Fun and Frugal Ways to Beat the Mid-Winter Blahs

In case you haven’t noticed, this has been one heck of a winter. Snow, ice, shoveling, and more snow, ice and shoveling! 

Throw in the extra long commutes endured due to poor weather conditions, not to mention the cancelled school days you spent cooped up with your children, and well, it could be enough to push some folks right over the edge!

Let’s not go there just yet.

The 50-degree days we’ve been smitten with this week give us all hope that Mr. Groundhog is going to stay true to his word and strike a deal with Mother Nature to end this nasty winter in just a couple of short weeks. So although there are still piles of dingy, dirty snow about, here are a few fun, moneysaving ideas to shake things up as you battle the last of the mid-winter blahs.

1. . Don’t let the end-of-winter grays blind your sense of color. This might be the perfect time to bring a bit of color into your life—via a paintbrush and a gallon of vibrant paint. Sherwin Williams at 14 Woodruff Avenue is offering a great deal on paints and painting supplies—up to 25 percent off selected items. Check out the Sherwin Williams “I love That Color Event.” If you get started now, by the time old man winter leaves town, your rooms will be glowing with the same warmth and radiance that spring is soon to offer.  Visit here and print your coupon for colorful savings now.

2. . Before we know it, we’ll be escaping the confines of our winter caves, donning a light windbreaker and hitting the bike path.  Now’s the perfect time to make sure your bike is tuned up and ready to go. Narragansett Bikes at 1153 Boston Neck Road is offering FREE clinics to teach you all you need to know to change a flat and do simple roadside repairs. Their clinics will have you feeling more confident and self-reliant when you're riding alone. Call 782-4444 to reserve a spot for the remaining clinics on Tuesday, Feb. 22 or March 1 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. You can find their website here.

3. . Shake off those winter blahs with a fresh, spunky new hairstyle. South County Choppers is a unisex salon located at 904 Boston Neck Road in the West Bay Plaza.  They are known for their friendly service and dedication to bringing their clients the latest fashion and beauty trends from around the world. Visit their website here and click on their coupons of the month. Choose from 20 percent off their Brasiliana Blowout or a handful of others, including their Monday Super Savings on a wide range of services.

4. Peapod Grocery Delivery. Knowing New England weather as we do, there are sure to be a few nasty weather days remaining in our forecast.  No need to hassle with driving to Stop & Shop for your weekly grocery jaunt, instead, let them come to you — Peapod Delivers! That’s right, go shopping right from the coziness of your own home, in PJs if you like, by shopping online, and then have Peapod deliver the following day. Visit their Facebook page and “like” them then click on their Fantastic Deals and save $10 on your next order!  

5. Subway and DB's Pizza. After scoring all those deals, you’ve earned your appetite! Once you’re done painting your family room that awesome shade of peony, have figured out how to change that flat tire on your kids’ bikes, are now sporting a perky new cut, and have just saved yourself hours of precious time and moola by ordering your family’s groceries on-line, surely you must be hungry! Visit Subway at or  and celebrate Februany where all month long in February any foot long sub is only $5! And yes, that includes the Philly steak and cheese!

If subs aren’t your thing, how about pizza? , located in Quo Vadis Plaza at 546 Kingstown Road in Wakefield, is offering their $10 Pizza Bailout. Any large pizza with any topping is just $10 for the month of February only – perfect for feeding hungry kids home on school vacation next week!