0 In 2023/ Making money/ Product Recommendations

My 4 Favorite Money Making Apps

Whether you want to add a few dollars to your monthly budget, have some extra spending money, or just get Starbucks for free – here are 4 apps that will allow you to do that!

These are my four favorite money making apps that you can download today:

1. Upside – Save money on Gas!

This app saves me up to 20 cents PER gallon every time I fill up!

Click this link or use promo code KATHRYN39226 to get an extra $7 bonus if you make a purchase before December 5, 2023. Click here to start earning: https://upside.app.link/KATHRYN39226

2. Fetch – earn points on every receipt

I earn 25 points for every reciept I upload, plus lots of points for extra things I already buy. These points translate into free gift cards to Target, paypal, Starbucks and more.

All you have to do is download the app, take a picture of any receipt (within 14 days), and hit submit.

Just like that, you’ll get points back (literally, you get 25 points just for submitting the receipt!)

You can then cash in these points for fantastic gift cards to help you stretch your budget a little further OR be able to afford some fun splurges!

Come save money on Fetch with me! Sign up w/ code 8AVYPX & get 500 pts: https://referral.fetch.com/vvv3/referralsocial?code=8AVYPX. See you there!

Click here to start earning: https://referral.fetch.com/vvv3/referralsocial?code=8AVYPX

3. Shopkick – earn points for shopping

Earn points for simply walking into stores, more points for scanning products, more points for purchases. Points translate into gift cards to Target, Walmart, Starbucks, and more.

it’s a free app that rewards you for shopping. Sign up with my code to get bonus kicks: SHOP348890

Click here to start earning: https://get.shopkick.com/96Rn/3s3gax9m

4. Ibotta – cash back for in store purchases

I get cash back for buying things I already need. Grapes, cereal, ice cream, deodorant etc.

Click here to start earning: https://ibotta.onelink.me/iUfE/1005cd3f?friend_code=8gsa

And one more things to mention, this isn’t an app but a website that gives cash back on online purchases:

Rakuten

To use: Go to Rakuten.com, type in the name of the online store you are about to buy something from (ie Target.com), then click on their link. I make my normal purchases and get a percentage back in cash!

Click here to start earning: www.rakuten.com/r/KATHRY3518?eeid=28187

Which of these do you want to try first?

Thanks for reading! Please consider subscribing!

November 9, 2023 By Kathryn

4 In 2020/ Christmas/ DIY/ Making money/ Motherhood/ Raising boys/ Recipe

Simple Salt Dough Snowman Ornaments: DIY Christmas Gifts

Here’s a fun and simple activity to do with your kids: Salt dough ornaments.

My boys aren’t always into crafty things – but when they heard their cousins made and SOLD some of their ornaments, my boys were all in! They always love a way to earn money – right now they are saving up to buy a DOG! (This was their idea, not mine)

The salt dough recipe is simple:

2 cups of flour
1 cup of salt
1 cup of water

Mix with a wisk, and then your hands.
Flour a surface, then roll out the dough until it’s about a quarter inch thick

Cut into shapes

Use a drinking straw to poke a hole at the top of the ornament for the string to go through

To make the Snowman Ornament:

Use a cup to make circles
Take a little piece of the dough and form it into the shape of a carrot
Press the nose on top of the circle
Press divots in the dough for the eyes and mouth. I used the bottom of a paint brush.

Bake at 175 degrees for 3 hours.
Let them sit for 1 hour.
Paint with acrylic paint or water colors.

Seal with Modge Podge.
Tie a string through the hole.

Hang on your tree, gift wrap, or sell.

The boys put their earnings in this jar and tied one of their dog bone salt dough ornaments around it!

Click here for another DIY one-of-kind Christmas ornament

Click here to read all about the dog they got for Christmas – and they used their earnings to buy him toys!

Thanks for reading! Enjoy your holiday!

December 10, 2020 By Kathryn

0 In Making money/ Saving money

Ebates = Free money for YOU!

As you know, I always like to share EASY ways to earn/save money!

Ebates.com is one EASY way to do that!

If you do ANY shopping online, I recommend you give Ebates a try – they give you CASH BACK for nearly everything you buy online. PLUS – you will give you $10 just for signing up and trying it out.

It works like this….if you are purchasing something online FIRST go to ebates.com …

Type in the name of the website where you’d like to shop (Amazon, Walmart, Walgreens, eBay, Gap, etc.)

Click SHOP NOW!

A percentage of your purchase will then be deposited in your “ebate” account. Once a quarter they will either send you check, deposit it in your PayPal account, or let you spend it at an online store!

Try it now and during the holidays, and enjoy getting some cash back!

CLICK here to check out Ebates and starting earning a little money!

October 2, 2018 By Kathryn

0 In Making money/ Motherhood/ Moving/ Peek into our Week/ Review/ Things to do in Colorado

Six Tips for a Successful Garage Sale

1. Gather stuff to sell!

Keep a bin/box in each level (or closet) of your house. Add items in the bin the minute you want to get rid of it.
Go through your storage area(s) – what haven’t you used that you can get rid of?
Go through your drawers and closets – what haven’t you worn that you can sell?
Go through bookshelves in your house – pull out any books you or your kids no longer read.
You can also ask friends to help by giving you stuff they want to get rid of, allowing you to sell those items.

2. Gather supplies!

Ask neighbors if you can borrow card tables.
Get change – lots of ones, fives and quarters
Buy price stickers and signs (Dollar Tree!)
Buy a fanny pack or some sort of wallet you can keep ATTACHED to you.
Buy lemonade, water bottles, pop and snacks for shoppers – my kids love to sell these and do really well with it.

3. Advertise!

Put an ad in garagesalefinder.com
Put an ad on craigslist
If it’s a neighborhood sale, let the coordinator know that you are participating so they include your house on the map.

4. Price your items!

PLEASE sell your items CHEAP! Remember, you want to GET RID OF EVERYTHING! It doesn’t matter if you paid $60 for those boots, list them for $5.

How to price clothes to SELL :

Take a piece of printer paper, and write/type:

Buy 1 item, pay $2
Buy 3 items, pay $5
Buy 10 items, pay $10

Leave several of these “pricing sheets” around your clothes!

This forces people to look through your stuff and BUY MORE so they can SAVE more – which means you will SELL MORE and MAKE MORE MONEY!

How to Price Books:

One book 25cents, 10 books for $1!

My kids have their own little table and love to sell drinks and snacks to hungry, thirsty, or just plain KIND customers!

How to price Snacks and drinks:

50cents each

Optional last day – mark everything down by 50%. I LOVE it when I go to a sale and the owner says “Everything’s half price!” I always find stuff to buy!

Optional last hour – everything is 25 cents!!!

5: Prepare!

I leave cars parked outside my garage a few nights before the sale so I can start setting up.

The night before or morning of the sale, I go place “GARAGE SALE” signs out – pointing people the way to my house.

The Crazy Garage Sale Lady!

Morning of sale – prepare your “FANNY PACK” that you WEAR ALL DAY!

lots of ones/fives/quarters
extra price stickers
a sharpie
your phone

Set most of your stuff out on your driveway so people who are driving by can SEE IT! The more they can see at first glance, the more they will want to stop and shop.

Start early – I was outside working at 6am for any early birds that wanted to stop by. The sale started at 8.

6. Negotiate and SELL!

If people ask if you will take $5 for an item you are selling for $10…always works with them. Remember – YOU WANT TO SELL EVERYTHING! You DON’T want to pack it up and donate it. And please, DO NOT bring it back inside your house!

Extra tips:

My neighborhood has a ONE DAY sale. I did this last year, and the day was fairly busy, but it’s hard to justify doing all this work for a ONE DAY SALE. This year I decided to open on Thursday, Friday and SATURDAY!
I didn’t do a LOT of pricing until the night before and morning of the sale. I DID have the price sheets written out that I mentioned earlier.
The morning of the sale (starting at 6 AM), I priced items as I set them on tables or placed them along my driveway.
OfferUp – Are you familiar with this app? I love it. It’s free to use and you can sell your stuff in three easy steps. Take a pic, describe your item, price it. I had several items from my garage sale listed on the app. When someone sent me a message about something they wanted, I told them I was having a garage sale, gave them my address and asked them to come by. Every person that came to pick up their item, bought even MORE items from my sale!

Thursday I had customers start arriving at 8 AM and slowed down by noon. I closed about 12:30 so I could do some things with my boys.

On Friday, customers starting arriving at 8 AM and slowed down by noon again. I closed at 12:30.

On Saturday, customers started arriving by 7 AM. This was my busiest day because the entire neighborhood had a sale. But again, it slowed way down after noon so I just started pricing everything WAY down. If someone picked something up, I’d say – “Take it for a quarter!”

Overall, it was a fairly successful sale. I made over $200 and the boys made almost $75 in snack and drink sales!!! Clark is always the rockstar salesperson. He stays and sells from the beginning til the very end.

With a few things that didn’t sell – I did three things.

1 – Packed a box for goodwill.

2 – Packed a box for a friend that could use some boy clothes.

3 – Packed the rest and gave to a friend who is having a sale NEXT weekend to raise money for a trip she wants to take!

Are there any tips YOU would suggest for a successful sale? Leave me a comment!

June 3, 2018 By Kathryn

5 In Colorado Springs/ Family/ Making money/ Motherhood/ My Journey/ Product Recommendations/ Review

Stitch Fix vs Sister Fix Disclaimer: Sister is HORRIFIED

Two of my friends were wearing the cutest outfits recently and I asked where they shopped. “Stitch Fix!” They both responded.

I decided to check this thing out.

I have four boys and shopping for clothes is not an easy or enjoyable thing for me – Stitch Fix is what I needed. No shopping required!

I got my first box of clothes and it felt like Christmas. I posted about it here.

A few months later I asked my sister if she would shop for me. I wanted to know how a “sister fix” would compare to a “stitch fix.” My sister enjoys shopping, knows my style, and I like that she knows how to find a bargain. She agreed to do it.

Below are my “Sister Fix” outfits that cost about the same as a box from Stitch Fix.

SISTER FIX PROS:

Sister buys things on sale – I get more for my money.
She knows my style.
She shopped, took pictures of outfits and mailed everything to me.
I loved nearly everything she purchased. I couple of items did not fit or didn’t look as good on me as they did on the hanger.

STITCH FIX PROS:

They ask lots of questions to understand your style.
They mail everything to you.
I spend NO time shopping or returning items.
I can try things on right in my own home and pair them with things I already own.
The box is fun to receive – it’s like Christmas morning.
They include a picture/style card of exactly how to wear each item.
They include an envelope to ship anything you want back at no additional cost.
If you refer people, you earn money towards free clothes!
$15 dollar credit towards your first FIX: http://stitchfix.com/referral/14898853 if you use that code to save yourself money and try Stitch Fix, I’ll earn money too!

SISTER FIX CONS:

Sister spent a lot of time picking out clothes for me – not convenient for her.
She took pictures, boxed and shipped everything – more of her time.
I had to go and return everything I didn’t like – my time doing stuff I don’t enjoy.
She sent me pictures of how to ‘style’ the items she sent, but I accidentally deleted it before the clothes arrived. (She resent them later!)

STITCH FIX CONS:

Items can be pricier than what I’d normally spend. I’m a TJ Maxx, Target and thrift store shopper!
I’ve heard it takes 2-3 shipments before they really start to understand what you want and like.
I only kept 1 item from my first “fix” – because I didn’t love the other items, and they were more than what I wanted to spend

Have you tried Stitch Fix yet? If you’d like to try it, click here for $15 off your first fix!

Below is the video of me trying everything on.

DISCLAIMER: My sister was partially horrified and partially cracking up when she watched this video below. She does not want her name attached to it!

She said I did NOT follow her advice in how to WeAR/Style the items she sent! We LAUGHED together about this – we are so different. She is a perfectionist when it comes to STYLE, and I did not LAYER and STYLE the items correctly. Sorry Sis! I need you to come and “style” me … I guess sending me clothes is not the answer – you actually need to come to Colorado and show me HOW to wear my clothes!

Anyway … the pictures above show the styling, the video shows the individual pieces and the fit!

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think! What should I keep? What should I never wear again!

April 17, 2018 By Kathryn

2 In Family/ Making money/ Marriage

Six Tips for a Stronger Marriage

Help Friends! Today we have a special guest post. My good friend Corey is about to celebrate 25 years of marriage and is sharing what makes a great marriage. I hope you love this as much as I do!

“A good marriage isn’t something you find; it’s something you make…and you have to keep on making it.” – Gary Thomas

Hiya! I’m Corey. I’m a friend of Kathryn’s, a mom of two teen boys, a lover of dark chocolate, a scrapbooker, a recent transplant to Minnesota, and a wife who’s married to her high school sweetheart.

I met my husband, Jeff, on the first day of cross country practice in 10th grade. A couple of years later we started dating seriously and this summer we’ll celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. During those 25 years, we’ve had our ups and downs, moved around the country, faced serious injuries and illnesses, and discovered you can love each other more today than yesterday. In no particular order, here’s what I’ve learned about building a happy marriage:

1. One bank account.

All of our money, whether it’s my paycheck or a bonus he gets at work, goes into one account. We’re in this together and all our money is OUR money. It means that we have to agree on how to spend it and that’s a good thing.

2. A hobby or three.

We love seeing movies, camping, and playing board games. Right now we’re having a great time seeing Oscar nominated movies together and talking about who we think should win. (If you haven’t seen The Shape of Water, it’s unusual and beautiful). When our boys were little, they consumed most of our time and energy. As they’ve gotten older, it’s been important that Jeff and I have things in common to do and talk about that don’t revolve around our boys.

