Every Little Bit Helps!

You’ve heard the wise advice “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” That’s what I’ve been trying to follow lately. In addition to saving as much as possible at the grocery store, I’m currently experimenting with several ways to make small sources of income. Here are some of the things I’m currently trying:

Good ol’ Rebates – sure, it takes some time and effort, but it’s wonderful to see a check or two, even if it’s just $2 or $5, show up unexpectedly in my mailbox. Even better, I’ve been able to use my Walgreens reloadable Easy Saver card to purchase some of the items, so I’m not out anything out of pocket. In fact, with the extra 10% they put on the card for reloading it, I’ve actually made money! Here are some places I’ve found rebates:

• On hanging tags in the grocery aisle, near the rebated product
• On the package of a purchased item
• In the coupon inserts of the Sunday paper
• On manufacturers’ websites as downloadable forms
• In All You magazine at Wal-Mart (There are usually several of them in there!) The magazine sells for less than $2 per issue. The coupons in the December 26 issue are worth $33.15. I ordered a two-year subscription for only $18 through Southern Living At Home. What a deal!

Ebates – this is one of my favorite ways to earn a little extra cash, with just a couple of clicks. All the details are in this blog post.

Inbox Dollars – Get paid to open emails. This sounds to be good to be true, and I have to tell you that I’m probably making only a few cents for each click, but I figure that since I’m checking email anyway, it’s no big deal to read three or four more each day. It will add up eventually, and I’ve learned about different goods and services in the meantime! Click here to join Inbox Dollars. You’ll also receive a $5 sign-up bonus!

My Points – This is similar to Inbox Dollars and Ebates combined in one. They send a few emails a day, which I acknowledge, thus earning a few points. If I want to participate in the email’s offer, I will receive more points. If not, I still receive 5 or 10 points just for reading the email and clicking on the link. Points accumulate easily and can be redeemed for gift cards, etc. More free money…for doing something I’m going to be doing anyway: opening emails! If you are interested in joining My Points, send me an email. I am able to personally invite 5 people each month to join. I’ll be happy to send you the details if you’d like to sign up, too.

I’m happy to say that those gift cards have come in handy. My dad’s birthday is this week, and I was excited to get to use some Amazon gift cards for his birthday gifts. In fact, with shipping and everything, I ended up paying 3 cents! Dad’s worth a lot more than that, but it was nice not to have pay more than that.

Affiliates – if you are a blogger, maybe you already know about this one.  Did you know that every time you click on the sidebar ads, you help support this blog? If you enjoy the posts, take a minute or two to click around. That’s one of the quickest and easiest ways you can say “thank you!” Some of my favorite affiliates are Logical Media, My Savings, and Coupons.com. I love that they are helping support my family while giving you the best deals around. 

Caregivers Marketplace – this is a wonderful place to get rebates on Nature Made vitamins and many other products including some for diabetics and those incurring expenses while caring for the elderly. I’ve gotten a check from Caregivers Marketplace for $5 already just by stocking up on items for upcoming baby showers at church and by supplying our family’s vitamin needs. As the title says, “Every little bit helps!”

Swagbucks - If you’re anything like me, you search a lot on Google. If I’m in the middle of making an online purchase, I minimize what I’m doing to search on Google for coupon codes, for one thing! So the concept of Swagbucks – earning points as I search for things on the internet – is an exciting one to me. I may not search as much as someone else, but here’s the beauty of it…once you sign up, you can refer others who can also use the program. When they sign up, you’ll earn points when they earn points!

How does it work? It’s kind of like a frequent flier program, except it’s for searching the internet! When you sign up, you’ll earn 3 points automatically. Simply download the handy toolbar, and earn points each day you search. When you reach 450 points, you’ll earn a $5 Amazon gift card.

Think this sounds too good to be true? Here’s a testimonial from Economic Endeavors who is funding her Christmas via Swagbucks! What a great way to get a jump on frugality for the holidays!

So what are you waiting for? Get on board with Swagbucks today!

Related posts:

1. 15 FREE Points to Disney Movie Rewards
2. Save up to $1 on Gas at Kroger!
3. SwagBucks: 100 Points for New Members!