FREE Friday DEALS * October 30th, 2009

Jen's tips for FREE samples:

It is always smart to use a secondary email. Some FREE samples that I have signed up for have come in the mail very quickly like my Glidden Paint and LeapFrog book. However, some samples that I sign up for, never come. Sometimes signing up for a free sample causes me to get a bunch of spam in my email (This is why I suggest you use a secondary email). Most of the time I get my free sample and it is rare that I sign up for an offer that sends spam my way. Just be cautious with free offers.

50 cent Corn Dogs at Sonic on Halloween
 On Saturday, October 31st Sonic Drive-In Restaurant's will be selling their corn dogs for 50 cents between 5-10 pm.

FREE Black Jack Taco at Taco Bell
6 pm - midnight on Halloween
Click HERE for more info.

Joy to the World DVD
"This beautiful video will invite the spirit of Christmas into your home. Watch as the miraculous events surrounding Jesus Christ’s birth are foretold by prophets, then heralded by heavenly messengers."


I have this DVD and can tell you that our family loves it. It is a great way to bring back some of the true meaning of Christmas among all of the presents and commercialism.
Click HERE

Spooky Stories for Kids (FREE Online)

Haunted tales and sounds for having some Halloween fun. Includes “The Witch In The Corner,” a few werewolf howls, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” and more—enough of a fright to give the little ones a thrill but not scare them too badly.

Click HERE

FREE Sample of Tropical Breeze Fragrance

Click HERE

FREE Planet 51 iphone Game

(In theaters November 20th)

Click HERE

Toys 'R Us Goodie Bag for 3 and up

October 31st, noon-3

Customers can visit any Toys 'R Us store – dressed up in their ghoulish garb – on Saturday, October 31 from noon to 3pm to participate in a safe Halloween celebration. Children ages three and up who attend Geoffrey’s Trick 'R Treat Parade will receive a complimentary, reusable bag, which they can fill up with goodies and giveaways (while supplies last) as they parade around the store with everyone’s favorite mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe.

(Too bad that this is my son's nap-time or we would be there)

Pampers Extra Protections Sample

Click HERE

Musical Soup - Mozart Wombsong Collection & Mozart for Toddlers

FREE Download Click HERE

FREE Hi-Tech Kitchenware Spoon

Click HERE

Michaels FREE Family Halloween Event

Come and get your FREE trick-or-treat pail! Plus enjoy a free coloring activity, FREE Crayola® Model Magic® Fusion™ and a Make-It Take-It Halloween frame. Children will also receive a balloon and candy. While supplies last.

Click HERE

5th Penny Pinching Party

This week has been extra busy and demanding for me. I have had to put the finishing touches on my kid's Halloween costumes and a million other errands. I was originally going to post my kid's costumes that I have been putting together, but I still have a couple of finishing touches; So today I will be highlighting posts from the last 2 Penny Pinching Parties.

Hanging Clothes to Dry
AngieB from Ballard Boys shows us how to save money by hanging clothes to dry. I thought that putting the clothes line in the patio table was genius. So many people don't hang clothes to dry because they don't want an unsightly clothesline in their yard. This solution is great because you can just take it down when you are done. It is also a great solution if you are renting.

There was a time earlier in my marriage that I went without a dryer for over a year, because we couldn't afford to buy one or to pay for the electricity to run it. I refuse to put anything on a credit card that I cannot pay off right away and have never had credit card debt as a result. I wish I would have had this brilliant idea back then.

Home Haircuts
Robyn from Family of 8 shows us how she saves money by cutting her husband's and kid's hair. She even found a fun salon chair from a store that was going out of business. Cutting hair is a lot easier than you may think. There are all sorts of video tutorials online and like Robyn says, hair grows.

Mums Instead of Pumpkins
Barb from Treasures from the Heart shows us how she uses mums to decorate instead of pumpkins. Instead of throwing the pumpkins away at the end of the season, she just plants the mums in her flowerbed.

She also shares a tutorial on how to make this beautiful craft paper.

Cloth Diapers
Dianna from Kennedy Adventures tells us how to save by using cloth diapers. Most people cringe at this idea, but she shows us how much cloth diapers have changed from the days our moms used them. Just look how cute they are.

Now link up to my 5th Penny Pinching Party and share what you are doing to save money!

I will have McKlinky up until Monday and will feature some of my favorites next week.

Here are my only rules:

• Add the permalink to the specific blog post, not your general blog address.

• Link back to the party from your post so that everyone can join in the fun!

• If you have my Penny Pinching Party button on your blog, I may feature you when I highlight my favorite Penny Pinching ideas.

FREE Friday DEALS * October 23rd, 2009

Jen's tips for FREE samples:

It is always smart to use a secondary email. Some FREE samples that I have signed up for have come in the mail very quickly like my Glidden Paint and LeapFrog book. However, some samples that I sign up for, never come. Sometimes signing up for a free sample causes me to get a bunch of spam in my email (This is why I suggest you use a secondary email). Most of the time I get my free sample and it is rare that I sign up for an offer that sends spam my way. Just be cautious with free offers.

FREE Toy at SEARS on October 31st

Bring your child dressed in their Halloween costume to the new Sears Toy Shop and receive a FREE Mattel toy (While supplies last and not at all Sears stores).
You can also print up a coupon for $5 off a $20 toy purchase.
Click HERE

"Child of the Night" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra

FREE Download, Click HERE

Parenting Early Years FREE 11 issue subscription

No strings attached, you will never receive a bill.

Click HERE

FREE 2010 Cartoon Calendar

Click HERE

FREE Country Music Downloads

Click HERE

FREE Oust Freshen-Your-Home Gift Pack

Click HERE

FREE Sample of bronzer or liquid lipstick from JCPenney

Click HERE

Michaels FREE Family Halloween Event

Click HERE

Being Girl FREE Sample Kit

Includes: 2 Tampax Pearl Tampons, 1 Compak Pearl Tampon, 1 Always Infinity Maxi-Pad, 2 Always Pantiliners, and 1 Always Feminine Wipe.

Click HERE

Kodak Gallery FREE $15 Gift Code

Click HERE

Spray Painting a Ceiling Fan and Clock • 4th Penny Pinching Party

This week I focused on the last few details in my kitchen. A while ago I painted one wall in my kitchen yellow, thinking it would brighten up the room. I already had one green wall and red bead board, so the yellow wall just added too much color in an already colorful kitchen. Back in June I ordered a free quart of paint from Glidden. I didn't know what I would use the paint for at the time so I just chose whispering wheat. This week I pulled out this little paint can and used it in my kitchen and LOVED it! Now I want to paint every room in my house whispering wheat.

I also finally painted my gold ceiling fan after 8 years of living in this house. It was the only original light fixture left and I had avoided painting it because I thought it would be a pain. It was actually really easy and I wish I would have done it sooner. I just used a can of dark brown flat spray paint. I didn't sand or prime first since it will be on the ceiling and no one will touch it. While I had the spray paint, I painted my gold clock and a couple of picture frames to match.
Total cost was $5 for the spray paint!

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

I just removed the blades from the fan and sprayed away. Those blades really needed to be removed and dusted and washed off anyway (They must have had 10+ years of filth on them).

Now link up to my 4th Penny Pinching Party and share what you are doing to save money!
I will have McKlinky up until Monday and will feature some of my favorites next week.
Here are my only rules:
• Add the permalink to the specific blog post, not your general blog address.
• Link back to the party from your post so that everyone can join in the fun!
• If you have my Penny Pinching Party button on your blog, I may feature you when I highlight my favorite Penny Pinching ideas.

I am also linking up to Reinvented's Trash to Treasure Tuesday, the Home Sanctuary blog party: Company Girl Coffee 10.23,  The Boardwalk "Bragfest", and Metamorphosis Monday.

Dresser Turned Entertainment Center

I'm joining the "I'm a Flea Marketeer Party" over at flea market style and I'm linking up my all time favorite thrifty find. I found this dresser in the classifieds and it made the perfect entertainment center with a little work. I LOVE repurposing furniture and other things. It has sorta become one of my favorite hobbies lately. Things that I create or repurpose have so much more meaning and character than anything I could pick out of a catalogue (They are a lot cheaper too).

Before

After

To see my full post about this dresser turned entertainment center click HERE.

FREE Friday DEALS * October 16th, 2009

Jen's tips for FREE samples:

It is always smart to use a secondary email. Some FREE samples that I have signed up for have come in the mail very quickly like my Glidden Paint and LeapFrog book. However, some samples that I sign up for, never come. Sometimes signing up for a free sample causes me to get a bunch of spam in my email (This is why I suggest you use a secondary email). Most of the time I get my free sample and it is rare that I sign up for an offer that sends spam my way. Just but be cautious with free offers.

FREE Ruler from Mail Finity

Click Here

Send a Postcard to Our Troops for FREE

Click HERE

Heinz Nurture Coupons, eletter, and reusable shopping bag

Click Here

FREE LeapFrog Board Book: ABC Animal Orchestra

Click Here

FREE postcards using your pictures,

sent to anywhere in the US for FREE

Click HERE

FREE Sample Handmade Body Lotion

Click Here

FREE Sample of Idea Paint (dry erase paint)

Click HERE

FREE Samples of Hussana Halal Body-care

Click HERE

Fun Family Fall Traditions

We have a couple of large trees in our front yard that produce a lot of leaves in the fall. Most people complain about having to rake their leaves, but we watch and wait for ours to fall in anticipation. We spend a day as a family Raking Leaves, jumping into piles, making a leaf maze and leaf tunnels.

One of my favorite traditions that we started a couple of years ago is going to Cornbelly's at Thanksgiving Point in Utah.

(These pictures were taken from the Cornbelly's web site)

I LOVE riding my bike in the canyon. This is a park that we like to ride our bikes to as a family. I love seeing the leaves change color!

For Thanksgiving my kids love helping me make these turkeys to bring to grandma and grandpa's house. Last year I thought they had forgotten and I wouldn't have to make them, but they reminded me the day before.

Every Thanksgiving since I was a kid, we have always had a talent show. Now my kids look forward to grandma and grandpa's talent show every year. Last year we had artwork, dances, piano solos, and recited poems.

Come and join the Traditions party over at Emma Calls me Mamma.