Coupons.com will reset on Monday so make sure you print your coupons now. I’d hate for you to miss out on some of the great coupons they have right now.
Today is Mega Swagbucks Day
29 Jan posted by
Happy Friday! Today is Mega Swagbucks Day and that means you can earn Swagbucks in larger denominations (10,20, 50, 100). They guarantee over 10K Swagbucks will be awarded in Mega Bills! Make sure to head on over to Swagbucks to do a few searches. Remember 45 Swagbucks will get you a $5 Amazon gift card. You can easily earn 1 or 2 Amazon gift cards a month with just a few searches a day!
Free Avery Label Pads from Box Tops for Education
28 Jan posted by
Box Tops for Education wants to help you get organized this year. They are offering a free sample of Avery Label Pads.
Thanks Moms Need to Know!
Coach Factory Stores 20% Off Coupon
27 Jan posted by
I’m so excited that my favorite coupon is back…Enjoy an Additional 20% savings at Coach Factory Stores. When I tell people I use coupons on my groceries so I can buy Coach bags, they all think I’m joking! (I am…sort of). If you love bags (or other great leather products), you definitely want to check out the Coach Factory Stores. They offer Coach bags and accessories at huge savings! Some stores even offer shoes now. You can use the coupon on top of their already great deals to snag some great bargains! This coupon expires on Sunday, January 31st.
Check out the Coach Factory Store Locator to find a store near you.
Thanks for the heads up, Good Deal Mama!
Attention Colts Fans
27 Jan posted by
Today’s Groupon Deal: $25 for $50 Worth of Gift Baskets, Treats, and More from A Taste of Indiana
In the past, my friend Kiki has shared Groupon deals on her blog and every time she does, I lament the fact that I don’t live in a “Groupon” city. If you’re not familiar with Groupon, here’s the scoop, right from the horse’s mouth (or directly from their site).
What is Groupon?
Each day, Groupon features an unbeatable deal on the best stuff to do, see, eat, and buy in your city. By promising businesses a minimum number of customers, we get discounts you won’t find anywhere else. We call it “collective buying power!”
I like today’s deal – how do I get it?
Just click “BUY” before the offer ends at midnight. If the minimum number of people sign up, we’ll charge your card and send you a link to print your Groupon. If not enough people join, no one gets it (and you won’t be charged), so invite your friends to make sure you get the deal!
What happens if the Groupon doesn’t reach its required minimum number of purchasers?
If not enough people sign up, then the deal is canceled, and you won’t be charged. Better luck next time! So if you really want the Groupon, be sure to either beg or threaten your friends .
Do I need to use my Groupon the same day I buy it?
No. Many Groupons have an expiration date, but you never have to use them on the date of purchase.
I bought a Groupon – how do I use it?
Once you’re charged, you’ll receive an email with a link to sign in and print your Groupon. The Groupon has redemption instructions and a map right on it!
Can I buy a Groupon as a gift for someone else?
Yes. We communicate with all the businesses that we work with that Groupons can be gifted, and unless the Fine Print specifically states otherwise, gift away! To have us send them the gift, select the gift option at checkout.
Since I only live 2 hours from Indy, I’ve been checking out their deals pretty regularly and I’m so glad I did. If you don’t live in Indianapolis (or you’re not a Colts fan), there are still plenty of other good deals on Groupon. Check the website to see if Groupon is offered in your city. Enjoy!
Winner: UPrinting Postcard Giveaway
26 Jan posted by
The winner of the UPrinting Postcard Giveaway is Laura. Laura said “I would use these to send out birth announcements for my sweet little Nora. She’s 4 weeks old today so this would be perfect timing:)”
Congrats on winning and on the birth of sweet baby Nora!
The Twelve Months of Christmas: Start Planning Now
25 Jan posted by
For some of you, the idea of planning for Christmas all year long sounds ridiculous! There have been many years where I found myself starting to plan for Christmas in November, only to find that I was so stressed out that I didn’t enjoy the season. I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off and spending money I didn’t have. This is not the ideal way to spend Christmas.
This past year, I started planning for Christmas in January. Although the holiday season was still busy and crazy, I was able to enjoy it! I wasn’t worried about money or gifts.
This year, I’d like to help you have a stress free Christmas. Each month on the 25th, I will post a new 12 months of Christmas post with one thing you can do to begin planning for Christmas.
This month, I’ll help you get started on earning some extra money doing what you already do.
If you’ve been reading for any length of time, you’ve heard me talk about Swagbucks. Over the last year, I’ve earned more than $100 in Amazon gift cards through Swagbucks. Just during the month of January, I’ve earned over $15 $20 in Amazon gift cards.
Swagbucks is a search engine (powered by Google and Ask.com) that randomly awards you “Swagbucks” for searching the web. These Swagbucks can then be redeemed for great prizes. You can get a $5 Alice.com gift certificate for only 20 Swagbucks or an Amazon gift certificate for only 45 Swagbucks. If you’re new to Swagbucks, you’ll get 3 Swagbucks to get you started when you sign up here!
Each month (or sometimes a little more frequently), I use the swagbucks I’ve accumulated to purchase Amazon.com gift cards. I apply the gift cards to my Amazon.com account at the end of each month. You can let them accumulate throughout the year and by the time Christmas comes around, you should have quite a bit of money to spend. And in case you’re not familiar with Amazon (or it’s been a long time since you’ve shopped through them), they offer almost everything under the sun! You can even buy groceries through them!
Also, check out my post on How to Earn More Swagbucks to maximize your earnings.
Use a Cashback Site When Shopping Online
If you shop online or book your travel online, you could be getting money back. There are quite a few sites out there that I have used over the past year. Although this hasn’t been quite as good for me as Swagbucks, I still managed to make an extra $75 last year. I probably know I would have made a lot more, however, I sometimes always forget to use one of these sites when booking our hotels and airfare.
These are the sites I would highly recommend.
Ebates – You can get $5 just for signing up with Ebates and making a $20 purchase within 90 days. This site will also give you $5 for each friend who signs up and makes a qualifying purchase.
Mr. Rebates – Mr. Rebates doesn’t provide a sign-up bonus like the other 2 sites, however, the percentage you earn is often higher than the other 2 sites (which is one of the reasons I check all 3). They also offer you a percentage of what your friends spend as well.
Shop at Home – Shop at Home offers a $5 sign-up bonus and they also allow you cashback on the purchase of some giftcards! You can also get a $5 bonus when your friends sign up.
In order to use these sites, simply sign up using the links above.
Once you are ready to shop, use the site of your choice (or I pull up all 3 in separate windows) to check for the store you’d like to make your purchase from. You can enter the name of the store and each site will tell you the amount of cashback they offer. For example, if I were looking to book a hotel, I might type in Hotwire or Expedia or I might type in Hilton. I usually choose whatever store offers the best cashback deal (or if you’re new and making a small purchase, you may be better off using one of the sites that offer a $5 bonus on your first purchase). Click on the link provided and you will be taken to that site directly. Once on that site, simply make a purchase. Your purchase typically takes a few weeks to show in your account, but it’s oh-so-worth it! Also, make sure to recommend these sites to your friends. Not only can you help them save (or make) a little money, but you also get a bonus for your kindness.
By using the methods above, you should easily be able to come up with an extra $100 by Christmas!
This post is linked to Works For Me Wednesday.
Get Rich Using Spreadsheets
25 Jan posted by
Let’s face it…we’re all looking for a quick way to get rich. The reality is very few people get rich quickly. Most millionaires worked hard, spent thoughtfully, and saved as much as possible. And what’s more important…they had a plan.
If you’ve procrastinated on paying off debt, making a budget, or saving for the future, it’s time to get serious. Google Documents has some great spreadsheets that will help you get rich! Ok…so the spreadsheets won’t make you rich, but they can definitely help you budget, pay off debt, and save for the future. And those are the things that make a difference!
UPrinting Custom Postcards {Giveaway} CLOSED
24 Jan posted by
The last time I had a UPrinting custom postcard giveaway, I had quite a few of you tell me how desperately you wanted these. I’m thrilled that my sponsor UPrinting is offering another great giveaway to readers of Simplified Saving! That’s right…one of you is going to receive 100 custom 4×6 postcards. These postcards will be printed on 14 pt Cardstock Gloss and can be printed in full color on both sides.
These don’t have to be your average postcards either. These cards could be used to promote your business or UPrinting postcards can be used as thank you cards (If you’ve procrastinated like I have and haven’t done Christmas thank you cards yet, you could use a picture of your family opening gifts) or personal note cards. You can make a save the date card for a wedding or a birth announcement. You can use them as invitations to a party, shower, or special event like a family reunion! Or since Valentines Day is just around the corner, you could make some custom Valentines Day cards.
Want to Win It? Leave me a comment telling me what you would do with the postcards if you were to win. This is required!
Want Extra Entries?**
1. Follow Simplified Saving through Google Friend Connect.
2. Follow Simplified Saving through Networked Blogs.
3. Subscribe to Simplified Saving via email and /or RSS feed.
4. Blog about this giveaway and link back to this page (Leave your post URL)
5. Take my pretty button and post it on your blog. (Leave your blog URL)
6. Follow me (@LisaAboutLife) and @UPrinting on Twitter.
7. Tweet about this giveaway (include @LisaAboutLife in tweet).
8. Become a fan of Simplified Saving on Facebook.
9. Share this giveaway on Facebook.
****Please leave a separate comment for every entry. If your email address is not visible in your Blogger profile, please leave your email address with every comment. This giveaway will be closing on January 25th around 10 pm ET.
Also, UPrinting has recently changed their shipping policies. All giveaway winners will be required to pay for shipping costs. There is a shipping calculator on the right side of the UPrinting site. This is still a phenomenal deal as these custom postcards would normally run $50.
{Disclosure: UPrinting generously gave me 100 postcards as a thank you for offering this giveaway}.
Red Letter Words Giveaway Winner
23 Jan posted by
The winner of the 12×12 Cafe Mount Print from Red Letter Words is {drumroll please} Melissa! I am so thankful that Red Letter Words was willing to provide this great giveaway for my 1 year blog anniversary. For those of you who didn’t win, but who fell in love with Red Letter Words like I did, head on over and buy the print you’ve got your eye on…or better yet, ask for it for Valentines Day!
And make sure to come back soon (or better yet subscribe) because I’ve got a few more giveaways coming up in the next week!
New Printable Coupons
23 Jan posted by
Coupons.com has new printable coupons including Save $1 when you buy 2 packs of Kraft or Cracker Barrel Natural Cheese. Hurry over and print your coupons now as the good ones tend to go pretty quickly! You can also always click on the Coupons.com banner on my site to print your coupons. Plus, by going to Coupons.com through Simplified Saving, you’re helping to support my site (and I really appreciate that)!
Time is Running Out to Win!
22 Jan posted by
There is less than 24 hours left to win my 1 year blog anniversary giveaway: an incredible print from Red Letter Words (I have the one above and I love it)! To enter, go to this Simplified Saving post and follow the directions.
Friday Fails: Grocery Shopping
22 Jan posted by
Sometimes I feel like I need to be really good at saving money. I feel like since I blog about it, I should never struggle with it, but that’s just not realistic (although I wish it were)!
So here’s my confession of the year: It’s January 22nd and I haven’t meal planned or gone grocery shopping yet this year. And it’s not because I had a pantry full of food either. I didn’t do much shopping last month and our fridge and pantry are pretty bare. I ran into the store last night to grab some bread so the kids could have lunch today and some noodles to make spaghetti for dinner.
I’m not sure where the breakdown occurred, I just know that this hasn’t been a great month. Between my hubby being out of town, my trip out of town, and my youngest daughter’s crazy basketball schedule, we’ve been eating out A LOT. And as you know, eating out isn’t good for the budget or for our health.
So, it’s time to get my act together. I’m going to start over today. I will grab my coupons and the grocery store ad and I will make a list to take to the store. I will go over our schedule between now and our trip to Disney World and I will plan out meals for each of those nights. I may even try to double a few of our dinners so I can put one in the freezer to pull out on a particularly busy night. I will figure out what nights I need to use the crock pot! And most of all, I’ll be honest with you when I’m struggling!
If you have any suggestions for getting back on track, planning meals for busy times, or even if you just want to tell me you understand and you’ve been there, please leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you!
This post is linked to Friday Fails at My Blessed Life.
Mega Swagbucks Day
22 Jan posted by
Happy Friday! Today is Mega Swagbucks Day and that means you can earn Swagbucks in larger denominations (10,20, 50, 100). They guarantee over 10K Swagbucks will be awarded in Mega Bills! Make sure to head on over to Swagbucks to do a few searches. Remember 45 Swagbucks will get you a $5 Amazon gift card. You can easily earn 1 or 2 Amazon gift cards a month with just a few searches a day!
We Have A Winner
20 Jan posted by
The winner of the business cards from UPrinting is Heather at My Red Apron. Heather said “I follow on GFC”. Heather, I’ll be emailing you shortly to let you know how to claim your prize!
Congrats!
