Nicole

February No Spend Month Challenge: Day 28 (Take A Free Cooking Class Online)

Hello again, savvy savers! Can you believe today I is the last day of this year’s first month of No-spend Challenges! Woohoo! So, as today is our end point, and tomorrow morning I will be creating a monthly tally of my overall savings, I thought today’s challenge should be a relaxing, yet informative challenge.

Who would benefit from this challenge? Well anyone, especially those inspiring home chefs, bakers, and grilling enthusiasts! My videos of choice? ChefSteps, an online creative cooking class series, online community creativity boards, and internet video series, offer free step-by-step video seminars to help cooks, of all levels of experience, classes to help hone their culinary talents! To find out more about this program, click here!

Today, I challenge you all to take a free online cooking class! Also, be sure to check back tomorrow for my monthly tally, steps for spending month budgeting, as well as what to stockpile for April’s No-Spend Month Challenges!

Here’s to saving,

Challenge Links:

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Kids Eat Free & Reduced Fee Family Dining Options Guide!

Good afternoon savvy savers! For this weeks Weekend Restaurant Deals, I have listed my favorite my kids-eat free and at a reduced priced listings:

Applebees: Mondays & Tuesdays—For each adult entree purchase, you can get one free kids’ meal. If you have a big family, additional kids are just $1.00.

Backyard Burgers: Tuesdays—Buy one adult combo meal and get a kids meal free for kids 12 and under from 4 pm to close.

Bennigan’s: Tuesdays after 4pm—Kids 12 and under eat free with the purchase of an full-priced adult entree.

Black Eyed Pea: Tuesdays—Kids 12 and under eat free. One item from the kids menu is free with each purchased adult entrée from 5 pm to close.

Blue Mesa Grill: Sundays—Kids 5 and under eat free with the purchase of adult brunch from 9 am to 3 pm. Check individual locations for participation.

Bob Evans: Tuesdays—Free Kids’ Meal with every Adult meal purchased after 4pm.

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream: Daily—Kids under 40 inches receive a free baby cone.

Cici’s Pizza: Daily—Kids 3 and under eat free. Ask server for specific details.

Chick-fil-a: Tuesdays—Free kids’ meal with the purchase of an adult combo meal from 5:30-7:30 pm. Participation may vary by location. Day offered may vary by location. Some locations charge $0.99 per kids’ meal.

Culver’s: Daily—Kids 12 and under receive a free custard with the purchase of a meal.

Denny’s: Tuesdays—Kids eat free from 4-10 pm. Restrictions may apply. Ask your server for details.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit: Sundays—Kids 12 and under eat free. One free kids meal for every adult meal purchased.

Double Dave’s Pizza: Daily—Free kids buffet with purchase of an adult buffet. Qualifying age varies by locations, so call ahead or check with your server.

Firehouse Subs: Wednesdays—Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult combo. Participating restaurants only. Varies by location.

Gatti Town: Wednesdays—Kids 10 and under get free kid’s buffet with the purchase of adult buffet at regular price. Limit 1 child per adult.

Golden Corral: Mondays—Kids 10 and under eat free from 5-9 pm. Two kids per adult. Kids 3 and under are always free.

IHOP: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday—Kids 12 and under eat free from 4-8 pm. One kids’ menu item per adult entree. Drinks not included.

IKEA: Tuesdays—Kids eat free at some locations. Check with local store for qualifying ages and participation. There are also specials throughout the year. Check the store page foryour local store to see current specials.

Jason’s Deli: Wednesdays—Kids 12 and under eat free with purchase of adult meal. 2 kids meals per adult meal purchased. Call ahead for participating locations in your area.

Lone Star Steakhouse: Tuesdays—Kids eat free all day. 2 kid’s entrees with each adult entree. Not valid in Orlando, FL.

Magganio’s: Sunday—Kids 5 and under eat free. Check with your local restaurant for participation.

Marie Callender’s: Tuesdays—One free Kid’s Meal with each adult entree purchased.

Moe’s Southwestern Grill: Tuesdays—Kids eat free all day. One free kids’ meal for each adult meal purchased. Choose from Power Wagon (hard or soft taco), Mini Masterpiece (cheese quesadilla) or Moo Moo Mr. Cow (burrito). Each kids’ meal includes a cookie and beverage.

On the Border: DailyKids Smaller-Size menu diners receive a free sundae with meal purchase. Participation may vary.

Perkins: Tuesday—Kids eat free all day. Kids eat free at Ohio and Pennsylvania locations on Wednesday and Saturday from 4pm-9pm.

Pizza Hut: Tuesdays—Some participating locations offer an unlimited pizza buffet for just $6.99. Kids 10 and under eat free with the purchase of an adult buffet.

Ponderosa Steakhouse: Tuesdays—Kids eat free from 4pm to close. You can get up to 2 free kids’ meals with each adult entree purchased. Ask server for specific details.

Qdoba Mexican Grill: Sundays or Wednesday—Kids eat free on Sundays or Wednesdays. Participation and day of participation varies by location.

Red Robin: Mondays—Kids 10 and under eat free. Ask server for specific details.

Skyline Chili: Mondays—Kids 4 and under eat free from 4-9 pm. Check ahead for specific participating locations.

Steak ‘n Shake: Saturdays & Sundays—Free kid’s entrée for every $9 purchased. Participation varies by location.

Texas Roadhouse: Tuesdays—Kids 12 and under eat free from 4-9 pm. Limit 2 Kid’s Meal Discounts per 1 Adult Entree Purchased. Ranger Meals Excluded. Dine in only. Not valid with any other offer. Some locations also offer a free toy!

TGI Fridays: Mondays & Tuesdays—Kids eat free, though offers vary by location. Call ahead or check with server for specific details.

Tony Roma’s: Tuesdays—Kids 12 and under eat free with a purchase of an adult entree.

Uno Chicago Grill: Tuesdays—Get 1 free kids meal or gluten-free pizza with the purchase of an adult entree.

Reduced Price Kids Meal Participating Restaurants:

Buffalo Wild Wings: Mondays—Kids 12 and under can order from the Kids’ Menu for just $0.99 from 5-8 pm.

Fazoli’s: Tuesdays—Get 2 kids’ meals for $0.99 each with the purchase of 1 adult entree. For children ages 12 and under. Offer valid from 5-8 pm each Tuesday at participating restaurants.

Fire Mountain: Thursdays—Two kids’ buffets for $0.99 each with the purchase of an adult buffet. For children ages 11 and under. Participation varies by location.

Fuddruckers: Mondays & Tuesdays—Kids 12 and under can order from the kids’ meal menu for $0.99 (drinks included) from 4-9 pm. Locations and participation may vary.

Golden Corral: Tuesdays—Kids 3 and under can eat for just $1.99.

Luby’s Cafeteria: Wednesdays—Kids under 10 eat for $2 after 4:30 pm.

McAlister’s Deli: Daily—Kids’ meals for $0.99 all day at select locations. Call ahead for participation.

Old Country Buffet: Thursdays—Two kids’ buffets for $0.99 each with the purchase of an adult buffet. For children ages 11 and under. Participation varies by location. Offer also available at participating HomeTown Buffet and Country Buffet locations.

Ryan’s: Thursdays—Two kids’ buffets for $0.99 each with the purchase of an adult buffet. For children ages 11 and under. Participation varies by location.

Which Wich Superior Sandwiches: Mondays & Saturdays—Kidswich meals are $0.99 with the purchase of a 7″ small Wich. Kidswich meals include a Wich, treat, and drink. Valid for children ages 12 years and under at participating locations.

Enjoy!

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February No Spend Month Challenge: Day 27 (Take A Free College Course Online)

Hello again, savvy savers! A new day, and a new challenge! Today, I want to switch topics, and discuss a way you can save money, and that is by taking a refresher course from one of America’s best colleges and Universities. As part of today’s No-Spend Challenge, I want to post about an awesome at-home learning tool many users may be interested in using, Coursea.com.

Coursera is a for-profit educational technology company offering massive open online courses founded by computer science professors, Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller from Stanford University.
This online course directory offers persons from all walks of life the ability to sample, full-length classes, webinars, refresher courses, or to browse syllabi and test prep, in a full range of Liberal Arts topics, from many of the national top colleges and universities, including Duke University, Yale University, Vanderbilt University, and Johns Hopkins University.
There are also courses focused on music education, art appreciation, small business management, and anthropological studies.

For those interested in this site, click here. So, for today’s challenge, I encourage you all to check out this site, and see if you may be interested in taking a new online course on for size! Good luck! Be sure to check back tomorrow morning for the final day of this months No-Spend Challenge!

Here’s to saving,

Challenge Links:

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Throwback Thursdays: Homemade Slime, Only $0.20!

Good afternoon, savvy savers! For this weeks Throwback Thursday’s, just in time for Halloween, I want to bring you a fun, family-friendly find from my own childhood, Slime! If you were anything like me as a child, than watching Family Double Dare was a favorite, and the best part of the show was the contestants who were systematically slimed! Sure slime, that awesome polymer that was presented both liquid and solid statuses simultaneously, was more than a molecular anomaly, it was an event of epic proportions! What was even better? When the stores began to carry this awesome gak, slime, or as my mother called it, the substance that will not come off of my couch!

Oh, the dealing of a kid from the 1990′s. But why let the 1990′s evade us one day further, when we can make out own slime, and so here is my recipe for homemade slime! Please note, I can make slime for $0.20 a container, per child.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Elmer’s School White Glue
2 disposable cups
Food coloring
3 Tablespoons Water
1 Tablespoon Borax Powder
A plastic spoon

Directions:

In your first plastic cup, add your water and Borax Powder.
Stir the mixture gently, then set aside.
In your second plastic cup, add your Elmer’s School White Glue.
Add the food coloring, in your color(s) of choice, to the second cup, stirring until mixed.
Now, add 1 Tablespoon of the mixture from the first cup at a time, to the second cup; the slime will instantly start forming, but allow the mixture to set-up for 30 second before playing with each batch.
Store slime in sandwich bags.
Avoid placing slime on textured, carpeted, and porous surface.
Enjoy!

Here’s to Halloween,

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DIY Soft Scrub with Bleach

Hello again, savvy savers! For this week’s Thrifty Thursday’s, I want to share with you one of the ways I have found to save on cleaning supplies, and that is with my DIY Soft Scrub, with Bleach! As this product is priced around $2.98 locally for me, I find that my making my own, using products purchased online via Amazon and ePantry, I am able to make a batch of cleaner for under $0.25, nearly 85% off retail pricing, using only four simple, household ingredients!

Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup Castile soap
2 Tablespoons room temperature water
1/2 Tablespoon bleach
Glass jar, with lid

Directions:

Combine the water and baking soda in a non-lidded glass jar; set aside for 1 minutes.
Next, add the soap to the mixture, folding in the soap slowly.
Add the bleach, and set aside for an additional minute.
Store your mixture, in your lidded jar, and use 1 teaspoon for each cleaning, as needed.
When cleaning, use a white cloth, scrub your surface, and allow mixture to remain on the surface for 60 seconds, for disinfecting purposes, before rinsing with water, and drying with a clean cloth.
Enjoy!

As you can see, the left side of my kitchen sink, with just the smallest amount of this DIY scrub, with a simple white cloth, cleans my kitchen sink to an impressive shine! I also use this mixture in my bathroom sink, bathroom showers, and to clean my grill and smoker at home. This scrub comes in handy during the winter months, when the extra bit of help, by way of the household chlorine bleach, helps to not just clean but disinfect the surfaces most used in my home! If you use something similar in your home, I’d love to hear about it below!

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February No Spend Month Challenge: Day 26 (How to Become A Book Reviewer)

Hello again, savvy savers! A new day, and a new way to save with today’s No-Spend Month Challenges! If a mug of soup, a cup of hot tea, and a great, new book sounds like your perfect night, than that makes two of us! If you are anything like me, than you are nothing short of a bibliophile! Well, you are in luck, as today’s challenge centers around being able to score free books.

How can be score free books?

You can become a book reviewer, with one of several dozen online book reviewer programs.
The best part is that you do not need to be a designated book blogger, to be able to review books.
You simply need to have a love of the written word, a social media following, and a verifiable mailing address.
Each blogger will need to apply for book reviews, and just wait for the reviews to come in.
Keep in mind, you will need to keep reviews legal, by always disclosing your reviewer status.
Beyond this, you will need to review books online, as well as reviewing on an online purchasing outlet, such as Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.

Here are a list of Reviewer Programs:

1. BookSneeze: They have both print and e-books available. Booksneeze sends out a monthly newsletter informing participants of the latest books available for review.

2. Blogging for Books: This program is ran by Waterbrook Multnomah. It has a pretty simple sign-up and I like that they send out email notices monthly informing you of the different books they have available.

3. Bethany House: Here is a link to the latest newsletter with the list of books available for review.

4. Tywebbin: Offers a quick simple sign-up to be host of one their virtual book tours. Books offered from this review program tend to be primarily African American books.

5. Cross Focused Reviews: This program is a service of Cross Focused Media, LLC. Once you have signed up on their list, you will receive email notifications of available books on tour.

6. TLC Book Tours: Offers a quick sign up process to get on their list of tour hosts.

7. Tyndale Blog Network:This program is hosted by Tyndale House publishers. Each month they send out a list of available books once you have been approved.

8. NetGalley: This program offers books from a vast number of publishers. According to their website, “NetGalley is a service to promote and publicize forthcoming titles to readers of influence.

10. The B& B Media: I have done several reviews through this program. Once you’re on their distribution list, you receive an email notification of available books they have and you simply fill out the form to be a part of that book’s tour. They give you a date the review must be posted by.

This list provides a great start for book lovers and bloggers alike, that are looking to review books. Each program offers free books in exchange for an honest review and have their own requirements about review length and where you must publish your reviews. So, today I challenge you look into saving on your monthly book purchasing costs, by becoming a book reviewer!

Be sure to check back tomorrow for a new day’s challenge!

Here’s to saving,

Challenge Links:

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February No Spend Month Challenge: Day 25 (How to Make Money With In-Home Product Testing)

Hello again, savvy savers! I hope you are all well rested and ready for a new days challenge! So, today I want to focus on ways that you can help generate extra funds in your home, and that is with in-product testing!

Product testing is so much fun and rewarding because you’re making a difference with what type of products you’d like on the market. You’re letting your voice be heard. Also you’re saving companies money by them not putting products in stores that won’t sell. I’ve tested a lot of products over the years and I don’t remember how many! I’ve tested electronics, toys, food products, beauty products, household products, adult products, websites, and so much more!

Companies are willing to send these products out to “guinea pigs” like us so that they can get a general idea of how well the product will go over once it’s released. And if there are any potential problems that they weren’t aware of before, these can be dealt with beforehand. All they want in return for sending you the product is for you to try it and let them know what you think.

So, why product testing:

I’ve been testing products for money for the past 7 years and love doing it!
I get about 4 to 5 full size products and sample products to test a month.
I get the first exclusive look at up and coming products, which I can help companies tailor products that others will enjoy, too!
I also participate in at least 1 paid sponsorship per month; the trial experience pays generally range from $5.00-$150.00 for participating.
Even if I am not paid for a product test, I am able to keep the product, which helps to generate “funds” to our home, too!
It’s a win-win!

The reason for product testing is that Top Brands would like to know what consumers think about new products they’re developing to be sent to stores but before they do that they need your opinions. This way it’ll save the various companies both time and money if the product doesn’t do well, after the initial testing and marketing drives.

Please note, majority listed here are survey panels meaning you’ll receive paid surveys from Top Brands and also receive products to test at home depending on your demographic. Also, you do not need to be a blogger to sign up with these companies!

Here’s how to sign-up:

First, you’ll need to sign up with a company that offers product testing at home.
Once you do this the company will send you emails to fill out screeners to see if you’ll qualify for their up and coming product testing.
Once you fill out their screener survey, they’ll let you know at the end if you qualify or not. For example, let say the company is looking for people to test out their beauty product, if you don’t use a certain beauty product they want you to test then you won’t qualify.
Once you get the approval to test, the company will ask for your address to send you the product to test for a week or two.
Then they’ll follow up with you with an email asking questions about the product you’ve tested. Once you’re done, you get paid!

Here are companies that I have worked with:

FREE HCD Research Online Surveys – HCD is a very good survey site, they have really neat surveys that don’t take very long to do. You get paid by a check or depending on the survey you can get a gift card.

National Consumer Panel – Earn valuable points, which are redeemable for electronics, household items, jewelry, toy, gift cards, and more

Earn FREE LOreal Products for becoming a Gold Rewards Members! You can earn Free products, coupons and more!

Toluna – Get paid for your opinion. Surfers who participate in this offer can receive a free membership to the Toluna online survey panel.

Smiley360 is another great site to test free products!

Ipsos I-Say Panel – You can earn points for taking surveys Earn points for every completed survey. The more surveys you take, the more points you earn. Cash in your points for American Express gift cards, Amazon gift codes and more, and they also do product testing if you qualify for them. Ipsos is a very good survey company!

Pssst Generalmills -Pssst is fantastic, they send out full size freebies and coupons for freebies.

VocalPoint – Vocalpoint offers fantastic samples throughout the year!

Kraft First Taste – Kraft First Taste sends out coupons for a full size products, along with high value coupons throughout the year!

PopSugar offers fantastic freebies! They even send out full size freebies.

Bzzagent.com -Bzzagent is really neat because they send you a full size products and you review it – Along with other perks that you can receive just by being a member.

Influenster.com – You can earn fantastic samples and so much more! – Registered members “play the game” by unlocking badges that reflect your lifestyle, expertise and power to influence. By earning badges that tell them more about you, Influensters can increase their chances of being selected to receive a themed VoxBox (complimentary packages of products to test & review), rewards (bonus giveaways/discounts) and other special promotions targeted toward our most influential members!

Toluna– I get quite a bit to test with Toluna Panel and the pay is good! When you sign up, click the “Rewards” tab and then click “Test Products” tab. You’ll also get product test invites in your email. Also Toluna has high paying focus groups. Pay by Cash and Gift Cards.

Pinecone Research– Pinecone Research is the most Top Rated Product Testing Company and I receive about 2 to 3 products a month. Pay by Cash, PayPal, Gift Cards, Merchandise, Music, and More!

Valued Opinions– I mostly receive beauty products to test with Valued Opinions Panel. Also offers to join high paying focus groups. Pay by Gift Cards.

Nielsen Home Scan Consumer Panel– You’ll get a free scanner to scan all your household purchases with Nielsen Home Scan Consumer Panel and you get rewarded for it by getting free electronics and more! Pay by Free Merchandise.

ACOP– I get a few products from ACOP Panel but their pay is good. Also offers to join high paying focus groups. Pay by Cash, PayPal, and Tango Gift Cards.

In Home Product Testing Panel– I don’t get much from In Home Product Testing Panel, only every few months and they pay with Target gift cards. Pay by Target Gift Cards.

BuzzBack Panel– I get mostly beauty products from BuzzBack Panel but not many. Pay by PayPal and Gift Cards.

L’Oreal Product Testing Panel– I get new products from L’Oreal to test but for some reason it’s hard to qualify for some of their testing. Pay by Free Beauty Products.

BzzAgent– BzzAgent is my favorite! I get so many free stuff to test that I’ve lost count! Great company! Doesn’t pay but I love getting so much stuff each month. Pay by MyPoints rewards to redeem for free merchandise, gift cards and more.

Global Test Market– I mostly get household items with Global Test Market but the pay is great! Pay by Cash.

Smiley360– I recently signed up with Smiley360 and already tested a couple of things with them. Doesn’t pay though. Pay by Free Products.

McCormick– If you like the McCormick brand of foods and seasonings, they offer to review their products and you’ll get paid for it. They also have contest at times too. Pay by Amazon Gift Cards.

Johnson & Johnson Friends & Neighbors– I use to get products to test from them quite a bit when my daughters were babies and toddlers, but not so much anymore since my daughters are older. This name brand company is prefect for mothers with young children. Pay by Cash.

MyView– I’ve done MyView through other survey panels and I had opportunities to do product testing with them. Pay by Gift Cards.

Swaggable: I get so many free stuff to test that I’ve lost count! Great company! Doesn’t pay but I love getting so much stuff each month. Pay by MyPoints rewards to redeem for free merchandise, gift cards and more.

So, today I challenge you to look into the above list and see if you can start product testing today! Be sure to come back tomorrow for a new day’s challenge!

Here’s to saving,

Challenge Links:

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