What To Do With Unwanted Gift Cards– Buy and Sell at Card Swap

CardSwap is Canada’s gift card buy and sell store. Buy cards through the site and get SwapPoints back which you can save up to purchase more gift cards or get cash back through PayPal. You can also sell your unwanted gift cards and receive up to 92$ in SwapPoints or get paid directly for it.

Shipping is always free and you can get 92% back on your cards that you sell. You can put merchants in your wish list so that you will be notified when a certain gift card is available for purchase.

I was given the opportunity to try the service out. I didn’t have any gift cards I didn’t want to sell but I was given some swap points to use to purchase a gift card. It was very simple. I decided I wanted a Tim Hortons gift card so I searched for Tim Hortons and found a $50 card was available which was perfect as that is how many points I had.

When you go to a merchant page, it shows you any cards that are available or just sold and how many swap points you will get back for purchasing it. If you scroll down there is also merchant information like the company’s website, how to check your balance on a gift card from that merchant and other information.

There are all kinds of merchants to choose from.

After ordering my card, I immediately received my SwapPoints and my card was mailed to me in less than a week. I have tested it out a few times with no problems, the proper amount was on it and it worked great (and the Tim Hortons tasted good of course.)

It is all very simple and I think it’s a great idea if you get a gift card for a store or restaurant you don’t really use, just don’t expect that since your card is worth $25, you will be able to get a different card worth $25 in it’s place, that’s not exactly how it works. Different cards are worth different amounts of points though.

Connect with CardSwap on Facebook and Twitter.

*Disclosure: I received SwapPoints on CardSwap free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes.  No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Contest: Win Pampers Diapers for a Year (Canada)

Pampers Canada has a great contest starting today to win Pampers Diapers for a year! The first draw will be Dec 6 and then there will be a draw every month until the end of June 2013 so you have multiple chances to win!

You can enter to win at pampers.ca or the Pampers Canada Facebook Page.

*Approximate Retail Value of Diapers for a Year: $1049 !

Disclosure: I was notified of this contest because I’m a P&G Mom. No compensation was provided for this post. I’m sharing because I would love one of my readers to win!

P&G Brandsaver–$164 in coupons out Nov. 7 #PGmom

I’m happy to announced that I’ve been chosen as a P&G Mom and so will be sharing Proctor & Gamble news and more over the next while. I take a train tomorrow morning to Toronto for the program launch where I will learn more about the company and it’s products.




BrandSAVER is a coupon book from P&G and on November 7, the newest book will have up to $164 in coupons on tons of different products. Any family is sure to find something they like.
Where will you find  these coupons? Visit http://www.brandsaver.ca starting Nov. 7.




*Disclosure: I was chosen as a #PGMom and am going to Toronto for the program launch. No other compensation was provided for this post. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Steak and Eggs for Dinner - We #LoveCDNBeef

Confession: I used to never like steak. I ate ground beef and the occasional beef roast but I never liked steak. Turns out, it matters how it’s cooked.

I’ve taught myself most of my cooking skills beyond the basics. I watch cooking shows and look at cookbooks and just experiment. I prefer to cook without recipes actually, I use them to help me the first time I make something new but I never follow them exactly.

Now I like steak, especially dipped in ranch dressing. Even better if they have fried onions slathered all over them. I always thought eating Steak with Eggs was weird but my husband insisted it was good. I realized my problem with the idea was eating steak for breakfast. So I made it for dinner!

Steak with Scrambled Eggs For My Husband

Steak With Eggs Over-Easy and Bagels For Me

Even My Kids Like Steak and Eggs!

If you want to try something new with beef but aren’t sure where to start, the Canadian Beef webpage has a ton of information (most of which could be used by Non-Canadians too!)

Love making burgers but can never quite get them right? Or perhaps you hear conflicting advice on how to make them and what to put in them and you aren’t sure which is better. Either way, check out this post on their blog about the best homemade burgers.

Want to try a new recipe? The next one I want to try is these yummy looking Beefy Huevos Rancheros! (see below) Also check out Canada Beef.

We used Sirloin Steaks and Burnbrae Eggs (our usual brands.) 

Burnbrae Farms is a big support of Canadian Beef as well. You can connect with Burnrae on Twitter and Facebook. They have a great egg facts section with everything you ever wanted to know about eggs.

Over to you… do you like Steak and Eggs? How do you like them?

*Disclosure: I received compensation for this post but all information and opinions are honest. Please see my full disclosure policy for more information.

Bumbo Baby Seat Recall (Canada and US)

Note: The following information is from the Bumbo Canada website but the recall is applicable to the US as well.

“August 15, 2012 – Bumbo International Trust is conducting a voluntary recall to add a restraint belt and new warnings to the Bumbo® Baby Seat. Infants can maneuver out of or fall from the seat, posing a risk of serious injuries. Working closely with the Health Canada, Bumbo has determined that the potential safety issue can be readily corrected in the home by adding a restraint belt. In addition, Bumbo is providing a new warning sticker for consumers to attach to the seat to re-emphasize existing warnings against use of the seat on any raised surfaces.”

There is no need to send back the seat. You just have to send for a kit with restraint belt and new warning stickers. Do not use your Bumbo seat until it is fixed.

Seats Affected:

The Bumbo® Baby Seats were sold in the Canada by retailers including Toys"R"Us, Babies"R"Us, and various other toy and children’s stores nationwide, and various online sellers. The seats were sold in various colors from August 2003 through August 2012.

The Bumbo® Baby Seats were sold in the United States by retailers including Target, Wal-Mart, Sears, Toys"R"Us, Babies"R"Us, USA Babies and various other toy and childrens stores nationwide, and various online sellers. The seats were sold in various colors from August 2003 through August 2012 for between $30-50.

For more information on determining if your seat is affected, see your corresponding site:

Bumbo Canada

Bumbo US

This is the updated sticker

Please Share This Information!

*Image from Flickr user acheron0.

REVIEW–G. Marquis Premium Wines from Niagara-on-the-Lake

*This Review is Written By Barb, a Member of my Team.

I am a wine lover, somewhere between a novice and connoisseur.  A friend gave me a two day wine course where I learned more about wine and pairing. The more I drink it the better I like it. I would like to pay more attention to pairing. Right now it’s a matter of expense dryness and taste that determined my choices. I prefer white wine but have found some reds pretty good. So I was very excited to have the opportunity to try the G. Marquis Red Line from the Niagara Peninsula.

The company sent two bottles in a nice bag with a bow and a very cute cork USB stick with product info. When I read their marketing info on the Red Line I was very happy to see that it is unoaked and fruit flavoured as I really don’t care for oaky tasting wine and tend to choose fruity wines.

I started with the 2009 Merlot, a medium bodied wine, which is a red wine I would choose. I haven’t paid too much attention to correct serving temperature in the past so thought I’d start there. I chilled it to the suggested 14-16° C and tried a glass. I tend to find red wine a little too overpowering for me and I find it difficult to taste the underlying flavours. This wine wasn’t too bad for a red. Many people who love red, I’m sure will find it very good. Next I paired it with a beef stew; I love how different a wine will taste with food. I enjoyed it much more with food. I did however find it too cold at the recommended temperature. I would recommend it as a good accompaniment when paired with suggested foods.

The other bottle was a 2010 Riesling. I have had Riesling before but one of my favourites is Pinot Grigio. I think it’s because it’s a light bodied wine while Riesling is medium bodied. The Riesling was crisp and dry and I could detect the fruit flavours in it. I found that I liked it at a colder temperature, between 16-17°C. I tried a new recipe using the Riesling. I did a search for cooking with Riesling and found Pork Chops with a Riesling Peach Sauce at allrecipes.com. It was delicious and the wine itself was even better with the dish. I think it was the peach in the food and the peach in the wine that made it so good. While I thought it was okay on its own it was totally awesome with the peach chops. I would defiantly purchase it to make that dish again. Even my husband who doesn’t like wine loved the dish.



I had never tried G. Marquis before but I sure would like to try their ice wine next.

Interested in The 5 Steps to Being a True Oenophile aka Wine Lover? Check out South Western Ontario Parent for more.

About G. Marquis:

G. Marquis is new wine brand produced in the Niagara-on-the-Lake region at the Niagara Stone Road vineyard. It comes in two lines: Silver and Red.

Where to Buy:

You can find the wine’s I tried at your local LCBO and some of the other G. Marquis wines at LCBO and Duty Free shops. The Red Line ranges from $11.95-$12.95 while the Silver line ranges from $14.95-$39.95

*The reviewer received product from a company or PR agency for evaluation purposes. All review are honest.

#OCanadaBaby–Supporting #TeamCanada at the London 2012 Olympics

Back in April I shared that Pampers Canada and Canadian Olympian Priscilla Lopes-Schliep had gotten together to create the first version of O Canada performed by babies. My son Liam was in the first cut of the video and every so often they released a longer version.

Well I’m ecstatic to announce that with the launch of The 2012 London Olympics today, the final version of the video is being shown AT THE OLYMPICS!

That’s my baby there at about 13 seconds in (in red with red cellphone.)

GO TEAM CANADA!

Summer Camp at Pioneer Camps #pioneercamp

Summer camp is the perfect way to teach your children the importance of getting outdoors and making new friendships. It’s a great experience for all children although some are ready earlier than others.

There are pioneer camps in Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba and British Columbia (Pacific). There are a bunch of different types of camps your child can sign up for. There is even a family camp if your children are not ready to camp alone yet.  There is special ones for high schoolers and an LIT program (Leadership in Training).

In addition, there is a contest going on that ends July 15 to win a week at either the Pioneer Camp or the Circle Square Ranch Camp. You also have a chance to win some smaller prizes or a really big one: Trip for Two to Punta Cana!

Check out this video about Ontario Pioneer Camp:

 

*Disclosure:  This post was compensated however all opinions and stories are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Happy Canada Day!

Callista’s Ramblings wishes all our Canadian readers a Happy Canada Day! Enjoy the day and remember why you are proud to be Canadian.

What’s Your Favourite Thing Ab0ut Canada?

Ask Callista (is back!)–6/29–Gardening, Beginning Blogging and Nova Scotia

Ask Callista is my bi-weekly feature where I answer reader questions. I haven’t had one in 2 months though but it’s back now. I had switched to biweekly because I wasn’t getting enough questions and then I was busy planning the blogathon and I didn’t have a chance to do the posts.

I’d love for you to join the conversation in the comments by adding your thoughts on the questions and/or my answers.

Find out more and how to submit your questions here.

The Questions

Amie asks … I’m new to gardening and planting, I live in Hespeler ON. and I am wondering what is the best type of plants to plant in my garden?? One garden gets lots of sun and one does not

I definitely had to research this one as I know very little about gardening. I do remember that there are different zones that are good for different plants. According to HGTV you (and me) are in Zone 6. That link will give you an idea of what plants and flowers that grow well in our zone and some other information. HGTV Gardening section also has a list of easy-care plants and flowers for beginners.

Then you need to figure out what kind of sun exposure your garden has so you can figure out what plants would be best. Gardening Quick n Easy has information on this. Then go to your local place to buy plants (where they should have plants for your zone) and the plants themselves will have labels that say what kind of exposure they need.  Good Luck!

Miranda of Dustykatt’s Stuff asks… I would like some information on how to set up a blog for doing reviews, giveaways or just plain rants. To be honest I'm a little overwhelmed by all the different places that I see bloggers wanting their sites linked and or rated on. (Pinterest, GFC, Picket Fence, Etc.) What are these for? How important are they? I'm not even sure at this point how to get into each post on my blog individually. Everything just goes on the home page and that's it.  I guess the bottom line is - I have a blog, now how do I "Make It Go"?

First of all, good for you for starting a blog, it’s a lot of fun. There is lots to learn when it comes to blogging and it takes time. To start with, you can find a direct link to each post by either clicking on the post title or date stamp and then copying the url in the address bar or just by simply right clicking on the title or date stamp and choosing save link as or copy link location.  Looking at your blog it looks like you have post titles turned off (up to you but I recommend turning them on and using them, a title tells people what the post is about.) However if you click on the time after it says posted by dusty katt you will see just the page for that post.

Social media accounts like Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest etc are used for a few different reason. They are of course fun but they can also be used for blog promotion. I add a link to my blog posts to my Twitter account, Facebook fan page and Google+ page to draw in readers. More people follow me on these accounts than actually subscribe to my blog. If you ever get into working with brands or monetizing your blog (making money) then you will want to build your follower numbers on these sites as companies look for this.

