tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16846806451348051312024-02-18T21:04:43.477-06:00Diary of a mystery shopping teacherI am a teacher, wife, and mother who loves to mystery shop! I will share ways that you can make money at home through mystery shopping, and by other means. The info is free. I also like to share awesome samples and freebies that I come across. And every now and then I have to mention my life too! I am a PR friendly blog and love to do reviews and giveaways. I am all about saving and making money!Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.comBlogger234125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-7213986429692447172011-08-01T00:07:00.000-05:002011-08-01T00:07:33.644-05:00Learn how to become a mystery shopper!<a href="http://mysteryshoppingteacher.com/make-money-as-a-mystery-shopper-is-it-right-for-you/">Click here</a> to go to my detailed Wordpress post about how to become a mystery shopper!Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-23317440779377026992011-06-10T22:14:00.003-05:002011-06-10T22:18:50.864-05:00Review of KQC X-Heat Tourmaline Flat Iron from Flat Iron Experts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjasnGOCwQm87o2DncIbPE5nOBhOKjZVXh1VCfK0Wdfn7Xidaw0zxWIFxr43wX8cVb95oFrbwco7ZLSZKr7DqhkH6ZA1epU2T6hTEmaWpbV8tJ-fGQTGgydLr1UkYfh2Lw7blzIo5A9KZNT/s1600/KQCXHEAT-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjasnGOCwQm87o2DncIbPE5nOBhOKjZVXh1VCfK0Wdfn7Xidaw0zxWIFxr43wX8cVb95oFrbwco7ZLSZKr7DqhkH6ZA1epU2T6hTEmaWpbV8tJ-fGQTGgydLr1UkYfh2Lw7blzIo5A9KZNT/s1600/KQCXHEAT-1.jpg" t8="true" /></a></div><br />
Recently I got the chance to review the KQC X-Heat Tourmaline Flat Iron from <a href="http://www.flatironexperts.com/?Click=30116">The Flat Iron Experts</a>. I am not much interested in doing hair. In fact if I'm going to be completely honest, I hate it. HATE IT. It's a good thing that I have a little boy and not a little girl because I would have a hard time doing a little girls hair every day. <br />
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But anyway, I got the chance to review this awesome flat iron. My little flat iron is gone with the wind. It lasted for awhile but how long can a flat iron from WalMart that I paid less than $20 for really be expected to last? I was glad that it lasted as long as it did.<br />
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The kind folks at the Flat Iron Experts sent me the KQC X-Heat Tourmaline Flat Iron and <a href="http://www.flatironexperts.com/KQC-Thermal-Shine-Spray-p/kqcthermalprot.htm">KQC Thermal Shine Spray</a> to use. It heats up in less than thirty seconds, which is nice when you are in a hurry. And let me tell you, it is a new friend. I am going through the process of growing out my hair. After I was pregnant, I had a lot of hair fall out. I mean wads. I don't know if it was just the normal after pregnancy hormones, or if it had something to do with having my gall bladder yanked out five weeks after I had my little boy, or if it was just the chemicals that I had put on my hair. But my hair is super thick so I don't think it was too obvious. My hair dresser jokingly said that I don't EVER need to worry about losing hair.<br />
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So I made the decision to go natural with my hair. I haven't put a perm in my hair since August of 2010. I went and got a haircut this week and am proud to say that my hair is now all natural! Now, my new flat iron is my BFF. I <3 it. Along with shine serum and the KQC hairspray that came with it, my hair can be kept under control. I have used it every day since I got my hair cut. <br />
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Pictures speak louder than words right? Well since you probably want to see results, I'm going to show the difference that the flat iron made. I will display a before and an after picture, and you can be the judge of whether the flat iron helped or not. The picture is from before I got my hair cut. Okay, here goes. I'm kind of embarrassed to show my hair in it's semi natural state so no giggling.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVW7eiTnsSS8_CeIkR74s5zrGsPbXaphkjX1sBK-XWE2K5WHwevKPVrFhmzL4y3wiyV4NFtvInGRC2pwc5_fV6jyy06xWdAsDU7EX0K2BtyBHBsDDxnjuZD29HShdNV32veKnZO5fX5AzA/s1600/101_0094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVW7eiTnsSS8_CeIkR74s5zrGsPbXaphkjX1sBK-XWE2K5WHwevKPVrFhmzL4y3wiyV4NFtvInGRC2pwc5_fV6jyy06xWdAsDU7EX0K2BtyBHBsDDxnjuZD29HShdNV32veKnZO5fX5AzA/s200/101_0094.JPG" t8="true" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzP4O3NdC0-Trtjdcqb6-Z1607iJUN986muf4u1UxHt9XwBQP3lpzYFzUobrScBeveK-qU5gbFl8uAPoMkJqo0uSqSRztpNO0CLIlNO2jICpNCEi-7Y16IIrAtSh7bn8_RxQHsYT6WM2V/s1600/101_0095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzP4O3NdC0-Trtjdcqb6-Z1607iJUN986muf4u1UxHt9XwBQP3lpzYFzUobrScBeveK-qU5gbFl8uAPoMkJqo0uSqSRztpNO0CLIlNO2jICpNCEi-7Y16IIrAtSh7bn8_RxQHsYT6WM2V/s320/101_0095.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wow, right? And can I add that this was on a humid day and that I straightened my own hair? I was quite impressed with the results. I wish I had pictures of my hair after having used the other flat iron. My hair was no where near as straight when I used the other flat iron. With the humidity in Florida during the summer, I can't wait to see how my hair will look during the winter time when there is less humidity and when it has grown out a couple more inches. Right now, after my hair cut my hair is about halfway down my neck which is the shortest it's been in quite some time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you are in the market for a flat iron, this is one you might want to check out! Or, check out some of the other products on their site. When I am in the market for a curling iron, I will definitely be checking out <a href="http://www.flatironexperts.com/?Click=30116">The Flat Iron Experts</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Disclosure: I recieved a flat iron for review from The Flat Iron Experts. All opinions are my own and I have not been paid for this post.</div>Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-32206753761591892662011-06-08T23:49:00.001-05:002011-06-08T23:58:31.064-05:00Verizon FiOS for Internet and TVDo you like tv? Do you like the Internet (you’re on it now)? Cause Verizon FiOS is a service that allows you to have Internet and TV and it’s supposed to help you save time. How? Well, you can stream movies with your high speed Internet connection. Everyone wants to make their life easier, especially if you work and/or have kids. Staying at home with kids IS work. The Internet is supposed to be as fast as it can be. FiOS is top rated in their high speed Internet service.<br />
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While I don’t currently have FiOS in my home personally, I think I would like being able to stream movies. I am a movie lover! I watch movies as often as I can, which is not that often, unfortunately. There is something called Flex View on FiOS that allows you to buy, rent, and watch on-demand movies on your FiOS tv, your computer, or even your cell phone. <br />
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I would much rather watch my movies from the comfort of my home for a few reasons. <br />
1.) We don’t have to get dressed up and pay a ton of money, wait in line, squeeze in some seats, ignore people texting and talking on cell phones, and walk across sticky floors.<br />
2.) No babysitter needed<br />
3.) We can have free snacks. Who doesn’t want some snacks with their movie? I know I do, but I don’t want to pay another $10-$15 just for a drink, popcorn, and something chocolate. <br />
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We have satellite and that rarely has interference from weather. We also have cable and surprisingly, weather affects cable often. Even if it is barely raining sometimes our cable will go out for hours. I know my husband would love being able to watch HDTV without weather interference. When it comes time for football season, he wants no disruptions.<br />
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One of the features of FiOS that makes it desirable is that it is “future-proofed”. You know how there is always something new coming out with technology. You don’t have to worry about missing out on any of the new applications and Internet tools that are right around the corner.<br />
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Another feature that seems like it could be useful is media manager. This service lets you get access to your digital photos, music, Internet videos, and other goodies from a FiOS connected tv. Verizon also has other widgets that allow to tweet, get on Facebook, and YouTube right from your tv. So you can get your social media fix. <br />
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FiOS would be worth trying out. I’d love to try FiOS in my home. I’m all for making things easier! Have any of you tried FiOS in your home? What do you think about it?<br />
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I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Verizon FiOS blogging program for a gift card. For more information on how you can participate, <a href="http://verizonfios.socialmoms.com/about" target="blank"><span style="color: #006699;">click here</span></a>Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-36310462502180351772011-06-07T20:01:00.000-05:002011-06-07T20:01:47.773-05:00Winners :)Okay, finally time to announce some winners! The winner of the $10 paypal cash for the month of May is marcisjule <br />
The winner of the Therabreath lozenges giveaway is lollimom<br />
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And we had a winner for the Olive Oil Desserts cookbook with a bottle of Olive Oil. It was a multiblog giveaway. The winner is Cassie M<br />
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I'm emailing all of you to get your shipping info/paypal address. Thanks for the entries :). More reviews and giveaways are on the way. I think there is going to be a <u>really awesome one</u> starting around the time of back to school, so keep tuned for that :)Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-71413168048523138462011-06-01T17:14:00.003-05:002011-06-01T17:17:23.140-05:00Safety tips for your road trips this summerNow that it is almost summer time, you might think about taking a road trip with your family. You want to have your vehicle in the best condition possible so you can be safe. Here are ten tips to get your car into tip-top shape before you head out on the road to make some family memories. <br />
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1. When it comes to windshield repairs, forget do-it-yourself repair kits. The resin could easily shrink or yellow, lowering the quality of the repair. Safelite AutoGlass uses a patented repair process… A vacuum is created over the damaged area and the resin penetrates and fills the finest micro-cracks. The technician pulls off the vacuum changer and the UV light hardens the resin. Safelite’s resin is proven to be the strongest and longest lasting on the market. <br />
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2. On your windshield a chip could turn into a crack at any time, often when you are least expecting it. Windshield repair is often a safe and economical alternative to a full windshield replacement. <br />
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3. Make sure the air pressure in your tires is correct. If a tire is too overinflated or underinflated, a blow out or flat tire can occur.<br />
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4. Make sure to have your oil changed right before your trip. It is important to consider your oil as a part of your vehicle that needs to be maintained so make sure to get it done!<br />
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5. Make sure you have reliable maps! If you are going with a paper map, make sure that it is one that is up to date. If you are relying on a GPS, make sure your maps are recent so you don’t get lost.<br />
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6. Avoid traveling to places that are infrequently traveled. It could be dangerous if your vehicle happens to break down in an area of the country were there are few people living. You could be stranded for a long time while waiting for rescue workers.<br />
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7. Make sure your vehicle is ready for whatever type of weather conditions you are going to be in. If you are making a winter trip, make sure your vehicle has proper tires that are suitable for travel in icy conditions. <br />
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8. Make sure your tires are not overly worn. If you’ve been putting off that trip to buy new tires, make sure you get them before you get on the road. If the tread on your tires is worn down, it could lead to dangerous slips on the road.<br />
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9. Tell your family members or friends where you are going. Tell them when you will be back so they can expect a phone call from you. Anything can happen on a trip and if you do happen to get stranded somewhere, someone should be able to let authorities know where you were so you can get the help you need.<br />
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10. And finally, make sure to have enough cash in case of emergency. If you are on a trip, you need to make sure you have more than enough money to cover the trip, just in case something unexpected comes up. <br />
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These ten tips should make your trip easier and definitely safer. It’s better to be safe than sorry.<br />
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Disclosure:<br />
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Safelite blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, <a href="http://safelite.socialmoms.com/about" target="blank"><span><span style="color: #006699;">click here</span></span></a><span>.</span>Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-9454917207640443482011-05-23T22:44:00.000-05:002011-05-23T22:44:20.300-05:00Winners of Purex coupons<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyBS8STlz_BzknPG_uNn5aUAZ8V0Cg3vfWg_TFPgb27T6DauXK2MkFggZaSn9ijbd3ptICpUs33N5JMpCcQlXSDM8Tmq_-_nqRfqDhVzc4VvJblPXw_TiKfIwrGumukX9OKYnGKtkdFjk/s1600/purex+winner+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyBS8STlz_BzknPG_uNn5aUAZ8V0Cg3vfWg_TFPgb27T6DauXK2MkFggZaSn9ijbd3ptICpUs33N5JMpCcQlXSDM8Tmq_-_nqRfqDhVzc4VvJblPXw_TiKfIwrGumukX9OKYnGKtkdFjk/s1600/purex+winner+1.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8oiRTcwiQfsrulRge8cgmdqu1YNdh9zoTTh8Bgiwy5oBnPPHzIOl3nFfqjfXFfjpj3dQ5WHRRHmzCycchIqOOyrIyMBzw8xV-9cWXXF0tUZMvrlLbFr-VJVCCMrv1tZeznq-qBflLagg/s1600/purex+winner+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8oiRTcwiQfsrulRge8cgmdqu1YNdh9zoTTh8Bgiwy5oBnPPHzIOl3nFfqjfXFfjpj3dQ5WHRRHmzCycchIqOOyrIyMBzw8xV-9cWXXF0tUZMvrlLbFr-VJVCCMrv1tZeznq-qBflLagg/s1600/purex+winner+2.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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The winners of the Purex coupons are JR911 and esluka. I have emailed them both and am awaiting their responses! If you didn't win this time, check out my giveaway for TheraBreath lozenges <a href="http://www.mysteryshoppingteacher.com/2011/05/review-of-therabreath-new-probiotic.html">here</a> and get your entry in. Thanks for supporting my blogging habit :)Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-89238187552843726732011-05-23T22:08:00.002-05:002011-05-24T18:43:34.084-05:00Review of TheraBreath New Probiotic Treatment and Lozenges giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJsQ93f_-hELHSxw8q4hpthCC1hGBfkxYkMozVLRYPp-XWsz9K4IV9-14y1IzTtMZ474Vqa5tq9Z-3hnTnxGXcQcAHGyfmKLMOS98SFUkd7XQbzupjNjoCx8Z-sB3P5hnohcnUAd8Q6DqM/s1600/probiotics.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJsQ93f_-hELHSxw8q4hpthCC1hGBfkxYkMozVLRYPp-XWsz9K4IV9-14y1IzTtMZ474Vqa5tq9Z-3hnTnxGXcQcAHGyfmKLMOS98SFUkd7XQbzupjNjoCx8Z-sB3P5hnohcnUAd8Q6DqM/s320/probiotics.bmp" width="228" /></a></div><br />
Did you know that about two percent of humans have naturally occurring sweet smelling breath? If you are not among the lucky few people who have naturally sweet smelling breath, give <a href="http://www.amazon.com/TheraBreath-Symptom-Probiotics-Treatment-System/dp/B004WF61NO?ie=UTF8&tag=mystshopteac-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">TheraBreath's Probiotics</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mystshopteac-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004WF61NO" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /> a try. I got the chance to review it for a week. It is recommended that you do a one week course of the Probiotics once a month for noticibly fresher breath during the day and NO morning breath when you wake up in the mornings. How awesome is that? <br />
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There are a lot of benefits that are mentioned in the booklet that come along with helping to inhibit the growth of bacteria responsible for <a href="http://www.therabreath.com/">bad breath</a>. There are studies that go along with the claims in the booklet so that is always nice to see. Some of the possible benefits include:<br />
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* A reduction in the production of cytokines which are associated with gum inflamation. This could slow or stop gum disease.<br />
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* Results in a neuralization of acidity and eliminates the source of lactic acid production which has been shown to reduce tooth decay and tooth sensitivity<br />
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*Softening and reduction of plaque<br />
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* Helps support important immune cell functions<br />
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* May offer protection against upper respiratory tract infections<br />
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And there may be some benefits that I missed. I liked that it helps eliminate morning breath, that it helps break down and reduce the formation of plaque on your teeth, and that it helps keep you from falling ill. I love TheraBreath's products. Everything that I've tried has made me feel more confident about having fresh breath. I am a customer of TheraBreath even though that means that I have to pay for it :). As a couponer, I usually don't pay for oral care products but these are way worth it to me.<br />
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Would you like to try out some of TheraBreath's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Harold-Katz-Therabreath-100-Count/dp/B004QM0OJ0?ie=UTF8&tag=mystshopteac-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">mouth wetting lozenges</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mystshopteac-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004QM0OJ0" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" />? I have a pack to giveaway.<br />
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Mandatory entry:<br />
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Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/TheraBreath/55305439087">TheraBreath</a> on Facebook<br />
and<br />
Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mysteryshoppingteacher">me </a>on Facebook<br />
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Extra entries<br />
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Follow <a href="http://twitter.com/therabreath">TheraBreath</a> on Twitter<br />
Follow <a href="http://www.twitter.com/mysshopnteach">me</a> on Twitter<br />
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The winner of this giveaway must be from the United States and must be 18 or older. Make sure you leave your email address so that I can get back to you if you are the winner! I will need to hear from the winner within 48 hours or I'll have to pick another winner.This giveaway ends on June 4th at midnight eastern time.Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-1556425206820792402011-05-17T20:19:00.002-05:002011-05-17T20:21:59.854-05:00Giveaway of Olive Oil Desserts + EVOO<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Olive-Oil-Desserts-Delicious-Healthy/dp/0980134900?ie=UTF8&tag=mystshopteac-20&link_code=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969" imageanchor="1" target="_blank"><img alt="Olive Oil Desserts: Delicious and Healthy Heart Smart Baking" src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0980134900&tag=mystshopteac-20" /></a><br />
</div><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mystshopteac-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0980134900" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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Remember when I did the review of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Olive-Oil-Desserts-Delicious-Healthy/dp/0980134900?ie=UTF8&tag=mystshopteac-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Olive Oil Desserts</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mystshopteac-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0980134900" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /> by Micki Sannar? If your memory is like mine (which is not good, nooo not good at all), <a href="http://www.mysteryshoppingteacher.com/2011/04/review-of-olive-oil-desserts-delicious.html">here </a>is a refresher.<br />
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Well now you have the chance to win a copy of the book for yourself AND a bottle of some of Micki's favorite EVOO. That's extra virgin olive oil for those of you that don't speak Rachel Ray. Micki's cookbook teaches you how to cook desserts with olive oil. Who ever heard of such a thing??? Well, the cookies that I baked were delish. Since I'm doing the Rachel Ray language I figured I might as well throw that delish in there too.<br />
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What's the reason for the giveaway? Micki is going to be on QVC this Wednesday at 9 a.m. Eastern/ 6 a.m. Pacific. If you want to watch QVC live online, go to www.qvc.com and click on the “watch live” tab to the left of the page. To view the segment after it airs, you can go to www.qvc.com and type Olive Oil Desserts into the search bar, click on the “video” tab just above the cookbook cover.<br />
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This is a multiblog giveaway and three winners will be chosen from among all the entries to win a bottle of California Olive Oil Ranch and Micki's cookbook. The giveaway starts May 18th at 8:00 a.m. eastern and ends on May 25th 11:59 p.m. <br />
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Choose your entry method. You can do one or do them all.<br />
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1. Tweet this giveaway (1 entry ) <br />
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2. Follow Micki on <a href="https://twitter.com/oliveoilchic">twitter </a> (1 entry ) <br />
3. Follow California Olive Ranch on <a href="http://twitter.com/@CA_EVOO">twitter</a> (1 entry ) <br />
4. Blog about this giveaway and link back to me (1 entry ) <br />
5. Go to www.oliveoildesserts.com and comment about something you learned about olive oil desserts on my blog(1 entry ) <br />
6. Go to www.californiaoliveranch.com and comment about EVOO on my blog. (1 entry ) <br />
7. Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/californiaoliveranch">COR’s Facebook page</a> (1 entry ) <br />
8. Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/oliveoildesserts">Olive Oil Desserts Facebook page</a> (1 entry ) <br />
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This giveaway is open to resident of the U.S. who are 18 or older. The winner of this giveaway will have 5 days to contact Micki with shipping information. Make sure you leave your email address so I can contact you if you are a winner.Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-32989854013120280932011-05-09T23:13:00.001-05:002011-05-09T23:17:51.908-05:00Purex Complete with Zout Review and Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgid4eCxJasYRFO_G5Zej-2w1IH4qubukgxWKtAK3IbVIc8AupCqyBI-7UDL1cSlrDH3mTRYjMReWVBFX7yWf_1tRf3EG61Z8Bw2xX5DYg8gLQVy0UkcFScpSKjPqm9j8aeYDegi0wCh2ZG/s1600/purexwzout-family-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgid4eCxJasYRFO_G5Zej-2w1IH4qubukgxWKtAK3IbVIc8AupCqyBI-7UDL1cSlrDH3mTRYjMReWVBFX7yWf_1tRf3EG61Z8Bw2xX5DYg8gLQVy0UkcFScpSKjPqm9j8aeYDegi0wCh2ZG/s320/purexwzout-family-logo.png" width="223" /></a></div><br />
What is less fun than having to do laundry? Having to do laundry that is stained. I mean, if you don’t care about stains on your clothes, you can launder it just like normal and hope that the stains wash out by themselves. A lot of my little boys clothes fall into that category. I’m not proud to admit that but I’d rather not spend a lot of time trying to get stains out of an 18 month old’s clothes. His playclothes get a quick spritz of stain remover and are thrown in the washer. Sometime some of it comes out, sometimes all of it comes out, and sometimes things are not as good and you are stuck with some stains. <br />
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Anytime you can get laundry detergent that has a built in stain fighter, it’s worth a shot to try it out, right? Lucky me, I got the chance to try out Purex Complete with Zout detergent. It works against protein based stains like grass and blood; starchy stains like chocolate and tomato sauce; and guar, which is used in many different foods like bbq sauce and salad dressing. <br />
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You use it as a pre-treater and as a detergent. This is a great detergent to use if you have a load of clothes that are heavily stained (like any load of my little boy’s laundry). If your clothes have a really tough stain, you can pour a little detergent directly on the stain and let it sit for five minutes before it goes into the washer. <br />
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Purex even has a fragrance free version of detergent for people with sensitive skin. It is actually the first Free and Clear detergent with an added stain fighter. <br />
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Would you like the chance to try it out for yourself? Well you’re in luck! I have two coupons for a free bottle of Purex Complete with Zout to give away to two lucky readers. Here is what you need to do to get your entries in.<br />
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Mandatory<br />
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+ Become a GFC follower of this blog<br />
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Extra entries<br />
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+ Follow Purex on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/purex">twitter</a><br />
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+ Like Purex on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/purex">twitter</a><br />
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+ Tweet about this giveaway (can do once per day):<br />
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Enter to win one of two coupons for a free bottle of Purex Zout. Ends 5/22 Visit: http://tinyurl.com/3ojoz6s<br />
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+ Like me on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mysteryshoppingteacher">facebook</a> <br />
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+ Follow me on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/mysshopnteacher">twitter</a><br />
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+ Follow me on networked blogs<br />
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+ Blog about this on your blog.<br />
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This giveaway will end on 5/22 at midnight eastern time. It is open to residents of the U.S. who are 18 or older. I will draw two winners via Random.org and if you are the winner, I will need to hear back from you within 48 hours or I'll have to draw another winner. <br />
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Disclosure: This was not a paid post. All opinions are my own.Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-18345175478876423902011-05-07T19:38:00.002-05:002011-05-07T19:44:49.926-05:00How to Save with Coupons, Part Two: Coupon abbreviationsLast week’s article was the first in the series about how to start off saving money with coupons. This series of articles is for anyone who is interested in learning how to save money off of their grocery bill with coupons. The last article went over basics of the different types of coupons, and where to find them. If you are didn’t get a chance to read that article, <a href="http://www.mysteryshoppingteacher.com/2011/04/how-to-save-with-coupons-part-one.html">click here</a>.<br />
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This article is about some basic coupon lingo that you should know. It is important for you to understand the language of coupons so you can make sure that you use them correctly. Here are some of the most common coupon abbreviations that I prepared with the help of WUC (read on to find out what that means).<br />
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<b>BOGO</b> or <b>B1G1</b> - Buy One Get One Free<br />
<b>BC/AC </b>– Before/After Coupons<br />
<b>Blinkie</b> – This refers to a machine that has Smart Source coupons. There is a light that blinks when you pull a coupon out. <br />
<b>CAT</b> – Catalina Coupon (prints after a purchase from the cash register) <br />
<b>C/O</b> - Cents off <br />
<b>CRT</b> - Cash register tape (your receipt) <br />
<b>DND</b> - Does not double <br />
<b>ECB</b> - Extra Care Buck (only from CVS) <br />
<b>ES</b> - Easy Saver (booklet from Walgreens)<br />
<b>ETS</b> - Excludes trial sizes<br />
<b>FAR </b>- Free after rebate <br />
<b>GDA </b>- Good deal alert! <br />
<b>INSERTS</b> – These are the coupon flyers that come in the Sunday paper.<br />
<b>IP</b> – Internet printable coupon<br />
<b>MQ </b>- Manufacturer coupon<br />
<b>OOP </b>- Out Of Pocket <br />
<b>OOS </b>- Out of Stock <br />
<b>OYNO </b>-On Your Next Order <br />
<b>OYNP</b> – On your next purchase<br />
<b>P&G </b>- Proctor & Gamble (Sunday Booklet Coupons)<br />
<b>Peelie </b>- Coupon attached to a product.<br />
<b>POP</b> - Proof of purchase <br />
<b>Q</b> - Coupon<br />
<b>RC</b> – Rain check <br />
<b>RP</b> - Red Plum (Sunday Booklet Coupons) (formerly Valassis) <br />
<b>RR</b> - Register Reward (from Walgreens) <br />
<b>SCR</b> - Rite Aid Single Check Rebate <br />
<b>SS</b> - Smart Source (Sunday Booklet Coupons)<br />
<b>STACKING</b> – This is when you are allowed to couple a manufacturer coupon with a store coupon (like you can with CVS) <br />
<b>SUPER DOUBLES or DOUBLES</b> - coupons that are doubled $1 + in value (IE, a $1 coupon - $2, etc) <br />
<b>TEARPAD</b> – A pad of coupons that you tear off from a pad. It may be on a display, shelf, etc. <br />
<b>TMF</b> - Try Me Free - mail in rebate for full amount of product<br />
<b>TRIPLE COUPON</b> - A coupon that a grocery store triples in value <br />
<b>WAGS</b> - Walgreens<br />
<b>WSL</b> - While supplies last <br />
<b>WUC</b> - We Use Coupons (refers to the site)<br />
<b>WYB</b> - When You Buy <br />
<b>YMMV</b> - Your Mileage May Vary (It works for some and it may or may not work for you)<br />
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Come back next week to learn more about how to save money with coupons!Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-69531192910533635952011-05-05T17:06:00.000-05:002011-05-05T17:06:09.063-05:00Win one of two $10 Amazon gift cardsWant to win a $10 Amazon gift card? You can win one of two gift cards that I will giveaway when I get 100 entries. Fill out a short survey <a href="https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dC1SUkpLLVVXT21zT1JQU0JScWlUclE6MQ">here</a> and get your name in the drawing. It is for a project that I am doing. Thanks for your help :)Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-69348623459133068062011-05-05T16:44:00.002-05:002011-05-05T16:46:00.283-05:00$10 Pay Pal Cash Giveaway for MayTo enter this giveaway for $10 Paypal cash, all you have to do is be a subscriber!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="559" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://spreadsheets.google.com/embeddedform?formkey=dGlJbTVCVmZkTXlKWEE0b3l5MEFLamc6MQ" width="500"></iframe>Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-51050657054019167972011-05-05T16:28:00.000-05:002011-05-05T16:28:40.110-05:00Winner of Nuskin ageLOC kit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxyX7cFJQzuQNgnHj_AlbhZt7dNmPgQrGxcqpn5pIcpSS5no6BWk2wM-5tx7jUl9C16mQKEsr4XFkIdxohYzVbi0ULR2r5BNepiCymq7A22s84xo1F62HQeD5rkoaGtu8nYfG8QBVoVVA/s1600/winner+of+ageloc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxyX7cFJQzuQNgnHj_AlbhZt7dNmPgQrGxcqpn5pIcpSS5no6BWk2wM-5tx7jUl9C16mQKEsr4XFkIdxohYzVbi0ULR2r5BNepiCymq7A22s84xo1F62HQeD5rkoaGtu8nYfG8QBVoVVA/s1600/winner+of+ageloc.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The winner of the Nuskin ageLOC kit is jjak2003! I will be sending you an email momentarily.<br />
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Thanks for the over two hundred entries! I'm sometimes super slow about counting entries because I want to make sure that I count correctly and don't end up announcing the wrong person as a winner. It takes a time for my house to be completely quiet so I can concentrate to do that! Thanks again everyone. I will keep trying to find awesome giveaways for you to enjoy!Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-57199841697527808692011-05-02T16:56:00.001-05:002011-05-07T17:45:35.245-05:00Winner of Pay Pal cash giveaway for AprilThe winner of the Pay Pal cash giveaway for April is aunteegem! I have sent an email and as soon as I hear from her I'll be sending over the cash. Thanks for all the entries! I will post the new giveaway for May soon so stick around!Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-90927097957574627682011-04-30T16:53:00.003-05:002011-05-07T18:19:20.837-05:00How to Save with Coupons, part oneCoupons are kind of popular nowadays. When TLC’s Extreme Couponing first premiered, many people wanted to learn how to use coupons to save money like the people on the show. These people may not have ever used a coupon in their life (gasp!). Before you learn how to be “extreme” with coupons, you should learn some basics. So let’s start at the beginning. <br />
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Coupons are available for use in grocery stores, as well as fast food restaurants and retail stores. If you can learn how to cut down on your grocery bills by using coupons, it is like found money.<br />
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There are different types of coupons available to be used. There are manufacturer coupons that can be used on the specified product at any store. These can come from a Sunday paper coupon insert, from a company’s website, or they can even be found at a store on a display. Let’s learn some of the different types of coupons and different ways to get coupons.<br />
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A store coupon is a coupon that is redeemable only at a certain store. They will normally say “only redeemable at…” There are some instances when these coupons can be used at other stores, but that is for another article.<br />
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A Catalina is a type of coupon that prints at the store, usually at the time of purchase. These Catalinas are redeemed at the store from which they were printed. These coupons might print at the end of your purchase and they often come in a few varieties. These include:<br />
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* money off coupons for your next order (like save $1 off of your next purchase)<br />
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* register rewards (these come from Walgreens and are a reward for purchasing a specific product)<br />
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* coupons for a specific product (for example, save $2 off your next purchase of Excedrine Migraine)<br />
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Similar to Catalinas are Extracare bucks. These are exclusive to CVS and are store coupons that can only be used at CVS. Learn more about CVS and Extracare bucks <a href="http://www.mysteryshoppingteacher.com/2010/11/how-to-shop-at-cvs-and-get-stuff-for.html">here</a>.<br />
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An Internet coupon is one that is you print from off of the Internet. Companies may do promotions where they offer a high-value coupon for a “like” on Facebook, or even as a thank you to customers. These coupons are printed from your own printer. Often, these can be printed two times by simply pressing the back button after the first print. These coupons are usually limited to two per computer. <a href="http://lm.logicalmedia.com/z/12918/CD11649">Coupons.com</a>, <a href="http://www.redplum.com/">Redplum</a>, and <a href="http://www.smartsource.com/">Smartsource</a> are some places where you can get started printing coupons.<br />
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An eCoupon is a coupon that is loaded onto a store card. I’ve never had the chance to use one of these yet as the stores that I shop at don’t offer them. But some stores offer coupons that you load right onto a store card and once you take them to the grocery store and purchase the items, the money comes right off of your order once you scan your card. <br />
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Another way to get coupons is to call or email companies to ask to be put on the company coupon mailing list. These coupons are sometimes high value coupons so it may be worth your time to make a point of emailing companies whose products you use frequently.<br />
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Yet another way of getting coupons is with free samples. I LOVE me some free samples. More often than not, when you get a free sample a company will include a coupon in with the sample so you can purchase the full sized product at a discount. These are sometimes great coupons with high values!<br />
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Sometimes people don’t want to start couponing because they think it is too difficult or too time consuming. While it is true that it takes time to clip the coupons and organize them, it might not take as much time as you would think. If you are not interested in extreme couponing, you don’t have to spend nearly as much time as the people on the show. And once you get used to using coupons, it is not difficult at all to remember to take coupons with you when you shop. We don’t leave the house without coupons in our family! Even if we are going to retail store, we use coupons.<br />
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If you want to start using coupons right away, you will need to start collecting them. Most couponers buy a Sunday paper (or two, or ten). These newspapers have coupons on all Sundays, except for on Holidays. Once you get your flyers, you can look at the coupons available to determine the best deals. Next week we will learn more coupon basics so stay tuned!Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-77949315766985302952011-04-28T22:52:00.000-05:002011-04-28T22:52:08.228-05:00Dove Go Sleeveless Sample<a href="http://www.dove.us/#/insider/sample.aspx">Click here</a> to go check out a free sample of Dove Go Sleeveless. Sample deodorants make great freshen-uppers for your purse!Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-13459515763269911722011-04-28T22:00:00.000-05:002011-04-28T22:00:28.614-05:00Take $10 off of a $10 purchase in Aerie storesWhen you "like" Aerie on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Aerie?sk=app_140149346021719">Facebook</a>, you can print a $10 off of $10 purchase. You might be able to grab some great free stuff! Check it out <a href="http://here./">here.</a> Me likee free stuff :)Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-3192540868858465782011-04-26T16:17:00.000-05:002011-04-26T16:17:08.922-05:00Winner of Lennox giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYHvFG9QkqQ4_Ucq-fpF-iyxlPnBTToBITiIp5h8Y_DNWcLHKkHCeVpwmlQoaV5Uo5lMD8MhA5yTkqFsmByjZAtaG6ltlm6s95AyszpHK7LKbEg7G7FPgfNGCwIuq-Nf1N7a_cBIIaiTz/s1600/lennox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYHvFG9QkqQ4_Ucq-fpF-iyxlPnBTToBITiIp5h8Y_DNWcLHKkHCeVpwmlQoaV5Uo5lMD8MhA5yTkqFsmByjZAtaG6ltlm6s95AyszpHK7LKbEg7G7FPgfNGCwIuq-Nf1N7a_cBIIaiTz/s320/lennox.jpg" width="160" /></a></div><br />
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The winner of the Lennox tea light set is Audrey! I am sending you an email to get shipping information. Thanks for all the entries everyone! I hope to keep having more great giveaways for my awesome readers so stay tuned!Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-12750539980712678542011-04-24T08:54:00.000-05:002011-04-24T08:54:54.662-05:00CVS MatchupsMy friend Melissa from Melissa's bargains has great CVS match-ups and sceneraios for those of you who are new to shopping CVS and may not have ECB's yet.<br />
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FREEBIES:<br />
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Buy Blink Tears (.5 oz) or Gel Tears (.34 oz) – $7.99, get a $7.99 ECB (limit 1 per household)<br />
$1/1 Blink Tears – 4-3 SS<br />
Final Price = $6.99 after coupon<br />
NOTE: Some boxes reportedly have $4/1 peelie coupons, which would make the deal even better!<br />
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Buy Dove Men + Care deodorant – $.99 (limit 5)<br />
$1/1 Dove Men + Care – 3-27 RP<br />
$.75/1 Dove Men + Care <a href="http://www.dove.us/#/insider/coupons.aspx">deodorant printable<br />
</a>Final Price = as low as free after coupon<br />
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ECB DEALS:<br />
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Buy 7 Up, Canada Dry, Sunkist or A&W – 3/$10, get a $3 ECB (limit 1 per household)<br />
Final Price = 3/$7 after ECBs<br />
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Spend $15 on Clean & Clear, get a $5 ECB (limit 1 per household) – PSA $5.49<br />
BOGO free Clean & Clear body wash – 3-27 SS<br />
$1/1 Clean & Clear – 3-27 SS<br />
<a href="http://www.cleanandclear.com/special-savings">$2/1 Clean & Clear printable<br />
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SCENARIO:<br />
Buy 3 Clean & Clear products – $5.49/each<br />
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Use 3 $2/1 printables<br />
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Spend $10.47 OOP, get a $5 ECB<br />
Final Price = $5.47 after coupons/ECBs ($1.83/each)<br />
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<a href="http://www.melissasbargains.com/cvs-deals-for-the-week-of-424/">Click here</a> for more of Melissa's match-ups! I suggest you check these out if you are new to CVS shopping, she really breaks it down with scenarios and everything so you know exactly what to do.Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-35600581166954883372011-04-20T17:10:00.002-05:002011-04-20T17:10:44.789-05:00Free toothbrushes!Grab this <a href="http://enlnks.com/aff_c?offer_id=118&aff_id=1351">$2/2 Reach toothbrush coupon </a>and get free toothbrushes at CVS and other stores. Print now before the limit is reached!Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-87964695938523767452011-04-19T18:09:00.001-05:002011-04-19T18:57:08.909-05:00Review of Olive Oil Desserts: Delicious and Healthy Heart Smart Baking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIJ-w9nbmP1WsQLZJ_qGoR14BFZoT03ffZEAaIrCvKwFDxEGf2gT6ZEuwurXlElygjMdUWE6_ZrQv0ybV16odCZ0Xmh6NXYUWEhZn2CymoEhId4MNLBF8D5LgSCHta2c6ix8msYF0GefY/s1600/OOD-cover-high.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIJ-w9nbmP1WsQLZJ_qGoR14BFZoT03ffZEAaIrCvKwFDxEGf2gT6ZEuwurXlElygjMdUWE6_ZrQv0ybV16odCZ0Xmh6NXYUWEhZn2CymoEhId4MNLBF8D5LgSCHta2c6ix8msYF0GefY/s320/OOD-cover-high.jpg" width="315" /></div><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mystshopteac-20&l=bil&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003HOXLQQ" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <br />
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</div>Have you tried olive oil for baking? Until I had the chance to review this book, I had never heard of such a thing! We are food network die-hard fans and I had never heard of baking with olive oil before.<br />
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I had the chance to review Micki Sannar's book, <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Olive-Oil-Desserts-Delicious-Healthy/dp/0980134900?ie=UTF8&tag=mystshopteac-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Olive Oil Desserts: Delicious and Healthy Heart Smart Baking</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mystshopteac-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0980134900" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /></em>. I looked through the entire book and picked out several recipes that I wanted to try. Then my husband looked through the ones that I had chosen, and after several minutes of going back and forth, we decided to try the Oatmeal Peanut Butter cookies. <br />
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Now, I know what you're thinking, E.V.O.O in cookies? Actually, you use a pure olive oil of your choice. If you are an olive oil user than you can choose one whose flavor you enjoy. If you are not a regular olive oil user, Micki's book offers suggestions. <br />
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So we tried the recipe and the cookies turned out really good. It made a lot of cookies and we ended up putting part of it in the freezer. We haven't thawed them out yet, but I love putting cookies in the freezer and being able to take them out later to have fresh baked cookies.<br />
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These cookies were so good ad moist! Our little boy LOVED these cookies. We had to cut him off after he ate a whole cookie because we made them kind of big and we were worried that he might have a tummy ache if he ate too much more. There is some fiber in there, ya know.<br />
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The next thing I want to try is the Chocolate Lava Cake. I've never tried one of those before so I'm really looking forward to it. We already bought the ramekins and everything so we will be trying those soon. Now that I think about it, we might be trying some this weekend. <br />
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What I like about this cookbook is that it offers a healthier alternative to butter. And you won't even miss having the butter in there. Many of Micki's recipes use butter extract that you can add for the butter flavor if you want. But Micki's book also says that it can be left out if you wish.<br />
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Overall, the cookbook is an attractive and easy to read guide to baking with Olive Oil. If you are interested in an alternative to baking with butter that is more heart healthy, you should definitely give this book a try. My family and I will be trying out many more of these recipes as time goes on. I would like to see if these recipes can replace many of the more traditional recipes we use- like the one for the chocolate chip cookies. I can't wait to try out more of Micki's mouthwatering goodies!<br />
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If you want to purchase a copy, you can get it on <span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Olive-Oil-Desserts-Delicious-ebook/dp/B003HOXLQQ?ie=UTF8&tag=mystshopteac-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Amazon </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mystshopteac-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003HOXLQQ" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span>for a great price. The book also sells on <a href="http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.F08385.desc.Olive-Oil-Desserts-Cookbook-by-Micki-Sannar?&cookie=set">QVC</a>, and in other fine book stores.Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-62977055384904976842011-04-18T23:13:00.000-05:002011-04-18T23:13:16.738-05:00TheraBreath winner<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsKPUedBBpVpXphXbqMbbDXWxV4Z_rZrslbYq3GT1OyxdIvxCstP0Dcuq6C9ClLpF-sxyigGLf0Jq3GTDkN619MXw4lckUqwEMWU1PyAvU0x3eqgSu3XibwP8tmmMKIshr4LXYrdHYOTQ/s1600/Therabreathrandom2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKsKPUedBBpVpXphXbqMbbDXWxV4Z_rZrslbYq3GT1OyxdIvxCstP0Dcuq6C9ClLpF-sxyigGLf0Jq3GTDkN619MXw4lckUqwEMWU1PyAvU0x3eqgSu3XibwP8tmmMKIshr4LXYrdHYOTQ/s1600/Therabreathrandom2.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrcDSAtxoBM1m6L23hQ0keghKh8gKsQUtVDJ0bArJKi29K5bTo6xKV5Z5PYL3qy7TRi0I3aKNzXZwWeGh1haFs-NmUFof67-_ns-H-ZLfZmiS-mzmalgVuJxX1RhjKw5DAGIHwbnDGV8y/s1600/Therabreathrandom1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxrcDSAtxoBM1m6L23hQ0keghKh8gKsQUtVDJ0bArJKi29K5bTo6xKV5Z5PYL3qy7TRi0I3aKNzXZwWeGh1haFs-NmUFof67-_ns-H-ZLfZmiS-mzmalgVuJxX1RhjKw5DAGIHwbnDGV8y/s1600/Therabreathrandom1.jpg" /></a></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">The winners of the TheraBreath giveaway for a tube of toothpaste and a bottle of mouthwash, are Samantha and Mary. I will email both of you to get your mailing address to send off to the sponsor. If you didn't win this time, please stick around. This sponsor is sending me a new kit to try out soon and I'll be posting another giveaway. Thanks for the entries!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-85444119522574512402011-04-17T13:32:00.000-05:002011-04-17T13:32:29.267-05:00WalMart Match-upsSimilac Sensitive $3.84<br />
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-$5 from 4/3 SS = FREE plus $1.16 Overage <br />
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Neutrogena makeup remover wipes (in the travel section) $1.97 <br />
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- $3/1 Q (From April "All You") = FREE plus $1.03 overage<br />
Purex 3 in 1 Sheets $0.97<br />
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-$1 from 3/13 RP = FREE plus $0.03 Overage <br />
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Reach Waxed Floss - $0.97<br />
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$1/1 Reach Floss, Floss or Toothbrush, exp. 4-30-11 (RP 10/10/10) = Free + $0.03 Overage<br />
Head & Shoulders shampoo travel size $.97 <br />
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- $2/1 Q (From P&G Bright Ideas home mailer) = FREE plus $1.03 overage <br />
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McCormick $0.54<br />
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-$1 from 3/06 SS = FREE plus $0.46 Overage<br />
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-$0.75 from 3/13 RP = FREE plus $0.20 Overage <br />
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Revlon Tweezers $1.87<br />
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$2.00 off Revlon Coupon = FREE + $.13 overage <br />
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Thanks to Coupon Keri for the matchups! <a href="http://www.couponkeri.com/2011/04/wal-mart-deals-411.html">Click here</a> for the complete list.Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-13814227252112212272011-04-17T13:15:00.000-05:002011-04-17T13:15:28.511-05:00CVS MatchupThanks to Adventures of a Couponista for the match-ups!<br />
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Coke Products (2L) – $.99<br />
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-Use $1/1 Coca-Cola coupon (<a href="http://www.recyclebank.com/">Recycle Bank</a>)<br />
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Final Price = FREE<br />
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Colgate Toothpaste – $1<br />
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-Use $1/1 Colgate Toothpaste coupon (SS 4/10)<br />
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Final Price = FREE<br />
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Cottonelle Bathroom Tissue (18pk) – $8.99<br />
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-Use $.50/1 <a href="http://www.cottonelle.com/coupons.aspx">Cottonelle printable coupon</a> (or SS 3/13)<br />
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-Get $2 ECBs (Limit 1)<br />
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Final Price = $6.49<br />
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Green Bag Tag – $.99<br />
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-Get $.99 ECBs (Limit 2)<br />
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Final Price = FREE<br />
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Nivea Body Wash – $3.88<br />
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-Use $3/1 Nivea for Men coupon (RP 4/17)<br />
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-Get $3 ECBs (Limit 1)<br />
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Final Price = FREE ($2 possible overage)<br />
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Click <a href="http://adventuresofacouponista.blogspot.com/2011/04/cvs-deals-coupon-matchups-417-423.html">here </a>for a complete listing.Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1684680645134805131.post-71749777024063745892011-04-16T16:00:00.003-05:002011-04-16T16:16:06.565-05:00Save Money around the HomeThis month I have been posting articles that have hopefully given you some ideas about ways to save money. The first article gave some general tips on saving money. Last week’s article was dedicated to cutting food bills (fast food and groceries). This article is about how you can save money around the home by doing your own yard maintenance and by trying your own dog grooming.<br />
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<strong>Save money around the house tip: DIY</strong><br />
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That’s right, save money by doing things yourself. Do you have services that you normally pay someone to do that you may be able to do yourself? I don’t mean retiling a floor, but what about yard maintenance? If you normally spend money to have someone take care of your yard, you can be paying yourself to do it instead. <br />
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If you spend $30-$70 to hire someone to mow your yard or do other yard cleanup just once a month (you will likely want or need more than that during the spring and summer months), then you will have paid from $360- $840 dollars conservatively. Over the course of five years, that adds up to thousands of dollars. If you do these jobs yourself, you can end up saving substantial money.<br />
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It will require that you might have to do a little manual labor like raking leaves, using a weed eater, or even pushing a lawn mower. But if you are serious about saving money than these little tasks are not that much of a sacrifice to make. Ask yourself what you value more, having free time or money? If you'd rather have two hours of free time then go ahead and pay for your yard work to be done by someone else. If you'd rather save that money, spend some time doing your own yard.<br />
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Here is another idea to save money. Try saving on pet grooming, though it’s not for everyone. I have four Pomeranians, whom I groom myself. We used to take them to the groomer two or three times a year for grooming but even then, they could’ve used a cut once every three months. The costs of taking them to the groomer were about $120 each time for all four SMALL dogs. If they were bigger dogs, we would have had to pay more!<br />
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What I have started doing is grooming them myself. I bought some <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wahl-9590-210-Pro-Complete-Clipper/dp/B002R85GMU?ie=UTF8&tag=mystshopteac-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">dog clippers</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mystshopteac-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002R85GMU" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" /> four around forty bucks, and I cut their hair the way I’d normally ask the groomer to cut it. Now, I am not a professional but it looks okay. My dogs aren’t show dogs; they are just regular family pets. I’m sure they are probably less stressed when I cut them than they are when a groomer does it just because they are used to me. <br />
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I groom them on the front porch and it does take probably three hours to do all of them. The way I figure it though, I’d rather pay myself $40 an hour to do it than pay someone else. That has saved us $240-$360 per year. <br />
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If you're too anxious to just go for the big cut yourself, try taking your do to the vet once, and just doing touch-ups. You can at the very least save yourself from having to go as often to the vet if you are not ready to groom your own dog. If you can save half of the money you'd normally spend, it is worth the effort to just do trims and touch ups for your pet.<br />
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I wouldn’t advise cutting your own dog if you or your dog are the anxious type. Clippers have guards on them but if your dog jerks around a lot, he or she can get clipped. I haven’t had any bad clips on my dogs. I would say that it happens about as often as it would when I took them to the groomer. The groomers we’ve been to have always been great. We’ve been to several different groomers so I know that clips do happen no matter how careful you are.<br />
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I hope these tips will help you be able to save some money. The more money that you can save, the more money that you can put towards <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Little-Finance-Book-That-Could/dp/1907498338?ie=UTF8&tag=mystshopteac-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">becoming debt free</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=mystshopteac-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1907498338" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px !important; padding-left: 0px !important; padding-right: 0px !important; padding-top: 0px !important;" width="1" />. Don’t be afraid to think creatively for other ways to save money on things that you could be doing yourself and feel free to leave a comment for other readers to benefit from.Nirrahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11236234728666177985noreply@blogger.com0