Fall Inspiration With Miracle-Gro

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

In the past, I have always had a vegetable garden during the summer. When we moved into this apartment, having a garden was no longer an option.  I still love plants, and since I do not have a yard to plant vegetables and flowers in, I want to make some platers to put out on my porch.  The good thing about that is that now that it is geting coller, I can bing them inside until the weather warms up again.

My problem is that whenever I plant in planters, my plants never do well.  Thanks to the Gardenieres, I have learned how to plant properly.  This video was especially helpful.

My biggest problem was that I always used dirt, instead of a potting mix.  I had no idea that there was a difference.  I learned from the video that potting mix is especially formulated to help potted plants grow to their ful potential.  I also never used planters that have holes in the bottom.  In fact, several of my house plants are in containers that have no drainage holes.  Now I know why they don't do well.  

Miracle-Gro Potting Mix feeds plants for up to six months because it contains Miracle-Gro Continuous Release Plant Food, and it's rich, organic materials help improve drainage and air flow.  I have used Miracle-Gro's Expand and Gro in the past, and I loved it.  So did my African Violets! 

You can talk to fellow gardeners and share your ideas for the Fall with them by liking the Miracle-Gro Facebook page.  You can also find tons of ideas for your Fall gardens by watching all the Gardenieres videos. I browsed through a few of them, and I can not tell you how badly I wish I had a yard to plant flowers and bushes in.

Weekends Off

I am very friendly with some of my customers.  There is this one place I deliver mail to every day, and I love the secretary at the front desk.  She is so funny!  She always asks me on Friday what my plans are for the weekend, and I always tell her that I plan on relaxing and not doing much of anything.  Then I ask her which football games she will be watching on Sunday.  She is a huge football fan, and she would love some pittsburgh steelers tickets , or invesco field tickets.  Just the other day we were talking about how much she loves to travel, so she would probably love getting her hands on some dallas cowboys tickets too.  I, personally, don't care for football.  Come Sunday, I will be curled up on the couch catching up on the last season of Grey's Anatomy.

Buffalo Wild Wings And Football - A Great Combination

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Buffalo Wild Wings for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Last year, a new restaurant opened in my town called Buffalo Wild Wings.  My boss was telling me how good the food is, and I believe him because the parking lot is always full of cars, especially when there is a football game on television.  I am not that big of a football fan, but I imagine that gathering somewhere to enjoy the game and good food has it's benefits.

My kids love eating out, and I love eating out with them, because that means I don't have to cook. My kids are kind of picky eaters, and most night I find myself preparing different things for each of them.  It's hard making a meal that they will all eat. I can't imagne having a house full of people over for the big game and having to prepare all the food and make sure that everyone is happy and that they have everything they need.  Why not leave it to the professionals?  The next time there is a game on, load up the husband and kids and Protect the football. Get to B-Dubs and let the servers cater to your every need while you relax with your family and watch the game on one of their big screen televisions.  I took a peek at their menu online, and there is something for everyone, even the pickiest of kids.  I may not be a fan of football, but I am a fan of good food, so I mayh just head to Buffalo Wild Wings simply to enjoy the food. Like I said, my boss said it's amazing.

Shop Dollar General For Back To School Supplies

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Dollar General for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have three kids who are going back to school in a little over a week.  I have gotten Brandi a few things off of her  back to school supply list, but I still have so much left to get for not only her, but Ryan and Kasi as well.  I wish they only needed notebooks and pencils, but their lists are outrageous.  Kasi is taking an art class that requires her to have special pencils and sketch pads, and Ryan needs a calculator for math. These things alone are going to cost me a smal fortune.

It helps that I have a Dollar General right up the street where I can get the majority of their school supplies at great prices.  All of my kids need binders and notebook papaer, and so far, Dollar General has the best price on both of those things.  If you have a mobuile phone (and really, who doesn't these days?) you can use this QR code to save even more money.  

You can also text "bts" to 34898 to take advantage of Back to School Saving from Dollar General. I know from experience that Dollar General is a great place to shop.  I get all my cleaning supplies from there, which can come in handy for those students who are moving back into a dorm room soon.  I also buy my toilet paper from there.  I don't see spending money on the name brand toilet paper when their store brand works just as well.  In fact, I think it is softer than the name brand.

My point is, no matter what you are looking for, you ca probably find it at Dollar General at a great price.

I Love BOGO Deals!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Famous Footwear for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am all about saving money, which is something I am sure I have said over and over agin the last couple of years.  As a mom of three kids, this time of year saving money is even more important to me.  You see, it's back to school time (YAY!) and my kids need all kinds of supplies before the first day arrives in just two short weeks.

Right now, I can shop for their shoes at Famous Footwear and take advantage use their BOGO + 15% off Famous Footwear Coupon.  The coupon is good from now until August 18th, and I wish I had the money to go shopping this weekend, because our state is doing their tax free weekend this weekend, and I could save even more money.  But I don't have the money to shop this weekend, so I plan on signing up for Famous Footwear's FREE rewards program so that I can save 20% instead of 15% off my total bill.  Signing up will also earn me 1 point for every dollar I spend, which I can accumulate over the year to get up to $100 in certificates.  Now that is pretty awesome! Being a rewards customer also gets me inside deals and perks, and I love me some perks!

When I finally do take my kids shoe shopping, I don't have to worry about leaving the store disappointed.  With hundreds of brand name shoes and styles, the kids are sure to find something they love.  The best part is, if they find a shoe they like and the store doesn't have it in their size, they can have it delivered to me at home! I even have the option of shopping online at www.famous.com and having what I buy shipped to the store of my choice.  

All I know is that Famous Footwear makes back to school shoe shopping easy!

Brighten Up This School Year!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Astrobrights Papers by Neenah Paper for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's that time of year again, where parents like me race around trying to find all the back to school supplies their kids need.  From backpacks to jump drives, these lists cover everything my kids could possibly need to make it through the school year.  I am looking forward to getting back into the routine of bedtimes and homework.  Brandi, my little smartypants, is looking forward to participating in her school's gifted program again this year.  This program challenges her mind and her imagination.  She is very creative (just like her mama!) and loves working on all the projects required for this class.  I try to make sure I keep a stock of craft supplies to help her make her projects beautiful.

AstroBrights papers are wonderful for school projects.  They come in 23 brillantly bright colors, which can help Brandi's projects stand out from the rest of her class.  Teacher's can use AstroBrights papers too for classroom decorations.  There are so many possibilities! Right now, AstroBrights is running a "Give A Brighter Year" sweepstakes on their Facebook page where you can enter to win $3000 for the school of your choice.  Just "like" the page and use the app to fill out your information, and if you win, not only does the school you chose get money, you walk away with some cash for yourself.  I know that I could use an extra $500 to help me buy all the school supplies my three kids need.

You chould also encourage your kids to participate in AstroBrights "Make Something AstorBright" design challenges.  Every two weeks they post another challenge on their Facebook page, and you can post your creations for a chance to win some cash.  Right now, they are running their "Get Going" challenge.  Make sure that when you share your creations on social media sites, you use the hastag #goastrobrights so others can see your beautiful works of art!

My Elephants

Did you guys know that I love elephants? At last count, I have about 350 elephants in my home.  Some are figurines. Some are pictures.  Some are stuffed animals. Four are wind chimes. A few are planters.  I even have an elephant shower curtain in my bathroom.  Whenever someone comes to my house for the first time they always comment on my elephants.

I have been thinking lately that I need to display my favorites in a special way.  Right now, my figurines are on my bookshelves and on a shelf that I made that hangs in my hallway.  I wish I could afford glass showcases for them, but I think that might be a little over the top. I might just rearrange the furniture in my living room so that my bookshelves are in a more visible area, therefore making my elephants more visible. 


One of my favorites is a ceramic baby elephant with a blue ribbon around it's neck.  My mom gave it to me for my birthday one year when I first started collecting elephants.  I also have a pair of elephants with big, beautiful eyes that a coworker gave me years ago for no reason at all.  She just knew that I loved elephants. My brother got me one from somewhere overseas when he was in the Air Force, and that one is special to me too.  

Are any of you collectors? if so, what do you collect and how do you have your collection displayed in your home?

Decks

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Flood Wood Care for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

The kids and I went swimming at my mom's for the first time this year last weekend.  My brother and sister were therte with their families as well, and we all had a wonderful day.  We swam. We grilled out. It was a nice, relaxing day, which I really needed after the last couple of weeks.  My mom has been working hard to get her pool area ready, and her entire yard looks amazing at this point.  The one thing she would love to do, but hasn't yet, is put a deck around the pool.

Taking care af a deck can be hard work, because it is important to keep the wood healthy.  Flood® Wood Care makes it easy by offering quality products that are easy to use.  Yes, it will take time and effort on your part, but when you use the right products, the end result is not only beautiful, but something you can take pride in.

Right now, Flood® Wood Care has a Take it Easy Sweepstakes going on, and all you have to do is follow that link and fill out the form to enter.  The prize is pretty awesome.  If you win, Flood® Wood Care will not only give you the supplies you need to protect your deck, they will also provide the labor.  That means you can sit back and watch someone else do all the hard work that you will get to enjoy for the rest of the summer.  You will also win $2000 that you can use to throw one heck of a deck party.  

I entered to win, and so should you.  If I win, I may have to use the $2000 to have a deck built around my mom's pool so that the laborers will have soemthing to stain!

One Word - Yum!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Quaker Oats for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Doesn't that picture up there make your mouth water? I know mine does just looking at it.  I mean, look at all that icing! I bet you want to know what it is, don't you? 

That's right. It's a Quaker Soft Baked Bar.  The one in the picture is the Cinnamon Pecan Bread, and they also have a Banana Nut Bread.  Honestly, I think I'd like the banana one better than the cinnamon one, but the only way to know for sure is for me to try both of them.  I like carrying wholesome foods in the van with me to snack on, so I plan on buying these the next time I grocery shop.  Each bar has only 140 calories, and since I am kind of counting calories these days, these bars would be a perfect breakfast snack for me.  They also have 5 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein, which is awesome.  I am learning that foods with fiber and protein keep you feeling fuller longer, which is exactly what I need.  

My kids would like them too, and since they will be finishing school for the year this week, I am going to have to keep my pantry stocked with healthy snacks for them.  I am trying to have them eat better, too, since both my teenagers could stand to lose a few pounds.  I haven't exactly set the best example for them with the foods that I eat myself, which is something I have been trying to change.  I believe that when they see me making healthier food choices, they will do the same.

I mean, our kids follow our lead, and do as we do, so why not set a good example?

Cleaning With Bleach

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Clorox Company for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I hate cleaning my bathrooms.  There, I said it.  I would rather do anything else in the entire world. But, as a mom with three kids, I have no choice but to suck it up and do it.  I have come up with a few little tricks to make the job easier, like spraying down the walls in the tub with a bleach and water mixutre first thing, then coming back to it wipe them down after I clean the sinks and toilet.  I used to buy those expensive cleaners made specifically for that purpose, but honestly, nothing works better than good old fashioned bleach. You can find Clorox® bleach (and all your other favorite Clorox® cleaning products) at Dollar General® for a great price.

Clorox® is sponsoring a sweepstakes on dollargeneral.com called It Pays to Vacation at Home.  The grand prize is a $500 "paycheck" to vacation at home.  Now, when most people think about going on vacation, they think about getting away to some exotic location and experiencing new things.  I am more than happy to "vacation" by locking myself away from the world for a week with my internet and a good book.  I don't need to go anywhere.  Simply not having to go to work or deal with the outside world is good enough for me!  There are 20 grand prizes to be one, and you can be sure that I have entered for my chance to be one of those 20 people.  They are also giving away 100 first place prizes, which are $25 Dollar General® gift cards.  

When you go to their website and enter for your chance to win, you will have the opportuntiy to play the "Wipe To Win" instant game for a chance to win a $10 gift card to Dollar General®. I have played the past three days, and every time, this is what happens:

But, I am not discouraged! You can play once a day, so I will continue to try out my luck until the contest ends, which is June 24th.  Make sure you go enter the It Pays to Vacation at Home sweepstakes and try out your luck too. Oh, and come back and let me know if you win!

My Favorite Plant

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Whitney Farms for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have lots of plants in my house.  Up until recently, I didn't exactly have a green thumb.  I would kill any plant that I was given.  A couple of years ago, I discovered the beauty of African Violets, and decided to buy a couple.  Thankfully, they were pretty hard to kill, and I was able to keep them alive with little care.  In fact, they are still alive, and I now have four of them in my windowsill. I have added plants to my home since those first Violets, and I have gotten pretty good at caring for them.  My secret is leaving the hard work to the professionals, and by that I mean, using the proper soil and plant food.

That plant overe there in that picture is my favorite.  I love the way it cascades down the front of my bookshelf.  All I do is water it once a week, and it seems to do well.  I do find myself pulling off yellow leaves every now and again, but for the most part, it is a pretty healthy plant.

Whitney Farms® makes it easy to care for your plants.  They have a full line of 100% natural organic soil and organic plant food that pretty much take the guess work out of caring for your plants.  Their products are designed to be easy to use, have low to no dust, no manure odor, and contain beneficial microbes. Their specially designed protein-based blends provide your plants with both macro and micronutrients that help them to grow and thrive.  

You can find a $3 off coupon by clicking one of the links above, making it even cheaper to try these products on your plants.  

I am going to us eone of those coupons myself.  I have been wanting to replant my African Violets, because they are getting really big and I want them to continue to be healthy.

The New #CoronaRita At Chili's

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Chili’s Grill & Bar for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I started something new last month that I should have been doing for the last, oh, I don't know, the last twenty years.  I sat down and made a budget for myself, that way I knew exactly how much money was going towards bills every week, and how much money I have left over to spend.  Surprisingly, I had more extra money last month than I have in a while.  I am hoping that I can do that evey month, that way, I can take the kids out more.

The first thing I want to start doing is taking the kids out to eat somewhere other than a fast food restaurant.  There are lots of places I see now that I drive all day long that I would love to try, and Chili's is one of them.  The closest one to where we live is about thirty minutes away, but after checking out the menu online, I know it's somewhere we would love to eat!

They have a great kid's menu, which is important when taking Brandi out to eat.  She is a picky little creature, but there are several options I know she would love.  Ryan and Kasi are sure to find something they want, and I am looking forward to trying their Lighter Choice Grilled Chicken Sandwich, which comes with tomato, lettuce and non-fat honey-mustard dressing.  It is served on a wheat bun, with steamed broccoli on the side.  Sounds delicious, right?

While I was on their website checking out their menu, I saw that they have a new drink, the CoronaRita, which is made with Jose Cuervo Especial Tequila and Corona.  I love Margarita's, so I am sure I would enjoy this drink.  I'm not sure  would drink if I had my kids with me, but I know I can convince the guy I'm seeing to take me there one night.  We don't have to go for dinner, just drinks.  And maybe dessert.  I bet the  Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie would go great with the CoronaRita at Chili's.  Heck, anything chocolate goes great with alcohol in my opinion. 

Have you ever eaten at Chili's? If so, what would you recommend I eat? What is your favorite entree or dessert?  And make sure you try their new CoronaRita the next time you are there, and come back here and let me know what you think!

Please remember, you must be 21 years or older to drink alcoholic beverages and as always, please remember to drink responsibly.

Rebuilding Together And Pfister

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pfister for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Rebuilding Together is a national nonprofit organization providing critical home repairs, modifications, and improvements for America's low-income homeowners. In the past thirty years, 3.4 million volunteers have completed work on over one hundred thousand homes across the United States. 

For nearly 100 years, Pfister has been a leader in the plumbing industry, offering a wide variety of innovative, first to market plumbing fixtures and many additional products that have helped define the industry. They are proud to partner with Rebuilding Together with a goal to donate twenty thousand dollars in faucets to American communities in need.  Right now, when you sign up for Pfister's newsletter, you will be provided with a FREE Home Safety and Energy Saving guide from Rebuilding Together. I signed up, and the tips in this guide are awesome.  Some of them I knew.  For instance, I have known for awhile now that I need a more energy efficient washing machine and dryer.  My washing machine is pretty old, and I am really wanting a front loader, which I have heard are very energy efficient.  My dryer has seen better days, too.  I have to run it through two cycles to dry a single load.  I know tat is sucking up my power.

Check out the Friends of Pfister campaign site and sign up for yourself.  Yu can potentially save up to five hundred dollars a year by following their tips.

Help Fight Hunger

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Walmart Foundation for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Did you know that Springtime is the worst time of year for food pantries to keep their shelves stocked? 

Me either.  Thankfully, I have never gotten to the point where I have needed to reach out to a food pantry, but there are over fifty million Americans who do just hat.  I can not even imagine waking up in the morning and not knowing how I am going to feed my family.  There is something all of us can do to help make food available to those who need it.  Starting April 9th (and continuing until April 30th) you can Vote to fight spring hunger with Walmart .  Just visit that page and vote for the community you believe the money should go to.  Walmart will donate a total of $2 million to the 21 communities receiving the most support: $1 million to the winner and $50,000 each to the 20 runners-up. Winning communities will be announced May 1st. 

