Daily Archives:

February 18, 2015

February No Spend Month Challenge: Day 18 Recap

Day 18-

Hello again, savvy savers! A new day, a new daily challenge, as part of our No-Spend Month Challenge! So today I challenges you to focus on eBay sales! 

For me, as I already have a seasoned account, I listed ten items for sale.

and each item has seven days to go, and so time will tell on my sales! The one positive note here, is that each item has had over 100 views, so that rocks, right? 

My Selling Goals Were:

  • I am going to list 10 household items; bedding sets, lamps, chair, desk, book sets, and small kitchen appliances.
  • I hope to make $100.00 in profit; minus the $5.00 seller/paypal fees. 
  • All items that do not sell will be donated to charity.
  • All items will be listed for one week.

As well today I was also able to accomplish:

  1. As part of my #Choose30 Daily Challenge, I woke up at 7:25, walked my fur babies, showered, & dressed to my shoes. (Thanks, Flylady!)
  2. Worked on my daily Motivated Moms Planner.
  3. I finished a day’s worth of clerking assignments ahead of schedule!
  4. I cooked from my pantry for each meal.
  5. Read my daily devotional.
  6. I waked two miles.

Today I saved:

  • I eat at home this evening for dinner, saving our family $6.95. 
  • I recycled, upcycled, and composted one bins of deluge, and saved $0.25, the cost of 1 trash bag. 
  • I cooked three meals from my home pantry, saving $6.81 in the process.
  • My family drank water today, and saved $0.69, the cost of a 2-liter of soda.
  • I also did not watch cable tv, and saved $3.68 by doing so.

Total amount I saved my family: $21.38

This months savings goal remaining: $81.71

Please be sure to check back tomorrow for another way to save for this months No=Spend Challenge! 

Here’s to saving,

Shamrock 21

 

Challenge Links:

Ways To Save At Petco!

notepad_page1

For this weeks Wednesday Ways To Save, I want to discuss some of the ways I shop at my favorite pet store, Petco! Here a few tips to save at Petco:

  1. Sign-up for the Petco Rewards Card, you will earn 5% cash back on every purchase, a $5 certificate when you spend $100, and receive special coupons. Sign up here! 
  2. Online saving certificates are now able to be added right to your Petco Pals Card card, saving you time, money, and ink!
  3. Check out Petco’s online coupons here! 
  4. Petco has an awesome price-match policy! 
  5. According to their official online corporate price-match policy, they state that they will price match any local ad within a 20-mile radius of their store. Also, as of May 1st, they will also accept Amazon.com price-matching, via mobile devices! How awesome is that? As Amazon’s awesome Subscribe & Save Program often delves out awesome pet treat, food, and litter deals, this should come in very handy when price matching at your local Petco! Petco will also price match any competitors store, including co-op and feed stores, within a 100 mile radius.
  6. During the holidays be sure to keep your eyes peeled for Holiday calendars, priced around $4.00, which have coupon packs valued at over $50.00 each calendar, and a portion of the proceeds go to the Petco Animal Foundation. Please keep in mind, these calendars are also tax deductible, with saved receipts! 
  7.  Be sure to check out the various managers specials around the store; stores can be combined with manufacturer and store coupons, newspaper, printed, and the like. The special will be marked with orange labels, and though many of the products are starting to expire, they can be bagged in Ziploc bags, and frozen up to a year. 
  8. Also, coupons that produce overage will be applied to other items in your cart.

 

Also, keep your eyes peeled in-store for “oops savings,” savings on products mislabeled or needing to be sold 120 days before expiration; these savings, which can be paired with triple stacked manufacturer, competitors in-store coupons/price matching, and online and in-store coupons (with one of each, per item), for saving upwards of 80-90% off! 

So consider the following at checkout:

  • Look for a product with “oops savings, ” or  price matching items from a store within a 100 mile radius.
  • Then stack a manufacturer internet or newspaper coupon.
  • Add to this any competitors coupons.
  • Then pile a Petco online, in-store, or calendar coupon to these savings! 
  • Any coupon overage will be applied to other items in your current transaction.
  • If you have any $5.00 rewards certificates, they can be applied, too!
  • You are looking at a substantial, if not free item! 

 

So, there are a few ways I save at Petco! Even if you are not a pet parent, consider finding deals at your local Petco to donate to local kennels, shelters, in-store Petco Foundation bins, service animal charities, Alzheimer Service Animal Rehab Clinics, or to animal fostering programs in your neck of the woods today! Also, if you are a Petco shopper, please leave me a comment below and let me know the ways you save as well!

 

Here’s to Saving,

Shamrock 21

February No Spend Month Challenge: Day 18 (How to Sell on eBay)

Day 18-

Hello again, savvy savers! A new day, a new daily challenge, as part of our No-Spend Month Challenge!

So as this week we will be focusing on selling the items we cleared out of our home last week, today I want to focus on eBay sales!

So why eBay?

  • eBay is a popular shopping website where individuals and businesses can buy and sell new and second-hand items. 
You’ll need:
  • a computer with an internet connection
  • a credit or debit card.

PicMonkey Collage

Here’s how to start selling on eBay:
  1. Go to the eBay website.
  2. You can only buy or sell on eBay if you’re registered, so if you don’t have an account, now is the time to create one. If you’re new to eBay, click register above the eBay logo.
  3. If you’re already registered, click Sign in, enter your user ID, then your password, and you will be logged in; you can then skip to Step 5. 
  4. To register, you’ll need to fill out details such as your name, email address and chosen password.
  5.  Click the blue Submit button at the bottom of the screen.
  6.  A confirmation email will be mailed to you.
  7. Check for this email.
  8. Click Continue if you are happy to proceed, within the email prompts. 
  9. You will be taken back to the eBay homepage.
  10. Click on Sell at the top of the screen, and a ‘Update your information’ page will open.
  11. Complete your address information and click Continue.
  12. You will now be taken to a new page where you can start to list your item for sale. 
  13. Type the name of the item you want to sell in the box provided and click Get started.
  14. A new page will open with step-by-step instructions on how to create your listing, including how to give your item a clear, specific title and how to upload a photo.
  15. It will also show you how much money it will cost to list your item; these fees will be added to your sellers account, payable monthly.
  16.  Once you’ve filled in all the details for your listing, click List with displayed fees at the bottom of the screen.
  17.  A new page will open. Here you’ll see how your listing will look before it’s posted on eBay.
  18. Click Continue if you’re happy with the way it looks.
  19. Click Edit listing if you want to make any changes.
  20. A new page will open asking you for extra information. Click Continue.
  21. Review your account information, check the box and click Continue if it is correct. 
  22.  eBay will then verify your information.
  23. You will then be asked to verify your phone number. Click the Call me now button and an automated service will call to give you your PIN. Once you have this, enter it into the PIN field and click Continue.
  24. You will then need to log back in. 
  25. When you sell items on eBay, the website charges a small fee. You now need to choose how you will pay any fees. Select the payment type you wish to use; credit card or paypal, and continue.
  26. If you chose to pay via PayPal, you will now need to agree to the PayPal user agreement. When you have read it, click I agree.
  27. A new page will open giving you the chance to review your listing again. 
  28.  Your item is now posted!

A few tips:

  • Start with no more than 10 items; this will lessen your chance of any listings being reviewed by bots.
  • Click Track your listing in My eBay to see if anyone is bidding for or buying your item.
  • You can also click My eBay at the top of the screen at any time to look at these details.
  • Potential buyers may ask you questions about your item via email, so answer them promptly to ensure you get good feedback later.
  • You may receive haggle offers, but you are not forced to accept any offer.

When an item sells:

  •  When your item is sold, you’ll receive an email from eBay.
  • Go back to ‘My eBay’ and click Sold.
  • There you’ll see the name of your item as well as the price it sold for.
  • Click Send payment details to send your buyer an invoice, which PayPal prepares automatically if you’re using that method of payment.
  •  Once the payment has been received, you’ll receive an email from PayPal.
  • Go to the PayPal website and enter your email address and password to log in to your PayPal account. 
  • Always promptly mail parcels, as soon as possible.
  • Always mail items with SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION delivery options; this avoid people charging back offers for non-receipt of items, once you’ve mailed a parcel.
  • Always offer a “no-refund” policy, except if an item is grossly misrepresented, and list items as no-shipping refunds, no return refunds, too; this prevents mailing scam issues.
  • Always list shipping tracking numbers on both eBay and Paypay.

So, that’s it. That’s how to successfully sell on eBay! So, naturally… today I challenge you to:

  1. Crate an eBay/Paypal account.
  2. List 10 items.
  3. Have fun selling!

So, be sure to check back tonight for a recap of today’s challenge!

Here’s to saving,

Shamrock 21

 

Challenge Links: