Utilizing Swagbucks: What Works For Me

I've been noticing the word Swagbucks around lately.  Until a few months ago, I had no idea what it meant.  Bloggers kept talking about buying things with Swagbucks.  It sounded complicated, and I don't have time for complicated.

So I ignored Swagbucks.  Until I came across this review one day, and realized that it wasn't really complicated. Or at least it didn't have to be!

I still thought it was probably a scam, but decided to give it a try.  I cautiously signed up, expecting lots of spam to follow. But it didn't. And I started using their search engine a few times a day.  I answered their daily polls.  I took part in a survey or two. And I slowly started earning Swagbucks.

Earning things for something you do anyway (searching?) That is pretty neat!  After a month or two, I earned enough Swagbucks (450) to redeem for a $5 Amazon gift card. This was my goal.  Earn something and see if it really worked.

I was impressed! A few days later I received email notification that my purchase was complete and was able to access the gift card code.   I used this the next time I bought something at Amazon, and it worked perfectly.  How exciting!

I've now earned three gift cards, and will continue using this website.  There are features I don't use (like the games and the TV part) because of our limited internet.  I'd waste too many precious bytes on those activities.  However, if you have unlimited internet like most of the country, it sounds like you can quickly earn even more Swagbucks that way.

My final bit of good news with this website?  I earned enough points for a $5 gift card in a single day.  By using the links from the Swagbucks website to shop.  I needed to buy somethings online.  I used Walgreens and Walmart.  By going through the Swagbucks link (instead of just going directly to the sites), I paid the same amount for the items I was going to buy anyways.  But, I was rewarded 2 points per dollar at Walgreens and 4 points per dollar at Walmart.  It added up to 481 points, and enough for $5 at Amazon!

I had problems with the toolbar, so I don't have it installed. Our anti-virus program kept calling it spyware, so I didn't feel comfortable installing it.  If you do install it, you get a point everyday you use it. Many bloggers out there are using it, and I may look into it again in the future when I have some more time to research it.

 I don't fret about doing the poll everyday or anything. I'm definitely a very casual Swagbucks user.  But, I've earned $15 in Amazon money for doing activities I do anyways.  That's awesome!  If you haven't signed up yet, check it out. If you use my referral link, that'd be awesome!  Then I get to earn Swagbucks along with you. 

It does take some time for the rewards to get posted to your account.  My online shopping points won't actually be credited officially to my account for 30 days or so (depending on the vendor).  But they are pending so I can see them there. I'm looking forward to saving $5 off my next Amazon order! The polls and surveys and video watching seem to post right away.

Have you used Swagbucks before?  Any good tips for utilizing it?