BODACIOUS BUDGETS & BARGAINS

FREE Pastry at Starbucks, Tomorrow ONLY

2010-03-22T11:58:00.003-06:00

TOMORROW ONLY

Click on the picture to get your coupon for a free pastry at Starbucks. It's a great excuse to order a hand-crafted beverage and enjoy the spring sunshine on the patio!

FREE Financial Peace University Class!!!

2010-03-13T13:12:00.004-07:00

Do yourself and your entire family tremendous favor and check this out! Dave Ramsey is offering a free Financial Peace University class. I can not express how FPU has changed my life and it will, guaranteed, improve your life too. Give it a chance. You won't regret it.
By the way, if you think you'd like to commit to the full 13-week class, and you live in south metro Denver, let me know. We are starting one up in the next few weeks in the comfort of my home. We'd love to have you join us!

Walt Disney: A Christian Critique - BlueBehemoth.com

2010-03-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

Walt Disney: A Christian Critique - BlueBehemoth.com
Click on the link above for a free download. The websites description of the critique:
In the twentieth century, no man did more to shape the values of family culture for good or evil than Walt Disney. As a motivator, innovator, and filmmaker, his efforts impacted millions across the globe through his movies, theme parks, and television shows. Disney’s work helped to define the literary and cultural sensibilities of a generation of American children and introduced enduring and iconic expressions of childhood that remain with us to this day.

FREEBIE FRIDAY! on a Tuesday 'cause ya' gotta hurry to get this one!

2010-02-22T22:32:00.001-07:00

Even if you feel like you can only grab a minute to take for yourself, you have time to dive into the new Busy Mom's Bible by Zondervan. Plus, if you are one of the first 5,ooo to register, they will send you one absolutley free! Not only that, but send in a review and you'll be eligible to win a personal assistants service. What busy mom wouldn't love that?

Freebie Friday for El Dia de Amor!!!

2010-02-11T19:07:00.001-07:00

Here is a fabulous freebie just in time for Valentines Day! Make an 8x10 photo collage from Walgreens. The true beauty of this offer is that it can be printed at any Walgreens location in the country. Did you forget to send something to your sister in Cincinatti? Your Mom in Mississippi? Your Auntie in Ancorage? Here's a quick, easy, free goodie they they will cherish! Just click on the image above and enter the code VDAY at checkout to get it for FREE! You can also get 25 FREE prints when you order 25 prints, order through February 13th, use code LOVE10 at checkout.

Thanks MojoSavings!

Claim Your COMPLIMENTARY Subscription!

2010-02-04T08:21:00.001-07:00

Claim Your COMPLIMENTARY Subscription! Click here for a free year of Cruise Travel magazine

My cruise was AWESOME!!! Thanks for asking. And yes, I do look good with a tan, if I do say so myself.

I would highly recommend the Bahamas to anyone looking for some fun in the sun without being pestered by vendors, cat calls, pollution or hoards of tourists. In fact, take a gander at the unpopulated photo. Gold Rock Beach was ours for the day. It may look familiar from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. At the busiest point there were maybe 35 other people there on the entire 4 mile stretch. Now I have a new happy place to escape to in my imagination when the stress of being a suburban mom starts to take me over. It was as if God gave me that day, in that place, as a special gift just for me and my hubby. However, if you don't have your own happy place, I'll let you borrow mine. We'll just use it one at a time.

Audio Adrenaline Lead Singer Trapped in Haiti

2010-01-16T17:27:00.005-07:00

I'd like to share this story from Nashville's WSMT TV about the lead singer of Audio Adrenaline and his involvement in Haiti. He, like so many others, needs your prayers and his orphanage needs your money. There is a link below to help out his non-profit, The Hands and Feet Project. I originally ran across this story while on American Center for Law and Justice website looking for great Christian organizations that are already in Haiti that I can send a contribution to. Remember, if everyone sends even a little money, the people of Haiti can receive tremendous blessings in their darkest hour. Plus, I will send $2 to The Hands and Feet Project in Haiti for every new Subscriber/Follower I get before January 23rd! So go to the column on the right, click to FOLLOW and click to SUBSCRIBE.

Local Musician Trapped In Haitian Rubble
Mark Stuart: Bodies Being Sawed In Half To Get Through Wreckage
Reported By Jonathan Martin

POSTED: 5:35 pm CST January 15, 2010
UPDATED: 11:54 pm CST January 15, 2010
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Thirty miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, it's a nightmare for residents of the Caribbean town of Jacmel. That's where a local musician is trapped.

So far, most relief efforts have been focused in Port-au-Prince, where a 7.0 earthquake hit Tuesday.

"It's hard, it's hard to see your friends in that situation, but truthfully, I know that he and his wife are there for a reason," said Christ Cotton of his friend Mark Stuart, who is trapped in Jacmel.

Stuart is the lead singer of Nashville-based, Grammy-winning Christian group Audio Adrenaline. About a week ago, he traveled to Haiti for mission work as a part of the Hands and Feet Project, a nonprofit he started.

"There's about 2,000 people who've died in collapsed buildings," Stuart said via Skype.

He told Channel 4 Jacmel can't get help because mountains that provided access to them have collapsed, and there's no relief for the thousands badly wounded.

"We had 20,000 injuries, and we don't have a bandage at the hospital," said Stuart. "We're out of bandages, we're out of medicine and we're in a desperate situation."

Right now, various agencies are working to divert some ships and planes backed up in Port-au-Prince to Jacmel.

"If we don't get supplies in here quickly, you're going to see some major problems," said Stuart.

Stuart said frustration and desperation are growing, the smell is unbearable and people are sifting through debris to find their loved ones.

"They're having to saw their bodies in half just to get them out of the rubble because we have no equipment here," Stuart said.

Cotton said he and others in Nashville are working with Rep. Jim Cooper's office to get Stuart and his wife back home.

Click here find out more about the Hands and Feet Project and how you can donate to people in Jacmel.

A different kind of Freebie Friday tip...

2010-01-15T10:24:00.004-07:00

Just because your finances are stressed, you don't have to be.

If you are currently facing monetary challenges in your home, accept this as encouragement to search the Internet for a food bank near you and enjoy the bounty. It is there for the asking. It is not intended as permanent fix, but exists to bless you in a time of need. Shopping at the food bank will free up some money from your grocery budget to spend on another necessities like heat or gasoline. Or, it can free up some money for a stress reliever like Starbucks with girlfriend or a bottle of the newest shade of toe nail polish.

Don't be concerned that shopping at food bank will subject to a pantry full of nothing but macaroni and cheese and canned beans. As I type, I am munching on organic flax seed crackers spread with Whole Food's tuna/cranberry salad complimented by an icy glass of passion fruit-carrot juice. My diet is healthier and more gourmet now than when I had complete control over my shopping list. Abudanza!

Links to help you find a food bank to fit your needs:

Weekend to Remember BOGO

2010-01-08T09:26:00.004-07:00

Normally I like to post a FREEBIE on Fridays, but this special is so grand, it warrants posting, even if it's only a BOGO (Buy One Get One).

Register you and your spouse to attend A Weekend to Remember Conference through Family Life Ministries before January 18th (that's a week from Monday) and they will wave one registration fee. That's a savings of $129! Click here for registration details and on the logo above for general conference information. I would love to hear about your experience if you go! Also, if you have attended a WTR in the past, please leave a comment encouraging others to attend.

Tropical Lemon Aide

2010-01-04T08:08:00.008-07:00

When life gives you lemons, make lemon aide. Right? We have a few sour lemons in 2009 from financial to health to grieving death. And it would be easy to sit and whine about it, or we can thank God for the amazing blessings He so generously showered us with, then pack our bags, and hit the beach for some well deserved R&R. I'll go with the latter, all the way to the Bahamas!

When Terry and I started looking into short excursions on a minimal budget, our first thought was to drive to the mountains and hit the slopes. We're not too old and rusty, are we? I haven't skied since before my kids were born, so it's been at least a dozen years. And January is the coldest month in the Rockies. But we could keep each other warm. A room and a lift ticket would run about $150 per night per person no food, no entertainment, no sun and sand. We could afford a four day vacation. Or, we could go to Vail or Aspen for a weekend. Maybe. If we rented out some one's spare room off of Craig's List and scrounged up some coupons. Who am I kidding, like I would go anywhere without a fist full of coupons. Hah!

But I just couldn't bring myself to spend our wad on a vacation that made me shiver just thinking about it. I procrastinated going sledding at the park down the block. What makes me think I'd relish a ski vacation? This is where one of my favorite websites comes in. Vacationstogo.com

I encourage you to finish reading this post and then click on the link. Dream a little. Fantasize about you and your honey dancing under the stars on the deck of a cruise liner to a dreamy jazz trio playing your favorite song, a chef making four meals a day and someone else doing the dishes, a maid turning down your bed in your spotless cabin that he scoured, soaking up penetrating rays of sunshine on crystal, white sands.
Vacation To Go sells the last few cabins available on cruise ships around the world at discounts of up to $82%. Ever wondered what a $52,000, 35-day cruise from Hong Kong to Cape Town would be like? Click here and fantasize. I can only imagine! On the other end of the spectrum, did you know you can cruise from Ensenada, Mexico to Honolulu, Hawaii for 12 days in April for less than $800 a person? Today the cruises start $149 per person, but I have seen them as low as $118. How about a week in Brazil for for $269?

Tell me about your favorite ways to hunt vacation bargains! I'd love to hear!

As of today, I am a PUBLISHED AUTHOR!!!

2009-12-29T10:24:00.004-07:00

Today is the day. My story, Anything for a Buck, is in bookstores today! I was published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: True Love Edition which hits the shelves today. Not last night, I checked, today.

Anything for a Buck is intended as a tribute to my husband and an encouragement to other families that struggle with a lifestyle dominated by the big black cloud of unemployment. I promise it's a tear jerker, so get your hanky ready and click here to learn about some of the craziness we O'Keeffe's call everyday life.

To buy the book, a fabulous Valentine's Gift for anyone you love, click on your favorite bookseller:

AMAZON

BORDERS

BARNES&NOBLE

Have You Ever Shopped at my Favorite Urban Grocer???

