I never really thought to search for discount codes, but I always wished I had them when I’m checking out of a store online. So recently, I’ve started googling “coupon code” or “discount code” for the e-retailer where I’m shopping, and I almost always find a code. The other day I saved 20% off of my iStockPhoto.com order! Awesome.

Here’s a good example of a coupon site with discount codes…CouponChief.com. If you click on their Target link, you get redirected to the Target site, and you can get $5 off any online order of $50. Awesome. Especially awesome if you have a baby shower to go to. Or if you still need to get Mom a gift, they have a bunch of florists, jewelers, bookstores, etc. I think the best deal is a ProFlowers coupon - free vase and six free roses with the purchase of a dozen.

A few weeks ago, I listed some Mother’s Day gift ideas at Oxfam in a post called “Give Mom a Sheep.” Yesterday, I went on both the Oxfam America Unwrapped and the Oxfam Great Britain Unwrapped sites to order my Mother’s Day gifts. My mother-in-law lives in France, so I needed to use one of Oxfam’s European sites in order for the card to get to her for Mother’s Day.

It turns out that the European site is much cooler. They have a lot more items and the recipient gets a cool fridge magnet. They also give the option to add a small gift for a few more euros to go along with the magnet, so that the recipient gets an actual gift - like fair trade chocolate or a nice calendar.

Anyway, I had fun shopping, and I hope these mothers enjoy their gifts - I’ll keep you posted on how well they are received. I ended up getting Plant 50 Trees, Peace Books for Kids, and 21 Mango Saplings.

What do you get for all the mothers in your life? I don’t even have a mom anymore, and I spend more money at Mother’s Day than any other holiday - except Christmas, of course. So, what do I get for all these women who buy themselves most things they really want? Well, how about a sheep?

OxFam International is a non-profit “that seeks increased worldwide public understanding that economic and social justice are crucial to sustainable development.” In other words, they work with poor people to improve life. That is of course, extrememly generalized, but you see where I’m going with this. So, for the donation of $45, your recipient will get a nice card in the mail informing them that a sheep has been purchased in their name. Here’s what OxFam America Unwrapped says about the purchase of a sheep:

No need to feel sheepish about this gift! Raising these fleecy critters allows women to create their own income. What’s more, the sheep’s wool is used to make local textiles. When you give this gift, you know it’s helping others, so there’s no need to count sheep — you’re sure to sleep well!

There are gift categories ranging from under $25 (Peace Books for Kids, $18, Irrigate a Farmer’s Land for two months, $20, etc.) to over $500 (Build a Shelter, $1000, Train a CHANGE organizer, $1500).

For my mother-in-law, I have selected Provide Gender Rights Training for Community Activists at $90. Here’s the description:

Provide support for three community members to participate in a training program that will help educate them about gender rights and equality. This program helps women to speak up in their communities and educates men about the importance of women’s roles as leaders, citizens, and breadwinners.

What mother doesn’t support that?

Happy shopping, everyone. It’s not hard to help.