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Saturday, January 29, 2011

*HOT* $5 off $25 Home Purchase at Family Dollar


Family Dollar released a coupon for $5 off any $25 of more purchase! Head on over to their website and print it out, but hurry because this coupon expires tomorrow.


Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Tiny Prints - What I have done for love



Last year was mine and my husband's first Valentine's Day together, but unfortunately for the week before I had to be out of the country. Even more so, this would be the first time that we had spent 8 days apart since we started dating. So to remind him that I was thinking of him, I created 8 gift bags for each of the days I would be gone leading up to Valentine's Day. Each bag had candy and treats and messages reminding him of how much I loved him. I put so much thought into each bag and each gift had a personal meaning to us both. I lined them all up on the table before I left and told him to only open the one that was marked for that day. We would chat on Skype each evening while he opened it or told me his reaction. When I came home he was so happy about the whole surprise and he told me it definitely made it easier to be apart. I loved that he appreciated all the thought and my favorite part was seeing the look of surprise on his face when I brought all the bags out and put them on the table before we left for the airport.




I wrote this post as part of a promotion with Tiny Prints. Tiny Prints offers a wide selection of Valentine's Day cards, stickers, and gift tags that make it easy to show your loved ones just how much they mean to you. Head on over to their website and check out all of their Valentine's Day products.


Here's a little more information about Tiny Prints:


Tiny Prints provides simple, modern and unique stationery from Valentines Day cards to personalized greeting cards to thank you cardsbusiness cards, and even custom wedding invitations. Offering exclusive designs from the nation's top designers, easy card personalization, a powerful preview engine and top-notch customer service and paper quality, their designs have been lauded by numerous television networks, publications and celebrities. With Tiny Prints by your side commemorating every holiday and momentous occasion is a cinch! They offer perfect party invitations for every occasion and memorable personalized photo-gifts like notebooksphoto books and calendars.


FTC Disclosure: In exchange for writing this post I received a $50 Tiny Prints gift code.


Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Free Larabar at Safeway


If you live near a Safeway store, sign up here to get sent a coupon for a FREE Larabar (up to $2.02).

Enjoy!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Free Cup of Yoplait Yogurt



I got my snail mail coupon for a free cup of Yoplait Yogurt. Have you received yours yet? If not you can still sign up for one here.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Super Double Coupons at Kmart 1/30-2/5

Kmart has posted on their blog that they will be super doubling coupons from 1/30-2/5 up to and including $2 with the purchase of $25 or more in grocery or drugstore merchandise. It doesn't say whether this is before or after coupons, but this is still a potentially great deal if there are other things you already need.  There is a limit of 5 coupons per customer per day.

For all the details check out the post on the Kmart Blog here.


Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

National Eversave Deals

Miss Parenting magazine on Mamapedia? Here's another chance to get a great deal on it.




Today's Save: Blue Dolphin

Today's Save:Unbeatable price for a two year subscription to Parenting Magazine

Expires 11:59 PM - Jan 30, 2011

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Day 28: Sale Shop!

I am always scouring the sale racks at my favorite stores for good deals and more often than not I find something that made the trip worth it. I remember I was always a deal hunter. When I was a freshman in high school I went shopping at the local mall with my mom. We went into Deb, one of my go to shops when I was a teenager, and I wandered over to the shoe racks. Deb always had amazing sales and that was where I got most of my shoes (I'm pretty sure I never paid more than $10 for a pair). That particular day they were doing a promotion where you got an addition 25% off all clearance items. As I rummaged through the shelves looking to see if there was anything good, I found the simple, white, thick-soled sneakers that my mom always wore. I looked at the price and took them over to her and asked her if she wanted them. She asked me how much they were. I told her 75 cents and she didn't believe me. I then proceeded to show her that the shoes had been marked down to only $1 and with the additional 25% off they were only 75 cents. That day we walked out of Deb with 2 pairs of sneakers for only $1.50.

