Tag Archives: rewards

Sep11

Early Holiday Shopping Pro Tips

Posted on by
Standard
Early Holiday Shopping Pro Tips

Hello!!! I constantly have Halloween on my mind, but I am also thinking about the holiday season something fierce. With a big family to shop for, I like to begin my Christmas shopping early and have already begun as of last month! The mere thought of last minute holiday purchases gives me anxiety and come December, I love being able to fully enjoy the season thanks to a fully complete shopping list. If you are an early holiday shopper too or are trying to get a head start for the first time, here are some of my pro tips:

Make your list:

Before I begin my holiday shopping, I write out a list of everyone I need to shop for. Then, I add vague gift ideas and the hobbies of each giftee for inspiration. This is one of the most obvious tips, but it really does help! With gift ideas clear in my mind, I can then pick up items that fit the bill in stores I’m already going to go to like TJMaxx and Target. Without a solid game plan, it makes it easy to pass by options that would be perfect. Chances are that if you think about it after the fact, the gift you could have bought will be out of stock.

Establish a budget:

After making my list, I create a budget that works for me. This usually looks like “spending X amount per person” and I tend to follow the formula of one bigger gift and a few smaller ones. Of course, I may go over or under budget a little and that’s okay! Having clear guidelines established through a shopping list and budget sets you up with a perfect game plan before you start shopping. A strict budget will also keep you from overspending, which is SO easy to do during the holiday season!

Make the most of rewards:

Every little bit helps during holiday shopping and rewards programs are my best friend. For example, I stockpile my points on Amazon that I receive from my credit card throughout the year. By the time I’m ready to start purchasing presents, I can get some of them for free! If you are a gift card giver, your grocery store might offer bonus points on your rewards card like mine does. The moral of the story? Learn about the rewards from each place you plan on shopping at and other stores too. Just by signing up, you can usually get a free product or a percentage off of your first purchase. Even if you never shop there again, it’s great to get deals and you can give yourself some extra wiggle room on your budget.

Peck away:

What helps me the most with managing my budget is making purchases here and there. While I might do some bigger hauls later in the season, I try to buy a handful of gifts each month leading up to the holidays. There is nothing worse than being stuck with a huge bill and breaking up your buying into pieces eliminates that possibility. Throughout September until mid November, I peck away at my list and then do a bigger order or shopping trip for the remainder of what I need. This has always worked really well for me!

My heart says Halloween, but my mind says shopping smart for the holiday season. All of the tips above are what I use to make my early holiday shopping successful. There is nothing better than being done way ahead of time! 😀

Are you an early or last minute holiday shopper? What are some of your holiday shopping pro tips? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug20

Bath & Body Works Halloween Scents Pt. 3

Posted on by
Standard
Bath & Body Works Halloween Scents Pt. 3

Hello!! Other than purchasing hand soaps from Bath & Body Works and shopping the occasional Semi-Annual Sale, I really don’t buy anything from there. The remainder of my B&BW stash comes from freebie coupons that get sent out monthly or bimonthly. Because of rarely spending money when I visit the store, it has taken a long time to rack up points for their rewards program. After my Halloween hand soap haul, I finally got a free full size product reward and stopped by to cash it in.

I thought I bought all of the Halloween scents in hand soap form, but I was mistaken. There are actually two other fragrances that I missed – Everlasting Magic and Midnight Spell. Midnight Spell was a massive dud, but I LOVED Everlasting Magic, so I used my rewards points for a body cream:

image_50460673(9)

Everlasting Magic is one of my favorite Halloween scents from B&BW. It’s not as good as Purrfect Pumpkin, but I actually think I might like it more than Vampire Blood. That’s really saying something! Everlasting Magic offers notes of “bejeweled berries, phantom petals, and magic musk”. Normally, I am not a fan of musky fragrances – this one, however, was fine because I really couldn’t smell it! To me, it smelled like rich plum and blackberries with the softest touch of floral. Also, can we talk about how pretty the packaging is?!

As always, I am a huge fan of the Body Cream from B&BW so I was really happy to snag it for free. While I will forever be partial to The Body Shop products, this cream is a close second. With a shea butter base and hyaluronic acid, it is so hydrating and nourishing. My skin feels and looks soft after every use and I think it is one of the best products that B&BW carries. I would definitely recommend getting a bottle for yourself the next time you go shopping! In Everlasting Magic, perhaps? 😀

There were several Halloween scents from B&BW that I didn’t care for at all and I feel like Everlasting Magic was a redemption in that regard. Here’s to waiting another year plus for my next free product reward lol!

What is your favorite B&BW Halloween scent? What is your favorite product they carry? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Sep12

Early Holiday Shopping Pro Tips

Posted on by
Standard
Early Holiday Shopping Pro Tips

Hello! While Halloween is always at the forefront of my mind, it is never too early to think about Christmas! In fact, I have already began crossing a few people off of my shopping list and it is a necessary feat – I have a lot of giftees. Beginning the process of holiday shopping early prevents you from having a huge bill come December. These money saving tips and other clever hints will also help the cause:

Make the most of seasonal sales:

If you are looking for seasonal deals, then right now is the perfect time to do some shopping – especially if your giftee is a fan of summer. To ring in the changing season, summer clothing, outdoor activities, pool floats, and gardening/grilling gear will all be discounted. Why pay more later when you can just pay less right now? Similarly, if you have a lover of fall in the family, November is a great time to shop for them as fall items will be discounted to welcome the winter. Of course, Christmas gifts for the house like decor is something you are going to have to wait for as the holiday season draws closer and that’s okay. Christmas themed gifts never go out of style!

Stockpile points:

I buy everything exclusively with my Amazon credit card and each purchase gives me money to spend online. Rather than use my points for every random Amazon order, I have began stockpiling points and I can’t believe I haven’t done this sooner. I got a gift for my husband and best friend completely free of charge. There is nothing better than checking an item off of your list and getting it for free to boot!

Sales are your friend:

This should go without saying but it needs repeating. If you see something on sale that a giftee would love, then go for it. If you hold off, then chances are that the item will be sold out or you will have to buy it at full price later. I saved over one hundred dollars by shopping a sale at Old Navy to get some Halloween themed pajamas for Johnny. If you are concerned that the sale price will drop lower, talk to a store employee. Many stores offer a grace period after your purchase to do an adjustment if the price drops again.

Shop local:

If you have grown bored of shopping at local chain stores, then try your hand at shopping locally or through Etsy. You will walk away with a one of a kind piece and you will be sure that your giftee doesn’t have it already. For example, my best friend and I have been celebrating fourteen years of birthdays and Christmases. We have gone through every common gift option possible and I decided to break that cycle by buying her some art from Falcon Grove Studios for her birthday. The paintings were beautiful, supported a local artist, and she absolutely loved them.

Become a rewards member:

While the constant emails from stores that you have a rewards membership through are annoying, they can be very helpful. Lots of stores offer perks for their rewards customers including additional discounts, free shipping, double point days, and free product. As already stated, sales are your friend and if you can get even more of a discount, then why not? I have a stockpile of free Bath & Body Works products that I use as add on gifts simply because I’m a rewards member!

Store your gifts safely:

Getting a head start on holiday shopping means that you are going to have to hang on to your purchases for a while. To avoid clutter, clear out a designated space at home to store your gifts. The place you choose should be safe from prying eyes, pets, and areas that could be prone to water damage or pests. It would be a shame for your gift to get ruined before you even have a chance to give it!

It might be September, but I have already been bit by the Christmas bug and that is fine by me. Come December, I will be sipping hot chocolate and watching Elf with zero pressure of last minute gifts!

Are you an early or last minute gift buyer? When do you usually start your holiday shopping? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul8

Keeping Your Kids In Check This Summer

Posted on by
Standard
Keeping Your Kids In Check This Summer

Summer vacation is every parent’s dream and nightmare. On the one hand, you enjoy not needing to worry about school for a couple of months. You can have a bit of a lie in every morning and avoid the extra stress of getting everyone up and ready for the mad rush.

On the other hand, you’re faced with keeping your children occupied for multiple weeks in a row. It can start off pretty easy – and there are plenty of fun activities you can do with them, but it quickly gets very challenging. The biggest challenge is ensuring your kids stay well-behaved. When they get bored they can get a bit rowdy, which is exactly what you do not need when it’s very hot and sweaty outside.

Luckily, there is one very easy way to keep your kids in check during summer vacation: create a behavioral chart:

What is a behavioral chart?

Basically, it is a chart where you make a note of your child’s good or bad behavior. When they do something bad, you put a mark on the chart to show that. If they do something good – like help out around the house or mow the lawn, they get a positive mark instead.

It’s a very simple idea and you can make your own chart extremely quickly. Just create a table on your computer with your kids’ names on it. Then, head online and make stickers that correspond to good or bad behavior. This could be a smiley face sticker for good and a frown face for bad. Once everything is printed out and delivered, you’re ready to rock and roll.

How does this encourage well-behaved kids?

You might think that making a chart and tracking your kid’s behavior is a bit weird. However, the whole idea is that you make a game out of it. Think of it this way, you’re setting a challenge for your children that lasts the entire summer. They have to avoid getting bad behavior marks, aiming to get as many good marks as possible.

I know what you’re thinking; how do you make your kids care about this? Ah, well this is where the incentive comes in! Create a challenge that ends with a reward of sorts. It can be a toy, money, a trip to an adventure park – whatever you think your kids will enjoy the most. The challenge can be a target for your children to meet or avoid. By the end of summer, they should have as few bad marks on their chart as possible so set them a limit that they cannot go past. If they pass this limit, they fail the challenge and don’t get the prize. You could even add in a bonus prize for whoever has the most happy stickers on their chart.

Your children will be on their best behavior because they know they will be rewarded by the end of summer vacation. You can enjoy a more peaceful summer with kids that are very eager to help around the house and they can enjoy a nice prize at the end before going back to school. It’s a massive win-win!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Apr15

Curbside Shopping Pro Tips

Posted on by
Standard
Curbside Shopping Pro Tips

Hello! Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnny and I have still been using curbside pickup to do our grocery shopping and it is, honestly, the best. I definitely don’t miss squeezing in grocery shopping during my free time, hauling around a big cart, and playing Tetris with all of my purchases to load in the car. I also love any type of online shopping so it’s kind of fun too even if it isn’t scouring the shoe selection on TJMaxx’s website!

Curbside shopping saves time and I know for a fact that I’ve saved money from it too so I thought that I would share some of my pro tips today for the next time you shop curbside:

Plan Your Menu:

Like many, the first thing that I do before I begin my shopping is plan what I would like to cook for dinner. This includes looking over my saved pins on Pinterest, revisiting old favorite recipes, and coming up with new ideas in my head. I make a list of the dinner items that I need and those are usually the last things that I add to my cart because I can just type in what I want into the curbside search bar.

Evaluate What You Already Have:

The beauty of online grocery shopping is that you can consult your fridge, freezer, and pantry while placing your order to see if you already have something that you plan on buying. I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve done in store grocery shopping and returned home with something that was hiding in a nook or cranny! When I’m shopping curbside, I am always double checking what I already have so that I don’t have to pay for it twice.

Promotions/E-Coupons:

I buy my groceries at Giant Eagle and their store ad and E-coupons are conveniently located on the same site to shop curbside. You can also see the promotions running on each item while you’re shopping. Before my shopping, I’ll clip any coupons that I might need and check the ad for any good deals. To be honest, the E-coupons tend to leave a lot to be desired because it’s money off of items that I don’t need (baby care, pet care, etc.) but I have saved money from them on occasion.

Like many grocery stores, Giant Eagle has a rewards card where you earn money off of your next purchase or at the gas station when you spend money. If your grocery store has something similar, I can’t recommend signing up for their emails enough. Although emails from stores can be annoying, you will be notified of when you can earn some extra savings.

For example, Giant Eagle will do double points days and sometimes even five times the amount you earn on your next purchase. The last time I went to the store for some odds and ends was on a five times perk day and I ended up getting close to fourteen dollars in free money. My perks total resulted in forty-five dollars off during my last curbside order!

Double Check Your Cart:

When shopping in store, it’s almost impossible to go through a full cart and remove what you decide you don’t need. This is, of course, not the case with curbside and you can go through your cart at any time to add or remove items. After I have shopped through all of the categories, I will go through my cart at least two times and begin to dwindle down my order. It’s so nice to be able to see what you already have right in front of you, be able to look through what you have at home, and add or remove as needed. I never end up buying everything that was originally added into my cart which is a definite money saver.

At Giant Eagle, you can add or remove items into your cart up until your curbside shopper begins working on your order. This is also great because how many times have you returned home from the store to realize you didn’t get something that you needed! Make sure you find out the rules for your store so when you realize you need something at the last minute you can get it.

Remember:

While your curbside shopper is working on your order, you will communicate over text message if an item is unavailable or if there is a suitable replacement. The shopper will typically send you a picture of the replacement item so don’t forget to turn your data on if needed. The first time I shopped curbside with my smartphone, I didn’t realize I wouldn’t receive pictures from a non-iPhone without my data being turned on so I never got the pictures that were being sent. Whoops!

In my opinion, curbside shopping is the way to go when it comes to your groceries. I used to dread my trips to the grocery store but now I always find myself looking forward to my next curbside order!

Do you prefer in store or online grocery shopping? What is on your dinner menu this week? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar13

Sephora Haul

Posted on by
Standard
Sephora Haul

Hello! I don’t shop with Sephora often but, whenever I do, I make sure that my purchases are made online. Sephora’s online promotions pale in comparison to an in store shopping experience and I always receive lots of free goodies with a fifty dollar purchase so that I qualify for free shipping. And, we all know that that isn’t hard to do!

It had been a while since I restocked my Better Than Sex mascara and I was almost out of the tube that I have been using. I spent fifty-four dollars on my order and got all of these freebies to show for it:

image_50390273(1)

The Haul:

  • 2 Better Than Sex mascaras by Too Faced
  • PeterThomasRoth Water Drench moisturizer (Free with my Beauty Insider points)
  • Fresh Sugar Lip Mask (Free with my Beauty Insider points)
  • Farmacy Vitamin B Night Mask (Free with twenty-five dollar purchase)
  • Clarins serum and moisturizer sample (Free with any purchase)
  • Herbivore Pink Cloud moisturizer sample (Free with any purchase)

Other than Bath & Body Works, I would definitely say that Sephora has the best promotions to give you the most bang for your buck. And, it should because the products are expensive! The Better Than Sex mascara is the only “high end” makeup that I use and it is a whopping twenty-seven dollars per tube. Being able to test out all different kinds of brands and products FO FREE really helps to soften the blow for high priced purchases.

During my online shopping with Sephora, I usually find something that I can use my Beauty Insider points with and typically use my rewards for skin care. While they have free makeup and hair care available, I don’t do my hair and makeup every day, more like once a week, so a trail size mask or moisturizer makes more sense for me. I went with the Fresh Sugar Lip Mask, which I can’t wait to try because my lips are always in a permanent state of chapped. I also cashed in for the PeterThomasRoth Water Drench moisturizer for something different during my skin care routine.

Sephora also offers a plethora of Beauty Deals online and you can get a free trial size product with a twenty-five dollar purchase. Like free shipping for fifty dollars, this is not difficult to get and just one Better Than Sex mascara got me over the twenty-five dollar mark. I chose the Vitamin B night mask from Farmacy for this freebie because it has been a while since I had a new Face Mask Festivities on my page. Keep it posted for a review on this mask soon!

Finally, with every online purchase you can pick out two free sample products which is a nice touch. I always go the skin care route for these samples too and ended up with two moisturizers and a serum sample. With all of these freebies combined, it makes every online order with Sephora well worth it and I feel like I got a deal for how much I spent.

Of course, it’s always fun to poke around in store at Sephora and see everything in real life. I recommend going home and ordering the products you have your eye on online, though, so you can score a great deal too!

Which store offers the best promotions? What are your thoughts on any of the products in my haul if you have used them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah