Xbox 360 250GB Holiday Bundle Giveaway - ends 12/19

Xbox Holiday Bundle Giveaway Event

Hosted by Mom to Bed by 8 and A Medic's World

Please take a moment and visit our sponsor, Penny Auctions Canada

Penny Auctions Canada is an online auction website that lets you buy awesome products for pennies!

Xbox 360 250GB Kinect Holiday Console Bundle Includes:

Xbox 360 250GB Console
3 Month LIVE card
Kinect Sensor
Kinect Adventures
Kinect Carnival

One lucky reader will receive a Xbox 360 250GB Kinect Holiday Console Bundle!

Giveaway ends December 19th at 11:59pm, open worldwide {residents outside of the US will receive cash equivalent of $339}, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

Special thank you to our lovely co-hosts: The Lucky Ladybug, CentsLessDeals, Stay a Stay at Home Mom, Glasses & Glitter, Giveaway Bandit and Coupon Queen of Texas.

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Piczzle Provides Personalized Gifts: Review & Giveaway- ends 12/10

Looking for a unique gift item for a family member, co-worker, friend, or spouse but not looking to spend a ton of money?  Picczle is a great choice for a personalized and unique gift that ships fast and doesn't cost a fortune.  Picczle creates a jigsaw puzzle out of any photo that you submit (as long as it meets the required image size).  I love that you can choose from unique shapes for your puzzle such as heat shaped, circle, as well as the standard rectangle.  You can also choose the size of your puzzle....from small to giant and from 6 pieces to 2,000!  They offer wooden puzzles as well which most on-line photo gift companies don't.

Picczle offers high quality images and cuts on their puzzles and the pieces fit very nicely together without bending or gaps.  Their cardboard puzzles are shipped in a cardboard box that has the image on the outside so you can see what the finished photo puzzle should look like.

I received a medium cardboard 3-piece puzzle within a week of ordering.  The customer service reps were so nice and e-mailed me to confirm a change they needed to make on my photo puzzle due to the image size and bordering.  They offered me several suggestions and let me pick which one would suit me best.  I love that the cardboard doesn't seem cheap or flimsy and that the pieces fit together perfectly on the FIRST TIME I put it together.  The finished puzzle was fantastic in quality and looked like something I'd frame once done.

This is such a great idea for a gift because you can personalize the photo, size, shape, and number of pieces depending on the person (or age) you're making it for.  It's also very easy to upload your photo on their website and complete the checkout process.

Find them on Facebook or check out their YouTube page!

The great folks at Picczle have offered one of my readers a small cardboard puzzle of their very own!  I'm ending this giveaway earlier than normal so hopefully you'll have enough time to get your puzzle delivered before Christmas!

Contest ends 12/10 at midnight EST and winner will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  Contest is open to U.S. & Canada residents only.  

If you do not complete the mandatory entry with the required information, I will remove all of your entries into the contest.  If you do not include required additional information, that entry will be discarded.  SWVA Saving Money does not tolerate cheaters and I don't have time to email each person who may have forgotten to include some required information.  Thank you to all who play by the rules and want to win fair and square.


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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

GoPicinic Ready-to-Eat-Meals FREE Blogger Opp

The winner of the giveaway will win 2 GoPicnic Ready-To-Eat Meals.

This post is for bloggers who are interested in helping promote this giveaway in exchange for a Facebook link on the Rafflecopter form.

In addition, if you share about this opportunity you will get a Twitter link as well.

There is no fee to participate, just a promise to post the giveaway with Rafflecopter when it goes live and sharing about the giveaway a few times in the two week time period the giveaway is live (beginning, middle and end).  If you would like to join me head over and sign up. I am accepting sign-ups until November 28th!

In addition, the blogger who refers the most people will get to host a like or follow page (If I have enough interest there will be the opportunity for more people to host).  Hosting a page is great for traffic to your blog, so share away.

Click here to be redirected to the sign up form.

