Easy Ways to Keep Your Thanksgiving on Budget When You are Hosting
The holidays are almost here better start stressing now. Right? I mean who doesn’t spend the holidays stressed right? Between being surrounded by family (not always what you want) and having your budget stretched to its max, there are a lot of things to be stressed about. The fact of the matter is, it is just too easy to become overwhelmed with the holidays. If you are the one that is hosting the holiday gathering, that stress grows even more.
Our goal is to help you lower that stress by keeping your budget more on track.
Plan a Potluck
A potluck dinner is the way to go when you are talking about planning a big meal. Simply ask your guests to bring their favorite side dish and that will lower your workload tremendously. Most people are going to love this anyway since they want to contribute. For those that aren’t big cooks, it’s easy (and inexpensive) to pick up a bag of chips or a bottle of wine or soda.
Don’t stress the decor
Seriously. People aren’t stressed about how your home is decorated for Thanksgiving. They want to visit you, not see your linen tablecloths or wreaths. Make sure you house is clean enough for company and that’s about the extent of what is needed. If you insist on decorating, just hit up the dollar store for inexpensive decorative pieces.
Shop Smart
Make sure to shop smart when you head out to buy food and supplies for your holiday meal. Use coupons, load deals on your shopping apps, submit rebates when you can and make sure you take advantage of the grocery stores that offer free turkeys or hams with a purchase over $50 or $100 (or whatever the amount may be). Don’t abandon your typically savings tricks just because it’s a holiday. If anything, step up your game. Shop early, shop around, research and plan!
What kind of budget do you set for your Thanksgiving gatherings? Are you able to easily stick to that budget? If yes, how do you do it? Do you have any great tips or tricks that have helped you to save big on holiday meals and gatherings?
How to Have a Night Out Without Breaking the Bank
Are you on a budget? Do you feel like you are missing out on the fun stuff while you are trying to save? Even those of us on a budget deserve a night out every once in awhile. So how can you stretch your budget to include the entertainment of a night out on the town?
Well, lucky for us there are actually quite a few ways that we can save big on going out. Check out these tips on how to have a night out without breaking the bank:
Drink at Home. Alcoholic drinks are incredibly expensive (from $5 – $10+ each) and can quickly suck up your entire budget. If your night includes plans to drink, consider having a couple of drinks at home before you go to the restaurant or club, this will cut down on your expenses quite a bit. (Make sure you have a designated driver before you start drinking though!)
Check out Happy Hour. Many restaurants offer happy hour deals on food and drinks! If you are going to drink, this is definitely the way to do it. Food too is much cheaper this way. Many chain restaurants offer their happy hour meals from like 2 – 4pm and then after 9. Be sure to double check with your restaurant to see if and when they offer it.
Skip the Appetizers and Desserts. If you are going out to dinner, don’t splurge on appetizers or desserts. They add unnecessary expense to your meal out and i don’t know about you, but if I eat an appetizers, a meal and dessert I am way too full to have enjoyed myself.
Sign up for restaurant newsletters. If you know you are going to be going out to dinner, it is worth researching the restaurant online to see if they have an online newsletter. These often come with sign up bonuses like free or BOGO free meals or appetizers or dollar off coupons. Well worth the added emails!
Go on kids eat free nights. If you are planning to take your kids with you, be sure and check into whether or not the restaurant has a kids eat free night. Many big name restaurants such as Applebees, IHOP and more offer free meals for kids (some also offer $0.99 kids meals).
Groupon. Don’t forget to check out Groupon and other daily deals sites to find discounts on local restaurants. Also be sure to check out our site often to score even deeper discounts with coupon codes. Groupon deals are my favorite way to check out local restaurants and attractions.
How to Get the Most out of Your Online Shopping
With Black Friday around the corner and Cyber Monday quickly following, it’s easily the most busy shopping time of the year. The past few years, stores have made it so much easier for us who prefer to stay home and and avoid the crowds. We still get the same Black Friday prices just by shopping online. There are a few tips that you want to make sure you are doing to get the most out of your online shopping experience. Because if your’e not careful, you could be overspending. Hopefully the follow tips will help you out:
- Make a List: It’s hard to know what you are looking for when you don’t even know what you’re looking for! If you haven’t already, ask your kids to make their Christmas list. Also, make a list for your family and neighbors. Having specifics will help out when shopping online.
