PINCHme - I'm dreaming!

I've discovered a new site that I can't decide if I love or am just obsessed with. It's called PINCHme.

How it works:

1. Create an account and sign up for samples when they are "released" (usually about every 2 weeks).  I've found you have to order your sample within about an hour of release, or the samples will be GONE.

2. Wait patiently for your sample to arrive, and try it out as soon as your bright teal box arrives. (Or whenever...)

3. Visit the website again and take a short questionnaire about your free sample. PINCHme will keep track of the samples it's sent you AND let you know when you have a review available. This is how you earn points.

4. "Get Rewarded."  I haven't gotten to this stage yet, but to my understanding, once you reach a certain amount of points (3000), they start putting your name in monthly drawings to win gift cards!

Some of their past products have included brand name samples of shampoo, laundry detergent, protein bars, lotions, coffees, teas, chocolate bars, perfumes, and more!

I've now signed up for their past 2 samples. The first was the new Gevalia 2-Step Specialty Coffees. PINCHme let you pick if you wanted the mocha flavor or the caramel macchiato. I got the latter, and it was delicious. The second sample I've ordered is Sinful Colors Nail Polish. I'm not big into nail polish, but hey. Free is free right?

Happy Pinching!

Savvy Shopping Secrets

So one of my very best friends has moved into an apartment by herself. And I'm so excited for her!

But she told me it's going to be a little tight until she can find a roommate. So I thought I'd share a few shopping secrets I've learned to help her save more while still working on making her place more homey!


1. Bed Bath & Beyond accepts expired coupons.
     - They also accept coupons on your phone, and have a number you can text while you're in the store for them to send you a coupon nearly immediately if you haven't signed up for it before.
     - And they will accept one 20% off a single item coupon per item in your transaction.
     - Simple math: If the item you're buying is between $15 and $20, a $5 off your purchase coupon is more valuable. If the item is less than $15, the $5 off coupons are not valid, and if it's more than $20, the 20% off coupons are more valuable.
     - Side note: Buy Buy Baby is owned by the same company as BB&B. Buy Buy Baby will accept BB&B coupons (but not the other way around), and only if they're current.

2. Joann Fabric has a 10% discount club for students.
    - Show your Student ID to a manager for a club card that gives you 10% off your entire purchase every time, even combined with coupons.

3. Starbucks has a gold member rewards program.
     - Simply register any gift card and purchase 5 drinks on it and you immediately become a green level member that gives you a free drink on your birthday and free refills on tea and drip coffee while in-store.
     - Once you've purchased 30 drinks in a year, you become a gold member, with the same benefits as a green level, plus you earn a free drink every 12 purchases you make.
     - They're doing a current special where if you register a new card by February 7, they'll give you a free drink!  (Also, see details of green and gold benefits if you scroll down on that page).
     - Also, don't forget about Starbuck's pick of the week! They have a song, app, or book that you can download for free while in any store, or grab a card from the counter with a redemption code on it!

4. The Dollar Tree accepts manufacturer coupons
     - Granted, many things they carry are not name brand. But somethings are, so check!

5. Retailmenot 
     - Retailmenot.com is a website that lists printable coupons and online coupon codes for restaurants and department stores, as well as lists expiration dates and success rates people have had using the particular coupons.
     - This site also has a free mobile app, so even if you're making an unplanned purchase, you might be able to find a good coupon on your phone!  

6. Groupon has a whole section devoted to GOODS
      - Not only can you find deals on activities and getaways on Groupon.com, they also have a whole section devoted to deals on everything from jewelry to coffee to sheets!

There's Snow in the South!

Okay, okay, so it's snowing.  For some, this is the end of the world. For me, it's working from home for a few hours today and probably a few more tomorrow.

But, if your job can't travel to your home like mine can, I'm sure you're thankful for the extra time to relax if you got sent home as well.

Things I like in the snow:
- fuzzy socks
- hot tea
- heavy beef and rice meals
- big blankets
- BOOKS

Speaking of books, I've got some snowy day recommendations on getting your read on for free.

In this day and age, there is no reason for you to pay for books. For a particular book, maybe it's worth it to invest, but for general cold day reading, there are plenty of resources for FREE books.  Also note that even if you don't have an e-reader, you can still read e-books on your smartphone OR on any computer.

1.  The library.  YES, they still exist. Every county has one. And you can get a library card with any proof of current residency.   Two really important things to remember about libraries - Firstly, you can not only borrow physical books from your local library, but also movies and TV shows on DVD.   Secondly, most libraries now offer digital borrowing; log into the library website using your library card number and sign up for the books you want to borrow. Usually, the ones you want are already checked out so you have to put your name on a waiting list.