2009-12-26T18:12:00.003-07:00

When I first got married we lived in a gentrifying neighborhood in downtown Denver. I loved it. I'm a city girl at heart- the diversity, creativity, spontaneity, all of it. Two blocks from our humble bungalow filled with love, was my favorite grocery store, Save-A-Lot. After my son was born, I would load him up in his carriage and we take the bumpy ride along the flag stone sidewalks to our corner store to pick up our dinner necessities and a few frivolities as well. I would fill the bottom basket of the stroller with fresh produce, private label boxes and cans, and assorted Mexican delights like horchata, chipotle paste, and bags of dried herbs.

I was shocked when I moved to the suburbs and started to pay what everyone else pays for groceries. I knew that Save-A-Lot had awesome bargains, but I didn't realize just how much we were saving by making that our primary grocer. If you've never checked out, print the coupon above, and make the drive to the urban location closest to you to check out the savings for yourself or help stock your local food bank.

FREEBIE FRIDAY!

2009-12-17T17:34:00.002-07:00

This weekend only - free kids meal with purchase of adult meal at Qdoba. Saturday and Sunday.

What would you give to be in this audience if it were real????

2009-12-11T08:20:00.008-07:00

Thanks for sharing this Jan. BOLD&FREE

Can you use any of these?

2009-12-09T09:48:00.008-07:00

Here are some valuable, printable coupons to assist with your Christmas Shopping. If you have anymore, please comment with the link. Happy Bargain Hunting!

Click here to save $5 of $25 at Rite Aid

Click here to save $15 off of $15 at The Limited

Click here to save to get any item (up to $13) with a $10 purchase at Bath & Body Works

Click here to save 25% off your entire purchase at Family Christian Stores

Click here to save $15 on a $45 or more on Yankee Candles purchased virtually anywhere

These are all printable coupons to use at brick-and-mortar locations. Here are some tips for shopping on-line. Enter the product you are shopping for in the search window and then pull down the menu to "Google Product Search", you will find the site with the lowest price. Then, Google that site plus the word "coupons" to find discount codes to be entered at check out. At the very least you'll end up with free shipping. I shopped this way for a gift (which will remain unnamed until Santa comes) for my daughter. I paid $20 when the actuall retail is $69.99!!!

FREEBIE FRIDAY! Gift Cards

2009-12-04T08:07:00.005-07:00

This is a great way to stretch your Christmas gift budget or even your personal budget! All of these vendors, and more, are offering FREEBIES with a GC purchase. If you have any to add to this list, which came from Groceryshopforfree.com, I'd love to hear!!!

Steak N Shake- buy $20 gift card and get $5 gift card FREE

Bucca Di Beppo – $25 with every $100 in gift card purchases.

Lifeway – $5 with every $25 or more gift card purchase.

Taco Bueno – $5 for $25 in gift card purchases.

Subway: Buy $10 gift card, get a free cookie

California Pizza Kitchen: Spend $100 on gift cards, get a $20 gift card for yourself

Jalapeno Tree is doing a buy $25 and get $10.

Romano’s Macaroni Grill: Buy a $25 Romano’s Macaroni Grill gift card and get a $5 bonus card

Outback Steakhouse: Buy $100 worth of giftcards online, get $20 bonus card and a free Sugarland music download. Bonus card valid 1/1/2010 through 2/10/2010.

Carrabba’s Italian restaurant: Buy $100 in gift cards, get $20 bonus card

Moe’s Southwest Grill: Buy $25 Moe’s gift card, get $5 Moe’s Bucks for yourself

Applebees: Buy $50 in gift cards, get a $10 bonus card

Parasole Restaurants: Buy $100 in gift certificates, Get $25 bonus

McCormick and Schmick’s: Purchase $50 in gift cards, Get $10 in bonus dining certificates; spend $100 in gift cards, get $25 in dining certificates. Bonuses are valid January 1, 2010 through March 31, 2010.

Spill the Wine: Purchase $100 in gift cards, get $25 free.

Ruth’s Chris: Spend $250 in gift card purchases and get 10% back in bonus cards.

Benihana: Spend $50, Get $10 Reward card

Bonefish Grill: Spend $100, Get $20 and enter to win $5,000

Buca di Peppo: Get $25 in gift cards for every $100 you buy!

Bravo Brio: Get $10 when you buy a $50 gift card

Chick Fil A: Spend $20, get a free calendar filled with coupons

Denny’s: Buy $25 in gift cards, get a $5 gift card bonus

Fleming’s: Receive a $20 gc with every $100 in gc you purchase (I’m tired, I am abbreviating some!)

Furr’s: Purchase $25 in gift cards, get a coupon for a free buffet oyn visit.

IHOP: Spend $25 on gift cards, get $5 off your next visit

Maggiano’s Little Italy: Purchase $100 in gift cards and get a $20 bonus card

Not Your Average Joe’s: Receive a $10 appreciation card for every $50 gift card purchase

Potbelly Sandwich Works: For every $25 in gc purchases, you’ll get a ticket for an original or skinnys sandwich

Red Robin: Receive $5 in Bonus Bucks for every $25 in gift cards OR receive a 20% discount for every $500 in gift cards

Smokey Bones: Buy a $25 gift card, Get a $15 gift card

Roy’s: Buy $100, Get a $20 reward card.

Ted’s Montana Grill: Buy 4 $25 gift cards and they will give you $20 gift card in return

RA Sushi: Buy a $50 gift card, get a $10 bonus

Qdoba: Get a $5 bonus when you buy $25 in gift cards, bonus to be used in Jan. and Feb. 2010

Souper Salad: Spend $20 in gift cards, get a $5 bonus!

Casa Ole: Spend $25, Get a $5 bonus, Spend $100, Get a $25 bonus

CVS Pharmacy: Get a $5 eGift card for every $25 you spend

Kroger *and select affiliates*: Buy $100 in a select variety of gift cards (Best Buy, Bath & Body Works, iTunes, Applebee’s, SpaFinder, Sears, Bass Pro Shops and one I couldn’t read–sorry!) and get a $10 off at check out. Limit 5 per family. Plus get double gas savings points.

Childrens Place: Buy a $40 gift card, get a $10 card free

Merry Christmas from Denver Seminary

2009-11-29T22:27:00.004-07:00

I feel so fortunate to have a world-class seminary in my home town. As a member of the community I am able to benefit from many of Denver Seminary's services and events. Here is one that I am looking forward to using all month long and am pleased to be able to share with you! The faculty and staff have prepares a 25 day devotional leading up to Christmas entitled Tidings of Joy. It is completely free and down loadable as their Christmas gift to you and I. Prepare to be challenged and blessed both intellectually and spiritually. I plan to use this tool as a daily reminder that as much as I love bargain hunting and free holiday events, Christmas is truly about the coming of the Messiah and the great JOY He offers us all.

Blogging Break

2009-09-22T17:34:00.001-06:00

Hello faithful readers!
I am taking a break from blogging for the next month or so. Thank you for patience.

Beans, Beans the Magical Fruit, The More you Eat the Healthier You Are...

2009-09-14T08:36:00.008-06:00

As a child, the word "beans" only meant three things to me: green beans-yucky, lima beans - even yuckier and baked beans - yummy! But now that it's my turn to put dinner on the table, I've learned a bit more about our legume friends. We are foes no more now that I understand both the health and financial benefits of adding them to our regular diet. Beans are effective in the fight against cancer, they are high in protein and fiber and they even help lower cholesterol. Beyond that, they are high in protein, beneficial to those with diabetes, and help lower cholesterol. Maybe they are the magical fruit. And they sure are cheaper than a cut of meat, even you buy them canned, which I do. Otherwise I always end up with indigestible crunch. Here is a link to some outstanding bean based recipes including such gastronomic delights as Italian White Beans with Turkey and Grilled Black Bean Stuffed Peppers. How do they keep the beans from falling in between the grates? I'd better read that one.

Do you have any old stand-bys that you'd like to share?

FREE David Crowder Download

2009-09-04T09:43:00.003-06:00

"To celebrate the milestone of surpassing over a million followers to Amazon MP3's Twitter feed, you can get one of millions of songs valued at $1.29 or below on us."

Clean Commode

2009-09-02T08:32:00.003-06:00

Ummm...Gross? But it sure is clean! I wonder if he has a Scrubbing Bubbles® Toilet Cleaning Gel under his tongue? Yummy.
I've always wondered is these are worth the investment and now I get to find out for free. CLICK HERE for your free sample. Don't forget to set up the Autofill feature on your toolbar so you can order free samples at the click of a mouse.

Listen to Dave Ramsey for Money Motivation

2009-08-31T12:08:00.003-06:00

Whether your challenged by money management or need a pat on the back for being a fabulous CFO of your personal finances, you can click here for an ear full of inspiration!

2009-08-24T10:02:00.012-06:00

Are you a "Warehouse Gourmet"? A "Make Ahead Meal Mom"? A "Make it Now/Bake it Later Cook"? Or do you just want to be one? I do. I have developed a fascination with the whole cooking club concept. Women that shop in bulk and prepare their food together to put in the freezer swear by this practice. They are disciples for it. They are committed for a life time - or at least until their kids are out of the house.

I have spoken to literally hundreds of women that cook this way through my gig at Sam's Club over the last month or so. Not one woman said "I do it, but it's such a pain" or "I used to do it, but it just wasn't worth the effort" or "Oh, it was just too expensive". On the contrary, they all sang the praises of this cooking style, sharing their favorite recipes, tip and techniques with me while they excitedly signed up to receive their free recipe book.

Ironically, while was out in the world singing the praises of stocking up dinners in the freezer for 5 weeks, my kids were eating take out, frozen pizza, or canned soup for supper because I hadn't planned ahead. Now I have three weeks off to get my kitchen organized and my freezer packed before returning to another month at work. Bring it on!

These are a few of the references that I am going to use to get my creative juices flowing. Click on the book cover to read excerpts of each book. Do you use this method of cooking? What do you think about it? Do you have any recipes to share with me?

