TotalBeauty.com's Halloween Giveaway Win!

 I was recently chosen as the winner in TotalBeauty.com's Halloween Giveaway, which was for a collection of beauty products worth over $500! I had no idea what was going to be in it, but it came today, and all I can say is WOW! I never expected so many items, and definitely not so many that I could actually use! They went above and beyond with this prize, and it was almost like they knew what I needed the most - I can't find one thing in the collection of prizes that I wouldn't use.

The gifts included everything from lotion, body wash, face creams, serum, lip gloss, nail polish, cosmetics, and so much more! Here's a closer look at all the goodies:

Zoya Surf Nail Polish Sampler - A great collection of 6 gorgeous colors - a $48 value! I've been wanting to try Zoya polishes, as they're Tolune, Formaldehyde and Dibuyl Phthalate Free! 

Laura Geller Bright Lids, Big City Trio of Eyeshadows - These are amazing colors and I can't wait to incorporate them into my night-on-the-town looks. They are baked eyeshadows, which I haven't tried. I do love my baked blush though, so I'm interested in how these perform. They're a $39 value!

It Cosmetics No-Tug Silk Anti-Aging Waterproof Eyeliner in Plum - I don't go anywhere without eyeliner, and having green eyes, plum is a perfect color for me. It came with a sharpener too! $12 value

It Cosmetics Airbrush Blush Stain in Rose Glow - Wow this stuff sounds and looks awesome! Poreless Finish HD Micro-blush with Hydro-collogen, silk and vitamins K, A, C, & E. It's a shimmery rose powder, like a mineral makeup. A $24 value

Artistry Light Up Lip Gloss in Passion - An amazing red shimmer gloss. And oh my goodness - the wand LIGHTS UP! I can see that coming in handy for quick touchups in the car at night! haha! Seriously though, I had to go try it out, and it's a great color that complements my natural lip color well, is not sticky like some glosses, and doesn't clash at all with my intensely red hair. That rocks! It's a $16 value.

Senna Lip Lacquer Ultra Shine Lipgloss in Gorgeous - Mmm a vanilla flavored high shine gloss in a pale rose shimmer - love it! $20 value

Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray - An award winning makeup setting spray that helps keep color vibrant and prevents fading for up to 16 hours. This has rave reviews online and I've been looking for a good finishing spray, so this will definitely be used daily! $29 value

Nuance Salma Hayek Walnut Facial Scrub - A gentle exfoliant designed to smooth complexion and boost radiance. This too has rave reviews online, and I can't wait to try it. I love facial scrubs! $8 value

Likewise Everyday Skincare Face + Body Wash - This product sounds interesting. I like that it can be used on the face or body, and has Malic, Glycolic and Salicylic Acids for gentle exfoliation along with a blend of Amino Acids for moisturization. It has a light citrus scent. $35 value!

Pevonia Botanica Enzymo-spherides Peeling Cream - I am super excited about this! I tried another peeling cream and really enjoyed the results, so it will be nice to try a similar product. Basically you massage it into damp skin, and it helps remove all the dead skin cells and anything clogging up your skin. $42 value!

Pevonia Botanica Radiance Lightening Gel - This is for lightening hyperpigmentation, which I do have a problem with, so again, I am really looking forward to trying this. It's a $51 value!

Apotherderm Firming Serum - This sounds like an all-in-one serum! Not only does it tighten and firm, it reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles, moisturizes and hydrates, and brightens and refine skin texture. Sounds wonderful! - It's a $75 value!

Stages of Beauty Radiance Antioxidant Serum with Red Tea - Extremely minimal ingredients, and improves skin tone and texture, while soothing inflammation and irritation. I'm looking forward to trying it as part of my daily skincare routine. It's a $75 value also!

Pevonia Bontanica Phyto-Gel Cleanser - Claims to foam away impurities and is safe for all skin types. It's non-drying and contains extracts of Ivy, Lemon, Basil, Sage and others. A $30 value.

Lather AHA Facial Therapy with Copper & Borage Extract - A non-greasy cream that will re-texturize skin,  moisturize and promote collagen production. It's a night cream that helps slough off dead skin cells and even out skin tone. Looks interesting! A $24 value!

Restrospect Hand & Nail Reconstructor - A anti-aging treatment for hands and nails. Helps strengthen nails and soften hands. I'm in! A $36 value.

Malin+Goetz Chamomile Treatment Oil - Another great product! You can use it on your Face, body or hair! How cool is that?! You can use it to soothe, calm, and protect dry irritated  or sensitive skin, use it as a facial moisturizer, an after-shower or after-sun body oil, a soaking bath oil, body massage oil, or hair and scalp oil! It says it's beneficial for dry scalp and seborrheic conditions too. This is a $68 value!

Zents Ore Shea Butter Lotion - This smells divine! It's intensely hydrating, and is nurturing with chamomile, St. John's wort, and sage. It also contains antioxidants and vitamins while being free of parabens, propylene glycol, phthalates and dyes. It's a $28 value.

And samples of Boost Pink Lemonade and Acai Pomegranate - I haven't tried these flavors, but love Boost! It's a great vitamin and mineral fizzy drink mix that gives you a boost!

Now comes the hard part, deciding which products to use first! And adding it up, this wonderful prize collection from TotalBeauty.com was worth closer to $700 (going by online retail prices that I found!) Check out TotalBeauty.com and then visit them on Facebook to enter their current giveaway. Good luck! 

I was not compensated for this post by anyone or any company, but did receive the products shown in the TotalBeauty.com's Halloween sweepstakes. The information posted was information from product packaging and retail websites. Any added opinions are completely my own. 

Ball Park Flame Grilled Beef Patties Review

I recently got accepted into the BzzAgent Ball Park Flame Grilled Beef Patties bzzcampaign and received a coupon good for a free package, along with $2 off coupons to hand out to my friends. I found them at my local Giant Eagle grocery store, in the frozen food section, near the other frozen beef patties. They are priced at $8.99 for a bag of 6 patties and are available in Onion, Cheese or Original. They sometimes go on sale for $6.99.

I grabbed a package of the Cheese patties and game them a try. I was expecting a burger cooked in the microwave to come out either dry or rubbery, but was pleasantly surprised with the actual results. Cooking the patties are super simple. Grab an individual patty out of the freezer, place it on a plate, cover with a napkin or paper towel, and microwave for 75 seconds. The end result is a juicy, fresh-off-the grill tasting burger - from the microwave! In 75 seconds!

I usually buy ground meat when it goes on sale, and spend an hour making a ton of quarter-pound patties, freezing them individually and storing them in a large ziploc bag. It takes about 20 minutes to cook them in a frying pan on the stove, and they are nothing to write home about. Just plain old burgers. And there are many times I just don't want to wait 20 minutes for a ho-hum burger. But these Ball Park Flame Grilled Patties are perfect when you want a flavorful, quick meal that will actually satisfy your hunger. 

I will be stocking up next time they go on sale. While I normally pay about 50 cents a burger when I make them myself, these are a bit more pricey, and even when on sale for $6.99 they still average a little over a buck a burger. But in my eyes, they are worth that. Much cheaper than a frozen convenience meal, and much better tasting. I like that I am able to customize my burger too with whatever toppings I feel like at the moment. The cheese patties were great with pepperoni, lettuce, onion, ketchup and mayo!

Thank you Ball Park and BzzAgent for giving me the chance to try these new Flame Grilled Patties!

McCormick Grill Mates Party

Thanks to Crowdtap and McCormick Grill Mates, I was lucky enough to be chosen to have a Grill Mates Party this weekend! They provided me with Molasses Bacon seasoning, Montreal Steak seasoning, Memphis Pit BBQ Rub, Spiced Brandy & Herb marinade, and Brown Sugar Bourbon BBQ Sauce.

I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to grilling. I mean, I've grilled hot dogs and burgers plenty of times, but never really experimented with seasonings, rubs, or marinades. I have used McCormick Grill Mates before, mostly to just fry up chicken breasts on the stove. But I was excited to put the two together and be a real pit master this weekend!

The preparation was so easy! I took split chicken breasts and burger meat out of the freezer the night before and let it thaw in the fridge overnight. The burgers were extremely easy to make, just mix 1 TBS of seasoning into 1lb of ground meat, and you have perfectly seasoned meat, ready to be made into patties. I made 1/8lb sliders, so everyone could try both kinds of burgers - Molasses Bacon and Montreal Steak.

The Montreal Steak is a peppery seasoning, bursting with flavor. The Molasses Bacon is a sweeter seasoning, with a delicious traditional BBQ flavor, but with an added bacon kick.

Montreal Steak Sliders

Molasses Bacon Sliders

For the chicken, I did 4 breasts with the Spiced Brandy & Herb marinade. Again, preparation was a snap. Mix the packet of seasoning with 2TBS water, and 2TBS vinegar. I placed most of the marinade and the chicken into a large ziploc bag and let it marinade in the fridge for about an hour. And the two remaining breasts I rubbed generously with the Memphis Pit BBQ Rub. The directions on the packet for ribs state to place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but I just let them sit in the fridge for about an hour. After they were grilled, I sliced the breasts into strips, so everyone could try both flavors without filling up. Most people chose to just eat the strips plain, others used the slider buns to make mini chicken sandwiches.

The Spiced Brandy & Herb chicken was the star of the show! It's a sweet and spicy mix, with ginger and cinnamon hints. The flavor was absolutely amazing! I brushed the remaining marinade I had saved onto the chicken several times during grilling.  The Memphis Pit BBQ rub has some heat to it - Chili pepper, onion and garlic combine into a delicious spicy BBQ flavor.

Spiced Brand & Herb chicken, going fast!

Memphis Pit BBQ Dry Rub Chicken

I didn't cook anything with the Brown Sugar Bourbon BBQ sauce, but served it as a condiment for the dogs, burgers, and beans. I think it would be fun to try a split chicken on the grill, using the Brown Sugar Bourbon as a baste during the grilling process.

The corn was soaked in water for an hour before being placed on the grill - it steams right in the husks, and the kids get a kick out of holding the corn by the peeled back husks when served. We also had grilled Kielbasa, hot dogs, macaroni salad, baked beans, tons of fresh fruit, snacks, and all the fixings!

It was a gorgeous day, so everyone made their rounds to the food and were off playing, or socializing both inside and outside the house. We also celebrated our daughter's 6th birthday with cake, cupcakes, and ice cream. Now that I've tried my hand at spicing things up on the grill, I think we're going to have more cookouts this summer! And I know my guests were sold on McCormick Grill Mates - everyone raved about the flavors and ease of use. We all agreed that the flavors were perfect, without being overly salty or 'fake' tasting. 

Thanks Crowdtap & McCormick!

Old Navy Shorts sample & share

Thanks to Crowdtap, I got to sample and share their new styles of shorts! Summer is just around the corner, and I was in desperate need of shorts that actually fit and looked good. My weight fluctuates a lot, and all my shorts are from shortly after I had my youngest. So....I have lots of shorts in my closet, but not too many that I actually wear in public!  Crowdtap and Old Navy sent me two coupons for a free pair of shorts. One for me, and one for a friend.

I chose my friend Rose to go with me again. We have totally opposite styles, and it's always fun to see if Old Navy offers styles for both of us. We had a great time today trying on lots of shorts, and we did find shorts that we loved!

Like these - I never thought of myself as a board-short kinda gal -
 but I did like them on!

First thing first - grab tons of styles, even ones that you're not sure of. If there's one thing I've learned shopping at Old Navy, is sometimes you have to try something on before you judge it!

Or these - the pattern was interesting,
but I ended up not liking the tie - I can never tie those things right!

Rose goes for comfort when it comes to shorts. We weren't sure if the bed shorts or active wear shorts were included in the sample and share, but she tried them on anyways!

She really like the material of these - so soft!

She liked these for workout wear!

We did have a few styles that looked great on the rack, but not so great on us. Don't you hate when then happens? But I love that Old Navy offers so many, because I know these shorts would look great on someone out there!

I wanted to love these, really I did! They are the
same style and material as my favorite yoga-pants
from Old Navy. But I'm just NOT made for capri-length shorts!

We both LOVED the color of these shorts (I am addicted to Old Navy Purple), but on....ehhh she wouldn't even allow me to take a picture of the front!

What I found hilarious is that my favorite pair, ended up her least favorite! (And we totally didn't plan the photos to  match - I just happened to snap the picture the same time she put her thumb down!)

I LOVE them! So comfortable and a great fit!

Rose hated them - she doesnt wear much denim, and
these just didn't match her style at all!

She decided on the super soft comfy shorts....but....

After we checked to see if her favorite pair, the super soft sleep shorts were included (they weren't...), we had to scramble back and get the other pair she liked (sadly I didn't get a photo of her wearing them - not sure what happened!)

Ended up going back for a pair that were included in the regular line of shorts.

I spotted a beautiful gauze tank top while shopping (on sale!!!) and decided to try the whole outfit out.

Oh yeah! I bought the top too! It's Old Navy Purple - I had to get it!

We had such a great time trying on the shorts today. I even called my mom and suggested she try out Old Navy shorts because she likes jean shorts, but hates trying to find a pair that doesn't look to young for her. Several of the pairs I had on would be perfect for her, including the ones I went with! Thanks again from both of us to Old Navy and Crowdtap!

Social Marketing and You

I often get asked how I get so many free products and win things on Facebook all the time. It's not hard, but it is time consuming. Companies are focusing on social marketing so much more now. Information travels faster and farther than ever before. So when a company puts a new product in a consumer's hand - his or her impressions of the product can easily reach hundreds, or many more, potential customers in the short time it takes to tweet 140 characters, or make a simple Facebook post.

If you love trying new products before your friends, or find it important to try before you buy, then Social Marketing could be a perfect match for you. Most companies don't require any feedback, but they certainly do appreciate it! And they love when you tweet or post your experiences with their product to your followers. Some companies offer perks for those customers with large twitter or blog followers, or who will host parties for 10-15 friends showcasing their products. In those cases, you are required to post followups, and sometimes even photos, of your participation in the campaign.

Here are links to legit sites, who team up with leading manufacturers to promote their products.

BzzAgent - By taking surveys, and participating on their Facebook and Twitter pages, you can start to build your BzzScore. The higher your score, the more likely you will be invited for BzzCampaigns - with these, you could receive free (or deeply discounted) product to try and then "Bzz" (tell) people about. You are required to submit BzzReports explaining the who, what, where, when , and how you shared your experience with the product. You can tell friends, family, neighbors, or even complete strangers you see out and about, about the item you are Bzzing.

HouseParty - With HouseParty, you apply for parties you are interested in by filling out a short application. After the application period, they accept a limited number of applicants to be hosts.  If accepted, you are required to invite a certain number of friends immediately, so make sure you have friends and family members' emails handy!  Shortly after that, you'll receive your party pack in the mail - which could contain free products, coupons, hostess gifts, and sometimes small guest gifts. The contents of the party pack is listed under the party's FAQs usually.  You are also required to host your party within a certain time frame - usually they give you 5 or so dates to chose from, and usually include weekday and weekend choices. They have a great invitation program, which simply requires you to fill out your info, and enter the names and emails of the people you are inviting. You can also invite others, through Facebook events, or even other online party invite services if you want. During the party take note of activities you do with your guests, and take lots of photos! Afterwards you are required to upload photos, and take short survey, which you will also forward to party guests so they can give feedback on the party experience as well. They'll want to know how many time you tweeted or posted to Facebook an other online forums about the party as well.  There's tough competition, but so worth it when you do get a party - they are a lot of fun!

Influenster - I just recently signed up with them, so I don't have much info. You sign up, and then take surveys to earn "badges". They seem to have campaigns similar to BzzAgent, as well as offer "VoxBoxes" which are sample filled boxes that you are asked to try out the products and then submit feedback on, as well as recommend to others those brands and products you liked. I'm looking forward to my first VoxBox and hope I qualify for one soon.

