Keeping UPS in Business One Order at a Time

Online shopping; are you hooked like I am?  Or, do you still like to 'cruise the mall' and look for ideas and styles that you like?  I personally prefer going online in the comfort of my pjs and doing my shopping when I can find the time.

I'm an on-line shopper from way back...in fact, I can't remember a time that I didn't shop on-line.  At first I thought it might be an addiction.  Then, I wondered if I was just being lazy.  But, in all reality, I realized that I was being smart!  I get SO much more for the money - it just makes no sense to run to the store and hope they have what I'm looking for and at the price I'm willing to pay!

Here's a few sites that I like to use to find my steals and deals:

1.  www.bradsdeals.com - Brad's Deals is awesome - It can be a crap shoot though because you never know the deals they'll have from day-to-day.  I've gotten a few really good deals through them though, so I'd highly recommend signing up for their daily email alerts.  They're also a great resource for retailer coupons.

2.  www.ebates.com - This is a great way to find coupons and click yourself into a little extra payola.  I typically get about $13 - $25 a quarter just by going through this site to go shopping on-line.  Create a free account and get started!

3.  www.retailmenot.com - This site is the center of all on-line couponing.  It's a terrific resource for finding a coupon and the comments from users can help you learn about stacking the coupons and other deals you might have missed.  Great favorite to have when doing all kinds of shopping from retail to booking hotel rooms and rental cars.

4.  www.southernsavers.com - This is a blog site done by a woman who really knows how to sniff out fun deals.  She's great for letting you know about things like Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's to coupons and freebies.  You can hook up with her on Facebook and get her alerts and deals through your FB feeds.  She's also one of those really intense couponers - but I just go there for the deals.

5.  http://www.google.com/ - Last but not least Google.  EVERY time you go to buy something online, always remember to check Google for coupons and deals the retailer might not be advertising.  There are hundreds of sites out there that update daily - Google is a great way to look for them quickly and painlessly without having to sign-up for a bunch of junk mail.

One last secret, that really isn't a secret but more of a mantra for me is  - check Amazon.  You'd be really surprised at how great Amazon is at offering deals that beat retailers by quite a bit.  Quite a few retailers actually sell through Amazon now too.  I buy everything from used books to coffee, to personalized gifts, music, shoes and paper towels from Amazon.  I also purchase the Amazon Prime package each year - I share it with my Mom and a few friends - it's great.  A flat rate of $79/year for free two day shipping and NO TAX.  In NC, that's at least 8.25% off the top!  It pays for itself the first time you forget to get a gift ahead of time - when you can get it there, wrapped and in two days!

Now I know I sound like an obsessed crazed woman, but I'm not.  I just don't have a lot of time to devote to shopping, so I like to make my time and efforts count.  I look for thoughtful gifts and not jelly of the month club I promise! :)  It's a game that I enjoy and 'beating the man' and finding the impossible deal ALWAYS makes me happy!  I'm sure the 700 biodegradable poop bags I bought for the Bubbies and my parent's new pooch was an awesome deal.   Not quite as good as the 24 bags of Lean Treats, but hey, I'll keep working on it!   I'm doing my personal best to keep UPS in business.  Our driver calls to check on me if he doesn't have a box to deliver!  In fact, our old UPS driver liked us so much, she used to stop by the house to give the Bubs a treat on our 'off' days!

Let us know the sites you like to use!  Leave a comment and share the wealth!  Happy Shopping Ya'll!