How to Get Paid to Shop and Save Money with Ibotta

Ibotta isn't new, I'd heard a lot about it but was always a bit skeptical... "So I buy groceries and the things I always do and get some money back for it?  Really??"  Sounds too good to be true, right?  
Well that's what I thought at first, until a few friends signed up for the app and converted me.  The only "catch" to this program is that in exchange for earning money back on your purchases, you're providing some market research info to Ibotta.. that's it.  Pretty good deal, right?  | This post contains affiliate links |

How Ibotta Works

Signing up for Ibotta is easy - download the app and create an account (pssst, right now they're offering a $10 bonus for new users!). Then search for the retailer (Walmart, Target, Hannaford, Kohl's, etc) you will be shopping at next and scroll through the available offers. When you see an offer for something you want to buy, click on it and view a short advertisement or answer a basic multiple choice question (i.e. "What's your favorite brand of orange juice? - A, B, C, or D"), once you complete that simple task the offer is now unlocked and is able to be redeemed.

Rebates for validated purchases are automatically deposited into Ibotta, usually within 48 hours.  Once you hit a minimum of $20 (which isn't that hard), you can transfer that money to your PayPal account - it's real money.  

Earn Money Back on Things You Never Get Coupons For

One of my favorite parts of Ibotta is that they always have some rebates for things you buy every week but will very rarely, if ever, get coupons for.  I'm talking about things like dairy products, juice, eggs, fruit, and vegetables - and these rebates are for any brand, even organic!  

These "any brand" rebates can vary from week-to-week on what's offered and the exact rebate amount, but the milk, bread, eggs, and a particular type of fruit or vegetable rebates are pretty standard and seem to be offered almost every week.  For example right now on Ibotta they have $0.50 back on a gallon of milk, $0.50 on eggs, $0.50 on a package of sliced bread, $0.25 on bananas, and $0.25 on tomatoes.  These are items that most people buy every week, and even if you only used Ibotta for these five rebates each week you would save $104 (!) over the course of the year!  (I used the current rebate amounts as an example, however keep in mind that some weeks the rebate amount on items like these may vary - but you get the point.)

Stack Those Savings!

Another great thing is that you can use Ibotta in conjunction with manufacturer and store coupons, store loyalty programs, sales, etc.  For example - the other week I bought Glad trash bags at Walmart; they cost $8.99 - Ibotta had a $2 rebate and then the Walmart Savings Catcher App found the same trash bags cheaper at Shaw's so it credited me the $1.49 difference.  So instead of $8.99, the trash bags only cost $5.50 = savings of $3.49 (40%) just on this one item!  

Use Ibotta at More Than Just Grocery Stores

So far I've only used Ibotta at the grocery store and Walmart, but you can use it at so many other places too - like restaurants and clothing stores!  You can even "star" your favorite stores to save them on the home screen, that way it's fast and easy to look up rebates on the fly when you're in the store.  

Invite Friends to Earn More

Whenever you refer a friend to Ibotta you earn $5 in your account (wahoo!) as well as add them to your Team. Ibotta always has ongoing bonuses each month to reward teams to save more - for example, right now if you redeem 10 rebates this month and your Team collectively redeems $15 of rebates, you earn an extra $1 in your account. There are several "Levels" each month, and the more you and your team use Ibotta, the more levels you achieve and the more money in your pocket. This is all easy to accomplish if you invite a lot of friends ;)

I know, I know - you want to know the bottom line.  So I've been using Ibotta for almost a month and I currently have $23.75 in my account.  $10 of that was my sign-on bonus, so $13.75 was earned in rebates and bonuses.  That doesn't seem like a ton, but the grocery store in our town actually doesn't participate with Ibotta (it's an independent grocer), so I can only use it when I make a trip to the big chain stores.  Also, because we buy a lot of organic and natural foods, $13.75 is also more than I usually can save with coupons since coupons for those items are few and far between.  I've also made a point not to buy anything that I wouldn't normally buy, because I wanted to be realistic and get a sense of what I can earn back for our essential items.  

My earnings may not seem like a ton, but it's money in our pocket and it certainly helps!  You can also be more proactive so save even more - I have a friend who meal plans around what's available on Ibotta and saves an average of $35+ every month.  You also earn a $5 referral for every friend you get to sign up (which I haven't done yet, but certainly will be doing).  Overall, I've really enjoyed using Ibotta so far and will definitely continue to use it.  

If you'd like to sign up for Ibotta, please use my referral link here or enter in my referral code: jkuddhs

Make sure to check out our other money-saving grocery tips:  

• Saving Money on Groceries - Rural Edition
• Birch Landing Home on Pinterest

This post was not sponsored and all opinions and experiences are my own.  This post does contain my referral link to Ibotta, if you sign up using this link I will earn a small referral bonus (the same one you can earn too for referring others).  

Our 4th Pampers Rewards: Melissa and Doug Tool Kit

If you're not familiar with Pampers Rewards, you can check my previous post here for all the details - but essentially it's a program to earn free gifts for buying Pampers diapers!  Our little girl has been really into "helping" Daddy build things lately, so we decided to get a tool kit just for her.  | This post contains affiliate links |

The tool kit is by Melissa and Doug and we were pleased with how sturdy it is. Our daughter really put it to the test, whacking the whole thing all over with the wooden hammer but it still survived.

The kit contains a wooden wrench, screw driver, hammer, bolts/screws, nuts, "nails", and some pieces of wood with holes in it that you can screw or nail together or attach to the side of the tool box.  

Miss M and Daddy have really been enjoying building with this set and we've even caught her "working" on her trains with the wrench - this Reward has definitely been a big hit!  

Want to see what else we got from Pampers Rewards?  Check out our other posts:  

• Our First Pampers Rewards - Free Gifts for Buying Diapers!  
• Our 2nd Pampers Rewards:  Little Tikes Shopping Cart
• Our 3rd Pampers Rewards:  Potty Training Chart

Please note, items available from Pampers Rewards are subject to change.  

Family Weekend in Ogunquit, Maine on a Budget

Last Friday we decided at the last minute to spend the weekend in Ogunquit, Maine - the weather looked great, my husband was itching to take some Milky Way photos, and it had been too long since we did a little family trip.  It was also right before "the season" starts, which meant that there would be less crowds and cheaper hotel rooms (yes!).  All-in-all as a family of three we spent less than $175 for the whole weekend, including the hotel room, so I would call that a huge success!  

For hotel we stayed at The Beachmere Inn which is conveniently located right on the Marginal Way, a 1.25 mile scenic walkway following the edge of the ocean.  Even though we were calling for reservations the day before, The Beachmere thankfully still had a few rooms available.  We opted for the least expensive one ($100+tax, which was this particular room's preseason rate).  It was a nice, modest room with a queen sized bed in the Victorian building of the hotel complex.  This room didn't quite have the view that most rooms at the hotel have, but we didn't mind since we knew we'd be out walking most of the day and then to bed early with our little one.  

The Beachmere Inn

The view from our private balcony.

To save a little extra money we packed our lunches from home for that first day.  We got to the hotel around lunch time and since our room was ready they let us check in early (very nice!).  We were able to enjoy our lunch on our own private balcony overlooking the great lawn of the hotel.  

That afternoon was spent wandering up and down the Marginal Way and walking into town to explore some of the little shops and buy some delicious pastries at Bread & Roses Bakery.  We highly recommend their Cinnamon Butter Puffs and our daughter was a big fan of the massive chocolate chip cookies bigger than her head (no surprise there).  

Running along the ocean = perfection.

Mid-afternoon Daddy watched Miss M so I could get a training run in.  I ran four miles along the Marginal Way and through the high-end coastal neighborhoods, and even did a short stretch of running in the sand on Ogunquit Beach.  This run has to be the most fun and scenic I have done to date - why can't all runs be so pretty?

Dinner options in Ogunquit were a bit limited as it's still the "off season" (many seasonal businesses and seasonal rates start April 14th).  So we opted to drive up the road a few minutes to the Moody Beach area and have dinner at Jake's Seafood where we ate our weight in delicious fried seafood.  The bill for the three of us came in at $40, which was a little more than we were expecting but splurging on fried food is pretty much a must-do of any seaside trip.  

The views along the Marginal Way are breathtaking.

After dinner we went back to the hotel and played outside a bit before turning in early.  Adrian was planning to get up at 3AM to capture some Milky Way shots as long as the weather cooperated.  Luckily for him, the clouds held off and he was able to just walk off the hotel lawn and get some amazing Milky Way and sunrise shots (you can see more of his photos on his Instagram, @adrianpelletier).  

The next morning we enjoyed a nice continental breakfast at the hotel.  They had coffee, tea, cereal, bagels, fruit, and yogurt as well as selection of locally made donuts.  (I had yogurt with granola and a very delicious Boston creme donut, because you know, balance.)  

Bread & Roses Bakery - so much deliciousness!

After breakfast we walked back into town to do some last minute poking around and pick up more pastries from Bread & Roses to bring home, between our two trips here we spent about $20.  Then we went to Ogunquit Beach to let our little one run around and play in the sand a bit.  It was brisk but sunny and we pretty much had the whole beach to ourselves.  After that we decided to check out a little early and head home to catch Miss M's nap, but if we had stayed in Ogunquit for lunch we would have grabbed some sandwiches from The Village Market, which looked yummy and reasonably priced and had a picnic on the beach or along the Marginal Way.  

Overall it was a great, affordable weekend in Ogunquit.  Lots of beautiful views, good food, exploring downtown, running and photo adventures, and, most importantly, some quality family time.  

Early morning walk along the Marginal Way.

Getting Back into Running

I've never been a fast runner at all, in fact I'm definitely more of a "slogger" (slow jogger) - but it doesn't matter how fast or slow you run as long as you're getting out there.  I used to run pretty regularly but took a break from it for awhile after getting stress fractures training for my first half marathon years ago.  After that I ran when I felt like it but never seriously and never with a big goal in mind.  | This post contains affiliate links |

Since we're hoping to try for baby #2 later this year I'm working on my "Pre-Baby Bucket List", which includes finally running a Half Marathon.  While I'm sure I'll be able to cover the distance, I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it in the strict timeline set for the course since I'm such a slow runner - but here's hoping!  I've been following a wonderful training plan made by my sister-in-law (who has a Masters in ESS), that includes a lot of interval runs, stretches, and one long run a week to help minimize my risk of injury again.  

Along with following a great plan that builds mileage slowly and includes varied runs and cross-training, I thought I'd share some of my favorite running must-haves:  

Good Sneakers.  I can't say how important it is to have the right kind of running shoe.  Don't just go by what looks cute and feels comfortable at the store - go to a running specialty store and be properly fit for your gait and foot type.  (Also, if you have any inkling that you may have something going on with your feet don't hesitate to see a podiatrist too.  I was properly fit for sneakers but still hurt my foot because I had a structural issue that could only be identified with x-rays and helped with custom orthotics.)  

Running Belt. These little belts are handy for carrying your phone, keys, and fuels for those long runs. I've really liked the SPIbelt because it's very streamline - the pouch stays small and stretches to fit your items so they don't bounce around.

Running App.  I've found using a running app to be very helpful.  It reminds me what pace I'm currently running, as well as distance and elapsed time.  It's a great tool to keep on track and follow your progress.  I've been using the free version of Runkeeper for years and love it but have also heard great things about the app Strava too, so I think I will give that app a try once my half marathon training is done.  

Reflective Vest. If you're doing any running on the road at all it's very important to be seen. Wearing a bright reflective vest gives traffic a better opportunity to see you and keep you safe.

Road ID. Do you run with your driver's license and medical info on you? I didn't think so, which is why you really should have a Road ID. I've never needed it - and hope to never need it (knock on wood) - but it's so important to have, especially if you run solo. These totally customizable IDs are lightweight, sporty, and streamline but contain important information like your name, year of birth, emergency contact info, and medical information that paramedics may need if you had an accident (God forbid) or have passed out.

Pssst... I have a $5 Gift Card to RoadID to share with the first five people that purchase using this link. You're welcome :)

Running Stroller. If you're going to do any training with your little ones in tow, it's important to have a great stroller that you can take on those runs. We have a BOB and it's perfect for running on back roads and flat trails. These strollers can be expensive though, so don't be afraid to look for one second-hand - we got ours for only $40!

There are also a few items I haven't used yet but would love to try, including recovery sandals (which look amazing!), hydration belts and packs, and compression sleeves. Getting back into running has been fun and rewarding and I'm hoping to improve my distances and times more and more. Keep your fingers crossed for me that I can finish my half marathon in the allotted time! ;)

Feeling a Little Behind Lately..

To do? All the things! 

Feeling really behind lately, I have a million little (good) projects going on and haven't been able to check any off the to-do list in a while.  Between training for a half marathon, working on Etsy/wholesale ornament orders (I get them year-round, wahoo), and trying to work on some projects around the house I've fallen a bit behind on the blog and getting new Etsy stock out there and I apologize.  

