Category: internet finds

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Rewards for Shopping and Then Some

I was born into a bargain-hunting, refund-getting sort of family. I remember not throwing food containers away as a child, so my mom could clip the UPC codes for assorted refunds. As an adult, I have always had a cash-back debit card and credit card–who wouldn’t want to get credit for things they do/buy anyway?

My father has taken this concept to a new level with Priority Club Rewards. He travels an insane amount for his job, and has been able to come up with a fabulous perks for himself through Priority Club Rewards. I am not exaggerating when I say that no one in our family has paid for a hotel room since early 2005. 95% of our free stays have been with Holiday Inn Express, and I have to say that they treat their Priority Members extremely well. Snack bags and room upgrades are fairly common during our stays.

The thing about Priority Club Rewards though, is that it’s not just for travelers. You can earn points through shopping online at your favorite stores. All you have to do is start shopping at the PCR Shopping Page and your purchases are credited to your Priority Club account. You earn points on the dollars you spend….and then you can spend your points!!

What can you spend your points on? The redemption center is full of ideas. You can redeem points for retail/gasoline gift cards, free travel and hotel stays. The possibilities are endless.

At my dad’s recommendation, I became a Priority Club member in 2004. I haven’t really utilized my account, because most of my hotel stays have been covered with my dad’s points. Now that I know about the shopping component, I have a whole new way to earn and spend points!

I know there are a lot of reward type clubs/programs out there, but this is one that I have seen in action and can highly recommend. So before you start your Christmas shopping, take a minute to sign up at Priority Club. Then let the online shopping commence, and start earning points!

This post is part of a blog tour with Mom Central.

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It’s also time to start shopping….

So yesterday I said we were going to put up our Christmas tree. We went to our friends’ house for dinner instead. So today we are officially “behind” on our Christmas to-do list. So far we are par for the course, I guess.

Anyway, something I always *try* to start early, but never seem to, is shopping for Christmas gifts. With 10 nieces and nephews, parents, siblings and in-laws, the shopping list is a long one. I usually enjoy shopping…..and I’ve learned the past few years that I really enjoy shopping in my pajamas, coffee in hand, on my couch.

That’s where SHOP.com comes in. SHOP.com is a comparison shopping site that is connected to over 2,000 merchants. The site is filled with tips and tools, and with just a few clicks, you can find what you are looking for, at the best price.

The site is super easy to use, even the first time through. There are helpful ways to guide your search–being economy minded, I like the “free shipping” and “coupons” links–they tell you which stores are featuring free shipping and coupons. There are also shopping guides for a wide range of topics, and ways to narrow down searches, all neatly displayed on the left of the screen. You can make your own “shop”, where you can add favorite shops, track purchases and get personalized recommendations. Many merchants participate in the OneCart feature, where you can add items from many stores into one simple SHOP.com order. For other stores, you leave SHOP.com and get transferred directly to the merchants website. The best part, of course, is not having to fight traffic or hectic crowds to get my family gifts they will love.

With SHOP.com, I may never have to get dressed to go Christmas shopping again!

This post is part of a blog tour brought to you by Mom Central. See what Moms are talking about at MomCentral.com !

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Sweet Hope, one of three "little" adoption doses today

Some days, I don’t think about adoption much. Other days? It sort of takes over my brain. And other days? It sort of comes from different directions all at once. Today was one of those days. Three tidbits, all adoption related.

1) Our agency newsletter came today. They always have short adoption stories, and I always read them. This one started out with a girl name Heidi, who was planning on placing her infant, Josh, with the Kennedy family. She had placed her infant daughter three years earlier with the Kennedys (I’m thinking, “how weird!! did someone else at the agency do this recently too?!!!)….when Josh was born June 21….um hi. We’re the freakin’ Kennedys. Because our real name isn’t Irish Catholic enough (??!?!?) Anyway, it was neat to read a quick, sanitized version of our story in the newsletter. BgK wants to cut it out, and put a copy of it in Junior’s baby book, with a little note saying, “this is you!”

2) At dinner tonight, my good friend told me that his brother and his wife, after 3 rounds of failed IVF, are calling a local adoption attorney to start the domestic adoption process. This, of course, is a huge step. I, of course, told him to give them our number.

3) After all of this, I check my email, and there is an email from Beth, telling me all about Sweet Hope, a fundraiser run by her friend Elle, which raises money every year to help families adopt and to help orphans awaiting adoption. Elle hand makes scrumptious chocolate truffles, and the money she makes helps adoption causes near and dear to her heart. This year, it looks like the money raised will go to the children in the orphanages in Russia. How incredible is that?? Orders can be placed until November 28th, so check out Sweet Hope and order already. Also, if you post about Sweet Hope, leave a comment at Beth’s post–she’s got a giveaway going on to help get the word out!