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Can I Have Some Apple Dippers?

Last weekend, I went to Super Walmart. I was there for what seemed like 3 eternities, scouring the Valentine’s clearance, finding every Wilton product on clearance in the store, which I was able to score some good deals.  After my what felt like 6 years in Walmart, I was famished. There is a McDonald’s in that particular Walmart so I decided to get a snack. Now, before all the Mickey D haters come out of the wood work, I eat it in moderation.  I got a cheeseburger and a small fry. I had sworn McDonald’s off for a month after coming home from my best friend Brandy’s house in New Hampshire; this was well after that time period was up, so I figured it’s OK.  I had to get Noah something too; I mean that would be mean not to, right? So, I order him some Apple Dippers.  The manager informs me that they discontinued the caramel cup.  At first I was like no big deal, because my son doesn’t eat that part.  It dawned on me, while watching my fries cook that I ate that part.  I wanted to cry, that was the best part. I ate it with a spoon. That was my special treat, and now it is gone.

The more I think about it, I wonder why. Sure it’s got sugar in it, really all it is sugar, but what is like 2 teaspoons of caramel going to do? You get three dips out of it and it’s gone. Let’s do some McMath shall we? There are approximately ten apples in a package and you get three dips. So ten minus three equals seven, that is seven apples without caramel.  I wonder what pack of angry parents threw a fit about a little caramel; it isn’t like the ratio of caramel to apples was outrageous. I wished the cups were bigger, but never complained that it was bad. It really makes me flabbergasted that it was that big of a deal.  Last I checked, and I have had plenty of Apple Dippers in my life, that it is in a separate cup, not poured over like molten lava. I need to buy some caramel and apples now.  Parents could have said please no caramel or not let their child have it. Maybe a better solution would be asked would you like the caramel cup? So, it’s not wasteful when they order their happy meals.  Let’s face it; it’s still healthier than fries.  I mean remember it is two teaspoons full.   I highly doubt that could do any harm. Maybe if you filled a bathtub full of it, but its moderation folks.

So, once again, an angry parent mob, more than likely has ruined something I love, because they are on a warpath.  Rest in Peace Apple Dippers. You are just now sliced apples in a bag.

Simple and Stylish Sandals for Men

When it comes to sandals for men, The All Terrain Lite Strap Sandals by Ecco are available in a woodsy, dark brown. The shoes are imported and have a simple style. There have flexible black rubber soles. The shoes are light and are able to bend with the motion of the foot. The soles are thick with traction underneath.

 

The shoes' traction allow movement and flexibility while walking or running. The shoe has decorative slits on them that form a simple design. There is stitching detail on the straps in tan threading which contrasts with the brown and black of the rest of the shoe. The upper strap has additional decoration in the form of three tiny black circles.

 

The design does not overpower the shoe and the shoe is still woodsy brown with tiny accents. Typical of sandals for men, the leather strap comes with adjustable Velcro for closure. Unlike other sandals, both leather straps on the sandal are adjustable. The upper leather strap bears the red Ecco logo in small red stitching. There is a rubber sole and leather straps. Both materials are durable and water resistant. The footbed is cushioned and black. There is cushion in the heel strap.

Shopping With Printable Coupons

I am sure you guys know how much I love to save money and use coupons. I do a lot of online shopping especially when I am shopping for my brother in law who loves camping. Camping stuff is so expensive so I like to use  a REI coupon when I shop for gifts for him. We all know about coupon codes but what about when you are going to an actual store? Sometimes it is cheaper for me to go to a store and avoid the shipping charges depending on what I am buying.  Sometimes it is something that I can’t wait for it to be shipped and it is easier just to go there and pick it up. Well, I like to save money at the store too. That is where printable coupons come in. They are coupons you can print from your printer at home.  When I started really getting in to online shopping and store coupons, I signed up for everything under the sun, to get coupons.  It would make for a hefty inbox full of stuff that I might have used once at a particular store.  For example I bought a gift and it was from a store that I would personally never shop for myself, last year. I signed up for the newsletter to save some money and I still get the emails every week. That’s why I prefer sites  that do all the work for me and most importantly, no hundreds of weekly emails.

Do you use printable coupons when you shop? I look forward to your thoughts.

Direct Buy Membership

Direct Buy is a service that many people have heard of, but do not really know much about. Direct Buy is a company that has been saving people money on some of the largest purchases of a home. A Direct buy membership is all you need to get started and this is something that can help you to get all of the things you need for your home.

You can use your membership to help you with a new home, or an existing home etc., to help you get all of the things you need for a discounted price. You will have access to many of the major brands. You will also be able to purchase these top brands at the dealer’s price. This can be very different than going into a store and paying for the mark up. With this service you are eliminating the middle man and buying straight from the source.

At Direct buy, you can choose from products like appliances, hardwood flooring, cabinets, and more. This can help you to find many of the things you need for your home without overspending for these items. You will have many resources to look at and this can help to provide you with ideas and you will also have many different manufactures at your fingertips. This will allow you to do everything you need in one spot. You will not have to drive from store to store looking for the things you need. This can help you to save time and time is something that many people need more of.

Obtaining a Direct buy membership is also very easy. You will be able to provide some basic information and you can begin using your membership right away. This can make it very easy to get your membership started you will be able to transform your home right away and this is a very easy way to get your home updated and in a condition that you will love when complete.

You can take full advantage of a free day pass and this can give you a rare, inside look into what this Direct Buy membership can do for you. When you use this pass, you will be able to really check out all of the benefits and this can help you decide if this is a company that you would be interested in working with further. You can also use this time to sign up and become a true member.

Bargain Jill Helps Save Shoppers Time

It’s no secret that I love shopping online. I also like to get a great deal. I spend quite a bit of time trying to find the best deal when I am buying something that could be available at many different stores. I take the time to look for the best deal, so I can save money. Sometimes it can become a time consuming task. I am sure that there were sites I didn’t even think to look at. The other day I was buying a couple DVD’s that I have wanted for a while. I looked at all the usual suspects and was able to find what I thought was a good deal. I have recently learned about a site called Bargain Jill, it will look across the web for you and find a good deal for the item you want to purchase. You don’t have to check many sites now for a deal. I think that is really a time saver. They also have coupon codes available for even more savings. I hope you all check it all out.

For more information please visit Bargain Jill.

Shopping With Noah for Outdoor Furniture

Noah and I went shopping today; while we were out we were looking at cheap outdoor furniture for him. It was really cute it was a Noah sized table with two chairs and even an umbrella. I loved it and we found it at the grocery store at all places. He sat in it for about five minutes and then I realized that he doesn’t really have anywhere to sit outside. I mean sure he could sit in a big chair but I think he would like to have something more his size. I have looked at the kids sized items that you can put outside and I think as much as we spend outside that he needs something to call his own. I think that it would be cool to have his little chair next to mine as we watch the cars go by.

When I was little my grandparents and I would sit on their front porch and watch the cars and trucks go by. We would play a game trying to figure out which color car would come by next. We rarely kept score it was just something fun for us to do. I have great memories of watching the cars going by with my grandpa. We loved being outside but sometimes you just want to relax. I wonder if Noah would just like to sit down and feel the wind through his hair and watch the ducks on the pond. We have new baby ducks! We also bought seeds to start a garden. I am not too sure how well it will work out but I am hoping it will. I would love to get some garden furniture like a bench or a swing. I love being able to swing and talk on the phone outside on nice nights.

We had our family over a couple weeks ago, although the weather was too cold and rainy to be outside it would have been really nice to sit on the patio and chat. As I have mentioned before, we have a huge patio. We have a big family so we would have to get some more furniture for the patio to accommodate them all. We had a great time and there were ten of us, which is only a small part of my family. So, to hold a get together with everyone we would definitely have to get some more seats. I remember the family visits at my grandparent’s house, they would have every chair in the house including folding chairs and there still was a few that had to stand. I am the youngest grandchild so I always seemed to have a seat.

It seemed like old times, we talked about all kinds of things. My aunt found records of my Grandpa Jim and his parents from the 20’s or 30’s. My uncle is going to clean them up and make us all copies. I can’t wait to hear them, we no longer have my little toy record player. I really enjoy spending time with all of them. I wish we weren’t all so spread out. I am hoping this summer we can spend more time with them and of course have a lot of time outside playing and relaxing.

What are your favorite things to play outside?

Noah is Growing Up Fast!

When I found out I was pregnant with Noah, I started making my list of what I would need for him. I remember that I had a check list that was like four pages long. He needed all kinds of things, or so I thought. There were some things on the list that I never ended up using. I knew that he was going to be a boy so I made sure I bought gauze for his circumcision. I never ended up using it though. I was an over prepared mom who had everything that the books recommended short of a bottle warmer, and wipe warmer, which both seemed like something I would not use. The most important thing to have for a baby or a child for that matter is a car seat. We are on car seat number 4. I would suggest cosco car seats for anyone who is looking for a car seat. The one we had lasted a long time. It had gone on my many trips and never had any problems with it. It was a great price too.

Noah has always been a big boy so when he meets the weight requirement he has to move on to another one. I really don’t mind though because that’s just part of being a mom, new car seats, new clothes, and new shoes as he keeps growing. Noah has had a lot of cute clothes and shoes. I wish I would have bought him some toddler rain boots. So, his pants wouldn’t get wet as he jumped in the puddles. Little kid boots are adorable and I was just thinking about buying Noah a pair, so we can jump in puddles together. I would need boots too because my snow boots would look ridiculous in the Spring and Summer. I could probably get away with wearing my beach sandals though.

Lemon- Garlic Chicken from Kroger and ConAgra #weeknightmeals

More check-ins at Kroger

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I was able to participate in another Kroger shop. This time I used my widget on my sidebar to try out a new recipe called Lemon Garlic Chicken. I was really excited to try it out. I went to the website and printed the recipe and the shopping list. I never read recipes right off my computer because I would make a mess. Today’s Kroger trip was an adventure to say the least. It wasn’t bad, just crazy. I have been trying to have Noah walk more at the store instead of riding in the cart. He loves to push the cart and explore things. He does a great job at pushing the cart; it is really cute to see him pushing it. Today, we were in the area with the cheese, and produce. I went to get a sample of cheese for both of us and Noah was at the salad bar trying to sample things. He really thought they were samples. There was a guy who works there at the gourmet cheeses and he and I were both laughing so hard. I was like Noah, come here. He was totally going to help himself to whatever looked good. I mean he has seen me get a sample from the sample tray so he just thought it was the same thing.

We saw some pretty good deals. Noah had to check out the lobster tank too of course. I had to buy some chicken and they were pretty low stocked on chicken. I even checked the meat counter. I did find some, but it was a bigger package than I wanted to buy. It might have been because it was only $1.99 a pound which is a great price. We did find everything we needed though. I also picked up a couple other items that were a good price as a treat. I saw a lot of ConAgra products on sale too. I tried a recipe called Hero Joes a couple weeks ago and I was tempted to buy the ingredients for that as well, but decided I would another day. Noah wanted to sample some yogurt and when he was finished he threw away his spoon and little cup and walked away. He went back to the trash and was worried because he threw the spoon away and tried to get it back out. I had to explain to him that it was a throw away spoon, not like the ones we have at home. Once we got all our groceries we were ready to check out. This meal is very inexpensive to make.

When I was ready to make dinner, it was really easy to throw together. I had to cut the chicken breasts in half because there was only three in the package. The package of chicken weighted 2 and a half pounds. I think it would be great to use tenders too. The first thing that surprised me was that you don’t cook it on the stove. It is completely oven baked, that cuts down on the fat. If you know me, you know how much I hate doing dishes. I love this recipe because you don’t use any bowls, you put everything in bags and shake it. Once you are done with the bags you throw them in the trash and clean up is a breeze. It takes only 25 minutes to bake too. So easy, I couldn’t wait to try it.

Here is the recipe for Lemon-Garlic Chicken:

Ingredients
• PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
• 1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Pure Wesson® Canola Oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 breasts = 1 lb)

Nutrition Information*
Serving Size 4 servings (1 breast each)
Calories 202
View complete nutrition information

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Combine bread crumbs, garlic salt and lemon pepper in recloseable food storage bag. Combine lemon juice and oil in another recloseable food storage bag.
2. Add chicken to bag with lemon juice mixture; toss to coat. Place each breast in bag with crumb mixture; shake to coat. Place coated chicken in single layer in baking pan. Sprinkle any remaining crumbs over chicken, if desired.
3. Spray tops of chicken with cooking spray. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in centers (165°F).

