Top Places to Earn Money and Free Things on the Net

As a stay at home mother, I am usually looking for ways to stretch our budget and make a little extra spending cash. I have looked high and low and have gotten myself into a little niche. I don't propose that you will make youself rich, but you can make a little extra here and there. It can also be quite fun.

Of course, you can start by publishing on Associated Content. You probably won't make a ton of money, at least not for a while. Once you start writing more articles, get more page views and clout, and improve your writing skills (assuming you need to) you can earn a little more. You could also end up being one of the select few that make a living at it. Signing up for the newsletter and writing articles that have special offers can earn you a little more. It also helps to check out the forums and get input from others. Regardless, Associated Content is a great place to get started.

Another place I earn a little money is mypoints.com. Basically, you sign up, and they send you emails to read. Each email is generally 5 points. Sometimes they are more. You can also earn points by completing some of the offers in the emails. Sometimes it is joining book clubs, signing up for sweepstakes, or buying things. You can also go to the mypoints homepage and do your web shopping through them to earn points. Anyone who buys from Amazon, Ebay, Overstock, or many other online retailers can earn lots of points. These points can be traded for gift cards to your favorite stores. I am able to purchase Valentine's, birthday and Christmas gifts for my husband every year like this and also have some left over for a few things for myself. The more emails you open and the more you buy by using their click through, the more you earn.

Pinecone Research is a great way to make money, although getting on is a crapshoot. You have to find a Pinecone banner to get signed up. The banners move around and are fleeting. I did an online search for them when I signed up and found a few posts on message boards that led me to one before it disappeared. Pinecone is a survey site and they pay $5 per survey. They are sent to you in your email. You fill out the survey and a few days later they send you a check for $5. Of course you aren't going to get rich, but $5 is $5. In addition, they occasionally send you products to try and give your opinion on.

MySurvey.com is another fabulous site I utilize often. Like Pinecone Research, they send surveys through email. In MySurvey's case, they award points for the surveys. It is usually 10 points unless your answers turn out to be something they are looking for, then they will offer you more, and ask if you would like to continue. They also send products to try, as they have me quite often. I have received all sorts of products from health and beauty aids to food to try. Points can also be traded in for cash or prizes. 1000 points equals $10, and if you are chosen to take bigger surveys, it doesn't take long at all to get 1000 points. They also offer large point incentives after you try your products to take surveys on them.

Bzzagent.com isn't likely to make you any money. However, their premise is that when people try products and like them, they tell other people. By signing up for bzz campaigns, you can be sent products to try, often with several coupons for the product to hand out. You tyr the product, then submit a bzz report on how you liked or disliked them. You are, for most campaigns, also awarded points to be traded in for prizes. Bzzagent sends simple products to expensive products, though sometimes it takes a while after you sign up to get good campaigns. Filling out your profile's on yourself will make you more likely to get more campaigns.

While none of these things will make you rich, they CAN add spending money to your pocket. Some can also get you some new products to try and, hopefully, enjoy. It also allows your voice to be heard.