Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Lisa's October 2012 Wins

Below is my win list for October 2012. This was a slower month than what I am used to, but I won a lot of great stuff! You can win great stuff too! All you have to do is spend some of your free time each week to enter. You can search online, or on your favorite sites, for some great sweepstakes. The more you enter, the more you win!


October 2012
Free Purina Cat Treats Product Coupon (ARV-$3)
Book- Chicken Soup: Boost Your Brain Power (ARV-$9)
Mia Mariu Cosmetics Prize Pack (ARV-$103)
Spooktacular 3 DVD Prize Pack (ARV-$15)
Book- How to find the right one and make it last (ARV-$15)
Meet the Pajanimals DVD (ARV-$5)
Book- Chicken Soup: Boost Your Brian Power (ARV-$9)
$50 Petsmart Gift Card (ARV-$50)
The Lucky Ones Blu Ray/DVD Combo Pack (ARV-$15)

Total Value: $224
I base the estimates of my wins on the lowest price I can find for them so if I went out and bought these items at the store it actually would cost more.





Entering Sweepstakes is my favorite way to get free stuff but if Sweeping is not for you, you can get great stuff by signing up for samples or couponing. Remember, there is no point to pay full price for anything because everything can at some point come free or at a discount!



Tuesday, October 23, 2012

The Value of Winning

I have one conventional part-time job (working in retail) and another part time job that is unconventional. This unconventional job that I am referring to is sweeping. And no, I do not use a broom and dust pan.

Sweeping, or entering sweepstakes, has been a hobby of mine for the past  fifteen years or so. I won my first sweepstakes when I was 10 and ever since then I get so excited to win anything and everything. Now let's be clear that Sweepstakes are not the same as Contests. When entering sweepstakes you only need to enter your information (Name, Mailing Address, Phone Number) and in some cases complete small tasks (short answers, tweeting, etc). Entering contests actually takes some skill, time, and effort. Submitting poems and essays are common types of contest entries. I want to be clear and state that I do not enter contests, and that all of the prizes you see me post are from Sweepstakes.

I am going to be posting what I win each month at the beginning of every month. I will start by posting all wins from September 2012 and previously (I have recorded back to 2008) and will post October's wins at the beginning of November. I enter about an hour a day, six days a week so I obviously have potential to win more items but I am pretty happy with what I am winning at the moment. Sweepstakes has become a second job for me since I am winning items that I keep, sell, or give away as gifts. Either way I am either saving money or making money off of the items I win. Oh, and for the skeptics out there entering sweepstakes is safe (as long as you are entering legitimate ones, if Norton warns you not to go do a site, please listen to Norton) and I have also always received all of my prizes. 

2012

January 2012
6 Packs of Ocean Spray Fruit Snacks (ARV-$12)
Coupon for a Free Suave Infusion Product (ARV-$5)
$50 Check (ARV-$50)
Book "Change your life" (ARV-$5.99)
Journey's Greatest Hits CD (ARV-$9.99)
Book-"The Beginners Guide to Chick Night" (ARV-$11)

February 2012
6 Packs of Ocean Spray Fruit Snacks (ARV-$12)
6 Packs of Ocean Spray Fruit Snacks (ARV-$12)
Chuck & Friends DVD (ARV-$11.99)

March 2012
Book-"The Naked Mom" (ARV-$12)
3 Boxes of Belevita Cookies, Tote & Mug (ARV-$15)
Chuggington DVD (ARV-$10)
The Mighty Macs DVD (ARV-$15)

April 2012
Looney Toons pepe le pew collection dvd (ARV-$15)
Dale & Thomas Easter Sampler (ARV-$20)
$55 Amazon GC (ARV-$55)
Book-"Gossip" (ARV-$17)
Angelina Ballerina DVD (ARV-$10)
Book-"Transforming your body image" (ARV-$14)
$25 Fandango GC + Mirror Mirror Book (ARV-$26)
Book-"Sweets on a stick" (ARV-$16.95)
Book-"The guardian Duke" (ARV-$8)
4 FREE Stonyfield product coupons (ARV-$18)

May 2012
Harvey Prince Ageless perfume (ARV-$55)
American Reunion Soundtrack (ARV-$9)
2 FREE Gorton's Product Coupons (ARV-$10)
2 FREE Gorton's Product Coupons (ARV-$10)
New Years Eve DVD (ARV-$14)
Book-"Chicken Soup: Family Caregivers" (ARV-$8)
Trend Lab Bins (ARV-$50)
Book-"The Complete Idiots guide to couponing" (ARV-$10)
$25 Giftcard to Fragrences123 (ARV-$25)
$10 Paypal (ARV-$10)
2 FREE Gorton's Product Coupons (ARV-$10)
Book-"Chicken Soup: The Magic of Mothers & Daughters" (ARV-$8)
CatDog Season 2 Part 1 DVD (ARV-$14.99)
2 Double Boxes of Cherrios (ARV-$8)

