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August 12, 2010

5 Uses for Shoe Boxes

I always cringe at getting rid of shoe boxes. Here are some ways to reuse them.

recipbook.jpg

1. School projects. We always used shoe boxes for Valentine's Day boxes. My daughter's school uses cereal boxes, though. There are still a myriad of uses for these and kids crafts, like a sewing box, puppet stand and recipe book (pictured above).

2. Gift boxes. Cover them with Kraft paper and mail as a package or, using spray adhesive (detailed instructions here), wrapping the lid separate and create a gift box. Use raffia to tie the package together and you have an elegant gift (similar to the image above). You can also turn the box itself into a gift ribbon dispenser, making wrapping regular gifts easier.

3. Storage. Again, cover boxes and their lids with Kraft paper (see link above) use them to store small items. Write on the ends of the boxes with Sharpies to identify the contents.

4. Craft box. The image above uses a sandwich box but you can use a larger shoe box to hold a plethora of markers, crayons, colored pencils and more.

5. Art. Of course if you're an artist with made skills, you could try this: Sneaker Sculptures

Finally, Puma is rolling out a new kind of shoe box that eliminates up to 65 percent of the waste that shoe boxes create. Watch a video about the project below:


January 19, 2010

Extreme Couponing

A friend sent me the link to this video and said "she makes all budgeters look like amateurs." So true! Diane Sawyer summed it up at the end by saying watching this lady in action makes one feel inferior!

January 09, 2010

Free Starbucks Songs through iTunes and Facebook

Become a fan of iTunes on Facebook and you’ll get a free 20-song sampler from Starbucks, which retails for $20.40. Here’s the details:

Thanks, Jessica @ Saving Money Living Life!

Free Guitar Lessons through Amazon.com

Want to learn how to play the guitar? Amazon's offering free lesson downloads. Go here to download six free episodes of Beginning Guitar Lessons.

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

January 08, 2010

Free Workout Mix Download from Subway/The Biggest Loser

This is a nice freebie ... download mp3s of a workout mix completely free, thanks to Subway and The Biggest Loser.

Songs include remixes of:

1. Bleeding Love
2. American Boy
3. Umbrella
4. Stronger
5. 4 Minutes
6. Love Story
7. No Surprise
8. Sugar
9. Paparazzi
10. When I Grow Up
11. Second Chance
12. Damaged

Thanks, Saving Money and Living Life

January 06, 2010

Volunteer a Day, Get a Day at Disney

During 2010, Disney Parks are inspiring people to get out and volunteer in their communities. Sign up to volunteer through DisneyParks.com and get a free one-day admission to your choice of a Walt Disney World® Resort or a Disneyland® Resort Theme Park. Must preregister and sign up for eligible volunteer opportunity at disneyparks.com. Ticket quantities for this program are limited to 1 million participants. Must be at least age 6 to participate. One ticket per person.

November 03, 2009

Cookie Jar offers free kiddie classics

Expose your kids to the classics: Inspector Gadget, Strawberry Shortcake and Super Mario Bros!

From Variety: Jaroo.com goes live with 500 kid shows

Free, full-length TV episodes of more than 50 kids series became available online with Cookie Jar Entertainment's launch today of Jaroo.com.

October 08, 2009

iStockPhoto: 10 free stock photos

Get up to 10 free images of iStockPhoto with a new account or your previously-registered account. Go here and choose 10 photos from their collection of 50 pre-selected photos.

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

July 30, 2009

Barnes & Noble Now Offering Free Wi-Fi

As someone who enjoys working "off-site," meaning away from home, I'm always on the lookout for free wi-fi so I don't have to use my Internet card too much and risk going over and paying more. I have a new location to check out: Barnes & Noble is now offering free wi-fi.

Thanks, Bargain Babe !

July 07, 2009

Got Cow Costume?

Come into any Chick-fil-A restaurant dressed as a cow this Friday (July 10) and receive a free meal.

June 16, 2009

Free Smoothie Friday

Download this coupon for a free light smoothie at Orange Julius stores this Friday. Details here.

June 02, 2009

Free Krispy Kreme Donut Friday

On Friday, June 5, participating Krispy Kreme stores will give away a free doughnut to all its customers.

May 22, 2009

Publix Deals

Publix has some rockin' deals this week. I spent $35.12, saved $65.34 and got all this!!

Here's the complete list of deals and corresponding coupons.

May 21, 2009

Free Stuff and Nearly Free Stuff

Here are some cool deals I've run across this week.

Nearly Free Music
First up, Paste magazine is running a "Save Paste" campaign to prevent their mag from shutting down. Donate at least a dollar and you'll get free access to their download vault with about 120 quality songs (from good artists you've actually heard of) available. Trust me, it's worth it. Donate a buck or two.

Free Book
Available as a free digital download, Scared is a novel by Tom Davis, the director of worldwide orphanage and relief organization Children's HopeChest. The book depicts what life on the ground is like for kids growing up in Swaziland, and other parts of poverty-war-and-pandemic ravaged Africa. HopeChest hopes to raise $1 million to support educational projects in Swaziland. Until June 5, tell three friends about Scared, and get a digital book download for yourself.

Free Camps
This summer Apple retail stores are offering free “camps” for kids. The three-hour workshops range from creating movies, music, slideshows and photography. You must register, as you can imagine space will be limited, but there is no limit to how many your child can attend. More info here.

May 06, 2009

KFC Promotion

From a friend:

KFC has a big promotion right now as they introduce their new grilled chicken offerings. Click here for a coupon for a free meal featuring 2 pieces of Kentucky Grilled Chicken and two individual sides and a biscuit.

April 22, 2009

Office Depot: Free Resume Copies & Faxing

Office Depot is providing free copies of resumes, up to 25 single-sided pages, as well as free faxing to five different domestic numbers, up to 25 pages in total, now through the month of May.

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

April 14, 2009

e-Mealz.com - a Menu-Planning and Money-Saving Website

A friend turned me on to e-Mealz.com -- a subscription site that combines meal-planning with the current deals at store of your choice.

For $1.25 per week you login to your account for ...

1. a family-friendly, concise 7-day dinner meal plan for 4 to 6 people, or a 5-day dinner plan for 2 people (with concise and easy to follow recipes and directions)
2. a complete, corresponding grocery list - just print and go shopping!

Looks like a great time-saver, and if you're following a special diet, they include those options as well (low carb, points, vegetarian, couples-only). They also have holiday menus.

I'm a big believer in menu-planning as a way to save money. Has anyone tried this service? Let me know what you think!

April 13, 2009

Printable Checklist

Love making lists? This is a fun, easy and addictive way to make them. http://printablechecklist.org/

April 11, 2009

Hooked on free Web services? Prepare to pay

This article has gotten quite a bit of face time in newspapers and websites across the U.S. It says that web services we take for granted now (like free photo storage on websites) might come with a price tag soon.

"Eastman Kodak Co. says it'll begin charging $4.99 to $19.99 annually for its previously free online photo-storage service, Kodak Gallery.

"If you don't pay by May 16, the company warns, all your photos could be deleted."

In response, Shutterfly.com's CEO sent an email out this weekend to its members promising continued free high resolution storage.

"As a father of three boys, an avid photographer, and someone who knows the importance and the satisfaction of sharing life’s joy, I want to assure you we understand these are not just photos, but your treasured memories."

April 07, 2009

Denny's: Free Grand Slamwiches Tomorrow w/ Friend

Bring a friend to Denny's tomorrow between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. and order a Grand Slam breakfast, and your dining partner will receive one of their new Grand Slamwiches at no charge (it's a scrambed egg, with sausage, bacon, ham, and American cheese on potato bread with mayonnaise and a maple-spiced spread.)

March 21, 2009

PaperBack Swap

Mail a book. Get a book. Any book you request is yours to keep, share or trade. No late fees. No processing charges. No hidden charges. Every time you mail a book to another member, you can request one for yourself from over 3 Million.

http://www.paperbackswap.com

While you're at it, you can register at their sister sites for CD and DVD (SwapaCD.com & SwapaDVD.com). You can swap your unwanted CDs and DVDs for new-to-you ones, and you can also transfer credits between your accounts at each site - so you can turn CDs into books, books into DVDs, etc.

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

January 27, 2009

Free Dr. Pepper & Panera

Diet Dr. Pepper
Try a 20 oz or 2-liter Diet Dr. Pepper for free by requesting a coupon from http://promotions.yahoo.com/drpepper/freedietdrpepper/.

Panera:

Visit Panera on Wed., Jan. 28 for free coffee and samples of new breakfast items. They're also inviting guests to donate $1 to support our Operation Dough-Nation® Community BreadboxTM program. Participating bakery-cafes will match the amount raised, up to $250 per bakery-cafe, with funds going to support local programs that address community needs.

January 20, 2009

Free Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Today

Krispy Kreme is offering free doughnuts in honor of the inauguration today. One per customer. Click here to find store locations.

November 26, 2008

Black Friday Deals at CVS

CVS has some great deals advertised for the day after Thanksgiving. There are a number of items you can get for free once you combine coupons and Extra-Care Bucks you'll receive on your receipt including toothpaste, lotion, shampoo, razors and more. Click here for the run-down.

Don't need the items? Pick them up anyway and donate them to an organization like Samaritan's Purse just in time for the holiday season.

November 18, 2008

Freebie Websites

Looking for new ways to get free samples and coupons? Here's a few I've recently heard about:

PRODUCTS
www.kraftfirsttaste.com (samples and products for survey)
www.walmart.com (click on free samples)
www.olay.com (free samples)
www.kiehls.com (free samples)
www.stilla.com (free samples)
www.vocalpoint.com (surveys for free samples)
www.startsampling.com (free samples)
www.mysavings.com (free samples, online coupons)

BOOKS
Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers offers any blogger free copies of select Thomas Nelson products. In exchange, you must agree to read the book and post a 200-word review on your blog and on any consumer retail website.

MUSIC
imeem is a social network that enables users to discover, interact and express themselves with media, including music, video and photos, and form connections based on shared tastes and interests. (download music free)

INFORMATION
Don't pay for directory assistance anymore: 1-800-free-411 (you may have to listen to a 3-5 second ad but it's free!)

PHOTOS
Also, a fellow blogger twittered about this site today. Looks like the best prices for photo printing and related services that I've seen: http://www.winkflash.com/

November 03, 2008

More Election Freebies

An article about election day freebies ...

Free Starbucks on Election Day

Visit Starbucks on Tuesday, Nov. 4, after you've voted and let them know. Get a free tall brewed coffee at participating U.S. stores.

October 24, 2008

Free Taco Bell Taco

Taco Bell is doing a promotion where if a base is stolen in the World Series, you can get a free taco. Get one free crunchy beefy taco between 2-6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28.

September 29, 2008

Giant Gift Basket Giveaway

Marie from Makes & Takes has a great giveaway on her site this week: It's a Giant Gift Basket from Rhodes, including, free Rhodes coupons, easy grip loaf pans, an apron, oven mitt, and their 2 fabulous cookbooks, which has great recipes like, bread bowls, pizza, and pretzels.

September 27, 2008

Eat Free On Your Birthday

Ever wonder what restaurants offer free stuff on your birthday? This guy has created a massive listing. Check it out and eat free on your b-day!

Free Ice Cream w/ Purchase of Cake

Print this coupon and bring it to your local Baskin-Robbins store to receive a free pre-packed quart of ice cream with any cake purchase of $15 or more. Offer expires 10/06/08.

September 23, 2008

CVS: Free Nivea Bodywash

CVS has an "extra buck" deal where you can buy Nivea for Men Body Wash for 4.99 and you get an "extra bucks reward" of $4.99 toward a future purchase.

If you're stocking up on candy now for Halloween, spend $15 on M&Ms, Hershey's, Spangler, Ferrara Pan or Brach's and get $7 extra bucks reward back.

September 18, 2008

Walt Disney World visitors to get in free on their birthdays

From OrlandoSentinel.com:

"Next year everyone will be able to come to a Walt Disney World's theme parks on their birthdays and get in free.

"That's the cornerstone of the 2009 national promotional campaign, 'What will you celebrate?' announced today by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Anyone showing up with a valid ID including proof of birthdate will get a free ticket on that day in 2009 for one of the theme parks at Disney World or at Disneyland in California."

September 01, 2008

Kids Eat Free

Ever want to know what nights restaurants have kids eat free deals? This site lists common chain restaurants and what night is best to bring the kiddos.

Free Flowers

Pick up a free bouquet of flowers to give to a friend or neighbor on the 14th annual FTD® Good Neighbor Day® holiday on Wednesday, September 3, 2008.

August 31, 2008

Museum Day 2008

Smithsonian is offering free general admission for you and a guest to hundreds of museums and cultural venues nationwide on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008. Check out which museums are participating, then download your free pass here.

August 29, 2008

Free Chick-fil-A!

Visit any participating Chick-fil-A wearing your favorite football team’s attire or logo on Labor Day, Sept. 1, 2008, from 10:30 a.m. until close and get one free order of Chick-n-Strips (3-count).

Free Breakfast at Ikea

Here's a flyer for an Ikea sale this weekend.

August 12, 2008

Free Post-Its

Click here to get a free same of Post-It Notes' new recycled, earth-tone, earth-friendly products.

July 11, 2008

Free Grub Day

Dress up like a cow from head-to-toe and receive a free combo meal at Chick-Fil-A today. If you wear a cow accessory, you can receive an entree item.

It's 7/11, which means free Slurpees at your local 7-11 store.

Enjoy!

July 04, 2008

Free Entertainment

Check out your community's free Independence Day events today and this weekend for some cheap and fun entertainment -- especially since the malls and stores are closing early (not that you would be shopping anyway!)

June 07, 2008

Free 8x10

Snapfish is offering a free 8x10 with the coupon code GREATDAY. You pay for shipping (about .99).

June 05, 2008

Free Donut

Tomorrow is free donut day at Krispie Kreme!

June 02, 2008

Free Nail Polish

Publix has Cover Girl nail polish 40% off until Wednesday ($1.97 with discount), and their in-house circular (in Sunday's paper and in the front of the store) has a coupon for $2 off any Cover Girl product -- making it free!

April 14, 2008

Free Donut on Tax Day

Get a free donut with purchase of a coffee at Dunkin Donuts on April 15!

April 07, 2008

Become a fan of FreeShipping.org

My friends have created a website where you can find free shipping coupons for your favorite online stores. If you love free shipping, or like me, think that shipping should always be free when you're shopping online, become a fan of FreeShipping.org.

March 31, 2008

Free Ink Refill

Get your printer's ink cartridge refilled for free Wednesday at Walgreens! Details here.

February 13, 2008

Win an Oreck!

5MinutesforMom is giving away an Oreck XL Ultra. Post a comment on their blog (linked above) to enter to win.

February 07, 2008

Free Lunch - Panera

If you live in Orlando, donate your change for a good cause and get a free lunch at Panera. Details here.

Free Photos from Walgreens

Between now and Feb. 9, order a "family pack" and use promotion code "VALENTINE" at Walgreens.com for a free set of 1 8x10, 2 5x7s and 4 4x6s. I ordered one for our family, then used my parents' account to order them one. Happy Valentine's Day indeed!