The Best Free Instant Virtual Makeover

Before you spend money on a new haircut or new makeup, get a free virtual makeover so you can decide if you will like the new 'you.' Seriously, who has not shelled out some big bucks on a haircut just to walk out of the salon full of regret? Even money spent at a drugstore cosmetics counter for makeup that you end up never wearing hurts, right?

Go to beautyriot.com and click on 'Free Virtual Makeover,' then upload your photo and set up your profile (all free, of course!). This may take a bit of time, but it is so worth it! After you are done setting up your profile, you can have fun choosing all kinds of different items to try on your photo, from eyeliners to celebrity hair cuts. And we are talking real actual makeup products here - name brands, colors, everything. This is not just a 'generic' type of make-over with generic colors and such.  You can see how that new shade of CoverGirl lipstick you've been eyeing looks on you, or check out if Jennifer Aniston's haircut works for you. (Just saying.)

So why not check out a free preview of the 'new you' before throwing away spending money on a look you may end up not liking after all?  Plus, it really is fun. And free. Free fun. Can't beat that now, can you??

But a word of caution here. You may spend more time playing around on this website than you planned to. It can get quite addicting. So now that you have been warned, go on over and start having fun picking out your next awesome look!

Get Free Stuff By Signing Up With HouseParty

Everyone loves freebies, and I have come across a great place to get some amazing free stuff.  House Party is a website where you and your friends can be the first to try out new products from sponsors waiting to get your feedback!

 By hosting a party, you get to try products from sponsors for free, and give out free stuff to your friends as well! You don’t pay anything or sell anything. Just tell the sponsor of your party what you and your guests thought of the products.

You will need to first sign up {free} at House Party.  Next, you can go check out the upcoming parties, and apply to be a host of any that interest you. If you are selected to be a host, you will receive a party pack full of products, cooking tools and party decorations to share with your friends.

Some of the party packs already distributed included:

Video games and controllers
Advance copies of TV shows and movies
Gourmet chocolate
Board games
Coffee makers
Mugs, glassware and plates
Action figures
Aprons, oven mitts and kitchen items
Stickers, window clings and party decorations
Baby toys, food and other products
T-shirts and hats
Reusable tote bags
Pizza cutters
Health and beauty products

Sounds cool, doesn't it?

And if you are not sure about how to host a party, there is a section on the site that gives you detailed step-by-step ideas from invitations to decorating.

They also have parties organized into categories, to make it easier for you to find one that suits your interest:

kids products:

food and beverage

TV, movies & music

household products

So if you love getting free stuff, go check out www.houseparty.com.

If you have already signed up with House Party, we would love to hear what you think of it!

Make Your Own Apple Oatmeal Facial

We always have packages of instant oatmeal in our kitchen pantry, so this make-it-yourself facial is one of my favorites (and it smells delicious too!!)

Apple-Oatmeal Facial

1 packet instant oatmeal
1 tsp. apple cider
1 Tbs. almond oil

Blend ingredients in blender. Massage mixture all over your face. Place a warm washcloth over your skin for about 3-5 minutes. Then rinse with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry gently.

Get Free Stuff By Using EcoFreek.com

Have you heard of ecofreek yet? And if so, are you using it? This site makes finding free items as easy as can be!

How it works:


Just type in any item you are looking for from toys, books, clothing, furniture to sporting goods. Enter your city and state, and EcoFreek instantly searches websites like Craigslist, Freecycle and Facebook for local ads listing similar items for free.

It's like having an assistant working for you. But you don't have to pay them! So if you are looking for a free chair or table, let's say, head on over to ecofreek and let the nice people behind the website find it for you!

3 Websites Offering Free Homework Help Online For Your Kids

One of my children is now in high school (!!) and we are finding out just how challenging it can be academically (for her, and for us.) Luckily there are websites online offering free help to kids that could use a little extra help with subjects like algebra, English and history. If you are a parent and are scratching your head at some of the homework your kids are bringing home, here are 3 websites that you both might find helpful in completing those assignments - and may help you save money on tutoring costs.

Cramster.com. Online tutors are available to answer questions via email from students in the ninth grade through college. 