June 2012
1 Box of Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal (ARV-$4)
2 Limited Edition Yankee Candles (ARV-$28)
Book-"Echoes of Titanic" (ARV-$14.99)
Shu Uemura Art of Hair Cleansing Oil Shampoo (ARV $55)
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island DVD- (ARV $14)
Book-"The Book of Madness and Cures" (ARV- $16)
Dove VisibleCare Toning Body Wash (ARV-$8.29)
Book-"Wunderkind" (ARV-$8.99)
1 Box of Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal (ARV-$4)
Awesome Adventures 2: Races, Chases & Fun DVD (ARV- $11)

July 2012
Book-"Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You to Know" (ARV-$4)
Book-"I am Spartacus" (ARV-$11)
Book-"Explorer X-Beta" (ARV-$11.99)
4 Snack Size Bags of Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips with Mango Habanero (ARV-$4)
NIVEA Summer Skincare package (ARV-$20)
Coupon for a FREE Dry Idea Deodorant Product (ARV-$5.50)
Bottle of Pure Vanilla Extract (ARV-$5)
Book-"Ani's 15 Day Fat Blast" (ARV-$24)
Big & Toothfairy DVD Pack- (ARV-$14.98)
6 Boxes of Mott's Fruit Snacks- (ARV-$12)
Jesse Terry CD (ARV-$9.99)
Palmolive Dish and Sponge Fresh Liquid (ARV-$3)
Jungle Book DVD (ARV-?)

August 2012
Fancy Feast Appetizer (ARV-$1)
2 Jill Shalvis Books (ARV-$16)
Wholesome Sweeteners Gift Basket (ARV-$100)
Fancy Feast Appetizer (ARV-$1)
Purina Be Happy Dog Food (ARV-??)
Coupon for a FREE small McDonald's Beverage (ARV-$2)
Book- The Science of Skinny (ARV- $11.55)
Book- The Forsaken (ARV-$13.24)
80 My Coke Rewards (ARV-??)
Timmy Time: Happy Birthday Timmy DVD (ARV-$8)
Book- The Rise of Nine (ARV-$12.23)
Angry Beavers Season 3 DVD (ARV-$20)
Book-Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (ARV-$5)
Dot Marc Jacobs Perfume (ARV-$89)
Twinkles Toes: The Movie DVD (ARV-$9.99)
Book- Chicken Soup: Say Goodbye to Back Pain (ARV-$9.95)
$25 Spaweek GiftCard (ARV-$25)

September 2012
Betty Crocker Cereal Muffin Mix Prize Pack (ARV-$15)
$25 Walmart Gift Card (ARV-$25)
$25 Mr. Chewy Gift Card (ARV-$25)
Book- Growing up Brave (ARV-$9)
Too Faced Eye Shadow & Shadow Insurance (ARV-$25)
Book- The Trouble with Magic (ARV-$8)
Book- 50 Ways to Play (ARV-$5)
Book- Los Cuatro Acuerdos (ARV-10)
Jillian Michaels Shred It with Weights DVD- (ARV-$7)
Prize Pack containing 6 Books (ARV-??)
Coupon for 1 FREE Barilla Microwave Meal- (ARV-$4)



2011

January 2011
White Collar Prize Pack (ARV-$50)
Beyonce DVD/CD (ARV-$15)
Michael McDonald's This Christmas DVD (ARV-$15)

February 2011
Despicable Me DVD & Hat (ARV-$20)
Book- Chicken Soup Family Matters (ARV-$10)

March 2011
Xmas With the Ojays CD (ARV-$5)
$100 Cash Prize (ARV-$100)
4 Dassant Baking Mixes (ARV-$6)
5 Boxes of Cereal & $10 Target GC (ARV-$25)

April 2011
Book- Chicken Soup Grieving & Recovery (ARV-$10)
Book- Chicken Soup Shaping the new you (ARV-$10)
MLB 2k11 PS3 Game (ARV-$48) Count this as a loss because I sold it and never got paid.

