Saving Some Serious Moolah with Wikibuy

This post is sponsored by Wikibuy. #ad

Hi, friends!  Just popping in for some old fashion sharing of a good deal!  Raise your hand if you enjoy saving money.

🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋🙋

That's what I thought.  Have you heard of the website Wikibuy?  I hadn't either until about a month ago.  

What is it, you ask?  Wikibuy operates as a website and Chrome extension that finds you the best deals across the web on products you love!  Wikibuy does not sell the products; they do, however, match you with the best prices on the products you are going to purchase anyway!

Here's how you can use Wikibuy to help save you money:

(I'll demonstrate a few of the options below.)

1 // Use Wikibuy to compare prices when shopping Amazon.com.

2 // Use Wikibuy to find and apply coupon codes from hundreds of retailers.  Retailers like my faves --> Target and Old Navy! 🙌🙌🙌

3 // Use Wikibuy to get credit back on purchases.  (I assume this option is similar to Ebates, but I haven't specifically looked into it.)

4 // Use Wikibuy to notify you when prices drop.

Consider Wikibuy your online personal shopping assistant.  It's easy.  And free.  Check the 60-second video at this link for an explanation better than what I can give. 😉

Now, let me demonstrate a few of the money-saving options.

First up, Amazon.  It's 2018.  We all do a ton of shopping on Amazon, amiright?  When shopping on Amazon, Wikibuy will compare their price with prices across the web.  Take this swimsuit for example.  The Wikibuy extension will verify that Amazon has the lowest price on this suit.  If they do not, Wikibuy will direct you to the website with lowest price, and I believe, Wikibuy factors in shipping (or Prime lack of shipping) costs.  You can also add the item to your Watchlist, allowing you to watch for deals and sales on that specific item.  Genius, right?!

Also, don't you totally want this suit now?  Here's the link to buy for anyone interested.

Super cool, but those options aren't even my favorite part of Wikibuy.  You guys--Wikibuy helped me save over $100 when shopping at Gap.com!  Allow me to demonstrate. 

Here's my GAP cart before Wikibuy.  $239 and some change.  

The Wikibuy extension will prompt you to 'try codes' and once you do, Wikibuy will test several available coupons codes and find you the best deal on what you are going to buy anyway!  Here's a screenshot of Wikibuy working its magic.

And *drumroll please* here is my cart after Wikibuy.  $132 and five cents.  That's over $100 in savings!!

Sure, I probably could have Googled the same coupon codes, but let's be real, how often does one actually do that?!  Plus, when I'm ready to checkout, I usually have to do it quickly before my conscience kicks in and tells me I don't need all. the. things. after all.

Wikibuy also offers shopping directly from their website and you can add a credit card to get a percentage back whenever you purchase from one of their featured brands; however, I haven't explored either option in depth yet.

Are you convinced?  If you're interested in saving yourself some serious money, download the Wikibuy Chrome extension --> here <-- and happy shopping!

Six Last Minute Gift Ideas Under $30

I did a similar post last year and it was way popular!  So here I go again - six last minute (ahem, Amazon Prime) gift ideas for under $30!

(affiliate links)

1 Plaid Blanket Scarf // 2 Wooden Ring Toss Game // 3 Bring Me Some Wine Socks // 4 What Do You Meme Party Game // 5 Amazon Echo Dot // 6 Knit Cardigan

It's a blanket.  It's a scarf ($17.69).  And who couldn't use yet another of either?!  (Lots of color options available!)

I credit my husband for finding this cute wooden ring toss game ($29.99).  It could work in a basement, in a garage, or on a patio and would be a good gift for a guy or girl!

I know a few people who would love these socks ($12.95)!!

 This appears to be a super fun party game ($29.99).  I'm definitely adding it to my wishlist!

The possibilities are endless with an Amazon Dot ($29.99).  You can play music, add to your shopping list, heck, ours even turns on and off our living room lamp (with a wifi-enabled smart plug anyway).  As silly as I once thought these were, I'm sort of loving ours!  But hurry--it's only this price for a limited time!

And finally, this long, open-front knit cardigan ($31.99).  And I lied.  It's technically over $30...but only by $2.  Looks so cozy and appears to get good reviews!

Happy last-minute shopping!

(For last year's post, click here.)

Gifting with Mpix

This post is sponsored by Mpix, but sponsored or not, Mpix is my most favorite place ever to order photo prints and enlargements.  

 You guys.  Christmas is in one week.  One.  Week.

Since we typically do family photos every fall, I use Christmastime as an opportunity to give grandparents and great-grandparents updated versions of our photos.  For years now, I have ordered said photos from Mpix.  From 4x6s to 11x14s, the quality is top notch and the shipping is fast.  Like freaky fast.  I usually place my order and receive my order within a day of each other.  I've also known several professional photographers who recommend Mpix for prints, which speaks volumes. 

Kansas people: they are also local - based out of Pittsburg, Kansas - which could play a part in the speedy delivery (I can't promise yours will be quite that fast) and I love to order knowing I'm supporting a Kansas company.

This year, in addition to our prints and enlargements, I decided to surprise Craig with a modern metal print for his office.  And for fun, I threw in some photo magnets.  Because who doesn't want to stare at yourself every time you grab something from the refrigerator. 😉  Both turned out beyond adorable.  The magnets are crisp and cute, and the metal is just gorgeous.

Mpix also has a huge selection of photo gifts, books, and wall art.

And a great Rewards program.  Earn points for every order, every social media share, and every product review and redeem those points for rewards like discounts and special offers on products.  Right now, you can get $10 off your first order of $25 by signing up!

So whether it's for Christmas or not, I highly recommend checking out Mpix for all of your photo needs!

(Photos by Maylyn Photography)

2017 Christmas Cards with Shutterfly

This post is sponsored by Shutterfly.

Between Amazon packages and Christmas cards, checking the mail during the month of December is quite the treat!  I just love seeing our friends' and families' faces splattered across the fronts and backs of Christmas cards.  I also obsess over designing our own cards.  I don't know why.  The average person probably glances at our card and throws it in a pile with all the rest.  But it's still a decision I sit on for hours days before finally pulling the trigger.

(Side note: I punch a hole in the cards we receive, add a binder ring, and make them into books with our own card as the cover.  We have a book for every year since 2009 - the first year Craig and I sent cards, as a newly engaged couple I might add.  Anyone else do this?)

This year, I ordered our cards from Shutterfly.  Since I've used Tiny Prints the last couple of years and they were recently acquired by Shutterfly, it was a no brainer.  And I'm certain I say this every year, but our 2017 cards may be my most favorite one yet!

I just love the quality of these.  The thick cardstock.  The customization options.  The glitter! 😍  

Not to mention, the ease of designing them.  They have a favorite (heart) option, which makes narrowing down a design a liiiiiiittle easier, although still difficult with all of their gorgeous designs!  (See above comment about it taking me days.)


 
Shutterfly also includes the option of adding your own photo to every design.  Which is basically genius and a huge time saver!! 

Here's how you do it...

...and here's an example using our photo.

I debated whether or not to share our full card on here so soon (after all, it's only December 7, people, and these have yet to hit the mail), but given my track record with blogging lately, it may be May before I get to it.

So here you go.

The front anyhow.  I'll save the back for later.

If you're lucky enough to be a recipient of the Sides' family Christmas card, give me another week.  Life has been cray lately and the stack of cards (all 130 of them) still currently sit on our new dining room table.  Unstuffed.  Un-stamped.  And unsealed.  Thank goodness for Shutterfly's addressing options (recipient✅, return✅)!!  It may take a bit of time up front to input all. the. addresses, but I can't tell you how happy it makes me to already have both sets printed on the envelopes!  (Bonus: You can store the addresses for future use  so next year should be easy-peasy.)

If you're still in the market for Christmas cards, good news!  Shutterfly is offering 50% off premium holiday cards with the code ENCORE.  But hurry because this amazing deal ends this Saturday, December 9!

Huge thanks to Shutterfly for our gorgeous 2017 Christmas cards!

My Mompreneur Friends

Hi, friends!  It's been awhile, but I wanted to pop in today to share with you not one, but three of my neighbor friends and their latest ventures.  I've said it before, but moving into this neighborhood has been the biggest blessing.  Craig has a solid group of guy friends, I have my mom tribe, and the boys have umpteen friends within a stone's throw of our backyard.  I remember crying and crying about leaving our old house, our first house, but now I look back and realize that God had a plan for us and it was better than anything I could have ever imagined.  I am grateful every day for this neighborhood, these friends, and this life we live.  Anyway, enough of the sappiness, on to the reason for my post.

Three of my neighbor friends have recently taken on new roles.  They are mamas first, but each has recently taken a leap of faith and created a business invovling something they love...mompreneurs, if you will!  Today I want to share with you their three businesses!

A Seasoned Pot.

Facebook page here.  

Instagram here.

First up, my friend Ali.  She adores all things gardening.  She probably knew more about plants at age ten than I do at 34.  She has been our go-to girl for landscaping advice these past two summers.  Her business, A Seasoned Pot, is focused on container designs--meaning she will take your planter and turn it into a beautiful, seasonal arrangement of plants.  That's always my problem.  I don't know how to mix plants of varying kinds, sizes, colors, etc. and make them look good.  But Ali is amazing at doing just that and I am in awe of every single planter she puts together.  She also makes a killer eucalyptus wreath.  And because it's real eucalyptus, the smell is to die for!  Here are the holiday planters she created for us, as well as her eucalyptus holiday wreath.

If you are local and interested in a planter, do yourself a favor and contact her.  And if you're not local, she is willing and able to ship you a wreath!  Please contact her for details!

KP Designs.

Facebook page here.

Instagram here.

Blog here.

Next is my friend, Kristen.  Like myself, Kristen is a high school teacher, though she teaches classes way more fun than mine (think fashion, interior design, things of that sort).  And soon, Kristen will begin working for a local mom who recently landed her own DIY Network t.v. show.  Cool, huh?  Anyway, Kristen's side gig, KP Designs, is an interior decorating business created to help you plan, visualize, and create the space of your dreams.  I can vouch that Kristen's home is decorated beautifully and I often joke that I want her to come decorate my house.  So whether you want someone to help you spruce up your decor (from near or far) or maybe you just like to follow pretty accounts on Instagram, go check her out today!

Sunflower Steals.

Facebook group here.

Instagram here.

Blog here.

And finally, my friend Vanessa.  Chances are, you and your best friend are already a part of Sunflower Steals because Vanessa grew her little business from zero to a million (not quite, but close) followers, like, overnight.  That's how great this group is!  Vanessa posts all sorts of amazing deals - kids toys, women's clothing, home decor, even discount codes to use at your favorite stores!  She also hosts pretty sweet giveaways that you definitely don't want to miss!  And her kids make frequent appearances in the photos and they are adorable.  Reason enough to follow along, right?!  So, if somehow, you're not a part of this group already, please click here and join!  I promise, you won't regret it.  (Well, your bank account might....)

That's it for today!  I'm going to try to up my blogging game because I've got Christmas cards to share, a first birthday party to recap, and first day of school photos to post. 😂  Happy Monday!

An Ode to My Mini {Van}

This is a sponsored post in partnership with cars.com.  All opinions are my own.

It's true what they say, minivans. are. amazing!! 🙌🙌

We were definitely "those people" who said they would "never, ever" drive a minivan.  Yet here we are, three kids and one Toyota Sienna later and you know what?  I reeeeeeally love my van!

I mean, the sliding doors, the space, the cup holders, the sliding doors, the DVD player, did I mention the sliding doors?  Just the other day, I was at Sonic contemplating how to squeeze my size 8 body out of a size 2 space when I decided to climb over the console and out the sliding doors.  Genius.  And not a scratch or dent on my pretty little Sienna.

Did you know my van can comfortably fit eight passengers?!  It has a "jump seat," as they call it, which is an eighth seat that can be quickly and easily installed/uninstalled between the two middle row seats.  And what I really mean by quickly and easily - even mom can do it; no dad required!  Let me tell you, those eight seats have come in mighty handy when we, alongside our best neighbor friends, are responsibly making plans and there's only one pregnant DD.  Minivan for. the. win.  (By the way, when not in use, the jump seat straps in nicely in the back of the van.  Out of sight = out of mind.)

Also, we are still a three car seat family.  Try as he might, Brantley is just not ready for a booster.  Three car seats?  Difficult to fit in the back of an SUV unless you buy the "skinny kind".  Even the fattest of carseats will fit in my van!

You may have heard about the famed cup holders in a mini van.  The stories are true.  They are abundant beyond belief.  In fact, there are six within arm's reach of just my driver's seat!  I can have my coffee, my water, my Shakeology (who am I kidding, I don't drink that stuff anymore), and my wine (wait...) and there are still cup holders to spare!

Let's not even talk about the glove boxes and console.  Storage for daysssssss.

Let's do talk the DVD player though.  We have a specific no-movie rule unless we are traveling outside of the KC area.  But let me tell you, when we do allow movies, there's only so much I can handle.  Enter: headphones.  Did you know that, with headphones, kids can listen to a movie while we--the adults--jam out to all the gansta rap we want?!  (Kidding obviously.  But I do enjoy my country music while my kids watch Frosty the Snowman for the 197th time.)

