Friday, January 2, 2015

Saturday Successes & Ozeri Digital Pedometer Review


A few months ago, I posted about my weight loss journey. My journey continues, but I'm excited to say that I'm ringing in the new year 22 pounds lighter than in 2014! I've still got a ways to go which is why I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to review the Ozeri 4x3 Motion Digital Pedometer.



Here are my general likes and dislikes about the product:

Pros:
  • This pedometer is equipped with sleep mode to save battery life. If it doesn't detect movement for 30 seconds or longer, it goes "to sleep." Also great is it comes with its own battery upon purchase along with a tiny screwdriver that you can use when you do have to replace the battery. 
  • You can wear this pedometer around your neck, carry it in a pocket or put it in a bag or purse. I've tried all 3 methods and I've had similar results regardless of how I carry the pedometer.
  • It tracks 7 days worth of data so you can compare your "couch potato" days to your more energetic, athletic days.
  • Comes with a 1 year warranty against manufacturer defects.
  • It keeps track of the date and time so it doubles as a watch!


Cons:
  • The buttons (Set, Mode, Up and Down) protrude from the shell and are subject to being accidentally pressed, which can reset the pedometer and lose all of your stored data.
  • Unless you are diligent about accurately measuring your typical stride, the pedometer will not accurately measure your steps, calories burned and mileage. 
  • Initial set up is the mental equivalent of planning a NASA rocket launch, despite very detailed instructions that included screen shots.

The Ozeri pedometer is really small and thin so it can fit easily in almost any size pocket. It also comes with a lanyard that you can use to wear it around your neck. Upon opening the box, this pedometer is ready to go since a lithium ion battery is included (what a plus!).

However, despite having fairly detailed instructions outlining how to set up your pedometer, I feel like you need a degree in nuclear physics to set it up on the first try. Whatever you do, do not lose the instructions in case you reset your pedometer like I did! If you decide you DO want to reset your data, there is a recessed button "RESET" available for this purpose.


One really great feature is that you can set up the pedometer to measure in American units (lb, in, etc.) or metric units (kg, cm, etc.). This makes it easy to use no matter what country you're from. While hula hooping (yes, I hula hoop with a weighted hula hoop for exercise!), I accidentally changed units from American to metric by pressing the MODE button for too long. This also caused me to lose all of my stored data. I was a few days into using the pedometer at this point and was near tears at my loss.



All in all, I really do enjoy using this pedometer. I haven't yet checked the accuracy of the mileage tracker but I like that I can use the step tracker to compare what I've done from one day to the next.

It's fairly inexpensive compared to the more high-tech options like the Jawbone and the Fitbit. If you simply want to track your steps per day, I'd say the Ozeri pedometer is worth the nominal investment.



Disclaimer: The good folks at Ozeri provided me with a free pedometer to facilitate my review. All opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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Thursday, December 18, 2014

DIY Friday: Gift Baskets Under $25



Christmas is fast approaching. Have you finished your shopping yet? Typically I'm 100% done before Thanksgiving, but this year I've been procrastinating... And to ice my cake of procrastination, my budget is the tightest it's been in awhile.

Luckily I'm thrifty by nature and an outside-the-box thinker. I love putting together small gift baskets for my friends and family filled with goodies I just know they'll love. Ocean State Job Lot is one of my favorite stores in general but especially for great gift basket goodies. Did you know they carry hundreds of brand name products, too?

Are you on a tight budget too? It is easy to thoughtfully put together a gift basket filled with amazing products for less than $25! Here are just a few ideas:

Gluten Free Baker:
My friend Ginger lives gluten free, yet she loves to bake. She often has only one or two gluten-free baking options when at the grocery store. Ocean State Job Lot carries many gluten free baking products by Bob's Red Mill including pizza crust ($3.69), bread mix ($4.49), cake mix ($3.49), brown mix ($3.99) and chocolate chip cookie mix ($4.49). Add a few different types of baking mixes, some really cute potholders and maybe a cookie sheet or a beautiful enamel loaf pan and you've got yourself an inexpensive, yet delicious gift basket.

Grill Master:
Remember Emeril from Foodnetwork? His amazing products have made their way to Ocean State Job Lot and boy are they yummy! For your grill master, try some of Emeril's Kicked Up BBQ sauce ($2) along with some Old Thompson's seasonings that come in a nifty adjustable grinder in flavors like steak burger and Hawaiian black salt ($4.99 each). Toss in some grilling tools like a sauce brush or some tongs and bon appetit!

Tea Lover:
Ocean State Job Lot has almost everything. It even carries Keurig Kcups by brands like Twinings, Tazo and Caribou. Toss in some Twinings ice tea Kcups ($4.99) alongside some Twinings chai Kcups ($5.99) or Tazo Chai Kcups ($7.99). Or if your friend or relative is more into coffee, how about some Caribou Coffee Kcups ($7.99)? Add a few bags of Brookside dark chocolate acai berries or pomegranates ($1.50) and maybe a pair of cozy socks and a cute mug and your gift receiver will be set up to relax on the couch with a good book.

Speaking of good books...

Ardent Reader:
Ocean State Job even has books by well known authors on its shelves! Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors ever and I just found her novel Handle with Care for only $2.99! Your gift receiver is more into sci fi or horror? Try one of Stephen King's novels Under the Dome ($2.99) or Mr. Mercedes ($3.99). My husband is totally into the Duck Dynasty stuff and I'm totally grabbing a book or two from their collection for his stocking - Happy, Happy, Happy; The Women of Duck Commander and Si-cology 101 ($2.99 each). Ocean State Job Lot also stocks a variety of cookbooks at really low prices by famous stars like Paula Deen and Sandra Lee.

Furry Friend
Don't forget about your furry friends when shopping this Christmas. Pick up some treats like Milkbone biscuits ($2), Beneful Baked Delights ($2.49) or Milo's Kitchen chicken meatballs. If your pup is on the smaller side, how about a Snuggle to keep him warm ($2.99)? Does your friend have whiskers instead? A can or two of cat food from famous makers like 9Lives ($.46) or Newman's Own Organic ($.89) are sure to keep them purring. Add a few Nylabone cat toys ($1.50 - $2.49) and some flea and tick preventative shampoo by Off and you've got a well-rounded gift basket that will keep your fuzzy friend happy.


Manly Man
Want to keep the man in your life smelling.... well... manly? Ocean State Job Lot has a ridiculous quantity of brand name bath and beauty products. Fill his stocking or his gift basket with products by Axe, Irish Spring, Dial for Men, Suave for Men and Old Spice.

Beauty Addict
Don't leave out the cosmetic lover in your life. Find cosmetics by Blistex, NYC, Revlon, Almay Covergirl and Milani. There are even full sized cosmetic kits by the well known brand ELF.


Whether you're just starting your Christmas shopping or finishing up those last minute gifts, hop on over to your local Ocean State Job Lot to check out all of their amazing deals. Not only will you be able to get the same brand name products you'd get at your grocery store, you'll keep your wallet a tad bit fuller.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. I shop at Ocean State Job Lot all of the time anyway and was happy to write this blog post. I did not receive any compensation for this post. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Free Subscription to Men's Health Magazine

What's that you say? A free one-year subscription to Men's Health? Count me in!




Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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Saturday, December 13, 2014

Free Redbook Subscription

Get a one year subscription to Redbook for free



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-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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Sundays at the Charlie Horse - Kids Pay Per Pound of Food!


Every Sunday, children under 12 who are accompanied by an adult purchasing a meal will pay a penny per pound of food from the children's menu at Charlie Horse in West Bridgewater. Purchase must be made between noon and 9pm on Sunday and cannot be combined with any other promotion.


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-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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Buy 4, Get 1 Free at Thriftbooks! (Always Free Shipping!)


I use Thriftbooks all the time, especially to buy books for my classroom. Thriftbooks ALWAYS has free shipping. And until 12/14/14, you can get in an on awesome holiday sale - Buy 4 books and get 1 free! Simply use the promotion code HOHOHO at checkout.



How it works: for every 5 books you add to your cart, we automatically make the lowest price book FREE, whether the book is $4.00 or $400.00. There's no limit, so if you add 10 books, 2 will be free, and so on. Simply enter the coupon code HOHOHO at checkout, click the Apply button, and the FREE selection is yours. This coupon applies to all books except for deals. It cannot be applied to gift cards or shipping. Please feel free to pass it on to friends. Remember to enter the coupon code HOHOHO when checking out. This coupon expires on Sunday, December 14th at midnight, PST



Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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$20 Bonus When You Buy $100 Outback Gift Cards


For every $100 purchased in gift cards at Outback Steakhouse, get $20 in bonus gift cards valid from 1/1/15 - 2/10/15.

$100+ in gift cards must be purchased by December 31, 2014. Maximum 10 bonus cards per purchase.

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Free Victoria's Secret Reward Code (Could be worth up to $500!)

Request your own free Victoria's Secret Reward code! This could be worth up to $500!



Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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Free $25 Gift Card wyb $125 Gift Card to Northern Brewer

My hubby buys most of his brewing stuff from Northern Brewer.




