Straight Talk--Feel Richer Every Month!

This post brought to you by Straight Talk. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

Want to feel richer?  Cut your cell phone bill in HALF!  Talk about being frugal (and this time I’ll admit it’s cheap)!   Are you sick of spending $150+ on cell phone bills?  I find it pretty ridiculous that we’re expected to pay these exorbitant amounts of money on something that everyone uses.  $150/month for one year is $1800 a year.  That’s $9000 over the course of 5 years.  Imagine what you could buy with $9000! 

I love the idea that you can feel richer with Straight Talk because you cut your cell phone bill in half.  You have to be crazy to be on a contract when you can get everything you need without one. 

What’s Straight Talk?  It’s this cell phone company with NO contracts, no surprise bills and no credit checks.  It has great nationwide coverage and excellent reception/connectivity.  Straight Talk only uses trusted phone manufacturers like LG, Motorola, Kyocera, Nokia, and Samsung.

Monthly Plans:

-The “All You Need Plan” meets even the needs of heavy phone users with 1000 minutes 1000 texts and 30 MB of web data.

-Unlimited Monthly service is only $45 and includes calls, text, picture messaging, and web

PSST: Imagine unlimited calls, text, picture messaging and web for a whole year for only $499!  Way better than $1800 I have to say.

Straight Talk International Long Distance Service is a flexible prepaid calling service that enables you to make international calls from your home, cell or office phone at low rates.

Phone Selection:  Reconditioned phones are available from $10.00 with camera, mp3 player, mobile web access, and blue-tooth capability.  Great for young users!  Amazing smart phones, touch screen phones, and app capable phones with features like voice navigation, camera, video recorder, music player, instant messaging, and Bluetooth

 

Check out these videos of testimonials from real Straight Talk customers:

hook, line and sinker

mom knows best

call a friend

everything you need

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx4K5aY9Wlk&NR=1

 

Let me know if you end up getting a Straight Talk account and what you think!  

Can't Wait to Try Out Zenni Optical!

This post brought to you by Zenni Optical. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

Myth: Buying optical glasses and frames will empty out your bank account.

 

Fact: There are some companies out there that sell glasses and frames at very reasonable prices.

 

A few weeks ago, I was considering purchasing some new optical lenses & frames from LensCrafters.  The glasses were pretty cute, but I had quite the sticker shock.  Most frames were around $200.  Then, the salesperson let me know that lenses are not included in the price, and can be as much as $300.  The glasses/lenses I wanted was going to be around $300 AFTER their "sale" of 30% off when you buy lenses & frames together.  I quickly walked out as I was not willing to dish out $300 on glasses when I didn't truly NEED them.

 

Today I made an awesome discovery: Zenni Optical.  This is a website that specializes in AFFORDABLE glasses frames.  I'm talking as low as $6.95 per pair!  I'm going to have to try this out soon, since I've had the same glasses since my freshman year of college, 5 years ago.  Can you believe how much money I'll be saving on glasses?  Hundreds!

 

I think this Time Magazine reader put it perfectly: "Please tell me editor Bill Saporito is receiving mental-health treatment, because he is insane for spending $1000 on a single pair of glasses.  I buy glasses from Zenni Optical, an online site.  It's $20 for a complete set at my doorstep, shipping included." (Peter Minton, Winsted, Conn.)Time magazine

 

Wait...Shipping INCLUDED?  YES!  Okay, I have to try this now...

Check them out here: Zenni Optical

50% OFF Easy Canvas Prints Plus Free Shipping!

I thought I'd share this amazing deal with all of you!  If you are a fan of custom canvas prints, or are interested in trying one, you HAVE to check out Easy Canvas Prints.  I work for BuildASign, and Easy Canvas Prints is one of our sister sites.

Right now, they have this deal you just can't pass up--50% OFF all canvas plus FREE shipping on your entire order!    All you have to do is like them on Facebook and you're in!  SO EASY!

Go Here to Get 50% OFF plus FREE shipping on Custom Canvas Prints from Easy Canvas Prints!

