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Subscription boxes are so popular because they bring you a curated box of surprise goodies each month based on a theme that you like. Many of these services even give back when you use them, sending some of your payment to help people or animals in need. I just learned about a new box that has a great trial offer from Greater Good, a company I like to buy gifts at since each purchase helps fund cancer, child literacy, veteran, pet, rainforest, hunger and other projects. 

Rescue Box is like other pet subscription boxes: it allows you to customize your box for your cat or dog and you get goodies for them each month in your subscription. The money you spend on the box, however, also goes to feeding and vaccinting animals, which is a great deal. An even better deal is their trial offer, which is $1 for a trial box with the code TRIALOFFER. The offer is for new subscribers only. Regular boxes start at $23.45 per month and continue to fund pet food and vaccinations while simultaneously bringing your pet treats, toys and other goodies each month.

Have you tried Rescue Box? What did you think? Share any other great pet finds you have in the chat below.

Between May the Fourth, announcements about new Star Wars movies and the third installment of Rey's saga coming to theaters this year (in which John Boyega just teased us about filming his most shocking scene!), Star Wars is on everyone's brain, so it's no wonder that the Star Wars merch is everywhere. There are new goodies featuring Darth Vader, General Leia and everyone we know and love being made every day and it's an exciting time to be alive.

If you need  gift for your Star Wars fan or yourself, look no further than this awesome Darth Vader light cover. Your front porch needs this Sith lord guard for safety and for pizzazz. Not your thing? How about this Chewie seatbelt cover, or these General Leia earrings? Many of these deals are so affordable, why not bling your house, car and self out in Star Wars gear? 

Have you found any great Star Wars deals lately? Share them in the chat!

I'm as guilty as not shopping with my conscience lately as anyone. As someone who used to deeply research every purchase, I'm now a tired mom who can't stay up as late as she used to, which is no excuse but provides a bit of background. I used to check not only the source of materials but where the company's political donations even went. It turns out that it does't have to be THAT difficult to shop with your conscience.

Sure, it would be great if you could research every purchase you make, but did you know that if everyone just switched about 5% of their purchases to businesses in poor communities, we could reduce income inequality by 80%? That's amazing! And really, how much is 5% of what we buy? It seems like a doable resolution for anyone, especially if you're hoping to stop spending so much at Target (oh, Target, how we all love and hate you at the same time). 

How do you monitor your spending? Do you try to "vote with your dollars" when you shop and if so, what do you use for your research? Share your buying-with-a-conscience tips for a New Year here!

Subscription boxes are all the rage these days and you can subscribe to everything from book boxes to cat treats, makeup boxes to fishing lure sets. Subscription boxes allow you to pay for and receive new goodies based on a theme every month, and while you usually get a curated surprise with a value that's equal to or exceeding that of the price of the box, sometimes it can be a dud. It's a risk you take, but those who subscribe usually do it for the fun of the surprise. 

Amazon has a bunch of subscription boxes, with great reviews on STEM boxes and other themes. This week they are offering up to 50% off select subscription boxes (for the first month only) to help you find a great gift for someone you really care about. There's the Field to Cup tea subscription box at 50% off this week, as well as BBQ, gaming and health boxes all priced at 30% off regular price. There are many discount boxes to choose from so visit and browse to see if there's a good one for your loved one--or yourself!

Do you subscribe to any subscription boxes? If so, which ones? Share your links in the chat.

Beauty Boxes are subscriptions to companies with monthly beauty products they offer at a reduced cost. Each collection is often curated with a theme and passed on with a savings due to its smaller or trial size, mass production and co-op like buy-in. Companies like Ipsy and Birchbox sell these boxes for just $10 per month, including shipping, and often include high end products. Ipsy even throws in a makeup bag. 

Target just released its winter beauty boxes, which also have themes as well as both boxes for men and women. Some boxes are aligned more with skin care while others are more "glam" oriented with more makeup products. Target's boxes are a little cheaper, running between $7 and $10, but they also contain more store brands and less high-end items.

Do you subscribe to any beauty boxes? If not, what kinds of bargains do you use to get cheaper beauty products?

As someone who doesn't frequently shop on Black Friday, I don't have any big plans this year, but I know my husband's scouring the market for two things: cheap TVs and phones. We have a pretty old borrowed TV since our old one blew up (it caught fire!) and he'd like a more modern one, and my phone is ancient but I refuse to buy a new one because 1. I don't like buying new things if my old ones are still workable and 2. it has a sentimental rock stuck in it from one of its many drops. Sure, I have to reset it to factory settings every few months because it's so outdated but it still works, and it was $45 so if he can't top that, I am not interested! Ha!

Lots of people work hard at getting a good deal on Black Friday, and if you save your family money on things you need, more power to you. I see that Target has an instant pot for under $70, for example, which could be great if you need one. Ours was given to us free from a friend so I'm not sure what I'd be willing to pay for one, but I also know that some people use them daily. Wal-Mart has a PS4 bundle for under $200, so if you're searching for a deal there it's probably a decent one.

What Black Friday deals are you hoping to score, or do you skip the shopping all together? How about Cyber Monday? 

Coding is all the rage right now, and for good reason. Many jobs call for coding skills and it makes sense to teach kids and teens how to do it. There are dozens of coding games available to help teach kids these skills and you can order most of them online. There are even games for the youngest children.

Small kids might like playing Robot Turtles, for example. You use cards instead of an actual computer or any electronics, making it perfect for small hands without much dexterity. For older kids who like Minecrft, Clue Master is a good choice. It features very similar graphics.

Want to set up a free way to teach the kids some coding in person? Schedule a Minecraft or Apple class for the kids at no cost. Invite friends and you can even have a coding party!

What coding game finds have you seen online? Share them in the chat.