{review} Personal Microderm System

Since the birth of my daughter and diagnosis of Hashimoto's disease, my skin has never been the same.  I have developed melasma, which appears as dark patches on my face and is heightened by sun exposure. It's all lovely I tell you.

My general skin care regimen usually involves: wash, toner, moisturize, sunscreen -- and exfoliate a couple times a week.  Unfortunately, this usually has very little results on the melasma.  My sister-in-law, an aesthetician, recommended a series of Microdermabrasion.  Those are pricey so I have yet to try a series of 'professional' in-office treatments.  I have always wanted to, though.

Lucky for me, Dermstore offered to send me a Personal Microderm system to review!!  I checked it out online and was intrigued by the great reviews -- but I was trying to be realistic about it being a "home" system and not "professional." 

The Personal Microderm is a "convenient, easy to use, portable and personal microdermabrasion system helping you get younger looking skin without paying for high priced treatments."   It's priced at $179.99, which seems really  high but compared to in-office treatments it pays for itself after one at-home treatment. 

Now, to be totally fair and honest, I have nothing to compare my results to since I haven't had professional treatments done.  BUT, I was very pleased with the results I got after one treatment and after two treatments I noticed a big different in my melasma.  It's painless, easy and makes your skin look so even and feel soft!

The Personal Microderm  uses replacement tips (comes with 6, each is good for 1-3 uses) that can be purchased for $15 for 6 tips.  This makes it easy to share this device with your friends!  In fact, I used it on my husband's face (he loved it!) and on my friend Candice (who is ready for another go-around).  I am in love with this thing!!

I know it may seem pricey upfront, but I really feel (after trying it) that it is totally worth it -- especially if you have fine wrinkles or skin discoloration you are worried about. 

The Personal Microderm is available at DermStore with FREE shipping on all orders!

Disclosure:  Dermstore sent me the Personal Microderm to try out and review.  No other compensation was given.

{review} Monopoly Wii Game

Recently we were given the Wii game  Monopoly Streets to try out and we have been having so much fun with it (even our 5 year old, although she doesn't understand all of it)!

We love the board game version but not only is that especially hard for a 5 year-old, it can take all. night. long to finish the game.  I LOVE that the Wii version allows you to choose different ways to play -- like a Speed Die version.  It definitely puts a nice/different twist on the game.

The 3D street graphics are great and I really liked how we could customized our Mii characters (so they could walk around town with us). Definitely a cute and fun game that we'll love playing for a long time!

Currently, Amazon has Monopoly Streets for just $38.54 with FREE Shipping.

Disclosure: The information, Monopoly game were all provided by EA and RocketXL. EA has given me a Monopoly Streets Wii game to facilitate my review/post. The opinions and comments in this review are my own and any compensation has not altered or influenced my statements and opinions.

Van's Natural Foods Review

We like to keep frozen breakfast items on hand for those mornings that I don't like standing over the hot stove (which is most mornings)! Most pre-packaged breakfast items, though, aren't exactly healthy for you and they contain a lot of sugar. While I definitely like to make my own pancakes, french toast and waffles and freeze them, it's nice to pick up a box of pre-made to keep on hand.

When Van's Natural Foods offered to send us some of their mini-waffles and french toast sticks, we graciously accepted. Since my Lil' Peanut could be a professional waffle tester, I knew I could get some honest feedback. She dug right in.

First of all, I love that the mini waffles only have 63 calories and 1.5g of fat for 4 of them. The are the perfect size and no syrup is needed -- they taste DE-LISH!! My little one loves that they also come in flavors like chocolate chip and blueberry. There are NO preservatives (unlike other brands) and NO cholesterol either - and, NO high fructose corn syrup!

The french toast sticks were equally yummy and fun to dip in applesauce! (Maybe they'll come out with a whole grain and flax version - hint, hint.)

For the gluten-free families, they even offer wheat-free pancakes!

You can check out all of Van's natural products HERE and find out where to buy these great products HERE!

Thanks again Van's for creating such wonderful products and for letting us try them out!!


Disclosure: Van's provided me 2 boxes of mini-waffles and a box of french toast sticks to review. The opinion above is my own, honest opinion. The compensation received will never influence the content, topics or posts made in this blog. No other compensation was given.

*OVER* Pinecone Research - Paid Product Testing Accepting New Applicants

*UPDATE: Applications now closed.

It's rare when Pinecone Research opens up their invitations, so I'd definitely sign up while they are accepting new members!!!

As a member of Pinecone Research, I was pleased when I received an invitation to test out a new product. Although I can't go into details about the product, I can tell you about my experience with Pinecone Research as a company.

I have received several online surveys from Pinecone taking from 5 -15 minutes and have been paid $3 for each one. I have also received this last product test and payment for that even before I was done completing the final survey. So, I know they are legitimate, reliable and fast paying.

You can sign up here! (Every little bit helps, right?)

Vaseline® Sheer Infusion™ with Stratys-3™ Lotion Review and Coupons for Everyone

I was very excited when I received the new Vaseline® Sheer Infusion™ with Stratys-3™ lotions since I had seen them all over the stores. My skin is always parched (thanks to the AZ heat), so I was curious to see how Vaseline's new lotion could moisturize this dry skin.

I usually use Burt's Bees Baby Bee Lotion (an addiction of mine), so despite the long list of ingredients that I can't pronounce, I was intrigued my Vaseline's new line. I figured that after a summer of fishing on the water, I could definitely use a little more help getting my skin back to 'normal.'

My first thought was: "What is this Stratys-3 formula?"

Well, Vaseline has developed to combine three powerful ingredients that infuse and suspend moisture across all layers of skin*-- the top, the core, and deep down.

That outta give me moisture, right?

I tried each of the three varieties for 3 days each. First up was the Botanical Blend Sheer Infusion™ because it smelled the yummiest. Definitely lightweight but still kept a good amount of moisture on my skin throughout the day. Not sticky one bit... love that.

Up next was the Mineral Renewal formula-- I'm not sure what minerals are inside (the back of these bottles are very hard to read) but it, too, did a decent job at moisturizing and held a very light scent.

Last up was the Vitamin Burst version which didn't sting one bit when I applied it to my newly shaven legs (that's a good sign, right?). Although slightly more "sticky" than the other two, I felt it did a good job of helping my dry skin even though the scent was a little bit stronger than I usually like.

Overall, I was impressed with the moisture and softness that I had after using Vaseline® Sheer Infusion™ with Stratys-3™ Lotions for the first week and a half!

If you'd like to try the Vaseline® Sheer Infusion™ with Stratys-3™ Lotions, you can save a little money by using these printable coupons and matching it with a sale! (NOTE: A 6.8fl.oz. bottle retails for around $7.99)

(Thanks RocketXL and Vaseline for this opportunity!)

P.S. There are more $1.50 off coupons HERE (or HERE for IE users).

Minute Rice Review, Coupons, and FREE Rice for FIVE Readers!

When I was contacted last month to try out some new recipes with Minute Rice, I was thrilled because we have been long time fans of the Minute Rice brand and appreciate the versatility and affordable aspects of their products!

Minute Rice's brown rice has a great nutty taste and can be whipped up in a variety of delicious meals and side dished within minutes! One of our favorite dinners includes a bed of this brown rice with a load of sauteed veggies on top.... Mmmmm!

With the coupons they sent me, I was able to try one of Minute's newer products: Ready to Serve Brown & Wild Rice, which is divided into 2-8oz. servings that can be ready in just a couple of minutes. Perfect for our mother-daughter lunches! I loved the flavor and it paired perfectly with our leftover veggies - very filling, nutritious, quick, and super affordable. What more can a mom ask for?

Minute Rice has a TON of recipes on their site so you can try different variations, too! I especially love the Brown Rice Pudding that I'll tweak just a bit. :)

Minute Rice has generously offered FIVE lucky readers a coupon good for a FREE 14oz. Minute Rice Product!! I love free food giveaways, especially when it's good for you!!

Here's how to enter:

1. Leave a comment with your email or blog link telling me your favorite way to use rice. It's important that you leave your blog link and/or e-mail for me to be able to contact you. To prevent spamming, type your email like this: gooddealgal (at) gmail (dot) com.
   
2. Contest will close on Thursday, September 17th at 12:00pm Arizona time. All comments will be closed at that point.
   
3. The winner will be announced and notified via email. He/She will have 24 hours to respond before I select another winner.

Want Extra Entries?

1. Subscribe to The Good Deal Gal and leave a separate comment telling me you're in! If you already subscribe, leave an extra comment telling me so.
2. Follow me on Twitter . Leave a separate comment telling me you're following.
   
3. Buzz about this giveaway on your blog and come back and leave the link.
4. Grab my blog button (to the left) and add to your blog. Come back and let me know where I can see it.
5. Become a fan of The Good Deal Gal on Facebook.
   

So, that's SIX chances to win! Those are good odds!

Good Luck to everyone!! :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the meantime, Minute Rice has two new coupons for you to print:

* $1 off 2 Minute Rice products

* $1 off 2 Minute Ready to Serve products

Pond's Cleansing Towelettes: Review, Coupons, and Money Back Guarantee

You've probably seen all the coupons out there for Pond's Cleansing towelettes (like the $1.50 off coupons HERE and HERE) -- maybe you've seen Pond's towelettes on the shelves at your local drugstore or maybe you're like me and just hate having to wash your face at night when you're ready to fall on your face. :)

I was so happy when Rocket XL and Pond's sent me a 30-count package of their original cleansing towelettes because I love the idea and simplicity that comes with using towelettes. No extra tubes of cleanser, no washcloths, no separate bottle of eye makeup remover.... but how well could they really work, right?

The towelettes came in the mail when I was on vacation, so I actually received the package the night I got home. After a full day of traveling alone with a toddler, I needed a bit of, uh, freshening up. My makeup was crusty and I was a hot, sweaty mess by the time we finally made it home.

I was thrilled to rip open the Pond's towelettes because my other option was rolling into bed with my sticky face (probably not a good idea). The first thing I noticed was that Pond's were thicker towelettes than other brands I have tried. I also loved that they smelled great and, best of all, they worked...Really well! My waterproof mascara came off with no problems and the rest of my face ended up being squeaky clean. I half-expected to be left with a sticky residue on my face, but notta. I felt great again (well, I was still tired but at least I was clean).

It's no wonder my face felt clean... Pond's Towelettes remove up to 40% more dirt, oil and make up than other leading products and even waterproof mascara! You can see the difference HERE (really, go peek).

If you want to feel the difference, pick up your own Pond's Cleansing Towelettes (use the $1.50 off coupons HERE and HERE). Not only are they hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested, but Pond's even offers a money-back guarantee. You can nothing to lose!

Check out the three varieties and learn more out Pond's Wet Cleansing Towelettes HERE!

*CLOSED* The Penny Pinchers Club: Book Review and Giveaway!

I was recently given the opportunity to review The Penny Pinchers Club, a novel written by Sarah Strohmeyer (thanks to Dutton Publicity and Penguin USA!).

I crave good books and, since I was heading out on vacation, I was thrilled to get started on this novel... after reading the summary, it seemed like the perfect fit for this penny pincher.

The Penny Pinchers Club opens up with main character Kat Griffiths as a New Jersey wife whose favorite past time involves shopping sprees at Williams-Sonoma and a $240-a-month Starbucks addiction. When faced with the secrets her husband has been hiding, including a hidden bank account and emails to his young assistant, Kat turns to a local Penny Pinchers group to help dig herself out of debt and save enough money to pay for a divorce and a future on her own.

It's a far-cry from her previous ways, but Kat is learning how to live without cable, price match with coupons, dumpster dive for dinner, and all sorts of money-saving tricks that bring her closer to her goal. (Did you know that pumping your gas at dawn saves money because the gas is thicker? I learned so much!)

The Penny Pinchers Club is the perfect recession-proof read that teaches us lessons about what money can and can't buy. The plot is so engaging and heart-warming -- it goes way beyond unfolding money-saving tricks and reveals true lessons of happiness that money can't buy!

I highly recommend The Penny Pinchers Club, and I am excited to to crack open Sarah Strohmeyer's other books including The Cinderella Pact, Sweet Love, The Sleeping Beauty Proposal, and The Secret Lives of Fortunate Wives.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to Dutton Publicity and Penguin USA
TWO lucky readers will each win their own hardcover

The Penny Pinchers Club book!!

*CLOSED* Winners will be announced soon.

Here's how to enter:

1. Leave a comment with your email or blog link telling me your favorite book. It's important that you leave your blog link and/or e-mail for me to be able to contact you. To prevent spamming, type your email like this: gooddealgal (at) gmail (dot) com.
   
2. Contest will close on Friday, August 21st at 12:00pm Arizona time. All comments will be closed at that point.
   
3. The winners will be announced and notified via email. He/She will have 24 hours to respond before I select another winner.

Want Extra Entries?

1. Subscribe to The Good Deal Gal and leave a separate comment telling me you're in! If you already subscribe, leave an extra comment telling me so.
2. Follow me on Twitter . Leave a separate comment telling me you're following.
   
3. Buzz about this giveaway on your blog and come back and leave the link.
4. Grab my blog button (to the left) and add to your blog. Come back and let me know where I can see it.
5. Become a fan of The Good Deal Gal on Facebook.
   

So, that's SIX chances to win and TWO winners -- those are great odds for a GREAT book!!

Good Luck to everyone!! :)

Have you tried Purex 3-in-1 Sheets Yet?

As a Purex Insider, I was fortunate enough to get to try these before they hit the shelves. I was a tad skeptical because, I'll admit it, the claims seemed pretty big...

These handy laundry sheets have so many benefits! You just drop the laundry sheet into your washer and the detergent is released during the wash cycle. Once the wash is complete, transfer the laundry sheet with your clothes to the dryer. The "magical" stripe on the laundry sheet is heat-activated by the dryer to soften and remove static. Ingenious!

Plus, if you happen to sometimes do small load like myself, you can cut the sheet in half to stretch them even further. No spilling, no heavy lifting, no multiple products... this sheet works!

You can check out a video demonstration, read more, print out $1 off coupons, and get a chance to win a year's supply of Purex 3-in-1 sheets HERE!!

Plus, if you'll do me a HUGE favor, just by clicking HERE and visiting the site you are helping me earn a top spot as a Purex Insider! Your one click could help me win so that I can get some great stuff for future giveaways!! (Thanks a ton!) :)

*CLOSED* Turtle Chex Mix Bars (2 Winners)

MyBlogSpark recently sent me a gift basket full of pampering goodies and a super-special treat: Turtle Chex Mix bars! I was in heaven!

After we put my daughter to bed, we both put our feet up and dug in to a box of the Turtle Chex Mix Bars. We have always been fans of Chex Mix snack mixes, but this was truly a new experience. My hubby kept referring to them as "granola bars," but there was nothing granola-y about them except maybe the fact that they have less than 150 calories per bar and provide at least 8 grams of whole grain per serving. (Bonus, right?)

Well, the big bonus comes with the first bite... I loved how these bars included the savory part of the Chex mix, the salty of the pretzel pieces, the sweetness of the chocolate bits, and the chewiness of the caramel. At first bite I was glad they were only 150 calories because I really wanted another. (Not because they're not big enough, but because I'm a piggy like that.)

MyBlogSpark wants you to try this tasty treat for yourself, so they have offering TWO readers each TWO boxes of the Turtle Chex Mix Bars!!!

Here's how to enter:

1. Leave me a comment below telling me how you unwind at the end of the day. It's important that you leave your blog link and/or e-mail. To prevent spamming, type your email like this: gooddealgal (at) gmail (dot) com.
   
2. Contest will close on Monday, July 20th at 12:00pm Arizona time. All comments will be closed at that point.
   
3. The winners will be announced and notified via email. He/She will have 24 hours to respond before I select another winner.

Want Extra Entries?

1. Subscribe to The Good Deal Gal and leave a separate comment telling me you're in! If you already subscribe, leave an extra comment telling me so.
2. Follow me on Twitter . Leave a separate comment telling me you're following.
   
3. Buzz about this giveaway on your blog and come back and leave the link.
4. Grab my blog button (to the left) and add to your blog. Come back and let me know where I can see it.
5. Become a fan of The Good Deal Gal on Facebook (totally new - as of 1 day - for me so I'd love to connect with everyone there too!
   

