Tips & Tools for Secure On and Off-Line Holiday Shopping

Ok, so it has begun. The season for online shopping has commenced, and with online sales expected to increase 13-15% this holiday season, it’s important to ensure online holiday experiences are safe ones. The holiday season should be fun and festive, and the joy of the season can be lost quickly if people interact with an un-safe website, lose important receipts or blow their budgets . My husband and I want to do most of our Christmas shopping online this year to avoid the crowds at the store so these tips are really helpful for us.

Master Lock and Mario Armstrong, Digital Lifestyle Expert™ have provided tips and tools to help navigate the holiday safety, securely and with as little stress as possible.

"The holiday season should be fun and festive -- not stressful," said Mario Armstrong, The Digital Lifestyle Expert™ and Master Lock representative. "However, the joy of the holidays can be lost quickly if people interact with an un-safe website, lose important receipts or blow their budgets. Luckily, the internet now offers a ton of great tools to help people navigate the holidays safely, securely and with as little stress as possible."

1. Make smart online purchases. The convenience of online holiday shopping can quickly be derailed if you become a victim of identity theft due to sharing your credit card and shipping data with a non-secure site. Before providing any personal or financial information, make sure that you are interacting with a reputable, established company. Check to make sure the website is secure by verifying the address has an "s" in "https://" at the beginning of the URL, that a closed padlock is located in the URL bar, and that if you are entering any personal information, there is a checkmark or padlock image indicating the website is protected by a trusted source. If you're still worried about using your personal financial accounts for transactions, a pre-paid debit card may be the way to go -- just be sure to read the fine print for any fees and terms.

2. Click with caution. Consumers may be bombarded with link-heavy holiday emails this season sending well wishes or advertising hot gift items and sales. However, with more than 9,500 malicious websites detected by Google every day2, consumers are advised to click links with caution to avoid a malware-spreading site. Before clicking, hover over the link first to review the complete URL. Beware of small errors in website addresses such as missing letters, misspellings, a different .com extension or other tweaks to a company's name. For extra protection, type the address into the web browser directly to ensure you are not being redirected to a fraudulent site from a link.

3. Set and track your budget. Avoid post-holiday regret or debt by setting a realistic budget and tracking your purchases to ensure you adhere to it. A variety of apps and websites can help you with your budget tracking goals, such as Mint.com. For easy access to your private information on the go, store online passwords in the Master Lock Vault smart phone app or website for easy recall. Vault users can store and organize URLs, usernames and passwords in one protected place in a 256-bit SSL data encrypted, firewall protected, 24/7 monitored "safe deposit box." Simply click on the stored URL for your popular sites for easy access directly from your Vault.

Master Lock Vault users can also use the Vault to access virtual holiday shopping lists, schedule reminders for bill due dates and holiday social events and even store newly received gift cards for easy access for post-holiday shopping. Register for FREE here: www.masterlockvault.com/

4. Keep digital receipts. Easily file away receipts from your holiday shopping in one place to cross-reference purchase dates and totals with your bank and credit card billing statements to check for any unfamiliar charges, or to facilitate easy returns after the holidays. A quick and easy way to do this is to take a photo of the receipt immediately and store it in the Master Lock Vault. You can also use the Vault to store photos of gift receipts. If they accidentally get thrown out with the wrapping paper, you can easily re-print them. Check with your local store for specific policies and information.

5. Don't leave a digital trail to your gift purchases. If you are using a computer that other family members use and don't want them to see what sites you've visited, enable your browser's private browsing feature when researching and buying gifts. Private browsing (also known as the incognito setting on Google Chrome) allows you to surf the Internet without saving any information about which sites you visited or searches you've conducted. In some browsers this may be found under the Tools menu; check your browser's specific settings to learn how to set up private browsing.

So before you commence on your holiday shopping adventures, make sure you are prepared! There are so many people out there looking to make this a miserable season for others so keep yourself safe and secure. Happy shopping!!

Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for this post. All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

Christi the Coupon Coach "Couponing Made Simple" Book Review

Couponing. That word to me always meant hours upon hours of work, tons of time spent and grocery stores and saving loads of money. Well, the last part is totally true and so much fun when you get to experience it. I have always wanted to be a couponer but was never "brave" enough. Being a mommy of three little ones is tiring and I don't have a whole lot of extra time to spend doing things like couponing - or so I thought. As we have added children to our family it has become painfully clear that groceries and shopping trips are getting expensive. Our economy is terrible and the cost of EVERYTHING is going up. I used to dream of saving money at the cash register but honestly, never really looked into it because it is easier to just run to the store and buy what you need when you need it regardless of the price. Let me tell you...I am learning a few things about being wise with my money and being frivolous with what God has given is foolish.

Today, I am going to talk to you about a book I have been reading written by Christi the Coupon Coach and it is called Couponing Made Simple. Christi is a homeschooling mom of four children and obviously, is a busy lady! I was excited to read more about her ideas and tips for using coupons. At first, I was skeptical but as I began to read her book, I suddenly became aware of just how easy saving money can be. (!) I will say first and foremost, I appreciate the fact that Christi loves the Lord and talks about God in her book. Saving money to her is important spiritually because it is being a good steward with the money that God has entrusted to her and her family. This spoke volumes to me because I can be very frivolous with money and she really made me think about that aspect in relation to being a good steward.

Christi graciously sent me one of her books to read through and review and I have to tell you that I am feeling better equipped and EXCITED about being a good coupon user. My first observation was to note Christi's philosophy when it comes to using coupons. She is not an extreme couponer but holds to the idea that she teaches REAL couponing for REAL people. Here's a bit more about her book...

There is a lot of buzz about couponing.  A lot of people are excited about couponing and want to do it well, but I have found that many become overwhelmed, confused and unorganized.

That is why I have taken the new world of couponing and put it into a book that gives a step by step plan to follow.  I have also developed an organization system.  This allows people to be successful on their very 

first trip.  One lady read my book and saved 70% on her 1st trip!  Another attended a workshop and saved 84% on her 1st coupon run!

This is not "Extreme", but Real couponing for Real people.

I teach buying a reasonable amount of products using an organizational system that takes a reasonable amount of time for great savings! 

So, my first goal was to learn the steps that are necessary to be successful at couponing. Christi has the easy steps laid out in one chapter where she step-by-step explains what you need to do to get organized, use coupons and save money. I was first stumped by a phrase I read in this chapter and it read as follows...

"Buy at least one Sunday newspaper per person in your household. If you have an uneven number of people (i.e., five), bump up the number of newspapers to the next even number, six."

I am used to buying just one paper and using the coupons found in the inserts included in that one paper and didn't know the benefit of having more papers. So, I emailed Christi for clarification. The reason for doing this is because you want to have the most coupons for one item that you can. I experienced the negative side of this when I went to buy yogurt this past week. Chobani Greek Yogurt was on sale for 10 for $10, making each cup of yogurt $1 each. I found a coupon for $.30 off and my grocery store doubles manufacturer coupons up to $.99. Sooo, I only had ONE coupon. :( If I had clipped more, I could have really purchased alot of yogurt for just $.40 a cup. RATS! So, this is why you want to buy alot of newspapers and I am glad that Christi mentions this in her book.

Another thing I love that Christi talks about is how to find coupon matchups in your area. I have been wanting to find a blog or website that does the coupon matchups for the grocery store in my area and using her suggested method, I was able to find one!! This makes finding and using coupons sooo easy. It really takes out the work in figuring out how to use your coupons. She tells you what to look up when searching the Internet and this is something I knew NOTHING about. So, my favorite site that I have found I now subscribe to and every week, this gal gives me the coupon matchups and best deals for my store. Hooray!! Christi has her favorite coupon matchup sites listed on her website so check those out as well.

I have not yet implemented Christi's method for organizing coupons but fully intend to. She suggests using a recipe box and small accordion file. I love the idea of organizing your coupons in the order of how you shop through your store. I am really leaving out alot of detail when it comes to her organization system but basically you file all your coupons in your box and use the coupons as your shopping list. In your box you will have a section set up for coupons you don't use on the current shopping trip just in case there are no sales for that particular item. You can then re-file your coupons and use them on a later date. I love her idea because frankly, I went to the store with all my coupons stuffed in a small envelope and this is VERY disorganized and stressful. So, want to see how I did on my most recent "couponing" shopping trips? Check it out...

Ok. So, this picture represents two different stores. One was Walgreens and the other was Tops Friendly Markets. In my area there are two major grocery stores...Wegmans and Tops. The closest Wegmans to me is about 1/2 hour away so I don't shop there hardly at all. Tops is my main go-to store. I also love that they have so many 10 for $10 deals and also they double all manufacturer coupons up to $.99. This is so cool, especially if you have $.75 off coupons...they double them so you are actually getting $1.50 off!!! Anyway, here is what I have in the picture above. General Mills cereal was on sale 4 for $10 and if you purchased 4 boxes, you got a free gallon of milk. So, because I was just trying out couponing, I didn't have a huge stash of coupons. I was able to get my four boxes of cereal and used two $.50 off coupons on two of the boxes...which meant I actually got $1 off two boxes. When the cashier rung up my groceries, I didn't get a coupon for the free milk so after I finished checking out I went to the head cashier station and showed my receipt to the girl working there. She checked the ad, verified that I was supposed to get a free gallon of milk and then refunded us for the milk. Awesome! See the three packages of Bic Soleil razors? I only paid $3.99 for each of those thanks to my $2 off coupons.

My shopping trip to Tops would have cost me $43.31 but thanks to store discounts and coupons, I only paid $24.70.  Now, that isn't a HUGE savings but it is pretty good, considering I have never used coupons like that before.

Now, we get to Walgreens. Schick Disposable Razors were buy one, get one 50% off. I had coupons for BOGO so I used two of those coupons on four packages of Razors. Then, I had three individual coupons for Gillette razors. They were priced at $5.99 each and I had three coupons...two for $3 off and one for $5 off. So, I paid only $.99 for one of the razors!

I ended up spending a total of $18.92 and SAVED $36.48 with bonus points and coupons. WOW! For me, that was a HUGE savings.

Real quick, one last receipt I wanted to show you was from a quick, emergency stop at a local Dollar General. We were at church and my son had a HUGE poo poo diaper and blew out his pants. Completely. I had to run to the store and buy him a new pair of pants. Well, I chose a pair of denim blue jeans and they were marked $10. I also bought diaper cream. I get to the checkout and was floored when my total came to just the price of the diaper cream. I remarked to the cashier "Wow! The pants must have been on sale!" She had the personality of a brick wall and didn't respond and I went on my way. When I got in the car, I looked at my receipt. The pants rang up for $.01!!!!!!! What a BLESSING! I asked my sister about this because she worked at Dollar General for several years and she said that when they want to push inventory, they mark down items like this but you have to know what to look for. I was thrilled that I only paid a penny for my son's pants and that is a deal I got when I used no coupons! Ha ha! :) 

Soo, I think it is safe to say that I am officially hooked on using coupons and looking for good deals. Christi talks about keeping your eyes open for thrift store deals, garage sales and online deals as well. I blogged recently about a FANTASTIC deal Maidenform was having for their $10 bra sale. I purchased two bras for a total of about $17 + FREE shipping. So, you have to keep your eyes open for special sales and take advantage when you can. 

Christi the Coupon Coach's book retails for $18 or you can purchase the ebook for $4.99. I would recommend buying the book itself because there are pages in the back for you to write notes and that is great, especially if you are trying to learn how to coupon. I am grateful to Christi for giving me the opportunity to review her book and hope that this review helps you to see how simple it can be to save your pennies. Be sure to check out more reviews for Christi's book by clicking on the banner below and happy couponing!!! :)

FOR LADIES ONLY...Maidenform $10 Bra Sale

I just wanted to throw this deal out there in case anyone was interested. I found out about this $10 bra sale through I Am That Lady's website. She is all about couponing, deals and money saving. Here is the info...

Maidenform is having another great deal for bras!! It is their $10.00 Bra Sale! This sale is on through 7/10!

When you use the code RETAILMENOT15, you will be able to take a 15% discount, taking each bra down to only $8.50! Oh yes, and when you use the code SLKDEALFS13, your order will ship for FREE!

