I am sure by now you have seen that there are many web sites out there that offer you cashback from various online retailers when you shop through them. Basically you go the company site, use their link to click through to Amazon or Best Buy, do your shopping, and get a cashback reward. Essentially these sites are affiliates for all these online retailers and when you go through their site to do your shopping they split the affiliate commission with you, usually 50% of the total commission. It is a nice way to earn a little money back on purchases you already planned to make.
I use some of these sites myself when I do my online shopping because every penny that goes back into my pocket furthers my monetary goals. Why not get a rebate of sorts on my Christmas, birthday, and home purchases?? I already comparison shop and look for online coupon codes so earning a commission on my own purchase just makes good “cents”. Plus those coupon codes can be elusive for some stores so getting something back instead of nothing is always good.
A new-to-me site offering this great service is Giving Assistant. It offers some high cashback rates and and they do claim that 100% of the affiliate commission goes to their users. Other comparable sites only offer 50%. It is free to join as well. Another cool aspect, that their name hints at, is the fact that you can donate some or all of your earnings to any charity of your choice. Also a small donation is made to Feeding America to give one meal every time cash back is earned.
So far I find it to be really user friendly. You click on the name of the retailer you want to shop, check their list of coupons codes you may want to use, and then make the final click over to the retailer to do your shopping. Within a day or two you see your cashback earnings in your Giving Assistant account. You get paid direct to your secure debit card in days. No months of
waiting for a check in the mail like other cash back sites. The minimum payout is just $5.01, not $25 like the other guys.
Some of my favorite places to shop include:
Etsy (2% cashback)
Honest Company (5% cashback)
Tom’s Shoes (7% cashback)
I used Giving Assistant just a couple days ago to buy my daughter some Harry Potter laptop decals and with two days I saw my cashback go into my account. Pretty nifty! I know that this Christmas I will likely make this a regular stop. Try via my referral link and get $5 for signing up!
Think the side of the bed you sleep on is irrelevant? Think again! It could reveal more about your personality than you first imagined. A 2015 study undertaken by Sealy, a manufacturing firm, looked at the sleeping habits of 1,000 people for insights into how they affect our mood, careers, and life outlook.
The results might surprise you.
The 2015 study results
It was concluded that those who sleep on the right side of the bed were:
– 9% more likely to prefer being by themselves
– 7% more likely to wake up in a bad mood
– 5% more likely to be pessimistic
– 3% more likely to dislike their job
On the other hand, those who sleep on the left side of the bed were:
– 8% more likely to have friends and enjoy their work
– 4% more likely to wake up happy
– 9.5% more likely to have a positive outlook on life
Interestingly, the study also suggested that many people – 36% – prefer sleeping alone rather than next to their partner. In some cases this was because of a snoring other half.
These statistics resoundingly suggest that if you sleep on the left side of the bed, you chose your side well. But what makes couples favour the left or the right? How couples choose which side of the bed to sleep on
A study published in Evolutionary Psychology in 2010 found that people preferred sleeping within full view of their bedroom door and windows, although they also wanted the bed to be as far away from the door as possible, most likely because it made them feel more protected.
When it comes to couples, Paul C. Rosenblatt has stated in his book Two in a Bed: The Social System of Couple Bed Sharing that it’s almost ubiquitous for couples to sleep on the same respective side of the bed every single night. From the interviews he conducted with couples, he managed to identify 8 primary reasons for the right or left preference.
1. Old habits – you developed the preference before you met your partner
2. Claustrophobia – you prefer whatever side is away from the wall
3. Bathroom breaks – this one’s all about convenience!
4. Protectiveness – straight men will often sleep closest to the door to be
protective of their partner
5. Early birds – the person who gets up earliest sleeps away from the wall
6. Parenting – whoever is on child duty sleeps on the outside
7. Pain – you choose the side which is the least painful on the body
8. Temperature – you prefer whichever side is warmer/cooler
What if couples disagree?
Research done by Premier Inn of 2,000 adults has provided some even more interesting data:
● A huge 80% of people have slept on the same side since the start of their relationship
● 22% said they slept on a different side with their ex-partner
● 1 in 20 men were not happy with the side they slept on
● More than 1 in 10 couples argue about which side to sleep on, and women usually win (reasons for arguing including not wanting to sleep next to the radiator)
Claire Haigh from Premier Inn offered some further insights, stating: “Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to their sleeping styles but which side of the bed people sleep on seems to be fundamental to getting a good night’s sleep.
“Interestingly, our research revealed an almost identical split between Brits’ preference to a particular side, with 51% favouring the left and 49% the right, with the vast majority of people maintaining their particular preference for many years.”
Other reasons for choosing a certain side of the bed included noise from the road, crying babies, floor space, comfort, having a better view of the television, and being close to personal belongings.
Which side do you prefer and why? Or are you only interested in sleeping and don’t mind at all where in the bed you do it? We want to know!
About Happy Beds
Happy Beds is the UK’s fastest-growing bed store. They give the best prices on contemporary bed frames and super-comfortable quality mattresses – ensuring you enjoy the night’s sleep you’ve always dreamed of. To find the bed for you, take a look at their website.
Why Popsicle Molds?
Do I even have to tell you how fast kids can go through popsicles in warm weather months? I doubt it! Heck, they like popsicles all year long. If you are relying on store bought popsicles then you are wasting money on something that you could easily make yourself. You are also putting the health of your kids in questionable hands because conventional popsicles have loads of refined sugar and synthetic dyes.
Opt to make popsicles yourself with DIY popsicle molds and you can keep your kids in frosty treats all summer with minimal expense. For pennies you can make “healthier-for-you treats that kids and adults will love. You won’t even have to worry about finding your yard littered with wrappers or discovering a gooey popsicle stick stuck to your carpet… homemade popsicles are waste free!
Home popsicle molds also allow for some unique frosty creations. Get creative and make striped lollies or blend up some spinach and fruit for a healthy and tasty “green” treat. The possibilities are endless, you just need to invest in an affordable popsicle mold or two and enjoy!
Top Reasons to Make Your Own Popsicles:
- Making them is fun
- Control over ingredients
- Healthier summer snacking
- Cheaper than store bought
- Waste free popsicles
- Kids love them
** BPA or Bisphenol A is a hormone mimicking chemical found in many types of plastic. Make sure to look for molds that have no BPA in it!
Tovolo Rocket Ice Popsicle Molds
Blast off!!! These popsicle molds are out of this world! The set comes with six popsicle molds that create frozen rockets and a base for easy setting in the freezer.
Boat Shaped Popsicles
These will put some wind in your sails come spring and summer! Unique snap system not only saves space in the freezer but enables you to remove one mold at a time. Create delicious recipes made with fruit juice, yogurt or ice cream. The reusable molds are easy to release and can make up to 6-frozen pops at a time.
Tovolo Twin Pops
Want to make pops that look like the classic version? These molds are awesome!
Tovolo Star Pops
Encourage children to aim for the stars while serving them healthy popsicles made with Tovolo’s green shooting star molds. Simply fill the six stars with favorite beverages, attach the handles, and set them upright on their custom tray in the freezer. Built-in drip guards also keep kiddie clothing and hands clean. Crafted of durable plastic with a cheerful lime hue, the molds offer a fresh, summertime look.
They also come in pink!Mastrad Popsicle Molds
- Set of four silicone molds
- Tabs for easy removal
- Attached cup for catching drips
- Dishwasher safe
- 5 year warranty
- Colorful!
Also available with a brown base.
Zoku Quick Pop Maker
This amazing popsicle maker can help you turn homemade popsicles into edible works of art! Plus it makes them fast! Make your favorite pops right at home or park in as little as seven minutes without electricity. you simply store the compact base in your freezer and then you could make your Pop at a moment’s notice and enjoy in in 7 minutes This unit can make up to 9 pops before refreezing the unit again. BPA and phthalate free.
If you want fancy pops check out the companion book for this pop maker: Zoku Quick Pops Recipe Book.
Umbrella Shaped Popsicles
Lolly Makers With Stand Kitchen Craft set of six umbrella shaped lolly moulds for making delicious 3D shaped juice or smoothie ice pops. Easy to use and clean, each mould sits on the stable stand in the freezer to set. Dishwasher safe.
Ice Cream Pop Molds
How cute and clever are these?!?! You can avoid having to take your kids to get ice cream cones on a hit summer day with these soft-serve style cones that catch sticky spills. The base features a hard “cone” that looks just like of a real cone, except of course that it can be reused over and over again. Fill the top sleeve with your favorite ice cream, juice, smoothie, yogurt, or other beverage, twist the cone on, set into the base and freeze. Voila!
NorPro Squeezable Silicone Popsicle Molds
Create frozen popsicle treats similar to otter pops or push pops at home with Norpro’s set of 4 Ice Pop Makers. Easily create frozen treats using juices, purees, yogurt, soda, ice cream, pudding, applesauce, gelatin, fruit, berries, candies, chocolate, caramel, whipped cream, and more. Ice Pop Makers are easy to use: simply fill, seal, freeze and enjoy. Flexible silicone makes it easy to squeeze and push up frozen treats. A handy lid holds in ingredients before they freeze and keeps pops secure in an ice chest for picnics and BBQs.
Monster Popsicle Molds
- Monster Design
- Cute colors
- Fun for kids
- Can stand on their own to help with spilling.
There are also monster push up pops too…
My mother’s day was quite nice and I wanted to give a shout out to the Rainforest Alliance for sending me a special Mother’s Day care package. So thoughtful! I loved everything.
And of course it came in a reusable bag which I will now use during my weekly grocery shopping. This is the second year I have received this care package and they are always a hit with me!
I love to spend Mother’s Day eating dark chocolate! Thanks!
Many, many gurus, authors, coaches, and general advice givers often advise you to get up earlier and create special morning routines to get your day started right. I have no issue with this advice. I think it is spot on and can help you create some winning habits and some great successes in life. But I don’t do it.
Why don’t I try and makeover my mornings? Well, mostly because it is unrealistic for me. My mornings begin at 4:00 AM by necessity. I am not going to get up even earlier than that…I just can’t. Or won’t. Either way I get up early enough, thank you very much.
Now making over my evenings??? That I can do and a new 14 day course showing just how that can be accomplished is right up my alley. If I want my mornings to off without a hitch and get more accomplished, and be more focused than that needs to start in the evening. If we want to stop sleepwalking through life and just going through the motions then we need to make a plan of attack. If that cannot happen in the morning hours as so many advise, then it’s time to makeover our evenings. We have to be intentional about it. This course helps with that intention and purpose.
In just 15 minutes a day over two weeks you’ll learn how to:
- Establish a Realistic Evening Routine that works — and that sets you up for amazing success!
- Design a Prioritized To Do List for each day — one that you’re actually excited to wake up and tackle!
- Create a Best Stuff List of the most important activities and commitments you should be invested your time, life, and energy into right now.
- Eliminate calendar conflicts once and for all — and how to do so without guilt or frustration.
- Nourish your body, nurture your soul, and no longer put your health on the back burner — even in the middle of a busy and full life.
- Assemble a wardrobe of simple outfits you love and that make you feel great — so you can dress for the day you want to have, instead of the one that’s trying to have you.
- Develop a contagious, positive attitude — so you can experience and express more joy in your everyday life.
- And more…
