Question: How much have I earned by using Swagbucks as my preferred search engine?

But how does it work?

First: Sign up for a Swagbucks account (it’s super easy and only takes a few minutes).

Second: Earn Swagbucks by

• Searching the Web [via swagbucks.com & the swagbucks toolbar]
• Taking Trusted Surveys (1 point + points offered by survey)
• Shopping in the Shop & Earn Mall
• Voting in the Daily Polls (1 point)
• Sending in Prize Photos & Videos
• Watch Videos
• Inviting Your Friends to Join (up to 1000 swagbucks per friend)
• Completing Special Offers
• Finding Swag Codes
• Trading in Cell Phones & Video Games
• Print & Redeem Coupons (10 points for each one)

Third: Redeem Swagbucks for

• PayPal Cash
• Amazon Gift Cards
• Books & Magazines
• Music Video Games
• Jewelry
• Posters & Prints
• Kitchen Essentials
• and much more…

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Disclaimer: I am a member of Swagbucks and have used it as one of my search engines for almost 2 years now. I was not compensated for this post nor is this sponsored or affiliated with the Swagbucks site in any way. My referral link is used. This means, if you click through a link on my site and join, then I will earn in accordance with the terms of the referral agreement. my earnings are based on searching an average of 4 – 6 times per week, periodically participating in polls, surveys, code searches, and toolbar awards. Your results will vary based on referrals and usage.

Answer: $75 Since March 2010, With No Referrals is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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Last summer Suze Orman launched a new online community www.MoneyMindedMoms.com, a site devoted to helping moms make smarter money choices.

MoneyMindedMoms community members have free access to valuable, easy to follow advice about topics such as erasing and managing debt, raising money minded kids and coupons and discounts. Providing moms with sound advice is Suze’s top priority and she takes the time to personally respond to questions from members and has even been known to post a video response in some cases. The site offers useful tools like a debt eliminator and expense tracker, a coupon savings center, as well as forums for sharing stories and insights with like-minded moms.

Plus, every month through May, one lucky member will win 1-on-1 time with Suze through the
“Ask Suze” Sweepstakes.

I don’t know about you, but I am getting tired of constantly hearing about the financially ‘trying times’ we are in or ‘in these tough economic’ blah blah blah. The truth of the matter is if we planned better, saved more, and lived within our means these less than ideal times would not hurt near as much. Then again, if we all did that our economy would not grow and we would have fewer millionaires. The world needs spenders and savers AND those who do both in moderation.

Money Minded Moms (and Dads and Kids and …)

Suze Orman has developed a site based on her books and her philosophies about money, then coupled that with a community so we can learn not only from her, but from one another. Many times we feel like we are the only ones going through a particular situation, this is rarely the case. Get financial advice, find a path, gain some perspective, and plan for your future (whether it’s a month or a decade or more).

Win a copy of Suze Orman’s Book Action Plan

Giveaway Rules:

Mandatory entry:

Tell me one thing you learned from the MoneyMindedMoms website.

Additional entries:

Like MoneyMindedMoms on Facebook.

Follow @MoneyMindedMoms on Twitter

do both for 2 extra entries

Please complete the form below to enter this giveaway.

If you have problems with the form, please send me an email with your information [be sure to include MoneyMindedMoms Giveaway in your email] and I will manually add your information to the form according to the time stamp on the email.

Giveaway will end on March 28, 2011 at Midnight EST and is open to residents of the U.S., 18 years of age or older. Winner will be selected using Random.org. Winner will be notified via email. Additionally, I will post the winner’s name on my site in a separate post on or around March 29, 2011. Winner will have 48 hours from the time the email is sent to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Good Luck!

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Disclosure: All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. I would not tell you something was wonderful if I did not truly believe it so. Please read my Disclosure Policy for more information. I received a copy of Suze Orman’s book ‘Action Plan ‘ courtesy of MoneyMindedMoms through MyBlogSpark for the purposes of this review.

Money Matters: What’s Your ‘Action Plan’? {closed} is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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I know many of us are thinking about the holidays and giving to our loved ones, our friends, even our mail carriers and such. You may want to do more for those less fortunate, but feel overwhelmed by it all. Did you know you can do all your shopping and still give to your favorite charity?

How it works

Create your foundation. 100% Free, no cost to you.

Fill your foundation. Shop through merchant partners and earn up to 15% of your purchases for your charities. Or make a donation directly via credit card.

Increase your impact. Highlight your favorite charities on Facebook. You and your friends can donate together.

GiveBack.org simplifies your donations making it easier to give.

Sign up with your email or just connect through your Facebook account.

I signed up with my Facebook account. GiveBack.org will not post anything to my account without my permission. I like that. Even better? GiveBack.org automatically puts $5 in my account. I really like that.

Find and add charities.

In June my mom passed away due to complications from ovarian cancer, so I did a search for charities concerning ovarian cancer. There are many nationwide and on the state level. I decided to add the OCRF (Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation).

Shop and have up to 15% of your purchases go toward the charities you choose.

I love that there are over 400 stores available. Instead of pocketing that 2% from the Apple Store, I can have that ‘found’ money go directly to helping a cause I feel strongly in supporting. Give to friends. Give to family. Give to the mail carrier. Give to the charity of my choice.

Not having a job these past 2 years has severely limited my ability to donate [monetarily] to any charity. Having cash back from purchases I make go directly to an account specified for charitable giving will make this less of a limitation. It’s so much easier to give [more] when the money never goes into your general account. A little trick I learned while working and putting my raises directly in savings. Thanks, mom & GiveBack.org!

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Disclaimer: I wrote this post as part of a campaign from the One2One Network to get the word out about GiveBack.org. I received no compensation, but am eligible to win BlissDom’11 Full Conference Registration pass ($349 value) or a $350 Visa Gift Card. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Please read my Disclosure Policy for more information.

GiveBack this Holiday Season & Year Round is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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If you have a child nearing college age or are an adult looking to return to school, then this is for you.

Not every scholarship, loan, or contest is for low-income persons. There are opportunities to earn money for college based on residency, major, affiliation, and more. Sometimes being a good writer is the ticket. Other times all it takes is the best photo. Whatever it is you need to find it and go for it.

Here are a few upcoming contests for the college bound:

Ryan and Jamie Smith Essay Contest

• Open to all fields of study; Deadline is August 20, 2010.
• $5,000 award; 1 winner.

The Ryan and Jamie Smith Essay Contest is available to students who are at least 18 years old and enrolled in an accredited educational institution. To enter, you must submit an essay of less than 1000 words on the following topic: “What do you feel is an appropriate balance between being successful financially and the need to serve others by giving back?”

1800Mattress.com “Next Commercial” Contest

• Open to all fields of study; Deadline is October 1, 2010.
• $5,000 award; 1 winner.

The 1800Mattress.com “Next Commercial” Contest is open to college students who are at least 18 years of age. To enter, you must create a 60 second commercial that showcases how a 1800mattress enhances a good nights sleep and takes your nights sleep to the next level. The 1800Mattress logo should appear at least twice in your commercial. Selection will be based on creativity, originality, and brand communication.

“Financial Connects” Financial Literacy Award

• Open to all fields of study; Deadline is December 17, 2010.
• $1,000 award; 100 winners.

The “Financial Connects” Financial Literacy Award is available to students in grades 6-12, college, and graduate students. To be considered, you must create an original financial literacy video or interactive game that promotes financial literacy and correlates with the Department of Education s financial literacy standards. A one paragraph proposal is required with your submission. You may participate individually or as a team associated with a nonprofit or school.

Northwest Perspectives Essay Contest

• Open to all fields of study; Deadline is January 31, 2011.
• $500 award; 3 winners.

The Northwest Perspectives Essay Contest is available to undergraduate and graduate students. To enter, you must compose an essay of no more than 1500 words that addresses ideas that affect the Northwest.

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Looking for more contests and scholarships? Check out FastWeb.

College Bound: Win Money for School is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. Time to put away all those heavy sweaters and bulky jackets and bring out the shorts, cute sundresses, sandals, and more. Yet, for all of those wonderful clothes from springs and summers past we want to stay current and maybe even a bit trendy, right?

Budget meet Fashion

Ah yes, budgets may seem to stand in your way. Instead of pitting your fashion sense against your budget cents why not make friends of these two. Okay guys, play nice.

Ten Tips for Being Fashionable on a Budget:

1. Instead of buying a new outfit pair an old favorite with a new pair of sandals or a scarf instead.
2. Shop secondhand. I love Goodwill and cannot begin to tell you the great clothes I have found. Some of my most complimented outfits are secondhand. Check out local consignment shops and garage sales, too.
3. Check out the sales and clearance racks. On sale does not necessarily mean not in style.
4. Shop online. There are several great sites that pay you to shop. Pair that with coupon codes and free shipping. Save time and money!
5. Swap clothes with friends and family. What’s old to them is new to you and vice versa. This is a great way to expand your wardrobe [even temporarily] and not break the bank.
6. Change your hairstyle. If you have long hair put it in braids or an updo. For short hair, experiment with gel for new styles. Nothing is more fashionable than your hair and it can be changed to match any outfit.
7. Buy designer knock-offs. Many of those outfits you love can be found for much less at discount stores.
8. Sign up for store newsletters and get coupons mailed directly to you.
9. Shop end of season. These sales typically occur mid-season, so you have plenty of time to wear your new finds.
10. Don’t buy, rent. Seasons come and seasons go and now you can do the same with your clothes. Update your look for a fraction of the cost and return when you are done.

Join the conversation

Learn more ways to look fashionable within your budget in the ongoing discussion over at TwitterMoms.

Gap Twitter Discount

Exclusive Gap Outlet and Banana Republic Factory Store Savings

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I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Gap Outlet blogging program to be eligible to win a $20 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

10 Ways to Be Fashionable on a Budget is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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I just received this email today:

This offer is still available. If you’re interested in finding out more, then check out Carrie’s post on Money Saving Methods.

$20 Amazon Gift Card from ConsumerSay is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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Last week I learned of another possible opportunity for making a little something, something. This utilizes Google Adsense and considering I’ve made just under $16 in my almost 17 months of blogging I would say I could use all the help I can get with generating a payout.

Xomba doesn’t look like much from the onset, but the more information I gather, the more interested I am.

How it works

This is coming straight from the source:

1. You post an article about something you’re passionate about.

2. Your post then gets placed into powerful search engines which deliver an audience of interested readers directly to your work.

Others have the opportunity to read your article, thus allowing them to discover fun, interesting, and useful information. Your chance to earn money comes from this audience, and your chances of article exposure are much greater than any standard blog or forum, because of this community.

You can write two types of posts: Articles and Bookmarks.

Articles must be a minimum of 150 words. These can be reviews to how-to guides or anything else of interest.

Bookmarks are blurbs of at least 100 words that lead to another article [blog posts, interesting images, Squidoo pages, etc.]

How you get paid

First, you must have a Google Adsense account.

Xomba does not pay you per post, page view, or in any manner really. Xomba is more of a get-the-word-out-there and revenue-sharing type of system. This is where Google Adsense comes in.

When you sign up you will enter your Google Adsense account number. Xomba then splits Adsense revenue with you 50/50. What does this mean? You are paid via your Google Adsense account.

Now, it gets better.

You write a bookmark and earn 50% of the Adsense revenue from visits to that bookmark on Xomba. Then those visitors click on the link to the article you wrote, say, on your blog, and you can earn even more from Adsense [if it is on your site, too].

But don’t just take my word for it.

Here is what others have to say:

Allison West’s One Year Review [November 2009]

Athlyn Green – check out the comments [August 2009]

Article Rewriter Softwares – Review of Xomba [January 2010]

Xomba’s Alexa site stats

Value Added Benefits

• page rank of 5
• online since February 1999
• Alexa rank of 2,555
• do-follow [unconfirmed, but reportedly so]
• a great way to build backlinks
• expose even more people to your site, work, wares, etc.

A few final thoughts

Last year I signed up with Squidoo and wrote about 10 lenses. It was about six months later when I received my first payment. I have earned about $80 off of those 10 lenses [with zero promotion]. My point? Don’t expect to see a windfall immediately. Anything is possible, but realistically it will take some time.

Additionally, you may want to consider setting up Adsense Channels for your articles and bookmarks as a way of tracking your progress. But don’t obsess [like me]. Hey, I made 7¢ yesterday for a blog I haven’t posted to in over 3 months. It’s going to work, the question will be, how fast?

Ready to sign up?

Why not use my Xomba affiliate link.

And if you know something I don’t, [which is a distinct possibility] please share it in a comment below.

Disclaimer: Uh, I used affiliate links in this post. Just in case anyone was unsure.

Xomba Testing 1…2…3… is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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Jamie is a never-ending source of money saving information. She truly is a money magnet and one site I visit daily [either directly or through feed-reader]. So, when Jamie put out a call for thrifty tips, a new weekly meme she started, I couldn’t resist sharing a tip [or two] of my own.

With My Own Two Hands

… mostly.

Around our house Friday night is pizza night. For our family of four [or five when Megan is home from college] this can get a bit pricey if we opted for ready made pizza – be it store bought or fast food/restaurant bought.

2 Little Ceasar’s pizzas costs roughly $11.00 + tax or $5.50 per pie.

Our solution? Homemade.

… mostly.

There are 20 cups of flour in a 5 pound bag of flour.

I buy my spices and such in the larger containers from Sam’s which saves me money. Stock up on tomato sauce when there is a good sale. I recently paid just 19¢ a can [15 oz].

Mozzarella cheese is probably the biggest cost when it comes to making pizza. As with the sauce, find a sale and stock up. Remember, cheese can be stored in the freezer to extend its life.

If you like toppings, then you will have to figure these costs individually. We usually make pepperoni which I find on sale or buy the store brand if it’s cheaper.

2 Homemade large pizzas costs roughly $3.44 or $1.72 per pie.
{ 90¢ [dough] + 50¢ [sauce] + $1.00 [cheese] + $1.04 [pepperoni] }

Personal-sized Heart-shaped Pizza

Sure, there is time to consider. My regular pizza dough recipe requires letting the dough rise for 1 hour, then another 15 minutes after you punch it down and separate into 2. But there is a quick dough recipe that may be used instead.

Don’t have time during the week? You can make your dough ahead of time and freeze it for up to one month. Just thaw at room temperature prior to using.

The best part – you know what went into it, how it was prepared, and it is truly made-to-order. That’s just good stuff!

Got a thrifty tip to share?

Why not head on over to IAmAMoneyMagnet.com and link up. It’s a great way to share and get a little link love to boot!

Oh, and I ♥ comments! Why not leave me one below. And let me just say THANK YOU in advance.

Make It Homemade ~ Thrifty Tip Tuesday is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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Jamie is a never-ending source of money saving information. She truly is a money magnet and one site I visit daily [either directly or through feed-reader]. So, when Jamie put out a call for thrifty tips, a new weekly meme she started, I felt compelled to share one of my own.

Free & Super Cheap Movie Rentals

There are a few options for free and cheap movie rentals and they are surprisingly simple to find. Why pay for something you can get for free, right? Well, free or really, really cheap.

Libraries

Libraries offer so much more than great books. They can be a wonderful source of audio and visual entertainment, too. Now, you may not get the latest and greatest movies from your local library, but you may be surprised at what you can find. Many libraries have an online catalog, so you don’t even have to leave your house to peruse their selections.

RedBox

I know you’ve seen these around your neighborhood. I’m so rural we don’t have a mall in our entire county, yet we have two RedBox locations that I know of. These are super cheap rentals for $1 a night, but you can save your $1 for a cheap movie snack and get your rental for free! Sign up for Redbox’s updates and get notified of free movie codes. I’ll even get you started – v7j6d4v – this code is good through March 14, 2010 and may be used once per credit card.

Blockbuster Express

These are like RedBox only blue and run by Blockbuster. Same deal, $1 movie rentals and get a free rental code just for signing up for their newsletter.

Amazon

I know you’ve heard of Amazon. Well, they offer a video on demand service similar to Netflix or any other movies on demand type of medium. Connect your laptop to your tv and you are good to go. My family watched The Hangover for free using this service. Just be on the look-out for free codes from Amazon or check out their selection of free videos on demand. Right now these are mostly television shows. You can also browse their selection of 99 movies for $2.99. That’s cheap when you think of the gas you save by not having to go pick up the movie then take it back when you’re done.

iTunes

Rent movies and watch them on your tv, laptop, iPod [oh, yes, your iPod!]. Rentals start at $2.99, are good for 30 days, but must be viewed within 24 hours of pressing play. Remember to check out iTunes freebie section, too. They often have free television show episodes for you to download and keep!

Family and Friends

That’s right, check out what others already have. Bring the beer and pizza and make it a party!

Your Movie Stash

You know you have one. That collection of movies you just had to have that now gathers dust or sits long forgotten in a box somewhere. Go dig through and find an old favorite. If you find you really have no interest in these movies, then sell them on eBay or through Craigslist. Make a little money and go rent a $1 movie from RedBox.

Got a thrifty tip to share?

Why not head on over to IAmAMoneyMagnet.com and link up. It’s a great way to share and get a little link love to boot!

Oh, and I ♥ comments! Why not leave me one below. And let me just say THANK YOU in advance.

Disclaimer: Amazon affiliate link used for The Hangover.

Free/Cheap Movie Rentals ~ Thrifty Tip Tuesday is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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I have been doing my own taxes for as long as I can remember.

It seems like forever ago that I took a tax preparer course with H&R Block. I went on to work for them for one tax season. It was fun. I learned I really like preparing tax returns.

Don’t judge me.

For years I did my taxes by hand. Oh, yes, paper and pencil and tax tables and my trusty calculator. I loved every minute of it. It has something to do with the analytical problem solver in me. Figuring out how all the pieces fit and making everything look pretty.

Oh Joy! Oh Joy! Oh, Joyous Day!

Then we moved to Virginia

State taxes, huh? I was fortunate to live in wonderfully sunny South Florida. Where they tax the tourists and find no need to implement a state tax. Well, that and all the old people moving down there to escape the massive taxes of the states from whence they came would never allow such a thing to come to pass. Mine escaped New Jersey.

After moving to Virginia I decided it was time to get with the century and do my taxes on a computer with an actual tax program. I even started electronically filing my returns. Which is just awesome! Between online filing and direct deposit I usually have my refund within 2 weeks. Woo Hoo!

I use and highly recommend TaxACT.

I have been using TaxACT since 2003. Their program is wonderfully affordable at $19.95 for Federal and State taxes. But, you don’t necessarily have to pay for the program to get top notch tax service. TaxACT offers free online filing for most everyone. Why not see if this service suites your tax preparation needs this year.

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Have a blog or website and want to be able to offer great products and services to your visitors? Check out Escalate Media Affiliate Network and submit your application today.

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Disclaimer: Opinions are 100% my own. I truly do use TaxAct and have recommended it to family, friends, and co-workers, and now you. Affiliate links used in this post. No other compensation was received.

Prepare Your Taxes Online for FREE with TaxACT is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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