How to Save Money this Holiday Season

Gifts:
My Money saving idea is like most everyone's, buy one SALE. Make sure you have all your lists together no later than Thanksgiving. The closer to Christmas the less great deals you may see. If a store you regularly shop at is offering a gift card with the purchase of an item from your list take advantage of it. If you won't use it maybe there is someone else on your list that you can give it too! This season many stores and manufacturers have put out coupons for toys. Take advantage of these and use them together for double savings.

Great Gift Ideas:
Teacher/babysitter Gift: Mug with a box of tea, coffee or a gift card.
Family gift: Christmas blanket, large bowl, box of popcorn, candy and a blockbuster gift card or new release movie.
Grandparents: Photo calendar or picture frame with the Grandchildren's pictures!

Stocking Stuffers:
If you like to buy candy, personal hygiene products or other food items for stockings you can buy these one SALE and use a COUPON! I love getting notepads and cool pens! Staples is the perfect place to pick up these items and lots more! Set a limit for stuffing the kids stockings so you don't overspend.

Staples & TwitterMoms are hosting a blogging contest about Saving Time & Money! You could win a $100 Staples Gift Card. Check out all the details HERE!


Deals for Busy Moms This Holiday SeasonCheck out This Week's Deals!

About this TwitterMoms Blogging Program

Glade Sense & Spray Review & Giveaway!

I recently received a Glade Sense & Spray in the Clean Linen scent from BzzAgent. It was very easy to put together and I placed it on the floor or our hall bathroom. I like the light fragrance of this scent. Batteries are included in the package and since it only sprays when it senses motion but not within 30 minutes the batteries last for a long time as does the scent canister.

When these were on sale a few weeks ago at CVS I was able to get some for the rest of the bathrooms in the house! I have had a few house guests wonder what the sound was when it shoots the fragrance out. These would be great for keeping rooms smelling nice and fresh during the holidays.

Get more information on Glade by visiting their website.


Giveaway:
1 Coupon Clippin' Mommy reader will receive a large envelope of coupons including Sunday insert coupons & these non insert coupons: $4 on any Glade Sense & spray starter kit, $10 off a single Olay Professional Pro-X product, $1 on any Del Monte SunFresh or Orchard select jar, $1 off any Pantene Shampoo or Conditioner, $1 on any Aquafresh iso-active Foaming Gel and 2 FREE item coupons.

Mandatory Entry:
Follow this blog and tell me which room you would put a Glad Sense & Spray in?

Some of the coupons have a 12/31 expiration date so this giveaway will end December 6, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be drawn via random.org. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond. Open to US residents only.

A big thank you to BzzAgent for providing me with this product.

Beansoup Mother/Child Apron Giveaway

1 Lucky



Reader will win a Mother/Child Apron set from Beansoup!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

This giveaway is open to residents of the US and will end on November 30th, at 11:59pm EST.

Stride Rite Fan Celebration Day 11/30!

To kick-off the Cyber Monday celebration, Global Influence is hosting a Twitter Pre-Party Sunday, November 29th from 9 to 10 p.m. EST with our community manager, Shannan Powell(make sure you are following her)! For an hour we will chat about Cyber Monday shopping tips and preparing for the holidays. If you plan to participate please use the #srCyberMon hashtag. There will be seven Stride Rite gift card winners and you will be among the first to learn about the Fan Celebration Day on Facebook.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

Stride Rite is celebrating Cyber Monday, this Monday the 30th, by holding a Fan Celebration Day on Facebook! Stride Rite Facebook fans are invited to visit the Stride Rite fan page on Monday, November 30th from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST for hourly giveaways with amazing prizes including gift cards and gift bags from Stride Rite Children's Group brands including Saucony Kids, Sperry Top-Sider Kids, and more. There will also be a fan-only coupon for Cyber Monday shopping on www.striderite.com and a mystery prize valued at over $600 that you can enter to win throughout the day so make sure you check them out on facebook!

Multiply Your Savings!

Target is one of my favorite stores to shop at. Not because they are usually clean and tidy but because they run good sales and take coupons. Two time the coupon. Did you know that Target will take 1 manufacturer and 1 Target store coupon per item.

For example: Target Coupon for $1.50 off Huggies diapers
+
Manufacturer Coupon for $2 off Huggies diapers
= $3.50 off

This can make for some cheap or even FREE items when you pair coupons with sales! You can find Target Coupons HERE.

CVS is another store that will accept a CVS coupon and a manufacturer coupon. You can use a coupon for $5/$30 as well as CVS and manufacturer coupons. You can find CVS coupons HERE

You will want to make sure the coupon says Store Coupon or has the name of he store where is usually says manufacturer. Some coupons with store logos on them are not store coupons and cannot be combined.

