Williams Family: "How Are You Going To Get That Cheaper?"

"How are you going to get that cheaper?" asked the cashier at the grocery store as I held two dozen eggs that were on sale for less than $1 each.  The question was rhetorical and a jab at my savings record.  She was the same cashier that watched a few days prior as my $100 grocery total went to $60 in a flash due to sales and coupons. At one time I taught a coupon class.  

Now, I'm more about clicking than clipping to find savings.  A recent example is the savings to be had on our personalized t-shirt purchase from Zazzle.  

The initial savings came from a discount code on the Zazzle website, and I knew about the code due to an email alert.  If using Zazzle is of interest for you, sign up for their emails.  Also, you can save your design anytime, then add to the cart for purchase when discount codes are offered.

Before any online shopping, I go to Raketun (formerly Ebates) first and searched for Zazzle.  Voila, there was 5% cash back on Raketun.  I pushed the "shop now" button which took me directly to the Zazzle website and my cart was waiting. 

Raketun pays out in "Big Fat Checks" 4 times of year if your quarterly cash back earnings are over $5.  Otherwise, the cash adds up until the next payout.  The percentages for cash back vary from day to day and store-to-store.  If you are new to Raketun, there are great offers to get you started!

For online purchases, I use our Disney Visa.  For this particular purchase, there was a special offer for Zazzle, that I activated prior to purchase.  10% back as a credit on the Visa balance.  There were 15 different offers that I could activate for the account, but this offer was one I knew I would use.  The  special offers have expirations so be sure to check if they are still active or new offers need to be selected.

In addition to the percentage back on the Visa, I earned Disney Rewards, that translate into Disney Reward Dollars. The Zazzle t-shirt purchase was a 1% back in Disney Rewards.

And, if your email is attached to the Reciept Hog app, you can earn coins/spins.  Whoa!  Saving Receipt Hog for another time.

There you have it.  New matching shirts for the family for upcoming Disney Cruise and at a savings!

This savings thing isn't new for us!

While this post is about Ebates, Raketun works the same.  Ebates-- Get Money Back When You Shop On-Line

Our "Cheap" Lifestyle Supports Our Disney Habit

How A "Couponer" Does Disney

How Many "Loyalty" Accounts Does It Take to Make It Through Summer Vacation?

The Easter Bunny Did Come To Our House

Easter morning--with the new kitty, Wilson

The Easter Bunny did make a stop at our house!  He did not bring a brightly colored basket full of grass, candy, and eggs.  But, he did bring new Disney Infinity figures--for FREE. 

How might the Easter Bunny bring FREE gifts?  Well, last December My Coke Rewards has a great deal on Best Buy Gift Cards--redeeming My Coke Rewards points for gift cards.  Then, the Sunday prior to Easter, Best Buy featured a sale on the Disney Infinity figures--almost $4 off each one! 

Since the Easter Bunny had no other plans at this point, a few clicks and they were on their way.  The Easter Bunny made some cash back, too, by shopping through Ebates.  I've had several people ask me, after seeing an Ebates commercial on TV, if it is "real."  The answer--YES!  And, while my total cash back is not as impressive as the ones on TV, over $300 is nothing to scoff at!  If you would like to get started using Ebates--click here.  Be sure to select your sign-on bonus!

Saturday prior to Easter, I had been running errands, including to the mall where I spent a total of $6 on two pairs of pants for the boy for Boy Scout Camp ($1.06 each at JC Penney including tax), tooth paste, and hair brushes.  What was amazing was watching people making purchases for Easter Baskets.  What happens to those plastic eggs after the candy has been eaten?  The colored grass?  The basket? 

The boy had a box--which may have lacked in presentation, but made up for it in utility.  He also enjoyed opening the box and popping the inflated packaging!  I recycled the box and used it to pack up clothes that were being donated.  For me, ease and practicality win almost every time!

The boy says he has now completed the Marvel set and needs to get to work on the Class Disney figures.  Noted!

P.S.  The Tooth Fairy came that same week-end for the last baby tooth!