And lastly, but certainly not least, the trunk space.  Is trunk the right word given a minivan?  Who knows.  Anyway, I can fit a full-size stroller in the trunk and $150 worth of groceries and still have room.  I don't know too many SUVs that can claim the same.

Long story short.  I love our van.  Craig loves our van.  The kids love our van.  We took it on its first road trip to Florida in July and it served us well.  15 hours there-and-back-well and now it holds those vacation memories that I will cherish for a long, long time.

Perhaps you are in the market for a new car, maybe even a van?  (I promise you won't regret it!)  You may want to start with cars.com.  It's a great website--for buyers and sellers alike--to start searching for a new car, list or trade a current car, or just research and read reviews of different cars.  Did you know cars.com also conducts carseat checks?  Click here to see how!

One final van story.  Most days, I feel like I'm still 25 years old.  Until I get into my van and the reality of being a mom x3 slaps me in the face.  However, apparently I don't look like a stereotypical "van person".  On the first day of class this year, I played two truths and a lie with my students.  One of my statements was that I drive a minivan.  Every single class assumed that was my lie.  Moral of the story: it's possible to be young and hip and drive a minivan! 

Back to School Cool

This post is sponsored by Kohl's.  I received the included back to school clothes and essentials as compensation.

As much as it pains me to write that phrase Back to School, there's no denying it's here.  I've been back at work for over a week now and today is our first official day with students.  And if you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw the boys' "first day of school" photos yesterday!  I have such a love/hate relationship with this time of year.  I love my job (for the most part) and it can be nice to get back into routine come August (plus, fall fashion, football, and pumpkin-everything!!!!😍), but if you know me and my love for summer (including my lack of showering on a regular basis), you probably aren't surprised to know I cry every year when I have to go back.  August also exhausts me.  One time, I almost fell asleep while waiting for a red stop light to turn green.  I wish I was kidding.  So yeah, back-to-school is basically the worst - yet best - of times.

( button down )

What I do look forward to - back to school shopping!  With any new season comes the need for new clothes for my kiddos.  I've mentioned this before, but I love shopping for my boys!  Brantley is to the age where he wants only "cool clothes" (athletic apparel), but Holden will still let me dress him in the trendy stuff, which is where Kohl's comes in handy because they have it all!  Nike and Under Armour, joggers and buffalo plaid!  (Which apparently I have a slight obsession with....stay tuned.)  And with great prices and constant sales, it's just a win-win for everyone!  We recently did a little online back-to-school shopping at Kohl's and scored some amazing deals!

( raglan long-sleeve tee / / knit joggers )

( UA tee / / UA shorts )

As for the "cool clothes", I'll admit, it's growing on me.  But only a little.  And only when it matches.  I just can't believe how old it makes Brantley look!  Luckily, he will still dress nicely if I ask him bribe him with candy.  

( button down / / joggers )

And let's talk joggers.  I love them.  They are the perfect compromise for boys who hate jeans.  Most (these and these included) have elastic waste bands and come without the annoyance of zippers or buttons.  Plus, they're adorable.  (My husband disagrees, but I'm definitely the trendy one in the family.)  Kohl's definitely has you covered on joggers, as you can see from these photos!

And this top below is the third buffalo plaid top.  Apparently, when I like something, I really, really, really like it!

( button-down / / joggers )

We also ordered Brantley a new pair of sneakers.  I cringe at the thought of buying new tennies because quality, brand name shoes are so expensive, even those for toddlers!  However, the blow is a little less painful at Kohl's because of their sales. 🙌🙌

( Nike sneakers / / joggers )

( Nike tee / / joggers / / sneakers )

  ( Nike therma-fleece joggers )

( UA raglan tee / / gray joggers )

Have you gone back-to-school shopping or is that still on your to-do list?  Are your kids picky about what they wear (ahem, "cool clothes"), or will they wear anything?

For your shopping pleasure, I've linked most of these looks above!  You may also click here to access Kohl's back-to-school kids' clothing, here shop their back-to-school products in general, and here to access current Kohl's coupons.

Beginning today and lasting through August 20th, Kohl's is running their Friends and Family Sale.  Use the code SAVER for 20% off your order plus $10 off $50 worth of kids' and juniors' clothing and character backpacks with  promo code BTS10  

My blog may contain links to other websites.  I am not responsible for the privacy policies of those other websites.  When you click on a link, your information may be collected by those websites so I encourage you to read their privacy policies.

Affiliate links are not associated with Kohl's.