Three Great Ways to Save Money + Favorite Links From Friends

Are you aware that beyond Black Friday or Cyber Monday, there are ways you can save money every time you shop online?

1. Join . Rakuten has been around for 25 years offering (per their site) cash back, deals, and shopping rewards on the world’s largest selection of products and services. Plus, if you join , when you spend $40, you’ll receive $40…and I’ll receive $40. EVERY time I shop online, I check to see if there are cash back deals via Rakuten. It’s even easier if you download their extension because it’ll automatically detect any website associated with their network. Today a lot of stores are offering higher cash back savings thanks to so don’t buy another thing until you at least check it out.

2. Search “Coupon Code” or “Discount Code” plus the retailer’s name. It’s rare for me not to find some kind of savings, even if it’s just free shipping. Every little bit helps, and it might be over and above whatever is on the company’s site.

3. Betcha don’t know this one: Add items to your shopping cart, but wait to buy them. I found this one out by accident, when I closed out my shopping cart before buying. Not long after, I received an email from the retailer offering an incentive to come back and place my order. The funny thing is, I was going to complete the order eventually anyway, but I ended up being rewarding for waiting. Now, unless there’s a reason for urgency, I never place an order right away; I wait to see if I’ll receive a “come back” offer, and I usually do :).

Now that you’re equipped with potentially new-to-you ways to save, I invited a few of my favorite humans to share their book links and favorite Black Friday recommendations. Did you know that clicking through an author’s referral links is the easiest way you can support the beautiful work they pour into the world? It doesn’t cost you a dime extra (it may even save you money), and your purchase will always encourage them. Also? I’m going to resist the urge to put a heart and smiley emoji after every single link!! 🙂 <3

Written with her triathlete husband, Dorina Gilmore Young’s devotional, Run Walk Soar, is a year’s worth of encouragement for runners. It’s the perfect book for runners (beginners or veterans) to kick off the new year, so be prepared to be motivated fitness- and faith-wise!
Growing Slow by Jennifer Dukes Lee (and her favorite Bible highlighter set!!). Jennifer has a natural way of always pointing me to Jesus, something that is so precious to me. She draws from her life in such a relatable way, you’re bound to find a friend in her as well. If you’re looking for a book to counter our fast-paced culture, Growing Slow is a must-read.
Dr. Michelle Reyes won the 2022 ECPA Christian Book Award for New Author for her book, Becoming All Things: How Small Changes Lead To Lasting Connections Across Cultures; that’s the first clue you want to read this important book. But, having had the privilege of knowing Michelle for a few years I can promise you’re in for substance and depth and incredible insight that will help you “learn how to become all things to all people—that is: how to reflect Jesus’ love in a multicultural, multiracial body of Christ and to share that love with a hurting world.”
K.J. Ramsey’s, The Lord Is My Courage: Stepping Through the Shadows of Fear Toward the Voice of Love, is a powerful perspective of a familiar Psalm (Psalm 23). If you follow K.J. on social media, you already know that her therapist background adds to her wisdom and insight, and no matter what she’s writing about, I find beauty. She often leaves me pondering her words long after I’ve clicked away, challenging me to seek the Lord for what He has for me to learn.
What a PERFECT time to grab Anna Rendell’s Moment of Christmas: 25 December Devotions for Moms! Two of the things I most love about Anna’s writing? Accessibility and relatability. It seems most everything I read that she writes is something I can identify with. That’s a rare gift I genuinely appreciate, and if you’re looking for a right-priced gift for a mom, look no further.
I met Becky Keife years ago at an (in)courage retreat, and fell in “like” immediately. Hers is a kind, generous spirit, and when she joined (in)courage as Community Manager, I knew we had the perfect new leader. Time has proven me right :). When I asked her if she’d like to share something for this list, she pointed me to Create in Me a Heart of Peace, a new (in)courage Bible Study. Friends, this study is so, so good, pointing you to the Prince of Peace through compelling story-telling and relatable life experiences. When our world feels off the rails, pursuing peace in the person of Jesus is a hope-filled decision.
Michele Cushatt has one of the most powerful testimonies of any person I’ve ever met. That isn’t hyperbole (if you know her story, you know I’m telling the truth). I Am: A 60-Day Journey to Knowing Who You Are Because of Who He Is “helps women end the barrage of negative self-talk and replace it with an empowering new narrative.” Michele’s resume is impressive, and if I hadn’t met her the way I did, I might have been intimidated. Instead, I got to know her without all the extra stuff that warps how you see someone. Her faith is an encouragement to me, and her writing always, always points me to Jesus in poignant and profound ways.
Even If Not: Living, Loving, and Learning in the in Between by Kaitlyn Bouchillon. A self-published work that has ministered to many, this book is about the hope and grace you will find in God alone, how He works in ways you might not choose or expect. Truth earned the hard way, from circumstances that could break you but instead strengthen your faith.
There are a few copies of For All Who Wander available :). Just in case you don’t have yours yet ;).