Just wanted to let you know that things will be picking up again soon with new Etsy items as well as some great collabs/giveaways with companies like Nuby and We Are Knitters.

If you haven't turned on Post Notifications on Instagram for Birch Landing Home yet, now is the time because you won't want to miss out! 

Instagram Feed Changes and How to Preserve Your Following

Instagram just announced that they'll be showing most popular posts first in their feed (read more about it here) - which means everyone will be more likely to miss posts from little guys, like us.  I understand that for the user this may be nice so they don't miss popular posts, but for small businesses this really hurts.  Instagram is how I get most of my traffic and to know that I'll be lost under Kim Kardashian and big retailer posts really stinks.  

How to Preserve Your Following with Instagram's New Feed Changes

For us small businesses that rely on Instagram exposure, this hurts.  But one way to help preserve your following is to ask your followers to "Turn on Post Notifications".  This way they will get a little notification whenever you create a new post and they won't miss seeing your content with this new algorithm.  You can also encourage them to follow you on other social platforms as well (Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin', Twitter, etc) so you have more chances to reach your audience. 

I'm sure paying for promoted posts will be the next change coming to Instagram, just like Facebook and Pinterest have done.  I understand it's lucrative for them to make these changes, but as a small business owner it really stinks because I can't afford to pay for consistent advertising.  

I'm hoping that Instagram will eventually give you the option to at least change the filter of your feed like Facebook does (you can toggle between "Top Stories" and "Most Recent" - but it always defaults to "Top Stories"), but who knows.  Like all other small businesses, I'm really hoping that we don't get completely lost in this change.  

Please don't forget to Turn on Post Notifications for me at @birchlandinghome and follow me on the other social platforms linked below.  Thank you so much!

Happy Mail: We Are Knitters

Just received my first We Are Knitters knit kit!  I haven't knit anything in years and I'm so excited to do it again.  I'll be sharing a full review of my project (I'll be making the Downtown Snood) as well as a giveaway for your own kit on the blog soon!

If you can't wait until then, use the code "BIRCHLANDINGWAK" to receive 15% off your order from We Are Knitters. 

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

A Heathy Toddler Lunch with Nûby (plus lots of great no-cook meal ideas!)

Lunchtime is often kind of hectic around here.  Mornings tend to be when we do errands, groceries, story time, swim lessons, etc. and we always seem to be rolling back into the house right at lunchtime.  This means I often only have a few minutes to get lunch on the table before a hunger-induced meltdown occurs.  Having a no-prep, no-cook lunch is key to keeping everyone happy.  | This post contains affiliate links and an honest review of a Nûby product |

This little lunch isn't anything fancy but that's what's so great about it.  It's essentially a collection of healthy snacks that, when put together, make a great toddler-friendly meal.  This meal hits all the main food groups (dairy, protein, grains, fruit, and veggies) and best of all our little one loves it.  

Our little one's meal includes a Stonyfield Yogurt drink, hummus on whole grain toast, blueberries, broccoli florets, and some cheese all served on this cute Nûby Flower Child Toddler Plate.  

We love this fun plate from Nûby.  It's BPA-free and has a great no-skid bottom which is really helpful when your little one is eating.  Our daughter especially loves the fun shape, easy grip handles, and the pictures (lady bugs and daisies) printed on the bottom of the plate.  This adorable plate has quickly become her favorite for mealtimes.  

Toddler Meal Ideas

If you're looking for more meal ideas, mix and match these other great no-cook or quick-cook foods to make your own healthy toddler meal:  

• smoothies
• puree pouches
• fruit cups (make sure to get ones packed in juice, not syrup.  It's also still a good idea to drain and rinse the fruit to reduce the sugar content a bit)
• any fresh fruit (cut to appropriate-sized pieces if needed)
• any fresh or previously cooked vegetables (cut to appropriate-sized pieces if needed)
• yogurt
• cottage cheese
• cheese
• toast with mashed avocado spread on it
• hummus with crackers
• hummus with unsalted pretzels
• crackers with peanut, almond, or sun butter spread thinly on it (only use nut butters if your child does not have nut allergies)
• instant oatmeal
• cereal with milk
• cereal bar

Always use use your best judgement when it comes to safe foods and safe serving sizes to give to your little one, and always supervise them while eating.  

- I received this item for review from Nûby but all opinions expressed are my own.  Please see our Disclosure Policy for more information. -   

Nûby's Flower Child Toddler Plate can be found at various retailers including Amazon.