3. Agreed upon rules for fighting.

Ours: no name calling, no leaving the house, no dredging up past hurts. Jeff gets the credit for this and it’s made a world of difference. Disagreements are inevitable so knowing what’s in bounds and out of bounds makes sure that those fights don’t escalate or cause damage.

4. 10:1

There’s research that shows that you should offer your spouse ten times as many positive comments as negative ones. We notice the little things we do for each other and call them out every day. When Jeff stopped by the grocery store to pick up my almond milk yesterday, I thanked him and let him know it made me feel cared for. It’s easy to take each other for granted and remembering to express gratefulness for each other feels wonderful!

5. Different is good.

One of the things I loved first about Jeff is that he’s spontaneous and fun. One summer day in college, he came by my apartment on the spur of the moment to pick me up and spend the day at WaterWorld. It was so fun and unexpected! He loved that I’m planful and organized. When we moved from Colorado to Florida for grad school, I rented the moving truck, found us apartments to look at, and did research on our new home state. But over the years the very things that attracted us to each other inevitably drive the other one kinda crazy. He doesn’t put things back where he found them and I get stressed when things don’t go according to my plan. But when I’m facing a difficult situation and can’t see the solution, Jeff can often see it because he thinks differently than I do.

6. Build a support network.

Long term marriages are precious and rare. I’ve found it helpful to talk to other couples, particularly those who have weathered tough times. Over the summer I had a great opportunity to spend time with Kathryn’s in-laws, Kevin & Shirley, and they were generous in answering my questions about how they’ve kept their marriage strong. Marriages evolve over time and learning how other couples have handled challenges has been insightful.

I’d love to hear from you. What works for you? What have you discovered about how to have a great marriage?

February 26, 2018 By Kathryn

6 In Family/ Free stuff/ Making money/ Saving money

Our Goodwill Christmas – How to make and save money this holiday season

Christmas does NOT have to break the bank!

I grew up in a blended family of ten and one of my favorite holiday memories includes the year my dad took us to Goodwill to choose our Christmas gifts. We laughed at the hilarious choices our dad chose, and were overjoyed at some of the incredible treasures we uncovered. I honestly can’t remember most of the Christmas gifts I’ve received over the years, but I do remember the vintage Ralph Lauren cardigan I found at Goodwill that day.

Christmas can be special on any budget!

Christmas is NOT about how much you spend, it’s about spending time together.

Playing a game or crafting together can mean more than spending $100 on a present your child may not remember next year.

Another inexpensive idea is to give each person in your house a dollar (plus tax) and choose a gift for each other at the dollar store.

Want some creative and simple ways to put money BACK in your wallet?

Here are seven suggestions for you:

RAKUTEN– If you do ANY online shopping, you should use Rakuten. You earn cash back for shopping at nearly every online store!
You will earn an automatic $10 for the first $25 online purchase you make...and hello, who can shop at Amazon without spending $25!

SHOPKICK – I earn free gift cards every month just by opening up this app when I walk into a store and scanning a few products. You can use your earned gift cards to purchase gifts.

SWAGBUCKS – I make about $25 each month by printing coupons, taking surveys, and use their search engine. This extra money is perfect for Holiday shopping!

OFFERUP/LET GO/Facebook Marketplace
- Buy Gently USED items
  - I’ve purchased lots of gently used items for my boys over the years – scooters, toys, clothes and bikes.
  - You don’t have to pay FULL PRICE for Christmas gifts! A nice used scooter for $10 brings just as much JOY as a $50 new scooter.
  - Before you pay full price for an item, see if you can find it second-hand for a fraction of the cost.
  - For example – Legos, a basketball hoop, a wagon or outdoor play table are great gifts to buy second hand!
- Sell items you know longer need. I read an article that said we all have about $2,000 worth of stuff in our homes that we could sell! Two thousand dollars would provide a very nice Christmas, with plenty leftover!

My mother-in-law has been clearing out her attic and making around $100 a week on items she no longer wants or needs with the Let Go and Offer Up apps!

BradsDeals.com – If you are in the market to buy a big ticket item that you don’t want to buy second hand (like a mattress), search Brad’s Deals to see where to find that item for the best price.

MONEYSAVINGMOM.com – A website filled with ideas on how to save money.

HIP2SAVE – Sign up to receive a daily email that will include all the best deals around town and online.

CLICK HERE for a post on a very simple and inexpensive Stocking Stuff Idea!

Thanks for reading, please subscribe so you don’t miss a post!

November 18, 2017 By Kathryn