Candid Mom Reviews

ShopDiscover Review June 12, 2009

I am a Discover Card holder and I can tell you that I love the card; I love the cashback, paying online is a breeze with their site easy to navigate and the service is just excellent.  My husband also carries the Sam’s Club version and just got paid last year a $500 check as cashback.

But it got even better because I recently learned that you also can get rebates when you shop at their online shop called ShopDiscover. I compared their cash back rates with other sites and found out that Discover has higher rates.

Two weeks ago, I bought my kids’ carseats from one of the ShopDiscover stores, Leaps and Bounds where they were offering a 10% cash back versus other sites’ 3-5%. Combined with an offer of free shipping, I got a sweet deal.

I just got the car seats delivered 3 days ago. So when I checked today,  I was pleasantly surprised to see a cash back of  almost $40 in my account from Leaps and Bounds. That was fast! I was so excited to see that I had a total of $50 in my rewards account (enough to redeem) that I went ahead and redeemed it for cash in the form of a payment to my credit card account.

In these trying economic times and while other credit card companies are increasing rates and cutting limits, Discover Card is truly leading the way in product innovation and excellent customer service.

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This blog is in response to the “ ShopDiscover blog promotion” but I am truly impressed with yet another great service/product from Discover that I would have blogged about it anyways. Thanks Discover!

Scrubsmag.com Review June 10, 2009

My sister’s in the medical field (she’s an MT) so when I was invited to review the Scrubsmag site, she came to my mind - in all her scrubs glory. Ok sometimes they get to wear comfortable clothes but nothing close to what she is used to wearing in her previous work.

I agree that the medical field, especially those in nursing, needs updating. A helluva lot of a makeover! So it’s refreshing to see a site that caters to the ‘finer side’ of these very hardworking people.

The site boasts of engaging articles about health, beauty, style, love, work, money and all sorts of news and entertainment. Most articles are written by or for those in the medical field, particularly nursing.  They have regular polls, a tip jar and a “Nurse of the Week”.  Here’s one interesting thing I learned on the site: Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons has a product line of scrubs (see, you can be in scrubs but still be a fashionista!).

And here’s one article that I found useful: “From Brunette to Blonde…” I’ve been thinking about doing this myself. Hmm, if this is one way of looking younger and covering my premature grey hair, I am scheduling an appointment with my hairdresser right now.

It’s not that I am shamefully vain but looking good does make us women feel good about ourselves. And that alone would be definitely worth it!

Care.com Review May 29, 2009

A month ago, I started looking for childcare for my 2 young boys. I was thrilled when I found Care.com. (I was thankful that I did not need to wade through Craigslist…get my drift….?)

The site looked professional and very easy to navigate. I signed up with a basic (free) membership and was able to search for providers in my area. The catch? You cannot contact them because the info is not listed- unless of course you upgrade to a premium membership which begins at $25/month (plus a one time registration fee). Kinda  like the “free PC scans” out there: you can scan your pc for errors but you can’t repair it unless you buy their software.  In a bind? You bet I was!

But I was desperate for childcare (and with the promise mentioned on the site for FREE background checks), I signed up for 1 month for 25 bucks. I perused the listings and found a profile of a very nice young lady who I sent a message to. Next, I clicked on the  “background check” link and found background checks - not for the provider I want but somebody else’s.

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Ameriplan Home Business Review March 22, 2009

In my continuing quest for a home-based business, I chanced upon Ameriplan, a dental and medical discount company. I tried them for a couple of months but eventually had to quit. It’s not because they are not legit. The company is legit and they do have people who have succeeded and are currently earning a decent income.

The only problem is the difficulty of breaking through the ’start-up’ barrier: they have a monthly fee that you have to pay even if you’re not  making any money.

Also, the latest news is that they got an “F” rating with the BBB.

Should you decide to try this business, don’t go overboard with printing business cards and brochures and buying the magazine. I got stuck with these when I quit. Test the concept first with your local community and see how it’s going to be received by your prospective customers.

Here’s a site that has quite a number of reviews of the Ameriplan business opportunity (scroll down to the bottom of the page).

Aquafresh Teeth Whitener Review March 15, 2009

Have you been thinking of whitening your teeth? Especially when holidays are here and you want to be intimate with your special someone, white teeth speaks of youth, health and beauty.

But for me, I have a more work-related reason - I am working in a professional environment where I interact with a lot of people and I wanted to do myself a make-over: new hairstyle, new wardrobe, new make-up and of course, whiter teeth.

So off I went online to do some research. Lots of articles recommended the Aquafresh Trays so I went ahead and ordered a box.

I did not see a slight difference the first night I used it. The trays were not as flimsy as the Crest ones but keeping them in my mouth for 45 minutes was a struggle. I couldn’t talk for the whole time.

