Melissa's Idea Garden

Yesterday, I went to Pet Smart to pick up some rabbit food. While there, I also picked up some cat food that I had a coupon for a free four pound bag of. The four pound bag was $10.49, this is more than I pay for a normal 20 lb bag, so it was neat to get it for free. Then when I picked up the bag, there was a coupon on the front of the bag for three free pouches of the wet cat food. They were normally .61 each. So I got up to the register, not sure the pouches would be free, since I had a free coupon for the cat food, but both coupons worked! My cats are feeling very special! But to make it even better, when we flipped the rabbit food over to find the UPC code, there was a tear in the bag. She gave me 15% off and taped it up good as new! It was a good day at Pet Smart!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I have had the honor of giving away some lovely Twisted Silver pieces and I even own a couple of pieces myself. This week, I received some terrific news in my email box. Check out these two great deals!

1. 50% off of the Horse Bit Belt and the Horse Bit Bracelet thanks to Maria Shriver. Maria contacted the company to let them know how much she loved these pieces. The people at Twisted Silver are so tickled, they are offering 50% off on these pieces between now and April 18th, 2008. All you have to do is enter MARIA in the promotions code box when you are checking out!

2. 70% off One Day Sale! April 15th, 2008, visit the Twisted Silver website for great deals! All Twisted Silver Outlet items will be 70% off! Dress up your spring wardrobe with the most fashionable jewelry in America! Just enter OUTLET in the promo code box! Enjoy these awesome savings and be the envy of all of your friends!

Happy shopping!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you are not familiar with The Old Schoolhouse Magazine or if you have heard of it, but have been putting off purchasing a subscription, now is a great time to subscribe.

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's popular subscription promo is back this Spring and in full bloom! It's their 25 for $25 Spring Promo and you don't want to wait. Their Winter gift promo sold out early, so subscribe NOW to The Old Schoolhouse Magazine before these fantastic gifts are gone. From preschool to college, they have it all. You'll not only receive four terrific issues packed with encouragement, resources, and ideas, you'll receive over $550 in BONUS gifts from these popular homeschool companies:

• Hand of a Child - 6 month super membership
• Schola / PHONICS Road to Spelling and Reading - A Brief History of English Spelling E-Pamphlet
• God's World/World Magazine - 4 free issues of WORLD Magazine and 2 month's worth of WORLD Magazine
• Kinderbach - Discover Music Package, five lessons on DVD & activity e-book included
• Adorned With Modesty - Proverbs Paperdolls Books I and II, 16 Short Sermons and a $3.00 coupon.
• KT Graphics - Free month subscription to Helpme2teach.com
• Knowledge Box Central - Declaration of Independence CopyWork Notebook and a Human Heart Lapbook
• Homestead Originals - Homestead Simplicity e-book
• Clark Health – Educational Health Audio
• Vintage Remedies – Kitchen Herbal e-book
• Knowledge Quest - What Really Happened: A Collection of Historical Biographies
• Remembrance Press / The Gift of Writing - The Girlhood Home Companion E-sampler and The Pebbly Brook Farm Stories mp3 download
• Systematic Math - DVD Math sample lessons for 6th grade and up
• Deeper Roots Publications - Encouragement for Home School Moms book
• LGS Services, Inc./Little Giant Steps - Auditory booklet, Heroes DVD, plus, a free Auditory Processing Test Kit
• Motherboard Books - Silly Animations e-lesson
• New Harvest Homestead - 5 Free issues of their newsletter
• Internet Safety Editorial - Free 12 month subscription to Safe Eyes
• American Heritage Education Foundation, Inc. - K-12 Social Studies lesson plans America's Heritage, Adventure & Liberty
• Paws N Tales - Free MP3 Download of Paws & Tales Episode
• Math Facts Now - Math Facts Now! computer program
• ALEKS Corporation - Free 1-Month of ALEKS Math (for new users)
• Teach Magazine - A free e-newsletter and e-book "Organizing Happiness"
• Write Shop - Free e-gifts! 224 StoryBuilder Cards, WriteShop I sample lesson, and coupon.
• Homeschool in the Woods – Artists Activity Pack

Subscribe NOW to reserve your set of these INCREDIBLE 25 BONUS gifts, before they're gone, again!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Well, here we are...back to WFMW hosted by Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer! You can always find great tips at WFMW, so be sure to click the link and check out what other pearls of wisdom people are offering today!

My tip for today may be one you already use. I learned it a couple of years ago from my mother-in-law. When I take the trash bag out of my trash can, I don't just get out one bag to replace it. I grab several. I drop all but one into the bottom of the trash can. Then I put the remaining one into the trash can in the correct manner.

Then the next time I have to remove trash, there is a bag already in there and it saves a trip to the sink where I store the trashbags under. I do this with all of my trashcans. It only saves a few moments and steps, but those add up!

Two more trash tips:

1. For small trash cans, use the plastic bags from Walmart, Target, etc. They are free, abundant, and it is recycling.

2. Buy Simple Tie trashbags from Sam's. You get 300 in a box. They last forever!. They are better quality than most cheap bags and they are inexpensive. I believe I paid less than 10 dollars for them, but I have had them so long, I honestly forget!

Hope my tips today are of use to you! If you want to read my other WFMW posts, just go to my main page, scroll down and click on the WFMW category.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBacks (0)

If you aren't a seller on eBay, then you are probably unaware of the massive upset among sellers over eBay's latest changes. They have made it so that seller's cannot leave buyer's negative feedback. They have also supposedly dropped the rates. Now gallery items are free (a savings of .35 cents) and the listing fees have dropped down a little bit (well they will on February 20th. And as an added bonus, if you are selling media items, the rates were dropped more. Store rates also dropped. But they raised FVF (final value fees). So if you sell the item, you will be paying more on the back end and the more on the back end is higher than what they have released on the front end. In one small way it saves sellers money because if they don't sell the item, they aren't out as much money. But there are a lot of other options out there that don't charge listing fees at all. eBay has become so money hungry, they have lost sight of the people that catapulted them into the stratosphere to begin with.

The thing that really has sent sellers leaving eBay on mass is our inability to leave negative feedback for buyers. This opens up sellers to pranksters and people with having a bad day and people who want to run people out of business. Once a buyer has paid and the item has shipped, there's nothing you can say about the buyer. The buyer can have your paypal account frozen for up to three weeks if he makes a complaint and he can now leave negative feedback without consequence. It's a disgrace and eBay is paying heavily for it.

Check out this website set up by Power Sellers. It shows you which sites have how much listed and how that has changed over the previous 24 hour period. I have been watching it over the last 24 hours and I have seen eBay consistently droping in number of products listed.

Continue reading "I'm Leaving eBay and Heading to iOffer - So Come Join Me!" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

I wanted to let my faithful readers know how my Food Lion 'fiasco' of last week ended up.

For those of you who are scratching your head and wondering what I am talking about, you can catch up by first reading:

Coupon Disaster

Then read:

Coupon Disaster Update

And now for the amazing conclusion....

Continue reading "A Delightful Day At Food Lion..." »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 6:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Back in December I won this shirt for being a participant in Tiany's Holiday Open House. This shirt was provided as a prie by the Homeschool Boutique. It arrived just last week and I love it!

If you are looking for neat Homeschool items, there are plenty of things at the Homeschool Boutique that can tickle your fancy!

For instance, every homeschooled child should have one of these shirts to head off those common questions!

Or maybe a Principal Dad shirt would be to your liking! Go over to Homeschool Boutiqueand take a look when you get a chance. There is a little something for everyone in your homeschool family!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

During Bloggy Giveaways I won this beautiful Bible tote bag from Elaine at Inspirational Christian Stories, Poems, Gifts

This beautiful and durable bag arrvied yesterday and I am so excited. I am currently filling in at my church's Awanas group for a gal who is out having a baby and this tote will be perfect for carrying my Awanas items in.

Elaine is a work at home mom who is in the business of helping others to spread inspiration. Think about it, when you give a friend a gift with a bible verse on it or you carry a purse with scripture on it or drink from an inspirational coffee cup at work, you are opening up the way to witness to others. I would encourage you to support a WAHM and to increase your role in spreading the Good News by shopping at Elaine's Inspirational Gift Gallery.

Remember, while we all may wear our crosses to church on Sunday and carry our inspirational bible covers to church, it is important to show those signs of our belief in our everyday life. So if someone has a question, we are a beacon to invite them to learn more about our Savior. If we don't have any outward appearance of our belief, then we lose that opportunity to reach out to others who might otherwise approach us.

