Ways to Make Money Online: If MTurk is the Paymaster, Does that Make Me a Janissary?

Once upon a time, a web browser stumbled on mturk.com. It promised a slightly different way to make money. Run by those nice folks at Amazon, mturk is a sophisticated way to loosely organize a large number of people to do many different kinds of tasks and get paid for it.

It's simple:  businesses post rewards for the completion of tasks.  Perform the task to the bidder's satisfaction and you get paid.  Amazon handles the details.

Does it work? More important for our purposes: is there money in it?

The answer is, maybe. There are opportunities to earn real money. For example, amazon has partnered with cellular companies (somehow). A subscriber will type into his or her phone a question; say, 'good pizza in raleigh NC'. That request will go out to the mturk website where folks have a chance to accept the challange and find an answer. While those types of questions are worth, literally, pennies, by answering enough questions correctly, turkers can earn anywhere between a $5 and $50 payout each week.

Other business work through mturk also. For example, www.castingwords.com is a podcast transcription company that posts transcription tasks. Successfully complete the transcription and you'll earn a payout. Jobs work out to be about $10 - $12 per hour.

Oh, if you're wondering about quality assurance, mturk uses a simple feedback tool - post a good answer, transcript, etc and your score goes up. Higher-level tasks require higher ratings; conversely, provide too much junk and soon you won't be able to bid on projects anymore.

The First Rule of Personal Finance

It's easier to save $100 ten times than $1,000 once.

I first tried to save money by started with the biggest expenses.  And I did save money, actually, but that well quickly ran out. For most people, the biggest monthly expenses like rent/mortgage, taxes, car payments are hard to control without draconian measures.

But all hope is not lost!  In my case, I discovered that 30% of my income was spent on "small ticket" items of less than $100 per month. Yet these expenses added up to more than $15,000 per year.

This leads me to my first rule of personal finance: it's easier to save $100 ten times than $1,000 once. 

Becoming wealthy, or even free of debt, isn't a matter of winning the lottery or picking the right stock. It's the result of the hundreds or thousands of small decisions that we make day by day, every month. Unfortunately, this probably sounds a lot like work; then again nothing worth doing was ever achieved without effort.

The Easiest Way to Clip Coupons - Ever!

Check out www.coupons.com.  Sign-up or browse as a guest, you can enjoy the hassle free benefits of saving money without flipping through a million ad inserts every day.  

Not only can you browse different categories of offers, but you can enter your own zip code for customized savings available only in your area!

Grab the coupons you want, print them out and use them in any store that accepts manufacturer's coupons.

As an added bonus, if you can't find the offer you're looking for at coupons.com, check out the manufacturer's website. A lot of times they will have additional special offers and promotions.

As a final note - you'll need Internet Explorer if you'd like to use these websites. I have tried other popular browsers (Firefox, Opera, Chrome) and have had some problems.  IE, on the other hand, has worked every time.

Life is good!

How To Lower Your Bills - For Free!

A great article from the New York Times:

IF someone said that you could reduce your bills by a significant amount by taking one simple step — and this step would be neither time-consuming nor embarrassing — wouldn’t you want to know what it was? It’s as simple as this: Just call and ask.

I'm a militant believer in this. Over the past four years, I've switched car insurance 6 times (saving $1,500 per year), phone service 3 times ($80 per year) and cut back on cable ($100 per year). I've also switched credit cards twice (better rates and bonus plans) and set up four or five different bank accounts for better rates.

It's been some work but I've saved literally thousands of dollars per year.

Cheap Movies at Kerasotes or AMC Theaters!

Interested in cheap movies?

If you live near a Kerasotes movie theater, sign up for their "Five Buck Club".  Every Thursday you'll get a emailed list of their movies that you can go see for only $5. Generally you'll have to wait a week or three after premiere, so if that's not a big deal check it out.  Best of all, it's free!

AMC Theaters have a similar program called The Moviewatcher Club.  Watch movies, get stuff.  Again, there's no cost to join.

Don't live near an AMC or Kerasotes theater?  Check out your local chain - they may offer similar programs, if you ask.

Be Gourmet With Less: 12 Ingredients that Add Zest to any Meal

From Wisebread.com, 

My personal favorite:

"Toasted nuts – Just about any nut can add some crunch and depth to your recipes. Julie Languille, of Dinners in a Flash, favors toasted hazelnuts, pinenuts, and almonds. She suggests adding a few tablespoons to salad and pasta for an extra special treat! "

Check out the rest of the article here.

Watch All Your Favorite TV Shows On Demand Using An EEE PC

I recently bought an Asus EEE netbook (4 G version) and it's great! Here's what CNet had to say:

For less than $400, the Asus Eee PC 4G offers an impressive package for portable Web surfing and basic productivity, as long as you keep expectations tempered. The incredibly approachable price outweighs any shortcomings; it's a near perfect choice for a highly portable second or backup laptop.

I bought mine for less than $300 and I use it not only as a laptop, but I've connected it to my kitchen flat panel television for use as a streaming media device. It's great! I can go to YouTube, Hulu.com or any of the major broadcasters and get virtually every television show on broadcast or cable - for free and on demand.

Hulu especially has thousands of episodes of the latest shows , and the average episode contains less than two minutes of commercials. Why pay for cable tv?

Comed (Exelon) Customers: Save an Easy $40! Off Your Utility Bill

Sign up for Comed's air conditioner cycling program and save $10 off your electricity bill every month from June - September.  The catch?  On the absolute hottest days, Comed might turn off your air conditioner for up to 3 hours on weekdays between 11am and 8pm.

Hot tip: this summer, my air conditioner never shut down - it simply didn't get hot enough to drive electricity prices that high.

A chance to reduce energy, reduce pollution (because it prevents backline, dirty coal-fired plants from starting up) and save money!

Interested in other ways to cut your electricity bill?  Check out Comed's Smart Ideas page for more tips and resources!

Skype and Virgin Mobile: Save 20% On Phone Bills!

Two years ago, I dropped my landline in favor of Skype ($.02 / minute) and a pay as you go cellphone through Virgin Mobile USA ($.25 / minute - no monthly charges).

In the last 12 months, I've spent $125.45 on phone bills. Reviewing VMUsa for some options, I noticed that they had adjusted one of the tiers: $.20 per minute with no fixed monthly fees. Moving to the new plan will save me 20% off the top!

Virgin Mobile also has a program where you can watch and rate web ads to "earn airtime in your spare time". And since I've been earning about 25 minutes of free airtime a week, I'm pretty sure that I'll be able to cut my overall expenses in half over the next 12 months.

Check out their website - Virgin Mobile has several different plan options.  If you do decide to get a phone, enter code X6MVqMNp when you activate it online. We'll both get a free $20 in airtime.  You can also pick up Virgin Mobile phones at Best Buy or Walmart, I think.

15 Ways to Save Money On Gas

Here are more ways to save on gas.

Car maintenance
1. Keep the tires inflated properly. This one is simple and a potential lifesaver. Underinflated tires waste fuel and wear out the tire tread. Also, check tires regularly for alignment and balance.

2. A well-tuned engine burns less gas. Get regular tuneups and follow through with routine maintenance. The right parts and fresh oil keep your engine happy and less thirsty for gas.

3. Get the junk out of the trunk. A weighed-down car uses more fuel. For every extra 250 pounds your engine hauls, the car loses about one mile per gallon in fuel economy. Carry only the basic emergency equipment and items you really need.

Gas shopping
4. Buy the lowest grade (octane) of gasoline that is appropriate for your car. Check your owner's manual for this information. As long as your engine doesn't knock or ping, the fuel you're using is fine. You can save hundreds of dollars a year.

5. Pay cash at stations that charge extra for credit cards.

6. Don't top off the gas tank. Too much gas will just slosh or seep out. Why waste those extra pennies?

Driving
7. Drive intelligently; don't make fast starts or sudden stops. You're just overexerting your engine and burning extra fuel. Gradual acceleration also helps automatic transmissions run better. Engine-revving wastes fuel, too.

“The faster you drive, the more gas you use.”

8. Lighten up on the accelerator. The faster you drive, the more gas you use. Speed limits have gone up around most of the nation, but you don't have to see your fuel consumption go up drastically as well. For example, driving at 55 mph rather than 65 mph can improve your fuel economy by two miles per gallon.

9. Avoid long warm-ups. Even on cold winter mornings, your car doesn't need more than a minute to get ready to go. Anything more and you're just burning up that expensive fuel.

10. Combine errands into one trip and plan your stops for the most efficient route. You'll save yourself time and money.

11. Do not rest your left foot on the brake. The slightest pressure could cause a drag that will demand additional gas use -- and wear out the brakes sooner.

Other good habits
12. Tighten up that gas cap. Make sure it's on securely. Buy a new one if your current cap doesn't fit snugly. Gas easily evaporates from the tank if it has an escape.

13. Buy a fuel-efficient car. When pricing cars, factor in long-term fuel costs. Keep in mind that sunroofs add to wind resistance, lowering the mileage per gallon.

14. Be smart with the air conditioning. On the highway, closed windows decrease air resistance, so run the air conditioner. But in stop-and-go traffic, shutting off the air conditioning and opening the windows can lighten your fuel use. Air conditioning can lower your fuel economy by 10 percent to 20 percent.

15. Remove snow tires in good weather. Deep tread and big tires use more fuel.

Save Money (25%) On Gasoline (Really!)

I wanted to dig into my fuel expenses, so I put the graph together below. I already automatically track my expenses is MS Money. A few minutes searching got me to a .gov website with official weekly gasoline prices. And so the graph below:

The green line is the weekly gas price (in cents - right vertical axis). The blue line is my actual expenses. That was pretty volatile, so I added a five week moving average (black line).

You can see in the last 3 months my bills have fallen by almost 25% even as gas prices have continued their upward march.

How?

I've been scrupulously following the speed limit, avoiding 'jackrabbit' starts and trying to keep the engine below 2500 rpm at all times. I also minimize braking whenever possible, allowing friction to slow the car down.

It's doing wonders for my mileage. In an age of rising prices, cutting consumption is the key to holding the line on inflation!

Free Hi Def [High Definition] TV! Free!

"At midnight on February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100% digital broadcasting. Digital broadcasting promises to provide a clearer picture and more programming options and will free up airwaves for use by emergency responders."

Thus is promised by the federal government at their digital television website. You can visit and receive two $40 coupons toward converter boxes if you, like me, still have an old (analog) television.

Combine this with free hi def programming that is already offered over the airwaves by many of your local stations and you've got a deal! Do television stations in your locale offer hi def programming? Check here to find out.

Choose Your Natural Gas or Electricity Supplier!

This is cool. I recently learned that my local power company (Nicor Gas) has a **free** program: they let me to buy natural gas from other utilities!

From their website:

Customer Select® is all about choices. It's a voluntary, free program offered by Nicor Gas that allows you to choose your natural gas supplier. Depending on the supplier, you will find some offers that lock in your gas price and others that compete with Nicor Gas' monthly gas supply charges. By comparing offers and making the choice that's best for you, you may be able to save money on the cost of your natural gas.

It's a great program - looking at some cost comparisons, it looks like I could shave 5-10% off my natural gas bill.

Free Stuff: Donate & Receive to Freecycle.org

Freecycle is a network of over 4,000 different local groups across the US and the world. It's a nonprofit group whose goals is to reuse perfectly good items to keep them out of landfills. Translation: give stuff to other Freecycle members and get free stuff in return!

To participate you do have to sign up, but membership is free. Go to freecycle.org to find the nearest local group today!

Cook at Home

Cooking at home is a great way to save money. Even fast food is more expensive (and fattening, and less nutritious) than eating a home-cooked meal.

Not much of a chef? Check out cooking websites like Allrecipes.com. They have lots of recipes for people of all tastes and skill levels. You can even search by ingredients and rate recipes that you've tried.

My recent favorite: Waldorf Salad with Walnut Oil Vinaigrette. I've modified it by tossing in an orange and diced roast chicken. It makes a perfect side dish, main course, and even a tasty on-the-go breakfast!

Maximize Your Frequent Flier Miles

If you're like me, you probably fly once in awhile on a variety of different airlines, which makes it difficult to rack up enough points in any one program to get goodies like free trips or merchandise.

Enter Points.com. Points.com is a FREE website that allows you to manage points from virtually every rewards program on earth. You can swap points and miles between programs, trade them with other users, earn more points and miles and even redeem them for fun stuff.

Finding A Job At Employmentcrossing.com

Ok, what is EmploymentCrossing? Well, it’s not a sales company; it’s a job-opening research company. What does it mean? Well, most job boards are more interested in earning commissions by posting jobs than they are in matching people to the job that’s right for them.

EmploymentCross is different. They have a research staff (more than 500 strong) that monitor employer websites, job boards – whatever it takes. They have helped thousands of professionals find jobs. Not only that, but hundreds of thousands of professionals turn to EmploymentCrossing every day for new jobs, new options and even new careers! Check out their mission here.

How does it work? Join EmploymentCrossing. Search their job listings and find one that’s right for you. Submit your resume!

That’s all there is to it. Learn more here.

Grocery Store Flyers, Coupons and Weekly Specials

Visit your local grocery store's website, where you can print coupons and check weekly fliers to hunt for the best deals.

The following is a list of the retailers that I've found:

• Supervalu
• Cubfoods
• Logli
• Aldi
• Ralphs
• Costco

and of course

• Walmart

It's a great way to build your shopping list, especially if you don't get a local paper!

Free CDs, Books and (Nearly) DVDs: Check Out Your Public Libraries

Public libraries may not sound like the coolest, hippest place on the planet, but if you haven't been in a library lately, you're missing out. My local library has free internet access, free wireless and a huge selection of free music and books. DVDs and VHS tapes (for my parents) are available for $.50 per checkout. All it needs is a coffee bar, and it beat Starbucks hands down!

If you're concerned, librarians aren't scary people and they love to help people find new media and they especially love to sign new library members up. Just be warned: you may find that you stop spending any money on books, CDs or movies. Legally stop spending any money on books, music and movies that is.

Not sure where the nearest local library is? Check out the public library website...

Skype: Save Money on Your Phone Bill!

I started using Skype to save money on my phone bill a few months ago and I couldn't be happier. The call quality is good, it's super-cheap and the Skype software helps easily manage my contacts!

What does it cost?
Well, you can get unlimited calls to anyone in the US and Canada for only $29.95 per year!
Or, if you prefer paying by the minute, you can use Skype to call anywhere in the US for only two cents a minute.

How does it work?
Skype is a VOIP service, which stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. It's a fancy way of saying that you talk through your computer.

Do I have to use a headset?
No! There are a wide array of internet phones and adapters that you can use with Skype. One well-regarded one is the Nexoteq Smart USB Skype phone; it looks and operates like a traditional telephone, but allows you to take advantage of low-cost VOIP technology.

Don't want to buy a new phone? The Eforcity Phone Adapter is a very popular (and high rated - 5 stars on Amazon) Skype adapter. The Adapter connects your phone to your computer, and allows you to use your own favorite wired or cordless phone with Skype. Installation is a snap, too.