Freebies Sites

I have several "go-to" sites when I am looking for freebies and good deals. I have gotten a TON of free samples, full-size products, coupons, and smoking hot deals!

Below are a couple of my favorites:

Absolute Forum

Big Big Forums

I also "Like" many brand of Facebook because it is trendy for them to post freebies for their FB followers.

Happy Hunting!

Which Box Is Best?

There are literally hundreds of subscription boxes out there right now. It seems like the subscription box thing is the hot item of the moment. I have succumbed to the mania by subscribing to several different boxes that I think are catered to my likings. There are many, many categories of these subscription boxes. There are beauty boxes, boxes for new mothers, craft boxes, children's boxes, food boxes, organic boxes, etc. I tend to go for the ones that offer beauty products.

My question today is, which box is best? So far I have found that the one I enjoy most and look forward to getting is Popsugar's Must Have Bag.  I have yet to be disappointed with the many treasures I have found when I opened the box. I guess my second favorite is Cravebox. I am always pleased with Cravebox, but I wish it would be a little more regular. One thing I do like about Cravebox is that it does have a Facebook so the subscribers can chitchat about the goings on at Cravebox, as well as getting updates on shipping and contents from the Admins of Cravebox. The reason I like these two boxes so well is because they include mostly full-size products.

Now my question to you is, which box do you like best? Post in the comments below if you have a favorite! 

Sample Society September 2012

Sample Society is becoming one of my favorite subscription boxes. The products usually are not full sized, but they are all high end so I feel like I am  getting something luxurious. I am very pleased with this month's box.

I love lip gloss, so my eyes immediately were drawn to the tube of Borghese B Gloss lip gloss. And the color is perfect for me. I will definitely enjoy this. The color is Fiore and it retails for $19/0.21 oz. This is slightly smaller than full size at 0.16 oz.

I next noticed a little box with foreign lettering. The little box contained a small spray tube of perfume. The brand is Dipytyque and the fragrance is Do Son. It retails for $88/50 mL. 

There was one tube that was larger than the others. It is Cellceuticals Extremely Gentle Skin Cleanser. I feel like this will be a great addition to my daily skincare regimen. It retails for $35/6.7 fl. oz. The sample size is 2 oz. I can get a couple of weeks of use from this sample.

To use after the Extremely Gentle cleanser, I found Ahava's Time to Clear purifying mud mask. It claims to clear the skin of oil and root out acne and blackheads. I am really looking forward to using this. It retails for $31/4.3 oz.; the sample is 0.9 oz. I feel like this will probably be my favorite product from this month's box.

Lastly, I found a Stila Smudge Crayon. This turns out to be an eye primer, liner, and shadow all in one. I love the color, which is Umber. I already love Stila products, so I'm sure this one will not be an exception. It retails for $22 in the full size. The sample looks like it is probably about a third of the full size. 

I always love getting these high end products and trying them out, even if I can't afford them! Oh yeah, and let me not forget to mention the $15 off $50 purchase from beautybar.comhttp://www.beautybar.com/. 

Birchbox September 2012

Yesterday I got my 2nd ever Birchbox. I was less than impressed with my first one, so this 2nd one was a test to see if I would continue for another month. I am a little more pleased this time, but not just overwhelmed. Anyway, if you would like to know what's inside this month's box keep reading.

Here was my first look at the box:

The first thing that caught my eye were the Bandaids. They are very cute and are "designer" Bandaids designed by Cynthia Rowley. They retail for $15 for a pack of 20 and are very cute (a little expensive for Bandaids if you ask me):

Next, I noticed a small tube and upon further investigation learned it was Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25. This says it is a 4 in 1 moisturizer, serum, sunscreen, and tint. I will try it in the morning and see what I think. Retail is $32 for the full size; the sample is 0.1 oz.

Gray must be "in" this year because this is not the first time I have seen gray nail polish recently. This nail polish is Birchbox Custom Polish and Color Club and the shade is Status Update. I will give it shot on my toes before I go with the nails. It retails for $8 on Birchbox's site. I never could get a very good picture showing the color:

Benefit Cosmetics included their Foamingly Clean Facial Wash + Refined Finish Facial Polish. I believe I will really love this product and perhaps since I have been earning points on Birchbox's site through ordering this box and reviewing products, I will use those points on this product. It retails for $21-$22 in the full size. These are two samples that look like they will last 3-4 uses.

A Kate Spade New York perfume sample was included. It is in a little spray bottle. The fragrance is Twirl and it smells great. The description states that it is a blend of fruity and floral notes. The full size is 1.7 oz. costs $80.

I have to admit that I almost threw the next item away! It looked like a little ribbon that might have been tied on the top of something that had come loose. I am SO glad that I noticed that tiny little tag attached. It turned out to be a Twistband hair tie. It is very cute and looks like it will do a good job of holding my hair. A set of 12 costs $18.

Also included was a card for $25 off a $75 purchase from Madewell, a Fashion Fall Basics booklet, and a code for two free music downloads from Tristan Prettyman.

Overall, I liked this Birchbox, but I really don't feel like I'm getting a bargain. I feel like I'm paying for samples and the shipping. I'm still on the fence with Birchbox. Popsugar and Cravebox include full size products and I always feel like I get way more than I paid with them.

I Can Buy That For What?

I know many have heard of these so called "deals" websites where you can buy premium products at dirt cheap prices. Do these sites really exist? Will they just take your money and run? Will they hack your bank account and transfer all your money to some Caiman Islands off shore bank?

First, yes these types of sites do exist. I check them daily and do get some really great deals on many days. For example, just today I scored some facial products that retail for over $150 together on the product's website for $25.98 with free shipping and no tax. I have not had any problems with any hacking my account. I have always gotten what I've ordered with no problems.

Before I give you the links to some of my favorite sites, I will give you some pointers for a smooth sailing great deal transaction. Number one, most of these sites allow you to pay via Paypal. I strongly suggest using Paypal when paying for anything online. A multitude of sites take Paypal now, even itunes, so it pays off to have a Paypal account. The main reason I suggest using Paypal is that if you do encounter a problem, Paypal offers certain protection as well as tracking your transaction and providing all the contact information for the other party. Another tip is to always Google the item you are about to purchase before you buy. The reason I do this is because there are times when the item offered is available on other sites (such as amazon.com) for the same price or cheaper. Be a smart shopper!

Alright, now to the good stuff. I am going to list some links below that I have personally used and gotten some really great deals.

My favorite is http://1saleaday.com/ 
They change their sales up every 24 hours and the products range from beauty products to tools to jewelry. On some products they charge shipping, but on the tab that says Flash, shipping is free.

Another of my favorites is http://www.dailysteals.com/
This site changes every 24 hours, too.

These next two do not change every day, so I only check them a couple of times a week. I would strongly suggest checking them out if you need electronics accessories, such as HDMI cables or earbuds, because you can get these types of products here for a fraction of the cost that you will pay at Wal-Mart or Best Buy.

http://www.icemonkey.com/

http://bensoutlet.com/

I have bought many, many products from these sites and have been pleased every time. Happy shopping!