My Top 8 Subscription Boxes

When I was younger, I loved when they had grab bags at stores. I used to buy them every chance I got. They had them at the dollar store and sometimes at the drug store full of teen toiletries. It was always exciting to get a surprise. You never knew what you would find inside. You usually knew what kind of items you would find, but never what. I used to love when I went to a party and they would give you a wrapped up surprise as a party favor or as a party game. Now companies have updated the same idea of surprises in the form of subscription boxes. They are monthly boxes that you don’t know what is inside but they usually have a theme like kids, pets or beauty items. You pay a small monthly fee and every month you receive some awesome goodies.  They also make a great gift!

 
 There are so many different types of subscription boxes. If you don’t know where to look you may miss some really great subscription boxes. Thankfully there is CrateJoy who has them all in one place. Sometimes I hear about them from TV or a friend but I always forget which one they are mentioning. CrateJoy makes it so easy, gives ratings and you can even sign up for multiple subscriptions really easily.

Here are my top 8 subscription boxes:

Box O’ Munch is a subscription box for those who love to snack. I love to snack but, I don’t always like to have healthy snacks. Box O’ Munch contains things like candy, chips and cookies. You receive 10-15 pieces of awesome treats a month. https://www.cratejoy.com/box-o-munch

Nerd Block is a monthly subscription box that is full of nerdy things. My son would love this subscription block. It could have Star Wars items, Pokémon, and other “nerd” items.  It would be a fun monthly surprise for kids or anyone who likes Star Wars, comic books, or Pokémon. It also comes in its very own block which is really cool. https://www.cratejoy.com/nerd-block

Benko Box is a box full of everything you would need to make a masterpiece for kids. Noah is a great artist. This box contains 10-12 art supplies each month. This box is great because buying art supplies can be expensive. You also have to plan out what you want to make. Benko Box gives you other art supplies to use that you might not think about using. https://www.cratejoy.com/benko-box

Faithbox is a subscription box full of items that will help inspire Christian living. It contains items that are good for the planet and others. They also feed a needy child for every box you buy. Faithbox is truly inspirational and would make a great gift for my neighbors who are always helping others. https://www.cratejoy.com/faithbox

A Little Bundle would be a great gift for a new baby. A Little Bundle is a subscription box full of items for baby and mom. It contains items that your baby will love. It’s a great way to keep the gifts coming after they are home from the hospital.  There is a clothing item in each bundle. Such a fun surprise for any new mom. https://www.cratejoy.com/a-little-bundle

 

Hamptons Lane is the ultimate kitchen monthly subscription box. You can find recipes, kitchen gadgets and Artisan food items. I love to cook and try new things. This box would be something fun for me because I have a kitchen gadget collection. Each month there is a different theme so you will always get a great variety. https://www.cratejoy.com/hamptons-lane

Flicker Box is a really cool artisan candle subscription box. You receive candles from candle artists from around the United States. I love candles and I really think that they help make your home warm and welcome.  I don’t think you can ever have too many candles. https://www.cratejoy.com/flicker-box

Darby Smart is a mystery monthly box full of DIY items. You never know what you are going to get to make that month. It could be perfume or it could be a cool craft for your kids. I would love this box because I love to make things and I love surprises. I know I would wait each month for it to arrive. https://www.cratejoy.com/darby-smart

What are your favorite subscription boxes? For more information and many more subscription boxes check out Cratejoy.

vukee Photo Book App Review

I received a camera for Christmas last year, while I love it, I don’t always bring it with me everywhere. I have my phone with me everywhere I go. I take more photos on my iPhone than with my camera. A camera is just another thing to lug around. You never know when you will have a great photo opp. Some of my favorite photos are ones that just happened. I have a photo of Noah in a tree, he just climbed up in it and looked like the king of the world. He was so proud that he did it all by himself. I would have missed that moment if I would have relied on bringing my camera. I have over 1,000 photos on my iPhone. I have some great shots but I don’t want to keep them on my phone for forever. I learned about an app called vukee. You can make beautiful photo books, postcards and calendars right from the app! You don’t even have to mess with getting online and dealing with your computer.  A photo book from vukee would be a great holiday gift for a loved one. It would be a very sweet way to show your family how your children have grown. You could also make a photo book for your vacation. What would be cooler than sitting at the airport, waiting for your flight home and already have your photo book made? Talk about easy. I am always sitting bored in airports after a fun trip. It only takes two minutes, so you can really make your photo book, calendar or postcards anywhere, even while waiting at the checkout.

You could make a special calendar for grandparents. One of my favorite gifts I received was a photo calendar of Noah. Skip the premade kittens and puppies calendars, make one that means something and isn’t just cute. Every month is a new photo. You can even order postcards. Personalized post cards would be great for holiday cards, birth announcements, Save the date reminders or just because cards. I love that they ship anywhere in the world. My dad lives in England and it would be a great gift for him to send a photo book of Noah. I send him some pictures through email but then he has to print them. I love that vukee takes care of shipping them out. I don’t like going to the post office, and our little post office doesn’t have the same services as the big one. The post office is usually a zoo anyways this time of year.  

I have ordered photo books in the past and it took weeks to be printed and then longer to ship. Did you know that vukee prints within 72 hours? That is really fast and off it goes to you or your loved one.  No more wondering and waiting for your photos to be printed. I love the free ePhotobook you get for every order. You can share it via email, Facebook and Twitter. What an easy way to share your photos with everyone without having to send them all a printed book.  I love looking at my friends photos on Facebook and Twitter.  All of the products are extremely affordable too! Photo books start at $7.99. If you were to order other places they are usually twenty five dollars.  There are over 8 different layouts to create your own custom design, from classic to modern. vukee is also offering users both a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee, and up to 60% discount on their first photo book.

For more information please visit vukee’s website.

You can find the vukee app in iTunes.

It is also available in Google Play.

Be sure to like vukee on Facebook to stay up to date with sales, and other cool information.

Saving money this Christmas

Christmas is an expensive time for everyone, so it is important that we save cash wherever we can. Here are some effective money-saving tips that will help you out this season:

Look out for store discounts

It has been reported that the UK alone will spend £10 billion pound online this year, so the total for the world is set to be astronomical - and it’s easy to see why. Compared to shopping in store, there are a range of bargains and discounts to be had online.

Before I purchase anything online, I always do a quick search for voucher codes. I simply type the name of the store and ‘discount code’ into a search engine and I can usually find some great discounts. I’ve saved so much money over the years!

Like many other people, I am looking forward to all of the Black Friday savings to be had, although I don’t think I’m quite cut out to battle through the stores. Instead, I’ll be enjoying it online. Amazon have had some pretty great discounts in the past, so I am excited to see what they’ll have to offer this year.

DIY

Shop-bought cards and gifts can be expensive, bumping up your Christmas budgets. While you will inevitably have to fork out for gifts at some point, there are some great DIY options too that could save you some cash.

Not many people send Christmas cards nowadays, but it is a nice touch especially if you are sending them to people who live far away. If you have kids like me, you could get your little ones to hand make a few cards – your friends and relatives will love the personal touch.

I’m tempted to put my computer skills to the test and try a spot of card designing on my PC. The only problem is that our printer is not very good, so I’ll need to invest in a new one before I start designing – there’s no point in having a beautiful card that I can’t send to anyone!

As United Carlton is based in the UK, I know I can’t order from there, but I have been looking on their website to get some ideas on what printer to go for. They’re printing specialists so I know that they will only recommend the best.

As you know, I love to bake and cook. I’ve found this recipe for gingerbread men online. They look delicious and the ingredients will be much cheaper to buy than ready-made ones, plus I’m sure Noah wouldn’t mind giving me a helping hand! I may even dish these out to our friends and family as extra Christmas gifts!