Save Your Sen$e at Home

Freebie Friday

2008-12-12T02:15:00.000-05:00

Get a FREE Enfamil Lipil breastfeeding support kit.

Free Orient Keychain When you sign up for their newsletter

Free Santa Photo Stamp

Receive a FREE Home Made Simple Coupon Book with Over $27 in Savings.

High Heels Hurt
Fill in the information below and confirm your e-mail to get a free sample.

Free Popcorn

Free Wildlife Calendar

Thrifty Thursday

2008-12-11T02:09:00.000-05:00

20% off $125 or more!

Get 20% off your purchase of $125 or more at Nike.com when you enter the Keycode: NIKEGIFTS

coupon code : NIKEGIFTS
Expires 12/20/2008

$20 Off All $120 Orders With Coupon Code!

Enter coupon code at checkout for your extra savings!

coupon code : ILOVE20
Expires 1/31/2009

20% off $125 or more!

Get 20% off all orders of $125 or more at BananaRepublic.com when you use the Coupon Keycode: BRHOLIDAY

coupon code : BRHOLIDAY
Expires 12/15/2008

$7 Off $70 or More!

Take $7 Off $70 at Target.com when you use the special Keycode discount coupon link!

Expires 12/21/2008

$25 off orders of $125 or More!

Save $25 off orders of $125 or more on purchases made at Kmart.com with the exclusive Keycode discount link!

Expires 3/31/2009

Work at Home Wednesdays

2008-12-10T01:55:00.000-05:00

Work at Home Companies

If you are just starting your search into working at home, a great place to apply is West. They are a company contracted out to perform INBOUND call center duties for various companies. For example, the Home Shopping Network (HSN) contracts West to hire their home based customer service representatives. West is a pretty big company with many work at home opportunities. They offer paid training and if you get hired, you will be payed as an employee rather than an independent contractor. West, like any company, has its positives and negatives. I worked for them for a while and my experience on a whole was a good one. Some pluses include being able to make your own schedule and the flexibility of changing your schedule very easily. Also, some of the lines they offer are open 24 hours a day. For example, the HSN line, which is the line I worked, is open 24 hours a day. This allowed me to have the flexibility of working late at night or very early in the morning around my son's schedule. Also, you can't beat working in your jammies, laying in bed! The negatives are that sometimes it can be very difficult to actually get the hours you need. You sometimes have to resort to stalking the scheduling board to pick up your hours. The pay rate is ok depending on which line you work.

Tip: If you decide to give it a whirl with West, try your hardest to get the HSN line. This is the best line in my opinion. No pressure selling. The customers are long time HSN shoppers so they know the drill and most are really, really nice! I know other West at home employees have had success and enjoy other lines so by no means should you be discouraged if you don't get the HSN line. All I am saying is that if you have a choice, the HSN line is a great one!

How to apply:
West

Recommended Reading:

The Resume
Avoiding Scams

Tuesday Giveaway Roundup

2008-12-09T01:15:00.000-05:00

The blog universe does not disappoint! There are always some great contests and giveaways going around!
Ohana Mama has several giveaways going on right now. Head over there for a chance to win Toobeez (Dec 11) , Polliwalks (Dec 11), and a VW Gift Pack (Dec 12).

At Momma in Flip Flops you can win Layers Clothing-winner chooses dress (Dec 12/US), hip-T of choice (Dec 11/US,Can), or a Stellaroco shirt (Dec 12/All). A Wrestling Addicted Mommy is giving away a minky spa wrap (Dec 12/US). All Because Two People Fell in Love is giving away a pair of Polliwalks (Dec 10/US). An Island Review is giving away Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake (Dec 11/All), Elmo’s Countdown to Bedtime Soundbook (Dec 15/US), and a Jooble Plushie (Dec 14/US). An Island Life is giving away Excite Books for Kids (Dec 11/US) . All Because Two People Fell in Love is giving away 3 Baby Rompers (Dec 11).

The Mom Buzz is giving away the cutest plushes: Zygopsyche: Plush Rabbits& Guinea Pigs (ends Dec 11).

As for me, Jolly Mom is still running the handmade appliquéd children’s/baby shirt from Super Sweet Creations (Dec 14). Also, I will be having a week filled with giveaways this week! Please stop by for a chance to win many goodies!

More Money Mondays-Mystery Shopping

2008-12-08T00:05:00.000-05:00

Mystery Shopping

If you'd like to make some extra money, mystery shopping is something you should look into. There are a lot of scams out there so please do your due diligence first. Some people are able to make a pretty good chunk of change by mystery shopping. Honestly, I don't know how they do it. However, for some extra spending money, free restaurant meals, and even free movies it is a good option especially if you work the shops into your current schedule. For example, if you have to run errands a certain day of the week, then schedule a few shops in the area. Some of the heavy hitters in the mystery shopping workplace are Shop n Check and Service Intelligence. These are great places to start out because they are newbie friendly. They don't always pay the best, but to get started quickly and see if this is something you want to explore further, they fit the bill.

Some others to check out:
Business Evaluation Services

Asset Protection Services

Service Evaluation Concepts

Recommended Reading:
Avoiding Scams
Surveys

Freebie Friday

2008-12-05T06:25:00.002-05:00

Free Aquaphor Sample

Free Sabatino Tartufi Gourmet Olive Oil

Holidays at Home Free Christmas Ornament

Free Gift-Giving Labels

Free Sun-Maid Cookbook

Free Child Safety Kit

Free GeoTrax DVD from Mattel

Free Dr. Seuss Gift Labels

Free Arbys Shake-After you sign up, they will email you a coupon for your free shake. You'll also get access to upcoming promotions, new product info and member only coupons.

Free Mobile Ringtones + Games For All Mobile Users

Free Schick Quattro Titanium Razor or Trimmer

Thrifty Thursday

2008-12-04T06:40:00.001-05:00

It's Thrifty Thursday again! Here are some coupons so that you can save your money for better things-like Christmas presents for me-LOL!

Sign up for Upromise and get $30 of free electronic grocery coupons in their grocery section! Most grocery stores and CVS participate (31,000 stores).

SmartSource printable coupons! No registration required.

Eversave More printable grocery coupons to save over $100 on name brand products.

$30 in savings at Chuck E. Cheese when you sign up here.

COFFEE-MATE - Special Offers - Coupons

Work at Home Wednesday

2008-12-03T06:21:00.002-05:00

Here is a sample resume to use when applying for a telecommute position. Notice that your skills should be listed first.

Johnathan Doe
12345 Statestreet Ave.
St. Petersburg, FL 33703
(813) 555-2121
e-mail: johnathan@aol.com

OBJECTIVE

To obtain a telecommuting position with a professional organization where I can be creative and utilize my skills as a technical writer/desktop publisher.

PROFILE

Technical writing (end user manuals, installation/maintenance/repair manuals, courseware, MS Windows help screens)
Course development and instruction
Desktop publishing skills (design/typesetting/illustration), and marketing experience
Organized, self starter, detail oriented, with excellent communication abilities
Supervisory background
Operation, repair, and training of PC, and Macintosh computer systems
Knowledgeable in wide variety of software applications: Adobe PageMaker, Macromedia Freehand, Adobe Photoshop, MS Word, HTML authoring tools, RoboHelp, dBase, EXCEL, various Internet apps, etc.

EXPERIENCE

1991 - Present COMPANY 1 INC., Homestead, Florida
Widget manufacturer & telecommunications

Technical Writer

Create end user manuals and MS Windows help screens detailing the installation/maintenance of hardware and software applications designed for Company 1 products.
Develop procedures and standards for creating technical product bulletins and installation/maintenance manuals.
Interface with all departments to acquire needed information for documentation.
Assist company personnel with learning productive techniques for using computer software and hardware.

1979-1990 COMPANY 2, INC, Hauppauge, New York
International electronics communication company

Senior Technical Instructor (5/87-5/90)

Developed and presented technical courses designed to train field engineers on procedures for installing/maintaining computer hardware and software specific to Information Services, Inc.
Instructed field engineers on troubleshooting techniques for the repair and maintenance of computer hardware and software.
Instructed on the use of test equipment: data analyzers, oscilloscopes, multimeters, and software diagnostic tools.
Wrote technical manuals and handbooks detailing installation and repair procedures.
Designed and presented courses for technical staff, non-technical staff, sales, and management users.
Provided evaluation reports and testing of trainees to determine competency level.

Traveled Europe and U.S. to assemble course development information.

Accomplishments

Promoted to Senior Technical Instructor position.
Initiated and completed a plan to design and develop all documentation given to trainees.

Repair Line Supervisor (12/83-5/87)

Appointed to reorganize and supervise the daily operation of the repair department.
Implemented necessary changes for increased productivity.
Hired, trained, and evaluated repair personnel.
Maintained repair parts inventory.

Provided management with status and productivity reports.

Accomplishments

Promoted to Technical Instructor position.
Decreased turnaround time of incoming equipment from two weeks to two days.
Initiated new inventory control program. Program was accepted for use in other departments.
Increased productivity by 40% within 2 months.

Senior Repair Technician (12/79-5/83)

Repaired computer systems and peripherals to board and component level by locating defective parts and replacing them.

Accomplishments

Promoted to Supervisor.
Increased productivity level of the department by introducing new testing and troubleshooting methods.
Promoted from entry-level Technician to Senior Technician.

EDUCATION

AS - Electronic Engineering
State University of New York
Minor in Psychology

Certificate in Digital Computer Technology
Computer Technical School, 1979

Read Tips on Avoiding Scams

Tuesday Giveaway Roundup

2008-12-02T02:50:00.002-05:00

Lots and lots of giveaways going on in the blog world!

Just in time for all of that holiday baking you are gearing up for, Thrifty Thoughts is giving away an 11 oz bottle of Watkins double strength vanilla and a 6 oz tin of ground cinnamon (ends December 8th).

Power of Housewife Word of Mouth is giving away a Build-A-Bear Workshop® A Friend Fur All Seasons Wii game, sponsored by The Game Factory who is holding a celebrity video game auction for charity on Ebay.

Bead Art Originals is having a special event, Twelve Days of BAO Holidays, with a new drawing every day. It started on Wednesday (11/26).

The Mom Fuse is giving away a Land's End Cashmere Sweater, homemade peppermint crunch fudge from Shake Your Bon Bon's, and a PhotoCuff from Smoy.

My Frugal Lifestyle is giving away a copy of "The Paper Bag Christmas" by Kevin Alan Milne.

My Junk Drawer is giving away some fabulous Mia Bella items.

Sherbet Blossom is hosting twelve days of prizes and giveaways starting December 1st.

Scary Mommy is giving away your choice of any t-shirt and your choice of notecards by Big Boo Designs. Winner will chosen Decemeber 7th.

As always, Erin from The Mom Buzz has some fabulous giveaways! First, you can win some yummy confections from The Gumdrop Cookie Shop by clicking here (ends December 8th). Or, you still have time to enter to win ListPlanIt by clicking here (ends December 4th). If you're a mom or need to get a gift for a child, you should enter to win a pair of super cute and practical Huggalugs by clicking here (ends December 5th). Win a $25 Gift Card to JuneBee Baby by clicking here (ends December 3rd so HURRY!). Win a sweet gift set by Pillsbury, which includes Pillsbury Brownie Mix and two (2) LIMITED EDITION SMUCKERS TOPPINGS - Smucker’s® Pumpkin Spice and Smucker’s® Magic Shell® Cherry by clicking here (ends TONIGHT-December 2nd at midnight so again HURRY!). Thanks Erin for all of these great giveaways!

Ohana Mama's Hawaian Holiday Party has started off with a bang! For a chance to win a $35 gift certificate to Cherry Creek Designs then click here. Also, make sure you check back every day because there will be new giveaways every day through December 7th! Yay!

Don't forget about Felicia at Go Graham Go who is giving away a must have children's health product, Exergen's Temporal Scanner . Giveaway ends on December 5th and everyone gets a chance at 7 entries.

And, now I will shamelessly plug my own giveaway at Jolly Mom. Monica from Super Sweet Creations has graciously offered to giveaway one of her handmade children's/baby's shirts to one lucky Jolly Mom reader! Contest will end December 14th and the winner (chosen via random.org) will be announced December 15th. US entries only.

Start entering!

More Money Mondays

2008-12-01T00:31:00.003-05:00

If you are looking to make some spending money, here are some sites that pay you for your opinion. Some pay you cash and others pay you in gift cards, points that you redeem for prizes, etc. Please make sure that you never, ever PAY to join a site!

Also, if you have any textbooks laying around, Cash For Books will buy them back. They pay for shipping! It is really easy to do and a great way to make a few bucks!

*Tip* When you sign up for any of these places, make sure you have created an email address specifically for your survey jobs just in case they spam you with email.

Freebie Friday

2008-11-28T00:05:00.000-05:00

Free Travel Coffee Mug
Click on Contact. Then click on Click Here for Free Gift.

Free Glow Stick

Free Pampers Points (Each code works one time per person)
OHAMANDAAWGTG08
DONTFORGETGTG08
WELCOMEBONUS089

Free Flirtitude Panties
HOW TO ENTER THE JCPENNEY FLIRTITUDES GIVEAWAY (Dec/Jan Issue): Starting November 18, 2008, bring the December 2008/January 2009 cover of Seventeen or a printout of the seventeen.com home page to any JCPenney store to receive one (1) Flirtitude panty (approximate retail value: $7.50). Twenty-five thousand (25,000) will be given away. For each one given away, JCPenney will also donate $1 to the JCPenney After school Fund (up to $25,000). One per person. Giveaway ends January 6, 2009. While supplies last.

Free Tea Samples

Free Energy Bar or Drink at GNC

Free Chocolate Fondue for 2 at The Melting Pot

Free Coffee Cup with Spoon

Thrifty Thursdays

2008-11-27T00:27:00.000-05:00

Coupons, sales, and fabulous deals! Hope everyone is having a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

$20 off a $100 purchase at Beauty.com

Target Internet Specials

Walmart Rollback Specials

Landsend Overstock Specials

Free Shipping at Urban Outfitters

$5 off a $25 purchase at Aeropostale
Also offering FREE SHIPPING if you spend $75 or more if you use this link.

$5 off $50 purchase at Target.com

Get 2 $5 off Kmart coupons when you sign up for email updates

$10 off a $100 purchase at CompUSA

Save 80% on Restaurant.com Gift Cards
Pay only $2 for a $25 certificate!
Buy a $100 gift certificate for only $8!
Great holiday gift, these last for a year
Use code SURPRISE

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

Work at Home Wednesdays

2008-11-26T00:11:00.003-05:00

Avoiding Scams

There are many companies now offering legitimate work at home opportunites. However, there are many scammers out there and it is important to know how to spot them. Christine Durst, author of The Rat Race Rebellion, says her research indicates the ratio of scams to legitimate opportunities is 42 to 1.

Here are some tips I have picked over time on how to avoid scams:

1. Check out the company's website. If it is brand new or the only information offered is about a job, then be very cautious.
2. Legitimate companies will never ask you for money upfront before you have been officially hired. Some companies do require a background check and will ask you to pay this before you begin working. However, at this point, you have been essentially hired pending an acceptable background check. There are also companies that will ask you to pay for training materials, but, again this is after you have been hired.
3. Check with the Better Business Bureau and see if the company has any complaints. Customer complaints are not necessarily important. Customers will complain about prices being too high or some customer service representative that was rude. Look out for employee complaints or many customer complaints that point to the company being fradulent or unethical.
4. Never give out pin numbers or passwords to your bank accounts. Scammers will ask for this under the pretense of verifying you are a real applicant. Do not fall for this!
5. Don't assume that because a job ad has been posted on a reputable job board or website that it is legitimate. There is no way for these sites to keep up and verify every job ad. You must do the research yourself to determine that the job is credible.
6. If you reply to a job ad and the response does not include a company name, be very careful! Also, if they do provide a company name and you cannot find it anywhere on the internet, then also be very cautious!
7. Be wary of a company that is willing to hire you without an interview, a resume, or speaking to you.
8. If it sounds too good to be true, then it is probably a scam.
9. Check the Attorney General for your state to be sure that the company you are applying with is a licensed company.
10. Check the company out at Rip Off Report.

Don't let this list intimidate you or scare you off from working at home. There are many legitimate work at home opportunities available. I have worked for two of them so I know that they exist. This list is meant to empower you so that you can begin your search with confidence. Tune in next Wednesday for information on how to write a resume when applying for work at home jobs.

Tuesday Giveaway Roundup

2008-11-25T00:02:00.006-05:00

There are so many giveaways going on right now in the blog world. Make sure to get in on the prize winning and visit these great blogs to enter!

First, Felicia at Go Graham Go is giving away a must have children's health product, Exergen's Temporal Scanner . Giveaway ends on December 5th and everyone gets a chance at 7 entries.

Erin at The Mom Buzz is hosting two giveaways. The first is for Crayola's Tadoodles Scribble 'n' Sing. This giveaway ends November 27th so hurry and click here for a chance to win. The Mom Buzz is also giving away a great organizational tool called List Plan It. Contest ends December 4th. Click here for a chance to win.

Ohana Mama is giving away a personalized placemat, name tag and book mark by Olive Kids! The winner chooses the design and names for the prizes. Contest ends November 28th.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you already know about 5 Minutes for Mom's HUGE Christmas Giveaways. They are giving away over 25 prizes! Just in case you haven't heard, click here to find out how to enter.

Mod Mom Blog is giving away a pair of boots by Keen (contest ends December 8th) and the Peek Mobile Email Device (contest ends December 15th). An Island Life is also giving away a pair Keen boots (contest ends November 30) so make sure to enter at both sites!

Mamanista is hosting the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways! Lots of awesome prizes!

Nurse Mommy is giving away a $25 gift certificate to Monave cosmetics. Ends November 27th.

Finally, at Mom Giveaways...well they have A LOT of giveaways going on right now! To name a few, they are giving away the Papoose Baby Sling, U*Neaks Custom Shoes, and Pixie Dust Bath Bombs!

That's all for now! Tune in next Tuesday for more blog giveaways and contests!

For Real This Time!

2008-11-23T23:37:00.004-05:00

Ok, I know I posted a while back that I would have this blog up and running soon and then it just didn't happen. However, now I have this great new blog design courtesy of Paperback Designs and Go Graham Go! I am really excited about getting this blog going and I PROMISE it will have content this week. I will be featuring job leads for women (or men) who wish to work from home, the best freebies offered on the web, money making ideas, coupons, and a weekly roundup of the best blog giveaways. Look for new posts starting this week!

First Post

2008-10-15T22:56:00.000-04:00

I am hoping to get this blog up and running in the next couple of weeks. I will be providing information and resources for moms who want to work from home.