$10.00 Gift Card For 1-800-FLOWERS & 2 Movie Tickets
Prep for Valentine’s Day now with today’s Eversave deal–a $10.00 gift card for 1-800-FLOWERS and two movie tickets. Movie date for you and the spouse, and a discount on flowers. I always send flowers to Miss Virginia (The Todd’s mom) and my mother for Valentine’s Day. Heaven knows they deserve more for putting up with us. It’s a $36.00 value, click here to order.
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$7.00 Tena Coupon
The TENA coupon has reset and is now good for up to $7 off any TENA product!
Thanks, Carla!
250 Premium Business Cards For $10.00–Shipped!
Premium Business Cards from Vistaprint have more uses than just the traditional business contact card we think of! Moms can use them to create blank cards with a simple titles like “Mom’s Clues” and use them for jotting down clues for fun activities or creating trivia contests for kids to keep occupied. Design a card with a pretty design and a blank backside and have your kids create their own memory game. They can draw 2 each of a variety of pictures, shuffle them, and flip them over 2 at a time to test their memory. We use these as family contact cards for play dates. Right now you can get 250 premium cards for $10 including shipping!
Thanks, Deal Seeking Mom!
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Free Tax Prep Services
Since Uncle Sam is certain to take a big fat bite in taxes this year, at least you can save a little on preparing your returns, eh? Mind you, these options work only on an extremely simple return. Here’s 3 free options:
H&R Block Free Edition • This is for taxpayers with simple returns. For more information, go to HERE.
Turbo Tax Free Edition • Tax-prep software company Intuit offers this option, also for fairly simple returns. Go to HERE for details.
In-store at Walmart • Select locations nationwide are offering free preparation of simple tax forms through a partnership with H&R Block and Jackson-Hewitt Tax Service, good only on 1040EZ forms. For more information, go to HERE.
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FREE Kitchen Design Service From Home Depot
SUCH a good idea! Home Depot will send a designer to your home to help you redesign your cabinets by resurfacing them–so much cheaper than an entire overhaul and really beautiful. The designer service is free, and then you’ll pick up discounts and special deals on your material from Home Depot. Click on Mr. Orange Box to learn more.
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Free eBooks!
How nice is it that you don’t actually need a Kindle to download free Kindle books? There’s free apps now for your uPhone, iPad and PC to download literature. Here’s an excellent one current offered free: for a limited time, Amazon.com is offering How to Unspoil Your Child Fast: A Speedy, Complete Guide to Contented Children and Happy Parents. Go HERE to download this book. For a list of other free Kindle books, including Organized Simplicity and 5 Minute Recipes, go HERE. Remember, you don’t need a Kindle to read Kindle books. You can read them on any of a host of other devices. Go HERE for more information.
Thanks, One Cheap Chick!
Friday’s Motivation Moment
Recycle Your Old Iphone & Make Some Cash
I’ve heard from a lot of girlfriends about new Iphones for gifts over the Holidays, so I’m guessing there’s now a lot of old cell phones thrown into junk drawers today. If your drawer Where All Things Gather is currently housing one, there’s a new service I like: ship off broken or unbroken phones for cash. IphonesforCash.com will recycle your old cell and you end up with a bit of spending money. Not bad, eh? Click here to learn more.
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Free Week Pass To 24 Hour Fitness
Need a little help kick-starting that fitness program? Don’t we all, honey… 24 Fitness is offering a free week pass to try them out and see if it’s a good fit for you. Click here to learn more.
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Free Package Tracking & Return Service
Based on that truly awful video of a Fed Ex delivery guy simply tossing a hugely expsensive tv monitor over a fence that went viral this week, I’m guessing we’ll see several new signups for UPS My Choice. It’s a free service that tracks your packages, allows you to “sign” for things via a text and handles all of your returns with pickup and delivery. I’m guessing this will really come in handy around the Collard house for post-Christmas purchase regrets. Click here to sign up, once again, the service is free.
Bonus With Gift Card Purchases
It was offical in 2008–people bought more gift cards than actual gifts. Honey, I was totally the one to knock it over the edge. Let ‘em buy what they want. If you’re shopping for those little plastic wonders, there’s additional bonus cards with purchase this year. You could pad those Christmas stockings a bit more, eh?
KMART
Is offering a free $5.00 gift card with any in-store or online purchase of at least $50. Go HERE for more information about this promotion, which is good through Saturday, Dec. 17.
Target
A free $10.00 gift card with the purchase of at least $75.00. Go HERE for details of Target’s offer, which is good from 5 p.m. Friday through noon Saturday.
Aeropostale
Spend $100.00 receive a free $25 eCard (online only)
AMC Theatres
Get a $5 Concession Card for every $30.00 that you spend on AMC gift cards
Barnes and Noble
Buy $100.00 in gift cards, receive a $10 eGift Card free
Ben & Jerry’s
Get a free scoop of ice cream when you buy a $10.00 gift card
Benihana
Receive a $10 Promotional Card when you buy $50.00 worth of gift cards
Best Western
Earn a $10 gift card for every $100.00 Travel Card that you buy
Black Angus
Get $5 in Bonus Bucks for every $50.00 in gift cards that your purchase
Bonefish Grill
Buy $100.00 worth of gift cards, get a $20 bonus card
California Pizza Kitchen
Purchase $100.00 in gift cards, and receive a $20 Rewards Card
Carl’s Jr.
Get a free $6 burger when you purchase a $20.00 gift card
Carrabba’s
Purchase $100.00 in gift cards, get an extra $20 gift card
Cheeseburger in Paradise
Receive a $10 bonus card for every $50.00 in gift cards purchased
Children’s Place
Get a $10 ecard for every $40.00 ecard that you buy
Chipotle
Spend $30.00 on gift cards get a free burrito, bowl or, salad or order of tacos
Claim Jumper
Receive a $10 Reward Card for every $50.00 in gift cards that you buy
CVS
Get a $5 e-gift card for every $25.00 in e-gift cards that you buy. Can be used online or in store.
Famous Dave’s BBQ
Buy a $25.00 gift card, get a $5.00 rewards card. In store only
Dell
Get a $75 eCard for every $400.00 in eCards that you buy
ExxonMobil
Purchase $100.00 in gas cards, get a $10 gas card
Fleming’s Steak House
Get a free $20 gift card for every $100.00 gift card that you buy
Food City
Score $15.00 off your next purchase when you buy $150.00 in gift cards. Certain gift cards excluded
Fuddruckers
Receive a $5 gift card for every $25.00 in gift card purchases
Half Price Books
Get a $5 coupon when you buy a $25.00 gift card
Hardee’s
Get a free 1/4 lb Little Thickburger when you buy a $20.00 gift card
IHOP
Give a $25.00 gift card, and get $5 off your next visit
Jamba Juice
Buy a $25.00 gift card, get a free 16 oz. smoothie
Joe’s Crab Shack
Score $5 in Bonus Bucks for every $25.00 in gift cards that you buy
Lettuce
Get a $25 bonus certificate for every $100.00 in gift cards that you buy. Good at 40 restaurant brands
L.L.Bean
Place a $50.00 order, and get a free $10 gift card
Maggiano’s Little Italy
Spent $100.00 on gift cards, get a $20 Bonus card, plus a subscription to Food & Wine Magazine
Marriott
Buy $250.00 or more in gift cards, receive a free $50 Hertz gift card
Max and Erma’s
Get a $5 Bonus Holiday Card for every $25.00 in gift cards
Morton’s Steakhouse
Buy $500.00 in gift cards, get $100. Buy $300 in gift cards, get $50.00
Ninety Nine
Spend $25.00 on gift cards, and receive a $5 bonus card
Noodles & Company
Score a free Sandwich Duo with every $25.00 gift card purchase
Outback Steakhouse
Get a $20 bonus card for every $100.00 in gift cards purchased
Rafferty’s
Earn a $5 Bonus Card for every $25.00 gift card purchased
Red Robin
Get a $5 Bonus Buck for every $25.00 in gift cards purchased
Romano’s Macaroni Grille
Get a $5 bonus with every $25.00 gift card that you buy
Ruby Tuesday
Buy $50.00 in gift cards, get a $15 bonus coupon. Includes free shipping too!
Smokey Bones
Give $50.00 in gift cards, get $10 in Bonus Bucks
Sonny’s Real Pit BBQ
Receive $10 in Bonus Cards when you buy a $50.00 gift card
Steak and Shake
Buy $20.00 in gift cards, get a $5 certificate
Taco Bell
Get a free combo when you buy a $20 gift card
Ted’s Montana Grill
Buy four $25.00 gift cards, and get a bonus $20 gift card
T.G.I. Friday’s
Earn a $5 Bonus Bites card for every $25.00 in gift cards that you purchase
Tony Roma’s
Score $15 in RomaBucks for every $50.00 in gift cards purchased
Uno
Get a $5 bonus voucher for every $25.00 that you spend on gift cards
Vons
Get $15.00 off your next shopping trip, when you purchase $100.00 worth of qualifying gift cards.
Thanks for the help, One Cheap Chick!
Free Downloadables For Organizing The Holidays
The “Santa’s Survey” is the smartest thing I’ve ever seen–a perfect way to force irritatingly slow people to tell you WHAT THEY WANT for Christmas. Lovely Little Snippets is generously offering a complete “Organizing The Holidays” downloadable kit. Click here and become Zen.
Thanks, Lovely Little Snippets!
Free Audio Download From Financial Guru Dave Ramsey
Download a free audio from Dave Ramsey on Dumping Debt. The man is utterly delightful. Simple, no-nonsense advice. I like the fact that Dave is encouraging and supportive, rather than trying to shame you into changing your spending habits.
Great News For Job Seekers…
…December’s usually considered a dead month for job openings. Anyone hiring for Seasonal work has already done so, and some (scumbags, in my opinion) actially fire employees this month to improve their bottom line for tax season. However, there’s 10 major companies who are hiring aggressively before 2012, and I’m betting you’ve got the skills needed. Take a look:
Wells Fargo
Number of jobs: 10,000+
Sample job titles: Tellers, personal bankers, customer service representatives, underwriters
Sears/Kmart
Number of jobs: 1,000+
Sample job titles: Retail sales, repair technicians, store managers
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Number of jobs: 1,000+
Sample job titles: Financial advisers
ServiceMaster
Number of jobs: 1,100+
Sample job titles: Customer service representatives, residential and commercial sales, technicians, trainers, management positions
Chico’s FAS
Number of jobs: 1,000+
Sample job titles: Retail sales, corporate positions, some seasonal
Fresenius Medical Care North America
Number of jobs: 1,100
Sample job titles: Clinical managers, acute-care registered nurses
New York Life Insurance
Number of jobs: 500
Sample job titles: Sales, management
Tango Transport
Number of jobs: 400+
Sample job titles: Truck drivers
Behold The Awesome: The Shopping App That Will Rock Your World
I discovered the Red Laser App from the brilliance that is my girlfriend and UtahMama.com founder Rachael. This sucker will change EVERYTHING about how you shop this year!
Click here to see the YouTube tutorial, but the basics are these–scan a barcode (groceries, toys, clothes, anything.) The Red Laser App with then scan the ENTIRE WORLD and give you a breakdown of price comparasions in other stores and online. You can then decide if it’s worth it to drive to another store or hit the laptop.
Don’t you LOVE IT? The app is free and available on iTunes…just click here.
Thank you Rachael, you are my Queen.
Free Disney Vacation Planner DVD
I was noodling around on eBay the other day and actually saw this same DVD bid up to $25.25. True story. Why not just pick it up for free? It’s a beautiful vacation planner from Disney Cruise Lines–full of discounts and sneaky inside tips. Zachie and MacLean just liked watching it because it’s so well done. Pick it up for free by clicking here. PS: you think I should send this link to the lady who put the winning bid on eBay?
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Sensory Friendly Films
This sweet service came to mind today because a local college threw a family with a child with special needs out of a symphony performance. I’ve heard so many stories from the Autism Moms about the challenges of taking a little one to a movie or live performance. The lights may be too bright, the sound too loud, or others in the audience may not be willing to be patient with a child who’d like to dance in the aisle.
Thanks to AMC’s Sensory Friendly Films, children with special needs have a chance to enjoy new releases, too. The sound is turned down, the lights do not go out completely, and no one’s going to screech “down in front!” if your little person wants to wander. Up next is a special showing of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part One” on November 30th. Find your closest participating theatre here.
In December, look for a showing of the new “Muppet Movie” on Saturday, 12.3. Find your closest location here.
Gluten-Free Grocery Coupons & Resources
$1/1 Food Should Taste Good product, $1/1 POM Wonderful product, $1/1 Idahoan product (should make for free potato packages), $0.85/1 Gluten Free Bisquick, $1/1 Udi’s Gluten Free Bread, $1/1 Rudi’s Gluten Free Bread, $0.75/1 Lundberg Brown Rice Pasta, $1/1 Schar product. See this post for a complete list of gluten-free coupons available.
Free Gluten-Free Ebook:
You can get a free copy of the Ebook, Easy Gluten Free Recipes From Around the World by Patricia Browne. You will need to subscribe to her site and confirm your subscription via email, at which time she will email you the link to the free ebook.
Free $10 Credit to Vitacost:
You can get a completely free $10 credit to Vitacost to purchase gluten-free food when you sign up as a new customer. Shipping is $4.95. Plus, you will have the option of referring your own friends, and for each friend that signs up, you will receive a $10 credit. Vitacost sells many gluten-free brands, including Bob’s Red Mill, Tinkyada, Larabar, Arrowhead Mills, and many more, usually at least 25% off retail.
Udi’s Holiday Essentials Giveaway:
Udi’s is giving away 10 “Holiday Essentials Kits” every day on their blog through November 30. Simply answer the “Joy Mission Question” for the day, and you will be entered to win. You can enter once each day, Monday through Friday. The kits include gluten-free pizza crusts, sandwich bread, cookies, a reusable shopping bag, and a Gluten Freedom T-shirt!
Gluten-Free Deals From Amazon:
You can purchase several different types of Heartland Gluten-Free Pasta from Amazon for as low as $2.12/package with free shipping. In addition, you can snag Rise Bars at $0.99 each shipped. And remember those GoPicnic meals last week? Now there’s a coupon to make the savings even better!
Surviving the Holidays Gluten-Free:
Emily from Our Frugal Happy Life has written a great post on surviving the holidays while eating gluten-free.
Thanks, Gluten Freely Frugal!
Free Thanksgiving Meal Planner
Cuisine Routine is offering a free downloadable Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Menu Plan with recipes, printable grocery lists, and more.
Sneaky inside tip: there is also a gluten-free menu plan you can download.
Thanks, Homemaking Expert!
Halloween Candy For .98 Cents Per Pound At Winco
All WinCo Foods locations are selling select varieties of bulk candy for .98 cents a pound. WinCo says customers are limited to 10 pounds each. If you’ve got a tidal wave of kiddos hitting the house Monday, might not be a bad idea, eh?
Thanks, One Cheap Chick!
Shop Sanity–Alerts You On Sales, Refunds & Keeps Track Of Your Recipts!
Okay, this is seriously the baby of Awesome and Fantastic. Don’t you hate it when you buy something and it goes on sale the next week? Most retailers will give you a refund on the difference–if you know about it. Shop Sanity tracks your purchases and issues alerts on sales and refunds. You’ll also have a system that holds all you recipts for returns and tracks your packages for you. And it’s FREE.
And it’s FREE. Is this not excellent? Click here to sign up.
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Spiderweb Balloons
Okay, how cool is this? I’m always looking for something new and weird to add to my Halloween stash. Behold the Spiderweb Helium Balloon! SO doing this for Trick or Treat! Click here for complete directions.
Thanks, Beth McHale!
15% Off & Free Shipping For Halloween Costumes
Still dragging your feet on Halloween costumes? Zachie insists on being Harry Potter every year, but MacLean will perversely change his mind at least 3,002 times. Log onto BuyCostumes.com to use coupon code 15-Halloween to save 15% on your entire purchase. This discount is valid through today (Thursday 10.13). Sneaky inside tip: you’ll also receive free shipping at BuyCostumes.com when you spend $65.00.
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“Taste Of Home” Subscription For $3.99
Sign up to receive a one-year subscription to “Taste of Home” for only $3.99 when you use promo code TASTE at check-out. You may order up to four years at this discount price. This offer ends on Tuesday night (10.11) at 10 p.m.
Thanks, Coupon Cravings!
Halloween Decor costs KILLING you? Then, let’s get “super crafty” with Todd!
If you looked out the window at our house on Halloween night, you’d see the Dark Holiday of your childhood–50 kids at a time crossing the street, darting from door to door. Last year we had around 400 junior spooks–I think they’re busing them in from Wyoming. Halloween 2010 only fanned my ambitions to be The Scariest House On The Block.
“Build it, don’t buy it” is our new mantra at the Collard household. Store bought tombstones (the good ones) run between $20.00 and $45.00 apiece, and they’re small. Let’s go:
Home supply store rigid foam insulation sheets to start–about 4×8 sized sheets are best. They come in various thicknesses and cost $6-9.00 apiece. If the tombstones are going against an exterior wall, you can go thin…if further down the lawn, I’d suggest a thicker sheet to stand up to the elements. Each sheet should make around 6 tombstones.

Step one: draw your designs on the foam. Go simple–you can add balls, evil cherubs, gargoyles and other fancy bits from the Dollar Store afterwards. Cut out with a serrated knife.
Step two: “age” the stones by shaving edges, creating cracks, etc.

Step three: paint with LATEX primer (oil-based will eat the foam.)

Step four: you can now use spray paint (which will not eat the foam because of the latex primer you applied) to coat the stones. Shade the edges and the cracks with darker gray or black to highlight the aging on the stone. Now, you can put your friend’s names on the stones, and finish with spanish moss, vines, and leaves secured with a glue gun.

Step five: I attached a 2×4 on the back with adhesive (read the label to make sure it won’t eat the foam) and drilled holes for two or more large nails to drive the tombstones into the lawn. The extra effort makes them sturdier and they’ll last several years.

You can do it–and I can help! Todd
(Editor’s note: if you end up doing this project, The Todd will show you how to turn your front yard into a full graveyard for a Halloween night photo-op later this month!)

Jet Blue Airline One Day Sale
Hurray for Jet Blue! The airline is having a one-day online-only air fare sale–that would be TODAY, 9.20.11. Go HERE for all the discounted flights, including one-way fares from Salt Lake City to New York ($119.00) and to Long Beach ($69.00).
Thanks, One Cheap Chick!
Winner Winner!
Congratulations to Jayne CW115–our winnner this week for the $100.00 Walmart gift card! Miss Jayne, enjoy your shopping spree…I secretly hope you buy something Halloweeny with your gift card.
Preparing For the Zombie Apocalypse…
…or, how the Collard Family embraced the concept of disaster preparedness.
I’m not a total slacker, The Todd and I would buy cases of canned food or peanut butter in a haphazard fashion, and I’m pretty sure I’ve got a couple of those big blue water barrels around…somewhere… The truth? I’d almost rather get eaten in the Zombie Apocalypse than have to eat–shudder–food storage.
Let’s face it–most of the stuff tastes terrible. And the concept of buying thousands of dollars worth of food and then praying you never have to eat it seems ridiculous. I was introduced to the Shelf Reliance concept by my zealous girlfriend Janice, who proudly showed me her “home store,” over 2 year’s worth of food, water, and other emergency supplies from the Shelf Reliance “Thrive” food storage. Janice fed me Red and Green Pepper Crusted Chicken Breast with a Rosemary Balsamic reduction…dessert was a glorious Chocolate Raspberry Shortcake. The entire meal was made from the “Thrive” line. And it was good. Really, really good. What interested me most was Janice’s resourcefulness–she has the confidence that no what what happened–losing a job…a natural disaster…Zombie Apocalypse…that her family will be safe, healthy and fed. I can’t imagine anything better.
Shelf Reliance takes an extremely logical approach–if you can’t eat it, you won’t buy it. Hitting their website here shows you piles of amazing recipes, calculators and information on how to build your “home store,” crucial disaster preparedness directions and logical food rotation. The company’s philosophy is that “thriving” means developing a long term plan of security for your family.
Now, here’s where Shelf Reliance will put their money where their mouth is–they’re offering a special house party to someone from the That Went Well community. You’ll win a celebration at your house–but someone else does all the work. It’s a lot of fun and quite simple. Just invite your friends over to enjoy an exciting demonstration provided by a Shelf Reliance Consultant. When you host a party, you and your friends will learn how to prepare great tasting THRIVE recipes, learn valuable food preparation techniques, and gain insightful tips on how to effectively use THRIVE Foods in everyday living. So, in other words:
- Experience the wonderful taste of THRIVE foods in the company of friends and family and get great recipe ideas.
- Receive great information about becoming self reliant. Learn how easy it can be to build, store, rotate and use your food storage on a regular basis.
- Get the best prices on top of the line food storage, shelving and emergency supplies.
- Earn additional benefits from the sales you help generate.
- Help feed the hungry. A percentage of all sales goes to our charity.
- Enjoy good food and the company of friends and family.
Would you like the be the Little Princess who gets all the goodies and none of effort? Just leave a comment at the end of this post, and we’ll draw a winner on Tuesday, 9.6.11. Good luck! If you’re here in Utah, consider stopping by their Grand Opening in American Fork on Thursday, September first–they’ll have piles of food to try, the test kitchen is buzzing and you’ll get excellent discounts. Click here for directions.
By the way…interested in earning an income with Shelf Reliance? Click here.
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Free Digital Personal Assistant–It’s Like Having Your Own Wife!
Ever paused in the middle of your psycho life and wished YOU had a wife to take care of all the little details? Here’s the next best thing–About One is a virtual personal assistant that will handle all the pesky details that keep slipping through the cracks. It’s free to sign up–click here to take a look around.
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