September 10, 2018

With summer coming to a close and fall kicking into full swing, it’s finally time for the kids to rush off back to school. On one hand, the daily activities, endless pool days and lack of school structure that filled your summertime schedule left you happy to spend time with your kids, but you also may feel much more exhausted than you expected! That is why this back-to-school season is the perfect time for you to find ways to cultivate a little rest and relaxation at home!

Before the school year gets too hectic, use the first couple weeks of back-to-school as a self-care recharge frenzy! You finally have six hours of uninterrupted time to regroup before diving into the demands of the school year and family life. You are (dare I say?) … free. Check out these ideas for things you can easily do to truly wind down, mama! You won’t regret any of them.

1. Stay-at-Home Spa

Create a mini-spa experience at home. It’s so easy to set up a self-care station with manicure and pedicure essentials, skin care, and face masks. Put on your favorite show and relax while your nails dry! No doing dishes for you.

2. Beauty Bath

Not only are bath bombs the most aesthetically pleasing invention ever, but they also make your skin feel amazing. Set up a warm bath with some of your favorite bath bombs and rose petals, and don’t forget to light at least one incredibly scented candle to really set the mood!

3. Sweat It Out

Between summer camp, sports practices, and pool days, you rarely had time to exercise. Use these few hours to get back into a healthy routine whether that means yoga, the gym, or running around the neighborhood. Don’t forget to wear breathable clothes and stock up on your favorite reusable water bottles.

4. Netflix Binge

One more episode of anything on Nickolodean could make you cry at this point, so why not have a binge on your favorite TV shows and movies during the day? It’s only been, what, a year since you last saw a movie you wanted to see? You deserve it!

5. Read A Book

Some of the best moments in life are the smallest moments. Happiness is usually found in between the pages of a really good book. Find your favorite genre and curl up in bed or outside and enjoy the beauty of turning one page at a time.

6. Solo Pool Day

With just a few weeks of warm weather left, you should be rushing to the pool for the most relaxing day yet! Grab your softest beach towel, most comfortable swimsuit, and get ready to snooze in the sun.

7. Take A Nap

Sleep is so important for your body to feel your best physically and mentally. It aids in focus, wellbeing, and your ability to take care of others. Take a guilt-free nap, and wake up refreshed and ready for the afternoon rush when the kids get home!

Whether you loved the back-to-school season rush or felt stressed by the frenzy of it all, it is important to stop and take a moment for yourself. Take a relaxing bath, exercise in new fitness gear or take a much-needed nap! Do things differently and pamper yourself in the few hours you have free before the after-school rush kicks in. You deserve it.

*To see more products and ideas that can help you relax and unwind, check out the Shopkick App! It allows you to shop for products you need and earn points back, called kicks, to redeem gift cards. Happy Shopkicking!

I hate to admit this, but I think you can tell my age by the type of shopping sprees I’m always fantasizing over. When I was growing up, I used to fantasize about being one of those kids that got to run through Toys R Us stuffing as many things into their cart as they could as fast as possible. Then, when I was in my teens, I used to imagine a wealthy relative coming from overseas to fly me out to Beverly Hills to shop on Rodeo Drive. Now, I reminisce about old episodes of the game show Supermarket Sweep.

As I’ve gotten older, my fantasies have gotten a bit more mundane; they’ve also become more real. In fact, I’ve found a way to earn and redeem points for cash to fund shopping sprees. That’s right, and I’d like to share this magical way to redeem points for cash to fund your next shopping spree with you.

So stick with me today, because I’m about to let you in on the different ways you can earn and redeem points for cash to fund your next shopping spree. If you really want to get prepared, maybe go out and buy some comfortable shoes? You won’t necessarily be running through the aisles like I used to do in my fantasies, but, hey, it’s nice to have the option!

Earn and Redeem Points for Cash with Survey Apps

Let’s get the least exciting option to earn and redeem points for cash out of the way first: survey apps. Yes, I really think of all the ways you can make money from home with your phone, this one is my least favorite, but it still works so I find myself using it from time to time, even though I don’t like it as much as the other options on my list.

There are actually a number of different apps you can choose from that you can use to eventually redeem points for cash by first taking surveys at home on your smartphone. I personally find surveys a little tedious, but maybe you can try a few and find one that works for you. They all work pretty much the same: just download a survey app, enter your demographic information, and the app sends you surveys. The more surveys you take, the more points you can earn; it’s that simple.

Earn and Redeem Points for Cash with Couponing Apps

The second way to earn and redeem points for cash is kind of old-school. There are these apps I like to call couponing apps, and they work a whole lot like how cutout paper coupons used to work way back in the day. Thankfully, there a few different types of coupon apps to choose from.

The first type lets you select from a whole bunch of different coupons online that give you points when you go in to buy certain items. You can, of course, use these points later to get cash back to use on your future shopping sprees. The other kind of coupon app is even more like clipping physical coupons. You use your device to scan certain coupons, and then you use them at the store as if they were paper, which gives you money off your bill right then and there. Either way, you’re clearing space in your budget, and I’m sure we all agree that’s a very good thing!

Earn and Redeem Points for Cash with Shopkick

Of all the options on our list that you can use to earn and redeem points for cash, my absolute favorite is this app called Shopkick. How it works is super simple, too. Basically, Shopkick gives you points for the things you do when you go out shopping anyway, things like walking into stores, going down aisles browsing products, and making purchases. You can then redeem the points you earn for gift cards to all your favorite stores. Save up enough of those gift cards, and it’s shopping spree time!

That’s not even the best part, though. There are even other ways to earn points with Shopkick, too. There are tons of ways that Shopkickers can earn rewards right from the app—no need to go anywhere. These include kicks for watching videos and instant surprise kicks from going on Easter egg hunts in the app. Users can also get amazing deals where you can earn big points and rewards by shopping on your phone at stores like Amazon, Walmart, and more!

I can barely even remember what it’s like to go shopping without it!

Yes, all three of those types of apps are great ways for you to earn and redeem points for cash to fund your next shopping spree, but, truth be told, I like Shopkick the best because it’s just so much fun and it also has the most ways to earn points. I can barely even remember what it’s like to go shopping without it!

I love the steady stream of gift cards I’ve been earning with Shopkick in recent years. It’s fun to fantasize about sprees, but this really has become an integral part of my budget. I earn points while shopping for everything from groceries at Walmart to subscriptions on Amazon, and I love all the money I’m able to save with Shopkick gift cards!

Start using one of the best ways to earn and redeem points for cash to fund your next shopping spree. Download Shopkick’s free app today and join a community of loyal Shopkickers who’ve already discovered the rewards of shopping with a free, smartphone app sidekick.

And, if you love social media as much as you love shopping, join Shopkick on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for a little daily shopping inspiration.

Image courtesy ESB Professional

Day: September 10, 2018

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