So, that's SIX chances to win!

Good Luck to everyone!! :)

Meanwhile, head on over HERE to print off $.60 off coupons for Chex Mix Bars! I have a feeling that these will be at a great price with the upcoming back-to-school sales coming. (Hit the back button and print twice.)

*CLOSED* New Giveaway: Wallet Pix Digital Album (TWO Winners!)

*CLOSED* Winners will be announced soon.

You've probably seen the infomercials for Wallet Pix describing the lightweight, affordable alternative to digital photo albums.

WalletPix is about the size of a credit card and holds 58 digital photos. It's very easy to use and is the perfect photo book for moms or grandmas to show off their lil' kiddos!

A few more features include:

• Wallet Pix automatically re-sizes photos to fit the screen
• Compatible with Microsoft Windows 2000, XP and Vista
• Auto "Shut Off" feature to save battery life (can be disabled).
• The size of a credit card- you can take it anywhere. 1.5" Screen.

You can learn more about WalletPix HERE!

TWO Readers will each win their own Wallet Pix digital album!

Here's how to enter:

1. Leave me a comment below telling me how you keep track of your pictures (scrapbook, in a box, albums, computer, etc.) :) It's important that you leave your blog link and/or e-mail. To prevent spamming, type your email like this: gooddealgal (at) gmail (dot) com.
   
2. Contest will close on Tuesday, July 7th at 12:00pm Arizona time. All comments will be closed at that point.
   
3. The winners will be announced and notified via email. He/She will have 24 hours to respond before I select another winner.

Want Extra Entries?

1. Subscribe to The Good Deal Gal and leave a separate comment telling me you're in! If you already subscribe, leave an extra comment telling me so.
2. Follow me on Twitter . Leave a separate comment telling me you're following.
   
3. Buzz about this giveaway on your blog and come back and leave the link.
4. Grab my blog button (to the left) and add to your blog. Come back and let me know where I can see it.

So, that's FIVE chances to win!

Good Luck to everyone!! :)

Staying Organized Online -- You'll LOVE this!

I visit a LOT of websites... for coupons, recipes, for business, homeschooling, etc. etc. With so many great sites out there, my 'Bookmark' and 'Favorites' folders were ridiculously overwhelmed. And, the truth is, looking at that big mess on my sidebar made me overwhelmed.

I desperately wanted to free up some space on my computer but still be organized and track all my favorite online spots.Then I came across the answer to my prayers... Evernote.

Basically Evernote is a FREE download/program that lets you capture any information online that you want to keep... it can be a site, a specific web page or article, screenshots, business cards, Twitter posts, and more. You just click on "Clip to Evernote" on your toolbar and it saves that page in a category or folder that you designate.

For example, I have folders set up for Homeschooling but within that folder I have folders for printables, lesson plans, activities, etc. If I come across a site or idea I love, then I clip it to my Evernote into the correct category. Now, all I have to do is look into my Evernote account to see screenshots of those ideas with direct links to those pages. Very useful for us visual people!

You can even add your to-do lists, snapshots from your camera or phone, scans, audio files, etc. Did I mention it is FREE? There's an upgrade available for a small monthly fee, but the FREE version offers plenty of great features!

You can seriously do so much with Evernote that I have deleted ALL of my favorites and bookmarks from my computer! (I only panicked for a second.)

Check out Evernote HERE! I'm still learning and discovering all I can do with it, but I'm lovin' it!!

*CLOSED* New Giveaway: Pillsbury Bake-Off Prize Pack

Don't forget: You can help Pillsbury choose their new Bake-Off winners
for their 44th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off HERE! (These recipes look de-lish!)

For the rest of us who won't be winning the $1 million grand prize, we can still enjoy all the winners' creative dishes!

MyBlogSpark and Pillsbury are giving TWO Good Deal Gal readers a Pillsbury prize pack that includes:

• A Super nice Magazine of past Bake-Off® recipes (I just got this and I am THRILLED with it!!)
• A Pillsbury Doughboy giggle doll (He's big and cuddly and makes that cute giggle noise when you squeeze his belly!)
  

