BudgetRambler - Save $$$ by knowing the inside tricks!

http://budgetrambler.blogspot.com

Pros:

• Easily provides instructions for obtaining maximum dealage.
• Updates frequently with new posts.
• Written style is engaging and entertaining, aside from being informative.
• No advertisements distracting your reading.

Cons:

• Lengthy, rambling style. But that's the blog's name after all.

Bottom Line: BudgetRambler was created by someone I know quite well and I can assure you that the author has spent a lot of time gathering the best deals for you. She has been 'slickdealing' at several major stores like CVS and Target for over 4 years! The site is new but is quickly gaining popularity - after all, who can refuse a free deal? They say TINSTAAFL, but there actually IS such a thing as a free purchase! Make sure to become a follower of this blog so you can frequently check on newer posts that are added almost daily. There is also a contest running right now, which will end when there are 25 followers, so hurry up!

Glaceau Vitamin Water

Pros:

• Only 13 grams of sugar and 50 calories for 8 oz, and full of essential vitamins.
• Amazing taste which is neither too sweet nor diluted.
• Almost always on sale for $1 at stores like Target and Walmart.
• Many, many flavors to choose from.
• Really funny messages on the labels that keep changing.
• Customer service is mostly nice - they offer cool freebies just for calling. 

Cons:

• Caps are hard to open.
• Variety packs (that you can buy at club stores like Costco) only feature four flavors, and they're not necessarily your favorite ones.
• One or two flavors are downright nasty - namely Connect (blackcherry lime) which tastes much like Robittusin and Formula 50 (grape) which reminds me of Tums + Children's Tylenol gone bad.

Bottom Line: Vitamin Water's a great drink for any time of day! People mockingly ask, "You think you're really getting your vitamins in there?" But it's true, you really do get them. Of course you can't compare the Vitamin C quality of an orange with the Vitamin C in a bottle of Essential, but you're receiving the nutrients anyway. It's an affordable drink and quenches your thirst much better than Snapple or Powerade because it has just a bit of sugar. If you have a problem with a bottle, call up their customer service and you'll be sent replacements in the form of coupons almost immediately! Drink up!

Slickdeals.net - do your shopping the slick way!

Pros:

• Lists the newest deals, coupons, price-errors, and promotions in separate categories for easier searching.
• Allows users to post comments about their slicking experience.
• Anyone can post a deal if they're a member - registration is free.
• You can set up alerts to receive emails when new deals that include your keyword are added.

Cons:

• People get nasty with the comments.
• Too many acronyms are used, and not everyone knows them.

Bottom Line: Slickdeals.net is an amazing site for you if you plan to save money and get good bargains on stuff. Or if you enjoy when items you buy cost a grand sum of $0.00! I advise you to check this site at least twice a day because deals are added by the minute. If you can help it, don't post any comments in the forums because most of the users who comment a lot are bored and nasty so you have a great chance of being slammed. When you see a deal, make sure you read its "wiki" section to find out if there are updates such as "deal is dead"!

For your convenience, here are some of the more commonly used slickdeals.net acronyms and their description:

BOGO - By One Get One (if you buy one, you get one free)

YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary (your experience with this company may be different)

OOS - Out of Stock (exactly that)

OP - Original Poster (the person who originally posted this deal)

Lands' End - from totebags to tshirts

Pros:

• Return Policy - you can return items for life.
• Frequent email promotions - if you sign up for their emails, you get at least 1 promo a week.
• Ebates gives you 2% cashback.
• Promos always include free shipping
• For returns, items can be taken to a Sears location to avoid return shipping charges.
• Quality clothing - and if it goes defective, it can easily be returned.
• LiveChat and phone assistance available 24 hours.

Cons:

• Sizing runs much larger than other brands.
• Some apparel is in a 1900s time warp.

Bottom Line: Lands' End is a great company to shop from, whether you need shoes, t-shirts, coats or gloves. Just be sure to order a size smaller than you think you would need (this applies to shoes and t-shirts, especially). To conserve time and energy, order 2 consecutive sizes and return to Sears the one you won't be using. This avoids unnecessary hassle. You do not need a receipt to return items, which is a great thing that enables you to return at any time. When you take advantage of a free-shipping promo, understand that it will take at least a week for the items to arrive. 

Shoebuy.com for shoe deals

Pros:

• Good pricing on shoes - many are sold below retail price.
• Frequent promotions - there's a percent off or dollar off coupon at least once a month.
• Ebates gives you 10% cashback.
• Free shipping and return shipping (you don't pay the shipping to return an item).
• No sales tax.
• You can check out without creating an account, which saves you time.

Cons:

• Selection is not that big.
• Stock doesn't change often enough.

Bottom Line: First sign up to receive Shoebuy promotional emails by clicking here. If you're looking for a specific shoe, first see if Shoebuy has it. If they don't, then go ahead with another store. Otherwise, do stick with Shoebuy because chances are, they will have it for a good price and you'll have a discount email. If you're just browsing for shoes, Shoebuy may still a good place for that because you won't have to sift through 17,000 pairs of black leather shoes with 1/4" heel in size 8. On the other hand, you might enjoy doing just that. If that's case, point your browser to Zappos!

Glad Sandwich (non-zipping) Bags - I'm not glad with Glad!

Pros:

• Container makes it easy to remove a bag.
• Doesn't have that plasticy smell that Ziplocs have.
• If you have a problem, Glad will send you a replacement coupon.

Cons:

• More expensive than store brands - approximately $2.99 for 100 sandwich bags.
• Top flap that tucks under often rips at the seams.
• Food kept in the bag for more than a few hours gets a smell.

Bottom Line: If you have an option, go with a store brand for bags. I've found those to be much more durable than Glad bags, even though Glad is more pricey. Don't keep your food, especially wet ones such as fruit, in the bag for too long because they'll get this plasticy taste. If you do end up buying them, and the seams rip at the foldover flap, don't hesitate to contact them to receive compensation. Make sure to tell them you're not glad with Glad!

Therabreath toothpaste - America's Most Effective oral care

Pros:

• Actually works to eliminate bad breath throughout the day
• While following the regimen, you never experience morning breath!
• The mouthwash doesn't burn your tongue off with its sting.
• Food doesn't taste distorted after brushing teeth (think orange juice after Colgate or Crest)
• Enhances self-esteem :)

Cons:

• Expensive - both the mouthwash and toothpaste run at about $9 each and that only lasts for about 2 months or less. Deals happen, but it's best to buy in bulk.
• Mouthwash tastes horrible, and the toothpaste has very little flavor at all.
• Must consistently use to maintain the effects.
• Takes about a week to kick in, during which your tongue feels really awkward.

Bottom Line: If you have a breath problem, the cons are worth it. I was once given a whole bagful of the Therabreath products (which the buyer had gotten for free) and figured I'll give it a try. It was amazing, really, to see how the stuff works. It contains no alcohol so the mouth doesn't dry up like it does after traditional products. If you decide to go ahead with it, make sure you use both the rinse and paste together. You do not need to use it 3x a day (as per instructions on the bottles), but be sure to use in conjunction with floss.

NOTE: This was reviewed a while ago and the products have since been updated. Efficacy is the same for both but tastes have greatly improved!