Win a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid

posted by Kevin Surbaugh


Here is a freebie that, well is more of sweepstakes. It is from Kellogg's and they are giving away; what they are calling "Carl's Ride." A 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid.
Enter today. You could be the one (1) winner of the grand prize as listed above or one (1) of 50 first (1st) prizes: $250 (prepaid) gas cards.
I know I would be happy with both, although I would rally like to win the grand prize I could really use $250 in gas. I mean that would be about 6 fill ups at the pump. So not to shabby of a prize.
However, you MUST enter by Nov 1, 2011, so hurry to get your chance to win!




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Extreme Couponing

by Kevin Surbaugh


Have you seen the television show Extreme Couponing? I have heard of it a number times, but I have church on Wednesday nights so it isn't on at a time when I normally could watch it. Even if church wasn't a factor the 9 pm central start time is a little late if it is a Thursday morning I have to get up 1 am for work. But that is all good, I don't need to watch a TV show all the time. There is so much more important things in life. Besides if I really wanted to I am sure I could find complete episodes available online to watch at a time more convenient to my wife and I.


Anyway, I did hear that this past Wednesday October 26, 2011 the show had the youngest couponer. Joel, a 16-year-old coupon addict who admits his clipping which was once a hobby has now turned into an obsession.


In the clip above Desirae has extreme (but effective) methods when it comes to maximizing her coupon savings.
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Free NeilMed NasaDock

posted by Kevin Surbaugh

NeilMed NasaDock has a free nasal dock available to anyone who completes a fast survey. NeilMed has great products that help clear congestion when suffering from the cold, flu, and allergies. These great products simply use a solution to clear away your congestion without any chemicals. Get yours today.


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Talking To Occupy Austin Protesters

by Kevin Surbaugh

For over a month we heard stories about Occupy Wall Street, with a group of individuals protesting big business. This movement has since spread to other cities around the globe. Likewise a group known as Occupy Austin has been gathered outside Austin's City Hall to protest their grievances. Recently they collectively walked to Skank Bank of America and other national banks withdraw all their money and close their account and redeposit their money into new accounts at local credit unions. An act I fully support.
With this group being downtown I thought I would go downtown to talk to some of those protesting. While I was there I seen/heard a number of drivers honking their horns in support of the protestors, while a small cars contained people shouting, "Get a job." Despite all the commotion the demonstrators didn't seem deterred from their protests. So what is on the minds of these protestors? Why are they protesting?

Amber (age: 24)

Kevin: Why are you here?

Amber: To protest, maybe get a change. It's the little things I would like to get to happen.

Kevin: What do you hope to accomplish by being here?

Amber: To see the world open her eyes. see what is going on. Because people look the other way.

Kevin: What changes would you like to see?

Amber: Probably, definitely for the better. To help.There is a lot about the government that I do agree with but it's the little things like where are they going to put the money for this budget. Why are they so overdrawn? Like they expect us to pay all of our bills, but they can't even balance a checkbook.
Why are there so many homeless people? Why are there so many people that don't have Medicare? They are just on the street dying because they can't afford the right medications.

Kevin: If Government don't have any money, How are they going to pay for all this?
Amber: This beautiful building (Austin City Hall) right here is made out of copper. Seventeen ($17) million dollars of copper just setting there on that roof. I mean, why can't they just put regular brick or glass on top of the building like all the rest of them? Why is the $17 million just setting there? You know $17 million dollars can feed so many people and help so many people out.

Kevin: Do you have any ideas as to how to accomplish these changes?

Amber: I figure we should get people that aren't as spoiled. Like if they mess up , if they go to jail they get a slap on the wrist. They can go drink and drive. They next day they are out of jail. Everything's fine, nothing on their record. Their spoiled and they know they are spoiled. They are getting paid all this money to do what? If they can't do their job, then we can't do it for them. So I figure if we pay them like normal people to help everything else and maybe have 2 or 3 people doing that one job so they can figure out different ways, then it will be okay.

Kevin: Do you have any aspirations about running for city council or maybe another public office?

Amber:No. I feel it is to corrupted right now. Until they get better people I won't stand for it.

Kevin: If you feel they need better people, why not run and maybe you can be one of those better people?

Amber: It's kind like I would be the little stick in the river. Like a little stick is not going to do much in the river, but if you get a bunch of sticks then a bunch of things will happen.

Kevin: But doesn't it start with one person?

Amber: It does, but you have to have rain drops to get the river.


Kevin: Do you have a favorite Presidential candidate?

Amber: No.


Let's face it, I agree with some of these people. Amber sounds intelligent and like she knows some of the things she wants to see happen, but like so many Americans she doesn't want to be that agent of change herself. She just wants to complain. That is sad to me. If this is her attitude, how is she any different then the rest of us? How is she any different then the people she is complaining about? Well, I guess the last question is easy. Those she is complaining about are at least trying to do something. While she just complains. Perhaps, in the near future she will step forward as someone who actually wants to do something. Till then I am not sure what will actually happen to accomplish these changes.




Read my related articles Why are the Occupiers Really Protesting? In Their Own Words on Blogcritics and Who Are The Occupiers? on KevinsView.com.
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Social Security Benefits Increase

by Kevin Surbaugh


So the news reported a couple days ago that those receiving Social Security benefits will see a 3.8% increase in their monthly checks. Based on the average Social Security payment of $1,038/month, this works out to an increase of $39/month.Sounds like great news for these people right? Well maybe not.
Why? Because at the same time, Medicare premiums are expected to increase, which could wipe out the value of a Social Security increase.

So this may actually be a case of good news/bad news. My wife gets Social security because of her handicap and next year she will be able to get Medicare. However, will she really see an increase when all is said and done? We shall see come April I guess.
No matter what though, we know that the Lord provides and we will just put our trust in Him.

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Free Stein

posted by Kevin Surbaugh

Bacardi is giving away 5,000 FREE OakHeart Steins every Thursday for ten weeks through November 25th.

You need to give a toast of 3-words to get the Stein.

Like Bacardi and look for the Bacardi Oakhart tab!


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Prilosec OTC Sample

posted by Kevin Surbaugh

Prilosec OTC is once again giving away a free sample
One Pill a day. 24 hours. Zero heartburn.

See if you qualify for a free sample of Prilosec OTC.


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Stock Up on Peanut Butter Now Before Prices Go Through The Roof

by Kevin Surbaugh

Have you heard? The time to buy peanut butter is now, friends. The Wall Street Journal along with other media sources is reporting that prices for Jif, Peter Pan, and other peanut butter jars will be going up as much as 40% starting as soon as next week. The story from last week said,

Wholesale prices for big-selling Jif are going up 30% starting in November, while Peter Pan will raise prices as much as 24% in a couple weeks. Unilever wouldn't comment on its pricing plans, but a spokesman for Wegmans Food Markets, the closely held supermarket chain in the Northeast U.S., said wholesale prices for all brands it carries, including Skippy, are 30% to 35% higher than a year ago.
- Wall Street Journal

Don't let the prices of this beloved staple beat you. Stock it up now! In just one (1) year, the wholesale price of peanuts has jumped from $450 per ton to $1,150 a ton, thanks in most part to the drought in much of the south and southwest.

As with any crop, the challenges facing peanut farmers begin and end with the weather. In Georgia, the leading U.S. peanut producing state, the planting season was the driest in memory for John Harrell, a sixth-generation peanut farmer in Whigham, Ga. Peanuts, typically planted between mid-April and the beginning of June, had to wait until several weeks after that for any rains, he said.

"I don't remember a year that you didn't catch a shower or had so little moisture in the ground to get the seed up," said Mr. Harrell, age 56. "It was dry about as deep as you can dig down."
- Wall Street Journal

The fact is according to ABC news,

Peanut butter and jelly are such staples in American households that an average kid will eat about 1,500 PB&J sandwiches by the time he reaches high school.

While peanut butter is the most popular peanut product, peanuts at the ball game could get more expensive and so could French fries, which are often fried in peanut oil at restaurants.

- ABC News

So while you can ease the shock a little by stocking up on a few jars of Peanut Butter now before those prices nearly double there are other things that will still get us. Besides the french fries those of us that love Chick-fil-a could see a similar problem with our favorite chicken, as Chic-fil-a Chicken is broasted in peanut oil as well.

Please pray for a quick end of the drought so that peanut prices and related products will come back down in price soon. Then in the meantime, I suggest again stock up.

Kraft Foods Inc., which launched Planters peanut butter in June, is raising prices 40% on Oct. 31

Peter Pan will raise prices as much as 24% by October 23rd

Jif (the choice of choosy moms and the number 1 selling peanut butter) is going up 30% starting in November


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Freebies From WalMart.com

WalMart currently has 2 items on their free samples pages. Sorry guys, both are for women.

Free Playtex
Free Poise

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WisdomSteps101 Launches Toolbar

by Kevin Surbaugh


Wisdom Steps 101 recently teamed up with the page ranking service Alexa to offer the users of it's website, blog and interactive message board (forum) a new tool in surfing the web. The WisdomSteps101 Tool bar. From the tool bar you can quickly and easily visit any of the three main areas of the network. In addition you can see what is happening currently on our twitter feed or visit our Facebook page. However, that is not all you can access your own Gmail or twitter account with just the click of a button on the toolbar or even surf the web powered by Bing. Kevin "Prince of Thrift" Surbaugh said, that "this latest feature will be a wonderful addition to the WisdomSteps101 family."
Check it out today.



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Enroll Your Teen in Driver’s Ed to Drive Down Auto Insurance Costs

by Jason Collazo
There are many situations that can cause a spike in your automobile insurance premium, one of the most expensive ones being the addition of a teenage driver onto your family’s policy. Getting coverage for a freshly-licensed teen can cause your rates to soar anywhere from 50% to 200% above what you were previously paying. There are measures that can be taken to keep that rate increase somewhat under control. You can set yourself up to save over 25% on your insurance bill by doing things like enrolling your teen in a driver’s education course or attaching their coverage to a particular vehicle on your policy.

In addition to saving money on your auto insurance rates, a driver’s education course will teach you teen how to be a safe driver, which will reduce his potential risk for getting into an accident. Driver’s ed classes should ingrain your teen with the rules of the road, while impressing upon him the importance of conducting himself in a safe manner at all times out on the road. He will learn how to avoid carelessness behind the wheel. Putting your teen into a one-on-one situation with a licensed driving instructor will allow him to perfect his car-handling skills from parallel parking, to three point turns, to merging onto highways.

It is a requirement in many states that drivers under the age of 18 pass a driver’s ed course in order to get their license in the first place. Call your child’s high school or your local Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain information about where the courses are held and how much they cost. Before enrolling your teen, check in with your insurance provider to make certain that, after you teen completes the course, you will qualify for a premium-rate reduction. Some of the larger insurance companies offer their own safe-driving programs for teenagers, and enrolling your teens in those as well may make you eligible for even deeper rate reductions.

For the most part, an insurance-approved driver’s education class entails about 30 hours of classroom time, plus an additional seven hours of driving time supervised by an instructor. Overall costs can vary, ranging from $100 to $500, depending on the company providing the instruction and your locale.

Occasionally, driving classes do not involve any actual driving time, but only classroom time. These courses generally involve around 56 hours of instruction in the classroom. Students must pass a written exam in order to receive a certificate of graduation. If you or another family member opts to join your teen in the classroom, you can potentially lower your auto insurance costs even more.

