Cha Ching Queen’s Favorite Things – Gift Ideas for 2020 + New $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway (ends 12/14)

This post is a list of my favorite things to give you some gift ideas or to treat yourself.  Then, be sure to enter the giveaway (at the bottom) for a $25 Amazon gift card.

Just as Oprah has her favorite things, I have a list of Cha Ching Queen’s favorite things.  These are some of my favorite products that I use regularly and would highly recommend to others.  Get gift ideas for Christmas or Hanukkah, but also throughout the year.  In the comments, please share some of your favorite things.

Best Straightener Hot Brush for Curly Hair

If only they would have invented this sooner.  I wouldn’t have suffered through middle school and high school with crazy, kinky, frizzy hair.

This hair straightener hot brush is a major time saver.  It takes me less than 10 minutes to go from complete curls to straight and smooth.  Watch the videos on the Amazon reviews and see how easy it is to straighten your hair with this brush.

Roomba

I love our Roomba.  It saves me so much time.  I live in a house with 3 boys (my husband and two kids) as well as a dog and three cats.  There are constantly cat fur tumbleweeds, mud clumps, crumbs, and who knows what else hanging out on our floors.  The Roomba is not as thorough as a vacuum cleaner, but it does a great job at picking up most of the visible dirt and animal fur.   I run the Roomba just about every day.

Nathan Hydration Running Belt

I have used a Nathan Hydration Running Belt on all 3 of my half marathons, during training, and also on short hikes.  I love the fact that I can easily carry 20 ounces of water, a snack, ID, money, and my phone all on this little running belt. It has held up well for quite a few years.

Vera Bradley Smartphone Wristlet

The Vera Bradley Smartphone Wristlet is one of the best inventions ever!  It’s a wallet that holds my phone and necessary cards, ID, and money.  It’s small enough to fit in the back pocket of my jeans if needed.  I hardly ever carry a purse anymore.  I bring this wristlet with me everywhere.

To save money, look for smartphone wristlets on Ebay.

 

Thermos 16-Ounce Drink Bottle with Tea Infuser

I am now on my second Thermos 16-Ounce Drink Bottle with Tea Infuser only because I dropped it and the top broke. I couldn’t live without it and had to order another one right away. This Thermos travel mug keeps liquids hot for 12 hours and cold for 24 hours. I only use it for hot drinks and it really does keep the liquid hot for a long time.

Fitbit Alta or Amazfit Bip

I had a Fitbit for over 3 years. The Fitbit Alta is my favorite of the ones I have owned. I love having one device that keeps track of my steps, displays the time, has call and text alerts, silent alarms, and more. It has been wonderful getting the call and text alerts. Before, I would miss calls and texts because I don’t always have my phone right on me. Even if my phone was in my wallet or purse, I would miss important calls or text, but not anymore.

Then, I got an Amazfit Bip as part of a sponsored campaign.  I used it for several years until I finally got an apple watch this year.  If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, but still want something that tracks your fitness and sleep and gives you notifications, then I recommend one of these two watches.

Philips Sonicare Electric Toothbrush

Ever since using my Philips Sonicare toothbrush, my teeth have felt and looked cleaner. Even the dentist has noticed a difference. The whole family has a Sonicare toothbrush now!

Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away Vacuum Cleaner

Yes, I’m a clean freak. I have now included two vacuums in my favorite things list, but I really do love this Shark Rotator Professional Lift-Away Vacuum Cleaner. The suction is great and it’s easy to move around the house. It has a long cord and lots of great attachments. I’m always amazed and how much dirt is collected in the dust cup.

Keurig

The Keurig is great! It’s so easy to make a quick cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. It has been great for parties since everyone gets to choose their own coffee. I use our Keurig just about every day and it’s easy to clean.

Amazon Prime!

We buy most of our household items on Amazon. Having Amazon Prime has saved us so much time and money. We love it so much we even gave Amazon Prime as a gift to my father-in-law. He has also enjoyed all the great perks that come with Amazon Prime such as free Prime shipping, videos, books, music, and more.

Honda Odyssey

Honestly, I wasn’t too excited about getting a minivan. It was just one of those things I had to do for practicality. I never thought I would enjoy it, but I really do love our Honda Odyssey. We have taken many long and short road trips. The Odyssey is great for grocery shopping. The remote opens the back hatch and I can easily load the groceries into the car. The van has also worked out great when we have visitors in town or going places with my parents. Our Odyssey is now 6 years old and has more than 100,000 miles!

update: We now have a Toyota Highlander that I also love and recommend.

Saucony Ride Running Shoe

I have feet problems and various joint pain and stiffness and Saucony Ride Running Shoes do the best job at minimizing the pain after many miles of running. These shoes helped me get through my last half marathon. I liked them so much, I bought two more pairs when we were at the Saucony outlet store in San Marcos over the summer.

Moleskine Weekly Notebook

I’m still old school in the fact I like to carry around a physical calendar planner. For many years in a row, I have used a Moleskine Weekly Notebook (3.5 x 5.5). It is small enough to easily carry in a purse, yet it has lots of room for notes as well. They come in a variety of colors and themes. One year, I had a Peanuts-themed planner.

Nest Learning Thermostat

These Nest Learning Thermostats are so cool. Ours has saved us a lot of money and is super convenient. Nest automatically turns itself down when nobody’s home to help you save energy. You can also control it from your phone. We can turn the heat or air on when we are on our way home so the temperature of the house is just right when we return.



KitchenAid Stand Mixer

Our KitchenAid Stand Mixer had been used a lot since we got it as a wedding present more than 13 years ago. It has been used for cookies, cakes, pizza dough, icing, and more. It’s still going strong!

Standing Desks and Bike Workstations

If you spend a lot of time on the computer, then why not combine exercise with work? Flexispot makes both standing desks and exercise bikes with workstations.

We have both of these and the FLEXISPOT Desk Bike V9 gets a lot of use from both myself and my son. It was very easy to set up and the wheels make it super portable. You can also use it as just a standing desk. We were both amazed at how quiet this bike workstation is. If you want to watch TV while you cycle, you can still hear the TV easily.

New $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

The last giveaway went so well, and you all are amazing, so I’m offering another gift card!

One lucky winner will get a $25 Amazon Gift Card (digital for the United States).  Use this to help you buy your holiday gifts or treat yourself to a little something special.