Free 3-Year Subscription to Marie Claire

Rewards Gold is offering a FREE 3-year subscription to Marie Claire Magazine. Click here to fill out the short form. No credit card is required and these magazines do come!

Kids Eat Free @ IHOP!

If you're looking for an inexpensive place to take the whole family for dinner, IHOP's the place! From August 17th to September 13th, groups that dine in from 4-10 p.m. will receive one FREE kid's meal for each adult entree purchased. With the economic strain on most of us right now, this is a great promotion to take advantage of!

Our Beloved Mailman! (NOT REALLY)

He's not just in the movies...he lives in my rural town and he's my mailman. He may not be quite so maniacal, but he's crazy in his own special way. For instance:

• We live down a long driveway, which apparently is a real inconvenience for our mailman. So by the time he gets to our house, he won't trouble himself to get out of his car. He will lay on his horn (we're not talking a little tap...I mean BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!)until we come out of our house and get our mail ourselves.
  
  
• Placement of mail in the actual mailbox is optional. I am resigned to the fact that I may have to hunt in the weeds along the ditch or quickly snag a package that has been rubber-banded around my mailbox to prevent someone from tampering with it.
  
  
• The mail in our mailbox may or may not be addressed to us, but sorting it appears to be our problem.
  
  
• A few days ago I spent a good 5 minutes trying to dislodge my package from my mailbox. Heaven forbid our mailman should have to take time out of his busy schedule to traverse our ever-winding driveway, so he instead used his time to devise a way to fit a package larger than the actual mailbox INSIDE the mailbox. I don't know how he did it, but this maneuver was a real work of genius. I felt so silly standing there analyzing the situation and wrestling with the box that wouldn't budge that I actually glanced over my shoulder a couple of times at the neighbor's house to make sure no one was standing at the window pointing and laughing at me. In the end, I did what any sensible woman would do. I gave up and assigned the impossible task to my husband, who did eventually retrieve the package.

I had seriously considered contacting the postal service and complaining about the horrible service we receive from our mailman, but after talking it over with my husband, we both realized something: We get a kick out of this. As frustrating and time-consuming as it can be to deal with our postal servant's shortcomings, his antics always make us laugh. It's just not something we're willing to give up at the moment. We'll see if we reach our breaking point someday, but for now, we'll just keep living on our real-life version of the Funny Farm.

$20 off a $20 Purchase at Ann Taylor

Use this coupon to save $20 off a $20 purchase at Ann Taylor Friday, August 21st and Saturday, August 22nd. Not valid at LOFT or outlet stores.

Win a $30 Kroger Gift Card!

The Frugal Housewife is giving away TWO $30 Kroger Gift Cards! Enter here by the morning of the 21st.

Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Lynn at Midday Escapades is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card. Go here to enter by August 30th.

McDonald's Coupon Books

Right now McDonald's is selling After School Snack coupon books for $1. In each book you'll find the following coupons:

3 FREE baked pies

3 FREE apple juices or milk jugs

3 FREE small ice cream cones

3 FREE Apple Dippers or small fries

As you can see, these books will save you a ton! The coupons don't expire until 12/31/2011, so make sure to stock up!

Thanks, Deal Seeking Mom!

Free Victoria's Secret Lotion

Print out this coupon and take it to Victoria's Secret by September 7th to get a FREE 1-oz. Pink Body Lotion. No purchase necessary!

Thanks, Deal Seeking Mom!

Recipe of the Week

Chicken and Rice Hot Dish

1 c. celery

1 small onion, chopped

2 TBSP butter

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

1 c. carrot

1 1/3 c. uncooked long grain rice (not instant)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 c. cooked cubed chicken

Parsley (for garnish)

In large skillet, saute celery and onion in butter. Add broth, carrot, rice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in chicken and parsley. Cover and simmer 5-10 minutes longer or until rice and veggies are tender.