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Archive for December, 2014

Merry Christmas!

December 25th, 2014 at 10:46 am

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays no matter what you celebrate this season!

It's low key here with just my husband, son, and me. My son still gets pretty excited though at fifteen!

It will be a very memorable season. I work a very part time VA job and my boss sent me my entire Amazon wishlist and a $300 gift card. I was shocked and am so very grateful. Generally, it is understood in my family that we don't exchange (other than candy and Christmas Crackers) over the age of eighteen. However, with the Amazon windfall I sent my older two children gifts. I bought my son and his wife a nice set of towels. I bought my daughter a keyboard case for her iPad mini.

The hard part of this year is my mother (in MI) had a small stroke yesterday. Please keep her in your thoughts/prayers. I had a flight credit of $100 and looked at flights and found one for $85 after my credit. My daughter's boyfriend's mom donated a rental car voucher. I will be going to MI on New Year's Eve through January 3rd. I am sorry it is under the circumstances, but glad to see family during the holidays. I haven't been home during the Christmas season since 1997. I am so happy my daughter was also granted vacation time. I will get to see her as well. She is spending the whole week of New Years in Michigan.

I am amazed at the generosity of others toward myself and my family this season. I am more grateful than I can ever put into words.



Free Gifts

December 8th, 2014 at 01:04 pm

I am sure the average person would say I am cheap if I shared how many Christmas gifts I got for people that were free. However, I know I can share it here and you all would understand (and probably did some "free" and/or heavily discounted shopping too!).

I earned Amazon credit this year via Swagbucks, Media Insiders Panel, and Instagc. I purchased three gifts free so far and have plans for two more by the 15th (waiting on a couple gc's). So my nephew was free, and my husband's grandkids' gifts were all free via Amazon credit. It was nice to have the Prime shipping as well! These gifts were various toys/games.

I also got a few more gifts free via Mystery Shopping. I got my grandma a $50 Pandora bracelet, a hiking book for my husband, Lindt chocolate for my son's stocking, and a personalized ornament for a friend.

The remaining gifts I purchased at heavy discounts of at least 40% off and my total out of pocket was $167.72. My shopping is done other than ordering those two gifts from Amazon when the credit hits. The free gifts value comes to approximately $170.

The shopping may be done, but I have done NOTHING else. I have done no decorating (save a free poinsettia from a mystery shop) or sent Christmas cards. Generally we only do a tree, but we haven't even went to get our decorations out of storage. Tomorrow it is supposed to be nasty out so I probably will only do VA work which means I can address the Christmas cards at least!

November Mystery Shopping Income

December 2nd, 2014 at 01:15 pm

My total mystery shopping income for November was $928.05. This is for fees and reimbursements. I consider my reimbursements as income because I make sure they are useful (gas, groceries, etc.).