Cash back apps...my favorites! How about you...are you saving too?!

Please see my updated post (March 23, 2020)



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Cash back...what a wonderful thing!

There are several different ways that I earn cash back while shopping in the store, or while shopping online.  If you haven't discovered this way to stretch your dollar a little farther, I am going to let you in on a little secret!

Companies want your business...okay, maybe that's not a secret, but many of them offer some incentives for shopping at their stores, or buying their products.  It may take a few extra minutes of your time, but I feel that it is well worth it!

Here's my current balance on Checkout 51...will cash out VERY soon!

Like I mentioned, there are 3 main ways that I earn cash back:

**The first way is with CASH BACK APPS, such as Checkout 51, Ibotta, and Saving Star...those are my "go-to" apps.
If you are an iPhone or Android user, the apps will work on your phone.
Before you shop, select the current offers, that you are interested in.  Some apps will let you select the offers after you shop, as long as you are within their specified time frame.  That is what I love about cash back apps, as I don't always remember to clip coupons before I go shopping, but I still have the chance to save money!  Once you have uploaded your receipt, you will earn money in your account, which you may request after you reach a certain balance (most is $20)
Some apps will let you register your store loyalty cards (I do this with my Target account), and automatically give you credit for purchases made, as long as you add them to your account before you shop.

**Secondly, I use apps that let you earn points that you redeem for gift cards. The first app called Fetch Rewards.  This app lets you scan your grocery receipts, and gives you points for every shopping trip (minimum of 25 points/trip).  Certain brands that you might by, give you more points, and bonus points.  These points will add up and you may redeem them for gift cards.  I usually redeem them for Target or Walmart gift cards, but there are many choices to choose from.  If you download the Fetch Rewards app, and use my referral code (BJ0TA), you will receive 1500 bonus points (worth $1.50) when you submit your first receipt!
Shopkicker is another app that will give you points for just visiting certain stores at times.  Earn more by scanning certain items, and even more if you buy the specific items that they are promoting.  If you use my Shopkicker referral code (076775), you will receive 250 points when you complete your first walk-in or scan (within 7 days of joining)

**The third way I earn cash back is for online shopping.  My favorite way to earn cash back online is through Ebates (now called Rakuten).  I just make it a habit to log into my Rakuten account before I do any online shopping, as most of the stores I shop at will offer cash back if I start my shopping through the Rakuten site.  Rakuten now offers some in-store cashback offers, as well.  Look for those, and link your credit card to the site, and you will earn cashback!!
Other sites are Top Cashback, and Savings Star also has this feature, which I haven't used yet.  Basically, I compare the current cash back percentages at each site, and choose whichever has the highest percentage at the time!  Rakuten has a daily double offer...which is a fantastic time to shop!



I would love to hear if you are taking advantage of cash back when you shop.
If you are not, please feel free to click on my referral links that I have included above...that is another great way to earn cash when you refer others to the apps/sites!
Thanks so much!!!

Editor's Note:  This post was originally published in March of 2016, but has been updated in December 2017. More options are available to earn cash back since I originally wrote this post, so I have updated it to include more ways for you to earn.)

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Makeover Monday...sneak peek at my cabinets!

Eighteen years ago, my husband and I had our house built for us.  Way back then, I really would have liked white cabinets and trim but my husband and our realtor talked me out of it and we had oak installed.  They were concerned that it would be hard to keep it looking clean with an almost 2 year old, and another baby on the way.

The old cabinets really did look nice...it was brand new house, so of course it would.

Through the years though, I keep seeing beautiful pictures in magazines and on fixer upper shows that feature white trim and cabinets, and I secretly wish, once again that I would have had them installed when we built the house.

Over time, to our dismay, our oak cabinets have become very "yellow" (I hear that complaint from many people).  We agreed that if I wanted to tackle painting them to give it a try!  I knew it would be a lot of work, but I actually kind of like painting.

I also wanted to paint our walls gray (but that's a whole other story, lol!)...

I will write more later about my process, but here is a quick before picture (of our "pantry" wall):


And after:

I am very pleased with the transformation!  It is amazing how different they look!

My family really likes it too!

I will write more later...when I am finished with all of them...

