Free photo prints and desk calendar from Walgreens! Through today only!

Walgreens is offering another great FREE photo product! You can score 25 free prints and a free photo desk calendar! Simply use code FREE4X6 for the prints, or code FREEFORU for the calender during checkout. If you have a Walgreens nearby, you can even save on shipping and select in-store pick-up. I've made these desk calendars before, and they always come out great! You could put one together as a gift - these would look great filled with photos of someone's pet. Or make one for yourself! Be sure to do this now, because this offer ends tonight!

Free After Rebate: Precious Cat Litter

Precious Cat Litters believes that you will love their litters so much that they are offering to pay for your first bag! Simply go to their site to print out the form, and mail it in with your original receipt and UPC from the packaging, and they will mail you back a check for your purchase price.

Precious Cat Litters currently has 7 different litter styles available, and the rebate does not specify it is only for a particular kind, nor does it specify a package size. There is no expiration date on the form, and it is limited to one rebate per household. If you have previously received any rebates from Precious Cat Litters you are ineligible for this offer.

Go here to find a retailer near you.

2 free cans of Spot's Stew by Halo

Halo is a great pet food line that uses only the best ingredients for your animals. Right now they are offering anyone who signs up for their newsletter 2 free cans (dog or cat) of Spot's Stew! Sign-up takes seconds, and they will email you your coupon for your 2 free cans. I love receiving my Halo newsletter. It is always filled with helpful information and articles, and it is also how I receive my HaloPets coupons every month.

Halo products can be found at many pet specialty stores, including Petco. If your dog or cat will not eat Spot's Stew, consider getting the cans to donate to your local shelter.

New Wellness Pet Food Coupon

Wellness has put out their November coupons, and there is a coupon for $1 off any can Wellness dog or cat food. I love Wellness food for my kitties, and I love when these coupons come out every month. Even better? Right now PetSmart has the 3oz. cans of cat food on sale for $1.10, so you can grab a can for only 10 cents with this coupon!

Alpo canned dog food - 2 cans for $.75 at PetSmart!

A few weeks ago I mentioned a deal at Wal-Mart for Alpo canned dog food, two for $.79. Well right now at PetSmart you can score a better deal! Use this Buy One, Get One Free coupon and score 2 cans for 75 cents! Yes, it is only 4 cents cheaper, but if you are heading to PetSmart anyways it is a great deal. You have to like Alpo on Facebook to score your coupon, and remember that you can print 2 coupons per computer. I already picked up 4 cans to give to my mother and her 5 dogs.

Petco's National Food Drive: Now until November 13th

Food drives are not unusual this time of year. The holidays make us remember those around us who are struggling, and many jump at the chance to help others in need by donating food, clothing, and other goods. However, so often we overlook the "other" family members - the pets. When the economy began to tank a few years ago many shelters saw a huge increase in the number of pets being surrendered. People just could not afford to feed their pets and their families. Even though the economy has since started its very slow climb upwards many people are still struggling to provide for their families, and that includes the family pet. Here is a great article from USA Today discussing the increased need for pet food banks and donations: Pet Talk: Need for pet food banks is up in down economy.

The thought of having to give up your pet because you can no longer afford to feed it is devastating, and the Petco Foundation agrees. From October 30th until November 13th Petco is hosting its National Food Drive in many of its locations. You can stop in and donate food in their big collection bins, or go here to add a donation to your shopping cart online.

Petco has teamed up with numerous animal welfare and food bank organizations to help provide food to needy pets in hopes of keeping them at home with their owners and out of the shelters. You can go here to see a listing of participating stores and the local organizations they have partnered with. In support of this endeavor Hill's Science Diet has graciously offered to match every bag of Science Diet purchased at a Petco store and donated to the food drive, up to 100,000 lbs.!

I know there are many still struggling in the economy, and that some of you may be thinking that you cannot afford to donate very much. I will be posting a later article with some tips and links to help you stretch those donation dollars.

$5 Wellness Pet Food Coupon!

I love Wellness food for my kitties, and so you can imagine how excited I was to find this $5 off any Wellness Cat or Dog Food coupon! Right now the small bags are on sale at PetSmart for only $11.49! Print now and use it with the $5 off $25 Specialty Food Purchase at PetSmart and score a great deal!

Caring for your pets while away - a few things you should know

I love to travel. I'm one of those people who has a frequent flier account with every airline, the travel credit cards, and can pack for 2 months in a backpack. However, now that my fiance have 2 sweet kittens, we are finding that traveling, or even going away for a weekend, takes a lot more planning. My fiance and I are actually leaving in a few days to fly across the country to visit family for 10 days, and are in the process of preparing to leave our kitties with a sitter.