Situations like this are the epitome of my shopping experience. I refuse to sacrifice quality, workmanship or style in lieu of better priced items, but I learned how to shop the items I wanted with a budget I could afford. Sale shopping has become a lifestyle for me. It allows me to get the clothes and fashions I want without breaking the bank or racking up credit card debt. But it's not always easy. Here are some simple rules to follow if you're looking to score great deals.

1. Know the stores: You should know the stores you are hoping to score deals from. Have an idea of when they put things on sale. Are they a store that always has a stocked sale rack or do they only have special sales? Are there times when their clearance is marked down an additional percent or is it always the same? For example Old Navy knocks a percentage varying from 30%-50% off their clearance items on a regular basis. Banana Republic also had 25% off their clearance last weekend. Department stores like Sears and JC Penny also do this too.

2. Approach it With an Open Mind: You have to approach major sale shopping with an open mind. You will not always find what you're looking for at a price you're willing to pay. BUT you may also find an amazing deal on something that you know you will need in the future. I remember one year I was school clothes shopping and for the life of me I could not find a basic white button down shirt that I need, but I did find a beautiful formal gown on super clearance for only $3!!!

3. Don't Buy Things You Don't Want or Don't Need: I know, it's hard. Sales can be alluring and when something is an awesome deal it's almost two hard to pass up. However, no matter how low the price, nothing is truly a good deal if you don't need or won't use the item. Before you buy something on sale ask yourself: Will I wear it? Will I use it? Does it work with other items in my closet?

4. Use Sales as an Opportunity to Try Out New Styles: Sale shopping can be a great way to try out new styles. If you are the type of person who is pants only, try scoring a couple skirts of the clearance rack for New York and Company (they tend to drop down to less than $8 when the season changes over, I've gotten them there for as little as $4.99). I know that I was very hesitant when the decorative scarf trend started and I didn't think it was for me. I then was at the mall one day and found a clearance bin of scarves for only $1.99, I got a couple in colors that would complement my closet to try out. I ended up loving them and now I almost always have one on.

5. Shop Off Season: If you have the money and the closet space to store some clothes until you're ready to wear them, try to shop off season. Get your summer clothes in the fall and your winter clothes in the spring. This is when you will find the best deals as stores try to clear out their old inventory for the new season's arrivals. This is an especially great time to score wardrobe staples: solid color camis, scarves, jeans, etc. Also, be on the lookout for sunglasses in the winter. I cannot tell you how many nice pairs I've scored for under $10 shopping them in the winter (even though you wear them all year).

6. Be Patient!: This is one that I cannot stress enough. If you can wait to buy an item, be patient. It will likely go on sale and you probably won't have to wait until the end of the season. Stores are always promoting their latest trends. Express, for example, tends to mark down their dresses about 30% midway through the season. Most store will have sales at some point, so if there is something you are really eyeing that is new on the racks, try to hold out for it to go on sale and be sure to check the stores website and circulars. Also, be sure to check the circulars for discount coupons. Macys and JC Penny periodically provide one day shopping passes where you can get a certain percent off your entire order.

7. Shop Online: In addition to shopping your favorite stores, be sure to check their shops online. A lot of times you will be able to find items that were previously in the stores at very low prices and in many circumstances you can find free shipping. Be careful though, sometimes sale shopping online carries with it the final sale policy that most stores have in their brick and mortar equivalents making it somewhat risky to buy something you can't try on. However, for stores you are familiar with and know your size well, go for it! Be sure to check out websites like Rue La La too for find low prices on many designer items. Also, don't forget to check out auction websites like Ebay and Bidz to find great deals on jewelry and accessories. On Ebay, you can usually find items under the Buy it Now feature for great prices without the hassle of bidding and many sellers offer free shipping in the U.S.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

80% off Restaurant.com


Restaurant.com Weekly Promo Offer 468 x 60


Restaurant.com provides discounted gift certificates to many, many restaurants nationwide. Usually $25 gift certificates to any given restaurant can be bought for $10 (there are also other options $10 for $4 or $50 for $20). BUT right now if you use the coupon code MEAL you can get them for 80% off. This means you can get a $25 gift certificate for just $2! All you have to do is click the banner above.

If you're new to using Restaurant.com:

I should note that the gift certificates are subject to certain restrictions that vary by restaurant and will be listed when you look at any given certificate for purchase on their website. Restrictions are usually based on the minimum requirement to use the gift certificate. The ones we have used require you to spend $35 to be able to redeem the $25 gift card, but this is still an excellent deal for a night out!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Free Fries from Wendy's

Wendy's reset the coupon for their free fries. Go here to print the Free Fries coupon. It's a bricks coupon so if you hit the back button you can print it twice.

Enjoy!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Day 26: Thrift Stores

Despite whatever preconceptions you may have about thrift stores, they are a treasure trove of great finds. This past weekend I scored a lazy susan for only $2! We've also been able to find brand new sheer curtains for under $1, real silver flatware, and crystal candy dishes.

You can look in your area for local thrift shops. Some common ones are Goodwill, Salvation Army and ARC Thrift Stores. Many churches and charities also sponsor church stores or opportunity shops that will use the money earned as part of their fundraising efforts.

Also, when you go into the store be sure to see if any specific color tags are discounted. Usually the store will have price tags in a number of colors and certain ones will be on sale. For example, when you walk in you might see a sign that says Blue and Pink 50% off. That means that anything with those tags are 50% off that day. Sometimes the prices are written in china marker and will have a letter under the price to tell you what color the tag should be (ex: B for Blue). Some thrift stores also offer student and senior discounts.

Think of it as a treasure hunt and go in with an open mind. The possibilities are endless.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Roundabouts Review and Giveaway!

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

I recently received the opportunity to review Roundabouts Cupcake Sleeves and I am so excited to share this product with you all -- AND one lucky reader will win their choice of a set of Roundabout Cupcake Sleeves!


Here's a little bit of information about Roundabouts from their creator:

I'm a busy mom of two that invented a new product called Roundabouts® Cupcake Sleeves and began selling online in Feb 2009.  They're wraps for cupcakes that transform standard cupcakes into virtually anything.
Using toppings easily found at a grocery or local party supply store, our decorative self-adhesive cupcake wrappers instantly transform cupcakes into popcorn tubs, gumball machine, sushi, and ice cream cones.  Our wraps are resistant to grease an oily substance, are earth friendly, and wipe clean if things get a bit messy in the kitchen! We’ve even had customers wash and re-use them, adhering a second time with a dab of frosting.  
We have 70+ Designs/Themes to choose from.  We personalize, customize and have not only been featured on Rachel Ray Magazine, we are proud winners of the Most Innovative Exhibitor Award at the 2010 July CA Gift Show in Los Angeles.


And boy did this product deliver! I chose to review the Dozen Roses Roundabouts that transform your plain cupcakes into a beautiful bouquet. This product was super simple to use. You bake your cupcakes as you normally would in a plain wrapper. Then you take one of the Roundabouts Cupcake Sleeves and wrap it around the base of the cupcake. It has an adhesive end that you peel away and attach to secure it to itself (think like a carnival wristband). Then you let your imagination run wild, icing your cupcake to match it's wrapper. You can take a look at my cupcake below. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get my icing as red as I wanted to match the wrapper [ran out of red icing dye =( ] but I still love the way these turned out. They also have wrappers to make gumball machines, hamburgers, popcorn tubs, and so much more. With 70+ designs to choose from, you shouldn't have any trouble finding a Roundabout cupcake sleeve to match your theme.


For more information about Roundabouts Cupcake Sleeves or to buy them check out their website here. Also, find them on Facebook and Twitter.


GIVEAWAY!

Now for the good stuff! Roundabouts Cupcake Sleeves has generously offered to provide one lucky ready with their choice of a set of Roundabouts Cupcake Sleeves.

