The Holiday season is quickly approaching + that means time to get ready, get set, SHOP!

While I love shopping, I find shopping during the holidays a bit stressful…why? Because I am always trying to get a good deal + never want to miss out on getting the best gifts for the lowest possible price. So many of us spend, spend, spend + while I am all about splurging on others during the holiday season, I think it’s super important to shop smarter…not harder hehe :p That’s why I am rounding up some of the best ways to SAVE $$$ during the Holidays!

 1. PLAN PLAN PLAN

This may sound silly when it comes to Holiday shopping but just like with anything else in life, making a plan helps you achieve success! It’s important to make a clear list of what you need to purchase ahead of time so you aren’t just buying random gifts, decor elements etc without covering what you actually need. So many times I get easily distracted while online or in store shopping + then I completely forgot important items I actually needed to buy!

Easiest way to get started? Create a note in your phone and break it down based on people you are buying for, decor you need etc so you have everything you need in ONE place + when you shop online or in store, you can reference that list and even jot down who has what and for what price.

Rather than make purchases right away, I tend to search around, wait + then pounce when the time is right (usually Black Friday or Cyber Monday – or sometimes even closer to the holiday when stores are trying to get rid of inventory)!

 2. RETAIL ME NOT

I absolutely LOVE Retail Me Not! In case you haven’t heard of this amazing site / app, Retail Me Not helps you find the best deals + promo codes from pretty much any retailer. About to shop at Macy’s and need a discount code or heading to Old Navy and don’t have any coupons?

Simply download the Retail Me Not app or head to the Retail Me Not website, search the retailer you are shopping at + BAM you can select to find either in store or online offers and you can then see all deals, sales and promo codes in one convenient place. So many timesI whip this out at the register + find a coupon to save me money just by searching the retailer!

 3. EBATES

OK…I don’t know if you have seen countless commercials for EBATES but when I saw them I initially thought ‘is this a scam? no way does this work’ BUT guys I am here to tell you, EBATES 100% works + helps you save money + make money on your purchases online AND in store! 

Here is how it works: Head over to the EBATES website, set up an account + add the extension to your browser. It’s that easy! When you set up your account you can add your mailing address to receive a check with the money you’ve saved on purchases or you can enter your PayPal account to receive it that way. Basically as you shop on various websites, the extension will pop up telling you to ‘Activate Your cash back‘ – it will tell you the cash back percentage that retailer gives on certain types of purchases + once you click the button to ACTIVATE, the rest is just you shopping as you normally do. After you check out, you’ll get an email from EBATES telling you how much money in cash back you earned + usually within 30-60 days you get it in your account! How great is that?!

In the year I have been using EBATES I got over $500 in cash back on purchases – you can even use EBATES on sites like Expedia, Hotels.com, Groupon etc – the bigger the purchase, the higher the cash back.

 4. GROUPON

I am sure by now ya’ll are pretty familiar with Groupon. I love it for getting discounts at places where I want to try new services or vendors (mainly spas, activities like Escape Rooms etc). While I LOVE purchasing for myself whenever there is a good deal, I have found Groupon to have really competitive pricing when it comes to products your loved ones may have on their holiday wish lists, upcoming travel you want to do or even decor or home essentials you need for entertaining family + friends.

Other than finding great gifts for everyone on your list…Groupon helps you save money when entertaining visiting family + friends with deals at local restaurants, bars, activities + more! When my brother visited over the summer I was able to get us awesome deals on mini golf, escape rooms + more.

Groupon is great for gifting as well – I have bought spa packages via Groupon as gifts, beer or wine tastings etc and every recipient has LOVED it! Now-a-days everyone is into experiences so Groupon makes a great gift option.

P.S. Groupon also has a Groupon Coupons section – similar to RetailMeNot where it gives you the best deals + promo codes.

 5. Honey

Show me the…HONEY! haha like what I did there? :p

If you haven’t heard of JoinHoney.com here’s a little overview. Basically, similar to EBATES, Honey requires you to make an account + add an extension to your web browser. When you go to shop at any retailer online, the Honey extension will blink + activate to tell you if the item you are looking at has went up or down in retail price AND even if another vendor has the same product for a cheaper price. How cool is that?! It is pretty amazing how awesome technology is now-a-days.

Honey also will share various promo codes with you when you are at the checkout stage of a purchase so you can see if any of the codes it knows of will apply to your purchase!

♥ HAPPY SHOPPING ♥

Do you have additional ways you save money during the holiday season?! I want to hear from YOU!

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