Hitting the Ground Running as Reviewer

I have been an online shopper for years. I purchased (at a discount) Amazon Prime a couple months after they launched it and I have been using it every since. But first, let me tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Erynn and I am a 38 year old single mother of two tremendously, awesome teen boys. My youngest Cameron is 15 years old and my eldest Ethan is 19 years old. I am an avid crafter and upcycler. I love make up, reading, learning, spending time with my kids and shopping. I have turned my youngest into a super bargain hunter. We can't pass a clearance rack without stopping to check it out. I am also a gadget queen. I have had to block infomercials from my TV. Bring my shopping and gadgetry to the table and how could I possibly pass up reviewing items for steep discounts and sometimes even FREE. There is no way I will be able to add all the things I gather and collect from different websites, so instead I will choose some of my favorite items. I will also throw in some of my dislikes. 

To start my show, I'll show you my haul this week. After I did the math, the total value of just the items I have brought in this week is $581.67. How much did I actually pay?  $41.19  A bit more than I had budgeted for this experiment, but everyone in my house now has a Christmas present stashed in the closet. 

How did I do it? I found Facebook groups and websites that offer consumers products at discount rates and sometimes free in exchange for their HONEST review. A couple of them asked me to give 4 or 5 star reviews and if I couldn't to not leave a review. I am keeping a list of them. I will only do this with integrity and if you have a bad product don't ask someone to review it. I am thrilled all-in-all every item I received was awesome. I am pretty sure that it because companies know that we WILL be honest. You know us consumers. If we don't like it, we will tell you. 

Our whole country is built on freedom of speech and we are leading the way in transparency. Now more than ever the voice of the consumer is being heard via social media, reviews, BLOGS, newsletter, and more. Of course, that is exactly why these companies are looking for reviews. I usually skip items that do not have reviews on them. I am more likely to purchase an item that has a couple bad reviews over one with none. At least then I know what I am getting into.

Wow, that was a whole 'nother tangent. So here is my haul. Well, most of it. There are about five or six items that I gave to friends and family after testing them out. I didn't think to get pictures of them. Like I said earlier, I really haven't come across a single bad product yet. It's good thing too, because I am sure the companies would hate my nasty reviews of bad products now that they have me up and peppy on new supplements. Lol 

Next time, I may slow down on the supplement ordering. I forgot I really had to try them out to see how they work. I have been trying a new product each day. Yesterday I had no appetite after a heavy dose of Garcinia Cambogia and today I am wide awake at 1:30am with 30 Day Energy rush pills. Lol   For now I am just starting by showing of my stash. (BTW... I am pretty the UPS man is starting to hate me. No less than 5 boxes each day. One day he made two trips.) Please comment below about anything. Tomorrow I will come back and show my favorite item of the week and maybe introduce you to one of the Facebook groups I am a member.