The regular price on these bras range from $17.50 – $38.00!

I just ordered two and my order came to, well, check it out...

Whew! I am so glad to have found out about this deal as I have been needing some new bras. Check out this amazing sale today and don't spend any more than you have to on these!

LAST CHANCE for Kidorable's English Roses Products

So, I have been a fan of all of Kidorable's products for some time now. My many Kidorable reviews are testimonies to that statement.

I received word this morning that Kidorable is going to discontinue their English Roses line of products. After November 7th, you will no longer be able to purchase this line.

So, until the stock is exhausted, Kidorable is offering a 25% off discount code for English Roses Products. Use code MADONNA at checkout for your discount.

Like I said before, they have good stock now but when they are gone, they are gone. Hope you take advantage of this offer!

Purchasing Eye Glasses Online

I have been wearing glasses since I was about 10 years old. I thought I was such a huge deal when I got my first pair of glasses...unfortunately, I don't feel that way anymore! My eyesight is so bad now that I call myself  "Miss. Magoo" when I am not wearing my glasses...yes, it is that bad. I am really due for an eye exam again and because I typically have about a year between pregnancies, I have to get my eyes checked soon. 

So, I have never purchased eyeglasses online before and was always skeptical of this type of thing. Actually, I rarely buy clothing, shoes or other personal items online because I am so picky and have to try everything on before I buy it. This is probably the main reason that I have never bought glasses online. Well, today I am going to introduce you to a company that is found only online and caters to those of us who are skeptical about getting glasses over the Internet.

GlassesUSA.com is a company that specializes in prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses. The glasses found on this site can be up to 70% cheaper then what you would find at the opticians office and this is fantastic! I have always been really disappointed at the prices that I have seen when shopping in a store for frames. It seems that if you want something that actually looks nice on you, you pay an arm and a leg for it which is not fun at all.

What I really love about this site is that you can check out their Virtual Mirror program...a simple and easy way to see what the glasses will look on you before you buy them! I was really excited about this and hopped right on to check it out. I had loads of fun playing with the program and found several pairs of glasses that looked fabulous on me! All you do is download a photo of yourself, looking straight ahead, and then upload it to the Try-It Mirror. Then, start shopping! I think this is a really great concept and helps me to visualize what the online glasses will look like on me

 So, if you have never tried to order glasses online before, now is your chance! Use the Virtual Mirror program to choose your glasses and then place your order! GlassesUSA has offered a code for my readers that will take 15% off your entire order amount + FREE shipping (orders over $50)! Use code FS15. Also, you can take 10% off any order of prescription glasses by entering the code: Blog10. Happy shopping and let me know what you think once your glasses arrive!!

Saving Money Is A CINCH!

How many of you out there use coupons? Are any of you extreme couponers...meaning you go to the store and walk out with three cart loads of groceries that only cost you $23.99? I am nowhere near that accomplishment but I do clip coupons. Someday I might be like that though...as our family grows, so will our grocery bill!! I grew up in a home where my parents had six children to raise. On Sunday afternoons, my mom could always be found going through the Sunday paper coupon inserts and clipping coupons. She was adamant about saving money and boy was she good at it!

Now that I am a mother myself, I know the importance of saving money. My husband has a good job and we are not hurting for money. However, I still think it is important to be frugal and try to be judicious with our money. We currently have two children in diapers and believe me, diapers can be SO expensive! So, out of necessity, I have become a coupon-clipper. Most of my coupons come from newspaper inserts, but I am also able to find some really great online coupons and discounts.

Saving money doesn't just occur at the grocery store or Walmart. You can also find ways to save money at amusement parks, restaurants and hotels. With vacation season here, finding extra savings can really help to make your vacation more enjoyable because you don't have to worry about breaking the bank and having to scrimp and save when you get home.

Many times, before our family goes out to eat we will look online for coupons for whichever restaurant we are going to. There are some really great coupons out there that can be found if you just take a quick peek. If you are looking for a good resource on which you can find coupon codes, be sure to check out PromotionCode.org as they have loads of discounts listed.

So what about you? Where do you go to print coupons and save money? Leave me a comment and let me know...I always like to find new resources for my coupon-clipping fingers. :)