Stuff We Like: Shopping Tips, Plus Updates on Past Purchases

Shopping time!

Before I link to different products that are making our lives better and give some updates on prior purchases, I also want to share some shopping tips that have been making me very happy.

As always, NB: Some of our links are affiliate coded, which sends a portion of your purchase price back to us at no extra cost to you. It’s one of a few ways we keep the hot pink mayhem going at SBTB HQ, so thank you in advance for your support! 

First, Rakuten: holy cow, we have been doing so much shopping through Rakuten, and the cash back is pretty freaking nifty. I also use the Rakuten portal to shop for specific products I don’t want to buy elsewhere, like from Target, for example. Right now, for a limited time, you can get $50 back if you join and make a purchase +$50 within 90 days. 

During the holidays or high-shopping times like Labor Day or Black Friday Month, retailers often increase their cashback percentages. Ulta did that and I stocked up on all the products I’ll need to refill at some time this year. Another tip for cashback shopping: Viator tours and Groupon – look for fun local stuff in your area, or where you’re traveling next.

Second, Secondhand Shopping. I had to re-create a Facebook account (ugh) purely for my local Buy Nothing group and for FB Marketplace. I keep a digital list of things to search for on FB-m, and have been upgrading so many parts of my house. So far, I have used FB-m to acquire my porch sofa and side tables, two Ruggable rugs, a reclining loveseat, a vintage pink velvet wingback chair, and some curtain rods with leaf finials.

Ruggable is a great option for secondhand shopping: they’re pretty durable, but very pricey when purchased new, AND they’re washable. The largest sizes might require a trip to the laundromat for The Big Big Machine, but I’ve bought two secondhand, washed them both, and they look great. Other things I’ve shopped for: luggage, self-watering planters, and items from catalogs like Grandin Road, Ballard, Gardener’s Supply, Crate and Barrel, or West Elm. Searching the catalog name is pretty useful.

ETA: Betsy requested a picture of the pink wingback chair. I have one, WITH CAT. This is Wilbur again, who is so annoyed that I’m taking a picture of him while he naps. 

You might be seeing more of this chair in 2026 as I launch a new, very silly project I’ve been pondering for awhile.

And third, Poshmark. 

Well, no, third is the Beni shopping extension, which searches Poshmark, ThredUp, eBay, theRealReal, and other secondhand sites when you’re looking at a retailer site. For example, if I look at a pair of Rothy’s shoes on the Rothy’s site, the little “Beni” tab pops up on the side with a check when it’s done searching. If I click on it, it loads secondhand options or very similar options for whatever I’m looking at. This is great for designer or higher priced items that I want to try, and I’ve found out of stock clothing on secondhand sites, too.

So back to Poshmark: If you use this code, you get $10 for shopping, and so will I (thank you).  If you use the Poshmark app (this feature isn’t available on the website in a desktop browser) you can save searches. I have broad searches saved (“Ruti” “Marcella” “Longchamp pliage,” for example) and very specific searches saved for items I’m looking for.

Some of my recent Poshmark purchases:

• travel sized products
• shampoo and conditioner sets
• secondhand travel bags (I don’t want to pay more than $50-65 for a nylon bag no matter how many nifty pockets it has)
• a GAP dress that was sold out
• shoes for my younger child’s prom
• merino wool clothing
• a cashmere wrap from Nordstrom
• t-shirts from Marine Layer
• Kate Sommerville exfoliating treatments.

It’s become a very fun quest, especially when I look at viral products I see online and see if I can find them secondhand.

Before I get to listing items, I have one more tip for you: Use Google Voice for any discount coupons from retailers (or whatever free VoIP number you can access).

You know how when you visit a retailer site, they’ll start putting pop ups in your face about “give us your email and cell phone number and you’ll get 10% or 15% off”? I don’t want these folks to have my actual number. I get enough spam calls already! Using the Google Voice number isolates all those coupon and retailer texts in an app I can silence, so I don’t get notifications. I also searched for available numbers until I got a sequence that I absolutely can remember. It’s been awesome.

Aaaaaand I just found out my younger child is all over Depop, so we’re going to shop each other’s accounts to see what they have.

Have you been haunting FB-m for things you need? Do you shop secondhand online? What are your faves?

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I have some updates on things I’ve purchased in the past and mentioned here, and they’re working incredibly well.

I wrote in February about Barb Hair Pomade after I was sent a sample. They specialize in products for folks with short hair, and y’all I LOVE THIS STUFF SO MUCH. I have short hair, and it’s also very fine and when it gets too long, it wants to make waves in every possible direction. Barb pomade holds it without being sticky and crunchy, and I wear it every damn day.

Barb was made and designed by barbers and hairdressers, and their focus is on gender neutral hair products, plus enabling people to get gender-affirming haircuts. It also lasts a long ass time, which is why it’s only this month that I ordered more. I got an email after my order had arrived, saying they thought my shipment included product from a defective batch, and when I confirmed it was defective, they shipped me another one immediately. I was really impressed.

The soft pomade has a light scent, it rinses out easily, and there is a fragrance-free version, too. And they have other products now: the Sea Salt Spray has more hold and is stronger than the pomade. I spray it on my hands and work it into my hair. I’m going to try the Styling Cream very soon.

I freaking love this stuff. I love how it keeps my hair from surrendering to the flatness, I love that I can put the jar in a carry on, I love the scent and I really dig the company, too.

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Also back in February, I wrote about this 5 pack of shower caddy organizer shelves to try to corral all the bottles in our shower stall:

Adhesive Shower Caddy Organizers, 5 (three sizes) for $10-24

I wrote then, “They use adhesive that should be able to support up to 40 pounds. One of the reviews says, “Once these are stuck on, they aren’t moving!” That’s what I needed to know!”

These shelves ROCK. They have not budged, and I realized what a difference it made for me to not have to bend down to get products off the floor (our shower doesn’t have an inset shelf or anything). I don’t get lightheaded or nauseated (a common problem with me + heat + humidity) and the bottles aren’t gross. Until we renovate the bathroom (someday long into the future) these rock.

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I have tested these, and verily, they are so great for air travel. My legs are too short for most chairs and certainly airline seats mean crossing and re-crossing my legs or propping my feet on my underseat bag.

I’ve seen them recommended in two different Facebook groups I’m in recommended them and they were so right. It takes a little adjustment to set the height the first time, but for a three hour flight, they helped my back not hate me upon arrival. Less pain = win!

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I ordered these, and now a pair lives in my car, and my younger child stole the other ones. They sides wrap around enough that light doesn’t get in, and since my sun sensitivity only grows with age, I love the increased light blocking.

Success Eyewear Fit Over Sunglasses, 2 for $16

They might not be the most fashionable, but IDGAF about that, especially when I’m driving.

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My fuzzy reading donut pillow with a remote page turner has continued to make reading so comfortable, except that I lost the remote and had to order a new one.

I heard it hit the floor and slide! I cannot find it ANYWHERE.

(Of course this means I will find it after I hit publish, right?)

Anyway, I missed the remote so much that I ordered a tassel to go with it.

Layered tassel keychain, $8

Now it is NOT getting lost. I look so extra while reading with a giant fuzzy e-reader stand and a big tassel on my remote but wow I’m freaking comfortable.

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Speaking of e-readers, do you have a sleeve or case for yours? Amanda is thinking of buying one: “I haven’t purchased one, but I’m tempted.”

Sugar & Spice e-Reader Sleeve from The Quirky Cup Collective, $29USD

They also have Kindle Stickers that are gorgeous, too! Please note that this store is in Australia and per their latest update, shipping to the US will resume September 29. They expect to be charging tariffs and applicable fees of 30-35% for most products.

Do you use a sleeve or case for your eReader? 

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Elyse: It’s not cheap but my FIL likes this radio. He has dementia and basically the only controls are on/off radio/music and volume You can load it with your own music or books or files as well.

Simple Music Player w/ One Button Radio from The Alzheimer’s Store, $200

The selection of specialty products at The Alzheimer’s Store is really incredible – simple phones, radios, locking pill dispensers – wow.

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It’s almost fall, so I’m sewing more because I like making things that I can later wrap myself in later, and I will forever ask myself why I didn’t buy this seam ripper sooner:

Dritz Magnified LED Seam Ripper, $13

Seriously. I screw up so much and this has made my messes so much easier to fix.

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I have probably written about these before but I have ordered two more sets, and I now keep a box of them in a closet so the next time I organize a closet or a drawer, I can grab one.

Utopia Organizer Bins, Box of 8: $20

They are literally actually factually all over my house. Pantry, fridge, clothing closet, linen closet, desk shelf, kitchen drawers – seriously. Gathering a bunch of small items and corralling them inside a bin makes it so much easier to manage those places where things disappear into the depths and then I find them years later like, huh? What is this?

This is one corner in my linen closet:

Outdoor stuff, like sunscreen, bug spray, and other products are in one, and the other two have over-the-counter medications. Some day I might install pull out drawers in this closet but until then, this is a LOT easier to manage.

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After seeing a pattern for Wheelchair Quilts – quilts with a boxed pocket for feet that keeps the quilt off the ground and out of the wheels – I then started getting ads for fleece blankets with foot pockets. I figured it was algorithm-related.

Then my neighbor bought one and I’m really jealous. It’s a fleece blanket with a pocket for your feet.

Fleece Foot Pocket Lbankets – $29-32

This is a very silly picture, but it illustrates what’s going on that’s so magical. My feet will be warm for ever!

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I’m buying more of these joggers because it’s getting cooler, and I wear them constantly:

Leggings Depot Joggers with Pockets, $14-19

They’re light weight so perfect for fall and for travel, and they wash and dry very quickly. And the pockets hold all the things I keep in my pockets, including my phone, and things do not fall out. I live in these once it’s lower than 70F and sometimes when it’s slightly above.

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I have a new ear piercing…

and I can’t wear my earbuds. I LOVE this piercing and healing has been so much easier than my other piercing adventures, but I miss my ear buds. So I bought these headphones:

Anker Soundcore Headphones:  $45 at AMZ | $60 at Soundcore – possible $20 coupon

(When I checked the Soundcore site, there was a $20 coupon but I don’t know how much longer it lasts.)

The noise cancelling has three settings so I can block ambient noise as much or as little as I want, and the sound quality is terrific. I may not go back to my old ear buds.

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Our vet prescribed Wilbur, of my cats, an arthritis treatment of 1/2 of a baby aspirin every 48 hours. He explained that aspirin in a higher dosage is toxic, and we had to give him the 1/2 pill every other day.

I do not know what day or year it is, ever. So I was very nervous that I wouldn’t remember when I last administered it, and compounding that worry was the fact that my husband sometimes does the evening med dispensing to the cats, and would I remember if he did it? Would he remember if I had done it the night before? I made a chart but again, I don’t remember what day it is, or what day it was yesterday.

Enter: the pill timer.

Pet Medicine Timer, Set of 2: $14 AMZ |

The timer on the lid shows how much time has passed since it was last opened; the timer resets when you push down on the pill bottle and the timer cap. The timer attaches to the top of an existing pill bottle with an adhesive, and I was a little wary that it wouldn’t reset but it works perfectly.

We were showing our pet sitter and her eyes got wide as she said, “Oh, my gosh, that’s genius. I am telling all my other clients.” So if your pet sitter recommended this, that’s my fault.

It’s been working marvelously, too: Wilbur is more comfortable on the stairs and jumping onto low furniture (he’s 12 so he does it slowly).

Cat tax!

I know there’s some crusty under his eye – he does not want me to clean it. I keep trying anyway.

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I’ve recommended this before but I’ll do it again because it’s important: DeleteMe is an identity protection service that scours public listing websites and asks that your information be removed. 

I joined DeleteMe in late 2018 because I’m the bozo who used her own name on the internet, and have received quarterly reports on how many listings of my name, my address, or my age had been removed by their request. Since then, according to their dashboard, they’ve searched 146 data brokers that sell consumer information and removed my information from 77 and counting.

With this link, you can get 20% off a membership. Annual individual memberships are $129, and there are also family plans. You can also use their DIY Opt-Out Guides for specific platforms like Experian Health.

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Question! Would you like to request Stuff We Like suggestions for things you’re shopping for? Please feel welcome to email me (sarah AT smartbitchestrashybooks DOTTY comme) or leave a comment, and I’ll do a post with requests and suggestions!

What items have you bought recently that rock your world?