Show Your Passion With Wind Passion’s Nautical Braided Bracelets

I live on a lake year round and I love everything about the water. Swimming, sailing, kayaking and more make up most of our days during the summer. If you have someone who loves to sail, they might appreciate Wind Passion’s nautical bracelets.

These bracelets are handmade using the finest materials and can be worn by men and women. I recently received 3 bracelets from Wind Passion.

WIND PASSION - Rope Bracelet for Men and Women - Adjustable Nautical String Bracelet for Sailors, Surfers and Outdoor Lovers - Waterproof Sailors Knot Bracelet

 

 

Wind Passion’s braided bracelets are made of highest quality marine rope made in Europe. Bracelets make a simple fashion statement. The Unisex cord bracelets are perfect for people living an active lifestyle. The bracelets are easily adjustable as shown below.

 

 

Wind Passion’s handmade bracelets are higher quality than other nautical bracelets on the market. Check out how Wind Passion’s bracelets sail circle around the competition.

 

Let me know what you think of this great nautical jewelry in the comments.


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Revolution Math- Online Classes for 2nd-5th Graders-Get Kit & 4 Classes for $5

In the weeks before school started, we had the opportunity to try out Revolution Math, an innovative program that was designed for students in 2nd thru 5th grade to develop their math skills and overall love of learning.

Our son Luke, who just started 4th grade this month, tested the program for us. It was easy to get started. I went to the Math Revolution website and signed up for a trial. I selected Luke’s grade level and shortly after, we were shipped a Revolution Math Kit. We were able to pick our class time, we chose Tuesday evenings at 8 pm.

The Revolution Math Kit contained a book of graph paper, several dice, a bag of tiles, a pencil and four masks to coordinate with the story-based curriculum and Common Core aligned math games. For the first 3 classes Luke was the only student in his class, but in his fourth class there were 3 other students.

Revolution Math keeps their classes small with a maximum of 4 students. The small class size allows students to participate and build their confidence under the instruction of a dedicated teacher. The classes are 60 minutes long.

It was easy to download the classroom module and connect. Luke had 2 different teachers, but students generally have the same teacher each week. The teacher was engaging and friendly, she kept Luke engaged and interested the entire time. I would receive email updates after each class to advise me of Luke’s progress.

My husband is a math professor, so math is very central in our home. We believe in helping our children develop their fundamental math skills at an early age because it sets the groundwork for their academic success and real-life applications down the road. Revolution Math is aligned with this philosophy as well so the program was a great fit for us.

Revolution Math is the only program that allows kids to learn the way they want with the convenience of an online platform. Luke was able to earn points and gems that he could trade in once he earned enough for real reward prizes.

The program has a story-based curriculum, students were able to choose which character they wanted to be at the start of each class. There are masks in the Revolution Math Kit that make it even more fun. Students read their part in the story line and then help solve problems using math skills.

You can see more of what is in the kit and hear more of my thoughts in the video below:

Special Offer- Kit and 4 Classes only $5

If you think Revolution Math would be a good fit for your child, you can sign up for at RevolutionMath.com. Mommy Ramblings readers get a special treat, you can get the kit and the 4-class trial for only $5! To take advantage of this special offer, use the code 5RAMBLINGS during check out. Let me know if you are going to take advantage of this amazing offer in the comments.

 


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“The Last Kids On Earth” Blog Book Tour & Giveaway

School is back in session throughout the country, and reading is so important. Finding interesting books that your child wants to read, will really help, if you have to battle with them to read for 20 or 30 minutes a day.

My boys love books that draw them in and capture their interest with an exciting and engaging story. The Last Kids on Earth series does just that! Described as Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets The Walking Dead these very funny post-apocalyptic graphic novels are perfect for middle-grade readers.

This is a four book series to date and it all starts with Book 1; The Last Kids on Earth.

Ever since the monster apocalypse hit town, average thirteen year old Jack Sullivan has been living in his tree house, which he’s armed to the teeth with catapults and a moat, not to mention video games and an endless supply of Oreos and Mountain Dew scavenged from abandoned stores. But Jack alone is no match for the hordes of Zombies and Winged Wretches and Vine Thingies, and especially not for the eerily intelligent monster known only as Blarg. So Jack builds a team: his dorky best friend, Quint; the reformed middle school bully, Dirk; Jack’s loyal pet monster, Rover; and Jack’s crush, June. With their help, Jack is going to slay Blarg, achieve the ultimate Feat of Apocalyptic Success, and be average no longer! Can he do it?

Told in a mixture of text and black-and-white illustration, this is the perfect book for any kid who’s ever dreamed of starring in his or her own comic book or video game. And then grab the rest of the series, now a New York Times bestseller!

The zombies are disappearing. This might seem like a good thing, since zombies eat your brains, but normal human kid Jack Sullivan is suspicious. He keeps hearing an eerie shrieking noise that seems to be almost summoning the zombies—but to where, and for what (probably) foul purpose?

Jack, his three best friends (maybe the only people left on Earth), and their pet monster Rover need to get to the bottom of this. Along the way they encounter a lot more than they bargained for, including a giant Wormungulous, a pizza parlor monster hangout, an ancient evil who destroys worlds, and a stereo system that is totally the bomb. Can Jack figure out why the zombies are vanishing . . . before he and his friends are next?

Kids will be excited to get their hands on Book 3; The Last Kids on Earth and the Nightmare King.  

Life after the zombie apocalypse is pretty good for 13-year-old Jack Sullivan: he lives in a mind-clobberingly cool tree fort with his best friends, speeds through town playing Real-Life Mario Kart, has a crew of monster buddies, battles zombies on the regular, and generally treats life-like it’s a video game!

But then Jack’s friends make a startling discovery: they may not be the last kids on earth, after all. This is great news for everyone… except Jack. Once they’ve found other humans, his friends won’t stick around for long! Jack’s only hope for keeping things the way they are is to prove that everything here is perfect, life is crazy fun, and nothing else could be any better.

One problem: it’s hard convincing his friends that everything is great when they’re being hunted by a monstrous Nightmare King and an ancient evil who won’t rest until Earth has been devoured. Crud! Maybe life after the monster apocalypse is more complicated than Jack thought…

The last book in the series (so far), is Book 4The Last Kids on Earth and the Cosmic Beyond
The newest installment in this New York Times bestselling series introduces new monsters, new bad guys, and tons of new laughs!

It’s the first winter after the Monster Apocalypse. For Jack and his buddies, that means sled catapults, epic snowball battles, and one monstrous Christmas celebration. But their winter wonderland turns dark when a villainess begins hunting them. And this villainess is different—she’s a human.

When the villainess steals Jack’s prized monster-slaying tool, the Louisville Slicer, he vows to get it back. But it won’t be easy. Jack and his friends soon discover that the Louisville Slicer is the key to a dark plan that threatens the entire world—and beyond…

 You  can watch a video trailer for the series below:

About The Author:

Max Brallier (maxbrallier.com) is the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty books and games, including the previous books in The Last Kids on Earth series. He is the creator and writer of Galactic Hot Dogs, an ongoing middle-grade web serial and book series with Aladdin. He writes for licensed properties including Adventure TimeRegular Show, and Uncle Grandpa. Under the pen name Jack Chabert, he is the creator and author of the Eerie Elementary series for Scholastic Books. In the olden days, he worked in the marketing department at St. Martin’s Press. Max lives just outside of New York City with his wife and daughter.

ILLUSTRATOR BIO:

Douglas Holgate has been a freelance comic book artist and illustrator based in Melbourne, Australia, for more than ten years. He’s illustrated books for publishers including HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Hachette, and Simon & Schuster, and comics for Image, Dynamite, Abrams, and Penguin Random House.

Giveaway

Penguin Random House is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win Book 1 and Book 4 of The Last Kids on Earth Series! Thank you to Penguin Random House for the review books and for sponsoring this great giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US residents.

