Holiday Gift Card Promos Save YOU money!

This tip is really from my hubby - he is the king of this one . . .

You know how there are so many gift card offers right now? Buy $25 in GC, get $5 free and the like? Well, even if you don't need gift cards to give as gifts, you can use these deals to your advantage.

Next time you are out to dinner and the restaurant you are dining at has this promo, check it out - if it's a good deal, I'd suggest heading to the bar and picking up enough to cover your dinner that night. Then, use the gift card you just purchased to pay for your meal.

You were going to pay for dinner anyway right? So you've spent the same amount of money, and now you have $5 (or whatever the deal is) to use later!

Here is a great example:

We had dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings Wednesday with some friends and we knew our bill was going to be $30 - $40. So, my husband went to the bar, purchased two gift cards for $25 each and received two mystery cards (guaranteed to have at least $5 each on them). When our bill was due, we paid with the gift cards. Now, we have about $20 left on one gift card, plus at least $10 with the free card. So, we'll be able to come back for dinner in January and have our meal paid for!

A few caveats so you don't waste your money:

1. make sure you like the restaurant and would want to return

2. don't do too many of these deals - most of the bonus cards are only good in January or January and February, so you could easily get yourself into a situation where you can't use them all

3. don't buy the deal just to save money if you can't afford it, often you will purchase more in gift cards than your bill - great if you can just use them later, but if you can't afford the extra cash now . . .

4. don't lose the gift cards or bonus cards!!!

5. keep track of what you have purchased and make sure you use the bonus cards before they expire

Enjoy your holiday season!

Amazon's Black Friday List

Want to pass on the craziness of the stores (or going out in the middle of the night or even on Thanksgiving this year!!). Then check out Amazon's Black Friday deals - your gifts can be shipped right to your home and you can shop in your jammies!

Shop Amazon's Black Friday Week

Starbucks B1G1

Don't forget that through the 20th, you can get a free Holiday drink at Starbucks when you buy one between 2:00 EST and 5:00 EST.

This is a great deal - I stopped by yesterday and picked up two. I put one in the fridge with a little note for my hubby - I knew he wouldn't see it until this morning so it would be a nice surprise.

As a FYI, these drinks heat up beautifully!

Need a new planner? A pretty one?

What a fun deal! Today (and probably for not much longer) Plum District has Erin Condren products on sale $25 for $50. Just scroll through the Everywhere deals until you find it. Use the code FABULOUS at check out for an extra 10% off. Then, if you are new to Plum District, use this link and you'll get $5 - so you can end up with $50 of products for only $17.50 - $22.50.

The planners are expensive, but so nice - and at $17.50, well I can afford a pretty planner for 2012!!! If you don't need a planner, there are holiday cards, stationary, etc.

Plus, right now on the Erin Condren website, if you order a 2012 planner, you'll get the remaining 2011 months for free!

Note: this is my link to Plum District, feel free to go straight to the site if you are more comfortable with that route.

Daily Deal Tips

I know we all love to save money - who doesn't. And those daily deals are so exciting! 50% to 75% off! Hold me back!

However.

If you don't use the deals, or don't need the deals, you aren't saving money - in fact you are WASTING money. So, before you jump in, I'd suggest the following:

1. Keep a running list of the deals you have purchased and when they expire. That way you won't be scrambling at the last minute to book an appointment or use up a Groupon. I've found that a simple list by date of coupons purchased sitting on my desk works well. Then, when I plan out each month's goals, I check over the list and see what I can/ want to use that month. Just make sure to keep your list up to date.

2. Think before you purchase. That $10 may not seem like much, but if you purchase one a day, it really adds up - $70 by the end of the week! Ask yourself the following:

- do I need this?
- is it something I've wanted to try or do?
- would I purchase it without a coupon?
- can I afford it? If you can't afford an extra $10 now, DON'T spend it!!!

3. Don't buy right away. Wait a few hours to give yourself time to get over the excitement. Yes, you may miss a deal or two, but that's pretty rare.

4. Talk with your spouse and/or friends. Just because you find something exciting or fun, if it's a group deal, they might not. Then you end up with no one to go with (been there, done that!).

By keeping these things in mind, you can easily purchase only the best deals for YOU and YOUR family and feel good about letting the others get away.

Even with a few mistakes here and there, overall I've really enjoyed these daily deals and had some really fun experiences I wouldn't have had without them, so I truly am a fan!!! Just proceed with caution and you can add some fun and money saving measures to your life.

In addition to Groupon, my other favorite site is Living Social - click on the link and you'll get an automatic $5 on your next deal for signing up!

Note: signing up through the above links is through my referral - please feel free to go directly to the site if you are more comfortable with that option.

Great magazine deal for little ones!

Does your little one love getting mail? Mine does and every day he asks me if he got anything in the mail. Today's deal on Savvy Source (another daily site) is a magazine subscription for $9 to Turtle. We've gotten it from the library before, and it's quite cute.

To save even more, like the deal on Facebook and they will take another $1 off. So, I picked up a subscription for my little guy for $8. Well worth the excitement for him a few times a year when he actually gets his own mail!!!

Check it out: Savvy Source

Holiday Fun on a Budget

With the holiday's coming up, it's time to start thinking about how your family will spend their time. Although Christmas is a biggie, for many families Halloween, Thanksgiving and even just the Fall season are also times to celebrate. In addition, there are SO MANY events going on - how do you pick which ones to do? How do you decide how much of your entertainment money to spend? Well, here is what we do:

1. Talk as a family about which things you really want to do this year. You might be surprised at what your kids tell you. When I asked my kids, they mentioned Pumpkin Day as a must do. Pumpkin Day is a day I made up for the kids one October (changes each year as it depends upon when I have the time) where we make pumpkin pancakes for breakfast, cut up a pumpkin for seeds and have pumpkin bread for our after school snack. Cost is the price of one pumpkin! I really didn't realize they looked forward to it until I asked.

2. Once you've made your list, decide when you'll do each thing and how much it will cost.

3. Finally, try to take a few family walks or bike rides while you still can. Even a picnic at the park - those are the events you'll remember this winter when it's cold and dreary!

A few ideas of places to look for seasonal activities:
- the newspaper
- online - do a search for your location and "festivals or events"
- nearby churches and schools often offer no cost or low cost events
- check with any local museums, zoos, etc. (especially if you have an annual pass)

Enjoy the season! I'll post later this month about some of the Fall adventures we've had!

Packing your own food while traveling - crazy?

So, what do you think? Is it crazy or over the top to pack your own food while traveling?

I'm off on a business trip this week, and before I left for the airport I packed myself a sandwich, grapes, packs of instant oatmeal, and several baggies of dried fruit.

I did feel a little silly at first, but by packing my own food, I was able to pass up the unhealthy (and expensive) airport food. I arrived at my destination full and without that sick feeling of eating a bunch of junk.

Plus, all this week I've been enjoying my dried fruit for snacks and oatmeal for breakfast instead of resorting to the stale M&M's in the vending machine or the sickly sweet cinnamon rolls on the hotel breakfast buffet.

So, even though it might feel a bit odd, try it - packing some of your own food and snacks will save you money and save your health!

Earn Rewards and help the environment

A really cool program that I have enjoyed for some time now is called RecycleBank

Just sign up and do various tasks such as recycle, take quizzes, learn about environmental issues, etc. and you earn points. It is very easy to earn enough points for some pretty cool rewards. For example, right now they have a back to school promo where you can quickly earn over 100 points. This is enough to get a few valuable rewards - $2 off a Kashi product or a free Oatmeal from McDonalds for example.

If you are lucky, your community's recycling program has joined forces and you can REALLY rack up the points quickly.

Check it out - it's a great way to earn neat rewards while helping out the environment!

Whole Foods Deal!!!!

Wow! This is an amazing deal if you have a Whole Foods nearby. Today, Living Social has $20 at Whole Foods for $10. I shop at Whole Foods regularly - they have some great specials and buying my bulk items (spices, oatmeal, flour, etc.) there has often been a good deal. Plus, I love their cheese section. If the link doesn't pop up for you, search under Indianapolis, IN for the daily deal.

Don't miss this one - it's only available for a short time!

Free Photo Card

This is a cool little freebie from Shutterfly. Just log in (or sign up), create a card (uploading a picture) and during checkout use the code CARD4U. You will have to pay shipping - I made a cute Birthday card for my husband with a picture of the kids on the beach during one of our recent vacations. After tax and shipping I paid $1.06. Much less than a card at the store and much more memorable.

This would be great for grandparent's, thank you cards, etc.

Oh, and don't forget to go through Ebates - if you purchase more, the rebate is currently at 16%!!!

Free Yankee Candle!!!

Here is a great gift - would make a nice little present with a cup of coffee or tea for your child's teacher.

For a limited time, through shop at home, you can get the WILD deal (on the front page) of a yankee candle votive for $1.49 with free shipping and get the $1.49 back as a http://www.shopathome.com/?IAFCG=3+UMz3yoOuuKhqxXSSCplA== rebate. There are only a few scents available, but still a fantastic deal!

I love shop at home. It's a lot like ebates, but the rebates tend to be a bit higher.

Daily Deelz

Check out this cool new site - it's a group buying site but works a bit differently than others. You get $5 credit now for signing up, so I'd suggest signing up now while it's launching and keeping your eyes out for great deals - I'll share any I find!

Daily Deelz

Woo Hoo - B1G1 Starbucks!

Yeah! Starting Thursday through Sunday, Starbucks will have B1G1 beverages from 2 - 5. I think we all know where I'll be heading Thursday! A nice warm Chai will be the perfect afternoon treat.

Check your local Starbucks to make sure they are participating and then enjoy!

Might also be a nice treat if you plan on any holiday shopping this weekend.

Disposable Lunch Kit $19

Jasmere has a fantastic deal today - Jasmere is kinda like Groupon except that as more people purchase, the price goes down. Right now, you can purchase a $42 Kids Konserve lunch kit (includes cotton sack, cloth napkin, stainless steel beverage bottle, reusable sandwich wrapper and two 5 oz. stainless steel food containers) for only $19! If enough people buy by noon EST tomorrow, the price will go down even more. This is super cute and would make a great Christmas gift for a kid (or their mom!).

Shipping is $7.95 per kit.

I'm planning on picking up one for my daughter - she takes her lunch most days and we could definitely get our use out of this deal!

Check it out! Jasmere

(the links go to my referral page - if you aren't comfortable with that, please feel free to go straight to the main site and sign up that way)

Freebies on your birthday!

Well, since my birthday is next week (and it's a big one ending in a zero!), I thought I'd start sharing a few fun extras you can enjoy the month of your birthday.

Many restaurants and stores offer freebies and/or coupons if you sign up with their e-club and share your birthday. Today, I'll share a few of my favorites and later in the week a few ideas on how to best utilize them!

Starbucks - since I love me some coffee, this is a no brainer - with a registered card, you'll receive a card for a free coffee the month of your birthday. Even just a measly little $5 card will work as long as it's registered online.

World Market - if you have a world market nearby this is a great offer - they will send you a coupon for $10 - yep, just a free $10 for anything in the store

Coldstone Creamery - free ice cream - what's not to love about this? The way their coupons work they are good for two weeks, and since my son and I have birthdays a few weeks apart I can usually make it work so we can both get our free cone on the same day!

These are just a few, but they are goodies, so I encourage you to go sign up right now!

I'll share some more later in the week!

Great deal on your Christmas Cards

Start digging out your best picture, because Mamapedia has a great deal going on to help out with Christmas Cards. You can buy $40 worth of photo books, holiday cards, etc. for $20 at Kodak Gallery. I purchased one and will make up my Christmas cards this week - that's one item off the to do list, paid for and completed! Go to Indianapolis as your city to see the deal.

Hurry though, you only have a day left to purchase!

Oh, and one of the best parts is you can designate 5% to go to your child's (or any other) school!

Earn Free Groupons!

Okay, I think it's obvious how much I love Groupons so I was excited to hear about a new contest via Real Simple. Click on the link and you can enter a contest to win $500 in Groupons - that will go a LONG way! Plus, if you get 5 friends to sign up, you will earn $10 in Groupons (note they do say while supplies last).

Plus, another bit of good news. When I clicked on today's deal, I noticed that my city is going to start a Saturday and Sunday deal of the day - check your city to see if they are also.

Have a fun weekend - we are up to all kinds of Halloween parties this weekend, so hope the weather holds for us!

Save Money on Entertainment

As you probably all know by now, I love to go do things with my family, but I also love to save money, and let's face it - events, museums, etc. are EXPENSIVE!

One of the ways I save money is by purchasing memberships. If there is a place we want to go, I always check the membership price and do a cost analysis to see if it makes sense to buy a membership. For example:

Membership to nearby Science Museum: $65 for a year
One day entrance for our family: $28

So, if we will go more than 2x in the next year, the membership is a better deal. Typically, once we purchase the membership we end up saving lots more because we'll go to that location when we are looking for something to do since "it's already paid for." But, sometimes, we pay full price or find a B1G1 free coupon and use that instead - depends upon if I think we'll visit the place enough times to make the membership worthwhile - don't spend extra money on a membership if you won't really use it (been there, done that!).

These days, if you keep your eyes open, you can score even better deals on memberships! For example, yesterday the membership for the example above was on sale on Groupon for $30! Of course I purchased it, because not only do we only have to visit twice, but this particular membership included free or reduced admission to 250 other science museums. Since I know we'll take several long and short vacations this summer, I've paid for a number of admissions to various fun museums - including some of the biggies in Chicago like the Field Museum! What a deal - thinking ahead will really save me in the long run.

I'll try to remember to add up our savings over the year - it will be fun to check back next year and see how much we really save!

I'm such a fan of Groupon - if you haven't checked it out yet, please do so - and remember to check nearby cities or places you will vacation in the near future also. These links take you to my referral page, but if you aren't comfortable with that, just go to the main page - it's a great place to find a fun bargain.

A Healthy Success!

So, since July I've been trying not to drink any Diet Soda. I had my last one at Harrah's casino in early July. It was wonderful, but I'm convinced the Aspartame isn't good for me and really, Diet Soda is just a bunch of chemicals overall, and since I don't allow my kids to drink pop I felt like I was setting a bad example. I thought I would never be able to do it, but now it's 3 months later and I think I've succeeded in kicking the habit.

At my SIL's Friday night, we ordered pizza and she served us Diet Pepsi. Not to be rude, I took a few sips, and I can honestly say I didn't like it! I gave it to my husband and switched to water. I don't drink tea or regular soda, so eliminating diet soda has substantially increased my water intake (a secondary goal).

In fact, I'm sitting at Paradise Bakery right now enjoying a cold glass of ice water with a slice of lemon. Truly refreshing.

I have found one time when I've "missed" diet soda. That's when I'm out shopping - often I would be thirsty and grab a soda to carry around while I shop. I could do coffee, but that tends to fill me up. I don't feel comfortable asking for an ice water without buying something else (that I probably don't need or want) and I don't like bottled water. I try to remember to bring my stainless steel bottle but sometimes forget. For now I'm going without, but this is a problem I need to solve - any suggestions would be appreciated!