(Almost) Free 2010 Planner!

My friend Mindy just posted this GREAT online deal for a personalized 2010 planner from Snapfish.com for only $1.49 shipped. All you have to do is go to Snapfish.com and sign up for a new account, and you get a $10 credit to use however you want. (If you want a planner, search for them under "notebooks). However, you only have until December 31st to get this, so hurry!!!

Go to this link to read more about it.

(You can also apply your $10 credit from Snapfish for any other product on their site if you don't want a planner)

FREE at Vons!

Vons/Pavilions is doing 12 Days of FREE items.  All you have to do is go to this link:

http://www.vons.com/IFL/Grocery/12Days-Save

Print off the coupon for the particular day you want, and spend at least $20.  Today's special is a box of free Betty Crocker cake mix, and tomorrow is a dozen eggs.  While you will probably not go spend $20 every day, if you need to go shopping anyway, this can be a great deal!

Another great feature Vons has is that you can download coupons from their site directly onto your Vons Club Card!! I am so excited about this, because it means no more digging in the bottom of my purse to find my coupons!  Just click here to start saving!

Win a Free Necklace!

There are a ton of giveaways going on all over the blogging world.  This is one of my favorites!  I LOVE this jewelry.  If you would like to win a set for yourself, visit this link.

Need New Furniture?

One of the best places I have found for furniture is Overstock.com.  They have amazing deals on office furniture, dining room sets, couches, and even name brand pillow-top bed mattresses.  The best part of all is that shipping is only $1!!!  The next time I need a new California King mattress, I will definitely be buying off of overstock.com, as they have some for as low as $700.  I have compared prices for months on mattresses and this site has THE best deals.  Another great feature is that buyers rate the items, so you can always read what others say about it before you buy it.

This is also a great site to buy Christmas presents off of, and you probably wouldn't need to shop anywhere else.  You cannot beat that $1 shipping.  Find jewelry, books, CD's, DVD's, electronics, clothing, home goods and more!

Merry Christmas to YOU!

How would you like to earn a $50 gift certificate to anywhere you would like, just for doing your regular Christmas shopping? Let me tell you how to do it: -You may have read before on this blog about MyPoints. MyPoints is offering some great ways to earn extra points this holiday which will quickly turn into free gift cards for you. First you need to create an account, and then start earning your points. I only visit this site about 2x a month and already have enough points for a $25 gift card! -After you create your account, choose which stores you want to shop from for your Christmas gifts. If you spend $100 from selected stores (online), you automatically get 1000 bonus points, in addition to the points you receive per dollar (you can even combine stores for a total of $100). Also check out their daily specials. For example, today if you order from Domino's Pizza, you get 400 bonus points! Dinner anyone? -This week I needed to order something online from Kmart.com. I first went to MyPoints, searched for KMart, and placed my order. That day they were having a special for 8 points per dollar, plus Kmart had their own specials on their website ($10 off any purchase over $50 that day). -One of the best deals I found on this site was for a 2010 Entertainment Book. If you go through MyPoints, you earn 750 points for buying a book. Once they lead you to the Entertainment Book website, you get $5 off each book, free shipping, AND a $25 gift certificate to a restaurant! This is a way to truly make your money work for you. You can also print coupons off of this site for the grocery store, and earn 10 points for each coupon you print.


Now you have no need to go out on Black Friday to go Christmas shopping; you can get many of the same great deals online. If you go through MyPoints.com first, you are on your way to receiving your own Christmas present for all your hard work!!

Feeding a Family of Four for $40 a Week

I came across this blog today, where a mom feeds her family for only $40 a week!  Although I'm inspired, the amount of time this takes to cut coupons, get multiple copies of newspapers (for all the coupons) and going to the different stores can amount to a whole part-time job. However, maybe you really enjoy doing that and this could help you!

One of the most helpful things I found on her site was a two-week menu (breakfast, lunch and dinner) that would only cost between $35-$60 a week!  She also gives weeks and weeks of other menus she has used within that same price range.  Just click on this link and you can see her menus.  They actually look really good and are comprised of foods my kids would actually EAT!

This site also has a link to Swagbucks, which my friend Anna told me about.  You get "swagbucks" for searching online through their search engine (which uses google), and you can use these "dollars" to actually buy items (like points).  This is a great way to earn real products just by searching for things online!  (Another site which works similar to this is MyPoints, which I use and have gotten $50 gift cards from!)

FREE 8x10 Photo Canvas!

Another great deal I found out about over on Bargain Hunting Moms (yes, I realize I link back to them a lot, but I find the BEST deals on there!).

You can get a FREE 8x10 Photo Canvas from Canvas People OR $55 off any size canvas! I love photo canvases and have always coveted ones I have seen in other people's homes. And I figure that, as a photographer, I should get around to having my own photo canvas!

Order yours today, or even order one as a gift for Christmas! (You can even send a coupon to your friends to use)

Don't Declare Bankruptcy...Learn to Pay Off Debt

I read this amazing article today, and hope it will encourage everyone who feels weighed down by their debts. I have known people that had an insurmountable amount of debt, declared bankruptcy, but then continued to not handle their money well. Instead of the easy way out, the Hildebrandts decided that they needed to get to the root of their debt- not making wise choices - and went to a Consumer Credit Counselor. They were able to pay off over $100k of debt in about four years. I think many of us can relate to this couple; they were Christians who committed to tithe and did not live lavishly, but just needed some help making better decisions. Be encouraged today that you too can get out of debt!!!

Read their story here.

Amazing Deals on Household Supplies!!

My friends over at Bargain Hunting Moms just wrote about this site that got me SO excited!!! I am one that tends to stress out when shopping for household supplies. Especially toilet paper. I want the best deal, the most sheets, and the softest t.p., but the choices are SO confusing! Same with napkins, paper towels, laundry soap, etc. Usually I just give up and throw in my cart whatever is on sale.

No More!! Alice.com is a site that finds you the cheapest deals on household supplies AND applies any and all coupons towards them, AND ships them to your house for FREE! Did you just read that?!

I just set up my online account for the first time today, and I can't tell you how exciting it was to shop for toilet paper online. No more stress!! The prices really are cheaper than Target (where I normally dump the sale items in my cart). Set up your online account, and they'll even remind you to order every few weeks (you choose). You can even set up a budget to use, and they will help you track how much is going to each category. Awesome!

Visit Alice today!!

Preparing to Stay at Home

I came across this amazing article today that I wanted to share. I agree whole-heartedly with everything in it; if I knew what I know now, I would have started preparing way earlier (financially) to have children. But when we get locked into a two-income situation, it feels almost impossible to get out.

I remember being newly married, and wanting to have kids in the future (5 years out). I thought I had time. I also knew I wasn't positive I wanted to be a stay at home mom. But what I did know was that I enjoyed working and knew there was nothing wrong with that. However, if I knew then what I knew now, I would have started preparing to have children (financially). Because nobody wants to have a new baby AND the weight of the world on your shoulders, feeling that you HAVE to bring in income or you won't be able to feed your family.

However, if you feel stuck right now, and God is moving you in the direction to work less or stop working altogether, He WILL provide. I know from experience!! We have to make wise choices, stop spending so much, and stop wanting what we don't have. But it can happen!

Timeless wisdom. I hope this encourages you, and please pass it on to every young woman you know!!

Ten Things Now to Stay at Home Later

Free Mocha Mondays at McDonalds!

Starting on Monday, July 13th, McDonalds will be giving away hot or iced mochas from 7am-7pm. This deal will be valid only on Mondays until August 3rd. They will give you an 8 oz. hot mocha or 7 oz. iced mocha, so this is a bit smaller than the regular size. Visit McDonalds for more information!

FREE Chik-Fil-A and (almost) free Ice Cream!

On Friday, July 10th, Chik-Fil-A will be giving away free combo meals to anyone who is dressed like a cow. Hmmmm - not sure if I'm up to that, but maybe you are?!

Also, if you live in Orange County (CA), you may want to visit this Chik-Fil-A, where every day this week between 5-8pm, they are giving away free menu items for "Customer Appreciation Week." Remember this is only the Irvine location offering this deal, but you can ask your local Chik-Fil-A when they will have Customer Appreciation Week near you.

________________________

Remember Thrifty's Ice Cream? Well, Thrifty's is now Rite Aid, but certain locations this week are offering 2 scoops for only .99 cents! I tried to find info. online about this, but limited information was available, so check your local Rite Aid if you're interested in this deal!

Saving on Moving Expenses

Since we are moving to a new house in a week, I have really been trying to figure out how to save money while moving. Anyone who has moved knows that the expenses can really add up, which adds to the stress of having to move anyway. I found out about two resources that may be able to help:

1) Moving Trucks - While shopping around for the greatest deal on moving trucks, I found that Budget Rental charges per day, while U-Haul charges per 24-hours. So, if you need a truck on Friday and Saturday, U-Haul is definitely the cheapest option by 50%. However, if you need a rental for one day only, you may be able to find coupon codes online to save 15% on a Budget truck rental. The only drawback is that you have to pick up and return the truck by the rental stores hours. Some have limited hours which may end up causing you to return the truck late and get charged an extra day.

If you want to comparison shop for the best deal on either moving yourself OR having a moving company move you, you may want to try this site.

2) Utilities - The second resource I found is another comparison site, where you can compare the companies who offer utilities in your area. You can find the best deals on phone service, internet service, gas, water companies, etc... I visited whitefence and found our new phone and internet service through Verizon, and because of this site, I found out that I qualified for a new Compaq mini netbook for FREE with my new service!

Even if you are not moving, you can still "shop around" for the best deals in your area. I hope this helps you a little too!

Free Orange Julius on Friday!

Tomorrow, Friday (June 19th, 2009) is FREE Light Smoothie Day at Orange Julius! Choose from Tropical Sunlight, Berry-Pom Twilight, or Strawberry Delight. You do have to download a coupon, so click here to get yours today!

Free CA Homeschooling Curriculum

A friend shared this with me recently; she desired to homeschool her children but was finding that many of the curriculums (especially for Christian homeschooling) can be very expensive. This is an option that is FREE, and she has been using it for over 3 years now for three of her children.

The California Virtual Academy is a WASC-Accredited Public Charter School. The curriculum, laptop, teaching supplies, craft supplies, and even a printer are provided for FREE. Families even receive a stipend for internet access to use the school. CVA goes from Kindergarten through Twelth grade.

This curriculum is not a Christian curriculum. But the great thing about homeschooling is having the ability to incorporate God into each subject, as you are your child's teacher. There are many homeschooling resources online that you could use to supplement the curriculum, such as adding a Bible class (which would not be graded through CVA).

CVA also offers field trips and gatherings with other families in the system. They even offer science fairs, spelling bees, and community service days.

I encourage you to pass this information on to your friends who are looking for homeschooling alternatives. After all, it is free!

Free Children's Services

Did you know that if you suspect that your child might have a developmental, speech, or any other type of disorder, there are centers in every state where you can receive FREE evaluations and help?

When my older son was two years old, we suspected that he might have a speech and language delay. Someone told me to contact our local Regional Center, which I did, and we received free testing. From there, they recommended speech therapy. I thought our options were limited to what was being offered through the school system (for free through the Regional Center). However, upon further research, I discovered that there are places called NPA's (Non Public Agencies) where you can also be approved to send your child. I found an amazing speech center in my area and requested that my son receive services there instead of at the school. Our request was approved, and he received speech therapy 2-3 times a week for over a year.

If I had not known about these services, we would have either not been able to get our son the help he needed, or been forced to pay out of our own pockets for help. Speech therapy sessions can range anywhere from $40-150 an hour.

For a list of California Regional Centers, visit this website. If your child is over 4 years of age, you can just contact your local school district for services as well. If you are outside of California, do some research to see if your state offers regional centers as well. If not, do an online search for "free speech therapy in [your state]" or "free testing for [your child's issue]". You may find the services you are needing for free!

Need Clothes for Your Kids?

Then don't miss tomorrow's sale at Children's Orchard - Fill a Bag for $5!   Children's Orchard is a children's retail store that sells very gently used clothing for cheap!  The prices here are often better than at thrift stores, with most items selling between $1.99-$5.99.  You can also sell gently used children's clothing to them and earn either store credit or cash.  I have done this a few times and earned at least $30 both times.  If you do want to sell to them, call to make an appointment, and iron all of the clothes.  They are picky and won't take anything with even the slightest stain, fade or tear.  THIS is the place to go for Halloween costumes, special occasion clothing, or just everyday gear.  They also sell many different baby items, toys, shoes, etc.  

Click here for more details:

Fill a Bag for $5 Sale

Find a Location near You!  (Click on the store locator button at the top left of the page)

Disneyland Pass for Less!

You may have already heard that you can go to Disneyland for free on your birthday. But what I didn't know until this week is that you can apply that free admission towards an annual pass on your birthday. If you live in Southern California, this is an especially great deal. If you go on your birthday only, you will get a $69 discount on any annual pass, and get in that day for free. There are four levels of passes:

Southern California Select - $134
Southern California - $174
Deluxe-$269
Premium- $389

If you choose the lowest level pass (which is not good during most of the summer and most weekends), you only have to pay $65 - that is less than one days admission for the entire year! This type of pass is good for my family, though, since my kids are not in school all day and we can go on weekdays for just a few hours. (We also try to avoid all theme parks in the summer anyway because of the crowds and the heat). Even if you choose the Deluxe pass, however, you still will only pay $200 for it.

Since my family has all of our birthdays within 6 weeks of each other, and we live 30 minutes from Disneyland, we have decided that we will go on all of our birthdays and get annual passes for only $65. Granted, we cannot all get in until the last person has their pass (that would be me, in July), BUT, once we all do, we have until May (my husband's birthday) to all get into Disneyland for free. That's called "workin' the system", people! :)

For parking, you can pay $59 to add that to your annual pass. In my family, we are adding that to my husband's pass only. If I ever want to take the kids for just a few hours myself, I can park in Downtown Disney's parking for free for the first 3 hours. There is a tram from Downtown Disney that will take you right smack to the middle of Disneyland, so you really could just spend about 2 hours there and call it a day - for free!

For more info, please visit Disney's website, read all the fine print, and be sure to see if this offer has expired before trying it yourself.

Baskin-Robbins .31 Cent Night!

As you may (or may not) have noticed, this blog has been on hiatus for about a month. Not for any particular reason, mind you, but I haven't seen any great deals to "write home about" lately. Until now.

Tomorrow night (Wednesday, April 29th, 2009) is Baskin-Robbins Annual .31 cent a Scoop Night!   The limit is 3 scoops per person.  Get in line early, because this is a popular attraction! The event will happen from 5-10pm.  Find your local Baskin-Robbins here.

More Free Food!

Here is a coupon for a free Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich, with the purchase of a Pepsi. Offer expires TODAY, March 20th!

Arby's Coupon

Saving By Using Home Remedies!

It is really easy to run to the local drugstore or pharmacy when an ailment strikes you. There is something on the counter for everything these days. Have you ever opened your medicine cabinet, though, and seen how many medicines you have that you used maybe one time and never again? These things add up! One easy way you can save big is by treating mild ailments with home remedies. This week I was afflicted with a small but painful canker sore in my mouth. Some friends recommended buying certain products that would help, but I jumped online and found that I could treat it at home for free with some simple things I had in my cupboard.

