I think some call it a full circle moment… mine isn’t as dramatic or meaningful as those on Oprah but I need to humble myself and admit to some of my early mistakes in the world of home business and Internet income.
You see almost four years ago someone introduced me to a free program where you get paid to read e-mails and visit websites. Nothing fishy or scam-like but it’s not a get rich quick scheme and, like I did with many things back then, I read a few e-mails and quit. I don’t know if it was “know it all me” deciding that no, this isn’t for me and I don’t want to take the time to see what it’s all about or dare I say it, maybe I was looking for a “get rich quick” program.
Well here I am four years later and I finally get it. The same program was introduced to me by a fellow Internet marketer and it makes so much more sense and yes I see the big picture. I used to lump all those programs in the same pile – , surveys, paid e-mails, offers. Who could possibly make any money? The truth is that some of these programs are legitimate, they are free to join and can offer you a little extra coffee or gas money (won’t make you rich) . Do 2-3 of these at the same time and it’s even more. If you are a “big picture” kind of person and want to take the time to learn to refer and market these programs yourself, you can earn more. Market 2 or 3 of these and…. well you get the picture.
So if you are looking for a little extra income for Christmas, you may want to check out the programs below.
Hits4pay
Multi Stream Media is a company that works Hand in hand with advertisers for the sole purpose of having the general public view/look over their products. This is done solely through e-mail. Multi Stream Media will pay you to read email from these advertisers. THERE IS NO CHARGE TO JOIN AND THERE IS NO FEE EVER. You will be credited $10 when you join.
Again, you will not get rich but it is free to join. My sponsor has put together instructions on how to advertise for free on the Internet so that you can have others join as well and increase your earnings. E-mail me for those instructions at paid4hits@gmail.com (Admittedly, a few cents per ad you read is frustrating but referring others is where you can substantially increase your earnings). Click here to join Hits4Pay.
Inbox dollars
Similarly, you can get paid to read e-mails, play online games, take surveys and shop online. You also get paid 10% of your referrals earnings. Your account will be credited $5 just for signing up. Click here to join Inbox Dollars.
Cash Crate
I have heard really great things about this free program.
I’m not a big fan of completing offers for cash when there is a credit card involved. I’ve never had any fraudulent charges or anything like that. Truth be told, I’m just not very good at cancelling trial offers – too much going on in my life to be diligent about that. The great thing about Cash Crate is that you can complete offers that do not require any credit card information or money from you, at all. You can make a little extra money by completing free offers, surveys and the like. You can also make 20% of what your referrals make… and you can use some of the same free methods I mention in my e-mail instructions, just change the information to Cash Crate instead of Hits4pay and make sure you do not spam anyone or break any Cash Crate rules! Click here to join Cash Crate.
I’ll be honest, I never thought that I would be promoting free programs, surveys, offers and paid- to- read- e-mail-type programs, especially since I actually promote a high ticket travel membership but I’ve learned in the last little while, especially with the economy the way it is, that every penny counts! I also know that there are different people out there, with different talents, needs and resources that just want to start making some money online. What have we got to lose… it’s free!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Things that bug me on the internet...
There are some things on the net that just bug me. There, I’ve said it. I don’t have to pretend and go with the flow. I just plain don’t like these things and wanted to vent and perhaps hear what
others think:
Video explanations/instructions
While I understand how powerful this is as a marketing too, this is just not for me. I’ve actually started to skip over search engine results (for certain things) that give me video results. When I want information on something, I prefer to read it, bookmark it or print it if I need to refer to it again. I don’t know if it is a mom thing or not, but I just hate it when I click on a link while the kids are asleep and boom – out from my speakers comes some guy yelling about his product. And do those step by step videos work for anyone? When I need instructions on something, I prefer not to have to click pause and/or rewind every few seconds while I complete the tasks. Sure this might be valuable if you are assembling a craft and need visual instruction but the written word works so much better for me.
Data Entry advertisements
This is another online (and offline) pet peeve of mine. I remember my early days on the net when I first saw the advertisements of making thousands entering data and now I cringe every time I see one or worse when a friend falls for the ad expecting something entirely different. Recently I visited a site which appeared initially as something I might like to promote and then I came across the words promising tons of cash for simply entering data. The actual programs they promote are often times legitimate ways of earning online but the ads are very misleading. Why not just tell people what they are actually promoting, be it placing free ads, placing ads with google etc… which really is not, “simply entering data”. Makes me want to scream SCAM but I won’t because that’s just another thing that really irritates me.
Scam!
People are throwing the word “scam” around a tad too much, if you ask me. There comes a point when the buyer does have to take some responsibility. Simply put, if something does not work for you, that does not necessarily make it a scam.
Spam or emails without unsubscribe options
Doing what I do, I do request information quite a bit. I want to “get to the other side” of a lead capture page and actually see what the person is promoting. So I enter my e-mail address. The way it should work is that if I do not want to receive information from this person anymore, I simply unsubscribe and there you go, no spam…everyone is happy. Unfortunately, I somehow got added to some lists where unsubscribe is not an option. There is no link at the bottom. I can’t e-mail the person back as it bounces back to me. So, I’m stuck with a lot of junk which I have to personally filter through and delete because some times some good stuff does end up in my spam folder by error.
So that’s my short list of things that raise my blood pressure on the Internet… I’ve got lots more but we’ll leave it at that for now!
others think:
Video explanations/instructions
While I understand how powerful this is as a marketing too, this is just not for me. I’ve actually started to skip over search engine results (for certain things) that give me video results. When I want information on something, I prefer to read it, bookmark it or print it if I need to refer to it again. I don’t know if it is a mom thing or not, but I just hate it when I click on a link while the kids are asleep and boom – out from my speakers comes some guy yelling about his product. And do those step by step videos work for anyone? When I need instructions on something, I prefer not to have to click pause and/or rewind every few seconds while I complete the tasks. Sure this might be valuable if you are assembling a craft and need visual instruction but the written word works so much better for me.
Data Entry advertisements
This is another online (and offline) pet peeve of mine. I remember my early days on the net when I first saw the advertisements of making thousands entering data and now I cringe every time I see one or worse when a friend falls for the ad expecting something entirely different. Recently I visited a site which appeared initially as something I might like to promote and then I came across the words promising tons of cash for simply entering data. The actual programs they promote are often times legitimate ways of earning online but the ads are very misleading. Why not just tell people what they are actually promoting, be it placing free ads, placing ads with google etc… which really is not, “simply entering data”. Makes me want to scream SCAM but I won’t because that’s just another thing that really irritates me.
Scam!
People are throwing the word “scam” around a tad too much, if you ask me. There comes a point when the buyer does have to take some responsibility. Simply put, if something does not work for you, that does not necessarily make it a scam.
Spam or emails without unsubscribe options
Doing what I do, I do request information quite a bit. I want to “get to the other side” of a lead capture page and actually see what the person is promoting. So I enter my e-mail address. The way it should work is that if I do not want to receive information from this person anymore, I simply unsubscribe and there you go, no spam…everyone is happy. Unfortunately, I somehow got added to some lists where unsubscribe is not an option. There is no link at the bottom. I can’t e-mail the person back as it bounces back to me. So, I’m stuck with a lot of junk which I have to personally filter through and delete because some times some good stuff does end up in my spam folder by error.
So that’s my short list of things that raise my blood pressure on the Internet… I’ve got lots more but we’ll leave it at that for now!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Disciple's Cross; A Great Way to Make Some Extra Money for Christmas!
For a while now, I've been searching for a home business opportunity to review along the lines of assembling crafts or jewellery from home. The truth is there are a lot of scams out there promising you a lot of money assembling products from home but delivering nothing once you've sent them your hard earned money.
Based on my research, Disciple's Cross is not one of these scams. Founded by Pastor John Raymond (also known for appearing on Survivor Thailand), Disciples Cross has been providing a legitimate work-at-home business for years.
How it works
The cost of a starter kit is $69.95. The kit includes what you need to get started in making these crosses - materials and instructional DVD. This comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. The company offers a buy-back program which basically means that they offer to purchase back the finished crosses, allowing you to earn a maximum of $500/week with their buy-back program.More substantial gains can be had if you choose to sell the necklaces (craft shows, flea markets, churches, Christmas Bazaar's, or online which is fairly easy to do as they are quite beautiful. This is the route, I highly recommend.
Based on my research...
Before I became involved with Disciple's Cross, I searched on the Internet to hear what others were saying (not just their website testimonials) and most of the feedback I came across was positive and came from individuals were being paid regularly for over two years.
If you choose the buy-back program, be prepared. The crosses do go through a rigorous inspection and will be sent back if they do not meet their standards but certainly not to the extent of being a scam. As I said, Disciples Cross is a legitimate company and they are paying people for quality work completed.
