Every Monday in March, Starbucks will be offering a “Happy Monday” deal. Look at all these great ways to save when you pay with your My Starbucks Rewards account:

• March 7, 2016: Half off any size Frappuccino blended beverage
• March 14, 2016: 50% off a food item with any drink purchase
• March 21, 2016: Earn 3 Bonus Stars when you order ahead and pay with the Starbucks app
• March 28, 2016: Earn 5 Bonus Stars when you spend $10 or more in-store

Starbucks can be an expensive habit, so I try to make good use of any promo. I will definitely be stopping in today for a yummy Frap after carpool!

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Ask most small business owners what part of their job is the worst and I bet they’ll answer “Accounting!” I know that’s been the case for me, trying to keep everything organized for the blog. In the past, my system has been a combo of some hard copy mixed with online records (a typical yet very inefficient jumble). Receipts have inevitably been lost, costing me extra time and money!

After a recent strategy session to streamline my work responsibilities, I decided to take the plunge and get a good cloud accounting program called FreshBooks.

FreshBooks was originally created as an invoicing service, but it’s grown to include expense and time-tracking—valuable features that promote productivity while reducing waste.

The invoicing system is very user-friendly, even if you’re not techy. Using their templates, you can create professional-looking invoices complete with your own logo. When you’re ready to bill, simply send the invoice via email, download a PDF or print it with a single click. Clients can pay right from the invoice—even on a mobile device. Recurring invoices are even easier: auto-bill a client’s credit card so you never miss a payment. It works for any currency, so working with international clients is not a problem.

One feature I really like is the invoice history. Some clients are notoriously slow to pay and this allows me to see when/if it was viewed, then send a gentle reminder if needed.

Making the switch from paper to cloud can feel daunting at first, but the results were totally worth it. Instead of keeping huge filing cabinets, I now snap a picture of receipts/documents right onto my phone. Instead of guessing, I’m certain where the money is thanks to a customizable Expense report. I’m able to get a lot of work done on-the-fly rather than being stuck behind a desk.

FreshBooks users now have the ability to set up online ACH payments. (ACH is an acronym. It stands for Automated Clearing House. The Automatic Clearing House is a system that serves a network of financial institutions by helping them transfer funds electronically.)  ACH payments are pulled directly from one person’s account and sent to another. It removes the check or card payment that usually serves as an intermediary step in the payment process. 

Payments are processed in 3-5 days, eliminating long wait times for checks to clear. The fee is also super affordable—only 1%. Freshbooks will automatically mark the invoice as paid once the ACH transfer is made. 

ACH is currently available only in the United States. Learn more about how ACH and FreshBooks can simplify your business here.

Hunting for freebies has been one of my favorite hobbies for a long time! Most of my deals involve matching a store sale with a coupon, but finding freebies online is even better (and less work).

Snagshout is a review site that I check most mornings. They have a huge stock of ever-changing products available at a discount. In exchange for an honest review on Amazon, you can request a code and use it to buy tons of good stuff. Provided you have Prime, shipping is free and some items are too.

Anything that’s 100% free, I snag. This is most often vitamins and skincare. (Even if I won’t use it, I can donate it, so there’s no downside.) I will pay for items I actually need like a $0.99 USB cord ($10.00 cheaper than Walmart) and $0.50 gardening gloves.

Keep in mind that not every item is a bargain. Currently, they have a $899 Moped—certainly not a small purchase, but it could be good for those who want it. Searching by price will narrow down the options obviously. Personally, I don’t go over $5.00 which keeps the impulse buying to a minimum.

Completing a snag is effortless. The code is available instantly upon request, then the purchase is made through Amazon. When you first sign up, you can only do 1 snag at a time. Once the review is verified and accepted, another request can be made. I’m up to 4 simultaneous snags now because I’ve been doing it for a while.

Snagshout is definitely worth checking out if you’re a freebie fan like

Here’s an unusual freebie: Hockey for kids!

This Saturday, February 20th, USA Hockey and 300 local associations across the country will host Try Hockey For Free Day. Participating locations are encouraging kids, ages 4 to 9, to join in the fun. All locations will have limited equipment available for use.

Hockey is HUGELY popular here in New England, but many kids aren’t able to play due to the high cost of equipment and rink rental. This is a great way to try it for free if your little one is interested.