I received the above Bobara East End Tote to review. I am a fan of Bobara products, as I also own and use (and love) the Lady Lindy in Barcelona Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Bag (TSA friendly). So, I was excited to try out a new item in their product line.

Here are my uncensored thoughts on the Bobara East End Tote.

Cost

The East End Tote is priced at $80 and can be purchased on Bobara’s site directly.

Use

It’s a bag that carries around your laptop, so that’s what you do with it. The East End Tote description states it fits the 13″ Macbook Pro and 11″ Macbook Air. While it does only mention Apple products in the description on the site, it will hold other sizes of computers. I have a 13″ MacBook Pro myself and it fits perfectly!

Personal

Recently whenever I have had meetings near home, I haven’t wanted to take my Lady Lindy. It’s a bigger bag and truly isn’t necessary for quick meetings. I have been taking my large handbag and then putting my MacBook in the Built sleeve and just carrying it separately. I just throw my calendar in the sleeve as well (probably shouldn’t). I never even take my battery since I know it’s going to be a meeting that will be less than the life of my charge (2 hours-ish).

This has been getting old. I wanted to find something where I could carry my large (and bulky) wallet, my MacBook, possibly my charger and my calendar for these quick meetings. While my Built sleeve was professional enough, I still had to hold it with my hands (as opposed to throwing it over my shoulder). When I grab a drink and get receipts, my hands are full so it’s just awkward.

As I’ve been using this bag, it has certainly met the need I have. The first thing that drew me to the bag was the style. It looks so sophisticated and sleek. It has a canvas exterior with leather lining for the accent color.

The East End Tote comes in two colors: Beige Canvas with Black Leader and Black Canvas with Tan Leather (pictured above, which is what I received).

Whenever I carried my Lady Lindy, I would continue to take my Built sleeve in case I wanted to grab my computer only and have a private chat with someone. Since the East End Tote has a removable interior sleeve, I can completely eliminate the need for carrying an additional product like the Built sleeve now. This product is what I have been looking for!

There are pockets galore. I love this about my Lady Lindy too! The designer GETS that we need pockets for writing utencils, gum, battery chargers, USB drives, sunglasses and whatever else. There is a zipper pocket on the inside as well. It’s easier to find things when you know they are in a pocket rather than the bottomless pit that my bags always end up becoming (I’m working on it).

Cheap

This is an exclusive designer and the bags are only sold on Bobara.com. Compared to other products that I have considered purchasing, the $80 price point is extremely reasonable.  You are paying for functionality AND style.

My Bobara Lady Lindy is going on 3 years now! This is a worthwhile investment if you are in need of a bag like this (I would still recommend the Lady Lindy if you need a good laptop bag too). I seriously BEAT UP my bags. I’ve even had my strap repaired because I am partial to carrying it on one side and it wears down. The craftsmanship in these bags are second to none.

Review or not, I wholeheartedly endorse Bobara products!

Do you have any questions about the Bobara East End Tote?

Disclaimer: I received the Bobara East End Tote to provide my honest opinions. This post has not been previewed or edited by the company. See the site Disclaimer Policy for additional information.

We received the Ooma Telo Free Home Phone Service to review last month. After using it for more than a month, I can honestly say this phone works just like the regular phone service provider.

Cost

The Ooma Telo VOIP Home Phone Service retails for $149.99 and can be purchased through Amazon.com and Best Buy. Ooma Handsets can also be purchased so you have the feel of using an actual phone.

Use

You hook up the Ooma Telo (box) and call using a Ooma handset. This essentially replaces your regular telephone carrier. With the initial cost invesment for the phone service equipment, you literally have no monthly charges unless you choose to upgrade to the Pro service.

Personal

There are really two perspectives to share with you on our personal review.  One being the setup and installation and the other being our actual use of Ooma.

The Ooma Telo comes with instructions to install to your home. You  need an internet connection for this device to work at all. We got the Telo and handset plugged into our internet connection but then got confused. The phone was requesting a pin, however, there were nothing on the instructions stating where to find the pin.

You are asked to create a personal account with Ooma during installation and we soon realized the pin was in our account online. This is a step in the instructions that needs more clarification since we spend a few hours wondering where the heck that pin # was!

With regards to the phone itself, it’s literally just like your regular telephone. Sometimes these VOIP phone services have a delay or are fuzzy during calls. This is NOT the case with Ooma. I also l like that you have a handset that you can use. I’m unsure of how other VOIP phone services operate, but I’ve used skype in the past and I’ve only used that with my computer. The fact that the Ooma handset is literally like a regular phone and is portable is a plus!

