Shopping Online has its perks!

Since my last post was about saving money while shopping, I figured this would be a great time to tell you about Ebates! If you shop online at all, do yourself a favor and check it out:

www.ebates.com

Ebates is an awesome website that not only collects coupon codes for hundreds of popular sites all in one place, but they also reimburse you a certain percentage for shopping your favorite online stores as long as you use the link they provide. Creating an account through Ebates is extremely easy. Plus, you earn a $10 gift card just for signing up!

Each store has a different percentage rate on Ebates that determines how much cash back you will get on your purchase. Obviously the more you spend, the more cash back you get. If you make big ticket purchases online, like hotel rooms or plane tickets you could earn back hundreds of dollars by using Ebates. Plus, if you refer people (*winkwink*) you can earn money on that too!

This opportunity should be a no-brainer!! If you're already buying things online, why not get some of that money back? So, check it out and let me know what you think!

*Spoe*

Save Money while Shopping

These are some of my favorite tips to save money while shopping:

1. Write a list and stay focused. 

Don't let store merchandising and product placement distract you from getting what you need when you're at the store. Before you go shopping, get a clear picture of exactly what you need and write it down. When you stick to your list you leave with everything you came for and nothing you didn't. 

2. Use Coupons Responsibly

Coupons are extremely accessible these days, so take advantage of them when you can. However, don't buy everything just because you have a coupon it. Only use coupons that are for items on your pre-determined list of things to buy or else you may end up spending way more money than you intended to and not saving any at all.

3. Be Economical

Do the math when it comes to buying it bulk. Sometimes buying large sizes and bulk quantities are worth your money; other times it's not. For instance: When I buy contact solution, it makes sense to buy the pack of two bottles instead of one. Not only does this cut cost on each bottle, but the 2-pack often comes with a free contact case and occasionally a bonus travel sized bottle or coupons for your next purchase. However, when I buy laundry detergent, because I shop the sales and use coupons, it usually is more cost effective to buy a few smaller bottles instead of one huge jug. It only takes a few extra seconds to calculate, but doing the math can save you a lot of money in the long run.

4. Shop Weekly and Seasonal Sales

Take a moment each week to check store ads and research deals going on in your area. If already have a list of things you want, check around to see where you can get the best deals for those items. You would think that your local stores would want to keep costs similar to be competitive; but in some cases you'd be surprised that two stores near each other offer very different sale prices on the same item. 

5. Price Match

There are several stores that price match competitors' sale prices. If you find a good deal at one of your local stores but you don't want to make a special trip just for that one sale item, try a store like Walmart that will price match with competitors. This site gives an easy to follow comparison chart of popular stores that off price matching.

Remember to do your research, get creative, and be frugal so you can save the most out of your trip. I hope these tips help to save you some money from now on when you go shopping!

*Spoe*

Making Money Online

If you find yourself saying "I hardly make enough money to cover my bills, let alone to set some aside for savings", it may be time to be a bit more proactive. This post is full of different ideas to make some extra cash on the side. I hope you find it helpful.

Finding ways to make money on the internet can be somewhat overwhelming with the amount of scams and schemes out there these days. Rest-assured, there are still plenty of legitimate ways to make money online. As with any money-making venture, on or offline, you reap what you sew. The amount of money you can make is dependent on the amount of time and effort you want to put toward each endeavor.

 1. Sell Items Online: Keep an open mind when it comes to selling items online. You could start with selling unwanted items from around the house like clothes, antiques, video games, or your old books. Nothing around the house? - Find cheap items at thrift stores and garage sales to resell online. If you have a hobby like crocheting or making soaps, consider selling your crafts. Opportunities are endless. Check out these sites to get your started:
www.ebay.com
www.amazon.com
www.craigslist.com
www.etsy.com
www.cash4books.net


 2. Sell a Service – If you don't have a product to sell, try selling a service instead! People are constantly seeking help in specialty areas or looking to outsource work that you may be able to do. Everyone is good at something! So, find your niche and use it to help others all while getting paid! Here are some sites you can use to sell your services:
www.fiver.com
www.freelance.com
www.elance.com

3. Start a Blog - This method probably won't be as financially lucrative until you have invested quite a bit of time and effort. Keep in mind, not every blog makes money, but every blog has the potential to. If you are the type of person who has strong opinions or if you just like to express yourself, you should consider creating a blog. If you are consistent, post about one of your passions, and take time to create a connection with your readers, blogging could eventually be very rewarding. The two most popular blogging platforms:
www.blogger.com
www.wordpress.com

4. Start a YouTube channel – Like blogging creating youtube videos does not guarantee a stream of income, but could potentially become your full time job with the right formula. With a YouTube channel, you can focus on one or many topics of your choosing. If you are knowledgeable and passionate about a particular subject it will show in your videos and others will be automatically drawn to you. Once you start racking up views and if your videos meet certain guidelines on YouTube, you may become a “partner”. This will allow you to earn money from views. Ads on your videos can earn you cash too through Google AdSense. There is also the chance you may become an affiliate of many different companies and earn money that way as well.
www.youtube.com

 5. Take online surveys - Companies need feedback to improve their product or service in order to better serve customers and, in theory, increase revenue. Not only can you earn money for taking surveys, you often get a sneak peek of new products and even movie previews before they are released to the public. In some cases you may receive free products or samples to provide feedback on. I suggest signing up for multiple survey sites so you have a better chance of qualifying for more surveys and earning more money.
www.opinionoutpost.com
www.epollsurvey.com
www.surveysavvy.com 
www.springboardamerica.com

6. "Get paid to" sites - Websites that offer compensation for completing certain tasks are usually referred to as "Get Paid To" websites. The type of tasks you complete vary depending on the website. Tasks can consist of doing web searches, providing feedback, writing song reviews, taking surveys, and much more. The list is endless. Here are some of my favorite GPT sites:
www.inboxdollars.com - Get paid to read emails, take surveys, print coupons, search and more!
www.ebates.com - Earn cash back on your online purchases.
www.cashcrate.com - Complete offers to earn money.
www.clickworker.com - Complete tasks to earn money.
www.slicethepie.com - Get paid to review music!

I hope this information is helpful and not overwhelming. If you have any questions about any of these sites, ask me and I will try to help. If there are any other legitimate websites I missed that you really enjoy, please leave them in the comments.

*Spoe*