5 Easy Steps to Save More $$$ with Ibotta

Disclaimer: This post contains referral links. If you join Ibotta using my link, we both earn a bonus. That said, this is not a sponsored post and I am not being compensated to write it.

Have you tried the Ibotta app? It's one of my most loved apps right now! It's super easy to use, saves me money, and gets me to try some new things that I might not otherwise try. There are a lot of offers on items that I regularly buy as well. I definitely call that winning all around. 💕

I recently listed it among the things I'm currently loving. After that post, a reader reached out to me to say she downloaded the app, but wasn't seeing very many offers. She asked if I might consider writing up an easy tutorial on how to use the app. I thought that was a great idea, so here you go - complete with screenshots from my phone!

I hope you find it helpful to start saving money today!

1. Add Stores to Your Favorites

Three Things Thursday - 12/19

Here's what on my mind today.

1) This has got to be the SLOWEST week ever. Seriously, it seemed to take FOREVER for Tuesday to get here, and now it's ONLY Thursday. When will this week end? Of course, today has been one fire after another at work, but at least today is moving quickly. Yay!!

2) I get a lot of junk email. So much that I created a separate email address just for when I sign up for newsletters or mailing lists.

One of the mailing lists I'm on is for H&M. Usually I just ignore them, but when I checked my email this morning while lying in bed Tell me I'm not the only one who does this! I couldn't ignore the UP TO 70% OFF email I had staring back at me.

Plus there's a shopping app for my phone? Ok!

So, yeah. I downloaded the app and went to browsing the Sale items.

$100 later...

I did find some really great deals, though.

3) Do you get stressed out over the holidays? I do okay, actually. Mostly because it's just me and my husband, and we don't do much to celebrate. Even though we don't celebrate the holidays, I still enjoy a little pampering all year long!

I received this Water-Resistant Professional Skin Care Face and Body Brush System from ToiletTree Products to review awhile ago.

It's fabulous! So easy to use, and it's like getting a mini-facial every morning.

It comes with 4 interchangeable heads - 2 for your face, 1 for your body, + a pumice stone. They are extremely easy to change - even the hot steamy shower.

Definitely one of the best features of this is that it's water-resistant. I keep mine hanging in my shower for everyday use.

It's also nice that you just use your favorite facial cleanser. I love that you don't need to buy anything special.

NOTE: I wouldn't really recommend using the Apricot Facial Scrub with this. I find it a little hard to clean out of the bristles.

The pumice stone is a very nice touch. Makes giving myself a pedicure a bit easier.

When I use it, I feel like my face gets a little more love and my skin is a little bit happier.

It's on sale right now at Amazon for only $39.95, so give yourself (or someone you love) the gift of pampering and relaxation this holiday.

How's your Thursday? 
Has this been slow week for you or is it flying by?
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Saturday Fun - A race and an Expo

My alarm went off at 3:15am. I lied in bed for another 10-15 minutes. I was excited, but I still didn't quite want to get out of my warm bed.

Luckily, I'd set everything out before bed, so I didn't figure it would take me too long to get ready.

I headed out to my car shortly after 4am when I realized I hadn't eaten anything, so I rushed back inside to grab some PB bread and a banana.

And I was off to Mandalay Bay to pick up a total stranger my new friend, Crystal. We connected through the FB event page in the interest of carpooling the hour to Valley of Fire from Vegas.

After a little hiccup finding each other, we were off!

We were one of the first to arrive. We got all checked in and headed back to the car to keep warm and prep for the race. As you know, I decided to switch from the Half to the 10K, but then I saw the back of the shirt.

If you follow me on FB or Twitter, you know what happened next.

Yep, I switched from the 10k back to the Half. I had to earn that shirt! LOL.

Lesson learned: If you drive a Half Fanatic to a race, you're not going to get away with running a 10K.

Teasing, of course, but she did help convince me to go for the Half. It was 100% awesome, and I'm so glad I made the switch. 

**Full recap on the race tomorrow.** 
First, let's talk about the RnR Las Vegas expo.

I'd never really been to a huge expo like this before. Crystal is running Strip at Night tonight. She wanted to hit the expo after our half, and so did I, so we headed right there. Well, we stopped at my apartment first and then walked to the convention center.

Unfortunately, my phone was down to 15% after the race, and I'd forgotten my charger, so I couldn't charge it on the drive home. I really wish I'd had it at the expo. Oh well.

So much fun!

First stop was the Brooks Run Happy Island, where we each won a tee.

Then we stood in line to spin the wheel at Jamba Juice, and we each won a free smoothie. Score!

My intention was to get new shoes with the $100 Visa Gift Card I'd received from my co-workers on Friday, and Crystal had other things to check out, so we separated.

I was walking around trying to find a good deal on shoes, but they were all just so expensive and the booths selling them were so busy. Finally I stopped at the Red Rock Running Company booth. After talking to the guy there, he convinced me to stick with the Wave Sayonara.

Why mess with a shoe that works for you? Have you had any injuries?
Well, I've recently had some shin pain.
90% of the time that's caused by a change in your daily running. You shouldn't blame the shoes.
You know, it did start shortly after incorporating some serious hills into my running plan.

And so, I decided to walk around the expo and see what else I could spend my money on. LOL.

Let the shopping begin...

I spinned another wheel at Skirt Sports and won an additional 5% off, so I picked up these pretty pink arm warmers.

There were a LOT of booths selling headbands. I love the wider headbands that cover my forehead and wick away sweat. I found this super fun one for only $5 at Hippie Runner.

The ONE booth I wanted to check out was Sparkle Athletic. I've followed them on Twitter for a while, and they always seem like so much fun! I wanna join #TeamSparkle.

And now I can.

I was very happy with all my purchases. I had no idea what time it was, since my phone was home charging, but I figured it was time to head home.

On my way to find the exit, I stumbled upon this booth.

I mean how awesome is this company name - Women Having Optimistic Objectives & Healthy Attitudes, Whooha! It spoke to me so loudly that I simply could NOT leave without shopping.

I found this awesome long sleeve top in the sale bucket for only $15.

And this hoodie that I LOVE and not just because after trying the large and medium it was the small that fit best was a bit of a splurge at $40, but like I said I LOVE it, so I couldn't resist.

Now, I'm really off to the exit.

But wait! This booth has $10 tech shirts! Ok. Twist my arm.

What's this at the cash register?

A magnet for a Half at the LV Motor Speedway? They're offering $15 off registration TODAY ONLY? I can sign up right over there? What?

So, I sat down at the booth and hemmed and hawed about spending $70. I rarely spend that much money without consulting Jeff and I didn't have my phone. ARGH!!

But it was $70 TODAY ONLY and it was a local, ONE-TIME event.

Yep. I totally signed up. And got another free tee.

You could say I had a great time meandering around the expo, checking out the booths, trying samples, entering giveaways, and shopping.

But the best thing that happened?

@GeorgeOkinaka thanks for saying hello! I felt all famous. :-)
— Clarinda (@EnjoytheCourse) November 17, 2013

I was recognized by a Twitter follower! How awesome is that?!

Do you enjoy race expos or do you just pick up your packet and skip the crowds?
Have you ever been recognized by someone you'd never met in person?
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Other ways to follow Enjoying the Course:
Twitter → @EnjoytheCourse
Instagram → enjoyingthecourse
Facebook → EnjoyingtheCourse
Google+ → Enjoying the Course
Pinterest → clarindad

Eat More Veggies - Bountiful Baskets

In an effort to eat better and include more veggies in our diet, I posed the question to my Facebook friends about the best place in Vegas to buy local or regional produce. One friend mentioned Bountiful Baskets. I immediately remembered reading a blog post about this last summer and remembered how much I wanted to give it a try.

So, I read everything on their website and decided to try it out.

If you're not familiar with the program, it's a co-op way of purchasing produce. Basically, you choose a location for pick-up, make a contribution on Monday or Tuesday, all the money gets pooled together to purchase whatever is available, you show up Saturday morning to pick-up delicious produce.

It's all run by volunteers, so all your money get put toward the produce. Since it's run by volunteers, they ask that you volunteer at least every 6-8 times that you contribute.

We picked up our first basket this past Saturday, and it was so much fun!!

The two nearest locations were about 5 miles away. An easy bike ride. We chose the one location because it had a later pick-up time and we are not at all early morning people on Saturdays.

We fully intended on getting there early enough to help volunteer. The website said the volunteer time was 7:15. We arrived at 7:10, and everything was all finished. I guess we'll have to get there earlier next time. :-)

With your order, you get one basket of fruit and one basket of vegetables.

All packed up and ready to head home.

Ewwww!

Yep. That's ketchup splattered all over my legs and shoes.

About a mile or so from home, I ran over a ketchup packet. I'm not sure why I didn't really think to avoid it, but I definitely learned my lesson as I scrubbed the dried, sticky ketchup mess from my legs and shoes. Ugh!

Here's everything we got in our baskets!

Fruits: 4 mangoes, 3 grapefruit, 1 pineapple, 1 cantaloupe (not pictured, as it was already cut and in the fridge)
Veggies: 5 ears of corn, 2 cucumbers, 1 head of romaine, 1 box of grape tomatoes, 1 butternut squash, 1 pound of carrots, 1 head of cauliflower

It seems like kind of a lot for just the two of us, but hopefully it will force us to eat more veggies.

We've already eaten most of the fruit, but writing this post reminds me that I still need to cut up the cauliflower and carrots into snack-size portions, so we actually eat them.

I'm going to need to get a little creative on some of the veggies, because we already committed to week #2. :-)

We also purchased some additional add-ons like bread, tortillas, and a Mexican blend of veggies. So excited for next Saturday!!

Hope you all enjoyed a lovely Memorial Day weekend. Back to the grind in the morning...

Have you ever tried Bountiful Baskets?
Where do you get most of your produce?
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Happy Spring!

Don't be jealous, but the weather has been pretty perfect here lately! Highs in the 70s/low 80s; lows in the 50s/60s. Even the wind hasn't been too crazy.

Ah, perfection. :)

Today marks the first day of Spring. Oh happy day! Those of you living in the colder climates, I'm sure it will start  warming up where you are soon.

Spring is like the promise of new and great and better things to come. I LOVE SPRING!

But with the change in weather, my closet becomes more depressing. All my clothes seem to be too warm or too dark. I need some light and bright clothes to spring-up my wardrobe.

It seems that the older I get the cheaper I get. When I was in my 20s, almost all of my clothes were purchased at the mall. At stores like Express and NY & Co. True, I generally shopped the sales racks, but I didn't have nearly as much trouble spending money on clothes as I do now.

Now, I do most of my shopping at thrift stores. Like GoodWill or Savers. Sometimes I'll peek into some higher end thrift stores, but even those seem to be too spendy for me. :D

I prefer shopping alone because I am a super slow shopper. Thrift stores can be so overwhelming, and I really need to be in the right mood to go, but when I do go, I'm there for several hours. Including many trips to the fitting room.

There are so many sweet deals you can find at a thrift store, but it often takes a lot of hard work. A lot of sifting. Scouring. I'm compelled to search through each and every rack in fear of missing out on something great search of the perfect piece at the perfect price.

To me, thrift shopping is serious business and not for the casual shopper.

I also love thrift shopping because it's greener than buying new. I like knowing that, in a small way, I'm helping to make the world a little better by reducing waste and buying used.

Thrift shopping is an adventure. With all the scouring and sifting I already mentioned, it's like a treasure hunt. You never know what you'll find.

And one of the best things about thrift shopping? It's rare that you'll ever buy the exact same thing as your co-worker! Unless, of course, you shop at the same thrift store that your co-worker donates, then you might just end up buying their old clothes. lol. True story. It didn't happen to me, but I overheard the story in the lunchroom.

Does the season change make you want to go shopping and spruce up your closet?
What do you love or hate about thrift shopping?
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Not cool, body. Not cool.

Warning: If you're a male reader, you might want to skip this post.

I got my period on Monday. I knew it was coming because for the week or so prior my boobs felt like heavy bricks every time I'd unleash them from their sheath my bra. Once that painful heaviness sets in, I know the time is nearish. Sometimes it's a couple of weeks; sometimes it's a couple of days.

It's only in the past few years that I've starting experienced this.
And cramps.

I used to always feel so lucky not really ever having to deal with the pains of being a woman. My periods would come and go, and while I've always hated them, they would never cause me to DOUBLE OVER IN PAINFUL CRAMPS.

But, as I've gotten older, I've started to get ...

... the aforementioned painful boobs
... increased acne
... heavier flows
... painful cramps

Sometimes I joke with my husband about how I'm looking forward to menopause because it can't get much worse. He always assures me that it can. And probably will. Thanks, honey, you always know what to say.

So, last night, I awoke around 2 a.m. Now, it's not too unusual for me to wake up in the middle of the night, but lately, I've had a lot of trouble getting back to sleep.

But last night, in addition to the INSOMNIA, I had PAINFUL GUT-WRENCHING CRAMPS.

I took some Midol, but I just couldn't fall asleep.
Then, my body decided that since I was having such fun with my cramps, why not add a bit of gas to the equation.

NOT COOL, BODY. NOT COOL AT ALL.

I may have dozed a little here and there, but basically I've been awake since roughly 2 a.m.

On my way into work, I stopped at Walgreens because well, I need some supplies. I prefer the non-applicator kind because they seem a bit more comfortable to me, and I like the small size, so I can just slip them into my pocket.

As I was browsing this section I don't know why I browse since I always get the same thing, I saw these non-applicator ones.

At first I thought, Those are kind of neat. They come in a cute little tin.
Then, Who would spend $6.99 for 16 when you could spend $7.49 for 40? That's a lot of money for a cute little tin.

I also contemplated these.

I like the idea of using cups - disposable or reusable. Less waste and all that, but I used to have a DivaCup, and I was less than impressed with its, um, performance.

I hate spending money on something I'm not sure will work for me, and I'm also all about cheap, so I opted for the Walgreens brand non-applicator tampons. Exactly what I went to Walgreens with the intention of buying.

Have you ever tried any alternative supplies? 
Do you find yourself dreading this time more as you get older or is it just me?
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I Want...

Here are just a few items currently on my Wish List.

iFitness Ultimate Race Belt

Nathan Quickdraw Plus handheld water bottle

Road ID The Wrist ID Sport

Moving Comfort Endurance Tank

Moving Comfort Sprint Skort

Hi-Tec Sabi Mid

My birthday is in 42 days. Just saying.

Target Tuesday #1

Day 7

I was flitting around blogland today, and I came across Target Tuesday.

It has been super summery hot the past couple days here in Minnesota, so I thought I'd see what summery things I could find.

Crisa Cancun Glassware

Summer Fields Bedding

Peita Flat Thong Sandal




Tiered Maxi Skirt

 

Halter Maxi Dress

And oh my goodness, I WANT THIS DRESS!! It's convertible into, like, a bajillion different styles.

Multi-Style Convertible Maxi Dress

Okay, shopping trip is over for now. I should really to get back to work.

Stay cool about there!

Oh, and why not stop over at Fabulous but Evil to see what else is hot at Target this week.