I'm an accountant by trade so when people talk about budgets, I tend to listen. I find myself often repeating "A budget is just a spending guideline. Just because you budget that much money doesn't mean you need to spend that much." This holds true in both professional and personal situations. Well, as an accountant, it drives me crazy when I hear people say that their work budget is $xx.xx so they need to spend that much. Then spends it frivolously just because.

Yet every once in a while, I find the rare opportunity to say "That's their budget, so make them spend it." Why on earth would I contradict myself? Go against what I believe as an accountant and a financially-conscious person? Because it's for a good cause. General Mills is donating $2 million to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. In addition, they will also donate $1, up to $20,000, each time a comment of encouragement is posted, a virtual flower bouquet is sent, or a story is shared on PinkTogether.com through October 31st. Well, that's tomorrow so click over quickly to PinkTogether.com and participate. It's quick and easy and anything you do will help them get a $1 closer to hitting their budgeted amount! (...and that's okay with me)

MyBlogSpark sent me a Pink Together Gift Pack and asked that I spread the word about the Pink Together website. I commend General Mills for their campaign to financially contribute to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure program. However, the more important focus should be placed on the efforts to provide a community for people to connect. A place where people impacted by breast cancer can go for support and information and most of all, inspiration.

With that in mind, MyBlogSpark is offering an Inspiring Hope gift pack to one of my readers!

The Prize: Inspiring Hope Gift Pack (Valued at approx $60). Gift pack includes the following Susan G. Komen for the Cure themed items: a charm bracelet, a leather strap key chain, a travel tumbler mug, note cards and an adorable cinch bag to carry it all!

Participants -

...must provide a US shipping address
...must provide an email in the first comment, email me directly with an email address or have email accessible from their profile.

Sometime on November 8, 2009, a winner will be chosen at random (using random.org) from all valid comments left. Winner has 72 hours from posting/notification to respond. If winner cannot be contacted, I will move on to the second random selection.

How to enter:

(1) Visit the Pink Together website.
(2) Come back and leave a comment... the first thing that you thought after reading the Pink Together website.

-- Three Entries: If you have a blog or website, add my button to your page. (Here's the code:)

-- (No longer available): Contribute to the PinkTogether.com campaign by sending a flower, sharing a story or leaving a comment on the PinkTogether site by October 31st.

-- Two Entries: Publish a blog post regarding this contest by November 3rd and link back to it.

-- One Entry: Share on Facebook. Come back and leave a comment.

-- One Entry (Daily): Follow me on Twitter and Tweet this contest with @SahmReviews referenced. Comment with your link.

-- One Entry: Follow SAHM Reviews on Facebook Of course, don't forget to leave a comment.

-- One Entry: Subscribe to my feed via RSS or email.

-- One Entry: Follow me using Google's Friend Connect feature.

-- One Entry (Daily): Read any of my non-giveaway reviews and leave an appropriate comment on that post. Come back here and leave a comment stating which product/post you left a comment on.

Thanks to MyBlogSpark for providing the prize for this rewarding giveaway as well as a pack to me for the review! Thanks, also, to all the individuals and companies who participate in programs such as PinkTogether.com

All the items included in the gift pack are available at ShopKomen.com where 25% of the merchandise purchase price goes to Susan G. Komen for the Cure to help the fight against breast cancer. So if you see something you love but don't win the prize, you can buy it and still help the cause!

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Does someone ever say something to you that makes you go "Huh. Yeah, you're right. I never thought of that."?  It's funny because around here, it's DH saying something cynical and it makes me think.  While sometimes it is a serious matter, it's usually just something silly.  Nonetheless, when someone makes you stop your everyday cycle to really step back and absorb something, it's worth noting.

Well, the other day, DH asked "Why is there a Blu-ray of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on the table?"   I explained "One2One Network sent it to me for SAHM Reviews."  Jokingly, he inquired "You mean in all the years that Snow White has been around, nobody has ever reviewed it?"  No, Dear, this will be the first ever.  Smart Alec.  Pfft.

For reference, yes, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" has been reviewed countless times since it was originally released in the late 1930s.  But since we don't own a Blu-ray player or a Sony PlayStation 3 (that plays Blu-ray), why do we need a Blu-ray Snow White?  Well, for the first time in seven years, Disney released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I have it because I'm participating in the campaign to get the word out about it.  The complimentary copy that I received from One2One Network is the Diamond Edition which includes both the DVD and the Blu-ray in the same box.  While we don't have the ability to play a Blu-ray, we have a few DVD players, a DVD player built into a small TV, the XBox 360 that plays DVDs and a DVD player in the van.  We could totally make immediate use of the DVD that is included in the Diamond Edition and still be prepared for the technology upgrade should we ever decide to get a Blu-ray player or game console that plays them.

In case you had never realized it, Disney has a Halley's comet method of releasing classic movies - every once in a long while.  I'm not saying that it's a bad thing.  Actually, from manufacturing and marketing standpoints, it's genius.  Classic movies probably aren't a perpetual high-sale item so short-run, high quantity, occasional releases limit dead-stock on shelves while also giving the marketing crew the ability to work the "limited" angle.  Essentially, what it does is make you decide if you really want the movie or not because like the commercials say "Once it's gone..." you don't know when it will be available again. 

I remember several years ago (well before I had kids) laughing at my aunt for her collection of Disney movies.  As each new one came out, she would purchase it.  She explained, "I don't have grandkids now, but I will" and that she wanted to make sure she had the movies when they were ready to watch them.  Until that time, I had never noticed that you couldn't just walk into a store and purchase any Disney movie of your choice.  I had always thought that "get it before it's gone" thing was just a marketing pitch.  But sure enough, ever since then, I've paid attention and watched movies come and go - usually re-introduced to accommodate the changing technology.  In this case, Blu-Ray.  Seven years ago, it was probably to introduce the movie in DVD format.  So seriously, when a Disney movie comes out that we might want, we consider if we want to buy it because we don't know when it will be available again!

We sat down and watched the movie last weekend and the girls loved it.  Miss M and Miss K are familiar with Cinderella and several of the other Disney princesses, but despite having various Snow White toys and books, they just didn't relate to her.  For one of their birthdays, we got a Snow White figure set (Polly Pocket size) that contained a few outfits, four pair of shoes and two dwarfs.  The girls cast the dwarfs aside and welcomed Snow White into their Polly Pocket environment.  Never did I hear them refer to her as Snow White.  They just really didn't understand because they had not seen the movie and even though I've read the book to them, they just didn't gravitate to the characters.  We also own a Disney princess joystick video game that hooks up to the television.  I was always surprised that they didn't like playing the Snow White "Hide and Seek" game.  The day after we watched the movie that we received from One2One Network, the girls began to unearth all the various Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs paraphernalia that they had.  The sad part is that it has made me realize that just reading the stories in a children's book isn't enough to really bring the characters to life.  I'm wondering what other stories I read and movies I saw as a child my daughters haven't had the opportunity to fall in love with yet!

Now about the movie itself... it's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs for Pete's sake.  I'm certain that you don't really need me to review it.  But the Diamond Edition DVD/Blu-ray combo pack does contain an exclusive look at the opening sequence of Walt Disney Pictures "The Princess and the Frog."   It also contains some family games as well as various backstage and bonus footage.  It's Snow White... it's a classic... it's worth introducing your kids to. 

... and all along, my aunt was right to purchase those videos before she needed them. 

Please note: As I mentioned in my review, I received a free copy of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition.  In exchange for my copy, I agreed to post a review of the DVD on at least three websites.  No other compensation was received however my name will be entered into a random drawing for one of six gift cards valued at $25, $50 or $75.

1 COMMENT

I'm a big fan of stretching a buck.  Doesn't matter what you call it - cheap, frugal, tightwad - it pretty much boils down to the fact that money doesn't grow on trees.  Although many parents recited that same phrase, I'll put it simply and honestly - not everyone gets it.  I've watched people live beyond their means.  I know people who refuse to shop at yard sales.  I'm amazed at how many people shop by brand name alone.  When I save any amount of money, whether it be a few cents here or several dollars there, it means a lot.  My husband and I have been able to afford the things we have because we are conscious of how we spend our money.  Thankfully, our parents taught some important lessons about value.

Last month I posted a review about T.J. Maxx and the treasure trove of bargains we found there during a PR sponsored "Back to School Shopping" excursion.  As I explained in that post, I had been approached by public relations firm, Rocket XL, to shop and review both T.J. Maxx and Marshall's and was provided a $25 gift card to each. 

There has been a lot of uproar regarding the FTC's new guidelines for disclosure so I want it to be vividly clear what my position is regarding Marshall's and T.J. Maxx.  Did I shop there because I'm cheap and now had a $25 gift card in my pocket?  Couldn't be further from the truth.  We're not strangers to T.J. Maxx or the other stores in The TJX family, including Marshall's.  Actually, we're more than familiar with Marshall's because of its close proximity to the McDonald's that is nearest to our house.  And when I say close, I mean we park once and walk to both.  We shop there regularly.  A few days before Rocket XL approached me, we had just been to Marshall's and purchased new tennis shoes for Miss K.  And new swimsuits, too, for both the girls. And a few shirts for DH.  And I believe even something for me.  It's just one of those places that falls into the category of "Provides the opportunity to get the most for my money." So when I set out to write a review, it was encouraged by the gift card but it's a store that I would shop at - that I do shop at - and that I do believe in regardless of whether a public relations firm asked me to stop by.

Now that I got that off my chest, allow me to share our experience!

Since we have two daughters and received two gift cards, Miss K spent hers at T.J. Maxx and Miss M was the beneficiary of the Marshall's card. Sometimes when we shop at Marshall's, we don't find much but other times it's a jackpot - you never know what you'll find there. It's not uncommon for us to spot well known brands at Marshall's that are at deeply discounted prices. But this is the first time that I've noticed a pair of Ed Hardy jeans on the rack. Seriously. Ed Hardy Jeans. At Marshall's. For a fraction of the cost. No, we didn't buy them... they aren't our style. Although I'm not a brand name shopper, I do understand that sometimes higher prices mean a better quality. So when I see brand names, I take notice and if the price is right, then I'll buy it. But the fact that trendy clothing lines hit Marshall's means that parents can shop there for Back to School clothes, for Christmas gifts or just to fill gaps caused by growth spurts and have success in meeting their child's tastes while controlling the outflow of cash from the wallet.

I know I sound like a commercial but I'm not copying literature from a scripted marketing page. It's genuinely how I feel and why I shop there. Here's proof of their pricing - "Compare at $64" (but $16.99 at Marshall's) and "Compare at $40.00+UP" yet we paid $19.99!

Anyway, so on Miss M's outing to Marshall's, she netted a pair of jeans and an adorable jacket. The original suggested retail price of the jacket was more than twice what we actually ended up paying for both items at Marshall's. Because of her size, we often have difficulty finding outfits that we like but when we're shopping for single pieces, we have a better chance of success. These pants fit her great and will make a wonderful addition to her closet. The jacket is perfect for wearing on cool days but versatile enough to use as a regular layered piece when winter hits.

As I said, we're regulars at Marshall's and in between the time that we used the gift card and the time of this post, we made yet another trip there. This time, we walked out with two lovable Halloween outfits. We had searched several places, including WalMart and some Halloween stores but didn't find what we wanted. The outfits we picked up at Marshall's were priced similar to discount store costumes but are a much heavier quality. But that's how things are at Marshall's... quality items at a reasonable price. If you haven't shopped for a Halloween outfit yet, stop by your local Marshall's to see what they have. Although we mutually agreed on the ones pictured, we passed up on some phenomenal looking Renaissance-style costumes!

I want to say thank you to Rocket XL for the gift card and the encouragement to write about Marshall's. It's a great store to shop at because you never know just what bargain you'll find!

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A week ago, as I sat in an eye exam at Sam's Club, DH went shopping with the girls.  In true club store form, you can consume an entire dinner at the Sam's Club tasting smorgasbord.  As I've said in prior reviews, Miss K loves yogurt so she was thrilled to get to sample a few different ones while waiting for me. Yogurt is a healthy snack, great for breakfast and a nice alternative for the lunchbox, so when DH agreed to purchase a multi-pack for her, I didn't complain. It was Dannon's Light and Fit 80 Calorie yogurt and I thought, well, that's good for me to.

But what I didn't factor in was that Miss K is currently on a toaster-pastry kick for breakfast and we limit after-school snacking to small portions. What that left me with was a case of Dannon yogurt to consume by myself... in a very limited selection of flavors, of which, only one was my favorite.

That's no big deal, right? Wrong. All the while, I'm trying to purchase and consume Fiber One Yogurt for a MyBlogSpark review. I've tried Fiber One bars, Fiber One cereal and Fiber One toaster pastries and considering they are a fiber product, they all have tasted great. I was anxious to do a review of the Fiber One yogurt because, as a bonus, it's a Yoplait product.

I'm not really a food snob, but given the choice, I would pick Yoplait any day over any other kind of yogurt. I don't know what it is, but I've just always liked it better. I think it's creamier and more flavorful than other brands. Sure, occasionally I'll purchase a different brand if it's on sale, but I still prefer Yoplait. The selection of flavors is great too.

MyBlogSpark sent me a gift pack along with a coupon to try out their new Fiber One 50 Calorie yogurt. One of the reasons why I was so delayed in getting my review together was that there are only four flavors: Strawberry, Peach, Vanilla and Key Lime Pie. Since it's a newer product, it was difficult to locate in the stores that I typically shop and to further aggravate the situation, I had a tough time finding the flavor that I wanted - Peach. The others sounded okay, but when I'm reviewing a product that has the potential to not be stellar (ack, fiber), I try minimize the possibility for failure by picking a flavor that I are more likely to appreciate. For example, since I don't typically purchase Vanilla flavored yogurt, the Fiber One Vanilla yogurt would have a zero percent chance of a favorable review from me.

With that said, I have it in the fridge and have tested it out. Since the Fiber One yogurt comes in a 4 oz serving and the Dannon Light and Fit in 6 oz serving, I threw the numbers into a spreadsheet to see the numbers side by side. I parred it down to 2 oz servings of each. Statistically speaking, compared to the Dannon Light and Fit, they're pretty close. Fiber One sodium was a little higher while potassium and protein slightly lower. But Dannon contained no fiber and almost double the amount of sugar as Fiber One. And as I said before, I think Yoplait products taste better.

What didn't I like about Yoplait's Fiber One? Well, the fact that you can only purchase it in four packs and the limited selection of flavors. What did I like most? The fact that it contains 20% of your recommended dietary fiber but doesn't taste like a fiber product.

Don't believe me? Well, here's a chance for you to try it out yourself. Yoplait, in conjunction with Hungry Girl, has provided the following information widget. It's not a paid advertisement but rather a tool provided by Yoplait's public relations firm.  See the tab that says "Try it free"? Well, the first 50 of my readers to click through and provide the requested information will receive a coupon to try Yoplait Fiber One yogurt and establish opinions of their own.  There's also a button to share the information with your friends via email, Facebook or a few other social media sites. The Snacking Tips tab provides some advice from Hungry Girl (food expert Lisa Lillien) while the Weigh In tab is the opportunity for you to give your own feedback on Fiber One yogurt. The widget also contains a link to a coupon for $1 off! Don't be afraid to click on it - you won't even leave SAHM Reviews.



To sweeten the pot, MyBlogSpark is providing three gift packs for my readers. The pack contains a coupon for a free product, a reusable insulated lunch bag and some lunch bag accessories.  Continue reading for the contest details!

The Prize: Fiber One 50 Calorie Gift Pack (3 Winners)

Participants -

...must provide a US shipping address
...must provide an email in the first comment, email me directly with an email address or have email accessible from their profile.

Sometime on October 22, 2009, a winner will be chosen at random (using random.org) from all valid comments left. Winner has 72 hours from posting/notification to respond. If winner cannot be contacted, I will move on to the second random selection.

How to enter:

For the first entry (required) -

(1) Visit the Fiber One website.

(2) Come back here and tell me which flavor of their yogurt you would like to try. If you don't like any of those flavors, comment with what flavor Yoplait could add to their Fiber One lineup that would encourage you to try it.

If you want to increase your chances of winning, here are some options to earn additional entries -

-- Three Entries:  If you have a blog or website, add my button to your page. (Here's the code:)

<center><a href="http://www.sahmreviews.com" target="_blank"><img alt="SAHM Reviews" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v737/ia2ca/Sahm/SahmReviews125.jpg"/></a></center>

-- Two Entries:  Publish a blog post regarding this contest and link back to it.

-- One Entry: Share on Facebook. Come back and leave a comment.

-- One Entry (Daily):  Follow me on Twitter and Tweet this contest with @SahmReviews referenced. Comment with your link.

-- One Entry: Follow SAHM Reviews on Facebook  Of course, don't forget to leave a comment.

-- One Entry: Subscribe to my feed via RSS or email.

-- One Entry: Follow me using Google's Friend Connect feature.

-- One Entry (Daily): Read any of my non-giveaway reviews and leave an appropriate comment on that post. Come back here and leave a comment stating which product/post you left a comment on.

Be sure to check for Yoplait coupons at Coupons.com before you head to the store!

Thanks to MyBlogSpark for providing the prizes for this fun giveaway as well as a pack to me for the review! While the PR firm offered coupons for me to try out the new Fiber One yogurt, since I was participating in the review opportunity from MyBlogSpark, I kindly declined. Thanks to them for providing the 50 coupons for me to give away to my readers though!

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