I don't like a lot of sweets and in fact rarely like cake or ice cream. But I have a weakness-I am a sucker for a fancy well made cupcake, and I have been known to scout out expensive, trendy, yummy cupcake spots all over the country. I have been known to pay $3-$6 for a single cupcake...it is not frugal but it is SO good.
I made a decision yesterday and chose to try to make my very first homemade, from scratch cupcakes of my life. I did not expect the high quality of the Fancy shops on the first try, but I hoped to get the flavors I wanted and maybe a recipe I could improve in the future.

I prepared by reading a LOT of recipes online for cupcakes and frosting as I could not find exactly what I wanted. So, I knew I was going to have to wing it a little-yes I said wing it for my first try at from scratch cupcakes.

I wanted to make a chocolate (fresh) raspberry cupcake with a nutella (chocolate hazelnut) cream cheese frosting. I combined recipes and researched and did all I could do. I went and got the ingredient and Guess what? I did it! I made my cupcakes. See:


They were met by mixed reviews from the kids (2 liked them, 2 did not):


But I liked them:

They were not perfect and could probably use some tweaking on the recipe, but they stopped me from going and spending $40 on a dozen. AND now in the future I feel more confident that I can make a good cupcake at home-I am sure I will get better as I practice more...who knows maybe someday you will see me on Cupcake Wars (haha).

This is freaking awesome! Seriously I did not know you could do this! I SOOO wish my aunt Cathy was still alive so I could have Goofy send her a picture! (Yes I know she was not a kid, but trust me-it would have made her day...ney year!)

Anyway, Couponing to Disney says that you can have your kid(s) write a fan letter to their favorite Disney character and they will get an autographed picture back. Just write them a letter at this address (Couponing to Disney said to be sure to let them know why you love them so much):

Walt Disney Company
Attn: Fan Mail Department
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

How awesome is that? I know what my kids and I will be doing this afternoon.

One of my favorite ways to get freebies is when a new deals site (like Groupon) offers a bonus for signing up. So, I am super happy to be able to tell you about this new site that is offering $10 credit when you sign up.

Savemore.com currently is offering a $10 credit when you sign up as a new customer. AND the deal today is for Nail Polish Strips (which I have been wanting to check out and try for a while now). You can pay $6 for $12 Worth of Nail Polish Strips + free shipping which means you can get this deal totally free with the $10 credit.

If you are interested, please sign up using my referral link here so I can also benefit from your joining (I get a $10 credit for referrals). I want to warn you first that you WILL have to enter your Credit Card number but it will charge you nothing when your total is under the $10 credit amount.

I told you that I am a Purex Insider And that as part of that I am able to share with you some information and giveaways for Purex products. Today I have the opportunity to start a new giveaway! Let me tell you all about the product. It is Purex with Zout.

What is it?

Purex with Zout is a new laundry detergent that combines the fabulous Purex detergent with the triple-enzyme stain-fighting power of Zout stain remover.

Here are a few facts about it:

• Uses THREE stain fighting enzymes that target different stains: Protease fights protein based stains like grass and blood, Amylase fights starchy stains like chocolate and tomato sauce, and Mannanase fights guar which is used as a thickened in many foods like ice cream, BBQ sauce and Salad dressing.
• Can be used in ALL machines including high efficiency.
• Can be used as a normal detergent OR you can pour directly on fabric for 5 minutes on tough stains.
• Comes in 2 varieties: Fresh Morning Burst and Free & Clear
• Priced to please! It costs less than leading detergents at prices ranging from $3.49-$7.99 depending on size.

What did we think?


What is the deal?

If you are wondering whether this is really good, Purex is asking you to "Prove it to yourself." And the way you can prove it to yourself is by requesting a free sample from them (if you have not already requested one). To do so, just go to this website and fill out the form.

On top of requesting the sample, you can also try to win a full size bottle here on Beckee's Deals!

Here is how to enter the Giveaway (PLEASE make sure to leave an email address in each comment so I can reach you should you win):

What can you win: Two lucky Beckee's Deals readers will each win a coupon for a free full size bottle of Purex with Zout.

MANDATORY ENTRY (Must do this first for other entries to count): Go Visit the Purex with Zout page here, then come back to this post and leave a comment letting me know really anything you noticed about Purex on their site that stuck out to you.

Once you have done that, you can get 5 extra entries by doing the following things (Just make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry, and leave me your email address in each comment so I know how to contact you should you win):

1. Become a PUBLIC GFC follower of my blog.

2. Subscribe to my blog via Email or an RSS feed/reader. (Yes-you can use this entry if you are already an email or RSS subscriber- just let me know how you subscribe to my blog).


4. Follow me on Twitter here.

5. Tell me how you found this giveaway

Be sure to leave a comment for each entry with your email address. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. This giveaway ends on Tuesday, July 26th at 11:59 PM Central Time.