You can do any web search for these, but here are a few of my favorites:

http://health.howstuffworks.com/home-remedies-channel.htm

http://www.grannymed.com/

http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/home_remedies/index.php

You can also do a google search for "home remedies for -----" (and fill in your ailment). Be sure to see a doctor if it is ANYTHING serious though!!!

Also, don't forget that when you are filing your taxes, you can deduct medical expenses: doctor's visits (co-payments), prescriptions, dental work, and mileage to and from the doctor and dentist. Even these things are deductible: pregnancy tests, bandages, chiropractor, eyeglasses, psychologist, and even a weight-loss program! (if the doctor recommends that you lose weight as a treatment for a special disease). See this website for all of the details (and more medical deductions) before you file.

Free Quizno's Sub

There are sure a lot of restaurants that have been giving away free meals lately! From Denny's to IHOP to Jack in the Box, and now Quizno's. I have not posted a lot of these deals since they are usually only one day, and many people would log onto this blog too late.

However, you can get a coupon for a free sub from Quizno's just by visiting this site.

You do have to enter a valid email address. If this deters you, you may want to consider forming an email address just for deals like this. I have one that I use for any company that asks for my email (and a separate personal one).

Enjoy your sub!

Financial Help

In these hard economic times, it can sometimes feel like there is no hope financially and nowhere to turn. But there are actually a lot of resources out there to help you handle your money, even when you don't think you have any. Most people I know were never taught how to budget and go through their whole adult lives just "winging it" financially. It helps to have help, someone to look at your finances and tell you how you can make better choices to achieve the goals you have. One resource that has helped people I know is Consumer Credit Counseling. This organization helps you to get out of debt, negotiating with your creditors to lower your interest rate and even the amount owed. They offer help when you cannot pay your mortgage, your rent and your bills. They help you to avoid foreclosure on your house. They will work with you so that you do not have to file for bankruptcy, and will help you to rebuild your credit. In addition, they offer courses on finances. If you are hurting financially, most of the time you cannot get out of the hole on your own. So why not make the call? Here are some helpful links if you need help:

Consumer Credit Counseling
Consumer Credit Counseling of Orange County (CA)
By Design Financial Solutions
Christian Debt Consultants

Restaurant Week

I just heard about this on the news last night.  If you live anywhere in the L.A. (California) area, "Restaurant Week" is a two week period where selected restaurants are offering deep discounts.   This takes place January 25-30, and February 1-6. Meals are at a fixed price and you can go either at lunch or dinner.  There are MANY restaurants to choose from - see this list.  Some of the restaurants included are The Chart House, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Roy's Hawaiian Fusion, Wolfgang Puck's and more.  Sort by dining area and find restaurants in your city!

Free Makeup!

Due to a class action settlement, you may qualify for a free makeup item from certain major department stores (see below) from January 20-January 27, 2009. Taken from the class actions' website, here are the details along with what you can get for free:

"A class member will be eligible to receive, while supplies last, a maximum of ONE free cosmetics product from one of the Manufacturer Defendants from which he or she purchased Department Store Cosmetics during the class period, May 29, 1994 through July 16, 2003, from the list of products below. If a class member has only purchased products, during the class period, from one of the Manufacturer Defendants listed below, then that class member is only entitled to receive a free product from that Manufacturer Defendant. If a class member has purchased products, during the class period, from multiple Manufacturer Defendants, then that class member must choose the ONE free product he or she wishes to claim from one of those Manufacturer Defendants. Again, these products are only available while supplies last, and no rainchecks will be issued. If your store has run out of settlement products from the Manufacturer Defendant(s) from which you have previously purchased Department Store Cosmetics during the class period, then you may claim a product (again, while supplies last) from another Manufacturer Defendant.

