Avon Beauty Giveaway!
A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of participating on a call with Suze Orman who graciously spoke to a group of us mom bloggers about making smart financial choices in this unstable economy. Well not only did we come away with golden nuggets of advice about how to take care of our families' botton lines, but Avon who hosted the call also gave us fabulous gift bags chock full of beauty items so that mom can take care of herself too. One lucky MamaLaw reader will win her very own Avon gift bag - all you have to do is leave us a comment telling us one creative strategy you have taken to protect your family's financial well-being in these turbulent times. We'll pick a winner on Friday, May 15 at midnight.
Each gift bag includes Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan: “Keeping Your Money Safe and Sound” as well as more than $100 worth of Avon products including:
· Solutions AM/PM Total Radiance - Refreshing Day Cleanser/Makeup
· Removing Night Cleanser
· Solutions AM/PM Total Radiance - Day Cream SPF 15/Night Cream
· Big Color Glossy Lip Pencil in Glossy Sand
· Spectra Lash Mascara in Black
· True Color Eye shadow Quad in Purple Haze
· Ultra Color Rich Extra Plump Lipstick in Wine Rose
· Pro-to-Go Lipstick in Cherry Glisten
· Spotlight Eau de Toilette Spray
· Ironman Eau de Toilette Spray
· Solutions AM/PM Total Radiance - Refreshing Day Cleanser/Makeup
· Removing Night Cleanser
· Solutions AM/PM Total Radiance - Day Cream SPF 15/Night Cream
· Big Color Glossy Lip Pencil in Glossy Sand
· Spectra Lash Mascara in Black
· True Color Eye shadow Quad in Purple Haze
· Ultra Color Rich Extra Plump Lipstick in Wine Rose
· Pro-to-Go Lipstick in Cherry Glisten
· Spotlight Eau de Toilette Spray
· Ironman Eau de Toilette Spray
Interested in becoming your own boss? Visit Avon's site for details on becoming an Avon Independent Sales Consultant.
Don't forget to tweet or post about this giveaway (and let us know in the comments) for extra entries!
Mamalaw is a group blog about three moms and wives who just happen to be lawyers too. We have seven kids between us which means that we have no shortage of funny stories, touching moments, reasons to rant and the occasional kernel of parenting wisdom. In our "spare time," we founded 
27 comments:
It's not the most creative thing and we didn't plan it, but not having a car has save us money. Our car died back in March and we haven't bought a new one yet. I've had to rely on public transportation (not as inconvenient as I thought). That means I can't just run out to Target to pick up that little thing and end up spending $50. I'm not paying for gas. I'm not doing any leisure shopping. I don't really mind so much. Who needs more stuff anyway?
I've opened CDs... it's not much but I'm doing this until my 401K match program starts.. Next month, then finally setting all of that up and contributing the full amount they match! I'm excited to finally get it going. I wish I started at 20 but 23 isn't so bad right?
Hope I win!!
I'v started using my crockpot 2 - 4 times a week. This means a hot meal ready at night, much less eating out, and more advance meal planning, which = a lower grocery bill.
I don't know how creative it is but we've cut back on our spending as much as possible. Like not buying anything nonessential. We do our best :)
The only creative strategy I can think of is that we stopped eating out. That has saved us a lot of money because we cook more often at home. We would usually spend about $60 at a restaurant for 5 meals. Now with $60, we can buy about 3 meals to feed 5 people.
By the way, who's name do I RT the Tweet? Thx.
We stopped using our credit cards and instead take out a set amount of spending money in cash each week and when it's gone, it's gone. It helps make me really think about how I'm spending my money.
When I go grocery shopping, I only take the amount of cash that I want to spend. This means I do not have credit cards or a check book to fall back on. This keeps me from buying last minute extras that add to the bill because I have no way of paying for them.
I don't know if you would call it creative but we don't eat out as much anymore. With three kids eating out gets expensive even just 1 time a week so I just have to suck it up and...gulp...cook.
tifg45@excite.com
I've done a few little things, making my own coffee in the morning, instead of buying it, eating out less, and I'm not spending on things I dont't need. I'm bad about that.
We try to take out our 'spending cash' on Friday and not swipe the debit card when we've spent it all!
We plan our meals around the grocery store sale flyers. If we just plan our meals around the cookbooks we have, we get tempted to buy things that aren't on sale.
We also buy in bulk and freeze stuff. Did you know you can freeze eggs?? Not in the shell. We have an ice cube tray dedicated to raw eggs. We crack an egg into each cube space, cover with plastic wrap, freeze, then pop them into freezer bags.
Like many other people, we've started gardens to grow some of our own food, and signed up for a community supported agriculture program to get a bounty of cheap organic produce every week. We've also started making large batches of food for work lunches so that last minute morning lunch making doesn't become an issue.
I finally invested in the S&P, may seem like a bad time, but actually it is the best time! I have also really started to work one of my "side hustles". I have also been finding free or low cost entertaing for me and the boys. I have stopped gettin gmy large sweet tea with light ice from Bojangles every morning, taking my lunch.
I don't own a single credit card. I buy things only with cash, which means that I only have credit based on my car and condo. Nothing else has been put on my credit. I save until I can afford it, and if I can't afford it I don't buy it.
If and when I get married, my husband and I will save one of our salaries for 5 years and pay for our house in cash. I know it sounds strange to some, but credit is overrated.
Suzie Orman would disagree with me though.
My husband owns a printing company and he and another buddy, who also owns a different printing company, have put their heads together to share how each has cut corners - both in the business and at home. It has resulted in changes in everything from our phone & internet service to health and car insurance. Even small monthly savings in each category result in amazing savings over the course of a year.
we buy as much as we can at the thrift store--on their half-price day! this has helped us keep our kids dressed for school without spending more than we can afford...
melanie(dot)myatt(at)gmail(dot)com
I bought a pretty travel mug that inspires me to take my own coffee to work every day. It's tiny, but it paid for itself in a week or so.
I put my credit card in zip loc bag filled with water and placed it in the freezer. If I really want something, it will be worth the time I'd wait for it to melt and become usable again.
I started taking my lunch to work, no more eating out. I cut my internet back to DSL lite instead of the speediest and most expensive, saved 1/2.
Since FL is so hot, I've invested in a couple extra fans so I can run the Air at a higher temp lowering the electricity. I've also switched most of my light bulbs for longer burning, energy efficient bulbs.
And my biggest savings seems to be on food. I am cooking cheaper yet healthy meals instead of microwave or eating out. I am clipping more coupons and watching ads so I can stock up when items I need are on sale. I then use my calculator & my list in the store so I don't spend more than I budgeted or buy things we don't really need.
pamelalee@winn-dixie.com
I am with Kim on this one. Our car died in April and we were all set to buy one and then we decided to wait...saved us a bunch of cash
What an awesome prize pack! Well, this isn't very creative, but I'm super proud of the fact that we've paid off all our credit cards! That fact alone give me a huge piece of mind.
I decided that we need to get back to basics - we no longer have someone come in to clean the house - we now focus on family chores (saves over $2,000 annually); eliminated summer camp for the kids and got a pool pass for the summer (saved $1000 per child - pool pass was only $275); started doing groceries only on pay day ( if we run out of anything that's not a necessity - i.e. diapers or milk, we are not allowed to spend more than $20 in the store picking up the "necessaries" until the next grocery day) because we realized that every trip to the store for one thing always resulted in a bill of approximately $80 to $100 dollars; purchased green bags so that our fruit can last two weeks instead of going bad after one week or a couple days; limit dry cleaning to essentials - i.e. linen; resist, resist, resist the urge to buy things that I don't need just because they are "on sale".
also started a vegetable garden this summer, pack lunch as often as I can - even if it's just a salad, pack as many snacks for work as I can, and pop my bread in the freezer between trips to the store...
I realized my creative dream of over 10 years by starting a business called The Big Red Barn Creative Arts Center. I offer art classes, camps, birthday parties and moms day out. It is located in a building next door to my house so I have no overhead, I can work there with my own 2 year old daughter so I don't have to pay for childcare, and even if I charge really reasonable rates, it pays better than anything else I could ever find around here. I expect to supplement our household income enough for us to actually STAY IN our house. Check out my brainchild at http://www.bigredbarn4kids.com.
First, just wanted to mention that I saw this contest on Faster Than Kudzu and I am so glad that I did!
Here are a few of the things that we've done in our home: (1) cut off netflix membership and taken full advantage of the NYPL and Brooklyn Public Library. I reserve the books and films and pick the up instead of renting or buying; (2) I make sure we pay off all of our credit card debt each month; (3) we still pay into our 401k hoping that the stocks are undervalued and will rise in value, (4) I've bought a slow cooker and we eat in more often. The slow cooker also means the tough less expensive cuts still taste tender; (5) I've stopped buying retail and we always check for discount codes before buying anything online, (6) we make a list when heading to the grocery to cut down on impulse buys of chips, chocolate and icecream, (7) no more impulse buys for books or clothes either - I keep things in my online shopping carts for at least a day first.
My family simply goes outdoors more. I figured if we spent more time outdoors, we would not waste tons of electricity, thus eliminating an expensive bill.
We also gain exercise, which cuts down on our hospital bills.
We bond more, which cuts down on our therapy sessions, lol.
All in all, going outdoors is helping us save money.
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