Bargain Hunting Moms Reviews

You've found our reviews section! This is where I tell you what I think of various products. Also, to fully disclose, in most cases, the products reviewed on this blog have been furnished to me by the manufacturer. When the product has been given to me, I make note of it in my review. I do disclose and I also only review items that my family and I will use.

Crystal Light Pure Fitness Review

I was recently sent some samples of Crystal Light Pure Fitness to try out.  Crystal Light Pure Fitness is a new fitness drink from Crystal Light.

Crystal Light Pure Fitness contains no artificial sweeteners, flavors or preservatives. Instead, it contains Truvia, an all-natural, no-calorie sweetener derived from the stevia plant. It's colored with natural ingredients as well. Each Crystal Light Pure Fitness is just 15 calories per serving, compared to 50 in one serving of Gatorade. A serving is half a stick, so you're using 2 servings if you flavor 16 ozs of water. It also contains elecrolytes, sodium and potassium to help with hydration. That means it's great to drink during your workouts. It's caffeine free and also gluten free.

One thing it's not missing is flavor. I received grape, kiwi-strawberry and lemon-lime flavors to try out. Each box contains 7 packets which will flavor a 16 oz water bottle. All three flavors tasted great to me, but I think the Kiwi-Strawberry is my favorite. I can't help but think this will be a great product to have around during the summer.

I really liked the flavor Truvia added to the drink. There was no artificial aftertaste. I just tasted the yummy, fruity flavors. Over the past week or so that I've been drinking Crystal Light Pure Fitness, I've noticed that I'm drinking more water. According to the folks at Crystal Light, women who drink their products drink 20% more water. That's another incentive to try them.

Crystal Light Pure Fitness retails for about $3.29 a package. That's not a bad price at all if you consider how much you're paying now for other fitness drinks or soda.

 

Splenda's Tastebook - Great Recipes

 
 
For those of us concerned about watching sugar intake, Splenda is a great alternative. I was recently sent a Splenda Tastebook along with a box of Splenda to try out some recipes.

I've used Splenda in the past and since diabetes is in my family, I thought it would be a great idea to test out some recipes. We made some blueberry muffins which were a huge hit with everyone. My mother, a diabetic, really enjoyed them, so I'll be making them again for her.

My kids were home today, so I decided to let my daughter help me make some cookies. We found a recipe for Peanut Butter Cookie Bites on the Tastebook site and that's what she decided to make.

I let my daughter do most of the work because she loves to bake. The dough was a little crumbly, which the directions said it might be. It may have also been because I used an egg in stead of egg substitute. We may not have had enough moisture in the dough. That's something we'll have to adjust for next time.

Even though they were a little crumbly, they were still yummy and a nice substitute on a weekend when sugar is featured. We had a couple after lunch.

I've spent quite a bit of time browsing  Splenda's Tastebook site and I'm looking forward to trying some of the drink recipes. Summer will be here soon and we'll need something to help cool us down. I can't wait to try a Sweet Berry Smoothie or a Refreshing Summer Slushie. I also plan to start using Splenda in my Sweet Tea instead of sugar.

If you're looking for some new recipes to try out using Splenda, you can find a huge selection on Splenda's Tastebook site.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Splenda and received products necessary to facilitate my candid review. In addition, a donation was made in my name to the Meals on Wheel organization to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

ONE Natural Beauty - Great New Product Line

I was recently sent some products from a new beauty line to try out. ONE Natural Beauty brings us natural products in eco-friendly packaging. No plastic at all is used in their packaging. If taking care of our planet is a concern to you, ONE is a great product line to support.

 

I was sent three products to try out, the solid shampoo bar, the solid bar conditioner and hand and body lotion.

The Solid Shampoo Bar is equal to THREE bottles of shampoo. I've never used a bar shampoo--actually, I'd never heard of it--so this is what I was most intrigued to try. I have to be honest and say that I was very skeptical before I tried it. I have thick hair and right now, it's a lot longer than normal, so I really didn't believe this shampoo was going to do the trick for me.

My mind changed very quickly! This shampoo lathers like there's no tomorrow. Just get your hair wet, rub the bar in a circular motion and let the lather begin. I was very impressed. My hair felt clean and smelled great, too. As a mom, I also had visions of kids using this shampoo. How many times have they poured out the entire bottle of shampoo when washing their hair? Now you can just give them a bar.

I had a little trouble with the bar of conditioner at first because it doesn't really lather. You just have to rub it on your hair. The first time I used it, I didn't do it correctly and wound up using my deep conditioner(did I mention I have thick long hair that is like coming through a rat's nest after a shower unless I deep condition?) I had much better luck the second time around with it though, so I definitely recommend it.

Both the shampoo and conditioners come in cute recycled containers that fit neatly in your bathroom and would also be great for travel.

I was also sent some Vanilla Almond Custard hand and body lotion. The bottle says it's "dessert for the skin." That's definitely true. It has a yummy fragrance and definitely moisturizes. I love this lotion! The scent is not overpowering at all.

If you're like me and concerned about our environment, ONE is a great product line for you. Many times, being "Green" isn't so easy, but this is one tiny change you can make that can really make a difference. Imagine using one bar of shampoo instead of THREE bottles! That's a change.

ONE Natural Beauty products are available at Target and the prices are reasonable, too. You get a lot of product for the price and I know I'm looking forward to purchasing more.

eShatki Delivers Customized Clothing for the Perfect Fit

Have you heard of eShakti?  It's an amazing clothing company that lets you totally customize anything you order!  Don't love the sleeve on that top?  Change it!  Want that skirt in a different length?  No problem!  In addition to allowing a lot of room for customization, you can also choose to order clothing from their size chart, or with your personal measurements, so you're guaranteed a perfect fit!

I was sent the Surplice Shirtdress in Royal Blue to review and oh my goodness, it is HEAVEN!  The color is so rich and saturated, and the material feels more like silk than cotton.  The skirt is fully lined and, best of all, it fits me PERFECTLY.  I decided to take a chance and order one of their standard sizes and I'm glad I did, because I love the way this fits.  I can wear it as-is with some high heels and fancy jewelry for evening, or put a tank top under it and throw on some sandals and it's a classy casual at its best.

What I really love is that, even though I ordered a "standard" size, I was still asked to input my bra size and height.  What a difference that makes!  I'm on the short side at 5'4" and most dresses like this hit me at a weird spot on my calves.  Not this one!  It says it hits below the knee and that's exactly where it falls on me.  Now, I have a smaller chest, so I'm not sure if my bra size really affected this dress, but for you ladies who are more well endowed, I think you'll love having a wrap dress that contains the girls.

I am so thrilled with my eShakti dress and I'm already drooling over some new styles on the website!  Oh, and did I mention that your order will ship in three days, even if you order a custom size?  Shopping for clothes on-line can be hit or miss, but eShakti you'll get a hit, every time.
 

This review was written by Liane, Bargain Hunting Mom's Fashion Reviewer. You can read more from Liane on her own blog,Life with Liane.

Entertainment Book - Review

 
If you're trying to help your family save money, an Entertainment Book is a worthwhile investment. Entertainment Books have been around a long time. I've bought them in the past, but hadn't lately, so I was excited to receive one in the mail to review.

 If you don't know about Entertainment Books, they're books you purchase(right now they're $21 on the website!) that contain coupons and discounts for local stores, restaurants(national chains like McDonald's, Subway, IHOP as well as local restaurants,) attractions and more. They can pay for themselves in just a few uses.

When you go to the site, you'll be able to choose a book for your local area. Make sure you pick the right one because each book has different local coupons. There are also coupons that you can use nationally and online. The books are well organized and you can even look up the coupons through an index. The coupons are divided into various categories as well, to make it easy to find them.

I keep my Entertainment Book in my van at all times so that I always have it when I need it! Many of the coupons are buy one, get one free. For instance, there was a coupon for Subway that was buy one sub, get one free. My kids happened to get Subway gift cards for Christmas, so we used the gift cards and Entertainment Book coupons to get dinner for the whole family FREE.

We've also used the coupons for bowling, Putt-Putt golf and some of the other activities in the book. When the weather breaks, we'll be using the ones for local parks and other attractions. Using the entertainment book is a great way for a family to save some money and have a family night together. You can go do an activity and then grab a cheap dinner afterwards. When you're watching your money, every little bit helps.

Another savings idea is to order an Entertainment Book for the area where you'll be taking your family vacation. Since these books are full of coupons for local attractions, you're sure to find plenty to do and save at the same time. You can keep the kids busy and occupied doing activities you may not have been able to afford otherwise. I try to do that myself. We like to eat out on vacation, so Entertainment Books have saved us a bundle that way.

As an added bonus, when you register your book online, you'll get access to printable coupons as well. This makes your Entertainment Book even more valuable. I haven't printed any coupons yet, but I certainly plan to do so!

 

Covergirl & Olay: Simply Ageless

As a member of BzzAgent.com, I have an opportunity to try out new products. I was recently chosen to host a Simpy Ageless party. 

Simply Ageless is a line of make-up produced by COVERGIRL and Olay. You've probably seen Ellen Degeneres advertising their products on TV and in magazines. Simply Ageless combines Olay moisturizers with CoverGirl make up.

