giveaways

To celebrate Mega Savings Event that runs at Kroger through September 2nd, General Mills and PepsiCo issued a challenge through My Blog Spark to see just how much the Deal Seeking Mom readers can get with $30.

I wasn’t able to head to the store myself because of my last-minute foot surgery last week, but Alyssa from Kingdom First Mom got everything pictured above for $33.29. Check out her post for information on how she saved over $100!

Today, I’ve got another $30 gift card to give away to one lucky Deal Seeking Mom reader! Be sure to read through the Mega Event Sale posts to get an idea of what’s on sale and how to stretch your dollars and then tell me what your favorite sale item is this week.

Every reader has three methods available to enter this contest. Choose one each of any combination of method one, two, or three for up to a total of 3 entries!!!

Methods of entry:

1. Leave a comment. What is your favorite sale item from this week’s Mega Savings Event? What’s the best coupon matchup you see?

2. Use the Mr. Linky below to share a post on your blog that highlights the best deals and scenarios you’ve found throughout the Mega Savings Event! You’re welcome to link to your scenarios/matchups OR photos from your shopping trip, but only one link per person, please!

3. Send out the following tweet on Twitter. Be sure to come back and leave a separate comment letting me know you’ve done so.

Win a $30 Kroger gift card from @DealSeekingMom, General Mills & PepsiCo by sharing your best deals & steals. https://tinyurl.com/klsn87

Prize:
(1) $30 Kroger’s Gift Card

This giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on Saturday, 8/29. I’ll use Random.org to select the winning comment. Winner will be notified by email on and listed on my Giveaway Winners page. Good luck!

While you’re in a contest entering mood, don’t forget to check out the Giveaway Gathering for a variety of contests being hosted on Deal Seeking Mom readers’ blogs!

This fantastic giveaway is the last of my Back-to-School giveaways, but be sure to check out all of the current giveaways for other great prizes that are still available!

I think Moms and kids alike (or anyone else for that matter) will love this Acer Aspire Timeline Laptop. It’s part of a new category of laptops called “thin and light,” and this particular model boasts 8+ hours of battery life. I can attest to the battery life personally, as I left the house with mine on at 8:45 this morning and it’s still going strong at 3:45 in the afternoon.

After using this laptop for a week, I’m very impressed with it. Priced as low as $769.99, it rivals my far more expensive Sony Vaio in speed and definitely is far more convenient to tote around.

I just want to take a moment to share some of my favorite features from a mom’s perspective:

• The first thing I noticed is that the power cord is formed at a right angle. I was ecstatic about this because we have an older Toshiba laptop that the kids use. Its cord just comes straight out of the back, and we’ve had to replace it 7+ times because the wires break at the base of the plug and the computer won’t charge. So yay for user-friendly power cords!

• Keys that are easy to replace are big in my book. Yes, I purposefully popped one off just to see how easy it was to replace, and I’m happy to report that it snapped back on super easy, unlike my old Dell laptop that used to have me in tears trying to replace a key. Plus, the former transcriptionist in me loves the feel of the keys when typing. They are very smooth and give just enough resistance.

• The long battery life is another feature I love. I mean, who wouldn’t? I can follow my kids around the house with my laptop, take it in the car, and look up a recipe while I’m cooking dinner all in one charge.

• I can multitask with ease thanks to the Intel Core 2 Duo processor. I’m not quite techie enough to explain just how this wonderful piece of technology works, but I know that it allows me to run multiple programs at the same time without bogging down the system as a whole. This means that I can run Firefox, Tweetdeck, Paint Shop, Skype, and more without lags while working. What mom couldn’t use a little boost while multitasking? Do note that running several processing intensive programs in tandem can decrease the length of time before you need to recharge the battery.

• This particular model has a HUGE hard drive. At 500GB, I won’t be running out of space any time soon, even with a large iTunes collection and several hundred digital photos stored on it currently. I’m not an expert, but I’ve noticed software getting larger over the years, so a large hard drive will be important for longevity.

A few things on it that I’m not crazy about:

• No CD drive – this makes it a little difficult to install some software, but I understand the need to forgo one to keep the thin and light feel. And of course, USB CD drives are fairly inexpensive if that’s a necessity for you.

• Touch-sensitive buttons – I wish they would have put a sticker on the computer to point out the row of touch-sensitive buttons above the keyboard. My curious toddler swiped his hand across them turning off the WiFi, and I spent a good 30 minutes trying to figure out how to turn it back on. Cool technology, but dangerous with kids around.

• Mouse button is stiff – the mouse button is a little awkwardly placed and is slightly stiff. Maybe this is something that I just need a little time to get used too, but it’s definitely not my optimal setup.

• Glossy screen – I’ve found that most systems come with glossy screens, but the anti-glare screen that my old Dell had was one of the only features that I loved. It makes working outside so much easier, and I enjoy taking the kids outside and letting them play while answering a few emails.

Overall none of the things that I was less than pleased with would be deal breakers when looking for a computer in this category. It may not be ideal as a complete desktop replacement laptop, but it’s perfect for a mom, dad, student, etc. who needs access to the Internet, email, word processing software and the like on the go and at home.

One very lucky Deal Seeking Mom reader will win an Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810T-6775 Laptop:

• 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400 Processor
• 4096MB Dual-Channel DDR3 1066MHz Memory
• 80 GB Solid State Drive
• Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit (SP1)
• Over 8 Hours of Battery Life (6-Cell 5600 mAh)
• 13.3-inch HD CineCrystal LED-backlit Display

To enter, leave a comment and tell me what features you look for in a laptop. Is portability and weight most important, or are you looking for something with high performance to replace your home desktop?

Every reader has four methods available to enter this contest. Choose one each of any combination of method one, two, three, or four for up to a total of 4 entries!!!

Methods of entry:

1. Leave a comment. Tell me what features are most important to you when shopping for a new laptop!

2. Add Deal Seeking Mom to your blogroll or add my badge to your sidebar. Make sure to come back and leave the link to your site in a separate comment!

3. Join the new Deal Seeking Mom Forums to chat about your great finds, special coupon codes, and chances to win exclusive giveaways. Leave a separate comment letting me know you’ve joined or that you’re already a registered user!

4. Subscribe to my feed via RSS or email. You must confirm your email subscription for it to be a valid entry! Leave a separate comment letting me know you have done so. If you’re already a subscriber, simply leave a separate comment letting me know you’re already subscribed. Lovin’ my subscribers! You guys make this all possible.

Prize:
(1) Acer Aspire Timeline AS3810T-6775 (ARV $899), as described above

This giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, 9/2. I’ll use Random.org to select the winning comment. Winner will be notified by email on and listed on my Giveaway Winners page. Good luck!

While you’re in a contest entering mood, don’t forget to check out the Giveaway Gathering for a variety of contests being hosted on Deal Seeking Mom readers’ blogs!

Note: As the sponsor of this giveaway, Intel provided me with a laptop to review the latest features as well as a second laptop to give away to a Deal Seeking Mom reader.

Tune in all week for even more hot Back-To-School Giveaways, and be sure to check out all of the current giveaways for other great prizes!

How cute are these products from Carolina Pad? Fun and whimsical organizational and office supply products such as these have a special place in my heart (even though I most definitely would NOT call myself organized). I just can’t decide which line I like the best!

Carolina Pad sent me a little goodie box to showcase their products, and my girls were instantly drawn to the bright colors and fun sizes. Not only did did I love the look of them, but I was also impressed with the quality of the paper. I always hated the feel of cheap paper when I was younger. Nice quality paper inspired me to take my time and put forth the effort to make my work neater. Isn’t it funny how little things like that can make such a big impact?

One lucky Deal Seeking Mom reader will win a prize package from Carolina Pad worth over $150! The winner will choose between the Eye Candy or Simply Chic line, and each package will include*:

• Storage Box
• Fashion Laptop Tote
• Correspondence Cards
• Note Tote
• Fashion Ballpoint Pens
• Box of Notes
• Mouse Pad
• Flip-Top Notebook
• Two-Pocket Portfolio
• Ideal Book
• Index Card Holder
• Personal Notebook
• Binder
• Magnets
• Ideal Padfolio
• Journal
• Desk Pad
• Tab Dividers
• 12 Decorative File Folders
• Organizational Folder
• 13-Pocket Accordion
• Portable Hanging File
• Stick-On Notes & Flags
• Pencil Holder
• Highlighters
• Magnetic Dry-Erase Board

*Please note that the actual contents of the prize package may vary slightly, but it will be packed with over $150 worth of products!

And for the rest of us, Carolina Pad is offering Deal Seeking Mom readers 15% off all online orders using coupon code BTS2009!

To enter, leave a comment and share your favorite office supply. Do you love pretty notebooks and journals? Are you always on a quest to find the perfect pen? What could you never have enough of?

Every reader has four methods available to enter this contest. Choose one each of any combination of method one, two, three, or four for up to a total of 4 entries!!!

Methods of entry:

1. Leave a comment. Tell me what your favorite office supply is!

2. Add Deal Seeking Mom to your blogroll or add my badge to your sidebar. Make sure to come back and leave the link to your site in a separate comment!

3. Join the new Deal Seeking Mom Forums to chat about your great finds, special coupon codes, and chances to win exclusive giveaways. Leave a separate comment letting me know you’ve joined or that you’re already a registered user!

4. Subscribe to my feed via RSS or email. You must confirm your email subscription for it to be a valid entry! Leave a separate comment letting me know you have done so. If you’re already a subscriber, simply leave a separate comment letting me know you’re already subscribed. Lovin’ my subscribers! You guys make this all possible.

Prize:
(1) Carolina Pad prize package as described above

This giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, 9/1. I’ll use Random.org to select the winning comment. Winner will be notified by email on and listed on my Giveaway Winners page. Good luck!

While you’re in a contest entering mood, don’t forget to check out the Giveaway Gathering for a variety of contests being hosted on Deal Seeking Mom readers’ blogs!

Tune in all week for even more hot Back-To-School Giveaways, and be sure to check out all of the current giveaways for other great prizes!

I don’t know about you, but at my house, doing laundry for five kids is a never ending chore, and I’m always looking for ways to make it easier. So when Clorox sent me their Complete the Cycle kit, I was especially excited to read their tips and try out the very cool FlipFold.

Have you always wanted perfectly folded shirts and tees like those department store displays? Now you can organize your very own drawers and closets with the FlipFold. Just follow the simple instructions included in the box, and you’ll be flipping and folding your way to neater drawers and less wrinkles in no time.

One lucky Deal Seeking Mom reader will win a Complete the Cycle prize package that includes:

• A laminated copy of the Complete the Cycle Laundry Regimen Guide
• 50-oz. bottle of Gain Laundry Detergent
• 34-oz. bottle of Downy Ultra
• 22-oz. bottle of Clorox 2 Ultra
• A Clorox Bleach Pen
• Coupon for 1 Free bottle of Clorox Bleach
• FlipFold Ultimate Folding Tool
• Laundry basket

To enter, leave a comment with your favorite laundry tip. How do you save time or money on this never-ending chore?

Every reader has four methods available to enter this contest. Choose one each of any combination of method one, two, three, or four for up to a total of 4 entries!!! (If you’re reading this by email, be sure to click through and leave a comment on the actual giveaway post. Email entries will not be counted.)

Methods of entry:

1. Leave a comment. Tell me your best tip for saving time or money on laundry or making it just a little bit less of a burden.

2. Add Deal Seeking Mom to your blogroll or add my badge to your sidebar. Make sure to come back and leave the link to your site in a separate comment!

3. Join the new Deal Seeking Mom Forums to chat about your great finds, special coupon codes, and chances to win exclusive giveaways. Leave a separate comment letting me know you’ve joined or that you’re already a registered user!

4. Subscribe to my feed via RSS or email. You must confirm your email subscription for it to be a valid entry! Leave a separate comment letting me know you have done so. If you’re already a subscriber, simply leave a separate comment letting me know you’re already subscribed. Lovin’ my subscribers! You guys make this all possible.

Prize:
(1) Complete the Cycle prize package as described above

This giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, 8/31. I’ll use Random.org to select the winning comment. Winner will be notified by email on and listed on my Giveaway Winners page. Good luck!

While you’re in a contest entering mood, don’t forget to check out the Giveaway Gathering for a variety of contests being hosted on Deal Seeking Mom readers’ blogs!