Extra Mula for a SAHM!

Okay, so I am on this SAHM kick I guess. Maybe I am just bored since Kerry is out tonight and I have a few minutes to spare, but I wanted to share some legit ways of making and saving some extra cash in your spare time......if you have any! Ha!

Soon after Caleb was born, I was reading one of my favorite blog sites, http://www.babycheapskate.blogspot.com/ which I had come across reading some sort of baby magazine prior to his birth. It is awesome if you have not come across it, details sales and great deals on anything and everything you might possibly need for your child. Diaper/Formula deals, clothing/shoe sales, stroller/carseat steals! You name it! There is also another site that is pretty cool too, http://www.thethriftymama.com/. Just took advantage of a free Redbox rental the other night because I happened to look at the right time. These sites are created by moms who know how to find the deals and gladly share them with other moms who are somewhat clueless on stone cold bargain hunting! I do like to find my share of deals using coupons, but I am not crazy about it. I have tried to read up on http://www.couponmom.com/ to figure out her tactics, but some of it is a bit extreme and I have found some good deals there too.

Okay to the point I wanted to highlight. Babycheapskate had a post on taking online surveys that legitimately pay out. I thought, I will need some extra cash, why don't I check these out and see what happens. Well, over the past two years I have earned cash, gift cards and free products for taking daily surveys which can be fun! I have always enjoyed being asked my opinion or participating in focus groups. I took part in a focus group back in Phoenix on baby wipes and earned $100 for 2 hours of my time, plus I got a free pack of wipes to trial prior to the group, plus I arrived 10 minutes early to be entered into their early bird drawing and actually won another $100 for being pulled out of the hat! Wow! The cool thing about these surveys that are delivered to your inbox daily is that you have no obligation to take them. If you take a few days, the survey may be closed and you lose it, but tomorrow is another opportunity! Also, you may not qualify for every survey sent, but its worth a try to earn points or cash rewards right? I just took a survey today about what kind of toys I would buy Caleb and earned $4. It took me about 10 minutes to complete! I'll take it!

Another favorite part of participating in these online research panels is that I have qualified to test products currently on the market or potential new ideas to be evaluated by everyday people. Here is an idea of what I have tested and received a cash reward in follow up survey:

*Toilet Paper (Currently evaluating. I got a 6 pack that they pay me to use!)
*Pantene Shampoo/Conditioner (Currently evaluating. Full size, supposed to use for a month in place of my current shampoo.)
*Sunscreen
*Men's Shave Gel
*Flatbread microwave pizza (2 different kinds were overnighted frozen for me to eat! They were actually quite good!)
*Baby Wipes
*Diapers
*Training Pants (Recently got a pack of Huggies Pull Ups and Pampers Easy Ups to compare)
*Salad Dressing

I often forget to login to my accounts and check my balances so I can cash out. I remember to do it every couple months and just recently I received nearly $80 in cash and a $25 starbucks giftcard. I also participate in a momtalk community put on by the company Novartis, which I contribute to a few times a month and I have earned $30 to Amazon so far. Not bad for sharing my opinion right? So you are probably saying to yourself, shutup already, tell me what the websites are so I can sign up! Here are the survey sites I partake in:

https://www.globalopinionpanels.com/home?lang=en_US
https://www.opinionoutpost.com/dashboard.php
http://www.valuedopinions.com/
https://www.mysurvey.com/
http://www.acop.com/Default.aspx
http://www.globaltestmarket.com/

I don't know about you, but I love treats on occasion. Not having the extra income, these treats can be sacrificed. Today I got Caleb some dinosaurs and a hula hoop with one of the VISA gift cards I received from a survey group. We also shared a "pink milk" from Starbucks using a gift card I had earned earlier this week. I LOVE THIS TYPE OF MARKETING and am proud to contribute my opinions when I want for REWARDS!!!!

Another quick pointer on babycheapskate and thrifty mama. Check them out daily if you have the time because you never know what deal may be gone tomorrow! Good luck!