Author Archives: lifewithlilred

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About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!
Dec8

Ballin’ On A Budget Christmas Gifts

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Ballin’ On A Budget Christmas Gifts

Hi! Christmas is coming in hot and it is no secret that this year’s holiday celebrations will be much different than in 2019. COVID-19 has put a damper on literally everything and many are still out of work and struggling to make ends meet. It is understandable that the holiday season might be stressing out those in a pinch even more so I put together a list of totally sweet and cheap gift ideas that will make anyone’s day. It’s always, always the thought that counts and your giftees will love the following:

Picture this:

Do you have a ton of favorite selfies and pics with one of your giftees? Print a couple out and frame them or print out a bunch and tuck them away in a photo album. I love this gift idea and have used it often, myself. Photos bring you back to happier times like vacations, girls night out, and family get togethers. Everyone can certainly smile more during these times and a pic with you and your giftee will do the trick just fine.

DIY:

Another simple and fun gift idea is all things DIY. How about crafting some holiday ornaments for everyone on your list? Holiday themed decor always goes over well and your options are limitless. Perhaps painted winter scenes to hang up? Homemade bath and body care items or candles? Or you could assemble all of the ingredients to make holiday cookies into a cute Mason jar. DIY gifts are special because no one else in the world will have something like it!

Future fun:

Talk to your giftees about what they are most excited to do when it’s safe. Are they dying to see a movie in theaters? Browse the mall care free for the afternoon? What about dining at their favorite restaurant? Get the deets and present a plan for a day together with those on your list in 2021. This is insanely thoughtful and it shows that you’re listening when your loved ones talk to you. Also, who doesn’t like having something to look forward to?!

Family Day:

Instead of a gift, why not opt to plan a winter wonderland day for your family post or pre Christmas? Host a snowball fight or a trek through the woods. What about ice skating on a lake? Or driving around to look at Christmas lights? It will be such fun to have everyone all together again! Have hot chocolate ready for once you head inside and pop on a Christmas movie or comedy to keep the good vibes going. I would love to do this with my family. 🙂

Books & movies:

I don’t know anyone who isn’t constantly asking for recommendations of books or movies to help ease their pandemic boredom. Choose a new book or movie that you think your giftee would love. It could be one of your favorites, it could be something new from their fave author or actor – heck, it could be something totally random! Either way, you are providing some entertainment for everyone on your list and they will be most appreciative when they feel like there is “nothing” to do.

The holidays shouldn’t be a stressful time so try and enjoy yourself! Easier said than done, I know. But, as I said before, the thought you put into your gifts is the most important thing so use the ideas above to help get you started. ❤

How is your holiday shopping going? Do you have a gift you are really excited to give? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec7

Holiday Season Writing Prompts

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Holiday Season Writing Prompts

Howdy! In case you haven’t noticed, I am most sympathetic to bloggers that are struggling to create content during the COVID-19 pandemic. Writing is an amazing outlet and I think that I would go crazy if I didn’t keep with my routine of daily blogging. It saddens me that there are people in the blogosphere who feel like they have nothing to say right now and I want to help. I have posted several dozen writing prompts throughout this year and I don’t plan on stopping now!

If you need some inspiration to get a post going, try writing about the following:

  • Holiday gift guides (Best gifts for him, her, parents, children, etc.)
  • Safety tips for celebrating this holiday season
  • Stories behind any of your favorite holiday decor
  • Special holiday memories
  • Favorite recipes for cold weather
  • A favorite gift you have received or given
  • What your holiday will look like this year in comparison to last
  • Sweet treats! Cookie decorating, chocolate making, etc.
  • What winter weather is like in your neck of the woods
  • A holiday themed OOTD or MOTD
  • Holiday traditions in your family
  • Pro tips for perfectly wrapped presents
  • Favorite cold weather activities
  • What the holiday season means to you

The list could go on and on…

If you’re still having a rough go of creating content and find these posts helpful, let me know because I can always make more. Questions or concerns? Write a comment or email me at: sarah.mush6794@gmail.com ❤

Has blogging in 2020 been hard for you? What are you excited to do when it’s safer to do so? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec6

2020 Writing Tips

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2020 Writing Tips

Hello! lifewithlilred is known for having fresh new content every day and, other than a few rare occasions, I can say that I have posted something daily for the past six plus years of my blog’s existence. Mind you, this is no easy task and even I suffer from writer’s block – especially in 2020.

I’ll be the first to admit that it’s hard to come up with content when there really isn’t anything to do safely, compliments of COVID. That hasn’t stopped me, though, and it shouldn’t prevent you from creating, either. If you’re struggling to post new content, take a look at some of the tricks that I use daily for a little inspiration:

Your posts do not have to be “groundbreaking”:

Just because it feels like you have nothing to write about doesn’t mean you don’t have anything to write about. Your posts don’t always have to be deep or profound. They can be goofy, short, and simple and people will still like it just the same. I find that my readers are happy to hear from me daily even if some of my posts are just a couple of paragraphs long.

Don’t drive yourself crazy trying to come up with content that could go viral or spark a huge discussion. All this will do is make you second guess the ideas that you have that aren’t as grand. We are all struggling through 2020 together and your readers aren’t going to like you any less if your content isn’t up to your usual standards. I promise, we all get it. ❤

Find inspiration in small things:

Johnny and I have been pretty much confined to our small apartment since March. Of course, it’s difficult to come up with posts when we are no longer going here, there, and everywhere. However, this has taught me to find inspiration in all of the little things to write about.

Did you watch a great new series on Netflix? How was your Zoom game night with your friends? Did you wrap any holiday presents recently? I promise that your small victories, struggles, or hilarious mishaps are all post-worthy. Big or small, your readers want to know what you’re up to. Don’t be so hard on yourself!

Have FUN:

I know this sounds lame but writing should be fun so have a ball with it! I love writing to music and once I’m jamming and getting into a good groove, I feel like I can’t stop writing even if I want to. Being a blogger is as fun as you make it and that should be encouraged on your page.

Host a question and answer session. Try a holiday giveaway. Do a top ten countdown of your favorite posts. There are plenty of ways to get feel good vibes on your blog but it starts with you. Don’t get discouraged – just put on your favorite songs and see what you can come up with. 🙂

I have been asked countless times throughout the COVID pandemic how I am still writing every day and I tend to answer with a combination of the tips above. I can’t wait to see what all of you come up with on the blogosphere!

How do you find inspiration for your posts? What do you do when you have writer’s block? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec5

Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

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Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

Hello! Way back in May of this year (Doesn’t that seem like forever ago?!), one of my favorites, Sheryl, guest blogged on lifewithlilred for the first time. We became fast friends and I am always so happy to chat with her whether that be over the blogosphere, Facebook, or email. Despite never meeting in real life or our difference in age (Although, Sheryl doesn’t look a day over twenty-one!), we have so much in common and I am very thankful to be her “young friend” as she calls me. ❤

Please check out Sheryl’s Light to keep up to date on all of the delightful musings of my dear friend and enjoy her guest post that she made special for lifewithlilred:

Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

I’m posting today in answer to my friend, Sarah’s, call for holiday guest blog posts. I wasn’t going to blog today so reading her post prompted me to jump on the bandwagon. In reading my Facebook newsfeed I have noticed a lot of my friends have already put up their Christmas trees to stave off the coronavirus blues. Yesterday, I decided to decorate mine too! Sometimes I get lazy or my back will hurt. I’m glad I did.  

Seeing a winter scene of twinkling Christmas house lights on a snowy landscape is so pretty. The same feeling comes with the lights on my Christmas tree:

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My son and his family are visiting his dad in Florida so I snapped the top picture to send to him. He loved it, stating that they couldn’t wait to get home to Texas to put up their tree. They have this huge Christmas tree that was decorated minimally for the last few years because of the grabby little hands of my two grandsons. This year, with them being four and five now, they can put a few more decorations on their tree! I can’t wait to see it.

Next, I’m going to pull out the rest of my Christmas decorations completing the scene. I save all of my old Christmas cards to put up on the doors which makes it very festive! This year will, of course, be very different from the previous years. Where I live there will be no Santa for the kids, no hot chocolate and cookies, and no decorated Common Room. 

The positive that’s coming out of all of this is not boo-hoo what I’m missing but more that I will never take the get-togethers of the Christmas season for granted ever again. I came across this hilarious video which is so true of Christmas 2020.

Take Care,
Sheryl Rose

Have you completed your holiday decorating? How does it look? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec4

Productive & Rewarding Activities To Do As A Family

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Productive & Rewarding Activities To Do As A Family

As a parent, you’ll want to do all you can to make your child’s (or children’s) quality of life the best it can be. This means you’ll have to put in work in various areas. Educating them is obviously high on the list of priorities. Keeping them healthy mentally, physically, and socially is also important, of course. You also must make sure that their minds are being stimulated every single day in a positive sense, too. Part of being a parent is helping your child to view life in an optimistic and positive light. There is very little point to life if we’re not enjoying every single day!

Your job is to raise them properly and ensure that they have every advantage going into their adulthood when they’re entirely responsible for their own life. No matter how old your kids are, they are never too old to do things together as a family. Here are some activities that you can do with your family that will be educational, productive, rewarding, and fun:

Family work outs and exercise:

Working out as a family is a great way of bonding as well as staying fit and healthy. It’s often tedious and grueling when you have to work out on your own – especially during the cold, dark, and gloomy days. Getting your gang to tag along with you can be so rewarding. Not only will you all enjoy it, but you’re teaching your entire family about the kinds of things they need to be doing in order to feel better mentally and physically. They could also pick up all kinds of sporting hobbies – which is, of course, an added bonus.

Extra curricular schooling:

Some kids may not like the idea of learning things when they’re away from school. Others, however, may find something they genuinely love and they may want to delve into it even further. The practice of learning from home has become a lot more popular due to the pandemic, but that doesn’t mean it has to stop once life gets back on track again. One thing’s for certain; you’ll have a much smarter child on your hands than if you don’t bother with it!

Work on the house:

Nobody’s expecting you to behave like professional remodeling companies, of course. Even though that would be AMAZING if you could replicate that stuff! Doing some DIY and conjuring up little projects would be fun a place to start. You’ll get productive tasks done while teaching the kids (and yourself) all kinds of new, useful skills.

Travel to new places regularly:

Doing the same kinds of things over and over again, even if you find them quite entertaining, will end up being boring. You won’t stimulate your brain anywhere near as much as perhaps you should. Visiting new areas of the world definitely would. Even new areas in your home country need exploring! You’ll learn so much and your confidence would grow a lot. Plus, there are plenty of awesome memories to be made when traveling with your family!

Enjoy quality time all together with the ideas above for an even stronger family unit in the future.

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Dec4

Three Hobbies To Take Up In 2021

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Three Hobbies To Take Up In 2021

The year is slowly coming to an end, bringing with it a time for reflection and looking to the new year. If you are starting to think about some new hobbies to take up, there is no better time to do so. It could be that you have always wanted to learn to dive or that there is a budding artist in you just waiting to get out. No matter what it is, there are a plethora of new skills out there just waiting to be discovered. Have a think about what you want to do and then consider how you are going to do it. Is it a course that you can do online? Or do you have to travel to do it? Will you need any equipment like a camera? How much will it cost? These are all important things to consider. Here are three new habits that you can take up in 2021:

Horse riding:

Horse riding is a great hobby to take up. It has a whole host of benefits as well as being a ton of fun too! By riding a horse, you will soon find that your posture has improved and that your coordination and balance has got better. It is also a brilliant way to get close to the beautiful animals, and you can help out with everything from grooming them to training them if you wish. Once you have been riding for a while, you could take your horse riding up a level and enter competitions or showjumping. You can teach your horse to jump over hay bales and other obstacles and compete against others.

Can all horse riders learn how to jump? The answer is yes, and if you are a confident rider, you may even be able to join local competitions. Remember, however, professional jockeys are a completely different kettle of fish. That being said, if you feel inspired reading Freddie Vasquez Equestrian reviews, you could also start jump courses and see where this takes you. It can be a super fun activity as long as you feel confident. It may look easy but it is hard work for the rider too! In short, it can be a great way to get those thigh muscles working!

Photography:

When it comes to learning a new skill, photography is an exciting choice. Not only will you learn something new, but you can also get some photos printed out that you can put up on the wall. It is a great way to remember good times and memories, as well as get images of people and places that you love. There is always something new to experiment with in photography and you have the possibility of turning your hobby into a career.

Crocheting:

Crocheting is a valuable skill to have, and it is relatively easy to learn and cheap to do. Once you have bought the wool and needles, you have the tools to create a whole host of beautiful crochet items to wear and for your home. Whether you decide to make a blanket, cardigan, or a scarf, the options are endless. One of the best things about crocheting is that it can be done anywhere at any time, and you will soon find the number of items you can create getting bigger and bigger.

These are just a few ideas of hobbies to take up in 2021 that are sure to pique your interest. No matter if you start it and love it or do it for a few weeks and realize it’s not quite for you, the most important thing is that you have taken on a challenge, pushed yourself out of your comfort zone, and tried something new. Don’t be afraid to try something else if your first option doesn’t work out!

Featured Image By: Alexander Dummer from Pexels

Dec4

Sweet Surprises: A Thanksgiving Stowaway Edition

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Sweet Surprises: A Thanksgiving Stowaway Edition

Hello!! Sadly, Johnny and I were not able to attend Thanksgiving with my family and it really, really sucked. It was so hard to visit my loved ones outside and not be able to hug them and enjoy the day together. It was especially difficult to not be able to hold my niece, Valerie, because she is my lil BFF and I have never not held her whenever I see her since she has been born.

My parents were nice enough to drop Thanksgiving dinner off on mine and Johnny’s doorstep and it wasn’t until the following day that I noticed a little stowaway on the bag they sent over:

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Valerie loves playing with stickers and her and my sister stuck this little guy from Trolls onto our to go bag. I didn’t notice it right away because it was on the backside of it and it made me so happy when I finally saw this “hi auntie” message from my niece.

The little things really do make the best sweet surprises. I wish I could have been there to hear Val say “uh oh” when one of her stickers ripped and I am so ready for Christmas so I can be there when her and her parents open all of her prezzies.

This Thanksgiving was straight up not a good time for me or Johnny and I am sharing these stories to help remind and encourage people to continue wearing their masks and social distance. The food, my sticker stowaway, and being with Johnny made the day not the worst but our Thanksgiving would have been so much better had we been able to celebrate traditionally.

Regardless, my sweet surprise from my niece and sister definitely helped perk me up. It is also a nice reminder that even the smallest gestures can have such a great impact. Be kind to everyone because you have no idea what they’re going through. Who knows, you might be helping make their bad day just that little bit better. 🙂

How did you safely celebrate Thanksgiving? What are you looking forward to as the year comes to a close? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec3

4 Steps To More Success: Helping Your Children Learn From Home

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4 Steps To More Success: Helping Your Children Learn From Home

As a parent, tutoring is automatically an additional responsibility once your kids are school age. Whether you are helping with homework or teaching them how to do basic research, you are engaging in some form of tutoring. With the COVID-19 pandemic still a real threat, many parents have taken on tutoring their kids full-time to keep up with the schoolwork they may be missing. Other parents have decided to co-tutor with teachers online using the various available technologies. This is the best time for you to step up your game as a tutor so keep on reading for our tips to help you improve:

Incorporate technology:

Technology is driving education, and you must find ways to incorporate it into your teaching. Students of all ages now have access to at least a mobile phone or a laptop – even if it belongs to their parents. There are tons of apps out there that can help you to deliver any conceivable topic from history, science, math, and English tutoring, the choice is yours. You can use these apps for your professional development or you may be able to introduce these apps to your kids as a fun way to learn and explore the subject area.

Prior to teaching your child, you should hop on the computer yourself. You can’t expect your student to get a grasp on the information if you don’t! You can look up everything from teaching methods and lesson plans to American history books for high school. There are plenty of resources to help you in your new role of assisting in at home learning.

There are tons of apps out there that can help you to deliver any conceivable topic from history, science, math, and English tutoring, the choice is yours. For example, innovative educational tools like Age of Learning ride on the back of technology to deliver comprehensive and engaging content for kids no matter where they are. These helpful online resources provide a wealth of information you can use to support your child’s education at home. Indeed, technology has transformed the face of education, providing several benefits. If you are determined to provide the best learning tools, consider exploring beyond physical books and assignments.

Be adaptable:

No two students are the same, so you must be adaptable and quick to realize your child’s learning style. Find a method that he or she identifies with and use that to teach them to increase their participation. Some students prefer to know the subject matter and prepare before the actual class. Others learn best when the teaching is interlaced with some activities that improve their retention. Another thing to improve upon is speaking in terms that will be understood and always encouraging questions when things aren’t clear.

Be patient:

Patience is key to understanding your child and finding ways to make learning easier and more fun for them. While some students are quick to understand certain concepts, others are not. Do not get flustered or impatient. Instead, take your time to explain and break down the idea so that they can grasp it. Other students have problems with retention, and this is quite common. If you do have a student that struggles with information retention, employ the use of memory retention techniques such as mind maps and acronyms, which can be helpful in such a situation.

Remember that at home learning is new for both yourself and your children. Take some time during the day for much needed breaks if you find your patience wearing thin. Break up the day with a snack, free time so your child can read some educational books for teens, or cell phone time to keep things running smoothly.

Seek your child’s feedback:

If your child is struggling, ask for their feedback on what you can do to make things easier. It could be that he or she is not learning in a style that best suits them. Ask them how they feel about your teaching style or approach to a topic when you are helping with homework. You can also ask them how you can make the lessons more exciting or beneficial to them. This will help you improve your teaching methods while giving your kids the opportunity to voice their feelings and have a hands on experience with their education.

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Pixabay Image

2020 has brought parents directly into the classroom with at home learning. Help them be successful with the tips above!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Dec3

The Best & Easiest Ways To Go Green In 2021

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The Best & Easiest Ways To Go Green In 2021

The challenges faced in 2020 have given us all a new sense of perspective. As such, living a more eco-friendly lifestyle is likely to be one of the most common New Year’s Resolutions in 2021. Even if it’s not your main target for the year, you will probably want to implement change. The first step to success is to build a winning strategy.

Going green should be convenient and deliver noticeable benefits. Otherwise, you will struggle to find the motivation needed to maintain the improvements. Focus on the following ideas, and you can’t go wrong:

Become a green homeowner:

Given that you will spend more time at home than any other location, it makes sense to start the process here. Renewal by Andersen window replacement services can combat the threat of wasted heat energy. When added to the fact that this will boost the property value, you cannot ignore the benefits.

Further improvements can be made by adding efficient appliances to reduce water waste as well as learning to switch items off. Adding Smart tech to control various aspects of the property will allow you to stay on top of the situation in the immediate and long-term future. Better still, the positive moves should boost your financial health in the long run. Perfect.

Become a green beautician:

Unlocking a better appearance is a goal shared by millions. While plenty of lifestyle changes can be implemented to boost your look, we all need a little help to achieve the best results. My guide to eco-friendly beauty will put you on the path to success. It’s great for your health, looks, and environment.

Eco-friendly products and habits will spark improvements on a daily basis. Meanwhile, your choice of salon or spa for professional care can take the rewards to another level. Alongside beauty, you should also consider fashion choices. Backing brands that manufacture goods in a sustainable way will give you an extra source of smiles. The indirect impact on your carbon footprint is huge.

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Pixabay Image

Become a green socialite:

In addition to personal upgrades, your desire to lead a greener lifestyle can actively influence your friends and family. It is undoubtedly the best way to maximize the impact of your efforts, as well as the sense of satisfaction. Transparent discussions with those people will create a stronger message.

However, the key is to lead by example. This is something you can think about when planning your next vacation. Meanwhile, simply creating less waste in daily leisure activities can work wonders. With a little creativity, you can repurpose old clothes into unique fashion pieces. Living an eco-friendly lifestyle needn’t cause an impact on your sense of style and general aura. In fact, it could make you look better than ever.

Green living and healthy living are very closely linked. Southern Living’s easy Crock Pot recipes offer a great starting point. The stats show that food waste is one of the worst sources of environmental damage. Cooking and freezing extra portions reduces the threats while also saving valuable time.

Nutrition is one aspect, but you must also consider physical exercise. Running and cycling are among the best cardio aspects while free weights are ideal. Sure, you may still use machinery from time to time, but the use of electricity is unnecessary energy consumption. Travel to the gym or fitness club could increase your carbon footprint. Healthy lifestyles are great, but conscious decisions bring even better rewards.

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Pixabay Image

Become a green driver:

We make hundreds of decisions that impact our output each day. But some are more significant than others. Driving is the biggest cause of emissions by most. Switching to electric vehicles or hybrid cars will quickly reduce the damage you cause. If you drive a lot, it’s the single greatest upgrade you’ll make.

The right choice of vehicle is the biggest step towards greener driving by far. Still, you can support the process further by embracing new habits behind the wheel. Combining multiple journeys into one, organizing a car pool, and improving your usage of the brakes are all key steps.

If you genuinely have the motivation to lead a greener lifestyle, 2021 is the perfect time to make it happen. Now that you know how, there’s no excuse to ignore the process any longer. Ease yourself into the process throughout December, and you’ll never look back!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Dec3

Bath & Body Works Haul/Annoyances

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Bath & Body Works Haul/Annoyances

Helloooo! Ever since moving into my apartment, I have only used the foaming hand soaps from Bath & Body Works in my bathroom and kitchen. Both Johnny and I love them and we alternate between who buys more when we are running low. This time around, it was my turn to order the goods and I went with all of the Christmas scents for the six soaps for twenty-six dollars deal. Check it out:

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In the close to two years that I have been ordering from Bath & Body Works, I have never had a problem with their delivery services. However, this time around, one of the soaps was actually open and it was just a mess inside the box. All of my soaps are now super sticky and I can’t even get them open to take a whiff of the scents I’m unfamiliar with.

This is a minor inconvenience and, of course, accidents happen. My biggest gripe with Bath & Body Works is how they handle their coupons online. I get at least one to two B&BW coupon packets in the mail per month and this normally includes some type of free item. The real kicker? I can’t use any of them online in combination with the deals for my hand soap.

To receive my free item, I would have to make another order and pay for the six dollar shipping again despite originally having other items in my cart that do not qualify for any type of deal. The realest kicker? If I went into one of the stores, it would not be an issue and I could get my freebies without having to pay multiple shipping costs for multiple transactions.

As someone who works in the care profession, I have had to resort to doing all of my shopping other than groceries on the world wide web. I have not been “shopping shopping” since February and I’m sure a lot of people are in the same boat. Once again, it’s a minor inconvenience but you would think that online retailers would be a bit more considerate to the situation given a lot of people just aren’t comfortable shopping in store.

At the end of the day, boo hoo. I didn’t get a plethora of freebies within these past several months. It’s just more annoying than anything, considering I have been a loyal customer for years now. I have a lot of respect for all of the retailers that have made online shopping and using their promos more accessible during COVID times and B&BW’s strict coupon rules online just comes off as stingy.

ANYWHO, sorry for the rant but that has really been irking my nerves for a while! Lol, I love my freebies – sue me for it!

Which stores offer the best coupons/promotions? How do you get the best deals when shopping online? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah