💰The Deal Guy Newsletter - Issue #80

🧾 INSIDE THIS WEEK’S NEWSLETTER:

**These deals could end or sell out at ANY time. If you buy something through any of the links featured in this newsletter I may get a small share of the sale.

📦 Amazon Prime Day Date Finally Confirmed: Amazon has confirmed Prime Day will take place in June this year for the first time since 2020!

While there are no specific dates just yet, I’d be cautious purchasing any large tech or products made by Amazon until the sale rolls around, and of course I’ll be here each day of Prime Day to bring you all the actual deals.

🚢 50% Off Disney Cruise Kids Fares: Disney is offering 50% off kids fares when traveling with two full paying adults on select sailings.

This applies to future travel dates and if you’re a Sam’s Club Member, don’t miss out on this Gift Card Deal that’s redeemable with Disney Cruises and theme parks!

🍕 Free Pizza Hut Pizzas for Summer Reading: The BOOK IT program is back! Kids who meet reading goals from June through August can earn free personal pizzas, which is an easy way to offset food costs this summer.

🍰 Free $10 Gift Card Bonuses at Cheesecake Factory and Applebee’s: Both are running the same deal right now. Buy a $50 gift card and get a $10 bonus card. Here is the link to Cheesecake Factory’s deal and here is the link to Applebee’s.

These bonuses are meant for a future visit and typically come with expiration windows but if you frequent either restaurant, I’m always a fan of free cash.

⚠️ Spirit Airlines Has Ceased Operations: To make matters worse, customer service is shut down. If you had a booking, credit and debit bookings should be refunded, but Free Spirit points and vouchers will likely be lost in bankruptcy.

Limited “rescue fares” are available from United, American Airlines, Frontier, Allegiant, JetBlue, Southwest and Delta.

✈️ $20 OFF TSA PreCheck: New applicants age 30 or younger can save $20 during May. This does not apply to renewals, but it is one of the few times this program is discounted.

You’ll also find a discounted CLEAR membership on the same page.

❌ Mattresses: Prices are still elevated right now with the best deals arriving during Memorial Day sales in the next few weeks.

❌ Grills: Demand is high heading into summer, but pricing significantly as we make our way toward July 4th (although there will be a handful of decent deals on Memorial Day)

❌ Large Appliances: Major promotions hit around Memorial Day and again July 4th, which is when you should be buying.

❌ TVs: With the exception of a few big deals at Sam’s Club right now, we are in a gap between sales cycles, with stronger deals expected during Prime Day in June.

❌ Laptops: Prices improve during back to school sales in July and August, not right now. Prime Day is not a “prime” time to buy laptops but we will see select deals.

❌ Summer Flights: Pricing is still high right now and patterns have been complicated by the Spirit Airlines shut-down. Better deals always drop for July 4th.

❌ Lawn Equipment: Peak demand keeps prices high until Memorial Day although mulch, seeds and feed are at their best prices right now.

❌ Summer Clothing: Unless you’re a warehouse club shopper, prices drop significantly toward the last two weeks of June where serious clearance savings begin (if you can hold off).

❌ Bikes: Spring demand pushes pricing up, while clearance tends to start late summer.

❌ Headphones: Expect better pricing during Prime Day and back to school promotions.

Here are some recent subscriber submitted money-saving tips:

Bob J from NE writes: “I often shop on eBay for various items and unless it's an immediate need, I put the item I'm interested in on my watchlist.  I'd say 80% of the time I will get a lower price offer from the seller.  I recently did this on a couple of albums I was interested in and the seller's offer was 25% off their asking price.”

Maggie writes: “Having just celebrated my birthday this month, I would like to add that PF Chang's and Texas Roadhouse both give you a free appetizer for your birthday as a rewards member. I always look for those free meal/entree or appetizer rather than a dessert as the best deals. I used the free burger at Red Robin this past Saturday. Yum!”

Susden writes: “I'm writing about the guy who (wrote in to last week’s email newsletter) saying he needs a cell phone but just a plain one.  I'm like him and I got my service from Tracphone.  I have a plain flip phone and the service only costs $100.00 a year.  I can call and text, that's all I need and I can't find anyone else who charges that little for phone service.”

Reply to this email and share it with me! If I feature your tip, I’ll give you a shoutout in next week’s newsletter!

(Include your first name + the state you live in so I can add it to the shoutout)

To get your question answered, simply respond to this email with any money-saving related question and feel free to include your first name so I can address you properly.

💡 Melissa Asks: “Hey Matt! My husband and I have watched your YouTube channel for years - your Costco videos are always a "must watch" event for us when they come out! Quick question - I need to get new headphones w/ mic capability, and AirPods seem like a good option. When's the best time to buy AirPods? I'm not in a rush. Thank you!”

Hi LeeAnn! I’m very honored to have you and your husband onboard as long time viewers. Thank you!! AirPods are an excellent choice. There will 100% be a superb deal if you can wait until Prime Day which is expected in late June. I do expect a deal between now and then from Costco that will include AppleCare. If AppleCare isn’t crucial to you, I would hold of for Amazon and I will feature that deal on my channel.

💡Genya Asks: “I love your videos! You are definitely my go-to guy for deals and I have recommended you to several of my friends. My ceiling fan broke and I'm looking to replace it before spring gets in full swing and definitely before summer! Where and when can I get one for a good price, preferably with a remote and bright but adjustable light for my living room? Also, I'm in the market for a basic, low priced, decently sized microwave and a cordless stick vac with good suction and a low price. Please help!”

Genya, thank you for the support and vote of confidence. Happy to help. Now is a great time to buy a ceiling fan as prices soar next by June. I’d recommend the top-rated Hampton Bay Averly 52” at Home Depot which is currently $40 off, dimmable and has a remote with adjustable light color. For a no-frills extremely well rated Microwave, I’d suggest the Faberware 1.1 Cu. Ft. currently under $100 on Amazon and for the cordless stick Vac, I would wait. Deals will be much better Memorial Day - Prime Day.

💡 LeeAnn Asks: “I've had Tempurpedics since 1999 but I had my first 2026 mattress tryout at a Tempur store last week; I about "dropped my teeth" when the terrific salesperson told me that the mattress alone is now $4100!!! I don't know if I can handle that, especially since the Memorial Day sale is only $300 off! Now I don't know where to go.”

I can relate to the price shock! Tempur-Pedic has moved into the luxury tier, and a $4,000+ price with only a $300 “sale” just isn’t a real deal. If you want a similar feel for less, look at the Nectar Premier Mattress or the DreamCloud Hybrid Mattress for a fraction of the price. If you’d rather try something in-store, go test a traditional option like the Sealy Posturepedic Hybrid Mattress (awesome and way cheaper) or warehouse clubs for older Tempur models.

Google now lets you track hotel prices and this can save you money with almost no effort (and it even works with flights!).

If you already know which hotel you want, Google can monitor the price for your exact travel dates and alert you if it drops. You don’t need to keep checking back or guess when to book.

Not only is this great for PLANNING your next vacation but it also works well if you’ve already booked a (refundable) room and want to see if the price changes after your book.

If the price drops after you book, you just cancel your original reservation and book the same room again at the lower rate. Even a $50 per night drop on a 5 night stay adds up quickly.

Do you have any travel hacks? Reply to this email and let me know!

Every week in this section of the newsletter, I share some of the most interesting and helpful money-related articles I’ve read over the past week. I hope you find these as valuable as I did!

💵 “7 personal finance tools to help you curb spending” - READ HERE.

💵 “What experts say you should do with your tax refund” - READ HERE.

💵 “Man raises 23 million overnight to buy Spirit Airlines” - READ HERE.

I’m elated to be starting another month together. Between Mother’s Day, graduation, Memorial Day deals and spring clearance, this will be one of our biggest deal months of the year. If there are any major purchases you need help with, just drop me a line!

Happy Savings!👋

The Deal Guy (Matt Granite)