Tag Archives: not impressed

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Tenant By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Tenant By Freida McFadden Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing Freida McFadden’s newest book called The Tenant. I have a love/hate relationship with McFadden’s books. I absolutely loved The Housemaid series, however, the other books I have read by her definitely did not meet my expectations. Unfortunately, The Tenant was another instance of that and fell under my usual critique of McFadden – “good but not great”. Before we begin our Book Club meeting, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Tenant for violence and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Blake and Krista are newly engaged and happy as can be. They live in a charming brownstown in New York City and Blake has just accepted a hotshot new position as VP of Marketing at the company he works for. Everything is going picture perfect, until Blake’s world comes crashing down. Shortly after settling into his fancy new office, Blake is fired for selling the company’s marketing campaigns. This is an offense that Blake isn’t even aware he made and has no idea what his boss is talking about. He feels confident that this was all some kind of misunderstanding and will have his job back before the week is out.

That week turns into months of unemployment and Blake and Krista are barely scraping by as Krista’s wages at a laundromat pale in comparison to their mortgage. If they don’t get their money problem solved ASAP, they will be on the streets and Blake finally agrees to Krista’s big idea: Have a tenant move in to help with bills. As they go about the interviewing process, every candidate is borderline crazy and they are ready to give up. Blessedly, Whitney shows up for her interview and is… normal. She’s pretty, has great references, and had her first and last month’s rent ready to go. They were sold.

The first week or so with Whitney goes swimmingly and Blake even has a new temp gig. Embarrassing, yes, but every little bit from the paycheck helps. Then, little things start to happen at the brownstone that never occurred before Whitney moved in. There are loud noises all throughout the night, the kitchen is filled with fruit flies, and Blake breaks into an inexplicable and painful rash. With no other plausible explanation, Blake blames Whitney wholeheartedly and is convinced that she is not who she says she is.

As more and more offenses against Whitney tally up and become even more disturbing, Blake quickly descends into a paranoid state. He can’t trust anyone and barely trusts himself as he repeats the claims in his head. All he knows is that he and Krista don’t know Whitney at all and she could be dangerous. In fact, she could be the reason Blake lost his cushy new job in the first place. But, is she? Or does Blake have his sights set on the wrong person entirely? Read The Tenant to find out!!

Let me start off by saying that I really liked the general story line of The Tenant. Happy couple, hard times, a stranger moves in, and the shit hits the fan. It really is a perfect combination and fits Johnny’s description of “LifeTime movie books” to the T lol. I just wish I liked the book more!! The tension that was building in the brownstone was delicious, a little slow moving at times, but my interest was piqued. Then, the twist happened, which I saw coming from a mile away but it just felt… random. It felt like a lot of build up for a twist that didn’t necessarily need to happen but simply was put there for shock value. This is actually a complaint that I have had with past McFadden books as well, like the plot changed fully on a dime and it wasn’t thought through completely.

On top of feeling wishy washy about The Tenant as a whole, none of the characters were particularly likeable. This book was told from Blake’s point of view and it was interesting to read a LifeTime movie book from the male perspective. BUT, Blake was a major a-hole and it was hard to feel sympathetic for him in the entirety of the read. Once my sympathy ran out, I was ready for The Tenant to be done because it was the only saving grace that the main character had. I can’t say that I felt strongly in favor of any of the characters and that’s not a good thing as I want to feel that connection when I read. The Tenant definitely missed the mark big time.

Overall, I am going to rate The Tenant with a three out of ten stars. If you are a diehard Freida McFadden fan, I am sure you will give it a read anyways. You are not missing out on anything if you don’t, though!

What are you currently reading? What is your favorite Freida McFadden book? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Hadestown At EJ Thomas Hall Review

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Hadestown At EJ Thomas Hall Review

Hello!! This past Saturday, Johnny and I had Part Two of our Valentine’s Day celebration: A night at EJ Thomas Hall in Akron to see our favorite musical, Hadestown. Two years ago, we saw Hadestown for V-Day at Playhouse Square and it was magnificent so I just had to jump on the opportunity for us to see it again. We both went into the show knowing that it wasn’t going to be as good as our first viewing and we were spot on about that. Don’t get me wrong, there was plenty about it that we liked. However, this show had some glaring issues that were difficult to look past. Let’s get to it:

First things first, let’s start with the good because there were two standout performances. Jaylon C. Crump as Hermes really helped carry the show and was so solid from start to finish. His vocals were phenomenal and he was exuberant, which was very necessary especially considering the times when the actors on stage just seemed tired. Johnny and I were blessed with seeing Nathan Lee Graham as Hermes at Playhouse Square and, frankly, no one compares to him. Having said that, I could tell that Jaylon found inspiration in Graham’s portrayal and that was good enough for us.

Next up was Nickolaus Colon as Hades who, easily, had the strongest performance of the night. During our first show of Hadestown, the man who played Hades took the dark and mysterious route and that is still my preferred portrayal. Nickolaus had a different approach, playing Hades with anger that boomed and resonated. This was further complimented by his larger than life and looming presence and he made it work so well. We were both really impressed by him and his rendition of “Why We Build the Wall” was one of the best numbers of the whole show.

Finally, we have Megan Colton as Eurydice for Honorable Mention. I loved that she brought some grit to Eurydice’s character and my qualm isn’t exactly directed at her but to her acting partner, Bryan Munar, as Orpheus. Look, I don’t know if he was having a rough night and I am not trying to be mean but he was not good at all. His falsetto, which is such an important part of the vocal performance was simply not there. There was no strength behind it and his performance felt more like one of their first rehearsals rather than a real live show.

Johnny and I were not the only ones to feel this way about Munar. In fact, as we were both in line for the bathroom, literally everyone we chatted with was not impressed with him either and had nothing but negative feedback. He brought the entire show down and because of that, Eurydice didn’t shine as brightly as she should have. This is truly unfortunate and while I understand that everyone has a bad night, I really wish it didn’t happen when we saw it lol. From this performance alone and the fact that he could barely hit his falsetto definitely had me questioning the casting decision.

Last on the “not so great” list was Namisa Mdlalose Bizana as Persephone, which was a major disappointment for me. Persephone is one of my favorite characters of the entire show and I don’t think she was done justice with Bizana’s portrayal. It is no secret in Hadestown that Persephone loves to self medicate with booze and drugs. She is so much more than that, though, and Bizana played her as a falling down drunk. This did little to add dimension to Persephone’s character and Bizana turned her into a caricature. On top of that, her vocals didn’t feel strong enough for such a boisterous lead and she seemed exhausted throughout the show.

It’s funny because I saw Jesus Christ Superstar at EJ Thomas Hall after seeing it at Playhouse Square. I was so surprised because it really was a comparable performance for the most part and there were even aspects that I liked better at EJ Thomas than at Playhouse. Having that experience going into Hadestown made me feel hopeful that we would still be seeing an excellent show despite my ambivalence. I am kind of bummed because regardless of the cast members that shined, this performance felt like a dress rehearsal and not even a good one. Major characters brought the whole cast down and that is a crying shame!

Although this performance of Hadestown was literally nothing to write home about, Johnny and I still had a fabulous time on our date night. Stay tuned for my OOTD coming soon!

What is your favorite musical? Have you seen a play or musical recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

CleanBeauty Barrier Support Facial Oil Review

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CleanBeauty Barrier Support Facial Oil Review

Hello!! In mid-October, I had a most excellent skin care haul at TJMaxx. I ended up with several new to me products as well as one that I was really excited about because I truly thought that I had used it before. During a previous haul, I fell in love with a Vitamin C serum by CleanBeauty and had my fingers and toes crossed that I would find it again. I couldn’t believe my good fortune when I saw a CleanBeauty serum on the shelves that I assumed was the same one because, at a glance, the bottles looked exactly the same. But, you all know that old saying about when you assume lol. Rather than my beloved Vitamin C serum, I ended up with a facial oil, instead *face palm*. Take a look and let’s discuss:

I consider myself to be very lucky because my skin type has been incredibly normal all of my life. I don’t experience acne, oil, or dry skin and this allows me to be able to experiment with a lot of different types of skin care. Normally, I do shy away from facial oil products just as a personal preference. However, when I realized I had a case of mistaken serum, I was eager to try the facial oil by CleanBeauty anyways. This Ohio winter has been absolutely brutal, especially within the past few weeks, and I figured it would do my skin good to have an extra protective barrier against the frigid cold. In theory, it sounded great. In practice, not so much.

