Time for another installment of my holiday gift guide! This time we'll focus on websites I have found to be helpful over the years, including one website that won't help you find the gift but just might help you get some money back!
Like that idea, huh? Well, if you do any of your holiday shopping online, like many people do these days, you should really check out Mr. Rebates. All you have to do is register with Mr. Rebates, visit their site to start shopping, then access your choice of one of their nearly 2000 participating online stores through the Mr. Rebates site. (They'll walk you through it when you register, in case my instructions are less-than-clear.) The rebates range from 1% to 50% of the price of your purchases, though some online stores feature flat dollar amounts. Last year we got about $25 back through Mr. Rebates - in the form of a check, not a gift card or credit somewhere - and it can really take the edge off holiday spending. Plus, they often have the inside scoop on deals and coupon codes you can use on their participating websites!
Also, you can refer your friends to the site and get rebates just because they've used Mr. Rebates! My sister gets a little cash every time I shop online and use Mr. Rebates just for referring me. Since you are all my friends, I'm referring you ... if you want, you can enter my registered e-mail address (NikyJ13@aol.com) into the referral area of your Mr. Rebates registration page and I'll get a little something every time you use the website. Then you can refer your own friends and make money off their shopping! Wait, that sounded bad.
Anyhow, moving on ...
The first online shopping website I'd like to spotlight is Shutterfly.com. You can upload your personal, digital photographs onto this site and do anything from print off simple pictures to have your favorite photos turned into a deck of playing cards! Last year I made my husband a calendar and he made me our wedding photo album for Christmas, both from Shutterfly, and we were very happy with their service. Even when his calendar arrived damaged, I was able to get a new one rushed to me in time for the big day at no extra cost!
There are lots of other similar websites that offer photo-related gift ideas, but I haven’t tried them so I don’t have as much familiarity with them. Nonetheless, they might have just what you are looking for!
Kodak Gallery
Snapfish
SeeHere
The second website I’d like to bring up is Etsy.com. This beauty of an online store brings artists and crafters to people across the globe. You can find all sorts of amazing treasures on Etsy, from a great pair of earrings to fingerless gloves to a pen holder made out of floppy disks. Also, many Etsy shops specialize in vintage items. All in all, Etsy is a great place to find special gifts for the special people in your life!
One often overlooked gift idea is one that keeps on giving the whole year long (or longer in some cases): the magazine subscription. Magazines.com is a fantastic website that can hook you up with great deals on popular magazines. And, if you use Mr. Rebates this holiday season, you can earn up to 30% back on your subscription purchases!
Finally, Amazon.com is a wonderful website for finding just about anything and everything. I’d go on and on about all you can find on it, but I think its reputation speaks for itself. If you haven’t been on there and have a hard-to-find item on your list, check it out … you’ll be astounded at the range of products they sell and prices they offer.
Oh, one more site, I promise.
My sister recently introduced me to Wize.com. It is a website that compiles the review sections of many, MANY other sites on all sorts of products, from night vision goggles to perfumes to learning toys for children. If you find yourself unsure of the best X, Y, or Z to purchase, the expert reviews and user ratings on Wize.com can certainly shed some light on the subject!
Happy shopping!
No comments:
Post a Comment