Fab Frugal Fam

Few More Deals for Monday :)

2010-11-08T22:38:00.001-05:00

I'm getting sleepy (which is rare for this bundle of energy)... so I'd better post a few more goodies before I nod off. ;)

Become a member of Right@Home (by SC Johnson) and get great offers, time-saving tips and recipes. Click HERE to join.

Another awesome VistaPrint deal - Get 140 FREE Customizable Return Address Labels! Click HERE to order yours now.

G'night, my frugal friends!

New Coupons from Coupons.com for November

2010-11-08T22:37:00.002-05:00

I printed nearly all of these today... they have some really great coupons this month! :)

$1.00 off on any Hartz dog or cat toy.
$1.00 off Ziploc Brand Bags
FREE Prestige Collage & EXTRA 20% OFF
$0.75 off Total cereals
$1.50 off Ziploc Containers
$0.50 off any one (1) Minute Rice Product
$0.50 off Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls
$1.00 off General Mills Kid cereals
$0.50 off Chex Mix
$0.30 off Refrigerated Pillsbury Grands! Biscuit
$1.00 off 1 Garnier Fructis Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
$0.40 off Betty Crocker Cookie Mix
$0.55 off Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookie Dough
$0.75 off Cascadian Farm product
$0.55 off Pillsbury Simply... Cookie Dough
$1.00 off ANY TWO (2) Newman's Own products
$0.50 off Bisquick Baking Mix
50% off Olan Mills portraits
$0.40 off Pillsbury Italian Meal Breads
$0.50 off Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters
$3.00 off ONE Bendaroos 500pc Mega Pack Only
$1.00 off Pillsbury Sweet Moments™
$0.50 off Betty Crocker Box Muffin Mix
$1.00 off any (1) variety of Eight O'Clock Coffee
$0.75 off Frozen Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits
$1.00 off Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookie Dough
$0.50 off Pillsbury Rolled Refrigerated Pie Crust
$0.35 off Pillsbury Grands! Jr biscuits
$1.00 off Chex cereals
$0.40 off Pillsbury Sweet Rolls
$1.00 off Pillsbury Holiday Cookies
$0.40 off Yoplait Yogurt
$1.00 On Your Purchase of the All New Redbook!
$1.00 off Pillsbury Savorings products
$0.50 off Progresso Products
$1.00 off Nov or Dec issue of Good Housekeeping
$10.00 off Any One (1) 27 oz Tub of GREENIES
$0.50 off LAND O LAKES Spreadable Butter Product
BOGO 18.5 oz bottle of Gold Peak Tea
$1.00 off on one Reser's Sensational Sides item
$1.00 off Wonderful Pistachios

Sweet VistaPrint Offer... and I'm Back! :)

2010-11-08T21:48:00.000-05:00

Delicious deal first! :)

Great news - Vistaprint is offering 20 Holiday Cards for only $1.99! It's a great holiday offer. Deliver warm wishes with picture-perfect photo cards. You can upload up to 6 photos, customize with personal messaging & receive in as few as 3 days. Click HERE to order yours now. :)

And now for the update! :)

Good grief, I've neglected this blog for some time now! I always seem to do that as real life situations pop up. I've been gathering loads of frugal deals and signing up for them on my own... and e-mailing them out here and there to folks who I think might be interested. I think it's much easier on this platform so that everyone can pick and choose their frugal deals to their likings.

Thanks for your support! :)

Wednesday's Freebies

2010-05-19T22:15:00.001-04:00

I must love you guys... seriously. I bring you *drum roll*... freebies for today! Fatten up your mailboxes, baby, here they come. =)

Free South Beach Living Fiber Fit S'mores bar - click here to fill out a few questions and get your free bar. These look so yummy and South Beach products are usually great for us low carbers!

Enfamil Tolerance - click here to sign up and receive a printable certificate for a free sample of Enfamil Baby Formula. Anytime I have friends or family with babies, or know someone expecting, I grab all of the baby freebies I can! You can also request these and donate them to pregnancy crisis centers. =)

Vista Print - get a free Rubber Stamp! Click here AVON for this freebie. I LOVE VistaPrint! I sell and I get all of my business cards, stamps, post cards and such from them. They are always offering free items and you only pay shipping. Plus you can repeat orders - place your order and then once shipped you can turn around and place the same order with the same pricing! They really are the frugal answer to advertising on a budget and they have some great products for your home, too - T-shirts, stationery and cards, and so much more! Give them a try! =)

Free eCookbook - click here to sign up for the RecipeLion - 40 Healthy Snack Recipes Free eCookbook. This book looks awesome! It has 48 pages filled with healthy snack recipes! I know I am always looking for new recipes and I like to try new snacks, especially for the kids.

Free Discount Drug card - click here to sign up and receive a free discount drug card to save up to 75% on prescription drugs.

Super Stationery Sale & 33 Cent Photo Cards!

2010-05-19T21:38:00.002-04:00

I am a stationery junkie! It's an addiction and yes, I still use stickers, too! =)P I was ecstatic to see these two offers today!

Expressionery is offering 60% off clearance items plus free shipping using coupon code DB2010! They have some amazing products on clearance and I am psyched to place my first order with them! Click here to start shopping and don't forget to add the coupon code to receive free shipping, too!

Shutterfly - click here to start your order. You can create 3 custom 5×7 greeting cards and use code CARD4GRAD at checkout - your cost is a grand total of 99 cents for all three cards or 33 cents each! This is a great deal!

Free South of France Spa Naturals Sample Kit & CamoCare Organics Face Serum

2010-05-19T21:10:00.002-04:00

I (heart) beauty freebies! And these two are awesome! =)

Click here to sign up for your free South of France Spa Naturals sample kit - it includes "a 1.25 oz. Orange Ginger Facial Cleanser Bar, .25 oz. Citrus Mint Facial Scrub and .25. oz Cucumber Aloe Facial Moisturizer -- all in a reusable organza bag with a coupon for yet another great South of France Spa Naturals offer." You do have to fill out a very short survey and join their mailing list. Allow three weeks for delivery, per their website. This is a great sample kit and would make a nice gift!

The free serum sample from CamoCare can be requested here. You don't have to fill out an information other than shipping details and no need to join their mailing list. My fave kind of freebie - no strings attached! Enjoy! =)

Pampers Rewards Program - Free Codes!

2010-04-20T22:12:00.000-04:00

If you've not already joined Pampers Village, you really need to! If you have a little one, great - you can earn points just by purchasing Pampers diapers and entering the codes online. But if you're like me and sans little ones that small, you can still join and earn points! Points are periodically released and can be entered on the site, no purchase required.

To sign up for Pampers Gifts to Grow rewards program, click here. Below are all of the codes I have used so far - try to enter them all. Most will work, some may have expired. I will add to the list as I get more codes! =)

Free Codes (Please let me know if any of these are expired):

GTGSPRINGFREE10
GETSTARTEDNOW10
APR2010FACEBOOK
GTGPLAY3USA2010GTGPLAY1USA2010
MARFACEBOOK2010
GTGTEAMUSA2010
GTGPLAY2USA2010
WELCOMEBONUS089
WELCOME2GTG0809
OHAMANDAAWGTG08
THRIFTYMOMMYGTG
GROWWITHVILLAGE
XKCMYXFVD96VXVK
welcome2village
GRATUIT89102009
JUSTBECAUSE2009JOINTHEFUNGTG09
STARTEARNINGNOW

Cash Survey Sites

2010-04-17T10:18:00.000-04:00

Survey sites are an excellent way to bring in some extra cash! Typically with most companies, you receive e-mail notifications any time they have a survey that you are eligible to participate in & you are compensated with cash or accrue points. Some companies convert points to cash, others convert them to prizes.

I only deal with companies that reward in cash or convert points to cash. I have lots of "stuff" already around my house and need no more - I want the cash money, baby. =)

If you have any questions about the companies, let me know. I have been affiliated with these companies for some time now and feel confident in referring you to them!

FOCUS FORWARD ONLINE

Focus Forward Online sends you invitations via e-mail to complete surveys online. Pay range is typically $1.00-$5.00 per opportunity. They pay in cash, no points, and you can cash out as soon as you reach $20.00 in your account. They also pay $1.00 for every person you refer who signs up & completes just one survey!

Click here to register with Focus Forward Online.

SURVEY SAVVY

Survey Savvy is another great site which only rewards in cash (they call it "Incentives"). Each survey has a different value and they will e-mail you whenever new surveys are available. They also have several "portraits" available to increase your surveys received - they are simply mini-surveys about your habits and such, so that they can send you relevant material. You also earn commission on your referrals plus their referrals, too - that's awesome! =)

Click here to register with Survey Savvy.

Free Printables at Mommy Tracked

2010-04-17T01:05:00.000-04:00

I am a printables junkie... an addict. LOVE them! You can imagine my excitement when I stumbled upon The Tool Box at Mommy Tracked. Not only are they free but they are adorable! (Usefulness + fashionable = score!)

Click here to view all of the printables - there are 3 pages worth. Love them! =)

All Natural (and Frugal) Easter Egg Dyes!

2010-04-03T10:21:00.000-04:00

Happy (Almost) Easter! I'm a goober and really get into each holiday by buying gifts and decorating the house all up. Easter is no exception! It's a fun holiday, who doesn't like eggs and a hunt, and the colors are pretty - it gets us into a springtime mood, too!

Lately, though, I've been trying to focus on more healthy options in my life and for my family's health. One way that is easy and frugal is with natural Easter egg dyes. We did it one year and the kids had a blast! It also served as a great learning experience, too. Granted, the colors may not be as bright (radioactive) as the ones from the dye kits, but they still are pretty sweet. =)

Some of these materials work best when they are boiled with the eggs (noted as such below), and some work well made ahead and used by dipping or soaking the eggs. If you are using juice, just use it straight. Bulky materials will be boiled with the eggs or boiled and allowed to cool for dipping. The longer you let the eggs soak, the more intense the color will be (for the boiled versions, you can remove them from the heat and allow to cool in the dye bath).

Here are some of my favorite materials to use. You can use your favorite egg-dying tricks here as well: Like crayons for a batik effect or rubber bands for a tie-dye effect. If you like a glossy egg, you can rub the dyed eggs with vegetable oil when they are dry.

Red
Red onion skins, use a lot (boil with eggs)
Pomegranate juice

Orange
Yellow onion skins (boil with eggs)

Yellow
Lemon or orange peel (boil with eggs)
Carrot tops (boil with eggs)
Celery seed (boil with eggs)
Ground cumin (boil with eggs)
Ground turmeric (boil with eggs)

Yellow Brown
Dill seeds (boil with eggs)

Brown
Strong coffee
Instant coffee
Black walnut shells (boil with eggs)

Yellow Green
Bright green apple peels (boil with eggs)

Green
Spinach leaves (boil with eggs)

Blue
Canned blueberries and their juice
Red cabbage leaves (boil with eggs)
Purple grape juice

Violet Blue
Violet blossoms
Red onion skins, less amount than you need to make red (boil with eggs)

Lavender
Diluted purple grape juice
Violet blossoms plus squeeze of lemon (boil with eggs)

Pink
Beets, fresh or canned
Cranberries or cranberry juice
Raspberries
Red grape juice

Join Vindale Research & Earn Cash Easy!

2010-04-03T09:50:00.002-04:00

I just found this great website called Vindale Research. They give you cash for your opinion on new products, services, and websites. You are rewarded for each evaluation and survey you complete, and you can even choose to keep the products you review! The surveys are really easy, and the membership is FREE, so what is there to lose, right?

Immediately after joining, on your member/account page, I had offers totaling $7.00 in earnings! $2.00 for telling more about myself and another $5.00 for taking some training and getting a walk-through of my first survey. You can't beat that!

They have a really nice referral program, too. They will add $5.00 to your Vindale Research account every time you get a friend, family member, colleague, boyfriend, girlfriend, or hobo to:

Sign up using your referral link and
Complete at least one product evaluation.

$5.00 just to allow your friends to earn and be cool... just like YOU! =)

Vindale Research looks great and I'm super excited about working with them... and you should be, too! =)

Easter Freebies

2010-04-01T22:32:00.001-04:00

I can't believe that Easter is already here! It seems like holidays just creep up on me as I get older... and a lot quicker, mind you. =)

Do you and yours have any special plans? For us, it will just be a quiet weekend, an egg hunt on Sunday and a small meal. Nothing fancy, but we all definitely plan on enjoying the beautiful weather outside!

If you're like me and don't want to drop a lot of cash on Easter gifts, baskets, etc., here are some items for free! I think most kids are so excited about eggs and the hunt that everything else kind of takes a back seat... which is good - means we can get away with spending less money, LOL. ;-)

Hop into Spring: Easter Craft and Recipe eBook
My FunCards - free Easter eCards
HP - Free printable Easter decorations
10 Places to Get Free Easter Cards You Can Print
14 Places to Find Free Easter Coloring Pages
Easter Bag Templates
Free Easter-themed Crochet Patterns
Easter Paper Crafts
Printable Letters from the Easter Bunny and Easter Coloring Pages
Activity Village Easter Printables

Join HCD Surveys Consumer Research

2010-03-29T22:17:00.000-04:00

I've just recently joined HCD Surveys and am pleased with this company. Anytime a new survey is available for you, they'll send you an e-mail. You earn on a points system, where 100 points = $1. Each survey earns on average 100-500 points a pop. You can redeem your points towards cash when you have a minimum of 1000 points accumulated in your account. Not bad at all!

And the points are ALWAYS redeemable for cash... NEVER for prizes! That's music to my ears, baby - I want cash money and not a boombox or a bar of soap for my time and effort. =)

Referrals are paid at 50 points (50 cents) each. Not bad... especially when a bunch of you join under me. Come on... you know you want to sign up!

Head on over to HCD Surveys and join. =)

A Frugal Easter Plan

2010-03-28T18:04:00.002-04:00

Easter really snuck up on me this year - I didn't realize it was that time until a few days ago! With little time to plan for Easter baskets and such, I'm forced to be frugal. (Not to mention a trip in 3 weeks that will be using up quite a bit of cash... so this needs to be a very frugal holiday for us!)

The biggest factor contributing to my frugal Easter is - I'm not cooking! My mum always does the cooking (she usually will get a ham and have me cook it) and she goes all out. I've recently had gastric bypass surgery 2 months ago, so I can't eat much anyhow... funny, but that surgery has been a frugal blessing when it comes to food and groceries, LOL. All I will probably cook are a few side items, and maybe a low-cal sugar-free dessert that I can enjoy, too.

As far as Easter baskets, well, I have 6 kids to buy for - my own two children, my niece and nephew, and my 2 children that I love as my own but are not mine. =) Ages range from almost 1 year to 14 years old! I used to always buy loads of cheap candy... but even though it's cheap, it's truly a waste. Goes in... and it comes out. I'd much rather buy some cheap pencils or school supplies, little lip glosses or such... something they can actually use for a while.

I also don't buy Easter baskets. I love baskets and I always just find a basket around the house and use it... once Easter is over, I just remove their contents and put that basket back to it's original use. Cheap... free, actually, and so easy. Another good place to find cheap baskets are at thrift stores - I always eye some nice ones anytime I hit up Goodwill or Salvation Army store!

Make sure you use up your leftovers wisely! Don't allow anything to sit at room temperature for longer than an hour or two. Freeze what you know you won't use now. I actually freeze most of my leftovers immediately, until I decide what I am going to do with them. Ham can be frozen and used for casseroles, turkey can be frozen for sandwiches, turkey tacos (soooo good, family tradition of ours, too), veggies can be frozen and later used for casseroles, too, or even fritattas.

If you dye eggs... eat them after the hunt! Just keep them refrigerated up until it's time to hide the eggs. Once the kids find them, let them enjoy a few and then put them back in the fridge. I know eggs are cheap this time of year, but that's no reason to waste them! Pack them as snacks for lunch, eat a couple of them and some toast for breakfast, use them in salad, or make egg salad (or add to chicken salads) with them.

Finally, any decorations you bought, please save. Holidays are so much fun and I am as guilty as the next person for buying all kinds of decorations... but it's also a time of year when lots of stuff is simply thrown out and just adds to the landfills. If you don't foresee using it again, donate it, give it to a friend, or have it recycled, if possible. If you plan on keeping it, box it up, label the box clearly for Easter and/or Spring time, and put it away. Another way to save on decorations is to buy items that can still be displayed before and after the actual holiday. Easter falls in with Spring time and decorations are usually versatile - pastel colors, bunnies, eggs, grass, new flowers blooming. This cuts down on expenses for each specific holiday!

How do you save during Easter (and any other holiday)? I'd love to hear your ideas! =)

Silks Soymilk Printable Coupon

2009-12-29T13:54:00.001-05:00

75 cents off printable coupon for Silk Soymilk - click here.

It's Been Almost 1 Year!!!

2009-12-29T13:39:00.003-05:00

Holy cow, folks... to be honest, I'd forgotten all about this blog I had! I guess that's what happens when you end up living "frontier style" for over a year - no net, no home phone, and no cable/satellite.

I'm happy to say that I am BACK! =) Okay, so still not net at home, but that will soon change in the upcoming weeks.

As for being frugal - I'm still in the zone! I have even bigger plans for 2010 - basically doing even more frugal shopping, saving much more, and seriosly cutting back on expenses. I've been keeping up with some of my favorite bloggers anytime I've found some online time... and what great ideas I've learned!

One of my biggest New Year's resolutions for 2010 is to get back on track, full force, with being frugal and saving as much money as possible. I plan to try and track every single expense that I make during the ENTIRE YEAR! I also want to track every savings amount I save, whether it be from coupons, items received free, bonus items like free gift cards from doing surveys, and so on. In addition, I'll be tracking any extra income that comes in, again from places such as surveys, gifts, eBay auctions, and so on.

I will be posting these savings regularly - keeping a running tab, so to speak. Plus this will let all of you guys in on the ways I am saving and cutting back on expenses. We both win, as it will serve me as a great reminder of the fruits of my labor, seeing that total each time I log in here. (Another great idea I received from one of the other bloggers... I forget which one, but will definitely link to that site soon.) =)

Enough said - look for more postings from me (and regular, at that) to come!

Brightest blessings & best wishes to you and yours for the New Year,
--Bela

Throw a Ziploc Home Organization Party

2009-01-05T12:45:00.001-05:00

Click here to apply.

"Do It Yourself, that is! And thanks to Ziploc^{^®} and this amazing house party, do it yourself DOESN'T mean do it alone.

Gather friends and family to share creative solutions to annoying organization problems. Get great tools and techniques from Ziploc^{^®} for organizing any room in your home. Learn the ABCs of DIY so you can make light work of even the stickiest organizational challenges. Imagine how great it will feel to have a clutter-free home!

Get ready to become your own best home organization expert!

If selected as a Ziploc^{^®} Home Organization House Party host, you and your guests will discover how to easily and economically clear the clutter from basement to attic...from linen closet to kitchen drawer. You'll see how the Ziploc^{^®} line of products can get you started...and keep you organized.

If you're ready to help yourself—and your friends—reclaim needed space and eliminate time-wasting rituals, apply now to host a Ziploc^{^®} Home Organization House Party. Take this first important step to becoming your own best home organization expert."

Join Pssst... by General Mills

2009-01-05T12:37:00.000-05:00

From their website: "Pssst…is all about some of the best known food and consumer brands in the country. If you would like to receive news about new products (and even samples and coupons from time to time), you can become a member. Pssst… also offers a behind-the-scenes look at General Mills and occasionally an opportunity to give your opinion about products and initiatives."

Click here to join.

Free Subscription to Plenty Magazine

2009-01-05T12:30:00.001-05:00

This is a magazine devoted to green living and issues. Click here for your free subscription.

Join Kraft First Taste

2009-01-05T12:28:00.001-05:00

From the Kraft website: "Welcome to First Taste, the best place to get the inside scoop on the latest Kraft products, be one of the first to try them, and tell us what you think. Join our community today to start connecting with other members, and sharing special offers with friends."

Click here to join.

Giveaway: Nike + IPOD Sports Kit Ends 1/20/2009

2009-01-05T12:16:00.001-05:00

Bargain Briana is giving away a Nike + iPod Sports Kit! These look great - I want one!!!

Click here to view the contest details and how to win. Good luck!

SmartShopper Giveaway!

2009-01-02T11:30:00.002-05:00

Jane at Jane4Girls800DollarAnnualBudget.blogspot.com is doing a giveaway for a free SmartShopper! After watching her video, I am more than *psyched* to get my hands on one of these this year! How convenient!

Click here to find out how you can enter this giveaway... and good luck!

Free sample of Orville Redenbacher's Natural Gourmet Popping Corn

2009-01-01T17:14:00.001-05:00

Click here. Note: you don't have to be a member of Start Sampling in order to receive this freebie.

Free book "What to Expect When You're Expecting"

2009-01-01T16:56:00.001-05:00

Click here to "sign-up for our nutrition e-news and receive a complementary copy of the book What to Expect When You're Expecting".

Free Indiana Pacers Fan Pack

2008-12-26T19:14:00.001-05:00

E-mail your name and address to fanpack@pacers.com to receive the free pack.