Afrin 12-hour Nasal Decongestant Review

With the weather in crazy mode here in Virginia the past few months, I have been suffering from sinus congestion and pressure.  I'm not a sickly person who gets a cold often, but when the weather moves from 70 to 20 in a matter of days, I get sinus congestion every time.  I also have a wood stove at home as the main source of heat for my house, so the air can get pretty dry, which doesn't help keep the sinuses in order.

I was give the chance to try out Afrin's Original 12-hour nasal decongestant spray and have to say I'm very pleased with the product.  I've tried several nasal sprays before...from the ones that are just simple saline to the prescription Flonase.  I've never found one that doesn't have some issue....whether not working at all or dripping a bad taste down the back of my throat.  I like that Afrin comes with a full line of NoDrip products to help with your sinus issues.  They have Original, Severe Congestion, Extra Moisturizing, and Sinus sprays available, all in NoDrip formulas.

When I tried the Original NoDrip Afrin, I was pleased that the product stood by it's word that it wouldn't drip back out of my nose and didn't drip down the back of my throat upon application.  However, I did get a little drippage down my throat after about 10 minutes of application but it wasn't a lot and didn't create an offensive taste in my mouth.  I have had moderate sinus congestion for the last several days and was breathing a lot better within a minute of using 2 sprays per nostril.  This spray works fast!  Within 10 minutes my sinuses were completely clear of any congestion and I was clear all day long at work.

Check out their "Stick Up for Yourself" campaign on their website to see some "Words of Wisdom" and a pretty funny video. 

Xbox Holiday Bundle Giveaway Event -Coming 11/28!

Xbox Holiday Bundle Giveaway Event

Prize Package includes: Xbox 360 S Console, 250GB Hard Drive, Kinect Sensor, Wireless Controller, 3 month Xbox Live Gold Membership, Kinect Adventures and Carnival Games: Monkey See Monkey Do

Event dates: 11/28 - 12/19

Free Blog Event! Sign-up here, BLOGGERS WANTED

"Fried" Apples - A Great Fall Recipe

I posted earlier about canning apples, and it might seem that I'm an apple fanatic, given I posted that and a photo of my apples yesterday in my camera comparison, but I promise.....I'm not some sort of apple freak.  I like that apples are healthy, inexpensive in the fall, and the things you can do with them are seemingly endless.

I make unsweetened applesauce and can it to use in recipes in place of vegetable oil.  You can't really substitute applesauce for oil on a flat one-for-one basis...you have to balance the fat and liquid content too.  Here's a good resource that I found for getting that balance right.  I also like to make apple butter for my family and for gifts, cinnamon applesauce, apple bread and muffins, and various forms of an apple side dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  While my first attempt at canning apples (link above) was pretty good, I really think I need to add more sugar to the syrup mixture and compress the apples in the jar more so I don't get quite as much syrup in each jar.

One of my family's all time favorite side dishes is what I call fried apples.  I don't really have a "recipe" per se, I just kind of wing it.

For about 2 cups cooked (which would feed at least 6-8), do the following:

• Peel, core and slice 12 apples - I use golden delicious - and place in a plastic bag or large bowl.
• Sprinkle with sugar - I would guess I use a couple tablespoons, but depends on the sweetness I'm looking for and how many apples I am using.
• Sprinkle with cinnamon - again, to your taste, but I would guess I use 1-1.5 tsp.
• Sprinkle with ground nutmeg and ground cloves - I just give a couple of good shakes.
• Mix well so all the apples are coated.
• Add to a large saute pan (can melt a couple pats of butter if you want a richer texture) and cook for a few minutes on med-high, mixing constantly.
• After a couple minutes, I like to turn my stove off and cover the pan and let set for a few more minutes to soften up further and make a nice syrup with the condensation.

As you can see, this recipe is so versatile and customizable to your own preferences.  You can cook less to have crisper apples or more to have soft ones.

