• Home
  • About Tracy
  • Contact Me

Using Time Wisely

Organized to save money, energy, and time

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Document Organization
    • Overview
    • Box 1
      • Credit Report/Cards
        • Credit Reports
          • Credit Updates
          • Credit Scores
        • Credit Cards
      • Personal
      • Home Ownership
      • Vehicles
    • Box 2
      • Life Insurance
      • Major Medical
      • Tax-Favored Programs
      • Prescriptions
      • Dental & Vision
      • Special Health Policies
      • Short-term Disability
      • Long-term Disability
      • Personal Insurance
    • Box 3
      • Social Security Documents
      • Retirement
      • Investments
      • Estate Planning
      • Tax Records
  • Household
    • Cleaning
    • Maintaining
    • Organizing
    • Scheduling
      • Laundry
  • Event Planning
    • Assisting
    • Attending
    • Coordinating
      • Birthday Party
      • Christmas
      • Dinner Party
      • Fall Festival
      • Field Trip
      • Lemonade Stand
      • Thanksgiving
    • Learning
    • Preparing
    • Serving
  • Miscellaneous
    • Communication
      • Customer Service
      • E-mail
      • RSS Feed Reader
    • Goals
    • Organization
    • Time Management
      • To Do List
  • Food
    • Food Prep
    • Grocery Shopping
      • Lists
      • Pricing
    • Menu Planning
    • Recipes
    • Stockpile
  • Family Activities
    • Going Out
      • Free Outings
      • Inexpensive Outings
      • Summer
    • Rewards
      • Good Grades
      • Reading
      • Summer Reading
    • Staying at Home
  • Stretching Your Dollars
    • Daily Deals
      • Groupon
      • LivingSocial
    • Drugstores
      • CVS
    • Gas Prices
    • Gifts
    • On-line Shopping
    • Pictures
    • Products
    • Restaurants
    • School Items
    • Tips
You are here: Home / Archives for Stretching Your Dollars / Shopping

Cherishables: FREE Father’s Day Card through June 1, 2014

May 27, 2014 by Tracy

Cherishables: FREE Father’s Day Card through June 1, 2014
Cherishables: FREE Father’s Day Card through June 1, 2014

Photograph Credit: Cherishables

In preparation for Father’s Day, Cherishables is offering a FREE Father’s Day card through June 1, 2014.

With a limit of one FREE card per account, choose your card, personalize it, and then enter promotional code DAD14C at checkout.

Your total should come to $0 with FREE shipping.

This offer is only available while supplies last or until Sunday, June 1, 2014.

In using time wisely, you can create your own card and have it shipped prior to Father’s Day on Sunday, June 15, 2014. Happy creating!

Question: What gifts are you giving or do you want for Father’s Day?

Filed Under: Shopping, Stretching Your Dollars Tagged With: Card, Father's Day

Walmart: Blue Rhino Propane Deal through April 5, 2014

March 24, 2014 by Tracy

Walmart: Blue Rhino Propane Deal through April 5, 2014
Walmart: Blue Rhino Propane Deal through April 5, 2014

Photograph Credit: Walmart

Are you getting ready for spring cleaning? I am ready to whip our home into shape. We have been getting routine maintenance done, and I’m glad to be making headway.

In preparing for grilling season, we took advantage of the Blue Rhino propane deal at Walmart this week and next week.

Blue Rhino Tank (New), $46.82

Buy 1, get a $25 Walmart gift card

$3/1 Blue Rhino Coupon *print limit reached*
$3/1 Blue Rhino Rebate – one per household per calendar year

 

Blue Rhino Tank Exchange, $18.92

Buy 1, get a $10 Walmart gift card

$3/1 Blue Rhino Coupon *print limit reached*
$3/1 Blue Rhino Rebate – one per household per calendar year

Our First Propane Tank Exchange

I knew we needed one of our tanks refilled, so I printed the $3 off coupon from coupons.com earlier this week. We ventured out to our Walmart, and I exchanged our tank for $15.92 and received the $10 Walmart gift card. I will also submit for the $3 mail-in rebate which is the best deal I have found on propane.

After putting the new tank away, Paul discovered that we had another empty tank. So, I will be off to Walmart again. Since I do not have the $3 off coupon as the print limit has been reached, I am going to wait until Tuesday, April 1, 2014, as this deal continues in our area through next week.

Our Second Propane Tank Exchange

At the beginning of each month, Coupons.com resets their coupons. I am hopeful that the Blue Rhino coupon will reset. Then I can snag a second tank exchange for $12.92. If the coupon does not reset, then I will make sure to stop by Walmart by Saturday, April 5, and proceed as follows.

I will exchange the second tank at the $18.92 price, use the $10 Walmart gift card from the first tank purchase, and pay $8.92. I will then get another $10 Walmart gift card. For both tanks, I will pay $24.84, get $3 cash back from the rebate, and have a $10 Walmart gift card remaining.

If you are in need of a propane tank exchange or a new one, then make your plans to snag this deal. Our Walmart will exchange any tank for a Blue Rhino. If you have another brand of tank, then check with your Walmart. You might be able to get this deal even without an original Blue Rhino swap.

With offers like the Walmart Blue Rhino propane deal which is available through Saturday, April 5, 2014, we can enjoy grilling in the great outdoors without paying retail or full price for our propane. In using time wisely, I found this propane deal worth the time to stop by Walmart to keep stretching our dollars. Happy savings!

Question: How often do you grill out during the year? 

Filed Under: Shopping, Stretching Your Dollars, Products Tagged With: Walmart, propane

Cardpool: Purchasing Discounted Gift Cards

March 2, 2014 by Tracy

Cardpool: Purchasing Discounted Gift Card
Cardpool: Purchasing Discounted Gift Card

Photograph Credit: Cardpool

In stretching your dollars, Cardpool is a service that buys and sells gift cards. If one has a gift card that she will not use, she can sell her gift card to Cardpool for 70-92% of the value for cash.

Cardpool then sells legitimate and active gift cards to customers at a discounted rate without sales tax or shipping charges.

Per Cardpool, all their gift cards have no fees and no expiration dates.

If the purchased gift card is a physical card, then Cardpool will mail the discounted card to you. Delivery typically takes 3-7 business days with FREE shipping.

For electronic gift cards, Cardpool will e-mail within 1 business day the discounted card’s code and any pin numbers needed to use the gift card online.

Should you experience any issues, Cardpool has a purchase guarantee program to refund your purchase price. With all these benefits, I tried Cardpool and was very impressed and satisfied with my order.

My Cardpool Experience

Though I have not sold any gift cards to Cardpool, I have purchased discounted gift cards. The ones I purchased where electronic gift cards.

My experience was fantastic. Once I purchased the three gift cards, I received a confirmation that the electronic codes would arrive in my inbox within 24 hours.

Keeping an eye on my inbox, my electronic codes arrived within 20 minutes of my purchase which I used the full amount on each gift card immediately. My order processed without incident, and I saved over $30 by purchasing discounted gift cards from Cardpool.

Cardpool Tips

I only purchased gift cards to cover the subtotal of the amount in my shopping cart. As I was not sure if I could use a gift card amount to pay for the taxes, I erred on the side of caution since I did not want to have a gift card with a remaining balance.

Though I had a great experience, there have been a number of Cardpool users who have experienced problems when they did not use the entire balance in one transaction. Though there are documented incidents where customers purchased gift cards and the merchant did not accept them, I did not experience this problem.

Should I have, I would have dealt with the merchant, in my case Sears, to get the reasoning behind the denial. Then I would have contacted Cardpool, who has a 100-day purchase guarantee.

My future with Cardpool

Finding this service a wonderful way to stretch our dollars, I will definitely purchase from Cardpool again. Many other customers have found this service beneficial as some gift cards are discounted up to 35% off the purchased amount. I was thrilled with the 7% discount as every little bit helps.

If you choose to use Cardpool, then access the site via my referral link to get $5 off your first purchase. Wow! I wish I had received a referral link to save an additional $5. Oh well, though I cannot get this deal, you can. 🙂

In stretching your dollars, I can recommend purchasing discounted gift cards from Cardpool. However, I have no experience with selling gift cards to Cardpool. Honestly, I do not foresee needing to sell a gift card, but I wanted to share this resource with you because you might need the cash.