I also LOVE how you can login to your account online and literally see all missed calls, all outgoing calls and get your voice mail. You can also choose to have voice mail emailed to you. What a timesaver! I am so bad and NEVER check voice mail but if I had it emailed to me I would be more prompt with returning calls (sorry to anyone who has called and left a voice mail to never hear from me – I don’t check it :).

Cheap

While the headset isn’t cheap, you can purchase through Best Buy, Amazon or direct at Ooma.com.

You also have to consider the initial investment as a way to eliminate your monthly phone service. Over time, the Ooma will pay for itself and be a wise investment.

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We plan on switching from our current phone provider and solely using Ooma. Granted, I received this product for review so I don’t have that out of pocket. But I was actually looking at it before I was offered the review product. I am trying to find ways to cut long-term costs out of our budget and this will do it for our family.

Do you use Ooma? Any feedback to share?
Not sure about Ooma? What other questions do you have that I can answer?

Disclaimer: I received this product directly from the company. My post was not reviewed or altered by the company in any way as these are my honest opinions. This post contains a link to an affiliate. See my Disclaimer Policy for additional information.

I have been searching and searching for a bag for my laptop. The really cute bags I could  find would only hold laptops with a 16 inch or smaller screen.  For laptops like mine with a 17 inch screen, I could only find boring, plain, black or gray suitcase or briefcase looking bags.  My search has ended though and thanks to Amy Michelle I now have a great new bag!

Cost

This bag, the Cosmo, is priced at $99.95.  Considering that even the too small bags I looked at were $79 and higher, this bag is a pretty good value for my need.  I have to share that while Amy Michelle markets their bags as an all in one, one of those uses is a diaper bag.  I know that the diaper bags I used cost far less than this but it has been 6 1/2 years since I last bought one.  That said, I’m sure that there are far more expensive diaper bags out there too.

Use

The Amy Michelle Cosmo bag is very versatile.  My laptop fits comfortably inside with plenty of room for other things too.  I was surprised that it can even hold my coupon binder.

There are many inside pockets in this bag.  I especially like the easy to find key ring.  I can see myself skipping a purse and just carrying this bag when taking my laptop on the go.  I like that I won’t have to go digging in the bottom of it for my keys.

I’m pretty picky about how a bag feels when I carry it.  The double straps stay comfortably on my shoulder.  The buckle closure outside pocket can be easily accessed while the bag is on my shoulder.

Personal

Thank goodness my purpose for this bag is to carry my laptop, not diapers and such. (3 boys is enough for me!) Regardless of what is in the bag though, I love, love, love that it doesn’t look like a diaper bag.  It has so much more style than the animal print or denim striped diaper bags I carried years ago.

When I first saw it online I asked my hubby and boys what they thought of it (secretly afraid that they say “Why do you need a diaper bag?”)  Each asked if I’d found a new purse. Thanks guys!  That’s exactly what I wanted to hear!

Cheap

The best way to save on this or any Amy Michelle bag is to use Amazon Gift Cards earned through Swag Bucks searches.  Amy Michelle bags can be found online at their website, on Amazon or at these stores nationwide.  I wonder if a store near you ever has coupons or runs sales on Amy Michelle bags?

Facebook or Twitter are both great ways to stay in touch with new Amy Michelle products, events and possibly deals too.

Disclaimer: I received the Cosmo Bag from Amy Michelle to provide my honest opinions. This post has not been previewed or edited by the company. See the site Disclaimer Policy for additional information.

I received a pair of prescription sunglasses from 39DollarGlasses.com earlier this week. I am always looking for ways to change up my look and this new pair of glasses definitely does that! My absolute favorite glasses they had were the South Beach Burgundy.

Cost

This specific model is priced at $48.95 on 39DollarGlasses.com. However, they have glasses starting at $39.00. This is a great value on glasses.

Use

These glasses are both functional and practical. I love that I can wear my regular glasses out driving and not have to worry about fighting with strapping an attachment onto my glasses to shade the sun out of my eyes. Since the new sunglasses came with a case, I just keep them in my van and switch out at a stop light as needed.

The site is also very easy to navigate and has a Smart Fit option that allows you to “try on” the glasses based on your face shape.

Personal

I can tell you that I am not very gentle at times with my glasses. I tend to not always place them back in their case and have had quite a few pairs broken. So far these are standing up very well to my use (or abuse!) of them.

Cheap

39DollarGlasses.com pretty much says it all! All you need is your prescription from your doctor in your hand and you can log on and easily place an order for your glasses. Right now, you can also get 10% off by using the code 6HT443.

Do you wear glasses? What is your price point for buying?

Disclaimer: I received glasses from 39DollarGlasses.com to provide my honest opinions. This post has not been previewed or edited by the company. See the site Disclaimer Policy for additional information.

This is a compensated post written by me on behalf of Walgreens. All opinions are 100% mine.

We had the opportunity to review Walgreens Body Wash a few weeks ago. This product is included in the Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness product line. I was eager to try this, honestly.

The body wash contains salysylic acid which helps with a skin condition (keratosis pilaris) my boys and I have. We normally have to use the Neutrogena brand which is 3 times more expensive. Obviously, I am always looking for ways to cut cost for a comparable product that provides the same result. This body wash does it for me!

Cost

The Walgreens Body Wash is $4.99. It also comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee! If you’re not happy, simply return it for your money back.

Use

Well, it’s body wash and you wash your body with it! Or, just your face. Since this product has Salicylic Acid in it it is helpful for those who are prone to acne.

Personal

As I mentioned above, my boys and I are diagnosed with keratosis pilaris. I have tried treatments to help with the symptoms and they didn’t work for me. Not only were they crazy expensive (and our insurance didn’t cover the prescription) they were just disqusting to use. One treatment was like putting on vaseline and wearing it all day. The other dried out my skin.

I stumbled upon an article on google many years ago that said one of the ways to help with the condition was to use a product which contains Salicylic Acid. I figured I had tried literally everything else for years so it wouldn’t hurt to try. Plus, it would be inexpensive in case it didn’t work. After a month, my skin improved!

Being the saver that I am, I would always purchase a name brand when it was on sale. But, if you miss the sale then good luck getting it cheap! Having the Walgreens brand will definitely help with the budget and best of all it works EXACTLY the same!

Cheap

Again, being that this is a store brand, the Walgreens Body Wash is cheaper than many similar name brand products. The nice thing about being a Walgreens brand (versus any other store brand) is that you can use the Walgreens Rewards program to purchase other items you need to help pay for this as well! You can’t beat that!

Each purchase of a Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Product helps to fund the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™. The monies go to provide free preventive health tests as well as other health and wellness services and education to local communities. So, your saving is doing good too!

Finally, Walgreens will also come out with store coupons to save on store brand items too. So there are definitely ways to help you save even more if you choose to purchase the Walgreens Body Wash exclusively.

You can find all Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products to learn more about what is offered.

Be sure to check out my Tips to Save at Walgreens to find other ways to purchase the Walgreens Body Wash on the cheap. What about you? Have you tried the Walgreens Body Wash before? What are you honest thoughts on it?

While this is a sponsored review of the product, I am always honest about products I try. This one really does work like a name brand!

I am a beauty junkie. Seriously, you name it and I have probably tried it or researched it to prepare to try it out. I was excited when Bare Escentuals reached out to me to try a product from the new bareMinerals Skincare line. I have used Bare Escentuals before. As a matter of fact, Bare Escentuals was the first ever mineral produce line that I tried (and loved). I use the brushes on a daily basis because the truly are some of the best!

Here is my uncensored review on the new Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Pure Transformation Night Treatment.

Cost

$60 for a .15 oz container. You can find full product details here.

Use

It’s really simple to use. Do a quick shake of the container then unscrew the top. Tap off the excess minerals from the brush then apply all over your face. It takes about 2-3 shake and taps for me to apply the minerals to my entire face.

Personal

The bareMinerals Pure Transformation Night Treatment has an awesome application brush I love and wish Bare Escentuals would offer something similar for all of their minerals! The application brush is built inside so there is no swirling and separate brush required. It saves some time in my night time routine.

I know, I know, swirling with a separate brush doesn’t take a lot of work but it’s still a separate step. I don’t use Bare Escentuals foundation minerals anymore because I don’t like the added step of swirling and tapping with the brush. I prefer to have a sponge applicator built in or {gasp} just use my fingers if I’m applying a liquid foundation. I really hope they consider adding this built-in brush to all of the mineral foundations in the future too. I actually prefer this method to the sponge-mineral applications I currently use.

The Pure Transformation Night Treatment states it will “visibly reduce pores, increase firmness and improve elasticity, while revealing remarkably healthier, younger-looking skin.” It does this thanks to the RareMinerals Active Soil Complex which helps with the appearance of smoothness, evening out skin tone and improving skin texture. You should know, I am a SUCKER for product “claims.” Which means I am especially critical to see if products live up to at least one, or any, of their promises. This really did NOT disappoint!

I usually like at least a month for trying/comparing results for cosmetic products – it’s just a personal thing, nothing scientific or any of that in my mind. I only had a 2-week period to try this to provide a review. During this time, I used the Pure Transformation Night Treatment every single night. I first applied my moisturizer (Olay Pro-X) then the Pure Transformation Night Treatment right before bed.

Immediately after the minerals were applied, my skin got all dewey looking and really did glow (in a good way). I was leary if the minerals would get on my pillow and make a huge mess. This did not happen. I am using the Clear tone so it’s a light nude color. There are other colors the product can be purchase as well: light, medium and tan.

I have all of the issues the product claims to help remedy. I am most concerned about my pores and finding products that will help reduce pore size. In the 2-weeks I used this, I didn’t notice a drastic reduction in pore size. However, I did notice that when I applied foundation and other cosmetics, my pore size looked less noticeable. So, without makeup, there was a small difference but with makeup, I noticed a difference.

I also noticed the smoothness in my skin texture. My cosmetics truly did look smoother when applied. I also want to point out that I only mentioned my moisturizer because sometimes products are formulated to work with the same brand formulations (i.e., works best when you use the Bare Escentuals moisturizer, foundations, etc). This shows me that the Pure Transformation Night Treatment will work with other brands of cosmetics. I bet it works even better with Bare Escentuals minerals. But like I said, until they get the brush in the minerals foundation I’m not switching back :)

I also want to note that I don’t really notice too many issues my skin tone or elasticity. At my age (we’ll just say 30′s, how is that?), I am all about finding products to help prevent the signs of aging. So, if this product works for my biggest skincare issue (at the moment) of reducing the appearance of pore size, then I will wait and see what it can do for the areas that I don’t need it for (yet).

Cheap

At $60 for a container, this obviously isn’t cheap. I do think with required application every night, the one container will likely last up to 3 months for me (you really don’t use a lot of it, that’s why I love minerals of any kind). But, you can save even more if you purchase online at Sephora and shop through Ebates to earn 4% cash back on your purchase. You could also follow Bare Escentuals on Facebook to see when coupon codes become available to purchase direct through the site (with no cash back).

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I received this product for free to facilitate this review. However, I would purchase this on my own in the future but only if I got it on sale or earned cash back. But that’s my rule with just about everything I purchase too :). Always wait for that sale opportunity!

I will continue to watch for other signs that the additional benefits are or are not working. If I see any improvements, I will update the review with a post modification or comment to share new results.

What do you view as the most appealing claim or benefit the
Pure Transformation Night Treatment offers for your skincare needs?

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored review which means the company provided a product and/or compensation for me to share my honest thoughts on the product. This review was not edited by the company or sponsor in anyway. The thoughts are exactly as experienced by me. See my Disclaimer Policy for additional information.

I received a Dyson DC24 Blueprint last fall from Dyson. I was looking to purchase one and was excited that they needed some testers to share their opinion on this new, limited edition, vacuum.

Cost

This specific model is priced around $420 on Amazon. Knowing that our other vacuum cleaner lasted 5 years, a good vacuum is an investment I am willing to spend more on. Especially hearing great reviews on the Dyson brand. We would have purchased this vacuum either way.

Use

It’s a vacuum. You vacuum with it :) The DC24 Blueprint has additional functionality you rarely see in vaccums. There is a unique Flat Out head that is great for vacuuming under furniture.

It’s also versatile enough to be used for multiple functions. My husband cleaned out the car with it as well. There are multiple attachments that pull out (which he is vacuuming with) that worked great. Typically those attachments lose their suction, but this did not.

Personal

I have tried very hard to come up with something negative to say because this vacuum is awesome! Seriously, it picks up lint on our dark rug. Before we got the Dyson, we would spend twice the time to clean up the rug in our family room. It’s one of those rugs that picks up every speck of lint humanly possible. Seriously, it keeps everything! So the first time I vacuumed, it sucked it all up instantly, I was sold!

We have various types of floors in our home: hardwood, carpet, rugs, ceramic. I loved that the DC24 Blueprint went from hardwood to carpet without adjusting any settings. Most vacuum cleaners I have used require adjusting the suction head up for various surfaces. We were able to keep it seamlessly going from various textures and surfaces without doing anything. That helped with getting the job done faster.

I also was appalled at how much dirt we picked up with the first vacuum using the Dyson. I mean, I know we have three boys but we don’t live like pigs! This thing got up lint from our carpets from when we had it installed 5 years ago – no joke!! It was insane how much we threw out of the canister!

I especially like that it is easy enough for our kids to use too. All Dyson vacuums are unique with the Ball technology, and I think that helps for kiddo use as they push around surfaces. T begrudgingly uses it but Caleb is all over it as you can see. He will even get the pull-out attachment stair tool to get the baseboards, which obviously also works for stairs (hence the name “stair tool”)

I like that the stair tool is longer than our other vacuum’s similar accessory. I’m not sure what the standard length is, but it is longer. I guess if I had one request it would be to make the pull-out attachment even longer. If you figure how long the average stairway is, having it long enough to go up an entire stair case without having to drag the vacuum up would help. We could make it all but three stairs before we had to bring it up the steps as we vacuumed. At least I don’t have to hold it as long since it does clean faster than our older vacuum!

Another thing that made me even consider Dyson was the AAFA Certification (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America). All three of our boys have allergies, and some of them are environmental. Two of our sons also have asthma (I know, how did I get so lucky, right??!!). Dyson vacuums are asthma and allergy friendly. Since the season changes can really wreak havoc on our boys, I will be interested to see if using this helps. So far, we haven’t had any major attacks and the pollen has definitely been HORRIBLE here in this part of Ohio!

Read more specifications on the Dyson DC24 Blueprint. There are so many great features about this model, and even more info about what makes Dyson unique!

Cheap

Well, I have seen a few sales on this model since we have had ours. But, the best way to get it cheap is to earn Amazon Gift Cards through Swag Bucks searches and buy it that way. I also have friends who have purchased resale/remanufactured Dyson products through Amazon as well and they have had success. That is another option to try to get it cheaper.

Also consider the long-term maintenance cost required to see if it’s the right produce and price for you. Dyson products do not require bags or filter replacements. You can wash the filter!! That’s a small long-term savings right there!

Do you own a Dyson? I’d love to hear your thoughts as well!

Disclaimer: I received the DC24 Blueprint from Dyson to provide my honest opinions. This post has not been previewed or edited by the company. See my Disclaimer Policy for additional information.

See original post and comments for the DC24.

OK – I like to live a simple life and my bathroom is chaotic!! We have a decent size bathroom that has a separate soaking tub and a stand-up shower. Well, with my recent acquisition of my Scrubbing Bubbles Shower Cleaner, our regular over-the-shower head bath caddy was banished to the floor!

So, I found a better solution! Since we have a stand-up shower there is limited space and creativity with holding all of your bathroom stuff. I found this shower caddy that hangs over the shower door. It is great and even I could put it together!! And, the hooks that hang over the outside of the shower door can be used as a towel holder (since I noticed my hubby putting his towel there). I purchased it at Amazon (using my gift certificate balance, you know, since I’m on my cash-only diet no credit purchases for me this month) and it was only $28 PLUS free shipping (and the shipping was lightning speed since we’re in OH and their warehouse is located in KY).

So, I thought I would give you my personal review. I’m always looking for ways to make my domestic life easier :-) And, here it is in case you’re interested in one for yourself!

Never in a million years would you think a girl would get so happy when her hubby gets her a Christmas present that is for cleaning. But, I tell ya – I have to tell you about this sweeper I got after Christmas (OK – it wasn’t actually a Christmas present, but he got it for me after Christmas since he got me a nice spa day with my girls instead).

If you haven’t heard of this, you will want to take a look at it. The Cordless Swivel Sweeper is the world’s best invention I think. I saw this for the first time at my SIL’s house over Thanksgiving. She whipped out the sweeper and started going at cleaning her hardwood floors, then proceeded to sweep her carpets. I was in awe! My son was even like, “Aunt Stacy, can I do that?” What? I needed one. Well, I knew they had them at CVS and I was going to save up enough ECB’s to get myself one but that never happened so my hubby got me one.

The sweeper runs on a small battery. The battery keeps it’s charge for me for at least 3-4 days. I only use the sweeper on my vinyl flooring so I think if you use it on your carpet it loses the charge faster. The sweeper has a has a 360 swivel head (hence the name, cordless swivel sweeper) and it really does get good into the cracks and corners of your rooms and under tables. And, when the “gunk” container gets full, it’s so easy to take out and empty! I will say that if you’re wanting a cordless sweeper to get the deep dirty in carpets, this won’t do it. But, it’s great for me sweeping my kitchen (the 30 million times a day I do).

I know they sell these at Linens N Things, Kohls, and Amazon (and, CVS!). And, don’t forget you can use a LNT 20% off coupon to get it even cheaper (at LNT, of course)! And, if you want it even cheaper (I know, is that impossible), you could order a gift card from Carrie at MoneySavingMethods for 15% off the total value. I ordered a few from her and used ‘em already (I even shared one with my friend)! Check out her blog on details of what she has in stock and how to order! It was super easy and she is very reliable!

If you do get one, please let me know what you think! I really do love mine!!