As Easter is getting closer, I start thinking about past memories and what I enjoy so much about this holiday. The thing that is best for me happens on the Saturday before Easter in our area.
I always take my daughters to an Easter Egg Hunt. It is in the town where I grew up. This is only 30 minutes away, but I don't make it there as often as I should honestly. It is a huge hunt that is done all by donation.
An amazing mother's club in town has kept it going. They get eggs and fill them full of candy. They also put dollar coins, two dollar bills, and other special items into some of the eggs. They put them out different places such as church lawns. They put a lot of effort into making sure this happens every single year. They go around getting donations and even stuff the eggs themselves.
The kids are divided up into different age groups. When it is time to start, they get to run around and grab as many eggs as they can get into their baskets. I love watching the different age groups and how they are scared or just go for it. My youngest daughter was all over it last year at the age of almost 2, but this year I think she might be a little shyer about it all. My 7 year old just goes like crazy. I hope she doesn't think she is too old for it too soon.
Since I can't be two places at once, my dad always takes my older daughter to her area now since I used to go with her when she was little. I miss seeing her do it, but she loves getting papa all to herself and having this time with him.
One of the best parts of it, is watching them open up all of their eggs when they are done. They go through them all and see what prizes they picked up. We can't even go home before we do it. We have to make a stop at grandma's to check out everything.
This is something I never miss doing with my children. They have a blast at this egg hunt every year and we get to see family which is a bonus. It is a tradition I plan to keep up until they are old enough they won't let me anymore.
“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hop blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”
Monday, March 28, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Don't Put All Your Eggs in One Basket
Recently someone I know lost one of their writing jobs. They were freaked out and unsure how they would be able to pay bills. This reminds me to never put all of your eggs in one basket.
What this means is to work for more than one place. If a new place is hiring, it does not hurt to apply. It is great to have options available for many reasons.
One thing is if you ever lose a job then you won't be scared. You will know that you have other options available and work to do. Yes it might take a second to regroup, but you can still pay your bills.
It is also really nice to have money coming in all the time. Different places pay at different times. Don't you love the idea of getting money every week instead of just once a month? Working different places can help you to make sure this happens.
Work dries up sometimes. You will not be able to find good titles for yourself with certain companies. Instead of just taking time off work you can go to another place and find jobs for yourself.
Find the place that you can make the most money in the shortest amount of time and work there the most. Keep your other places and work there enough to not lose the job. You will thank yourself for it later.
What this means is to work for more than one place. If a new place is hiring, it does not hurt to apply. It is great to have options available for many reasons.
One thing is if you ever lose a job then you won't be scared. You will know that you have other options available and work to do. Yes it might take a second to regroup, but you can still pay your bills.
It is also really nice to have money coming in all the time. Different places pay at different times. Don't you love the idea of getting money every week instead of just once a month? Working different places can help you to make sure this happens.
Work dries up sometimes. You will not be able to find good titles for yourself with certain companies. Instead of just taking time off work you can go to another place and find jobs for yourself.
Find the place that you can make the most money in the shortest amount of time and work there the most. Keep your other places and work there enough to not lose the job. You will thank yourself for it later.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
My Journey to Becoming a Freelance Writer
Recently I posted links to a couple of articles that I wrote about starting at home as a writer. I want to share a bit of my experience with you.
I have been a stay at home mom for 6 years now. I have tried and tried to find ways to make an income at home. I tried Cha Cha, pay to click sites, and searched for legit ways to make money at home.
One day I finally stumbled upon eHow. I thought wow do people really make this kind of money writing. I would love to do that and I know I could. I started out writing for eHow and with big dreams.
Shortly after I started there, they shut down the freelance program and changed it where you have to be through Demand Studios to write for them. I did not feel comfortable doing this so I moved on, but I still make about $15/month from articles I wrote there for doing zero work. It is all residual money.
Next I started with Textbroker. They are an amazing company to start out with. I would be so excited if I could make $10/day. Now my husband thinks that is so funny because $10/day now is more than I make if I take the day off. I get that much each day and more on residuals.
I have since branched out into writing for several different places. We all have to work and find what is best for us. I work my butt off somedays and others I don't work at all. When asked if you can make a living at this, yes you can! Can you make enough money to pay your bills? Yes! I know single moms who support themselves and their child doing this every day. I could make that much money if I dedicated the time to it that they do. I will say that I am making more money than I ever thought was possible.
If writing is what you want to do, push yourself. Realize that you will get better with time and you will learn what works for you. Don't be afraid to try things out. Most importantly remember that it is hard work. The money does not just fall in your lap, but if you work at it you can make good money at it.
I am just a normal stay at home mom in a small town in Oklahoma. You can do this, but you have to believe in yourself and be willing to put the work into this job that you would any other job.
I have been a stay at home mom for 6 years now. I have tried and tried to find ways to make an income at home. I tried Cha Cha, pay to click sites, and searched for legit ways to make money at home.
One day I finally stumbled upon eHow. I thought wow do people really make this kind of money writing. I would love to do that and I know I could. I started out writing for eHow and with big dreams.
Shortly after I started there, they shut down the freelance program and changed it where you have to be through Demand Studios to write for them. I did not feel comfortable doing this so I moved on, but I still make about $15/month from articles I wrote there for doing zero work. It is all residual money.
Next I started with Textbroker. They are an amazing company to start out with. I would be so excited if I could make $10/day. Now my husband thinks that is so funny because $10/day now is more than I make if I take the day off. I get that much each day and more on residuals.
I have since branched out into writing for several different places. We all have to work and find what is best for us. I work my butt off somedays and others I don't work at all. When asked if you can make a living at this, yes you can! Can you make enough money to pay your bills? Yes! I know single moms who support themselves and their child doing this every day. I could make that much money if I dedicated the time to it that they do. I will say that I am making more money than I ever thought was possible.
If writing is what you want to do, push yourself. Realize that you will get better with time and you will learn what works for you. Don't be afraid to try things out. Most importantly remember that it is hard work. The money does not just fall in your lap, but if you work at it you can make good money at it.
I am just a normal stay at home mom in a small town in Oklahoma. You can do this, but you have to believe in yourself and be willing to put the work into this job that you would any other job.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
"Clarity" by Kim Harrington Book Review
I recently shared with you all about the two free books I received to review. Here is my other book review on "Clarity" by Kim Harrington if you are interested. It was a great book too!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Yoplait Yogurt
I am in a constant battle with weight loss. I honestly loss then gain a little back then lose again. Yoplait Yogurt is one thing that always helps me out though. It honestly is a great tasting and low calorie snack. It is affordable and I can usually find coupons or get it on sale.
Recently I went to Yoplait's facebook page and liked it. I got a coupon in the mail for a free yogurt. I love free!
I encourage you to try this yummy yogurt and also to like their page on facebook. You will be glad you did!
Disclaimer: By posting this blog, I stand the chance to win a prize pack from MyBlogSpark and Yoplait.
Recently I went to Yoplait's facebook page and liked it. I got a coupon in the mail for a free yogurt. I love free!
I encourage you to try this yummy yogurt and also to like their page on facebook. You will be glad you did!
Disclaimer: By posting this blog, I stand the chance to win a prize pack from MyBlogSpark and Yoplait.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Starting to Work at Home as a Freelance Writer
Today I want to have you check out a couple of articles I wrote that will help you if you want to get started as a freelance writer.
Working at Home as a Writer a Guide to Getting Started
10 Legit Places that Hire Writers
Both of these articles can really help you out if freelance writing is the job for you.
Working at Home as a Writer a Guide to Getting Started
10 Legit Places that Hire Writers
Both of these articles can really help you out if freelance writing is the job for you.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Amazon Associate Program Tools: A Guest Blog
You may be aware of Amazon’s Associate Program but do you know how to implement it? Amazon offers several different tools to help you. You will want to test each tool on your site to see which performs best.
1. Product Banner Widget – A product banner widget is in essence a photo box of a product listing its details, price, and a buy button.
2. Text Linking – Amazon provides html for text linking that you can use for keyword linking, text ads, or deep linking.
3. Product Cloud Widget – This widget provides a “cloud” or grouping of keywords that relates to the content on your site. This ad looks similar to tag clouds.
4. Search Widget – The search widget allows you to place an Amazon search box on your site. This allows readers to search for any product on Amazon directly from your site.
5. Product Preview Widget – The product preview widget is like the product banner widget only it pops up when a user hovers their mouse over a selected keyword.
6. Deals Widget – The deal widget is a real time update ad box that rotates between lighting deals, deal of the day, and best deals.
This post is a guest post written by Bridget of Guide to Smart Shopping. Her blog is related to frugal living where she blogs about living frugally, shopping deals, freebies, and more.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Making Money by Tweeting
I have a twitter account that I use to promote my articles. I think it does help to get views. One thing I have started doing with it as well is working for SponsoredTweets.
You can get paid for tweeting two different ways on this site. Some tweets will pay you a set amount just for doing it. This is based on how many followers you have and what they think your page is worth. Some tweets will pay you a set amount for every person that clicks on them.
The only thing I don't like about this site is that payout is $50. You can get paid before that, but it charges you $2 if you cash out early. I really like it so far and several celebrities use it as well.
I am interested in finding out about other companies that pay you to tweet as well. If you sign up, please do it through the link above because they also pay 10% for referrals. Thanks!
You can get paid for tweeting two different ways on this site. Some tweets will pay you a set amount just for doing it. This is based on how many followers you have and what they think your page is worth. Some tweets will pay you a set amount for every person that clicks on them.
The only thing I don't like about this site is that payout is $50. You can get paid before that, but it charges you $2 if you cash out early. I really like it so far and several celebrities use it as well.
I am interested in finding out about other companies that pay you to tweet as well. If you sign up, please do it through the link above because they also pay 10% for referrals. Thanks!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Review of "Wither"
I recently blogged about a free book I received to write a review of on Associated Content. I read "Wither" and loved everything about the book! Here is my review if you are interested in reading it.
Wither Book Review
Wither Book Review
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Readbud Scam
I have seen many people try out a site called Readbud to earn money at home. I just want to let you all know that it is a scam and to stay away. I had actually forgotten about this site until I saw a friend post it on Twitter recently.
This site will have you read over articles and give them a rating. It is very time consuming. They say you get payout at $50. I only know one person who ever made it to payout and they did not get paid.
The rest of us that tried it made it to about $40 and then they quit giving us work. We could not log into the site at all and when we did get in there was no work available.
Do not waste your time on Readbud at all. It is a scam and there are legit ways to make money at home. Just a warning :-)
This site will have you read over articles and give them a rating. It is very time consuming. They say you get payout at $50. I only know one person who ever made it to payout and they did not get paid.
The rest of us that tried it made it to about $40 and then they quit giving us work. We could not log into the site at all and when we did get in there was no work available.
Do not waste your time on Readbud at all. It is a scam and there are legit ways to make money at home. Just a warning :-)
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Money Potential with Book Reviews
Recently I was asked how much money I make by reviewing books. I have done my book reviews on Associated Content if anyone else has used another place please feel free to post how it works as well.
My book reviews don't take long to write at all. Once I read a book that I love, my fingers start to move and the words just flow. I wrote a book review on Kendra Wilkinson's book recently. This review has made me about $3 so far, which does not sound like much, but since Kendra is still popular it gets more views every single day it should be a good Evergreen article for me. I did not get this book free like I did the other ones.
The other book reviews I have done are on books I enjoyed. They do not get as many views. I have made about $1 on each of them. I do still get views on them though so long term they might be worth a little more.
I personally feel like I made about $15 off of the reviews. I got a free book that would cost me at least $10 or more off Amazon. These were books that I wanted to buy and read anyway. I did not read them just to do the review because I would have done it anyway. This to me says that it is worth every minute I put into the review.
My book reviews don't take long to write at all. Once I read a book that I love, my fingers start to move and the words just flow. I wrote a book review on Kendra Wilkinson's book recently. This review has made me about $3 so far, which does not sound like much, but since Kendra is still popular it gets more views every single day it should be a good Evergreen article for me. I did not get this book free like I did the other ones.
The other book reviews I have done are on books I enjoyed. They do not get as many views. I have made about $1 on each of them. I do still get views on them though so long term they might be worth a little more.
I personally feel like I made about $15 off of the reviews. I got a free book that would cost me at least $10 or more off Amazon. These were books that I wanted to buy and read anyway. I did not read them just to do the review because I would have done it anyway. This to me says that it is worth every minute I put into the review.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
K-Mart/Sears Reward Card
When you go into a store, several of them want you to sign up for a rewards card. Sometimes you wonder if it is worth it or not. Well the K-Mart and Sears one is worth it!
You can use this card to earn points at both stores. If you are like me, you might make a big purchase at Sears such as a freezer. This could earn you a lot of points! I also shop at K-Mart on a regular basis with coupons and sales. For every 1,000 points you earn, you will get $1.00 credit. You can easily use this anytime you want when you check out at the store.
One day I bought a lot of stuff so I decided to see how many points I had earned. I ended up getting $14 off of my purchase. That alone made me remember to use this card every time I shop! I had only used it for small purchases and nothing big so it adds up fast.
Once you spend a certain amount, you will be upgraded to VIP and get bonus points every year. You can track your points online or at the bottom of your receipts. Make sure next time you are there you sign up for the card and use it when you shop.
You can use this card to earn points at both stores. If you are like me, you might make a big purchase at Sears such as a freezer. This could earn you a lot of points! I also shop at K-Mart on a regular basis with coupons and sales. For every 1,000 points you earn, you will get $1.00 credit. You can easily use this anytime you want when you check out at the store.
One day I bought a lot of stuff so I decided to see how many points I had earned. I ended up getting $14 off of my purchase. That alone made me remember to use this card every time I shop! I had only used it for small purchases and nothing big so it adds up fast.
Once you spend a certain amount, you will be upgraded to VIP and get bonus points every year. You can track your points online or at the bottom of your receipts. Make sure next time you are there you sign up for the card and use it when you shop.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Chance to Win Free Purex!
A friend of mine is offering a chance to win free Purex crystals on her blog. I love her blog and she is always posting new things that are free and cheap. You can check out the contest on her blog at Freebies & Cheapies.
Take a chance to win free laundry detergent :-)
Take a chance to win free laundry detergent :-)
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Reviewing Books - My Experience
When it comes to Associated Content, I love that I can write about what I want on there. They do not pay upfront payments for book reviews, but they do pay for views on them which is great residual money.
I started out writing a few book reviews on here about books that I read and just loved! I wanted to share my experience with others. The author of "Shiver" is Maggie Stiefvater. I posted a link to my article on her facebook page and she actually responded! This got me really excited about writing more reviews.
Recently I was contacted by David Good's publicist. He won 'Bachelor Pad.' She asked if I would want to read his book and review it. This lead to some great opportunities and I got his book for free. This got me thinking about ways I could get other books for free.
On facebook, I liked the movie "Twilight." They posted on their wall about two upcoming books by new authors that they thought were great. I read over what these books were about and I wanted to read them both! I looked on Amazon and did not want to spend $25 on two books.
I searched for the websites of these two authors and sent them emails. I basically told them I am a freelance writer and I would love to read their book. I sent them a link to my Associated Content page to look at so they could see my writing. I did not ask for a free book. Both of them responded to me saying they were mailing me a copy of their book to read. Yesterday I posted about "Wither." The other book I received is "Clarity."
I just started "Wither" and it is amazing! I will post a link once I do my review for you to read. I say if you are interested in something go for it! The worst they can do is tell you no :-)
I also got a huge box of Zatarain's food to review from trying this exact same thing.
I started out writing a few book reviews on here about books that I read and just loved! I wanted to share my experience with others. The author of "Shiver" is Maggie Stiefvater. I posted a link to my article on her facebook page and she actually responded! This got me really excited about writing more reviews.
Recently I was contacted by David Good's publicist. He won 'Bachelor Pad.' She asked if I would want to read his book and review it. This lead to some great opportunities and I got his book for free. This got me thinking about ways I could get other books for free.
On facebook, I liked the movie "Twilight." They posted on their wall about two upcoming books by new authors that they thought were great. I read over what these books were about and I wanted to read them both! I looked on Amazon and did not want to spend $25 on two books.
I searched for the websites of these two authors and sent them emails. I basically told them I am a freelance writer and I would love to read their book. I sent them a link to my Associated Content page to look at so they could see my writing. I did not ask for a free book. Both of them responded to me saying they were mailing me a copy of their book to read. Yesterday I posted about "Wither." The other book I received is "Clarity."
I just started "Wither" and it is amazing! I will post a link once I do my review for you to read. I say if you are interested in something go for it! The worst they can do is tell you no :-)
I also got a huge box of Zatarain's food to review from trying this exact same thing.
Too Busy Lately
I spent all of last weekend at my parents so now you know where I have been and why I was not blogging. I have just been too busy to get here lately. I really want to make time to blog every day though so help me get back into the swing of things.
I am always looking for ideas to blog about so anything you guys want to know feel free to ask me!
I recently emailed a publisher about a book I was interested in reading. They sent me a free copy to review. I am really excited that I got it free and now I get to read it! Hopefully I can do this once in awhile when I find a new book I am interested in trying out. This book is amazing so far. It is called "Wither."
I am always looking for ideas to blog about so anything you guys want to know feel free to ask me!
I recently emailed a publisher about a book I was interested in reading. They sent me a free copy to review. I am really excited that I got it free and now I get to read it! Hopefully I can do this once in awhile when I find a new book I am interested in trying out. This book is amazing so far. It is called "Wither."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)