Luv Saving Money – Page 10 – Life on a Budget

Budget Friendly Jewelry For Big Moments: Starlette Galleria

I get so many affiliate invites anymore. Most of the time I glance through them and decline them. Many have nothing to do with my blog or things I write about. Then I got the invite for Starlette Galleria.

Starlette Galleria offers beautiful alternatives to real diamond jewelry. For the frugal couple looking for beautiful yet affordable wedding rings. For the couple getting engaged that don’t want to throw a year’s worth of salary on a ring. For the traveler who wants to have a ring on their finger but worries about taking their real wedding or engagement ring on vacation. Need a placeholder ring until your real one is sized or fixed? Maybe you’re single but don’t want to be bothered when you’re out on girls night with your gal pals. Whatever the reason Starlette Galleria has some gorgeous options.

There are so many styles to choose from. There are eye-catching rings with more intricate styling. There are small dainty rings that can be used alone or as stacker rings. If you’re not looking for a ring they also have studs, hoops, necklaces, and even tennis bracelets.

Do you like their styles and wish they had them in real diamonds. Well guess what, they actually have a few real diamond rings options too and they’re stunning!

To add to the value, you get free shipping on orders over $100 and even more savings when you sign up for their newsletter.

Unlock up to $50 after joining Newsletter

If that’s not enough, they even have payment options. A great way to get the piece you really want on your budget.

I’m just saying, Mother’s day is coming up in early May. Use the newsletter discount, take advantage of the free shipping and you have a nice Mother’s day gift. (If any of my family is reading this I like the huggie hoops or the bezel tennis bracelet ::hint hint::)

Don’t forget to check out the sale section for even more money saving ideas!

The owner Olivia started this company in her own house with no connections and grew from there. Her saying is “If they can’t tell, why should you?” I love it and it’s so true. Plus so many younger couples are choosing not to put themselves in massive debt right off that bat. Forgoing traditional diamonds for more unique stones or budget friendly pieces. And I’m here for it. When my husband and I were getting engaged I told him “Don’t you dare spend more than $1000 on my ring. I told him I don’t want anything bigger than a 1/2 carat. And I meant it. I couldn’t see going into massive debt at the beginning of our lives together. Plus I’m more of a minimalist when it comes to jewelry designs.

This post does contain affiliate link. I will earn a small commission from sales made through my links

February $100 Cash Giveaway

What could you use $100 for the end of this month? If I had $100 extra the end of the month it would probably go towards getting some new spring and summer clothes for my youngest ones. But really, is there ever a bad time to get an unexpected $100?

This event is HOSTED by The Mommy Island and The Kids Did It and sponsored by fabulous bloggers, authors, and Etsy shop owners! Click Your Way Over To Our CoHosts!Sunshine and Rollercoasters, Get Your Holiday On, Deliciously Savvy , Home Jobs By Mom, Sybrina’s Book Blog, Author Jill Chapman, Saving K, Ottawa Mommy Club, Luv Saving Money, Author Tricia Schneider, Versatileer, and Eclectic Evelyn

ONE entrant will be selected by the entry form to win $100 USD PayPal Cash! Open for entry WW, 18 years and older from 02/01/2023 at 12:01 a.m. ET thru 02/28/2023 at 11:59 p.m. ET. No purchase is necessary. Void where prohibited. This event is not sponsored or endorsed by PayPal. A winner will be chosen after/around March 1, 2023. The winner will have 12 hours to respond to the notification email to claim their prize or a new winner will be selected. See Rafflecopter for official rules. The Kids Did It and The Mommy Island are responsible for sending the winner their prize. Twitter and Facebook dummy/fake accounts are ineligible for entry and will be blocked. Authentic accounts only are eligible to win. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Enter To Win PeachSkin Sheets

PeachSkinSheets – Affordable Luxury Sheets are breathable and moisture-wicking sheets, making them the perfect must-have for Valentines!

This giveaway is sponsored by PeachSkinSheets. All opinions are my own. My favorite day of the week is when I wash all my bedding. I love crawling into bed with nice, clean, fresh sheets. You deserve to have the best sheets! My favorite sheets are from PeachSkinSheets. They are so soft and comfortable! I can always tell the difference when my PeachSkinSheets are on the bed! PeachSkinSheets are breathable and moisture-wicking sheets, making them the perfect must-have for Valentines, to keep hot sleepers cool and cool sleepers cozy. They are “Affordable Luxury” and come in 24 ultra-soft colors!!

Starting at just $75 for any size sheet sets. Sizes available in Twin – Cali King, Split Sizes, as well as Matching Duvet Cover Sets. Every month they have a featured color and all sets are just $75 each! This month you can get brushed silver, French blue, or toasted marshmallow. They are all beautiful colors! They really are the best sheets! With over 30,000 5-star reviews – these sheets are loved by many people! Click here to order a set now! This Valentine’s Day – upgrade your bedding and order a set of PeachSkinSheets! They are soft, and temperature controlled to help you sleep better. Bedding is something you use every day – make sure you are sleeping on the best quality sheets available!

Good sleep improves your brain performance, mood, and health. Not getting enough quality sleep regularly raises the risk of many diseases and disorders. These range from heart disease and stroke to obesity and dementia (Source)

Image credit Rebeca Miguel – @dax_theschnauzer You have a chance to win a set of PeachSkinSheets! Check out the details below! Good luck! Check out my Valentine’s Day Gift Guide for more gift ideas!

PeachSkinSheets – Affordable Luxury Sheets Giveaway Details:

Prize: Sheet Set from PeachSkinSheets – any size Twin through Cali King (Up To $169.95 Value)
Ends January 29, 2023
Open to US Residents

Entry -Form

FREE Twix Cheesecake with Edible Arrangements Order

I love Edible arrangements. My dad usually gets my sister and I one for mother’s day. The whole family enjoys it and I love the idea of having fresh fruit to snack on in the house.

Have you seen edible arrangements? While they have typical gift boxes and things, probably the items they’re most known for is the fruit arrangements. If it sounds like something you’d like to try this would be a good time.

Why now? You may be asking? Well this week only from 1/16 – 1/20/23 for any order you place where you spend $49.99 or more, you get a FREE Twix Cheesecake with your order.

Edible arrangements are great to send to the house as a congratulations surprise to welcome a baby or to mark a milestone. It would be something different for birthdays, anniversaries, a thank you gift.

And hey, if you want to order a little treat for yourself, well…honey you deserve it. There will be no judgement here. The free Twix cheesecake with $49.99+ Edible Arrangements order is pretty enticing.

Have you ever tried Edible Arrangements before?

I Got A Cricut Explore Air 2 For Christmas, Now What?

I had been wanting a Cricut cutting machine for years. It was always something I put off to the side a not a need but a want. I’m not super crafty but I loved the things some of my friends and family would make with theirs.

Honestly I was a little intimidated. Would I be able to use it? I didn’t want to pay for the machine then not be able to use it, get frustrated, and let it gather dust. Then there was the idea of space I knew I’d need a desk or table to work at. I have a desk for my laptop but could it be a work desk/craft desk? And it’s in the living room, I didn’t want it getting cluttered or messy all the time.

Well my dad asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I would have never asked him for a Cricut. I would have felt guilty asking him for something that cost so much money. So I found a hoodie I liked and a smaller make up set for ideas and told him either of those would be fine. Well Christmas Day at my dads house there was an unusually large gift that definitely did not look like a hoodie or small make up set. When I opened it, I couldn’t believe it. He must have saw my facebook conversations with friends enough times to know I wanted one. He got me a Cricut Explore Air 2 bundle so it had some basic tools, vinyls, cutting mats, and transfer tape with it.

The first chance I had I started looking at Youtube videos, tiktok, etc for beginner advice, tips and tricks, etc. I finally felt confident to start it up. The guide that came with it was helpful too. I did my first practice project with the cardstock sample paper they had in the box. I messed up the first time, but got it the 2nd time.

My middle son was shouting out ideas of things he’d like me to make him. While I was excited, I was also a little bit “whoa slow down there” I mean I’m brand new to Cricut. I had bought his girlfriend a custom boba glass as part of her gift (she loves boba). My son says “Maybe you can make me my own boba glass” So I got a glass to practice on from the dollar tree. I bought a few permanent vinyls on sale at Michaels. And found some SVG files on Etsy I wanted to use and purchased them. He’s a big Miami Dolphins fan so I was excited to find Miami Dolphins SVG files. Not only that but I was able to upload them to my design space with ease. After watching some helpful videos on youtube again for layering and transfering I went to work. I made mistakes but learned with each one. In the end I created my son’s custom boba glass and he loved it.

That project boosted my confidence a bit. While at Michaels I had bought some insert cards to try because I had seen them in some of the videos and though they looked great. But again I thought I messed up because the ones I bought said “Cricut Joy” on them. Again after watching several videos with several ideas of how to use them on a Cricut Explore Air 2, I went to work. Believe it or not this project was much harder for me as a newbie. I wasted several cards until I figure out how to do it. Why? because most of the insert card videos showed to use the Cricut 2×2 card mat or showed an alternative way with a piece of cardstock. All great ideas but I spent the money on the insert cards so I was determined to use them. I did not want to have to purchase yet another accessory (the card mat) to be able to do another project. After wasting those several cards I finally figured it out. I was excited to have figured out an alternative without a helpful video this time.

So my question for other, more seasoned, Cricut users….What are some beginner friendly Cricut Explore Air 2 projects you think I should try? I did get some iron on vinyls with my Cricut so I’m thinking maybe a t-shirt. Or maybe a decal for my car with removable vinyl. But I’m open to suggestions.

I’d also love to know what your first project was and did you have trouble like I did or were you a pro right out of the gate? In your opinion, what are your must have tools? Do you have any tips on where or when to find the best deals on Cricut accessories?

This post does contain affiliate links. I will earn a small commission from sales made through my links