1. If possible, have someone familiar care for your pets.

For us this is a must. While one of my kittens is very friendly and sociable, my other kitten is very timid and afraid of new people. For many pet owners this familiar person may be a friend, neighbor, or relative that has interacted with the pet several times before, and whom the pet seems to feel comfortable around. Or, if you use a pet sitting service, see if you can request that the same sitter be the one to come to your home. By having the same person care for your pets not only will they be less stressed while you are gone, they will come to understand that this person being there means that you will be coming back to care for them, helping to ease any feelings of abandonment. If you use a kennel try and stick with the same kennel. Not only will they know your pet, but your pet will know them, thus making the transition a bit easier.

2. Boarding.

If you are new to boarding, please make sure you check out the facility beforehand. Inspect for cleanness, safety, and comfort, and make sure they are able to meet both your pet's physical and emotional needs. Is there someone there 24/7? Do the dogs get to go outside? How often? How many walks a day will they get? Are cats taken out and played with? Be sure to ask questions like these when you meet with the staff at the facility. If possible, see if anyone you know has a boarding facility they use that they would recommend. When you do drop off your pet for boarding make sure they have some comfort items with them - a favorite toy, food dishes, maybe a small towel or blanket that smells like you. Animals like to have familiar items surrounding them, just like you or I. Also, make sure the staff has your pet's food (changing food suddenly can upset their stomachs - not a fun thing when they are away from home!), and if you have a cat make sure you bring some of the cat's regular litter as well.

3. Prepare your house to be pet safe.

Pets can get into a lot of trouble when left alone. My kittens do, and my mother's 5 dogs have certainly had their fun when left unattended. If you are home a lot of the time you are able to prevent your pet from getting into anything they shouldn't - plants, food, treats, anything they can shred or chew, etc, but while you are away there may not be someone around to keep their eyes on your pet. Before you go make sure your house is made as pet safe as possible. Put away anything you do not want destroyed (especially if your pet is a chewer). If you have plants that can be poisonous to pets try to put them in a high place the pet cannot get to. Or better yet, put them outside or in a closed off room. Make sure there are no small objects around that the pet can swallow and potentially choke on. Put food and treats in a secure location - more than once I have left the doors to the "kitty cabinet" unlatched, only to come home and find bags of treats ripped open and all over my house. Also make sure that if there are favorite objects that your pet has, that they are out and available to the pet while you are gone. For us this means making sure our kitten Bruin has her favorite blanket (a Boston Bruins blanket, believe it or not!) on the couch, and that Boots has his catnip toys to play with.

4. Routine.

Just like kids, pets need routine to feel secure. Talk to the person who is caring for your animal to make sure they are able to visit at roughly the same time each day, and to do their best to maintain the routines you have with your pet. My cats follow the same meal plan every day, and our pet sitter is really great about making sure she is here to feed the cats at the same time that I feed them. Consider preparing your pet's food before leaving, portioning out dry food into baggies and labeling cans with feeding instructions. If your pet takes medication, be sure the sitter is familiar with the routine for that as well.

5. Make sure your sitter has all the information they may need.

With technology today it is much easier to in touch with someone when needed. Even so, it is best to make sure your sitter has any and all relevant information that they may need in the case of an emergency. Let your sitter know where to take your pet in case of an emergency. Be sure to leave your contact information as well as your vet's number and address. Make sure your sitter knows where items such as leashes, harnesses, and carriers are in case they need to transport your pet. Remember, emergencies can happen to people too - if possible, try and have a person that is willing to stop by and care for your pets if your sitter is unable to. Make sure the sitter has their contact information, just in case.

6. Make sure there is enough food.

This seems simple enough, but you would be surprised how many people misjudge how much food their pet really eats. I suggest buying an extra bag and a few extra cans of food, just in case. This will also make coming home less stressful for you since you will not have to rush to the store right away. Leave instructions for how much food to feed your pet, and if there are any other specifics they may need to know regarding food. For instance, when our two cats were on medication they had different morning and night food. I had to make sure I clearly labeled each can before I left so my sitter would know exactly what to feed and when. I also leave my sitter a giftcard to our local pet store or some cash just in case she runs out of something, along with a note listing the exact kinds of foods to purchase if needed.

