Let’s look at why multiple brands use the same factories and what it means for you as a consumer. We will show you that opting for store-brand products doesn’t necessarily mean that you are sacrificing quality. Here is the truth about your everyday products and shared manufacturing.

The Toothpaste Example

Let’s start by looking at toothpaste manufacturing. Your favorite toothpaste was likely made in the same factory and with the same recipe as the brand shelved next to it. This is because a single factory may be responsible for producing toothpaste not only for well-known brands but also for generic store brands. Picture this: toothpaste tubes whirling down the assembly line, some destined for store shelves adorned with familiar logos, while others find their way into packaging with lesser-known or private label brands. Yet, the product itself is nearly identical, differing only in the labeling and marketing.

Brand Differentiation

Of course, there will be slight variations between products. Brands may choose to add unique aromas and flavors or tweak the texture to differentiate themselves from competitors. This is known as “brand (or product) differentiation”. Brand differentiation means that even though products might be made in the same factory, brands often emphasize their unique branding, design, and packaging to differentiate themselves in the market. 

This strategy allows consumers to identify with a brand and its products on a personal or emotional level. In essence, it gives consumers the impression that they are purchasing a product with distinct qualities and benefits, contributing to brand loyalty and consumer choice in a competitive market. But how much differentiation truly is there? Unfortunately, the truth is hard to decipher. Brands want consumers to believe that the difference is large but very often, it is minimal. 

Does This Mean That Store-Brand and Name-Brand Are the Same Quality?

The truth about manufacturing different brands in the same factory comes as a surprise to consumers who have long associated store brands with inferior quality. In reality, the source of a product does not determine its value. Many store brands are manufactured by renowned companies that have mastered the art of producing high-quality goods. And many of those products are produced with the same ingredients, recipes, or materials in the same factory. Remember the toothpaste? When it comes down the assembly line, it often doesn’t slide off into separate directions until after the tube is filled! This means that a store-brand product and a name-brand product can, essentially, be the same product.

What Industries Use Shared Manufacturing?

Shared manufacturing is prevalent in various industries where the practice offers benefits such as cost-efficiency, scalability, and access to specialized production facilities. Some of the industries where shared manufacturing is commonly seen include:

• Electronics: Many electronic devices, from smartphones and tablets to laptops and consumer electronics, are produced by contract manufacturers on behalf of different brands. For example, Foxconn is a prominent contract manufacturer known for producing electronic devices for companies like Apple.
• Apparel and Textiles: The fashion industry heavily relies on shared manufacturing. Numerous clothing brands source their products from factories that produce garments for multiple brands. This allows brands to quickly adapt to changing fashion trends and efficiently produce clothing at scale.
• Automotive: The automotive industry often involves shared manufacturing, with various components and parts being produced by specialized manufacturers and then integrated into vehicles by the automakers. For example, car manufacturers may source engines, tires, or other components from different suppliers.
• Food and Beverage: Many food products, such as snacks, beverages, and even private-label grocery store products, are produced by third-party manufacturers. These manufacturers have the equipment and expertise to produce these products efficiently and safely.
• Pharmaceuticals: Perhaps one of the most surprising industries to use shared manufacturing is the pharmaceutical industry. They produce generic drugs, over-the-counter medications, and even brand-name pharmaceuticals.
• Cosmetics and Personal Care: Many cosmetic and personal care products are manufactured by specialized contract manufacturers. These companies produce a wide range of products, including skincare items, makeup, shampoos, and more, for various brands.
• Aerospace and Defense: The aerospace and defense industry rely heavily on shared manufacturing for specialized components and systems. Manufacturers produce parts for aircraft, missiles, and other defense-related products used by various aerospace and defense companies.
• Furniture: Furniture manufacturing can involve shared manufacturing, where companies source components or whole pieces of furniture from third-party manufacturers. This allows for a wide variety of designs and materials in the market.
• Print and Packaging: The printing and packaging industry utilizes shared manufacturing to produce printed materials, packaging, labels, and promotional items for different brands and businesses.
• Toys and Consumer Goods: Many toys, as well as general consumer goods such as kitchen appliances and home decor items, are produced by contract manufacturers. These manufacturers often produce goods for multiple brands in a single factory.

Not All Companies Use Shared Manufacturing

Some companies produce their products in-house, meaning they do not rely on shared or contract manufacturing. These companies often have their own manufacturing facilities and complete control over the production process. However, they typically own more than one brand. For example, Nestle produces Gerber, Nescafe, KitKat, Toll House, Hot Pockets, Carnation, Nesquik, and many more. L’Oreal owns Maybelline, Lancome, and Garnier while Estee Lauder owns Clinique, Mac, and Bobbi Brown along with brands sold at Kohl’s department stores. So, while they don’t technically use shared manufacturing, they still produce multiple products and brands in the same factory. 

Why Is Consumer Awareness Important?

Consumer awareness regarding shared manufacturing is crucial. In an age of information, knowledgeable consumers can make informed choices, holding brands accountable for their practices. Transparency and ethical manufacturing become the norm when consumers demand it, fostering responsible and sustainable production. Consumer awareness drives positive change in the industry.

Closing Thoughts

The consumer goods industry is a complex web of manufacturing and distribution, intertwined with a world where a single factory can produce multiple brands. This hidden reality allows brands to offer similar products at varying price points, catering to a wide range of consumers. 

So, the next time you’re debating between the store brand and the name brand, remember that the secret world behind the label may be concealing a factory producing the same products. Rest assured knowing that the choice between store brand and name brand may be more about personal preference and perception than about the quality of the product itself. Don’t let the stigma attached to store brands sway your opinion. You may just find that the quality and value are comparable, if not better, than their name-brand counterparts.

The post Behind the Label: The Secret Truth About Your Everyday Products appeared first on The Branded Daily Digest.

One of the most obvious ways to save is to get stuff for free. From gift cards and cosmetic goods to household items and gifts, with some effort and an internet connection, there are many ways you can score free stuff in 2023. 

Be Careful of Scams

Before we get into how you can score free stuff in 2023, you must know what to look for. Not all websites proclaiming free samples or other free stuff are legit. For example, sites with “get this free” headers that only give away the sample or product after you “qualify” are usually not on the up and up. 

Reputable freebie websites should only require your name, email, and mailing address. Never provide your Social Security number or credit card information to acquire a free sample. Legitimate freebie sites won’t ask for secured personal information or money (other than possible shipping costs).

It is also advisable to avoid websites with many advertisements, pop-ups, grammatical errors, or that otherwise appear amateurish. Also, if a site seems excessively complicated or suspicious, you should avoid it. Usually, if it looks scammy, it most likely is.

Now that you know how to look for legitimate offers, you can start shopping for free stuff. Here are some of the best ways to score free stuff in 2023.

Use Coupons

One of the easiest ways to score freebies is by using coupons. Many freebie sites curate lists of coupons and update them frequently. You can also collect them from weekly ad papers, the newspaper, and store magazines.

Even though a typical coupon simply reduces the price of an item, you can often get it for free or just pennies on the dollar. Look for things that are already on sale and use a coupon on top of that. Sometimes, depending on your store’s policies, you can use multiple coupons for the same item.

If you enjoy couponing, you could even take things to the next level with extreme couponing. This hobby has become so popular that TLC even made a television show about it! Moreover, extreme couponing can help you score lots of free stuff in 2023.

Online Survey Websites

All you need is your phone and some time, and you can take surveys for free gift cards. Many websites will give you a free account and let you score freebies just for sharing your opinion.

For example, Branded Surveys rewards participants with gift cards and even cash just for answering easy online surveys. And a big plus is that you can get paid to take surveys on your own time. Simply create a profile and begin taking surveys on your phone or computer right away. Then, depending on the amount of time you have, you could earn enough points for a gift card in a day or two! You’ll have lots of options to choose from as well. Branded offers dozens of gift cards from popular retailers and restaurants. Some of these include Amazon, Fandango, CVS, Apple, Visa, and more!

Product Reviews

Product reviews are a great way to score free stuff in 2023. Companies often send items to people for free in exchange for an honest and constructive review of their product or service. 

Product reviews allow companies to receive valuable product feedback, helping them better understand their customer base and make improvements. In return, customers can benefit from receiving free products just by writing an honest review. 

Be sure to read all the instructions before accepting any review task. Remember that it is important to be honest about the product and mention any aspects that could be improved. This will make you a valuable product reviewer and often prompt the company to send you more products to try.

Free Trials and Subscriptions

Free trials can be a great way to score free products and services without any upfront cost. For example, you can get free movie streaming, makeup, gym time, audiobooks, and more.

Subscription boxes like the ones from Ipsy and Walmart send monthly packages with numerous makeup and beauty product samples. They typically only charge shipping. These companies hope you will love the product enough to buy the bigger version, but you get to keep all the sample sizes they send you for free. And many times, there are even full-size products in the box!

Streaming services usually offer free trials. Some of them even give you a full 30 days of free viewing! As long as you cancel before the trial period ends, you can watch your favorite shows and movies for free all year by using different streaming services. This can save you lots of money and give you free entertainment. No need to go to expensive movie theaters when you can access great flicks at home. 

It’s important to use caution when signing up for free trials and subscriptions. Most companies bank (literally) on you keeping the service or forgetting to cancel. To ensure you’re not charged after the trial period ends, know exactly when you need to cancel and set a calendar reminder. In addition, always read and save the terms and conditions in full so you are aware of all related contractual obligations.

Use Freebie Websites

If you really want to score free stuff in 2023, hop online and check out some freebie websites. These can be a great source of free items. While some websites may offer a few items here and there, others have a wide variety of stuff ranging from samples to trial subscriptions to full-size products. Here are just a few popular freebie websites:

• Freebies.com
• Krazy Coupon Lady
• Sample Source
• Tryspree
• I Love Free Stuff

Make sure to always read the rules and regulations of the site before signing up. Freebie websites can offer some great items, but many of them will require you to sign up for newsletters that can clutter your inbox. To avoid this, use a separate email address just for your freebie-related stuff. And remember, legit sites will not ask you to enter personal information like your social security number.

Other Ways To Score Freebies

Here are a few other unique ways to get some free stuff:

1. Contests and giveaways: Keep an eye out for contests and giveaways on social media and in your local community. These can be a great way to win free products or services.
2. Freecycle and Craigslist: Freecycle and Craigslist are online platforms where people give away unwanted items for free. You can browse the listings to see if you’re interested in anything. You might be surprised at the things people are offering for free.
3. Swapping or trading: Consider swapping or trading items you no longer need with others who have something you’re interested in. You can do this through online platforms such as Swap.com or in your local community through events like clothing swaps or book exchanges.
4. Loyalty programs: Some companies offer loyalty programs that reward you with free products or services after you make a certain number of purchases or referrals.

There are many ways to score free stuff in 2023. We have given you some fantastic ideas, from couponing to taking surveys for cash or gift cards to using freebie websites, but the possibilities are almost endless. Just make sure you are using legitimate sites and keep your information secure. Happy hunting, and may you find some really cool free stuff.

The post How to Score Free Stuff in 2023 appeared first on The Branded Daily Digest.

If you want to learn more about travel hacking, maximizing your credit card rewards, and taking trips for free, keep reading to get the whole scoop. 

What is Travel Hacking?

Travel hacking is the concept of opening up credit cards and using them specifically for the purpose of redeeming their welcome bonus and/or travel-based rewards points. For example, with some cards, you might get thousands of miles in flight points just for opening up the card, with the potential for thousands more as you continue spending money on the card. Sometimes, you can accumulate free flights, hotels, and more just by spending money and using your credit card wisely. 

How Do You Travel Hack?

In the following section, we’ll discuss the steps involved in travel hacking and what you need to do to start travel hacking for yourself. If you want to know how to open up credit cards and start travel hacking in real-time, here are all the details.

Figure Out Your Ultimate Goals

To begin, you’ll need to figure out what your ultimate travel goals are when it comes to hacking your trips. For example, do you want to be able to take a huge family vacation at the end of next year? Do you and your partner want to go on short weekend trips over the next few months? Do you want to do some solo getaways? You’ll need to consider your options and desires before deciding how to travel hack most efficiently. 

Get A Travel Credit Card(s)

After you know what the most critical travel perks are to you (frequency of redeeming, flight miles, hotel points, etc.), you’ll need to apply for one or more credit cards. Travel hacking is only possible if you have a credit card, since you won’t get the points you need through rewards or loyalty programs elsewhere. There are many things you should look for when considering which card to get, including:

Large Welcome Bonus

A large welcome bonus is absolutely essential for travel hacking, and it will make your free flights or hotels come that much easier. A welcome bonus is just a bonus you get for opening the card, which can be a massive amount of flight or hotel points. However, be sure that when you open the card, you know the spending amount required to redeem your welcome bonus. Usually, it’s a certain amount of money in a particular time frame.

Low Spending Minimum

Since welcome bonuses typically require you to spend a certain amount of money within the first few months, you will want to look for a card with a smaller spending minimum. That way, you will likely be able to use the card for the things you buy anyway (groceries, gas, etc.). You don’t want to spend too much money on your card to the point where you are unable to pay it off, so look for a smaller spending minimum.

Category Bonus(es)

All of us typically have a few categories we tend to spend more money on. For some, it’s clothes shopping, while for others, it might be eating out, entertainment, or groceries. Whatever your categories are, look for credit cards with specific category bonuses in the areas you typically spend the most on. For example, some cards might give you triple points on gas or entertainment. This will help you earn and redeem points faster!

Specific Travel Perks 

Of course, when travel hacking, you want to look for credit cards that offer specific travel perks. There are many credit cards that make this obvious, labeling themselves as “travel credit cards.” However, there are many variations between these cards, as some might focus on hotel points instead of flight points, while others’ flight points might be restricted to certain airlines or locations. Whatever perks they have, make sure they align with your ultimate travel goals before signing up. 

Low Annual Fees

You’ll also want to ensure that the credit card you sign up for has low annual fees, meaning there aren’t extremely high costs for keeping the card open year-to-year. Some cards have notably higher fees than others. It all depends on how you can weigh that cost against your expected benefits. 

No Foreign Transaction Fees 

When you are on vacation in another country, you don’t want your credit card spending to rack up even more additional fees or accrue more costs. Unfortunately, foreign transaction fees can seriously mess with your credit card statement, especially if you make many smaller purchases. So, before you go on trips or even sign up for the card, make sure your credit card doesn’t have any foreign transaction fees. 

Make Sure Your Welcome Bonus is Earned

Of course, to redeem your welcome bonus (as we’ve mentioned), you must spend enough money to earn it. The amount you need to spend will depend on the card you sign up for, but usually, it’s around $1,000 to $3,000 within the first one to three months. If you don’t earn your welcome bonus, you have rendered your travel hacking card partially useless, so stay up-to-date with how much you need to spend to redeem your rewards.

Maximize Category Spending

As we mentioned before, category bonuses can be one of the most essential parts of earning enough rewards points to travel hack. Therefore, maximize your category spending (where there are bonuses) as much as possible! For example, instead of using your debit card for gas, use only your credit card for gas if you have a gas bonus and then pay it off using your debit card at the end of the month so as to not accrue interest. 

Redeem Travel Rewards

Once you rack up the points, ensure you redeem all of your travel rewards in a timely fashion! Many companies don’t want you to know how much you can actually save by travel hacking, so they aren’t going to remind you! If you don’t keep track, you may forget about your rewards balance, and your points will expire. Keep detailed records of where your travel rewards points are going and actually use them! 

Enjoy Your Trips! 

Once you redeem your rewards, enjoy! You have basically cracked the code to the best-kept secret in budget traveling. On your trips, take the time to relax, spend time with family, or simply enjoy your own company. Travel is a great way to enrich your mind, body, and spirit, and figuring out how to travel for cheap can be that much more rewarding. Once you return from your trip, you can start accumulating even more points and start planning out where your next hacked trip will be. 

The post What is Travel Hacking and How Do You Do It? appeared first on The Branded Daily Digest.

What Are the Limitations of Cheap Cell Phone Plans?

Cheap cell phone plans typically charge you only for what you want or need. For example, if you only need one line, you will only pay for that one line. If you only need a certain number of calling minutes or texts every month, that’s what you’ll pay for. 

This can be an excellent way to save money. But beware! If you go over your allotted amount, you will have to pay a fee or additional costs for the additional charges you incur during the month. While some cheap phone plans could have unlimited usage, it’s not typical. 

What Add-Ons Can You Get?

Most phone plans have the option of adding whatever additional services you’d like, whether you want more minutes, more texts, or more data. Additionally, you can add international calling or texting plans if you need to get in touch with people outside of the US. Some phone plans will also offer the ability to add additional data to your personal hotspot so that you can power your laptop or the internet on other devices outside your WiFi network. 

Now that we’ve discussed some of the limitations and add-one of the most inexpensive phone plans, we’re going to go through several popular cheap phone plans and give you the pros, cons, and costs of each. 

Mint Mobile

Mint Mobile prides itself on being one of the country’s preeminent affordable mobile providers. Currently, they are offering a deal for new members for three months where you can get unlimited talk and text as well as 4GB of LTE data for $15 a month. You can also get 10GB of LTE data for $20 a month, 15GB of data for $25 a month, or unlimited data for $30 per line. In addition, you can either bring your current phone or buy a new one with Mint Mobile. For example, the new Apple iPhone 14s can be purchased for as little as $77 a month!

Tello Economy

Tello Economy has four different plans for those looking for an affordable option in cell service, and they vary based on whether you’d like more minutes, more texts, or more data. The economy plan provides 1GB of data as well as unlimited texts and calls for just $10 a month. The value plan offers 2GB of data with unlimited talk and text for just $14 a month. Finally, the smart plan includes 5GB of data with unlimited talk and text for $19 a month. Customers can also opt for an unlimited plan that gets you all three unlimited for $29 a month. 

Visible Unlimited

Visible by Verizon is a new plan for smartphones. Visible offers two distinct programs for those seeking a more affordable cellular option. The first is the basic Visible plan. This one provides all the basics for $30 a month with taxes and fees included. This plan offers unlimited talk, text, and data, an unlimited mobile hotspot, spam protection, and unlimited talk and text to Mexico and Canada. 

The Visible+ plan offers even more benefits for $45 a month. You’ll get everything offered in the basic plan plus unlimited 5G ultra-wideband, premium network experience, unlimited data roaming in Canada and Mexico, international calling from the US to 20+ countries, and international texting from the US to 200+ countries. 

Consumer Cellular

Consumer Cellular offers wireless customers affordable, flexible plans with no contract. Consumer Cellular is privately-owned and 100 percent US-based, having been around for more than 25 years. All of Consumer Cellular’s plans include unlimited talk and text with varying levels of data. For example, for $20 a month, you can get 1GB of data. For $25 a month, you can get 5GB of data. The increments of data increase until you get up to unlimited data, which is $50 a month, including unlimited talk and text. 

Total Wireless

Total Wireless, now Total by Verizon, offers no-contract plans for as little as $30 per line per month. Total by Verizon also has a great line of smartphones you can choose from when starting your own line. For $30 a month, you can get unlimited talk and text with 5GB of data and 5GB of mobile hotspot data. For $40 a month, you can get unlimited talk and text with 15GB of data and 15GB of mobile hotspot data. For $50 a month, you can get unlimited talk, text, and data and 20GB of mobile hotspot data. Finally, for $60 a month, you can get unlimited talk, text, and data with unlimited talk and text to 59 countries. Additionally, Disney+ is included in this plan. 

Gen Mobile

Gen Mobile considers itself the best deal in Wireless. Right now, they have an extra special offer for new customers: buy any three-month plan, save up to 20 percent and waive the $39 activation fee. Data plans start at just $10 a month with no annual contract, America’s largest 4G LTE data network, unlimited US and international text, free mobile hotspot, and a free self-service app. Additionally, they have unlimited international calling plans starting at just $13 a month. 

Ting

Switching from another provider to Ting mobile is incredibly easy. All you need to do is either buy a new phone or bring your own phone, get a SIM card for free at a store—or have it shipped for just $1—and activate one of their pay-as-you-go data plans! They have three main plans: the Set 5, the Set 12, and the unlimited. The Set 5 gives you 5GB of data (which can all be used as a hotspot), the Set 12 gives you 12GB of data (eight of which can be used as a hotspot), and the unlimited gives you unlimited text, talk, and data. 

Cricket Wireless 

Cricket Wireless is one of the most popular independent, affordable mobile providers. They have reliable nationwide 5G coverage, affordable rates for prepaid phones, and no contracts required! Right now, you can even get a Samsung A03 for free when you sign up for their $60 monthly unlimited plan. They have 5G coverage on every one of their plans, with rates starting at just $25 a month per line for plans with four lines or more. J.D. Power also named Cricket the #1 mobile network in Customer Experience and #1 in Purchase Experience. 

Boost Mobile

Finally, Boost Mobile uses AT&T and T-Mobile networks to deliver reliable 5G coverage to their customers across the United States. They offer both pay-as-you-go and prepaid phone plans starting at just $25 a month per line for unlimited talk, text, and data coverage. New customers can even earn a deal for just $5 a month to add 5GB of data to an unlimited talk and text plan. 

Inflation is rough. So saving money on utilities is extremely important to most of us right now. While you might feel that the major cell phone providers have a monopoly over you, options are available! Hopefully, some of these providers have enticed you with their exciting deals, and you now know some of the best places to find affordable cellular coverage regardless of where you are in your financial journey.

The post The Best Cheap Cell Phone Plans appeared first on The Branded Daily Digest.

Become an Amazon Prime Member

The first tip is to join Amazon Prime. As a Prime member, you can get significantly better deals all around. It costs $14.99 a month or $139 a year to become an Amazon Prime member, which seems like a lot at first glance. However, your Prime membership will easily pay for itself if you regularly shop online.

Benefits of Prime include free two-day shipping on any “prime” labeled items (which is almost anything), unlimited streaming of Amazon Prime Video titles, and more! It is undoubtedly worth it to become an Amazon Prime member, especially considering the savings in shipping costs. For example, if you order just once a month, you’ll often pay $14.99 just for shipping.

Plus, your membership entitles you to insider deals that can save money on everyday purchases.

Get Credit by Selecting Later Shipping Days

Even though you already get free two-day shipping with Amazon Prime, Prime members also have the option to select a later shipping day in exchange for Amazon credit. 

For example, while a Prime shipping option might get your items to you on Tuesday, Amazon will suggest Thursday instead. This is more convenient for them in terms of logistics. However, in exchange, they often offer $2 or $5 gift cards to use on your next purchase. So if you can deal with getting your items a couple of days later, this option can be a great way to save even more at checkout. 

Clip Amazon Coupons

You may have noticed the site sometimes offers additional coupons underneath the item’s list price. To get extra savings on Amazon, sometimes all you need to do is some virtual coupon clipping! When looking at the listing, look below the price to see if it says, “Save an additional _ _ (percentage or dollar amount) on this item.” Next to that, you will see a checkbox that you can click to add the coupon at checkout. Finally, you will see the savings on the payment page. Many people overlook this very simple way to save money on Amazon. 

Set Price Drop Alerts

Many different sites and browser extensions can do this for you, but perhaps the most popular is Honey. Honey is a browser extension that automatically checks for coupons on all the sites you shop at, manually applying each of them at checkout to give you the highest possible savings. 

Honey also allows you to track individual items on your wishlist, alerting you when they drop in price to give you the best deal. When Amazon reduces the cost of an item, apps like Honey will tell you that it’s the best time to make a purchase. 

Set Household Staples to Auto-Reorder

Every household has essentials they purchase regularly. These include toilet paper, cleaners, paper towels, skincare products, etc. But many people don’t know you can put these basics on an automatic reordering schedule. When you do this, you get automatic discounts on the individual item’s price. 

While it might not be much (only ten or 15 percent), it all adds up. After all, you need to purchase these things regularly anyhow. Auto-reorder also helps you stay organized. You won’t need to remember them each month, and it also prevents you from running out of something and wasting time. 

Wait For Prime Day

Prime Day is Amazon’s annual savings event exclusively for Prime members. During Prime Day, thousands of products will be on sale, many of them from large, big-name brands like Apple, Samsung, JBL, Breville, and more. 

You can get huge savings on everything from household items to toys to electronics. While it probably isn’t practical to get everything you need for the year on Prime Day, you can find major deals on things you wouldn’t usually see sales on, like laptops or kitchen appliances. 

Opt for Refurbished Items

For things like electronics or appliances, you can often get refurbished versions of the items on Amazon for a deeply discounted price. Refurbishing a piece of equipment involves taking a gently used item and sending it back to the manufacturer for an inspection and tune-up before reselling it. 

Refurbished items have been used, but the manufacturer guarantees they are in working condition and have plenty of life left in them! So if you don’t mind buying a gently used item, buying refurbished items on Amazon is a great way to save money. 

Look at the “Today’s Deals” Page 

There is a page on Amazon specifically dedicated to deals of the day, called the “Today’s Deals” page. This page changes daily and allows you to find random deals at amazing discounts. Of course, these offers are limited-time only, which is part of what makes the prices so exclusive. If you see any of these daily deals on Amazon that appeal to you, you should snatch them up while you can, because they go fast. 

Earn Amazon Gift Cards

Another way to save on Amazon is with Amazon gift cards. And you can actually get them for free! There are many ways you can earn free gift cards, both online and physically. 

Gift cards will save you money since you can apply them at checkout to any order. Some popular ways are through coin exchanges, credit card rewards and points, or paid online surveys. Let’s talk about how you can score some for yourself. 

Coinstar Kiosks

With Coinstar kiosks and similar coin exchange machines, you can exchange your spare change for gift cards, including Amazon gift cards. Most people have jars of change hanging around. So the next time yours is full, take it to a Coinstar kiosk. Just pour out your change jar, and the machine will count your coins for you. Once it’s done counting, you can choose your payout. Most people pick cash, but you are also given the option of a gift card instead. 

Credit Card Rewards

Depending on your credit cards, all sorts of rewards and incentive options could be available to you. However, with most major credit cards, you earn some form of points or cash back on various types of purchases. For many credit card holders, there is a digital portal where you can decide what to do with that cash back or reward, with one option being to exchange it for a gift card. Often, you can exchange credit card rewards for Amazon gift cards. So, if you want to save more money on Amazon, this is a smart way to use up those rewards points! 

Branded Surveys 

Finally, websites like Branded Surveys let you earn free Amazon gift cards online by completing paid surveys. Branded Surveys connects its users with researchers and companies who will pay you for your opinions and reviews. Each paid online survey puts between $.50 and $2 or more in your pocket. Once you’ve accrued enough, you can opt to be paid in cash or select from a whole list of gift cards. And you guessed it—one of those options is Amazon!

Closing Thoughts

As you can see, there are many ways to save money on Amazon. Some are quite unusual! However, the big savings come from combining two or more of the methods above. By using these money-saving tips simultaneously, you can be a frugal Amazon shopper all year round. 

The post How to Save Money on Amazon appeared first on The Branded Daily Digest.

What is Bartering/Swapping?

The act of bartering and swapping items and services is somewhat of a lost art in today’s society. But our grandparents and great-grandparents were experts at it! Bartering, by definition, is the act of exchanging goods or services without using money. You can exchange virtually anything through bartering or swapping! Here are some examples:

• Exchanging babysitting every other weekend with a neighboring family
• Offering to do car repair work in exchange for housecleaning
• Trading homemade bread for your friend’s garden-fresh produce
• Doing computer repair in exchange for content for a website
• Swapping vacation homes with another person
• Pet-sitting in exchange for dog-walking
• Trading online tutoring for lawn care
• Trading baby clothes for toddler clothes
• Trading unwanted shoes with friends during a shoe swap
• Holding a toy swap with other families that have kids
• Offering to wrap gifts in exchange for holiday shopping
• Trading makeup with your best friend

Whether you want to swap the same item for another size or color, swap a service you can provide for something you really want or even trade services, the sky’s the limit. The only caveat when bartering or swapping is that you cannot use currency!

Best Sites for Bartering and Swapping

Below, we will discuss the best and most popular sites currently on the web for bartering and swapping. While some of these sites aren’t directly intended to be used for bartering, they have historically been used for trading items or services regardless. You could use just one of these sites or a combination of several. You’ll want to do a little research to see which one offers you the most bartering potential. 

Listia 

Listia is a unique swapping website where you “sell” your items for points on the site instead of trading stuff directly. The site’s format is similar to eBay or Amazon, but instead of using currency, you only use Listia points to buy and sell on the platform.

It’s free to join, and you’ll get 50 free points when you sign up and 50 free points once you list your first item. This site is excellent for those with many smaller things to get rid of, as the points can rack up for larger items over time. 

Craigslist 

If you’ve ever bought or sold anything online, you’ve probably heard of Craigslist already. Mainly, it’s a virtual marketplace and forum to post about local happenings or air grievances. However, there is also a section on the site dedicated to bartering. 

Additionally, if you don’t want to use that section (which often gets fewer views), you can also just post a listing under the “for sale” section and put “FOR TRADE” in the title of your listing to let people know you are swapping or bartering. 

Facebook

Like Craigslist, Facebook is a popular online social network that, while it was not initially intended for bartering, has become a place to do so. On Facebook, there is a section called Facebook Marketplace where you can list, sell, and buy items from your Facebook friends and others. 

Here’s how bartering works on the platform: Suppose you want to barter or trade using the Facebook marketplace. In that case, you can list something for an unusually high dollar amount and put “FOR TRADE” in the title so that no one accidentally purchases it. 

BarterQuest

BarterQuest is a terrific site for trading or swapping and one of the few sites where you can truly trade anything. Aside from the usual goods, clothing, and home items you can exchange on the site, you can also swap services or even real estate. 

There are both “Have” and “Want” posts on BarterQuest, which means you can either post something you already own that you want to trade or something you hope to find someone else trading. You can make an offer on anyone’s “Have” post, even if you don’t have exactly what they’re looking for. 

Buy Nothing Community

The Buy Nothing Project is not really one website. It’s more like a set of individual communities in different towns, cities, or regions. Each group aims to give and receive merchandise or items without ever exchanging any money. 

There are more than 7,000 Buy Nothing groups online worldwide, many of them operating on Facebook. There is also a Buy Nothing app available for iOS or Android, where you can enroll, set your guidelines for how far you want to trade, and make your first posts. 

BookMooch

If you have a lot of books lying around that you no longer want, trading them for some you might actually read is a brilliant idea! BookMooch is the perfect place to do this! 

BookMooch allows you to post listings for books you own, and users on the site will request them. You then ship the books using your own shipping method and get points in exchange. Then, you can use your accumulated points to request books on the site. It’s a perfect trade-off; no money changes hands except for paying shipping fees. 

Vinted 

Similar to sites like Poshmark or Depop, Vinted is a site designed to help users buy and sell new and used clothing, shoes, accessories, and more. While Vinted is generally considered a buying and selling marketplace, users often exchange items on the site using a trading or bartering technique. 

For example, if two users have listings they would like to trade, they work the exchange out amongst themselves and then mark the items as sold. 

FreeCycle

FreeCycle isn’t a website where you actually swap items but rather a network of many small communities. These groups give away unwanted items to people who want them rather than adding them to the landfill.

Essentially, a FreeCycle group is a giant, free yard sale, similar to a Buy Nothing group. Many FreeCycle groups meet on Facebook and have individual rules, so go hunting for your local group if you’re interested. 

Depop

Depop, similar to Vinted, is a site for people to buy and sell clothing, shoes, and accessories. The app is focused primarily on Gen Z and has a lot of designer or handmade items from independent shops. 

While it is technically a marketplace, many people use the app to trade and barter items. So if you see something you want that another user has, see if you can work out an exchange.

Gumtree 

Gumtree is essentially the UK and Australian version of Craigslist. You can list classified advertisements on Gumtree, many dedicated to buying and selling new or used items. However, users can take advantage of three sections on the site to trade or barter. 

These sections are “Freebies,” “Stuff Wanted,” and “Swap Shop.” The freebies section is where people are giving things away. Stuff wanted is for posting items you’re searching for. And the swap shop section is for those actively looking to trade something. 

Bartering Builds Community 

Bartering not only allows you to exchange goods or services without using money, but it also builds community. Of course, bartering happens all the time in your own family, neighborhood, or community. But the internet has made it easier than ever to extend bartering and swapping past regional boundaries. If bartering sounds like something you could get into, be sure to check out the sites we’ve listed above!

The post Best Bartering and Swapping Websites appeared first on The Branded Daily Digest.

You come home after a long day at work, and you’re starving. You’re also exhausted. You have food in the house, but you haven’t taken anything out of the freezer to thaw, and what you have in your pantry will take at least an hour to prepare. What happens next? If you’re like most people, you run out to pick up some fast food or resign yourself to ordering takeout.

Planning ahead is a discipline, and there’s no doubt about it—while making food from scratch is cheaper, it can also be time-consuming. Services like Uber Eats and Doordash are super convenient, but the money adds up. And really, who wants to cook when you’re already exhausted from work and other responsibilities?

However, there is a way for you to have the best of both worlds. Tastier, homecooked—and probably infinitely healthier—meals are possible with a little bit of planning and some meal prep tricks up your sleeve. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll prefer food from your own kitchen much more than a costly meal from a nearby restaurant. Plus, you’ll save a boatload of money.

In this post, we’ll discuss the most budget-friendly ways to meal-prep and how to get started. Ready to live a rich life even on a tight budget? Dig in for some delicious ideas.

Meal-Prep-Getting Ready

One of the most time-consuming aspects of preparing meals ahead of time is the planning that goes into it. But once the ball is rolling, it becomes second nature. So here’s how to get started:

1. Head to your kitchen cupboards or pantry and start going through them. This will be the most laborious part of the process, but you’ll only have to do it every few weeks if you play your cards right. Pick up each item, taking note of the expiration dates. Toss the expired stuff and make a donation box of the things you know nobody is ever going to eat (we’re looking at you, creamed corn).
2. Next, move on to your refrigerator. Get rid of everything gross, expired, or past its prime, like that relish you’ve had for five years but feel guilty about throwing away. This is no time to be sentimental. If you’re not going to eat it, toss it. Now do the same with everything in your freezer.
3. Grab a notebook and a pen. Make a list of everything left and start planning what you would like to have for dinner the next few days. Once you get better at it, you’ll be able to plan at least a week—maybe two—ahead. But for now, just focus on the next two or three dinners. This will also help you use the pantry items you already have, so this project saves you cash right out of the gate.

Planning Makes Perfect

Your menu will vary depending on your eating habits, but we’ll start with some hypothetical meal ideas. Let’s imagine you plan to have chicken breasts from your freezer, rice from your pantry, and fresh carrots on the first night. For the second night, you could cut up the leftover chicken, add a jar of spaghetti sauce and a box of pasta, and have chicken cacciatore. The third night, maybe bake some potatoes and have frozen fish and a salad. 

Your meal choices are inconsequential. What is important is consciously planning to prepare most of it ahead of time. That way, you only have a few steps once you get home. Using the imaginary menu above, let’s make a plan:

• On Sunday night, take the chicken out of the freezer and place it in the fridge to thaw. If you want to get fancy, make a marinade and cover it until it’s time to put them in the oven the next night.
• Now on to the carrots. Pull them out of the fridge and peel and chop them. Throw them in a zip-lock bag or a storage container. Now the carrots are ready to add to a pan of water Monday night. 
• For the rice, you can even pre-measure that too. You could even go as far as putting water in the pan for boiling or steaming when you get home from work.
• If you’re unsure of the timing or oven temperature for any items, google it now. For instance, make a note that chicken breasts go in for 15-20 minutes at 450 degrees and stick it somewhere you will be sure to see it. 

Now when you arrive home the following evening, all you need to do is turn on the oven, put the carrots and rice in some saucepans, and your dinner will be hot and ready within a half hour. That’s about as much time as it will take to change out of your work clothes and relax for a few minutes.

Make the same preparations after dinner (or before work in the morning) for Tuesday night’s supper. Again, pre-measure, chop, look for instructions online—do whatever you can to make it simpler to cook when you come home. Then, repeat the process with Wednesday’s meal. 

Build on Your New Skills

Once you give meal-prep a try for a few nights, tack on a few more nights. Try to make a game of staying on top of the planning, and you will always have something tasty for dinner. By now, it should be time to get a few groceries. Again, make a list of what you would like for meals, but plan for a whole week this time. You’ll get more organized and better at planning with every week that passes. 

Many veteran meal-preppers don’t even use a list. Rather than creating the week’s menu before they shop, they shop first to see what’s on sale, planning each night’s supper on the fly as they peruse the aisles. To take the savings even further, those who are super-skilled at this game do all of that PLUS use coupons to save even more money!

Tools of the Trade

Once you’ve mastered the art of meal planning, you can start to invest in some handy tools to make your life even easier. Of course, you don’t want to sabotage your plans to save money on food by spending money on kitchen gadgets, either, so you’ll need to find a balance. 

Remember, you can get by with the most basic kitchen pots, pans, and utensils. However, at some point, you may want to invest in a few things for your own pleasure and convenience. Here are a few practical items to consider

Slow Cooker

Of all the meal-prep gadgets that exist, the slow cooker—or Crock-Pot—is arguably the handiest of them all. That’s because you can throw in a few ingredients, turn it on, and have a hot and ready dinner when you return home. They come in all different sizes and styles, so be sure to shop around for one that will meet your family’s needs. As a bonus, you can find thousands of slow cooker recipes online that will suit even the fussiest eater. 

Food Processor

Depending on the size of your family and how ambitious you want to be with meal prep, a food processor can save you tons of time. You can chop, shred, grind, mix, knead, mince, puree, and more with them. If you go through a lot of pre-bagged shredded cheese, for example, you can save yourself some time (and money) by buying blocked cheese in bulk, then shredding it, bagging it, and freezing it for later in just a few minutes.

Good Knives

If you do a lot of food prep, you already know that having sharp, high-quality knives is imperative, not only because they get the job done but because they are actually safer in the kitchen than dull ones. They don’t come cheap, though. Don’t waste your money on knife “sets” that are packaged with a dozen different knives when you really will only use two or three types. Instead, determine the ones you need the most (a paring knife, bread knife, and a chef’s knife, perhaps) and purchase them one by one as your budget allows.

A Word About the Added Expense of Kitchen Tools

When you’re trying to live on a shoestring, you don’t want to turn a money-saving hobby like cooking into an expensive ordeal. However, you probably need to pick up a few items to make things easier in the kitchen, too. Here are a couple of suggestions:

Ask Around

Ask your friends, neighbors, or relatives before you head to the store or order something online. More often than not, people have spare kitchen gadgets and tools they no longer use that they would be happy to part with. 

Check Thrift Stores

This is the next best thing to free, and a sensible idea. Scour your local Salvation Army, Goodwill, and thrift stores. These second-hand shops usually have an abundance of home goods you can purchase for next to nothing.

Earn Some Extra Cash With a Side Gig

An easy side-gig can help you afford some basic needs without taking from an already-stretched budget. You could make money doing surveys, advertise dog-walking services, sell unwanted stuff online, or something altogether different.

Moving Forward

Not everyone loves to cook, and that’s okay. You may find that it’s just not your thing. But you also may surprise yourself and learn that enjoying your own healthy and cheap homemade meals is fun, empowering, and a huge money-saving activity.

As you become more skilled at meal preparation, you might even get bold enough to plan your meals a month (or more) in advance. Did you know there are entire websites, forums, and clubs devoted to Once-a-Month Cooking? Check some of them out!

As you become better at meal prep, you should strive for consistent progress, but don’t expect perfection. There will always be those times when you can’t make it to the grocery store or you’re feeling too worn out to plan ahead. But don’t beat yourself up over it. If you’ve grown accustomed to fast food or ordering out, even implementing this plan a few times a week is going to have a positive impact on your finances!

The post Budget-friendly Ways to Meal Prep appeared first on The Branded Daily Digest.

The series was a huge hit. In fact, you can still catch the reruns on TLC. There are plenty of colorful characters, and it serves as an instruction guide for everyday consumers who want to save themselves a ton of cash on groceries and other items.

While clipping coupons from inserts and flyers is still a popular money-saving pastime, the practice has become more of a digital experience these days. With dozens of websites and apps for savvy shoppers, couponing is more exciting than ever. 

In this post, we’ll discuss some of the top coupon sites and apps to save money this year. Each of them is unique, but all of them are designed to save you money on things you already purchase, which means more money in your pocket at the end of the month. Let’s get started.

Best Websites and Apps for Coupon Enthusiasts

We’ve divided this article into two parts. The first part features three top couponing websites. These sites are great to visit if you are just starting out with couponing. They are filled with tips, strategies, and guides to help you start saving on your next trip to the supermarket.

The second part of the post lists three of the top couponing apps. You can download one or more of these to your smartphone, and you’ll have your coupons with you no matter where you go—no clipping required. 

Top Couponing Websites

The Krazy Coupon Lady

More Information

The Krazy Coupon Lady is an excellent resource for newbies and veteran couponers alike. Founded by stay-at-home moms Joanie Demer and Heather Wheeler, it began as a blog about saving money and is now a multi-million dollar corporation. Don’t be intimidated by the numbers, though. This site is still as down-to-earth as ever. 

You’ll find pretty much everything on this site. Visitors can check out the best deals at their favorite retailers, clip virtual coupons, and take advantage of tons of tips and tricks. The site is updated several times a day, so you can get all the hot deals as soon as they are posted. They even have an app so you can coupon on-the-go. Be sure to download the Free Quick Start Guide to Couponing while you’re there. 

Refund Sweepers

More Information

Refund Sweepers is an old-school couponing and refunding site that hasn’t changed much over the past two decades. As a result, the site is basic and not the most user-friendly. However, if you’re interested in learning from a hard-core couponing community, Refund Sweepers will become your new obsession.

While you can find most of the same deals that you would on The Krazy Coupon Lady site, Refund Sweepers is built around trading. Users can post in one of four forums focused on coupons, rewards, freebies, or general savings. Members frequently list coupons or rebate forms they have to trade with a list of coupons they are looking for. Since inserts vary in different parts of the country, it’s an ideal way to acquire paper coupons you need or brighten someone’s day with a stash of coupons you’ll never use. 

Southern Savers

More Information

You don’t need to live in the South to join the Southern Savers community. The site is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to save money. There are plenty of how-to guides at Southern Savers, including:

• Understanding Coupon Terms and Abbreviations
• Where to Get coupons
• How to Start Couponing
• Store Coupon Policies
• Video Tutorials

Southern Savers features other topics that couponers may be interested in, too. For example, they have a whole section on frugal living that includes inexpensive menu plans, home decor, and date ideas. The pull-down menu even includes an article on how to get paid to take surveys, including a nice writeup about Branded Surveys.

Setting up a free account at Southern Savers allows you to track your savings, create a custom homepage, and save shopping lists, but it’s not required to enjoy the site. 

Top Couponing Apps

Ibotta

More Information

Ibotta has become a trusted app for anyone who wants to get money back on their purchases. Every time you shop in a brick-and-mortar store, on your phone, or online, you’ll get the opportunity to save. It works like this:

• On the app, choose among thousands of deals on items you plan to purchase the next time you go shopping. 
• Shop as you usually would, but take a photo of your receipt.
• Upload the picture of your receipt to Ibotta. Ibotta will calculate your cash-back reward and add it to your balance. 
• Once you have earned at least $20, cash out your earnings via PayPal or a linked bank account. 

With Ibotta, you’ll get a bonus just for signing up, and you’ll even get cash back on Shiptd or Walmart Grocery Delivery. Plus, you can earn every time you refer a friend. 

Coupons.com

More Information

Coupons.com is one of the most recognized sites among couponers everywhere. It’s a central clearinghouse for coupons of all kinds, with new ones added all the time. It’s also versatile. You can print out coupons at home and clip them to take to the store. 

Users can also link their store loyalty cards (they partner with most major national retails like Walgreens, Target, Supermarkets, etc.) to save. Once you are set up, just tap your store, pick the coupons you would like to use for that trip, and the savings will automatically apply when you check out.

Like Ibotta, Coupons.com also has a cash-back feature where you can upload and submit your receipts and earn a cash-back deposit into your PayPal account.

Dosh

More Information

If you are looking for a couponing app that requires the least amount of effort, Dosh is it. Instead of scanning barcodes or taking photos of your receipt, you just link your credit or debit card. Then, the app automatically scans your purchases for available offers and cash-back deals. In essence, you simply shop as you usually would, and Dosh runs in the background.

Dosh partners with thousands of retailers, including restaurants, grocery stores, and travel services, so there’s a pretty good chance you will earn with this app. A few popular places to make money with Dosh include:

• Dunkin Donuts
• Instacart
• Disney
• Sephora
• Walmart
• Pizza Hut
• GNC

When the balance in your Dosh wallet reaches $25, you can withdraw your earnings to PayPal or a bank account. The app is available in the App Store or on Google Play.

The post Top Coupon Sites To Save a Lot of Money in 2022 appeared first on The Branded Daily Digest.

If you’re struggling to figure out which options to give your loved ones, try choosing one based on their passion. There’s a gift card for everyone. Read through our categories to get gift card ideas for everyone in your life for every occasion.

The Best Gift Cards for Foodies

We all have that one friend or family member that knows the best restaurants and will always choose eating out over cooking any day. If you’re searching for the best online gift cards to celebrate the foodie in your life, nothing shows how much you care than sending them to their favorite restaurant. If your friend appreciates a nice steak, opt for a gift card to Morton’s The Steakhouse, Texas Roadhouse, The Kansas City Steak Company, LongHorn Steakhouse® or Tony Romas®.

Others may enjoy popular eateries like Papa Johns®, Olive Garden®, BJ’s® Restaurant Brewhouse, Burger King®, IHOP®, Chipotle and Claim Jumper®. And if you know they appreciate a good drink to go with their food, you can also choose from bar-restaurants like Chili’s, On the Border®, Applebee’s®, T.G.I. Friday’s® and Buffalo Wild Wings®. A foodie will love any restaurant gift card at the end of the day.

Most Popular Gift Cards for Active People

If you need to celebrate that person in your life who wakes up at the crack of dawn to get a work out in and is always obsessing over the latest fitness trends, you’ve got a lot of gift card ideas to choose from. Start them off with gift cards to choose fitness equipment from Fitbit, DICK’S Sporting Goods®, InVite® Fitness, Cabela’s or Champs Sports. If you know they love the great outdoors, a gift card to REI Co-op, GolfThere, L.L. Bean, Sierra or Bass Pro Shops® might be a better option.

Lastly, you can go the route of giving them a gift card to get all the athletic wear they might need to partake in their next adventure. Check out gift cards from Columbia, Foot Locker®, Nike, Adidas, Athleta, Under Armour® and more might be the best solution. Show your friend or loved one how much you support their active hobbies with one of these gift cards.

Gift Card Ideas for Shopaholics

The perfect present for a shopaholic would be a bigger closet. Since that isn’t very realistic, fuel their need to shop with a gift card to their favorite retailer. Help them buy amazing styles on a budget with gift cards to Marshalls®, Stitch Fix, Old Navy, T.J.Maxx® or Nordstrom Rack. Other popular gift cards to choose for a shopaholic include Nordstrom, Macy’s, Zappos®, Lane Bryant, Express, Banana Republic, American Eagle Outfitters®, Kohls and JCPenney. Any shopaholic will appreciate a gift card to their favorite retailer to celebrate their birthday, the holidays, a promotion at work or nearly any other occasion.

Most Popular Gift Cards for Sprucing Up Home

If your friend or family member who obsesses over HGTV has a birthday or special occasion coming up or someone you know just moved into a new house, why not give them a present to a store that will help them spruce their home up? Whether they want to buy new furniture, home goods or new décor, there are plenty of stores to pick from. Get your friend a gift card to HomeGoods®, Bed Bath & Beyond®, Wayfair® or Pottery Barn. If you know they want to do a bit of remodeling to their home, The Home Depot® and Lowe’s® gift cards are a great idea, too!

Best Online Gift Cards for People Who Love Travel

If someone you know who loves to travel has a special occasion coming up like a birthday or a wedding, travel gift cards are a practical and thoughtful present. Whether they want to use them for their upcoming trip or honeymoon, there are lots of different travel options available. If you want to contribute to an awesome place to stay, choose a travel gift card for Airbnb, Hotels.com or Groupon®. You can also help them get to their dream destination with a Delta®, Southwest, Princess Cruises or Royal Caribbean gift card. When they take their trip, they will remember that you are part of making it possible.

Popular Gift Cards for Entertainment

When the latest book, music album, video game, TV show or movie comes out, there’s likely someone in your life who will rush to read, listen, play or watch it. They love sources of entertainment. Help them spend less money on entertainment in their life by giving them a gift card the next time there’s an occasion to celebrate them.

For your friends who spend their weekends watching the latest movies or TV shows, they will love gift cards to Regal Cinemas, Redbox®, atom, AMC®, Fandango®, Hulu, SHOWTIME® and Cinemark®. If they prefer to read or listen to music as their source of entertainment, give them a gift card to Barnes & Noble, Apple Music or Sirius XM®. Lastly, if they love to play video games, they will appreciate gift cards for Xbox, PlayStation® or GameStop®. Other popular gift card ideas for people who love entertainment are gift cards to the Apple app store and Google Play store. You know your friends and can easily figure out which one they will enjoy the most.

Gift Card Ideas for Beauty Product Lovers

For your friend or family member who is always trying the latest makeup product, watching beauty bloggers on end or looking to enhance their skincare routine, they will love a beauty gift card! If makeup is their favorite, get them a gift card to Cake® or Sephora. If they prefer skincare products, they might enjoy a Bath & Body Works gift card even better. Or, play it safe and give them a gift card to Ulta® Beauty so that they can choose the best of both worlds. Beauty gift cards make fantastic presents for birthdays, the holidays and bachelorette parties, too!

Best Gift Cards for Coffee Drinkers

Do you know someone who lives and breathes for their daily cup of joe? If you’ve got a reason to celebrate them for an upcoming occasion, give them the gift of coffee! Gift cards to Starbucks, the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Caribou Coffee® are the best gift card ideas for anyone who thrives on caffeine. If you want to give them the option to pair a donut with their morning latte, gift cards to Dunkin’® Donuts or Krispy Kreme Doughnuts® are also amazing options. These gift cards are perfect for anyone in your life from friends and family to coworkers.

Gift Cards for Anyone and Any Occasion

If you’re really not sure what someone is interested in or what kind of gift card they would be happy with, you’re in luck. Several gift cards are good for nearly anyone and any occasion! If you’re stuck, try one of these gift cards: Amazon, Walmart®, Target® are popular with most. Alternatively, go for a Visa® gift card that can be spent anywhere.

Earn Gift Cards for Taking Online Surveys

Do you want to give your friends and family gift cards as presents without spending a dime yourself? With Branded Surveys, you can earn gift cards by simply giving your opinion. After completing an online survey for cash, you’re awarded a certain number of points. Once you reach 1,000 points, you have the option to exchange your points for one of the gift cards we’ve mentioned in this article and others! You never have to worry about saving up your own money to buy a gift again. Just take online surveys and keep earning points.

Ready to start earning gift cards? Sign up for Branded Surveys today to get started!

The post The 90 Best Gift Cards for Any Occasion appeared first on The Branded Daily Digest.

Use our money budgeting tips to learn how to save money fast so you can reach your savings goal!

Cancel Unnecessary Subscriptions

One of the first ways to start saving money on everyday expenses in your life is by canceling unnecessary subscriptions (or downgrading them to cheaper plans). Ask yourself if your monthly subscription for a new pair of underwear is worth it or if you really need Disney+ in your life. If you don’t need a brand new pair of underwear every month or rarely watch Disney+, cancel that subscription!

Work Out at Home

Even if you belong to an inexpensive gym that only costs $10 per month, that’s still $120 per year that could be back in your wallet. Working out at home is free if you’re creative enough. You would be surprised how many free workouts are online and how many free fitness apps can help you train. Look into  Nike Training Club, Ladder, Crossfit: Beyond the Whiteboard and Freeletics to begin with. You don’t even need to purchase weights – everyday items around your house can stand-in.

Working out at home will save you the cost of a gym membership, as well as gas and any post-workout drinks or snacks you typically splurge on.

Cancel Cable and Home Phone

Canceling cable and your home phone can save you lots of money every month. It costs significantly less to pay for the internet and a few streaming services to watch the same programs. Here’s a related money budgeting tip: If you have any friends or family members living with you, split the cost of streaming services to save even more.

Shop Around for Internet

While you’re in the process of canceling your cable and home phone, it might be a good idea to look for a new internet provider as well – or at least tell your current provider you’re doing that. Often, when you tell an internet company that you’re leaving for their competitor, they will offer you a discount to stick around. You can then use this quote when you’re on the phone with your provider. They would rather save a customer by giving you a discount than lose you altogether.

Explore Other Cell Phone Carriers

You should also look at other cell phone carriers. Making the switch to a different carrier can save you money; you might even get a free or heavily discounted phone out of it. If you have a cell phone carrier in your area that also offers home internet, you might be able to score a bundle deal. Shopping around at different companies is one of the easiest tips for saving money on everyday expenses!

Sign Up for Reward Programs

Do yourself a favor: Create a junk email address so you can subscribe to every reward program you find. Often these reward programs will send you exclusive coupons and deals that are only available to members. Pay attention to your inbox during your birthday month for freebies. In the meantime, search your inbox for emails from a particular company when you want to buy something from them. At the very least, all these emails will help you stick to saving money on everyday expenses.

Look for Coupons, Discounts and Sales

Before you go grocery shopping or make any retail purchase, do your research for coupons, sales and discounts. If you’re committed to learning how to save money on everyday things, looking for deals is essential. Browse coupons and sales at your local retailers or check out coupons.com and retailmenot.com to find sales, coupons and discounts. Also, check to see if the store you’re shopping at has an app with electronic coupons.

Use a Rewards Credit Card for All Purchases

You can earn a great deal by using a rewards credit card on all of your purchases. Rewards credit cards offer you a certain percentage of cash back, points, airline miles or some sort of return whenever you use them to make a purchase. Search for rewards credit cards that will offer you the most cash back for your purchases. Some credit cards offer a higher percentage back on certain categories like grocery stores and gas. Do your research and apply for a credit card that will give you the most cash back for your typical purchase, and remember to use it responsibly. To avoid paying interest and losing money in the process, pay off your credit card debt every month.

Compare Prices

Most stores will price match if you can find a better deal at a different retailer. There are plenty of websites that make it easy to price compare any purchase you want to make. Whether you plan to shop online or in-store, price matching is an easy way of saving money on everyday expenses.

Shop Generic, Used or Refurbished

Instead of paying for fancy brand names or buying everything brand-new, consider purchasing a generic product next time. Often, generic products are almost identical to the brand name; they just don’t come with the hefty price tag. You can also learn how to save money by shopping around for used or refurbished items. If you need new toys, clothes, furniture or even electronics, there are many resources to help you buy these used or refurbished. Check out refurbished sections on electronic company websites, or browse thrift stores, consignment stores and apps like OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. Buying used is also more environmentally friendly – so save the planet while you’re saving money.

Eat and Drink at Home

If you spend a fortune every month at restaurants, bars and coffee shops, just making the switch to eating and drinking at home will teach you how to save money fast. Instead of going out for drinks with friends, invite them over and make the cocktails yourself. You can buy a bottle of wine for the price of a glass you’d get at a bar or restaurant. It also costs significantly less to brew your own coffee and make your own meals – why not give it a shot and save even more money?

How to Save Money Fast: Take Online Surveys

If you’re looking for another way to save money fast on top of our money budgeting tips, getting paid for doing surveys is perfect. When you become a member of Branded Surveys, you can take market research surveys for big companies and get paid for your opinion. There’s no limit on how many surveys you can take or how much money you can make. We even offer additional opportunities to earn points fast by referring your friends, participating in weekly challenges and daily polls, or taking advantage of service offers from our partners.

Once you reach 1,000 points, you can redeem them for rewards like cash or free gift cards. Whether you want to use the cash and gift cards to help pay for your everyday expenses or put the cash directly into your savings account, taking online surveys is an easy way to earn money fast. You can take online surveys anywhere and anytime. They’re fun to complete and easy to do!

Sign up with Branded Surveys today to start earning and saving!

The post How to Save Money on Everyday Expenses appeared first on The Branded Daily Digest.