Bowled Over By Love

In honor of Valentine's Day, Brunswick is offering free bowling coupons that are cute enough to print out and present to your valentine on the big day, good from Feb. 14 to Feb. 28. This brings back memories, as I once took a boyfriend bowling on V-Day. He gave me two dozen roses, and I took him bowling. Hey, he liked bowling, okay?

Dinner and a Movie

Take the dinner-and-a-movie concept, add a super-comfy chair, put it all together at the same time, and you've got Studio Movie Grill, where you can watch a show on the big screen all while you order from a menu that includes appetizers, pizza, burgers, salads, desserts, cocktails, wine, and more.

Sign up for their e-newsletter this month and get a free pass. I've been to the Plano location, and it's lots of fun — and I bet even more fun if you're getting in for free. :)

(Thanks to Dallas on a Dime reader Anne for this tip!)

From the Heart

When you're strapped for cash to buy a gift but still want to show you care, DIY can be the way to go. And no one DIYs it better than Martha Stewart. Head over to her site to check out 55 ideas for handmade Valentine's Day gifts that will wow your sweetie with their adorableness. Plus you'll get bonus points for putting in effort (which is much more heartfelt than dropping $50 on flowers anyway).

Go Fish!

Growing up on the water, I've been fishing a time or two — and I can't remember ever catching anything. That's not an issue with Roger Morgan's Striper Guide Service. The professional guide guarantees you'll catch a fish, or you don't pay anything. All bait and tackle are provided, and the fish are filleted and packaged at the end of the trip.

If a spring fishing trip on Lake Texoma sounds fun to you, you'll definitely want to check out these stellar coupons — $100 off a trip with up to five people, and $200 off a six-person trip. Reel 'em in!

Spreading Beauty

Follow a group of American hairdressers as they travel to post-Taliban Afghanistan to teach the locals cut, color, and perm techniques in The Beauty Academy of Kabul, a documentary being shown at UNT on Wednesday, starting at 5:30 (get the details here). Save yourself the $10 it would cost to go to a theater, and watch a movie that the LA Times said was "a profound reminder of the things that make us human."

A Strike-ing Deal

One thing I've learned since moving to Texas is that bowling is expensive here compared with the places I grew up bowling at — fortunately, Main Event offers a great deal on Mondays: unlimited bowling, billiards, and laser tag for $9.95. Bowling and laser tag both bring out my competitive streak, so if you see me on the lanes or in the glow-in-the-dark area, you've been warned!

Less Is More

Want to explore what the city has to offer without breaking the bank? Over at ILiveInDallas.com, Neil Lemons has come up with 31 great year-round things to do in Dallas proper that are free or less than $15. Some I can vouch for (giant Jenga at Barcadia), some are on my list (taking the trolley through Uptown), and others are totally new to me (like No. 17, shooting a bow and arrow with the Texins Archery Club). There's definitely something for everyone; check out the entire post of fun things to do in Dallas.

The Olympic Spirit

I am something of an Olympics aficionado, spending untold hours every two years watching as much Olympics coverage as humanly possible while also functioning in the real world. This year, for the first time, I'm heading to the Games in person, and I'm pretty excited about it (less excited about having to wake up at 4 a.m. and then go stand in the snow for men's alpine skiing, but I'm not complaining). I've got memorabilia from the Beijing, Torino, Salt Lake City, and future Rio de Janeiro games (thanks, Ashley!), and now I can add to my collection with this free Vancouver 2010 Journal. If you're also heading to the Games (or just wish you were!), this will be a cool keepsake to have.

Chill Out

One of the newest nightspots around, Chill in Grapevine offers a slightly more, um, chill atmosphere than other clubs, but with the same dancing, drinks, and DJs you're accustomed to. With this coupon, buy one entree, get one free; get a free appetizer with the purchase of two alcoholic beverages; and get 25 percent off your entire ticket.

For more info, check out a story I wrote about Chill for VacationPlanning.net.

Ups and Downs

I've hit many theme parks in my day — in Texas, Washington, California, South Carolina, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and England. Phew. That's a lot of loop-de-loops. My all-time favorite is Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, but right here in town, we've got a great park: Six Flags Over Texas. If you love coasters as much as I do, consider buying a season pass that's good for 14 Six Flags across the country and beyond. The Play Pass is new for 2010 and at just $49.99, you only need to go a couple of times to make it worth it. (There's also the standard Season Pass for $10 more, which gets you a few extras.)

See you at Mr. Freeze!