I Got a Great Deal on a Juicer – Now What?
Ever since I saw the movie Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead
This morning I reviewed the new House and Garden deals on Groupon and was surprised to see an Emson Big Boss Juicer for $56 ($49 plus $7 shipping). That price appeared to be pretty good for a juicer. To verify, I went to Amazon.com to research the price and the reviews. I had fairly low expectations but quickly became excited when I saw the exact same juicer was selling for $90 on Amazon, and the reviews were pretty favorable. There were 131 reviews with a total average of 3.5 (out of 5) stars. The negative reviews seemed to be centered around frustration due to the manufacturer not having an easy to find website. Also, a number of people complained that they received a manual in French instead of English. The English version of the manual is now available online and I was able to find the website of the manufacturer. (It appears to me that the juicer might be marketed now as a Sharper Image juicer. Perhaps that’s the reason for this fire sale price on Groupon?) I figured the risk of problems was low and at this price point it was a great way to introduce my family to juicing. So I pulled the trigger and bought the juicer on Groupon!
Now I’m wondering how economical juicing will be. Are you a juicer? Do you find it to be easy on the budget, or is this an expensive project that I’m about to explore? I get the feeling that I’ll have to buy a lot of produce in order to make juice for the family. However, I’m wondering if I’ll end up spending less in the long run if I buy less sugary and salty snacks and buy more produce.
I’m interested to hear what you think. If you have any great recipes to share with me and our readers, I’d greatly appreciate it!
Groupon Unveils New Rewards Program
Groupon has announced a new loyalty program for businesses called Groupon Rewards. With this new program, businesses can create offers that keep loyal customers coming back to their business. For example, a pizza joint may offer a credit for $20 after spending $100. Or, a local masseuse may offer a $50 credit after a client spends $200 over time.
The cool part about Groupon Rewards is that it is easy for the consumer. There is no need to carry a rewards card or to check-in on their mobile phone. Instead, by using the credit card saved in your Groupon account, Groupon will automatically track the amount the consumer has spent with the business. Rewards are unlocked after the consumer has spent a certain amount predetermined by the business.
The Groupon Rewards program looks promising for consumers and businesses. I really appreciate the fact that this means someday I might not have to worry about trying to stuff my wallet with various punch cards and loyalty cards. Businesses will enjoy having access to data that Groupon will provide to help them understand consumer purchase behavior and the effectiveness of their reward program. The only thing that gives me a little pause is I’m not sure if the business will have access to my name and personal information. Even if they do, I’m willing to give this a try. At this point, the program is brand new, so not many businesses have signed on to it as of yet. It will be interesting to see how quickly businesses in the Milwaukee area start offering rewards through this new program.
52% Off Membership to Angie’s List
One of today’s Groupon offers for Milwaukee is a one year membership to Angie’s List for $22. This is a 52% discount off of the $46 retail price. Although this deal isn’t as attractive as other times Angie’s List has been on Groupon, this is still a good value since the service can help you find quality professionals, which may save you time, money, and headaches in the long run.
Angie’s List is a website that features quality reviews for more than 500 home and personal services including carpet cleaning, electrical, remodeling, landscaping, dentists, doctors, child care, and more.
Reviews for each service provider come from members, not anonymous users. Angie’s List checks these reviews in order to prevent businesses from submitting positive reviews for themselves or negative reviews on competitors. This is an advantage over free sites on the internet where it’s easy for fabricated reviews to be submitted. Other benefits of subscribing to Angie’s List include receiving exclusive discounts from businesses that are ranked on Angie’s List as a top-rated business, and access to their free Complaint Resolution Team to help resolve an issue you have with a business.
Important fine print for this offer includes:
- Valid only for the Milwaukee area.
- New members only.
- Must activate subscription by date specified on Groupon
- Must provide a credit card number.
- Membership will auto-renew if not opted out of.
Visit the Groupon website to purchase a one year membership to Angie’s List for $22.
Jeffrey Dahmer Tour on Groupon – What Were They Thinking?
**Update – Groupon has suspended further sales of this offer.
If you subscribe to the Groupon email list, or follow us on Facebook, you may have seen today’s Groupon offer for a 90-minute walking tour of Jeffrey Dahmer’s “hunting grounds”. I have to ask…what was Groupon thinking offering a such a tour?
Even though Dahmer’s grusome crimes occured more than 20 years ago, memories are still vivid in the minds of many local residents. Families of Dahmers victims still live in the area. What kind of reception are people who go on these tours going to get while walking through Dahmer’s old neighborhood?
Although the tour claims not to be “insensitive to the victims’ families nor approbating of Dahmer’s monstrous acts”, I find that such a tour is offensive, disturbing and completely tasteless.
What do you think? Do you think offering a Jeffrey Dahmer tour is appropriate? Please leave a comment and let us know!
This Weekend on Groupon – Palermo’s Tour or Pizzeria & Cafe
Check out this weekend’s Groupon deal for Palermo’s Pizza, just east of Miller Park in the Menomonee Valley. We visited Palermo’s a while back and found it to be a great value, even without the Groupon. You can read our full review here: Palermo’s Pizzeria & Cafe: Pizzeria Perfect.
This weekend’s Groupon offers several options:
- For $5, you can receive two tickets to a factory tour of Palermo’s Pizza (a $10 value).
- For $10, receive lunch for two at Palermo’s Pizzeria & Cafe. Lunch includes a 12-inch fresh made pizza and two 20-ounch beverages.
- Lunch options are also available for groups for four ($20) and six ($30).
The pizzas served at Palermo’s Pizzeria & Cafe are fresh-made and NOT frozen. There are several pizza choices available on their menu.
While you are at Palermo’s for lunch or the tour, check out their company store. The store features pizza screens, pans, cutters, olive oils, vinegars, sauces, giardiniera, pepperoncini, and of course, Palermo’s frozen pizzas. When we visited last, prices on the frozen pizzas were better than you would typically find at the grocery store.
The Groupon Palermo’s offer is available until 11:59 p.m. on Monday. Visit the Groupon website for full details and to purchase.
