Givaway! Eight-Strand Amethyst Bracelet -- a $49.99 Value!

MomsWhoSave is overdue for another giveaway! This is a good one too.

How would you like to win an eight-strand amethyst bracelet? It's done in sterling silver with a lobster-claw clasp and is approximately eight inches long, but is adjustable for a much smaller wrist depending where you connect the clasp (see the photo). There are also small silver beads throughout each strand of the bracelet. This is gorgeous and has a retail value of $49.99. (Click the photo to zoom in on the bracelet. It shows up more clearly when you zoom in too.)

Now, how can you enter to win this bracelet? You can get up to five entries!

1. This one is required and gets you one entry into the giveaway: Go to the MomsWhoSave.com main deals website, and find your favorite offer. Come back here to the blog, and leave a comment below telling me what is.

For additional entries...

2. Twitter users can tweet this giveaway using this wording "RT @MomsWhoSave is giving away an amethyst bracelet at http://www.MomsWhoSave.com/blog.html" and then let me know you tweeted in a separate comment below. Please leave the link to your tweet.

3. Have a website or blog? Add the MomsWhoSave.com button to your sidebar. (it's over to your right) Let me know in a separate comment, so I can go check it out.

4. Write about this giveaway in your own blog linking back to this post. Leave a comment below with the link to your post.

5. Subscribe to the RSS feed of this blog, and leave me a comment to let me know.

The giveaway will end on Wednesday, April 8th at 10 p.m. Eastern time, and I'll notify the winner by email, so please make sure I have a way to reach you. I'll draw the winner at random using random.org.

For great deals every day, make sure you visit MomsWhoSave.com and check my twitter updates.

Giveaway deadline extended--ending Thursday until 10 p.m.!

Swap Your Goods and Services - That's Really Saving!

I don't think there's anyone reading this who hasn't heard of ebay, and almost all of you probably know about craigslist too. What those two sites have in common is that people are buying and selling goods and services.

I want to tell you about a few sites where you can get the goods and services you need through bartering or swapping what you have without exchanging any money.

Two people I follow on twitter, @missmanage and @common_cents, (for those of you on twitter) get credit for giving me the names of three out of four of these sites that can help you barter for goods and services. (I realized I actually belonged to one of them already!)

They're all a little different, and I encourage you to do your homework before getting involved in any transaction, just as you would on ebay or craigslist, but these can be a great resource when money is tight.

If you don't think you have services to offer, browse the sites and see what other people have listed. There are offers for, and people looking for, resume writers, dog walkers, laborers, caterers, web designers, landscapers, artists, housesitters--almost anything you can think of.

Check out these sites:

www.u-exchange.com
www.favorpals.com
www.swaptree.com
www.friendlyfavor.com

Already belong to any of these? How has your experience been? Leave a comment and let me know.

For great deals every day, make sure you visit MomsWhoSave.com and check my twitter updates.

Postcrossing: Free, Fun, and Educational!

I have “tweeted” about this site on twitter, but wanted to tell you more than 140 characters will allow. Postcrossing.com is one of my favorite websites, and I think there are lots of you who would love it too!

The idea is a little like having a penpal, but you have lots of them, and they’re from all over the world. Another difference is that you don't exchange long letters, you exchange postcards.

You start by registering on the site—and did I mention it’s free? Then you request the name and address of another Postcrossing member. Since everyone fills out a short biography, you get to see a little bit of information about who you’re mailing your postcard to. I try to send something I think they would like or something the person has mentioned they have an interest in.

Postcrossing’s site then tracks your postcard and lets you know when it’s been received (the receiver logs in to let them know). When you log in, you’ll even see on a world map how far your card has travelled, and how long it took to reach its destination.

Once you start sending postcards, you’ll start receiving them too since other Postcrossers will get your name. I’ve received cards from Finland, Germany, China, and Italy so far.

Some members scan all of their cards and have them online for everyone to see. I haven’t done that, but I have gotten some interesting cards and learned a little about the cities of the people who’ve written to me.

I think this would be a great project for homeschoolers, for a teacher to do with a class, or for anyone with an interest in other cultures.

There’s also a discussion forum for members on the site.

And, if you’re wondering, the members all read and write English, so it’s very easy for us in the U.S. to participate.

I can’t recommend Postcrossing highly enough. Try it, and let me know what you think.

For more freebies, deals, and coupon codes, come back often, and visit my main deals site at MomsWhoSave.com!

Wee Web - A New Way to Share Family Photos, Videos, & Stories for Free!

Wee Web is a new (and free) service that lets you share your family photos, videos, and even cute little kid stories with only the people you choose.

What's so new about that, you might ask? Well, there are other photo sharing sites, but the ones I've used usually don't let you upload video unless you pay a fee. You can use YouTube for video, but now you've got your relatives going to two different sites. Wee Web even lets you add short stories about your family--all in one place and for free!

Here are the best parts of Wee Web, in my opinion:

It's private. Only family and friends you've invited can see your updates. There's no need to worry about strangers viewing your family photos.

Like a blog, family and friends can leave comments on the updates you've shared.

It's very easy to set up, so you don't have to be great with computers to use it--and neither do the people who get your updates.

Take a tour of Wee Web here, and see if it's right for you!