I have told you guys before how much I love using Restaurant.com gift certificates as a way to stretch our entertainment budget.  I have noticed that whenever I post about the promos I usually get lots of emails with questions about how they work. This past weekend I was chatting with a friend and she said she had never used them because she just didn’t know how they worked–WHAT??  I told her she was crazy to miss out on such a great deal!  So I thought I would break it down to help with any confusion…so Amy this is for you

I usually buy Resturant.com gift certificates when they are at 70% - 80% off.  That means that I pay $2 – $3 for a gift certificate worth $25.   Once I get the email that they are on sale I head over to Restaurant.com and type in my zip code to look for participating restaurants in my area.  Each restaurant will have different requirements. Most of the ones I go to require a $35 – $50 purchase to use the gift certificate. 

Ok…so let’s do the math for a certificate at 70% that requires a $35 purchase:

My family goes to the restaurant and we order $35 worth of food.  Once the bill arrives I give the waitress the gift certificate and now my bill is only $10 + tax and tip!  So I will pay approximately $20 for a $35 dinner.   Now add the $3 that I paid for the gift certificate and I have paid $23 for the meal!!  That means I saved 35% using the Restaurant.com gift certificate! I’d say that is a great deal!!

I have some great news…two of my readers will get a chance to check out Restaurant.com for FREE!!  I have two $50 gift certificates for two winners!! That means each winner will get $50 to use at their favorite restaurant!! 

To make it even more fun this giveaway has a twist!  The winners will get the $50 certificate and the one who scores the best deal with that $50 certificate will get a $100 certificate as a grand prize…that will definitely stretch the old entertainment budget!!

To enter just leave a comment letting me know where you would spend the gift certificate!! While you are checking out Restaurant.com you can score a great deal as they are currently offering 80% off certificates when you use the code PLATE now through 7/31. NOTE: Sue emailed me a great reminder…if your favorite restaurant is out of stock you can still buy a certificate and redeem it at any time!  So you can get the sale price and go back and use it once your favorite is back in stock!!  Also you have a year to use the certificates so I always stock up and then let my family choose based on our taste that night!!

I will choose a random winner on 8/5 around 11pm. Good luck everyone!!

Disclosure: Restaurant.com provided gift certificates to me and my winners.

Here are the latest giveaway winners…..

• The winner of the Scentsy plug-in and three Scentsy bars is Stephanie (JasperJax2003@)

• The winners of the three-month subscriptions to Smartyrents are:
  Marie7 (archerethan@)
  Analisa (mrsskoomie@)
  Michelle (mcptep@)
  Stacie (smswartz@)
  Bethany (bethanyblais@)
  Remember, even if you didn’t win, SmartyRents is still offering all of my readers a promo code worth 1 FREE month of the 1 Game at a Time package or $9.99 towards the package of your choice–just use the promo code: d1cbdd!

• The winners of the B1G1 Sprouts coupons are:
  Jessica C. (JACOBNJESS@)
  Richard King (Richking3406@)
  Rachel Linthicum (rtemples@)
  Kathryn (gordonspivey@)
  Brittany (toasty311b@)
  Stephanie (StephInSC@)
  Angel (dangeliquea@)

Congratulations to all!

So…if you need the coupons just leave a comment and I will choose a winner tomorrow night around 11 pm so I can get them in the mail on Wednesday!!

UPDATE: Odika has offered to add her 11 coupons to the giveaway…so another winner will be chosen tomorrow and will get 11 coupons thanks to Odika’s kindness!!

UPDATE #2  Cindy has also offered up her coupons to add to the giveaway!!  We will now have 4 winners that will each get 10 coupons!!  I have the best readers EVER!!

UPDATE #3 Christy from over at Haphazardly Hobbying has added another 10 coupons to the giveaway – now we’ll have 5 winners that will each get 10 coupons!

UPDATE #4 Erin from Mommy Octopus has added an additional 10 coupons to the pot…so now we are up to 6 winners that will each get 10 coupons!!  Have I told you guys that you rock??!!

UPDATE: #5 Carolann has thrown her 11 into the pot as well–that means 7 winners will get coupons!  Woo hoo!!

• The winner of the coupon for the gift card with prescription transfer is wdm4d@
• The winner of the CSN store $70 gift certificate is mysticbutterfly37@

Congratulations! 
Don’t forget to enter those still going on:  Scentsy giveaway &Smartyrents giveaway

I am very excited about this next giveaway since I have a four year old who loves to play his Clickstart and Leapster!  I can’t tell you how many games I have purchased that he has played ONCE!  I can’t wait to try this out–my four year old will be thrilled to try out new games!

SmartyRents.com is an online educational video game rental company, featuring LeapFrog and VTech games.  You can RENT games from eight game systems, including Little Leaps, Clickstart, Leapster, Didj, V.Smile Baby, V.Smile, V.Motion, and V.Flash.  All games are available to rent including those no longer available on the market for purchase.  You can choose from one of several SmartyRents rental packages to meet the individual needs of each child in your family.  This online rental company works similar to Netflix, in that, your selected game titles are shipped free, directly to your door and with no late fees. 

 One of the most impressive services SmartyRents provides to parents is the ability to search for games by a specific educational skill.  For example, if your child is struggling with addition, you can search for only those games that address addition.  Parents can search among 150 educational skills to select key skills pertinent to their child’s age and learning level.  Games are available for children as young as 9 months to 10 years old.  SmartyRents is owned and operated by credentialed teachers with Master’s Degrees in Education. After becoming stay-at-home moms, it soon became their goal to provide families with a fun and affordable way to promote education in the home.

SmartyRents would like to offer all of my readers a promo code worth 1 FREE month of the 1 Game at a Time package or $9.99 towards the package of your choice–just use the promo code: d1cbdd.  In addition, they are also offering a five of my readers a FREE 3 month membership!

Check out SmartyRents.com to see how this great website can save your family money!  This is an inexpensive way for you to provide your children with a variety of educational games without the high cost of buying a game only to have their interests change.

If you would like to win a 3 month membership to Smarty Rents here is how to enter:

I will choose five random winners on Monday 7/26 around 11pm. Good luck everyone.

Disclosure: Smarty Rents is sponsoring this giveaway. I received no compensation for this post. All comments and opinions are my own.

Kim has generously offered to give one reader a Scentsy Plug-in and three Scentsy Bars of their choice!

Scentsy products are a great fit here at my house!  My boys are um…let’s just say rambunctious…so I love that I can use Scentsy products and not worry that my boys are going to accidentally burn down my house  

This month you can score 10% off the Tiki Warmer and all Paradise Punch Scented Items.  Head over HERE to see all the great items and various scents you can choose from.

If you would like to win your choice of Plug-in and three Scentsy Bars leave a comment telling me your favorite product!

I will choose a random winner on 7/26 around 11pm.  You must leave your comment on this post. Emailed comments and those left on Facebook will not be accepted.

Here is another quick giveaway for my Atlanta folks: 

My friends over at The Budget Author are hosting a whole series of coupon workshops this summer for all you folks in Metro Atlanta!  We all know that just a few minutes of planning can mean massive savings each week.  The Coupon Workshop will help you learn the ins and outs of couponing and provide the networking options at the same time.  This is a great opportunity and what is great is that you will get a fabulous meal and they are even providing childcare!!

There are two more events this summer so you can choose the one that suits your schedule. Just click on the date you would like to attend to snag your spot!  The fee covers the workshop, as well as dinner, childcare and all the networking–Awesome! Any link will give you all the specifics and details you need!!

Coupon Workshop – Networking Event – July 15
Coupon Workshop – Networking Event – August 25

Two of my readers will get to attend the July 15 workshop for FREE!!  

Here is how to enter:

1. “Like” The Budget Author on their Facebook page  (while you are there you might as well “like” I Heart Publix too :- ) )
2. Leave a comment on The Budget Author Facebook page briefly describing either 1) your best coupon success story or 2) best money saving tip

I will choose a random winner on Wednesday 7/14  around noon. Good luck everyone!