This product is a prime example of why I don’t like facial oils lol. Every time I apply it, I try to use the smallest amount humanly possible on my face and neck. Regardless of the thimbleful application, this facial oil sits on your skin All. Day. Long. It doesn’t absorb whatsoever and after an hour or so, it just feels like you have residue that won’t come off. I hate it! This facial oil is a pain in the keister to apply makeup over so I just haven’t been wearing any – even on the weekends. Is my skin softer? No question. But, that’s not the end all be all because I have achieved softer, smoother skin with plenty of other products!

If you have extremely dry skin, then I think you will love this facial oil and it will be beneficial. For any other skin type, though, this is a product you can skip on and I cannot wait to use it up so I can kiss it goodbye!

How do you protect your skin during the winter? Which products have you not been impressed with recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Don’t Watch This Movie!

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Don’t Watch This Movie!

Hello!! Johnny and I are working our way through the 31 in 31 challenge – AKA watching a scary movie every day of October. So far, we have watched a lot of movies that we have both enjoyed. This Monday, however, we watched quite possibly the WORST movie we have ever seen. It was called We’re All Going to the World’s Fair. I was drawn to the description of the movie, which talked about a lonely teen finding herself immersed in an online horror game. And, of course, we liked the fact that it was under an hour and a half long because we both had a long day. Despite its short length, this movie felt ten hours long and not in the good way. Let’s discuss in a spoiler free setting:

^^^ As always, I have no rights to this video!

Okay! Long story short, Casey joins in playing an online game called the World’s Fair. It is a horror role playing game that employs secret methods to gain entry. Once you are in, strangers dictate what you have to do and the players document the “changes” they undergo on video. As Casey goes through her days in a sad limbo, someone from the game contacts her with the concern that she might seriously harm herself or others. Will Casey take the World’s Fair too far? Please, please don’t watch to find out lol.

Let me first start off by saying, the plot of this movie was enticing to me. I love an internet horror story line. I also very much like artistic and thought provoking horror films. So why didn’t I like We’re All Going to the World’s Fair? Because it sucked lol. Johnny and I watched every agonizing minute of this movie hoping that it would get better. Unfortunately, all it did was get even worse and even weirder to the point that we were in stitches laughing about it.

We’re All Going to the World’s Fair was an impossibly slow burn without a big bang at the end. Every scene which could have lasted seconds took minutes because every action was shown – IE: A man walking through the entirety of his home to get to one room. Had there been anything particularly scary about this movie, maybe these lengthy scenes of movement would have felt more charged. Psychologically and visually, though, there was just no horror there. Rather, we were watching Casey’s pointless livestreams or watching pointless videos that she was watching. Whatever sense of anticipation was built at the beginning quickly crumbled because literally nothing happened.

I have seen SO many positive reviews for We’re All Going to the World’s Fair and it even scored a ninety percent on Rotten Tomatoes. The high tomato-meter score was part of why I chose it. It makes me wonder if I was watching the same film as the people who really enjoyed it because this should have been a movie I liked. If you are looking to waste an hour and a half of your life, put it on. I promise you that you are not missing out on anything if you skip on it!

What is the worst movie you have seen recently? What is your favorite kind of movie? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Groovy Movies: Longlegs Edition

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Groovy Movies: Longlegs Edition

Hello!! There haven’t been too many movies that have come out in theaters recently that Johnny and I have wanted to see. The only one was Longlegs. We had grand plans to have a Middle Class Fancy night on the town of dinner and a show a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, the movie wasn’t playing at any convenient times so we just went home. We both still agreed that we would like to see it sooner than later, so we ended up renting it this past weekend. I honestly haven’t stopped thinking about it since. In the good or bad way? The jury’s still out! But let’s discuss further in a spoiler free setting with a trigger warning placed on Longlegs for graphic violence, gore, and highly disturbing content. Here we go:

^^^ As always, I have no rights to this video.

Long(legs) story short… Agent Lee Harker has been assigned to a serial killer case that has gone cold. In the killings, entire families are annihilated with no rhyme or reason. In fact, physical evidence to place anyone at the scene of the crime is nonexistent. All that is left at every scene is a coded message signed by a person calling themselves Longlegs. A true game of cat and mouse between the FBI and the killer ensues and the only guarantee is that Longlegs will strike again. And soon. Lee Harker must dig deep into her mind and her past because the answers are all there, if she can remember them, of course. What happens next? Watch Longlegs to find out!

OKAY, so when we began our viewing of Longlegs, Johnny and I were SO in. The soundtrack was bumping, the first scene was shocking, and a wild ride of a movie seemed promising. I found Maika Monroe as Lee Harker to be very dull right from the jump and that opinion didn’t change. This was okay, though, because we were exclusively there for Nick Cage. Normally, I would say that that man couldn’t act his way out of a paper bag. As the titular character, however, he was masterful. Eerie, disturbing, and so disgusting to look at that you couldn’t look away. He had me completely hooked and I remained that way until I wasn’t.

The first half of Longlegs was purely procedural cat and mouse. This is mine and Johnny’s favorite type of story line and we were loving it. Then, it took a drastic turn and for the worse. What began as something that *almost* seemed plausible did a total one eighty as it shifted from real life to the demonic. This is when I found my interest fading and fast. Do I understand the delving into the paranormal? Sure. Did I like it? Not one bit. This huge change halfway through the flick seemed haphazard – like a cop out. The supernatural shift also felt incredibly flimsy, as if this was the first thing that stuck to the wall and the director said “okay”. We saw the movie through until the end but my opinion changed to “this was stupid” as opposed to the banner reception I had of the first half.

I feel very conflicted about Longlegs and I think I keep thinking about it because I wanted to like it more than I actually did. I plan on watching it one more time, but I wouldn’t call it a “must watch” by any means. I am going to give it five out of ten stars. Five for the first half and zilch for the rest!

What was the last movie you saw in theaters? What did you think about Longlegs? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

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Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Howdy!! When it comes to finding new recipes for dinner, I have been in a rut. I did away with Pinterest a while ago because I was sick and tired of pinning recipe after recipe and never making it lol. So, I decided on a different approach and have just been Googling dinners I am interested in trying. This has been so much easier because I limit myself to the first few five star recipes that show up rather than scrolling through and trying to find just the right one. With this new system, I wanted to try out a recipe I found for vegetarian stuffed peppers from The Modern Proper. It was alright but didn’t blow me away so I definitely plan on making some changes if I make them again! Let’s get to it:

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When I am looking for new recipes, I always look for simple meals that require minimal ingredients. The recipe for the vegetarian stuffed peppers called for twelve or so different ingredients and you are likely to find quite a few of them in your own pantry or fridge. I did! The prep work for the peppers was easy peasy and only involved chopping an onion, a few green onions, and a bell pepper. What took forever, however, was cooking the rice! I had no idea it would take that long and it turned the prep time into an almost hour long process. I literally finished it in the knick of time during a quick work break and had to leave as soon as I was sure that the rice was fully tender.

After work, all that was left to do was top the peppers with tons of cheese and stick it in the oven. Johnny and I were both SO hungry and couldn’t wait to dig in after it cooked for about forty minutes. The end result was just okay. Johnny didn’t particularly care for it and I wasn’t surprised in the slightest. The biggest disappointment to me was the flavor because it was really bland. The recipe called for one packet of taco seasoning and salt and that was it. I would have preferred a lot more kick to it so if I make them again, I would do my own thing with the seasoning. Cayenne pepper, chili powder, maybe a bit of hot sauce too. This recipe was not the best or the worst and the jury is out on if I would try it again.

Even though we weren’t overly impressed with the vegetarian stuffed peppers, I am glad I gave it a shot. You never know if you don’t try!

How do you like to find new recipes? What are some of your favorite vegetarian dishes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

IZME Rosehip Lip Sleeping Mask Review

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IZME Rosehip Lip Sleeping Mask Review

Hello!! I am most fond of lip masks and it has become part of my nightly skin care routine to use one. Do I feel like they’re the most effective product in the world? Not necessarily. Do I enjoy the extra pampering ritual? Yes, indeed!! After finally finishing up my lip mask from Trader Joe’s, I was on the market for a new one. I decided to go with a Rosehip Lip Sleeping Mask by IZME during my last skin care haul at TJMaxx and have been using it since I brought it home. It’s not the best, but not the worst lol. Let’s discuss further:

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I will be the first to say that TJMaxx was utterly lacking in their lip mask selection. The IZME one that I purchased was the only brand available that was non animal tested. Had that not been the case, I would have picked out something different, but I took what I could get. The IZME lip mask promised nothing else but smoother lips, which is a pretty lackluster pitch. However, it was only four dollars and I needed a new one so into the cart it went.

While using this lip mask, I liked the subtle rose scent and its texture. It felt light and silky like a lip balm, which was nice. Some lip masks can be really thick in its consistency and I hate products that make my skin feel weighed down. Despite these good first impressions, I would definitely call this mask a glorified lip balm lol. Although my lips did feel smooth with every use, it was a short lived sensation and they didn’t feel nourished. In fact, I prefer my daily use lip balm to the mask and find it to be infinitely more effective. Yes, this mask did deliver on what it said for smooth lips but it was missing that extra something that would make me want to buy it again.

I will, of course, be using this lip mask until it’s done because I refuse to not finish a product. Maybe I will like it more as time goes by. Probs not, though, lol and I think this lip mask is one you can all skip on!

What is your favorite lip mask? What do you use for lip products? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

iPhone 15 Pro Max Camera Problems

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iPhone 15 Pro Max Camera Problems

Hello!! It has been a few weeks since we have had a new OOTD and I am sure you’re all wondering why. I recently upgraded from the iPhone 12 to the iPhone 15 Pro Max for work. My old phone is currently at storage capacity so I have been using my new phone to shoot content as it was intended. Unfortunately, I am having some major issues with the camera – I kid you not that my pictures look infinitely better on my iPhone 12 than on the brand new one. I have noticed a lot of people online complaining about similar issues so I thought I would put my two cents in too!

iPhone 12

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iPhone 15 Pro Max

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What I liked the most about my old phone is that no matter the lighting or the setting, the pictures I took on them always turned out crisp and clear. While I have shot a few cool pictures and the awesome pics of Constellations at their first show (See yesterday’s post), I have been overall very unimpressed with the quality of everything else. I notice that all of the pictures seem kind of blurry, grainy, and the colors appear muddled. It is such a 180 from what I am used to and it has been most frustrating trying to figure it out.

I have combed through different “help” pages looking for solutions to this problem. I have done every single thing suggested and nothing has worked. Johnny and I have shot from all angles and all lighting for just regular old pictures and they still look busted. My next step, of course, will be calling for support to see if this can be fixed or if I will need a new phone altogether. I wanted to write this post to say that you are not losing your mind if you just can’t seem to take a good picture on this phone. I pride myself on taking “good” pictures and I haven’t had a single one taken on the new phone that’s usable. I am not sure what Apple was thinking because this is most definitely a downgrade and this phone was advertised specifically for its camera. SMH!

Trust and believe that I have been attempting to shoot outfits – you just aren’t seeing them right now lol. I can’t wait to get this issue sorted out so I can go back to one of my favorite segments on lifewithlilred!

Do you have any troubleshooting tips for me? What do you think about the iPhone 15 Pro Max? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

April 2024 Finishes

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April 2024 Finishes

Howdy!!! I don’t know how it happened, but April is almost over and it went by at dizzying speed. This month was a combination of crazy busy with a handful of crazy relaxing days and I am hoping that things slow down in May. Primarily because I don’t want to turn thirty in June lol!! Since we’re wrapping up the month, it’s time to take a look at the beauty products that I finished up. It was basically duds on duds on duds so let’s get to it:

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Would I Use Again?

Thayers Witch Hazel: NO

Bath & Body Works Poppy Lotion: YES

Provence Beauty Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin B5 Serum: NO

Honest Calm & Heal Melting Balm: NO

Why/Why Not?

Thayers Witch Hazel: Way back in January, I had a huge skin care haul at TJMaxx thanks to my holiday gift cards. I got anything and everything, but the one thing missing was my beloved Evoluderm micellar water. As there was not a bottle in sight, I had to scrounge for more toners to use and ended up with a bottle of Thayers witch hazel. It took me about one month of daily use to finish the bottle as a toner and it was perfectly average. Definitely not worth writing home about or buying again!

Provence Beauty Serum: I was most excited to try out this serum, mainly because I thought the bottle was pretty lol. Unfortunately, the Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin B5 missed the mark big time. Oddly enough, I am using a different serum by the same brand and am loving the results! The finished serum was just okay. It took me one month of twice daily use to finish the bottle. In that time, I noticed no positive differences to my skin’s appearance or texture. This was weird because a hyaluronic acid formula tends to really agree with me. Apparently not this one, SMH.

Honest Balm: This is the second time that I have used the Honest Calm & Heal Melting Balm. Originally, I was pretty impressed with this product and was looking forward to trying it again. This time around, the balm did nothing for me. In fact, the thick formula was almost too much and it felt like it was suffocating my skin. I still think this balm would be excellent for people with extremely dry skin. However, if you have a normal or mildly dry skin tone, I would stick with a more moderate moisturizer. I’m glad I got to reuse this product so I can officially add it to my “won’t use again” list.

Even though my April Empties were lacking in success, I was happy to finish them up. After all of these misses, I am loving the current products I’m using. I think the May Finishes will be much better!

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Fetch Review

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Fetch Review

Hello!! Way back to last October, I went out to dinner with my bestie at our favorite Mexican restaurant. As we were paying our bill, I noticed she was snapping a picture of her receipt and learned that it was for an app called Fetch. She explained that all you had to do was take pictures of your receipts and you would earn points towards gift cards. So, I signed up, we both got points for her referral, and I was ready to take the Fetch app by storm!

When I first started using the app, I thought it was great! It was exciting to see the points climb with each receipt scanned and you would get a bonus scanning one receipt per day. With your receipt, you could spin a wheel for additional points and that really helped speed up the process. Another thing that made a difference in my point count was occasionally scanning receipts that I unknowingly purchased “featured deals” with. This would normally happen during big grocery shopping trips – one time I got twelve hundred points from one receipt. 😀

Despite constantly increasing my points with almost daily receipts and “spin to win” bonus points, it still felt like I had a long way to go. A ten dollar Amazon gift card alone costed twelve thousand five hundred points! Then, Fetch eliminated the bonus points and my account began moving at a snail’s pace. It took me from the beginning of October to the end of March to get my ten dollar Amazon gift card and it felt like a drop in the bucket for using the app almost daily for over a half a year.

As I have continued using the app, I find myself wondering why I even bother and am probably going to delete it soon. These receipt scan apps are, honestly, more trouble than they’re even worth. If you are consistently referring friends and shopping deals on Fetch, I’m sure it can be a somewhat lucrative tool. However, if you’re like me who has no friends and never shops any of the deals, you are in for a slow going process. Am I happy to have an extra ten bucks on Amazon? Sure. Was it worth saving and scanning receipts for such a long period of time? Meh… Not really.

If you are thinking the receipt scan apps will have you cashing out immediately, it is not like that whatsoever. They sound awesome until you realize how much effort goes into getting one gift card!

Have you used any receipt scanning apps before? What did you think about it? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah