Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Vera Bradley Sale!



























Big Vera Bradley Sale!

I got the above hipster for only $28. 
The link can be found at http://www.verabradley.com/product/Color/Night-and-Day/Hipster/1001054/defaultColorVariantId/167369/pc/639/c/0/sc/748/p/1001054.uts

Tired of your job - Try working from home




We've all heard the commercials that say "work at home" and "be your own boss", but we all know that most of them are scams.  Here's some job listings where you are actually an employee of the company.  These aren't sales jobs, but mostly are customer service positions. 
When you think about it, even if you made $10 an hour by working at home, that probably equates to $15 or more job where you work out of the home.  Think of commute time, office wardrobe, extra money spent on lunch and spending more at the grocery store because you are rushed, etc when figuring out your costs.

Here some listings for you to look in to:
1-800 Flowers
http://ww10.1800flowers.com/template.do?id=template8&page=9000&conversionTag=true
American Airlines
http://www.aacareers.com/us/frame_index.htm?http&&&www.aacareers.com/us/index.shtml
Best Western Hotels
http://www.bestwestern.com/about-us/careers/
GE Call Centers
http://www.gecallcentercareers.com/
Hilton Hotels
http://www.hrccjobs.com/career.asp
Home Shopping Network
http://www.hsn.com/careers_at-988_xa.aspx?nolnav=1&o=%21BNJO0&cm_sp=Global*BN*Careers

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Back from Thanksgiving vacation and still scouting out deals



I'm finally back from my vacation along the shores of sunny Alabama.  I thoroughly enjoyed the time off.  I'm happy to report that I packed lunch/dinner/snacks for the drive there and the drive back.  I only ate out once on vacation and that consisted of two drinks and an appetizer that I split with my husband.  I think my family (all 6 of us and our dog) spent less than $1000 during our 7 day vacation. $340 for a condo across from the beach which included cleaning, taxes, and pet fees (found on vrbo.com).)  $350 for gas for the drive-down, drive around town, and drive-back.  $150 for food which included Thanksgiving Day food/drinks.  I'm always amazed when I see people who spend $5000 for a one-week vacation.  In my opinion, I don't think I could enjoy myself if I spent that much for just one week of vacation.


Speaking of the holidays, I seem to add a few pounds each Christmas season.  This year I've made a promise to myself to eat healthy throughout the season.  They say that 30 minutes of cardio is better than nothing.  Hey its cold in metro-Cleveland, but I figured I can at least walk my stairs or do a work-out video if its a day that I just can't make it to the gym.

Here's some great deals I found:

Shopping online?  If so, make sure you sign up for ebates.com.  You just log on and find coupons, etc. for most of your favorite online retailers.  You get a CASH REBATE on all purchases.  I've used them for years and love the site.
http://www.ebates.com/index.do?eeid=22495&AutoLoginID=shrfqmjaFZ3gl6w8qdvI6g%3D%3D


EARTH FARE:
Earth Fare is offering great coupons. All you need to do is pop into your local Earth Fare Market.
http://go.earthfare-email.com/l/a/3wi/q6/54op/84i/di5p/trouble.htm



OLD NAVY:
http://oldnavy.gap.com/?tid=onembt0241&EV=OMULTIAET11272012&DI=113440290&CD=OSC_OAC&redirect=true

TODAY ONLY (11/27), In Stores
Stuff & Save: 40%* off
when you use your Old Navy Card, GapCard or BananaCard
To redeem online:
Stuff & Save:Enter STUFFSAVE at checkout.
20% Off:




 
Enter ONHOLIDAY at checkout.
 

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Still wondering what to prepare for Thanksgiving???

Foolproof Turkey Recipes

For me, Thanksgiving is one of my FAVORITE holidays.  Maybe because its a truly an American holiday or maybe because it makes me dig deep into my heart and realize all the great things I am  blessed to have....but for whatever reason, this holiday ranks up at the top of my favorite things to celebrate.

I don't look at Thanksgiving cooking as a chore.  I like the fact that the whole family comes together and prepares for the day's celebration. I enlist the whole family to help with various things.  I feel that we appreciate Thanksgiving all the more as we all contributed.

For our celebration, I looked to the food network for inspirations http://www.foodnetwork.com/ . 

I was amazed that they actually had 3 different menus all ready for the printing.  

Your choices are the classic Thanksgiving Day menu:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/menus/classic-thanksgiving-menu/index.html

The quick and easy Thanksgiving Day menu:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/menus/quick-easy-thanksgiving-menu/index.html

The budget friendly Thanksgiving Day menu:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/menus/thanksgiving-potluck-menu-feast-for-less/index.html

The buffet Thanksgiving Day menu:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/menus/thanksgiving-buffet-menu/index.html

Here's a link with ideas for left-overs:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/menus/thanksgiving-leftovers-casual-next-day-meal/index.html

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

How to save money this winter!! Refinance, lower utility bills, and lower food bills

Its cold in the metro-Cleveland area.  I saw snow falling as I got my youngest two on the bus.  Now that the weather has turned cold, remember to do a thorough winterizing to your home..  Check for drafts, etc all around the house.  If you need new windows and doors, make sure to get them now as I'm sure all those tax deductions are going away very, very soon.  For us, we checked our insulation in the attic and bought insulated curtains for all our big windows (we have newer windows but the really big ones still are cold in the winter months.)  We also changed our thermostat (to lower temps) and put extra blankets on all the beds.   Here's a website with some useful information:   http://abcnews.go.com/Business/ways-save-money-energy-winter/story?id=17521249#.UKJRluQ0WSo

Other simple ways to save money are to spend more time at home and cook more at home.  I'm sure many of you say "I don't have time", but guess what?  Ordering pizza, driving to pick it up and coming back to serve it all takes time.  You can easily whip up a quick dish (simple al dente pasta topped with butter, crumbled bacon/ham, chives, garlic, and Parmesan cheese is my go-to for a quick and easy dish everyone loves) can often take less than 20 minutes and is way cheaper.  I've stopped our impulsive drive-thru trips and take-out pizza nights and have saved over $100 every month since school has started.  Those savings are helping to pay for my family's holiday vacation.

Don't forget the left-overs!  I try to take all our left-overs and place them in separate food containers (for my husband to take to lunch the next day) or place them right in the freezer.  Then on days when we are in a rush, I can just pull them out and re-heat them.

Another thing I've really gotten into is meal planning.  I usually plan a week's worth of the dinners and two or three breakfasts.   I downloaded a meal planning template online [for free] and plan away! I make it a point to use some of the main dish as a key ingredient in another dish.

For example, last night we had Angus roast with potatoes.  I  put aside some of the  leftovers for beef stew and some for enchiladas.  I set aside the potatoes to slice up and use for morning eggs with hash browns    The stew can be made in the crock-pot and the tamales are easy to make (especially when you enlist your kids and follow the assembly line method..   The stew can become lunch for hungry kids and the enchiladas. can be frozen and used for later.

For breakfast, you can mix any egg mixture the night before and it can either be cooked in the microwave or on the stove.  We eat a lot of steel cut oatmeal, so I can make 3 days of oatmeal at a time.

Another way to save money is by refinancing your home mortgage.  Yes, you can still refinance your mortgage!! Many places are offering  "loan modification" with low fees or even offering to waive some of the fees.  This program is not to be confused with another types of programs that are designed to help people who are in financial distress.

One of the  best places to apply for a mortgage or refinance an existing mortgage is Navy Federal Credit Union.  At Navy Federal Credit union they have great programs for all their Members.  If you have 20% equity in your house, have paid on your loan for at least 12 months, then you should call to check on the Loan Modification Program.  NFCU  "Loan Modification program for people who are paid and are in good standing" has no fees right now!!!

NFCU Mortgage information can be found at https://www.navyfederal.org/products-services/loans/mortgage/mortgage.php

If you join  Navy Federal Credit Union, then all your children can set up accounts , your siblings can set up accounts, and even your parents can set up accounts.   To my best of my knowledge, this is the largest credit union in the country.   Have you or your parent's served in the military or DOD?   Still unsure if you can become a member?  Please check out the link https://www.navyfederal.org/how-to-become-a-member.php to find out if can join NFCU.


Sunday, November 11, 2012

I started checking out sales for potential Christmas Gifts.  Personally, I found that online has a ton of sales.

Here's some of the websites:
No More Rack has lots of daily deals.  You subscribe to their emails and get the sales delivered daily.  Be on the look out for their insanity deals!  http://www.nomorerack.com/?cr=1304146

www.Sharkstores.com  has North Face Women's coats for $79!!  Hurry as I don't think they will last long. Don't forget to sign up for their emails to get % off and various coupon codes.

Groupon.com has a color nook for only $79.  That is crazy cheap!  http://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-nook-color-refurbished?p=1&utm_source=channel_goods-deals&utm_medium=email&sid=d77d3b53-b4a3-45f7-a1f8-b2318951a45a&division=cleveland&user=57faf1a0dfe3762b120b36abcb4c9c67d72dcd2f428aa57a471e9323bbb75a79&date=20121111&s=body&c=deal_img&d=deal-page

Nike men's running glasses are $29 at www.dailydeals.com  .  http://1saleaday.com/?utm_campaign=1470710&utm_content=2230550047&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Emailvision

www.Dickssportinggoods.com has pre-black Friday sale going on.  The link can be found at:  http://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-nook-color-refurbished?p=1&utm_source=channel_goods-deals&utm_medium=email&sid=d77d3b53-b4a3-45f7-a1f8-b2318951a45a&division=cleveland&user=57faf1a0dfe3762b120b36abcb4c9c67d72dcd2f428aa57a471e9323bbb75a79&date=20121111&s=body&c=deal_img&d=deal-page

Friday, November 9, 2012

Veteran's Day is Sunday November 11th

Veterans Day is special in our house.  My husband is a Navy Pilot (Reserves) and both of our fathers served in the USAF.  There are also Grandfathers, Grandmothers, brother-in-laws, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc that have served/serve as well.
On this special day, please remember our veterans.  Its a honor to live in this great country.  On Veterans Day 2012 , please remember to give praise to ALL American veterans, both living and dead. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank LIVING veterans for dedicated and loyal service to their country. November 11 of each year is the day that we ensure veterans know that we deeply appreciate the sacrifices they have made in the lives to keep our country free

A tip from a friend reminded me that some restaurants honor Veterans with deals.  Here's a list of the current promotions for Veterans day this weekend. . .
Here's a sample idea for a plan of attack:
1) Einstein Bagels Sunday morning,
2) Olive Garden for lunch (cause it's to busy in the evening),
3) Chili's for dinner,
Then, on Monday, lunch at T.G.I. Friday's,
Fogot to mention that gap.com has a 30% off sale until 11/12/2012.
Just enter GAPFRIENDS in the promo code
http://www.gap.com/

love comes in every shade our top holiday picks to wear and share. shop gap loves:

Black Friday Ads POSTED!!

Let me apologize for my lack of postings for yesterday.  I do have three good excuses: I was my eldest boy's birthday and I had 4 parent-teacher conferences to attend and I had a dinner party to plan and cook.  That being sad...

I'm seeing lots and lots of Black Friday Ads.  I feel like the best place to look [every year] is dealspl.us (http://dealspl.us/) and Black Friday (http://www.blackfriday.fm/)

Target Black Friday:
http://www.blackfriday.fm/adscan/target

Walmart Black Friday:
http://www.blackfriday.fm/adscan/walmart

Office Max Black Friday:
http://www.blackfriday.fm/adscan/officemax

Best Buy Black Friday Ads:
http://www.blackfriday.fm/adscan/bestbuy
https://blackfriday.bestbuy.com/#!/door+busters

KMart Black Friday ad:
http://www.blackfriday.fm/adscan/kmart

Aeropostale Black Friday ad:
*I can't believe EVERYTHING is 60% off!!!!
http://www.blackfriday.fm/adscan/aeropostale

Walgreens Black Friday ad:
Hey, don't knock it, as Walgreens has some really good BF sales.
http://www.blackfriday.fm/adscan/walgreens

Sam's Club Black Friday ad:
I love it when the Sam's Club is right next to the Walmart!
http://www.blackfriday.fm/adscan/samsclub

Macy's Black Friday ad:
http://www.blackfriday.fm/adscan/macys.com

Cabela's Black Friday ad:
http://www.blackfriday.fm/adscan/cabelas

Sear's Black Friday ad:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/dap_10153_12605_DAP_black-friday-deals?lid=ly_shop_doorbusters&rioptype=LY&eml=35129804&ruid=1000000784

Bed Bath and Beyond Black Friday ad:
http://www.blackfriday.fm/adscan/bedbathandbeyond

Home Depot Better than Black Friday ad:
Interesting that they are having their big sales before the actual Black Friday.
http://localad.homedepot.com/HomeDepot/BrowseByPage?promotioncode=HD-121108-ST110812&promotionid=0&promotionviewmode=0&pagenumber=1&AID=10368321&PID=2026489&SID=6rD3DjhpuD1D2&cj=true&cm_mmc=CJ-_-2026489-_-10368321

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Saving up for the holidays?  Here's some way to earn extra cash!

1. Rat Race Rebellion http://www.ratracerebellion.com/
This is a great website.  It lists all types of legitimate work-at-home jobs.  You can subscribe to their email to get up-to-date job listings for companies all over the US.

2.  Secret Shopping
I've done secret shopping for over 5 years.  I love it.  Whenever my family wants to go out for a nice meal, I just log onto one of the sites and pick up a "job" for the night.  I've done everything from retail, to oil changes, to bowling.  Everything under the sun.  And don't forget to include mileage on your taxes.
There are lots of secret shopping companies out there.  Make sure you never pay to become a secret shopper.
Here's the national website:  http://mysteryshop.org/home
Here's the national website for getting your certificate as a Mystery Shopping:  http://mysteryshop.org/shopper-certification
Here's an awesome list of all the approved mystery shopping companies:
http://www.mspanorthamerica.com/shoppers/membercos.php

3.  Ebay
Yes, really, Ebay is a great way to get rid of all the "stuff" you don't need before the holidays.  Heck, I just went through my house and came up with two tubs of clothes that had never been worn and still had the tags on.  I took pictures and sold them in less than 5 days.  I made enough money for a tank of gas [in my full size van], which is better than nothing. 

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Election Day Deals:
 

Macy’s: 15-20% off select items with code: ELECT.

7-11: Get a cup with the candidate of your choice with your coffee purchase.
 
Einstein Bagels: Get 25% off your purchase with Einstein Bagel coupon. Expires 11/15.

Macaroni Grill: $10 off A $20 online order through 11/6 with coupon code: FACEBOOK. See exclusions here.
 
Starbucks:Free Indivisible Wrist Band ($5 value) while supplies last.
 
Tim Hortons
On November 6th, head on over to your local Tim Hortons with your “I Voted”sticker and you’ll snag a FREE donut with any beverage purchase.  For more information go to http://www.timhortons.com/us/en/about/voters-and-veterans-special-promotions.html?SDL_election-day. Also note that this offer is only valid at participating Tim Hortons locations so be sure to call your restaurant before making a special trip.

Chick-fil-A
Some say that their local Chick-fil-A is giving away a free 8-count nuggets if you wear Red, White, and Blue today – I would call your local store to see if there are any special promotions.


Chili’s
Head to Chili’s Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/Chilis?fref=ts) to print a coupon for a free appetizer with the purchase of an adult entree, valid today (11/6) only. Offer valid only at participating locations in the United States. Excludes Triple Dipper. Multiple coupons cannot be combined. Not valid with any other discounts or special offers.


Olive Garden
Head to Olive Garden on November 6th with an “I Voted” sticker and receive a free Dolicini with an adult entree purchase. This offer may be redeemed for 1 free Dolicini, up to $3.95 maximum value, with the purchase of 1 adult entrĂ©e (not including soup, Garden Salad, or pizza) on the same check. Dine in only.


McDonalds
Some have reported that McDonald’s in Westlake, Ohio has a free hash brown during the morning hours and free big mac from 11-2!
 
Sales Alerts:

Earth Fare is blasting out another email with a $5 Food Revolution.  This time its for Italian Food!  The link can be found at :  http://images.earthfare-email.com/clients/EarthFare2092/InLine/11_6_FRItalian.jpg?utm_source=EmailDirect.com&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=11_6_FR_Ita+Campaign

Famous Footwear is sending out a 20% off coupon via email.  You can print the coupon or enter the coupon code WINTER12 to get 20% off your online purchase.

Daily Steals  (dailysteals.com) has a Samsung Galaxy Tablet 10.1 for only 179.99.  Its their deal of the day, so don't wait if this is something you really want or need.  The link can be found at http://images.earthfare-email.com/clients/EarthFare2092/InLine/11_6_FRItalian.jpg?utm_source=EmailDirect.com&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=11_6_FR_Ita+Campaign

Everyone seems to love green coffee bean extract.  I saw 2 bottles on sale for $12.99 at www.icemonkey.com .  The link can be found at http://www.icemonkey.com/2-pack-green-coffee-bean-extract-800mg-with-gca-and-50-chlorogenic-acid-all-natural-weight-loss-supplement-120-double-strength-capsules?SID=qjb1bm2h62856pp62ja2h006m2

www.Graveyardmall.com has a sale going on.  Use Coupon Code: EndSeason10 and take an extra $10 off our Premium Branded Women's Sunglasses to finish off the season.  I bought some a year ago and are still enjoying them.

Old Navy has their Black Friday ad out ALREADY. The doors open on Friday at midnight. Some select stores are open on Thursday at 10pm and they will have a Wii U set up that you can play for free. They are giving away 1,000 free Wii U consoles plus if you spend $40 or more, you can get a free Mario Wii U game. They will give out wristbands at each store before the doors open on Friday, if you get a wristband, you will get the game free with your $40 purchase. 
The ad I saw has the following:
Fleece 1/2 zips $5
Adult ON jeans $15
Adora boots $12
Sherpa Hoodies $15
Kids Coats $15
Adult Coats $19



SO HAPPY TO BE AN AMERICAN ON THIS GREAT DAY!
Oh beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
PLEASE VOTE TODAY!
 




Monday, November 5, 2012

Forgot to mention with November comes sales on baking supplies.  Time to clip some coupons and stock up. 
Free shipping at Landsend.com.
Just enter the promotion code ELECTION and the pin 1106 http://www.landsend.com.

Day 1 - So I finally have time for a blog!

Day 1 of my blog...who knew that two years ago someone said to me "Start a Blog...'cause you seem to know lots of things that so many people should know, but don't."  Two years later and...I'm on it.

My blog is about being a mom.  I'll call it  an "everything Mommy" kind of blog.  Sure, there's lots of blogs out there just like mine, but someonehow my blog may be more applicable to your life. 

I plan on talking about mommy things and things that mommies do.  If you aren't into those type of things, then this is probably a waste of your time.

Today the sales I will mention are:
Walgreens has milk for $2.69 a gallon with your walgreens card
Old Navy has 25% off your online order.  Just use the code ONTAKE25 during checkout.

Tomorrow is election day.  Please vote.  In my opinon, it is your duty as an American to vote.  Smile when you do vote, as you are an  American and proud of it.

My children's school is on a 3 day week, as Thursday and Friday are parent-teacher conferences.  I will be sure to post different activities to your child to try.  The weather is looking cool, but sunny, so I think I will fill my 4 days with yard work and winterizing.