Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Terracycle!!

Just became a member of Terracycle, I started the brigade "Dfw Money saving mommy cares" so if anyone wants to save some either candy wrappers, chip bags, or cookie bags (like the single serve ones) and help to donate to a great cause (right now I have it set on Unicef but will change once I find a local charity) please go to the page below and join my brigade! It's all free, all you do is save things you'd normally throw away! You can read more at Collin's page Hip 2 Save or you can visit the Terracycle website!!

Also, if you know of a local charity that could use the donations, please let me know!! Couponmommy85@yahoo.com

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Free Pantene Sample from Vocalpoint!!

Go here to get a free sample of Pantene shampoo!! If you're not already a Vocalpoint member, I highly recommend becoming one, you'll get lots of free samples like this and sometimes even full size products for free!

Free Samples of Emergen-C!!

I love having this stuff around, it's great if you feel a cold coming on or if you just don't feel like you've got enough energy you can get this quick boost of vitamin C!! Go here for a free sample kit!! I keep this in my desk at work just in case!!

Friday, March 19, 2010

Ways to save money at home, Ciara style!

Here are a few of the things I do to save money at home, some of these things you may not realize you can do, but if you try you may be surprised!! Feel free to email me to ask for further details or help!

Pedicures/Manicures, I get them bi-weekly at Ciara's Salon haha. A few years ago I bought a foot bath/massager (Sears puts them on clearance a lot, mine is nice because it has a remote!) and I use that and a few other small inexpensive tools to do my own pedicures! I also do my own finger nails, so I save roughly $80-100/month doing that myself. For you ladies who like to have french manicures, most grocery stores carry kits to do it, and it comes with a template and everything, not too hard at all. Just remember, practice makes perfect!

I try to find ways to make everything we could ever want from an expensive restaurant at home. For instance, Walmart carries some delicious filets of steak, or you can get filet mignon (2 servings) for less than $5. Pair this with your favorite veggies, then make a salad or a dessert if you want more than a 1 course meal! Not hard to do at all, and you're saving approximately $50-$60 depending on where you usually go to eat steak! I also make pizza at home, I bake my own cakes for every person in my family (if you want to see these go to sweetsbyciara.blogspot.com)

Birthdays, here's my specialty haha. I have a toddler, so obviously his birthdays are a big deal, I want to make them something special and something my friends and family will admire and talk about! So, with the help of my very talented mom, I do my own invitations, cake, food, and decorations. The only thing we go get is balloons and party favors. You don't have to be super creative or anything to make this work for you. Just get familiar with Microsoft Word and find a place where you can print invites on card stock for cheaper than purchasing a bunch of them. Making my own invitations saves me a lot, for example the first year we needed 60 invites, if I purchased these from a store the way I wanted them to look they would cost around $23, I spent $5 for 60 invites, and they were 100% personalized. On a cake, the first year I didn't bake one and it cost $90 to get one to feed those 60 people that matched the theme, last year I made 2 cakes and only had to spend maybe $15 total. As you can see, simple things like this make it a lot easier and I am able to spend more on his gifts than his party! If you want to save money on your cakes but you don't think you can bake or don't have the time, look at my website above and I do cakes much cheaper than the stores do.

You can do a lot of things that will save you money if you just try to simplify your expenses. Make a list of what you spend every month, especially if you are going to a salon to get your nails done, and just watch the person who does your nails next time. I've never had any training or lessons, I just watched last time and figured out how to do it. And remember, practice makes perfect. If you're worried, wait until you are home for a day or two and do it then so you don't have to go in public right after you do it :).

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Instant Win Games Roundup!

There are a few awesome instant win games out there right now, here are the ones I'm attempting to win :-)


Victoria's Secret


You can win a new bra or even up to a $500 gift card!! Go here to play!



Dove Soap Toss Game


Play the game and then it will give you the option to do the instant win. The game is actually pretty fun!


Dave and Buster's Instant Win


Play the basketball game and then you'll find out if you've won!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Introducing the Dfw Money Saving Mommy Newsletter!

Introducing the Money Saving Mommy newsletter! I would rather you not have to put your email address in a more public place, so if you would like to subscribe, simply email me on facebook or at couponmommy85@yahoo.com with your email address and I will send this newsletter out once a week with your weekly update on all the great savings available!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Product Review: Newman's Own Organic

Newman's Own Organic is a company that was started in 1993 by Nell Newman and Peter Meehan. They started with just a dream of making affordable, healthy organic products, living by the slogan "Great tasting products that happen to be organic". As a consumer of their products for many many years, I can testify that they have indeed met their goal and done so quite successfully!

They started out with pretzels, then soon moved to many other products, including their famous "Fig Newman's" (organic figs, organic sugar, organic flour, and without hydrogenated oils), and also to "Newman O's" (my personal favorite, and in my opinion much better tasting than that other cookie that looks similar). They now have tons of delicious organic products, including organic chocolate, mints, popcorn, even tea!

My favorites, the Newman O's, come in several different flavors as well, such as "Hint of Mint", "Peanut Butter", "Ginger 'N Creme", "Chocolate", and even a wheat free, gluten free variety! Their cookie line uses palm shortening, which is plant derived, so it has no cholesterol and is lower in saturated fat than butter.

Although it can be quite difficult to keep a product affordable while still keeping such high standards and producing such a high quality product, Newman's Own Organic has managed to keep a great balance, and luckily for us, they've kept their high standards!

Go to their website today and see where you can find these delicious foods and snacks, and let me know what you think! I know you'll fall in love with them the way I did!

All company information is credited to Newman's Own Organic, thank you to Newman's Own Organic for the phenomenal opportunity to review your product!

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Product Review: Seventh Generation

Thank you Seventh Generation for allowing me to review your products.

Six months ago I started my switch to all organic cleaners, including my dish soap, and I have found that Seventh Generation has the best products out there! I can actually use the shower cleaner in my son's bathtub, it cleans just as well if not better than any non-organic products, and it is so safe and natural that I was able to simply rinse the tub and he could get straight in. You could only smell a clean smell, not a chemical cleaning product smell. I get sick from smelling all of those chemicals, and I was worried my son would be the same way which is why I switched, and I can walk into a room after just cleaning it all over with Seventh Generation products and it doesn't affect me at all.

Seventh Generation makes lots of great products for you to clean your home and maintain it on a daily basis, some of my favorites are their Natural Shower Cleaner, the Natural Dish Soap, and the Natural All Purpose Cleaner! They also make baby products such as diapers, wipes, training pants, and detergent!

Are you ready to make the switch? You can get coupons on their website, and the products are actually very reasonably priced, very competitive with the other products that are out there! Make the switch to organic today, and the environment and your family will thank you!

Product Review: Purex 3 in 1 sheets

Thank you to Purex for letting me review this product! I recently received a sample of the Purex 3 in 1 sheets, and as soon as I tried the first one I fell in love! These are literally the steps to doing your laundry with these sheets...

1.) Put the sheet in the washer after you start the water

2.) Put your clothes in

3.) Transfer the sheet with your clothes to the dryer where it acts as a dryer sheet.

At first like many of your are I was skeptical about how this could work and how well it would do the job. Well let me tell you, I have NO doubts about this product now. I immediately went out and bought more because I was so excited at how easy it made laundry!! It didn't even feel like a chore, there wasn't a heavy bottle to pick up, no measuring to do, and I didn't even have to add any softener because it's already on the sheet! This will also save you money, because you can just buy a package of these instead of having to buy detergent, softener, and dryer sheets! I am very impressed with Purex, they've certainly come out with a break-through product that comes in extremely handy! Go to their website to learn more!

Monday, March 8, 2010

Free Sample of Dunkin Donuts Coffee! Woohoo!!

