Tag Archives: online shopping

RetailMeNot Canada Launch

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Once again this is one of those things that Canada get’s to celebrate later, whether it be a launch of a store that the US has had for years like Target or the dozens of other US imports. For those who are interested in saving money (that’s everyone, who am I kidding) take note of the RetailMeNot Canada launch which happened recently.

RetailMeNot Canada

RetailMeNot has been in the US for quite some time and provides a great way for online shoppers to use coupon codes and save extra $’s at checkout. The site provides a variety of coupons where users can rate the coupon based on successfulness, so you aren’t trying fault coupons that don’t work. With the new Canadian launch we now have Canadian retailers added, additional deals and also a little box per retailer that says whether the company ships to Canada, works here and additional info like duties and currency preference. (see below) Make sure to check this box out, especially for US retailers like JC Penny for example, you may end up getting charged duties on your purchase.

retailmenot canada launch

How to Make the Most of RetailMeNot

The idea when buying online is first and foremost to not pay shipping, if not you might as well go to the bricks and mortar store yourself and purchase the products, try them on etc. Look for coupon codes that will let you do that, or make sure the online retailer has an offer for a spend x amount of dollars and receive free shipping. Check out Air Miles Shops (if you’re an Air Miles card holder) and see if the retailer you are buying from offers bonus miles with purchase as well. Then check out RetailMeNot and see if there are additional coupon codes that you can make use of to save more money when making your purchase.

Purchasing online 101;

  • Make sure shipping is free
  • Check out Air Miles Shops to get some additional miles
  • Find online coupons through RetailMeNot.ca
  • Make sure you aren’t being charged duties
  • Educate yourself on the return policy of the online retailer

RetailMeNot Canada-The Verdict

Personally I really like to shop online especially for birthdays and during the holiday season so I have to say I’m really happy about the launch of the Canadian version of this site. It provides an additional vehicle for savings, often has coupons for free shipping (which I think is the kicker when it comes to shopping online) and organizes information by vendor.

Unfortunately this is something that we should have had a while ago, but yes I am being a bitter Canadian again (don’t we always complain?). I’m glad that we now have a great site that has a variety of coupons that are easy to access, which in the end will help provide some additional savings when purchasing products online. As a student I really recommend you to go to RetailMeNot.ca before you make purchases, every dollar you save counts..and then you can buy some more beer.

Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas

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Christmas is now in less than a week and for most of us we finished shopping for Christmas presents. Despite my best efforts to complete all of my Christmas shopping, the 3 weeks of exams and final projects don’t tend to seem like real life, and once your out its almost Christmas. So for those who are still haven’t purchased everything they need, here are some great last minute Christmas gift ideas, some of which don’t even need to be shipped. For the most part I like to completely avoid malls since you end up spending about 30 minutes trying to find a spot.

Magazine Subscription
http://www.rogersmagazineservice.com/
Check out Rogers Magazine service for great deals on magazine subscriptions and you Air Miles and Aeroplan members can also get bonuses for purchasing subscriptions.

Amazon.ca
*Note today is the last day forty of free super saving shipping to arrive before Christmas
Buy a wide variety of products and purchase over the $25 to get free shipping as well.
Make sure to check out their Top Holiday Deals section but make sure to check that the products are available once they are in your cart.

Chapters
*Use the ship to store function to go and pick up your purchase, ship to home for the holiday’s is no longer available
Purchase books at much cheaper prices than in the store, and sign up for plum rewards to save more. Also you can purchase a variety of home decor products, stationary including Moleskin notebooks for friends that love to write and keep notes in something pretty.

Futureshop
For those who love technology, as of today there are 3 days left for ground shipping and it’s free for orders over $20.
For items like DVD’s and box sets you may be able to find a better deal at Amazon, check your prices. It’s often better to buy from Futureshop for electronics since you can go in store whenever there are problems or issues with the product and returns are much easier as well.

Groupon/Team Buy/Living Social/Wag Jag
Make sure to check out all of these sites certificates to redeem the gift are available once the daily deal ends, so keep that in mind. But these gifts are simple don’t require any shipping and for those who hate wrapping can be put inside a Christmas card. These gifts can be anything from trips to manicures and pedicures

Manicure/Pedicure/Spa Treatments from a local spa
This something you can pick up as long as the location is open, but it’s highly unlikely you will be waiting in line or fighting anyone for a parking spot, plus this is usually a great gift for your mom.

LCBO/Liquor Store
Another great idea and something I’ve done in the past is buying someone’s favourite liquor, and you can often purchase these in gift sets as well. There’s also the option of picking a variety of unique Christmas beers and it’s something that you know they will love and can even consume on Christmas. Check out the LCBO’s Gift Finder guide http://www.lcboholiday.com/gift_finder

Baking
Even if you aren’t the greatest baker in the world, baking cookies and decorating them yourself and then packaging them up nicely is a great personalized present that is also easy on the budget. Check out Pinterest for some great baking ideas as well as just simply searching google or checking out Kraft Kitchens as well http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/dessert/main.aspx

What last minute gift ideas are you thinking about this year?