Being Frugal.net | Reviews

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Like I said when I wrote my last review, I love it when an ordinary person sees a problem, takes the time to figure out a solution, and then gives others access to that solution.  Such is the story behind my next review.

George DeSell is a father, who thought he was keeping his daughter safe thing when he put outlet caps on his electrical outlets.  His attempt at safety almost turned to tragedy, though, when his daughter put an outlet cap in her mouth and choked.  Fortunately his daughter survived.

DeSell decided to reinvent the safety cap to prevent other children from choking on standard outlet covers.  Safety Caps are oversized outlet covers, measuring 2.25 inches across.  They are designed in compliance with the United States Pacifier Anti-Choking Regulations, which state pacifiers must “have at least two holes, each hole at least .2 inches wide & cannot be closer than .2 inches from the edge.”  These holes are designed to allow airflow, should a toddler somehow get the pacifier stuck in his throat.

Safety Caps are made in the United States, as DeSell believes people are willing to pay a little more for products which employ United States citizens, rather than outsourcing labor to China.

The Low-Down on Safety Caps

The Good

• They are big enough that kids can’t choke on them.
• They have ventilation holes, in the very unlikely event a child does get one stuck in his mouth.
• They are made in the United States.
• Safety Caps are affordable.
• You can pay with Paypal…always a plus in my book!

The Bad

• I really can’t think of anything negative to say.

My Overall Opinion

I was shocked when I read through the email DeSell sent me.  After his daughter choked, he petitioned the CSPC twice to recall standard safety plugs, and the CSPC would not, because no child had died from choking on an outlet plug.

I think it’s great that DeSell took a near tragedy and used what he learned to help others.  When it comes to children’s safety, it pays to go the extra mile.  Even though Safety Caps are more expensive than what you’d find at Target or Walmart, I think they’re worth the extra money.  If your child gets a hold of one, you can rest assured it won’t fit into her windpipe.

I’m going to give Safety Caps not one, but two thumb’s up!

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I am so excited to do my next review and giveaway!  I’ll admit that my favorite reviews are products from ordinary moms who take their skills and fill a need.  And that’s just what You Can Make This.com is all about!

You Can Make This! was started by a mom, who wanted to provide downloadable instructions to make everything from boutique kids clothing to aprons to craft products. Now written by many moms, You Can Make This provides TONS of instructions for a wide variety of products.  And these aren’t boring projects!  I’ve taken a look at a few of the patterns, and you can make some cute stuff!

I’m not very crafty by nature, but I looked through the patterns for the Duet Apron and the “She Loves Me, She Loves Me Knot” Handbag, and I really feel like I could make both of these projects by following the pictures and directions provided.

And the pictures are the great part about these patterns!  I usually get lost in the written instructions you generally find in sewing patterns.  But these patterns include pictures of how to lay the fabric for cutting, pictures of the fabric going through the sewing machine, and pictures of how to lay the fabric, so you’re sewing the right pieces together!

The Low-Down on You Can Make This!

The Good:

• The projects are cute, cute, CUTE!
• The instructions are easy to follow.
• The pictures make the instructions so clear!
• You Can Make This! is a company started by a regular mom.
• You Can Make This! encourages the lost arts of sewing and crafting.
• Projects range from home decor to sewing to woodworking, and much, much more!
• Prices are reasonable, ranging from FREE to around $15.

The Bad:

• I need to make time in my busy schedule to make my apron and handbag!

My Overall Opinion:

I really, really love the idea behind You Can Make This! We live in a day and age where moms are no longer teaching their daughters and sons all kinds of crafting skills.  In fact, we’re living in a day and age where a lot of moms (like me) don’t have a clue how to sew and craft, much less the ability to teach their kids.  You Can Make This! stands in the gap and teaches parents and older children alike how to make a ton of cute and cool projects!

The Giveaway:

One lucky reader is going to win a prize package of six patterns:  The Duet Apron for Ladies and Children, Woman’s Reversible Wrap Skirt, The “She Loves Me, She Loves Me Knot” Handbag, The Reversible Patchwork Bucket Hat, Easy-Fit Pants, and Boys Ties.  This package includes patterns for women, boys, and girls!

All you have to do is visit the You Can Make This! website and take a look at the patterns.  Come back here and leave a comment, letting me know which pattern is your favorite.  I’ll close comments next Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at 12 noon PST and pick a winner using random.org.

While you’re waiting for the contest to close, make sure you sign up for the You Can Make This! free newsletter.  If you sign up for the newsletter, you will receive 7 eBooks and an online video!

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Last week I had the pleasure of trying out the new Yo-Plus Blueberry Acai Yogurt.  We’re big yogurt eaters in our family, so I was thrilled to try out Yoplait’s newest flavor in their newest yogurt line.  I wasn’t disappointed.

Yoplait Yo-Plus Blueberry Acai yogurt tasted delicious, and even my yogurt eating, yet picky, daughter loved it!  It comes in a 4-pack, and makes a convenient addition to breakfast or a cool afternoon snack.

Yo-Plus yogurt is the newest in yogurts that aid the digestive system.  It contains a combination of probiotic cultures and fiber, which is said to help the digestive system.  I haven’t eaten it long enough to know if it works in aiding digestion, but I have a sensitive stomach, and I had no trouble with the Yo-Plus yogurt.  Some yogurts irritate my stomach, but this one was fine.

If you’d like to try Yoplait Yo-Plus yogurt, you can print out a couple of coupons here and here.  And three lucky readers will be able to try it free!

The Giveaway

The people at Yoplait are graciously giving away three Yo-Plus yogurt gift packs.  The gift packs include a cooler tote, a water bottle, a nutrition journal, and a coupon for a free 4-pack of Yoplait Yo-Plus Yogurt!

To enter, just leave a comment telling me what your favorite healthy breakfast is. I’ll close comments next Monday, March 9, 2009 at 12 noon and draw three winners from eligible entries.  Please only enter once, as duplicate entries will be deleted.  Also, comments that do not answer the question will not count.

Now, I’m off to eat some yogurt!

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Last week I was debating on whether to give up the landline or not.  I have an eleven year old daughter, and I was also wondering if she was old enough for a cell phone.  So I was really interested in my next review:  the Nokia 5310 Xpress Music cell phone.

This phone is a beautiful gray and red color, appealing to most tweens and teens, the target market for the Nokia 5310.  My daughter was jonesing to try it out as soon as the package arrived, so under careful supervision, I let her test it out.

Liz hasn’t had much exposure to cell phones before.  She’s borrowed her friend’s phone on occasion, and she’s talked on mine a couple of times.  Despite her lack of cell phone experience, she had no problem finding her way around the Nokia 5310 Express Music.

Before I could blink my eyes, she had programmed in her home phone number and both my husband’s and my cell phone numbers.  She quickly figured out how to use the camera and the music player, too.

When I finally had a chance to play with the phone, I called my husband to see what the sound quality was like.  He said he could hear me very clearly, and I could hear him too.

The thing I most love about this phone, or rather, T-Mobile’s service, is that for $2 a month, you can activate the Family Allowance Program, which allows you to go online and set a cell phone usage allowance for your child.  Once the limits are reached, the cell phone will no longer work, except for a few numbers (like home and 911), which you can set to work, even if the allowed minutes are up.

The Low Down on the Nokia 5310 Xpress Music Cell Phone

The Good

• Clear Sound
• User Friendly Menus
• Attractive
• Music Player
• Easy access to IM and Email
• FM Radio
• Picture Caller ID
• Speakerphone
• Bluetooth Compatible
• Voice Dialing
• Affordable
• Comes with a data cable…important for downloading pictures!

The Bad

• Might be more features than you want your ‘tweenager to have

My Overall Opinion

I would consider this phone for my tween in a couple of years.  It’s small enough for her to schlep around in her backpack or purse, and it’s easy to use.  I like that I can set limits on my child’s phone usage.  I also like that this phone isn’t too expensive.  It’s $199, but an instant discount of $150 brings it down to $49.99.

The Giveaway

I am giving away one Nokia 5310 Xpress Music Cell Phone to a lucky commenter.  To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment telling me what you think the most important feature on a cell phone is.

I’m going to leave this giveaway open until Sunday, March 8, 2009 at noon PST.  I’ll use random.org to draw a winner from the eligible comments.  Please only one entry per person.  Duplicates will be deleted, as will comments not specifying what you think the most important feature in a cell phone is.

An important note:  This giveaway is for the Nokia 5310 Xpress Music Cell Phone only. The winner will be responsible for signing up for T-Mobile cell phone service, so you can use the phone.  So before you enter, make sure you can get T-Mobile service in your area, and make sure it’s a service you would like to have.

Good luck!

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Picture this:  you’re a new mama.  You’re dying to get some exercise in, so you can lose the last 10 pounds of baby weight you gained during pregnancy.  But with a new baby, who has time to exercise?

You could go to the gym, but you don’t want to drop your precious newborn in the gym’s childcare program.  You could take a walk, but you don’t want to take your baby out in the rain.  An exercise DVD sounds like the safest bet, but it seems every time you turn on the TV, your baby wakes up, needing attention.

You need to get moving for your own health, but your baby needs you, too.  What is a busy new mom to do?

Fortunately Darcy Albrecht of chicks-n-chickens has been there, and she’s come up with a solution.  She and the chicks-n-chickens team have put together an exercise DVD that involves your baby! You can do Lullaby Exercises while holding your baby in a sling.

At first I was skeptical.  Could a baby be entertained by music and movement, while mommy was able to get in some real exercise?  After watching the DVD, I’m convinced it’s possible!

The Low-Down on Lullaby Exercises

The Good

• Darcy Albrecht is a great leader.  With a background in fitness, she’s credible.  And you can tell by watching the DVD that she truly has a heart for helping new moms get back into shape.
• Darcy instructs brand new mothers to take it easy while doing the exercises.  Mothers with older babies are encouraged to work out a little harder.
• The music (by Lisa Phenix) and moves are set up to entertain babies.  The focus of the DVD is equally on fitness for mom and bonding between mom and baby.
• You can do the whole workout at once, or one part at a time, depending on your baby’s attention span.
• There are two sections to the DVD…one with upbeat music for playing with baby, and one with lullabies to sooth baby to sleep.
• DVD is affordable at $14.95.
• Includes CD with the music, so you can play it without working out…or create your own moves.

The Bad

• If you don’t have a sling, it would be difficult to do the moves with your baby.
• Moms looking for an intense workout probably won’t find what they’re looking for.  But then there are plenty of regular DVDs out there that meet this need.

My Overall Impression

I wish Lullaby Exercises had been around when my children were babies.  I think I really would have enjoyed hanging out with my baby while getting back into shape.  Darcy does a great job in leading the moves, with her soothing voice and obvious experience.

The thing I liked most were that the moms were obviously REAL.  At various points in the DVD, you could hear babies fussing and even outright crying.  The sound wasn’t overwhelming, but it was enough to make you realize that every mom has a fussy baby, and finding a way to exercise with a baby is something even the experts struggle with.

Chicks-n-chickens get a big thumb’s up for Lullaby Exercises!

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There’s nothing much more inconvenient or expensive than realizing the skirt you need to wear to a party tonight is dirty and needs to be taken to the dry cleaner!  Have you ever had that happen?  I have!

I try really hard not to buy clothing that is dry clean only, but every once in a while I forget to check a label and end up with dry clean only clothing in my closet.  That’s why I was excited to be contacted about reviewing Woolite Dry Cleaner’s Secret.

The Dry Cleaner’s Secret sample I received contained 6 cleaning clothes, which clean up to 24 garments total (up to four garments in one load per cleaning cloth).  I decided to try it on one of my husband’s works shirts.

There are only three steps.  The first was to use the cleaning cloth and a white paper towel to blot out any stains.  My husband’s shirt didn’t have any stains, so I skipped this step.

I placed the cleaning cloth along with my husband’s shirt in the dryer and set the dryer on the permanent press setting for 20 minutes.

20 minutes later I pulled the shirt out of the dryer and tossed the cleaning cloth in the trash.  The shirt felt soft, smelled fresh, and looked good.  I had my husband check it over, and he agreed.  Mission accomplished, as easy as that!