Stay tuned!

Have any of you tackled this project before? Pin It

Style Steals at Cents of Style...3/11 Winter Blowout...$5 and free shipping!

Take a look before these frugal deals are gone! 

Today at Cents of Style you can grab a scarf, hat, boots and more for only $5 when you use code: WINTERSTEAL at checkout.  The deal even includes FREE SHIPPING!

Here are some of the cute things you may find (some have SOLD OUT already...so be quick):

Style Steals:  $5 with code:  WINTERSTEAL

What Winter "Steal" do you hope to grab?

Happy Shopping!

**Affiliate links are included in this post.  I receive a small amount of compensation if a reader clicks through on a link and makes a purchase.** Pin It

Today only: Eyeglasses delivered for $9.90!!!

TODAY only!!!

You can get a pair of prescription eyeglasses from Goggles 4 U for only $9.90 delivered!  This is same deal I used several years back for the eyeglasses that I wrote about here.

I have loved them, and saved myself hundreds of dollars!!!

If you need new glasses, or if you want to really see what ordering glasses is like online, I would encourage you to try!

This is what you need to do:

1.  Go to Goggles 4 U.

2.  Hover over Special Offers and click on Free Frames.
3.  Choose from the many frames available by uploading a picture of yourself and "trying them on" virtually.  It is so cool!  :)
4.  Follow the instructions for adding in your prescription.
5.  When you are ready to check out, use coupon code: GLASSES990


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Frugal Friday...No Crust Ham & Cheese "Quiche"

I actually followed my menu plan for most of the week!  Woo Hoo!  That doesn't always happen.

I mentioned on Monday, that I would try and share Thursday's recipe...Ham and Cheese Quiche ("no crust" recipe), so that's what I will do.

I forgot to take a picture, so I apologize...

This is a recipe that I have used from an old church recipe book, and a similar one is in my Freezer Cooking Manual from 30 Day Gourmet: A Month of Meals Made Easy.  My recipe below is a combination of the two....

No Crust Ham and Cheese Quiche 
(sometimes called "Impossible Quiche")
*4 eggs
*2 cups milk
(or 3 eggs, and 1 1/2 cups milk)
*1 cup ham, cubed (leftover in freezer...yay!)
*1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
*1 cup green peppers, chopped (in my freezer too...replace this with any vegetable...I would have used broccoli...I just didn't have any on hand last night)
*1/2 cup flour
*2 tsp. baking powder
(other recipes call for 1/2 cup Bisquick, then you would skip the baking powder)

Mix eggs, milk, flour, and baking powder in a blender.  Mix together ham, cheese, and green peppers together and place in a 2 1/2 qt. greased baking dish (or quiche dish).  Pour the egg/milk mixture over the top.  Place in a preheated 350* oven and bake for 35 - 45 minutes, until lightly brown on top and set in the center.  Let sit for another 5 minutes before serving.  Salt and pepper to taste.

The reason I am posting this as a frugal post is that I usually have most of the ingredients on hand, and typically they are inexpensive ingredients anyway.

**Just a side note....I didn't even make my 2 youngest eat this last night...my 13 year old cannot stand the texture (or thought of) eggs this way....and my youngest benefited from that....haha....I made them each a protein packed smoothie (yogurt, whey protein, banana, milk) instead.  But....my 15 year old, and my husband both had seconds on my "quiche"....yay!



Find other Frugal Friday ideas at Life as Mom.

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Clearing Cord Clutter...frugally, of course!

I just had a great idea this morning...what is the saying, "necessity breeds creativity?"

Well, maybe it's more like, "annoyance breeds creativity" for me.  Annoyance at the amount of cords and wires that were hanging around my "much too small" computer area.

As you can see, this little computer desk is a perfect fit for the small space it is in, but there is hardly enough room for the monitor, printer, speakers, wireless router, mouse pad, etc..... 
You can only imagine how cluttered it gets when the boys (and on occasion, me) leave their cords for their ipods, or camera (me) on it also.

The "aha moment"....
I ran downstairs to my overflowing supply of gift wrapping items, and returned with:

If you look close enough you can see that is is so "professionally" attached with packing tape.

It's my Frugal Friday moment.

