It is that time- like it or not the holidays are in full swing! 47 days until Christmas!
I wanted to start giving some tips on getting ready for the holidays and ideas to stretch the budget this year! So stay tuned this week for lots of ideas.
First of all, I would love if you would leave comments with any holidays items you are looking for this year. I see so many deals each day and it is really helpful for me to get ideas of the popular items so I can prioritize my posting.
Second, the holidays seem to have started with a bang from my perspective. I will be posting all sorts of deals on popular items and just random stuff I find. Many items will go really quickly- some won’t even last a day. You can always follow me on Twitter or Facebook– I usually post the best deals there as well as on the blog- or you might consider checking into the blog a bit more frequently. I typically post 15-20 times a day and there will be lots of days that is doubled during the holiday season. I try not to overwhelm people but I can’t pass up a hot deal so some days my fingers are on fire!
I have had a few questions recently about Swagbucks. I know many of you have been saving them for holiday shopping this year so I thought I’d share a few tips with you.
Cash them in. If you have been saving your bucks, I would strongly suggest cashing them in. Swagbucks limits you to cashing in 2 like gift cards per day. So if you want to cash in for several $5 Amazon cards, you are limited to requesting 2 per day. You are also limited to (5) like cards per month. So that means you can only request 5 total of those $5 gift cards each month. They often take 2-3 weeks to credit to your account, so if you intend to use them for holiday shopping you want to get them cashed in now so they are available.
Redeeming Your Cards. You can redeem as many cards as you have. So if you have $30 in Amazon gift cards and you want to purchase an item for $28- you can absolutely use all (6) of your $5 cards to pay 0 for your item. If you have money left over as in the case above, the balance will remain available in your Amazon account until you order again.
Amazon had some amazing deals last year and many of them went really fast! Amazon offers free shipping with a $25 purchase or they also have free shipping with Prime. You might consider registering for Amazon Mom now so you can get Prime for the holidays. It is totally free and you will get free shipping on any order you place (some exceptions apply with 3rd party shippers.) I ordered tons of stuff last year- like $1 books and the awesome $5 Leapfrog toys- all sorts of stuff. I had Prime last year so my shipping was always free and it almost always arrives in 2 days.
Stay tuned as I will be posting several more tips for the holiday shopping season throughout the week!
I want adjustable dumbell weights for my husband. The kind that adjust between pounds, so you don’t have to have an entire set. They seem to cost at least a couple hundred, too much for my wallet!!
Me and My husband are trying to find a barbie dream house for our daughter but $150 is just to much for our budget!
I’m looking for an ipod touch. I bought one the day after thanksgiving last year and it came with a $50 itunes gift card so at least hoping for something that good OR better! Would like an ipad for the fam, but I’m doubtful for any great deals! Oh, and it’s time I have the Kitchenaid stand mixer. Thanks for everything!
I’d love to surprise my husband with a great deal on a Blu Ray player… but will only buy one if I find a great deal because I’m cheap 🙂 ha!
Jessica: I just bought my hubby a set of the adjustable dumbbells from Bowflex. Slickdeals often has deals posted for them on Bowflex. Our set was a more expensive one, but it was $329 9usually a $1000 set), including shipping. They have specials on less expensive sets too. I heard that Bowflex has been having so many deals that FedEx had to hire extra drivers just to deliver the Bowflex stuff!
I am waiting for a great deal on a Keurig machine & a Margaritaville Frozen Concoction maker! Thanks for all your help!
Quick question–do the swagbuck’s Amazon gifts cards expire?
Hi Charlene. We are giving in and getting my son a DS for Christmas. I know there won’t be a lot of “deals” but any ideas you can give would be greatly appreciated. I am sure that is going to be on a lot of little ones’ list this season. Thanks for all your hard work. I am the hugest fan!
Hi Charlene. Thank you for everything. I am going to be hoping for some deals on e-readers (Kindle or the new one from Borders?). Thanks!
Brenda I not aware of an expiration. If you intend to hold onto them for over 6 months you might contact Swagbucks just to confirm that.
I’m looking for GeoTrax deals. I did pick up a used one at a consignment store however, the used one’s for sale on Craigslist seem expensive to me. Does Fisher Price ever run coupons on these? Thanks for any help!
I am looking for a Ninendo DS (lite or “i”), a laptop, and Harry Potter Legos! Thanks Charlene! Any help would be much appreciated!!!
I’m with Jill, looking for a Blu Ray player. My husband also wants either an X-Box or Wii as well, which is funny since we have no time to play it but whatever! ha! I know they can be used for a Blu Ray so maybe I’ll look for the gaming system first.
I am looking to get my daughter an iXL or one of those leap frog hand held games for toddlers, any great deal on either would be wonderful!!
I am looking for a Kuerig coffee maker, baby toys, leap frog toys, blue ray player, tv’s, Wii Cabela’s Big Game Hunter… that’s all I can think of right now. 🙂
I am looking for a web-cam and headset that can be used with Skype. I recently moved 600 miles away from my mom and I think this gift will mean a lot to her.
Thanks!
thanks so much for the swagbucks info, and in advance for all the updates you are going to be doing. i need to get my niece the shrek ever after dvd when that comes out in dec, so good deals on that please. thanks!
We want to get the kids a trampoline for Christmas. I’m thinking the 14 foot size. We have a lot of kids. 🙂
I always appreciate all of your magazine deals on Amazon and the Amazon deals in general. I’ve seen things you’ve posted on Thomas the Train in the past. I’m hoping to see some this year since we have a new train table. Thanks.
I’m looking 4 a good deal on the keurig coffee maker 4 my husband. He tried it @ a friends house and loved it but we dont really have the money n the budget. I’m sure it’s something that would b hard 2 find a good deal on. Any help would b appreciated:). Thanks!
i scored 2 Blu Ray players last year at Costco… I believe I paid 109 and they came with the HDMI cable.
I’d also love to find a deal on a trampoline (but it can be a 10′ or 12′ as I have fewer kids). My daughter really wants the Barbie with the video camera in her head, but I’m not sure how good quality that would be, so maybe a cheap Flip video camera deal. Thanks!
For those interested in DSi, Costco tends to have the best packaged deals (if you don’t want to go hunting around too much).
Im thinkinng of using my amazon gift cards towards a xbox game for my boys for christmas.
We have a trampoline on our list too this year so for sure I am looking for deals on that!
I have a pretty long wish list for my boys. I would love to see any deals you find on
Legos
playmobil
nintendo ds games
wii games & console, acessories
I’m looking for deals on playmobil toys – the schoo and zoo, but really any of them! And also wii kids games and nintendo ds games.
oops forgot I”m also looking for
fisher price imaginext toy story
geo trax
moon dough
We are also looking for a trampoline. We have found great deals on trampolines at sporting goods stores like sports challet on the day after thanksgiving. I hope we can find a good deal. thanks
thank you so much about the giftcards.. I “bought” one the other day and cant seem to find out where it went/how to acctually use it. 😕
the trampoline idea is great! wow!
looking for: ipad touch, leap frog, (just bought the reader pen today! thank you!) and a little tykes car/battery powered/mattel truck the kind your child can sit in and drive. several manufactures make them, would prefer one of the jeep/truck ones.
Thank you, you are AWESOME!!! :)))
Both of my boys would really like a Pillow Pet, but I really do not want to spend $20 on a pillow! And also gifts for teenagers. We have a few teenage neices and nephews and I am clueless as to what to get them that doesn’t cost alot.
Sarajoy- which gift card do you mean?
charlene- I figgured it out..duh me. and cashed in another 10$ in amazon gc. yay! I am also downloading swagbucks into hubbies computer muahaha. 😉
Toddler toys! Thanks for all you do!! 😉
Star Wars Legos!!!
My wishlist watchlist: Blu-Ray, Wii, DS XL, Kuerig Coffee Maker, and Barbie Video Girl… There’s so much more of course, but these are at the top of the list right now.
Thanks for everything you do. When I want to know in a hurry, you are my go-to site!
Hi Charlene –
My poor Mom-in-law really needs a navigation system, I would love to find a good deal on a nicer one.
Michelle, Amazon has the Garmin marked down today to $84:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fgoldbox%3Fie%3DUTF8%26ref_%3Dcs_top_nav_gb27&tag=myfrugadve-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957
I usually find deals on Tom Tom and they go as low as about $65. There is one for $65ish right now actually. Let me put up a post.
I’m looking for deals on lego sets, shark or bissell steam mop, netbook, and an xbox 360 as well as video games, lol. Not much, right? I’ve only bought like 2 Christmas presents so far and am way behind this year! Do you know when Amazon starts there daily deals in the toy section like they did last year? I did a good part of my shopping on amazon last year as the prices seemed the best.
Nicole all the ads are coming out now. I am just working on posting the Kohls one actually. So it seems to me Amazon gets in the ball game once they see what everyone else has planned. I have a feeling Target is going to step up to the plate this year too.
I love it!! I seen a few of the ads, nothing to exciting yet, I always look forward to Walmart and Targets ads. I had so much more fun shopping online last year with all your deal posts ( my flip camera, woohoo! ) lol. Woweee are the stores opening earlier this year, ours have never opened earlier than 5, that makes me kinda happy as I want to get it done as early as possible haha!
Nicole you have no idea how much I resent you from last year! Oh my word I was nearly trampled at 4am at stupid Walmart getting those $3 track suits and you ordered them online. I will definitely do things differently this year!
I am looking for super cheap picture calendars. I want to get them for everyone in the immediate family, but they add up quickly. And super deals that you find would be appreciated!
what’s the best deal you are seeing on the wii?