Apr 232015
 

GW_CMYK_L_BM_Lock-up_020314
Yesterday was Earth day. A day dedicated to making our Earth better than how we found it. Green Works wants to help you celebrate and give you the tools necessary to make a greener change in your life.

Green Works is all about making a change in your cleaning routine. The team behind Green Works® took it up as a personal cause to work on a line of products that clean powerfully without harsh chemical fumes or residue.They knew that parents like them were looking for ways to live a more natural lifestyle — and made it their mission to help them achieve this goal. They had to find a formula that was naturally derived, affordable — and worked great.

First, they started with what they knew best — how to make things clean. Then they figured out how to make the components of that formula naturally derived.Putting the “green” in
Green Works®products:

  • Are made with plant- and mineral-based cleaning ingredients.
  • Come from biodegradable ingredients that are naturally derived
  • Are not tested on animals.
  • Use environmentally sustainable packaging whenever possible.
  • Are acknowledged by the EPA’s Design for the Environment program.

Green Works not only wants to help us all adopt a Greener life style but to see the beauty in every day objects some might consider trash. By Gathering everyday objects many of us might just throw away and making them into Green Works of Art we can show our children the way to upcycle and find beauty around us.

You can check out Conservamom’s Green Work of Art: Making a Teacup Bird Feeder. An easy project that took an everyday object and made it something that would give back to the world around us.
Check out GREEN WORKS’ Earth Day video featuring artist Rebecca Anders building an Earth Day sculpture made with re-used kitchen ware!

Green works wants you to make a change and find beauty around you by giving one lucky winner a Green Works Gift pack that includes a $100 Target Gift Card and a Green Works Cleaning gift pack that includes 3 cleaning products and a Baggu reusable bag.

greenworksprize
So head below for your chance to win! Giveaway is open to US residents only that are 18+older and ends on 5/10 at 11:59pm.

 

Disclosure: All opinions are 100% mine. This giveaway is in no way associated with, sponsored, administered, or endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, Google, Pinterest or any other social media network.. Open US only must be 18+. Confirmed Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be drawn. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The sponsor will be responsible for product fulfillment to winner(s) of the giveaway. The disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. For questions or to see your product featured in an Event you can contact Elia At Conservamom
Apr 142015
 

de-stressing
Sometimes we just need alternative ways when trying to break a habit or are dealing with some sort of addiction.  Learning ways to de-stress can be hard for some individuals.  Even if you’re in a wonderful program, like Ohio Drug and Alcohol Rehab, you may still need some additional coping strategies for especially difficult days. The following tips will help you to quell your anxiety when the going’s been rough.

1. Music can really take you away to another place. Listen to whatever it is that always makes you feel better. Block out the rest of the world for a while. To truly tune the world out, invest in a great pair of headphones. 

2. Figure out what exactly is causing stress. Separate your stressors into what you can and cannot control. Make a physical list, then tear it up afterwards. Also, put some effort into changing the parts of your stress that you can control.

3. Get into a great book. Reading gives your mind a vacation. If you delve into fiction, you’ll be transported to another world.

4. Visualize your stress by giving it a mental image. Then picture yourself letting it go or watching the visual stress shrink.

5. Go for a drive! Don’t get behind the wheel if you’re upset, but if you just need to escape, a relaxing drive can help. Put on your favorite music, open the windows, and clear your mind. 

6. Write a letter to the person who is upsetting you. Don’t send it, though. The act of getting it down on paper will be enough to help you clear your mind.

7. Play with an animal. This can be therapeutic, not to mention adorable.

8. Burn candles or incense. Scent can really help calm your nerves. Lavender and vanilla are great scents to help you relax.

9. Do something you can control, which will help you focus when you’re stressed over things you can’t control. Cooking or cleaning are two great examples of activities that you’re in control of.

10. Sip caffeine-free tea. The heat will help you relax. Just don’t reach for another cup of coffee, which will only give you the jitters.

11. Set aside a standing date with yourself every night. Each evening, aim to do something that’s just for you. Even on your worst days, you’ll know that “Me Time” is coming soon. Whether it’s sitting with a cup of tea, reading funny articles online, or talking to your mom on the phone, make it just about you for a while each night.

Even extremely stressful days can be calmed with self-soothing habits. When you’re in recovery, it’s important to find ways to treat your anxiety without relying on drugs or alcohol.

Do you de-stress using other strategies that work best for you?  Please share – someone else may find them helpful.

Apr 062015
 


wrapping paper

There’s a particular wonder to surprising loved ones with gifts. It’s impossible not to feel excited as you watch your loved one unveil their gift while sporting a toothy grin. 

Try to remember the last time you surprised someone with a gift. Try to envision yourself handing that same gift to the recipient without a stitch of wrapping. The chances are high that they would have been much surprised as they received it. The process of gift-giving is incomplete without wrapping. Before you give any gifts away, here are three reasons to wrap them.

1. The wrapping is what creates the suspense. As you watch your loved one unwrap a gift, you also get to watch them as they are filled with wonder and suspense. This is an exciting feeling! Both the suspense and wonder combine to increase the payoff in the end. While the recipient waits in suspense, his/her mind is also probably racing with questions. Why is it so heavy? What could be inside? This is what makes the unwrapping process fun. Even if the present isn’t all that meaningful, the experience can be made memorable because of the opening process.

2. Wrapping paper heightens the gift’s presentation. If you forget about wrapping your gift, or just neglect to all together, prepare for your gift receiver to feel underwhelmed. The excitement wears down for the gift recipient quickly because they already know what the gift is before opening it. A well-wrapped gift is aesthetically pleasing and alluring. Finding the right type of paper is extremely important. The more unique and gorgeous the paper, the more excited your gift recipient will be!

3. It’s easy to buy wrapping paper online. Over recent years, it’s become easier than ever for people to shop for and buy wrapping paper on the internet. On the internet, the selection opens up! Even better, it’s easy to find competitive pricing online. Many brick and mortar stores charge an arm and a leg just for one roll. Shopping for wrapping paper should be easy, fun, and inexpensive. That’s why it’s usually best to stick to online shops for finding paper.

Do you wrap the gifts you give?  Does it matter to you if the gifts you’re given are wrapped?

Mar 262015
 

loan me reviews

There are those times when a car blows its engine.  Or the unexpected expense of having to buy a furnace, roof, or refrigerator.  Sometimes we just don’t have enough money for what we need.  What does one do then?

Well, one can turn to friends and relatives, but that often isn’t a smart choice.  Then there are banks and places, online and offline, that will loan one money.

That said, before one does any monetary transaction, one should read reviews about the company they are thinking about applying to.  For instance, if Loan Me was the desired place to apply for a loan, one should read up on Loan Me reviews.

It’s easy enough to find those reviews online simply by entering these words “loan me reviews” in one’s browser’s search bar.  Several results will display.  Click on the links that make sense.  Read what others have to say about the site.  If there is more than one search result that specifically addresses reviews on Loan Me, be sure to read the results from all the results that are displayed.

One needs to apply to a company that is rather long standing, trustful, has good customer service, will explain the process along the way, offers a good interest rate (though – don’t think you’ll be getting a loan at 8%) and lastly, be sure of what the terms of the loan you’re in need of are.  You surely don’t want to think you’ll have 2 yrs to pay the loan back when the company requires repayment withing 9-12 mos.  Should what you’re reading not seem good – then move onto another company.

Have you ever had the need to turn to an institution, other than the traditional bank, for a loan?  Do you read up on reviews other’s have written?

Mar 252015
 

saving money on your next trip
Are you getting ready to plan your summer vacation? When you want to have a great time and still save money, it helps to plan your trip as early as you can. When you give yourself time to comparison shop for accommodation prices and find affordable attractions to see, you will be able to have a guilt-free vacation. Here are some easy-to-use tips on saving money on your next trip.

Know the Best Time to Buy Airfare

Airfare can be expensive. Anyone who has purchased a last-minute flight will tell you that planning can help you save a lot of money. Ideally, you will want to book your flight at least 50-60 days before your departure date. This is the time when you will find the cheapest fares for any domestic flight. If you are flying internationally, you can book as early as 100 days before your departure and find a great rate. 

Some research has also been conducted on what day of the week is the best time to buy tickets, and Tuesdays are often the days that have the best deals when it comes to airfare. However, prices change often and it is best to check frequently on prices before you book to get the lowest rate. 

Always Comparison Shop for Hotel Rooms

Like airfare, the price of hotel rooms fluctuate on a daily basis. To get the best deal, booking earlier can benefit your budget. Along with booking early, you should always compare prices because different websites can have wide-ranging prices. Websites such as Hipmunk can help you compare prices across the board and book the price that best fits your budget. You can also note the lowest price found on hotels during your planned stay and see if the hotel can match or reduce that rate. If the hotel needs to book the room, they will work with you to get you closer to your preferred price. 

It is also important to consider the amenities that come with your room. You may be able to find a better deal on hotels with lots of amenities if you research the cheapest time to visit your planned destination and look for upgrade options with loyalty programs. These programs may offer you more amenities based on the frequency in which you stay at their hotels or if you plan a long stay during your vacation. 

Consider Free and Cheap Attractions

Every major city has a wide range of attractions for both its local population and its tourists. These attractions may have fees, but you can easily find inexpensive entertainment options and attractions to explore while you are on vacation. The key to finding these free places to check out is to connect with locals who know the city inside and out. They can be the most helpful when you want to save money and live like a local during your stay. 

Planning ahead can save you time and money when you are ready to depart for your vacation destination. Along with your early planning, you should always maintain some flexibility in your vacation plans to maximize your savings if a last-minute deal comes up.

This article was contributed by Fiona Moriarty of Hipmunk, a complete travel platform that allows you to do everything from comparing charter flights and train rides, to finding the best resort hotels and Airbnb rentals.

Do you have any tips on saving money on airfare or hotels?  Please share them with us.

Mar 202015
 

Are You a Fitness Influencer? Take the Quiz

fitness influencer

Many people are driven to exercise – and many – they just can’t get out of their own way.  The latter individuals may not know where to start or they may need the extra encouragement to begin and/or continue on.

Unfortunately, without keeping ourselves healthy and moving, many things can happen to the body.  Illness can set in.  Muscles will pull away from the bones over time.  Loss of energy occurs.

If one doesn’t eat right – the body depletes of much needed vitamin and minerals.  Many times people are overweight because their bodies are depleted of vitamins and minerals that are needed for certain body organs to function.

Eating right and exercising really doesn’t come easy to many.  And you probably have come across someone who fits that category.  So – what do you do?  Do you find yourself trying to help them by encouraging their efforts of helping themselves to lead a better lifestyle?  Can you do a better job at helping others get over an often overwhelming situation?

See how you measure up!  Take the Fitness Quiz below that the Wellness Corporate Solutions has put together. Find out how much of an influencer and motivator you are to others.


Quiz via Wellness Corporate Solutions.

Mar 172015
 
**“To facilitate the #DisneySide @ Home Celebration a FCS team member received free products in order to host the Disney Side @Home Celebration. The opinions expressed here are their own.”

Villain theme #DisneySide @Home Celebration

Guest of Honor – Oogie Boogie

Villain theme #DisneySide @Home Celebration oogie boogie

We were so excited to be selected to host a #DisneySide @Home Celebration Villains Party.  We couldn’t wait to get our kit so we could start planning.  The kit came and the teens were all too excited on prepping for the event.

The kit we received had a lot of cool things from Disney and other sponsors.  We thank the many sponsors who helped make our party a great success!

Items included:

  • HP Photo Paper and Envelopes
  • Twinning Teas supplied us with two boxes of tea
  • All Mighty Pacs
  • Wisk Deep Clean
  • Paper Supplies (plates, napkins, cups)
  • Mickey Mouse Cake Pan
  • Rainbow Cake Mix
  • Table & Party Supplies
  • Villains Puzzle
  • Bingo
  • Nail Painting Supplies
  • And a whole lot more!

I knew right away that the guest of honor would be The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Oogie Boogie.  My teen cannot get away from that movie or Jack.  Her cousin is infatuated with Oogie Boogie.

A table was set up to display many of the sponsor’s items.  We gave goodie bags of these items to the guests.

The girls had made Oogie Boogie Rice Krispie Treats – but oh dear – they came out hard as rocks.  So instead of eating them, we displayed them on the table.  We had just gone to see Disney On Ice’s Frozen – somehow he made his way to the table too!

Villain theme #DisneySide @Home Celebration

Jack had to come to our event and he did in a rather big way.  The teen’s comforter came out of her room and hung over the TV.  We used this as a picture station.

Villain theme #DisneySide @Home Celebration

Villain theme #DisneySide @Home Celebration

As you can see – Maleficent joined the party!  And a picture cannot be taken without funky faces happening (honestly, I don’t get that)!

We had lots of food at the event and stations set up to do the fun projects included in our kit.

What would a villain’s party be without lots of green or a Mickey Mouse cake?   From octopus hotdogs (the coolest things I’ve made in a long time!), Mickey Mouse Rainbow Cake, green punch, green punch with worms, Oogie Boogie cupcakes, potato chips, cocktail dogs in sauce, coffee, tea and much more.

Villain theme #DisneySide @Home Celebration

Many people filtered in and out of our home to be a part of the #DisneySide @Home Celebration party

Villain theme #DisneySide @Home Celebration

The nail painting activity was a huge hit with the girls.  With using black, green and purple polishes – designs were made on the nails.

Villain theme #DisneySide @Home Celebration

And then our party ended.  And, in not such a good way long before we could play bingo, or make our bracelets, or do the other activities.

You see, the little girl that joined our party touched our dog on her hind end when she was looking to get food from another party-goer.  In doing so, the dog bit her.  Our dog has never been known to be aggressive like that – so her doing what she did –  blew my mind. Let this be a lesson where one just never knows what a dog will do – even when not at their food dish.

Luckily the little party-goer wasn’t hurt badly – minor bleeding, but it was a rather traumatic event.  Traumatic enough that everyone’s attention was off the party.

Despite our setback – I know that everyone had a great time that came.  They enjoyed seeing what we put together for our Villain theme #DisneySide @Home Celebration.  They enjoyed the goodie bags and all the food that was to be had.

What does your family’s #DisneySide look like?

Mar 172015
 

Kijiji – A Classified Ads Site for Canadians

kijiji classified ads

What a world we live in.  The Internet opens up a world that didn’t exist 30 yrs. ago.  When one is in need of something all they need to do is to turn to the internet and do a search. Then there are sites that are already established that are our to-go sites that we automatically type in the address bar.  Completing ventures online is a world-wide capability.

As we all know – Finger Click Saver uses the internet for everything and will settle for nothing less than a bargain.  It may be that several sites need to be visited before finding the perfect deal and that is quite okay.  We’ll turn to Ebay, classified ad sites, Listia, Craigslist, Facebook groups, and many other sites.

Canadians have the same access to these sites, but they also have access to another classified ads site – Kijiji.  Free to list on – free to browse.  Free is so good!  No more paying for newspaper advertising to reach more than a handful of people.

Kijiji is comparable to Craigslist.org – offering classified ads for homes, pets, cars, livestock, vacation rentals, and so much more.  Kijiji has been up and running for 10 years, and the best part of Kijiji, is that it offers free listings.  Free is good – there is no paying for ad space on Kijiji – (oops we said that already) gotta love it though!

At the time of this post writing, Kijiji had over 6,074,439 classifieds listed on the site.  That number is huge.  Just imagine how many people see the ad that you’ve placed.  Just imagine what you can find that you’re looking for!  You could spend hours looking at what’s for sale!

We had to dig deeper into the Kijiji site to see what one could find and how easy/hard it would be to find listed items.  In having the ability to narrow down the region your in, or possibly moving to, or willing to travel to – is where we started our search.  We then decided to see what was for sale under the “Other” category.  Listings galore appeared – it doesn’t get much easier than that.

Kijiji classified ads

In talking to a friend recently, he suggested we check Craigslist for kitchen cabinets since we want to redo our kitchen.  So with that in mind, we entered kitchen cabinets in the search bar and 2 full pages came up.  In noting one listing that was on the Kijiji site led me to search Craigslist (my locale) – kitchen cabinet doors.  Maybe, just maybe, I would compromise on replacing the cabinet doors opposed to all my cabinets!  What a money and time saver that would be.

After taking a look around Kijiji – the site is none less than impressive!

Do you use online classified ad sites?  What treasures have you found?

 

Mar 132015
 
*This post contains affiliate links and an FCS team member may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through a link.

Create Custom Apparel at CustomInk

Tis the season for soccer, softball, summer bowling leagues, etc., – why not create custom apparel at CustomInk?  You design.  They print.  They ship.  And – shipping is FREE on two-week standard delivery. CustomInk guarantees that their shipment will arrive at your door within 14 days.

Shirts aren’t all you can create.  Get baseball hats for Earth Day walks and runs, team-wear and jerseys for office softball teams!

Sample Ideas Include:

 

Design your own custom t-shirts at CustomInk.com and get free shipping now!

Check out hoodie design ideas from CustomInk.

Use CustomInk to customize and create t-shirts for your group charity walk or run event!

Check out Ink of the Week where each week, CustomInk rewards the customer whose photo shows the most group spirit through a photo contest.

 

 

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