BJ's giveaway at Coupon Saving Family

One type of giveaway I search twitter for on a regular basis is for BJ's Wholesale Club -- After a negative experience at Costco, I kind of boycott them, so the only other club convenient to my house is BJ's.  So I can use every gift card I can get.  They don't seem to be as popular as the other clubs, so my odds are better for winning!

Check out the latest giveaway here at Coupon Saving Family:
http://couponsavingfamily.com/2010/12/bjs-2010-holiday-collection-and-a-25-bjs-giftcard-giveaway/

~Sue

CSN Stores giveaway at thriftymommastips

ends 12/13

http://thriftymommastips.blogspot.com/2010/12/csn-45-christmas-giveaway.html

TRON: Legacy for Wii giveaway at Daddy Forever ends 12/21

Win TRON: Legacy for Wii - ends 12/21

http://daddyforever.com/2010/12/07/tron-legacy/

~Sue

MobiGo Giveaway at North Pole Macaroni Kid - One day only!

If you love your local edition of Macaroni Kid then you'd love Mrs. Claus's edition straight from the North Pole: http://northpole.macaronikid.com

Today only, she's doing a giveaway for a vtech MobiGo!  Check it out here:
http://northpole.macaronikid.com/town/northpole/article/62502/santas-bag?c=1860&c=1998&c=1999

Good luck!

~Sue

Sesame Street Wii Games- review plus giveaway at Lady V dZine

Good low entry giveaway for the Sesame Street Wii games ending 12/9
http://ladyvdzine.com/2010/11/26/sesame-street-wii-games-review-plus-giveaway

Even more Keurig giveaways

No, I'm not at all trying to win a Keurig for under the Christmas tree...  No...  Not at all...

• The Mommy-Files ends 12/7:  http://www.themommy-files.com/2010/11/millstone-coffee-and-folgers-gourmet-selections-k-cup-giveaway
• Jolly Mom is giving away a Keurig along with Millstone and Folgers coffee ends 12/6:  http://www.jollymom.com/2010/11/here-comes-santa-claus-shopping-for.html

Giveaways at My Four Monkeys

I've discovered a couple of giveaways at My Four Monkeys that I'll be entering tonight:

• Hasbro giveaway ends 11/29:  http://www.myfourmonkeys.com/2010/11/new-games-from-hasbro-plus-products-to.html
• Energizer My Grid charger ends 11/29:  http://www.myfourmonkeys.com/2010/11/tips-for-staying-stress-free-during.html
• Despicable Me Prize Pack 12/6:  http://www.myfourmonkeys.com/2010/11/despicable-me-prize-pack-giveaway.html

Good luck!

~Sue

Scripps Spelling Bee Nintendo DS/DSi giveaway ends 11/25 at midnight EST

OK, I'm never sure when people making an end time "midnight" if they realize that midnight is the start of the day, not end, but I figure it can hurt to still give this one a shot just in case it's still live!  Low entries!

http://www.ladyandtheblog.com/2010/11/23/enter-to-win-scripps-spelling-bee-nintendo-dsdsi

~ Sue

Burger King gift card giveaway ends 12/1 at Annette Funny Jello

I've been entering Burger King's Kinect giveaway (http://www.bkkinect.com) on and off  since it began, but Annette Funny Jello's post has reminded me I need to go back and enter again!  Do I need another gaming system in my life?  No, we have the Wii and our kids are only 4 and 6 (so not quite full "gaming" age).  However, Santa could always save it for next year!

Annette Funny Jello's giveaway, however, is a bit more inspiring for me -- 10 readers are getting $20 in BK gift cards!  We definitely do our share of eating at BK, as my cheeseburger-loving son is allergic to eggs and it's growing increasingly difficult to find restaurants that don't use rolls that contain egg.  I extra like BK for my son for the simple reason that you can't flame broil an egg, so the odds of egg contamination on a burger from there are minimal.  McDonalds, however, cooks their burgers on the same flat top as they cook the Egg McMuffin eggs in the morning.  Has my son ever had a reaction from McDonalds burgers?  No, but it's better to be safe than sorry and he prefers the taste of the BK burgers anyway.  So Santa can always put BK gift cards in his stocking!   

Want to win BK gift cards?  Check out Annette Funny Jello’s blog post here:  http://annettefunnyjello.com/2010/11/bk-is-giving-away-a-kinect-every-15-minutes-giveaway-10-winners

~Sue

BIGFOOT giveaways

OK, I have NO intention of buying my daughter either Bigfoot or Stinky the Garbage Truck, yet she continues to mention them as something she wants.  I think they're overpriced for what they are, any my budget is too tight to waste money inefficiently.  But...  if  giveaway should go my way, I'd love to make her happy!

So far, I've got:

• Ends 11/30 - Mommy Katie - http://www.mommykatie.com/2010/11/home-for-holidays-fisher-price-bigfoot.html
• Ends 12/5 - Pretty Pink Momma - http://www.prettypinkmomma.com/2010/11/one-of-hottest-toys-this-holiday-season.html

Good luck!

~ Sue

Keurig giveaways

OK, a side effect of my underactive thyroid is that I am NOT a morning person.  Caffeine is a required substance which, for the last few years, has come in the form of soda rather than coffee or tea for me.  It's something I'd like to change though.  My husband is already a coffee drinker, so if I could win a Keurig in time for Christmas, then I won't have to worry about buying a present for Santa to put under tree to cover both of us!  It would give me a chance to try a few flavors and my husband to get coffee at home rather than going to Quick Chek or similar on the way to school (where he teaches).

Here are the Keurig giveaways I've found so far:

• Ends 11/18 - Serendipity Mommy:  http://serendipitymommy.com/giveaways/wake-up-with-keurig-b60-special-edition-brewer-giveaway
• Ends 11/20 - Mommy Mandy:  http://mommymandy.com/folgers-gourmet-selections-k-cup-keurig-giveaway-ends-nov-20th
• Ends 12/3 - The Ethertons:  http://ethertonphotography.blogspot.com/2010/11/holiday-gg-2010-keurig-special-edition.html
• Ends 12/3 - The Dirty T Shirt:  http://thedirtytshirt.com/millstone-coffee-and-folgers-gourmet-selections-k-cups-and-keurig-single-cup-brewer-review-and-giveaway

Good luck and happy holidays!
~Sue

Break time is over!

Back to school has been a very crazy busy time this year, but I think things have finally slowed down enough I can back to entering some contests more consistently.  So hopefully some contest posts will start coming again soon!

Don't forget to follow me on twitter (@scm74) to *really* know what I'm entering these days, or on Facebook here:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sues-Low-Frills-Zone/499127620233?ref=ts

~ Sue ~

Tropicana Juicy Rewards Deal of the Day sweepstakes 9/1 only!

In about twenty minutes, the latest Tropicana Juicy Rewards Deal of the Day sweeps will go live for ONE DAY ONLY!  Use two Juicy Reward points to enter to win a free one hour massage at Massage Envy.  To enter, you can enter online at the Tropicana Juicy Rewards site.

For those who would rather entire offline, there is an offline option as well!  To enter without making a purchase, hand print your name, complete address with zip code, daytime phone number and date of birth on a 3"x5" card and mail in an envelope to: Tropicana Juicy Rewards Massage Envy/Deal of the Day Sweepstakes, P.O. Box 1055, Young America, MN 55594-1055.  Mail-in entries must be postmarked by September 1, 2010 and received by September 8, 2010.  Limit one (1) entry per outer mailing envelope.  Sponsor and its agencies will not accept entries that are late, incomplete, misdirected, unintelligible or lost.  Use of any robotic, automatic, programmed or similar entry method will void all entries and result in disqualification.

For official rules, check here.

Good luck!

Disclaimer:  I am a Juicy Rewards Insider, and was given a gift card and Juicy Reward points earlier in the year for sharing my experiences with the Tropicana Juicy Rewards site.  I was not compensated for specifically sharing this sweepstakes.  I just thought you'd all like to know about it!

Win a free weekend stay at Hampton Inn ends 9/4/2010

Before my kids were born, my management consulting days and nights were often spent away from home in hotels near the client site.  After a long stretch at a Doubletree Suites, I got a Hilton American Express card and the Hilton family became my preferred home away from home.  Part of that family would be Hampton Inn.  Are they flashy hotels?  No.  However, they do the basics well -- clean rooms, usually a swimming pool and fitness room, and the free breakfast buffet in the morning where, in addition to breakfast, I'd often grab an apple and/or granola bar to stick in my bag since I often skipped lunch depending on the project and the client.  So am I a Hampton Inn fan?  Most certainly!

This summer, the Hampton Inn has been running their Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes.  The grand prize is an entire hotel (100 rooms) for a whole weekend (2 nights).  What would I do with a hotel for a weekend?  I'd probably host my kids' birthday party there and use the pool for a pool party!  My kids and I share the same birthday week, so there's a whole lotta celebrating going on that time of the year.

There are also 100 First Prizes, Weekend stays given away daily for the winner and three of their friends.  Since it's a smaller group to organize, for the first prize, I'd pick a destination, like Hershey Park in Pennsylvania.  We did a little overnighter to there earlier in the summer, staying at the Hampton Inn in Hershey using those aforementioned Hilton Honors points from the Hilton American Express card.  The kids loved it.  After our great experience at a campground this summer with four other families that we're friends with, I can imagine the kids would be in hog heaven to be staying in a hotel with their friends for the weekend.  We probably would never get them out of the pool.  Of course, we'd probably have enough friends that would want to be "in" on the trip that we'd have to have a lottery to see who got the free rooms!


So do you have a destination in mind?  Go enter the Hampton Chain of Friends Sweepstakes DAILY here for yourself: http://bit.ly/9QICsr

And if you win, we're friends, right?


This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Hampton Hotels. All opinions are 100% mine.

BJ's giveaway at The Thrifty Mama ends 8/9

You KNOW I can't pass up a BJ's giveaway!  Came home from vacation to find out that The Thrifty Mama is running a giveaway ending tomorrow (Monday) night at 8 PM EST.

Here's the link to go check it out:

http://www.thethriftymama.com/2010/08/bjs-giveaway.html

Rayovac & 5 Minutes for Moms - Upcoming promotions!

Like any family with kids, we churn through batteries like crazy.  So when those dollar off Rayovac coupons come out, we always grab some Rayovac batteries when they go on sale!

Rayovac and 5 Minutes for Moms have teamed up for some exciting promotions this summer.


(1)  Rayovac / Facebook
Go like Rayovac on Facebook for great daily summertime family tips and a chance to win great prizes.

(2)  Rayovac's "Rayovac Powers Your Summer" sweepstakes
Tell Rayovac each day how you'll be powering your summer here each day from June 21st to July 20th for your chance at great prizes Cameras and Bikes to Camping Supplies and a Summer Supply of Rayovac Batteries!  Today's question asked what your camping style was.  We're heading on our first campground camping trip with the kids, so I guess that's us!

 (3)  Twitter Party!!!!!

Rayovac Powers Your Vacation Summer Promotion Twitter Event
Date:  Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Time:  7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. CST
Location:  #rayovac
Follow:  @Rayovac_Battery, @5minutesformom, @CirclePRMary

Lots of chances to win with Rayovac this summer -- Go check them out!

Disclosure:  The first 99 bloggers to promote the Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion won a prize package from Rayovac.  The first 99 bloggers to promote the Rayovac Powers Your Summer Twitter Event won a prize package from Rayovac.

Bitch & Moan Monday (In Through the Out Door)

I've been debating whether or not to start participating in memes, but one where I can go on a rant seems like a great place to start!

Complaint #1:  Finally officially diagnosed as underactive thyroid a few weeks ago and started on Synthroid (artificial thyroid hormones).  Felt GREAT for the first week or so, but it's like my body has reset the thermostat and stopped producing it's own.  So I'm back to feelin' crappy!!!  So body, WAKEY WAKEY!

Complaint #2:  Dear kids - Please go to bed and a reasonable hour and stay asleep in bed until a reasonable hour.  Staying up with mommy until midnight because your stomach mysteriously hurts cannot become a habit, nor can waking up and expecting mommy to be functional before 7 AM (see complaint #1 for why mommy extra can't handle the lack of sleep).

Complaint #3:  I don't know about other schools, but to the parents of children who's kids attend public school and are NOT the class moms:  Please contribute lots of money when the hat is being passed in the beginning of the year.  The other class mom and I easily spent twice what the other parents gave us, and many gave NOTHING.  But, we're still expected to throw three class parties on this budget, not including the end of the year party which was essentially on our own dime.  It sounds from friends like we just got a sucky set of parents, but yeesh!

That's enough for today -- How about you???

Check out Bitch & Moan Monday at In Through the Out Door.  She's giving away a $25 Visa gift card to one of this week's participants!

Sam's Club GC giveaway at Jill Ward Photography

Yes, I'm in a rut, but hey, I can buy just about ANYTHING at Walmart, ya know?  So those Sam's Club cards that work at Walmart are very, very useful.

Check out the Sam's Club gift card giveaway at Jill Ward Photography ending 6/15.

Guidecraft Kiddie Rockers and Table Set Giveaway

Sending a trend yet?  Yes, I'm trying for a different table and chairs set for the kids' future playroom!  The Not-So-Blog's Experimental Mommy is currently giving away the Guidecraft Kiddie Rockers and Table Set, ending 6/22:

http://www.thenotsoblog.com/2010/05/guidecraft

New Sam's Club giveaway at A Happy Hippy Mom

Found another one!  Check out this $25 Sam's Club GC giveaway at A Happy Hippy Mom ending 6/16:

http://www.ahappyhippymom.com/2010/05/sams-club-sunny-day-snacks-prize-pack-giveaway.html

Guidecraft pirates table giveaway

We'll hopefully be starting renovating our house soon, and the current plans include a separate playroom for the kids!  We'll be needing some furniture for in there, so winning some would be great!  The pirate set Emmys boos and rawrs is giving away from Guidecraft looks like my 5 year old won't claim it's for "babies", so I'm going for it!  Head over to check it out yourself:

http://emmysboosandrawrs.blogspot.com/2010/05/guidecraft-pirates-table-review.html

Ends 6/20

SUPERSTAR Bounce House from PlayHouseBouncers.com | Review & Giveaway at My Organized Chaos

Oh my, where to begin!  I think just about anyone with a three and five year old can commiserate with me -- Young children simply want to bounce, and my couch just can't take it anymore!  If you're one who can commiserate, check out the SUPERSTAR Bounce House from PlayHouseBouncers.com

http://www.myorganizedchaos.net/2010/05/superstar-bounce-house-playhousebouncers-review-giveaway

Sam's Club gift card giveaway at Jaina's Mom

When I won some Sam's Club gift cards around the holidays, I figured I'd pass them along to my inlaws, since they belong there.  However, I learned the secret that they work at Walmart too!  So I try to seek out the Sam's Club gift card giveaways whenever I can, since most people probably don't think about their acceptance at Walmart.  The newest giveaway is at Jaina's Mom, ending 6/14.

http://jainasmom.blogspot.com/2010/05/sams-club-sunny-day-snacks-giveaway.html

Banzai Jurassic Chomp Pool Review + Giveaway at The Shopping Mama

 OK, it's not even summer yet and it's way too hot!  With my sister-in-law's pool over half an hour away, there are just days where the drive doesn't happen, so having something for the little ones to cool off in would be great.  Check out the giveaway at The Shopping Mama for the Banzai Jurssic Chomp Pool - ends 6/7:


http://theshoppingmama.com/2010/05/banzai-jurassic-chomp-pool-review-giveaway/

Return the Love to Mom Western Union Giveaways - Multiple Blogs

Another exciting blog giveaway campaign is the Return the Love to Mom Western Union giveaways currently active on a number of blogs.  There's not just one winner per blog, but FIVE winners of a $50 Visa GC!  Here are some blogs to check out:

A Latte in the Morning ends 5/23

Momstart ends 5/24
A Nut in a Nutshell ends 5/28
Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House ends 5/31
Our Ordinary Life ends 5/25

Good luck!

Win a FREEZER - multiple blogs

When I read the first blog post about this freezer giveaway, I was excited.  But when I saw that there were multiple chances across multiple blogs...  Boo yeah!!!  We're currently planning out an addition on our house, and one key thing for me is having space for a freezer.  I'd love to win one to save us a little expense in the whole renovation process.  The giveaways are part of a blog campaign by Nestle to promote ice cream novelties.  Check out the giveaways here:

Consumer Queen
What's That Smell?
3 Kids and Us
My Wooden Spoon
Mommy Goggles
Mom Generations
MomDot
Outnumbered 3 to 1

Good luck!

Leapfrog giveaway - ends 6/7

There's a mysterious new product being released by Leapfrog on June 6th.  Do you think you know what it is?  The Not-So Blog is running a giveaway to win the new toy!  Check it out here:

http://www.thenotsoblog.com/2010/05/discover-the-future-with-leapfrog-giveaway

Great giveaways at Sweeps4Bloggers

I came across a few great giveaways this week:

Cold Stone Creamery $30 GC (4 winners)
ENDS 5/18

Lunch Bots Stainless Steel Containers (3 winners)
ENDS 5/21

Tropical Traditions Golden Flaxseed
ENDS 5/29

Cricut Gypsy giveaway

I've often told my friends that I don't "speak Cricut" because the ideal of spending that much on a crafting hobby seems crazy to me.  But...  if I won a Cricut, that would work!

Check out the giveaway for a Cricut Gypsy plus cartridges at Obsessed with Scrapbooking:
http://www.obsessedwithscrapbooking.com/2010/05/yay-million-hits-giveaway-and-some.html

Dreambox Learning giveaway

My computer game loving son would get totally hooked on Dreambox Learning games, so if we win this, it might cost me (because I'll have to subscribe!).  Check out the giveaway for a one month free trial at:

http://www.kimnfam.com/2010/05/win-free-month-of-fantastic-math.html

Win an Ipad at Style Guidance

http://styleguidance.com/promo

Nintendo DS Lite and Zhu Zhu Pet game giveaway ends 5/30

My son is getting old enough that it's only a matter of time before he asks for a DS, so momma's gotta start trying to win one!  You can try to at Health, Beauty, Children, and Family (link below).  They're even throwing in a copy of the Zhu Zhu Pets game too!

http://youthfultips.blogspot.com/2010/03/nintendo-ds-light-w-zhu-zhu-game-review.html

EA Active More Workouts Giveaway ends 5/18

I was lucky enough to win EA Sports Active around Christmas time, and would love the chance to add to the workout fun here!  Check out the giveaway yourself at Health, Beauty, Children, & Family:


http://youthfultips.blogspot.com/2010/04/ea-active-more-workouts-for-wii.html

Serif Digital Scrapbook Artist 2 Giveaway ends 5/10

Love to scrapbook, but don't have the time? Try Digi-scrapping! Worried that it's going to be complicated? Your worries are over! Angie at 5 Vinez Monkeys  is giving away a copy of Digital Scrapbook Artist 2 to one lucky winner! This fantastic product will help you create professional looking digital scrapbook albums in a snap. To find out more and enter to win this awesome prize, just stop by before 11:59pm ET on May 10th. Don't miss out!

Global Resort Homes One Week Orlando Rental Giveaway

Last Easter Break (2009), we did something completely crazy in my opinion – We borrow my parents’ minivan and drove the kids to Florida from here in New Jersey!  My daughter, then 2-1/2, was much worse a traveler than my son, then 4-1/2.  We ended up giving her Benadryl multiple nights, including the overnight drives to and from Florida, because she just wouldn’t settle down!

Why did we drive to Florida?  To see my husband’s grand aunt near Daytona, as she had never met our daughter yet.  My husband’s aunt, who is closer to us in age than my inlaws, also lives down there with her kids who are close in age to ours.  So if you ask my kids what they liked best, it wasn’t the days we dragged them to Disney and Sea World.  It was the time spent just hanging out with “the Florida cousins”.

Unfortunately, over the past year, there has been friction in my husband’s family.  So while I’m sure the little ones would love to see each other, being able to stay somewhere other than the home of one of the family members would be ideal.  Renting a townhouse near Disney would be perfect, as we’d be close enough to daytrip to Daytona.  It’s not quite in the budget for this year though…  unless we win the rental!

My Sentiment Exact Lee is running a giveaway for a 7-day / 6-night rental in Orlando.  To check it out, here’s the link: http://mysentimentexactlee.com/2010/05/global-resort-homes-one-week-orlando-vacation-review-and-giveaway

PORTABLE 12 foot POOL GIVEAWAY at The Ethertons

While at Toys R Us today, the kids and I were looking all the outdoor water toys for the upcoming summer season, including all the little pools.  My kids are 3-1/2 and 5-1/2 (but he's the size of a 7 year old!), so little kiddie pools aren't as much fun for the big guy.  My husband joked about getting one of the bigger pools with the filter, but I was like, "Yeah, right!"  We're planning on doing renovations this summer/fall, so God only knows what our yard situation will be...

But, for the heck of it, I searched Twitter for "pool giveaway" (and yes, I do similar searches all the time -- It's a great way to find less advertised giveaways).  Sure enough, I came across a tweet about The Etherton's giveaway of just what hubby joked about getting!  The giveaway ends 5/23.

http://ethertonphotography.blogspot.com/2010/04/portable-12-foot-pool-review-and.html

Vitalicious giveaways

Yes, I'm a carb junkie, and a chocoholic too!  So a big box of Vitalicious would ensure that I feel a little less guilty indulging, ya know?  Try to win some at:

• The Not So Blog:ends 5/5  http://www.thenotsoblog.com/2010/04/vitalicious-deep-chocolate-vitatops-giveaway/
• Thrifty and Frugal Living ends 5/10  http://www.thriftyandfrugalliving.com/2010/04/vitalicious-supersampler-pack-review.html 

Dominos Pizza GC giveaway ends TONIGHT

I've been taking it slow sweeps-wise lately, but we LOVE Dominos here. We can definitely get some use out of the gift card Momstart is giving away, ending tonight at 11:59 PM PST.

http://momstart.com/2010/04/are-you-a-pizza-holdout-dominos-giveaway/

Date Night movie premieres Friday, April 9, 2010

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of 20th Century Fox. All opinions are 100% mine.

As Jonah Weiner mentions in his New York Times review of the film:
In “Date Night,” which opens Friday, a bored suburban couple played by Steve Carell and Tina Fey go on their weekly dinner date and find themselves thrown into a night of intrigue: there’s breaking and entering, a car chase, a shootout and a showdown with an underworld boss at a strip club. Husband and wife come out of the adventure with some scratches and also with their ardor renewed.

From the first time I saw the preview for Date Night Movie, I knew this was a film that I would enjoy. How can it be bad with stars like Steve Carrell (from "The Office") and Tina Fey (from "30 Rock" and formerly from "Saturday Night Live")? The film follows the spirit of action comedies like "True Lies", a film a can still watch over and over again and still roll on the floor with laughter. While I've enjoyed Tina Fey since her SNL days, I only recently came to appreciate Steve Carrell. My oldest was a poor sleeping infant when "The Office" first came out. I never quite got the chance to get hooked on the show until it hit late night re-runs this year. This duo sounds like a great match to me.

Checkout the preview yourself at


Better yet, check out the film itself at a theater near you starting Friday, April 9th, 2010.

See you at the movies! And don't forget, hit the matinee for a cheaper rate!

Pillow Pets giveaways

From the moment she saw the first commercial, my daughter has been OBSESSED with getting a unicorn pillow pet.  She will randomly, enthusiastically mention to friends, family, and probably even strangers, "I want a pillow pet."  Alas, the unicorn has been sold out weeks, so the Easter Bunny will not have a Pillow Pet (because there's no reason to pay those crazy eBay prices).  However, mommy CAN work on winning one!

1)   Rave and Review ends 4/25 http://raveandreview.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/03/snuggly-pillow-pets-an-easter-giveaway.html

2)   Melinda Joy ends 4/22  http://melindajoy.blogspot.com/2010/03/pillow-pets-review-giveaway.html

3)  Mommy Mandy ends 4/10 http://mommymandy.com/spring-my-pillow-pets-giveaway/

4)  The Cloth Diaper Report ends 3/30 http://www.theclothdiaperreport.com/2010/03/pillow-pets-easter-pets-review-giveaway.html

5)  Outnumbered 3-to-1 ends 4/10 http://www.outnumbered3-1.com/2010/03/leap-into-spring-my-pillow-pets-review.html

6)  Mommy Goggles ends 4/8 http://www.mommygoggles.com/easter-spring-pillow-pets/

Got Tropicana OJ? Try Juicy Rewards! [Part 2: Online Shopping]

As mentioned in part 1 of this series, I was invited by "Savvy Auntie" Melanie Notkin to check out the new Tropicana's Juicy Rewards site as a Juicy Insider and share my experiences with my friends and followers.  This past weekend, I finally had a chance to use some of my points to do a little online shopping.

As a stay at home mom of a three year old and a five year old, shopping in person has been growing increasingly difficult.  Getting great deals online with free shipping is a huge thing for me.  One of Tropicana's Juicy Rewards Partner Rewards that caught my attention was Adidas.  While looking through the Adidas website, I discovered they carry English Premier League soccer jerseys, specifically my husband's beloved Newcastle United FC.  Yes, while some wives become football or basketball widows, I become a soccer one at times.  I bought my husband's original Newcastle United jersey when I traveled to England for work, but the team's sponsor then was Newcastle Brown Ale.  Alas, when my husband's school has team jersey day, it would be a little inappropriate for him, as a teacher, to be wearing a shirt with the logo of a beer company on it.  Newcastle's current sponsor is much more appropriate for school, and the shirt was on sale.  How could I pass it up?  

With the jersey discounted to $42, all I needed was $18 more of merchandise to meet my $60 minimum purchase to satisfy the save $10 off / free shipping coupon from Tropicana's Juicy Rewards.  Like magic, I found an $18 pair of basic black Adidias track pants in my five year old son's size.  While he's learned to manage buttons, elastic waists still make it easier for the kids.  Black goes with practically everything, so you really can't go wrong with it either.  Let's just say my little guy would probably wear a plaid shirt with polka dot pants if he had them, so I try to keep it simple for him color-wise too.

With my shopping items determined, the actual point transaction was quite straightforward.  When you choose to get a reward, you are issued a unique coupon code to enter into the Adidas website during the checkout process.  You can either copy and paste out of the Tropicana window, or wait for the confirmation email to arrive and shop later.  I realized the Adidas was also a My Points partner.  So I accessed the Adidas website through My Points so I could get My Points credit in addition to my coupon savings (It's currently in my My Points pending points queue, so it worked!).  I ordered everything Saturday afternoon.  It shipped on Monday, and arrived Wednesday via FedEx -- a prompt and accurate transaction.

I'm hoping to hit our local indoor playground, Boro Kid Zone, to test out the printable local coupons in the near future.  I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

Haven't registered yet?  Head to Tropicana's Juicy Rewards site and sign up.  Within your first six hours of being registered, you can enter the code SAVVY-AUNTI in the codes area to earn your first point.  There are additional extra point campaigns that you may be able to take advantage of,like code FBOOK-TROPI (Tropicana's Facebook Fan page).  Additional limit-time point opportunities have appeared on their fan page as well, so it it a good place to watch.

Come back and share what great deals you find!

-- Sue

*This post is written for my participating in the Tropicana Juicy Insiders program by Savvy Auntie on behalf of Tropicana. I received 12 free Juicy Rewards points and a $50 Visa gift card to use in redemption of the points and to facilitate my review.  The opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Bedtime Theater giveaway ends 3/29

Bedtime is a struggle in our house -- The 3 and 5 year olds have way too much control!  I would love to have a bedtime theater to help them settle down for bed...  Check it out at Brimful Curiosties, where the giveaway ends 3/29.

http://www.brimfulcuriosities.com/2010/03/storytelling-and-goodnites-bedtime.html

Pair of Calphalon Contemporary omelet pans giveaway ends 3/24

 The good news about non-stick -- No sticking!  The bad news:  Eventually, the coating starts to chip and its time for new ones.  My non-stick pans are ready for replacing, and this would be a great way to replace them!  Check out the giveaway ending 3/24 at Tammy's Two Cents:

http://tammystwocents-tammy.blogspot.com/2010/03/giveaway-calphalon-contemporary.html

Got Tropicana OJ? Try Juicy Rewards! [Part 1: Searching]

I was recently invited by "Savvy Auntie" Melanie Notkin to check out the new Tropicana's Juicy Rewards site as a Juicy insider and share my experiences with my friends and followers.  My husband's favorite orange juice has been Tropicana since before we nearly 20 years ago, so this seemed like a promotion right up our alley.

Likeother manufacturer point programs, Tropicana's Juicy rewards codes appear on the purchased products, can be registered on the site, and then be cashed in for discounts on purchases / admission fees.

First step was the registration process, which was simple and straightforward.  Thanks to Savvy Auntie, I could even immediately load my first Juicy Reward code by clicking "Enter Codes" and entering the code "SAVVY-AUNTI".  I had some jugs of Tropicana in my refrigerator as well.  Regular cartons are 3 points each, but the larger jugs will get you 5 points each.  So, after entering the codes near the caps of the jugs, I had a hefty 11 points to start shopping with.  Now how to spend them?

The rewards on the Tropicana Juicy Rewards site vary, but are generally focused on health, sports, and the arts.  I was able to find plenty of great offers in my area.  Here in central NJ, we have a number of indoor playgrounds for the kids, and there are buy-one-get-one-free admission coupons for many of those in our area.  With two kids, yay for BOGOs!  For Boro Kid Zone, one of the local playgrounds, that's a $9 value right there.  I have already mentioned the site to a number of people by word of mouth for this savings alone.

Other entertainment offers are similar to those found in the recreation section of your local entertainment book, such as discounted admission to theme parks, children's sport complexes, and museums, as well as discounts on local gyms, music education, and sporting goods.  If you are into massages and have a Massage Envy shop near you, they are one of the reward partners including 10% coupons for certain services. Not looking to buy sporting goods or head out to a museum?  Tropicana also gives you the option to donate your points toward their Rescue the Rainforest program.

Like any new website, there are some quirks that need to be worked out with the search interface.  I was an IT consultant working on multiple software design projects before kids, so I am extra picky on stuff like this!  To help you with your navigation of the site and hopefully minimize frustration, I wanted to share what I found:

• When using the search functionality, the first 11 search results are Tropicana's reward partners.  I understand that these companies have become partners in order to have increased visibility, but on my little netbook, it's frustrating that on the first page of geographic search results, 11 of the 14 results are partner websites, not stores/facilities that are actually geographically close (although we do have a Massage Envy in town).  Other categories are grouped in a way that multiple rewards are consolidated, so it would be nice if the partners were collapsed as well.  For example, have ONE listing for adidas that you drill into, not THREE on the first screen.  This reduction would still give the partners the higher visibility at the top of the search list while not frustrating folks like me who were trying to see things from the non-sponsors. 

• The reward categories appear in a completely random order.  It would make more sense to have all the "entertainment" categories in the list together, or better yet have a higher set of categories like "entertainment" (for arcades, museums, etc.), "sports" (sporting equipment, specific sports), etc.  I also found it confusing to figure out what I would find in what category.  For example, I do not really think of my local preschooler-friendly indoor playground for the kids as an "arcade & batting cage".  This lack of intuitive categories forced me to go through every category.

• As you drill through the listings, if you find something you like, you can click "Add to Favorites".  Great!  The bad news is that clicking "Add to Favorites" removes the "Back to Results" button from the offer detail screen, so you either have to use the browser back button or restart your entire search because the "Back to Search" button take you back to the initial search screen rather than your search results.  "Back to Search" on the category search results screen takes you back to the highest level of your geographic search, so the button meaning is inconsistent.  It took me a few times before I realized what was happening.  Hopefully this bug will get fixed soon.

The VERY GOOD news is that, like I mentioned above, while it may take you a while to navigate through them at first, they DO have some great offers that are well worth the hunt.

I hope to have the opportunity to cash in some points and share the redemption process with you soon!

Ready to get started?  Head to Tropicana's Juicy Rewards site and get registered.  Within your first six hours of being registered, you too can enter the code SAVVY-AUNTI in the codes area to earn your first point.  UPDATE:  There are additional extra point campaigns that you may be able to take advantage of,like code FBOOK-TROPI (Tropicana's Facebook Fan page).

Come back and share what great deals you find!

-- Sue

*This post is written for my participating in the Tropicana Juicy Insiders program by Savvy Auntie on behalf of Tropicana. I received 12 free Juicy Rewards points and a $50 Visa gift card to use in redemption of the points and to facilitate my review.

Sound Oasis Travel Sound Therapy System giveaway ends 3/8

I'm a horrible sleeper, and trying to sleep in completely silence is the worst (already have mild tinnitus, so I need at least white noise).  I'd love to have an alarm clock like this to help me sleep!  Check out the giveaway yourself over at A Year in the Life of June Cleaver ending March 8th:
http://lifeofjunecleaver.blogspot.com/2010/02/travel-must-have-and-enter-to-win-sound.html

Pirate's Booty giveaway ends TONIGHT 2/26

One of my daughter's friends suffers from a number of food allergies, including, until recently, wheat.  I have always kept foods like Pirate's Booty in the back of my head, because many of their flavors are free of "the big 8"!

Win a chest of Pirate's Booty over at Here and There, ending tonight!

http://hereandthere.us/index.php/2010/pirates-booty-all-natural-snacks-review-with-giveaway

Walmart $50 GC giveaway at Blogmania ends 2/28

Head over to Blogmania and check out the $50 Walmart gift card giveaway.  Remember, they work at Sam's Club too!  Giveaway ends 2/28.


http://misaacmom.blogspot.com/2010/02/game-time-and-walmart.html

Win an Outback $25 GC at a Year in the Life of June Cleaver

OK, so I'm not really into blooming onions, but a free dinner with hubby would be a nice change of pace :-)

Win an Outback $25 gift card at A Year in the Life of June Cleaver ending 2/25:gi

http://lifeofjunecleaver.blogspot.com/2010/02/school-days-school-days-winner-of-hipt.html

Walmart GC giveaway at 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires

In an effort to get the word out about Game Time at Walmart, 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires  is running a $50 Walmart gift card giveaway ending 2/22:

http://www.3garnets2sapphires.com/2010/02/giveaway-game-time-at-walmart-50-gc.html 

Ni Hao, Kai-lan: Super Game Day Giveaway ends 2/26

As you may have been able to tell, Wii games have been quite helpful around here this crazy winter.  My daughter's little friend just got a Wii and LOVES Ni Hao, Kai-lan.  So we'd love to win this for him.  Is there a Ni Hao, Kai-lan fan in your life?  Win a copy of Ni hao, Kai-lan Super Game Day for Wii or PS3 at 5 Minutes for Giveaways:

http://www.5minutesforgiveaways.com/669/happy-chinese-new-year

Three Cups book giveaway ends 2/18

We're trying to teach my 5 year old about how money works, and I think this book, Three Cups, would be a great tool for doing that.  Enter the giveaway at 3 Garnets and 2 Sapphires ending 2/18:
http://www.3garnets2sapphires.com/2010/02/giveaway-review-three-cups-childrens.html

Dominos $20 GC giveaway at Eighty MPH Mom

We're big fans of Dominos here, since because you can order online while the kids are screaming and use a credit card with ease.  We actually tried the "new" pizza this week -- reminded me of Pizza Hut, so I give it two thumbs up!  Winning a $20 gift card would just give us an excuse to order sooner.  Eight MPH Mom is giving one away ending 2/25.

http://www.eightymphmom.com/2010/02/dominos-pizza-new-recipe-20-gift-card.html

Squiggle Game giveaway at The Not So Blog ends 2/18

My kids love playing new games.  While they may be a little young for this, they both love to draw, so they'll grow into it soon enough!  Win a Squiggle game at The Not So Blog, ending 2/18:

http://www.thenotsoblog.com/2010/02/squiggle-game-review-and-giveaway

Walmart giveaway at My Charmed Life ends 2/18

Now that there's a Super Walmart near us, I love an excuse to go!  Win a $50 GC from My Charmed Life ending 2/18:
http://www.livingmycharmedlife.com/2010/02/are-you-ready-for-game-time-walmart.html

Zero water giveaway ends 2/15

My husband mentioned earlier this week that he'd like to be able to filter the tap water at work to drink -- This sounds perfect!  Giveaway ends 2/15:

http://gatheringmyroses.blogspot.com/2010/02/zerowater-review-and-giveaway-ends.html

Turbo Tax Givewaway at Melinda Joy ends 2/18

Hubby and I have used the online version of Turbo Tax for years.  We were charged for back taxes last year do to a filing error.  I contacted Intuit because it was hard to tell from the current interface if we had been misprompted back in 2004 or what.  They gave us the benefit of the doubt and covered the penalty amount we were being charged above the actual tax.  So they get a big thumbs up here!

Melinda Joy is giving away a code to do your state and federal taxes for FREE!  Ends 2/18.  Here's the link:
http://melindajoy.blogspot.com/2010/02/tis-season-to-do-taxes-turbo-tax.html

Walmart $50 GC giveaways

When Walmart (http://www.walmart.com) does promotion through blogs, they seem to do it in bulk!  Here are all the Walmart GC giveaways I know about in the current campaign.  I'll add more if I find them:

The Dirty Shirt ending 2/16: http://thedirtytshirt.com/walmart-game-time-giveaway

Cool Baby Kid: http://www.coolbabykid.com/2010/02/are-you-ready-for-some-football-walmart.html

Mama's Money Savers ends 2/24:  http://mamasmoneysavers.com/2010/02/check-out-walmarts-44-super-bowl-party.html

Brain Foggles ends 2/10:  http://brainfoggles.com/2010/02/03/walmart-game-time-and-50-gift-card-giveaway

Omaha Steaks $50 GC giveaway ends TONIGHT

Yes, I live in a family of carnivores, so we can certainly use some Omaha Steaks!  These will be kept for grownups to eat though, because my kids would not appreciate the quality difference between Omaha Steaks and the supermarket LOL.  Check out The B Keeps Us Honest for a review/giveaway ending TONIGHT (2/3) at 11:59 PM EST.


http://thebkeepsushonest.blogspot.com/2010/01/b-mine-omaha-steaks-review-giveaway.html

New Contest -- Blogger Challenge, over 500 in prizes!

OK, I may not have a lot of followers, but I can certainly help get the word out and try to win myself $25 in the process.  If you are not already subscribed to Engineer A Debt Free Life and subscribe through clicking any of the links in this post or the button on my blog, then I get credit toward the contest.  She has plenty of great deals and contests as part of her posts, so it's worth the subscribe.  Got your own blog?  You can enter too!

http://www.engineeradebtfreelife.com/2010/01/new-contest-blogger-challenge-over-500-in-prizes.html

Family Party: 30 Great Games Winter Fun for Wii giveaway

As I've said many times lately, we love our Wii here!  This game sounds like a fun one for kids and grownups too.  Enter quickly, as it ends tomorrow (2/2):

http://www.robynsonlineworld.com/2010/01/family-party-30-great-games-winter-fun.html

Even Firefighters Go to the Potty book giveaway

My brother-in-law is a volunteer fireman, so my potty training nephew REALLY needs this book!  Check out the giveaway at Susan Heim on Parenting ending 2/12:

http://susanheim.blogspot.com/2010/01/even-firefighters-go-to-potty-book.html

50.00 American Express #Giveaway sponsored by Goby.com

Goby is a new search engine for finding things to do with the kids (museums, zoos, etc.).  To get the word out about Goby, MomStart is running a $50 AmEx gift card giveaway, ending Feb 8th.

http://momstart.com/2010/01/50-00-american-express-giveaway-sponsored-by-goby-com

$25 Amazon Gift Card & Thyroid Awareness Giveaway at the Suburban Jungle ends 1/31

Underactive thyroid runs in my family, so this post caught my attention even without the $25 Amazon gift card being given away.  Check out the Suburban Jungle for details (link below).  Giveaway ends 1/31.

http://thesuburbanjungle.blogspot.com/2010/01/25-amazon-gift-card-thyroid-awareness.html

Giveaway : Free Wii, Wii Fit Plus and More

From the fixr website:  fixR has been described as an “ebay for home remodeling“: homeowners list their remodeling needs as contractor submit estimates to get the work.

To get the word out, they're giving away the prizes below.  Check out the giveaway at this link:

http://www.fixr.com/blog/2010/01/26/fixr-giveaway/

1st Prize

Nintendo Wii and Nintendo Wii Fit Plus ($298 value) for one

2nd Prize

Black & Decker PS18FDPK 18-Volt 51-Piece Project Kit ($130 value) for two

3rd Prize

Black & Decker XD1200K 12-Volt Ni-Cad 1/4-Inch Hex Cordless 5-Position Drill/Driver Kit ($80 value) for two

Family Party 30 Great Games Winter Fun Video Game for the Wii #giveaway at Momstart

While some curse video games for kids, the Wii has been great for us this winter when we've had to stay home with illnesses.  We can always use games that are good for the whole family, and this one sounds like it fits the bill!  Check out the Family Party 30 Great Games Winter Fun Video Game for the Wii giveaway at Momstart ending 2/15:
http://momstart.com/2010/01/family-party-30-great-games-winter-fun-video-game-for-the-wii-giveaway/

Bakugan “Time for Battle” Volume 6 Review & Giveaway at Is it Naptime Yet?

This Christmas, when asking my son what he wanted, one of his frequent replies was, "Bakugan".  Did he really know what it was?  No, but his classmates had them and he wanted them.  So we're still learning here.  A DVD of the cartoons would sure help with the learning process!  Enter to win one at Is it Naptime Yet?, ending 2/4/2010.

http://blog.christyscreations.com/bakugan-time-for-battle-volume-6-review-giveaway

Windshield Wonder Review & Giveaway at Nicole's Nickels

At 5'4", it's tough to clean the windshield of my SUV.  This tool sounds like it would help me reach the middle though!  Win Windshield Wonder at Nicole's Nickels, ending 2/1/2010.

http://www.nicolesnickels.com/2010/01/windshield-wonder-review-and-giveawa.html

CSN Stores and A Giveaway from Cookware.com at Some Days You Gotta Dance

With two small kids, there are plenty of dishes broken here.  I can always use a good serving bowl myself, and a fun, funky color at that!  Check out Some Days You Gotta Dance for their latest giveaway.  Ends January 28th.

http://paigefaulkner.blogspot.com/2010/01/csn-stores-and-giveaway-from.html

BJ's $25 gift card giveaway ends TONIGHT at Oh My Baby

Quick before it ends at midnight!

http://oh-my-baby-gifts.blogspot.com/2009/01/bjs-wholesale-club-review-and-giveaway.html

National Geographic Kids 2010 Almanac: Review and Giveaway

Win a copy of the National Geographic Kids 2010 Almanac at The Experimental Mommy ends 1/27:
http://www.thenotsoblog.com/2010/01/national-geographic-kids-2010-almanac-giveaway

McCormick & Schmicks GC gift card giveaway ends 1/25

While there is a McCormick & Schmicks near us, I have yet to get to try it.  Having a $25 gift card would be a great incentive to go!  The Mommy-Files is currently giving one away, ending 1/25:
http://www.themommy-files.com/2010/01/mccormick-schmicks-new-zealand-giveaway

U.S. Wellness Meats 75.00 Sampler Pack Review and #Giveaway

Mmmm..... MEAT!!!!  (Yes, I could never be a vegetarian voluntarily LOL)

They're giving away a $75 sampler from U.S. Wellness over at MomStart.  Go check it out!

http://momstart.com/2010/01/u-s-wellness-meats-75-00-sampler-pack-review-and-giveaway

Yes, ANOTHER Oreck Halo Giveaway ends 2/16

Yet another blog is offering what I'm in pursuit of - That elusive Oreck Halo!  Head over to the Not-So Blog's Experimental Mommy (ends 2/16):

http://www.thenotsoblog.com/2010/01/oreck-halo-germ-killing-vacuum-review-and-giveaway

The Frugalicious Mommy Anniversary CASH giveaway ends 1/25

The Frugalicious Mommy is celebrating her blog anniversary with a cash giveaway!  Ends 1/25

http://www.frugaliciousmommy.com/2010/01/do-you-know-what-today-is.html

Hi Tec Auckland Sneakers Giveaway ends 2/8

 I've needed new sneakesr for ages, and was excited to see a newer giveaway for shoes very similar to my ones to be replaced!  Two pairs up for grabs at Melinda Joy's blog - One for a male, one for a female!  Ends 2/8
http://melindajoy.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-year-new-you-series-7-hi-tec.html

Wii Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs game giveaway ends 1/19

It's already been a long winter in our house (two weeks home with sick kids), and the Wii has helped us not kill each other while trapped home.  A new game always helps!  Win Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs game for Wii at The Mommy-Files:

http://www.themommy-files.com/2010/01/cloudy-with-a-chance-of-meatballs-giveaway

Oreck Platinum Pilot Vacuum *Review and Giveaway at Mommy's Hangout

Anyone need a good vacuum?  Look no further!  Come enter the new Oreck Platinum Pilot giveaway at Mommy's Hangout.  Ends Friday 2/12/10 @ 3PM EST

http://www.mommyshangout.com/product-reviews-and-giveaways/oreck-platinum-pilot-vacuum-review

 

Angela Vinez Designs Giveaway - win a blogger blog makeover!

It's a new year, and my blog needs a new look! Thank heavens, Angie at 5 Vinez Monkeys is giving away a new blog look to one lucky reader courtesy of her business, Angela Vinez Designs. You won't want to miss this giveaway! Stop by before 11:59pm ET on January 27th and enter to win!

Ceramcor Xtrema Cookware Review & Giveaway at Sugar Pop Ribbons

Teacher hubby's original degree is in ceramic engineering, so we always find new materials interesting around here.  My primary pan could definitely be replaced, and the 10" pan from Ceramcor they're giving away at Sugar Pop Ribbons sounds awesome.  Contest ends January 15th at 11:59pm PST.  Here's the link:
http://sugarpopribbons.blogspot.com/2009/12/ceramcor-xtrema-cookware-review.html

Wins & Thanks

I just realized that I haven't done a Thank You post since mid-December.  I only started focusing on blog giveaways about two months ago, but it's still quite fun to see the USPS/UPS/Fed Ex delivery guys coming so often!  Many thanks to the giveaway sponsors and bloggers!

12/15/2009 Black Diamond Floor Cleaner (CouponPrincess)
12/19/2009 Raisin gift basket (Latina on a Mission)   
12/19/2009 Sid the Science Kid doll (thatsitmommy)
12/23/2009 Kmart GC (Twitter only)
12/26/2009 SweetPea3 MP3 Player (Barefoot Mommy)
12/26/2009 Alphabotz and ItzaZoo games (The Science of Being Dad)   
1/2/2010   BJs $25 gift card (Wii Mommies)
1/5/2010   Sam's Club $75 gift cards (The Art of Being Mom)
1/7/2010   Wii Birthday    Party Bash (frugalwifeblog)
1/7/2010   EA Active Sports Active (Outnumbered3-1)

We just got the SweetPea3 today and my three year old LOVES it.  We let her test drive it today to make sure it was working, but I told her she had to "earn" it with her reward chart.  She wouldn't go to bed without us putting it with the rest of the "prize closet" toys LOL.

I also love the giant Swiffer-like mop that came with the Black Diamond cleaning kit.  If you've got hardwood floors, it's so convenient.  I just have to find out where to get a spare mop head cloth for when one is in the wash.

$50 Toys R Us giveaway at Earl's Daughter

With both toys for kids and grownups, who couldn't use a $50 gift card to Toys R Us????

Giveaway at Earl's daughter ends 1/31.  Here's the link:
http://earlsdaughtergiveaways.blogspot.com/2009/12/50-toys-r-us-gift-card-giveaway.html

"Blog Tour and Beatles Rock Band for Nintendo Wii Giveaway: The Lonely Hearts Club by Elizabeth Eulberg"

While not quite the Metallica Guitar Hero my husband likes to play, I figure this is a great family friendly version of Rock Band for us all to enjoy.  Giveaway is at Presenting Lenore and ends next Monday January 11th:
http://presentinglenore.blogspot.com/2010/01/book-review-blog-tour-and-beatles-rock.html

Disney G-Force Blu-Ray Review/Giveaway at Here & There ENDS TONIGHT

The rate this winter is shaping up, the kids and I are going to be inside a lot.  Why not have a new movie to watch?  Win Disney G-Force on Blu-Ray at Here & There:
http://hereandthere.us/index.php/2009/disney-g-force-blu-ray-review