Crowdtap Sample Share: Woolite Everyday Detergent

As I stated yesterday, one benefit of membership in Crowdtap besides the great GCs to amazon.com and other retailers are the sample share opportunities. I am now sampling Woolite. I had previously sampled Woolite Dark and now I got 10 single load packages for Woolite Everyday.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - content of Woolite sample package (detergent sample, $1off coupon, project letter)

The package arrived late last week and contained 10 packages of Woolite Everyday. Each package containing enough detergent for one large load, $1off coupon and an insert with information about Woolite as well as an ongoing contest with a chance to win prizes. I also got a Woolite Sampling letter from Crowdtap with an explanation of the project.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - the laundry detergent and new look for Woolite Everyday

I really like that they include a $1off coupon in each package because detergent these days is so expensive and getting some extra savings is great. Especially since several grocery stores, such as Harris Teeter, will double coupons that are $1off. 

I have just done my first load of laundry with the new Woolite Everyday and will post pictures as an update to the post. But the detergent is clear, which I like, even though it was unusual at first because I am so used to blue detergents. The scent of the new detergent is nice, not too strong and certainly not artificial.

I have been using more and more Woolite lately, starting with when I first received Woolite Complete, which stressed the fact that Woolite was great for all kinds of clothing, not just delicates. I then was also included in the sampling of Woolite dark that I now use regularly my for jeans and I am so happy with it for darker clothes that I use regularly and need to last a long time. Woolite Dark is gentle on the clothes, yet leaves them clean and smelling fresh. And now the sampling of Woolite Everyday. Based on my recent Woolite experiences, I have high hopes for this Woolite and I am convinced that my friends, who get a sample bag of Woolite, will be equally happy with the quality of Woolite as a detergent.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - the range of Woolite detergents that are now available in stores.

Disclaimer: I received free Woolite Everyday samples to use and share from Crowdtap in exchange for an honest review and providing honest feedback about the detergent.The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own and have not been influenced by Crowdtap or any third party. If you would like to sign up for membership in Crowdtap, simply go to crowdtap.com and fill in the required information for a new account.

Crowdtap Sampling Event: Cottonelle Toilet Paper and Flushable Wipes

I use Crowdtap as an easy and quick way to accumulate a very nice share of Amazon GCs. In addition to gift cards you occasionally get invited to participate in sample and share events, such as the current Cottonelle event. I received a huge box this past week that contained:

• One 18pk Cottonelle Clean Care Toilet Paper - to keep
• Two 4pks of Cottonelle Clean Care Toilet Paper - to share
• Three tubs of Cottonelle Fresh Care Flushable Wipes - one to keep, two to share

Now this may not be the most exciting free product I have received, but it is something every household needs on the regular basis and so add that to the list of items to scratch off the grocery list for a while!

copyright Durhamonthecheap - my Crowdtap sampling and sharing kit!

 Unfortunately due to shipping costs I cannot host a national giveaway for the sample items and so I will share them with people locally and solicit their feedback.

So why the name clean care and what makes it special? Per amazon.com description here, the Cottonelle Clean Care Toilet Paper is strong and effective with extra-absorbent ripples.We will see. Being a little bit more pricey than the store brands, if you need less, then the price may even itself out or you may actually save money compared to store brands.

For those readers who are like me concerned about the environment the flushable wipes come with a bagged refill available at local stores, so you can reuse the initial container and only toss a plastic bag. Still not ideal to produce plastic waste, but making the container reusable is good and the refill bag contained 84 sheets, which is enough to fill the container up twice. So each refill bag should last a family quite some time and keep plastic waste down.

Overall, I am excited to see how much better the Cottonelle variety is and will share the extras next week! More feedback to come.

Disclaimer: I received free products from Cottonelle in exchange for an honest opinion and sharing products with others. The opinion expressed in this blog post are solely my own and have not been influenced by Crowdtap or any other third party.

Food Review: Taco Bell Doritos Locos Taco

So Taco Bell rolled out another new product earlier this Spring. On March 8th of this year, they released the Taco Bell Doritos Locos Taco. It is a combination of regular taco ingredients (beef, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese), but then had added reduced-fat sour cream as well as that the shell is made from Nacho Cheese Doritos Chips.