July 2011
Elf Lipstick (ARV-$6)

August 2011
Book- The Perfect Drink for every occasion (ARV-$10)

September 2011
Party Groove: Pride CD Download (ARV-$11)

November 2011
5 Coupons for Kellog's Fiberplus Products- Blog Win (ARV-$15)
Robitussin Blanket-Robitussin Sweeps- (ARV-$20)
Andrea Orbeck: Supermodel Series DVD (ARV-$22)

December 2011
Rock & Learn DVD-Blog (ARV-$15)



2010

January 2010
Book-True Colors (ARV-$14.99)
Book-Fireworks Over Toccoa (ARV-$5.00)
My Sister's Keeper Blu Ray (ARV- $20.00)
Book- The Bird Room- (ARV-13.99)

March 2010
Book-Swan for the Money (ARV-$16.49)
$10 to Restaurant.com (ARV-$10)

April 2010
Up Blu Ray (ARV-19.99)

May 2010
Air Moon Safari 10th Anniversary CD/DVD set (ARV-$20)

June 2010
Book- The Shroud Codex (ARV-$15)
Where the wild things are DVD (ARV-$28.98)
Book- The Mountain Between Us (ARV-$12.00)
Axe Prize Pack- Blog- (ARV-$15.00)
One Year Subscription to Business Week Magazine (ARV-$50)
Drawn Together Soundtrack- (ARV-$10)
Book- Infinite Days- (ARV-$5)
Indie CD Prize Pack (ARV-$20)
Bingo @ Work- Cash- (ARV-$77)
Scratch Tickets- Cash- (ARV-$13)
Alice in Wonderland Blu Ray/DVD Combo (ARV-$20)

August 2010
Coke Summer Tshirt, Beach Towel, & 25 My Coke Reward points- Blog- (ARV-$100)
Book- A Secret Kept (ARV-$14.99)

September 2010
One Tree Hill Season 7 DVD (ARV-$50)

October 2010
2 Goosebumps DVDS (ARV-$20)
1 Year Subscription to Forbes magazine (ARV-$30)
Book- "The Duff" (ARV-$16.99)
The Office Season 6 DVD (ARV-$30)

November 2010
Book- Towers of Midnight (ARV-$20)
Book- Little book on meaning (ARV-$22)
$25 Amazon GC (ARV-$25)
Book- Where hearts are Free (ARV-$10)
$50 Marathon Gas GC (ARV-$50)

December 2010
Book- Russian Winter (ARV-$14)
Human Target Season 1 DVD (ARV-$30)
$35 CSN Stores GC (ARV-$35)


2009

January 2009
Slot Music Player w/ Akon Music Card. (ARV-$34.98)
2 Tickets to see an Advanced Screening of The United States of Tara.
Matt Nathanson Signed "Some Mad Hope" CD (ARV-$20-$25)
Books-Love in 90 Days By Diana Kirschner, Walking in Your Own Shoes By Robert Schuller, The Power of Who By Bob Beaudine, God Is My Coach By Larry Julian, Do-It-Yourself Hedge Funds By Wayne Weddington, 8 Steps to Create the Life You Want By Dr. Creflo A. Dollar ,Going Gray By Anne Kreamer, This Year You Write Your Novel By Walter Mosley

February 2009
Santa Hat- The WB
Pair of YMI Jeans- (ARV $48)

March 2009 
Hair Remover Threader- Product Girl. (ARV $16.99)

April 2009 
A basket of Skin2Skin facial care items- Lifetime (ARV $368)

May 2009 
2 Tickets to a Third Eye Blind Concert- NH.com
M.A.C Powder & Gloss (ARV $22)
Elliot Yamin CD and Autographed Poster- Teen Hollywood
Twinklet- Jasper (ARV $24.95)

June 2009 
One Year subscription to BusinessWeek Magazine- Instant Win- (ARV $48)
Fundex Jump Ropes
Drivin to Kill DVD (ARV $15-$20)

July 2009 
WWE RAW Tshirt
12 Rounds DVD
Retro Block Ipod Speaker (ARV-$25)

August 2009
Road Trip: Beer Pong DVD (ARV- $20)
3 Month Membership to Club Pogo- Instant Win- (ARV- $18)

September 2009
L'oreal Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray (ARV- $14.99)
Smallville Season 8 DVD (ARV- $35)
Book- "The Inheritance" (ARV- $14.99)

October 2009
Book- Year of the Horse (ARV- $18.95)
Red and Black Crossbone Knee Highs & a $20.00 Claire's Gift card (ARV- $28.50)
Black and White Crossbone Knee Highs & a $20.00 Claire's Gift Card (ARV- $28.50)
Infestation DVD- (ARV- $24.98)
The Big Bang Theory Season 2 DVD (ARV- $40.00)
Spongebob: The First 100 Episodes DVD (ARV- $100.00)

November 2009
2 Concert Tickets to see Tech N9NE (ARV-$50)
Visine All Day Itch Relief (ARV- $12.99)
Book- Once in a Blue Moon (ARV- $24.95)
MAG Video Game for PS3 (ARV- $60)
IllScarlett CD "1up!" (ARV- $25.99)


2008

Early 2008
CD Cover Maker.

