How to get GREAT DEALS on Sephora,Elf,Bath and Body works! (Christmas Ideas)

What is the first thing you would think of when someone is having to have bedrest for three weeks after a Pituitary Brain Surgery? Health...Rest...Recovery Right?

Well Dang it! I have become addicted to online shopping! That's what happens when you are in bed with the internet and bored out of your mind. Mind you! We don't own Credit Cards. We are all Cash and Carry so I do limit myself. My husband and I talk about what we feel is appropriate and then I don't surpass that amount. Just because I am addicted doesn't mean that I am going too crazy in the area of spending.

I am a deal girl! Its all about finding deals of the items that I want. Its all about finding coupon codes after even to make even more of a deal. Let me give you an example. I shop for my swaps and also for my family.

This 6 bottles of lotions and bath gels (which are divine I might add) were buy three and get three free! I was all over that! They are approx $12 dollars each. So let me do some math in my head.  So $72 dollars but since getting three free that brings to 36 dollars. I always wait till that sale. THEN because my stuff was originally over 50 dollars its free shipping on top of that. So you are thinking "GREAT DEAL RAE" but nooooooooooooo its not enough for me. So I look on the internet for coupon codes or I look in my basket of coupons from ordering there before and I find a coupon that is FREE ITEM OF YOUR CHOICE with any purchase of $15 up to $13 dollar value. I punch in the code and now I am paying $23. We have gone from amazing scented Bath and Body Works American Brand yumminess that started out at $72 dollars and is now $23. Looks like I am spending tons but nope....I refuse to pay full price:) I get full price worth of the stuff though for my daughter, MIL and I. Oh and get this! When the box came I got four more coupons! :) For my future swaps who might want Bath and Body Works.

Then their is Sephora! Ooooh High End Cosmetics! Goes on smooth and stays on beautifully. I love looking at the Sephora site and seeing some of the deals. Recently I got some great Too Faced Products in the cutest little doll house box ever! It is called Le Grand Chateau which is NEW and Limited Edition. Its Originally $215 dollars but on sale for $49.00 and you can add a coupon code to even lower that price. My Swapper wanted one once I showed her so I bought that for her. Its awesome when you have a price limit on your swap and are able to get them so much more bang for their buck. Its on the Sephora.com site if you want to check it out. Remember to click on the add ons and get free trials of perfumes shown below by using the code FALLFAVS

I think my biggest haul however was my ELF haul. ELF is not high end make up but rather drug store make-up. It has some great products and some that I am not that fond of. BUT!!!! My friend Lesley found me a great deal. Elf was having a sale and might still be having a sale where many of their products ranging from $3-$10 were ALL on sale for $1 each! What? Did you hear me right? YES ONE DOLLAR EACH! Well I have a daughter, my MIL and my swappers who would LOVE to have some of that. I went a little crazy and bought 90 things. Normally it would be over $450 dollars but I got it for $90. Then I looked online like I always do and found a coupon code. I ended up paying $53 dollars for $450 dollars worth of products. If you would like to do that also go to Sales  on www.eyeslipsface.com and get 50 Percent off your order with the Coupon Code "HELLO" if that is still running otherwise it will give you free shipping. I hope you go and get some too. This is my stash of stuff. 3/4 of it is already given away to my family and swappers. Like I said before though! More bang for your buck!

I wanted to share some of my secrets and get it so you guys can get some of the stuff yourself also. I am now off bed rest from my surgery. I am looking for more deals though daily on my times of resting. I love shopping for others and getting some items for myself also. LOVE it! Already finished my shopping for my nieces and nephew and BFF kids too. I feel like I am ahead of the game so far!

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Swaps and Pituitary Surgery

What do you do when you have 7 days till Pituitary Brain Surgery? Well you do a SWAP of course!

Some of the items I sent to UK

In one week I will be going to Houston Texas to MD Anderson to have my surgery. I had this same surgery 14 months ago also. I have Cushing's which is a Rare Disease. Cushing's makes you gain weight, have a buffalo hump, moon face, striae, insomnia, mood swings, muscle loss, bruising etc. Sounds fun right? NOT! I have a pituitary tumor that creates too much Cortisol in my body. I had two tumors over a year ago. Had Surgery and went into remission for 10 months roughly before I ended up with another tumor. I am going to fly from California to Texas (halfway across the USA) because is an amazing hospital and the Surgeon does these surgeries all the time.

Pictures of my last Pituitary Surgery

I have had a headache now for 10 days straight. Last night was the worst but its starting to go down a bit finally. Some people might get depressed waiting for the surgery to cause them remission again. I have decided to have a little bit of fun instead. Let me tell you about it.

A Cushie friend of mine Carly and I have been talking a lot during the night when I cant sleep. She is going through the same things that I am. She told me about this International Swap Group and how fun it was. I told her I would love to join. The jest of it is you swap things from your country to their country. Things they are looking for or are interested in. The first swap is 50 dollars (USA) and then mailing the package. You get one swap partner. Send out the package and they send you one from their country as well.

Lesley chose me. She is from the UK. We started talking, took this detailed quiz of our likes and dislikes and asked each other what would be fun to swap. We both went to our local grocery stores and took pictures of things and sent them to each other to see what would look good to us. Along the way we talk and learn about each other. I have found out that she is an avid lover of animals like I am. We actually have a lot in common and talk a lot. We even send each other sneak peaks of what is in the boxes. Its interesting to see what someone would want from the USA. Bath and Body works is something that is really wanted. Along with MAC and Ulta or Sephora make up. You chose a day you are going to send and then both send at same time. Once that swap is complete and both people have their boxes then you can chose to swap with someone else.

Some of the goodies I am getting I am so excited!

I like the fact that they have a detailed quiz and lot of rules to the group. This helps with getting things you like and not things you dislike. For instance I cannot stand the smell or taste of watermelon. It would be disappointing to get things that are all watermelon. I like that I can get postcards for my kids and also learn about the country through that person. Its so fun!

It is good timing too. When I get back from surgery I will have a box to open. How great will that be! I will be in bed for quite some time so the snacks will be helpful and just the fun of having mail. I really love to get old fashioned mail. Makes me feel really special.

I am actually doing another swap with a friend that's off the group just to have a little more fun. I think my favorite part of it is trying to surprise them with goodies. I love shopping for others! Its so fun! Since we live in a rural place though I think my post office had a learning lesson on how to ship fast to another country lol.

This is my new hobby that I am going to just love. I think its great for my family to try new things also from different countries. I cant wait to swap with France or Australia. Pineapple lumps look really good and I want to try some :)

If you have the money or the time to do a swap I would totally suggest it. Its good clean fun and you get to meet some fantastic people! Hey....If you ever want to do a swap with me...I would love that too!

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