1 Year of Kiwi Magazine for only $4.80

Mamapedia is offering Kiwi Magazine for only $6 for a 1 year subscription or $10 for a 2 year subscription. This magazine is great because it's geared to eco-conscious families who are interested in raising kids in a natural and organic way. There are eco-friendly crafts and lots of nutricious recipes. You can also use the code FRIENDS20 to save an extra 20% on any Mamapedia Sweet Deal today. That makes it only $4.80 for one year or $8.00 for 2 years witht the discount!!

Greener Laundry care of Seventh Generation

I recently wrote about my commitment to completely make a change to a natural lifestyle. I already incorporate many eco-conscious items in my home, so I decided that I would start my transition with cleaning products. This is actually one of the easier things everyone can do to "be more green." The product supply for these items seems to be growing by leaps and bounds so they are becoming much more cost comparable to their less eco-conscious counterparts. One great example of this is the Seventh Generation line of products (which also include paper and feminine items).

I got in touch with the folks at Seventh Generation because I wanted to see how their products fare compared to their non green alternatives. I received the Natural Fabric Softener Sheets, the Free & Clear Chlorine Free Bleach, & the Natural Laundry Detergent. The first thing I noticed upon their arrival was that the fragrance of the dryer sheets and detergent was Eucalyptus and Lavender-two smells I love.

I had just done laundry and I only do it once a week in effort to save sanity and water, so I had to wait a little while before I got to use the products. Laundry day finally rolled around and I got to use the new stuff. The fragrance was great as I expected. The amount I had to use was much less by comparison with the other brand I had been using. The clothes even held the fragrance after the cycle.

I opened the dryer sheets. They looked kind of like a brown paper bag with little pin holes in it, not that mystery fabric you normally see. I tossed one into the dryer along with my clothes and waited. I have to admit, I was hoping the clothes would still be fragrant once they were dry, but they simply smelled clean. I was a little disappointed by that at first because as I said, I love those smells, but then I decided that this was a good thing-I don't know that I want to walk around smelling like my laundry all day.

I did do a cycle of white clothes as well with the Free & Clear Bleach. It was nice not to have the chemical smell that comes along with using a chlorine bleach and my clothes still came out nice and clean. Overall, I was very happy with Seventh Generation laundry line and would use them again. Another thing I love? The dryer sheets can be composted!

I seem to find their cleaning products for the least amount at Target (although I also don't shop at any other similar box store). Target even has a coupon for $1 off of a Seventh Generation product in their coupon section (and even has an exclusive fragrance of the laundry detergent that is a few dollars cheaper than their others). You can also sign up for coupons on the Seventh Generation page.

Oh! I have recently discovered that you can buy their items in bulk on amazon.com, but this is a topic I will save for an upcoming post. Speaking of another post...head over to my Giveaway page for a great prize package from Seventh Generation!!!

Recyclebank: Great Coupons In About 5 Minutes!

I just found this website called Recyclebank. It's an interesting site that allows you to earn points by recycling and learning about recycling. You can redeem your points for coupons. It took about 5 minutes  for me to register and earn 110 points. There are several coupons that you can get for just 10 points:

$1 off 1 bottle of Honest Tea
$2 off Naked Juice
$2 off a Kashi product
$1 off a Dagoba product
$2 off 2 Earthbound Farms products.

That's not bad for 5 minutes of my time.

Green and Black's Chocolate $1 off 1

I don't know about your love for chocolate, but mine is certainly not in question. ;) Green & Black's makes a delicious Organic/Fair Trade Chocolate. I don't think there's been one I have tried but didn't like. Here's a coupon for $1 off 1 item that you can print at home. Oh! If you follow them on Facebook, try to win one of the 50 Cookbooks they have been giving away each Monday! I'm still trying to grab one, but I never make it in time.

Caprese Style Veggie Burgers. Yum!