I checked out the list (there are 200 on there) and was shocked to see the county where I live listed.  I live in Spartanburg, SC, and the Spartanburg SC Metropolitan Statistical Area has an unemployment rate of 11.4%. The highest rated community was in CA, with an unemployment rate of 29.7%.

In addition to voting, you can also help by purchasing select products from ConAgra, General Mills, Kraft and Kellogg's while shopping at Walmart. By doing so, you, the customer, can donate meals to Feeding America or Action for Healthy Kids, a nonprofit fighting childhood hunger. Check your local Walmart for more details.

Easter Crafts With Tulips

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of iBulb for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I think this little bunny planter is adorable, and super easy for even the littlest kids to make (as long as mom is right there to help!). All you need are a few basic craft supplies and a recycled can.

The ears and whiskers are made out of white pipe cleaners. Use the pipe cleaners to shape the ears and then glue white and pink felt to the back.  Glue them to the inside of the can. Glue on the whiskers with a mini pink pompom nose in the middle.  Add googly eyes, and you have the cutest little bunny! The perfect touch is the beautiful cut tulips filling the can.  I am sure every Grandmother out there would proudly display this as a centerpiece on the table for Easter dinner.

If you are looking for a centerpiece that is a little less childish, check this one out:

This one is super simple to make.  All you need are two glass vases, one small enough to fit inside the other. Stuff paper Easter grass (which I love! It is so much better than the plastic strings) between the vases, fill the inner vase with water and add some tulips, matching the color of the flowers to the paper grass.  Beautiful, right?

Miracle-Gro® Expand ‘n Gro™

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts® for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Now that you have seen what Expand ‘n Gro™ can do, what are you going to do with it? I know what I am going to do with it. I am going to fill beautiful planters to grow flowers in.

I live in an apartment that is on the second floor, and I have a very small porch outside my front door.  I wish I had a yard to landscape, but I'll make due with what I have.  I like the fact that with the Expand ‘n Gro™ I don't have to lug a big bag of potting soil up my steps. I love the fact that this stuff expands to three times it's size, so a little goes a long way.  It also:

• Can produce up to 3X the Flowers and Vegetables!* *versus native soil
• Significantly improves soil for multiple years
• Feeds for up to 6 months
• All natural fibers hold up to 50% more water than basic potting soil

I'm not sure what type of planters I am going to get, but I'm thinking those long rectangle ones would line up nicely against the railing outside my front door.  Now if I could only decide what kinds of flowers to plant.  I'll have to do a little research, since my poor doesn't get any sun. 

Do you have any idea which flowers grow well in the shade?

High School Reunion

Thanks for the post from Barney Crosby

I am a geek, and proud of it. I have always been the type of person that enjoys school and learning, and I have never been embarrassed about it. Kids in school used to tease me when I was young, but it never bothered me. I never felt the need to be cool, and I knew that one day I would find my place. My mom always told me that the cool kids in school would end up being losers, and she was right. I went back for my ten year high school reunion last week, and the most popular kids hadn’t done anything with their lives. I have a great job working for Clear Internet, so I was proud to tell everyone what I was up to. I think that some of the people were shocked to see that I turned out pretty normal. It was good to see some of my old friends, but for the most part I could have done without the reunion. I thought it would be more fun than it was seeing everyone.

Pineapple & Mangosteen

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Triad Retail Media for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have a secret.  I smoke.  I think my boss knows, though I have never smoked in front of him.  I carry a can of air freshener in my van, and I spray like crazy at the end of every day.  I also smoke in my home when the kids are at their dad's house, and I have been trying to find a product that will mask the smell. 

I am excited to try the new Glade® Expressions™ oil diffuser the next time the kids are away.  They have a pineapple mangosteen scent that I am dying to try.  In fact, they have several new Glade® Expressions™ fragrance mist choices, including Cotton & Italian Mandarin (only available in Fragrance Mist form), Fuji Apple & Cardamom Spice, and Lavender & Juniper Berry.  The fragrance mist container is stylish, and the oil diffuser is very pretty.  I am probably going to try one of each. I can save money by using a coupon for $1.50 off of any Glade® Expressions™ at Walmart, where I can also take advantage of their everyday low prices. To find the coupon, click on either link above. And, if for some reason I am unsatisfied, I can fill out this form and get my money back. 

