Opinion Outpost Review

As discussed last Monday, I have started doing surveys through Opinion Outpost. I'm going to be honest. I haven't made any money this week. Michael and I were in the process of finding him a truck this past week (the search still goes on). So, I didn't have time to do any surveys. Hopefully, this week I can start full force.

Opinion Outpost is an interesting come to use. Not only do you get surveys, you get offers from other companies and products. When you first join, there are ten profiles to complete. They ask everything from generic questions about lifestyle to the type of liquor you drink. These profiles are important so don't skip them. They help Opinion Outpost route surveys and offers you may enjoy.

The way they track your earning is by points. Fifty points if worth $5.00. Some offers can be worth as much as 50 points and some as little as 10 points. I have found that I like to do as many surveys as I can. I try to stick to the 10-15 minute surveys which are usually 10-20 points.

The companies that Opinion Outpost work with are reputable companies. They are certified by the Better Business Bureau and other consumer agencies. If they ask you to download any software, the software is safe. I have also never been kicked out of surveys or have the surveys freeze because they use top-notch software for the surveys.

The only problem I have encountered is that it is sometimes difficult to qualify for surveys. And if you are able to qualify, the surveys can be very extensive. I like to spend no more than 10 minutes on a survey. However, some of the surveys can be as long as 30 minutes. On the flip side, the longer the surveys, the more points they are worth.

Once you complete a qualifying survey and it's determined you qualify, you will be forwarded to the company conducting the survey. The first page you will see is the name of the company, how long the survey generally takes, and how many points it's worth. You aren't penalized for deciding to not take a survey. Just remember, if you do this a lot (refuse surveys) Opinion Outpost could and will stop sending you surveys.


Money Making Tip:
The first and most important thing I need to stress to you is you will not make a lot of money doing this. This is something you do for extra money or for gift cards. Any company telling you it is possible to make a lot of money is a scam. Also, you should never have to pay to take surveys. You are doing this company a favor doing these surveys and you should NOT be paying them.

Everyone have a good week!

SON days

My Trip to Publix and Bilo

 

This is a picture of my trip to Publix and Bilo. I also went to a place called Bargain Foods. Bargain Foods is a place around where I live that sells overstock, damaged, or out of date stuff. I really love that place but you have to be really careful about what you get. Most of the stuff is good stuff, just marked down for whatever reason. I generally have a good idea what is a good price and what is not when I go there. Most of the time I can get some great prices there. Sometimes I have found that couponing is cheaper. At Bargain Foods today I spent $48.70 for around $70.00 worth of food. I'm not going to go into great detail about everything I got because I forgot to take a picture of it. Needless to say, I bought a whole host of stuff, mainly snack stuff. 

At Publix today, I paid $12.12 for $48.18. While that's not the best I have done, I got some stuff we needed along with some free stuff. 

My List: 

4 Marie Callendar Steamfresh meals

2 A-1 Steak Sauces

2 Gorton Shrimp Scampis

2 French's Mustard (Free)

2 Tasteful Selections Potatoes

I was also going to get some dog treats they had on sale but they were out. I got a rain-check for those.

At Bi-Lo, I paid $21.91 for $41.48 worth of stuff. I had to get some stuff that wasn't on sale so that kind of did me in here. 

My List: 

4 Lucky Charms

Drano (not on sale)

Paper Plates (on sale but no coupon)

2 Breakstone's Sour Cream

3 Borden Cheese

1 Sirloin Tip Steak (on sale, no coupon, dinner tonight)

I have done better at both of these places before. However, these trips aren't bad for the coupons I had and the fact that I haven't done this in a while. I'm happy with what I got and the price I paid. 

My Coupon Tip: 

Until you become accustomed to couponing, use the websites found in this post. These women who run these sites are "professionals" at this. Their coupon matchups and sales are on average 98% correct. They are also very detailed and specific about what to get. They also have tutorials and other "get you started" tools that first time couponers might find helpful. If you are like me, you appreciate the work being taken out of it. There are hundreds of these savings sites so just Google "coupon sites," "coupon savings," or something along those lines to find them. A lot of the times if you find one, there will be links to other ones. Look for one that you can relate to, you understand, and is easy for you. This isn't meant to be hard. 

Hope everyone had a good weekend.

Learning to Coupon

Michael and I were married October 17, 2009. At the time, I was a caseworker making a poverty level salary. (I worked for one of the poorest state agencies). Michael was working as a mechanic and he was making around the same amount I was. I started couponing as a way to save us money. You can't do a lot about the house payment or student loans payments but I figured the one thing I could control is how much we would spend on groceries.

While I was trying to figure this whole thing out, I found Southern Savers. TA-DA! It took all the work out of it for me. Jenny, the webmistress of Southern Savers, would list all sales with the coupons on her website. The only responsibility I had was organizing my coupons. She also has tutorials to teach you how to do that.

I go to the grocery store once a week, specifically to get what is on sale. Don't get me wrong. Do I buy stuff not on sale? Absolutely. There was a long period of time after I got my present job that I didn't coupon. I started making around $10,000 more a year than I was making and Michael got a new job making significantly more as well. I just didn't bother with the coupons. However, after a few months of this, I have realized how much money I am spending by not couponing and I am back at it.

If I do go to the store during the week, I plan on posting a picture of what I bought and telling you how much it all cost. Some weeks I do really well. I have spent $75 at Publix before and only paid $20. But I have also had to buy stuff that wasn't on sale and I didn't have coupons.

The website I use is really only good for the southern states, specifically SC because Jenny is from SC. However, there is also Coupon Mom. That site is free to use as well. It's just a little more commercialized. Both are excellent sites and give excellent information.

Not only will I be posting my coupon successes (or failures), I will be posting my personal tips and sometimes opinions about couponing. If any of my information comes from another site, I will quote them so you can go there to read more.

Happy Couponing!

Making Money (but not a lot) Online

A few years ago, before I had a full time job, I did surveys to make extra money and get gift cards. Obviously, I never became a millionaire but I did make a little extra spending money and got some awesome gift cards.

It's time to do that again.
I need something to do.
Because I don't have enough.

Sooo, we are going to start small. Cash Crate, Opinion Outpost, and Swag Bucks are three companies I have had tremendous success with in the past. I've received checks from Opinion Outpost and gift cards from Cash Crate and Swag Bucks. I suggest taking a peek at each one before deciding which, if any, you want to try. I will be posting my success with each one along with how much money I am making every Monday. Also, I will be sharing a helpful tip or something I have learned each Monday. I am just starting Cash Crate and Opinion Outpost so I haven't made anything yet.

However, I have been doing Swag Bucks for a while and have 1902 Swag Bucks. That is good enough for a $10 Barnes and Noble gift card (very exciting). While I probably won't find anything for $10, it's still like $10 off my order. I am trying to save up my bucks so I won't be cashing it in just yet.

My first tip: Create a separate email for doing this. The emails can and do get outrageous.

See you next Monday!

SON days

I absolutely love this song. I am in the process of searching for my purpose in my life. I am currently reading The Purpose Driven Life. I know that one of my purposes here is to help people. I have had two jobs (my last one and current one) that my primary purpose was to help people. Being a caseworker is not always emotionally easy but it is rewarding. My major in school was Psychology. I would love to go back and get my Masters in Counseling, specifically in substance abuse. I want to help people. Plain and simple.

Week in Review

First, let me say that I have had no panic attacks this week. I am still at the point to where I cannot think of the past panic attacks that I have had without feeling some level of anxiety. I am hoping that I can get to point to where I can think about them, can write about them, without feeling like I am going to repeat them. My goal is to go day by day without any panic attacks. The small feelings of anxiety, the small back in my mind what if questions are still there. I'm not sure they will ever go away. Knowing that any time my heart can go into atrial fibrillation and trigger my defibrillator is not a good thought for me...so I try my best not to think about that.

I have been sick this week and still am not feeling well so that has had an affect on me this week. I only worked Tuesday, Wednesday, and half of Thursday. I had to call in on Friday because I had a fever. I hate calling in because I hate sitting here all day by myself. The times that I am by myself are becoming easier but still aren't like they used to be. I used to LOVE to be by myself...not all the time but sometimes was good. Now, I have a hard time though I have gotten better. My dog Diesel keeps me company. Even though he's a dog, I feel like he can feel when I am not feeling right and sticks to me like glue. Other times, I think he knows that I am fine because he doesn't stick to me so closely. Today, he was everywhere I went. He is my baby and I don't what I ever did without him.

I am not sure I am going to church in the morning. Church is like a battery recharge for me each week. I go to listen to the pastor but I am more moved by the music. I know that God wants to be the one to move us and I believe that for me, it's done through music. However, tomorrow I am not sure I am going. Since I have been sick and had a fever, I don't want to get anyone else sick. I love Charles Stanley so I guess I will watch him in the morning.

Overall, even though I have been sick, any week that I don't have a panic attack, will be considered a good one.

Being Sick and Anxiety

I am sick this week. I think I might even have the flu...high temperature, sore throat, all the rest. I hate being sick. I feel weak when I am sick. Being sick would normally be something I would just deal with. It's not cool but not the end of the world either. However, once anxiety is added on top of that, it become worse. One sign of a panic attack is not being able to breathe deeply. Normally when a person is sick, they are breathing shallow just because of the illness. Well, that is me right now. And breathing this way is not conducive to combating anxiety. So needless to say, not only am I living on Tylenol right now, Xanax is also a good cold medicine. The last thing I want right now is a panic attack. I already can't breathe thank you very much.  

Managing Anxiety

Managing anxiety is a big task for me on those days when it seems unmanageable. I've never had to deal with this so I have had to learn. The feeling that nothing is going right, nothing is fixable is at times so overwhelming it's hard to breathe. These feelings started with my heart problems in October but they have taken root in other areas of my life. I constantly worry that others around me are not happy (and I've always been one of those people who says, "You are not responsible for other's happiness) so this is different. I have found that facing what I'm anxious about...whether it being alone or my heart problems...helps to an extent. Sometimes it makes me more anxious. I try to tell myself that what I am feeling is not permanent...that it will go away soon. I try to remind myself that even when I FEEL alone, God is always with me. These feelings at time can consume five minutes or five hours of my time.

Today has been the five hour day. I have felt like screaming all day..no matter what has happened. I feel so frustrated, anxious, angry, sad, lonely, and panicky all in one. As Ron said in Harry Potter, "No one can feel that all at once, they would explode." Well, I feel like exploding.

SON days

I love the weekend. With a passion. Sunday is really my favorite weekend day. I go to church in the morning, sometimes eat with my dad, and come home and clean house. (I hate cleaning house but love when it's clean) During the week, I listen to christian radio but I really get a blessing listening to the music at the church I go to. Every Sunday, I hope to post a video of a praise song I love. Sometimes I will post the video and what it means to me and sometimes just the video and allow you to take your own message. Enjoy!

You Are My King by Newsboys

 

 

Our 3-4 Snow Days

Here in South Carolina, we don't get snow days. The conditions have to be PERFECT for us to even get an inch. So, imagine our surprise when we woke up to this Monday morning.

Yeah, we got six-nine inches this past week. The sun JUST CAME OUT YESTERDAY. Now, living in SC, we are not used to this much snow. We are used to having snow for about 24 hours...maybe 36...and then it being gone. Not so much this time. So, it was exciting at first...for like 36 hours...guess that is why it's gone by then. However, this snow has grown roots and planted itself to the ground. It's slowly melting and the roads are pretty much clear but it's still on the ground. I have learned that I am not "Northern" material...at all. I'm ready for my Southern weather again.

Why God and Xanax?

Well, the short explanation can be found here. However, because this is a blog, I feel the need to, well, blog.

My name is Crystal. I am 27 years old. I'm a wife, a lover, a mother (to two doggies), a friend, a sister, a daughter, a Christian, and many other titles. The most important thing at the moment is that I am recovering from panic attacks triggered by an episode of atrial fibrillation.

I have decided to start this blog as an outlet. Now, I have written a few previous blogs found here and here. Both have been weight loss blogs...neither I really kept up with for very long. I think it's been because these blogs were about one key subject..weight loss...which I have a whole history with that I will go into on another day.

For now, welcome to God and Xanax. I will definitely be telling you more about my need for both of them and how each has helped me. It's been almost three months since my first panic attack and over a month since my last full panic attack (I'll explain my difference in full and semi panic attacks later). This blog will be about panic attacks, faith in God, my life in general, and nothing at all. Let's have fun!