• Free Ebooks: Camping & Cooking, Creating Your Own Will & Power of Attorney, Mason Jar Prepper’s Pantry, Self Defense Guide For Beginners, How To Frugality Is Not Being Cheap, 64 DIY Natural Beauty Recipes, Frugal Living Secrets, and more!

    The price to download these books is currently $0.00 (although the price may change at any time, please confirm prior to downloading).  The ebooks are specifically for Kindles, however, you can click here and download the free application that allows you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC.

    Download a free copy of Camping and Cooking Beyond S’mores – Outdoors Cooking Guide and Cookbook for Beginner Campers by Beth McRoberts

    Download a free copy of Guidance On Creating Your Own Will & Power of Attorney – Legal Self Help Guide by Sanket Mistry

    Download a free copy of Mason Jar Prepper’s Pantry – How To Use Mason Jars to Store Meals & Prepare for Emergency Situations by Timothy S. Morris

    Download a free copy of Self Defense – The Self Defense Guide For Beginners – The Most Effective Tips and Tricks You Need To Know For Self Defense And Stay Secure Anywhere by Life-Style

    Download a free copy of How To – Frugality Is Not Being Cheap – How Small Tweaks Create Massive Changes by Nikko Villa

    Download a free copy of 64 DIY Natural Beauty Recipes – How To Make Amazing Homemade Skin Care Recipes, Essential Oils, Body Care Products, and More by Jane Moore

    Download a free copy of Frugal Living Secrets – Spend Less and Get More Through Frugality by Catherine Gregory

    Download a free copy of Eucalyptus Essential Oil – Uses, Studies, Benefits, Applications, & Recipes – Wellness Research Series by George Shepherd

    Download a free copy of Grow Fruit Indoors – The Complete Guide to Growing Fruit Indoors – Urban Gardening – Homesteading Survival – Grow Fruit – Square Foot Gardening – Mini Farming by Alex Gardner

  • Swagbucks: Earning A Little Extra

    swagbucks-logo

    Swagbucks…..what is it?  That was my thought initially as well.   A couple friends mentioned it several times so I decided to check it out for myself.  Even though I have only been part of Swagbucks for a few weeks I must say I am impressed.  I have been able over the short period of time accumulated quite a few Swagbucks and earn several gifts, including Gift Cards to places like Amazon, Starbucks, and more.  Are you looking for ways to get a little bit extra, make your budget stretch, money for gifts, special occasions, gift cards, or just for fun?

    I want to give you a little information on Swagbucks and how you can enjoy the perks as well!  Swagbucks is FREE to join and you can earn many gifts you can use for your family or share with others!

    Starting Out – What is Swagbucks?

    • Swagbucks is a search engine that gives you rewards (like Google).  You earn Swagbucks for searching and bonus ones through various searches and tasks you can do online.  Typically you earn between 5 to 20 Swagbucks for searching each day.  There are many ways to earn additional Swagbucks (I discuss those a little later in this post). 

    What Do I Earn With My Swagbucks? (Below are a few of the items categories, they typically have thousands of prizes to choose from every day)  Always make sure to check out their “On Sale” and “Hot Deals” categories first before cashing in your Swagbucks because they may have an item or gift card you want on sale or at a discount!

    • My Favorite is for Gift Cards – Amazon, Starbucks, Restaurant.com, Barnes & Noble, Target, Macy’s, Bass Pro Shops, Lowe’s, and MORE!
    • Cash – PayPal
    • Apparel & Accessories
    • Books & Magazines
    • Consoles & Video Games
    • Electronics
    • Kid Items
    • Gift & Reward Cards
    • Health & Beauty
    • Jewelry
    • Kitchen Items
    • Movies & TV
    • Music
    • School Supplies
    • Sports & Collectibles
    • Trading Cards
    • And MUCH MORE……

    How Do I Get Started?

    • It is free to join!  All you have to do is fill out a form to get started!
    • Only 1 account per household is allowed (they will close all your accounts if you try to do more than one per household).

    Are There Really Any Benefits?

    • YES!  I have been able to cash in on multiple prizes and gift cards even though I have only been using it a few weeks.
    • If you are already online you can easily begin earning gift cards, prizes, and more just by doing things you already do every day.  You can spend your Swagbucks as you earn them or save them up for gifts (birthday, Holidays, weddings, baby showers, Christmas, anniversary, and more).
    • It is possible to earn a gift card (or several) every month!

    How Do I Earn Additional Swagbucks?

    • Install the Swagbucks Toolbar – when you install the Swagbucks toolbar you will earn Swagbucks for searching online.  If you prefer to not install the toolbar and continuing using your current sofware (Google, etc….) you can still get rewards by going to Swagbucks hompage and searching online directly from their site. Swagbucks will often give you a free code in your toolbar as well which will add free bonus points to your account.
    • Print Swagbucks Coupons – every coupon from Swagbucks that you print and use at a local store earns 10 additional Swagbucks.  Get the coupons by going to Swagbucks homepage, click on the “Earn” tab, then select “Coupons” and it will bring you to the current coupons that you can use.  I go through the coupons once a month and print the items that I buy regularly.  Once you have used the coupon 10 Swagbucks will be added to your account within a few weeks (their website says up to 12 weeks, it usually does not take that long).
    • Swagbucks Blog – follow the Swagbucks Blog to get additional free codes.  They typically have at least one free code a day on their blog.  In additional to that you have a current update on their giveaways and any Swagbucks News.
    • Swagbucks Facebook –follow Swagbucks on Facebook and you will find the latest Swagbuck codes.  Members post to the wall, start discussions, or make comments that will help you find the bonus codes.
    • Swagbucks Twitter – follow Swagbucks on Twitter and you can receive Twitter specific codes.  Several times a week they will randomly award their Twitter followers with an additional 100 free Swagbucks which will be added to your account when they use the hashtag #Swagbucks.
    • Daily Poll – every day you have the opportunity to participate in the Swagbucks poll and receive 1 additional Swagbucks.  While this does not seem to be a lot it takes a matter of seconds to complete the poll and the points really do add up over time.
    • Swagbucks TV – this is an easy one to do if you are working on the computer throughout the day.  When you are on Swagbucks homepage, click on the “Earn” tab, select “Swagbucks TV” and chose from a variety of items to watch.  The length of the videos are typically from 30 seconds up to 5 minutes.  Every 10 videos you watch you earn 3 Swagbucks.  The reason why this one is easy to do is you can click on a video and have it running while you continue working, cleaning, or other tasks throughout your day.  Swagbucks will allow you to earn up to 25 three point rewards within a 24-hour period, which means you can get up to 75 additional points by multi-tasking throughout your day.
    • Games – if you enjoy playing various games on your computer this may be a great way to earn additional Swagbucks.  I have tried several games and tend to stick to the ones that I do well at.  Please Note:  There are a lot of free games available to play and earn bonus Swagbucks, however, they do have some you have to pay Swagbucks to play.  I stick to only the free games so I don’t have to use my Swagbucks on games.
    • Special Offers – you can earn an additional Swagbucks when you complete special offers.  Click on the “Earn” tab and select “Special Offers” to see of list of ones you can choose from and complete.  Many of the offers require no credit cards or payment to earn the additional Swagbucks.  Please Note:  You will only receive the specified listed Swagbucks if you complete the special offer, if you stop in the middle or don’t complete it for whatever reason you will not receive any credit for the special offer.  There are some free trials that you can sign up for then cancel later, I would recommend only participating in these offers if you are already considering the product.  If you do cancel make sure to keep track of the information and dates so you will not be charged for it.
    • Groupon Swagbucks – you can earn additional Swagbucks by purchasing a Groupon deal through the Swagbucks website.  Click on the “Earn” tab and select “Daily Deals”.   You can earn an addtional 150 to 450 in Swagbucks by purchasing a Groupon you were already going to get through Swagbucks.  (Note:  450 Swagbucks can earn you hundreds of prizes, including, a $5 Amazon gift Card). If you are already planning on purchasing a Groupon deal consider going through Swagbucks so you can earn a little extra.
    • Bonus Video’s & Offers – on the Swagbucks Homepage you will often find a bonus video or offer than takes on you only moments to watch or complete and you will earn additional points.  Many times 1 video will be worth 2 points or more.
    • Surveys – you can earn additional Swagbucks by taking surveys.  This is a great opportunity to earn bonus Swagbucks if you enjoy filling out surveys especially if you qualify for a bunch of the ones they are offering.  They do pre-qualify the surveys so you’ll have to meet their qualifications to participate in each individual survey.  They give you the amount you will earn as well as the estimated time to complete the survey up front.  You have to finish the pre-qualification and survey prior to receiving the additional Swagbucks.
    • Trade In – You can earn additional Swagbucks by trading in old electronics, books, phones, MP3 players, games, consoles, and more.  If you are not using it or considering donating the items anyway check out how much you can earn in Swagbucks by trading it in.  Go to the “Earn” tab and click on “Trade In”.  You can look up the items you are wanting to get rid of and find out how much you can get for them by searching for that specific item in the Trade In section.  How to do it – Look up the item, print out the pre-paid shipping label, save your receipt, and mail it in.  You will receive the amount in your account once they have processed your item.  Please Note: you must have at least 600 Swagbucks in your account to qualify for free shipping.  It doesn’t take too long to earn those points and by trading in your receive even more Swagbucks.
    • Bookmark Regular Pages – bookmark the websites you visit daily (such as Facebook, Twitter, etc…) and search for them using Swagbucks.  Go directly to the bookmarked page through Swagbucks instead of directly to the site and you will earn a decent number of Swagbucks each week.  Make sure when you are search for the same sites you use a variety of search terms because your account could be flagged if you search the same thing (aka “robotic”) every day.
    • Tasks – under the “Earn” tab if you select “Tasks” you will be able to see a list of variety of different tasks you can do to earn Swagbucks.  Every task is different and you earn a variety of different amounts based on the task you chose.  They do tell you when you start the task how many minutes they anticipate it to take for you to complete.  Please Note:  Although, you can earn more Swagbucks doing these tasks they typically take a little more time.  Make sure you have enough time to complete the task so you receive your additional Swagbucks.
    • No Obligation Special Offers – you can go through the “No Obligation Special Offers” every day and earn additional Swagbucks.  You don’t have to sign up for the offers and can choose to skip through all the ones they show you (unless you prefer to sign up).   You will earn 2 Swagbucks from doing this additional offer.  It typically only takes a few seconds to complete.

    One other quick note I want to make so you will be informed about Swagbucks – you can earn as much or as little as you want to on your account.  However, you are only allowed to purchase 5 of the same item per month.  For example, if you want to purchase $5 Amazon Gift Cards at 450 each (which are stackable when purchasing on Amazon) the maximum amount you can order in a month would be 5 – $5 Amazon Gift Cards (2250 Swagbucks).  If you want more Amazon Gift Cards you will have to purchase a higher amount or wait until the following month to purchase more at $5 increments.  Or you can chose a wide variety of other prizes with your Swagbucks.  It is your choice so pick the ones that best fit your family.

    You can earn many neat prizes by using Swagbucks during you daily tasks online.  I don’t have the time to do every single activity that they offer, but even if I do a few the points add up pretty quickly over the course of a week.  Like I said before I have only been doing this for a few weeks and have already earned gift cards to purchase items for my family.  Pick the handful of activities that work well for you and do them regularly.  You can choose to save your Swagbucks or use them as soon as you can.  I have done it a variety of different ways.  Right now I am choosing to save up my Swagbucks to get something for a gift.

    I would love to learn more about how you earn Swagbucks.  Congratulations if you have earned some great prizes already using Swagbucks!  Please share in the comments below some of the prizes you have purchased using Swagbucks so the readers can see how it has benefited your family!

  • Fresh & Healthy: Community Supported Farms

    The past few weeks I have been reading about ways to eat healthier and along the way I discovered CSA’s (which stands for Community Supported Farms).  Although I have heard a little about them a couple times this was the first time I seriously considered joining one.  As I was researching more about the local farmers and various programs I decided to contact a couple in our area and find out more information.  It was interesting because some farms I never heard a word back from and others I have had several emails back and forth.  After much thought and research we decided as a family to try a CSA program this year and see how it goes.  I am VERY excited to participate and learn even more.  The girls are thrilled they get to go spend some time on a local farm and eat fresh veggies.  I am still growing some veggies in our garden at home, but I am really looking forward to getting fresh local produce from an area farm.

    What is a CSA? It stands for Community Supported Agriculture and has been around for about 20 years.  CSA allows consumers to buy local, seasonal and fresh produce directly from the farmer.  The farmer gives “shares” to the public (ie box, bag, or basket of vegetables, fruit, eggs, and a variety of other farm products).  Consumers prepays for shares or a partial shares for that years crops.  The consumers then receive a box of seasonal produce weekly throughout the season (usually around 20 weeks for the summer and 10 weeks for the winter season in our area).

    Why is it beneficial?

    • Fresh locally grown produce for your family
    • An adventure in trying new produce and recipes
    • The seasonal produce you receive will be fresh and ripe
    • The opportunity to visit the farm where you produce is grown
    • Fresh and healthy produce for your family to enjoy
    • Organic farming (if this is important to you please confirm with the farm you chose before committing, each farm is different)
    • Educational for the kids to see the produce being grown
    • Direct connection with a local farmer
    • More variety of produce on the menu and at the family table
    • Farmers can market and sell their crops before production
    • Increases the cash flow for the farm during planting season
    • Some farms include eggs, bread, meat, cheese, flowers, local honey, and more.
    • Most farms allow you the opportunity to pick what size of share you want (Whole Share, Half Share, Quarter Share, etc…)
    • Many farms have multiple drop off locations and times as well.
    • And more great benefits!

    The benefits really are mutual between the farmer and the consumer.  I hope to share more of the benefits of being involved in a CSA as we have the opportunity to experience more.  Right now our farm has several items planted and we are just waiting for them to grow so we can enjoy the delicious food!  One of the reasons we made the decision to join a CSA is we looked over a budget and realized that some weeks we were spending more than half of our grocery money on fruits and vegetables since we are trying to eat healthier.  When we spread the cost of a CSA over a season we would actually be saving money as a family.  This is our first year so we haven’t discovered exactly how everything works but we hope to share our experience with you!

    Are there any risks? It wouldn’t be fair to share the benefits without warning you of the risks as well.

    • Shared Risk – you are investing in a crop prior to the farmer raising it so there is a possibility that they could have drought, flood, hailstorm, or insect issues during the season, however, most farms plant a variety of crops so you’ll most likely just get more of another produce, but there is no “guarantees”  At the same time they could have a bountiful production year!
    • The farm will probably not raise every produce your family eats (ie. if your family likes mushrooms but the farm doesn’t grow mushrooms you’ll still have to purchase those items in the store)
    • Most farms are family run so if there is something unexpected in the family it could affect you as well.
    • Some of the produce may be “unique” or unlike the items you buy in the grocery store.  If you like trying new items this is a benefit but if you only like 5 different kinds of veggies or are really picky it may not be the best fit for you
    • When you get different types of produce you’ll have the opportunity to try out new recipes, this could be a huge benefit for some people but if you are not comfortable cooking or trying new recipes make sure to consider that as well.

    If you are interested in joining or learning more about a CSA in your areas you can learn more about it at Local Harvest and click on the CSA tab.  Under the map on the right side of the page you can enter your zip code and find local farms in your area.  Another wonderful feature that was beneficial for us in deciding which farm to consider was the reviews on the local farms participating.  It is always good to know that other customers have been satisfied before spending your money.

    We are excited about the local farm we picked to join.  If you are in Upstate, South Carolina area and are wanting to do this as well let me know which farm you chose in a comment below or send me an email and we may be able to coordinate pick up from week to week to save each other a little extra on gas.  Have you ever been part of a CSA program?  What did you like / dislike about the program?

    Photo by Nick Saltmarsh

  • Savings with an “Amazon Mom” Membership

    Amazon Mom is a free membership program offered by Amazon for Moms, Dads, parents, and caregivers of children from pregnancy through the toddler years.  Amazon Mom gives members discounts on products for the family.  You can join by signing into your Amazon account if you already have one and indicating it you’re a Mom, Dad, or caregiver of a child.

    Some benefits to having an Amazon Mom account:

    • Free Membership
    • 30% off Diapers & Wipes
    • FREE Two Day Shipping with Amazon Prime
    • Exclusive Offers
    • Discounts & Special Promotions on Products
    • Automatic Additional 15% Discount on Subscribe & Save
    • No Fees, Risks or Obligations
    • Age Appropriate Product Recommendations

    You should receive a confirmation email shortly after you sign up for Amazon Mom, make sure to click the link in the email to confirm your subscription to Amazon Mom in order to start receiving benefits.  Any caregiver of children can qualify for an Amazon Mom membership.  The majority of savings are targeted to those who are pregnant through the toddler years although you can still join even if you have older kids!   You can often find additional coupons in magazines to stack on top of the Amazon Mom savings.

    For more information regarding the benefits of an Amazon Mom account click here.