Top 10 Companies That Offer Baby Freebies!

February 15th, 2011 - 

By the time you find out youre pregnant (pregnancy test $15) to the time junior blows out the candles on his first birthday cake (cake $20), parents can expect to spend upwards of $18,000. And thats on baby’s first year alone. By the time junior reaches 18, the average middle-income family will spend $160,140, according to recent government calculations. That doesn’t even touch college tuition. Ouch!

Children are priceless, but raising them is probably the most expensive thing a parent will ever do.

But there’s good news. One of the few times companies are eager to hand out free things is when someone is having a baby!

When author, Sue Hannah found out that she was expecting twins, she couldn’t wait for their arrival. But feeling the financial strain that goes along with being a new parent (times two), she was definitely a little nervous.

Desperate to find extra help for her expanding family, she contacted almost every company that manufactured baby items. She scoured through parenting magazines, searched the Internet and made phone calls until her husband thought she was suffering a pregnancy-induced craze. He claimed she couldnt get something for nothing. Boy, was he wrong!

She was surprised to find out that many companies offered free stuff to new and expecting parents–and with no obligation to buy anything! She received hundreds of dollars worth of fabulous freebies for herself and her babies, including free diapers, baby wipes, baby food, baby bibs, bottles, free gift packs, parenting starter kits, free parenting videos and software, coupons, parenting books and magazines, and tons of free samples in the mail, all from well-known companies like Huggies, Gerber, Heinz, Nestl Carnation, Johnson & Johnson, and many more.

“It was really exciting to receive free stuff in the mail”, says Hannah. “These companies were eager to respond to my requests for free samples and promotional items and within a couple of weeks of contacting them, my mailbox was flooded with valuable free stuff–and with no obligation to buy anything! I could hardly wait to see what my mailman brought me in the mail each day! I filled up three large storage bins with free stuff for my twins, and saved a ton of money!

After receiving a flood of free stuff in the mail, Hannah decided to compile her contacts and listings into an awesome book, Free Stuff For Baby!, consisting of toll-free numbers that parents could call to request free stuff, company addresses where parents could write to request free stuff, as well as Internet websites where parents could register online to request free stuff for themselves and their baby. And what a success that book has been! Hannah has recently appeared on several television programs promoting her new book, including, “Northwest Afternoon” (KomoTV/Seattle), “Your Morning” (Comcast), Canada AM, Breakfast Television”, to name a few. Her articles have appeared in tons of parenting magazines, including Fit Pregnancy, Today’s Parent, Work & Family, and many more!

For those new or expecting parents who are reading this article today, Hannah has offered to give you a sneak preview of her new book, “Free Stuff For Baby!”, in the form of an awesome, 101-page e-book called “The Best of Baby Freebies”, that contains hundreds of listings of companies that offer free stuff to new and expecting parents in the U.S. and Canada….FREE!! Details are available at the website. www.Free-Baby-Samples.com

Hannahs final words of advice: “Join as many mailing lists as you can to take advantage of what these companies have to offer. Enjoy your baby. Cherish every moment!

Note: When contacting these companies, ask to be put on their mailing list to receive free promotional items for new and expecting parents. If you are expecting multiples, be sure to mention that in your correspondence with them.

Check out Sue Hannah’s website at www.Free-Baby-Samples.com, where you can sign up for these and many other free baby offers online. Simple, Fast….and FREE!!

1. Pampers (Procter & Gamble)
In the United States or Canada, call 800-543-0480, 800-726-7377
U.S. Website: http://www.us.pampers.com/en_US/home.do (click on “JoinPampers.com”)
Canadian Website: www.pampers.ca (click on coupons and special offers)
Call the above-listed number to be put on the company mailing list to receive sample products and disposable diaper coupons. Call again after the baby is born to receive further offers. Pampers will also send out occasional mailings and coupons at the different stages of your babys development. When you register online at Pampers.com, you will receive a free newsletter, a $10.00 New Registration Coupon Book, private product previews and samples from Pampers, as well as special offers from other Procter & Gamble brands.

2. Huggies (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
In the United States or Canada, call 800-544-1847
www.Huggies.com
Call, or sign up online to join Huggies mailing list for new and expecting parents where you will receive coupons for Huggies diapers, wipes, and other promotional items and free samples that they are offering at the time.

3. Johnson & Johnson
In the United States, call 800-526-3967
In Canada, call 800-361-8068
U.S. Website: www.johnsonsbaby.com
www.babycenter.com
Canadian Website: www.jnjCanada.com
Parents can call the above-listed number to receive a free Baby Care Basics brochure with valuable coupons, as well as to receive occasional mailings from time to time with further offers from Johnson & Johnson. You can also attend at the Johnson’s Baby Website to sign up for their free personalized newsletter, as well as special offers. When you sign up, you will automatically be entered for a chance to win a diaper bag filled with $50 worth of Johnsons Baby products. There is one winner each month. Good luck! Residents of Canada can call Johnson & Johnson to receive a New Parents Pack with free samples, coupons, and literature.

4. Bright Beginnings
www.brightbeginnings.com
Bright Beginnings, the fastest-growing baby formula in the United States, is offering a free sample of Bright Beginnings baby formula, coupons & more. Residents of the U.S. can sign up online at the Bright Beginnings website.

5. Nestl Infant Nutrition
In the United States, call 800-242-5200
In Canada, call 800-387-5536
U.S. Website: www.verybestbaby.com
Canadian Website: www.nestle.ca (click on Good Start Magazine)
Call to join Very Best Baby to receive a free 6-month subscription to The Very Best Baby magazine, as well as to receive free money-saving checks for Nestle Infant Nutrition products. You can also register online to join the Very Best Baby at the above-listed Website. When you register online, you can choose to receive an assortment of free benefits.
Residents of Canada can call the above-listed number to receive a FREE subscription to the Nestl Baby Magazine for expecting and new moms. Along with your free magazine subscription, you will receive valuable coupons, free samples of infant formula and baby cereal (if you choose), plus information and savings on special products for new parents. You can also subscribe online to the Nestle Baby Magazine by visiting the website listed above.

6. Similac Welcome Addition Club
In the United States, call 800-BABYLINE (press #1)
In Canada, call 800-518-CLUB
U.S. Website: www.welcomeaddition.com
Canadian Website: www.welcomeaddition.com (click on “Join the Club”)
Call the above-listed toll-free number, or attend at the Website listed above to join “The Similac Welcome Addition Club”. Member benefits include money-saving discounts, free samples of Similac Infant Formulas, periodic newsletters containing expert pregnancy and parenting advice, or other gifts. Residents of Canada can call the toll-free number, or write to the address listed above to join the Welcome Addition Club to receive coupons, free samples, and a free gift for your baby.

7. Enfamil Family Beginnings (Mead Johnson Nutritionals)
In the United States, call: 800-BABY-123 (press #6)
In Canada, call 800-361-6323
U.S. Website:www.enfamil.com
Canadian Website: www.enfamil.ca
The Enfamil Family Beginnings program is a free program that is brought to you by Mead Johnson. Call the above-listed toll-free number to take part in the program and receive valuable retail checks and special offers. You can also register online at the above-listed Website to join the Enfamil Family Beginnings program.
Attend at http://www.enfamil.com/enfamil8.html/ to print out a page to pack in your suitcase and give to your nurse at the hospital when your baby arrives to receive a free diaper bag and other free samples.(Offer available at participating hospitals.)
Residents of Canada can call to receive discounts on baby formula, and to join the Enfamil First Connections” program. When you join Enfamil First Connections”, you’ll receive a keepsake box with a free product sample and coupons, informational brochures, & more. You can also register online at the above-listed Website to join Enfamil First Connections.

8. Gerber Products Company
In the United States & Canada, call 800-4GERBER
U.S. Website: www.gerber.com/mygerber/register.asp
Canadian Website: www.gerbercanada.com
Call to receive coupons for baby food, a free informational booklet, and a free baby spoon. Check out Gerbers Website to receive up to $50 in valuable coupons for Gerber products, special offers, free samples and more when you join Growing Up Gerber.

9. H.J. Heinz Company
In the United States, call 800-USA-BABY (press #2)
In Canada, call 800-565-2100
www.heinzbaby.com
Call the above-listed number to receive a free feeding booklet with discount coupons, as well as other free promotional offers from Heinz. Residents of Canada can call the above-noted number to participate in the Childrens Miracle Network program, a label-saving program where you can collect and send in the labels/box tops from any Heinz baby product. Through the Childrens Miracle Network, Heinz will make a donation of 6 cents for each label collected to a local participating childrens hospital.

10. American Baby Magazine
U.S. Website: www.freebiesquest.com(click on “baby & toddler”)
Get a FREE subscription to American Baby magazine! Are you a new or expecting parent? Do you know someone who is expecting a baby or who has a baby under 1 year of age? Check out Hannah’s website at www.freestuff4baby.com for tons of baby freebies and parenting resources!

_____________________________________________________

***For more baby freebies, don’t forget to check out Sue Hannah’s website at www.Free-Baby-Samples.com where parents can sign up for these and other terrific baby freebies. SIMPLE, FAST…..AND FREE!!!

How To Make Money With Your Own Virtual Assistant Business

August 19th, 2010 - 

How To Make Money With Your Own Virtual Assistant Business

So you want to start your own virtual assistant business. Great! I assume you want to start your own VA business not only to own your own business, but also to make money. More and more businesses are outsourcing and paying VAs, and there is no reason why you cant be one of them.

Youve got your business name, all the office equipment you need, and youve got the determination to make your business a success. So now the big question is, how do you go about finding clients?

What Type of Services Will You Provide?

We all have certain areas where our talents and interests lie. You have so many choices as to what areas you want to special in. Theres a good chance you already have experience in some of the specialty areas. Maybe you dont even realize all of the areas VAs are working in.

Heres just a small sampling of the services you could offer:

Administration
Writing services (technical or creative)
Proofreading and editing, research (online or traditional)
Scheduling
Bill paying
Simple website design
Newsletter distribution
Reminder services
Event planning
Concierge services
Research
Data processing/data management
Desktop publishing
Transcription services
Mail and email services
Telephone/fax services
Internet services
Bookkeeping
Purchasing services
Marketing services
Personal services

Once you know the types of services you are going to offer, its time to find you some clients.

What to Charge

It isnt too hard to figure out what to charge. Start by contacting local support service businesses in your area. Ask them if they can send you a price list. Get several of these to learn what everyone else is charging. You dont want to charge too much and you dont want to under price yourself so you look like you dont do great work. Find the happy medium and go with that amount. Prices are not set in stone. If you have to change your prices down the road, so be it.

Get Some Business Cards

If you want to look professional, make sure you get your business cards right away. You never know when you might meet someone who needs the services youre offering. When that time comes, all you need to do is pull out your card and hand it to them. Never be without your business cards!

Here are some great sites where you can get business cards from free to as low as $10 for 250 cards.

http://www.vistaprint.com (Click on FREE business cards)
http://www.overnightprints.com
http://www.dcp-print.com/Products/Free_Business_Cards.asp?agent_camp=1300001
(Try them out for free)

Tell Your Circle of Friends and Family About Your Business

Since you already have a relationship with your family and friends, dont forget to tell them about your new VA business. While your brother might not need your services, theres a good chance that he might know someone who does. You can start networking right away with those you already know.

Think about designing a letter or oversized postcard about your service and send it to everyone you know. Maybe even include a picture of yourself, the name of your business, the services you offer and ask that if they cant use your service, to please recommend your business to others who might. If you send a letter, include a couple of your business cards for passing on to your possible clients.

Send Out Press Releases

A press release is a great way to start your business off with a bang. I want to mention here though that a press release is not something you just send out when you open your business. Ill talk more about this a little later.

Here are some great places to find press release tips and templates:

http://www.press-release-writing.com/press-release-template.htm
http://www.marketingsource.com/pressrelease/releaseformat.html

Where to send your press releases:

-Local Newspapers
-Local Business Publications
-Local Radio Talk Shows
-Local TV News Stations

Online sites to send your press release for free:

http://www.prweb.com/aboutg.php
PrWeb is free and you can pick what area you want your press release
to be distributed to.

Other reasons to send out a press release:
Youre offering a new service
Launching a website for your business
Youve won a high profile client account or contract
Youve had an unusual challenge or adversity and overcome it; especially when others thought it couldnt be done.
You participate in a fundraising event or you are to serve in a charitable organization.
Youre offering or sponsoring a workshop, seminar, or conference
If youre changing the company name, location, web address, or product name

Im The Answer to Your Problem

Convincing your future clients that they should hire you might seem a little scary at first. But once you build more clients, and they start telling you what a godsend you are, your confidence level is going to soar.

Here are some convincing ideas to consider

-Tell your future client why they need you. Maybe you work odd hours, or you have very reasonable rates. Go over the services you offer and why you are so good at what you do.

-Explain to the client what skills you possess, your background, and your education.

-You can help your client catch-up on a backlog of work that other employees arent able to get to.

-You offer reduced costs and expenses for your client. They dont have to pay you benefits or sick time.

-You will help their business grow with your marketing techniques.

-Thanks to the technology that is currently available, using your services will save the client money. Explain that you reduce overhead. They only pay you for work completed. They arent paying someone if there is no work to do. Plus your client doesnt have to pay for sick or holiday time, or for health benefits.

It wont be long until youre confidence, strong and bright, shines through. You wont have any problems explaining to a future client that you are the right person for the job, or that you are the solution to their problems.
So What Are You Waiting For?
Making money in a virtual assistant business can be done. Full time VAs are making about $38.000 a year. This year, why cant that VA be you?
For more information about this business visit: http://www.bizymoms.com/cart/careers/va_kit.html

Comparing 0 APR Credit Cards

June 2nd, 2010 - 

Word Count:Article Body:
With all the introductory 0 APR credit cards popping up all over the internet in emails, on websites as advertisements and even in the regular mail through flyers, it is very hard to decide which credit card company is really offering the better deal in the long run. The introductory offers all look great but what happens after they expire? Do not take the introductory offer for 0 APR credit cards at face value. Above all, do a bit of research before you make your decision.

There are so many different 0 APR credit cards being offered that you can become overwhelmed. Today, you can find several companies offering 0 APR credit cards and other incentives to get you to apply for their credit cards.

The four most popular offers today include:

Citi Platinum Select Card You must have excellent credit or you will not be approved for this 0 APR credit card. The card offers 0% APR on balance transfers and purchases for your first 12 months. There is no annual fee, you can manage your account online, and there is zero liability on unauthorized purchases.

Chase Platinum Credit Card – With the Chase Platinum credit card you can be approved for their 0 APR credit cards but you must have at least good credit. You’ll get 0% interest on all purchases and balance transfers for up to 12 months. However in some cases 3 months is all you get for 0% on balance transfers (your credit history comes into play). Regardless, you won’t have to pay an annual fee and you can also access your account online. Whether you qualify for 3 months or 12 months of 0% interest, you will be paying a competitively low APR after the introductory special.

