Mommy are the toys on sale?

Get Sesame Street Magazine for free!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 13:47:00 +0000

Do you have young kids? If so, here's a fun freebie offer!

Each and every month you can download the current issue of Sesame Street magazine for free! Simply go here to download it.

This looks like a fun magazine... it's filled with stories, games and activites for kids.

Thanks so much to WAHM Resource Site for sharing this freebie offer.

Post written by Mary @ Tips & Treasures.

Halloween on the Cheap

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 20:56:00 +0000

Halloween, yet another holiday you have to shell the cash out for. Growing up I always had a homemade costume that was part of the fun of Halloween. One year I was a raisin; it involved a black trash bag with newspaper shoved inside. Another year my friend and I were Siamese twins joined at the hip. We went to Goodwill and found the largest sweatpants we could find. She had one leg and I had the other. Not so fun hopping from one house to the other. We worked very hard for our trick-or-treating candy that year.

Some years the costume was better than others but regardless it was never store bought it was just designed from stuff we found around the house or at a discount store. When did Halloween become so commercialized, there isn’t an old sheet or garbage bag in sight?

This year I designed my children’s costumes. For handmade Halloween costume ideas visit my other blog Sewing and Crafting with Sarah.

Last year I found my children’s costumes on Ebay. Now is the perfect time to bid on Halloween costumes. Don’t wait too long though because the closer you get to Halloween the more expensive they get.

Search end of the summer yard sales for costumes. One year I found three Power Ranger costumes and a Buzz Lightyear costume on the cheap at a yard sale. We got two years out of those costumes!

Get together with some friends and have a Halloween costume swapping party. I went to a swapping party one year and it was perfect. I swapped out the old costumes for a new-to-us costumes.

However, if your child has a specific costume that you are going to have to buy, 4FunParties is a great inexpensive place to shop for costumes. They even gave me a link to pass a discount along to my readers. It is worth checking out.
5% off at 4FunParties.com. Use coupon code HALLOW4FUN during checkout.

Disclosure

Two FREE Kindle books for tween girls!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 13:01:00 +0000

I love my Kindle reader for many reasons, but my most favorite reason for having the Amazon Kindle is that they always have tons of free books available for download! And the selection is always changing, so I'm always finding new books.

Anyway, while browsing around this morning on Amazon, I got lucky and found a few new freebie Kindle books. I found a few mystery/thrillers for me and then happened to find a few freebies for the tween girls out there. They are:

Sophie's World by Nancy Rue

Sophie's Secret by Nancy Rue

Both of these books are part of Faithgirlz: The Sophie Series. They are appropriate books for girls 8-12 years old.

Amazon offers this download for Kindle readers but if you don't have a Kindle, don't worry! Follow the link for the book, and on the right sidebar there should be links to download a free Kindle reader for your computer!

Post written by Mary @ Tips & Treasures.

Banquet Fruit Pie Winners are....

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:10:00 +0000

The winners chosen at random for the Banquet Fruit Pie Free Coupons are:

Luckyrabbit308- Linda
Wendy
Quitecontrary1977
Beth

A big thank you for everyone that participated! Winners please email at sarahforhan@sarahforhan.com with your shipping address and I will send the coupons out.

~Sarah

Split Pea Soup Using Lipton Onion Soup & Dip Mix

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 16:27:00 +0000

The night before grocery shopping can always be tough in my house.

There is a pizza place a mile down the road from our home and last night I really had to fight the urge to just not call and order a pizza delivery. Instead I rummaged through the freezer and found some ham and a ham bone. I defrosted the ham and we had fettuccine alfredo, ham, and corn for dinner. Not a bad dinner for being short on food. I decided after dinner that I would make split pea soup with the ham bone, for tomorrow’s lunch. However, I usually put red onion in my soup and I was out, I also didn’t have any chicken stock or spices.

I varied my split pea soup recipe with what I had on hand and made the best pea soup of my life! And it was so easy!

Here is the recipe:

Easy Split Pea Soup

1 cup of split peas
1 packet of Lipton Onion Soup & Dip Mix
3 cups of water
Ham bone

Cooking Instructions:

Place split peas in a colander and wash and look them over.
Fill a large pot with washed split peas, Lipton Onion Soup & Dip Mix, water, and ham bone. Let boil.
Reduce to simmer for an hour. Remove ham bone, cool, and cut meat off of bone. Dice the meat into small pieces.
Discard ham bone and return ham pieces to the pot. Add another cup of water and simmer for another 1.5 hours.

