Posted by Gaylord Campbell

When I got home today, I immediately ran to the computer and logged onto my e-mail account using my Clear Internet connection. All week I have been anxiously awaiting a reply from a new potential employer. I have been unhappy at my job for the last year. We merged with another company and a lot of the people that I liked at work got laid off. There was also a huge change in the management across the board, and the work environment is really not the most pleasant. I need a job, so have stayed this long, but I have also been looking around for something better. I had an interview that I was really excited about last week. I think that it went really well and I really want to work there, but they said that it would take at least two weeks before I would find out if I got the job or not. So today, when I ran home to check the e-mail, again, no answer yet. It is literally killing me! Good or bad, anything could be better than this suspense!

Browse up to 7 times faster!  Upgrade your browser to Firefox 10.  This release includes an overhauled JavaScript engine called JägerMonkey to speed up the web as well as improved hardware acceleration. As always, Firefox is free.  One of the things I love most about Mozilla is their dedication to free and open source software and the internet.  Read their manifesto.

Green Goes Simple: Conservation at Home:
How Healthy Is Your Bedroom?

By Marisa Belger for Green Goes Simple

The kitchen may be the most popular room in the house, but the bedroom is where you clock the most time. Human beings dedicate one third of their lives to sleeping. With good reason: Sleeping refreshes the body and mind, recharging you for the next day. And while you can’t control many of the factors that interfere with slumber — noisy neighbors, early-bird toddlers, antsy dogs — a few simple changes can transform your ordinary bedroom into a snoozing sanctuary.

Emily Anderson, eco-style expert and author of Eco-Chic Home, has developed a 10-step plan to improve your bedroom health.

1. Leave your shoes at the door.
Going shoeless does more than keep your house clean. “The rubber on the soles of your shoes picks up chemicals and toxins from the pavement,” says Anderson. “You don’t want to bring those things into your bedroom.”

2. Manage your mattress.
Rotate your mattress every six months. “Rotating gets rid of dust mites and toxins and will prolong the life of the mattress,” says Anderson. Flip the mattress both horizontally and vertically. Forget what side you’re on? Anderson recommends pinning a note to the foot of the bed.

2. Chill out.
“Sleeping in a cooler temperature is not just the green thing to do — you actually sleep better when the thermostat is down,” says Anderson. Aim for 68 degrees in the winter. Toes still cold? Toss on an extra blanket.

4. Cover with curtains.
Window coverings are key. “You lose a tremendous amount of warm and cool air through windows,” notes Anderson. But it’s not the cracks that are the culprit. “Most windowpanes are not engineered to be energy-saving,” says Anderson. He recommends choosing curtains over blinds because they can be easily removed and washed. “And they actually cover more of the window.”

5. Don’t ignore the closet.
When was the last time you took inventory of your wardrobe? Exactly. Anderson suggests digging into your closet and pulling out what you no longer need. “Getting rid of excess is one of the best ways to save money,” she says. “You become more conscious of the things you own.”

6. Add a splash of vinegar.
“Vinegar is a great natural antibacterial agent,” says Anderson. “When washing sheets, add a cup with your regular detergent.”

7. Dry naturally.
“Once or twice a season, dry your sheets in the sunshine,” says Anderson. “Not putting sheets in the dryer all the time means they’ll last longer — plus, the sun is a natural whitener.”

8. Protect your pillow.
Pillows are susceptible to stains from makeup and natural face oils. Anderson recommends always covering your pillow with a washable case. “A pillowcase will protect your pillow and allow you to keep it longer,” she says.

9. Choose lavender.
Trade stinky mothballs for the soothing scent of lavender. The fragrant herb is a natural moth and mite repellent. “Homemade sachets are easy to make,” says Anderson. “Buy dried lavender in bulk and sew a little pillow. They also make great gifts.”

10. Illuminate naturally.
Anderson recommends setting up your bedroom to optimize the lighting. “Arrange your bed so it’s facing at least one window. Natural light wakes you up and makes it easier for you to get out of bed in the morning.”

Marisa Belger’s work has appeared in Travel + Leisure Family, Natural Health, Prevention and TODAYShow.com, where she wrote a column about eco-friendly living. She was an editor at Lime.com and collaborated with author Josh Dorfman on his bestselling books, The Lazy Environmentalist and The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget. She is the managing editor of and frequent contributor to Green Goes Simple.

I just discovered Rafflecopter, an awesomely easy way of hosting a giveaway.  I actually discovered it as I began entering giveaways again this weekend and quickly fell in love with how easy it made it to enter giveaways.  So I  decided to check it out thinking it would be expensive but hoping it would be affordable.  To my surprise not only is it incredibly easy to create giveaways, it’s free!  So you can expect a giveaway using Rafflecopter on here soon!  Anyway to help get the word out about their incredibly easy, amazingly free service, Rafflecopter is hosting their own giveaway.  They are giving away one 16GB Apple iPad2 and several Kindle Fires.  To enter visit Rafflecopter or enter below.

Continue reading →

WERE YOU A TEEN MOM; AND NOW YOU AND YOUR CHILD ARE ALL GROWN UP?

A major cable network and Emmy award-winning producers are now CASTING NATIONWIDE for ADULT WOMEN WHO WERE TEEN MOMS for our new series, “I WAS A TEEN MOM.” We are looking for dynamic women who had to grow up fast, raise a child and are just now having a life of their own.

· Did you have to give up your youth, and you’re finally having some of fun of your own?
· Are you trying to reclaim the carefree teenage years you missed out on?
· Do you and your daughter do the enjoy the same things and activities?

TELL US YOUR STORY!

To submit, please email ASAP: CastingTeenMom@gmail.com with:

· Your names
· Contact number and email
· State and City you live in
· Photos of the two of you
· A paragraph about you

 

I am not the author of this post and am in no way associated with any of it.  I am simply reposting this at the request of a reader.

I know I’ve been gone for a while, my posting has been sporadic at best for months.  I’d like to apologize to you all for going MIA.  I have been so depressed the past few months I’ve stopped doing just about anything I don’t have to do.  The weird thing is that in many ways I’m happier than I have ever been, I have such an awesome family.  My husband is truly the man I’ve always dreamed of, he is my soul-mate and not just in the cliched way.  My kids are the greatest, all 3 are smart, well-behaved, with great personalities.  I really and truly could not ask for a better family.

Some of my depression comes from the fact that I still haven’t gotten over the death of my grandmother.  Before she got really sick I would talk to her every day.  When she went into the hospital and then the nursing home, I quit calling her.  It was so selfish, I just didn’t want to accept what was happening.  I was already in denial, I kept telling myself she get better and be home soon so I could wait and call her at home.  I was also angry at her because my mom said she had pretty much given up, she quit eating and refused to help herself.  And then on May 12 she died and I hadn’t spoken to her in weeks.  I feel so guilty and angry with myself for not calling, like I said I used to call her daily and now I can’t talk to her at all.  This is the first I’ve admitted this except to my husband the night of the funeral and I’m balling as I write this.  I’ve been vacillating between anger, denial and depression but I can’t seem to move on to acceptance although that’s where I pretend to be.  My mom and Papaw just came to visit and it was so hard seeing him without her, leading up to their arrival I had to keep reminding myself that Mimi wouldn’t be with them.

In addition to grieving for my grandmother,  I am truly scared of all the cuts being discussed in Congress.  I finally got on Disability in July meaning I went from the state health care to medicaid and medicaid doesn’t want to cover 2 of my most important meds, Advair and Cymbalta, both are dangerous to go off of suddenly. While we want to see if we can get them improved my dr gave me some samples but I’m having to ration them and only take 1 dose daily instead of the 2 I truly need because I have no idea when or if I’ll be able to get more.  Even though a single dose is better than none at all, I’m still having daily asthma attacks and my depression and pain are worse from not getting enough Cymbalta.  I’m also really worried about cuts to disability, food stamps and other services.  We barely get by as is.

So anyway, I’m now getting back to posting, bargain hunting and sweeps.  I think it’s time for me to get back to doing what I love, I think it will help me get out of this horrible funk I’ve been in for months.  Besides I’ve got to get back to couponing, my food stamps have been cut again so I really need all the savings I can get.  It’s not cheap to feed three growing boys.

So what can you expect from Hot Mom Tips?  Well, I will once again be posting online coupons, freebies, giveaways and great deals along with some personal and some sponsored posts and reviews.  My goal is to return to posting daily so check back often.  I appreciate you sticking with me through this most difficult time.

 

Content by Kyle Lowe

My company offers a really lenient vacation policy and we decided this year to wholly take advantage of it. I love being in the office and getting things done so much that sometimes I don’t take off like I should and I find myself at the end of the year totally frazzled and worn out. My husband is from Germany so I think we’re going to go over there for a week and stay with family, which wil help keep the cost down. I went to homeSECURITY101.com last week to look into a home security system since we’ll be gone so long and I found a kennel willing to take the dog for a week and not charge us an arm and a leg. Since we rarely take vacations I’m not sure I remember how to do it anymore…I hope I don’t forget anything important! Luckily both our passports are still valid and we’ve got some new luggage but other than that, we’ll just have to see if anything goes wrong, I guess!

Ideas That Spark: Smart Living

Finding Deals and Steals in a Down Economy

From the Editors of Ideas That Spark

By Sarah Mahoney

Buyers be aware: You can find some real steals these days, especially if you’ve got your shopping game face on. This recession has undoubtedly unleashed America’s inner cheapskate, and whether they’re spending money on cars or manicures, more people are discovering ways to get a better deal on just about everything.

“The new face of this bargain hunter is a more affluent mom who is pulling back on her spending and looking for ways to save,” says Julie Parrish, co-founder of Hot Coupon World, an online community of deal spotters that saves its members as much as 60 to 80 percent off retail prices on just about anything. Chasing down these deals often turns into a sport. “Success feeds on itself and it’s fun. Mom gets a $50 rebate for something and realizes that pays the cell phone bill.”

Here’s where you can find some of the greatest deals:

New and Used Cars
With dealers struggling to survive and car companies begging for bailouts, consumers are solidly in the driver’s seat. Experts say it’s critical to know what you want and what it’s worth, based on independent estimates from Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds or the National Automobile Dealers Association. That includes the invoice price, how much you’d pay online, and for used cars, how much you’d likely pay in a private party sale. Shop midweek (when showrooms are empty) and later in the month (when dealers are frantic about meeting their numbers), and make your offer. Be patient, since all your power lies in the willingness to walk away. If Dealer A won’t accept your (reasonable) offer, move on to Dealer B — there are more cars than drivers in the United States.

Travel
With the recession biting big chunks out of the travel industry, deals abound — whether it’s Walt Disney World offering “Buy four, get three free” packages or agencies promoting cut-rate deals on cruises to Alaska. Start with travel sites but don’t rule out going straight to the source. When making reservations, ask what special discounts are available and what the cancellation policies are so you can keep shopping around right up until the last minute.

Appliances
Back in the day, these only went on sale when the new models began rolling in. But the persistently bad real estate market means fewer people are moving and redecorating, causing deep declines in appliance sales months before the recession became evident in other categories. (One exception is deep freezers, which are flying out the door as consumers try to save money by buying food in bulk.) The result? More incentives and price flexibility — right when many types of appliances are offering some of the best new energy-saving features than they have in years.

Once you’ve done your homework on price ranges, make a fair but low offer: You may be surprised at how quickly a store associate will agree. Just keep in mind, independent stores have more freedom to negotiate than big chains.

Software and Electronics
“Now is such a great time to get free software — such as antivirus programs,” says Anna Hagan, 43, a blogging mom of two teens who lives in Eagle, Wis. Often, she says, the best deals involve rebates. Hagan tracked electronic rebates alone last year, generating $1,000 in cost savings in 2008 alone.

Anything With a Coupon
Finally, if you still harbor any ugly stereotype of coupon clippers, shake it off. Internet and mobile phone technology now means that consumers can track down coupons for plasma TVs and cashmere sweaters, as well as shampoo and cat food. Searching them out is easy with sites like DealCatcher, RedPlum, Valpak, and The Coupon Clipper offering great values. Many, like Hot Coupon World, even offer coupon trading, in addition to a database of 60,000 coupons. Hard-core? You bet. Parrish tracks savings carefully and knows that by using coupons, her family of five saved $11,000 last year: “It’s how we are funding our retirement accounts.”

Ack!  The day after my last post my computer started locking up, within minutes of booting.  Everything would freeze and I couldn’t even launch the task manager, ctrl-alt-del didn’t work.  I ran virus scans and spyware removers turning up nothing.  I was about ready to wipe my hard drive and start over when I decided to do one last search for answers.  I finally found that the problem wasn’t a virus or malware but a compatibility issue.  So I went on an uninstalling spree.  I’m pretty sure the offending program was the htc update tool.  I found that it didn’t work on Windows 7 after downloading and installing it but hadn’t bothered to uninstall it.  So the moral of the story is to uninstall programs you are no longer using or don’t work correctly.   So, since I’ve not been able to access my blog for over a week I’m going to be extending the Purex giveaway!  It will end instead on June 19.

As I said yesterday, there are no coupon inserts this week.  So, here’s some new printable coupons for you!

Redplum Coupons

Allegra – SAVE $2.00
Amdro® – SAVE $2.00
Clif – $1.00 OFF
Sevin – SAVE $2.00
Ruffies® – SAVE $0.50
Bengay® – SAVE $3.00

CouponNetwork Coupons

$1 off when you buy any one Slim-Fast® Shake Mix
$1.75 off when you buy any one NEW Bayer® Advanced Aspirin
$1.25 off when you buy any two Marie’s® Dressing
$1.50 off any two Nature’s Bounty® Vitamin or Supplement
$5 off when you buy any one Flexamin® Product
Save up to $4 when you buy $10 or more Duracell® Batteries
Save $10 off NET10 $50 Unlimited Card and ANY NET10 phone
Save up to $2.00 when you buy 3 FARMER JOHN® Rope Sausage
Save up to $4.00 when you buy Listerine® Whitening® Rinse
$1 off any two Dean’s® Dip 12oz. or larger
Save up to $5.00 when you buy three Viva® 6-pack Towels
Save up to $4.00 when you buy 4 or more REACH® Toothbrushes
75¢ off when you buy any ONE BOX Cookie Crisp® cereal
75¢ off when you buy ONE BOX MultiGrain Cheerios® cereal
75¢ off when you buy any ONE BOX select Fiber One® cereals
$1 off when you buy Marie’s® Creamy Yogurt Dressing
50¢ off TWO Pillsbury® Rolled Refrigerated Pie Crusts
$1 off when you buy Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes®
$1 off when you buy any Biz® Stain Fighter Product
$5 off any Philips Norelco Shaving Replacement Head
$3 off 1 Multi-pack AVENT BPA-Free Baby Bottles
$2.50 off 1 AVENT BPA-Free Toddler Cup Twin Pack
$1.50 off 1 AVENT BPA-Free Toddler Cup
$1 off when you buy any two bags of SENSEO® COFFEE PODS
$2 off when you buy any Osteo Bi-Flex® Supplement or Powder
$1 off when you buy any Ester-C® Item
55¢ off when you buy Chef’s Requested Bacon Wrapped Filet
$1 off when you buy Chef’s Requested Bacon Wrapped Filets
$1 off on any ONE Chef’s Requested Extra Lean Beef Products
$1.50 off when you buy any TWO Chef’s Requested products
$1 off any 10 pack Chef’s Requested Chopped Beef Steaks
$1.50 off PediaSure®

Cellfire Coupons – available online until 05/30, redemption expiring 06/13

The offers below are available at Kroger and Kroger subsidiaries, Safeway subsidiaries (not including Dominick’s), and Shop ‘n Save.  These are loaded onto your savings card.

Cortaid Save $2

Save $2.00 on any Cortaid Anti-itch product.

Wonder® Smartwheat Save $.55
Save $0.55 when you one buy one loaf of Wonder® Smartwheat ™ today!

Fiber One® Cereal Save $.75
Save $0.75 when you buy any ONE BOX Fiber One® cereal listed: Fiber One® Original, Fiber One® Honey Clusters®, Fiber One® Raisin Bran Clusters®, Fiber One® Caramel Delight(TM), Fiber One® Frosted Shredded Wheat.

Cinn Toast Crunch Save $.55
Save $0.55 when you buy ONE BOX Cinnamon Toast Crunch® cereal.

Cocoa Puffs® cereal Save $.55
Save $0.55 when you buy any ONE BOX Cocoa Puffs® cereal.

Chex Mix® Treats Save $.50
Save $0.50 when you buy ONE BOX any flavor Chex Mix® Treats, Golden Grahams® Treats OR Milk ’n Cereal Bars.

Yoplait® Fiber One® Save $1
Save $1.00 when you buy any flavor Yoplait® Fiber One® Yogurt Multipacks.

Gogurt, Trix, Splitz Save $.75
Save $0.75 when you buy TWO any flavor Yoplait® products listed: Yoplait® Go-GURT® Yogurt, Yoplait® Trix® Multipack Yogurt, Yoplait® Splitz(TM) Yogurt.

Cheerios® Cereal Save $.55
Save $0.55 when you buy ONE BOX Original Cheerios® cereal (the one in the yellow box).

PB Toaster Strudel® Save $.60 on 2

**KROGER ONLY**
Clean & Clear Save $2