5 Easy Ways to Make Some Extra Cash for Christmas

1. Swagbucks

Swagbucks is my favorite site to earn extra cash online. Basically, you use the Swagbucks search engine instead of Google or Bing (or whichever bandwagon you've chosen to jump on). On random searches you will earn "swagbucks." These bucks can be added up and redeemed for things like Amazon gift cards.

You can do a lot more than just search too. You can take surveys, watch videos, and participate in special offers--All for points. Their website can be overwhelming, but if you know how to navigate it, and what options are worth your time, then you can make some easy money. I usually just stick to searching. The search engine on Swagbucks is not as clean as Google or Bing. (This is where I hear 99% of complaints against Swagbucks.) However, once you get used to it, it's super easy. It's absolutely FREE and you can make money. Hello! Definitely worth the 3 seconds of extra time.

I've easily earned a few hundred dollars from this site and will continue to use it for the foreseeable future. It's definitely not 'quit your day job money', but it is perfect for helping pay for Christmas this year!!

2. Surveys

There are a bunch of survey companies out there who will pay you cash (or points which can be converted to cash) to take online surveys. It takes time, but you can accumulate money rather quickly if you're diligent. Here are a few of my favorites:

My Survey
Ipsos I-Say
Suvey Savvy

3. Ebates

Ebates is really great for those of you who shop online! Ebates offers cash back for online orders you are already making! All you have to do is log on to Ebates and click through to your site of choice (they have tons of retailers!!). Once you place your order, Ebates will track your spending and give you cash back for your purchase!

4. Ebay

Ebay helps you sell your unwanted, used or new items. Ebay is rather beginner friendly and people will buy just about anything! Rather than throwing out my old clothes that don't fit or items are no longer in my good graces, I just put them up on Ebay. You'd be surprised at how much you can accumulate. It is free to list on ebay! Once you sell an item, Ebay takes a small percentage, as well as Paypal for depositing your money. Then you have to ship the item, which could be a hassle for some. For me, it has definitely been worth it! I can't stand throwing things away just because I change my mind or style. Ebay makes all those anxieties go away!

5. Etsy

I LOVE Etsy! Similar to Ebay, Etsy is a great way to make a little extra money. Sellers on Etsy can sell handmade or vintage goods. Shameless Plug: My sisters and I recently started an etsy shop, and it has been super fun! We sell vintage clothing, shoes, and accessories. Most of the items we find at garage sales or  thrift shops for super cheap! We've been able to make some money so far and have really enjoyed running our tiny little business! And stumbling upon other fabulous finds from amazing creative minds! If you can imagine it, it's probably on Etsy.  I love supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs. I also love having super unique home decor, clothing, furniture, accessories, etc. It's all on Etsy folks. Anyway, here's the details: etsy charges $.20 for each listing and another small fee for selling and Paypal. It probably isn't for everyone, but we've loved having our shop!

There you have it! Five ways to help you make some extra cash this holiday season! If you have any questions, we'd love to answer them! We'll answer questions, give you tips, and all the nitty gritty details :)

3 Comments

Couponing | Etsy

100 Years of Fashion in 100 Seconds

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! We are absolutely loving this video featuring 100 years of fashion in 100 seconds. Gorgeous vintage outfits! Which era is your favorite?

1 Comments

Fashion | Vintage

Fall in Presque Isle

This weekend was 80% a bust. Mike has a test on Monday and when that happens, he disappears. And I watch 10-16 hours per day of Doctor Who, Mad Men, HGTV, and old black and white movies. I also somehow end up eating like seven meals per day (including two to three rounds of dessert..). It's a rough life, but I'm suffering through it. However, we were able to squeeze in a little drive to my favorite new spot in Erie! It was really nice going outdoors after sitting on our couch for 72 hours straight. (I'll spare you all the pictures of that trainwreck.) So, this is Presque Isle State Park. And it's beautiful. We get the gorgeous fall colors and the beautiful beach and lakes. We love living by the beach!! (Even if it is a fake-lake beach and it is way too freezing to even go near right now.) Here are a few pictures of our Sunday stroll.

 I love lighthouses. So I was super excited to find this one!

 This beach has the best skipping rocks. Now I just need to learn how to skip rocks...

I hope everyone else had a fantastic weekend! 

Linking up with Sami today for Weekend Shenanigans.  

5 Comments

Beach | fall | Lake Erie | Lighthouse | Travel | Weekend

Infinity Fall Fashion (5 on Friday)

I love fall! The crisp air. The leaves. The sweaters... (Mostly I just love the sweaters.) After a little online window shopping, I put together this quirky five-item fall collection. 

I absolutely love this vintage chevron sweater vest with colors perfect for autumn. There's no better accessory than a simple shoulder or cross-body bag, and I found one similar to this at Nordstrom for about twice the price. I also love nothing more than a pair of skinny jeans (and wish so much that I had the height to pull them off). Throw on a pair of tall boots and some vintage jewelry to complete a perfect fall look! Happy Autumn!

1. Chevron Patterned Sweater Vest: Infinity Ampersand $33.00

2. Corduroy Mid-Rise Skinny Jeans: theoutnet.com $70.00

3. Black Riding Boots: www.ghbass.com $148.00

4. Brown Cross-body Bag: Infinity Ampersand $34.00

5. Brushed Gold Cat Earrings: Infinity Ampersand $26.00

Link up for the 5 on Friday with these wonderful ladies! Darci, April, Christina, and Natasha!

9 Comments

5 on Friday | autumn | clothes | fall

NYC Part II

And this is Part II of our little NYC adventure. We were there for seven days, so we were able to do quite a bit. After doing all the major touristy activities in the city, I wanted to make sure to do some things that were unique and local. That, of course, means thrifting.

Wonderful flea market in the city.

This is my new favorite Cheesecake. Eileen's Special Cheesecake was amazing. We bought an entire cheesecake that we (90% me) ate in less than 48 hours. 

Love the random art in NYC.

 And the random businesses that look cool, but that I would be scared to actually visit.

 Central Park 

 

Oh ya, and we met Zachary Levi. He was doing a show in NYC and came out after to take pictures with everyone. He's such a cool guy. We're both Dodger Fans. NBD.

 Top of the Empire State Building.

 Another shot of my Flat Iron Building. Couldn't resist.

3 Comments

NYC | Travel

Pizza Hut Stuffed Crust

My husband loves pizza. Any kind. Any price. Any level of quality... I, however, am somewhat of a pizza snob. I'll usually only eat pizza from Pizza Hut (stuffed crust canadian bacon and pineapple if we're getting specific). I'm not a brat about it or anything, I just would rather eat cereal or top ramen than any other kind of pizza. Needless to say, my husband doesn't get pizza often. So, when I found this recipe on Pinterest for copycat Pizza Hut Stuffed Crust, I thought I'd give it a try. And it turned out wonderfully! 

Ingredients

1 C. lukewarm water

1 pkg. active dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar

2 1/2-3 C. flour

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. olive oil

Directions 
Stir together the water, yeast and sugar; set aside for 5 minutes, until it’s foamy.

Add 2 1/2 cups of the flour, salt and oil and stir until the dough comes together

On a floured surface, knead the dough for about 8 minutes, until it’s smooth and elastic. Add more flour if the dough is sticky.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat all over. Cover and set aside in a warm place for half an hour to an hour, until it doubles in size.

Roll the dough out so it's about two inches larger than the pizza pan.

Spread cheese around edge of pan, spoon pizza sauce over cheese. 

Fold over the edges to form ring and press to seal. Prepare remainder of pizza as you like it. 

Bake on a pizza stone (this is the one I have my eye on!) or cookie sheet at 450 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until bubbly and golden.

We absolutely loved how it turned out! (There are no "after" pictures because we devoured it before I had a chance to grab my camera.) The recipe was super easy and surprisingly close to Pizza Hut's version. We've made this pizza a few times already and are still lovin it! Yay for easy compromises in marriage! I'm always super happy when Pinterest recipes actually work out. Let me know if anyone gives this one a try. I definitely recommend it! 

Linking up with Jessica and Ashley today!

15 Comments

Cooking | Pintering

The Happy Movie

Based on the title of this post, I'm sure a lot of you thought this would be an emotional post full of mushy feelings, complaining, and stuff. Don't worry. It's not. Don't get me wrong, I am extremely grateful for my life and everyone in it. But the main reason I wanted to write this was to get you to watch a movie.

I recently watched a documentary called "Happy." Anyone heard of it? If you haven't seen it, you should. It's currently on Amazon Prime and maybe Netflix. I decided to watch it one cold, Sunday evening when I was alone in my freezing, dark, and dreary apartment. (My pre-dental husband is pretty MIA during most of his waking hours). I thought this would fit the bill of a Sunday-appropriate loner activity.

Anyway, the documentary travels around the world and talks to people from different countries, age groups, walks of life, etc., etc. They scientifically tracked and analyzed levels of happiness. I bet you can't guess what they found. Anyone? They found that once your basic needs are met, your level of happiness is not influenced by your social status, age, bank account balance, or the amount of 'stuff' you have.What did they say actually increased happiness? Serving others, feeling a sense of community, being industrious, meditating, and counting your blessings. Crazy, right? But good reminder, huh? It definitely helped me stop my little pity party for one.

So, next time you're looking for a pick-me-up, stay away from the Ben & Jerry's and watch this instead. I promise it will be the best 43 minutes of your evening.

Linking up with Sami today for Weekend Shenanigans.

4 Comments

Happy

Etsy Shop Feature

Hi all!

Just wanted to share that our Etsy shop was recently featured on the wonderful blog, Psychic Joelle! Click on the gold watch below to check it out!



Thanks for the feature Joelle! Happy weekend everyone!

4 Comments

Etsy

New York New York

Here are a few pictures of our impromptu visit to NYC. We spent a wonderful seven days in the big apple waiting for our apartment to be finished in Pennsylvania. There's no better place to be homeless than NYC! (We weren't actually homeless, we stayed in a hotel, but you know what I mean.)

We decided the easiest way to see as much of New York as possible was to get a pass on the wonderful double-decker buses. We felt like total tourists, but saw a lot and saved our feet. So overall, definitely worth it.

 This is the apartment complex where John Lennon lived, The Dakota. Yoko still lives here apparently. Right in that top corner overlooking the park. Unfortunately, she wasn't on her balcony or hanging out of her window on the day we drove by.

 Classic NYC Firefighter.

 For Mike, we hit up a Yankees game. We had the luxury of spending extra time in the stadium during the two hour rain delay... yay.

This was Mike's first trip to New York City, so I made sure we did every single cliche/touristy activity possible. Mike loved it.

 They have some pretty cool art at the Statue of Liberty monument. Also, despite how it looks in this picture, I am not 4 months pregnant. (Or pregnant at all.)

Loved walking across the Brooklyn Bridge!

Not sure the significance of the locks on the Brooklyn Bridge, but I took a picture, just in case they're famous or something. 

I love this building.

4 Comments

NYC | Travel