Cooks hosts a garage sale; also bargains on gowns, watches

Cooks hosts a garage sale Cooks of Crocus Hill's annual garage sale starts Friday and continues through Sunday in a tent behind the St. Paul store (877 Grand Av., 651-228-1333, www.cooksofcrocushill.com). Items will be discounted 50 to 80 percent, including samples, seconds, closeouts and discontinued cookware, gadgets, towels and dishes. Sale hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Edina location is not participating in the sale this year.

Bridal sample sale What bride isn't looking for ways to save on her big day? Check out the sample sale at Glenrose Bridal (10100 6th Av. N., Plymouth, 763-591-9333, and 582 W. 78th St., Chanhassen, 952-934-3434, www.glenrosebridal.com). The weeklong sale starts Saturday and will include more than 250 gowns discounted 50 percent, priced from $99 to $400 after the discount. Brands include Morilee, Alfred Angelo, Bonny, Impressions, Maggie Sottero, Casablanca.

Budget furniture deals High-end or low-end, every furniture store is offering deals. The sale at Cort Clearance Center (8925 Lyndale Av. S., Bloomington, 952-884-5622) fits the bill for budget furnishings Friday and Saturday. During its total liquidation of pre-leased furniture, the deals include lamps, nightstands and queen headboards for $9 (regularly $49 to $89), occasional chairs $29 (regularly $269), five-piece dinettes $89 (regularly $259), and two end tables and a coffee table for $89 (regularly $249). Need an entire apartment furnished on the cheap? Pay $999 for a sofa, chair, coffee table, two end tables and lamps, queen bed and mattress, dresser, mirror, and two nightstands and lamps.

Comcast deals If you're a Comcast cable customer with a digital cable box, you'll get free HBO and Cinemax from 6 a.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Monday. It seems as if it's been years since Comcast has offered a free weekend of premium channels. Here's a tip if you like getting premium channels for less. Call Comcast occasionally and ask for premium channel specials. Currently I'm paying $10 per month for Starz and HBO. Currently, Comcast customers without a premium channel can get HBO for $5 a month for up to six months. The specials usually last three to six months. I make a note on the calendar when the promo ends, so I can call to cancel before the rate increases. Another recent unadvertised special is Comcast's digital telephone service for $15 per month for 12 months plus $3.50 per month for the modem rental for current customers. The service includes nearly a dozen calling features including voice mail and call waiting. You can also keep your same phone number. After a year, the same service is $40 to $45 per month depending on if you have other services with Comcast. At that point I'll ask about extending the deal with Comcast or consider a return to Qwest. Comcast's deal is good through the end of the month.

Time for Father's Day Discount 70 (4027 Central Av. NE., Columbia Heights, 763-781-8922) will discount its selection of men's watches 50 percent Friday through Father's Day. One excellent bargain is the Invicta stainless steel Pro Diver 43. The MSRP is about $370, but the outlet's price is $90 after the discounts. Online, the lowest price I found was $138. Discount 70 has about 100 of the Invicta model and other brands including Kenneth Cole, Nike, Bulova and Tommy Bahama.

John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 or jewoldt@startribune.com. If you spot a deal, share it at www.startribune.com/blogs/dealspotter.