The following is a list of the Manufacturer Defendants and their products that will be distributed, while supplies last, through the stores listed above:

Boucheron (USA) Ltd.:
Femme Eau de Toilette (1 ounce/30 ml)

Chanel, Inc.:
Coco Mademoiselle body lotion (3.4 fluid oz)

Christian Dior Perfumes, Inc.:
J’Adore Eau de Parfum (15 ml)

Clarins U.S.A., Inc. (customers will have a choice of ONE of two products, while supplies last):
Clarins Energizing Morning Cream (30 ml) OR
Clarins Beauty Flash Bomb (30 ml)

Conopco, Inc. (distributed by Coty, Inc. on behalf of Conopco, Inc.) (customers will have a choice of ONE of three products, while supplies last):
Calvin Klein Euphoria Bath and Shower Crème (6.7 oz)
OR
Vera Wang Princess Body Polish (5 oz)
OR
Lovely Sarah Jessica Parker Shower Gel (6.7 oz)

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (customers will have a choice of ONE of two products, while supplies last):
Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair (15 ml/0.5 oz)
OR
Clinique Moisture Surge (30 ml/1 oz)

Guerlain, Inc.:
My Insolence Eau de Toilette (15 ml)

L’Oréal USA, Inc. (formerly known as Cosmair, Inc.) (customers will have a choice of ONE of eight products, while supplies last):
Lancôme UV Expert 20
OR
Lancôme Cils Design Pro Mascara
OR
Lancôme Fatale Mascara
OR
Lancôme Courbe Virtuose Mascara
OR
Lancôme Primordial Skin Defense
OR
Ralph Lauren Romance Shower Gel (6.7 oz.)
OR
Giorgio Armani ACM Shower Gel (6.7 oz)
OR
Lancôme Hypnôse Shower Gel

Parfums Givenchy, Inc.:
Very Irresistible Givenchy Eau de Toilette (15 ml)

These are the only products that will be distributed, while supplies last, as part of the settlement product distribution. Not all products are available in all stores; rather, stores will be distributing products from the participating brands that the particular store ordinarily sells.

Stores participating in this settlement include Macy's, Nordstrom's, Gottschalks, and many more. Visit their website for the full list of stores.

Here are some 99 Cent Only Store bargains I found this week; hurry in to get yours!

Gerber Graduates Divide N Dine Plates, Snackin' Bowls (prevent spills) and Scoopin' Spoons. I have seen these at Target for around $5 each!

Belkin IPOD hard cases and leather cases (for IPOD classic and the older Nano's). They have all kinds of colors and styles available. These are top of the line and retail for over $20!

Free E-Book by Suze Orman

If you have not already heard, Oprah is giving away a free e-book by Suze Orman titled "Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan."  Download it free by clicking here.  The offer expires on Thursday, January 15th, so be sure to act fast!  

You can also "save your seat" for a live webcast with Suze also held on January 15th by reserving your spot here.

Disneyland Free Admission on Your Birthday!

Yes, it's true! Disneyland (and all Disney Theme Parks) are now offering free admission on your birthday. However, you DO need to sign up ahead of time online. Here is the link!  You will receive an email 2 weeks ahead of time that you take as your "pass" on your birthday, which you must show at the entrance along with your identification.

If you already have a Disneyland Pass, you are eligible for one of these gifts instead:

A birthday fun card in an amount equal to the price of a 1-Day/1-Park ticket* for you to use on your birthday for select merchandise, recreation, or tour experiences or for Disney's PhotoPass® on-site services at participating locations at Disneyland® Resort; 

or
A special birthday FASTPASS® ticket+ for certain attractions at the Theme Park you visit on your birthday; 

or
A 1-Day/1-Park ticket for you to use any time until your next birthday.

*Ticket price at Main Entrance ticket booth. Adults receive card in the amount of an adult ticket; children (ages 3-9) receive card in the amount of a child ticket.  (See their website for all of the fine print)

A single-day theme park ticket is $69 for an adult, so this is a great deal!