I am confident the winner will be able to find something great!  CSN Stores sell just about anything you could possibly want…from dining room furniture to cookware–even kids toys.  Head over and checkout their sites–I bet you will find a ton of great deals.  I have my eye on some clearance cookware or  maybe I will just splurge a bit and add on to my set of Calphalon   With tons of top brands I bet the winner will have a hard time choosing which of the 200+ sites to choose from.

To enter:

1. Leave a comment letting me know what you might buy with the gift certificate.
2. Head over and “like”I Heart Publix on Facebook
3. Subscribe to I Heart Publix via email or RSS

That means you can enter up to three times. Please leave a comment on THIS post. Emailed comments and comments made on Facebook WILL NOT be included in the drawing.  I will choose a winner on Monday 7/19 around 11pm. 

Disclosure: The folks at CSN Stores are providing my reader with a gift certificate-I received no compensation for this post.  All comments and opinions are my own!

I am honestly so glad I did not have to choose a winner.  My husband had several favorites but there was one that stood out for him…so the winner is:  nicole_c_tucker@

N’s Chicken Satay Wraps
Makes 6 wraps
• 1 ¼-1 1/2 lbs finely chopped or thinly sliced pork or chicken cutlets
• 2Tb Honey
• Black Pepper
• 4 oz shitake or baby bella mushrooms, chopped or thinly sliced
• 1 bunch scallions (green onions), thinly sliced
• 4-5 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 1/2-inch of fresh ginger root, finely grated
• 4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups chicken stock separated into (2) 1-cup portions
• ½ cup Tamari (dark soy sauce) or low-sodium soy sauce
• 4-6 dashes of hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 cup dry-roasted no salt or lightly salted peanuts
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Butter or romaine lettuce, finely cut
• 1 cucumber, skin partially removed, seeded and then shredded or cut into fine match sticks
• 2 carrots, peeled and shredded
• 1 cup brown minute or jasmine rice
• Whole wheat wraps
• 1/8 c Flaked (dry) coconut

Satay filling
Using a food processor or your knife, roughly chop the peanuts.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the meat and cook until browned, about 5 minutes; then season with pepper (to taste). Add mushrooms, scallions, garlic and ginger; toss it for 2 minutes. Quickly add the peanut butter to the center of the pan and then whisk in the chicken stock, soy sauce, honey and hot sauce. Then stir in the peanuts. Reduce heat and let simmer a few minutes. Take off burner, set aside and then let cool almost to room temperature.

Rice
Instead of using water, boil 1 cup chicken stock. Follow package directions. When you take it off the heat, quickly stir in the coconut and then let it sit.

Create
Get your wrap and spoon a small amount of rice, cucumbers, carrots, and lettuce down the middle of the wrap and then add an equal amount of Satay mixture. Roll it up, cut diagonally through the middle. Serve and enjoy!

I am not surprised he chose this recipe as he is a huge peanut butter fan!!  This was fabulous!! I did modify it a bit as I used regular tortilla wraps and I left out the coconut.  This would actually be perfect to do lettuce wraps–for a lighter meal!!  Absolutely delicious!!

Congratulations to Nicole and a huge thanks for all the recipes…you guys ROCK!!

I am minus one dish this week!!  I need some suggestions…so I thought it would be fun to make it worth your effort!!  I am looking for a good chicken recipe!!  I have a ton of boneless skinless chicken in my freezer and I am out of ideas.  Leave your favorite chicken recipe here in the comments section on this post on I Heart Publix!!  Please do not email it to me or leave it on the Facebook page.  On Friday night I am going to have my husband read through all the recipes and choose his favorite.  The winner will get a $50 Amazon gift card to spend as they wish!! 

Remember the only requirements are chicken recipe, posted in the comments section by Friday 7/9 at 11pm!  My hubbie will choose his favorite and I will make it on Sunday!! 

Here is what I have planned for the rest of the week:

Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Sandwiches, Homemade Fries
Salmon Croquettes, Mac & Cheese, Marinated Coleslaw
Country Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Lima Beans
Spaghetti with Meatballs, Salad
Kabobs (pork or chicken–depends on my mood that day) Grilled Veggies, Grilled Corn
Reader’s Recipe!!

Hit me with your best recipe…I can’t wait!!