This link on the right offers a free trial of Amazon Prime for one month. If you don't want to have to deal with remembering to stop the subscription, you can change that preference immediately after you sign up (their customer service is pretty decent as well, in case you forget and end up being charged for a full subscription after the month is over). However, if you shop at Amazon at all, you'll become so spoiled with their free two-day shipping (with no minimum purchase) that you won't want to cancel it (that's the catch, I guess).

When I first signed up almost two years ago, there was a three-month trial available. We loved the convenience of being able to order whatever we needed without worrying about shipping minimums. Everything arrived in two days, and many items even arrived in one day. We lucked out and were able to sign for another year at a very low price (some kind of Christmas special if I remember correctly). This year is the first year we are paying the full $79 annual fee, and we still feel that it is worth the convenience. Not only do we order stuff for home, but we often order gifts for others as well, since it's so easy to do (they also have a tremendous selection of products for gift-giving). If you do a reasonable amount of shopping online, it's not hard to see how you can spend $79 in shipping costs rather quickly. It comes out to under $7 per month, which is certainly worth it for us, especially considering gas prices these days. Considering how bulky diapers are and how heavy Aquaphor can be, we figure we're saving money on shipping. And their prices are among the best around (especially if you participate in the Subscribe & Save option). And of course, think of all the time saved. I can place an order in just a few minutes if I needed to, and it'll show up at our door in two days or less. You can opt to pay $3.99 if you need next-day shipping, which is pretty inexpensive considering how much it'd cost to send anything overnight. Would you pay someone $4 to shop for you and deliver it to your door the next day? We probably would. We hardly ever use the express option though, and just order the standard two-day shipping and have been very happy with it.

Free trials were kind of hard to come by if I remember correctly, so give it a try if you think you're at all interested. You can always cancel if you decide it's not worth it, and it won't cost you anything if you do it within the month.

Tags: Amazon

FREE DIAPERS For a limited time, if you, your friends or your family complete $750 of purchases in your baby registry (new or existing), you'll get six months of Seventh Generation diapers for free (Expires September 30, 2008).

PHILIPS-AVENT PROMOTION Purchase $139 or more of select Philips-Avent products sold by Amazon and you'll receive a promotional certificate good for $40 off a future purchase. Restrictions apply. Expires July 31, 2008.

I've added several more sales and promotions to the Shopping Resource page. All referral profits go to charity (currently Unicef). Check it out when you have a moment.

Tags: Amazon, diapers

Now, through June 18th, save 25-50% on select Transformers, Spider-man and summer outdoor toys, and more at Amazon.com.

Tags: toys, Amazon

If you wanted to take advantage of the Amazon promotions for May, you've got until tomorrow to order.
See my posts about: Aveeno and Lubriderm products and Horizon milk and Pampers.

Tags: Amazon, diapers, food

Amazon.com has Pixar Collector's and Special Edition 2-disk DVD sets on sale for under $13 each. This is a great deal. I am completing our collection right now (my husband and I have seen them all, but the kids haven't). They also make great gifts. The boys really love "Cars" and "Finding Nemo," so I am sure they'll love the rest of them. We'll have plenty of options on those rainy days.

Click on the images below to be linked to the Amazon product pages.

Tags: video, Amazon, toys

This is a Sesame Street pop-up book by Che Rudko and Tom Brannon which we just bought one weekend on a trip to the campus bookstore. My younger son has been resisting having his teeth brushed recently (he loved it when we first started doing it), and I thought he might enjoy seeing Elmo do it, seeing as how he has an Elmo toothbrush and all, and calls it Ah-mo. He also says buh shhh (with a 1-2 second delay between the sounds), which I think means brush. In any case, it was worth trying. Read more

Tags: books, Amazon

Save 20% when you buy any two Aveeno or Lubriderm products offered by Amazon.com, using the code May8Avee. Expires May 31, 2008. Although this offer can't be combined with their Subscribe & Save program, it's actually a better deal, especially if them item you want isn't part of the program. I'm restocking on bath supplies, so this is a perfect sale for me.

Tags: health, Amazon

Here are two Amazon promotions I just took advantage of:

Save 20% after an instant rebate when you buy eligible Horizon Organic Milk offered by Amazon.com. Use the code HORIZONN. Offer valid through May 31, 2008. This offer may be combined with Subscribe & Save, an additional savings of 15%. See site for details and restrictions.

Also, get a promotional certificate good for $20 off a future purchase when you spend $99 on select Pampers (and Luvs) products offered by Amazon.com, through May 31, 2008. See site for rules and restrictions.

I like having the plain milk boxes handy for when we go out on the weekends, and I'm too lazy to pack sippy cups. I keep a few boxes in the fridge, but it's nice that they don't need to be refrigerated. As for diapers, well, we're using half as many now (hooray for being potty trained!), but I know we'll still need at least three more boxes. And now that the prices have increased, any discount is appreciated.

Tags: food, diapers, Amazon

Until April 30, 2008, get 25% off instantly when you purchase two or more select Dove products at Amazon.com by using the code Apr8Dove at checkout. This offer applies to products offered directly from Amazon.com Free shipping for orders over $25.

I like Dove's body wash and bar soap, since it doesn't seem to dry out my skin as much as regular soap. Plus, Dove has a lot of options for sensitive skin (which are not always easy to find in-store), which I like since they are very mildly scented or not at all.

Check out some of Amazon's other promotions on my Shopping Resource page.

Tags: health, Amazon

Over the weekend, we celebrated Earth Day by learning about marine life and preservation. It was chilly around here and even chillier near the water. I think the boys had a good time (they got to touch some fish), and so did we. There's nothing like having children to further remind us of the growing urgency to care for our environment. I know that we could certainly do a better job for our kids, so there is always room for improvement, however small the steps are. We're in a constant state of working-in-progress when it comes to being green. Overflowing landfills and toxic smog levels are obviously not things I want my kids to have to address, especially if we can do things right now to improve them.





On a related note, keep your eyes open for big sales on eco-friendly products. For example, save $20 instantly when you spend $99 or more on select planet-friendly products using code EARTH4O8 at checkout, through April 30, 2008. See site for additional restrictions. Click here for my other shopping deals.

Tags: health, Amazon, holiday

I don't have time to write a review on this right now, but I wanted to post it in case anyone was interested (their sale prices can fluctuate quickly, so don't be surprised if it is back up to $70 tomorrow). We bought a second-hand one for $25 from another family a while ago, and it's a great little walker wagon. Briefly, it has a solid wood body with removable wooden sides, as well as molded tires with grip tread and front bumper. It also has a "resist push" feature, which helps to prevent falls.

And right now, Amazon is selling it (shipped) for $50, which is a pretty good price. It's pretty much about $75 everywhere else. Once I am done with my exam, I'll be posting some more reviews as well as more information about medical school (rotation experiences, choosing my career path, etc.).

Tags: Amazon, toys

Amazon.com just started a sale on Britax products, which, as many of you know, almost never go on sale. This sale applies particularly to items sold by Amazon and not a third-party seller. Amazon has very competitive prices and free shipping, so check it out if you are in the market for a new car seat (they also have strollers too, but I don't have any experience with them).

We have Britax Decathlons for both boys (fortunately we scored excellent deals on these), and really like them. If you have older models, don't forget to check out their recall (which is hardly a recall, since they just send you these tiny plastic rivets to stick in the bottom of the seat). They are very well-made car seats, and I always feel safe buckling them in. The boys also find them to be very comfortable. The only potential downside is that they are rather large and heavy if you need to move them around a lot. Fortunately, we hardly have to. And since they can be used for kids up to 65 pounds, we'll be able to use them for quite some time.

The sale lasts through March 2, 2008.

Tags: safety, gear, Amazon

Save $15 instantly when you spend $49 or more on select Nivea, Aquaphor, and more products. Enter code Feb8Nive at checkout. Expires February 29, 2008.

I usually have these on a subscription from Amazon to save 15% off their regular low prices. However, this is a better deal, since on a $50 order, it's like saving 30%. And Aquaphor (click for a review) is a staple in our house, so I'm definitely taking advantage of this promotion. I'll just skip this month's shipment, which is easy to do.

I know some people think it's horrendously overpriced (it is) and is the same as Vaseline (it's not, but they are similar). We have tried both and find that Aquaphor is better. Both boys have fairly sensitive skin and eczema (M is growing out of his but A has a fair number of itchy days). When we recently had to go to the allergist to see if it was food-related, the doctor told us that Aquaphor provides additional hydration as well as a barrier to moisture loss, while Vaseline just provides the barrier. I don't know if this is actually scientifically proven, but in our own trials of usage, it works better.

Whether or not it's worth the price difference, we'll that's probably up to each person to decide. It's not a small difference either. But we think it is worth it, and budget for it accordingly (who really needs a flat panel television anyhow? My ten-year-old 25-inch model is still chugging along). When we need to use a lot or expect to have to reapply often, we use Vaseline on top of a lighter layer of Aquaphor. But for the most part, we prefer to use Aquaphor.

Tags: Amazon

Amazon's regular price on these isn't really that great compared to the supermarket (or Costco), but this promotion sweetened the deal, and I ended up ordering a case of chocolate milk. We usually have a small stock of plain and vanilla milk on hand for short outings, but lately, M has started liking chocolate milk (not really a surprise - it was only a matter of time). We don't have to make a minimum order to get two-day shipping because of Amazon Prime (totally worth it), but if I had to, I'd consider picking up some new books for the boys, or stock up on regular household stuff.

Save $10 instantly when you any Horizon Milk products featured on this page. Use the code MILKMIL5 at checkout. Offer ends February 29, 2008.

Tags: Amazon, food

I just placed an order for this Aveeno oatmeal bath product that we soak the kids in when they are particularly itchy from dry skin, eczema, bug bites and whatnot, and noticed that Amazon.com is currently running a promotion. That's always a nice surprise.

Save an additional 20% when you purchase two or more select Aveeno products offered by Amazon.com. Enter code Feb8Aven at checkout. Valid through February 29, 2008.

Tags: health, Amazon

This is a great series of soft books by Roger Priddy for the youngest of readers. We've actually got several of them but "Squishy Turtle and friends" is a household favorite. Book Review

Tags: books, Amazon

One more day to get $30 back from Amazon when you create three new Subscribe & Save orders for eligible food items. You can read my previous post here. I'm ordering coffee right now.

Also, last chance for 40% off Twinings tea.

Tags: Amazon, food

Until December 31, if you create three new Subscribe & Save orders for eligible food items, Amazon.com will send you a promotional certificate for $30 off a future purchase, which is in addition to the 15% discount and free shipping on subscriptions. They have tons of eligible products (many of which we order regularly, like coffee, tea, and milk) so I am planning on taking advantage of this promotion before it expires.

In order to qualify, your orders have to remain active and you can't return your items and still expect the $30 (do people really do that?). They'll send an email between February 11 and February 25, 2008, with a certificate good for $30 off an Amazon.com purchase that will expire on March 26, 2008 (and cannot be combined with other promotions). I'd recommend it to anyone who is planning on ordering the items anyway (you can cancel subscriptions later on quite easily if you change your mind).

Tags: Amazon

This is not an actual review, since we don't have this gadget. And I make a point to not review/recommend things we don't own, but this is something that I really would have wanted and most definitely would buy now if I was expecting or had a newborn (it'll have to live in my baby shower gift idea list instead). Assuming that it works well (and based on all the positive Amazon reviews), I really wish I knew about it before (I don't think it was around yet - I believe it was released in early 2007), since it really would have come in handy. I don't know how many times I wondered or asked J how long it had been since their last feed or nap when the boys were babies.

It's called an Itzbeen, and is basically a device that has multiple count-up timers, a clock, and an alarm. The timers count the time since the last diaper chance, feed, and nap/wake time. There is another miscellaneous timer (I would have used this for pumping, but you can use it for medications or whatever), as well as a clock and alarm (which can be silent - a must). There is even a switch to help you remember which breast you last nursed from and a night light and lock to prevent accidental resets. These guys really thought of everything. Basically, it takes all the guesswork out of the first few weeks of a newborn's schedule (when you are most sleep-deprived). It might seem extraneous, but I swear I would have found this to be a lifesaver if we had one of these when the boys were just born. I was always wondering about the timing of things, and it would have helped eliminate some of the worry (there is already plenty to worry about). It's exactly what I needed at the time. The price is fair, at $25. It's a bit more than I'd like, but certainly not as overpriced as it could be, especially relative to how much baby stuff costs. I think it would have been most useful during the newborn period, but by the time I had heard about it, Andy was several months old (he was also our second baby and things were a bit easier). But it's definitely something I'm going to consider putting in baby shower gift bags from now on. Ingenious.

Tags: Amazon, gear

I'm not a huge fan of battery-operated toys, but The Playskool Busy Ball Popper is one of the few exceptions. It's a pretty well-designed, fun toy. Read more (and check out some new photos of the boys while you're there).

Tags: toys, A, M, Amazon

Tea lovers rejoice! Save 40% after an instant rebate when you buy two cases of eligible Twinings tea offered by Amazon.com. Use the code TEATEA40. Offer valid through December 31, 2007.

Tags: food, Amazon

I have been eyeing this toy for A (though there is no doubt M will enjoy it as well) for the last few weeks, and it is up for only $10 today at Amazon (Just perfect for our first gift certificate winner!). The next lowest price I have seen anywhere is $18.

I'll try to review it after Christmas, but I wanted to post this in case anyone else might want to get in on this great deal. It would make a great gift as well (recommended age: 9 months - 3 years), so I am picking up an extra one for a cousin.



And I also noticed that this toy, the LeapFrog Phonics Bus, is on sale as well, for $12. We have this toy and it is great! It's on my list of things to review as well but I wanted to post it since Amazon's sale prices change so quickly.

Tags: Amazon, toys

This Friday is "Black Friday," historically known as the biggest shopping day of the year. I've never been one to stand in line at 5am outside a big box store in order to score a great deal, and I'm not about to start now. I love great bargain but I don't have the luxury of time. Will I be awake? Probably. Perhaps making breakfast or unloading the dishwasher before the boys wake up.

If I find myself with some spare time, I might try to do some Christmas shopping online. I just got an email today from Amazon.com (marketing wizards those guys), reminding me to check out their great deals this Friday. It'd be great to get most of my shopping done early this year. I'm sure it'll be an interesting day!

Tags: toys, clothing, gear, books, shoes, Amazon, diapers

Amazon is having a promotion on baby items through October 13, 2007. You automatically get 10% off orders of $75 or more, which is not bad. I wouldn't go looking for something to buy, but if you've got something in mind, now might be a good time to get it. Some restrictions apply, so read the fine print.

Tags: Amazon, gear, toys

My handy-dandy dish soap dispenser was cracked during the move, so I had to order another one. I'm relieved that Amazon still carries it, since it truly is amazing (so much so that I am posting about it again). Try this out, and you'll never go back to anything else.

Tags: Amazon

Something annoying happened recently, which ultimately led to something good. Funny how that happens sometimes.

We've used Pampers Cruisers for a long time, and I have been buying them from Amazon.com because of their competitive pricing and free shipping. We were even early adopters of the Subscribe & Save program, which saved me even more money, especially once their prices starting creeping up. However, one problem with their subscription service was that you could skip shipments with the click of a button, but in order to order an extra shipment, you'd have to cancel your subscription and restart it (no fees or anything, but kind of a pain). Being a conservative shopper, I'd often end up underestimating how soon we'd need to reorder new diapers, and I'd have to cancel the subscription and restart another to get a new shipment. The last time I did that, I noticed that the Subscribe & Save program was no longer available for that particular product. And the regular price really wasn't such a great deal. And I had just canceled our subscription, thinking I'd immediately resubscribe to re-set our shipment date. Now what?

I had heard about another diaper delivery service - Diapers.com - which many people really liked. So I did a little bit of research and found out that they have better prices than Amazon currently offers. Not only that, but they offer an extra large case with bonus wipes (two packs per case) for less than the price of the smaller box I used to buy. How could I pass that up? And they offered a 5% credit back bonus on orders over $75, to be used on future purchases. It sounded better and better, so I decided to give it a try. They offer free shipping for orders over $50 (I order two cases at a time). The diapers arrived pretty quickly (four days), a bit longer than Amazon (2 days), but I was very pleased overall.

The bonus wipes are all-purpose, so we keep them in the car for sticky hands ands such. Another perk is that they also carry other stuff, and I ended up buying two sippy cups for Andy as well (that I couldn't find on Amazon), which made life even more convenient. Needless to say, I'm a new convert (at least when it comes to diapers and sippy cups).

Amazon has now added the feature where you can order an extra shipment and have your delivery date reset, but it's too late now, since Pampers are not eligible (plus, this deal is even better). I would never have found Diapers.com if it weren't for Amazon. Ironic huh? I still love Amazon for many things, but they just don't adequately cover my diaper-buying needs.

Enter referral code "lucy" for $5 off your first order (I'll get $1 credit as well). Thanks in advance.

Tags: diapers, Amazon

I'm thinking about starting a page with current shopping deals, so that you don't have to wade through the blog posts to find all the sale entries. Until I have a chance to do that, here are two new promotions that are going on that I am considering jumping in on:

Save 15% through September 7 at sleepytimestore.com (originally posted about here). Use code "laborday15"

Save an additional 25% on all sale merchandise at childrensplace.com through September 3. Also, heads up on their Fall sale, which begins September 5th, where fall merchandise will be 40% off.

Lastly, don't forget about Amazon's promotion on Horizon and Silk milk boxes, ending today. M is thrilled with my recent purchase and I am going to order two more boxes today.

Tags: clothing, toys, gear, Amazon, food

A while ago, I reviewed our kids' tub, the Primo Euro Tub. I highly recommend it, if you have the space to store it. Despite the fact that our bathroom is tiny, we have room under the sink (there is no cabinet). The tub also has a hole for hanging. M is using the grown-up tub and showering now (but he often still likes to stand in this tub), and A uses this every day.

I also reviewed the baby monitor that we have, the Angelcare Movement Sensor and Sound Monitor. It really works, and has given me a lot of peace of mind. We are still using it for A, and I can't say enough good things about it.

They are both now available at Amazon.com (tub here, monitor here). In fact, they are both on the baby product bestseller list. This is where I'd buy them now if I had to. Amazon has really great prices, free shipping (over $25), and no tax. If you have Amazon Prime, you get free two-day shipping. Also, there is a current promotion for the Angelcare Monitor (until August 15, 2007), where you get a coupon code (placed in your Media Library) for a free 20-page casual photo book (a $12.99 value) from Shutterfly. Not bad. I've purchased other items with similar Shutterfly promotions in the past, and it's totally legitimate, not to mention a really nice bonus.

If you are planning on buying the tub and it is under $25 (the prices can fluctuate a little bit), and you don't have Amazon Prime, I'd pick up a small board book to make the regular free shipping (it's a big tub, and shipping can add up).

Tags: Amazon, gear

A long time ago, I posted about the Foodsaver vacuum sealer at Costco. We have a slightly older model than the one Costco is offering now. I still haven't had time to review it yet (two-word review: it's great!), but I wanted to post about what I think is the best place to buy refill bags. I just ran out of them while sealing up some pizza slices for freezing, and checked to see if my regular household goods supplier, Amazon.com, had them. Not only do they carry them at a great price, but they are currently offering a special promotion where you buy 4 items for the price of 3. I'm not sure when it expires but many of their household goods are eligible, so be sure to browse around the site. I picked up 4 boxes of refill rolls for about $50, an additional savings of $18 below their already competitive prices. They also carry a few models of the vacuum sealer itself. Free shipping, no tax, done in 5 minutes. It's no wonder I hardly shop in stores anymore.

Tags: Amazon, food

When we decided to get M an art easel for his second birthday last fall, I started looking at all the possibilities out there. There are so many brands and models for sale and a wide range of prices, so it was after a lot of research that I decided to go with this one. Read more

Tags: toys, Amazon