durhamonthecheap

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Vocalpoint sampling event: Clairol Nice 'N Easy Root Touch-Up + Giveaway!

Through Vocalpoint.com I received a sampling kit for Root Touch-Up by Nice 'N Easy (Clairol). It included a coupon for a free product for me to try out the root touch up and several free product coupons for my readers! So we will have another giveaway for the Root Touch-Up kit by Clairol - more details below.

So I went to Harris Teeter, which had the kit on sale for $3.99 (down from $5.99 regular price) and selected the dark blond, which most closely matched my hair tone. The selection is really easy because the color choices cover the range from really, really light blond to jet black and everything in between. The use of the kit is very easy. It comes with everything you need, including a little mixing bowl so you do not soil your bathroom with the coloring agent. You mix the product in the included container, then use the supplied comb to cover your roots that may peek through after your latest coloring session and voila! you have just extended your coloring for up to another 3 weeks and saved yourself a bunch of money! Who does not like the sound of that?

I have now used the Root Touch-Up in dark blond (pictures to follow soon). But I like how easy the application is and the fact that you can extend the lifespan of your coloring treatment at a bargain prize and saving, even on the little splurges in life, is so important in this economy. my coloring treatments are kind of boring since I always stick to my natural color and try to match it as closely as possible. But I have often wondered what I would look like as a redhead or with really dark brown hair. I think if I had a choice to just switch color for one day to try it out, I would go with a really dark brown. Not the wildest of colors, but I think that dark brown would fit my character and I just do not like green or purple streaks in my hair. I know that some people like to have their wild streak visible in their hair and I have a friend who had purple as well as pink hair for a while and she looked good. It is just not me. But we all can dream and so this is my question to you for the required blogpost to enter the contest. If your hair could be any color, which color would you like it to be?

So thanks to Vocalpoint and Clairol, I have a giveaway for two first prizes. Each prize pack will contain a coupon for a free Root Touch-Up as well as a coupon for a $2 off Root Touch-Up kit. This means that each winner can extend the duration of their coloring treatment twice at little to no cost! Entering is very easy. Just leave a blog comment (mandatory) indicating which is your dream color! Then you can get additional entries for social networking activities, including the possibility to tweet daily about the giveaway. Winners will be chosen by Rafflecopter, totally unbiased and fair.

Giveaway started on 11-3-13 and ends midnight 11-24-13. Good Luck to everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: I received a free product and financial compensation through Vocalpoint in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this blog are solely my own and have not been influenced by any third party.

Vocalpoint campaign: Secret Clinical Strength Invisible Solid with 100% Odor Protection

I love how nicely everything is packaged. I am looking forward to some new deodorants and Secret is one of the brands I rely on for everyday use. So I am double excited to get two samples sent to me for review. Thanks Vocalpoint.com!

First I tried out the invisible solid. The first thing that struck me was the scent, it is amazing. I absolutely love the fresh scent of this product by Secret. And the Secret deo works well. It goes on invisible, leaving no greasy marks and keeps you dry for a whole day at work. Plus did I mention how nice is smells? I really felt like no need for perfume because I did not want to spoil the nice scent of the Secret deodorant.

So I am now happily wearing the Secret Invisible Solid for a week and it does not disappoint. Despite some high stress situations at work and at home, no problem and no sweat! I am still in love with this product after a week as much I had been that first day. Here is a little video I made about the product. Sorry for going on about the scent, but I still love that scent. Next on my agenda, the clear gel product. Watch this blog for updates!

Also included the giftpack was a coupon book with several free product coupons and other high dollar value off coupons for other P&G products. I love this campaign because now I can splurge on some drugstore products as well.

Disclaimer: I received two free samples for review and sampling. The opinions expressed in this blog are solely my own and have not bee influenced by any third party, including Vocalpoint.com!

Freebie at Walgreens - 8x10 collage use code BOOCOLLAGE - TODAY ONLY!

Simply go here, sign in to your Walgreens account and happy collaging. You can usually pick these up the same day. This is an awesome way to remember Halloween 2013 by and your kids wonderful costumes.

Friday, November 1, 2013

Kroger Freebie Friday - Betty Crocker Cookies or Muffins!

Kroger Freebie Friday - go to Kroger.com, sign in and download a coupon for free Free Pouch of Betty Crocker Cookies or Muffins.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

bzzagent Product Review: Halloween TruMoo®

Through bzzagent.com I received a coupon for a free container of Halloween TruMoo^® as well as a number of coupons for 75 cents off a quart. TruMoo is available in two flavors, chocolate and vanilla. The vanilla flavor is new and just in time for Halloween, TruMoo decided to appropriately stain the vanilla milk in a seasonal orange!

I had to go to Walmart to redeem my coupon because neither Kroger nor Harris Teeter carried TruMoo. But no problem, at Walmart I got the gallon chocolate milk, regularly priced for around $5, and we are thoroughly enjoying the wonderful flavor. Healthy, but tasty, is a wonderful combination and I soon discovered that I can make my own version of a seasonal chocolate milk at home. Walmart did not have the orange flavored vanilla milk and so in the mood for Fall, I decided to add some Pumpkin Spice creamer to the chocolate milk to make my own Pumpkin Spice drink at a fraction of the cost than at the coffee places, but equally enjoyable and probably more healthy as well. All that calcium does a body well.

And right now is the perfect time to sign up for TruMoo special offers on Fracebook because TruMoo has a sweepstakes going on for fantabulous prices.So head on over to TruMoo on Facebook here and sign up. Just for signing up, you get an instant Goosebumps DVD coupon.

Disclaimer: I received a coupon for a free product from bzzagent.com in exchange for an honest review. The views expressed in the blog post are solely my own and have not been influenced by any third party.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Book Review: This Is Your Captain Speaking: My Fantastic Voyage Through Hollywood, Faith & Life by Gavin McLeod and Mark Dagostino

We all know this author. Gavin McLeod has been an almost constant presence in our living rooms for decades. First as newsroom worker on the Mary Tyler Moore Show and then as Captain Stubing on the Love Boat. Few people know that Mr. McLeod has transformed the Love Boat stint into a long-term association with Princess Cruises, for which he acts as a global ambassador. He regularly attends cruises, speaking to passengers and signing autographs for his many fans.

In this book, Mr. McLeod shares his memories from his TV roles on the Mary Tyler Moor Show and the Love Boat, but also discusses his memories from other television and movie adventures that included such notables as Cary Grant, Steve McQueen and Gregory Peck. We get to know Gavin McLeod the movie actor that also starred in serious roles and freely acknowledges that he benefited a lot from the exposure with better known stars such as Peck and Grant. I think it is this humbleness that really makes Mr. McLeod such a likable character and makes you feel as if you are listening to a neighbor talking about his adventures in Hollywood.

McLeod also describes his upbringing, which was not glamorous at all, and this too helps the reader to connect to Gavin McLeod on a more personal level. The book also covers his life away from the theater, including personal issues that he dealt with, but also the joy he experiences when he attends another wedding and plays the proud father. This book really makes you feel part of his family and you can understand in the end, why Mr. McLeod feels that God is such an integral part of his life and why he is so intent on including God in this mission in life. Now with McLeod happily remarried again, after a divorce that proved a difficult time to McLeod, this book ends on a very optimistic note by McLeod, who feels very confident about his future.

I enjoyed this book. It is not that overtly Christian, although his belief in God is explicitly mentioned throughout the book. I did not feel that this book read like a sermon, but McLeod makes no apologies for his belief (and he should not have to). If you are looking for a book to learn more about one of the main TV stars from the 60s and 70s, this book is an interesting read. I found the private person Gavin McLeod to be quite charming and someone that could fit into my neighborhood, without looking like a Hollywood transplant.

Disclaimer: I was provided this book for free through booksneeze.com in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own and have not been influenced by any third party.

Product sampling: Crowdtap - StarKist Tuna Creations in Ranch Flavor

Through Crowdtap.com I received a free sample of StarKist Tuna Creations in Ranch flavor and could not wait to try out this new kind of Tuna in a pouch. This packaging is perfect to take to work for lunch because it does not need to be cooled and it is conveniently limited to one serving at less than 100 calories.

I could not wait to try out the Ranch flavored Tuna and so I bought a large bag of simple mixed lettuce with just some carrots and cabbage slivers in it. Then I went to the salad bar at Harris Teeter and added some additional toppings, such as bell peppers, corn salsa, mushrooms, and radishes. These toppings created some additional texture and flavor. Last, I added the centerpiece of the meal, the StarKist Tuna Creations in Ranch. The pouch may look small, but it is tightly packed and adds a good amount of protein to the meal.

I did not take me long to finish the salad and I loved every bite of it. The Tuna is flaky and not oily at all. The Ranch flavor is light and not overpowering. So my salad was a wonderful combination of tuna in Ranch flavor and the flavors and textures of the salad. Since I usually just add oil and vinegar to my salad, the light flavor of the Tuna did not overpower the flavor of the peppers, radishes and the mushrooms. The corn salsa and quinoa salad were still packing a nice flavor punch despite the many different ingredients. I really felt as if I was eating a restaurant salad and with the tuna added, the salad turned into a filling, satisfying meal.

Disclosure: I received a free pouch of StarKist Tuna Creations in Ranch flavor in exchange for a sampling and an honest review. The views expressed on this blog are solely my own and have not been influenced by Starkist, Crowdtap or any third party.