With my Victorio apple peeler and my Pampered Chef apple corer/wedger, I can make this side dish up in just a few minutes!

Camera Comparison- Results!

Do you remember when I posted about my search for a good family and food/product blogging camera?  Well, here are the comparison photos that I took with my old camera and my new one....both on auto mode.

Kodak EasyShare camera

Canon PowerShot SX260

Canon PowerShot SX260 in color filter mode- love it!

At first glance, the first two photos may not look all that different, but if you look at specifics, you can see the major differences between the two.  The Canon has a real life feel and truly represents the actual colors instead of making them kind of fake and washed out or clumpy.  Look at the dark spots in the red apple on the right....the Kodak makes it all one blotchy dark spot while the Canon gave a true representation of the color differences.  The flash on the Canon also works so much better.....can you see that the flash washed out the colors in the first picture and also created a reflection in the red apple?  The difference in clarity of the images is amazing when you have the photos at a large size.

There are so many features in the Canon that I just love....one of which is in this third photo where you can choose what colors to let through the filter.  There are so many other features that I just haven't been able to really test, but I think the Canon is a clear winner over my old camera.

Double My Coke Reward Points until 11/24

From 11/7 until 11/24, you can get double points when you enter codes from the following products:

black Coke Zero caps
black Powerade caps
gray POWERADE ZERO caps 

Best thing is....bonus points don't count towards your weekly limits!!  I don't see that there is a max number of codes you can get double points on either.

Python Printable Games Review- Great fun for the whole family!

Looking for fun ways to get your family involved together, great clean office games to play during an office party, or to just pass a few minutes playing a fun game by yourself?  If so, then I think that Python Printable Games would be a great idea for any age.

All games are in PDF format, which is really nice for being able to print them out as a booklet or tile pages on one sheet.  The games also have the answer sheets so you don't have to give up and never know if you're right or not.  I played the 12 puzzles prize pack this morning which included word finds, crosswords, and mazes.  I think this was a fun little game for me, but it's definitely suited for pre-teens best.  They have Santa Letter templates and Thank-You notes for the kids which is fun.  I liked the Hard Christmas Bible Trivia the best.....really worked my brain some and gave our Sunday School class something new and different to do.  As you can see below, the artwork is really nice for these printable games.....no cheezy, fuzzy pictures or pages with nothing but the game.  The artwork makes it fun for kids and adults alike and the find the difference games have great images as well.

Right now, they have their Christmas bundle for just $19.95 (less than .33 per game), which includes 60+ fun games for kids, teens, adults, individuals or groups.  You keep the games forever and there is no subscription fee or download limit.  I would have liked it if there was one download for the entire set of printables, but I guess having individual links like they do helps people choose what games they want to save some data charges or bandwidth issues.  If you're not ready to buy a whole pack of games yet, you can always go to their website for some other fun FREE printables.  Subscribe to their site and you can also get great coupons and other fun freebies!

So, what are you waiting for, go download some games and have a little fun!!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The Original Christmas Classics BluRay DVD Box Set Giveaway- Ends 11/27

                    

I don't know about you, but I absolutely love the Christmas season when desserts just taste better, people are in a giving and loving spirit, and most of all.....the reintroduction of all my favorite classic Christmas movies and cartoons (and music, of course)!  I could watch Rudolph year-round, but my kids just won't have it.  The last couple of years, I seem to have missed one or more of my favorite Christmas classics on TV because of one thing or another and mope around because I just know they won't come back on before the season is over.  If I had this set of movies....I could watch them whenever I wanted to!

All About the Mommies and a great team of bloggers are so excited to offer our readers a chance to win The Original Christmas Classics BluRay DVD Box Set! 
 

The cute and family-friendly box set contains four of the most beloved holiday TV specials of all time, including the Rankin/Bass classics “Frosty the Snowman,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” and “Frosty Returns.” Watching these iconic TV specials are part of the American holiday tradition, just like baking cookies or trimming the Christmas tree! The holiday season just wouldn’t be the same without them… This box set is valued at $44.95 MSRP.

The giveaway will run from November 13th at 12:01 am EST until November 27th at 11:59 pm EST. The giveaway is open to residents of the United States only, ages 18+. a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclosure: SW Virginia Saving Money was not compensated for this post or giveaway. Sponsor is responsible for prize shipment. This giveaway is in no way affiliated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or ReclipIt. Void where prohibited by law. 

CollageIt Software-Make Collages QUICKLY: Review & Giveaway- Ends 11/27

 

Ever have tons of photos that you’d love to put into a collage to share with friends and family on Facebook, via email, Flickr, or just set as your wallpaper, but don’t really have the skills or time to do it yourself?  Unless you own a product like Photoshop, you may be out of luck….until now.  I was given the opportunity to review CollageIt’s photo collage software recently and it couldn’t have come at a better time.  With my blog photos, as well as upcoming holiday family photos, I wanted a quick and easy way to get multiple photos in one collage without having to buy expensive software.  I even searched the internet for free collage sites and really couldn’t find anything (not sure why CollageIt didn’t come up in my search). 

I finally gave up and just started making my own photo collage template in Publisher in order to save as a JPEG.  If you know anything about Publisher, I’m sure you understand the time it took to set one template up and the limitations it has in being flexible for more or less photos.  The opportunity to review the CollageIt software came just after I painstakingly made my first template.  Now that I’ve made a template in CollageIt, I can truly see the difference between the two.

First, the CollageIt software is FREE for the basic version….Publisher is not free at all.  CollageIt takes your photos and makes a collage to the specifications you set instantly….no dinking around trying to get everything just so and manually dragging frames.  As you can see below, you just choose how many photos you want in the collage, set the size under page setup, and import your photos.  You can manually place them in the collage or let the software do it for you randomly and then move things around simply by dragging and dropping!  Voila…..you’re DONE!  Just export and you’ve got yourself a fully sharable and professional looking collage.  I did my first one in just under 30 seconds….and that’s on the first time I opened the program and included making my personal settings.

Here’s the one I did in Publisher that took me like 30 minutes.

  

Here’s the one from CollageIt that took me 30 SECONDS!

Some of the limitations of the free version:

• Watermark on your collages (see bottom right)
• Inability to crop photos or move within the frames
• Size restrictions on how big your collage can be for export
• Inability to change colors or size of grid lines

Several of these limitations are resolved by purchasing the PRO version of the software, but just be aware of them when you use the free version.  You can get a single-user personal license for the PRO version for just $19.90 and this includes a 30-day money back guarantee and free lifetime support.

Now, for the exciting part……CollageIt has offered 20 of my readers the PRO version at no cost and with free lifetime support!

Contest ends 11/27 at midnight EST and winner will have 72 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  Contest is open world-wide.  This contest is for a software download from the sponsor’s website, and only works with Windows and Mac OS.

If you do not complete the mandatory entry with the required information, I will remove all of your entries into the contest.  If you do not include required additional information, that entry will be discarded.  SWVA Saving Money does not tolerate cheaters and I don't have time to email each person who may have forgotten to include some required information.  Thank you to all who play by the rules and want to win fair and square.

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Homemade Air Fresheners - Guest Post w/ Recipe!

Photo credit: Susan Bewly @ Budget Earth

If there is one thing I am proud of in my home - it that I can keep a clean house without having to worry about using toxic chemicals. Years ago, I was horrified when I found out just how many toxins we breathe in everyday in our home. I have even read that some tests have found the air in homes can be up to three times more toxic than the air outside, due to hazardous chemicals found in everyday cleaners. For those who read my blog, Budget Earth, you know I spend quite a bit of time talking about earth friendly cleaners and effective alternatives like making your own cleaners with vinegar.  While these cleaners can smell amazing with a few drops of natural essence, vinegar isn't the best for dealing with odors, leading to me experimenting with creating my own natural homemade air freshener.

In my mind, there are two types of natural air fresheners - ones based on bringing out the essences in herbs, and those released by burning candles. While I love candles, sometimes they aren't the best for dealing with obnoxious scents, especially ones caused by pets - cats and fire can be a recipe for disaster! For these tough-to-eliminate smells, I make my own homemade air freshener using common fruits and herbs found in just about any kitchen.

Unlike many other recipes, the homemade air freshener recipe I have below is very malleable - you can change out some of the herbs and seasonings without bad effects. For example, if I want my kitchen to have more of a fall scent, I will mix in some whole cloves or all spice in the mixture. While it may sound complicated at first glance, this recipe is very easy to make, and extremely cost effective depending on your choice of herbs.  As a special treat, I sometimes put a used vanilla bean or pure vanilla extract into the mix. This can make the recipe a bit more expensive but is very worth it if you enjoy your whole house having a very soft, vanilla scent.

Homemade Air Freshener

Ingredients

• 2-3 Whole Lemons or Limes
• 3-4 Sprigs Rosemary
• 5-6 Mint Leaves can substitute 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 6 Whole Cloves
• 5 Cups Water

Instructions

1. Pour the water in your preferred sauce pan and bring to a boil.
2. As you are waiting for the water to come to a boil, cut up the limes or lemons. Squeeze the juice and seeds into the water. Instead of discarding the skin, put in the pot as well.
3. Once the mixture has come to a boil, set to a simmer and put in the other seasonings into the pot. Let simmer for half hour to two hours. The scent will become stronger as water evaporates from the pan.

If you need an air freshener fast, place twice the amount of fresh herbs into the pot and keep the mixture at a boil. At this setting, your room or the first floor of your house will smell like the herbal mixture within ten minutes. As a fair warning, these herbs can be very fragrant so don't go overboard.

If you would like a stronger scent that will go throughout your house, I highly recommend using fresh herbs over dried herbs. These herbs have much more natural essence stored in their leaves, and are much cheaper than using dried herbs. For people who do not have access to fresh herbs due to the season, feel free to use dried rosemary, basil, and other pleasant smelling herbs, though you may need a bit more of them.

Added for guest author: You can keep this going for several days just by adding more water when it gets low. 

My spin: I plan on putting a pot on my wood stove to get the scent without having to use my stove and electricity!

This is a guest post written by Susan Bewley, head writer at Budget Earth. For more natural living ideas and green product reviews, free to check out their site!

Simply Potatoes Review & Giveaway- ends 11/27

Photo credit: SimplyPotatoes.com

Busy families sometimes need help getting a quality homemade dinner on the table.  I believe that homemade dinners eaten together as a family is extremely important.  But, I also know that families are busier than ever and it can be hard to get a meal together that isn't fast food or an entree from a box.  Simply Potatoes has a great solution to this age-old dinner time problem.

Simply Potatoes aren't dehydrated, canned, or frozen potatoes....they're refrigerated products that can make a good meal great.  They have a ton of choices too, although I found out that not all stores or regions carry them all.  The have the basic potatoes like hash browns, diced, wedges, etc.  They also have side dishes like macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes.  Their new products are steamable seasoned potatoes and they look really good.  I can't wait until some of these are in my stores.

We gave a couple packs a try to see how it went for dinner and breakfast.  I made the Steakhouse Seasoned Diced Potatoes for dinner.  The bag of potatoes was certainly enough to feed my family of 2 adults and 2 growing teens and was on sale for $1.99 at Food Lion.  I followed the package directions exactly, but I think the potatoes needed cooking a few minutes more because they were a little crisper than I generally prefer.  The seasoning was nice and had a peppery taste to it.  Hubby and son didn't love them all that much, but my daughter was in love with the left overs she re-heated.

For breakfast I made the Shredded Hash Browns.  These were also quite enough to feed all of us with some left over and were sold at the same price as the Steakhouse potatoes.  I liked the hash browns with the exception of the seasoning.....which I'm not sure was there at all.  You really need to add some salt, pepper, and any other seasoning you want to these while they're cooking to get a good taste.

I was definitely pleased with how easy these sides made dinner time and I'll be getting more of them when they're on sale.  I can't wait to try out the new Steamables and possibly use some of the recipes they have on their website.  They also have a good selection of gluten-free recipes there too.

Now for the fun part.....Simply Potatoes has offered one of my readers a free product coupon to try it out for yourself!

Contest ends 11/27 at midnight EST and winner will have 72 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  US only.


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Cellfire Coupons- November 2012

Another great round of coupons are available from Cellfire.  Go HERE to add them to your shopper's card!

These offers are valid at Kroger and Kroger subsidiaries, Carrs, Genuardi's, Randall's, Tom Thumb, Shop 'n Save, Foodtown, and Harps. These offers will be available from 11/1 - 11/30 and they expire on 12/15/12.
PB Rolled Pie Crusts Save $.75 Save $0.75 when you buy TWO packages of Pillsbury® Rolled Refrigerated Pie Crusts.

PB Sweet Rolls Save $.40 Save $0.40 when you buy any TWO Pillsbury® Sweet Rolls OR Grands!® Sweet Rolls.

Pillsbury® Crescents Save $.50 Save $0.50 when you buy any TWO Pillsbury® Crescent Dinner Rolls.

PB Cookie Dough Save $1 Save $1.00 when you buy TWO PACKAGES any variety Pillsbury® Refrigerated Cookie Dough.

Chex® Cereal Save $1 Save $1.00 when you buy any TWO BOXES Chex® cereals: Rice Chex®, Corn Chex®, Wheat Chex®, Honey Nut Chex®, Chocolate Chex®, Multi-Bran Chex®, Cinnamon Chex®, Apple Cinnamon Chex®.

BC Cookie Mix Save $.50 Save $0.50 when you buy ONE POUCH any flavor 14 OZ. OR LARGER Betty Crocker® Cookie Mix.

Cheerios® Cereal Save $.50 Save $0.50 when you buy ONE BOX Original Cheerios® cereal (the one in the yellow box).

Cinn Toast Crunch® Save $.50 Save $0.50 when you buy ONE BOX Cinnamon Toast Crunch® cereal.

PB Refrig'd Grands! Save $.40 Save $0.40 when you buy THREE CANS any size/variety Pillsbury® Refrigerated Grands!® or Grands! Jr. ® Biscuits.

Bisquick® Save $.50 Save $0.50 when you buy ONE 20 OZ. OR LARGER Original Bisquick® OR Bisquick Heart Smart® Baking Mix, OR 10.6 OZ. Bisquick® Shake ’n Pour® Pancake Mix.

Yoplait® Frzn Smthie Save $.75 Save $0.75 when you buy ONE any flavor Yoplait® Frozen Smoothie.

Yoplait® Cups Save $.40 Save $0.40 when you buy SIX CUPS any variety Yoplait® Yogurt (Includes Original, Light, Light Thick & Creamy, Thick & Creamy, Whips!®, Lactose Free, OR Simplait™)

Yoplait® Fruplait™ Save $.50 Save $0.50 when you buy any flavor Yoplait® Fruplait™ Yogurt Multipacks

Gorton's Skillet Crisp Tilapia Review

 

Fixing Gorton's Skillet Crisp Tilapia for dinner is a quick and easy way to get a wholesome and quality meal on the table in under 30 minutes.  Fish is one of those things that we all need more of, but so many people just don't know how to cook it right.  Fish can go from under cooked to over cooked in just a matter of a minutes.  If you're looking for a quick way to get a tasty meal on the table, you'll want to check this out.

Gorton's Skillet Crisp Tilapia comes in two tasty varieties, Classic and Garlic Herb.  I tried out the Garlic Herb with the family today.  What I noticed first when I opened the package was how large the filets are and how many there were in the box.  For a retail price of $6.99, you get 5 decent size filets that don't shrink up substantially when you cook them.  You can't get four pieces of grocery store frozen fish for less than that.

The fish cooked up easily and was gently seasoned.  For me it could have had a little more seasoning, but I know that some people don't like a lot of season on their fish.  I cooked my regular garlic and herb tilapia as well as Gortons' version so we could do a side by side comparison of the two dishes.  Hubby didn't care for the smell of the breading on Gorton's fish, but he thought that the fish inside was good.  My teenage son liked Gorton's okay and went back for seconds, although he didn't prefer the fish with the breading.  I thought the fish was light and pleasant tasting and the filets were very plump and juicy.

Although it wasn't an overall smash for the whole family, I would definitely eat it again if I was in a pinch for dinner.  Gorton's Skillet Crisp isn't available at all grocery stores yet, but you can check their website for a list of stores in your area that carry them.

    

Toe Juice (Funny Name, Multi-Use Product) Review & Giveaway -Ends 11/16

I don't know about you, but it's very frustrating to me to buy 10 different products to take care of 10 different skin issues.  You end up with a bathroom cabinet full of various skin treatments, lotions, swabs, etc.  When I heard of Toe Juice, the name simultaneously made me laugh and cringe!  But, Toe Juice isn't a product meant solely for your toes.....as a matter of fact, it has more uses in other regions of your body than it does on your toes!

Toe Juice uses DermaVine, a blend of plant based extracts, to enhance the skin's natural repairing ability.  Toe Juice can be used for a number of common skin ailments such as:

• Ezcema
• Warts
• Skin toner
• Acne
• Insect bites
• Athlete's foot
• Ringworm

The list really goes on and on, but you can see here that Toe Juice is a natural and all-inclusive way to help solve a variety of common skin problems.  Head on over to Toe Juice to see a complete list of uses for Toe Juice.  You can also check out a video here that shows the many uses of Toe Juice. 

I have some pretty irritating rosacea on my face that causes redness and bumps that look and act like acne.  There's no treatment for rosacea, but you can do things to minimize the effects on your skin.  Avoiding trigger foods, cooling after exertion, and constant but gentle cleansing of the affected region.  I've tried all sorts of creams and toners to help, but haven't found anything that really does a great job, so I thought I'd try Toe Juice.

Before, see the red bumps?

This product really  helped reduce the acne like bumps and kept the face cleansed and toned.  Unfortunately, I also have sensitive skin, so Toe Juice's alcohol-based product lit me up like crazy.  Some mild tingling/burning sensation is good when you're dealing with a product that gets rid of acne and other like skin conditions, but it's not good for sensitive skin folks like me.  My face was flaming red in the spots where I put the Toe Juice on for a couple of hours.

After, bumps gone, but redness remains

Deciding that this probably wasn't a product that I should keep on using for my face, I decided to try it on hubby's razor bumps and acne.  He didn't have any adverse reaction to the product and it cleared up those pesky bumps quickly.  I also tried it on a bug bite that I had and it worked better than any topical anti-itch medication I've tried before.

All this being said, I'd definitely recommend this to be a multi-use product in your skin challenge arsenal, but caution you to test the product out in a small area first before you use it all over your face.

You can buy Toe Juice on Amazon, Drugstore.com, and Walgreens and many other stores.  Check out their list of brick and mortar stores that carry Toe Juice.  Additionally, you can get Toe Juice directly from their website, and they're running a web special that gets you a free bottle and you pay only the price of shipping.

And now, get a chance to try Toe Juice out for yourself and see the difference it can make for you and your family!  One luck reader will win a Toe Juice kit just like the one I received!

Giveaway ends 11/16 at midnight.  You must complete all of the mandatory entries for your entries to count.  US only.

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Candle Warmers Giveaway- Ends 11/22

Hosted by Everything By Chelsea

Co-hosted by One Heart, One Family & Live Laugh Love To Shop

During the holidays in my family we always have a nice smelling candle lit. With an open flame candle it can be dangerous, especially if you have kids in the house. With a candle warmer you can still obtain the lovely fragrance without all of the dangers of doing so. Everything By Chelsea recently found this amazing company that offers all types of candle warmers, called Candle Warmers. Candle Warmers was founded in 2001 and they wanted to bring a different method for releasing fragrance from a candle without the dangers of an open flame. Candle Warmers is committed to bringing the home with affordable and safe candle warmer appliances and accessories. Their products consist of candle warmer lamps, crocks, plate warmers, and many more! You can check them out all here.

I especially love that Candle Warmers products aren't just like what everyone else has....a crock that you put a tea candle or tarts in.  Candle Warmers has beautiful rustic looking lanterns like this one that fit my country cabin decor perfectly.  I love that their styles are individualized to fit everyone from modern to classic to rustic. 

Hurricane Candle Warmer Lantern Combo

Everything By Chelsea received a wonderful opportunity to review one of their holiday candle warmers, the Snowflake. You can read her entire review here. If you are looking for a personalized gift for someone this holiday, then I highly recommend Candle Warmers. Not only are they safe and affordable, but they have many options for just about everyone. It is so hard to choose just one fragrance because there are so many of them! Here is your chance to win your own holiday themed Candle Warmer!

This giveaway will end on 11/22. Please remember to complete all mandatory entries as they will be verified! Good luck!!

Disclosure: Everything By Chelsea received this item for the purpose of a review. Chelsea received no compensation for this publication. Her opinions are her own and may vary from those of your own. SW Virginia Saving Money is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rachel Ray Cookware Giveaway- Ends 11/15

Welcome to the Give Thanks Rachael Ray Cookware Event!

Hosted by Mom Blog Society and Mom to Bed by 8

Special thanks to our lovely co-hosts Capri's Coupons, Swank Savings, and My Vegan Gluten Free Life!

Oh, how I love good cookware and kitchen gadgets.  I've seen some of Rachel Ray's cookware sold in Wal-Mart and it looks to be quality pieces.  I've spent too much of my life trying to create great meals for my family on flimsy and cheap cookware and over the past few years I've decided that it's time that I stop that.  I may not have a lot of money to buy a 10-piece set all at once, but I like to buy a nice piece at a time or ask for it for Christmas.  This giveaway event is an awesome way for you to get quality cookware all at once----and for FREE!!

The stylish two-tone gradient exterior on the Rachael Ray Porcelain 10-piece set adds color and style to any kitchen. This cookware heats quickly and evenly, reducing "hot spots" that can burn foods. A long-lasting nonstick interior allows food to slide off and makes cleanup quick and easy. The rubberized dual-riveted handles are comfortable and oven safe to 350 degrees. Watch your foods cook without having to remove the lid to keep moisture locked in. Comes with a Lifetime Limited Warranty.

• Number of Pieces: 10
• Includes: 2-qt. Saucepan with Lid, 3-qt. Saucepan with Lid, 6-qt. Stockpot with Lid, 8.5" Skillet, 1-qt. Saucepan with Lid, 10" Skillet
• Features: Clear Glass Lid, Riveted Handle, Nonstick Coating
• Pan-Pot Material: Porcelain
• Handle Material: Rubber
• Lid Material: Glass
• Finish: Enameled
• Baking cooking surface: Nonstick
• Care and Cleaning: Oven Safe up to 350 degrees, Hand-wash Only
• Warranty Description: Lifetime Limited Manufacturer Warranty

One lucky reader will receive a Rachael Ray Porcelain II Orange 10pc Set!

Giveaway ends November 15th at 11:59pm, open to US and Canadian residents, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!