God bless!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Twisted Silver now has an online Outlet. This outlet has items that are in limited quantities and are available at great prices! Go check it out and add some cool jewelry to your collection today!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 4:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today is Fabulous Freebie Day at The Schoolhouse Store. And one of the Freebie's you can get is my Hummingbird Ebook. All you have to do is purchase my American Bison ebook or my Komodo Dragon ebook. Is that a great deal or what???? So go ahead and get two of my books for the price of one! There are lots of other great items at The Schoolhouse Store!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This coming summer, Jack is looking forward to going to bible camp. I just found out a great site that I will be sharing with his camp leaders. It is a site they can go to in order to create custom christian t-shirts. There are several basic styles of shirts: hoodies, v-neck style, round neck style, different colors, and different sleeve lengths.

You can start with one of their design ideas and customize it to suit your needs or you can completely make up your own design. It is soooo easy and fun! I thought I would try one out and see. I started with the Mountain Camp shirt because we live in the piedmont of Virginia and can see the mountains! I could choose the color, upload my own graphics, and type in my own text. I can add clipart, shapes and personalize the shirts and add numbers. And the company offers free standard shipping in the U.S. The site is easy to use and help is always just a click away!

Go ahead and design shirts for your youth group, church sport team or bible camp. You are sure to have fun and to be pleased with the results

Posted by Melissa Markham at 6:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The vast majority of computer users have Microsoft products on their computer. And every couple of years, Microsoft comes out with a new and improved product, but this also means there is a new and improved price tag. Because Daniel is a computer consultant, we always have the latest Microsoft products. It is necessary for his job and a business expense for us. But there are many others who would like to update, but find the cost prohibitive.

Well, I have found a solution for you! Check out www.CostCaptain.com! This website has a section that is dedicated to educators. If you are a qualified educator, you are eligible for tremendous discounts on several Microsoft 2007 products.

You may be eligible if you fall in one of these categories:

- Accredited Educational Institutions
- Administrative Offices & Boards of Education
- Faculty and Staff of eligible educational institutions
- Enrolled Students of eligible educational institutions
- Public Libraries
- Public Museums
- Home-School Programs

I have found Microsoft Office 2007 to be a vast improvement over previous Microsoft Office products. The layout is more user friendly and I am able to navigate through the Office Programs with ease. There are many features that I have found useful in my day to day activities. If you are in the field of education, you know how useful programs like Excel, Word, and Publisher are. I also really like the new Microsoft Photo Editor. So, if you have been wanting to upgrade, but funds have been low, then check out www.CostCaptain.com. Your budget will thank you!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last year while we were spending money on home improvements and paying off our land, we took some money for something fun. We had a lovely Toshiba TV that we had purchased about 13 years ago. I remember the night we bought it...we drove home with it on the top of our station wagon because it was literally too large to fit in our station wagon. I don't remember bringing it in the house, but this past spring when we gave it away, it literally took three college students to carry it out of the door! We had contemplated putting it into the kid's playroom, but it was too wide (front to back) to go through the door! Honestly!!!!

So we replaced our huge television with a flat screen HD TV. And I can't begin to tell you how much clearer the picture is! There are nature programs that we watch where we feel like we could reach out and touch whatever it is we are seeing. The action shows and sci-fi shows are so cool...especially now that more and more channels are making the switch to HD. We are big movie buffs and this has made our home movie experience a kazillion times better! If you are looking for a good deal on a LCD TV, check out Buy.com. You are sure to find the size and mounting style that suit you! One of the great things about our new HD TV...my hubby and I can easily lift it! No college students required!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Is it just me or is Christmas approaching like a freight train? Are you running out of time and Christmas money? Still have a few more gifts to get and just aren't sure what to get? Or maybe you know what to get, but the thought of heading out into the madhouse that stores have become makes you feel ill? Well, never fear, there is still time to take advantage of great online promotions and get items shipped ot you in time for Christmas!

For instance check and see if you can use a Chadwick's coupon to help you save money and find the perfect gift for someone on your list! Chadwick's has beautiful clothing that would delight whoever you chose to bless with it. And right now the list of Chadwick's coupons is huge! You can get free shipping, free items, discounts on the itmes you purchase!