- Know the Price: If you don’t know the price, how do you know if it’s a good deal? When you make your list, take note of how much that item is. You can even write it down. If you’re like me you think you will remember and then when it’s time…it suddenly is not in your brain. Take note of the price and write it down.
- Compare Stores: When you know what you want, it’s important to compare prices with a few different stores. I would recommend comparing Walmart, Amazon, Target, and Best Buy. These stores usually have really hot deals that you will want to make sure you are getting the best deal. You can also compare Macy’s and Kohl’s – if they are more clothing, shoes or home items. Yes, this does take some time, but it will pay off in the end.
- Use Coupons/Codes: A great way to see if there are coupon codes available at each store is to check their home page. Stores like Kohl’s and Macy’s will have coupon codes all of the time. So be sure to maximize your savings by using those codes. Also, be sure to stack codes if permitted. Amazon has a special link here with coupons that are available.
- Use Free Shipping: I think we can all agree that paying for shipping is definitely not the way to go. That’s why I am always looking at stores when they are offering free shipping. With it being the most busy shopping season of the year, you will definitely find stores offer free shipping more often. Stores like Target and Best Buy have already started their free shipping on almost every single item. If your store is not giving out free shipping, consider looking at your list and all of the deals. You may be able to buy more on your list and get to that free shipping amount.
The Easiest Chocolate Pudding Pie to Make This Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is coming which means a lot of time is spent in the kitchen creating master pieces! Why not make one of those plates easier on your self and put together this delicious Chocolate Pudding Pie! This is has been a family favorite to have at our Thanksgiving gatherings and usually the first pie gone so if you’re not fast to get your own slice, you’ll be out of lucky. I finally asked how to make it this year and I was stocked at how easy and quick it is! This year, I’m signing up to bring the pie and you might want to as well!
Chocolate Pudding Pie
2 packages (3.9oz each) Chocolate Instant Pudding
2 cups cold milk
1 (8oz) tub cool whipped topping, thawed,divided
1 Chocolate Cookie Pie Crust (6oz)
2 Chocolate Covered Toffee Bars (optional)
Beat pudding mixes and milk in medium bowl with whisk for 2 minutes. Stir in half the cool whip and all but 2 tablespoons of the chocolate covered toffee bars. Pour into the crust. Top with remaining cool whip and toffee bars and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Does your family have a “have to have” pie for Thanksgiving? I want to hear about it – let us know in the comments below what is it and if you can include the recipe that would be even better!
Shopping Tips for Cyber Monday
Yesterday we talked a little about how to save time and money shopping on Black Friday. Today I thought that we can talk a little bit about Cyber Monday.
Cyber Monday is often compared to Black Friday in that it is considered to be the biggest shopping day of the year, for the online crowd that is. Cyber Monday happens the Monday after Thanksgiving and Black Friday. So if you love the deals that Black Friday has to offer, but you hate the crowds, just wait a couple of days and do your shopping from your sofa!
It’s easy to get caught up in all of the hype that Cyber Monday brings, but you still need to shop smart. There are ways that you can save even more on your Cyber Monday shopping though, so don’t fret.
Here are your shopping tips for Cyber Monday to make sure that you get the best deals:
Stay Organized
If you are doing your gift buying, be sure to keep your shopping organized. Who are you buying for? Make sure you keep a list next to your computer of who you are looking to shop for. Who have you already bought for? Make sure that you mark off those that you have already bought for. You don’t want to end up with 3 gifts for one person and none for another.
Don’t Ignore Extra Costs
The price of shipping kills a lot of deals for me. Make sure that you are not so enticed by an item’s price that you forget to add in the shipping cost for it. Include that as part of the price so that you can see if you are actually getting a good deal or not.
Research Prices
Make sure that the deal you are about to get is actually a good one. Too many people get sucked into the hype of the sale and forget to double check that it is actually a deal before they click buy. Make sure that you put the item into your virtual cart and do a quick online price comparison.
