In Today's Mail: Vitacost "Be Well" Box (Review)

I've mentioned that I like getting goodies in the mail.  Today was a red letter day for that--Two surprise boxes in one package!

I've already reviewed my "Be Pretty" box from Vitacost, which means next up is the "Be Well" box. 

Here goes... 

Mmm...  Apple Clusters...

Peeled snacks in Apple Clusters flavor.  0.63 Ounces.  I've heard that these are tasty.  Based on prices on the web, I'm calling this about a $1.50 value.

Minami MorEPA Minis Teen, Strawberry Softgels.  This is a full sized product... I'm just a little confused at the "Teen" formula.  I know that fish oil is healthy and all, but this one just seemed a little strange.  We'll use it, I guess... But seemed random, since there are not currently now nor will there be teenagers in our home for the forseeable future.  Sells for $25/bottle.

Natrol Melatonin 5mg dissolvable tablets.  I have *no* problems sleeping (save for the occasional shrieking toddler)... but I may pass this along and see if the husband may enjoy (is that even the right word?).  Based on online prices, I'm calling this a $0.40 value.

New Chapter WholeMega Flex Joint Fomula Softgels.  This is another full size product, that apparently sells for $36.  I was not aware how spendy the fish oil gels could be.  I'm actually sort of looking forward to taking these (as long as they don't taste terrible).  I descend from a line of folks who've needed joints replaced, so maybe an ounce (or at least 60 softgels worth) of prevention may be worth something?? 

Welesse Vitamin D 1000 IU drink/shot/something... This is liquid.  And it's in a small bottle.  It claims to be berry flavored, but I am a little hesitant.  I'm sure it's healthy, but I have a thing with liquid medicines.  (Too much cough syrup as a child, I think..)  I'm calling the value on this $1.75 based on the prices online. 

Total value for this box....

Approximately $65

I'm pretty "meh" on this one.  I guess it's stuff that we will use, but not stuff that I would normally buy.  I know, I know....  That's why you buy the surprise box....  To try new things... But I'm just not that thrilled with these things.  It's still a great deal at $13.99/box, don't get me wrong, just not sure it's a box I'd try again.  Maybe once more when  I run out of these fish oil gels--just in case.... A girl can only use so many fish oil capsules...Am I right?? 

Do you want to try out a Vitacost "Be" box?  (I recommend the "Be Pretty" one...)  Go here, join, and get a $10 credit on  your first order.  They have other great stuff (at pretty nice prices) besides the boxes, too. 

In Today's Mail: April 2013 Vitacost Be Pretty Box

I love getting packages in the mail, and surprise packages are extra fun for me.

I've ordered from Vitacost before, and have been pleased, so when I saw that they were offering a new monthly box service.  They were offering a nice promo when I placed my order, so I figured I'd try it out.

I ordered two boxes--the "Be Pretty" box and the "Be Well" box.   Details of the "Be Well" box are forthcoming... I was more excited about the "Be Pretty" box, so I will let you know what I received in that first. 

Pardon the toddler-palooza mess in the background...

And now for the contents:

1 two ounce bottle of Coral Actives Moisturizer for Acne Prone Skin.  I believe this is a full size product from what I can find online and retails from $9 to $25.

2 Bottles (3.4 ounces each) of Kiss My Face Peace Soap liquid castile soap in "Pomegranate Acai" scent.  Pretty excited that this is something I will use for sure.  Vitacost sells a 4 pack of this for $11.96, so I'm going to call this a $6 value.

2 Bars of Out of Africa Unscented Shea Butter bar soap, 1.7 ounces each.  While I'm not a huge fan of bar soap in general, I appreciate that it's not going to be an overly scented product to use.  This sells for $4 for a four ounce bar, making this about a $3.50 value.

Reviva Eye Gelee, 1.25 ounces.  While I've never known that I need eye gelee, and have not known my eyes to be dry so much (at least not my eyelids).  This is the full size that they sell online, making it an $11 value.

Deep Steep Chamomile Lavender Moisture Stick.  I'm not exactly clear on what this is... I initially assumed chapstick, but the website says it's for dry skin, so maybe more like a lotion stick?  I am intrigued, at least, so that's something.  This is full size, and sells for $6.

Juice Organics Healthy Beauty "PomPink" Lip Amplifier.  I'm actually pretty excited about this.  I like lip gloss, and have been wanting a new color for summer.  This is full size and sells for $6.

Two packets of Desert Essence Rejuvenating Face Serum and Two packets of Desert Essence Revitalizing Eye Serum.  I don't really think that little packets of stuff are a great value.. but this stuff is pretty pricy.  Based on amount in the packets and the selling prices, together the packets have an assumed value of approximately (!) $14.00.  Yowzers!  This stuff had better be good! 

All together, the items in this box add up to a retail value of...  <drum roll please>

$71.50

Based on retail value alone, I'd say that it's a great deal.  These boxes sell for $13.99 if you're paying full price (which I did not)!  I haven't had time to actually try out these products yet... but the value definitely seems to be there.  Would I pay that much for some of these items?  No flippin' way.  BUT, I am excited to try things that I wouldn't otherwise try, so it's a win in that regard for sure.  My favorite item from this box?  I'm betting on the lip gloss, although the practical liquid soap is a close second for me. 

Want to try out a "Be Pretty" box for yourself?  Click this link to get a $10 off of $30 promo code good on your first order.  I used a $10 code when I placed my order, and got TWO surprise boxes and some of my favorite countertop spray for only $25 shipped.  Woo Hoo!

Annnnnnd...  since I'm not really a "serum" kind of gal...  Here's a giveaway!  My very first one!

Leave a comment and let me know what kind of reviews/tips you'd most like to see, and be entered to win the Desert Essence Serum Packets (approx. retail value $14).  Go join the One Cheery Cheapskate group on Facebook for a second entry, just let me know that you did that.  I will draw for this prize using Rafflecopter on Monday, April 15th.

App Review: Wrapp

I love shopping and I love saving money.  Two things that usually don't quite go together. 

Enter Wrapp. 

Wrapp is a fun app that lets you send gift cards to your friends.   Usually the gift cards are pretty small, (or significantly larger for sites with heftier price tags).    You join through facebook, it imports your contacts, their birthdays, and you're off to the races. 

There are merchants who are always offering free gift cards of some denomination.  Some of the more recent ones I've seen are Office Depot (Free $5), Shutterfly (Free $10), MLB.com (Free $10), Sephora (Free $5) and more.  Even if it doesn't cost anything, it's nice to send a little something to a friend on a birthday (or just because). 

Since I started using this app a few months ago, I've received two $5 Gap cards (that I used to snag TWO $60 dresses on final clearance and some chapstick for less than $1 out of my pocket), a $10 MLB.com gift card that I used to snag a FREE baseball t-shirt (Oakland A's anybody?  I just liked that it was green), and a $5 gift card to Sephora that I used to order a small bottle of my faaaaavorite shower gel (and three pretty great perfume samples) for only $2 out of my pocket.  The free gift cards aren't huge, nor will they probably land you loads of free goodies... but it's totally worthwhile, and fun in my opinion. 

Let me know what good deals you snap up! 

Happy Surprises 4/11

So remember the sweet deal I posted a few days ago that I found for Stage stores?  No?  Mmmmkay.... well, that would be this deal.

I received my packages in the mail yesterday and the day before, and opened them and found them BOTH to include a $5 off of $5 purchase coupon good for in-store use!  WOOT!!  That was a great deal to begin with, but to add on another FREE $10 was a super great surprise! 

"Wow, Mom!  Great work!  Ooh... and presents for me?  Score!!!"

Then, a couple days ago I placed an order to WalMart for some clearanced bundle items (that I would have posted here except for people said that there were problems shortly after I placed my order...  D'oh).  I had ordered some really large fun cardboard things to color for my kids to do this summer.  Well...  I get the order and it says that only the bonus items (the markers or crayons to color said cardboard goodies) were being shipped.  I received two of the four bonus items yesterday (and was only charged for two of them), and decided to just wait and take the items back to my local store... until I checked my email this morning.  Not only did Wal-Mart say they'd refund my money since it was their mix-up, I get to keep the crayons AND they're sending me a $10 gift card for the headache.  I realize this isn't a huge deal--but that is some great customer service in my book, and I appreciate that!  I will pick up another birthday gift for Thing 2's birthday, and be pretty much set.  Yippee!

I'm also expecting a couple of new subscription boxes I tried for a one month shot this month and got great deals on... Hopefully reviews (and maybe promo codes if I can get them lined up??) will be forthcoming by the weekend. 

Freebie Alerts

I get lots of fun things in the mail and sign up for lots of freebie types of things... thought I'd give a rundown of some of my best mail from the past week (or so). 

Today I got a coupon and two packets of Yogi tea.  You can get a sample here, and send a couple samples to a friend.  I selected the Kombucha and the Ginger tea for myself.  I suppose you could just send them both to yourself... but friends enjoy freebies too, right??  I gave one of mine to a friend in the office, but am looking forward to the ginger tea with my dinner.  Comes with a $1 coupon on the back of the little card. 

I didn't get them this week, but did receive a nice box of Proctor and Gamble freebie samples last week, including some Finish dishwashing tabs, some Tide laundry pods, some Prilosec (that I'm not sure we'll use, but maybe?), and some decently sized samples of Pantene shampoo AND conditioner.  I did, however, just sign up for their current freebies (Dental Floss and baby wipes as I recall?) just today.  If you're not a member of the P&G sample site, I highly recommend it.  It's totally free, and they don't spam you with stuff--unless you tell them it's OK.  ;-)  Go here to sign up and get started.  Let me know what you get.

Back to the subject of tea... (Who doesn't enjoy a cup every now and then?)  You can request a couple free samples from Twinings of London here.  Just pick which two sound yummiest, and wait anxiously by the mailbox for them to arrive.  I ordered the fresh and fruity ones, and hope they'll be yummy.

Go get some free goodies.  :-)

*HOT* $40 off $40 purchase at Express

Promo code 2020 gets you $40 off a $40 purchase at Express.  You have to pay shipping... but still a smokin' deal. 

I just placed my order... and my total was less than $40, and it took the ENTIRE AMOUNT off, just had to pay $8 in shipping.

Here's what I got:

Men's Hoodie, Originally $69.90.  On sale for $29.99.  Minus an addition 30%...  $20.99 total.

Cute clutch.  Originally $34.90.  On sale for $14.99.  Minus an additional 30%...  $10.49 total.

Cute black hoop earrings.  Originally $16.90.  On sale for $7.99.  Minus an additional 30%...  $5.59 total.

That's well over $100 (retail) of goodies for $8 shipped!

Oh happy day!!

Now GO!! 

**Update... Various sources are now saying that either the code is invalid, or expired, or for VIP members... I am uncertain of what is actually true--but I will be following up.  I still haven't received an email confirming my order, although I did receive an order number.  I'll follow up a bit later maybe, although reports from these kinds of things in the past suggest that I may be just out of luck.  Let me know what you find out.

***Update 2.0:  Order Cancelled...  D'oh!  Can't say I'm not surprised, but still.  Bummer! 

Review: Footprints and Glitter Photography

Sometimes the universe just lines up and things happen for a reason.  It just so happened that one of my good friends has a sister... and by the grace of social media, I found out that she was starting her own photography business. 

There's nothing that makes a mama's heart go pitter-patter quite like the prospect of adorable "awww" inducing photos of her little ones.  As luck would have it, both of my littles were due to get their yearly "birthday" pictures taken.  And like I said about that whole universe thing, I saw Footprints and Glitter pop up on my news feed the very same week I was trying to figure out where to take them.  A couple quick message exchanges later, and we were set for our appointment.

Getting my two kiddos up and around in a timely fashion is no small feat...  But we put on our game faces and headed north to the big city (Cedar Rapids).  We found our location pretty quickly and easily, and even wound up being a few minutes early (which literally almost never happens.  EVER.).  Sarah's adorable boys served nicely as her welcoming committee, and were chatting us up in no time--talking about mutual acquaintances, toys, you know--the usual. 

After the introductory chit-chat, we dressed the kids up in their snazzy clothes and were off to the races. 

Everything had a very casual feel, and my kids were in heaven immediately.  Sarah said to expect a playdate kind of environment, and she wasn't kidding.  Lots of toys and the vocal stylings of Laurie Berkner in the background made for an ideal kid enviroment.  But she's a preschool teacher... so she knew that. 

She was engaging, and got real smiles out of the Queen with no problem.  Little Man, however, brought his poker face.  Or his serious face.  Or whatever you want to call it--there were no smiles to be found.  After many bribes with toy cars and airplanes, we were on track for a smirk or two.  It wasn't until after he caught sight of a step ladder in the corner that he dusted off the old smiler.  And Sarah, being a great sport, put the ladder in the pictures so that he'd flash his pretty smile.  Not her first choice for props (nor mine, to be honest), but the little one was happy, and that's what we were going for. 

How very much I love this!!!

And this little one?  Could he be any sweeter?!?!?

We even took a few outdoor family photos--since we like to get at least one new one per year...  And while we almost blew away in the wind, she caught a few great ones outdoors, too.

See?  We *do* love each other! 

All in all, a great day.  I would recommend her without hesitation to anyone in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids area looking for some great photos.  She's offering $10 in print credit if you're referred... so tell her I sent you, and get $10 off of your prints.  :-) 

PLUS, she's offering some pretty special deals now to build up her portfolio, so you never know what sort of sweet deal you may score!!