TAKE CHARGE!!

As some of you know, a few years back I was a victim of a burglary. Someone came into my rented house through the only window that was not nailed shut. Me and the kids were asleep behind a closed door just 20 feet from this window. They took everything but I thought they had missed my checkbook. Well, turns out they were smart enough criminals and only took a handful here and there throughout the checks so as not to raise too much suspicion. Wasn't I surprised when a cop showed up at my door saying "This isn't your signature, is it?" Looking at it, nope, definitely not my signature and definitely not for the amount that was written. These guys went on a spending spree that concluded my usage of checks forever. Shortly after that, and the nightmare that followed trying to fix the mess, I found Netspend and their Prepaid Visa Card and haven't looked back!

Netspend is, in my opinion, the leading provider of reloadable prepaid debit cards and services in the United States. You can use it to make purchases, pay bills, secure reservations, and shop online. My husband and I have one account for emergency use that my mother has a card for. You know, "just in case". The other account is for our paychecks and we use the Online Bill Pay function to pay our bills. And, for those with bad credit who can't get a credit card but need the ability to use it, the Netspend card can be used anywhere the Visa logo is accepted. NetSpend has one of the most convenient networks in the country. With more than 30,000 card purchase locations and a total of approximately 90,000 debit card reload locations(including Murphy fuel centers), it is the absolute easiest way to get all the features you want without the headache and worry of an actual bank. With Netspend, you really are in charge!

A few examples of how a Netspend Prepaid Visa Card can help make your life easier.
1)They offer online bill pay. A couple of clicks and your done.
2)They offer direct deposit for payroll and government checks like your IRS tax refund. Take advantage of that and not have to wait for the US government to mail it out!
3)Let's say your daughter is off to college and finds herself needing funding. You have a card, she has a card. If you have a shared account, easy. If you have separate accounts, it's just as easy. They have cardholder to cardholder transfers so you can transfer money to anyone in the world with a Netspend card.
4)Think security. If you are wary about checks and cards in general, you only have to load on the card what you want to load on it.
5)Black Friday sale. You put only how much you want to spend for Christmas on your card and, come the early hours of the day after Thanksgiving, you sit in your pajamas and do your shopping online avoiding going over budget AND dealing with those nasty crowds!
6)Do as we did this week(post coming soon) and load what you budgeted for a trip to Vegas on your card and go have fun at Vegas knowing that you will be sticking within your spending means. We paid for the hotel and the plane tickets with ours and only put on the card what we were willing to lose gambling. It's working out pretty good and we are leaving tonight and aren't completely broke! YAY!!

So, now that I have rambled on about Netspend and how convenient it is and the ways you can use this card, I will say although this is a sponsored post, this is nothing more than my opinion. I have been using Netspend for more than 5 years now and have never had a moment where I was lost, confused, angry or disappointed like I had with my previous bank and it's ineptness. Trust me, you will NOT be any of the above if you check them out either!

You can see all the card and reload options plus their Terms and Conditions. They also have a FAQ section should you have any questions. You can also ask me for a referral and I will gladly email you one! Hope on over to Prepaid Visa Card and check them out!

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and I stand behind them 100%.

Rockstar Roasted Coffee & Energy Light Vanilla

Ok, well, I've gotten a little distracted from my blog lately with all the stuff I have going through Elance(LOVE IT!!) and not feeling well and the million other things going on. I absolutely love that site! It's time to get back on to my Coffee & Tea Search and Reviews. Today, let's talk about the Rockstar Roasted Coffee & Energy Light Vanilla flavor.

As some of you know, Rockstar has a full line of energy drinks out on the market. I'm assuming they brought about the Coffee flavored ones to compete with the Starbucks version or maybe it's vice versa, I don't really know. Well, I was browsing the shelves at the store to see if they carried this one particular flavor that my husband has. Of course, they don't. I noticed this can that looked like a Rockstar and a Starbucks drink mated. lol. It was Light Vanilla and contained 50% Less fat and 50% fewer calories. As I have been watching my weight for quite some time now, I figured what the heck, I can get my coffee fix and watch the calories at the same time.

So, I took the 4 pack home and chilled it. The next morning I woke up and decided to take the easy way out and not brew my regular coffee that morning. I popped open the can, took a sip, and realized that it was very watery. The taste was good, not overpowering or anything, but it was really just plain watery. It was the right amount of sweet, the right flavor of coffee, but I prefer mine creamier. This wasn't what I expected at all. My husband, however, tasted it and went "Wow! That's something I could drink." He's very picky about his drinks so, as impressed as he was, he now has a ready supply of them waiting for him when he wants them.

I think this next week I am going to compare the Regular Rockstar Vanilla with the Starbucks Vanilla and see which one I like more. If the Light Rockstar with its 50% less of everything is ok, then with the 50% added back it should be even better, right? Guess we will see....

Till next time, Live, Laugh, and, as always, Love!

Thanks for continuing to follow me and my ramblings!
Amy

Zappos Shoes

As we are all very much aware, school is starting in a couple weeks. I have the great pleasure of school shopping for 5 children this year. They all have their own particularly likes, dislikes, and personalities. Each year, I am finding it harder and harder to find cost effective ways to outfit them to not only not kill my bank account, but to also make sure they are "cool", as it just would be the end of the world if they weren't so.

My biggest headache up till last year was buying them shoes. With prices escalating, it was always a chore to find them the shoes they need at a price we could afford. My girls are now into Women's size shoes so no little girly styles for them. We all know that the Big W does not carry anything "cool" so that just would not do! Last year, right around this same time, I found a site that I fell in love with for our shoe buying needs. Zappos.com carries all the styles of shoes that my girls and boys want as well as the ones to fit my husband's and my needs. Zappos has great prices as well which helps to keep within budget. They've got all the great brand names such as Nike, Adidas, and Reebok right there in one location! It's an absolutely fabulous website and my kids were uber happy too! No complaints this year about having ugly shoes either! YAY!!!

Go, take a moment from the frustration of the "I'm bored" rant that I'm sure you are hearing as much as I am, and go take a look at the great running shoes they've got at Zappos. They are having a great sale on some of their styles. Personally, I'm picking up ME a pair of the Air VXT II they've got on sale. They are just like a pair that I FINALLY wore out. They are my favorite shoe ever and at a price that doesn't break me! While at Zappos, be sure to check out all of the other styles of shoes, clothes, and accessories they have in stock. They literally have something for everyone in your family and, the best part is, you don't even have to leave your house and fight the horrible crowds! Now tell me that isn't a win-win situation!

Be sure to check out http://www.zappos.com/running-shoes to see my new shoes that will be coming to me soon!

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and I stand behind them 100%.