Saving Money — Page 33

Hate Your Cable Company?

I sure did. I’m not gonna name names, because mom always taught me that “If you can’t say something nice about someone, then don’t say anything at all.”

And man, I sure have nothing nice to say about my old cable company!

We don’t have a ton of options where I live, but I researched them ALL before switching to DirecTV. I have been {SUPER DUPER} happy since we switched. So when I saw this deal right now, I wanted to share it with you guys in case you’re looking for something new…

They rock for a few reasons…

FREE HD.
FREE Cinemax, Starz, Showtime, and HBO for the first 3 months!
FREE HD DVR and HD receiver upgrade.
FREE NFL Sunday Ticket {We have this, and oh boy, did my boyfriend LOVE me for this one!}
150 Channels for only $29.99 a month {MUCH less than I was paying before. I mean, MUCH, MUCH less.}
You only need ONE HD DVR for the all of the TV’s in your home.

This is just over-the-top better than what we had before.

No more outages or fuzzy pictures. No more inaccurate bills. No more wasting money by paying too much for service that wasn’t even any good!!

The deal right now is even a little better than what we’re getting now, so I’m going to call today and see if they’ll match it for me. Worth a shot, right?

Check it out, and let me know if you join me in making a switch! If you’re aleady a DirecTV fan, tell us why in the comments!!

{This is my own opinion about DirecTV, and my own real experience with them!!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on May 26, 2011 Filed Under: Freebies | 1 Comment

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,

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.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on May 25, 2011 Filed Under: Fun Stuff | No Comments

FREE $10 Gift Certificate for Craftsman Tools!

Are you a Vocalpoint member yet?

If so, check your email for an offer to get a FREE $10 Craftsman Tool Gift Card!!

The heading of the email says, “A How-To Guide To Save $10”. Then you’ll see the offer to fill out right at the top of the email!!

After entering my zip code and verifying my address I got this message:

Now keep an eye on your mailbox for your $10 card. Being a Vocalpoint member really pays off.

Be sure to share these savings with your friends!

So, that’s what I’m doing, sharing it with you guys, my friends :)

If you aren’t a member yet and want to get FREE stuff like this, then join me at Vocalpoint today:

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!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on May 25, 2011 Filed Under: Freebies, Shopping | No Comments

Vacation Freebies!

I put together a little list of vacation planning and travel freebies for you today…

First, travel books and kits! Learn how I use them and why I love ’em:

I love to look through and “window shop” new trips, to dream and plan for the future.
The kids LOVE the maps that come with these kits! We use them to draw out “Treasure Maps” that they trade each other, and search for toys and goodies they hide outside.
I’ve also used a couple of the maps to frame and put up on the boy’s bedroom walls. Great, cheap, decor and they love it!
Another use for the kits is to teach the kids about geography, and fun places. Learn states on the maps, have them search the travel books and tell you where they want to go and why, or look for animals. My 4 year old nephew LOVES that game.
There are crafts for you too! Maps make great background papers in a travel themed scrapbook.
These kits come with maps, glossy travel books, coupons, activities and more!

Since I’m a big fan of these kits, I thought you might be too. If you want a few free ones to check out too, check out the list:

Yellowstone: Get a free kit here Yellowstone. I’m hoping to visit here next summer.
Arkansas: Tons of guides and choices of kits here! Travel Kits.
Alaska: Really nice full size book with this one. Alaska Freebie.
Orlando: Get your choice of LOTS of free stuff, plus a discount card. Florida Freebies.
Your Choice: Browse destinations, pick travel guides that you’d like, receive guides Free by mail or download. Click Here.

Free Printable Planning Kit:

If you do plan on traveling this summer, check out this fun and FREE printable travel planning kit… Free Printable! It is meant for a Disney Trip, but would work for ANY type of trip, and I think it would be SUPER handy. Love it. Really helps keep you organized and on schedule.

And, here are a few resources that we use to find really deeply discounted travel options:

TravelZoo: Sign up for their family friendly travel newsletters for updates on deals. They go quick because they’re at a super discount, but if you can snag one they’re amazing. TravelZoo.
Disney Deal: Enjoy 5 nights of FREE accommodations, compliments of Calypso Cay Resort in Orlando, FL, when you purchase 2 tickets to any Walt Disney World theme park. Click Here to learn more.

Plus, a few tips to keep your trips fun and budget friendly:

ALWAYS pack snacks. We have a cooler with juice, water, and chocolate milk. Not just for the kids, but for us too. Less stops for drinks means less time wasted. String cheese, go-gurt, and lunchables are more great choices. Plus, let each kiddo pick out a few of their favorite snacks to bring, and pack ’em in a fun lunch box. Saves money too.
Activities! Obviously no one wants to hear whining, or “are we there yet?” So pack whatever is age appropriate and fits your family, whether its a game boy, coloring book, or picture books. I like to make pillow case kits… A sack for each kiddo with a few of their favorite things.
Also helpful, those cheap plastic trays that fit over your lap, like this Lime Sparkle Lap Tray, so each kid has a place to eat their snack and play.

That’s it! Hope some of these freebies and tips help you guys out! If you are taking a fun trip this summer, leave me a comment and tell me about it… I’d love to hear your plans! And leave a comment with a way you save money, or stay organized during travel. I love to chat :)

Posted by Meagan Paullin on May 25, 2011 Filed Under: Freebies, Fun Stuff | No Comments

FAN-tastic Fun Freebies!!

Check out my new business cards! I ordered personal “Mommy” cards, with my favorite quote ever, “Life is what we make it. Always has been. Always will be.” By Granma Moses. And I got super cute cards for Sunshine and Sippy Cups too. And they were FREE!

Vistaprint: FREE Product Samples from Vistaprint! Get custom printed products for home or office. Choose your free product today! Select from business cards, postcards, invitations, mugs, tote bags and other great products! Click Here.
Naturopathica: Get FREE samples of their skin care products! Get it now!
FREE Beauty Tools: Send 2 of your old tools to EcoTools to recycle, get two of their NEW tools FREE! Get details here, EcoTools.
Free Samples: Vocalpoint is a GREAT way to get some really fun free samples, coupons, and more. The more active you are on the site, the more opp’s you’ll get. Plus, I get random free samples from them that I don’t even expect. Love that! Click Here.
Free Cash: Collaborate with brands to give opinions and test products! Get rewarded with FREE product, cash for gift cards, and earn money for a charity of your choice too! This is invite only still, so use this link to sign up and join me: Crowdtap.
Free Cookbook: Blue Ribbon Casseroles: 23 Easy Casserole Recipes, featuring 31 pages of easy casserole recipes to comfort you all year ‘round. Click Here.
Free Alpo: Get a free dog food sample! Free Samples.
FREE Sign up: Get drastically discounted, beautifully chosen, home designs. Only way I could afford this type of stuff. Love this site! Design Story.
DollarSurveys: Take free surveys and earn a dollar for each survey you complete! Visit everyday for more surveys, and cash out once a week. Click Here to join me!
Buzz Away: To get your Free Buzz Away Extreme Natural Insect Repellent Sample, call 1-800-448-1448 to make your request. This is not an automated call. This offer was listed in Whole Living Magazine.
Tiny Prints: Get a free personalized greeting card! Learn more here, Free Samples.
Shutterfly: Get 4 free cards with coupon code CARD4GRAD. (5×7 folded or flat card). Shutterfly.
Free Newsletter: Sign up for one of my FAVORITES, for daily frugal tips, and read today which are the WORST states for you to live on a budget. LearnVest.
Free Kit: Get a free Vegetarian Starter Kit from PETA, here- PETA.
Free Cottonelle: Get a FREE sample tub for you and a friend! Free Cottonelle.
Free Guide: Free arthritis guide for you or a loved one who can use some advice, coupons, and samples. Free Guide.
RealAge Test: Sounds fun, yet scary, lol. Millions have taken Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen’s RealAge Test. Find out how old you really are. RealAge Test.
Right @ Home: HIGHLY recommend you sign up for this! Great free samples and coupons for members only! Sign Up.
SWAG BUCKS: Digital dollars that you earn just for doing the things you’re already doing. You’ll never need another search engine! I earn about $5 bucks in Amazon Gift Cards per week. Click Here.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on May 25, 2011 Filed Under: Freebies | 17 Comments

Did you know you can get PAID for your coupons?

Let me introduce you to an AMAZING site that I found today…

There are SO many cool things about Coupon Chief, I hardly know where to start!

First, a few facts about Coupon Chief:

Coupon Chief is one of the fastest growing coupon sites, with over 250k visitors/month.
They have over 50k coupons for over 15000 stores, giving them one of the largest databases of online coupons on the net!
You can search for coupons by store, or by product category.
All coupons are valid, and rated by community members like you.
Earn cash for your coupons with the Pays-2-Share program!
Support your favorite causes with the Coupons-4-Causes program.
Add your own online store, to increase exposure and drive more business!

These are just a few of the amazing things that you will find on Coupon Chief! Plus, the site design is so clean and easy to navigate, and everything is so simple to use. You’ll love it!

Let me tell you more about some of those cool features. Read on…

Pays-2-Share: I signed up for this today, and am super excited about it. It is so easy to set up… Go to Coupon Chief and click the sign up link in the top right. Then, you’ll see a tab on the home page that says Pays-2-Save where you can set up your account. You earn cash every time someone uses a coupon you upload, and you can track how much you’re earning right on the site. Easy peasy! If you have a blog or website, you can also add the “Top 5” widget to your page, to easily share some of your best coupon finds! You can see mine on the left sidebar. I just set it up, so there is only one coupon, but look forward to seeing MANY more soon!
Coupons-4-Causes: This is another really great feature! There is a box on the right side you can click on to get more information about this, and see if your favorite cause or charity is a partner. If they’re not listed yet, you can send a quick email to Coupon Chief letting them know! They will donate up to 20% of your purchase to your favorite school, charity, or church.
Add your online store: If you have an online store, sign up as a merchant! You can then list any online coupons for your store here, and link to it from your store. This can help you increase traffic to your store, find new customers, and earn more money in sales!

Why use Coupon Chief?

There are many other coupon sites, but honestly, I think that this one is my new favorite. I really like the clean look of the site, and how easy it is to use. And I LOVE that I can be rewarded for sharing the awesome coupon codes that I find with others, which is something that I love to do anyway!

I do most of my shopping online, and NEVER shop without some type of coupon code. Ever. Seriously. And I love that Coupon Chief even has a quick video on their home page to help introduce you to using coupon codes, if that is something that you don’t know too much about.

Ready to sign up?

Of course you are! To get started just visit the Coupon Chief sign up page and enter your info. 30 seconds, and you’re a new member!

Then you can set up a Pays-2-Save account, or add yourself as a merchant.

And if you check this out, and love it as much as I do, you can find Coupon Chief on your favorite social networks too!

Like Coupon Chief on Facebook.

And follow them on Twitter too!

Check them out, and let me know what you think! And if you have any questions about how any of these cool features work, ask ’em in the comments and I’ll answer you back right away.

{This is a sponsored post. But of course, all of these opinions are 100% mine! I only share things that I love with you guys, and my posts and reviews are always my real views!}