This Is Not How I Do It: 12/07/2021

I’d like to think it was my far-reaching influence, but that’s rather doubtful….

Ibotta had a server outage today, so if you tried and failed – try again!

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‘Tis The Season, Again! Here We Go.

Ok, so sorry, all.

I really meant to do this earlier, because I was late for the holiday shopping season last year.

Consistency is my other lesser-known name. Which is unfortunate when it comes to stuff like this.

Here we go!

Layering is my self-coined pet-term for what happens when promotions, rebates, points and the universe align.

It takes some practice. I’ve been doing this for 10 years now on one program adding a few others in recent years. I’m not gonna say it is always easy – it takes some brain work and some research.

Truly, though, what’s better than a good deal?

Free. My favorite F-word.

I will tell you with 100% honesty that I consistently earn cash back and points to buy approximately $200.00 worth of Christmas (and self) gifts!

Yes, there is a free Christmas.

No, it won’t be this year for you.

But, perhaps by the early months of 2022, you will have a nice little sum of cash and points to use for necessities. Think home goods, home improvement, a dinner for two.

Set Yourself Up for Success

1. Create an email address specifically for offers, promotions, & loyalty programs.

Why? Keeps all your offers in one place.

• No matter which email server you use, I recommend setting up an @gmail account.

Why? Some rewards programs will auto-scan email for online receipts.

If, you opt-in for that option in settings.

• Move your current loyalty accounts to the new email address.

Why? Keeps your main communication email unclogged.

• Use the links below to sign-up for programs.

Why? You will receive sign-on offers and bonuses in cash or points!

(PS, transparency: I will, too.)

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MyPoints:            https://www.mypoints.knabbler

Spend $20.00 receive 1,750 points. Sign-up by Phone & Computer using link above.

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Ibotta:                  https://ibotta.knabbler            Please, Use Referral Code: VUODLBM

$10.00 for first receipt. Sign-up by Phone & Computer.

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There are more, but let’s just work on the two I have found to be bigger earners.

Next up: step-by-step layering for (nearly) free dinner!

More Sacred

So, that’s how the scroll saw came to live in the computer room closet.

Jeff read the manual (sort of), but that’s as far as he got. His legs were giving out, and we had other things to concentrate on. I also made him promise not to use it for the first time when I wasn’t home. If he could break a toe while shaving his head… sawing surely needed to be supervised.

And that’s how the scroll saw ended up in the 2010, house sold, moving sale. It didn’t make it to a table until the second day, because I had imagined it would be harder to unearth from that over-stuffed closet. I marked it at $50 thinking that’d be a good starting amount. I didn’t have the box or the manual, but it was brand-new, never used and maybe someone would know what to do with it.

A little after 3 PM on the last day, a young couple came in. “Hmm,” the husband commented. “Honey? Look at this!”

“What is it?” she asked.

“A scroll saw, just like the one I rented last week for $85.00. I could buy this one and we’d never have to rent one again!”

“Oh,” she considered, then continued. “I just don’t think we can afford that right now, honey,” as she moved on to look at other items.

The fellow just stood there mesmerized.

Knowing I’d never use and not wanting to struggle it back into the closet or move it to Ann Arbor, I whispered to my gregarious friend, “He can have it for $35.00.”

Because she’s the outgoing one who has no problem dickering with yard salers or yard sale customers I gave her the appropriate lenience to do as she pleased.

From her perch near the cashbox, she announced the offer loudly, adding the key phrase, “It’s never been used!”

That’s when I heard it. The whimper.

I laughed out a bark, and leaned closer to my cohort. “That’s the exact same sound Jeff made when we bought that thing!”

He looked at his wife beseechingly and she slowly nodded her approval. As he stood there holding the saw, he told us that he and his wife were renovating their home. “Thank you so much. Thank you so much,” he kept repeating.

“Never been used,” my friend repeated as they headed-out. “Her husband passed!” she called after him, stopping them on the threshold of exiting.

I really thought that man was going to cry as he turned to stare at me. “It will get put to good use,” he answered quivering. “I promise it will get used.”

I may have lost money on that deal, but I gained another blessed insight into the non-coincidences of GOD’s careful plans.

What was that scroll saw worth? $215.00, $115, $62.50, $50.oo or $35.00?

Making Jeff happy, which made me happy, which made that family happy = sacredly priceless.

Quote for the Week:

One more thing, October 6, 2020, my friend, cohort and kindred soul, Paula, passed away.

At first I was like, “Really, Paula? Today?”

But, then, I let go a chuckle-sob, thanking her for not giving me a different date to commemorate.

If it a day had to suck, anyway, it might as well have been that one.

$ Layering Tips for Bed Bath & Beyond and Macy’s

Two quick scenarios from today’s adverts & sales & rewards programs:

Bed Bath & Beyond:

Sign in through MyPoints you will get 4 points per dollar.

Use BB&B 20% Off Entire Purchase coupon code

The IBOTTA browser extension with pop up and ask you to activate 2% cash back.

If you have a gmail account and use it for your purchasing email address, Fetch will automatically credit you points for any e-receipts to your gmail address.

Summary for this scenario: $100 item

My Points: 400 points

BB&B: $20.00 off

IBOTTA extension: $1.60 cash back ($80.00 x 2%)

Fetch: I don’t have gmail, so I cannot for sure give you a points figure. But, snapping photos of paper receipts this year has averaged me 270 points/receipt.  

Macy’s

Signing in through MyPoints will earn you up to 15 points/dollar.

When I Iogged in this morning, IBBOTA extension was showing 8% cash back.

If you’re a Macy’s card holder, you should have received mail or email with coupons/codes. 😉

Click the Blue Links below to get started.

Ibotta My Ibotta Referral Code: vuodlbm

Fetch My Fetch Referral Code: A8JUX

MyPoints: if you are interested in adding MyPoints to your layered savings, please private message me your email address so I may send you an invitation. You can go and sign upon your own, but it’d be nice if you give me a chance to send you the invite. 🙂

Yes, I will earn points or cash back boosts from the above links. But, once you sign up, you can, too!

Important – I will never, ever sell or give your email address away or divulge any other personal information, to any other person, company or space alien. Promise.

Other ways to get cash back or rewards:

Take advantage of your credit cards with the best rewards. Do your research before shopping!

Discover 5% at Amazon, Best Buy & Target.

Amex is offering cash back at various retailers and has a Small Business Saturday encouragement campaign. At one time, they were offering various amount of cash back on purchases at qualifying small businesses in your area.

to dance, without music

Once I assured myself Jeff’s mask situation was secure, I headed to the other end of our house. Out of courtesy. I doubt my husband would have woken up if I’d exercised my option to use our en suite. Since he was solidly sleeping, I didn’t want to take the chance.

By the end of August 2019, with the help of Jeff’s Salsapalooza plan, our still relatively tiny store (although, comparatively, a mansion to our minuscule starter-store) had broken even YTD. We were unbelievably ecstatic knowing we’d be heading into the holiday season in great shape.

Yes, we’d have to work hard to keep the momentum going. Hopefully, we’d need to keep purchasing stock. The final quarter of 2006 could be significantly profitable, fuel the future of our business and solidify our dream.

With any luck, MHSC could conceivably close out non-red in just our third year.

Of course, we weren’t planning on letting it be a luck thing. We’d never leave it up to that. It would be a face-to-face, phone-to-phone, email-to-email, direct mailbox mail, somewhat prehistoric print, semi-regular radio, and weekly BNI thing.

That same year, we’d also created a postcard mailing advert for Jeff’s next fantastic idea – Sauce of the Month Club. We simultaneously debuted the program in our web-store.

When the very first participant signed up and purchased the plan on-line, it was a banner day.

Jeff was hilariously giddy, grinning from ear to ear. I was right there with him because he waited until I got home to tell me.

“You’re the first person I’m telling this to,” Jeff started out of the office, as I came in the front door. Opening his arms wide, he declared. “I wanted to celebrate this with just us.”

Without knowing what we were celebrating, I jumped in for a hug. Once he had me in his arms, Jeff began to dance. I followed his lead, without any music, while he explained.

I smiled up at my love, as we took waltzing steps. Without any music, I got to thinking. Jeff took one look at my face and figured out I was contemplating.

“Now, now, now,” he admonished, with over-dramatic fake seriousness. “Don’t worry about any of this,” he confidently continued, clasping our hands over his heart. “I already talked to the guy and it’s a present for his Dad.”

“We made a list of stuff he’d like!” he beamed. “And, get this… he might even get his Dad to come in with him to get it each month. So, we might not need to do any mailing!”

Quote for the Week: