Archive for March 2009
Different Free Tutoring Options
03/15/2009 | 
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I listen to the radio everyday on my way to work and it seems like the only thing it talks about is how the economy has gotten worse and the state/federal budget is in deep red. In the worse case, the state I lived in, California is looking to cut to education funds dramatically. Even though a state budget was recently passed we are already in red for a couple billion dollars again. Personally I find it really hard to believe that California is willing to cut education funds above a lot of unnecessary programs.
Sadly, this also implies tutoring activities will pick up dramatically in the next couple years as middle class parents try to provide their kids a better education without the expense of a private school. However, private tutors are very expensive and it is not affordable by everyone.
For students that is self-motivated and looking for practices test, I highly recommend Number2. This site is very useful for me when I was trying to improve my GRE scores. Although I did find the practice questions on Number2 to be easier than those that are found on the actual test, but as a free resource it is definitely a good place to start.
Another option comes from the federal government. In 2001 the federal government passed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Under this new law millions of students are eligible for FREE tutoring, but a lot of people don’t even know about it. Definitely check out their website if you are kids that are looking for tutoring and money is a concern.
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Grow your own soup with free tomato seeds
Campbell soup is currently offering free tomato seeds with the purchase of their own condense soup. (Here is a code you can try: Code 1: P8039, Code 2: U6) I never really liked tomatoes, but I do plan on exploring different options related to growing a home garden this coming spring.
eBay Special Offer: Pay no Insertion Fees March 10-23
Personally I have never been a big seller on eBay but there are a lot of people that are generating quite a substantial amount of side income as a result of it. Here is a blog I recommend.
In addition, I received this from eBay today regarding a promotion for no insertion fees between March 10 ~ 23.
InboxDollars Review
InboxDollars is a program I joined a few months ago. It works in a very similar fashion in comparison to MyPoints. Each day they will send you a couple emails for which you earn two to five cents for clicking and reading the email. Almost all emails are advertisement in nature while some asks you to take surveys. Some people calls the emails spam but in reality it is a pay to click skim. The surveys are readily available but you must qualify for them. Unlike the other survey sites, the payout is flat in nature and is usually 50 cent for each. In addition, they have additional offers such as Netflix trial in which you will get a portion of their affiliate earnings.
In conclusion, InboxDollars works in a very similar fashion to MyPoints. It will not make you rich but it will definitely help for those people who are patient enough and looking for some side income here and there.
Buy one sundae and get one free from Baskin Robbins
Baskin Robbins has always been one of my favorite stores during summer time. When I first started working, I would take afternoon breaks on summer days with my coworkers and go there to enjoy an ice cream cone. Ah, the simple pleasures of life.
It is currently offering a buy one sundae and get one free coupon that expires on 3/28/09.
Movie Entertainment on the cheap
After I canceled my Netflix subscription, I have really cut back on the number of movies I have watched. However, occasionally there is a movie I like to watch without subscribing to Netflix. Recently there is quite a number of companies that offer dvd rental for one dollar.
Redbox is one of these companies. They station kiosks inside supermarkets for the convenience of shoppers. This month Redbox is having a promotion in which it will give a free movie code every Wednesday in their blog. If you subscribe to their sms message, you will receive another code everyday. Although the movie selection is limited, nothing really beats free!
Barter in a Recession
With the economy in shamble, it seems like no one has any extra money for anything outside the basic necessities these days. Regular household maintenance is getting placed on hold or people elected to DIY (Do It Yourself). Although there is nothing wrong with DIY, the fact is some people are simply better at doing some things than others. Everyone has one or two skills where they excel at. As a result, bartering is gradually gaining momentum. What is barter? Barter is a type of trade in which goods and/or services are exchanged instead of actual money. Bartering is especially popular for places where currency is unstable and during tough economic times.
The first step to bartering is to figure out what you are good at and how much your skills are worth. You don’t want make sure the trade is fair and it is not a one-sided trade. The best people to exchange goods/and or services are your family and friends. Check with them to see whether any of them is looking for work done that corresponds to your own skill sets.
These days, you can also list your skills for trade online. Here are a couple sites that is gaining popularity.
Craigslist
Trade A Favor
Joe Barter
SwapThing
On the last note, IRS requires you to keep track of all the transactions in case they ask you to report it. However, not everything needs to
documented/submitted. This applies mostly to exchanges that would have replaced your regular income. E.g. if you work as a carpenter as your full time job, and you decided to exchange carpenter work for an old car, then the old car will have to reported to IRS since it replaces your regular income. When in doubt, check your tax advisor to determine whether a trade should be reported or not. Better yet, barter with your tax advisor this tax season!
