The Year of the Bucky Book

For the last few years, Luis has come home with a Bucky Book every fall. Bucky Books are fund raising coupon books. They cost about $35, and if used, they will save the purchaser many times that amount.

The one problem with Bucky Books, in my opinion, is that we live an hour away from Madison and most of the coupons are for Madison businesses.

The first year Luis purchased one, we were in the middle of Simon's car screaming year. We didn't travel up to Madison very often. The book languished in the drawer, completely used.

The second year, we remembered to use some of the local coupons. The third year, I got smart. I put the book into the van, which is the primary vehicle we use to go to the city. We actually used some of the coupon that year and recouped the costs of the book at least.

This winter, I pulled the Bucky Book out and told Luis I was christening this "The Year of the Bucky Book." Every time we traveled up to Madison, I pulled the book out on the way and started reading through all the coupons. Free pizza for the kids at Sole Sapori, a wonderful Italian restaurant in Mount Horeb, along with buy one, get one espresso drinks a Crossroads Coffee in Cross Plains started our Year of the Bucky Book off with a bang.

On our recent "vacation in our backyard" (an overnight trip to Madison), we had a free entree at Bellinni's (amazing Sicilian food and fab service), free supplies from University Book Store, free latte from Victor Allen's, freebies at PDQ, and free $10 from Tellus Mater and more. We should have had a free ice cream cone at The Chocolate Shoppe, but I forget to pull out the coupon. Oops.

For Father's Day yesterday, Luis stepbped up to the "#1 Papa" title and chose to celebrate at Little A-Merrick-A*. Out came the Bucky Book. Two buy one, get one coupons along with their Father's Day special (fathers ride free with a paid child) resulted in a half price trip. The Bucky Book paid for itself yesterday alone.

I like The Year of the Bucky Book so far, but we have a lot of coupons to use up before September 30. Anyone going to the Dells? There a bunch of coupons for there that we probably won't use this year.


* For those of you not familiar with the area, Little A-Merrick-A is a delightfully cheesy small amusement park. It is a fun place for the younger set, though angsty teens would certainly pronounce is lame. Carousel, roller coasters perfect for the 6-12 year olds, toddler rides with fire trucks and helicopters, monorail, train ride through the country, bumper cars and bumper boats, a ferris wheel. It is a fun time, and even without the coupons, the price is reasonable.