Two New Sets of Matching Shirts--Fun and a Great Deal!

 When the husband and I were changing the sheets and making our bed this morning, I asked him if he would wear a red t-shirt with Mickey Mouse heads all over it.  He not only said “yes” but that he would be proud to wear it.  That’s all I needed to hear!

The day before I had been walking in our local mall and JCPenney store and saw the Disney inspired t-shirts.  The shirts were on-sale but not all of the sizes we needed were available in the store, but they were on-line.

It must have been serendipitous that I wanted to order the shirts today as I scored a great deal.  The t-shirts were on-sale for 50% off.  And, I started my on-line shopping at Ebates.com which had a 10% cash back offer for JCPenney.  And, there was an additional 20% off promo code!

So, we now have 2 more sets of matching shirts for our next Disney vacation!

Want to know why we wear matching shirts?  Click here to read more.

Will This Be A Better Way To Pack Toiletries?

I succumbed and purchased a product from HSN.  My hope was that Joy Mangano’s Better Beauty Bag would keep me from packing my toiletries in plastic bags which was touted as blasphemous during the product display. 

The products arrived yesterday—two Better Beauty Bags an XL and medium and the mini steamer.  The husband was excited about the steamer.  Who knew?

I immediately started filling the zippered pockets of the bags.  The XL bag held full size bottles of hair products, toothpaste, contact solution, body lotion, deodorant, etc.  Soon, I had it filled to the brim.  Now where to fit it in the suitcase?

Our new duffle bag had a large compartment on the top and the beauty bag fit the space perfectly.  Voila! 

The verdict is still out on these products until I road test them some more.  But here is an initial assessment—the bag is large when folded up and secured.  If we didn’t have that compartment in the duffle bag, packing this item would not be easy and because most of the products are “liquids” it does need to be packed in a checked bag rather than carry on bag.  My plastic bags—gallon size-- could be somewhat flattened and packed on top of whatever clothing was already in the suitcase.  Yes, there were numerous plastic bags, but it seems as if they didn’t take up as much space.  And, I had a bag for each need—a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash bag, a hair care bag, a contact/glasses bag, and a shower bag with sponge, body wash, face scrub, shampoo if needed, and a razor.  I could just take out the plastic bag that I needed.  I can do the same--removing the needed zippered pouch via velcro--with the better beauty bag and I guess I could not fold it up, but leave it flat and put it in the suitcase that way.  It was just that I couldn't fit all of the same category of needed items into one compartment of the better beauty bag.  My plastic bags that I reuse have more flexibility when it comes to space.  The better beauty bag lists "padding" as one of its benefits, which of course, the plastic bags do not offer.  

If we weren't packing full size products, the medium sized better beauty bag would do the trick.  But with the number of days we are traveling and the number of people using the products, full size products were needed. 

The steamer is not going with us on our trip—there is no need.  But am excited to give it a try at home.  As I was ironing an outfit with beaded trim, prior to the arrival of the steamer, I realized how convenient the steamer would be.

I ordered the white version, which is no longer available.  I really wanted red but that was not a choice.  I first stopped at Ebates.com, so that I could shop and earn cash back, and discovered a 20% code for HSN that helped to reduce the price. 

Oh, and the plastic bags.  Well, I packed some empty ones. . . just in case.

How A "Couponer" Prepares For A Disney Vacation (Or Any Vacation For That Matter)

Last summer, after our multi-day Walt Disney World trip, I wrote a post about how a “couponer” does Disney—click here to read more.  But as our summer 2014 adventure approaches, I thought I would confess/tell/share how a “couponer” prepares for a Disney vacation.

Let me begin with the fact that I know taking a family vacation to the most magical place on earth is a potential budget busting affair.  Flights, resort stay, park tickets, and dining can all add up and that isn’t even taking into consideration souvenirs or other magical experiences.  A husband of a friend was surprised to hear about how much we spend on a multi-week vacation that includes adventures on land and sea.  He was under the impression that since we save so much in other parts of our life that we would save on vacations, too.  Well, Disney hasn’t give us a trip, but we have saved by purchasing and reserving in advance, using a travel agent that can snag discounts and perks for us, and not adding extra days or privileges to our park tickets that we would not use which means we aren’t paying “full price” for our vacation.

