Campus Book Rentals features RentBack

This year Noah is in second grade, and this year I had to pay the dreaded book rental fees. This is a new concept to me but not for my mom. I had to pay over a hundred dollars for Noah's books. These books aren't to keep but for rent. He has to give them back!! It comes out to about $40 a book for a second grader. Either the books cost a fortune or I'm in the wrong business. I know that books are expensive especially when you are in college. Most college students buy their books. If you have to spend a lot of money on books that will make you pay more when you are paying off your student loans after graduation.

College students can pay thousands for the books their classes. Thankfully Campus Book Rentals has made the ability to rent books possible for college students. They have a huge selection so you should be able to find whatever you are looking for. The savings is amazing. What would you do with your old books anyways? Unless you are a doctor or scientist and you use your books as reference chances are they will live in a box in the garage. Using Campus Book Rentals is fast and easy. You skip the lines at the school bookstore.  Your books are shipped to your door. You save money so you can eat more than Ramen noodles. Campus Book Rentals also partners with Operation Smile who provide surgeries for children who have a cleft lip or a cleft palate.

Here are some more perks of using Campus Book Rentals:

-save 40-90% off of bookstore prices

-free shipping both ways

-can highlight in the textbooks

-flexible renting periods

If you have textbooks laying around check out the RentBack Program. RentBack is new initiative that allows students to rent the textbooks they own - to other students... which is awesome because it makes you 2-4x more money compared to what you'd make through buyback options! Buyback is selling their books back at the end of the semester.

For more information please visit Campus Book Rentals

I Love Playing Slot Machines

One of the many things I inherited from my Grandma Rose is my love to play slot machines. When she visited my aunt and uncle in California, they always went to Reno. My Grandma Rose liked to play the nickel slots and if you knew her it was funny because she didn’t seem like a gambling woman. She was very Catholic and an amazing person. My aunt and uncle gave her a toy slot machine. I played with it all the time. We went to visit them and I remember going to Circus Circus when I was 16 to just check it out and I was mesmerized by the Free Play Twin Spin Slot Machine. I wasn't old enough to gamble but I loved looking at them spin and seeing people win. I knew that when I was old enough I would play the slots someday.

 After I turned 21, I went to the casino a few times. After I became a mom, I couldn't take off to a casino very easily. So I went online and play on sites like www.starburst-slot.co.uk to get the thrill of a win. If you know how much I love my jammies you know playing in them is exciting. I don't have to go anywhere. I can play anytime and I can do it from bed. All I have to do is press and there is no crowd of people, there is no smoke filled rooms or people trying to take your machine.

Save with Swagbucks and $50 VISA Gift Card Giveaway

I love using Swagbucks! You can earn great gift cards by shopping, answering surveys and signing up for offers. It's free and fun. You can even get points for searching for things you already are looking up. They even have a tool bar to make it easier. Earning gift cards and saving money is really important to my family. It really adds up.

Swagbucks has a great promotion!

It's easy! Just register for SwagBucks, if you are already a member just Log in!
Swagbucks  the web’s largest rewards site, would
like to scare up some savings for your Halloween shopping needs this
month with up to 14% cash back from some of your favorite retailers
including Groupon, Target, costume specialty retailers and  any of
those listed here:

Swagbucks, the web’s largest rewards site, would
like to scare up some savings for your Halloween shopping needs this
month with up to 14% cash back from some of your favorite retailers
including Groupon, Target, BuyCostumes.com, Costume Supercenter,
Living Social and much more.

To help celebrate this promotion, Sheilacakes readers can win a $50 Visa gift
card just for entering on this post and answering the following
question: “What do you – or your kids – want to dress up as for
Halloween this year?”

This giveaway will end October 24th at 11:59pm ET.

Good Luck!!

How to Achieve Perfect Skin for your Wedding Day

As exciting as it is, planning for your dream wedding can be a stressful process- and unfortunately, that stress can show on your skin through breakouts and blemishes. Take a long-term approach to achieving glowing skin on your wedding day with this year-long guide to wedding skincare.

12 Months to Go: Schedule an appointment with your dermatologist to create a plan for your skincare concerns; continue to see the dermatologist regularly leading up to your big day. Wear sunscreen and stay out of the sun so that your skin stays healthy, and begin implementing your skincare plan. Treatment can take a while to work, and you may have to make adjustments to find out what works for you. Instill good skincare habits in yourself now, such as washing your face twice a day.

6 Months to Go: Avoid flip-flopping between products. To prevent stress-induced breakouts, drink plenty of water and make time for yourself to relax, such as through a regular yoga class.

3 Months to Go: Try a professional body treatment such as a body thermal mask or an exfoliation scrub. Test out different self-tanners or spray tans to find that perfect, non-orange glow for your wedding day.

1 Month to Go: Schedule a brightening facial with extractions for a healthy glow. Have your makeup trial for a dress rehearsal to see what products and colors work with your skin. Make sure you’ve allocated funds in your budget for skincare products that will last you until your celebratory day.

1 Week to Go: Apply sunscreen daily to avoid a sunburn. Wear sensitive skin deodorant, get plenty of sleep every night, and drink water throughout your day.

1 Day to Go: Use a hydration mask for a nourished glow in pictures. Prep your products so that they’re ready to go tomorrow. Go to bed extra early, and stay hydrated while eating antioxidant-rich foods like blueberries, leafy greens, and proteins.

On the Day of Your Wedding: Have a trusted friend or family member carry your day-of emergency essentials, such as extra bobby pins or pressed powder. When getting your makeup done, use mascara, brow filler, and under eye brightener to look awake and refreshed. For an airbrushed look, use facial shine control and setting powder; make sure that your foundation matches your skin tone on both your face and neck. Finally, use setting spray to ensure that your makeup lasts for the entire day.

No matter how beautiful your skin looks, a big smile is the best accessory a bride can have on her wedding day- so have fun and enjoy your big day!

Win Big with Scoreboardchallenge.com!

Since it’s almost football season, ScoreboardChallenge.com has just opened it's Week One entry. Those who enter now can win 100 gallons of free gas (valued at $350) with the fuel company of their choice.

It is really fast and easy. You don’t have to sign up for anything, you don’t have to buy in, and there is no selling. It’s totally free and legit!  All you have to do is enter how many points you think will be scored amongst all 16 featured football games.

If you're correct, you can win the grand prize!

Every single week, a new contest and prize package will be announced. It costs nothing and you don’t even have to register.  Spend a few seconds to enter your guess and the winning result could be $350 in FREE gas!

Visit http://scoreboardchallenge.com to enter. With the tie-breaker going to the person who entered first, don't delay.

Good luck!

Hike Your City with Kamino

Even when you live in a place like I do you still get bored every once in a while. You can only go to the same places so many times.  As much as I love the beach, it can get boring. There are sometimes I don't even want to go to the beach. I am just not in the mood. I guess I am spoiled when I get to go to the beach any time I want. I am always looking for fun things to do in my area. I learned about a new app called Kamino. It is a really neat travel app that creates what they call hikes. A hike is just different things to do in your city or the city you are visiting. I want to explore hidden gems. 

The unique thing about Kamino is you can create your own hike and share it with others. If I were to create a hike for my town I would make it my favorite things hike. I would start off at Johns Pass for shopping and lunch at Hooters. Johns Pass is a neat little fishing village. You can also go on boat rides, go fishing or even parasail. I would then go to Fort Desoto for some time at a gorgeous beach. It is the most beautiful place in Florida. It is a must see. They even have a dog beach. The picture in my header is Fort Desoto. After the beach, I would send you to The Florida Winery for free wine tastings and a tour. The Florida Winery makes their wines on site and they are citrus based so they are delicious. You will probably be hungry again so off to my favorite restaurant Leverocks for dinner. Everything on the menu is delicious. They have an amazing lobster bisque. The Gulf Coast Lobster Tails are always amazing. Save some room for dessert for some Peanut Butter Pie. I think that would be an amazing Fourth of July weekend hike.  

There is also a Fourth of July hike that another member created. It is a food and drinking hike. I am not a big drinker but I really love to eat.  It would be fun to see what other people come up with.  I love to travel. We recently went to Orlando and sometimes going to theme parks are annoying. I want to explore hidden gems.  It would also be fun to plan out a trip for a friend or have them experience your same trip. Who needs travel agents anymore? With Kamino, you can find interesting things to do. It's like you have the local’s opinion of the best things to do without knowing one. 

Here is more information from the developer:

Features of Kamino:

- Hikes on the fly: Find awesome new spots wherever you are.

- Expert recommendations: Get insights from travel experts and local gurus on the best hikes in town.

- Local treasures and hidden gems: Discover what you may have missed in your own backyard.

- GPS-guided hikes: Never get lost! Our built-in GPS system will always get you to your destination.

- Hikes tailored to your interests: Find out if a hike is dog-friendly, good for kids, or great for a night out with friends.

- Recommendations: Add your own as you go or when you get to your final destination.

- Create your own hikes: Share your favorite places with friends, family, and your community!

The best part of this app is it's free! I love Kamino and I look forward to planning new hikes based on other's recommendations and building hikes locally and on vacation. 

For more information please visit the Kamino website. 

You can find Kamino in iTunes for free.

Time to buy a New Blanket

I have something to tell you guys. I am 32 and I have a blanket.  I sleep with this blanket every night since I was pregnant with Noah. I don’t sleep well without it. If I am going on vacation for more than a week, I bring it with me. It is not a small blanket by any means, It’s a queen sized quilt. It is just the most comfortable thing in the world to me.  This blanket is 10 years old. It has been falling apart for the last couple years. A few months ago, it ripped. It didn’t rip on the sides but down the middle. I had to get up really quick and I guess I kicked up my legs and then it happened. I was so sad. I know it was just a blanket.  I am 32 years old, suck it up and move on. I couldn’t, I tried to sew it back together. I can’t sew so that didn’t work. I was heartbroken. I was trying to figure out how on earth to save my blanket. I thought, maybe I could find one exactly like it. I was unsuccessful. I then went shopping at Target. I didn’t find anything I liked. I decided that I would just staple it back together. So I made my precious blanket in to Frankenblankey. It is green after all. Even possibly the color of Frankenstein himself. 

Even though I stapled my blanket, I don’t think it is working too well. For the first few weeks I had to sleep like I was in a cocoon and it was weird. The staples are falling out, and I have to be careful where they are at all times. I think it is probably time that I retire my beloved blanket and buy a new one. I would want something similar, in color and thickness because I want to be warm enough but not sweating every morning.  I would like a soft and comfortable quilt to sleep under. I am looking in to allergy free down bedding. I like the feel of down but not all the feathers and sneezing it brings.  I am sure I will love this blanket as much as the old one, if I take the time to find the right one. I will probably also keep my old blanket in a closet and remember all the times I held baby Noah wrapped in it, all the shows we watched together with it and how we would go in our cave with the spiders, scurrying along as we played pretend.