Crowdtap & Old Navy

I love free stuff.  You too?  I thought so.  Thanks to my friends at Crowdtap and Old Navy, I was able to get some free stuff today!

If you haven't heard of Crowdtap, their mission is to "shift marketing to a fully collaborative and participatory process between brands and consumers."  Crowdtap achieves this by an interactive website - survey questions, web tasks, moderated discussions, and sometimes even sample shares.  For each action you participate in, you earn points which can eventually be used to purchase gift cards or donate to charity.  Just like in Swagbucks, I typically use my points to purchase Amazon gift cards.

I was lucky enough to be chosen for an Old Navy ActiveWear sample share!  I received coupons for one friend and myself - we were each able to pick out an ActiveWear top & bottom, totally FREE.  Old Navy ranks right up there on my list of favorite stores... FREE is good, but at a great store = even better.  Super exciting and maybe, just maybe, this will even give me a little motivation to be active.... currently my treadmill is serving more as a storage area than an exercise machine.

I picked out a pair of ActiveWear capris and a fleece jacket.  I'm loving both - the fleece jacket is a little longer than usual and almost has a peacoat-look.  My daughter was a little disappointed - there was a pink sports bra hanging right at her eye level that she thought would be perfect.  (She's 3 and anything pink is perfect).

(That's my blur of a 3 year old in front of me)

I also bought my first ever pair of skinny jeans at Old Navy today.  I have always been intimidated by skinny jeans, mainly because I don't really feel skinny.  But my friend convinced me to try a pair on, and actually....I liked them!  We'll see if I'm brave enough to wear them out of the house.

Thanks for a fun day, Crowdtap and Old Navy!

Coupon Chief Review

I was recently contacted and asked to review an online coupon source (we're talking coupon codes for online shopping here, not manufacturer's coupons for groceries), Coupon Chief.  I was intrigued, because you know how I love my coupons!!!  I'm also a big fan of shopping online when I can.....I love being able to find what I want and have it shipped directly to my door, all while in my comfy sweatpants sitting in front of my fireplace!  The only downside?  Sometimes it's harder to find the great deals online.  And ohhh, the disappointment when you find what you think is a great deal, and then when you have to add shipping & handling, it ends up being not-so-great!

Enter Coupon Chief!  It is one of the fastest growing coupon sites, with over 250,000 visitors each month.  Their database currently has over 50,000 coupons for over 15,000 stores!

I decided to do a little trial run and tell you about my experience.  Here's some points worth noting:

• Easy to navigate!  The homepage is visually appealing and includes sections for featured stores, popular coupons, and new coupons.  There is also a clickable search to browse by popular tag (computers, electronics, etc).  
• The Search Bar:  Front and center, easy to find, right at the top of the homepage.  You can search for a particular store (Target.com), or for a product (laptop).
• Updated ~ the coupons listed are coded in green (working!), yellow (uknown), or red (not working), so you don't have to waste your time finding deals that may end up in disappointment.  It even shares the success rate percentage!
• Printables too!  There are some printable coupons available for in-store shopping.
• New to online shopping & coupon codes?  There is a How It Works page that even includes a video tutorial!

Now granted, there are other coupon sites.  Some of them I've used before, and typically I've had some level of success.  Want to know what I think puts Coupon Chief ahead of the game?  (Besides all the great stuff I've already mentioned?)  The Pays-To-Share program!  Basically, you sign up for an account, upload coupons, and if someone uses your coupon, you get 2% of the sales!  Sweet!  I don't think anybody's going to get rich from uploading coupons, but it could definitely add to a great deal.

So there you have it, folks!  Add Coupon Chief to your bookmarks, and the next time you are doing some online shopping, check it out....you may score a great deal!  (Or at least pay for that pesky shipping & handling fee!)

Disclaimer:  I was compensated for this review, but all opinions are my own!

FREE Decor from Paper Coterie

I have another great deal to pass on to you, and this one even deals with home decor!!  Have you heard of Paper Coterie?  If you haven't already, I am insisting that you go check it out.  They offer great personalized photo products like calendars, growth charts, wall decals, and photo books.  Right now, for the entire month of August, they are offering an incredible promotional deal ~ $40 off your purchase!!  (You just pay the shipping).

The last time they had this deal, I bought two wall decals.....one for each kiddo.  I put a picture, their name, and the verse we picked for them when we dedicated them at church.  I was so impressed when they arrived!  The decals have a fabric-feel, not plastic-y at all. 

We finally put them up in the toy room tonight and I love how they turned out!

I was super excited when I saw Paper Coterie is offering the same deal this month.  Just use the code BEGINANYWHERE at checkout, and it will take $40 off your purchase (again, you have to pay shipping which varies depending on your order).  I have already taken advantage of this deal, but I can't show you what I got this time because they might end up as Christmas gifts ;)  Again though, I was totally impressed.  I put my order in last week and already received my products!  For my order, shipping was less than $5.  It's a great company that I recommend 100% - go check it out!


Side note:  often, when there are great deals like this available, the site can run slow.  I did not have this issue at all, but I have heard that it has affected some people.  If it happens to you, just try again at another time!

Disclaimer:  These opinions are my own, based solely on my experiences with the company....Paper Coterie has no idea I am writing this review.  I just wanted to pass on an amazing deal from a great company to all my friends! 

New Swagbucks Bonus Opportunity

Have you been waiting for a great time to join Swagbucks?  Now is the time!!!  Until Friday (August 12), new Swagbucks members can get a 50 Buck bonus by entering the code AUGUSTBONUS at registration (sorry, this code is for new members only)!

Heard of Swagbucks but not totally sure what it is?  Taking the description right off their site.... "Swagbucks allows web users to earn virtual currency by doing the things they do every day - searching the web, shopping at favorite retailers, and by engaging in other activities such as phone recycling, submitting polls, and completing special offers."  Basically, it's a way to get great stuff FREE - and who doesn't like that?!

Personally, I am a HUGE fan of Swagbucks.  As I've said before, my all time favorite thing to earn would definitely be the Amazon gift cards - I try to save them up for Christmas or other gift-giving occasions, and it really helps save money!  Are you ready to take the plunge and start earning great prizes?  Sign up through my referral link today - and don't forget to use the code AUGUSTBONUS for an additional 50 Swagbucks!

Deal Alert :)

{Expired!}

You know how I love my deals!  Right now Groupon is offering a great deal for you Old Navy fans!!  $20 worth of Old Navy credit for only $10!!  It expires at the end of July, but should make for some great deals on cute summer clothes ~ the fine print says you can combine this with sales and in store promotions...I'm seeing some cheap clothes in my future!!  There are thousands of deals on Groupon, but if you click this link, it will take you directly to the Old Navy deal.  Hurry ~ these deals don't last long!!

Swagbucks Memorial Day Extravaganza!!

If you spend any time at all online, please tell me you are a member of Swagbucks!!!  If you haven't heard of it, or haven't joined yet, let me tell you a little about it.....basically you earn points and get to choose rewards.  There are many, many ways to earn points....the easiest is by using Swagbucks as a search engine.  There are also SwagCodes, Daily Polls, Games, Surveys.....the list just goes on!  My most recent favorite way to earn is by using their coupons.  Simply by printing coupons from their site and using them at your grocery store, you earn 10 points per coupon.  If you have been one of my readers for awhile, you know how I love my coupons!  Since I am using them anyway, why not earn some extra Swagbucks??

What do I do with all my Bucks?  Get rewards of course!  There are TONS to choose from, but by far my favorite would be the $5 Amazon gift card.  I usually save these up until I have a big Amazon purchase.....sometimes I can end up getting great stuff for free!  Holla!!!

In honor of Memorial Day, Swagbucks is running some special offers....

Swagbucks, the best place to get free stuff from searching and more is celebrating Memorial Day next week with a special Score Four and Twenty Swag Bucks promotion - they'll have 4 special Limited Edition collector's bills available, and if you can snag all four by the end of Thursday, you'll get a bonus 20 Swag Bucks. ALSO, this Thursday they're have a Swag Code Extravaganza, a day filled with fun, games and the opportunity to snag over 40 Swag Bucks worth of codes throughout the day. Be sure to visit Swagbucks all this week for opportunities to win big!

Not a member yet? Sign up through my referral link and enter the code MEMORIALDAY when prompted - it'll pad your account with an extra 50 Swag Bucks on top of the 30 that everyone starts with. Get started earning your reward points today!

Already have a Swagbucks account?  Since I ALWAYS get the Amazon giftcards, I'm curious to know....what is your favorite thing to redeem your Bucks for??

Check Them Out!

One of the best things about blogs is all the inspiration you get, and it is especially exciting when you hear that you provided some of that inspiration!!  I've heard from a few bloggers recently who saw ideas here and made them their own ~ check them out!!

Jo at Boogaloo had a Star Wars Party for her son....she saw our ideas here and ran with them!!!  You can see her awesome party posts here, here, and here!!  I especially loved her treasure hunt with asteroids.

Nicole at Suddenly I See made a super cute nest out of spanish moss like the one I made here.  I love her little birdies!!

Michelle jazzed up my cupcake liner flowers for a May Day Sunday School craft - I love the paper vases she made to go along with them!!

Thanks for linking back and sharing your creations, ladies! 

Another thing to check out ~ you know how I love my deals, and I just heard about a new daily deal site called DoodleDeals ~ it is affiliated with Diapers.com.  Right now, they are giving a $20 credit to new account sign-ups.  The $20 credit lasts until June 5, so even if you don't see something now, there's a good chance that there will be something you like in the next month ~ and with the credit, you could get something pretty cheap or possibly even free!!  I signed up in hopes of finding a great deal sometime soon ~ you can sign up by clicking here and creating a new account ~ just remember to use that credit by June 5!

Earning Coupons with Recyclebank

Way back in December I posted about a few online group deals and savings sites, and today I wanted to share another one with you!

*Recyclebank is a great site that allows you to earn points and use them towards rewards.....lots to choose from, but my favorite is always the coupon for a FREE latte from McDonald's!  If you are lucky enough to live in one of the areas eligible for the home recycling program, you can earn points simply for putting out your recyclables to be collected.  If not (like me), there are lots of quizzes and codes and other ways to earn points.  Currently there are many points available in the "Green Your Home" section.  I'm almost ready to get myself another iced caramel latte  :)

This link will take you to Recyclebank's sign up..... in the interest of full disclosure, I do earn points if you sign up..... so if that's not something you feel comfortable with, please feel free to go to their homepage directly!  Hope it helps you get some great coupons!!

Houseparty!

Has everyone out there heard of Houseparty?  Basically, you can apply to host parties sponsored by different companies wanting to spread the word about their products.  If you are chosen, you will be sent a box of goodies to share with your guests!

I was just chosen to host my third houseparty - this time for Zatarain's.  The box came a few days ago....here's a peek at what was included:

A tote bag, Mardi Gras beads and masks, Creole mustard, Creole seasoning, root beer extract, coupons for 4 free products, box of Jambalaya, box of red beans & rice, and also stacks of coupons to give to my guests!  

The previous parties I have had the opportunity to host were for DiGiorno and Fisher Price - I have had great experiences with both!  (The Fisher Price party was amazing.....they sent close to $300 of toys!!!)  If you haven't signed up with Houseparty yet, I highly suggest you check it out!  Has anyone else hosted with Houseparty?  I'd love to hear about your experience!

Adopted for Life & 1000 Diapers

Two posts in one day?  Craziness, I know.  But I just had to share something I was super excited about today - and it involves the word free!  This book...

has been on my wish list for awhile now, and I just haven't gotten around to ordering it or getting it from the library.  Here's the exciting part - this month it is the free download at http://www.christianaudio.com/!  I started listening to it tonight while cleaning the kitchen and it is so good.  If you haven't been to christianaudio yet, each month they have a free download - Jon listens to his ipod a lot at work, so this is perfect for him!  I'm not usually able to listen for long periods of time, but for this book, I'll make time!

Since we're talking adoption, I also wanted to mention one of the blogs I read... http://www.poppielane.com/ ... this sweet girl is a mama waiting to bring her baby boy home from Ethiopia. When she was there for the initial visit, she realized the desperate need for diapers in the orphanage.  Please read her post here to hear more about her visit and to find out how you can help!

Secrets of Saving: Stockpile

I love to save money.  It's a slight obsession/passion of mine.  There's a lot of reasons why I love to save money....

• I want to be a good steward of what God has given me.
• I want to be able to continue being a stay at home mom.
• I like to be able to splurge once in awhile - go out to dinner or away for a weekend!
• I like to save on the big things - money saved on the little things sometimes means we are able to put more down on our mortgage payment - which in the big picture, means it will be paid off sooner!
• It's good to have some money saved and put away "just in case" of illness, job loss, etc.
• Not gonna lie - it's the thrill of the hunt!  I get a rush when I know I saved money!

When I'm on my A-Game, which is obsessive couponing, watching sales, etc etc....I aim to spend about $40-$50 a week on groceries, which includes diapers and toiletries.  Lately, I have not been on my A-Game.  The couponing I was doing was definitely saving me money, but I just did not have the time to put into it.  I fell behind and now it's going to be a monumental task to catch up again.  I'm still doing pretty good on the weekly budget though, largely in part to my stockpile. 

I know some people will cringe at the mention of a stockpile, but before you judge, let me give you a list of stockpiling tips....then you can decide for yourselves if you think I'm a wacko. 

• Only stockpile what you have room for.  The goal here is not to end up on a Hoarders episode.
• Only stockpile what you will actually use in a reasonable amount of time.  I don't care if the flea & tick shampoo is 75% off....if you don't have a pet, don't buy it!!  Along with this...pay attention to expiration dates!  Some things are on sale for a reason!
• Never pay full price to stockpile.  This is not brain surgery - if you pay full price just to have your stockpile, you aren't saving money!
• Some good things to stockpile include pantry items you use all the time - for me those are things like chicken broth, diced tomatoes, etc.  I also love to stockpile toiletries - CVS is my main source for these - seems like almost every week you can get a free toothpaste, razor, or deoderant!  Cleaning supplies are another great thing to stockpile because they can get so expensive if you end up having to pay full price.  Thanks to my favorite savings website, For the Mommas, I stocked up on Purex laundry detergent last February, and I haven't had to buy laundry detergent since!!!  All I had to pay for were the coupons I bought on eBay.
• Wondering what to do with your stockpile (besides USE it?)  Those items can make great gifts!  Give a bride-to-be or someone moving into a new house a big box of cleaning supplies!  You can also donate!  Did you buy that flea & tick shampoo because it was a great deal, get home and realize you don't have a dog?  Donate it to a local animal shelter!  Donate food to a food pantry, or toiletries to a local rescue mission!  There are always people in need, just look around!!

Want to see my latest stockpile purchase?  CVS is running a great deal on Finish Dishwasher Tabs & Gelpacs....normally they are priced at $6.89 (yikes!) - this week they are on sale for $3!  I bought some coupons on eBay (for a very little amount)...$2.25 off each box, making each box only 75 cents!  So, I bought 10 boxes for $7.50.  Each box has 20 tabs or gelpacs, so I won't have to buy dishwashing detergent for a very very long time.  To sweeten the deal, I also earned $10 in ExtraBucks for spending $20 on that particular brand (before coupons - I love CVS!)  So technically, they are paying me to do my dishes 200 times!

Even a picture of dishwashing detergent is made cuter with a baby in the background, right?

If you are a local, don't worry, I left some finish at CVS for you....but just in case they are all gone when you get there, don't worry, CVS has a GREAT rain check policy - they never expire!

PS - Another great thing to stockpile is toys, especially when you find them on clearance!  Great for gifts or donations!!!  See my previous post here for the toys I picked up during Target's after-Christmas clearance sales!

Linking up to the Penny Pinching Party here! and to the homemaking linky here!

Today's Target Deals

Yay for Target clearance!  I went on a mini shopping spree today and restocked my gift closet (and got a few other things).  Pictured below are my good deals.....the total of everything should have been $289.36...

I paid $85.01!  My favorite thing was the Baby Care Center....marked down from $99.99 to $24.98!!  I can't wait to give it to Carly for her next birthday....so sad I have to wait until November!  Here's a breakdown of the other items...
Pampers Wipes (not on sale but I had coupons):  Original $1.97, I paid 47cents.
Box of mini Candy Canes:  from $2.47 to 24 cents
New rug for my laundry room:  $19.99 to $13.98 (I left a few there hoping no one else wants them and they get marked down more).
3 pairs of shoes for the kids:  all 75% off
Christmas ornaments:  $5 marked down to 50 cents
5 sets of Disney Cars toys (no, they are not all for Jackson, I got a few extras for birthday parties):  all 75% off - 2 of the sets were marked down from $30!!!

Hitting the clearance sales is a great way to save money - plan ahead with your gift giving and you'll never have to pay full price!

Anyone else find any good deals lately?

Group Deals & Savings Sites

If you follow savings blogs at all, you have probably noticed all the Group Savings Sites that have become popular lately. I thought I'd share some of my favorites...
1) Groupon - a daily deals site that has different deals depending on your location. I purchased a $50 Gap coupon for $25...waited for a good sale, and got some great deals!  You can take advantage of other locations, if yours isn't listed.... the Gap deal was from Boston I believe, but it was good nationwide!
2) RueLaLa - I recently purchased a Lord & Taylor $50 for $25 - and had $20 credit, so paid only $5!!! We don't have a Lord & Taylor nearby, but I can use it online to get some great stuff.
3) One Kings Lane - mostly decor & home furnishings - upon signing up, I received a $15 credit (I *think* new accounts still do, but I can't be sure). Just today, I bought this fun little tray

and because of my credit, I paid only $1.95! (and you can use PayPal, which is a huge plus for me!) - They don't give special sign up links, so head straight to their website, or if you really love me, let me know and I'll invite you via email - that way I get a little credit if you decide to make a purchase!
4) Zulily - I haven't purchased from this one yet, but they have some seriously cute stuff, mostly for babies & kids.

5) Groopdealz - lots of handmade stuff and crafting supplies - it's a new deal each day and I think today's is especially cute - rosette rings from Love Stitched!

Let me know if there are other great sites that you love or if you try out any of these!  Happy shopping!

Frugal Finds - Thanksgiving Edition

Although I am SUPER pumped for Christmas, I'm still holding myself back from decorating.  I'm following the unwritten rule that I must not break out the Christmas decorations until the day after Thanksgiving (or possibly Thanksgiving evening.....) and plus, I'm finding some super cute cheap (or free!) Turkey Day decor.  Thought I'd share it in case you are looking for some last minute additions to your thanksgiving table.
Carli at Dimpleprints has created a seriously adorable *HUGE* package of Thanksgiving printables.  There's banners, food labels, signs, recipe cards....you name it, it's there - for *FREE!*  I printed off some cute favor tags to put on the goody bags for J's class party tomorrow.  I would love to print a ton more stuff, but I'm not too stocked up on printer ink and cardstock at the moment!  Here's a glimpse as to what is in the package....

There are sooo many possibilities with this collection!  If you see something you like, click here to visit Dimpleprints!  Since I just finished the goody bags, here's a pic of how they turned out - simple but cute!

Another great find was this Faux Burlap Thanksgiving Print - I ordered it as an 8x10 photo from Shutterfly - it came today and looks so great!  I'll pop it in a frame and have an instant Thankgiving decoration!

Some other deals today...

If you are a fan of Dunkin' Donuts coffee (my husband's favorite kind), it's worth mentioning that on Black Friday at Dunkin' Donuts (at least our local one), coffee will be on sale - 6 lbs for $25.  That's a great price for stocking up, considering in stores a pound can sometimes be almost $8!  Is anyone else using the Free Coffee Mondays punch card?  I cannot get enough of the Pumpkin Spice Iced Coffee!

If you read many savings/couponing blogs, I'm sure you've seen the $5 Hallmark coupon advertised - I picked up a Family Circle the other day, got the coupon, and made a stop at Hallmark today.  I picked up 2 rolls of their wrapping paper and paid $1.58 total.  (Normally $4.99 each, but on sale for Buy One, Get One for 99cents, and then minus the $5 coupon).  Not bad - they have the best wrapping paper!

One last thing to mention - if you have the Kmart Rewards Card, don't forget to sign your kiddos up for their Birthday Club!  They get a little pack that includes $5 off a toy purchase of $5 or more!  I tried to use it today to get some Star Wars action figures for J - unfortunately the coupon is not valid on BOGO items.  Technically, I shouldn't be spending Carly's birthday money on toys for Jackson anyway :)  I'm planning to go back later this week to find something for Carly's stocking.

50 FREE Shutterfly Cards

Let me just begin by saying how EXCITED I am for this time of year!  I just LOVE the holiday season!  Starting with my birthday (yes, I am now 30....) and then the months of November and December are just PACKED with hectic holiday fun.  I love all the preparations - right now I have my fall decorations up, but as soon as I awake from my Thanksgiving coma, the first thing I do is to start decorating for Christmas!  One of my FAVORITE things about the Christmas season is CHRISTMAS CARDS!!!  **I am not exaggerating this for the purpose of this post.**  Beginning the day after Thanksgiving, I practically sprint to the mailbox each day in hopes of receiving a Christmas card.  I do love any card, and immediately tape it up on a wall somewhere, but the ones I especially love are photo cards!  I love seeing how kids have grown or people have changed in the past year.  Love it so much that I keep all my photo cards in a special album that comes out only at Christmas.  Seriously people, I know most of you just throw out your cards, but they bring me much joy :)
Which brings me to the actual point of this post...right now, Shutterfly has a special deal where bloggers can receive 50 FREE photo cards!  Photo cards can be expensive sometimes, but you just can't beat FREE!  (and since they are free, how about sending me one, eh?)
 

I can speak from experience and say that creating cards on Shutterfly is very simple!  The hardest part by far is picking out your favorite design....and this year they have some super cute ones!  Here are a few of my favorites:





Love the 5x7 size!

So cute, but folded cards are a lot more expensive!

Might be "the one" for this year....we'll see what kind of cute pics we get!

Here's our card from last year ~ the little lump is Carly who was only about a month old in this picture :)

So check out Shutterfly's selection of cards and stationary!  They have Thanksgiving cards too!  Don't forget, if you are a blogger, you can get 50 free cards too, just follow the link here!

A Good Deal Kind of Day

I loooove these kinds of days!  The good deals just seemed to be falling from the sky!  When Jon came home from work, Jackson and I had a little date, which kept getting longer and longer....thankfully I have a patient little shopper! First we headed to Dunkin' Donuts for a free pumpkin iced coffee from the Free Coffee Monday punch cards that were in the paper a few weeks ago.  Of course we each got a donut too!
The next stop was Koser's Jewelers since I had gotten a $25 gift card from becoming a fan on facebook.  Normally $25 wouldn't make much of a difference in jewelry, but they have these fun Gummi watches....

so I bought a white one for just a few dollars!
I was super excited to head down to Gap at the mall, since I found out they were having 40% off your purchase today.  I bought the Gap Groupon a few weeks ago ($50 for Gap for $25) and they combined the deals, taking what would have been a bill of $187.50 down to just $2.96 out of pocket!  Even adding the $25 I had originally paid for the Groupon, $27.96 is still a great deal for all the stuff I got, don't you think??

This was my first experience using Groupon, and it worked perfectly!  I will definitely be watching for more Groupon deals.  If you aren't familiar with it, check it out here!  You can search for the city closest to you, but many of their deals (like my Gap deal) are nationwide.
I also just ordered my 40th (yes *40th*) $5 Amazon giftcard, courtesy of Swagbucks.  If you haven't joined Swagbucks yet, trust me, it will be worth your while!  $200 of Amazon credit is definitely going to be coming in handy as I work on Christmas shopping the next few months!
We are planning to finish out the night with one more deal - a free rental from Blockbuster Express!  If you are interested, just use code MBBX2, but this is a one day code and expires at midnight.