Have a Safe and Happy New Year

I just want to take a couple minutes to say...

 

                                      •°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆ ★ ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆

                                     ╔╗╔╦══╦═╦═╦╗╔╗ °•.¸☆ ★ ☆¸.••.¸☆

                                     ║╚╝║══║═║═║╚╝║ ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆

                                     ║╔╗║╔╗║╔╣╔╩╗╔╝ NEW YEAR ☆ 2011

                                     ╚╝╚╩╝╚╩╝╚╝═╚╝ ♥￥☆★☆★☆￥♥ ★☆

If you're going to go out tonight, have fun but please remember to stay safe and make responsible decisions!  My wonderful husband had knee surgery yesterday morning.  So, we are going to be spending the entire weekend relaxing at home. 

Thank you all so much for being wonderful followers and loyal readers.  2010 has been so much fun.  When I started my blog, I honestly had no idea it would take me this far.  I hope that you enjoy what I share and that I can make 2011 even better!

I wish you all a year full of happiness and success!

Order Your Holiday Photos - 99 Pictures for 99 Cents!

Now is the perfect time to order all those wonderful Holiday photos. You can get 99 4" x 6" mail-order prints for only 99 cents at Snapfish.  That's only a penny a piece!

Simply use coupon 2011PENNY at checkout before 11:59 PM PST on January 9th.  

Costume Discounters Review - Costumes Aren't Only for Halloween!

Costumes aren't only for Halloween!  Children of all ages, girls and boys alike, love playing dress-up and make-believe all year long.  There are also events and parties where a costume is necessary as well.  You just never know when you might need a costume.

 

Costume Discounters is an online store that features a huge selection of costumes at reasonable and afforable prices!  They have the perfect costume for every member of the family, from children to adults and even your family pet!

Everlast Boxer - $26.97

I love how easily you can search for a very specific costume on Costume Discounters.  You can search for girl costumes, boy costumes or even teen costumes.

Whether your son wants to be a ninja, cowboy or superhero.  If your daughter wants to be a princess, nurse or cheerleader.  Maybe your tween wants to be a lady bug, dancer or hippie.

I'm positive that you can find the perfect costume!

Tween Lady Bug - $31.97

One of my personal favorites is the Tween Lady Bug costume.

  My daughter is only 7 years old, but some of the smaller children's costumes don't fit her properly.  I've had a difficult time in the past finding costumes that fit her and that are also appropriate for her age.

I love the fact that Costume Discounters offers costumes in every size.  Because as you all know, one size does NOT always fit all.   They also carry costumes specific to certain holidays.  Including Christmas and Easter.

You will find all the hottest costumes and other costumes that you might not have even imagined.  From Hannah Montana to Elvis to My Little Ponies to Mario!  One of the largest varieties of costumes I"ve found: from cute and adorable to spooky and everything in between.

From accessories to makeup to decorations, they carry it all.  Costume Discounters also has an amazing clearance section for the frugal costume shopper.

Prisoner Pooch - $18.97

You can shop with complete confidence because Costume Discounters offers FREE exchanges and replacements.
 So, if you order a costume and it doesn't fit or if you decide that you want/need a different costume - there is not need to worry.  Simply use the prepaid UPS return label that was included in your order.

Costume Discounters also offers a price match guarantee. If you find the same costume on another retail costume website, they'll match the price plus give you an additional 20% off!  In other words, you have nothing to lose.

My beautiful little lady bug

 

**I received the Tween Lady Bug Costume for the purpose of a review.  The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own.  Results may vary.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review. 

A special thanks to Costume Discounters for this great review opportunity!

A Little Spicy, A Little Sweet - Cowgirl Chocolates Giveaway Winner Announced

I want to thank everyone who entered my Cowgirl Chocolates Giveaway.   I would also like to thank the giveaway sponsor, Cowgirl Chocolates, for sponsoring this sweet and spicy giveaway for my readers. 

I also want to wish all of my wonderful readers...

A Safe and Happy New Year!

The winner is #33:

 

CONGRATULATIONS, Helene!

I have sent you an email. You will have 48 hours to respond to the email, or another winner will be drawn.



**Don't forget to stop by and enter my other giveaways!  Check back and enter often, I'll be posting new and exciting giveaways on a regular basis!

Fantastic Frugal Fridays 12/31 - Come Share Your Frugal Posts and Frugal Tips - New Years Edition

I would like to welcome you to the Fantastic Frugal Fridays blog party.

The Fantastic Frugal Fridays blog party is hosted by JR from Frugality Is Free and me (Bridget) here at Being Frugal and Making it Work, and we are both very excited to invite all of you to share your frugal adventures with us.

I would like to thank everyone, who participate in the Fantastic Frugal Fridays, and I really hope that all of you...

Have a Safe and Happy New Year!

NEW BONUS: 

Starting this week, the Frugal Expert of the week will receive an extra bonus. A 125 x 125 ad space here at Being Frugal and Making It Work as well as at Frugality Is Free.

It is always great to know a little about the hostesses at any party, so here is a bit about us.

JR and I are two frugal stay-at-home moms, and we both manage our household budgets with a very frugal hand. Being frugal moms does not mean that our families live without though, as we spoil our kids and sometimes our husbands rotten on Christmas and birthdays.

We both earn our own spending money by writing about our frugal lifestyles, and through various online earning sites. Every year we also treat our families to a frugal vacation on us....and our frugal budgets. JR's favorite place to take her three wonderful sons and husband is the Florida Keys, while I take my two kids and husband to the Oregon coast.

JR lives in urban South Florida, and I live in rural North Idaho, but frugality has brought us together, and I hope that the Fantastic Frugal Fridays will be a place, where you too will meet and connect with other frugal-minded friends.

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Each week we will feature a Frugal Expert, unfortunately nobody qualified this week. :(

Will YOU be the next Frugal Expert?

??


The Frugal Expert will:

• Receive" a feature on both Frugality Is Free and Being Frugal and Making It Work.
• Win a free week ad space at Frugality Is Free
• Get the third spot in the linky

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To keep the party neat and clean, there will be a few rules.

The Rules:

1. Link up a frugal post

it can be anything frugal:. DIY projects, frugal deals, thrift store buys, frugal gardening, recipes etc...you name it...anything frugal except for grocery store deals

2. Follow Being Frugal and Making It

Work and Frugality Is Free

3.  Comment on the two people before you, and as many other frugal posts, as you would like

The Frugal Expert of the Week:

For a chance to be featured at the next Frugal Expert at the Fantastic Frugal Fridays and win a free ad space:

*1 entry per method - let me know below what you do and leave links)*

1) Make a blog post about Fantastic Frugal Fridays.
2) Add the Fantastic Frugal Fridays button to a blog post..
3) Add the Fantastic Frugal Fridays to your main page sidebar.
4) Tweet about the Fantastic Frugal Fridays (Leave tweet link in comment)

Example tweet:

Come join me at the Fantastic Frugal Fridays, http://t.co/D80Ln9S Link up your frugal post and connect with frugal friends

*(If you don't comment below with your entry method, it will not be counted)

<br /> <a href="http://cheekymommaof2.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/ab355/Frugalityisfree/FantasticFrugalFridays2button-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a>

Don'ts:

Don't link up to your main page, link up to your favorite blog post of the week.
Don't link up your blog hop!
Don't link up your giveaway!
Don't link up your business

All of the above will be deleted.

Please link up below: Blog Name, Frugal Post Title

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Being Frugal Enables me to get Those "Extra Special" Things for my Children

This month there were several great Hallmark coupons floating around.  There were a couple printable ones as well as $5/$5 coupons is select magazines.   I was fortunate enough to get a couple of each.

I love getting my children the things they ask for.  However, I can't always justify the price of certain items.  My children aren't lacking for anything.  I'll admit that they are spoiled but they honestly appreciate all that they have.  They also understand that there are some things that they just can't have.  As a parent, that makes me feel really good.

Over summer vacation the kids had noticed some awesome 3D bookmarks in several different gift shops.  The price of each bookmark was $5 and up.  OUCH!  

With the recent Hallmark coupons I was able to get my kiddos something they have been wanting for months.  The kids were with my on my most recent trip to the mall to do a little Holiday shopping.  I gave them each a $5/$5 purchase coupon so that they each could choose a 3D bookmark.

They were thrilled!  With so many wonderful bookmarks available, it took them nearly 15 minutes to pick their favorites.

Bookmarks: $5 each - we paid 30 cents each (x2)

Stickers: $2 - we paid 12 cents

Water Beads: 3 for $10 - we paid 60 cents (x2)

In the end, we got all of the following items for less than $2.  We just had to pay the tax.  Without the coupons, these would have cost us just over $32!  Savings like this is what allows me to do those extra things for my wonderful family!

Alight Plus Size Top Giveaway

  

Alight is an online clothing store that carries plus size clothing, from 12 to 34. The thing I first noticed about Alight was their wide variety of clothing. They have something for every occasion, from jeans to workout clothing to formal wear.

Multi-Colored Print Dress - $44

I am highly impressed with their styles of clothing as well.  They are cute, trendy, fashionable, stylish and beautiful.  Often times plus size clothing is ugly and frumpy, but at Alight that isn't the case at all.  Women and teens of all sizes will feel beautiful and confident wearing their clothing.

Crazy Cool Camouflage Pants - Sale $14.99

I recently had to exchange an item that I received from Alight.  The return/exchange process was quick and easy.  Their customer service was amazing and they were very friendly and helpful.   In about a week, my new item arrived in perfect condition and without hassle.

Studded Layer Top - $28

Alight.com is very user friendly. You can search in a very specific manner, from category (jeans, shirts, dresses, etc.), brand/designer, event (wedding, formal, etc.) and even size. It doesn't get much easier than that. Alight even carries jewelry and accessories, so you can create the perfect outfit for any occasion.

Alight carries over 1000 unique and trendy plus size clothing items from over 75 brands for both women and teens. I will guarantee that you'll find something that you love and can't live without. I'd even go as far as saying that you will have a hard time choosing which item(s) to buy first!

You can even shop great Alight styles on sale to enhance your wardrobe even more!  Many items just $9.99 or less.

WIN IT:

For 3 months (October, November and December), I'm going to be posting an Alight giveaway for my readers. Each month, Alight.com will send one winner a beautiful top (of Alight's choosing) in the winner's size! 

Mandatory Entry:

Sign up for Alight's mailing list, then  leave me a comment telling me that you did and which email address you used to sign up. 

This must be completed before other entries will count.

In addition, if you do not sign up for the newsletter and are selected as the winner, your entry will be forfeited and another winner will be chosen. Email subscriber list will be checked for verification.

Extra Entries:

Leave a seperate comment for each entry!  If you are already a follower - leave a comment and let me know. 

This giveaway will end at 11:59 EST on Monday January 31st

This giveaway is open to US residents only. The winner will be chosen using Random.org, with the winner will be notified by e-mail. Please make sure I have a way to contact you. You can leave your email, or link to your blog site. The winner will have 48 hours to respond, if there is no response another winner will be chosen.

**I received a beautiful top from Alight for the purpose of a review.  The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own.  Results may vary.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review.  The generous sponsor of this giveaway will mail the prize directly to the winner.

A special thanks to Alight.com for this stylish and trendy review and giveaway opportunity!

2 Giveaway Winners Announced: ToiletTree Fogless Shower Mirror and Alight Plus Size Clothing

I want to thank everyone who entered my Alight Plus Size Top Giveaway and my ToiletTree Fogless Shower Mirror Giveaway.  I would also like to thank the giveaway sponsors, Alight and ToiletTree, for sponsoring these great giveaways for my readers. 

I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday Season.  Have a Safe and Happy New Year!

The winner is #20:

The winner is #8:

 

 

CONGRATULATIONS,  Ashley and Faith!

I have sent you both an email. You will have 48 hours to respond to the email, or another winner will be drawn.

**Don't forget to stop by and enter my other giveaways!  Check back and enter often, I'll be posting new and exciting giveaways on a regular basis!

Cowgirl Chocolates - This Tasty Giveaway Ends Tonight!

Hurry!!!  This tasty giveaway ends tonight at midnight!

Good luck to everyone who enters.  And don't forget to enter my other great giveaways while you're here!

Click below to enter:

Cowgirl Chocolates Giveaway (12/29)

"2010 Holiday Photo Contest" - You're Never too Young to Make a Holiday Treat!

 

You're never too young to make a Holiday treat!

