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Review

Review {Honey Bunches of Oats Greek}

by sarah on 04/14/2013

I’m sure most of you have heard about the health benefits of Greek yogurt. US News and World Report suggested that Greek yogurt, “which is strained extensively to remove much of the liquid whey, lactose, and sugar [has] an undeniable edge [over regular yogurt]. In roughly the same amount of calories, it can pack up to double the protein, while cutting sugar content by half.” As a result, many dieticians suggest eating low-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt as a part of a healthy diet.

But, for those of you who have picky eaters in your family (*cough* my husband *cough*), it might not be very easy to persuade them to toss their tasty, sugary yogurt for a healthy-tasting one. To help your family be more excited about adding Greek yogurt into their diet, Honey Bunches of Oats just released a new product, Honey Bunches of Oats Greek Honey Crunch.

Honey Bunches of Oats Greek!

We had the chance to be among the first to try it, and it was a huge hit at our house! When I first offered my husband a bowl of it, he politely refused, because he’s not a fan of Greek yogurt. But, after some gentle persuasion (“EAT it, as a blogger’s husband, it is your duty!”), he took a few bites, and said, “Not bad!” (guy terminology for, “That’s amazing – I could eat a bowl of this every morning.”) Which he did, until the box was gone! And, the general consensus among everyone who helped us sample it was that Honey Bunches of Oats Greek tasted like a high-end granola, not overly sweet, but satisfyingly delicious.

The new Honey Bunches of Oats Greek is made with Greek yogurt, crispy whole grain flakes and a touch of honey. With 33 grams of whole grains, one bowl provides over two-thirds of your day’s whole grains. Nutritionists recommend eating three or more servings of whole grain foods per day (about 16g whole grain per serving or at least 48g per day).

Here is the nutritional information of Honey Bunches of Oats Greek:
o 33g of Whole Grain per serving – over 2/3 your day’s whole grain
o Serving Size: 1 Cup
o 230 Calories
o Provides 12 essential vitamins and minerals
o 5g protein per serving

So, grab your box of Honey Bunches of Oats Greek Honey Crunch to kickoff your morning to a nutritious start! And, be sure to “like” Honey Bunches of Oats on Facebook or follow them on Twitter to learn more about their products.

Disclaimer: I am part of the Mom It Forward blogger network. Mom It Forward and Honey Bunches of Oats partnered in support of this campaign. Honey Bunches of Oats compensated me for participation in this campaign. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Best Buy {Air Purification Coupon}

by sarah on 04/05/2013

Germ Guardian from Best Buy

Having grown up in Hawaii, I couldn’t wait to experience my first Springtime in Virginia, envisioning a fairytale season of budding daffodils and chirping birds. What I didn’t anticipate was the multitude of allergies that would come with the warmer weather! It was dreadful, even with the heavy duty HEPA air filters in our A/C unit, I would sneeze and cough continually.

But, being a ~~miser~~ frugal, I stubbornly refused to plunk down the money for an air purification system…right up until Miss “A” began suffering from environmental allergies as well. Then, I began researching air purification systems in earnest. Once we installed an air filtration system in Miss “A’s” room, we were shocked at how quickly her allergies cleared up. It was definitely worth every penny!

For me, the hardest part was sorting through the myriad of options to determine which system was the best (and, most affordable!) for our family. I wish I had known, back then, that Best Buy offers over one hundred systems, along with a team of customer service representatives who can offer helpful tips and advice along the way. Since it’s that time of year again, I thought I would share a few things I learned as I researched air filtration systems:

:: Check the square footage that the air filtration system covers. We were looking for a system that would stay in my daughter’s bedroom; and, since most are certified for a 200 square foot room, it wasn’t too hard to find one. But, if you’re trying to clean the air in your living room, you’ll need to know your room measurements to get a system that is up to the job.