I have been vegetarian for 16 years. When I first started out, you were lucky if you could find a single brand of veggie burgers in the grocery store. If you wanted one, you had to make it yourself from scratch. Granted I'm in Virginia, land of Smithfield Foods and perhaps not the most forward thinking about alternative lifestyles at that point in time, but for me, eating vegetarian simply meant eating meatless meals. Since then, you can find pretty much any meat item made into vegetarian form. There are now a ton of veggie burgers out there to choose from, but they are all ready made patties.

Lightlife has been the only company that I have found so far that makes a product similar to raw ground meat (among a ton of other products). This is great because I means that I can add whatever I want to it. I absolutely LOVE tomatoes and basil so I decided to make veggie burgers for the my non-vegetarian family using the Lightlife Gimmie Lean Ground Beef Style  found at my grocery store. Not only did I enjoy it, but so did they. The only thing I'd do different is add some kind of pesto or pesto mayo as my first layer on top of the finished burger (if you do this, let me know if it's any good). I can't wait until summer time when I can try out other options on the grill!

Here's the recipe if anyone is interested.

Caprese Style Veggie Burger:

1 Medium Onion, Diced
A Few Cloves of garlic, Chopped-your preference. I used 4 or 5-if you're like me, the more the better :)
Salt & Pepper to Taste
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
A Bunch of  Fresh Basil
1 Medium Tomato
Mozzarella Slices (optional if you want to make this vegan)

1) In a bowl add 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1/2 of the diced onion, the garlic, salt, and pepper to the faux ground beef. Mix well. You'll probably want to do this by hand. You're going to get messy with this :)

2) Set stove to medium. Add remaining olive oil, and onions to the pan of your choice. While this is getting going, split your mixture into into however many portions you will want. I decided to make 4 good size burgers.

3) Roll your portions into balls and then flatten. Add to your pan. You may need to add a little olive oil.

4) I made mine somewhat thick so I cooked them for about 15 minutes or so flipping every few minutes. You just need to make sure you cook until they are nice and brown.

5) Once done, top with mozzarella, tomato, basil, and the onions from the pan. EAT & ENJOY!

Oh! Check out the Veggie Falls blog at the Lightlife website for a whole bunch of recipes (and coupon opportunities). I think I'm trying a Tempeh Reuben next! :) 

New Facebook Page

Hey Everyone! Due to the fact that I had never made more than a personal Facebook page before, when I made the one for Better Than Broke, I accidentally put it in the wrong category. I went ahead and made a new one in the correct category. Please go to this new page and "Like" it as I will no longer post on the old one. I am sorry for the inconvenience. This is a learning process for me. My goal is to have a real website (no offense Blogger), but I don't think I'm there yet ;) Please let me know if you have any ides and suggestions. Thanks :)

Free Samples of Yogi Tea

I recently recieved a couple boxes of Yogi Teas to try. I was already familiar with the brand through their Peach Detox & Ginger Teas. They use all organic and natural ingredients that are put together to not only taste good but also to act as natural remedies. Each tea bag also has a little tag with a few words of wisdom. This fortune cookie like saying always makes me smile. I tried out the Egyptian Licorice and  the Green Tea Kombucha. I love tea in general so I'm always up for trying out new flavors.

The front of the box of Green Tea Kombucha (which is said to detoxify your body, support your immune system, and fight fatigue) shows a passionflower & slice of plum but the first thing you smell when you open a packet of tea is spearmint. Once you add hot water, all you smell is the mix of the passionflower and plum. It manages to combine all the flavors into one great cup of tea that is in no way overwhelming. 

I'm not sure about anyone else, but sometimes I crave something sweet after a meal. I decided to try the Egyptian Licorice Tea after eating. This tea is said to support the digestive and respiratory systems. I found that it gave me just the right amount of sweetness. I also think it would be great if you have a sore throat. 

The makers of Yogi Teas are currently running a Well Wishes program where you can send a friend 2 free samples of tea. Both this and their full product line can be found at their website.

Pure Citizen: Envirosax

I LOVE these resuable bags so much I want to recycle all the ones I have and get these! Pure citizen has a good variety of these Envirosax available until Wednesday, February 23 for only $5.90. You can also pick up a pack of 5 Animal Planet designs for $23.97. Not bad. If you haven't already made the switch to resuable grocery bags, now's a good time to start!

Giveaway Coming Soon!

I took the day off to enjoy my family, but check back tomorrow. Oh! Another giveaway is on the way!!

Redbox Code: Use Thursday February 24

Redbox is offering a freebie code on their Facebook page for use on Thursday, February 24. All you have to do is head over to their page, "LIKE" them, and then click on the Freebie tab. The code it gives you will be good for a one night rental on Thursday, February 24.

Mamapedia: FREE Baby Sling!

Okay, so you have to pay shipping, but Mamapedia's latest Sweet Deal really is great! For under $16 you can get a baby sling from Seven Everyday Slings with "sizing insurance" in case it's not the right fit. Grab one for yourself or one for a gift.

Free Sample: Origins Plantscription

Origins is offering a free sample of their Planscription Anti-Aging Serum. All you have to do is head over to their Facebook page, click the "Policy" tab (please let me know if it's anything different for you), and fill out the form.

Restaurant.com $25 Voucher for $3!!

Restaurant.com has posted a new President's Day Sale where you can purchase $25 vouchers for only $3! Just use the code "EAT" anytime now through February 21 to save!

All You Deals: Movies for $4.99, Seventh Generation & Odwalla coupons!!

All You Magazine has posted some great coupons!

                       

  

 $1 off any Seventh Generation product (combine this with this week’s Target ad for additional savings!)

$.50 off an Odwalla Juice

Okay, so this next deal isn’t for a natural or organic product, but when combined with this week’s in-store discounts, these deals are great!

Right now you can print coupons for $4 off the following DVD titles:

Eat Pray Love

·    Reg. DVD or Director’s Cut Blu-Ray

·    Best overall all deal with discount is at Best Buy: $4.99 Reg. DVD or $9.99  for Director’s Cut Blu-Ray

Grown Ups

·    Reg. DVD, Blu-Ray, or Blu-Ray/DVD Combo

·    Best overall all deal with discount is at Best Buy: $4.99 Reg. DVD, $9.99 Blu-Ray, or 25.99 for Combo

Easy A (not as good of a deal)

·    Reg. DVD or Blu-Ray

·     Best overall all deal with discount is at Best Buy: $4.99 Reg. DVD or $9.99  for Blu-Ray

The Karate Kid

·    Reg. DVD, Blu-Ray, or Blu-Ray/DVD Combo

·    Prices are the same at both Target and Best Buy for this title: $15.99 Reg. DVD, 20.99 Blu-Ray, or 25.99 for Combo

Making the Switch to a Natural Lifestyle

I know that making the switch to a natural, organic, eco-friendly, fair trade lifestyle can be overwhelming, but I don’t think you have to do it all at once. It’s an ongoing process that takes awhile to get the hang of, and in many cases, budget for.

For quite some time I’ve wanted to make the switch to completely organic, eco-friendly products, but to be honest, it always seemed too expensive to do all at once, so I’ve just done what I could, when I could.  At the time I am writing this, I have already made the switch for many of the products I use in my home.  I also turn off the electronics when I leave the room, I turn the heat down at night, I use rechargeable batteries, and use CFL light bulbs to not only save electricity, but also a little cash.

With that being said, I’ve made a decision to actively completely make the switch. I’m just going to do it a little at a time. I’ve decided that I will start with cleaning products. I have already been using both Seventh Generation and Ecos brands in my home. You would be surprised at the cost comparison; it’s not as bad as you would think. I have also made a commitment to go to the farmer’s markets in my area more often. This helps both the local farmers and my wallet. I am also looking into CSAs (community supported agriculture) in my area and am already planning out my own garden for the spring.

I think if I (and you) can plan ahead, there’s no reason that I (and you) shouldn’t be able to follow through to meet this goal. I think it’s doable, so give it a try. No one will fault you for making the effort and doing it a little at a time.

Pure Citizen

I have to say that Pure Citizen is fast becoming one of my favorite deal a day sites. This site is dedicated to providing deals in a similar way to many of the other sites, only theirs are organic, eco-friendly, natural, fair trade, etc....right up my alley. Some deals are better than others, but that's the case at most of the sites. I also love that they give you 72 hours to purchased as opposed to just 24 hours and they give you three different companies to choose from at a time. You do have to create an account to view their deals, but I have to say, they don't crowd up your email inbox. They are worth the look.

For example, today they are hosting:

Raven & Lily:

This is a great non-profit company whose goal is to promote fair trade hand through amazing hand crafted pieces from women around the world. The items are also reasonably priced:

 

 

Wagging Green:

This company creates pet toys, collars, etc. out of 100% natural organic bamboo fiber.

 

Living Social: Hampton Roads

Here is a really great deal for Hampton Roads, VA residents from Living Social. You can purchase a voucher for 20 yoga classes for $20 at Shanti Yoga in Virginia Beach. You cannot beat $1/class. This is a steal!! Even if you don't do yoga, this would be a great gift for someone who does.

Even if you're not from Hampton Roads, or Virginia for that matter, Living Social still has great deals.

Mamapedia: LooptWorks.com

Check out today's Mamapedia Sweet Deal from LooptWorks. This company uses pre-consumer materials (leftovers from textile factories) to make eco-friendly clothing and accessories. Today's deal: $25 for a $50 value.

Restaurant.com $25 Voucher for $4!!

If you missed the most recent deal from Restaurant.com ($25 vouchers for $2), don't worry too much there's a new deal today. You can enter the promo code "MENU" and save 60% on $25 vouchers to make them $4 a piece. Not bad...

Free Music Previews from NPR

One of my favorite things on the internet is NPR First Listen. It's a great way to preview new music before its release date. I've found some great music this way. While you can't download it to your computer, you can stream it. Sometimes an album (in its entirety) is available for 2 weeks to listen to as often as you like. The artists are usually updated on the weekly basis. This week the new Devotchka, Bright Eyes, & Adele albums are available among others.

Valentine's Day Redbox Code

If you are planning on staying in tonight, you may want to take a visit to your closest redbox. While you're there, use the Promo Code "BEMINE" to get a free rental.

Cogan's Groupon

Today's Groupon is a great on for my Hampton Roads Readers. You can purchase a $7 voucher worth $15 of Lunch at Cogan's Pizza. This offer runs out tomorrow night, so scoop it up before time runs out!

48-Hour Giveaway: Enter to Win a $50 Voucher to Paper Culture!!

To further help kick this blog off the right way, I am happy to announce a great giveaway from the folks over at Paper Culture. Paper Culture is a great company that specializes in modern baby announcements , both kid and adult birthday party invitations, baby shower invitations, as well as note cards and stationary printed on 100% post consumer recycled paper.  I love that they plant a tree (a part of their Cards to Trees program) for each order placed.  You can even have them mail your cards out for you for the cost of a postage stamp!  

Whether you are a parent announcing a birth, planning a party, or a photographer trying to expand your services, Paper Culture offers a huge variety of choices.

Winner of this giveaway is going to win a $50 gift voucher from Paper Culture.  This giveaway is only open to fans of Better Than Broke on Facebook and Followers of the blog on here on Blogspot. You can also earn an extra entry by referring a friend and another for “Liking” Paper Culture on Facebook!!! Giveaway ended at 11:59pm EST on Monday, February 14.

Restaurant.com $25 Voucher for $2!!

Restaurant.com has a great code available until Monday, February 14. Now through Monday, use the code LOVE to buy a $25 voucher for only $2!! This is a great deal; just make sure that you read the details before purchasing as the terms can be different for each restaurant.

Amy's Kitchen Giveaway!! Ending tonight

Hey everyone! I just wanted to remind you that today is the last day to enter the Amy's Kitchen giveaway!  To enter, go to the Giveaways page and enter your name and email address. The winner will be contacted by Monday February 14. Good luck!! :)

A great deal for sushi lovers in the Richmond Area

Here's a great deal for my sushi loving facebook and blog followers in the Richmond area compliments of Living Social. Today, you can purchase a $25 voucher for $12 towards food at Made in Asia in Chesterfield, VA. I have heard from several people that this restaraunt is very good. Oh! Supposedly if you "Like" their Facebook page, they give you an extra $1 off this deal. Not bad considering you know you're going to spend at least $25 on sushi.

Groupon: Rainforest Action Network

I like starting off the day with a deal like this. Okay, so this one doesn't get you anything tangible, but so what, it goes to a great cause. Now through Saturday, February 19 Groupon.com has a deal listed where if you "purchase" a donation to the Rainforest Action Network of $15 they will match it so your donation will be worth $30. A good deal for a good cause.

I love photography deals!

Hey everyone! Check out Mamapedia's deal today! $12 (including shipping!) for an 8x8 harcover bound book featuring your photos from Pixable is a great deal! Not only is it a great gift, but it's also coffee table ready ;) Oh! They also still have their deal from organicbeautynow available.

Over 2,000 Free Songs from Amazon.com

I know that not everyone is into purchasing digital music. I for one like to at least have a back up CD just in case something happens and I lose all the music on my computer. The nice thing about purchasing (or getting free music from Amazon) is that you can import it to your itunes and burn it there. Not bad if you ask me. Right now, in addition to all the albums they have for $5, Amazon also has almost 2,500 free songs that you can download. Check it out and get some free music!

FREE $2 mp3 credit from Amazon.com

What's better than 100 albums for $5? How about a code for a $2 off an mp3 download!? Go to Amazon.com and enter the code VDAYMP3S in the top right green box that says "redeem code or gift card." This code is good until Valentine's Day and can be used for any mp3 download, not just those priced at $5.



Steal this deal!! Donate $15 to Greenpeace & get $15 in Groupon credits!

I love one of Groupon's offers today!! When you donate $15 to Greenpeace to help end commercial whaling, you will get a $15 credit to Groupon.com. This is a great offer you should not pass up!

Amy's Kitchen Giveaway!! Ends Friday, February 11

I am happy to announce my first giveaway thanks to the good folks at Amy’s Kitchen!!

If you aren’t familiar with them, you are missing out! They offer a wide variety of organic vegan and vegetarian as well as gluten-free food items. I personally am partial to the California Burgers cooked on the stove with garlic and onions topped with tomatoes & basil. ;)



The winner of this giveaway will receive 3 Free Amy’s Products and a Tote Bag! This giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on Friday, February 11.

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Goodies on the way!!!

I took the day off from posting to collect some great offers and giveaways!! Details coming soon!!

50 Free Prints!!

If you know me, you know I have a hard time passing up a good deal on anything photography. Here's a deal from Snapfish (even if you already have an account!) that shouldn't be missed. You still have to pay for shipping, but that's still not bad at all. Oh! If you're going to take advantage of this offer, I suggest doing it fast. It's only ...open to the first 200,000 which goes by quicker than you thinink.

Thanks moneysavingmom.com!

Grow your own!

The folks over at Annie's Homegrown have a great offer on their website right now! You get a pair of gloves and a pack of organic seeds with the purchase of 2 products (which you were probably going to buy anyway!)

Eat Cleaner!

The importance of pesticide free fruits & veggies is not lost on the makers of Eat Cleaner. Buying organic can get pricey, quickly. Just making sure that what you're eating is cleaned properly can be almost as effective during those times that organic just isn't an affordable option. Check out today's Mamapedia deal!

Check Out My Facebook Page!!

So... I made a Facebook page. Check it out and help me grow!! I'll be posting deals throughout the day!