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

Grocery shopping is something that everyone has to do and most of us have many options available in our area. Even though there are 5 stores within 2 miles of my home, there is only one that I truly enjoy.

Here in New England, this store has been loved by many for generations. I can recall going up and down the aisles, sitting in the cart, while my Grandmother pushed me, over 30 years ago! This tradition has continued as I now raise my own family, stopping in regularly to pick up all of the items we need.

When I make my grocery list, I always use the Shaw’s Supermarkets app. It has a digital version of the weekly flyer so I know what the latest deals will be and a digital coupon program called MyMixx that offers additional savings. (It’s so awesome because I don’t have to clip anything and there’s no worry about forgetting my coupons because everything is in my phone.) And, on top of all that, they also have fuel rewards where you can earn up to $1.00 per gallon at Sunoco.

Needless to say, shopping at Shaw’s Supermarkets is wonderful for consumers every week of the year, but the special promotions are even better. Right now, they’re holding a Stock Up Sale, which means I can get all of my favorite staples from General Mills, Coca-Cola, Kraft and Nabisco at a great value.

Everyone in my family loves Betty Crocker™ Cake Mix, Ritz Crackers and Old El Paso™ Taco Shells, and the kids are especially fond of Cinnamon Toast Crunch™ cereal and Annie’s™ Macaroni & Cheese, so those items were a must.

Other items I bought to keep in my pantry are Classico Tomato & Basil pasta sauce and Progresso™ Rich & Hearty soups. Because pasta and soup can be prepared quickly, those meals are ideal for busy evenings when we have dance, sports, or Hebrew school to attend.

Shaw’s Supermarkets is giving away groceries for a year to one lucky winner. Between 10/4-10/19, show them what you bought during the #StockUpSale2017. Entry is as easy as 1-2-3:

• Take a photo featuring two or more of the participating Stock Up Sale products below
• Share the photo on Twitter or Instagram or here by 10/19
• Use #StockUpSale2017 and #Sweepstakes in your caption and complete entry form

Participating products:

• Honey Nut Cheerios™
• Cheerios™ 8.90oz.
• Cinnamon Toast Crunch™ 12.20oz.
• Progresso™ Traditional, Rich & Hearty, Reduced Sodium, Light Soup, Vegetable Classic, selected varieties 18-19oz
• Nature Valley™ Granola Bars 7.44oz-8.44oz
• Yoplait® Traditional Yogurt, 4-6oz, selected varieties
• Oui™ by Yoplait® Strawberry French Style Yogurt 5oz.
• Annie’s™ Natural Mac & Cheese 6oz; selected varieties
• Old El Paso™ Shells
• Totino’s™ Pizza Rolls 15ct, Totino Party Pizza 9.8-10.4oz, selected varieties
• Betty Crocker™ Hamburger Helpers, 4.7-8.7oz, selected varieties
• Betty Crocker™ Fruit Snacks, 4.5-8oz, selected varieties
• Chex Mix™ 8-8.75oz, selected varieties
• Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Cake Mix, 15.25 – 16.25oz., select varieties
• Betty Crocker™ Whipped Frosting, Milk Chocolate 12oz.
• Betty Crocker™ Brownie Mix, Chocolate 18.40oz.
• Pillsbury™ Apple Toaster Strudel™, 6ct., 11.70oz.
• Coca-Cola Mini Cans
• Dasani Sparkling Black Cherry
• Classico Tomato Basil
• Heinz Ketchup
• OREO 14.3 oz
• Ritz 13.7 oz

Don’t have a Shaw’s Supermarkets nearby? These great products are available at your local Albertsons Companies grocery stores including Albertsons, Safeway, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Star Market, United Express, United and Carrs/Safeway.

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

I was compensated for this post. It contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking them.

Want your business to stand out on social media? Give video a try. Simplify the process with Animoto, a cool site that helps create professional videos on the web and on the go.

Turn your photos and video clips into shareworthy marketing videos and slideshow videos with logos, custom brand colors, advanced text control, voice-over, and pre-built storyboards.

Choose from a variety of templates, customize with 50 beautiful styles, and pick from over 2,000 commercially licensed songs within their music library.

Already have your photos online? Animoto can grab them from Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket, Picasa, SmugMug, or Instagram.

Get 15% off annual plans by using code YEAR15 at checkout, or enjoy Animoto for free with a 14-day trial.

I was compensated for this post. It contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking them.

Ghosts, goblins, and goodies—yes, it’s almost time again for Halloween.

While planning a party is fun, paying for it 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 my annual Halloween gathering. Can you believe these scary-good deals only cost a $1.00?

For a quick and easy decoration, it’s hard to beat crepe paper. I love to mix orange and black together. Table covers and silverware in the same colors adds to the festive mood.

Instead of messing with big, sloppy pumpkin guts and seeds, I was so excited to find some made out of foam that can be carved. This will significantly cut down on clean-up afterwards.

Did you know that Dollar Tree also sells costume accessories, candy, and crafts? Best of all, everything can be ordered online and shipped to your local store for free, ensuring you’ll have a spook-tacular celebration with a minimum of fuss at a price you can afford.   

How many devices in your home are internet connected? Three? Five? Ten? Possibly even more! Between laptops, game consoles, streaming services, phones, and smart appliances, most of us are way more connected than we realize. All of this technology can make our lives much easier and more efficient, but it brings with it the real possibility of cyber threats like hacking, viruses, stolen information, etc.

Keeping my family safe online is very important, especially the children. We have always used the firewall programs that come programmed into the computer, but as our growing collection of smart devices expands, we knew that we needed more coverage. CUJO Smart Firewall is a great option.

This one device is designed to bring business-level security to the home network by securing all devices connected to the WiFi router. CUJO detects and blocks malicious sites, viruses, and hacks. Think of it like antivirus for your entire network. Not to mention, it keeps sensitive data like credit card information, banking info, and personal photos from reaching the wrong sources.

Installation takes just a few minutes and you don’t have to be tech sophisticated to do it. Just plug the CUJO device into your router, then follow the step-by-step guide on a mobile app. Once it’s set up, CUJO analyzes your local network traffic data, locally and in real time. If a threat or suspicious activity is detected, CUJO will send you a notification on your mobile app to confirm it. You can then choose to manually override any of the automated blocks (no worries about CUJO preventing you from websites you know are safe, because you’re in control all the time).

Another thingI really like are the parental controls. Look at these great features:

• available for all devices
• internet filter
• time limits
• social media monitoring
• pause internet
• alerts and reporting
• remote administration
• user profiles and settings

With constant news stories about children being targeted through Facebook and Snapchat, we have to stay hyper vigilant about social media, how the kids are accessing it, and who they’re communicating with. CUJO makes it much easier to monitor their activities.

Of course, this type of protection doesn’t come free. Currently, CUJO retails for $249. Is the extra cost worth it? Each family has to decide based on their budget and particular needs. For me and my family, peace of mind is worth every penny. I would definitely recommend installing a CUJO Smart Firewall in your home, because there really is no such thing as being too secure.