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Every once in a while you purchase something because it fills a need, but it ends up exceeding all initial expectations. These are the products that you end up truly falling in love with, knowing that you will never be able to live without them again. We have been fortunate enough to come across several of these in recent years, and so we would love to share some of our favorite product home runs.
Retract-A-Gate
This amazing gate retracts, so when it is open it is very unobtrusive in your home. No more tripping over, climbing over, and taking up and down a baby/pet gate. It can be opened/closed and locked/unlocked with only one free hand. It also works perfectly for really wide doorways and on banisters that are difficult to fit with standard gates. It is so amazing that I have three of them in my home!
Cutco Knives
I cannot say enough wonderful things about ALL Cutco knives. When I first saw them, I thought the price for one knife was way too high. I owned an entire set for the price of two Cutco knives. However, after using one for one day, I knew I’d never use anything else. One of these knives is far more valuable than 1000 low-grade knives. They have a lifetime warranty and you will NEVER regret the purchase of any of these knives!!
Projector
One of the top must-haves in our house hunt was a basement. Though I’m sure you would think this means we wanted extra square footage, extra storage, etc., the actual number one reason my husband HAD to have a basement was for a TV projector. He wanted a space large enough and dark enough to turn a whole wall into his TV screen, and I thought he was crazy. He at first was talking about getting some $2,000 projector, and for me the cost/benefit analysis of this versus a nice TV just wasn’t making sense. However, I quickly changed my tune when he found a projector for only $600, which was less than a very large TV would cost. And I have to say, I have learned to love the huge screen, which is oftentimes better than a trip to the theater, so I now consider a projector to be something we will never live without again. And even better yet, the price of our projector has gone down greatly, and there are even newer versions available.
Storage Ottoman
I knew for a while that I really wanted a storage ottoman, but now I can’t believe how long I waited to actually get one, as it has quickly become one of the things I will never do without again! With four kids, it’s inevitable that we have toys everywhere… Or at least they used to be everywhere – now they’re in the ottoman! This thing can easily stash away so many toys, even large items, making a quick living room cleanup something that even my two year old and four year old can help with. I love this particular ottoman for the beautiful color and great price, as I found that most ottomans of similar size are at least twice as expensive, and I have had absolutely no complaints about the value and durability this offers.
Fabric Shaver
If you don’t own a fabric shaver, you need to! This amazing tool has saved so many items of clothing that were just starting to look really worn out. The above shows an actual sweater I used this on, and the clear difference is easy to see. I have had this thing for almost 2 years and it still works great, has never damaged an item, and I honestly can’t believe I haven’t had one my whole life since most of my sweaters end up looking like the before pic. Also, its uses are not limited to clothing. This can make couches, pillows, bedding, etc. look brand new! Truly any fabric in your home that has some pilling, this can make it disappear!
Pony-Connect
This is my favorite tool to get my 5-year-old daughter’s hair out of her face. My little girly girl loves that it looks “fancy,” but I love that it literally takes less than a minute. Simply secure a section of hair from each side in the basic elastic, twist, connect the attached clips together, and cover with your favorite accessory. SO EASY!
Digital Picture Frame
Upload photos straight from your phone to this ever-changing picture frame. This has been such a great gift for family members! I can upload photos directly to my mom’s photo frame, giving her instant, up-to-date photos of her grandkids and loved ones. It’s such a great idea and she loves it!
Cozy Sack
I know it sounds strange to have a “bean bag” be among the list of things I just love, but I can’t say enough good about this thing! I originally bought it just thinking it would provide something that I could easily drag and place in front of the TV that would be comfortable for my small kids to lay in and drink their bottles (since I always noticed them just lying on the floor). However, I have discovered that not only does it accomplish that feat, but because of its size (we got the 4 ft one, though they have even bigger!), it is truly so comfortable for everyone, even my 6’4 husband who has slept like a baby many times in it. One thing I didn’t expect, however, is how it has also turned out to be one of the most fun “toys” we have ever had. Kids have spent hours jumping from the couch or ottoman and diving into the bean bag. My husband even will spin the kids around and throw them into it, and I can’t believe how durable it is! Because it is foam rather than the typical “bean” bag, even throwing our 100-pound daughter into it has not popped it or caused the slightest bit of damage. Also, it comes in so many colors and the outer covering is easily machine washable. This truly is a rare find of something both comfortable and just fun!
Amazon Echo
How did we ever live without our Amazon Echo!!? Cooking in the kitchen, I tell Alexa to add to my shopping list as soon as I discover I’m low on something. It has an amazing speaker for music, gives instant weather updates, works as an in-home intercom between multiple echos, and so much more. If you don’t have one, get one now and you will absolutely love it and find new features all the time!
Robot Vacuum Cleaner
With four kids, I know that my floors are never going to stay clean for long – maybe until the next meal, and then all bets are off. Sweeping and vacuuming have always been some of my least favorite chores, so I have LOVED having a robot vacuum cleaner. These have been around for a while, though I only very recently got one, and now I can’t believe I waited so long. I chose this brand due to it having good reviews compared to how much cheaper it is than some of the other options out there. And I have to say, so far I am quite impressed. I just set Deebot to run every other day, and I have rarely had a need to pull out the regular vacuum. Also, the remote control can allow my kids to “drive” it, which has become one of their favorite things to do. So, while I have extra free time to devote to other things, my kids all beg to get to be the one to drive the vacuum. That’s a WIN-WIN!
Smart shopping is all about having the right tools at your disposal. That is why we want to share all of our favorite apps, coupons, and just plain great deals or ideas that will save you money.
Rakuten
If you’re not using Rakuten (formerly Ebates) regularly, then you are missing out on so much free money. Rakuten basically pays you cash back when you make purchases online. You simply go to the Rakuten site or app, find the store where you want to shop, and then just go about business as usual in the browser that it opened. Once the purchase goes through, you get cash back, and all it took was a simple trip to their site before making your purchase. Plus, if you sign up by using this referral link, you will get $10 cash back for your first purchase of at least $25. There is just no reason to leave this money on the table!
Ibotta
Ibotta works a lot like Ebates when shopping online, giving a percentage of cash back for eligible purchases, and I often actually check the offers from both before deciding which one to use. However, where Ebates tends to be more for online shopping, Ibotta can be used almost anywhere, including restaurants, grocery stores, liquor stores, etc. However, in stores you have to go into the app and select the items you are buying and then you get the dollar amount specified as cash back, rather than a percentage of your overall purchase from the store. I use it the most at the grocery store where I simply scan the Ibotta app before I shop to see what deals are too good to miss. It doesn’t take much time at all, and I have gotten over $300 cash back in about a year of using the app. Again, not using this just means you are leaving free money on the table!
Honey
Honey is different from Ebates and Ibotta in that it doesn’t focus as much on giving cash back, but it can just save you a LOT of money on the front end of your purchase by giving you the best coupons and promo codes, and it can be used along with Ebates and Ibotta for even more savings! They have a simple plugin that you can download to add to your web browser, and any time you are shopping online, before you check out, a Honey popup will ask if you would like to look for savings and test various codes. All you have to do is accept, and Honey will automatically apply several codes to see what can save you the most money. There was one time that I was totally ready to go with a purchase, already feeling like I had gotten good deals just through the merchant itself, when there came Honey with a code that took an additional $20 off my order! Needless to say, I’ve been a fan ever since!
thredUP
I cannot tell you how often someone has complimented something I am wearing, and my response has been that it came from ThredUP and cost less than $10, sometimes even A LOT less.
ThredUP, an online consignment shop, is my absolute favorite online shopping destination for clothing for myself and my kids. With 4 children who outgrow things so quickly, I am always looking for great deals, and this has been my main go-to for awhile now. They take gently used items and sell them for a FRACTION of the price that these items would be new – and we are talking a lot of name brand, high-quality stuff! They even have countless items that still have the tags on them, but since someone has technically owned it already, you get HUGE savings.
Use this referral link to save $10 off your first order.
Diamonds
Click here to read about how we came to discover our absolute favorite diamond substitute (which we truly consider to be BETTER than a diamond), and how it could save you a TON of money!
