Buy HP XL Ink at Walmart to save money and time! {$20 GC Giveaway}

**Contest closed** Winner is Jammie Morey Congratulations!

Ever since school has been back in session, I have noticed something that is inevitable. We run out of printer ink way too often and I feel like I am having to run to the store to buy it frequently. When you add a spouse that's in college in the mix, we really run out of ink fast! Good thing Walmart carries HP ink cartridges that come in HP XL. I had seen them before in my cartridge size but was afraid it would not fit in my HP printer. It turns out the "XL" means the cartridge holds more ink. It fits in the same way the regular ones do. This means way more printing and less running out to buy more ink cartridges! 

It is so convenient to be able to stock up on ink cartridges while you are shopping for your groceries and household items. I found that the HP XL ink came in a large variety of sizes and the prices were reasonable. I received a $75 Walmart gift card from MomSelect to purchase HP XL ink for my printer and I had $14 left over to purchase a few items for the kids. Besides the ink cartridges, I was able to get 2 boxes of oatmeal for William, 2 bags of candy for the girls to take to volleyball, as well as a box of cake mix and powdered sugar to make cupcakes. You can't beat getting your printer ink for a decent price and being able to grab some other items at the same time with the money you saved. I think it is a great convenience for busy moms like myself!

Giveaway: One lucky Momfiles reader will win a $20 Walmart gift card to help towards the purchase of HP XL Ink! Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on October 10, 2012. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I received a Walmart gift card as part of a promotional program with MomSelect. All thoughts/opinions are 100% my own.

Vanity Sizing

I was listening to story this morning in my car on NPR. It was about something I have never heard of before... vanity sizing. There were two experts speaking on the subject and it was about the epidemic of obesity in America and how it affects clothing purchases. They spoke about how clothing has been re-sized to give customers the feeling that they are smaller than they really are. Basically, a person buys a size 8, but in reality it is a size 12. The fact that they feel they fit in a size 8 makes them feel good about themselves and results in them purchasing even more clothes. They even said that women's bra sizes have been affected. A woman that is normally a B cup might have to purchase a C cup and the true size might actually be an A! Of course, not all brands are doing this but it does make you wonder if you are wearing your true size. About 2 years ago, I was wearing a Juniors' size 9. A year later I was a 7. As of last week, I wear a Juniors' size 5! Even tops, I went from a Juniors' XL down to a small.

This is crazy! Turns out that it has been going on for many years. I guess I always just assumed that every brand was cut differently. Turns out, they are cut to please the customer in hopes of increasing sales. I just had to share this with you all! Has anyone heard about this before? I'm probably so late :)

Food Lion $25,000 Kitchen Makeover

Food Lion is launching a sweepstakes to win a $25,000 kitchen makeover! The sweepstakes is open to residents in both North and South Carolina and runs from 8/15 – 9/12. There will be a Grand Prize, a 1st & 2nd place prize, as well as multiple Food Lion gift card giveaways.

~ Grand Prize: $25k Home Makeover Package
~ 1st Place: $10k in cash
~ 2nd Place: Free Groceries for a Year
~ 100 weekly $20 Food Lion gift cards (400 total)

This made me think of all the things I could do if I won the big makeover for my kitchen. $25,000 is a lot and even the 10k in cash is not too shabby.  My kitchen is very small so I could see trying to expand it just a bit. Of course my ancient cabinets and counter tops would have to go! I would even volunteer to be on the demolition team! I can just see the dark cherry wood cabinets with pewter fixtures and brand new charcoal gray granite counter tops. I would stick with a traditional double sink and a swanky new faucet with matching fixtures. So after all that is done I would go for all new appliances. I don't have to have the fanciest ones but I would LOVE a convection oven with a flat top range. Okay I admit, I entered the sweepstakes. It took me all of one minute. I would love love love to win!
Go check it out for yourself and you can get additional entries through "checking in" on Foursquare and Facebook and purchasing My Essentials brand products. Be sure to stay connected to Food Lion on Facebook and Twitter.

What would you want to make over in your kitchen if you won?

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Food Lion. I received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Four year old boys and shopping

Today I took all 3 kids out to do some back-to-school shopping. We had the stores all mapped out and set time goals. One thing I always do before we leave the house is make sure William is well fed and goes to the bathroom. Everything was set. We headed out. The first few stops were simple because we were literally in and out within minutes. The last stop required us to be in the store for over an hour. Belk had a HUGE clearance sale with tons of merchandise to browse through, so naturally it would take some time. Along the way, the girls would try on a few items and add them to the growing stack. William behaved pretty well and kept picking up random strands of thread from the floor. I usually don't encourage picking things up from the floor but made an exception this time. It was just thread after all.

You can tell that he was getting tired of being in the store so I took him to the boy's department. He then tells me how the store was starting to make him sad. He said he wanted to feel happy again, very dramatically at that. So after the long time spent in the store and the even longer time at the check-out, we finally headed for the exit. Of course all you heard was the loud BEEP BEEP BEEP. We went back to the check-out counter to find out why we were beeping. It turned out from the piles of clothes we bought, there was one ink tag that was not removed. We headed  back to the exit and were successful. We made it out of there! William begged to go home and I gave him his wish. After we were home for about 30 minutes I looked down on the couch and saw this. It was a collection of all the thread my boy picked up throughout the store.

All I could do was laugh. Of course, once he falls asleep tonight, I will turn into the mean mom and throw it away. He might have dislike being in a boring old department store but surely found a way to keep himself occupied!

The last two photos are from a recent visit we had at Monkey Joe's. It is hard to get decent photos when your kid is running wild! It is our new once-a-week spot to go to, especially with how hot it has been. You can't beat all the bouncing, jumping, climbing, sliding and screaming fun! I look forward to when school starts back so we can go on 'Half-price Tuesdays'.

Food Lion Ambassador Shopping Trip & $50 GC Giveaway

**CLOSED**

Hey guys! If you live in an area with a Food Lion grocery store, you might have noticed some changes in some of the stores. They have been updated, making the store look brighter, more inviting and very organized. The shelves are well stocked with a lot of the great name brands you use as well as the Food Lion brand of items including the "My Essentials" line. I received a very generous $150 gift card through Mom Central as a Food Lion Ambassador and got to see how far I could stretch it. I was totally up for the challenge! I made my list and headed to a brand new store that recently opened in my area.

I will say that the first thing I noticed was the gorgeous produce department filled with such beautiful, fresh fruit and vegetables. I pleased with the prices and quality. I did grab some essentials as well as a few extras for some special meals. The prices on the organic items were very fair.  I went up and down each and every aisle and compared prices on both name brands and the store brand. I found that some staple items I buy were a lot cheaper such as sugar, iced tea bags, flour and a lot of the non-grocery, household items. Now the make it or break it part of any store for me is the meat, poultry and seafood department. I was really happy with the prices, especially on beef. I don't buy beef often because it is usually way too expensive. I was so happy to be able to buy enough protein items for almost 2 weeks without feeling like I was going to have to take out a loan to pay for my groceries.

Something that really got me excited is the selection of ethnic food products that they carried. I use certain types of seasonings are very hard to find in my city and I found them there! Not only did they have more than I would ever want, the prices were SO LOW! *happy dance* My overall shopping experience at Food Lion was a wonderful one. I was treated well and felt like everything was very easy to find and I did not feel like the store was cluttered. I also was able to walk out with a very full cart load of groceries and household items and still have a small balance left in my gift card!

Here are some of the great items I received in my Food Lion Ambassador Kit. 

I love the wooden recipe card box that came with a nice set of recipe cards. I asked my teenage daughters to pick something they wanted me to make and surprise, surprise... they picked something sweet. They chose the "World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies" recipe. I did ask after all!

I purchased almost all of the ingredients in the store brand with the exception of maybe 3 things I already had at home.

I have made many chocolate chip cookies in my lifetime and I have my usual go-to recipe that I have used for years. I decided to try out the Food Lion recipe. I won't lie, I was a bit nervous because I have never made any baked goods with store brand items. Oh my gosh, they came out AMAZING! They were a bit flatter looking than what I am used to but the taste... I can compare it to a local bakery that sells their chocolate chip cookies for $1.29 each! They had a great chew and crispiness at the same time and were not too sweet. I separated the dough and added pecans to one half since the girls like them with just chocolate chips. I absolutely must share this recipe!

What you will need:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 baking soda
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup white sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 11.5 ounce bag of chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (I used 1/2)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees or according to how your oven bakes.
2. Mix flour, salt and baking soda together; set aside
3. Beat butter for 1 minute or until smooth. Add the sugars and beat for another 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each egg goes in.
4. Reduce speed to low and add the dry ingredients in three portions, mixing until each addition is incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts.
5. I then chilled the dough for it to firm up and formed them into balls. I baked them on a cookie sheet for about 11 minutes and transferred them to cooling racks.

Apparently my family thought the cookies were an appetizer for dinner! Speaking of dinner....

I made this for dinner the same day I baked the cookies. I bought some fresh rib-eye steaks that I pan seared in my cast iron pan, sauteed mushrooms & onions, homemade garlic mashed red potatoes and some sauteed zuchinni & squash topped with Parmesan cheese. This meal fed my family for only $24. Not bad and you won't be able to get that price at any restaurant!

Giveaway: One lucky Momfiles reader will win a $50 Food Lion gift card. Believe me, you will get a lot with that amount! a Rafflecopter giveaway  

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and winner is only eligible to win one gift card per campaign. Giveaway will end on August 8, 2012. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted by email. You must complete mandatory entry in order to qualify for extra entries. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central for Food Lion. I received a gift card and product kit to facilitate my review.

You can't beat home cooking | Publix $25 GC giveaway

Like most busy families, meal time can be a challenge when time is limited. Luckily Publix knows that the best meals happen and home and are having their “Best Meals Happen at Home” event to find great savings on some of your favorite products. Be sure to visit BestMealsatHome.com to find fantastic recipes, which can be cooked in 30 minutes or less, and your family is sure to love. After all, who wants to be stuck in the kitchen for hours when that time can be spent with your family!

Take advantage of great savings on some of your favorite participating brands during the “Best Meals Happen at Home” event at Publix from March 8th through March 14th.   As of March 8th, look for in-store for coupons that will be valid through March 28th, 2012.  Visit BestMealsatHome.com to sign up and receive emails with weekly recipes and coupon offers that will help you save up to $200 this year!

I made these yummy lasagna rolls using General Mills Ragu brand pasta sauce.

Giveaway: One lucky Momfiles reader will win a $25 Publix gift card! Enter below in the Rafflecopter widget. 

Save at Kroger with Cart Busters {Rafflecopter Giveaway}

Beginning the week of February 26th, 2012, shop the Kroger Co. Family of Stores biggest-ever promotion and find the hottest prices around on more than 35 brands, across more than 60 categories from General Mills, P&G, Pepsi, Nestle, Kraft and Kroger Banner Brands. During the Cart Buster Savings Event, you’ll find great savings in almost every department at the Kroger Family of Stores. Be sure to check your local store to confirm dates of the Cart Buster event.

This is such a good time to stock up and combine coupons for added savings. I am running low on a lot of household items so this is one of those sales that I take full advantage of!

Looking for even more ways to save time and money? Visit CartBuster.com beginning 2/26/12 to find money-savings digital coupons, shopping lists and more. And starting 2/29/12 you can participate in the “Deal of the Day”! How does the Deal of the Day work? 


* During seven days of the Cart Buster Savings Event, 2/29/12 - 3/6/12, there will be a super hot, exclusive offer good on one participating Cart Buster item. Each offer will be exclusive and available for one-day only – but the offer will be good for the duration of the entire event. 
* You’ll see savings of up to and over 50% with the Deal of the Day offers – maybe even some freebies - and that’s on top of the already-low, low prices that Cart Buster has to offer! 
* Look for seven days of “Deal of the Day offers” beginning 2/29/12. The Last Deal of the Day offer will be up on 3/6/12. But don’t fret - the Cart Buster event will continue even after the Deal of the Day ends. Check your local store for the exact end date for the Cart Buster Savings Event.

Giveaway: One Momfiles reader will win a $25 Kroger gift card, good at any of the Kroger Family stores. Enter below in the Rafflecopter widget:

This contest is open to US Residents only and will end on March 12, 2012. Please leave your email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger profile. Failure to follow the rules will disqualify your entries. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

I really need to do better

Most people think I am the most organized person they know. This might be true in some areas in my life but lacks so badly in others. I have been doing a really bad job with my food/household item spending. I think from watching Extreme Couponing and seeing all of the people in the stores with monster-sized binders I have become very turned off by it all. Strange huh? Usually shows like that and seeing people save a ton of money should be motivating. It's just not the case for me. I have decided that I need to take action and maximize my dollars. I am starting with picking one day a week to do grocery shopping. I will make an organized list and use coupons accordingly. This will mean meal planning. I think I can only meal plan for up to a week. I have been noticing the popular trend of "freezer meals". I need to look into that. If I stick to that plan maybe it will keep me out the store more and save not only on impulse purchases but also fuel.

Speaking of fuel, I was startled to see that some cities have already hit the $5 and some change bracket. That scares me since I do a lot of local back and forth driving. We decided as a family that we will not be doing much dining out or even attend birthday parties of other social events that can add up. It sounds like we are being cheap but the bottom line is what the heck do you do if an emergency hits? I know that I plan on keeping my rainy day fund! I have been very free with my spending lately and I know I need to do better. I had to go on Budget Billing with our power company since the weather has been so wacky. To say that we have not had too many freezing days I still have seen so higher than normal bills. Maybe I cook too much? Wash too much? Who knows, I just figured if I publicly talk about what I need to do I might feel pressured to keep at it.

Do you have any strategies in place to keep your finances in check? Do you have any meal planning sites you can share? Thank you, I need all the help I can get!

Publix Italian Days Giveaway

Hey guys! Publix is having their 'Italian Days' beginning today, February 16th-29th. During this time you can save big on items to make all your favorite Italian themed dishes. Participating brands include: Progresso, Green Giant, Muir Glen and others. There will also be coupons in-store to maximize your savings. We are planning an Italian night on Saturday and we will have the Meatballs and Twisters pictured below. I already know my family will love it!

While visiting Italian Days at Publix from February 16th through February 29th, you can also enter the Taste the Tradition Italian Days Sweepstakes for a chance to be 1 of 500 shoppers that will win a $100 Publix® gift card, sponsored by General Mills.


To enter to win the Taste the Tradition Italian Days Sweepstakes and download great coupon savings and delicious recipes, look in-store or follow the instructions below:


Click – Stay up to date with the latest General Mills promotions happening at Publix, by visiting ClickCallMail.com. Once you’re registered and logged in, you can participate in any the current promotions.
Call – If you’d prefer to enter the sweepstakes and participate in other promotions via telephone, feel free to call the General Mills hotline, at 1.800.627.6059, and be sure to say that you want to enter the 2012 Italian Days Sweepstakes. Please be sure to provide your complete contact information (Full name/address/zip code/phone #).
Mail – If you prefer to participate via mail-in entry, print and mail your complete contact information (Full Name/address/zip code/phone #) to 2012 Italian Days Sweepstakes, P.O. Box 44257, Atlanta, Georgia 30336.

Giveaway: One lucky Momfiles reader will win a $25 Publix gift card! Enter below in the Rafflecopter widget. Please complete the mandatory entry to make the extra entries count.

Running out? Run in. | Publix Rafflecopter $25 gift card giveaway

Contest Closed- Winner is #440 Omeisha Jones. Congratulations!

Do you ever go to grab something and realize you have run out? It always seems to happen to me all at the same time. Well Publix is running a great deal with the "Running Out? Run In." event at your local Publix store taking place, February 9th through February 14th. The deal is that you receive a $5 Publix® gift card to use on your next shopping trip when you purchase $30 or more in participating items during the event (2/8 – 2/25); simply mail in the rebate form found in-store or online at runningoutrunin.com along with your original receipt(s).

From Feb. 9th through Feb. 14th, look for the “Running Out? Run In.”event at your local Publix store and “run in,” to take advantage of the great savings available on some of your favorite brands from General Mills and Procter & Gamble, including Yoplait yogurt, Cheerios, Charmin, and Crest. Also, don’t forget to look in-stores for over $14 in coupon savings – coupons are valid Feb. 6 through Feb. 25. I am going there tomorrow after school to get some much needed laundry detergent, toilet paper and toothpaste.

To help you take advantage of these great savings, Publix and MyBlogSpark is providing 1 lucky Momfiles reader with a $25 Publix gift card. Enter below:

The Big Waste

Have you seen the Food Network special called "The Big Waste"? It is a perfect blend of documentary and competition/reality show. I won't lie, it truly opened my eyes to just how much food wasting goes on in America. Fruit and vegetables get put on trash piles because consumers won't purchase a slightly bruised item. I am guilty of this. I have picked over tomatoes and bananas because I wanted the prettiest ones. I feel so guilty knowing that the ones that get overlooked may end up in the trash! We do our very best to not throw food out but of course you can only keep so much for so long. I have changed the way I cook to ensure that we don't have too much left over even if this means cooking daily. If you missed the show that originally aired on Sunday night, you are in luck. It airs again on January 14 at 4:00 PM ET/PT and on January 15 at 5:00 PM ET/PT. It is really worth watching! You might look at less-than-perfect food items a bit differently. Just thought I would share.

Save BIG at Kroger | $25 gift card giveaway

**Contest Closed** Winner is #129 Mari~ Congratulations!!

I have been a loyal Kroger shopper for at least 10 years. I think I go in there at least 3-4 times a week! Kroger offers really great prices and help you stretch your family budget. I buy almost all of my groceries, cleaning and household items from Kroger. I love that I can double my coupons up to 50 cents as well as the coupons that sometimes print at the end of my transaction. Right now Kroger has their buy 10 participating items and get $5 off. This helped me to get a jump on buying my holiday staples.

My son loves getting his Kroger sticker at the check-out line!

From November 13th through November 26th, with the purchase of any four participating General Mills products, you will either receive free milk (up to $3; limit of 2) or to receive $3 off your shopping order** Look for some of your favorite participating General Mills products like Cheerios, Pillsbury Ready to Bake Cookies, Nature Valley Bars and Fiber One Bars.

Promotion varies in different locations. Please be sure to check your local Kroger Co. Family of Stores for specific deals and offers which include Kroger, Ralphs, King Scoopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith’s, Fry’s, QFC, Baker’s, Owen’s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Fred Meyer, Pay Less Supermarkets and Scott’s Food & Pharmacy *Excludes General Mills meal and baking products including; Betty Crocker, Old El Paso, Progresso, Hamburger Helper, Macaroni Grill, Wanchai Ferry, Yoplait **Promotion varies based on store location; check your local Kroger store for details (Cash Offer: Mid South, Delta, Mid Atlantic, SW Louisiana stores, Central Missouri stores and Dillons Missouri stores)

I know I will be taking advantage of this great deal especially since I use all of these brands and have coupons for most of them. Having a family of 5 means I have be extra mindful when shopping. We received $25 Kroger gift card and are giving away the same prize to one lucky Momfiles reader  (good at any of the Kroger. Co Family of Stores)

To Enter: *Mandatory- Let us know what items you plan to purchase with the gift card if you win.
For additional entries:
~ "like" Kroger and Momfiles on Facebook
~ Write on the Momfiles wall and let us know you entered
~ Follow Momfiles via Google Friend Connect
~ Follow Kroger and Momfiles on Twitter
~ Tweet this giveaway (once daily) and leave a link to your Tweet:

Enter the $25 @KrogerCo gift card #giveaway http://tinyurl.com/7xvvdrj from @momfiles and #myblogspark

Giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end at 9:00 pm EST on November 24, 2011. One winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email. Be sure to leave your email address if you do not have a Blogger profile. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes.

Disclosure: The Kroger gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by Kroger and General Mills through MyBlogSpark

I just had to have it

I am not a big television watcher but on occasion I will see something that captures my attention. I confess that some of the "As seen on TV" items suck me in. About 5 or 6 years ago I saw the Pedi Paws pet nail trimmer infomercial and I knew I absolutely had to have it. After all, clipping your doggy's nails is a sometimes difficult task. This product looked like a great solution. Dwayne was against me buying it but knew that there was little he could say to stop me. I did it. I bought it. $19.95.

I tried it and it sounded like a freakin' dental drill!!! Poor Milo was scared to death of the thing and it made the task even harder. Needless to say the doggone (no pun intended) thing has been sitting in the box for years. Lesson learned. I still hear "I told you so" for that one.

Have you ever purchased anything dumb from an infomercial?

6 Ways To Save Like An Extreme Couponer

With the start of TLC's latest "Extreme Couponing" season, it's a good time to review some basic tricks that these coupon pros use. Read on for six ways you can save like an extreme couponer.

1. Start Small
Don't try to go extreme all at once. Take it step by step, rather than show up at a checkout with 50 coupons and little idea what you're doing.

2. Never Pay For Coupons
There are some things in this life you just shouldn't pay for, and a coupon is one of them. Paying someone to clip or organize your coupons defeats the purpose of living frugally. Instead, surf Sunday newspaper ad supplements for coupon savings; ask your neighbors for their unwanted papers; or dive inside a recycled dumpster or two. Also, free online coupon sites like CouponSherpa.com give consumers access to a multitude of coupon codes and printable coupons for thousands of merchants.

3. Get Organized
A little organization can go a long way. Always create a shopping list and have your coupons and shopping strategy organized before you even enter the store. Use an expandable coupon binder to sort coupon inserts by date, categories and expiration dates. Transfer to a small couponizer only those you'll need for a specific shopping trip.

4. Location, Location, Location
Where you shop is a key factor in making the best use of your time and coupons. Only shop at locations that allow coupon stacking and combining coupons with in-store offers. Don't be afraid to call and ask about policies before you show up. You don't want to wind up embarrassed at the checkout line with a handful of useless coupons.

5. Loyalty Rewards
Always take advantage of club membership rewards. These programs are usually free and have many savings perks, like rewards points, cash back programs, and double points for every certain amount you spend.

6. Don't Be Greedy
This is often where extreme couponers cross over into the world of hoarding. Only shop for items you actually need, products you can stock up on that aren't perishable, and those you can donate. Remember, a bargain is only a bargain if you can actually use the purchase. If your pantry has expanded into your living room and the kids are sleeping on rolls of toilet paper, you've probably reached hoarder status.

This information came from: Consumer savings expert, Andrea Woroch. For more information, visit AndreaWoroch.com or you can also follow @AndreaWoroch on Twitter to receive daily savings tips.

The sting of food prices

Lately I have been feeling like I go to the grocery store and get some great deals yet I come home with nothing. I am a coupon user and a sale watcher but yet I feel like I am still not coming out on top. I did a little research and it turns out that the average family of 4 (although we are 5) spends about $500-$1,000 per month on groceries. The $500 side is for the thrifty families who use coupons and shop sales. This is all so crazy. I am sure most of you feel the same way. If you want to eat healthier you really have a lot of work to do. I love to have salad with meals but have you seen the cost of produce lately?? A bag of lettuce costs about $4 and you get mostly air! I have learned that my local grocery store marks down that kind of stuff according to expiration date. If I make a salad that day I often can get the same bag of lettuce for about $1-$1.50. I sat down yesterday for about 30 minutes clipping coupons according to a sales paper and once I did my shopping trip I got $110 of food items for about $70. Sadly I still feel like I got very little and I will still end up going to the store by Saturday. I almost wonder if ordering out a few days a week would work out to the same cost. Hmm. What about you, are you feeling the sting from the cost of food?

My husband is just not right

Today was the most wonderful day of the year...Black Friday. I was so well prepared for this shopping extravaganza that everything was ironed, set out, alarm set, packed up and organized the night before. I took the bag that is pictured as my "purse" because it is super lightweight, compact and I could wear it on my back so my hands could be free to shop. When Dwayne saw me bring out my little cinch sac he said it looked like a shoplifter bag. WTH?? Wow, just when I thought I heard it all...The man said it looked like I was going to go out to steal. The girls told me it was a smart move and that it looked fine. Although Dwayne still did not care for me using it I did so anyway. I was at my final destination and we were waiting in line to pay. I asked Dwayne to grab a small toy train for William and he hands it to me. I had my shopping bag in my shoulder and my cinch sac slung around my arm so I could grab my shopping discount pass and wallet. I accidentally put the train in the wrong bag for a split second and your boy tried to bring me out in the store. He told me I was trying to lift the toy train. What a jerk! We laughed so hard and then headed to Chick-fil-A for some breakfast. Oh the adventures of Shelly and Dwayne are always so interesting....

Happy Thanksgiving

I wanted to wish all my favorite people in the blogworld a very Happy Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for everyone who takes time to read and comment on my blog. If you are traveling please be safe and enjoy your time with loved ones. We are staying home and I am going to prepare a big feast with the girls. We are doing the same traditional meal like we do every year since I always get outvoted. Don't be surprised if I post photos!
I am also preparing for Black Friday with Dwayne. We have our list made out of what we need from each store. I plan to pack snacks and bottled water just in case. We are keeping things simple and are mostly buying necessities although I do have Keurig on my mind (hint hint)...I'll even take the cheaper model. We were lucky last year that it was not as crowded as we thought it would be so let's hope it works out that way this year. I can't wait!

Are you brave enough to hit the streets on Black Friday?

Super cute personalized Cinch Sac giveaway

**Contest Closed**
winner #3 tanyetta Congratulations!

My sweet friend Tricia has her own business with Thirty-one gifts. If you are not familiar with Thirty-one gifts, they offer really pretty bags and accessories that you can have personalized with your name, initials or perhaps even your business name embroidered in the fabric. There are so many nice styles and patterns to choose from for every taste. If you are a more seasoned mom like I am then you might not carry a traditional baby bag. Wouldn't it be neat to have a bag with your baby's name on it that is in a cute pattern that reflects your style? Check these sweet cinch sacs that Tricia had made for her daughter and a friend. How adorable are they? They are perfect for sleepovers, day trips or even going to the pool or beach.

I also wanted to pass on some information in the event anyone might be interested in joining Thirty-one gift as a consultant. Any new Consultant who enrolls between May 1st and June 30th and qualifies (sells $1,000 worth of product) in your first 30 days will earn a $99 rebate for your kit (kit is valued at over $300). If you choose the $99 Kit and qualify in 30 days, you’ll basically start your business for FREE! Those who select the $149 Kit and qualify in 30 days can earn a $99 rebate as
well, making their initial investment only $50!

Qualifying in 30 days is a great start to your business, but doing it in 60 days isn’t “half-bad” either, so Consultants who qualify in 60 days will earn back ½ of the rebate ($49.50)!
New Consultants who choosethe $149 Kit can earn the $49.50 rebate as well by qualifying in your first 60 days! For more information contact Tricia Edmundson Home: (919)771-0822
Cell: (919)741-8403 or email

Now for the Giveaway: Tricia is offering one Momfiles reader the chance to win a customized Cinch Sac! The winner will be able to choose any bag color or pattern, thread color for the embroidery and also font. This is a $24 value.

Here's how to enter:
Mandatory: Check out Tricia's Thirty-one online catalog and tell us what item you have your eye on and how you would customize it. Comments saying "thanks" or "count me in" will be deleted.(You must complete the above method to qualify for extra entries)

--You can Twitter this giveaway (one per day) and leave me a link to your Tweet.
Example: Win a personalized cinch sac @momfiles http://blog.momfiles.com/2010/06/super-cute-personalized-cinch-sac.html #giveaway

-- Facebook this giveaway, and please leave a separate comment/link for each entry to count. (one per day)

--Follow me on Twitter (@momfiles)

--You can also place our button on your blog or follow us (please leave a blog link in your comment or specify if you are a new or current follower).

*Be sure to have a visible email address in your comment if you do not have a Blogger profile. Giveaway is open to US residents only. Deadline to enter is June 14, 2010 at 09:00 pm EST. Good luck!
Disclosure: I will receive one personalized cinch sac as compensation for hosting this giveaway.

Deals of the week!

I just had to share some astonishingly good deals I got this week....
First up I got 3 bottles of Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce. Regular price $2.29 each and sale price was $1 and I had 3 $1 off coupons) Final price was FREE!
Next up, 5 packages of Oscar Mayer hot dogs regular price $3.29 each. Sale price 4 for $5 (if you buy 4 packs get the 5th pack for free) bringing it to 5 for $5. Then I had two $1 off coupons for a final price of $3 for all 5 packs!!

Last deal was a few varieties of seasoning were regular price $2.39 on sale for $1.25 each. I had four $1 off coupons resulting in a final cost of $1 for all 4 bottles of seasoning all together!


Most of you ask how I obtain the coupons in multiples. It's simple, not only do I purchase the Sunday paper but my neighbors do too. They give me their paper and I take the coupons out of it. If the savings are extra amazing, I will run to the store and buy 2 more papers. My newspaper subscriptions pays for itself off in as little as one shopping trip! I also use e-coupons as well as printable coupons. I also strictly buy things we will actually use and if I get things for free that we don't then I donate it to our local food bank.

Linens 'N Things deal (and my wish list, hint to the hubby)

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Linens 'N Things. All opinions are 100% mine.

I wanted to share a great online exclusive coupon offer from Linens 'N Things that will give you free shipping on any order that is over $26 (through June 1, 2010) when you use the coupon code : MOMBLOG . This code is just for bloggers and readers! It actually came in on time for me since I have a wedding gift I need to purchase and the recipient is registered with them. Our local store actually closed down several months ago so this gives me more flexibility to send a gift without breaking the bank on the shipping. I just love the vast selection of items they offer for bed, bath, kitchen, home and outdoor furniture and decor. Seriously, I could go nuts over the kitchen gadgets alone. I have my eyes set on the Rachel Ray Lazy Spoon and Ladle Set. Hmm, I really want the cookware set too! I think it will be something to add to my wish list :) I am going to have to check out their clearance tab on the site to see what bargains I can find. Have you ever purchased anything from LNT.com? If you could pick any item or items what would you want?