Wedding Day

Wedding Day
Enjoy EVERY moment in your wedding gown. You can't stay in it forever...SO UNFAIR!!!!

Thursday, June 30, 2011

If I Only Had a Title

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FOOD GIVEAWAYS

(Just a reminder that I post this to my blog, but it is actually a post that I do at the radio station I work at. So some of the info a regular blog reader may read may seem very simple and obvious, but it is not obvious to many of our station's listeners).

One of the ways I like to save money on my food budget is by winning what we eat. This may sound silly, but there are many, many, many blogs out there that are hosting giveaways for different food companies. Here are just a few great examples.

Cocoa Puffs Brownie Crunch Cereal at Musings From a Stay At Home Mom (ends 7/5)


$25 Visa Gift Card Giveaway at "Deal"ectable Mommies (ends 7/10)
- Mind you this is not a food giveaway but you can parlay that $25 gift card into groceries

Frito-Lay Summer Fun Family Pack at Confessions of a Frugal Mind (ends 7/1)
What is better than winning those expensive snack treats?

Bakery On Main box of TrueBars at One Busy Mama (ends 7/1)
These are a great good-for-you snack alternative.

Cocoa Puffs Brownie Crunch prize pack giveaway at Miracle Moms (ends 7/7)
Yes, I already posted a blog that is giving this away, but anyone who enters blog giveaways knows that you should take chances wherever possible, but do be fair. If you win at one, let the other know so someone else has a chance.

$20 Pizza Hut gift card giveaway at Tim and Angi's Blog (ends 7/15)
Yes sometimes you will see giveaways for restaurants. Enter them! We have gotten some great dinners out this way.

Bertoli Taste Of Italy prize pack giveaway at Eighty MPH Mom (ends 7/5)


Community Coffee Around The World Coffee Sampler at Sammy Makes Six (ends 7/9)
I haven't paid for coffee in at least six months thanks to winning coffee in a blog giveaway.

Fiber One 90 Calorie Brownie giveaway at The Mama Report (ends 7/2)


Two Coupons for Free Gorton's Fish products at The Mama Report (ends 7/7) Three winners!

Now how to go about entering these giveaways. Click the link which will take you to the blog hosting that giveaway. Read their review and follow their directions. Some people give you entries if you leave a comment answering a question that may be related to the review. Some may ask you to like them on Facebook. Do what you want to do. You can get extra entries at many of the blogs by following them on facebook, tweeting their giveaway, sharing on facebook and emailing friends about the giveaway. Again do what you want to do.

Some blogs will ask you to leave an email in the body of your comment (not the area where you put your name and email which is unseeen). EVERYONE always suggests you disguise your email which means to do something like this. Here is my radio shine email disguised : kelly(AT)radioshine(DOT)org. By spelling out those symbols, spider programs (they hunt for emails to spam) do not recognize your email as an email. Look at the other entries, and you will know what I mean. I also suggest that you open a special email just for giveaways. This way you know that only giveaway correspondence will go there. Gmail is a great email service that you can sign up for without charge.

Really it is very self explanatory, and it can be quite worth while. It is really kind of exciting getting special deliveries of goodies that you win. Your odds are pretty good too. Another good thing is that you do not give your address for delivery UNTIL you win. So this is not a way to just get addresses for obnoxious mailing lists.



FREEBIES


Kids eat free at Ikea on July 1st through July 4th. Choose one combo meal which are priced at $2.49. It is entirely free for children under the age of 12, and there is no other purchase required. One meal per child. There is an Ikea in Tempe. If you are headed that way, check it out. Details at the link below.

LINK: Kids eat free at Ikea

Blockbuster Express has two more codes floating around for free movie rentals at their store kiosks. These codes expire on July 4th. Give them a try: 26KBDJ5 and 25NCRP6

Follow this link to find a kiosk near you: Blockbuster Express Kiosk

While supplies last, get your hands on a sample of Splenda Essentials which is Splenda sweetener with the addition of vitamins or with antioxidents.

I have no idea how long this will last, but while supplies last you can get a sample of a Salonpas pain relief patch.

LINK: Salonpas Sample

I love getting free samples of laundry detergent. If you haven't signed up for it yet, get your hands on this Purex with Zout sample. It took a while to come in, but I just loved it.

LINK: Purex with Zout

Get a free sample of Hugo Boss cologne by following the link below.


LINK: Hugo Boss Sample

Free CCM has many free Christian music downloads this week. Check out songs by Stephen Cole, VOTA, Addison Road, 33Miles, Stellar Kart and Cloverton.


LINK:
FreeCCM Free Christian Music

iTickets.com has a free sample of Beckah Shae's "For Such A Time As This."

LINK:
iTickets Free Christian Music

RECIPES


Boneless skinless chicken breasts are on sale at both Albertsons and Fry's for $1.67 a pound. I thought I would share some good money saving chicken recipes.

I found a great slow cooker recipe for Chicken and Dumplings. This recipe calls for boneless chicken thighs, but I am substituting the boneless skinless chicken breasts.

Another treat I like to make when I have boneless chicken breasts is BBQ shredded chicken sandwiches. You can do this with any chicken. Just simply put your chicken in the slow cooker and cover with BBQ sauce and cook on low. BBQ sauce is so inexpensive right now this is a really a quick and thrifty meal. Let the chicken cook all day on low and at dinner time simply shred with a fork. You can put the chicken on hamburger buns or even open sandwich style on sliced bread.

Another great recipe is Slow Cooker Italian Chicken. This calls for very few ingredients and tastes really good over rice or pasta. When I bake chicken, I almost always have some left over. One of the things I like to do is make chicken salad.

Since peaches are on sale this week at Fry's, I thought I would look up a peach and chicken salad. I found a great recipe at AllRecipes.com for
Chicken Salad with Peaches and Walnuts. Doesn't that sound amazing?


ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

Take the kids to Michaels today (6/30) from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm for their passport to fun Canada. The kids will make a little moose and maple leaf.

LINK: Passport to Fun Canada

Saturday July 9th your kids can enjoy a new fun activity at Lowe's Build and Grow Clinics. Sign the kids up now, and they can make a cool wooden tow truck. Sign them up for July 23rd as well, because they will learn to make wooden binoculars. These could be great for some fun summer bird watching.

LINK: Lowe's Build and Grow Clinics

GROCERY DEALS

This is just a small sampling of some of the great sales out there. Definitely take advantage of the great fresh fruit sales at Fry's. And don't forget, last week I posted a link for freezer jam, you could put some of those great deals to some yummy jammy use. :)

SAFEWAY

Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce 99 cents each (18 oz)
80% Lean Ground Beef $1.99 pound (today June 30 only)
Flyer Coupons
Hidden Valley Ranch 16 oz salad dressing or Heinz Ketchup 32-36 oz $1.69 (limit 3)
Bush's Grillin' or Baked Beans 21 to 22-oz. Grillin' or 28-oz. Baked 2 for $3.00

FRY'S

Strawberries 16 oz containers 77 cents each
Red Tommy Atkins or Yellow Ataulfa Mangoes 3/$1.00
Roma Tomatoes 77 cents a pound
Peaches, Plums or Nectarines 77 cents a pound
Iceberg, Romaine, Red or Green Leaf Lettuce 96 cents each
Keta Salmon Filets $3.88 pound
Kroger Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast $1.67 pound
Hebrew National Beef Franks (my fave) $1.99 each
Special Buy 10 save $3.00 deals (There are quite a few, but these are the ones I liked. Remember you have to buy 10 participating items to get the deal)
Kool Aid, Country Time Lemonade or Tang 6-8 qt or 10-12 ct packets 99 cents
Banquet Entree 69 cents
Ragu Pasta Sauce 16-26 ounces $1.28
Kraft BBQ Sauce 18 ounce 69 cents

ALBERTSONS

Pork Loin Back Ribs 1/2 free seasoned $6.99 unseasoned $5.99 pound
Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.69 pound
Sweet Corn 8/$1.00
Gallon Milk select varieties $1.79 (limit 2)
Ball Park Meat or Turkey Franks 2/$3.oo


Thursday, June 23, 2011

Ways To Save From Travel To Shopping

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TRAVEL TIPS

Did you know that the lowest airfare ticket prices are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays? Of course they are. Most people like to travel from weekend to weekend. So if you can make arrangements with your employer to start your vacation, you can really save quite a bit.

If you are interested in flying around a certain time, you can use Yapta.com to track your planned ticket purchase and they can let you know if the price goes down or if the price of the ticket you already purchased goes down. It is a great service for free.

Bed and Breakfasts are often less expensive than a hotel or motel. For an extensive selection of B&Bs at your desired destination, log into bnbfinder.com. I love bed and breakfasts. It is always a treat having at least one meal already taken care of when you are on vacation.

If you are interested in roughing it a little bit, check out gocampingamerica.com. I love this site. It has a multitude of listings of great campsites all over the country. You can read reviews and tips and plan the camping trip of your dreams.

LivingSocial.com is a place where you can get local deals for your area or others. Log into other cities to find the deals that you can take advantage of before you head out on your destination. You might be able to cash in on some great savings for a meal, shopping, and even hotel stays. I found great resort deals for as much as 52% off at Living Social Escapes. Check it out.

Money saving tips when on vacation.

-Whether flying or driving bring snacks with you. An airline and airport will charge you way too much for some simple treats, and when on the road you are at the mercy of the local gas stations and quick marts. Shop at home before you head out, pack a cooler, and save up.

-If you are choosing a place to stay, try to find one that has breakfast included and EAT UP!

-Rather than spending money on dinner, do lunch out instead and hit the local grocery store for snackable meals like fruits, crackers and cheese, salami, and nuts. Most hotels will have a refrigerator, and if it was a road trip, you also have your cooler to use. This is not to say that you should not enjoy yourselves when on vacation, but sometimes we choose not to go away, because we think of the overall expenses. If you can find a way to cut some of those expenses, it is well worth it to do so if it means you can get a little time off. We all need to decompress sometimes.

Before you head out check out places like tripadvisor.com where you can get reviews from people who have been where you want to go, and you can find out what to check out and what to avoid.

Don't forget to check out Yelp.com also for more reviews and if you have a smartphone a great app is available for free which can really help you find some eateries and more when in any given location. I have also noticed discounts with some places when you mention finding them through yelp.


FREE ACTIVITIES

Michaels is inviting the kids to enjoy their Passport To Fun. Today from 11 am to 2:00 pm while supplies last, the kids can learn about Germany and handcraft a hat and bell. Of course this is while supplies last.

LINK: Passport To Fun GERMANY


Sign your kids up for this weekend's Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic, and they can make a very patriotic waving flag. On July 9th the kids can make a wooden tow truck. I wish they had things like this when I was a kid.

LINK: Lowe's Build And Grow Clinic



FREEBIES

Jiffy has an updated recipe book called Hospitality in a "Jiffy," and you can get your own copy sent to you just by clicking on the link below.

LINK: Jiffy Recipe Book

Costco Members can sign up for a free sample of Align Probiotic Supplements. You do have to be a member for this one.

LINK: Align Probiotic Sample

Dog owners can sign up for a free sample of Alpo Prime Cuts dog canned dog food from Walmart.com. I noticed that you have to scroll through the different windows before you see the free sample link.

LINK: Alpo Canned Dog Food

If you haven't signed up yet, you can still sign up for FiberChoice. I just received mine in the mail yesterday.

LINK: FiberChoice Sample

Sign up for Emergen-C Blue and get your vitamin C by adding it to a glass of water. This stuff is sooooo yummy, and I love that it is good for you too. Follow the link below which will take you to their page. The free sample link on their page is on the lower left.

LINK: Emergen-C Blue Sample

This is a little item that we always need to have on hand, Lactaid Fast-Act Dietary Supplement.

LINK: Lactaid Fast-Act Dietary Supplement

If you or your loved one has a snoring issue, you might want to take a shot at a free sample of Breathe Right Advanced Nasal Strips. These little gems are available while supplies last.

LINK: Breathe Right Advanced Nasal Strips

Do you know a new parent or are you a new parent? Pass along this link for a free seven month subscription to Parents magazine. This seven month subscription is provided by Huggies.

LINK: Parents Magazine

If you wanted to get your hands on the Forbes magazine subscription via Rewards Gold but haven't gone there yet, here is another chance. Just follow their directions. It shouldn't take much longer than 15 to 20 minutes. Not a bad amount of time for a free subscription.

LINK: Forbes

You may also be interested in the Wall Street Journal. And yep, this is another great opportunity from Rewards Gold.

LINK: Wall Street Journal

Tiny Prints has a fabulous way for you to give your thanks with an Independence Day card to our military men and women. Head on over to their Facebook page for details and directions, and you can set up a very nice thank you card. You do have to enter credit information, but they will not bill you.

LINK: Tiny Prints Independence Day Card

Free CCM has great Christian music downloads from VOTA, Addison Road, 33Miles, Stellar Kart, Chasen, and Cloverton.

LINK: Free Christian Music

iTickets free Christian music download this week is "Dwell" by Aaron Keyes.

LINK: iTickets Free Christian Music

Amazon has some nice Christian book downloads right now that you may like to check out.

Surrender the Heart by MaryLu Tyndall

Her Best Catch by Lindi Peterson

This Fine Life: A Novel by Eva Marie Everson

Journey To The Well by Diana Wallis Taylor

Mind you these are all probably in the romance lane of Christian fiction, but give them a check out. Don't forget that you do not have to own a Kindle to take advantage of Kindle free books. You can download the program for computers, iPads, and smart phones.

RECIPES


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When I saw that peaches were on sale, not only did I swoon, but I began a hunt for some peach recipes.

First I thought about breakfast. One of the things I love for breakfast is homemade muffins. Emeril has an amazing Peach Muffins with a Pecan Crumb topping at Foodnetwork.com. Check it out by clicking on the link below:

LINK: Peach Muffins with Pecan Crumb Topping

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are on sale at Albertsons for $1.67. Combine them with the sweet yellow peaches on sale at Safeway for 88 cents a pound and create Baked Chicken with Peaches. This recipe was a find at AllRecipes.com

LINK: Baked Chicken with Peaches

Raspberries are on sale at Fry's for 98 cents for 6 ounces, lettuce whether green leaf, romaine or red leaf are on sale for $1.o0 a head, Avocados (99 cents) and Mangos ($1.00 each) are on sale at Safeway. Grab a couple of the other ingredients on the list, and enjoy a fabulous Raspberry, Avocado & Mango Salad recipe that I picked up at Everythingantiaging.com.

LINK: Raspberry, Avocado & Mango Salad

OOOOH I almost forgot. My husband sent me a link about making freezer jam from Life Hackers. With all the fabulous fresh summer fruits around, I had to share a link that has amazing recipes. The Life Hackers post talked about Kumiko Mitarai of Serious Eats and all the freezer jam recipes. Since there are so many great sales, I just had to get the whole post to you. The freezer jam recipes included are Raspberry Jam, Strawberry Mint Jam, Peach Mango Ginger Jam, and Tomato Roasted Garlic Jam. Follow the link below to read about the whys and hows of making freezer jam.

LINK: Kumiko Mitari Freezer Jam Recipe Post





SALES

These are the sales that I liked. Obviously this is just a highlight. And don't forget to peruse the manager markdowns that are usually in the back of the store. I have picked up some amazing deals there.

