Do you find blogs with lots of advertising annoying? I sure do. I mean, the pages take forever to load and then, when they finally do load, you’re reading along and then WHAM! right in the middle of the post is an ad. It’s distracting and it often blocks the content I want to see and I hates it.
But.
I also get it. Blogs aren’t free, domains aren’t free, hosting isn’t free. Trying to earn some money back to cover the expenses of a blog is understandable.
Don’t worry, though, you won’t be seeing any advertising on Carole Knits. I mean, I’m not that big and no one is beating a path over here begging me to tout their stuff. I am, however, going to give you 3 links today for some things I do online annnnnnnd if you decide to do them too I will get a little kick back. Ready?
- Quip. Quip is a fabulous little electric toothbrush and I just started using it last month. It’s small and battery operated – which is essential since we don’t have a big fancy master bathroom. It runs for exactly 2 minutes so that you brush your teeth for the right amount of time. And, they will send you automatic refills every three months for only $5, shipping included. Use my referral link and I will get free refills. And then you can share this with your friends and you will get free refills, too. Goodness. I sound like Oprah. You get a Quip and YOU get a Quip and you get a Quip! Everybody gets a Quip!
- Stitch Fix. I’ve used Stitch Fix for a while now and I consistently get compliments on the clothes I wear from them. The way it works is you get a box with 5 items. You try the items on, keep what you want and send back the rest. If you keep everything you get an extra 20% off the entire box. There is a $20 styling fee that they charge you when they ship your box but there are no other fees and shipping is free. They credit you the $20 off the items you keep so, basically, as long as you keep something you’re not risking anything at all. It’s super easy to send things back and the more specific you get with your styling profile the more you’ll love the clothes they send you. Want to try it? Use this link and I’ll get a $25 credit. (My fingers are really crossed that you guys will buy into this because free clothes.)
- Ebates. This is a cash back service that you use when you make online purchases. It’s pretty simple, too. You install a little extension on your internet browser and then when you shop on sites that partner with ebates you earn money. REAL money – not store credit or coupons for money off but a (as they call it) BIG FAT CHECK that comes in the mail. I got one just the other day for $34. It’s not a scam and it takes practically no effort to use and if you’re shopping online (and if you aren’t, why not!?) then why not get yourself some money. Stores that earn you Ebates cash include Macy’s, Kohl’s, Old Navy, Sephora and more. Sadly, not Amazon. But still – lots of stores and if you sign up with this referral I will get $15 and you will get $10 once you spend $25. It sounds more complicated than it is, believe me.
I realize today’s post may not be the most inspirational but I promise that these are good products and services or I wouldn’t encourage you to give them a shot. And maybe you have things like this that you use that you think I should know about. I’d love to hear about those in the comments!
If you wrote a post for today be sure and include your link below so we can all read it!
I am thinking about Stitch Fix. Since I work from home, I rarely wear anything except jeans, but it’s recently become clear that I need dress-up clothes like a grown-up. I have a shower and wedding to attend in the next couple months, so it just might be time to trust the experts. Thanks for the link!
I’ve been thinking about trying a Quip, so you’ve just encouraged me to order one. 🙂 I’ve tried StitchFix a few times, and was generally happy with my “fixes” . . . but I think I’m done with that one for now. (I just don’t need that many clothes in my closet.)
🙂
Recommendations from a friend, even one you’ve never met, is far better than those ads that block your screen.
Hint: I was thinking those buzzy little toothbrushes would be great in Easter baskets.
I tried Stitch Fix. The first box was awesome, second only one item was a keeper, third box was a total dud so I quit. I do not like to shop so it seemed like a good idea. I know a few folks who have had very good luck.
As a blog reader I’m with you about the advertising, but I don’t mind referral links. As a blogger I’m constantly going back an forth between trying to make some money with it and keeping some integrity with my blogs (I have some in Dutch too) and the way I do that. It can be hard. Posts like these I like, even though the links usually aren’t any use to me (not because of the products, but because international shipping is either not possible or very expensive).
I’m expecting my third Stitch Fix in March. #1 I kept them all, #2 then entire box went back. #3 will tell the future of my subscription! 🙂 And you’re right…some blogs have SO MANY ads!
The Quip seems to be the next Instant Pot – EVERYBODY is talking about it!
While I don’t enjoy websites full of ads, they don’t bother me. But what does make me crazy is when you click on a new-to-you site and before you can even read the first sentence, a giant pop up pops up asking you to sign up to receive their emails. Argh!
I hate shopping & have a very limited sense of style, so Stitch Fix has been great for me. Some boxes do better than others. This last box, I just kept one blouse & really wondered if my stylist had read my profile at all. But in general, they have done well for me. Some of the things I have liked best are things I never would have tried on in the store, & that is probably what I like best about them. They are stretching my sense of style.My daughter had a great experience with her maternity wardrobe too. Recently I asked them to see if they could find a shirt I had received about a year ago, as I loved it & it had a a hole in it that couldn’t be patched. They could not find me a duplicate shirt, but they refunded the price of that shirt, even though it had been worn for a pretty long time, as they said that their products should stand up better than that. That was totally unexpected & much appreciated.
I’ve wondered about ebates, so since it gets your recommendation I just might . . .