This blog is supposed to include ways I am trying to make money, and though I have mentioned a few things I have tried, I have not been very specific. I am in the process of trying to rectify that, and will periodically let you know of offers as I think of them or receive information about them. I have joined up with every survey site that I am eligible to join as an Australian citizen. There are hundreds out there, but many are targeted at residents of the USA, Canada or UK.
I'm making TONS of extra money with a site called SnapDollars. They pay me to read email advertisements, complete offers and surveys, to try free stuff, play games, shop online and more! Earn unlimited extra cash and request a payout at any time. I usually receive 4-5 emails a week, so there are lots of ways of getting bonuses. Sign-up now and I'll earn referral money too...and so can you! Just click on the Snap Dollars link below and follow the prompts.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Saving Money When Shopping
It was 4pm and I had only eaten two pieces of toast with strawberry jam and I decided to shop for my husband's lunches for work. Thinking about carbon footprints, thunder thighs and actually trying to get LJ into his car-seat, my chosen set of wheels was the stroller...as I pushed it along.
I got to Safeway and found what I needed, and then some of what I didnt. I'd forgotten to pack myself a bottle of water so I succumbed to a bottle of some red sweet drink from the fridge at the counter. I also purchased three tins of baby food at full price!!! What on earth was I thinking. First of all...full price! Plus LJ wont eat tinned food. I am so annoyed at myself. Then, walking past a bakery, I saw that they had date scones. I have been craving them for weeks, so I went in and got myself one, then looked at LJ and thought I should get him one too. Then I thought it would hardly be fair if I went home without getting something for my darling, so I got him a cinnamon bun. What I didn't realise is that it was full of cream, and he hates cream. If I was to put a dollar value to my money wastage, buying unnecessary items today, then it would be in the vicinity of $18. Two things could have prevented me from throwing away this money, first of all, I should have had a shopping list, and secondly I should have eaten and had a drink before I went out.
I got to Safeway and found what I needed, and then some of what I didnt. I'd forgotten to pack myself a bottle of water so I succumbed to a bottle of some red sweet drink from the fridge at the counter. I also purchased three tins of baby food at full price!!! What on earth was I thinking. First of all...full price! Plus LJ wont eat tinned food. I am so annoyed at myself. Then, walking past a bakery, I saw that they had date scones. I have been craving them for weeks, so I went in and got myself one, then looked at LJ and thought I should get him one too. Then I thought it would hardly be fair if I went home without getting something for my darling, so I got him a cinnamon bun. What I didn't realise is that it was full of cream, and he hates cream. If I was to put a dollar value to my money wastage, buying unnecessary items today, then it would be in the vicinity of $18. Two things could have prevented me from throwing away this money, first of all, I should have had a shopping list, and secondly I should have eaten and had a drink before I went out.
Friday, January 22, 2010
An afternoon off
Thursday didn't work for me. I was tired, a little bored and LJ was not in the mood for anything except getting his own way. However I saw light at the end of the tunnel when my husband suggested I call his parents for some baby sitting.
In the 15 months since LJ was born, this was the first time my in-laws had looked after him. Writing this, I am sitting in the cool of my local library. Ahhhh the peace!
I thought about catching a train into the city or to borrow my husband's car, but that was just too stressful. I have opted for some quiet time at the library. As a result I saved $4.80 on a train ticket and thousands of dollars on clothes and knick knacks that I may have bought had I gone to the shops....maybe not thousands but at least a few dollars on food and drinks, a coffee or two and perhaps a bargain here or there....what a nice way to save money. I feel better now, having this time to myself, I think I need to do it more often.
Oh and good news, while I was there I found information on baby rhyme time, a fortnightly time for babies to get together with parents and have a book read to them. There is no charge at our library, so I am going to take LJ to give him some more interaction with other kids.
In the 15 months since LJ was born, this was the first time my in-laws had looked after him. Writing this, I am sitting in the cool of my local library. Ahhhh the peace!
I thought about catching a train into the city or to borrow my husband's car, but that was just too stressful. I have opted for some quiet time at the library. As a result I saved $4.80 on a train ticket and thousands of dollars on clothes and knick knacks that I may have bought had I gone to the shops....maybe not thousands but at least a few dollars on food and drinks, a coffee or two and perhaps a bargain here or there....what a nice way to save money. I feel better now, having this time to myself, I think I need to do it more often.
Oh and good news, while I was there I found information on baby rhyme time, a fortnightly time for babies to get together with parents and have a book read to them. There is no charge at our library, so I am going to take LJ to give him some more interaction with other kids.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Ahhhhhh Semolina!
Our 15 month old son is starting the terrible two's early, and for a few days would not eat the food I tried to feed him. He had been eating the same meal as us, just vitamized, but for some reason, he put his foot down and said loudly 'nnnnnnnnnnnnno!' I was tearing my hair out until my husband remembered something he used to eat as a child - semolina.
We can buy 1 kilo of Semolina for $3.00. We only use 1/4 of a cup of the stuff, so it will last ages. Little LJ loves it, for a week he ate nothing else but Semolina with a piece of fruit mixed in. His favourite is with banana. Yesterday he was feeding himself with a spoon in one hand and using his fingers on the other hand, he just couldn't get enough of it. I have attached a photo for your entertainment.
To make the Semolina, put in 1/4 cup semolina to a saucepan with 1 1/4 cups of milk and about a heaped tablespoon of sugar. Cook until the mixture thickens and pour into bowls. This is enough for two meals for LJ. I then cut up a piece of fruit and mix it in to each bowl. I use bananas, sultanas, plums, stewed apple or nectarines, but any fruit could work. Just be adventurous.
We can buy 1 kilo of Semolina for $3.00. We only use 1/4 of a cup of the stuff, so it will last ages. Little LJ loves it, for a week he ate nothing else but Semolina with a piece of fruit mixed in. His favourite is with banana. Yesterday he was feeding himself with a spoon in one hand and using his fingers on the other hand, he just couldn't get enough of it. I have attached a photo for your entertainment.
To make the Semolina, put in 1/4 cup semolina to a saucepan with 1 1/4 cups of milk and about a heaped tablespoon of sugar. Cook until the mixture thickens and pour into bowls. This is enough for two meals for LJ. I then cut up a piece of fruit and mix it in to each bowl. I use bananas, sultanas, plums, stewed apple or nectarines, but any fruit could work. Just be adventurous.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Save $30,000 in 30 Days
I saw an ad for A Current Affair a few weeks ago, how to save $30k in 30 days, but missed it, so looked it up on the website, see attached link: http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=988246
I'm going to look into this. This is a huge figure, and I just cant imagine how it would work for us. We are not super consumers. Has anyone else tried this out? I'll look into it further and provide comment where I can. Stay tuned...
I'm going to look into this. This is a huge figure, and I just cant imagine how it would work for us. We are not super consumers. Has anyone else tried this out? I'll look into it further and provide comment where I can. Stay tuned...
Sunday, January 17, 2010
How NOT to celebrate your birthday - The dangers of CFDs
Two years ago, while pregnant with my son, I started trading CFDs (Contracts for Difference) on the stock market. I had been planning on doing this full time so that I would not have to go back to work after the baby was born. Every morning the adrenaline would shoot through my veins as if I'd had a shot of caffeine and I would turn the computer on, holding my breath, hoping the markets had gone in my favour overnight.
Sometimes I'd gasp at the profit I'd made, but other times, my heart would sink to my stomach, my shallow breaths would make me feel light headed and I would worry about my loss. It all came to a head the first of July, the day before my birthday. The markets had gone horribly down, I was holding losing positions and there was no hope of a quick recovery. My husband told me that we had to cut our losses and close our positions, so I did that, with a loss of several thousand dollars. In fact it was approximately one month worth of maternity leave pay.
My birthday came and there was no adrenaline, just dread as I work that morning. Another year older and thousands of dollars poorer. It was a tough day for me, and when he came home from work to take me out for dinner and a movie, I just felt sick at the money he was spending on me.
As a result of this, I have decided that CFDs are not for me. I dont think getting rich quick really works.
Sometimes I'd gasp at the profit I'd made, but other times, my heart would sink to my stomach, my shallow breaths would make me feel light headed and I would worry about my loss. It all came to a head the first of July, the day before my birthday. The markets had gone horribly down, I was holding losing positions and there was no hope of a quick recovery. My husband told me that we had to cut our losses and close our positions, so I did that, with a loss of several thousand dollars. In fact it was approximately one month worth of maternity leave pay.
My birthday came and there was no adrenaline, just dread as I work that morning. Another year older and thousands of dollars poorer. It was a tough day for me, and when he came home from work to take me out for dinner and a movie, I just felt sick at the money he was spending on me.
As a result of this, I have decided that CFDs are not for me. I dont think getting rich quick really works.
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