We ordered the box because it came with a bean burrito and a regular taco as well as a soda for less than $6 and can feed two people for lunch.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - Taco Bell box lunch with  Doritos Locos Taco

The review:
Let's start off with the regular menu items. The bean burrito was okay. What it is missing is some flavor. The beans and cheese are too soft and form a strange combination that is neither beans nor cheese. They add a little bit of onions and lettuce, but too little to really make a dent in the overall flavor. I would like to see some changes here; either add more onions or lettuce for crunch and textural interest or do not cook the beans into a pulp to provide some texture that way. Taco Bell is still mostly eaten by people with a full set of teeth and so some chewing and biting can be asked for when biting into a burrito. In its present consistency this burrito is pretty much for people without teeth. Overall, the burrito has 370 calories and 960mg of sodium, nutritionally not good and that is mostly due to the lack of fresh ingredients. - NOT RECOMMENDED

The regular taco is actually quite good. The shell is crispy, there is just enough beef to create the meat flavor and then the remaining ingredients (lettuce, tomato, cheese) are fresh nad provide a good crunch. This is perfect as a snack with just 170 calories as well as 290mg sodium and actually is pretty good. - RECOMMENDED


The Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Taco is definitely a step up flavor-wise from the first two ingredients. The shell really does taste like Doritos and adds a nice punch of spiciness. The taco is crunchy and the additional of ranch sauce is making the taco a lot of more flavorful and forms a nice combination with the Doritos shell. Nutritional information on the taco is 170 calories and 340mg of sodium, which makes the sodium quite high. Flavorful with the shell, sauce combination, this taco is a nice lunch, paired with something that keeps the sodium low such as a little salad. - RECOMMENDED

Overall, the box is quite filling and can serve as lunch for two people. I would not recommend buying the box because the bean burrito is just not very good. It is better to get an extra taco and have something to bite on.

Freebie: P&G sampler for the quarter - account required on P&G

Procter and Gamble has updated their freebie offering for the quarter. I found three samples available for me this quarter, including a sample of Oral B dental floss as well as a Pampers product  and a sample of Tide.

So head on over to Procter and Gamble here and request your samples. How easy can that be, one sign up, multiple samples and that four times a year!

Freeebie: Target.com Seventh Generation

Go to Target.com and fill out a short survey. At the end of which you will get a choice of Seventh Generation Natural Care products. You can choose either the Mandarin Facial Wipes or the Lavender-scented Lotion.

Here is the direct link to start the survey: Link Freebie (not Target.com account required)

Book review: Domination (A C.H.A.O.S. Novel) by Jon S. Lewis

I should preface that this is the third book in the trilogy and I would therefore recommend that any ready catch up on the prior storyline before reading this book. I clearly was at first uncertain about certain characters that I presume were introduced in the prior two books of the series. Nevertheless, for a young adult, this book is an entertaining adventure into a future in which Colt, the hero of the story, must defend humanity against alien enemies. The storyline is fast paced, includes sci-fi elements, but at its core is a story about good and, with the hero overcoming evil.

Somewhat reminiscent of the TV show The Pretender, kids are trained in special schools to defend mankind. One of these kids, Colt, may be the long awaited hero since he is the first successful experiment of injecting human children with Thule blood. Thule are the alien enemies of humanity and legend has it that Thule can only be destroyed by the Betrayer. The encourage the appearance of a Betrayer, children have been injected with Thule blood and Colt is the first success in rearing such a forcible warrior. The experiment has additional effects on Colt, who wonders what his future may be and experience loss and sacrifice in the name of his mission.

available on amazon.com here

The book has an age appropriate study guide in the end that poses several questions aimed in encouraging the young readers to apply some of Colt's experiences to their own lives. The questions are appropriate for children starting with age 10 and can still be relevant to teenagers. Overall, an interesting young adult read that encourages children to apply storylines to their lives and draw lessons or inspiration from books.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book through booksneeze in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed herein are my own and have not been influenced by booksneeze or any other third party.

Book review: The Ambassador’s Daughter by Pam Jenoff

I have not read many books that deal with the aftermath of WWI and so this book had me intrigued from the beginning. Pan Jenoff tells a kind of coming of age story detailing how Margot Rosenthal grows up to an independent woman in the Paris of 1919. Margot is in Paris, accompanying her father, who is involved in overseeing the Versailles Treaty. It becomes clear that Margot is not sad about having left behind Berlin and some demons, such as her fiancé Stefan, who returned from the war changed and a person that Margot hardly recognizes.

available on amazon.com here

In Paris, she soon discovers a number of interesting characters. There is the piano player Krysia and Georg, a German soldier, who still has open battle scars because of the war time trauma experienced. Of course any book playing in post-war Paris and involving the Versailles Treaty must have it share of intrigues and this book is no different. Trying to find a job, Margot ends up working with Georg. Her work for a German soldier makes her an interesting target for powers suspicious of whether the Germans are truly adhering to the stipulations of the Versailles Treaty. So can Margot avoid being drawn into the politics of Paris in 1919? After all, she is getting ready to marry Stefan, trying on wedding dresses and has the perfect excuse to simply focus on her wedding and ignore all else.

The author draws a lively picture of Paris during this crucial time in history and manages to let the reader experiences Paris through the eyes of Margot, a German girl that after initial hesitation realizes that Paris is actually a good place to spend some time in and grow up into an independent woman. The book is focused on Margot, her relationships, her personal growth and her impressions of Paris. The author does not go into details regarding the actual peace negotiations or the politics of the time. I therefore would describe this book to a romance first and secondary a historical novel. The book is fast-paced and through some interesting twists maintains the interest of the reader.