Sly Savings Exposed

The kick-off of this whole entrepreneurial venture engages the art of the thrift. My salvage and saving skills are well-honed, if I do say so myself, and while I’m not an extreme couponer, I wish I could be. A whole shelf full of pasta? Unlimited toilet paper? Endless laundry detergent? Dreamy. Maybe someday I’ll commit myself to those efforts for real, but I’m not that good yet.

Plus, I’m building a business and that’s taking up most of my waking hours.

My most noteworthy money-back-in-the-Orla-Kiely-wallet strategies have been in motion for years. And it pays, which is the real reason why I keep on doing it, and am sharing today.

1. Lucky Magazine Rewards:

I’ve been a subscriber of Lucky Mag for somewhere around a decade; I lost track of the length of my relationship, but I do know that I scored my subscription at uber-uber-discount years ago, and I think I’m still paid through 2015. The best subscriber benefits is the Lucky Rewards program, which was among the first affiliate programs of it’s kind that I leeched on to. Before I make an online purchase, I’m likely to poke around this site and see if there are any cash-back incentives available, whether it be 1%, 5%, or (and I miss this) 20%, which is what I was getting back from Zappos when I was in college. Order through the link on Lucky Mag, get cash back in your account.

The subscription pays for itself. My Lucky Rewards have redeemed me over $230.00 (Just a brainy guesstimate. I can’t verify with a screen grab, because in 2008 they updated systems and I can no longer access my old reward data.)

The company has an established email marketing strategy, the messages from which I’ve gotten good at deleting without opening so I don’t find myself being tempted to spend, spend, spend to save, save, save (bad news bears in true snowball effect). This week’s is from Lord & Taylor, if you want to subscribe and get all over ordering some fancy sandals and summer dresses.

2. RetailMeNot:

I know there are lots of great coupon code sites out there but I’ve turned to these guys for years now with lots of success . Like Lucky Rewards, I turn to this site to check for codes anytime I’m about to order something online, most of the time finding something, whether it be a discount or free shipping upgrade. Cha-ching! Insta-savings, baby.

3. Snapfish:

I’ve been a Snapfish-girl for 9 years. I loved them way before they were big and all HP’ed-out. I still purchase prints once or twice a year (which most people don’t bother with anymore) because I like the option of framing my pictures and so I select the best of the best just to be able to flip through. Snapfish has also served as a good place to backup photos; I actually wouldn’t have this file of me with the goats at the Erie County Fair if it weren’t for having uploaded it in August of 2004. (Death of a hard drive is a sensitive subject and another topic all together.)

How do I save money by using Snapfish? Well, it’s cheaper than buying prints from Rite Aid or Target, and I get a really good value by buying prints in bulk from Snapfish in quantities of 250 (for $20). The bulk order discount is substantial, and the credits carry over from year to year if you place at least one order per year. I usually wait for free shipping offers, wink, and save myself a few more dollars.

I’ve also referred other folks and been rewarded 200 free prints over the years. And they also have extremely good customer service in my 9-year experiences; any issues with the quality or mail have always been fixed. I should just be hired for a Snapfish testimonial.

4. CitiCards ThankYou Points:

No one’s a stranger to the concept of ThankYou Points. I responsibly pay everything with my credit card these days. Emphasis on Responsibly. I’m not in credit card debt and keep the card balance at zero by spending what I’m budgeted to and pay off the card before the monthly statement and interest charges have a chance to generate. Free money, no interest fees, free points that accumulate and provide me with precious $100 Marshall’s gift cards every time I’m up to 10,000 credits. It’s a good reward for good behavior. And it’s a happy-dance kind of day when those free gift cards arrive.

5. Starbucks Gold:

We like Starbucks over here. Don’t hate on us for supporting the big guys. I like normal out of the coffee pot coffee just fine, but no one, including myself has been able to duplicate a Venti Peppermint Non-Fat, No-Whip, No-Foam, Extra-Hot Mocha like my very-routined neighborhood baristas. The Gold card is an upgrade from a normal registered gift card, and we benefit from some of the perks. Mostly, a 75-cent savings on my Peppermint Shot but also freebie coupons every 15 card swipes, which happens more than you’d think.

6. Gas Stations.

What? Yeah, this is new and just a temporary promotion, but I’m workin’ it. The Hess Express location nearest my house had a banner inserted above the pump one day that caught my eye; with every purchase of 8+ gallons, get a free water bottle for a penny. Really, this is a penny + 5 cent refundable deposit in NY, but it’s a nearly free bottle of water to consume in my travels. Between Pete and I filling up, I’ve already gotten a dozen bottles of Aquafina.

7. Amazon Prime:

If you find yourself ordering items from Amazon as regularly as we do, you’ll benefit by paying the small monthly fee of $6.59 (it’s a $79/year). In a way, it makes total sense to order more than just special items on Amazon; I just found a great deal on sunscreen and dog treats, both of which were cheaper than retail (considerably) and shipped for free in just 2 days. You can even try it out for one month free right here if you want.

Let the summer of thriftiness and cash-back begin.

And please share your secrets too.