Frugal Families: Five Deals to Stretch the Family Budget

Welcome back to our weekly rundown of five local deals to help with your family’s bottom line. Since we do the scouting, we're saving you time as well as money!

This week, we scoured our local sources to come up with deals on restaurants, eyeglasses, and cleaning away the winter grime from your car as well as your home. Remember to check with the merchant for additional conditions, if any.

1. Restaurant Savings: Mark's Kitchen, 7006 Carroll Avenue, 301-270-1884.

Deal: Get a $25 Mark's Kitchen gift certificate for $10, when purchased through Restaurant.com. Get even more savings by paying with a Visa card online.

Good through: Restaurant savings ongoing; Visa card discount expires June 30, 2011. Check website for more details as well as other participating restaurants.

2. Dance yourself Skinny:  MamaSita Movement and Wellness Studio, 6906 4th St., NW (near the Takoma Metro station).

Deal: Save 79 percent while dancing away those extra winter pounds by purchasing a five-class passport, through deal site Eversave.com. Valid for any class (from belly dancing to yoga), at either the Takoma or Capitol Heights location.

Good through: Hurry, online deal must be purchased by Feb. 17. Passport (coupon) good through Jan. 31, 2012, once purchased.

3. See Better, for Less: America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses, 6855 New Hampshire Ave., 301-891-6861.

Deal: Get a free eye exam and two complete pairs of prescription eyeglasses for $69.95; or two pair of multi-focal glasses for $99.95. Savings also available on contact lenses (details on website).

Good through: Ongoing. Visit website for more details or locations.

4. Carpet Cleaning:  Excellent Carpet Cleaning, 7008 Westmoreland Ave., Suite E8, 301-960-0795.

Deal: Get that winter dirt washed away from your carpets with $15 off on your first cleaning, along with a free advance estimate by using the special offer coupons at servicemagic.com. (Clip another coupon on the page to save $15 on Excellent Carpet's tile and grout cleaning.)

Good through: Carpet cleaning and free estimate coupons expire seven days from printing; tile and grout coupon expires 30 days from printing. Offers good for first-time customers only.

5. Car Wash: Mr. Wash Brushless Car Wash, 7996 Georgia Ave., 301-495-9355.

Deal: Get $4.00 off immediately on an Outside Ultimate Wash when you sign up for Mr. Wash's e-mail club, and get ongoing special deals sent to your email box.

Good through: Carwash offer expires 30 days from date coupon sent; good at any Mr. Wash location.

Happy Savings!