Fun Survey Site

Have you tried any of those survey sites that promise "Make Tons Of Money In Your Spare Time Doing Surveys Online"? I have. Have you seen some of those survey sites that show you the "supposed"checks that have been earned by some of their members? I have. Have you signed up for some of those sites? I have. How many times have you wasted your time starting a survey only to learn 20 questions in that "Sorry You Don't Qualify". I have..

Let me SAVE you from those sites and tell you about a site that I have been doing now for over 2 years. This site offers you the opportunity to earn points for completing surveys, which can then be turned into cash and prizes. This site is a bit different though, as they only send you surveys that 99% of the time you are already qualified for and if by that 1% chance you don't qualify, you still get the points offered in the beginning. Depending on the survey and the answers that you give, you can qualify in the middle of a survey for more points for continuing on the subject and answering more questions. Once you are established with them, you may be asked to participate in surveys by mail or you may be asked to sample an item at home and complete and online survey. My husband and I are involved in one of the in home surveys now. All of this offers you the opportunity to earn points as well. Every 1000 pts = $10! They add up fast and you can redeem at anytime after earning 1000 pts.

This is by no means a get rich quick scheme but it is fun and it is a site that you can trust. You can sign up here or use the link under my "Really Good Sites" to get started.

Collect The Rain

Do you pay a water bill? Start SAVING money by collecting the rain. Get yourself a decent size rain barrel or some type of bucket that you can put a lid on top of to keep out bugs and trash. When it rains, remove the lid and let the rain collect inside.

What can you do with the water you have collected? You can SAVE money by not using your current water source when you water such things as:

• inside plants
• outside plants
• gardens and yards
• or washing the dog

I can tell you from my own personal experience, that by doing this I can keep my water bill between $20 and $25 a month (on occasion it has been less than $20) for a family of 3 very active adults. Give it a try, every little bit counts.

Hang It Up

Instead of throwing your clothes in the dryer, hang them up. If you have enough room somewhere in your yard, put up a clothes line. Your clothesline doesn't have to be the fancy two to four liner and it doesn't have to be permanent in the ground. Grab a line/rope of any type and tie it between two trees as I have done in my yard. By doing this I SAVED on materials, with my only out of pocket expense being the clothes pins and line (both of which were found at the dollar store).

Those of you who live in apartments or condos or just don't have enough yard, don't fret, you too can still hang up your clothes. Most department stores carry fold up clothes lines, that when opened do not take up very much room. You can also try RV supply stores for fold up, on the go, clothes lines as well.

What is the biggest benefit of hanging up your laundry? SAVING MONEY!! SAVING on:
- electric bill
- clothes - they will not have that already worn ten times look and need to buy new ones
- you wont be heating up your house by using the dryer in turn running the air conditioner
- dryer wear and tear

If you are not so sure about hanging your clothes out, start small. Try hanging up your towels, your sheets or comforter, your jeans and move on from there. TIP - when hanging clothes outside, check them often and pull them in when they are dry. This will keep the fresh laundry smell and soft touch in them. Leaving them hanging on the line for several hours after they dry can result in rough, outdoorsy smelling clothes.

Credit Card Statements

How many of you receive your credit card statements either by postal mail or email/online and just automatically make a payment without looking at or just barely glancing at your statement? STOP!! Mistakes are made everyday and lets face it those credit card companies want to get every dime out of you that they can.

From first hand experience - Most of my credit card statements come via email/online and normally I pay them myself but on this one occasion my husband decided he wanted to sit with me. (I think he wanted to see if I had spent anything without telling him) As I was paying one of our credit cards online the current statement came up on the computer screen and my husband noticed a charge for $14.99 for a credit report company. We both looked at each other and asked "what did you buy?" Neither of us could recall having done this, so we called our credit card company immediately and explained the situation. Come to find out this was the second month we had been charged this amount and I never bothered to look at my statement carefully the previous month or I would have caught it then. The customer service rep was a great help, she not only credited us back the month that we caught but she credited us back the previous month I missed and the finance charge for both months. We had to answer a few questions so that the credit card company could investigate but it was worth it.

Always take the time to thoroughly review your credit card statements every month. It wouldn't hurt to check your monthly utility statements as well. Doing this will not only SAVE you money but SAVE you the time it takes to call and straighten it all out. Some companies may not be as nice as our credit card company.

Eco-Friendly Tips

Have you jumped on the GREEN band wagon yet? What are you waiting for? 1.2..3... and JUMP!

Idealbite is the place for you. Learn how to go GREEN and SAVE the fun and easy way. All tips are eco-friendly, good for SAVING the environment as well as for SAVING you money. Signing up is FREE and is as easy as providing your email address and nothing more. Start your daily tip subscription now by clicking HERE or using the Sign up link under my "Really Good Sites" list.

Coloring Fun

In a previous post I talked about looking for FREE coloring pages and crafts for kids that I could print out and send to my niece and today I stumbled upon another site that should be familiar to everyone. Crayola.com - this site is full of FREE coloring pages, crafts, activities and lesson plans for children of all ages. CrayolaStore.com also offers online shopping.

Registration is FREE and will entitle you to 15% off the first order you place with them through the CrayolaStore. Wow, what a SAVINGS! You may also sign up for their monthly newsletter.

You can get started by going to Crayola.com or clicking on the link under my "Really Good Sites" list.

For The Little Ones In Mind

I just happen to be the Aunt to one of the greatest little girls in the world, but unfortunately I also live several hours away and do not get the opportunity to visit with her as often as I would like. It just so happens that this little girl loves to receive cards and packages in the mail and is very grateful for whatever she gets. I am constantly on the lookout for things to send her, but with the rising cost of gas and groceries I am always looking for ways to SAVE on the things I buy and send her. I decided to search online and in my search I found Lil-fingers.com. This is an excellent site geared towards little ones. They have so many FREE activities, coloring pages and crafts for you to choose and print. Check them out at the following link.

Lil'" Fingers Storybooks, Games and Activities
Lil' Fingers is a storybook site for toddlers with educational games, storybooks and coloring pages. Free toddler stories, activities & holiday sections are designed with bright colors & big buttons for little fingers.

Earning Free Gift Cards

Everyone loves Gift Cards, Right? Whether you like to give or receive Gift Cards, how does earning FREE Gift Cards sound? If you have 5 minutes to spare each day or every other day, you can earn FREE Gift Cards just like me.

Quizpoints.com is the answer for you. Membership is FREE and you will get a 50 point bonus just for signing up. You only need to earn 500 points to start redeeming at the first level - $10 Gift Cards. Quizpoints.com offers bonus points for completing 15 surveys a month and 10 points for referring your family and friends. They also offer other options for earning points.

The Gift Cards earned can be used for yourself or for giving to others. Earning FREE Gift Cards can help SAVE you on your Christmas or Birthday shopping.

Quick Tip - Floor Cleaning Solution

Do you have a problem keeping your floors or hard wood floors clean? I have a simple solution for you. "Ammonia" - Get yourself a mop and a mop bucket and mix a cup of ammonia with a gallon of water. Using this solution will deep clean any floor surface you may have and make them shine. Ammonia will also strip any wax buildup you may already have on your hard wood floor. Always make sure to ring out your mop thoroughly to avoid excess water on the floor which can in turn cause your floor to buckle. Ammonia can also be diluted with water and used in spray bottles to clean counter tops, bathrooms and so much more.

Ammonia is a very effective cleaner that can be purchased at most grocery stores for no more than a $1 a bottle. You can even find it at most Dollar Stores for just that $1. This can SAVE you tons of money a year over other name brand cleaners and you get the same results.