Nicole

Hello again, savvy savers! A new day, and a new challenge! Today, I want to switch topics, and discuss a way you can save money, and that is by taking a refresher course from one of America’s best colleges and Universities. As part of today’s No-Spend Challenge, I want to post about an awesome at-home learning tool many users may be interested in using, Coursea.com.

• Coursera is a for-profit educational technology company offering massive open online courses founded by computer science professors, Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller from Stanford University.
• This online course directory offers persons from all walks of life the ability to sample, full-length classes, webinars, refresher courses, or to browse syllabi and test prep, in a full range of Liberal Arts topics, from many of the national top colleges and universities, including Duke University, Yale University, Vanderbilt University, and Johns Hopkins University.
• There are also courses focused on music education, art appreciation, small business management, and anthropological studies.

For those interested in this site, click here.

So, for today’s challenge, I encourage you all to check out this site, and see if you may be interested in taking a new online course on for size! Good luck! Be sure to check back tomorrow morning for the final day of this months No-Spend Challenge!

Here’s to saving,

Good morning, savvy savers! If you are anything like me, you are always looking for new ways to pad your monthly budget. Whether you need extra cash, are creating a splurge day fund, or are looking to pay for holiday expenses there is money to be made in the area of mobile apps and surveys. So, for day 23 of this month’s #31DayLWSZ October No-Spend Challenge, I wanted to discuss a few ways that I have found to use mobile apps to make extra money. 

So, as we are all aware that with the popularity of mobile payment methods, smartphones can also be useful for earning money. While apps will not make it possible for you to party like a rock star, they can help you pay for your next latte, or even get a free lunch every now and then. For these reasons alone, these apps are worth checking out.

A word of caution, however.  Safety first. Always read the fine print when downloading apps that claim to help you make money. Download apps from the Apple App Store and Google’s Play Store because of Apple and Google’s security measures, but die to the nature of the internet please read, and then re-read the fine print on these apps, as some of these apps will give you money in exchange for information you didn’t know you would be sharing. 

For instance, an app can access your phone’s GPS to find your location, download files without telling you, take pictures and record video and audio, send messages without your permission, or even modify or delete the contents of your phone. Just take the necessary precautions to allow you to securely safe. Okay, PSA over. 

So here is a list of several legitimate, money-making apps worth checking out that I personally use:

i-Say Mobile (iOS, Android):  i-Say Mobile is an app developed by Ipsos, the survey company that is very popular because they are always seen taking surveys during presidential elections. i-Say invites its members to take surveys, the highest-paying and also rarest of which cost as much as $100. You need to sign up at the i-Say website to become a member.

Swagbucks (iOS, Android): There are nine ways to make money on Swagbucks. You can browse the web, take surveys, shop in the Swagbucks mall, vote on daily polls, play games, watch videos, find swap codes, complete special offers, and bring in your friends to sign up. Swagbucks earnings come in the form of virtual money that can be redeemed as gift cards, coupons, and sweepstakes entries. Sawgbucks is one of my favorite go-to’s!

SlideJoy (Android):  SlideJoy puts product ads on your phone’s lockscreen and pays you a fixed amount every time you unlock your phone, whether you look at the ad or not. Users say they earn $5 to $15 on average with SlideJoy. Before making the switch to Android, this was my app du jour! 

App Trailers (iOS, Android): App junkies,  this apps for you. App Trailer shows its users 30-second video trailers of new apps to download and install. For every app trailer you watch, you earn money. For every app you download and engage with, you earn even more. The more trailers you watch, the more points you earn, which can then be converted into gift cards or redeemed via PayPal weekly.

InboxDollars (iOS, Android): More than $30 million have been paid out to InboxDollars users since the long time it has been around. You get $5 alone just upon signing up. InboxDollars’ main attraction is it pays you money to surf web, play games, and take surveys. Users can cash out by requesting payment via check once they earn $30, which is completely possible in a couple of hours. I’ve earned four checks in two years. While this inst a cash cow, this is a slow-but-steady way to earn a free lunch every other season!

Viggle (iOS, Android):  Viggle syncs in wirelessly  to know what songs you listen to and what TV shows you watch, in exchange of course, for points that can be redeemed as gifts cards, digital downloads, electronic goods, and trips. Tv to earn gift cards to Burger King, Starbucks, and Lowe’s is a win-win for me! 

Mobee (iOS, Android): Interested in mystery shopping? Mobee’s partners with stores to earn points that can be exchanged for cash, gift cards, or even event tickets based on the quality of your evaluations. You can download the app for free to check out what missions are available in your area. Each mission earns you anywhere between 150 points ($1.5) and 3,000 points ($30).

Receipt Hog (iOS, Android): Receipt Hog lets you take pictures of your receipts in exchange for coins. Each 1,000 coins can be redeemed as Amazon gift cards or as cash via PayPal. As you upload more receipts, you unlock more ways to earn money, such as taking surveys.

Perk (iOS, Android): The Perk app offers a variety of ways to make money. For everything you do in one of the Perk services, such as when you search, browse the web, or watch TV, you earn a small number of points. If you buy something off Perk Shopping, you earn a massive amount of points that can be converted into gift cards. Minimum payout for Perk is $5.00, weekly.

Field Agent (iOS, Android): Instead of having you browse the Internet or take surveys, Field Agent pays you to do small tasks for its clients. For instance, you can earn $9 taking four different photos of toothbrushes at Wal-Mart or $5.00 checking out the price of certain dolls at Toys “R” Us. Taking into account the time and gas it takes to drive out and accomplish those tasks, you’ll still be able to make up to $20 as a field agent.

TaskRabbit (iOS, Android): Another task app! TaskRabbit pays you more than double the minimum wage to complete simple tasks for people than many other apps, such as putting together IKEA furniture or walking the dogs. However, you’ll have to apply to become a Tasker, within the app community.

Bookscouter (iOS, Android): Calling all bibliophiles! If you have a lot of books gathering dust on your shelves,, or aren’t planning to Kon’Mari them, Bookscouter can help!  This app looks for buyers offering the highest amounts. Simply scan the bar-code of your book and the app will give you a list of buyback companies and their prices. Once you choose your seller, give them your payment details and ship the book to them.

Pact (iOS, Android): Calling all my fellow Weight Loss Wednesday Divas! Want a way to get paid for healthy living? This is the app for you! With Pact, which pays users $5 every week for accomplishing certain tasks, such as eating a certain number of healthy meals or exercising a certain number of hours for the week. Is it effective? Pact says 92 percent of its users are motivated to lose weight, not just because of the $5.00 weekly reward but also because of the $5.00 penalty if they fail to complete their tasks for the week.

So that’s it! There’s my list. Now, many readers may say? What about sites like Crowdtap, Recyclebank,  or Walmart Savings Cather App? Well, Crowdtap has changed self-regulating rewards system to a randomized raffle system, where participation does not guarantee a monthly gift card (so I did not include it on this list, though it’s still a fun way to pass time), Recyclebank has changed its settings making its perfunctory seasonal rewards harder to obtain (this site is still one of my secret tools in for giving high-quality, free magazine subscriptions to friends and family over the holidays), and I group Walmart’s Savings App under my grocery savings tools.

For me, time is money. If I do not have a guaranteed guarantee on my time, its not just worth it for me. Some spend not saving is time not being vested in my husband, family, business, myself, or my faith. That’s just how I roll! 

Yes, I am aware this sounds like a lot, but I can usually accomplish all of these things in 30 minutes daily while relaxing and watching tv. These apps have helped me earn an average of $400.00 annually over the past half decade, and this year my app savings will help fund my debt-free holiday spending goal this upcoming holiday season! 

So, do you all have an other apps you use to earn extra money? I’d love to hear about it!

Here’s to saving!

Hello again, savvy savers! I hope you all are well rested, and ready for a new daily challenge! So today I want to focus not on selling things gleaned from your home, but items that can be made from items you have on hand. I am speaking of online consignment selling on ThredUp.com. 

So, why ThredUp.com?

Thredup is a mom and pop company, a small group of technology lovers, problem solvers, and some busy moms and dads. thredUP is based in downtown San Francisco. They pride themselves on being not just one of the nets largest online consignment carriers, but that they’ve been able to create meaningful jobs in the local economy and help build awareness about sustainable clothing practices and the environment.

A few other reasons to check the site out:

1. The sites allow you to sell clothing online, consignment-style, to a larger audience of potential buyers.
2. You are selling clothing to the vendors, and they offer you credit which can be used to either buy new clothes, or to have a Paypal buyout option.
3. Clothes that are not accepted are donated, on your behalf, to charities in their area. 
4. You do not have to leave your home to sell items! 

What Can I sell:

• Clothing
• Shoes
• Purses
• Children’s Clothing
• Men’s Clothing

How to Sell:

1. You should first start by figuring out what you want to sell.
2. Next inventory what you want to send.
3. Go to ThredUp.com and LikeTwice.com to request item shipment bags; bags are mailed to you free of charge. 
4. Once your bags arrive, mail back packages in the pre-sorted bags.
5. When your bags have arrived, you will receive notice, by way of email, as to what items have been accepted or rejected for sale.
6. Currently, ThreadUp is offering 100% return rate on all handbags, totes, and luggage! 
7. Currently sellers on LikeTwice can earn a $10 BONUS FOR YOUR HANDBAGS AND $5 FOR YOUR SHOES THROUGH 6/28! 

Seller Tips:

• Try to sell items that are current, classic, or sought after in design.
• Items should be in good, wearable condition.
• Shoes and leather goods should be clean; please read over ThreadUp’s policy, here!
• Be realistic in your options. Just because you paid $100.00 for a pair of jeans you will realistically not receive most of your investment back; aim for a quarter of the items worth.
• Rejected items will not be returned, but donated; only sell items you are ready to part with.
• Items you wish to have returned, you can opt to pay the $12.99 fee to purchase return assurance, so all returned items arrive back quickly to you. The fee will be taken out of your payout amount.
• LikeTwice will allow all returned items to ship back to you for $4.95; the fee can be taken out of your sellers account, store credit, or paypal account, too! 
• Both companies also accept plus sizes, maternity, and men’s clothing as well. 

So, today I challenge you to order a bag from ThredUp.com, and in a weeks time, mail off your consignment goods! 

My Selling Goals Were:

• I am going to list 10 household items, per bag.
• I hope to make $100.00 in profit.
• All items that do not sell will be donated to charity.
• To request both bags today; I will blog about the rest of the process during my June No-Month Spending Challenge. 

As well today I was also able to accomplish:

1. As part of my #Choose30 Daily Challenge, I woke up at 7:25, walked my fur babies, showered, & dressed to my shoes. (Thanks, Flylady!)
2. Worked on my daily Motivated Moms Planner.
3. I finished a day’s worth of clerking assignments ahead of schedule!
4. I cooked from my pantry for each meal.
5. Read my daily devotional.
6. I waked two miles.

Today I saved:

• I eat at home this evening for dinner, saving our family $6.95. 
• I recycled, upcycled, and composted one bins of deluge, and saved $0.25, the cost of 1 trash bag. 
• I cooked three meals from my home pantry, saving $6.81 in the process.
• My family drank water today, and saved $0.69, the cost of a 2-liter of soda.
• I also did not watch cable tv, and saved $3.68 by doing so.

Total amount I saved my family: $21.38

Please be sure to check back tomorrow for another way to save for this months No-Spend Challenge! 

Here’s to saving,

Hello again, savvy savers! For today’s October No-Spend Daily Challenge, as part of the #31DayLWSZ Challenge, I want to discuss my experience with today’s prompt, reflecting on this past weeks savings victories, challenges, and learning curves. 

So, thus far this month I was able to save a total of $738.46, and some of the ways I did this were by:

• Pantry Organization
• Utilizing On Hand Food Options To Help Make Weekly Menu Ideas Sheets
• Learning Home to “Dine Out At Home”
• Working on a personal #Choose30 Challenge to be more positive daily.
• Rain-Check Shopping for next months needed coupon staples and groceries from this last weekend.
• I clean off my Counter-tops to use as workstation areas for donating, sorting, and prepping donations.
• I listed and sold items via eBay, Craiglist, Facebook Local Groups, and Craftsy patterns. 
• Had an in-home spa day and saved $32.00! 
• Upcycled several new home projects. 
• Our family ate from our crock-pot for a week! 

I did have a few set backs this week though. My husband needed to take the entire $80.00 cushion I set aside for this months produce and incidentals budget for an impromptu school robotics club he is the sponsor of, as well as the funds needed for an oil change (for his car that was suppose to have previously been taken care of). Mind you I was a little taken back to find my home stripped of cash, sodas, and my pre-purchased Halloween candy (candy and sodas to help supplement our family and his 14 students going with him on this trip). My saving grace? Three hours after he left for his day-trip, I received not one, but four ETSY shop orders (that I already had the materials on hand for, score!), which not only reimbursed my budget, but paid for the missing household staples, and set my savings goal ahead by $27.00!

So, all’s well that ends well here is the Roberts household. 

As well here are a few ways I have been able to accomplish my no-spend goals this past week: 

1. I woke up at 6:25 daily, walked my fur babies, showered, & dressed to my shoes. (Thanks, Flylady!)
2. Worked on my daily Motivated Moms Planner.
3. I read three review books. 
4. I finished today’s Day 1-7 No-Spend Challenges!
5. I enjoyed a free Chik-fil-a- frozen latte!
6. I cooked from my pantry, eleven times.
7. I walked for three miles every other day!
8. I finished all of my daily blog posts on time!
9. Read my daily devotional.
10. I cleaned out my coupon cabinet, paper files for my ETSY business, and recycled numerous bins of random scraps of fabric around my craft room, too! 

My tally of last weeks savings are:

• I was able to procure 16 new rain-checks savings $54.00 in savings.
• I completed 2 surveys online via Ipsos-iSay, and earned a $1.00 towards my next Amazon gift code.
• I eat at home thirteen times, saving our family $77.93. 
• I recycled, upcycled, and composted one bins of deluge, and saved $1.20, the cost of 6 trash bags. 
• I enjoyed a free Chik-fil-a frozen latte, for free, a savings of $2.99!
• I received $32.98 worth of product review items, which can be placed in my home gift closet!
• My family drank water for one, and saved $7.30, the cost of a five 2-liters of soda.
• We made DIY fireplace starters, savings $12.98 over commercial pricing. 
• We used earned gift card dollars at Sam’s Club to buy gas, saving us $20.04.
• We made DIY hand sanitizer bottles, saving our family $7.98.
• We made DIY wet dog food, saving out family $19.98 over a case of pet food cans. 

So, overall my family saved $238.38

This months savings goal remaining: $62.34 of our $800.00 goal for this month. 

All-in-all, I am pleased with this past weeks progress and will be thinking of new and better ways to save come the next three weeks ahead! Mind you this progress is in part due to my families use of earned and gifted survey cards; I’ve read a lot of people state that they will not be using them on the challenge, but for me and mine, we love them. I legitimize these cards as ALL were earned from taking surveys, using savings apps, or by wining contest, paid affiliate campaigns, and giveaways. Free money is just that, free. 

I’m excited to note that these funds will be able to be allocated for last-minute holiday gifts, holiday donations, and Angle Tree presents this holiday season. As well, a fourth of the funds from this challenge went towards my yearly savings goal for acquiring a rental property/tax sale in the year and a half to come.  I am proud of myself, and so proud of you all as well.

If you were able to follow along with this past weeks #31DayLWSZ challenge, I’d love to hear about it!

Here’s to Saving,