Number2.com. This website offers practice exams for the SAT, ACT and GRE. Kids can follow their own progress, and get coaching to help improve their scores.

CliffNotes.com. A great website for school kids of all ages. This website has hundreds of study guides, book summaries, articles and information to help students with their English studies.

Quick Homemade Help For Dry Skin

Get itchy dry skin help from your kitchen in a flash, and save money by not buying expensive facial scrubs at the drugstore.

Take 1 tsp. yogurt and 1 tsp. sugar. Mix together. Rub mixture gently on your face ( works best if your skin is damp,) and then rinse completely.

The yogurt hydrates your skin while the sugar buffs away dry flaky skin.

A fast, cheap and easy way to help to soften your skin in just a few minutes!!

Want to Save More? Stand Up Straight!

Did you know that if you lean just a little to the left while deciding if you should buy something or not, chances are greater that you will end up buying that item??

I am not making this up. Honest. There was a study done that shows that people who tend to lean left will underestimate figures. Even just a little leaning might make you think something is a better deal than it really is, prompting you to spend money and buy it!

Researchers say that this strange phenomenon may have to do with our natural inclination to automatically think of smaller numbers being on the left and larger numbers on the right.

So next time you are window shopping, stand up straight and save your money!

You can read more here about this research.

Superbowl Snacking Made Easy: Cheesy Corn Muffins With Bacon and Jalapeno

These corn muffins are easy to make (especially when you use packaged corn muffin mix such as Jiffy,) but taste very yummy!

For about 12 muffins, you will need:

2 boxes corn muffin mix ( try Jiffy)
2 large eggs
About 1 cup shredded cheese (we like the sharp cheese here, but use which kind you like)
1 large Jalapeno, seeded
5-7 slices cooked bacon, crumbled (we use Morningside veggie bacon here...it is awesome in these muffins!)
1 cup low-fat sour cream -  nonfat yogurt works okay as well, or 1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and line muffin pan with liners
Prepare muffin mix but do not add milk
Mix in bacon, jalapeno and sour cream (or yogurt)
Mix well
Divide batter into 12 muffin cups
Bake about 15-18 minutes (or until that handy toothpick comes out clean from the middle of a muffin!)

How to Save Money When Eating Out? Use These Six Websites!

Eating out at restaurants is bad for our budgets. We know.  And I am betting that almost everyone who reads this post has cut way back on the number of times they go out to eat, or has stopped going out to eat completely.

My husband and I have definitely changed our eating out habits, and cook much more at home these days. But I confess, I love going out to a restaurant once in a while, so I have zero plans to give up this guilty pleasure completely.

 I mean, even a money-pinching saving girl like me has to have fun sometimes. We may not go out to dinner much, but we still do go once in a while....kids and all.

So if you are like me and enjoy sitting in a restaurant and being served food instead of being the one doing the serving, and relaxing while someone else deals with those dirty dishes, check out these six websites which can help you save money and enjoy your meal out even more!

Find coupons for restaurants at EatDrinkDeals.com. They list the most recent coupons and deals available for over 100 major restaurants chains, such as Olive Garden, Chik-Fil-A, McDonalds, Sweet Tomatoes/Soup Plantation and more!

With DineOutCheap.com, you can have exclusive deals from local restaurants sent directly to your phone or email. You will also find coupons for independently-owned restaurants as well as the major chain restaurants on their site. You can search by a particular eateries' name or by entering your zip code.

iDine.com offers a cash back program where you will earn up to 15% back on your restaurant tabs. The program seems a bit complicated to me, plus you will need to register a credit or debit card to participate, but check it out and see if it might work for you (especially if you tend to eat out a lot.)

With OpenTable.com, you can earn 100 points for every restaurant reservation you make through their website. Making reservations is free, and you can redeem your points for gift cards you can use at participating restaurants. To learn more, scroll down to the bottom of their homepage to their 'About' section, and click on the link, 'dining rewards.'

You can compare restaurant prices for similar meals by going to AllMenus.com, where you can search hundreds of restaurant menus, including prices.

And if you are going out to eat with kids, find restaurants that have 'kids eat free' deals by going to KidsMealDeals.com.

Do you have any money-saving secrets you use when you go out to eat?