NH Magazine's Yankee Swap Gift Guide

So honored to be included in New Hampshire Magazine's Yankee Swap Gift Guide this year!  If you're looking for a locally-made, affordable gift to bring to a party this list has you covered.  Be sure to check out all the other great NH makers and products they rounded up too and remember to shop small this season.   

Correction: There is a misprint in NH Magazine's writeup.  While I have in fact been featured in Martha Stewart Living Magazine, I haven't been featured in Yankee Magazine (yet anyways - hopefully someday soon though!).  :)

My 9 Favorite Money Saving Apps

We always try to spend consciously, but this year I really stepped up my couponing game as well as finding discounts for the shopping that we do.  In doing so I've narrowed it down to my 9 favorite money-saving apps that I use most often - and in just the last few months I've already saved a couple hundred dollars!  | This post contains my experience with these apps as well as some referral links |  

Amazon

Oh Amazon... we buy everything from gifts to groceries on here. But what I really love most is using Amazon on the fly and checking prices in-store before deciding where to purchase. If I'm in a big box store and thinking about buying a book, new sneakers, etc, I always use the Amazon app to scan the barcode of the item (so handy!) and see what the price difference is - and spoiler, it's often slightly cheaper (sometimes a lot cheaper) on Amazon. And since we have AmazonPrime, shipping is typically free!

Walmart

Walmart also has a super-handy barcode scan feature so you can check prices while you're out shopping, but it's Savings Catcher feature is probably the most handy. With Savings Catcher (a feature within the Walmart app), you simply scan in the barcode on your receipt and Walmart checks your items against advertised sales of other chains in the surrounding area. If an item is found to be cheaper at a surrounding store, Walmart credits you the difference on an eGift card which can be used towards future purchases. Savings Catcher helps make sure you're always getting the best deal.

Cartwheel

Cartwheel is Target's "coupon" app - every week there are new offers for you to unlock and claim when you checkout in store (just scan the barcode generated on the screen of your smartphone). The savings are typically small but really add up over time, especially if you do a lot of grocery and clothing shopping there.

EatRight (or whatever particular incentive your health plan may have)

With EatRight Rewards, you unlock weekly offers and discounts for healthy foods and the amount you save gets credited to your account. Once you accumulate a minimum of $10 you can cash it out. I particularly love that this app only gives discounts on fresh fruits, veggies, and healthier foods. (*EatRight Rewards by Nutrisavings is the particular app that is specifically contracted with my health insurance plan, which is why I use it. Check with your particular health plan to see if they have any healthy-eating incentives available for members!)

Ibotta

With Ibotta you unlock offers and earn rebates for items you purchase in exchange for some basic market research (typically viewing an advertisement or answering a multiple-choice question). Once you earn a minimum of $20 back you can cash it out to your PayPal account or redeem it as a gift card. I've written a more indepth post on Ibotta here , if you're interested.

Checkout51

Checkout51 has offers for rebates back on grocery items - simply scan your receipt and select which rebates you qualify for to earn money back, with no market research questions to answer. Once you earn a minimum of $20 you can cash it out. - And both Ibotta and Checkout 51 can be used in conjunction with each other to really stack those savings.

Rakuten (formerly called Ebates)

Rakuten (formerly called Ebates) is great if you do any kind of online shopping - think Amazon, photo sites, clothing stores, etc. Simply log into your Rakuten account (Chrome has a handy extension you can download too) and launch the retailer's website from there. Rakuten will suggest discounts and coupon codes at checkout and often will allow you to earn back a percentage (usually very small but it adds up) of your purchase as a rebate. Every quarter you can cash out if your balance is $5 or more. I can see Rakuten coming in very hand this Christmas season while ordering Christmas cards and buying gifts!

Coupon Sherpa

Coupon Sherpa is a great app for quickly finding in-store coupons and discounts while you're out shopping, as well as coupon codes for online purchases. Simply open the app and look up the store you're in - Coupon Sherpa will list all the current coupons available so you can choose which one works best for you. Simply bring up the coupon on your phone and have the cashier scan it when you check out.

Kohl's

The Kohl's app allows you to save coupons, and keeps track of rewards points and Kohl's cash. I don't know how many times I've had an awesome coupon for Kohl's only to have forgotten it at home! Thankfully with the app you don't have to remember to bring these things, and it's easy to check current offers and rewards balances.

So those are my top money saving apps right now.  If you have any questions regarding them, please ask away - and if you have a great app that I haven't listed here, please let know!  

Daylight Savings Time Miracle

You guys.  Our toddler stayed in her room until it was time to get up, despite the time change - something that hasn't happened in years.  It's a miracle!  
| This post was not sponsored but does contain my Amazon referral link |

A mom friend had recommended the Ready to Wake Clock to us when we moved our daughter to her big girl room and it's been amazing! She stays in her room now until it turns green in the morning and after "quiet rest time" (she's dropped nap, but still has a time in the afternoon to play quietly and look at books in her room).

And probably the biggest BONUS of all - we actually got to sleep in this morning and take advantage of the time change!  First time in like 3 years.  She just played quietly in her bed until the clock turned green and was none-the-wiser that she was there for an extra hour.  

Parenting win!  

Giving Back

About a month ago I decided to start something new for Birch Landing Home - after all, every little bit helps and we want to be a part of it!  

Starting this year, we will be donating a percentage of our profits at year-end to charity(ies) of our choice.  The charities will be chosen at the end of each year.  

We all need to remember (myself included) to give back more when we can, and I hope we can inspire other businesses and individuals to do the same.  

More information about how we plan to give back can be found here.  

Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter

Newsletters are where it's at now and I'm jumping on the bandwagon ;)  

Please feel free to sign up for my weekly newsletter in the form below.  I manage the list myself and don't share your information, so you don't have to worry about getting spammed.  

I plan on sending out one email per week, tops (we all get enough emails everyday already, right?).  In the weekly newsletter I'll share a summary to some of my latest posts, any giveaways I'm hosting for the blog, as well as what's new in the Etsy shop and exclusive coupon codes.  

Thanks so much for following along :)  

We Are Knitters {Review + Giveaway!}

It's been a long, loooong time since I knit anything but when We Are Knitters contacted me to see if I wanted to try out one of their kits and give one away to a lucky follower I was excited to say yes.  There's just something about curling up in a cozy chair and knitting that melts the stress away.  
(Don't forget to look for our exclusive coupon code and enter the giveaway to win your own kit!)

We Are Knitters has tons of kits available to choose from - including scarves, hats, sweaters, blankets, and even dresses! But since it had been so long since I knit anything I decided to be safe and go with the Downtown Snood kit from their beginner level selection of kits.

The wool for this kit is premium 100% natural Peruvian wool which is amazingly soft and thick with 35 colors to choose from.  In fact, I loved it so much I got an extra skien so I could make the project twice.  (You are also able to purchase wool skeins separately right from their website.)   

In the kit you find your wool, wooden knitting needles, pattern, needle, and a label for your finished project.  Embarrassingly, I do not know how to read a knitting pattern (ha) but it was written so simply even I could understand it.  And what's even better, We Are Knitters (WAK) has great video tutorials available to you so you can study how to do the stitch and easily pause the video to practice step-by-step.  

I definitely recommend watching the videos with your knitting needles and some scrap yarn in your hands so you're able to practice before you start on your nice yarn from WAK.  But after some practice I was able to get it down and was kitting away a mile a minute in no time.  

The project went quickly and now I have some gorgeous handmade scarves to wear now that the cold weather is setting in.  

We Are Knitters was also kind enough to share an exclusive coupon code with my readers - just use the code BIRCHLANDINGWAK at checkout to receive 15% off your order!  

GIVEAWAY

Would you like the chance to win your own Downtown Snood Kit in your choice of color? Just visit We Are Knitters HERE and sign up for their free newsletter. Givewaway will end October 24th.

EDIT 10/26/16: Winner chosen and notified - Congratulations Kristin B!

- I received these materials for review from We Are Knitters but all opinions expressed are my own.  Please see our Disclosure Policy for more information. - 

Give Back When You Can

Just a little reminder to give back when you are able, even if it's something small.  

Over the course of the summer we've been blessed with a lot of produce from our garden - we enjoyed it, shared with family and friends, and froze quite a bit for future use.  Last week we picked the last of the veggies and pulled out the rest of our vining plants to get ready for winter.  We ended up with quite a few squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes and rather than try to squeeze them into the freezer we opted to bring them to our local food pantry where we know the donation will be greatly appreciated.  

Giving back doesn't always have to mean volunteering a day of your time or making a large monetary donation - it can be giving back in small ways everyday to help your neighbor and those around you.  We all need to remember this more (myself included), and next year we'll make a point to share even more of our produce with the food pantry all summer long.  

Allison Cole Jewelry + Giveaway!

I've had the pleasure of following Allison Cole Jewelry on Instagram for awhile now and fell in love with Nicole's gorgeous nautical-inspired jewelry.  Nicole was kind enough to send me one of her classic rope bracelets to style and offered to give a bracelet from her gorgeous line to one lucky winner.  Read on for an exclusive coupon code and how to enter to win a bracelet of your own!

Nicole Recomendes is the owner/designer behind Allison Cole Jewelry. Nicole has roots in New England - growing up in Hanover, MA and spending every summer on her family's boat. She has always had an eye and love for nautical style. After working in the corporate world for awhile, she followed a dream to work for herself and launched the line in May of 2015 and it really took off from there!

I've always been a big fan of nautical and New England-inspired fashion myself and so I was excited to pair her Metallic Rope Bracelet with some of our favorite nautical inspired pieces. What I really love about this bracelet is that it's simple enough to dress up or down but still bold enough to make a statement. These rope bracelets look great on their own or stacked with other bracelets and bangles.

Exclusive Coupon Code

Allison Cole Jewelry is also very reasonably priced which makes this trendy style achievable for everyone.  Better yet, we have an exclusive coupon code to share with you -- use the code BIRCHLANDING at checkout to get 20% off everything in her shop!  (That makes the bracelet I'm wearing less than $20 - such a great deal!)  

*GIVEAWAY!*  

Looking for a chance to win your choice of bracelet from Allison Cole's line?  Find the photo above on my Instagram (@birchlandinghome) and enter there!  All details and rules can be found in the giveaway post.  
Good luck!  

Bracelet c/o Allison Cole Jewelry | Leash c/o Mariner Lines

- I received this bracelet for review from Allison Cole Jewelry but all opinions expressed are my own.  Please see our Disclosure Policy for more information. -   

Photos by Adrian Pelletier Photography

---