Bargain Hunters Are About to Have the Best Weekend Ever

  • Share
  • Read Later
Frank Muckenheim / Getty Images

Thousands of museums around the country are offering free admission on Saturday, and thousands of coffee shops are doling out free cups of Joe on Sunday.

Saturday, September 28, is Museum Day Live!, an annual event sponsored by Smithsonian magazine, in which thousands of museums around the country offer free admission to those who have ordered tickets ahead of time at the Smithsonian site. Each order is valid for admission for two people, and tickets will be sent via e-mail. Show the receipt on your smartphone, or print it out and bring it to the museum for entrance at no charge on Saturday. Only one order can be placed per household, and tickets are good for basic admission only—special exhibits, IMAX films, and such may cost extra.

No matter where you live, there’s a pretty good chance there’s a participating nearby museum. In some cases, the savings offered via the freebie is substantial. Admission for those ages 12 and up at the San Diego Air and Space Museum, for instance, is normally $18. Museums have the right to cut off free admissions via the Smithsonian promotion, so it’s best to order tickets asap.

(MORE: 5 Ways Retailers Are Trying to Snag Holiday Shopping Dollars Extra Early This Year)

The following day, Sunday, September 29, is being celebrated as National Coffee Day. Sure, it’s a totally made-up holiday based on almost no real tradition or significance other than being a day for folks in the industry to promote coffee. But hey, if the day means free coffee, plenty of consumers will surely play along. Among the participating players:

Dunkin’ Donuts: Using the Dunkin’ Mobile app—yes, you’ve got to download it—on your smartphone, show the National Coffee Day offer of one complimentary small hot or iced coffee at any participating Dunkin’ location in order to collect your freebie on Sunday. No purchase is necessary, but good luck not buying a donut once you’re in the store with a free coffee in hand.

Krispy Kreme: All customers are entitled to a free 12 oz. cup of coffee on Sunday at participating Krispy Kreme locations, no purchase, downloads, or coupons required. Alternately, KK customers can get a specialty drink—mocha, pumpkin spice latte, or what have you—for $1 on National Coffee Day.

Peet’s Coffee & Tea: From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, customers will get a free small maple latte with the purchase of oatmeal or any artisan baked good. A coupon (linked here) is required.

(MORE: 5 Ways Companies Win by Giving Stuff Away)

Starbucks: On Sunday, customers at participating Starbucks can get a free sample of Ethiopia coffee, and anyone purchasing a 1 lb. bag of Ethiopia whole beans receives a free commemorative cup of the brew from Ethiopia, known as the birthplace of coffee.

Tim Hortons: Stop in at any U.S. Tim Hortons location on Sunday and say “National Coffee Day” for a buy-one, get-one-free coffee special.