Season heats up deals on garden accessories Churches, garage salers and gardeners everywhere seem to be saying, "Let's put on a plant sale!" While they are ubiquitous, big sales on new lawn and garden accessories this early in the season are as rare as yellow peonies. I know of only one remaining sample sale. Jan and Heather, sales reps for lawn and garden items, will sell limited quantities of new arbors ($65 or $125, regularly $300), 48-inch trellises ($10), pottery and statuary ($10 to $65), 5- and 6-foot-tall obelisks ($15 to $30), plus garden hooks for hanging baskets in the ground ($10). Other items include wire urns, topiary pillars and moss baskets discounted 50 to 70 percent. They couldn't resist adding a few plants, too, including somewhat rare fern peonies ($30). The blooms look like standard peonies, but the stems are delicate and wispy like asparagus fern fronds. Hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in Jan's back yard at 330 8th Av. N., Hopkins.
Save on satellite radio Minnesotans might be uncomfortable with hard-core haggling, but my recent experience with a renewal of SiriusXM satellite car radio was painless. The regular-price is $165 per year, but I successfully got a discounted rate of $77 per year ($89 with tax). When I called 1-800-967-2346 to renew, the customer-service rep wouldn't budge on price, so I asked to be transferred to an account retention supervisor, who immediately offered me the lower rate.
The deal includes automatic renewal (at the standard rate, of course), so make a note to call in advance of your renewal rate or you'll pay more. (Florida's attorney general recently took action against SiriusXM for consumer complaints about automatic renewal and billing practices.) If you're a hard-core subscriber, consider a lifetime subscription. The best deal I was offered was $400 (regularly $500), but I didn't bite. That includes up to three transfers of service when you buy a different vehicle, with a $75 fee each time.
Help someone find a job In a May 9 column called "Donated clothing helps low-income job seekers" (www.startribune.com/dollars), I mentioned five charities that help low-income men and women obtain clothing for interviews and jobs. Here's one I missed: Dress for Success (www.dressforsuccess.org/twincities, 612-839-8329) accepts dropoffs at all Edina Realty locations. If you're cleaning out your closet and have interview-quality clothing to donate, check it out.
John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 or jewoldt@startribune.com. If you spot a deal, share it at www.startribune.com/blogs/dealspotter.
