Sudden Addiction: Swagbucks.

Wow.   So last week I read on someone’s blog (I SO wish I remember whose it was!) about her glowing review of Swagbucks.  I had never heard of the website before, and clicked to check it out.

Upon reading the “How it works” link that describes what it is, I read:  “Swagbucks.com is an online portal dedicated to helping you earn digital dollars called "Swag Bucks", which can be redeemed for exclusive Swagbucks.com merchandise.”

So, I thought, Ok.  I can use it instead of Google for a few times, just to see what happens.  On about my 3rd or 4th random search, I won 10 Swagbucks – which, I have subsequently got it in my head that its about a penny a point (thought that is partially wrong – the conversion amount depends on what you buy from their store).  I think I got 50 free just for signing up, then a few more for installing the toolbar in Firefox.

Don’t get me wrong, it took me about 2 days to install the toolbar, convinced that it was spyware or something.  But after enough research, I found that it was not. 

In my opinion, it is basically a marketing research portal – trying to get people to do online surveys, watch commercials, take polls, stuff like that.  The reason it pays you to search is because through their search engine, the top 5 or 6 results are all from their sponsors – if you click on them, they get paid.

So, I search using swagbucks.com now instead of Google.  I know to start looking for good results about 7 lines down.  I do the surveys while I watch TV.  I watch their little commercials and take polls.  All of it takes time, but c’mon – I’m ALWAYS vegging out in front of the laptop, why not get paid for it.

Paid.  How do you get paid.  I first thought the “Swag Store” would be full of crap that no one would want.  And while that stuff IS there – it seems that the majority of the Swaggers ALL redeem their points for Amazon gift cards.  Here is where I talked about what you buy makes the points worth more or less cash value.

If you buy a $5 Amazon Gift Card, it is 450 points.  So a little more than a penny per point.  If you buy a $5 Paypal card, it is 700 points – not near as good as the Amazon card.  Even within the Amazon cards, it is different – if you buy a $25 card it is 3150 points, much more than buying Five $5 cards (at 450 per card) for  2250 points.  SOOOO, what I’m getting at – most Swaggers do this for $5 Amazon gift cards.  And I am working on my 3rd, in one weeks time.  Oh, another fun thing is once a day or so, they will put a code out for just a few minutes or hours, that you cut and paste into the block on their webpage – and you get freebie Swagbucks for finding the code – it makes it like a scavenger hunt, and thats just enough to keep the gambler in me happy.  ;)

I admit, I have put time into it every night after work.  But I’m thrifty that way….. In my opinion, I have nothing but time in the evenings, if it can make me something over nothing.  Yes, I realize that makes my time at night about a dollar an hour (lol) but my thought is – if I do this all year, I will have quite a good amount of credit built up at Amazon by November, and will be Christmas shopping with it – just for goofing on the internet.

Check it out, and if you like it, click on the Swagbucks button over on my right sidebar – I will get points for referring you, and you will get extra points for signing up.  Then YOU can put a button on your blog’s sidebar, and get points when you refer someone too!

Make sure you set up a spam email address through Gmail or Yahoo, because some of the offers ask for an email.  Don’t spam up your good email box.  And I never do the offers that ask for a cell phone – heavens no.  But after a weeks time, there is no spyware involved, and with just a bit of time, you can make a bit of money on the side!

Back to painting next week.  For now, I’m off to collect some special collector Valentine Bills before tomorrows deadline!