Walgreens Introduces Balance Rewards

If you haven't been to Walgreens recently, you may not know about their new Balance Rewards program. Walgreens is just down the road from us, so I'm there all the time for shampoo, vitamins, moisturizer, and of course prescription medications.

While I've always liked Walgreens for their product selection and great prices, I've wondered why they didn't have some kind of loyalty club like other stores. A loyalty club isn't going to make me switch where I shop, but with the right incentives it might encourage me to shop more at a store I already like.

Apparently they were listening to my thoughts, because just recently Walgreens launched their new Balance Rewards program. This new program is so easy to use, and just by shopping for the products you already use you can earn points to redeem towards cash off coupons.

Points are awarded for purchasing certain featured items each week, and you can combine offers to earn thousands of points in a single purchase. You always earn 500 points for any prescription or immunization. Plus there are sale prices that are available only to Balance Rewards members.

For example, this week (sale ending tomorrow) I can earn 1000 points for buying two bags of select  Halloween chocolates (Mars, Hershey's or Nestle). I needed to buy Halloween candy anyway, so why not get the bonus points, too? My daughters' vitamins are also currently on sale for buy one, get one half off, plus get 1000 bonus points. On sale AND I get extra Balance Rewards points!

You can earn points on Walgreens.com or in-store. Once you reach 5000 points, you can redeem them instantly for a $5 reward - good for anything in the store - or continue saving for greater rewards.

I've already been earning lots of points without making any unnecessary purchases and I love it. I get points for my prescriptions, points for buying our everyday items, and I can even earn points for logging any walks I take using the Walk with Walgreens program.

Signing up is simple and FREE. You can sign up in the store, online, or download the mobile app and register right from your smartphone.

 There are several cool features on the app.

With Christmas shopping getting closer, I need to get the most out of every purchase I make and save every dollar I can. The Walgreens Balance Rewards program makes saving money a little easier for me, and I'm stockpiling my rewards for Black Friday shopping. If you have a Walgreens or Duane Reade near you, stop in and see just how fast you could be earning rewards!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Walgreens as part of a partnership to promote the Balance Rewards program. All thoughts and opinions stated above are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Walgreens. But my local Walgreens will tell you just how often I'm there buying that "one more thing" I need.

High Quality Entertaining Without Breaking the Bank At Aldi

Suppose you were planning a holiday gathering, and needed to buy some food for the event. Not a lot of stuff, but a few items to munch on, and possible some dessert and adult beverages. (Let's also say you're unable to cook anything from scratch, either because you're short on time or inept in the kitchen like me.)

So you go to the store with this list:

- cheese cubes
- whole grain crackers (the round entertaining-type - 2 pks)
- soft cheese (Brie)
- apple pie
- cheesecake sampler
- chocolate truffles
- after dinner mints
- 2 bottles of wine

How much would you expect all of that to cost you? I priced these items out at one of our local grocery stores, and the cost was at least $75. The wine alone was $10 a bottle for decent wines.


So when I was invited to take a list like this to Aldi and spend less than $50, I wasn't convinced I could do it. First, Aldi sells wine? And second, would the quality be as good as I'd expect from my usual grocery store?

Well yes, Aldi does sell wine in select stores. Their wines include several award-winning wines for very reasonable prices. Known for its premium exclusive brands, ALDI offers more than 1,400 of the most frequently purchased grocery items for up to 50 percent less than traditional supermarkets.

Customers can get all the holiday essentials for less, including everything from wines and appetizers to main courses, side dishes and desserts, making holiday meals and family gatherings warm and memorable. During the holiday season, ALDI stores also carry an additional line-up of more than 100 seasonal items at unbeatable prices.

I did get all of the items on my list, along with some chocolate covered gingerbread cookies and a frozen pack of grilled chicken strips. Total cost for everything: $50.19.

As for the quality? Outstanding. Everyone loved the cheese, the crackers, and the desserts. The truffles just melted in my mouth. (And I probably ate far too many!) The only item I didn't like was the gingerbread cookies, but my kids liked them.

The two wines I bought were the Landshut Riesling and the Villa Malizia Pinot Grigio - both award-winning wines. I poured the wines for my family at our Christmas gathering and didn't tell them where they came from. Once everyone had tried the wine - with several comments about how I picked good wines - I then told them I bought the wine at Aldi and each bottle was $4.99. The surprise was evident!

This one was my fav!

