"The Cheap Sites" Business Advertising Websites

Details: 3 Sister websites that focus on helping businesses of all kinds: new, start ups, small business, large corporations etc.  These companies sell vehicle magnets, yards signs, and vinyl banners for cheap.  They offer pre-designed templates to follow, or you can build your own customized advertising sign.






Magnets: come in 3 sizes, 2 weights, quantity, and you have 3 options for how to create your magnet.

Yard Signs: come in 2 sizes, 2 materials, quantity, and 3 options for how to create your yard sign.

Vinyl Banners: 23 sizing options, 17 options for how to create your vinyl banner, and the quantity.

Canvas Prints: 6 different choices for types of canvas prints, choices between canvas and regular prints, plus custom options and discounts!

My Review:  I love when company reps contact me/ Mom's Thumb Reviews, to request a review from us. Its fun, a great way to make new contacts/ friends.  This is what happened with this review, I was contacted to do a review.  For the review I was given the option to choose which website I wanted to order something from and use it to test, try and review not just the product but the company too.

I am a Nail Artist, starting my own In-Home and Mobile Nail Salon, so was glad for the opportunity to try products I've been looking into buying.  I choose the car magnets.  I was able to get 2 magnets, same size, different weights.  My husband used to have car magnets on the company car he used to drive.  They would fly off every time he got on the freeway.  I wanted to see if these magnets would do the same or not.

My magnets are really fun, they were super easy to design, it literally took me 10 minutes to design and have ordered.  8 of those 10 minutes was putting my design to work.  I chose the 12x18 sized magnets, put the same design on both.  My order said it would take 14 days to come in the mail.  It took maybe 5 days.  They are really big, and since I drive a truck they are big enough for my truck and not too small.  I love them!  I have already discovered that I'll want to buy 3 new ones shortly, changing my design, and so I can have a magnet on all sides of my truck to optimize advertising opportunities.

Pros:  Loved the efficiency of the shipping, loved how easy everything was, loved the surprise I got, that there's a slight shine/ sparkle to the ink on my magnets.

Cons:  My husband doesn't like my girly magnets on the manly truck when he's driving, so he took them off and one of my kids stepped on my magnet getting it dirty.  The dirt smeared and didn't come off.  Not very easy to clean, once dirty they stay dirty, I don't like this feature.

My Rating  

UnBroken

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Details: Based on a true story, Louie Zamperini starts life as a crazy thieving scoundral and gets into so much trouble life is literally going to see him in jail. But his big brother Pete saves the day. Louie becomes a runner, a great runner turns his life around and starts to dream BIG dreams. But those dreams are shattered when World War II starts. He's drafted into the Air Force, and finds a group of wonderful friends that join him in a HELL of a journey to defend, protect and rescue our American Nation. Will starvation, vermin, burtality, deadly cold or blistering heat break this man? Will he come back to his family? What about his friends? Will they survive? Would we be able to handle anything similar or not even similar without breaking? Can we become Unbroken through the motivation found in this wonderful, sad, amazing, horrific beautiful story?

My Review: I read this because a good friend said she liked it. I was really hoping to read this on my Kindle Fire, but the Library got the printed version in before the kindle version. I read this book religiously for 10 days straight 2-3 hours a day. I'm a fast reader, but this book needed to be read in small, slow parts otherwise one could easily get caught up in the sadness, the joy, the horrendous graphic HELL Louie was put through. This is worth the long hours, and the many days to read. Its the best true story book that I've read and enjoyed in a while.

Pros: Motivational, true story with pictures, real facts etc.

Cons: none

My Rating: 2 THUMBS UP!!

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Blue Diamond Nut-Thins

Details: Blue Diamond Natural Pecan Nut-Thins: Wheat and gluten free snack.  Nut and rice cracker snacks.  Nut thins are a unique, crispy and crunchy cracker loaded with delicious and nutritious pecans.  Enjoy Nut Thins with your favorite cheeses, dips and pates, or just by them selves.  16 crackers per serving you can eat them by the handful!  Each production run is sampled and tested to confirm gluten levels do not exceed 20 PPM.

"Blue Diamond Grower's Co-op is 100% committed to your good health.  We make nutritious and wholesome products for you and your family to enjoy."

My Review: My Mother-In-Law introduced these yummy snacks to our family 2 years ago.  We only buy them when they are 2 for $4, because its expensive other wise, and doesn't fit in the budget at regular price.  We love the variety of nuts used and the different flavors offered.  You can choose from Almond Nut-Thins, Pecan Nut-Thins and Hazelnut Nut-Thins.  With each nut having different flavors too.  We love the smokehouse Almond, and the kids love the cheddar cheese Almond.  I really enjoy the Pecan.
We highly suggest this as a great healthy snack for kids' lunch or after school snacks.  Adult will love them too!

Pros: great taste, healthy, no gluten no wheat.  Comes on sale often.

Cons: not worth regular price unless you can afford $4 a box.

                                                                   My Rating

Fisher Price Tool Bench

Details: Durable plastic lasts for years, safe to indoor and outdoor use.  Clamp for holding wood or  other flat objects, holes to hammer nails through, tool hangers. Super fun for the little handy men in the family to learn how Daddy and Grandpa do what they do.

My Review: I got this for free from FREECYCLE.ORG.  And when I did there was nothing that came with it.  All the tools and one of the side bins was missing.  But a quick trip to the local Dollar Tree had my 2 sweet boys in heaven.  I bought them each a plastic eye protector, tape measure, painting brush and roller set, length of rope, a tool belt and screw drivers all for $1 each.  I spent around $10 total to outfit my kids for hours of fun!

Pros: great fun for kids ages 2-8.  Great when brand new, but if you get one used and with nothing super easy and cheap to fix up for your kids.

Cons: none

                                              My Rating 

Healthy Hot Cereal

Maybe most people don't like to eat hot cereal, but there are some that do like their oatmeal or oatbran due to the lowering of cholesterol properties.

Oatmeal is good to eat when you are sick.  It is calming on the stomach. It helps lower your weight and helps with type 2 diabetes.  It also helps reduce blood pressure.

Oatbran helps with your immune system and with athletic performance as well as the above listed items for oatmeal.

We eat a lot of hot cereal in our house.  To make it more nutritious we add the following ingredients:

Ground Cinnamon - Lowers cholesterol, helps regulate blood sugar, reduces the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells,  fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices.  At least 1/2 teaspoon daily is recommended.

Ground Flax Seeds - excellent sources of omega-3s, great sources of fiber - One tablespoon contains three grams of fiber, can help reduce the inflammation that leads to conditions such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headaches, and osteoporosis.  Start out with 1/2 teaspoon, build up to 4 tablespoons.  Grind in blender.  Store in refrigerator.

Shredded Coconut - helps with heart health, helps burn fat, Those suffering from chronic infections may also benefit from eating shredded coconut, due to the anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties it contains.  We have about 2 tablespoons each day.

Coconut Oil - Good for weight loss, skin care, hair care, increased immunity, heart disease, proper digestion, cancer.  Recommended daily dose is 3-4 tablespoons daily.

Ground Ginger Root - Boosts your immune system, helps fight flatulence, helps fight off food poisoning and bloating, can help with morning sickness and motion sickness.  At least 1/2 teaspoon daily is recommended.

Sometimes we add other things like fresh blueberries and strawberries, raisins and dried cranberries.

We want to stay healthy and this is an excellent way to help us do this.

Lightning McQueen Bubble Bath

 
Details: Lightning McQueen bubble bath 10fl oz car toy.  2 step directions, not for children under age 3.   Conforms to the requirements of ASTM standard consumer safety specification on toy safety.  Large plastic McQueen toy with rolling wheels, back bumper and spoiler come off to hide the bubble bath cap. Has stickers that will fade all over the body.  Now a Mater option for bubble bath toy.

My Review: Costs about $4 or $5 for this large plastic toy with bubble bath inside it.  What I've done is buy 2, one for each of my boys, and super glue the cap over the sealed bubble bath opening and give these as toys to my kids.  They love playing with them.  They last a really long time.  We've had ours for 3 years and just recently a wheel from each toy has come off, but is easy to fit with a little Mommy magic, so they can still play with them for a while longer.  I plan on buying new ones and buying the Maters as well this Christmas, at least for my 3 year old, or for his birthday.

Pros: The bubble bath is great (we had one that we used as real bubble bath after Daddy broke it, then had to replace it).  Its fun for the boys to play with in the tub and as a normal toy too.

Cons: Wish they had more options of larger Lightning McQueen cars to buy.  (I'd love to see Sally, Holly, and Finn)

                                                   My Rating

Kettle Almond Butter

Details: Kettle Brand Almond Butter, all natural.  Salted Crunchy Almond Butter.  11 oz container.  The delicate richness of Almond butter dresses up any sandwich, snack or dessert.  Smooth it onto your favorite bread or try it in a batch of cookies.  Jar is BPA free.  Oil separation occurs naturally, stir before use.  Refrigerate after opening.  2 ingredients: almonds and salt.

My Review:  I love almonds, they are the only nut I eat...usually.  When my Mother-In-Law came into town she gave me a jar of almond butter.  It is so yummy on a sandwich, in peanut butter balls (almond butter balls), and in smoothies.  Its thick and crunchy and so good to eat.  Its healthy and even my kids like it.  This is a great brand to get.  Kroger and Smiths sell it with lots of variations.

Pros: good price, good flavor, love the crunch!

Cons: when its gone, I get sad

                                                                     My Rating 

Tylenol Cold and Flu Warming

Details: Tylenol Cold and flu severe warming fluid.  Alleviates head and body aches, reduces fever, controls cough, thins and loosens mucus, relieves chest congestion, clears stuffy nose.  Honey Lemon flavor.  8 fl oz.

My Review: My husband and I have been sick a lot lately, which is really hard on a family.  But medicine that will help you feel better while sick and will help you get better is so very nice.  But when that medicine is so nasty you can't take it, that doesn't really help.  So these warming liquid medicines never have tasty flavors, but this tops the list of nasty.  This honey lemon is not honey lemon at all.  Its like something that went horribly wrong and got dumped into this medicine.  If you can find this in any other flavor get it, don't get this, you'll vomit before you can swallow this.  This said, this is coming from people who only buy honey lemon cough drops, teas etc.

Pros: great price, only $4, works great

Cons: nasty NASTY flavor

                                                My Rating

Little Tykes Kitchen

Details: Durable plastic, may fade, but won't break.  Lasts for years, comes with kitchen wear and food when brand new.  Around $30 used.  Different models provide different modes of fun.  Comes in different colors.  Great for indoor and outside use.  Boys and girls with have hours of fun!

My Review: I bought this for $20 used at a thrift store, but have seen them going for between $50 and $30 used in the same condition on craigslist and ksl.com here in Utah.  All the kids love this toy, the girls and the boys alike.  All our friends love bringing their kids over to play with this.  Here's the thing, when I bought this there were no plates, cups, food etc.  So I wanted to provide my own.  I got very creative.  Check out the pictures.  I saved and washed 4 Odwalda juice bottles and put colored water in them and super glued the tops down.  I washed out 2 McDonald's chocolate milk jugs and super glued the lids on.  I washed out my used up spice containers, yogurt containers, Blue Bonnet butter containers too.  I washed out and filled with colored water: Kettle Almond Butter, Honey Bear, BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, and strawberry jelly containers and super glued their lids on.  I gave my kids old expired condensed milk and canned vegetables to play with.  They got rocks put in super glued vitamin bottles, sprinkles that were old that got super glued in, etc.