The split pea soup has an awesome flavor that my whole family enjoys!

New Banquet Fruit Pies - Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:37:00 +0000

Pie! Did someone say pie? I have quite a sweet tooth; I actually haven’t tasted a fruit pie I didn’t like. I was excited when ConAgra Food contacted me and asked me to review their new Banquet Fruit Pies. I assumed I was going to like them but I never thought I would love them! The apple pie was great but the peach pie was to-die-for.

Initially ConAgra Food sent me coupons for free Banquet Fruit Pies. However, when I visited my local Wal-mart grocery store I couldn’t find the pies. It is a new product that I guess hasn’t made it to my neck of the woods, yet. I contacted ConAgra about my problems finding the pies and they were nice enough to Fedex Overnight two pies for me. Because they shipped me the pies I am able to review the pies and still have four coupons for Free Banquet Fruit Pies leftover for a giveaway for my readers!

To participate in the giveaway leave a comment below (do not leave an anonymous comment please at least put your first name). Four lucky winners will each receive a coupon for a FREE Banquet Fruit Pie. The four winners will be announced on Tuesday, September 7, 2010.

* You have to check back on 9/7/2010 to see if you won and follow the instructions on how to claim your prize.
* You must be a US resident to participate in this giveaway.
* The coupons do not expire until 7/26/11, so even if the pies haven’t made it to your region they will within the next couple of months.

“Banquet Fruit Pies come in 7 oz. single servings featuring three All-American fruit varieties – apple, peach and cherry berry – so everyone can enjoy their favorite fruit taste. Each pie has a half serving of real fruit inside a golden, flaky pastry shell that bakes up fresh and hot from your oven or microwave in just minutes. “

Yesterday was the last day of summer for my kids before they returned to school today. We were invited by my neighbor to a pool party to celebrate the last day of summer for the kiddos before their big day. I didn’t want to show up to the party empty handed. I decide to bake the pies and bring them to the party as a little snack for everyone. Even though they are single serving they worked great cut up into little slices and topped with whipped cream. The apple pie was a huge hit for the kids and the adults loved the peach pie. The peach pie had large slices peach and after an afternoon of swimming it was just a perfect ending to a perfect day.

My son going down the pool slide backwards! He was quite a dare-devil yesterday. I think he was trying to get as much fun as he could before he had to head back-to-school today.

Disclosure:
ConAgra Foods sent me two pies for free to try and review.
ConAgra Foods sent me coupons for free Banquet Fruit Pies to be used in this giveaway.

Coffee Chronicles

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:39:00 +0000

I didn’t realize I had a coffee addiction till I saw it all laid out on the table at my yard sale last weekend. Just how many different coffee pots can one person have? Apparently, lots because there they were ready to be sold to the highest bidder.

I was never a coffee drinker until after my second child. Our children are eighteen months apart and their infant months are a complete sleepless blur. I never even thought about drinking coffee until my father-in-law came to visit shortly after the birth of our second child. He loves instant coffee; some International Coffee sugary stuff that makes me teeth even hurt thinking about. When it was time for him to return home to Arizona we realized I had bought too many cans of the International Coffee, we had probably three extra. It was shortly after 9-11 and powder in a tin can was a big no, no. My father-in-law is the “king of frugal” and he hated leaving the stuff. I promised to give it a try and if I didn’t like it I would leave it in the fridge until he returned.

Funny how other’s cheapness can seem so weird but mine seems so normal to me. He saves tin foil, rinses out plastic sandwiches bags and reuses them, saves the cotton in pill bottles, the list goes on and on. He is extreme frugal but he also grew up in the Great Depression and truly knows what it is like to be hungry, suffering, and poor.

I can only imagine how wasteful day-to-day living must look to him. In our house, I am the saver and my husband is the spender but when my father-in-law is in the house, frugal rules!

I tried the International Coffee shortly after he left. I went from a tired mommy of two infants to a tired mommy with a little coffee edge! The stuff was amazing but very sugary. I decided to buy a cheap $10.00 coffee maker; it was red with a glass decanter. I used the International Coffee as a creamer to spruce up the coffee a bit. That red coffee maker didn’t last long it was cheap and the glass on the decanter was really thin. I cracked it in the sink washing it several months after buying it.

I upgraded the coffee maker to a $20.00 one but the decanter was still glass. After having the coffee maker for about a year the glass around the lip of the decanter broke and I sliced the very tip of my thumb off. I remember standing at the sink cleaning dishes while hearing my toddlers play in the background, next minute the sink was filled with my blood. I called my neighbor next door, thank God she was home, and told her I was about to faint. She ran over to find two crying toddlers and me with my hand wrapped in towels lying on the bathroom floor. My neighbor was awesome, still is awesome, she took me to the emergency room, and from that day on I swore off glass decanters. (My thumb is fine now I just don’t have feeling in the very tip.)

I didn’t want to spend the money on a coffee pot with a stainless steel decanter because they are so expensive so I started drinking instant Folgers coffee. The stuff wasn’t my favorite but it was the safest.

I found a coffee pot on sale with two stainless steel travel mugs that made two separate cups of coffee on each side. I liked it a lot at first but you really had to use the travel mugs to make the coffee and the travel mugs irritated me to drink from. I wasn’t going anywhere, I was at home with the kids and I didn’t need that reminder from my travel mugs. Nothing worse than the feeling that your coffee is mocking you!

I shared my story of my mean mocking coffee pot with my husband. I am sure it sounded pitiful because the next day he surprised me a large Mr. Coffee, coffee maker with a stainless steel decanter.

Then this year for my birthday my mom bought me a Keurig coffee maker. I love the thing, it is by far the safest coffee pot I have had and the easiest. However, the coffee can get a little pricey. I purchase my coffee at this little coffee shop that sells individual k-cups. You get 24 flavors of your choice for 12.95. I only buy the dark roasted coffee and then I use each one twice (right after one another I don’t let the k-cup sit around). Each cup of coffee costs me about .27 cents.

I am not sure what my father-in-law will say if he comes to visit, .27 cents for a cup of coffee will seem outrageous and I know that he will refuse to drink it. Instead, he will boil his water in a teakettle on my stove and use his instant International Coffee. Or he will try it once and be as completed hooked on it as I am.

Some of us need coffee to get our work done, others of us work to make money for our coffee addiction. I think I might officially be the latter. I live on a budget but coffee money has its own column.

Sarah Forhan

Score $10 off your next book purchase!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:09:00 +0000

Last year I discovered Books-A-Million, which is now my favorite place for finding discounted books.

They always have a HUGE bargain section, with up to 80% off!!! I love stocking up on kids books that are only $1.97 a piece! I usually place a big order and set them aside for birthday and Christmas gifts.

Anyway, in case you're interested, here's a great coupon for $10 off your order of $50 or more. Oh and they have free shipping on all orders over $25!

If you're shopping online, simply use coupon code: AUGBKCB at checkout. If you're shopping in-store, you can print your coupon here.

Coupon is valid through 8/3/10.

Post written by Mary @ Tips & Treasures.

And the winners are...

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:02:00 +0000

The winners of the Breyer's Coupon Giveaway are:

Sable(atlmuzikfanzinc)
brightleigh
Smarti
Renee
DG

Thank to all that participated in our little giveaway. Winners please notify me at customerservice@sarahforhan.com with the address to mail your coupon out.

Sarah Forhan & Mary

Breyer's Smooth & Dreamy Giveaway - 5 Winners Possible

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:47:00 +0000

Mary, are intrepid frugal shopper, bargain hunter, money-saving expert tried Breyer's Smooth & Dreamy Ice Cream Sandwiches. And guess what, her and her family loved them! They were messy but really when isn't ice cream messy?

A big thank you to Mom Central for giving "Mommy, are the toys on sale?" the opportunity to review a Breyer's product and a bigger thank you to Mom Central and Breyer's for sending us 5 coupons for a FREE Breyer's Smooth & Dreamy Multi-pack!

Mary and I would like to give our readers the chance to win a coupon for the FREE Breyer's Smooth & Dreamy Multi-pack!

To Enter:

Sign-up for our Facebook Fan Page and leave a comment below.
Sign-up for our Google Reader and leave a comment below.
Sign-up for Breyer's Facebook Page, spin their Wheel of Delight, and leave a comment below.
Or leave a comment why you like Breyer's Ice Cream so much!

5 Lucky winners will be chosen at random from the comments.

Contest Ends Sunday, July 25th at 11pm est

Winners will be announced on Monday, July 26th. Don't forget to check back to see if you won!

Good Luck,
Sarah Forhan & Mary

Coupons received from Mom Central.

Yummy treat, turned sloppy mess...

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:34:00 +0000

One thing I've learned since having two kids, is that most things will not work out as you thought they would... even with the most careful planning. Kids are unpredictable, as are many other things in life.

So anyway, I was recently given the opportunity to review the new Breyer's Smooth & Dreamy ice cream products. These are multi-packs of ice cream bars and ice cream sandwiches.

I was definately interested in trying these out as a great snack for my kiddos (ages 4 & 2). Ok, ok, and maybe for me too :)

Before we even tried these, I liked them because they are all natural and they have less fat and calorie content than other ice cream bars and sandwiches. That's always a plus in my book!

We chose the Vanilla Fudge Brownie Sandwiches! They have 160 calories and 4 grams of fat per sandwich... not bad considering the competition. Oh, and they have no artificial colors or flavors.

(Notice the beach chairs stacked on the porch in the background... aw now I'm missing the beach!)

So, my mom and I had taken my kiddos to the shore for a few days and we decided to pick these up for a nice treat while we were there. Trying to be a smart mommy, I figured we'd eat our ice cream treats outside, to have less of a mess to clean up. Ha.

Let's just say things didn't quite go as planned. For some reason, my grandfather's freezer was not at it's optimal cold temp. Maybe it has to do with the fact that the fridge and freezer were opened like 9 million times. I dunno.

So the ice cream sandwiches were kind of like ice cream soup with large brownie cookies floating around. Ok, maybe it wasn't that bad, but it was close. They were pretty soft and melting very quickly, especially since we were outside with it being in the upper 90s.

Our Smooth & Dreamy treats were more like Melted & Messy treats with the vanilla ice cream drippage down the front of both kids and all around us. But you know what? They were pretty darn tasty!

And you know how they are lower in fat that other brands of ice cream sandwiches? Well, they certainly didn't taste like it. They were full of flavor... with my favorite part being the fudge brownie cookies.

My kids loved their ice cream treats as well... even with half of it covering their laps! So, I'd say we'd definately buy these again, just not when we're at the shore. That way we're able to pop them into our own freezer :)

Stay tuned for a Breyer's Smooth & Dreamy giveaway!

Post written by Mary @ Tips & Treasures.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Breyers and received products necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Heinz and Chili's Instant Win on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:31:00 +0000

I heard about this contest from SavingQueen.com. I was inspired to try because she won a $30 gift card to Chili's. Love hearing about winnings, always makes me want to try my luck as well.

Visit Heinz Ketchup Facebook Page, "like" them to play the contest. It is a fun little contest where you click and drag words to make a silly little poem.

Instant Prize - $30 Gift Card to Chili's (157 given away per day).
Two Grand Prizes - $500 Chili's Gift Card, plus a year's supply of Heinz Ketchup

I didn't win today but I will be back tomorrow to try my luck. Daily Contest that ends 8/1/10.

-Sarah Forhan

RitzPix Christmas in July Sale - Free Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 20:45:00 +0000

Don't miss out on RitzPix Christmas in July Sale! For the month of July they are offering photos for free!

20 Free 4x6 Prints from RitzPix.com!
Use Promo Code: TRY38U92

4 Free 5x7 Prints From RitzPix.com!
USE Promo Code: TRY54K21

2 Free 8x10 Prints From RitzPix.com
USE Promo Code: TRY63B78

1 Free 5x7 Card from RitzPix.com!
USE Promo Code: TRY41Q3F

Click on the links above to be taken to RitzPix.com for their promotions.

Disclosure: If you follow my links and make a purchase I will receive a percentage of the total sale. You save and I save; win, win for both of us.

-Sarah Forhan

Save money on dog food - List of available coupons!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:14:00 +0000

Here's a few dog food coupons that I found around the net. Some are printable and some are mailed through USPS.

Save $3 off Purina ProPlan Selects dog food.

Take $3.00 off any bag of Purina ProPlan dog food.

Save up to $30 on Hill's Science Diet Mobility dog food with various coupons when you take the Healthy Mobility Challenge.

Sign up for P&G Everyday Solutions and you'll receive Iams coupons by postal mail.

Take $1.00 off Pedigree Dentastix dog treats.

Save $2.00 on any one bag of Pedigree dog food. Also find other Pedigree coupons there as well!

Save $2.00 on any 4 or 4.5 lb. bag of Nutro Ultra Holistic dog food.

$5.00 off any bag of Blue Buffalo dog food. - This one may come in postal mail.

Sign up with Natura dog food and you'll receive a high-value coupon in the mail within 10 days.

Buy 1, get 1 free Cesar dog food.

Hope these help you score some savings on your furry friend's food!

-Mary

Michelin Tires Rebate Form

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:18:00 +0000

Rebate form for Michelin Tires, you say? Yes, savings come in all forms. As a BzzAgent I was asked to “bzz” about Michelin Tires. Click on the link for a pdf rebate form for: $70 back on a prepaid MasterCard® Card when you buy any set of four new MICHELIN® brand passenger or light truck tires from July 8 through August 9, 2010

When I received the bzz package for Micheline® I laughed out loud when I saw the tire pressure gauge they had sent me, as well. The reason I laughed is because I have at least ten of these things; at one time I was obsessed with my tire pressure. In my early twenties, I had an old Ford Escort, one of the rims was slightly bent and I was always losing air out of that one tire. Before I went anywhere I had to stop and put air in it. What we do!

I have since upgraded to a car with no tire problems. But old habits die-hard, I still find myself looking over all four tires before I leave the driveway.

If you are in the need of new tires please print the rebate form and take advantage of the savings.

Sarah Forhan

How to Have a Successful Yard Sale.

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:34:00 +0000

If you are going to spend the time pulling everything out onto your yard and driveway. You want to sell it right? Here are some tips for having a successful yard sale.

Things You'll Need:

* Items to Sell
* Tables
* Tarps
* Fanny Pack with Change Inside
* Yard Sale Signs
* Balloons

Step 1
Before you even set a date for a yard sale you need to make sure you have enough items to sell. Search through your home, garage, shed, storage unit, attic, for all of your unused things. There is no better time to sell your unused items than at your next yard sale!

Step 2
Once you have collected everything it is time to set a date. Select a Saturday that is forecasted for good weather.

Step 3
Check with your town or city ordinances to see if you need a permit for a yard sale. Permits usually range from $5 to $10 dollars.

Step 4
Post your upcoming yard sale in your local paper and/or on Craig's List. When you post your ad be sure to specify time, location, general description of items for sale, and NO Early Birds. (If you don't put "No Early Birds" people will stop by hours before the scheduled time.)

Step 5
Four or five days before your yard sale, begin to post signs around town. Make your signs are large, easy to read, and have all the important information about your yard sale; time and location.

Step 6
Get your items ready for your yard sale. Tidy up everything that you're selling. Things sell better when they look cleaned and well cared for.

Step 7
Keep your money in a safe place. Many people use a lock box at yard sales. I prefer to use a fanny pack. It allows you to keep an eye on your money at all times. And you don't have to run back and forth to give your customers change. Make sure to have plenty of ones, fives, and quarters (to give change back) before your yard sale begins!

Step 8
The morning of your yard sale get up early and set everything up before your customers come. Put out tables, lay down tarps, set out cones at the end of your driveway (so no one can drive up your driveway and harm your customers shopping), and put balloons on your mailbox to attract customers.

Step 9
Do not waste your time marking each individual item. Group items with a similar value on tables and tarps, though, for larger ticketed items place a pricing sign (i.e., lawnmowers, snow-blowers, air conditioners, and furniture).

Step 10
Be ready for customers to haggle pricing. Decide before your yard sale the worth of your items. Some things you are just going to want to get rid and others will have a definite value. Make sure everyone who is working the yard sale with you knows which items you want to sell no matter how low the price and which items you intend to make a profit on.

Step 11
When the yard sale is over pile the items with little or no value at the end of your driveway marked free. You will be amazed at how fast those things will go! Everybody loves free. Or you can donate them to charity.

Tips and Warnings.

Have plenty of boxes and store plastic bags on hand to help customers pack up their loot.
Set up a table of sodas and baked goods. People get very hungry and thirsty when yard saling! It is a great way to make additional money.
Set up brightly colored larger ticketed items towards the front of your yard sale. Many people will drive by your yard sale. If they don't see anything of value they will not stop.
Be sure when the yard sale is over to go and collect all of your yard sale signs around town.
Be very careful when giving change. I have heard of customers giving you a five dollar bill for a four dollar item and then saying they gave you a ten dollar bill instead and you owe them six dollars. When giving change set the money they gave you down next to you. Give them their change and then pick up the money they gave you. There is no way for them to dispute how much they gave you if you have the original five dollar bill in your hand.
Don't allow anyone in your home to use the bathroom. While you are busy tending to your yard sale they good be stealing your personal belongings.

Post Written by Sarah Forhan

Kids Clothes for $2.04??? Sold!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 15:47:00 +0000

On a recent shopping trip to Kohl's, I was super excited to spot kids' clothes on clearance as low as $2.40!!!

Seriously, that's a fantastic price for good, quality kids' clothing. And you know what just about made me dance through the isles after that? Knowing that I had a coupon for an additional 15% off all those clearance prices! Bringing those $2.40 items down to the rock-bottom price of $2.04!

Here are some of the great deals I was able to find this time...

Osh Kosh capris priced at $9.60, Daddy's Caddy t-shirt for $2.40, boys plaid shorts for $3.60, girls shorts for $3.60, brown capris for $2.40, stripey capris for $2.40, and two separate boy's Osh Kosh pieces that totally match for a complete outfit for $7.20 each.

These came to $38.40, but with my 15% off coupon I was able to save an additional $5.76, bringing the total for these items down to $32.64.

I feel like I'm starting to sound like an infomercial... but you know what made this deal even better? They were giving $10 in Kohl's cash for every $50 I spent... so I ended up with $20 in Kohl's cash. Worked out perfectly because the next day our iron broke and I used the $20 Kohl's cash towards our new iron!

And the best part? The clothes I've bought from Kohl's in the past all have held up really well... so I'm able to turn around and resell them second hand when my kids are through with them. At a yardsale I'll make back between one to two dollars for each piece!

This is exactly why Kohl's is my favorite place to shop for my kids. I always shop a season or two in advance so that I can scoop up all the fabulous clearance deals. Oh and Kohl's almost always has a coupon available for an addition 15-30% off your entire purchase.

In case you're interested in scooping up some of these great deals at Kohl's too, online you can use coupon code: JULYSAVE to take an additional 15% of your entire order when you use your Kohl's charge. If you're shopping in-store, print your 15% off coupon here. Coupon expires 7/11/10.

If you're not using a Kohl's charge, you can shop online and use coupon code: NEW4298. Coupon is valid through 7/17/10.

Oh and, lucky you, that Kohl's cash deal is going on again! And it's always for all customers, online and in-store! Get $10 in Kohl's cash for every $50 you spend through 7/11/10.

Hope you get some great deals! And then come on back and let us know all about your bargains!!! I seriously love to hear about other people's shopping & savings!

-Mary

Hi, I'm Mary and I'm a Saveaholic...

noreply@blogger.com (Mary) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:30:00 +0000

Yes, Saveaholic is an official term. Atleast it is in my dictionary.

Saveaholic - frugal minded person who is addicted to saving money through the use of sale and clearance shopping, coupons, coupon codes and freebies.

Anyway, I'm new around here, as Sarah just recently invited me to join her here at Mommy are the Toys on Sale? I am super excited to work here with Sarah, since I've been following her blogs for over four years now!

As Sarah blogged about her various ways of saving money and being a good steward of her resources, she totally inspired me to start my own frugal blog. So I've been blogging over at Tips & Treasures since January of 2007.

I love to shop, but hate to pay full price. I'm constantly looking for good sales, coupons, online coupon codes, rebates and freebies.

I've also gotten hooked on making money online. I do surveys, participate in various loyalty programs, test products, and I get paid to read emails and view ads. Yes, this really is possible as long as you avoid the scams. You won't get rich from it, but of course every penny adds up!

I blog about the great deals that I find because it has got to be a crime not to share!

So that's me. A Saveaholic. Thanks so much to Sarah and all the Mommy are the Toys on Sale? readers for having me here. See you around!

-Mary

You can also find me at:
http://tipsandtreasures.com/
http://twitter.com/TipsNTreasures

got2b Smooth Operator Smoothing Lustre Lotion and Hairspray

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:46:00 +0000

I was asked by BzzAgent to try got2b Smooth Operator products. The Smooth Operator products are meant to control fly-aways and frizz with a special bonus UV protectant. Yay, sunscreen for my hair! The products come in a hair spray, mousse, or weightless serum. I prefer hair spray to everything else. I hate getting my hands all nasty with mousse in junk. I like to spray and go! I am a no nonsense kind of girl. I have crazy frizzy, did I mention crazy hair! The hair spray kept my hair tame with no hard crunchy effects. I was de-frizzed all day even in this hot humid New England air. I give got2b Smooth Operator Hairspray 2 thumbs up.

If you would like to try their products Wal-mart is running rollbacks on the got2b products: just $3.47 until Aug 31st.

I have 4 coupons for $2.50 off one Smooth Operator Smooth lustre lotion or one smoothing hairspray. Visit my Deals and Coupons page to sign-up. It is first come first serve. I try to keep the coupon page current but it does require me to update the amounts manually. I will follow up by email after the initial request. Tell your friends and check back often for new Deals and Coupons. Better yet sign up for my Google Reader and get updates every time I post!

Dove Hair Care

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:27:00 +0000

I have very dry damaged hair. I do all the "no-no's". I dye my hair at home (gasp), I blow dry it, and I use a flat-iron on it (double-gasp). Basically, I abuse my hair horribly. As you all know I am a BzzAgent and I was asked to try Dove Hair Care. It is a daily treatment conditioner for intensive repair. I could not believe how awesome the conditioner worked. My hair looked soft, manageable, and frizz-less. Basically, the conditioner rocks. So much so, that when my husband told me he loved the new conditioner, I freaked out.

"What, are you doing using my conditioner? Your hair is not dry or damaged, heck you don't even have enough hair that it needs to be conditioned."

Of course, my husband being the witty man he is replied, "Didn't you get this for free? Didn't they want you to tell people about it? Guys, can use conditioner too, you know."

He was right, of course, after my little tantrum I told him it was okay to use it but only a dime-size. Dime-size dammit, I want this conditioner to last as long as possible.

I have since had to buy a new bottle (I think he used more than a dime-size though he swears he didn't). I was able to find it easily at my local drug store, it was reasonably priced, and comes in a variety of options for your level of repair.

Note to my readers: First come first serve. Visit my Deals and Coupons page to request a free sample of Dove Hair Care Intensive Repair.

Gift Giving on a Budget - Teacher's Gift

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:44:00 +0000

My children's last day of school was last Friday. I wanted to give each teacher a gift for all their hard work. However, in true frugal style I wanted it to be "high in meaning" and "low in cost".

We use Classico Pasta Sauce because I love it! It has so much flavor and comes in these great big mason jars. I add inexpensive sauce that comes in cans to it to make it last longer. I get twice as much out of it by adding the cheap cans of sauce but it doesn't ruin the flavor. Visit Classico for a coupon on their sauces!

When the sauce is done I wash and sterilize the mason jars and set them aside for crafts. Here is the link to the craft instructions for making a Teacher's Gift filled with trail mix out of the mason jars.

Cost-wise I made a total of three large mason jars filled with trail mix, included gift bags, and thank you cards for $11.98.

Here is how I did it:
Mason Jars - Recycled

Wine Gift Bags (3) - $0.00
Blank Thank You Cards (set of 10) - $0.00
Trail Mix - $11.98
Paper and Embellishments - $0.00

I decorated the jars with scrap-booking material I had on hand. I had the teacher themed scrap-booking material left over from a project I had made for them for Christmas. However, Michael's and A.C. Moore offer such great coupons that if you plan it out you can easily get it on the "cheap".

The Wine Gift Bags (they hold the mason jars perfect) and Blank Thank You Cards I purchased at Kohl's. Kohl's mailed me a coupon for $10.00 off $10.00 because of a promotion they were having. Kohl's has some great deals and even greater coupons. I hate buying cards and gift bags because they just seem so much more expensive then they are worth. When I can buy blank cards and simple gift bags I prefer to and then embellish them on my own to fit the occasion.

How to get the look using COVERGIRLs Blast Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Mon, 31 May 2010 13:38:00 +0000

I was asked by BzzAgent to try Covergirl's new Smoky ShadowBlast and ShineBlast Lip Gloss. I was really excited to try the Smoky ShadowBlast because I love the idea of smoky eyes but I have never been able to achieve it. With the Smoky ShadowBlast I had smoky eyes in two simple steps! However, when using the eye shadow if you turn the applicator completely extended the eye shadow falls out. I actually bought another one and thought the first one might be defective. It happened with the second one, as well. So far warning do not extend the eye shadow too far out of its applicator.