For complete information on Disciple's Cross, please visit the
Disciple's Cross website and make sure to read their FAQ.
Based on my research, Disciple's Cross is not one of these scams. Founded by Pastor John Raymond (also known for appearing on Survivor Thailand), Disciples Cross has been providing a legitimate work-at-home business for years.
How it works
The cost of a starter kit is $69.95. The kit includes what you need to get started in making these crosses - materials and instructional DVD. This comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. The company offers a buy-back program which basically means that they offer to purchase back the finished crosses, allowing you to earn a maximum of $500/week with their buy-back program.More substantial gains can be had if you choose to sell the necklaces (craft shows, flea markets, churches, Christmas Bazaar's, or online which is fairly easy to do as they are quite beautiful. This is the route, I highly recommend.
Based on my research...
Before I became involved with Disciple's Cross, I searched on the Internet to hear what others were saying (not just their website testimonials) and most of the feedback I came across was positive and came from individuals were being paid regularly for over two years.
If you choose the buy-back program, be prepared. The crosses do go through a rigorous inspection and will be sent back if they do not meet their standards but certainly not to the extent of being a scam. As I said, Disciples Cross is a legitimate company and they are paying people for quality work completed.
For complete information on Disciple's Cross, please visit the
Disciple's Cross website and make sure to read their FAQ.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Integrity in a home-based business |Focus on the product.
O.K, maybe I am wrong. Maybe all the heavy hitters and home business gurus would have a good chuckle and say I am totally off base but I wanted one of my early posts to reflect what I believe is extremely important in any business and particularly in direct sales/home-based businesses; focus on the product, not just the business opportunity.
Someone once told me that if you do not truly believe in the business you are in, you will likely not have any real success. Now I know that isn’t completely true and depends a lot on your character and how you run your business, but think about it for a minute. Let’s just say you joined an “amazing” opportunity that has an amazing compensation plan but you are marketing a not-so amazing product that you or your prospects really don’t want or need. So maybe you follow a script and make some sales the same way the product was sold to you. Sure, short term you can make some money but do you really do you think you can build a solid team this way? Do you really want to? All the training in the world won’t help if you and your team don’t believe in the business… or is it all about signing up as many people as possible to make a quick buck and not about the team’s success and happy customers? I know that’s not how I want to build my business.
On the flipside, imagine you have a great product and are marketing this wonderful product that you truly like and believe in. Happy customers provide testimonials; they often refer others and sometimes become members of your team as well. I won’t even get into how your change in attitude can affect the sales you make.
“But the compensation is so great and I want to build a team, not just sell the product”, you say. That’s fine but why not lead with the product. Long term don’t you think a team of happy, motivated customers is the way to go. Now that’s the route I choose.
Check out this post for more information on the importance of the choosing the right product for your home- based business.
Someone once told me that if you do not truly believe in the business you are in, you will likely not have any real success. Now I know that isn’t completely true and depends a lot on your character and how you run your business, but think about it for a minute. Let’s just say you joined an “amazing” opportunity that has an amazing compensation plan but you are marketing a not-so amazing product that you or your prospects really don’t want or need. So maybe you follow a script and make some sales the same way the product was sold to you. Sure, short term you can make some money but do you really do you think you can build a solid team this way? Do you really want to? All the training in the world won’t help if you and your team don’t believe in the business… or is it all about signing up as many people as possible to make a quick buck and not about the team’s success and happy customers? I know that’s not how I want to build my business.
On the flipside, imagine you have a great product and are marketing this wonderful product that you truly like and believe in. Happy customers provide testimonials; they often refer others and sometimes become members of your team as well. I won’t even get into how your change in attitude can affect the sales you make.
“But the compensation is so great and I want to build a team, not just sell the product”, you say. That’s fine but why not lead with the product. Long term don’t you think a team of happy, motivated customers is the way to go. Now that’s the route I choose.
Check out this post for more information on the importance of the choosing the right product for your home- based business.
Friday, October 3, 2008
When times are tough….
O.K, I’ve got to admit that the last few weeks I have been just a tad peeved while watching the news. I mean, can things get any worse, I thought? The economy is definitely something that has everyone talking… or worrying, panicking, not sleeping…need I continue? But then I seriously did a 360, as they say, and counted my blessings.
First off, as far as my family is concerned I am extremely blessed. I have four wonderful children and an awesome loving husband. How great is that!
Second, I have the choice (as do all of us) to do something about it. I choose to work from home and am extremely lucky to have a home-based business. I’m home with the kids when I need to be and want to be. The school is a hop, skip and a jump away from my home office. They have a home cooked meal each and every day. I control my expenses and my income and do not have to worry about gas prices because my office is down the hall from my bedroom and when times appear to be tough, I just work harder and smarter to increase that income. I don’t need to be worried about losing my job because I am in business for myself and partnered with companies in industries that are always booming; travel and health and wellness.
The point of this post – let’s count our blessings and get with the program. Let’s stop complaining and change our situations/plan for the future as best as we can.
If you haven’t yet checked out my recommended home-based businesses listed on the right hand side of this page, please feel free to do so. I’m big on having quality products to market so check them out and see if they are in line with what you are looking for.
Keeping in mind that times are tough, I’m researching some “free” opportunities that can generate real income. If I find them to be of value, I’ll post them and review them here, as well.
First off, as far as my family is concerned I am extremely blessed. I have four wonderful children and an awesome loving husband. How great is that!
Second, I have the choice (as do all of us) to do something about it. I choose to work from home and am extremely lucky to have a home-based business. I’m home with the kids when I need to be and want to be. The school is a hop, skip and a jump away from my home office. They have a home cooked meal each and every day. I control my expenses and my income and do not have to worry about gas prices because my office is down the hall from my bedroom and when times appear to be tough, I just work harder and smarter to increase that income. I don’t need to be worried about losing my job because I am in business for myself and partnered with companies in industries that are always booming; travel and health and wellness.
The point of this post – let’s count our blessings and get with the program. Let’s stop complaining and change our situations/plan for the future as best as we can.
If you haven’t yet checked out my recommended home-based businesses listed on the right hand side of this page, please feel free to do so. I’m big on having quality products to market so check them out and see if they are in line with what you are looking for.
Keeping in mind that times are tough, I’m researching some “free” opportunities that can generate real income. If I find them to be of value, I’ll post them and review them here, as well.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
What to look for in a home-based business | Tip 4 Understanding your investment.
If you are new to the home business arena and are investing in a home-based business, I believe it is important to ask your enroller about any additional costs you may incur when starting your business. Know what your investment really is. Sure the sales letter said that you can own my own business for only $49.99 (sound familiar?) but.. is there a hidden monthly fee? How much should you budget for advertising? Does your mentor/enroller suggest getting a domain name, setting up your own website? I’m not suggesting that you steer clear of a business that will have these costs. I am, however suggesting that you be aware of what additional costs may be involved so there are
no surprises!
As for how much you should invest, only you know that. Review the compensation plan, the product, the company in detail and decide if the investment amount is something you can afford and want to invest in. I’ve heard many people trying to convince their prospects to “do what it takes”, put it on your credit card, borrow from a friend or family member and to be honest I am not a big fan of those tactics. I’ve been down that road of debt and don’t wish it upon anyone. Sure they sometimes mean well and just want you to succeed BUT you know best what you can and can’t do… Be smart.
What I did is started something a little more affordable and leveraged that income into a business requiring a higher investment. I have listed both higher and low investment opportunities here and will continue to add more as I check
them out.
Wow… this post is a lot longer than I had intended. Amazing what I can do when the kids are asleep!
no surprises!
As for how much you should invest, only you know that. Review the compensation plan, the product, the company in detail and decide if the investment amount is something you can afford and want to invest in. I’ve heard many people trying to convince their prospects to “do what it takes”, put it on your credit card, borrow from a friend or family member and to be honest I am not a big fan of those tactics. I’ve been down that road of debt and don’t wish it upon anyone. Sure they sometimes mean well and just want you to succeed BUT you know best what you can and can’t do… Be smart.
What I did is started something a little more affordable and leveraged that income into a business requiring a higher investment. I have listed both higher and low investment opportunities here and will continue to add more as I check
them out.
Wow… this post is a lot longer than I had intended. Amazing what I can do when the kids are asleep!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
What to look for in a home-based business | Tip 3
So often, I see people overlook researching what I think is the most important thing in a home-based business and that is, the product. I don’t mean to insult anyone’s intelligence here – of course you look at the product you will be marketing but you really need to look at the value of the product in order to ensure that you can effectively market it and have success; is the product something you think people will buy if it is not attached to a business opportunity? Is it competitively priced? Is it in line with your values? Is it another run of the mill, me-too product or is there something that differentiates this product in the marketplace. Would you buy this product if it was not attached to the opportunity? Can you really see yourself telling others about this product? If it is something you will use, then chances are you won’t have a problem sharing with others.
That’s why I often choose to lead with the product I market and not the opportunity… more on that later!
That’s why I often choose to lead with the product I market and not the opportunity… more on that later!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
What to look for in a home based business | Tip 2
What type of training/mentoring is available? Depending on what type of business you are getting into, this can make the difference between succeeding or failing miserably. You answered an ad, you checked out the company and you are ready to go. What now? If you don’t have a clue to what you are doing and don’t have anyone to show you how you did not do your homework. So stop! Don’t spend another dime on another so called “opportunity” until you do the following:
Ask the person signing you up… what happens next? What training will be provided? Ask specifics. I would even go ask far as saying have a long candid conversation with this person about what the specific plan of action is for you because even if there is training available, what they teach may not be the way you feel comfortable working your business.
Ask the person signing you up… what happens next? What training will be provided? Ask specifics. I would even go ask far as saying have a long candid conversation with this person about what the specific plan of action is for you because even if there is training available, what they teach may not be the way you feel comfortable working your business.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
What to look for in a home based business | Tip 1
One of the first things I look for when choosing a home-based business is a stable company with solid track record. How long has the company been in business? Is the company contact information available? What do others have to say about the company? Run a Dun & Bradstreet report on it. Visit the company’s corporate website. Are the company values in line with your values?
Research before you leap. I can’t stress this enough. It is amazing how many people request information but fail to take the time to research, talk to a live person and attend a presentation. Yes, the internet has allowed the average person to start a business for practically pennies but before you fall for the hype and that wonderfully written sales letter or e-mail, do your homework!
Research before you leap. I can’t stress this enough. It is amazing how many people request information but fail to take the time to research, talk to a live person and attend a presentation. Yes, the internet has allowed the average person to start a business for practically pennies but before you fall for the hype and that wonderfully written sales letter or e-mail, do your homework!
Monday, September 22, 2008
What do I choose to do from home?
For a while I think I was an addict. I looked at opportunity after opportunity.“Buy this and I’ll personally show you how to generate a six figure income” or “Make 1000’s daily typing”, were some of the tempting ads I came across early in my search. Thank goodness, I learned my lesson quickly and stopped searching and started researching some real, legitimate income opportunities on the internet that weren’t just hype.
What I choose to do, in a nutshell, is partner with existing companies who already have a product and I market these products. I am self employed. I work my own hours. I work in a manner that fits my lifestyle, my schedule, and my personality. The companies I choose to work with generally handle any shipping and they handle the money, meaning I just get my cut via check. Hassle free and simple.
Who would want to make 1000’s daily just typing anyway.
B-O-R-I-N-G! What I do is much, much more interesting…
What I choose to do, in a nutshell, is partner with existing companies who already have a product and I market these products. I am self employed. I work my own hours. I work in a manner that fits my lifestyle, my schedule, and my personality. The companies I choose to work with generally handle any shipping and they handle the money, meaning I just get my cut via check. Hassle free and simple.
Who would want to make 1000’s daily just typing anyway.
B-O-R-I-N-G! What I do is much, much more interesting…
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Welcome to my Blog!
Welcome to my blog! I’m very excited to be starting this blog where I hope to share my work at home experiences. Here I’ll be candid with respect to finding that perfect work at home job or business, what works and what doesn’t, what to look for and what to avoid, both offline
and online.
To be honest, I have been surfing the Internet, reading about other people’s success, for quite some time. I honestly thought that I had “missed the boat” with respect to earning an income online. Not true, the Internet is growing and changing daily. There are many legitimate opportunities and income streams available so that the average person, be it high school student, mom, dad or business professional can supplement or even replace their current income.
So stick around, grab a coffee and “chill” as my son always tells me.
Some of my upcoming posts:
• What to look for when searching for a work at home opportunity.
• The importance of focusing on the product, not just the
business opportunity
• Chillin’ mom’s recommended business opportunities
and online.
To be honest, I have been surfing the Internet, reading about other people’s success, for quite some time. I honestly thought that I had “missed the boat” with respect to earning an income online. Not true, the Internet is growing and changing daily. There are many legitimate opportunities and income streams available so that the average person, be it high school student, mom, dad or business professional can supplement or even replace their current income.
So stick around, grab a coffee and “chill” as my son always tells me.
Some of my upcoming posts:
• What to look for when searching for a work at home opportunity.
• The importance of focusing on the product, not just the
business opportunity
• Chillin’ mom’s recommended business opportunities
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