November 29, 2010

Skin Free and Blue Ridge Gypsy Half Price Sale

Skin Free Skincare

Today and Tomorrow November 29th and November 30th

Skin Free and Blue Ridge Gypsy products are on sale for half-price!

You will need to enter the special Discount Code THANKFUL (case sensitive) to receive your discount. Don't miss out on this opportunity to treat yourself and your friends.

Skin Free
is proud to announce that they have received the PTPA ("Parent Tested; Parent Approved")Award.

Get free shipping over $50. You can combine purchases from both stores.

My son has eczema, and he loves the skin free soap! They have many other great products. Hurry and don't miss this sale!

Winners

I have some winners to announce. They have been emailed also.

Nature Made Giveaway winner-Amanda
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

5 Timestamp: 2010-11-29 19:23:32 UTC

"Following Saving Simplified on GFC"
amandacrna@gmail.com



SmartKnitKIDS Giveaway winner-Margo
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

16 Timestamp: 2010-11-29 19:33:39 UTC

Margo said...
"I tweeted about your contest. :)"

November 26, 2010

Free VeggieTales Christmas Album

Free VeggieTales Christmas Album

Get into the Holiday spirit with "The Incredible Singing Christmas Tree," a full 16-track album by VeggieTales featuring Christmas favorites.
Ends 11/30

Click below to get your free download:
The Incredible Singing Christmas Tree

November 23, 2010

10 tips for Weaving the Hottest Runway Trends

"Sears Kenmore has announced the Runway to Washer Sweepstakes celebrating the Kenmore Elite Top-Load High Efficiency Washer/Dryer which custom-blends six different wash motions to ensure the right cleaning and care for your favorite clothes. You can enter for a chance to win the grand prize which includes a Kenmore washer and dryer, a year’s supply of Tide®, and a trip for two to NYC with seats at Thakoon’s show where you’ll meet the designer, and receive items from his collection!"

Enter the Kenmore Runway to Washer Sweepstakes


To promote the sweepstakes, I was asked to post 10 tips for weaving the hottest runway trends into your day-to-day looks. Well, that was difficult for me. As a mom in her 40's, I don't really keep up with the latest fashion trends. But I remember when I did. Try these tips:

1. Look in magazines to see the hottest fashion trends. Many magazines tell where you can get items cheaper. You can be in style without costing an arm and a leg.

2. Read fashion blogs. You can get a lot of info about what is hot right now. Just search "fashion, blog". I read a lot of blogs.

3. Add one new item to an outfit. For example, a stylish scarf can update a suit. Or a new blouse can update a skirt set.

4. Get a pair of boots. They can really update your look. Boots come in many colors and styles. Also there are various heel sizes available.

5. Attend a fashion show to see their latest styles. I suspect that many could be seen on television or the internet.

6. Add some color to your outfit. I like black outfits, but adding some color will brighten your look.

7. My daughter said the "military look" is popular now with camo prints. (At least that is what is popular at her school.)

8. See what the Hollywood "stars" are wearing. They are usually wearing some of the latest fashions.

9. Make sure your clothes are in good repair. Unless you are wearing jeans that are ripped because you bought them that way. ????

10. Don't forget the jewelry. A really cute piece can make an otherwise dull outfit look nice.

The main thing is to be yourself. Granted, you don't want to look like you just stepped out of the 70's, 80's, etc., but you don't have to follow every trend. I hope these tips have helped you think of some ways to find out what are the latest fashions and how to incorporate it into your look.


I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Kenmore blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

November 22, 2010

Teens and Money Management

Everyday I hear about the national debt, financial crisis, bankruptcy, etc. It can become depressing to hear all the bad news.

I am conservative about financial matters (along with other things), so I feel it is important for us to each take responsibility for our own actions. The government needs to be responsible also by reducing spending to decrease the national debt.

Unfortunately bad things can happen through no fault of our own like being laid off. But we can try to be prepared for financial emergencies. One way is to have an emergency fund.

I talk to my kids about money frequently especially when they are asking "Can I have this?" or "Can I have that?" My response is frequently "No, it's not on sale." or "I don't have a coupon for that." Unfortunately, when they have money, many times they "blow it" on candy or junk.

How do you teach your teen about money management? I give mine money as a reward for doing some work like the doing laundry. I don't give them a weekly allowance just for being my child, but I might consider an allowance if they would agree to do chores weekly.

I am looking for ways to teach them to be responsible with money. One option is the PASS card.



The PASS CARD:

PASS is a prepaid reloadable Card parents give to teens or young adults.

Parents load PASS with funds through an American Express Charge or Credit Card or through a bank, such as a checking or savings account.

Teens don’t have to carry large amounts of cash, and if lost or stolen, funds can be replaced.

Unlike credit, this is a prepaid card so there’s no risk of overspending.

An adult, 18 years or older, must register and load PASS online at www.americanexpress.com/pass, after verifying the user is 13 years or older.

PASS can be used virtually anywhere that accepts American Express.

I haven't tried the PASS card yet, but it might be a good option especially if the teen is going somewhere where a credit card is needed.

Do you have any tips for teens and money management? Have you tried the PASS card?

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of American Express and received a gift code to thank me for taking the time to participate.

November 18, 2010

10 Tips for Stylish Layering Techniques

It is definitely fall where I live. The leaves are a variety of colors, and many have fallen from the trees. The fall reminds me of going to football games when I was in high school. Of course, we weren't there because we cared about football, but it was a great social outing. In the fall I enjoy "weenie roasts" over a campfire and making smores.
But with the cold weather we have to remember to dress warmly. A good way to do that is with layering clothes. That way you can remove a layer if you get too hot. I was to come up with 10 tips for stylish layering techniques for all occasions.

1. Wear a T-shirt under your other clothes. That is one of the basic layering techniques many people use.

2. Wear 2 or 3 layers of socks. I learned that from my brother-in-law who is a deer hunter. He has to keep warm while hunting.

3. Wear a hat and a scarf with your coat. Of course, you can always remove them if needed.

4. Wear long underwear under your clothes. For when it is really cold, a pair of long underwear can keep you very toasty.

5. Wear 2 or 3 shirts. People mainly do that when they have to be out in the cold for a long period of time. You can layer T-shirts or other shirts.

6. Wear a vest. It can add a stylish touch to your outfit. Around Christmas you can find many holiday themed sweater vests that are very cute.

7. Wear a turtleneck shirt. You can wear it alone or under another shirt or sweater.

8. Wear a matching jacket or blazer to top off a great outfit. Fitted jackets can be very slimming.

9. Wear leggings. Many people wear them with a skirt. It is not my style, but it looks cute on younger people.

10.Wear a warm coat. That is the most important part. And don't forget your gloves!

I hope these 10 tips will help keep you warm this winter. Remember you are making memories with your family, so don't forget to have fun!


About Cuddl Duds:
Cuddl Duds designs and manufactures high quality intimate apparel. As the leading warm underwear maker in America, Cuddl Duds has become synonymous with comfort and “feeling good.” Cuddl Duds is a wholly owned subsidiary of Komar.

Komar, the 102-year-old privately held apparel, consumer products and distribution services company, designs, markets and manufactures women's and children’s sleepwear, loungewear and lingerie. Komar is a progressive company with a global sourcing network that includes factories in fourteen countries andstate-of-the-art distribution facilities. Founded by Charles Komar in 1908, who stated “you only have one reputation,” the third-generation Komars adhere to this guiding principle while running the company today

More info: http://www.cuddlduds.com
Become a fan of Cuddl Duds on Facebook: www.facebook.com/cuddlduds
Follow Cuddl Duds on Twitter: @cuddlduds


I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Cuddl Duds blogging program, making me eligible to get a $40 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

November 15, 2010

10 Holiday Survival Tips

Do you ever feel like you just want the holidays to be over? I know many people feel that way. We all know how stressful the holiday season can be. With presents to buy and wrap, cookies to bake, cards to send, decorating to do, etc. we can really miss the meaning of the holidays. Don't you wish you could slow down and focus on the real "Reason for the Season"? I will give you some tips to help.

1. Purchase items online. I buy a lot of things on Black Friday and Cyber Monday online. Amazon always has sales those days. Many other stores have great specials on those days.

2. Wrap presents as you go. It is helpful if you wrap a little at a time. I feel really rushed when I have a lot of wrapping to do at the end. If you wrap a little each day, you won't have to do it all at the end.

3. Prepare some items ahead of time. My mom was working on her cranberry salad last week. She freezes it until Thanksgiving, and that is one less thing to worry about.

4. Purchase items at sales before the Christmas season. That way you don't have to do all your shopping at the end. I buy for Christmas throughout the year.

5. Cut back on buying. For example if you exchange gifts with extended family or friends, set an amount like $25 per gift. That way you know you are spending the right amount.

6. Exchange names instead of buying for everyone on your list. My sister has been wanting to do that, but I have been reluctant because I love to buy for all my nieces and nephews. But it would certainly save a lot of time shopping and wrapping, and it would save money.

7. Cut back on decorating the house. I mean really, how many lights do you need? For those that love decorating, that is great. But if it is just another task you feel you have to do, cut back on the decorations. Remember when Jesus was born, there were no fancy decorations.

8. Cut back on your Christmas card list. If you haven't received a card from someone in years, then scratch their name off your list. For people you see frequently, you could just hand them the card thus saving on postage and finding all those addresses.

9. Share the responsibilities. If you are married, your spouse can help with decorating or wrapping, etc. Don't forget to include your kids in the fun. Let them help you bake cookies.

10. Focus on enjoying the time with your family and friends. You are making memories. Years from now your children may not remember exactly what they got for Christmas, but they will remember the fun times together.

I hope these tips were helpful to make your life easier during the holidays.

Have you seen http://www.tinyprints.com/photo-cards.htmJoin Tiny Prints on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tinyprintsFollow Tiny Prints on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tinyprints
I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Tiny Prints blogging program, making me eligible to get a $75 Tiny Prints gift certificate! For more information on how you can participate, click here.

November 14, 2010

SmartKnitKIDS Giveaway Extended

I have extended the SmartKnitKIDS giveaway. I got busy and did not promote it as much as I should have. You can enter here:

SmartKnitKIDS giveaway

November 11, 2010

Making Life Easier During the Holidays

We all know how stressful the holiday season can be. With presents to buy and wrap, cookies to bake, cards to send, decorating to do, etc. we can really miss the meaning of the holidays. Don't you wish you could slow down and focus on the real "Reason for the Season"? I will give you some tips to help.

1. Purchase items online. I buy a lot of things on Black Friday and Cyber Monday online. Amazon always has sales those days. Many other stores have great specials on those days.

2. Wrap presents as you go. It is helpful if you wrap a little at a time. I feel really rushed when I have a lot of wrapping to do at the end. If you wrap a little each day, you won't have to do it all at the end.

3. Prepare some items ahead of time. My mom was working on her cranberry salad last week. She freezes it until Thanksgiving, and that is one less thing to worry about.

4. Purchase items at sales before the Christmas season. That way you don't have to do all your shopping at the end. I buy for Christmas throughout the year.

5. Cut back on buying. For example if you exchange gifts with extended family or friends, set an amount like $25 per gift. That way you know you are spending the right amount.

6. Exchange names instead of buying for everyone on your list. My sister has been wanting to do that, but I have been reluctant because I love to buy for all my nieces and nephews. But it would certainly save a lot of time shopping and wrapping, and it would save money.

7. Cut back on decorating the house. I mean really, how many lights do you need? For those that love decorating, that is great. But if it is just another task you feel you have to do, cut back on the decorations. Remember when Jesus was born, there were no fancy decorations.

8. Cut back on your Christmas card list. If you haven't received a card from someone in years, then scratch their name off your list. For people you see frequently, you could just hand them the card thus saving on postage and finding all those addresses.

9. Share the responsibilities. If you are married, your spouse can help with decorating or wrapping, etc. Don't forget to include your kids in the fun. Let them help you bake cookies.

10. Focus on enjoying the time with your family and friends. You are making memories. Years from now your children may not remember exactly what they got for Christmas, but they will remember the fun times together.

I hope these tips were helpful to make your life easier during the holidays. Oral-B is helping Operation Smile during the holidays.


About the Oral-B “Glide Into the Holidays” Program
To help make the holiday season easier, Oral-B Glide along with “General Hospital” star Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo, will kick off the “Glide Into The Holidays” program benefiting Operation Smile, with a free skate day on November 11th at New York City’s Wollman Rink in Central Park. At the event, families are invited to Glide on the ice to raise money for Operation Smile, an international children’s medical charity that provides free surgeries to repair cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities for children around the globe.

To grant holiday wishes to kids globally with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities Oral-B Glide will make a donation for every pledge made at the event. Additionally, Oral-B Glide and Vanessa hope to inspire others to stick to their oral care routine this holiday season by pledging to switch to Glide online through Facebook and Twitter. For every person who tweets or posts on Oral-B’s Facebook wall with the hashtag #Switch2Glide through February 28, 2011, Oral-B® Glide™ will donate $1 to Operation Smile with a guaranteed donation of $10,000 over the course of the entire campaign.

About Operation Smile
Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, Operation Smile is a worldwide children’s medical charity whose network of global volunteers are dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children and young adults. Since its founding, Operation Smile volunteers have treated more than 150,000 children born with cleft lips, cleft palates and other facial deformities and the organization has a presence in more than 60 countries. In addition to contributing free medical treatment, Operation Smile trains local medical professionals in its partner countries and leaves behind crucial equipment to lay the groundwork for long-term self-sufficiency. For more information, please visit www.operationsmile.org.

More info: http://www.oralb.com

Join Oral-B on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/oralb

Follow Oral-B on Twitter: http://twitter.com/oralb

Tweet-a-thon
Here is a tweet which for you to tweet in the Oral-B Glide tweet-a-thon for a chance to win one of ten $20 Target Gift Cards!

Support Oral-B Glide donations to Operation Smile http://on.fb.me/dfQE67. RT w/ hashtag #Switch2Glide for a chance to win a $20 gift card!


I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Oral-B blogging contest, making me eligible to get full-sized Oral-B Glide products and a $30 Target gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Nature Made Prenatal Vitamin Giveaway


I love Nature Made products for my vitamin and supplement needs. I am a member of their Wellness Rewards program where I earn free product coupons by entering the code on the bottles I have purchased. It is an easy program, and I have earned several free coupons thus far. Since I love their products, I jumped at the chance to participate in their prenatal vitamin blog tour.

Nature Made Prenatal Multi Tablet is a complete multi vitamin/mineral with key vitamins and minerals necessary for the good health of pregnant and lactating women.

From their site:
"Nature Made knows that pregnant and lactating women have special health needs for the development of their child. Nature Made has formulated Prenatal Multi tablet with those needs in mind. This formula is rich in:

• High Folic Acid content (100% of the Daily Value for pregnant and lactating women), which is important in the healthy development of the nervous system and fetus. Adequate Folic Acid in healthful diets may reduce a woman’s risk of having a child with brain or spinal cord birth defect.

• Iron is essential for a healthy pregnancy by supporting energy and healthy development of the fetus.

• Zinc provides healthy fetal growth

• Vitamin D is important for bone health of both mother and fetus"

You can print a coupon for $1 off any Nature Made Product. They also have several other printable coupons available there.

The great people at Nature Made have agreed to provide one of my readers a 9-month supply of Prenatal + DHA, 2 packs of cloth diapers and a food processor.

Mandatory: To enter visit their site and print a coupon or sign up for their Wellness Rewards program. Then come back and leave a comment letting me know what you did. Please, leave your email address, so I can contact the winner.

Bonus entries: Leave an extra comment for each one.

1. Subscribe to this blog
2. Follow this blog
3. Subscribe to my new blog Saving Simplified.
4. Follow my new blog Saving Simplified on Google Friend connect.
5. Leave a comment on any post on Saving Simplified to get 2 entries. (Please leave 2 comments on this post for 2 entries.)
6. Follow me @donnak4 and tweet about the contest. Then leave the link or your twitter ID.
Here is one you can use:

Win 9 month supply of Nature Made Prenatal + DHA,cloth diapers, and a food processor.
http://tinyurl.com/2g6vyto

This is for the US. Ends 11/21/2010 at 11:59 CST.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central on behalf of Nature Made and received the products necessary to facilitate my review and giveaway.

November 5, 2010

Listerine/Reach Oral Care Challenge


We received a variety of LISTERINE and REACH products. For the tour my kids and I were to brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash twice a day for three weeks.

Well, like usual, I had to nag my kids to get them to do it twice a day. Once I got them in there, they liked it. My kids' favorite was the Listerine Agent Cool Blue Pre-Brush Rinse. It turned their teeth blue and showed them where to concentrate their brushing. They also liked the taste.

I like reach toothbrushes. My mouth felt very clean. I feel if we keep this up, we will get great reports at our next dentist visits.


The makers of LISTERINE and REACH have also teamed up with America's Toothfairy to launch "Trick or Treat for America's Toothfairy," a campaign to raise awareness of pediatric dental disease and help provide life changing care to underserved children. For a minimum $10 tax-deductible donation, America’s Toothfairy will send your child a personalized letter that emphasizes the importance of oral hygiene.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of LISTERINE and REACH and received products to take the Oral Care Challenge. Mom Central also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.
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