Enter the $500 Southwest Gift Card Giveaway Sweepstakes

If you could take a plane anywhere, where would you go? Right now if I could take a plane somewhere I would choose to go to a health and wellness retreat where someone plans out your menus, exercise routines, spa treatments and relaxation time. There are places like this and it would be so fun to go to by myself. Let's dream big together and take a chance at the below giveaway from our most favorite airline, Southwest.

Welcome to the MPM BTS Transportation Sweepstakes
Organized by: Mom to Bed by 8
Special thank you to our supporting co-host bloggers: A Medic's World, My So Called Balanced Life, Life with 5 monkies, Reviews 411, Monica's Rants, Raves & Reviews, Michigan Saving and More and Plum Crazy About Coupons.

One winner will receive a $500 Southwest Gift Card.

Giveaway ends September 19th at 11:59pm, open to US and Canadian residents, ages 18+. Excludes Quebec. Only one entrant per household, per address. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Enter using the giveaway form below. Good luck!

Entry-Form

Disclaimer: The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household, per address. Void where prohibited by law. Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this sweepstakes. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. Contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com if you have any additional questions or comments.

Tips on The College Planning Process for Homeschoolers #JourneytoCollege

Homeschooling through high school and then onto college can be challenging if you do not plan ahead.  No one told us what steps to take and when to take them for preparing for college. For our daughters first  2 years of homeschool high school they took classes for their age and interest. During that time and after the fact we did learn some helpful tips to plan for college. Do you have any college planning tips? I'd love for you to share them in the below comments! This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Kaplan Test Prep. I received compensation to write this post, and any opinions expressed are my own, and reflect my actual experience.

Tips on the College Planning Process for High School Homeschoolers

1. Freshman year

• Involve your student in all of the college planning. Don't just do it for them but show them and let them know why and how! Get your free 2014 KapMap College Planner and stay ahead of the curve.
• Include college test prep books or online classes in your homeschool curriculum. This will give the student a chance to get familiar with the test and build their test taking skills. We loved using online classes. Right now Kaplan has a special offer for you. Save $100 when you enroll in their SAT and ACT course through 8/28 and use the promocode: SHESPEAKS100.
• Talk to other homeschool families who have kids in high school or have started college for their advice.
• Keep a detailed transcript of classes, activities, volunteer hours, etc. Search online for homeschool transcripts for examples.
• Check out state guidelines as to what is expected of high school graduates.

2. Sophomore year

• At this point the student needs to be the one to narrow down college choices and find out if the school requires SAT, ACT or both. They should be taking the initiative to do everything else from here on out with you being there guiding when needed. 
• Schedule the required test and take it this year. 
• Enroll in a local Community College to take dual high school and college credit class for the Jr and Sr years of high school. Use the school and guidance counselor to answer questions on transferring to a 4 year.
• Check out the four year colleges of intent and find out which is better for your student, go in as a 2 year transfer student or as a freshman. Let this guide your student on how many classes to take at the local community college. This includes checking out which classes would transfer, if ACT or SAT are required, tuition and scholarship opportunities for both.

3. Junior year

• In the summer before junior year, visit and apply for 4 year colleges during college visit days. The student should be the one finding out all of this and checking dates with you on when the visits will be. Most of the time the application fee is waived during these visits. Come prepared to fill out college application, including the essay. Check online prior to going to know what will be expected on the application. 

4. Senior year

• The student should make final school choice on best fit which can also include the one that gives the best scholarship package. Send all required documents to the school 

Some of these tips seem very basic but for us, we didn't know when to get things going. We didn't check to see if the ACT and/or SAT was required at the school of choice. For our homeschool girls they are taking the last two years of high school as dual credit at our local community college. This has been a blessing and has saved us a lot of money. During these 2 years they can complete all the basic classes for college and even graduate with an Associates degree. One of our daughters just transferred to her 4 year school as a junior with an awesome transfer student scholarship.

I just downloaded KapMap and I wish that I would have had that for our first 2 college girls. The test information and admission tips are very handy and we will use the scholarship information for the next two girls who will eventually transfer to their 4 year school. 

Over all the best thing we have learned in this college planning process is to involve our student in it 100% of the time and pass over the responsibility on to them to take charge of. This way they learn how to deal with the system and feel 100% involved in their own future. 

The World's Most Expensive Food

Who is in for some really expensive food? For me, buying a roast is expensive! One of the below items is probably my life time grocery budget!! Some of the food does sound tasty but I'm not sure if the money would be worth it. These food items have to be for those with more money then they know what to do with. Just think about the chefs who prepare such food. They have to buy the ingredients! WOW and totally amazing.

If money wasn't an issue, which of the most expensive food items would you eat, first? Which one would you never eat?

What if you decided to eat only the most expensive dishes all day long. Would you try an exquisite Anqui Pho soup in Santa Monica? Or maybe a $1000 salad by a celebrity chef Raymond Blanc? We did a fun experiment and compared the prices for various most expensive dishes in the world.

Caviar in 24-Karat tins, sushi wrapped in 24-Karat gold leaves, truffle salad, and ‘bacon bling’ -- these are just some of the outrageously expensive meals you can encounter in the culinary world. We’ve gathered them all in an awesome infographic:

The infographic will help you answer these questions:

• What was so delicious that it sold for $330,000 at an auction?
• What’s the most expensive spice in the world?
• How much can a slice of 1937 royal wedding cake cost? A lot!
  
  

Eat the World’s Most Expensive Foods in One Day!—It’s a truly opulent culinary experience This one-day feast costs more than what you’ll earn in a year Did you know? 

• Saffron, the most expensive spice: $2,000 per pound. It comes from the dried, reddish-orange filaments of the saffron crocus flower (Crocus sativus), which grows in Iran, Turkey, Greece, India, Morocco and Spain. A pound of saffron consists of 75,000 filaments, which are harvested only from dawn to 10 AM. 
• A blend of 8 cocoas including 14 of the world’s most expensive varieties with 5 g of edible 23 karat gold and served in a golden goblet lined with 1-karat white diamonds and a gold spoon, which can be taken home. 
• Truffles is a favorite luxurious ingredient. Up to $3,000 per kilo, truffles can only be located with the aid of trained dogs because they grow about a foot underground and only near specific trees. Supply is rare and unpredictable. In 2007, casino tycoon Stanley Ho won a Hong Kong auction for a white Alba truffle from Tuscany for $330,000.

Why Do You Think Luxury Meals Fascinate Some People?

Guest article shared with permission by FinancesOnline. 

Grooming in Style Sweepstakes Giveaway

Do you have pets? If so how many? We have cats and are always looking for ways to keep control of their hair. One only sheds after winter a tiny bit but the other two seem to shed all the time. I'm always looking for a way to keep my pets clean without using harsh chemicals or ineffective grooming products. How about you? I'm so excited to bring you this giveaway which I'm participating in with other bloggers.

This giveaway is for pet owners. Read below for the details on E-Cloth and then enter to win your own set!

Welcome to the

Grooming in Style Sweepstakes

Organized by Budget Earth

Sponsored by E-Cloth

Looking for the perfect way to keep your pets clean without using harsh chemicals or ineffective grooming products? If so, we think you will love the E-Cloth for Pets grooming line! Like their other cleaning products, E-Cloth has designed a full line of grooming products for dogs that are perfect for cleaning up messes with only water through their unique microfiber technology. This stylish set allows you to get rid of daily dirty, loosing fur, and even give their fur a truly beautiful shine!

To learn more, make sure to check out Budget Earth's E-Cloth for Pet Review! Want to making grooming an enjoyable experience for your favorite pet? Budget Earth is excited to be working with E-Cloth on this fantastic giveaway!

1 lucky pet owner will win a E-Cloth Pet Grooming Set in their choice of size ($59.99 value) and an E-Cloth Car Interior Protector ($39.99 value). Before entering, just make sure to read all the rules and then enter through the giveaway form below!

  Grooming in Style Sweepstakes

• One lucky readers will each win an E-Cloth Pet Grooming Set & Car Interior Protector ($99.98 value).
• Open to US Only.
• Winners will be chosen at random Random.org.
• Sweepstakes ends August 31 at 11:59pm ET.
• Winner will be notified via email.
• Winner will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.
• Budget Earth & associated bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment.
• Must be 18 years or older to enter.
• Only one entrant per household.
• Void where prohibited.
• Entering the giveaway form means you agree to terms above.
• Good Luck!

Grooming in Style Sweepstakes

Grooming in Style Sweepstakes in case you can't see the above set up.
Disclosure: This blog did not receive compensation for this giveaway. Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest are in no way associated with this sweepstakes. This post may contain affiliate links. Prize fulfillment will be handled by sponsor. Would you like to have your products featured in a giveaway event? Want to increase your social media exposure? Contact susan.l.bewley@gmail.com to see how I can help YOUR company!

Women and Men Can Get Rid of Unwanted Hair #SilknProducts #sponsored #mc

Before writing this post I was trying to compute how many times I have shaved my legs and underarms. I think I started shaving around age 13 and I'm now 44 years old. So for 31 years I have been shaving at least once a week, minus the "No Shave November" celebrations. I'm guessing that I have shaved over 1,500 times on each leg and under each arm....so 6,000 shaves? WOW! I'm sure I've over estimated but you get the picture. Yes, a lot of shaving going on over here. How about you? Do you have unwanted body hair that you shave, shave and shave? I participated in an Influencer Activation Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Silk'n Flash&Go. I received products to facilitate this review to thank me for participating.

For this post I am using the Silk’n Flash&Go applicator to get rid of the unwanted hair on my legs and underarms. Yes it is unwanted and after 31 years I'm tired of shaving! One of my teens told me that this applicator is better for young people vs old moms because they won't have to shave for 31 years and then finally do something about it. Too funny! 

Over the years I have tried waxing and products like Nair to get rid of my unwanted hair. None of them gave me good results, obviously. So far after two applications of the Silk’n Flash&Go innovative light-based hair removal application with a third coming up this week, I am loving the results. Normally the day after shaving I have hair growth. Now I have dramatically less hair growth even after the first session. I'm one happy mom!

The Silk’n Flash&Go applicator is just the right size to target and treat unwanted body hair in a flash without dealing with razor burn or ingrown hairs. There was a time when I was on blood thinners for a medical condition. While on the medication I could not shave my legs or underarms with a razor blade shaver. I had to purchase an electric shaver which never got the job done and I had to shave more frequently. 

To start with I have only used the applicator on my legs. I plan on starting my underarms next session. The applicator easily fits in my hand and only took 10 minutes per leg. It might have taken less time but I was doing it while watching TV! Yes you can get rid of unwanted hair while watching tv! 

Here are some details and benefits on the Silk’n Flash&Go applicator:

• FDA cleared technology to permanently remove and/or reduce body hair and recommended by Dermatologist. 
• This HPL technology has been used on over 4 million treatments since 2009.
• Very affordable compared to similar products or professional clinics. There is an optional cartridge that will keep you hair free for a lifetime so no more hair removal products, including razors! This definitely is a plus and will save you money. I can see this as a benefit for the young adults, too! 
• Easy, safe and large treatment size to get it done quickly. 
• Still want more information? Get more on the Silk’n site. 

I totally recommend this permanent hair removal product. I love how it saves me time from shaving at least once a week. I know that there have been so many times that I have chosen to wear pants instead of a dress or shorts because my legs needed to be shaved! Am I right? I know that most of you can totally relate to this. I'm now confident that no matter what I want to wear my legs will be ready for it! I can go do any activity and not worry about the unwanted hair! 

Is this something you would use to get rid your body of unwanted hair? It is clearly made for women and men. Check out the Silk'n site for more information. Right now through September 30th, 2014 you can get 20% off the purchase price by using the coupon code EXTRATWENTY. Take advance of this offer and save even more money! 

