This morning we are saddened by the sudden loss of our projection TV. This is the TV we had in the loft and was used primarily for gaming. I am not sure what we will do now that it has quit working, quite unexpectedly I might add. We can’t afford another large screen TV at the moment and I will not allow games to be played on the plasma downstairs. I guess we just won’t be playing any games for a while. Expect my kids to dress in black for at least the next week.

I was going to write my own review of the Diva Cup, but then Squawkfox covered the subject so well I decided to share her post with you.  I agree 100% with everything she said and  I will add that I will never use anything other than a menstrual cup.  It has to be the best thing to come along since slice bread.

I’m going there people. I’m going where the ocean ebbs and the moon wanes. I’m going where the crimson wave has little to do with surfing and where the cotton pony has nothing to do with ranch life. Yes people, I’m going there. I’ve decided to rag on so called “feminine hygiene” products.

I’ve never been comfortable with the cost or environmental waste associated with tampons, pads, and other menstrual gear listed under the banner of “feminine hygiene”. I’ve always felt cramped when dishing out big bucks for a wad of cotton on a string and I’m grumpy with the garbage created. To me, it’s just bad financial cents to bleed my bank account and rot the earth when there’s a much better way.

Last month I finally listened to a good friend of mine and tried something called the Diva Cup. The Diva Cup is a brand name for a menstrual cup, which is a reusable bell-shaped plastic device developed to collect and contain menstrual flow inside the body.

I was honestly skeptical at first. The initial idea of putting some plastic bell thing “up there” was a little off putting. But I’m sooo over it. The Diva Cup is the most amazing, useful, wonderful girly product ever. Since I want you to “have a happy period,” I’ll get over all silly shyness and share my thoughts with you.

10 reasons the Diva Cup can change your life:

1. Cost.

A menstrual cup like the Diva Cup costs about $35 and can last for up to 10 years. Yes, they can be found for far less and last not as long. But seriously, $35 bucks for a reusable device is not a heck of a lot when you consider the cost of disposables.

I’ve done the math ladies. The amount of money we spend over our lives on disposable pads and tampons is mind boggling. If I roughly guesstimate a women’s fertile life ranges from age 13-48 (seems like a good average to me), that’s 35 years!

Now for the very very rough mathy math:

• Tampon Pack: $5
• Pad Pack: $5
• Monthly Cost: $10
• Yearly Cost: $120

Lifetime 35-year cost: $4200
(This number does not account for inflation or taxes either!)

Basically, we’re making the companies behind Always and Tampax rich. Especially when you consider about 50 percent of the population needs this stuff. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather save thousands of bucks by buying a couple of Diva Cups over my lifetime. That’s just good financial sense. Period.

2. Environment.

I cringe to think how many pads are put into landfills each day. It’s sad actually. Most women use about 18 pads and/or tampons per cycle. By using menstrual cup products like the Diva Cup though, all this landfill waste can easily be avoided.

3. Health.

I’ve discovered a few health benefits since using the Diva Cup. Seriously.

• No harmful substances. Pads and tampons can contain bleaches, absorbing chemicals, perfumes, and other irritants or allergens. The Diva Cup is made of medical grade silicone which cannot be broken down or absorbed into the body.
• No Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS).Tampons have been shown to have a connection to TSS, a rare but sometimes fatal disease caused by bacterial infection. No such connection exists with the Diva Cup since cups do not function though absorbency.
• “Down There” Health. Upon removal, tampons can scratch and leave tiny thread fragments. Pads can cause rashes. The natural balance “down there” is not compromised through the Diva Cup.

4. Guys, no more drug store trips!

I haven’t forgotten about the fellows. I know many of you have made a fateful trip to the drug store looking for the “exact” brand and product your female friend needs. I’ve seen you in “that” aisle carrying an empty package of the stuff your gal has unfortunately run out of. Matching up and finding the right stuff is daunting, and nearly impossible considering how often pad and tampon companies change their packaging. But you fellows brave the checkout and bashfully buy the brands. Fellows, these blushful trips can end. The day your gal gets a Diva Cup is the day those drug store trips are finished. Kudos.

5. Sports.

Participating in sports can be a drag when it’s that time. Being in the middle of a game when you need to pull the goalie is not an ideal match. Skip searching your duffle for a relief player with the Diva Cup since cups can be kept in play for 8-12 hours. When a cup is placed correctly, it does not leak and cannot be detected. Feel free to swim lots of laps, ride a bike, or run a marathon. It won’t win any races for you, but you’ll make it to the finish line without fail.

6. Sleep.

No more midnight bathroom trips. No more sleeping on towels. No more doubling-up. The Diva Cup can be worn all night long, unlike a tampon. Sleep soundly for 8-12 hours. I dare you.

7. Freedom.

Stop stuffing your purse full of tampons and pads. Carrying stashes of girlie stuff is a thing of the past. With the Diva Cup, your period worries are no longer woes. Go to school or work and forget about it. No more bathroom trips till you get home hours later. You are free.

8. Less cramps?

I have no scientific proof. But I seriously think the Diva Cup lessens cramps and quells pain. Since I have a history of fainting from crippling painful cramps, I am the first to wonder how a cup can contain this condition. But I think it does. Again, I have no scientific proof.

9. Comfort.

You don’t feel a thing. No mess, no fuss, no problem. It doesn’t matter how heavy or light your flow, one cup covers all stages in a cycle. Yay.

10. International.

I’ve mostly mentioned the Diva Cup brand since it’s available in North America, and that’s where I live. Other menstrual cup brands are available around the world, so I’ve summarized them below:

• DivaCup (Canada, USA)
• Mooncup (United Kingdom)
• Keeper (USA)
• Moon Cup (USA)
• LadyCup (Czech Republic)
• Lunette (Finland)
• Miacup (South Africa)
• Femmecup (Far East)

I went there people. I went where cutesy advertising campaigns tell me to “Have a Happy Period,” and annoy me. I went there and provided a real solution to environmental concerns and cost considerations. I went there. I went there ’cause I want you to go there too. Would you consider it?

Please consider it.  I did, and I won’t go back!

Father’s Day is just around the corner.  What have you decided to get your Papa for his big day???

Once you know what you are going to get him, why not print out one of these certificates to go along with it.  You can print out certificates for dads, grandpas, and other special guys - for FREE! They make great last-minute gifts for all the special guys in your life and are perfect for Father’s Day or any time. Choose from a variety of certificate styles, both colored and black and white for you to print out and color:

• Printable Certificates for Dads
• Printable Certificates for Grandpas
• Printable Certificates for Uncles
• Printable Certificates for Guys

My cousins and I were talkiing about freegans yesterday and then I found this video. I though I’d share it with you.

Freegans

These aren’t free movies, but they are still a great deal.  Proceeds will benefit Variety – The Children’s Charity and the Will Rogers Institute.   Visit AMC Theatres for a participating theater near you.

It was brought to my attention that the links in the play money post were broken (Thanks, Tom).  I have fixed them so you can once again get free play money for the kiddos.  Sorry about that!

What kid doesn’t love to play grocery store or bank?  Well here is some play money from FreeStuff4Kids.net.  It comes in $1, $5, and $10 denominations.  Click the links below to print the pages of bills you can then cut out, or click the pic for the original website.

one dollar bills | five dollar bills | ten dollar bills

Have fun spending your cash!!!!

May 29, 2008 - Fixed the broken links to the play money pdfs.

Regal Cinemas is once again hosting a Free Movies this summer.  To find locations and times in your area, click on the picture below.

When school’s out, kids around the country visit selected Regal theatres for the Free Family Film Festival. It’s a fun-filled nine weeks of movies for kids and parents. Since 1991, Regal has provided this service to the community, and best of all it’s FREE!

Selected G & PG movies start at 10AM each Tuesday and Wednesday during the festival. First-come, first-served seating is limited to theatre capacity. The Free Family Film Festival is safe, lots of fun and a great way for kids to spend a weekday morning in the summer.

Here’s How It Works:

1. Kids read any 8 books.

2. Kids use the Summer Reading Journal to tell us their favorite part of each book. A parent/guardian signs it when it’s complete.

3. Children bring their completed journal to a Barnes & Noble store between May 29th & September 2nd, 2008.

4. They receive a coupon for a FREE book! They choose from a list of exceptional paperback titles.

Visit Barnes & Noble for more information.

A few days ago I wrote an article about how to save on gas: Seven Smart Ways to Save on Gas!  In it I mentioned the website Gasbuddy.com and how you could go there to check on gas prices in your area.  Since then I have come across more promising websites that will help you cut down on your gas expenses.

• AAA Gas Price Finder

I tried it out for my address and found that the prices were a couple of weeks old, not very useful.  Try it out and see if it is more up to date for your area.

• MapQuest Gas Prices

When I tried this one out it didn’t show the gas stations around, but it did show prices from the day before.

• MSN Gas Prices

MSN listed over 25 stations for my area with the dates ranging from current to two days earlier.

• Gas Price Watch

This site is similar to GasBuddy in that it relies on the avergae Joe to input the prices the see in their area.  It’s reliability relies on how popular the site is in your area.  Since I already track prices for GasBuddy, I signed up to be a spotter with GPW as well.  The way I figure, the more people reporting prices, the more money saved by everyone.

• GasBuddy

Last but not least is the aformentioned GasBuddy.  It too relies on users to input the gas prices in their area.  There are differences though.  GasBuddy is actually a collection websites organized by location.  So when you go to the website you pick your state and they direct you to the website for your local area.  For example, my local GasBuddy website is SouthCarolinaGasPrices.com.

Hopefully you will find this information as helpful as I have.  If anyone knows of any other gas price websites, please leave a link in the comments section.

Want free money?  Of course you do, who doesn’t love free money? 

Guess what, Revolution Money Exchange is ready to give YOU $25.

Revolution Money Exchange  is a new service similar to PayPal.  To help them spread the word and convert people from PayPal to their service, they are paying everyone who signs up an easy $25.  It takes about a three minute to sign up and you get the money quickly!

I did it and so did my hubby.  I think it was the quickest $50 we have ever made!  If you would like to sign up with Revolution Money Exchange, then please click the button below.

If you want to learn more about Revolution Money Exchange and how it comares to PayPal, please visit The Get Smart Blog.

Our library has a new feature and I just can’t get enough of it!!!!

It is called Netlibrary and is the best thing to happen in the library world since they computerized the card catalog system!  So what exactly is Netlibrary?  NetLibrary offers e-content to libraries around the country.  What does that mean exactly?  That means if your local library is a member there, you can sign in and download audiobooks. 

Downloadable Audiobooks from NetLibrary are digital versions of audiobooks that are available through the Internet. Audiobooks can be played on any desktop or portable device with Windows Media player 9 or above. You can also transfer your favorite titles to your portable music player, media center, Pocket PC, or even certain smartphones.

My friends know I LOVE audiobooks!  Now I can get online and find new titles without even having to load up the kids and head to the library.  Check with your local library and see if they offer Netlibrary.  If not, tell them about it and encourage them to offer it in your area!

It is no surprise to anyone that gas prices are continuing to break records. With all the dire predictions, we all know we need to do something to keep gas buying from breaking our piggy-banks.

Here is a list of just a few ways to save gas:

1. Don’t Drive!  It may seem like common sense, but so many people hop in the car when it would be just as easy to walk or ride a bike.  If you live in an area with public transportation consider using that whenever possible.  Look into carpools for your commute to work or school.
2. Keep your car tuned up.  This includes having your oil and air filters changed on a regular basis; and keeping your tires inflated properly.
3. Don’t idle!  Although starting your car used to use a lot of gas, it’s now the same as idling for about 30 seconds.  So if you are going to be sitting for a minute or longer, cut off the car.
4. Make one trip instead of several small ones.  It is better to make one trip when you run errands.  It is even better if you can run all your errands all in one day.  Once you get into town, some of your stops may be near each other. Park and walk between some or all of them.
5. Drive at a consistent speed and slow down.  High acceleration and hard braking uses more gas.  Use your cruise control to keep you at the speed limit.  The more mph you go over 55 the less efficient your mpg.
6. Clean out your car.  The lighter your car, the less furl you will use.
7. Check gas prices online to find the best deal.  There are quite a few websites out there that collect gas prices.  My favorite is GasBuddy.com.  Just click on your location to find prices near you.

So there you go, just some of the things we can do to not only save gas, but also to help save the environment.  Leave a comment and let us know what do you do to save gas? 

For more money-saving tips, check out Tipster Tuesday at BeCentsable.

PaidTwice from I’ve Paid For This Twice Already… is giving away a $50 gift card from SmartyPig. 

What is SmartyPig? SmartyPig is basically a savings account (that earns 3.90% APY) through an actual bank (WestBank) and is FDIC insured. The difference between SmartyPig and a regular savings account is that you set a savings goal and a funding source, and you need to fund your savings goal (minimum of $250) through that funding source by automatic monthly withdrawals. It is the online version of a piggy bank. Making deposits is free, and withdrawing your money is also free, which you can do in the form of a gift card (which you get a bonus for depending on what retailer), a SmartyPig debit card, or a check. Direct transfer back to your funding source is not yet available but is supposed to be in the future. If you are saving for an item which you can buy with a gift card, this would be a nice way to get a bonus for your money. Friends can also make deposits to your account if you make your savings goal public - and they can do so for free if they have a SmartyPig account to do so with. (read more at I’ve already paid for this twice...)

Thanks PaidTwice for this great giveaway.  Click here for details on how to enter and good luck to everyone!!!