Friday, April 30, 2010

Friday Follow


 Are you looking for new blogs to follow or read? Here is a list to help you find a few. It's a blog hop party!!!


Here's how YOU can join the Friday Follow celebration:

--Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below. Only need to add on one blog to be seen on all the blog hops.

--Grab the Friday Follow button and include on your Friday Follow blog post.

--Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots.

--Follow as many other blogs on the linky as you'd like.

--Take a moment to comment on the blogs telling them you're from Friday Follow.

--Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Giveaway: Kidorable Umbrella

One person will win their choice of Kidorable Umbrella by entering at My life with rats and more...

I asked my 4 year old and he said this Space Hero Umbrella was the best one but they have so many cute choices. So, enter now and you could win!

No more texting and driving!

Get a free pair of thumb socks here. Keep them in your glove compartment and put them on when you feel the urge to text. Give them to a friend. According to dosomething.org, car crashes are the number one killer of teens and texting makes a driver 4 times more likely to cause a crash! Order your thumb socks today and save a life or two.

Thanks, Coupon Pro!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Giveaway: Guidecraft Art Table

Remember I told you to be ready for this giveaway? Well, it's time! Enter to win on The Ethertons blog! You have until May 31st to enter.

Good luck!!

Giveaway: Peak Jump Starter

The B Keeps Us Honest has a great giveaway going on right now. Two people will win a 450 Amp Peak Jump Starter with Air Compressor! Let me tell you how badly I need one of these. My dad gave me a 99 Ford Contour so I could get out of the $450/month car payment I had. I love my car but I am notorious for leaving my lights on and this car doesn't have any notification or auto shut off for the lights. I have had to call my husband twice to come home from work and had some great people jump my car at church for this reason. I've only had the car 6 months.

You can enter a number of ways until May 18th using the link above.

Good luck!

Lots of Changes!

Be patient with any changes you see in the blog layout. I am teaching myself html and basic web design skills so I can make this blog exactly what I see in my head! I have big plans so with that, come big changes. A dear friend made me a logo so soon Mom Loves Deals will become a noticeable brand! Thanks for sticking with me, sharing the blog with your friends, and as always, sharing any ideas you may have for bettering our blogosphere!!

New Coupons for Organic Products!!

I have said so many times that you can still use coupons and buy organic. Earth Fare grocery store now has a coupon section of their website! While there are no Earth Fare grocery stores in Florida, all of the coupons on their website are manufacturer coupons so you can use them anywhere!! You can also print them as many times as you like.

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!!

Coupons from Publix.com

Did you know you can now print coupons from the Publix website? It's true! A wonderful friend pointed it out to me and I'm excited! Publix has partnered with coupons.com to save us even more money. I checked and the coupons are different than if you go directly to coupons.com! They are all manufacturer coupons, too, so you could really use them anywhere (but I don't know why you'd want to shop anywhere else.) Remember, you can print two of each coupon by hitting the back button after the first one prints.

Thanks, A!

Free Pull-Ups sample

Get a two free Pull-ups from Costco. You do not have to be a member to request their samples.

Thanks, Freebies 4 Mom!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

50 Follower Giveaway!!!

It's here! Thank you to everyone who is following the blog. It really is important in the blogging world.

Now for the details. One of you will win this adorable child's apron! You can see more of the apron on Etsy. I want to say a huge thank you to Gracey May for sponsoring my first ever giveaway!!! She is a very creative wonderful lady who makes sweet simple designs for everyone. She is a wife, mom of two adorable girls, and loves using the skill her grandmother taught her to create modern items with a vintage feel.

To enter, please visit Gracey May on Etsy and choose your favorite item. Then, fill out this form by Tuesday, May 2nd at 11:59 pm. I will post the winner on May 3rd!

Coupons are easy and save you money!


Tomorrow! Baskin Robbins 31-Cent Scoop Night

Stop by your local Baskin Robbins tomorrow night from 5pm-10pm for 31-Cent Scoop Night. You can get up to 3 scoops of ice cream per person and pay just 31 cents per scoop!

The Dunkin Donuts and Baskin Robbins Community Foundation donates $100,000 each year to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation during this event. This cause is very important to me because my brother is a firefighter. Most people do not realize how much our nation's firefighters do and see every single day without complaint or tears. Being a firefighter is not just a job, it is a way of life. They put their hearts, souls, and bodies on the line to keep us safe. Their families, problems, and sleep are pushed aside so they can focus 100% on the 24 hours in front of them. Buying ice cream is a very simple way to honor the men and women who give so much for so little in return. Next time you see a firefighter, say thank you.

Parents Say...

We all know kids say the darndest things but as a parent, we also find ourselves saying things we never ever imagined would need to come out of our mouths. I got this idea from Rediscovering Domesticity and decided to post my own list.

These are things I have actually said and most of them were pretty recent.

"No, you don't need to smell your brother's poop because I am sure it's poop." (to my 4 year old)

"Get off your brother, he does not like when you sit on his head." (to my 4 year old)

"Do not bite that lady's leg! She is not food!"
(to my 17 month old)

"Please don't lick the window. I will give you a wet paper towel to clean it because spit doesn't really clean." (to both of them)

"Stop putting cars in the fish tank. Fish don't drive." (to both of them at one time or another)

"Poop or pee?" (I ask my 4 year old this daily. He now asks me when we are in public restrooms. It is now a habit even though I really don't care anymore, haha.) 

"Do not whack him with that carrot! Carrots are not swords." (to my 4 year old, I have also said that sentence about celery and french fries.)


What have you said to your kids that made you wish for adult conversation?

Win a Jumpolene Bounce House!

The Ethertons is a great blog to follow. They have great giveaways and sweet posts about their family. Right now, you can enter to win a Hayneedle Jumpolene Bounce House! You have until May 28th to enter.

And don't forget to follow the blog so you can enter to win a Guidecraft Art Table, too!

Free CFL Lightbulbs

Participate in the Free Lightbulb Initiative and get two free CFL lightbulbs, shipping included!

Thanks, Deal Wise Mommy!

Monday, April 26, 2010

Eating vs. Eating Well

I want to start off by saying I do not want to offend anyone or make anyone think I have all the answers. I don't. I just want to share what I know, what I've learned, and the changes we have made over the last few months. Also, I have a degree in Literature and spent four years of my life writing multiple 10+ page opinion papers every week. I did edit myself as I was writing this, I just have alot to say.

I have learned that there is a difference between feeding my family and feeding my family well. As I have said before, in our 4.5 years of marriage, we have had some very hard financial times. Some of those times were our own fault and some were put on us by God to teach us how to do things His way. Either way, food has always been on the forefront our minds. When we couldn't pay our bills on time (or at all), we would spend what money we had on food we couldn't afford. We have had to stand in line at a local food bank for two bags of groceries. We used credits cards to buy $200 a week in groceries with no regard to price. We ate during those times. Sometimes it was hot dogs and rice, other times it was steak and shrimp. We were always fed and have never actually gone hungry. We may not have liked what we had, but our bellies were full. We were never quite content with our eating habits but as long as we ate, we weren't too concerned with quality.

Since we have learned how to manage our money, we are paying closer attention to what we eat. Using coupons has been a huge factor because I have to take a few extra seconds to look at cost and quantity so now I also notice ingredients and quality. In my quest to save money, I have looked into other options for produce and meat since they have been the majority of our food budget. There really isn't a clear cut, sure fire way to save money on fresh food at the grocery store. So, I looked outside of the store's walls to see what other options we may have. In doing so, I was inundated with what I call neon signs from God.

  • One of my guilty pleasures is The Ellen DeGeneres Show. On March 10, 2010, Jonathan Safran Foer was the main guest on her show. Ellen is on at 3pm, a time when my husband is normally at work, on this day, he was home. He was busy doing something, but when this man started talking, my husband stopped and sat down. It created a conversation, as Foer says, in our home. See the interview here.
  • After posting something on Facebook about us wanting to change our eating habits, a friend told me about a local food co-op. I had looked into buying directly from farmers in the past but, honestly, to create a co-op is alot of work and I just dropped the ball. 
  • At the co-op, I saw our pastor's wife and started talking to her about wanting to eat better and she asked if we had seen the movie Food, Inc.
  • After watching that movie, our hearts and minds were changed. 
The journey of eating well is, like I said, a new endeavor. Further on in Foer's interview with Ellen (I couldn't find the whole interview, the second part is reader's testimonies), he said it's not about becoming a vegan overnight, it's about being more conscious and knowing what we are eating. We can make small changes to better our health and the environment. Be more thoughtful about the "meals that don't matter."

I have been very vocal about what is on my heart and the number one question people are asking is "How do you eat well and stay within your budget?" For us, our number one concern is meat and meat by-products. I believe we were created to eat meat. "Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Genesis 9:3 I do not believe we were created to eat meat farmed in factories. With knowledge, we were able to talk about our priorities. Eating well has become a priority but since we do have limited income, we have to set limits. Meat (and milk, eggs, and cheese) is first, produce is second, and everything else comes after that. If I can't find meat we can afford that week, I get creative and we eat more meat-free meals. Surprisingly, it really doesn't hurt anyone! I used to try to cook one meat-free meal a week but my husband said he HAD to eat meat. Once he learned about the factory farm industry, he didn't need meat so much anymore. It's amazing what education can do to your mind and stomach!

You can still shop with coupons and buy things on sale. Publix carries hundreds, if not more, of organic products, including meat. They also have coupons available for most of those things, just like every other item in the store. Whole Foods Market has a coupon policy similar to Publix and has store coupons online and in store. Mambosprouts.com is a great resource for organic coupons. But again, just like any product, get on the mailing list of brands you like. All of the tips I listed here still apply. You may not save as much as you would if you weren't shopping thoughtfully because healthy foods do cost more, but set a budget and decide what is important. Making small changes will create big results.

Knowledge is key when eating well. We have a town farmer's market but I learned that the people who sell produce there are not actually farmers. They just drive to Publix's distribution center and buy their produce in bulk. It is cheaper than in the store but it's not organic and it's not locally grown. Ask questions. Do research. Learn what your body needs and doesn't need. Discover companies or individuals that do business in way that makes you proud to buy their products. Be vocal and you will find you are not the only one concerned with feeding your family well!

I am very passionate about this and would love to get a conversation started. I want to address any questions you may have so please comment!

Free Ovulation and Pregnancy Tests


Sacred Heart Mission, a not-for-profit organization has a great freebie available. You can get any combination of 10 ovulation and pregnancy tests for free. They are the strips (no hard case around it) but work just the same as the over the counter tests.

Thanks, Deal Wise Mommy!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Upcoming Giveaway for Guidecraft Art Table

Laura at The Ethertons Blog is giving away a $220 Guidecraft Art Table in honor of her baby boy Shane's 2nd birthday. The giveaway will begin on April 28th so follow her now so you can be ready!!

Remember, if you don't enter, you won't win!

Go away sickness!

For the past two weeks, we have been passing a nasty cold back and forth in this house so my posts have been sporadic. I apologize! Hopefully, we well all be well this week (after I fight off the crud I have brewing).

Deal Seeking Mom has this week's drugstore deals posted so that should keep you busy for a few days. :)

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Seventh Generation Moneymaker

Seventh Generation products are on sale at Target through Saturday. Dish Soap is $2.49 and the All Purpose Cleaner is $2.69.

  • Buy 3 products
  • Use $3 worth coupons found here ($2/2 and $1/1) (Manufacturer)
  • Use 2 $1 off coupons here (Target)
  • Use $1 manufacturer coupon found in many Sunday papers and included in any samples previously requested
  • Pay $1.47 - $2.07 ($.49-$.69 each!)
  • Submit your receipt for $5 rebate I told you about here (The rebate is over but if you already have it printed, you can still submit it until June 30.) 
  • $3.53 - $2.93 MONEYMAKER!

Get your daily vote in!

Vote for Mom Loves Deals! We are moving up. We were 1500 but are around 500 now, haha!

Mother's Day Gift Giving Guide

Tip Junkie has created the 2010 Mother's Day Gift Guide. It's a list of 69 beautiful handmade gifts that would be perfect for any mom! The best part is they are all made by moms so they support these talented Mom-preneurs. You can also to win something from the list!

Looking for Blog Giveaways to Enter?

Check out A Mama Stork Knows! She updates her blog daily with posts about great new giveaways from across the blogosphere!

Keep me posted on what you win!!

$30 worth of P&G coupons!

Every few months, Procter and Gamble put out the Home Made Simple mailer with lots of great coupons for cleaning products. They did it again so get yours now. They usually don't last long!

Free Collage from Sears Photo

Get a free Tender Moments collage with no session fees through August 1st! I am assuming this means you can get your picture taken and get this collage for free. If I had a Sears close to me, I'd get one!

Thanks, Who Said Nothing in Life is Free???

Nescafe Tasters Program

If you love coffee, join the Nescafe Taster's Choice Tasters. You'll get free samples and be the first to know about new promotions. My husband is somewhat of a coffee snob but he says this brand of instant coffee is "decent." I like it and really love having it on hand to add to hot cocoa mix for my own mocha creation!

Free Gillette Razor!

Become a fan of Gillette today because they are giving away 1,000 free samples of the new Fusion ProGlide razor everyday for the next 10 days. Today's giveaway is happening soon!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Free Publix magazines

If you are looking for more Publix coupons, sign up for one (or all) of their free magazines here. All of these quarterly publications have helpful articles and coupons!

Free sample of Organyc Products

Organyc is offering a $1 off coupon and a sample pack of their feminine hygiene products made from organic cotton.These products are available at Target and CVS, among other retailers.

Thanks, Deal Wise Mommy!

BOGO coupons

There are two great coupons available right now. Print them NOW because these never last long.

  • Classico Pasta Sauce - Buy one white sauce, get a red sauce free. It's confirmed that using zip code 75204 works. You can print two buy using the back button on your browser.
  • Lay's Kettle Cooked Chips - Become a fan of BeSnackReady on Facebook to get this BOGO coupon. 

Thanks, Who Said Nothing in Life is Free?? and Deal Seeking Mom.

iPhone Grocery App

If you have an iPhone, (I do not so if I get the lingo wrong, I apologize) ZipList Blog has created an app to help you save time and money at the grocery. The ZipList iPhone App can create shopping lists, stores your favorite items by barcode, find recipes, and interact with Facebook and Twitter. If you have an iPhone and use this app, let us know how you like it!

Monday, April 19, 2010

Vote for this blog!




Go here to vote for Mom Loves Deals! You can vote once every day. Thanks!

Win a Soda Stream Machine!

Amanda T. at My Life with Rats and more... has a giveaway going on right now for a Soda Stream Machine. I have wanted to try this for a few months since my husband drinks soda like water. I actually think he drinks more Coke than water! If we could make something similar at home, I would be so happy! Enter this giveaway or one of her other five current giveaways.

Winning is easy!

I am going to remind you again, if you don't enter (contests, sweepstakes, giveaways, ect), you won't win. It's one of my many mantras. I enter for everything I think I might want.
Here is what I have won since November: 

  • $100 gift card to Newport News (Redbook magazine)
  • $10 Best Buy gift card (My Coke Rewards instant win)
  • $15 Best Buy gift card (My Coke Rewards instant win)
  • DJ Hero game which I sold on Craig's List for $60 (My Coke Rewards instant win)
  • $10 Home Depot gift card (Wendy's instant win)
  • $10 Restaurants.com e-gift card (restaurant.com instant win)
  • 16x20 photo poster (Snapfish.com instant win)
  • $25 Starbucks gift card (Huggies instant win)
  • Etre Cow book (Bok Choy Bohemia blog)
That is about $260 worth of stuff for almost no work.
I got an email this morning that I won this giveaway, too. That's another $23!
  • For me, saving money is a part time job and part of that includes entering to win reputable contests. It just adds to my weekly savings total. It easier to just pay full price but you get less for your money.
  • I only enter through blogs that I trust and companies I already know. If a contest or sweepstakes asks you for bank information or to "complete an offer," it's a scam and do not do it!
Here are two places to start. 

Giveaways on Blogs

Daily Sweepstakes

I enter everything I can every day. I have a folder in my bookmarks called "Daily Win" and once a day, I enter them all. Redbook Magazine and My Coke Rewards have ongoing instant win and sweepstakes all the time. (Go here to learn how to play the My Coke Rewards games without using any Coke points.)

Start entering and tell me what you win!

Cloth Diaper Giveaway

Mommy Saves Money reviewed an Offspring Cloth Diaper is now giving one away! I just got my first order of BumGenius diapers in the mail today so I am really excited about my journey into cloth diapering. There are a bunch of ways to enter so you should be able to enter at least once. Even if you don't have any kids in diapers (or even any kids), this would be a great baby shower gift. Or you could give it to me. (Kidding!)

Sunday, April 18, 2010

DIY Tights

If any of you have teenage daughters, this is the perfect craft/accessory for them and it's cheap which is great for you! They are super cute and if I can ever decide what I wanted to paint on them, I might make some...

Go here for the how-to. The blog is published in Denmark but scroll down for English.

Thanks, Sailor Wifey!

Win a beautiful magnetic necklace

Enter today for a chance to win this beautiful necklace from Westervin! When you enter, please comment that you read about the giveaway on Mom Loves Deals.

Good luck!

Tons of Giveaways!

Go here for Deal Seeking Mom's huge list of blog giveaways going on this week.

Also, remember to become a fan of Mom Loves Deals so I can have great giveaways for you, too!!

Coupons in the Newspaper

I just discovered that with my paid subscription to the Orlando Sentinel (I only have it delivered on Sundays for the coupons), I am entitled to get El Sentinel for free on Saturdays. El Sentinel is the Sentinel's Spanish newspaper but it contains coupons just like the regular Sunday paper! This is not something they advertise and you will have to ask for it to be added to your subscription. I just emailed circulation and they updated my delivery schedule. Again, this extra newspaper with an extra set of coupons is FREE! I have been buying another newspaper each week so I wish I would have called sooner.

If you do not live in Central Florida, it wouldn't hurt to ask your local newspaper if they do something similar. For about $1 a week, I save about $80 a week!!!

Drugstore deals

Remember to get your Sunday paper today if you don't have it delivered.

Deal Seeking Mom has the coupon match up for CVS and Walgreens posted for this week. (She has the match ups for Rite Aid, too, if you have one in your area.) Highlights include free Kotex and Colgate at Walgreens and free Thermacare wraps and Rimmel Cosmetics at CVS.

Coupon Cravings also has the match ups for the best deals available.

Free Green Bag at Target

Stop by your local Target TODAY for a free reusable bag. If you can't get to the store today, mail 5 plastic bags to:

Terracycle
121 New York Avenue
Trenton, NJ 08638

They will send you a $1 off coupon to get a free bag in store. 

Thanks, Southern Savers!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Coupon Etiquette

Everyone loves to save money and using coupons is an easy way to make that happen. (Read my first post in the Couponing 101 series here.) Some people, however, do not appreciate our desire to get the most for our money.

  • Be polite. Obviously, you do not want to make enemies or cause a scene but you do need to inform anyone who comes in line behind you that you have coupons which will make your transaction a little longer than normal. Give them the option to choose a new checkout line. Also, if they only have a few items, offer to let them go ahead of you.
  • Organize your coupons for the cashier. I asked a few cashiers at Publix what I could to help them and across the board, they appreciate if we sort the coupons before handing them the pile.
    • Any items you will be getting for free (coupons that specify a buy one, get one item or a free product coupon) should be put on the conveyor last and those coupons handed over first so the cashier can find the price quickly on their screen. 
    • Store coupons and competitor coupons should be separate even if you are stacking them (using a store coupon with a competitor coupon on the same item.)
  •  If your coupon is denied, stay calm and be nice. You will catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. If you know you are following the store's coupon policy, politely ask for a manager. 9 times out of 10, the cashier is uninformed and the manger will let you use the coupon. If the manager says no, ask for a copy of the coupon policy and tell them you do not want that item at this time. Make sure you get your coupon back, too. When you get home, email corporate and ask them to clarify the coupon policy. Explain why you think your coupon should have be accepted. Most of the time, they will call you or the store and fix the issue promptly. 
Have you ever had a particularity great or poor experience using coupons?

Friday, April 16, 2010

Free National Park Admission

April 17th - April 25th is National Park Week. So, to celebrate, you can go to any of our nation's 392 National Parks for free! Find a park near you here.

Thanks, Fiddledeedee!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

I won!

I have been entering giveaways on blogs for months (scroll down to see my list of 'Blogs I Love' on the right hand side) and I finally won something! I'm so excited! I won the book Etre the Cow by Sean Kenniff from Bok Choy Bohemia. I win stuff from instant win games and sweepstakes I post about but I never won anything from a blog giveaway before.

It's actually quite hilarious how I found the blog. I bought some bok choy from the local co-op because my husband was walking around the house one day saying, "Bok CHOOOOY!" When I saw it on the co-op order form, I wanted to try it. I picked up my food yesterday and realized I had no idea how to cook bok choy nor had I ever eaten it. So, I did what any sensible woman would do. I Googled bok choy. From there, I found the blog and really loved the content. So, I bookmarked the blog, entered the contest, and now I get to read a new book!

What did I end up making with the bok choy?
Bok Choy and Tofu Lo Mein!
I don't follow recipes but it's lo mein noodles with tofu, bok choy, toasted almonds, onion, yellow squash, and mushrooms. I seasoned it with soy sauce, ginger, Mrs. Dash Garlic Pepper, and red wine vinegar. It was delicious!!! I will be buying bok choy again. :)

Fast Fixin' Product Giveaway

Become a fan of Fast Fixin' on Facebook and if they reach 15,000 fans by 4/15/10 at midnight, they will give away 100 coupons for a free Fast Fixin' product. These are BOGO at Publix often so, if you when, you could get $16 worth of chicken nuggets for free! My boys love these!

$5 VeggieTales DVDs with CD

The VeggieTales Store has 7 DVD titles on sale for $5. They all come with a music CD, too! If you spend over $40, you can use code SHIP225. 

Also, make sure you get your free DVD when you sign up for the newsletter!



Freebies from Moms by Heart

Go here for a huge list of freebies by mail, in store, and free events. You don't want to miss any of them!

Earth Day - $1 Computer Ink!

Be on the lookout for a coupon in next week's Walgreens insert. April 22nd only, you will be able to refill your old printer cartridges for only $1!!! I'm excited about this because we go through alot of ink because I print coupons. I don't usually like the quality of refilled ink cartridges but for coupon printing, it works perfectly fine. Here is a list of what brands they can refill.

Thanks, Moms By Heart!

More Photo Deals

See Here is cranking these out this week!

  • Get 50% off AND free shipping on any photo book using code mombook. They have a bunch to choose from! Code expires 4/20/10.
  • Don't forget! TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to get 50% off all photo magnets.
Kodak Gallery also has some good deals for Mother's Day.
  • Get 25% off all gifts and cards with a $25 purchase using code LOVE4MOM. This includes fine jewelry, as well!
  • 5x7 Photo Card for $.99 shipped using code MOM4MOM. 

New Publix Giveaway

Go here to enter the Campbell's $80,000 Grocery Giveaway. There are four Grand Prizes of $10,000 cash and a $5,000 Publix gift card and 200 First Place Prizes of $100 Publix gift card. I want to win!

Remember, you won't win if you don't enter!

Thanks, Friend Family Fun!

20% off entire purchase at Hollister

If you sign up for HCo. Email, they will email you the link to a printable coupon good for 20% off your entire purchase.

Thanks, Coupon Pro!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Walgreens Deals

There are a bunch of great deals at Walgreens this week!

To learn more about how register rewards work, check out this link.

Have a great trip!

Monday, April 12, 2010

Free Philosophy Miracle Worker sample

Go here to get a free sample via Facebook. You don't have to become a fan but you do need to allow the application access.

Thanks, Freebies 4 Mom!

Frito Lay Samples

Sign up for Frito Lay's Be Snack Ready website and they will send you free samples and coupons of Frito Lay products. It seems you have to say that you shop at Walmart to gain access to the site. I said I shopped there once a month and it let me register.

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

Free Sample of Dove Conditioner

Shelley's Swag found a new free sample of Dove Daily Treatment Conditioner here.

You can also enter the Glee for All Instant Win Sweepstakes. You can win Dove products, Glee Season 1 DVDs, or iTunes Season Passes.

$50 Chili's Gift Card!

Enter here to win a $50 Chili's Gift Card. The giveaway is over on Friday so make sure you enter now.

Thanks, Friend Family Fun!

Magazine subscriptions - $4.99 or less!

Deal Seeking Mom found a bunch of great deals on 1-year magazine subscriptions including Shape for $1.49, Working Mother for $2.99, and Motor Trend for $3.49. Check out the list for 13 more great deals!

Drugstore and Target deals

Here is a great list of all the best deals at CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid (if you have one near you), and Target this week. 

Also, go here for a deal scenario to get Special K granola for $.39!

Thanks, Friend Family Fun and Coupon Pro!

Oops!

With all these great photo deals and freebies, sometimes it's hard to keep track of which will be mailed to you and which you have to pick up from CVS, Target, or Walgreens. I just got back from Walgreens to get my free 8x10 from Friday and they handed me two packages. Apparently, I ordered a free photo collage in November and forgot to pick it up! I'm kind of surprised that they didn't either call me incessantly or throw it away. I'm glad they still had it because it's pictures from my kids birthday party!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

New at Target

New at Target is a new section of the Target website. They offer coupons, free samples, and information about sales. Right now you can get a free sample of L'Oreal EverStrong Shampoo, lots of coupons, or pre-order Avatar! I love it!

101 Goals in 1001 Days

I love this concept! Mommy Saves Money shared her list on Wednesday and I've been thinking about what would be on my list.

101 Goals in 1001 Days is a great place to start to create your list of 101 goals. Think about how accomplished we'd all feel if we did 101 things we've wanted to do by January 2013! Step 1 is to Brainstorm Your Goals and you can use this Goal Generator Form to help you get going. Watch for my list soon...

Free Photo Card for Mother's Day

You can get a free photo card from Kodak using code MOM4MOM. I don't know when this code expires so make sure you do it soon. (Mother's Day is May 9th.) You will pay $.99 shipping. Not bad for a customized card! If you need more than one, the second card is $1.49 and shipping for both cards together is only $1.05. For under $3, you can get two photo cards for under $2.50!

Thanks, Moms by Heart!

Free Mac and Cheese

Become a Facebook fan of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and you can get a free box or cup of one of three new Explosion products. My boys would live on this, if possible, so I am very excited about getting this coupon!

Friday, April 9, 2010

Wii 15 piece attachment kit -$12.54

Do you have a Wii? The 15-in-1 Family Pack is more than half price at Amazon.com! You can get 15 attachments for just $12.54 right now and free shipping using Amazon Prime.

Thanks, Friend Family Fun!

10 accessories you can make

This is a fabulous list of the 10 Most Incredible Recycled Fashion Accessories. Most of them wouldn't be too hard to make and I even made my own tie skirt when I was in high school. And I can't even sew! I have a friend who makes purses out of Capri Sun wrappers and another friend who has made her own flip flops.

What would you make?

Everyone Should Use Coupons

I LOVE this article by Money Saving Mom. She addressed the top three excuses people have for not using coupons. I hear these all the time but they are just excuses, not truth!

Photo Deals

    • TODAY ONLY - Use code BIG8X10 for a free 8x10. Pick it up in store so you don't have to pay shipping and it will be completely free!
    • Thanks, Freebies 4 Mom!
  •  SeeHere
    •  50% off Photo Magnets, use code magnet-14.
    • Free shipping!
    • Expires 4/14/10.
    • A 4x6 will be $3.00 shipped and a 3x4 will be $2.49 shipped!
    • I just tried this code with two magnets and it took 50% off both! I am getting two magnets for under $5. 

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Craft Day!

Today, the boys and I had a craft day. I have been very inspired lately by Dollar Store Crafts. I am a Facebook fan and follow using Google Reader so every day I have seen some beautiful creations that I wanted to try. So, today, we did it!

We went to the local Dollar Tree and spent $13 on a whole bag of great inspiration. On Dollar Store Crafts, they talk about about "stashbushing" which is basically making stuff out of what you already have. I don't have much storage and have never really bought stuff thinking I'd use it later for something. I tend to only buy what I will use right now so my stash was limited. I did, however, organize my two small drawers of supplies. I really did have more than I thought, especially glue. Apparently, I planned on gluing alot of stuff. Here is what we made...

This was his first time painting. I gave him cars and he raced them through the paint. 

I am going to glue this to canvas I have and hang it next to a picture the older one painted last year.

He was painting rocks and then painted with the rocks. 

$6 worth of supplies I bought. I made two crafts with this, my son made another craft, and we have stickers leftover.

 I brightened up a cluttered area. I moved the clutter (I still need to find a home for the fish supplies where the kids can't get them) and love the result! (See the painted rocks? I think they add that extra touch of love.)

Cards for the grandparents.

All of our portraits in glitter glue. I want to frame these Andy Warhol style!
I bought the bulletin board for $1, used some of the stickers from my flower jar craft, and stashbusted the rest! 

We live in an apartment and can't paint the walls so I created removable framed wall art! The stickers were $1 and I only used half of the pack (this is two different packs.) The ribbon was from the $1 bin at Michael's about a month ago and I hot glued it to the wall. So, it was about $2 for a nice piece of modern, original art.

What have you made lately?

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

33 Online Freebies

All You Magazine complied a list of over 33 things you can get or do online. You can get free graph paper, books, toys, take language and college classes, and play games. All for free! This is a great list and I was surprised at some of the stuff, like a way to text and take business classes for free!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Free sample of Suave


Target.com is offering a FREE Sample from Suave!

Thanks, Coupon Pro!

$5 off any Universal Blu-Ray

Become a fan of Universal Studios Entertainment on Facebook and you can print a $5 off coupon for any Universal Blu-Ray.

Thanks, Deal Wise Mommy!

ConAgra Foods Rebate

Visit Southern Savers to get all the info on a new rebate from ConAgra Foods (they own 50 brands like Chef Boyardee, Act II, and Hunt's). Spend $10 and they will send you $25 in coupons!

Buy General Mills = free movie tickets!

Save your receipts every time you buy General Mills products because for every 6 participating products you purchase (look for the "Family Movie Night" sticker), General Mills and Publix will give you a $10 movie voucher!! You can claim 5 vouchers per household and the promotion ends 10/31/10 so have plenty of time. Get more information at the Click Call Mail website.

Thank you, I Heart Publix

Free $10 Publix gift card!!

All through the month of April, you will get a $10 Publix gift card when you donate blood at any of the Florida's Blood Centers branch locations (not valid for donations given on the Blood Mobile.) There is an urgent need for ALL blood types right now so please, take an hour out of your day to give back and save money on groceries! Go here for more information.

THANK YOU, I Heart Publix, for this info!

Monday, April 5, 2010

P&G $100 in coupons - RECEIVED

I told you here how to get a Procter and Gamble coupon book with $100 in coupons. They have extended this offer until May 15, 2010! Also, it does say you must spend $50 before taxes and coupons BUT I submitted the rebate form with my three receipts, all clearly showing that I used coupons, and they still gave me the coupon book. If you buy any of these products, this really is an awesome coupon book!

Redbook Magazine Sweepstakes Extravaganza!!

Redbook Magazine has 78 sweepstakes and contests running right now!!! You can win gift cards, vacations, books,jewelry, makeup, shoes, and more! I won a $100 Newport News gift card from Redbook so I know you can win.

When you enter, click the -click here- button under where is says No purchase is necessary to enter. Also, click no for the additional information questions.

Most of these end on April 19th but some are open until April 30th and you can enter once per day for every one of them to increase your chances. (I am picking 15 a day to enter.) They will disappear from the list after they are over.

Remember, you won't win if you don't enter!

Walgreens Moneymaker Rebate

Go here to see how you can make money buying FriXion Pens at Walgreens. I know I'll be buying some because it's definitely time to clean out our pen jar!

Target Deals

Deal Seeking Mom posted 5 of the best deals at Target this week. I personally love the $0.49 Schick razors. Why anyone would pay $6+ for razors is beyond me!

Seventh Generation Moneymaker

Check out the info from Deal Seeking Mom on how to make money at Target buying Seventh Generation products. I have so many of these coupons so I'm excited about actually trying their products for free!

Also, here is a $5 rebate from Seventh Generation if you buy 3 of their products. For those of you who use these diapers, this is an easy way to get $5 back!

Free Sample of Colgate ProClinical

Go here NOW to get your sample. Hurry! You must be one of the first 2,000 people to get a sample of Colgate ProClinical.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

$10 Photo Books

Thanks, Friend Family Fun,  for this heads up!

In honor of Snapfish's 10th birthday, you can get a classic photo book for $10 (normally $19.99) using code APR1BD. This offer is only good until April 7th and you are responsible for shipping.

P&G samples

Become a member of P&G Everyday Solutions (or sign in) for new samples and coupons. You can get a sample of Pantene, Cascade ActionPak, Head and Shoulders, Metamucil and Prilose. 

Free Butterfinger!

Go to Nestle and "file a claim" for a free Butterfinger bar. Do it now because only the first 100,000 people will get the coupon.

$3 off DiGiorno Pizza and Breadsticks

DiGiorno has a new Pizza and Breadsticks combo pack out that is awesome! I tried it at a friends House Party. Walmart is the only place around here that sells it but I braved that horrible store to use the coupons I got from houseparty.com. They are $6.25 normally so with a $3 off coupon, it's worth going to Walmart! For our family of 4, I bought two boxes (1 pizza, 6 breadsticks) and we had almost a whole pizza and about 5 breadsticks leftover for breakfast the next morning.

Become a fan of DiGiorno on Facebook and you can print the coupon. Sounds like pizza this weekend!

Free Photo DVD - only good 4/1!

Ritz Camera and My Show DVD are partnering for TODAY ONLY to offer a 1 minute DVD of up to 50 pictures for free (you pay $1.99 shipping) using code MYSHOW. Choose a theme, title, and music. You will recieve the DVD in about a week. This would be a great inexpensive gift for grandparents! Hurry because this offer expires at 11:59 pm on April 1! Here is all the info.