Tacos make it all better?

If you really have to, you might want to get some gas for your car today rather than tomorrow. Maybe two free tacos from Jack in the Box will stop your sobbing? Just show them your reciept.

Here's Jack (who's voice I absolutely hate, by the way) to explain:

$3 to $4 for an Album Box Set!

Not only do I love Matador Records' band roster (Cat Power, Pavement, Yo La Tengo, Brightblack Morning Light), but I also love the label's ways of getting people to continue to purchase tangible albums in such a digital world. I was stoked on the fact that they've included download codes with their vinyl, but I just learned about a newer trick (Well, new-ish... it started in '07) involving The New Pornographers' album "Challengers" as well as Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks' "Real Emotional Trash" (March 2008), and others.

Buy Early, Get Now means you can buy a CD or box-set, such as The New Pornographers case, in advance with a few stipulations. First, you can buy it at participating stores like Dimple Records for a mere $3 or on Amazon for $4. The crazy part: it's just a box of decorated CDRs for you to download the album online with a code (to have it immediately). This includes live footage, bonus tracks, etc. I think it's a cheap deal for only a little bit more work (especially with the NPs case. With Malkmus, it was the full album price... more than a few bucks.)

It's a bit confusing at first, but seems like a great idea, especially for iTunes kids who still want some type of tangible thing to go along with the record.

I just hope they do this with another new release, since I found out about it after The New P's and Malkmus albums were already released... (i.e. it would be neat to do it pre-street-date.)

Photos on the Cheap: Toy Photography

I've been told the Holga, a cheap, plastic toy camera, was the top hipster gift of last holiday season. But after you shake off the irreverent glam, this hollowed piece of plastic holds it's own, and is an incredibly good find for photography artists looking for an inexpensive, low-fidelity look.

The Lomography Society, a collective of toy camera enthusiasts, sells the camera for about $70, though you can find them on eBay and elsewhere for as low as $20. The camera itself takes 120 medium format film, not the usual 35mm film your old pre-digital cameras took, which is relatively inexpensive at about $0.20 an exposure. Developing the photos is the biggest expense, but many community centers and schools allow cheap or free access to their developing and scanning equipment. You can also buy the supplies online to develop film yourself. This guide describes the relative ease with which you can process your negatives, bringing your development costs as low as a penny or two per shot!

While a digital camera may seem like the cheapest way to explore the world behind a lens, a decent digital camera may run $250. With that kind of money, you can afford at least a few hundred Holga shots, and have much better looking results in the end. All it takes is time and effort.

Teriyaki Takes Over the World

Do you eat meat? Do you like Safeway? Do you at least like big chrome horses?

If you answered yes, you may be interested to know that right now you can buy a whole Foster Farms chicken for like three bucks if you're part of the club. Also I've been told there's a good sale on ground beef right now, but I haven't checked it out for myself.

I wasn't so sure about buying a whole chicken because I didn't really know how to cut it up into usable pieces, but it turned out to be pretty simple. These instructions are pretty decent, and if you're able to follow them, you of course have a whole chicken breast (which is quite a lot of meat), two thighs, two wings, two drumsticks, and a few less-than-meaty pieces leftover that you could turn into stock if you wanted.

Personally, after going to the Pacific Rim Street Festival this last weekend, I was craving some teriyaki, so after cutting up the chicken, I filleted the breasts and threw them on the grill, then followed this recipe for sauce to pour over the top. The sauce was a little too salty at first, but nothing some simple dilution couldn't fix. You can just pour that stuff right over the chicken, add some rice and a simple vegetable, and it's a pretty awesome, practically dirt-cheap meal.

As for the ground beef...anyone for sloppy joes?

The Ultimate Showdown!

It's on!


$5 Battle of 2008: Subway vs. Quiznos!!!


From the looks of it on YouTube, Subway is winning: Apparently, it's catchier.


The $5 "large" subs at Quiznos:

Oven-Roasted Turkey & Cheddar
(Turkey, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, mayo)

Honey Ham & Swiss
(Ham, Swiss, lettuce, tomato, mayo)

Tuna Melt
(Tuna salad, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, mayo)

Roast Beef & Cheddar
(Roast beef, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, mayo)


The $5 FOOTLONGS at Subway:

-Meatball Marinara
-Tuna
-Oven Roasted Chicken
-Spicy Italian
-Black Forest Ham
-BLT
-Cold Cut Combo
-Veggie Delite


You decide.