**The photo/post enters me into the Uprinting.com and GiveawayBlogs.com “2010 Holiday Photo Contest” for a chance to win a $100 Amazon GC and 18x24 Museum Wrapped Canvas Print. Comments are factored into the judging too; so leave us a note!

Extreme Couponing Featuring Nathan Engels Airs on TLC‏

Extreme Couponers won't want to miss TLC Extreme Couponing which airs December 29th, at 8 pm (eastern). Nathan Engels AKA MrCoupon along with three other individuals will be featured on the show.  

I have been an extreme and loyal coupon user for years.  I love being able to add coupon savings on top of sales and clearance to make money and resources stretch farther for my family!  If you love coupons, then WeUseCoupons would be perfect for you!  I'll admit that being frugal is an addictive way of life, and I love sharing all my frugal finds and freebies!

Thousands of people take advantage of WeUseCoupons on a daily basis.  By coming together as a group, we are able to help each other save even more.  To make it even better, it's totally FREE!

 

 Nathan Engels and WeUseCoupons has given me permission to share an exclusive "sneak peak" preview with my wonderful and loyal readers!

I built something that was about 15 feet tall!! They filmed it's creation and it was almost entirely donated to local foodbanks! TLC also filmed our the giving aspect of couponing!! During this episode we donated around $6000-$7000 in product to a fantastic pantry!!! (we share this not to brag, but to lead by example, giving is such an amazing aspect of couponing!!!)

Scentsy Full Size Warmer and Scentsy Bar Review

Nothing is quite as soothing as a house that smells good!  I love walking into a room that smells wonderful, fresh and clean!  I think the thing that I love most about Scentsy is their wide variety of scents.  

 

They have so many scents that it's hard to choose.  Personally, I had a difficult time narrowing my choices down to less than 10.  There are so many scents that sound almost good enough to eat, I don't even know where to begin.

 

Kimberlee, an Independent Scentsy Consultant, offered to let me try a full size warmer and a scent bar.  After much consideration and mind changes, I chose a Lisbon full size Scentsy warmer and the French Kiss Scentsy Bar.  I chose to put this in my bedroom, it was the perfect place.

My new Scentsy warmer gives off the perfect amount of scent and it fills the entire room.  We have a large bedroom so I know that the warmer works very well.  Perfect for any size room, large or small.  The scent even reaches down the hallway in our bedroom and into the living room.

 

Scentsy began in 2003 with the simple idea of aromatic candles and decorative warmers with wax melted by the heat of a light bulb instead of an open flame.

In just 6 years, Scentsy is recognized as an industry-leading company.  In 2009 the Direct Selling Association awarded Scentsy its highest honor available to young companies, the Rising Star Award, for its growth and commitment to ethical business practices. In 2010, it was ranked 19th on the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing privately held companies, and number one on the Inc. 500 list of consumer products and services companies.

Scentsy Bars are made only from a top quality food-grade petrolium based wax and the highest grade of frangrance oil before processing.  Scentsy Warmers generate minimal heat that does not burn to the touch which is what makes them ideal for any environment including classrooms and daycare centers.  They even have Scentsy Buddies that are adorable and perfect for any child's room.

How to use a Scentsy Warmer:

1.Plug it in. Turn it on.

2.Place one or more sections of your Scentsy Bar into the dish.

3.Enjoy the Scentsy feeling

How to change a Scentsy Fragrance:

1.Completely melt the wax in the dish.

2.Pour the melted wax into its original packaging to reform the wax or discard in garbage.

3.Clean dish with a paper towel.

4.Store used bar in a cool place or discard.

Their motto "Scenty - We Make Perfect Scents!" is truly fitting.  

I'm impressed with the large selection and variety that Scentsy offers.  Large and Mid size Warmers, Plug-In Warmers, Fragrance Foam, Scent Paks, Scent Circles, Room Sprays and even Travel Tins.  I have a Scent Circle in my car and everytime I get in my vehicle, I can smell it. It's been 4 months now and it's still working! I've had several people tell me just how good my car smells.

As a mom who worries about everything, I love the fact that Scentsy doesn't require a flame like ordinary candles.  I don't have to worry about the kids knocking them over and starting a fire or getting burned by them.

WIN IT:

 **UPDATE:  January 24th**

Kimberlee has had something unexpected arise.  As a result, this is going to END early...

My apologies!

**I received a Scentsy Full Size Warmer and Scentsy Bar for the purpose of a review.  The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own.  Results may vary.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review.  The generous sponsor of this giveaway will mail the prize directly to the winner. 

A special thanks to the Kimberlee Day Chaney for this great review opportunity!

Purex Complete Crystals Softener Review and Giveaway (3 Winners)

I was recently accepted as a Purex Insider, giving me the inside scoop on new products and promotions!  In addition, I'm able to test and review products before they even become available in stores!

I received my "Welcome Kit" a couple days ago and it included a new and exciting product.  The product that I received was Purex Complete Crystals Softener.

Today is the day that Purex Complete Crystals Softener launches in Wal-Mart stores across the country.

The first thing I noticed almost immediately was the scent.  It smelled heavenly, even my hubby liked the smell.  I was super excited to throw a load of laundry into the washer and try these out for the very first time.  It has been 2 days since I washed my clothes and they still smell great!

I want to know that my clothes are clean and fresh, especially my children's clothing. With Purex Complete Crystals Softener, I am pretty confident that I am getting those results.  They leave our clothes smelling fresh and clean.  They also leave our clothes soft and static-free!

Purex Complete Crystals come in three wonderful scents:

• Fresh Water Springs (the scent I tried) 
• Lavender Blossom
• Tropical Splash

Purex Complete Crystals work the same way in both top loaders and HE washers.  Simply pour the crystals directly onto your laundry in the washer’s drum and then start the load of laundry.  The crystals do not go into the fabric softener dispenser!

Purex Complete Crystals Softeners are safe for all laundry and will not harm, wear down or discolor your fabrics like oil-based softeners.  Safe for all fabrics, including baby clothes, athletic wear, towels, and whites.

Unlike other fabric softeners, Crystals WILL:

• Preserve the flame retardant benefits of your children’s clothes
• Retain your athletic wear’s wicking ability which draws sweat away from your body
• Maintain your towels’ built-in ability to absorb water
• Keep your white clothing from yellowing and graying vs. using traditional softeners

The product won’t harm your clothes and is safe and convenient for the entire family!

P.S.  There are still available spots in the Purex Insiders program for more influential bloggers.

WIN IT:

 THREE (3) lucky Being Frugal and Making it Work readers are each going to receive a coupon for a FREE full size bottle of Purex Complete Crystals Softner

Mandatory Entry:

Tell me which Purex Crystals scent you are most excited to try

This must be completed before other entries will count.

Extra Entries:

Please leave a seperate comment for each entry! 
If you are already a follower - leave a comment and let me know. 

Tweet:  #Win Purex Complete Crystals #purexcrystals (3) Winners @PUREX and Being Frugal and Making it Work http://t.co/Gv2vFsK Ends 1/12 #Giveaway

This giveaway will end at 11:59 pm EST on Wednesday January 12th

This giveaway is open to US residents only. The winners will be chosen using Random.org, with the winners will be notified by e-mail. Please make sure I have a way to contact you. You can leave your email, or link to your blog site. The winners will have 48 hours to respond, if there is no response another winner will be chosen.

** I was given the opportunity to review this product as a Purex Insider. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own.  Results may vary.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review.

Funky Monkey Snacks Review and Giveaway

Do you ever feel guilty or get tired of giving your children the same snacks over and over again?  Are you always looking for new, fun and healthy snack ideas?   

Funky Monkey Snacks are all-natural and made with real fruit.  Their freeze-drying process creates a tasty fruit that crunches.  Funky Monkey Snacks are gluten, wheat, dairy, peanut and tree nut free!  

Funky Monkey Snacks are fun, fresh and healthy - the perfect freeze dried fruit snack!  As a mom, I love the fact that there are three servings of fruit in every one ounce bag!  They also come in brightly colored packages which are sure to capture the attention of your child.

The flavor I was most excited to try was the Pink Pineapple and my children were most excited to try the Bananamon. I'll admit that it was a hard choice when looking at all the flavors though.

Of course, we shared the bags between all of us so that we could all sample the flavors.  The kids weren't sure what to think at first, Funky Monkey Snacks are like nothing they have ever tasted before.  My kids aren't picky eaters, so I was positive that they would like them.

My instincts were correct, the kids really liked them.  Although my daughter likes them more than my son does, or maybe he just hasn't had the pleasure of eating them as much because she's always eating them.  Either way, they were a hit!  Our favorites ended up being Applemon, Bananamon and the Carnival Mix.  Our least favorite was Purple Funk, which was kinda sad because purple is my favorite color and I loved the name.

Fun, Tasty and Funky - What could be better than that?

Funky Monkey Snacks come in a variety of tasty flavors:

Applemon (Apple and Organic Cinnamon)

Bananamon (Organic Banana and Organic Cinnamon)
Carnaval Mix (Organic Banana, Organic Pineapple, Apple and
Papaya)

JiveALime (Organic Pineapple and Organic Lime Juice)
MangOJ (Mango and Orange Juice)

Pink Pineapple (Organic Pineapple and Guava)

Purple Funk (Organic Banana and Organic Açai)

You can find Funky Monkey Snacks at stores nationwide; Target, Safeway, Kroger and Whole Foods as well as online at Amazon, just to name a few.

WIN IT:

 ONE lucky Being Frugal and Making it Work reader is going to receive a Funky Monkey variety pack - 1 bag of each flavor!

Mandatory Entry:

Visit Funky Monkey Snacks and tell me one thing that you learned or which flavor you are most excited to try!

This must be completed before other entries will count.

Extra Entries:

Please leave a seperate comment for each entry! 
If you are already a follower - leave a comment and let me know. 

This giveaway will end at 11:59 pm EST on Monday January 10th

This giveaway is open to US residents only. The winner will be chosen using Random.org, with the winner will be notified by e-mail. Please make sure I have a way to contact you. You can leave your email, or link to your blog site. The winner will have 48 hours to respond, if there is no response another winner will be chosen.

**I received a Funky Monkey variety pack for the purpose of a review.  The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own.  Results may vary.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review.  The generous sponsor of this giveaway will mail the prize directly to the winner. 

A special thanks to Funky Monkey Snacks for this great review and giveaway opportunity!

Follow Us Monday Morning 12/27 - Promote Your Blog and Meet New Friends

Welcome to Follow Us Monday Morning - the Monday blog hop and Google friend follow here at Being Frugal and Making it Work and Frugality Is Free. This is the place where we casually meet and greet, have a little conversation and expand our blogging networks.

I am honored to have been chosen to represent the 'Us' in Follow Us Monday Morning!  My co-host,  JR from Frugality Is Free are looking forward to meeting new friends.  I know that we have so much to share and so much to learn from one another.

Each week we will feature a blog as Hot Blog of the Week, and we will post a question to get the conversation started. The Hot Blog of the Week will get the first place in the linky, and the featured blogger will win a free ad space here at Frugality Is Free for a week.

The Hot Blog of The Week is:

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HOT BLOG OF THE WEEK

Norwegian Phoenix is written by Adelaide, a multi-talented blond Gemini with an always positive outlook on life, and a contagious optimism and appreciation for what life brings her. 

Adelaide is proud of her Norwegian heritage, and at Norwegian Phoenix you can find a little bit of everything, including posts about Adelaide's Scandinavian heritage, her positive thoughts and creative spirit. 

Please visit Norwegian Phoenix to learn more about Adelaide and show her our support from the participants at Follow Us Monday Morning.

Congratulations Adelaide!


You have won a feature, a free ad space for a week at Frugality Is Free and the third spot in the linky.

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Follow Us Morning Feature BONUS!!! As a new bonus, the Follow Us Morning Featured blogger will win a FREE ad space for a week at Frugality Is Free.

 

Tip: The best way to gain more followers during a blog hop is by following others first, and leaving a link back so that they can easily find you. So don't forget to let someone know, if you are following their blog. One way to do this is by commenting and leaving your clickable blog signature (see below).

 

To participate:


Answer the Follow Us Monday Morning question (in the comment area or in a post) and post the button in your post. This is not mandatory, but it sure is appreciated, as it will help spread the word.

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Question of the Week

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Question of the Week: How are you celebrating New Years Eve?



My answer:  Even though my husband and I are still young, we haven't been out on New Year's Eve in the past 12 years! We used to go to my sister-in-law's house every New Year's Eve, but when she moved across the country, that was the end of our New Year's celebrations.  Shortly after she moved, I became pregnant and spending the New Year at home with our children is most important.  Too many drunk driver's on the road and it's just not worth the risk.

I wish you all a safe and Happy New Year!

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Do you want to be Hot Blog of The Week?

***

•Blog about Follow Us Monday Morning (leave direct link)

•Post the Follow Us Monday Morning button in your sidebar (leave link)

•Tweet about the Follow Us Monday Morning Blog Hop (leave link)

***If you do any of the above, please leave a link and let us know in the comment field, otherwise your entry might not be counted***

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Two Great Giveaways Ending Tonight!

Hurry!!!  These two giveaways end tonight at midnight!

Good luck to everyone who enters.  And don't forget to enter my other great giveaways while you're here!

Click below to enter:

 

Alight Plus Size Top Giveaway (12/26)

 ToiletTree Products Fogless Shower Mirror Giveaway (12/26)

Santa Claus Is Coming Tonight!

I'm still having a hard time accepting the fact that it's already Christmas!  So many things have happenend this year, but I still can't believe that the year is already nearly over.  This weekend is Christmas and next weekend is a New Year!

My "baby" is going to be turning 7 years old on January 13th.   Another year, another birthday, another big change that this Mommy isn't ready for.  I know that there is nothing I can do to stop by babies from growing up.  Nothing I can do to keep them small.  All I can do is enjoy each new day, milestone and accomplishment we encounter and experience together.

My daughter LOVES to draw.  She drew this Santa picture on her whiteboard and I just had to share with all of you on Christmas Eve.  Complete with Santa, his sleigh, reindeer, presents and Rudolph!  In the 2nd photo, Santa is even flying over a house!

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from my Family to Yours!

Fantastic Frugal Fridays - Link Up Your Frugal Posts 12/24

I would like to welcome you to the Fantastic Frugal Fridays blog party.

The Fantastic Frugal Fridays blog party is hosted by JR from Frugality Is Free and me (Bridget) here at Being Frugal and Making it Work, and we are both very excited to invite all of you to share your frugal adventures with us.

It is always great to know a little about the hostesses at any party, so here is a bit about us.

JR and I are two frugal stay-at-home moms, and we both manage our household budgets with a very frugal hand. Being frugal moms does not mean that our families live without though, as we spoil our kids and sometimes our husbands rotten on Christmas and birthdays.

We both earn our own spending money by writing about our frugal lifestyles, and through various online earning sites. Every year we also treat our families to a frugal vacation on us....and our frugal budgets. JR's favorite place to take her three wonderful sons and husband is the Florida Keys, while I take my two kids and husband to the Oregon coast.

JR lives in urban South Florida, and I live in rural North Idaho, but frugality has brought us together, and I hope that the Fantastic Frugal Fridays will be a place, where you too will meet and connect with other frugal-minded friends.

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Each week we will feature a Frugal Expert, this week's Frugal Expert is:

Lehigh Valley Momma

Jen is a Lehigh Valley Momma living la vida loca.  Jen is a stay-at-home-mom and admits that she is part desperate housewife, part wanna be domestic goddess!  She enjoys shopping and shopping and shopping. Did I mention shopping? Jen also loves saving money now too (while shopping).  It's possible to live more for less and her blog helps others follow her while she bargain hunts!

From one frugal stay-at-home-mom to another, I completely understand how addicting frugal shopping and bargain hunting can become!

CONGRATULATIONS to Jen at Lehigh Valley Momma for being our Frugal Expert of the Week!


The Frugal Expert will:

• Receive" a feature on both Frugality Is Free and Being Frugal and Making It Work.
• Win a free week ad space at Frugality Is Free
• Get the third spot in the linky

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To keep the party neat and clean, there will be a few rules.

The Rules:

1. Link up a frugal post

it can be anything frugal:. DIY projects, frugal deals, thrift store buys, frugal gardening, recipes etc...you name it...anything frugal except for grocery store deals

*(If you don't comment below with your entry method, it will not be counted)

Don'ts:

Don't link up to your main page, link up to your favorite blog post of the week.
Don't link up your blog hop!
Don't link up your giveaway!
Don't link up your business

All of the above will be deleted.

Please link up below: Blog Name, Frugal Post Title

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Thank You for Helping Me Acheive my Christmas Wish... 800+ Followers!

It was my blogging Christmas Wish...  My Christmas Wish... 800 Followers!
 

Christmas is still a two days away, but my Christmas Wish has come true.  As of this moment, I have 801 amazing and fantastic followers!  Each and every single one of you are special, I appreciate you all very much! 

THANK YOU!!!

I want to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Free Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend!

You may remember that part of my Black Friday savings was a 100% FREE diamond and sterling silver ring.   I had received a $50 Samuels Jewelers gift card in the mail for being one of there preferred customers.  Hubby had bought me a ring there for our 10th anniversary almost 2 years ago.

What could be better than one FREE diamond ring?  How about another FREE diamond ring! 

Last week, I received another $50 Samuels Jewelers  gift card in the mail for holiday shopping!  I was so excited and thrilled to have gotten (2) of these gift cards within a month.  How lucky am I??

I had no idea what to get, but it was so much fun looking through the catalog, online and in the store trying to make a final decision.  

In the end... I chose a cute little heart ring for my daughter.  She is going to be 7 years old next month and has been asking for a ring like mommy's for several months now.

Of course, I can't justify spending much money on a ring for her.  She's so young and the chances of it getting lost are rather high.  Even though she has proven herself to be very responsible with a mood ring my mom gave her over a year ago.

The ring is adorable, it looks so cute on her too!  It's a sterling silver heart and diamond accent ring.  

The original cost of the ring is $69.99 and it was on sale for $49.99.  I got it totally free.  I didn't even have to pay sales tax.

The look on my daughter's face when I gave her the ring was PRICELESS!  She's one happy little girl!

Free Printable Santa Letters from EasyFreeSantaLetter.com

It's not too late to give your child a Christmas memory that will last a lifetime.  Imagine the look of excitement on the face of your child when they read a letter from Santa.  A personal and magical letter from Santa, just for them!

Give a child the gift of Magic this Christmas! 

 

For every child, Santa is one of those magical memories that make the Christmas season so much fun.  Do you remember how excited you were as a child to see Santa in the mall?  Or to lay awake in bed on Christmas Eve, hoping to hear Santa's bells and get a glimpse of him in your living room?

Whether you are a mother, grandmother, aunt or caregiver - a printable letter from Santa is the perfect memory to send to a child this holiday season.   At EasyFreeSantaLetter.com you can create a free and frugal magical memory.  

Creating a magical and personalized letter from Santa is so simple that even a child could create one.  

1.  Pick 

2.  Personalize

3.  Preview

4.  Print  

It's as easy as 1, 2, 3!

 

You can choose to create a FREE printable Santa letter, personally addressed to your little one by the big guy himself.  Or you can choose a personalized letter from Santa with specific details for just $2.99!  You even get to choose the design of the paper.

  Some of the personalized letters include:

1.  Child's Big Accomplishment

2.  Child's Specific Gift Request

3.. Child Worried About Not Having a Chimney

4.  Child Missing Loved One in Military

We don't have a chimney in our house and my daughter has been very worried about how Santa was going to get in to leave presents and get his treats.  I chose the "Child Worried About No Chimney" letter to ease her mind.  This letter couldn't have been more perfect for us this year!

Here is a paragraph from the letter:

"Now Stephy... I know you have been worried about me coming to your house because you don't have a chimney. Please don't worry for another minute, because I have a big old sack full of Santa magic to help me get everywhere I need to be. Including your house, of course!"

I love the fact that the letters are cute and colorful.  As a busy mom, I totally appreciate the fact that they are quick and easy to make and that they are available to print immediately!  I created and printed my letters in a matter of minutes.  Had them in the envelopes and ready to deliver in less than 5 minutes.  It honestly couldn't be any easier or faster!

You even get a FREE "Nice List" certificate with the purchase of a Santa letter! 

Merry Christmas from my Family to Yours!!

** I was given the opportunity to review this product because of my membership at The Product Review Place. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own.  Results may vary.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review. 

A special thanks to EasyFreeSantaLetter for this great review opportunity!