2. BookBub. BookBub is a fantastic website that sends out a daily email of e-book deals. Some are on a super sale, but many are FREE. Plus, you can customize the types of genres you want to receive (Mystery, How-To, Religious and Inspirational, Fantasy, etc), as well as pick from the suppliers offering deals (Amazon, iTunes, nook, etc). Another resource for free e-books is BookShout, but this site requires you to use their particular app for reading on e-readers, tablets, and smartphones which does not work on many devices. But, if it works on yours or if you're willing to read on a computer, all the better!

3. Your Friends. I borrow books from friends all of the time. Obviously, borrowing physical books from friends and family may involve you actually going to their place of residence, which I do not recommend in the snow. HOWEVER, you can lend e-books you purchased from Amazon to anyone else (or them to you) as long as you know their email address, so there's no reason for going into the cold.  Follow these steps from Amazon.com:

"Your Account"  >  "Manage Your Kindle" (under "Digital Content")  >  change the view to "books"  >  Select the drop down menu labeled "Actions" next to the title you want to lend and select "Loan this Title" at the bottom > Type in your friend's email address. They will have a couple of days to accept the loan and then two weeks to read it!

4. Classics.  Many classic novels written in or before the mid 19th century can be found in e-form for free, including works by Jane Austen, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Emily and Charlotte Bronte, Oscar Wilde, and Charles Dickens.

Grab a nice cup of tea, read well and stay warm!

Simple Tips to Start Saving

Going from life as it is now to saving a few more bucks a month, or even to saving up to half of your income (my ultimate goal) is rough. It's hard to change your lifestyle, your current habits, and your routines. But if you have a goal of paying off debt, building a savings account, saving for a home, or whatever, small changes are the easiest to implement to get you started.

Here are some simple tips to start toward that goal:

1.  Quit your cable company.   I've harped on about this already. 

2.  Start couponing.  See previous ramblings here.  In addition, I always recommend looking online for coupons (or Groupons) whenever you plan to eat out, go to a movie, or go shopping at department stores.

3.  Shop smarter.  Assuming that you don't have time to coupon, you can still save money at the store.

           - For example, take advantage of sales on items you'll be buying anyway. If you're not picky about cereal, buy the brand on sale instead of what you usually get.  

           - Try the less "luxuried" brands. For example, try swapping out the super expensive brand of shampoo you've been buying for a less expensive brand like Suave.

           - Also, try the store brand, especially for basic items like sugar, flour, bread, chips, pickles, etc. B and I have found that 90% of the time, the store brand is just as good.  

           - Try local farmer's markets for less expensive produce and meat.

4.  Reuse.  

           -  B and I had been buying flats of water for him as a matter of convenience for his line of work. But my parents got him a light water bottle for Christmas, and he's been using that instead of spending $4-5 every couple of weeks on water. 

            - We also never use paper plates, despite our love for convenience, and we wash and reuse plastic flatware. 

            - We only use rechargable batteries for our gaming systems and cameras. They're a bit more up front, but I can't even tabulate how much we must have saved on batteries!

5.  Save Energy. 

            - Try keeping your A/C a few degrees higher when its warm, and your heater a few degrees lower when it's cold. Running these constantly really jacks up your power and gas bills.

            - Unplug chargers and turn things OFF when not in use, like your printer, Keurig, DVD player, etc.

6.  Limit what you spend.  

            - If you eat out three times a week, cut it back to two, or even one! 

            - Buy a coffee every morning on the way to work?  Make it at home and take it in a travel mug.

            - If you're really prone to impulse spending,  set a spending limit for yourself when you do hit the mall and stick to it.

The MOST important part, however, is to remember that the few dollars here and there you've been saving now needs to go toward that debt, savings account, etc.  It's very easy to splurge with the extra money you've saved, especially if you're not in the habit of saving. Resist it!!!

Letting Businesses Work for My Business

The initial reason I switched from shopping at Kroger to Publix was because of Publix's BOGO deals. Saving money = awesome.

But once I started doing business with them on a regular basis, I've been so much more impressed with Publix's culture.
If they've run out of a product I want to buy on sale, they'll give me a raincheck to come back later and buy it at the same price. 
If I want to return something, they don't even ask questions; they simply refund my money. 
If I ask for help finding a product, many employees not only take me straight there, but will also recommend less expensive brands they find to be equal in quality. 
And, most importantly, if I DO find anything to complain about, Publix asks what they can do to ensure I leave satisfied.

Sure, Kroger advertises all of their newly "lowered prices" (which are arguably no lower than before), but when was the last time an employee walked you out to your car and loaded your groceries into the trunk for you?

This is the kind of culture I look for in a company. Publix as earned my loyalty, and would have to screw up pretty big to lose it.

Kellogg's is similar in its commitment to customer care. A few weeks ago, I was on Kellogg's Family Rewards (doing what else?) printing coupons. I purchased the coupon I wanted to print with points I had collected from marked boxes of Kellogg's products. Well, the coupon in question did not print. I tried to address it with RedPlum, the printers of said coupon, but their recommendations did not work. So I brought it up with Kellogg's. They not only reactivated the coupon for me to reprint it, but they credited me with double the amount of points I'd spent on it. And later that week, I received a personalized letter in the mail from RedPlum with two coupons for any Kellogg's product.

Neither were huge gestures, and it probably only cost the companies 5 minutes and $2 each in coupons. But I felt heard and my problems were addressed above and beyond my expectations.

As a customer and consumer, I strongly feel that it is not my job to pick a company to purchase products from. Rather it is up to the company to positively and professionally convince me they're worth my time and money to do business with. Ultimately, the company I want to do business with is the company that does everything in its power to make certain I have nothing to complain about before I set foot in their store or visit their website.

You Don't HAVE to Use It

When I was little, I remember listening to my Grandma say she needed to go to the store, my dad asking what she needed, Grandma responding with "I have a coupon," and the ensuing discussion about how she didn't need to buy baby powder or cereal or whatever it was just because she had a coupon. Though he wasn't talking to me, I've found this an invaluable lesson in my money-saving ventures.

This holiday season, my inbox has been BOMBARDED with sales, promotions, coupons, gimmicks, updates on my "special interests" and everything in between. 7 for $25 here, $10 off your purchase of $50 there, and let's not forget 40% off site-wide.

Wow. Excellent deals. For someone so intent on saving money, all of those percentages off, dollars off, and coupon codes are very tempting. And tempting though it might be, just because it's on sale right now does NOT mean I need to buy it right now.

I'm not getting these advertisements because I'm special, because said businesses care about saving me money, or because they think I deserve to splurge. It's on sale right now and I'm targeted with these advertisements because the company is trying to move out stock to prepare for the new season and trying to meet it's sales quota.

I always have to remind myself that the best way to save money as a consumer is to reverse this process. Yes, I still am signed up for promotions from any store I could possibly need something from. But I wait until I need something and THEN start reading those emails. Once I've decided I really do need that toaster, accent pillow, scarf, etc, I start looking for the sales, promo codes, and printable coupons for the stores I know have what I want. But if I'm looking for a gallon pitcher, that does not mean I need to open the Michael's ad.

I find that during the winter holidays (and in all of the sales right after - I'm lookin' at you, January), it takes the MOST restraint out of any time of the year. They do this to us on purpose. But if you are in the market for something particular, now is the time to buy!

Read Me: One Book to Change Your Budgeting Habits

As you may have guessed from previous posts, B and I have a lot of debt [more than you could imagine] acquired through some very unfortunate, and quite frankly unfair, circumstances regarding school loans. We are just starting the get-outta-debt climb up the mountain. But we are starting that climb with new found hope, and with a plan.

A year or so ago, B and I came to realize the full extent of this ugly, brute-faced monster I've named Everest. We felt lost, unable to get a handle on life, scared out of our minds. From the base, this mountain looks impossible to conquer for two newlyweds, now responsible for running a household, paying bills, and just starting out on new career paths. And it seemingly just keeps getting worse.

So B's mom gave him this book. He read it, cover-to-cover, and found solace in the tangible possibility of escaping from under the mountain. Last month, he asked me to read it. Since then, we've heard several success stories about the effectiveness of this book, and not a single failure. This key to eventual success in paying off all of our loans is Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, or, in our home, "the Money Book." Dave's written an in-your-face, step-by-step PLAN of how to get out of debt, achieve financial stability, start saving for college funds/retirement, and how to never pay too much for those big ticket purchases. He also provides tables and worksheets, and offers additional budgeting software.

He doesn't say it'll be easy. And he doesn't give you a genie to grant your wishes. He promotes a furious determination, extreme money-earning measures, and relentless pursuit to achieve your goals of debtlessness (<--- Karissa-ism, not Dave-ism). It's not fun, for sure... but its effective.  

We've had to adjust quite a few of his teachings to our personal situation since it's mainly geared toward spenders and we definitely consider ourselves savers. But we still swear by the process and are confident that it will work for us. If you have debt or even if you're unhappy living from paycheck to paycheck, Dave's book can provide you with a plan to pay it off, save it up, and invest it for tomorrow. 

Check out Dave's website, and seriously, I recommend this book.