Sunday Speak: Will You Help?

Each Sunday we ask you a question. My friend Marie at A Cardboard Problem, she does the same thing. This week, though, she decided to post about this incredible cause that we’re helping out. I read her post pre-publish, and I couldn’t have said it any better myself. So, instead of typing my own post, I’m using hers. Check out her post here when you get a chance. And yes, I’m the friend she mentions in her post.

This weeks question has nothing to do with cards or baseball. My friend Lisa who writes the blog Drugstore Divas, her grandma lives in Florida and plays bingo like most nice old ladies. The bingo parlor that she frequents in Lake Ashton is currently collecting all plastic bottle tops to help one of their residents get cancer treatments.

The guy whose name I do not know (the story is legit), can get one treatment per 300 tops. I would like to know if you guys would be willing to save some plastic bottle tops for a week or so and once I get the address everyone can send them along. If you aren’t already willing to help, let my water bottle return story lure you in…

I had 3 GIANT black garbage bags full to return last night, and after Lisa and I went to 5 supermarkets trying to find open machines we gave up and went bowling. So today after my workout I went to the supermarket to return them and take all the tops off. While there, a bag lady (homeless maybe, even) is there with her shopping cart of collected bottles. Once she is done with her cans and glass, she taps me and tell me in some form of a language that I don’t need to take the tops off. I, of course, get annoyed and snippy. I tell her I was there first and I need the tops for something so I’m moving as fast as I can. She grumbles. I grumble. She then sticks her hands into my bag and begins to help by taking the tops off and handing me the bottles while adding the tops to my top bag. So me and the bag lady are friends? Well, I finish and figured I should help her (and take all her tops). She was in a great rush for some reason. I had intended on giving her one of my slips for helping (and feeling bad for yelling at her but she was practically running out of the parking lot with her cart.

Moral of the story is that after 40 minutes and over $20 in bottle returns that little old man can get one of his treatments and have one less thing to worry about for at least a day or two.

If you want to help, please let me know and I can e-mail you the details when she gets them to me. Thanks guys.

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Sunday Speak: Have You Used Rosetta Stone?

I was fortunate to find Swagbucks a very long time ago. Every time I get enough bucks, I cash out — always for an Amazon gift card.

I have other sites that pay out in Amazon cards too, and I pick those when I can also. I buy a lot of gifts from Amazon because, well, they end up being free for me [[and the recipient generally doesn’t know]]. That’s most of how I had a free Christmas last year.

So now I’ve worked my way back up and racked up enough gift cards to get Rosetta Stone in Japanese for free. Well, level one at least. It’s $195. The entire set is way out of my price range.

I asked one friend about it and she said it doesn’t work. That’s a lot of money to blow on something that isn’t gonna teach me Japanese.

So this Sunday Speak, I ask you: Have you ever tried Rosetta Stone? Do you know someone who has? What do you think?

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Sunday Speak: Christmas In July?

I was waiting for my friend to get to the movies a few weeks back, so I went into Hallmark to kill some time.

As soon as I walked in the door, I was greeted by Christmas ornaments.

Seriously.

It was still July.

I was in Party City last week, and all the Halloween costumes were on the shelves.

It was the first week of August.

I hate how stores rush the seasons on. I’m the kind of person who likes to sip drinks, not chug them. I like strolling though the park, not going on some power walk. I literally stop and smell the flowers.

So it drives me mad when the holidays are rushed in stores. I just can’t take it. So when I was in Hallmark — in July — and saw holiday stuff, oh, I couldn’t do anything but take a picture and text my friends about how insane it was.

What do you think? Are you okay with Christmas stuff being put on display in July?

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Sunday Speak: Have You Ever Taught Couponing?

This question comes straight from my friend Maria. She asked me if I’ve ever tried to teach anyone how to coupon.

Oh Maria, half my Japan traveling party is still in Japan, and I’m babysitting five CVS cards while they’re there.

Yes, I’ve taught couponing … and my pupils have stuck with it.

Seriously though, yes, I’ve turned casual coupon users into hardcore couponers, and I’ve turned non-couponers into believers. I think it has to do with my enthusiasm. I mean, I really, really like coupons.

If I didn’t, I would have never started this blog.

I know there are non-believers, people who think couponing takes up too much time. And that’s fine. I remember someone used to overuse the cliche, “Come to the dark side. We’ve got cookies.” With that in mind, you’re not going to be able to convince everyone to come to our side. And those people won’t understand how your cookies were free.

And not every friend you have is going to understand why you stock more shampoo than the local market does.

It’s not for everyone. And the people it’s not for, let them be. Don’t try to force them to save their money. Just like they’re not going to try to convince you that couponing is dumb. Just agree to disagree [[while smirking on the inside because you understand how precious a $.75/1 coupon is]].

Your friends who do get it, nurture them. Go to the store with them. Again. And again. Write their lists out for them. Stand next to them at the register. Help them.

Because the way I see it, if I teach you to coupon and you save $1, it’s like me saving an extra dollar. And at the rate I’m going, I’ve saved millions [[or at least hundreds and hundreds of thousands]].

What about you? Have you tried to teach anyone?

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Sunday Speak: Your Two Cents Welcome

I love putting my two cents in. I have lots of ideas and thoughts and opinions on just about everything. Now the Divas need your two cents. Not literally, we know you can get lots of great deals with two pennies.

Lisa already hinted that we are changing some things here at the Divas. Our readers let us know what they were looking for and we are happy to comply. All the changes may take some time so be patient with us. We hope in the end to bring you even more drugstore deals — and all the best deals.

In the meantime, is there anything else you are looking for? Do you have any suggestions or thoughts on how to make our site even better? Feel free to email me or Lisa or comment here. We love to know what our readers think.

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Sunday Speak: Father’s Day

Today, if you haven’t figured it out, is Father’s Day. For the fathers out there who do read the blog, we want to wish you a very happy Father’s Day.

And for you — and everyone really — we’ve got a Father’s Day-themed Sunday Speak. Sure, it hasn’t nothing to do with couponing, but if you just think coupons all the time, you forget about the bigger picture.

Yes, there is life outside of Rite Aid.

Today, you should be spending time with dad [[either yours or the dad of your kids or the dad of your parents or the dad of your … okay, you get the point]]. And you should have in years past. So, I wanna know: What is your favorite Father’s Day memory?

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Sunday Speak: Weight Watchers

Like lots of people out there, I struggle with my weight. I have tried the cereal diet, the Special K diet, Weight Watchers, and even Atkins. I did Weight Watchers right before I got married. I did lose 10 pounds and hit my goal weight.

That was three years and 20 pounds ago. Nothing motivates you like a [[expensive]] wedding gown that you don’t know will fit you, I guess. I haven’t been able to really stick to anything since then. Then I went to dinner with friends last week. My friend Gina looked so good. She lost almost 17 pounds over three months doing Weight Watchers. Can you say inspiration?

So I started counting Points again. Overall, I would like to lose that 30 pounds. But really I just want to fit into my old clothes again. I’m going to weigh myself each week and count my Points but I am not going to the meetings just yet. If I need to I will but I think I can do it on my own.

So this Sunday Speak is for all of you out there who are doing Weight Watchers or any weight loss program. What program do you follow? What are your goals? Any success stores to help me [[and our readers]] stay motivated would be great too.

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Sunday Speak: To Coaster or Not To Coaster

Two summers ago, Lisa and I went to Knoebles Amusement Resort. If you are from Pennsylvania, chances are you have at least heard of it. I can hear the catchy little jingle: Fun, food and family at Knoebels Amusement Resort.

I can remember being a child and having to have a ride stopped because I was so sick. Roller coasters are so not for Beth. I love the flume rides, the pirate ships, the Ferris wheel and those sorts … but no roller coasters of any kind. There is really no way you are getting me on. Ask Lisa. I refused, I stood and waited for her while she went on them herself.

For this Sunday Speak, I want to know if you ride the “rolley coasters” as I call them. What are your favorite amusement park rides? Mine is the flume. I also really like the teacups and other spinny type rides. Do you scream the whole way down the coasters? I scream and probably curse the whole way down the flume but I love it!

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Sunday Speak: TV Season Finales

This is the busy season for television series. May sweeps, season finales, cliffhangers and even series finales are all going on right now. And there are three big finales this week alone. I don’t watch but I heard Grey’s Anatomy was a great season finale. Let’s hope American Idol, Dancing With the Stars and especially Lost live up to that too.

The Lost series finale will be tonight at 9pm. Yep it is on Sunday. The event finale starts at 7pm. Looks like a recap from 7pm through 9pm. The show is slated to run until 11:30 pm. That gives them two and a half hours to explain Dharma, the Others, the black smoke monster, and the flash sideways/backwards/forwards. So many questions to be answered. Stop back and let me know what you think of the finale.

Next up: American Idol. I am not watching this season, but Wednesday is not just the season finale … it is also the end of Simon Cowell. Some of us, me included, think that also signals the end of American Idol being near. Lisa is not thrilled with either Lee or Crystal. She picks Crystal to win only because she has been in front all season.

Dancing with the Stars is also ending this week. Will it be Erin, Nicole, or Evan that will win that gold trophy? I am rooting for Erin. I like her personality so much and she has become quite a good dancer. I really am not a fan of Evan at all. And Nicole. Well she is a great dancer but isn’t that her job? I just really like Erin. Not even to mention how hot that Maks is!

Who are you rooting for? What show is a can’t miss for you? Did your favorite show already end this season? Was is the bomb or a dud? I really like Modern Family and that finale was too funny. I’m hoping Lost is not a huge disappointment but I think it is going to be.

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Sunday Speak: Are You Lost?

I love the show Lost. I have never missed an episode. Now that there are only four left, I am just as confused as I was in the first episode. Just in case you don’t watch and want to someday or don’t want to know my opinion of what is going on, stop reading now.

I know so many people that watch Lost and they all think totally different things. My theories change every week. Right now, I think the whole Dharma Initiative was a plotline the show was going for but have abandoned as it made no sense. I also think the Desmond is somehow the “new” Jacob. I’m conflicted over the whole Julia thing, she told Sawyer she would meet him for coffee one day and that would mean the whole bomb thing worked and she didn’t die, since they never got to the island in the first place.

But see, none of my theories tie everything together. I don’t think the writers will ever answer any of our questions, I think it is just going to end. I do think they are in some hanging in the balance of good and evil. Why and how, I don’t know. But where is Walt and where is the dog, Vincent?

For this Sunday Speak, I want to know what your thoughts and theories are about Lost. Are they dead, are they alive? Are they in hell, are they in heaven? And what is up with Richard? Who is your favorite character? Mine is Sayid, I don’t care if he is bad, good, evil or possessed by the black smoke, I love him. I love the show and really don’t want it to end, but I can’t wait to see how it does.

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