Busy Mom Solution

An app that whips your butt into shape.

Perfect Weight Loss App for Busy Moms

Ah yes, remember that New Year’s resolution you made to get to the gym at least three times a week? How’s that goin’ for ya? Well, enough with the excuses, we found an amazing—and free—app that will whip your body into shape and is really fun to use. Of all the fitness apps out there we fell in love with Nike Training Club app. It’s like having a personal trainer in the palm of your hand. Not only is it super slick, and really easy to navigate, but it also integrates your favorite music to get pumped up to straight from your iTunes playlists. Eye of the Tiger, baby!

Why Nike Training Club app Rocks

It has a bunch of workouts to choose from, videos on how to do them correctly, and even rewards you can unlock the more you work out. It’s only available for the iPhone, but we also really liked FitSync for Android as an alternative.

So no more excuses, Ladies. Your skinny jeans await!

So, what do you think?

I’ll tell you what I think… I think this is the raddest app I’ve seen in awhile! I’m really excited about the weight that I’m losing on the Nutrisystem diet, but definitely need to get this booty in gear so that I can fit back into my pre-baby jeans again. Since I rely on my iPhone to manage everything else in my life – this is the perfect fit to keep me motivated, even when I’m traveling and on the go!

Workouts for Busy Moms

Since I’m so darn crazy busy, {but come one, what momma isn’t crazy busy, right?} it would be almost impossible to get out of the house for a workout. What I do, and works great, is to use my housework hour each day as a workout too {meaning lunges while I vacuum, squats while folding laundry, you get the picture} and then trying to add in a short workout when I can. I would love to have this app to help me increase the amount of exercise I’m able to fit into my days – and teach me some new moves!

From eating cinnamon buns to buns of steel!

This Nike Training Club app would give me such a boost, since I could easily pick an effective workout, anytime and anywhere, and follow it right from my phone! No searching for a workout DVD, cleaning up the toys in the living room so I can have some space, then searching for the remote… Nope, a couple of buttons on my smarty-pants phone, and Nike’s great app can have me shakin’ it in no time!

And, I love, love, LOVE that it lets you link up your OWN music! That is one of my biggest complaints with other workout video’s, is not liking the tunes. This, literally, rocks!

For more great weight loss tips, ideas, and motivation – check out my Weight Loss Inspiration board on Pinterest. And if you have a great weight loss tip too, or favorite app that helps keep you on track, share it with me in the comments!

Digitwirl is the weekly web show that offers simple solutions to modern day problems. In 3 minutes, Digitwirl brings busy women the very best time, money, and sanity-saving technology, and then teaches them how to use it, step-by-step. Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur.

Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on August 7, 2011 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 2 Comments

Tech For the Mistress of the Grill

First, let’s put an end to that myth that grills are the men’s domain. We do most of the cooking indoors so why should that be any different when we move outdoors? This week we did a round up of some of the best tech out there to make you a barbecue rock star.

Cookin’ up some summer fun…

First up the Char-Broil Infrared Electric Grill that heats up super hot to sear and lowers quickly enough to seal in flavor, and, ok, it happens to be really cute. Then, onto The Omaha Steak’s Steak Time App which solves the age-old question, how long does this (fill in the blank) need to cook? Lastly we are off to every chef’s nirvana for recipes that… well, let’s just say they’re a very good thing. So check out this week’s episode where Carley gets all up in your grill.

Who’s Ready to Get Grillin’?

I admit it… I’ve always been intimidated by the grill. I do pretty much all of the cooking around our house… But it’s my brother that does all of the grilling for dinners, BBQ’s, and parties. I totally love the idea behind the Char-Broil Patio Bistro Infrared Electric Grill, and how simple it would be to use. I had NO IDEA that you could get a grill that you simply plug-in and go. Easy peasy! Totally the type of grill that even I could handle, since I’ll have to learn to do it myself when my brother moves out. Plus, we host so many get-together’s all summer, from kids birthday bashes to the best pool parties, we totally rock outdoor living.

Yep, there’s an app for that

The Omaha Steak’s Steak Time App sounds awesome! I’ll definitely have to go check it out, and I know we’ll use it a ton. I love that it even reminds you when to flip! And the best part? It’s free. That’s my favorite price. Martha Stewart has some of the most amazing recipes on her site, and you’re sure to find tons of great new grilling ideas and inspiration. Some of her meals are a bit too complicated for me and my lazy cooking, {lol} but I’ve found plenty of simple options too. Both of these tech solutions will help you a ton this summer. {Want more fun party food ideas? Check out my Luau Party Ideas, and other Party Foods inspiration on Pinterest. So much fun stuff…}

Become a Mistress of the Grill this Summer

So, time to get over that fear of the grill, use the Steak Time app to look like a total pro while you’re cooking, {no one needs to know you’re cheating!} and try out some of those great Martha Stewart recipes at YOUR next outdoor party!

Digitwirl.com – Making Tech Work for You!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on July 17, 2011 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 4 Comments

Airline Ticket Price Dropped? How to Get a Refund!

Yapta gets you refunds from the airlines

The irony of airline travel is that the prices are highway robbery. Maybe it should be called airway robbery? No matter what tips and tricks you may have heard about finding the cheapest airfare – you can’t always get the lowest possible price. So – we found a way to avoid buyers remorse even after you’ve purchased your tickets. How cool is that, right? I love bringing you new Busy Mom Solutions!

Yapta is your Personal Airline Spy!

It’s called Yapta and it’s a site that not only will help you find flights and track prices, but once you decide you’re ready to go ahead and press the buy button Yapta will keep tracking the price for you to see if it drops. If it does then Yapta will alert you and help you get a refund for the cost difference per ticket. Important!! You must go to Yapta which will redirect you to the airline’s website when you’re ready to buy your tickets so you can qualify for the refund. And fear not, we were able to find the lowest airfare prices like all those other travel websites.

Find out in this week’s Twirl the ins and outs of beating their airlines at their own game.

Super Simple Tool for Savings

I have to admit, this isn’t a problem that I’ve ever had. I’ve never really traveled much – a trip with my class back in high school, I flew to Nevada once with my mom, and went on my very first “real” flight, on my own, cross-country to visit a friend in Florida, just a few years ago. I haven’t flown since. I kept thinking we’d go on a trip again “later.” You know, when the baby is bigger, when income is more steady, when I look good enough in a swimsuit to take a vacation on a tropical beach….

Back to Reality

Where was I? Oh yes, Yapta! The next time I DO need to buy airline tickets, I can tell you 100%, without a doubt, I’ll be booking MY flight through Yapta.com. And, since I’ll be traveling to a few conferences this year, I am SO super glad that I found this sweet savings tool. I’m one of those people who just cannot pay full price for anything. I’m a deal junkie, which is pretty obvious if you follow my blog :) And airline tickets are one of those big purchases that are so hard to make, because you always worry if you’re really getting the best deal. Knowing that Yapta’s got my back, and give me a heads up if my ticket price drops so that I can get a refund, makes the thought of buying airline tickets MUCH less stressful! Check them out on Facebook to read some real life savings stories!

How about you?

Do you travel much? Have you ever used Yapta? Have you ever bought tickets only to find that they dropped a ton after you purchased?? Share you stories with me! I love hearing from you guys…

Carley's Byline Pic

Digitwirl.com – Great Busy Mom {tech!} Solutions!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on July 11, 2011 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 3 Comments

The best way to shop, for all us procrastinators

Check out this weeks Twirl…

Gah! Who hasn’t been there? The baby shower that snuck up on you. The birthday party present you forgot to buy for the party that’s this afternoon? Or even the special crafts paints that you need to bring in for school tomorrow. So much to buy, so little time. What you need is Milo.com. A dog (well technically a website) that is part Bloodhound when it comes to sniffing out exactly what you need and part Pointer, as in it will point you to a local store that definitely has that specific item in stock. And we’re talking retailers like Target, Best Buy, Nordstrom, Toys ‘R Us, and Crate & Barrel… not too shabby, huh?

**Then all you have to do is fetch!**

While online shopping is the domain of bargain hunters and planners, Milo is the perfect solution for us folks who are willing to trade all that for convenience and instant gratification. Watch this week’s Twirl to find out how Carley avoids a near Baby Shower debacle in light of the fact that she also has about a bazillion other things to do.

Sound familiar?

I’m definitely a HUGE fan of online shopping. I love that it’s easy, I love being able to search for the best price, and I love that shopping online earns me great rewards, {you know, by using sites like Ebates, Inbox Dollars, or MyPoints to earn rebates. You ARE using them right??} But, there are times that I’m just like Carley in this video, and totally need something NOW.

Milo is a total Busy Mom Solution!

You know that I’m all about finding smart solutions to solve busy-mom challenges – and I can see how using Milo.com could be SUCH a time and sanity saver. I can definitely relate to the video example, but there have also been times that I have found the PERFECT thing online, and would LOVE to know if it was available somewhere near-by so I could have that instant gratification, you know? Like, when I see the ab-so-lutely perfect dress online, and realize that I MUST have it for a party coming up in a couple of days. Now that I’ve seen it, nothing else will do. It MUST be that dress. Using Milo.com, I could find it locally and go pick it up, easy peasy! Love that.

So, check it out the next time you find yourself in a sticky spot and need something right now, today, this minute! Milo is such a good dog…. :)

Carley's Byline Pic

Digitwirl is the weekly web show that offers simple solutions to modern day problems. In 3-minutes, Digitwirl brings busy women the very best time, money, and sanity-saving technology, and then teaches them how to use it, step-by-step. Digitwirl was created by technology lifestyle expert Carley Knobloch, who uses lots of technology to manage her busy life as mom of two and entrepreneur. Become a subscriber to get weekly show alerts and exclusive deals at Digitwirl.com, or follow Digitwirl on Twitter at @digitwirl.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on June 25, 2011 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Using Mailing Lists to Get FREE Stuff – {Part 2}

Welcome to {Part 2} of my series, “How to Get FREE Stuff”… First, I showed you how I use survey sites to earn free cash, gift cards – and even free full size products to review in my home. No, you won’t get rich, but yes it does do a ton to help your family budget! And, today’s tip will totally help you in the budget department too – in a ton of different ways. I’m going to show you how joining brand reward programs and signing up for mailing lists can save you hundreds of dollars, and load you up with new freebies every week! Check it out…

How to get FREE stuff using newsletters

This is something that I started doing a few years ago, and I get so many great offers, coupons, and freebies this way. I know that some people say, “Why would I want to sign up for all that marketing junk?” Well, because I like to be “marketed to.” Lol. Seriously – I want to be enticed to try your brand new products, whether it’s a coupon or a sample. I want to be in the group of people that brands send their best stuff too. And I love getting to try the newest products before anyone else, save a ton of money when shopping, and get random cool perks free. So – “That’s why I want to sign up for all that marketing junk,” lol.

Most companies send you out a weekly or monthly email newsletter, filled with great stuff. You’ll almost always get new coupons to print, usually higher-value ones than you’ll find in the paper or other places. {Looking for more coupons? Check out my giant coupon site resource too.} And, most newsletters reward their subscribers with their best stuff – you can request free samples, free coupons, enter exclusive giveaways, and more. {Because heck, if you were a brand, who would you give your cool free stuff too? The people that love you enough to subscribe, right?} Plus, I love seeing new ways to use products that we already love, and the newsletters usually have fun tips, recipes, and ideas to solve the chaos of my busy-mom life :)

Many companies invite their newsletter subscribers to join consumer panels too. Many times these panels are not open to the public, they are exclusive to people who have already shown their interest and loyalty to the brand by signing up for their newsletter. Makes sense, right? These panels usually involve doing a few surveys or activities, and reward you with free product or other perks. {Love sharing your thoughts in surveys? Learn how to make money at it, and how to get free products to test too.}

Another benefit – my very favorite! – is that by filling out your mailing information when signing up for a newsletter, you’ll sometimes get random goodies in the mail! If Betty Crocker comes out with a new cookie mix, they might send me a free sample, or a coupon to try it out. The unexpected surprises like this are the best!

How do I get started?

A great way to get started is to take a quick look through the house, and make a list of all of the brands that your family uses frequently. Then hop online, and use Google (or your Swag Bucks search bar if you’re smart and using that for more free stuff!) to seach for the brands. Almost all of them probably have a website with an option to sign up for their newsletters!

You can sign up for newsletters for products like Cheerios, Tide, or Dove…. And you can also sign up for brand newsletters like General Mills, P&G, or Unilever. There are also places like Viewpoints or Vocalpoint that have amazingly fun offers to try out new products in their newsletters.

Now that you know what kind of cool free stuff you can get, I’m sure you’re ready to sign up for some newsletters, right? And of course I’ve made it easy for you to get started by putting together a list of some of my favorites! But remember, almost EVERY company has some type of newsletter, (some better than others) – so search out newsletters for your OWN families favorite brands too. You’ll love it.

My Favorite Food Newsletters

Vocalpoint: Check out all of the great articles, message boards, coupons, and free samples.
Campbells: Links to TONS of other brands, coupons, and special offers. Campbells is about WAY more than just soup :)
Kellogg’s: Get exclusive coupons and earn rewards from your favorite Kellogg’s® brands. Click Here. They have lots of great stuff going on – and, I happen to be in love with several of their products, lol.
FreeFlys: This isn’t a brand exactly – but, they have new offers every single day – great coupon round-ups, and freebie and sample round-ups too. You’ll always learn about the best mailing lists to get on with them – this was one of the first sites I joined, to learn about other cool sites to sign up with!
ReadySetEat: Tons of your favorite brands are included in this newsletter. You’ll find tons of easy recipes, coupons, and more samples too.
Bisquick: Amazing ideas, cool coupons, and great offers – Bisquick can make meals all day long, so don’t think it’s just a “pancake product” – :) We make casseroles, biscuits, breads, and more.
Kraft First Taste: Samples, House Parties {these are things where they send you coupons and products, enough to do a small party with your friends. All you have to do in return is share a few pics on their site, and maybe give some feedback!} coupons, and tons more.
MyInsite: From General Mills – you’ll find lots of coupons, recipes, and cool freebie offers. Usually cereal type products, but other stuff from them too.
Betty Crocker: Click up in the top right to join their club, and sign up for some newsletters. This is one of my favorites – I don’t get too many freebies, but I get loads of really high-value coupons, and SO many fun recipes and party ideas.
Box Tops: Help your school earn cash and rewards by signing up for Box Tops for Education – Registration is free, you get access to cool coupons and samples, AND you’re earning the school free money too!
MySavings.com: This is another one where you’ll find a big resource of cool stuff each day. I find a lot of freebies this way, that come from newsletter or mailing list sign ups. So I get the goodie, and then sign up so that next time I get my own notice in my email too.
P&G Everyday Solutions: Opportunity to request free sample packs once each quarter, which are awesome. You want to be sure to watch for the emails, to make sure you get in asap as they announce it, so you get more stuff. This is a great site for moms too, since they share tons of great tips.
Tablespoon: General Mills products, includes recipes and coupons. Lots of big brand names – you’ll love it.
Pillsbury: I get some of my absolute favorite recipes on here. Their newsletters rock! They also do a free recipe calendar each year for subscribers – Like, gorgeous pics, big full size, and amazing stuff. They have lots of cool offers each week in their newsletter, so be sure to open ’em each time!
Dinner Made Easy: Betty Crocker products, simple meal ideas, giveaways, and great ideas to solve your dinnertime dilemas.
Eat Better America: Healthy menu ideas, coupons, and free samples of healthy products. Great option if you’re looking for most diet-friendly fare.
Cheerios: Big giveaway right now, plus tons of contests, samples, games, and coupons. We eat loads of Cheerios in my house!

Photo Company Newsletters

Shutterfly: Free offers, coupons and discounts, amazing project ideas, and more. Once you have this for awhile – especially if you do an order every once in a while, you’ll get great free offers. Things like free prints, free photo books, holiday cards, and more.
Snapfish: Very similar to Shutterfly, plus – Get 50 FREE prints when you join, plus lots of discount offers and deals.
York Photo: Get 60 Free prints with code: FREESIXTY. Just pay the shipping. You’ll also get an additional 40 Free prints just for registering. Click Here.

Household Products

Home Made Simple: TONS of great stuff!! Plus they send out big coupon books every month or so, in the mail, for things like Swiffer, Febreeze, Cascade, Dawn, Mr. Clean, etc.
Tide: Special offers and promos, samples, and more. And they come out with new products a lot.
Dawn: Coupons and offers, lots of tips and ideas.
Febreze: Discount coupons, freebies, rebates and more. {I can’t even tell you how much I rely on their products, with a very bad dog living in my house, lol.}
Purex: Sign up in the top right little email subscribe tab to get their offers – soooo much good stuff. And, you can also check out their Purex Insiders {bottom left side little link says “join here”} group if you have a blog or other influence, to get free full size products.
Right @ Home: These are for SC Johnson products – sign up on the right side, and get their awesome newsletters. This is another one that often offers up BIG samples to subscribers!

Best Baby Newsletters

Johnson’s Baby Products: Helpful baby advice, lots of coupons, and special deals and offers. Plus, who doesn’t love Johnson’s, right?
Earths Best: Tons of great offers and ideas, coupons, and fun sample events. The sample events are more of those “house party” style events, where you get great stuff to share with all of your mom friends too.
HappyBaby: Coupons and offers, big giveaways, fun stuff, samples, plus check me out on the partners page :)
Sprout: Coupons, deals, promotions and more on some really amazing healthy and natural baby and kids products.
Pampers: Join now & get 100 Free Points. Plus coupons, deals, and giveaways. You can get things like free photo books, children’s books or toys, and more. (Read my list of bonus points in this post.)
Big List: I also have a big list of how to get free stuff for babies – check it out for more cool lists to get onto.

I hope you find some newsletters on the list that you LOVE, and I can’t wait for you to start getting some fun FREE stuff! Look forward to new recipes and tips, exclusive offers and surprise samples, new product information and promotions, and great giveaways. Seriously – this is such a simple way to get more stuff for free, get cool tips and awesome ideas, and coupons to save big bucks.

If you have any favorite newsletters, PLEASE share in the comments! Remember, this weeks series is all about you guys, and I’d love for you all to share your ideas, tips, and suggestions.

You can check out {Part 1} of this series: How to Earn Free Money & Products with Survey Sites, and see the Intro to Getting Free Stuff post for all of the links. And remember to share this with your friends too – Use the social buttons to share to Facebook, Twitter, Stumble Upon, or of course everyone’s fave – PIN IT! :)