Thursday, July 14, 2011

Upromise Update


A while back I did a post about the advantages of having a Upromise account--it's a free way to earn money for college or to pay off student loans. I recently signed into my account to request my credit to use towards our student loan bills, and I fully expected to jump through a dozen hoops in order to do so. In the process, I learned that you also have the option of requesting a check in your name for the full amount, to be used as you choose. It took me about 30 seconds to request my check for....drumroll please...$400! Now that I know this, I will definitely be using their site to make regular purchases online instead of in-store as long as it's the same price (ie: Bed Bath & Beyond was doing a 10% credit last week with Upromise at the same time that I purchased something in the store. If I had known, I would have bought it online and added a few more dollars to my account as well as saved myself a trip with the kids). If you're saving for a college fund, don't forget to have your relatives add their frequent shopper card numbers to your account. It doesn't cost them a thing, takes very little time, and will really add up over the years.

*Be aware that checks are only mailed four times a year. The next group to be mailed out is mid-September, so if you'd like to get your credit, you should wait until late August to request your check.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The Best Dollar I Ever Spent

I know it can be inconvenient and time consuming, and this past weekend HOT, but it really is worth your time to follow those yard sales signs when you see them. We stopped at three yard sales on our way to Lowe's last weekend and scored some great items! For $20 I filled the trunk of my car with a large wooden toy chest/window seat for my daughter's room, 65 books (children's, educational and adult), a winter coat for my niece, a dress for myself, 3 educational computer games for preschoolers, two pair of rain boots that both kids will be able to wear, winter boots for myself, two purses/handbags, and a stainless steel thermos as well as a few other odds and ends. So here is a picture of the best dollar I've ever spent, each item was 25 cents--note the rain boots have tread that is in excellent condition!



All without any negotiation! I refuse to offer less for a fair price, and these prices were more than fair. To make the most of yard sales you really need to take your time and look through everything. I almost left the best sale without buying anything because the driveway was full of junk, but the garage was full of treasures so it's a good thing I didn't!

*Disclaimer: I cannot remember if this is the best dollar I've ever spent, but it is definitely in the top five!