Christmas is almost here, and it’s time to start planning. Here are some ideas to help you find and save some extra money for Christmas shopping.
Earn money by surfing
I’ve been earning Christmas money since January each time I search the Internet. I use Swagbucks instead of Google. Swagbucks is simply a search engine that pays you to surf the Internet. After several searches, you will get a screen telling you, ‘Congratulations, you have won swagbucks.’ When you reach 450 swagbucks, you can redeem them for $5 to spend at Amazon.com. The great thing about these Amazon cards is that they are stackable. You can put the money in your Amazon account and let the amount grow. Once you reach $25 on Amazon, you get free shipping.
Another bonus of swagbucks is you can refer your friends and get matching swagbucks every time they win. If you don’t already have a friend who uses swagbucks, you can sign up as my referral: http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/sharonwilliams73.
Turn your current
toys/stuff into cash
We always do a thorough cleaning of the kids’ rooms in early fall to make room for new toys. We save some of the good stuff for family and friends. Some of the items go to Goodwill and broken items go to the trash.
There are some items that can earn you extra money by selling them on eBay, Amazon, Craigslist or on Facebook yard sale pages.
Just login to Facebook and do a quick search for a local yard sale group. You post a picture and description of your item and other members can contact you through Facebook to buy your items. Local options: Danville yard sales, Lincoln County yard sales, Boyle County yard sales, etc.
Earn rebates and cash back
Many people prefer to buy Christmas presents online. Always check the online rebate sites before you check out. You can usually get a percentage of your purchase as a rebate. This works for Toys”R”Us, Walmart, Gap, Old Navy, Office Depot, and thousands of other online stores.
Compare online to
in-store prices
When you start getting toy catalogs in the mail, have your child pick out several things they want. Go online to compare prices. You may find the online price for some items is actually cheaper than the in-store price. Many online stores will even offer free shipping.
Make a List
Make a list of all the people for whom you will purchase gifts, then write down what you want to give them. Once you purchase the gift, make sure you update the list. Many people end up forgetting what they have bought and overspend by buying double. Our brains can’t keep up with everything, so help yourself by keeping notes.
Play the waiting game
and get a discount
If there is an item you know you want to buy, but have plenty of time to wait, you may want to add it to your cart online then walk away. Sometimes the company will email you after a few days to remind you that there are items waiting in your cart. They may even send a discount code to use on that order.
Get a coupon code
Most online stores have a place to enter a promotional or discount code. Once you have decided where you are going to make your purchase, do a quick Google search to see if there are any promotional codes or check a site like www.retailmenot.com to search for the store. It never hurts to try a promotional code. If it is not valid, it won’t go through.
For more ways to save money in real life, visit reallifedeals.com.
Earn money by surfing
I’ve been earning Christmas money since January each time I search the Internet. I use Swagbucks instead of Google. Swagbucks is simply a search engine that pays you to surf the Internet. After several searches, you will get a screen telling you, ‘Congratulations, you have won swagbucks.’ When you reach 450 swagbucks, you can redeem them for $5 to spend at Amazon.com. The great thing about these Amazon cards is that they are stackable. You can put the money in your Amazon account and let the amount grow. Once you reach $25 on Amazon, you get free shipping.
Another bonus of swagbucks is you can refer your friends and get matching swagbucks every time they win. If you don’t already have a friend who uses swagbucks, you can sign up as my referral: http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/sharonwilliams73.
Turn your current
toys/stuff into cash
We always do a thorough cleaning of the kids’ rooms in early fall to make room for new toys. We save some of the good stuff for family and friends. Some of the items go to Goodwill and broken items go to the trash.
There are some items that can earn you extra money by selling them on eBay, Amazon, Craigslist or on Facebook yard sale pages.
Just login to Facebook and do a quick search for a local yard sale group. You post a picture and description of your item and other members can contact you through Facebook to buy your items. Local options: Danville yard sales, Lincoln County yard sales, Boyle County yard sales, etc.
Earn rebates and cash back
Many people prefer to buy Christmas presents online. Always check the online rebate sites before you check out. You can usually get a percentage of your purchase as a rebate. This works for Toys”R”Us, Walmart, Gap, Old Navy, Office Depot, and thousands of other online stores.
Compare online to
in-store prices
When you start getting toy catalogs in the mail, have your child pick out several things they want. Go online to compare prices. You may find the online price for some items is actually cheaper than the in-store price. Many online stores will even offer free shipping.
Make a List
Make a list of all the people for whom you will purchase gifts, then write down what you want to give them. Once you purchase the gift, make sure you update the list. Many people end up forgetting what they have bought and overspend by buying double. Our brains can’t keep up with everything, so help yourself by keeping notes.
Play the waiting game
and get a discount
If there is an item you know you want to buy, but have plenty of time to wait, you may want to add it to your cart online then walk away. Sometimes the company will email you after a few days to remind you that there are items waiting in your cart. They may even send a discount code to use on that order.
Get a coupon code
Most online stores have a place to enter a promotional or discount code. Once you have decided where you are going to make your purchase, do a quick Google search to see if there are any promotional codes or check a site like www.retailmenot.com to search for the store. It never hurts to try a promotional code. If it is not valid, it won’t go through.
For more ways to save money in real life, visit reallifedeals.com.
