30% off sale + free shipping >> jcrew.com

holy hiatus, people.  sorry!

i just haven't had anything that compelling to tell you about.  i finally found some jeans at nordstrom.  love them, but this post is all jcrew.

tip of the post:  30% off jcrew final sale!  enter coupon code LOVEIT at checkout for 30% off final sale + free shipping over $100.  valid now through sunday march, 18.

jcrew usually does % of sale items, and you have to catch them at the right time to find some gems.  i luckily had been scouting a few items since full price, and was able to get them at a steal of a deal!

jcrew crochet lace-front tee

 my sister got this top months ago, and i was always envious.  now i have it too, and at half the price!

jcrew cotton waffle pullover

loved this in the store, but was in a rush and didn't have time to try it on, 30% off sale, okay worth the wait.

jcrew magic wallet in calf hair

if you don't have one of these for evening on the town in a small cross-body purse, you are missing out.

then of course, you've got to check ebates, and they are doing 6% cash back right now too, woohoo!

total savings:  30% + 6% cash back + free shipping

prodeal + cash back >> mountainhardwear.com

so, i get to take advantage of something pretty amazing in my industry:  prodeal.  the outdoor industry dealers allow employees of retail stores to buy their product at a super discount.  the point of prodeal is to enable employees to buy products easier so they have a chance to use it and can therefore sell it better.  pretty smart idea i think.

so, today i purchased something using my prodeal on mountainhardwear.com.

the amazing buttafleece jacket

i've been eyeing this guy for a few months now but never pulled the trigger.  then, it sold out of course.  i've been checking back since new years, and it was finally back in my size.  hurray!  

so, sometimes prodeals are done through order forms, sometimes through special sites, but mountain hardwear does their through their regular retail site, so i was able to get my mega discount AND the 5% cash back they provide through ebates.

total savings:  prodeal + 5% cash back

how to >> use ebates.com

i love ebates.

it is brilliant.  and it is simple:  you get money back from every online purchase you make.  (well, just about every, i have to caveat that.  some ecommerce sites don't have a relationship with ebates)  you get a check in the mail every few months for a % of the purchases you made through ebates.  while most sites offer less than 10%, it really ads up.  a couple months ago, I got a check in the mail for $50.  granted, i shop online a lot, but still.

how it works:  ebates is what you call an "affiliate."  they work through an affiliate marketing program, meaning every sale they send to an ecommerce site they have a relationship with, they get paid a certain % of that transaction, a commission.  they then pass on part of that commission on to you, the shopper.  ebates posts links to all your favorite sites.  all you do is click on the link to activate tracking.  ebates does the rest to follow your purchase and calculate your cash back.

So, go sign up right now!

tip of the post: always check ebates before you confirm your purchase.


1. shop around, find something you want to purchase

2. go to ebates and see if the website where you are about to buy from is on ebates.   they may have additional coupons and shopping tips too!

3.  click on the link to go back to the site you were shopping on (make sure this the last thing you do before making your purchase to ensure the tracking works)

4.  make your purchase

5.  wait for your check in the mail

25% off sale + cash back >> toryburch.com

i think my first pair of real designer shoes were this adorable Coach multi-color striped shoes.  i am not a big color person, and these were rainbow, so it was a big step (pun intended) for me, and i loved them.  i think i got them my senior year in college and had them until last year when even buffalo exchange would accept them.  (buffalo exchange post to follow)  anyway, with the birth of anything, it's death must follow.  the first pair of designer shoes i ever bought were the first i even had to THROW AWAY.  i usually don't make it to the point of throwing away.  i tend to get sick of something and end up giving it away or selling it.

here they were:

anyway that was just a small anecdote to let you know how hard it is for me to wear out a pair of shoes.  and soon after i got those adorable striped coach shoes, i got some silver juicy couture flats with gold hardware on them.  equally as cute.  these met the end of their days as well.  and who can live without silver flats?

in come the amazing Tory Burch after holiday sale on sale.  25% off!  and i found these guys:

metallic eddie ballet flat

next step?  yep, check ebates.  thank you 3.5% cash back!

total savings:  sale + 25%

in-store pick up >> nordstrom.com

i love nordstrom. they have the best stuff. they have an amazing return policy. they allow in-store pick up! 

this way i can shop online for what i want and then order it online and have it waiting for me when i pick it up in the store. it is just as good as the instant satisfaction you get from shopping at the mall, AND i get my 5% ebates cash back because i purchased online.

most recently i got the following:

o by oscar de la renta woven wrap for me

halogen altitude scarf for the bf's mom for xmas

it's so easy. you just go to ebates, click on the nordstrom link, buy your products online, then go and pick them up at customer service.

total savings: ebates cashback 
added value: easy, in-store pick up!

groupon on ebates.com! >> groupon.com

i just had a revelation!  groupon is on ebates.

i kind of took a break from groupon for a while.  it was getting out of hand, and i felt like i was being forced to go to these places just because i had a groupon, and i didn't like it.  i have recently gotten back in the grove of things having purchased my favorite restaurant coral room and a living social jamba juice groupon.  (does anyone else use groupon as the terms for these daily deal sites?  like kleenex for tissues, etc?)

anyway, groupon is on ebates now, and it is amazing.

http://www.ebates.com/groupon.htm

20% + free shipping >> piperlime.com

happy birthday, piperlime!  on piperlime's birthday this year, they offered 20% off their entire site.  yes please!  i had been eyeing these metallic sperrys for quite a while.  (yes, even though i just got those great boots.  that makes 4 pairs of sperrys in my closest.  i can't help it.  they are so comfortable.)

Sperry Top-Sider Bluefish

they go with everything!  right?

of course, i checked ebates, and they offered 2%.  even better!  gosh, i love online shopping!

total savings:  20% + free shipping

35% off + 10% cash back >> gap.com

i really needed new solid t-shirts that i could wear with anything, and i've been on a search for the perfect one.  i want to find something that i can count on and that will always be at the store should i want any more in more colors, etc.  a reliable solid t-shirt, is that so hard to ask for?

apparently "no," says gap.  "thank you, gap," says digital whitney.

gap's favorite scoop neck t

while i was at it, i found this gem:  gap's burnout pocket t

on top of the two good finds in t-shirts, it was 35% off the entire site that day, yessssss.  AND of course they're on ebates.  thank you ebates!

total savings:  35% + 2% + free shipping

40% off + free shipping >> loft.com

i've said it before, never buy anything full price from LOFT or Ann Taylor.  they always have amazing deals, always.  this was no different.  friends and family!  practically the best deals you can find outside of black friday and cyber monday.  LOFT.com had a 40% off for their friends and family sale this time.  i of course went to ebates first to get my cash back on my order, in addition to the 40% off and free shipping.

a couple cute finds:

 
it is important to note that i try really really hard not to buy anything online that i cannot return for free, be it in-store on free return shipping.  because i ended up returning everything i bought!

total % savings:  40%

25% off + free shipping >> jcrew.com

i have fat calves and stumpy legs.  it's okay, i do.  therefore, i cannot wear cute booties.  at least with skirts.  it just doesn't look good.  maybe with tights?  maybe... but anyway, i thought i could still embrace the trend if i wear them with jeans.

i found these adorable wedge booties at jcrew this weekend.  the remind me of this awesome pair i got and returned from coach last year.  that was a stupid compulsive return.  so, i found these jcrew boots in-store, and of course they don't carry my size.  no one does.  (tiny feet - 5.5).  i was going to have to order them online anyway.  good think i already knew jcrew was having a 25% off your entire purchase + free shipping over $150 sale on their site at the time.  i bypassed the super helpful jcrew associate to order the shoes online at home.  this way i could get my cash back from ebates too!

i got home and checked out the shoes online.  extra colors?  yay!  i found a color that i liked even better than the colors they had in store.  and i ended up saving shipping + the 25% off by going home and ordering online.

tip of the post:  try to check in-store AND online to find the best deals, because one store might have different offers at each.

cute, huh?  with jeans, right.  or maybe a skirt and tights, we'll see.

total % savings:  25%

40% off + free shipping + more >> loft.com

so i have recently discovered the chic and classiness of LOFT.  as a kid whenever i needed to dress up or look business-professional, my mom would always suggest Ann Taylor or LOFT, and i would promptly refuse.  "mom clothes" i think was my response.  now that i am the grown-up age of 26, i have found myself wanting to dress that way.

tip of the post:  NEVER buy anything full-price at AT or LOFT because I guarantee that you'll find it on some sort of sale within days.  

to ensure that i never buy anything full-price, i signed up for the email list where i am informed of sales all the time.  i had been eyeing a few blouses, since they are so grown up, so i occasionally browse the site to see if there is a good promo surrounding my shopping goals.

huh, 40% off?  not too bad, so i browsed the selection, and of course i found some good stuff.  then, after browsing some more... i saw a couple rouched plain t's that could obviously be a good staple in my wardrobe.  and, what? extra 30% off sale, that's 2 promos going on on the site that didn't require a coupon code.  sign me up!  at this point i was already saving at least 30% on everything in my cart.  now, is when coupon hunting actually begins.

my 1st go-to site is always ebates.  ebates is what you call a cash back/loyalty site.  they give you cash back for any purchase you make from a participating web site.  they usually offer 3% cash back on your LOFT.com order.  but this time they had an additional savings offer of 25% off your order if you buy any full-priced petites item.  lucky for me, i am short and need petite length pants.  i found some cute green chords to add to the order to get the extra savings.  if they don't end up fitting, i can take them back right?

my work is not done... 1 site is never enough when coupon searching though.  my next 2 go-to coupon sites are retailmenot.com and couponcabin.com.  RMN had the same petites coupon, but 30%!  coupon cabin only had the 25% off petites deal.  thank you RMN!

so, i clicked through the ebates button to get my cash back tracking attached, and used the RMN coupon to get my additional 30% off.

percent savings = 55%