Adjusting to the realities of life in a pandemic hasn’t been easy for a lot of folks. It’s also been pretty rough on the majority of businesses out there. When times get tough, companies usually try to keep their operations going and maintain connections to their customers through an array of discounts and deals.
Whether you’re looking for a little self-care or just want to stretch your dollars as far as possible, consider taking advantage of some of the bargains being offered. (You’ll also be helping your favorite businesses cope with their changing operations, so it’s a win-win situation for everyone.)
Deals keep popping up on a daily and weekly basis, so it pays to check with a company’s website before you order anything, but we’re going to hit some of the highlights of what’s out there right now:
Food and Fine Dining
One of the most vexing questions you may have to face day-in and day-out when you’re sheltering-in-place may be, “What’s for dinner?” It gets tough figuring out how to keep tastebuds entertained with the standard household fare when you’re used to an occasional night out.
Well, you may not be able to eat inside a restaurant right now, but that won’t necessarily stop you from enjoying some fine dining. Many local Indy restaurants are offering family meal specials and delivery or pick-up options that make it easy to feed your whole crew for a reasonable price, including:
- Buca di Beppo: If your family loves Italian food, get enough to feed three people for $30 and five for $45. The entree changes daily, for added variety.
- Condado Tacos: Missing Taco Tuesday? Well, Condado Tacos can feed your entire family and leave you with enough for leftovers the next day with a $99 build-your-own taco box. (You can also pick up margaritas-to-go while you’re at it.)
- O’Charley’s: If you’re craving a steak meal or some Cajun-style chicken, O’Charley’s has you covered. Pick among seven different family meals for $29.99 each.
- On The Border: If you miss happy hour at your local pub, On The Border will bring happy hour to your door with family meals at different price points and free delivery.
Keep in mind that these are by no means the only choices out there. Almost every restaurant that’s open is offering some kind of special, whether you’re hoping to score dessert at The Cheesecake Factory or just some burgers and fries. Doordash and Grubhub have also been offering free first-time deliveries and reduced pricing, so that’s always worth checking.
Education and Entertainment
Sitting at home can leave you feeling restless, bored or basically unproductive in your spare time. Why not combat those negative feelings by finding a new hobby or learning a new skill?
These freebies and reduced-price options make it easy:
- Masterclass: Ever wished you could take a writing class with Neil Gaiman or David Mamet? Acting from Samuel L. Jackson? Cooking with Gordon Ramsay? Now’s your chance: Masterclass is offering a two-for-one pass that gives you (and a friend or family member) access to all of its classes for a whole year!
- Babbel: Travel may be off your table for a while, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep your wanderlust alive by learning a new language. If you’re hoping to resume travel to far-off lands in the future, pick a language (at a reduced price) on Babbel and dive in.
- Fender Play: Is that old guitar from your youth still sitting in the closet? Dig it out, tune it up and take advantage of three months worth of free guitar lessons on Fender Play.
If you’d rather just lose yourself in something entertaining, there’s nothing wrong with that. Almost every streaming service out there is currently offering some kind of discount or freebie, including HBO Now, CBS All Access, YouTube TV and Quibi (just to name a very few), along with standbys like Hulu, Amazon Prime and Netflix.
Wellness and Workouts
Another problem with sitting around the house all day is that it’s far, far too easy to revert to “slug mode.” If you haven’t been out of your pajamas in days and find yourself constantly checking the fridge for something to snack on, an exercise routine and a little self-care may be in order.
Consider these:
- Nike Run Club: You can run or walk outside without violating social distancing rules pretty easily, so why not take advantage of the Nike Run Club? The free app offers guided workouts and helps you track your distance, pace and overall progress.
- DanceBody: Wish you could get some exercise without the boring routines? Well, DanceBody may be exactly what you need. You can stream the workouts — including a free trial.
- Daily Burn: For some people, exercise class is a social event. If you’re missing your exercise community, Daily Burn might be exactly what you need. Take in recorded workouts at your own pace, enjoy virtual one-on-one training and engage with their lively online community with a free 30-day trial.
- Headspace: Maybe your mental malaise is what really needs some attention. Headspace offers a mix of movement exercises and meditations that are designed to relieve stress, help you focus or even sleep a little better. And it’s currently free.
By no means are these the only specials available. Many companies are looking ahead to when their doors will reopen and hope to build on customer goodwill during this time. If nothing listed above strikes your fancy, keep looking — there’s bound to be some kind of deal that will help you shake off the coronavirus blues.
