Pampers Gifts to Grow - 100 points!!-EXPIRED

Make sure you enter this Pamper's code...it's good for 100 points!
LoveComesEarlyT

*Update-that went really fast. It expired early this morning :(

Five tips for holiday tech shopping

It's Christmas time and I love Christmas shopping. I like to buy things on people's lists, but mostly I like to think of things that my family doesn't put on their list but I know that they will love. Unfortunately, I am not a tech-person. My husband is. So, when I try to buy him a Christmas present it is almost always a technology item and I am always left wondering "what????" when I read his Christmas list. If any of you are like me, I thought you might want to hear some of the tips I have come up with to help me muddle my way through...

-I go to the stores. Whenever I'm in a store with technology items I stop by the section that carries the item I am looking for and just pick the brains of the employees. I get very different answers from each employee, but after doing it a few times you start to see some recurring comments/thoughts on products. * I highly recommend doing this on off-peak times so you have time to really talk to salesmen who aren't trying to help other customers!

-I research the item online. I google it and try to find consumer reviews on the specific item I am looking for to see what the pros and cons are. Consumer Reports is one of my favorite places to look.

-I then use http://www.froogle.com/ to see what the prices are at different retailers. If you've never used them before, it is a great site to use to just get a baseline price. They will even tell you shipping costs at each store so it is easy to compare.

-Of course, most importantly is I ask my circle of friends to see if any of them has purchased the item and get their opinions. And of course, if they have it then I ask to try it out!!!

-Lastly, I gather all of the information and make a decision on what to  buy. I  watch the item online during peak sale times (such as Black Friday) and purchase it when it falls below the lowest regular price that I can always buy it for!

I hope this information is helpful for some of you struggling to buy a technology item for a loved one this Holiday season. To recap: Research, ask friends, Google and Then be patient til you get the price (if time allows!!)

How do you do your holiday tech shopping?

If you are looking for a technology item this year for Christmas, make sure you check out Staples. They are one of my top stores to shop.  I find their prices to be competitive and their salespeople to be knowledgeable!!

Disclosure:
“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Staples blogging program, making me eligible for a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Pillsbury® Grands!® Mini Biscuits Review and Giveaway

In the past, whenever I would travel, I would look forward to stopping at a McDonalds and getting their breakfast egg, sausage and cheese biscuit. Yummy!!! But after 3 kids and all of the baby weight, I'm looking more closely at what I eat these days, and the biscuit sandwiches are off the list. So, when I was asked to review the Pillsbury Grands Mini Biscuits and supposed to come up with my own use for them-I knew it would be a breakfast sandwich! 

I love to make fresh rolls, but usually don't have the time. These are so convenient to make up last minute. And with only 70 calories in each biscuit I don't feel bad eating it in the morning with some egs and cheese and even a bit of turkey bacon! The biscuits are light and flaky and absolutely delicious!

What would you do with these flaky mini biscuits?

Win it! Winner will receive a Pillsbury® Grands!® Mini Biscuits prize pack which includes a VIP coupon good for a free package of biscuits, a $15 gift card, a biscuit basket, a butter dish and spreader.

To enter: submit your own recipe ideas, demonstrating how you would like to use Pillsbury® Grands!® Mini Biscuits.

Extra Entries:
Follow me on twitter and Tweet about this giveaway-leave a comment w/ the link to it
Follow Living Life and Luvin It
Subscribe to Living Life and Luvin It (on left sidebar)

Please remember to leave an email address so I can contact you if you win. Leave a comment for each separate entry. This contest ends Dec. 2, 2010 at 10 PM. A winner will be chosen using Random.org and will be contacted via email. This giveaway is open to US residents.

Disclosure: I was provided with free product, information, and gift pack through Pillsbury and MyBlogSpark

40% off entire purchase at Gap

Tuesday, Nov. 23 - Friday, November 26
Get 40% off your entire in-store purchase at Gap!

Cheap Leap Frog Tag Reader books!

Target has the tag reader books Buy One, Get One free!!! Use this $5 off coupon to get two books for $5!! (Some people have reported that their Target let them use 2 coupons to make them free!)

Update- $5 coupon, here's a link for $3 off (Makes it $3.50 each or $2 each depending on your store!)

*IF you are looking for a Leap Frog Tag Reader (reg. $39.99) Target will have them on Black Friday for $24.99

Ace Hardware - 50% off one item!

Make sure you print this coupon for 50% off any one item at Ace Hardware, up to $30. Coupon is good only on Sunday, November 27.

To find coupon, click on "Household" on the left

$10 off $10 purchase at Hallmark

New Moms or expectant moms can get a $10 off $10 Hallmark coupon. Register with email address and automatically print out a coupon good until 12/24/2010!!

Thanks, Common Sense with Money.

Lowes- make a Snowman 11/20

Saturday, November 20th make this adorable Snowman at the Lowes Build and Grow Clinic.

Clinic takes place from 10-11am and is free!

Starbucks-B1G1 Free Holiday drinks

Yummy, Starbucks is having a promotion right now-Buy one, Get one free all Holiday Drinks.
November 18-21 from 2-5pm.

CVS spend $20 get $4 ECB and other coupons!

Make sure you stop by CVS and pick up the new Holiday Book. In the center is get $4 ECB when you spend $20 coupon (exp. 11/28), as well as over $50 of Extra Bucks coupons inside. CVS has a Holiday Book available in-store, dated 11/01/10-12/25/10.

 Other coupons included in the booklet:

■CVS Sonic Toothbrush Buy 1 Get $10.00, Limit 2 (18425097)
■CVS Sonic Replacement Head Brushes 3 pk or 5 pk Buy 1 Get $3.00, Limit 2 (18447945)
■Axe Items Buy 2 and get $2.00, Limit 3 (18447948)
■Buy any Axe Gift Set get $2.00, Limit 3 (18447946)
■Clairol Natural Instinicts Color Creme, Clairol Root Touch Up or Perfect 10 Nice ‘N Easy
Buy 1 Get 2, Limit 2 (18447952)

■Nexus Salon Hair Care trial size assortment Buy 2 get $2.00, Limit 4 (18447955)
■Regenetresses Thinning Hair Intensive Treatment System Buy 1 get $5.00, Limit 2 (18417743)
■Bioluxe Professional Collection color protect shampoo or conditioner, hydrating shampoo or conditioner and shaping or extra shaping hairspray buy any listed get $2.00, Limit 3 (18447958)
■Salon Grafix Invisible Dry Spray Shampoo buy 1 get $2.00, Limit 3 (18447957)
■Tresemme Freshstart Waterless Foam Shampoo, Freshstart Refreshing Mist or Naturals Radiant olume Shampoo or Conditioner Spend $10.00 get $5.00, Limit 3 (18447956)
■L’Oreal Paris Elnett Hairspray or EverStrong Hydrate Shampoo or Conditioner buy 2 get $5.00, Limit 1 (18447960)
■Pantene Styling buy 1 get $2.00, Limit 2 (18447959)

Thanks, For the Mommas

$10 off $20 at Smokey Bones

Get $10 off your $20 Smokey Bones purchase with this printable coupon!  Valid until 11/21/2010.

I'm still bummed ours closed a year ago-this was one of my favorite restaurants!

Thanks, Bargain Briana

Coupon Tips/Reminders!

I was excited to attend a coupon seminar put on by my local homeschool group with a special appearance from  The Coupon Clipper, Rachel Woodard.

I've tried to recap some of the information. For some of you it will be a reminder of things you already know; for others maybe you'll learn something new (Yes, that's possible!) Please leave comments with any coupon shopping tips that have helped you :)


There are lots of places to find coupons:
-Sunday Newspaper (Smart Source, Vlassis, Red Plum, Proctor & Gamble)
-Pamphlets found throughout the grocery store
-Blinkies/tear pads at the store
-Buy them online for products you use a lot (Try The Coupon Clippers!)
-Other Manufacturer's sites:
Pillsbury
General Mills
Kraft
-Dollar General (has manufacturer and store coupons)
-Target (has store-specific coupons)

Publix shopping tips:
Publix will take up to 3 coupons per item:
1. Publix coupon (Yellow advantage flyer, Green advantage flyer)
2. Manufacturer coupon
3. Competitor coupon (Target, Winn Dixie, Dollar, Gordon Food Services)

Target shopping tips
-will price match - (you have to go to the service desk)
-You can stack coupons- one manufacturer's coupon and one Target coupon

Staples shopping tips
Will take competitor coupons

Lowes shopping tips
Look under household products to find coupons (some people say their Publix will take this as a competitor coupon)

Toy Story 3 - $5 rebate from Rayovac

Get a $5 mail in rebate when you purchase:

Toy Story 3 Blue Ray or Combo DVD
                      AND
2 AA/AAA -12 or C/D4 Rayovac Batteries!

Walgreens - $10 off $25 photo purchase

Use the code: UNIQUE to get $10 off a $25 photo purchase at Walgreens.com Expires Nov. 20, 2010.
Thanks, Moms by Heart

$10 off 3 pairs of women's pajamas @ Target!

Right now Target has a coupon for $10 off women's sleepwear. You'll find it under the "Apparel" section.

Thanks, Springs Bargains!

AC Moore Free Cardmaking-Sat Nov. 13 (free)

Saturday, Nov. 13th from 1-3 pm stop by AC Moore for a Cardmaking Make and Take

You will have the opportunity to try out these products:
• Cricut® Christmas Card Cartridge
• Sizzix® Tim Holtz® Texture Fades
• Studio G Stamps & Accessories
• Martha Stewart Crafts™ Scoreboard
• Inkadinkado® Spray Inks
• American Crafts™ Greeting Cards

Lowes kids workshop this weekend

Saturday, November 13th is the kids Build and Grow Clinic at Lowes. They will be making this fun periscope. Would make a great present for the kids to give to a cousin or friend...

As always, it is from 10-11am. It is free and lots of fun! Kids get a badge for completing each project. New attendees receive an apron and safety goggles.

$3 off Zantac products

 If you have heartburn, Here's a coupon for $3 off on Zantac products.
I could have used this one when I was pregnant.

Target-Hasbro Toy coupon matchups!

Chi-Town Cheapstakes has put together a list of current coupon matchups for Hasbro toys/games at Target. If any of these are are on your list for Christmas, there are some good deals.

Monopoly U-Build Game- Final price $6.99
       Price $14.99
       Use $3 coupon here
       Use $5 Target Coupon from Target Toy Book



Iron Man Walking Robot- Final price $34.99
        Price $44.99
        Use $5 coupon here
        Use $5 Target Coupon from Target Toy book

FurReal GoGo Walkin’ Up $34.00
        Price $49.00
        Use $5 coupon here
        Use $10 Target Coupon from Target Toy book

Nerf N’ Strike Stampede $34.00
        Price $44
        Use $5 coupon here
        Use $10 Target Coupon from Target Toy book 

$5 Hallmark Coupon in Martha Stewart

I got my Martha Stewart Living today (December 2010) and was excited to find there was a $5 off any purchase coupon in it for Hallmark. They did this last year and I was able to pick up some cute Christmas light necklaces for my daughter!!! You can find the coupon in between pages 92 and 93!

Update: it is also been reported to be found between pages 72 and 73 of the December Issue of Real Simple!

Lakeland, FL-Groupon has arrived!

If you live in Lakeland Florida, then you'll be pleased to know that Groupon has finally come to your town. I'm still waiting for it to come to mine :(  So, make sure to check out your local Groupon deals daily, I've gotten some really good deals on there.

Local SWFL: Publix $5 off $50

I was excited to see there was a $5 off $50 in today's Publix Ad Mailer...don't throw yours away without reading it! It seems like they are doing this more often lately :)

Eversave deal: $15 for a sing-a-long DVD and CD set from Juno baby $30 value)

 

Eversave - Get a Juno baby DVD and CD set for $15 (reg. $30). Good for 2 more days (through 11/4) . Buy here.

 

$8 off Toy Story 3 Blue Ray

Right now you can get a coupon for $8 off a Toy Story 3 Blue Ray/DVD pack. Get the coupon at Disney Movie Rewards. Must be a member, but membership is free. Coupon expires November 8, 2010.

Crayola Rebates

Crayola has some rebates out there on some items that you might be looking at for Christmas presents:

The rebates are:

• Crayola Beginnings -Color Me a Song - $3.00
• Crayola Color Wonder - Sound Studio - $3.00
• Crayola Color Wonder - Magic Light Brush - $2.00
• Crayola Model Magic - Presto Dots to the Max - $2.00
• Crayola Glow Station Day and Night - $3.00
• Crayola Glow Explosion Spin Magic - $2.00
• Crayola Color Explosion Glow Board - $2.00
• Crayola Color Marker - $3.00

You can find the rebate form here.