JULY 8 = Cow Appreciation Day

July 8th is Cow Appreciation Day at Chick Fil-A restaurants. If you dress up like a cow, you can get a free meal/kids meal! If you have partial cow attire on (ex hat/purse), you can get a free entree.

GO HERE for details and samples of costumes.

What a great lunch treat!

Childrens Place 15% off + FREE shipping

Through July 4th you can get an extra 15% off of your purchase at Children's Place with FREE shipping. The great thing about this sale is that there is NO MINIMUM PURCHASE REQUIRED! :)

GO HERE for details...thanks to For the Mommas for this heads up.
Happy shopping!

Dave Ramsey Sale

Dave Ramsey is having a $10 sale! GO HERE for details.

Thanks, Couponing to Disney.

ALWAYS Google It!

We have been putting a lot of time and money into our cars lately. Tires, O2 sensors, muffler, spark plug wires, etc. These things definately needed done...I'll give you that. But, our car was still stalling.

Our dear friend and mechanic told us that we needed a new ignition switch. I decided to google this so we could order the part and - lo and behold- our car was recalled for the ignition switch years ago. Somehow we never got a recall notice. (Lost in the move? Sent to lender instead of us? Sent to former owner?)

Moral of this story: The ignition switch was faulty. Is considered deadly. And will be fixed at the dealers for FREE.

ALWAYS Google it!

Kohl's Savings Pass

GO HERE to get a savings pass for 20% off at Kohl's June 16th-19th.

Thanks, She Saved!

HOT DEAL - Groupon to Old Navy $10

There is a HOT DEAL thru Groupon for $20 worth of Old Navy summer merchandise for $10. This offer includes sale items!

Fine Print: Expires Jul 30, 2011; Limit 1 per person. Purchase of Groupon may take up to 48 hours to process. Valid on purchase of $20 or more from 6/2 to 7/30/2011 at Old Navy Stores only. Product restrictions apply. One time use in US only. Not transferable. Not valid for cash or cash equivalent. Good for $20 of merchandise ($10 Paid For value plus $10 Discount Offer value). Discount Offer value expires 7/30/2011. $10 Paid For value does not expire.

GO HERE to purchase yours today!

WANTED: GUEST POSTS

Hi friends!
I am looking for a few readers who are interested in guest posting on this blog. I am looking for:

- how you organize your coupons and why
- summer savings tips
- home remodel projects/tips/DIYs
- day trips from Columbus OH
- summer recipes

If you think of anything else you would like to write about, email me at hlabutis@ureach.com and we will give it a whirl!

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Hope

Beyond the Tie and Tools : Ideas for Father's Day

It would be so easy to buy the standard striped tie or a new ratchet set for Father's Day...wouldn't it? But, that would be so predictable, and so not creative. Here are a few ideas for great Father's Day gifts:



A keepsake canvas like this.



A BBQ apron and some grill tools from Dollar Tree will make a grilling Papa proud.

A coffee mug from Snapfish with a Starbucks card inside.

Car wash supplies - or better yet, gift certificates for a local car wash!

A 2-fer pass for golfing...tell him to take a buddy along.



A firepit and some hot dog sticks.

A new cooler filled with his favorite beverages.



Tickets to a pro game.

New sunglasses and flip flops.

A gift card to his favorite lunch place - what freedom to have lunch with no budget guilt!




That "thing" that he's been wanting...you know what it is. In our house its a kettleball and lawn mower wheels.

Have fun surprising your Papa this Father's Day!

Welcome New Readers

If you are visiting this site from my coupon class at Truth Tabernacle, welcome! I had fun visiting with ya'll :)

Product Review - Scrubbing Bubbles

OK, here's the deal - I have been battling soap scum stains on my glass shower doors for 8 years now. I have tried everything that I could find on the internet to combat this problem. I have used baking soda and vinegar, a steam sprayer, and multiple cleaners. I had given up and decided that my bathroom just plain stunk.

I bought some regular Scrubbing Bubbles the other day because it was on sale. I remembered my childhood friend using it to do her chores as a kid and thinking how cool it was with the foaming and all. I gave my shower a spray down and didn't even have to scrub! The scum literally fell off. My shower doors are clear again. I couldn't believe it! I will never use anything else! My Soft Scrub days are done! (Don't tell my mother-in-law though because she swears by the stuff.)

In case you didn't get my point: I LOVE SCRUBBING BUBBLES!

Disclaimer: I did not get paid for this post. Scrubbing Bubbles does not know that I exist. I did; however, email them today to tell them how great they are!

Columbus Museum of Art Family Adventures

Looking for something else to do with the kiddos? The Columbus Museum of Art (CMA) is offering FREE family events called Family Adventures. This includes a guided tour and scavenger hunt.

Dates are Sunday June 12th and June 26th starting at 2 PM. No registration is required.

What a great way to add a little education, in the a/c, to your summer!

GO HERE for more details.

Homemade Yogurt

Here is a recipe that I am dying to try with fresh summer fruit. Did you know that you can make yogurt in your crockpot?

Thanks to Jamerrill for this awesome post. I have been inspired...

Top Ten - Family Fun MODIFIED REPOST

Cheap Family Fun

In honor of summer days...here is a list of my Top Ten things to do for cheap family fun!

10. Get a Redbox movie, pop some corn, and have a family movie night. Two free codes are: DVDONME and BREAKROOM. Sign up for their monthly emails where you get a free code. We just watched Gnomeo and Juliet this way! Otherwise, you pay just $1 for a fun-family night.

9. Eat out at a restaurant where kids eat free on weekends. A good family place is Steak N Shake (and the kids get cute packets to color and free crackers while you wait for your meal.) Panda Express also has a free kids night.

8. Visit a local Farmer's Market to browse and shop for fresh produce/baked goods. The larger markets can be both a feast for your tummy and your eyes. :)

7. Visit a local museum. Where I live, we ask for a local children's science museum membership as a Christmas gift. It gives back to our local economy, fuels my children's growing minds, and gives us free entertainment throughout the year. With our membership, we can visit hundreds of other science centers through out the US for free.

6. Visit a local park or metropark to walk, bike, feed ducks, and play. Pack a picnic and make an afternoon of it! A great local place to visit is Rotary park.

5. See how far you can get on a tank of gas (or a half tank). We have made "free" trips to public beaches on Lake Erie for gas only. If you pack snacks in a cooler and sand toys, you can have a great adventure for little money. In Ohio, there are many places of beauty for free or minimal admission.

4. Have a family library day. Don't be rushed. Take time to play computer games, read a few books in the library snuggled in a chair, and pick some fresh music for your week. Leave with a free movie and you've got your evening planned also... While you are there, sign up for the summer reading program also.

3. Spend quality time with your friends. Organize a pot luck dinner. Play cards. Blow up the kiddie pool, set out a slip 'n' slide, and let your kids make friendships that will last as long as yours have.

2. Have a family campfire in your backyard's fire pit. Make smores and tell stories. Experiment with pie-iron pies and pizzas. If you feel really adventurous, sleep in your backyard and watch the stars.

1. Organize a game night for LOTS of friends. Invite families. Have everyone bring a snack to share and play group games like Scene-It, Charades, Catch Phrase, Cards, etc. We used to do this regularly and I truly miss it. Our Game Nights would really draw a diverse crowd : singles, students, seniors, toddlers, teens, baby-boomers, and babysitters! It was great fun, cheap, and a night of laughter with minimal cleanup.

Meijer - 10/$10, Get 11th Free

This week at Meijer is 10/$10 week. This is a great time to stock up!

Produce on sale includes: strawberries, bagged salad, peppers, mushrooms, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. The tomatoes are FREE when you use the natursweet coupon.