Sisterly Savings

The children are running around the kitchen. The dog is barking it at the door and dinner should have been on the table thirty minutes ago. It’s a common scenario in many households come dinner time.

The reason that most meal times don’t always go smoothly may because dinner the last thing on your mind and when it’s time to get food on the table, everything else goes haywire in your house.

We have all been there, but with a little bit of meal-planning, you can be serving up delicious meals the family will be glad to gather around the table for.

Meal planning can make it easy to get dinner on the table in no time on a busy night. Not only do you save time, but it’s economical too. You buy only what you need, avoid the drive-through line up and you can concentrate on using fresh ingredients – instead of prepackages items from the grocery store. Every mother should have a set way to plan all of their meals in advance for the week…it’s a true life-saver.

The first step to successful meal planning is to sit down before you head out to the grocery store for the week (or sign up for the affordable Dine Without Whine Menu Planning Service & they’ll make that plan for you) .

It is best to plan what food you will need to have on had before you head to the grocery store when planning the week’s meals. Meal planning will make good use of a well stocked pantry and will only need a regular amount of grocery shopping. By having your meals for the week planned out, you will be able to write a grocery list that you can stick to (Dine Without Whine actually puts your grocery list together for you too). This will help you to save money by keeping you from not buying extra food that you will not use.

As you plan your week’s meals, make sure that you think about ways you can cook once and make two meals out of it. It’s easy to do a lot of cooking on the weekends so that you can do minimum cooking on busy week days. You can grill up chicken breasts on Sunday and use them in pasta on one night and then in fajitas another night. There are many ways that you can reuse the cooking from one night to make the next meal that much easier.

Meal planning can also help to cut down on your prep time in the kitchen when you are cooking. By knowing the meals that you are going to cook in advance, you can wash and cut vegetables when you bring them home from the grocery store. The simple act of pre-measuring the vegetables that you would need for a meal will cut out a lot of additional cooking time.

To be successful with your meal planning, you will want to take into account a lot of factors when you plan your meals for the week. One of the most important things to keep in mind is your weekly schedule of evening activities. The nights when your family has many activities planned are not the evenings to make meals that take along time to prepare. It will be those nights that you will want to use the meals that use the food that you already prepared on the weekends.

Meal planning is a skill that will take some getting used to. The first couple of times that you attempt to plan out your meals for the week, you will have some missteps along the way. After awhile it will become second nature to plan all of your meals in advance and you will wonder why you did not start to do it sooner.

To make your meal planning a whole lot easier, sign up for  a trial at Dine Without Whine. You and your hungry family will be glad you did.

Here are the best deals at Walgreen’s for the week of 3/01-3/07. If you see anything I may have missed, please add it to the comments!

What’s Free This Week

Colgate 6oz Max Fresh or White
$3.29 – $3.29 RR
= Free

All Reach Dental $.99 In Store Coupon

Use $1.00 Reach Toothbrush/Ultra Clean Dental Floss(v 2/08)
= Free

Register Reward Deals

Tide $5.99 Get $1 RR
Use $.35 MQ ( 2/8 PG)
= $4.64 after MQ & RR

Pepsi 12 Packs $4.00 Get $3.00 RR WYB 2

Best Deals

Aquafina 24 pack $4.49 16.9 oz
Use $1.00 In Store Coupon = $3.49

All Revlon Products BOGO

Ragu Sauces 2/$3.00

Use .75 (1/18 RP)

Barilla Pasta 3/$3.00

Use $1.00 (1/4 S Expires 3/01)

Soft Scrub, Arm & Hammer Pet Fresh or Liquid Plumber Gel 2/$6.00

Cottonelle Fresh Wipes $1.99 with In Store Coupon

Use .50 (SS 2/1)

Puffs Facial Tissue $.99

Folgers Classic Roast Coffee 11.3 oz $2.99 (Decaf or Flavored 11.5 oz $3.99)

Dawn Dish Liquid $.99

Need multiples of coupons? Then order from Coupons & Things by Dede! You get your orders super fast and they are reasonable in price considering how much you will save (not to mention the amount of time saved clipping!). I used them last week and got my coupons within 2 days. Great service! Please use Jennifer Quintua as referral if you do sign up:)

Sit back and take a moment to prepare to embark on a wonderful savings journey all courtesy of your local CVS/pharmacy. The actual art of saving money at CVS can be hard to understand at first but no doubt you will catch on and before you know it you will have been bitten by the CVS bug and will be addicted to shopping at CVS on a more than regular basis.

