Showing posts with label free stuff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free stuff. Show all posts

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Getting on-board with E-books

 
I believe I've mentioned before that I'm a book lover. This is not just a mild interest, passing fancy, temporary fling.... I LOVE books. I've been a member of more book clubs than I can count over the years. Trips to the Library mean I come out juggling a tower of books if I didn't bring a bag. I've been this way for years. Hence the article on Hubpages I did last year on how to lower book costs.....

I'm the girl who, upon getting a new book in the mail, I get all giddy, open it up and then flip through the pages while holding the book up to my face so I can breathe in the scent with my eyes closed and get a goofy grin on my face. Are you getting the picture here? Haha! Yes, I know I sound like a nerd, and that's okay! ;)

Anyway, I will admit now that I was less than thrilled with the entrance of e-readers and e-books on the scene. How could anyone not want to hold an actual book in their hands? What about filling another space on that bookshelf (I keep running out of space and have to get more shelves, which I don't mind in the least!). And how about reading with a child? How on earth could that be any fun with an electronic device in your hands, rather than a big book with colorful pictures to flip through while cuddling with your little ones? In no way was I even tempted!

Over the years, without realizing it, apparently I have started to change my opinion a bit. Maybe it's because I'm a complete Amazon junkie (no, I'm not kidding, I love that site--which is why I became an affiliate shortly after starting this blog) or maybe the fact that they have some of the most popular e-readers on the market (i.e. the Kindle series) and all the buzz eventually caught my attention. At first, I thought nothing of it (at least nothing good). But then they started offering free e-books (and I'm all over free!) and the free Kindle App to go along with it so you can read from your computer, iphone, tablet, etc. Now I'm hooked!

One of the features I most love, that works on my tablet, is that I can even look up unfamiliar words in a book I'm reading by just pressing on it without having to go get my dictionary! And then some of these e-readers have gone even further and become tablets. You can surf the internet, play games, watch movies (and more!) on some of the Kindles. They've even brought out new models this month like the Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 4G LTE Wireless, Dolby Audio, Dual-Band Wi-Fi, 32 GB.

I should note that Barnes and Noble also offers free e-books on their website here. They also have an the Nook e-reader series, but I don't know as much about that. I've got the free nook app on my tablet also and have taken advantage of the free downloads they offer too.

Does this mean that I'm done with hard-copy, print books? No. I still love the feel of a book in my hands. But I do have admit that I can still get on-board with the e-book train now. Why choose, when I can enjoy both? Who'd have thought it? ;)
 

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Big Things Are Happening!

Many of you know I've been been exploring money-making opportunities over the last few years. I've also talked about ways to save money and "Go Green." I've been wanting to talk about my latest endeavor for weeks, but made myself wait to see how things panned out first. I tend to be skeptical (though I prefer the term "realistic") about a lot of things, especially when it comes to making money. I don't believe in "Get Rich Quick" schemes and I tend to believe that if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

Well, a few weeks ago a friend of mine invited me to a party. Actually, she invited me to 3 parties total. I really didn't want to go. It was a home sales type thing and I just don't get into that. I've tried Avon and ended up spending more than I made (that and I had a really hard time pushing the cosmetics because I felt like I was telling people they needed those products because they weren't attractive they way they looked now! Hah!) Anyway, I avoided things like pampered chef, tupperware, the jewelry parties and all of that. I felt that people could easily get by without these things and couldn't bring myself to convince them they needed them, though I do believe that many of these companies do make good products overall.

These parties I was trying to avoid were for Norwex. I finally went to one after my friend called me several times on the day of the 3rd party. I told her that even if I went, not to expect anything because I just don't get into things like this. She said that was fine, and just hoped I would come and see what it was all about. Well, I did, and it changed my mind in a big way!

Norwex is all about earth-friendly, chemical free and effective products. They have a micro-fiber cloth infused with micro-silver (which never launders out of the cloth) that does incredible things. I had to see it with my own eyes to believe it. It does these things using the cloth and water. I watched butter being wiped off a mirror and within seconds that mirror was more streak-free than anything I've ever seen using various cleaners and many paper towels. I watched it wipe up all trace of a raw chicken breast in seconds and it doesn't transfer that nastiness over when you take that same cloth and clean another area. Incredible!

Anyway, I don't want to sound like an infomercial. Needless to say I was impressed. I saw myself getting rid of my sanitizing cleaners, using much fewer paper towels and getting my cleaning done much faster with less headache. I also saw myself being able to talk about these products with friends without feeling like I was pushing something unnecessary on them. I felt so good about what I learned of this company, that a few weeks after that party, I signed up to be a consultant with them.

This is a great opportunity for those looking to make extra money to supplement lost income, or even to become their main income. It's not without effort though. You have to put yourself out there to be successful. You have to be comfortable talking with people, or at least seem like you're comfortable ;-)

Norwex talks about honesty and integrity in their core values--something that impressed me. They're generous to work for, they're generous to their party hostesses too! They also back up what they sell, which is a huge deal for me.

So how has this worked out for me? Well, so far I've done very well and am already coming out ahead in the expense/profit aspect. I've got several avenues I can explore to take this further and I'm getting more and more excited the more I use the products I'm now selling. Win-win!

If you want more information on Norwex and their products, feel free to check out my website: nelliebutler.norwex.biz.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Freebie Deals on Amazon!

Amazon is giving away a free $5 credit for on-demand movies for those with Twitter accounts who will tweet about it. If you want to Tweet for $5, they make it easy by providing the link and the tweet for you with just the click of a button. Thank you, Pinching Your Pennies, for the heads up on this one. But you better hurry. This deal is only good until tomorrow, July 19.

Also, you can get a free $25 credit to My Habit, which is a branch of Amazon that specializes in men, women's and children's clothing, shoes and accessories. Their deals change daily, so if you don't see what you want today, check back again. With this credit, you can get some things for free. You have to be quick though, since these deals go fast. They refresh at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time. The promo code is SUMMER25, and is only good until August 1. Thank you, The Thrifty Couple, for sharing this one.

So go save yourself some money!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Get a Free Coupon for Fresh Express Salad!

I've been a member of Vocal Point for a while now, and as a result I've enjoyed free samples and coupons occasionally. Today I got an email from them about another great offer, a coupon for a free salad kit! Get yours now!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

More Free magazine subscriptions from ValueMags!

ValueMags is offering two magazine copies to Family Circle for January and February issues again. Jump on it fast or you'll miss out. On top of that, they also have a few other magazines to choose from, such as:  Bridal Guide, Sport Fishing, Yachting, Backpacker digital, and Yoga Journal digital. These are all no cost, no obligation offers so be sure to check them out.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Sam's Club's Black Friday Offer


If you've been tinkering with the idea of getting a Sam's Club membership, but couldn't quite decide, you might be tempted to do it this Friday. Their doors will open at 5 a.m. and they'll even give you free breakfast. If you decide to get the membership, or upgrade your current membship to a plus membership (which is guaranteed to save you at least $200 a year, and is 100% money back guaranteed), then they will give you a $25 gift card. Apparently they're doing this offer from November 26-28.

I don't know how crazy they get on Black Friday, but it all sounds like a good deal to me (especially since I often find some great deals on toys, games, movies and clothes there for my kids for Christmas there every year, even when it's not Black Friday).

It's definitely worth checking out :) Click here to select your local club for the details.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Free Offer for Family Circle--Hurry!


You can get 2 free issues of Family Circle with no cost or obligation by going to the ValueMags site. All you have to do is go to this website and tell them where to send your free issues. You will never receive a bill and no credit card is required. I just ordered mine, too! Hurry! Quantities are limited!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Check Your Credit For Free! No Catch!

I've already told you about how to get your free credit report from Annualcreditreport.com. But it turns out there's another way to get not only your credit report, but also your credit score, profile and other extras for free. No, I'm not kidding.

I stumbled on this site by accident after my husband won a year of free credit monitoring from Quicken Loans. They're currently doing a sweepstakes, which I found on Freebies4Mom. Anyway, I decided to see who this company was who was doing the credit monitoring. It's called Quizzle.

They do offer other optional upgraded services for a fee (including helping you with a budget and giving you credit improvement tips), but you get quite a bit for free and you don't have to purchase anything or give them your credit card number. You don't even give them your social security number. How then, do they look up your credit report? With your name, address and birthdate.

You can find out more about the company in their FAQ section. Go check it out and stay informed!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Savings for New Moms

As new mom of an 8 week old baby, I know how pricey things can be. If you're able to breastfeed, that's the ideal nutrition for your baby and a real saver on your pocket-book, but it's not always possible.

There are savings out there for moms who use formula, so be sure to take advantage of that if you can. A few websites out there where you can sign up for samples of formulas and coupons are:

Strong Moms (Similac)
Enfamil
Gerber Good Start

You can sign up at any one (or even all if you choose) of these websites for free gifts, coupons and samples. So be sure to take advantage!

Another great program out there to help you save on diapers is Amazon Mom. This is a new program that gives you savings of 30% on diapers. You get 3 free months of Amazon Prime Shipping when you sign up, plus earn an extra month free for every $25 you spend in the baby store.



So what are you waiting for? Go start saving! :)

Thursday, June 3, 2010

National Doughnut Day


I have a weakness. Okay, well probably more than one, but we don't have to go into that just now. Hah! Anyway, I LOVE doughnuts. I'm not too picky about them either, though I do know the difference between excellent, good, edible and well, you get the point.

Anyway, imagine my delight when I checked my email today and found one from Krispy Kreme in my inbox. Apparently, tomorrow, June 4, is National Doughnut Day. What does this mean for you and me? Well, it means we get a free doughnut. Yay! I'm so there! Of course, this offer is limited to one per customer, but that's six free doughnuts for my family alone!

Here is a link to participating Krispy Kremes. I'm excited to report that there's one close to me! :)

So make sure to get your free doughnut tomorrow! Mmmmmmmm.....

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

I'm Inlove with my Bread Machine

No, really! We met about 11 years ago and while I was intimidated by its advanced technical skills at first, after a few years I was hooked. I make Italian Herb Bread, Old Fashioned White bread (the family wasn't impressed with the wheat recipes), roll dough, pizza dough, and now.....bread bowls!

I have a Broccoli Cheddar soup recipe that I've finally got down (though having said that, I do still reserve the right to tinker with it at a later date if I want to). And what goes better with Broccoli Cheddar soup than eating it in a bread bowl? Nothing, I say!

I've only had one problem with that: I can't find any decent bread bowls at any of the stores around here! They're all soft and flaky on the outside, and that doesn't make for the best soup bowl.

So I decided to do something about it. Why couldn't I make my own? I can make just about anything else I've set my mind to. This shouldn't be too difficult, right? So I did a search on the internet (using my swagbucks toolbar--which I love since I get to earn free stuff doing what I already do anyway!). I found this article detailing how to make homemade bread bowls from frozen bread dough. I thought, why can't I just use my French Bread recipe and run it in the dough cycle instead of the bread cycle and then follow the directions from the point of shaping the thawed bread dough. So that's exactly what I'm doing now. So far, so good. Keep your fingers crossed that it works for me! I'll have to update you, but I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work. I know my way around dough;)

I'll share my recipes for tonight's dinner here for those of you who are interested:


Broccoli Cheddar Soup

5 cubes chicken bouillon
1 tsp Worcestershire
1 tsp garlic
4 cups water
2 cups half and half or whipping cream
24 oz chopped broccoli
5 diced potatoes
¼ cup butter/margarine
½ cup onion
¼ cup flour
4 cups cheddar cheese
Season salt (to taste)
Mrs. Dash original seasoning (to taste)

Boil water, bouillon cubes, Worcestershire, cream, garlic, seasoning and potatoes. Cook until potatoes are tender. Add Broccoli.

Melt butter in pan. Add onion and cook until tender. Slowly add flour to make paste. Add mixture to soup slowly, mixing well to avoid clumping. Add cheese and mix well. Do not boil.

French Bread Dough

1¼ cups+3 tbs water (room temperature)
1 tbs butter/margarine
1 tbs olive, vegetable or canola oil
4 cups flour
1 ½ tbs sugar
1 ¾ teaspoon salt
2 tsp active dry yeast

(Use the link to the bread bowl article to finish)

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

But Mom!

I've decided to do something this summer that I haven't really done before, or at least not planned out well enough to stick to. This year, though, I'm prepared and I'm determined. This year, much to my children's chagrin, I'm making it work. What am I talking about? Summer school!

I'm not talking about the school summer school programs, or those others out there that you have to pay for. I'm talking home schooling in the summer time. I have the workbooks (care of Sam's Club, Costco, Dollar General, Ross) and I have the internet to fill in any gaps. I also am making sure that I set aside the time and make it realistic. I mean, the kids have to have some fun this summer, right?

So the plan is that I get them at the kitchen table, with their worksheets already put together for them, three days a week for one to two hours. It's actually working out pretty well. My four year old loves it. Haha Now if only she can rub off on my 11 year old. At least he's cooperating :)

I got some great books I can work out of with them for dirt cheap. Most of them came from the dollar store, but I also found some of the big, all inclusive ones for a good deal at those other stores I mentioned above.

There are also some fantastic educational websites I've found with some great resources and where I can find and print out worksheets for free:

Sites for Teachers
Worksheets 4 Teachers
Math Fact Cafe
TLS Books

We've also been making weekly trips to the library. They've got a great summer reading program going on and the kids have already won prizes in their drawings.

The whole reason I'm doing this is that I found that the kids were having some areas they were struggling in on their end of level tests. I want to send them back more prepared and confident. I think it will make for a better school year.

And on that note, I'm going to be reviewing a Multiplication CD shortly. It was sent to me a while ago by a friend, and I'm using it to help my 9 year old with her times tables. I'll let you all know how it works and how you can get it in an upcoming post. I'm also thinking of doing a giveaway for it. But I'm getting ahead of myself now. LOL. More on that soon!

Enjoy your summer!

Friday, June 12, 2009


Tonight is our pizza and movie night. We make our own pizzas to save on money and rent a movie from Redbox. Just in time to save us money, Inside Redbox sent out some working codes for today. I tried the one they said was working for all locations (for now) at Walgreens and it went through with no troubles. I'm saving the one they gave for McDonald's (set to be good until June 30--hopefully) for next week.

If you haven't done so already, you should check out Inside Redbox and subscribe. You've got nothing to lose and plenty of free movie rentals to gain!

I did do a no-no when I couldn't find a known family friendly movie we all wanted to see and just picked a movie off the full listing that I hoped wouldn't be too bad. I went to PluggedIn Online (where I can get a detailed breakdown of what's in a movie to help decide whether or not it's okay for kids) and found that the one I randomly picked was not one that I'd even want my almost 12 year old son to watch. So we'll have to find something else for them to watch tonight. Haha! That'll teach me!

If ever you have a question about a movie's content, definitely check that site out (for DVDs or movies in theatre). It gives a very comprehensive breakdown for even the most discerning of parents/viewers. Keep in mind though that you will be reading spoilers for whatever movie you're looking up.

Anyway, I wish you all a great weekend!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Busy is an Understatement!

I know it's been a while here. Between my yard work (I can officially call them flower beds instead of weed beds-Yay!) and sick kids (one sick four-year-old most of last week, and a sick one-year-old for a solid week now), I've had time for nothing else.

Oh! And it's a good thing hubby fixed the dryer (a loose screw on one of the agitators), because I've been doing laundry nonstop for over a week now--not that we don't generate a lot already in a household of six people without adding a nasty stomach virus to the equation!

The plus side is that so far it's only gotten hold of the two youngest members of our family. I'm hoping it doesn't go any further, as it seems to be long-winded. I feel bad for my baby though. Poor thing :(

I really feel that we do have some divine help on our side though, as I know we've accomplished a lot--despite the sick kids--in the last couple of weeks. A very, very good friend (perhaps an angel in disguise?) spent two of her days off working with us on those radioactive weeds (I swear some of them had to have been exposed and mutated!) I'll never underestimate the value of such a good friend. I'll have to try to return the favor.

Our yard is actually looking pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. We got our garden planted too, and so far, so good. Most of the seedlings we grew indoors have made it through the transplant, and the seeds we sowed in the ground are sprouting too. I'm so excited!

If you haven't got your gardens in yet, it's not too late. There's nothing like eating the food you grew yourself. It's cheaper, tastes great and is even better for you (no losing nutrients in storage and shipment). No space? That's okay, container gardening works well, too! Read my garden articles here for more info.

We've been listening to a lot of music during all that yard work. Some of it we got for free (no kidding) from iTunes. They have a freebie section that is updated regularly for you to check out and choose what you want to download. You have to have the itunes application on your computer to take advantage of this deal. So if you have an ipod and didn't know about this cool feature, check it out!

Well, that's all I have time for today. I accomplished this much with a baby on my lap! Are you impressed? Haha! Take care!

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

A Little of Everything!

I haven't called this The Juggling Homemaker for nothing! It's always a juggling act here, trying to keep so many different things going at the same time. My mom is out of the hospital, but still having some struggles, so I've been trying to do what I can there, though it's not as much as she (or I, for that matter) would like. It's hard when you have your own family to take care of to do much of anything else.

We're still working on our yard and went and got more compost from Wasatch Integrated Waste Management at $25/truckload--not too shabby! :) We also got some of their medium sized bark at $10/truckload for our flower beds (okay, I'll be honest and call them weed beds--but we're working on it). We're going to whack the weeds down, put down another layer of weed barrier (better stuff, this time) and throw the bark down on top of that. Take that weeds!!! Haha! It was back-breaking labor to unload those loads from the back of the pick-up. Believe me, I'm feeling it today!

We could have saved on the back pain and had someone else come out and deliver that stuff for us, but financially that just wasn't feasible. We had to cut some things out of our budget to do it the way we did. But in reality, it will help if we end up having to sell, since it will add some curb appeal to not have massive weed jungles on all sides. It's impossible for me to keep up with it all! Hopefully it won't come to that, though. And to be honest, it probably wouldn't sell for what we'd need anyway....ah well...moving on!

We had optimistically got a movie from Redbox to watch last night. We didn't get to watch it because the work took longer than we thought. We didn't even get to staining the playset! So I'll more than likely have to pay for another night.

Yesterday was the last free weekly Monday they're doing, too. Yeah, I know, it sucks. I wish they would continue doing it weekly, as I only recently started taking advantage of it, but they're not giving us as good a deal anymore. However, they are going to start doing free monthly Monday starting next month, for over the summer. We'll be taking advantage of that. For more information you can go to Inside Redbox.

As for our HASP application, we're still waiting to hear. The waiting period keeps getting longer, as more people are learning about (good!) the program and applying for it. They said it could be anywhere from now to another three weeks before we hear. So far we're still scraping by.

I've learned this will all come down what they call the Net Present Value Analysis. That's where, after reviewing all the information they have for your application, the market, and your property, they decide if the mortgage investor would make more money on a loan modification or a foreclosure. They also weigh the risks of your situation in their decision. Hopefully, between the down market and the incentives the government is offering them, our situation will look more profitable for a modification. I found an online explanation that explains this better, if you're interested.

Anyway, we're plugging along. Overall, I'd say I have more to be thankful for than to complain about. I just have to remember that on the bad days ;)

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Free Chicken Dinner From KFC


Here's yet another reason to love Oprah. She's got a coupon for a free meal at Kentucky Fried Chicken on her website! It's for the two piece grilled chicken, two individual sides and a biscuit. Not too shabby, eh?

This is a limited time download and is only available from 9 a.m. CDT on May 5, 2009, to 9:59 p.m. CDT on May 6, 2009. So hurry! The good thing is that you don't have to rush quite as fast to redeem the coupon once you've got it. The coupon is redeemable at participating KFC® locations in the United States from May 5, 2009 to May 19, 2009. The only catch for this time period is that it's not redeemable on Mother's Day, May 10, 2009. It's one offer per person and can be found by visiting Oprah's site here.

I've already printed out mine! Yummy!

Want Some Freebies?


While doing some of my internet research, I found out about a way to get free stuff than I didn't know before. See? You really do learn something new all the time! Did you know that Walmart has their very own free samples, trials and savings site? They do, though the good ones go fast, and their offerings are constantly changing, so you might want to bookmark it and check back frequently.

I went there today and ordered the Crest Whitestrips Sample. Who doesn't want a brighter smile? ;) Currently, they also have dog treats, Good Nights, hair care stuff and Cottonelle (plus even more). So if you don't have anything better to do and want to get something for nothing, go have a look.

If you're into finding these kinds of deals, I have them all over my site. Feel free to have a look. Happy deal hunting!

Monday, April 20, 2009

Family Night


In our house, on Monday we do what we call "Family Home Evening" or in other words, Family Night. This is a great opportunity to spend time together as a family, talk, play games, roast marshmallows outside on the fire, or even just watch a movie. We also eat dinner together.

Experts say that this is the best way to raise happy, healthy and well-adjusted kids. They also say your kids are less likely to give in to peer pressure if they're getting quality time with you. I'm all for that!

To make things easy for you if you're wanting to watch a video together, I'm giving you the link for today's free Redbox code. If you're new to this, the way it works is you go to that site, become a free member and get access to the free promo codes. Also, once you're ready to redeem your code, make sure to push the button that says "rent with a promo code" then choose your DVD.

The first time I did it, I hit "rent DVD" and so I ended up paying for it, even though I had a promo code. To fix it, I just came home with two DVDs instead of one. Haha! Only the first day is free with the promo, then you have to return the movie by 9:00pm the next day. If you don't, you'll be charged $1 per day. Not too shabby!

We won't be taking advantage of the free code today though. To our children's chagrin, it's TV turn off week at school. No TV, video games or computer (unless it's for homework) until next Monday. We do this every year. It makes us get more creative and active together as a family.

If the kids go the whole week, they get rewarded by the school with a free meal at Hungry Bear Pizza (a pizza buffet place by where we live--the kids love it).

Anyway, unless you're feeling ambitious and doing TV turnoff in your house, go for that free DVD rental. We're doing Navajo tacos and eating outside on the patio. We'll probably play a game with the kids, too. I think it's about time they learned Yahtzee! Have fun!

Friday, April 17, 2009

Back to Writing

I've been thinking a lot about writing lately. I do consider what I do here as writing. After all, it's article writing in a sense. But truly, my first love has always been fiction. I've been blessed with an overactive imagination. My kids have always loved it when I come up with little "what would happen if..." stories for them, but that's not really the area I most excel in--though it is a lot of fun to make up a story that puts the wicked witch of Snow White as the good guy. Haha

I've had a story in my mind for several years now. I've outlined just about the whole thing in notebooks and know what I want to do with it in my mind. I also have a very rough draft of the first 80+ pages. The problem? I'm not such a good mommy when I'm in writing mode. I'm inattentive, impatient and totally absorbed in what I'm doing in front of me (lost in the world of my creation, is a good way to put it).

I thought about, and tried to put the story on hold while raising my munchkins, but it just won't stop running through my head. It's still there, no matter how many articles I write, different subjects I research, or boo-boos I kiss.

So, what to do? I got inspiration from reading an author's (whom I'm a huge fan of) website. She's written several books all while being a mommy to three (one less than me, but who's counting? LOL). She's become hugely successful and it all started with a dream (as coincidentally did my idea). If you haven't guessed who I'm talking about, it's Stephenie Meyer.

I actually haven't visited her site before yesterday, despite discovering and devouring her twilight series last year. When I did visit it yesterday for the first time, I found the story behind her popular series very inspiring.

I went to bed last night thinking about how I too, could try to make a go of my dream. Writing has always been a passion for me, and it's an incredible release. But the fact is, my family will always come first. I don't want to be a half-decent parent. I want to be the best mother. I'd started to assume that meant I couldn't do my book. But I think I was wrong. I think I just need to do what I've been fighting against, and create a workable schedule (I hate schedules--haha). I already know I have my hubby's support, and that helps.

This definitely isn't a get rich quick scheme, though if I'm lucky, and do it right, there is the possibility of making money at it. I think I'm going to go revisit those pages of my dusty novel--perhaps while the kiddies are still abed dreaming. I usually take that time to sleep too, but I know I could get by with a bit less sleep, and feel even more fulfilled than I already do (since I get a lot from being a mom).

If you're a writer looking to improve your writing skills or get your work published, there are some great places to start out there:

Writer's Digest is a great way to get started with access to books, magazines, competitions and more.

Zoetrope is a great place to network with other writers and share work. Though it is not one-sided and you require work on your side. The site is entirely free.

WritersNet also has it's value for the writer, publisher and literary agents out there with its resources and discussion forums. Another free site!

WritersMarket is a great resource if you're wanting to know where to submit your work. You can even try it online risk free for seven days. If you buy the book, I believe they give you a promo code to access their internet resources for less.

You shouldn't have to spend a lot of money, or even any at all to make this happen though. Your local library and the internet are great places to look for information when your wallet is empty. If you do have some money to spend and want to comparison shop to get more for your money. Amazon and Ebay are good places to look.

So that's what's been on my mind today. I'm glad to have shared it with you:) Keep dreaming and make it a reality!






Monday, April 13, 2009

A Check Came in Today!

I don't know if you remember or not, but I took part in an hour long panel for SurveySpot about a month ago. I had some trouble with the links, but finally got it to go through. All I had to do was shop at a smaller Walmart, rather than the larger one I usually go to. The payout? $50--and the check came today!

That's the most money I've made from a survey site so far, since I started checking them out last August, and it was pretty easy. They don't offer a referral program, like some of the others, but they are backed by the Better Business Bureau. I don't see the higher paying opportunities from them all that often, but I've received invites for a few of them. This was the first time I decided to do it though. The downside of SurveySpot is that you can end up wasting your time if you start a paying survey and then are found ineligible a few minutes into it. When this happens, all you get for your time is a sweepstakes entry.

I've also been earning money with Youdata weekly. It's not a lot, but it's consistent and literally only takes seconds of my time. I've earned about $10 each for Inbox Dollars and Send Earnings, which isn't a lot, but I haven't done much with them, to be honest. So those were for minimal effort. Cash out is $30 for those, so I've got a ways to go, haha! Anyway, these survey companies are not a get rich quick avenue by any means, but they can be good for some extra spending money.

In other news, I tried out the free redbox promo code for today and it worked! If you haven't checked this out for free DVD rentals, do it now! The code is good until midnight tonight and the DVD has to be returned to Redbox by 9:00 p.m. tomorrow or the charge is $1 per day.

I just thought I'd share these tidbits with you! I'm still looking for legitimate ways to make money from home, and of course, how to save it. Best of luck to you all!