My Experience with Walgreens Brand Products

This post brought to you by Walgreens. All opinions are 100% mine.

Obviously, my blog is called Frugal But Not Cheap.  I will not spend money when it's not necessary (or don't REALLY want it), but I also have to make sure I'm always feeling great.  If I have the sniffles, I'm not going to sit at home waiting to feel better, I'm going to do something about it.  I also hate the feeling of spending more than I need to on top of feeling icky.  That's why I love Walgreens.  There's one right around the corner, a couple blocks away from where I live.  

Now, I could go and spend $10-12+ on Sudafed or Nyquil, but why do that when Walgreens has Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products?  They have them at practically half the price, most with the same exact ingredients.

If you live in Austin, you know how bad allergies can get.  Well, I remember a recent need for some serious allergy meds, which led me to purchasing Walgreens Wal-Phed PE Sinus & Allergy Tablets.  Remember how I said Sudafed can be around $10-12?  Well the Walgreens brand is only $4.99.  That is some serious savings, which you can use toward some Kleenex, chicken soup, and a nice Cosmo to make your sick day a little better.

Here are some more awesome things to note about Walgreens:

Purchase of every Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Product supports bringing preventive wellness services to local communities through the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™.  They are going to donate up to $3 million annually to the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™.  I find this to be pretty amazing since we all know the world desperately needs more funding for health care.  For details, visit walgreens.com/waytowell.  

My whole point is, if you're going to buy some meds, why pay more for the exact same thing with a pretty label?  Check out Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products since A. you'll spend less money and B. you are helping a very worthy cause.  

One more thing!  Many bloggers are giving away some Walgreens Gift Cards here: giveaways!

Origins GinZing Product Review

This weekend I went on a bit of a shopping spree and stopped at Origins, my favorite skincare brand. I've lately been noticing some major puffiness under my eyes (see above photo, left eye), and decided to forgo my years of denial.  I needed to come to terms with the fact that I need eye cream.  Not only do I have puffy eyes, but I also have pretty dark circles as well.  At least I don't have wrinkles (yet!).

I told the sales associate about my issue, and immediately she pointed this out to me: Origins GinZing--Refreshing Eye Cream to Brighten and Depuff.  I also grabbed A Perfect World White Tea Skin Guardian, which is part of my daily regimen (moisturizer just isn't the same without it).

Now, I have been a long-term loyal customer of Origins, since I was about 11 or 12 years old.  I use Checks and Balances Face Wash, A Perfect World Skin Guardian, A Perfect World Moisturizer, Stay Tuned Foundation, Modern Friction Microdermabrasion, and much more where that came from.  Even though my trust for Origins is pretty hard to knock, I still get skeptical with eye creams.  My usual thought is "What difference could it possibly make?  It's only around your eyes?"  This is why I decided to write a review on GinZing.

I have to say I am extremely impressed with this product.  I put a very small amount under and around my eyelids, and I instantly felt a cooling sensation.  The next thing I noticed was that the cream has light-reflecting minerals which create an illusion of lighter "dark circles" and makes for an amazing primer for concealer.  However, the ultimate test was, does it depuff like I need it to?  The answer is absolutely yes.  I have already noticed that the puffiness has gone down quite a bit.  My rating for this product?

***** FIVE STARS! :)

Only $9.00 for Two Movie Tickets at Fandango!

Is one of your favorite pasttimes going to the movies?  Then you're going to love this awesome deal from LivingSocial.

Get Two Movie Tickets for $9 TODAY ONLY!  You won't regret it.  That's about 50% in savings.  You can't afford NOT to do this (unless you are a complete hermit and never go to the movies).  Think about it.


Click Here to Get Two Movie Tickets for Only $9!

Cash Only Update #2

We are now at May 11--about 1/3 the way through May.  And I am at $222.  I think I'm beginning to see how quickly money can slip through your fingers.  I took out $300 on Thursday, and am down $78 in less than a week.  And that's mostly from just going out to eat, so I don't have much to show for my money spending.  Let's see how long I can make it without reaching for the debit card.  Wish me luck!

Freschetta Simply Inspired Review & GIVEAWAY!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of FRESCHETTA®. All opinions are 100% mine.
This week, I was given an awesome opportunity by the amazing people at FRESCHETTA® Simply…Inspired™.  My absolute favorite frozen pizza brand picked me to review their new line of pizzas called "Simply inspired."  Here's the funny part: I had already bought one a week before!  This gave me a chance to eat it twice, and enjoy it twice!
Freschetta Simply Inspired pizzas come in eight different flavors, but the one that stood out to me was their Harvest Supreme.  This one has Italian Sausage, black olives, spinach, sundried tomatoes, roasted red onions, mozzarella and feta cheese, with a red sauce & basil.  All of that on a crispy thin crust YUM!
So here's what I think:

• The first thing you notice is the packaging.  This is a completely new style: plastic box with a plastic airtight wrap.  No more gross cardboard box that doesn't fit in your trashcan.  This box just looks fresher and nicer.  It's actually why I picked it out when I bought the first pie.  Not only is this more visually appealing, it also uses 30% less packaging material AND locks in the freshness better.
• The next thing is the variety of veggies that you get on this pizza.  It's like going to a pizza restaurant, without paying $1.50 per topping.  And veggie pizzas are my favorite kind!  The price is great at being under $5 a pie
• Okay okay, so how does it taste?  Well, let's just say I was planning on eating half, and instead ate 5 out of the 6 slices I cut.  As embarrassing as that may be, it says a lot about how good it was.  VERY good.
• Overall? I loved it, and pretty much ate it all up (while watching Sex & the City and drinking half a bottle of wine!)

Here are some other flavors you may be interested in:

• Classic Bruschetta
• Hawaiian Style
• Chicken Bianco
• Farmers Market Veggie
• Rustic Pepporoni Pomodoro
• Southern BBQ Recipe Chicken
• Tuscan Farmhouse

With that ridiculous variety, you'll never get bored of pizza!  If you want to give it a try, Freschetta has a $2 off coupon on their Facebook, so make SURE you friend them!
**********************************************************************************

GIVEAWAY!!!

(ends May 31, using random.org, and must live in contiguous US)

And here's the part you're all waiting for...the GIVEAWAY!  I have one coupon for a FREE Freschetta pizza and a really FANCY bamboo cutting board courtesy Freschetta to give away to one of you awesome readers.  Here are the entry methods:

• MANDATORY ENTRY: Follow me on GFC

Extra Entries:

1. Follow Freschetta on Facebook
2. Comment with the pizza you would like to get if you won! 
3. Like FBNC on Facebook (or click "Like" on my sidebar)
4. Follow FBNC on Twitter

Gas Prices are Ridiculous

I'm sure it's no new concept that gas prices have been outrageous lately.  I just wanted to vent that I just spent over $50 to not even fill my entire gas tank...it was about 13 gallons while my Jeep has a 17 gallon tank.  It angers me that I can't even fill my gas tank with $50 of my hard-earned money.  There is no logical reason for this, especially since gas companies have been more profitable than ever lately.  Need proof?

This just makes me sick, and I don't see any sign of relief.  Oil is a necessity for the majority of people who need to get around, go to work, make a living...why aren't there any regulations on cost of oil?  Food stamps are provided to those who need food, why not the same for those who need gas to get to work so they can actually make the money they need to live?

JustFab! 50% Off First Purchase!

I just ran across a new awesome shoe website for frugalistas and recessionistas.  It's called Just Fabulous!

The idea behind this website is that you take a survey, pick your favorite styles, and the shoe "stylists" behind JustFabulous work to find shoes perfect for you.  And they are all only $39.95, with FREE SHIPPING!  And the best part of all is that on your first day, you get 50% off your first pair of shoes or handbag. 

I'm planning on getting a handbag today.  And it'll be less than $20--that's better than Target or Walmart!  What are you going to get?