Saving on Groceries with Starbucks Rewards™ Visa® Prepaid Card

This post is sponsored by Starbucks, but all thoughts expressed are my own.

As a family of 5, food is undoubtedly one of our most expensive bills in our household and we’re always strategizing ways in which we can save on that grocery bill. Honestly, sometimes the thought of shopping for groceries make me feel overwhelmed; the thought of the numerous aisles to navigate and possible long checkout lines and usually with children in tow can make for a less than desirable experience and there is the added stress of trying to make sure we stick to the budget.

Like I mentioned earlier we’re always strategizing ways to save on groceries and to overall better manage our finances. One strategy we’ve used is comparing prices from different grocery stores/supermarkets. We’ve shopped at a number of supermarkets and have found that shopping at the commissary on our local Military base tends to give us the biggest bang for our buck. Their discounts are amazing!

We’ve also recently added a new layer to our budgeting strategies and that is; incorporating the Starbucks Rewards™ Visa® Prepaid Card as an additional budgeting tool for grocery shopping. 

We believe it is a great budgeting tool because it’s a prepaid card and we can limit what we spend each month on grocery. For example, if we only want to spend $400 a month on groceries, we can load only $400 on the card for the month to use until it runs out 

plus there are no monthly or reload fees associated with the card. Other fees may apply. 

With this prepaid card, you can earn Stars everywhere you shop which makes it perfect for using  at our local Military commissary. Also, since you’re earning Stars everywhere you shop, you get to enjoy those Rewards much faster and this is the only Visa prepaid card that allows you to earn Stars for all the purchases you make with the card. 

Plus, when you sign up for the  Starbucks Rewards™ Visa® Prepaid Card, you can earn 125 Bonus Stars once you use your prepaid card the first time to load $10 or more to your registered Starbucks Card through the App.How great is that? This has been an exciting layer especially with the benefits that accompany it. You must sign up for Rewards to get the card. 

Unlike my debit card which doesn’t offer any rewards, I take solace in the fact that when I use my Starbucks Rewards™ Visa® Prepaid Card, I am earning Stars as I shop some of my trusted brands which might be a little more expensive, but worth it. In addition, I am still saving because I am getting a great price by shopping at the commissary.

Utilizing the Starbucks Rewards™ Visa® Prepaid Card as a budgeting tool for groceries not only helps me manage my monthly budget and financial goals, but I am also earning and stacking up on Stars!

After a quick stop at my favorite Starbucks store on my way home from grocery shopping, I get to quietly enjoy my Reward and much needed coffee.

Are you a Starbucks Rewards member already enjoying the perks of your Starbucks Rewards™ Visa® Prepaid Card? I’d love to hear what you love most. If you’re interested, you can learn more about the card here. 

At participating Starbucks® stores. Some restrictions apply. See Starbucks.com/terms for details.

Debit cards are provided by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC

xx

For the Children: Holiday Cheer via Restoration Hardware.

As promised, here is the picture laden post that didn’t make it to fruition on Friday. The images in this baby and child catalog are so heartwarming and lovely. I’d say they are the perfect antidote for a cold and dreary day, much like the one we have here today. Get your cup of coffee, tea, hot chocolate or whatever your liquid preference is and enjoy….

Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la…

Yea, I got carried away and almost posted the entire catalog. Such cuteness though! Blessings and a wonderful day to you sweet friends. xx

Off to High Point Market with Happy Feet!!

I will be going to the High Point Market trade show(Spring 2013) for the first time and I leave tomorrow! I haven’t been unable to contain my excitement and if you’re on twitter or instagram, then you might have seen the hashtag #hpmkt all over your feeds. It’s a huge deal!

A Quick Background Info:

The High Point Market (originally Southern Furniture Market), held in High Point, North Carolina is the largest home furnishings industry trade show In The WORLD, measuring over 10 million square feet (1 km²) encompassed in approximately 180 buildings throughout the area. The market holds two major shows each year, one in April and another in October, running for 6 days each time.



Since I want to make the most of my experience, I have no intention of making my shoes become an issue. I am all for happy feet which means I shall be sporting flats.


Gone are the days when flats were synonymous to plain and dowdy. There are so many varieties to choose from these days!

Here are a handful of some of the showrooms that I will be happily and comfortably touring:

The Lounge Collection by Robert Petril. I am especially excited about this showroom. Robert doesn’t shy away from colour and his designs are bold. I love that!

The Thibaut showroom is sure to be a feast for the eyes where beautiful patterns and colour abound!

A taste of what CR Laine’s showroom has to offer! Swoon!

I think this Conrad table is on almost every pin board on Pinterest!  Worlds Away showroom will be fabulous, I’m sure! There are so many more showrooms that I am looking forward to visiting! Not to mention the educational workshops! Oh what an enlightening experience this will be!

In addition, I am thrilled that I will be able to meet a number of other bloggers too. This is sure to be an unforgettable experience! I will be blowing up twitter and instagram all weekend so stay tuned! Blessings and have a safe weekend my friends. XX

{images: tumblr, pinterest, google}

A Winner and Springing into Colour with JCrew and Urban Outfitters!

The winner of the giveaway(chosen using random.org) is comment number 19! Congrats to the wonderful Erika at Tiptoe Butterfly! I will be emailing you shortly lovely! Thanks again to everyone for entering and a Huge Thank you to the sponsor of the giveaway!

If you’re tying the knot this Spring or headed to a wedding, JCrew is the one of the best stores to shop  for stylish garb at a reasonable price. I’m so smitten with the colour choices for their wedding collection; not to mention all the tropical goodness in the photo shoot…

Beautiful collection, is it not?

A Pretty Bed Makes for a Long Marriage…

Urban Outfitters is not just for the dorm room or college students. They just launched their very first home look  book and the bedding collection is colourful and so fun! Again another affordable line so newly weds can dress their beds in style without breaking the bank.

If you’re not an avid lover of colour like I am, you will undoubtedly find something to love about this collection. It  ushers in Spring with beautiful florals and graphic patterns that is sure to put a pep in your step every time you enter your bedroom.

Blessings and Happy Monday my friends! XX

P.S. Thanks for the lovely feedback on my new specs:-)

{images; via, via}

Ovvio.

When i lived in Vicenza, Italy (northern Italy), i used to make frequent shopping trips to Ovvio.  Ovvio is a store. I don’t think it’s fitting to call it a store because it was the size of a number of stores, so i’ll refer to it as a center. It is located in Le Piramidi, one of the malls in Vicenza. I also frequented that mall way too often… Anyway, back to Ovvio, it’s like a center where you can shop for everything for the home and office.
I always experienced an outer body experience whenever i went there. Everything is so beautiful, and they are definitely experts at displaying their products in such a way that they lure you in. I know of one other person who knows exactly what i’m saying and that’s my shopping buddy, Patrice. Hey P! :-). We  lived in Italy at the same time and both of us combined, dropped some major dollars at that center. I’ll go as far as to say, Ikea has nothing on Ovvio. Well, i guess i have to take that back because i have yet to go to Ikea.  What, you can’t believe that i’ve never been to Ikea?! Well, i’ve been to Ovvio, how about that?  Here are some pictures from their 2010 catalogue. Enjoy! xo







{images via ovvio.it}