SAFEWAY

Sweet Yellow Peaches 88 cents a pound
Hass Avocados 99 cents each
Kraft SAlad DRessing 14-16 ounces $1.49
Red or Black Plums $1.49 a pound
Jennie-O Turkey Store Lean Ground Turkey 1/1 Free (select varieties)

FRY'S

Raspberries or Blackberries 6 ounces 98 cents
Kroger Cheese - shredded or bar 6-8 oz 2/$3
Foster Farms Chicken 1/1 Free (save up to $5.99)
Kroger canned vegetables 10/$5
Arizona Cantaloupe or honeydew melon 88 cents each
VO5 Shampoo or conditioner 15 oz 87 cents
Navel Oranges 5 pounds for $5
Red, Green or Romaine Lettuce 5/$5

ALBERTSONS

Jumbo Cantaloupe 77 cents each (limit 4)
Coke product 12 packs 4/$8.88 when you spend $25
Ground Chuck 5 pound pack or more $1.99 a pound
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.67 a pound
Pork Loin Half Roast or Rib Half Roast Bone In - sliced free- $1.77 a pound
Honeydew Melons 69 cents a pound
Pork Sirloin Chops Or Roast $1.99 a pound
White Rain Shampoo or Conditioner 12-16 ounce 69 cents
FLYER COUPONS
Old Orchard Cranberry Juice $1.49 (limit 2)
Albertsons Macaroni And Cheese 39 cents (limit 4)
Best Foods MAyonaise $2.99 (limit 2)
Sara Lee Classic White Or Wheat $1.37
Albertsons Brand Cereal 11.8 - 20 ounce 99 cents (limit 4)

Monday, June 20, 2011

Tropical Traditions Coconut Chips Giveaway At Sweeps4Bloggers

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As I have become more health conscious, I have begun to look for better ways to snack. I want a snack that is healthy but also satisfying. I have been off of sugar for a while (except for in the fruit I eat), and I have been completely off of processed foods. Raw nuts have been my staple, but I am really looking to expand. Tropical Traditions may have one of my answers (I already love their coconut peanut butter).

Sweeps4Bloggers did a review and giveaway a while ago about Tropical Traditions Coconut Chips. These are larger than your typical coconut flakes and are apparently a great snack that you can eat on its own or combine with some other treats. And I am going to do my best to win them. You can try too if you'd like. The giveaway is going on until June 23 so there is still time to enter and even grab some extra entries. Click on the link below.

LINK: Tropical Traditions Coconut Chips Giveaway At Sweeps4Bloggers

Marley One Love Coffee Giveaway at Sweeps4Bloggers

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Does coffee make you as giddy as it does me? I literally have been off of coffee for 58 days thanks to a diet. I didn't have to give up coffee, but I had to give up cream and sugar. That is an important part of coffee in my house.

As of Thursday, I will get to indulge in coffee, and I am going to need it too. This weekend our radio station is hosting a golf and walk event, and next weekend our station will be in a parade and my husband and I will be going to the World's Oldest Rodeo here in Prescott. I am going to need the caffeine lovin that I get from my fave hot beverage.

A few weeks ago, I tried to win some Marley Coffee at Sweeps4Bloggers. I didn't win, BUT...there is another chance! That is because Sweeps4Bloggers is hosting another giveaway and this time it is for Marley One Love Coffee. And there will be FIVE winners!

Excuse me, but I must do a happy dance....





Okay...that is really how I feel in spirit. :)

This awesome giveaway ends on 6/26 so you still have time to enter and get extra entries to boot!

LINK: Marley One Love Coffee Giveaway at Sweeps4Bloggers

Ginger's Garden Soaps Giveaway - Summer Sorbet

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I have a confession. I love, love, absolutely adore really, handcrafted handmade soaps. I used to spend hours on end looking around little stores in New Hampshire and Vermont back when I still lived in Rhode Island. My first stop in any stand was always at the handmade soaps and bath treats. I couldn't afford much, but I always had a yummy soap on hand for the bath and the kitchen.

I don't have the opportunities to explore sweet little craft shops any more. Frankly I can't find any here in Arizona. Sure there are some stores that sell soaps, but there is something missing.

Needless to say this caused me to jump on the fabulous giveaway at Jewelry4Change. Jewelry4Change is hosting a giveaway for Ginger's Garden Summer Sorbet soap. It is totally pretty and guaranteed to please. Check out the fabulous review and enter the giveaway. This giveaway ends on 6/22.

LINK: Ginger's Garden Soaps Giveaway at Jewelry4Change

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Thrifty Tips From The Exhausted

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Okay I joined the gym yesterday, and I am very excited. I am also very concerned because I have a one hour training session tomorrow, and I am still awake because I have thrifty tips to do....OY! By the way if you are looking for a good price on a gym, give me a call at the station (that is if you live in Prescott, AZ). Mine costs $20 a month or if you pay a year up front it is just under about $12.50 a month. Remember the summer is a great time to enjoy the gym for a lower price.

Father's Day is this Sunday, and there is still time to get the kids involved in some fun craft making for dad.

Michaels has some great activities. Today (Thursday) participating Michaels stores will be hosting a FREE Father's Day Make-It Take-It Duck Tape Wallet activity. The kids will learn how to make dad his own Duck Tape wallet while supplies last. This event is for ages 3 and up at runs from 6pm to 8pm. Follow the link below to search your zip code or city to find a Michaels near you and see what activities they are offering.

LINK: Michaels Make-It Take-It Father's Day Duck Tape Wallet

How about a card for that amazing gift that the kids made? Head back to Michaels on Friday, and the kids will make a fabulous card just for dad. Again this is while supplies last and is for ages 3 and up. This activity is also from 6pm to 8pm. Get there early!

LINK: Michaels Make-It Take-It Father's Day Card

Need something to do on Saturday, why not bring the kids back to Michaels for more fun where they can make a fabulous key chain for dad too. These are just so absolutely adorable, and dad will get to think of your sweet kids every time he starts the car. This activity is also available while supplies last and runs from 10am to 12pm.

LINK: Michaels Make-It Take-It Father's Day Key Chain

If Dad has a sweet tooth, here is a link for a yummy Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup from Paula Dean.

LINK: French Toast Casserole

Family Fun has loads of great recipes for treats and meals that you can make to spoil dad this Sunday. Be sure to gather the kids around and make a special treat. They have some of the cutest treats on the web.

LINK: Family Fun Father's Day Treats

GREAT RECIPE SITE

Last week I talked about my favorite phone app MyFitnessPal which is also available online at MyFitnessPal.com. It is an amazing site that really keeps you on your toes and on your calorie mark. Now I'd like to share my favorite local recipe site, Gina's Skinny Recipes. Gina has recipes for dinner, lunch, breakfast, and yummy desserts and even breaks everything down for you with calories, servings size info, nutrition values and those very important point values for those Weight Watchers out there. Truly you will love Gina! Best part? Gina offers all of these great recipes free, and you can even print them too! Two of the recipes I can't wait to try are the Skinny Taco Dip and Lemon Cheesecake Yogurt Cups.

LINK: Gina's Skinny Recipes

GREAT DEAL

Like Equal Exchange Fairly Traded Coffee and Chocolate and you will qualify for their special Trial Pack deal which includes one bag of their yummy coffee either Organic French Roast or Organic Love Buzz Coffee or two boxes of tea, brew guide, information booklet and an Equal Exchange travel mug . It is a $15 value for just $5 and includes FREE SHIPPING. Follow directions at their Facebook page for this deal as there is a special unlock code for this deal. I do not know how long this will last so check it out soon.

They are also doing the Find The Coffee Bean contest on their website (more details on their Facebook page) .

LINK: Equal Exhange Fairly Traded Coffee and Chocolate


GREAT DEAL FOR PRETTYING UP

Bath & Body Works are having an amazing sale right now with many items 50 to 75 percent off. They are closing out some scents and changing the packaging of other items so this is a great time to stock up. If you missed VS's super deal on lip glosses, Bath & Body Works has some amazing glosses for $2 in all kinds of yummy flavors.


FREEBIES


Join Mike the gardener's birthday list and you will get some two packs of complimentary vegetable seeds sent to you on your birthday. Rules apply like no changing your birthday to get more seeds. And I believe you have to join at least four months before your birthday. My birthday is in May so I am definitely safe there. Check it out at the link below.


LINK: Mike The Gardner's Birthday List

After you sign up for the birthday list, check out Mike's website
Averagepersongardening.com

The first 1000 people to like Mentos Gum on Facebook will win a free pack of gum. This will go on until June 22 so if you have the time and are so inclined...get to liking and then check back at noon EST every day to the free gum tab and see if you made it in time. Look out, these competitors are fast!


LINK:
Mentos Gum

Clinique is giving moisture makeovers at participating stores. Head in for a skin consultation and get a free lip gloss and tube of eye serum. Follow the link below to look and see if a store near you is participating. Simply enter your zip code in the Event and Store Locator.


LINK:
Clinique Lip Gloss and Eye Serum for Consultation

Bayer Aspirin is giving away 1000 bottles of their new Extra Strength Bayer Advanced Aspirin in 20 count bottles every day. You can sign your email in for a reminder as well.


LINK:
Bayer Aspirin Giveaway

Kids Get Healthy has a free kids nutrition book that you can download or they will ship to you.


LINK:
Nutrition for Kids

Like Nestle's Drumsticks on Facebook and be sure to come back on June 21 for your chance at one of 10,000 fans who will win a coupon for a free Drumstick. I don't know about you, but these totally remind me of being a kid.


LINK:
Nestle's Drumsticks

Join Papa Murphy's eClub and get deals, discounts and a free cookie dough on your birthday. There is a link on their Facebook page that you can follow to join their eClub.


LINK:
Papa Murphy's eClub Your kids can learn some healthy habits with a cute activity book from Lysol. The book itself is for kids from ages 6 to 9. Follow the link while supplies last.

LINK: Lysol's Healthy Habits Kids Activity Book

These BlockBuster Express Codes are supposed to be good until midnight on June 17th. Time to hurry on over for your free movie. 64JBHS9, 33BACC6, 65RRAP1, 44ASJA5
Now follow the link below to find a kiosk near you.


LINK.
BlockBuster Express Kiosk Locations

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Some Thrifty Tips, Things To Do, Food To Cook,

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FABULOUS WEBSITE


I have been working on weight loss for about a month and a half now, and I got a great head start. Now though I need help and motivation to keep moving. I found that with a fabulous website and app called MyFitnessPal. MFP is amazing! First of all it is a wonderful community of people who are working on improving their health and dropping the pounds. The site and app are awesome because you are able to log in your weight loss goals. Each day you can log in what you eat, drink and your fitness activities. You can totally keep track and make better decisions and keep in your calorie goals. Seriously the site is amazing. It can even tell you how long it will take you to reach certain weight goals if you continue with the same calorie intake. The best part is it is free!

LINK: My Fitness Pal


FREEBIES

While supplies last you can get a sample of Shield Immunity Defense Booster when you like their Facebook page.

LINK: Shield Immunity Defense

Flix flossing sticks. Sign up now for a free sample from Flix. At the very least it is always nice to have flossing sticks on hand.

LINK: Flix

FreeCCM is offering some more great free Christian music downloads. This week you can download Addison Road's "Need You Now." You can also download songs from 33Miles, Stellar Kart, Chasen, Phillips, Craig & Dean, and Cloverton. Remember you do need to be a member to take advantage of these free legal downloads.

LINK: FREECCM MUSIC

iTickets free music download offerings this week are Newsong's "One True God" and "I Am Not Alone" by Trin-i-tee 5:7

LINK: ITICKETS FREE MUSIC


YUMMY DEAL

The link below will take you to a page of printable Barnes & Noble coupons. With these is a buy one smoothie and get one free! What a great treat on a warm Arizona day? This coupon is good until 6/13/11

LINK: Barnes & Noble Coupons

COUPON FOR STAPLES

Staples has a printable coupon for use in stores for $3.oo off any purchase! This expires 6/11/11 so hurry up, print it out, and get shopping.

LINK: Staples $3 off

REBATE

I love All You. It is seriously my magazine of choice. Not only does All You pack their magazine full of coupons, there are always great money saving tips too! And their website is great as well. Each day they will point you to a freebie that you can sign up for. What I want to squeal about right now is their rebate (well kind of rebate) for a $5 Walmart gift card. Buy two Jergen's Natural Glow products at Walmart, print out the form at All You , and send it in with the Walmart receipt and completed order form. Purchase must be made by June 30, 2011 and postmarked no later than 7/8/2011. This is a deal that is only available while supplies last, but it is a great product and definitely worth the effort. Get the deal at All You's link below.

LINK: All You Walmart Gift Card

Another cool thing that All You does is their All You Grocery Challenge. The challenge is for families to spend $25 per family member on groceries each week. Each week All You will send you tips, recipe instructions, and lots of ways to motivate you in your endeavor. The challenge begins on June 19th and ends on July 16th. The family that follows the budget and makes the most creative and healthful choices wins. What do they win? A $1000 grocery card! If you are interested in signing up, you need to join by June 17th. To qualify for the winnings you need to go through the challenge and complete the exit form during the time period stated. All the details are available by hitting the link below. Who wants to do this?

LINK: All You Grocery Challenge

WHAT TO DO?

This weekend take the family to Strawberry and enjoy their 21st Annual Strawberry festival. There will be vendors, foods, crafts, music and a special free craft area for kids. This festival will be lots of fun for all families, and admission is free. The festival will take place on Saturday, June 11 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday, June 12 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. This even will be held at the Pine-Strawberry Community Center Ramada, 3886 N. Arizona 87 in Pine.

While in Strawberry, you might want to check out the Strawberry Patcher's Quilt Show which will be taking place Friday, Saturday and Sunday. That portion of the weekend event does charge a fee of $2.00, and if you bring a nonperishable food item, you can be entered into a raffle to win a quilt.

LINK: 21st Annual Strawberry Festival

Another thing you might like to check out is Arizona's oldest schoolhouse, the Strawberry Schoolhouse on Fossil Creek Road. They are open from May to mid October on Saturdays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and Sundays from noon to 4:00 pm. From June 15 - August 6, the school is also open on Fridays and Mondays. Admission is free.


LINK: Strawberry Schoolhouse


Bass Pro Shops has started their kids crafts. This week the kids can make a camping photo frame. Times are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Upcoming workshops include designing a birdhouse, making leather key chains, and lots more. These crafts are free and available while supplies last. Arizona's Bass Pro Shops is located at 1133 North Dobson in Mesa.

LINK: Bass Pro Shops Craft Schedule

There is also a workshop schedule where the kids can complete a workshop and receive a pin for each one they complete. They have workshops in archery, camping, animal identification, bird watching, plants and insects and more. These are all free!

LINK: Bass Pro Shops Workshops Schedule

On June 11th you can take the kids to Lowe's and get them involved in the Build and Grow Center where they can make a Goofy Golf Game for dad. On June 25th they will make a flag waver that they can set up for the Fourth of July. Sign up the kids while there is room. These are great opportunities for your kids to get out and learn that they can make fun with their own two hands.

LINK: Lowe's Build and Grow Clinics

Don't forget that Stellar Kart will be performing a free concert at Happy Valley Baptist Church at 24220 N. 43rd Ave in Glendale. The schedule says 6:00 pm so I would plan on getting there early as possible.


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SALES RECIPES

Before I tell you some of the sales that caught my eye, I thought I would share a link to a recipe that will go well with the sale Albertsons has for the bone-in pork picnic roast at $1.59 a pound. This recipe is from Food.com. I like to shred the pork up after it has cooked and roll it up in tortillas, but it is also very good with rice. The person who posted the recipe thought it made a great gravy. The jury is still out for me on that part, but it is easy, inexpensive, and delicious. It also uses my favorite household appliance, the crock pot. This is wonderful for cooking all day without heating up the house and using very little energy as opposed to the stove or oven.