I love how you get the breaded coating and you don’t have to mess with frying it. I know that there are a lot of dietary restrictions out there where people cannot have fried food. This would be a great option for them. There is no butter or eggs in it either. The wet part of the recipe is a little bit of oil and some lemon juice. Honestly, I was a little worried because I am not a huge lemon pepper fan, but really it was really good. The flavors were married perfectly. The lemon pepper wasn’t over powering. It had the perfect amount of crunch too. We had baked potatoes and corn to go with it. I really enjoyed it and so did my family. I love that I am trying so many delicious recipes from Kroger and ConAgra.

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Giving A Little Thanks

One thing I am constantly making sure my son does is say thank you. I still remember the first time he said it. We were walking around the neighborhood going to garage sales and we went to a house with two little old ladies. They loved Noah; they were talking to him while I looked around with him. I purchased some southwest buttons from them, I didn’t not want to buy anything because they were really sweet, so when I paid for them I said thank you and then Noah said Thank you as well. He went through a phase where he would say thank you just to say it, it was new to him and he was just around 18 months at the time. I love that my son has manners most of the time. I occasionally have to remind him to say thank you to me. He is really good about saying it at the store or at a restaurant. I grew up saying thank you and please and excuse me and he is growing up the same way.

I am really sick of people that don’t thank people. I am not just talking about when someone gives you a gift which is a definite thank you time, but more like when someone does something nice. I try and hold the door for people, if I am able to. If someone holds it for me I thank them cheerfully. One day I was at the grocery store and one of the ladies in the self service no limit check out line was taking forever. I am not sure if it was because there was a problem with the machine or what was going on. There were a few people in front of me with a cart full each and they moved to another line. I had maybe 10 items. Right before it was my turn, I turned to one of the people who was in front of me before and said, “Would you like your spot back?” fully aware that they had a full cart. I knew they were there before me and I would be done before them. The guy looked at me like I had 3 heads and mumbled no. I figured it was their turn to go.

I wish people would use more manners. It’s not that hard to thank someone for whatever reason. It doesn’t cost anything and doesn’t take any effort. It could really brighten someone’s day.

Are You Really Getting A Deal?

I consider myself a very savvy shopper. I try and use coupons whenever I can, I shop sales and match up coupons with sales. I get a rush when I get a great deal. A lot of stores do ten items for ten dollars sales that you can mix and match or buy ten for ten dollars get the eleventh free. They seem to be popular sales from what I can gather but now a warning. Be careful; make sure the deal is really a deal and not something that they put up to make you think you are saving money when you aren’t. I wanted to share with you these two instances where I was in fact not getting a deal, one of them being that I was essentially paying more.

Back when Noah was still eating baby food, I would buy him the two pack fruits and veggies. A local store always included them in the buy ten for ten dollars get the eleventh free. I must have done it ten times before, until I noticed something. The baby food was 88 cents not on sale. I am not sure why I looked at the actual price; maybe I was looking to see where a certain food was supposed to be using the price tags on the shelves. I started thinking of all the times I had bought baby food during those sales. Was I really paying 12 cents MORE during the sales? Was I really getting one free with my other items? I tracked down an employee who was as dumbfounded as I was. I mean it happened all the time that they were on sale like that. Were they sticking it to the consumers with babies and making an extra 12 cents? Noah doesn’t eat baby food anymore so I am not sure if they are still running that sale. Be sure to check the original price with the sale price to make sure you are really getting the savings it sounds like. If it something I buy all the time and don’t pay attention to the non sale price, how would I know the item was not actually on sale and inflated?

Another time I have noticed things are not on sale are when they try and say it is when it really only costs $1.00 to begin with. For example 4 packs of pudding are $1.00 and they are often included in the 10 for $10 sales. I know you can mix and match but if you are raising a bunch of pudding monsters and buy the 10 for $10 you think you are getting a deal when you aren’t. In this case you aren’t paying more but you aren’t saving either. You are paying the same as you were if it was on sale or not on sale. It makes me wonder if we put too much faith in those sale price tags. I am sure not everyone takes the time to make sure they are getting a deal. I know that some people see the sale signs and decide to stock up. I know I have been known to do that as I am sure you have at some point in time. Most of the time you do get a deal, but occasionally there is no deal in sight. You have to also make sure you are getting a good deal.

Black Friday?

Call me crazy, but I don’t understand the hype of Black Friday. I mean seriously, what is the point? Maybe there is something I don’t see. I hate crowds of people, grabbing things out of your cart when you aren’t looking, waiting in really long lines just to get a deal. It seems silly to me. If it is something you enjoy that is wonderful. It’s just not for me. One year we went to Wal-mart on Thanksgiving, just to go and get out for a little bit. It was like 8 pm when we left, we drove buy Best Buy and there were people standing in line already. It was cold and was weird to see people waiting for that long just to go shopping.

I haven’t really seen anything that would be worth my time to wait that long or go out period on Black Friday. I have only really done Black Friday once, that was enough for me. I went with an old friend so he could have company. I was very cranky at the end of it. I did not have any fun what so ever. I don’t think he even bought anything because the lines were ridiculously long everywhere we went. There are sales all the way up till the week before Christmas. I just don’t know why it is that big of a deal. I could see if you were buying like a TV or something that was extremely marked down that normally would cost a fortune. Otherwise, just to get a toy for your child for Christmas? With online sales and websites you can pretty much find anything online from the comforts of your own home.

It’s not like when we were kids and our parents or grandparents had to actually go to the stores to buy the hot item of the year. I think that anything I wanted for Christmas I always got, or if I didn’t it didn’t traumatize me enough that I remember now. I survived. There were not huge tears and disappointment on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning unless you count the whole silts, Barbie bed, Cabbage Patch cradle Christmas, which started with me crying on Christmas Eve, followed by my sister crying on Christmas morning.

Black Friday has turned in to this HUGE ordeal. I mean I think I have heard a lot more about Black Friday than Thanksgiving. That makes me very sad. Thanksgiving is an actual holiday when we remember what we are thankful for and about family. Black Friday is a day of greed and sales. It’s not even a holiday yet it gets more attention than Thanksgiving.

For Black Friday I will stay home. I will spend time with my family and play games and drink hot chocolate and snack on treats and make memories with my son, because Black Friday does not matter to me. There is also a Law and Order SVU marathon on. I can still find good deals on gifts; I am not worried about that.

So what if it costs me a little more, it is too much hassle and stress for me. I might shop online, but I haven’t found anything really worth it.
If you are going out for Black Friday, I wish you luck on finding deals and hope that you have a safe and happy experience.

Keep Your Electronics Protected with Pelican Cases

In this technology oriented society more and more people rely on expensive electronics like laptops, GPS devices, digital cameras and smartphones than ever before. Not only are these items expensive, but they are usually also very delicate, needing careful handling and safe storage. One of the best ways to safely secure these items and many others is by storing and transporting them in Pelican cases.

For those of you not familiar with Pelican cases, they are the most popular method of providing waterproof and shockproof protection for delicate items of all shapes and sizes. Whether you have a digital camera you want to protect while outdoors, or you need a good, sturdy, waterproof case for carrying your laptop in, Pelican has a case solution. Pelican’s cases range in size from very small, for protecting items like cell phones and pocket sized cameras, to very large cases, for bigger items like rifles, computer monitors and tools. Additionally, each Pelican case is backed by the famous Pelican guarantee, You Break It, We Replace It…Forever.

In addition to the extreme protective qualities Pelican cases provide, they are also very handy for keeping organized. Each case model has available accessories like lid organizers and re-configurable padded divider sets, perfect for conveniently arranging lots of smaller items. Features like these make Pelican cases very popular amongst professional photographers because of the large number of lenses, batteries, flashes, etc that they must carry at all times.

Much like technology in general, Pelican’s case offerings are evolving. Some of the most recently developed case models Pelican now offers include the Pelican 0450, a completely waterproof mobile tool chest, and the Pelican 1510, an FAA approved airline carry-on case.

If you need protection for your smartphone, camera, laptop, or any other valuable gear, I recommend investing in a waterproof hard case from Pelican. It will last you a lifetime, and will increase the longevity of whatever you put in the case as well.

How to Get Cheap Contact Lenses

If you are a contact lens wearer, you already know how expensive buying new lenses can be. Just because your optometrist wrote the prescription and happens to sell contact lenses does not mean you have to buy yours from his or her store. Shopping for contact lenses online has become a much cheaper alternative. All you need is your lens prescription and you can buy from one of the many online stores that offer cheap contact lenses.

Whether you need disposable, bifocal, color, toric, vial or novelty contact lenses, you can easily find them with a simple Google search, at a price far lower than you’ll find at your local eye doctor. Each online lens retailer is a little different, but the purchase process is basically the same for each. Simply supply them with your prescription information, including your doctor’s information and you’ll have access to whichever lens brands you want.

How is it these online stores are able to offer such low prices? Simple, the vast majority of online contact lens stores are strictly online, meaning they have no storefront property to purchase. In addition to those cost savings, many of these lens stores do not carry a physical inventory. They are simply affiliated with a supplier, and all lens purchases are fulfilled by the supplier, further decreasing the cost of operation. All of these cost savings are passed onto the customer in the form of lower prices, bulk purchase rebates, and free shipping offers.

With all that in mind, the key to maximizing your savings is to buy online and purchase your replacement contact lenses in bulk. By doing so, you will nearly always get free shipping, and many times become eligible to receive a substantial rebate on your purchase. Each store’s rebate offer will be different, so shop around to make sure you are getting the most for your money. Couple these options with web based stores’ already lower contact lens prices, and you can see how easy it is to save a lot of money. So, next time you’re in need of replacement contact lenses, get online, search for the brand you want, and remember to buy in bulk.

Ameda Purely Yours – A Hygienic Breast Pump

For new breastfeeding moms out there looking for a quality breast pump, the Ameda Purely Yours offers patented technology that makes pumping much safer than competing brands.

All breast pumps provide the same basic function nursing moms are looking for, but one of the most important factors that many new moms do not consider is the hygienic qualities of their breast pump.

In years past, all breast pumps worked on the same basic principle of suction cycles, which were intended to express their breast milk quickly. Needless to say, newer, more efficient breast pumps began branching out with their own proprietary technologies to provide higher levels of customization, making them more effective, efficient and easier to use. However, one factor that was left overlooked by many manufacturers for many years was the prevention of contamination.

After various research had been completed, it was determined that most breast pumps on the market did not prevent milk and other contaminants from entering the pump mechanism itself. Over time this issue could develop mold on the interior of the pump, leaving it contaminated and impossible to clean. Any milk expressed by a breast pump with this level of contamination could be rendered unsafe for consumption, thereby making the use of the breast pump a health risk for your child.

Certain breast pumps manufacturers like Ameda took this research very seriously and in turn developed what they call a closed-system milk collection kit for their line of Ameda Purely Yours breast pumps. The resulting product eliminates the risk of milk contamination and also makes cleaning their breast pumps much simpler than other manufacturer’s models. This technology has become standard on all hospital breast pumps, but has yet to become the norm for many personal-use breast pumps in today’s market.

Taking all this into consideration, if you are thinking of purchasing a breast pump you may want to seriously consider investing in a closed system breast pump like any of the Ameda Purely Yours breast pumps. Ameda offers 4 different models of their Purely Yours breast pump, each containing different accessories depending on your pumping needs. These include the Ameda Purely Yours, Ameda Purely Yours with Carry All, Ameda Purely Yours with Backpack, and the more robust Ameda Purely Yours Ultra Breast Pump.

Can I get a Price Check?

I get very excited when I find items I use a lot are on sale. You really have to check and make sure it is in fact a deal. One of my local grocery stores often has a sale buy 10 for 10 and get one free. You can mix and match so it is usually a good deal. One day I was shopping for baby food and I saw in the flier that it was 10 for 10 and get the 11th free. Great, awesome right? Yeah I thought so, until I realized that the item only cost 88 cents to begin with! So, I was thinking they want me to pay an extra 12 cents? I don’t think so. We pointed out the mistake to an employee and they kind of thought I was dumb for pointing it out. I thought it was kind of deceitful to act like it was a better deal when it wasn’t. I often wonder how many times we think something is on sale because the sign covering the price says so.

I always have a million things going on while I am at the grocery store. I don’t check every sale price with the original price every time. I have started to remember to do so. I hope you will remember to make a point to check out prices when you shop and make sure just because it sounds like a good deal that it really is.

Not all Wal-marts are created equal.

I am going to tell you all about a series of experiences that I endured with a Wal-mart store. This is something that I will remember for a very long time because it really made me irate. It all started when I lived next to a Wal-mart. I went to this Wal-mart frequently. At least three times a week. It was just through the gate of the gated apartment complex I lived in. It was a quick walk. So, it started out like any other day on a typical Wal-mart trip. I went around and picked out some stuff to purchase. I found some clothes for Noah. They were on clearance for $1 each. I picked out a bunch and got him some Gerber puffs and a couple other things and made my way to the check out.

I always make it a habit to watch the prices ring up. I noticed the clothes and the puffs were all ringing up wrong. I said something to the cashier who looked at me like I was a nutcase. She then made me walk back with her and show her the prices. No big deal right? Oh no. I know that Wal-mart has had a policy of if the item doesn’t ring up right you and it is under $3 then you get the item free or you get $3 off if it was more. All the items were under $3. They then told me they never heard of that. The CSM never heard of it, although, it was written on the little check stand in front of me. They made me feel like stupid and crazy. They made me cry. The store had many issues not to mention the cashier and CSM couldn’t figure out how to void a transaction. I think they were trying to make me concede and leave. They shortly removed all of those signs on the check stands. I have been a Wal-mart customer for a long time and was well aware.

Well I decided after I was in tears in the middle of Wal-mart I wanted to talk to the store manager. I had been treated like garbage and I wanted to make it clear that it was unacceptable. The store manager called me the next day and talked to me for forty five minutes. He told me that he wanted me to gather my complaints and come in to the store and have a meeting with him. I had made a list of many things, this was not the first or last time this happened within the scope of being a customer at this Wal-mart. I documented all the phone calls and everything. I wanted to feel that since they were getting my money they could have their employees treat me and all other customers with respect.

So, I spent time writing down my concerns because I thought that he really cared about my thoughts. It came to the day of our meeting, Noah had been not been feeling good. I took him out with me to Wal-mart because I didn’t want to miss my appointment and my mom was going to come get him. I get there nice and early and the service desk acts like I am on drugs and that they had no idea I was coming. I wait for a half an hour and this lady said Chris had an emergency and had to leave. OK fine. Most people have cell phones or a store full of employees that one could have picked up the phone and called and said something. I was so annoyed at the time. I tried to call him a few more times and each time he hung up on me. Remember this was Chris’s idea in the first place.

I called Wal-mart’s 1800 number. They told me they couldn’t do anything. They said that they would call the district manager. So, Duane, the district manager called me and talked to me for a while and then he said he wanted to meet with me when he was in the area. Duane also told me that he has worked for Wal-mart for a long time and the policy that I tried to have them honor was still their policy. Then the store manager called me and said that I wanted a meeting with him (Chris). That is what he said Duane said. I said it was Duane’s idea and he was like oh, it was Duane’s idea, with complete sarcasm in his voice. I called Duane and he said that he was going to have a talk with Chris because I was really upset. Duane said that he was going to call me to meet with me when he got back from his business trip and it has been two years and I never heard from him again.

Wal-mart’s customer service wouldn’t do anything. I repeatedly emailed them. I still have the emails. I guess they emailed me back saying give us more information and we will forward it to the right department. I even replied that the proper department will not do anything. They never replied. I told Duane that I wouldn’t hold my breath; he of course lied and promised he would contact me.

My favorite line in my email back to Wal-mart is I guess a mom’s voice gets buried under all of the bundles of cash that Wal-mart makes. In this case it is true.

OnTray Review!

Ever since I can remember, I have enjoyed those free samples at the grocery store. The more samples the better. I have passed that on to Noah, and he almost always samples something at the store. Normally it is a free cookie from the bakery. I try not to give him the whole thing at once because knowing him he would gobble it right up. I also am trying to teach him to savor his food like I do. I think it is a lot more enjoyable when you take your time to eat. When I get him a cookie I try and break it in to pieces, but it is really hard to push a cart while holding a cookie and protecting it from the germs of the handle. So, when I had the opportunity to review an OnTray I was really excited because many times I have had trouble steering the cart when I am holding all kinds of snacks for Noah.



OnTray is a brilliant invention created by Laura Hamrick who is a mother of three, to make shopping easier when you are shopping with small children. It is a little covered tray that you can put snacks in or coupons in to keep your hands free while you are pushing the shopping cart. You could even fill it with snacks from home if you are not a big sample person like I am. I personally can’t stand when people open things in the store without paying for them first so, it is free samples or a snack from home for my family.

When I received the OnTray, I wanted to go to the store immediately, to try it out. It is such a practical item and definitely made our trip to the grocery store easier. Sometimes I prefill the OnTray, other times I bring it empty. It just depends where we are going. I am pretty familiar with what stores have the free cookies, crackers and other items to try. It is great for things like Cheerios and Goldfish. It works so much better than a plastic bag because Noah tends to spill the bag. Sometimes he isn’t paying attention or he has trouble reaching the bottom of the bag, he just turns it upside down. Then it is like we are Hansel and Gretel and we leave a trail of food behind us in the store or there is a bunch of Cheerios all over the floor in an aisle. I don’t like to make messes and getting smashed up cereal in my shoes is such a pain.

I really like that it costs only $7.00 which is such a bargain for such a lifesaver item. That way if you forget the OnTray on the cart it is easy to replace or have spares. They are also safe for the top rack of the dishwasher making clean up a snap. It is also BPA Free and made in the USA. You could even heat up some chicken nuggets in it in the microwave with the lid off and then take it and go. Some families are really busy and I have seen people bring in what I consider meals in to the grocery store because there is just not time otherwise. Thankfully my family is not that busy and I hope we never are.

For more information please check out the OnTray Website

The OnTray is available at Babies R us and other retailers.

Thank you to OnTray for sending me a complimentary OnTray for my family to try out.

Upcoming review from CSN Stores

I have a really cool review coming up from CSN Stores. They sell almost everything and I am really excited to share about all the wonderful things they sell and share my thoughts with you on what I am reviewing. What is it I am reviewing? Well that is a surprise. You will just have to wait and see, in the mean time check out these sectional sofas. We have a sectional couch in our house and it is the most comfortable couch. I love all the space it has. It is more fun when you have a big couch to stretch out on. It is easier to have space for when you have company too. I have been squished between two adults on a couch before and it makes me feel a little uncomfortable especially when it is someone I don’t know too well.

So, be on the lookout for my review from CSN Stores coming up soon.

Coupon Confessions

You all know how much I love coupons right? I have a confession; I used to clip coupons that weren’t worth clipping. I was on a coupon train for a while and I would clip every single coupon even for things that I would think others might need. Some of them were for unique items, that only a select few would use. I would also get really excited about triple coupons and dollar doubles it was like my Christmas seriously. I would clip coupons for things I would never get unless it was free, then I would try and donate them if I could. For a while I had a huge collection of deodorants, ketchups BBQ sauce etc. Whatever I could get for free was like a gift to me. My cabinets and drawers became over run with free things I got from those sales. My mom and I used to joke about how many armpits we would need to use all the deodorant we had in our annex. You need to know when a coupon might not be worth clipping.

I try and use coupons whenever I shop if it is possible. I usually look for printables online if it is for a specific store. I also try and find coupon codes if I am shopping online. There are tons of printable coupons and coupon codes out there if you know where to look. I really like shopping at The Children’s Place for clothes for Noah and I am always looking for Children’s Place coupons. I like to get more bang for my buck. It is like a hunt for me. Do you like to shop with coupons? What are some deals that you have gotten that stick out in your memory?