Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas' Wish List

So, I was at Starbucks this morning and one of the fliers on the Community Board caught my eye. The Great Dane Rescue of the Carolinas had posted a wish list of needed donations. They're 100% funded by donations and need your assistance to take care of these sweet little (big?) puppies and doggies in need of a home.

They're asking for: canned food, cleaning supplies, first aid supplies for humans and dogs, old sheets & towels, treats (except rawhide), and toys, as well as Petsmart gift cards. This week at Target, you can get Pedigree canned dog food for .64-.97 per can, depending on your store. Use a B1G1 coupon from this past Sunday's Red Plum, or print some at redplum.com to get yourself a nice little deal. And while you're at it, clean out your linen closet and take the not-so-nice towels, sheets and blankets (their main page says they NEED blankets NOW) over there as well. Bring your donations to 10425 Mt. Holly-Huntersville Rd., Huntersville (exit 18 off I-77, take Harris Blvd. west to Mt. Holly-Huntersville Rd, turn right and the rescue is about 1 mile down the road on your left).

Free or really cheap ibuprofen at Target

Go to Target's coupon page, click "Healthcare" and print a coupon for $1/1 Up & Up pain reliever. The 24-count Up & Up ibuprofen sells for .99-$1.24, depending on your store, so you can take some home for FREE or very little money. If you get your hands on extra coupons (remember, you get 2 prints per computer), consider dropping some off at Charlotte Rescue Mission.

Wear your PJ's to get free ice cream at Bruster's this Saturday

Each March, Bruster's Ice Cream celebrates Pajama Day. So this Saturday, March 5, everyone who shows up in their jammies gets a free waffle cone. They'll also be collecting for local charities, so bring your ice cream money and give it away to a good cause. All Charlotte-area locations are participating. I think I can somehow swallow my pride and wear a pair of pajama bottoms out of the house for a free scoop of Birthday Cake. :-)

Huggies Snug & Dry diapers as low as $3.99 at Harris Teeter

One of this week's e-VIC deals is Huggies Snug & Dry jumbo packs for $5.99 each. Use the $2/1 Huggies coupon from the 2/27 SmartSource insert to get them for $3.99 or a $1.50/1 Snug & Dry blinkie to get them for $4.49. Limit 2 per household, now through 3/15.

Levine's Red Cross challenge grant -- matched!

Just read this good news in the Charlotte Observer: Jerry Richardson, owner of the Carolina Panthers, and his wife Rosalind, matched Howard Levine's challenge to the community to raise $250,000 for the Red Cross after only one day! The Red Cross has also received about $6000 in checks from other individuals over the past week. However, they're still about $1 million short of their budget, and they're hoping to raise it by June. Visit redcrosshelps.org to make a donation and help your neighbors in crisis.

Free pancakes at IHOP 3/1

Visit any IHOP next Tuesday, March 1 and celebrate National Pancake Day with a FREE short stack of buttermilk pancakes. They're asking that customers make a donation to Children's Miracle Network in return. All money collected in the Charlotte area will go to Levine Children's Hospital.

Thanks, Charlotte on the Cheap!

Crayola Pop Art Pixies for $3-$8 AC

Crayola has a line of craft kits aimed at tween girls called Pop Art Pixies, and they're on clearance right now at Target. Visit Crayola's website and print up to 2 coupons for $2 off any kit. They're 50% off right now at my stores, making the larger kits $9.98 (shadow boxes & glass plates) and the smaller kits $4.98. I picked up 2 of the Naomi's Stationery Box kits for $2.98 each after coupon. They're super cute; they look like Japanese bento boxes and come with wasabi stampers, chopstick pens and sushi sticky notes. One's going to my niece for her 9th birthday, and the other is going to my sister, a Japanese major at UNCC. Yes, we still like cute stuff. Don't judge us.

These will make great donations for older girls to Bright Blessings, or save them for this year's Toys for Tots or Salvation Army toy drive.