Reviews & Giveaways – Family Friendly Frugality

Sam’s Club – $4700 in Instant Savings – Get STocked Up for the Holiday Season Today! PLUS Enter to Win a $100 eGift Card! #SamsClubHolidayPrep

This post is sponsored by Sivan Social. All comments and opinions are my own.

It’s been a year (amiright?!)…not a great one either. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a little holiday cheer! We recently ran up to our local Sam’s Club to get a few things (Sam’s Club is the ONLY place we buy toilet paper!), and noticed Sam’s Club is all decked out for the holidays!

Keep scrolling to see how YOU can win a $100 Sam’s Club e-giftcard!

Head over here to see Sam’s Club One Stop Holiday shop! There you will find details about all upcoming sales, club hours, delivery cut off dates and holiday categories.

Whether you are ready to shop for your holiday feast, decorate your home inside and out OR it’s time to get cracking on that gift list, Sam’s Club has you covered!

Are you a Sam’s Club member? If not, you can join today for just $45 and you will receive Instant Savings!

Including the following absolutely FREE items (valued at $20.95):

A Free Rotisserie Chicken (Sam’s Club has the BEST rotisserie chicknes!)
A Free Take & Bake Pizza (my kids love their pizza!)
A Free 8 ct Cupcakes (who doesn’t love cupcakes?)

This offer is good from 10/15/20-1/31/21 and some restrictions may apply.

Already a Sam’s Club member? Be sure to check out their Instant Savings offers! Right now, you can grab $4700 in Instant Savings at Sam’s Club!

Here are a few items with Instant Savings that caught my eye:

Many of you in my Facebook group know that my vacuum died a few weeks ago. I badly need a re placement and check this out! Right now, Sam’s Club is offering this Shark Rocket Zero-M Self-Cleaning Brushroll Corded Stick Vacuum for just $119.98 (Reg $149.90) with $30 of Instant Savings until 11/29!

Are you planning on hanging lights this year? Sam’s Club is offering $3 off in Instant Savings on this highly rated pack of 36 Clips (38 Strips) Command Outdoor Light Clips Club Pack. You pay just $9.98!

I HATE running out of tape! This Scotch Magic Tape w/ Refillable Dispenser, ¾” x 850”, 4 Pack + Bonus 2 Gift Wrap Tape will be sure to keep you well-supplied during your holiday gift wrapping! Right now, you can grab $3 in Instant Savings and pay just $6.98!

Don’t sleep on all of the holiday deals and Instant Savings at Sam’s Club! They might have the best toilet paper ever, but they also have so many deals and savings that are really worth checking out!

Once again, if you are not a member, you can join today!

Finally, did you know you can win a $100 e-gift card from Sam’s Club? That’s right! The Savings.com #SamsClubHolidayPrep giveaway takes seconds to enter and you can win one of ten (10) $100 e-giftcards!

Giveaway Details (Begins: 11/16/20 12:00AM PT / Ends: 11/19/20 at 11:59PM PT) :

Users enter the giveaway by heading to the Sam’s Club page on Savings.com and submitting their email address on the form at the top of the page.
The winners will be chosen through a lottery drawing and notified on Friday, November 20th (11/20) via the email address they used to enter.
See complete Official Rules for entry instructions, full prize descriptions, restrictions and other important details.

Want to learn more about Sam’s Club Covid Response? Click here for details on what Sam’s Club is doing to keep their associates and members safe and healthy. Remember, you can always opt for Curbside pickup (my favorite!) and Scan and Go (my husband’s favorite!) for options to allow you to shop safely.

(1) $2.50 Off Coupon for LALA® Yogurt Smoothies – 5g of Protein, Made with Real Fruit + a New Flavor!

This post is sponsored by LALA Foods. All comments and opinions are my own.

Have you tried LALA® Yogurt Smoothies? They are SO tasty!

LALA® Yogurt Smoothies are filled with 5g of protein AND they are made with REAL fruit. They also have Probiotics in every bottle.

Right now, HEB shoppers can even find a $2.50 off coupon in their Valpak envelope (you know, that awesome blue envelope filled with discounts and great deals! My favorite mail!).

There are so many different varieties, you’ll want to try each kind (I kind of wish they came in a variety pack!).

You can choose from:

10pk
- Strawberry
- Mango

4pk
- Strawberry
- Pina colada
- Mango
- Strawberry Banana
- Mixed Berry

PLUS, they have a brand new flavor! You can also check out LALA® Yogurt Smoothie Pecan Cereal flavor, made with real pecans!

If your kids are going to be distance learning this fall, this is the perfect grab and go snack to have on hand. It’s healthy, filling, and easy to eat at a desk without getting crumbs everywhere.

My daughter has been obsessed with learning more about Alexander Hamilton ever since she saw the musical, so I brought her a LALA® Yogurt Smoothie to enjoy while she continued her research (whose kid is she anyway?). She loved it!

I wanted to note that the LALA® Yogurt Smoothies are not quite where I expected them to be in HEB. I thought they would be closer to the kid yogurt smoothies/yogurt tubes, but they actually were combined with the actual yogurt (by the healthier yogurts actually, lol).

It makes sense because these LALA® Yogurt Smoothie are not just for kids!

Another thing to note is that LALA® Yogurt Smoothies recently recieved a packaging upgrade! So if these are already a current favorite, they might look a bit different.

If you are interested in trying out LALA® Yogurt Smoothies, be sure to grab your Valpak for the $2.50 off coupon and then head to HEB!

Don’t have an HEB near you? You can find out where you can find LALA® Yogurt Smoothies by clicking here!

Coleman 8 Person Tent On Sale Plus A Review On The Coleman Montana 8 Person Tent! (On Sale $95)

Coleman 8 Person Tent On Sale – Coleman Montana 8 Person Tent

I originally posted this review of our Coleman 8 Person Tent (the Coleman Montana 8 Person Tent) in 2013! We have now had this Coleman 8 person tent for over 5 years and it has been SO good to us. We paid $130, so $95 is a steal!

We went camping this past weekend and we used our tent for the first time.

What our “set up” looks like with the Coleman 8 Person Tent. Nowadays we typically also bring a canopy as well to put over our table.

We purchased the Coleman Monta na 8 Tent after reading a LOT of reviews and looking in some local stores as well. Amazon had BY FAR the best price (everyone else wanted $200+ for this tent. Amazon has it for $94.97).

The tent was great. It was big and roomy and perfect for our family of 4. To honestly sleep 8 people…you’d be crammed in pretty tightly with very little room for belongings, but if that works for you than go for it 😉 .

This Coleman 8 Person tent was pretty easy to set up. I say that, because it was set up for the very first time in the dark! We arrived at the campsite pretty late and it was pretty darn dark by the time we got there.

My only gripe about this tent is the lack of an “entryway” on the ground. there isn’t much of a doormat. But we are planning to purchase a tarp to put under our whole tent before we go camping next time, and we’ll be sure to purchase a tarp with plenty of space to go in front of the tent as a doormat (we did this, it works perfectly!)

I wish I had taken a picture of the inside, but it would have been kind of awkward to get a good picture!

There are cheaper tents we considered, but based on reviews and our family’s needs, we went with the Coleman Montana 8 Tent and we are very happy!

I should note that it did rain slightly during our trip (not a huge downpour, but significant enough that we took cover in the tent) and we stayed perfectly dry the entire time.

We also purchased this lantern for our trip and it worked great. We hung it from the top of our tent (with a bungee) and used it to walk through the woods to get to the bathroom at night:

Coleman Rugged LED Lantern (Camouflage)

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: We paid our own money for these items and this is not a sponsored review. These are my honest opinions. These are affiliate links in the post though.

Wireless Charger for Kindle Fire? The Answer to Charging Your Kindle Fire Wirelessly

Wireless Charger for Kindle Fire

How many devices do you have in your household that need to be charged every day? If you are like us, you have a minimum of 2 cellphones and a Kindle Fire or two in your house!

Recently I have had some readers ask me to find deals on Kindle Fire Wireless Chargers or Powermats. Unfortunately, my research did not end up with good news.

Can a Kindle Fire be Charged Wirelessly?

If you are looking for a wireless kindle fire charger, unfortunately, wirelessly charging Kindle Fires is not actually possible. Kindle Fires are NOT qi compatible which is necessary for wirelessly charging your kindle fire device. However, if your goal is just a neater Kindle Fire charging station, here are some options!

This highly rated 6-Port USB Charger Desktop Charging Station with Smart Identification is a great alternative to wireless kindle fire charging.

You can also grab this charging stand for a great deal that works well (and looks good) with the charging station above!

Or you might be interested in this 4 USB port Fast Charging Dock Multi Charging Station Organizer includes the short charging cables you need to neatly charge all of your devices in one spot.

No Wireless Charger for Kindle Fire…But…

Even though Kindle Fire Wireless charging pads are NOT currently an option, there are wireless charging pads/docks for almost every single cell phone. Click here to check out several options.

Will Kindle Fires ever be qi compatible?

I am not sure. The argument I have seen is that Amazon does not want to open the door to off label usage of their product (Quality control I guess?). Knowing Amazon though, I could see them creating their own wireless charging technology for Kindle Fires if the demand proves to be high enough!

Meanwhile, be sure to check out the nice and neat charging stations I posted above. Amazon does offer some great and stylish alternatives to wireless chargers for Kindle Fires!

On that note, if you are a Kindle Fire user, be sure to check out my review on the Kindle Unlimited program. I LOVE Kindle Unlimited!

Review of SAS Women’s Marina Stylish & Comfy Sandals!

Here on Family Friendly Frugality, I love posting the BEST deals. Sometimes these are the best deals because they are rock bottom prices! Sometimes they are the best deals because the quality is so high and so worth the purchase.

These Women’s Marina shoes from SAS (San Antonio Shoemakers) are high quality, attractive and comfortable sandals that can take you from the beach to a day of walking around your favorite mall! Available in medium and wide width AND in half sizes so you can always have that perfect fit.

I received these shoes to review a few months ago (thanks SAS!). I messed up my foot and couldn’t wear anything elevated for a few weeks and then Harvey happened and my life turned upside down, so I’ve really only gotten to test these out for a couple of weeks now, but they are already a go to pair of sandals for me! Comfy and stylish which is a BIG deal for me. I deal with Plantar Fasciitis and have to really watch what shoes I wear because even though I have not dealt with pain in about a year, I know wearing the wrong pair of shoes for as short as 30 minutes can wreak havoc on my arches.

Forgive me for not posting a pic of me wearing the sandals, since I hurt my foot and lost a toenail I haven’t wanted to go get a pedicure and honestly don’t really want to share my ugly feet in a picture on the internet right now. Trust me though, they look cute!

Here are some details:

Multi-Layered Tripad® Comfort: Our multi-layered insole provides superior comfort to cushion the three pressure points of your foot: the inside ball, outside ball, and the heel.
Broad, Contoured Comfort Footbed: Our broad contoured footbed with a soft Super Suede™ cover is molded so the natural arches and curves of your foot are cradled in the sandal. This allows you to maximize the shock absorbing qualities of multilayers of comfort.
SAS Foot-Shape® Last: This special last follows the natural shape of your foot, providing all-day comfort while giving plenty of room for your toes.
SAS “EZ Strap™”: Adjustable strap to customize the fit of the sandal to your foot, to adjust as your feet swell during the day and to take off your sandals easily.
All Day Comfort Sole: The wide sole base provides increased stability and maximum shock absorbency. This feature, along with the contoured footbed and multi-layered insole, works to “rebound” every step and provide you with all-day cushioned comfort.

These are definitely not inexpensive, but they are high quality and the SAS name speaks for itself. I used to wear SAS shoes when I worked 12 hour shifts in a restaurant and they were the ONLY shoes I could wear that didn’t make my feet and back ache by the end of the night. Not only that, but they were the only brand that claimed slip resistance and their shoes actually stood up to the claim!

Head on over here to check them out!

Enter to WIN a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

*******Holly Thomas, you are the winner! ********

I’m feeling generous!

Leave a comment below this post and you will be entered to win a $25 Amazon Gift card.

Giveaway ends 3/25/16 at 11:59 PM CST

I will reveal the winner on 3/26/16

This prize is sponsored by me. I will contact the winner by email ( so make sure you leave an email address that you check!).

Bookmark this post so you can enter daily!

BONUS ENTRIES

Comment on the Facebook post for this giveaway (here)

2. Also, be sure you are subscribed to our newsletter (you MUST confirm!):

3. Following me on Pinterest:

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Those give you EXTRA entries! (leave a comment for each one. These entries can only be done ONCE).

Good luck!

Browse Hidden Categories on Netflix Using these “Secret” Netflix Codes!

Planning a Netflix binge this weekend?

What do you want to watch?

Action & Adventure (1365)?

Anime (7424)?

Deep Sea Horror Movies (45028)?

Faith & Spirituality Movies (52804)?

Those numbers up there? Those are the super secret Netflix codes that help you narrow down your Netflix watching to super specific categories that aren’t part of your default Netflix dashboard.

If you want to browse Netflix’s Secret Categories, you can click here to see a great list.

To utilize this list best, here’s what you do:

1. Click here to find the code for the catagory you want

2. Then paste the following url into your browser: http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/

3. Add the category code to the end of the url and hit enter! (Ex: http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/45028

There you go! Super specific Netflix suggestions based on exactly what you are in the mood for!

Sign up for Netflix here today!

Source: Fox 17 Online

10 Things for Kids To Do at The Texas Rennaisance Festival

Disclaimer: We were provided with free admission. All opinions are my own. We love Ren Fest!

We take our children to the Texas Renaissance Festival just about every year. We have since they were tiny! I often get asked what there is at The Texas Renaissance Festival for children and the short answer is…lots!

(Click here to read about how to save money at Texas Ren Fest! )

To expand on that though, here are 10 things that you can do with children at Texas Ren Fest to make it an enjoyable family adventure:

1. Go on Sundays! – Sundays are great for kids at Texas Ren Fest. Why? Kids get in FREE (12 and under)! Everything is more fun when it is free. The adults in your party can either purchase tickets at the gate, or you can purchase discount tickets from local Walgreens stores. (Kids 4 and under are actually free everyday!)

2. Listen to the music – There is music EVERYWHERE! My kids enjoy just sitting down and listening to the bands play. They even have a Dance School.

Numerous music acts have wonderful opportunities for children to hear music of the period. We suggest: Coal Black Rose, Crannog, Faire to Middlin’, Gypsy Rox, Saxon Moon, and Tartanic.

3. Visit the shops – There are stores that are dedicated to children’s toys and clothing, book stores, food stores, etc. The Texas Ren Fest has more shops than some malls!

4. Watch the Shows – There are so many great shows at Texas Ren Fest. In fact, to me…that’s kind of the bread and butter of the entire experience. Now be careful when you choose shows. There are shows that are really only for adults. These shows are labeled as such and in fact, they often have people walking around the perimeter of the crowd with signs stating that the material is for mature audiences only. It is VERY easy to avoid these shows. As far the family friendly shows though, there are so many! You have your pick of circus acts, animal shows, comedy shows, jousts and more! You will most definitely be entertained and so will your kids.

Here are some shows that are rated “G”:

Clan Tynker: A family show that features five siblings who juggle and do old-fashioned stunts.

Arsene: A silent mime and clown in the European style, Arsene is riveting for children.

Birds of Prey: This show features a number of hawks, falcons, vultures, and owls. Audience members learn about the feeding and flying habits of these birds and have a chance to see them flying from close up. A must see.

Deante Fettucine: New to TRF in 2015, Deante juggles pasta and performs a variety of silly acts to keep kids and families entertained.

Hanlon-Lees Action Theatre: These four shows daily at the Joust Arena are the most popular shows at the Faire. Cheer on your favorite knight as he rides and fights.

5. Eat the food – Tell anyone you went to Texas Ren Fest and they’ll immediately want to know what you ate. Texas Ren Fest is a food extravaganza. Everything from your normal fair food, to more exotic cuisine is available. Plus treats for the kids such as funnel cakes, kettle corn, cotton candy, soft pretzels and more!

6. Ride the rides – My son’s very first “ride” was at Texas Ren Fest! It was a self operated swing. There are pony rides, carousel rides and a various array of other human powered rides.

7. Get an education! – In addition to School Days, the Texas Ren Fest is filled with learning opportunities! Here are a few of the demonstrations you might want to check out:

School of Sword: (2:30 and 4:30) Train with TRF fightmaster Oskar Hasselhoff in the Cloister and the Green area of Sherwood Forest (near the elephant ride).

Blacksmithing: booth 523A

Coin Minting: booth 135A

Broom Making: booth 523B

Armoury: booth 506

Candle making: booth 323

Weaving: booths 135C and 506

Glass Blowing: booth 525

Print and Paper Making: shoppe 138

Wax Chandler: shoppe 214

8. Camping – Now, we have never done this, but there are family campgrounds at Texas Ren Fest! Just be sure to choose “Quiet” Camping if you want the family friendly option.

9. Trick or Treat – We’re past All Hallow’s Eve weekend this year, but next year, you can actually take your kids trick or treating at Texas Ren Fest! We did this one year and the kids loved it!

10. Dress Up! – This is an opportunity for your princesses to be princesses and your knights in shining armor (or teenage mutant ninja turtles) to dress up and have fun! Every year my daughter wears a princess costume and the Ren Fest employees treat her like an actual princess! She LOVES it.

Click here to learn more about Texas Ren Fest, to buy tickets and to plan your day!

ABC Holiday Schedule Released! See The 2015 Schedule Here

ABC has announced their holiday schedule. This is ABC’s schedule, not ABC Family (they’ll likely announce that once their 13 Days of Halloween is over).

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27

“Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town” (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30

“It’s Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown” (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

“The Great Holiday Baking Show” – SERIES PREMIERE – (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3

“Toy Story That Time Forgot” (8:00-8:30 p.m.) (Rebroadcast – ABC OAD: 12/2/14)

“Shrek the Halls” (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

“CMA Country Christmas” (9:00-11:00 p.m.)

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7

“The Great Christmas Light Fight” – SEASON PREMIERE – (8:00- 10:00 p.m.)

“The Great Holiday Baking Show” – (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8

“Fresh Off the Boat” — “The Real Santa” – (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9

“The Middle” – “No Silent Night” — (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

“The Goldbergs” – “A Christmas Story” — (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

“black-ish” – “Stuff” — (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10

“Toy Story 20th Anniversary Special” – (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

“Toy Story” – (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET)

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11

“Last Man Standing” – “Gift of the Wise Man” – (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

“Dr. Ken” — “The Master Scheduler” – (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14

“The Great Christmas Light Fight” – (8:00- 10:00 p.m.)

“The Great Holiday Baking Show” – (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15

“Toy Story That Time Forgot” See Dec. 3 (8:00-8:30 p.m.) Repeat

“Shrek The Halls” See Dec. 3 (8:30-9:00 p.m.) Repeat

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17

“Disney Prep & Landing” – (8:00-8:30 p.m., ET)

“Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice” – (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18

“Yes, Virginia” – (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19

“I Want A Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown!” – (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

MONDAY, DECEMBER 21

“The Great Christmas Light Fight” – SEASON FINALE – (8:00-10:00 p.m.)

The Great Holiday Baking Show – SEASON FINALE- (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24

“It’s Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown” — See Nov. 30 (8:00-9:00 p.m.) Repeat

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” – See Nov. 30 (9:00-10:00 p.m.) Repeat

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25

“CMA Country Christmas” – See Dec. 3 (8:00-10:00 p.m.) Repeat

MONDAY, DECEMBER 28

“Happy New Year, Charlie Brown” – (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

“Rudolph’s Shiny New Year” – (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31

“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2016” – (8:00-11:00 p.m.; 11:30 p.m.-2:13 a.m.)