Free Film Developing

2009-08-19T11:44:00.003-06:00

It seems that any drawer I open in my house has an old, unprocessed roll of film rolling around in it. I think one of them might be pics that my then 6 year-old son took in Puerto Vallarta. Maybe. But the others are all a mystery. I'm going to randomly pick on to have processed with this free Walgreens coupon. I love surprises!
Click on the image above to print the coupon. Hurry, its only good today, but there will be another great seal from Walgreens Photo tomorrow. Something to do with lunch. Tune in tomorrow to learn more.

Another FREE Weekend

2009-08-14T08:25:00.002-06:00

He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul.

Psalm 23:2+

The National Park Service is offering another free weekend at more than 100 national parks (to see a list, click here) this summer. To make the deal even sweeter, many parks are offering freebies and giveaways on everything from commemorative photos to kids water bottles. They are also offer discounts on dining, lodging, boat rental and more. They are really focused on family fun!
August 15-16, 2009
My kids, my Mom and I went to the last free day at Rocky Mountain National Park and were pleasantly surprised by the lack of crowds and abundance of wild life. I was also pleased to learn that they have a free park and ride shuttle service now. How great is that? No one has to miss out on the spectacular beauty and glimpses of nature because of focusing on the winding roads. Nice!
For more info and some great pictures, check out these articles and inspirational photos:

Welcome to my World!

2009-08-13T08:23:00.005-06:00

Although this has absolutely nothing to do with budgets or bargains, I thought I would simply give you a little glimpse into my life today, Thursday, August 13th.

It's been a bit frazzled so far! Really, yesterday was the whirlwind! I took my kids for their placement tests at school that took an hour - 4 times the allotted amount of time on our schedule. Then off to get back packs, lunch boxes and uniforms - not that I haven't been trying to get them for weeks - but that's another story all together. When I dropped by my parent's house to pick up a few things that were mandatory for the kids to have for the first day of school today, I recalled my promise to mow the lawn. I didn't promise mow it when the mercury hit 100, but I that is when I had time to get it done. I also mowed off a sprinkler head. Then it was off to work for a 20 minutes - about an hour from home. It was 103 degrees outside by the time I got there.

During my conference call for work, with my kids joyous and giddy in the back yard slipping and sliding, my husband hobbled in. On crutches. Did I mention that he sprained his ankle when he fell down the steps at Coors Field the night before? So ladies, I think we all know what that means. Now I essentially have three kids to care for - 2 under the age of ten and one with a giant black medical boot on one foot.

So our evening was mainly sharpening pencils, preparing lunches and labeling back packs. Plus tucking anxious kids into bed -- and re-tucking kids in, and then praying with them some more, and then getting them water, and then tucking them in again. And the dishwasher broke a few days ago and true to form, I've fallen behind on hand washing the dishes. My kitchen took on a peculiar smell during the heat. So, I got to crawl under the cabinet and manually drain the darn hose. It was akin to holding someones hair out of the way while they vomit. Appliance barf.

This morning was relatively simple - send Terry off to his first day of work as a substitute teacher (on crutches - thank goodness he can drive), send my babies to their first day of school, blog, go to work. I'm just glad that I am so busy that I will have no time to morn the fact that my Princess is in school all day now - spending more waking hours with some other woman than me. I wanna be sedated.

Obama's Idea of Cutting the Budget

2009-08-07T20:08:00.003-06:00

HEY...Kool-Aid

2009-08-06T07:06:00.004-06:00

Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of Kool-Aid in the traditional sense. I don't actually like to drink it and I almost never make it for my kids. However, we always have a supply on hand to use in many much more creative ways!

With the end of summer approaching rapidly and ideas for quick, easy fun beginning to run dry, I'd like to offer up a variety of activities to share with your kiddies on based on a common ingredient: Kool-Aid.

Pour into a bubble bath. The colors are delightful and the whole bathroom will smell like childhood!

Make sidewalk chalk that will have the color and the sent of your chosen flavor: Use this recipe and put the mix in with the other dry ingredients.

Make you own PlayDoh. Follow this recipe.

Make sidewalk paint with this recipe using the Kool-Aid instead of food coloring.

Make watercolor paints to use on paper by simply mixing Kool-Aid with water to the desired color intensity.

Dye yarn for projects or shoe laces for a snazzy back-to-school update using this recipe.

Put it in squirt guns on water balloons for a scrumptious smelling water fight.

Mix into vanilla frosting for a fruity sensation on cakes or cookies.

Use all of these opportunities to teach your children about the color wheel and how to mix colors. By the way, the color won't stain skin in the bath or in a water fight, but it will stain your carpet, drapes and furniture. Beware and have a blast!

FREEBIE FRIDAY! Free Wifi Hotspots Worldwide

2009-07-30T20:12:00.010-06:00

The free wi-fi now available at Barnes & Noble seems to be the talk of the town. Really? Is it that exciting? If that news made your day, you'll really love this! Take a look at all of the resources available to find free wifi hot spots:

Wi-Fi Free Spot is a state-by-state listing of, you guessed it, free wi-fi hot spots.
Wi-Fi Marina is wi-fi solutions for boaters and marinas
Open WiFi Spots is a really great Google Maps based tool that helps you find the hot spot and then links you to the spots website. Just enter your zip code to pull up the map.

Then there is another whole type of free wifi. WiFi Radar. According to Makayama's website "Some things in life should be free. Easy WiFi Radar helps you find and connect to open wireless access points with a single mouse click. It's WiFi for Dummies. And we're giving it away for your PC." They go onto say," If you have ever tried to use Windows XP's built-in connection manager, you know what a hassle it can be to quickly check your mail or browse the web on the go. You need to browse through a list of access points, find one that you can connect to, manually try to connect to it, confirm the connection and then wait. Even if it says that's it connected, often it doesn't open a web page or you mail will stall. Easy WiFi Radar automates all of this. It's main goal is to let you get your mail or surf the web without having to go through all of the connection trouble, and without having to pull your credit card. Just run it and it'll connect you for FREE to the internet. It doesn't get easier than this." And then they add,"Get your mail and browse the web without being charged. The ideal WiFi-tool for frequent travellers and mobile professionals. Easy WiFi Radar will connect to open hot spots automatically and shows you exactly what it is doing in a cool animated radar screen. Access points are represented as green, yellow or red dots. It plays a sound and opens your web browser as soon as it successfully finds a free connection. Works on Windows XP and Windows Mobile, not on Vista. " It's up to you to decide if it's moral or not. What do you think?

2009-07-28T22:01:00.002-06:00

I LOVE Jamba Juice! Click here to go print the coupon.

FREEBIE FRIDAY!

2009-07-24T07:36:00.003-06:00

For this weeks FREEBIES, please refer to the fabulous links at the right!

Have a great weekend!

Free Factory Tours

2009-07-21T22:34:00.005-06:00

I love learning how things are made. I like to see the corporate environment, the raw materials, the process, the packaging, and of course, the free samples. My favorite local tour is Celestial Seasonings in Boulder. The guide dumps me out right in the middle of the gift shop and then I make a bee line for the discretely marked bargain bin! One summer I picked up 2 cases of iced tea bags for less than $10!

I also firmly believe that no road trip is complete with out at least one factory tour. Our country makes some wonderful products from Corvettes to Hershey Bars, from Crayola Crayons to Gibson Guitars. I found two great resources to guide you to the best tours and I want to share them with you!

Factory Tours USA Celebrating American Imagination and Industry! This site is of the highest quality. It lists nearly 550 tours and is dutifully maintained by volunteer contributors. Just click on state you'll be visiting.
Watch it Made in the USA This is a blog authored by Karen Axelrod who also wrote a book by the same name. As industry insider, she offers up not only tour info, but advice and tips on the best way to enjoy them.

Whether staycationing or vacationing this year, you'll find a variety of fascinating factories and museums to explore on these two sites. I'd love to hear about your favorite factory tours around the country and around the world!

Bulk is Beautiful

2009-07-19T19:21:00.004-06:00

I just spent two days giggling with the most fabulous women! I have 11 new friends. Each is a Market Manager for a new program Sam’s Club is doing in a dozen cities across the country. I am looking forward to overseeing the Denver events primarily because it is products and concept that I believe in. I know I will benefit from them and you can too – for FREE!

It’s called Sam’s Club Cooking Club. If you are a member of Sam’s, you’re a member of the club. If you’re not a member at Sam’s, everything is still available to you at no charge on their website. Everyone is welcome to participate and benefit from the value.

The concept is simple. Shop once and cook once with 2 of your girlfriends and each of you will go home with 7 meals for a family of four all for about $100 per family.

If you had to choose, which would you rather save, time or money? Fortunately, you don’t have to decide. If you follow this simple program, you will automatically save both! The savings add up when you buy in bulk. Each serving includes a main dish as well as a side for about $3 per person. Try taking your family of 4 out to dinner for $12 and see what you get for your money - probably not the quality or quantity that you will find here. Savings will also add up when avoid the temptation of ordering in or dining out on those nights when you just can’t bring yourself to do menu planning and preparation. Just grab something from the freezer and pop into the oven or on the grill. Or better yet, have your husband do it!

The program is so simple. Just go to the website and select the meals that sound good to you. Then just pull up the shopping list, eliminate what you already have on hand, and print out your shopping list. While you’re online, print out the recipes, package labels and cooking instructions as well.

Having these meals ready to go in your fridge or freezer will absolutely simplify my life! I have a bad habit of forgetting that I have to provide a meal for my family each might. I usually remember around 2 in the afternoon that I don’t have anything thawed out and have absolutely no plan in my head to follow. Sometimes dinner is cereal and bananas. I’m not kidding. I’m looking forward to making it a part of my evening routine to thaw something out in the fridge overnight and not having a panic attack each afternoon. I also love the idea of having meals on the ready for anyone having a baby, a surgery or a horrible day. My parents just bought a motor home with a lovely freezer/fridge which I plan to stock with Sam’s Club cooking Club meals when it’s my turn to take a road trip with my hubby in kids. I also think this is a wonderful way to stock an elderly couple’s fridge or shut in fridge so you can be certain that they always have quick, easy, nutritious meals on the ready.

I hope you will visit me at a Sam’s Club (Arvada: 7/23-26, Park Meadows: 7/30-8/2, Thornton: 8/6-9, and Stapleton: 8/13-16) when I’m whipping up meals to sample and I hope you'll keep an eye out for me on local morning shows. I should be all over the Denver media in the next month. Promos will also be in the following Sam’s Club cities: Charlotte (Yolanda), Orlando (Kate), Ft. Lauderdale (Jackie), Houston (Brenda), Atlanta (Syvenn), Dallas (Lisa), Austin (Shamako), LA (Sarah), Chicago (Denise), Sacramento (Monica), and Richmond (Toymeeka). If you stop by, give my new friend there a hug and tell them Karen sent you!

What Can You Do To Help?

2009-07-16T21:17:00.013-06:00

Children of the Dump Announces
THE DUMP IS CLOSED

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO - JULY, 2009

In a year that has seen so much go bad for the poor people of Puerto Vallarta; the worst has happen to the poorest of them. It is no secret that Mexico, like many developing countries, faces nightmarish environmental problems brought on by domestic poverty and neglect, as well as by international businesses that are located in Mexico to avoid pollution laws in their home nations. Mexico is trying hard to address these environmental problems and one causality is the Puerto Vallarta landfill. On one hand, it's hard not to applaud the decision to close such an eyesore. The government of the state of Jalisco acted wisely in converting the dump into a transfer station for a landfill two hours away. But for the families who live around and work in the dump, supporting themselves by scavenging recyclable and reusable items from the garbage, the decision to close the dump is an economic disaster.

No More Fireflies
Over the past six months or so, Puerto Vallarta has been hit by a one-two punch of bad news. First, economic conditions elsewhere cut the usual winter flow of tourists to a trickle. So many here depend on hotel, restaurant and other tourism-related employment, and their jobs suffered first. The effects of those layoffs rippled through the economy: Construction halted, service-industry jobs suffered and local residents suffering cutbacks bought fewer groceries, fewer clothes, and fewer goods and services from local businesses. When it looked as bad as it could look, the H1N1 Swine Flu hit. Not that the illness spread in any systematic-or even in any discernable-way, but the panic about the H1N1 Swine Flu in Mexico gripped foreign tourists, and those few who still had the income and desire to visit stayed home. What a sour economy didn't stifle, the H1N1 Swine Flu did. Over the past few months, our partners at Perdon y Amistad noticed a new phenomenon. More and more people began scavenging at the dump: At night, so many people were working at the dump by the light of battery-powered lamps, that from a distance, the landfill looked like a field of a thousand fireflies.

A thousand hungry fireflies. So far this year, Perdon y Amistad has served more meals at the dump than it has in years, including meals at night. It's easy to overuse the expression "That the need has never been greater", but over the past months, the lights of a thousand fireflies have illustrated this grime truth. And now, the light of the last firefly has gone dark. Those who were relying on other peoples trash for the barest of existences have nothing-not even environmentally-dangerous garbage- on which to live. The government may have moved the landfill, but it hasn't moved the impoverished families who depended on it.

About Children of the Dump
Up to now we have gained a lot. Two hundred students have just completed another school year at the "School of Champions". In late June, the students celebrated with a party provided courtesy of the Sheraton Bougainvillea Resort. With our two new classrooms and many enthusiastic volunteers and children we look forward eagerly to the next school year.
With the economic conditions in Canada and the United States, the cupboard at Perdon y Amistad is bare. We have made great progress over the past ten years, but if we cannot address this most basic need now - feeding the poorest children in Puerto Vallarta - we will lose much of what we have gained.

But for now, in the hot, slow, desperate days of summer 2009, we must address the human tragedy flowing from economic and environmental causes. Please take a moment now to send your contribution to us or with the button below.

Children of the Dump
Micheal L. Parker, Sr.
President

Emergency
Fund
Donate
Now

Our kids are faced with an economic meltdown which is a grave threat to their health and wellbeing, please help us deliver services and food they need. Please use the PayPal button to make an immediate contribution that will help us in this effort or send a check to Children of the Dump, 718 Griffin Ave. PMB#207, Enumclaw, WA. 9822-3462. Thank you in advance for any help you can give. Please keep the children in your prayers along with our friends at Perdon y Amistad who are delivering the food that is donated.

A note from Karen:
What can you do to help? We can each do a little bit to help a starving child so close to home! In fact, you could hop on a plane and take the kids out to lunch yourself by tomorrow. Or, we could each send even a little money. Please help me spread the word via email, blogging, and Facebook.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Where Does the Lone Ranger Take His Trash? By Jane Stillwater is an intimate look at a day at the dump and an interview with the founder of Children of the Dump.

Terracycle

2009-07-15T14:20:00.010-06:00

Some time last spring, Viv's Daisy Girl Scout troop started saving Capri Sun wrappers as an effort to save the environment. It's a great project for littler ones. They feel like they are making an impact on their own little piece of the world. And they are. But beyond that, they are helping provide Americans with jobs. Huh?

The scouts sell the wrappers to a company called Terracycle for 2 cents a piece. Terracycle turns them into backpacks, pencils case, shopping bags, lunch boxes and messenger bags and then sells them via Target and other outlets, including Shop Only Green. How cool is that?

Watch this great video to learn more!

Food Storage 101

2009-07-13T11:16:00.009-06:00

I am notorious for NOT storing my food properly. In fact we have this game we made up called Jamba Ball that my son and I play in the back yard. I clean out the produce drawer of the fridge and take all of the spoiling fruits and vegies into the back yard. Then I pitch them one by one and my son smacks the living day lights out them with a wiffle ball bat. It's great fun to watch the food splatter in a million directions, and the rabbits are only too happy to clean up the mess. Why is it called Jamba Ball? Because our backyard smells like the inside of a Jamba Juice when we play this homemade game. Try it! OR... employ some of this tips and tricks and avoid it. Not as fun, perhaps, but much more economical.

When shopping at the store, buy cold foods last, let them stay refrigerated and frozen at the store for as long as possible.

Take a cooler or thermal bag into the store with you. If you leave it in the car while you're shopping, the air inside will heat up. You can pack it instead of grocery bags and possibly even get a bag credit.

Make sure to get those frozen and refrigerated items into your freezer or fridge within 2 hours. On a day when the temp is 90 degrees or more, make sure to have them in the freezer or fridge in 1 hour.

When storing leftovers, make sure you store them separately, even if they were from the same meal. Things spoil at different rates, so to be safe, store them separately.

Store milk in dark-colored containers. Light breaks down milk, and makes it spoil faster, it will last longer and taste better. Plus, the longer you have it out, the faster it spoils. Make it a habit to pour and immediately return it to the fridge.

Buy extra staple items when they are on sale and store them in your freezer. This works well with milk (in plastic bottles, not glass), butter, bread (and pizza, a staple in our house) but not so great for eggs, cheese or yogurt.

To store lettuce and spinach in the fridge, take them out of their store plastic, put them in a Ziploc bag with a dry paper towel. This will make them last a lot longer.

Potatoes, turnips, parsnips and onions should be stored in a cool, dark, well ventilated place. I keep them in one of those reusable shopping bags in the bottom of my pantry.

To freeze berries, lay them out individually on a cookie sheet, then freeze. Put the frozen berries in a storage container or freezer bag. This way they won't stick together and be mush when you thaw them out.

When you make pancakes or waffles, make extras! Don't cook them quite as long as you normally would. Put them in zipper bags in packs of two (or 3). Pop them into the toaster when you ready to reheat. Quick, easy, economical.

FOOD MARKETING INSTITUTE has a great tool on their website which allows you to search any food and learn about its proper shelf life and storage. Click here.

This blog post was inspired by, and some of it came directly from, one of my favorite blogs, Grocery Shop For Free. I check it daily for freebies! Check it out. So far today she has a free photo mug from SnapFish, free portraits at JC Penny, and a free mocha at McDonalds.

POST #50!!!

2009-07-10T10:20:00.004-06:00

There is an annual tradition in my home that makes us all shiver with delight! Every 7/11 we go to 7-11 and get our FREE Slurpee! It started as a short stroll on flagstone sidewalks to the corner store when my son was still in a stroller and we lived in the heart of the city. Now it requires piling everyone into the mini van to drive to the closest location from our suburban dwelling. The journey is different, but the reward is the same: a family memory in the making. I hope you enjoy 7/11 as much as we will. Click here to find out more.

2009-07-07T10:48:00.007-06:00

Are you a coupon mom too? Stephanie Nelson has turned her couponing abilities into her writing and speaking platform appearing in national magazines and on major news networks not to mention best selling books. She has some good tricks and tips to share with you in this video.

I have a few tips and tricks of my own to share:

If you have a Sunflower Farmers Market near you, buy your produce and meat there. It is extremely difficult to match their prices or their quality anywhere else in my area. However, their prices on packaged goods can be twice as high as other stores.
Super Target seems to consistently beat the prices of Super Walmart. Plus they have store coupons on line which they will combine with manufacturer's coupons.
If you are struggling financially, remember that your local food bank is always an option. They are there to bless you, so if you need it, let them bless you!

Free Days at The National Parks

2009-07-05T21:29:00.011-06:00

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside quiet waters,
He refreshes my soul.
Psalm 23:2+

The National Park Service is offering 4 more free days at more than 100 national parks (to see a list, click here) this summer. To make the deal even sweeter, many parks are offering freebies and giveaways on everything from commemorative photos to kids water bottles. They are also offer discounts on dining, lodging, boat rental and more. They are really focused on family fun!

July 18-19, 2009
August 15-16, 2009

My kids, my Mom and I went to the last free day at Rocky Mountain National Park and were pleasantly surprised by the lack of crowds and abundance of wild life. I was also pleased to learn that they have a free park and ride shuttle service now. How great is that? No one has to miss out on the spectacular beauty and glimpses of nature because of focusing on the winding roads. Nice!

For more info and some great pictures, check out these articles and inspirational photos:

Almost FREEBIE FRIDAY

2009-07-02T12:42:00.002-06:00

OK, so they aren't actually free, they are $1! Old Navy flag t's & tanks for the whole family are just $1 each with a limit of 5. TODAY ONLY, or so they say. Maybe tomorrow they'll be 5/$1?

2009-06-28T20:51:00.003-06:00

"Watch out World Wide Web! 24/7 MOMs is about to ROCK it again - Tune in this Tuesday night 7pm PST / 10pm EST for the NEXT edition of 24/7 MOMS Live - more great giveaways, Tips, and great MOMversation with REAL moms like you.Our topic this week will be "Secrets To Grocery Store Savings" .

2009-06-26T09:41:00.004-06:00

As a Financial Coach, the most commmon question I get is "Where do I start?". Most people have no idea how to even begin to take a serious look at their finances in order to fix them. I suggest you start with a simple budget. Take a look at your income and then a realistic, honest look at where every penny is going. Click on the icon above to go to a fabulous quick-start budget. It takes about 3 minutes to create a simple budget using this outstanding tool and its total FREE! While you're on Dave's website, take a look around. Its filled with fabulous free tools.

2009-06-24T10:07:00.003-06:00

This summer seems to be filled with FREEBIE offers. I think its because the economy is slowly beginning to turn back around and marketing departments are loosening up with their budgets a bit. So, even though its not Friday, I've got another great FREEBIE for you. Just click on the image above and complete the form to receive your New Glade® Scented Oil Candle Tin. They are only giving away 10,000 so don't delay!

2009-06-22T10:25:00.002-06:00

The purpose of Hanna's World for Baby "is to give new moms and/or families who have or are expecting newborn babies, some greater insight into this new and exciting world. I would also like the ability to connect and share with other moms and/ or parents!"

The site also offers some great FREEBIES like The Johnson's Soothing Natural Gift Set Giveaway! Click on the Johnson's image below to order yours for your favorite newborn (or yourself) now. It would also be a great item for your gift closet. You never know when you'll be invited to a baby shower or will need a little something to give a new Mom when you visit her and her newborn in the maternity ward.

2009-06-15T12:47:00.001-06:00

According to its website, MyMoney.gov can help you. Check out and see what you think:MyMoney.gov is the U.S. government's website dedicated to teaching all Americans the basics about financial education. Whether you are planning to buy a home, balancing your checkbook, or investing in your 401k, the resources on MyMoney.gov can help you do it better. Throughout the site, you will find important information from 20 federal agencies government wide.

FREEBIE FRIDAY! Birthday presents!

2009-06-12T16:37:00.007-06:00

Both my beloved children celebrate their birthdays this week. So I got to thinking, What can they get for FREE? I found these goodies on http://www.heyitsfree.net/ then narrowed the list down to offers available only over the Internet.

TIPS:

Make sure you set up "auto fill" and just go down the line of links.
Don't wait until your birthday. Some of these offers require you to sign up ahead of time.
You can reggister each person in your house that has an email address.

Make sure you comment if you anything to add to the list!!!

Acapulco – Free guac for signing up and a free meal on your birthday.

Alfy’s Pizza – Free mini pizza for kids 12 and under.

Amato’s Sandwich Shop – Join the Tomatoes Club and get a free birthday sandwich.

Arby’s – Sign up and get coupons year round, including on your birthday.

Atlanta Bread Company – They have a VIP eClub that you can sign up for, gaining you a free cookie on your birthday.

Auntie Anne’s Pretzels – They’ll send you monthly coupons all year long if you sign up for their newsletter, so it’s pretty safe to guess you’ll get a birthday treat.

Austin Grill – Sign up and get a free meal.

Bakers Square – Sign up for the eClub and get a free pie.

Baskin Robbins – Get a free ice cream treat if you sign up for their Birthday Club.

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s – They’ll send you a coupon for a free appetizer.

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream – Become a Chunk Spelunker and you can get some free ice cream!

BD’s – Join Club Mongo and get a little something something on your birthday!

BJ’s Restaurants – Free Pazookie!! (otherwise known as a delicious dessert.)

Black Angus Steakhouse – Receive a complimentary dessert for joining the BA Prime Club and a free steak dinner for your birthday!

Bob Evans – Free kids meal for anybody under the age of 12.

Boston Market – Free kids B-Day meal coupon for kids under 12.

Bonanza Steakhouse – Yet another free birthday surprise that I can’t figure out what exactly is!

Bruster’s – I’m not sure what the freebie coupon they send you is worth, but I know one comes since their own “contact us” page mentions that Sweet Rewards members get a birthday treat.

Buca di Beppo – Sign up for their eClub and get a free dessert.

Buffalo Wild Wings – Free dessert with a $5 purchase. (click on the tree house in the upper left corner on their site!)

California Pizza Kitchen – Free kids meal during the month of their birthday.

Carrows – Free cake plus a free dessert now just for signing up.

Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse – Sign up and get a free dessert plus points for every dollar spent.

Chili’s – Free dessert if you join their club, Chips N Giggles – Free meal

Claim Jumper – Free dessert if you join now.

Coldstone Creamery – Join now and get a free creation on your birthday.

Country Buffet – Join the Mega Bar Meal club and get not only a free meal on your birthday, but a free meal just for signing up!

Culvers – Free sundae as well as a few printable coupons when you first sign up.

Dairy Queen – Free ice cream coupon via e-mail for kids 16 and under. They also have a Blizzard Club for adults with the same offer.

Del Taco – Get two free soft tacos now and a free premium milkshake on your birthday.

Denny’s – Free meal & sundae to kids under 10 as long as you sign up ahead of time.

Don Pablos – Free $10 gift certificate after joining the Don Pablo Habanero Club.

Einstein’s – Free meal

El Chicos – I’m told you get a free dessert, but I haven’t been able to confirm this.

El Torito – 100% free meal for your bday! No purchase necessary!

Famous Dave’s Barbeque – Free meal with advance sign up.

Farrelli’s Pizza – Join their Fire Club and get free coupons e-mailed to you before your birthday.

Fazoli’s – Join their eFamily and get a coupon for a free desert.

Fire Mountain – Join the Mega Bar Meal club and get a free meal on your birthday.

Firehouse Subs – Sign up and get an email for a free sub.

Flat Top Grill – Join their E-mail Club and get a coupon for a free stir fry on your birthday.

Friendly’s – Free ice cream cone if you join their birthday club.

Gold Star Chili – Get a free dessert on your birthday, plus a free treat on your anniversary of joining up AND a free appetizer just for joining.

Hometown Buffet – Join the Mega Bar Meal club and get not only a free meal on your birthday, but a free meal just for signing up!

Houlihan’s – Free coupon for an entree during your next visit up to a week after b-day (Kinda complicated…but free!)

Joe’s Crab Shack – Free cake if you join their club.

Juice It Up – They promise to give you a “birthday gift” but their website doesn’t say what it is.

Keva – The Keva Klub promises free coupons around the time of your birthday.

Krispy Kreme – Free half dozen glazed donuts and a coffee mug with either coffee or soda in it!

la Madeleine – Yet another on-line birthday club that will send you coupons for free food around your birthday.

Marble Slab Creamery – Kids can join the Marble Slab Kids Club and get a free ice cream cone on their birthday up to age 12.

Memphis BBQ – Coupon good for a free Rack of Ribs & strawberry shortcake, but you must sign up on their website 24 hours in advance.

Moe’s Southwest Grill – Sign up for their newsletter and get a coupon for a free burrito. They also have a birthday club for kids under 10.

Mongolian’s B.B.Q. – Sign up for their Club Mongo and you’ll get a coupon for a free birthday meal.

Noodles & Company – Sign up for their newsletter and they’ll send ya a coupon for a free meal right around our birthday!

Not Your Average Joe’s – Sign up for their e-mail club and get a coupon sent to you for a free entree on your birthday!

Old Country Buffet – Join the Mega Bar Meal club and get not only a free meal on your birthday, but a free meal just for signing up!

Olive Garden – Free dessert if you sign up?

On The Border – Free appetizer if you sign up.

P.B. Loco – Sign up for their newsletters and you’ll receive coupons periodically for free stuff, as well as coupons for free stuff when your B-day rolls around.

Perkin’s – Free bakery goody on birthdays for kids under 12.

P.F. Chang’s – Free cake or cheesecake via their e-mail list.

Qdoba Mexican Grill – Join their eClub and get a free burrito on your birthday, as well as free chips n’ salsa just for joining up.

Quizno’s – Join their mailing list and get a free birthday gift (I think this means coupons?)

Red Lobster – Free slice of cake if you join their Overboard Club.

Red Robin – Free Hamburger if you sign up for Eclub.

Rock Bottom – Free appetizer for Mug Club members

Ruby Tuesday – Sign up in advance and they’ll send you something!

Ryan’s – Join the Mega Bar Meal club and get not only a free meal on your birthday, but a free meal just for signing up!

San Francisco Over – Sign up in advance and you’ll get a coupon for a free birthday treat.

Schlotzsky’s – Get a free sandwich if you sign up ahead of time.

Smoky Bones – Members of the Bones Club get a free meal or appetizer, not sure which.

Spaghetti Warehouse – Sign up for a free meal & possibly free appetizer?

Souper Salad – Join their Souper Salad Club and they’ll e-mail you a coupon for one free birthday meal which can be used within a week or your birthday.

Swiss Chalet – Get a free appetizer just for joining the Rotisserie-mail plus a free birthday surprise.

Taco Bell – Free combo meal of your choice.

Texas De Brazil – Sign up for their e-club and they’ll send you a $40 gift certificate!

TGI Friday’s – Free birthday dessert plus free appetizer just for signing up!

The Fox and Hound – Free appetizer just for joining plus free entree on your birthday.

The Old Spaghetti Factory – Kids 12 and under get a free meal.

The Palm – 3lb lobster, but you must be a member first and follow a few rules. At $16 per pound, I'll bet it's worth the effort!

Tony Roma’s – Free dessert if you sign up for Romo Rib Expert Club first.

Uno’s Pizza – Sign up and get a free personal pizza on your birthday.

Wingstop – Get 5 free buffalo wings on your birthday.

Zaxby’s – Join their Z-Mail club and you’ll get a coupon for a free meal, whether or not it’s your birthday! Kids can sign up here for their Kid Club and get not only a free meal, but a free cookie on their birthday!

Z’ Tejas – $15 coupon for the month of your birthday if you register first.

The Value of Money Mentoring

2009-06-11T08:27:00.004-06:00

Only 34% of teenagers know how to balance a checkbook.
29% of teens are already in debt.
The average teen debt is almost $300.

People under the age of 25 make up the fastest growing age group filing for bankruptcy.… but They WANT to Learn About Personal Finance.

89% of teens want to learn how to make their money grow.

65% believe learning about money is interesting.

88% want to learn how to pay their bills.

85% do not want to have to rely on others for money.

88% want to learn how to stay out of debt

These statistics are pulled from surveys by big banks for their own promotion but the bottom line is that the Millennial Generation, those born between 1981-1999, are the largest and least financially realistic generation ever.

Stepping into the role of a "Money Mentor" is not a formal commitment. It is simply the process of opening up the lines of communication with a teen in your life (son, daughter, niece, nephew, neighbor, etc...). Remember, their favorite form of communication is probably electronic, so be sure to reach them how they feel they most receptive.

Here are some websites to get you started and not one of them is sponsored by a bank!
http://hsfpp.nefe.org/students/index2.cfm?deptid=15
http://www.financefreak.com/
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/CollegeAndFamily/RaiseKids/WhyYourKidsExpectToBeRich.aspx http://www.learningtogive.org/youthworkers/02activities.asp

2009-06-08T07:39:00.004-06:00

redbox

In the mood for a summer movie in the comfort of your own home? The code for a FREE redbox movie, valid today only is DEVRY6268. Click on the picture to find out what movies are in stock, to reserve a movie near you and to find the closest redbox to your couch.

FREEBIE FRIDAY!

2009-06-04T22:12:00.005-06:00

Welcome to FREEBIE FRIDAY!!!

One of my family's favorite summer pastimes is enjoying Free (or cheap) movies - preferably under the stars, sometimes in airconditioning. Either way, I have tapped into Heyitsfree.com for this list of movie bargains. If you know of anymore, national or local to your area, please share them with all of us!

AMC Summer Movie Camp - $1 movies for charity, Wednesdays at 10AM from June 17 - Aug 5 (in most markets). Group tickets on sale starting June 10th.
Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse - Ten weeks of kids movies on weekday mornings. All ten movies can be purchases in advance for $5 (total) or you can purchase tickets for each show at the box office for $1/each. Runs for 10 weeks, dates have yet to be announced.
Classic Cinemas Wednesday Morning Movie Series - G and PG rated movies for just $1 on Wednesday mornings at 10AM for nine weeks from June 17 through Aug 12.
Clearview Cinemas - Eight weeks of family films. Free admission, every Thursday @ 10:30AM starting July 2.
Cobb Theatres - Advertising free summer kids shows, but you need to click through and select your local theatre to get details.
Georgia Theatre Company -Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 10AM from June 9 through July 30. Admission is $1, kids soda and popcorn available for $1.50 each.
Kerasotes Theaters Summer Movie Program (pdf) - Seven weeks of summer vacation movies at 10AM on Wednesdays and Thursdays from June 24 - Aug 6.
Malco Theatres - $2 movies for charity at 10AM every Tuesday and Wednesday from June 2 - July 29.
Marcus Theatres - “Kids Rule” summer film series from June 17 - Aug 13. Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 10AM (except July 1/2). All seats $3.00 w/free popcorn.
Regal Cinemas Free Family Film Festival - Select G & PG movies start at 10AM each Tuesday and Wednesday during the festival. Admission is free. You can check the movies as well as a list of locations, dates, and times by clicking through and selecting your state.
United Artists - Participating in Regal Cinemas Free Family Film Festival (link leads to Regal announcement).
Edwards Cinemas - Participating in Regal Cinemas Free Family Film Festival (link leads to Regal announcement).

And some of my favorite local favorites.......

Boulder Outdoor Cinema - Boulder Outdoor Cinema will return for a 14th season of cult favorites, family fare and classic flicks straight after their rockin' pre-shows.

Aspen Grove Shopping Center - Outdoor fun fenced of in the parking lot. They start late, so wear your jammies!River Flicks Series at Confluence Park
Confluence Park - The Greenway Foundation sponsors free films every Thursday in August. 15th and Little Raven
Red Rocks Amphitheater - Film on the Rocks pairs a concert and a movie all for $10. Can you say "Date Night" ladies?
Films on Fillmore - Every Thursday in July and August. I'm only guessing, but I believe this is the longest running outdoor cinema in the metro area. This was a big date night for Terry and I during our LOOOOOOONG courtship.

2009-06-03T12:39:00.002-06:00

Don't miss FREE Float Night from Sonic Drive-in!

They will be giving away FREE floats from 8 pm - Midnight!
For more info, click here.

To find a location near you, click here.

Another Reading Reward

2009-06-02T13:27:00.003-06:00

I can get my kids to do virtually anything with the bribe of a trip to Chuck E. Cheese's. It doesn't have to be a full-blown meal and evening of entertainment, just stopping by while we are in the neighborhood doing errands will suffice. Imagine my delight when I ran across Chuckie's Summer Reading Rewards. Click on the image above to print out your own reward chart.

Vacation Bible School - My Favorite Summer Bargain!

2009-06-01T10:37:00.003-06:00

Where else can your child be spiritually, physically and emotionally fed all for about $1 an hour? Vacation Bible School is a bargain no matter how you look at it. Your children will keep the lessons and the memories gained for a life time!

Above is the link to the VBS at my home church, Living Way Fellowship in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. If you live in the area, click on the link to learn more, or add a comment with the info about the VBS at your own church. If you live somewhere else in the world, please leave a comment that pertains to Bible school near you!

See the Light

2009-05-27T09:04:00.006-06:00

Personal finance experts commonly use the "Fourbucks Coffee" analogy to help people cut their frivolous spending. You know the drill: multiply your average times per month that you worship at the alter of Starbucks by $4 to determine how much money you could save by making your own, even if it means using that first months savings to by an espresso maker. (Which you can do, by the way, for about $3, at any second hand store). This video takes the analogy to a whole new level of marketing and then offers you free samples by mail. Click on the image above. It's well worth your minute and a half.

FREEBIE FRIDAY

2009-05-21T21:52:00.007-06:00

Memorial Day Weekend is upon us! Rejoice! Our family thrives on free events and this weekend boasts two of our favorites! Here are my top recommendations in order of priority:

Boulder Creek Festival

The Boulder Creek Festival is the quintessential event in Boulder County! For over twenty years, the Boulder Creek Festival has been the unofficial kickoff to summer in Boulder. I think this is about the 8th year in row that we will have been. Widely considered Boulder County’s favorite event, the Boulder Creek Festival includes three days of festivities featuring a large variety of events, activities, food and entertainment unique to the Boulder community. Not to mention FREE samples galore! Every year they have a giant tent of organic and natural food samples ranging from Annie's Bunny Crackers to Luna Bars to Santa Cruz Juices. Sometimes the samples are full size containers.

The highlight is the rubber duck race, every year on Monday afternoon. Are you familiar with the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder? It is always alive with activity and an outstanding place to people watch. On Memorial Day weekend it virtually pulsates with excitement - street musicians, buskers, vendors,... Make a day of it!

Old South Gaylord Memorial Day Weekend Festival

Not only does it have the longest name of any festival in the metro area, it is "One of Denver's premier block festivals, The Old South Gaylord Memorial Day Weekend Festival is now in its 30th year. The festival features "World Class Music" on the Center Stage. Guests and attendees will find many booths of fine art, handmade pottery, fine jewelry, designer clothing and state of the art products. The Children's areas at the North and South end host kiddie rides, pony rides, clothing and special interest areas. Older "kids" will find more challenging entertainment such as a bungee tramp and climbing wall at the South end. Festival patrons will also enjoy a great variety of food vendors and some of Denver's finest restaurants."

My favorite part of this festival is perusing the shops, enjoying the gardens in the front yards of the historic homes in the neighborhood, and all of the garage sales that are set up in conjunction with the event. The vendors make this fair unique. There are always some great artists and unique booths in a beautiful setting. The festival is only a few blocks long, so we usual hit this one on the way to Boulder.

Gearing up for one of my favorite summer activities!

2009-05-20T13:57:00.003-06:00

I grabbed this list of summer reading programs for kids directly from Hey It's Free.com - check out the link in the right hand column. That blogger got it from Freebies 4 Mom.com - also listed under "Favorite Money Saving Sites" to the right.

Every kid is different, but they all have one thing in common: a love of reading can change their lives. My summer reading goal for my 5 year-old is to get her as passionate about chapter books as she is about picture books. My goal for my son is to find middle school level reading material that is appropriate for an almost 3rd grader. I am open to any and all suggestions!

Scholastic Summer Challenge - Earn points by reading and playing games on their site and in exchange kids can use the points for prizes and sweepstakes entries.
Half-Price Books Feed Your Brain - From June 1-July 31, for every week kids 12 and under read at least 15 minutes, they earn a $3 Half-Price Books gift card. That’s roughly, what, 8 weeks for $32 total? Not bad. I’ve never heard of this place, but apparently they have stores in over a dozen states.
Pottery Barn Book Club - This is actually an ongoing program where they hold a story time on Tuesdays from 11 to 11:30 am. Once your kid attends 5 sessions and has their booklet stamped, they get a reward. I’m not sure what it actually is (some are reporting it’s a $10 off coupon), but this is the perfect way to prepare your child for all the future oil-change stamp cards they’ll need to keep track of later in life.
TD Bank Summer Reading - This is a pretty limited freebie location-wise since the only places with TD banks are on the East coast, but it’s worth posting. If your child reads ten books, then they get $10! Where in the world was this deal when I was a kid?
Borders Reading Challenge - Once children 12 and under read eight books, they good to choose a $4.99 Reading Challenge item, which their flier states is a savings of 50%. So…the items normally cost $10+ and your kid gets them for $5? I gotta say, the wording on their advertisement is a little weak. You’d expect better grammar from a bookstore. Barnes & Noble have a sweet program set up for kids in grades 1 through 6 this summer where if they read eight books, they can receive a free book. If there’s one thing I know kids absolutely love to do over the summer, it’s read!
Kids read any eight (8) books of their own choosing.
Kids use the Summer Reading Journal to tell us their favorite part of each book. A parent/guardian signs the journal when it’s complete. You can also get a Spanish-language Reading Journal.
Barnes & Noble Children bring their completed Reading Journal between May 26th & September 7th, 2009. They’ll get a coupon for a FREE book! They choose from a list of exceptional paperback titles.

It’s win-win for everybody involved, as it’ll get your children to read a little over the summer while also helping you avoid the continuous “I’m bored, I’m bored, I’m bored” barrage.

And of course, every public library has a summer reading program. Please get into the habit of taking your children to the library. You have all summer to take them into the air conditioning for story hour, puppet shows, game time, history presentations, author readings and so much more! Really, isn't the library the ULTIMATE FREEBIE???

The Babies of Juarez

2009-05-13T07:52:00.005-06:00

My dad has a great friend, Kanuto Ortiz, or just Kenny here in the states, that hails from our neighboring country to the south. Kenny and my dad made numerous road trips straight down I-25 to Juarez in the late 80's. Kenny would race along the highway in his bright yellow Beetle and sometimes I would be lucky enough to tag behind in my big ol' boat of a Monte Carlo.

The prices are cheap, the nightlife is vivid, and the art is everywhere! My Utopian trifecta in college! I started going every chance I got, bringing along various friends and loved ones, developing a crush on a foreign land.

The trip to another culture is a short one. Until the first time I crossed the border, I imagined a mighty river dividing the lands like a knife. The Rio Grand is nothing more than a drainage ditch at that point, but the cultural and economic division is sharp. I am continually amazed by the difference 100 feet can make.

I recently learned about another woman who has developed a passion for Juarez, but for a much more noble cause than cheap Coronas. Quinn Anderson runs a ministry called "Babies of Juarez", a drive for diapers and formula. According to Quinn"In Juarez, a ten-and-a-half-hour drive from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, many babies wear the same diaper for four or more days because the family can’t afford new ones. A mom will go to the store with enough money for one diaper. The diapers are used and reused until they can no longer hold anything more, and the mom will go back to the store with just enough money to buy a new one. Cloth diapers aren't an option because water is so scarce in Juarez. Our team in the clinic saw babies with horrible sores on their bottoms and the parents with no means to help them."

To read more about the need, the mission, and how YOU CAN HELP, click here!

2009-05-11T09:04:00.000-06:00

Hmmm....Go to KFC for your Rain Check....

2009-05-08T08:40:00.004-06:00

Wow! I went from no work to three jobs to juggle in a day! PTL :) Anyway, I am short on time to post today and Dian from one of my favorite sites, Grocery Shop For Free, said it all so eloquently today. So I copied it and pasted it here for you. Sorry for cheating....

KFC: No More FREE Lunch...Or Dinner
Written by Dian Farmer
Friday, 08 May 2009 07:43

So KFC has finally had it! According to their website they will not be taking the coupons for FREE meals anymore. They came up with a new plan. You take your coupon to the store and they will replace it with a form for a rain check, and for your trouble, when you receive your rain check it will come complete with a Pepsi!
I have heard stories about how out of hand this got, in case you have been in a cave somewhere, here's what happened: KFC & Oprah decided to get together on a FREE Meal Deal. They offered FREE 2 piece grilled chicken meals complete with 2 sides and a biscuit, nice! All you had to do was go to the website given, print up to 4 (bricks) coupons and presto you had a FREE meal for you and your family. Well, very quickly the website with the coupon became overwhelmed and people were complaining about not being able to get in and print their coupons. So, an (ex from what I hear) employee decided in their infinite wisdom to put up a pdf file of the coupon. What that means is NO LIMIT! Not only could you now print more than 4, you could also print past the time frame originally allowed for the coupon, which was I believe 24 hours. So, now you had millions of people with access to unlimited printings of these coupons for FREE meals. I heard about people selling coupons in the parking lot, car wrecks in front of the stores, 30 minute waits, stores running out of grilled chicken and replacing it with fried. There was a report that in one store a small riot occurred while everyone was yelling at the Manager, because, despite the fact they could see that there was grilled chicken behind the register he told them the promotion was over for the day and to go home. Another report states that people held a "sit-in" and the paying people were forced to either "cross the line" or go home empty-handed, and the manager ran from the store screaming!!
Bottom line: Turn in your coupons for rain checks.
Click here to watch a video from the President of KFC.

Wait a minute! FREEbie Wednesday?

2009-05-06T07:55:00.006-06:00

OK, I know I 'm on a run of FREEbies this week, but I just have to share two that are only good for today. The first one is one line, so click here! Just email your favorite pic, enter the coupon code "MOTHER" to your local Walgreens and stop by later to pick up your FREE 8x10 enlargement. Do you have a favorite family picture that's just sitting on your hard drive, longing to get out and hang on your wall? What about one from your last vacation that needs to sit on your desk to remind you of your own,private utopia? Once I get started, it will be hard to narrow it down to just one. I guess that's their point.

And for today's FREEbie #2...You can go to Arby's and get a FREE Iced Fruitea! Arby's is celebrating National Beverage Day. No coupon needed, just go in and tell the cashier "I'm parched, Fruitea me!" So you don't have to actually pay for the treat, just humiliate yourself by reciting their cheesy tag line.

2009-05-05T19:20:00.005-06:00

Click on the bucket above before 9PM tomorrow, Colorado time, to link to a coupon for free chicken dinners. This offer comes to you courtesy of Oprah and KFC. You can't photocopy it, but you can print it out as many as 4 times! Guess what we're having for supper tomorrow night?

If you'd like to tell the Colonel "Thanks" just click on his image to the right and ad your name to the petition to have him featured on a US Postage stamp.

Friday FREEbie

2009-05-01T12:16:00.000-06:00

Gossips can't keep secrets, so never confide in blabbermouths.

Proverbs 20:19, The Message

If you are human, possibly female, and are able to form words to speak, chances are you occassionally battle with the same demon I do -- gossip. Ugly, hurtful, gossip. I can go months on end keeping myself in check but then it seems like the dam will burst and I start to spew ugliness. Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I find myself in one of those dark periods right now.

In my fight to battle evil, I've confessed my sins and then I picked up the phone and ordered a help tool That tool is this weeks Friday FREEbie. It's a placmat designed to promote a book by Timothy Williams entitled Gossip and the Gospel.

Just pick up the phone to orders yours: 1-877-421-READ

31 Cent Scoop Night!

2009-04-28T06:08:00.001-06:00

Save the Date!

31 Cent Scoop Night is coming back to Baskin Robbins on Wednesday, April 29th! It's their 3rd annual effort to support The National Volunteer Fire Council's National Junior Firefighter Program. Wow, that's a mouth full. Speaking of mouthfuls, there's a 3 scoop limit per person. So spend a buck, and enjoy!

Happy UnFry Day!

2009-04-27T09:52:00.002-06:00

I love driving by KFC late in the afternoon when the delicious smell of greasy secret herbs and spices are wafting through the air. But, I never indulge -- I save indulging for things that involve chocolate. But starting today, KFC is offering a new menu item: grilled chicken! And for today only, it's FREE!!! No purchase necessary!

FREEbie Friday!!!

2009-04-24T01:00:00.002-06:00

It's another Friday! It's another great FREEbie!

This one is from a very intriguing organization called Help Others. Sounds great! Just complete the form and they will send you, free of charge, a pack of ten Smiley Notes. Is there a catch? YES! You have to commit to distributing the cards to people that you appreciate and encourage them to pass the cards along to those whom they appreciate! It could be a contagious epidemic of gratitude! This one happy bug that I would love to catch and spread! Click on the smiley faces above and get started infecting your loved ones!

http://www.helpothers.org/cards.php

Town Hall for Hope is TONIGHT!!!

2009-04-23T10:23:00.004-06:00

My calves were aching and my toes were screaming out for relief but my heart was soaring with delight! I had just wrapped up an 11 hour day of volunteering at Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover Live Event in Colorado Springs! For the 2nd year in a row, my husband and I were blessed to be surrounded by like minded people - those who are slightly obsessed with financial stewardship. I was in La-La Land! I had people literally lined up to talk to me about how to manage their money in a God honoring way! I could not have been happier if someone set me loose with $1000 at Nordstrom!

I didn't hear anything new from Dave - he himself admits that there are only about 25 different answers he can give. It gets a bit redundant. But that's the point, isn't it? God's word is the truth, forever. It never changes. His advise on money doesn't fluctuate with the market.

Tonight's event will be something a bit different. Dave will talk for about half an hour and then open it up to the audience for questions. My guess is that Dave will talk about having a long term perspective in both our finances and our mortality. He'll probably tell us to quit panicking because the sky isn't falling, that we're all in this together. He'll also probably mention that houses and stocks are on sale right now. It's the question and answer session I'm most looking forward to. How do we all change from simply surviving to thriving in this time of economic trauma? I'm sure there are people in a lot worse state than you or I. We may have income issues at our house, but we have a house! GOD is GOOD!

Money Issues can Eat Away at Your Marriage One Chomp at a Time

2009-04-20T04:28:00.002-06:00

If you are reading this blog, then there is a chance you may be looking for help with your finances. I know how miserable life is when all you can think about is bills, debt, and gloom. It eats away at you and your marriage one chomp at a time. If you let it, it will destroy the bond that you and your husband have worked years to create. Your marriage will suffer a slow and miserable death. But it doesn't have to! Are you ready to fight back? I can offer two options:
1) My husband and I are certified to coach people with their finances through Dave Ramsey. We would love to help anyone who is interested. We do not charge for this, it is our ministry. Just leave a comment at the end of the post and I will contact you. If you live in the Denver Metro area, we will help you ourselves. Otherwise we will hook you up with another couple that would love to teach you how to fight back!
2) Ellie Kay, financial author and TV personality, is looking for a couple to be shadowed and advised for a day. Wanna be on major national news show? Just send an email to newsletter@elliekay.com with your names, ages, city & state, as well as contact info (i.e. phone number). If you meet the profile they are looking for, a producer will contact you for a phone interview. Both partners must agree to the release and both must be willing to get help.
If you are in financial termoil, please contact me. I have loads of practical tools and an empathetic heart. Don't let money be in charge of you. Take control and fight back. You can do it!