The Last Kids On Earth Book 1 and Book 4 Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Please enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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“Picturing America” A Beautiful Look At Thomas Cole’s Life & The Hudson Valley

I am so blessed to live in the gorgeous Catskill Mountains of Upstate New York. The Hudson Valley Region has so much to offer in breathtaking beauty and diverse culture. We love living only 90 minutes from NYC, so we can attend shows and events, and still live surrounded by trees, meadows, lakes and rivers.

As a hobby photographer, I rarely take a walk where I don’t have my camera around my neck. With the advances in technology, smartphones provide us with a camera we have with us everywhere. I am forever snapping photos and recording video of my amazing surroundings. I love sharing my photos and videos,   so others can experience the pristine beauty.

Picturing America: Thomas Cole And The Birth of American Art by Hudson Talbott, is a stunning biographical picture book and an excellent tool to introduce children to Thomas Cole. This book is so beautiful and filled with fascinating information about the life of Thomas Cole.

Picturing America gives us a bird’s-eye look into Thomas Cole’s life. From his humble beginnings and immigration from England to America, to his development of a new painting style that became America’s first formal art movement: the Hudson River School of painting. The pages of Picturing America are peppered with some of Cole’s most beloved paintings, beautifully framed by Hudson Talbott’s watercolor illustrations.

You can see more in my video review and reading of Picturing America below:

As a resident of the beautiful Hudson Valley, I am thrilled to announce that Penguin Young Readers is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win their own hardcover copy of Picturing America! Thank you to Penguin Random House for the review book and for sponsoring this amazing giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Open to US Residents.

Picturing American Hardcover Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Please enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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“How To Be A T. Rex” Hardcover Book Giveaway

As most of the schools are now back in session, you might be searching for engaging books for bedtime reading. I would like to share a bright, bold and quirky new book about finding and taming the beast within. How To Be A T.Rex is about Sal, a girl who thinks being herself is kind of a drag. Sal does not want to grow up to be a doctor or teacher, she wants to be an awesome T.Rex!

You might be surprised to learn that becoming a T. Rex is not hard at all. However, it is hard to make friends when you  are a super-giant, super-loud, super-stompy dinosaur. If only Sal could be as 100% awesome as a T. Rex all of the time! The book is written by Ryan North and illustrated by Mike Lowery.

Check out my video about the book below:

About the Author: RYAN NORTH is a New York Times bestselling author and cartoonist known for his online strip Dinosaur Comics, his critically acclaimed work on Marvel’s Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, as well as his Eisner Award-winning writing for the Adventure Time comic. He lives in Toronto with his wife, Jenn, and their dog, Noam Chompsky. HOW TO BE A T.REX is his debut picture book.

About the illustrator: MIKE LOWERY is an author, artist, and an avid collector of weird bits of knowledge. He’s illustrated dozens of books for kids, including the Gingerbread Man is Loose in the School series. Mike lives with his wife and two kids in Atlanta, Georgia.

Giveaway:

Penguin Random House is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win a hardcover copy of How To Be A T. Rex and a book poster! Thank you Penguin Random House for the review book and posters and for sponsoring this awesome giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. Open to US Residents.

How To Be A T. Rex Hardcover Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Please enter for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!

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Why Pattaya is the Ultimate Destination For International Travel With Kids

Traveling alone or with another adult is very different to traveling with kids. It is simple just to pack for yourself and hit the road. Beyond that, traveling by yourself is much less expensive than traveling with a family. Since Traveling solo is less expensive it will allow you to travel to more pricey destinations, such as exotic islands.

Traveling to new places is so rich in experiences that no one should have to be deprived of it. However, when kids come along, the thought of traveling is something many parents dread, thanks to the stress, expense and time management issues.

Many parents have to forget about traveling once they have kids, especially embarking on international trips. If they really need a break, they might take turns going on a solo adventure. While this may give mom or dad some relaxing time to unwind, it does not provide for the family to take a trip and build those precious memories.  Kids benefit from traveling as much as adults, it not only rejuvenates them mentally, but also offers them a great learning experience.

