Thursday, January 13, 2011

To Be Always Learning



"People who do nothing more than wait for an opportunity won't be able to capitalize on one when it does appear." -John Maxwell

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I spied that quote on Facebook this morning and oh, the confirmation! 

I mean, on these wintry days Tom and I are home, like, all the time and yet we're trying to educate ourselves daily by way of the computer (mostly). Tom's latest goals are to learn more about the stock market and pay closer attention to groups like Motley Fool who's offered him advice for years.

And then there's me just feet away over at my clunky old laptop trying to save and earn money. You know, so I won't have to go out and work in the big, bad world (heh). I'm printing out cents-off coupons and doing online surveys until I'm cross-eyed. 

Remember Opinion Outpost which I mentioned here? Well, I just sent for my third check--I've earned $64 from them so far, and so, ok, we're not talking untold fortunes here, but those $20 bills do come in handy.

On Tuesday I realized soup and bean dishes were appearing an awful lot for dinner lately so we drove to the supermarket where I saved $20 in coupons and $16 by purchasing sale items, not to mention the $3 from the refund offer I'll receive by buying a box of crackers.

Then on our way home Tom and I stopped at our own little Rite Aid and I paid $7.10 for what would have been $30 if I'd not used coupons and bought items on sale.

Of course, if we'd eat less, we'd spend less money, also.  ツ

But the main thing is that I'm still viewing this as an adventure rather than a scary unemployment season burden. I refuse to allow myself to even go there and technically there's not even such a thing as an unemployment season, anyway! No, always we should be employed doing good, fruitful things for ourselves and mankind.

Oh, we all are so not helpless! It's only inside our heads where we give-up, become non-creative and panicky, negative and paralyzed.

And may I never, as John Maxwell hinted, just loll around and wait for opportunities to fall from the sky, hit me on the head and then expect that somehow I'll know what to do with them. Instead, may I remain proactive and prepare now for a future I can't even seen from here--yet.





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I've joined other online survey sites, but I've found Opinion Outpost to be the best so far. 

If you'd like to sign-up, you can help me earn $2 if you send me your email address so I can have an invitation sent to you. I'll receive the $2 after you've completed your first survey.  (GladOne4@yahoo.com is my email address or you can leave yours inside my comment box.)

Last Friday I joined Swagbucks, a different sort of group, and it looks like a good way of earning amazon.com gift cards if I just keep, patiently, plugging away at it day by day. (If you sign up on a Friday you'll be awarded 30 points.)



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Some favorite sites for grocery coupons:

Red Plum

Smart Source

Coupons.com

Coupon Cabin

Saving Naturally

Coupon Dad

Money Saving Mom

The Krazy Coupon Lady


(Because I've signed up with the last four at Facebook, I've been alerted to coupons which came-and-went quickly and, otherwise, I would have missed them. As I've stated repeatedly, I love Facebook!)




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4 comments:

Unknown said...

Another good one girl and thanks for the links.
Odie

Patty H. said...

I'd like to know more about the survey thing. My email is phall_1@bellsouth.net

Another good post.
Blessings
Patty H.

Echoes From the Hill said...

I really like Swagbucks. I have gotten five $5.00 Amazon cards so far, and I haven't been using it more that a few months. Be sure to click on the "daily polls" and the "surveys" on that site each day. It will add two swagbucks daily. I have done a couple of their surveys for points, but they don't seem to like my demographics. Also if you shop on line, go through their shopping site, and you will get two swagbucks for each dollar you spend. It was helpful at Christmas, when I remembered to use it!
nancyr

Pat said...

I can relate to a lot of beans and soup dinners! Fortunately we don't mind it too much, but I actually made a 3 course dinner tonight! Now we're to full..LOL!
Good job on the coupons, I'm doing the same!