7. Know your pet.

This of course is the most important part of preparing for your vacation. You know your animal best, and how best to care for it, and sometimes it can be difficult to leave that care in the hands of another. Tell your sitter or boarding facility about your pet, and what works best for them. One of my kitties is very talkative and loves when you talk with him. When he is not talked to he feels ignored and can get upset. My sitter knows this, and talks to him frequently while she is here. My other kitten is very shy and timid, and you need to move slowly and speak very softly to her. Again, because I know this about my pet I can tell my sitter and help to ease anxiety in my pets.

Vacation is supposed to a fun and relaxing time, not one filled with worry. Following these tips will help to ensure that both you and your pet have a pleasant time.

Using reward programs to earn free pet products: RecycleBank

So here we are, part 2 of my series on using reward programs to earn free pet products! This week I want to talk about RecycleBank.

Recyclebank is one of my new favorite programs. I have a lot of interest in recycling, and our household recycles everything we can. Recyclebank works to promote learning surrounding eco-topics, recycling, conservation, and the use of earth friendly products through its program.

Earning Points

Members can earn points by taking on green actions like recycling household goods and cutting back on energy use. One way to do this is by completing tasks on the Recyclebank website. There are often several types of tasks available, and these will change from time to time, thus allowing for more earning opportunities. Tasks may include answering a short poll or qeustionnaire, watching a quick video that discusses recycling efforts, or entering codes found on specialty marked consumer product packaging. Members ma also be invited to pledge their commitment to engaging in earth-friendly activities. For example, currently there is a pledge sponsored by Suave beauty products, asking member to pledge to reduce their showers by 2 minutes to help conserve water. By completing each of these tasks members can earn points, usually around 5-25 points, which they can later redeem for a variety of prizes.

You can even earn points by recycling at home. If your community is part of Recyclebank's Home Recycling program, you can earn points based on how much you recycle. Each week you will put your recycling out to be collected in a specially marked bin, which will then be picked up and weighed to determine how much your household recycled that week. Weight is converted into Recyclebank points, which are then added to your Recyclebank account. In some communities, Recyclebank will look at the total weight of the recycling collected in a neighborhood. Household earn rewards based on an equal percentage of the total neighborhood recycling weight. So, if your total neighborhood gathers 100 points, and there are 10 households in your neighborhood, each household will receive 10 points. Remember, not all communities participate in this program, so be sure to check to see if yours does (unfortunately, mine does not).

Recyclebank has a Visa card that you can use to earn points for your everyday purchases. It is called the Gconomy Visa card, and is a no annual fee rewards card. You can earn 1.5 points for every $1 purchased at Recyclebank participanting retailers, and 1 point for every $1 spent everywhere else. There is also a sign-up bonus of 2,500 Recyclebank points after your first purchase. I do not currently have this card, so I cannot offer my opinion on it. Like all credit cards, please do your research and make sure your credit is high enough before applying.

Members can also earn rewards when they refer other members, so if you join be sure to tell all your friends about it!

Redeeming Points

Recyclebank members can redeem their points for a selection of rewards. Like many other point reward programs Recyclebank offers various giftcards in exchange for points. Giftcards are 2,500 points for a $10 giftcard. At the moment there are 7 cards available - Best Buy, Darden Restaurants, The Gap, iTunes, Panera Bread, Home Depot, & Wal-Mart. These giftcards sometimes do change, so if you are saving for a giftcard be sure to check the list often.

Some other great rewards that Recyclebank offers are various coupons and discount codes. Members can redeem points for discount codes to online retailers, such as Uncommon Goods, KMart, Sears, ProFlowers and Perfume.com. Or they can redeem their points towards printable coupons they can use in various Brick & Mortar stores, including Dick's Sporting Goods and Macy's.

Recyclebank members can also redeem their points for great money saving coupons for a wide selection of companies and products. This is my favorite thing to redeem my points for! My favorite section is of course the pet coupons - right now you can choose from coupons for Fancy Feast, Purina Friskies canned food, Alpo, and Mighty Dog! Right now they are all Buy 2 cans, get 2 cans free coupons, but these change often, and they used to have several for free cans of food. There are a selection of other product coupons available, including Suave beauty products and Q-Tips, so be sure to check them out and save some money!

Rewards also tend to go "on sale" at Recyclebank, so you can score some great rewards for less points! These are only available for a limited time, so be sure to keep checking back

Recyclebank is a terrific program that allows members to earn rewards for taking on green actions in their everyday life. Be sure to check them out and start earning your rewards today!

Disclaimer: All links in this post contain my personal referral code. If you do not wish to open an account through my referral link, please visit www.recyclebank.com