WAHM / SAHM TShirts, Gifts & Greetings - "Because Everyday is Casual Friday"

I created this new line of WAHM / SAHM products in the comfort of my raggedy sweats, sports jersey & baseball cap.  If I had some bunny slippers…I’d be wearing those too - but I am stuck with some fuzzy striped socks.  Yes, I am a vision.

Needless to say, my "casual" attire is just one of the reasons I love my "Work at Home" gig.  That’s why I created this fun line of silly tshirts, gifts, mousepads & more.

Here are a few samples…

Work at Home Mom by traci_designs
Make photo mugs On www.zazzle.com
See other Humor Sayings Mugs

Stay at Home Mom by traci_designs
cards from www.Zazzle.com
See more Parents Cards

Stay at Home Mom by traci_designs
Create personalized t shirts At www.Zazzle.com
Browse Parents T-Shirts

Fresh, Modern & Fun - Skinny Mini Playdate, Business or Mommy Calling Cards

I spent Memorial Day hanging out with adults. Yes - *just* adults. It was wonderful. We ate a little, drank a little…and of course, we talked about our kids. =)

I was especially excited to meet a fellow artist….I am a graphic designer - and she paints.  “Ooohhh you are a *real* artist, I squealed…teach me!”

So - we exchanged numbers. She gave me a beautiful business card complete with her website, contact information and a lovely painting on the front whereas I scrambled to find a piece of napkin that wasn’t soaked in BBQ sauce to write my number on.

As a result of my embarrassing first playdate impression…I decided to create my own “mommy card” if you will.

These are small enough to fit in your pocket (about the size of a lipstick)…and large enough to add all of the pertinent information. The come with a cute little dispenser too. I am going to use the first one…but I thought I’d create a few others just for fun. These have a fun backside too….

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Use Your Freezer to Save Money on Groceries

I spent part of yesterday at Costco and left with sticker shock - and LOTS of milk.  =) 

When the price of milk started to rise (dramatically) I begin looking for ways to save money on our grocery bill.  The price of milk at our local Costco store is usually half the price at our local grocery store.  Therefore, I did a little research on freezing milk and learned that it is possible, simple and it does not harm the quality of the milk. 

Since the prices of nearly everything else are rising as well, I thought about ways to buy additional items in bulk and freeze them (like cheeses, breads, eggs, etc..)

Here are a few useful links I discovered in my search.

• USDA - Food Safety and Freezing
• How to Freeze Food and Save Money
• 30 Day Cafe - Once a Month Cooking (Freezer Cooking Guide)
• A Guide to Freezing Cheese
• Refrigerator & Freezer Storage Guide
• Freezing Vegetables

Hopefully they will help you make a dent in your rising grocery bill as well.

Free Downloadable Stationery & Invitations from Hallmark.com

I was just visiting the Hallmark.com online gift store to look for a few last-minute holiday gifts and ended up getting a little gift of my own!

Check out these fantastic stationery pages and invitations.  Would you believe that they are totally free?  You simply download the template from Hallmark.com and print them out on your home computer. 

Here are just a few samples.  They have dozens of great kids birthday invitations, adult birthday invitations, initial notecards, greeting cards and more.

Enjoy!

Website Review: GoGoShopper.com - Coupon Codes for Holiday Steals & Deals

I’ve bookmarked about a dozen “deal” sites this holiday season in an attempt to get the best deals possible on my gifts, gadgets….and a few household items I am hoping to replace this season.  I recently discovered this site and it has quickly become one of my favorites.

GoGoShopper.com offers coupon codes for many of the major retailers I shop with weekly.  They have codes for Target, Kohls, Buy.com, JCPenny - just to name a few.  What I love most about this particular site is that you simply scroll through the stores and offers and choose the ones you want. 

You don’t need to register and you won’t get constant email “updates” (unless you subscribe to the feed). 

It doesn’t offer a lot of bells and whistles…but who wants them, right?  Most of us simply want to shop…and get great deals!

Here is just a sample of a few of the coupon codes they are currently offering…

• JCPenney coupons
• Kohls Coupons
• Home Depot Coupons
• Target Coupons

Now it is your turn to share.  Drop us a line in the comments section and let us know all about the great deals you’ve found using coupon codes.

My New Gig - Just in Time for the Holidays

I am pretty excited about my new blogging gig for Internet Shop Girl.com  - just in time for the Holidays!

Why am I a good fit for this “official” blogging gig?

I refuse to stand in checkout lines. 

I will not take my two preschool aged children shopping with me unless I only need a loaf of bread, a container of milk…and a stick of butter.

I will not get up at 4 am for so-called - “door-buster” sales. 

A discounted Polly Pocket set, lounging Elmo doll or Leap-Frog system is not worth a good night’s sleep….no matter how bad my kids want them.

So…that’s me..your Internet Shop Girl in a nutshell.

Are you ready for some steals, deals & splurges?  I am. 

Post your site suggestions, wish lists and requests in the comments section.

Alrighty…enough about me.  I’ve got some shopping & blogging to do….

Super Dooper Deal of the Day - Ebates.com

I was just in the middle of planning a trip to visit my family in Minnesota.  I will be traveling from Montana and since the weather through North Dakota is often “iffy” to say the least, I decided to book hotel rooms both for the trip there and back.

I hate paying full price for anything (in fact, I refuse to) so I frantically searched for online coupon codes for hotel rooms.

While I didn’t find any coupon codes or current promotions, I did stumble upon a site I used to use religiously called, Ebates.com. 

They are currently running a promotion where they are giving away $10.00 gift cards to anyone that joins.   I also got a 3% discount on my hotel room - which might not seem like a lot, but with both bonuses combined…it will certainly help take a dent out of the holiday bills!

Even better, I do all of my shopping online at places like Wal-Mart.com, Target.com, etc…  Not only will I get to take advantage of the store discounts by using Ebates, but I’ll get a chunk of change back right around the time my Visa bill is scheduled to arrive!  =)

Click here to check it out and sign up. 

Woo Hoo - Update!  I just checked my account.   I actually earned $15.00 just for joining.  $5.00 signing bonus along with a $10.00 Target card. 

(Boy, that was like finding a bonus $5.00 bill in the laundry).  =)

Technorati Tags: online deals , online shopping , rebates , black friday , coupon codes , promotional codes , shopping deals , black friday deals , save money , ebates

Just Launched…the Simple SAHM Bookstore - Simple Living, Meal Planning, Cleaning, Housekeeping and more!

I am really excited to announce the launch of the Simple SAHM bookstore.  It features meal planning books, frugal living guides, calendars, cookbooks, day planners and more…everything you need to make life just a little simpler! 

Stop in…and happy shopping!

Here are a few of the best-sellers from the store.

Happy Housewives

Mom’s Family Calendar 2008

The Stay-at-Home Mom’s Guide to Making Money from Home

Technorati Tags: day planners , organizers , cookbooks , meal planning guides , work at home , home schooling , devotionals , parenting , simple living , rachel ray , kids meals , frugal living , frugality , sahm , wahm , work at home mom , stay at home mom , home business

Website Review: Coupon Chief - Coupon Codes Galore!

I was making breakfast for my kids this morning when I could hear them yelling from the other room.  Every ten minutes or so, the mantra began….”Mommy - I want that”.  “Ohhhh…I want that too”.   “Mommy - tell Santa about this, okay?” 

Is it just me, or does the Holiday shopping season (and subsequent beg-fest) seem to be creeping up on us earlier and earlier each year? 

Even though I procrastinated a bit last year I am vowing to get my holiday shopping done a month early so I can actually enjoy the season without worrying about what I will be spending, buying, etc…

One of my big shopping pet peeves is seeing the prompt “enter coupon code here”. Um…WHAT?   I refuse to pay full-price for something and I go crazy when I miss a good deal.  Then the frenzied code search commences….

Thankfully, I was reminded of a website (Coupon Chief) that I used last year.  The site lists coupon codes for many of the most popular online retailers.

Here are a few of the great deals I’ve found so far….

• Target Deals: $5.00 off of $50.00 Purchase
• Overstock Coupons: Free Shipping for new customers (over $50.00)
• Gap Coupons- Free Shipping for Silver Card Holders
• EBags Deals - Free Shipping and 10% off orders of $35.00 or more

Do you have a favorite deal or store?  Share it in the comments section.

Website Review: Black Friday Deals

Have you heard the term “Black Friday” yet?  It refers to the day after Thanksgiving when most major retailers launch huge specials to kick-off the Holiday shopping season.

Pardon the pun, but I avoid Black Friday like the plague.  =) My blood pressure rises just thinking about standing in line with a bunch of sleep-deprived, frenzied women who are preparing to slug it out for the “hot toy” of the season. 

I prefer shopping on my recliner with a hot cup of cocoa and my children’s wish lists sitting next to me.  I may miss out on a few deals, but I don’t mind paying a bit more for a more relaxing holiday season.

This morning, I found a website that will allow me to avoid the lines and stress of Black Friday shopping while still enjoying the deals. 

Check out Black-Friday.net.   The site features ads for many of the major retailers before they are released to the public.  The site allows people to purchase the Black Friday deals without needing to stand in line at 5am.  Woo hoo! 

For those of you who love to plan ahead, visit the site and request e-mail alerts from your favorite retailers.  The site will notify you via e-mail  when the black friday ads have been released from that store.

Here is a sneak peak at Ace Hardware’s Black Friday Deals. 

Check it out and share your review of the site in the comments section.