I love love looove Dunkin Donuts! You can get a sample of their Dunkin Turbo right now!! Just click below!

Dunkin' Donuts. Dunkin' keeps me blogging. Try Dunkin' Donuts Coffee For Free. Get a Sample

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Product Review: Kashi Honey Sunshine Cereal

Recently, Kashi sent me a coupon for a free box of their new Honey Sunshine Cereal, and I am so glad they did because I absolutely LOVE it! It has such a good flavor, for those of you who like sweet cereals it has a slightly sweet taste, but not too sweet for those who enjoy the less sweet, more nutritional cereals! There are so many benefits to eating all of Kashi's delicious cereals, and all of their other foods, because among many other healthy benefits they have their signature Seven Whole Grains. This is a great addition to your healthy lifestyle because especially with this cereal you're getting high fiber (6g of Fiber) and 20g of whole grain which is over 30% of your daily needs! Plus, it is all natural, with no artificial sweeteners, flavors or preservatives! If you haven't started the switch to whole grain in your life yet, I highly recommend it! You will feel so much better and your body will be so much healthier!
On another note, if you enjoy Kashi's cereals and other delicious foods, you should sign up for their newsletter, you will not only get lots of healthy living tips, but occasionally you will get GREAT coupons! I have to say Kashi is a great company who provides an amazing product at very reasonable prices!

Thank you so much to Kashi for letting me review this delicious product!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Free Nescafe Coffee Samples!

I got this sample back in the fall and these are so delicious!! Just go here and become their fan on facebook and then fill out the information. It comes with 6 samples (basically 6 free cups of coffee)!!!

PRODUCT REVIEW: Belle Du Jour Jewelry!

I purchased a ring from Belle Du Jour back in October and I must say, it's beautiful and after all of the daily wear and tear it still looks amazing!! The lovely owner Suzanne comes to our office about once a month and today I finally asked her if I could post something about her business on this blog. I am so glad that she said yes, because I want all of you to be able to check out her beautiful jewelry!! Go to her website and check out what she has, it's very reasonably priced and she has a great selection! Thank you to Suzanne for letting me review your products!!

Monday, March 1, 2010

I need your feedback!!

Please go look at the discussions tab on my fan page! I need to know how many people are interested in a coupon swap party so I can start planning! Thanks!!

Total Greatness AKA Recycle Bank

I waited to post this because I wanted to check it out first to make sure it's legit. I did check it out and got my free coupon in literally less than 10 days!! Go here to sign up for Recycle Bank, once you do you'll be awarded 40 points. Then if you sign up for the Ebay Green Team you'll be awarded 50 more pts, then if you sign up today, March 1, and enter promo code RecycleYourMags (this may be valid longer than today, this is just what I was told by another blogger)

I signed up 2 weeks ago and used my 50 points to get a free box of Kashi cereal (go to groceries, then cereal) and then today when I entered my extra code I was able to get another coupon for free dish soap!! Go to Household/cleaning for this one. It's awesome, and if you want you can sign up for curbside recycling and earn even more points!!

RaceTrac freebie!

Do you have a Race Trac gas station near you? If so go here to score an awesome coupon for free Tom's Bugles when you buy any $0.99 Tom’s item. The coupon is valid thru 4/5/10. Also, go to their website www.racetrac.com and sign up for the insider email thing, you'll get freebies like this almost monthly, it's great!

Allure Freebies!

Go here each day through the 4th at 12 pm EST (11 central) and be one of the first 500 to register to win one of these great prizes!! You're probably thinking it won't be even possible to win, but I won TWICE in October!! Two days in a row I was there right on time and got some awesome prizes! One thing I won was a bottle of perfume, the other was a huge gift pack with bath salts, sugar scrub, body spray, lotion, body butter, etc. The prizes took about a month to be delivered to me, but it was well worth it!! Each day they have a different prize go check it out!