To Receive Your Free $25 Gift Card
  1. Add one Northern Brewer gift card (SKU 9695) of at least $125 in value to your cart
  2. Enter promo code PINTMULTIPLIER into the promo code field on the shopping cart page
  3. Your $25 gift card will be added to your cart automatically
Offer valid 48 hours, online only, through 11:59 pm CST on 12/03/2014 or while supplies last. Offer cannot be combined with any other offers, promotions or discounts. $25 promotional gift card may not be included in the $125 gift card subtotal.




Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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Free Music Download - Celebrate Jesus by Amy Berna

Amy Berna is a former winner of the Christian Music Awards Talent Search. Please feel free to download her new single Celebrate Jesus, available to you through Embassy Music!



Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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$5 Discount on BlackLight Run or FoamGlow 5K Race

I did the Foam Glow 5k this year with my friend and my mom and it was SOOOO much fun!



You can get $5 off your registration fee for the FoamGlow with the promo code AXFOAMGLOWHOLIDAY. The closest race (Brockton, MA) is April 25, 2015.


You can get $5 off your registration fee for the Blacklight Run with the promo code AXBLACKLIGHTRUN. The closest race to me is in Brockton, MA and it isn't until August 29, 2015, so that's PLENTY of time to train!



Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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Free Subscription to Popular Science

Here's a free subscription to Popular Science!



Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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$7 Admission to Roger Williams Park Zoo until December 31st!

In celebration of the approval of RI ballot Question #7, which approved funding for Roger Williams Park Zoo, the Zoo is offering $7 admission for all until December 31st. Infants age 2 and under are admitted free.




Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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Cyber Week at Sears!

Get 25% off your clothing purchase at Sears.com until 12/6/14! Use the promo code CYBER25 at checkout.

And... get free shipping on orders $59+.



Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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Sunday, November 30, 2014

Free Shipping on your Dunkin Donuts Order


Through 12/1, get free shipping on your Dunkin Donuts order using the promo code DDCYBER14.

*Offer applies to Super Saver shipping only within the contiguous U.S. and APO/FPO. Not available on shipments to AK, HI, or U.S. Territories. Cannot be combined with other special offers or applied to previous purchases. Terms subject to change. Offer does not apply to DD Cards. Offer valid through Midnight PST December 1, 2014.

Dunkin' Coffee: http://shop.dunkindonuts.com/special-cyber-weekend-offer-from-dunkin-donuts_4453_p01_04/#ixzz3KaQURnJy 
Follow us: @DunkinDonuts on Twitter | DunkinDonuts on Facebook


Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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Cyber Monday Deals at Kohl's


Use the promo code CYBER20 to get 20% off your online order through 12/3 at Kohl's. Also, get free shipping automatically if your order totals $25 or more.

To sweeten the deal even more, get $15 in Kohl's cash for every $50 spent (this ends today, but you can use the Kohl's cash starting tomorrow!)


Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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20% Off Online Orders at D'Angelos for Cyber Monday


Place an online order on 12/1 at D'Angelo and get 20% off your order!

Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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Sunday, November 23, 2014

Black Friday Deals at Old Navy

Up to 50% off Everything online AND in store on Black Friday at Old Navy!



Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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Imperial Sugar Products Printable Coupons

Just sign up (free), log in and print! Get access to a bunch of Imperial Sugar product printable coupons. Unfortunately, they don't sell this brand in my market, but perhaps they do in yours!





Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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Upgrade Your Washer or Dryer and Get Cash Back from Mass Save!

High Efficiency Clothes Washers and Dryers

U.S Department of Energy data suggests washing and drying laundry is one of the most energy-consuming household activities. You can save energy and money with a high efficiency clothes washer and dryer. High efficiency clothes washers are up to 50 percent more energy efficient than standard models and high efficiency clothes dryers are up to 30 percent more efficient. When used together, they can save up to $1,000 in energy costs over their lifetime!



Act now! Mass Save is offering rebates on both high efficiency washers and dryers from $75 - $200.
Visit their Clothes Washers rebate page
Find a list of clothes washer models that qualify for the Mass Save rebate, download a rebate form, or submit your rebate online.

Visit their Clothes Dryers rebate page
Find a list of clothes dryer models that qualify for the Mass Save rebate, download a rebate form, or submit your rebate online.



Offers are for Massachusetts residential electric customers of Cape Light Compact, National Grid, NSTAR, Unitil, and Western Massachusetts Electric Company. Pink-based LEDs will be sold through 11/30/2014 (or while supplies last). Qualifying clothes washers and dryers purchased by 12/31/2014 may be eligible for rebates. All rebate requests must be postmarked or submitted online by 1/31/2015. Some restrictions may apply. Offers are subject to change or cancellation without notice. Savings and energy efficiency experiences may vary.


Happy Couponing!
-Coupon Mama Massachusetts

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