Swagbucks Pays For Your Holidays

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Links to Paid Survey Pages

Pinecone Research
Instant Cash Sweepstakes
PaidViewPoint

Paid Surveys - Making Money Online Through Surveys

"Get rich quick!" You've seen it and heard it before - "spend as little as zero hours at the computer and make thousands in your first week!" Okay, maybe it's not quite like that, but you know the statements being made, give little, make lots. Scams are in abundance out on the web so how do you know what is real and what is not? For me, I've made the mistake of believing a few of the "hook, line, and sinker" promises made by these so-called companies only to find out that they were scam artists. Payments may come but to redeem anything worth of value one must spend their entire life staring at a computer screen or be satisfied with cheap rewards. No thanks.

So, what I want to do is to give you three of my favorite survey sites that are legitimate and trustworthy, and some-what fun! Here we go:

Company #1: Pinecone Research - This paying survey site is by far my favorite. Giving surveys on products that have not hit the consumer market yet, PR aims at gathering your opinion on possible new products. You get paid $3 per survey and your payment comes in the mail via check. The catch with this survey site is that it is not an open registration site. You MUST register only when they are accepting new members. PR will put their adds for registration on ad banners OR post something on their website for open registration. It took me about 3 weeks to find out if PR was accepting new members by Googling their website until I found a link for registration. They are a GREAT, personal (and real) company that works for you! Payment has always been on time and legitimate. You won't get rich quick, but if you're looking for a little pocket change with little time given, this is a great place to start.

Company #2: Instant Cash Sweepstakes - Paying you in coins, tickets, or cash, ICS will always reward your time with something. The surveys are short (3 questions) and based on your Tscore (the "trust" level of your account) will determine how many surveys you can take every 3hr period. So, for example, staring out at T1, you may be given only 6 surveys. T2 goes up to 8 surveys. T3 up to 10 surveys, and so on. You gain T levels by how often you are on their site and how accurately your survey answers fit your profile. For each survey you complete, you will win coins, tickets or cash. The coins and tickers are used as your tickets for your chance or winning the daily sweepstakes of $50 or every 3 hrs the $2 sweepstakes. The other reward is cash. The cash winnings are small BUT for every friend you invite and they win, you also receive the same reward! You will have to have a Paypal account since this is how they transfer your winnings over to you. After only 3 days of participating on their site, I was able to cash in enough money for a gourmet coffee. :) To me, that's worth it! There's much more to this site so be sure to look at ICS further!

Company #3: PaidViewPoint - Another paying survey (paying in CASH), this one I've just begun but so far have been very impressed with their payments and survey lengths (aka: SHORT and worth while). PVP will give you $1.00 just for registering and possibly a few more cents for however many questions you give them in your registration process. After you register, they will post surveys related to you in your account and for each survey, you will be paid for your time. You do have to have a Paypal account and you are not able to transfer your money to Paypal until you reach $15.00. However, the surveys require little time and with guaranteed payments (and added winnings for each friend you invite and they complete surveys) and fun surveys,  you can't go wrong!

Overall, these three companies are the three that I've found to be safe and legitimate. Be wary of anything that promises you a "get-rich-quick" scheme as most of them will want a large amount of your money and give you little to nothing in return. Sometimes, the temptation to go for the big winnings schemes can pull you in but remember that nothing in this life is free and if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Take it from one that learned the hard way... :)

So, good luck and happy surveying!

How To Become A Sports Official

If you're like me, your love for sports goes way beyond your prime playing time of high school days or if your lucky, of college era. Age sets in, jobs, families, and the never ending list of "to-do's" (never mind the creaky bones) may very well keep you from playing a sport that you love. But, the inability to run, jump, or swing doesn't have to keep you from still being a part of the game. That's where the awesome experience of being a SPORTS OFFICIAL begins.

So, how exactly does a person get into officiating? Strangly enough, it's pretty simple. Unless you live in a highly political community (and you know who you are) and you have a list of "personal requirements" to meet before you will be in the "in" group of reffs, then know that the hardest part of becoming an official is actually at the beginning.

But first, there are three "B's" you will want to grasp as a checklist to see if you are willing to be an official.

1. Be In Shape. Now, this might not be as important (it's always good to be in shape though, right?) if you are officiating a stand-still game, like volleyball or baseball, but if you are thinking about reffing basketball, soccer, or football, be prepared to run! Most often you will have another official reffing with you but in worst case scenario, and to save you from a heart attack, prepare yourself by looking at your physic and improving the areas that need attention.

2. Be Willing To Learn. Yes, sounds simple, right? However, you would be surprised at the egos that an official can acquire once they have received their offical badge. Always keep a humble, teachable attitude. You might be one of the best officials in your sport but you aren't perfect and you will mess up! Pride comes before the fall so stay humble and keep from falling.

3. Be Bold. Being an official can be intimitading at times, especially when angry fans, coaches, or players let you know when you've errored. Big rocks that are large enough to hide you look VERY appealing when your mistake is visibly seen. But (and here's where the ego can start) remember that you hold, in essence, the power to the game. No team likes a bad ref (no matter how "good" you think you are) but at the same time, no player likes a wimpy official. When you make a call - STICK TO IT. Don't be known as a wishy-washy ref that bows under pressure. If you gain that reputation, it will take you double the work to break it. Stay ahead of the game - learn from your mistakes, don't make the same error twice, and keep going.

If you are comfortable with steps 1 through 3, then the next goal is locate your local school activities association and head director of the sport you are interested in. They will get your started in the right direction. Most likely, you won't be turned away since some sports are often short-handed in available officials. Higher demand means more game opportunites and extra income.

Oh, that's right, did I mention that you make money being a part of a sport you like? It's true - acting as your own contractor when officiating, you may choose how much or little you referee, thus making a small or large impact on your pocketbook. Everybody likes extra cash!! The pay is good, the hours are minimal, and the fun, well, you can guess what I think of that.

After you contact your association and you pay a fee for your official packet (rule books, badges, sport information, officiating tips, etc...) which is under $100.00, you are then required to take a test. The test covers the rules of the game and in some states is open book as well as allowing the official to take the test up to three times in order to pass. If test taking isn't a forte for you, it might be good to dust off your test taking skills in preparation for your official's test.

After you pass the test, the Commissioner of your sport will then begin to schedule you games. Since you are considered a private contractor to that state's school activities association, you can choose how many games you want to ref. That's a great perk about officiating - you can do it to fit your own schedule.

All in all, being a ref is not only fun and interesting, but it is also a way for a person to make some extra income, give back to your local community, and stay in good, physical shape! Being a good official relies on you and how much effort you place in knowing and fulfiling your game duties. Schools know who a good ref is and if you build a good reputation, you will have a job.

So, good luck, refs!! Officiate well, keep breathing, and have fun! And remember, that whistle is your friend.

Grocery Shopping: How To Save Money and Stay On Budget

If you are like me, a trip to a local grocery store has your heart racing and pocketbook groaning. With prices rising every week (or so it seems) and the American economy in a sluggish almost stand-still state, economy and budgets have now become the guide lines for spending and savings. Our dollars - precious as they are - must go farther for us while our income stays the same. Grocery store shopping trips, gas station stops, and yes, even our beloved coffee shop visits, are coming under the strong hand of Frugality and must adhere to the higher powers of the budget.

Dreary as grocery shopping is at times, there is a way in which you can buy what you need yet save more money. True, it takes work, discipline, effort and time, but the tips that EVERY person can do (yes, that means you!!) will help you in the long run to save money, stay on budget, and maybe even come away with an extra $20 in your pocket or even better, free items in your grocery bag! Here are some things that have helped our household save money and I hope that in sharing them with you, they will also help you.

• NEEDS vs. wants

This one can be a tricky and tough one because we can talk ourselves into JUST about anything (the power of persuasion) and if you've not had to experience living on a budget before it might take you a few months to understand that discipline takes work. First things first - make a grocery list! Try to buy what you need for the entire month (non-perishables) by planning out meals and in stocking your pantry (save your weekly grocery trips to buying ONLY perishable things such as fresh fruit/veggies, dairy, etc...).

Before you head to the store, double check the items on your list and see if you've written down your NEEDS or your wants. If there is anything that is a want and you can do without it, scratch it off. A good rule of thumb is that if you can do without it for 1 - 3 months, it's most likely a want not a need. When you get to the store - STICK TO YOUR LIST!! Those "extra" items you had not planned on buying might seem like only a "few dollars" but when you check out, it will be more than you bargained for. Take it from someone who made this mistake once and was short of our grocery budget by about $30.00. Ouch!

• Coupons

You're heard it said, "a penny saved is a penny earned" and no better way to show it then at your grocery store using coupons! Yes, the no-shame, old fashion way of 'clip and save' is still hip to do at your local store ( and if you are tech savvy enough, your cellphone may also some in handy with the new and always improving, barcode scan app). The easiest way to make coupons work for you is by purchasing weekly or monthly newspapers or via a coupon company. If you choose weekly, these coupons can be found in most Sunday editions of the newspapers. So, as Sunday comes around, head to a local store to pick up however many newspapers are carrying coupons. This costs me, on average, about $7 per week. However, the savings from these papers last up to an average of 3 months before expiring and each week I'm able to get double (or even triple) back from what I spent buying the papers!

Couponing has increased significantly since 2008 when our economy began its tumultuous downfall. Since the economy has hit us so hard, the manufactures have realized that the general public is cutting costs and buying less in order to live on what they earn. Because they are seeing the decline in money movement, they have realized that couponing is an effect way to get customers to buy their products! Using wisdom, discipline, and coupons, a person can still buy what they NEED and stay within their budget. Be sure to check out store such as Safeway which have a coupon in their weekly ads that allow you to double up to 4 manufacture coupons - it's a great way to make your dollars stretch and it feels oh-so-good saving money too! :)

For more help and information, check out this link on extreme couponing which is legitimate, effective, and proven trustworthy! If you need sites for coupons, Swagbucks is a great way to get coupons and points (something that I'll explain in my next article about saving money on gifts, household items, WANTS, etc...stay tuned!) and is free to sign up and use. Check out their linkHERE, as well as such coupon sites as www.shopathome.com.

• Check the sale papers, clearance racks, and discounted items in-store

Before you head out to shop off your list to buy your wants not needs, be sure to sit down and check the weekly ad papers either via hardcopy form or on the internet to see what is on sale. As you look, cross-examine what is on sale for what you are looking to buy. Also, check your coupons. Most often, the stores will run sales on items that have recently had a coupon. Stores like RiteAid or Walgreens are really good about printing in their ads their sales, plus the price of a manufacture's coupon and the what the total savings would be. Line up what you will buy at what store, setting aside your coupons per store and sticking to your list!

Secondly, when you get to the store, before ANYTHING gets into your cart, find the discounted/clearance/sale section (usually on a rack in the front or back of store) and see if there is anything on your list that you can buy and save money. Most often, I will find a needed item PLUS I'll have a coupon for that item that I'll use at the checkout and my savings are significant! For example. This past week Safeway was discounting some of the Starbucks via coffee packets by 50%. In addition, I also had a coupon of $2 off coupons from my weekly newspapers. My total for each Starbucks Via coffee pack was ONLY $1.59!!!! That's a grand total of $6.00 savings on just ONE packet! Since I bought two packets at this price, I saved $12.00 in one shopping trip.

See what I mean by saving?! If you can practice discipline in waiting for items to go on sale and if you stay organized to keep coupons in line w/ your shopping needs, you can make your money work for YOU instead of the other way around and in so doing, feel good about taking care of yourself and/or your household in being a frugal and wise grocery shopper.

As a wife to a wonderful man and full-time mom to a busy 7 month old, I have to practice good spending habits to stay on budget. I remind myself continually that by practicing these tips, I am able to buy food for my baby, keep my husband healthy and happy (the way to a man is through his stomach, they say!), and maybe even squeeze out a little extra for a date night. When you can spend without guilt, and know that you are wise when you do spend, than it makes your home, your marriage (if you are so), and your life all that much more richer. And peace, harmony, and respect in the home is something you can't put a price on but worthy working for every day of our lives.