The Low Down on Woolite Dry Cleaner’s Secret

The Good

• It’s easy to use.  There are no bags to deal with, like there are with other dry cleaning alternatives I’ve tried.
• The scent isn’t overpowering.
• It’s more affordable than dry cleaning.
• According to the manufacturer, Dry Cleaner’s Secret is environmentally safe and doesn’t contain perchloroethylene, the chemical used by some dry cleaners.

The Bad

• I don’t know that I trust Dry Cleaner’s Secret to get my clothes super clean.  I’ll probably still take my clothes in to the dry cleaner, just not as often.

My Overall Opinion

I didn’t have any heavily soiled clothing to test Dry Cleaner’s Secret on, so I can’t speak to it’s stain removing ability.  I liked the way it freshened up my husband’s shirt, and it’s perfect to use if you need to go somewhere and realize the outfit you need to wear is in the laundry basket!

At around $20 for a box of 14 wipes, I think this product is worth having on hand, if you have clothes that need to be dry cleaned.

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I obviously need a better routine or better motivation, because I’ve been a slacker on the Wii Fit.  Beyond that, though, I’m working on some technical stuff on this blog right now.  Basically I’m moving the blog under the umbrella of my other site, www.beingfrugal.net.  This blog will soon be located at www.beingfrugal.net/reviews, though you will still be able to access it by going to www.frugalmomreviews.com.

A lot of work will be going on behind the scenes this weekend, but you shouldn’t notice any difference, except for a new theme on the site sometime this weekend.  If you are an RSS or email subscriber, you don’t need to do anything.  You will still get your feed.

So bear with me as I update things.  And if you were really waiting for my Wii Fit post today, you might want to check out the Wii Fit Mommies Lots of Love (Handles) to Give Twitter Bling Party from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m EST tonight!  I’m going to try my best to make it to the party, though I might be fashionably late!

New to twitter?  Sign up here (it’s free!) and then feel free to follow me!  I follow back, too!

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Are you looking for a cute and unique gift for a young child?  Something that spurs the imagination and doesn’t take batteries?  Then you need to check out Plaja Pets!

Small World Toys, which specializes in educational toys for children, sent me an assortment of Plaja Pets to review & give away.  My first impression, upon opening the box was that they are very soft, and very cute! Perfect for a baby’s nursery!

But these pets are not only for decoration, they are meant to be played with!  Each pet’s head and tail is magnetically attached to it’s body.  If you have two or more pets, your child can mix and match heads, tails, and bodies to come up with all sorts of interesting creatures!

Each animal also has a name and story, which you can read on the tag.  As a sample, Dermot the Rabbit’s story is as follows

Dermot loves to hippity-hop all over the place.  The flippity-flop of flapping ears and the chippity-chap of chattering teeth make Dermot the most musical of all the PlajaPets.  Carrot kabobs and snow pea soup are Dermot’s favorite foods.

The Low-Down on Plaja Pets

The Good

• Cute
• Soft
• Affordable ($15.99 for the large pets, $7.99 for the small pets)
• Creative

The Bad

• As with most stuffed animals, they are not machine washable

My Overall Impression

I’m usually not a fan of stuffed animals, but these are an exception.  I love the cute expressions on the Plaja Pets, and I love that a child can mix and match pet parts to create his own creatures.  And if he wants to experiment, he can even try to stick the pet parts on the refrigerator for a twist!

Plaja Pets and Small World Toys both get a thumb’s up from me for their efforts to bring children toys that require imagination, rather than batteries.

The Plaja Pets Giveaway

I have a box of 5 Plaja Pets to give away…plenty for mixing and matching.  Included in the box are Dermot the Rabbit (large), Muga the Elephant (large), Chumbo the Rhino (small), Vappu the Goldfish (small), and Boomi the Monkey (small). 

To enter the giveaway, visit the Small World Toys website, and leave a comment, telling me which Plaja Pet is your favorite.  I will close comments next Wednesday (2/18/09) at noon PST and draw a winner, using the random integer generator at Random.org.

Please only one comment per person.  Duplicate comments will be deleted.  This giveaway is open only the residents of the U.S., due to shipping costs.  Once the winner is announced and contacted by email, the winner will have 7 days to get back to me with a mailing address, or a new winner will be picked.

Enjoy!

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Several months ago I was contacted by Matt Winslow to see if I’d like to review Doodlesix, a company that focuses on teaching children honorable values.  Since my 6 year old son is just at the age where he’s realizing that perhaps he can get away with bad behavior by lying, I jumped at the chance.

I know you’re wondering what a Doodlestix is, so I’ll give it to you straight from the website.

Doodlestix is a fictitious friend, who wants to be a pen-pal with your child. Doodlestix is basically a good kid and wants to do what’s right, but often makes bad choices and suffers the consequences. Fortunately, Doodlestix learns a lot in this process and is willing to write your child frequently to teach them how to do what’s right and stay out of trouble.

According to the FAQ at Doodlestix.com, the purpose of Doodlestix is to make a positive impact on our children, teaching them how to do right in situations where it may be easy to do wrong.  The founders of Doodlestix felt that children often relate to other children their own age, so they created Doodlestix (who is a child) to be a tool for parents to use in teaching character issues to their children.

When you sign up for an account at Doodlestix, your child receives letters from Doodlestix by email or postal mail, once or twice a month, depending on the plan you choose.

Each letter contains a character lesson.  For instance, my son’s first letter contained a story from Doodlestix about obeying parents.  Doodlestix was told to do his homework before watching TV, but he forgot.  When his dad got home, he got grounded.  Doodlestix goes on to say he’ll be more responsible the next time.

Beyond the lesson, each letter from Doodlestix contains chit chat for your child, based on your child’s interests.  My son’s letters have included conversation about soccer, pet kittens, older sisters, and NASCAR.  It makes it easier for kids to relate to Doodlestix.

Each month my son receives two letters from Doodlestix.   While he doesn’t wait at the mailbox with baited breath, he’s always excited to receive mail, and he always recognizes that the mail is from Doodlestix.

I read the letters with my son, and it provides us with an opportunity to talk about what Doodlestix did right, what he did wrong, and what my son can learn.  All in all, I’ve been very pleased with the service.

Plans are affordable, ranging from $1.95 a month for one email a month to $4.95 a month for two postal letters a month.  In addition, Doodlestix offers a 30 day free trial, so you can try before you buy.  And you can even create a sample letter, so you can see what your child will receive, before he actually gets a letter.

I give Doodlestix a big thumb’s up, and I encourage you all to check it out!

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Who doesn’t love popcorn?  It’s great for movie nights, slumber parties, or an after school snack.  And microwave popcorn is so convenient!  Way back when I worked outside the home, my co-workers and I would pop a bag of popcorn for our weekly staff meetings. 

I’ll admit I’m a popcorn purist.  My favorite flavor is extra-butter, even though it’s super bad for me.  I don’t generally like weird flavorings in my popcorn.  So it was with cautious interest that I accepted my next product up for review:  Orville Redenbacher’s Natural Lime & Salt Microwave Popcorn.

When I think of popcorn, lime & salt just doesn’t fit the picture.  Maybe for tortilla chips or margaritas, but not popcorn.  Still, I knew I needed to try it.  I popped a mini-bag of popcorn and took the first taste.  Different.  But not bad.  I took another bit.  Light.  Not greasy.  And another.  The flavor was addicting!

The Low Down on Orville Redenbacher’s Natural Lime & Salt Popcorn

The Good

• I really liked the flavor!
• Tasted light, and not at all greasy.
• Most of the kernels popped, unlike some cheaper brands.
• When I popped it according to directions, none of the popcorn burned.
• No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

The Bad

• A nutritional comparison with the butter flavored popcorn in my cupboard revealed that the Lime & Salt popcorn actually contained more calories!  That surprised me.
• The kids didn’t like it as much as butter flavored popcorn.

My Overall Opinion

As with most microwave popcorns, this isn’t something you want to be eating every day, due to the lack of nutritional value.  However, for a special movie night this is a great twist on regular popcorn.  My husband and I both really loved the taste.  If you have young children, they might not like it so much, because it is a lot different than regular butter flavored popcorn.  It’s definitely worth a try, though!

If you want to try Orville Redenbacher’s Natural Lime & Salt Microwave Popcorn, but you don’t want to pay full price, you can sign up for Start Making Choices, a free website for healthy living, and you will receive a welcome kit containing a free sample!

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