Pay Per Post--What's Your Opinion?

I've done a few posts for pay over the past few months, but haven't really done much with them. I've been thinking about the pros and cons of adding these to my blog from time to time and I've decided to give a few paid posts a week a try. I'm going with Pay Per Post because I scanned the open list of job opportunities and I honestly believe I could write a review about some of these opps and be excited about them. If I were asked to write a review about saltwater bowling attire, my heart wouldn't be into it! But when I write about things I honestly use or honestly would use, then I don't have a problem doing it. It would be kind of nice to get paid to blog .

My goal here isn't to make money off this blog, this is my personal blog and personal it will always stay. I believe I can find two to four very cool opportunites a week to talk about and maintain my integrity. I think most of you know I do data entry from home, which is a very cool thing for a stay-home mom to be able to do. Recently the pay for some of the work I've been keying for years has been cut, and while the pay is still pretty good, I think this might be a good time to start thinking about moving on. I'm not sure what yet, maybe even just taking a leap and NOT working for now, picking up something in the summertime. It's been a struggle this year to maintain the home, teach Alex by day and key at night.

My thinking is geared towards a little here and a little there but nothing that takes all my time in the evening, and nothing that eats up my weekends like this job does. So...there you have it. If this Pay Per Post thing works, great! If not, then I won't continue with it. Let me know what you think about it, I honestly want your thoughts.

Data Entry Queens Secretly Run The Sweepstakes World...Shhh!

If you haven't known me very long, you might not know I'm a homeschool mom by day and a data entry queen by night. I've blogged it somewhere...but I'm not an organized DEQ, so I'm not going to try and find it. I snapped a photo late last night whilst typing away at one of the sweepstakes I'm working on (in my starting to get giddy after midnight mode):Aww, you're going to be picked alright--you're on their mailing list now fo sho. And if you inserted email just in case that increased your odds, then you win double.

I used to think the same thing too, so I empathize. I envisioned mine being sorted through by the folks at the major retail chain that's holding the sweepstakes. Sort of like a big room with CEOs sorting through and reading it, giving me points for penmanship and my added "Thank You!" at the bottom. Six years ago, that 'thank you' counted for something!

The truth isn't so endearing. By in large, they are being entered both in- house and at the homes of the home operations keyers of the marketing firm hired to handle the volume. By the thousands. And the retailer sees it alright, in a big long computerized list. Their marketing team now has thousands and thousands of addresses, emails and sometimes phone numbers.

So to the gal who wrote "Pick Me!" I'll make some calls and see what I can do; maybe the Head Contest-Pickers at the Contest Place these end up at will listen to reason. But if I do that, what'll happen to Mrs. Williams in Louisiana? She put a smiley sticker on hers...then added Provers 12:18. I looked it up:

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Have we met? I put her at the top of my to-pick list.

Then late last evening, I ran into Tammy over in Maryland (great handwriting, btw, Tammy). She took time to fill out 12 of these (we love those, we can hit Num Lock and still get paid). Then smart chi ca she is, went on to fool the system by switching up and using her first initial for the next dozen entries. Then when that won't fly much longer, this gal is smarter than the average bear. She changed up her email address for the last several.

Tammy worked very hard, idk, I think I should choose her to win the grand prize. I mean, she'll need the pick-me-up when she tries to take her name off the mailing list for the 35+ entries that now include both email and snail mail. I might pick her (or my husband, I could choose John). What do you think?

Happy Happy Monday!

First things first:

Head over to Pinks & Blues, those funny gals are hosting ANOTHER wonderful giveaway....if you haven't had a lot of me me me lately, you'll want to check it out.

Today is a long workday for me, I've got several feet of typing stacked high to key. Okay, maybe several inches but still....

