Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Tips for Daily Deal Sites

Adventures in Daily Deal Site Series

In my last post, I introduced some of the basics in using daily deal sites. I have recently been able to get some amazing deals using some tips that I am going to share today.

A few weekends ago, my husband and I spent time with my brother and sister in law. Here is what our fun-filled Saturday looked like:

Brunch courtesy of my lovely sister in law!
18 hole put put game for the 4 of us
2 Large buckets of golf balls for the driving range
4 tickets to see the new Harry Potter with 4 popcorns and 4 drinks
2 $20 gift certificates to get gelato

With my savvy skills, we only paid $16 for all of this! Here is how you can too:

1.) Check the daily deals sites frequently and be on the lookout for things that your family enjoys. Watch for the expiration dates because sometimes you cannot use the deal before it expires, which would be a waste of money.

2.) For Eversave, you can send an e-mail after you purchase your saves to other friends. If you put just one e-mail address in the box, you will receive $2 to use on your next purchase. You can do this each time you purchase an eversave, so you will always have $2 in your account.

3.) Always be on the lookout for promotional codes. Eversave usually has a $3 code activated (SHARE). Sometimes they run special promo codes during holidays or other occasions. Pair these with the $2 in your account, and you can get some saves for free!

4.) Post the unique referral link that is given when you purchase a certificate from a daily deal site on your website or Facebook page. If someone purchases a deal through your link, you will receive $10-$15 in rewards to your account.
**My husband set up and account, and when he purchased his first Eversave, he purchased through my link, giving me $10 to my account! Spread the word to your friends and family!

Happy shopping!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Tips for Daily Deal Sites

ADVENTURES IN DAILY DEAL SITES SERIES

I've been using the bulk amount of my couponing time to expand my horizons and discover new ways to save money. Since my husband will be deploying again soon, I wanted to plan some fun day trips for us to do in order to spend some quality time together. I know that many families have had to cut back on spending or vacations because of the economy and job loss, so finding affordable entertainment becomes extremely challenging! Since Daily Deal sites are so new, there isn't much information on the web that explains any of the benefits or tips to purchasing certificates through Daily Deal sites. I hope that some of these questions and answers will help you begin some awesome summer savings!

Q: What is a Daily Deal site?
A: These websites, some of which are Groupon, Eversave, and LivingSocial, post deals that reflect significant savings for restaurants, movie theaters, clothing stores, massages and more! Oftentimes customers can purchase a gift certificate through these sites for 50% off the original price. For example, one could purchase an Old Navy gift certificate worth $30 but only pay $15 through one of the Daily Deal sites.

Q: How often are they posted?
A: Daily Deals are just what the name describes, so deals are updated each day. However, I have found that some of the sites have multiple deals each day and some even span a few days to a week in available time to purchase.

Q: What are the benefits of using Daily Deal sites?
A: The obvious benefit of purchasing discounted entertainment is that you can save money! I will be sharing the different deals that I have gotten as well as other ways to use these certificates. These Daily Deals might allow you to go to a restaurant or go somewhere that you otherwise would not do if you did not have the discount!

Q: How do I get started?
A: One of my favorite sites is Eversave. I have been able to get some of my certificates for FREE! I will be expanding on those in a later post. If you want to sign up at Eversave to check out the deals in your area, you can go to this link http://eversave.com/share/AiiA. When you sign up, you will have a credit of $2 in your account. When you purchase your first "save," use the promotional code "SHARE" to receive an additional $3 off! That equates to a total of $5 off of your first purchase!

I hope that this helps answer and introduce you to some more money-saving tips! Enjoy your summer and stay tuned for updates on how to make the most of your Daily Deal purchases!

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Too Long...

It's been too long since I've posted! With all the crazy changes in our lives, I haven't had any time to blog about my coupon endeavors. I am still faithfully couponing as often as I can, but it is difficult to find the time! Here are a few tips as we enter into the holiday season:

**Keep your eye out for cheap or free items for stockings or gift fillers. These may include candles (there is a great coupon for $3/2 Glade items), lip gloss (great coupons for Nivea and Blistex), candy bars (buy1, get 1 coupons for Hershey's), small toys or Pez dispensers. I have found many of these items recently, especially in the sale sections.