Picket Fence is a top site listing. Users get votes to move up in the list. The more places your blog is listed, the more links into your blog which ups your Google Pagerank (of importance when working with companies) as well as there are more chances for people to find your blog. The blogs that are higher on the lists get more clickthroughs (visits.)

Check out blogging tips and how to’s and keep an eye on what other bloggers are doing that you enjoy. Don’t copy their content or images but you can get inspiration from them. Join groups for bloggers for support and as a place to ask questions. I’m not sure which ones to suggest as your blog doesn’t say too much about you. If you are a mom I have a lot of suggestions.  For now, try the Better Blogger Network or Blogaholic Social Network.

Check this out too: 5 Essential Pieces of Advice for New Bloggers

Margaret of Soul-mate, Daughter, Step Children and Fur Babies asks… I noticed that you said you didn't travel much but just wondered if you ever visited my home province of Nova Scotia?

Nope I have not been outside of Ontario with regards to Canada and I’ve only been to Michigan and Illinois in the states. I would love to see Nova Scotia. I’ve never been on an island, it must be beautiful!

Okay that’s it for today. If you submitted a question and I didn’t answer it, check back in two weeks! If you want to submit a question, go here.

I’m Proud to Be Canadian, How About You? #TGCBB

I’m happy to be participating again in The Great Canadian Blog Bash(TGCBB), a celebration of Canadian Bloggers and All Things Canadian.

About Me

So first to introduce me. My name is Kathleen and I live in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. I’m a SAHM to three children:

1. Girl 6 years old
2. Girl 5 years old
3. Boy 1 year old

I’m also a Girl Guide Leader, playgroup enthusiast and nonfiction book lover. I love to blog and learn about blogging and blog with others.

I’m turning 29 very soon (June 28) and I’m happy to be sharing a Birthday Weekend with Canada!

Proud Canadian

I have always been a proud Canadian. I love living in Canada and I can’t imagine living anywhere else! I’ve always lived in Windsor, Ontario, Canada too. Well I was in Leamington for a while as a baby but I don’t remember and that’s pretty much the same places anyways!

Photo Above Taken at the Canada Day Parade Windsor, Ontario, Canada 2010.

About Callista’s Ramblings

First of all you should know that Callista is the name I used to use online. It’s still in many of my usernames and emails but when I was younger, I was told not to use my real name online for safety. Now that I share my name with all kinds of companies anyways, I figured I might as well go by it. I prefer Kathleen anyways. I contemplated changing my  blog name a few times, not just because of the Callista thing but I didn’t want to have to go through all that renaming such with all the links and references to my blog and such.

Callista’s Ramblings Over the Years

• Started 2003  - when I was a teen and was new to blogging. Posts from back then are mostly memes, personal thoughts and silly quizzes.
• 2004-2006 – I posted irregularly, mostly in little spurts.
• 2007 – Mid year I started taking blogging a bit more seriously and started trying to post regularly. Still mostly memes and such though.
• 2008 – late in the year I started getting contacted by companies and started out with small posts with product compensation.
• 2009 – This is when I consider myself to really be a serious blogger that works with brands. I started doing more reviews and giveaways with opinion and random posts mixed in. April 2009 I got my current design. I also accepted my first guest post.
• 2010  - Posted the post that has received the most pageviews and searches EVER on my blog, even to this day it is the most popular and it’s very simple and I wrote it on my own. Why is an Orange Called and Orange? I also got my first “gig” with Mom Central as a Majesta Mom. I also held my first special event: Camping Week
• 2011 – big year for brand work and building readership. I participated in my first cash giveaway and started doing blog giveaway hops and sponsored posts. I also did my first Christmas Gift Guide
• 2012 – Realized I was getting to be too much reviews and giveaways and not other content like I had originally hoped. I’ve lately started to write other posts (such as 6 Things to Remember When Hosting a Child’s Birthday) but have been catching up on reviews. I plan on unveiling more content soon.

So it’s nice to “meet” you  and thanks for reading this. I hope you will decide to Subscribe, Like or Follow me to keep up and please introduce yourself in the comments (or say hello if I already know you!)

GIVEAWAY: Canadians Welcome Eh? Hop - Prizes Worth $175 and $140 - Canada Only - 5/30 #EhCanada

Welcome to Canadians Welcome, Eh Giveaway Hop hosted by Simply Stacie and Sassy Mama in LA! This event features all Canada friendly giveaways! All the giveaways will be either pen to Canada, US/Canada or Worldwide and will run from May 21 to 30th.

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My giveaway is open to Canadians only (sorry everyone else! Check my sidebar for giveaways you can enter).

Prize Pack #1 - Open to All of Canada ($175)

• $100 in Gift Cards to Canadian Tire (Will be two $50 cards)
• One Year Subscription to Macleans Magazine (52 issues - RV: $75) (You will be notified before the end of the year to ask if you would like to renew at a certain rate, otherwise the subscription will end after the year.)

Prize Pack #2 - Open to Residents of Belleville, Brampton, Burlington, Calgary, Cambridge, Edmonton, Kingston, London, Mississauga, Nepean, Oakville, Oshawa, Ottawa, Peterborough, Pickering, St. Catharines, Toronto, Windsor and Winnipeg (and Surrounding Metro Areas)  ($140)


Service Experts is donating one Precision Air Conditioning Tune-Up.

This tune-up will address 18 different points of the air-conditioning system, so you avoid any uncomfortable breakdowns this summer. Keeping your air conditioning system working efficiently can save you up to 30% on utility bills.

The Precision Air Conditioning Tune-Up will:

• Check thermostat calibration
• Monitor refrigerant pressure
• Test AC starting capabilities
• Test air conditioner safety controls
• Clean and/or replace standard air filters
• In place, clean and adjustment of blower components
• Measure for correct air flow
• Tighten electrical connections
• Measure volts and amps
• Lubricate all moving parts
• Clean condensate drain
• Measure temperature difference between supply air and return air
• Apply protective coating
• Monitor cooling cycle
• Inspect evaporator coil
• Examine installation quality
• Examine equipment condition area, and clearances
• Clean condenser coil

Service Experts is North America's largest heating and air conditioning brand; Service Experts branches provide heating repair, air conditioning repair, indoor air quality sales, HVAC system sales and installation, HVAC maintenance, and HVAC repair service for both the residential and commercial HVAC markets. Their products and services are all backed by their exclusive written three-year 100% satisfaction guarantee.   Service Experts HVAC technicians are highly qualified, NATE-certified experts, licensed to sell and repair all types of furnaces, air conditioners, boilers, heat pumps, air purification systems and many other types of home comfort equipment.

So for #2 you MUST be in one of those areas AND have an air conditioning system in your home (or the person you are entering for must have one.)

I have TWO forms so if you want to enter for BOTH, you have to do BOTH forms.

Ivory Wants Canadians To Take Back the Simple Moments #IvorySoap

Ivory is a brand name I think all Canadians are familiar with. Ivory soap products go back many years.

Ivory is re-launching in Canada and in honour of that, they surveyed Canadians asking them which tasks made their lives the most complicated.

Results:
- Financial management/budgeting (44 per cent)
- Household chores (41 per cent)
- Preparing meals (28 per cent)

Ivory reminds you to take back the simple moments and make time for what you want to do, not just what you need to do.

Ivory makes of course bar soaps (Simply Ivory and Aloe) but also makes body washes (Lavender, Aloe, Waterlily and Simply Ivory) and liquid hand soap (Simply Ivory.)

I was able to try out some body washes and they are very creamy and smooth. Just like Ivory is known for. Take a few extra moments in the shower to lather up nice and enjoy the cool soap over your body.

Below are some tips from life coach France Hutchinson. Also check out the Ivory Facebook Page and see some of the old ads from long ago.

France Hutchison Simple Moment Tips Life can easily get cluttered with never-ending professional commitments, household chores and everything in between. Ivory stands for all things pure, clean and simple, and wants Canadians to make time for what they want to do, not just what they have to do. Life coach, author and yoga instructor, France Hutchison, has the follow tips to help Canadians take back simple moments: 1. Take a moment this week to celebrate with your children, your spouse, and most importantly, have fun!: We often wait for a special occasion to get together and celebrate. Take a moment to celebrate your successes and enjoyable moments, and to thank the people around you who have a positive impact on your life. See how your tension and minor worries disappear. 2. Give a hug to your friends and family: To love and feel appreciated makes our heart happy. A hug is productive when we hold the other person in our arms and our breathing is slow and deep. Practice your hugs while breathing deeply, you will notice a feeling of calm and happiness comes over you. 3. Take two minutes to dance, jump and move your body – every hour. A sedentary lifestyle makes our body and our mind sluggish. Every hour, take the time to stand up, stretch and walk a little faster. This will awaken the quality of your consciousness. 4. While washing your face with Ivory soap in the morning, smile and tell yourself that you feel wonderful and you are beautiful: A smile has a ripple effect. A smile has a ripple effect. When you smile at people, it brightens their day as well as yours 5. Remove the word "no" from your vocabulary -- say yes to three people today: Be receptive to positive vibes; say yes to three people today. For example, because of your job you have been putting off lunch with a close friend, say yes to lunch today. Take a moment to read your favourite novel, say yes when your child asks you to play ball. Take 30 minutes to savour the pleasure of sharing a moment with a loved one. Say YES!

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6. What would you make number six? What’s your tip for taking simple moments? (Leave a Comment and try out my new commenting system!)

*Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Cold Stone Creamery Introduces the Blast

Cold Stone Creamery has introduced it’s newest ice cream product, the Blast.
The Blast is yummy ice cream mixed with some blend ins.
The Cold Stone Blast flavours are:

• OREO^® Indulgence: Sweet Cream ice cream blended with OREO^® cookies and fudge sauce and topped with more Oreo^® cookie pieces
• Peanut Butter Chocolate: Chocolate ice cream blended with Reese^® Peanut Butter Cup  pieces and fudge sauce and topped with more Reese^® Peanut Butter Cup pieces
• Cookie Cookie Dough Dough:  French Vanilla ice cream, chocolate chip cookie dough pieces and fudge sauce and topped with more cookie dough pieces

I was lucky enough to try the Peanut Butter Chocolate one and Oh My Gosh! It was so yummy. Like eating a bunch of Reese’s cups mixed with creamy peanut butter and melted chocolate. I think I melted.

The Blast comes in two sizes; Love it $2.99 and Gotta Have It $3.99. I loved the ice cream but I must admit I find the prices a bit steep. The Gotta Have It isn’t that much bigger. I would suggest you get the Love It size if you have some, it was a good treat and would taste even better on a hot summer’s day!

Find your local Cold Stone Creamery location here.

*Disclosure: I received the product(s) mentioned above free of charge by the company or PR representative for evaluation purposes. No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.  

Oh Canada, Baby! First Version of O Canada Performed by Babies! #OCanadaBaby #TeamCanada

I have some exciting and fun news to share!

Pampers has teamed up with Canadian Olympian (and new mother) Priscilla Lopes-Schliep to create a video of O Canada “sung” by only babies!

If that isn’t cool enough, my son Liam is in the first cut! We had a chance to submit some short clips of him making his usual baby sounds and it was used!

It’s very simple, just record a short video or two, upload it on the Pampers facebook page and you’re good to go!

Watch the first cut of the video here. My son Liam is at the 12 second mark at the top (holding the red cellphone!)

You can expect to see more individual cuts of the video on the facebook page and it will be showcased at public events across the country on Canada Day (July 1, 2012) The final “O Canada, baby” video will be revealed during the Olympic Games to cheer on Team Canada!

Also keep your eye out for Limited Edition “Go Canada Go!” Pampers Olympic Games packaging which will have 2x the Gifts to Grow points which of course you can redeem for prizes, including HBC Team Canada baby gear!

Now Go Videotape Your Baby!

Oh Canada, Baby! First Version of O Canada Performed by Babies! bit.ly/HrYSdR #OCanadaBaby #TeamCanada
— Kathleen Garber (@callista83) April 11, 2012

*Disclosure: I was given the opportunity to submit videos for the first cut and received a video camera and Team Canada baby gear to facilitate the video. No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Zellers is Looking For Your Memories (Sponsored Video)

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As mentioned previously, Zellers is closing it's doors and I am sad to see it go.

My family shopped there all the time. I got my back to school shopping done there, I bought new clothes there, we bought gifts for others there, and when I had kids, we bought baby stuff there. I don't want to let it go!

