Frugal — Page 11

Calling all accessory junkies…. FREE JEWELRY!

Who else is an accessory junkie??

Take a quick, fun, style assessment quiz, then have a stylist put together a package of awesome accessories, chosen just for you! Plus, keep reading to find out how to earn FREE stuff…

It’s free to take the short assessment, and you can see their personalized selections for you for FREE too. Super fun.

If you want to buy the packages they put together, you can sign up and get one new, super discounted, personalized accessory assortment package each month- It’ll have a mix of rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.

If you don’t want to buy, no problem!

It’s still kind of fun to see what they’ll choose for you, and find some cool new stuff! Plus, the prices are so great, and they’re really good at putting together personalized choices… You just might score a perfect new deal!

Earn FREE jewelry too!

Once you sign up, you can get your personalized link, and start sharing YOUR favorite jewelry pieces with your friends on Twitter and Facebook. Then, every time they make a purchase, you earn free jewelry!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on August 16, 2011 Filed Under: Freebies, Fun Stuff | No Comments

Crafty Freebies! Sewing, Paper Crafts, Baby Crafts, and more!

Download Free Card-Making Projects!

This is a really fun site that gives you loads of free ideas, patterns, and project tutorials. Love it.

More Crafty Freebies:

Super cute ideas: Baby & kids knitting patterns – yours free! Download Today!
I’m excited to start some of these: Get baby sewing patterns for free! Start downloading now!
Free paper craft projects for any occasion: Click here to start browsing.

Who else is a crafty momma?

I’m always looking for new ways to keep crafting on a budget. I use sites like Oriental Trading to stock up on basics in bulk, really cheaply. I also love the Low Prices at ScrapbookingAlley.com, and their great coupon codes.

So check out the freebie links and get some cool new ideas today!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on August 16, 2011 Filed Under: Freebies | No Comments

Kooli keeps swimsuits from snagging and buns from burning!

As many of you know, our new house has a big in-ground pool, and we were all pretty darn excited this year for summer! It’s been so much fun to be able to entertain, a lot, and the kiddo’s have a blast playing in the pool.

When Kooli contacted me to see if I’d be interested in trying out one of their cushioned mats, and sharing the info with you guys, I said of course! I hate, hate, HATE the way the rough pavement around a pool snags up the bottom of a swimsuit. I seriously have had so many suits get ruined this way. So I was pretty excited about this idea.

What is a Kooli?

A Kooli is a simple cushioned mat, made out of Neoprene, the same cool material that they make wetsuits out of. It’s really lightweight, and has a little elastic loopy band you can use to roll it up with. {I use the loop to hang it up on a little hook by the towels on the deck!}

“Kooli™ is washable, waterproof, slip proof, resistant to chlorine, sand and other similar abrasive surfaces.” That means it stands up REALLY well to the abuse that it gets out on our deck! We’ve left it out in the sun, it’s been thrown in the pool many times, and our deck is a rough concrete. But it honestly still looks totally new.

Takin’ it for a test drive…

You bet yer bottom it does! It’s such a simple idea, but it’s a seriously cool product. The kids love that it gives them a spot to sit that’s not hot, {our concrete deck and patio get SUPER hot during the afternoon} and I love that it keeps my swimsuit in good shape.

Not just for the pool!

These work really great for other events too- We have a local baseball stadium, and all of the seats are in direct sun, so the metal benches are SO hot when you sit down. We brought our Kooli along to a few of them, and used it for my littlest nephew to sit on, and it worked so great! Instead of crying because he hates those hot ol’ metal seats, he had a nice cool spot to sit… With a little bit of cushion even! {Yep, that means I needed to order more, for the rest of us!}

Get featured on their site!

You can check out more about the Kooli on their site: Kooli.com. And, if you have a Kooli of your own already, make sure to head over to their Facebook page, and share a pic of your family using the Kooli, for a chance to be featured on their website. Fun, right?

Why the Kooli Rocks:

Keeps the kids bottoms cool when sitting on the hot deck.
Keeps your {swimsuit!} bottom safe from snags!
Works great at sporting events, or anywhere you have a hot surface that the kids would have to sit.
Comes in your choice of 4 great colors.
Great quality, and can stand up to sun and chlorine while still looking new!
On sale now, for only $9.95!!

Stay tuned for more…

I am FINALLY going to get party pics up over the next week, and share some of the cool products we tested out during the party, some great recipes and crafts, and tons of fun games and ideas too! You’ll get to see the Kooli in use out by the pool, and see how much we love it!

What do you think? How would YOUR family use the Kooli??

Posted by Meagan Paullin on August 16, 2011 Filed Under: Shopping, Reviews, Deals and Coupon Codes | No Comments

Exclusive JCPenny Deals, Coupon Codes, and Savings!

Get Email-Only Savings!

Sign up for the JCPenny email updates, and they’ll notify you when your favorite categories go on sale – Baby, kids, womens, home, and more. You’ll never miss the best deals. And with back-to-school coming up, and the holidays quickly approaching, you need all of the deals you can find, right?

Plus, they send out loads of exclusive online coupon codes, reserved just for subscribers. They even send you coupons that you can print and take to your local store too!

Check it out and get signed up for savings today!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on August 16, 2011 Filed Under: Freebies, Shopping, Deals and Coupon Codes | No Comments

Kinda-Homemade Ravioli Lasagna

“With your busy schedule, healthy ambitions, and limited time, you’ve got a lot on your plate. So, you don’t always have to time think about what’s actually going on your plate— your dinner plate.

That’s where we come in. ReadySetEat helps you solve the “What’s for dinner?” dilemma. We’re serving up simple dinner ideas that you can make in 30 minutes or less with a few common ingredients you’re likely to have in your kitchen, including the ConAgra Foods brands you know and trust.”

I love Kinda-Homemade Cooking!

I like cooking dinner for this big mix of extended family I currently have living with me… But honestly, I’m not a very experienced cook. Until a year and a half ago, I had always lived on my own. Cooking for one is a completely different experience than cooking for eight people- Woah!

I try to find meals I can make quickly without too much prep, which is why I LOVE the recipes on Ready, Set, Eat – they save a ton of time by building on a few ready-made products. I still feel like I made a “real” meal, but it’s easy peasy! Plus, so many of the brands are items that I can easily find coupons for, so it also saves me a lot of money.

Chef Boyardee Recipes Rock!

There is a whole page filled with recipes from Chef Boyardee, and since the boys in my house LOVE anything from Chef Boyardee, these have been a HUGE hit!

Ravioli Lasagna

I decided to make the Ravioli Lasagna, {you can find the recipe here if you want to try it too- Chef Boyardee Ravioli Lasagna.} and the boys ATE. IT. UP!! I love the addition of the spinach, since it snuck veggie’s in, and the boys didn’t even realize it!

I made a few adjustments to the recipe when I made it:

I used Ricotta cheese, since I’m not a fan of cottage cheese. Worked perfectly.
Someone had eaten half of the package of Italian Cheese Blend that I had in the fridge, so I used half a cup of cheddar cheese. Tasted great.
And we used the BIG Beef Raviolis instead of the regular version, since that’s what I had a coupon for!

I also added some whole-wheat breadcrumbs to the top, to give a tiny bit of crunch. I served this with salad and garlic bread, and it was the easiest dinner I’ve made in weeks!

Check out the other recipes too:

There are tons of other great Chef Boyardee recipes that you can try out, {I’m excited to try out the Pepperoni Spaghetti Bake next!} or search other categories on Ready, Set, Eat too, for tons of great ideas.

Which recipe is YOUR favorite?

{Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Chef Boyardee and received a gift card to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on August 15, 2011 Filed Under: Reviews | No Comments

Earn Money Sharing Your Favorite Deals!

“What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.”
Ralph Marston

Love deals? Love your friends? Love earning FREE rewards?

Of course you said yes to all of those questions. How do I know this? Well, if you read Sunshine and Sippy Cups, then I KNOW you’re a deal and freebie junkie like me :) And I also know that all of my readers are the super-sweet-nicest-people-ever type. So I know you guys will be excited to find some ways to share awesome deals with your friends and family while earning some pretty cool free stuff at the same time!

Holiday Shopping is coming…

One of the ways that I’m planning to be able to afford holiday shopping this year is to start watching all of my favorite deal sites, starting now, for great gifts at really deep discounts. AND, when I find really good stuff, I plan to share those finds with you guys, and with my friends and family. {Part of the fun of finding a sweet deal is sharing it, right?} So it’s pretty cool that I can earn loads of free credits for sharing! I’ll let those add up so that I can get some Christmas gifts this year for free.

Get started today, easy peasy sign ups!

All of these sites are super simple to join, and only take about a minute each. Your info is safe, there is no spammy stuff, and yes, you REALLY do earn rewards! I’ve gotten credits, checks, and reward cards from every single one of these, so I can promise you that their legit. Sign up today, check out the deals each week, share your favorites, and earn credits towards buying stuff for your family!

My Favorite Rewards Sites:

SaveMore: I found this site after seeing it featured on ABC News one night. 50-90% off deals in your area, of if you’re like me and not right near a major city they have featured, pick National to get other great deals. Every friend you refer who makes a purchase earns you $10 in Free credit! Save More Sign Up.

Zulily: This is one of my favorite, just because of the selection! Such amazingly adorable kids brands, and I’m always learning of new designers here. Plus, really great stuff for moms too! Every friend that you refer who makes a purchase rewards you with a $15 credit! Zulily Sign Up.

Moolala: One of my favorite to say, lol. This one is pretty cool- Really discounted deals on great family-friendly items. This system works really cool: Every deal you purchase, you get 2% back. Every friend you refer, you earn 2% from THEIR purchases. THEN, you get another 2% off any purchase from THEIR friends too! You can use those credits towards puchases from Moolala, or request a check from them each time you reach $50! Cool, right? Moolala Sign Up.

Saveology: Each day they have a few amazing deals, usually around 70-80% off. If you choose to share a deal to Facebook or Twitter, you get rewarded with $10 if 2 friends buy it too! Click Here to Sign Up.

Ebates: Sign up at Ebates, and start earning cash back for all of the purchases you make, at most of your favorite stores. Then, if you let your friends know about it, and get them signed up to save money too, you’ll get rewards! Big ones too- 3 friends sign up and make a puchases = $30 cash for you! You can get $100 gift cards, and even an iPad2!! Woah, right? Plus, I love Ebates, so it’s super easy to share! Join Ebates.

Totsy: This is a great site for kids clothes and toys, up to 90% off. Plus, your first purchase gets free shipping, they plant a tree for every sale that’s placed, and you can get a FREE subscription to Family Fun magazine right now with your first purchase! Every friend you share this great site with will earn you a $15 reward after their first purchase! Sign Up Here

No More Rack: Sign up here to get seriously fantastic deals. Sometimes you can get stuff totally for free! You get a personal link to share deals you find with your friends. EVERY friend who signs up, and they DON’T have to even make a purchase, gets you a point. Then you redeem those points to get stuff you want from the site for FREE. Rockin’. Join No More Rack.

Heartsy: This one is so much fun! If you love Etsy, you MUST sign up for an account at Heartsy- It’s a daily deal site that shares the best new discounts from Etsy shops! Plus, when you find a deal you love, share it really easily to Facebook, and get $10 each time a friend makes a purchase too!

Plum District: This site has some of the coolest deals I’ve found. I love their focus on mom-owned business, and their focus on charity. {Check out how they’re partnering with World Vision to build schools…} You earn $5 bucks every time a friend joins, you can learn more here- Plum District Sign Up.

OpenSky: This is a fun site… You choose your favorite {up to 10} celebrities and designers to follow, and get weekly emails with their favorite items at deep discounts. Really cool stuff. You get $1 each for the first 10 friends you refer, just for them joining and checking it out. Then you get a BIG bonus of $20 in credit when each of them make their first purchase! Join OpenSky!

ShopatHome: Super cool site. Print coupons, find the best online coupon codes, AND earn cash back when you shop! Share this sweet site with your friends, and you’ll earn $5 every time someone makes a purchase at their favorite retailer through this site! Sign Up Here.

Do you have any favorites?

Did I miss some great sites? If you have some of your own favorites to share, feel free to post your link in the comments! I’m always looking for new ways to save with great deals, and earn rewards to help purchase what my family needs. I hope that these sites help YOUR family out too!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on August 15, 2011 Filed Under: Freebies, Shopping, Deals and Coupon Codes | 2 Comments

Home Depot Garden Club: Join for Freebies!

Join Home Depot’s Garden Club!

We’re a member of this club… Hope Depot is one of my favorite stores, and with the new house, we had a LOT of outdoor garden projects to work on!

When you join, they’ll put you on their mailing list, and you’ll start to get really great coupons a couple of times a month. These are usually pretty high-value coupons, like Buy One Get One Free’s, or sometimes even a free product! Really helps out.

Plus, you’ll get updates, usually about once a week, with new DIY events or classes coming up, head’s up on new promo’s and sales, and rebate opportunities.

Sign up today, and get some great savings!