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Do you have fond memories of filling out those surveys and quizzes in the back of Seventeen or Cosmopolitan? Or perhaps you’re the type of opinionated gal who just can’t walk past a suggestions box in a restaurant or car repair shop without filling out a “How are we doing?” questionnaire with one of those cute little miniature golf pencils. If this sounds like you, then, boy, are you going to be excited to learn that you can earn money by taking surveys online!

Survey Spot is an online survey panel that allows people just like you to become members and fill out surveys for companies for either cash or a chance to win exciting prizes.

Here’s how it works:

• Membership is 100% free!
• Only members can take online paid surveys, so sign up here today! Signup is quick and easy — it takes less than a minute to become a member.
• Once you become a member, you will find an average of 24 new surveys for you to complete a month. And you won’t even have to change out of your pajamas and fuzzy slippers to complete these surveys — every survey can be completed online!
• Commitment-phobe? Don’t you worry, you don’t have to make any sort of commitment to fill out surveys on SurveySpot, and the site lets you cancel your membership at anytime with no consequences.
• Some surveys offer a cash reward, whereas others offer entries into prize drawings (such as a $25,000 Sweepstakes drawing) and one entry to play an instant win game.
• If you do earn cash, SurveySpot will send you your earnings through PayPal.

I can best my husband at many things: couponing, slalom skiing, and Just Dance for the Wii to name a few. But every year when it’s time to file taxes, I feel dumber than a bag of hammers!  Usually, I’d write it off (pun intended) and tell Dearest to just take care of it!  But this year, Beyonce came to me in a dream and told me I needed to figure out how to do my own taxes.  Guess what?  Turns out, it’s easy!  The jig is up, babe!  I still don’t know anything about the tax code, but I do know that in about 30 minutes, by following a few remedial instructions, my taxes are filed and my total out of pocket expense is. . . wait for it. . . . $0.00!

My husband was always a Turbo Tax guy, but I’ve been hearing good things about H&R Block Free Edition, so I gave it a whirl.  (2012 Tax Software reviews place Turbo Tax and H&R Block neck-and-neck in spots 1 and 2 for the best software of the year.)  Signing up was a breeze–I actually logged in with facebook!  The steps were simple and straightforward.  I eFiled online, signed up to be texted once the IRS accepts my return, and changed my text tone to a ‘Ca-Ching’ sound.  Now all I’ve gotta do is sit back and wait.

H&R Block Free Edition– Just How Free Is it?

• Free from the comfort of your own home.  Complete everything online.  Not a penny or minute wasted on the commute to the accountant!
• Free accuracy check. After you complete your federal or state return, they’ll check your tax return for errors.
• Free eFiling included.  No additional fees to eFile your Federal return.  Get your return in as little as eight days.
• Free help and tax expertise, in the case that you’re audited.
• Free guarantee.  Accurate calculations are guaranteed or they’ll reimburse resulting IRS penalties and interest charges.

So, what are you waiting for?  Eight days from now you could be irresponsibly blowing your tax refund on a ridiculous pair of stilettos or a weekend getaway with your sweetie!  (If you haven’t played the game: If you had to spend your entire tax return on one pair of shoes, which pair would they be?, I highly recommend it.  Found mine at Nordstrom.)  Back to the real world:  whether you’re using your tax refund to grow your savings, plan an annual family vacation, fix your car or pay off Christmas, don’t wait until April!  Use a free online tax software like H&R Block and get your money next week!

Does your child’s class need new computers?   Could your school grounds use some landscaping?  Is the 8th grade class planning a trip for the end of the year? Other than baking 10 dozen cookies, holding a car wash or hosting a garage sale, what can a parent do to raise money for their school?  That’s the question I asked myself at the beginning of the school year. I set out to find the answer.

Innovative School Fundraising Ideas

• Flowers. Sell flowers or plants for Valentine’s and Mother’s Day.  Look up your local wholesale florist or nursery to inquire about setting up an account for your non-profit.  Then, two weeks before the holiday, pass around order forms to students.  Allow students to sell a product that people are just beginning to think about purchasing anyway!
• Tiles and Bricks. If you’re fundraising for a remodel, sell personalized, engraved ceramic tiles or bricks.  People like to leave their mark, especially at a school.  Tiles and bricks can sell for at least $100 each.  Create various levels of sponsorships so everyone can afford to participate, and generous donors have opportunity to shine with specialty placements for a higher fee.
• Entertainment Books.  I’m a Krazy Coupon Lady through and through, so the Entertainment Book fundraisers caught my eye.  Students sell books filled with local dining and entertainment coupons — it’s a great program, particularly at the beginning of the year!
• MSN Offers is a daily deal site with a fundraising program.  Their team works with you and local merchants to find online deals. When the deals sell, you make money for your school – and your local merchants make money, too.  Here’s how it worked for me.

1) I contacted the MSN Offers for Schools team through the online form at www.msnoffersforschools.com.  Be sure to provide your name, phone number, e-mail address, city, and the school(s) you want to enroll.
2)  Within 1 business day, Chet, my MSN Offers for Schools Community Account Manager, contacted me and explained the whole program from start to finish.  He took the time to answer all of my questions and really detailed out a plan to help us get going.
3)  After I understood the program, Chet sent me an online digital contract, which took all of 10 minutes to read and complete, all online, no fax or mail needed!   Our group was quickly enrolled.
4)  After the agreement was completed, I received a full welcome kit with detailed instructions on how to sign up merchants to run deals on MSNOffersForSchools.com.
5)  With only a few hours weekly, I was able to sign up over 8 local merchants to run deals!  Then we simply added a notice in our school weekly e-mail newsletter about the deal of the week.  It took a lot less time than our last school fundraiser.
6)  We just received our check (MSN Offers pays quarterly) – a great return on our time, with no cash to track, no lost items, and no delivery dates!

This has been a guest post by Kristen from Sacramento, CA
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