I went to the thrift store and spent $4 on saucers, cups, bowls and utensils for the play kitchen.  I recycled, reduced my trash and reused for some super duper fun for the neighborhood and my own family.

 

The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap

The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap by Paulette Mahurin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Details: Its the late 1800s and England is in an uproar over Ocsar Wilde is in jail for being sexual with another man. This uproar carries all that way to a very close minded town in Nevada. The gossip girls of Red River Pass Nevada are the mortal judges of anyone who is not like them, or in their circle of friends. They instigate the persecutions of African Americans, gays and lesbians, and anyone not of their faith and religion including Jews. Paulette Mahurn wrote this book as an assignment from one of her university teachers, where she was to write a story about an old photograph This novel is her tale.

My Review: Before I begin my review, and on behalf of all the Mom's Thumb Reviewers we do not affiliate with, or support Gay or Lesbian standards. We do not judge, or wish harm to anyone with different standards than us, but we follow the natural law God ordained between a Man and a Woman.

Thus stated, this was hard to read at first. We didn't know what this book was about when we first we asked to read and review it. So we have had to discuss as a team, and help our reviewer as she read this book. Paulette is a great author, she has amazing skills with words and story imagery. This book isn't just about a Lesbian couple, but persecutions and judgements on Jews, and African American people. People can be friends, can be neighborly but don't have to agree on what their neighbor's choose to do with their lives. People can read a book, because its so well written, even if the subjects are not something they agree with. Mildred is a really kind woman, who uses her inheritance that her father worked so hard to build up for his family to beneift the majority of the people living in Red River Pass Nevada. But despite her kindness, and her manly looks the gossip girls do their worst to tear her to pieces. But as the saying goes, what goes around comes around. Karma really does a job on these women, and innocent children and people are stuck in the middle of the spoiling of the gossip girls.

The whole time I read this book, I was trying to figure out what the image on the front cover had to do with the story. And it has great meaning as you turn each page, some new aspect of the story is brought forth just from a random picture. Each character is so real, and their own personal story is so life like, its almost like Paulette studied the history of that time period, almost like she wrote about someone's family history, almost like this could really be a true story. I love the details put into describing each character: their physical appearance, their charactistics, and their hidden secrets. New discoveries are made every chapter. As I came to the close of this book, I found I actually enjoyed it. I won't read it again. But it was interesting, kept you motivated to read it to the end, and had great historical facts. For people who don't mind reading topics that are new, different, this is a book I would recommend to you. For those who are skittish around Gay and Lesbian topics don't read this book.

Pros: the best characterization I've seen in a book, and I'm big on characterization. Great details and emotional apsects in capturing the feelings and turbulance of that time period with all the different topics mentioned. It was so sad to see how horrible the gossip girls were about the Jewish man in France. And the African American in the government. Josie is quiet a character.

Cons: discusses a topic I don't agree with

My Rating: I give this a thumbs down because I don't like and don't support the Lesbian standards, and prefer to just not have anything to do with those people: whether its books, movies, riots etc. But I give it a thumbs up for being so well written by a woman who is married to a man. For a Straight woman, this was well written.

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Lint Rollers

Details:  A must-have fashion accessory for home, office, and purse! Quickly and efficiently removes lint, dust, dandruff, pet hair and other misc. ickiness from clothing, upholstery, and rugs and carpets.

My Review:  Despite having had pets, I've never had a lint roller to help remove pet hair from clothes, upholstery or carpets.  Granted most of our pets were outdoors, so there wasn't too much pet hair in the house, but there was some.  When sons left on missions and had to take care of their own clothes, they found the need for lint rollers, and some used them more than others. 

Well, I've discovered a new use for the lint roller.  I have long hair and there are some pretty funny stories in my family about where my hair ends up after they get their clothes back from the laundry room.  My biggest pet peeve is having my hair lodge its way in the rug in front of my sink and it curls up between my toes.  I'm constantly picking it up with my fingers.  My daughter rubs her fingers in a circle to gather up her long hair off of rugs. 

One night I was using the lint roller to get light towel lint off of dark towels, (don't know where that light towel came from  ha ha) and it worked amazingly well, and this wasn't the super sticky kind. Later, when I was doing my nightly get-ready-for-bed routine, I had some hair finding its way in between my toes again.  I grabbed the lint roller and wa-la...The hair came up amazingly easy and I was so surprised at how much it was actually picking up.  My husband says I look more dignified using a lint roller to pick up my hair off of rugs using the lint roller than when I would pick at the rug trying to pull up the fallen hair.

Pros:  Once you get in the habit of thinking outside the box, it is so cool how many uses you can think of for ordinary products.  I love lint rollers now.  Tell us about some of your unusual uses for a lint roller.  I got 2 for $1.50 at Dollar General, so really practical.

Cons:  The biggest drawback I had with using the lint roller to pick up my long hair off of rugs was that my hair wrapped around the sticky part so tight I had to cut the hair to get to the perforated part of the lint roller.  This shouldn't happen again, as the lint roller got down really deep into the deep piled rug and I will be using the lint roller on a regular basis from here on out.

My Ratings:  A big thumbs up.  

Kid School Time

Its time to start thinking about school.  Getting supplies, getting new school clothing, getting back on that school schedule, figuring out what kinds of extra curricular activities your children will be doing this fall and spring.  Yep, school is starting soon, so how can we make this year special and stress free?

This is my first year of having a school aged child.  My 5 year old is so excited to go to school, so we really wanted to make this year special and to help him really enjoy school, with out breaking our bank.  Here are some things we bought that are super awesome!

 



1. Avenger's back pack: $15 at Target, was on sale over the summer
2. Toy story pencil and pen holder $2 at Wal-Mart
3. Super Hero spiral bound note books $1-$2 at Wal-mart
4. Bendy ruler (so you don't have to buy a new one when the plastic one breaks) $2 at Wal-Mart
5. Batman pencils, pens with roller stamps, Avenger stickers and little book $1 each at Target
6. Colored number 2 pencils, and pencil top erasers $1 at Dollar Tree
7. Dry Erase mini boards, and large pad $1 each at Target
8. Dry Erase crayons $3 at Wal-Mart (great for kids because they wash out of clothing)
9. Brain Games wipe off pad $5 at Wal-Mart

My Rating

John Frieda Hair products

John Frieda Sheer Blond and Brilliant Brunette Shampoo and Conditioners

Sheer Blond Details:  Nourishes and unveils the ideal blonde.  8.45 fl oz bottles.  Lightening conditioner and shampoo which gradually lightens hair.  For all blondes.  Gentile formula with citrus and chamomile to restore moisture and renew softness for a shimmery sunlit blonde.  5 step directions. 

Brilliant Brunette Details: Multi-tone revealing to bring out rich multi-dimensional brunette tones and shine.  For all brunettes.  8.45 fl oz bottles.  Enhancing formula with crushed pearls and sweet almond oil to bring out rich brunette layers, tones and adds shine and satiny soft hair.  4 step directions.

My Review: Its been 2 months since my husband and I have started using John Frieda shampoo and conditioners.  Our hair is very soft and very shiny, but I don't see multi-dimensional tones of brunette in my hair even though I'm out in the sun and have been using this every day.  My husband isn't seeing the blonde streaks that come in his hair during the summer when he's out in the sun.  We love how our hair feels, but wish we could see those tones of blonde and brunette that we wanted.  

Pros: super soft, super shiny hair, great prices, can find coupons often, love the scent

Cons: didn't have the multi-dimensional tones in our hair as it says will happen.

