This post contains referral links.
Hey all!
Most of you probably know that I believe God's calling on my life it to be a stay at home mom. That meant really getting creative on my end. I was hoping my blog might become a source of income but it turns out that monetizing a blog is tough work! And it requires a lot more time than I am able to commit to at this point. Thankfully, God has provided me with part-time employment outside of the house. It's just 10 hours a week (a day and a half away from baby girl), sometimes I am able to work from home, my mom and my grandma are the best babysitters around, and I am doing ministry! It is a huge blessing.
But before I accepted this position last week, we were surviving on savings and I searched high and low for different ways to make a few extra bucks. This list includes a few of my favorites:
1. Swap.com
Not only is one of my favorite places to shop for Miss Aelah (and now myself) but it is such an easy way to make some extra cash. I have sent a couple of boxes of things from around the house and made a decent amount. But recently, I've started buying baby clothes at yard sales for the specific purpose of sending them to Swap. All I have to do is put the items in a box! They photograph and put the items online for you to price. I only have to worry about shipping once and I never have to photograph a thing (forget Ebay!). The site says that on average users make about $50 a box! Click here to get started or to go shopping!
2. Grocery / Shopping Apps
There are so many different grocery apps out there, it is hard to know which ones are worth it. Well, I've tried quite a few and these are the few that I use on a regular basis and have stood the test of time (in order of how much I like and use them):
- Shopkick
- This is, by far, the easiest way to make some extra money. Just open the app when you walk into select stores and you get points! The only catch is that you can only redeem points for gift cards. While not actually cash, you can get Walmart or Target gift cards for groceries or even gift cards to major Gas Stations like Exxon or Shell. This helps the budget which means extra cash! Click here to sign up.
- Walmart Savings Catcher
- Just scan your receipt and they price match for you! Since we usually buy off brand, I don't get a huge return on this but if you buy name brand, the savings add up quickly. And no matter what, every little bit helps!
- Receipt Hog
- Snap pictures of your receipts for points. This isn't just for specific stores either! It takes awhile for points to add up but it is super simple so I don't mind the extra few seconds it takes to snap a picture of my receipt. If you use my referral code, SPOG8394, you will get 5 free spins on the "Hog Slots"...which might mean extra points!
- Ibotta
- This app has you scan barcodes and receipts to earn points for specific items that you buy. Some things are name brand, other things are general like '1 dozen eggs' or '1 gallon of milk.' And it only works at specific stores. The only place local for us is Walmart. I don't make a ton extra this way but every little bit helps. The plus side is that the bigger your team is the more money you are capable of earning. Your team grows in a couple of ways - direct referrals or any Facebook friends that join (you don't have to invite them, you just have to have your account linked). You can join my team and we can make money together if you use my referral code: tyjrokq
3. "Points Per Activity" Sites (Surveys, Videos, etc.)
This is popular way to make a few extra bucks. But again, there are a ton of different sites out there. I have tried a few and only three have stood the test of time for me.
- Swagbucks
- They give you a "daily goal" every day which I try to reach so I get the bonus points. But if nothing else, I do the daily to-do list on the left hand side and I "watch" my allotment of videos on the Swagbucks TV app. I made Swagbucks my default search engine so I can get points if I need to look anything up online. I occasionally do other things like surveys or tasks to reach my daily goal. And, if I'm shopping online, I make sure to do so through Swagbucks so I can earn points that way as well. Click here to see all the awesome ways you can earn swagbucks.
- Perk.com
- I use Perk in two ways. I have the Perk TV app on my old iphone that I can "watch" videos on all day. I have the Perk Scratch app that is basically a lottery ticket game that I play when I'm wasting time (while nursing or watching TV). The points take longer to add up...but it doesn't require a lot of my time. Go here to start earning Perk points.
- Superpoints
- Again, another one that takes a bit longer to add up but requires very little effort on my part. I push the super lucky button as many times as I'm allowed each day, do the "daily click surprise" and open my daily email (receiving the email is a requirement...opening it means you might win points). SUPER easy. Click here to try your luck at the super lucky button.
4. Reward Credit Card
We have one credit card, Chase Freedom, in our house that we pay off every month, well, technically multiple times a month, but the point is, we never have a balance on it. We get 1% cash back on every single purchase and then 5% back on different items each quarter (gas, restaurants, etc.). With no fees and no balance, they are paying us $15-$30 a month just to use their card! If you sign up by the 1st of November and spend $500 in the first three months, they will give you $100 cash back!! Just follow this link and you are on your way!
Bonus... Start an Etsy Shop
I included this as a bonus because it isn't exactly *easy.* If you can sew or have any kind of creative gene, having an Etsy shop is a fun and creative way to make money from home. Since I made all of our own natural, chemical-free cleaners and bath & body products, Hubby suggested I start selling them. We try to attend at least one craft show a month and started an Etsy shop. Not only is it a fun way to make some extra cash, but we get to spend some extra time together....which is always nice.Thinking of starting your own shop? Use this link and we'll both earn free listings!
You can check out all of the natural products we sell here. Use code MYBLOG10 at checkout for 10% off.