I admit I've never been to Aldi before this trip. My mother occasionally shops there and has always liked it. In our area, Aldi has the stigma of being more of a lower-quality grocery store, but I've found this is far from the truth! Just because Aldi offers private brands doesn't mean the quality suffers in any way. They put a lot of thought into the quality of their food, with the result being great taste at a low price.

I'm impressed at the amount of food I was able to purchase for $50, but I'm even more impressed at how tasty it was. The wines were truly outstanding, proving that pricier wines aren't necessarily better. I've already added the Landshut Riesling to my next grocery list.

If your budget is being stretched thinner and thinner, consider Aldi for your grocery purchases. In case you've never been before, here are a few tips: the grocery carts require a quarter to remove from the corral, but you get your quarter back when you're done. (And ensure no dings in your car from runaway carts in the parking lot.) Aldi also saves money by charging you for grocery bags - ten cents a bag. But bringing your own bags is free and encouraged. You could say they were promoting eco-friendly practices before it became popular!

Full disclosure: I participated in this blog campaign on behalf of Aldi and Mom Central Consulting and received a gift certificate to facilitate this review. No guarantee of a positive review was promised nor required. All opinions are my own. And so are my truffles - go buy some for yourself.

BP: Making The Commute A Little Better

Hooray for back-to-school! While I'm thankful to send my girls off to fill their brains with knowledge and let me get some sleep during the day, I'm less excited about the daily trips for preschool drop off and the increased traffic during morning and afternoon drive times.

I recently had the opportunity to attend an informational session with BP for their Commute Better program. Locals here in Columbus might have heard some of their commercials on the radio recently featuring tips on making the daily commute a little less painful as well as the Commute Better team out at local BP stations handing out commuter essentials.

A recent survey commissioned by BP said that eighty-six percent of Columbus drivers have a specific route they follow for their daily commute, even if construction leads to traffic jams on that route. I was a little surprised by that number, thinking these people must be recent immigrants to our fine city, because I was certain that most residents live by the rule that you need to know at least three ways to get anywhere in this city, since one of those routes will surely be closed or blocked.

Personally, I'm a master at alternate routes, making last minute decisions to take a side street or hop back onto the highway to avoid any stops in traffic. My husband is just as savvy - listening to us weigh the pros and cons of which route to take based on past history of traffic patterns and current traffic reports can be very amusing.

Tip: be flexible with your commute. Listen to the traffic report before you leave the house and plan accordingly. Leaving 15 minutes earlier than normal can sometimes make a big difference as well.

I also learned that not all gasoline is created equal, and that BP includes an additive called Invigorate that can help prevent damaging build-up in your engine or scrub away any current deposits that may be threatening the health of your vehicle. (And wallet.) Keeping your engine clean can lead to better gas mileage and fewer repairs.

Other useful commuting tips include mapping out your day to reduce the amount of driving between stops, avoiding school areas as much as possible during peak times, keeping your car maintained with regular oil and air filter changes, and keeping a basket of car toys to entertain your kids and reduce distractions.

My luncheon ended with receiving an awesome car organizer filled with everything I could think of to make my commute a little bit easier.

For more information on the BP Commute Better program, check out their website. Even if you're not in Columbus, the website has plenty of tips to make the drive easier regardless of location. 

Giveaway!

BP is sharing the love with one of you as well! I've got an extra car organizer available to give away to one lucky reader.

What's in it, you might ask? Well, beyond being the perfect size to place between two booster seats, this organizer has pockets to hold everything your kids might need, including drink holders! Also included is a travel coffee mug, a tumbler, umbrella, sunglasses, air freshener, tire gauge, hand wipes, sunscreen, band-aids, tissues, a flashlight, lotion, a notepad, pens, crayons and a coloring book. Oh, and a $10 BP gift card to help with gas while you're on-the-go.

To enter: you must leave a comment below sharing your best tip for keeping kids happy in the car on a long drive. How do you avoid the sibling fighting or the endless "are we there yet?" questions? Share your tip and be sure to leave an email address so I can contact you if you're the winner.

Entries will be accepted until September 1, 2011 at 11:59pm (Eastern Time). One winner will be randomly selected from all valid entries and contacted by email. Winner will have 3 days to confirm acceptance or a replacement winner will be chosen. US mailing addresses only.

Good luck, and stay safe out on the road!

Full disclosure: I was invited to a luncheon sponsored by BP and given a car organizer kit while there. I received no compensation for this post and giveaway, and no promise of a positive write-up was promised or expected. All opinions expressed here are my own honest opinions and, just because it's funny to say in a post about driving, your mileage may vary.

Lake Erie & Cedar Point, Day 2: A Getaway That Isn't So Far Away

Be sure to check out part 1 of our trip to Cedar Point and Lake Erie here!

While our trip to Cedar Point could have been a vacation in itself, we didn't want to waste our chance to see more of the area while at Lake Erie. So on Sunday we checked out of our hotel and took a short 20 minute drive to Port Clinton to see the African Safari Wildlife Park. This 100 acre park is home to more than 400 exotic animals that you can visit from the comfort of your own car. Never before have I been able to get this up close and personal with a wild animal!

This guy? LOVES carrots.

I've never been to a drive-thru wildlife park, so this was a new experience for all of us. At the gate we were given our free cup of food for the animals (you can also purchase more - trust me, you'll want to purchase more!) and instructions on how to feed them. The animals showed no fear and were happy to stick their heads into the car to check for more food.

 Hey there, got any food?

You have to have a firm grip on the feeding cups - some of the animals have learned the trick of pulling the cup out of your hands to get all the food for themselves.

Turns out, feeding the animals is a LOT of fun. How often can you say you had a bison's head in your car?

There's also a walking portion of the park, where kids can ride a pony or a camel, see a white alligator, and feed the fish. Educational animal shows are held daily as well.

Our next stop was the beach at East Harbor State Park. It was a gorgeous view. And thanks to Ohio weather, it was just as hot and humid as any Florida beach.

Cordy wanted to look for "treasure" so we spread out our blankets and walked along the shoreline, looking for anything that might wash up in front of us. The sand was amazingly soft and felt so good between our toes.

Beachcombers

The haul for their treasure hunt was a very shiny piece of a shell, two tiny round shells, a hard black rock that was either coal or petrified wood (I have no idea, really), and a small piece of "driftwood." Cordy declared the treasure hunt a success and we moved on to our next stop.

Cordy insisted I take a photo of the treasure.

Our final stop for the day was back in Sandusky at the Merry-Go-Round Museum. This museum houses an impressive collection of carousel horses and other animals, as well as an on site workshop for woodcarvers who specialize in making carousel animals.

Carousel cow, anyone?

Horses in various states of completion

All four of us enjoyed seeing the different types of animals that were created for carousel rides. Mira liked the cow and the lion. Cordy was a purist, preferring the horses. My favorite? The shark:

I bet the Old Spice guy chooses a shark when he takes a carousel ride.

A spin on the indoor merry-go-round was included with admission, and the girls loved one last ride before we needed to start the journey home.

She only looks nervous because I'm not holding on to her at the moment.

Our weekend vacation was just long enough for us to reconnect as a family and create some lovely memories without growing too tired of each other. More than once, Aaron looked at me and said, "I'm really glad we did this." So often we're all coming and going so quickly in our house that we forget to slow down and enjoy the company of our family.

I'm glad we took the time to get away without going too far away. Compared with a vacation to Florida or California, our trip to Lake Erie still contained all of the fun you'd find far away (beaches, amusement parks, etc) with less travel time and less expense. It was also fun to explore some of the exciting attractions we have right here in Ohio.

There were still more sights we wanted to see around Lake Erie, but that only gives us an excuse for a return trip, right?

Want to plan your own trip to Lake Erie? Visit the Lake Erie Shores & Islands website to start planning your own perfect vacation with lodging packages and discount savings available with the Shore Savings Card! When you're in the area, stop by one of the two Lake Erie Shores & Islands Welcome Centers for advice from their helpful staff, maps, brochures and discount coupons.

Another satisfied customer

Full disclosure: I was invited by Cedar Point and the Lake Erie Shores and Islands group to visit and experience all they had to offer. My family was provided complimentary tickets to Cedar Point, the African Safari Wildlife Tour and the Merry-Go-Round museum. All other expenses, including food, parking, gas, souvenirs, etc. were not included.

Lake Erie & Cedar Point, Day 1: A Get Away That Isn't So Far Away

My family has never had a real "family vacation." Sure, we've been to Great Wolf Lodge a few times, but it felt more like a retreat than a full-out vacation.

Our reasons are ones that many families today probably face: finances are tight, so we need the best value for the money, and we don't have a lot of time off from work, so we don't want to waste a lot of time traveling. We need a vacation close to home. Of course, given the choice, we also wanted a vacation with fun and excitement, and I certainly wouldn't mind a little time on the beach.

Turns out, we can get all of that right here in Ohio.

We had the opportunity to spend this weekend up on the shores of Lake Erie and couldn't have had a better trip. Our work schedules afforded us just two days for a vacation, but those two days were so packed full of fun that they felt much longer.

Our trip started very early on Saturday morning with the drive up to Sandusky, Ohio, home to Cedar Point, one of the best amusement parks in the country. We arrived shortly after the park opened, with our first stop being the measuring station outside the gate. Kids can get measured once and are then given a wrist band to wear for the day so they know which rides they can and can't go on. (I wish every park used a system like this!)

Ummm...when did my little girl reach 48" tall? *sob*

Cedar Point has been voted World's Best Amusement Park for 13 years, and it's easy to see why. With over 150 rides, shows and attractions, there's something here for everyone and plenty of room to fit a lot of people! We were here for just one day, but you could easily fill two or three days in the park and the attached Soak City water park.

We spent a lot of time in Camp Snoopy, the children's area of the park, where there were few lines and plenty of rides appropriate for both of our girls.

But out of nowhere, my six year old with a sensory fear of new things decided she was ready for something larger, and begged to go on the Mine Ride roller coaster. Amazingly, she LOVED it! She then asked to go again, and soon a roller coaster junkie was born. She later rode the Gemini and then at the end of the day rode the Iron Dragon. (Which proved to be a bit too much for her, but she was tired by that point. I'll make her love that coaster some day - it's one of my favorites!)

 Cordy after her first roller coaster ride!

It was a hot, busy Saturday, so you'd expect long lines, but really there wasn't much of a wait to get on most of the rides. Sure, the newest and flashiest coasters had longer waits, but with two small kids we weren't planning to ride those. Thanks to such a wide variety of rides at the park, we had the chance to experience a lot of different spinny, whirly, stomach-churney fun throughout the day.

 Riding the racing horses of Cedar Downs

It was hot. Please excuse my sweaty face.

The girls also had the chance to meet and dance with Snoopy and friends. Cordy loved dancing along with the characters, and of course wanted a hug from Snoopy at the end.

Everyone loves Snoopy.

Saturday ended with Aaron winning stuffed animals for Cordy and Mira, and then a quick drive to our hotel for the night, where we ate dinner and all promptly fell asleep from happy exhaustion. (Be sure to check out my separate hotel review of the Best Western Plus Sandusky, too!)

That was just half of our vacation, though. Check out what we did on Sunday!

Full disclosure: I was invited by Cedar Point and the Lake Erie Shores and Islands group to visit and experience all they had to offer. My family was provided complimentary tickets to Cedar Point, the African Safari Wildlife Tour and the Merry-Go-Round museum. All other expenses, including food, parking, gas, souvenirs, etc. were not included.

Shopping & Train Rides at Lodi Station Outlets!

Growth spurt.

I hate those two words.

Anytime those two words enter my life, it means tearing through dressers and boxes of clothing to determine what still fits my two girls, followed by a list of what I need to go out and purchase for them.

Rarely am I ever given the time to shop on my own. If it's the weekend, I want to spend time with my family, so we all go shopping together. If you've seen us at the mall, you know that any shopping area must have a playground or kid-themed play area or else my two impatient daughters make everyone as miserable.

Given the choice, I love to shop outlet malls. I don't like to spend a lot of money on clothing for myself, so I certainly want a good deal when it comes to clothing my kids will outgrow the next time they ask for seconds at dinner.

Last weekend, I had the chance to check out the Lodi Station Outlets in Lodi, OH. Locals know that we have a lot of outlet malls here in Ohio, so it's no surprise that I had yet to make it to this one. I had driven past it several times - it's just off I-71 when driving towards Cleveland - but until last weekend didn't get the chance to check it out.

Here's where it gets awesome: not only is it an outlet mall, they also have a train you can ride! I don't mean an itty-bitty kids-only train, I mean an amusement-park-sized train for all to ride. My train-obsessed daughters were sure to love it.

When we arrived, we started our day by getting lunch at the Steam Cafe. There's a very nice food court at the center of the shops, which also serves as guest services and the station for purchasing train tickets. We ate lunch and the girls got to meet Chugga, the mall mascot.

We then decided it would be best to take a train ride next, as the girls were mesmerized by the train. We got our passes and jumped aboard with my friend Heather and her family.

Heather thought she was photobombing the kids - I think they were photobombing her instead.

The train ride takes about 15 minutes and is a lot of fun. You can purchase an individual ride pass, or an unlimited day pass for just fifty cents more. For the serious train riders, you can purchase a yearly pass that lets you ride as many times as you want for an entire year.

Once the train ride was over, my children wanted to go to the playground they spotted during the train ride. My husband then took the kids to the playground so I could get some shopping done.

Lodi Station Outlets has many of the brand names I like to buy. For the kids, there's Gymboree, Children's Place and Carter's. For me, there's the Lee outlet, Jockey, Gap, and Bath & Body Works. In two hours, I had amassed several bags of goodies, including several new outfits for the girls, a new pair of Lee jeans and 3 pairs of underwear for myself, and some hand sanitizer from Bath & Body Works. All that for under $100!

Along with the usual outlet store savings, you can also sign up for the Hot Ticket preferred member card which gives you additional savings in many of the stores. I was able to save an additional 20% in one store thanks to my card.

Best of all, I managed to get all of this shopping done with practically no whining from my children, because they were happily playing and taking train rides all afternoon. We ended the day with ice cream before heading home after a successful day of shopping.

Will I be going back? Absolutely. Simple entertainment for the kids plus good deals to be found equals a great shopping experience for me. Even my husband (who is often the one watching the kids while I shop) had a great time riding the train.

Full disclosure: I was invited to attend a bloggers' day out at Lodi Station Outlets. In return for my time, I was provided with a sample bag from some of the shops as well as coupons and additional compensation.

Walgreens Provides Quality At Lower Prices (Giveaway!)

I don't know about you, but my budget keeps getting stretched thinner and thinner every month. With gas prices higher, I've noticed that nearly everything else has gone up in price as well. Trying to decide where to make cuts in the budget is a hard and painful process for me.

One trick I always use to save money, however, is buying store brand products. Store brands are often cheaper than the name brands, and certain store brands offer the same or better quality than some of the name brands they compete against. I'm picky about my store brands, though - some are better than others.

Walgreens is one store where I never hesitate to reach for their brand of health and wellness products, whether it's pain relief, cold medicine, first aid, or even vitamins. I've always been impressed with the quality and thrilled at the money I save over name brand products.

Click here to read more (and see how to win a $100 Walgreens gift card!)

Save Money Through Better Money Management

Thank you to TurboTax for sponsoring my writing about household finances.Learn more about how TurboTax can help you find every tax deduction you deserve. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

In my family, I'm the CFO - Chief Financial Officer. My husband and I decided early on in our relationship that I was better at managing the finances, and ever since I've been the one paying the bills, watching the accounts with a sharp eye, and preparing our taxes each year.

My job certainly isn't an easy one. We've gone through many periods of single-income living, several months of complete unemployment, and we each have small businesses with our freelance work that provide some income, but nothing we can reliably count on. Keeping our checking account above zero, our credit cards under their max, and our tax bill as small as possible is a juggling act that requires skill and organization.

While I'm not perfect at managing our money, I have picked up a few lessons along the way. Here are some of my suggestions on making money management a little easier for your family.

Decide who is the primary bill payer. This alone will save you money in late fees. It's difficult if you and your partner are both paying the bills to keep track of who paid which bill each month. Either designate one person as the primary bill payer for all bills, or designate which person is assigned which bills to pay. For us, it's easier for me to pay all of the bills and then update my husband regularly on the state of our money. If you aren't the one to track the money, have routine conversations with your partner about the bills so you're not completely in the dark about your finances.

Set a solo-spending limit. In our house, any frivolous purchase is limited to $25 without double checking it with our partner. So if I want a new $30 book, I'm going to run it past my husband first to make sure it's OK to buy it. He does the same for his purchases. Setting a limit on impulse buys makes us think a little more before acting on those more expensive impulses, and ensures there won't be a large surprise the next time we look at our bank account.

Save your receipts! If you have a small business (and that includes any money received as a result of your blog), receipts are vital to keeping your tax bill low. You may think you're just having fun at a blogging conference, or splurging on a new blog template design, but if you make money from your blog then those are legitimate business deductions as well, and will reduce the amount of tax you'll pay on that blogging income.

Just remember: when tax time comes, if you can't prove it with receipts, then it didn't happen and you can't claim it. So keep a folder someplace safe and stash any receipt remotely related to your business in that folder throughout the year. When it comes time to do your taxes in the winter, you'll be glad you kept yourself organized as you enter your deductions and watch your tax bill shrink!

What about you? Do you have any good money management tips to share?

The Smart Grid: A New Way To Look At Energy

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to gather with a group of local bloggers at Alana's (amazing restaurant with to-die-for food!) to learn more about the GridSmart program through our local energy provider, AEP. Like most readers, I pay my electric bill each month, groaning at how much I'm spending but never really thinking about how much energy we're using or how that energy is managed and delivered to us.

AEP is starting a pilot program of SmartGrid technology (provided by Silver Springs Networks) in the northeast corner of Columbus to evaluate if this technology could help better manage energy consumption, reduce outages, save consumers money by allowing them to participate in choosing how they pay for their energy use, and develop more environmentally friendly ways to save and generate energy.

At the moment, a meter reader comes to our house each month and we get a bill for the total amount for that month. I can't tell if I'm using a lot of energy one day and not as much the next, and I have little control over keeping track of my energy usage during the month. Now imagine that my meter was digital with a chip that constantly transmitted data back and forth across a secure network between my house and AEP. This network is vast and allows the energy company to manage and track energy in regions, in neighborhoods, and even your own house. I'd also have complete access to my home's energy usage with the ability to track it down to fractions of an hour.

old meter on the left, digital smart meter on the right

One enormous benefit of this new technology is reducing the number and length of power outages. If the meter can communicate back and forth with the power company, they won't need to rely on phone calls to tell them there is an outage - the system will tell them who has no power and where the problem is. Also, power can be re-routed for many people with this network, making it easier to get the lights back on even faster for most people. Another component will feature a battery-backup to be shared by several neighbors, so your power can shift over to a local battery backup until repairs can be made.

This new technology will also allow consumers to opt in to new models for buying their electricity. Energy consumption is highest during the afternoon, especially in the summer when everyone is trying to keep their homes cool. New pricing options might include paying a lower cost for off-peak energy usage, but a slightly higher cost for peak periods - this would be perfect for families who are out of the house during those hours and don't need a large amount of energy during that time. Best of all - you can opt-in only if the plan fits you!

Another proposed program - called SmartCooling - would give a communicable digital thermostat to homes with the agreement that on summer days of extremely high energy usage the power company could increase your thermostat by up to 4 degrees for a couple of hours to help with the burden on the grid. In exchange, you'd receive an $8 credit on your bill every month, including months when it's not needed. And you could opt-out at any time, either for a single event or for the entire program all together.

Personally, I love these ideas and only wish this program was already in my part of Columbus. I'm a control-freak over my money, so being able to see daily or even hourly energy usage in my home would be awesome. I'd get a kick out of trying new things and seeing how much of a difference it made in our usage.

Some might argue that the SmartGrid technology is an intrusion and affects our privacy, but I don't see the argument. The privacy and encryption controls used by AEP are similar to the ones used by banks for online banking. The number of people who would have access to my private records would be small, and honestly, I don't care that much if people see how much energy we use.

Knowing that AEP would be able to better predict and prepare for peaks in energy use and therefore reduce their need for additional fossil fuel burning plants is well worth any minor risks to privacy. And having fewer and shorter power outages is an enormous benefit as well. I see the GridSmart program as a way for AEP to be more transparent with consumers about energy generation and consumption. And hey, digitally reading the meter is way better than having a meter reader tromping around my backyard!

SmartGrid technology is the way of the future, and Columbus is lucky to be one of the early-adopter markets. Other cities have integrated the SmartGrid technology ahead of us with great results, and I'm hopeful we'll see the same benefits here as well. Saving money through better use of resources, all while providing greater access to my personal energy use information and making me a more informed consumer sounds like a great idea to me, and I only wish they'd hurry up and implement this in my part of Columbus!

The GridSmartOhio website also features a huge amount of energy savings tips even if you're not on the pilot program. Take a look to learn how LED Christmas lights can save you money, and how to recycle your energy-efficient CFL lightbulbs. 

Full disclosure: I wrote this post after attending an informational luncheon on behalf of Silver Spring Networks and Mom Central Consulting and received a gift bag and gift card as a thank you for taking the time to participate.

Just Eyewear Makes Buying Glasses Easy

Welcome my husband, Aaron, to Mommy's Must Haves today as he provides a review of Just Eyewear glasses!