Do you remember Zeddy? The Zellers Teddy Bear character? I had almost forgot about him till I saw mention of him. He was taken off as mascot in 2005 except in the baby section but was brought back a few times since the stores starting preparing to close.

Unlike other stores, Zellers really appreciates it's customers and wants your help in remembering it's past. They are looking for customer's memories that they can recreate like the video below.  Maybe something memorable happened to you or your family member in a Zellers. Something funny perhaps? Or embarassing? Don't be shy, share your story!

Share your story on the Memory Showcase Tab of the Zellers facebook page. If your story is one of the eight they pick to bring to life, you will receive a $250 Zellers Gift Card! Considering all the sales that are going on, you can buy a lot with that. There are some stories there already that you can check out!

Also anyone can stop by the page and pick up a Zellers coupon for $15 off when you spend $75 or more in the seasonal department but hurry, the coupon ends Apr 5.


*Disclosure:  This post was sponsored by Zellers but written by Callista's Ramblings. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Getting My Income Taxes Done at H&R Block Canada #incometax #tax

Does the thought of doing your income taxes fill you with dread?

It does for many Canadians. Figuring out what slips you need, what information goes in what spot and if you might be missing something important are very stressful.

Why fret and sweat, trying to figure out your taxes when you can have qualified help from tax professionals at H&R Block?

I've done my taxes with them for over 8 years now and I've been satisfied each and every time. My needs have changed as I had kids and bought a house and went on disability but H&R Block is able to carry over my past information each year so that they just have to make minimal alterations to my file and it's up to date. This year I had to add my son Liam who was born in 2011. I gave them his name, birth date and SIN # and boom, he is in the system with his sisters.

Just this past week we went in to do our taxes, my husband and I . You can make an appointment but we just walked in, gave them our names and SIN numbers and sat down to wait. When it was our turn, we were led to a small cubicle (for privacy) where a very friendly tax professional asked us how we were doing. If you aren't sure what you will need to bring with, you can call one of their offices first and ask.

We signed our privacy agreements and then got right down to work. He went over what papers we had brought and our situation to figure out if we had all the papers we needed. It turns out we forgot one but he was able to calculate it out so we didn't have to go back to search for it. He also reminded us that now that our children are older and will be getting into sports and other activities, that we need to keep receipts for anything we pay for them, to be claimed next year.

One thing I really like, is that I can see the computer he is working on, and watch him input the information so I know it's going in right. If I see an error, I could point it out right away. Not that he made any errors, but I like seeing the process.

As he inputted our information, the computer changed it around to work the best for us. This year, my husband claimed the house, I claimed the kids and I claimed our boarder. It's different every year because the computer is smart and as I said, it will move things around as needed to get you the best possible return.

By going in and having them do your taxes for you, you mostly just sit there and answer questions while they do all the hard work for you.

Also, H&R Block offers:

Maximum Refund Guarantee (they will get the biggest refund possible)
Audit Assistance (they will stand by you and help if you get audited)
Second Look Service (if a past year's return was not done by H&R Block, they will look it over to ensure you got biggest possible refund.)

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By giving your email to them, you get newsletters will helpful tips, reminders to do your taxes and FAQS about what you can claim. You can also call H&R Block, year round with your tax questions, such as wondering: Do I have to claim blog income?

If you still prefer to do your taxes from your own home, H&R Block offers that too. They even help out US citizens living in Canada, who must do US taxes too.

Be sure to check out Tax Talk - the H&R Block blog. For example, did you know that there were changes to the Ontario credits that will affect if you get a refund?

*Disclosure: I received gift certificates to do my taxes for free in exchange for this review. All opinions are honest. No other compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Shopping with Centrsource

Shopping sure has changed.

When I was a kid (not even that many years ago really) you did all your shopping in the store. If a store wasn't in your city, than you couldn't shop at it. You scoured the weekly flyers for the specials so you knew what store to go to and that was about it.

Now many stores allow you to shop online so that if there isn't a specific store in my area, I can shop online and the products shipped to my door. Even if I do have a local store, I can do all my shopping online, even grocery shopping. Plus there are daily deal sites and sites that help you find what you are looking for like Centrsource.

Centrsource is a Canadian site, run by Canada Post. It shows you deals around Canada in different categories. You can search by topic and/or by location to get offers that are relevant to where you live.

When you click on an offer, you are given more information on the product and store it comes from and you are shown how much time you have left to take advantage of the offer. It's not like daily deal sites where you only have one or two days and a certain number of people have to want it first. The deals I looked at today were good until Dec 19, November 2012 and March 2020!

There are ebooks and magazine subscriptions, electronic, home appliances, toys, pets, gifts even vehicles. You can search by seller too.

*Disclosure: I received compensation for this post. All content was written by me and is honest. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

WARNING: Reading This Blog Could Be Dangerous to Your Health!

You never know, you might go blind from eye strain, see ads that cause you to go on a shopping spree until you are broke, gain knowledge that makes your head explode or you may become addicted to my twitter feed!

Does any of this sound ridiculous to you? I sure hope so. The Canadian Reader's Digest magazine for December 2011 has an article titled The Petrified Woman by Lenore Skenazy. It's listed as humour but really I'd say it a social commentary. It's about the many warnings we get from society about everything in our life and how society really needs to lighten up.

"Stop! Are you about to eat a scoop of onion dip? It could cause meningitis. Showing some kids around your workplace? For God's sake, keep them away from the stapler. Planning a walk? Bring plenty of water or you could end up in a coma! And let's not even talk about what could happen if you take the kids to the mall and find yourselves contemplating an escalator ride. Suffice to say you should tie their shoes, insist they hold the handrail, place them in the centre of the steps and say your prayers." - pg 104 Reader's Digest December 2011

Lenore Skenazy became well known when it came out that she let her 9 year old son ride the New York Subway alone and she received thousands of vicious emails. This led to her speaking out about our scared to do anything society and then to the term Free Range Kids and it's corresponding book and blog.

"For about a month, I watched TV, cruised the internet and read a bunch of books, magazines and email "tips" to see what the average person gets warned about in the course of everyday life. The result? I am typing this from inside a giant safety deposit box. You can feed me - but no onion dip, please - through a hole I drilled in the side. I don't have a cellphone, because it could give me a brain tumour. I don't have a bottle of water, because the plastic could disrupt my endocrine receptors and turn me into a woman. Oh, wait. I already am one." - pg 106 Reader's Digest December 2011

There are some warnings in here that she found that are so ridiculous. Even if a child actually DID get hurt that way, doesn't mean the risk is high enough to warrant not using the item ever again. The Dr. Oz show is mentioned and even though I LOVE Dr. Oz, his show is not good for the paranoid. He warns against seemingly everything.

"My advice? Pay attention to your health - and a little less to the health scare of the day - and you'll be fine." - pg 109 Reader's Digest December 2011

GREAT article, I highly recommend you read it. I'd also LOVE to hear your thoughts!

*Disclosure: The link to the book is an affiliate link. I receive a few pennies if you buy something from it. No compensation was provided. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

CANADA: Zellers Goes Out With a Bang, Not a Whimper

Zellers' stores are closing! Many stores will be closing in 2012 to make room for Target and other retailers. Instead of just sitting around waiting for it to happen or just doing their regular holiday sales they are letting the customers take an active (and creative) approach.

Using Facebook, customers can help plan Zellers' Festive Finale. Customers will control the sale from setting the prices, to picking the in-store music playlist to recording and uploading their own Zellers radio spots.  Of course, face book fans will also have access to exclusive offers and deals only available to community members.

To get the word out, Zellers' is using videos. The first video has the Executive Managing Director of Zellers addressing viewers with the news that stores are closing to “make room for a huge American retailer that shall remain nameless”. He then asks Zellers' customers to help in running the final holiday sale.



I for one am sad about Zellers closing. I love shopping at Zellers and remember shopping there with my family as far back as age 4. I remember hiding on my parents in the store and freaking them out. They had staff looking all over for me while I hid in the sliding cupboards in the clothing sections. I shop there every holiday season and I'm not surprised that they are involving customers in planning their last holiday campaign.

"Our employees have always been the backbone of our company," says Ford. "To involve them in addition to our customers was critical to us."

"We wanted to make this campaign successful and memorable," says Ford, "and in many ways acknowledge the contribution that our customers and associates have made to our success over the years. We thought this was a novel, fun and very engaging way to do it."

*Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Zellers. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.