What’s the Best Deal You’ve Ever Scored? {+ Enter to Win a $1k Shopping Spree} #choozondeals

November 29, 2011 By

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If there was a sort of profession titled Professional Deal Hunter, I think I might have a shot at getting the job! 

Long before I started searching for and sharing baby deals on this site, I spent a lot of time looking for the best deals and and rock-bottom prices on everything I needed and plenty of things I didn’t need! 

I’ve gotten so many great deals on brand new items the years, it’s hard to choose which one is the “best” deal I’ve ever scored. A heavy-duty KitchenAid mixer for $105, a Peg Perego stroller for $22 and a Dell desktop computer for under $300 are just a few of the best bargains I’m most proud of! 

While those were all amazing deals, when I said I spent a lot of time looking for them, I wasn’t kidding! If time was money, those deals definitely cost me! 

In the last several years, the internet has exploded with deal-hunting websites. While it sounds like a great thing, having to sift through all that information to find the deals that are just right for me can be time-consuming and frustrating. 

Now there’s a great site called ChoozOn that evaluates your personal attributes and finds the online deals that are right for you! 

ChoozOn is being called a “personal deal-hunting concierge” because you can tell ChoozOn what you’re looking for, and the site will deliver the deals to a separate inbox for you. It keeps the clutter out of your inbox and helps you focus on the other, more important things! 

One of my biggest email organization problems is the number of “daily deals” I have sent to my inbox throughout the day. One site has three local regions plus national deals, so I get four emails just from them every day! Since I want to stay abreast of the daily deals in my area for my own benefit and national daily deals to share with all of you, I get a lot of those emails alerting me to the new hot deal that just went on sale! 

Now, ChoozOn has created a solution to that problem! ChoozOn is tapped into all the daily deal, flash sale and deep discounter sites.The site can aggregate all the steals of the day for every website that I want it to stay on top of. I can then see the list of all those deals in one place without bogging down my inbox! 

The other perk to using ChoozOn is that it allows users to create social networks around people who have similar shopping interests. It’s always fun to share a good deal with a shopping buddy–it’s about time we could easily do that online! 

Do you love bargain-shopping, or would you rather leave that to me and other deal bloggers? Even if you don’t love it, I have a feeling you’ve taken advantage of at least one unforgettable bargain! 

What’s the best deal you’ve ever scored?

ChoozOn wants to know and is giving away a $1000 shopping spree to one lucky person who registers for their fantastic new deal site. Let ChoozOn scour the web for amazing deals tailored to you!

How to Enter:

1. Leave a comment sharing the best deal you’ve ever scored

2. When the contest entry box appears, complete the simple form to enter to win the $1000 shopping spree

3. You are now entered to win!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of ChoozOn. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Contest Rules.

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Do You Know a Hero Mom? I Do!

November 1, 2011 By

With all the terrible stories we hear in the news about the absolute worst parenting imaginable, it’s refreshing to think the everyday parents, the moms and dads who work hard to support their families, are the true heroes to the most important people in their lives.

baby deals

I can honestly say that my mom is a hero to me. There wasn’t a time I realized this more than in the days and weeks surrounding the births of both Haiden and Piper.

There were days that she’d drop everything to travel over 150 miles to be with me and my new little bundles of joy. There were the times she’d answer the phone only to find me, her emotional daughter, in tears and hardly able to speak. There was the time when I was panicking about the state of my house and the possibility of early labor with Piper; I don’t think there’s anyone else who would cancel her plans for the next day to drive three hours and clean my house while I went to work!

On top of those very specific times where my mom overwhelmed me with her love and support, there are many, many other times that her personally heroic actions made me realize how much of herself my mom gives not only to me, but to my brother, my sister, my dad, and all of her grandchildren. 

Since I became a mom, I’ve known I want to be there for my kids in every way possible. As I’ve watched my close family members and friends become parents, it warms my heart to see their own hearts overflow with love for their own babies.

When I hear about the handful of people who are the most “unheroic” parents, I need to stop, renew my faith in mankind, and remember all the moms who simply love their children with all their hearts and do everything in their power to show that love!

 

Perhaps you know a heroic mom or see one when you look in the mirror. Share your story and be entered for a chance to win $2,500 cash from Allstate. Plus four runner-ups will receive a $100 Visa Gift Card. *The five finalists will be chosen from the Entries receiving the most votes.  

 

One of the most important things any mom can do is purchase life insurance. Allstate has been helping to protect families’ futures with a range of life insurance products for over 50 years. To get a quote visit allstate.com/life

Disclosure: This is post is Sponsored by Allstate. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own. Official Contest Rules

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Let’s Talk About Families: How & When Is Your Family Complete?

October 28, 2011 By

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When I was dating my now-husband, James, I would get so irritated when near-strangers asked me when we were going to get married. When I complained to a friend, she said,

First, people will ask you when you’re going to get married. Then, they’ll ask you when you’re going to get pregnant. Finally, they’ll ask you when you when you’re going to stop having kids.

Isn’t that the truth? 

There was a short time in my late teens to early 20′s when I thought I didn’t want any kids. I was full of career plans and financial goals, and I hadn’t dated anyone who was even close to procreation material. 

As I continued to grow up, my sister had a baby, then another, and more until her family was complete with 4 amazing kids. I met my husband and knew that we had a future together. Gradually, I realized that my life wouldn’t be complete without children. 

While some of my friends had nailed down exactly the number of kids they wanted (some right down to gender and hair color!), I didn’t have any plans for how many kids would be “just right” for my husband and me. James had suggested two kids in our early days of marriage, and that seemed good to me! 

When the time came, we didn’t have a schedule or a plan, we just decided one day to try to start a family. I was pregnant within the week! The pregnancy progressed easily, and I came to the conclusion that I’d like our kids close in age. To my surprise, James was completely on board and we decided that, if everything went well with #1, #2 would be right behind him. 

Haiden was close to a perfect baby, and Piper was on her way three months after he was born. The second pregnancy flew by. Before we knew it, had two babies born 12 months and 5 days apart! 

Having “2 under 2″ was so much easier than I ever thought it would be. Piper was incredibly content, just wanting to be swaddled and held for much of her early months. I found that I was doing everything with Haiden, I was just holding a baby while I was doing it. 

As Haiden and Piper have grown, we’ve gone through easy and more trying periods. Those times have made me think either, We should have another baby! or Our family is big enough. Either way, our family will always be perfect to me. 

My husband feels the same way I do, so we’re not making any permanent decisions about family planning at this point in our lives! It does make me think, how will we make that decision? When will it happen? 

I’m curious to know: How and when do you decide your family is complete? Join the conversation and be entered to WIN the designer handbag of your choice (Up to a $500 value) from Essure!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Essure. The opinions and text are all mine. Official Contest Rules.

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10/30 P&G Brandsaver Coupons: Save Over $102 with “Have You Tried This Yet?”

October 25, 2011 By

baby dealsThis Sunday (10/30) pick up a Sunday newspaper with a P&G Brandsaver coupon insert and you’ll get over $102 in coupons for Procter & Gamble products. Here are a few of my favorites that we’ll see this weekend:

  • $2 off 1 box of OR 2 packs of Pampers diapers/training pants
  • $2 off any 1 Tide Detergent
  • $2 off 1 Downy Unstoppables
  • $2.50 off 2 CoverGirl Products
  • $2 off 1 Clairol Hair Color Product
  • Buy one get one free Old Spice Bodywash

The Brandsaver kicks off the second year of the Have You Tried This Yet? campaign, highlighting innovative products for yourself, family and home – products that deliver top-notch quality, performance and value.

This year, Have You Tried This Yet? has partnered with Kari Bryon from TV’s Mythbusters.  Her role on Mythbusters, coupled with her love and appreciation for innovation and science make her the perfect voice to bring the Have You Tried This Yet? program to life in the coming months.  As a busy woman and mom, Kari definitely understands the importance of finding the right products that get the job done and conveniently meet your, and your family’s, daily demands.

Have you ever wondered just how absorbent your paper towels are? Have you ever questioned how your at-home foam hair colorant works so there is no drip for less mess?  Well, stay tuned, because we’re going to explain all of this, and more, in the coming months!

Beginning in October, visit www.PGTryIt.com for ongoing updates and information on the Have You Tried This Yet? products, including ways to save money on purchasing them.  Kari will also be sharing with you the everyday science behind select P&G innovations, demonstrating the trusted role P&G products play in your daily life.

I don’t know about you, but a few of the brands highlighted in this week’s Brandsaver definitely have a place on my list of top household products. While I’m not brand-loyal, brands like Tide, Downy, Gillette, and Olay are among the unsung “product heroes” in my home, and I jump to buy them when I have the right coupons or come across the best deals!

For additional information about the products being highlighted in this program, as well as savings tips and consumer reviews, you can visit the Have You Tried This Yet site.

Procter & Gamble sent me an advance copy of the 10/30 Brandsaver insert to faciliate the coupon preview and details provided above. 

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Please Vote: I’m Nominated for the Parent’s Magazine ‘Best Gear & Toys Blog’ Award!

September 21, 2011 By


I just found out that a few of you wonderful readers nominated BabyGoodBuys.com for the Parent’s Magazine Best Blog Award in the Best Gear & Toys category!

First, thank you to those of you who nominated me; I’m thrilled! Now, I need everyone’s help! Please go to the Best Blog Award page and click on the little pink oval in my site’s description page to vote for BabyGoodBuys! 

Right now, I’m at the bottom of the list, but I I’m hoping that’s because I just got the email that this site was added. If you’d like to vote, then please head on over here to do it! Voting closes October 15, 2011,  and the winning blogs will be announced shortly thereafter.

Thanks again to those of you who took the time to nominate me! I also want to shout out a HUGE thanks to all of my amazing readers! You motivate and inspire me every single day!

P.S. I’m not doing this for any sort of cash prize or tangible award. The winners will be noted in an upcoming issue of Parent’s Magazine, and I’m just looking to reach more new moms so I can share the baby deals with more people! 

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Ask the Readers: How Do You Prepare Little Kids for Preschool?

September 1, 2011 By

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Time flies, right? I can’t believe that Haiden, who was just a tiny infant when I started this blog, is now three years old. He is, in fact, at the age where he could go to preschool if my husband and chose to do that. 

My sister homeschools her four children, and she has told me time and again that I’m already homeschooling Haiden and Piper just by sticking to our loose daily routine that we have in place!

While I certainly don’t consider myself a homeschooler, I do want my children to be successful in their mental and social development. I definitely do some things that are direct in their educational objectives, but we also do a lot of “indirect” activities that are fun for Haiden and Piper while also assisting in their overall “readiness” for education.

So, what sort of things am I doing to prepare my own children for preschool? 

Circle Time: I took this routine directly from the home daycare my kids used to attend when I worked at a corporate job. Here’s what we do:

  • Sing the “Circle Time” song to gather up and sit together. (it’s a very small circle, since there are only 3 of us!)
  • Sing the ABC song and sign the letters with ASL.
  • Count to 20
  • Sing the “Days of the Week” song
  • Sing the “Months of the Year” song. 
  • Sing interactive songs like Itsy Bitsy Spider, The Wheels on the Bus and If You’re Happy and You Know It. 

Reading: We read lots of books throughout the day. Sometimes Haiden and Piper simply want to hear a story. Other times it’s far more interactive where they talk about the pictures, answer questions, play “find the…” and sometimes even identify the words on the pages. My husband also reads to our kiddos for about half an hour at bedtime every night. We’re definitely in a reading groove, but I can always use more ideas on how to make reading fun and exciting for all of us. These tips for reading with your child are great if you’re looking to enhance the reading experience! 

Singing: Singing is a great social activity that helps kids learn to work together. We sing songs during circle time, sing to the radio in the car and sing songs just before they go to sleep. 

Arts, Crafts and Activities: My sister is very crafty, and she gives me ideas for activities to do with the kids all the time. In addition to those, Haiden and Piper love to color with crayons, paint with watercolors and mold shapes with different types of colored dough. 

Outings: We get out of the house a lot, and we do a variety of things. I’ve realized that we don’t need to go to a museum to foster learning. Rides in a car spark all sorts of questions about what’s going on in road construction. Walks to the park means we talk about nature and leaves. Trips to Grandma and Grandpa’s house mean a whole host of new things to talk about and try! 

I don’t want to stress myself or my kids out, so we also have plenty of downtime where we play outside, snuggle, play “wrestle” and do all sorts of relaxing. All in all, I want my kids to enjoy being at home with me as much as I love being at home with them. It’s the little everyday moments that matter the most in the long run, and I love all of them! 

I’m just a mom, and I don’t have any experience in education or childhood development. It just makes sense to me, however, that taking advantage of all those teachable moments and maintaining some structure in our days are some of the best things I can do to prepare Haiden and Piper for preschool. 

I’m curious to know: What advice do you have for moms prepping for preschool? KinderCare will choose one lucky participant and make donation in their name to the Reach Out And Read chapter of their choice!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of KinderCare. The opinions and text are all mine.
Image credit: Brandi Jordan
Official Contest Rules.

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