If you had looked on the dashboard of my car anytime over the past nine months, you would have seen a pair of glasses sitting there – with one lens barely hanging on to the frame. That's because I broke my glasses immediately after losing our vision insurance, and while I needed them to drive, I couldn't afford to replace them. So, in the car they sat, able to sit gingerly on my nose as I drove, but otherwise banished from my face.

Fortunately, I was given the chance to order a pair of prescription glasses online from Just Eyewear, and now I'm able to see well all of the time again. This is a great relief to me, and I have to say that I was very pleased with the process.

The first step you'll need to ordering a pair of glasses is your prescription, and some details about the size and shape of your face. The good news is that all of this information can come looking in a mirror, having a measuring tape handy, and being able to lay your hands on another pair of glasses that fit you well in the past.

With your prescription in hand, you'll head on over to the Just Eyewear website, where they will walk you through the process of choosing frames. This starts by selecting your gender and the shape of your face. Using an old pair of eyeglasses as a guide, you can then use the custom frame fitter filter to help you select frames that have the correct lens diameter, bridge and temple measurements.

At this point you'll be presented with numerous frames to select from, in a variety of colors and materials, all perfect for your face. I was quite pleased with the selection they had, and was able to find something very similar in style to my broken pair (which I liked a lot, other then the fact that they were, you know, broken,)

After you've picked the frames, you'll then fill in your prescription information. One thing that you will need that isn't always included in your prescription is your P.D. or pupilary distance (it wasn't included in my prescription). This describes the distance between your two pupils, and is essential to getting a set of glasses that fit you. Fortunately, you can take this measurement yourself or with a friend's help, and the Just Eyewear website walks you through that process.

Once you have the prescription information in, you then get the option to add customization to the lenses, either by choosing different thickness lenses, special coatings, tinting or polarization, or even transition lenses. Finally, you'll check out and the glasses will be on their way in 5-7 business days.

My glasses took just under two weeks to arrive, and so far I'm very pleased with them. They looked exactly as represented on the screen, fit perfectly, and the prescription matched my old prescription identically. By virtue of these being a review pair, I had up to fifty dollars to spend in picking out my glasses, and while I didn't get transition lenses or prescription sunglasses, it was easy for me to pick frames and lenses that fit into that budget. Honestly, it was easy enough that I intend to order another pair of glasses that are prescription sunglasses – and I'm only too happy to pay for those out of pocket.

There are some downsides to the process, of course. First off, these aren't “designer frames,” although they are clearly modeled after them. So, if having a designer logo on the side of your frames is important to you, then you probably want to look elsewhere. Also, using Just Eyewear doesn't eliminate the need for a trip to the optometrist – you still need to have an eye exam and prescription written out for you. For those with insurance, the trip to the optometrist might cover most of the cost of the glasses, and in that case, there isn't a lot of reason to use Just Eyewear in place of the glasses you could order through your doctor.

But for someone needing a second pair of glasses, or who needs replacements between trips covered by insurance, or someone like me with no vision insurance, buying glasses online from Just Eyewear is a good choice. The glasses are high-quality, the price is inexpensive, and their website is extremely helpful in walking you through the process to ensure that you get glasses you'll be satisfied with. I certainly am satisfied with mine.

Full disclosure: My husband received a complimentary pair of glasses from Just Eyewear to facilitate this review. We received this opportunity through my status as a contributing member of the PRIZEY giveaway community, and no further compensation was received. An honest review was promised, but a positive review was neither guaranteed nor required.

Saving Energy (and Money!) This Winter

When I woke up this morning, I wasn't prepared to be so cold. Like typical Ohio weather, last week was beautiful and the week ahead will be freezing cold. I swear Ohio is bipolar.

As I start bringing out the winter clothing, the heavy blankets and firing up the fireplace, I've been thinking a lot about home energy costs for winter. Thanks to the Hurricane Ike wind storm that tore through Ohio earlier this fall, our local electric company wants to raise our rates 45% over the next three years to recover some of the money they had to spend on fixing the power lines. Natural gas is also expected to be higher this winter, too. And while Aaron has a contract job at the moment, it could be over as early as December, meaning we need to save as much money as we can, and home energy is a good place to start.

Home Depot recently e-mailed me some tips on how to save energy at home, and in the process reduce your energy bills. They also asked if I would like to install some new energy-saving gadgets in my home on their dime, too. I had already been thinking about this topic, so of course I agreed.