I also enjoyed the ShineBlast Lip Gloss. I have always preferred lip-gloss over lip stick. Their lip-gloss smelled really good and made my lips extra shiny.

Attention Readers: I have started a new program where I will be sharing the latest deals and discounts that are passed along to me, to my readers. I will also be sharing some great money saving coupons! Several years ago I started a similar program when I wrote for Clubmom. I love being able to pass along the discounts I get to my readers, as well. Visit my Deals and Coupons Page for a Covergirl Coupon and more.

Check out Covergirl's video for applying the Smoky ShadowBlast!

Disclosure: I was given Covergirl Products free by Bzzagent. In return I share my opinion; good and bad.

What is a BzzAgent?

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Mon, 17 May 2010 21:31:00 +0000

What is a BzzAgent? Great term to know because I am a BzzAgent and I talk about being a BzzAgent all the time! Basically, in my own words a BzzAgent is a person who receives free products, promotional items, and services, tries them out and tells others what he or she liked or disliked about the product or service. It is word-of-mouth marketing with a twist! The company is giving you the product asking you to try it out and if you like it promote it. But if you don’t like they are also taking the risk that you tell your peers the flaws of the product or service.

In reality, being a BzzAgent lets you try the newest and latest great things on the market. It keeps you in the know and lets you pass along great coupon offers to your friends and family.

As a BzzAgent, once I receive the product or service I try it out and either by word-of-mouth or through this blog I share my experiences with my friends, family, and readers. I then pass my experiences along to the BzzAgent.com website in the form of a written report or video.

I have been a BzzAgent since 2005. I go through stages where I want to try things out and share my feedback with my peeps. And other times I just want to take a break from it. That is what great about being a BzzAgent you go at your own pace and only sign up for things that you are interested in. However, your rating is based on involvement so the higher your rating in the system the more campaigns you get to try. I encourage anyone who does sign up to be patient with the process and when you get a campaign try it out and write reports on your experiences. If you do not write a report it will hurt you and they will be less likely to offer you campaigns in the future.

A few years ago BzzAgent teamed up with MyPoints.com. Now every time you complete a survey or write a report you get MyPoints.com points to redeem for gift certificates. Just last week I had enough points for a $50.00 gift certificate to Kohl’s.

I give BzzAgent two thumbs up. Their program allows me to try the latest products and earn points for great prizes.

Hill's Science Diet Toy & Small Breed - Special Offer

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Wed, 12 May 2010 20:43:00 +0000

As I mentioned in a previous post I am a BzzAgent and I was asked to feed my dogs Hills Science Diet Toy and Small Breed Dog Food and see how they liked it. Great news they love it. Even greater news they passed along a link for my readers to their promos page with a "Special Offer"!

Buy new Hill’s® Science Diet® Small & Toy Breed dog food before May 31 and your dog will be sitting pretty with a new collar and leash! Just download the mail-in offer form and you’ll receive a free* Li’l Pals® collar and leash valued up to $12.

*Wondering what a BzzAgent is? Stay tuned tomorrow I will explain all the wonderful perks that go along with being a BzzAgent.

Growing Your Own Spices

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah Forhan) — Wed, 12 May 2010 20:25:00 +0000

My goal is always to provide healthy food to my family at bargain prices; much easier said than done. One of the best most economical ways I have found to feed my family on the cheap is to grow it myself. Here is my post and more information about starting a garden by seed.

We love flavoring our food with spices mainly: cilantro (for my homemade salsa), basil, and oregano (for my homemade spaghetti sauce).

Instead of buying spices which can be very expensive I grow the plants indoors. I usually grow about four plants in each container and just cut sprigs and dice them as I need them. There is no need to dry the spice because the plants remain healthy and thriving indoors all year long.

I purchased Burpee Spice Kits at Home Depot. They were very inexpensive and came with everything I needed to start growing the spices. The pots are completely biodegradable, however, they can be used indoors or outdoors. The pots typically last for about four years before they start to break down. By then I will need to re-pot the plant anyways.

Spice plants also make great gifts. The kit comes with enough seeds that you can start several more plants in peat pots and give them as hostess gifts or end of the year teacher’s gifts.