Thank you to those who entered to win the Yael naim She Was a Boy album.
I used random.org to choose the winner:
and commenter #2 was:
Ruthi aka abitosunshine said... 2 We're Facebook Friends!
http://www.facebook.com/abitosunshine Congrats Ruthi! I will be contacting you for your mailing information.
Don't forget, there are still 2 open giveaways on my blog right now:
It's been a busy week with us hosting Mother's Day last Sunday at our house, then just a few days later I hosted my daughter's baby shower here as well!
My postage stamp was approved at Zazzle. I plan on doing a lot more postage, hopefully this next week. Sunset Postage Stamp
The other thing that I've done is to open up a fan page on facebook for my blog here. If you haven't, please stop in and "like" me. The more likes I get the better on getting my campaigns for reviews and giveaways. (Reviews and giveaways are becoming my main business) This morning I added a Welcome Tab to my fan page. Let me know what you think please. Marsha's Spot on Facebook
I want to thank Ruthi of abitosunshine for hosting this Shop Hop Saturday. Please click the button to support others who work from home and/or add your own post to the linky.
Do you have tweens or kids who are quickly approaching tween years? If so you know how critical self esteem is at this tender age. Unilever, the makers of Degree, Dove and Suave deodorant offer support for these difficult times. The tween years are full of changes. Whether or not parents are ready, their kids’ bodies are trying to tell them something. Increased hormones are causing noticeable differences like growth spurts and strange new odors. But don’t let the unexpected stink scare you; it’s just a sign of great things to come.
Unilever - the maker of Degree, Dove and Suave deodorants - wants to ensure parents and kids remain cool, calm and confident throughout the day - especially during those sweat-inducing moments.
Check out Facebook.com/DontFretTheSweat for money saving offers and expert tips, tools and real life stories about how parents are communicating and transitioning their tweens into confident and self-reliant teens.
Inside the Minds of Car Dealers--How to Buy Your Next Car Without Fear by Ray Lopez.
ISBN 978-1-58985-156-6
Five Star Publications
NEWS RELEASE: Retired Car Salesman Launches ‘Car Buying in the New Economy’ Consumer Education Campaign
Thirty-year car selling veteran and author of Inside the Minds of Car Dealers – How to Buy Your Next Car without Fear, Ray Lopez launches consumer awareness campaign to teach savings tactics, and confident car buying practices. Read the full article here.
My personal review: I actually found Inside the Minds of Car Dealers to be an very interesting and informative read.
118 pages, consisting of 23 chapters. Chapters are all short, sweet, and to the point.
I love how Ray calls himself a "schmuck" throughout the book. And, because of being a schmuck for 30 years, he was prompted to write this book and let us all in on the car salesman "secrets".
Some of the things he mentions throughout the books you've heard for years about a car salesman. Some of those things you think have only just been made up and portrayed in the movies to make them look bad. Bad news....it's not just in the movies.
I found the information on all of the information you can find online to be very interesting. I had no idea there was so much information to be found online....at least not free.
I can now say that if and when I am ready and able to go to a car lot and buy a vehicle, I will be prepared before going! Thanks Ray for all the great advice.
Since my blog deals a lot with coupons and savings, I asked Ray to include answers to questions comparing buying a car to using coupons. Here are the questions and the answers:
Let's move on to the giveaway! Ray Lopez has graciously offered the chance for one of my blog readers to win a copy of his book.
Rules:
Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.
Giveaway begins Thursday May 12, 2011 and ends Thursday May 26, 2011 at 7 pm CST.
Winner will be chosen using random.org.
Winner will have 48 hours to contact me with mailing address or another winner will be chosen.
I must have a way to contact you, so if necessary, leave that in one of your comments.
Please leave a separate comment for each entry.
Ways to earn entries:
***Visit Ray's fan page on facebook "liking" the fan page is optional due to questionable facebook policies.
**Spread the word about this giveaway. You can do this in your own blog, on facebook, on twitter, in a message board, anywhere! This can be done up to 4 times during the duration of the giveaway for a total of 4 entries. Comments to include the URL where I will find the post.
**Place my button on your blog or website (3 entries) Include URL in the comment showing where it's placed.
Good luck to all!
Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of Inside the Minds of Car Dealers by thePR Contact for Ray the Sales Guy Lopez for the purpose of my review. I was not compensated for my review and all opinions of the book are my own. The copy of the book for the winner is also being provided.
What have you done this past week that was frugal, or represents living the simple life? Did you post frugal recipes, your savings shopping trip? Did you post about your garden? Any savings related posts you've done, I hope you will share in the weekly linky. Inspire us! This past week...hhmmm I hung laundry on the line all week. I can't talk my daughter in to hanging her loads on the clothesline though. I'm trying to get her to understand the basic concept of saving on the electric bill. Especially since the central air is on....we do have it set way up on 82, only turning it no lower than 80 when we have a lot of company over. Our garden is progressing I suppose. The tomatoes are coming back to life....that is is this cold front doesn't warp them again. This weather is cruel! 90's for 2 days, then a couple of days in the 70's then today it's only going to get in the 50's.
I did some grocery shopping. I wish I could say I did some fantastic job, but it had been a long day away from home. Once home there wasn't anything just quick and easy to fix for supper and I was tired. I went to the store without a list really, and hungry. I told my daughter and my husband to just pick out something they wanted for supper. Hubby went and chose a package of bacon that costs $5.89! OMG! Yes, I was tired, I didn't even think to go check the price of what he chose, or so tell him he had to get some that was cheaper. (and if I had my coupon box with me I'm sure I have a $1 off coupon for the brand he chose) I chose a quiche, which was on sale for $2.95 and my daughter chose a package of Hot Pockets for $2.19. In other words, there's around $11 on needless spending! Let this be my lesson to you---do not shop without planning, no matter what!
I did get some good deals: *10 packages of Kool-Aid--on sale 6 for $1 and I used 2-.50 coupons doubled giving me .33 overage. *I used my free Suave Professionals coupon for a free product *I used my free Kraft shredded cheese with a touch of Philadelphia from Kraft First Taste. Since the cheese was on sale for just $1.99 I chose to use the $1 off coupon as well getting the second bag for just .99 *I then went for the special of buying the 10 different products and getting an additional $5 off your order: 7 bottles of Kraft BBQ sauce for just .49 each after the deal (they say there are coupons out but I don't have any), 1 jar of Miracle Whip and 1 jar of Kraft Mayo--$2.49 each after the deal (I'm sure I probably had a $1 off 2 coupon if I would have had my box with me) and lastly Uncle Ben's Ready Rice $1.25 after the special, but I used my free coupon and the register took off the $1.75, so I ended up with .50 overage there. *Small container of cole slaw and small container of macaroni salad--on sale for just $1 (normally $2.19)
In all I spent $23.49 for what you see in the photo below. I did save 52% between sales and coupons so not a total loss. $14.73 in coupons including the additional $5 off for buying the 10 items.
I always do have works in progress, as with most of you who read my blog. I put all of those aside this past week to work on things for my daughter and the new baby.
Today's major WIP is cleaning the house and setting up for the baby shower....including still needing to bake the cupcakes. Here are some baby booties I am attempting to make. I am so very lost on the pattern. It will be a miracle if they get made at all, let alone made before the baby is born. Heather was in hopes they would work to go with Zelda's going home outfit. I did a post on gather asking for help, which includes a link to the pattern. If any of you are expert crocheters, please take a look at the pattern and tell me how to proceed! Thanks! Please Help Me With This Crochet Pattern!
I did complete the Minnie Mouse baby hat. It turned out pretty cute, but sure won't fit much past newborn I don't expect.
And, after many hours, and major help from one of the lady's at church, this baby set if made. I'm not happy with the booties, they were very hard to make and the instructions had to be read and re-read many times at a few points to figure out what to do. I fully intend to NEVER make these again! The bibs however, that's another story. They are very simple and look good. I had enough material left over to add a second matching bib to the set. I also had enough material left over from the baby quilt I gave Heather for Christmas to throw in another bib.
That's it for my report this week....time to get back to cleaning. Please click on each button below to join in any or all of the WIP Wednesday blog hops....and check out what others are working on as well.
I've decided to make the giveaways link it's own page, and make it ongoing instead of weekly.
You can access the page from the Index to the left. I will be removing giveaways as they end. You can list your giveaway any time....or come check in to see what there is to enter!
If you are a blog owner who has a list of blogs that host giveaway linky's, please include mine in your ongoing list. Good luck, and have fun!
Thanks for all of your help with our efforts raising funds for Disaster relief in Japan - thanks in part to your efforts, Swagbucks donated over $20,000 to All Hands Volunteers. Now we've turned our attentions home, where the Southeastern U.S. was hit with over 250 tornadoes in the span of 24 hours. We're currently collecting Swag Buck donations through the month of May that will translate into a donation for United Way of Western Alabama. Let's get as many Swag Bucks as possible donated to aid in our efforts. Here's the link to the donation page:
I feel like I had another outstanding week. Magazines: Ok! (I paid $2 for this subscription) Seventeen magazine (not pictured as Jasmine snagged it right away since I got it for her.) Sports Illustrated Car & Driver Lego Club 3 issues of Time People
Other mail: 3 pieces of hausernet mail (this will slow down considerably, including no more magazines as I get my account changed over to our new house) Uncle Ben's rice .75 coupon....Wait! I just cut it out and realized there is a coupon for a free bag on the opposite side! Here I thought maybe I didn't get in on time and just got the .75 coupon. Free coupon for Suave Professionals Free coupon for Kraft shredded cheese with a touch of Philadelphia along with $1 coupon. Just Like Sugar samples Variety of labels with my grandson's name on them from Oliver's Labels for review Book--Buddy's Tail to read and review CD Amanda Lamb Highwire to review and give away on my blog CD Amy Hefferman Friggin Little Know It All to review and give away on my blog.
In my email: $50 paypal from sidetick
In my church mail box: $40 check for April cleaning.
