I’ll admit it..I’m an avid internet user. I’m never far from being online and it’s rare that I ever get to totally disconnect…and since I’ve become a Mom, the way I use the internet and it’s value to me have most definitely changed. Prior to motherhood, I would occasionally make a purchase online, usually just browse, but still physically go to a store and make my purchases. However, when I learned I was expecting, the internet sort of became my best friend… I turned to the world wide web to research things about being pregnant and what to expect, read up on all that an expecting Mom needs to know, to be “ready.” Then, comes the baby registry and figuring out what products and purchases I would need to make for my newest arrival.

Well, once that kicked into full gear, I was constantly online doing my research to determine what products would fit me best. Then I’d hunt for where I’d get the best deal, calculating shipping costs and weighing the pros and cons between similar products, but different brands. It was at this point that I truly became an online shopper. I think I had sort of resisted before because it seems like every time you buy online with a new site, you have to create and account and all that…I HATE THAT! What I do LOVE about online shopping is that I can browse at my leisure and it’s easy to see if they have the sizes and styles I want available right away, plus it all comes straight to my door. As a Mom, that certainly makes things easier.

Okay, well this post isn’t going to tell you how to avoid creating accounts at all the places you shop online, but what I do want to talk about is how I would make sure I got a return on my purchases! I started using EBATES. It’s an online “rebate” site where, you simply log on and let them redirect you to the site where you want to shop. There’s a search box at the top right side of the page and each time I wanted to purchase an item, I’d check to see if they were affiliated with ebates, before making my purchase. Sure, it can be pennies on the dollar..but those pennies add up. I mean, you can’t expect to get a huge amount back, but when I ordered the nursery furniture and higher priced items, you get DOLLARS back!

The “rebated” money goes straight into my paypal on a quarterly basis, and it makes me to feel good to know I’m getting something back, no matter how small the amount. To date I’ve gotten more than $130 back and I’ve been a member for 2 years. I don’t know how much I spent to get that much back, but $130 IS $130… 🙂 Now that the holiday shopping season is upon us, you can bet anything I buy online will go through ebates first…and hopefully be adding more pocket change to my account! So, before you make your next online buy…make sure to EBATES first!!! Click HERE to sign up!!