FREEBIE FRIDAY!

2009-04-17T04:01:00.002-06:00

This Sunday, April 19, is Earth Day! To commemorate, Home Depot is giving away 1 Million CFL Light Bulbs. To receive your very own free EcoSmart 14w CFL bulb from participating The Home Depot simply go to your local store and ask. One per customer while quantities last. No purchase necessary.

Happy Earth Day! What are you doing to celebrate our earth?

Tax Day Freebies & Giveaways!!!

2009-04-15T01:44:00.001-06:00

This is no American's favorite day of the year. However, it can be a little more fun if you take advantage of these generous offers!

MaggieMoo's Ice Cream and Treatery will give away single-scoop servings to customers at 200 stores in what it calls an "e-cone-omic ice cream stimulus package."

Cinnabon will give out Tax Day Bites, free bite-size cinnamon rolls usually known as Classic Bites, from 5 to 8 p.m. at its 700 outlets on tax day.

T.G.I. Friday's will give Wednesday customers $5 Bonus Bites gift cards for food and beverage purchases of $15 to $25 and $10 cards for those who spend more than $25. Members of the 1,000-outlet chain's frequent-customer program also will get double points.

Chick Fil A is also having a special where you bring in your receipt from tomorrow purchase (4/15) before the end of the month and you will get the meal free!

McDonalds: Buy one Quarter Pounder with Cheese or Big Mac and get a second sandwich for just one penny. AND Free chicken biscuit w/ med drink purchase before noon or free chicken sandwich w/ med drink purchase after noon. AND Free small hot McCafes or medium iced McCafe Coffee.

Subway: A free cookie to each person that walks through the door.

OK, I can't be held liable if you don't get your free goodies! I just did a little research and stuck all of my findings together in one place to help make your tax day a bit brighter. Have you heard of any other great Tax Day Freebies?

Easter Monday Tradition?

2009-04-13T13:04:00.003-06:00

It's Easter Monday. Under "normal" financial conditions, today would be one of those days that cause me to shop. I would run around from one favorite, post-holiday bargain haunt to the next, gathering goodies for next year at half price. The very best place to go the day after a holiday used to be Old Navy. In fact, it was so good, that we would schedule it as a family evening so that the everyone, even my husband, could go together. We went after Valentines Day, after St. Patrick's Day, after Easter, after Halloween, and finally, after Christmas, grabbing up everything from photo albums and stuffed animals to holiday music and t-shirts, all for pennies on the dollar. And then, suddenly, we realized that the buyers at Old Navy had wised up. They generally no longer have enough holiday themed items to make to the holiday, let alone left overs. So sad...No more ten cent green make up or picture frames shaped like bunny rabbits or orange tin mugs with pictures of dogs wearing cat ears. OK, maybe I can live with out the junk. But, I do miss the thrill of the thrill of the hunt!

So where do you recommend that I go for a fix? Let us in on your favorite post-holiday clearance sale spots and other money saving tips to save for next year's celebrations!

This Week's FRIDAY FREEBIE!!!!

2009-04-10T06:41:00.002-06:00

FedEx/Kinko's is offering a FREE $10 Gift Card Offer for digital photo prints from the Sony PictureStation(TM) Digital Photofinishing Kiosk. Just click here before April 30th and resigter to receive yours in the mail.

TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT

2009-04-09T12:35:00.004-06:00

Tonight is the Rock and Worship Road Show in DENVER!
April 9 – Denver, CO – 7:00 PM
Denver Coliseum 4600 Humboldt St.
For more info: 720–865–4220

Can you believe this line up? Mercy Me, Jeremy Camp, Hawk Nelson, Tenth Avenue North (By Your Side is the tune you'll know from KLOVE) and more for $10!!! I heard an interview on KLOVE the other day that explained their theory of offering a bargain show. Simply put, the artists are in it to glorify God, not to expand their bank accounts. So, their business plan and contracts are set up to reflect that. God bless 'em.

Check out the links to their MySpace pages:
http://www.myspace.com/mercyme
http://www.myspace.com/jeremycamp
http://www.myspace.com/hawknelson
http://www.myspace.com/tenthavenuenorth

Save Oodles on your Noodles with By-the-Ounce Comparison Shopping!

2009-04-07T04:57:00.002-06:00

I am a true bargain shopper when it comes to groceries. I like to arrive at the store armed with my shopping list, the store ad, my coupons at an envelope full of cash. I am so grateful that the stores have started putting the "percentage saved" at the bottom of the receipt because now grocery shopping is a true competitive sport! If I save at least 30%, I feel I have won the game and can walk out of the store with my head held high! I imagining that after I leave, the cashier is marveling to the next shopper in line what an amazing bargain hunter I am - the best they've had in that store for a long while! OK, that probably has never happened, but really -- wouldn't it be cool?

The most important thing I do to raise that percentage saved is to shop with By-the-Ounce Pricing. My Mom taught me how to do this when I was a little girl and I still use this skill every time I shop. Thanks Mom! When I helped her do the weekly shopping she sent me off with a list and expect me to come back with the cheapest item in each category. Not based on the over all price, but the price per ounce. Nowadays, they make it easy for you and often list the price per ounce on the shelf label, sometimes even on the sale tag. But if they don't, it's simple to formulate. Just divide the cost of the item by the number of ounces. (A calculator may be helpful . Don't forget, you probably have one built into your cell phone!) You may be surprised what comes out the cheapest - the national brand that's on sale, or the store brand, or a brand you've never even heard of. Yesterday, for example, my husband got a case of 24 Dasani Water bottles for less per ounce than a gallon jug of generic filtered drinking water. And don't forget to ad bulk food prices into your comparisons! It is shocking how much extra you can pay for your pasta, coffee beans, or even sugar to come prepackaged for you!

NOTE: If you would like further explanation on the mathematics, click on the book at the top of this post.

Two Rules of Bargain Foods and My Granola-Head Mom!

2009-04-04T15:47:00.006-06:00

My parents and I had an interesting discussion last night. My Dad declared his distaste for all things Kashi and then my Mom told me about a "bargain" that she got at Safeway last week. She bought 10 Kashi brand products on sale and they took $10 off of her total bill. OK, it's not a bargain if you have to force consumption. Fortunately my Mom is more of a granola-head than my Dad - and I only mean that in the best possible way!

But then, she and my Dad both made unappetizing faces as they described the cardboard Kashi pizza crust and all of the things that they had to ad to doctor it up. I'm sorry, but isn't the idea of a frozen pizza that you can just toss in the oven and 10 minutes later you have dinner? If something is inedible without adding pricey extras, again -- not a bargain. But the good news is that there are only 9 left in the freezer!

FREE Tomato Seeds for You and Your Commmunity!

2009-04-04T14:00:00.006-06:00

Who knows more about growing tomatoes than Campbell's? Maybe no one since they've been growing them for their iconic soup for more than a century! Now they'll give you a chance to try it too - for FREE! Not only that, but buy requesting your packet of seeds, Campbell's will donate 100 more packets to schools and community gardens across the country. All you need is the code from the bottom of any can of their condensed soups. I'll betcha have one in the pantry right now! Happy growing!

BODACIOUS BUDGETS & BARGAINS

FREE Pastry at Starbucks, Tomorrow ONLY

FREE Financial Peace University Class!!!

Walt Disney: A Christian Critique - BlueBehemoth.com

FREEBIE FRIDAY! on a Tuesday 'cause ya' gotta hurry to get this one!

Freebie Friday for El Dia de Amor!!!

Claim Your COMPLIMENTARY Subscription!

Audio Adrenaline Lead Singer Trapped in Haiti

A different kind of Freebie Friday tip...

Weekend to Remember BOGO

Tropical Lemon Aide

As of today, I am a PUBLISHED AUTHOR!!!

Have You Ever Shopped at my Favorite Urban Grocer???

FREEBIE FRIDAY!

What would you give to be in this audience if it were real????

Can you use any of these?

FREEBIE FRIDAY! Gift Cards

Merry Christmas from Denver Seminary

Blogging Break

Beans, Beans the Magical Fruit, The More you Eat the Healthier You Are...

FREE David Crowder Download

Clean Commode

Listen to Dave Ramsey for Money Motivation

Free Film Developing

Another FREE Weekend

Welcome to my World!

Obama's Idea of Cutting the Budget

HEY...Kool-Aid

FREEBIE FRIDAY! Free Wifi Hotspots Worldwide

FREEBIE FRIDAY!

Free Factory Tours

Bulk is Beautiful

What Can You Do To Help?

Terracycle

Food Storage 101

POST #50!!!

Free Days at The National Parks

Almost FREEBIE FRIDAY

FREEBIE FRIDAY! Birthday presents!

The Value of Money Mentoring

FREEBIE FRIDAY!

Another Reading Reward

Vacation Bible School - My Favorite Summer Bargain!

More Summer Reading Programs

See the Light

FREEBIE FRIDAY

Gearing up for one of my favorite summer activities!

The Babies of Juarez

Hmmm....Go to KFC for your Rain Check....

Wait a minute! FREEbie Wednesday?

Friday FREEbie

31 Cent Scoop Night!

Happy UnFry Day!

FREEbie Friday!!!

Town Hall for Hope is TONIGHT!!!

Money Issues can Eat Away at Your Marriage One Chomp at a Time

FREEBIE FRIDAY!

Tax Day Freebies & Giveaways!!!

Easter Monday Tradition?

This Week's FRIDAY FREEBIE!!!!

TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT

Save Oodles on your Noodles with By-the-Ounce Comparison Shopping!

Two Rules of Bargain Foods and My Granola-Head Mom!

FREE Tomato Seeds for You and Your Commmunity!