Max #YourTaxCash With Walmart Family Mobile + Somewhere Under The Rainbow Movie Night

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, Walmart Family Mobile. All opinions are mine alone. #YourTaxCash #CollectiveBias

Momma Told Me: Some things in life are year-round.

Hopefully, by now, everyone has filed their taxes for the year, as the deadline is imminently looming. I know, it's not exactly high on the 'fun list' but it's definitely one of the 'joys' of adulthood you want to get done and over with so you can reap the benefits. Whether it's the peace of mind knowing you don't have to worry about paying taxes for another 365 days, or the cushy refund check hitting your bank account- tax time inspires many to celebrate. In fact, this year we're celebrating with Walmart Family Mobile's Unlimited* Talk, Text, & Data which *includes up to 10GB of 4G LTE then 2G and a free movie credit on VUDU every month ($7 value) for $49.88 per month, per line. It's how we're keeping the family connected throughout the year, and stretching those tax time dollars.

You might remember, earlier this month, I shared how I replaced my old Samsung phone with a new Samsung Galaxy On5 handset, on rollback at Walmart now for just $69*. (* All prices for phones and plans included in this post are accurate as of the date of posting; however, these prices are subject to change. Please refer to http://cbi.as/7e-jr or your local Walmart for current pricing.) Thanks to Walmart Family Mobile's $19.88 SIM Kit I was able to choose, or bring, my phone of choice to the Walmart Family Mobile plan without any additional start up costs. And that's a true blessing considering the 4 digit number I just handed over to the IRS!

Of course the phones aren't the reason we've been using Walmart Family Mobile for several years now- it's the affordable plans like their Unlimited* Talk, Text, & Data plan which *includes up to 10GB of 4G LTE then 2G and a free movie credit on VUDU every month ($7 value) for $49.88 per month, per line. Since we don't have to commit to multiple lines to qualify for special pricing, or calculate any hidden taxes and fees both Jay and I enjoy fast service with unlimited* data at a price that leaves a decent chunk of Jay's refund in the bank for some family fun time. Of course, that's when I can get him to put his phone down from catching critters with apps and streaming his favorite music. 10G of 4G LTE data goes a long way!

Inspired by the FREE monthly (per line) VUDU credit (a $7 value, equal to a new release rental) with out Walmart Family Mobile Plus Plan, I decided to bring the family together for a special movie night. My theme? Somewhere UNDER the rainbow, of course! Now, don't get caught up in that wizard movie with the ruby slippers- This UNDER the rainbow themed movie night is about everything colorful and magical. Anything goes, and it doesn't jut have to be frills and sparkles, dragons and sea monsters are welcome too! Just make sure everyone arrives wearing their favorite colors- bonus points for a color-themed outfit!

Movie night just isn't movie night without a great big, comfy, blanket. I've seen no-sew knot blankets online plenty of times, and I recently bought a crocheted mermaid tail blanket, but I hadn't seen anything unicorn inspired. Since I have absolutely NO sewing skills I dreamed up a super simple knot blanket that the entire family will want to steal!

Start with 2 giant pieces of white blanket fleece. (2 even cut pieces of 4 yards in total length, aka 2 cut yards, will make a Full size blanket. Overlap your white fleece being mindful that any surface you set them on may be linty and ultimately fuzz up your pretty white surface. Measure out to the middle of the fleece, horizontally, and then measure down about 16" from the top edge. Pinch the fabric and place a 1" slit horizontally through both layers of fabric. Place a second 1" slit about an inch down from the first. Move 3" down from the bottom slit and repeat until you have 6 pairs of slits down the center of the blanket.

Cut 4 even strips of approximately 6' in length and 3" in width from each of your 'mane' fleece colors. Loop all 4 of each color through both notches, red through the first set of notches, orange through the second, etc. The notches should be snug enough to hold the mane in place . Feel free to tie or braid the strips if desired. I chose to leave my mane free-flowing to cut down on bulk and weight, and give it a more playful feel.

During family movie nights we like to have an intermission, so I decided to plan a fun and quick game that everyone could enjoy. Balloon darts have long been one of my favorite carnival games, but I don't love the idea of tossing sharp objects around with kids and pets present. Instead, I used a foam board to mount some air filled balloons with tack pins lightly pressed through the back. A few of the balloons were filled with surprises such as toys, candy, or confetti to add to the fun.

Dart free balloon darts may not require quite as much skill and precision as the traditional game, but bean bags can still pose a bit of a learning curve. They also, apparently, incite a family wide game of tag involving the hurling of bean bags throughout the house.

To make our family movie night a little more special I wanted to add a few 'wow' decorations that wouldn't cost much, or take too much time. A 6-pack of these 32" jumbo clear balloons require a decent chunk of helium (if you're using those portable party tank kits, like me) but are completely work it. Just use a paper punch to punch confetti through colored tissue paper and fill these balloons with rainbows before you blow them up. If you don't have helium on hand, you can blow these up by mouth (they'll still be huge and fun, they just won't float.) If your confetti loses some of it's 'stick' before movie night arrives just rub the edges of the balloon on the carpet to generate static!

*PRO TIP: Use biodegradable tissue paper and give the balloon a pop outside at the end of the night for a celebratory shower of confetti!

It doesn't take a lot of time, or money, to really turn your living room into something magical. We bought most of our supplies at Walmart, and the rest we had on hand from craft projects or other events. I'll admit, I may have spent a few late nights on my Samsung Galaxy On5 browsing Pinterest boards for party ideas and inspiration, but that was half the fun!

While our coffee table and couches served as the main hub for our movie night, I wanted to bring a little rainbow to our mantel as well. A few white daises in colored water and glasses of varied heights helped offer a special touch that I particular appreciated as an adult participant. Of course I snapped tons of photos to send to Jay while I decorated and prepared. It was nice to be able to communicate, and even video chat, reliably thanks to our unlimited* data. (Includes up to 10GB of 4G LTE† data then 2G)

I won't lie the very thought of a single rainbow makes me giddy, so this rainbow fantasy themed movie night really put a smile on my face. I tossed some white wrapping paper across our coffee table to provide a blank canvas and really let my snacks and decor pop. The white paper also happens to double for a literal canvas where family and friends can doodle and make their mark with provided crayons and coloring pencils! As a 'centerpiece' I cut some hula-hoops in half and taped them together to make a mini rainbow. A sprinkling of rainbow swirl lollipops and leftover confetti added an instant splash of fun.

We can NEVER agree on what to watch in our household. Movie night is no exception. We've tried 'taking turns' and it just never works out. To help make the task of agreeing upon a movie to use our VUDU credit on a little more fun I decided to take a bunch of colored popcicle sticks and write some themes on them. The idea is that everyone pulls a stick and the family browses the thousands of titles available for streaming to find a film that best fits the requirements on the sticks. For our movie night we drew a 90 minute (or less) comedy, which was also a remake. Try to guess what we ended up watching with VUDU on our ROKU®!

For those who have short attention spans, such as children or husbands, or those who have seen the movie a million times I also made some fun I-Spy printable coloring sheets that everyone can enjoy. Click here for the dragon printable, or here for the unicorn printable.

Print these coloring sheets out and write a few objects, themes, or events in the clouds. This could be anything as obvious as 'an animated character' or 'a dog house' to something a bit more obscure such as 'time travel' or 'a flashback'. Use your judgement when you choose based on the age of the person filling our that particular sheet. The person with the most clouds colored at the end of the movie wins!

It wouldn't be movie night without plenty of snacks to munch on. Rainbow fruit skewers with strawberries, mango, pineapple, blueberries, kiwi, and grapes make for a fresh and fun snack while various rainbow colored candies or crackers will allow family members to indulge a little. I also added a few drops of blue coloring to our soda, and a few double headed serpent gummies to add a bit of whimsy to our drinks!

Lastly, the key to a successful family movie night isn't really in the decorations, food, or games. As awesome, and productive, as it is to be plugged in and online during the day when everyone is out and about family time requires a disconnect. Jay likes to argue, "But how will we get out money's worth with ALL of the free data?" Regardless, I make him hand over this phone for movie night too. In fact, I even have a special tray for those electronics to nap in when the lights go out and the big screen comes on. After all, they can text all their friends and tell them how awesome movie night was after the final credits.

Thanks to our free, monthly per-line, VUDU credit with out Walmart Family Mobile Plus Plan we'll be enjoying a lot more family movie nights. We'll also be maxing our tax cash with smarting spending on our unlimited*mobile plan which helps us stay connected year-round for one low monthly cost. (*Includes up to 10GB of 4G LTE† data then 2G) Tell me, how would your family decide on a movie each month if your phone plan gave you a free (*7 new release) movie credit?

 What Daughter Says: Tax time may shine a spotlight on money, but making smart decisions year-round will set you up for success!

Max #YourTaxCash With Walmart Family Mobile + D.I.Y Smartphone Stands

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, Walmart Family Mobile. All opinions are mine alone. #YourTaxCash #CollectiveBias

Momma Told Me: Sometimes success is painful.

It's that time again. Tax time.

This year I reached a milestone in taxes owed- something those older than me are quick to remind me is in fact a blessing in disguise, not a curse to be lamented over. After all, when one's taxes go up that means their income has also increased. More profit, more taxes. Somehow I'm not quite at the jumping up and down phase of acceptance, yet. On the other side, Jay seems to have balanced his deductions, at last, to actually break even with the IRS come tax time. He no longer sees a Federal refund, but had a decent sized State refund coming back to him. Since we're not married, I had the solo joy of watching my piggies fly out of my bank account as Jay watched them fly into his.

