Yasminah’s Gift of Hope is the new charity I will be supporting by donating 25% of my royalties from my book 26 Ingredients. They are such a worthy cause helping parents through what I can only imagine to be one of the most emotional and hardest times of their life.
Rebecca, the founder of Yasminah's Gift of Hope has personally experienced stillbirth and premature birth. I am so amazed at her strength and compassion for others to do something like this. I am so happy to be able to support her.
Yasminah's Gift of Hope provides journals for those who are dealing with a stillbirth or premature birth. They are also raising awareness of it and providing help and support to families.
Here’s what they say on their about page
Thank you for taking the time to visit and support us.
I have personally experienced Stillbirth and Premature Birth.
My first child my little boy Zachariah was 6 years in the making. After struggling to fall pregnant I was finally diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. We explored our options and decided to approach everything as naturally as possible and avoid invasive procedures. We found a wonderful natropath who got everything into order and we finally saw those wonderful two pink lines 9 months after starting treatment. I had a trouble free pregnancy and delivered our not so little 4.025kg boy at 41+2 weeks gestation by emergency caesarian after 21 hours in labour. I never realized how close we came to loosing our son but since this experience my eyes have been opened.
My second child my beautiful little girl Yasminah Ann, was a natural miracle but sadly she was stillborn at 37+4 weeks gestation on the 26th March 2009. It is still difficult for me to 'talk' about Yasminah. But when I write, my thoughts, feelings, emotions & memories flow freely. I wrote alot when she was born still. I wanted to 'talk' about her to anyone who wanted to listen. And writing was my way of 'talking'.
"The role of a writer is not to say what we can all say, but what we are unable to say. Anais nin"
After our loss we were blessed to fall naturally pregnant very soon after with twins which came as a wonderful suprise. I had a very complicated pregnancy. I was monitored very closely due to my medical history by a wonderful team of Doctors and Midwifes. Then at 28 weeks the twins developed Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome. Every day was a gift. At 31+5 weeks gestation I had an emergency caesarian, my girls were born 8 weeks & 2 days premature. They were both rushed away to Intensive Care. I didn't get to touch or hold my babies like most mothers do. On the 3rd day of their stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit we were given two "Memory Books" from the Westmead Hospital Centre for Newborn Care. They were simple plain exercise books covered in matching teddy bear paper and clear contact. Inside were blank pages. The front page read:
Darling "little" Aisha and Aaliyah
This Journal is a personal record of the beginning of your precious early lives.
We hope the memories it provides will act as a reminder of how loved you are by your parents, family and friends.
So I started writing down as much as I could of our twins journey through the neonatal intensive care unit. I wrote about their day to day progress, visitors and also my thoughts and feelings at the time. I used it as a place to keep my memories - photos, cards, photo therapy glasses, arm bands etc. Aisha spent 30 and Aaliyah spent 31 days in the centre for newborn care. Three weeks was in intensive care and their final week in special care before coming home. During this time we had many up's and down's. My journal was my constant travel companion between hospital and home. The journey wasn't easy but it was worth every moment. It is now a wonderful reminder of everything that we have been through and how far Aisha and Aaliyah have come in such a short space of time.
Then the idea of Yasminah's Gift Of Hope was born........
I have always wanted to do 'something' to raise awareness in the community about this whole other world that isn't spoken about "the elephant in the room". I also wanted to help other parents. Parents who also face a premature birth, neonatal death or stillbirth. It is a life changing experience
1 in 4 pregnancies in Australia ends in miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death.
So it just seemed a natural development to use my love of writing, arts, crafts and scrap booking to create unique journals for families to record precious memories and their own journey. I have always had a journal at some stage in my life. Even as a child I had a diary. I have a special journal of loved ones who I have lost over the years that began after the passing of my grandfather to help me deal with my grief. When I fell pregnant with Zachariah I kept a journal of the pregnancy. I have also created several scrapbooks, my favourite one is Yasminah's. Throughout Zachariah's, Yasminah's and Aisha and Aaliyah's pregnancies I found support through writing on online forum's.
Yasminah's Gift Of Hope Journals are unique, one of a kind, just like every child is unique, one of a kind.
"Life: It is about the gift not the package it comes in." Dennis P. Costea, Jr
I have had alot of wonderful people support me and my family during these difficult times in my life. Now it's my turn to give something back. If you are still reading I appreciate your support. You may be a friend, personally going through your own journey in NICU or had your heart broken through neonatal death or stillbirth. My heart reaches out to you, your family and friends at this difficult time.
Offering you Hope, Light, Love & Happiness
Find Hope to keep you strong...
Find Light to lead the way...
Find Love all around you...
And Happiness one day...
Please help support this wonderful cause. You can follow them on facebook by clicking here. Follow them, so your friends can support them to and spread the word!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Checking for lost super
Have you got all your superannuation in the one account? If not you are paying double the amount of fees and not earning what you could be earning.
Yesterday when I was cleaning out my storage cupboard and looking through my paperwork I came across a form from when I was doing my hairdressing apprenticeship. It was for a superannuation fund I was a member of back then. I didn’t stay with them but forgot to roll over the fund to a new account.
I didn’t earn much back then and didn’t think there was more than $200 in there. I rang them this morning and was truly shocked. I have over $800 in there. I know I was on a really low wage and I wasn’t even with them for a year, so how I accumulate that much I have no idea. It was years ago and I thought by now most of it would have been eaten by fees.
It took me years to get my husband to consolidate his super. He had 5 different accounts and I have just discovered another. This has cost him thousands in terms of fees and lost interest. It wasn’t until he lost $700 in one account that he finally moved it.
It isn’t that hard to do but so many of us just haven’t. There’s billions of unclaimed super money. If you are Australian click here to go to a site where you can find out if you have any lost superannuation. You might be surprised.
It is something so simple but so overlooked. I know for a fact quite a few relatives of mine have numerous superannuation accounts and don’t know how much is in them or even how many they have. It is so easy to open them up, make a call or download forms from their site, fill them out and give them back.
Have you checked yours?
Yesterday when I was cleaning out my storage cupboard and looking through my paperwork I came across a form from when I was doing my hairdressing apprenticeship. It was for a superannuation fund I was a member of back then. I didn’t stay with them but forgot to roll over the fund to a new account.
I didn’t earn much back then and didn’t think there was more than $200 in there. I rang them this morning and was truly shocked. I have over $800 in there. I know I was on a really low wage and I wasn’t even with them for a year, so how I accumulate that much I have no idea. It was years ago and I thought by now most of it would have been eaten by fees.
It took me years to get my husband to consolidate his super. He had 5 different accounts and I have just discovered another. This has cost him thousands in terms of fees and lost interest. It wasn’t until he lost $700 in one account that he finally moved it.
It isn’t that hard to do but so many of us just haven’t. There’s billions of unclaimed super money. If you are Australian click here to go to a site where you can find out if you have any lost superannuation. You might be surprised.
It is something so simple but so overlooked. I know for a fact quite a few relatives of mine have numerous superannuation accounts and don’t know how much is in them or even how many they have. It is so easy to open them up, make a call or download forms from their site, fill them out and give them back.
Have you checked yours?
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Switching off mentally
I have a serious problem. Some would not think it is a problem, but it does interfere with my life. My mind does not switch off. It is hard for me to sleep because my mind is going a mile a minute. I have had this problem for as long as I can remember. There is just too much to think about.
It has been getting better. I have developed a few habits to help me be able to get to sleep easier. From what I hear, I am not alone in this problem. Many people are unable to unwind and just switch off and drift off to sleep easily.
Part of me doesn’t mind this “problem”. I get so many ideas every day. I love the getting ideas. I don’t love not being able to stop the flow. I’d love to be able to switch my brain and all its ideas on and off like a tap. Since I can’t, I will have to do the next best thing.
What is the next best thing? Well, the little habits I have developed to help me. Here they are
1.) Don’t do anything stimulating before bed. I don’t always follow this one. If I am online or furiously writing things out in a notebook before I go to bed, there is no way my brain will switch off. It is going to keep thinking about everything I have just been doing. This is extremely hard for me. I like to be doing something all the time.
2.) Keep a notebook handy. It doesn’t have to be specifically pen and paper, the notebook application in your phone is fine. Why have one handy? So you can write down any ideas you have. I cannot sleep if I have thought of something, but not written it down. If it is written down I can focus on it in the morning. If I don’t write it down, I am so scared I will forget it I can’t sleep.
3.) 30 minutes before bed switch off and do something that doesn’t require much brain activity. Read a magazine or a book. I can’t read finance books or anything before bed, as they just make me think more.
4.) Meditate. I find this helps a lot when I am trying to switch off. It was hard for me at first to learn how to do it, but now I know how it has helped so much.
I am not perfect and don’t do everything I’ve listed here all the time, but I do try. This is just what works for me.
There are a few other things I do to ensure I can get to sleep, they are not related to switching off mentally, but they are still good.
1.) Don’t eat too close to bed time. If my stomach is full and trying to digest whatever I have just eaten, I can’t relax and fall to sleep easily.
2.) No chocolate/caffeinated products after 5pm. I avoid them anyway, but if I do have them, I can’t have them in the evening or I will be up all night.
3.) Eat good food. The healthier I eat, the easier I sleep. It probably has something to do with my body actually getting nutrients it needs and not working overtime to get rid of junk it doesn’t.
4.) Exercise. Keeping active makes my body feel like it has done something and I am more likely to sleep better. The exercise needs to be done earlier in the day though, not right before bed.
Is there anything you do to switch off and sleep better?
It has been getting better. I have developed a few habits to help me be able to get to sleep easier. From what I hear, I am not alone in this problem. Many people are unable to unwind and just switch off and drift off to sleep easily.
Part of me doesn’t mind this “problem”. I get so many ideas every day. I love the getting ideas. I don’t love not being able to stop the flow. I’d love to be able to switch my brain and all its ideas on and off like a tap. Since I can’t, I will have to do the next best thing.
What is the next best thing? Well, the little habits I have developed to help me. Here they are
1.) Don’t do anything stimulating before bed. I don’t always follow this one. If I am online or furiously writing things out in a notebook before I go to bed, there is no way my brain will switch off. It is going to keep thinking about everything I have just been doing. This is extremely hard for me. I like to be doing something all the time.
2.) Keep a notebook handy. It doesn’t have to be specifically pen and paper, the notebook application in your phone is fine. Why have one handy? So you can write down any ideas you have. I cannot sleep if I have thought of something, but not written it down. If it is written down I can focus on it in the morning. If I don’t write it down, I am so scared I will forget it I can’t sleep.
3.) 30 minutes before bed switch off and do something that doesn’t require much brain activity. Read a magazine or a book. I can’t read finance books or anything before bed, as they just make me think more.
4.) Meditate. I find this helps a lot when I am trying to switch off. It was hard for me at first to learn how to do it, but now I know how it has helped so much.
I am not perfect and don’t do everything I’ve listed here all the time, but I do try. This is just what works for me.
There are a few other things I do to ensure I can get to sleep, they are not related to switching off mentally, but they are still good.
1.) Don’t eat too close to bed time. If my stomach is full and trying to digest whatever I have just eaten, I can’t relax and fall to sleep easily.
2.) No chocolate/caffeinated products after 5pm. I avoid them anyway, but if I do have them, I can’t have them in the evening or I will be up all night.
3.) Eat good food. The healthier I eat, the easier I sleep. It probably has something to do with my body actually getting nutrients it needs and not working overtime to get rid of junk it doesn’t.
4.) Exercise. Keeping active makes my body feel like it has done something and I am more likely to sleep better. The exercise needs to be done earlier in the day though, not right before bed.
Is there anything you do to switch off and sleep better?
Monday, September 20, 2010
Getting a better deal
Research is paramount in getting the best deal. Take my internet for example. My provider has been driving me a bit up the wall lately and I started doing some research into other providers comparing them to our deal. Well, it turns out you can get a much better deal with my current provider if you know what to ask for. You need to be very specific though.
I have found the people in store, or on the phone don’t seem to be the best people to talk to when you want information on their product. In fact, of all the ones I have dealt with lately I have known more about their product despite the fact that some of them have been with their company, specialising in that field for over a decade. That is insanely bad.
In the last month alone I have gotten us a better deal on our internet, mobiles, am working on the mortgage and gotten refunds when others would not have bothered. How have I been able to do this?
1.) Research
2.) Being polite but firm
3.) Having no shame.
Research
Read everything you can about whatever it is you are looking into. If it is internet packages, check everyone, compare data allowances, monthly fees, installation costs, break contract costs etc... everything to weigh up the best deal for you. Even if you have no plan to switch or are on a contract that is too expensive to break, you may find by contacting your provider and informing them of what you know and your intent to change, they will probably match or give you a better deal than whatever it is you are planning to switch to.
So whilst you may think you can’t do anything because you are on a contract, you never know. I just got 2G more data usage a month simply by making a phone call.
When it comes to refunds know the law. If I feel something is not right I check with the Department of Fair Trading and research everything pertaining to my issue on there. It is amazing what happens when you mention “I’ve checked with Fair Trading and legally you can’t do that”. I saved myself thousands doing this.
I once bought something on a payment plan. No mention was ever made of interest, and there was no interest in any of the paperwork. When I rang to check our balance it was $2000 more than our original amount despite having made payments. When I queried this they suddenly mentioned interest.
I checked with fair trading and no, they could not do that. If it was not mentioned, not in my paperwork or anything, they can’t apply it at anytime. I informed the company of this. At first they argued a little. I informed them I would take it through fair trading if I had to. The interest was dropped.
Knowledge is power!
Be polite, but firm
Speaking nicely will get you much further than getting angry and frustrated. I do not mean let them walk over all over you. Maintaining a calm and rational manner, not raising your voice or becoming threatening is the best way to deal with these sorts of things.
If you have done your research you will know what can and can’t be done, so there is no need to get upset, as you will get your way eventually. You may need to speak to a supervisor. Just be firm and keep repeating what it is you want done.
You can be firm but not shout. Most call centres deal with nothing but complaints all day, so yelling will get you nowhere (usually). If you are polite, people will feel more inclined to help you. If you are rude and shouting at them, they will tune out and pretty much ignore any requests (demands) you make.
You get further with honey than vinegar!
Have no shame
Often my husband has asked me not to worry about things or to just drop it. He finds it embarrassing when I point out being overcharged (which in a supermarket = I get that item free thank you!) Or when I talk to our electricity/phone/internet providers and want a better deal. He thinks it looks cheap.
I have no shame when it comes to this. I do not care what these people think about me. I do not care if they think I am cheap/stingy/whatever. I prefer the money in my pocket.
He has been coming around to my way of thinking. He likes the extra money. The refunds we have been entitled to that he would have let go, the discount on our electricity/phones/internet etc...
For many it can be hard to swallow your pride and ask for a refund/discount. I used to hate doing it. Now, I hate getting ripped off. I hate the thought of paying for something when I don’t need to. I will let others who are too proud to ask for a better deal pay the extra costs and I will pay less.
Many millionaires ask for discounts on everything. That’s one of the keys to becoming a millionaire - live frugally.
Yes, I understand it can be embarrassing. But really, why do you car what other people think?
I have complained about rude service (and I mean really rude, not just a bit off) and gotten gift cards for the store (not why I complained, just an added bonus of telling them to pick up their game), I have pointed out incorrect charges at the check-out and gotten items for free (most supermarkets have this policy), I always ask if that’s their best price, less for cash, will they throw anything else in? You get the idea.
What has this resulted in? Thousands saved. Could you lower your embarrassment level a bit, deal with the “shame” for a few thousand? I have and my bank account loves me for it.
(That said, I do have some limits and try not to embarrass my family too much.)
I have found the people in store, or on the phone don’t seem to be the best people to talk to when you want information on their product. In fact, of all the ones I have dealt with lately I have known more about their product despite the fact that some of them have been with their company, specialising in that field for over a decade. That is insanely bad.
In the last month alone I have gotten us a better deal on our internet, mobiles, am working on the mortgage and gotten refunds when others would not have bothered. How have I been able to do this?
1.) Research
2.) Being polite but firm
3.) Having no shame.
Research
Read everything you can about whatever it is you are looking into. If it is internet packages, check everyone, compare data allowances, monthly fees, installation costs, break contract costs etc... everything to weigh up the best deal for you. Even if you have no plan to switch or are on a contract that is too expensive to break, you may find by contacting your provider and informing them of what you know and your intent to change, they will probably match or give you a better deal than whatever it is you are planning to switch to.
So whilst you may think you can’t do anything because you are on a contract, you never know. I just got 2G more data usage a month simply by making a phone call.
When it comes to refunds know the law. If I feel something is not right I check with the Department of Fair Trading and research everything pertaining to my issue on there. It is amazing what happens when you mention “I’ve checked with Fair Trading and legally you can’t do that”. I saved myself thousands doing this.
I once bought something on a payment plan. No mention was ever made of interest, and there was no interest in any of the paperwork. When I rang to check our balance it was $2000 more than our original amount despite having made payments. When I queried this they suddenly mentioned interest.
I checked with fair trading and no, they could not do that. If it was not mentioned, not in my paperwork or anything, they can’t apply it at anytime. I informed the company of this. At first they argued a little. I informed them I would take it through fair trading if I had to. The interest was dropped.
Knowledge is power!
Be polite, but firm
Speaking nicely will get you much further than getting angry and frustrated. I do not mean let them walk over all over you. Maintaining a calm and rational manner, not raising your voice or becoming threatening is the best way to deal with these sorts of things.
If you have done your research you will know what can and can’t be done, so there is no need to get upset, as you will get your way eventually. You may need to speak to a supervisor. Just be firm and keep repeating what it is you want done.
You can be firm but not shout. Most call centres deal with nothing but complaints all day, so yelling will get you nowhere (usually). If you are polite, people will feel more inclined to help you. If you are rude and shouting at them, they will tune out and pretty much ignore any requests (demands) you make.
You get further with honey than vinegar!
Have no shame
Often my husband has asked me not to worry about things or to just drop it. He finds it embarrassing when I point out being overcharged (which in a supermarket = I get that item free thank you!) Or when I talk to our electricity/phone/internet providers and want a better deal. He thinks it looks cheap.
I have no shame when it comes to this. I do not care what these people think about me. I do not care if they think I am cheap/stingy/whatever. I prefer the money in my pocket.
He has been coming around to my way of thinking. He likes the extra money. The refunds we have been entitled to that he would have let go, the discount on our electricity/phones/internet etc...
For many it can be hard to swallow your pride and ask for a refund/discount. I used to hate doing it. Now, I hate getting ripped off. I hate the thought of paying for something when I don’t need to. I will let others who are too proud to ask for a better deal pay the extra costs and I will pay less.
Many millionaires ask for discounts on everything. That’s one of the keys to becoming a millionaire - live frugally.
Yes, I understand it can be embarrassing. But really, why do you car what other people think?
I have complained about rude service (and I mean really rude, not just a bit off) and gotten gift cards for the store (not why I complained, just an added bonus of telling them to pick up their game), I have pointed out incorrect charges at the check-out and gotten items for free (most supermarkets have this policy), I always ask if that’s their best price, less for cash, will they throw anything else in? You get the idea.
What has this resulted in? Thousands saved. Could you lower your embarrassment level a bit, deal with the “shame” for a few thousand? I have and my bank account loves me for it.
(That said, I do have some limits and try not to embarrass my family too much.)
Friday, September 17, 2010
Making money challenge - update
How’s everyone doing the making money challenge? It’s not too late to join. You can join anytime and possibly win $100 cash!
Well, my first attempt at turning $100 into more did not go well. I bought a few things for $6 to list on eBay. Things that usually sell really well, but this time did not. So I lost on eBay fees as well. So I lost $9.27 total. Thankfully the 3 things I bought are 3 things I will use anyway. I had watchers so I am considering relisting.
I have “invested” $10 in something I am working on, which I will tell you more about later. Hopefully it will go well. I am just working things out with it, but hope to implement it once I move, so not for another month.
I am planning my garage/in house sale. I still need to sort a bit more, but part of my $100 will go to advertising it.
I have a couple of other little projects I have been working on which I hope to have ready next week.
I bought a few books from an op shop for $1 ea and listed them on Fishpond. It costs nothing to list on there, just make sure you select the box to have it paid into your account, not your fishpond account, or you will have to use the money to buy books. The best ever one I sold on there was a book I got for $24.95 on Oztion and sold on Fishpond for $85. It was a beauty text book.
What else are you doing to turn your $100 into more? Have you bought things to resell? Looked at doing an eBook? Starting your own site/blog? Investing in learning? Making stuff to sell at markets/online? Have you used the money to advertise yourself for services such as lawn mowing/mending/ironing/cleaning? Or maybe you used it to advertise a room in your house for rent or space in your garage for storage?
Don’t forget when it comes to selling online you can use facebook, madeit, etsy, oztion, eBay, gumtree, your local classifieds and I am sure there’s more! It’s not just eBay out there.
Check out 70+ ways to make money from home, 1001 ways to make money and ways to make money for ideas.
Remember to keep us updated! Good luck with it.
Oh, and you can do it for longer than the competition. It’d be interesting to see how much we can all turn that $100 into after 12months. How far do you think you can take it?
Well, my first attempt at turning $100 into more did not go well. I bought a few things for $6 to list on eBay. Things that usually sell really well, but this time did not. So I lost on eBay fees as well. So I lost $9.27 total. Thankfully the 3 things I bought are 3 things I will use anyway. I had watchers so I am considering relisting.
I have “invested” $10 in something I am working on, which I will tell you more about later. Hopefully it will go well. I am just working things out with it, but hope to implement it once I move, so not for another month.
I am planning my garage/in house sale. I still need to sort a bit more, but part of my $100 will go to advertising it.
I have a couple of other little projects I have been working on which I hope to have ready next week.
I bought a few books from an op shop for $1 ea and listed them on Fishpond. It costs nothing to list on there, just make sure you select the box to have it paid into your account, not your fishpond account, or you will have to use the money to buy books. The best ever one I sold on there was a book I got for $24.95 on Oztion and sold on Fishpond for $85. It was a beauty text book.
What else are you doing to turn your $100 into more? Have you bought things to resell? Looked at doing an eBook? Starting your own site/blog? Investing in learning? Making stuff to sell at markets/online? Have you used the money to advertise yourself for services such as lawn mowing/mending/ironing/cleaning? Or maybe you used it to advertise a room in your house for rent or space in your garage for storage?
Don’t forget when it comes to selling online you can use facebook, madeit, etsy, oztion, eBay, gumtree, your local classifieds and I am sure there’s more! It’s not just eBay out there.
Check out 70+ ways to make money from home, 1001 ways to make money and ways to make money for ideas.
Remember to keep us updated! Good luck with it.
Oh, and you can do it for longer than the competition. It’d be interesting to see how much we can all turn that $100 into after 12months. How far do you think you can take it?
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Update on survey sites who I use and who I don't
I have listed a variety of ways to make money and numerous survey sites and things on here. Recently quite a few of them have changed and I have had many issues with them. As such I am dropping a fair few and will be listing here who and why.
Paid survey bank/cashemailclub/groceryclicks etc... They are all run by the smae people and at first were good, but now are not paying out, not responding to emails, the payments in the emails have dropped dramatically and I am now getting a bunch of spam from other sites curtesy of these ones. Avoid them!
Valued opinions was good the first time I used them. I did my surveys, although $2 did go missing, and got a voucher. This time I got to $19.50, did 2 more surveys which were worth $3.50, so well over the $20 threshold. When I logged in to get my voucher I was down to $11. No explanation, nothing. My money had disappeared. I have emailed regularly and got basically no result and wont b seeing my money, so I no longer recommend them anymore either.
I’m really sorry if anyone has had problems with any of the sites I recommended. They were all good when I was using them, but many of them seem to have lost it and basically turned into scams. I really did use them and they were good. Things change though, so I will be keeping a close eye on the ones I still recommend.
I won’t do mystery shopping anymore. It’s just not worth my time. Most shops take 15 – 30 mins to do, then another 20 – 60mins on a survey for not a whole lot of cash. If it is for Coles/a bank I use or whatever I may consider it, as I am going there anyway and it usually only took me 15 minutes to fill in the required paperwork. Payment seems to have dropped on many of the sites though.
I have left the mystery shopping sites up in case anyone else would like to do them.
The 2 sites I have gotten the most from are WDYT and Pure Profile.
On WDYT you get sent emails you click on for 10 points as well as offers for credit cards/accounts etc... where you can get up to 1050 points. You need 2000 points for a gift voucher. You can also log into the site and sometimes there are banners you can click on for 10 points. Sometimes there are 2 or even 3. They tend to refresh each hour too, so if you log on and banners are there, check back in an hour and you could get more. This is an easy way to build your points.
I have found them to be great at replying to emails, the vouchers get sent pretty quick and it is easy to do.
Pure Profile will send you emails to let you know there are surveys in your account, but you are better off logging in regularly. There are 10c website visits, surveys etc... that change regularly. Once you reach $25 you can cash out. You can only cash out $50 in 60 days though. I have found it’s easy to reach $25 without too much effort.
Productreview takes a bit more effort, because you have to write reviews on products, but it doesn’t take long to get enough for a $20 gift voucher and if you have nothing else to do, why not. Go systematically through each category, so when you want to earn vouchers, you know where you’ve been.
I have also found Vibe village brilliant for trying new products for free and it has been really easy to use. I have had a few different packs from them, all very generous. They are quickly becoming a favourite of mine.
Paid survey bank/cashemailclub/groceryclicks etc... They are all run by the smae people and at first were good, but now are not paying out, not responding to emails, the payments in the emails have dropped dramatically and I am now getting a bunch of spam from other sites curtesy of these ones. Avoid them!
Valued opinions was good the first time I used them. I did my surveys, although $2 did go missing, and got a voucher. This time I got to $19.50, did 2 more surveys which were worth $3.50, so well over the $20 threshold. When I logged in to get my voucher I was down to $11. No explanation, nothing. My money had disappeared. I have emailed regularly and got basically no result and wont b seeing my money, so I no longer recommend them anymore either.
I’m really sorry if anyone has had problems with any of the sites I recommended. They were all good when I was using them, but many of them seem to have lost it and basically turned into scams. I really did use them and they were good. Things change though, so I will be keeping a close eye on the ones I still recommend.
I won’t do mystery shopping anymore. It’s just not worth my time. Most shops take 15 – 30 mins to do, then another 20 – 60mins on a survey for not a whole lot of cash. If it is for Coles/a bank I use or whatever I may consider it, as I am going there anyway and it usually only took me 15 minutes to fill in the required paperwork. Payment seems to have dropped on many of the sites though.
I have left the mystery shopping sites up in case anyone else would like to do them.
The 2 sites I have gotten the most from are WDYT and Pure Profile.
On WDYT you get sent emails you click on for 10 points as well as offers for credit cards/accounts etc... where you can get up to 1050 points. You need 2000 points for a gift voucher. You can also log into the site and sometimes there are banners you can click on for 10 points. Sometimes there are 2 or even 3. They tend to refresh each hour too, so if you log on and banners are there, check back in an hour and you could get more. This is an easy way to build your points.
I have found them to be great at replying to emails, the vouchers get sent pretty quick and it is easy to do.
Pure Profile will send you emails to let you know there are surveys in your account, but you are better off logging in regularly. There are 10c website visits, surveys etc... that change regularly. Once you reach $25 you can cash out. You can only cash out $50 in 60 days though. I have found it’s easy to reach $25 without too much effort.
Productreview takes a bit more effort, because you have to write reviews on products, but it doesn’t take long to get enough for a $20 gift voucher and if you have nothing else to do, why not. Go systematically through each category, so when you want to earn vouchers, you know where you’ve been.
I have also found Vibe village brilliant for trying new products for free and it has been really easy to use. I have had a few different packs from them, all very generous. They are quickly becoming a favourite of mine.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Think like a millionaire
Often when we think of millionaire we think of lavish holidays, a HUGE house, the latest sports car, mobile and other gadgets, the latest fashions etc... but in reality that is not the case. Most millionaires are just like you and me. You probably have one on your street and you wouldn’t even know it.
Why?
Being a millionaire is not the same as having a million dollar lifestyle. To have the latest car, a huge house, lavish holidays etc... you need a constant source of income.
My aim in becoming a millionaire is not to have the latest of everything or to show off to everyone all my “things”. It is something I have wanted for a long time, but without setting it as a goal and applying myself I knew it wouldn’t happen.
In setting myself up as a millionaire I plan on creating income streams. I want to be able to not work, just live off my investments. To many, this sounds crazy and that it won’t happen. But it can and it is simply a matter of changing your mindset.
You see most millionaires have a very frugal mindset. They are not focused on the latest and greatest. They are focused on living within their means, saving money, paying down debt and investing.
This sounds easy enough but it can be quite a hard thought pattern to cultivate. We live in a world where we are bombarded with advertising everywhere we look and it is easy to get caught up in the “I need a new one” or “I have to have it” mindset. Big companies pay big dollars to create advertising that will make you think that. They rely on you wanting to keep up with or outdo the Joneses.
It can be quite difficult to change your thinking from “I need a new one” to, “I am happy with what I have and would rather put $xxx on my mortgage/invest for my future.”
I’m not saying deprive yourself of everything. I am just saying think about your purchases and how you spend your money.
The other part of your thinking you will need to change is the negative attitude. The “everyone can do it but me” or “I’ll never make it” thoughts will destroy any hope you have of becoming a millionaire.
Millionaires are winners. They think successfully. They visualise themselves at their end goal. They read their goals daily. They focus on the end result and what they can do.
Because everyone can do it, but not everyone does do it.
It is up to you. Do you want to be in the same position next year as you are now? If you don’t you need to start changing your mindset and changing your habits.
Why?
Being a millionaire is not the same as having a million dollar lifestyle. To have the latest car, a huge house, lavish holidays etc... you need a constant source of income.
My aim in becoming a millionaire is not to have the latest of everything or to show off to everyone all my “things”. It is something I have wanted for a long time, but without setting it as a goal and applying myself I knew it wouldn’t happen.
In setting myself up as a millionaire I plan on creating income streams. I want to be able to not work, just live off my investments. To many, this sounds crazy and that it won’t happen. But it can and it is simply a matter of changing your mindset.
You see most millionaires have a very frugal mindset. They are not focused on the latest and greatest. They are focused on living within their means, saving money, paying down debt and investing.
This sounds easy enough but it can be quite a hard thought pattern to cultivate. We live in a world where we are bombarded with advertising everywhere we look and it is easy to get caught up in the “I need a new one” or “I have to have it” mindset. Big companies pay big dollars to create advertising that will make you think that. They rely on you wanting to keep up with or outdo the Joneses.
It can be quite difficult to change your thinking from “I need a new one” to, “I am happy with what I have and would rather put $xxx on my mortgage/invest for my future.”
I’m not saying deprive yourself of everything. I am just saying think about your purchases and how you spend your money.
The other part of your thinking you will need to change is the negative attitude. The “everyone can do it but me” or “I’ll never make it” thoughts will destroy any hope you have of becoming a millionaire.
Millionaires are winners. They think successfully. They visualise themselves at their end goal. They read their goals daily. They focus on the end result and what they can do.
Because everyone can do it, but not everyone does do it.
It is up to you. Do you want to be in the same position next year as you are now? If you don’t you need to start changing your mindset and changing your habits.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Some of my favourite quotes
I thought I would share with you all some quotes that have motivated or inspired me. I find sometimes when things aren’t going how I sort of planned or I am lacking motivation a quote or saying can change my mindset.
- Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. ~ Henry Ford
- Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire. ~Arnold H. Glasow
- You may not end up where you thought you'd be but you will end up where you are meant to be.
- Control your destiny or someone else will
- Your attitude determines your altitude
- Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while you reputation is merely what others think you are" - John Wooden
- Life isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself
- It is madness to spend money you don't have on things you don't need, to create an impression that doesn't last for people you don't know
- You cannot control the cards you are dealt, only how you play the hand
- Remove the word 'problem' from your vocabulary and replace it with 'challenge'. Life will suddenly become a lot more interesting and enjoyable
- No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. ~Eleanor Roosevelt
Those are just some of my favourite quotes. I various ones up around my house at different times. My parents have different quotes and stories all over the toilet walls. Since you sit in there anyway, you may as well read. It works too, because my 2 youngest siblings, who still live at home, quote things from the wall when they hear something it would apply to.
Having your favourite quote or saying that motivates and inspires you somewhere you can see it regularly is really helpful.
I don’t know who said some of these quotes, but if you happen to know, feel free to comment, so I can change them. Thanks.
- Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. ~ Henry Ford
- Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire. ~Arnold H. Glasow
- You may not end up where you thought you'd be but you will end up where you are meant to be.
- Control your destiny or someone else will
- Your attitude determines your altitude
- Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while you reputation is merely what others think you are" - John Wooden
- Life isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself
- It is madness to spend money you don't have on things you don't need, to create an impression that doesn't last for people you don't know
- You cannot control the cards you are dealt, only how you play the hand
- Remove the word 'problem' from your vocabulary and replace it with 'challenge'. Life will suddenly become a lot more interesting and enjoyable
- No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. ~Eleanor Roosevelt
Those are just some of my favourite quotes. I various ones up around my house at different times. My parents have different quotes and stories all over the toilet walls. Since you sit in there anyway, you may as well read. It works too, because my 2 youngest siblings, who still live at home, quote things from the wall when they hear something it would apply to.
Having your favourite quote or saying that motivates and inspires you somewhere you can see it regularly is really helpful.
I don’t know who said some of these quotes, but if you happen to know, feel free to comment, so I can change them. Thanks.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Do you prefer good customer service or to save $2?
I used to just go for the best deal and most of the time I still do, but there are moments I draw the line and want nothing to do with certain businesses/companies. Really bad customer service will make me walk away forever. I don’t care if they are cheaper/give me a discount/offer a freebie. I do give second chances and I understand mistakes happen; that won’t make me leave. When things consistently go wrong or staff are repeatedly rude, the business is dead to me.
This week I tried a new bank. They are a sub bank, trying to appeal to the younger market, branching off a major Australian bank. I tried them because I was offered a gift voucher for simply signing up. So I did.
What. A. Mess. I want nothing to do with them. They do not have any of my money and frankly, i would not trust them with my money.
To start with I contacted them about some issues I was having with my account. They weren’t urgent and it was my fault. I called, got through after waiting on hold to horrible music for ages then it cut out. So I emailed them instead. They emailed back and asked for a time/date/number to call me on. I gave them the details and they agreed to call me. They confirmed this with me a couple of times. This happened in the morning.
They were supposed to ring at 3pm. 3:40pm still no call. No email, nothing. I send an email asking what happened to my call.
4pm I call them and get everything sorted out.
4:20 I get a call. They received my email etc... and asked if it was a good time to talk. At this time, no it wasn’t I had screaming kids, was in the middle of changing a nappy and I said so. I also said it’s been sorted, don’t worry about it.
Can we call you back a bit later?
No, there’s nothing to talk about it’s done.
(This sort of thing went on for a bit.) Finally I said, rather sternly, “I do not need a call back, it is not a good time. You were supposed to call me at 3! Don’t call me back. It’s done. Thank you.” And I hung up.
Then I get another call from them, same thing. There is obviously no communication happening here. I do not trust a bank with my money when they can’t keep track of themselves.
Now whilst it might not seem so bad to some and the fact they called me back should be good, they were being thorough? No, they weren’t. They were not communicating and admitted it on the last call.
The interest rate on this account was .26% higher than my current savings interest. It’s a promotional thing and with my current savings, I would only gain a few dollars by using them. Having an unreliable customer service is not worth gaining $3 to me.
Maybe later they will get it together, but I think right now they are too new and still sorting themselves out.
I wonder though, are you willing to sacrifice decent customer service to save a few bucks or are you adamant there is a certain level you won’t step below?
In my teens and even up to last year I didn’t care. Price was the only thing that mattered to me. Lately though, I am more picky.
This week I tried a new bank. They are a sub bank, trying to appeal to the younger market, branching off a major Australian bank. I tried them because I was offered a gift voucher for simply signing up. So I did.
What. A. Mess. I want nothing to do with them. They do not have any of my money and frankly, i would not trust them with my money.
To start with I contacted them about some issues I was having with my account. They weren’t urgent and it was my fault. I called, got through after waiting on hold to horrible music for ages then it cut out. So I emailed them instead. They emailed back and asked for a time/date/number to call me on. I gave them the details and they agreed to call me. They confirmed this with me a couple of times. This happened in the morning.
They were supposed to ring at 3pm. 3:40pm still no call. No email, nothing. I send an email asking what happened to my call.
4pm I call them and get everything sorted out.
4:20 I get a call. They received my email etc... and asked if it was a good time to talk. At this time, no it wasn’t I had screaming kids, was in the middle of changing a nappy and I said so. I also said it’s been sorted, don’t worry about it.
Can we call you back a bit later?
No, there’s nothing to talk about it’s done.
(This sort of thing went on for a bit.) Finally I said, rather sternly, “I do not need a call back, it is not a good time. You were supposed to call me at 3! Don’t call me back. It’s done. Thank you.” And I hung up.
Then I get another call from them, same thing. There is obviously no communication happening here. I do not trust a bank with my money when they can’t keep track of themselves.
Now whilst it might not seem so bad to some and the fact they called me back should be good, they were being thorough? No, they weren’t. They were not communicating and admitted it on the last call.
The interest rate on this account was .26% higher than my current savings interest. It’s a promotional thing and with my current savings, I would only gain a few dollars by using them. Having an unreliable customer service is not worth gaining $3 to me.
Maybe later they will get it together, but I think right now they are too new and still sorting themselves out.
I wonder though, are you willing to sacrifice decent customer service to save a few bucks or are you adamant there is a certain level you won’t step below?
In my teens and even up to last year I didn’t care. Price was the only thing that mattered to me. Lately though, I am more picky.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Yakezie Challenge Blog Carnival
A few months back I joined the Yakezie Challenge, a group who were committing to improving their alexa ranking. I’ve come across some great blogs and met some awesome bloggers.
This month I asked for everyone’s best/most popular August post and here’s what we got in alphabetical order. These are really good finance sites, so remember to check out more than just the page we’ve linked to.
Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance shows us how to Reduce Stress; Get Rid of Dysfunctional Money Behaviors; Money and Relationships; Make it Work. Learn how to make differing money styles work in your relationship.
Bucksome Boomer wrote about how back to school sales aren’t just for kids. You can snare yourself a bargain for a variety of reasons.
Budgeting the Fun Stuff wrote a great post about the 7 reasons we decided to use the emergency fund to pay off debt and they definitely made the right decision in my opinion.
Canadian Finance Blog gives us marginal tax rate explained. Your marginal tax rate is the tax you pay on your last dollar of income. Since Canada operates on tax brackets, you will pay more tax when you earn more.
Car Insurance Comparison has written a humorous article about the Government and a car insurance reform.
Darwins Money - The Economics of Blogging. So you've been lurking on the sideline wondering what it takes to make money blogging? Well, here's a realistic account of what's involved and how the economics of blogging actually look from an insider.
Digging Out From Our Mess wrote a great post about the past month and how quickly it all spirals out of control.
Eliminate the Muda has given us some great tips on cheap travel. Great post to keep in your favourites anytime you are looking at travelling.
Eventual Millionaire writes about how you are not the numbers and accepting your choices and moving on. Make sure you check out her link about eliminating her debt.
Faithful with a Few wrote his thoughts about marriage on our anniversary. Whilst this particular entry is not a finance one I thought it was excellent.
Financially Poor discusses 5 money saving tips for the 21st century. Great easy to follow advice.
Free From Broke gives us 5 steps to pay off debt.
Frugal Confessions talks about jar budgeting. (It is a September post, but I really liked it.)
Frugal Zeitgeist how to simplify your life, every aspect of your life – home, work, relationships etc... Something we could all do with.
Invest It Wisely discusses how mutual funds rip you off with extra fees and charges. The numbers will shock you!
Len Penzo shows us 18 things you supposedly should never pay for and the reality of those statements.
Money Funk gives great advice on getting a free home energy audit and how to save on electrical bills.
Money Help for Christians gives us the best way to change foreign currency.
Money Reasons wrote about the reasons I like money over gift cards and I agree. Money is better.
Monevator discusses the differences between Japan’s lost decade and why the US won’t follow suit. Very interesting reading!
Narrow Bridge wrote changing up checking and lays out how he is simplifying his finances and why.
PF Firewall gives us some great ideas on low cost business ideas/ ways to make money. It’s great advice especially in these times.
Smart On Money gives us 9 tips to sell your house fast in a tough real estate market. It is excellent advice for all those trying to sell their homes.
Rainy Day Saver gives you some awesome tips on avoiding car dealership tricks and scams. It’s the sort of thing everyone should read.
Retirement Investing Today talks about how the Australian share market is climbing.
The Saved Quarter shows us 10 top tips to save on text books.
Wealth Pilgrim gives us 5 powerful techniques to boost your credit score quick, something I am sure many will find useful.
Make sure if you like something you retweet it, leave a comment, email it on or add it to facebook, anywhere to spread the word!
And don’t forget the money making challenge I have set where you could win $100AUD cash.
This month I asked for everyone’s best/most popular August post and here’s what we got in alphabetical order. These are really good finance sites, so remember to check out more than just the page we’ve linked to.
Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance shows us how to Reduce Stress; Get Rid of Dysfunctional Money Behaviors; Money and Relationships; Make it Work. Learn how to make differing money styles work in your relationship.
Bucksome Boomer wrote about how back to school sales aren’t just for kids. You can snare yourself a bargain for a variety of reasons.
Budgeting the Fun Stuff wrote a great post about the 7 reasons we decided to use the emergency fund to pay off debt and they definitely made the right decision in my opinion.
Canadian Finance Blog gives us marginal tax rate explained. Your marginal tax rate is the tax you pay on your last dollar of income. Since Canada operates on tax brackets, you will pay more tax when you earn more.
Car Insurance Comparison has written a humorous article about the Government and a car insurance reform.
Darwins Money - The Economics of Blogging. So you've been lurking on the sideline wondering what it takes to make money blogging? Well, here's a realistic account of what's involved and how the economics of blogging actually look from an insider.
Digging Out From Our Mess wrote a great post about the past month and how quickly it all spirals out of control.
Eliminate the Muda has given us some great tips on cheap travel. Great post to keep in your favourites anytime you are looking at travelling.
Eventual Millionaire writes about how you are not the numbers and accepting your choices and moving on. Make sure you check out her link about eliminating her debt.
Faithful with a Few wrote his thoughts about marriage on our anniversary. Whilst this particular entry is not a finance one I thought it was excellent.
Financially Poor discusses 5 money saving tips for the 21st century. Great easy to follow advice.
Free From Broke gives us 5 steps to pay off debt.
Frugal Confessions talks about jar budgeting. (It is a September post, but I really liked it.)
Frugal Zeitgeist how to simplify your life, every aspect of your life – home, work, relationships etc... Something we could all do with.
Invest It Wisely discusses how mutual funds rip you off with extra fees and charges. The numbers will shock you!
Len Penzo shows us 18 things you supposedly should never pay for and the reality of those statements.
Money Funk gives great advice on getting a free home energy audit and how to save on electrical bills.
Money Help for Christians gives us the best way to change foreign currency.
Money Reasons wrote about the reasons I like money over gift cards and I agree. Money is better.
Monevator discusses the differences between Japan’s lost decade and why the US won’t follow suit. Very interesting reading!
Narrow Bridge wrote changing up checking and lays out how he is simplifying his finances and why.
PF Firewall gives us some great ideas on low cost business ideas/ ways to make money. It’s great advice especially in these times.
Smart On Money gives us 9 tips to sell your house fast in a tough real estate market. It is excellent advice for all those trying to sell their homes.
Rainy Day Saver gives you some awesome tips on avoiding car dealership tricks and scams. It’s the sort of thing everyone should read.
Retirement Investing Today talks about how the Australian share market is climbing.
The Saved Quarter shows us 10 top tips to save on text books.
Wealth Pilgrim gives us 5 powerful techniques to boost your credit score quick, something I am sure many will find useful.
Make sure if you like something you retweet it, leave a comment, email it on or add it to facebook, anywhere to spread the word!
And don’t forget the money making challenge I have set where you could win $100AUD cash.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Making money challenge
How would you like to have $1,000 by the end of the year? Maybe $2,000? Or even $5,000. Or maybe you would like that amount to put towards a debt?
I am setting a challenge for my readers if you’re up for it? It’ll benefit you financially in more ways than one!
I want you all to see how much you can turn $100 into. You see, in my post how to make 1 million dollars I show you that it is as easy as starting with $100 and doubling it over and over 14 times.
You don’t have $100? Well, what can you do to get it? You can click here for all my posts on making money to give you some ideas, but here’s a few anyway...
- Do a few hours of babysitting
- Mow some lawns
- Do some ironing
- Cleaning
- Sell things online
- Have a garage sale or in house sale
So once you have your $100 how can you turn it into more cash? Buy things to resell them. Use the money to make things to sell at markets and things. Use it to advertise a garage sale. You can do whatever you like. The aim is to increase it and reinvest the money you make to make more money.
What I want you all to do is turn $100 into as much cash as you can by the 30th November. I want you to tell me about what you are doing, ideas you’ve had, post about it, email me, add photos, anything!
Why? Well, would you like a $100 bonus to go with that? That’s right $100 CASH! (Australian dollars)
I’d like you all to write about your experiences and either put a post up or email them to me. At the end of November I will put up a linky and everyone can vote on their favourites. The winner will get $100 cash, just in time for Christmas.
You don’t have a blog? No worries. Email me your experience, with photos if you like and I will post it here for you, so you will still be in the running!
PLUS since most of you know I’d really like to get to 1000 followers by November 30, if I reach my goal there will be more than one winner. That’s right, more than 1 chance to score a cool $100 cash.
PLUS (but wait there’s more lol) as we go along I will still be doing my 500 followers give away, 750 followers give away AND I might even throw in a few for good measure. There will also be a HUGE give-away when I reach 1000 followers!
So want to join me?
Here’s my button to put on your blog if you like to help spread the word.
* Since only 3 people joined it was decided in Oct not to have the linky and give aways. Sorry.
I am setting a challenge for my readers if you’re up for it? It’ll benefit you financially in more ways than one!
I want you all to see how much you can turn $100 into. You see, in my post how to make 1 million dollars I show you that it is as easy as starting with $100 and doubling it over and over 14 times.
You don’t have $100? Well, what can you do to get it? You can click here for all my posts on making money to give you some ideas, but here’s a few anyway...
- Do a few hours of babysitting
- Mow some lawns
- Do some ironing
- Cleaning
- Sell things online
- Have a garage sale or in house sale
So once you have your $100 how can you turn it into more cash? Buy things to resell them. Use the money to make things to sell at markets and things. Use it to advertise a garage sale. You can do whatever you like. The aim is to increase it and reinvest the money you make to make more money.
What I want you all to do is turn $100 into as much cash as you can by the 30th November. I want you to tell me about what you are doing, ideas you’ve had, post about it, email me, add photos, anything!
Why? Well, would you like a $100 bonus to go with that? That’s right $100 CASH! (Australian dollars)
I’d like you all to write about your experiences and either put a post up or email them to me. At the end of November I will put up a linky and everyone can vote on their favourites. The winner will get $100 cash, just in time for Christmas.
You don’t have a blog? No worries. Email me your experience, with photos if you like and I will post it here for you, so you will still be in the running!
PLUS since most of you know I’d really like to get to 1000 followers by November 30, if I reach my goal there will be more than one winner. That’s right, more than 1 chance to score a cool $100 cash.
PLUS (but wait there’s more lol) as we go along I will still be doing my 500 followers give away, 750 followers give away AND I might even throw in a few for good measure. There will also be a HUGE give-away when I reach 1000 followers!
So want to join me?
Here’s my button to put on your blog if you like to help spread the word.
* Since only 3 people joined it was decided in Oct not to have the linky and give aways. Sorry.
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)