Health Advice, Product Reviews, and Helpful Guides

Free Iphone Apps That Earn Gift Cards and Prizes

2011-10-23T00:37:00.000-07:00

There are tons of free useful apps in the Itunes store. Why not take a few minutes out of your day with the following apps to collect points for prizes such as gift cards from Amazon, Macy's, Target, or even cash payments?

Shopkick

Walk-in: This shopping app gives points for walking into certain stores. Walk into the store, open the app, and collect the points. Simple as that!

Barcode Scans: Scan listed products while in the store to collect even more points.

Collect points by tapping on bubbles next to the store's name. Bubbles with stars means there is a bonus hidden there. Collecting 3 different bonus images gives you a larger number of points. There are bonuses for charitable donations too. Collect 3 images and a donation will be made to the charity listed.

Redeem points for:

Donation to causes - 3+ points

Facebook credits - 25 points

$25 Hotel Cash Card - 625 points

Restaurant.com certificate - 875

Gift cards - Best Buy 500 points = $2; 1250 points = $5; Best Buy, Macy's, Target, American Eagle Outfitters, Sports Authority, Arden B, Wet Seal, Toys R Us

-Many more prizes listed under Rewards tab-

After downloading the app, enter my code chicken1220 for an extra 50 points.

Checkpoints

Use this app in stores to scan barcodes on featured items. Collect points from the "anywhere" section when you're not in a store. There are also coins you can collect to play the slot machine or jungle scratchoff games. Note: product scans are reviewed, so make sure only to scan when you are in stores.

Fewer points are required for redemption than Shopkick (minimum 300 points).

WeReward

This is a unique app that rewards you cash via Paypal for checking into places by taking a picture. Pictures should preferably have you in them, but you can use your imagination and take creative pictures. There are also products that will give you points for taking a picture of them (1 point = 1 penny). Images are reviewed and approved before you get your credit, and cashing out requires a minimum of $10. This may sound time consuming, but it's not! The money adds up very quickly.

Note: WeReward requires your social security number for tax purposes.

I hope you find these apps as useful as I have. Feel free to contact me if you need any additional tips!

What is Swagbucks? How to get started

2011-10-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

There are several sites where you can earn money or gift cards in exchange for a few minutes of your day. It's like saving up spare change to spend on great prizes.

One of my trusted sites is Swagbucks.com. It's a free site where you earn points to redeem Paypal credits, gift cards, and an assortment of random prizes. You can earn points for taking daily polls, by using the search box (like Google or Yahoo search), or completing special offers like watching short video clips. Points are called Swagbucks. I'll explain the site step-by-step.

Earn: The 'Earn' tab lists all the various ways you can earn points.

Coupons - 10 points for every coupon you print and redeem. You can also add coupons to your grocery or rewards card so no need to print.

Daily deals - These are similar to Groupon or Livingsocial deals. You get points for your purchase of a deal.

Daily Polls - Earn 1 Swagbucks point for every day you answer the poll.

Games or Swagbucks TV - Earn points for playing games or watching short video clips

NOSO (No Obligation Special Offers) - Click through the offers, respond no to them to earn 2 points per day

Search - Use the search box as though you are doing a Google or Yahoo search. Points vary from 5 - 50, sometimes more.

Special Offers - Stick to the free offers that consist of watching video clips.

Tasks - These are job tasks that pay you with Swagbucks points. You will often perform searches or categorize images. Note that these tasks can be tedious and time consuming depending on which one you choose to complete.

Trade in your old electronics or books in exchange for Swagbucks points

Trusted Surveys - take surveys for Swagbucks. I generally skip this entirely since it's time consuming.

There are often Swag Codes that offer points. They expire in a short period of time, and you would enter them on your main Swagbucks.com home page. www.sc-s.com posts these codes if you can't find them.

In addition to redeeming your points for gift cards or prizes, you can enter contests to win expensive prizes.You can also donate your points to certain charities listed on the site. I like to redeem my points for Amazon gift cards (450 = $5).

Earning gift cards or making some money from this site only takes a few minutes of your day. Gift cards take 1-2 weeks to be fulfilled, and prizes are mailed within 4-6 weeks. It may seem like a long time, but those gift cards quickly add up.

Free Stuff Tips

2011-10-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

Yes, there are things in life that are free. No, I'm not talking about hugs.

For those of us who are students, unemployed, or stay at home parents, finding freebies, earning gift cards, and winning prizes becomes an adopted lifestyle. There are a lot of scams out there and too many sites that are looking to spam your email. One legitimate site I use is www.freestufftimes.com. I've received plenty of free things over the past year and even won prizes from many of the contests.
www.slickdeals.net lists freebies as well as great deals on products from various sites like Amazon. To protect yourself from spam:

Create a new email - Prevent your current email address from getting constant spam by creating a disposable one that you do not need.

Create an online voicemail phone number - Freebie giveaways often require a phone number and it's not a good idea to give out your primary one all the time, unless you trust the source that's giving away free things.

www.k7.net gives you free access to an online voicemail number. In order to keep the number you must receive at least one message per month. Otherwise, the company cancels the number and you have to create another one.

There are many giveaways on Facebook, but when you use your account the company or brand giving away free stuff wants access to all your personal information, including friends list. Create a new Facebook profile that is specifically used to enter Facebook contests or giveaways.

Keep a list of free things you have requested. That way you'll know if you are getting your mail or if your mail is being taken or is missing.

*Never give out your personal information like credit cards or SSN for freebies. *

Hope this helps. Happy freebie hunting!

Ready to Lose Weight?

2011-10-19T12:09:00.000-07:00

Have you been struggling to lose those extra pounds that don't seem to go away no matter how much you diet? By following the steps below, I lost 15 lbs. in just 1 month:

1. Calorie Control
Using the Calorie Counter and Diet Tracker by myfitnesspal.com, I recorded every meal and workout completed. This free app from the Itunes store lets you set your weight loss goals, how many calories you should consume based on that goal, and details every step of your progress. Thousands of meals are already listed to save you time on entering every meal. If you don't have an Iphone or Ipad, you can use myfitnesspal.com to record your calories.

2. Workouts
No single exercise or trip to the gym helped me to lose weight until I started circuit training 2-3 times a week. Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shredcombines cardio, abs, and strength training for an effective workout in less than 30 minutes. The 30 Day Shred is inexpensive and is available in both DVDand online streaming formats. You'll need dumbbells and a yoga mat (if working out on a hardwood surface) for this workout.

3. Everything in Moderation
Thanks to the calorie counter, I am more aware of what I choose to eat. It's important to know that junk food is ok every now and then, so don't feel guilty about indulgences once in awhile. Foods like apples and pears are good snacks that are low in calories and high in nutrients. Salads or lettuce are extremely low in calories (just 10-15 calories for 1 cup) and is a great meal for those days you know you'll be eating out.

There are many options out there to lose weight. Be mindful of what you are eating, make the most of your workouts, and keep everything in moderation. Good luck!

*I am not sponsored by any products I mention in my posts. These are products that work for me and I want to spread the word.

Comment or send me a message if you need additional tips!

Top 3 Legitimate Survey Sites to Earn Money

2011-10-18T16:13:00.000-07:00

Taking surveys requires some time and effort in order to earn incentives such as checks, amazon gift cards, or prizes. Don't believe any site that claims members will make $1,000+ per month or sites that want you to pay them to access surveys. Below are sites that I have used and have found to be legitimate:

1. Opinion Outpost:
This survey site provides survey incentives ranging from .50 - 5.00 per survey. The majority of surveys I take are $1 or $2. This site uses a point system (10 points = $1). There are a number of ways to cash out:

Amazon gift cards - $5 (50 points) minimum to redeem. Reward is sent immediately to your email after redeeming

Citi gift card - $15 (150 points) minimum. Virtual or physical gift card

Cash check - $20 (200 points) minimum. Can take up to 6 weeks, but I usually receive them within 1 month

Restaurant.com gift certificate - $10 (100 points) minimum. $10 redeemed for a $50 restaurant.com certificate

American Red Cross donation - $5 minimum

Alawar games - $3 (30 points) unlocks 1 game

2. Synovate Global Opinion Panels:
This site uses a point system (1000 points = $1). There is a minimum of $5 to redeem. You can either request a check which takes 4-8 weeks, or request a gift card from various merchants such as Amazon or Target. Gift cards take 1-3 weeks and are sent to your email. There is occasional product testing depending on the survey you take.

3. Mysurvey:
This site can be slow in sending your payments, prizes, or gift cards, but I have received them eventually. It is 1100 points for a $10 Paypal reward which can take up to 1 month to receive. There are various rewards and any survey you don't qualify for, you get 5 points. It takes awhile for those points to add up, but they are a reliable site. The only issue I have with mysurvey.com is the ad tracker that is automatically enabled in your account. You have the option to disable this, but may receive fewer surveys.

If you're not sure about a survey site's legitimacy, www.surveypolice.com lists reviews and complaints by users. Taking surveys won't replace your monthly income, but it can provide some extra cash along with opportunities to test products and influence products sold in stores.

Worst Christmas Ever

2010-12-26T01:46:00.000-08:00

I'm 24 years old and I still look forward to opening presents with my brothers. Maybe it's because my parents never bought Christmas presents for us or even set up a tree. I never minded receiving no gifts for the holidays, but how my mom treated me during the holidays will always be burned in my memories.

I don't have a good relationship with my mom. In fact, our relationship is horrible. I've never disrespected her, talked back to her, or acted rudely towards her. Even now, as much as I resent her, I ask for forgiveness and wish that I could erase the resentment in my heart. The truth is, I've always wanted a mom who was loving and supportive. What I grew up with was someone who was selfish, immature, and constantly needed to be taken care of. In short, I grew up with a psycho. Once, when I was washing dishes (7th grade), she didn't like how I was washing them and after she cursed and yelled at me, and made fun of my appearance, I started to cry. She became really angry, took a pair of scissors, and lunged at me. She chopped off one side of my long hair and yes, I went to school with lopsided hair. I remember these incidents clearly.

Every year I open presents with my brothers on Christmas at our parents' house. While we were unwrapping gifts, my mom was going on an on about how she didn't need to buy any gifts for us because we were not outsiders. Weeks before, I told her that it didn't matter how cheap the gift was (she is worse than frugal) as long as she gave us something meaningful, or at least wrap it and pretend it was a gift. I bought gifts for both my mom and dad and not surprisingly, they had a good time unwrapping their presents. It's a shame they didn't let us experience that same feeling. I asked them not to give us money, but of course they threw some bills into an envelope and thrusted them at us. They think all we want is material possessions when I could care less about the money. It's the thought and effort that goes into gift-giving that they don't understand.

My mom gets highly irritable, grouchy, and sometimes violent during holidays, birthdays, or any day we seem to be happy. She picks fights with me and never with my brothers. My boyfriend gave my parents presents this year and she unwrapped it, delighted at having received a gift. Then she says,"give this back to him, he didn't personally give this to me and didn't come to my house so I don't want it." I ignored her, but she pushes forward. "How come he doesn't come here anymore? What, he's too good for us? He's rude..what, he's not your boyfriend anymore?" so you can tell where this is headed. Whenever she starts one of her verbally abusive rants, we all try to hide. I didn't respond to her and she stops. I was disappointed because earlier in the month she said she was going to buy gifts for us this Christmas. She stopped the rant and started on the excuses. "I didn't have time to go buy gifts, plus why waste the money..." I noticed a present addressed to my boyfriend and me, but when she saw my name on it, she told my brother to re-tag it and take my name off of the gift. Earlier in the week I was sick and she kept calling relentlessly, even though I told her I was really sick and could barely talk with my sore throat. I tried to stay there as long as I could in order to spend more time with my brothers. These visits are always painful and takes a toll on me. Later in the day she finally pushed me over the edge by saying "come here, sit down you need to talk. You've been lying I know what you're hiding only you know what you do" and I snapped. I packed up my things and headed out the door. She told me I'm not welcome there anymore and I said, "fuck you bitch." I told her to go to hell as I got into my car and tears started coming down. There was one time in my life when I had had enough of her and didn't talk to her for 3 months, and she begged for my attention. She even played the guilt card..(I gave birth to you so you have no right to ignore me). I promised myself tonight was the last night I would talk to her, and tonight was the last night she would ever make me cry. I know there are a lot of daughters out there with psychotic mothers and I'm sorry. We don't deserve them. We deserve better and I'm not going to feel sorry for her anymore. She made me cry on Christmas. What kind of mother does that? The kind that chops off your hair with scissors for no reason.

I hope you had a better Christmas than I did. I am thankful I at least have my 2 brothers and boyfriend for support every now and then. Happy Holidays

Delphik