Shop Early
Cyber Monday is like Black Friday in that many of the deals that we see advertised are either in limited quantities or they are being offered until a specific time. You will need to get an early start to get the deals being offered!
Shopping Tips for Black Friday
Thanksgiving is coming up in less than 3 weeks, which means BLACK FRIDAY is coming!! Do you plan on shopping? Do you have a game plan?
In case you need a little bit of help in your Black Friday Prep, we have decided to give you some of our favorite shopping tips for Black Friday in a handy little list:
- Research. Make sure you bookmark our site and check back often for upcoming deals and events as it relates to Black Friday. We often get updates and will share with you!
- Start early. Again, check back often for early ad posting and get an idea of what you are going to shop for and see if those stores happen to be offering early sales. Sometimes you will find that some of the stores will start with their Black Friday prices being on Wednesday or even sooner online.
- Jump in line. If you are shopping for a big ticket item or you have big list of stuff to buy, consider being one of the people who stand in line all night. There are lots of stores that offer high value gift cards to the first 50-100 customers. This may not be worth it to you, but I can think of several stores who offered gift cards that were worth $300 or more last year!
- Split up. I always go Black Friday Shopping with in groups or with a partner. That’s because more is always better when shopping in crowds. Black Friday crowds are no exception. When you are looking for more than one deal, the best bet is to split up and head individually. You are less likely to miss out on the deals this way.
- Don’t be afraid to use coupons. Many of us have a hard time staying within budget when the discounts are so deep. Many stores though, still let you use coupons on Black Friday and I highly suggest using them! The holidays are expensive, make sure you save where you can!
- Don’t waste your time over so-so deals. If you see a so-so deal on an item that you are wanting to buy, you can likely wait until another time to buy it. The time wasted in dealing with the crowds is probably not worth it.
Kitchen Hacks That Will Save You Time and Money.
When you think about it, much of our family time and money is spent in the kitchen.
With the average family spending over $700 per month on groceries alone, most of us want to find ways that we can save money. Worse yet, in my opinion is that in the average household there is over 2 hours spent per day on food preparation and cooking. Now wouldn’t you rather spend that time with your loved ones? Because of the time that cooking and food prep takes, many people opt for convenience foods that are both expensive and unhealthy. Many of us want to change how we spend our time and money, but don’t even know where to start.
We want to help you make your kitchen time more useful! Here are 5 kitchen hacks that we use to time and money:
- Use your slow cooker! A slow cooker is hands down the easiest way to prep your dinner. Place your ingredients into the cooker in the morning and by the time you get home from work, dinner is done.
- Meal plan. Set aside a little bit of time either weekly or monthly to create a meal plan for your family. The most annoyingly easy way to waste time in the kitchen is by staring at the fridge or cabinets trying to figure out what to have. If you have a plan set up, there’s no more trying to figure it out at the last minute.
- Multi task. If you are waiting on your meal to cook, use this time to prep lunches for the week. That frees up the time that you would have spent putting your lunch together and you will likely eat healthier because you aren’t grabbing lunch in the run.
- Use cooking liners. Okay so this one might not seem like it would save you money, but it saves you a lot of time, which to me is far more important. These slow cooker liners for example, cost less than $0.44 each, yet they prevent the time consuming chore of cleaning your slow cooker.
- Clean as you go. Cooking in a clean kitchen saves a lot of time. Make sure that when you are in the kitchen you are cleaning as you go. This prevents the dreaded chore of cleaning before you can cook or eat.
Do you have any kitchen hacks that have saved you either time or money?
How to Make a Christmas Countdown Chain Using Your Halloween Candy
Now that Halloween is over, do you have a TON of candy? What do you do with it? How do you minimize the intake of sugar for your kids? Here is a great way to solve all of your questions- Make a Christmas Countdown Chain! This chain seriously saves me from kid tantrums and tears. Instead of them asking every 10 minutes if they can have another piece of candy, they know that they get one piece a day and each day means it’s closer to Christmas! It’s super simple and even the kids can help out. Here’s how you do it:
Supplies you need:
Plastic Wrap
Ribbon or Yarn- cut into strips long enough to tie
Scissors
Halloween Candy (# depending on when you start your chain-days to Christmas.)
Directions:
Stretch your Plastic Wrap out and keep it straight. Don’t cut it off until you are completely done. Tie Ribbon on the end and add in your first piece of candy. Next you’ll want to wrap the plastic wrap around the candy and twist the end. Then add another ribbon. Repeat this step until you have all of your pieces in your plastic wrap. End the chain with another ribbon-twisting before you tie. That’s it!
Tips:
#1: If you have more than one child, consider using different colors of ribbon or yarn for each kid. That way they know which one is theirs just by looking at the color.
#2: Remember to twist the wrap after each candy, otherwise they tend to fall out.
#3 If you don’t have enough pieces to go all the way until Christmas, consider going until Thanksgiving or even through the month of November. There can be different ending times, depending on the amount of candy you have.
Show Your Gratitude This November! Find Things to Be Thankful For Each Day!
It’s November – the best month of the year, at least in my opinion! I love being able to take some time to really think of the things I am grateful for and teach my children how to show gratitude for the things we have. Gratitude can truly change your perception for the good. There are some many different things to be grateful for and ways to express gratitude I wanted to compile a list for you.
- Be a Good Listener – this means putting the phone down, pulling out the ear plugs or putting the tv on mute when someone is talking to you.
- Make Eye Contact – I truly feel this one is hard for me but it’s such a simple way to show you’re listening and care for the person
- Give Compliments – A small compliment can go a long ways!
- Give a Hug – A hug can connect you with a person more than just words. It shows compassion for the other.
- Volunteer – ok no one really likes to volunteer for the unpleasant task of cleaning the bathrooms, running the errands or other tasks but when you do it voluntarily it can really show your gratitude to the other person you’re serving.
- Be Thoughtful – make a mistake – say you’re sorry. Consider someone else’s feelings when you say or do something.
- Offer Congratulations – did you see someone accomplished something their proud of, offer them a congratulations. Or maybe your friend is expecting, let them know you’re happy for them.
- Just Be There – your time is worth so much more than you can even buy! It could be a simple phone call, a visit in their home or send a card in the mail.
- Be Patient – yep, another one I’m not the best at but I’m always trying harder to be patient with those I love and I challenge you to do the same.
- Journal Your Blessings – this one is a little more well known but once you’ve written down the things you’re grateful for for a few days, it’s nice to go back on those harder days and remember the blessings you do have.
There are so many other ways to show your gratitude; write a note, share your talents, donate to charity, pay it forward, etc. Take some time during this month and really think of what you have to be grateful for and express that gratitude.
Which Stores Will Be Closed on Thanksgiving 2016?
At one point in time, Black Friday was regarded as the official start of the holiday shopping season. Retailers opened their doors early on the Friday after Thanksgiving every year to offer shoppers great deals on popular holiday goodies. Stores staying closed on Thanksgiving was simply expected.
That was, of course, back in the good old days. In recent years, more and more retailers have started kicking off their Black Friday sales and deals earlier than ever. A growing trend among brick and mortar retailers has had them kicking off Black Friday early and opening their doors on Thanksgiving, a holiday meant to be spent with family.
It has been dubbed the Black Friday Creep, and although it might be good for retailers’ bottom lines, it has many consumers up in arms. Some people might like the extra early jump on holiday shopping, but many are more angry than excited about stores open on Thanksgiving, and for good reason. While some retail employees may not mind working on the holiday, many would rather spend the time eating way too much and relaxing with family. Wal-Mart gets most of the backlash for this, but it’s not just that retail giant that’s at fault. Several other popular retailers, including Macy’s, Toys R’ Us, Sears, Best Buy, Kohl’s, and Target will be open on Thanksgiving.
It seems, though, that the backlash that retailers have been getting is starting to work. Although some stores are continuing to open on the holiday, more retailers have decided to stay closed on Thanksgiving.
So, if you’d rather support stores that stay closed on Thanksgiving so employees can spend time with their families, we have a nice little list for you! Keep in mind that store hours are subject to change. This list, as of yet, should be taken as pure speculation. As Black Friday approaches, we’ll know more about which stores will officially stay closed on Thanksgiving.
If we missed a store in this list, comment below so it can be added! And, without further ado…
Stores Closed on Thanksgiving
- A.C. Moore
- Academy Sports
- American Girl
- AT&T
- Barnes & Noble
- Bed Bath & Beyond (Select Locations)
- BJ’s Wholesale Club
- Blain’s Farm & Fleet
- Burlington Coat Factory
- Cabela’s
- Christmas Tree Shops (Select Locations)
- Christopher & Banks
- Costco
- Crate and Barrel
- Dillard’s
- DSW Shoe Warehouse
- Fred Meyer
- Gamestop
- Guitar Center
- Half Price Books
- Harbor Freight
- HHGregg
- Hobby Lobby
- Home Depot
- HomeGoods
- IKEA
- Jo-Ann Fabrics
- Lowe’s
- Marshalls
- Mattress Firm
- Menards
- Mills Fleet Farm
- Neiman Marcus
- Nordstrom
- Nordstrom Rack
- Office Max / Office Depot
- P.C. Richard & Son
- Patagonia
- Petco
- PetSmart
- Pier 1 Imports
- Publix
- REI (Also closed on Black Friday)
- Sam’s Club
- Sierra Trading Post
- Staples
- The Container Store
- T.J. Maxx
- Tractor Supply
5 Ways You Can Use Your Smartphone To Save Money
Smartphones are so great. Seriously, I know they are expensive and many of us tend to be too attached to our phones, but in reality, they have the ability to make life so much easier and less expensive. That’s right, I said less expensive.
How is it that life can become less expensive with your smartphone you ask? Well here are just 5 ways that you can use your smartphone to save money and make your life a little bit easier:
Budgeting Apps
There are several different budgeting apps that you can download onto your phone to make your monthly budgeting much easier. You can set reminders, keep track of your income and expenses and even give yourself warnings when your spending is too much, etc.
Some of my favorites include:
Rebate Apps
Do a quick search for rebate apps on your phone such as Ibotta and Savingstar and you can save big money on items that you are already buying! These apps allow you to take advantage of rebates that are available for everyday items like groceries, household goods and even alcohol!
Store Club Apps
Chances are your favorite grocery stores have apps that allow you to load coupons directly onto your club card account. Each time I go grocery shopping, I open up the app and find any coupons and offers that apply to my grocery list and add them. Plus, these apps often offer freebies!
Text Coupons
There are countless stores that accept text coupons. Doing something as simple as a quick Google search will bring up any text codes that are currently available to use. I have used text coupons and codes to score deals at grocery stores such as Kroger and Target, retail stores like Kohls and Lane Bryant and even Redbox to score free movie rentals!
Price Comparisons
There is no longer any excuse to pay top dollar for anything. Smartphones allow you the ability to compare prices on anything while you are out and about shopping. Some stores will price match based on your comparison shopping, but even if not, you will easily know how where you can go to save big.
Have you found any other great ways in which your phone has saved you money?
Easy Tips for Keeping Your Kitchen Clean
If you are anything like me, you hate cleaning your kitchen. It’s just not fun. Am I right? Over the years though, I have discovered some tips that make keeping my kitchen clean easier.
Clean Regularly
Here’s a tip. The more often you do it, the less you actually have to do. If you keep a regular cleaning schedule, you will only spend a few minutes each day as opposed to having a huge project if you do it every couple of days.
Keep a Schedule
When it comes to jobs such as taking out the trash, be sure to keep the family on a schedule. Make sure that these jobs are done when they are suppose to be to prevent overflow and keep things tidy. No one wants to have to squish trash down in the can just because someone skipped taking it out. Same goes with recycling.
Empty Your Dishwasher
As soon as your dishwasher is done running, empty it out. That will allow you to be able to put dirty dishes into them as they become used instead of piling them up into the sink. This also keeps the kids into the habit of rinsing their dishes right away.
Keep Cleaning Wipes on Hand
I have developed a major love for cleaning wipes. Whenever you have spills or messes during your cooking sessions, grab a wipe and clean it up ASAP. If you are able to easy clean spills right away, you are far less likely to have major cleaning to do. I keep a canister of wipes right next to my dish soap.
Have a Designated Cabinet for Appliances
Keeping small kitchen appliances such as toasters, blenders, crockpots, etc. on your counters creates a cluttered, messy effect. Make sure that you have a cabinet designated for storing these appliances and you will find your counters are much tidier. My only exception to this is my coffee pot, well because. It’s coffee!
Keep Mail and Papers out of the Kitchen
Once you bring mail or other papers into the kitchen it becomes way too easy to keep stacking stuff on top of that. Make it a general family rule that mail gets put into a designated spot so that you are not using your kitchen counter as a catchall.
How do you make keeping your kitchen clean less of a chore?
Stay Safe this Halloween with these Safety Tips
Halloween is Monday, can you believe it? Halloween is such a fun holiday with costumes and candy. It’s one that my kids look forward to all year. I mean, getting a whole basket full of candy by just walking around the neighborhood? How can you not love that? However, Halloween can be one of those holidays that can be dangerous too. From food allergies to dark neighborhoods, you’ll want to keep your kids safe. Here are a few tips to help you out.
Tip #1 Bring a Light: Traditionally Trick or Treating starts when it’s dark. Plus, kids are in dark costumes making it hard to see them. Those alone are safety concerns with kids. To make it easier for the kids to be seen, be sure EACH child has a light with them or on them. You can do this by buying Glow in the Dark items. One great option are these super cute Glow in the Dark Bracelets from Walmart for only $2.00 each! You can choose FREE store pickup so you can have them in time for Monday. Another great option are headlamps. Parents can wear these as well as kids. Walmart has a great Ozark Trail combo pack with 1 flashlight and 1 headlamp for only 4.82! So there are a few ways to keep the kids bright enough to be seen by people and cars.
Tip #2 Candy Check: Be sure to do a quick check for opened candy, hard candy for those little kids, and any food/candy that may look out of place. If your gut says something is wrong, throw it out. I always let the kids eat a few pieces along the way, but stop at a street light or use your flashlight and check the candies that are chosen before they eat them. Then when they get home, do the candy check on all of the items. If your kids have allergies, this is especially important.
Tip #3 Face Paint Instead of Masks: Masks are super fun but they also block your sight, especially at night. This can be extremely dangerous when they are running across streets. Try using Non-Toxic face paint instead. This way you won’t be affecting their sight. If you do use face paint, be sure to always test small areas on your face before you cover it. You want to make sure you aren’t allergic. Also, be sure to clean your face thoroughly before you go to bed.
Tip#4 Make a Well Known Route: Teach children where they can go for trick or treating. Create a route that goes along well lit sidewalks and to houses that they know. This is especially important if your older kids are going by themselves. They want to be in safe areas where they are familiar with.
Tip#5 Use LED Lights and Carving Knives: When creating your perfect Jack-O-Lantern, try using the cutting knives that come in in the pumpkin carving packages. These small knives are perfect and even younger kids can use them. Avoid using kitchen knives that may be dull. Using those could result injuries. Also, instead of using candles in your pumpkins, try using LED lights. You can grab these safe LED lights at Walmart for around $3.00 each.
Hopefully these tips will remind you of a few ideas to keep you and your kids safe. Have a fun and safe Halloween!
Simple and Easy Halloween Dinner Ideas!
Halloween is MONDAY! Halloween doesn’t have to be all about the candy and what happens after dinner. Create fun Halloween memories at the dinner table too! These are some simple but cute ideas of ways you can bring the Halloween spirit to the dinner table. I tried to keep most of them simple since we’ll all be trying to get out the door to go trick or treating but you could go all out if that’s more your style!
These Jack-O-Lantern Quesadillas are cute and simple! And great if you have a picky eater!
Create some meatball mummies for dinner on Monday!
Or have a spooky Spaghetti night and turn your pasta black!
I think this is what we’re going to be making Halloween night! Some Jack O Lantern Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!
Use your favorite bread stick recipe and turns them into bones!
I love the idea of turning this soup into something spooky! Especially if it’s a cold night, chicken noodle soup would be perfect!
Or everyone can make their own mini pizzas into something spooky!
This is such a simple yet cute idea! Spider PB&J’s would be great to have Halloween night!
I think I might add this tomato soup to go along with our grilled cheese! It’s so easy, you just put some sour cream in a bag with a little milk to thin it up a bit. Then draw circles in your soup. After words you just take a toothpick and run it out to create the lines!
Hopefully this gives you some fun ideas for Halloween dinner! Don’t forget you can always pick up a pumpkin pizza from Papa John’s make a really simple dinner! Do you have a family favorite or tradition for Halloween night?
No More Biased Reviews? Amazon Bans Incentivized Reviews
Amazon reviews have become a source of information and research for many consumers over the years. Feedback from other consumers can come in incredibly useful when making large and small purchases alike. As the largest online retailer in the world right now, Amazon has amassed a huge collection of customer reviews on millions of products.
So, if you’re ready to make an informed decision about an upcoming purchase, it would seem as though Amazon was the place to be, right? Unfortunately, all reviews on this online retail giant may not be completely unbiased.
The majority of Amazon reviews that you read are most likely legitimate and from average consumers such as yourself. However, some Amazon sellers have turned to compensated reviews or incentivized reviews to inflate star ratings, which ultimately garner more purchases from consumers trusting all of those 5-star ratings.
What are Incentivized Amazon Reviews?
Unlike compensated reviews, in which sellers basically buy good reviews, incentivized reviews on Amazon have never been prohibited. Instead of flat out paying for reviews, Amazon has allowed sellers to offer products for free or at a discounted price in exchange for an honest review. Reviewers received the product, tested it, and left a review.
Incentivized Amazon reviews, in theory, should be somewhat more accurate than compensated reviews. After all, customers actually received and used the product they were reviewing. They were also encouraged by Amazon to leave honest reviews. They were also required to include a disclosure stating that they received the product at a discount in exchange for the review.
Are Incentivized Reviews Accurate?
Although incentivized reviews were likely a lot more accurate and honest than paid reviews, for the most part, getting a product for free or cheap does have a way of skewing one’s perception of it. Technically, reviewers were supposed to be completely honest, but let’s face it—that probably didn’t always happen. Over the years, Amazon shoppers have grown to distrust incentivized reviews, and probably for good reason.
Receiving a product for free or cheap makes one a lot less likely to leave a poor review, even on a product that deserved a 1 or 2 star review. Even if a reviewer wanted to leave a lower rating, many Amazon sellers required reviewers to contact them if they were unable to leave a 4 or 5 star review. This was supposedly to allow the seller to resolve any issues a reviewer might have. However, it also makes it a much bigger hassle to leave a true honest review, and most reviewers would likely skip this and just leave a 4 star review. If a reviewer did contact a seller and an issue could not be resolved enough to warrant a higher rating and good review, a reviewer may even be asked to simply not leave a review at all instead of leaving a poor review.
Finally, common sense would tell you that incentivized reviews are likely to be at least a little biased. After all, who wouldn’t feel a little bad leaving a low rating and a poor review on a product that was basically just given to them?
A recent study has shown that there’s probably a lot of truth to this line of thinking. ReviewMeta looked at over 7 million Amazon reviews and found something very interesting According to the study, reviews containing a disclosure as an incentivized review typically rated products slightly higher than reviews without this disclosure. Also, incentivized reviewers are much less likely to leave 1 star ratings and critical reviews. Even with an average 0.38 star difference, these slightly higher reviews can really bump a product into a higher percentile and create the illusion of a much higher quality product.
Amazon Bans Incentivized Reviews
At the beginning of this month, October 2016, Amazon officially updated the community guidelines and banned incentivized reviews. This will hopefully cut down on biased reviews and give customers more helpful feedback to make better informed decisions.
So, are incentivized Amazon reviews a thing of the past? Not quite…
Amazon is still allowing incentivized review from the Amazon Vine program. This program is Amazon’s own in-house incentivized review program for new and pre-release products. While they are till technically incentivized reviews, ratings and reviews through the mazon Vine program are considered to be more unbiased.
Not just anyone can write incentivized reviews for Amazon Vine. It is an invitation only program, and reviewers are selected based on several criteria, including the “helpfulness” of their reviews and the number of reviews they have written. Vine reviewers are strongly encouraged to write honest and unbiased reviews, and there is much less pressure to give 4 and 5 start ratings or write glowing reviews.