Juicy Juice is sponsoring a video contest where your kids are the star. Send in a video of your kids doing the most amazing, talented or funniest things and they could win:

• Grand Prize: $5000 Amazon Gift Card/ $2000 Cash
• 9 - 1st Prizes: $1000 Amazon Gift Card/ $500 Cash

Submit your video before 8/21/09 to be eligible. And for fun come back here and let us know so we can take a peak!

Here is another great ongoing deal for the Summer. Each and every Monday through the summer [until August 31, 2009] when you buy a sundae at a Ben and Jerry's scoop shop you get a sundae of same or lesser value for free. Check out the fine print and make sure your location is participating.

This kind of deal makes it hard to stick to only eating at our locally owned ice cream parlor especially when the B&J scoop shop is literally around the corner from our house. And two doors down from the locally owned shop. But anyway, I digress.

Here's what you need to know. FREE ICE CREAM ON MONDAYS AT BEN AND JERRY'S. Enjoy!

Don't miss this opportunity to sign up for tasty meal ideas, coupons, recipes and more from Betty Crocker! Registration is free and you'll have access to some great resources for summer grilling ideas and other wonderful feasts. Check it out to get started. It's definitely a Cool Idea!

70% off of $25 certificates with the discount code: RECIPE - so for $3 you get $25 worth of money to dine out at your favorite local restaurants PLUS for a limited time Restaurant.com will send you a code for a FREE $10 certificate with every order.

This would be a great time to stock up or try a new restaurant or double check the list of participating restaurants. I noticed the other day that a couple of new places in my area are now part of Restaurant.com and this would be a nice time to give them a try.

Buying local is a big deal with me. These are my neighbors, people who will learn your likes and dislikes and they are struggling along in this economy like everyone else. I'm not an advocate for eating out as a habit but the service industry is one in which I used to work and I have a soft spot for struggling waitstaff. Summer can be especially difficult so if you are so inclined to give yourself a break from the kitchen buy a certificate - maybe even through Upromise so you can double up the bennies to yourself - and give your local economy a little bit of a boost. This is a good deal and Definitely a Cool Idea!

Interested in being the first to receive news and coupons from Kraft? Then sign up for the Kraft Community and be sure to check out great programs they have!!

One of the companies that I mystery shop for does shops for grocery stores and I SCORED this month with SIX scheduled shops! It took me a few months to get to the point where I could get to the point where I get all the shops I request, because as you can imagine these shops go quickly but now that I have done 5 shops for this company any shops hat I request are automatically given to me. woohoo!!

I can highly recommend Trendsource as a great Mystery Shop company. Sign up as a field agent and then see what they have available in your area. They even have request for agents in Canada so if you know anyone --pass this along!!

So, how do I maximize the mystery shop payment? Once again I try to go by the Price Is Right rules - close without going over [or not too far over] so that my groceries are free or almost free. Then take the payment + reimbursement amount from Trendsource in my area and I utilize coupons and The Grocery Game to maximize how much I can spend. Obviously, I follow the guidelines that the company requires and make sure I buy the items that they specify but other than that I can buy whatever I need.

This past shop I spent $18 which was a little over the amount that I'll get paid but I got:

• hot rotisserie chicken [for dinner]
• deli sliced cheese [for lunches]
• maple extract [to make more syrup]
• flour [to make more biscuit mix]
• apple juice [for the kidlets]
• box of ice cream sandwiches [as a treat]

And there you go. Free groceries and with five more shops coming up over the next few days I have the opportunity to stretch my grocery budget even further this month. Trendsource works with companies other than grocery stores but go ahead and sign up and see what they have in your area. It's definitely a Cool Idea!

It's time to take a look around the blogosphere for some great freebies:

FREE Carefree Ultra Protection Pantiliners

FREE Dove Heat Defense or Intense Therapy Haircare Samples

FREE sample of UnderJams absorbent night wear

FREE sample of Quaker True Delights chewy granola bar

Mercury Magazines is giving away 4 issues of Oprah's "O" Magazine to qualified individuals. This one won't last long so head on over quickly to get signed up for yours!

And don't forget on Friday to go to Mars to sign up for your coupon for a FREE chocolate bar. Mine have started rolling in and I am definitely enjoying them! Yum!

The kids have been home from school for a few weeks and it's getting hot outside. We've already bought a 32 oz. refill bottle of bubbles and more sidewalk chalk so it's time to begin to expand our repetoire. Summer Reading at our library begins this week so that will begin to take some of our time but here are some more ideas to keep us busy as the summer goes on.

Regal Cinemas begins their Free Family Film Festival this week - or next week - depending on your location and going for the next nine weeks. Each Tuesday and Wednesday at 10AM kids and parents can enjoy free admission for G and PG movies. Check the listings for your state/ area.

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program will award kids [grade 1-6] a free book after they read any eight books and write in their journal about these books. Go to the site and download the journal and activities. Bring the completed journal to any B&N before September 7 to receive your free book.

Pottery Barn Kids stores have story time each week. Check with your local store to find out when they occur.

And if you want some great ideas for how to pair out of the house Adventures with some indoor ones log onto Kids off the Couch. Usually, there is an idea for a video paired with a learning activity. You can register for their emails and look back over the archives. There are some wonderful ideas for kids of all ages.

To check last week's staycation post Click Here.

So, here we go - some great ideas for reading, shows and additional Adventures for the summer months. I hope that everyone has a great time with their kids this summer. If you have other Cool Ideas, I'd love to hear them!

HCDSurvey Panel is a lot of fun! Many of the surveys have video components and involve news or current events. Interested in American Idol? HCDSurvey tracks how well people like the performers and how the public feels the judges are performing, too. Did you watch the President's latest news conference? If so, HCDSurvey might send you a link for a survey. Like most people you probably heard about the pilot who passed away during the flight from Brussels to Newark last week. Well, HCDSurveys polled about this as well using news footage. That's what HCDSurveys does and if you are interested in being part and earning points and money for completing these surveys then GET STARTED! It's definitely a Cool Idea!

I think I've posted this before but it's time for a good reminder. You can purchase Restaurant.com certificates through Upromise and earn money for your college accounts. Just log into your Upromise account and 'shop online'. If you don't have a Upromise account I can help you there. Click on the button down the page and sign up to get started.

And this is a great time of the year to get started. Restaurant.com has another great deal. $25 certificates are on sale for $2 again. Use the discount code: DISH from June 22 to June 25 when you check out. Make sure you check the individual requirements for each restaurant. Usually certificates are good for a year so go ahead and stock up!

I first read this tip on another blog. I think it was a guest post on Frugal Upstate but I can't remember and I didn't copy the link and my toddler summer has kept me from going back to find it. Then Tia's Saving Cents posted and I had another source for a home pedicure solution.

I, too, ditch the socks as soon as the weather gets warm enough. Mostly this is so I don't have to worry about finding a matched pair out of my drawer. I don't know about you but after matching my kids socks the last thing I want to do is match up my own so I generally throw them in the drawer [whites on one side and darks on the other - my concession to organization] and then push it shut. Well, socks do have a function. They keep our feet from getting dried out and rough. Regular pedicures are not only a nice relaxing treat but they keep our feet in good shape.

But pedicures, unless you are a good shopper and able to take advantage of last minute deals at your local spa, can get pricey. So, let's be frugal and make our own homemade pedicure experience.

• 2 cups of warm water
• 2 cups of vinegar
• foot tub [I got mine at the dollar store]
• soak for 15-20 minutes

Once you're done clean and trim your nails, use a file to clean off the dead skin, and use another frugal find from your house to moisturize your skin - Vapor Rub! Slather up with Vapor Rub and put on some socks. Either go on to bed or leave on for half hour and then clean rub off toe nails and apply polish. Using the vapor rub each night with socks will continue to keep your skin nice and soft and at a fraction of the cost of a regular pedicure. Have a Girl's Night and you could even get the massage part! Frugal and Fun - Definitely a Cool Idea!

Except for a few things in life I subscribe to an 'all things in moderation' philosophy. However, a couple of years ago we, as a family, decided to not bring sodas into the house anymore and to try to cut HFCS out of our diet. Obviously this was easier said than done.



We didn't go cold turkey. We still drink sodas when we go out sometimes although I rarely do anymore since I have also given up diet sodas. But one thing we became aware of was how pervasive HFCS was in our food culture. If you or your child eats yogurt - other than Yo-Baby - HFCS is usually in the first 3-4 ingredients. Check out your pasta sauce next. But what does this mean?



That's a good question. Apparently it might not mean what we thought it meant. Obviously, USAmericans have an obesity problem and HFCS might be one of the issues at the core of the problem. The Eating Well magazine blog will be discussing the issue of High Fructose Corn Syrup and what it means to our lives and to your health. Check it out and see what they're saying now.

If you haven't hit the Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual Sale yet you might want to take a peek and see what they have because I think I hit the jackpot. I found 2 bras that fit and were half-price!

So, I probably would have bought them even if they were full price because I had a coupon that I found at Tia's Savings Cents. The bras I'd been wearing were shot long ago and after 4 years of being pregnant and nursing I desperately needed bras that actually fit.

I'd tried to do it myself by trying on bras at Target, Ross, TJMaxx, etc., but I never found anything that fit, stayed that way and kept the 'girls' where they were supposed to be for a full day. So I went back to VS with the last VS bra and showed them the problem - lots of gaping - and was remeasured. I still measured the same so they brought me different styles including several push-up bras.

Now, clearly most of you don't know what I look like but the last thing I need is a push up bra or a Wonderbra or something like this. God has been generous to me so I finally just so the woman the problem and I hear the words 'full coverage' and think 'thank goodness' now we're talking my language.

After over 30 minutes in a sweltering dressing room under hot flourescent lights and standing in front of a floor to ceiling mirror where I had the opportunity to observe all of my body's flaws over and over and over we found the perfect bra and I bought the last 2 in the store that they had in my size. And thanks to the coupon they if were half price. And if they last as long as the last VS bras I bought I figure I'll be wearing them still when I take Comfort to be fitted for her first bra. All I can say is that bras that fit are Definitely a Cool Idea and coupons make it even better!

I had the opportunity to review the CD Bible Belt by Diane Birch and as I was loading it in the CD player I realized that NPR was doing an interview with her. Not bad. Not bad, at all. And she holds her own. The music is mature as is her voice.

And here's some background for you - For singer-songwriter Diane Birch, music was a refuge. Although Diane was born in Michigan, her childhood was spent on the move as the daughter of a preacher, living between Zimbabwe, South Africa and Australia, before her parents finally settled in Portland, Oregon. When she was in her early teens, Diane absorbed a unique and cosmopolitan perspective on life that shines through her music and makes a simple categorization of it impossible.

The result? Diane Birch sounds like an old favorite, with all the sparkle and magic of a breakthrough talent. People says she sounds like a combination of early Carole King, Linda Ronstadt and Stevie Nicks, with a little Joss Stone and Cat Power mixed in. Bible Belt is only her first record, but it’s one of the most accomplished albums you’ll hear all year. From the opening track “Fire Escape” to the closing “Magic View,” Diane’s stunning voice is mesmerizing.

Check out the links to tracks and listen to some great music. Then do yourself a favor and cash in some Swagbucks or Amazon cards for the album. You won't be disappointed. If you need to get hooked up with Swagbucks check out the link under "Stickies" for more information.

Link to MP3 of ‘Fire Escape’ http://www.rcrdlbl.com/artists/Diane_Birch/track/Fire_Escape

Myspace = http://www.myspace.com/dianebirch

Before I get started with the great freebies out there let me point out some great deals to make sure you've found them.

First there's a great deal on Huggies at Target this week. Buy 3 Pull Ups or Diapers and get a $5 gift card. Use the $3/1 coupons found on the coupon bar on the right [it will give you 2 coupons per computer] and that gives you an even better deal. Then remember to turn in your receipt to Caregivers Marketplace and get even more money back.

Second, there are great deals on RSVP Pens for $1 and reams of paper $2 after EasyRebate at Staples. Thanks to Common Sense for Money for posting both of these great deals.

Now, onto our regularly scheduled program:
I hope that you are finding some great deals for these summer months. Stick around 'cause I think there are going to be some more great finds.



Try out Shop4Freebies - there is a new list of free stuff every day! That is a Cool Idea!!

FREE Will and Trust Kit from Suze Orman with the Gift Code People First [thanks Money Saving Methods]

Two FREE Sample Packets of Emeril's Original Essence

Coupon for a FREE full size OPI nail laquer or American Crew sha ve cream from a Beauty Brands store near you

And, as always, don't forget to go to the Mars site on Friday to register for your coupon for your FREE chocolate. Yummy!!

Kraft First Taste is a great way to learn about new products - or products that you haven't had a chance to try yet. Be part of a community that gets a change to have that first taste with great coupons for yourself and to hand out to friends. You'll be the hit at the pool this summer. I kid you not!

So much for our plans to go to the playground this morning. It's 69 degrees, the ground is saturated and the rain is still coming down. While this is great for our local farmers it's not so great when trying to entertain two toddlers. What's a parent to do?

Here are some ideas:

Bank of America Museum access - there are museums in 27 states that offer free access to Bank of America card holders. Check out the site to find one in your area and learn about this offer.

Target Museums - there are museums around the country that offer free days or free exhibits

Our local nature center at Maymont offers members only time on Mondays. We might wander around and see the otters. There's nothing that makes Comfort and Joy happier than seeing those funny guys squirm and swim around.

And if there isn't anything on any of these lists near you search the Local Events on the Yahoo Calendar for your area. You never know what you'll find. I bet it'll surprise you!

If you are already making plans to take Dad out to dinner for Father's Day but you don't have a plan yet - check out the Restaurant.com site and see if there's a place in your area that you might want to go because $25 certificates are only $2 with the discount code: PRESENT [until June 15, 2009]. What a great way to celebrate with Dad - a night off from cooking, a great meal with the family, and a great deal! It's definitely a Cool Idea!

June in Virginia is definitely a time to be inside but since Bose earphones don't say how many toddlers they can tune out and I am the lone introvert in the family I know that the best way to keep Comfort and Joy happy [and tired] is to keep them busy. Sure, we can color and do other assorted indoor activities but I like to keep them for backup when it rains - as it has been doing A LOT lately.

Luckily we live one block from a pedestrian shopping district, 4 blocks, from our library and 3 blocks from the playground - so we have assorted, short Adventures available at our fingertips. It's good to remember in our climate controlled culture that people knew their neighbors in part because they spent evenings out on the porch to escape the worst of the evening heat.

Let's reclaim some of the knowledge of our neigborhoods and our neighbors. Take a good walk around and see what you see. Stoop down and look at it from a toddler's point of view. Stop to let them pick up sticks and rocks. It's about the process, not the outcome and it's Definitely a Cool Idea!

My grandmother has been dead for many years but there are recipes that we use all the time of hers. Waffles made from scratch is one of my favorite. In fact, until I came to college I didn't know that waffles could be made from a mix.

Syrup is another thing we made at home. Wait - I live in Virginia. My grandmother grew up in Kansas. These are not areas of the country known for making syrup but my grandmother, like many of our grandmothers, lived through the Depression and learned to improvise.

I've reintroduced this syrup into our family not only as a way to be frugal and save money but also as a way to continue to cut High Fructose Corn Syrup out of our diet. It's a fact of life - less expensive syrups are high in HFCS and there's not much we can do about it except not buy them.

My solution is this and it's a very simple recipe. In fact, it's Simple Syrup:

• One Cup Water
• One Cup Sugar
• One Cup Brown Sugar

Bring to a boil on the stove while stirring. Remove and let cool. As it cools determine what flavor you'd like it to have. Maple? Sure, put in a teaspoon of Maple Extract. Orange? Okay. It's your syrup. All I had on hand was vanilla last time so we had vanilla syrup.

Once it cools in the pan use a funnel to fill it back into a syrup bottle and stick it in the fridge. It won't get to be as thick as store bought syrup but it'll thicken up when it cools in the fridge. Side-by-side taste comparisons may be able to pick out which syrup is homemade and which has thickeners and HFCS but if you just pull the bottle out of the fridge and put it on the table I doubt anyone is going to complain. At least they don't at my table. Enjoy!

FREE Sample of Tampax Pearl

Nexcare is inspiring people to donate blood by giving 2 FREE samples of their bandages with the words 'GIVE' printed on them. Donating blood is particularly important in the summer months when people are traveling and are often on different schedules, so please try to fit in a donation.

Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste Sample [Thanks Freebie Blogger]

And a great photo freebie deal in time for Father's Day:
Get a free 8X10 photo enlargement when you order from CVS.com and use the code FREE8X10. Print must be pickup in-store. Code expires 6/21/09.

Restaurant.com is offering discounted certificates again. $25 certificates are $2 using the discount code: PRESENT through 6/15. Another good thing to remember is that you can go through Upromise, check out the link down the page.

Don't forget that Burt's Bees is giving away a free lip balm. Times change each day to make it fair to all across the country. You are only eligible for one, but if you haven't gotten one yet make sure you try back again.

And, of course, it's good to remember that when Friday comes around we all need to go to Mars and get our Free chocolate coupons. Mine have started to arrive and I am extremely grateful!

Lightspeed is another survey panel that I love. They have interesting surveys and I've gotten several good product trials from these surveys, too. You gotta love stuff like this!! Give it a click and try it out. It is definitely a Cool Idea!

First of all, we have a primary election tomorrow. Be sure to get out and vote so that your voice is heard.

Next, if your church is planning Vacation Bible School and you are near a Ukrop's grocery store remember that you can snacks donated from Ukrop's. You need to contact the representative 10 days before your VBS session to make the arrangements. Ukrop's provides the follow items for the children:

• cookies
• Kool-Aid
• cups and napkins
• ice cream cups for the last day only

If you've shopped at a Ukrop's store you've likely seen the picture of a church in the store, perhaps you've just gotten the information about your Golden Receipt in the mail, and you know helping churches and the community is a key value of the Ukrop's store and family. This is just one more way that Ukrop's gives back to the larger communities in their store locations.

I have often had 'bright' ideas that don't actually work but occasionally I have brilliant and I do mean truly capital-B, brilliant idea. I know they are brilliant because I see them happen in the marketplace and they succeed.

How do these ideas come to me? We were sitting around doing homework sophomore year in college [this would be 1989/90 or so] and I said, "You know, they should put different sized tampons in the same box. That way you wouldn't have to buy different boxes all the time." Voila, a few years later my o.b. tampons began selling assorted size boxes as well as the one-size boxes that they always have.

I have several other examples like this but you get the drift. Then last night, we were walking through a sporting goods store at the mall and saw a display of Nike shirts that say, "Suck it Up." I had to laugh because this was a t-shirt slogan idea I had toyed with several years ago. Nike is using it to also show that the t-shirts have sweat wicking properties. I was pointing out that people needed to - you know, suck it up and move on. Clearly it is a common phrase and not original to me but to see it on a t-shirt, where I had envisioned it, it was amazing.

So, now I'm just going to throw out some things that I'd like to see and things I think would be useful:

• Post-it notes that are broken into sections like a grocery list
• privacy/ magnifier screen for computers for people who need bifocals
• and once again - minivans that are in fun colors. Not all mom cars need to match suburban siding.

Okay, there you go. I have some darn Cool Ideas and most of them are about 5 years too early so stick with me and we'll be ahead of the curve together!

I've been following the Once A Month Mom Blog and enjoying the recipes. The burrito recipe from last month was one that I noticed but didn't make. The other night I was fishing around for something to make and noticed that I had most of the ingredients.

For the list and instructions go to the Once a Month Mom Blog but here's the list so that I can show you how I changed it.

Ingredients:
•1 pounds ground beef
•15.5 ounces pinto beans
•4.5 ounces green chilis, chopped
•15.5 ounces enchilada sauce, red
•1 packages taco seasoning mix
•8 ounces Monterrey Jack
•8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
•8 each flour tortillas, med-large

I cooked the beef and added taco seasoning hat I buy in bulk from Costco. I didn't have enchilada sauce so I used a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles and didn't drain them. I had canned kidney beans instead. Add them to the pot and add the cheese.

We were running low on mexican shredded cheese and I figured Comfort and Joy would want quesadillas for dinner so I grated Pepper Jack and some Swiss to add to the pot. This gets melted into the meat/ bean mixture and then this 'goo' is scooped into the tortillas and put in a baking dish.

I had a bit of meat/bean and liquid left over and decided that since I didn't have left over enchilada sauce to put over the top of the burritos I would mix in sour cream that was left over from some other recipes. I brought it back up to heat and poured it over the top and then topped that with Mexican shredded cheese. Pop it in the oven until it smells good.

Boy, this was yummy and it was a great example of using a recipe as a jumping off point. As long as you are keeping the moisture/ dryness levels right and you aren't leaving out something key - like a leavening agent - you're usually fine.

So play with your recipes. See what you can create. Making things your own is definitely a Cool Idea!

I've enjoy doing surveys to fill in the gaps in our budget and if you - or your child just getting home from college - is 18-24 years old - then Pinecone Research is a good place to start. Check is out and get started! It's a Cool Idea and a great way to earn some extra money and have a say in the way that products are marketed.

Check out this post on Frugal in Virginia's blog about a new eCoupon program for Kroger-store users.

Check out this fantastic post about Frugal Upstate's trip to The Milton Hershey School.

And today I've posted a new book that I'm reading. Check it out.

Okay, go play around the blogosphere, then come back and see what's on tap for tomorrow.

Krispy Kreme is rolling out the Cool Drinks for summer and there's a frequent purchaser program. Get your card on your first visit and get the 5th drink for free.

Also, June 5th is National Donut Day. Get a FREE donut at Krispy Kreme and get a FREE donut with purchase of a beverage at DUNKIN' DONUTS. ENJOY!

20 FREE photos from CVS and anoter 30 FREE photos if you register your Extra Bucks card!

Carefree Ultra Pantiliners and free carrying case

Sign up for savings and coupons from Luvs Diapers

And don't forget to check in for the giveaway at Burt's Bees. I think having all-natural products on our lips is definitely a Cool Idea!

And, lastly, on Fridays Mars gives away coupons for free chocolate. I've received my first two coupons already. This giveaway goes on all summer long.

I've been a member of Ipsos Survey Panel since last summer and I've thoroughly enjoyed the surveys that I've gotten from them. Several have even been screeners for product testing panels for baby products and any mother of small children can tell you that not having to buy bath or baby products for a few weeks is easily worth filling out the questionaires that are sent. Just click on the button above to get started!! What A Cool Idea to get started on building some extra money for your pocket.

I hear moms across the country sigh as they realize that summer is here and they are on deck all day, every day as entertainer, chef, and educator for their kids. In some ways, this is not different from what we do during the school year except that now there's no down time. Comfort has been out of preschool for less than a week and already I'm wondering about boarding school.

But seriously, it's got me thinking that along with the meal planning we need activity planning. Some activities can happen any day: park, playground, blowing bubbles, sidewalk chalk, Maymont, etc. Others, like trips to the farmer's market, are day specific. Also, I grocery shop late in the week since The Grocery Game comes out on Tuesday for my area of the country. All of our outings have to be in the mornings since Joy still needs rest time in the afternoons.

So, what activities do you do in the summer? How do you mix things up to keep them fresh and enjoyable?

Here are a few of the highlights of what you can find in the coupon bar on the righthand side of the page:
$1 off DiGiorno flatbread pizza
$1 Exedrin
$1 Exedrin PM
$1 Exedrin Migraine
$1 Yoplait 4 pack
$1 Keebler Sandies
$1.50 off 2 bottles of Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing
$1 off 2 Kraft Natural Slices
$2 off Dry Idea Antiperspirant
$1 Wisk Laundry Detergent
$1 Velveeta
$1.50 Seattle's Best Coffee
$1 Kraft Singles
$1 Kool-Aid Canisters
$1 Philadelphia Cream Cheese [this will be really handy if you plan to go back and make the Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Coffee Cake that was on the Once A Month Mom site for May]
$1 General Food International Coffee
$1 off 3 Big G Cereals
$2 of 2 Crystal Light Products

And there are many more. There were so many that I only picked up the ones that were greater than $1 - which was most of them - and then I only picked those that I thought I'd use. Yep, I've had a headache for a couple of days so the Exedrin was something that appealed to me right away. I hope there's something in there for you. Make sure you print them now so that you'll have what you need before they go away. Happy June.