Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Reaching My Monthy Goal


I made it!!! In an earlier post I talked about (starting this month) setting a monthly goal for myself of making $600 a month online. I am happy to report that with only one day left in December I have reached my goal! Including ChaCha, PTC/GPT, and blogging I have earned $603.50.
I have also found a few other money making opportunities this month that I will be posting about soon.

I Can't See


Today I finally made an appointment to get my eyes checked. I really need to get new glasses. It has been about 2 years since the last time I had an eye exam and I think that I am going to need a slightly stronger prescription. Actually, that seems to be the case every time I go. At this rate I'm going to be blind by the time I'm 40!

The main reason that I made this appointment though is because I am having a hard time seeing out of the glasses that I currently wear. I don't know what is wrong with them but there is this film on them that makes it look and feel like I am always walking through a fog. I took them in to see if they could be fixed but they weren't sure what was wrong with them either.

I am looking forward to getting new frames. I was just looking at some of the new styles they have at Zenni Optical. Right now they have a really cute line of Holiday frames. Here is one of my favorites:



What do you think? I'm not sure if I'm too crazy about red, but they also have the same style available in blue, pink and black. I think I would probably go with the blue ones. The best part is they are only $25.95. Can't beat that!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Making Some Changes


Today I was looking over the Paid to Click and GPT sites that I have linked in the "Make Money With These Sites" section in this blog. Sadly, quite a few of these sites have shut down or, in some cases, are no longer sites that I make money with.

Over the next few days I am going to be taking these sites down as well as adding some great new sites that I have recently found so please be sure to check back soon!

Only 3 More Shopping Days Left!


With Christmas fast approaching, I have to admit that I still have not finished my Christmas shopping. Although this year I have done a lot better than in years past. I usually START my Christmas shopping only a few days before Christmas. But this year my dad is the only person I still have to buy gifts for.

I already know what I want to get him. I just hope that the weather cooperates long enough for me to get over to K-Mart after all the kids go home tomorrow to pick it up.

A few months ago when Dad was helping us remodel the kitchen he broke his cordless screwdriver, so I wanted to get him a new one. The one I found at K-Mart is a Craftsman 3.6 volt Cordless Screwdriver. It is really nice and it's only $20!

If you are a procrastinator like me and still have some Christmas shopping to do, why not pick up your last minute gifts from Kmart? K-Mart has 25,000 quality items to choose from, all under $25! You can also go to KMart.com and sign up to receive emails letting you know about any online only sales and store deals as well as special store hours. Merry Christmas and Happy Shopping!


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Friday, December 19, 2008

Paid By ChaCha!!


Yesterday, I received my first payment ($135.16) from ChaCha! As I have mentioned before, I started working as an Expeditor for ChaCha back in October.

There are 2 ways to get paid at ChaCha, "Pay Me Now" and "Pay Me Monthly". I have chosen the Pay Me Monthly option. That means that if I earn over $100 by the 15th of the month, I will get my payment directly deposited into my back account 5-7 days later (after the 15th). I didn't reach payout in November because I had been sick for awhile and didn't log into ChaCha that often. This month I am on track to do about $200 or more so I will definitely be receiving another payment in January.

Web Hosting Geeks


If you are looking to buy your own domain name, or would like to get more information on new web hosting, before making any decisions I would recommend checking out WebHostingGeeks.com.

Web Hosting Geeks offers a list of the ten top rated web hosting providers. Each one is ranked on a 5 star point system and gives you important information about the different features offered by each provider, such as traffic, space, the number of domain names you can get and more. You can check their prices and read independent reviews. Also, speaking of prices, all of the Top Ten providers offer their services for under $10 a month. That is a great price!

I have been considering new web hosting for this blog for quite awhile now. One of the main reasons I have, up until this point, declined to do so was because I thought that it would be a lot more expensive. I didn't want all of the money that I was earning online to to have to then go towards paying my monthly hosting fees.

After taking a long look at the Web Hosting Geeks top ten sites, I think that if I do decide to change web hosting providers I would go with Bluehost. Many reviewers have said that they have a simple script which, for someone like myself that is still new to HTML and all of that, would make things easier. But if nothing else, at least I know that I am now better informed of the options that are available.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Setting A Monthly Goal


Up until now, I have been working online here and there in my spare time and have made what I would consider a decent amount of money. Usually $200-$300 a month.
Starting this month I will be devoting more time to working online- probably a few hours a night, as I still run a daycare from home full time during the day- and setting a financial goal of $600 a month.

As of today (for the month of December) I have earned just over $275 and am right on track to meet my goal. I am at $140 with ChaCha, $55 with PayU2Blog, $55 with paid blogging and about $25 dollars from GPT/PTC.

LA Police Gear


LAPoliceGear.com has wide variety of items available, not only for law enforcement, military and Fire/EMS professionals, but the general public as well. They have a great 5.11 Tactical Series that includes everything from t-shirts, vests and pants to boots, watches, eyewear and more!
These could make great Chritmas gifts for the man (or woman- yes, they have a womans tactical section too) in your life.

Right now La Police Gear has a great special going on. Buy any TWO 5.11 Tactical clothing items and you will get free shipping (using the coupon code "gear"), free return shipping and a free hat! Also, if you buy over $125 of 5.11 items you will receive a free travel mug with your order.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Bowling For Cash Payment


Today I received my November payment from Bowling For Cash. I had mentioned previously that I haven't been spending a lot of time working the GPT and PTC sites. I am still having trouble getting offers to credit on most of the sites, but in November I began answering the trivia questions daily (and completing a few offers) on some of my favorite GPT sites and was able to earn a little bit of cash plus some Amazon and Walmart gift cards, which I have already used to buy a few Christmas presents.

Turbocharger Pros


If you are looking to upgrade your car, why not consider getting a turbocharger or supercharger? Turbochargerpros.com is your place for all of your air induction needs. For those of you that are not familiar with this subject, with a turbocharger and supercharger, the air is compressed and that lets the engine stuff more air into a cylinder. More air in the cylinder means that more fuel can be stuffed in, too, so you get more power from each explosion in each cylinder. Whether its a Volkswagen turbocharger or any other model, Turbocharger Pros has an extensive inventory Super Chargers, Turbo Chargers nose covers and more! They all have a complete warranty and are in stock and ready to ship today. While I was checking out their site, I decided to look up the make and model of my boyfriends car and saw that they had a turbocharger in stock. I know this is something that he has wanted and his birthday is coming up soon so this might just be the perfect gift!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Oops, blonde moment..

I was just looking back over my previous posts and realized that I had posted the wrong list of Top 10 EC droppers. The list I mistakenly posted were the top droppers on my personal blog.

Sooo..here is the list of my Top 10 EC droppers for this blog for the month of November. Again, a big Thank You to everyone that has taken the time to visit my blog.

Top EC Droppers:

1. Tuition Place
2. Slow Streamyx
3. Re-Financing
4. MoneyOnlineGuides
5. Credit Card Lab
6. Help Yourself
7. Realm of Prosperity
8. A Rose By Name Learns
9. BloggerRap
10. Thoughts and Obsessions

Charter's Ultimate Bundle


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So, how many of you got up early and went shopping on black friday? My sister convinced me to go with her this year, and we were up and at the store around 3:30 am. Thankfully, there really wasn't much of a crowd and we were able to get all of the items we wanted.

I had also been looking online to see if there were any good Cyber Monday deals and found a great one from Charter. This would actually be the perfect gift for my sister because she recently moved into a new house and still doesn't have cable or internet service.

From now until Dec. 5th, if you buy Charter's Ultimate Bundle online you will receive a $250 gift card of your choice. You will ALSO be automatically entered into a drawing to win one of 45 XBox game systems!!

Charter's Ultimate Bundle- which includes unlimited calling, 10Mbps High-Speed Internet, Digital Cable, HBO, Cinemax, Showtime and more- for only $165.97/mo! That really is a great deal and the best price for bundled services available online right now. So if you are looking for new bundled services, or want to make a switch from your current service, I recommend checking out Charter today and taking advantage of this special before it's too late!


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Monday, December 1, 2008

Top EC Droppers for November


Well, it is the beginning of another month. I can't believe Christmas is only a few weeks away! Below is a list of my top EC droppers for November. A big THANK YOU to them and to everyone that has visited my blog.

Top EC Droppers:

1. More Than Sew So
2. WindMill on the Hill
3. The Cool Mom Guide
4. EU Watch
5. 1 Blog and 2 Sides
6. The Cool Mom Guide Reviews
7. Thrifty Momma Ramblings
8. First Time
9. happy steps
10. A Consummate Life

Cruiser Customizing


If you are a motorcycle enthusiast, you should really check out Cruisercustomizing.com. Cruiser Customizing offers all kinds of motorcycle parts and accessories, riding apparel, locks, alarms, books, videos and more! Everything you may need for your custom bike.

Also for the next 2 days- December 1st and 2nd- they are offering free shipping on any order of $100 or more!

Friday, November 21, 2008

Paid Again by Pinecone Research


Today I received my latest payment from Pinecone Research. I know that I have said this before but if you haven't already signed up with Pinecone Research it really is worth it to look for their sign-up banner and of course to signup when you find one. I am still getting a few surveys and product tests every month and they pay quickly. Also the surveys that they send are ones that you already qualify for, you don't have to (like some other survey companies) go through and fill out a survey only to find out at the end that you didn't qualify. I hate when that happens!!

Sunday, November 9, 2008

My Progress With PayU2Blog

I have recently received 2 more payments ($70 total) from PayU2Blog. I am still liking this company a lot! I seem to get at least 1 or 2 new assignments every few days. I have made over $100 in my first month, which isn't bad. After (I think) 30 days you can add another blog but because this is a money making blog I'm not sure it would be approved.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Fed Up With PTC

For the past month or so, I have not been very active on the PTC sites. I have become increasingly frustrated with the whole PTC industry and at this point am considering giving up on them altogether.

While I know that there are many people out there that make quite a bit of money with Paid to Click sites, I have also found that in order to do that you have to either get in and build a downline early and/or spend money to upgrade or purchase referrals. And even after all that there is no guarantee that the site will pay or even stick around long enough for me to reach cashout. Since has happened to me quite a few times recently I am not sure I am willing to waste more time or money in hopes of an eventual payout. For now I think I am just going to stick with more reliable money making opportunities like paid blogging and ChaCha.

Dr. Martin Sands

Dr. Martin Sands is the founder of Dermatology Associates, P.C. A graduate of the University of Iowa’s School of Medicine, Dr. Sands has been in private practice since 1976 and has served Waterloo/Cedar Falls and surrounding communities since 1986. If you live in that area and are searching for a dermatologist, you can go to UCompareHealthCare.com to request a free physician report.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

First Payu2Blog Payment

As I mentioned previously, I have already received my first payment from Payu2Blog. Payu2Blog makes payments every 2 weeks via PayPal. The payments that I received was for 2 posts, each paying $5. Oh I should also mention that their scheduled payday was supposed to be on October 10th but they sent payments out 2 days early! Gotta love that!

Finding Your "True" Love

As I have mentioned before, I am a single mom. At 35 years old I have never been married. I have had a few relationships and was even with Mya's father for several years, but in the end, for one reason or another, things just didn't work out. So, like many others out there, I am still searching for Mr. Right.

Now I know that there are several ways to meet your future "Prince Charming". Two of the most common ways of course are through the workplace or at a bar/club. But as a single mom that works from home, I don't really get a lot of opportunities to get out there.

Recently one of my friends (who also happens to be 35 and single) suggested I turn my search to the internet. She also mentioned that she has recently discovered a great new website called True.

Unlike other internet dating/matchmaking sites that charge you a fee to join, at True you can search for free! They also offer free coaching and matchmaking services and if you have a webcam you can also participate in live video chats.

I have already signed up and have just begun to search through some of the photos and profiles. I have to say that I am impressed. Sign up is free so, if you are looking to find your "Tue" love, why not join and give them a try?


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Friday, October 10, 2008

Payu2Blog

A couple weeks ago I submitted my personal blog to another paid blogging site called Payu2Blog. Last week I found out that my blog had been accepted and they have already been sending me assignments. In fact, I have already received my first payment!

Payu2Blog is differs from PayPerPost in several ways. For one thing, they pay (by Paypal) every 2 weeks. Also, they send you the assignments that they would like you to complete. I like that because you don't have to go searching for opps. or fight other bloggers for them. You also have more time (usually a couple days) to complete the assignments.

Since I started with them (on Oct 2nd) I have completed 8 assignments, each paying $5, and have 2 more that I still have to write. So far I am very happy with Payu2Blog!

Need Investment Advice?

Recently I was talking to my sister and she was complaining about how this was the first year she has ever lost money on her investments. I had been thinking of investing myself but after talking to her, and seeing all the recent news reports on the current state of the economy, I have been very hesitant to do so. I decided that before I commit to any investments I need to do some research to see what would be the best route to take. I was also hoping to find some information that could benefit my sister as well.

After a few days of searching the net, I came across a great site called Inner 8. Inner 8 is a place where you can go to gain access to powerful tools, get ideas, and share advice before you invest.

Inner 8 was created by some of the veterans of E*Trade, who understand that the technology, communities and analytics available today are the next generation of advice. When you join the Inner 8 community, you will be matched up with other members that can help you in reaching your financial goals.

If you would like more information, head on over to Inner 8 and sign up for free!


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Paypal Payment from Pinecone Research

I have received another payment from Pinecone Reaearch. I really like that they are now making Paypal payments. I am still getting about 2-3 surveys a month from them, as well as a couple of product tests. Definitely one of the best paid survey companies out there.

Amadeus Home Music School

Have you ever wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument? The Amadeus Home Music School provides quality music lessons in the privacy and comfort of your own home and at a time that is convenient for you. They are a national organization with teachers in every state. They also offer a music therapy program that uses music to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals of all ages.

For more information, please visit their website. And If you would like to make an appointment, you can call Toll Free 877-537-7660 .

ChaCha Expeditor- Update!

I passed the ChaCha Expeditor test! I have already stated working as an Expeditor and I love it! So far I have only been able to work a few hours here and there but as of this morning I have earned $13.56. I like that I can log in and work whenever I have time, which at times may be for only 10 minutes.

My goal is to make between $150=$200 by the end of October, which shouldn't be that hard to do. I have noticed that (for me) the busy hours, with the highest number of queries coming in, seems to be between 8-11pm est. There are times where I have been working later at light/early morning where the queries may only come in every 3-4 minutes. I also love that I can stay logged in and take queries in between working on other things...or while I am just sitting here watching TV.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Cha Cha Expeditor

A few months ago I mentioned that I had applied to be a Cha Cha Guide. Unfortunately I didn't pass their test, but I thought it was a really great opportunity. Well a few weeks ago, to my surprise, I received an email from Cha Cha offering me the opportunity to test for their newest position as an Expeditor.

Simply put, the role of the Expeditor is to format the text questions that Cha Cha receives and put them into their proper categories. I have just started to read the training material but hope to take the test in the next day or 2. Wish me luck! Of course I will post an update when I find out if I passed.

Windows Vista

Being that I work from home, I use my computer a lot. But lately my computer has been driving me crazy. There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a project or waiting for a page to load when all of a sudden, the computer freezes up. Then I will have to restart it and, more often than not, lose the information I was saving or the document I was working on.

Does this ever happen to you?

When I was telling my sister about my computer issues, she suggested that I switch to Windows Vista. She has been using it for awhile now and she loves it.

What are some of the benefits of Windows Vista? Well, for one, Windows Vista indexes your files so you can find them quickly and easily. This keeps your hard drive organized and saves your work so that nothing gets lost.

If you own a small business, there is the Windows Vista Small Business Assurance. This is an offer that was designed to help small businesses move to Windows Vista.
The offer, which runs from July 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008, is for small business customers who purchase PCs with Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate.. It includes free support, one-on-one coaching and compatibility assistance. Their customer service agents are available from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.


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Friday, September 19, 2008

Quirky Me

I have been tagged by Jessica Michele over at Rants~and~Rambles to do this meme. I am supposed to reveal 6 unspectacular quirks about myself. She actually tagged me a few days ago but unfortunately one of my quirks is that at times I can be an unorganized procrastinator so this is the first chance I have had to sit down and write this.

Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately) I was able to come up with 6 rather quickly. And they are:

1) I dissect my food. I have done this ever since I was a kid. I have no idea how it started or why. I have even asked my parents and they said they aren't sure either, I have just always done it. For example, if I'm eating pizza I will eat the toppings, then the cheese and then the crust. Or if its a sandwich I will pull it apart in pieces instead of just biting into it. Needless to say I am a very slow eater, which can drive people a little crazy.

2) One thing that drives me crazy..worse than fingernails down a chalkboard...is seeing someone chewing ice or biting into ice cream or a popsicle. Gives me chills just thinking about it.

3) At night when I set my alarm (which is actually the alarm on my cell phone) I always have to check it a few times to make sure I set it right. Even though in my head I know I did, I can't help it. I usually end up checking it like 3 or 4 times. Maybe because for so many years I worked 3rd shift and was already up when I went to work so I never had to worry about an alarm. Or maybe I'm just afraid that one morning it won't go off and some of the parents of my daycare kids will end up seeing what I really look like in the morning!

4) I always sleep with my feet uncovered. Even in the middle of winter when I am freezing with 2 or 3 blankets on...still nothing over my feet.

5) I have this amazing memory when it comes to phone numbers. Tell me your phone number and I will remember it. No need to write it down it will just be stuck there in my head. Forever. And those commercials that sing their phone number? Yeah let's just say that I now have dozens of phone numbers of businesses that I will never use just floating around in my brain, taking up space that could be used for information I might actually need.

**A funny story about this one- there was a commercial that was on when I was probably about 7 or 8 yrs old. It was for a cab company and the commercial jingle was just the name of the company and the phone number. I have always remembered that number/song and about a year ago some friends and I had gone out and were going to call a cab to take us home. As we were leaving I jokingly said we should call that company because it was the only one I knew the number to. One of my friends called it and they still (27 yrs later) are in business and have the same phone number!**

So I guess this quirk can come in handy at times...

6) I write upside down. Well, not completely upside down, but close. I am left handed and instead of writing with my hand and wrist all twisted like a lot of lefties do I have always turned my chair to the side a little bit and then turned the paper so that its almost upside down. This particular quirk did not sit well with the nuns or teachers I had back in my Catholic elementary school. I even had one that was so bothered by it she clamped my paper to the desk to "break me of my bad habit". Didn't work.


Ok, so now I am supposed to tag 6 people to continue this meme. I really have no idea who has already done this so instead I am just going to tag anyone that hasn't already done it that would like to do so.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

My First Award!!

I am excited to announce that this blog has received its first award! The award comes from Lisa over at My GPT Money Blog. Thanks Lisa!!!



I am now going to pass this award on to 2 other great blogs. Please take a moment to check them out!

Rants~And~Rambles

Live Laugh Love

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

IOCS Payment

I have received another payment for a paid survey with the Institute for Online Consumer Studies. They now seem to be sending me surveys more frequently and, like Pinecone Research, they send payments automatically after each completed survey.

Looking For Web Hosting?

I have recently been considering moving this blog to it's own domain. As I mentioned in an earlier post, having my own domain should increase the amount of opps. available to me at PayPerPost because many of their advertisers are not allowing Blogspot blogs.

This past weekend I decided to do a little research on different web hosting options. That was when I came across WebHostingRating.com. This site provides a list ranking and reviews of the top 10 web hosting providers. They also have some great articles, including one that gave tips for choosing a domain, which answered a lot of the questions I had.

So if you are looking for web hosting I definitely recommend checking out WebHostingRating.com before you make a decision.


Product Test Payment- Pinecone Research

I recently did another product test for Pinecone Research. I received a a $3 check for the initial survey and a $3 PayPal payment for the follow-up survey that I completed after testing the product.

Another Clix N Cash Payment



A few days ago I received another payment from Clix N Cash. They recently increased their minimum PayPal cashout to $0.50. They also added AlertPay as a cashout option, with a minimum payout of $1.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

2 GlobalCashClicks Payments


This month I have received 2 payments from GlobalCashClicks. They have recently stopped using Paypal as a cashout option but you can still cashout using AlertPay, Alert Gold and E-Gold. Minimum cashout is only $1.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

In Other PTC News...

Two of the PTC sites I am on, ETWAC and QuickBux, have changed to Ads Only sites..meaning you no longer get paid cash to click. You can only redeem your earnings to place ads on the site. While I am disappointed about this, I do still use some of the Ads Only PTC sites to advertise my blog.

Crewbux Olympic Special


CrewBux.com


Right now the PTC site Crewbux is running an "Olympic Special". For each Gold Medal that the Czech Republic wins, they will be lowering their minimum cashout by $1. The current cashout amount is only $2.99!

Sunday, August 10, 2008

PTC payment From AnythingFree4You



Now that I am finally back home I can start posting the rest of the payments I have received while I was away. The first payment ($0.26) is from the GPT site AnythingFree4You. This site has a $20 minimum cashout UNLESS you are cashing out your PTC earnings ONLY. The minumum cashout for PTC earnings is only $0.05 paid via PayPal within 24-72 hrs.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Paid By UrOnlinebux


I recently received my first payment ($10.04) from UrOnlineBux.
This is a great PTC site. UrOnlineBux pays $0.01 per click and $0.01 per referral click. Minimum cashout is $10 paid via AlertPay.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Having Some Computer Issues

Right now I am out of town housesitting again. The computer here has been acting up all week so I haven't been able to post anything new. I have also missed out on 3 Social Spark Reservations and several opps at PayPerPost. It's all very frustrating.
Anyway, I just wanted to send a note out to all my readers, EC droppers and even the people in my PTC uplines to let you all know that I haven't disappeared. I will back home on Monday so then everything should be back to normal.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

My First PTC Upgrade

As I had mentioned in a previous post, I have been trying to decide if I should upgrade on a few of the PTC sites I am on. I finally took a chance and upgraded on Clixsense. I chose Clixsense because they are a site that has already paid me. Plus I have heard good things about their upgrade and it is only $10 to upgrade for a year. So far I am really happy with my decision. Before I upgraded I had just under $1 in my account. About 10minutes after I upgraded I had 500+ ads to click, each for 1 cent or more. It has now been 2 days and I am already up to $7.07!

Work Boots USA

If you are looking for a new pair of work boots, you really should check out Work Boots USA. Their website specializes in the sale of all kinds of work boots including construction, safety and steel toe boots. Work Boots USA offers low prices, fast shipping and great customer service. You can find boots by Wolverine, Converse, Rocky, Timberland and more in a wide variety of styles and colors. All of the boots featured on Work Boots USA have been chosen for their durability and reliability. If you live in the USA they offer free ground shipping on orders over $50. They will also ship orders to active duty military personnel.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Sponsored Reviews

So I decided to take the advice of one of my blog readers and checked out SponsoredReviews

SponsoredReviews is similar to PPP and Social Spark in that they will pay you to write reviews about an advertisers products or services. One difference is that you must bid on an opp. and the advertiser has to approve your bid before you will be paid to write the review. Payments are made on a bi-weekly basis via PayPal. I just received confimation that my blog was approved so I will keep you all updated on how this opportunity works out.

Alzheimer's Memory Walk

Before I became a mom and started working from home, I worked for many years as a Medical Tech in an Assisted Living Facility. My job involved working primarily with the residents afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's Disease is the most common form of dementia among older people and initially affects the parts of the brain that control language, thought and memory. Alzheimer's Disease usually begins after age 60 (although we had one resident that was only 58) and it is believed that as many is 4.5 million Americans suffer from AD. Scientists still do not know what causes Alzheimer's Disease and there is currently no cure.

I have to say that working with the Alzheimer's residents was a very rewarding job that I really enjoyed. I loved just sitting and talking with them, hearing all their stories about what life was like for them when they were young. On the other hand, the job could also be very demanding and stressful...both physically and emotionally.
There were some residents in the more advanced stages that I had to lift, turn, and change. There were times when I was kicked and hit. But, for me, the worst part had to be seeing the effects Alzheimer's Disease had on the residents' families. Watching them come in on a regular basis to visit there loved one, only to eventually get to a point where their loved one could no longer speak, or no longer recognized who they were. It just broke my heart!

Every year a few of my co-workers and I would participate in the local Alzheimer's Memory Walk. The Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk is the nation's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer care, support and research. It is a 2-3 mile walk that is held on a weekend morning in the fall. There are walks in more than 600 communities and they are looking for volunteers of all ages to participate. This year they are especially in need of team captains. If this is is something you are interested in please check out the link at the bottom of this post. You will be walking with a purpose and for a GREAT cause!




Sponsored by Alzheimer's Walk

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Get Paid To ChaCha

A few weeks ago I applied to become a ChaCha Guide. Unfortunately I type pretty slowly so I didn't pass the test, but I thought I would pass this money making opportunity along to all of you.

What is ChaCha Guide?
ChaCha is a human powered search service that sends answers to peoples questions directly to their mobile phone. As a ChaCha Guide, you are responsible for searching the internet to find the answers to the questions people are asking.

What Are The Job Requirements?
You must be at least 18 years old. You must have a US mailing address and be authorized to work in the US. You must be fluent in English. You must have a Broadband Internet Connection. You must have a Firefox web browser and Adobe Flash. You must also love researching online and have excellent writing skills.

How Much Are You Expected To Work?
As a ChaCha Guide you will be working as an independent contractor. The great thing about ChaCha is that you have no schedule. You are free to log in and work whenever you want for as long as you want!

How Much Does ChaCha Pay?
Guides are paid per-transaction, with text (SMS) questions paying $0.15 per transaction/answer during the Apprentice period and then $0.20 per transaction/answer
after the Apprentice period is completed. Because there can be high and low periods throughout the day, Guide pay currently averages $3 to $9 per hour.
Obviously this is probably not something you can make a full time living at, but it could be great extra income.

How Will You Be Paid?
ChaCha guides are paid in 2 way (you can choose)- either on a debit card issued by the First Internet Bank of Indiana or via direct deposit to your bank account once a month if your ChaCha account reaches $100 or greater.

How Do You Apply?
Go to ChaCha.com. When you get to their website scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on "Become A Guide". After you fill out the initial application (for me I think it was the next day) ChaCha will send you an email if they want to offer you the chance to become a guide. You will then have to take a 3 part timed test. If you pass the tests you will move on and complete 15 test searches. Once all of that is complete you will then become a paid ChaCha Guide!

Dean and Deluca

I know I haven't posted much lately. Things have been so busy around here. I took the kids to the local water park and to the zoo. Then on Sunday I went to my cousins wedding shower. She lives in Florida so I haven't seen her in over a year. The shower was a lot of fun. She got so many gifts...which I'm sure will cost a small fortune to ship back to Florida. One thing she got that I thought was such a cute gift idea was a white heart shaped picnic basket. It came with a tablecloth, plates, silverware, a bottle opener and wine glasses. Inside the basket she also received a $150 gift card from Dean and Deluca.

At Dean and Deluca you can order all kinds of gourmet food. They have collections of cheeses, cured meats, chocolate truffles, and even caviar. If you want some wine for your picnic, Dean and Deluca offers a great selection. From Zinfandel to Chardonnay to Merlot, you can find something to suit almost anyones taste and budget. My cousin and her fiance are going to the Virgin Islands for their honeymoon and now they will have everything they need for the perfect romantic picnic on the beach!

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

4 More PayPerPost Payments

Wow, I am on a roll this week! I have received four more payments from PayPerPost. I have also done several more opps from PPP and Social Spark, bringing my paid blogging total over $250! Also, as I have mentioned before, I am soon going to be doing paid blogging on my personal blog as well. I have noticed that with PPP, even though I have a high Real Rank (which is PPP's equivalent of Google PR) there are still several opps I haven't qualified for because the advertisers don't want Blogspot blogs. So, for my personal blog I opted to buy my own domain name from Google. It is only $10 for a year and I will still be able to maintain updates through Blogger.

iPod Auctions at uBid.com

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My birthday is coming up next month and I have decided that, as a little birthday gift to myself, I am going to use some of the extra money I have been making to buy myself an iPod.
Today I was searching the net to see how much they cost and where I could get the best deal, when I came across an iPod Auction at uBid.com. Apparently uBid is trying to help one of their partners get rid of some of their excess inventory, so they are auctioning off over 1000 iPod Touch and nanos....with each auction starting at only $1!!!

I always thought that uBid.com was just another auction site like eBay. I was wrong! Unlike eBay, which is a site that sells things from consumer to consumer, uBid sells from business to consumer. The people at uBid go around to warehouses all over the world to find its customers great deals on name brand products. Also, because they only deal with businesses uBid is able to offer superior customer service and a 100% fraud-free guarantee.

Sponsored by uBid.com

Make Money with Google Adsense???

For all of you out there that have a blog or a website...Is it really possible to make money with Google Adsense? Now, I know that my blog is still relatively new but in the 3 months since I started this blog I have earned a grand total of $1.04. I really don't know much about Adsense so maybe that is good for a new blog??? But at this rate it will take me several years to reach the $100 cashout so I was thinking about removing it and using the space for something else. What do you think? I would love to hear any feedback or suggestions on this subject.

Clixsense Payment



I have just received my latest payment ($7.14) from ClixSense. This is a great PTC site. I usually have between 10-15 ads to click daily. Each ad is worth 1 cent or more. If you have reached the minimum payout by the end of the month, ClixSense will automatically send out your payment by check at the beginning of the following month.

Fairy Tale Treasures Update

In a previous post I talked about the closing of one of my favorite GPT sites, Fairy Tale Treasures. A few days ago I received an email from the site admin. Lorie. She wanted to let members know that the site is going to remain open! New offers have been added and there are some great promos and contests going on right now. If you are a new member, the payout schedule is Net20. Verified Members can now be paid every Friday (verified members are members who have received at least one payment from FTT in the past six months). Minimum to cashout is $10.

Wordpress Blog Templates

In order to increase the amount of money I am making online I have been thinking about starting one or two more blogs. I have heard a lot of good things about Wordpress and while doing some research on them I came across a site called Top Wordpress Themes. If you are looking for a new layout for your Wordpress blog, or are thinking about starting a Wordpress blog, I recommend checking out this site. They offer free wordpress templates in both 2 column and 3 column layouts. I really like the 3 column Rainbow Garden theme, but there is something on there for everyone. They have over 150 templates to choose from! And the best part (at least for me) is that they give you step by step instructions on how to install your new template.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Paid Again by PayPerPost

I have received another payment ($5) from PayPerPost! I have now done a total of 16 opps. (still waiting for approval on 2 of them) and have made a total of $136.08. One thing that I am really liking about PPP is that, since I am now doing opps. for them more regularly I will be receiving payments every 2-3 days...sometime more often.

Charter High Speed Internet

A few months ago I FINALLY upgraded to High Speed Internet. I am loving it! When I was still working with dial up my computer and connection were so slow that if I had to do anything online I made sure to have a book nearby to catch up on my reading while I waited for pages to load. Yes, it was really that slow! One of the reasons it took me so long to upgrade is because I always thought it would be a lot more expensive. Not true!

From now ultil July 31st, Charter internet has a great deal...high speed internet for only $14.99/month! Surf the net at a speed of up to 5Mbps- that's 90x faster than dial up, and 3x faster that DSL.

Charter also offers a risk free 30 day trial and, if you order online, you will also receive a $25 Shell gift card!

Sponsored by Charter

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Watch Commercials- Win Some Cash!

AdJack is a fun new site (still in beta) where you could win thousands of dollars just by watching commercials. Here is what you need to do to be entered into their weekly sweepstakes:

Watch 5 commercials- At least once per week, but up to a maximum eight times per week watch commercials ads posted on AdJack Most of the commercials are between 30 seconds - 2 minutes so doing this doesn't take long at all. You also get to choose the commercials from their site that you want to watch. After each commercial you will be given a yellow number. And after you have watched 5 commercials you will also be given a green bonus number. You then submit your numbers into the sweepstakes drawing.

Winners are chosen every Friday. There are 3 possible jackpots to win:

CrackaJack- ($1,000) Match any 4 yellow numbers, plus green bonus number.

MoJack- ($25,000) Match all 5 yellow numbers.

MadJack- ($100,000) Match all 6 numbers

Why not give it a shot? You may be their next lucky winner!

Zenni Optical



zennioptical.com has some great deals on stylish prescription glasses. The Secret to Zenni’s Low Prices
is that they sell only their own manufactured frames direct to the customer. After you receive your prescription from your optometrist you can visit Zenni Optical to fill your your order. They have a wide selection of frames with single lens (starting at only $8), bifocals, progressive and tinted lens and more! They also offer free anti-scratch coating, UV protection, and lens edge polishing and beveling.


Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Mystery Shopping

So, I recently found another way to earn some extra money. I have started doing some Mystery Shopping. Mystery Shopping, according to Wikipedia, is defined as "a tool used by market research companies to measure quality of retail service or gather specific information about products and services. Mystery shoppers posing as normal customers perform specific tasks -- such as purchasing a product, asking questions, registering complaints or behaving in a certain way -- and then provide detailed reports or feedback about their experiences."

I have only done a couple shops so far but I am really enjoying it. Even though most mystery shops are done in person, I have included it on my online money making blog because after you complete a shop you are required to submit an online report.

There are confidentiality agreements that you have to sign/agree to when you are hired by a Mystery Shopping company so I really can't give any details about what companies I am working for or where I have done my shops. But if this is something that you might be interested in, I highly recommend checking out the Mystery Shopping forum at Volition

**this is not a sponsored post

Advocate Auto Claims

Have you ever been in an accident that wasn't your fault? Were you able to recover the lost value of your car. A few years ago my sister was in a car accident.The man who hit her was from Germany and apparently wasn't familiar with a "Michigan turn". He pulled out right in front of her going the wrong way! Thankfully everyone was ok, but the car was a mess. At the time she had no idea she could file a claim for the diminished value of the car. And of course the insurance companies were not going to tell her that. I'm sure she wishes she knew then about Advocate Auto Claims. They offer a free diminished value of your estimate to find out what you're owed. They also handle everything from beginning to end with no up-front costs.



Monday, July 7, 2008

Some PTC News...

Sunshine Clicks has a new owner. Rhonda, a great admin. who also runs the GPT site Penguin Party Cash has just taken over at Sunshine Clicks. She has already added some new PTC contests, a referral contest and a trivia section.

Neobux will soon be adding Paypal as one of their cashout options.

FoxCash was recently hacked and was down for a few days. The site is back up but many members (including myself) have lost referrals and earnings that were accumulated over the last 3-4 weeks or so before the site was hacked. Needless to say, I'm not too happy about that one!

Advantage Car Rentals

Next month I will finally be heading to Orlando to look for a new apartment. I can't wait! While Michigan is nice and a lot of my family lives here, I really miss Florida. Anyways, I will be flying down there for 3-4 days and since I don't want my friends to have to drive me around everywhere, I have been looking into getting a car rental. While searching the net I came across Advantage Car Rentals. Their prices are low and they offer great savings and last minute specials. Right now they are even offering up to a 50% discount on Luxury Cars and Convertibles. Oh yeah, I could definitely get used to driving around Orlando in a convertible!

Some GPT News...

Crashin4Cash has closed. Admin. sent out a message to members saying that right now she does not have the time needed to devote to the site but hopes to bring it back in the future. I have been a member there for quite awhile and really liked the site. I am sorry to see it close.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

BowlingForCash Payment



Just received my latest payment ($8.70) from the GPT site Bowling For Cash.

Friday, July 4, 2008

My First PayPerPost Payment!



The photo above shows my current PayPerPost stats. I also have received my first payment from them for $20!

Top 10 Entrecard Droppers

These are my Top 10 Entrecard Droppers for June. I am posting their blog links here as a way to say Thank You. I really appreciate all your support!

Aerten Art
The Path to the Pegasus Letter
Sensory Over Load
E-business Ideas
Puzzled Me
Mommy's Little Corner
Living Within Samsara
Obscure History
Heart of Wisdom Homeschool
The Success

Thursday, July 3, 2008

FreebiesJunction Payment!



Here is my May payment for $30.92 from FreebiesJunction. This is still one of my favorite GPT sites. Right now they have some great promotions going on:

Most Completed Offers (month long contest)- First prize is $100 and 1000pts. (paying top 7 spots)

Most Cash Earned (Jul. 1st thru Jul. 15th)- First prize is $100 and 1000 pts.

Complete 10 Offers and Get $2.50 added to Account Balance
(Jul 1st thru Jul. 7th)

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

My Online Earnings For June

Since yesterday was the last day of the month I cashed out my GPT sites and totaled up my earnings for June. I earned $60 with GPT, $80 with paid surveys, $110 with PTC, and $128.33 with paid blogging. I also have started doing some mystery shopping (more on that in a future post). Since the reports are filed online I am including that with my online earnings and so far I have made $22.50. So my total online earnings for June is $400.83!

Protect Your Identity With Shop Shield

I know that I have mentioned this before but I love shopping online. However, I am always hesitant about giving out my personal and credit card information. A few years ago one of my friends was a victim of identity fraud. She had been using her credit card to shop online and someone was able to steal her information and used it to book a $4000 vacation. Luckily she found out about it rather quickly and was able to report it, cancel the charge and get her money back. Many times identity theft victims never get their cases resolved and end up with their credit ruined.

Now there is a service out there called Shop Shield® that gives online shoppers the most complete protection against identity theft and fraud. Shop Shield® offers secure online payments. You are able to shop online without revealing your real personal and financial information, protecting your credit card numbers, bank accounts, billing information and more from being stolen. Shop Shield® also offers secure site registration. You can create and manage usernames and passwords and also get anonymous email addresses to use at any site for free. Give Shop Shield® a try and take the worry out of your online shopping experience.

Friday, June 27, 2008

20 Months Old

My baby has just turned 20 months old! I can't believe that in just a few more months she will be 2. The time has gone by so fast. It seems like she was just learning to sit up and crawl and now she's running around talking (constantly) and singing. I feel so blessed just to have her in my life and so proud to be her mommy. I just thought I would share a photo with everyone. This is Mya just being silly...

Riddex Plus

Every year I seem to have a problem with unwanted visitors showing up in my house. No, I'm not talking about friends or family members...I'm talking about mice. We live in a very wooded area and the little furry creatures somehow always seem to find their way inside. In the past I have tried using an exterminator and setting traps. But to me it just seems mean to kill them. I don't want them dead, I just want them to stay away from my house.

This year I have decided to try something new. Riddex has come out with a new product called the Riddex Plus. You simply plug it into an outlet and turn it on, turning the wiring in your home into a giant digital repeller that chases those unwanted mice, roaches and other pests away for good. The best part is that with no poisons, traps or fumes to deal with its completely safe for children and pets.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Focus Groups

I have already done a few focus groups (both online and in person) and I have to say that they have all paid very well. All of the focus groups that I have done so far have been through the paid survey companies. However, there is a great website that lets you find offline focus groups in your area. They seem to have a lot more to offer in the bigger cities like Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Chicago but I have seen some in smaller cities as well, with the pay ranging anywhere from $30 to $300!

**this is not a sponsored post

Pars Institute San Dimas

Have you been considering cosmetic surgery but keep putting it off because of the cost?

The Pars Institute of plastic surgery San Dimas offers a wide range of cosmetic procedures at affordable prices. From eyebrow lifts to breast augmentation, Pars and their team of Beverly Hills board certified plastic surgeons give their patients round the clock care in their comfortable state of the art facilities. Right now they even have a Mommy Makeover special, which includes a Tummy Tuck, Breast Rejuvenation and Liposuction for only $9999! So if this is something you are interested in, check out their website and discover a new you today!


Payment Proofs

I know that it has been awhile since I have posted some of my payment proofs. I have received quite a few checks since the beginning of the month but my scanner quit working so I haven't been able to upload them. I should be getting a new scanner tonight so I should have a lot of new payments (both check and paypal) up in the next few days! For a look at some of the older proofs that I have already posted, be sure to check the "Payment Proof" link to the right of this post.

My A/C Nightmare

I remember, it was way back in 1999 and I had just moved to Florida. It was about 95 degrees and very humid. I got in my car and started it up only to find that my air conditioner wasn't working. At the time I was pretty broke so I had to wait until my dad came down a few weeks later to see if he could fix it. It was awful! I had to drive about 25 minutes to get to work and by the time I got there and stepped out of the car it looked like I had just gotten out of the pool. So gross! Eventually I found out that all I needed was a new A/C compressor. I was able to get one from 1AirConditioning.com..
Whether you are looking for an Auto A/C Compressor, A/C Condensers, Air conditioning Evaporators, Driers or Expansion Devices, 1AirConditioning.com has a great selection of New and Remanufactured products available and ready to ship.


Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Paid Blogging- My Progress So Far

I had said in a previous post that I would give an update on my progress with paid blogging. So far it has been going great and I love it! I did my first opp. at PayPerPost back on May 30th. Since then I have done 8 more with my total earnings currently at $83.50! I think that's pretty good! Of course I hope to gradually increase my earnings over the next few months. I will be adding my personal blog to my PPP account soon. You have to have 10 approved posts to add another blog, so only 1 more to go for me! I also just did my first post for Social Spark. So far I have made $7 with them. I have also submitted my blog to a few other sites, but I am still waiting for approval on those.

Charitable Auctions

So, now that you have made some extra money online..what do you do with it? As much as I would like to say that I save every penny I make, the truth is that I usually end up spending a good portion of it shopping on sites like Amazon and Ebay. But I have recently discovered another auction site that I think you all should know about.

Charitable Auctions is a non profit organization that, through their auction website IDonateToCharity.org, helps other non profit organizations raise money for their charities.
On this site they are able to set up a free storefront to sell items that have been donated by other people or businesses. To see what they have to offer just click here on the View Our Auction Website link. I think this is such a great idea. At least now I don't have to feel so guilty for shopping knowing that the money I am spending is going to a worthy cause.


GPT News- MyMakeUpMoney

I have been a member of the GPT site MyMakeupMoney for many months. I have always liked the site and was disappointed when the site was recently put up for auction. However, I just received in email yesterday with some good news! The site is now open again with new owners- TheTwoDivas Network!
They have already begun putting up new offers and have lowered the minimum payout from $20 to $10! Also, from July 1st through July 30th MyMakeupMoney will be holding a referral contest. The contest will pay the top 3 spots. First place wins $25, Second place wins $20 and Third place will receive $15. All prize money will be instantly paid out via PayPal on July 31st.

Abra Cadabra!

Do you believe in magic? I know I do! Ever since I was little I have been fascinated by magic and magicians. I remember when I was about 8 yrs. old my friends and I would put on our own magic shows for the younger kids in the neighborhood. We really had no idea what we were doing but it was still a lot of fun! I have watched biographies and specials on everyone from Harry Houdini to modern day illusionists like David Copperfield and David Blaine. Over the years the tricks and illusions keep getting more and more spectacular. But out of all the magicians that I have ever seen, the one that has impressed me the most is Criss Angel. He is amazing!! Have you ever seen his TV show "Mindfreak"? He has done everything from levitating from one building to another to walking through glass and even walking on water! How does he do that??

Currently appearing in the new Cirque du Soleil show CRISS ANGEL Believe at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas, Criss Angel stars as an enigmatic Victorian Noble. This show "transcends any preconceived notion of what it means to be emotionally engaged by the arts of mysticism and illusion".
For your chance to see Criss Angel live, simply text the word "Believe" to 22122 and you will be entered into a contest to win 2 free tickets!


Sponsored by CRISS ANGEL Believe

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Increasing Traffic To Your Blog

One thing I have been spending some more time on recently is trying to increase the amount of traffic to my blog. I have submitted my blog to a few directories and blog lists, traffic exchanges like LinkReferral and Traffic Swarm, etc.. Then I came across Entrecard. This is definitely the easiest way to increase traffic that I have found so far. And it really works!

If you are not yet familiar with Entrecard, you first sign up and submit your blog. Then you are given a your own "card" with your blog name and a code to add the Entrecard Widget to your blog. After that you can begin earning points by logging in and "dropping cards". To drop your card you just browse the blogs, pick one that interests you, visit their blog and click on "drop" on their Entrecard widget. So simple! You are allowed 300 drops per day (1 per blog). You can then go to your Drops Inbox and see which bloggers have visited and dropped cards on your blog. Some of you may have also noticed the "Entrecard Blog of the Day" featured to the right of this post. You can use the points that you earn to buy advertising on other blogs, like the one shown here.

In the short time I have been using Entrecard, my Alexa ranking has gone from 5,000,000+ to its current rank of 552,916. I think hat is a huge jump! I have also gotten a lot of return visitors, more feed subscribers and even found some great blogs that I now visit regularly!

Liquid Force Wakeboards

Now that summer is finally here, one of my favorite ways to relax and have fun is to go to the beach! Every year for the 4th of July we go to my uncles house on Lake Charlevoix up in Northern Michigan. Last summer while I was there I tried wakeboarding for the first time. My nephews had just gotten these really cool Liquid Force Wakeboards for their birthday and they were daring all of the adults to try them out. It was so much fun and I actually thought it was a lot easier than water skiing.

This year I decided to get my own wakeboard. For those of you out there that are into wakeboarding, you should really check out ModernSkate.com. They have a great selection of Liquid Force Wakeboards, bindings, wakeboard accessories, vests, swimwear and much more!! Everything a wakeboarding enthusiast needs to enjoy their day at the beach!


Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Another GPT Site Is Closing....

Over the past few months there have been a lot of changes in the GPT industry. Several sites have closed, including 3 of my personal favorites Fairy Tale Treasures, Mermaids Sand Dollars and Raining Riches. Many reasons have been given for the site closings including an increase in fraud, not enough member participation, and in some cases admins. venturing into other areas and not having enough time to devote to the GPT site anymore.
The latest GPT site to announce its closing is My Cash Carnival. For those of you that are MCC members, you will receive your pending payouts and pending prizes. The admin. will also be approving completed offers until June 22. Anyone that is able to reach the $10 cashout by that date will be paid.

Domain Name Scorecard

If you have started an online business, chances are one of the most important first steps was setting up your own domain name. Did you choose a name that described your business? Or maybe just a catchy name that would be easy to remember? Now that your business is up and running, do you feel that you made the right decision?

Having the right domain name can potentially affect the success of your business. If you are interested in seeing how well your domain name is working for your business, I would recommend taking a domain name analysis. It's a free quiz only takes about a minute to complete. After answering the 3 simple questions you are given a domain name scorecard, along with solutions for improving your score.

When I took the test, my domain name scored a 1 out of 10. Yikes! One of the suggested ways for improving my score was to register other available extensions. For example instead of just having a .com domain, I could also register the extensions .net or .biz. That's good advice, in my opinion. The quiz actually covers 6 key areas of domain name success. So if you have your own website, you really should try this out. It couldn't hurt and you never know what useful tips they might have for you and your business!



Friday, June 13, 2008

PTC Upgrades + Referral Packages?

I know I have said this many times before. When trying to make money online it is not necessary to spend money to make money. But there are a few PTC sites that I really like that have been paying consistently and I am now considering either upgrading and/or buying a referral package. Have any of you out there already done this? If you have, what sites did you upgrade on? If you bought referrals, were they active? Do you have any sites that you would recommend? Any comments or feedback are welcome!!

Go Green with Total Merchandise

Do you want to "Go Green"? Lately, I have been making more of an effort to do what I can to protect the environment. I recycle, take public transportation (when I can), and just recently started buying Eco friendly cleaning products. Every little bit helps! If this is something that you are interested in, there is a great website you should check out called Total Merchandise.

Based out of the UK, Total Merchandise offers a wide variety of Eco Friendly Products. You will find stuff for the home office or every day use including mugs, t-shirts, umbrellas, recycled pens, pencils and mousepads, a bamboo flash drive and even an Eco- friendly printed usb. I had know idea you could actually get a wooden usb!

If you are looking for a gift or just something with a personal touch, they have
the Promotional wooden usb and the Promotional bio-degradable bags. For the usb you can choose either the Slimline or the Wider model with the leather neck strap. Made from real maple or beech wood, the usb comes with FREE etching. Why not put your name or business logo on it? I really like the bags because I could use them for shopping, as a purse or even as a diaper bag!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

WAH Job or Home Based Business??

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have been doing a lot of research on working from home. If this is something that you are considering, one thing you will need to decide is if you want a WAH Job or a Home Business.

What is the difference?


A WAH Job is, in many ways, like any other job. Whether you work for a specific individual or a company, you will be given tasks or assignments that need to be completed. The big difference is that with most WAH jobs you are hired, not as an employee but as an independent contractor. As an independent contractor you are responsible for paying your own taxes as the company you are working for will not be withholding them.


With a Home Based Business you are in charge! You first need to come up with a product or idea that you want to market. Then you need to find people or companies interested in what you have to offer. As with a WAH job you are responsible for your own taxes. You are also responsible for every other aspect of your business such as filling orders, advertising and possibly hiring and paying others to help you.

Whichever route you decide to take, I would strongly suggest first making a list of your strengths, talents, and your financial and personal goals. With this information in front of you it will hopefully make your decision a lot easier.

SocialSpark Is Live!

Yes, SocialSpark is live! Bloggers like myself now have yet another way to make some extra money online. SocialSpark is similar to PPP in that it is a place where bloggers and advertisers come together. I have done a few opps for PPP and I love it, so I thought why not give SocialSpark a try?

So far my favorite thing about SocialSpark is that it seems a lot more like a blogging community. After signing up I was able to create my profile. Now I am able to view other members blogs, add friends, review and give feedback on their posts and see what others have to say about mine.

I just had my blog approved today so I haven't taken any opps yet. But I will be checking the Marketplace out later to see what they have to offer.
One thing that I'm not sure I like is the way they handle their paid opps. On PPP if you see an available opp you can grab it and write the post right then. On SocialSpark if see one that you qualify for and you try to take it, it may say "wait for slot". That means you have been put on a waiting list. Then, if they notify you that the opp. has become available you have 12 hours to write the post. That might seem like a a lot of time but for someone that isn't online often or,
is only on at certain times of the day they could miss the email or the deadline. That would be really frustrating!

Overall I like what I have seen at SocialSpark. If you are interested in getting paid to blog you should at least check them out. They are definitely off to a great start!


*This is a Sponsored Post

Answer Trivia Questions For Cash, Gift Cards and More!

I have been making money on GPT sites for awhile now. I almost always stick to the Freebie offers, so after a year of completing hundreds of offers my selection of new offers to do has gradually gone down. Lately, another way that I have been earning on some of the GPT sites is by answering trivia questions. Usually these sites will have a new trivia question every day, or at least every few days. Some of the questions I already know and others I have to do a little research to find the answers. If you answer correctly you earn points and then, after you have accumulated a certain number of points you can redeem them for (depending on the GPT site) gift cards, cash, free referrals and more!

Reading and Writing At 19 Months??

My daughter Mya loves books. She is only 19 months old so obviously she can't read yet. But she has fooled a few people into thinking she can. There are 2 books that I have read to her so many times she knows all the words AND knows when to turn the pages. It is so cute!

One of my friends just gave Mya this beautiful book of nursery rhymes that had been hers when she was little. I thought that was so sweet of her so I decided to have Mya make her a little Thank You card. I gave her some crayons and let her draw and scribble. She had so much fun! Yes, not only can she read but she can write too!! Ok maybe not, but it is definitely something I want to encourage.

I love sending out thank you cards. Unfortunately my handwriting is terrible (it actually looks alot like Mya's scribbling) so I usually don't make my own. But I still like to send a card that can express exactly what I want to say. Cards Direct has beautiful cards for any occasion. From Birthday and Anniversary cards to Photo/Custom cards and Business Thank You cards like the one shown here:




What I like most about their cards is that you can personalize them with your own message and return address in the colors and styles that you want!


Wednesday, June 11, 2008

PTC Sites Raising Cashouts = Frustrating!

I don't know if its a new trend or just my bad luck, but lately it seems like every time I have been just a few cents away from cashing out on a PTC site I find out that the site has raised their minimum payout. I think it has happened at least 3 or 4 times just in the past 2 weeks. I know that eventually I will reach the new cashout amount. I'm just hoping that when I do they won't surprise me and raise them again!!

Escali Scales

The other day my daughter and my niece broke my bathroom scale. Its an old ugly stand up model, the kind that when you stand on it the little dial points to your weight...which always seems to be a pound or two off anyway because it never goes all the way back down to zero when you get off. You know the kind I'm talking about, right?

Ok so my sweet angelic daughter and niece were fighting over who was going to stand on it first and knocked it over, breaking off the dial. So, now I need a new bathroom scale. This time I definitely want a smaller digital scale.I really like the Escali scales at Scales Etc. The Escali line offers bathroom scales, kitchen scales, digital scales and more! The scales are both fashionable and affordable and come in a variety of colors to match your room decor.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Finding A Good PTC Site

Over the past year I have joined a lot of PTC sites. Most of them have been great sites and good money makers. There are also a few sites that have turned out to be scams. By scam I mean that the site either failed to pay me when I cashed out or the site just disappeared without warning. Because of this I am now more selective about which PTC sites I join.

If you are thinking about joining a new PTC site, consider doing a little research first. Look up the site and find out what others have to say about them. A lot of PTC sites have their own forum. If you can, check out the forum before joining the site to see what the members have to say. How long has the site been around. Do the members have any complaints? Have they been getting paid? Does the site admin. post on the forum? Does the admin. respond quickly to trouble tickets and emails? If there is no contact info available on the site, I would suggest staying away from that site altogether.

Another thing you can do is check the site stats. Site stats are usually found on the main page. If, for example, you see that a site has 8000 members but has only paid out $200 or if you check back a few times and see the total paid to members stays the same, OR if the site stats are not displayed at all, there is a good chance that it could be a scam.

511 Shorts For Fathers Day?

Can you believe Father's Day is almost here? Only 7 more days!! I have been searching online, trying to find a gift for my father. I wanted to get him something that he would not only like but could actually use. Then I came across these really great 511 Shorts. There are various styles (including some for women and kids) available on the website, but the one that caught my eye was the mens 511 Tactical Shorts. These shorts are made to be stylish and durable. Made from 100% Cotton Tactical Canvas they have seven pockets in all including a pocket for your cell phone/knife/flashlight. They even have a utility tool strap. My dad works as a builder and is always carrying tools around with him so I know he would love these shorts. Finally, I think I might have found the perfect Father's Day gift!