Earn Cash Back Online with Reward Websites

When you shop you can earn cash back online, which is especially nice now that the holidays aren’t too far away. There are several different rewards programs out there that will give you free money for every purchase that you make. If you aren’t using any of these websites, then you are missing out on valuable savings. Why would these websites give you money to shop? It must be a scheme, right? Not true. There are at least four major rebate or cash-back websites out there that are legitimate, giving money back on all of the purchases that a member … Continue reading

Make the Most of Hotel Rewards

In a previous blog I may have suggested that being a Starwood Preferred Guest member pales in comparison to being a Hilton Hhonors member. That’s simply not the case. I merely mentioned that unlike my Hilton HHonors friend, I have not made the most of being a member of a hotel rewards program. Being a Starwood Preferred Guest member certainly has its privileges; however, you can’t take advantage of the perks unless you know what they are and how many points you need to accrue in order to score them. You earn points by staying at any of the 1,000 … Continue reading

Does Your Store Refuse Credit Cards?

A new grocery store opened in my neighborhood earlier this year. I meant to head down and check it out, but with one thing and the other, I didn’t get around to it. But one day when my sister was here for a visit, she dragged me down there. “You’ve got to see this place,” she said. “You just won’t believe it.” I looked around, and I was impressed. The prices were really good, they have a great bulk food section, and I could see myself shopping there regularly. In fact, I went back four times over the next three … Continue reading

How to Do Retail Reward Programs

Retail reward programs can be a great way to save money and get things for nothing. There are so many different rewards programs out there that taking advantage of them can be both easy and difficult. It is easy, since there are so many to find, but it is also hard because you have to weed through all of the different rules and possible fees that go with them. First, let us talk about credit card rewards. All of the major bank credit cards can carry rewards, from travel miles to Disney Store points, cash back and merchandise. American Express … Continue reading

How to Put Your Shopping Dollars to Work Helping Animals

‘Tis the season for spending, yes, but ‘tis also the season for giving. (And not just gifts to loved ones.) If you’d like to help a worthy cause of the animal variety, but dread putting even more of a pinch on your pocketbook, fear not! Here’s how to put those dollars you’re spending anyway towards both gifts and a worthy cause: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Chase Credit Cards: Platinum Visa Cards are available in four designs (Kitty Kard, Best Friends, ASPCA, and HLE). These are also Flexible Rewards cards, so you can earn points … Continue reading

Online Shopping Secrets: Seven Websites that Will Save You Money

Grab the lowest prices on everything you buy online by checking out the following seven websites before you make a purchase. Retailmenot.com and Fatwallet.com Check Retailmenot.com and Fatwallet.com for coupons and coupons codes that you can use to get discounts on the things that you buy online. There are coupon codes for both products and online stores. In some cases, you’ll also find rebates to redeem. Just search for the store or the product to see what might be available. Some coupon codes are straight forward, such as 10 percent off a purchase or free shipping, while others have specific … Continue reading

Shopping Made Simple

Going to the store used to be pretty simple. I’d throw on my jacket, grab my purse, stuff my car keys in my pocket, and go. Now that I have a baby, it’s not so simple. First of all, getting ready to leave takes longer. I have to time it so that my daughter has a full belly as close to departure time as possible. She needs to be dressed appropriately for the weather. I check and double check the diaper bag to make sure I have teething medicine, diapers, wipes, burp cloths, and enough toys to keep her entertained. … Continue reading

The Great American Gas Out Fizzles Out

Did you take part in yesterday’s Great American Gas Out? It was a grass roots movement to have all motorists boycott gas stations for one day with the hopes it would somehow have an impact on gas prices. One email I received promoting the boycott had a goal of taking $2.3 billion in oil company profits. Needless to say, gas prices in my area are just as high today ($3.30 a gallon) as they were yesterday. So to the man who I ran into yesterday in the check out line at Wal-Mart who insisted that one-day boycott had exactly zero … Continue reading

Frugal Shopping: One CD and Five Different Offers

Are you getting the best deal on your purchase when you shop? I’ll show you how one CD can have five different prices and how you can find the best offer. I am always surprised that more people don’t research their purchases before they buy. It is so easy to do in this age of the internet. E-mail offers, retail stores with web sites, and of course savings forums and the Deals Blog here on Families.com make comparison shopping relatively painless. Prompted by an offer from Borders in my e-mail, I decided I wanted to reward all of my hard … Continue reading

Frugal Books: Find Your Used Book Sales Today!

There is nothing like visiting a used book sale. I live the thrill of walking through rooms and rooms of books. Whether the books are carefully organized by subject or jumbled this way and that, each visit to a used book sale is a great adventure. One of my favorite book sales is held in the Radnor Library, here in Pennsylvania. This sale boasts thousands of well-cared-for books that occupy an entire basement. The sale is held twice a year and people come from other states just to experience it. It was at this sale last year that we hit … Continue reading