Details:

  • Giveaway begins today and ends on Feb. 10
  • Only the mandatory entry is required to participate in the giveaway
  • Entries must appear in individual comments to this post. Please post each entry separately!
  • Winner will be randomly chosen by Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond. If they do not respond an alternative winner will be chosen.
How to Enter: Leave each entry in a separate comment to this post. Be sure to include your email in at least one of them so I can contact you if you win. If you don't feel comfortable leaving your email here, send it to me through my contact form.

Mandatory Entry: Tell me your favorite set of Roundabouts Cupcake Sleeves

Extra Entries:
  • Follow me on Google Friend Connect
  • Follow me on Facebook
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Tweet about this giveaway (up to once per day)
  • Share this giveaway on Facebook (up to once per day)
Good luck!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

FTC Disclosure: This was not a paid post. However, I was given a set of Roundabout Cupcake Sleeves to review and Roundabouts is providing a set to give away. All opinions are 100% my own, honest opinions about the products.


Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

February P&G Brandsaver

Here's a roundup of the coupons you'll find in the February P&G Brandsaver in this week's paper. All coupons expire 2/28/11.

  • 20¢ off one Downy liquid fabric softener or dryer sheets
  • $1 off two Tide detergents
  • 20¢ off one Bounce Dryer Bar Product
  • 20¢ off one Bounce Dryer Sheet
  • $1 off one Tide stain release product
  • $3 off one 26-50 oz. powder, 15-34 ct. duo pac or 36-68 oz. liquid Tide stain release
  • Buy one Swiffer Dusters Extender Starter Kit, and get one Swiffer refill FREE
  • $1 off two Swiffer Refills or Swiffer Dust & Shine products
  • $1 off two Charmin
  • $1 off one Bounty 6 roll towels or larger or two towels or napkins
  • Buy One Olay body wash, Get One Olay Complete moisturizer FREE
  • Buy One Olay Bar or body wash, Get One Secret Original FREE
  • $1 off two Herbal Essences or Aussie Products (excludes trial sizes)
  • $3 off one Venus Razor catridges (6 or 8 count)
  • $2 off one Natural Instincts Hair Color
  • $1 off one Head & Shoulders Shampoo or Conditioner (excludes trial sizes)
  • $1 off one Oral-B Pro-Health for Me CrossAction or Pulsar Manual toothbursh
  • $1 off on Crest Pro-Health Rinse 440ml, 458ml, 473ml, or 500ml
  • $1 off one Oral-B Pro-Health for Me Floss
  • $1 off one Crest Pro-Health for Me Toothpaste
  • Buy One Gillette Deodorant, Get One of Equal or Lesser Value FREE
  • $2 off one 4 ct or larger Gillette Fusion ProGlide Cartridge
  • $4 off one Gillette Fusion ProGlide Manual or Power Razor
  • Buy One Old Spice Fresh Collection Product, Get One Old Spice Deodorant FREE
  • $1 off Two Old Spice Products (1.7 oz or larger)
  • $2 off one Gillette Bodywash (excludes trial sizes)
  • $10 off one Crest 3D White 2 Hour Express or Professional Effect Whitestrips
  • Buy One Oral-B CrossAction Power Battery Toothbrush, Get One Oral-B CrossAction Power Battery Toothbrush Free
  • $2 off one Crest mouthwash 946mL or larger
  • $1 off one Oral-B Pulsar CrossAction Advantage or two Indicator or Cavity Defense manual toothbrushes
  • $1 off two Crest toothpastes 4.0 oz. or more, or liquid gels
  • $1 off one Oral-B Satin, Glide Floss 25m or more or one Glide Floss Picks, 30 count or higher
  • $2 off one Metamucil product
  • $3 off one Prilosec OTC package
  • $1 off two Pepto products
  • $8 off two 42 ct. Prilosec OTC packages
  • $1.50 off one Dayquil product
  • $1.50 off one Nyquil product
  • $1.00 off one Vick's product
  • $2 off when you buy one Pampers Diapers or Pants and one Pampers Wipes 60 ct or larger
  • $1.50 off one Pampers Easy Ups Trainers or UnderJams Night Wear
  • $1 off one Clearblue Easy Pregnancy Test
  • $3 off one Clearblue Easy Ovulation Test
  • $1 off two Pringles Super Stacks cans (180g or larger)
  • $1 off two Pringles Snack Stack or Stix
  • $1 off two cans Fat Free Pringles (165g or larger)