Cardpool is another resource to help you in using time wisely while stretching your dollars. Happy stretching!

This post contains Using Time Wisely affiliate links at no additional cost to you. For more information about Using Time Wisely’s associations with providers, please read my disclosure policy.

Question: Have you sold or purchased discounted gift cards through Cardpool?

Filed Under: Services, Shopping, On-line Shopping, Stretching Your Dollars Tagged With: Cardpool

2013: Black Friday Store Hours

November 16, 2013 by Tracy

2013: Black Friday Store Hours
2013: Black Friday Store Hours

Photograph Credit: iCLIPART

Not sure what to call this season anymore as Black Friday has expanded to include a few days on either side of the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Some stores are calling their event the After Thanksgiving Sale, but their on-line sale starts before Thanksgiving. *Hmm.* Since I am unaware of a new term given to this event, I will stick to Black Friday.

If you are interested in this craze of great deals which will save you lots of money when you time it right, then plan what you want to purchase, check your timing, and hunt for your favorites. The lines to some stores begin weeks, days, and hours prior to these sales.

To plan accordingly, here are the Black Friday Store Hours arranged by the time the stores open their sales.

Thursday, November 28

6:00 a.m.

    • Kmart

 5:00 p.m.

    • Toys R Us

6:00 p.m.

    • Best Buy
    • Walmart

7:00 p.m.

    • Old Navy

8:00 p.m.

    • J.C. Penney
    • Kohl’s
    • Macy’s
    • Office Depot
    • Office Max
    • Sears
    • Staples
    • Target

Friday

5:00 a.m.

    • Bass Pro Shop
    • Lowe’s

6:00 a.m.

    • Home Depot (normal business hours)

8:00 a.m.

    • Radio Shack
    • Walgreens

If you head out, be careful. Yes, the deals are great, but fighting, pushing, and trampling is not a way to using time wisely. Most stores are organized making this a time of fun, and I wish you lots of savings as you venture out, stretch your dollars, and use your time wisely. Happy shopping!

Question: Will you head out to the stores for Black Friday deals?

Filed Under: Holiday, Shopping, Black Friday, Event Planning, Stretching Your Dollars Tagged With: Black Friday

Old Navy: $1 Solid Colored Flip Flops – June 29, 2013

June 22, 2013 by Tracy

Old Navy: $1 Solid Colored Flip Flops – June 29, 2013
Old Navy: $1 Solid Colored Flip Flops – June 29, 2013

Photograph Credit: Old Navy

Mark your calendars and check your closets for the colors of flip flops you need. On June 29, 2013, Old Navy is selling their solid colored flip flops for $1. The limit is 5 pairs per customer, and most stores are opening at 7:00 a.m.

I’m debating whether or not to attend this sale. I already stocked up on 4 pairs of $1 flip flops with J. C. Penney’s sale earlier this season, but I really could use a white and black pair as well. Guess I’ll have to see how motivated I am to get out and shop on Saturday, June 29, 2013.

If you do not need any flip flops, sales like these make great gifts. Pairing flip flops with a pair of earrings or a scarf makes a thoughtful, inexpensive gift while stretching your dollars.

To sweeten this deal, Old Navy’s weekly REVEAL A DEAL tab on their Facebook page offers a printable 10% off your in-store purchase coupon making each pair of flip flops $.90.

If you live near an Old Navy, consider stopping by on June 29, 2013 to check the $1 flip flops for yourself or a friend. Happy savings!

Filed Under: Shopping, Stretching Your Dollars Tagged With: flip flops

Next Page »

Welcome to Using Time Wisely!

 

Presenting organizational tips and tricks to save you money, energy, and time.

To access 5 Ways to Using Time Wisely Today, click "like" on my facebook page and join in on the journey of Using Time Wisely.

Looking for something?

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive email updates and to hear what's going on with us!

Copyright © 2025 · Lifestyle Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in