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Luv Saving Money – Page 975 – Life on a Budget

I LOVE CYBERMONDAY!!! Here’s Why…

—Ok all. It’s been a while since I did a meat and potatoes post. You know, what my blog is really about. Saving money! I found some super awesome online deals i wanted to share with you. I took advantage of some of them. Wish I could do them all but even at these great prices I’m still a poor gal. Anywho, hope I save you some money here:

–The Children’s Place has a “Fleece Frenzy” This weekend only. $5 fleece for boys, girls, and babies. Includes Fleece pants. Also if you use code FSholiday you get free shipping Too!  You kind of have to search through the “sale” section in the categories for them but they’re there.  Some of the big boys fleece is already selling out so jump on it if you want some.  I bought an outfit for the baby.

–Urban Decay cosmetics has awesome $6 and $12 deals. It’s only while supplies last. If you are an Urban Decay fan you know that these prices are less than half of what they normally are for most of the items they have on sale. There’s a lot so I won’t list them all here but you can click the hyper link in this bullet and it will take you there.

–I totally took advantage of this one on Drugstore.com.   Drugstore.com is having a “Cyberweek sale”  I found this “Splatter Mat: The Magical Color changing activity mat”  It’s supposed to change colors with body heat and/or warm water.  You can draw on it with your body heat.  And no mess.  They are originally $35 but they have them on their Cyber week sale for $5!  I bought 3: 1 for the baby, 1 to donate to toys for tots, and 1 more just incase.  Why not at that price?  I ordered the 3 splatter mats and the digital keychain and my shopping cart said “you saved a total of $102”  LOL

They have lots of other deals too like a Magellan Roadmate 1424 GPS originally $150.00 for $90, a digital photo keychain originally $20 on sale for $7, 40% off select energizer batteries,  and lot of other stuff. 

–Toys R’ Us buy one get one 50% Lego sets, and 50% Kung Zu’s for today Sat. Nov. 27th Only.  BUT the ad in the email I got says that is the “deals of the day” so they must be doing different deals each day.

I’m definitely not a Black Friday Shopper but I am certainly a Cyber Monday shopper.  As I find more I’ll add them to the list.

If you look around, especially on Monday but many started their online sales Friday.  Many places like The Children’s Place, Old Navy, Toy R’ US(orders over $40 I think), and more are offering free shipping.  Overstock.com has free shipping but excludes music, books, Movie, games, and international orders.

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Win a $500 Amex gift card and a year return protection onChampagne living

Champagne Living has an awesome giveaway for a $500 Amex gift card and a year of premium return protection. This would be unbelievable to help with holiday expenses.

Here is the link if you want to enter: http://www.champagneliving.net/2010/11/no-more-regrets-from-american-express.html

Giveaway ends 12/10 

Champagne Living - Live the good life for less!

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My favorite road trip memory

I’m one that would much rather drive if I can than fly. There’s several reasons for that.  One reason is that it’s less expensive (generally), you get to see the change in the scenery and find those neat little shops and restaurants along the way, and you can stop whenever you want to.

I used to do traveling therapy.  I received a placement in Texas.  I’m from PA and I had never been to TX. I was very much looking forward to it.  While my company offered to pay for a rental car and the plane ticket to get me there, I chose to drive.  I would take this road trip by myself.  I was to be there the beginning of May.  I made sure I took a bunch of my favorite cds, my sunglasses were in the car, and route was planned.  It had to be one of the most relaxing (and longest) road trip I’d ever taken. 

It was so amazing to see the change in the scenery.  To see new places I’d never seen before.  I started around 6 am.  I went past Cleveland, Ohio.  Down through Kentucky.  I remember driving down a highway and saw these amazing rolling hills covered in blue grass.  I never really knew exactly what those terms meant “rolling hills” and “blue grass” until I saw it for myself.  It was beautiful. I enjoyed the ride so much.  I drove until midnight . I remember calling a friend in Texas on my cell phone and telling them that I finally decided I was going to stop and find a hotel to sleep for a while.  As I was on the phone I remember telling my friend “oh my, there’s a huge bridge and big body of water coming up” (long bridges over water make me a little nervous for whatever reason).  My anxiety changed to excitement when I told my friend “oh my gosh I’m about to drive over the Mississippi river!” 

I finally got a hotel.  Woke up early the next day and started again.  I remember the change in scenery in Texas alone until I finally got to my destination.  Everything from driving near Dallas to driving past actual ranches.  For a Pennsylvania girl seeing a for real Texas ranch was exciting. 

I like being alone on this trip.  It was the quiet alone time I needed for myself at the time.  To do what I wanted to do.  Sometimes I still wish I could jump in the car and take that drive to Texas again. 

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Discount Tire blogging program, making me eligible to receive a $50 gift card and be entered for a chance to win a prize valued at $1,000. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

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Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream Concentrate Review and #Giveaway 12/10—CLOSED

 RANDOM.ORG DREW NUMBER 97.  CONGRATULATIONS LYNDSEY.  WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED VIA EMAIL AND HAS 48 HOURS TO REPLY.

With each product I get to try from Tropical Traditions, the more I become a fan. This review was kind of interesting for me. I started off thinking “what the heck, this product was not what I thought it would be” to “wow this product is what I thought it would be” Let me tell you why, I neglected to seek out the full directions. I know, I know, when all else fails, read the directions right? LOL just kidding. I give hubby a hard time about this all the time. I guess he gets to rub it in for a minute.

Here’s how it went.  I received my generous sized jar of the Coconut Cream concentrate from Tropical Traditions.  I had been wanting to try it.  It seemed like a very versatile products  You can mix it into drinks like coffee or even water to make a coconut flavored drink. You can mix it into your baking and cooking to add a little coconut flavor too.  I thought it would be great to try for some of my holiday baking.

When I got the jar, I noticed that it had separated.  There was a layer of coconut oil on the top and the coconut cream concentrate was on the bottom.  I tried to scoop it out but only kept getting the coconut oil.  The jar said it would separate in temps lower than 75 degrees.  That’s my house like 24/7 365.   At first I was really disappointed.  I thought  “How can I use this stuff?”  So after trying different things on my own, I finally decided to check the Tropical Traditions website.  Well there it was, the video on how to mix the Coconut Cream concentrate.  I felt so silly, I should have gone to the site in the first place. 

So I tried it.  What do you know it worked!

I looked over the recipes on the Tropical Traditions site.  It’s so easy.  You can look at them all or just for the products you’re using.  My kids helped me pick one out.  We decided to try the “Chocolate Coconut Creme Bar” recipe.  It was easy, quick to make, and tasted pretty good.

The Coconut Cream Concentrate melted easily in the pan.

The Chocolate Coconut Creme Bar turned out smooth.  You could definitely taste the coconut flavor in the bar.  I also tried some in my coffee  I was expecting a sweeter coconut flavor but it reminded me more of a toasted coconut type of flavor.  Something like a macaroon.  My family tried the Chocolate Coconut Creme Bar and I took some to work.  I heard several comments that it tasted like a mounds bar without the flakes of the coconut. 

Once I figured out how to use the product I loved it.  If there was one suggestion I might have, it would be to have some quick directions on the side for how to mix it.

Plus  from now until Nov. 28 you can get $10 off any order of $16 or more.  Use code: 24110
If you order I’d so appreciate it you’d use my referral ID: 6162177

GIVEAWAY
Tropical Traditions is going to give one of my readers their own jar of Coconut Cream Concentrate to try for themselves.  Open to US and Canada.
Mandatory EntryFollow Tropical Traditions on twitter: @troptraditions 
Must be completed before any bonus entries will count.  Don’t forget to leave an email address so I can 
contact you if you win.    
Bonus Entries:  Please leave a separate comment for each bonus entry completed.  If there is a +1 after the entry leave one comment for that entry.  +2 leave 2 comments for that entry and so on.  

1.  Sign up for Tropical Traditions email newsletter (+2)

2. Like Tropical Traditions on facebook (+1)

3. Tell me what recipe you might like to try with your Coconut Cream Concentrate if you win (+1)

4.  Tweet this giveaway using the RT button in the upper Left corner OR you can use this message:

”  I entered to win a jar of Coconut Cream Concentrate from @troptraditions on http://bit.ly/TTcream 12/10 US/CAN @angiewith3″

Can tweet 2 X per day at least 2 hours apart.  (+1 for each tweet)

5.  Follow FFCM with Google Friend Connect, Networked Blogs, RSS feed, and/or email (+1 for each one.)  Please leave a separate comment for each one completed

6.  Follow me on twitter: @angiewith3 (+1)

7.  Like FFCM on facebook (+1)

8.  Enter any of my other current giveaways and leave a comment telling me which one(s) you entered  (+1 for each one)

9.  Purchase anything from Tropical Traditions with my referral ID:  6162177   (+5)

Giveaway will end 12/10 at 10 PM EST.  1 winner will be chosen using random.org.  Winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond to winning email. Open to US and Canada

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. 

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Eitech Metal building kits review and #giveaway 12/8 US–CLOSED

 RANDOM.ORG DREW NUMBER 22. CONGRATULATIONS SLS! WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND HAS 48 HOURS TO REPLY TO WINNING EMAIL NOTIFICATION.

Eitech is a German metal kit building company. They have recently introduced Teifoc brick and mortar building kits in the US.  Eitech offers melting buidling kits for a variety of ages.  From the beginner kits meant of 4+ year olds to introduce kids to metal building, Basic sets for 6-8 years old, and the Exclusive, Solar, and Experimental kits for 8 + years old.  Then there is the brick and mortar sets I mentioned.

I LOVE toys like this for my boys.  My two oldest are 6 and 8.  They are really into legos right now.  They’ve had a number of lego sets.  They are to the point where they can put them together themselves, reading the directions, and do it right.  I was hoping to find something similar that would be more challenging for them.  They were so excited when they heard that I would get to review the one of the Eitech metal building kits.

This is the one we received to review:

One of the cool things about this particular kit was that it had a booklet that included 3 different instructions for 3 different vehicles you could make with the part included.  The boys decided they wanted to make the little quad in the booklet.  The directions are not written word directions.  They show step by step directions with pictures.  The parts are labeled with numbers with a key in the back that had a picture of each of the parts.  You could, say, lay a screw on top of the picture too and see that that was the right size screw to use for that particular step.

This kit was meant for 8+ year and up.  My 6 year old wanted to help. It was a bit advanced for him but I showed him where to put the screws and let him twist the nuts on.  His older brother was able to do a little more though he still needed some help.  My 6 year old had fun experimenting with the spare parts while his older brother helped to complete the steps.

When we finally finished the quad we decided on, my 6 year old couldn’t wait to test it out.

If you are looking for a hands on, age appropriate toy, that will encourage your child’s imagination, I would highly recommend looking into Eitech toys.  The pieces a sturdy quality metal pieces.  Not the flimsy aluminum junk that some other companies offer.  The kit comes with all the pieces you need and then some.  Our kit also included 2 small wrenches and a small screw driver.

Where to buy:  Since the products are just being introduced in the US there are only a few retail (brick and mortar) stores offering the products. You can see if there is a store near you by clicking here.
There are however, 3 websites that sell Eitech toys:  amazon.com, Girders and Gears, and Lainie’s Way.

Review Summary:  Yes this toy is fantastic for your little builders (or big builders). Quality metal pieces and all part included make this a toy that will last for years.  It’s is a great hands on, spark a child’s imagination type of toy.  This is more of a challenging toy so be sure to get the kit that is age appropriate for your child/grandchild/niece/nephew

GIVEAWAY
Eitech toys is giving one of my lucky readers the C55 Basic Mini Train with Cargo Car Construction Set
Which will make a great stocking stuff!   US only
Mandatory Entry:   Follow Eitech toys on twitter:  @eitechtoys. 
Leave a comment with your twitter ID.  (This entry must be completed to be entered into giveaway.  No bonus entries will count if this is not completed. Don’t forget to leave an email address so I can contact you if you win.

Bonus Entries:  Please leave a separate comment for each bonus entry completed.  If there is a +1 after the entry leave one comment.  +2 leave two comments for that entry and so on. 

1.  Visit Eitech toys website and tell me another kit not mentioned that you think your little one might like to try (+1)

2.  Like Eitech on facebook (+1)

3.  Follow FFCM with Google Friend Connect, Networked Blogs, Blog Frog, RSS feed, and/or email subscription (+1 for each one completed.  Please leave a seperate comment for each one completed)

4.  Follow me on twitter: @angiewith3 and leave a comment with your twitter id. (+1)

5.  Like FFCM on facebook (+1)

6.  Blog about this giveaway and include a link to this post in it.  Leave a link to your blog post in a comment below (+5)

7.  Tweet this giveaway using the RT button in the upper Left corner or you can use this message:

”  I entered to win an @eitechtoys metal building kit on http://bit.ly/eitechgive US 12/8 US @angiewith3

Can tweet 2 x per day at least 2 hours apart.  Leave a comment with a link to your tweet.  (+1 for each tweet)

8.  Enter any of my other current giveaways (+1 for each one entered)

9.  Like Growing Tree Toys on facebook (+2) for each like, growing tree toys will donate $1 to toys for tots!

Giveaway will end 12/8 at 10 PM EST. Winner will be selected using Random.org.  Winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond otherwise a new winner will be chosen. 

***I received the kit mentioned in the review above at no cost from Eitech toys in order to complete a proper review.  I was under no obligation to give a positive review.  Any opinions expressed are my own. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post.***

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