Frugal Family: Free Citizens Police Academy Offered

We're all watching our family budgets these days. Whether shopping with coupons or looking for two-for-one deals, we're taking advantage of all sorts of offers and savings that help us stretch our dollars.

This column is dedicated to giving you five great local deals each week that will help your family’s bottom line. Since we do the scouting for you, you can save time as well as money.

You are a big part of this column. Let us hear about the deals you've seen. Just add them to our comment box. Then come back each week and see what we've uncovered together.  

Remember: You also can help military families overseas with your expired coupons through Coupon Mom's Military Coupon Program.  

1. Free Police Instruction for Hiram Residents

Deal: The Hiram Police Department is accepting applications for the free 2011 Citizen's Police Academy by 5 p.m. Thursday. Classes will begin on Sept. 15 for eight consecutive Thursdays from 6:30 to 9 p.m. There also will be a Saturday class from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Hiram Police Department’s “Citizen’s Police Academy” is open to those who live or work in the city of Hiram who are above 21. The free course covers the day-to-day operations in the police department as well as investigations, crime scene processing, defense tactics, firearms, crime prevention and many other interesting topics of “police work."

Note: A criminal background check will be conducted on applicants, and the police department reserves the right to deny enrollment to those with a criminal history.

Location:

Cost: Free. 

Contacts: Jason James, 770-943-3087, extension 208 or email at jjames@hiram-ga.gov.

2. Free Chick-fil-A Breakfast Items

Deal: You have the opportunity to sign up to receive free breakfast items from Chick-fil-A. Reservations may be made for pick up from Sept. 6-10, choosing your restaurant location, date, timeframe and breakfast item.

Local Locations: 4236 Jimmy Lee Smith Parkway near Ga. 92, Hiram, or 300 Charlie Watts Drive near intersection of U.S. 278 and Ga. 61, Dallas.

Cost: Free.

3. Free Fireworks Show

Deal: Postponed due to a rainout on the Fourth of July, the City of Douglasville fireworks show will take place as soon as it turns dark on Saturday. The launching site will be the West Pines Golf Course next to Walmart.

Hours: Around 9 p.m., Saturday.

Location: Best viewing sites will be from the parking lots of Walmart / Sam's Club, 7001 Concourse Parkway at Interstate 20, or across the interstate at Arbor Place Mall on Douglas Boulevard.

Contact: Douglasville Welcome Center, 770-920-3007.

4. Free Labor Day Parade, Festival

Deal: The City of Douglasville also will host a free Labor Day parade on Monday along Church Street in the downtown district. Then barbecue will be served at noon at Hunter Memorial Park—a part of the festival sponsored by the Masonic Lodge and the Sweetwater Shrine Club.

Hours: 10 a.m. Monday for the parade; noon for the barbecue

Location: Hunter Memorial Park, 8830 Gurley Road, Douglasville.

Contacts: Joe Miller at 770-231-3546 or Richard Tracy at 770-733-2526.

5. SouthernSavers.com Couponing Class Coming to Villa Rica 

Deal: SouthernSavers.com is coming to Villa Rica in September. Learn how to use coupons to save hundreds of dollars a month on all of your grocery, household and personal care items. Basic and advanced topics will include:

• Gathering and organizing coupons. 
• Using online resources to find your own deals.
• Effectively using coupons—more than just clipping and using them.
• Detailed instructions for using coupons at drugstores.

Each participant will receive a detailed guidebook to keep. You can register online here. 

Hours: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Sept. 10. 

Location: Midway Church, 3915 Carrollton Villa Rica Highway, Villa Rica. 

Cost: $10 per person and payable at the door by either cash or check.