What is Swagbucks?

A friend just sent me a message asking me to explain Swagbucks, of course I typed it all out then the message got eaten by Facebook instead of sent.  Oh well. So, I figured this time I'd post it here instead so that it would be easier to share with others.

At the most basic, Swagbucks is a rewards program that works!  You get reward points (Swagbucks) for doing things online that you'd do anyway.

First, Sign Up!

If you sign up before the end of June, enter the code JuneBoom when you signup and you'll get started with 80 Swagbucks (otherwise you'll start out with 30 Swagbucks).

After you signup, download their toolbar.  It's not an absolute must, but it does help me remember to search and earn using their tools.  You also get an easy 1 Swagbuck a day just for opening your browser with the toolbar installed.  You can earn another easy 2 points a day by answering their daily poll (1 point) and going to their surveys (1 point).

Before I go much further, let me explain what you do with these points.  You earn them, then you trade them in for real stuff. I usually opt to trade mine in for Amazon gift cards (because it's the best deal).  You can get a $5 Amazon gift card for just 450 Swagbucks!  And you can easily earn that in just a few weeks of doing the most basic things through Swagbucks.

Besides those easy 1 point earns, the easiest way to earn Swagbucks is to do searches through their search portal.  You won't earn points every time you search, sometimes you'll have to do a few searches and if you don't earn when you search, I suggest you at least make sure to click to the second page of search results (sometimes you'll get points there).  On average you'll earn about 10 points when you earn through searches and I've seen points earned as many as 4 times a day via searches (but, most of the time you'll earn twice a day).

You can also earn BIG Swagbucks by going through Swagbucks to do your online shopping, whether it's daily deals at Groupon (make sure you go to Swagbucks when buying those) or just regular shopping, it's worth it to go through Swagbucks and get those points.

If you are a couponer, you can also earn points for going through Swagbucks coupon page and printing (then redeeming) those coupons.  It takes a little while for those points to show up, but you will get 10 Swagbucks for every coupon that you print and redeem.

You can also earn points for playing games in their game portal, and watching videos via "Swagbucks tv" (basically Swagbucks youtube portal).

With all the ways there are to earn, even if all you do is the freebies and searches you can easily earn a gift card every few weeks, but if you really use them you can earn tons more.  If you refer your friends once you join you will even get matched on what they earn via searches (up to 1000 points), so make sure you do your friends a favor and tell them how they can earn free gift cards.

So, are you ready to sign up?

50 Swagbuck Bonus for New Signups!

So you still haven't signed up for Swagbucks? What are you waiting for? Oh, you were waiting to get that 50 Swagbuck bonus for signing up? Well, here it is.  Enter Code: JuneBoom now through the end of June and add an additional 50 Swagbucks when you signup.  Normally, you start out with 30 Swagbucks, so this will start you with 80 and puts you well on your way to your first gift card (or prize of your choice).  Get started now and you'll be able to put a dent in your Christmas shopping a little early.

Click here to sign up!

Buy a Daily Deal, Get a Bonus With Swagbucks

If you purchase, even occasionally, Daily Deals from sites like Groupon, Living Social, Eversave and many others, then make sure you check out Swagbucks first.  For MOST of the daily deal sites you can go through Swagbucks and earn some mighty big rewards just for purchasing a daily deal you were about to buy anyway.   For instance, today you can get 160 Swagbucks for purchasing any of the current daily deals on Groupon. Check out the Swagbucks Daily Deals List.  That's a nice little bonus and puts you at about 2/3 of the way towards a $5 Amazon gift card.  Those points add up quick, and it's one of the best ways I've found to earn Swagbucks (outside of searching).  You get them in big numbers and you get them for doing something you were going to do anyway!

If you are new to Swagbucks, you might be wondering what it is.  Swagbucks is the best online Rewards Community I've found.  Swagbucks works by rewarding you (with Swagbucks) for things you'd normally do online anyway (like searching the web or buying stuff) as well as for doing extra tasks, watching videos and filling out surveys.  There are tons of ways you can earn Swagbucks.  Then you take your Swagbucks and trade them in for real stuff including gift cards to the likes of Amazon.com, CVS, Home Depot, restaurants, etc or even hard goods like electronics and jewelry.  When I first heard about it I was skeptical but I gave it a try and downloaded the toolbar (the easiest way to remember to earn), and within a month I had my first $5 Amazon gift card.  Since the first of the year I've earned over 20, while at the same time giving back a portion of my points to help others in storm ravaged areas across the globe.  Swagbucks isn't just about winning, they are about giving!  That's just one more thing I like about them and that helps make them the best rewards community online. If you've not joined yet, you can click here to do so. Then, look for "daily deals" under "earn" on the Swagbucks toolbar (be sure to install it).

Publix Sale Preview & Coupon MatchUps

Passionate Penny Pincher is on the ball and she's already posted the Publix Sale Preview and coupon matchups for this week's sale starting on Wednesday. Be sure to check it out to see what the deals are and what coupons you may still want to print to make for better deals.

Interview With The Couponer: 247 Mama

In today's Interview With a Couponer,  I'm interviewing 247 Mama from Carter Chaos.

How long have you been couponing? What got you started?
Since January. I saw a few blogs that got me excited about couponing! I had couponed before but never like this- price match ups, etc.

Why do you feel couponing is important? What has it allowed your family to do?
God gives us stewardship over money. It's our "job" to be good stewards financially. We are tweaking our budget and have a vacation planned soon.


What has been your favorite coupon deal?
I love getting free items like pasta & butter!

How large is your family? What is your grocery budget and has it changed since you started couponing?
We are a family of 4. I'm still tweaking our budget but we are right about $100 a week for household/ groceries. I'd like to get it down to $50-$75. I know it's doable!

Are you teaching your children the value of couponing?
Yes! They are both getting very familiar with the terms and phrases. My 6 yr old is helping me in the store and she is learning about saving money.

Do you stockpile? If so, where do you keep it?
Yes! We live in an older home and are blessed with TONS of storage! A pantry in our bathroom, one in the kitchen, and a large laundry room holds my stockpile.

Are there any products you've tried because of a coupon that have become regular purchases for you?
So many! I was very "brand" snobby before. Now I am trying all different products, and I have been pleasantly surprised! I am loving Purex Crystals and Glade Sense & Spray right now!

Have you been watching Extreme Couponing? If so, what do you think about the show? What impact do you think it will have on couponing, if any?
I have watched a couple of episodes. I'm concerned that there will be a negative impact. Like many reality shows, it just isn't realistic. I fear many newbies will have impossible couponing goals. I also worry about stores making tougher coupon policies and a shift in coupon values due to the show.

What one item are you guilty of buying too much of?
Deodorant! My husband and I both have TONS! I now have a list in my coupon binder of "Items to only buy if FREE!" Amazingly I keep getting it free though!

If you could give one bit of advice to new couponers, what would it be?
Organize, organize, organize! You don't have to start with a binder but at least begin with an accordian file. You want to carry them with you and be able to quickly put your hands on the coupon you need!


Be sure to get to know 247 Mama better on her blog and Facebook

Blog- http://carterchaos-ecarter.blogspot.com/
FB-http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Carter-Chaos/146788642051098
Twitter- http://twitter.com/#!/247mama

Sweet Cutlery Deal - Today Only

Get this great cutlery deal for just $24.95 shipped!

Farberware®
10 Piece Cutlery Prep Set
This Farberware 10 Piece Cutlery Prep Set is ready to handle all of your cutting and chopping food preparation needs! Each knife in the set is quality-crafted from high-carbon stainless steel for strength and durability and features ergonomically designed handles for a comfortable grip. Set includes: 4-1/2 inch Santoku knife, 6 inch Santoku knife, 8 inch chef's knife, 5 inch utility knife, 3 inch paring knife, 8x10 inch polypropylene cutting board with nonslip accents, poultry shears, bent shears, kitchen shears, and household shears. Cutting board is dishwasher safe; all other items are hand wash only.

 Click Here to get this deal today only

GiveAway Reminder - Maui Volcano Oil Ends Tuesday

Don't forget to get your entry in for the giveaway for Maui Excellent Volcano Oil.  This stuff is awesome for muscle or joint aches and pains.  I can't say enough good stuff about it.  You can read my full review and enter the giveaway here.

Today's Free Android App on Amazon AppStore

If you haven't already downloaded the Amazon Appstore to your Android phone, be sure to do so. Then check there daily for a new free (premium) app. These are apps that usually have a cost, but for that day only they are free.

Today's free app is a great one if you are wanting to lose weight, or just track your weight/ exercise or calories.

Cardio Trainer Pro is an awelsome little app with several free plugins to help you track your workouts.  It even acts as a pedometer to help you track your walks/runs whether on a treadmill, on a track, or just outside on the road or on trails.  When you download the original free app (which you will be prompted to do), you'll find that it sets up daily reminders for your workouts, encouraging you to keep on your plan.  Then be sure to add Calorific to track calorie intake and set those goals.  I started using this app as soon as I downloaded it and already used it to monitor my treadmill walk.  The accuracy is not perfect (as far as your speed and end time), but the end result was pretty much spot on.  This is one app I'm happy I came across and even if it wasn't free, it would be worth paying for.

No Coupons Today!

Don't go running out and getting stressed that you can't find coupons in the papers today, there aren't any! Typically, holiday weekends are coupon free. This makes me sad, but next week should make up for it with the likelihood of at least 3 inserts (it should be P&G week).

Earn $30 Groupon Bucks for Referring Friends

Right now, Groupon is offering quite a deal for referring your friends, you can get $30 in Groupon credits for each friend you refer (3x what they normally give).  So this is a good time to share your referral link on Facebook and email your mom about them :)