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Product Review: Maple Holistics Winter Blend – Best Anti Static Product – Shampoo and Conditioner Set
Picture this — It’s a cold, snowy Friday night. You’re on your way to meet family and friends at a restaurant for a birthday party. Your birthday party.
There will be group photos, there will be selfies, there will be Snap stories. You’re wearing your most complimentary yet comfy outfit, and your makeup looks classy without appearing too overdone.
You dash into the venue, shrugging off your heavy coat and pulling the wool cap from your head.
Then you turn to look in the mirror.
And see this:
If this has happened to you during the winter months, then you are not alone. In fact, most people experience flyaway hair in colder weather.
But if this also happens to you in the spring, the fall, and sometimes in the summertime, then you know all about this problem.
A problem that I’ve always experienced too, since I have fine, flyaway static-prone hair.
College Campus Checklist — Huge Guide with 37 College Essentials for Guys
Updated 5/3/19
High school graduation season — when young adults are full of promise and expectations, ready to begin their journey into adulthood.
Some may be college bound, some may be entering the workforce. Others may make the decision to serve our country.
But one thing’s for sure — their lives will inevitably be changing.
No longer a teenager in high school, they will be encountering new opportunities and facing new challenges.
Having raised two sons myself, I can definitely testify at times it was hard — for all of us.
But once they had that diploma in their hands, it was clearly worth it — the significance of what they’d accomplished — and where it might lead them in the future.
So what kind of gift can you get a graduate to help meet life’s next challenge?
Are there practical gifts that can provide a small boost, that step up to their next stage in life?
I don’t know about you, but I really believe finding a graduation gift for a boy is so much harder than for a girl.
Maybe because my sons are a little more reserved, and less likely to share details or expand on their personal thoughts. I swear, sometimes it’s like pulling teeth to get a full sentence from them!
But I’ve seen many posts out there with graduation gift ideas for college-bound girls, and not so much geared toward males. That’s why I really feel like it’s sooo much harder to find graduation gifts for guys.
I did a lot of searching 5 years ago when my son finished his high school journey and was preparing to go to college.
In other words, by providing him with a head start, without hindering his ability to transition into adulthood.
For example, making him a starter kit of laundry essentials, vs. allowing him to bring dirty clothes home once a month for mom to do his laundry 🙂
So call it a college freshman survival kit, or just call it an away-from-homecare package.
Here is a SUPER LONG list of college essentials for the guy in your life who is ready to move on to the next stage as an adult. And if you’re looking for some unique yet useful “graduation gifts for him”, look no further. HERE is the only list of items you’ll need. Whether he’s graduating high school, or already a college freshman — these essentials will give him everything he needs to feel at home.
If you’ve tried some popular receipt scanning apps like Ibotta, Checkout 51 or Saving Star, then you might have heard of a newer one called the Fetch Rewards app.
Scan Receipts, Earn Points
Fetch Rewards is a receipt scanning app that turns your store receipts into rewards. According to its website, you use the Fetch Rewards app to scan grocery receipts from any grocery, convenience, or club store.
And actually, you can do way more than that. You can also scan receipts from drugstores, big box stores, dollar stores and liquor or package stores.
The app reads the items from your receipt and “Fetches” points for you. And the points vary based on the product or brand that you purchase. Keep collecting points to redeem for awesome rewards.
What kind of rewards? Well, all types of stuff –
Beauty products, electronics, clothing, music, housewares, restaurant gift cards and even Visa or MasterCard gift cards.
Want to check out Fetch Rewards? You can download the Fetch Rewards app from the App store for iOS devices, or from the Google Play store for an Android device.
This page includes affiliate links — which means I may receive some sort of compensation (at no cost to you) if you sign up or make a purchase through these links.
Fetch Rewards for Android users, continue reading below …
Fetch Rewards – Update for Android Users
Since initially publishing this post, I’ve received some feedback from folks saying the Fetch Rewards app doesn’t always work on Android devices.