** Take advantage of the $5 coupon for Hallmark stores to stock up on holiday, birthday or anniversary cards. Hunt for the $0.99 cards and get 5 for free! You are able to print the coupon twice per computer, so take advantage of this great deal! When I went this evening, the fall decor was 75% off and I was able to get 3 adorable plaques for just $1 after my coupon and discounts! Hurry to get your deals while they're available!

** Make your Christmas budget last by shopping on the sale racks. Right now is the prime time for summer items to go on sale at a very low price. While tank tops and skirts aren't the most practical items to wear right now, you can pair a tank with a cardigan, or wear tights under a skirt to make it more winter appropriate. Wal-Mart always had good deals on jewelry which are nice stocking stuffers or fillers to complete an outfit!

** Gift idea: Scarf and glove set bought last year after Christmas $1.50, flower pin for coat $1, long necklace $1, matching earrings $1, lip gloss $0.50, Card-free = $5 for an awesome gift!

Happy Shopping!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Wal-Mart Sales! Shop NOW!

I would HIGHLY suggest spending some time in Wal-Mart's sale section within the next few days! Many of their "summer" items are on sale. This is the time that I stock up on extremely cheap gifts for the following months!

For example, I just bought 3 ceramic candle warmer skirts for $0.50 each! They are super cute and are perfect wedding shower gifts (many of which I will be attending over the next year). Sometime last year I bought a few candle warmers for around $2 each and these skirts will look great with them. All I need to add is a large good smelling candle and I've got a great gift for about $5.00. To make it even better, I can add a plug-in and room spray that I've gotten for free and make a cute basket!

In addition, there are really cheap paper products for parties. If you are planning on hosting a birthday party, I even saw banners and invitations for $1 each. Happy shopping!

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Free Clothes!

It is the season for back-to-school shopping, and as a teacher, I need some clothes too! Luckily there is an awesome coupon out for Christopher & Banks! Go here and get your own $10 coupon off any purchase! This coupon is good for clearance purchases too, and guess what?!? There are several racks priced at $9.99. If they tell you that your purchase must be $10, just ask them to make the coupon for $9.99! You don't even have to pay tax!! This is the best deal ever!

Friday, July 31, 2009

Cheap Clothes from Aeropostale!

AEROPOSTALE CLOTHES!!

Here is a code to use on Aeroposatale's homepage here!!
**Your item must be at least $10 in order to apply the promotion. It will not be deducted from shipping and handling charges. This code is good through 12/31/09!! Use this for Christmas gifts!

LS_ZG8F4

Aeropostale has $10 t-shirts online for both guys and girls, and now through Sunday 8/2/09 there is a $5 flat rate shipping fee with the code FLAT5. So you basically can get a few t-shirts for just $5!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Meijer Trip

I usually don't do my grocery shopping on Sundays, but this time I didn't want the store to be out of the products I wanted to buy! I took a little while to get my coupons together and printed some offline. Here is a highlight of my best deals:

10 for 10 get the 11th Free items:

Coffee Mate creamer $1
-use $0.50/1 coupon=free!
2 Aunt Millie Loafs of bread $2
-use (2) $1/1 coupons from coupons.com=free!
2 Warm Delights $2
-use (2) $1/1 coupons=free!
3 Colgate toothpastes $3
-use (3) $1/1 coupons
-use Meijer Mealbox $1/3 coupon= free + overage!
2 Angel Soft Bath Tissue $2
-use $0.55/1 coupon from coupons.com=$1
Frozen Corn $1
*free item

**General Mills Cereal Special**
Buy any 4 General Mills cereals and get a $2 coupon for your next purchase
**NEW** Buy any 3 General Mills cereals and get a coupon for a free gallon of milk or buy 6 cereals to get a coupon for 2 free gallons of milk!

Scenario:
Buy 2 boxes of Banana Nut Cheerios $4
-use (2) $1/1 coupons from coupons.com
Buy 2 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios $4
-use (2) $1/1 coupons
-use $1/2 coupon

Total=$3
**Get $2 coupon for next purchase
**Get coupon for a free gallon of milk