First things first you will need an ExtraCare Card; this is CVS’s loyalty card program. You can get an ExtraCare Card at any CVS store or online and have it mailed to you. If you want to start right away it is best that you get your card in the store rather than requesting one online. You will want to use this card every time you make a purchase at CVS including filling a prescription.

Why is having an ExtraCare Card so important?

Each time you scan your ExtraCare Card at CVS or enter it online when you make a purchase you receive 2% back, excluding prescription purchases. For every two prescriptions you have filled in-store or online you receive 1 Extra Buck or ECB. These ExtraCare rewards are redeemable quarterly, every 3months. Additionally many sale items at CVS indicate additional savings with ExtraCare Card, if you do not present your ExtraCare card you will have to pay full price. You can also earn Extra Buck rewards by purchasing featured items in the CVS weekly circulars and monthly booklet.

What is an ECB?

ECB is short for ExtraCare Buck, also known as Extra Bucks. ECBs are good as cash at CVS, think of it like CVS currency but with an expiration date. ECBs expire 4 weeks from the date earned/received.

What can I use ECBs on?

You can use your ECBs on anything in the store with the exception of alcohol, tobacco, lottery, gift cards, money orders, postage stamps, pre-paid cards, prescriptions, and special order Home Health Care items, including footwear.

How do I earn ECBs?

ECBs are earned by purchasing featured products in the weekly sales circular, monthly ExtraCare booklet, quarterly rewards, and by participating in the CVS Advisor Panel. In order to receive rewards for participating in the CVS Advisory panel you must register as a member and be invited and qualify for participation to earn ECBs. More information on the CVS Advisory Panel and it’s opportunities can be found here.

How do I receive CVS coupons?

CVS coupons can be found in booklets and pamphlets often near the pharmacy. You can also scan your card if your store has a price check machine with a printer. If a scanner is not available at your store coupons will print on the end of your receipt. Also go to the CVS website and update your ExtraCard account be sure to include an email address and check yes I want to receive valuable coupons and offers by mail. CVS emails out printable or online coupons almost every Thursday.

Now that you have a little bit of background on the CVS ExtraCare rewards program we can get down to how to utilize it to save money.

Saving money at CVS is easy and addicting once you get the hang of it. It’s an easy concept in that you combine CVS coupons with manufacture coupons for increased savings. You can also save even more money by using ECBs towards your total so that you pay as little out of pocket (OOP) as possible.

For example let’s say Colgate Total Advanced Whitening Toothpaste 4oz. is listed in the weekly circular as $2.99 with $2.99 Extra Bucks Rewards. The ad will most likely note: It’s like getting it for…FREE. Below this in small print you will see Extra Bucks offer limit of 5 per household. This limit denotes that you are limited to a total 5 Extra Buck rewards on this particular product. Since this is listed in the weekly ad that means limit 5 that sales week, if it were in the monthly booklet that would mean the entire month. ECB offers are limited to so many per household or cardholder; limits vary for each individual featured reward. On a quick side note you must pay close attention as CVS has a habit of sticking a monthly featured ECB item in the weekly sales circular and many CVS shoppers will think the limit has been lifted or reset, however this is not true. Moving on with our example trip, let’s say we purchase 2 tubes of toothpaste and we have 2 manufacturer coupons on these items. See below for example.

2 Colgate Total Advanced Whitening Toothpastes ($2.99ea) = $5.98

Less (2) $1 manufacturer coupons

Subtotal = $3.98 + (tax)

After paying and receiving your receipt (CRT aka cash register tape) you will notice at the bottom of your receipt an Extra Buck it will look somewhat similar to the computer generated ECB example below.

———————————————————
CVS/pharmacy

Your Name

Here are your Extra Bucks for
having purchased Colgate
Whitening Toothpaste:

$5.98 EXTRA BUCK (S)
(Up to $5.98 value)

Expires MM/DD/YYYY

BARCODE
| ||| ||||| | ||| |

ExtraCare Card #: ********XXXX

EXTRACARE CARD MUST BE PRESENTED TO
GET THESE SAVINGS: EXCLUDES
PRESCRIPTIONS. OTHER EXCLUSIONS APPLY
NO CASH BACK. TAX CHARGED ON
PRE-COUPON PRICE WHERE REQUIRED.
———————————————————

For the above example purchase you spent $3.98 OOP, but in return earned $5.98 cents in ExtraBucks thus making a $2 profit by purchasing 2 tubes of toothpaste.

You may notice a coupon(s) as well on the bottom of your receipt. These are commonly referred to as CRTs since they print on the cash register tape. CRT coupons have short dated expiration dates approximately 2 weeks. When you first start shopping at CVS your may or may not receive CRTs, you will eventually it just may take several trips before you start receiving them.

You will also notice a section on the bottom of your receipt that says: this week’s Extra Buck Offers and Balance. This is what you can refer back to if you are unsure how many of an item you have purchased that have Extra Buck rewards. Using the above mentioned example purchase your receipt may say something similar to: Colgate, Buy 1 Get 2 EB. Quantity Toward this Reward 2. Quantity Needed to Earn Reward 1. This means that you have received two rewards for purchasing this item and you will receive another reward the next time you purchase another of the same item. When you have reached the limit on a reward your receipt will state: *Offer Limit Reached.

Now that you have earned your first Extra Bucks rewards and/or CRT you will want to cut it off your receipt and hold onto it to use towards a future purchase.

The key to playing the Drug Store Game at CVS is to continue to roll your ECBs. Rolling and/or growing your ECBs is done by working deals that include items with ECBs on them.

This concludes CVS 101, have fun CVSing!

This information is provided by More Than Cents and is for information purposes only. It is the sole copyright of its author (cent_saving_mom) and may not be reused, copied, or duplicated in whole or part without permission of the author.

Here are the best deals at CVS for the week of 3/1-3/7. If you see something I missed please add it to the comments.

Free this Week

Carnation Instant Breakfast $4.99, Get $4.99 ECB’s
= Free

Gillette Fusion Razor $7.99, Get $4 ECB’s
Use $4 Gillette Fusion (2/8 P&G)
= Free after MQ & ECB’s

Hershey Candy Bars 2/$1.00
Use $1 Reese Whips MQ (1/4 S&S)
= Free

Slimquick engery shot 2 pack $4.99 ECB $4.99
= Free

Act Total Care Trail Size $.99 , Get $.99 ECB’s
= Free

Good Deals

*Get $5.00 in ECB’s when you purchase $15.00 worth of Dove Products!!

*Get Free 6 Pack Charmin with $20.00 purchase of the following:

Puffs, Dawn, Basic Towels, Always Tide or Prilosec

Puff’s $ .97

Dawn Dishwashing Soap $.97

Basic Paper Towel $5.88

Tide Laundry Detergent $5.97 (2/8  P&G)

Always $2.99

Priolsec 42 ct $24.77 (Use $1/ MQ 2/8  P&G)

All Loreal Products Spend $20.00 Get $5.00 ECB’s

Use Makeup MQ  $2.00 (2/01 RP)

Bouce 70-80 ct or Downy 40 Loads $3.99
Use $.25 (Bounce) (2/8 P&G) Use $.50 (Downy) (2/8 P&G)

Need multiples of coupons? Then order from Coupons & Things by Dede! You get your orders super fast and they are reasonable in price considering how much you will save (not to mention the amount of time saved clipping!). I used them last week and got my coupons within 2 days. Great service! Please use Jennifer Quintua as referral if you do sign up:)

Moving is a stressful enough experience for adults because of all the little details that need to be attended to. But how much more stressful do you think it will be for your children, who need to face the prospect of leaving their comfort zone for a new yet unknown place?

They will basically be leaving their friends and their school behind, and they literally need to start over in a new environment. So how can you acquaint your children with the fact that you are moving? Read on to earn about the essential factors that you need to consider.

How to Acquaint Younger and Older Kids with the Fact that You are Moving

One of the most important things that you need to do is involve your kids with the decision. Conduct a family meeting and involve them with the moving process. However, you need to give them ample time to prepare themselves for the move as well.

Inform your children of the move only when you have a definite date set. Explain to them the exact reason behind the move. Whether it is your job taking you someplace else or some other reason, allowing them to know why you need to move from one residence to another will make them understand the situation better.

Give your kids a preview of what your new neighborhood will look like, tell them that the move will be an opportunity for them to meet new friends – and address all their concerns accordingly.

Younger kids may need to be comforted, especially if they do not feel like leaving their comfort zone which is your current new home. Usually, the prospect of moving will frighten them that is why you need to give them all the encouragement and support that they need to cope with the idea of being in a new environment.

When it comes to teenage children, they may be a bit rebellious, especially since they are the ones who had a chance to build their ‘roots’ on the current place that you live in. Make sure to be prepared with emotions like depression, anger, frustration or nervousness.

It would also help if you will let the kids know that they would still have the chance to get in touch with their current friends through e-mail or by giving them a call once you move to your new place.

Other Things to Remember when Moving with Children

Another way to involve your kids in the moving process and making them get used to the idea is to assign tasks. Give them the packing materials and tell them how their own personal things should be packed. This would give them a sense of comfort, knowing that they would not have to leave any of their precious personal possessions behind.

Finally, give your kids ample time to say goodbye to their friends. You can even host a moving out party where they can invite all of their friends so that they can say goodbye.

As long as you are there to support them, any negative initial reactions that your kids may have when you announce the move will slowly be replaced by acceptance – and even excitement later on. As long as you appear enthused about the move yourself, they will surely follow your lead and more positively deal with the prospect of moving.

We are a professional removal company offering a van and man service throughout London, UK and Europe. For a friendly removal company offering piece of mind and a proffessional service contact us now for a free quotation.Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/essential-factors-to-consider-when-moving-with-children-794209.html

When I first stumbled across blogs detailing how to use coupons and store rebate programs to get items for pennies on the dollar or free, I was amazed and instantly hooked. I checked for new deals daily and made more trips to CVS in a week than I now do in a month.

It’s thrilling, this couponing gig. It’s exciting to see how much money you can save – money that can be devoted to more important categories in your budget. And it’s a great feeling to walk out of a store with bags of goodies you were paid to buy after all your coupons, store rewards, and rebates are added up.

But there comes a point where you realize that you’ve got what you need. More than what you need, in fact. So much so that you’re giving away those goodies to whomever you can find that needs them. Your stockpile of necessities is healthy and your freezer is bursting. You sigh with relief and say a prayer of thanks for all that is good in the blogosphere.

And then you catch word of a hot new deal at one of your stores. A moneymaker. A seriously fabulous moneymaker that everyone is a-twittering about. You don’t really need it, but you find yourself reaching for your coupons and thinking about when you could squeeze in just one more quick trip.

Can I offer a suggestion?

Let it go.

There will be other deals; the next great find is just a day or a week away. You’ll stumble across it yourself or read about it in the blogosphere. It will be there just when you need it and you’ll be ready for it.

But your life, your time – well, that is a precious commodity indeed. Time, once spent, is lost. You can’t make more. And while many people fade into the last part of their lives with worries that they didn’t spend enough time with family or friends or engaged in helping others, I sincerely doubt that any of us will rue those once-fantastic deals we never grabbed.

Your life should be helped by finding deals, not ruled by the thrill of the deal.

Spend some of that precious saved time investing in what truly matters to you; trust me, you won’t regret it.

Catch up with Marianne online at her frugal living blog, The New Frugal Mom or her personal blog, Writer-Mommy.

Choosing how to monetize your blog is a huge decision! There are many different options and it can be difficult to judge which type your readers will respond to most. Take a look at these different options, and make your choice with your readers and the market overall in mind.

Option 1: Adsense

Adsense is probably the easiest way to monetize — and the most difficult! It’s easy because it’s just a simple code that Google gives you (they even automatically match up the ads for you!). You make money as soon as someone clicks on your ads, whether they actually go on to make a purchase or not. Adsense can also be incredibly difficult. You usually get paid a few cents per click and it can take a lot of traffic for it to add up to something that is even remotely worth your while.

Adsense might be a good thing to test, especially as you’re getting your feet wet with blogging. If you’re in the right market and find the right ad positions and colors, it can certainly turn into a nice hands-off income for you.

Option 2: Affiliate Products

Selling products as an affiliate is a great way to make money. For one thing, you get to earn money from the products without having to fulfill them yourself or deal with customer service issues. Nothing is better than that! The returns are usually higher than with Adsense, provided you’re able to find an offer that converts well with the people who visit your website.

You will have to decide if you want to promote digital or physical products. This decision will likely come down to what kind of niche you’re in and how your site visitors will respond.

Option 3: Creating Your Own Products

After you get a loyal following of readers it’s easier than ever to create and sell your own information product! You’ll have to fulfill the orders and deal with customer service issues, but the tradeoff is that you get to keep all the money! You are also the one who knows your readers best, so you’re likely to come up with an offer that converts extremely well since it’s exactly what they want.

You can write an ebook, create a membership site, deliver a paid e-course, create a video series, or record audio. If you want to make the package even better you can combine a few different approaches to add massive value. The options are endless when it comes to monetizing with your own products. Some of your blog readers might eventually want to become an affiliate of yours as well!

As you look at these different options you might start to feel overwhelmed. That’s perfectly normal! It’s hard to know what the best path is when you’re just starting out with a new niche. A good way to get a feel for the best way to do things is to see what other blogs and sites in your niche are doing. You’re not trying to copy them, you’re simply taking note of what works and using it yourself.

www.turnblogstocash.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/blogging-articles/3-different-ways-to-monetize-your-blog-789506.html

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Great Free Samples updated everyday here!

Get a Free Neutrogena Facial Cleansing Cloth Sample. Click Here.

Here is a another great photo deal for any pictures that you may need to get developed!

*Get (5) 8″x10″, matte finish for only $0.99 with free shipping from Artscow!*

To get this deal, here’s what to do:

1. If your new to ArtsCow, create a new account and you’ll be able to get an additional 400 prints Free and a Free 8×8 Custom Photo Book here . Proceed to step 2 once registered!

2. If you already have an account, log in here and start creating your collage pictures. Warning: this is the fun part! It took me almost 1 hour,lol!

3. Place collages in cart, change the prints from “Glossy” to “Matte”.

4. Enter Online Code 5PCS8X1 for your Credit (This Code Expires 3/31/09!)

5. Get all 5 for only $.99!

If you get some nice inexpensive picture frames, these will make nice gifts for Mother’s Day!!

One of my least favorite chore is cleaning the bathroom. You put it off … and put it off… until it takes nothing short of an atomic bomb to get it clean (or is it just me??). It doesn’t have to be that way.

With 4 steps, about 2-3 minutes a day- and you will never have to deal with soap scum build up or scrubbing the bathroom ever again!

The tools you will need-

* a shower squeegee
* paper towels
* glass cleaner
* Scrub Free/Cleanser

These should be kept in the bathroom. Splurge on the extra bottle of glass cleaner (or you probably have some that you got for Free!) and an extra roll of paper towels tokeep in the bathroom.

Here are the 4 steps-

1. When you get out of the shower, after you have dried off and put on your lotion and such… do a once over on the shower walls with the squeegee. At 1st I tried that scrubbing bubbles automatic shower thingy, and while it did smell good, it didn’t really get all the areas.

2. Take 2 pieces of paper towel and clean in this order-
mirror, counters, quick wipe over towel bars, chrome in
shower, and toilet lip. Throw paper towel away.

3. Do one of these chores each day or two-

*Spray tub with scrub free and do a quick wipe down with wet rag , or 
*Clean the toilet, or
*Do a quick wipe up of the floor, or
*Do a quick cleaning on your shower doors, if you have
them, or if you have shower curtains- spray any spots
with Clorox Cleanup.

Each of these only take seconds if you don’t let it get bad in the first place.

4. Watch for any mold, or discoloring of the grout. Spray with Clorox Cleanup and just let it work.

That’s it. Your bathroom will always look terrific, and it’ll be a lot healthier too.

Don’t let build up happen in the first place. Keeping it clean in the first place is so much easier than trying to clean it later.

About the Author
Carole is the author of Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak
If you Love a really clean house, but Hate cleaning it
you will want this complete handbook of cleaning. Get your
copy here!

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10 innovative sites that will save you money – Smart Spending Blog – MSN Money

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I really enjoy blogging now that I have learned the essentials of how to start a blog and keeping it updated regularly. While you can’t learn all there is to know about starting a blog in 15 minutes, that is really all it takes to get one set up on the internet using the steps I’m about to share with you in this article.

If you want to reduce the risks involved with starting a blog then make a plan now to read this powerful information regarding it.

With that said are you ready to get started on setting up your first blog using Wordpress, the most popular blogging software on the web today?

I am sure you are because that’s why your here right now in the first place.

Enough said already. Lets move on to Step #1.

Step #1: Choose a niche your passionate about.

I was blow away by how powerful choosing the right niche really is. Here’s why? Why start something you have NO interest in. Remember, your going to be producing content about a topic and if you have no interest in it your setting yourself up for failure. By choosing a niche your passionate about you’ll love blogging about it every day or every other day.

Believe me, this is the most important step to understand so choose wisely.

Step #2: Register a domain name around your niche.

Now don’t let this step scare you. It very easy to register a Domain Name. Here’s what you do.

Go to – www.domainsbot.com – and enter in one of your main keywords related to your niche. For example – self improvement. From there Domains Bot will search its database of all available domain names around your keyword phrase and present you with the results. It doesn’t get any easier then this.

Once that is done and you have found a domain name you like that is focused around your niche it’s time now to register it with one of the domain registry services Domains Bot has built in to its service. To do this simply click on the ‘Buy Now’ button. From there choose a domain register and set up an account, then proceed to follow to steps it guides you through. It’s that easy.

Once you’ve finished that move on to Step #3.

Step #3: Get a web hosting account set up.

Setting up a hosting account is easy as well. Things that are new to us always seen difficult, just be patient and follow the steps each service has in place for you. So with that said it’s time now to set up your web hosting account.

First go to – www.bighosts.com . Here you’ll find web hosting reviews so you can make a sound decision on which web hosting service you want to use. Take your time and read through a few of the reviews.

Once you have selected a web hosting service and set up your web hosting account and have followed there emailed instructions for adding your new domain name to your web hosting account and making it live on the web proceed to Step #4.

Step #4: Install wordpress blogging software using Fantastico through your cpanel.

Assuming you are logged into your web hosting account and things are working smoothly with your new domain name it is now time to install Wordpress using Fantastico. What you need to do now is login into your cpanel(Control Panel) using your login information you set up with your web host and scroll down the page and locate the Fantastico icon.

Click on the icon and follow the instructions Fantastico guides you through. This only takes about 2 – 5 minutes. Its very straight forward.

Once you’ve completed that and have everything installed you’ll be given an login admin URL along with your username and password you set up. Simply login into your new wordpress blog using your username and password.

That’s it. Your blog is up and live. Now all you have to do is choose your theme and plugins.

Here’s a few resources for you to get started with. For Wordpress Themes go to – www.wpthemesfree.com – and for Wordpress Plugins go to – www.wp-plugins.net/beta/.

Now this may take you a little more then 15 minutes the first time around but after you do this a few times your timing will increase.

Remember, these are just the basic steps to setting up your Wordpress blog using Fantastico and getting it online.

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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/blogging-articles/how-to-start-a-blog-using-wordpress-blogging-software-788251.html

Get a Free Sample of Dunkin Donuts Coffee here.

Get a Free Preview Edition of All You Magazine- a coupon lover’s magazine!!

Free sample of Huggies Soft Skin Baby Wipes here.

Get a Free Sample of BOOST Kid Essentials Nutritionally Complete Drink here.

Here is our list of giveaway winners!!

Last week’s Giveaway winner for the Oscar Mayer Free Deli Creations Coupons is Gina Hindman!!

Our winner for the Little MissMatched Giveaway week’s worth of socks is Cindy!!

Thanks to all who entered our giveaways!!

Here is a great gift idea or will make some nice party favors for a birthday party or will make for a great indoor craft project!!

Today only, get the Dicovery Bubble Gum Factory for a $1! Regular retail price is $19.99. I ordered a few and my shipping came out to be $5.95, so not a bad deal at all!!

Also, if you first enter your email address at top, it says “Save $5″ which I noticed AFTER the fact that I placed my order! Hey, these deals go fast!! So try and sign up 1st to see if you get a email coupon that you could potentially use for this order and maybe you could get it for FREE!!

(Please leave us a comment if you get a $5 Coupon!!)

If you have a tween daughter like me, then I’m sure you’ve heard of Aeropostale. While the clothes are a great quality, the pricetag can be a bit overwhelming! I will hardly pay $25-$30 just for a tank top, which leads me to a funny story:

I remember last year for her 14th birthday, I my daughter to to the mall and she had about $100 in b-day cash that she wanted to spend. Of course, when her & her friends spotted Aeropostale, they went in and she wanted some shirt which was about $24, but she didn’t get it.

I asked her why didn’t she get it and she stated, that it was too much money. Now if I were buying the tops, she would have wanted one in EVERY color, but when it came down to her spending her own money, she was mindful about the price,lol! Which taught me a lesson as well! I now give her money to buy her own clothes instead of me buying the clothes, which drastically cut down on that spending area,lol!

Ok, sorry about getting off track. I’m sure you would like to know how to get a Free Tank at Aeropostale, right? Just bring in the March 2009 Cover of Seventeen Magazine March 3rd- April 6th and you’ll get a Free Tank! My daughter is happily texting all her friends this deal so I’m sure we’ll be heading to the mall that weekend!

Once this promotion begins, you can print a copy of the Cover to bring here (that means not having to BUY the magazine!!). More excited jumping around from my daughter!

Many Thanks to Frugal Plus for the great tip!!

Last week was a hit and quite a few of you found some great new blogs/readers!! We will be hosting this “Game” every Tuesday and it will be left up all week so be sure to come back and visit all the great blogs!!

And here we go for another round of Ring Around the Blogs this week!! Please be sure to leave “Ring Around the Blogs” in your comments so that everyone knows where the comments are coming from and to comment back:)

This is a fun way to get some traffic & comments to your blogs!! You know that childhood game “Ring Around the Rosies”, I thought maybe we could apply it to blogs! It would be a great opportunity to find new blogs and leave some bloggy comment love to all of our readers!!

After a little thought, I figured it just might work so if you would like to join us, here are the rules & requirements:

1. Link to your blog in the Mr. Linky below (it doesn’t have to be a specified post, just the homepage)

2. The person that is in Mr. Linky BEFORE you, you must visit AND leave a comment on any post.

{And please make it a meaningful comment, not just “Nice Blog”, etc. Comments are what we as bloggers feed on and makes us feel good right? So please do unto others as you would have done unto you:) }

3. When you receive a comment on your blog, please visit that commenter’s Blog and leave a comment on their blog as well!

So that equals 2 comments per entry. You are more than welcome to visit and comment on other links as well, just please be mindful to follow the rules and extend the same courtesy when you receive a comment.

Also, to determine what comments come from this game, please leave Ring Around The Blog in your comment:)

If this feature is a hit, we will be playing this game on a weekly basis on a determined day. Now, who’s up for a game??

Wordpress has risen from 2003 and is known as an application for web blogging being an open source distributed freely. Having only few users from the start now it has become the greatest blogging tool appreciated by millions of web masters from the whole world. Wordpress is the most powerful blogging platform coming with a set of useful features for easy everyday writing. It is no object whether you are a professional or have just get involved in blogging activity – you will meet no obstacles working with Wordpress.

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Posting your articles you can include them in different categories which you create yourself and add tags to each of them. There are also a lot of options for formatting the text within your article so you can make it look as you wish. What is even greater, Wordpress allows you to add multimedia to your posts which will make your blog live, more interesting and useful.

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If you have decided to run a blog and are in need of premium WP Themes you can find great collection of them at WPDaddy. There you are offered to download free wordpress templates that will appear a perfect basis for the blog you want to run.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/blogging-articles/wordpress-basics-787669.html

Do you ever get stuck when blogging? Or, are you afraid to start blogging because you won’t have enough ideas to make your blog interesting? Here are 31 topics (many which can be expanded upon) to get you blogging like a professional!

Download your printable list here.