Getting the Most Out of Rewards Programs

Since the birth of my daughter, I've joined a few online rewards programs.  Prior to her birth, I did belong to the MyCokeRewards program, because I am a "Coke" head.  In 2011 I joined both the Pampers and Huggies rewards programs, and then last year I joined the Kellogg's Family Rewards program.  Most people would probably ask why I spend my time on all of this - truthfully, I need the freebies.  When you work inconsistently, any bit of savings makes a difference.

Last year I gave my mom a Shutterfly calendar that I got, of course, for free.  Shutterfly tends to send out free codes, but a hidden benefit to joining rewards programs is that they will email you free codes as well. For example, I have three different codes right now for free holiday cards - one from the register at Target, one from MyCokeRewards, and one from Huggies.  Last year I was fortunate enough to obtain THREE free calendars!  Right now, though, I only have one code.  So, I went to my trusty reward programs to see about some freebies and I came up with a very interesting fact:  Each program has wildly different redemption amounts for the same item!

Here are the necessary points needed to obtain a 8x11 Shutterfly wall calendar from each of my rewards programs:

286 points - MyCokeRewards
550 points - Huggies
800 points - Pampers
12,900 points - Kellogg's Family Rewards

Do you see a disparity here, because I do!  Even with different average point levels, it would take at least three times longer to accumulate the points needed for the calendar from Kellogg's as it would from Coke!  I actually only have roughly half the points needed to obtain a calendar from Kellogg's.  I suppose this is just an FYI about these programs.  They're all different, and be sure to enter the free codes that pop up online! You'll get further with them than without them!  Also, if friends, family, or co-workers are willing to give codes to you, take them.  These rewards programs are really good ways to earn free gift cards and photo gifts.  I NEVER pay for photo gifts.  There's no reason to.  Put the tiny bit of work in, and you'll get the free stuff.

How I Got the Best Deal on the Klip Klop Stable

Such a fabulous picture of my basement!

I have been on the web nonstop for almost two weeks searching out holiday deals.  When Amazon had a lightning deal on the Fisher Price Klip Klop Stable about two weeks ago, I scoffed at the $27.99 price.  That’s nothing special, especially since FP put a coupon out on the web for $10 off, and most stores are selling it for $34!  I basically had two options:  purchase it at our local Mattel outlet store, using the 50% coupon that I have at their 39.99 price point; or stack, stack, stack at Target.  I chose to stack the deals at Target as follows:

$5 off a $50 purchase (I was buying a birthday gift at the same time)

$10 off Fisher Price manufacturer coupon (from their Share the Joy program)

$5 off a Disney Princess toy (Target coupon, from their toy book)

5% off Target Pharmacy rewards

5% off for using my Target RedCard

So, using my fuzzy math, I paid $14.04 before tax!  The deals are out there; you just need to be willing to search them out.  Likewise, you don’t have to shop on Black Friday – or Christmas Eve – to get the hot toys at a manageable price.  Shop when you are able to!  Don't let it stress you out!

Why I Don't Love Wal-Mart

Why do I not “love” Walmart   There are a few really basic reasons.  So many people stand by their prices, and I can’t always disagree with that, but I have one sincere gripe:  I never leave there with “something extra.”  I don’t receive a reason to return, i.e. a gift card, reward bucks, or even Catalinas! 

Price matching is a PITA.  I find it so tedious to separate out my price matches, and then have to go through them all one-by-one, often in multiple ads, with the cashier.  And make sure to read the fine print!  Heaven forbid you try to buy something in another ad marked as “select varieties.”  I feel like I’m haggling at a garage sale.  Why does Walmart do this?  Because they know that it’s time consuming, and not everyone will want to do it.  Very rarely do I buy enough to make it worthwhile. 

No Catalinas.  I really love walking out of stores, especially Meijer, with coupons to come back with.  Walmart does not offer this.  Even better, often times Meijer provides me with general store coupons, such as x dollars off an x amount laundry purchase, which I can use with a Manufacturer coupon!  Target does this as well.  This doesn't happen at Walmart.

Gift cards.  If I buy diapers at Walmart  they’re more or less the same price as at Meijer or Target; the manufacturer sets the price.  However, if I buy the right amount, Target will give me a gift card for doing so.  It’s the same with TP, paper towels, and laundry detergent.  So, why not go to Target, and get a gift card for my gift kitty?

Purchase perks.  The mPerks program at Meijer rewards me for shopping there.  For example, if I buy $40 in paper, laundry, and cleaning items this calendar month, I can get a reward for $6 off my next purchase.  There are also coupons for base amounts, such as $10 off once you've spent $300.  Also, there are mPerk coupons.  Example:  Cheerios are on sale for $2.50/box.  I had two 50-cent off MQs.  When I went to my mPerks page, I found a store coupon for another $1 off two boxes.  So, by purchasing my Cheerios at Meijer, I saved an additional dollar that I wouldn't have been able to do elsewhere.  Finally, if I buy my box of Huggies at Meijer, I get $20 towards baby rewards.  Once I get to $100 spent, I earn $10 off my next purchase.

Store brands are everywhere.  I buy generic whenever I can.  Do I really need name-brand broth to marinate chicken in the crock-pot?  Not really.  While there are a few Great Value-branded products that my family specifically purchases, do I need to purchase all of my store-branded products at Walmart   My answer is “not necessarily.”  I can get a can of cream of chicken soup anywhere.

Bear in mind that my family did not shop at Walmart much growing up.  Chicago is a city that is loyal to its local grocers, and with an older Mom, I understood her loyalties. Walmart only came to Chicago in the early 90s, and my Mom was almost 50 by then.  My mom probably goes to the local Italian grocery store (Valli Produce) more often than Walmart   I just don’t have a great deal of loyalty to Walmart  and can’t wrap my arms around going in there and just spending money, not getting anything back.  Their “only game in town, one-stop shopping” POV doesn't get me in the door.  I live in Chicago; I have options.  Most other stores give me reasons to come back; Walmart just doesn't provide those same options.

Using Rewards to Save Money This Christmas

My Christmas budget continues to shrink.  The less I work, the less I make, and the less I have to spend on the holidays.  While it seems like my daughter will have a lot under the tree, we’ve bought a lot of things that were between $5 and $7.  My hope is that her “big gift” will cost me around $20 pre-tax.  This doesn’t account for the thirty-odd other people I have to shop for.  How do I pay for it?  Rewards!  I love to earn them!  It’s kind of like clearance shopping:  The thrill of the hunt.  Here are the many, many reward programs I participate in.

Discover Card.  I’ve used my Discover cards for their Cashback Bonus program for years.  Each quarter they have a specific category to earn 5% cash back towards partner gift cards.  Some categories are perfect – gas – and others, like amusement parks, are worthless.  I still manage to earn 2-3 gift cards each year, usually $50 to Kohl’s or JCPenney.

Meijer mPerks.  This basically rewards you for shopping at Meijer.  They have an ongoing Baby rewards program, with a point for every dollar spent in the baby department (food, diapers, etc.)  This is a rolling program, and you can earn $10 at a time, or wait until you reach up to $50 off your next purchase.  Likewise, there are monthly goals that rotate; this month I have chosen to earn $10 for every $300 spent.  This sounds like a lot, but since I buy most of my groceries here, it adds up quickly.  And it’s free!

Gap Visa.  When I signed up for this card, I had no idea that it would become my primary credit card!  Their bonus points are outrageous; for example, from now to the end of the year, there are 5x points on gas, groceries, and dining.  Granted, you have to be a shopper of one of their stores, but I buy most of my clothes, as well as my daughter’s clothes, at Old Navy, and buy a lot of gifts for the kids there as well.

Swagbucks.  This is time-consuming, but has a great payoff.  Swagbucks is a site in which you earn “bucks” through many different processes, from watching quick adverts, to Internet searches, to taking high-value surveys.  I've been doing this for a couple of years, and look forward to finally cashing in for an Amazon gift card!

Target gift cards.  I talk about this all the time – I buy most of my diapers at Target to earn gift cards.  We also earned them when Bebe was on formula, as well as on paper and laundry products.  The $110 I have now will go a long way!

My Coke Rewards.  Yep, I’m a “Coke Head.”  We’ve been collecting codes forever (with help from family members and work friends), and around the holidays they do some great deals on gift cards; year-round, they have low-point-value offers from Shutterfly.  It’s only 250 points for a coffee mug, and I have more than 2,500 to use!

Diaper Rewards.  Both Huggies and Pampers have reward programs.  I have earned a $10 Amazon gift card through Huggies; I haven’t redeemed anything from Pampers, as Bebe hasn’t worn them in about a year and a half.  It’s just another opportunity to earn gift cards.

Menards rebates.  In the past, I have used my Menards rebate checks to buy Christmas gifts.  Here’s a tip:  We buy our batteries here.  Their prices are the best for quality batteries.

This is just some of what I do.  Every little bit helps.  I admit that I don’t spend a lot of money per person, but we do our best.  Since it’s the thought that counts, I put enough thought into my budget to equal $100 gifts! J

Easy Tips for Saving Money This Christmas

A SAHM’s Tips on How to Save Money This Christmas

Even though it’s only November 6^th, my holiday panic has already set in.  I spend about two months stressing over how to pay for all of the gifts for my extensive family.  I personally started planning about a week ago.  Fortunately we are now doing a Secret Santa with my husbands siblings and their spouses, so I have three less gifts to buy this year!  Of course, my daughter’s three preschool teachers have now supplanted that, but I’m already prepared for them.  There are about a billion people on the Internet that will tell you how to save on Christmas, but I’m a totally regular person, I do this blog in my spare time when I can, and this is a great passion of mine.  This is what the mom down the street does to buy for about forty people every year!

**Disclaimer:  My Mom tried reduce the gift exchange with her extended family down to a Secret Santa from a “token gifts for everyone” approach.  She was rebuffed.

1. Make it your job.  If you’re a SAHM, it IS your job to find ways to save money.  It really doesn't take as much time as it seems.  Visit sites that post holiday deals (such as Budget Savvy Diva) once a day or so.   You never know what you might find, such as a free mouse pad deal or a high-value coupon.  Likewise, when I go out on Black Friday, I know exactly what I’m buying.  I go out with a list of what I’m buying for whom at what stores.  It prevents me from overspending.
2. Work on your own timetable.  Many sites suggest you wait until Christmas approaches for the best deals.  While this may be true, it doesn't work for everyone.  We have family in other states to send gifts to, and we’re celebrating Christmas with my husband’s family on December 21^st this year, so that doesn't really apply to me.  I estimate that I need to have ¾ of my list done by December 21^st.  If you can hold out until the weekend before Christmas, go for it.  If not, keep abreast of the deals immediately.  Also see item #4!
3. Rewards and gift cards.  This is my ace-in-the-hole.  I accumulate Target gift cards throughout the year buying paper goods, diapers, and other items.  Right now I’m at $110.  Frankly, I was all set to write about this and realized I can do an entire post on how I don’t pay for gifts!  That’ll be up next!
4. Shop on December 26^th.  While this won’t help for this year, it’s still a great way to get token gifts at a cheap price.  Target is a great place to go on the 26^th for lots of things – I bought a year’s worth of aluminum foil last year – not just trinket gifts.  I bought the dish towels for Bebe’s teachers, a teapot for my husband’s coworker, and salt & pepper shakers for another family member, last December 26^th.  Some of this stuff will still even be around at higher discounts as the New Year approaches.  At Kohl’s on December 31^st, we bought a gift basket (late holiday gift) and dirt-cheap ornaments.
5. Re-gift.  This sounds worse than it is.  My husband works for a company that – every year - gifts their employees the overstock of the items they produce.  He has worked there for eight years.  That’s a lot of swag.  These particular items are perfect for our older family members.  Don’t be afraid to re-gift, especially in token exchanges.  There is no shame in having a budget.
6. Be creative.  While this is not necessarily my cup of tea, make gifts!  Bake for a neighbor, teacher, or older person.  Try to make those soaps that are all over Pinterest.  It’s the thought that counts, and for me, time can be more expensive than money!

These are just a few of the things I do to make the holiday season more affordable.  As I mentioned before, I estimated that we have about 40 people to buy gifts for - that's pretty outrageous.  In a few days I'll outline all the ways I get free gift cards and rewards to help offset costs.  It is beyond stressful, and I spent the afternoon munching on Oreos.  Hopefully this will help someone else . . . and stay away from Oreos!