Shop til you drop

Let me start by saying that online shopping is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

It is convenient. It is easy to find what you're looking for. You don't waste gas money. You don't have to find a parking spot. And... you can usually get really, really good deals.

So a few months back I found an amazing site that makes online shopping even BETTER - Ebates.

Ebates is f.r.e.a.k.i.n.g. awesome. If you aren't using it yet - you will by the end of this post. Here is how Ebates describes themselves: Ebates is the pioneer and leader of online Cash Back Shopping. Joining Ebates is always free - you'll never pay us anything. And four times a year or more, we'll mail you a Big Fat Check, or transfer the money to your PayPal account if you'd prefer. We can even send the money to your favorite charity. All 100% free. People often ask: "This sounds too good to be true, how are you able to do it?" It really is quite simple. Just like almost every other online shopping center, we get a commission from the stores when you make a purchase. Instead of keeping that money - like almost all other sites do - we share it with you! So as long as 1200+ of the world's top online stores are happy to pay a bonus to attract new, valuable customers we send their way, Ebates is going to continue to send Big Fat Checks to our satisfied customers across the globe.

So this is pretty much how it works:

You know there is a shirt at J.Crew (or a book at Barnes & Noble... or a rug at Crate + Barrel...etc.) that you want to buy. You go to the ebates Web site, login, and then search for whatever store you're looking for. All these different companies give a different percentage of cash back from your purchase (and they run specials sometimes when you get double cash back). I've seen cash back anywhere from 1% to 25%. On top of this, it lists coupon codes for various stores. So you go to the Ebates J.Crew store page, and click "shop now." It will transfer you to J.Crew's webpage but will keep a tracking number for your visit. Then, when you check out, Ebates will have record of however much you spent and will send you a check for the percentage cash back.

They send checks four times a year - which is awesome! I only started using Ebates in December and I already have $35 coming to me in my February check. Awesome, right? I mean it's not a massive amount of money - but it's money back that I get for doing the online shopping I would have done anyway! And while not every online store is working with Ebates right now, nearly everyone is! I think only like Pottery Barn isn't on there yet -- but pretty much every other store I've shopped from is.

So sign up - and when you do, use my email as your referral (caroline.beavers@gmail.com - my maiden name email account that I now only use for things like online shopping). When you refer me, they'll put an extra $5 in my account and $5 in your account! Also (not sure if they still do this), just for signing up, I received a $10 gift card for Barnes & Noble.

So it's super easy. You get cash back for your online purchases. You get $5 for referring me. You get a $10 gift card (you get to choose from a couple different places.) All for doing the online shopping you would have done anyway.

You're welcome! Love to help a friend. ;)