my $5 challenge - what I've done so far
By cutepenguin
@cutepenguin (6431)
Canada
November 12, 2009 9:49am CST
Okay, as I posted about a week ago, this month I am trying to find 100 ways to make or save $5. I got some really good suggestions. I've been a bit slow, as I am nowhere near 100 ways yet, but here's what I have done so far:
1. started a blog and put adsense on it. This is going to take a while, ;)
2. found coupons online - will save 30% off my sister's Christmas present (at Old Navy)
3. redeemed swagbucks for $5 Amazon gift card, which I will use to buy a book for a Christmas present. (Actually, part of a book, but was going to buy it anyway, so at least it's a Christmas present)
4. wrote several articles for triond. This is also going to take a while.
5. Wrote reviews on reviewstream.com. This is also going to take a while to reach payout, but I'm at $18 now.
6. worked extra hours at my job - so far, I've netted an extra $45.
7. used grocery store points to get $2 off our last grocery shopping trip
8. sold some used books. This netted $11.50. Going to try to sell some more.
9. Knitted a Christmas gift. (A pair of wristwarmers).
10. I've signed up for other things, turned things off, and picked up pennies off the street, but these are all too small right now to be an entire category.
What are you doing to save/make money this month?
5 people like this
9 responses
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
12 Nov 09
It seems like are you are doing a pretty good job. My husband and I aren't doing anything like that yet. We are trying to get amazon gift cards to buy things for ourselves and others. We've also decided to spend $100.00 on ourselves each month, so $50.00 a piece. With mylot money coming in, we won't really be spending a lot of our own money (that is what we've earned on an offline job)...
We don't have our own place yet so we can really be saving a lot, but I think we're both itching to buy and what with Christmas coming up...
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
13 Nov 09
With Christmas coming up, it is really tempting to spend money. I'm trying to stay focused on our goals.
The advantage to online income is that it is extra. we were once at a place though where we needed to use the online income to pay bills, and I don't want to go back there, that's the reason for this month's extra push to save/make money.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
13 Nov 09
Cutepenguin- Woops, have you ever typed out something and acccidentally hit some key by mistake that deleted all you typed? I just did. I can't say what I said was enough to be upset over losing... In any case, With the holidays coming up it is especially hard to save! The price of things keep going up! My husband and Father In Law use the same vehicle to get to work. My husband drives 30 miles round trip to work, and his father 70 miles round trip. We have to constantly get gas, well not always us personally, but either way it's an added and needed expense. My husband and I are hoping that mylot earnings will be solely used for our wants, but we're also happy to have the money available for bills and savings as well.
Allright- The key to making the most out of mylot is to read the guidelines, respond, comment, discuss and have fun. Be long winded instead of shorter responses, have fun instead of making this a job... Before you know it, the money will be in your pocket and you'll be content. I can't say how much you'll earn, that all counts on you! Just have fun here though, and no matter the amount you make you'll find that you like this site either way!
@stshirey65 (113)
• United States
12 Nov 09
I use traffic exchanges to make money. Some have drawings and others have cash on the surf bar. I also sell an ebook for $5 that you too can sell for 100% commossions. So sell 1 book and you break even, sell two, you double your money. It also comes with a great support forum and a highly targeted marketing system marketing system you can use to promote the books. You also get access to all the books and digital products you can resell with the purchase of just the one book. Add me as a friend if you wiuld like more information.
Good Luck,
Steven Shirey
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
12 Nov 09
Interesting. I haven't written an eBook yet, but I've written parts of one as a writer for hire. I'd have to think about what I'd write one about.
@stshirey65 (113)
• United States
12 Nov 09
I did not write this ebook either, it is provided by the business I am in and pertains to making money on the internet. So it is something that surfers are interested in that are surfing traffic exchanges.
@stshirey65 (113)
• United States
12 Nov 09
Sorry, I forgot to tell you, you can promote the ebook or any thing else you want with the traffic you earn from the traffic exchanges. Hope this helps, and you find your 100 ways to make $5 this month, then repeat it every month!
@JennyMarie (366)
• United States
12 Nov 09
What a great list.
This has me thinking and I will get back to you as soon as I have compiled my list of what I want to do this month to make and extra $5.
You know this can really add up if you think about all the little things you can do to earn $5. Great Idea and thanks for sharing
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
12 Nov 09
It's kind of fun, too. I look forward to seeing what you decide to do.
@JennyMarie (366)
• United States
12 Nov 09
Just got back from lunch here at work and decided one of the first ways I was going to save $5 was to start bringing my lunch, that should save me well over $5 everyday
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
15 Nov 09
Hey, that's a great start! You can make sandwiches, bring soups, make wraps, or just bring leftovers from home.
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
13 Nov 09
yup. I'm trying to throw everything I can at the debt. So long as I keep trying, we can do this. It is going down, it's just that if every once in a while i make a big push, it'll go down faster.
@angelajoy (1825)
• Philippines
13 Nov 09
Wow, you sure tried a lot of ways to earn or save more money. The only things that I'm doing right now to earn more money are work harder at my full-time job and do additional work online when I have spare time. I'm planning to sell old books too like you did, but I'm having second thoughts because my family could benefit from my old books.
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
15 Nov 09
hmm...collecting paper is an interesting idea. I don't think we can do that around here - I'd need a car. and a bigger place.
I'm just trying out different things. I work pretty hard at my regular job, although I could fit in more clients, it wouldn't leave me any flexibility. Something to think about.
@angelajoy (1825)
• Philippines
13 Nov 09
I forgot to mention that I'm also collecting trash in the house, especially used paper, so that I could sell them to junk shops. They would be worth a good amount of money if I collect a lot.
@prasant_sp3214 (137)
• India
13 Nov 09
Hello, I don't know whether www.reviewstream.com paid you previously or not. When I try to access that site, fortiguard is blocking that site saying "Malware". So please be sure that they pay you before you work for them. Moreover if it is really a malware site, it may damage your PC even, so be careful and the same thing with triond - it is a spam URL. Please update your anti-virus and other PC protection softwares to know about such websites.
Regards,
V. Prasanth Kumar
http://sysusertips.blogspot.com
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
15 Nov 09
I've earned payout a couple of times. I'd better check for malware though, thanks so much for the warning.
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
12 Nov 09
I read your discussion and responded last week so I am very happy I stumbled upon your update on it. I just found out that my husband might be losing his job in three weeks so I really need to hunker down and save and make more money too just in case he does lose his job. I have been making sure all of the lights are turned off as much as possible. I am going to talk to the kids to tell them to wear each pair of jeans two times before putting them in the hamper and to hang their towels and re-use them a few times before putting them in the hamper. We are also not turning on the furnace until we have to. Everyone is wearing hoodies at night around here.
Today I made to quick breads they are from a box, but the boxes have been sitting in the pantry for months, so it was time to make them. The kids and I will eat quick breads for breakfast for a couple of days and will cut down on the amount of cereal I will need to buy since we usually go through a box of cereal every two days.
I am also going to try and write more articles on Ehow and Bukisa.
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
13 Nov 09
Hmm...I haven't tried eHow.
have you joined swagbucks? I find it's a pretty easy system because I do a lot of searching anyway.
Sorry to hear about your husband's job. I hope it works out in the end. Good thing you are starting to take preventative measures now, but this time of the year is really hard.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
12 Nov 09
My big one this month, that is going to make me a lot more than five dollars is I have decided that I am going to babysit my nieces again. This makes the third week that I've been keeping them and my brother and sister-in-law pay me between 80 and 85 a week to keep them. This helps both us and them because they don't have to pay a licensed child care provider to keep the two girls full time and it helps me because it gives us extra cash.
I've got a Tupperware party scheduled for tomorrow (I'm a consultant but I haven't had a party in the past two months).
Oh, I'm also working more on Amazon MTurk and I've made over twenty dollars there so far this month.
I'm also saving money by not making as many unnecessary trips.
@randylovesdar (4932)
• United States
12 Nov 09
Congrats!!! I think it is wonderful that you are able to save an extra $5.00. You are doing well. I am trying to make extra money as well and if you do not mind I might use some of your ideas.
Also, for Christmas I hve been making homemade gifts instead of store bought gifts. I will be making gift baskets and painting ceramic ornaments. I am also looking into making felt ornaments for my niece and nephews. I already bought them books. I have always bought them an ornament, but this year I am going to make felt ornaments.
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
13 Nov 09
I found some cute ideas for ornaments, plus I can make little angels out of beads, so I will make some of those.
I think it's great that you found my ideas useful. I hope others post useful ideas as well.
