Saving money is something I always try to be aware of, especially since I’m a stay-at-home-mom. I try to find deals whenever possible, and I also enjoy using coupons! With the holidays around the corner, I wanted to share a few of the ways that I save or make money.
Coupons
Red Plum, SmartSource, and printable coupons can really add up! I’m nowhere near as dedicated as those Extreme Couponers, but I still like to save a dollar or two.
Here in the Pittsburgh area, there is a wonderful website called LadySavings.com. The team breaks down the weekly sales ad at Giant Eagle, and then links the coupon to the product. It is so easy! I have saved hundreds of dollars by following them. My favorite posts are when there are freebies! I have a stockpile of toothbrushes and toothpaste that I didn’t pay anything for, all because of coupons.
Apps
There are four apps that I use on my smartphone that help me save even more money: Ibotta, MobiSave, SavingStar, and Receipt Hog.
Ibotta (this link is my referral link) – I use this app before I do any shopping to see if there are any products listed that I am shopping for. You “unlock” a product, and once you buy it at the store, you just scan the bar code and receipt, and they give you money! I’ve made almost $100 since I’ve started using the app.
MobiSave and SavingStar are similar to Ibotta. MobiSave is great because, unlike SavingStar and Ibotta, they send you the money you made right away. You don’t have to wait to reach a certain threshold.
Receipt Hog gives you points for every receipt you upload. Once you reach a certain amount of points, you can trade them in for cash!
Surveys
If I’m waiting in line or even just have some freetime while my daughter is napping, I answer surveys to make a few dollars. SurveySaavy (referral link) and MTurk are trusted websites.
SurveySaavy is easy to use, and I like that it’s also more than surveys. I was picked to test out a product for a couple weeks, and on top of the free product, they also paid me $7.
Mturk is a bit more cumbersome. The surveys don’t pay a lot, but every little bit adds up.
Free Products
Even though I’m not making money on trying out and reviewing products, I still consider it a win since I’m getting things for free. HouseParty and Influenster (referral link), have sent me some pretty awesome products to try out. All you have to do is sign up, fill out an application, and complete a couple tasks. These are usually pretty competitive, so I don’t get picked very often, but it’s also exciting when I do!
My last money saving tip is pretty simple- ask! If I’m out shopping at the mall, and I don’t have a coupon on me, I’ll simply ask the cashier if there are any coupons out right now. They usually know if an e-mail was sent out or they may even have a coupon by the register I can use.
Do any of you have any money-saving tips? Let me know in the comments!
