Tips To Save Buku Bucks On Spring Beauty Purchases

Yesterday. I covered spring money-saving hacks for kids' stuff, so now it's time to talk about mama's stuff! 

Spring is in full bloom, so I thought I would share a few of my top tips for buying champagne-style beauty products on a beer-budget. (Aveda, Trish McEvoy, Lancome, Clinique, Bobbi Brown, Sephora, OPI...) Or, how I rarely buy high-end beauty products at full price and get a lot of awesome free stuff in the process, and not because I'm a blogger. Let's just say, I'm a product whore with a laughable budget and years of buying experience. 

1. First and foremost, sign up for email alerts from your favorite brands. This alone makes it easy to get the most bang for your buck from your go-to brands. FACT: Department/Beauty store brands (Clinique, Bobbi Brown, Trish, Laura...) promote 'gift with purchase' specials YEAR-ROUND. TIP: Check your favorite brand websites for the weekly gift with purchase specials and free shipping... add a coupon code and SCORE BIG!! 

2. NEVER Buy anything without getting something free! I'm not kidding. I have yet to buy any products without getting free samples. If the brand website is not offering 'gift with purchase' specials, stores like Sephora, Ulta, Nordstroms, and Macy's may offer in-store/on-line promotions for the multiple brand's products. Do you see where I am going with this? Research your brand-loyal beauty products online before heading to the store. Always.

3. Print Monthly In-store Coupons. Love your Cover Girl Mascara or Almay Tinted Moisturizer? Before you shop for shadow and gloss, spend some time downloading + printing coupons. If you play your coupons right, you might score big by combining it with an in-store promotion. 

4. Reap the Rewards, Reviews + Ratings. Thanks to stores like Sephora, Ulta, and Amazon, getting the 411 on products is easier than ever. Amazon is a gold mine for finding reviews, photos, and deals on beauty products. Sephora is the spot for finding new products and scoring a loot bag of sample-size products. Ulta sends coupons for discounts on a single item or entire purchase via snail mail and email, so signing up for the email list is worth it for that alone. I use this for self-tanner and nail polish purchases!

5. Google What Gets You. The next time you want to splurge on a new miracle cream, Google it before buying it. But try googling the specific need, "dark circles," "deep wrinkles," then look for best sellers, then read the reviews. There is no reason to spend a month's salary on an eye serum with so many great options available for a fraction of the cost. Did you know Amazon's best-selling serum costs $15? It does. It also has 4300 reviews and 4.5 stars. 
                                                               

6. GET CASH BACK! Last, and my biggest and best shopping tip, RAKUTEN. I promise I am not getting paid to say that. I cannot recommend enough signing up, then downloading the browser plug-in. Then, every time you shop online, you're automatically notified of the percentage of cash back you get for purchases, and then at checkout, coupon codes are auto-loaded. IT'S AWESOME! I've been a member since 11/19/16 and have a lifetime cash back balance of $695.11 CASH!!!

Seriously... sign up. Download Rakuten then install the plug-in to your browser, 

and that's it! 

16 Super Cool DIY Valentine Box Ideas For The Class Party

To the first-time parents about to expereince their first valentine's day class party, get ready. This is the holiday that requireds the most parent involvement. My best advice is to start early. Waiting until the last minute to make the Valentine Box and the Valentines is No Bueno! Picture it: You up until 2 am making the box and signing your child's name on 25 class Valentines.

NOTE: If the idea of making a Valentine's Day box makes your sphinter spasm, no worries go to Target and buy a ready made box. Yes, they totally exist. I did that last year. This year, We're making the BB8 Trash can. I picked up the stuff at the Dollar Store. I'll post the tutorial asap.

If you feel adventurous and crafty, it's really easy to make the box, and your child will probably love making it with you. All you need is either a shoebox, cereal box or tissue box, construction papaer and an imagination. Below are 16 super easy to recreate Party boxes to get you thinking.

To see the step-by-step tutorial for any of the boxes or to see more Valentine's Day box ideas, Check out my Valentine's Day Pinterest Board. 

Super Easy Spooktacular DIY Halloween Party Decorations

Are you throwing a Halloween party this weekend or just planning to decorate? Below are Super Easy Spooktacular DIY Halloween Party Decorations I found while looking for decor for my party, and just had to share. The following decorations are super cool, easy to do and best of all, inexpensive-creative genius! 

Start with last year's candy buckets! Spray paint all but the bottom of the plastic pumpkins white. After they dry, spray a coat of glow-in-the-dark spray paint and allow to dry. Once dry, grab a kid to paint the eyes. It's easy and fun to do for the kiddos. TIP: Keep white-out handy for quick fixes. 

Here's a faster, no-mess glowing eyeball decoration.  Got to the Dollar Tree and grab a few pop-lights.  You can make the eyeballs shown below, orange pumpkins, bats and more! 

Here's an even easier glowing eyeball! Except, you better start collecting toilet paper and paper towel rolls (Cut them in half) ASAP.

Dead bodies!

I've considered making a few to throw in the yard on Halloween. Stuff old clothes with newspaper then use garbage bags and duct tape to form a person. 

This refrigerator decoration is super cute and easy.
All you need is three pieces of black paper or one big black sheet from the Dollar Store. 


Soapy Bugs!
I LOVE this idea. So easy.
You could jam a fake finger in the soap too!





While you're at the dollar store, grab white and red candles to create a bloody mess!!
It'so easy to make these bloody candles. Melt red wax over the white candles. TIP: Melt red wax on the tray the candles are displayed on to make more of a bloody mess!

Don't forget the toilet!
I've seen everything from a hand creeping out of the top of the tank, to "Watch Your Back" written under the seat. But this one is a first... and so friggin funny!
Poor Moaning Myrtle.

And Last... The Halloween Decoration sweeping the nation, DIY Tape Ghosts

The concept is super cool and looks easy enough! Wrap a dummy, doll, human, in clear packing or duct tape. Start by wrapping the subject sticky side out first, then sticky side in.  Once completely covered, cut the tape mold away from the person creating sort of 'seams'. Gently slide the mold off, and re-tape seams to create a solid tape mannequin. Spray paint with glow-in-the-dark spray paint and put outside for unsuspecting trick-or-treaters.

TIP: Start Small scale with a hand, then move to entire body molds.