What's in The Hive Box?! Raw Honey and Goodness! Take A Look...

The funny thing about The Hive Box is that I only found it because an anonymous commenter said she was looking for a box that sent honey. That made me curious to see what was available out there and whether there was a box that sent small batch honey monthly. To my surprise and happiness I found The Hive Box and I've been subscribed ever since.

Every month has a new small batch honey made locally in the US. By that I mean, if it's made in New York, it's made from NY hives watched over by a small, local apiary. This month the honey is SO GOOD I'm on a mission to get more. Yes. That good. Hooked! Actually, I've found two absolutely stellar honeys. The problems seems to be finding a way to get more... /cry

The Cost: $24.95/month plus shipping.

What You Get: Every month you'll receive one new raw honey plus 3-5 other bee-related items like candles, soaps, home goods, paper products and edibles.

If you love honey and you're on a budget, the great thing is that you don't have to get the large box that I get. You can get a smaller box with just a honey, beeswax candle and a small extra for $16! Considering the honey itself is usually around $10, it's an amazing way to get fantastic honey from all over the place.

This is basically the perfect box for a honey lover. Because honey is like wine, every batch is different! I will never get the honey bears on the top shelf at the grocery store again. Small batch is where it's at! Plus it's supporting hard working small business owners.

For the month of June:

Yogi Surprise June 2017 Yoga Lifestyle Subscription Box Review and Coupon

YogiSurprise is a yoga lifestyle subscription box that focuses on providing added delight to your daily life. If you practice yoga or follow the precepts, you'll likely find something to enjoy in every box. If you don't do yoga, it's also highly probable that you will appreciate each box as well. I know I do and I think the only yoga pose I know is sun salutation. The fact that I've only been to two yoga classes in my life (and nearly passed out in that first hot yoga session) has no bearing on how well I think these boxes are curated.

The Cost: $44.95/month.

What You Get: You’ll receive 6 to 8 full-size products with a value of over $70, designed to nourish and support your well-being, vitality, and growth.

Amoda Tea Subscription Review June 2017 plus Coupon

Amoda Tea is a Canadian tea subscription service based on providing you with some of the best teas you've ever had from small and independent tea crafters around North America. I can tell you right now you'll fall in love with some of these and want more. It's the perfect excuse to add to your overflowing tea cupboard. Or if you're like me... two cupboards.

I drink tea every single day and I drink it in copious amounts. I'm not ashamed! Recently I've been stuck on Republic of Tea's blueberry green tea with whipped blueberry infused honey from a My Texas Market box. Talk about heavenly! So good. Sure, the honey is probably meant for pancakes but it's amazing in green tea.
Anyway, Amoda has sent four brand new teas and they sound AMAZING! So I've got to taste test them all. These are primarily blends and some have flavoring. I prefer blends and I tend to like more floral and fruity teas. This review is for the Original version but they have a Low Caff version that's mostly herbal and low caffeine blends. Yay!

The Cost: $20/month

What You Get: Four (12+ cups) tea samples from fun brands and small-batch tea blenders from all over North America. Also included are disposable tea filters, steeping instructions and recipes. You'll also receive free shipping on purchases in the shop.

MunchPak Snack Subscription Review and Coupon

MunchPak is a snack subscription with a high level of customizability. Snacks range from sour to spicy and Korean to Irish plus everything in between and around the outside. Basically, you can find just about any snack ever created in your box. They even have an option to add a drink and you can specify if you want coffee, tea, juice, soda, etc. Like I said... Customized!

With all that being said, the cost of boxes vary greatly. Considering you can get them delivered weekly if you so choose, it can add up! Personally, one a month works really well for us since it's a lot of snacks. The Mini MunchPack is $12.95 for 5+ snacks and it goes all the way up to Family Size with 20+ snacks!

The box I received is the Original MunchPak with an add-on of soda. The Original version has ten or more full size snacks!

The Cost: $22.95/box (soda adds $5)

What You Get: Each box features an assortment of the best, most delicious candy and snacks from around the world. The MunchPak Mini contains 5 or more full size snacks, the Original MunchPak contains 10 or more full size snacks, and our FamilyPak contains 20 or more full size snacks.

What's in a My Texas Market Box? Here's Three Box Examples!

My Texas Market is a subscription box sending farmer's market, handmade and small business products from artisans found solely in Texas. It's an excellent way to get unique items and delicious specialty foods especially if you live nowhere near Texas. Like me.

I have a ton of family in Texas so I've been there many, many times over my life and if there's one thing I can say about it, it's that their food is amazing. It seems to encompass all that I think comfort food should be and it's probably a good thing I don't live there because I always come home about five pounds heavier than when I left.

The Cost: $35/month plus shipping (It's $44.90 total to WA)

What You Get: A combination of wholesome and homemade specialty food products, handmade candles, soaps, or other beauty products or other health and wellness items and/or sustainably-sourced coffee and tea, unique crafts or locally made chocolates and candies.

If you're wondering what comes in a My Texas Market box, I have several to show you right here to show you a broad example of what you'll find.

They say that the best way to know if you will like a subscription box or not is to get one for three months. So here is three months of my My Texas Market boxes so you can see the wide swath of products you can get.

PB&Jealous April 2017 Sweet Subscription Box Review and $10 Coupon

PB&Jealous is one of my new favorite subscriptions. Every month they send small batch nut butters, jams and jellies and/or nut related snacks and goodies. It's a lesson in mouthwatering deliciousness and restraint. This month was "WOW!" one the peanut butter side and "/swoon" on the jamtasticness.

One of the wonderful things about PB&Jealous is the ability to customize your box (to an extent). First, you get to choose if you want only Sweet items or if you want a dash of Spicy in your box. I choose Sweet Things Only because I don't like spicy things. Second, if you have allergies, just mention them when you sign up and you'll be taken care of. This also means every box may be a little different. I have an issue with grape since it's a migraine trigger so anything grape that would go in the normal box is swapped out with something else for me. How awesome is that?! Really awesome!

There are also two box sizes, so depending on the size of your family, you can get the most appropriate one. I get the bigger box even though there's only two of us because we go through sandwich fixings pretty quickly.

The last box I got was the Welcome Box. It has a little bit of everything from previous boxes and it was SO fantastic. You can see what I received here. I was so happy I was subscribed. Seriously.

The Cost: $34.95/month plus $5 shipping for the Big Box, $26.95/month plus $5 shipping for Mini.

What You Get: The Big Box will have 5-8 artisan products, an average of over $40 in value. The Mini has 3-5 artisan products, an average of $30 in value. Both boxes will include a handcrafted artisan nut butter and a delicious, all natural jam, jelly or preserve. Additional products can be anything from honey and fruit butters to syrups and organic snacks.

The Hive Box March 2017 Subscription Box Review and Coupon

The Hive Box is my new favorite thing! Every box has a raw honey in it plus all kinds of honey and bee related goodies. Now that I always have a new fun honey, I've been using it a lot more often (and more generously) in my teas. It's nice to splurge with different honeys, especially when they all have such unique flavors.

There are two different sizes of this box. The one I get is the Deluxe box but they also have a smaller box that has a honey, a beeswax candle and one goodie in it for $15.95. I may switch to that one but right now I'm still enjoying the added bits that the deluxe version has.

The Cost: $24.95/month plus shipping.

What You Get: Every month you'll receive one new raw honey plus 3-5 other bee-related items like candles, soaps, home goods, paper products and edibles.

SweetsGiftBox March 2017 Review and 50% Off Coupon

SweetsGiftBox sends tasty baked goods, candies and treats to your door every month. This month was a total win for me because I loved everything in it. This is a fairly new subscription under the TheGiftBox umbrella (they also have boxes for pets and are still expanding). I'm curious to see how this box progresses. It's a little bit different than other treat boxes because it doesn't stick to just independent confectionaries and small businesses necessarily.

The theme this month is probably the best theme I've seen for a box of desserts. It's "Space" and the contents are so fitting it's fun!

The Cost: $25/month

What You Get: Every month you'll receive a selection of 4-5 sweets ranging from crunchy, chewy, chocolate, fruity or salty.

Sephora Play! VS Allure Beauty Box March 2017 Review

I've finally narrowed it down to my two favorite low cost beauty boxes. Sorry Birchbox and Ipsy, it's not you. The Allure Beauty Box has been one of my top boxes for years and the new Sephora Play gives it a run for it's money every month. They're both so good about brands and sizes that I continue to get both rather than choose only one.

I've been having them duke it out over the past few months and I'm going to continue doing so just to tally it up later and see who gives me the most wins. My initial guess is that they'll be pretty close to even.

This month has a clear winner for me. No question!

GlobeIn "Dine" Subscription Box Review and Coupon

GlobeIn is a subscription box dedicated to finding fair trade, handmade, ethically sourced products from direct sources or vetted partner organizations. That means you're getting the real deal! GlobeIn is serious about what they are doing- helping global artisans while sending subscribers a little bit of what's out there in the world.

This subscription allows you to experience the world and it's artisans without leaving home. The themes of each box make it even more fun. This box has a theme of "DINE" and its about having the perfect items for getting ready for dinner.

The Cost: $55/month.

What You Get: Exclusive, handcrafted products from global artisans curated around a monthly theme.

Handmade Hive March 2017 Subscription Box Review

Handmade Hive sends monthly mystery boxes filled with handmade goods from small and independent businesses from around the country (and this time the world!). Each month has a theme and will have a great variety of goodies to enjoy.  This month it's "Time for Tea!" I couldn't resist that theme so I had to snag a box for myself.

With every purchase, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to organizations that help fight sex trafficking, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.. The months of January, February and March, donations will go to Truth for Women's Truth Home. Truth Home is a therapeutic residential home offering changed lives and hope-filled futures to survivors of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. The home offers a safe place and supportive services for women who want an opportunity to rebuild their lives.

The Cost: $44.95/month plus $9.99 shipping

What You Get: Each box is filled with locally-sourced, quality handmade goods from small businesses around the country. Each month, the contents will center on a specific theme and contain a piece for home, wardrobe or style. You will receive anything from art, personal-care products and stationery to home goods, edible treats and more.

Popsugar March 2017 Subscription Box Review and Coupon

Popsugar Must Have totally made my day! I have been searching for these Smashmallows in stores for ages since I picked up one out of curiousity from a floor stand. Then they disappeared forever. Until Popsugar! While the Smashmallows might be my favorite thing in the box there's a very, very close second! This was sort of a "meh" box for me but since everything always gets used one way or another, I'm still happy with it.

The Cost: $39.95/month.

What You Get: You'll get an exciting monthly box full of fun, full-size products that are hand-selected by the Popsugar editors. Full-size products and premium items in beauty, fashion, home, fitness, and food.

Box of Style Spring 2017 Subscription Box Review and Coupon

When I look back and think about where I started when I first got into subscription boxes, I've come a long way. Back then I wanted samples and lots of them for as little as possible. Then I became inundated with a thousand tiny little bottles and tubes. After finding good skincare, getting overwhelmed with makeup and with snacks piling up, I realized that I just wanted things that I could actually use. I also wanted to feel like I was getting a good deal.

Box of Style is more expensive than your average beauty box, of course. The returns on that investment, at least for me, have been very, very good. I love getting these boxes. I love the focus on fashion and good skincare. I'm also appreciative of the quality. This subscription has quickly climbed to the top of my "favorites" list and it's position hasn't budged. Even when I may not like everything, there's no denying that the thoughtful curation and the value are there.

This box is curated by Rachel Zoe and her editors at thezoereport.com. For the Spring box, the focus was on women and female founded brands. I think the release coincided nicely with all the current happenings.

The Cost: $100/quarter, $350/annual

What You Get:  At least five products worth over $300 in fashion, beauty and lifestyle carefully curated by Rachel Zoe and her team.

Yogi Surprise March 2017 Review and 15% Off Coupon

YogiSurprise has been sort of a guilty pleasure for me. I don't do yoga although I think maybe I should because I need to get some good tendon stretching in. Lucky for me, with every box there's a yoga pose card with several poses on it for me to practice.

One thing that I love about YogiSurprise is that it's presentation is very good. If you wanted to gift this box to the yoga enthusiast in your life, you could do so without reservation. It's going to make any one happy!

The Cost: $44.95/month.

What You Get: You’ll receive 6 to 8 full-size products with a value of over $70, designed to nourish and support your well-being, vitality, and growth.

True Tea Club Subscription Box Review and 50% Off Coupon

I've been sick the last week and how lucky was I that True Tea Club arrived just when I needed it most!? True Tea Club is a UK based tea subscription that specializes in loose teas and blends. You'll find everything from white tea and herbal teas to oolong and rooibos. Each box has four teas for you to try along with tea bags and descriptions of each tea.

Since I'm a major tea lover (and I was sick) I started steeping right away! With names like Vanilla Cupcake, who wouldn't!?

There are four teas sent every month and the amount depends on your tea addiction levels. The Standard subscription sends enough for 4-5 cups of each tea if single steeped. More, obviously, if you double steep. The  Premium sends enough for 60 cups total and the Deluxe sends enough for 80 (that's 20 cups of each tea).

The Cost: £10/month for Standard, £15/month for Premium and £20/month for Deluxe. Shipping is free in the UK and £3.50 shipping Internationally.

What You Get: Four loose leaf teas and tea bags. Teas may be black, green or white teas along with Oolong, Rooibos, herbal infusions or specialist teas. You may also tailor your subscription to your personal preferences by email.

Adidas Avenue A Spring 2017 Subscription Box Review

I've been subscribed to Avenue A by Adidas for three seasons. This is a quarterly box full of shoes and sportswear. I think it was originally geared toward runners but it also has a gym and "hey, I wear yoga pants as real clothing" vibe, too. When you sign up, you're asked a bunch of questions about your workout lifestyle and I'll be completely honest.... I don't run. At all. Ever. Unless I'm chasing the dog or the FedEx guy.

However, that does not mean that I don't love a good shoe and/or workout gear. I do go to the gym rather regularly. I am currently lifting weights with my husband after months (okay, fine, years) of chugging away on treadmills and ellipticals. I'm loving it! And with my changing shape, I'm also appreciating the glory of beautiful workout clothing.

The Avenue A box sends real Adidas gear for a fraction (and I do mean fraction) of the regular price. Usually, the shoes alone make up the cost of the box and there are still four other goodies whose retail prices make me croak. This is the only way I'll ever justify getting some of these things.

The Cost: $150/quarter

What You Get: Get premium urban running gear, crafted and perfected by women for women on the move. Discover a fresh mix of styles curated quarterly by celebrities, always on-trend and on the pulse of fashion.

Cozy Reader Club February 2017 Book Box Review and Coupon

I was lucky to have won a giveaway for Cozy Reader Club last year but I got so addicted I had to subscribe for myself. If you are the epitome of a bookworm, if you love hot drinks in big mugs, wrapping up in big sweatshirts and blankets and curling up with a book with three more next to you, this box is for you. I am a fanatical reader. I read at least 150 books a year. If you ask me what my hobbies are I'll say reading, blogging and gardening.

I love a good escape and reading provides all that I need to do so. Cozy Reader Club takes it to the next level and provides all that I need for that perfect reading experience. Every box has a beverage, a gourmet snack, a women's fiction novel and some other perfect bookish accoutrement.

The Cost: $64.95/month.

What You Get: One newly released women's fiction novel, an artisan coffee, tea or hot chocolate, gourmet treats and beautiful handmade items.

Winc Wines Monthly Delivery Service plus Coupon Code

Winc is for wine lovers. This is a subscription dealing solely with wines, delivering new ones of your choice every month. You'll have access to wines you may not be able to find near you which makes every box an adventure.

When you start your sign up, you'll be asked a series of questions designed to figure out your palate and recommend specific wines. This was somewhat difficult because my husband and I prefer different wines. He likes reds with earthiness and full body. I like whites, acidic and tart. However it was a lot of fun to go through what was available and choose.

The Cost: Monthly deliveries start at $39.99 for three bottles plus shipping.

What You Get: At least three bottles of wine of your choice. If you forget to choose, you will be sent bottles based on your profile.

Allure Beauty Box vs Sephora Play February 2017 Comparison and Coupon

The Allure Beauty Box is one of the top beauty boxes currently available to subscribers. I like it a lot and find it hard to decide between this and the Sephora Play box. Sephora is new on the scene with its subscription but it's full of brand clout. I freely admit that I can't bring myself to cancel either one.

I did cancel Birchbox and Ipsy, though. I think that Allure and Sephora both send better brands in bigger sizes and offer more of a variety of products. I felt Birchbox leaned more toward skincare and Ipsy more towards makeup and I just really want a balance.

Here's my comparison of what I received in my February boxes:

SweetsGiftBox February 2017 Review and 50% Off Coupon

SweetsGiftBox is part of TheGiftBox family and sends candies, chocolates and other sweet treats every month. For February the focus is definitely chocolate which makes sense. It also has a fantastic bar which I've tried before and loved.

The Cost: $25/month

What You Get: Every month you'll receive a selection of 4-5 sweets ranging from crunchy, chewy, chocolate, fruity or salty.