finances

Save BIG with Discounted Gift Cards

April 21, 2017 By Sarah Roe Leave a Comment

I have been using discounted gift cards for a long time and I can tell you honestly, the savings are HUGE! Once you start, you won’t stop. One of my favorite websites is GiftCardKarma.com and I’d like to share with you how to use this website to save big money!

First, let’s talk about what a discounted gift cards actually is. Do you ever have those random gift cards in your purse with $7.89 left on it? Sometimes you might even have huge amounts like $100 to a store you would never shop at? Ok, that’s how it starts.

Someone has a card just like the ones I described and instead of using it, they’d rather turn it into cash. Those people sell their gift cards and now, through GiftCardKarma.com, you can purchase those gift cards at a discounted rate.

How does that save you money? Well, if you’re going to drop $20 at Walmart and you buy a $20 gift card for only $19, you’ve just saved money. Combine that discount with coupons, price matching and all of your other money saving tricks and you’ve got a GREAT deal!

Have a look for yourself, visit GiftCardKarma.com and check out the list of retailers or do your own search:

Click on the store you’d like to check out and look for the best deals:

Click the one you want and checkout, it’s that easy. In the case of this gift card, I’ll receive it electronically. If you’re worried, don’t be, the vendors have their own guarantee such as this one from Raise, the vendor selling the Starbucks gift card: Gift cards on our marketplace are provided by verified sellers. All orders are covered by our 1 Year Money-Back Guarantee.

It’s quick, easy and with just a few clicks you can save money instantly. Visit GiftCardKarma.com and get started today!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored however, I have used this website and this is 100% my own opinion.

Stop Using Google for Coupon Codes and Head to Dealspotr

April 21, 2017 By Sarah Roe Leave a Comment

Disclosure: This post is my honest review of Dealspotr, featuring online coupons, codes and deals. This post is 100% my opinion based upon my personal experience.

If you’ve been around here for long, you know I’m a HUGE fan of online coupons and promo codes. I have been teaching this method of shopping for nearly 10 years. The problem? Most of us use google to search for coupon codes and it takes forever. Enter Dealspotr.

Dealspotr not only allows you to search for the latest coupons, promo codes and deals but, you can also earn Amazon gift cards too. Think of it as a swagbucks and retailmenot all rolled up into one website! Plus, the deals are “crowdsourced” and verified by real people, you won’t see 1001 coupon codes that don’t work, these are the real deal.

How to get started:

First, sign up for Dealspotr. You’ll see the homepage full of newly posted deals, you can also search for your favorite store or coupon. The trending deals are my favorite, I love to see the newest and hottest things. I’ve been deal hunting for a long time and I know, deals come and go quickly so, I’m all over it!

Second, validate, post or check that a deal is still working. These actions will be rewarded with points that easily turn into Amazon gift cards. You can also share, like or save the deals too, all of this is made super easy in a format similar to Facebook so, you’re already familiar with it! You’ll be able to follow people and gain followers which means, you can repost a deal too. That deal will show up on your feed for your followers as well as keep it on your page for you to revisit if you need to. These are my people!

Once you earn 10,000 points, you can redeem those points for a $10 gift card. Don’t freak out, you can earn these points very quickly. I earned mine after only a few days on the website and have already cashed them out for my first gift card. I think one of the best ways to earn (and the quickest) is by posting your own deals. If you’re a deal addict like me, you probably come across new deals every single day. Simply log in the website and post your deal, instant points!

It is so easy to earn Amazon gift cards, you’ll be addicted in no time. Posting deals is a blast, I should know I’ve been doing that for 10 years now, it’s nice to get rewarded for it. If you’re wondering how to find deals, always check your inbox first. All those e-mails you get with coupon codes and new sales, those are perfect deals for posting because not everyone is signed up on those lists. If it has already been posted, don’t worry, the website will tell you. That’s another thing that makes Dealspotr great, you won’t see 1001 of the same posts!

BAM! Just like that I had a $10 gift card to Amazon! Keep in mind, it will take a few days to process your gift card but, it’s a FREE gift card so it’s worth the wait. I promise, you’ll love this site. Aside from all the coupons, deals and earning potential, the website works like a social website meaning you can connect with others, follow great deal posters and really engage in the community.

I’m new, but you can follow me on Dealspotr right now:

I’m pretty excited about this one, guys. Check it out, post a deal and search for some coupon codes. Let me know what you think, be sure to follow me too and I’ll follow you back! See you on Dealspotr!

When Cheap Food is All You Can Afford

April 17, 2017 By Sarah Roe Leave a Comment

Let’s have this discussion, my friends. It dawned on me this morning that it has been awhile since things got real around here so, now seems like a good time. I have taught couponing for 10 years and for the most part, people turn to my website when they are in serious financial need or are trying to cut back in order to stay at home with kids, etc.

This message is for those of you in a serious financial situation that keeps you buying cheap food. Let me be clear, you CAN purchase good, healthy foods with coupons and sales. However, for today’s post, this is for those of you who simply need to eat and you’re not choosing to purchase cheap foods necessarily, they’re just the only option.

I started couponing from that angle, I started with $20. That was the grocery budget for 2 adults and a baby. We needed food and I had to figure out a way to get it thus, strategic shopping was born.

What’s the problem?

Cheap food = expensive problems.

Here’s the thing our generation is just now starting to figure out, all of that bad food will eventually lead to health problems down the road and those problems aren’t cheap. Personally speaking, my health issues left me with thousands of dollars in medical bills. And, all of it, came from stress and bad eating. Because, let’s face it, when you’re stressed, you don’t eat well.

For those of you who can afford it, eat better. Use the coupons, use the sales but be sure you’re purchasing healthy foods. For myself, I eat fruit, veggies, eggs and meat (usually turkey and/or chicken). That’s about it.

Those foods, in my opinion, are not that expensive you just have to purchase in season and use them well. I do use coupons, I do use sales but I also buy healthy because I know what happens when you buy cheap.

That being said, I lived through a time when healthy didn’t fit the budget. Here are 5 things you can do when you feel like cheap food is all you can afford.

Stock up During Sales: Blackberries were .88 a few weeks ago at Sprouts. Guess what? We bought a lot of blackberries. We had smoothies, I froze some of them, we put them in the kids lunches (we have 5 kids). Stock up and save money when you can.
Try New Things: This is a big deal, try fruits and veggies in recipes you’ve never tried before if they’re on sale and a good stock up price. Get creative. I love avocados, brussels sprouts and leeks. I never thought that was possible but I learned how to cook with them. Pinterest is a great resource for that.
Use More Filling Healthy Foods: Sweet potatoes and eggs will go a long way and both are inexpensive. I can eat two eggs for breakfast and I’m full for awhile. Snacks are something we teach our bodies to crave, use more whole foods and those cravings are not nearly as intense. That will cut down on the high cost of junk foods too.
Cut Out the Crap: Yep, I said it. Get yourself off caffeine, high sugar juices and alcohol. Those are empty calories that’s it, not worth the dollars. Use those dollars for healthy foods.
Plan Your Menu Carefully: I say this ALL THE TIME, menu planning and meal preparation is absolutely key to saving the most money. Sit down and plan a menu (including snacks) around what is on sale for the week including healthy foods. Use plenty of filling foods that are real, not from a box and inexpensive. Make one trip to the store, that’s it. No more back to the store trips at $20 each, just one trip for a carefully thought out week.

I feel like there’s a period of time when we just feel like we will live forever and our bodies will always work. Then, there’s a period where it all comes crashing down and you realize you have to take care of your body if you actually want it to work. I know it’s hard, I’ve been there. I know there are days when you’re just trying to stretch a single dollar (if that’s you, buy eggs-so many ways to eat them), I’ve been there too. But, I am telling you honestly, buying healthy food is worth it.

I’m not telling you to buy organic, I’m not saying to buy everything at Whole Foods (Sprouts is cheaper), all I am saying is to buy good, whole, healthy foods. YOU are worth it!

8 Sephora Couponing Hacks from Top Coupon Bloggers

March 31, 2017 By Sarah Roe Leave a Comment

8 Sephora Hacks from Top Coupon Bloggers

This post originally appeared on the Dealspotr blog. Dealspotr is the most accurate coupon site that pays you to save. I’m @MoneySavingQueen on Dealspotr, use my link to join today and earn 5,000 bonus points.

Sephora is one of the top beauty retailers in the country, but their couponing policies can be confusing. You can sign up for their Beauty Insiders rewards program, but are you taking advantage of all the benefits it offers? We asked top coupon bloggers around the web to share their Sephora savings secrets. Here are their best tips:

Purchase gift and sampler sets to save money in the long run

This winning tip is from One Frugal Girl, of the blog OneFrugalGirl.com. Perfume is expensive, and it can be hard to know which perfume will smell the best on you in the long-run. A sample set gives you a few options to try, while also occasionally offering free full-sized bottles!

Purchase value and gift sets rather than individual items. You will save a ton of money by buying a box of items rather than buying each item individually. You can often save up to 60 or 70% by purchasing this way. If you like to wear perfume check out the Sephora perfume sampler sets which often include a certificate for a free full size bottle of your favorite perfume from the sampler. That’s right you can receive a full size bottle of your favorite perfume for free!

Join the Beauty Insiders program to get a free birthday gift

Kathy McClure keeps a list of freebies on her blog, Frugal Lancaster, and this is one offered at Sephora if you sign up for their rewards program.

My favorite Sephora tip is their free gift on your birthday! Why? Because so many freebies on your birthday are free food from restaurants. Its always a special treat to get something other than food free—and Sephora’s gifts are always really unique too! Just sign up for their FREE Beauty Insider Club and you automatically get the coupon for the free gift on your birthday. You’re gonna love it! I keep a list of all the birthday freebies in our area here: www.frugallancaster.com/birthday-clubs/

Cash in your Beauty Insider points in-store

Ashley Drewes found a hack that rewards you for heading to a physical Sephora store to shop. Check out her blog, Closet of Free Samples.

A little known fact worth repeating: If you’re a Beauty Insider of any level, you have to make a purchase online in order to cash in points for products. However, this isn’t the case in-store. You can just pop up at the counter, ask to trade them in, and walk out with a free mini haul.

Mark the semi-annual sales on your calendar

Anyone can become a Beauty Insider, but you have to spend a certain amount at Sephora throughout the year to become a VIB ($350) or VIB Rouge ($1,000) member. And Barbara Ritzman, of the blog Barbie’s Beauty Bits, found a way for these members to save.

Twice a year VIB and VIB Rouge members [note: these memberships require a certain amount to be spent at Sephora per year] get a 20% Off Discount. So save your must-have purchases for this time of year. Usually, happens in Spring time around March or April and November.
No brand exclusions, which is the best part!
No purchase limit you can make during this event.
This discount works at Sephora instore and online, Sephora inside JCPenney locations but does not work on the JCPenney website.

Maximize your freebie haul, both in-store and online

Pam Schmitt of Pammy Blogs Beauty shared how everyone can get free samples, even if you’re not a Beauty Insider.

Sephora is a great store for Freebies! Both online and in-store. Online, you get 3 free samples with every purchase, plus if you have codes you can get additional samples with each order. In-Store, the Sephora associates make fantastic samples. You can pretty much get take-home samples of anything in the store. You just have to ask and an associate will make you a sample. I believe you can get up to three samples per each category of items (even expensive eye creams! great way to save).

Sign up for free two-day shipping

If you’re a frequent online Sephora shopper, you might consider the Sephora FLASH subscription. Thanks to Angie Beechan of Luv Saving Money for the tip!

Pay just $10 and get FREE 2 day shipping for 1 year. Even if you only order from Sephora two or three times a year, it more than pays for itself.

Stay on top of in-store events and classes

For free services and classes on hair and makeup, Erin Huffstetler of My Frugal Home knows where to look.

One time they were offering free up-dos in their salon. I scheduled an appointment. Then, took a new headshot for my website afterwards. Right now, they’re offering a free makeover and photo shoot combo. Pretty nice freebie. Here’s where they post the store events: https://www.sephora.com/store-locations-events?tab=events
They also offer lots of free classes. If there are makeup techniques that you want to learn, this is a great way to get hands-on advice from experts. There’s a class on teen makeup that would be really fun to take your daughter to. https://www.sephora.com/store-locations-events?tab=classes

Be socially active

Shayna Wiwerski says to keep tabs on Sephora’s social media sites for deals.

Check their Facebook page, they often post promo codes for extra products exclusive for Facebook users who like their page.

You can read more Sephora savings tips on the Sephora contest forum thread, and we’d like to congratulate @OneFrugalGirl for winning a $25 Sephora gift card for sharing the most interesting and original tip! Be sure to check out this week’s contest by posting your best savings tips at Macy’s.

Learning Smart Money Tips with MassMutual #FutureSmart

March 4, 2017 By Sarah Roe Leave a Comment

This past week, I was asked to attend a FutureSmart event with MassMutual featuring Hill Harper at the OKC Chesapeake Arena, home of the Thunder. MassMutual created the FutureSmart program which provides financial education to middle and high school students across the United States.

Hill Harper (actor and best selling author) has teamed up with MassMutual to support this cause and help empower young people all over our country to become good stewards of their financial future. His message is inspiring and his passion is undeniable. He shares his wisdom with young people during arena events throughout our country teaching children the difference between “smart money” and “dumb money” as well as the power of saving.

These arena events are outstanding and I was excited to attend the Oklahoma City event in partnership with the OKC Thunder. During the event, Hill Harper introduced the Storm Chaser dancers, Thunder drummers and Thunder mascot.

He also introduced NBA player Michael Cage to share his story as well. The energy in the audience was overwhelming, the kids were genuinely excited and they were learning amazing financial tips I wish I had learned when I was that age.

Hill Harper inspires these children to dream big and know that if others are not laughing at your dreams then they are not big enough. That alone is inspiring! I believe our kids should dream big, they should go as far as they can in life and live smart while doing it. Educating our children at a young age about finances could prevent the debt that constrains so many adults today. Education is key to freedom and possibility!

MassMutual has truly poured their heart and soul into educating our youth through the FutureSmart program. By 2020, they plan to reach over 20 million students. I was honored to attend this event and would encourage you to check out the #FutureSmart program for your own community. Educating our youth about their finances is key to helping them shape a prosperous financial future.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post however, all opinions are 100% my own.