I was excited to be chosen and planned an afternoon with a few friends, my sister, niece and daughter so we could all try it out. We received the following samples:

• Simply Ageless Corrector
• Simply Ageless Concealer
• Simply Ageless Foundation
• Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush

I'd never used a corrector on my face before, but I liked the way this one worked. The concealer also did a good job hiding my undereye circles. Unfortunately, those are a family trait and we all have them. I'm really not exhausted all the time. I just look like it! This concealer combined with the corrector helped diminish them.

We received the foundation in several different shades, so there was a shade that worked out for everyone in attendance. This makeup is extremely creamy. Both my daughter and I are very fair and the lighter shade worked perfect for us. The foundation blended well and stayed put, too.  

I generally use mineral makeup, but do use CoverGirl foundation in a pinch, and this seemed to be the equivalent of what I generally buy. My daughter uses the kind in the compact and she also liked this kind as well.

Everyone had trouble with the blush. We discovered that none of us had ever used cream blush before. We were used to powdered and no one had any idea how to apply it. The first few times I tried it, I looked like a clown, but with some practice, it worked out and we all got the hang of it.

Overall, everyone in attendance liked the makeup. We may not have tried it without receiving the samples from Bzz Agent, but now we also have coupons so we can buy more. It was also nice to spend a weekend afternoon with some friends and give one another makeovers.

If you aren't signed up with Bzz Agent, head on over so you can be a Bzz Agent, too!

Kajeet Review - Safe, Affordable Cell Phone Service for Tweens & Teens

Kajeet is a cell phone service that bills itself as the safest  cell phone service out there for tweens and teens. It's perfect for this age group because you can monitor calls, set up limits, block numbers and even add GPS service to your plan. (The GPS service is extra.)

My kids are 17 and 13, so we aren't new to the world of cell phones and kids. My teens have had cell phones for years. They've had pre-paid phones and also phones on our family plan, however, I'd always wished for a little more control over their phones. Kajeet gives a parent everything they want in cell phone service for their children.

Kajeet recently sent me a phone to try out for them. Since my 13 year old son had been begging for a phone with texting(I have texting blocked on our current cell plan,) I thought it was a perfect opportunity. We received the Samsung m300 along with $20 in airtime for review purposes.

Activating the phone was extremely easy. I followed the directions that came with the phone and went to Kajeet.com/activate to activate our service. We were up and running in no time. I really didn't expect it to be THAT easy because I'd used other pre-paid phones in the past and had issues. Kajeet kept it simple and that's a huge plus--especially for parents who might not be tech savvy.

I was also able to set up parental controls right then. I could put limits on when he could use the phone, who could call him and who he could call. I also liked that I could view all his calls easily right from my own login. There's also a separate login for the child to use. Especially with tweens and younger, this is a fantastic feature.

The basic charges from Kajeet are .32/day along with .10 per minute. Each text is also .10(both to send and receive.) Since my son was most interested in texting, we discovered that he blew through the allocated money in no time. After about 10 days, the $20 in airtime was pretty much gone, so I upgraded him to their texting plan. It gives you 60 minutes of talk time and unlimited texting for $14.99.

After almost a month of using Kajeet, I can report that we are very happy with the service. The rates are more than reasonable and the parental controls would make any parent happy. Kajeet makes sure that cell phones are safe for even the youngest users out there.

What I like about Kajeet:

• The parental controls are a big plus to me. I can easily go online and see who my son has been texting and communicating with.
• I can set limits. I can even disable his phone during certain hours(like school) so he can only call 911 or me if there's an emergency.
• I won't end up with a huge cell phone bill because he's been texting non-stop. Once the money is gone from his account, he can't go over. That teaches responsibility!
• I also like the GPS feature although I didn't use it. I think if I had a younger child, it would be a wonderful feature(or maybe even if my son was older and driving!)
• The plans are also very affordable. They start at just $4.99, but the best value for us is the $14.99/month plan we signed up for with unlimited texting.

Kajeet operates on the Sprint PCS Network, so if you have Sprint service where you are, you'll have Kajeet service. We've had great service this past month or so with Kajeet and I've been very happy with it. My son is happy to have texting and I have peace of mind that I'm not going to have an astronomical phone bill.

Kajeet provided the phone and $20 worth of airtime so that I could review their product and service for them. The opinions in this review are my own.

Kaboom Foam-Tastic and Kaboom Scrub Free Toilet System Review

The other day, I was reading the status of a friend on Facebook and had to laugh. It seems that she puts off all her big cleaning jobs and hopes that her kids mess up so she can dole them out as punishment.

I thought I was the only one who did that!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I hate to clean. Yes, I love it when everything is clean and sparkly, but I really don't enjoy doing it. There are some people who revel in cleaning. They enjoy making everything all sparkly and the manual labor that goes along with it.

That's just not me.

That's why when Great Cleaners asked me to try out their Kaboom Foam-Tastic with the Kaboom Scrub Free Toilet system Kit and review it, I jumped at the chance. I mean, who doesn't want to NEVER have to scrub a toilet again? (Or at least not have to wait for the kids to do something wrong so I can make THEM do it?)

The kit I received included a can of Kaboom Foam-Tastic Cleaner along with a Kaboom Scrub Free Toilet System. The Scrub Free kit will keep your toilet bowl clean for up to 3 months and the Foam-Tastic Cleaner is a foamy, bubbly cleaner that sprays on purple and changes to white when it's ready to wipe off. Both contain Oxi-Clean, so I was excited to try it. I regularly use Oxi-Clean on my laundry.

As luck would have it, the weekend after the kit arrived, it turned out my son needed to do an extra chore or two. I handed him the can of Kaboom and put him to work. To my surprise, he found it rather fun to spray the foam all over the tub and sink. He told me it was like spraypainting and apparently that's a good thing when you're 13. He waited for the foam to turn from purple to white and then wiped it down.

I admit, he did a good job. That was the cleanest the bathroom had been in a while and I only had to send him back over a couple of spots. After the toilet was scrubbed, we also installed the Kaboom Scrub Free Toilet Cleaning System as well. It was easy to do--even for me. Now, it's been a while(almost 2 months) and while I DO still give it a quick cleaning and a swirl, we haven't had to actually scrub that toilet since. Getting refills is on my list!

Since the initial testing by my grumbling teen, I've since put the cleaner to work and I've been most impressed. It cleans great. It's fast. It's easy and the toilet isn't gross. Now that's a good thing.

For busy moms, I totally recommend both of these products from Kaboom--especially if you don't enjoy cleaning, like me. They're perfect because you won't have to spend quite so much time scrubbing away the dirt!

*I received this product from Great Cleaners to review. The opinions stated in this review are my own and are stated as accurately and honestly as possible.

Food Loop Lace

Do you like to stuff your turkey? If you do, you'll want to check out the Food Loop Lace. Think of it as a silicone and stainless steel needle and thread. Instead of lacing up your turkey the traditional way, use this handy Food Loop Lace to do so. Best of all, you can use it over again.

I generally don't stuff my turkeys because I prefer dressing on the side, but this year, I wanted to try out the Food Loop Lace, so I decided to do a little of both. It was easy to use and did a great job keeping the turkey closed.

One of the things I like best is that it comes with a handy little mesh bag so you can throw it in the dishwasher. It was easy enough after the turkey was done to just pull it off and throw it in the dishwasher.

The Food Loop Lace isn't just for turkeys. You can use it on fish, roasts and anything else that you'd normally stuff and/or need to tie shut while cooking.

Here are some things you should know about the Food Loop Lace. It's:

• Heat resistant to 675 degrees Fahrenheit
• Made from FDA-compliant silicone
• Medical grade stainless
• Arthritis friendly
• Comes with a mesh/ dishwasher storage bag
• Nonstick
• Reusable
• 22” long

You can watch a video about it and see how it works here. You can also purchase it for $10 plus shipping through the site or at Amazon for $9.95. These would make really fun stocking stuffers for the cook in your life.

*I was provided a Food Loop Lace by Fusionbrands for my review and the opinions in this review are my own.

Men of a Certain Age

Men of a Certain Age is a new show premiering on TNT this Sunday, Dec. 7th at 10/9 central. I was lucky enough to receive an advance preview of the show and I really enjoyed it!

Men of a Certain age stars Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap, Star Trek: Enterprise) and Andre Braugher (Homicide: Life on the Street.) Now, really. Who doesn't love Ray Romano? The show centers around these three friends and their very different lives. Ray is separated from his wife. Scott Bakula's character is living the bachelor life and Andre Braugher's alter ego is a family man.

The show is about getting older and hitting that "second act" of life. That hits home to me as I hit a milestone this year, but I sure don't feel like I am that "magical" number.

I enjoyed the show and will definitely watch beyond the premiere. It also has a great soundtrack. You'll hear some of your old favorites(well, if your my age they'll be your old favorites) like Styx, Creedence Clearwater Revival and even Air Supply is mentioned in the premiere!

I hope you'll remember to tune in this Sunday at 10/9 central for the premiere of Men of a Certain Age on TNT. In the meantime, enjoy a sneak peak by