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Planning parties is fun… paying for them certainly is not!  Whenever possible, I try to save money by looking for bargains, especially on disposable items. Since everything at Dollar Tree is so affordable, I’m picking up lots of supplies for Hanukkah. (Yes, I’m about 6 weeks early, but for me, planning way in advance cuts down on chaos.)

One of the coolest features of Dollar Tree is that you can search by color. I found tons of bold blue items like dinner plates, dessert plates, napkins, cups, plastic utensils, crepe paper streamers, and plastic table covers.

For an accent color, silver is perfect. I love pairing silver confetti with blue bags to make a nice goodie bag for all my guests to take home. Everyone seems to love the mix of candy, fresh fruit, and a mini candle. Add some silver balloons and the holiday mood is complete.

Since the cost is much less than a Big Box store and I can order online, that ensures a lovely celebration with a minimum of fuss for this tired hostess.

Find just the right items for your party at Dollar Tree.

Did you know the average person throws away 68 pounds of clothing per year? Even worse, 85% of that doesn’t get recycled or donated and ends up in the garbage! A lot of the time, we just get bored with clothing, even if it’s still perfectly good and there’s no need to toss it.

Simple Recycling is offering free curbside bags to anyone living in CT, IL, MA, MI, MN, OH and TX.

This is an excellent way to help out, no hassle required! I’d love to see this program expanded to all 50 states. Yes, there are Goodwill stores and other thrift shops around the country, but not everyone will make the effort. Being able to put it with regular trash is a lot easier.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Shaw’s Supermarkets. All opinions are my own.

Despite our best efforts to stay healthy, many of us will deal with a variety of illnesses during cold and flu season. It seems like this happens to my family every winter like clockwork no matter what I do!

Any time we get sick, I always end up buying a variety of stuff to ease those annoying symptoms like coughs, sore throats, and stuffed-up noses. We’re all familiar with the national brands of over the counter medicine. I’ve bought those before, and while most of them work, they tend to be very expensive.

While shopping at my local grocery store here in New England, Shaw’s Supermarkets, I was introduced to their exclusive line of Signature Care™ medicine.

Since I’ve shopped at Shaw’s Supermarkets for over 30 years, I know that they’re committed to providing the highest quality at a price that families can afford. We regularly enjoy their food and home products, which made me feel very comfortable giving their medicine a try.

These are the ones that worked best for me:

• Signature Care Cold & Flu Liquid Daytime and Nighttime
• Signature Care Cough Drops Honey Lemon
• Signature Care Cold Medicine Nighttime Cherry
• Signature Care Nasal Decongestant Tablets
• Signature Care Cold/Flu Softgels Day/Night Combo Pack
• Signature Care Cold/Flu Relief Softgels Daytime

Not only did I find Signature Care to be much more affordable, it was every bit as effective as other brands I’ve used—same quality, same relief, but at a better value.

That makes sense because Signature Care products contain the same active ingredients and are subject to the same manufacturing standards mandated by the FDA as national brands.

I also like knowing that Signature Care products are pharmacist recommended and each one comes with a 100% satisfaction guaranteed or your money back promise.

Along with the medicine, I also make a wellness drink that helps to ease cold and flu symptoms. Packed with tea, fresh fruit, and fresh herbs and spices, it boosts immunity and offers other health benefits.

I start with 3 cups of water in a pot. Once it boils, I add 3 Chamomile O Organics® tea bags, the juice of two oranges, a large piece of sliced ginger, and a raw garlic clove. Take it off the heat and allow it to steep for an hour, covered.

It can then be used hot or cold, and has a refreshing flavor that’s yummy year-round, not just when you’re feeling under the weather. Those who prefer a sweeter drink can add a little O Organics Stevia. (Not only does it taste great, it has zero calories!)

Cold and flu season may be tough, but finding the right products to fight illness is easy when you shop at Shaw’s Supermarkets. They offer everything my family needs in each one of their well stocked, super-clean stores.

Don’t have a Shaw’s Supermarket near you? Signature Care products can be found at all Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Safeway, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Star Market, United Supermarkets, Market Street, Albertsons Market and Carrs/Safeway.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Shaw’s Supermarkets. All opinions are my own.

Let’s face it: Doing laundry is a drag, but it’s also a necessary part of life (and something most of us are doing constantly). Instead of dreading the chore, I try to find ways to make it better. That’s why I love Energy Star certified appliances. They’re better for your clothes, better for you and your family, and better for the environment. Oh, and did I mention they have a lot of money, too! Here’s why:

Better for you – Energy Star certified clothes washers and dryers deliver superior efficiency and performance by incorporating advanced features that save energy. Compared to standard machines, they are much more efficient and can save $490 over their lifetime, which is a great savings for most families.

Better for the environment – Saving energy means that these washers and dryers help protect the climate, benefitting kids and the planet for years to come. Over the lifetime of the product, these washers save 1,100 kWh and more than 2.5 million BTUs of natural gas and 33,000 gallons of water. If all washers sold in the U.S. were Energy Star certified, we would save more than $4 billion each year and prevent more than 19 billion pounds of carbon pollution annually. This is equal to the emissions from 1.7 million vehicles.

Better for clothes – These washers use a variety of sophisticated cleaning methods that are gentler and the dryers use less heat and offer sensor drying which reduces wear and tear on clothes.

Plus, look at all the cool features:

Energy Star Washers

• • Multiple configurations – Available in either front-load or redesigned top-load.
  • Sophisticated wash systems – Top-load machines clean clothing just like standard models without wasting water to fill up the tub. Instead, these machines use sophisticated wash systems to cycle clothes through a mixture of water and detergent, allowing the clothes to be cleaned without using excess.
  • No central agitator – Front-load machines tumble clothes through a small amount of water instead of rubbing clothes against an agitator, while advanced top-load machines lift and tumble clothes through a reduced stream of water. Both designs dramatically reduce the amount of hot water and energy used in the wash cycle.
  • High spin speed – Efficient motors spin clothes two to three times faster to extract more water. Less moisture in the clothes means less time in the dryer and less energy spent drying clothes.

Energy Star Dryers

• Low Heat Setting –  Look for the cycle that uses the least amount of energy, sometimes known as the “energy-saving” selection.
• Sensor Dry – Prevent extra wear on fabric from over-drying.
• Steam Cycles – Help save time on ironing clothes by preventing wrinkles.

Wondering where you can purchase an Energy Star certified washer or dryer? Head over to Best Buy. They have lots of models available at great prices and more information to help you select the ideal appliance for your home.