Cart Buster Savings Event: $25 Kroger Gift Card Giveaway CLOSED

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Kroger for this great blogging opportuntiy. I have been asked to share the Cart Buster Savings Event which is exclusively at Kroger and the Kroger Family of Stores with you. I will be receiving a $25 Kroger gift card so that I may shop Kroger during this promotion period and you will have a chance to win one too! Yay!

From February the 27th through March the 12th, you can shop at Kroger’s biggest-ever promotion and find the hottest prices around on more than 35 brands. These brands are across more than 60 categories ranging from General Mills, P & G, Nestle, Pepsi and Kroger Banner Brands. During the Cart Buster Savings Event, you will find great savings in almost every department at the Kroger Family of Stores. These stores include Kroger, Ralph’s, King Soopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith’s, Fry’s, QFC, Baker’s, Owen’s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Pay Less Super Markets and Scott’s Food & Pharmacy.

Here are just a handful of the great brands participating in the event: Multigrain Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Hamburger Helper, Yoplait, Progresso, Totino’s, Green Giant, Cascadian Farm, Tide, Charmin, Bounty, Pampers, Pantene, Crest, Iams, Febreze, Old Spice, Bounce, DiGiorno’s, Nestle Toll House, Juicy Juice, Coffee-Mate, Edy’s, Stouffer’s, Lean Cuisine, Hot Pockets, Nestle Candy, Purina and many more!

If you are looking for even more ways to add money to your pocket, you may visit Kroger.com/CartBuster to participate in their “Deal of the Day” promotion! During each day of Kroger’s Cart Buster Savings Event, be one of the first 1000 people to click on the deal link and receive a free load-to-card coupon for the featured daily item.

Shop and save with the Cart Buster Savings Event exclusively at Kroger and the Kroger Family of Stores. You will see Big Savings Storewide!

Giveaway time! Please follow the instructions below to be entered to win one $25 Gift Card to be used at Kroger and the Kroger Family of Stores.

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Share "How do you plan to save big on the brands that you love at the Cart Buster Savings Event at Kroger?" in a comment below.
1 extra entry: Follow me on twitter and comment below with your twitter name.
1 extra entry: Subscribe to my rss feed and comment below. Current subscriptions count too!
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #win a $25 Kroger Gift Card Gift card from #myblogspark and Kroger at http://t.co/JYcq7Ip " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Follow me on network blogs. Please leave your 3 comments below if you follow me.
5 extra entries: Click this link for Purex Crystals for 5 extra entries into any of my open giveaways. After you are taken to the web page, please come back and post your 5 extra entries.
5 extra entries: Post my giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on March the 20th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: The $25 Kroger Family of Stores gift card, information, and giveaway were all provided by the Kroger Family of Stores and General Mills/Nestle/Proctor & Gamble through MyBlogSpark.

How I Get The Best Deals From The Brands My Family Loves

I am a member of SocialMoms and they have teamed up with Kroger for this fun blogging opportunity. I have been asked to share how I am getting the best deals from the brands my family loves. You may read more about that request here.

I have always been a thrify shopper. Some call me frugal and others call me cheap but what I call myself is a smart shopper! We all work hard for our money and need to stretch it as far as we can, right? So why not but your resources to work and same some money on your groceries.

My top 10 tips for saving money on the brands that your family loves are below:

1. Read your grocery store sale adds. Make sure that your add is in date and look at the products, brands and prices that they have to offer. As you read your adds, make a list of the items that you want. I list the item brand name, product description, weight of the product and the price. I want to make sure that the item that I pick up at the store matches this description so that I get the sale price.

2. Compare store adds. See which store has the better sale adds for the week. If the cost of gas and driving distance isn't a burden for you, then it is smart to drive to each store and shop for their sales. Remember to only get sale items that are on your list. Try not to do any compulsive shopping because an extra item or two at each store adds up fast!

