Soft Scrub Total--Review/Sweepstakes/Giveaway!

I was given the opportunity to try the new household cleaners from Soft Scrub: Soft Scrub Total All Purpose cleaner with bleach and Soft Scrub Total Bath and Bowl cleaner.

Let's start with the All Purpose cleaner.  Below are before and after pictures of my stove.  Let's just say, as you can tell by the photo, that we have messy cooks in this house.  Let me also add that we have been away from home so much that cleaning the stove has been neglected.

I was in hopes that the Total All Purpose cleaner would cut right through the gunk and take it right off.  That didn't happen.  I sprayed it again and let it soak.  I did have to use some elbow grease.  

With that, I want to say that I have used it since and it does take new stuff right off.  The other stuff had been baked on and cooked on.   All in all, I really like using it.

Before:

  After: (Yes, I had started supper cooking)

 
Now let's talk about the Soft Scrub Total Bath and Bowl cleaner.  I loved loved loved it!

I probably don't have to mention that the bathtub had also been on the neglected side with us gone so much.  I sprayed around the tub and it wiped right off!  I didn't have to put in any elbow grease at all on the tub.  I also used it to clean the toilet.
(This is a good time to mention that you can choose to spray it or foam it.  Also, it sprays with the bottle upside down!)

Bathtub before:   

   
Bathtub after:

   
I will be purchasing these products in the future.

Soft Scrub is hosting a Tough & Gentle Sweepstakes right now.  One lucky winner will receive $1000.  50 lucky winners will each receive $40 in gift cards!  You can click the sweepstakes icon at the top of this post to enter.  Good luck!

Would you like a chance to try one of these great new household cleaners free?   I am giving away a free coupon to 3 of my lucky readers who enter using the rafflecopter form below.


Disclaimer:  Soft Scrub provided me with bottle of their Total All-Purpose and Bath and Bowl cleaners for the purpose of this review.  They also provided the coupons that I am giving away to my readers.  I was not compensated in any other way and all opinions of the products are my own.


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Frugal Friday Link Up--9/21/12

The state fair is over and we made it through. My daughter has bought some sensible things with some of her earnings--such as clothing and accessories. Now she just needs to clean out her closet and such of clothes she's not worn in ages.
She also bought some not so sensible items---3 Hermit Crabs and their accessories. She's wanted the for years though, so spending the money she earned is good for her.

I'm working on de-cluttering both in the house and in the garage. I'm currently posting things up for sale on our local facebook group for selling. I'm hoping to make some extra money along with some extra space.

This week I am sharing 4 uses for emery boards from the 99 Cent Solutions book:

1. Erase the eraser. Rub away smudges and scuffs on your pencil eraser with an emery board. Lightly rub it over the eraser until the marks are gone.

2. File seeds before planting. Rub off the hard coating on seeds using an emery board before you put them in to the ground. They will absorb moisture better and get a head start sprouting.

3. Steam away stains on suede. Rub the stain on those suede shoes, or your suede jacket by rubbing it gently with the fine side of an emery board. Hold the suede item over steam from a pan. The stain will disappear. Use the emery board again to freshen the nap.

4. Get to the point. Knives get dull, scissors get dull, even needles get dull. Make your needle sharp again by rubbing it against an emery board.


Now it's your turn to share the great posts you have shared on your own blog over this past week. I really do enjoy reading them and being inspired to keep doing my best to be frugal and lead a simple life.

Squidoo Hopping--This Week's Theme is Animals

As I watch a rabbit munching on grass in our front yard, I've decided to make this week's theme animals.

Very broad so share any lens related to animals--real or fictional---pets----care of animals--the list is pretty endless.

Also, please link up any blog posts you've done over the past week where you mention squidoo, or have a link to at least one lens!

 

WIP Wednesday--9/19/12

Not too bad of a week.
I went to sit n' sew at the quilt shop Friday evening.  I was able to get 5 strawberry pin cushions made as well as finish up a Halloween bag.

I didn't get my post up last week.  I was extra extra busy away from home with the state fair in town.

