How I Pay for Christmas (without spending any extra money)

I have been wanting to write this post for a very long time.  I'm not sure why it took me so long, but here it is.

While my husband was building his business, money was tight.  Like SUPER tight.  As in I had to raid my children's piggy banks to scrounge up enough money to buy bread and milk (don't worry.  They've been paid back - with interest).  That Christmas was so incredibly stressful for me; trying to figure out how to provide a magical holiday with zero funds.  However, I managed to have a normal Christmas without spending ANY extra money (and I still do Christmas the exact same way!). Let me tell you how.

There are a few money saving/earning apps I use religiously.  I started using these apps and opened a new PayPal account that I don't use for anything else.  The money saved/earned from these apps goes directly into that PayPal account, where I save it all up and use it for my holiday spending.  Now.  I know it doesn't earn any money in PayPal, but I found it the easiest way to stash it, forget about it and not have direct access to it.

Here are my go-to apps/websites:

Ibotta*.  Ibotta is simply a coupon app that gives you money back for specific purchases you make at pretty much any grocery store/drug store/etc.  You can also earn money back from movie tickets, online purchases and eating out.  You can also earn bonuses based on a) how many coupons you redeem and b) how much money you save alongside any friends you have on your "team" (i.e. friends  you have who also use the app).  My first year using the app I saved over $200.00.

Ebates*.  Ebates is another site that gives you cash back on purchases made online.  Depending on the website and the day, you get anywhere from 1% to 10% of your purchase back.  Obviously, I buy a LOT of fabric.  Luckily, one of my vendors is a partner with Ebates.  So every fabric purchase I make with them gives me 3% back.  Hotels.com, Walmart, Etsy, Ebay...all websites that partner with Ebates.  It's super easy to use and the money can add up quickly.  I've also earned well over $200.00 on Ebates.

WalMart Savings Catcher. Rumor has it that this might be going away.  I don't know if it's just the in store matching that they're doing away with, or the entire program.  But.  Until then, I keep on going!  All you have to do is download their app and scan your Walmart receipt after every trip.  They do the rest!  Any money you saved (by price matching the ads of all nearby competitors) is then transferred to an American Express Bluebird card or use it with Walmart pay.  I save up all those savings and don't touch them until the end of the year.  I easily have enough each December to cover all the little stocking stuffers and candy for my 3 kiddos and my husband.

Acorns.  This one is brand new to me, but I'm excited to see how it does!  Simply link any accounts that you'd like and Acorns rounds up your purchases to the nearest dollar and saves that pocket change for you.  Once you hit $5.00 (less than a day for me!), you can start investing it.  One of my friends saved $1500.00 his first year.  I saved $100 in my first 30 days, so I have high hopes for this addition to my holiday savings plan!

We have 7-ish months until Christmas.  I know that's much time, but at least you can get a jump start on saving for it!  Or maybe start now and start saving for next year.  What about you?  Do you have any quick and easy money saving tips?

Tips for Shopping on Etsy

I love Etsy.  Obviously, a chunk of that has to do with the fact that I have my own {Etsy shop}.  But aside from that, I love digging around the site, finding all sorts of fun, beautiful treasures that other people have made with their own two hands.  You can click {here} to view some of my favorite finds on Etsy!

As a shop owner, I thought I'd compile a list of tips for those who are new to shopping on Etsy!

1.  First of all, know that you can find pretty much anything your heart desires on Etsy.  Take a few minutes and try searching for some of the most random stuff you can think of.  I bet you'll find a shop that provides it!  Vintage clothes (and other items), furniture, steampunk treasures, "adult only" items...the list goes on and on.

2. When you find an item you love, be sure to read the entire description, as well as the shop announcements!  I remember my very fist purchase made on Etsy; an adorable military style cap (that I still wear all the time).  Almost 3 weeks after purchasing and no hat in sight, I started wondering what happened to my hat.  Had I read all the information given to me by this cute little shop, I would have known that the shop owner needed those 3 weeks to get that hat made and shipped.  And that's probably the #1 area of confusion in my shop as well.

3.  Did you find something you love?  Check to see if the shop has a Facebook page.  If they do...chances are good that you'll find a coupon code for their shop somewhere on that page.  It's an easy way to save a few bucks or get something for free!

4.  Ask questions!  Do you need your item quicker than the listing says it should take?  Want the same basic item but in a different size, color or fabric choice?  Need something similar to what the shop offers but you don't see it in the shop?  Ask the owner!!!  I would dare say that 9 times out of 10, they will be happy to accommodate you.  I had a customer that wanted an entire matching set of everything that I made, PLUS a matching nursing cover, which I don't offer in my shop.  However, since I know how to make them, I set up a listing for her.  It never hurts to ask!!

5.  Having said that, remember that for 99% of the shop owners, Etsy is a very side job; done in their spare time between real jobs, families and day to day life.  I know when you buy something, you want that instant gratification of finding it in your mailbox 3 days after purchase.  And sometimes that will happen for you when shopping on Etsy.  Just remember to have dose of patience too.  I've had an array of situations pop up in my life to sidetrack my Etsy orders that were just way beyond my control.  However, if there is an issue on the sellers side, you should be able to expect them to communicate with you so you know what is going on.

6.  After placing your order, check back on Etsy within a day or two to see if the shop owner has tried to message you (and keep doing so periodically until you receive your item).  I don't know how many times I've had a question for a buyer, but they don't respond to my messages.

7.  Take negative feedback on a shop's Etsy site with a grain of salt.  If most of their feedback is positive, but they have one or two negative comments, keep in mind that people leave feedback for a problem without trying to seek resolution with the shop first.  They're irritated and just need to do something to blow off that steam.  Chances are, their problem did eventually get resolved and they just left their feedback beforehand and never went  back to change their negative feedback.  BUT.  If you see a store with consistent negative feedback about the same issues time and time again, you may want to be a little leery.

8.  Lastly, leave feedback for the shop you purchased from.  It's helpful for others shopping behind you, and it's not only helpful for the shop owner, but, if it's positive, it also just brightens their day!  I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see a nice comment left with positive feedback.  Shop owners love knowing their customers are happy with their product.  And if you have a photo of that item in use?  Send it to them, or post it on their Facebook page.  I promise they'll love it!!

There you go.  My words of wisdom for shopping {Etsy}.  Now go, check it out, have fun and support a small business owner!