What kind of body wash do you use? Are you a loofah girl or do you prefer to use bar soap?

For the most part, I’ve always been a loofah girl myself. Most of my encounters with bar soap or “hotel soap” since that’s usually where I find myself using it have left me with dry skin and a sort of clammy, filmy feeling. It goes away eventually but it always feels like you’ve used some inferior soap-like thing that you’re hoping actually got your skin clean and now you need some moisturizer in the baddest way.

But one advantage to bar soap that I’ve often thought about is the environmental impact – all those plastic body wash bottles add up, never mind the loofahs we use to wash with (I suppose you could use a washcloth, but in my experience the loofah just does a better job distributing the soap). My point is that I’ve sometimes wished I were a bar soap gal just for the simplicity and what I’m assuming is a more environmentally friendly purchase.

I recently received a pack of “beauty bars” as well as a bottle of body wash from Caress’s Evenly Gorgeous Skinwear Collection. With burnt sugar and karate butter, it claims to help moisturize while gently exfoliating and cleansing your skin, revealing “even-toned, radiant and silky skin.” I have used their body wash before so I decided to try the beauty bars to compare and I have to tell you, I was so pleasantly surprised!

The bar is shaped into a sort of curvature which I found helped to keep the bar in my hand while I soaped up. The exfoliating worked really well, I liked the scent a lot and my skin felt so much more soft than any bar soap I’ve ever used has left if feeling. I still think I prefer using the body wash, but I would have a much easier time to converting to bar soap with the Caress Evenly Gorgeous Beauty Bars if I decide to.

My husband tried the beauty bar also as he prefers bar soap for some bizarre reason. He liked the exfoliating bits also and thought it did a good job cleaning – although in the shower he confessed the scent was a bit over powering. But once out of the shower the smell was much milder and didn’t bother him at all. If Caress makes a slightly more masculine scented version of these bars I think he’d love it.

WIN IT!

Thanks to Caress, we’re giving away a set of Caress beauty bars to one lucky Mommas Review  readers. Here’s how you can enter to win:

1. Tell us: What is your favorite brand of body wash? Do you prefer a liquid body wash or bar soap? This is mandatory – if not done, all other entries will be null and void.
2. For a second entry follow @mommasreview on Twitter, then come back here and leave a comment telling us you’ve done so.
3. For a third entry, tweet about this giveaway. Need some tweet-spiration? “Want “even-toned, radiant and silky skin”? Win a set of Caress Evenly Gorgeous Beauty Bars @mommasreview http://tinyurl.com/d35zv8”
4. For a final entry, subscribe to our RSS feed, leaving a comment here to tell us you’ve done so. We’ll be posting more giveaways on Momma’s Review soon so subscribing will be a great way for you to stay informed about all the great things you can win in the days and weeks to come.

This giveaway is open to U.S. readers only and will end at 12:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, February 10, 2010.

This post was written for Family Review Network as part of a program for Caress, who supplied the product for review.  All opinions expressed in this post are 100% mine.

I love Swag Grabber! Seriously, I think the site is the reason why I wanted to post the good deals I find. It’s thorough and always has the best deals. Right now they have a deal that I took advantage of a month ago and I am still enjoying. You can get a FREE Prime Membership at Amazon.com by following the steps outlined on Swag Grabber. This membership means that whenever you order something from Amazon that qualifies for Prime shipping you get the 2nd day shipping option for FREE. I’ve used this option multiple times since getting the membership and it’s come in handy and saved me loads of money that would have been wasted on shipping cost.

Go here to learn how to get this upgrade to your account for free.

I recently started creating a Gift Closet in my house. I find that all of those kids birthday parties sneak up so quick. With Cayleigh in 2nd Grade and being in a close knit class I find she is invited to 1-2 parties a month. When you think of all the present buying that includes it’s almost sickening. Lately I have been stocking up on items that can be given during these parties that I know kids in her age range will love.

After Christmas I went to the 75% off sales at Walmart and bought Jonas Brothers and Bakugan gift sets for $1-$2. I find that these after holiday sales aren’t all Christmas based gifts on sale, the items I bought you cannot tell were part of a “Christmas Sale.”

I’ve been keeping an eye out on Amazon and discount sites and I found this great deal using printable coupons.

Scrabble Slam

$5.24 at Walmart

Get $4 off Coupon

Total = $1.24

Pictureka Card game

$5.24 at Walmart

Get $5 off coupon

Total = $0.24

Sorry Revenge Card game

$5.24 at Walmart

Get $4 off coupon

Total = $1.24

If you are having issues finding the coupons on Coupon.com I recommend clicking on “Toys and Games” in the left hand column. This allows you to sort by category and will bring you up to the page with these coupons. I will be going to Walmart this week and getting one of each for a total of $2.72. They are definitely a great addition to any Gift Closet.

Grade: B+

How open are you and your spouse when it comes to household finances? Do you discuss your money past, present and future openly?

What big expenses are you trying to save up for right now? Do you feel like you are on track or just crossing your fingers and hoping for the best?

I recently had the opportunity to read and review this great book on achieving your financial goals and learning to create an open dialogue about money with your spouse or partner. For anyone who is concerned about their financial well being or hasn’t yet taken the time to open up to their partner about their financial history and goals for the future, I think this book would be a great read. After reading through the book with my husband, I was comforted to find out that I was right in believing that we already had a very open dialogue when it comes to our finances and more importantly I was able to look through all the aspects of our finances and feel more confident in where we are and where we are going.

Here’s a description of the book from GoodReads.com:

“You may think that marital bliss means money doesn’t matter, but in today’s troubled economic times, that’s simply false hope. And with layoffs galore and debt mounting, financial stress is through the roof. Think keeping afloat and affectionate is impossible? Think again.

This inspiring, action-oriented guide helps young women in committed relationships understand and manage their money matters. Complete with charts, graphs, case studies, and tip-based advice, this succinct, straightforward guide speaks to worried women in the same way that made On My Own Two Feet a mega-success.

Accessible and easy to follow, the three-part process presented in this book teaches you how to:

• Accurately interpret your current financial condition
• Become truly involved in the costs of the couple
• Move forward using the “three powers steps to financial success” This expert author team is here to help once more. Clearing up confusion, stating the truth, developing a plan—and now, helping create a happy home.”

I recommend this book to any couple looking to better understand their financial goals, history and / or setbacks and to anyone trying to find an easy way to start a financial discussion with their spouse or loved one. By tackling one small chunk at a time, you will quickly be able to see the whole picture of your finances and plan accordingly. After reading this book I feel like I’ve picked up the reigns of my financial standing instead of letting it happen to me while I sit and wonder how we’re doing.

Have you read this book? I’d love to hear your thoughts about it in the comments section below!

If you are planning on visiting The Limited between now and February 10th then be sure to print out this coupon and bring it with you. The coupon is valid for one of the following:

$50 off of a $150 purchase

$30 off of a $100 purchase

or $15 off of a $15 purchase

The price at The Limited can be expensive but with this coupon you may luck into a good deal or something for free. Let me know what you find if you use it!

If I mixed things up a bit around here at Mommas Review? I absolutely love my team  and I doing reviews for our readers and supplying giveaways.  As of late, something I love finding as well as new products is new deals. I love the thrill of finding that great sale item that you get for so cheap and everyone is jealous of you. So along with a new header and new button (with new coding if you want to add) you will also notice some tips and tricks for finding great deals along the web.

<a href="http://www.mommasreview.com"><img src="http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l261/andproulx/Button-1.jpg">

Don’t you worry though, this doesn’t mean there won’t be any more product reviews or giveaways. It just means that if I see a great deal that I think you [my readers] may like than I will share it with you.

Since I value the input of my readers, I must know… is this okay with you?

Released 1/25/2010

“Crushin’ on JONAS? Get ready to experience the lovable antics of three of the world’s most famous musicians with 7 specially selected episodes of the hit Disney Channel Original Series in I HEART JONAS. Watch and see how Joe reacts when he discovers that Stella has a date with another guy, and check out what happens when the tables are turned and a struggling young actress makes a play for Joe. Plus, with the never-before-seen bonus feature, "You’ve Just Been JoBro’d! — Surprising Jordin Sparks," I HEART JONAS is a must-have for any Jonas Brothers fan!”

- Amazon.com Description

“Oh my gosh, MOM!! It’s the Jonas Brothers!!!”

Yup, I hear it being squealed on a daily basis by my eight year old daughter. The other day she informed me all about the Jonas brothers rumors.

“Kevin got married Mom!”

Which, of course being an internet hog, I already knew.

“Nick got a new band”

Oh, really Cayleigh? I didn’t know that.

“And Joe, well I don’t know what he’s doing. But they are broken up now”

To which I informed her that it is nothing to worry about, because we had just gotten the brand new I (Heart) Jonas DVD in the mail. Released yesterday, this DVD has seven episodes of the Disney Channel show Jonas. This made her very excited, her very own Jonas on Demand. I’ll admit this is one of the Disney shows that I could definitely do without. I know others who will compare it to the Monkees. But for me it’s a bunch of bad acting, with quirky (and cute) songs mixed in. I guess it’s an acquired taste, but as long as the kids like it then I will too.

At 8, though, Cayleigh absolutely loves the three brothers who sing and dance. She enjoys watching them experience school. With episodes like Double Date where Stella goes on a date which makes Joe jealous she laughs along at the silly plot. As for Stella, the brothers friend/wardrobe designer, I like her. Or perhaps I like Chelsea Staub who plays the sweet Stella on the show. Actually this Halloween Cayleigh dressed up as Stella. Noone knew who she was when we went door to door, but we knew. And that’s all that matters.

If you’ve got a younger girl in your household who loves the Jonas Brothers than this is a must buy. I bet they’d love to get this Valentines Day as an “I Love You!” Buy it now from Amazon for $14.99.

In today’s economy it feels like everyone is struggling in one way or another. I’ve seen friends lose their jobs and not be sure how the next meal will get onto their table. I’ve seen relatives stressing over the high electric bill and wondering how they will budget the costs in. And I’ve seen strangers out their applying for any job they can if it means helping will the mortgage/rent/heat/food costs.  Though it is a challenge to be living right now in a tough economy it doesn’t have to mean that higher food costs and grocery bills should be hurting you.

I was given Stephanie Nelson’s (Owner of Coupon Mom) book for review, the book The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half is a simple to follow guide and tips that help you save money each week for your grocery costs and more. I read the book cover to cover in a matter of a day. I had recently started a few weeks before getting myself all coupon savvy. I read blogs, scoured the newspaper, and looked through grocery store ad’s like it was my end of the world project. So I thought I was just as smart as she [Nelson] is, boy was I wrong! She is one smart and shop savvy woman.

My favorite tip of the whole book is: Plan ahead!!

This is something I never used to do, sure I looked in the stores printed ad and though "Oh, wow, look at these great deals" then went to the store and normally spent about $200 – $250 each shopping trip, I usually do one large shopping trip bi-weekly and a smaller trip on the off weeks. Now with planning ahead and going to multiple stores I’m saving about 50% on each shopping trip. This week I went to three stores Price Chopper (my favorite since starting couponing), Big Y, and Stop and Shop. Between the three I spent $137.78, the total cost before sales and coupons would have been $241.73. That was 103.95 in savings. I really went all out this week and bought a lot of food. Those are only my grocery costs, it does not include the $44.95 of items that I got from CVS for $1.95. Oh yes, under $2!

I’ve seen online many people who budget out $40 a week on food. I am not there yet, but I plan to cut my grocery costs down to about $75 a week.  In this video the almighty “Coupon Mom” gets $161 worth of groceries for $11. I want to be her, and with her book I could get there.

If you are trying to save money and you want to expand your couponing abilities I would definitely recommend Nelson’s book. I’ve learned lots of new tips and tricks on how to use knowledge and planning to save money. I’ve read the book twice through since receiving it and will most likely be reading it again to make sure I’ve utilized each idea. My next step is to create a coupon binder. I think it will be extremely beneficial to me and my family!

Jennifer Garner is one Hot Momma. At least that’s what my husband keeps on telling me. What makes her attractive to me is that she is teaming up with Frigidaire for the good of children. She is supporting the Save the Children program. This program assist children in poverty in America.

Frigidaire is hosting a Spin & Win game that gives you the opportunity to win gift cards for spending quality time with your tykes – whether it’s curling up with some new books, starting a craft project or taking in a family flick. They’re giving away a prize every day. Plus, you could also win a brand new Frigidaire Affinity washer and dryer, with time-saving features that give you more time for the important things in life.

From now to April 26th you can visit daily, and each time that you visit Frigidaire will donate $1 to Save The Children up to $250,000. To enter visit the Make Time for Change site and click “Take a Spin” Good Luck!

Bravo Frigidaire for hosting this wonderful giveaway and charity opportunity. And thank you Mom Select for providing me with the knowledge of the Spin and Win game.

The winners have been chosen for the Would You Rather travel game. The lucky ladies were…

winners of the Would You Rather travel game

The winning comments were:
(45) beth shepherd January 13th, 2010 3:36 pm: “I love to play monopoly and yahtzee with my family”
(14) Diane January 12th, 2010 7:28 pm: “My favorite game to play with my family is scrabble.”
(87) Linda January 14th, 2010 11:15 am: “Our family love to play Clue!”
(64) Erica C. January 14th, 2010 12:18 am: “I love to play Boggle or Scattegories!”
(70) Gianna January 14th, 2010 1:41 am: “Trivial Pursuit”
(15) kristy January 12th, 2010 8:11 pm: “I love to play boggle with my family.”

I asked you to share with us your favorite game to play with your family and a LOT of different games were mentioned. Curious to see which games were mentioned the most? Here’s how it broke down…

1)    Apples to Apples – 2
2)    Balderdash – 2
3)    Boggle – 2
4)    Catch Phrase – 3
5)    Chutes and Ladders – 1
6)    Clue – 2
7)    Cranium – 2
8)    Dominoes – 1
9)    Don’t Break The Ice – 1
10)    Guesstures – 1
11)    Kerplunk – 1
12)    LIFE – 1
13)    Monopoly – 11
14)    Operation – 1
15)    Othello – 1
16)    Phase 10 – 1
17)    Picturika – 1
18)    Pitch – 1
19)    Pictionary – 1
20)    Rummikub – 1
21)    Scattegories – 5
22)    Scene It – 1
23)    Scrabble – 16
24)    Sequence – 1
25)    Skipbo – 1
26)    Sorry – 3
27)    Spy Alley – 1
28)    Survivor Game – 1
29)    Tri Bond – 1
30)    Trivial Pursuit – 8
31)    Uno  – 5
32)    Would You Rather – 1
33)    Yahtzee – 4

Out of the 33 games mentioned, Scrabble won by a landslide with 16 mentions – Monopoly trailed close behind with 11. One thing is sure, we sure love our games! Congratulations again to our (6) winners of the Would You Rather travel game !