Let's Step Off The Beaten Path. Shall We?

As I was sitting at my desk today I began thinking of the next blog post I was gonna thrill you all with (ha, can you sense the sarcasm?).  Then it dawned on me, why not write a post about something that does (and doesn't) have a lot to do with RHN. This thought occurred to me as I was piling items into my 'shopping basket' on various sites - all sites that had to do with home improvement and not - and if you know me, you know that I LOVE me a full on go-get-um-cowboy challenge to beat the other guys lowest price. Yup, you read me right, cowboys (hate that football team) and cowgirls (an appropriate moniker for said disliked football team), I want to divulge to you how I shop. To me, this method of shopping is normal and not irrational whatsoever. This is mostly due to the fact that, hi, we have (in the last 2.5 years) dropped serious cash on a wedding, honeymoon, purchasing a home, and now full renovations, thus leaving the Brandt's quasi-house-poor. Yay! Ah, no. Wrong exclamation. Boo! Ah, yes, now it's correct. 


Christmas is a few months away and dealing with the quasi-house-poor status is a slightly stressful situation that I am not liking! Well, have no fear, RHN cowboys and girls, crazy-deal-stalker is here! No, I haven't lost my marbles just yet, but I do have solutions and honestly, so far so good. Check it out, yo. 


First: Sign up for discount sites, blogs, couponing sites. Yes, they send a lot of e-mails, but holy meatballs, you can score awesome stuff for mere pesos. Because of the emails, I suggest opening a 'new' only deals email. Some sites I love and use/visit everyday are:

• hip2save.com
• ebates.com
• shopahome.com
• couponmom.com
• theclymb.com
• gilt.com
• ruelala.com
• tanga.com
• 1saleaday.com
• savemore.com
• woot.com
• beyondtherack.com
• retailmenot.com
• onekingslane.com
• travelzoo.com

Second: Always, always, ALWAYS Google for additional promo/coupon codes and even if some sites say they're expired or only have an 85% success rate, try them anyway. Seriously, JCrew is notorious for honoring a coupon that had 'expired'. 

Thrid: Sign up at shopathome.com and ebates.com for cash back deals. Think I'm kidding when I say CASH (as in American Benjamin's) back?! I'm not. People, cash is a serious word, and I do not kid about cash - and Johnny Cash was just as serious. See? We go way back, JCash and I. So, the dilly-o with ebates is this... you go to www.ebates.com and sign up. Then you find your site you want to shop through. Then you click 'shop now' and whal-la! you're at your site, shopping with coupons, and making money. Really?? For a few extra clicks it's a billion% worth it. Want to see? 

Can you see where they are paying me $32 for this quarter to buy stuff that I was already going to buy?! $97.34 since I started! If you want a referral, comment below and I'll send you one, just leave your email addy. I only say this because it's a shameless plug for another $5 in my pocket. Oh and this site will offer 2x cash back at times. I bought Cman a backpack for school - yes, a cool one - for 12% cash back! Cha-ching!! Oh and any Lowes/Home Depot shopping I do online I do through ebates as well. We just bought a dryer and got 2.5% cash back on it. Do you see why Ed leaves me to the shopping? 

Fourth: Bragging rights are going to shine here. I have to tell you the deals I've scored as of late (early xmas). Hip2Save.com posted a promo code for Bath and Body Works - Buy 3 Get 3, plus 20% off, plus free shipping - even on clearance/sale items - and cash back. Um, what?! Are you even kidding me right now? So I visit and $30 later I own: 4 foaming hand soaps, 3 body washes, 5 anti-bacterial hand sanitizers, 1 body spray, and 3 lip glosses. That's less than $2 an item plus 3% cash back on the $30. The other day I picked up some restaurant.com coupons for a restaurant Ed and I love - 4 gift certificates, a $25 value each for $8 TOTAL. Yes, $2 a piece got us $25 off our bill at one of our favorite places (so I guess $23 off). I sent one on to my brother and kept 3 for date nights. So, today, I visit theclymb.com and I see that new customers automatically get a $10 credit. Oh, what's this?  Free money just by signing up? Ok! So I look around and SIGG water bottles are $9.98 + shipping (MSRP $30).  I tricked theyclymb.com (don't tell!) and signed up 2 times and got 2 $30 water bottles - one for free, the other for $1.98 ($20 in credits)- both plus $7.98 in shipping. Yes, friends that's $16 for $60 in water bottles. Yay xmas gifts! If you want your FREE $10, use this link.

I know I have spoke about finding deals in the past especially on appliances, but really? How often does one shop for appliances? I'm so very glad I could share with you how I bargain hunt 
for 'normal' items when I am on a serious mission with not so seriously deep pockets. I am on a mission for a kitchen sink - best price and cash back and of course free shipping. I think I found my happy place, but have a little more work to do. I know my traveling buddies have a few travel websites up their sleeves for airfare and such. Sites like theclymb, ruelala, gilt, etc. add new 'stores' every day and each store is 'open' for a length of time. So check back to see what they have. Maybe they have a store opening thats selling a particular brand of boot you've been lusting after for $60 off...yep, that totally happened to me the other day. Ed bought me a pair for xmas. yay! 


So, there you all have it. In my opinion, scoring the best deal is a challenge and a game; to others it's a hassle. It's all how you view your wallet and time. I hope this helped someone - even just on one item - get the deal they deserve. Your wallet will thank you!