Crowdtap - Crowdtap is a little different, in that you mostly just answer questions and share online pages with your Facebook or Twitter friends. Answering questions and getting friends to interact with those pages you share earn you points. The points can then be cashed in for gift cards, donations to charity, and other items. Certain actions also earn you donations to your chosen charity, from which they have many to choose.  Some companies do offer incentives, like Old Navy, who often hold Sample & Share events in which you and a friend get to go shopping at Old Navy. I've seen flipflops, tanktops, jeans, winter coats, and other items featured. When they offer one, you'll be required to take a short survey, and then be notified if you are accepted as a Sample & Share host. They then mail you out coupons so you and your friend can pick out one of the featured items for free!  I'm looking forward to see if more companies start offering the same incentives, but so far I've only been involved with the Old Navy programs.

Klout - Klout measures your social reach by giving you a Klout score based on your linked accounts. Accounts that can be linked include Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare, Instagram, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube and others. Klout then lists topics you are influential about, the number of people you influence, your true reach, and the type of influencer you are. Klout then offers Perks, which can be anything from new products, books, concert and event tickets, or discounts for online shopping sites. Each Perk has a required minimum Klout Score and topics that you must be influential about at a certain level. Your friends can give you boosts in topics, which help move your topics up in levels. After you receive a Perk, you are not required to do anything - but it's nice to give shout-outs to the companies on Twitter and Facebook, thanking them or giving feedback.

Listerine Total Care Zero - Less Intense Product Review

I recently received a bottle of Listerine Total Care Zero from Listerine and Crowdtap. I've used several different brands of mouthwash in the past, and while I enjoy the benefit of a cleaner feeling, and smelling, mouth - I hated the crazy alcohol burn they all have.

Thankfully the new Listerine Total Care Zero has absolutely no alcohol, and a much less intense feeling in your mouth. But you don't have to worry about it providing less intense cleaning - it works amazingly! I received so many complements from my family members on the scent. It's not the typical crazy mint or fire cinnamon flavor. It has a spicy scent, my son said I smelled like cloves, my daughter said I smelled of eucalyptus. Both of which are favorite scents in our house!

Listerine Total Care Zero made my mouth feel fresh and clean without the burn, and I will definitely be purchasing it in the future.

Enter to win the Lemonheads Superfan IWG

Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Lemonhead Superfan?

Brickfish

Old Navy Outerwear - So many choices!

Thanks to the Old Navy Style Council and Crowdtap, I was chosen to particpate in a Sample & Share promotion involving Old Navy Women's Outerwear.  I was given two coupons, so that I and a friend could pick out new coats for free!

I usually find it very hard to find a coat that I really love, and usually just wear my ski coat all the time.  Unless I'm going somewhere dressy, then I have a heavy leather coat, that is uncomfortable and not at all good at keeping me warm!  Oh the things we do for fashion...

I chose my friend Rose to go with me.  She's not one to usually shop Old Navy, but after seeing all the different styles they had available on their website, I thought for sure that this would be a great way to introduce her to all that Old Navy has to offer.  She does rave about Old Navy socks though, she loves them!

So we met up at Old Navy on Thursday evening. We had a blast! So many styles to chose from, and all in so many amazing colors and prints!

We picked a bunch to try on, because we all know that things can look very different on a body than on a hanger!  

So cute!! The colors were gorgeous!

Great style, but didn't need a Large!

One thing that really stood out to me, was that I didn't need to go up a size or two like I usually do with outerwear. I had originally grabbed all size Large, even though I wear a Medium because it always seems there is never enough arm movement room if I wear my normal size.  But with every Old Navy Outerwear item I tried on, the Medium fit perfectly! The each were cut perfectly to allow movement without looking bulky. 

She loved this coat, which surprised her because she normally doesn't wear white!

We finally narrowed it down to two coats each, and made our final decision.

I never expected to find so many amazing styles of outerwear in one store. But Old Navy really outdid themselves this year. I was expecting lots of fleece and puffy vests, but they had a style and color for everyone. 

Thank you Old Navy and Crowdtap!!

Disclaimer: I was given vouchers through Crowdtap and the Old Navy Style Council to receive two free Old Navy Outerwear items at no cost, one for me and one for a friend. My thoughts and opinions are my own, and were in no way influenced by Crowdtap or Old Navy Style Council.

Have you heard about the Sodastream Fountain Jet Soda Maker??!!

I've attended several twitter parties sponsored by Sodastream, and I must say that the company is truly committed to customer service and the love of home-made soda!

It's amazing the flavors Sodastream has available, and they definitely encourage experimenting with combining your favorite flavors into your own personalized soda. How much fun is that?!  They offer over 30 flavors, including diet and caffeine-free varieties. They even have energy drink and sparkling iced tea flavors.  

The bottles are BPA-free and can be re-used for up to 2 years. Can you imagine how many plastic bottles that saves? They even have a glass bottle that can be used with their Penguin Soda Maker indefinitely!   

Speaking of the soda maker machines, Sodastream offers several stylish models to fit your home's needs. Most models also come in a variety of colors, so they will match your decor.  Remember what I said about the company's commitment to their customers? 

Now, if you're going to be making carbonated soda, you're going to need a Carbonator to infuse the water with all those fun bubbles.  Sodastream offers two sizes of carbonators, which make up to 60 or 130 liters of sparkling water or soda.  When they run out, you exchange the online or at select retailers, and they are cleaned and refilled and reused - another great way to "green" your soda! 

Be sure to check out Sodastream and all their products and accessories they offer over at their website, http://www.sodastreamusa.com

Disclosure:

I'm a BzzAgent and have written this review for the chance to receive a free Sodastream Fountain Jet Soda Maker Starter Kit to review and Bzz about as part of a BzzCampaign.  Find out more about BzzAgent HERE

About.me - A Free Online Business Card

Have you ever wished there was an easy way to share all your social media links? Thanks to the about.me service, now you can easily share contact information, twitter, facebook, website, email and more.

When you join about.me (it's even FREE!), you can customize your own about.me page with a photo, stock or one of your own, you name, a short bio and then the fun part... You can add all your important contact links right on one page.  On mine, I have links to my Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Google+, Blog, and email.  The address is easy to remember too - http://about.me/ and your user name comes after the slash. So mine is http://about.me/renea - how easy is that!!?

You can browse featured profiles to see how others have really used about.me to market their "brand", whether they are an artist, musician, blogger, or business person - you can really make your about.me page work for you!

And for a limited time, you can receive 50 free MOO Business Cards showcasing your about.me page, when you sign up for your own about.me page.

I learned about about.me through the bzzagent program.

Tango Card Review

I wanted to share a new gift idea I recently found out about - it's called Tango Card and you can check them out on their website http://www.tangocard.com/ and find them on twitter @TangoCard

Basically they are a way to buy someone a gift card, but allow the recipient to decide how to actually spend that gift card.  They can choose from quite a few popular retailers, give to charity or cash out for cash!

I recently won a $10 Tango Card from Tiny Prints - a great place to buy personalized greeting cards, stationary and more.  You can check them out at http://www.tinyprints.com and on twitter @TinyPrints .  My prize arrived in the form of a personalized Tiny Prints card, with the Tango Card information printed right on the card.  You can actually order cards the same way at Tiny Prints!

So after I received the card, I went online to check out Tango Card.  I had never heard of them before, and wasn't quite sure what exactly they were!  The process of registering, entering your card information and choosing how you want to use your Tango Card is very easy and user friendly!  I was intrigued to see that you can also use the Tango Card mobile app (available for both the iPhone/iPad and Android) to keep track of your gift cards, and works like a mobile wallet - you can actually have the retailer scan your phone to use your gift card! 

Now came the hard part - actually choosing how I wanted to spend my $10 in Tango Card Dollars.  Here is a list of available retailers as of the time of writting this review:

Recipients can choose a gift card from one of the retailers or below:

• Amazon.com
• Gap
• Home Depot
• Nike
• Pottery Barn
• REI
• Rixty
• SpaFinder
• Starbucks
• Target
• Zappos

Or donate to any of the following charities:

• America Scores
• Grameen Foundation
• Habitat for Humanity
• InSTEDD
• Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• National Park Foundation
• Summer Search
• USO

(list thanks to Tiny Prints!)

After selecting the retailer I wanted, Target, and which design card I wanted, the gift card arrived by mail quickly. 

I haven't purchased a Tango Card yet - but plan on doing so for the holidays. It will be great for those picky people on your list - or those who you just never know what to get.  You can also purchase gift cards from the above retailers as well, and you can choose to have cards sent to multiple addresses in one order also.  So Tango Card can be a one-stop-shop!  I'm really looking forward to using Tiny Prints though - I think it will be a great way to look like I spent a million bucks on my family, but they only cost the same as an average greeting card!


Disclaimer - I won the Tango Card from Tiny Prints - but was not compensated in any way for this review. This is simply my opinion on the Tango Card service and product.

Spring sure did Spring! Into Action

I'm not sure where spring went. It seemed like the last few months have went by in a flash. The poor blog has been gravely neglected, and I'm going to try and change that - starting now!

I've become much more active on Twitter. I had no idea the amazing resource it had become! I feel like it went from a place to occasionally go check out and tweet a blog update or blog contest entry to a place to get connected, educated, and really have a ton of fun! Companies are realizing the importance of social media - and not just having a Twitter or Facebook page - but actually USING social media to connect with potential, as well as loyal, customers. You can now chat with tons of companies - tell them your likes, dislikes, questions and suggestions.

Companies are also realizing the power of the Twitter Party. That is, a group of people all chatting about a product or company - or even just a topic, like keeping your child healthy, all using a common "hashtag". A hashtag is simply a word prefaced with the number sign "#", such as #spendingimpaired, that allows a Twitter user to quickly search for a particular topic and read what people are saying about it. You can also use web-based or even smartphone-based programs like TweetDeck or TweetChat or TweetGrid to follow the conversations easily. Sometimes the party moves quite fast - but all the more fun, and all the more chances to connect with more people!

You don't need a cell phone even to use Twitter! Just follow along on the web - which I find easier.  I only send some people's tweets to my phone - such as when a company may be having a contest or giveaway.

A tool with the power to Save $10!

I’m talking about an exclusive Vocalpoint promotional card you can use on any Craftsman^® C3^® power tool. Use it to buy that perfect Father’s Day gift. Use it on a C3 lawn tool for that gardener in your life. Heck, use it to get a gift for yourself and unleash your handy side.

Just make sure to get yours soon before they run out!

As a Vocalpoint member, I received information on Craftsman^® C3^® power tools sent by Vocalpoint, on behalf of Craftsman.

Ball Park Coupons

It's getting to be that time of year again - cook out time!  Ball park has two new offers today:

Visit Ball Park Franks on Facebook, 'like' them, and then click on the "Coupons" link on the left hand side to get a coupon good for $1.00 off ANY Ball Park product.  This is a Bricks coupon, so you can get 2 prints from one computer, and it has a 30 day rolling expiration date I believe.  (I printed today, 4/13, so it expires on 5/13)

And on Coupons.com , there is a 55 cents off any one Ball Park product coupon as well!  (Leave zip code blank) Same as above, you can print 2 from one computer, and it has a 30 day rolling expiration I believe.  This will be even better at Giant Eagle than the $1.00 coupon, as it will double to $1.10!

The Factor Tree - BzzAgent Campaign

BzzAgent recently added The Factor Tree to my list of campaigns, and having a daughter who will be starting kindergarten this fall, and a son in 6th grade, I thought it would be a fun program to try out.

The Factor Tree is regularly $20 a month.  But you can get a free 2 week trial for you own kids, using promo code BZF

After signing up, it was easy to add both my son and daughter, and choose the correct level for each child.  From there you can dive right in!  I sat with my daughter and my 2 year old son and started on some of the kindergarten curriculum.  There are topics such as shapes, beginning to tell time, and counting.

We started with shapes.  Even my two year old could do this one!  A shape is shown on the screen, and you much choose from a list what the shape is.  Later we did time telling and counting, both of which required typing in the numbers.  So this is definitely not a program where the younger kids can sit and do the tasks themselves.  I was in charge of reading and clicking during the shape task, and later on typing in numbers.

Most of the tasks did seem very age appropriate. My daughter did have some problems with sorting numbers from smallest to biggest - but it opened a discussion on numbers and how to start with 1 and work up to 10, looking for the numbers.  There is no 'instruction' with this program - it's only quiz like tasks to help reinforce what they already know or to help you teach while going through.

I had fun introducing time telling.  It gave me an easy way to show my daughter to look for the hour hand and minute hand, and since they are all whole hours, she quickly learned to look at the hour hand number and then say "O'clock" for the minute hand.  Her face beamed with pride as she got more and more confident at saying the times for each question.

When my son gets home from school later this afternoon, I'll ask him to check out the 6th grade curriculum.  He'll be able to tell me if it's close to what they are learning in school or not.  There is also a placement test that I'd like him to check out for me and give his opinion on.

Update on Savings with Technology

Over the last couple weeks, I've been using Checkpoints and Shopkick any time I ran errands. 

I found the checkpoints rarely had stores available that I actually frequent often.  But, they do have points available for many of the small businesses in the area, which I think is great!  While trying to use the app at Target, it completely froze up and took me quite a while to figure out how to exit out of it and get back to my home screen.  But I keep trying, it takes only a couple seconds to enter the app and see if my location is available.

Now Shopkick on the other hand, I'm having a lot of fun with!  There's a bit of a learning curve, and you have to get over people looking at you strangely while you scan a package of cheese (for example) to get bonus kickbucks!  But I was happy to find not only checkin points for my favorite stores, like Target and Giant Eagle, but just this Sunday I was surprised to find Rite Aid on my list now, and bonus kickbucks inside too!

Now to the topic of rewards.  When I originally signed up for Checkpoints 2 weeks ago, there was an option to redeem 300 points for a $1.00 Amazon gift card.  It claimed that prize was temporarily out of stock - as I tried several times to redeem my original bonus points.  Now that prize is completely gone, and only a $1.00 Home Depot gift card is left at the 300 point range.  Next prize tier is 600 points, and that's for a $2.00 CVS gift card.  After that, you pretty much have to get 3,000 points to get up to the $10.00 gift card range.

And with Shopkick, you can donate your kickbucks with as little as 3k (k=symbol for kickbucks, not thousand here) or Facebook credits starting at 25k.  Gift Cards don't start being available until 500+k depending on the retailer.  Best Buy cards start at 500k, but a Target card doesn't become available until 1250k!  But, they do have some high end rewards available, like a Coach bag or a Sony Bravia!  Or even a cruise for a mere 6,250,000k!  That's a lot of cheese scans!

And finally - a bit of advice with Shopkicks.  I didn't realize that you have to scan the barcode upright for it to work and totally missed out on a 75k bonus scan for Philadelphia Cooking Creme one day at the grocery store.  It wasn't until several days later that, while scanning some bonus makeup UPCs, that I realize it only accepted the barcode if the number were at the bottom and right-side up.  So it doesn't work like a price-checker or the checkout scanner, you can't be scanning UPCs all willy-nilly!

So my opinion is that I'll definitely be using Shopkicks a lot.  I'll keep Checkpoints on the back burner, but unless they offer more of my local shopping haunts, and remain consistent with their rewards, I may stop using them all together.

Saving with Technology: Checkpoints

Checkpoints:

Checkpoints has partnered up with Swagbucks - so now you can earn swagbucks while you earn checkpoints!  You'll get 20 SB for downloading the app and using the bonus code "swagbucks" to register.  You'll see the credit in about 2 weeks.  Then, every month that you scan at least one product, you'll earn an additional 6 SBs.

In addition to the 20 SB you'll get for using the promo code, you'll also get 300 CheckPoints (enough for a $1 giftcard) and you'll get 2 pulls on their bonus slot machine.

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Here are the directions from the Swagbucks Blog to ensure you get credit for signing up:

Getting CheckPoints and earning your SB is simple:
1. Download the app from Apple by clicking here.
2. Register for your account in settings->My Account with bonus code: swagbucks
3. Enter your Swagbucks Username in settings->My Loyalty Programs (if you’re not sure what your Swagbucks Username is, go to Swagbucks and check under “Account Details”)
4. Use the app to checkin and scan products while shopping!

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I found the app in the Android App Market on my phone by searching for Checkpoints.  Signup was fairly simple, and I received the 300 checkpoints, and won 40 checkpoints with my 2 bonus spins on the slot machine.

I'm looking forward to trying this app out soon!

Saving with Technology: Shopkick

Shopkick:
 After you download the app and sign up - enter the promo code : cheetah5090 : to get bonus kickbucks for both you and me! 

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shopkick is the first mobile app that gives you rewards and offers simply for walking into stores, for scanning products, and for signing up friends. You can collect kickbucks and bonuses at millions of stores and restaurants in America. That means at many places around you.

Walking In: Collect kickbucks just for WALKING INTO Best Buy, Crate & Barrel, Macy's, American Eagle, Sports Authority, Target, Wet Seal and major Simon malls, in 18 major markets: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, and Atlanta, Boston, D.C., Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Seattle, and St. Louis.

Scanning: Collect kickbucks by scanning products with your phone at 250,000 different stores in America.

Redeem your kickbucks for rewards! Get cool rewards like iTunes gift cards, restaurant vouchers, Best Buy/Target/Macy’s/American Eagle/Sports Authority gift cards, Facebook Credits, movie tickets, and more. You can also donate your kickbucks to 30 different causes!

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I haven't tried this out yet, but it sounds like a fun way to earn free giftcards any time you run errands.  Reviews on facebook look mixed, so it may be something you have to try for yourself and see if it works on your phone properly.

P&G Everday Savings $110 in Savings Coupon Book (from Facebook)

If you were lucky enough to get through the day P&G offered the $110 in Savings Coupon Book on their Facebook Page, here is what you'll be getting:

Over $35 in Savings for Jan-Feb (all expire 2/28...doesn't give us much time to use these!)
Over $35 in Savings for Mar-Apr (all expire 4/30)
Over $36 in Savings for May-June (all expire 6/30)
There are no "start dates" on these coupons, just the different expiration dates.

Here are the coupons - There are 3 of each, 1 in each section:

Tide - $1.00 off any 1
Gain Detergent or Fabric Enhancer - $1.00 off any 1
Downy - $1.00 off any 1
Bounce - 50 cent soff any 1
Dawn - 50 cents off any 1
Cascade - $1.00 off any 1
Gain Dish - $1.00 off any 1
Swiffer Wetjet - $3.00 off any 1
Swiffer Duster/Sweeper - $1.00 off any 1
Swiffer Refill - 50 cents off any 1
Charmin MegaRoll - $1.00 off any 1
Bounty Towel, 6ct+ - $1.00 off any 1
Pampers Diapers - $1.00 off any 1
Luvs Diapers - $1.00 off any 1
Duracell Coppertop, 8pk+ - $1.00 off any 1
Pringles - $1.00 off any 2
Iams Dry Dog or Cat Food - $1.00 off any 1
Pepto-Bismol - $1.00 off any 1
Metamucil product - $1.00 off any 1
Always product - $1.00 off any 1
Tampax 20ct+ - $1.00 off any 1
Crest Toothpaste, 4oz+ OR Liquid Gel (excludes Crest Cavity, Baking Soda, Tarter) - $1.00 off any 1
Crest Mouthwash 946mL+ - $1.00 off any 1
Oral-B Manual Toothbrush - $1.00 off any 1
Olay Facial Moisturizer - $1.00 off any 1
Pantene Shampoo AND Conditioner - $1.00 off wyb BOTH
Herbal or Aussie produdct - $1.00 off any 1
Head & Shoulders Shampoo AND Conditioner - $1.00 off wyb BOTH
Clairol Hair Color - $2.00 off any 1
CoverGirl - $1.00 off any 1
Olay PCC or Body Lotion (UM) - $1.00 off any 1 (No idea what those abbreviations mean)
Venus Embrace - $1.00 off any 1
Secret - $1.00 off any 1
Old Spice Deodorant - $1.00 off any 1
Old Spice Body Wash - $1.00 off any 1
Zest Bar/Bodywash OR Safeguard Bar/Liquid Hand Soap - $1.00 off any 1

Target Ad Preview - 12/5/10

Over 50 Lego Sets on sale "Our Lowest Holiday Prices"
All Little People toys on sale
All Thomas Wood and Thomas Take-n-Play toys on sale
Nerf Vulcan EBF-25 Clear - $29.99
Zhu-Zhu or Kung Zhu Pets Hamsters - $6.00
Playskool Explore 'n Grow Busy Ball Popper - $14.99
VTech Explore & Learn Helicopter - $10.99
Toy Story Woody & Bullseye Poseable Figures - $14.99
Barbie I Can Be - $7.99
Disney Princess Magic Rise Oven - $19.99
Magic Fabric Kit - $17.99
Aqua Sand Polar Playground - $17.99
Polly Pocket Play Sets: Pollyworld House or Race & Splash - $19.99
Polly Pocket Rockin Tour Bus - $24.99
Baby Alive Changing Time Baby - $22.99
Tech Deck Sk8 Shop Pack - $9.99
Star Wars The Force Trainer - $69.99
Tonka R/C Ricochet Stunt Vehicle - $69.99
Air Hogs R/C Vectron Wave - $17.99
Moon Dough Magic Barnyard - $11.99
Moon Dough Double Disc - $3.99
Moon Dough Small Theme Kit - $7.99
Radio Flyer Steer & Stroll Trike - $47
Disney Cars Battery-powered Quad - $47


10$ Games:
Glee CD Board Game
Apples to Apples To Go
Life
Scrabble
Cuponk - INCLUDES FREE 7pk Balls

15$ Games:
u-build Battleship ($5.00 coupon available in 12/5 SmartSource)
Bop It Bounce ($5.00 coupon available in 12/5 SmartSource)
Elefun ($5.00 coupon available in 12/5 SmartSource)
Hungry Hungry Hippos ($5.00 coupon available in 12/5 SmartSource)
Connect 4x4
u-build Monoply

20% Off Games (on sale 16.00 - 33.59)
The Settlers of Catan
Creationary
Sorry Spin ($5.00 coupon available in 12/5 SmartSource)
Monopoly Electronic Banking

Little People - $24 sets, your choice:
Exclusive Surprise Sounds Zoo Gift Seet
Exclusive Animal Sounds Farm Bonus Set
Racin' Ramps Garage

The Weekly Wow
Step 2 New Traditions Kitchen - only at Target - $59.99
Smart Cycle Racer Learning System - $59.99
R/C Star Wars: The Clone Wars Hailfire Droid - $34.99
R/C Missile-firing Walking Iron Man - $34.99
Brita Grand Pitcher or 6pk Filters - $25
Hamilton Beach 12cp Programmable Coffeemaker - $23
Hamilton Beach 700-watt Blender - $23
Hoover WindTunnel Rewind Vacuum - $99
Hoover SteamVac - $99
Holmes 1-gal Cool Mist Humidifier with 2 filter bonus pack - $24.99
Holmes 2pk Compact Heaters - $24.99
Fieldcrest Luxury Bath Towel 30x58" - $9
Target Home Comforter Sets - $59 queen
Kids 2pc Cozy Sleep Sets 4-16: Boys by Cherokee or Girls by Circo - $10
Infant & Toddler Boys and Girls Premium Denim by Genuine Kids from OshKosh - $10
Women's Bonded Fleece Jacket by Merona, size XS - XXL - $10
Men's Classic-fit Graphic Tees - $5.00
Nivea 13.5oz Skin-firming Moisturizer - $6.99
Eucerin Calming Creme 8oz - $6.99


FREE Giftcard Offers:
25$ GC wyb 8GB iPod Touch - $225
5$ GC wyb 2GB iPod Shuffle - $46
10$ GC wyb any one HP Combo-pack, photo Value-pack or (2) single-pack ink
10$ GC wyb Tron (available Tuesday) Wii: $49.99, PS3 or X360: $59.99
20$ GC wyb Mr. Coffee by Keurig - $79.99
20$ GC wyb Mr. Coffee Cafe Frappe - $79.99
15$ GC wyb Shark Vac-then-Mop Steam Mop - $149
15$ GC wyb Shark Garment Steamer - $99
20$ GC wyb Oral-B Professional Care SmartSeries Toothbrush - $99.99
15$ GC wyb Braun Series 3-350CC Razor - $99.99
25$ GC wyb Norelco SensoTouch 3D 1250CC Razor and Norelco Nose & Ear Trimmer: Razor $219.99, Trimmer $14.99
5$ GC wyb any 3 Starbucks 10-12oz Coffee - $6.99 each

5$ GC wyb any 2 items listed:
Olay Total Effects 1.7oz Moisturizer - $17.50
Bounce 6-month Dryer Bar, or 240ct Dryer Sheets - $8.99
Downy 105 or 120 load liquid, or 240ct Dryer Sheets - $8.99
Luvs Big-Pack Diapers - $16.99
Tide Stain Release 24ct Duo Pacs or 68ct Liuqid - $11.99
Tide 100oz Liquid or 62 or 80 load Powder Detergent - $11.99
Charmin 24pk Double or 12pk Mega Roll - $11.99
Bounty 8pk Giant Roll - $9.99

20$ GC wyb any KitchenAid Appliance listed or any KitchenAid Cookware Set on sale:
14cp Coffeemakers - $99.99
12" Countertop Toaster Oven - $99.99
Classic Plus Mixer - $199.99
10pc Cookware Stainless Steel Set - $159.99 (all other sets on sale also)


Shrek: the Final Chapter Blu-ray Combo Pack - $17.99
Inception Blu-Ray Combo pack - $17.99
Kodak M575 14MP Camera - $99
Kodak M590 14MP Camera - $149
Canon SD1300 IS 12MP Camera - $129
Nikon D3100 SLR - $649.99
Nikon 55-200mm Telephoto Lens - $199.99 (SAVE 100$ wyb Both Camera and lens!)
Kodak Zi8 1080p Pocket Video Recorder - $129
Lexmark X5650 All in One - $39.99
Casio 61key Lighted Keyboard - $89
10" Portable Blu-ray Player - $189
TomTom XXL 530S GPS - $109
HP 7" Digital Frame - $49
Philips 4GB MP3 player sport pack - $29.99

4pk 15$ iTunes Gift Cards - 60$ Value - on sale $48

Circo Dollhouse Bookcase - $60
Vision Pedestal Gaming Chair - $120

FREE Controller AND $20 Playstation Network Card wyb 160GB PS3 Game System - $299.99
FREE Roomba 400 Vacuum wyb Roomba 530 Vacuum - $299
FREE Carry Case wyb Singer Esteem II Sewing Machine - $94