And if you don't like Chadwick's, never fear, Edealfinder.com has hundreds of other great online coupons, codes, and promotions from dozens of other stores for you to choose from! Hurry up...time is running out!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Do you have a hard time finding jeans to fit? You know...they are great at the waist, but two large in the legs or they fit everywhere, but are a tad too long, or they gap at your waist, but fit your hips? Well, look no further! Check out True Jeans. They will take your measurements, and then you will be shown the jeans that will best fit you! Sounds cool, doesn't it? Well, True Jeans and 5 Minutes for Mom have paired up to give one lucky, lucky gal $200.00 to spend on some jeans! So head over to 5 Minutes for Mom and sign up! Good luck!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 6:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

From time to time, I have read about great deals at the grocery store...you know the really great deals where someone actually got money back from the store for items they purchased? Or they paid pennies for a product? Well, since we have been forced to cut back drastically (like reduce our grocery bill by virtually half in the last few months, I have been looking extra hard for specials and coupons and preferably the coupon/sale combination. One thing I have decided is that even once I have more money to spend in the food arena, I am going to keep up with these new habits. I would like to get more fresh fruits and veggies (which seem to fall off the list when you are trying to save money), and I have missed having a diet soda each day, but I am not going to go back to doing a lot of shopping at Sam's.

I had gotten in the habit of going there and feeling like I was saving money, but in reality, I don't think that was necessarily true. There are some things that I can definitely get cheaper there, but many things are better price or at least comparable at Food Lion and what I have discovered at Food Lion is that I buy less, because it is just a grocery store...there aren't all the other things to attract my attention that have nothing to do with groceries. I don't have a total amount of what I have saved, but I average 40.00 a week with coupons and MVP sales at Food Lion. Some weeks dip down to $26.00 and some weeks the amount saved goes as high as $75.00. I love it!

Continue reading "Great Grocery Shopping Day" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 5:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Right now, I, along with most of the people I know are busy dreaming of a White Christmas. We are looking for, praying for and hoping to have some of the white stuff float down from the sky so we can have our Norman Rockwell Christmas. I know there are some who are already dreading the first falling flake and are dreaming about sunny warm days to come in the months ahead. But for right now, I think most people are dreaming of snow.

However, human nature is a twisted thing. We want what we can't have. When it is summer, we dream of cooler days. When it is cold we long for sun and surf. So by January or February, many of those who were dreaming of snowy days in December will be turning their thoughts to summer vacations. Why wait until summer? Why not enjoy a lovely getaway this winter and take advantage of Amelia Island's Lodging Special. Currently, they are running a special at 12 participating hotels, bed and breakfasts and inns where if you purchase a two night stay, you can get a third night free. Reservations are required and black out dates apply, but you can only find those by checking out the lodging that appeals to you. This promotion is good from now until February 29, 2008.

Personally, I always like to do something special with my husband for Valentine's Day. Some years we have been able to arrange for the kids to be away and we just hung out at home in the peace and quiet. Some years, we have gone away for an overnight trip, just the two of us. I think it would be positively lovely for us to visit Amelia Island for a long weekend.

Continue reading "Amelia Island - One of the Top 10 Island Getaways in America" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 4:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As my parents and in-laws grow older, I hear the same complaints from them. Their cell phones aren't meeting their needs. They are too complicated for them to understand. The volume doesn't go up loud enough. They can' see the buttons. The bills are even hard for them to figure out. It is difficult enough to be trying to learn a new technology, but when you add to that tiny buttons and hard to understand menus, cell phones may seem not worth the effort.

However, I feel greater peace of mind with them having a cell phone. That way, if they are on the road and break down, they will have a way to get in touch with others. Or if their phones go out during a bad storm and they need to reach someone, there is a good chance their cell phones will work. Depending on their location, cell phone may serve to save them money as well. Why pay for a land line when they can use their cell phone and know that people will always be able to get in touch with them.

Did you know there are cell phones for senior citizens? I only recently learned of the Jitterbug cell phones. My husband had mentioned them and I became curious. There are two models of Jitterbug phones that you can choose from.

Continue reading "Jitterbug - The Perfect Phone for the Senior Citizen on Your List" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 3:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I try to let you know when I find a new site that offers coupon codes to help you save money. Webby Planet is such a place. They have a huge database. And so many ways to search it! (That's the part I like). For instance, I clicked on the games and toys category, and I found stores I had never even heard of (and some great deals!) You can also search based on keywods or by alphabet letter. For instance the letter 'T' has 5 pages of stores listed under it!

When you choose a category, the stores come up alphabetically and at the bottom of the page, there are sections that show you new stores that have become part of the Webby Planet network, extra great deals and gift certificates that are available to help you save money! If you still have some Christmas shopping to do, set down with your list and visit Webby Planet. You will save money!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 7:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I recently received this gorgeous pair of Diva Earrings from Twisted Silver! Aren't they pretty! See how they dangle? See the intricate detail? They are antique brass and weigh vitually nothing (.1 oz) and they are mine, mine....all mine!

It's okay...sorry about that. I am all right now...really! It's just been awhile since I have received such lovely jewelry and it kind of went to my head...but now I am fine. Really!

Have you heard about Twisted Silver? Twisted Silver is known as jewelry with an edge. Their pieces are original, eye-catching and guaranteed to attract attention when you wear them! Do you like the unusual? Do you appreciate a company that provides quality service as well as opportunities for you to win beautiful jewelry? Then you definitely want to check out Twisted Silver!

Let me show you a couple of other pieces.

Continue reading "Twisted Silver - Jewelry That Attracts Attention - Get Some for Free!" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Are there baby clothes on your Christmas list? Or maybe, baby clothes are just on your everyday list. We all know that when you have a baby, they go through a lot of clothes because they grow like weeds. One minute, they are in the cute 3 month old clothes, the next day, they need the 6 month old clothes!

Well, if you need baby onesies and t-shirts and you are in seeing range of these words, hurry up and check out Uncommonly Cute baby clothes right now! Because today, Cyber Monday, they are offering free shipping! But only today. I wish I had found out earlier, but there are still a few hours left! Just enter 'Monday07' at checkout!

Even if you do miss out on their great free shipping deal, no matter. They have so many cute sayings you will be wanting to fill up your shopping cart! I like the onesie that says 'freshly baked' and the one that says 'worth the wait.' They also have cute t-shirts for boys, girls and some really cute onsies designed just for twins! The baby on your list will be sure to get extra smiles with these cute clothes!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I was invited today to take place in a huge one day promotion of what looks to be a fabulous animal book.

Clifford of Drummond Island contains a series of essays about a very special horse, lifestyle and corner of the world.

Nancy J. Bailey's Clifford of Drummond Island will show you:

• How animals can help heal you in times of sickness and grief.
• How even wild birds can have individual personalities.
• How pets will bond to and care for each other.
• How animals can laugh and have a sense of humor.
• How a horse can be more of a friend than you ever expected.

Page after delightful page, this is what you will find in Clifford of Drummond Island:

• Heartwarming short stories designed to effortlessly illuminate your mind and heart
• An introduction to clicker training, the humane teaching method pioneered by dolphin trainers, that is now taking the world by storm
• Side-splitting humor to which any animal lover can relate
• Insight into the complex heart and mind of the horse
• Beautiful illustrations by the author

A portion of the proceeds from this campaign will be donated to Horse's Haven, an equine rescue and shelter for horses in need.

On November 15th, if you visit the Clifford of Drummond Island Promotion website and purchase a copy of the book, you will be able to collect one of 14 freebies (there may be more by Thursday). One of those freebies is my American Bison ebook!

So take a few moments, check this promotion out today. Think about the animal lovers that you have on your Christmas list. Think about how you can use all those great freebies and then mark November 15th on your calendar so you can cash in on these great deals!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Coupons are my friends! I am always looking for coupons to save money on items we need and items we want. So I am always on the lookout for new easy to use resources. And when I find them, I like to share because I know i am not the only coupon lover out there!

Today I ran across NCNatural's Adventure Resources. This site is mainly a website focused on North Carolina and in order to provide an added benefit to North Carolinians, they have branched off into linking up to great online coupons! So while the site talks about major retailers that ship to North Carolina, these coupons appear to be available to anyone.

Here are some of the major retailers you will find on this site: Dell, Cabelas, Hickory Farms, Toshiba, and PetSmart. This is just a smattering of what is available. And the coupons are updated daily and the site is easy to navigate. So, get out your lists and see what's out there! Remember...a penny saved is a penny earned! (And there are lots of pennies to be saved here!)

Posted by Melissa Markham at 8:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

13 years ago, I had my first car phone. It was a bag phone and we didn't use it very often. I honestly don't remember what it sounded like when someone called me. In fact, I don't think anyone ever did. It was more for me to use in case of emergency. Through the years, phones have gotten smaller and have picked up more and more options. We can take pictures with them, make videos with them, listen to songs on them, store our contacts on them, receive email on them, surf the web, calculate tips, and more.

People like to stand out as individuals. We don't want to show up at work and see others wearing our exact same outfit. We don't even like it much when we see others in stores wearing the same clothing we are. We do things to make our cars stand out. We hang things from the mirrors, put on pinstriping, stash things in the back window, put on bumper stickers. So why should our phones be any different.

Continue reading "Personalize Your Cell Phone With a Free Ringtone" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

One of my many fond memories of a child at Christmas was the Christmas stocking. There was often a special gift hidden there. In addition to that, there was always yummy candy...peppermint candy canes, chocolate Santas and small dark chocolate candy bars (which my dad and I fought over!) There are three times a year that I spoil my kids with candy. Halloween, Christmas and Easter. Christmas is fast approaching and I am trying to decide which goodies to put in their stockings this year.

Continue reading "Chocolate, Dried Fruits, and Nuts....Oh My!" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 6:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Do you like flannel sheets? We love flannel sheets. I practically count the days during summer when the weather gets cool enough that I can put them back on the bed without my husband growling at me (he is a human furnace, I on the other hand am a human popsicle). The kids love flannel sheets too. I was noticing that Katrinas have gotten a bit thread bare and it is time for her to get a new set. Fortunately, Linen-N-Things is currently offering 50% off of flannel sheet sets...ah...maybe my flannel sheets are thread bare too! And if you don't like flannel sheets, they have lots of other great deals to choose from.

Best Buy is offering some good deals as well that will help with the purchase of a few items we need. Jack and Katrina need a new desktop computer. Theirs is about 4 years old and was a low level computer when we bought it. The graphics card is no longer able to run current software and the CD and DVD drives stopped working. I need a new laptop. Mine is three years old and is out of space, the video card in it can't keep up with newer videos (I can't watch videos on National Geographic anymore which makes me very sad) and I have typed so much on my computer in the last three years that the letters are wearing off of the keyboard. Plus I have to reboot daily because my computer becomes unhappy after I have opened too many explorer windows. It is just tired. And Jack wants a digital camera for his upcoming birthday and I would like to upgrade my digital camera as I got one of those 99.00 deals and it just doesn't do that great of a job. So, as you can see, we are glad there are some good deals going on at Best Buy!

Continue reading "More Great Deals!" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 9:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Okay, I have come up with what I think is going to be something fun, helpful and profitable...all in one!

One of the many reasons I blog is to try and make some extra money. As a single income family, the extra money definitely comes in handy. I have written three non-fiction books about animals and I have put together a Recipe CD.

So here is the deal....

Continue reading "It's a Contest! It's a Product Promotion! Help Katrina Survivors! Have fun!" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (2)

I am liquidating my inventory from my eBay store. I have somewhere around 300 books that I am offering to you for a great price of $1.00 each. Most of the books are hardbacks, some are paperbacks. Many are first editions. They have been stored in a smoke free environment and are free from odors. Most are in good to very good condition. Many are ex-library books. If you have questions about a particular book, email me and I will send you information.

I accept paypal and money orders. Let me know which books you are interested in, I will weigh them for shipping and give you a final total. I ship media mail unless you request otherwise. I will be offering these books for 2 weeks, then I will be getting rid of them through other venues. I will get to your requests on a first come, first serve basis. I may get tons of requests, I may get one, so please be patient!

Thanks for looking!

Continue reading "Books for Sale" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I enjoy saving money, so I was delighted to find yet another coupon and coupon code resource at the Edealfinder

They are linked in with a variety of stores. Everything from Amazon to Zappos.

One site I am particularly interested in is Proflowers. For example they are currently offering a buy 12 roses, get 12 free for $29.99! I love receiving and sending flowers and this is a great deal! Or how about receiving 100 Peruvian Lilies for $29.99. There are more great deals to be had at Proflowers and at several other shops you will find at Edealfinder.com. If you like saving money for quality products, you are going to love this site!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I wrote a few days ago about how we are having to be involved with some fundraisers this year due to our involvement with our church youth group and 4-H. the 4-H group is looking for more fundraising ideas for later in the year and I found a site that interested me. I really don't care for the popcorn, special candies, or teeny candles fundraisers that I have run across in the past.

ARC Marketing does have some fundraising options that interest me. They have a variety of personalized silicone bracelets and custom car magnets. And if you haven't seen either of these items in your daily wanderings, you are not looking about you.

Custom car magnets show everything from support for Breast Cancer research to support of our troops to showing the world which football team you support. These magnets can be in the shape of ribbons, pawprints, or have your personalized logo printed on them.

The silicone bracelets come in a variety of colors and can show things such as an allergy, your school affiliation, or your favorite sports team.

ARC Marketing provides a quality product at a great price. For example, the standard cost for a silicone bracelet is 85 cents. Most people sell them for $2 or $3. This is a great way to make money and easy too. Most kids have a couple of bucks on them and are delighted to buy a personalized item such as a bracelet. For an order of 300 magnets, the price per magnet is $2.17. But if you order more magnets than that, the price decreases. Most organizations sell the magnets for $5.00. When was the last time you did a fundraiser that you could get excited about and make 100% profit on?!?!?

I will be passing the ARC Marketing website information along to our 4-H club at our next meeting.

Posted by Melissa Markham at 4:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you have been reading my blog for any amount of time, you know that I am all about trying to find ways to save money to help out with our household expenses. And in my searching and sharing, I have learned that Everybody Loves Coupons, The blog of UltimateCoupons.com, is giving away a Nintendo Wii plus one game (Mario Party 8). People can enter through October 31, 2007

Not only do they offer coupons, coupon codes, and sweepstakes, but you can subscribe to their newsletter and get information periodically about wonderful deals.

For example, they have a sweepstakes where you can potentially win $200! Just for entering! The easiest $200 you will ever make! They have grocery coupons, store coupons, product coupons. The site is well organized so you can quickly find exactly what you are looking for and find out if there is a coupon for it.

Wondering about that Wii pacakge? well click on the Halloween section and surprise! There is the opportunity for you to win a Wii from their blog. They also have about a dozen options for great Halloween deals. They do this for a variety of other items and stores are well! Go check it out and start saving money today! Don't forget to enter those sweepstakes!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 4:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Do you spend much time in the car? Will you be traveling a lot in the holiday months ahead as you go over the river and through the woods to visit friends and family? Then this contest is for you! Madallie has A Children's Travel Store and it has everything you can imagine to help those long trips go smoothly by.

There are books, blankets, crafts, and games all designed to entertain your children on those long trips. Be sure to bookmark her site because if you don't win the $50 gift certificate, you are going to want to be able to find her store again and get stocked up before your next long trip.

Now about that $50 gift certificate. To win it, you need to visit Skimbaco for the details. It is as simple as spreading the word and having a lucky star shine on your name! Good luck!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In recent years, personalized childrens books have become a popular choice for gifts for children. We have never purchased such an item, but I have thought they looked pretty neat and like something that children would enjoy tremendously.

I had the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to receive a free book or CD-Rom for one of my children to review. I filled out a form indicating my son's name, nickname, his two closet friend's names, his hair color and eye color and my hair and eye color. Then I was allowed to say which four titles I thought my son would enjoy most. What I didn't know was whether we would receive a CD-rom or a book. On Friday, this arrived in the mail:

My Lucky Leprechaun.

Continue reading "Personalized Children's Books" »

Posted by Melissa Markham at 10:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Today I learned of this very cool website! Cash4Books.net. is a site that may buy your used books! It is simple, you go to the website and type in the ISBN numbers of the books you want to sell. They will offer you a price for the books that they want and they will provide you with a postage paid label so you can mail the books to them free of charge. Once they receive the books, they will pay you either by check or by paypal.

They are mainly interested in nonfiction and educational books. I tried a bunch of first edition hardback fiction and they didn't want any of it. And I tried some computer programming manuals from 2000. They didn't want that either (suprise...me neither). But a friend told me she sold some textbooks she hadn't been able to sell on Ebay, so I will keep trying:) Good luck!

Posted by Melissa Markham at 4:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

This is a preview to what is going to be happening here at Yesterday's Hopes for the month of October. I have written three ebooks. The Komodo Dragon, The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, and The American Bison. For the month of October, i will be offering a chance at prizes and the opportunity to support Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans for anyone who buys one or more of my products. In addition to the three ebooks, I also have a recipe cd that contains over 460 recipes and a friend of mine has provided a website where you can learn all about selling on Ebay.

To help me get this started off, Laura at Laura Williams' Musings is hosting a