 In addition to enrolling your teen in a driver’s ed course, the other option you have to limit your insurance rate increase is to contact your insurance provider and inquire about how they assign cars to drivers. Some auto insurance companies pair the most expensive driver to insure—your teenager—with the most expensive vehicle. This is often done automatically. If your teen will be driving an older car for his first years on the road, be sure to request that your insurance company pairs your teen with the older car, in order to keep your rates as low as possible.

 The final and most important task is to have a frank discussion with your teen about driving drunk. Any driver’s education course will address the devastation caused by drinking and driving but reinforcing what they learn in the classroom with a face to face talk at home is invaluable.SE

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Free Ziploc Bags

Want some free Ziploc bags? Sign up to get some free Ziploc bags.


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Free Windows 7: Tips & Tricks

You can get a FREE 113 page eBook titled "Windows 7: Tips & Tricks" this is for people who have Windows 7 and want to go one step further in experience. It contains a compilation of the finest Tips and Tricks for Windows 7 and also contains a bonus section for Windows 7 Applications.


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Don’t Fall Victim: Protect Your Small Business

by Jason Collazo

On Friday,The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it would be refunding $350,000 to American small business merchants who became the victims of a credit and debit card scam.

The scam had several firms falsely promoting that they could save small businesses credit and debit processing fees by giving them rates lower than other credit and debit card processing services. But these companies did not inform small business owners of the fees that would be charged and withheld many pages of the contract, until after small business owners signed up. Small business owners should be wary of phone calls from these companies— Direct Merchant Processing Inc., Vequity Financial Group Inc., Merchant Processing Inc., and PPI Services Inc., as they were identified by the FTC as participating in the scam. Other names involved in the scam are Karely McCarthy, Karly Speelman and Aaron Lee Rian. Rian and McCarthy have been caught by the FDIC and are no longer allowed to market credit and debit card processing services. Some of the two’s assets had to be sold to refund victims of the scheme. Affected small business owners will receive refunds anywhere from $100 to $25,000, depending on what the victim paid.While most agencies focus on personal credit card and debit card fraud, small business fraud is alive and well. As supported by the evidence above, small business owners are also subject to the same types of credit card scams and fraudulent behavior as the typical credit card user. When small business owners apply for credit cards, it’s important to do research to find the best credit card, since small business credit cards are underrepresented in our credit market. A good small business credit card should include at least rewards, fraud protection and introductory zero percent APR offers. If you are looking for a good rewards card, try one of the Bank of America business credit cards. They are some of the best on the market, and they keep interest rates low for consumers by only applying extra interest to existing balances that are 60 days or more past due. Wells Fargo has the worst business card— the Wells Fargo Business Platinum Credit Card doesn’t offer any rewards and has an APR of 9.24-18.24% depending on your credit score. There is no introductory offer with the Wells Fargo Business Platinum Card. The Cash Rewards for Business Visa is a good card for small business owners, as it has zero percent APR for the first nine months of opening the card, three percent cash back on office supply store purchases, computer network services, and gas station purchases. The card also offers one percent cash back on all other purchases.

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Free Knife Sharpening

Throughout the month of October, Sur La Table will be offering Free Professional Knife Sharpening.

Just bring any 2 knives in to your nearest Sur La Table location and have them sharpened for free!
Stores located in
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin


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Free Gas-X Thin Strips Sample

Gas-X has a free sample of Gas-X Thin Strips available to anyone in the United States who would like to try them. If you suffer from pressure, bloating, and discomfort from gas then these strips may be for you. These great strips dissolve in seconds and begin working fast. Gas-X contains Simethicone which is the #1 doctor recommended ingredient to treat your gas. This is the active ingredient that will relieve your gas. Get your sample today.



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Free Activia

Activa is giving away coupons for a free Activa Yogurt. You can choose from their fruity French yogurt or the thick and creamy Greek yogurt. This coupon will be mailed to you so no need to have a printer for this one. Activa yogurt has Bifidus Regularis which helps naturally regulate your digestive system as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. Try a sample for yourself to see if you like their yogurt.


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