Whether you're paying taxes or enjoying a refund we can all agree that this is one time of the year when we all want to stretch our buck a little extra further. Thankfully Walmart Family Mobile, and their wide selection of affordable plans and phones can help me max my tax time dollars.

Our family is no stranger to Walmart Family Mobile, we've blogged many times about several of our family member who have joined their money saving plans. One of the things I love most, as a customer, is the wide range of handsets the store carries, and the constantly improving and growing range of mobile service plans to fit every type of consumer. Their Walmart Family Mobile Plus Plan offers Unlimited Talk, Text and Data which includes up to 10GB of 4G LTE service, followed by unlimited 2G service, as well as a FREE VUDU movie credit every month, per line, for $49.88 (*
All prices for phones and plans included in this post are accurate as of the date of posting; however, these prices are subject to change. Please refer to http://cbi.as/7e-jr or your local Walmart for current pricing.) Signing up for the Walmart Family Mobile Plus plan is as easy as visiting your local Walmart and picking up a $19.88 SIM Kit. The SIM Kit, and your phone of choice, is all you need to get started making calls, and enjoying unlimited* data right away!

At the end of last year my old phone began to reset itself multiple times a day and lock up- so I was excited to find the Samsung Galaxy On5 on rollback for $69 at my local Walmart. It offers all the same features as my old smartphone, such as a high quality camera, WiFi connection, Bluetooth, responsive touch screen, and more. Even better, I get amazing service in and around my with Walmart Family Mobile's network. (Check your coverage here!) And I love that I can be single and on my own smartphone plan without breaking the bank each month, or signing a contract!

I'll admit- I use my phone a lot to keep up with work and social media, but I use it even more to keep myself entertained while on the go. Yes, I'm that one girl who's stopping on the sidewalk to swipe her screen up a million times trying to catch a rare creature, or pulling out her battery pack and earbuds in line at the DMV. I use a LOT of data, and data doesn't grow on trees (it grows on clouds, silly!) Which is why having unlimited data (*Includes up to 10GB of 4G LTE† data then 2G) for one flat monthly rate, with Walmart Family Mobile, is worth it's weight in gold to me.

I was feeling pretty proud of myself for snagging an amazing deal on a new phone, and putting my lack of tax return to good use by saving money on my mobile plan, that I got a little inspired. I really wanted to dress my new phone up a little with something I didn't see in every store or boutique, so I picked out a few children's animal figures from the toy department at Walmart. I also grabbed some crafting suction cups, super glue, and a box cutter. For those who want to go truly all out you can find clear acrylic dust plugs to make your own smartphone charms online.

The concept's simple, really, on a flat, stable, blade ready surface (such as wood or a polypropylene cutting board) carefully slice the head off your chosen animal figure. Use slow, targeted, strokes and be patient. Good quality toys will be made from a rubberized material that will be easier to cut, while cheaper figures may have a harder plastic finish with a hollow center. Depending on the animal you may want to cut the head at an even horizontal cut, and then cut the remainder of the neck to leave a flush vertical surface.

Use a drill bit to carefully create a small hollow on the inside of your animal's head for your dust plug to rest in and glue it in place. Depending on the materials you may need to use hot glue. Male sure your suction cup has a flat back and glue it to your animal's neck/body. Viola! Instant animal accessories for your smartphone!

After making your own smartphone stands and charms you might be feeling pretty smart- I know I sure did. But there's nothing smart about paying too much for your smartphone service. Or, even worse, paying too much for too little service. On top of patting yourself on the back when your bill comes in each month, Walmart Family Mobile even gives you that extra reason to celebrate with the FREE VUDU credit (a $7 value, the equivalent of a new release) so you can spend some serious family time celebrating each month as well. Yes, Walmart Family Mobile is kind of a tax time tradition in our home- upgrade our phone, upgrade our plan- we always find a way to max our taxes just a little more with Walmart. Now, tell me, are you paying taxes or enjoying a refund this year?

What Daughter Says: Whether you're paying or getting money back this tax season, max your tax dollars with smart decisions such as a great mobile plan.

(* All prices for phones and plans included in this post are accurate as of the date of posting; however, these prices are subject to change. Please refer to http://cbi.as/7e-jr or your local Walmart for current pricing.)

#intelliGLASS Not Only Protects, It Enhances Your Smartphone Experience- Giveaway

***I received the following product through Tomoson, in exchange for my honest opinions. All photos contained below are copyright Momma Told Me Blog 2015.

Momma Told Me: This is why we don't buy nice things!

When I was about 10 I saved up for my very first GameBoy. I took out the trash, swept the patio, did the dishes, and vacuumed the house for 6 whole months, at $3 a week. In the end my grandmother contributed the rest for my birthday gift that year. The GameBoy Pocket had just been released, but I was strictly forbidden to spend money on any device so new, let alone one marketed towards children and intended to be portable. None-the-less, I remember walking out of that Game Exchange with my head held high, beaming of pride, and showing anyone within earshot my fancy new to me, used, GameBoy system.

Exactly 13 days later, and, I recall the number of days because Momma would later repeat it every time I so much as glanced at a portable gaming system for the next decade, I allowed my pride and joy to tumble from the back seat of out family's mini van face down onto the pavement below. An incident that today would seem quite harmless, but to a behemoth of a handheld like a classic GameBoy meant a cracked LCD screen and the end of a beautiful relationship.  In all $55 had been spend on that handheld gaming device, and Mommas was not about to let me forget during the remainder of my adolescence.

The original GameBoy was release with a market price the equivalent of a modern day $170- Today most new smartphone generations average over $500. I needed remind you that smartphones are used far more heavily than any portable gaming device- heck, they double as gaming devices, and GPS systems, and veritable tablets. We, as a society, are more and more attached to our smartphones every day. So, when we buy them we slap a case on it and a thin piece of plastic we call a screen protector. Unfortunately, I, personally have seen 4 Galaxy S4 or higher phone models meet their end with a shattered screen, while wearing one of these supposed screen protectors.

What are you really protecting your phone from with a plastic sheet? A replacement screen for any smartphone 2-3 generations recent runs more than $100, with installation. That's a hefty chunk to pay for a device you were likely already saving up to replace! Using a glass reinforced screen protector such as intelliARMOR intelliGLASS screen protector on your mobile device is just plain common sense.

Many people I've talked to about 'glass' screen protectors have several reservations. For starters, it's hard to talk someone into spending $20-$40 for a screen protector when they can buy a 3 pack of 'regular' protectors on Amazon for $5. intelliARMOR intelliGLASS protectors are available for devices as recent as the Samsung Galaxy S6 for just $12.95, and include a Lifetime Warranty. It's important to keep in mind that an intelliGLASS screen protector is intended to absorb scratches and harsh impacts to protect your phone's natural screen, and is not promised to be indestructible. That is to say the screen protector will 'take the fall' for your phone when it really matters- should the fall prove untimely, simply submit a warranty claim for a replacement screen protector.

The next concern I hear a lot is the ease of application. People often hear that glass based protectors can shatter or break if not installed properly, or worry that the installation process is simply too involved to do themselves. In this post I've given you a visual breakdown of the easy steps to application. Clean your hands and your work surface thoroughly to start. The intelliARMOR intelliGLASS screen protector includes a kit with everything you need for application. Use the included alcohol pad to remove any residue from previous protectors, dust, or oils. Place the 'Dirt Clean Film' on the clean screen surface and remove any finite, invisible, dust and specks.

Next, remove the backing from the intelliGLASS screen protector and position it above the screen- slowly lower it into position. Watch in amazement as the intelliGLASS binds itself to your phone, all air bubbles and pockets rushing out towards the edges as it adheres and seals. Use the included screen wipe to smooth out the intelliGLASS for good measure and admire your slick new, armored screen. Application couldn't be easier and, in my opinion, is simpler than traditional screen covers that tend to bubble and require repositioning.

If you're concerned about the intelliGLASS being too thick, I've found no disruption with multiple styles of modern smartphone cases for my Samsung Galaxy S4. In fact, let's talk a little about how it does feel- because that is the FIRST thing people notice when they pick up my phone. The screen is noticeably more responsive, thanks to the oleophobic coating which repels oils and keeps your touch gliding even and smooth. I daresay it feels as good as, or better than, my devices natural 'naked' screen. And, if you're concerned about safety, the intelliGLASS screen protectors feature a lightweight glass 'core' wrapped in a shock absorbing outer coating which prevents dangerous loose shards and pieces should the protector crack upon impact.

I've been using my new intelliGLASS screen protector for a few weeks now- and my father has already gone through a 'cheap' imposter he got on Amazon. Don't be fooled by other protectors with 'glass' in the name, they are not all created equal. My only regret with #intelliGLASS has been that I didn't invest in one sooner- my smartphone's usage experience has been enhanced greatly by the touch and feel of this wonderful phone armor device, and I'll likely be gifting several this holiday season! Have you ever lost a phone or mobile device due to an unfortunate mishap?

What Daughter Says: Protect your investment while enhancing it's experience- choose intelliARMOR for mobile devices.

One Momma Told Me reader will win an intelliARMOR product of their choice.