Here’s What My Dream Vacation Looks Like (Giveaway!)

May 31, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

A few days ago I entered RCI’s Win Your Dream Vacation Sweepstakes. It had actually been on my “to do” list for a few days, and I was really looking forward to entering it, because as part of the entry, you get to build your own dream vacation. I thought that sounded like a ton of fun, but I actually set aside a chunk of time to do it because I assumed it would take 20-30 minutes to do.

NOPE! Not more than 3 minutes after I started, I had my results! It was ridiculously easy and the dream vacation that was built was absolutely perfect. Basically, RCI showed me just through this sweepstakes that they had what I needed, and could take care of every little detail if that’s what my heard desired. I may have gone back and visited this information daily and swooned over it. Just sayin’.

Please send me to a beautiful beach (St. Maarten blew my mind with its beauty and my stay was WAY too brief there back in November). The place I stay needs to be family-friendly. And I don’t want to have to fret over a thing, but instead to know that it is all paid for. That’s the recipe for true relaxation for me! And it looks like creating a vacation that looks just like that is a piece of cake for RCI.

No Time to Plan? No Money to Spend?

There was a time in my life when I would spend tens if not hundreds of hours planning out vacations. Largely this was to try to save as much money as humanly possible since more often than not, our budget was crazy tight. And the truth is, there are many instances where I would get partially through the planning process only to abandon the dream of a vacation altogether, reasoning that we simply couldn’t afford it.

But after 12 years of marriage and 2 kids, I now have this perspective: we can’t afford NOT to take time off to be together. This is true for time just as a couple, and it is also true for memory-making for our entire family. I don’t meant to imply that you should spend money you don’t have, but rather that you really should work a vacation fund into your budget and set aside money every month so that eventually you’ll have enough there to create some memories that you will cherish forever (like of your family playing on the beach in St. Maarten!).

photo credit: alljengi via photopin cc

Sometimes it is worth spending a little bit more to have an expert handle all the details for you. It can save you time and headache, and not give as much wiggle room to start to justify NOT going. If someone else is taking care of all the details for you, that just frees up more time in your life to relax, friends! And if your savings rate is leaving you feeling like you’ll be taking that dream vacation when you are 80 and not a moment before, then you really must enter this sweepstakes! Someone is going to win their dream vacation worth up to $25,000: if you enter, it just might be you!

In fact, a total of 40 vacations are going to be given away in celebration of RCI’s 40th anniversary. RCI is the global leader in vacation exchange and I promise you this: they have something for everyone (not just those of us who long to be beach bums!).

You can enter from now until June 18th, and the more you share your dream vacation through social media, the higher your chances of winning become!

What does your dream vacation look like? Big city exploration? Spa getaway? Time with girlfriends? Time to yourself? Whatever your vision, you can build it with RCI. And you just might win it, too!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Breakfast Surprises with Jimmy Dean

May 29, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

This post brought to you by Walmart. All opinions are 100% mine.

My children both take breakfast VERY seriously. Darah has been known to wake me up at 4:45 am (on those rare days when I actually sleep in…yes, 4:45 is sleeping in for me…). Anyway, she will wake me up with these words: “Mom. What did you make me for breakfast?”

She asks this while I am still lying in bed, having just been woken up by the child who wants to know what joyous breakfast surprise I have already made for her. So my child believes that I get up in the middle of the night to cook up something awesome for her breakfast (this may or may not have something to do with the fact that she believes I am a fairy and do “fairy jobs” all night). And when I don’t do have breakfast ready to go, well, I get a right and proper scolding from the two bosses.

Well, this morning I made her a surprise, alright. And it took me (ok, the microwave) 55 seconds to BLOW HER BREAKFAST-LOVIN’ MIND, all thanks to Jimmy Dean®. Little sister was equally floored!

Oh yes I did. I went to Walmart earlier this week, $1 off coupon in hand, and purchased Jimmy Dean®Pancakes and Sausage on a Stick. These are absolutely perfect for those days when I actually sleep in a little bit, and when the kiddos are expecting some feat of culinary awesome from me. And from a kid’s perspective, it doesn’t really get much more awesome than having your breakfast sausage on a stick, and then wrapped in a pancake. I mean, seriously…

Maybe you are looking for a really fun way to Have a better breakfast!? If breakfast on a stick isn’t really your thing, I also noticed the Crosiant Sandwich in the same freezer case, and I thought it looked mighty tempting! Don’t forget to print your coupon when you head out! photo 87dc55ac-0328-4987-9871-805161373cf9_zps03a70a5f.jpg

My New (Lemondropper) Business Cards (And an Exclusive Discount!)

May 28, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Affiliate links included (I only promote what I use and love!).

So my new business cards came in last week from Minted. They are SO ridiculously cute that I just had to show you.

They are square! And they came in this cute little box that will keep them safe and sound in my purse. I’ll be using these when I am promoting essential oils, which I am growing more and more passionate about by the day. The line of people in this business I’m a part of are called the lemon droppers, and what better way to show some pride in my team than with some lemon-y fresh business cards!

My phone number is actually on the card, but I made it invisible for the picture (gotta retain just a tiny shred of privacy!).

I loved these so much that I asked Minted to pretty-please-with-sugar-on-top offer my readers an exclusive discount on business cards for a few days, and I got what I asked for! If you like this design, or if this just gives you an idea of how BEAUTIFUL your business cards could be with Minted (and oh my…you won’t believe how many beautiful options they have!), then go check out the Minted Business Cards section, pick something out, and use code SP15NEED at checkout from now until midnight on 5/31 to score 15% off!

Let me know what you get so I can squeal with you over your pretty new cards! 🙂

My Favorite Gifts for the Tech-Loving Dad at Best Buy

May 28, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

I have been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

My husband is REALLY hard to shop for. He’s not interested in clothes, cologne or chocolate, and he’s most definitely not interested in a tie (his least favorite thing to wear at work, so much so that his co-workers take notice whenever he does wear one…). Pretty much any gift that you would typically associate with Father’s Day isn’t going to work for Tim.

Tim wants electronic gadgets. Pretty much all the time. And more often than not, he doesn’t even ask for them because he assumes that they are at a price point that just isn’t feasible.

Well friends, thank goodness for !

Best Buy has a with really good gift suggestions for all price points, including under $100 (and even under $50!) for the gizmo guru, which is definitely Tim. They also have gift ideas for other personality types, such as the entertainer, the fitness fanatic, and the memory maker. Here are some of my top picks for Tim and for other tech geek dads you might be shopping for this Father’s Day!

The splurge: SoundTrue Headphones. Tim likes to listen to podcasts while he takes care of the dishes after dinner. I’ve got to support this wonderful habit of his (both the enrichment activity AND the dish washing!) so a really nice set of headphones makes sense!

Just for Fun: Breaking Bad Complete Series Blu-Ray. Tim has started this series and said it ROCKS.

From the Kids: WowWee MIP Robot. Because the only thing Tim would love more than playing with his own robot, is playing with his own robot AND with his kids at the same time.

In addition to having great gift suggestions, Best Buy also offers on qualified orders, and a so you can shop without worrying that you might not be getting the best deal.

What gift ideas do you have for the dad in your life this Father’s Day? I’d love to hear!

Beaches on the Brain: The Best Family Vacation Spots in Barbados

May 27, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Please enjoy this partnered post on exactly what I cannot stop thinking about these days…the Caribbean! And tell me if you are lucky enough to have ever been to Barbados so I can be terribly jealous!

The Best Family Vacation Spots In Barbados

photo credit: TarikB via photopin cc

A family holiday in a picture-perfect Caribbean island is the dream of many families. Barbados is the perfect destination thanks to its family-friendly culture and great accommodation options. Moreover, this glorious Caribbean island offers an incredibly wide range of leisure and entertainment activities to suit every family member, so boredom is not an option when holidaying in Barbados, whether you are travelling with young children or with teenagers. Below you will find a selection of the top Barbados tourist spots that are perfect for families who want to bond and enjoy their time together.

The Platinum Coast

Relaxing by the beach is one of the main reasons to take a holiday in the Caribbean. Holidays to Barbados are perfect for families who want to spend lazy days under the sun in a Caribbean beach setting, as the island is home to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches. Don’t miss the chance to visit Barbados’ Platinum Coast, where mile after mile of golden sand beaches fringed by palm trees await you. Head to Folkestone Marine Park or to Paynes Bay to get your kids introduced to snorkeling or paddle boarding. For something quieter, visit Mullins or Paradise Beach.

Hastings

Hastings is a small town surrounded by golden sand beaches, parks, and a nature sanctuary. The town is the ideal place to chill out and to enjoy the slow pace of life in the Caribbean while the kids are busy at the beach. The tourist industry in Hastings is geared to towards families, as there are many all-inclusive resorts that are child-friendly and that offer supervised child care. In the evenings, head out to one of Hasting’s family-friendly restaurants or enjoy shopping for your favorite souvenirs.

Bridgetown

Bridgetown is Barbados’ capital city and a UNESCO Site, so plan a day of sightseeing with your family and you can be sure that the young ones will love the town’s old fortresses and busy markets. While you are in Bridgetown, you can travel like a local and enjoy the best things that Barbados has to offer. So book your family on a submarine day dive, or book yourselves into an exciting island jeep safari.

No matter where you go in Barbados, you can be sure that a holiday in this great little Caribbean island will be a great opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones. Book your next holiday in Barbados and start planning for what will surely become an unforgettable family holiday.

From #AmazonCart to Amazing Hair in Two Days!

May 26, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 4 Comments

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias (#CBias).

With the exception of weekly groceries, I tend to purchase the majority of things that I want or need for my family online. And I tend to do most of that shopping on Amazon. Thanks to my Amazon Prime membership, which I have been using for about a year and a half now, I can have whatever I need in hand in about 48 hours. That timeline usually works for me, and it means one less trip to the store to try to squeeze into the day (this is especially key when the kids are with me, as I spend half the time in stores with Layah re-shelving items she has removed).

Amazon is at the top of my online shopping list because they have made shopping there so easy. and now they’ve made it even easier! Let me share with you how their new collaboration with Twitter called #AmazonCart works!

Let’s say you are scrolling through your Twitter feed one evening, as I often do while commercials are playing on Hulu. Someone you follow mentions an awesome product they just bought on Amazon, and you are curious about it. All you have to do is reply to the tweet with an Amazon link it it and write #AmazonCart. The item will be added to your cart and you can check it out later when you have a bit more time! There’s no need to leave Twitter, switch applications, or have to investigate the product on the spot. It will just be waiting for you in your cart when you are ready. LOVE THIS!!!! Here’s a helpful video from Amazon that will show you how it works, too. And I put together my very first Vine video to show you my experience, too!

I also really love that I can tweet out links to my followers of the items I am currently buying so they can check them out and see if they want them, too. I can use the tweet feature right on Amazon’s website, and then if a follower of mine is curious about the product, they can just reply to the tweet with #AmazonCart and Amazon will put it in their carts to view when they are ready. It’s social shopping straight from your Twitter feed, friends! I love it!

Do you love those steam rollers you saw in my Vine video? Here’s my tweet about them so you see how I replied to it to get it added to my cart (#AmazonCart is the key) and you can even see Amazon’s confirmation back to me! You can click on the image below to go straight to the tweet!

Finally, if you are simply in the mood to do a little window shopping, just search Twitter for the hashtag #AmazonCart and you’ll see all kinds of stuff that people are buying. You may just find something you never realized you needed, but that will make the perfect gift for someone you love (or for yourself!).

How do you see yourself using #AmazonCart? Great way to build your wish list? Fun option for sharing your own recent purchases? Or a really cool way to scope out great finds others have made?

Honest Company Sunscreen Review: An Honest Assessment

May 25, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

Referral links included. I only promote what I use and love!

Tomorrow’s Memorial Day, which means even though it isn’t technically summer yet, it might as well be (at least here in the South where we’ve already experience a few 90 degree days!).

If you haven’t already restocked your sunscreen for the season, now is the time. And if you are looking for eco-friendly and baby-safe options, I want to highly recommend Honest Sunscreen.

I’ve tried this product out on both of my girls (ages 4 and 2) and found it to provide excellent coverage. If you crave that coconut smell with your sunscreen, you’ll be disappointed by this product as, frankly, it doesn’t really smell like anything. But for those of you who like fragrance-free products, this is a good one for you!

I like that this is water resistant (for roughly 40 minutes..don’t forget to reapply!). And I like that my whole family can use it, and we don’t have to bring 1 container of sunscreen for the kids and a separate container for the adults. Everyone gets to use this eco-friendly, people-friendly product!

How to Get the Best Price

The retail price for this 3 ounce container is $13.95. That’s pricey, y’all. The way to get a decent price is to get an Honest Essentials Bundle. You can get any 5 products on their list for $35.95, which brings your per-item price down to $7.20. If you don’t already have a subscription bundle, I’d encourage you to get one for the summer, at least, and to put sunscreen and the bug spray on your bundles each month until the “live outdoors” season is over! Don’t forget that you can push back your next shipment date as often as you like (I’ve put them on hold for 2 months before with no penalties and no hassle!).

What Else Should I Get?

Need some other suggestions for your bundle? I am compiling a list of reviews of all the products I have tried from Honest.com, and you can see my Honest Company reviews here. I tell you what the best deals are for the bundles, and which products you should pass on altogether! And, of course, I tell you how to maximize your freebies from Honest Company, too. I’m looking out for you! 🙂

Daily Flash Sale Site: BuyBabyDeals.com (Giveaway!)

May 25, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 56 Comments

It wasn’t all that long ago that places like Groupon, Zulily, and even Amazon weren’t even in existence. And honestly? I don’t even know how I’d shop without those places, anymore. They make regular appearances on my credit card statement, and I’m fine with that, because shopping online saves me time, and shopping with those fun daily deal sites saves me money.

Today I’m featuring a new daily deal site that is perfect for parents of young children. It’s called BuyBabyDeals.com and it features amazing deals (up to 80% off!) that would be of interest to moms and to little ones from newborn up to age 10.

How it Works

Every day starting at 7 am (PST) one amazing deal is launched and is live until it is sold out, or until the following deal launches the next day. Additionally, Buy Baby Deals offers secret subscriber 2 hour flash sales for anyone who subscribes to their newsletter ( sign up on the homepage!)

Examples of BuyBabyDeals.com Items

BuyBabyDeals.com sent us a few products that they recently featured and that they thought our two girls would enjoy. I was very pleased to see Piggy Paint in our package, as we LOVE this eco-friendly nail polish brand. The color is In the Flesh and makes for an understated but sweet look. After painting the girls’ toes with it, I want to do my own. It’s a great color!

We were also sent some adorable hair clippies. These are just perfect for Layah, whose hair is always in her face, but she pulls bows out of her hair with ease. These are a bit tougher to pull out. Hooray!

For their lunch boxes, we were sent a Bumkins reusable bag. Perfect for a PB&J. Hold the plastic, please! 🙂

Perhaps my favorite item in the package was the Park It! sticker. I have already taught Darah to place her hand on the gas tank square on the side of the car any time she is exits the car or is waiting to be put in the car. It is on her side of the car, so that works out nicely. This sticker (it’s a magnet, actually) gives children a great visual for where to place their hands while they are waiting for their grown ups. It keeps them focused on staying put and not wandering away in busy parking lots. I’m going to place this on Layah’s side of the car to start training her immediately!

And one final example of the cute things you might find on BuyBabyDeals.com is some adorable jewelry. We were sent this Strawberry Shortcake necklace.

The website does, of course, have items that might be of interest to the little dudes out there, too, so don’t feel discouraged if you have a little boy and love great deals. BuyBabyDeals.com is right for you, too! I very highly recommend that you subscribe to their site so that you are the first to know about their hot new deals, and so that you get to take advantage of the subscriber-only flash sales!

What I love about BuyBabyDeals.com is that they provide a great way to get introduced to some really cool brands that you may not have heard of before, but that you will love and at a price that you will REALLY love! I’m so thankful for the introduction, and I’m happy to help spread the word. Get yourself subscribed, stat!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win the exact same package I received, with all of the above products! This has a retail value of $50!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

How to Get Rid of Hiccups Instantly!

May 21, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 16 Comments

Does anyone else out there get really painful hiccups? The kind that make you hold your chest and pray for a hiccup miracle??? My hiccups hurt like crazy, so when they took me by surprise a few weeks ago (as they always do…those sneaky little things), I quickly started researching if relief might be available from my essential oils. And what do you know? I had the answer to how to get rid of hiccups instantly sitting right on my shelf!

All you need is some peppermint essential oil! Since you are placing this product on the roof of your mouth, I would only recommend using an essential oil that is food grade. Peppermint essential oil is actually one of my most used oils, as it is an ingredient in my weight loss capsules, and it is an ingredient in my lung and sinus support trio! LOVE it!

So, how to get rid of those pesky hiccups. It is so easy, and I have used it on myself as well as on my oldest daughter with a 100% success rate!

Simply take 1 drop of peppermint essential oil, and dilute it with 1 drop of a carrier oil like olive oil or grapeseed oil. You need to dilute it because peppermint is a “hot” oil, and while some folks have no problem applying it “neat” (meaning without it being combined with an oil) many people find it to be uncomfortable because it feels a bit hot. I have personally applied it neat and been ok, but I have diluted it 4:1 with olive oil for my daughter. The first time you try it, please dilute it just to be safe!

Ok, so with your drop(s) of oil, simply apply it to the roof of your mouth. Hold your finger there for maybe 10 seconds. And say goodbye to your hiccups, because they should be gone already!

No Time to Plan? No Money to Spend?

How to Get the Best Price

What Else Should I Get?

How it Works

Examples of BuyBabyDeals.com Items

Other Oil-Related Posts