Great deals: $5 pizza, free DVD rentals and swimsuits

We had invited some family friends, along with a few of her classmates who would join her for a sleepover later that night, but we weren’t sure how many would show up, so that made menu planning tricky.

We wanted to serve pizza — everybody’s favorite — but hadn’t decided on where to pick it up, until fate chose for us. A few hours before the party, I stopped into the local Family Video to rent some DVDs for the night, and right next door was a Little Caesars.

A sign in the window announced the chain’s 50th anniversary deal — a large, one-topping for $5. Could this be for real?

I hadn’t had Little Caesars in quite a while, so I thought, “Why not?” I popped into the shop and ordered nine pies — yes, nine — and had my pizza problem solved in like four minutes.

Hubby drove down and picked it up a little later, and what we got were nine fine pizzas that were mostly devoured amid a lot of “Mmmmms.”

For all that ’za, $45 was quite the bargain, I think.

I added a big bowl of veggies and dip, and I was done “cooking” for the night.

Swim team essentials

Speaking of swimming, a few fellow swim team moms recently turned me on to an awesome practice suit for my little dolphin: Dolfin Uglies.

When the team moms first mentioned needing to order some “Uglies” for their girls, I replied, “Huh?”

They weren’t surprised at my ignorance — I’m kind of a noob compared to these swim team veterans.

After their glowing recommendations, I looked at the suits online and decided to take the plunge. They’re polyester (instead of the usual nylon/span- dex combo), fully lined and *durable*.

Another plus for the swimsuits? The bright, fun patterns! With names like Spyra Gyra, Hippy Dippy and Pinkabelle, what’s not to love? (Read all about how Uglies got their name at www.missuglies.com/about.html.)

So my next stop was SwimOutlet.com, where the Uglies are a great buy at around $28.95. Both daughter and mom are totally pleased with the product.

I also added a plain-Jane competition suit to my shopping cart for $19.95 — about half of what many parents paid through the “official” team supplier Kast-A-Way.

A’s = free DVDs!

The bargains don’t stop there: The videos for the sleepover were FREE! thanks to daughter’s stellar report card. Her five A’s in core classes earned her certificates for five free rentals. I love having smart kids! ;)

And I just love a good deal!

To read more of Lucy Baker’s blogs, go to DaytonDailyNews.com/go/mommy, or post your own bargain finds at 937Moms.com.

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