It’s Love List time! You would think that a February Love List should have terrific ideas for Valentine’s gifts, right? You would be partially correct. There are a few things on my list of things I’m loving that would be great gifts, but my Love List is typically filled with everyday items that just make life a little more amazing.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I get a bit o’ cash back if you make a purchase through that link.
S’well Bottles
We have dozens of water bottles shoved in a kitchen cabinet, but the S’well tops them all. Gwen wanted one for Hanukkah, and since they were on sale I bought myself one too. They aren’t cheap, but they are high quality and make great gifts.
S’well bottles are on my Love List because:
- They keep liquid cold for 24 hours and hot for 12 hours. I can vouch for the cold liquids – the ice cube that I put in the bottle at 7:30 a.m. was still solid at 7:30 p.m.
- No condensation on the outside of the bottle.
- The top screws off easily, and it’s like drinking from a plastic water bottle. No sucking through a straw or cutting your lip on the metal edge.
- They are so pretty!!
- S’well is a socially conscious company that makes giving back to those in need part of their business model.
- Their customer service is awesome; I was accidentally shipped a bottle with a company logo on it, and they quickly sent out a new bottle. Bonus – they told me to keep or recycle the incorrect bottle, so now Matt has one.
Amazon Subscribe and Save
If you’re not using this feature as a regular Amazon customer, I encourage you to check it out. Subscribing to an item gets you a 5% discount, and if you subscribe to five or more items in a month, you save 15%.
It’s easier than it seems. I started by subscribing to two different types of San Francisco k-cups and toilet paper, and I receive them every two or three months. I can change the delivery frequency depending on my needs. In order to get the 15% discount, I throw in a Glade air freshener and a three-pack of gum, both of which are under $2.00. I add in other items as I need them, but I always have a few inexpensive products ready to go to get me to five items.
Just type “subscribe and save” in the Amazon search bar, and you can see all the items that are available. You can cancel a subscription at any time, so even if you don’t think you want to buy something regularly, it may be worth it to get the subscription discount even one time.
Sweet Leaf Sweet Drops
I’m a stevia girl, and these flavored drops have made my mornings (and afternoons) yummier. I use the coconut one all the time, although the coconut flavor is very mild. The peppermint mocha flavor is for my afternoon coffee. There are other flavors, too, as well as the plain sweetener.
There’s no aftertaste, and the bottles last forever (okay, at least six months). The Sweet Leaf website almost always has a sale, although you may be able to find them in your grocery store. Amazon has some flavors too, and their price is usually the lowest.
Book of the Month Club
I bought my mother a six month subscription for Hanukkah, and a three month subscription for myself. I’m hooked! On the first of each month, you can choose your pick from five titles, or skip the month if nothing appeals to you. Additional books can also be purchased for $9.99. These are hardback, full-sized books, and usually hot off the press.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQOOG6qhr8O/?taken-by=dhems8&hl=en
There are also discussion forums for each book, so you can log on and participate, or just lurk and see what everyone else has to say.
This is an awesome gift idea, and your recipient can log on and start the subscription any time.
Intrigued? A one-month subscription is $5.00, then $14.99 a month. A three-month subscription is $9.99 a month, and then $14.99 a month; and a 12-month subscription is $11.99 a month. Shipping is free, and if you skip a month, your subscription simply extends a month. One thing to note is that subscriptions auto-renew, so make sure you cancel if you’re no longer interested. Click the graphic below to find out more and sign up!
Paper Mate InkJoy Gel Pens
My daughter ordered these during her first semester in college, and she knows her pens. The fine point is perfect for writing in journals or planners. If you are a pen connoisseur, give these a try. Gwen also has the medium point in different colors, which are great for studying.
Amazon’s price is good, and the ten-pack is the best deal.
*****
I hope you’ve found something to love on my Love List; check out the full list of everything I’ve shared on my Super Huge Love List. Even if Valentine’s Day isn’t your thing, treat yourself anyway – you deserve it!
The kids got swell bottles for Christmas. We love them. And I’ve been using the GelPens for years. Love them, too!
I never buy myself pens – I just use whatever is around. So it was a treat to get a nice, new pen that wasn’t a freebie 🙂
Ooh, when I saw this post pop up in my feed I knew I had to read it 😉 My sister Dana is obsessed with the S’well bottles, I think she has about 4 of them. I’m going to keep the book of the month club in mind for my mom, and those pens for me. And such a good idea with the Amazon subscribe, I wouldn’t have thought to add in a cheaper item. Thanks for the tip!
My pleasure Bev!
OH man, Dana- now I want EVERYTHING on your list! I’m SO tempted to subscribe to the book of the month… And I’m off to go check out the sweet drops (why did I not know about these?) and those water bottles… good Lord we have dozens here and NONE of them do all those things.
Thanks as always, for sharing such great things! 🙂
My pleasure, Chris!
I have way too many water bottles, but now I need the S’well 🙂
Yesterday I cleaned out our water bottle cabinet – we had 40 of them! I recycled at least half of them.
The water bottle sounds awesome-sauce – maybe I’ll show my husband some valentine love and get him one 🙂 And I have those pens and I LOVE them! #penjunkie
Ha – I’m a pen junkie too!
Good pens are always on my love list! I’m intrigued by the sweet drops because of no aftertaste. I love everything with a bit of flavor – hot beverages, anyway.
And we are ALL in need of S’well.
Yes we are!!
I love Amazon Subscribe and Save! My items are toilet paper, Clorox wipes, laundry detergent, and contact lens solution. And the kids like to play with the giant box that the stuff comes in.
Great ideas here, thanks Dana!
Thanks Julia! I use the giant box to put clothing donations in – I always seem to have a pile sitting around.
So I already have S’well bottles, Amazon monthly subscriptions but I just can’t pull the trigger on the book of the month club. Although you know I read a TON, I like to select my Kindle books as I go, plus I have a book club where we’re assigned books, blah blah blah… Anyway, I do love your book recommendations…and a good pen! I will need to check those out, especially if they are Gwen approved 🙂
I understand your ambivalence about BOTM, especially if you are a Kindle gal. I just love an actual book, and I skip a month if I don’t want any of the ones they offer. It is something to keep in mind for a gift, though. It’s the kind of thing that some people would love, but wouldn’t buy for themselves.
I always look forward to your love lists! I use prime pantry all the time but have not taken the step toward subscribe and save. I will look into it. I’ve also never heard of those sweeteners. Thanks again for your list! Xoxo
Any time, Lisa!
Sweet leaf sweet drops, eh…? I’ll have to try it. No sugar? There’s a coffee shop near me that doesn’t have hazelnut coffee–my favorite!–but adds a syrup instead and I hate it! Haha, so I assume this is not that sweet?
It is not too sweet. I use 3-5 drops, but a friend of mine who likes her coffee sweeter uses ten. I have such a sweet tooth, so I’m trying to wean myself off of sweet coffee.
So much to discuss!
#1. I use stevia (usually Whole Food’s brand) and I had NO IDEA that there is a peppermint mocha flavor out there. Will have to check that out. I’ve used that brand, too.
#2. Love BOTM club. I think my box should be here today. I did the Kevin Wilson book. I also like that you can skip a month as often as you want.
#3. My friend gave me a swell water bottle for my bday. She ordered a cute monogrammed sticker to put on it. Such a great and useful gift. I get a little pinch of joy every time I pick it up.
1. The peppermint mocha is great! Not too sweet – just enough.
2. Wilson’s book looks good – I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
3. Me too! It’s like the joy I get from office supplies.
I really need to look into the subscribe and save but I haven’t done the math to see if I’m paying less at the commissary. I’d love to not have to think about buying toilet paper. I’ll check Amazon to see if they carry the K-cups I like. Of ALL the K-cups, the ones I like, I’ve only been able to find and Bed, Bath & Beyond or ordering from Keurig.
Yep, you do have to check prices. I didn’t get the Amazon dash buttons because their prices often fluctuate, and I want to know how much I’m paying before I purchase.
Funny, I bought a S’well bottle a few years ago at a cute little gift shop at the beach – guessing it was one of the original ones, as I had never seen them before. Spent way more than I normally would have on a bottle, but I was intrigued and the sales lady really talked them up. I never loved it. Not sure why – didn’t like the “lip feel” of the rim and eventually it got rust spots (inside) on the bottom. I ended up tossing it. Never occurred to me to contact them about it, because of course I hadn’t saved the receipt. Now I wish I would have!
Thanks for the rust info – they recommend not leaving liquid in the bottle for long periods of time, so I dump it out every night and let it air dry. It is such a personal decision – I like the rim! I don’t like a straw on my water bottle, or having to squeeze the water out.
OK, I neeed to try the S’well bottles as your explanation of how long your ice stayed intact has got me intrigued. Oh and I am with you on BOTM as I don’t subscribe to many monthly subscription boxes but this one I do and is pretty much a must to me, as well 😉
I didn’t expect to be hooked, but I can’t resist a book!