Our house is only four years old, so I know it has Energy Star appliances, a programmable thermostat and good windows. But just like any house, there are always areas to improve on.

I went shopping at Home Depot with my good friend Lisa from Condo Blues - she's kind of an expert on home improvement stuff and has great ideas on making a home more energy efficient. Together we picked up a hot water heater blanket, some weatherstripping, foil tape, dimmer switches, insulation for the areas behind light switches and electrical outlets, lots of caulk, CFL lightbulbs, and a cover for my air-conditioner.

I knew that CFL bulbs helped save energy, and I've been slowly trying to make the conversion each time a light burns out. I was surprised to learn that they make ones that are "daylight" bright - Lisa pointed out that these are great for the bathroom or wherever you put on makeup!

The hot water heater blanket was something I've wanted for awhile. Our utility room is actually out in the (uninsulated) garage, so I'm sure a lot of energy is lost from the cold air on the tank. I also didn't realize that cold air can come in through your air-conditioner unit, even when off, so hopefully the insulated cover will help reduce that influx of cold air.

Lisa was the one to recommend the insulated "sealers" that go underneath the light-switch and electrical outlet plates. If you have a plate that is on an outside wall, it can let a lot of outside air in. (Try it - take off the cover plate and see how cold it is.)

The dimmer switch was for Cordy's room. She doesn't like having her overhead light off at night, and even if I turn it off after she goes to sleep, she'll wake up and turn it back on again. She already uses only a 40 watt bulb, but that's still a lot of light at night, so with the dimmer I can reduce the amount of light (and energy) while still giving her some light overhead at night.

I'll post an update in two months to see how much energy we're saving with these new items. I'm excited at the thought of cheaper utility bills without having to wear several layers in the house!

Here are a few more tips from Home Depot:

Top 10 ways to save energy – and money - in your home.

1. Install a programmable thermostat. You can save up to $180 a year by installing a programmable thermostat that controls the temperature of your home while you're at work or asleep.

2. Change to CFL light bulbs. Americans could save close to $8 billion in energy costs by replacing each home's five most frequently used light fixtures with CFL bulbs. CFL Bulbs use up to 90 percent less electricity than incandescent bulbs and are now available in dimmable and spot light bulbs.

3. Choose ENERGY STAR appliances. Save money and the environment by replacing standard model appliances with ones that are ENERGY STAR-qualified. ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances use 10-50 percent less energy and water than standard models.

4. Install a storm door. Storm doors can help conserve energy by keeping cold air out during the winter and heat out during the summer.

5. Update your windows. ENERGY STAR-qualified windows can reduce your energy costs by $126-$465 per year when replacing single-pane windows or $27-$111 a year when replacing double-pane, clear glass windows. For a quick fix, add heat control window film to your windows and save up to 50 percent on your cooling costs.

6. Install dimmer switches and motion detectors. Dim the lights by 25 percent and save an average of 15 percent a year on energy costs, and extend the bulb life by four times. By adding motion-sensitive exterior lighting and adding dimmer switches indoors where appropriate, you can control the wattage, saving you on your energy bills.

7. Install a ceiling fan – and learn to correctly rotate it. Ceiling fans aren't just for when it's hot outside. Ceiling fans can save you $10 a year on utility bills, plus the additional air conditioning or heating savings gained when a fan is operated properly. ENERGY STAR-qualified ceiling fans use 50 percent less energy than standard fans and circulate 25 percent more air.

8. Regularly maintain your furnace and water heater. Regular maintenance on your furnace and water heater will increase energy efficiency in your home. By combining proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with appropriate insulation, air sealing, and thermostat settings, you can cut your energy use for heating and cooling, and reduce environmental emissions, from 20 percent to 50 percent. Regular maintenance will help make these investments in your home last longer and be more energy efficient.

9. Seal your home from heat and cold. Allowing air to escape through gaps and cracks is like throwing your money away. By sealing your home with caulk, sealant and weather-stripping, you can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs.

10. Install insulation. According to the Department of Energy, the leading cause of energy waste in the home is inadequate insulation and air leakage. Homeowners typically can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 20 percent by sealing their homes and adding insulation in attics, floors over crawl spaces and accessible basement rim joists.

If you're looking for more information on energy savings projects and products, just visit homedepot.com/energy .

PS - Stay tuned - I have an AWESOME contest coming very soon!