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Save the World: Win a Hydros Water Bottle!!

That title might sound dramatic, but it isn’t. Learn more about the true cost of bottled water. This affects everyone, all around the world.

Read these startling facts:

  • Sixty million plastic bottles end up in American landfills daily.
  • Thirty-eight billion water bottles are discarded into landfills every year.
  • Last year, consumers spent $15 billion on disposable bottled water.
  • It takes three liters of water to produce one liter of bottled water.
  • Consumers use 1.5 million tons of plastic for water bottles each year; less than 5% of this plastic waste is recycled.
  • You can get approximately 450 gallons of tap water for the price of one bottled water.
  • Producing the bottles for American consumption required the equivalent of more than 17 million barrels of oil, not including the energy for transportation.

Surprised?

So was I. It seems crazy that in a country filled with people suffering from a financial crisis, we’re spending that much money a year for something that we can get almost free from the kitchen faucet. And what an incredible waste of resources, right? We switched to reusable Stainless Steel bottles, one for each family member, last year – we did it mostly for frugal reasons, but now I’m glad to know what a huge environmental impact that simple switch is making too.

What you can do:

Well, simple – stop buying bottled water! Easy peasy, right? Making the switch to ANY type of reusable bottle is better than going through all of those disposable bottles. It’s worth it to invest in a few quality water bottles too – check out what you’re paying for those disposable bottles:

For this example, I’m using an average family of 4, where each member drinks a couple bottles of water each day. Say they’re buying Nestle Purelife Bottled Spring Water, at $6.99 for a case of 24. That’s only .30 cents a bottle, great deal right?

  • Four people drinking 2 bottles per day = 56 bottles per week.
  • 56 bottles per week at .30 cents each is $16.80 per week.
  • That’s $67.20 per month.
  • And a whopping $873.60 per year – just for some water bottles you throw away! How crazy is that, right??!!

Why we buy bottled water:

There are a ton of reasons people buy bottled water, but here are a few of them-

  • It’s more convenient for busy families to have bottles ready to grab in the fridge.
  • You’re worried about the safety or quality of your tap water.
  • Maybe you just don’t like the taste of your tap water – so you buy bottled.

Hydros BottleBusy Mom Solution!

No matter what your reason for buying bottled water – The Hydros Bottle is your solution! The Hydros Bottle gives you great tasting, filtered water right from your tap, with it’s super cool built-in filter! As they say, “Hydros Bottle is the first everyday filtering water bottle. Get 24 oz of refreshing great tasting water on the go and revitalize your body and the planet we live on.” How can you argue with that, right? Good for you, good for the earth, and good for your wallet? Winning.

Sounds super cool, right?

I was going to share some pic’s of mine, but this video below shows it perfectly! I’ve never even had a problem with the taste of our water – but I actually could tell a difference when drinking it from the Hydros Bottle! It just tasted cleaner, if you know what I mean. I don’t drink soda, and go through about 5 or 6 bottles of water a day. I have quite a few different types of water bottles, as you can probably imagine – but this new Hydros Bottle is my first with a filter. I am totally hooked now, and bought more for gifts. See it in action…

Looks Good, Tastes Good – and the Company Does Good too!

Almost one billion people around the world—that’s one in seven people—do not have access to clean water. Although fresh water is becoming increasingly scarce, the global water crisis is caused not by a lack of water, but by a lack of access. Read these heartbreaking facts:

  • The global water crisis claims more lives through disease than any war claims through weapons.
  • Every 20 seconds a child dies from a water-related disease.
  • Half of the world’s hospital beds at any given time are occupied by patients suffering from a water-borne disease.

Hard to imagine, isn’t it?

But you can help! Operation Hydros contributes $1 for every Hydros Bottle that you purchase. Learn more about what they do and why they do it, and how they choose which organizations to help. They fund projects locally and around the world – and they are making an incredible difference in the lives of children and their mothers, everywhere, every day.

Win a Hydros Bottle!

I’m so excited to be able to introduce you to such an amazing company – they have incredible products that fill a need, solve a problem, and give back to our communities! What more can you ask for when searching for a new product? And one of you lucky fans are going to WIN a FREE Hydros Bottle for your family! Use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form to get your entries in – and make sure to come back each day for your daily entries. Not only are you giving yourself additional chances to win, but you’re helping to really spread the word about a great company, and helping support their charitable giving!

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Sharing for Christmas Charity Giveaway: Carmex Rafflecopter Prize!

Hauling and Trucking

Hauling and Trucking & Makobi Scribe present Sharing For Christmas!

I gathered together with a bunch of amazing blogging friends to donate to Parker’s Pals, which is an organization that helps children who are diagnosed with cancer under the age of three. The bloggers hosting this event donated just under $200 to go towards a Parker’s Pail. The cost of a pail is $240 so we came really close! Please check out this worthwhile organization!

