Frugal Living At Its Finest: Rewards Programs

There are lots of great rewards programs out there. But, sometimes you have to be careful of your spending to get those "rewards." Here's a little story I'd like to share with you. A few years ago I was working with a girl who came into work everyday with a bottle of Pepsi. She told me one morning that she stopped at the convenience store and got one every morning. I then told her that it would be cheaper if she just bought a 12 pack and brought them from home. She then told me that she was saving the points for the rewards program that Pepsi had (they no longer have it.) She went on to tell me that they had a movie that she wanted for a certain amount of points. I can't remember all the numbers exactly, but I do remember that after I did the math it was going to cost her $98 to get the points just for that DVD. So, when I was at Target one day I found the exact same movie she wanted for only $7.99. I bought it and also grabbed a 12 pack of Pepsi. I gave it to her the next day.

Rewards programs are a good call, but it's not worth buying a store full of product just so you can get a $3 prize. Be patient and shop for those deals. In the long run the rewards will pay off, but only if you're selective with what you buy. My rule of thumb regarding rewards programs is - If you're going to buy it anyway a reward program can help you get the most for your money.

Here are some great rewards programs that I recommend:

My Coke Rewards

Disney Movie Rewards

MyPoints

Recyclebank

Hanes Comfort Rewards

Stouffer's Dinner Club

Huggies

Pampers Gifts To Grow

Fast Fixin' Fanatics

Land O' Lakes Simple Rewards Club