LINK: Coca-Cola Pork Roast

Pineapple is on sale at Fry's for just 99 cents! The recipe that I will link to next is for Slow Cooker Pineapple Pork Roast (again use the picnic roast), and it calls for canned pineapple, but I imagine fresh has to be an even better substitute.

LINK: Slow Cooker Pineapple Pork Roast


SALE ITEMS THAT MAKE ME TAKE NOTE

SAFEWAY

Red Seedless Grapes 88 cents a pound
Vidalia Sweet Onions 2 pounds $1.00
Tropical Mangos 2/$1.00
FOUR DAY ONLY SALE FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY
Lucky Charms $1.88 (can't help it I love those marshmallows
BUY 8 save 50 cents off each
There are a lot of items that are 50 cents cheaper when you purchase 8. These are the ones I liked:
Cheez-It (10.5 to 15 oz )or Keebler Club Crackers (11 to 16 oz) $1.99
Ball Park Hot dog or Hamburger Buns 12 oz $1.99 (normally I would not go for this, but there were coupons in the paper for these a few weeks ago, and Safeway is valuing all coupons to $1.00 so the price would be $.99

FRY'S

Fresh Pineapple 99 cents each
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.88 pound
Fry's Large Eggs 88 cents
Michellina's Entrees 88 cents (okay this one is not something I would buy but Dave gets these for lunch every now and then so I had to point it out
Oscar Mayer 16 oz Bologna 2/$3.00
Hebrew National Beef Franks 2/$4.00 (I love these soooo much)
Philadelphia Cream Cheese 2/$3.00 (as a bagel lover this is a must)

ALBERTSONS

Pork Spare Ribs (bone in), Country Style Spare Ribs (bone in), Pork Sirloin Chops (boneless), Pork Sirloin Roast (boneless) ALL $1.77 pound
Pork Picnic Roast (bone in) $1.59 pound
Fresh Ground Chuck $1.99 pound
Large Cucumbers 2/$1.00
New Crop California Cherries $1.99 pound
Fuji Apples 99 cents pound
Select varieties of General Mills Cereals 8.7 to 12.8 oz $1.77 each (limit 4)
Sara Lee Classic White, 100% Whole Wheat 20 oz bread $1.77 (limit 4)
Hansen's natural Apple Juice 64 ounce $1.49 (limit 2) *Some people inject apple juice into pork roasts
Coffee-mate Flavored Creamer 16 oz 2/$4.00

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Dragonfly Handcrafted Soap Giveaway at Turning The Clock Back

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Back in 2001, I got deeply addicted to road trips. I lived in Rhode Island at the time, and one of the delights of my weekend was taking a road trip to New Hampshire or Vermont. Besides the joy of just getting away from home, I discovered my love of handcrafted soaps.

The scents were always so decadent and clear. I loved the rustic cuts, the deep colors, and the additions of spices and seeds that you could feel. I would hit tiny road side shops and garages and giggle with glee at my finds. And I would bring home bags of soap. Afterall, these soaps put my store bought soap to shame.

I hate to say it, but I am not finding those treasures here in Arizona. Perhaps someday I will just try to learn how to make those beauties for myself, but then again, with the beauty of the internet, I can now pick some lovely handcrafted soaps online. Turning the Clock Back introduced her readers to Dragonfly Soaps. Dragonfly soaps has the beautiful yummy soaps that I long for as well as great shaving soaps, gardener soaps, and even unscented soaps! They are all homemade and just delightful to the eye.

Right now you have the opportunity to be one of TWO winners of a Dragonfly soap prize package offered at Turning the Clock Back, and that package is not one but THREE soaps! Talk about heavenly!!! This fabulous giveaway opportunity is going on right now at Turning the Clock Back until 6/10/2011. Don't hesitate, follow the link below.

ENTER HERE



Friday, June 3, 2011

Senseo Coffee & Hamilton Beach Brewer

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The first time I saw a coffee maker that brewed one pot at a time was at my beauty salon in Rhode Island. It was a pretty high end salon, and I was just blown away by the fact that I could enjoy whatever coffee I wanted, and the lady next to me could do the same. This was luxury! I felt spoiled and completely indulged in which is a nice feeling when you are getting your hair done. It is a nice feeling any time.

Years later I visited with a friend and she showed me her Senseo. I was jealous, but not in a bad way. I secretly longed for this indulgence, and pretty much figured it would be an impossibility. Not so anymore. In fact, you can brew Senseo coffee pods in the Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Pod Brewer! AND!!!!! Sweeps4Bloggers is hosting a giveaway for this beautiful little gem right now as well as some yummy Senseo Medium Roast coffee pods. Yes! The best of both worlds.

Head on over to Sweeps4Bloggers now as this giveaway ends on 6/6/2011. She has lots of great ways to enter!

ENTER HERE


Sweeps4Bloggers

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Thrifty Tips

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We have talked in the past about Cellfire and how you can register your loyalty cards with them and have coupons applied to your purchases without the need of a printed coupon, and of course you can also print coupons through Cellfire. But I have a new eCoupon service to share today. I just joined a new eCoupon service I thought you might like to know about. It is called SavingStar. This is a quick run down of how it works. With SavingStar the discount is applied to a savings. When you save up at least $5, you can turn it in to your savings account, Paypal, Amazon, or donate it to AmericanForests.org. These cannot be combined with manufacturers coupon, but it is a cool way to still put savings in your pocket or if you go for the Amazon or Paypal, you can maybe apply it into future gifts. Register now while there are plenty of coupons to sign up for as they do run out.

LINK: SavingStar eCoupons

Humboldt Unified School District is participating in the Summer Food Service Program sponsored by the USDA. Meals will be provided to all children without charge and the same for all children. There is no application process for these meals. These meals will be provided at the schedule below:

Monday through Friday
Breakfast 8:00 am to 9:00 am
Lunch 11:30 am to 12:30 pm

Locations
Mountain View Elementary School from May 31st to July 29th (except for July 4th) - 8601 E. Loos Drive Prescott Valley

Lake Valley Elementary School from May 31st to July 29th (except for July 4th)
3900 N. Starlight Drive Prescott Valley

Coyote Springs Elementary School from May 31st to July 29th (except for July 4th)
8101 E. Highway 89-A Prescott Valley

Humboldt Elementary School from May 31st to July 29th (except for July 4th)
2750 S. Corral Street Prescott Valley

For more information on this program call the HUSD Food & Nutrition Office at 928-759-5017

Adults may purchase meals at the price of $1.75 for breakfast and $2.85 for lunch. I am assuming that these are adults accompanying the children so you may want to call the number above for clarification.



Savings Tips From The Book


I was browsing through my Yankee Magazine's Vinegar, Duct Tape, Milk Jugs and More, and I saw some interesting laundry helpers.

- Lemon Juice - Use as a pretreat for juice or rust stains. Pretreat the stain with the juice and then wash normally.

- White Vinegar - I never understood this, but it is true. It works to soften water and it also softens your clothes and eliminates smells. I imagine that would have to be some serious smell, but give it a shot. You use 1 cup per load. White vinegar is also great as a pretreat for a juice stain. This is something that you also want to take care of immediately.

- Sour Milk - Check this out. Soak white shoelaces in sour milk. Rinse and wash as usual, and apparently they will whiten right back up. This should be a great trick for moms of young children. I recall my son's sneakers and laces were usually browned from dirt and mud.

- Milk - Regular milk can be used to treat blood stains that have not been immediately treated.

- Glycerin - Rub glycerin into grass stains and let sit for an hour before washing. You can usually pick up glycerin at the drug store.

- Baby Powder - If you get grease on your clothes while cooking, immediately remove the garment and tap baby powder onto the grease. This seems to soak it all up. Let it sit a while and then just brush it off before washing. I got baby oil on our comforter once and immediately used the baby powder and brushed away the stain in the morning. I understand that cornstarch and baking soda work as well.

- Chalk - Have children? You may want to keep a piece of chalk on hand. If you get oil (like salad dressing) on your clothing while out, you can also blog it up with some chalk. You don't rub the stick on it. Instead you simply scrape some of the chalk onto the stain and wash it out at home.


ADOPT A PET

During the month of June only, you can adopt a cat one year or older for FREE from the Yavapai Humane Society! How nice would it be to give a lonely cat a new home? You can check out the cats at the Yavapai Humane Society in Prescott or drop by the Petsmart in Prescott. Check out their website for contact details aw www.yavapaihumane,org

COUPONS

Home Made Simple has another coupon book ready for you to order. It is full of over $30 in savings.

LINK: Home Made Simple

As a thank you to their fans, this Friday, Bounty will give $5.oo in Bounty Coupons. This is another fun Facebook give.

LINK: Bounty Facebook $5

Did you know that you can print Target Coupons right off of their website? It is a great way to stretch that dollar a little further!

LINK: Target Printable Coupons



Like Diet Coke on Facebook, and you can get a $1.00 off a 16 oz Diet Coke. The only time I get Diet Coke coupons is through my My Coke Rewards account so this is huge.

LINK: Diet Coke



FREEBIES

If you haven't signed up for this freebie yet, get in on three Atkins bars and a free weight loss kit. You need to set up an account first. I got this last year, and those bars are AMAZING!

LINK: Atkins Bars and Weight Loss Kit

Southwest Airlines is celebrating its 40th birthday and they are giving you a present of 40 song downloads from iTunes. I don't know what the songs are, but I imagine they will run the spectrum of the last 40 years. Follow the link to get your music.

LINK: Southwest Airlines Free Music

If you are a Broadway baby with a deep love for musicals, you might like to sign up for a free 15 song download of Broadway songs from GiltCity.com. These are also iTunes songs. These songs must be downloaded by June 8.

LINK: 15 Broadway songs

iTickets has a free download of Manifesto by City Harmonic. You may remember that Mike had them in the studio a short time ago. You do need to sign up with iTickets, but it is well worth it. Blood Bought by Konviction is also available.

LINK: iTickets Music Download

Last week I shared about Free Donut Day on June 3rd, and today I found out that some Dunkin' Donuts are also participating and offering a free doughnut of your choice with drink purchase. I know there is one in Phoenix and apparently one in Wickenburg (47 miles away from me...I just may have to take a mini road trip when my diet is over). You may want to check with your local DD and see if they are in on it too. And don't forget Krispy Kreme is also participating, and from what I recall, no purchase is required. I would totally purchase an iced coffee though if I were anywhere near Dunkin' Donuts. I miss them soooo!