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Free $20 Gift Card to Chicken Out

BuyWithMe is offering $20 Gift Cards to Chicken out today for only $10. Go to Washington DC and select the option for the $10 for $20 GC. Use promo code COMEBACK3 and this will drop the price to $0.00. You don't have to create a new account and you don't even have to enter your credit card information. Hurry because who knows when this deal will be over!

Chicken Out has locations in DC, MD, VA.

May thanks to everyone who told me about this deal with the old promo code that expired, especially The Cincy Frugal Mama, and thanks to Free Stuff Times for the updated promo code!


Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Free Firecracker Chicken at Panda Express on 2/3

In celebration of Chinese New Year 2011, the year of the Rabbit, on February 3 Panda Express is giving orders of Firecracker Chicken. Head on over to their Facebook page to get your coupon for a free order. Good that day only, while supplies last at participating locations.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Free One-Year Subscription to Parents Magazine


Today on Mamapedia, you can get a one-year subscription to Parents Magazine for only $5 and when you sign up for Mamapedia you get a $5 credit you can use right away making this sweet deal FREE!

Note: When you're signing up to get the $5 credit, be sure to enter your email to get the alerts and then follow the prompts to sign up. If you don't see the page to enter your email when you visit the page, clear your cookies or try a different browser. Some people have had issues getting the credit when they sign up.


Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

*HOT* Free Redbox Code good Today ONLY!

Good for today only, use code MOVIENIGHT to get a free Redbox rental.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Day 25: Rent DVDs for Free

I love watching new releases as much as the next person, but I hate paying a fortune to watch it on pay-per-view or Netflix. So I have turned to DVD rental kiosks. Blockbuster and Redbox are the two leading automatic DVD dispensers and both of them put out 1 night free codes. For example with Redbox, you can sign up to get a text alert every Monday with a free one night rental code good for that day only. After the first night the rentals cost $1/day + tax, but if you return before 9pm no fees!

Here are two free DVD codes for Redbox that work any day. You can use them one per account and accounts are determined by credit/debit card -- so you can use each code once per card you use. So if you have 2 cards, you'll be able to get 4 rentals.

  • DVDONME
  • BREAKROOM
As new Redbox codes come up, I try to post them on the main blog. For more frequent updates for Redbox checkout InsideRedbox

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Stretched 8x10 Photo Canvas only $7.99

ArtsCow is offering stretched photo canvases in 6 different sizes up to 8x10 for only $7.99 including free shipping worldwide. Use promo code 8X10SCNVS to snag this deal!


Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Whirl-a-Style Review

I have incredibly long hair and trying to put it up and get it to stay can be such a hassle. Working in an office most of the time, my go to is a neat and tidy bun to keep my hair out of the way, but by the end of the day it is usually a mess. That's why I was very excited for the opportunity to review the Whirl-a-Style!

Now being completely honest, I have tried many gimmicky hair styling  products before and have had absolutely no luck with them. I ended up spending more time trying to figure out how to use the product than I saved. But that was not the case with the Whirl-a-Style and I would highly recommend this for girls who are looking for a simple, easy and stylish way to pull their hair up! This was no gimmick and once you get comfortable using it, it definitely works.

The concept of the Whirl-a-Style is simple. It is one flexible piece that has a slot in the middle for your hair and a clasp at the ends. The Whirl-a-Style also comes in different sizes to accommodate different hair lengths and comes in a variety of colors. My Whirl-a-Style was size jumbo large for my waist length hair and worked great. To use it, you slide your hair through the slot, roll the Whirl-a-Style upward wrapping your hair around it, and then clasp the ends together to create a well-formed bun.



It took me a few tries to get it right, and a look at their nifty instruction video, but once I got the hang of using it, the process was fast and super easy! On a side note, I found that if I gather my hair into a pony tail before using the Whirl-a-Style, it made it much easier to manage my long hair and kept my bun neat all day. I so wish I had this product when I used to take dance classes.

In addition to being able to create a polished bun, there are lots of other possibilities for how to use the Whirl-a-Style to create new and interesting looks. I haven't had the chance to try out many of them yet, but I definitely intend to. Also, if you go to the Whirl-a-Style website's Ask Zaina page and create a profile, the Zaina wizard will generate a style for you. I think my favorite part about this product is how versatile it is. It can be used to style looks for the professional office setting to dance class to a night on the town.

To find out more information about the Whirl-a-Style or to buy one to try you can shop online here or find a location near you that carries the Whirl-a-Style.

FTC Disclosure: This was not a paid post, but I did receive a Whirl-a-Style from the company for writing this review. All opinions are 100% my own, honest opinions about the product.


Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

2 Free Mini Photobooks from Snapfish when you spend $10


Get 2 free mini photobooks from Snapfish (2x3) when you make a purchase of $10 or more. Use coupon code 2X3PB11 once you've added everything to your cart. 

Enjoy!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Free Magazines from Rewards Gold

Rewards Gold has some great new magazine offers! Go here for links to complete surveys for the following magazines.

  • Newsweek (one year subscription)
  • Wall Street Journal (26 or 39 week subscription)
  • Playboy (one year subscription)
  • AFAR (one year subscription)
  • Ebony (one year subscription)
  • Jet (one year subscription)
  • Maxim (one year subscription)
  • Barron's (one year subscription)

For those of you new to Rewards Gold, you complete a short survey to earn your magazine subscription. They never ask for your credit card info to get your subscription and I have never received a bill (and I've been getting theses magazines for years).

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

New York & Company $50 off $100


Got an email today from New York & Company this morning and if you like their Facebook page TODAY ONLY you'll get a coupon for $50 off a $100 or more purchase! Great deal to snag, their spring/summer clothes will be out soon!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

National Eversave Deals

Snag these up before they expire! These are the online Eversave deals that can be bought and redeemed from anywhere in the U.S.



Today's Save: Brighter Beginnings Toys

Today's Save: $15 for $35 worth of Melissa and Doug, Klutz, and more toys and games from BrighterBeginningsToys.com

Expires 11:59 PM - Jan 27, 2011


Bonus Save: iSkin

Today's Save:$18 for $40 worth of at-home Microdermabrasion and pore cleansing systems from ShopiSkin.com

Expires 11:59 PM - Jan 26, 2011


Bonus Save: Pearl Image Teeth Whitnening

Today's Save$38.99 for one at-home teeth whitening kit from Pearl Image Teeth Whitening ($129.99 value)

Expires 11:59 PM - Jan 25, 2011

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Old Navy Online Clearance


Now through 1/27 take an extra 25% off Old Navy clearance items online with promo code ONEXTRA25.




Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Free Flat Tire Repair from Mr. Tire



There is nothing I hate more than a flat tire. Right now you can snag a coupon for a free flat tire repair (patch and mount) from Mr. Tire. Go here to their coupons page and then click on the link to print your coupon. It's good until March 31 so print it out now and hang on to it just in case!

Also be sure to check out all their other coupons and promotions while your there. There's some nifty stuff!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

20% off Ulta Beauty


For those of you who love to shop at Ulta, you'll be happy to know that they are running an awesome promotion right now! Get 20% off your entire order with code 40753 from Jan 23-29. Exclusions Apply.
These discounts at Ulta don't come around too often, so stock up on your beauty essentials.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Shutterfly - What Valentine's Day Means to Me - and GIVEAWAY!