:: Find the filter that is best for you. We adore our HEPA filtration system – it captures 99.97% of airborne allergens (like animal dander, pollen, and dust) as small as 0.3 microns for thorough purification. With it, we saw a marked improvement in our daughter’s allergy symptoms. But, if you’re looking for something to filter household odors, such as pet, cooking and smoke odors, an activated carbon (charcoal) filter is much more helpful than a HEPA filter.

:: Check the cost of the filter. Some systems use filters that you need to replace on a regular basis (it’s always good to check how often they will need to be changed), while others boast a washable/permanent filter. Understandably, the systems that have washable filters are generally more expensive. But, you would be amazed at how quickly the cost of HEPA filters adds up!

:: Read the reviews on Best Buy and Consumer Reports – it will definitely help in making your decision. Many times, consumers suffer from the same allergies as you, and can offer suggestions on which filter helped them the best.

:: Be sure to check how often the filtration system can purify the room air. Ideally, it’s good to have it changed 4-6 times an hour. For instance, the Honeywell Oscillating Air Purifier changes the room air up to 5 times an hour.

For those of you who are in the market for an air purification system, Best Buy is generously offering a printable coupon for 20% off all air purification products to help defray the cost! Happy Spring!

Disclaimer: The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free

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McDonald’s New McWrap Chicken {& Giveaway}

by sarah on 04/01/2013

Premium Chicken McWrap

This giveaway has ended! Congratulations to our winners, Tina, Janice, and Natalia!

It’s no April Fool’s joke, McDonald’s just introduced a new menu item: the Premium McWrap. The Premium McWrap combines fresh vegetables (tomato, cucumber slices, spring greens, and shredded lettuce), juicy chicken breast filet, and tasty sauces in a warm tortilla. Served in a convenient, hand-held package, customers can enjoy it while on-the-go…in three satisfying varieties: Sweet Chili Chicken, Chicken and Bacon, and Chicken and Ranch. As always, the Premium McWrap is reasonably priced, so you don’t have to worry about hurting your budget, when you need a quick snack or when you’ve forgotten your lunch! [click to continue…]

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Review {Touch Math Pre-K Curriculum}

by sarah on 03/18/2013

This past month, we had the neat opportunity to review TouchMath Pre-K Curriculum. For those of you who might not be familiar with TouchMath, it is a multisensory program that encourages the use of four of our major senses (seeing, saying, hearing, and touching) with their hands-on manipulatives and paper/pencil written activities. Using this winning combination, TouchMath has been proven to raise math test scores in classrooms around the world for over three decades.

The TouchMath Pre-K Curriculum is geared towards children, ages 3-5, and introduces them to concepts such as counting, sorting, and spatial recognition. My husband and I both loved math as we were growing up, and were growing alarmed that Miss A was still content to count, “one, two, skip a few.” Since she mastered the alphabet forwards (and, backwards, thanks to her uncle!), we were surprised that counting would present any difficulties and I began to look for ways to bolster her math skills.

TouchMath Manipulatives

TouchMath provided the perfect solution. The curriculum comes with detailed instructions for the parent/teacher, including suggested dialogue, pre-activity ideas (like counting baby carrots or comparing the characteristics between a rock and feather), and work mats (activity sheets that reinforce the lesson). So, instead of laboriously practicing her counting, Miss A would take inventory of the pantry or line up toys in order of their size. For learners like Miss A, tallying the fruits in our refrigerator was infinitely more exciting than flashcard drills. And, we were amazed at how quickly she mastered counting to 30+, once learning wasn’t so much of a chore.

Blending Manipulatives and Worksheets

But, TouchMath also realizes that learning goes further than tactile engagement, and they also offer worksheets, for “guided practice” of specific math concepts. In the beginning, it is relatively simple: counting objects on a page and coloring. But, as the program progressed, children are challenged to explain the workings of a teeter-totter and to select the dissimilar object in a group. Unlike other math curriculum we’ve used, I found that TouchMath encouraged Miss A to think, rather than to just regurgitate facts. It’s not always easy, but we’re pleased that she’s learning crucial reasoning skills at a young age!

Which Group Has More?

For me, the only drawback to the TouchMath curriculum is that it’s delivered via email, rather than by the good ‘ole postal service. I’m probably old-fashioned; but, up until now, we’ve only used hardback or paperback textbooks. Since our printer hiccups along at one page per hour, we had to arrange for someone else to print the worksheets and teaching materials (a total of 203 pages). Then, came the exhausting task of keeping all the papers in order, quite a feat when you have a curious little girl! Since each module’s instructional strategies and worksheets are numbered individually, there were (12) page 1′s, 2′s, 3′s, etc to keep organized. To avoid confusion, I suggest binding both the worksheets and teacher’s guides – it’s a little time-consuming but extremely helpful in the long run!

Apples Make Math Fun!

The TouchMath curriculum by itself costs $59.95. We also received the following hands-on manipulatives to to complement the curriculum: 3-D Numerals ($79.95), TouchShapes ($30.00), and Texture Cards ($99.00). You might be wondering whether you’ll need to purchase TouchMath’s manipulatives in order for the program to work. Not to worry, the instructional manual always suggests an alternative to TouchMath’s manipulatives. But, as a non-creative, perpetually tired parent, I really appreciated having the manipulatives on hand and not having to rummage around for a substitute.

For those of you with older children, be sure to read my fellow Crew member’s reviews of TouchMath’s upper grades.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this product through the Schoolhouse Review Crew in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

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Best Buy {Geek Squad Solution Central}

by sarah on 02/08/2013

Best Buy in Fair Lakes

Did you know that Best Buy offers free one-on-one consultations and classes to help you make the most out of your electronics? I’m very fortunate that my husband is an IT professional, so all I have to do is trot down the hall and *most of the time* he patiently answers my questions. Even so, since he deals predominantly with PCs, I often have unanswerable difficulties with my iPhone, which is where Best Buy’s Geek Squad Solution Central comes in handy. For instance, our Best Buy in Fair Lakes offers free iPad classes on Monday nights at 6 PM and MAC classes on Thursday evenings at 6 PM. And, after the classes, many of the staff are on hand to answer any Apple-related questions you might have. I was happily surprised to learn that they will help you regardless of where you purchased your device – no questions asked!

The Geek Squad Solution Central would be perfect for those of you with parents who find it difficult to operate their newest electronic gadget! When I visited the Best Buy in Fair Lakes, I enjoyed meeting two of the Geek Squad tech pros, Brandon B and Trent C. They love helping customers with everything from setting up (or operating!) a TV to suggesting the best apps for the smartphone. And, with all the experience that the Geek Squad boasts (ours even has a tech with a master’s degree in computers!), it’s the perfect place to head when you need a few electronic pointers.

The New Geek Squad Solution Central

Geek Squad Solution Central is Best Buy’s latest innovation to move beyond a functional role of being “just another place to buy” and “just another repair place” to establishing a higher level, emotional relationship and to deliver a differentiated, high-touch customer experience. Located in the center of the store for easy access from any department, the core of Solution Central is to provide opportunities to show customers how to “own” and “enjoy” their technology.

Solution Central is staffed with Geek Squad Technology Education Agents (TEAs). TEAs have a strong knowledge of all services, technology and categories in the store. The TEAs provide the following:

• Counsel on repairing, replacing, or buying equipment to find the complete solution that will work “wherever you are” in your technology journey.

• Walk Out Working experiences for Tablets, Computers, Digital Cameras and Gaming categories. Walk-Out-Working are “in the moment”, custom product set-ups offered before you leave the store with your new device, with the option to schedule appointment times at a later date. The subsequent appointment can range from rapid, quick-fire set-ups to elongated, more detailed set-ups, depending on the customer needs.

• 30 minute 1:1 personalized sessions with a TEA to cover any topic the customer has questions on. These classes are meant to accommodate different customer preferences for how and what they want to learn.

• A broad range of technology classes to meet with customer needs and interests. I would call your local store to see what classes they are offering, before you sign up online.

• Getting more out of technology, including getting access to information you need, entertainment you crave and connecting with the people you care about.

And, the best part? All the appointments are free and easy to schedule online! {Please note that appointments for other Geek Squad services provided at the Precinct or AutoTech Bay do have fees depending on the service.}

Just follow these simple steps:

Step 1 – Visit the Geek Squad’s Online Scheduler (or call your local store to see what classes/consultations they offer)

Step 2 – Scroll down to ‘In-Store Solution Central Scheduling’

Step 3 – Click on the ‘Schedule a Reservation’ button

Step 4 – Enter your zip code for the available locations near you and select the location you want

Step 5 – Select the reservation you want (either Consultation or a Class)

Step 6 – Select date and time

Step 7 – Provide your contact information (not only for registration, but you will be sent confirmation and reminder emails)

I hope you are able to take advantage of some of the one-on-one consultations that Best Buy offers!

{The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.}

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Domino Light Sugar Recipe & $25 VISA Giveaway

by sarah on 12/31/2012

Mochi Ingredients with Domino Light

This giveaway has ended! Congratulations to our winner, Debbie J! I sent you an email!

To help you ring in the New Year (and, mostly because I’ve been too sick to post until now! ), Domino Light is sponsoring a $25 VISA giveaway to introduce their newest sugar!

Domino Light is an all natural pure cane sugar and stevia blend with half the calories of sugar. That’s over a 350-calorie savings in each cup! By blending pure cane sugar with a naturally sweet extract from the stevia plant, Domino has created a delicious sweetener with no artificial ingredients. And, because the stevia in Domino Light is very sweet, you only need to use half the quantity of sugar that your recipe calls for, a great money-saver since your bag of sugar stretches much further!

Finished Product!

I was very excited to try out Domino Light in my baking! Once a year, on January 1st, our family celebrates “oshogatsu,” the traditional Japanese festivities to ring in the New Year. This year, since we’re planning to share some of our dishes with friends, I tried my hand at Chi Chi Dango (the “Americanized” version of Mochi, a sweet rice dessert). It’s so yummy, but also not the best for your calorie intake, so I was thrilled to cut the sugar quantity in half with Domino Light. Here’s my recipe!

:: 1 Box of Mochiko (found at Wegmans)
:: 1 Cup of Domino Light Sugar
:: 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
:: 2 Cups of Water
:: 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
:: 1 Can of Coconut Cream (found at Trader Joe’s)
:: Dash of Red Food Coloring (if you’d like them to be a pretty pink!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch pan. Whisk together the rice flour, sugar, baking powder, water, vanilla, coconut milk and red food coloring, until smooth. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool completely. Turn the pan of mochi out onto a clean surface that has been dusted with potato starch. Cut into bite size pieces using a plastic knife.

{Giveaway Details}
Now, to everyone’s favorite part! Domino Sugar is generously offering one of my readers a $25 VISA gift card. To enter, just let me know your favorite dessert. This contest is open to the US and will close at 11:59 PM on January 7, 2013. I will draw the winner by Random.org, and they will have 48 hours to respond to the email notification that they won.

:: For Extra Entries ::
1) “Like” Capitally Frugal on Facebook. (Leave your Facebook ID.)
2) Follow Capitally Frugal on Twitter. (Leave your Twitter ID.)
3) Follow Domino Sugar on Twitter. (Leave your Twitter ID.)
4) Tweet this giveaway, please include @capitallyfrugal and @dominosugar in your tweet. (Leave a link to your tweet, please!)

{Disclosure: Domino Sugar is generously sponsoring this giveaway, and gave me a gift card to try out a recipe of choice. But, all thoughts and opinions in this post are my own.}

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Review {Samsung Galaxy SIII}

by sarah on 12/18/2012

My sad little iPhone 3GS was reaching the end of its life (to its credit, it has lasted over two years), and I was having difficulties deciding what to purchase as its replacement. One of the perks of being a blogger is being able to try out cutting edge technology without having to plunk down hundreds of dollars. And, thanks to AT&T’s generosity, I was able to test drive the Samsung Galaxy SIII.

When I received it, I was dazzled by its vibrant 5.3″ HD screen! I’m use to a much smaller screen, since apparently Apple believes that sleek equals small. But, I thought the S3 still fit in my hand perfectly, despite being almost 1″ taller and about 0.5″ wider. The larger display made it so much easier to read online articles and keep up with all my social media outlets!

Another great feature of the S3 (and, I know I’m behind the times) is Swype. Even though the iPhone has developed my hunt and peck skills to the point that it alarms my father-in-law, I much prefer Swype. For those of you who are stuck in the dark ages like me, Swype allows you to use one continuous finger or stylus motion across the screen keyboard to type. According to their website, “this patented technology enables users to input words faster and easier than other data input methods – at over 40 words per minute.“ Not even my honed iPhone skills let me type at such warped speeds! The Swype feature alone had me contemplating the S3 over the iPhone 4S!

I did fall in love with the ease of sharing between Samsung Galaxy S3 phones, and I bemoaned the fact that the iPhone doesn’t offer such an option. Here is a great description of their sharing abilities from Samsung’s website: “With S Beam, you can share large HD files in seconds – just touch compatible devices back-to-back. S Beam takes full advantage of NFC (Near-Field Communication) and Wi-Fi Direct technology, making it quick and easy for you to share photos, videos, documents, calendars, contacts and more. And you don’t even need Wi-Fi or a cellular signal.” When I attended BlogHer’12, I may or may not have hung out in the Samsung booth tapping the S3 phones together. Now, if they came out with a feature that let you to tap your Galaxy S3 against a computer and transmit all the pictures/data, I think I might finally convert to the Android!

For me the biggest drawback of the S3 was its S Voice, a feature similar to the iPhone’s Siri. But, unlike Siri who comes up with witty answers for questions like, “do you love me?”, the S Voice struggled with understanding, “what is the closest grocery store?” After a few tries, it did display an extensive list of stores in our area, but iPhone users will be very disappointed if they are comparing it to Siri.

For those of you who are wondering whether I decided to purchase the Galaxy S3, I’m afraid that I opted for the iPhone 4S. Not only was it $0.99 (I bought it refurbished on Black Friday), but I’m also use to the intuitiveness of the Apple products. However, the Samsung Galaxy S3 was the best Android smartphone that I’ve tested, and for all my readers who are Android lovers, you’ll love its sleekness and cutting edge features. And, right now, with a two year AT&T contract, you can get the Samsung Galaxy S3 for $199, with free shipping.

{Disclosure: AT&T loaned me the Samsung Galaxy S3 to facilitate this review.}

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Review {Old Schoolhouse Teachers Membership}

by sarah on 12/13/2012

Many of you know that we entered the halls of homeschool education earlier this Fall. Even though our daughter is only four, we’ve been working our way through the Abeka curriculum; and, while it offers an excellent foundation in math and language arts, there are no age-appropriate history or geography workbooks. Since I was a history major in college, I wasn’t about to let this stop me, and I’ve tried to incorporate books about historical figures into our reading lessons. But there was little continuity, and “A” quickly became bored.

This past week, we had the opportunity to try out SchoolhouseTeachers.com, the brainchild of The Homeschool Magazine. And, I was excited to see that they had some great lesson plans for Classical History, Asia: People and History, Figures in History, Geography, and much more! We thought it was wonderful that I could use the Classical History lessons to teach “A” stories about King David and Saul, while she simultaneously learned about the history of Israel’s Divided Kingdom. As a reward for listening to her lessons, “A” was thrilled with the activity sheets at the end. Depending on the ages of your child, you can choose to watch videos they provide and delve into classic art that depict those time periods.

For those of you who don’t seem to have enough hours in the day to accomplish all your tasks, you’ll love that SchoolhouseTeachers.com does your lesson planning for you! You’ll receive expert advice and detailed lesson plans from twenty-seven different teachers, ranging from a CPA (who writes about Career Exploration) to a Ph.D (who oversees Reading Lessons). And, here are just a few of the topics that they cover (for grades K-12): French, Guitar, Home Economics, Mock Trial, Worldviews, College Choice Guidance, and Film making.

If you lifted an eyebrow at virtual Guitar lessons, you’re not alone – I had to see how they would run those lesson plans. They actually have short video tutorials and the teacher offers to Skype with the students to see their technique, answer questions, and offer helpful suggestions. Pretty neat, right?

Some additional benefits of the SchoolhouseTeachers.com membership include a Monthly Menu (with daily recipes), “This Day in History” section (with corresponding printable worksheets), Everyday Games, and a monthly Reading List.

For a limited time, SchoolhouseTeachers.com is offering a 1-year membership for only $49 (regular price – $64.26). In addition to the membership, you will receive the 2013 Annual Print Book and your choice of the Winter Cranberry or Chocolate Mint tote bag, absolutely free. You will also receive bonus gifts directly from Zeezok, Audio Memory, Live Online Math, and Knowledge Quest! (Physical products will be sent to US customers only.) Click here to see the bonus gifts described.

Join their sister site, Econobusters.com and become a Molly member for 1 year for only $20 more! Feel free to share both of these wonderful memberships with a friend for only $35.

(This price is US only. Canadian subscribers can purchase and contact Customer Service at 1.888.718.4663 (HOME) to pay additional $25 shipping fee. Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of physical products. If you currently have a membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com, you may purchase this special and add a year to your current membership. Please contact CustomerService@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com after your purchase so that we can extend your membership date or cancel your monthly payments. These free gifts are with available only with the purchase of this special.)

{Disclosure: In accordance with FTC regulations, I’m disclosing that I received a year subscription to SchoolhouseTeachers.com to facilitate this review.}

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Review {Old World Gourmet’s Cracker Smack}

by sarah on 12/11/2012

Just in time for the holidays, Old World Gourmet is introducing “The Original” Cracker Smack, a slightly spicy, savory coating that will take your everyday saltine crackers to an uptown gourmet experience! Cracker Smack comes with a spice bag and a large plastic mixing bag. All you have to do is add 1 1/2 cups of canola oil and 4 packs of your saltines (or your favorite crackers!), then toss it and leave it overnight. Once the crackers are done marinating, it’s suggested that you store them in an airtight container to keep them from getting stale.

Cracker Smack in the Making!

We had the opportunity to try out the Cracker Smack, and thought it was a great appetizer! My family isn’t a huge fan of saltines, so I substituted Keebler Club crackers. The result was quite yummy, and it wasn’t as time consuming as I thought it might be! We paired our crackers with a dip, and everyone thought I slaved in the kitchen to create such a mouth-watering dish.

Cracker Smack is a great hors d’oeuvres to serve your friends, and with holiday parties in full swing, you’ll appreciate having an easy appetizer to make. Just head to the Old World Gourmet website to purchase Cracker Smack for $5.00!

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Ticket Giveaway {Sugarloaf Crafts Festival in Chantilly, VA}

by sarah on 11/27/2012

Sugarloaf Crafts Festival

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to our winners, Carolyn and Nicole!

The Sugarloaf Crafts Festival is coming to the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, VA, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, December 7-9, 2012. More than 300 of the nation’s finest artisans and craftspeople will be showcasing their one-of-a-kind creations during this 7^th annual festival. You’ll find everything from ceramics, pottery, jewelry, and glass to photography, fiber and fine art. Artists at the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival in Chantilly are jury-selected for this show with a keen eye for offering a wide variety of work in diverse styles and at all prices – and all handmade by American craftspeople! [click to continue…]

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