If you are a parent, who is reluctant to travel with toddlers or young kids, start by choosing kid-friendly destinations that are not overly expensive. Next, make sure your kids sleep well and eat on time,  so you are not dealing with cranky kids on your trip. Packing a small backpack for each child with snacks and small toys or games is a great idea. If you are not used to traveling internationally with toddlers and are on a tight budget, you should consider Pattaya, Thailand for your next family vacation. Find out below why Pattaya is an excellent choice for families looking to take an international vacation.

Easy to Access

It is no secret that Thailand is one of the cheapest holiday destinations for a country that offers pristine, exotic beaches along with an abundance of nature and entertainment options. However, most families with kids get turned off because the more famous islands require additional flights or overnight road travel.

Fortunately, Pattaya is a mere 3-hour drive from the capital, and families will easily be able to find buses and cabs from the airport. It is recommended that instead of using public transportation, you rent a car from the airport and drive on your own. This way you will be able to travel at your own pace, and your kids can easily rest in the back seat.

Budget Friendly

While it is already well-known that Thailand is one of the most pocket-friendly destinations, not everyone knows Pattaya is the cheapest destination within the country. Pattaya’s location near the capital eliminates the need for additional flights which saves you money right off the bat.

Accommodations are extremely economical. You can find a room at a 5-star beach resort such as the Hilton for about $250, and even less during certain times of the year.  There are also much cheaper three-star, four-star and Airbnb options available to suit every budget and family’s needs.

Attractions for Everyone

Pattaya has a lot to offer for everyone in the family, and your kids are not going to get bored. Let your kids  play in the sand and surf at the lively Pattaya beach while you chill out on one of the lounge chairs or enjoy the water sports.

If you want to experience a more scenic and exotic beach, take a trip to the famous Coral Islands. You can apply online for many more kid-friendly Pattaya tours such as the Cartoon Network water park, Safari World to experience the wild up, close and personal and a beautiful elephant sanctuary.

This is a collaborative guest post. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mommy Ramblings.


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Vietnamese Beef Stew (Thit Bo Kho) Recipe

Vietnamese cuisine is well-known for its utilization of fresh ingredients, an emphasis on meat and vegetables, as well as its flavorful use of seasonings. You will often find herbs and seasonings such as lemongrass, cinnamon, ginger, and bay leaves in Vietnamese dishes.

For all of these reasons, Thit Bo Kho or Vietnamese Beef Stew is a perfect example of Vietnamese cuisine. Tender beef braised in cinnamon and stewed in a mix of vegetables and seasonings until it is ready to be served with a crisp toasted baguette.

The total meal prep time is roughly 30 minutes. Beyond prep, you need to account for 4 to 24 hours of marinating time, and 1.5 hours for stewing.

Our recommendation is to prep the meat mixture for marinatimg the night before you plan to cook the stew. Then let the mixture sit overnight in your refrigerator. This makes this recipe a great meal for families looking for a quick prepared fix during the week.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 pieces of ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 whole Burma Spice Star Anise
  • 2 sticks of Burma Spice’s Ceylon Cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon of crushed lemongrass paste
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 4 cups of organic beef broth (used as needed)
  • 2 Burma Spice Mediterranean Bay Leaves
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 4 carrots, sliced ½-inch-thick
  • Chopped green onions
  • Cilantro
  • Toasted French baguette

The stars of the show

As with all Vietnamese cooking, the key to the flavors of the meal are the spices. Luckily for you, Burma Spice just happens to have the best trio to make your THIT BO KHO a smashing success.

Directions

Step 1

Add cut beef cubes, onions, ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, sugar, cinnamon, and star anise into a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly, coating the beef thoroughly with the oyster sauce.

Step 2

Place the mixture in a large sealable plastic bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours. As previously noted, Steps 1 and 2 are perfect for meal prep the night before you plan to serve the dish.

Step 3

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven. Toast the Burma Spice Star Anise and Burma Spice Ceylon Cinnamon sticks for about 30 seconds. Be careful not to burn these ingredients. Simply brown until that amazingly fragrant smell hits you, and take off the heat. You will add these items back into the mixture once you are ready to simmer the stew.

Step 4

Brown the marinated beef mixture in batches.  As you brown it mix in some of your crushed lemongrass paste with each batch. If you put the entire mixture into the dutch oven at one time the amount of liquid produced will keep your meat from browning. You likely want to divide your mixture into 4 batches. Put each batch into a large bowl and move to brown the next.

Step 5

Stir in tomato paste to coat your beef mixture thoroughly.

Step 6

Add beef broth to your mixture. You just want to cover your beef, so add the broth slowly. Add your bay leaves, soy sauce, toasted ceylon cinnamon sticks, and star anise into the stew.

Step 7

Bring the stew to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 and 1/2 hours or until beef is tender.

Step 8

Add your cut carrots during the last 15 minutes of cooking time. Simply cook until the carrots are tender.

Step 9

Top with green onions and cilantro. Toast your baguette and serve! This recipe is a great meal for any day. It is a tender, flavorful dish that will have your family asking for more.

This is a collaborative guest recipe post.

 


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4 Questions To Help You Determine Why Your Child Is Crying

When your child is crying and won’t or can’t tell you what is wrong, it is very frustrating. Meltdowns can be difficult for even the most experienced parents to handle. When it happens, your automatic reaction might be to tell your child to stop crying. Unfortunately, that rarely works so you might want to consider these factors.

Crying is a natural reaction for kids when they are over-stimulated, over tired, or physically hurt. Figuring out which it is and meeting their needs can help you get to the root of the problem. The next time you are faced with an outburst, take a deep breath and ask yourself these 4 simple questions before reacting.

Is it something physical?

Perhaps your child refuses to put on his shoes and bursts into tears when you stand firm. Is this a battle of wills  or could it be that they are dealing with physical pain they may not be able to express? The frustration of not being able to articulate what is going on, can trigger an epic meltdown.

Take a look at their physical condition. Could it be a toothache? According to Lane Family Dental, “Your tooth may not bother you at all until that moment you bite into a decadent slice of chocolate cake. The shock from coming in contact with sugar is a pretty sure sign that your tooth has a cavity.”

Or could it be a headache? Mayo Clinic states that headaches in children can be difficult to diagnose, but they may cry and hold their head to indicate pain. Lastly, it may be the most common physical reason of them all: your child may just need a nap.

Is your child feeling stressed?

This one is more common among older children. You may wonder what could cause a child to be stressed. Actually, any situation that is new to a child can cause their body to release the stress hormone, cortisol.

Dealing with after school activities where a certain level of performance is expected, can add stress to an already-full school day. Tears could also result from a frustrating classroom situation. It could even be  something they have heard that they don’t know how to handle. Consider that their tears may not really be about having to clean their room or do a chore. In reality that outburst may be an expression of accumulated stress.

Is your child hungry?

It happens to everyone. So much so that a new term has cropped up to describe it; Hungry + angry = “hangry.” Hangry describes how attitudes go south when our bodies are lacking fuel. Even if your child ate a good lunch, by the time they get home from school, they could be famished. If they don’t have a healthy snack, they could be heading for an emotional outburst. So, while you do not want to use food as a bribe to stop their tears, their hunger is likely what is causing them to be so cranky.

Give them a hug and  go to the kitchen and fix both of you a healthy snack. Turn it into an activity so that the association becomes one of doing something together, versus using food for emotional relief.

Is Your Child Overstimulated?

Have you ever wondered why so many meltdowns happen when shopping, on vacation or in the aisles of grocery stores? Chances are high that it’s the environment that is over stimulating your child. Places that are noisy, have crowds of people and multiple things to see can be overwhelming for kids.

With so much for a little brain to process, kids turn to the one thing they know will bring relief. Their tears will bring mommy or daddy running to fix everything. Consider a quick exit from the store or environment to get your child to a calmer place instead of demanding or pleading with them to stop crying.

Lastly, if you are always telling your child to stop crying, it could convey a message to them that negative emotions should stay bottled up. This can lead to difficulties with opening up in later years and stunted emotional growth. Studies tell us that our tears serve a good purpose. Tears and crying can reduce the body’s stress hormone and bring calm back to our physical state.

So, instead of feeling harried when your child breaks down in tears, realize that the tears are one way your child is communicating with you. That crying is their body’s way of calming down.

This is a collaborative guest post. The views and ideals expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mommy Ramblings.

 


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12 Ways to Earn Gift Cards Online Fast

No one minds getting gift cards for Christmas, birthdays or for any other occassion. That’s because gift cards really rock! Gift cards give you the freedom to buy what you want, so you get exactly what you need. It’s fun when you narrow a choice down to a certain store, but then have the opportunity to get whatever you want in that store.

Waiting for someone to give you your next gift card for a special occasion? Don’t wait until someone buys you one. You can take control and grab gift cards all on your own. No need to wait all year to check your Christmas stocking to see if you get one. Earn your own gift cards quickly by checking out these 12 ways to earn gift cards online fast.

1. Use Swagbucks

Swagbucks is one of the ultimate ways you can earn gift cards – and fast.

This app makes it easy for you to earn points that go toward gift cards you can use to shop your favorite brands. Swagbucks lets you watch videos, shop, and surf the web while getting paid to do it. This task-based gift card reward program is one of the easiest ways to earn virtually free gift cards without going to a regular job.

Swagbucks has apparently paid their members almost 300 million dollars, which is pretty nuts. You can use these gift cards for yourself, or save them for great stocking stuffers for friends and family during the holiday season! Swagbucks has been seen on sites like BuzzFeed and ABC, so you know it’s legit.

2. Sign up with instaGC

Next on our list is instaGC, a website that allows you to earn gift cards online fast with little effort needed.Earn points towards your gift cards at a quick pace by doing the activities you usually do online anyway. Fill out surveys, watch entertaining videos, shop your usual brands, and spend time researching on the internet – only now, do it and get paid with gift cards!

You can choose from 350 different gift cards from Flowers.com to Abercrombie & Fitch to AMC Theaters. There’s all different types of stores, depending on what you got your eye on at the moment.Over a million gift cards have been redeemed at instaGC, so it’s time for you to sign up and earn!

3. Discover the right credit card program

Sign up with a credit card company that rewards your favorite hobby – shopping! For example, you can earn points with Banner Bank and you can turn in those points for gift cards. Of course, you don’t want to go overboard with this option and you want to thoroughly research the bank before you choose it.

One example of a bank with a gift card benefit is Banner Bank. Join Banner Rewards’ TruRewards program (their loyalty program) and earn points that turn into gift cards.

There’s a million banks out there, why not sign up with a credit card company that will reward you for using them? Sign up with a credit card that’ll earn you points as you shop. Put your shopping trips to good use and earn gift cards as you go!

4. Take surveys

Keep it simple and fill out easy-to-follow-along surveys and earn gift cards while you do it. Amazon gift cards are available to redeem when you sign up with MySurvey and start filling out answers that’ll lead you to gift cards online fast.

MySurvey says, “Discover the power of your opinion.” You’re going to feel pretty powerful after you’ve earned yourself some free money to spend at Amazon. Fill out surveys by using basically any of your devices. It’s so easy!It’s not only Amazon gift cards that you can earn with MySurvey. Get paid through PayPal for quick cash or choose other available brand gift cards, too!

5. Keep your receipts

Ask for a receipt and get paid! With sites like Receipt Hog, you’ll be able to trade your receipt  in for gift cards.It might seem too good to be true, but it’s that simple. Shop any of your favorite go-to brands and take a photo of your receipt. Send it into Receipt Hog and earn gift cards online fast.

Receipt Hog describes their process as “feeding a hog receipts” and watching it get “fatter.” The fatter the hog gets, the fatter your wallet gets! You can also play their online game called Hog Slots and earn coins that go towards gift cards. According to Receipt Hog, they’ve paid out over 2.5 million dollars to people who’ve signed up with their website!

The reason why Receipt Hog finds the receipts you have so valuable is because they’re used in market research. Market research is a powerful tool for companies who want to better their brand and learn what consumers want. Brands will pay top dollar to get a hand on the receipts you’d normally just toss in the recycling bin!Help brands get better and earn gift cards simultaneously. It’s a win-win!

6. Test out apps

Are you into apps? Well, then you’re in luck. Sites like Feature Points will let you earn gift cards by trying out apps and testing out how they work. This is important for app companies because they can have people test out their app before they launch it to the public.

Try out free apps and see what’s new on the market. You’ll be in touch with the latest in the app world, so you’ll know what’s next in app development. Pretty cool!

Feature Points works both iPhone and Android, so there’s no excuse not to sign up and start earning points for having fun with apps. With Feature Points, you’re not limited to one type of gift card. Get plenty of choices through Feature Points and choose what works for you.

7. Join the National Consumer Panel

This next one combines market research with scanning barcodes. The National Consumer Panel (or, the NPC) is a company that makes it easy for manufacturers to know what consumers buy. In turn, consumers get better products and more accuracy in delivering exactly what they need.

The NCP rewards people that sign up with gift cards. Input on services, products, and general information on what the public wants is so valuable in today’s economy. Get paid to give your opinions. Who could say no to that?

8. Watch videos

Watching tv is probably the easiest thing on the planet to do, right? Well thanks to websites that will pay you to watch tv, it just got even sweeter. Earn points in order to get free gift cards by signing up with sites like Viggle.

Viggle has television or streaming programs waiting for you to watch that’ll earn you gift cards. Choose from more than 800 gift cards and pick the ones that work for you. You’ll earn your way towards gift cards by collecting “Perk Points” that’ll allow you to get your gift cards quickly.

Another video payment company is GrabPoints. This site offers their clients engagement, which is what you, the user, will provide for them. Get engaged, and help GrabPoints make advertisers happy by simply watching videos.

9. Work with Microsoft

If you’ve never heard of Microsoft Rewards, listen up. By earning gift cards through Microsoft, you know you’ll be getting paid by a reputable company. It’s pretty straight forward. Use the search engine called Bing and “level up” to achieve gift card rewards. You basically want to be signed into your Microsoft account while you do things you normally would on the web.

It doesn’t take a lot of brain power. Watch your rewards increase as you go and look forward to that spending spree once you’ve reached a certain amount of points.

10. Buy pre-owned gift cards

As the old saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Your journey to discounted gift cards starts with someone who wants to get rid of their gift card. Believe it or not, some people choose to get rid of their valuable gift cards. Maybe they got it as a gift. Maybe they aren’t into the brand anymore. Whatever the reasoning is, you’ll get to benefit on their decision to let that precious gift card go.

Their gift cards turn into discounted gift cards sold on sites that offer to buy them. That site then turns around and sells it to customers waiting to get their hands on a new gift card. Buying discounted gift cards is definitely an interesting way to earn gift cards online fast.

Gift Card Granny is a place where you can buy discount gift cards and totally score on stores you love. Gift Card Granny makes sure the gift cards they sell are verified and guaranteed to work. After the verification process, it’s sold to customers like you who are hunting for a serious deal.

Cardpool is another company that lets people buy previously owned gift cards for a fraction of the price it’s worth. You can buy gift cards for up to 35% off!

These companies probably sound too awesome to work, but they really do! Cardpool has been featured on trusted network programs like Rachel Ray, CNN, NPR, and even The New York Times. How’s that for proof?

11. Get a free $10 gift card by joining Ebates

Ebates is a popular cash back focused discount opportunity website that lets you earn money while you shop. Brands pay Ebate to feature them on the Ebates website. That money goes straight to you. It’s a pretty beneficial business model for the shopper!

Join Ebates and get a free $10 gift card instantly. This is a one-time-only thing, but you’ll get your gift card quick by barely doing anything.There’s not much thinking that goes into this. Join Ebates and grab a free $10 gift card. It’s that simple!

12. Share deals with others who want to save big

Our final option is the ability to earn gift cards by sharing the coupons and promo codes you come across every day with the online deal hunting community at Dealstpor.

Dealspotr is a coupon and promo code website that’s known for offering codes that actually work. There are a lot of coupon sites out there, and they’re not all made equally. Dealspotr’s main focus is not only to bring you good coupon promo codes, but to make sure that they work at checkout.

Now for the gift cards! Join the community at Dealspotr and you’ll be surrounded by people who are just like you — people who love a good discount. These deal hunters play a major role at Dealspotr and help the promo code database grow by sharing deals they’ve found on the web. You probably have some pretty great deals sitting in your email inbox right now that you aren’t planning on using. Why not share the wealth?

When you create an account with Dealspotr, you’ll then have the ability to add deals to the thousands of other fantastic saving opportunities available on Dealspotr already. The interface is user-friendly, so posting a deal is a no-brainer. When you’re logged in, simply find the bright green “Add a new deal” button on the top left side of the page. You can’t miss it!

After you click on that, you’ll be taken to a screen that looks like the one below:

Start typing the store name that your deal is for and it’ll ask you what type of deal you’re posting for. You’ll be asked a few more questions before you post in minutes. Easy-peasy.

Post your findings on Dealspotr and you’ll not only help out your fellow bargain lovers, but you’ll get paid for it in gift cards! Plus, just by signing up you’ll get a 500 point head start.

Try It For Yourself

There’s no right way to earn gift cards online fast. As you can see, there are more ways than one! Fill out surveys, help market research, watch videos, and shop. There are so many activities you can do and they’re all available in the palm of your hand.

Pick the gift card acquiring strategy that best fits your lifestyle and go for it. With so many gift cards to gain and nothing to lose, there’s no reason not to try it out.

 

This is a collaborative guest post. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mommy Ramblings.


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“Homespun” Blog Book Tour- Amish & Mennonite Women in Their Own Words

I love learning about different cultures and religions. The most profound thing I have learned, is that when we really take the time to learn about others, we usually discover we are more alike than different. I think our world could benefit greatly if we all took the time to learn about others.

Given my feelings, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review a new book edited by Lorilee Craker. The book, Homespun: Amish and Mennonite Women in Their Own Words,

 

Is there a better way to connect and get to know someone than over a cup of coffee or tea? That is exactly how it feels reading the stories of the Amish and Plain Mennonite women in this book. Editor Lorilee Craker, bestselling author of Money Secrets of the Amish, collects these personal writings about hospitality, home, grief, joy, and walks with God.

Hear from one woman who struggles with feeling inferior to her sister, from another about her longing for a baby, and from a third who accidentally bought stretchy material to sew her husband’s pants. tEach woman’s story is a testament to the grace of God and the blessings of community.

This book is such a great read, one to savor while laying back and enjoying the end of summer. Homespun is such a comfortable read, it is so hard to put down. As I read the stories of the women on the pages, I found there was much more I had in common with them than not. The stories draw you in and make you laugh, cry and connect. You will love this book.

Learn more in my video below:

Behind Amish romance novels and tourist spots and television shows stand real people, with longings and loves just like the rest of us. Every Amish and Mennonite woman has a story. In Homespun, you get to hear some of them.

About the editor:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lorilee Craker is the author of thirteen books, including Money Secrets of the AmishAnne of Green Gables, My Daughter, and Me; My Journey to Heaven with Marv Besteman; and the New York Times bestseller Through the Story with Lynne Spears. Connect with Lorilee on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


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