Saving with Sarah – MyPoints & More!

In this economy, I know all of us are probably trying to “tighten our budget belts” a bit and look at our spending more wisely.  This family is at least!  And, let me tell you, Starbucks is about the first thing cut from the discretionary budget!   I called on Sarah, a super money savvy mommy to offer a tip for these tough times.  She writes:

“Grande Caramel Macchiato is my favorite beverage from Starbucks. You are probably thinking, “Wait, this is supposed to be a blog about saving money. What is she talking about?” Specialty coffee stores are often the first extra spending experts point out as wasteful and having to be cut when they are delving into the budgets of families across the country. There is a way to have your Starbucks fix (at least occasionally) and not break the bank. You can participate in an on-line marketing program that allows you to order Starbucks gift cards, as well as gift cards to many other retailers, once you meet certain goals. The program with which I am most familiar is My Points (www.mypoints.com.) You register and begin receiving emails with solicitations and offers to take surveys. For each solicitation email you open, you receive points. Probably the best plan is to get a free email address just for this program and route the emails there. Then, once per week, you can spend a little time earning points. The points rack up even faster if you buy from retailers advertising on their site. When I order any product on-line, I check here (and a few other web sites that offer rewards, such as my mileage credit card and www.upromise.com) and see if they are offering points for shopping this merchant. It is as simple as a few clicks, but it adds up quickly. There are also points attached to coupon usage through this site. By starting at the site to print off manufacturer coupons accepted at many retailers, you earn points each time you use a coupon – earning points for saving money. Who would have thought it? If Starbucks (or Target, Black Angus, Old Navy) is what you love, consider subsidizing your “habit” with this system!”

Note from the peanut gallery:  I found this eHow site online about How to Make the Most Out of Your MyPoints Membership…so cool!   Thanks Sarah, I never even knew programs like this existed!