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Talking Anya App Review

*This is sponsored post from Talking Anya Dress Up & Pet Puppies through Sverve.  Regardless I only post honest reviews.  Any opinions expressed are my own*

With so many apps out there it can be hard to tell which ones are worth the download space on your phone and which ones are not. My kids love to use my phone, especially my youngest son, to play with the apps. I have a few kid friendly games on my phone. I’ll put some apps on my phone after reading the description thinking they’re cooler that what they are and the kids lose interest after the first 5 minutes and I end up deleting it. Once in a while though there’s a fun app that you and/or your kids really like and it becomes a permanent fixture on your phone. I think Talking Anya Dress Up & Pet Puppies is one of those apps.

Talking Anya Dress Up & Pet Puppies is available through iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/app/talking-anya-dress-up-pet/id435890283?mt=8 for iPad, iPhone, and iPod. To say Talking Anya is a virtual dress up doll just doesn’t do it justice. The graphics are amazing. While you definitely can dress her up, change her hairstyle, etc. you can also play games, have fun with the microphone, and lots more.

There are two versions the free version and the paid version. The free version is what I started off reviewing. The free version gives you a few outfits to change, a couple hair styles to choose from, a bubble pop game to play with her, you can evoke different reactions from her, play with the microphone, give her treats to eat, play maracas..um I think that’s about it. You can add more on by buying additional packs if you want. The free version was fun but I decided to give the paid version a try too. It was only $2.99 when I downloaded it from iTunes and it unlocks everything. She has a puppy to play with, more outfit selections, you can change her eye color, more hairstyle and hair color selections, more games to play with her like “catch the flower” and more.

I have 3 boys and a baby girl. I honestly didn’t know if any of my boys would be into it. My youngest son (who is 4 yrs old) asked if he could play with my phone. I asked him if he’d like to play a game to help me with my review. Honestly he played with this app for at least a half hour. I heard him laughing and trying different things. He loved the microphone aspect where when he says something she’ll repeat it. I even caught my older boys sitting next to him watching the app.

I’m not gonna lie, I caught myself playing with it a few times too. This will be great for those long waits at the doctor’s office with the kids or the car rides that just won’t end. You should really give this a try. I recommend the full version because it’s the best deal at $2.99 but if you want to try it first the free version is entertaining. You can also find Talking Anya on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkingAnya and join the over 26,000 fans.

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Winter Car Care To Keep You Safe

*This post is sponsored by Reedman-Toll Fiat in Langhorne, PA*

I’m sooo over winter at this point. When I left for work this morning it was 1 degree, seriously 1. We already have a few inches of snow hanging around and the news stations can’t make up their mind about what we’re getting tonight. I heard 2-4 inches of snow and ice. My husband told me we’re supposed to get up to 6 inches. Oh well, what can we do, can’t stop it, just prepare for it. I was driving last night to pick my boys up from their dads house and decided to snap a pic with my phone. Don’t worry I was at a stop light, I don’t do that when I’m driving.

Blech, the lines are gone, there was ice under that snow, and some people choose to go way too fast for conditions in my opinion. Not me though, I was driving about 15-20 mph at points last night. When temperatures are like this though you want to make sure you take care of your cars needs. The last thing you want is for your car to break down when the weather is like this. It’s one of my worst winter fears, to break down in weather like this with my little ones in the car. So here are my winter care care tips.

–If you have a newer car make sure you’re going for your routine service check ups for your car. New cars will often have so many you have to do in a time frame anyway to keep your warranty. Even if you have a used car like mine it’s a good idea to have your vehicle checked before the bad weather starts.

–Don’t ignore the check engine light. I know that light is scary. It about gives me a heard attack every time I see it. Places like Autozone can use a code reader to tell you whats wrong with your car for free. Your local mechanic or a dealership like www.fiatusaoflanghorne.com can do them to but they may charge a small fee. This actually just happened to me last week. My check engine light came on for the first time in 5 years that I owned the car. My car didn’t seem like it had as much power and seemed to be making a funny sound. I, of course, thought the worst but my husband took it to get the code read. It ended up just being the antifreeze sensor which was a $15 part and my father in law put it in for free. Now my car is running fine. It’s amazing what a small part can do to your car.

–Make sure all your fluids are filled. Anti-freeze is of course important but don’t forget about your windshield washer fluid. I use mine constantly in this weather with the salt on the roads. Be sure to check your oil. When the temps get really low, like below 15 make sure you have at least a quarter tank of gas in your vehicle because it’s possible for the fuel to freeze at those temps.

–Starting your car about 10 minutes ahead of time before you leave when the temps are low. Not only will it get the car warm for you and start melting any ice on the windshields but it’s good for your car too. Cold starts can use more power from the battery.

–Have your battery power level checked. In the cold weather the battery can drain a little faster. Again a lot of the chain auto parts stores or your dealership can check this for you.

–Washing your car when possible including the undercarriage. Salt or ash on the road is necessary to make driving safe for everyone one but it can do some damage to the cars exterior if it’s allowed to sit on their all winter. When it’s really cold a lot of car washes will close but when the they’re open its a good idea to take your through and make sure to include the undercarriage wash to rinse off all that salt so it doesn’t eat at the metal on your car.

That’s all my tips for now. If you have any winter car care tips, feel free to share them in the comments!

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Is Your Pet Food Natural? Check Your Bag

**This post is sponsored by Wellness Pet Food**

Years ago I used to think pet food was pet food. Sure I figured some just added more flavors or maybe had a different consistency but I didn’t really think there was enough different to warrant choosing a more expensive brand over a cheaper brand. The truth is, pets are like people, put good in you get good out, so to speak.

WellnessPetFood.com has been making quality natural pet food for 100 years! Their food contains real meat, grains, fruits, and vegetables. Never added artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors. Isn’t that what we want for ourselves too? Natural healthy food. Wellness Pet Food makes delicious and nutritious pet foods for both dogs and cats with wet and dry options. Our cats eat dry cat food with a little wet cat food mixed in as a treat from time to time.

Wellness Pet Food encourages you to #CheckYourBag. You can go right to WellnessPetFood.com and see how your current pet food lines up with Wellness Pet Food brand. What a better month to educate ourselves on pet health than February. Did you know February is National Pet Dental Health month AND Responsible Pet Owners Month?

They also provided me with some interesting pet ownership fact:

Pet ownership in the U.S. has more than tripled from the 1970s,
when approximately 67 million households had pets,
to 2012,
when there were 164 million owned pets.

According to a Packaged Facts survey, 83% of pet owners
consider their pet to be a member of the family.

U.S. Pet-Ownership Estimates from the American Pet Products Association for 2012

· 83.3 million – Number of owned dogs

· 47% – of households own at least one dog

· 70% – of owners have one dog

· 20% – of owners have two dogs

· 10% – of owners have three or more dogs

· 1.47 – the average number of owned dogs per household

· 20% – of owned dogs were adopted from animal shelters

· 83% – of owned dogs who are spayed or neutered

$231 – the average annual amount spent on routine vet visits

Given those numbers, I’m curious as to what kinds of pets and how many Luv Saving Money readers have? We have 2 cats. We’re not really dog people. It’s not that I don’t like dogs it’s just that with 4 kids, me working part-time, hubby working full-time, and the kids involved in just about every sport they can be involved in. I don’t think our family could give a dog the amount of care a maintenance it needs. Cats are pretty self sufficient. You give them a clean litter box, some food, water, and toys and they’re happy. The more I read about their products as I’m researching for the post the more I’d love to try it for my cats.

So what are some of the benefits of using Wellness dog food or Wellness cat food?

Some of the biggest benefits to Wellness® Complete Health® Recipes include:

· Live Active Probiotics – Added after the cooking process to promote a healthy intestinal tract and
overall digestive health at guaranteed levels

· Omega 3 & 6 Mix – Offering guaranteed levels of essential fatty acids for cellular function and healthy skin

· Essential Vitamins & Minerals – Designed for cellular health, immunity and disease resistance

· Fruit & Veggie Antioxidants – A proactive step in improving your pet’s nutrition

· Rigorous Safety Testing – A Quality Assurance program that maintains strict standards for food safety

· Excellent Nutritional Standards – Every batch of dry food is tested throughout the entire manufacturing process,
from its basic ingredients to the finished products

To pick up a bag of some of this high-quality, natural dog food, you can order it online or stop by one of the retail locations
listed in the Wellness Store Locator.

But be sure that you also connect with their Naturally Well Pet Community, a free online program that provides exclusive savings offers,
fun contests and helpful tips about keeping your pets happy and healthy.
And consider following their Facebook page and Twitter feed, where you can join in
on the fun with a huge groupof fellow animal lovers who shareheartfelt,
funny stories, entertaining photos and videos of their pets.

Don’t forget to Check Your Bag!

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Just for Fun, What Would Buy if You Won the Powerball?

This post is sponsored by Klick Lewis Cars in Palmyra, PA

I’m frugal by nature. I enjoy the thrill of finding what I need at a great price. I often think that if I’d come into a lot of money like through the Powerball for example, that I’d still be frugal and use the money wisely. I’ve watched that tv show “Curse of the Lottery Winners” before and most of it just seemed like poor financial planning. I remembering watching one where I guy talked about buying a monster truck and then buying some for his friends. I think he also bought a couple houses and some other things. I’m not saying you shouldn’t have fun, but I’m saying maybe put some away, invest it, something!

Ok that being said I’ve thought about this many times. First of all I’d hiring a financial advisor I trust. An accountant we already use would be my first choice because the office also does financial planning. I would of course pay off bills and set up a fund for each of my kids to pay for college and help them start their adult lives…Not too much though I want to help not spoil. I think I’d also buy a reasonable family car for myself. At this point in time I really want a Chevy Traverse. I think they seat 8 people and seem like they would be great for the PA weather here.

chevy travers klick lewis — Visit klicklewiscars.com for more

My hubby has always dreamed about having a Corvette so I think I’d spring for one for him. Sometimes I visit PA car dealership websites just to dream. I saw a video for the 2014 Corvette Stingray on http://www.klicklewiscars.com and I picture me riding in it with hubby at the wheel.

My next fun thing would be a trip to the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. I priced it out one time and the cost for a family of 6 with airfare is way over our heads but if we won the lottery I’d be sitting in a travel agent’s office booking our trip.

I’d probably do some upgrades to our house like adding on another room and getting our attic finished but honestly if all those things were taken care of, wow, the thought of that just makes me happy.

So what about you, what would you do if you won the Powerball or somehow came into several million dollars?

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Having and Using a Credit Card is not Always Bad

This post is sponsored by ToppFinans.com

I’m just going to preface this by saying I am NOT a financial expert. As a matter of fact, as a teen and in my early 20s I made some serious financial mistakes. After divorcing my 1st husband my credit was abysmal. I was determined to fix it, make a better financial life for me and my kids, and eventually go debt free. I started reading everything I could get my hands on from any kind of credit expert. Dave Ramsey was a fave of mine for a while. I read some of Suze Orman but she was a bit much for me. I also read info on fixing your credit from other books, online articles, and financial magazines. I started working with creditors, paying off debts, paying cash whenever possible. I was afraid to ever get another credit card but as most will tell you, having one credit card you use regularly and pay off every month is actually a great way to improve your credit score.

Admittedly my credit card options were few and far between at first but I did qualify for one with a $300 limit. The interest rate was pretty high but i didn’t have many options. I was happy to have tool to help me build my credit back up and learn to discipline myself. I’m happy to say I’ve raised my credit score nearly 200 points since all that happened, I’ve paid off nearly $30,000 in debt from my first marriage on my own by working with creditors and collectors at times. Now I do have some options when it comes to credit cards. I personally don’t want more than one and it would still be an credit helper tool. But which credit cards are right?

–Look at the interest rate. Probably one of the biggest things. If you have options you of course want the lower interest rate but sometimes you have to read the fine print. It will say 8% apr for the first year but then they might jack it up to 20% after the first year. You don’t want that

–Watch for annual fees. Some cards do carry annual fees. With my starter card after my 1st marriage I did have to pay an annual fee but after a year of paying on time and not maxing it out they reduced the annual fee rate. After 2 more years of the same they eliminated the annual fee. If you have good credit you should be able to get a credit card without an annual fee.

–What other benefits does the card give you? Interest rate, annual fee, and credit limit are the key factors to consider. Once you have it narrowed down from that point start looking to see which ones offer more benefits. Some credit cards can get you discounts through a member program, some of them give you rewards when you use your card, some have travel benefits if you like to travel. Others have no attached benefits at all. There are even sites out there that let you do comparisons of different credit cards.

Credit cards when used the wrong way can cause years, if not decades, of headache. When used the right way can actually help you build your financial future.

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