July 2008 
2 Brian Wilson Concert Tickets (ARV-$70)
Folding Chair (ARV $12)
Oprah's Sample Bag (ARV $50)
Picture This! Movie Poster

August 2008
Wizards of Waverly Place on DVD
Slip N Slide

September 2008
A bunch of items (notebooks, folders, binders, etc) from MEAD

October 2008
Dolly Parton "Backwards Barbie" CD
Breathing Easy CD
Book- "Sunset"
Sally Hershberger Hair Styling Products

November 2008
Expelled on DVD
Book- Caught Stealing by Charlie Houston

December 2008
Book- Six Bad Things by Charlie Houston
Book- Audition by Barbara Walters


Thursday, October 18, 2012

The New Influenster Website!



A quick post today to let everyone know what I think of the Influenster relaunch.

For those who do not know what Influenster is, it is a fun Social Media type site where you get rewarded with free products for voicing your opinions. The more active you are on the site (reviewing products, sharing  news about Influenster and companies that Influenster supports, etc) the more products you are eligible to try for free and review!

Sadly, I have not received an Influenster box yet to review for you guys. However, I assure you that as soon as I get one you will be the first to know and I will post all the deets on the new products!

In regards to the relaunch I am loving the new site much more than the old site. There are many more activities to do and therefore I feel that I can be more active on the site and therefore qualify for more products.

To sign up for Influenster and to get involved in all the fun visit their site and take a look around, but please come back and let me know what you think! http://www.influenster.com/





Tuesday, October 16, 2012

October 2012 Birchbox (Goop Edition)



Unfortunately, I do have to say that this month's Birchbox is my least favorite out of the three I have received so far. I opted in for the Goop Birchbox instead of the regular Birchbox (which had a theme as "Transformation") because I thought that items from Goop ( a company ran by Gwyneth Paltrow) would have better items than Transformation. I did not want to end up with beauty items that I would only use for Halloween (which is how Transformation sounds to me).

I want to first say that this being my least favorite Birchbox has nothing to do with Goop. I have watched videos of others October Goop Birchboxes and they got some great items! I feel like I got leftovers for the Goop Box. I feel this way for two reasons: 1.) Even though my box came on time, it came a week later than those who got Goop Boxes that I really liked the items in. 2.) Other than the Goop Tissue outlining the box, NONE of my items were wrapped up. Usually, most of the items are wrapped in tissue paper and mine were kind of just thrown in there.

On to the box:


Here's what is in the box:
 1.) 2 Small Packets of Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre. This is just a upscale moisturizer. I will def use these packets and hope that they work better than other moisturizers  but these look like packets I get for free at the CVS Beauty Counter.
2.) Small Packet of Lulu Organics Lavender & Clary Sage Hair Powder: This is a dry shampoo. Not too excited that it comes as powder in a packet since using the sample can get messy if the sample lasts for more than one day. I will try it out, but I have not found dry shampoos to ever really work for me.
3.) Karuna Hydrating Treatment Mask: This is the one and only item that I was happy to receive in the box. Even though the packaging looks big it actually only contains a one time use mask. These are quite expensive (Full size: 4 masks for $28) so I hope it works wonders. Since this one sample averages out to be $7 this makes the Birchbox worth more than it looks.
4.) Naked Princess Naked Shine Luscious Lip Gloss. I do not think I will enjoy this lip gloss. It came in the size that a sample perfume comes in. The color is nude and usually that does not work well with my skin. I have said in the past that I like to gift samples that I do not want, but this item is way too small to even gift.
5.) The Lifestyle extra is a Luna Lemon Zest bar. I really do not like healthy snacks so while I will try it I was not excited to even get it in the box. Last month I got the Mighty Leaf Tea as a Lifestyle Extra and I absolutely hated it. I drink tea every day, mind you, and the tea was just horrible (Nothing against Mighty Leaf, but it tasted too "organic" to me)

As you can gather I got one less item than I did in last month's box. I want to continue getting the box at least through the holiday season in hopes that they Holiday Box will be a good one. 

Is this box worth $10: Due to the 1 Treatment Mask costing $7 then yes this box more than likely adds up to over $10
Is this box worth my $10: No. I like the mask, but still have not received a full size sample like others do each month. Also, like I stated previously I felt like I got the bottom of the barrel in terms of what came in the box.

I have high hopes for Birchbox so I will stick it out a few more months. Seeing what other people get in their box makes me want to keep my subscription but also irritates me at the same time. In the future I will be more careful about choosing a box other than the regular Birchboxes. 

Disclaimer: These opinions are my own and I was not asked, nor do I get compensation, to review the box or these items.

If you would like to sign up for the Beauty Box yourself, here is the link: https://www.birchbox.com?raf=l4w14