Reward Your Hair and Save on Toni & Guy Hair Products

The best thing that I love about my hair is that it is so easy to take care of. I have crazy curly hair that has a mind of its own. Depending on the weather it goes from wavy, fluffy, curly to almost frizzy. I'm a huge fan of easy hair and love products that make it even easier to handle for early morning work to gym to school activities. How about you? Tell me what you love about your hair! Enjoy this sponsored post from Global Influence and know that my own opinions are always shared and expressed here on my blog. 

Have you heard about the Toni & Guy products which are available at Walgreens (click to find local participating stores)? I love Walgreens for many reasons especially when I can use my Balance Reward card! I love the special promotions that go along with the card. 

Right now you can get a good deal for trying out Toni & Guy products at Walgreens when you buy any full size product. You will receive 5,000 Balance Reward points from 8/10/14-8/16/14 which amounts to $5 off the cost! What a great way to save money and try out current, cutting edge hair care and styling products which are used backstage and International fashion shows! 

I personally do not need run way hair but love The Casual collection to give me loose, textured and carefree hair for every day mom life. How about you? What kind of hair do you want? 

Yak iPad Giveaway

I'm so excited to bring to you a wonderful review of yak as well as an iPad giveaway. I'm sure if you are reading this then you would love to win an iPad for yourself or to giveaway to someone in your family. Enjoy the review and take advantage of all the giveaway entires!

Yak has been connecting Canadians for the last 15 years. Over 1 million people have discovered how to save money on their home-phone, internet, long distance and mobile calling without ever having to sign a contract.

Home Phone

It looks like one of those 'too good to be true' services - with a digital home phone rate from $9.50 per month ($4.75 for the first two months) it can't be as good as your current service, right? Wrong! First of all you get to keep your current number, no making lists of all the people you have to inform of a change! Secondly you get 11 free features including caller display, call forwarding, voicemail & digital voicemail - where you can receive your voicemail via email. There are no set up or access fees and the switchover is seamless - what's not to like? On top of all this Yak have a free mobile app that provides you with the same services you get at home, on your cell - now you can carry your home 'phone around in your pocket.

Long Distance Plans

It's not just your regular home phone service you can save money on with Yak, you can save on long distance too - even if you're not a Yak customer. Their mobile long distance starts at an amazing 3.5c per minute. If you're with another provider sign up to Yaks Talk Extra Plan and among other offers you can have 500 mins of calling to Europe for $17 per month ($12 if you are a YAK home phone customer) . Do you travel a great deal or have a child that travels? Buy them a Yak travel card. They can call you from anywhere in the world from as little as 3.5c per minute and there is no contract & no obligation to sign up for other services.

Internet

Yak also offers contract-free, unlimited, high-speed internet with no caps, no overage charges and no obligation to purchase their other services. Prices start from $39.95 for high speed cable & $29.95 for high speed DSL and even less if you bundle with digital home phone! To find out more about YAK and the savings you can make with them visit their website.

Giveaway Time

The generous folks at YAK are offering my readers the chance to win an iPad! With retina display, Wi-Fi & 16GB it will be a great prize to win at this time of year!

Apple iPad with Retina display, 16GB, WiFi

• 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit Multi-Touch display with IPS technology
• Dual-core A6X with quad-core graphics
• 5MP iSight camera and FaceTime camera
• 1080p HD video recording
• Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video or listening to music
• Built in Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi (802.11n 2.4GHz and 5GHz)
• Cellular data service on Wi-Fi + 4G models (sold separately)
• iOS 6 and iCloud

Enter on the Giveaway Tools form below.

Entry-Form

Contest is open to residents of Canada aged 18+ (excludes Quebec) and runs from August 14th - September 15 2014. Contest closes at 2359 PST and the winner will be chosen randomly by the Giveaway Tool. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email or another winner will be drawn. This blog is not responsible for prize fulfillment, that is the responsibility of the sponsor- YAK. Void where prohibited. Any questions concerning this giveaway should be directed to Patti@ContestPatti.com