Let me also add that our multiple trips gives us some advantages such as not having to go out and buy stuff like a misting water fan or umbrellas or ponchos or a park bag.  These items, among others, are things we already have on hand and I make sure to keep tabs on them when we return from a trip so that they are easily accessible for the next trip.  Having these items saves us money before AND during the trip.

Another caveat is that we do not, I repeat, do not, go out and buy a bunch of new clothes for a vacation.  If something new is purchased, such as a new dress for me for formal night, it is purchased well in advance, is most certainly on sale, and the purchase comes out of our regular budget.  But sometimes, other items are needed. . .

There were some new items that were needed/purchased for the upcoming trip.  Some did not cost us a thing and many of them I made money back when purchasing them!

• The husband needed a new pair of black, closed toe, fisherman sandals.  These could be worn on the ship as well as at the parks and are perfect for cruise casual evenings.  I “bought” them from Amazon using Amazon gift cards I had earned through Swagbucks.  And, not only did I not pay a thing, I MADE money, as Ebates was offering 3% back on shoe purchases on Amazon.  ChaChing—money in my pocket—cash money!  (Click here to get started with Swagbucks and click here to start earning cash back every time you shop on line with Ebates.)
• One of our planned meals for our upcoming trip is at T-Rex Café.  Again, we used Swagbucks to earn a $25 gift card AND will earn another $25 credit on our Landry Select Club account as it will be the anniversary of joining Landry Select Club.  Nothing like dining for FREE!
• Also, the husband needed some rash guards.  Those, too, were FREE with Amazon gift cards and I earned cash back—click here to read the post about the FREE rash guards.
• All three of us were in need of waterproof watches.  Enter Amazon and Swagbucks.  Again, paid zippo and earned 3% back when shopping on-line through Ebates.
• This one is a need/want, depending on your perspective.  We promised the boy a new game for his Nintendo 3DS for the trip.  He selected a game and I added it to my cart on Amazon and waited until I had enough gift cards to cover the cost.  This item is on its way!  But, the boy won’t get it until the day of the trip.  
• The boy had outgrown several of his swimsuits.  K-Mart had boys’ swimsuits 50% off ($6.49) and because I started my on-line shopping at Ebates, I earned 4% back on my purchase.
• A big cash rebate from Ebates came when we booked our stay at the Hyatt at Orlando International.  I knew we needed a reservation for two nights and I also knew that we were members of Hyatt’s Gold Passport Program.  Then, I waited.  And to our luck, Hyatt offered a “double cash” back promo on Ebates and so I got 12% cash back for our stay!  And, points earned using our Hyatt frequent stayer program.
• The boy also needed new tennis shoes.  He wanted Nikes (gulp)!  Thanks to MyCokeRewards, I snagged $50 in Nike gift cards for FREE and the boy has new black/red Nikes.
• What’s in it for me?  Well, in addition to knowing that my fellas are well taken care of, I am looking forward to a treat of a pedicure prior to our trip.  No out-of-pocket costs though, as I was given a gift certificate during the holidays AND am getting a $30 check from an on line company that pays me!

There you have it.  A family prepared for a summer vacation without breaking the bank or busting the budget.  I am so grateful for Swagbucks and Ebates—both allowing me to keep our budget in check.

Click here to get started with Swagbucks.  And, if you sign-up now and earn 1,500 Swagbucks by July 14, you'll get an addition 500 Swagbucks Bonus!

Click here to get started with Ebates—remember to start at Ebates every time you shop on line AND be sure to select your sign-up bonus!

