Are you on Facebook? How about Twitter or Foursquare? If you’re not, you may be missing out on some amazing coupons and discounts on everything from coffee to travel to shoes and even to groceries. Here are five secrets to saving money today using social media.

1) Follow Your Favorite Retailers and Brands. Jot down a short list of your favorite retailers and brands, then do a quick web search. Type in the name followed by the word “Facebook” or “Twitter.” The first listing in most cases will be the Facebook or Twitter page. Click through to the page, then click “Like” or “Follow” and you’ll be the first to know about sales, discounts, coupons and free samples.

2) Create Twitter Lists. With so many people and brands on Twitter, it can be hard to keep up with favorites so create Twitter Lists. These short categorized lists can help you see at-a-glance the hot deals and coupons.

3) Use Money-Saving Twitter Bots. Check out CouponBot to save big money. Send a tweet to @CouponBot with the name of the store you want to shop, then wait for a tweet back with links to coupons and coupon codes.

4) Check In for Location-Based Discounts. Sign up with location-based social media services like Foursquare and Gowalla, to grab discounts for being a frequent customer. Starbucks recently kicked off a national promotion to give those who visit each location most often (“mayors”) a mobile coupon to save $1 on a Frappuccino.

5) Follow Deal Bloggers. There are a number of blogs that post the best coupons, bargains and freebies. It’s easy to follow them in Facebook, Twitter, RSS or by email. Since many deals are time-sensitive, it’s a good idea to stay on top of these sites or read their feeds daily. A few to check out include: Coupon Cravings, Stretching a Buck and Mrs. Moneysaver.

So, what are your hot tips for using social media to save money? I’d love to hear what you’ve found to be the most useful.

For many parents, back to school means purchasing new eyeglasses or contacts for the kiddos. Glasses and contacts are expensive, but there’s an easy way to save money on these purchases! Shop online! You can find a complete pair of prescription eyeglasses online starting at $8! We have personally ordered eyeglasses through online opticals, and the savings are unbelievable! Some of the opticals also have special promotions several times a year, such as buy one get one free! So if you’re not in a hurry, wait for these special sales events to maximize your savings!

To find online eyeglass and contact lens opticals, go to Shopathome.com and search for “eyeglasses” or “contacts” and choose the store you want to shop at. One of my favorites is Eye Buy Direct because their prices for eyeglasses start at $7.95! Plus, you get 8% cash back from Shopathome.com! Before ordering, you will need a current prescription for eyeglasses or contacts. It can take several weeks to receive your eyeglasses or contacts, so keep this in mind when ordering.

Opening up your mailbox to find it filled with free samples and free magazines is always tons of fun, but have you ever wondered how safe your personal information is when you’re ordering those freebies?  There are a few steps you can take when filling out free sample forms to protect your personal information, yet still enjoy all of the perks.

Use a junk email address — After you’ve been requesting freebies for a while, you may notice that you start receiving an inordinate amount of spam email.  Or perhaps all of those survey emails are cluttering up your inbox so that it’s hard to pick out the important emails.  The best solution is just to create a separate email address that you only use for signing up with survey companies and freebies.  Just check it every few days to make sure you’re not missing out on a hot offer!

Don’t give out your home phone number — Hopefully you’re already registered your phone number with the Nation Do Not Call Registry to prevent telemarketing calls.  If not, I recommend doing so now.  But even if you’ve registered, filling in your phone number on a contact form generally gives that company permission to call you.  If a phone number isn’t required, don’t fill it in.  If it’s a required field, try entering a simple combination of numbers such as 123-456-7890 to allow the form to submit.

Be careful about the information you provide — If you’re not comfortable providing your birth date, children’s names, etc., then by all means leave that information blank.  Never submit your Social Security Number online, and be very cautious about providing a credit card number.  Look for an image of a lock on the bar at the bottom of your browser window which indicates that you’re submitting your information on a secure site.

Beware of third-party applications — Facebook is a hot property for companies these days, with many new freebies and high-value coupons being offered on fan pages each day.  However, companies are increasingly using third-party applications that can automatically pull information from your profile.  If you’re concerned about this practice, consider setting up a second account that has very little personal information that you can use for these offers.

Above all, just go with your gut feelings when it comes to free offers online.  If it feels like it’s too good to be true, then it probably is.

At Engineer a Debt Free Life, we love to help everyone save money using cash back sites like ShopatHome.com, but we are also passionate about helping people earn extra money to stretch their budgets! One of the easiest ways to make a little bit of extra money online is by taking paid online surveys. You will not get rich by taking online surveys, but you can earn some extra money each month! I have been personally doing online surveys for over 10 years. If you are just starting out, I estimate that you can make $50 a month or more if you are willing to devote several hours a week to paid surveys. Most surveys will pay anywhere from $1 – $50 or more, with most averaging between $3 – 5 per survey.