***As mentioned, I am a Purex Insider, and Purex provided me with a FREE sample of the detergent for myself as well as 2 coupons for the giveaway. However, as always all opinions are my own!***

**Local readers-please note that on their website it says there shirts are "while supplies last, with the exception of Tennessee, Nebraska, St. Louis & Columbia, MO" I don't actually think our Noodles & Company store has salads at all, thus no shirts? That is my guess anyway...sorry)***

I am not sure whether you can read that, but it says that Noodles & Company is giving away 50-10 degrees of Salad shirts at the opening of their stores this morning (that is 50 PER store). You can read more about what this is and how it works here.

I got this in an email and it appears to be a nationwide event for Noodles & Company (with the exception of Nebraska-BOO, Tennessee, St Louis & Columbia, MO), but I would call your local store and see if they are participating or go in right at 10:30 when they open and see if they are participating and whether you can score a shirt! Best of luck and let me know if you get a shirt-I would be happy to be one of the friends you pass it on to! :)

This is a super hot coupon! Go to Coupons.com and use zip code 84711, then look for the coupon for $5/5 Kelloggs cereal. (This picture I took says print limit reached because I printed it my personal limit of 2 prints-you should still be able to get it right now). That being said though, this coupon will go fast as it is AWESOME (Especially awesome for local readers since Bag N Save has Kellogg's cereals 50% off Friday through Sunday-I am thinking this is going to be a great week to stock up on some super cheap cereal!!!
Thanks for the coupon heads up Couponing to be Debt Free.

I have been sitting on this for a couple weeks and was unable to share this until it was official! It is now official and I am SOOOO excited to share this personal BIG WIN with you!

I told you all here about how through my association as a BzzAgent on Bzzagent.com,
I got the chance to take a challenge from Silk! I got to try the Silk for Milk 10-day challenge!

Well as part of that Bzz campaign, there was an option to post up to 3 videos about my 10 day challenge experience. Each video would enter youinto a contest to possibly win FREE Silk Milk for 6 months, or a GRAND PRIZE of $5000. I got this news a couple weeks ago:

Yes-you read that right-my submission was selected as the GRAND PRIZE winner pending elegibility verification. Well as of yesterday I was informed that my verification is done and I am Officially the Grand Prize Winner of $5000!!!!!! WAHOO!!!!

I used Random.org to generate the winner in the Protech Dent Child's Mouth Guard giveaway. I had 28 entries and Random.org chose entry #26.

The winner was:

26. lyndseyluvsjj said...
I like you on FB


I have emailed Lyndsey and she has 48 hours to get back to me (If you are the winner and did not get my email, please check your spam folder or email me at beckeesdeals AT gmail DOT com)!

Here are my favorite deals in Omaha grocery this week:
Hyvee

• Powerade Sports drinks $.49 (32 fl oz)
• Planters new peanut butter 16.3 oz $1.38
• Hy Vee Pasta 16 oz $.88
• Green Peppers 2/$1
• Globe Artichokes $.99 each
• Nestle Ice Cream Bars, Sandwiches or Drumsticks 4 or 6 count $2.99

In addition to their regular week long special, Hy Vee also has a 4 Day Sale  Wednesday 7/6-Saturday 7/9 that includes the following:

• Rotella Vienna Bread 17 oz $.98
• Hy Vee 2 liter Pop $.48
• Roberts Milk $1.98 gallon (with in ad coupon)
• Local Grown cucumber 2/$1

In addition to their regular week long special, HyVee also has a 2 Day Sale Friday 7/8-Saturday 7/9 that includes the following:

• 15% off all Meat, seafood, lunchmeat, cheese, and deli items you can fit into one of their grocery sacks
• Pepsi Products 6 pack 24 oz bottles 4/$10 

No Frills Fresh

• Wonder Classic Bread 16 oz 100% soft wheat or 20 oz white $1.35
• Farmland Breakfast Sausage 12-16 oz links or rolls $1.49

Bag N Save

• Frozen Boneless Chicken Breast or Tenders (Tyson) $1.49/lb
• Yellow Peaches or Necterines $.97/lb
• Boneless Beef Rump Roast $2.69/lb
• Grape Tomatoes 16 oz pkgs 2/$3

In addition to their regular week long special, Bag N Save also has a 3 Day Sale Friday 7/8-Sunday 7/10 that includes the following:

• 50% off ALL Kellogg's cereals (while supplies last)

Baker's (Remember their sales are almost always WITH card)

• Banquet Entrees or Banquet Brown N Serve Sausage $.69
• Dillons Large dozen eggs $.99
• Coke 2 L Soft Drinks $.89
• Cheetos 7.75-10.25 or Fritos 9.25-10.5 oz $1.69
• Capri Sun or Kool Aid Jammers $1.67

Aldi

• Cantaloupe $.99 each (large size)
• Strawberry 1 pt clamshell $.99

Super Saver

• Frito Lay Family Size Snacks (Doritos, Ruffles, Tostitos, or Munchies 13.5-18 oz) $2.98
• Black or Red Plums $.96/lb
• Coke Product 24 packs $5.48 (limit 2)
• Best Choice Cheese 8 oz $1.28

In addition to their regular week long special, Super Saver also has a Weekend Ice Cream Sale Friday 7/8-Sunday 7/10 that includes the following:

• Coke Products 6 pack 24 oz bottles $2.48 (limit 4)
• Budget Saver Twin Pops Assorted 18 ct $1.58
• Best Choice Sundae Cones assorted 6 ct $2.16
• Edy's Ice Cream Assorted 1.5 qt. 2/$5
• Ice Cream cones or cups (Best Choice, 12-18 ct) $.98
• Celery $.66 each

Fareway

• Strawberries $.99/lb
• Rotella Italian Sandwich Bread $.99
• Dozen Medium Eggs $.88
• Roma Tomatos $.88/lb
• Smoked Sliced Slab Bacon $2.99 lb

***Remember that I generally just price match at Walmart as much as I can rather than go to all the stores separately! I LOVE being able to do that. You can also pricematch at Target, but I find it easier to pricematch at Walmart.

MyBlogSpark and Seventh Generation have provided me with an EXCLUSIVE sneak peek at the newly re-launched Seventh Generation Free & Clear diapers. I am so excited to tell you all about them AND to be able to GIVEAWAY a package of diapers to one lucky Beckee's Deals reader!

First, What is it?

As I mentioned I was able to get a sneak peek at the newly re-launched Seventh Generation Free & Clear diapers. As they told me, "What Seventh Generation leaves out is just as important as what they put in." Let me tell you what makes these diapers different and unique:

• Free & Clear diapers do not include chlorine processing, fragrances, latex and petroleum based lotions.  
• In an effort to contribute less overall landfill waste and continue to ensure a premium standard of absorbency, the new Free & Clear diapers have been redesigned with a lighter-weight core.
• With processed chlorine-free wood pulp in Free & Clear diapers, Seventh Generation also makes certain that no chlorine is released into the environment during the totally chlorine-free (TCF) whitening process of the diapers and training pants.
• Seventh Generation has also reduced the size of the diapers’ plastic packaging, meaning that each pack now contributes even less overall landfill waste than before.
• Seventh Generation Free & Clear diaper packaging can now be recycled at local supermarkets where plastic bag recycling collection boxes are available.

What did we think?

As you can see, we had baby Everest try them out (here he is trying to crawl in them):

What did we think? To be perfectly honest, I am pretty particular when it comes to diapers and quite loyal to a certain brand. Though I do care about the environment, when I am searching for diapers, I care about other things first. Will it give my child a rash (he has sensitive skin)? Will it leak out? Or is is going to be absorbent enough? Will it fit him well and feel comfortable?

As Everest is only 3 months old I am not sure what he would say about the comfort level, but he seemed pleased wearing it see:

And I thought it did well holding in the explosive poops and the large amount of pee he dispensed into the diaper. For me the facts that it held in the explosion and seemed to be comfortable and did NOT give him a rash were the most important factors for me, and I really liked it.

What's the DEAL?

First thing to tell you is that you can visit this page to download a printable coupon for $2.00 OFF any ONE Seventh Generation Baby Product (Diapers, Training Pants, or Wipes).

AND second, if you would like to try a package for free, you can try to win one here on Beckee's Deals.

Here is how to enter the Giveaway (PLEASE make sure to leave an email address in each comment so I can reach you should you win):

What can you win: One lucky Beckee's Deals reader will win a package of Seventh Generation Free & Clear Diapers in size 2, 4 or 5.
MANDATORY ENTRY (Must do this first for other entries to count): Tell me what you think about the new Free & Clear diapers OR what you love about eco-conscious baby products.

Once you have done that, you can get 4 extra entries by doing the following things (Just make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry, and leave me your email address in each comment so I know how to contact you should you win):

1. Become a PUBLIC GFC follower of my blog.

2. Subscribe to my blog via Email or an RSS feed/reader. (Yes-you can use this entry if you are already an email or RSS subscriber- just let me know how you subscribe to my blog).

3. Become a Facebook fan of my blog here.

4. Follow me on Twitter here.

Be sure to leave a comment for each entry with your email address. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. This giveaway ends on Tuesday, July 26th at 11:59 PM Central Time.

***Please note that the coupon, prize pack, information and giveaway were all provided by Seventh Generation through MyBlogSpark. As always, all opinions are my own.***