To kick off a series of Valentine's Day related posts, I am writing this post as part of a Valentine's promotion sponsored by Shutterfly. By sharing my best Valentine's Day experience, I will receive credit for 25 free Valentine's Day cards AND a credit for 25 Valentine's Day cards to giveaway to one of you lucky readers! See the bottom of the post for giveaway details!

I was never much into Valentine's Day. I may have been dating someone at the time and we may have exchanged cheesy Valentine's Day gifts from the store -- stuffed animals, flowers, candy and the like -- but I was always one of those who thought that Valentine's Day was just another "over-commercialized-holiday-created-by-the-card-companies-to-get-people-to-spend-money-on-things-they-don't-need." 


This changed when I fell in love. My first Valentine's Day with my now husband was last year (we started dating right after Valentine's Day the year before). I realized that Valentine's Day didn't have to be an over-commercialized holiday and that it was really about celebrating your love for another person -- in whatever way made the most sense to you.


This time around it felt real. Valentine's Day made sense to me. I was in love. He made the whole day special. It started by him telling me to go relax and take a bubble bath. While I was in there, he ran out to Baskin Robbins to get one of their Valentine's Day themed ice-cream cakes (my favorite!). He also had a dozen of my favorite roses in hand. We then got all dressed up and went to a very nice Mexican restaurant in DC, where we enjoyed a spicy meal and watched the Salsa dancers perform (they were giving lessons, but we were too chicken to try). We went home where there were more roses waiting along with one of the sweetest cards I've ever received. It really was everything had always made Valentine's Day seem -- now I'm a believer. Oh, and hubby if you're reading this...last year will be hard to top.

A many thanks to Shutterfly for sponsoring this post and giveaway. Shutterfly is by far my favorite source for custom printed goods on the web. Right now they have a vast selection of Valentine's Day cards and personalized gifts. I can't think of anything better than sending a Valentine's card to my family to let them know I'm thinking of them. I plan on getting the Tickled Pink Peppermint Valentine's Day Card to send out.



Now onto the good stuff. Here's the details on the Shutterfly Giveaway! 

One lucky reader will win a credit to use at Shutterfly for 25 free 4x5 Cards.


Details:

  • Giveaway begins today and ends on Feb. 6
  • Only the mandatory entry is required to participate in the giveaway
  • Entries must appear in individual comments to this post. Please post each entry separately!
  • Winner will be randomly chosen by Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond. If they do not respond an alternative winner will be chosen.
How to Enter: Leave each entry in a separate comment to this post. Be sure to include your email in at least one of them so I can contact you if you win. If you don't feel comfortable leaving your email here, send it to me through my contact form.

Mandatory Entry: Tell me your favorite Valentine's Day Gift

Extra Entries:
  • Follow me on Google Friend Connect
  • Follow me on Facebook
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Tweet about this giveaway (up to once per day)
  • Share this giveaway on Facebook (up to once per day)
  • Tell me your favorite Valentine's Day product from Shutterfly
Good luck!

FTC Disclosure: This was not a paid post. However, I was given a credit for 25 cards from Shutterfly for writing this post and a credit for 25 cards to giveaway. All opinions are 100% my own, honest opinions about the products. I received this opportunity through my involvement with SheBlogs

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Monday, January 24, 2011

A Note from The DC Frugal Girl

My apologies for the slower pace of the posts recently. Starting tomorrow you can expect more great deals and freebies than ever from The DC Frugal Girl.

AND to kick off this fresh start in the New Year, you can also look forward to a number of giveaways beginning this week. Stay tuned for more information. This first one will go live tomorrow!

Thank you so much for following and I hope to bring you the best deals and freebies that I can find. I am always open to comments, feedback and suggestions. If you ever have a frugal tip let me know and I will be happy to post it and give you credit. Additionally, anyone who gives me a new frugal tip will get 5 Extra Giveaway Entries to the giveaway of their choice!


Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Day 24: Credit Card Rewards

In this day and age, just about everyone has a credit card. What can I say, they are convenient. It is so easy to pay bills (or shop!) online. And as long as you keep your spending under control and pay them off each month, they help you build credit to boot.