3. Get familiar with the prices of products that you use on a weekly basis. If you know what the normal price is of something that you use, then you can know if you are getting a good deal on it or not when you shop.

4. Make your families food menus based on what the grocery stores have on sale for that week. Try to make at least the meat portion and the fresh produce portion something that is on sale for the week.

5. Stock up on sale items. If you find something that is a low price and it is something that you use often, by all means, stock up on it! Make sure to look at the expiration dates of the products that you are buying. You don't want to get so much that it expires before you have a chance to use it.

6. Coupons are your friend! I love to use coupons. You can sign up for mailing lists for the brands that you use most often. Most of your canned or boxed food items will have a website or a phone number listed on the packaging. Don't be afraid to conact the company to see if they have a mailing list that you can be added too. Some companies will even send out free coupons for products if you ask for them.

7. Get your local Sunday newspaper. The local Sunday newspapers usually have coupons in them. These are manufacture coupons that may be used at any store. The savings amount and brands may differ but they usually have long expiration dates. You can save them until your needed items are on sale.

8. The internet is a great place to find savings. There are many blogs and websites that do the sales add and coupon match up work for you. This is a great way to save time while saving money at the same time.

9. Don't shop while you are hungry. I am sure that you have heard this many times before but it is true! I tend to buy more quick, convenient junk food if I am shopping on an empty stomach. Shop after a meal and not only will you be saving money on your grocery bill but you will be burning calories too!

10. Remember, money is only well spent if it is on items that you will use. Don't spend your money on items that will spoil or ruin before you have a chance to use them.

All of these tips are ones that I use on a weekly basis. These tips work for groceries as well as health care items. Yes, it does take a little bit of time and planning but you will get use to doing these steps and they will become a way of life. As they say: time is money. I can promise you that if you invest a litle time at home, you will save money at the grocery store.

Now a word from our sponsor:
Kroger’s popular CartBuster savings event offers deep discounts on popular items. During this 14-day promotion running from February 27 to March 12th, customers will receive CartBuster savings on products from favorite brands like P&G, General Mills, Nestle, and Pepsi by visiting the Kroger Facebook page.

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms Kroger CartBuster blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Educational Toys Planet Review

I have 2 children ages 6 and 10 who helped me test for our Educational Toys Planet review. We were sent the The Magic School Bus "Flight" Science Kit from their Science Toys category.

They say: Explore the wonders of Flight Science while taking a ride on the Magic School Bus! With the new the Magic School Bus "Flight" kit from the Young Scientists Club, children learn all about the wonders of flight while interacting with their favorite Magic School Bus characters. Your young scientist will learn all about flight with this soaring science kit. Experiments that your young scientist will perform with the Magic School Bus "Flight" Science Kit from Educational Toys Planet include building a balloon jet, experimenting with parachutes, levitating paper, flying a glider, and even lifting off rockets. Wow! This science set also includes all the necessary equipment for performing these experiments such as balloons, paper templates, safety goggles, and even working parachutes! Your child will have a high-flying time while working on The Magic School Bus "Flight" Science Kit, they will be helped along by all their favorite Magic School Bus characters. Educational Toys Planet also offers other Magic School Bus Kits from the Young Scientists Club.

I say: Yes! This is a fun way for children to learn about Science! I love how the activies involve the parent with their child. The instruction manual is actually like a comic book. It has stories and scenerios that you can read to your child while they are putting the experiment together. My favorite part about this kit is that it gets your child to thinking. My childrens favorite part about this kit is that they got to fly objects that they created by themselves. Normally my children don't interact very well (the 10 year old is a boy, the 6 year old is a girl) but today they worked well together and had fun. This Science Kit makes learning so much fun that my kids forgot that they were learning as we played. I love The Magic School Bus "Flight" Science Kit and I am interested in trying more of The Magic School Bus Science Kits.

The Magic School Bus "Flight" Science Kit is for ages 5+ and I say that it is great for a boy or girl!

Thank you Educational Toys Planet for allowing me to host the The Magic School Bus "Flight" Science Kit review!

Disclosure: I was sent one The Magic School Bus "Flight" Science Kit so that I may complete an honest review of the product.

Quick Scentsy Specials Online Party!

I am hosting an online party for Scentsy and I am so excited to be sharing this with you!

Right now Scentsy has 10% off most products ordered through the end of the month. You can get Scentsy bars and travel tins for $4.50, room sprays are $7.20, and plug ins are only $13.50 through the end of February. The plug ins will go up to $20 on March 1. Please feel free to browse the website. You might find something that you need! They even have spray foams, warmers, and scent circles. Shipping is $5.00 on orders less than $50. For orders over $50 then shipping is 10% of the order total. State taxes may also apply to your order.

If you would like to place an order, please do so by Monday. This party will close early Monday so that we can all get the specials before they are over!

I have 2 plug ins and several different Scentsy bars right now. They have scents that are fabulous and long lasting. I have been scentsified! Have you?

If you would like to join my online party please go here.

Disclosure: This is a post of my own personal thoughts and opinions. I may receive a promotional gift if the Scentsy Party qualifies with $150 in sales.

WholeSale KeyChain Winner Announcement

Thank you to everyone who entered my WholeSale KeyChain Red Heart Keychain Giveaway which ended 02/20/11. We had 43 comments and randomizer.org chose number 30 as our winner. They have been emailed and have 48 hours to claim their prize. I will update this post once the prize has been claimed.

I have 3 giveaways open right now. Please be sure to stop by enter them before they close.

Progresso Soup "Souper You Debut" Giveaway ends 02/27/11
Cinnamon Burst Cheerios Prize Pack Giveaway ends 02/27/11
45th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest Giveaway ends 03/06/2011

45th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest Giveaway CLOSED

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Pillsbury for this review and giveaway opportunity. They have provided me with a Pillsbury Bake-Off gift pack that includes a Pillsbury Bake-Off apron, recipe book, pen and notepad. They are also providing an additional prize pack to offer as a giveaway to one of my readers. Yay!

Pillsbury is looking for original recipes that both taste and look delicious. They want easy to prepare recipes that families across America would love to eat. The recipe categories are: Breakfast & Brunches, Entertaining Appetizers, The Dinner Made Easy, and Sweet Treats. You can submit your entry online between now and April 18, 2011, at www.bakeoff.com. You’ll also find contest details, including eligible products, prizes and the official rules, on the web site.


Giveaway time! One of my readers will receive a Pillsbury Bake-Off gift pack that includes a Pillsbury Bake-Off apron, recipe book, pen and notepad.

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
5 extra entries: Click this link for Purex Crystals for 5 extra entries into any of my open giveaways. After you are taken to the web page, please come back and post your 5 extra entries.
1 extra entry: Share "What do you think goes into coming up with a winning recipe?" in a comment below.
1 extra entry: Follow me on twitter and comment below with your twitter name.
1 extra entry: Subscribe to my rss feed and comment below. Current subscriptions count too!
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #win a 45th Pillsbury Bake-Off Prize Pack #Giveaway from #myblogspark at http://t.co/OMx3amW " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Follow me on network blogs. Please leave your 3 comments below if you follow me.
5 extra entries: Post my giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on March the 6th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: The prize pack, information and giveaway were all provided by Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark.

2 Winners Have Been Chosen

The Yoplait Original Yogurt Prize Pack Giveaway has ended. We had 139 entries and randomizer.org chose number 95 as our lucky winner! The winner has claimed their prize and this giveaway is officially closed.

The CSNStores.com $35 Giveaway has also ended. We had 382 entries and randomizer.org chose lucky number 51 as our winner! The winner has claimed their prize and this giveaway is officially closed.

Thank you to everyone who entered these great giveaways. Thank you to the sponsors for allowing me to host the giveaways for you.

I have 3 more giveaways up if you would like to enter them.

WholeSale KeyChain Red Heart Keychain Giveaway ends 02/20/11
Progresso Soup "Souper You Debut" Giveaway ends 02/27/11
Cinnamon Burst Cheerios Prize Pack Giveaway ends 02/27/11

Cinnamon Burst Cheerios Review & Giveaway

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Cinnamon Burst Cheerios for this review and giveaway opportunity. For review purposes, I have received a Cinnamon Burst Cheerios cereal gift pack that includes a box of Cinnamon Burst Cheerios cereal for me to try, a family 4-pack of cereal bowls, a travel cereal chiller and a cinnamon scented candle. They are also providing an additional prize pack to one of my readers. Yay!

They say: Made with real cinnamon, new Cinnamon Burst Cheerios cereal will delight your taste buds! This newest edition to the Cheerios line-up allows you to provide your family with a delicious and nutritious breakfast that contains 20% of the Daily Value of fiber (or 5g per serving), has 9g of sugar, is low in fat, saturated fat free and naturally cholesterol free. Cinnamon Burst Cheerios cereal also provides at least 8g of whole grain per serving; at least 48g recommended daily. A true crowd pleaser, Cinnamon Burst Cheerios cereal is sure to kick-start any morning!

I say: I like a good, quick, no cook breakfast in the mornings. I need something that gives me energy and good nutrition at the same time. I like that Cinnamon Burst Cheerios provides both of these requirements for me. The cereal taste great and I love that it has 5 grams of dietary fiber in each 1 cup serving. This is a tasty way for me to get the fiber that I need.

Giveaway time! One of my readers will receive a prize package similiar to the one that I received.

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect by clicking on follow on the right side bar button. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Share what you do to start your day off with a smile in a comment below.
1 extra entry: Follow me on twitter and comment below with your twitter name.
1 extra entry: Subscribe to my rss feed and comment below. Current subscriptions count too!
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #win a Cinnamon Burst Cheerios Prize Pack #Giveaway at http://t.co/8gF6Mlb #myblogspark " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Follow me on network blogs. Please leave your 3 comments below if you follow me.
5 extra entries: Post my giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on February 27th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: The Cinnamon Burst Cheerios cereal, gift pack and giveaway item were all given to me from Cheerios through MyBlogSpark.

Progresso Soup "Souper You Debut" Review & Giveaway

I am a member of myblogspark and they have teamed up with Progresso Soup for this review and giveaway opportunity. For review purposes, I have received a Progresso "Souper You Debut" gift pack that includes 5 cans of a variety of Progresso Light Soup, as well as a yoga mat, water bottle, set of aerobic bands, sport headband and two sport wristbands. They are also providing an additional prize pack to one of my readers. Yay!

Progresso Soup is available in 40 delicious flavors with 100 calories or less per serving. Progresso® Soup has hearty ingredients like pasta, beans, corn and rice, and flavor-packed vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, and peppers. Progresso Soup offers varieties with 100 calories or less per serving. The soups are a good source of fiber and contain a full serving of vegetables.

Progresso is excited to announce the return of the "Souper You™ Debut" contest! From January 3rd through March 16th, you can visit Progresso on facebook to enter for a chance to win a full makeover in New York City. Go to Progresso on facebook to learn more and to enter the contest.

You can also visit their facebook page to download a coupon for $1.00 off four (4) cans of Progresso Soup if you would like.

For review I was sent 5 cans of Progresso Light Soup. I enjoyed the soups for lunch last week. I like that I can microwave the soups quickly and I don't have to use the stove or the oven. The flavors are very good and filling. I like the pieces of chunky meat and vegetables that I had in each bite. I will continue to purchase and enjoy Progresso Light Soups. Not only do they taste great but they are good for me!

Giveaway time! One of my readers will receive a prize package similiar to the one that I received. It will include a VIP coupon for a free can of Progresso Soup, as well as a yoga mat, water bottle, set of aerobic bands, sport headband and two sport wristbands.

