Walmart Introduces Shoppy Cat

You may be asking - what in the world is Shoppy Cat? I wondered the same thing so when Walmart gave me the opportunity to try it out and provide feedback, I said why not? Shoppy Cat is a new facebook app that assists you in purchasing gifts for family, friends, whoever! If a person is on your facebook friend and has the app, Shoppy Cat will give you a list of things that the individual might enjoy as a gift. 


Shoppy Cat utilizes the things that are listed in your profile as your interests. Obviously, the more interests a person has listed, the more recommendations Shoppy Cat provides. One of the best features in my opinion is that the gifts are not only from Walmart. I think this is a fabulous idea. It reminds me of the movie Miracle on 34th Street, Santa sent people to stores other than Macy*s! Even though the management thought it was a bad idea, it actually encouraged folks to shop at both Macy*s and the other stores. Simply ingenious! 


Shoppy Cat is currently in Beta but I think it is worth trying out! As more people sign up it will be even more effective! Happy Shopping! 

Disclosure: I am a Walmart Mom and have been compensated for spreading the word about the Shoppy Cat app but as usual, all opinions are 100% my own! 

Christmas Price Match

One of the concerns during holiday shopping is purchasing an item too early and seeing it go on a dramatic sale. This year, Walmart is adopting the Christmas price guarantee. If you make a purchase from November 1st until Christmas and you see the price reduced at Walmart or another store - you will receive a refund or a price match! Check out this video for more specifics - the only departments excluded are food and grocery and of course, Black Friday sales....






Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and have been compensated for writing this post but as usual all opinions are my own.

Walmart is Bringing Back Layaway - Video!

And here is my video explaining Walmart's new Layaway! 





Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and I've been compensated for spreading the word about this program. As usual all opinions are my own.

Walmart is Bringing Back Layaway!

The holiday season is fast approaching and it is no secret that we are in the midst of difficult financial times. I have heard anecdotal stories that although the holiday season is supposed to be the happiest time of the year, it is the time when people suffer from the highest rate of depression. It makes sense when you think about it, in an effort to make friends and family happy we have a tendency to over spend and have to deal with the repercussions at the beginning of the new year. 


I remember as a child I would join the Christmas Club at the bank to save money for the holiday season and I also can recall lay-a-way which virtually keeps you from overspending because you pay for items that might be pricey over time. I am happy to announce that Walmart is bringing back Lay-A-Way for the holiday season! 

It begins on October 17th and you have until December 16th to pick up and pay for your purchases. With a $5 service charge and a minimum $50 total purchase (each item $15 or more)  this is going to help countless families this year! Layaway is available in toys, electronics and the jewelry departments. If you have your eye on a few holiday gifts and want to pay from them over time, layaway is just for you!

Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and I've been compensated for writing this post but as usual all opinions are my own. 

Essie's Got A Brand New Bag!

I've blogged about essie in the past and shared my long standing love for this nail polish.  Well, for Fall essie has some great colors with names inspired by handbags. There are six new colors in the collection, my favorite is Carry On, a magnetic mulberry merlot. Love it! But all of the colors with the exception of power clutch (a green that I'm not sure will look great with my complexion) I will be rocking this Fall. 





Although I'm unable to afford to purchase actual handbags in all of these colors, having the nailcolors will provide me with diversity in color and serve as a great "accessory" on a daily basis. This entire collection is available at your local Walmart, I'd love to see what you choose as your favorite color! 



Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and was sent the essie Fall collection and provided with compensation for this post.

Crayola and Back to School

My four year is extremely creative. He loves to draw and is now beginning to learn his letters. He was thrilled to try out the new Crayola Dry Erase crayons and activity center. You can see what he creativity garnered! 

He is intently working on his masterpiece in this photo and here is his finished product! We used the Crayola Dry Erase Crayons and enjoyed being able to wipe and start a new drawing if he was unhappy with what he'd done. 

In addition to the 3D effect, we also have a dry erase board that he loves which is filled with activities. I let him go at his own pace and choose what he wants to do on any given day. This is just a supplement for what he is learning in Pre-K and I've found that he does much more when I don't push him and let him tell me when he wants to practice letters or just draw. You can see more of the Crayola dry erase in action by checking out this video. 



Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and was sent the Crayola dry erase line to review and compensated for my time. As usual all opinions are 100% my own. 

Sun-kissed glow without the sun! Video

It is summertime and I love makeup but it is just too hot for foundation, powder, etc. So, I make things simple. I use concealer and bronzer to give my face a sunkissed glow without using heavy makeup or worst, sitting out in the sun! I tried Neutrogena's bronzer with blush, perfect!

This is a perfect look for summer and I don't have to worry about my makeup melting off in the heat!


Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and have been compensated for this post but as usual all opinions are my own. 

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Nail Strips -Video Post

Thanks to Walmart I had the opportunity to try Sally Hansen's Salon Effects Nail strips. When I used to have my nails done on a regular basis I was always intrigued by Minx nails, nail strips in metallic and exotic designs. I didn't have it done but I did admire the nails of women that I saw having them put on in the salon. 


Recently Sally Hansen released the Salon Effects nail strips that are very similar to minx nails. No polish, simply prep your nails and apply the strips. I chose the color "raise a glass" which is a metallic gold. It is simple, elegant and classy but if I were feeling a bit more adventurous there are wild colors available in the line. I believe the pricing was somewhere in the $8 range and if indeed my manicure lasts 10 days it is certainly worth the price. Minx nails run about $40 in the salon I used to go to.


I found the application of the strips to be fairly easy. There is a bit of a learning curve because you don't want to crinkle the strips and although I was nervous the application was quick. I think the more practice I have the better I will get at application.


I would certainly recommend trying Sally Hansen Salon Effects. When you want an interesting nail design on a budget, these work wonders. One day I will try something on the wild side but for now, I am extremely happy with my metallic gold manicure. I know I'll be trying this product again.




Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and have been compensated for my time and provided with a product sample for review. 

Gas Rollback!

Yesterday Walmart announced a gas rollback from June 29- September 30, 2011. For these 90 days you will be able to save 10 cents per gallon on gas at participating Murphy USA and Walmart gas stations! What a relieve, with the gas prices finally going down, the additional 10 cent rollback will make a big difference.  I don't know about you but the gas prices have certainly been killing my pockets! 


To get the discounted pricing, all you have to do is utilize a Walmart re-loadable giftcard, reloadable Walmart money card or Walmart credit card. This discount is effective in the following states: 

Arkansas Georgia Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kentucky Louisiana Michigan

Mississippi Missouri New Mexico North Carolina Ohio South Carolina Tennessee Texas Virginia

Disclosure: I am a Walmart mom and I have been compensated to help spread the word about this rollback. 

Dyson New DC35 Digital Slim Vacuum - Review

I've introduced this vacuum, given you a behind the scenes look at it and now I will tell you about my experience. 
I actually really love this vacuum! By no means is it a replacement for the heavy duty vacuum that I need for my entire 2800 square foot home that is mostly carpeted, however it is EXCELLENT for the jobs that I need it to do. 

• Lightweight - this vacuum is amazing for doing my stairs. It is virtually impossible for me to vacuum my stairs with my heavier model but this one does wonders! It is lightweight, easy to maneuver and I really like the changeable nozzles. 
• Reach - In addition to being lightweight, the long nozzle and add-ons give me the ability to reach high places. I especially like to use it clean my air filters, blades on my ceiling fans and this leads me to my number one favorite aspect
• BUG KILLER!

I apologize for the darkness of my photo (ahem, my mom is not much of a photographer) but I needed assistance on this shoot. You can't tell from this picture but I am suctioning up a spider that is perched way up high in my bathroom. The DC35 has become my go to tool for killing bugs! I have a virtual forest in my backyard and the bugs get in my house. To date I've used it to handle at least 3 bugs! I keep the DC35 out in my bathroom so I can run and get it easily if I need to get bugs. Maybe not the most conventional use but I have to say that with it's lightweight, long reach and great suction action it is perfect for this job! 

Now you may wonder if there is anything I don't like about the DC35? I'd have to say the only thing could be improved is the length of the charge. It will only stayed charged for about 15 minutes of use so be sure to keep it on the charger if you want to ensure it has power when you want to kill those bugs! 

Overall, I really like the DC35 and it is a welcome addition to my household appliances!

Disclosure: I am a Walmart Mom and was given the DC35 for review and compensated for my time to write about my experience. 

Behind the Scenes with Dyson DC35 Digital Slim Vacuum

A few weeks back I gave an intro to the Dyson DC35. If you missed it here are a few facts:

-  Powered by the Dyson digital motor, the vacuum has anti-static carbon fiber brushes to remove fine dust particles from hard floors.

-  Dyson’s patented Root Cyclone™ technology – condensed to fit into the machine spins dust and dirt out of the air using centrifugal force, so there’s no loses of suction.

-  A dual power mode allows up to 15 minutes of constant suction.  For stubborn dirt, a button can trigger 6 minutes of higher suction.

- A 26 inch, lightweight aluminum wand attaches directly to the machine to convert it from a handheld to a slim vacuum cleaner.


I also have a behind the scenes video about the DC35 that you don't want to miss!







Disclosure: I am a participant in the Walmart Mom program and have been compensated for my time to write this post. However, all opinions are 100% my own.