The oil diffuser offers long-lasting, true-to-life fragrance, which lasts 30 days and doesn’t require electricity.  The no-spill design fits with any décor in your home. The fragrance mist is artfully designed and pretty enough to fit any décor, making it a convenient and stylish home-fragrancing option. It has squeeze-to-spray activation for easy and comfortable spraying, and is refillable with your favorite Glade® Expressions™ fragrance.  I may just have to try every scent.  I mean with a money back guarantee, how can I go wrong?

TV Addiction

Guest post of the week by Nestor Nielsen

Ever since I got my Directv connected through expertsatellite, I have been addicted to the National Geographic Channel. I know it’s dorky, but some of their shows are so interesting! Today I got sucked into a marathon about mafias in different cities. I initially got sucked in watching one about Miami, since that is where I’m from originally. I had no idea things were so bad there in the 1980’s. I was a little kid then, so I guess I was too young to realize that the drug trade was so robust and violent. It was pretty cool seeing how much drug money affected life in South Florida, and how much control the cartels had. After that was over, another show came on about the mob in Philadelphia. Then two more shows about gangsters in New York’s Chinatown, and then Russian mobsters in Brooklyn. After that I knew I had to do something to get off of the couch. It was really hard, but I managed to pull myself away and go for a run with my dog. If it wasn’t for him I probably would have sat there for another few hours!

Get A Free Phone From Sprint

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sprint for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have been thinking about getting cell phones for my kids.  Ryan and Kasi both have cell phones, but they are pre-paid phones that I only refill with text cards.  I would like for them to have phones they can talk on, too.  MY problem is that I don't want to buy them new phones, because that can get really expensive.  Sprint is having a huge online sale right now where I can get them free phones, with free activation, when I order new service. 

They are offering their Nexus S™ 4G ($50 MIR converts to instant + $99.99 web only savings) and their HTC EVO™ 3D ($50 MIR converts to instant + $50 web only savings) for free from now until February eighth.  Both phones are pretty, too.  Check them out:

The only problem is that I think Brandi may be a little too young for her own phone, but she will feel left out if I don't get her one, too.  I would not let her carry it to school or anything, but it might be good for her to have it for when she is running around the apartment complex with her friends. 

What age do you think kids should get their own phones?

Walgreens Prescription Savings Club

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you looking to save money on your monthly prescriptions?  With the help of Walgreens Prescription Savings Club, you can do just that.  It's inexpensive to join, only costing $35 a year for the family plan or $20 a year for the individual plan.  Membership brings you savings on over 8,000 brand name medications and all generic medications.  You can also get discounts on flu shots, nebulizers, and diabetic supplies.  You can even save money on pet prescriptions. 

Buying Walgreen brand products can even earn you bonuses.  I have bought several different Walgreen brand products in the past, and they are just as good, if not better, than the name brand products, which is awesome since they are cheaper, too.

You can stay updated and support Walgreens by following Walgreens on Twitter and liking Walgreens on Facebook.  I am going to get the individual membership for myself, since my kid's prescriptions are covered by Medicaid.  I don't go to the doctor often, only when I am really sick and can't get better on my own.  Even then, I make a trip to the emergency room because I can not afford a trip to my doctor's office.  Saving money on whatever prescriptions I am given would be a blessing.

Parapro

Guest post of the week by Deangelo Spencer

I finally graduated from college in May of this year. I took the teaching certification tests and am now a certified teacher. I have applied for teaching jobs in 15 different counties, but have only had two interviews, in which someone else was hired. I did have one job offer as a parapro in an elementary school, so I decided to take it. The pay for a parapro is far below that of a teacher. I found a roommate that is in a similar situation and we rented a small two bedroom apartment. Money is going to be really tight for us for a while, especially since I will not get my first paycheck until my second month of teaching. We decided to search TexasElectricityProviders online and found that we could save money on our power bill using fixed-rate energy, so that is one thing that we don’t have to worry about. My brother helped me to create a strict budgeting plan that includes working a second job for at least six hours a week, so I need to find a job waiting tables at night. Things may be pretty tight for a while until I can find a job as a teacher.

New Lights

The apartment I live in has ceiling mounted lights.  I think the complex went with the cheapest, ugliest fixtures they could find, because they are horrible.  They have plastic coverings that have yellowed with age, and no matter how much I scrub them, they just will not come clean.  If I could choose flush mount ceiling lights to replace them, I would pick the one pictured above.  I love the frosted globe and the little decorative piece on the bottom.  

I wonder if the apartment manager would let me replace my lights if I paid for them myself? Probably not.