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly with google friends connect by clicking on follow on the right side bar button. Please leave a comment below and include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Share which flavor of Progresso Soup you would most like to try in a comment below.
1 extra entry: Follow me on twitter and comment below with your twitter name.
1 extra entry: Subscribe to my rss feed and comment below. Current subscriptions count too!
3 extra entries: Tweet this " #win a Progresso Soup "Souper You Debut" prize pack #giveaway at http://t.co/KjeZ5MV #myblogspark @Progresso " This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email. Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Follow me on network blogs. Please leave your 3 comments below if you follow me.
5 extra entries: Post my giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on February 27th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: The product, prize pack, information, online coupon and giveaway were all provided by Progresso through MyBlogSpark.

WholeSale KeyChain Red Heart Keychain Review & Giveaway CLOSED

I am a member of tomoson.com and they have teamed up with Wholesale KeyChains for this review and giveaway opportunity.

I was sent a lovely red heart keychain from Wholesale Keychains to review. I love that this Heart with charm keychain includes a charm tag that can be personalized. I chose to have my daughter's name engraved on the tag. This will be a great Valentine's Day gift for her. The timing and item are both perfect! She will be thrilled to have her very own personalized key chain.

If you would like to win one of your very own Heart Keychains then please enter this giveaway. Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Mandatory Entry:
Follow my blog publicly and leave a comment below. Please include your email address in the comment so that I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Extra Entries:
1 extra entry: Follow me on twitter and comment below with your twitter name.
1 extra entry: Subscribe to my rss feed and comment below. Current subscriptions count too!
3 extra entries each: Tweet this giveaway. This may be done daily. Please leave a link to your tweet in your 3 comments below. It's easy to tweet this post by using the little buttons below this post.
3 extra entries: Subscribe to my email (top right corner of my blog). Current email subscriptions count too! Please leave your 3 comments below.
3 extra entries: Follow me on network blogs. Please leave your 3 comments below if you follow me.
5 extra entries: Post my giveaway on your blog or in a mclinky and leave a link to your post in your 5 additional comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog! This giveaway will end on February 20th, 2011 at 11:59 pm central time. I will choose a winner shortly after that and notify them by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email notification. If they fail to claim the prize in that time frame then I will choose another winner.

Disclosure: I was sent an engraved red heart keychain for review purposes. The opinions are my own.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Protect-A-Bed Facebook Contest Is Underway

You can share your potty training tips with Protect-A-Bed for a chance to win great prizes! To enter, simply like the Protect-A-Bed facebook page and then enter your best tips, tricks, pictures and potty training mishapps on their facebook contests tab.

The contest begins Jan. 26 and runs through Feb. 21, 2011. It is open to all United States residents 18 years of age and older. Three weekly winners of the potty training protection kits will be randomly selected and announced each Friday during the contest (Jan. 28 and Feb. 4, 11 and 18). The grand prize winner will be chosen by Feb. 25, 2011. Fans of Protect-A-Bed’s Facebook page are able to view and “like” their favorite submissions, though a jury of Protect-A-Bed judges will ultimately make the final selection of the grand prize winner based on the uniqueness of their entry.

Protect-A-Bed is also offering a 30% discount on crib mattress protectors to everyone who likes them on facebook. This offer is on the fans only discount tab and it expires on February 25, 2011.

Disclosure: I am being offered a raffle ticket for a chance to win 1 of 3 Protect-A-Bed Potty Training Protection Kits for sharing this information with you. This is not a paid post.

Granola Gourmet Energy Bars Winner Announcement

Thank you to everyone who entered my Tasty & Healthy Granola Gourmet Energy Bars Giveaway. We had 103 entries and randomizer.org choose lucky number 25 as our winner. They have claimed their prize.

Be sure to enter the following 2 giveaways if you haven't yet. Have a good week and thank you again for visiting my blog.


Yoplait Original Yogurt Prize Pack Giveaway ends 02/13/11
CSNStores.com $35 Giveaway ends 02/13/11