Here is what I accomplished on the quilt I am working on in sewing club at church:

Basically I just got more triangles cut and some of the half square triangles made.  I also completed 2 more of the squares.  I have a very long ways to go to get this top done for sure.  I'm upset that I am just not finding the time to work on this much.  When will things slow down so that I can actually make it in to my craft room??

Speaking of the craft room, I have not gotten anything else done in there as far as organizing either!

I finished the crocheted prayer shawl this past week.  I worked on it while I was working selling parking spots at the church where my daughter attends youth group.  They sell spaces during the state fair as a fundraiser.  I had to take her time slots since she was working at the fair.  Also in the picture is the progress I have on the knitted prayer shawl so far:

Since I finished the crocheted shawl, I then had more colors to use to make granny squares for my granny a day in 2012 challenge.  I am not caught up to the current date on putting the squares on my blanket.  Here it is done up too day 259, Sept. 15:

I'm still concerned that once again I'm not going to have a lot of colors like I would like.  Now I have very little of other colors of yarn, but a lot of greens and beiges.  It just has to work though!


Oh gosh I hope to get a lot done over the next week--all I can say is to please wish me luck there!

I am linking up with the following blogs this week:



 

Homeschool Journal--Work Experience!

Jasmine has had nothing but work experience from September 7-16.  She clocked 104 hours of work at the Kansas State Fair.  She was in a booth selling showerheads.

I have spent this morning looking up high school graduation requirements.  I thought I knew them.  Now I find myself confused.  For Kansas it lists units.  It doesn't say anywhere just what a unit is.  I've done many searches and the best I can find is stating that a high school credit is 120-180 hours based on what the study is.  No help.

At one time I had a chart for graduation and it stated exactly on academic hours and it stated that an academic hour was 50 minutes.  If anyone has any help for me, please let me know!

I was going to give 2 credits of work experience but now it looks like one credit, and it will go under the elective units.

Here is a photo I took of her while she worked one day.  She happened to have just restocked the table and was tearing down the box. 

Looks like I have my work cut out for me calculating hours.

I picked up a whole set of famous Kansans trading cards as well as a book to go with them free at the state fair.  This will be more than enough for the requirement for Kansas history.  Not to mention that we recently took the vacation trip and visited museums too!

I'm also reading that one of the science requirements is a lab course.  We recently bought a microscope so looks like I need to find material to study using it.

I'm linking up with:
 

Progressive Snapshot Week 3 Results and a Giveaway Too! #TrySnapshot

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Progressive.

Here I am to week 3 of using the Progressive Snapshot. I've taken screen shots of my progress:

As you can see, I have a grade of an A!

Last week I had a reader comment with these questions--
Do I think that using the Snapshot device causes people to be more aware of their driving and to drive better? My answer has to be yes. I feel like I am a safe driver, but I do notice and try to avoid the hard braking etc since installing the Snapshot device.

What is the average on the hard braking according to Progressive? As you can see from the photo above the Progressive average is 2.2 miles per 100 miles. She stated that a lot of our hard braking is due to other drivers around us, not us. That is true. However, the 2 times I've heard the beeps from the Snapshot device for hard braking were both times when I decided I should stop instead of trying to make it through a yellow light. My bad on that part.

Don't forget that trying Snapshot is totally free for 30 days and you are under no obligation at all to change insurance. I do hope you will click over and check it out. It will make you more aware.

Now, let's get to the fun part! I am hosting a giveaway for some Flo Swag. Cool, eh? (Yes, I plan on being Flo for Halloween--everyone is going to love it!) You can win an I Love Insurance t-shirt, Progressive apron, Flo name tag, I Love Insurance button, magnetic dry erase board with pen, notepad, temporary tattoo and a tin of mints. (As pictured below)

Have fun! Enter with the rafflecopter form below.

Disclaimer: Images used are courtesy of Progressive and SocialChorus, who are also providing the Flo Swag prize. I rec'd a Swag package for doing this review as well.

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Frugal Friday Link Up --September 14, 2012

Welcome to Friday! It's been a long past week with the state fair in town, and my daughter and her boyfriend both working. My daughter will log in right at 100 hours by the time Sunday is over.

I can not say at all that this has been a frugal week! I overspent at the state fair. Yes, it's only once a year, and yes, I had a great time spending, but still.
I did put money down on a new sewing machine though. That was frugal---state fair special was half retail price, and she gave me a discount on the extra feet that I wanted too. I can't wait to pay the other half and get my lessons on how to use it. The lessons are free with the purchase of the machine so you sure can't beat that.

I did have a good shopping trip too where I only spent $3.75 and saved over $34 with coupons.

Today from the 99 Cent Solutions book I am sharing uses for deodorant. Who would have thought there were other uses. Here's a bit of trivia for you too. Roll-On deodorant was inspired by the ball point pen, and it was marketed under the name Ban Roll-On.

1. Protect your feet. Roll or spray a little deodorant--specifically antiperspirant--on your feet. It will keep them dry and keep blisters at bay.

2. Banish bug bites. Applying deodorant to the bug bite will reduce the itching and the irritation.

3. Say good-bye to sweaty palms. If you suffer from sweaty palms when you are nervous, simply apply antiperspirant to your palms---and don't sweat it.

Your turn to share your frugal related posts!

Squidoo Hopping--This Week's Theme is Local Attractions

This week is all about the Kansas State Fair here in my city. That's prompted me to choose local attractions as this week's theme.

This can be an event in your town, your state, etc. Great things are happening all over!

Don't forget that if you blog about squidoo to also please link up your blog posts as well. This can be any blog where you have at least one squidoo link included, tips about squidoo etc.

Thanks for taking part each week. I enjoy seeing all the lenses that are linked up.

Week 2 of Progressive's Snapshot Program #TrySnapshot

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Progressive.

This is week 2 for me using Progressive's Snapshot in my van.

I didn't get a post up after my 1st week, but I have watched my savings over the past 2 weeks. First I had an A+ rating after just a couple of day.
Then...hard braking knocked me down to 28% savings. Ouch!

Currently I have a grade of A and I'm sitting at 20% savings.

When looking at my report today I have 1.2 on hard braking per 100 miles, .3 rapid acceleration per 100 miles, and driving an average of 23 miles per day.

I thought maybe it was excessive driving that was "driving" my percentage down, but according to the Snapshot website, average is 30 miles per day. And here I thought I was out and about ALL the time!

What is Snapshot you might be asking? Snapshot is a device, provided by Progressive. It plugs into your diagnostic port and tracks via computer how you drive. As you can see, it tracks the miles you drive, rapid acceleration and hard braking.

If you are a safe driver, the percentage that you can save by switching to Progressive can get up to 30%!

Snapshot is free to try for 30 days. No strings attached! Simply return the Snapshot device with the pre-paid label once your 30 days are over. In the meantime you can see just how your driving measures up and you will have the chance to save big on your car insurance.

In this day, it's very important to save all the money that you can.
Click the picture below and check it out for yourself. Remember, you are under no obligation with Progressive for giving it a try.

Frugal Friday Link Up--Sept. 7, 2012

It's here...the Kansas State Fair! Although that does mean a not so frugal week. We have to do some real figuring though after paying bills on just how much money we do have to spend.

My daughter has a job at the fair, and we are being frugal in the way of fixing food from home for her lunch and supper. It would be way too much for her to eat her meals at the fair. We even shopped the sales and used coupons for most of what we bought her for the week.

This week I want to share different uses for dental floss from the 99 Cent Solutions Book:
1. It cuts like a knife. Hold dental floss taut to cut butter, brownies, soft cheeses and many other soft foods. Move it from side to side for a clean cut. (I see this at a birthday party when they cut the cake and it worked like a charm!)

2. Make a lifeline for your keys. If you are tired of fishing around the bottom of your purse for your keys, let dental floss help. Just measure the distance from the bottom of your purse to the bottom of the purse handle and add 6 inches. Tie your keys to one end with a tight know, and tie the other end to the bottom of the purse handle. Now you can easily get to your keys by pulling on the line.

3. Get crafty. Use dental floss (2 strands for extra strength) in place of the more expensive string when making beaded bracelets and necklaces. Again, it works like a charm. (This can really save you a lot of money as dental floss is often on sale and has a coupon too!)

4. Button, Button, who has the button? Sew your buttons on with ultra-durable dental floss instead of thread. It gives you a particularly strong bond. They won't fall off and get lost.