I love photo cards especially now that we have a little one. It can get pricey though ording for family, friends and co-workers. I have priced out different card through Wal-mart, Target, CVS, Shutterfly, etc. I found that Costco’s has great designs and only for .29 a print and no shipping! You do have to be a Costco memeber to order or bug a friend.

It gets better though. You can create your card and than right click “save as” to your computer. You can choose to save it as a bmp or jpg. Then you can e-mail it out to family and friends. You can even write a Christmas Letter in your e-mail. This will cost you ZERO $’s! I am going to order a smaller batch (at Costco’s it’s 14.99 for 50 ct) for family and close friends. And then for others, I’ll e-mail it out. No waste.

The below is an example. It’s not our Christmas card but I photo I took during a session (I’m a photographer on the side).

Now through November 8th, get a free 8 x 10 using code FREEPIC

The first 20,000* people to respond will receive free Ziploc® products, plus $8.50 in coupons for Ziploc®, Glade®, Pledge® and Drano® products.

Click Here

I thought I would post a few goodies I’ve gotten in the mail or won.

Amazon $5 credit from My Survey.

$75 Gas card from Sears. I didn’t know if I would get this. The deal was order $100 in Dockers. I mailed off my rebate over a week late.

$5 Chevron Gas Card

Samples: Tide, wipes, diapers, etc

I’ve been gone from blogging but I will slowly come back! I have so much to talk about – like all my craigslist deals, our new jeep cherekee find and lots more. Until I can break away from being mommy, wife and assistant – I’ll post.

I did find this over at MY GOOD CENTS about Target giving away a $10 credit to use by November 12th to new and existing costumers.

New costumers click here

Existing custmers click here

There are also codes for free shipping out there – google Shutterfly codes.

Their scrapbooks are great. I got a free offer a month ago and made a book for my son’s 1st b-day. If you go over the free 20 pages it’s $1 each page and then shipping. I decided I’m going to make books so when I get another free offer, it’s already made. It took a few days to do.

My son is allergic to pampers. I had to sell all those great deals I got on Pampers! I am using LUVS right now which were fine when he was an infant and we changed him every hour or so.  They are not cutting it for us now.  They don’t last through the night either. I thought we would try Huggies, especially at night. Anyone see any good Huggie deals out there? They usualy run .28 – 30 cents! I’ve been so fortunate to get diapes (Pampers) for as low at .7.

Anyone recommend any other diapers we can try? Thanks

We are celebrating my little man turning 1 on Saturday. I am so proud to be his mama!

Okay, all tears aside seeing my baby grow up – I saved on his birthday party. There are 23 adults and 8 children who will be attending, including the three of us. I had come up with a Prince theme months ago after seeing it in a birthday magazine, but I wasn’t about to spend the hundreds of dollars they wanted for plates, decorations, center piece, etc. Here is how I saved and am having a Royal Celebration.

Party Hats:       Foam princess hats and prince crowns for $1 at Michael’s x 8 = $8

Foam stickers (Castles, Princesses, Knights, Dragons, Frogs) regularly 7.99 with sale = $3.99

With the help of the parents, the kids will decorate their own party prince/princess hat. The princess hats are little different, they are cone shape.

Castle:  Boxes from Lowes = FREE. I got the idea from here. It’s not going to be that extreme or big. I

also need to figure out how I’m holding the boxes together.

Banner:             Using construction paper I already have and cutting out Happy Birthday and gluing the letters on another sheet of paper. Using a string to tie them all together and hang in the window. I know you can get a banner for $1 at the dollar store but I don’t like those silver generic banners. I have tons of old constuction paper. I can sit and do this while watching TV or on my lunch break. FREE

From Everything’s a Dollar:

Dress Up:         Foam swords x 4 = $4

                           Fairy wings x 4 = $4

Supplies:           4 packs of 20 ct HAPPY BIRTHDAY plates = $4

                        2 Packs of plastic silverware = $2

                        2 Packs of plastic cups 20 ct = $2

                        4 packs of 20 ct HAPPY BIRTHDAY napkins = $4

I don’t think I’ll need all of the plates/napkins so I’ll take back what I don’t use or save for the next big day.

1 blue vinyl tablecloth = $1 for under his highchair.

2 blue plastic serving trays = $2

Wall Stickers x 3 = $3 These are really princess but they had a knight and dragon that I’m using to stick on the wall. I’ll give the princess, pink castle, hearts, etc stickers to my niece for her room.

Streamers – 2 per a pack x 2 = $2

From Big Lots:

                        2 cans of spray paint for boxes = $2

                        2 boxes of cake mix =$2

                        3 frostings = $2.64

1 cupcake pan = $4

1 big box of Gold Fish = $6

90 ct blue baking cups = .70

Gift: Castle Shape sorter =$6 He’ll open this on his actually birthday and then I’ll use it as a center piece the day of the party.

Now that I add it all up, it’s not that cheap. I haven’t bought the food yet. Oh My! Since we are having cupcakes and finger foods (Hotdogs, chips, Gerber food), I’ll probably not use many of the plates, silverware, cups, streamers, etc. I might end up taking $6 worth of stuff back or keeping it for next year. I was aiming for under $50 but I guess I went over! The swords and fairy wings were a last minute find. I still want to get a balloon for his highchair and 8 balloons for the children to take home.

Smart Party for Small Children:

No small parts – I did some preplanning and separated the big stickers from the mini ones for safety. I also punched out the extra foam parts that are included on the stickers.

No table cloth – the children can pull the table cloth down.

Cupcakes – time saving from cutting the cake. Little man has his own little cake without too much sugar/frosting.

Use cheap table cloth for under his chair for mess – also using a large marker to write “Little Prince”

Ask parents to bring booster chairs

Instead of goodie bags, the kids have dress up gear to take home. (hats, swords and fairy wings)

Gerber baby snacks for the younger ones. If I’m lucky I can win some coupons over at Mamasmoneysavers for Gerber Graduates.

Plan activities to keep the children busy, allowing the parents and children to interact

Safe guard the house – we are putting away anything the little ones can drag down

For small children, I take the toy from the box and wrap it in tissue paper in a bag. They can’t tear the paper too well yet. And they always want the toy RIGHT THEN. I keep the box just in case they need to return it. (Besides my little man, I had three children who have birthdays around this time that I got small gifts for)

Stool in bathroom for the older younger ones to use to wash hands

Sanitizer near food to wash off those little hands after playing

Any ideas you have for the Royal Theme? Cheap on food?

Free $5 Chevron Card

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Family and I are going to Gatlinburg in October. We used Baskinscreek cabins and recieved a $250 Gas Rebate! They are also offering stay 2 nights get one free, but we didn’t qualify because it was around the Fall Festival Season.

I recieved a $25 Home Depot Gift Card. Offer expired but click here for details on how I got this gift card.

$140 Rebate Check from Peach Tree.

$2.99 Rebate for Spray and Wash.