Upromise: Save Money and Save For College

I just got my monthly Upromise email with the newest deals and savings available exclusively to members. Have you joined yet? You should! Here’s why:

1. I can get 1-3% back on thousands of eligible items when I use my Upromise registered grocery at checkout. Yep – each time I grocery shop I can get funds added to my son’s Upromise account.
2. I can get 1%-25% back from eligible purchases at more than 600 online retailers when I shop online. Again, funds get saved in my son’s Upromise account.
3. I get savings and coupons that are exclusive to Upromise members. For example, this month I can get 20% off the purchase of a Dell laptop PLUS save 2% of that to my son’s Upromise account.
4. I can also get funds added to my son’s Upromise account through gas and restaurant purchases and my friends & family purchases.

Upromise makes it easy-peasy to save for my son’s college education. And it’s even easier with their new TurboSaver download. It works with your browser (Explorer, FireFox) and get’s search results in Google and Yahoo! to bring you faster access to college savings, coupons and deals.

So what are you waiting for? Join UPromise and Save for College!

Special Magazine Offer with $25 Order At Amazon

Get a subscription to Parenting Early Years or Parenting School Years (a $9.97 value) included with your order when you spend $25 or more in Amazon Toys. Details Are Here.

The New CPSIA May Close My Local Thrift Store

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) goes into effect February 10th. In a nut shell, the act requires third-party testing of most products–not just toys–that are aimed at children. In theory, this sounds like a good plan. Especially after all the recalls recently due to lead being found in products imported from China.

But, the testing required is expensive. VERY EXPENSIVE. And it not only applies to the Fisher Prices and Mattells of the world – it applies to  small producers of handmade children’s items. And it may make it impossible for thrift shops and other sellers of used goods to continue to sell children’s products. Heck, technically your local library will be effected as well.

You need to take the time to listen to the newest episode of Natural Moms Talk Radio where host Carrie Lauth (a past guest on The Household Helper Talk Show) and her guest explains the CPSIA and just how it will effect us. Head on over: http://naturalmomstalkradio.com/blog/the-cpsia-and-you/

Gift Idea: Coffee!!

Every year I ask for coffee for Christmas. Why? BECAUSE I {HEART} COFFEE! Do you have a coffee lover on your gift list? or tea? or chai?

RONA coffees is having a 30% Christmas blow-out on select items. I hope that someone shopping for me will take a peek and think the Egg-Nog ground coffee would be a good gift!

Last Minute Shopping With Amazon

I hate to brag, but my shopping is DONE and my presents are WRAPPED. I’ve been done for about a week now. So now I can sit back and enjoy the holiday: bake, crafts, visits, music. Fa La La La La….

If you’re behind, there is still time to order gifts online. Amazon says that there is two days left to order from them. Check out The 2008 Holiday Toy List featuring the most wanted, most wished for toys of the season. They have Gift Guides sorted by your price point.

And don’t forget gift cards – Amazon Gift Cards can be emailed, printed or snail-mailed.