You might not realize it, but every time you log into your computer you have the potential to improve your finances. Maybe you are already doing these things daily…maybe you are not. Either way, all 5 of these tasks are so easy to build into your daily computer time, that you’ll soon be doing them on autopilot!
Pull up my email using Swagbucks
Every single morning, the first thing I do is check my personal email account. I have a hotmail account and I could easily bookmark my inbox if I wanted to. However…I added one simple step to my morning routine about a year ago and I’ve never looked back.
Instead of bookmarking my inbox…I bookmark the search results page for Hotmail on Swagbucks! This way, I have the chance of getting Swagbucks first thing every morning (I’m going to let you in on a secret…about 70% of the time I get swagbucks for that very first search each day!). I do this throughout the day as well. If you don’t know much about Swagbucks, you can head on over and read my tutorial (I NEVER pay for diapers anymore! I use my Swagbucks to purchase Amazon Gift Cards and use those to buy my diapers using Amazon Subscribe & Save!).
*I know also click the Super Lucky button over on Superpoints a few times! I’ve been able to redeem several high value Amazon Gift Cards through Superpoints. Sign up here.
Check my email for Paid Surveys and Paid Emails
I have really pulled back from paid surveys and emails, but there are three companies that still get my attention daily. Inbox Dollars, Toluna and Synovate . If there is an email in my inbox from one of those 3 companies that I can get paid for…I jump on it! Maybe those aren’t your cup of tea. Here are some survey/product review/paid email companies preferred by FFF readers:
- Synovate Global Opinion Panel
- Opinion Outpost
- MyPoints
- Inbox Dollars
- National Consumer Panel
- Valued Opinions
- Toluna
- MySurvey
- Vocalpoint-Does not provide monetary compensation. “Vocalpoint is a community for women that provides valuable and interesting insights about new products as well ascoupons and samples you can share with those you care about. These surprising gifts are certain to brighten your day. Membership is free and privacy is guaranteed. While you are able to keep the samples or coupons you receive from us, membership is completely voluntary.”
- Send Earnings
I never spend too much time on surveys or paid emails because time is money! I won’t spend 30 minutes on something that is going to pay me $.25. But $10? $5? Sure! Emails take seconds as well…totally worth it!
Check my bank accounts
This is super important. I’m not even the finance person in our family. We’re a team, but my husband handles most of the financial stuff, so luckily I don’t have to pay bills 😉 . However, I always like to be in the know when it comes to our bank accounts. We have our standard checking account and several savings account and sinking funds over at ING (I HIGHLY recommend ING…love them!). I go over the numbers and I make sure they seem like where they are supposed to be. We budget pretty much based on a zero balance budget (meaning every dollar has a name, even the dollars that go into savings), but every once in awhile something will sneak up! It’s good to be in the know!
I also like to make sure I don’t have any payments outstanding. Late charges and overdraft fees were once upon a time WAY too common in my life. So nowadays, we really try and keep on top of those things. Don’t let a stupid mistake result in a big fee!
Check out My Favorite Daily Deals Sites and Amazon Gold Box
Okay, maybe this is the blogger in me! But I always check these places to make sure there is nothing that I need/want that passes me by. I’m a big fan of stocking up when a price is hot, and I love finding awesome deals! As a result, we have a fully stocked gift closet and we never have to scramble last minute to find gifts. Come Christmas time, we aren’t out with the mad rush of shoppers unless we just want to be, because we shop all year long!
Here are the sites I frequent most often:
- Living Social
- Groupon
- Hautelook
- Plum District
- Eversave
- No More Rack
- Amazon
In some cases I am looking for my specific city, but I also try to hunt down nationwide/online deals as well.
Finally I head on over to Facebook
Facebook…where good deals and happy coupons live ;). I follow a handful of blogs that post deals to their fan pages. You see many of these deals pop up here on Family Friendly Frugality throughout the day (with credit to the originating source of course!). The truth is, the internet is wide and vast and you can’t expect to find every deal or coupon that is HOT on your own. So make a habit of following a few select pages and follow up with them throughout the day!
You might see some overlap…if something is hot we all want to tell our readers about it! But you’ll find different gems on different pages so it’s worth following a few (this coming from a blogger who wants to keep your readership and your like on Facebook…YES I do suggest following a *few* other frugal deal blogs on Facebook!). I find deals on my own that the other pages you follow might not have been able to tell you about. Likewise, I have 2 kids and a husband and a home and a life of my own, so I’ll never be able to keep up with every deal that’s out there.
In conclusion
Basically I hit my inbox, my banks, facebook and a few shopping sites and that’s it. All over my morning coffee. How much have I saved/earned doing this daily? I couldn’t even begin to calculate it!
Chances are, you do these things already, but you might think it’s all just mindless surfing. Trust me, it’s not. You can make/save good money by keeping on top of these things, and I encourage you to work into your routine anything that you aren’t currently making a habit of.
What do you do online to save money daily?
I do some of these things. I’ve just recently discovered the power of swagbucks! $5 every couple days really adds up:). What I haven’t figured out yet are the daily deal sites….still a bit of a mystery to me :/. I don’t mind the surveys but haven’t had much action yet! Thanks for all the tips and cool stuff you post!
There are SO many daily deals sites. It can get overwhelming. I check the 6 I posted above and Amazon every morning for my own personal use. Those are the spots where I tend to get the best local deals.
For my “blog job” I look at a ton more each day, but rarely purchase. Unless the deal is awesome!
Swagbucks are awesome!
Great post! Sharing this with everyone!
thanks for sharing your sites you use!’
Only other site I’d say to hit up on a daily basis is woot.com check out their daily deal their deal woot site. Some great things sneak through there and if they have a woot off, you might have a heart attack. But don’t worry, a defibrillator could come up next on their deals.
I do love Woot!