On the second and third nights, I felt tingling on my gums (make sure the paste inside the tray is on your teeth and not the gums).  I had blisters on my gums on my 3rd night but I kept at it anyway because I could see a slight whitening. (They just came out with a “Pro-gentle” version which they claim minimizes the torture on your gums)

My Rating: 3 star out of 5

My Tips:

1. Make sure you devote the full 45 minutes every night for 7 consecutive nights. If you don’t have the time, then don’t waste your money.

2. Brush and floss well before you put the tray on.

3. Look for coupons online

Quote of the Week: Let’s Start Dancing! March 10, 2009

This is from one of my 5 year-old son’s writings & artworks:

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THE WIND THAT MADE THE SILLY NOISE AND THE MAGICAL SOUND TUBE
(A short story)

Once upon a time, there was a big wind that was making a big silly noise, whooo…whoo….whoo….
The  sound got louder and louder and was heard all over the land.
Until one day, the big wind met a magical sound tube.
The magical sound tube said, “come inside!”
The big wind went inside the magical sound tube and when it came out of it, there were no silly noises anymore but sweet music.
And then all the flowers, trees and grass started dancing.

-  THE END  -

Where to Find Free Money February 28, 2009

Everywhere you look everyone is talking about money & the economy; and that we need to tighten our belts and look for ways to save and earn $$$$.

So there I was, sitting on my computer and out of curiosity decided to google “free money”. I got a voluminous list of links and started to click on links that seemed legit.

Here’s one from AOL:  “Top 5ive Ways to Find Free Money”

And you know what? The article links to a site that lets you search various states for missing money. Our state is not on the list yet so, I had to go to my state’s website and search there.

I found one under my husband’s name for $49.00 (a check refund).  I printed out the claim form for him and will mail it soon.

Not too shabby for a 10-minute online gig!

And oh, kudos to the people who came up with the site.

Review: Pizza Hut and Papa John’s February 20, 2009

Ok. I know that not everyone is crazy about pizza. But come on, when you are under the weather and you have 2 screaming hungry toddlers and a 3rd (hubby) grumbling in the background, what’s the easiest way to bring about peace? Pizza!

I am not too fond of Pizza Hut and Papa John’s. But they are 2 of the only ones that deliver. So let me choose the lesser evil:

Since the “natural food” movement, Pizza Hut has become more nutrient conscious, coming up with the Natural Pizza, with a multi-grain crust and supposedly all-natural ingredients. On their Nutrition page, they state and I quote, (our food) ” include protein, complex carbohydrates, Vitamin A and calcium. And, depending on the toppings you choose, our pizzas have items from all of the four major food groups - meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables, and grains!” So there you go, you can indulge without the usual guilt! (tounge in cheek).

The price is quite expensive, with the delivery charge and the tax (and you’re still expected to tip the delivery guy!). Service and courtesy is ok. Taste - better than PJ’s.

My savings tip: go to their website and click on deals. They have numerous deals online, like the 20% off your first online order.

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My Review of Unique Romantic Gifts February 15, 2009

Do you want to give your man a hint for Valentine’s Day? Then forward this post to him.

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Stumped by what to give your wife or girl this Valentine’s Day? No more chocolates, please! I can tell you that she’s sick of it! Here are fun ways to say “I Love You!”:

1. Write a Love Poem, like the one below, and then print and frame it. This is very personal, inexpensive and shows her that you care enough to make the time and effort to pen a love prose.

One Hundred Love Sonnets: XVII by Pablo Neruda

2. Buy her personalized jewelry (not lingerie). Why? Duh!

The jewelry will make her feel valued (it costs money, you know, and shows that you value your relationship because you don’t mind spending a fortune on her at all!). The lingerie? Very suggestive of what’s on your mind 24/7 making her feel like a slut.

3. A gift certificate to a spa (or better yet, a spa trip - complete with overnight accommodations, etc.)

Shows that you care about her health and well-being. Rest assured that she will come back relaxed and forever grateful for a chance to unwind.

4. Open a Certificate of Deposit (CD) with both your names on it at your local bank or online. Tell her you’re saving for your wedding day, a baby, or perhaps that vacation that you’ve been talking about. This definitely shows that you’re planning a future with HER.

5. If you really must give flowers, do so with much flair. Nothing beats the expression of love in a public setting: send her flowers at work.

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Circuit City Liquidation Sale February 9, 2009

I’m sure that by now everyone has heard of Circuit City’s closing-out-of-business sale and are eager to go and grab some stuff for a bargain. In fact, to lure the reluctant customers in, they just released TV ads proclaiming discounts of 30% (up from 10% a couple of weeks ago).

But buyers beware; although the liquidators are claiming that they haven’t inflated the prices, I’ve heard from customers that their prices are even higher than what you can find online.

In fact, a friend of mine - who bought a TV before they declared bankruptcy - went back to the same store to compare prices. He was shocked to find that the same brand/model of TV he bought was now priced higher so that they can tag it as discounted!

So if I were you, hold off.

But if you’re brave enough, just make sure you do your research.