We were in Warsaw all day/night watching their fireworks, I'll have pictures tomorrow (you know it!). As I sit down to key in some rebates, sometimes things occur to me that I never would have understood before, so I'll share with you some Stacey-Conjured Wisdom (SCW) on all things rebate/surveys/signups:

• When you're filling out surveys, stick to yes/no, 1, 2, 3. Anything else you add is sadly not going to be seen by the "big guy" it's just me. I seriously used to read all of them because it just made me feel guilty if I didn't. But I had to stop that, I'll never make any money if I read them all.
• Along those lines, don't ask me for money....I don't have any!
• You think you're very clever, sending the "Save Our Trees" message on the magazine rebates..and yes, dear, you are (giggle). However, they never see it. You ARE, however, very much irritating me; I have to pick it up, put it aside and account for it later--on PAPER, no less. So you've kinda doubled the paperload.
• If you contend your name or address is any of the following, I'm soo laughing, no, I'm soo rolling on the ground laughing EVERY single time, it's just a refreshing hoot every time! :

Ida Bitcher, Save Yourself, S%$& Happens, Santa Clause, Kris Kringle, St Nicholas (come ON he doesn't do all this himself, I know better) or my favorite sender of all Mr. & Mrs. F%$# Yourself (you two are very busy, I get a lot of mail from you both, you're the couple on 666 Go-To-Hell Avenue I see often, no?).

• I don't need to be saved, I already am. However should I not be, I seriously don't think you will get this done on a 3X5 postcard requesting further information regarding your...ahem....problem, you know, the itch you've been dealing with for quite some time. But thanks much for thinking of my salvation despite it all.
• I also think I'll skip on today's Scripture memorization you've included, but I'm so very proud of you!
• If you're entering a contest, you do realize when you enter more than 500 times, you might be annoyed by the 500+ emails you're going to receive, right? Because I am required to put them in the system AS MANY TIMES as you submit them. Bless your sweet soul if you included your phone number...oooh your better half is gonna be hoppin mad at dinnertime for a year or better.
• If I had the power to pick you, as your "Pick Me Please, I Don't Have Any Money" indicates on the contest form, don't you think I'm gonna pick me? Every single time, Mr. Pick Me Pick Me. Every single time.
• I do like it when Mrs. Have A Nice Day fills out her info. It's so good to know there still are people out there like her.
• The world very well could end soon, thanks for the heads up!
• Finally, and seriously, if you have elderly people in your life, one of the best gifts you can get them is a roll of return address labels to use rather than trying to write their information on important sign-ups (many of the ones I key are in fact medical or product registrations). I hate it a lot when I cannot read it(sometimes the writing is light or shaky) and set it aside, because there will be a person out there waiting for something that will not arrive!

So, there you have it on this fine Monday morning--the first of I'm sure more than one installments entailing proper sign-up forms, rebates, contests, requests for information etiquette, a very important piece of refinement, you have to agree!

Back To The Grind

Well it was great fun while it lasted---I'm back to work. I've been off since the beginning of February, so it was a grand little break! I consider myself extremely blessed that I can work from home, though, so I'm here for the kids (and to maintain my blog...shh). I might have liked a little longer break than a few months--but the work is good right now, so 'twas a good time to jump into the fray. And....when my coordinator emailed me and asked how much I wanted, I boldy replied, "lay it on". So........she did. Triple my definition of 'laying it on'. I suspect a secret "Stacey Test" here..see if my return will be triumphant! It shall be, but I'm not sure I'll have time to even put on clean clothes until Friday afternoon!

I've spent the greater part of my day deciphering new formats and clicking away on the keyboard. All ya'll out there waiting to hear if you won a shopping spree at a major retailer (I can't name, hence my top secret position here) or are awaiting your sales flyer with valuable coupon from another major retailer (I can't name), I'm working on it, I'm working! Geesh...talent and perfection like this takes time...and I am dedicated to the correct spelling of each name, email address, street, city and zip....oh, and phone number where applicable. Sometimes DOB, sometimes married or not, sometimes what meds you take or don't. Now you have it.... I've outted my very scientific, super-secret and complicated job. It's fascinating, I know; rest assured I'm all about quick, yet correct. I didn't get those typing medals in HS for nothing, you know.

Now that I've come out of the data entry closet .....I'm nervous about this darned blog---WHAT IF I SPELL SOMETHING RAUNG? Will I lose credibility? Will you who see my error think of me as a failure from here on? I worry....

>>>My Best This Kinda Sucks, Kinda, Look:


PS--It is not lost on me that I received seven to eight times more comments on Louie or the cats--what's with that?