Here's how to enter:

1. Leave me a comment below telling me your favorite family recipe -- just the name or link, you don't have to type it out! :) It's important that you leave your blog link and/or e-mail. To prevent spamming, type your email like this: gooddealgal (at) gmail (dot) com.
   
2. Contest will close on Thursday, June 18th at 12:00pm Arizona time. All comments will be closed at that point.
   
3. The winners will be announced and notified via email. He/She will have 24 hours to respond before I select another winner.

Want Extra Entries?

1. Subscribe to The Good Deal Gal and leave a separate comment telling me you're in! If you already subscribe, leave an extra comment telling me so.
2. Follow me on Twitter . Leave a separate comment telling me you're following.
   
3. Buzz about this giveaway on your blog and come back and leave the link.
4. Grab my blog button (to the left) and add to your blog. Come back and let me know where I can see it.

So, that's FIVE chances to win!

Good Luck to everyone!! :)

Print off $9.30 worth of coupons from Pillsbury.com!
(Thanks, Mary, for the reminder!)

*CLOSED* New Giveaway: Cheerios Spoonful of Stories Gift Pack

As a former teacher, I know that reading never starts too early and should be introduced to children at a very early age. Fostering a love of reading is easy to do and builds life-long skills while expanding creativity.

Over the past seven years, Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories has given away more than 35 million children's books by distributing them free inside cereal boxes and has donated nearly $3 million to First Book, their non-profit partner, which provides books to children from low-income families.

In addition to encouraging children to read, Cheerios is looking for anyone interested in writing children's books. Now in its third year, the Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories New Author Contest is a way to encourage previously unpublished, up-and-coming children's book authors and to continue to nurture a love of reading. Entries are being accepted March 16 through July 15, 2009 and will be judged on appropriate story and content for children ages 3-8, emotional connection, writing quality, uniqueness, and read-aloud potential. More details on the contest can be found at www.spoonfulsofstoriescontest.com.

Are you or someone you know an aspiring children's book author? You could be the next BIG winner and help encourage millions of children everywhere with your words!!

Now, the fun part...


To help spread the word and remind us about the importance of literature, Cheerios and My BlogSpark have teamed up to bring one lucky reader FOUR Picture Books from the Spoonfuls library. (We LOVED these stories, especially "Duck for President!") These books are great for preschool-elementary aged children with their cute story lines and even bilingual text!!

Here's how to enter:

1. Leave me a comment below telling me your favorite children's story (or your child's). It's important that you leave your blog link and/or e-mail. To prevent spamming, type your email like this: gooddealgal (at) gmail (dot) com.
   
2. Contest will close on Sunday, June 14th at 12:00pm Arizona time. All comments will be closed at that point.
   
3. The winner will be announced and notified via email. He/She will have 24 hours to respond before I select another winner.

Want Extra Entries?

1. Subscribe to The Good Deal Gal and leave a separate comment telling me you're in! If you already subscribe, leave an extra comment telling me so.
2. Follow me on Twitter . Leave a separate comment telling me you're following.
   
3. Buzz about this giveaway on your blog and come back and leave the link.
4. Grab my blog button (to the left) and add to your blog. Come back and let me know where I can see it.

So, that's FIVE chances to win!

Good Luck to everyone!! :)

Don't forget to enter the monthly Coupon Master Gift Card Giveaway!

New Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets

I hate doing laundry. I will joyfully scrub a toilet over doing laundry any day. So, when Purex introduced their new Purex Complete 3-in-1 laundry sheets I was thrilled to have the opportunity to make my loads lighter! What mom wouldn't want to simplify this dreaded task!?

The new Purex Complete 3-in-1 laundry sheets are a load’s worth of detergent, softener and anti-static all in one powerful sheet. You just drop the laundry sheet into your washer and the detergent is released during the wash cycle. Once wash is complete, transfer the laundry sheet with your clothes to the dryer. The "magical" stripe on the laundry sheet is heat-activated by the dryer to soften and remove static. Ingenious!

Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets come in three scents and are available in two package types – a Starter Kit (1 Dispenser + 20 Laundry Sheets) and a value Refill Pouch (24 Laundry Sheets). We loved the Pure & Clean scent and I loved the fact that there was no messy drips, no heavy bottles to lift and they are "enviro-friendly" because they use less water and less packaging materials.

Purex is so confident that you'll love Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets that they'll give you your money back if you're not completely satisfied! (But you will be!)

In the meantime, you can grab a $1 off coupon to try Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets for youself!

Product Buzz: Hasbro Games and Printable Coupons

What a good time to spread the word about two of my toddler's favorite games: Elefun and Gator Golf by Hasbro! We got both games around Christmas and they have proven to be lots of fun for our whole family.

Elefun is a fun game that builds coordination since the kids have to catch the butterflies that fly out with their nets. Once you turn on the fan, the elephant blows up his 4-ft. trunk and begins to send out the butterflies into the air. The kids scramble to catch the most butterflies! (We made extra butterflies with tissue paper so the game would last longer. ) Elefun retails for around $20, but I remember we found ours on sale for $10.99, so keep your eyes peeled for these sales.

Gator Golf was another fun game that we knew we would love -- it was awarded the 2008 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Golden Seal and, best of all, it doesn't require any batteries!! Gator Golf also helps build coordination while bringing the gator to life, something my toddler thinks is hilarious! Kids focus on getting the ball into the gator's mouth who eats it up and spits it out with a swooshing tail. It retails for around $20 as well. Caution: Can be highly addicting for golf-loving dads. :)

Right now there are several high-value printable coupons for Hasbro games, including Elefun and Gator Golf. Use these printable $5 off coupons for a sweet savings and lots of fun!

Product Buzz: Glade Fragrance Collection (and coupons)

As a BzzAgent Member, I am periodically given items to test out and help spread the word about these new products. One of the most recent packages that I received was a three-wick soy candle by Glade's new Fragrance Collection line.

I was immediately excited to light it up since I loved the initial scent of Currants & Acai. Impressed with the lingering scent, even after 3 hours of burning, I was ready to "dump" some of my boutique candles that cost three times as much! Glade's new candle wasn't too powerful but provided just enough scent to make it refreshing.

Glade's new Fragrance Collection line offers these three-wick candles (retail for around $9.99) in the Currants & Acai, Lotus Bamboo, and Sheer White Cotton scents. They also offer reed diffusers (retail for around $9.50), which I am excited to try. The smaller candles in this collection are priced around $5.99 and are sold in scents: Orange Blossom, Earthly Awakening, and McIntosh Apple.

Now for the fun part...

Right at Home is offering printable coupons for $4 off any Glade Fragrance Collection product! (Hit the back button and print twice.) According to Walgreens, there will be a coupon in their April Easy Saver booklet (beg. March 29th) for another $2 off. Since we know we can stack the Walgreens coupon with the printable manufacturer coupon, you will be able to score two FREE Glade soy candles!!

Product Buzz: Leapfrog Tag Reader System

A few months ago I posted about the smokin' deal on the Leapfrog Tag Reader items at Safeway. It was a deal I couldn't pass up -- not because we needed the Tag reader, but at that price I knew it was something that we could "grow" into.

Our 3-year old loves, loves, loves the Tag reader! We own the Tag reader system and found great deals on the books that go along with it, so she has 8 different books to "read." My mom even bought the carrying case which is handy to take the books and reader "pen" with us when we are traveling.

The initial Tag Reader System retails for $49.99 and comes with the reading/talking pen, an installation CD, and one book. The pen itself comes in two colors, green or pink, and requires two AAA batteries. Each additional book retails for around $13.99 and comes with an installation CD as well, and there are about 20 books in the Tag library to choose from!

Set up was so easy and took less than 15 minutes-- we installed the CDs on to our computer and used the provided USB cabel to synch the books with the pen. The pitfall here is that the pen only has enough storage for 5 books at a time, so we've had to remove some and replace with others based on what my daughter wants to read. It's really not that bothersome since it only takes a few minutes but, with so many books available, I am not sure why Leapfrog wouldn't add more memory to begin with.

Once we got everything loaded on to the pen, she was off! It was so easy for her to figure out, which was a concern of ours since the recommended age group is 4-8 years old. Once the pen touches the book, it reads aloud the words on the page, makes character voices, and describes pictures. There are even games embedded into each page, so the child has the option to read along or play games that are focused on important skills such as reading comprehension.

It is no surprise that the Tag Reading System has won 16 awards in 8 countries and the Toy Industry Association named it the Best Educational Toy of 2009! The Tag Reading System is wonderfully fun and educational -- a great supplement to reinforcing the love of reading in your children.

To help celebrate National Reading Month, Leapfrog would like you to enter the 1 Million Reading Hours Pledge! Visit Leapfrog and sign the pledge to commit to read with/to your child(ren). You'll get a printable Pledge certificate, reading calendar, and $10.00 in Leapfrog savings!

Interested in owing your own Tag reader system? Use these printable coupons for added savings on this FANTASTIC interactive reading system:

• Save $10.00 on Leapfrog Tag Reader System

• Save $4.00 on Leapfrog Tag Books

Coming Soon...

Now a Tag reading System for toddlers! Designed for toddlers ages 2-4, this Tag Reader is based off of board books and has a "chunkier" pen that provides age-appropriate stories and activities. I'm looking forward to this one!!

YoPlait Giveaway: Winners Announced

First of all, a HUGE "Thank You" to everyone who participated and shared your tips for staying healthy. I got some wonderful and fun ideas and I hope you read through the comments to get some motivation for yourself!

This was a great giveaway by YoPlait, and I'm certainly glad to be part of it!

** If you didn't win this time, stay tuned as more giveaways will be popping up soon!
Tomorrow a winner will be chosen for the Monthly Giveaway: $5 Gift Card to The Coupon Master - so enter before 12:00am MST (ends 12:01am MST on Feb. 28th).

Here are the 3 Winners or the YoPlait Yo-Plus Prize Packages:

CONGRATULATIONS! =)
I will send each of you an email, to which you can reply back (within 48 hours) with your mailing address.

#27 - Lynne

Lynne said...

Since they say breakfast is the most important meal I make sure to always eat something (either cereal or a granola or cereal bar). This is a good way to get your metabolism going and help you burn calories.

#176 -Karin

Karin said...

Am trying to eat more fruit and yogurt-- instead of reaching for candy when I want something sweet.

#211 -Wendi B.

Wendi B. - Wendi's Book Corner ~ Rainy Day Reads in Seattle said...

I have actually just gone through the cupboards (today) and gotten rid of almost all the junk food. I then went to our local Costco and stocked up on cottage cheese, sweet peas, peppers, cherry tomatoes, bananas and apples. When I came home, I brought out my small tupperware containers and got all the "good food" into serving sizes that are easy to grab from the fridge. I'm trying to encourage more fruits and veggies in our meals and snacks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The winning entries as chosen by Random.org:

Here are your random numbers:

176
27
211

Timestamp: 2009-02-27 03:30:48 UTC

Product Buzz: Method Omop Floor Cleaner

I usually use vinegar and baking soda to clean my entire house for a couple of reasons: 1.) I don't want traditional chemical products in my house and 2.) I have a hard time spending the money on pricey, chemical products when my formula gets the job done the cheap and green way.

Our floors, however, are travertine and do not take well to a vinegar-based mixture. I have tried TONS of products and most were either too pricey, too streaky, too chemically, or too damaging. I finally found one that I feel comfortable with and works really well:

Method Omop All Floor Cleaner is non-toxic, biodegradable and comes in a refreshing lemon ginger scent. It runs around $6 for 25 oz. (it was less at Target stores), but lasts me about 2 months. No more mop buckets and ringing out disgusting mop heads, I can now clean the floors in half the time by sprinkling Omop on to the floor and mopping clean with a microfiber cloth mop. The floors always look great - no streaking or residue - and I feel especially at ease knowing that they are 'safe.'

For the hardwood floors in the music studio, we love Method's Almond Good for Wood cleaner.

If you visit Mambo Sprouts, you can print off a coupon for .50 off any Method product.
(They have great counter cleaners as well!)

Click HERE to visit Method's website and to see where you can get your own Method cleaning products.