Ebates--Get Money Back When You Shop On-line

I want to talk about Ebates.  Ebates is an on-line hub with links to your favorite on-line stores where you can earn cash back for shopping on-line.  I joined in February 2011 have earned $135 in cash back for my on-line purchases.  Ebates mails me a "Big Fat Check" four times a year for my earnings.  Joining is FREE and all it requires is an email address.  You can make up your own password.

I am still amazed by the tech savvy folks who shop on-line regularly who have yet to use Ebates.  Consider this a tutorial of sorts.

Start here by clicking on this link.  It will take you to the new member screen for Ebates and you will get to select your Bonus!  You will earn your selected Bonus after you make your first qualifying purchase.

After you select your Bonus, you will be directed to a login screen where you enter your email and password.  This is also the screen you will see when you login after your initial visit to Ebates.

Once you have joined and are logged in, you start shopping.  Check out the list of stores by clicking on "Shop All Stores" button featured in the upper left hand side of the screen.  Clicking here will give you an alphabetical list of all the stores featured on Ebates.  And, great news, Ebay is back!

For this shopping trip, I am going to pretend that I want to make a purchase at Disneystore.com.  (You knew I would get it in there somewhere, now didn't you?)  So, after clicking on "Shop All Stores" I would find Disney Store in the list.  (Once you become familiar with the stores, just type the name of the store in the Search box on the screen.)

Wow, shopping at the Disney Store through Ebates will allow me to earn 3% back on my purchase.  I then click on the store name as it will take me to a list of on-line codes for even more savings!

If I wanted to purchase a Disney Dooney and Bourke bag, I could save 10% using the on-line code provided on Ebates.  Each store will have a listing of codes and offers.  You may have to enter the Code in the Promotion Code box during check-out when making your on-line purchase if it isn't already linked to the transaction.

Click "Shop Now" on the screen.  You will see an Ebates Tracking Ticket open on the screen, but usually for just a few seconds.  Don't worry.  Ebates automatically stores the Ticket number in your account. . . just in case you need it later.  Here's what the Ticket looks like:

Once the Tracking Ticket disappears from the computer screen, you will then see the homepage for the on-line store.  In this case, Disneystore.com.

Go ahead and shop!  Your transaction will be linked to your Ebates account and your 3% will be credited to your account within a few days.

If your shopping gets interrupted, no problem.  Just log back into Ebates and make your way to your on-line store again, even if it means multiple Tracking Tickets for the same store.  The only tracking ticket that matters is the one connected to the purchase transaction.

In addition to Disney Store and Ebay, there are other opportunities, like LivingSocial and Groupon.  There is even a "Gift Card" section on Ebates where you can earn money back for purchasing Gift Cards--great for holiday gift giving!  Check out travel offers with cash back being available for hotel, airline, and rental car purchases, too!

If you want to check the status of your account, click on "My Ebates" on the screen.  Here's a screen shot of my account:

I'll get my next "Big Fat Check" in February!  More cash to apply towards our next trip to Disney!

Ebates. . . it's FREE, easy, and you earn cash back doing the on-line shopping that you would normally do.  Yes, some things in life ARE free!  The trick is remembering to start at Ebates every time you shop on-line.

Happy shopping!

Have You Tried Ebates Yet?

Have you tried Ebates yet?  If you have, you already know that you can get money back when you shop on-line.  If you haven’t tried Ebates yet, what is stopping you?

Here’s how to use Ebates::

• Click here to get started.  You get to pick a $10 gift card as your bonus with first qualifying purchase of $25.  All you need is an e-mail address.

• Start at Ebates.com every time you shop on-line.  Chose from the extensive list of stores.  On-line discount codes will also be listed with each store.

• Click the “Shop Now” button and watch as an Ebates ticket window opens.  Just let the screen  change to show the store you have chosen.
• Shop!
• Your Ebates account will automatically be credited within a few days.  The percent of cash back varies by store.

• Look for your Ebates Big Fat Check in the mail.  Checks are mailed four times a year.

