Shopping Gems: Reviews, Coupons, Deals » Search Results » label/Free Stuff for Business

Shopping Smart this Holiday Season

admin — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:45:00 +0000

If you are here you love to shop and you also love to save money while shopping or “get it for free” just like I do.

This is a very tight year for a lot of people, me included, and I thought I would write some basic tips for saving money while shopping online.

Beware of “impulse shopping”

We have all done it. You walk into your favorite store and something catches your eye and that impulse of “I’ve gotta have that” runs right through your mind. It is like that item has some magical power and you have to give in.

Back up and step away from that item!

Ask yourself a few questions -

- did I come into this store for this item?
- can I wait to buy it another time?
- do I really need it?
- where would I put it?
- are my eyes really glazed over?

Retailers know that alot of us fall into the “impulse shopper” role so that is why they arrange their stores a certain way. Have you ever noticed that the milk is always at the back of the grocery store in the far corner? Have you thought, “what idiot designed this store?” The idiot that is rich is who because they know that you have to walk through the entire store to get that milk and the chances of that “impulse shopper” in you taking over is very good.

My solution is to not go out and shop. Online shopping still offers some impulse but not as much as actually being in the presence of that wonderful thing I can’t live without.

Stick to the List!

I’m a list writer. I write lists and then write more lists to tell me to read the other lists.

When it comes to holiday shopping a list is a good thing.

Write down the names of everyone you will be buying for this holiday season and think about what you want to buy for them.

This video tells us some of the things we need the list for. The list should be to find out what money we are going to need for the holiday season by including the people we are buying for and also things like decorations, food, travel, decorations, etc.

How to Make a Christmas Shopping List — powered by eHow.com

Having a list will help you visualize what you need the money for. We can easily overspend if we don’t know what the money goes for. Would you go to the grocery store without a list? Sometimes maybe but most of the time you have a list of those things you need to stock up and when you are at the store you buy a few extra items (dare we say impulse items too?). The list keeps you on track because you can visually see what you need to buy.

Always use coupons when shopping online

There is no reason to buy online unless you have a coupon, well, unless it is on eBay, Etsy, or a very small retailer. The moment you are ready to buy go to one of the coupon websites below and look for a coupon for your favorite online store. Even some smaller retailers are starting to offer coupons.

Whether you are buying greeting cards, a gift, decorations, or even travel, there is always a coupon available. Retailers are competing for every dollar and will have some amazing deals. You will find coupons for every major retailer online if you know where to look. If a coupon is not available when you are ready to shop wait a few days because this season retailers are putting out amazing sales every few days.

The best way to get coupons, unadvertised sales, and previews of sales to come would be to sign up for the email newsletter at your favorite retailer’s website.

Here are some very popular and worthwhile coupon sites to check out before you shop:

- http://www.retailmenot.com
- http://www.fatwallet.com
- http://www.dealcatcher.com
- http://www.couponcabin.com

These are just a few tips to get you thinking about how to be a smart shopper this holiday season. Do you have some favorite tips to share?

Popular Categories at Shopping Gems:

Queen of the Road by Doreen Orion (SG Giveaway)

admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:14:00 +0000

Queen of the Road: The True Tale of 47 States, 22,000 Miles, 200 Shoes, 2 Cats, 1 Poodle, a Husband and a Bus with a Will of its Own”

and is written by Doreen Orion

About the Book:
From Amazon

A pampered Long Island princess hits the road in a converted bus with her wilderness-loving husband, travels the country for one year, and brings it all hilariously to life in this offbeat and romantic memoir.

Doreen and Tim are married psychiatrists with a twist: She’s a self-proclaimed Long Island princess, grouchy couch potato, and shoe addict. He’s an affable, though driven, outdoorsman. When Tim suggests “chucking it all” to travel cross-country in a converted bus, Doreen asks, “Why can’t you be like a normal husband in a midlife crisis and have an affair or buy a Corvette?” But she soon shocks them both, agreeing to set forth with their sixty-pound dog, two querulous cats—and no agenda—in a 340-square-foot bus.

Queen of the Road is Doreen’s offbeat and romantic tale about refusing to settle; about choosing the unconventional road with all the misadventures it brings (fire, flood, armed robbery, and finding themselves in a nudist RV park, to name just a few). The marvelous places they visit and delightful people they encounter have a life-changing effect on all the travelers, as Doreen grows to appreciate the simple life, Tim mellows, and even the pets pull together. Best of all, readers get to go along for the ride through forty-seven states in this often hilarious and always entertaining memoir, in which a boisterous marriage of polar opposites becomes stronger than ever.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

“Queen of the Road” is already in its sixth printing, was published by Broadway in New York, chosen as a Target Break-Out Book, picked by the Chicago Tribune for their “Summer Reading List”, featured by Borders as its top Feature in its Book Club and hit Denver’s Bestselling List. In addition, Korean and German rights were just sold.

The New York Post says, “(The book is) a Charles Kuralt-Albert Brooks-style romp where they meet up with nudists, robbers and more. Required reading.” New York Times Bestselling Novelist Jonathan Kellerman notes, “A charming, insightful and – most important – hilarious book that evokes the best of Bill Bryson and David Sedaris, but spotlights the unique voice of a gifted memoirist.”

Everyone who reads it, as seen on Amazon, gives it a 5 star rating.

About Doreen Orion:
Doreen Orion is a triple-boarded psychiatrist on the faculty of The University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Her first book, I Know You Really Love Me, established her as a national expert on stalking with related appearances on Larry King Live, 48 Hours, and Good Morning America, to name a few. In spite of all this, Doreen considers her greatest accomplishment to be that her bus was featured as the centerfold for Bus Conversions magazine (where she is currently the travel writer), thus fulfilling her life-long ambition of becoming a Miss September.
Read more. . .

Buy your copy at Amazon.com

THE GIVEAWAY:

The Queen of the Road book blog tour will giveaway a great prize package to one winner. Everyone who leaves a comment here on this post will be entered to win!

One lucky winner will receive:

Mom Logic Tote bag, eye brightener and mouse pad from momlogic.com
Wrist water bottle from swiggies.com $13 value
Gift certificate for free flashcards from goosiecards.com $29 value
Rose Pin ($10 value)
Natural, dye-free dog tug from Purrfect Play purrfectplay.com $18 value
Book, “Uncovered” by Mark Goldwich $13 value
“Attitude of Gratitude” Tank Top Med from empoweringthings.com $19.39 value
“Be Natural” tee shirt from jb-justbe.com $15 value
Cats on Cards Pet Rescue Stickers from purrfectplay.com $7.95 value
2009 Park-It Guide for NYC from parkitguides.com $13 value

The prize pack is worth over $130

How to Enter:

Leave a comment below and tell me if you have ever taken a cross country trip, if you would consider taking a long trip such as this one, or just a quick experience you had on a long trip.

If you don’t have a Blogger account you can select Anonymous or Name/URL to enter. Make sure to include your email address in your comment so you can be notified if you are a winner.

Ends: 12/17/08

Visit these other bloggers for more chances to win:

Popular Categories at Shopping Gems:

Shopping with Grandma D’s Tree & Wreath Farm (SG Giveaway)

admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:30:00 +0000

Shopping with Grandma D’s Tree & Wreath Farm for the Holidays

I recently received a 24″ evergreen Holiday Wreath from Wreaths Direct in Oregon. The wreath arrived in great condition with no damage because it was packed in a decorative gift box that fit it perfectly. It came out of the box ready to hang on my door.

The wreath is very well made and has fresh fir, cedar, juniper berries, and pine cones attached throughout. At the top it sports a red velvet bow. The red bow matches perfectly with my red door.

Everytime I open my front door the fresh smell whaffs through my house. It definitely put me in the holiday mood. Even the UPS guy who comes everyday was impressed!

Who is Wreaths Direct?

Wreaths Direct is a Christmas Tree Farm in Silverton, Oregon. They have been raising Christmas trees and making wreaths for five generations. Grandma D’s Tree and Wreath Farm (Wreaths Direct) is located in the Silverton Hills southeast of Salem, Oregon, adjacent to Silver Falls State Park and near Silverton, Oregon. Read more on their website . . .

This wreath retails for $29.95 and the shipping is free (use code W0834 to get free shipping). Orders arrive with a gift box, a freshness guarantee and a personal message from you.

Shopping online with Wreaths Direct is simple:

Visit www.wreathsdirectstore.com
Click on the wreath of your choice.
Add it to your shopping cart.
Pay with their secure shopping cart powered by Yahoo.
Or you can call them at 1-888-449-9485
Free shipping – use code W0834 to get free shipping

Wreaths Direct carries a variety of products that make great holiday gifts:

24″ Wreath (like the one in the picture)
24″ White Wreath with Silver Bulbs
Centerpiece with red candle and gold bow
Centerpiece with white candle and silver bow
Candy Cane Wreaths
Holiday Bundles

Here are some pictures of the wonderful wreath I received. Doesn’t it look great on my front door? It matches so nicely. If you want to see a larger picture just click on one of the small pictures.

Closeup of the wreath

A fresh, evergreen, holiday wreath is sure to please you and everyone who walks in your door this holiday season. Taken care of properly, these wreaths last all season and are a gorgeous addition to your holiday decor.

Win your very own evergreen holiday wreath. Wreath’s Direct has offered to send one winner a 24″ Wreath. The winner will receive a wreath just like the one I show in the pictures above.

Update! The winner MUST reply to my email on Saturday because Wreath’s Direct needs to ship out your wreath on Monday. They will be closing after that for the season.

How to Enter:

You can do 1 or all 3 and you can Twitter about this giveaway daily until 12/05/08 to get extra entries.

Visit our sponsor, Wreath’s Direct, and find out what is included with the Centerpiece with Red Candle and Gold Bow. Leave a Comment below and tell me.
List this giveaway on your blog linking to this page. Leave another Comment and tell me.
The link is http://www.shopping-gems.com/2008/12/shopping-with-grandma-ds-tree-wreath.html
To get a second entry follow me on Twitter, www.twitter.com/TheComputerLady and then copy and paste the line in the box below and send it as a Tweet.
One Tweet per day only.

If you don’t know what Twitter is, how to sign up or how to send a Tweet visit my site, Twitter! Tweet! Win!

@TheComputerLady Win a Fresh 24″ Holiday Evergreen Wreath http://tinyurl.com/6yzoou

End Date: 12/05/08 – This giveaway is over.

The winner is shweetpotato. She has been contacted by email. Thanks everyone for entering and stay tuned for more great giveaways from Shopping Gems.

Restrictions: US Residents only with valid shipping address (not PO Box), 18+

You can comment once per day or send a Tweet once per day to enter.

Popular Categories at Shopping Gems:

Free Samples from Freefly

admin — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:30:00 +0000

Cheap is good but Free is better!

Here are some examples of samples available from Freefly.

As a member of Freefly you will have access to free samples, giveaways, opportunities to earn easy money and more, all for FREE!

Free sample of NicodermCQ® clear
Free sample of LACTAID® Fast Act Dietary Supplements
Free Sample of Sundance® Organic Tea
Free sample of Tena® male guards
Free samples of Always and Tampax® tampons and liners
Free sample of Myoplex®
Free Canine Cancer® Poster
Free sample of SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener
Free sample of Tide® Total Care Detergent

Popular Categories at Shopping Gems:

Find Black Friday Deals with BFads.net

admin — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:43:00 +0000

The secret to success during the Black Friday Sale is planning. With limited time and multiple stores to go to you need to plan exactly what stores you’re going to go to and what you’re going to buy.

BFads.net can help you make the most of your Black Friday. BFads offers a wide choice of Black Friday ads from different stores such Walmart, Best Buy, Sears, Staples, Home Depot, Old Navy, Target, Toys R Us and many more.

No more going to each of our favorite store’s websites to view the ads separately. BFads does it for you with Advertisements Scans you can download. The Advertisement Scans listed are available in both .ZIP and .PDF formats.

Popular Categories at Shopping Gems: