Monday, November 30, 2009

The Attitude Girl by Mila Bernadkin {A Review}

Being a teenager is hard (and being the mom of one is really hard too, but this isn't about me). Mila Bernadkin is a wonderful storyteller who has obviously had a lot of experience with teens. You can tell that she really "gets them" and the characters she crafted are extremely realistic.



The Attitude Girl is the story of Victoria Benson (Vicky) , a 17 year old who is tackling some pretty hefty issues with the help of her closest friends, Alex, Chloe, Jackie and Liza. When Vicky's mom loses her job, Vicky has to come face to face with her shopping problem. She's not too thrilled to find out that she can't shop whenever she wants. This news is the catalyst that pushes Vicky's already questionable attitude over the edge.

This book is written as a first person narrative and includes both Vicky's external interactions and her inner dialogue. As Vicky deals with her mom's unemployment, her feelings of abandonment by her dad, her shopping "problem" and the all to frequent teenage pressures to drink, be sexually active, and to fit in, she learns the importance of friendship.

I thought the story was masterfully written and extremely realistic, however, I wasn't a big fan of the frequent swearing and sexual situations (although I do realize that's part of what makes this book so believable).

Here's a few thoughts from my teenager:

The most important event that happens in Attitude Girl was when all five friends deal with a hard relationship. All five girls deal with hard decisions, Alex and Vicki find out that a best friend is more important then a guy they both like, Chloe learns to step up for herself and not be the “baby” of the group anymore, and finally Liza pays the consequence for a bad choice she made with her boyfriend by finding out that she is pregnant.

The Attitude Girl teaches great lessons about decisions and friendships. Mila Bernadkin basically wrote a story about what an average teenage girl with a single mother goes through everyday. As a Christian, I don’t agree with the language Mila used in her book. Also I believe from my point of view I wouldn’t recommend this book for a junior high student because of some of the topics the characters talk about. Overall, I thought the Attitude Girl makes a great point, as I said before, about how some decisions and the friends I choose to hang around with can ether give me a positive consequence or a negative consequence.

I also really like that the author is from Ukraine...just like me!

You can get a copy of The Attitude Girl from Five Star Publications for $16.95.

Here's a few pieces of information from the Media Kit.

In her debut novel, a first-place winner in the Arizona Authors Association Annual Literary Awards contest, Ludmila "Mila" Bernadkin draws on her experience as a teacher, mother and advanced graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature to identify with the tremulous world of confusing emotions and mixed messages of "maturity" today's teens live in as they feel their way through the process of becoming young adults.

Born and raised in Odessa, Ukraine, a beautiful resort city on the Black Sea, Bernadkin emigrated from the former Soviet Union and came to the United States in 1977. She graduated from the Brest Music College with a BA-equivalent degree in theory of music and music literature, and accepted a teaching position at a children's music school. After moving to the States, she became a Senior Programmer-Analyst, working at several of the largest financial institutions in New York City. However, medical reasons forced her early retirement, which turned out to be a blessing as she realized her life-long dream of becoming an award-winning published writer.

Bernadkin resides in Brooklyn, New York, with her daughter, a graduate student who is working on her Master's degree. Bernadkin loves to travel, listen to music and read.


Disclosure: The Attitude Girl was provided to me free of charge by Mila Bernadkin and Five Star Publications in conjunction with Mama Buzz. All opinions expressed here were my own and those of my daughter.

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Sunday, November 29, 2009

Menu Plan Monday

Here's what's cooking at our house this week!

Monday - Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, and mixed veggies

Tuesday - Steak, Baked Potatoes, and salad

Wednesday - Tacos

Thursday - Creamy Chicken Noodle Bake

Friday - Spaghetti Casserole

Saturday - FFY (Fend For Yourself)

If you want to know what everyone else has cooking this week, head on over to I'm An Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

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Friday, November 27, 2009

Swagbucks Gift Card Blowout

For months, I have shared my love of Swagbucks with you...and between now and January 1st, I only see my love increasing. Today is the first day of the Holiday Gift Card Blowout! Here's what The Swag Guy had to say on the Swagbucks Blog.

Starting on Black Friday (November 27th) we'll drastically cut the price to much less than we normally have these cards at and you can scoop up as many as 2 for far less than their full price. We won't announce which gift cards are the blowout card of the day but if and when you find it, go to town. Some gift cards may be the blow out gift card of the day more than once and at different blowout prices. That means you should probably explore the Swag Store every day just in case we're blowing out one of your favorite online store's gift card. We will do this all the way up until January 1st, 2010.

So I'm pretty excited and I will be sure to check the Swag Store regularly to see what they have to offer. (Today's gift card is a $10 Barnes and Noble gift card for 99 Swagbucks).

If you haven't already signed up, head over here to get signed up today. If you're already signed up and are looking for ways to earn faster, make sure you download the toolbar and tell all of your friends!

Search & Win

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Black Friday Magazine Deal

I love magazines. I'm like a kid at Christmas each time the mailman delivers a new one! That's why I'm thrilled to be able to share that now through December 1st, Amazon has 10 incredibly popular magazines priced at just $5 for a 1-year subscription. Give a gift, renew an existing subscription, or start a new one--all for just $5.00. Snap them all up at this price--they make great gifts for everyone on your list (especially friends and family who live far away or those who are hard to shop for). This is one of my favorite things to buy with the Amazon gift cards I earn through Swagbucks. The magazines that are included in this promotion are:

Real Simple (my favorite magazine!!!)
Sports Illustrated Kids
Smart Money
People Style Watch
Popular Science
Travel + Leisure
Food & Wine
House Beautiful (another favorite)
Southern Living (yet another one I love)

For more information or to order, head on over here. Don't forget that shipping is always free on magazines.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Mega Swagbucks Day

Friday is Mega Swagbucks Day and that means you can earn Swagbucks in larger denominations (10,20, 50, 100). They guarantee over 10K Swagbucks will be awarded in Mega Bills! Make sure to head on over tomorrow and do a few searches (and do a few today while you're at it!). Remember 45 Swagbucks will get you a $5 Amazon gift card. You can easily earn 1 or 2 Amazon gift cards a month with just a few searches a day!
Search & Win

For those of you who haven't heard of Swagbucks, it is a free way to search online (it's powered by Google and Ask.com) and earn rewards for doing it. You can learn more about Swagbucks in this post. Have a great weekend!!!

Search & Win

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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Sunday Coupon Previews

Want to know what coupons are in this Sunday's paper? Head on over to Sunday Coupon Preview.

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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Is Gratitude Your Attitude?


Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.
~Melody Beattie

I hope your day is full of God's riches and that you reflect on how much you have to be thankful for! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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Monday, November 23, 2009

Black Friday Deals Every Day This Week at Amazon


This week, you'll be able to find all kinds of great deals at Amazon. They just kicked off their Black Friday Deals Week. Here's what they had to say about it.

You shouldn’t have to stand in a long line to get a great deal. We’re searching for the best Black Friday deals everywhere--including deals other stores are planning--so we can meet or beat their prices and bring them to you even earlier. These limited-supply offers will go quickly but we’ll add new ones throughout the day, every day this week, so you can skip the long lines and still save a bundle.

You can check out the current deals by clicking here. This is a great time to use the Amazon gift cards you earned with Swagbucks. These deals will be even sweeter if you signed up for the free Amazon Prime membership I told you about here. Check back regularly as they'll be adding deals throughout the day!

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Become a Member of VocalPoint and receive FREE Samples and Coupons


I love trying new products (especially when they're free)! Since joining VocalPoint in the spring, I have found that my mailbox often contains goodies like free samples and coupons for free products. I've had the opportunity to try a full sized Bounce Dryer bar which totally rocks (you can see my post about it here) as well as Secret Clinical Deodorant. Plus I've received coupons for a free box of Kashi cereal, a free box of Rice Krispies, and most recently, I received coupons for Pantene. They also include coupons to share with your friends (this is a great way to bless others).

If you're not already a VocalPoint mom, you can sign up here. It's a great way to try new products (and ones you already love) for free!

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Sunday, November 22, 2009

Menu Plan Monday

On Saturday, my daughters and I hung out, clipped coupons, went through my coupon binder, and chatted about their favorite dinners. We made a huge list (it's been a long time since we last made one of those lists) and thought of a bunch of our favorite meals. I was able to not only plan this week, but the whole month of December. December is busy enough without the added stress of trying to put something good on the table for dinner after a long day of work.

So here is what we're eating this week. I've tried to keep things somewhat simple since I'll be doing quite a bit of baking for Thanksgiving.

Monday - Teriyaki Chicken and Rice

Tuesday - Spaghetti and Salad

Wednesday - Pizza

Thursday - Thanksgiving (Turkey and all the trimmings)

Friday - Creamy Turkey Noodle Bake (use some leftover turkey, some cream of mushroom soup, a little cheese, a little milk, and some pasta. Cook pasta according to directions, drain, mix with other ingredients and put in the oven @350 until the cheese melts) You can also add veggies if you want. It's easy, quick, and tastes yummy. I do this quite a bit with chicken too.

Saturday - FFY

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. If you want to know what everyone else has cooking this week, head on over to I'm An Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

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FREE Beth Moore Online Bible Study Every Monday!

Join Beth Moore every Monday for a free online Bible study! Click here to listen and download the study guide!

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Saturday, November 21, 2009

Sunday Coupon Preview

Want to know what coupons are in this Sunday's paper? Head on over to Sunday Coupon Preview. This week it looks like there is only 1 SmartSource insert. :-(

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Friday, November 20, 2009

Cleaning Without Chemicals: The Ultimate Cloth {Review}

I've confessed to you in the past that I'm not naturally organized...and to top it off, I'm super busy. When it's time to clean my house, I usually end up frustrated. Part of the problem is that I keep most of my cleaning supplies under my kitchen sink. I've read in various places that you should keep whatever chemicals you need to clean each room in that particular room, however, that doesn't work so well when you're limited on space. I do try to keep bathroom cleaning products in each bathroom, but that really cuts down on the space for my curling iron, hot rollers, straightener, hair dryer, makeup, etc. I regularly lament that there has got to be an easier way of doing things...and I just found out that there is!

It's called the Ultimate Cloth! Here's the info I received and then I'll tell you my thoughts!

The Ultimate Cloth is an eco-friendly solution for homes as well as a money and time saver. The Ultimate Cloth is a brand new technology – in fact, it is the only cloth to receive a new patent in the last 25 years. The Ultimate Cloth is a simple, green and effective one-step cleaning process. The Ultimate Cloth cleans any hard surface – glass, wood, granite, stainless steel and many more – with just water! No longer do you have to use harsh chemicals in your home, nor do you need spend hundreds of dollars per year buying them. The Ultimate Cloth has been lab tested to remove 96% of bacteria, without the use of chemicals. And, can cut 50% off your cleaning time. The Ultimate Cloth is truly the ultimate in green cleaning.

I am a huge fan of the Ultimate Cloth. For starters, you don't need to use any chemicals. You simply wet it and use it to clean almost any surface. I've tried it on windows, mirrors, counter tops, faucets, sinks, and even walls. It's easy to use and it works really well! A word of caution, a little bit of water on the Ultimate Cloth goes a long way.

I can't tell you how impressed I am by this product and I know that if you try it, you'll be impressed too. If you'd like a FREE Ultimate Cloth, all you need to do is follow Ultimate Cloth on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook. Twitter and Facebook will provide the information you need to get your Ultimate Cloth!

Happy Cleaning!

Disclosure:
This Ultimate Cloth was provided to me free of charge by Ultimate Cloth America in conjunction with Mama Buzz. All opinions expressed here were my own.

Mega Swagbucks Day

Sorry I'm a little late in posting, but you still have time to search! Today is Mega Swagbucks Day and that means you can earn Swagbucks in larger denominations (10,20, 50, 100). They guarantee over 10K Swagbucks will be awarded in Mega Bills! Make sure to head on over and do a few searches. Remember 45 Swagbucks will get you a $5 Amazon gift card. You can easily earn 1 or 2 Amazon gift cards a month with just a few searches a day!
Search & Win

For those of you who haven't heard of Swagbucks, it is a free way to search online (it's powered by Google and Ask.com) and earn rewards for doing it. You can learn more about Swagbucks in this post. Have a great weekend!!!

Search & Win

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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Menu Plan Monday - The Wednesday Edition

I'm a little behind this week on getting my menu plan for the week posted. We've been eating good (not always the healthiest, but it's been yummy) at our house this week!

Monday - Breakfast for Dinner (eggs, bacon, and toast or bagels)

Tuesday - Steak and mashed potatoes

Wednesday - Creamy Chicken Alfredo

Thursday - Roast with mixed vegetables, brown rice, and salad

Friday - Dinner out with friends

Saturday - Hot Dogs and Mac & Cheese

Sunday - Leftover Buffet

Want to know what everyone else has cooking this week? Head on over to I'm An Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday!

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Freebies

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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Curse of the Spider King {A Review}

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When I first looked at The Curse of the Spider King: Book 1 in the Berinfell Prophecies, I'll be honest with you, I wasn't too jazzed. The cover of this books has lots of gross looking spiders with knights riding on them. I hate spiders and I'm not a big fan of the fantasy genre either. This book by Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper was written for ages 12-17. When I offered it to my kids to read, my 14 year old grudgingly offered to read it. I was pleasantly surprised when an hour later she came out of her room and told me "This book is amazing!" And from the time she finished the book, she has asked time and time again "Do you know when the second book is coming out?"

I'll let her tell you in her own words what she thought.

When I first saw the book Curse of the Spider King, I thought it was the lamest book ever, but I was just judging by its cover. As I started reading it, I couldn't pit it down. Curse of the Spider King was amazing. I just wanted to keep reading and never put down this mysterious book.

The book is about seven 13 year olds who live in our world, not realizing that someday they are going to save a world beyond their own. I love the characters Batson and Hopper created. The seven teens are my age and it sort of gives me something to think about...What would I have done if it was me?

The end of the book had a one chapter sneak preview of the second book. I'm so glad there is a second book!!! I can't wait to read it. And this time, I won't judge a book by its cover.

As a mom, it's comforting to know that books put out by Thomas Nelson won't be full of bad language and questionable morals. I can allow my teens to read them without having to read them first!

If you have a teen, this book would be a great Christmas gift! You'll definitely want to check it out.

The Curse of the Spider King: Book 1 in the Berinfell Prophecies
By: Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper
Ages: 12 - 17
Put out by: Thomas Nelson
Price: $14.99 (You can purchase this book from Amazon by clicking here or clicking on the image of the book in the left sidebar.)

Disclosure: This book was provided to me free of charge by Thomas Nelson in conjunction with Mama Buzz. All opinions expressed here were my own or those of my sweet daughter.

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Monday, November 16, 2009

A Very Short, Common Sense PSA

The following is my very short common sense Public Service Announcement.

Do NOT cough on your hand and then proceed to touch all the produce at your local grocery store. I know your mama taught you better than that. Plus, it's bad for grocery store sales. I know this because I personally passed on buying produce this weekend after I saw an individual who coughed into her hand and then went right back to pawing the produce!

Ok...PSA over! Carry on with your day!

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Disclosure Policy

This policy is valid from 16 November 2009


This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me with input from my husband and two daughters. For questions about this blog, please contact Lisa Thompson at Simplified Saving.

This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content.

The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.


To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

Sunday, November 15, 2009

FREE 4 Week Trial of Amazon Prime


I am so excited to see the return of this deal! Simply click here to sign up for your free 4 week trial of Amazon Prime. Amazon Prime gives you FREE Two-Day Shipping with no minimum purchase when you start a free trial of Amazon Prime! That means you can order what you want, when you want, without worrying about a minimum amount for shipping!

I love Amazon and am planning on using my giftcards I earned at Swagbucks to buy some of my Christmas gifts! This totally sweetens the deal for me!

If you haven't signed up for Amazon Prime in the past, click here to sign up. This deal is only available to new Amazon Prime Members.

Thanks Money Saving Madness! You totally made my day!

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FREE Beth Moore online Bible study every Monday!

Join Beth Moore every Monday for a free online Bible study! Click here to listen and download the study guide!

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Alice.com Certificates on Swagbucks: Two of My Favorite Things Come Together

It's like Peanut Butter and Chocolate... These things are great by individually, but they're even better combined.
Search & Win

I love Swagbucks. I've talked about them often. I love that I can search online throughout the day and win Swagbucks which I then redeem for Amazon.com gift cards (or other cool prizes!) I was thrilled today when I noticed on the Swagbucks blog that they now have $5 Alice.com Gift cards for only 12 Swagbucks! You better believe that I bought one in a heartbeat!

Alice.com
is an online retailer of household products. If you're tired of running to the store when you run out of toilet paper or trash bags, this is the site for you. Alice.com allows you to manage all your household, healthy, and beauty product shopping in one place. It will even send you reminders if you choose to order more of a particular product. Alice.com also has clip-free coupons that can automatically be applied to your order. Shipping is always free (and it's really fast...my products normally arrive the next day or 2 days later max!) and the only catch is that you need to order at least 6 items. I just made another purchase today (they have a variety of Kotex pantyliners for only $0.41/box and Bic Razors for $0.96/pack. My whole order came to $3.33. You may be able to do better than this by combining sales and coupons, but you'd have to leave your warm cozy house. Plus, if you sign up using this link, you will get a $10 credit in your Alice.com account once you have spent more than $50 on their site.

If you haven't signed up for Swagbucks yet, what are you waiting for? There's no time like the present. And speaking of presents...Christmas is less than 6 weeks away and I will be using quite a few of the Amazon.com gift cards I've earned through Swagbucks to buy presents. Wouldn't you like to get some gift cards too?

Give the Gift of Financial Freedom - 50% off Dave Ramsey Products

When my husband picked up Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover on New Years Eve last year, I had no idea how radically it would change our finances. We followed up the reading of the book with Financial Peace University and have been plugging away since then!


Now through November 17th, you can get 50% off Dave Ramsey's books, CDs, DVDs, and more. Plus you can get FREE shipping on orders of $65 or more. Check it out here!

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Saturday, November 14, 2009

Mall Madness - Great Deals on November 15th

I can't believe that Christmas is less than 6 weeks away. Here are a few deals to check out if you're heading to the mall. Quite a few of these end or are only valid on November 15th (sorry for the late notice!).

Victoria's Secret- Free Cotton Panty with Purchase

Click here to get a coupon for a Free VS Cotton Panty with Purchase through November 25th. This deal is made even sweeter by a special rewards program going on now. You’ll receive a mystery gift card with every purchase of $10 or more that is guaranteed to be worth a minimum of $10 and possibly as much as $500! You can start redeeming them December 1st. Definitely worth stopping in for!

Thanks Deal Seeking Mom!


Bath and Body Works- Antibacterial Soaps for Only $1.67

Bath and Body Works has Antibacterial Soaps on Sale 4/$10 until November 15th. Purchase 12 and use the $10 off $30 purchase coupon to get them for only $1.67 each. These are great to add to a gift basket and also make great gifts for teachers.
Thanks Cha-Ching on a Shoestring and Deal Seeking Mom!

Express- $15 off $30 purchase or $30 off $75 purchase

Click here to get a coupon for $15 off $30 purchase or $30 off $75 purchase at Express. This is a great way to pick up some Christmas gifts for those who love clothes! This coupon expires November 16th.

Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Piperlime, and Gap Inc Outlet Stores- 30% off your purchase

It's Give and Get time again from Gap, Inc. When you use a Give and Get coupon, you'll get 30% off your purchase and 5% will go to a charity. If you'd like your 5% to go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, click here. Want your 5% to go to Service Nation, click here. This coupon expires November 15th.

American Eagle & Aerie
- Take 20% off your purchase

Sunday, November 15th is Friends and Family Day at American Eagle and Aerie. Click here to get your coupon for 20% off. While you're at Aerie, make sure to sign up for their A-List.

Also, be sure to check your mail. I received coupons this week for JC Penneys, Kohls, and Build-A-Bear.

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Sunday Coupon Preview for November 15th

It looks like this week we will have 3 inserts: General Mills, Red Plum, and Smart Source. I'm excited about the General Mills Insert since these coupons are quite helpful for the holidays. If you'd like more info on what to expect in tomorrows paper, head on over to Sunday Coupon Preview.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Purple Trail {A Review and Giveaway} CLOSED

I love hosting parties and helping to coordinate events, but I have to be honest about my hostessing abilities. I'm not very organized and I usually end up having a nervous breakdown the day of the party...especially when it's at my home. I've even been known to stuff everything sitting out around the house (mail, shoes, etc) in my dryer to make my house look neater. I have a hard time remembering who is coming, how many friends they're bringing, if they offered to bring a food or drink (and half the time, I'm not sure what kind of food to provide as a main dish). Party planning can be overwhelming, but I have found a great tool...Purple Trail. Purple Trail is like having your own event planner!

I'm sure you're wondering what makes Purple Trail so special and what exactly it is they do!
  • Purple Trail allows you to create and send out online invitations (and birthday cards and holiday cards...) without those annoying ads that many online invitations and cards come with! They have hundreds of pre-designed online invites, ecards and announcements to choose from. Choose one and send it as is or you can customize it with your own photos, videos, music, and embellishments. You can even choose to make your own design from scratch. The Design Center is super easy to use. If you don't believe me, just check out this video.

  • You can also create a matching event website that is interactive. Not only can guests find all the necessary details (directions, dress code, etc.), but they can also RSVP and add their two cents about time and location. And...they even have a potluck feature where guests can specify what they're bringing to the party (I really like this feature...makes my life easier for sure)!
  • Purple Trail allows you to share your invitation via Twitter and Facebook. Plus, with the easy to use Address Book, you can import your contacts from Yahoo, Gmail and Hotmail.
  • Purple Trail even allows you to interact with your guest after the event. You can design and send thank you notes. You can even share photos and videos of the event and allow your guests to do the same.
Purple Trail has several plans available to you. These plans range in price from Free to $49.95/year. To find out more about these plans, click here.

Purple Trail has graciously offered to give one of my readers a Basic Membership which is valued at $14.95/year.

Want to Win It? Simply head on over to Purple Trail and leave a comment here with your favorite design style. This is required!

Want Extra Entries:**

1. Follow Simplified Saving on Blogger (or with Google Friend Connect).

2. Subscribe to Simplified Saving via email and /or RSS feed.

3. Blog about this giveaway and link back to this page (Leave your post URL)

4. Take my pretty new button and post it on your blog. (Leave your blog URL)

5. Follow me on Twitter (@LisaAboutLife) and tweet this: Win a @PurpleTrail Basic Membership to help with your holiday party planning! Fun Giveaway @LisaAboutLife http://bit.ly/28Ow6E (Leave your tweet URL)

6. Leave a comment with your favorite tip for planning a stress free party!

**Please leave a separate comment for every entry. If your email address is not visible in your Blogger profile, please leave your email address with every comment! This giveaway will be closed on November 20th at 8pm ET.

{Disclosure: I was provided with a Premium Membership to Purple Trail in conjunction with Mama Buzz.}

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Mega Swagbucks Day

Today is Mega Swagbucks Day and that means you can earn Swagbucks in larger denominations (10,20, 50, 100). They guarantee over 10K Swagbucks will be awarded in Mega Bills! Make sure to head on over and do a few searches. Remember 45 Swagbucks will get you a $5 Amazon gift card. You can easily earn 1 or 2 Amazon gift cards a month with just a few searches a day!
Search & Win

For those of you who haven't heard of Swagbucks, it is a free way to search online (it's powered by Google and Ask.com) and earn rewards for doing it. You can learn more about Swagbucks in this post. Have a great weekend!!!

Search & Win

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Thursday, November 12, 2009

Great Deal at Target on LeapFrog Alphabet Pal...Only $0.49


This sale is only valid for 2 days and it involves price matching, but it's well worth it and will make a great Christmas gift!

Starting tomorrow, 11/12, Toys R Us will have a two day Doorbuster sales ad available--valid Friday and Saturday. You should be able to pick this ad up at your local Toys R Us. Advertised in the ad is the LeapFrog Alphabet Pal priced at $10.49!

Here's what you need to do:

Pick up a Toys R Us ad and head on over to Target.
Purchase the LeapFrog Alphabet Pal and ask them to price match it.
Use the $10/1 Target coupon to get this for only $0.49!

Thanks to Hip2Save, Nora, & SD for sharing this deal!

Fort Wayne Area Great Deals

Christmas is only 6 weeks away! I can hardly believe it's this time of year already. If you haven't finished your shopping and you live in the Fort Wayne area, you need to check out Darlington Holiday Warehouse and Anchor Room. Both of them are full of great deals.

Darlington Holiday Warehouse has a wide variety of items! Gifts, wrap, ceramics, candles, books, scrapbooking supplies, frames, photo albums, art supplies, toys and books for kids, baby stuff, ribbons, bows, stationery, kitchen items, and much, much more...and most of them are only $1.49. This is my favorite place to get gift wrap! It's also a great place to get items to fill your Operation Christmas Child boxes.

Anchor Room kicked off a Liquidation Sale today and everything in the store is 25% off. I was able to pick up some gifts for the kids, my hubby, and I found some more treasures for our Operation Christmas Child boxes.

Happy Shopping!!!

Are you an A-Lister?

I would love to be famous! To be on the A-List! To be invited to fabulous parties with great swag bags! Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to happen any time soon!

The good news is aerie offers an A-List program and anyone can be an A-List member. Stop by any aerie store and sign up for their A-List.

Each month, stop by aerie on any Thursday to pick up your gift. You will also get a bonus gift during your birthday month. This month's gift is bottle of perfume. This is a free program with lots of great perks! Click here for more details or go on over here to find your closest store.

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Wednesday, November 11, 2009

I Feel Pretty...Oh So Pretty!

Did you notice I got a facelift? Ok, it wasn't me (although I totally wouldn't mind, but that's a post for a different day!).  My blog is looking oh so pretty thanks to Leelou Blogs! If you are needing a facelift of the blogging variety, definitely check her out!

I'm still ironing a few kinks out, so if you notice a few links or buttons that aren't going to the right place, please bear with me!  I'm hoping it will be full speed ahead by this weekend.  Thank you for your patience as I've been figuring out blogging platforms and getting a makeover!  

Stay tuned because I have some great info coming up to help you make it through the holiday season without breaking the bank or having a nervous breakdown!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Jantsen's Gift by Pam Cope and Aimee Molloy


One of my deepest desires is to make a difference...in my family, in my church, in my community, in the world. If you've ever dreamed of making a difference, this book is for you!


Jantsen's Gift is the story of a woman who seemingly has it all...a great family, a job she loves, and a beautiful home, yet she is plagued by an internal restlessness, a desire for more. In the first few chapters, Pam shares the devastating loss of her 15 year old son, Jantsen, to an undiagnosed heart ailment. Crippled by grief, Pam struggled to complete even the simplest of tasks.

Pam was pulled out of her downward spiral when her family traveled to Vietnam over Thanksgiving to see an orphanage her family was considering as a recipient of Jantsen's Memorial Fund. On that trip, Pam saw the devastating needs of children in Asia. She was awakened to the horrors of slavery and child trafficking. She saw first hand how devastating it can be for a child to live in an orphanage, without even basic necessities. This trip was the catalyst Pam needed to not only get her life back, but also to change the lives of others. Pam went on to start Touch A Life Foundation and rescue children in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Ghana. She also adopted 2 kids from Vietnam during the process.

This book is a story of hope...of triumph over tragedy...of one mom who makes an incredible difference. As an adoptive mom, I have seen the difference hope and security can make in the life of a child. When kids don't have to worry about where their next meal will come from, where they will sleep, and if they will be safe, they can focus on learning, making friends, and reaching their potential!

If you have ever dreamed of making a difference in the life of a child, this book is for you. Read it with a box of tissues nearby...you'll need them! If you'd like to read more, visit Hachette Book Group or check out the Open Book widget in the sidebar of this blog. If you're part of a book club, check out the Reading Group Guide! This book can also be purchased on Amazon for $18.24.

(Disclosure: I was provided with this book, free of charge, by Hachette Book Group, in conjunction with Mama Buzz. All opinions expressed are my own and were in no way influenced by the free book!)

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So Thankful...

I just got home from a wonderful girls weekend away...and it made me realize how very thankful I am.

I am thankful for the blessing of friendship. Last year at this time, I was out of town for a girls weekend with my closest friends from Phoenix and I wondered if I'd ever make close girlfriends here. God has definitely answered that prayer. Not only did I get to spend last weekend in New Hampshire with my friends from here in Indiana, I will also get to spend time in January with my dear friends in Arizona.

I am thankful for my husband. He was totally willing to take care of our girls while I was gone. And he didn't complain...even when he got the phone call on Friday that our youngest was sick with a fever and he needed to pick her up from school. He did a great job taking care of the girls!

I am thankful for my mom. She and I went up earlier than the other girls and stayed an extra day. Our first day in New Hampshire started with us sitting at the ocean laughing so hard that we cried and it ended the same way. I am so blessed to have a mom that is also my friend!

I am thankful for our kids. Although they were slightly jealous that I got a weekend away in New Hampshire, they were truly happy for me and they were well-behaved for my hubby...for the most part! :-)

As Thanksgiving approaches, I encourage you to think about what you're thankful for...not just on Thanksgiving, but every day!

I am linking this post to Just For the Joy of It over at Good, True, and Beautiful!

Friday, November 6, 2009

Mega Swagbucks Day

Today is Mega Swagbucks Day and that means you can earn Swagbucks in larger denominations (10,20, 50, 100). They guarantee over 10K Swagbucks will be awarded in Mega Bills! Make sure to head on over and do a few searches. Remember 45 Swagbucks will get you a $5 Amazon gift card. You can easily earn 1 or 2 Amazon gift cards a month with just a few searches a day!
Search & Win

For those of you who haven't heard of Swagbucks, it is a free way to search online (it's powered by Google and Ask.com) and earn rewards for doing it. You can learn more about Swagbucks in this post. Have a great weekend!!!

Search & Win

Monday, November 2, 2009

Free "Desiring God" Download from ChristianAudio.com

I am SOOO excited about this months FREE audio download from christianaudio.com. This month they are offering "Desiring God" by John Piper. If you haven't had a chance to read or listen to this book, you are missing out! It's incredible!

If that wasn't already a great deal, they are offering all John Piper audiobook digital downloads at $4.98 until November 21st. You can't beat these prices!

To download "Desiring God" for FREE, click here and add the download to your cart. Use the coupon code NOV2009 when prompted!

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FREE Beth Moore Online Bible study every Monday!

Join Beth Moore every Monday for a free online Bible study! Click here to listen and download the study guide!