To date, I have received over $100 in Cash Back from Ebates.  It really works!  For example, the boy is getting a new handheld electronic game for his birthday.  I checked all of the on-line stores for the one with the highest percent of cash back for the purchase and will make the purchase from that on-line store.  I am also keeping my eye out for the Daily Doubles where a new store is chosen each day for double the percent of cash back—I get an email each day telling me which store is the designated Daily Double.

Recently, I made a purchase from Disneystore.com.  I went to Ebates first and discovered a 25% off coupon code to apply to my purchase and got 4% cash back into my Ebates account.  Win, win, win!

I also earn money back from Ebates when I make a digital photo book after a Disney vacation as My Publisher is one of the stores on Ebates.

Ebates has a wide variety of stores.  Need skin cream or make-up?  There are drug stores on Ebates.  Need flea/tick treatments for your pets?  Ebates has pet stores, including those that offer pet medicine (you know, the one with the phone number!).  Want Walgreens to make photo prints or photo gifts?  Start at Ebates and get cash back.  Toys, purses, clothing, luggage, hotel rooms, car rental, restaurants, even automobile accessories can be found in stores on Ebates.  I got cash back when I purchased our new checks.  There is even a section on Ebates where you can get cash back for purchasing gift cards!

With the holiday season fast approaching; wouldn’t it be great to get money back on your purchases?  Click here to get started!

Creative Ways to Save and Spend

With back to school shopping and holiday shopping just around the corner, it’s no wonder our budget feels tight.  The boy’s birthday is also coming soon.  And, we are saving for our upcoming Disney holiday vacation.  This means finding creative ways to spend and save.

Let’s begin with Swagbucks.  Right now, I’m “swagging” my way to a new camera.  Yes, it is neither a back to school basic or holiday gift.  It is for me, well, for the family.  I want an upgraded point and shoot that will go underwater. 

Swagbucks awards it’s users for searching, just like you would if you were searching on Google.  I downloaded the Swagbucks toolbar (I get 1 Swagbuck every day just for having the toolbar) and use the toolbar to do my internet searchers.  I typically get awarded Swagbucks for searching twice a day. . . in the morning after 2-7 searches and again later in the day.  There are other ways to earn Swagbucks such as taking surveys, watching videos, playing games, etc.  There are also Swag Codes that can be found at various times and contests.

The Swagbucks I earn can then be redeemed for various gifts and prices at the Swag Store.  My favorite is to redeem 450 Swagbucks—which you can earn in less than 2 weeks, for a $5 Amazon.com gift card.  The cards are then added to my Amazon.com account and NEVER expire.  Right now, I have earned enough Swagbucks to purchase eight gift cards and have $40 in my Amazon.com account waiting to be used for the purchase of that new camera!

It’s easy to get started with Swagbucks.  Just click here and get 30 Swagbucks for signing up.  Then, happy searching and earning!

There’s another internet application that will let me know when the price of the camera changes without me checking regularly and that is ShoppingNotes.com.  I just create an account using my e-mail, paste in the URL’s of the items I am dreaming of purchasing, and ShoppingNotes.com will continually check the prices and send me an e-mail when the price changes. . . and hopefully goes down!  I have the cameras I’m dreaming of already on ShoppingNotes.com along with a blouse I’ve had my eye on.  The boy wants a Nintendo 3DS XL which is released on Aug. 19, 2012, for his birthday.  Trust me, that URL will go into ShoppingNotes.com to help me find the best on-line price.  ShoppingNotes.com checks prices like Kayak.com checks airfare rates. 

When the price is right and I am ready to purchase, I check to see if the on-line store is on Ebates.com.  Each time I shop on-line at a store on Ebates.com, I get money back.  For example, our computer security software was about to expire and the store that sold the software was on Ebates.com.  I went to Ebates.com, found the store and clicked “Shop Now.”  A ticket window opened—just wait—then the on-line store appeared.  I made the purchase using a 50% code offered on Ebates.com, downloaded the new software right from the site, and got 25% of the price back in cash in my Ebates.com account.  I get a check from Ebates.com four times a year.  So far, Ebates has sent me $92.

Back to school shopping at Target.com?  Go to Ebates first and get money back!  Booking a hotel for a  Labor Day get-a-way?  Go to Ebates first and get money back!  Printing photos at Walgreens.com?  Go to Ebates first and get money back!  Needing pet supplies?  Got to Ebates first and get money back!

So, when the boy’s Nintendo 3DS XL comes on the market, I’ll have ShoppingNotes.com search for prices, then make my purchase through a store on Ebates.com, which will most likely have a discount code and get money back!  Sounds/reads complicated, but it is easy.  Easy, fun, and less expensive!  And, I’m not using my time to search various stores or sites for the best prices or using gas driving from one location to another.  The internet is doing the work for me, for free.

These are just some of the creative ways to save and spend money.  And, yes, I was skeptically at first, too.  But I tried them and they really work without gimmicks or hidden fees.  What’s stopping you?  Get started!

Click here to get started with Swagbucks.

Click here to get started with Ebates.com.

Click here to get started with ShoppingNotes.com. 

Ordered Shirts for Our Next Trip!

Combine a rainy day with a 50% off discount at Zazzle.com and 10% cash back option at Ebates.com and what do you get?  A new set of t-shirts for a Williams Family vacation and a Disney vacation at that!

I designed these t-shirts for our upcoming Disney Cruise and stay at Walt Disney World.

What’s cool is that at Zazzle.com you can personalize the fronts and backs of the shirts.  You can do that at other on-line t-shirt designers, too, such as customink.com, but I have yet to find a discount and they don’t have Disney designs.

Are we counting down to our next trip?  You bet we are!

New Shirts For Our Next Trip To Walt Disney World!

I love a great deal!  During our family holiday gift exchange, it was everything I could do to not shout, “I got yours free.  And yours. Free.  Free.  Free!”  But that story is for another time when I am more certain friends and family are not reading the blog.  Having said that, I was able to check off another item on the getting ready to go to Walt Disney World “to do” list and score an incredible deal at the same time!

Zazzle.com, our favorite on-line retailer of customizable shirts was having a 50% off sale.  A few clicks of the mouse and three t-shirts are on their way!

What’s great about Zazzle is that you can design any time and save the designs “in progress” in your account.  That way, this morning when the incredible deal showed up via e-mail, the purchase was made even faster as the designs were waiting for us.  I had actually put the shirts in our on-line “cart.”  I just entered the discount code!

I’m not sure what I am more excited about. . . the shirts, the deal, or the upcoming trip to Walt Disney World!  Most likely all three!

Our purchase was even better, as I went through Ebates.com to make the purchase and 10% of the purchase went into my Ebates account.  (Click here to read more about how Ebates works.)  My next “Big Fat Check” will be coming soon!

So, here are our shirts!  We can’t wait to wear them!  Click here to read about why we wear matching shirts.

And, if you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World, or any vacation destination for that matter, and want to design and customize your own shirts, be sure to check out Zazzle.com!  

A Big Fat Check!

My first Ebates “Big Fat Check” arrived in the mail. It wasn’t due to be mailed until mid-May, but I got an e-mail informing me that it was being mailed early.

Now, the check was only for sixteen dollars and change, so it wasn’t a huge amount by any means, but it meant $16 in my pocket—which is a good thing. It also meant that ebates.com’s rebate system is real—and it really works. . . if there are any skeptics reading this post.



So, how can you get a “Big Fat Check”?



First, register at ebates.com using your e-mail address. The whole process is free!

Then, anytime you go to make an on-line purchase, log on to ebates.com first, and using the list of stores, find the store you are looking for to make your purchase.

Click on the store. But before you click “shop now”, scroll down the page and check out the various coupon codes or discounts that are available to you. No more hunting for on-line coupon codes before making a purchase—they are all in one location!



When you find a coupon code, click on “shop now” beside the coupon code or at any time while your on-line store is on the screen.

A new window will open with an image of a ticket, including a ticket number. This screen will appear quickly and go away quickly to reveal your on-line store. Don’t worry about it, as it is easy to track those ticket numbers under “My account” on ebates.



Once your on-line store appears, begin your shopping as normal. When you “check out” at your on-line store, the coupon code you clicked on above will appear. When you are finished with your on-line shopping experience, your “cash back” will appear on your ebates.com account in about 72 hours. You will also be notified via e-mail that cash back has been posted to your account.



Repeat the above steps for all of your on-line shopping!



Ebates.com has changed the way I shop, especially on-line. For example, when our home computer printer needed printer cartridges—which can be a bit pricey—instead of heading to Wal-Mart, I logged onto ebates and made my purchase for cartridges at walmart.com using the site to store delivery method. A few days later, I picked up the cartridges at the store, with a portion of my payment in my cash back account on ebates.com.



Ebay is also on ebates. I log into ebates.com then head to ebay. If I’m doing a “buy now” purchase, then all is good. If I place a bid, I then wait to log back into ebates when the bid is up and I have “won” the item before making the purchase to make sure that ebates.com registers the ebay purchase. I didn’t worry about finding the ebates ticket number for my original ebay visit, just opened a new shopping ticket to make my purchase.



I also made a purchase at an online store that didn’t show up within 72 hours on e-bates. I just logged into ebates and found the form to contact them about the issue. It was easy and the matter was resolved within a day. Using the ticket numbers helps them find the on-line purchase and the amount of the purchase.



I have been able to combine special offer codes as well when “checking out” of the on-line store. If I clicked on a coupon code at the beginning of my purchase, then that code is attached to my order and I have still been able to enter another discount code, that I had access to via e-mail or another special promotion at “check out” to reduce my total payment even more. And, while that also reduces the amount of cash back for ebates, I would much rather pay the lower price!



The husband also uses the ebates account. No need to create a separate account, as we share an e-mail. He made an on-line purchase using a gift card he received as a gift and still got cash back on ebates. Talk about a gift that kept on giving!



If you haven’t tried ebates.com, I highly recommend it. Click here to read more about ebates.com.

E-Bates--Tried It, Liked It, Plan To Use It Again!

I am shamelessly going to endorse a service that I have now grown to. . . appreciate. That service being ebates.




Ebates is an on-line service that offers discounts and cash back percentages for on-line purchases. Registering on-line at ebates.com is free and easy. Only an e-mail address is required for registering. Depending on how you want your “cash back” a physical address may be needed.

I regretted not using ebates after making our last matching shirts purchase (click here to read more). I checked the extensive list of stores after I had finalized the purchase, only to discover that Zazzle.com was an ebates store! I could have saved even more!



OK, so here’s how it works. . .

1. Register with ebates by following the directions for registering at ebates.com.

2. When you’re ready to make an on-line purchase, check the extensive list of stores for your favorites. I have already used ebay, Wal-Mart, and Bath and Body Works.

3. When you find your store on the list, click on the store name to discover a list of possible discounts or coupon codes, along with the percent of cash back for that store.

4. Click on the coupon code (if applicable) that you want to use or just click on the shop. A new window will open with a ticket number and then the on-line store will appear in that window.

5. Make your purchase as usual.

6. Check your e-mail for a confirmation from ebates that they have a record of your purchase—this can take 24-72 hours.

7. Go to ebates.com and click on “My ebates” after logging into your account and see your cash back bonuses!



Right now, I have over $5.00 in cash back bonuses, and while that doesn’t sound like much, it added up fast after a few small purchases—each in the $40 range. Payments for the cash back bonuses are offered every few months. The next one for me is mid-May.


My purchase was secure via the on-line store as well as how I chose to pay for my on-line purchase. 


So, I had extra savings on my purchases via the special coupon codes at ebates.com, such as percents off, or dollars off, or free items, or free shipping. I had a percent back as a cash back bonus. And, I got the same great stuff and service that I would have gotten had I made the on-line purchase without using ebates. I see this as win-win-win!

When we go to buy Disney trading pins on e-bay (you knew I would get Disney in there somewhere!), I will go to ebates first.  Easy peasy!