Free Dunkin Donuts Coffee & Giveaway Winner

Did you get one of these in your circulars this week?

Starting today and lasting through the end of April, bring this coupon to Dunkin Donuts to get a free Iced Coffee or Tea! I'm not a huge fan of Dunkin Donuts hot coffee, but I do enjoyed their iced coffee! This will be a nice treat as the weather warms into spring over the next month or so.

Congratulations to Sophie, commenter #2, randomly chosen to win the Gevalia Kaffe prize pack. You have been emailed! Thanks to everyone else who entered also. Remember, you can still get a free sample of Gevalia Kaffe from Walmart.

Giveaway Winner!

Thanks to everyone who entered to win a copy of The Money Saving Mom's Budget by Crystal Paine!

The winner is Eunice B who said, "We line dry out clothes, unplug appliances when not in use, combine trips to town, don't have TV, use coupons, and walk in the neighborhood instead of pay for a gym membership. :-)" Congratulations, Eunice! You've been emailed!


I really enjoyed reading the different ways that each of you save money...I'm inspired!


You can still pre-order a copy of The Money Saving Mom's Budget through Amazon. I highly recommend it!


disclosure

Giveaway winner

Thanks to everyone who entered to win the Star Wars cereal and Walmart gift card...I loved reading about all of your favorite Star Wars characters!

The winner was commenter #4, Katie, who said Princess Leia was her favorite! Congrats, Katie!

I've got another giveaway in the works for December that is really exciting, so stay tuned!

Commenting options

If you would like to enter the cereal and gift card giveaway but have not commented because of not having a Google ID....good news! I turned on the anonymous comment feature, so feel free to comment that way, just make sure that you still leave an email address in your comment so I can get in touch with you if you are the winner!

I have not allowed anonymous comments simply because I think it is important to have some accountability on what you say on the internet. The impersonality of online comments seems to empower some people to say whatever they are thinking without concern for the person on the receiving end. This is a bigger problem on site larger than this one, and for that I am grateful.

If you are interested in commenting on blogs powered by Blogger that do not allow 'anonymous' comments, consider making a Google ID just for the purpose of commenting.

All that to say...anonymous comments will be available for giveaways, but not permanently, unless I hear a lot of feedback that they would be super helpful!

Have you entered the giveaway yet? All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this review post. Oh, and you don't have to be a Star Wars fan to enter. The Walmart gift card will be nice to put toward Christmas gifts, I'm sure!

Get Connected with Thrifty Living

I've been working on a few things lately. If you read Thrifty Living on a mobile device, you should be directed to my mobile site now. If you would prefer to view the full site, just scroll down to the bottom of the mobile site and click through. I hope that the mobile site will make everything easier to read on the go!

A while back I started the Thrifty Living Facebook page, but it never really got off the ground. I've had the time to fool around with it recently, so you should be seeing links to Thrifty Living posts as well as some more detail about our day to day activities. If you're on Facebook, be sure to 'like' Thrifty Living so we can connect!

I've been having a ton of fun with Pinterest! Its a great place to find ideas for decorating, get new recipes, and just browse interesting images from around the web. I usually don't think that I'm naturally creative, but I enjoy copying things that I see...Pinterest is great for that! See my pinboards here on Pinterest.

Are you a reader? I love a good book, and I try to read a nice mixture of different genres. I have been using Goodreads since the beginning of the year to keep track of what I'm reading and what I want to read next. Its a great way to get recommendations from friends about new book also. Here is my profile on Goodreads.

Slowing Things Down

Last week we had to send our laptop in to the manufacturer for some repair work. It ended up being really last minute in order to get it there before the warranty expired, so I did not have the chance to get some posts prepped ahead of time.

The next week or so is probably going to be a little light here, since my blogging options are limited to a dinosaur laptop that is ridiculously slow or mobile devices.

I'm also contemplating posting less over the summer months, but that is not set in stone yet.

One feature I was able to add late last week is the new "coupon acceptance policies" tab. I've compiled the coupon acceptance policies from various stores so that you can print them and carry them with you when you shop. I will also add to what I have as time permits.

Using coupons correctly is important ethically speaking, and so it is great to be able to see the differences between stores' policies laid out on paper. But there are also times when a cashier or even a manager does not know the proper coupling procedure. Having the coupon policy with you can clear up that confusion in a respectful way. The last thing a cashier needs is to be bullied by an over zealous and arrogant couponer, no matter how "right" we are about that extra coupon.

I hope you benefit from this list!

I have a really good reason for not posting this week...

Our son was born Wednesday morning at 11:31 weighing 6 lbs 11 oz!

We are all doing great, but I'll probably be taking another week or so away from the blog...I had a few posts planned but I never got them finalized since he came a few days early!

Thrifty Living is on Facebook!

I have been putting it off for some time now, but the Thrifty Living Facebook page officially launched today! Go see it here!

I will be working to add some more features, but for now I will mostly be adding the posts I do each week. I hope to have a few special features for those who 'like' Thrifty Living on Facebook in the future!

Thrifty Living Turns 1!!

This week marks one year of blogging here at Thrifty Living! I started this blog to share some of the ways that my family is seeking to live a thriftier lifestyle, in the hope that my ideas and suggestions would help other families to grow in the way they manage their resources too.

I've had a lot of fun documenting our life over the past year. It has helped me to grow also, as I try out new recipes, learn to shop smarter, and manage the resources we already have more effectively.

A big Thank You to all my readers - whether you just found your way here today or have been reading from the beginning. I appreciate your comments and suggestions, which have helped me to grow along the way!

I thought it might be fun to highlight a few of the most read posts from the last year.

Several recipes are at the top, including Homemade Bagel Twists (I was inspired by the Dunkin Donuts ones), Chick-Fil-A Chicken Nuggets (a favorite of ours too), and Homemade Chewy Granola Bars (a Frugal Girl recipe that I modified).

Our Cloth Diaper Routine details how we manage our cloth diapers on a day-to-day basis. I love using cloth (more than disposables!) and I have really enjoyed getting to help other people learn about cloth diapering.

This spring I wrote about How to Build A Raised Bed Garden, which my husband and father actually built for me since I am pregnant! It was really simple to do, and we've loved having a little garden this summer!

Lastly, Money Making Opportunities has been viewed a ton. On this page I have information about some of the easy ways that I put a little bit more spending money in my pocket: by using the search engine Swagbucks, by taking Online Surveys, and by sending out for Rebates.

I am super excited to announce a special giveaway this week to celebrate! Check back later today for all of the details!

Thrifty Living this week

I'm at the beach this week with my family, so I'll be taking a few days off blogging! I do hope to be back later in the week with a brief post, so stay tuned!

New BumGenius!

Yesterday, Cotton Babies (the maker of bumGenius) announced the new version of their famous Bumgenius diapers. This diaper is an updated version of the bumGenius version 3 (that I recommend and use). The new features for the updated bumGenius include (from Cotton Babies):

NEW! Generous sizing accommodates larger babies.
NEW! Easily replaceable elastic keeps your diapers fresh.
3x3 snap down design adjusts the sizing to fit small, medium and large sizes (approximately 7-35+ pounds).
Trim, snug and comfortable stretchy tabs provide a custom fit.
Waterproof insert stopper prevents leaking at the tummy.
Diapers are bundled with two inserts: a newborn insert for newborns and a one-size insert for your older baby.
Wide slot opening makes it easy to stuff and remove insert.
Slot cover protects your baby from wetness.

(all images via Cotton Babies)

The other exciting new feature is that bumGenius now offers their one-size diaper in snaps. I think snaps work well for older children, but definitely prefer the velcro closure for young babies.

Another new feature is that the velcro fasteners have been improved to be more durable and remain sticky longer. One of the only complaints that I have had with my bumGenius is that the velcro fasteners are not quite as sticky as when they were brand new. I think its great that bumGenius listened to their customers and really sought to make an improved product!

Since Cotton Babies is fazing out the bumGenius version 3 diapers, they have a special sale on them (while supplies last)!

This is a great time to get started with cloth diapering for a discounted price. While the new bumGenius and definitely improved, I still recommend the version 3 bumGenius also. They have worked very well for us, and this sale is a great deal.

Remember, Cotton Babies has a lifetime warranty on all of their diapers!

If you have any questions about using cloth diapers, especially bumGenius, let me know! When we wanted to start cloth diapers, the biggest thing holding us back was that we didn't know anyone else who used cloth diapers. I want to be a resource for you because I have benefited so much from using cloth diapers!

News!

Things have been a little crazy lately, and I have not kept up with my normal M, W, F posting schedule. The main reason for this is because I am pregnant with our second child! (Due mid-October)

We are very excited about adding to our family, and things are going very well with the pregnancy; I am just a lot more tired and it has been taking me longer to keep up with things around the house.

All this to say, I am committed to bringing regular content to Thrifty Living, though some weeks may be less regular than others. Thank you so much for reading. I really enjoy sharing my thrifty thoughts on this blog, and I hope that I am able to continue to encourage others to be more thrifty also!