Savings Diner is an excellent blog and it’ll continue its existence under the new management. Holley did a superior work starting it up and keeping it alive with regular updates for over a year now. We will continue this trend, stay tuned for more updates very soon.

“Like” us at our new official facebook fan page and follow our new twitter account

New Savings Diner Management

It is with sadness that I come to you with this announcement. I’m closing the Diner. There are many reasons for it, but right now I need to focus on my graphic design and trying to make a bit of income. I have really enjoyed finding freebies and deals and letting you all know about them but it’s more time consuming than I have right now and I feel like I can’t keep up and give you all the information that I want to.

You can still find me online at

• 360 Designs –meeting your all around design needs
• 360 Designs Blog
• 360 Designs on Etsy –custom and premade DIY, printable projects for parties, weddings, events, etc.
• Oodles of Yarn on Etsy –handmade crochet and knit items for your wardrobe, home, gifts, etc.
• Facebook
• Twitter

Thanks for all your support this year!! Don’t worry, I will still be having some giveaways on the 360 Designs Blog–more party and wedding oriented.

Congratulations to michele mathey

who is winner of the $25 GC from Kroger! Michele, please e-mail me your mailing address and we’ll send that right out to you! { holley at savingsdiner dot com }

Thanks to all those who participated!

Congratulations to Peyton’s Nap

who is winner of the Zippity Doo’s children’s haircare set! Thanks to those who participated.

Be sure to sign up for your chance to win in our other giveaways:

• Horizon Organic Chocolate Milk
• $25 GC for your own design printed on a reusable bag

Tomorrow, April 22nd is Earth Day. The Kroger Company is trying to help the environment by holding it’s 3rd Annual Kroger Reusable Shopping Bag Contest this year–through May 21st. You’ll receive a free Kroger (or associates) reusable bag just for entering (it gets loaded onto your store loyalty card) and the winner of the Bag Contest will win $1000!

Contest Information

Beginning April 12 and running through May 21, Kroger is inviting customers to visit www.designareusablebag.com where they can enter the 3^rd Annual Kroger Reusable Shopping Bag Contest by designing their own reusable grocery bag with Kroger’s easy-to-use design tool.

Upon submitting their entry, designers will receive a confirmation e-mail allowing them to view their final design and send to family and friends. Visitors to the site can vote on their favorite designs. The top 10 designs will be chosen by an expert panel and the grand prize winner will receive $1,000 and will have their bag design sold in stores. Four finalists will receive $250 Kroger gift cards and five runners-up will receive $100 Kroger gift cards.  Every Shopper’s Card holder who submits a design will receive a credit for a free reusable shopping bag.

Additionally, we‚Äôve partnered with Caf?© Press so that after participants submit their design, they have the option of purchasing a reusable canvas bag with their design on it.

New this year, we’ve added the ability to create groups. Participants can now recruit friends to design a bag and be a part of a special group; a great feature for schools, churches, neighborhoods and more!  It might be fun to create a group and have your contest entrants join your group with their design.

It’s worth noting that a variety of stores under the Kroger banner are participating in this contest.

• Kroger
• QFC
• Fred Meyer
• King Soopers
• City Market
• Fry‚Äôs
• Dillons
• Baker‚Äôs
• Gerbes
• Smith‚Äôs
• Jay-C
• Owen‚Äôs
• PayLess
• Highlander
• Ralphs

About The Kroger Co.’s Green Efforts:

• As one of America‚Äôs largest retailers, the Kroger Co. and its banner stores are committed to being responsible stewards of the environment.
• In 2009, Kroger and its family of stores sold an average of nearly 13,000 reusable shopping bags per day.
• We‚Äôre installing LED lighting in more of our stores, which use up to 76 percent less energy than fluorescent bulbs.
• Our SAVE 5 program trains associates to reduce energy consumption in our stores, plants, offices and distribution centers.
• In 2009, our first LEED certified store ‚Äì a nationally recognized standard for sustainable buildings ‚Äì opened in Oregon.

Kroger graciously sent me a gift card so that I could experience the whole process of designing a bag and then ordering a tote with my design to let you know about it. It was a very easy process. You can use their artwork (backgrounds, clipart, fonts, etc.) to design your bag or upload your own. And then once you submit your design, you have the option to order a canvas bag or a mug from Caf?©Press with your own design on it–how cool is that?! My canvas bag came in day before yesterday and looks great! It’s a nice, big size that will be perfect for toting groceries and beach stuff this summer.

Once you’ve designed your bag, send out your link to friends and family so they can vote for your design and up your chance to win the grand prize of $1000.

Quick Links

• Kroger’s website
• Kroger’s Reusable Bag Contest website
• Please vote for my design

–> Your Chance to Win a Canvas Bag with Your Own Design

Kroger is offering one of my readers the chance to win a $25 American Express gift card so they can order their Kroger Reusable Bag Contest entry. All you have to do to enter is design a reusable bag at Kroger’s contest site and leave a link here under the comments

Extra Entries

Leave a separate comment for each one done.

• Vote for my reusable bag contest design (let me know you did)
• Subscribe to Savings Diner via email or RSS (right side bar)
• Follow me on Twitter (@HolleyV)
• Tweet about the giveaway (leave a link)
• Blog about the giveaway (leave a link)
• Link up giveaway on a linky giveaway post (leave a¬† link)
• Visit my crochet & knitting art at Oodles of Yarn on Etsy and let me know your favorite product

Details

One winner will be chosen with the help of www.random.org on Wednesday, May 5th after 12:00 p.m. EST and announced here. Winner must email me with their mailing address within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen. US entries only, please.

DISCLAIMER: I received a $25 American Express gift card and one to give away from Kroger from its One Stop Gift Card Shop to have my Kroger Reusable Bag Contest entry printed and share my experience. I have shared my honest opinion of the product. I received no additional compensation.

Who doesn’t love chocolate milk?

When the people at Horizon Organic Chocolate Milk contacted me to see if I would like to try their chocolate milk, I jumped at the chance. My kids and I love chocolate milk and knowing that Horizon’s is all-natural is an added comfort.

Flavored Milk is a Nutrient-Rich Beverage

• Flavored milk provides the same nine essential nutrients as unflavored milk (calcium, potassium, phosphorous, protein, vitamins A, D, B12, Riboflavin and niacin), and can help kids meet their calcium requirements.
• Flavored milk consumers did not have higher total fat or calorie intakes than non milk consumers

Kids Love the Taste of Flavored Milk

According to 2005 USDA data, 66% of the milk chosen by children in schools is flavored

Chocolate Milk is an Effective Post-Exercise Recovery Beverage

A 2006 study showed that low fat milk was as effective at post-exercise rehydration as sports drinks. Because of the natural carb pro ratio in flavored milks, low fat chocolate milk is an effective post-exercise recovery beverage.

The appropriate carb:pro ratio for improving endurance performance is about 4:1 However, effective ranges can vary from 2:1 and up to 5:1.

Consuming carbohydrate and protein post workout has been shown to:

• Enhance muscle glycogen formation
• Promote a hormonal environment that encourages muscle growth
• Promote muscle protein production

Horizon’s Organic Chocolate Milk has a nice, smooth taste. It’s not too sweet or dull. Just the right amount of chocolate. I would definitely recommend it. It is a little pricey for my weekly milk budget (about $4.00 per half gallon) but definitely worth a splurge here and there.

Horizon also offers other styles of milk (ie. white low-fat, reduced fat, etc), yogurt, cheese, cream, and other products such as eggs, ice cream, butter and is found in most major grocery stores.

Quick Links

• Horizon Dairy website
• Horizon Organics Chocolate Milk information
• Horizon Dairy coupons
• Store Locator

Win a set of Horizon Organic Chocolate Milk coupons–2 winners!

Two lucky winners will receive a set of 4 coupons for Horizon Organic Chocolate Milk–2 coupons for 1 free half gallon, 2 coupons for $1.00 a half gallon. Just visit Horizon Organic’s website and tell me one thing you learned about their product line.

Extra Entries

Leave a separate comment for each one done.

• Subscribe to Savings Diner via email or RSS (right side bar)
• Follow me on Twitter (@HolleyV)
• Tweet about the giveaway (leave a link)
• Blog about the giveaway (leave a link)
• Link up giveaway on a linky giveaway post (leave a¬† link)
• Visit my crochet & knitting art at Oodles of Yarn on Etsy and let me know your favorite product

Details

One winner will be chosen with the help of www.random.org on Wednesday, April 28 after 12:00 p.m. EST and announced here. Winner must email me with their mailing address within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen. US entries only, please.

DISCLAIMER: I received coupons for free Horizon Organic milk to try and review and the opportunity to give two sets of coupons away to my readers from Horizon Organic. I have shared my honest opinion of the product. I received no additional compensation.

I know I’ve mentioned Swagbucks before (here, here, and here), but I think it’s good to remind myself and others of the benefits. I saw on another blog somewhere (sorry I don’t remember which) that they were planning on getting all of their Christmas presents next year for FREE by using Swagbucks. I’ve decided that is a great goal to have and I’m trying to be diligent in searching and winning!

If you don’t know, Swagbucks is a search engine where you can sign up for a free account and each time you do an internet search you have the chance to win Swagbucks. The Swagbucks store offers memorabilia, gift cards, and even Paypal cash as a reward.

Some ways to earn fast:

• Use Swagbucks often. Anytime you search the internet use Swagbucks.
• Use the Swagbucks Toolbar–this is a convenient way to search the internet without having to leave a website and go to swagbucks.com
• Refer friends. When you refer friends and they sign up under you, when they win swagbucks you do, too! How cool is that?! Swagbucks offers banners to help you promote it on a website, but they also give you a referral link for those without a website or for use in emails, etc.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up for Swagbucks and start earning today!

Why Treat Head Lice When You Can PREVENT It?

Warmer weather is getting here and it’s time to think about things that come with it–like lice. Thankfully my children have never had lice, but I’ve heard from several mothers that it is not fun. Zippity Doo’s is a company that knows that and has worked hard to come up with a line of children’s products that actually help to prevent lice. They offer shampoo, conditioner, hair gel, leave-in detangler, and a shield spray that all are mild enough for everyday use but has extra added health benefits and prevents lice.

Each of the products are made with all-natural ingredients and have wonderful, subtle herbal scents. My 3 children have really enjoyed using the different products. I don’t normally buy gel for them so that’s been an extra treat! And I love the fact that we’re using natural products that actually can help us prevent the nasty ol’ lice!

Be sure to check out Zippity Doo’s complete line of hair care products. Zippity Doo’s products may be found at CVS, EZMedShop.com, and local pharmacies in the New York area.

Win a set of Zippity Doo’s products!

One lucky winner will receive a set of Zippity Doo’s products like I received. Just visit Zippity Doo’s website and tell me what product you‚Äôd like to try or what other product you‚Äôd like to see in their line.

Extra Entries

Leave a separate comment for each one done.

• Subscribe to Savings Diner via email or RSS (right side bar)
• Follow me on Twitter (@HolleyV)
• Tweet about the giveaway (leave a link)
• Blog about the giveaway (leave a link)
• Link up giveaway on a linky giveaway post (leave a¬† link)
• Visit my crochet & knitting art at Oodles of Yarn on Etsy and let me know your favorite product

Details

One winner will be chosen with the help of www.random.org on Wednesday, April 21 after 12:00 p.m. EST and announced here. Winner must email me with their mailing address within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen. US entries only, please.

DISCLAIMER: I received a set of Zippity Doo’s products to review and the opportunity to give one away to my readers from MomSelect. I have shared my honest opinion of the product. I received no additional compensation.

Do you ever search the internet for information, anything–recipes, products, reviews, articles, etc.? Why not earn points towards cash and prizes for doing it? If you haven’t heard of Swagbucks it’s a search engine site that awards you to use it.

You won’t win points every time you search but if you do a lot of searches the points can add up fast. You can get an Amazon.com $5.00 gift certificate with just 450 points.

New registrants get 300 points just for signing up and there are ample opportunities to earn by reading the Swagbucks blog, being a Fan on Facebook, and using their search toolbar so you never have to miss a chance to earn.

Fridays are always Mega Swag Bucks Day where you can earn a lot more points per search.

Become a Fan of KLM Airlines on Facebook and click on the Get Free Tags tab to sign up for 2 FREE custom luggage tags mailed to you. You can use a photo you have on Facebook, upload a photo from your computer, or use one of theirs to design your tags. They come with your photo on the front and contact information on the back. These would be a great way to identify your bags at the airport, etc. this spring break and summer!