This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Giving Assistant, however, the opinions shared here are all genuine and shared out of my actual experience.
Saving time and staying sane seem to be my 2 main goals of back to school shopping this year. Something that didn’t happen last year. Taking 2 girls to a bunch of different stores that are flooded with other crazy parents and their kids, isn’t my idea of a good time. This year I am going to shake things up a bit. I have put together a few ways that I will be saving time and money this school year.
– Believe it or not, you might already have tons of school supplies lying around your house. Closets, desk drawers, and bins might hold hidden treasures that can save you money.
– If you have a moms’ group in your area, organize a swap party where people can exchange items for free. This can be done online or in person.
– Make social media work for you. I follow a lot of the stores I shop at on the various social media sites and often times I can score really great coupons that I didn’t see anywhere else. These coupons can usually be used online and in-store.
– Make your Smartphone work for you! Often times you can get coupons sent right to your email or via text message.
– Timing is everything! Always watch for sales and pair them with your coupons. You can still find a lot of great deals after the rush.
– Spread out your purchases. You don’t have to buy everything in one trip. Getting a few things here and there throughout the Summer will help lighten the load.
– If things are REALLY cheap splurge a little and buy extra. Kids need school supplies throughout the year and not just at the beginning of the year. Supplies tend to go back up in price once Fall is over.
– Since I am cheap and always trying to get the best bang for my buck I love using cash back sites. There are a few to choose from, but I recently discovered a site called Giving Assistant. They are a free digital loyalty program, over 1,100 largest retailers, avg. of 5% cash reward after each online purchase.
I am going to try our back to school shopping all online. Finding the best deals and bargains from the comfort of my own home (and in my pajamas if I want to).
This means I can find all of the best back to school deals on a site such as Staples and make money doing it. The sales are usually always the same as in store and I don’t have to fight the raging crowds. Easy peasy!
How Giving Assistant Works
- Retailers pay them a commission for purchases originated from their website. Typically a percentage of the sale (avg ~5%).
- For purchases originated by their members they pay the entire commission as cash back directly and digitally to their members.
- For non-member purchases they retain the commission, and make a small donation to Feed America to give one meal.
- Members are given the option to automatically donate any % of their cash back to any charity of their choice.
Giving Assistant’s even has a Cash Back Promise:
Double Cash Back, Always. They give you 100% of the commission, unlike the other guys with just 50% of the commission.
My favorite part about Giving Assistant is the money I earn goes directly to my secure debit card. No more months and months waiting for a check in the mail like some of the other cash back sites. Plus, the minimum payout is just $1, not $25 like the other guys. SCORE!
Check it out for yourself!
1. Sign up with Facebook or with your email
2. Choose how much of your cash back you want to donate to charity and then confirm it. Giving Assistant allows you to choose to donate as little or as much of your cash back to charity. Also, for each coupon used, Giving Assistant donates a meal to a needy family in America. This is possible thanks to the nonprofit, Feeding America.
3. Find the store you want to earn cash back at by either using the search bar or the list at the Cash Back Stores tab. I will be using Staples and The Children’s Place for sure!
4. Once on the store’s cash back page, click the “Activate Cash Back Now” button to get started shopping.
5. Purchase and pay for your items. It’s that easy! All you have to do it wait for the money to automatically be added to your account. Happy back to school shopping to all of you and remember, if you want to save time and money be sure to check out Giving Assistant for all of your online purchases.
Let’s start with the presentation. I was so impressed with how nicely they came packages with a gift box and a gift bag. Then inside the box each bead was individually wrapped in a tiny plastic baggie to keep it protected. 
Each piece feels nice and solid, not cheap at all. I love that the beads are all 925 sterling silver and can fit Pandora and Chamilia bracelets but at a much more affordable price. 
The selection of beads at SOUFEEL is awesome and they are adding new beads every month. For my bracelet I choose a 
Look at the beautiful craftsmanship on my SOUFEEL bracelet.
