Contact Me

For more information on having your business featured here or having a contest at The Shopping Fund. Email me at Tiffanie at theshoppingfund dot com

Great Deals by WAHM's!!!


Scroll down to see who won the Box of Body Truffles!

Diana at Body Apothecary is offering my readers 10% off your entire purchase. Use code: Tiffanie at checkout! This offer is valid til March 31st!

Friday, February 29, 2008

And the Winner is . . . . .

Drum roll please!!!

 

"J" from Musings From Left Field!!! Congrats girl!!!

Email me your address and I will get your fabulous prize to you as soon as I can!!!

For those of you who didn't win, Diane at Body Apothecary is offering my readers 10% off your entire order from now until March 31st! How cool is that?

 

Tiffanie

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Cleaning Products and Autism

Picture 107 As some of you know I have a son who is autistic and a daughter with learning disabilities. And finding ways to reduce the symptoms and/or eliminate them without being dependant on medication is a goal that my husband and myself feel strongly about.

As many of you have read and heard on the news, the environment may have an affect on our children's ability to focus,  understand the world around them, and succeed in school.

I have watched countless shows and interviews of parents who have eliminated chemicals in their house and/or eliminated gluten, dyes and preservatives in their children's diet. They have experienced better grades, less outbursts for no reason, and increase in vocabulary, better eye contact, and the best of all - a happier child.

Autism-Ribbon-Story

So why not try it? Why not buy products that are good for the environment and contain no harmful toxins. Would you buy them if they cost just as much as it would to by the stuff you normally buy?  If it's not going to affect your wallet then why not? 

I tried some of these products and was truly pleased with how they worked. The laundry detergent was just as good as my brand that I normally by but without the dyes and toxic chemicals. And it smelled great too!

There is one product that I really loved that not only dissolved grease and soap scum from your tub but helps with eczema. I tried it on my son who had those little bumps all over his legs. I took him to the doctor to make sure he didn't have some kind of rash. It turned out to be the beginnings of eczema. So he sat in the tub with a capful of this stuff for 15 min. and then I put some really heavy duty moisturizing lotion on and within days it was gone and my tub was clean! LOL!. So  needles to say I'm pretty excited about this.

Have we totally eliminated toxins from our house? No, but we are working on it. We are on a budget due to extensive medical bills from my autistic son's birth and so we are constantly looking for ways to cut out the dangerous chemicals without putting us into the poor house.

Picture 360And since I'm a work at home mom , I'm constantly trying to find ways to earn some money to help pay off these medical bills. There is a company that helps with both. Earning money with a company that offers safe alternatives to your normal everyday cleaning products and household items. What is better than that?

For more information visit:

 www.forourkidz.fourpointwellness.com

www.forourkidz.fourpointmoms.com

               Or

Email Cindy Stork at cstork1 (at) yahoo.com

 

Tiffanie

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Create A Can

caresm Do you need a creative way to send a Thank You gift? Having a baby shower? Does someone you know need a Get Well Package? Create a Can has a unique twist on giving gifts. The paint cans come in a variety of sizes. You can have them filled or buy them empty and fill them yourself. There are tons of designs to choose from.

For those of you who work in direct sales, Donna, the owner has created designs for you to purchase.  These Direct Sales Cans are great for hostess gifts, Thank you gifts, and much more.

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These are perfect for real estate agents as gifts for there customers, Chiropractors or Medical offices to give with promotional items in them! Easter is coming up and what better way to give your children a gift full of sugary goodness and plush toys? I could go on but that would take all night!

 

WIN A TUPPERWARE GIFT CERTIFICATE!!

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Make a purchase at Create A Can of at least $10 prior to any  discount and shipping between 12:01 Am February 21st EST and February 24th midnight EST and be entered into a drawing to win a $25 Tupperware Gift Certificate!

One winner will be randomly chosen from all purchases made between 12:01 AM EST on February 21st and February 24th at midnight EST.

Winner will be announced on the web site on February 25th and the winner will receive the Tupperware Gift Certificate Via email on February 25th.

Have FUN shopping! Don't forget -- Easter is right around the corner!

Create a Can Banner

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Bath Truffles Giveaway

thumb I rep for an awesome company called Body Apothecary. Body Apothecary offers items such as hair care products, soaps, lotions and creams, scrubs and butters and more. They all come beautifully  packaged. Wouldn't you agree??

All of us moms, working or non working spend more time worrying about our families rather than ourselves. We deserve a little indulgence every now and then. We work hard and we end up sometimes letting ourselves go just a tad. Come on ladies fess up!  I know I do. Why not take that extra effort to look and feel great!

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And like I said we are worth it! So in honor of how hard we work  to keep our families running smoothly I am giving away a Sweet Box of Bath Truffles! Don't they look fun?

The pink and chocolate brown striped elegant gift box is  filled with decadent luxuries for your bath, our bath truffles! These are created using cocoa and shea butters, and your skin will drink up all the moisturizing qualities of the butters while you soak in the tub.

All you need to do is comment on this post and post about this giveaway on your site. This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada. Non- bloggers are certainly welcome. Just leave me your email in the comment.  This contest will end at Midnight on February 29 and then I will use Random.org to pick the winner.

thumb2 Diane, the owner of Body Apothecary has so graciously offered my readers a 10% discount off your entire order! How cool is that? In order to receive the discount please enter "Tiffanie" (without the quotes) in the coupon code at check out. This offer is good until March 31st!

 

Good Luck Ladies!!!

Tiffanie

Monday, February 18, 2008

Going Green

16303 I have noticed in many of your blogs that mom's these days (including me) are going green. I have read that chemicals and additives in food contribute to disabilities such as autism, ADD, ADHD, Learning disabilities, and many more. My children suffer from the ones I mentioned so I know first hand how chemicals affect them.

You have stopped using the chemical cleaners, are using more fresh foods, you may have gone to more natural fabrics in your clothing and bedding. But have you totally gone green??? What about  your skin? your makeup, your hair?

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Our skin is the largest eliminatory organ on the body. It is a two- way membrane. Toxins are eliminated through the skin via perspiration and absorbed through the skin,into the body's systemic circulation, through hair follicles and sebaceous glands.

Most skin care products place a film on your skin to keep moisture in. But the problem is, it doesn't allow your skin to get rid of toxins naturally causing a build up of oils causing the dreaded zit, blackhead, and whiteheads.

I found a great company that helps solve this dilemma. Most of One Group's products are certified organic by several organizations. Is that not awesome????!!

13101 I got the chance to try out their skin care line. WOW! The cleanser smells like an herb garden which is just heavenly. My face did not dry out or feel tight after I washed my face. It felt very clean and fresh. And the moisturizer smelled great too. I'm not sure what the smell was almost like a hint of banana. I love the smell of banana!

One Group has so many products to choose from. They have hair care products, household cleaners, probiotics, skin care, cosmetics, and body/oral care products!  Can you imagine? One place to get all the natural organic products for your family!

Why not stop by the One Group's web site ! You won't be disappointed! They have found themselves a new customer! I'm hooked!

Place an order of $50 or more and receive a free cleansing bar!  To receive the cleansing bar, email your invoice # to freebar@trulyorganicbeauty.com.  The Cleansing Bar will be mailed to you separately.  Offer valid for new customers only.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Belly Tees

bellytees_whitetee Pregnancy is a time to celebrate new life. I was always trying to find somewhere that sold cute t-shirts that were hip and up to date when I was pregnant with my three. I never really found any until Patricia emailed me about her tees.  What better way to show off the life growing inside you than with a Belly Tees.

 BellyTees™ t-shirts are made of high-quality, 100% cotton and feature playful, hand-drawn illustrations. Each shirt is a limited edition, one-of-a-kind piece of art. Patricia, the artist, only makes a small number of each shirt (less than 200) and when the period of exclusivity has expired, the shirt will be retired.

bellytees_ohpink

Aren't they cute? You can choose the design to be on a blue,  pink or white maternity shirt. What better way to show off your bump than with these adorable t-shirts from Belly Tees? So hop on over to Belly Tees web site and check out her latest designs!

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Marketing and PR Tips

Every Mom who has a home-based business is looking for ways to better market her products or services. It takes time, but when done properly can bring great rewards. Here are some of the things I suggest when I write marketing plans for small businesses:

News Releases:

I suggest one a month to key media. This can be local or national depending upon the scope of your business. Don’t forget to include consumer, trade, business and niche markets. There are many reference books at the library to look up the name and address of appropriate media to contact. These books can be found in the reference area – ask your librarian for assistance.

There are also online news release services that you can post online. PRWeb.com  is one of the larger ones but they charge a fee now.

When pitching (via letter or news release), the news release shouldn’t totally focus on your product/service unless you are announcing a new product or service option. Discuss how your product relates to a new trend in the marketplace or how you are donating a percentage of products to a non-profit organization.

Or, set-up an event and invite the media. For example, an author I work with had written a book about etiquette for teens. We created an event at a local mall with stores providing fashions and this gave her an opportunity to speak and sell her books.

Position yourself as an expert by submitting a letter and your background information to the media. Let’s say you provide an organizing service. Send letters introducing yourself, your background and your business. List the topics you can speak about, like tips for spring cleaning, tips for getting ready for the holidays, tips on how to stash summer gear, household “green” cleaning solutions; topics that let them know that you can speak on a variety of topics.

Promotions:

This is a way to get your business in the public eye, without necessarily making a sale to do so. A lot of times you can cross-promote with other companies that are looking to reach the same audience as you.

As an example, with my Tot-a-Doodle-Do! “Crafty Kids” Craft Kits. I have three kids and I frequent a local indoor play arena. I noticed the owner had shelves to display products made by moms. I asked her if I could show my Kits there as well and not only did she agree, but she asked me to demonstrate them at an upcoming event she was having.

Is there a way you can sample or demonstrate your product or service? Find opportunities or create speaking engagements where you can introduce yourself and your services/products to consumers. Do you make floral arrangements? Arrange to do floral arranging seminars. Do you sell diet or nutrition products? Sample these at a local fun run. Do you make chocolates or cookies? Can you sample and sell these at the local playhouse before or during intermission. Get creative!

The above are just a few suggestions. A complete marketing plan should incorporate advertising, public relations, sponsorship, Internet, promotions, and sales strategies.

My Stats: I have over 16+ years in the public relations, marketing and advertising field having worked with major consumer brands including Body Glove, Coca-Cola, Starbucks and others to help launch new products. I am now a freelance marketing consultant assisting mom-based and small businesses with their campaigns. I am also the creator and co-producer of Tot-a-Doodle-Do! Children’s DVDs and “Crafty Kids” Craft Kits. Visit me at www.totadoodledo.com or email me at firevents@san.rr.com with marketing questions.

 

Heidi Niehart