christmas shopping - Stuff Parents Need

My Curated “Before Christmas” Gift Suggestions

November 13, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 6 Comments

If you hunt around on Stuff Parents Need, you will find several hundred (likely approaching 1,000!) finds I have discovered over the past 4 years that could be great holiday gift suggestions for folks on your list.

But today I want to talk about the things I think you should consider getting BEFORE the holidays are here (and they are almost here, so hurry up!). Think of them as gifts to yourself! These are items that can help make the holidays more festive and fun, and prepare you for send out yearly family letters or make some fun crafts without costing you an arm and a leg. Here’s a list of the products and services that I’m loving RIGHT NOW:

1. The Elf on the Shelf. This has seriously got to be the best $30 I have ever spent. Darah is completely nuts about her elf, whom she named Owen. He moves around the house daily, and he is NOT a naughty elf (mama ain’t got time for that!). Darah talks to Owen, dances for Owen, brings Owen marshmallows, and sings for Owen. I almost die pretty much every single day from the cuteness of it. He has brought some serious Christmas joy to our house, and a feeling of magic. He has only been with us for a month (yes, he cam early) and he is already a family treasure that I know we will have for decades to come.

2. Tiny Prints cards. For today only you can get 25% off your entire order (no minimum!) AND free shipping, which is a smokin’ hot deal because these are some of the prettiest cards around, and they are already reasonably priced. The code to use at checkout is exclusive to affiliates of the store (that’s me!) and I’ve been told this is the very best deal they offer on holiday cards. The code to use at checkout is ~~HOLIDAY25FS~~. (Edit: new code is SW1119 for 25% off). I got mine ordered already and they will be here soon so that I can get all the holiday cards ready for the mail for the day after Thanksgiving.

3. Groovebook. I’ll be adding an additional printed photo to each of my holiday cards, and I can do that for SUPER DUPER CHEAP thanks to Groovebook! You can read all about Groovebook here, (and learn how you can get 100 prints 100% FREE!). Basically, for this month, I picked a photo on the phone that I really liked, and printed 30 copies of it into my Groovebook. The other 70 prints for the month are just other things I like. Now I’ve got an extra photo for my friends and family to enjoy, and got it printed and delievered to my doorstep, along with 70 other pictures I like, for $3! Groovebook is my favorite app of all time, hands down.

4. Stitch Fix. If you have some festive parties to attend and you need an updated outfit or two, leave the work to the stylists at Stitch Fix. They will hook you up with something gorgeous that suits your taste and your budget. You’ll save time and you’ll look great! Here’s a link to all my past fixes to give you a sense for what it is like!

5. Kiwi Crate. This is one of my very favorite subscriptions, as it helps busy and/or non-crafty parents like me put together truly awesome crafts and activities for the kiddos. We adore our Kiwi Crates, and plan to order more in the near future. Right now they have special holiday-themed crates that you definitely need to check out. How much fun would it be for your kids to get to make some of the decorations for Thanksgiving, Hannukah or Christmas?

6. Amazon Prime. I’ve been a member of Amazon Prime since January of this year, and I’m planning on renewing when my membership expires. The ability to ship SO many things from the site without meeting the minimum shipping amount (which I heard has gone up to $35…can anyone confirm that?), and the 2 day shipping is SOOOOO nice! You get to try it out free of charge for 30 days, and if ever there was a time to give it a whirl, it is during the holiday shopping season!

7. Ebates. This is the time of year when I make sure I’m checking in regularly with Ebates, as well. You can read all about how Ebates works to get the full scoop. It is a totally free service that will give you cash back on the online purchases you are already making. So far they have sent me over $215. For real. Yes, the checks cleared. This is legit! 🙂

Your turn: what are some of the things you are buying to get ready for the holidays?

Win Your Entire Shopping Cart Online with RetailMeNot!

August 21, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 1 Comment

Holiday Shopping

Yesterday, August 20th, I began my holiday shopping preparation in earnest. For real! I spent much of the afternoon going through all the gifts that I have been setting aside ever since last Christmas, and figuring out who is getting what, and more importantly, who still needs gifts.

And you guys, despite having two overflowing tubs of fun presents, my shopping list for remaining gifts is still very, very, VERY long! After all, I have 29 people that I need to purchase gifts for, so all that stockpiling I’ve been doing throughout the year has only put a dent in my shopping list.

Why Prepare for the Holidays in August?

But still, does this seem like a strange time of year to start getting serious about holiday shopping? For me it isn’t, for a few key reasons. First and foremost, October-December is my very favorite time of the year, and I don’t like to be super stressed about finding presents during that time. Sure, I’ll still have some shopping left then, but if I didn’t have anything ready by October, I’d really be sweating since I have so many people to buy for!

But there’s another reason I wanted to know what I have left to buy right now:

RetailMeNot Shopping Cart Sweepstakes

From now until August 31^st any purchase by a registered member of RetailMeNot has a 1 in 10 shot to get paid back in full!

How it works:

1. Become a RetailMeNot

2. Use a coupon from RetailMeNot to make an online purchase

3. If you win, we’ll email you a VISA Virtual Rewards Card

If you aren’t a member of RetailMeNot yet, here are some other benefits of (free!) membership:

Receive first-look alerts for “super coupons,” limited quantity, deeply discounted special offers from top retailers, including restaurants
Access to weekly newsletters that promote RetailMeNot’s top online and in-store digital coupons
Ability to receive recognition for helping other users of RetailMeNot save by submitting digital coupons
Ability to track your savings when using RetailMeNot digital coupons

For more information, terms and conditions go to:

Since I know what I have left to purchase before the holidays, and since I know I want to “wrap up” (hee hee) all my shopping as early as possible, why not use RetailMeNot right now to save big on my purchases? And there’s a decent chance that they may foot the entire bill! 🙂

It’s that easy – shop to win!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by RetailMeNot but all opinions are my own.

My Holiday Shopping Strategy and My Best Tips for Keeping Your Credit Card Info Safe

November 14, 2012 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

You may have already heard me mention on Twitter and Facebook that I have 25 people on my Christmas shopping list. I have a lot of siblings, in-laws, and a TON of nieces (and one sweet little nephew, too!). I have a 6 page list where I keep track of the gifts I have purchased, as I shop all year long so that I can afford to get fun and interesting gifts for everyone.

My goal every year is to be completely finished with my shopping by Thanksgiving.

I rarely meet this goal.

But I almost NEVER subject myself to Black Friday. I don’t think it is fun at all. I think it is stressful and a little bit sad, as it just seems to be a day of grabbing as much stuff as you can before someone else grabs it. No thanks.

But Cyber Monday? Now that’s a different story! I think I like it because I can’t see with my own eyes how many other people are shopping, and somehow that makes it easier to accept. Also, my work day starts around 4am, and if I can get some shopping done in the wee small hours of the morning, that’s ideal for me! No need to get out of my yoga pants!

Oh who am I kidding; I still wear my yoga pants when I go to the store…

Whether you are hitting the stores for those tempting holiday deals or just going online to get what you need (or both, which is what most Americans are doing now), you will likely be making use of your credit and/or debit cards. They are so convenient and in the short run feel much safer than cash, but each shopping experience you have with them is also another opportunity for identity theft.

Sorry to be a joy kill, but as you know I’ve been a victim MANY times, and a few of those times happened around the holidays, when I was using my credit card quite liberally.

I have a few tips to help you stay safe this holiday season. These are tips and tricks I have picked up over the years and I hope they help you.

Shopping in a store

1. DO NOT get your credit card out of your wallet until it is time to pay. Many people have it out and on the counter or in their hands while they wait for the total bill. In this day and age, security cameras and cell phones can easily get a picture of your credit card numbers and the name on the card. I know that sounds crazy, but it is true. Don’t get would-be picture takers the chance!

Shopping online

1. If you are like me you do price comparisons online before making a purchase. Sometimes a lesser known store might have a better deal than some of the online giants like Amazon. I’ve seen it! BUT….if the best deal is coming from a store or site you’ve never heard of, please take an extra moment to do a web search on the company and see if there are any complaints out there. You need to make sure that you are shopping with a reputable retailer before handing over your credit card information. Checking out the store with the Better Business Bureau is also a good idea and it only takes a few seconds. This strategy has kept me from handing over my credit card information to businesses that turned out to be shady on more than one occasion.

2. Keep your internet security software up to date to help you catch anything fishy (or should I say phishy?).

Holiday donations

1. I never make donations to organizations over the phone, because I don’t know if the person who is calling me really is from the organization in question, or if they are just claiming to be from the organization. Unfortunately this is a popular way to get people to hand over their credit card info, along with their addresses. Instead of donating this way, go directly to the organization you support online and donate through their site.

I hope my tips will help you play it safe this holiday season! For more helpful hints and tips (and for chances to win GREAT prizes, like a $1,000 Visa card!) remember to play the LifeLock for Life game online. It’s one of my favorite weekly games to play as it teaches me something new every time!

Do you have any tips for keeping your personal information safe while shopping and making donations this holiday season?

I am a compensated ambassador for LifeLock. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.