You always did love a deal, and these days, deals and discounts are everywhere! Heck, you feel like a heel if you pay full price for practically anything. And why should you?

Our editors have spent months combing the Internet, savvy mom contacts, blogs, message boards — anything and everything — to bring you this family-focused list of 101 ways to save money now. Peruse our list, and be sure to let us know of any we missed by commenting below! Also follow us on Facebook to get early word of new discounts and freebies on great local places to shop, eat, play and go green.

Want more? We've got 205 more tips waiting for you over at parentmap.com/save-money!

SHOP
Shop bots, price alerts, coupon codes and little-known outlets: Here are dozens of our area’s best-kept shopping secrets.

1. Metal trash cans for just 10 cents and sturdy tables for just $10 are some of the amazing deals you’ll find at the University of Washington Surplus Store at 4515 25th Avenue N.E. in Seattle. The public is welcome to shop on Tuesdays, noon–6 p.m. View items online (and enjoy the offbeat wit of the listings!).

2. You’re never too old for a flash mob! Get alerts about special sales on cool stuff for moms, babies and kids up to age 7 by joining totsy.com.

3. Get a one hour massage for just $33 at the Bellevue Massage School or $35 at the Cortiva Massage Therapy Center in downtown Seattle.

4. Use your smartphone to save money with applications like Shopkick, which finds great deals within your area, and ShopSavvy Barcode Scanner, which will compare the prices of the same item in several stores.

5. Thrifty NW Mom’s website offers printable coupons on local deals for such things as Crocs, Toy Story 3 DVDs and Shutterfly albums. 

6. Save money on hair services by going to a training salon! Get great deals at Toni & Guy Seattle Academy (formerly the Greenwood Academy of Hair) in Shoreline; call 206-542-1111. The Gene Juarez Advanced Training Salon in downtown Seattle also offers great deals on a variety of hair services, and if you sign up for its customer email list, you’ll receive e-coupons every month for even more savings. 

7. Scoop up current magazines for a quarter, paperback best-sellers for a $1 and hardbacks for less than $5 at the Bellevue Friends of the Library Corner Book Store at the Bellevue Library. 

8. Need dance gear? Check out the deals on pre-twirled tutus at Tree House consignment store in Redmond. 15742 Redmond Way; 425-885-1145.

9. Get your game on for a song! Play It Again Sports in Woodinville and Renton has everything from skateboards to soccer nets, all gently used and at a great price. 

10. Fashionista tweens already know this well: You can get great deals on gently used designer clothes (think Juicy, Lucky, Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch) at the Plato’s Closet stores in Lynnwood, Tukwila and Bellevue. 

11. Love to ski? Check out a ski swap in your area next fall. We love the Newport Snowsports Swap, one of the largest in the area.

12. Get a great deal on a high-quality Hanna Andersson clothes at its Woodinville outlet store. 

13. Run, don’t walk, to Woodinville to the See Kai Run warehouse sale on fabulous, butter-soft leather shoes for kids. Learn when the next sale will be held by signing up for the e-newsletter. 

14. Looking for great shabby chic furniture for your college student’s first apartment or the family cabin? Then check out the deals at Seattle’s and Bellevue’s Goodwill stores. Heck, you could score a great deal on a cool hoody while you’re there. 

15. Let savings.com find deals for you! At this site, you’ll find hundreds of e-coupons for stores that include Old Navy, Target and Umi children’s shoes.

16. Outdoorsy types will love scoring discounted and gently used tents, backpacks and outdoor clothing at Second Ascent in Ballard. 

17. Get your Microsoft products free by participating in Microsoft usability studies. 

18. Put yourself on the Jack & Jill list to get word of its giant consignment sales. (Psst! Next one is March 25–27 at the Lynnwood Convention Center!) 

19. Get great local sales alerts by visiting this cool site: seattlemomsdealfinder.com.

20. Crazy for kayaks? Take home your own at the Northwest Outdoor Center’s annual fall used boat sale. 

21. Cotton Caboodle’s outlet store offers adorable kids’ clothes for infants to tweens at a big discount. In Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood.

22. Is your teen heading off to college? Check out the deals on furniture and dishes at Seattle Children’s thrift stores in Shoreline, Redmond, Seattle, Bainbridge, Port Townsend, Kent and Olympia. 

23. Crave a frugal yet fancy pillow or comforter? Head to Pacific Coast Feather Co.’s warehouse in SoDo; 206-624-2034.

24. Before buying anything online, search Google for the store’s name and the words “coupon code.” You’ll often find codes that you can enter on checkout to get discounts on orders of more than $100, free shipping or other deals.

25. Buy the discounted 100-pack “Forever Stamp” first-class postage stamps at Costco.

26. Get a deal on a dapper dog! Save on dog grooming when you do it yourself at the Wash Spot at Marymoor Park. For less than $10, you get shampoo and use of dryers; the cleaning tubs are at waist height and feature ramps, so you don’t have to hoist your hound yourself. Located between the main parking lot and the P-Patch near the off-leash area.

27. Live big on a discount! Sign up for Hautelook’s sales alerts on designer brands for the whole family, including Plan Toys and Nest. 

28. Crafty? Get your glitter and glue at a discount with Michaels and Jo-Ann e-coupons. The two stores will also honor each other’s coupons.

29. Recycled Cycles in Seattle offers great deals on used and reconditioned bikes. Why buy new for a growing kid? 

30. Find fabulous deals on baby stuff at babysteals.com and for older kids at kidsteals.com.

31. Waiting for a sale to buy a big-ticket item? Visit zingsale.com, a price-alert service that combs the Web and lets you know where to buy to get the best price.

32. Deals that are “sew good” are available at the Pacific Fabrics and Craft Outlet in SoDo. 

33. Save on gas by comparing prices online here: seattlegasprices.com.

EAT
They leave half of their dinner on the floor anyway, so why not get a screamin’ deal when you take the tots out on the town? This is just a taste of the great dinner and grocery deals we’ve found; visit our huge, growing “kids eat free” list at parentmap.com/free.

34. Kids 12 and younger eat free at many IHOP locations every day between 4 and 8 p.m. (Drinks aren’t included, and you get one free kids’ entrée per paid adult meal.)

35. Check out the “sunset dinner special” at Anthony’s Restaurants. Eat dinner between 4:30 and 6 p.m., Monday–Friday, and enjoy a four-course meal for less than $20.

36. Skip the schlep and cook takeout-style meals in your own kitchen! Visit eatingwell.com and check out the “Forget Takeout” section for healthy, family-pleasing recipes that mimic your favorite takeout meals.

37. Save serious scratch at the grocery store by packing coupons from thecouponclippers.com.

38. West Seattle loves the Charlestown Street Café, where kids 10 and younger eat free seven days a week between 5 and 9 p.m. as many as three free kid entrées with two paid adult entrées. 

39. Register for the “rewards” program at your local grocery store. Members of Safeway can list their number with eScrip to get money for local schools. 

40. Buy an Entertainment coupon book — and then use it! You’ll get 50 percent off and two-for-one deals at many local restaurants. 

41. Many Denny’s locations offer “kids eat free” deals for kids 10 and younger every day between 4 and 10 p.m.

42. Try a free month trial on shoppingnanny.com, a site that gathers coupons for the specific stores you frequent.

43. e-mealz.com is an online “personal assistant” that plans your grocery shopping based on what’s on sale at your local stores that week, and then provides you a week’s worth of meal plans for just $5 a month.

44. Free pasta for kids! All area Pallino Pastaria restaurants let kids eat for free with the purchase of an adult entrée on Sundays and Wednesdays. 

45. Local author and father of two, David Volk knows how to live it up for less. His new book, The Cheap Bastard’s Guide to Seattle, is full of tips on how to save money on every­thing from the  best local happy hours, wine and beer tastings, delicious free food samples and more. Check out the chapter on places where you can listen to free live music while you eat.

46. couponmom.com is a free site that provides lots of grocery-store coupons specific to your area.

47. Redmond’s Celtic Bayou offers free kid meals all day long with the purchase of adult entrées on Saturday and Sundays. 

48. Check out thegrocerygame.com. For a small monthly fee, the site sends you a weekly list of sale items tailored to your shopping preferences.

49. Several local schools with culinary training programs offer delicious deals in their student-run, instructor-supervised restaurants, including Portfolio Restaurant at the Seattle Art Institute, Seattle Central Community College’s Square One Bistro and One World Dining, and Chef City Grill at Lake Washington Technical College in Kirkland.

50. Enjoy a three-course dinner from a local celebrity chef on Thursday nights at Seattle’s FareStart Café for just $25. FareStart provides culinary training for homeless and other disadvantaged people; these meals sell out, so make a reservation.

51. All this month, you’ll find special lunch and dinner deals at Seattle’s top restaurants from Sunday through Thursday as part of Dine Around Seattle. 

52. Use social networking to buy in bulk. Snoqualmie mom of four Natalie Kryger shares large purchases of staples, such as flour, with friends. She can store these items for months in airtight containers.

53. Shop at your local farmers market. Locally grown food is often less expensive and fresher. 

54. Kids eat free at Ruby’s Diner in Redmond and Woodinville on Tuesdays. 

55. Love New York Cupcakes at Crossroads Shopping Center in Bellevue? Grab a six-pack of still-mouthwatering day-old cupcakes for half-price. 

56. On Facebook, don’t forget to “friend” your favorite grocery stores and restaurants. You’ll get printable coupons in return when they post them on their Facebook pages or Twitter.

PLAY
An outing with the kids can cost you big bucks. A movie alone will set a family of four back by nearly $50 — and that’s without the popcorn! And don’t get us started on the really big, big family nights out to plays, circuses and other kid-oriented entertainment. Here are a few dozen suggestions for low-cost or free fun for you and the fam.

57. Visit museums on their free days, usually the first Thursday or Friday of the month. Find our full list of free museum days at parentmap.com/free-museum-days.

58. Your local community center is a treasure trove of free or very low-cost activities for kids and families. Visit your city’s website to access information about gymnastics and music classes, indoor playgrounds and family nights — you’ll pay a fraction of the cost of private facilities.

59. The Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park in Pioneer Square highlights a fascinating slice of Pacific Northwest history — and it’s free every day of the year. Starting in May, look for kids’ programs and films. 

60. You can explore parks on your own, but for low-cost (or free!) guided nature walks, classes and family days, head straight to Seward Park Environmental & Audubon Center. (Even if you don’t sign up for an activity, the free-roaming tortoise — and nature library — provide hours of fun for little ones.) 

61. Play hometown tourist and visit the Pike Place Market in the off-season. Sit on Rachel, the bronze pig sculpture, watch the ferries crawl back and forth on the Sound, and hang out at Pike Place Fish to watch the salmon fly. Unless you can’t resist the produce stands or restaurants, it won’t cost a cent. 

62. The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Ballard offer endlessly fascinating (and close-up) views of vessels large and small as they wait for water levels to rise or fall in the narrow passageways. A free concert series runs throughout the summer.

63. Climb the 106 steps of the Volunteer Park water tower for a gorgeous 360-degree view of the city and mountains through its narrow openings, and let the kids run around the circular inside deck. 

64. Get an eyeful of sparkling glass creations while watching the cars zip by on the highway below at the Chihuly Bridge of Glass in Tacoma. The 500-foot pedestrian overpass links the Museum of Glass to downtown Tacoma. Museum admission isn’t free, but traversing the bridge doesn’t cost a cent. 

65. Fifteen bucks will get a family of five into the Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma, a relatively unsung local treasure where you can look at recreational boats and explore a cool children’s area. 

66. The Fremont Troll is a photo op, play space, sculpture and slice of urban weirdness all in one. It’s worth the pilgrimage to the dim underbelly of the Aurora Bridge. 

67. Just a reminder: Your local library is great for checking out books, of course, but it also hosts free story times, workshops and cultural events for kids and families. Contact your branch for details.

68. With the Go Seattle Card, you can get free admission to more than 35 top Seattle-area attractions (including Woodland Park Zoo, Emerald Downs, Argosy Cruises, Tacoma museums and many others). You’ll save up to 45 percent on the cost of individual tickets. 

69. Seattle Center offers teens a great deal on tickets around town (ACT Theatre, Burke Museum, Bellevue Arts Museum) through its Teen Tix program. On the day of any show or event, teens can buy a ticket for just $5. You don’t have to be a Seattle resident to sign up! 

70. If you’d like to see a play with the kids, identify it early and look for the preview or pay-what-you-will shows that (usually) happen early in the run. Many theaters also offer day-of rush tickets for a significantly lower cost. Olympia Family Theater offers $5 tickets the first Thursday of each run.

71. Your local pool is an inexpensive outing on any day of the week, but many pools offer low-cost teen nights and special swims.

72. Check with your neighborhood bookstore or toy store for free author events, story times and workshops. Secret Garden Books in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood hosts a full schedule of book events for kids, and toy store Wind Up Here in Olympia offers free crafts and other fun the first Friday of the month. There are many, many others listed on our calendar at parentmap.com/calendar.

73. Seattle’s Center for Wooden Boats is just a cool place to visit. Wander the docks to look at vintage wooden boats, or rent one at cut-rate prices for a sail around Lake Union. 

74. Buy a family membership and all three-hour public sails on the classic schooner Adventuress are free. Hoist the sails, sit in on a science talk and take in the scenery at locations all over Puget Sound. It’s a real deal. 

GO GREEN
Good for the wallet, good for the planet: Here are 25 green ways to save a little green. Know of any we missed? Comment down below and let us know! 

75. Second Use offers a bevy of salvaged materials, tools and household items, everything from commercial ovens to dry-erase boards. In South Seattle. 

76. Insulate your hot water heater. To see if you need to insulate, touch your heater. If it is warm to the touch, it needs additional insulation. You can lower your water-heating costs with this single step by as much as 9 percent a year!

77. Discounts on many “green” merchants can be found in the Seattle Chinook Book, on sale at local PCC and Whole Food stores. 

78. Recycle your old lipstick and get one for free! Return six used MAC lipstick containers to the company’s U-Village, Downtown Seattle or Bellevue Nordstrom locations and get a lipstick for free. 

79. Get your scrapbook supplies, mosaic glass pieces, arts and crafts supplies, marbles, magnets and much more at the magical Creation Station in Lynnwood. You can’t beat its prices and much of its inventory is recycled materials. 

80. Save up to 30 percent on your monthly heating bills by having a home energy audit done by a professional. Ask if your local utility will cover some of the cost. 

81. Organize a Halloween costume swap in September. This can be a great service project for a Girl Scout troop. Reserve a room at the local library and publicize to local parenting groups.

82. Buy a share in a community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm and support local, sustainable farming while your family eats fresh all summer long. A directory of CSA farms in King County can be found at pugetsoundfresh.org.

83. Rip out some lawn and plant a vegetable and flower garden. You’ll save a ton of money on food and will delight your children as they watch things grow over the summer. Need help getting started? Check out your local P-Patch or Master Gardeners association for resources.

84. Replace your showerheads with low-flow models. Low-flow showerheads can save you up to 15 percent of water-heating costs and reduce your water usage by as much as 20,000 gallons a year.

85. Ditch those dreaded sandwich bags and get some washable containers or bags. We love ReUsies. Created by two Seattle moms, these washable cloth sandwich and snack bags are made in Seattle. 

86. Join your local Freecycle group to receive and donate specific items that would otherwise be thrown away. 

87. Expand your hand-me-down circle. Organize a clothing swap for your co-op preschool or a group of friends. Everyone brings gently used and clean kids’ clothes to your garage; parents take as many items as they donated. The rest goes to charity.

88. Half Price Books will buy the gently used books you no longer want and will sell you the books, magazines, DVDs and CDs you do want — at half price. Many locations around the Puget Sound region. 

89. Cut down on car trips and run your errands on your bike or on foot. Rusty on two wheels? Take a workshop from the Cascade Bicycle Club. 

90. Save money by downsizing your garbage can. This will force you to step up your reusing, recycling and composting.

91. Have your kids make their friends’ birthday cards and wrapping paper. Paper bags are easily transformed with pastel crayons or markers, and kids love getting a handmade card — as do adults.

92. Make sure your thermostat is set properly. Lowering the default settings during the summer and at night could save you almost $200 a year, according to Energy Star. More tips at energystar.gov.

93. If your zoning permits, get some chickens and have fresh, free eggs every day. Get support and ideas at urbanchickens.net and your local 4-H group.

94. Dump your bottled-water costs. Buy snazzy metal water bottles for everyone in the family and a personal filter for your kitchen faucet, and you could save hundreds of dollars.

95. Replace your old light bulbs with LED bulbs. They last 15 times longer and use 75 percent less energy. Find stores with bulbs at energystar.gov.

96. Got an older house? Install double-pane windows and you’ll see immediate savings on your heating bill.

97. Need wood chips for your garden or some firewood? Arborists often will be happy to provide it to you for free. Find a certified arborist in your area through the Pacific Northwest chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. 

98. Reduce your postage costs and save some trees by paying your bills online.

99. Mold or mildew in your shower? Try an environmentally friendly and inexpensive cleaning solution of an equal amount of lemon juice or white vinegar to salt.

100. Get creative with gifts. One ParentMap editor recently gave her parents a “day of service.” On a predetermined Saturday, she and her two (tween) kids arrived at Grandma and Grandpa’s house and were handed a list of chores: cleaning out closets, culling kitchen cabinets, sorting through the garage. At the end of the day, the kids made everyone dinner. Green, free and so much fun!

101. When stuck in line at the bank drive-through or school pickup, turn off your engine. Get other “driving tips for tree huggers” on the Car Talk website.

Catch the buzz
Boost your savings potential! ParentMap is thrilled to launch a sparkly new e-deals program that caters to parents: ParentMap Honey! You’ll get family-friendly deals twice a week and we’ll donate 5% of each purchase to our Giving Together partner— sweet! Sign up at honey.parentmap.com.