There are lots of paid survey sites online – some are legitimate, and some are not. A legitimate paid survey site will NEVER make you pay to join the survey site. Legitimate sites are free to join and will pay YOU money to take their surveys! To help people navigate through the overwhelming number of paid survey sites, I have developed a list of recommended survey sites that I personally use. This list is a good place to start if you are new to the world of paid surveys.

How do you get started taking paid surveys online?

I recommend you start out by picking one or two paid survey companies. Two of my favorites are Surveyhead and Lightspeed Research. Both of these companies will pay you to take surveys and will even send you free products to try. In fact, Surveyhead will give you $5 free, just for signing up! Be sure to take a few minutes to complete your demographic profiles on the survey sites, as this is how companies match you to paid surveys!

Here are a few final tips for taking paid surveys online:

• Create a separate email address that you use just for paid surveys
• Try to check your email at least once a day – the highest paying surveys fill up quickly!
  
• Some low paying surveys will lead to higher paid product trials, where you get paid to try new products, so don’t overlook these!

This is just a very brief overview of paid online surveys. If you have more questions about paid online surveys, be sure to stop by our site and check out our guide to legitimate paid surveys! Good luck, and happy earning!

Yes I am aware it is May and yes I actually want to talk about Christmas!  Crazy?  Maybe.  But this is one of the little things that I do that saves me so much time and energy- not to mention money once the holiday season rolls around.

I shop year round for gifts.

It is simple.  I usually make a list in January with all the events I have throughout the year- birthdays, anniversary’s and of course the entire list of people I purchase holiday gifts for.

Then as I see great deals that crop up throughout the year, I am always thinking of whom that might be a perfect item for.  I typically try to purchase things at a minimum of 50% off. Once I find something, I just cross that person and event off my list to indicate I am done shopping for them.

I keep everything in boxes in the closet and as I need the gift, I can simply pull it out of the box, wrap it up and I am done!

By planning ahead you can save yourself a lot of stress and avoid scrambling last minute to find a perfect gift.  Not to mention really stretching your budget by purchasing items at significant discounts.

One example of a gift item I will buy ahead are toys for my two girls.  I shop the post Christmas sales and can easily find things for 75-90%.  I typically buy several toys and keep them tucked away for any birthday parties we are invited to throughout the year.

So get started now on your own gift list and once December rolls around, you will really be able to enjoy the holiday season without breaking the bank.

Just slightly under two years ago, a good friend of mine suggested that I start a blog. My response — “Um, what’s a blog?” Lucky for me, she took a few minutes to explain it to me, planting the seed which would eventually grow into Deal Seeking Mom. Little did I know then that my lowly little deals blog would quickly gain a substantial following and afford me the opportunity to work with major brands I admire like ShopAtHome.com.

Behind the scenes though, I’m just a mom to five beautiful, passionate, and very active kids ranging from 8 to 2 years. My husband is a union pipefitter by trade but has been laid off for the past year-and-a-half due to the slow economy, so saving money is as important to us as ever.

However, I was a deal seeker long before I ever met my husband. Though my mom worked in a grocery store when I was growing up, coupons weren’t something she used regularly. I, on the other hand, would scour the newspaper inserts for savings on treats that I enjoyed and would attach them to her weekly grocery list.

In high school I worked in the juniors department of a department store. I loved to challenge myself to see how little I could spend on fashionable outfits by pairing my employee discount with the huge clearance sales and coupons. I regularly purchased trendy designer pieces at 90% off the retail price.

After becoming a mom, I became slightly obsessed with looking for fantastic deals online on kids clothing. I would regularly send my friends instant messages sharing my latest finds and encouraging them to sign up for freebies that I stumbled across, all of which paved the way for Deal Seeking Mom.

I feel very blessed to be able to share my finds with a much wider and more varied audience these days. The power of the world wide web is amazing to behold, and I love that I can interact with so many people and that we can share and learn from each other.

ShopAtHome.com has been a tool that I’ve talked about many times on Deal Seeking Mom prior to becoming a part of the Blogger Advisory Board. Their cash back program is the perfect way to turn a good deal into a great one, and I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to showcase their savings over the next few months.

Living in Ohio, the winter was bitter cold and seemed extremely long.  So, in the last week as temperatures warm up and trees and flowers begin to bloom, I find myself smiling and almost giddy.  I love spring!  It makes me happy, plain and simple.

As you can imagine, since I love spring I also love flower gardens.  In the five years I have lived at my current residence, I have planted many, many flowers, shrubs and trees.  My backyard has a huge perennial garden that I have spent years cultivating.  In fact, I can tell you exactly which week of the year it will be in full bloom with all the varieties at their peak.  That would be the third week of June.

If you are someone who is trying to build up your own garden or just add a few plants here and there, I have found one of my favorite methods for getting great deals on many garden varieties is online via garden nurseries.

First of all, I can usually snag deals that would be much more expensive at my local stores and garden centers.  Online shops have monthly deals on plants and often sell them in bulk at ridiculously low prices per plant.  Some even have penny sales.

What is the catch?

These plants often come and are very young, small and often don’t, frankly, look that great.  Sometimes they even look dead already.  They are not like buying plants directly from your local store where they are larger and look healthy.

But, don’t be fooled.  These plants are often hearty.  I have planted flowers from Spring Hill Nursery for years now, and the plants I now have growing in my backyard have grown so large, I have had to split them and even share them with neighbors.

Why else do I love these sites?  Most of them guarantee your purchase ( check the specific site for details ).  So, if after you plant them they then die, don’t fret.  They will send you new ones.  I have had this happen a few times, and the ease of getting my new products was very easy.

On top of that, these companies will usually tell you which plants grow well in your area of the United States and will send them to you and the appropriate time of planting.  So if you order something today, but the specific flower should not be planted until the end of May your shipment will not arrive until then.

Finally, my favorite aspect is that they have plants I just canNOT find locally.  I find I visit stores in my area and they all have the same types of flowers and plants.  But, the online nurseries have items I could never find around here.

So as spring planting time approaches, I would like to share some online nurseries Shop at Home offers.  When you go to their sites, make sure to register to receive their catalogs.  Most of them are sending out coupons with their books for $25 off $50 purchases.  That means, you will get approx 50% off already low prices.  And, when you hit their sites always check out what is on clearance or sale.  That is where you will find the best deals.

- Spring Hill Nurseries – 12% back
- White Flower Farm – 2% back
- Dutch Gardens – 9% back
- Direct Gardening – $3 Back
- Blooming Bulb – 11% Back

Have a beautiful spring!!

With the Spring Break season in full swing and summer vacation a few short months away, it’s travel season. I can speak on this with some authority because I live a few miles from the beach and the tourists have invaded. So, for me, the travel season means traffic jams, crowded grocery stores, and figuring clever ways to beat the heat and the crowds. Of course, traveling with kids comes with its own perils. Many of them, in fact, but there are some amazing products on there to help ease the pain a bit.

A great, lightweight stroller is an absolute must have for any family, but it’s never more important than when you’re traveling. My pick for an on the go stroller is the Maclaren Volo. It’s uber light at only 8.4 pounds, folds compactly and has a carry strap. Which I’ve actually used and it was a total lifesaver. $119 (at Babies R Us) might sound like a lot for a basic lightweight stroller, but if you’ve pushed a cheap knock off you know it’s worth it for the nice smooth ride and maneuverability. The generous storage basket is also great for all those souvenirs you pick up along the way!

If your traveling with smaller toddlers or babies, a good comfortable baby carrier is a lifesaver. After all, if you wear your baby you can have your hands free to take all those vacay pics you’ll upload to your computer and never print.  One of my favorites is the lillebaby EveryWear Carrier because it is so lightweight and can fold up to fit in your diaper bag when not in use. You can wear your child in 3 different positions (depending on their age) and use it with the hip carry up to 43 pounds. (As if you didn’t already feel like a Sherpa lugging everything but the kitchen sink on vacation.)  The EveryWear is available at giggle.com (5% cash back!) for $100.

Whether you’re traveling to a beach house, hotel or staying with family, the PeaPod is a genius product that may change your life. It will certainly change your sleep habits for the better, and as any sleep-deprived parent knows that is like finding the golden ticket. The PeaPod travel bed is like a mini little tent just for wee ones that folds up to fit into a tote smaller than a backpack. It comes with a blow up mattress that is actually quite cushy so it‘s the perfect place for tots to sleep when on the go. And at $89.95 at One Step Ahead, it’s cheaper than most travel cribs See, I told you it was genius!

And, if you are traveling to the beach, I’m sorry but nothing says family beach vacay like the LL Bean Tote. These things have been around forever and there’s a reason. They’re awesome. And surprisingly affordable especially with 2% Cash Back from ShopAtHome.com. (The Large Tote with Monogramming is $36.95.)

No matter where your travels take you, have fun! Yes, traveling with kids can be a challenge, but it’s also extremely rewarding.

Happy Shopping!

My husband and I love to travel. However, we rarely pay more than half of what the retail price is for airfare, hotels, and car rental. How? Well, here are some simple ways we save:

1)      Order Online.

We’ve done a lot of comparing and have found that you can almost always beat the prices you’d get over the phone or through a travel agency if you purchase airfare, hotel rooms, or car rental online. Some of our favorite sites to use are: Hotwire.com, Orbitz.com, and Travelocity.com.

Each site is a bit different and will offer you different rates and options. When we are making travel arrangements, we always check all three sites to compare prices and options.

Do note that some travel sites add the tax already into the final price shown and others don’t add this in until you checkout. Make sure that you know if there are any extra fees which will be added in when you’re comparing prices.

2)      Choose a Package Deal.

You will usually save a substantial amount of money by purchasing airfare, hotel rooms, and car rental as a package deal. In fact, it’s usually a savings of 50% or more off the retail price to go this route. And sometimes, it’s even greater savings than that!

Even if you don’t really need to rent a car, but it would be nice to have, it’s worth checking into. Many times, you’ll actually save money by renting a car—as opposed to just getting a hotel and flight package.

3)      Be Flexible with Dates and Times.

The more flexible you are, the more possibilities there are for you to score a great discount. When you’re searching online for deals, I recommend inputting different dates and times to see if there is a significant price difference. Oftentimes, just being willing to go 12-24 hours sooner or later, you’ll be able to save $300 or more per person on a package deal.

4)      Use a Coupon Code.

When you’ve chosen which package deal you’re interested in, do a quick search for a coupon code. You can find these codes listed on Cash Back sites like ShopAtHome. You can’t always find a coupon code for the travel site you’re booking through, but it’s worth checking on if it will save you $50—as the coupon codes often do!

5)      Shop Through a Cashback Site.

After you’ve compared prices, found the best package deal, and applied a coupon code, the final way to save is to shop through a cashback site. Do not overlook this important savings tip! Considering that most travel packages are around $300 or more per person and ShopAtHome offers at least 1-3% cashback on orders through Orbitz.com, Travelocity.com, and Hotwire.com, your cashback earnings on travel purchases can quickly add up to a nice little bonus savings!

Koupon Karen is back one final time to tell you about coupons.  They are the most important thing when it comes to shopping!!

Coupons can save you money, there are no two ways about it.  But it can also be time consuming to gather everything you need.  I try to make it easy for my readers by telling them what coupons to use. But what is really helpful is knowing where to find them and then having them on hand.   You can find coupons in so many places so you should always have your eye’s open.

So where should you be looking?? Here are some places I like to get my coupons from:

1. The most obvious place is the Sunday Paper and in some locations the Saturday edition will have the coupons too. If you can get your hands on a paper that only cost about $1.00 it’s worth it to grab a couple so you get more coupon inserts. But before you buy, take a quick look inside and make sure the coupons are there! Sometimes they are missing and that really stinks when you get home and there are no coupons.

****Ask your friends, family and neighbors to keep their coupon inserts if they don’t use them for you too!

2. You can ‘buy’ coupons on e-bay or from a coupon clipping service.  When you ‘buy’ coupons, you are actually just paying for the cost of them cutting, sorting and shipping them.

3. Magazines can be a great source for coupons. Especially parenting and home magazines.

4. You can also find a lot of coupons on products. Some will be on the outside for that purchase and some will be inside. Always check the package before tossing!

5. If you write to companies of products that you use and ask to be put on a mailing list for coupons, a lot of them will send you coupons and sometimes for FREE items!!! It’s real easy to write to them since most companies have websites and you can email them right from there.

6. My 2nd favorite place to get coupons is online – printable coupons. A lot of companies will have printable coupons on their web sites You can usually print out two copies of each coupon per computer.  You can also find printable coupons at SmartSource.com, Redplum.com and Coupons.com. It’s best to check with your store about their printable coupon policy.

7. “Blinkies” – These are the coupons you find in the aisle with the food. The machine usually blinks, that’s why it’s called a blinkie machine.

8. Tearpad coupons are also found in stores. Sometimes on the shelf with the product, or on a display and even at the register. Look around, you never know where you’ll find them.  A lot of quick mart stores will have these on the counter.

9. Food Stores that sell wine in the same store will sometimes have Wine Tags. These are coupons hanging around the neck of the wine bottle. Most times they are for dollars off certain products or types of products, like meats or produce. Some wine tags will require a wine purchase, but some don’t. You have to read the tag.

10. Catalinas are coupons that print out at the register. Usually these are manufacturer’s coupons you can only use it at that store. Sometimes you will get dollars off your next purchase if you buy certain products. Those are like cash.

Coupons can be found all around you so always keep an eye open!