Yes To

One of my favorite paraben free and cruelty free brands is Yes To.  While I haven't tried too many of their products yet, I absolutely love the Volumizing Shampoo.  It smells great and leaves my hair feeling so clean and soft.  Since I can no longer find it in stores I recently placed my first online order at the Yes To online store.  Along with the Volumizing Shampoo, I also ordered the Acne Regimen Bundle to try on my breakout prone skin. 
Upon completion of my order, I was given this link to pass along to friends that gives you a 35% discount.  If you haven't tried these products before, or if you need to stock up, now is your chance.  Enjoy!

Amazon Prime

Recently my free trial of Amazon Prime ran out and I am planning to pay for a subscription.  Not only is it very nice to have free shipping with no minimum purchase, but they continue to add other perks to this membership.  The first perk added was free video on demand.  It sounds nice, but the selection is fairly limited at this point.  The most recent added perk is free Kindle book borrowing.  I'm not sure how large the selection of titles included in this feature are, but it is just another way Amazon is keeping things interesting in the world of retail these days.

All Saints' Day/Dia de los Muertos

Until recently I had not given much thought to these 2 holidays other than the day my church observes All Saints' Day and pays homage to all the loved ones the church and its members have lost during the last year.  I thought Dia de los Muertos seemed morbid and odd.  The more I have thought about it recently, I think it is a wonderful idea to give special observance to people you have known who have passed away.  I am fortunate to have not lost anyone especially close to me in a terribly untimely manner.  Take some time today to say a prayer of thanks for those you have known who are no longer with us on earth, but are in a glorious place with God.

For the Ladies

For quite some time I've wanted to share this with all of the women I know, but haven't had the nerve to bring it up in everyday conversation.  "So, do you know about menstrual cups?"  I just haven't been able to ask that in conversations with friends or family members.  So, here it is, and if you are not a woman, I hope you stopped reading after the second sentence.
Last year sometime I read about these somewhere and spent several months thinking about and researching these before making a purchase.  And I am so glad I made the switch from disposable feminine hygiene products to a reusable one.  Not only is it more economical, but more user friendly in my opinion.  If you want to hear from other women, just go here.  I ended up purchasing a Moon Cup.

If you have any questions about which one would be best for you, visit the Glad Rags website for tons of helpful information.

Halloween

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. It is just about having fun (or at least it should be), and, for me, putting out some quirky decorations.  This year I added a spooky wreath to my front door.  I found an inexpensive wreath made out of pumpkin garland and added black lights, green glitter skulls, and purple spiders. 
I also made some plush bats and officially opened my Etsy store.  There's not much there at the moment, but my next project is to start sewing more plush creatures to list on Etsy. 

Amazon Kindle

One of my favorite electronic devices is getting another upgrade.  Today Amazon announced that several new versions of the Kindle are going to be released, including a color version, the Kindle Fire.  A huge plus is that the price for all of the new Kindles is even more affordable than before.  I'm not sure how I feel about the Kindle Fire for reading as it does not have e-ink, but it certainly looks nice for the other features it offers that are comparable to other touch pads.
I've had my Kindle for about a year now and have loved reading on it.  I thought I would miss the feel of holding a book, but the convenience of being able to hold it and turn the page with one hand is wonderful.  I actually put it away for a month or so after I got it because I wasn't sure how I would like using it, but once I got it out and started using it, I rarely put it away.
One thing I do miss about reading on my Kindle is that I don't get to see the cover art very easily.  The new Kindle Touch appears to have addressed this issue, and on the product page it shows the cover art of the books in your library.

Blog Mojo

Well, I've been giving the blog thing a try for a few months now, and I finally have a design I am happy with.  At first I kept mixing it up and then settled on one design for a while even though I wasn't completely happy with it.  I hope this gives me new inspiration to keep blogging and post more often. 
I also have come across a book, at the recommendation of another blogger, to help take your blog to a new level.  The book is 31 Days to Finding Your Blogging Mojo, and gets excellent reviews.  Can't wait to get started.

Little Free Library

I love this idea.  This seems especially great for low income areas and rural areas where the residents are either too far to drive to a library or don't have a car or easy access to transportation to get to a library.  Although the cost of actually installing one of these is quite pricey, there are other ways to get books to those who can't get them on their own.  What are your ideas?

Amazon

For quite a while now I've gone to Amazon.com to purchase mp3 albums because they have better prices than iTunes, and I can download my music directly from Amazon to my iTunes account.  Each month Amazon features 100 mp3 albums at $5 each.  It's is an affordable way to expand your music library if you happen to find an album you are interested in.

This month they have added another discounted digital promotion from their Kindle store.  There are 100 Kindle titles at $3.99 or less for the month.  I'm not sure if this will be an ongoing monthly promotion or not.  This is especially nice since the price of ebooks has gone up a bit recently.

Lastly, there seems to be a "daily deal" for almost everything now, and Amazon now offers a daily deal for Kindle books which can be found here.

Maybe you will find something new to add to your digital library.

Favorite

It's a little late in the season for this, but hummingbirds are one of my favorite things about summer in the South.  Lately they've been especially active, so I thought I should make note of them before the weather gets cool and they move to a warmer climate.

Around May they start to show up and remind me that it's time to get my feeder out.  I have a hook for a feeder that is just outside of my kitchen window, so I get to look at these little guys almost every time I am washing dishes or doing some other chore in the kitchen.  They are especially fun to watch when they are battling over a spot on the feeder.  They just don't want to share even though there's enough room for four to feed at once.

So, if you don't have a feeder, maybe now is a good time to get one at a discount and save it for next summer.  Here's a nice one that is similar to the one I have.  Look for one with perches so you can actually see the birds at rest for a minute or so.  Lastly, no need to buy nectar, you can easily make your own sugar water.

Have fun bird watching!

Favorite

While browsing recently at one of my favorite beauty stores, Ulta, I came across a cosmetics line I had not heard of before, Sula. There is not a large selection, but what they do offer is competitively priced at about $8 per item, and is paraben free and cruelty free (I think), oh, and the packaging is beautiful. The lipstick I tried was a long-lasting, non-drying deep plum.

Confession

I love toys. There, I said it. I know it's no surprise to a few folks who know me well. I don't know why I like toys so much. I was not deprived as a child, but for whatever reason a part of me has always enjoyed having toys around.
These are some of my current favorites, Lalaloopsy Dolls. Apparently they are just as popular among adults as children. They are made in miniature and larger sizes, and these are some my children were playing with today. No, I don't play with them except at the request of a child, but I rather like to collect them. If I had a dedicated office/craft room, I would love to have a display. I also like them for inspiration for dolls I would like to make myself. Hopefully one day I will post items I have made myself instead of mass produced items.

What have you given up lately?

I am trying to get rid of as many disposable paper products in my house as possible.  I do still buy paper towels, but it takes us quite a while to use up a roll.  Just about the only thing I use them for anymore is to clean glass and to clean up extra nasty messes such as cat vomit.  Instead, I use old towels to clean up messy spills or microfiber towels for extra wet messes.  

I also haven't purchase disposable paper napkins in quite a while.  We have a few cloth napkins, but I would like to add a few more to have on hand for entertaining.  For the kids, I have been using old cloth diapers as napkins for a few years.  Several of them are starting to show their wear.

I may buy paper plates on rare occasions, such as a child's birthday party, but that's about it.

Lastly, there is toilet paper.  No, I'm not giving that up, but do buy paper made of recycled materials much to my husband's chagrin.  I have heard of households using "family wipes,"  but I am not nearly daring enough to take on that sort of task.  Some things are best kept private in my opinion.

Sunscreen

Just when I think I have a product that is supposed to be safe, I read that some of the ingredients are not acceptable to some companies or users.  One such ingredient is oxybenzone, a common sunscreen ingredient that is said to disrupt the endocrine system and/or be potentially damaging to the reproductive system.  Another ingredient is vitamin A which sounds like a good additive, but is said to be a possible cancer causing agent.

In my quest to find paraben free, cruelty free, and less toxic sunscreens the key is affordability.  There are sunscreens out there that are supposedly better for you than others, but also cost a small fortune.  For now I am going to try Nature's Gate Aqua Block. 

Sure, a lot of this may be hype and a way to steer folks like me to new and more expensive products, but I figure if I can find something that is supposed to be more safe for my children, I am likely to buy it.

Rewards Programs

I don't know about you, but currently my wallet is bursting with loyalty/discount cards from various retailers.  Several of them are valuable because they offer you access to sales that you would otherwise miss out on without the card.  A couple of these are PetsMart and CVS.  Others, however, track your purchases and reward you with coupons or other discounts when you have spent a certain amount at their store.  Last time I went to Arby's (about a month ago), I was handed a discount card.  Seems a bit silly to me, but I'm sure there are folks out there racking up points to earn free roast beef.

Summer Reading

I'm looking forward to reading more this summer.  I went to the thrift store earlier in the week and picked up several paperbacks for $.99.  I have a couple of titles picked out to take to the beach in July.  I love to read on the beach, but don't get to as much these days since I now have young children to watch.   

Right now Amazon has a large selection of discounted Kindle titles.  It looks like a promotion for the kickoff of summer reading.  Lots of genres are included and prices range from $.99-$2.99.  Start browsing here.  Now, to narrow it down and not get carried away.

Hidden Code

I have shopped through Sierra Trading Post periodically over the last few years because they do offer some significant savings on shoes.  However, many times the shipping fee cancels out the savings and a lot of times I will pass on making a purchase.  But, I was recently glancing through a catalog from them  and noticed a code within a product description that was said to give free shipping on an order.  I really thought this must have been some sort of misprint, but I did in fact give it a try and it was valid.  I guess they do want you to give their print materials a closer look, which I will do if I am interesting in making a purchase.

Online Rebate Programs

If you do any online shopping and are not registered with an online rebate site, you are losing money.  It is very simple to set up an account, and you earn a cash back percentage at many many online retailers.  The site I use is Mr. Rebates, and another popular site is ebates.  Not only do you earn cash back, but you also can find out about additional coupons and discounts available at those retailers.

The program at Mr. Rebates allows you to withdraw you balance when it reaches a minimum of $10, when you can then request either a check or a transfer to your paypal account.  The payments are made quarterly.

Click here for my referral link.

One of the only drawbacks, the very popular retailer, Amazon.com, does not participate in these programs.

Happy shopping!

Iced Coffee

Thanks to my sister, one of my few blog readers, I was able to try a couple of samples of Starbucks instant iced coffee.  It was pretty good, but I don't think it is something I will be purchasing.  Instead, I will stick to making homemade iced coffee from this recipe shared by Mommy's Kitchen.  I like making the coffee myself, because not only is is more cost effective, but you can control the taste and make it more to your liking.

Also, thank you to my two loyal followers for checking out my blog.  I've been blogging less lately and working with the design more.  Hopefully I will settle on something and get back to posting more often.

Starbucks Happy Hour

Starbucks has another promotion in their stores starting today, May 6 through May 15.  You can get half off Frappuccino blended drinks between 3pm and 5pm on these days.  Here are the details.

Free Starbucks Coffee

Celebrate Earth Day at Starbucks.  On April 22, participating Starbucks stores are offering a free coffee to customers who bring in their own tumbler or mug.  Usually these promotions are only done at free-standing stores.

Free Kindle Books

I haven't seen too many deals out there to post in several days.  Once again there are some new Kindle books for free that look pretty good.  One for children:  The Very First Easter, and a historical novel about the Holocaust:  The Secret Holocaust Diaries. 
Check here for more free Kindle titles from Amazon.

1 Free Year of Working Mother Magazine

ValuMags.com is offering 12 issues free of Working Mother Magazine.  You do not need to provide any credit card or billing information for this offer and will not receive a bill.  I have used this site for free magazines before with no trouble.

eBay eXtras

eBay has a new feature called eBay eXtras.  The page has links to different free samples and coupons as well as product suggestions and other tips.  I'm mainly interested in the free sample page.

Free Kindle Book

The Kindle book When You Went Away is currently free (normally $7.99).  If you see a free title you are interested, don't wait to get it.  Often new release titles are only free for a day or two before returning to the regular price.
Remember, you don't have to own a Kindle to read Kindle books.  You can go here to download the application to read on your pc or smartphone.

Birmingham Groupon

Today's Groupon in Birmingham is $10 for $20 worth of Thai Fare and Sushi at Surin West, Surin 280, or Surin of Thailand.  This is a great deal for all of the Surin fans out there.  If you've never signed up for Groupon, you can use this link to sign up to make a purchase or to view the daily deals in the city or cities of your choice.

Reader's Digest for $3.99

Get a 1 year subscription to Reader's Digest Magazine for $3.99.  Go to Discountmags.com and use coupon code 5369 at checkout to get $21 off of the usual subscription price of $24.99.

$12 (or less) for 2 Years of Country Living Magazine

Mamapedia is offering Country Living Magazine for $12 for a two year subscription.  If this is your first time to make a purchase through Mamapedia, then you can deduct an additional $5.
Mamapedia is one of the many deal-a-day sites that have become so popular as of late, however, they focus on mainly family friendly deals.

20% Off at Soap.com

Here's an offer for new users at Soap.com:  If you enter my email address or Share the Savings Code on the shopping cart screen, you'll get an extra 20% off your first Soap.com order. 
My Email Address: sarah.pierce2@gmail.com
Savings Code: SARA392806

Shipping is free for orders over $39, and they have coupon offers on many items.   

Goody Spin Pin

This is my favorite new hair accessory: The Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin.  It's an extremely easy product to use, and offers you a great alternative to putting your hair in a pony tail everyday.  Well worth the price.

Free Kindle Book

This free book may be worth a look:  Living Rich by Spending Smart.  It gets good reviews, and if there is any new advice it's always good to keep up with new ideas on saving better.

Give and Get is Here!

Give and Get is Here!: "Enjoy 30% off from March 17-20 at Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy plus we'll make a 5% donation to a non-profit."

Starbucks Free Dessert Offer

In celebration of 40 years of business, Starbucks is offering a free petite dessert with handcrafted drink purchase from March 10-12 between 2pm and 5pm.  It's a good idea to confirm with your local Starbucks that they are participating in this promotion.

Lip Balm

At first it was the unique and attractive packaging that appealed to me the most, then it was the organic ingredients, cruelty free, and paraben free factors that were also attractive.  But when I actually started using eos lip balm sphere I really liked it.  It comes in nice scents/flavors and is lightweight.  You can find it at many major drug store chains as well as the eos online store.

Target

If you are in need of any gift wrap supplies, Target has many items on clearance right now in that department.  I also saw a lot of home improvement items such as cabinet handles on clearance.  Lastly, they had spring/summer pj sets for children already reduced by 50%.

No-Bake Cinnamon Honey Granola Bars

This is my favorite new snack recipe.  This can be used to make chewy snack bars or used as cereal.  Here is the original recipe: 
No-Bake Cinnamon Honey Granola Bars
Serves: 4
Prep/Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. butter
½ tsp. Simple Indulgence™ Cinnamon Vanilla Blend
1 cup granola
½ cup rice cereal
½ cup thin pretzel sticks, broken in pieces
In a 3 Qt./2.8 L sauce pan, combine brown sugar, honey, butter and seasoning blend.
Bring to a boil on high, reduce heat to low and simmer until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.
Place granola, rice cereal and pretzels in a large mixing bowl. Pour sugar syrup over the top stir evenly and coat. Cool mixture slightly. Divide the mixture into the
SnackBar Maker molds, compact with the press, seal and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes or until the bars have set.

I made a few modifications to my taste. I omitted the pretzels, used oatmeal instead of granola, and added dried cranberries. 

This is the Tupperware SnackBar maker that the recipe refers to, but you could also form bars by putting the mixture in a baking dish, compacting, and cutting into bars.

Free Children's Skincare Product

Episencial is offering a free full-size sample of their Protective Face Balm.  You will need to watch a video and then take a quiz to be eligible for the sample.  Link to offer

Lent

The Lenten season is upon us, and I (much to my husband's pleasure) have decided to not buy anything for myself beyond food and the basics for the next forty days.  No new clothes, books, etc...  May not be difficult for some, but I find myself all too often enjoying bringing home a new but unnecessary item.
It was also brought to my attention that Lent needn't necessarily be about giving something up, but maybe about taking on something new.  Stepping outside of your usual comfort zone, volunteering your time, or maybe even finishing a project that has been pushed to the side.
Either way, this year I have tried to be more observant of the season and will do my best to be more reflective and concentrate on simpler things.

Kindle Delivers

I have posted several free ebooks offered by Amazon because I enjoy finding freebies whenever possible.  The Kindle freebies are especially nice because I'm trying to read more, and having a Kindle around has inspired me to read whenever possible.  It has served its purpose: to re-Kindle my love of reading.  Yes, I certainly will and do pay for Kindle publications, but having the free offerings is just icing on the cake.

Sneaking in the Veggies

I have two fairly picky eaters who are especially opposed to vegetables.  I recently found that I can add about 1/2 cup finely grated carrots to pancake batter and you cannot taste the difference.  In fact, adding the carrots seems to make the pancakes moister.  Now I don't feel so bad serving pancakes for dinner once a week or every two weeks.  Also, instead of syrup, I like to whip together cream cheese and plain yogurt with a little sugar.  Not a low-fat option, but a lower sugar option.

Free Kindle Book

Here's a murder mystery that looks interesting.  One of the authors also writes for NCIS, which is one of my favorite tv shows.  You Can't Stop Me

Paraben Free Sunscreen

If you are interested in finding more paraben free skincare products like I am, one of the few sunscreens I have found that is paraben free and cruelty free is Ocean Potion.  Although I don't like to shop at Wal-Mart, I have found that they carry it as well as some online retailers.

Zaxby's

Have you joined Zaxby's Mail Club yet?  You will get a card for a free meal deal in the mail in about 10 days in addition to other member benefits.

Organix Rebate

Organix is offering a potentially high value rebate on their skincare products.  I have not tried any of their skin care products yet, but may do so now with the rebate offer.  These products are paraben free and cruelty free which is something I look for when purchasing hair and skincare products. 

You have almost a year to qualify for up to $50 in rebates.  Organix Skincare Rebate

Free Kindle Children's Book

Here's another free Kindle book for children.  I Love You This Much: A Song of God's Love  You do not need to own a Kindle to take advantage of these offers.  You can read from your pc or smartphone with one of the free Kindle Reading Apps.

Free Kindle Book

There are often new free Kindle books available at Amazon.  Many are classic novels, and many are not of interest to me, but occasionally there is one that looks interesting.  One I just downloaded is Admit One: My Life in Film.  Amazon link 

Recordable DVD Deal

Here's a great deal on 50 DVD-R's from Newegg.com.  They ship for $8.99.  Not sure how long this deal is going.  Link to Deal

Amazon Movie Deal

If you have any young girls in your household, this is a good deal from Amazon.  Pre-order Tangled, and get $10 off of an additional Disney Blu-ray purchase (limited selections).  You can get 2 Blu-ray combo packs for as little as $28.48.  This offer expires April 4, 2011.  Amazon offer

Target Sales

I recently stopped by Target and saw that they've started marking down some of their warehouse deals.  They were at 15% off on Monday.