periods up to 6 years.  That is, if you can stomach the fact that gas prices have doubled in the last 5 years.  (Whereas the price of ExxonMobil stock has tripled in that same period.)

Ah, time to start checking out those hybrids.  Love the fact that city mileage is higher than highway mileage on a hybrid!