What other stores do you know of that offer store coupons you can combine with manufacturer coupons?

I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving & a successful Black Friday!

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family. I even made a Pumpkin Cheesecake with one of Paula Deen's recipe. You can check it out HERE. It was very easy and super yummy! We enjoyed ham and turkey from the Honeybaked Ham company. I even used a coupon on the Ham! I headed to bed as soon as we got home so I could get the little one up and be ready for some shopping at Target!. I met my Mother in Law at 4:30 in the morning and we waited in line. The Target associates were very helpful and friendly. We were able to get everything on out list without any trouble. I did get one of the FREE reusable shopping bags and spent enough for the $10 Target gift card! We hit a few more places and my Mother in Law was able to cross some more things off her list.

Did you go shopping on Black Friday? Have any luck?
Don't forget CyberMonday is only a day away!

Don't forget to enter the giveaways listed in the top right corner. I will have another giveaway coming soon so you can take a break from shopping and sip some hot chocolate, chai tea or coffee...hint hint...

$10 in Starbucks gift cards!

1 lucky



reader will win $10 in Starbucks gift cards!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

This giveaway will end December 2 at 11:59 pm EST.

Swagbucks Gift Card Blowout Starts today!

Swagbucks has a wide variety of Gift Cards in the Swag Store including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Starbucks, Sephora, iTunes, Target, Paypal and lots more!

Starting TODAY and happening every day until January 1st Swagbucks will pick one Gift Card in the Swag Store and "blow it out"! They will drastically cut the price to much less than they normally have these cards at and you can get as many as 2 with your swagbucks. The blow out gift card of the day will no be announced but if and when you find it scoop it up! Some gift cards may be the blow out gift card of the day more than once and at different blowout prices. This means you will want to visit the Swag Store every day and search for the blow out gift card of the day

For more information on this promotion check out the Swagbucks blog.

Read my previous post on Swagbucks HERE or sign up to start earning HERE!

Take the Pledge to Help Stop the Spread of Germs

Take the Pledge to Help Stop the Spread of Germs: "Pledge today at wetones.com to help keep your family and community healthy this cold and flu season. You'll get a valuable coupon and we'll provide a donation to The Kids In Need Foundation for the first 100,000 pledges submitted!"

BJ's Wholesale Club $25 gift card & 60 day trial membership!

I recently had the opportunity to visit my local BJ's Wholesale Club and I really enjoyed the experience. I took in my coupon for a FREE 60 day trial membership and it was super easy! The store was not overly crowded and the sales associates were very helpful and friendly. The store had a large selection of electronics, home accessories, food items, toys, baby products, health & beauty and Christmas items. One of the first things I noticed was they had greeting cards and they were 50% off the regular price!


My favorite thing about BJ's and something that sets them apart is they accept manufacturers’ coupons, including newspaper coupons! While I did not use any coupons on this trip; now that I know what BJ's sells I will go back with coupons in hand!

I received a $25 gift card from My Blog Spark. I was able to purchase a 3 pack of Digorno pizzas, chicken & mozzarella ravioli (2 pack) and 2 bags of chips! Checking out was a breeze with their self check out lanes.

Here are some additional club features:
* ATM
* Bakery
* BJ's Auto Buying Program(R)
* BJ's Gas(R)
* BJ's Home Improvement(R)
* BJ's Propane(TM)
* BJ's Travel(TM) Service
* Custom-built Sheds
* Delicatessen
* Demo Program
* Food Court - Featuring UNO(R) Pizza
* Fresh Floral
* Home Theater & TV Installation
* Lottery
* Rotisserie Chicken
* Verizon Wireless Kiosk

Is there a BJ's near you? Visit the store locator to find out. You can print a coupon for a 60 day trial membership HERE.

If you decide to continue to save money on great products for longer than the trial period, ask an associate at the club about how to take advantage of the special new-member *paid offer for $45, which includes a $10 coupon and an extra two months of membership. If you sign up for the offer, you also will receive:

* A Member Savings Book with more than $1,000 in coupons and instant rebates
* “Sign up and Save” coupons worth $117 in savings
* 2 cards (one for you and someone else in your household)
* A no risk 100% money back guarantee on the fee if you are not satisfied
*Paid offer can vary by Club.

Win It!
One lucky reader will win a $25.00 Gift Card to BJ's Wholesale Club (remember to go to the link provided above to receive your 60 day free trial membership)

Mandatory: Follow this blog and answer the question What items would you stock-up on at BJ’s with this gift card?
Please make sure if your email address is not visible in your profile that you leave one in your initial entry!

Extra Entries:

• Enter one of my other giveaways (listed in the top right of the blog)
• Favorite me on technaroti (leave your username in a comment here)
• Click on the Top Mommy Blogs button (left side) and come back and tell me you did.
• Follow me on twitter and tweet this message (daily):

"BJ's Wholesale Club $25 Gift Card giveaway plus 60 trial membership coupon @CouponClippin http://ohurl.com/99"

This giveaway will end December 12, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be drawn via random.org. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond. Open to US residents only.

Disclaimer: BJ's Wholesale Club and General Mills provided me with the free trial membership, gift card, coupons and information through MyBlogSpark.

Momfluence Holiday Guide

Holiday shopping season is here again and the Global Influence network has some great gift ideas for you, tried and tested by real moms. Click on the links to check out what our team of reviewers had to say about each of these gift ideas, and then take a moment to enter our fun giveaway and take a chance at winning some of these fabulous products. Featured Reviews Pouchees -

Busy moms need all the help they can get to stay organized and keep life as simple as possible. The Pouchee is the perfect solution to keeping all those little things together, putting everything you need, right at your fingertips.

Duck Hunter -

Duck Hunter turns the excitement of the hunt into an activity the whole family can enjoy. Launch the duck in the air and try to hunt it down with the toy shooter as it flies freely in the air. A fun choice for those who love outdoor sporting.

CardStore cards

-Personalized holiday cards are an important item on everyone's to-do list and often a hassle to create and print. Cardstore.com has everything from family photo cards to invitations for your big holiday party, simplifying your holiday season.

Great Holiday Gift Ideas Things Remembered Custom Couture Jewelry Just Elfin' Around Card Cubby Harumika By Bandai Harumika Runway Showstopper Harumika Style Starter Baby Alive Whoopsie Doo Strawberry Shortcake Playset Kota Monty Rex Wall to Wall Basketball Nerf Pocket Vortex Busy Ball Popper Talking Chuck Truck Leapfrog My Pal Scout Leapfrog Tag Jr Leapfrog Scribble and Write Animal Planet Polar Land Playset Animal Planet Dinosaur Playmat Onionhead Adult/Teen Feelings Pack OnionHead Children's Feelings Pack Onionhead A-Z Feelings Magnet Set FotoboxPlus MeTime Tees Fun Holiday Giveaway! For this holiday guide, we want to share the love with the blogosphere! Some of our generous sponsors have donated prizes to be given away to lucky readers! To enter to win one of the following fabulous prizes, simply fill out the form here: http://tinyurl.com/y8t92rw Prizes include: Things Remembered Custom Couture Jewelry Pouchee Elfing Around Harumika Onionhead Feelings Pack Nerf Wall to Wall Basketball Baby Alive Whoopsie Doo MeTime T-shirt Entries will close on December 6, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST. Winners will be contacted by email after the close of the contest. Global Influence Member Guides Need more ideas for this holiday season? Check out the guides that some of our Global Influence members have put together on their own sites! Thrifty Jinxy, Happy Healthy Hip , And Twins Make Five , Because Two People Fell In Love, Mommy Musings , Lipstick to Crayons , Bargain Briana , Mommy PR , Shop With Me Mama, Santa Picks, Rave and Review, Connected 2 Christ , 3 Boys and a Dog, The Classy Closet , Contest Corner, Lisa Reviews , A Giveaway Every Day, HulaHoopinMom, Spalibrations, High Impact Mom, From Cribs to Car Keys

All reviews listed in the Global Influence gift guide were product provided. Featured positions were purchased by sponsors. Member gift guides are not affiliated with Global Influence.

Black Friday Plan of Attack

I am already psyching myself up about shopping at 5am on Friday! If only Starbucks would open at 4:30 for me...

Plan of Attack: I check out all the ads long before they come out on Thursday. I compare what's on sale to what I need to purchase. If it's a good enough savings (usually at least 50%) then I will put that store and item on my list for the craziest shopping day of the year! I try not to commit myself to more than 2 stores for the early bird/doorbuster deals. You can never count on finding items quickly or lines being short so plan accordingly.

I pick the most important item and the biggest savings and that is the first thing I get when I enter the store. Then I can relax a little while I pick up the other odds and ends on my list. DO NOT do your regular shopping on this day the lines will be long and you just want to get in and get out!

My Mother and I usually combine efforts and she will go to one store with both of our lists and I will go to another. This works great since I can't be two places at once and the hubby is at home with the kids.

Keep those purchases safe by clearing out your trunk so you can store them there. You don't want to have too many bags visible in your car! Once I have completed my shopping for the morning I head home for a nap. Sometimes I will go back out in the afternoon after the crowds have calmed down.

Check out my previous posts on BLACK FRIDAY & CYBER MONDAY

What is your Black Friday plan of attack this year? Your answer could win you a $75 Target gift card. Check out twittermoms for more information.

PaperAddict.com Gift Certificate!

1 lucky

A $35.00 gift certificate to be used at PaperAddict.com!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

Giveaway ends Friday, November 27, 2009.

Great Giveaways 11/25!

Please list your giveaways as Site-Prize-End date. All links must go directly to the giveaway post. ** I am new to Mr Linky and deleted it on accident so if you entered your giveaway and don't see it I'm sorry!

What are Your 5 Favorite Holiday Activities to do with Your Kids?

My kids are still very little but here are a few of the Holiday activities we like to do!

1. Going out to see Christmas lights- My son loves going out and looking at the lights and seeing all the decorations people have in their yards. There are also some walking tours of homes with lots of decorations that I know my son would love that too!
   
2. Christmas Countdown- I have a Christmas countdown that has been in my family for years and my son gets to put a felt ornament on the felt tree each day and on Christmas Day you put the star on the top! Someday the kids will take turns putting the ornaments on...or we will have to get another Christmas Countdown.
   
3. Listening to Christmas Music- My son loves music so we put in a kids Christmas CD while we are driving around so he can learn some new music and get into the holiday spirit. When my son is not in the car or when I am at home i like to put on Christmas music for me too.
   
4. Reading Christmas books at bedtime- We read books every night as part of our sons bed time routine. We have special books for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas that we pull out. He loves getting to read new books. This year we will read the Christmas story as that was a family tradition when I was growing up.
   
5. Going to Church on Christmas Eve-While my children don't understand the importance of this just yet they will soon. Now they like seeing the Church decorated and all the lights. My son also likes when the church acts out the Christmas story or uses candles while singing Silent Night.
   

Are there activities that you like to do with your kids around the holidays? This post was part of a Twittermoms Dora Christmas Carol contest. You can read more about it here.


Watch Dora's Christmas Carol Adventure Dec. 6 on NickelodeonFavorite Holiday Activities with Kids

Who doesn't love Amazon??

1 Lucky Room Remix reader will win a $35 Amazon.com gift card!


CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Giveaway ends at midnight CST on Tuesday, November 24th

Cyber Monday - November 30th

Cyber Monday is just 1 week away! It's the Monday after Thanksgiving (11/30). This is a day where online retailers have great deals to draw in customers. You don't have to wait till Monday to get some great deals. While that turkey is cooking or you are resting between dinner and dessert check to see if there is anything going on at your favorite online retailer. Amazon.com will have lots of great deals in the next few weeks so be sure and check them out!When you shop at the mall you are careful to hold you purse tight or keep tabs on your wallet. You want to make sure you keep tabs on your virtual wallet as well. Here are some guidelines to help you shop safely online this holiday season.

• Always shop with reputable sites. Look for "https" in the web address when you are entering your payment information. Think of "s" for safety or security. CyberMonday.com is a great site to check out for your shopping needs.
• You can also look for the padlock symbol in the bottom right corner of your web browser. This shows that the site is veri sign verified safe.
  
• Always check your credit card/bank statements carefully. If you see a charge that you do not think you made; contact your account provider immediately. Federal law states that if someone steals your card you are only liable for $50.
• Make sure your security software is up to date before you start entering your personal information online.
• Keep a file folder or notebook with all your confirmation numbers/emails and make sure you check off when you have received them. Most online retailers will give you an estimated ship/delivery date. You will want to shop early in order to avoid paying high shipping costs for speedy delivery.
• Think Before You Link. You can use a URL scanning tool to ensure you’re not clicking on links that lead to infected websites. You can download a free tool here: http://free.avg.com/us-en/download-avg-anti-virus-free-edition. AVG also offers a free virus scan download: www.shop.org/shopsafely.
  

To stay up to date on new information regarding online shopping safety and deals this holiday season here are some more helpful places to visit.

• Find safe shopping tips and links to AVG downloads at www.shop.org/shopsafely
• Shop www.cybermonday.com for the best deals online
• Follow AVG on Twitter
• Follow CyberMonday.com on Twitter
• Become a fan of AVG on Facebook
• Become a fan of CyberMonday.com in Facebook

CyberMonday.com aggregates the best deals from their 600 retail partners, all on one site.

• Deals of the hour on Black Friday and Cyber Monday can be found at CyberMonday.com
• You can find sites offering free shipping by choosing “free shipping offers” on the top right of the site
• This site also contains a “Deal of the Week,” special offers, and coupons

Great Giveaway Information!
Now through Cyber Monday (11/30), $250 in gift cards from Shop.org’s retail partners will be given away daily at the Cyber Monday Twitter account and Facebook account. The gift cards will be from 1 of 33 retailers with at least a $50 value!


I was recently able to attend a press conference on Shopping Safely put on by Resourceful Mommy Media and AVG. The information used for this post was provided by Scott Silverman of the National Retail Federation and Shop.org & Beth Jordan of AVG.

Win a Pair of Eleven Shoes from Something Snappy!

1 Lucky



Reader will win pair of Eleven shoes for your little one!



CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Winner will be chosen on Black Friday - November 27th

Black Friday

Do you brave the craziness and go shopping on black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) or do you opt to head into work or stay in bed? If there is something I really want for a really good price then I will get up early and be there when the store opens. One year I even went to an Outlet Mall at midnight. I like to know well in advance if I am going to be out so I can plan all my stops carefully and of course make sure I don't have to take the kids with me. This year I am looking for a portable DVD player. After looking online I found out that a lot of stores will actually have these on special. I am planning to go to Target and pick up the RCA 7" portable DVD player for $47. Check out some of these black Friday websites to see if your wish list items are on sale. Don't like the crowds or have to work there is always cyber Monday (Monday after Thanksgiving). Not familiar with Cyber Monday, come back on Monday and read all out it and how to shop safely online! Here is my favorite Black Friday ad site. I like it because it has scans of the ads.

http://www.black-friday.net

Some of the deals:

Walmart- stores open at 5am
$78 Magnavox Blue Ray DVD player
LCD TVs
$59 TomTom One Navigation System
$49 Phillips 7' portable DVD player
$19 LeapFrog Learn and Groove Musical Table - great gift for kids under 1!
$4 small crock pot, hand mixer or mini chopper (red and white)
$2, $5 and $9 DVDs
You can go online and get a map of your store and map out your route for Friday morning!

Target- stores open at 5am
$246 32" LCD HDTV
$97 TomTom XL340S GPS (reg. 249.99)
$47 RCA 7" portable DVD player
Gift card offers with XBOX 360 & Nintendo DS
$3.99, $5.99 and $8.99 DVDs
$12.99 TV sets including The Office, Supernatural, House and Psych
$3 Chefmate appliances (toaster, 1.5 qt crock pot, coffee maker or sandwich maker)
select LeapFrog toys 50% off
Free $10 gift card when you spend $100 or more (valid Friday 5am-noon)
FREE Marcel Wanders for Target reusable shopping bag (500 bags per store)

Sears- stores open at 4am
$5.99 door busters including jewelry, clothing and tools

Kohls- stores open at 4am
Over 300 early bird specials. Receive $10 Kohls cash for every $50 you spend.
Lots of toys 50% off!

Toys R' Us- stores open at midnight
Door busters from midnight to 1pm

Be careful if you decide to brave the crowds on Black Friday NO deal is worth getting hurt!

Baby Detergent

I first found all Baby detergent when I was expecting my son. I didn't want to use anything that would be harmful for his delicate skin but I wanted something with a baby scent. Dreft is a very popular baby detergent but a little too expensive for my budget. I found all Baby for roughly the same price as regular all and I was able to use a coupon on it. This detergent does a great job keeping my toddler and newborns clothes clean and smelling nice! I used to see it everywhere but have had increasingly more difficulty in locating it. I contacted The Sun Products corporation to see if they were still manufacturing all Baby.

This is the information I received:
"'all Baby is nationally available to any store that would like to carry the product. We apologize that you are having difficulty finding it in your area. We will certainly alert our Sales Team. The product is being reformulated to be fragrance-free."

I must say I am a little disappointed that they are making it fragrance free as I really enjoyed the scent. I do think that the detergent will still have the high quality of the all brand.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER & GET A COUPON

Do you use a different detergent for your children's clothes? Do you use a fragrance free detergent?

Opie Baby Item of your choice!

Lindsey at Opie Baby is offering one

lucky reader an item of their choice from her shop.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER


The deadline for this giveaway is November 25th, 2009 at 11:59 PM Arizona time.

Have you had a good week?

• Carolina Pad Hot Chocolate organizational items at Adventures in Freelancing
  

Skip Hop Stay-Put Placemat for Less than $5 SHIPPED!- Dead Deal

Apparently CSN has changed the rewards program and you must purchase $50 to use the $15 credit. My item has not shipped but I am hoping it will still be honored with the $15 credit. I will update you if I get any more information.

I just purchased this Skip Hop Stay Put Placemat and Plate set in pink for a Christmas gift. It also comes in Orange and Sky Blue for just $5 shipped (reg. $30)! Remember the Free $15 from CSN stores that I told you about? Well now you can cash in on a really fun item with your Free $15!

Here's what you need to do:

1. CLICK HERE to sign up with CSN Rewards and get your Free $15 credit
2. Add the Skip Hop Stay Put Placemat to your cart
3. Checkout and enter your $15 savings code at checkout
4. Your total should be just $4.98 with FREE shipping!

There is FREE shipping on other Skip Hop products so check them out too! CSN stores offers lots of other products you can use your credit on. You can check out the site before you sign up!

I saw this offer on "Deal" ectible Mommies and wanted to pass it along to my readers since it's a great savings!

Free Blog Design #Giveaway - Worth over $100

1 lucky



reader will win the following items designed by Veronica at VC Design

Custom Logo Design (vector format so you can have promo items made)

Custom Blog Header/Banner with one character (person image)

Matching Blog Button

Coordinated Twitter Page

All items must be for one website - you can't split this deal with a friend

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

This giveaway will end on December 1, 2009 at 9:00 PM EST.

Aden + Anais giveaway at Organic Girl

aden + anais is generously giving 3

Readers a set of 4 Australian Muslin Blankets

CLICK HERE FOR THE REVIEW & TO ENTER


This Giveaway is open to US and Canadians. Ends Nov 25, 2009

Tips for Green Living...

from a not so green family...we are trying...

There are a few things that we do to be GREEN. Here are my top 3!

1. Re-usable shopping bags. This is my favorite tip because it is so easy and doesn't require a huge change. All you have to do is buy a few bags (they are everywhere these days) and then remember to take them into the store with you. Many grocery, drug stores and even target are offering cents off your total bill for each bag you bring in.

2. Turn off things when they aren't being used. If you turn off lights. electronics when they are not in use you will not only help your electric bill but you are saving energy. While occasionally I leave all the lights on when my husband goes out of town I turn off and unplug everything when we are going to be away for a few days. If you have something plugged in and a green light is on it's using energy. I have been known to go around the house unplugging cell phone chargers with no cell phones attached to them.

3. Energy saving light bulbs. I just recently purchased some of these and I am still in the process of putting them in all of our light fixtures. These light bulbs will also last longer than your regular light bulb (if you don't leave them on all the time). They do give off a different glow but it's not too hard to get used too!

We continue to incorporate green living into our family life and we hope you will too.

You can check out more green tips at Lighter, Safer, Greener.

Leslie Blodgett Perfume Diaries Event in NYC & Tampa

If you’re going to be in or around NYC or Tampa next week, RSVP today for your chance to meet Leslie Blodgett—and get a bottle of Bare Skin autographed!

Leslie will be making two in-store appearances to celebrate the launch of her exclusive new fragrance collection, Leslie Blodgett Perfume Diaries! Come talk beauty with the woman behind the Bare Skin scent, sample the fragrance, and if you’re one of the first 100 to buy a bottle on the day of the event, Leslie will sign it!

Sephora Times Square

At 42^nd Street and 7^th Avenue

Wednesday, November 18

5:30-7:30 PM

RSVP here!

Sephora International Plaza

2223 N. West Shore Blvd.

(Cross-Streets: West Shore & Boy Scout Blvd.)

Thursday, November 19

6-8 PM

RSVP here!

Thanksgiving traditions

"What three favorite family Thanksgiving traditions have you passed or will pass on to your children?"

1. Spend time being thankful and spend time with those you are thankful for!
We always spend time with family on Thanksgiving. It is so much fun for the guys to watch football or play with the kids outside while the women chat and get things ready for dinner. We will always spend Thanksgiving with someone who will cook a turkey because I will not...so if my husband wants turkey he will be thankful to anyone who will cook it for him.


2. We always have mashed potatoes.
When I was in college and home for Thanksgiving break my Mom was getting ready to make the mashed potatoes (one of my two requests for dinner) when she could not find her mixer. We looked everywhere and finally determined it was lost. Thankfully there are a few stores open on Thanksgiving and they sell mixers so we were still able to have mashed potatoes. A few years later we were all together again and my Mom told my sister and I she would use as many potatoes as we peeled for the mashed potatoes. We peeled a 10 lb bag of potatoes! Needless to say we had them for a few days after Thanksgiving.

3. We always have a main dish in addition to Turkey.
You read where I don't cook turkey, well I don't really like to eat it either. I would much rather have ham! So wherever we are celebrating Thanksgiving I am thankful for the other main dish that my family lovingly makes.

We have many family traditions (mostly centering around food) I hope to pass along to my children some day. More than anything I hope they will make new traditions when they have families of their own...and still put a ham on the table for me!

Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions?

This post is for a twittermoms blogging contest for a $50 Target Gift Card redeemable at any Target store or online at Target.com. For more information visit twittermoms.

Holiday Blooming Hat from Boutique Stitches

1 Lucky






Reader will win a Holiday Blooming Hat from My Baby Bowtique

This beautiful red crochet hat is adorned with a beautiful white funky bow with the center of the bow accented with a korker bow.

The hat will fit from toddler 12 months-girls up to age 9 or 10.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

This giveaway ends on November 30th

Holiday Gift Event @ Love to Shop Mom

Love To Shop Mom has 44 prizes to give away in the Holiday Gift Guide Event.
There will be 44 different winners!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

This giveaway ends at midnight (central standard time) on December 5th, 2009. Winners will be chosen using Random.org. And will be announced on December 7th,2009.

Win 1 of 5 Safeway Gift Cards

5 lucky



readers will each win a $50 Safeway gift card.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

The deadline for this giveaway is November 18th, 2009 at 11:59 PM Arizona time.

Horizon Little Blends Giveaway

"Getting kids to eat their veggies can be a challenge. Which is why Horizon has created new Little Blends yogurt—bringing fruits and vegetables together for the first time in a great-tasting yogurt that kids love. Produced without added growth hormones, high fructose corn syrup or artificial ingredients, it’s natural goodness that kids want and moms can feel good about."

Horizon Little Blends comes in 3 fruit and vegetable combination's.

• Banana & Sweet Potato
• Strawberry & Carrot
• Apple & Butternut Squash
  

Thanks to Horizon Little Blends and TwitterMoms you have the chance to win 1 of 2 Horizon Little Blend prize packs. Each prize pack includes a Thermos, a coupon for a FREE 6 pack of Horizon Little Blends yogurt and a Little Blends spoon.

Mandatory Entry:

Tell me which flavor of Little Blends you would like to try. Please let me know which color thermos you would prefer if you won (blue, pink or black).
Make sure if your email address is not visible in your profile that you leave one in your initial entry!

Additional Entries:

• Follow this blog
  
• Enter my other giveaway here (and leave a comment on this post telling me you did)
• Favorite me on technaroti (leave your username)
• Click on the Top Mommy Blogs button (left side) and come back and tell me you did.
• Blog about the giveaway and link directly to this post. Leave the URL to your post in the comment.
• To Gain One Extra Entry Per Day: Follow CouponClippin on Twitter AND Tweet the message below (leave a link to your tweet in the comment):
  

Win a Horizon Little Blends prize pack from @CouponClippin http://bit.ly/1DIf5h #giveaway

This giveaway will end December 12, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be drawn via random.org. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond. Open to US residents only. I will do my best to accommodate the thermos color requests.

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion Review & Giveaway

Review

I was very anxious to receive my bottle of Skin MD Natural Face, Hand & Body lotion. With the flu season in full swing and a new baby at home I am washing my hands all day long making them very dry. I have always had dry skin, as a child I washed my hands so much my parents had to get prescription lotion for me. I have tried many different kinds of hand lotion in the hopes of finding one that works and I think I have found a winner. I like that this lotion goes on very smoothly and does not leave your hands feeling greasy or slippery. This lotion can be used on your face, hands and body which is wonderful for busy Moms who don't have time to locate and put on 3 different types of lotion every day. My face is sensitive when it comes to cleansers and lotions and I have had problems with lotions causing my face to itch, however I did not have a problem using this lotion on my face! There is no harmful fragrance and the lotion is hypoallergenic which I appreciate because I care about what touches my babies delicate skin and I am constantly touching her with my hands after I have applied the lotion.

To use, you apply a small amount every 2-8 hours until you feel a difference in the moisture level of your skin. You can then apply just once every 1-2 days to maintain the moisture. I would highly recommend this lotion to anyone who like me has tried all the other lotions on the market to no avail.

"A shielding lotion is unlike any other conventional, artificial moisturizer because it works with the skin to naturally moisturize and heal. Most conventional, artificial moisturizers only add moisture to the surface of the skin, but do little to repair the skin’s natural barrier against moisture robbing irritants. Skin MD Natural breaks the dry skin cycle by working to help restore skin’s natural protective abilities by bonding to the outer layer of skin, strengthening skins natural barrier against toxins and irritants that can dry the skin, while locking in the skin’s natural oils. Made in the US using high quality natural ingredients making it over 90% all natural. It is free of harmful fragrances, parabens, and colorants making it hypoallergenic. This product is not tested on animals and the lotion does not contain any animal products."

For more information check out Skin MD Natural on the web.

Giveaway
One lucky reader will win a 4oz bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion.

Mandatory Entry:

Tell me why you would like to win this lotion.
Make sure if your email address is not visible in your profile that you leave one in your initial entry!

Additional Entries:

• Follow this blog
  
• Enter my other giveaway here (and leave a comment on this post telling me you did)
• Favorite me on technaroti (leave your username)
• Click on the Top Mommy Blogs button (left side) and come back and tell me you did.
• Blog about the giveaway and link directly to this post. Leave the URL to your post in the comment.
• To Gain One Extra Entry Per Day: Follow CouponClippin on Twitter and tweet the message below (leave a link to your tweet in the comment):
  

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion @CouponClippin http://bit.ly/P8hHa Ends 12/12 #giveaway

This giveaway will end December 12, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be drawn via random.org. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond. Open to US residents only.

A thank you to Skin MD Natural for providing me with a bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion for review as well as one for this giveaway. The opinions shared in this review are my own.

Win a membership to Memorable Entertaining

5 Lucky



Readers will win a membership to Memorable Entertaining!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

This giveaway will end on November 15, 2009 at 11:59 PM (EST). EVERYONE is eligible to enter (even International).

Won Anything This Week?

• 250 Business Cards from The Bear Bunch
• Baby Bjorn Babysitter Balance from Just for Me...and You
• Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms Cookbook from Simply Living on a Budget
• Holiday Stickers by MyTwoBabes from Fabulous Fun Finds
• A myWallaby purse from 24/7 Moms
  

The Bear Bunch Birthday Bash

1 Lucky




Reader will win a Brainy Baby Gift Basket

CLICK HERE TO ENTER

Giveaway will end on Nov. 23th at 11:59 PM EST.

Internet Printable Coupons

Internet Printable (IP) coupons have become widely popular over the past few years. You can print off the coupons you need with the click of your mouse, from the comfort of your own home!

Here are some websites you can visit to find coupons (just click on the links):

• Coolsavings
  
• Coupons.com
• Red Plum
• Smartsource
• Target
  

You may be able to print multiples of the same coupon; however many retailers will only take 1 of these per transaction. If there is a product you use frequently, check out the company website to see if they offer any coupons. Most of the time you will have to sign up for a newsletter and will then be able to print off a coupon. Some restaurants will also offer a $/$$ (exp. $10/$30 purchase) coupon if you sign up for their newsletter. Kohls offers a $5/$5 coupon when you sign up for their emails.

You want to make sure you are always using coupons responsibly. Here are a few things to look for in deciding whether or not to print/use an IP coupon.

• Is there a bar code on the coupon? If it does not have a bar code how would the cashier scan it? This could be a sign it is a fraudulent coupon.
• Does the coupon have a higher than normal redemption amount or is it for a free product? IP coupons are usually similar in value to those found in the Sunday inserts.
• No expiration dates on Internet Printables could be a sign the coupon is fraudulent. Rarely will you come across a coupon with NO expiration date (there are some exceptions when companies send coupons through the mail).
  
• Avoid buying IP coupons on ebay etc. They could be photo copies of actual IP coupons.
• Does it look like it's been photocopied or scanned and then posted to a website?
  
• If it looks too good to be true it probably is.
  

Select only IP coupons that you know you will use. Printing coupons will use up your ink which can be costly if you print a lot of coupons and then do not use them. Most of the time you will have 2-4 weeks to use an IP coupon before it expires.

You will want to make sure the store you are shopping at takes IP coupons before you try and use them. This will avoid any problems at check out and you won't get nasty looks from the shoppers behind you because you are holding up the line! Some stores will only allow you to use a certain number per transaction and some will only take IP coupons that are $1 or less and no free item IP coupons. Always remember it is up to the retailer to accept or deny any of your IP coupons. When you are printing an IP coupon you may want to print the entire page in order to show proof that it is a legit IP coupon. If you feel that the store should accept your coupons and the cashier does not want to you can ask to speak to a store manager.

What kind of experiences have you had
using Internet Printable coupons?

24/7 Moms

Get the kids to bed, grab a cup of tea and make sure your computer is plugged in and ready to go. You won't want to miss a special 2+ hour 24/7 Holiday Special with lots of giveaways TONIGHT. I have been watching the 24/7 MOMS live web cast for a few months now and I love it! It is great to hear from other Moms and to chat about all kinds of things.

24/7 MOMS Live Web Cast Airs TWO times each TUESDAY 7pm PST / 10pm EST AND 9pm PST/12amEST

Win 100 Postcards from Night Owl Mama!

1 Lucky



reader will win 100 Postcards
Size: 4x6; Paper: 14pt Cardstock Gloss; Printing: Full color both sides

CLICK HERE TO ENTER!

Giveaway Ends: November 15, 2009 at 9:00pm CST.