Tips Archives - Embracing Beauty

Which side of the pond saves better, the British or the Americans?

December 6, 2012 by Ashley Leave a Comment

Which side of the pond saves better, the British or the Americans? I thought about it and I’m not sure I know who is better saving money! Maybe some of my UK friends and readers could help fill me in but here’s what I’ve found so far.

Americans have IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts), and the British equivalent of that is a PPP, (Personal Pension Plan). British also have an Individual Savings Account (ISA) is a tax-efficient way to save or invest. I’m sure a cash isa in the UK comes in handy. I think those are all great ways to save for the future!

All British pay into the National Insurance Fund which is a weekly paid as a pension at age 60 so those, too, are very similar and are a way to save for the future. Americans pay into and eventually collect {or hope to collect in some cases} Social Security.

Many Americans have both checking and savings accounts and utilize both for saving money and a British Current Account is what many use to do this in the UK.

I know that many Americans take advantage of 401-K plans offered by our employers and some times employers will even offer a matching donation. For instance, if the employee gives up to 5% to their 401-K plan, then their employee will match whatever percent they contributed. This is definitely something to take advantage of!

A few other money trends that I’ve observed here in America include Extreme Couponing {please see the banner on the right sidebar to learn more information}, parents have started saving earlier and earlier to pay for their children’s college, and elderly couples are investing in long term care so that the spouse who lives the longest will be taken care of. American readers feel free to chime in as well and let me know if I missed anything.

Even though our currency looks different it seems that people on both sides of the pond use many of the same methods to save and spend money. I don’t think it matters where you live, saving money is a smart idea to protect you in the futures. As an old idiom says, “Save for a rainy day!” I think that with a bit of discipline and common sense everyone can save money. What do you think?

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: Money, Saving, Tips

4 Ways to Spend Less This Christmas

December 6, 2012 by Ashley Leave a Comment

Last week, I wrote a post on Beauty 4 Moms entitled 4 Ways to Spend Less This Christmas. I think that they are four practical ways to keep more cash in your account after Christmas is over. Feel free to hop on over there, read it, and leave a comment telling me what you thought of it.

I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas!

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: Beauty 4 Moms, Christmas, Tips

Top 10 Tips to Save When Shopping Online

December 3, 2012 by Ashley 5 Comments

I am a self-proclaimed online shopping fanatic. I buy all my books, some groceries, clothes (that I know what size to buy), decorative items, diapers, and several home supplies. Some people think that the best way to shop online is wait until you see a sale promoted. I use to think that too but over the many years of shopping online I’ve learned a few tricks.

Here are my Top 10 Tips to Save When Shopping Online:

1.) Use Coupon Codes

Before you buy anything online, always, always, always check for a coupon code first. We have a online coupon database right here on our site so that you can easily find a code to save a percent off, dollars off, or free shipping.

2.) Ask for a Discount

If you’ve searched for a coupon and haven’t found one you might want to try your hand at asking for a discount. I’ve found that nine times out of then when I ask for a discount I’ll usually get one. I like to use the chat feature on websites for this. For smaller boutique type of sites or Etsy stores I’ll send an email and they’ll usually respond within a day or two.

3.) Shop Ebay

For years Ebay has been a fabulous place to score deals on last season’s hottest clothes and toys. While they’re still great for that, they now have discounts on this season’s hottest toys and fashions. Ebay is a fabulous resource to have in your savings arsenal. I’ve been guilty of this so I feel I have to warn you, be careful not to get caught up in a bidding war and end up spending more than you intended to.

4.) Shop online

That sounds like a given doesn’t it? One of my tips to save money when shopping online is to shop online. Countless times I have found something in the store that wasn’t on sale and I held out on buying it until I got home to check for a coupon code (see point 1). I won’t always do this because I do like to help support my local community but if times are tight I’ll do this in a heartbeat.

5.) Shop through Ebates

Ebates is one of my absolute favorite ways to save when shopping online because it takes so little effort! Ebates is an online rebate program where you simply go to Ebates and sign up or log in, then you search for your favorite store, and that’s it! You’ll earn from 1%-20% cash back on your purchase. You have the option to receive a check in the mail every 3 months (when you earned at least $5.01 cash back in your account) or you can have your cash deposited into your PayPal account.

6.) Shop Amazon

Amazon’s logo clearly says that they carry everything from A to Z and I’ve found that to be true. I bought an iPod Touch through an Amazon store and saved over $50 from what that store had it listed for on their site. {Check out my tutorial for how to amplify your iPod’s sound for free!} Amazon has a coupon section for home supply, beauty, and baby goods that not everyone knows about. Just do a simple search on Amazon to find all of the current coupons. If you buy a lot online it might be a good idea for you to purchase an Amazon Prime membership for $79 a year. This will give you free 2 day shipping. 2 day shipping has been a blessing to me numerous times when I’ve forgotten to buy diapers or a friend’s birthday gift until the last minute. Plus, you’ll also get a wide variety of free Amazon Instant Videos. Not only can you save by just shopping on Amazon, using Amazon’s coupons, and signing up for Amazon Prime but if you click through Ebates you’ll be able to get cash back on your purchase (see point 5).

7.) Visit “Daily Deal” Sites

There is a plethora of daily deal sites online now where you can save on national and local deals. My family has really enjoyed taking advantage of the local spa, salon, cooking classes, and photography deals. Be careful though because not all of these “deals” are the best price you can get.

8.) Check Social Media Sites

Many social savvy stores will have their own Facebook and Twitter accounts where they’ll post exclusive deals, sales, and coupon codes. I recently saved 25% on my Christmas card purchase by quickly glancing at Shutterfly‘s Facebook page. I found a free shipping code through my coupon database (see point 1 for the link) but this exclusive coupon code was only available on their Facebook page. Plus, I’ve also seen people share one time use coupon codes on Shutterfly’s wall for free products that they don’t necessarily want.

9.) Save Money on Gift Wrap

With all of the fabulous homemade gift wrap ideas floating around on the internet why buy the fancy pants paper at the stores. Buy the cheapest {but cute} paper you can find and embellish it yourself. There are oodles of free printable gift tags and cards on the internet. Plus, even if you have to shop and buy a gift tag template I’m sure it will still be much cheaper in the end than buying pre-made tags year after year. Besides, who doesn’t like a personalized gift {or personalized gift-wrapping} anyway?

10.) Regularly Read EmbracingBeauty.com

Come on, you knew I had to add this! Embracing Beauty’s motto is, “Embracing God’s best for your finances, home, and life!” We’re not a site that includes every deal known to man for two reasons. Number 1, I won’t post a deal when I know it’s not the lowest price you could get it for. I just won’t. Number 2, I can’t post every coupon and every deal. I would if I could but I have a real life outside of this blog and I have to keep my priorities, my priorities. I think you understand that. However, it’s my goal to give you the resources to find those deals and coupons on your own so that you don’t have to rely on me {or anyone} to save money. We still feature the hottest coupons, freebies, and money-saving deals every week to save you time so please bookmark us and follow us on our social media pages {the links are found at the top right of this page}.

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: Deals, shopping, Tips

10 Tips to Save on Christmas Gifts

November 29, 2012 by Ashley Leave a Comment

This time last year I wrote a guest post for MoneySavingMom.com entitled 10 Tips to Save on Christmas Gifts and I believe it was well received. Lately, I’ve received quite a few emails asking about just that, how to save on Christmas gifts. I’m hoping to feature several simple, inexpensive, homemade gifts that you can make to give to your friends and family. Until then though, I’ll direct you to my Pinterest board that features dozens and dozens of crafty DIY gifts from other bloggers and to my post 10 Tips to Save on Christmas Gifts post on MoneySavingMom.com.

If you have a money-saving tip or an inexpensive gift idea that you would love to share with everyone you please contact me with the details.

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: Christmas, Money, Tips

ING Direct Electric Orange $125 Checking Account Bonus

November 24, 2012 by Ashley Leave a Comment

Wow!!! ING Direct is offering up a VERY sweet promo right now where you can earn a whopping $125! All you have to do is open up a FREE Electric Orange checking account from now through November 25th (only one day left!) by following the directions below.

ING’s 4th annual Black Friday Sale is here and they want to help you save to kick off the holiday shopping season. This is an even bigger bonus than they offered last year!

Remember to hurry and sign up because the sale ends November 25th at 11:59 PM ET (on the dot).

Here’s how to snag $125 with a new checking account:

Head over to ING here and click on the Electric Orange Checking button
Click on the blue “Apply Now” button
Follow the instructions to open an Electric Orange checking account (be sure to open your new account no later than November 25th!)
You’ll then need to make a total of 10 purchases using your Electric Orange Card or CheckMate deposits (or any combination of the two) within 45 days. Bonus only available for new Electric Orange checking.
Your $125 bonus will be automatically deposited into your account on day 50.

What an easy way to earn $125! I personally love ING and I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews about them. We use them for our checking and savings. Even thought the percent has went down in recent years it’s still the only account {that I know of!} where you can earn interest on your checking account! Even if you decide that you don’t want this checking account, you can cancel at anytime. Also, keep in mind that the 10 purchases you’ll need to make can be very small purchases.

Get $125 Bonus for a new checking account – details here.

If you already have an ING Electric Orange Checking account, I’d love to hear your feedback!

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: ING, Tips

Stay Safe While Shopping This Black Friday #LifeLock

November 21, 2012 by Ashley Leave a Comment

As Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are quickly approaching I know many of you will be shopping in physical stores and online. Each fun shopping opportunity presents different threats of identity theft. I’ve been paranoid about my physical safety most of my life but ever since I’ve been married I’ve been more concerned about the safety of my identity. For some reason I had never thought about it before but my husband quickly educated me. He wisely introduced me to the idea of shredding old bills and credit card offers, not carrying my social security card with me, and many other things.

Here are a few other tips to help keep your identity safe:

1. Don’t shred your receipts, save them. Keep receipts in case you need to compare them against your credit card statement. If anything suspicious comes up you want to be ready to dispute it. I’ve found that craft stores sell cute little storage boxes for a dollar or two that are perfect to store receipts. We keep a pile of them in the box with a paper weight until it gets to the top of the box then we wrap a rubber band around it and start a new pile.

2. If a company or store calls and asks for your PIN or SSN don’t give it. Ever! I’ve had this happen before and I politely told them that I would call them back via their official number and they understood. I called back and it was a legit problem that I was able to fix. Don’t be afraid to tell them you want to call them back, if they are the real deal they’ll be understanding. If they get upset or pushy them they are probably just phishing for your information.

3. Smartphones are great for a lot of things but they are not foolproof shopping devices. In 2011, a 76% increase in malware targeted at Android devices was cited. This made Android smartphones the most targeted smartphone platform. Malware has also been reported via holiday themed applications and QR codes. Be careful, don’t think that just because you’re buying over a phone that you are safe.

4. Unfamiliar sites selling the hottest items of the year can often be fake and are set up just for this time of year. These websites are set up with no inventory or intention of actually selling anything. Use reputable websites and don’t try to save a few bucks by buying through a smaller site. If you give your credit card information to a scammer you could end up paying much more in the end.

5. Online auction sites that sell gift cards are more likely to be counterfeit or obtained through fraudulent means, according to the National Retail Federation. It’s best to buy them in a store and getting the authorization slip with your receipt.

What tips do you have for snagging the best deals while remaining safe?

Don’t forget Lifelock for Life Sweepstakes that is going on now as well as Lifelock’s Twitter Party coming up this Friday for even more chances to win great gifts!

This is a sponsored post on behalf of LifeLock. Opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: Black Friday, LifeLock, shopping, Tips

How To Clean Crayon Scribbles

November 20, 2012 by Ashley 4 Comments

This morning was like any other morning; my kids were up at 7 am, breakfast, TV, playtime while mommy cleans and checks emails. While I was cleaning the kitchen from breakfast I noticed the kids were being really well behaved. (That should have told me right there they were not!) Instead I thought little about it and kept on with the dishes. After the dishes I went to my next spot to clean which was the living room. The kids have a table and two chairs in there that they sit at to eat meals and draw. The table was covered in black crayon. I was a little upset and told them both that’s not how we played with crayons and cleaned it up. (Soap and warm water did the trick.)

Five minutes later I walked further into my living room, where it turns into my dining room, and noticed that the time out bench was out of it’s place. I turned it right side up to put it back where it belonged and what did I find…..BLACK CRAYON! I was very upset at this point! They both got time out and we again talked about how we play with crayons. Then I went on with cleaning (soap and water again got the few marks off).

As I am turning around from putting the time out bench back what do I find??? Their slide (that usually looks like it is brand new) COVERED in black crayon marks!!!! I was furious! The WHOLE slide is covered and I am not sure how to get it out! My soap and water trick from earlier did nothing! I am freaking out because I cannot get the crayon marks off and this was a present to them from their Nana!

I wracked my brain, searched the net, and asked friends… I was told many tricks that may have worked but nothing I had here at my home! Finally, one of my fans on my Facebook page, Infant and Toddler Mommies, said baking soda and water! They said to make a thick paste; take a clean damp rag, and SCRUB! The slide was completely clean in fewer than 15 minutes!!!! Oh and while I was scrubbing my kids had to sit in floor and watch me until I was done. They tried to get up a few times but when they realized how upset I was they sat patiently and watched.

One big thing I learned out of this: MAKE SURE TO BUY WASHABLE CRAYONS!

PS: I later found large crayon marks on their bedroom door and still have not located the black crayon.

This post was contributed by my friend, Linda. She’s a busy mom of twins who always has a smile on her face. I feel blessed to know her!

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: Crayons, kids, Tips

Glad Bags Make Clean Up Easy!

November 19, 2012 by Ashley 7 Comments

What’s the first thing when you think of a mess? I usually think of young kid messes, which may be because of the season of life I’m currently enjoying. What’s the first thing you do when you’re about to tackle a big mess? I usually go and grab paper towels and Glad trash bags. Glad Force Flex trash bags want to be the first thing you think of when you see a mess. I was given a box of Glad Force Flex trash bags to put to the test. I’ve used Glad Force Flex bags for years and I won’t buy anything else. I love them! Glad’s Force Flex bags are well, flexible. You can stuff them full of heavy, sharp, items and they will hold up. Honestly, in my many years of using them I’ve only had one bag get a tear in it. Just one! I think that is remarkable.

My husband loves them too! I usually keep a small stockpile of them but a few months ago we ran out of them suddenly. My husband calls me while I’m out shopping {I won’t name the store} and asks me to pick some up. I tell him the astronomical price of Glad bags at this store that has everything way overpriced unless there is special sale. I ask if he thought it would be okay if I could get the generic brand just until I can go to another store with regular prices. Nope, no way, he loves his Glad bags. I bought the smallest package possible that night and a few days later I went out and bought several boxes to make sure I didn’t run out again. {Note, I’m not saying Glad bags are expensive, they’re not! It just so happens that I was at particular store that has everything overpriced.} I’ve used the Glad bags many times going through out my regular life without really trying to use them. Here is a list of the ways I’ve used them in the past few weeks:

Gathered Summer clothes to put in the attic.
Gathered a few bags of household items to donate to charity.
After I collated dozens and dozens of coupon inserts I had the leftover pages lying all over the living room floor. I gathered them in a trash bag to easily transport them to our recycle bin.
Helped clean up after a baby shower. {FYI, not my baby shower!}
Glad bags also made it easy to transport all the shower gifts to the car.

Most recently, tonight, we’ve used Glad bags to clean up the mess as we put together a kid’s kitchen. The kitchen is going to be adorable and I can’t wait until it’s fully put together. It came in a bazillion pieces and each was individually wrapped in plastic. The Styrofoam in this box seems to be never ending. It keeps coming and coming! We have one Glad bag for the paper and cardboard products to take to our recycling bin and another to gather the massive amount of plastic and Styrofoam.

Not only are Glad bags great for every day but they are an essential for the holidays. On Christmas Eve it was always my grandpa who would have a Glad bag ready to catch the crumbled up wrapping paper and bows. Now that he’s gone to be with the Lord, I’ve made it my duty to hold and take out our Christmas trash. If you’re glad for Glad bags {ha!} make sure you like the Glad “After the Wild Life” Facebook Tab and take a moment to play their ‘Missing in the Mess’ game! Oh, and you can also follow @glad2Wasteless on Twitter too. “I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Glad. I received products to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.”

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: Glad, Mom Central

Carrot Recall at Target and Walmart! November 2012

November 5, 2012 by Ashley Leave a Comment

A carrot recall has been issued by Target and Walmart on Bolthouse Farms carrot chips. They have been recalled for possible Salmonella contamination. About 5,600 cases of 16-ounce bags of the sliced carrot wedges were shipped to retail customers in the United States and Canada under the brand names Bolthouse Farms Carrot Chips, Safeway Farms Carrot Chips and Farm Stand Carrot Chips.

There haven’t been any illnesses reported yet but I think it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Here’s what you should look for:

At Target stores the products under recall include 16 0z bags of Bolthouse Farms Carrot Chips with the Target item number: 211-15-0009 and best if used by dates of Nov. 12 and Nov. 13.

At Walmart stores, the recalled products have the following information on their 16 0z bag of Bolthouse Farms Carrot Chips: “Best is used by” date of Nov. 12 with UPC code 71464 17209 or “Best is used by” date of Nov. 13 and UPC 71464 17209.

Filed Under: Tips Tagged With: Recall, Target, Walmart

30 Day Giving Challenge 2012: Will you join me?

November 3, 2012 by Ashley 8 Comments

Do you have a giving heart or would you like to cultivate one? Then join me in the 30 Day Giving Challenge!

I’ve participated in this challenge for the past three years and each year it blesses me in unspeakable ways!

Here’s the deal:

The challenge is to give something to someone everyday in November. The gifts can be anything given to anyone…money, food, old clothes, crafts, your time, or even kind words. I would love to have my readers join me in this challenge. The way I see it, even if I don’t give something every single day it will probably would still be more than I normally would have given any other month…and that’s worth it, right?

There is a team of ten bloggers who will continually be providing giving ideas, inspiration, and other tools to help you give like you’ve never given before! You can stay up-to-date by following the 30 Day Giving Challenge on Facebook, Twitter, BlogFrog Community & new this year, Pinterest. You can also use these networking tools to connect with other participants, get ideas, ask questions, and grow in your faith. You can follow my giving progress here on Embracing Beauty.

Here are some of the gift ideas I’ve came up with so far: