August 6, 2014

Ways to make money online Part 2!

Ways to make money online {Part 2}

Welcome to Part 2 of how to make money online!  In this segment I will be discussing various ways to earn money by selling your items online.  I’m a big advocate for online selling, I have a 3 try process.

·         Try to sell in garage sale
·         Try to sell on ebay
·         Donate to others, shelters or Salvation Army.

I try to at least exhaust all selling aspects and what is left I donate or give to others.  Now there are certain things I had that I just outright donated, baby gear, waterbed etc.  These were more difficult selling online.

There are 3 main ways that I suggest in selling online:

 Ebay –
Ebay for me is a hobby,  it provides me a little bit of cash for stuff I don’t need/want anymore.  But for others it’s a full time business!  I enjoy ebay and I go through periods where I do a lot and times I don’t do any.  Right now I’m on because I’ve been purging a lot and am treating it as a garage sale since it’s so cold outside here.  Ebay sales prices can vary greatly and once you figure out how it all works it can benefit you.  Last year I sold a bunch of kids toys and clothes I profited $550 AFTER my fees to ebay.  Yes Ebay has fees, but in reality they aren’t bad.   The pricing I use is typically based on the items.  Some things last year I listed at a higher price.  Right now the listings I have are starting all at .99 because I have noticed that the .99 auctions garner more attention than higher priced.  There’s a few rules of thumb I’ve learned about selling on ebay.
1.        If you want a specific price for an item, list it at either a fixed price or list it at that price.  So if you are selling a Nintendo DS and you want at least $20 either do the fixed price or list as auction and start your bids at $20.  You are at least guaranteed for $20 plus your fees.  If you don’t care what it goes for then throw it out there at .99 and let it go.  Some may surprise you.
2.       Shipping, I always charge shipping based on weight and I do priority mail unless it’s less than 12 oz and I can do first class mail.  It’s just easier and each shipment has a tracking # for the buyer to track.
3.       Always always take good pictures and try to document anything and everything.  I’ve had some people who were just plain rude and would say the color of blue didn’t match what I stated.  Sorry but blue is blue in my book!
4.       Charging handling fee vs. no handling fee.  This is entirely up to you, some people charge it because they buy supplies to ship.  I usually get my boxes from the post office (they are free) another reason for priority mail.  Or I bring boxes home from work.  Some people charge handling fees to cover fees for ebay or paypal.  I once had a lady tell me that shipping on a pair of toddler boots was $16!! I about lost my mind.  I asked for an explanation and she stated that she wanted at least $12 for the boots (listed at $4) but didn’t want to pay the fees to ebay so she added it all on to the shipping charges.  Nope sorry not happening, I refuse to pay that shipping.  In my opinion that is bad ebay seller etiquette.
5.       What items to list.. that’s entirely your choice, some people don’t bother with ebay except for high priced items.  I usually try to list in bulk, so I’ll have 20-50 items at once, I’m more likely to get buyers interested in more than 1 item which helps me out!  I’ve sold various items from household to decorations to dishes.  Once I had a Corelle clock that I bought back in the early 90’s sell for $112, it was a $15 clock I bought at the Corelle outlet.  And it literally sold for $112!  I was completely shocked!  It matched my dishes and everything else.  By the end I had sold my entire collection and made over $700!!!! This helped me out as I need car repairs done!  
I love e bay can you tell? I don’t just sell I buy, I love buying things on ebay.. kids clothes, games, dog treats.  You name it! 

Here’s an example of an item I had that my son didn’t like, so I listed it on ebay!  Sure beats throwing it away!




Facebook pages

Facebook pages have popped up all over for selling items.  Many are either county or city based.  I’ve only sold 2 things through these groups .  I sold a high chair and a baby swing, I had to deliver one and then meet the person for the other, it did cost me extra gas so I sold them for $70 and if you  figure time/gas Io made $50 which isn’t bad, but still.  Now my sister in law has sold over $300 worth of stuff on the pages she’s part of and everyone has come to her house for pickup.  She sells only within her city but everyone so far has shown up to pick up their stuff with their money, no problems she said.  This could be really helpful for big bulky items!

Craigslist

Personally I’ve never sold or bought on Craigslist.  My family has though and they swear by it.  I’ve known many people who have been very happy with their purchases through Craigslist.  I will just say that please be careful and never go by yourself I you are buying something or having someone come to look at your item.  Just better to be safe than sorry!

Etsy

If you are a crafty person, Etsy is another option for you.  Many people are running their crafty business and selling items on etsy like crazy.  Personally I don’t have the time, space or finances to work on my crafts at this time, but others do and they make a good darn living at it!  And I envy them!  I miss my crafting time..



July 30, 2014

Ways to make money online FREE & LEGIT! {Part 1}

 Welcome to Part 1 of how to make money online!

 In this segment I will be discussing various ways to earn money online for FREE for my Cash Stash! Yep that’s right FREE and LEGIT. There are so many more survey sites, money making apps, etc. that can help you build your cash stash. Making money online is an easy way to help build up your savings fund. It can be time consuming, but the end result can be worth it. For just an hour or so at night you can work on earning free gift cards or cash from home!

I’ve limited myself to the websites I know that work for me and my schedule. I usually spend about 1-2 hours at night working on 4 specific websites and I spend just enough time on my reward point sites to enter codes. Not too bad eh? My Cash Stash is any extra savings that is found or otherwise not already budgeted from our current finances. Anything going into this Cash Stash Fund is extra $$$ for us to use for our summer vacation, projects or just to build our savings!  At the bottom of this post I will have our current “Cash Stash” and do my best to keep it up to date.

 Swagbucks

Swagbucks by far is a super fun and easy way to earn money online! By doing searches, watching videos, taking surveys or even shopping you can earn swagbucks so quick and easy! I've also found with my new smart phone that I can watch videos on it and i can earn up to 50SWB a day just watching these videos!!!!  I let them run while I'm at work and my phone is plugged in, using free wifi to save my data!  SCORE!   Cash in for multiple prizes such as Amazon, Paypal, Walmart and more! With swagbucks I have earned well over $100s of dollars in cash and gift cards. They have a variety of options for you and you pick/choose what works best. I love using their shopping section for Christmas time especially when I’m earning extra points!  Click HERE to join Swagbucks!


Mypoints 

Mypoints is another great site that you can earn points by searching, survey’s, reading emails, shopping and more! I’ve cashed in for $50 Amazon gift card and $25 Landry’s gift card that we used at T-Rex last summer during our Disney visit. What I love about Mypoints is it links up to my Bzzagent account which is another GREAT opportunity for earning points!

Bing 

This is another way for me to earn Swagbucks points or cash in for Amazon gift cards! I have been using Bing for a few months now and I LOVE it. It’s so easy to earn the points and I can cash in for a variety of prizes from Xbox cards, amazon cards and even Swagbucks! You can earn up to 15 pts a day for searching and additional bonus emails that they send you. To date I have cashed in for over 2000 swagbucks! Click HERE to join BING!

Bzzagent 

Bzzagent is a great way to earn Mypoints while testing out new products! So far I have been in 14 campaigns over the last year. They send me a full size product or coupon for free product to try and give honest feedback on. See one of my reviews here. This has been a great way for me to try new products and earn Mypoints at the same time! I’ve tried some awesome products such as a Nerf Cyberhoop, Curel lotion, Hydroshick Razor and many more! Check them out HERE!

Superpoints 

Yes Baby! Superpoints is back and better than ever! I was a member of Superpoints for years before they closed down. They are now back and raring to go! It’s super easy and they give you various options from surveys, shopping, offers and of course your daily spins! Earn points to earn various gifts and the higher level you get the higher the prizes are! Click to HERE  join Superpoints *Please note this is a member only site by invitation only* 

Other sites that can help you make money as well!

www.disneymovierewards.com – You enter points found on your Disney movies or by special codes and games they offer. You can earn gifts, movies or even Disney Gift Cards! I cashed in for 3 $10 cards around Christmas.

www.mycokerewards.com – Coke points are found on any coke related products, look for the codes on the caps, cases, 12 pks, or bottles. Coke will occasionally also offer bonus points throughout the year, please note you are limited to 120 pts a week. You can earn gift cards, magazines, prizes and coupons for free 12 pk. They also offer a 12 days of Christmas usually in November or December where they give a flash deal of a gift card or prize for a special marked down points. I saved all my points up through the year for the 12 days of Christmas they have. This year I cashed in for $25 Nike card, $25 Target and $25 Best buy and a FREE 12 pk coupon! The gift cards made great Christmas gifts! All 3 of these cards went into my husband’s Christmas stocking as a surprise bonus!

www.freshstep.com/paw-points - I just started using this website, so I haven’t got any prizes yet, but it looks like you can get free cat litter and coupons on here for Fresh Step litter.

www.inboxdollars.com – This is another site that you can earn money from. I’m almost to the $30 cashout mark. This is a site I have not utilized very heavily, due to time. But I’ve heard others have cashed out in a month for $30! Always worth a try!

www.recyclebank.com – I’ve used this site for years and while it doesn’t make me a lot, I have cashed in mostly for coupons and 1 $5 amazon card. The rewards seem to vary each time. I don’t use diapers anymore but you can also earn points at these websites where you earn points to cash in for free stuff!

www.huggies.com/en-US/rewards/earn
www.pampersrewards.pampers.com

Hopefully these will give you some ideas or some additional cash!  My current cash stash is the following:

$145 from point earning websites, not including gift cards!

 Stay tuned for Part 2, how to make money by selling on line.

 Momma 

*The links provided are based on a referral through the site, I earn to a point when you earn.*

July 28, 2014

Superpoints is BACK!

Yes you heard me right! Superpoints is back! I am so excited, I loved superpoints before it closed last year. This is one of the many ways I earn my christmas money! I am starting on next years fund already and between my swagbucks and mypoints, I'm already over $100 So so excited that superpoints is back and it is legit. If you'd like to earn free stuff, gift cards and much more check it out! It's free to sign up with this link https://www.superpoints.com/join/yxq6pOIBKoBC6rGJFOd-yeyujto and earn! In the next few days I will be posting other ways to earn money online and what I'm doing in building my 2015 Christmas fund! Till next time, Momma

April 29, 2014

Review of Paula's Choice Exfoliant

So I’ve been using Paula’s choice for over a month now and I really do like it! I see a difference in my pores, my skin tone and the blackheads I had. The leave on exfoliant has made a world of difference to me at least who has struggled consistently with large pores due to genetics. I’ve used numerous products from brand names to generic names, nothing seems to work. I either am left with extremely dry skin or it turns red and hurts. When Bzzagent allowed me to have the chance to try this new Exfoliating serum I was more than excited! But I was also nervous as I didn’t know what to expect. I received my kit with my bottle, samples and literature. It comes in a 120ml bottle, and believes me when I say it will last! You sure don’t need very much of it! I wanted to use it right away but I knew first I had to cleanse my face. So I pulled out my Clearasil pads (yes that’s all I can find that was helping me keep most pimples at bay). Cleaned and dried my face, then poured a generous amount of Paula’s on a cotton ball. Well first lesson learned that was way too much! Oops! Oh well I rubbed it all over my face and instantly felt tightness. I thought ok hope this is right! The only downfall I noticed was that it had a sticky/tacky feeling afterwards that lingered. That bugged me some but I definitely felt it working! Sweet.. I can’t wait to see how this works! For me I was using this daily every morning, I’ve read some people who were using it twice a day that I do not recommend at all. The directions said once a day, which was more than enough for me. From website: What makes this product unique? Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant rapidly exfoliates both the skin's surface and inside the pore, reshaping the pore lining, unclogging pores and improving skin cell turnover rate. The result is a dramatic improvement in the skin's appearance, feel, and function which leads to healthier skin. There is a great deal of research indicating that BHA (beta hydroxy acid) increases collagen production and drastically smooths the surface of skin. Additionally, BHA has antibacterial properties that attack blemish-causing bacteria. The lightweight, non-occlusive formula allows for a faster and deeper exfoliation rate than our gel or lotion BHA products, so it's an ideal choice for stubborn clogged pores or blackheads. This product is 100% fragrance- and colorant-free with a pH range of 3.2-3.8. Every Paula's Choice BHA product is formulated with additional soothing agents. Who is this product for? All skin types may use this product, but the texture is especially suited for those with normal to oily or combination skin, stubborn blackheads, and blemish-prone skin. It can also be used regularly to eliminate calluses on feet, elbows and knees. Moving on to a month later, I was looking and checking and noticed that I had nowhere near as many blackheads as I normally do. I thought hm.. wow that’s new for me. The pores while still larger than most people are downsizing which is tremendous for me as that has been a thorn in my side since I was a teenager! And unfortunately I’m one of those who has a few small acne scars from back in the day. **sigh** I also have noticed that my skin is looking healthier overall and I’ve seen less breakouts even during that hormonal time of the month, which has been a big success. I will continue to use this and had originally hoped I’d see some miracles happen, BUT while I am seeing some changes, everything takes time. I’ve read many people saying it’s instant, it is not. It also does not work on everyone’s skin tone either. Always better to try first. Here are my pros/cons for this product: * bottle lasts a long time * Reduced blackheads * Minimal breakouts * No acne * Clearer skin in general * No dryness Cons: * Expensive. Slightly expensive - $23 on amazon * IF you have a tender area it’s likely to sting some. * Still trying to determine if it will actually reduce/eliminate pores and lines. Unfortunately I have no before/after pictures anymore as my son left my cellphone in the rain the other day and well now I’m without a phone and all my pictures… Children.. I tell ya! They have a whole product line and I plan to do some more research to determine if there’s anything else that I can use in conjunction with this and make my skin even better! Give it a try! Thanks to Bzzagent for allowing me the chance to really give this product a try and give an honest review and I have a feeling I will be definitely checking out Paula's other products! All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this post.

February 3, 2014

My honest and unbiased review of Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover.

It’s been quite a while since I've been on here, busy busy busy!  However,  I've decided to get back into this blogging thing to keep myself in line with goals I've set for myself for this year.

Recently I told myself and my husband that things had to change, for the sake of ourselves, our family, our marriage and our finances. We fought about money All. The. Time.  It was ridiculous; he said he felt like a broken record, I’d agree to change my ways, but in reality I was kidding myself and I’d go back to doing what I was doing.   I've always tried to be thrifty, to some point, using coupons, shopping sales, etc. but I admit I got roped into the Extreme Couponing craze and was super jealous of all the stockpiles of food those people had.  I wanted that I would tell myself!  When I actually started to really focus on extreme couponing (2010), it was like an addiction.  I mean I grew up with my mom clipping coupons on necessary items, so it was normal for me to use them.  However, I soon came to realize I spent more money out of pocket on things that I did not need or  would ever use;  hmm I would think to myself, they didn't do that on the show.  It took me quite a while before I really listened to my husband when he said do we really need 20 tubes of toothpaste?  Umm.. Well, no not really I suppose I would say, but I just kept on a trucking. 





                                Source:  Amazon.com


Fast-forward to today, 2014 almost 4 years later.  I still coupon, not to any extreme, but I try to match sales to ads and double my coupons when I can for things I know we will use or need, but you know what.. It doesn’t always work out.  And that’s OK!  My husband pointed out once that I went with a grocery list of 5 basic weekly items: bread, milk, lunchmeat, fruit and cheese.  I came home with 10 bags of other stuff and forgot most of what I went for.   He’d ask me do we really need 4 packages of Oreos? Well they were on sale I’d say, he’s like and your point is?  Took a while but I finally got the understanding what he was saying.  We didn’t need those Oreos, I wanted them.  Things HAD to change.

So at the beginning of January I started reading Total Money Makeover based on a lot of recommendations from the LWSL Facebook group Ruth had started.  There were various views and opinions.  I considered every one of them and decided I will read the book, see if I can garner anything out of it and go from there.  So I read each page, each chapter, and each baby step.  And I started to understand what others were saying about his book.  So in my words here are my honest key points about it:

  1. Set a budget – definitely needed
  2.  I think his baby steps are great suggestions, but not for everyone.
  3.  Build an emergency fund – definitely!
  4. In today’s world I believe we still need some sort of credit card to have.
  5.  Emergency funds excellent example!
  6. Building your retirement – great for those that have matching 401Ks (I do, but my husband does not).
  7.  Building your kids college – I think it’s a great idea if you can do it.  Some people I’m sure can’t.
  8.   Envelope system – I think this would work great for variable expenses such as eating out, groceries etc.



Now here’s my honest down points about it:
1. I wasn’t crazy about how he ‘talked’ like we are all idiots, yes we may be mismanaging money we wouldn’t be reading the book if we weren't but still we are not idiots. 
2. I believe we still need at least 1 credit card (not bank debit cards) for larger purchases such as flights, appliances etc.
3. I don’t quite agree with sell everything you can such as a car etc.  I’m sorry I bought my truck because I need the space, I have 3 dogs and 3 kids, I can’t just sell my truck to alleviate payments.  *now if I couldn’t make my payments that would be a different circumstance*
4. I am underwater on my home, just like mostly everyone probably is today.  But you know what it’s my home, I am making my payments, and honestly I’m not going to find anywhere else to live with a family of 5, 3 dogs and 3 cats. 

Overall, I think the book was valuable, a lot of it was information I had already known and probably just needed the reminder or refresher.   I am taking some of his thoughts/ideas and implementing them for myself.  I’ve created my budget, started to build my emergency fund (which I’ve already had to dip into) and have a genuine plan in place.  I know the budget will need to adjust as we move forward and pay off the few bills we have.  My largest debts are a HELOC due in 2 years and my student loan, which is like a mortgage payment.  I would never push getting student loans on anyone.  I wish someone had educated me on them when I first started school; I made A LOT of mistakes with these loans and now have a lot of regret.  But all I can do is move forward.

So my new plan starting Feb. 1 is I created a budget together with my husband using the form found here Budget form and I created a Debt Snowball Calculator as well for us to review.  I also created a weekly bill payment schedule since he’s paid weekly and I’m paid bi-weekly.  It works for us and it helps us know if we need more money one week vs. another week which allows us to adjust accordingly.  We are building our emergency fund while still living our life and enjoying our days we have.  As soon as the emergency fund is established I will start with the envelopes for certain expenses and savings throughout the year.  


I have learned that life is too short to pinch every penny and I believe in spending the time I do have with my family and enjoying myself even if it means spending some money.


Til next time ~

Frugal Momma


*This post is by no way shape or form associated with Dave Ramsey, I was not provided compensation for this review or any sort of monetary payment.  It is strictly my thoughts and opinions on the book, they are my own and where credit is due credit is given.*

December 17, 2013

Thredup Earn $10 for FREE clothes! Paid only $2.99 shipping for Levi's jeans!!

Thredup – Excellent place for used children’s clothing! 

 $2.99 for Levi’s jeans!   Earn $10 for signing up!


I have 3 boys ages (10, 8 and 5) and well as many parents of boys know they are rough on clothes.  I’ve been pretty lucky until about now.  My 10 and 8 year old have been pretty easy with hand me downs, my 5 yr old on the other hand hasn't followed along with his brother’s clothing sizes for the seasons here in the Midwest, so I spent a lot of time trying to find reasonably priced clothing.  My main focus for my kids is jeans, jeans are so expensive these days and it’s even harder when I need the slim with adjustable waist kind. 

My 8 year old is super slim and everything pretty much falls off his waist if he doesn't have adjustable buttons on the inside.  Recently I moved him up to size 10, mainly for the lengthy as the 8’s were getting too short and well pretty much all the knees were worn out between him and his brother.  Luckily my oldest just moved to size 12 for length as well so that freed up a few 10’s at least.

When I placed my first order with Thredup I was a little nervous, as I wasn't sure what to expect as I’I've never ordered from a online consignment before.  Is the pricing good? Is the product going to meet my expectations? Do I have anything to worry about?  I took my chances when they had their cyber special going on two weeks ago. 

Here’s what I got:





Boys size 12 Levi’s jeans - $15.49
Add shipping                         $2.99
Total:                                      $18.48
(minus cyber deal)    -      $15.00   credit
Total due:  $3.48

Not bad for jeans that normally run $20 or more!  I got these for practically FREE!

  Better yet I referred my family to the site as well and my grandmother ordered my 5 yr old a pair of jeans too and only paid shipping charges of $2.99 for a pair of Levi’s!!   This one indicated a tiny flaw she said but figure it was ok.  I’m not overly picky!



If you are interested in signing up for thredup you can earn $10 to spend and I will also too!  Click on the following link to check it out.  You will earn $10 off your first order ( this could be FREE clothes!).


May 1, 2013

Review of Lysol Touch of Foam soap


I signed up a few months ago as a Bzz agent and I will tell you they have not disappointed!  My first trial Garnier Review I did not care for the product much, but they appreciate honest feedback.  So when I was invited for the campaign for Lysol Touch of Foam I was super excited to give another new product a try.  First, as a mother of 3 boys I know how important it is to keep your hands washed with a good soap.  Face it kids are messy, boys are messy and 3 boys plus their friends, oh boy!  However, it became even more evident the last month because of the stomach flu bug going around.  It just seemed to be hitting everyone everywhere I went.  So I made sure to have this new soap available for everyone to use.  I love Lysol for the fact they have the products that cleanse, kill bacteria and delivers on what they promise.   One downside of continually washing hands is that your hands get dry and rough.  You constantly are running and putting lotion on.  With this Lysol Touch of Foam soap they promise clean and soft all in one and they definitely deliver in my opinion! 
Creamy Vanilla Orchid

Checkout that FOAM!

Years back I was one of those nuts who was spending top dollar for ‘foaming’ soap dispensers, yeah those lasted oh so long (not!).  They became more of a nuisance then anything, for the constant refilling, making sure you had the right amount, etc.  I finally gave up and bought the cheapest soap around.  Then my boys came along and they started growing up and the germs multiplied as they grew.  Then I started gardening again and well that just added a whole new level of germs and dirt to the washing of hands in my household.  With handling fresh veggies from the garden and canning/preserving food it’s extremely important to avoid germs as much as possible.  Garden season is starting here in Illinois and I can’t wait for it and I feel even better now knowing about this soap! 
So we’ve now been using this soap for a few weeks and oh my goodness.  I am never going back to regular soap!  I LOVE this soap!    My kids love the foaminess of it and they wash their hands longer and I love the smell, the texture, the foam and the cleanliness of it!  I love that it leaves a lingering scent on your hands and you can smell the clean!  From now on this will be the soap in my house!
Touch of Foam comes in 3 scents: Creamy Vanilla Orchid, Rose & Cherry in Bloom and Wild Berry Bliss.  You can visit Lysol’s website or Facebook page to learn more and obtain coupons. 
For us as of right now this is  THE soap and my family has all enjoyed it.  I think my 4 yr old likes the foam as he has a tendency to over pump the soap dispenser.  But his hands are very clean! J
*I was provided a free sample of Lysol Touch of foam from Bzz agent for my honest review.  All opinions and thoughts are 100% my own*