Tears in my eyes…

Reading about the wonderful work that Parker’s Pals does seriously made me cry… Yes, I am a very emotional type of momma, and my heart just goes out to any parent dealing with such a serious illness in such a tiny little loved one. I can’t even imagine how hard that must be. So anything that we can do to help these families have a little extra happiness, and a little less stress, is so important. Make sure to check them out – and remember that if you can help, every little bit helps.

Ok, putting away my tissue!

Dried my eyes, and ready to share the excitement with you! To help bring attention to this amazing group, we’re all doing some super fun holiday giveaways! You can use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form to enter mine here – then check out the big linky list of other great blogs you can enter to win on too! Just click down the list, one at a time, and enter as many as you want – the more you enter, the more chances you have to win!

Carmex GiveawayWin a Carmex Winter Healing Lotion and Cream Package!

Ohmyheck I love Carmex! We have just about every different kind of Carmex lip balm around our house – every single person in my family is totally hooked on it. When I learned that they had a skin care line too – I was super excited to learn more! You can read my full review in this post – Busy Mom Solution: Carmex Healing Lotion! – but to give you the short version…. This stuff rocks. I have terribly dry hands that just get worse as the weather gets colder – but this stuff is making a real, noticeable difference. I need something that I can put on multiple times per day, and be able to get right back to typing after applying – and this does the job. My hands are soft and soothed, with no sticky icky residue. Perfect. One lucky winner will get the same set that I received:

  • One full-sized 5.5 oz Carmex Healing Lotion
  • Another full size Carmex Healing Cream
  • A travel size of Carmex Healing Lotion
  • A purse size of the Carmex Healing Cream
  • All wrapped up in a super cute travel bag!

Enter to Win!

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Every Cup Counts – Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

Breast Cancer Awareness Donation - Activia Yogurt

Every Cup Counts – Join Activia in the Fight Against Breast Cancer!

Are you a busy mom like me? Do you find yourself missing meals, because your day was so hectic you simply forgot? {No, the last 2 chicken nuggets left over on the kids’s plate, that you eat while clearing the table, does NOT count as a meal} Do you need an easy, yummy, nutritious snack that’s convenient to grab on the go?

Of course you do! So check out my new little secret – Activia Selects yogurt cups. They’re not just good for you, they also support a great cause that’s near to a lot of people’s heart –

“In celebration of our NEW Activia Selects and Dannon Oikos Single Serve yogurt, these cups will have a bonus donation of $0.10, for a total donation per cup of $0.20 directly to the National Breast Cancer Foundation! All other cups will still be worth a $0.10 donation.”

What else is awesome about Activia Selects Yogurt?

  •  Activia Selects contain a unique probiotic culture with the tongue-twisting name of  Bifidus Regularis, that helps to naturally regulate your digestive system when taken daily for two weeks.
  • Why does this matter? Because your digestive system is also where all of your vitamins, nutrients and minerals are digested and absorbed, so it’s important to take care of it!
  • And, it’s super yummy! There are a bunch of great options – greek, fruit-on-the-bottom, and even a fun granola and fruit cup! It’s a great way to get a nutritious snack, fast and portable, that tastes as good as it is for you!!

Try it today!

You can find Activia Selects in just about any local grocery store – and be sure to register for the Activia Newsletter for coupons and other sweet savings!

{Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting  on behalf of Dannon Activia Selects Yogurt Series and received a coupon to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.}

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Being Frugal Doesn’t Mean Being Cheap- Giving Back on a Budget

Thanks to Walgreens for sponsoring my writing. Help Walgreens help others! Visit their Facebook page here to learn about their charitable partners and decide which cause Walgreens will donate to with a quick vote.

Being Frugal Doesn’t Mean Being Cheap

But you already knew that, right? To me, being frugal means saving as much as I can on necessities, so that there is more left over for the things that are a priority in our family- vacations, fun, and charity.  One of the things that I think is extremely important, no matter how little you have, is giving back to others in your community.

But what If I’m struggling too?

With the downturn in the economy, many food banks and other assistance groups have reported a huge increase in people asking for help- and that many of them are people who used to donate! But even if you’re living on a super-tight budget, you always have something great to offer to others. Maybe you can’t write out a donation check to send to your favorite charity- that’s ok! There are tons of ways to help out. And when you do good things for others, you become more grateful for what you do have.

How to give back to your community on a limited budget:

  • Are you a gardener? I’m sure you always end up with lots of extra veggie’s at the end of the season. Donate those to your local food bank- they’d be VERY happy to get them! Another thing many food banks need are your grocery bags- they need them to sort food, and make packages to give away.
  • Are you a crafty type? Knit, crochet, or sew some great handmade goodies like hats and scarves, or snuggly blankets- donate them to your local homeless shelter, to keep them warm this winter.
  • Are you a freebie junkie? Sort through your drawers and cupboards, and gather up a bunch of the extra shampoo, lotion, and make-up samples you have. {If you’re like me, you have A LOT!} Bring these to your local YWCA or women’s shelter- many women leaving a domestic violence situation don’t have time to bring anything with them. These samples are much appreciated.
  • Coupon crazy? Get just a few extra items each week, and donate those to your local food bank or soup kitchen. Every little bit helps.
  • Social Butterfly? Help out a local non-profit by staffing the front desk and answering calls!

See how easy it can be?

Everyone can help out in their community! It can even be as easy as just checking on an elderly neighbor who lives alone, and offering to shovel their driveway. Or offering a free evening of babysitting to help out a single mom on a tight budget, just to give her a break. When we all make an effort to help out one another, our communities become a much better place to raise our families.

Looking for more?

Here are few other organizations that can always use some extra help:

  • United Way: Check them out and learn how to help at LiveUnited.org.
  • Salvation Army: Find out what opportunities are available in your community, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org.
  • Goodwill: Find your local donation drop offs, and learn more about how they help out, Goodwill.org.
  • Volunteer Match: This is a great site that can help you find the right volunteer opportunity for you. It’ll match your skills and interests with a group that would benefit from your help- right in your community! I love this site.

What are you waiting for?

I believe in the idea that “It takes a Village”. What that means is that we all have a better life when each person takes the time to help out others. I drop off baby samples and items I get on clearance at our local crisis pregnancy center- they put these into care packages for low-income teen moms, to help them get a good start. I have a friend who found out that a really talented kid in his neighborhood wasn’t going to be able to play football once he got to high school, because his parents couldn’t afford it. He sponsored him for the year, and bought all of the equipment and paid his fees. This will go a LONG way towards making this kid feel worthwhile- keeping him out of trouble, and in a great program.

If each of us finds just one way to give back, imagine the difference we can make in our communities!

Don’t forget to help Walgreens help others! Visit their Facebook page here to learn about their charitable partners and decide which cause Walgreens will donate to with a quick vote. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

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Easy Way to Help Tornado Victims…

Sometimes you hear about the devastation somewhere, and you wish you could help. Perhaps you’re far away, or don’t feel like you have much to give.

Read about an easy way that you can make a difference in the lives of the people suffering through some pretty terrible conditions right now, by partering with one of my favorite companies I’ve used for a long time:

Hello Meagan,

Donate your pick to Joplin, MO In an effort to send aid to communities in the Midwest affected by the past weeks’ devastating tornados, thredUP will donate $10 every time a member contributes a pick when building a box. Your picks will be converted to cash, which is what will truly help families in the Midwest impacted by these storms.

Clean out your closets, list a box, and check the ‘donate pick’ option to support this cause. For the next 5 days, you will not be able to donate your swaps to military thredUP families – we military ladies will join you in building for Joplin and other Midwest communities.

Our hearts go out to those affected by this disaster and we hope that you’ll join us in doing what we can to help.

– Sara Gibb, Chief Military Mom & the entire thredUP team

If you’ve ever thought about joining this great company, now is an excellent time to start. You simply make a quick account, and you’re ready to pick a couple of boxes, and list some of your own. 

Members package up their gently worn kids clothes, and you get to search by size/style/season, to find a box of things that you can use for your own child. It’s such an amazing way to save money, and now you’re using that purchasing power to help others in need.

If you’re already a member, make sure to be a part of this, and go on over to the Thredup facebook page and give a big ol’ THANK YOU for doing such a great thing.

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Help Feed Hungry Kids Just by Using Facebook!

Learn how YOU can help make a difference!

Vocalpoint

Vocalpoint presents their new program, Van Full of Cans! Read more:

The team at Vocalpoint is as passionate as you are about giving, so we decided to create an easy way to give back via our new program Van Full of Cans (VFOC). Through VFOC we are donating 1 canned good to our local food bank for every 100 members we have on the Vocalpoint Facebook page and will continue doing so until we reach 1 Million Facebook fans (that is 10,000 cans). Thanks to the 84,600 “likes” we already had on Facebook, we were able to make our first donation of 846 cans. Check out the hilarious and heartwarming video of our experience here.

I love it when a company makes it so easy and fun for people to help out a worth cause. I’ve heard so many stories from people who used to be the ones DONATING to the food banks, and now in this bad economy, they are having to visit those same food banks to get groceries for their family.

There are so many times you hear stories like that and say, “Well, what can I do to help?” Easy peasy pie. If you’d like to help keep little kiddo’s with full bellies, here is how you can help out your local food banks:

  • If you are a couponer, pick up a few extra freebies each shopping trip, and donate them once a month to your local food bank.
  • If you are a gardner, plant just a little extra in your vegetable graden this spring. Take what you don’t need to the food bank, or even bring it as a gift to a neighbor that you know is going through tough times. They’ll appreciate it!
  • If you’re a social media junkie, make sure you tell everyone you can to “like” the Vocalpoint Facebook page. “The more “likes” we have, the bigger the difference we’ll make in the world around us!”
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So what are you waiting for? Go on over and “like” their page, and help get them to the goal of donating 10,000 cans of food! And, if Vocalpoint sounds like a cool company to you, make sure to go on over and sign up for their daily emails right now!

Vocalpoint.com gets you free samples, coupons, recipes, DIY ideas, beauty tips—endless gifts of knowledge to make you smile every day! Sign up today. Click Here.

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