If you have a credit card, be sure you are looking into your credit card reward options! My card through Bank of America provides 1 point per dollar spent on most items with incentives of extra points by shopping through their online mall. In addition, I get an annual cardholder point bonus based on my yearly spending. Points can be redeemed for gift cards to stores and restaurants, merchandise, travel and best of all CASH! I love being able to get checks back for the money I already have to spend on groceries, bills and necessities.

Each card has its own rewards programs and some give you a choice between multiple options. Be sure to check out what your options are and take advantage of the benefits!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Day 23: Free (or really cheap) Magazines

I love reading magazines. There is just something about being able to just sit back and read it in hard copy and not on a website. But I hate how expensive magazine subscriptions are!

Here are some ways to get FREE or super-cheap magazine subscriptions:

  • Rewards Gold: you earn free magazine subscriptions by filling out surveys about products you use. You will follow a link, put in your basic info, and then they will ask you to give feedback on anywhere from 1-4 questions. The feedback blurbs are short (usually about 50 words). They never ask for your credit card information for the magazines and I have never received a bill for any of the subscriptions I have received from them. You'll earn enough points on the particular survey your presented with to get the subscription. They usually begin coming with 6-8 weeks.
  • Mercury Magazines: I haven't personally used this one, but I know others who have. You put in your information and can qualify for certain magazines for free.
  • Tanga: Tanga offers daily deals at discounts. Many times they offer magazine subscriptions. When you look on their page you will see the subscriptions are usually $14.99 BUT they almost always have discount codes that take the price of the subscription down to only a few dollars. I try to post them on this blog as I find them, but a quick google search should let you know if there's a code.


Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Upcoming Giveaways!

Over the next week some awesome giveaways are going to go live. Be sure to come back and enter on each individual post!


Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

NaturalSkinShop.com Glycolic Peel Review

As indicated a few weeks ago, I have been given the opportunity to review a glycolic skin peel kit. I reviewed the 30% glycolic chemical peel.



I have always been very hesitant about the thought of a chemical peel, but also very curious as I have known people who have seen great results. I know I can't afford to test this out at the spa, so I was very interested in the home chemical peel kits available from NaturalSkinShop.com. Although a little hesitant about doing it myself, the thorough information on their website made me comfortable that I would be able to use the kit appropriately.

First, when you go to the NaturalSkinShop.com site, you will find that there is very detailed information about the products they provide. When you go to the glycolic skin peel page, you will see that there are a number of strengths ranging from 10% to 70%. Under each kit, there is information about what skin types each particular kit is good for. After reading through the descriptions, I confidently settled on the 30% chemical peel. The checkout process was very simple and the products came promptly. The kit arrived in a clear carrying case that makes it easy to keep all the products together.

The glycolic peel contained the following: Glycolic 10% Exfoliator, Glycolic 30% Light Peel, Hyaluronic Moisturizer, and Gauze Pads. I'm not going to lie, at first I was a little scared by the gauze pads until I realized that they were only there to apply the Exfoliator and Peel. The kit also came with very detailed instructions, including how to make a deactivating solution in case your peel is too strong.

The whole process of the peel was super easy. You apply the exfoliator once daily for 7 days. Then once you are sure you are not having any bad reaction to the exfoliator, you move on to applying the peel. Each one only takes between 30-90 seconds to apply. Much quicker than I thought it would be!

I found that the process was pain-free. I had no problems with red skin or irritation and I experienced no peeling. I am sure this was due in large part to choosing the right peel for my skin. After the peel, my skin looking smoother, brighter, and refreshed. I look forward to using the kit again over the coming weeks to continue seeing great results! If you've been interested in trying a chemical peel, I would highly recommend checking out kits on NaturalSkinShop.com.


FTC Disclosure: This was not a paid post, however I did receive my choice of product from NaturalSkinShop.com to review for this post. All opinions are 100% my own, honest opinions about the product reviewed. 

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

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