Money + Wisdom

Mommy-money blogger Crystal Paine distills her best financial advice and secrets from her blog MONEY SAVING MOM®, to help families get their finances in order. Based on The Money Saving Mom’s Seven Rules for Financial Success and written in a simple, straight-forward style, this book offers an easy plan for a complete financial makeover.

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In the first few chapters, you'll learn how to set big financial goals and actually follow through with them, how to organize your home and life so you can have more time to focus on getting your finances in order, and how to implement a realistic cash budget system that can transform your financial situation.

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After laying the foundation for financial success in the first few chapters, Paine then teaches you step-by-step how to cut your grocery and household expenditures by 30% to 50%. You'll learn both basic and advanced couponing techniques, 25 practical ways to save money on groceries without clipping coupons, how to buy prescription glasses for under $20, how to dress your children for free, and much more.

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The book will be released January 12, 2012.

But you can pre-order your copy here for only $10.99 (+ shipping).

Give-A-Way - 4 Tickets to the Harlem Globetrotters!!

Looking for a fun & unique experience for Christmas?

Have family coming to visit and need a great activity for everyone?

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Hot on the heels of the most successful year in franchise history, the legendary Harlem Globetrotters will celebrate their 86th Anniversary season when their dazzling 2012 World Tour comes to Pittsburgh, PA, showcasing the wholesome family entertainment that has provided lifetime memories for generations of fans. The Harlem Globetrotters will take the court at CONSOL Energy Center on Monday, December 26th, 2011 at 7 pm for one show only!  

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Harlem Globetrotters

Monday, December 26 at 7:00pm

CONSOL Energy Center

Tickets are on sale now at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Box Office at CONSOL Energy Center, Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone at 800-745-3000.

Tickets start at just $20!

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This will be a basketball show like nothing you've ever seen before!

This year the Globetrotters Introduce Class of Newcomers, Highlighted by the Tallest Pro Basketball Player, the Shortest Globetrotter Ever, and the Team’s First Female in 19 Years.

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Consider purchasing a Giant Eagle Family Fun Pack! 

 $78 for 4 tickets (a great discount!) and $20 worth of Ticket+ (concession value is included on the ticket - $5 per ticket – you can just scan the barcode on the tickets at a concession stand during the event to buy food or beverage)… normally $136 value!  You can buy these online at Ticketmaster, by phone at 800-745-3000 or at Giant Eagle locations that have a Ticketmaster outlet.
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We have a family 4-pack to giveaway!

{You will be given 4 vouchers for the tickets to redeem for actual tickets at the Box office of the CONSOL Energy Center.}

Go here to enter to win!

Entries open until Friday, November 18th, 8am.

Good Luck!

Light Up Night in the 'Burgh!

YAY! One of my favorite nights of the year is almost here!

51^st Annual Duquesne Light Light Up Night® 

Friday, Nov. 18

2^nd Annual Horse-drawn Candlelight Carriage Parade

Saturday, Nov. 19

 The region's largest event and one of the largest holiday celebrations in the country!   We've planned two BIG days of exciting, FREE, high-quality family entertainment.
Events and activities for the entire family are scheduled all-day Saturday
throughout the Golden Triangle. Make a new holiday tradition in Downtown Pittsburgh!

We're bringing back the Horse-Drawn Candlelight Carriage Parade, which attracted more than
250,000 attendees in its debut at the 50th Anniversary celebration in 2010!
Click here for event details.

Friday Nov. 18 will be a magical night we officially kick off the Downtown holiday shopping season in grand style! An array of special events, children's activities and dazzling performances are scheduled throughout the Golden Triangle from 5 - 10 p.m. Some of the evening's highlights include:

• Exciting performances by top-notch local performers on the Market Square stage
  
• Light Up Night® Bridge Party on the Roberto Clemente Bridge featuring performances by Pittsburgh's greatest stars, children's activities, food booths and more
  
• Light Up Night® March throughout Downtown featuring our region's best high school bands
  
• Grand Fireworks Finale by renowned Zambelli Internationale, including dynamic special effects and Zambelli's signature "Niagara Falls"

Additional holiday events and happenings will take place throughout the evening at PPG Place, Fifth Avenue Place and One Oxford Centre.

Sale - Tea Collection

The Tea Collection has started a referral program and the reward is fabulous! Click here to set up an account and you'll get a discount code for $25 off a $50 purchase! Then you should get your own referral code that you can give to friends, and when they make a $50 purchase, you'll get a $25 certificate! If you check out their sale section, it might be totally worth it!

Get a Melissa & Doug 25% Off Coupon When You Take the North "Poll"

Melissa & Doug want you to tell them which of their educational toys you think is the best!

 Just click on the image below to place your vote in the North "Poll!"

You'll Get a Melissa & Doug 25% Off Coupon** to use at MelissaAndDoug.com just for voting!

FoodDrive2011

We are one week away from our FoodDrive2011!

We hope you will join us in collecting food for this good cause!

RSVP here.

 

Please join us for our annual Let's Give Back event! This year we are partnering with mom, Joy, to gather items to donate to the Greater Pgh Food Bank.

*Please note*
We will be collecting food at our Nov. 16th playdate, however, you can also drop off your items (at various locations) any time during the month of November! See all details for our playdate here.

FEEDING FAMILIES THIS FALL
Today, 1 in 6 Americans is facing hunger. Our nation’s food banks – once an emergency resource for short-term need – are now the principal source of food for millions of hungry families, children, students and elderly.
In Pennsylvania, more than half a million children face food insecurity. To see what the rates are where you live (through an impressive interactive map), click here. Luckily, there are about a zillion ways you can help. Please choose one or more and help feed hungry families this fall.

 To Donate Food:
 Are you local to Pgh? Help us reach our goal of 100 lbs of food!  
•We will be accepting donations of food at our (Joy & Brian's) house  now through November 12.
•We are also planning a food collection at the Nov. 16 Momtourage playdate - Friendship/Bloomfield neighborhood
•CMU staff is also doing a food drive; locations are throughout campus,
•or you can drop food off at Queenie's office (NSH 4615) and we'll pick it up.
•You can also take items directly to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank at 1 North Linden Street, Duquesne, PA 15110
•or to any of their year-round drop-off locations.

Most-needed items are: Cereal (high fiber, low sugar), Tuna and/or Canned Salmon (packed in water), Fruit or Vegetable Juice (100%, any size) Canned Beans (kidney, black, navy), Canned Vegetables, Peanut Butter (15 or 18 oz), Canned fruit, Toilet or Facial Tissue, Laundry Detergent, Diapers (baby & adult). Non-perishable items only ~~~ PLEASE NO GLASS ITEMS .

To Donate Money:
Don't have time to get to the store or a drop-off point? Give money instead.
•You can donate to the Greater Pgh Food Bank here.
•or use their virtual food drive and purchase specific items without leaving the comfort of your chair or the comforting glow of your screen. •You can also donate to Feeding America, a national network of food assistance programs,
•or use their locator and find the donation info for the food bank nearest you (expats look here).

Even if you don't live in Pittsburgh, you can still join with us in donating items to your local food bank!

100 LBS. OF FOOD..............READY, SET, GET!!!!!!!!!!!!

the SnotSucker giveaway!

Intrigued.................?

Well, I was when I heard various friends mention this little gadget!

We all know that it gets pretty miserable for little ones when cold season comes around (and stays around forEver!)  

Enter the NoseFrida snotsucker!

It's a nasal aspirator that ACTUALLY WORKS!

It's doctor-invented and doctor-recommended.

It's fabulously reviewed (Parenting, Baby Talk, Cookie).

It's completely hygienic due to the included filters.

It's been used by European moms and dads for years.

It's nosefrida. The snotsucker.

Nosefrida was kind enough to send me one to check out for myself. Like me, you have probably all used the little blue nosesuckers with not always great results. This one suctions out the snot really easily & cleanly. Go here to answer all your FAQ's & to view a video on how to use the snotsucker.

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New format for entering our giveaways!

 Click below and fill out the simple form to enter.

Yes, you're welcome. =)

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Go here to enter for your chance to win a NoseFrida snotsucker!

Contest will close on Friday, November 11, 2011 at 8am.
One winner will be chosen by random.org.