Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010 | Posted by
Your Frugal Friend, Niki |
As a part of the SheSpeaks program, I was recently able to try out Sensodyne's
Iso-Active toothpaste. I have some teeth that are really sensitive (towards the back of my mouth) and my wisdom teeth really need to come out soon. Some are impacted; some are coming in all crooked-like. Cold foods and drinks can be a real problem sometimes.
I can honestly say is that Sensodyne really works! You use it just as often as you would your regular toothpaste. During the time I used my nifty little canister of Iso-Active my mouth gave me no problems with sensitivity. One thing I did not really like was the foaminess of the paste. I have some issues with texture and I did not care too much for the texture of this.
If you would like to try it click here for a coupon for $1 off and some other money-saving coupons.
*Disclosure...I received a free full sized toothpaste for the purpose of reviewing it and sharing my opinion here on this blog and with my friends and family. I did not receive any payment for this post and these are my honest thoughts.
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Saturday, May 8, 2010
I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all my readers and followers. While I enjoyed being a part of the blog community for awhile, it is time for me to bow out. My family has some fantastic things ahead and blogging is taking a back seat.
Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there in the blogsphere!
Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there in the blogsphere!
Mamas, here is one freebie you won't want to miss!
Champps restaurants wants to give mothers a FREE meal this Mother's Day weekend. Print and present this coupon and you will also receive a FREE meal once a month for the next year.
Champps restaurants wants to give mothers a FREE meal this Mother's Day weekend. Print and present this coupon and you will also receive a FREE meal once a month for the next year.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Electric bills aren't the only things rising. Water consumption is HUGE is the U.S. And the more you use, the more you pay. Here are a few ways you can cut back your usage:
- Turn the water off while you brush your teeth and wash your face
- Switch to a low-flow shower head
- Take baths instead of showers (yes, filling the entire tub still takes less water than a shower!)
- Only run your washer and dishwasher when completely full
- Put mulch around your plants to help retain moisture after rain or a watering
- Use the sprinklers in the morning or evening when evaporation is less likely
- Save the water you use to boil eggs, pasta, veggies, etc. and water your houseplants with it once cooled
- Compost organic food waste (vegetable peelings and whatnot) instead of running the garbage disposal
- Go to the car wash instead of washing your own car (they recycle their water)
When the book arrived, I was already in love. The gorgeous white vellum cover, embossed with gold detail promised to be an enchanting read. The husband and wife team of authors try to sweep you away. These writers "get" women and the little girl inside of them that they will always be. They reaffirm how women feel at the core. Prepare yourself to nod your head and talk out loud when you read this book!
People either hate this book or love it. I am with the latter group.
*This book was provided to me for my reading pleasure free of charge by Thomas Nelson publishing and the Book Sneeze program. I was not given any other form of compensation to express my opinion on this book. This is my honest impression of a fine read.
It is May and so my calendar tells me that this is the time each year when I buy my son's winter coat. Nope, I do not live in a cold and icy location. And we will not be needing coats again until November here in Jersey. But this IS the time when thrift stores are marking down their winter apparel.
I live for thrift store markdowns! Just when you thought the prices couldn't get any better, they do! Yesterday I stopped by my very favorite shop to discover that white tags (those things that are wintery items) were 50% off. Lo and behold I found the perfect winter coat for my son for when he hits kindergarten this year. A warm gray and red hooded coat from the Gap, lined with fleece. It was in great shape and set me back a whopping $2.98. Last May I bought him a fabulous red and black Columbia coat for $3.
Here is a bonus second tip: pick a couple of colors for your child for a season. My son's colors are red, black, and gray. Everything we ever buy him for winter is one or more of these colors. If I see a good deal on some winter accessory I make sure to get in in these colors so he always coordinates. So next year's coat will match last year's hat and gloves, etc. If the boots still fit him, they will match. If not, I will be sure to look out for a bigger size in one of "his colors".
Tomorrow is the last chance for hubbies to take those kiddos out Mother's Day shopping. Why not make mom a FREE handmade gift?
Check out these opportunities.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Isn't junk mail a pain in the you-know-what?!? Unfortunately it is one of the downfalls to adding yourself to scads of mailing lists to sign up for freebies, coupons, and whatnot. But there is a bright side....FREE envelopes!
That's right. Free. Lots of companies (especially those soliciting donations) enclose an envelope for return mail. Many are blank, but even the ones that aren't can be covered up with an address label. I also nab the envelopes from all our bills for later use. We use online billpay (no stamps necessary, yay!) so we don't need them for payments.
So many people I know simply toss their junk mail without even opening it. I say open it (over the bin) and take out what you can use and recycle the rest!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
![[DisneyMovie+Rewards.jpg]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pskVz_lpJ8w/S565wh5xBFI/AAAAAAAADIg/KmkkuKCpWzQ/s1600/DisneyMovie%2BRewards.jpg)
New to this program? Click here for past bonus codes shared right here at Free 2 Be Frugal and get started on racking up some points!
Summertime is here. Wait, no it isn't. But summer WEATHER is here in my neck of the woods. And that means my family is thirsty all of the time!
One of the greatest frugal faux-pas you could do is to buy drinks when you are out and about. My family's beverage of choice is water. At home we use a water purifier right on our kitchen faucet and fill up our trusty pitcher full of its cool deliciousness several times a day. To keep us hydrated when we are out I like to carry aluminum water bottles with us every time we leave the house. For a day full of errands or a day trip on the road, I like to fill up a cooler full of drinks and put it in the back of our SUV.
Buying individual bottles of water can cost 99 cents and up. Which is pretty crazy considering you can get a whole gallon of spring water from the grocery store for 69 cents. Buying a case of bottles can be done for about $3. A faucet attachment to purify water is about $20 and lasts several months.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
The generous folks over at All You magazine are hosting free sample on their site EVERY. DAY. THIS. MONTH.
Seriously.
Head over there now to check out today's freebie!
This week is National Teacher Appreciation Week.
If there is a teacher who makes a difference in the lives of your children, please take a few moments to honor that person. It doesn't take a lot of time or money. It simply takes a little thought. Do something that says I appreciate what you do. Over the years I have received lots of nice gifts and trinkets, but the very best things I have gotten are notes. Handwritten ones were once so traditional, but rarely seen these days. I treasure them, but any show of gratitude is a nice surprise. Pen a letter, jot down some thoughts on a notecard, or shoot an email to an educator you appreciate.
I recently bought a wireless electric fence from the pet store. I paid nearly $500 for it and yet it was ineffective on my two dogs. My hubby thought it was money down the drain. I begged to differ. I was determined to get our money back. And that is just what I did.
The secret to making a successful return is all about knowing your "rights" as a consumer and acting confidently.
Here are a few tips for getting that return:
- Before making a purchase be sure to inquire about the store's return policy. Be sure to see it in writing or ask to speak to a manager. Get the person's name (you may need this for future reference).
- Keep your receipt and credit card/debit card/checkbook (whatever form of payment you used to purchase) in your purse.
- Be gentle and careful when removing new objects from their packaging and save it all, down to the plastic baggies and twist ties.
- While you are at it, save the boxes to all appliances and other large ticket items for at least 6 months, just in case.
- Return item in a bag from that store (you lose credibility trying to return something to the Apple store in a Dollar Tree bag, trust me).
- Confidently ask for your return and do not show any insecurity or uncertainty.
- If you are dissatisfied with the answer you get from the person at the customer service desk, ask to see the supervisor. If the problem lies with the supervisor, ask for the contact information for the regional manager or corporate office.
Huggies' Enjoy the Ride program helps you earn points to enter sweepstakes and play instant win games on their site.
One cool thing is that you don't have to wait 'til the next time you buy Huggies to start enjoying the perks of this program! Here are some bonus codes right now that you can enter:
BHPCDRBCKXWNPGB (1 pt)
BHNXGRWNDTQKPGB (1 pt)
BHNXGRWNDTQKPGB (1 pt)
And grab 3 more points when you take their newest poll and watch the puppet video.
Thanks to Freebies 4 Mom for the heads up!
No matter which printer you buy, ink is an ongoing expense. Here are a few ways to extend the life of your ink cartridges:
- Print in Draft Mode or Grayscale
- Use a lighter font such as Century Gothic (the standard Times New Roman takes more ink)
- Switch the color when ink is running low. Out of black? Try a dark blue.
Breakfasts
Scrambled egg, ham, wheat toast
Whole grain rice cake with peanut butter, milk
Special K Protein Plus cereal/Kashi Strawberry Fields cereal, milk
Dinners
Whole wheat spaghetti with meatballs, side salad
Cheese omelets, sausage links, whole wheat toast
Cream cheese noodles, fresh broccoli, side salad
Chili, cornbread
Soup and sandwich night
Pizza Night!
Taco salad (carried over from last week)
Snacks
Carrot sticks with peanut butterPlain yogurt with fruit spread
Organic Blue Corn Chips with Homemade Salsa
Peanuts
Red pepper hummus with stone-ground wheat crackers
Fruits
(choice of, eaten with each meal)
Strawberries
Plums
Pineapple chunks
Desserts
Blue Bunny No Sugar Added ice cream
Sugar-free Popsicles
Don't forget to head on over to
for hundreds more menu plans and recipes!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Need a frugal fix throughout the week?
Even when I am not posting, Free 2 Be Frugal is on Twitter! Follow along for special offers, freebies, and more.
Here's one more way tv watching has us wasting money: toothpaste. Those toothpaste commercials show the actor squeezing out a long sparkly stripe of paste along her toothbrush. Her smile gleams with minty freshness. But did you know that you only need an amount that is equivalent to the size of a pea? Yep, that's all.
Make this tiny change and your tube of toothpaste will last three times as long!
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