From comments I’ve received from multiple users, there appears to be some glitch within Android’s older operating systems making them incompatible with the Fetch Rewards app.
When researching further, I found a few online articles that say it’s a constraint of the Android hardware/OS/inner-workings — nothing really to do with the Fetch Rewards app at all. I found these twoarticles that explain how Androids are built and customized, depending on manufacturer. And also how difficult it is for updates to be pushed through consistently.
Response from Fetch Rewards
So I decided to reach out to the company, to see if there was any course of action an Android user could take, or if they had any other comment to add to the discussion.
I asked if it truly was due to a technical constraint of the Android infrastructure, and if there was anything additional a user could do to receive Fetch Rewards’ most updated features.
Here is the response I received from the company:
Hi Robin, Thank you for reaching out to Fetch Rewards!
One of the many wonderful things about Android devices is that they are very individual, created uniquely, and by different manufacturers. This is fabulous and fun because people can personalize their devices in really cool ways!
However, as you know, technology progresses at an extremely fast rate these days. New capabilities for devices are released and here at Fetch, we try our hardest to be available for all the devices. But as technology progresses, so must Fetch Rewards.
The good thing, is that if a user has a device that is incompatible with Fetch, they can simply sign on one of their friend’s or family member’s devices, and redeem their points. It’s really as easy as that. And their account will still be around for them to sign into when they do obtain a newer model device.
Just to break down the above, I’d like to point out a couple of things:
If the Fetch Rewards app no longer works on your Android phone, there doesn’t appear to be a workaround to fix this (at the moment).
If you currently have reward points sitting on the app, you’ll want to find a way to redeem those points before you reach that 90-day mark — when points are forfeited for non-use of the app.
Per the company’s suggestion, the way to do this would be to log onto a friend or family member’s phone, download the app, and then redeem your points.
I would even go so far as to suggest you redeem all points as often as possible, no matter what type of phone or operating system you have. There’s nothing worse than putting a ton of time and effort into accumulating thousands of points, and then realizing you can’t get into the app in order to redeem them. Just a thought.
So that’s my update — And I’d like to give a shoutout to Bethany and Lindsay at Fetch Rewards for responding to my questions so quickly. I wasn’t sure if I’d receive a response at all, since I had reached out to their general support area. But the fact that a response came in so expediently goes to show they are doing their best to look out for their customers.
But please be aware — if you have an older version of Android phone (even as recent as one year old), and do not receive the updates to the operating system, it may not work appropriately with this app.
However, it does appear the company is aware of the issue and they are working to bring all software components up to speed.
The Lowdown
What Makes Fetch Rewards app Different
You don’t need to activate deals beforehand
You don’t need to scan any bar codes
There are NO surveys to take
There are NO video ads to watch
Plan your shopping trips based on items that will earn the most points
Items can be added directly to your Shopping List
Search for Recipes and add ingredients to your Shopping List
Earn Base Points for items on your receipt, based on the item price
Stores where you can Earn Money from Fetch Rewards
Earn Points at any Store
Shop Rite
Publix
7-Eleven
Walmart
Walgreens
Dollar General
Family Dollar
CVS
Food Lion
Target
Dollar Tree
Costco
Shell
Stop & Shop
Whole Foods
Harris Teeter
Big Lots
K Mart
Price Chopper
Rite Aid
Shaw’s
Sam’s Club
….and MANY, MANY more!
Seriously, the above list is just to show the wide range of stores where you can use the Fetch Rewards app.
It’s notjust your regular grocery store, but also club stores, convenience stores, dollar stores and pharmacies.
Any place where you might do some shopping — buying EVERY DAY items — you can submit your receipts and earn extra cash back rewards.
What’s on the App
Scan to Earn Bonus Points
How to Save
Special Offer Bonuses – To receive extra points when certain items are purchased and scanned.
Special Offer points are awarded for completing the listed offers within the app. For percentage back offers, points are awarded based off the price paid on the item.
Receive entries for a chance to win products. For example, scan any receipt for a chance to win a year supply of coffee. Or buy a particular brand to receive 5 sweepstakes entries.
Brands – Search for products that will earn you the most points by brand and category. Filter by categories like Baking, Beauty, Dairy, Frozen, Snacks, etc. Also save your brand Favorites and receive Suggestions.
Receipt Scan Bonus Points – Earned for doing an great job scanning consistently, and “just for being awesome”.
Plan Your Shopping Trip
Recipe Inspiration – Hundreds of unique recipe ideas to help you plan your next shopping trip. From Appetizers to Desserts, plus Beverages, Soups, Sides and Salads — and even Kid-Friendly dishes.
√ Neat trick – If you find a recipe you’d like to try, you can click the little + icon on the right side of the screen. This will add all ingredients to your Smart List!
Smart List – to add items to your grocery shopping list. Easily enter any item and quantity, either from suggestions on the app or by using your keyboard. Sort items, update description or quantity, and mark as Complete to cross it off your list.
Recipe Inspiration Screen√ Shortcut – Add Ingredients to Smart List
First, plan your shopping trip. The Fetch Rewards app can help you by showing which items will earn the most points. Click the + sign to add that item to your shopping list
Check out the Special Offers, or search for items you need by Brand
Go to the store, and get to shopping!
Scan Your Receipts for Bonus Points
Once you’ve made your in-store purchase, grab your receipt and get ready to scan
In order to receive Fetch Rewards credit, make sure your receipt contains the following information: Store name or logo, date, time and total purchase amount
Click the Scan button, and then Scan Receipt. This will engage your phone’s camera. Line up your receipt edges within the camera guides. Also be sure to activate the flash if you’re in a dark area.
Once you take the photo, you can choose to Retake if the image is blurry, or click Finish.
Or, if you have a longer receipt, you can click the + sign to add another section to the scan.
When you’re satisfied with the image(s), click Finish
The app will tell you the image is loading, and if any errors are identified
And when the receipt has been validated, you’ll receive points to your Fetch Rewards account
Troubleshooting
Receipt inaccurate or Items missing message – This could happen if the scanner cannot read all required information off of your receipt. One of the following items may be missing: store name, purchase date or time, product name/price, or total sale. Before submission, the app allows you to add any information it missed during the scan. You have up to 14 days to correct a receipt.
If your receipt image is blurry, you can re-scan and view for clarity before submission.
If you receive any other errors that are not addressed on the Fetch Rewards app or website, you can email their online team at support@shopfetch.com
The Fetch Rewards app can be combined with other couponing apps, like Ibotta and Saving Star. This means your savings can essentially be stacked. Which means you’ll be able to make money from all of these apps at the same time.
You can also use regular in-store coupons for purchases.
Eligible stores are located in the U.S. only. Fetch Rewards is currently unable to process receipts from outside of the country.
You can use your Fetch Rewards points to earn gift cards (cannot be redeemed for cash). However, you can redeem rewards points for Visa or MasterCard gift cards, which essentially can be used as cash.
If you are inactive on the app for 90 days, any existing points will expire. But don’t worry — the Fetch Rewards app will send you a notification beforehand. So if you’ve been really busy and haven’t been scanning, you’ll receive a gentle reminder.
Updated Features for 2019 (currently iPhones only)
This year, the Fetch Rewards app has been updated for iPhones to also accept e-receipts. This means you can connect both your Amazon.com account and your email account. (Development for Android users is currently in progress.)
While this feature is still considered to be in the beta testing phase, I’ve already seen a noticeable difference in my accumulation of rewards points.
Connecting your Amazon.com account means your Amazon purchases can now be counted towards points
Connecting your email account means any other online purchases you make can be applied to your Fetch Rewards account
This update allows you to accumulate points quicker and easier than before!
(Also note this feature is currently only available on iPhones.)
From the Scan section, instead of selecting the orange camera icon (for hard copy receipt scanning), you’d select the blue e-receipt button.
Once you click the blue button, the Fetch Rewards app will automatically retrieve the e-receipts from your Amazon account and email account.
Note: While implementation of this feature for Android phones is currently in development, at this time, the e-receipt feature is only available on iPhones.
SingleCare
Another update recently made is the addition of SingleCare.
SingleCare is a discount prescription plan that can save you up to 80% on your prescriptions.
In addition, the first time you use SingleCare, you’ll receive a bonus 5,000 Fetch Rewards points. And every use after that will reward you another 1,000 points.
Full disclosure— I have not used this feature yet. But I figured it was worth mentioning, since it’s an update to the Fetch Rewards app. Once I do use this feature, I will be sure to update this post appropriately with my feedback.
Reward Points
Redeem Points for Rewards
Start accumulating reward points by scanning all of your store receipts. Then redeem those points for awesome gifts and prizes.
You can search for rewards either by category or point value. See what you’re able to trade them in for, or see how many more points you need to work up to.
Once you set your eyes on a prize and have accumulated enough points, just tap Redeem and you’ll receive an email for your reward.
Popular reward categories: Art, Beauty, Electronics, Entertainment, Fashion, Gifts, Home Goods, MasterCard/Visa gift cards, Media, Office Supplies, Pets, Restaurant, Retail, Spa, Specialty stores and Travel. Or you can also donate your reward points to one of over 250 charities.
Okay so let me start out by saying one of the EASIEST ways to make money online is by taking surveys.
There. I said it.
Will it be a lot of money? Will you get a quick payout? Will you make money on every survey that you try?
No, no and no.
The reality of it is — you could start a survey, get 5 minutes into it, and then get bumped out under some disqualification.
Nothing wrinkles my britches like time wasted.
I mean, I can procrastinate with the best of them, but that’s totally my doing. On the other hand, if someone else is wasting my time, boy does that annoy the heck outta me.
So why bother with survey sites? I mean, really — do we have time for that?
Because I’m with you. Side hustling is sometimes a struggle. I participate in a lot of online money-making forums, and the general consensus on taking online surveys is not good.
Lots of people submit posts looking for suggestions on how to work from home, or how to make money online from home. And they specifically say “no surveys!”
I feel that frustration. But let me tell you about one you might be overlooking.
And this is not some smarmy way of finagling you into taking online surveys.
You’re too smart for that.
This is a site that actually does have the word “survey” in the title. But it’s much more than that. Really.
Because I’ve been making money through this site. And it hasn’t been by taking surveys.
I make money each month by sending them my garbage.
We’re gonna try something new today — a fun and frugal recipe for active (and even picky!) families.
One thing I’ve realized in my (ahem) older age, is the constant fluctuation in grocery and meal needs for my household. Now that my two sons are in their early twenties, my partner and I find it’s often just the two of us home for dinner.
Our family life has always been super busy since the boys were actively involved in sports.
Depending on the time of year, they might be at basketball, football or baseball practice. Then once all of the games started up — good lord, they had us both going crazy driving back and forth.
Then trying to fit some nutrition in there was definitely a constant challenge.
But now that the boys (young men!) are starting to live their own lives, they’re not home for dinner as much as they used to be. They either grab a bite on the go, or they go out to eat with friends.
So where does that leave the rest of us? When I’m so used to creating huge meals to match the appetites of two growing teenage boys? Well, we have to be creative — and make sure we’re putting all of our refrigerator and pantry items to good use.
Especially when it comes to perishable items. In the past, we’d go through 2 gallons of whole milk per week. Nowadays, we’re lucky if we finish our 1/2 gallon of 1% milk.
With that in mind, I recently planned a quick weeknight meal using a few staples and some existing items from our pantry.