Be creative, look around at what you already have at home, repurpose it, and you don't have to spend a dime!
 

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Frugal Friday....lots of freebies!

This "Merry Christmas" Frugal Friday edition is all about the great freebies today!

Here goes:

**FREE 25 Days of Holiday Music.  Lots of different genres available.  Download a few, or all of them for free.

**The Everything Family Christmas Book (Kindle)--FREE e-book download



**Look at this fun A Charlie Brown Christmas app for your Android devices (including phones, tablets, or others?)!  This is usually $6.99, but is a FREE download today!  (Must be downloaded with wi-fi.  I guess I will have to find free wi-fi somewhere today...maybe Caribou Coffee!)

**I just send a beautiful FREE e-card to my sister and her family, from Real Simple Magazine. 


**Free Sample of Emergen-C Vitamin Drink Mix (great at this time of the year)

**FREE subscription to American Baby magazine


**Have you signed up for your FREE digital edition to Seventeen magazine? I used to love reading that magazine!

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This post is linked to Frugal Friday at Life as Mom. Pin It

Taste of Home magazine...only $10 for the year!

Santa's sleigh continues to deliver fabulous savings on magazines!

$10 for a full year's subscription

Have you ordered your FREE digital edition of Seventeen magazine? Pin It

Popular Mechanics...one year $6.99!

Well, the deal that was added today, might be a perfect last minute gift for the science and engineering minded ones on your list.
42% off Popular Mechanics: One year just $6.99!  




It's still not to late to save on all of Santa's Sleigh Deals of the Day,
including Reader's Digest, Prevention, Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle and Fitness... Pin It

The Frugal Gift giving continues with magazines....and music!

As we are quickly approaching Christmas this weekend, Magazines.com continues to offer great prices for subscriptions.
As I said before, these can make a great gift that your loved one will receive on a regular basis all year long!

Today's Double Deal (and you don't need to purchase both) is for:
Ladies Home Journal: One-Year just $5.99! (50% off!)
and/or:
Men’s Journal: 7 Issues are just $5.99!

It's not to late to save on all of Santa's Sleigh Deals of the Day,
including Reader's Digest, Prevention, Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle and Fitness...


Well, my title mentioned saving with music too, so here is the music idea.
Amazon.com makes it super easy to order last minute "gift cards" for the music lover on your list.  They can be sent via e-mail to your recipient!  I know that my boys are always super excited when they can download music from Amazon!
Amazon mp3s aren't just for mp3 players but can be used for your ipods too (which is what we do at our house), and Kindle Fire, etc....
So, go ahead and give the Gift of Music!




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More Frugal Magazine Offers!!! Easy Gift Giving!

Magazines.com continues their fabulous deals, as they have been doing all month long!

Today only, you can snatch this one up...
71% off Prevention: One-Year Just $5! (Regularly $16.95)

As I said yesterday, if this one doesn't interest you for any of the people on your list, there are many other great magazines available too!
Browse all Magazines



or:
$6.99 Stocking Stuffer Sale - through 12/23!



or:
Kids Magazine Sale through 12/31! Pin It

Frugal Friday...homemade gift giving!

I have to be honest...one of my favorite gifts to give are homemade gifts.  Maybe it's because I enjoy receiving homemade gifts as well.

I thought I would include some of my favorite recipes/ideas for things to give this Christmas.  This is only a small sampling of the endless ideas for homemade gift giving out there.  Just "google" (actually I prefer to search on Swagbucks) "homemade gift ideas", and I know you will come up with tons of links!

Here are a few:
**I received Spiced Tea Mix from a student years ago.  I loved it so much that I asked her mother for the recipe.  There are many variations of the recipe out there, but this is a yummy one.  My kids love it too!
**Here is another drink mix to make... Hot Cocoa Mix...it needs no explanation!  :)
**Homemade Granola...this is SO tasty!  I need to track down my favorite recipe for this one because I am definitely making it this year!
(I found it...Down to Earth Granola from Better Homes & Garden!  Yum!). Again, there are many different variations for granola.  I love giving this for a gift because you can eat it plain, with milk, on yogurt, ice cream, etc.

**Chex Muddy Buddies (sometimes called "Puppy Chow")...I absolutely love when I have received this for Christmas!!  (Hint, hint to any of my family that might be reading my post!)


**Raspberry Jam...it is handy when I have some of this in my freezer to take out and give for gifts, along with a loaf of homemade Oatmeal Bread.  Yum!  Unfortunately, we have eaten it all!  :)  Oh well, maybe next Christmas...

Do you give homemade gifts?  What are some of your favorites to give (or receive)?

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.


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Fitness Magazine...only $5.99

Wow! The great savings continue at Magazines.com.

Today's deal is for 57% off Fitness.  A One-year subscription for $5.99!



"Be Frugal, Be Fit" Pin It

Frugal Friday....washing dishes by hand!

It was a sad, sad day....

the day my dishwasher died....

I loved my dishwasher.  It was such a faithful worker.  It wasn't perfect, but I relied on that dishwasher for over 13 years.

Not only was it a hard worker, but it helped my kitchen look less cluttered.  I could hide my dirty dishes quickly, when company was coming over...you can't hide them when you have to wash them in the sink!

But, earlier this week, it started giving out....strange noises, that were just "not normal" starting coming from it.  It was warning me, I guess, but it gave me one last load of clean dishes.
I tried it again the next day, hoping that maybe it somehow "fixed itself".  It started the cycle, and lasted for 15 minutes, maybe.  Then it got s-l-o-w-e-r
and s--l--o--w--e--r....and quit. 
I sent my husband a text message, as he was at a basketball game with my older 2 boys.  "the dishwasher died"...no response.
I sent my middle boy a text message, "are u sitting by dad?"...the reply, "yes"..."tell him the dishwasher died"...."he knows"...I guess my darling husband wasn't as sad as I was....I guess it's because I'm the one that washes the most dishes around here!

Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, depending on how I look at it, we are not and will not be racing out to purchase a new dishwasher.  A dishwasher is not a "need", and only a "want".  We don't have disposable income, at this point in time.  But, that's okay as I have already found some positives to this sad occasion...my husband and I spend a little more time together in the evening, washing and drying dishes.  We make a great team!  :)  Last night, he even offered to wash them for me... 
Don't get me wrong.  I'm still annoyed that my dishwasher is dead.  (I never said I was perfect!) 
This is just the "new normal" that I will have to get used to...



...and there's really no reason I can't still use my broken dishwasher to hide my dirty dishes, right?.....



I'm linking to Frugal Friday, where you can find some great ideas.


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Popular Science magazine...one year $6

Another great deal from Magazines.com!  Actually they are having a new deal every day.  I will try to post them for you, and save you a little work.

Today, you can subscribe to, or give as a gift, the Popular Science magazine...for a whopping $6 for the year (50 cents an issue)!  Great price!

Magazine subscriptions are the gift that keeps on giving, as your recipient continues to receive it month after month!

If this one isn't the magazine for you, remember that you can save $5 instantly on select titles at Magazines.com! Enter code HOLIDAYMAGS at checkout. Offer ends 12/31/11.

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Real Simple Magazine...one year for $12

I have always loved paging through Real Simple magazine.  I have only done this at doctor's offices, or maybe the dentist, but never buy this one, because it is quite expensive.

Magazines.com currently has a full year's subscription for only $12.  That's only $1 an issue!

This would make a great gift too!

They have lots of other subscriptions on sale now too, and you can even
save $5 instantly on select titles at Magazines.com! Enter code HOLIDAYMAGS at checkout. Offer ends 12/31/11.

Be sure to check it out for easy, frugal gift giving!



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Frugal Gift Giving idea....Parent Magazine

Here is a great offer for some frugal gift giving.

As any parent knows, babies don't come with instruction manuals!  I found it helpful, as a new mom, to read parenting magazines (some of the time) for different ideas on things that worked, and did not work for parents. 

Right now, SavvySource is offering a 2 year subscription to Parents Magazine for only $7.  That's a great deal.
Want to save more?  Once you view the offer, click the Facebook "like" button, and it will automatically take another $1 off your cost! 

Wow!  That would make it only $6 for a 2 year subscription.  Give it as a gift, or order it for yourself!  :)

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