Financial Friday: Mypoints & BZZAgent

Financial Friday: Mypoints & BZZAgent

MYPOINTS

These days, everyone shops online. If you're going to be buying online, you may as well earn some rewards at the same time.

There are several ways to earn points on mypoints. The quickest is by shopping through their site. Whenever I am going to make online purchases, rather than going directly to the website, I always check mypoints first. In entering the website through mypoints, I can accumulate points for every dollar I spend.

Even if you're not much of an online shopper, mypoints is still worth checking out. Every day they send 2-3 emails with special offers, and you get 5 points just for clicking on the link. Those little 5 points can quickly add up. Mypoints also offers games that you can win points through. If you're a member of bzzagent, they pay their rewards in mypoints. So that helps them add up quickly!

Depending on your shopping habits, it can take a little while to build up enough points, but its well worth it. Just this month I turned in enough points for $50 at Amazon.com. $50 isn't bad for zero effort!


BZZAgent.com 

Raise of hands, who likes free things? Silly question, we all like free things. From the samples at Costco, to the toothbrush at the dentist. When you're a member of bzzagent, you get freebies in two different ways.

Bzzagent is all about word of mouth advertising. After creating a  profile and answering some survey questions, they are able to match you up with products that you might enjoy. In order for you to spread the good word about the products, they will mail you a Buzz Kit. Typically a Buzz Kit will contain information about the product, either the product itself or a voucher to get the product at the store, and samples or coupons to share with your friends.

Once you have been accepted into a campaign, and gotten your Buzz Kit in the mail, you then report your experiences on bzzagent. Over the course of the campaign, you can report back as often as you like.  Every time you discuss the product with someone, bzzagent.com wants their feedback and reaction. In exchange for your word of mouth advertising, you receive points over on mypoints which you can redeem for gift cards! Its a win-win situation.

Over the past few years, I've gotten many free products through bzzagent. Perfume, turkeys, Aveeno lotion, a Sonicare toothbrush. Just this week I joined campaigns for make-up and dog food.


About the author:
Carli Lintemuth is located in the Metro-Detroit area and has been a professional nanny for 13 years . She co-moderates World Wide Nannies, an online support group exclusively for nannies. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WorldwideNannies/

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Financial Friday: What Exactly Is Jasmere?

Financial Friday: What Exactly is Jasmere?

Late last year I received an email from someone letting me know about a new website that was opening up in January 2010 called Jasmere.  It is a website that would offer great discounts on little known products and companies to people who wanted to explore new products. The best part was that the more people who purchased the "deal" the cost of it would decrease.   I was intrigued by this thought. I have always loved shopping for unique things from all avenues of the shopping world.  I liked the concept of Groupon and Restaurant, so I knew I would fall in love with Jasmere when it launched. I have to say I have not been disappointed at all in them.


I started getting the daily email of the "deal" of the day. I have made three purchases since January. 

•   Twenty Pounds of Fresh, Delicious Florida Citrus: Honeybells, Grapefruit, Navel Oranges or Mixed    This was $42 originally.  The final price was $17 plus $11.95 shipping for a total of $29.97.  I had ordered the mix of Honeybells and Navel Oranges.  I was anxiously awaiting for my order to be shipped when that horrible freeze hit Florida citrus growers.  I finally received my yummy Honeybells & Navel Oranged in February.  The Navel Oranges were the size of softballs. The honeybells were so heavy with juice.   Despite having to wait a bit longer because Mother Nature "froze" some of Florida it was totally worth the wait.  I would not have discovered The Orange Shoppe without this deal 
• NY's Legendary Fat Witch Brownie, as seen on Today Show, Food Network, CBS, many more.  The price for 8 three bite dense brownies is $17. I ended up with these heavenly "Fat Witch Brownies" for $4.00 plus $4.95 shipping! These were so incredibly awesome!  If you are ever in NYC they have a store in Chelsea Market. 
• Lunchskins: 3 Sandwich Skins & 2 Snack Skins. The value is $43. The final price I paid was  $15 plus $7.95 shipping. I snagged two of these deals along with their bonus of the day which was a $40 voucher for $16.  My total was $51.71.

Have I peaked your interest in the items up for grabs on Jasmere?  If so make sure you sign up for an account. 
If you sign up and then refer others through your referral link, such as the one I just gave you, you will receive $10 in Jasmere money.  I have used a coupon code for $5 off and it was very simple.  They are also great at answering emails if you need more advice or anything else. 

Make sure you "LIKE" Jasmere on Facebook as they have a winner of the day for the item that day.  They post the winner's name on facebook and I believe you have 24 hours to respond.  Which I think is pretty darn cool!  


Some helpful links to make your experience fun!

• To see some of the past companies that have been shared on Jasmere.

• To read a Haiku sneak peak at May

• To read their blog  (They do a more indepth review of the daily products and you can go back through and read about the previous ones too.)

• To know what is coming up next on Jasmere go to the bottom of the website and click on SOON

• To read more on how Jasmere works they have an awesome guide for you!   

Let us know what you end up purchasing! Think birthday gifts, baby gifts, graduation and holiday gifts when you see the deal of the day!

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Financial Friday: Online Coupons and more

You don't need to always get the Sunday newspaper to get the best deals at the store. Many times you can subscribe to the stores online emails and receive the coupons right in your own email inbox.

With the holidays here and people making "homemade" gifts, joining the many hobby & craft store email lists is great. You can use them at the various stores. If you have a A.C. Moore coupon for 50% for one item, you can take that to Michael's Craft store and use. Just call the store to ask if they accept competitor's coupons.

Hobby Lobby
A.C. Moore sign up for the email to receive the coupon
Michaels Arts & Crafts
Jo Anne Fabrics 40% off coupon for online item expires 1/2/10

For blogs that give you great coupon deals for various stores visit:
Deal Seeking Mom
Stretching a Buck
Hustler Money Blog- One month FREE of Amazon Prime on this link

To find various coupon codes for all types of places visit:
Retail Me Not anything from Domino's Pizza, Kohl's, Snapfish to Amazon.
Cheep Tweet this blog scours Twitter to find the best deals available.

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Financial Friday: How to make the most of Black Friday

I love getting a great deal when shopping. As a nanny I shop for the family, and I am always looking at the sale items and so forth. They don't ask me too, I just do it because I enjoy finding a good deal.

Here is what you can do now:
1. Make a list of your family that you need to purchase gifts for
2. Make a list of your friends that you would like to purchase gifts for
3. Make a list of anyone's birthdays that are coming up in December, January or February.

With these lists start assigning gift ideas to them. Remember that 2009 has been a hard year for everyone in just about every economic bracket. You are allowed to not purchase gifts for people this holiday season. You can give gift certificates to be used at a future date. For example, last year I was signed up for 3 different holiday card exchanges, but life got in the way and I didn't get them out. I was going to make Inauguration cards for the people, but it was too close to the madness of the holidays. I ended up making Valentine Cards for them. I had several people email me and let me know it was such a nice surprise to get a card in February and not in the middle of the other cards of the holiday. Look for next week's Financial Friday on alternative gift ideas on The Financial Nanny.

This brings me to what is going to happen next Friday, November 27, the day after Thanksgiving-Black Friday! This is when people have little sleep and go shopping before the coffee is brewing and the kids are awake for the best deals of the season.

The ads have been leaked on the Internet. I will be honest with you and tell you that last year was the first year I believe I looked at Black Friday Ads online. I want you to save money this holiday season so I have gathered numerous websites that have the ads available to us.

1. Slickdeals Black Friday Forum This site has many sub forums of the various stores, discussions broken up into categories like LCD TVS, digital cameras, laptops etc

2. Black Friday at Gotta A Deal on the left side of the site, is a listing of all the stores they have ads for. In the middle are discussions about how to attack Black Friday, if you can purchase items online for Black Friday and other helpful things

3. Black Friday Info more ads from the stores

4. Black Friday 2009 They have a shopping list, if you sign up for the site and sign in. On the left side, they have a pricing guide, store hours

5. Black Friday Online Specials This is a listing of the retailers that have online specials on Black Friday if you don't feel like going out in the craziness of the shopping frenzies.
6. Cyber Monday is the Monday after Black Friday, November 30. You can complete your list with any items, you missed on Black Friday.

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Savings online!

There are so many opportunities on the Internet for saving money. You can sign up for coupon blogs, sign up for receiving coupons in your mailbox, or print them out right then and there.I am going to post some great links to some great discounts that are time sensitive, so make sure you take advantage of them today.

To read the rest of the article for the awesome deals please visit Financial Friday on Regarding Nannies

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