Discover Platinum Card With this 0 APR credit card you will receive the 0% introductory special for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers, with no annual fee and 5% cashback on purchases made at certain stores such as bookstores, gasoline stations, and restaurants. You’ll also get 1% cashback on all other purchases and the cash rewards will never expire as long as you are a cardholder, and in some cases, you can even double your cashback bonuses. Keep in mind, that you will need to have excellent credit to qualify for this offer.

Blue from American Express is one of American Express’ 0 APR credit cards that will give you 0% for up to 15 months, no annual fee, a credit card reward program as well as online account access. Once again, you must have excellent credit to be approved.

This is the information that you will first see when you visit the websites for these card offers while you are searching for the best deal on 0 APR credit cards, however, you should never apply with this information only. Be sure to learn if any of the points or cashback options have expiration dates, and above all, always be sure to thoroughly investigate the card offer’s terms and conditions before applying.

5 Things You Should Know About 0 APR Credit Card

April 25th, 2010 - 

5 Things You Should Know About 0 APR Credit Card Offers

Word Count:Article Body:
If you have received one of these offers in the mail, you know how tempting they can be. They claim that you will pay no interest on any purchases or balance transfers in the first period of owning your card. But there are some things about these offers you need to know before you sign on the dotted line and let them pull your credit report

1.The 0 APR offer is for a limited time.

Most credit card companies that offer the 0 percent interest rate deal only offer it for a limited time. This means that you will pay 0 APR for six months, nine months, or up to a year. You need to check the fine print for this information and be careful to notice it when the time is up.

2.The 0 APR offer might not apply to everything you put on the card.

Many cards offer 0 APR on all balance transfers and any purchases made during the introductory 0 percent interest period. But some only offer the 0 APR on balance transfers, and you pay a very high interest rate on any purchases.

3.The 0 APR offer might be null and void if you are not on time with your payment.

Most of these credit card offers are contingent on your being an exemplary member. This means that you have to pay your minimum payment on time every month during the introductory period or else you automatically lose your nice 0 APR and move up to a rate that usually ranges from nineteen to twenty-one percent interest.

4.The 0 APR offer might carry a ridiculously high interest rate after the introductory period is over.

Again, the rate of interest for these cards after the 0 APR is over usually runs from nineteen to twenty-one percent.

5.The 0 APR credit card will not repair your credit.

Remember that consolidating your cards or transferring your loan balance will help you pay off the balance without interest, but it will not remove the damage already done to your credit.

5 Pros of Owning a 0 APR Credit Card

April 19th, 2010 - 

Word Count:Article Body:
When you get the offer in the mail for a 0 APR credit card, you may be tempted to throw it out, thinking that it is too good to be true. But before you toss it in the circular file, take a good look at it. There are some distinct advantages to owning one of these 0 percent interest cards that could help you in ways you dont know yet.

1. Transfer high interest credit card balances.
If you have a credit card that you use often but cant seem to pay off, you can transfer the balance of this card to your new 0 APR card. If you are paying twenty percent interest on another card and have stopped using it because all you can afford to pay each month is the minimum balance, this is a great option for you. You can not only pay off your other balance, but you can also get your purchasing power back.

2. Consolidate all credit card debt to one card.
For people with several credit cards that are maxed out, consolidating them all onto one 0 APR card is the perfect way to pay down the debt quickly. Instead of your monthly payment going to the interest alone, you will be able to pay on the principle for the entire 0 APR introductory period.

3. Transfer high interest rate loan balances.
If you have a car loan that is at an exorbitant interest rate, this is your chance to pay off the loan with no interest. Pay it off at the bank with the 0 APR credit card and then make your interest free payments to the card to pay off this balance.

4. Make big ticket purchases with no interest financing.
Planning to buy some furniture or an appliance? Want to buy some plane tickets to Europe? Use your 0 APR credit card to finance the purchase of these items at 0 percent interest.

5. Improve your credit.
By paying your bill on time each month and paying off balances from other cards or loans, you improve your credit score and better your chances for getting future credit offers.