StackInfluence: Free Products for Micro-Influencers

I’ve been around the micro-influencer sphere for a while.

There have been review programs for influencers since the beginning, and a lot of them have closed due to shady practices or blatant disregarding of website TOS’s.

StackInfluence is different, and pretty easy in my opinion. You sign up, select a campaign, purchase the item via the link provided, review the item as outlined in the campaign, and you are refunded your purchase price via Paypal or Venmo.

I’ve done a few campaigns with them (including this horrible upholstry stain remover), and reimbursement is super quick- less than an hour after you verify your social media post. And reviews can be honest. I try not to sugarcoat reviews, because if you are spending money on something I tell you is good, you better believe that it’s good. That stain remover was not. It was stanky and made my couch look worse.

Most items are for sale on Amazon, but there are a few on Walmart.com too.  I tend to redeem my rewards/rebate app rewards for Amazon Gift Cards and add them to my account, so when I order stuff through apps like StackInfluence, I’m not paying out of my own pocket for them!

Here are just a few of the newer campaigns I have my eye on:

I have a few artists in my family who would enjoy these Posca markers- If you’ve never used Poscas before, they are amazing Acrylic Paint pens!

And there is a certain Cryptid lover in my house who would love this BigFoot shirt.

If you have an Instagram or Tiktok account and you’d love to try new products, check out StackInfluence.

Black Friday Deals at Thrift Stores!

Thrift stores are getting in on the Black Friday Sales, too. And why not? With more people on a tighter budget, thrift stores are a great way to save money while shopping, support a charity, and keep clothing and home goods out of landfills.

Goodwill:

Black Friday (11/28)
Shop Goodwill SoCal stores and receive a free scarf with a minimum $30 purchase.*
All Weekend Long (11/28-12/1)
The first 25 people in line each day at Goodwill SoCal’s Retail Stores and Boutiques will receive a coupon for 20% off a future purchase of $30 or more.**
Enter for a chance to win a $2,000 gift voucher for our Goodwill SoCal ebay Shop!*** Learn more and enter to win at a Goodwill SoCal store near you.

Goodwill also has a VIP program where you can score a 20% off coupon- Sign up here. 

Amvets: All items are $3.00, excluding clearance items. This deal is valid all day on November 28, 2025, at all AmVets locations. Locations can be found here.

Amvets is one of my favorite thrift stores; they always have great clothes and craft supplies.

Salvation Army is also having a Black Friday sale, but theirs is limited in time, unlike Amvets. Enjoy 50% 0ff the entire store on Friday, November 28, 2025, 8am-12pm.

If you can’t make it then, but are on the hunt for clothes- GOOD NEWS! All clothing will be 50% off Friday-Saturday, November 28-29, 2025.  Find your location Salvation Army Thrift store here. 

 

There may be other thrift stores having sales, but my internet searches were not that fruitful. I was aware of both of these because I had seen signs in stores recently.

 

 

Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar $29.99 (Starting Tomorrow)

I don’t usually post a lot of Black Friday Deals, but this one is close to my heart.

We’re a Lego Family, and a Star Wars Family, so when I saw this deal in my email the other day, I knew I had to share it.

Starting tomorrow 11/26/25, at Walgreens (and Walgreens.com), you can score this Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar for just $29.99. That’s 40% off the original price!! This deal is going to go super fast, so I recommend setting a timer or a reminder on your phone. I’ve already got a reminder set in my phone’s calendar with the link as the location.

This is going to be a great Advent Calendar for my oldest!

Looking for a Gift for the Readers in Your Life?

I’ve got a couple of adult readers on my gift-giving list each year.

And it can be hard to find a book to give as a gift, but I recently discovered Book of the Month.

You can give a 3, 6, or 9-month membership, depending on what works for your budget.

Or, if you are the reader in your life, check it out for yourself! They have a pretty decent deal going right now: Join Book of the Month and choose your first book for $9.99 or make your pick later.

FINE PRINT: By clicking the checkbox above, you agree to Book of the Month’s Terms of use and Privacy policy. You also acknowledge that you are signing up for a recurring monthly subscription. Unless you skip the month or cancel your membership using our site or app prior to the 21st of each month, you will be renewed for $16.99 plus tax next month and one credit will be added to your account redeemable for your next book. As part of your $5 enrollment offer, you acknowledge that you cannot cancel until after you are renewed at least once. As part of this transaction, you may see a $21.99 temporary hold on your payment method, which will be released in a couple of days.

$10 off Family Meals at Luna Grill (In-App)

This is a deal I can get behind.

I love Luna Grill; it replaced Daphne’s in our area as the fast casual Mediterranean restaurant.

App Exclusive: $10 off Family Meals

Redeem by 12/31 in the Luna Grill app for $10 off Family Meals portioned for 4 or 6.

I love these family meals. They are great for take-out night or for meal prep. Sometimes I want grilled chicken for lunch during the week, but I don’t want to fire up the grill. I pick up the Family Meal for 4 and portion it out in my lunchwear for the entire week. The meals for 4 (and 6) and super generous and can definately stretch a few more servings.  I usually get 6 lunches from a Family Meal for 4.

The family meals include your choice of kabobs served with seasonal veggies, rice, salad, pita, and a choice of hummus or sauce.

Discount applies to the base price of Family Meal for 4 or 6. Valid in the Luna Grill app through 12/31/2025. *Limit (1) offer per guest per visit. No cash value. Must be presented at time of purchase. Not valid with any other offers or promotions. No substitutions.

 

Shopkick- Your turkey just got a bonus!

I received this email from Skopkick, and if you haven’t already picked up a turkey… Here’s an offer that might sweeten the deal:

From now until 11/24, purchase our featured turkey (Butterball Frozen Whole Turkey, All Natural, 10-16 lbs., Serves 5-8) at Walmart and submit your receipt to earn 750 kicks back.

If you are new to Shopkick, I wrote about how it works (and a link to get you started) here.

 

OTC Benefits with Medicare and Medicaid!

I learned the other day that some Medicare and Medicaid plans have a benefit where you can receive an allowance to purchase OTC medicines and devices to help you stay healthy. From what I’ve found, Medi-Cal (THat’s what Medicaid in CA is called) is not included in this, sadly.

To see if your plan has an allowance called an OTC health solution or OTCHS, check with your Medicare or Medicaid plan. For those with Medicare, it is often covered under Part D.

CVS is one pharmacy where you can use your allowance. They accept the following plans:

• OTC Health Solutions

  • S3
  • OTC Network
  • Nations Benefits
  • And many more

Walgreens also offers a service similar to CVS. In fact, Walgreens has a complete section on its website where you can shop for items covered by this program.

Over-the-counter medicines like pain relievers, eye drops, gas relievers, first aid supplies, vitamins, and oral care, just to name a few.

If your plan offers this feature, have you taken advantage of it before? What types of items do you purchase?

California and Utah Residents: No Cost Wellness Kits for Medicaid members!

I found out about Stay Well US recently while researching for another post. This offer is 100% free and is only for those with Medicaid (Remember, in California, Medicaid is called Medi-Cal).

If you live in California or Utah and you have Medicaid, this offer is for you!

Stay Well US has three types of wellness kits available for free:

The process to obtain any of these is easy:

  • Submit a Quick Form: Tell Stay Well a little about your health needs.
  • They Verify Coverage: They work directly with Medicaid, so there’s no cost to you.
  • Receive Your Kit: Your approved COVID tests and wellness items are delivered discreetly and securely.

These offers have no out-of-pocket cost to you. As I find more deals and offers like this, I will post them.

It’s Time! Southwest’s $59 Fare Sale!

Southwest is having a sale on fares through 11/13/25! Perfect for planning holiday travel or beyond- Travel valid December 3, 2025 through April 29, 2026.

The most important part of the fine print: 21-day advance purchase required. Purchase from November 10, 2025 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time (“PT”) through November 13, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. PT (“Booking Period”). Continental U.S. travel only. Travel valid December 3, 2025 through April 29, 2026.

To get started, click here.

Wanna just escape your home for a weekend or longer? Is Vegas calling? Whatever and wherever, it’s a great time to pack a small carry-on/personal bag and head out of town!

And if you are a Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards member, this deal gets better- You can use your points!

Fine Print:

$59 Sale Terms and Conditions:

21-day advance purchase required. Purchase from November 10, 2025 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time (“PT”) through November 13, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. PT (“Booking Period”). Continental U.S. travel only. Travel valid December 3, 2025 through April 29, 2026. Knoxville travel begins March 5, 2026. Santa Rosa (Sonoma County) travel begins April 7, 2026. Travel blacked out December 23, December 30, and December 31, 2025. Travel is valid on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Fares valid on nonstop service where indicated; if not indicated, fares are valid on single connecting service. Displayed prices include all U.S. and international government taxes and fees. Points bookings do not include taxes, fees, and other government/airport charges of at least $5.60 per one-way flight. Seats, days, and markets are limited. Fares may vary by destination, flight, and day of the week and won’t be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods. Travel is available for one-way Basic fares unless otherwise specified. Fares may be combined with other Southwest Airlines® combinable fares. If combining with other fares, the most restrictive fare’s rules apply. Advertised fares may be available on other days of the week, but that’s not guaranteed. Basic fares are nonrefundable and non-changeable except as allowed by our 24-hour cancellation policy. Customers may be eligible for a flight credit if their flight is canceled at least 10 minutes prior to the flight’s original scheduled departure time. Failure to cancel prior to departure will result in forfeiture of remaining funds on the reservation. Any change in itinerary may result in an increase in fare. Standby travel may require a fare upgrade depending on fare purchased and Rapid Rewards® tier status. Fares are subject to change until ticketed. Offer applies only to published, scheduled service. Additional fees and charges for optional products and services may apply.

 

Office Depot/Office Max: Savings and Deals!

Office Depot/Office Max has really beefed up their rewards program!

Are you a Teacher/Educator? EXCLUSIVE TEACHER OFFER
25% back in Bonus Rewards on a qualifying purchase.
Limit $100 back in rewards per member per week (details here).

Are you in the military? EXCLUSIVE MILITARY OFFER
25% back in Bonus Rewards on a qualifying purchase.
Limit $100 back in rewards per member per week (details here).

RECYCLING REWARDS Get $2 back in recycling Rewards the next day when you recycle your Ink & Toner Cartridge and make a $10 purchase in the same month.

Earn 2% back in Rewards on supplies, technology, furniture, and more.

And this is a new perk to me: Earn $2 Back in Rewards for reviews
Up to 3 reviews per month. Online only. Learn More