                                           My Rating 

Nitro Circus

 


Details: An awesome group of guys and 1 gal who do the craziest, dumbest, stupidest stunts on earth all over the world!  They ride monster trucks, kid tricycles, motor bikes, quads, boats, snow mobiles, water skies and more.  Growing up as best of friends the main group have been doing crazy stunts since they were children.  Some of their stunts include free falling from a sky scraper in Panama, jumping bikes and trikes down ramps from one 400 foot tall sky scraper to another one, snow mobilling from sand to water up a ramp, jumping Semi's and buses.

My Review: In October 2011, Todd Peterson of Vivint invited Travis Pastrana and the Nitro Circus to come perform in the front of Vivint's main corporate building here in Provo Utah.   My family was able to get tickets to see.  It was so cool.  They jump so high in the air, and to flips and twists and all kinds of stuff.

Then in August 2012 Todd Peterson was able to get a special 2 day event from Nitro Circus.  Vivint employees and their families were able to preview Nitro Circus's first ever movie in 3D.  This isn't coming out for a few more months, but it is the most amazing documentary and most amazing thriller movie because its real life.  Our family won 2 free Nitro Circus t-shirts from this preview event!

Recently, Nitro Circus was able to perform in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand, selling it completely out!

I highly suggest watching this movie when it comes out.  ITS TOTALLY WORTH IT!

Pros: amazing, funny, thrilling, family clean

Cons: my kids don't like to sit through 3D movies very well, I hope it'll come out in 2D too.

                                                            My Rating 

Monkey Brains

Details: Monkey Brains: Psycho Sticky hair glue: extreme hold.  For gravity defying styles, and all day holding power with no flakes.  8oz squeeze bottle.  3 step directions.  White cream type hair gel.

My Review: This is a man's point of view, as this stuff was bought for my husband.  "This looked fun, and sounded very promising.  I have always used hair gels and hair styling products to make my hair do what I like it to do.  This was the same consistency as the gel/ creams I usually use, but the store was out of my favorite brand.  I do not like this at all.  It ruined my hair, and ruined my scalp.  My hair was dull and flat and sticky (even when I wasn't using this stuff).  My scalp itched, and flaked, and got little bumps on it from using this stuff.   I do not recommend this stuff, and made sure my wife wrote a review on this stuff, because it is very eye catching, but just doesn't work like it says it should."

Pros: cool bottle, eye catching, good price

Cons: ruins hair and scalp, and makes you flake when it says it won't.

                                                        My Rating  

Aspercreme

Details:  Aspercreme  relieves arthritis and simple backache.  It has 3 intensive skin conditioners – aloe, glycerine and mineral oil.  It is clinically proven.  It is odorless.  Many claim how it helps relive various aches and pains very quickly.  I have found it can be used for various other conditions as well, and be very effective.  It works for people who have rosacea, rashes, and zits/pimples.

My Review:  My neighbor has rosacea and  her dermatologist told her to use Aspercreme.  Within 3 days there was a very noticeable difference.  She no longer had the red veins in her cheeks.  We were both amazed at how quickly this worked.  She just applied it twice a day---am and pm.  

 My husband also has rosacea and it worked well for him too.  Both my husband and I have also used it on those zits we thought middle aged people weren’t supposed to get.  Just this past week I applied some Aspercreme to new zits I saw on my face and in two day they were completely gone.  I’ve also used this on sore muscles I’ve acquired from a recent move.  It really helps with that as well. 

 My husband developed a rash on his forehead due to various things from heat to hot foods to stress etc.  He tried all kinds of ointments and treatments.  Once he started applying the Aspercreme the rash disappeared in 3 days total. He did find that it is best to keep applying the creme for about 6-7 days after his rash went away to keep it completely away.

Pros:  This product does what it says it will, is odorless and works fast.  It also works on other conditions than what the box says.  

Cons: Haven’t noticed any yet.

My Ratings:  A big Thumbs UP!!!