The Constant Pinner

My name is April, and I am addicted to Pinterest.  I understand that it is not exactly the most productive spending of my daily down time, but the ease of use and the amount of new plus exciting things I find intrigues me.  I am constantly reading about ways to improve my home , be a little more healthy, or get a good laugh.  I know there are thousands of other things floating around out there on my various boards too that I am constantly updating, going back to and trying out but I must admit, I cannot stop.

I feel that I am not your average pinner.  Many pins that I read come with the caption "pin now, read later".  I prefer the read now, pin if interesting option though.  I suppose in a way this is good for my brain.  I read that constant reading helps improve memory. On a pin of course!  So maybe I am on the right track there.  But I also find in the "read now, then pin" concept, I pin proper links.

I recently read a post about "cleaning up Pinterest" that had some very valid information.  In this post they suggest you revamp your community. Figure out what type of account you want to have and clean out the pins that are no longer relevant, or that have dead links. Also update your profile, insuring that you are representing yourself accurately based on the type of account you have (business or personal).  Today, I plan to do all of these things.

Do you see the addiction yet?  I suppose that there are far worse things in life to be addicted to though.  Pinterest has really cultivated my artistic side. 

Mod Podge I made 

I have found many a decorating ideas that I have utilized in my own home.  Simple, easy things that make my home a little more cozy and were not really huge changes costing a lot of money (I'm always looking for a deal). And I've found a lot of ideas that I probably would have never found elsewhere because I am not a regular online surfer.  

I suppose you could say that I am constantly surfing the net via Pinterest, but I rarely open up my Google or Bing app and type in something I am looking for.  I'm not a big fan of online shopping.  I prefer hands on shopping.  I enjoy collecting ideas from Pinterest and then going out into my community and finding like products to use in my own home.  (on a side note I love shopping at Junkie's here in Reno.  They have some awesome finds at great prices!!)  I think this gives my home a little more character because I often find one of a kind items (which can be frustrating when I was looking for curtains and they only had one panel rather than the 2 I needed) and often these items have that "washed vintage" theme already.  

Along with you, I too am wondering where this post is headed, and really, it is just trying to explain how much I value Pinterest and the good I see that it offers.  If you follow me, you will see hours worth of pins flood your timeline in large blocks.  I'm at home in the day time with my boys and rarely have much more to do outside of cleaning.  I prefer to blow off steam if you will, looking at various ideas for my home and family.  I have found many a dinner idea, party foods, and DIY art projects that I have tried out on my family.  They are my personal guinea pigs!  I wouldn't say that my addiction is really a waste of my time, but I often start sentences with "I was reading on Pinterest".  I guess this could be a bit unnerving to some, but I have also found that most people are excited, head over to Pinterest in their spare time, and check it out themselves.  

I have to say that I have found a ton of wonderful blogs via Pinterest that I would have never found on my own.  And most of those blogs happily source their information back to the places they first read the information as well.  Ahhhh the love of the responsible and caring blogger.  Who really knows exactly where all the information first came about, but I do think it is awesome that we can all share what we read and source it back to where we first saw it.  

Thank you Pinterest for helping me find wonderful, amazing, and loads of information relevant to me. 

My Survey Addiction

So every housewife and mother out there can identify with the overpowering need to do something for herself. For a very long time I struggled with what to do in my precious moments caught alone (you know there are few when you have small children), but I found my outlet in online surveys. Who wouldn't want to do something fun and gain in return? I have tried every site out there I think. Few have kept my attention past the first survey. 

Often times surveys involve the disclaimer "sign up for these promotions to collect your points". I have no time or energy for the junk mail that ensues beyond that point. Many a survey site I have tossed aside. The two programs that I have found, that have really paid off are e-rewards and the new Raley's Something Extra Try-It program.

 e-Rewards has provided 100s of dollars worth of Game Stop gift cards to me over the years. I'm not sure exactly how or where on the Internet I found this awesome survey site, but I have been a happy member for over 8 years. Every survey you opt into and qualify for "pays" you money. The money collects in your "bank" and when you've earned enough you can redeem your "cash" for which ever program they offer. 

 

Excellent for a gaming family like ours!! Every little penny helps me save money I didn't otherwise have. 

Now the Raley's Something Extra program is a program I recently joined (I think in late fall of last year). The program is simple enough, it is a money saving shoppers program with a twist. You buy your regular groceries, your card tracks you, gives you a penny to the dollar in points (extra points on selected items throughout the store) and tailors in store coupons to YOU! At the end of each Fiscal Quarter (every 3 months) Raley's gives me BACK my points in dollar form to spend, any way I choose within their store. 

Now I understand 1 penny to every dollar doesn't sound like much in the form of return, but it adds up. In the month of December I received $40 and a few coupons for free items (that I needed). Who doesn't need $40 extra in their life? And for doing nothing more than shopping the way you normally would. Count me in!!! 

Just recently while inside my Something Extra application I noticed a new tab, the Try-It program. Upon further investigation, I found out Raley's is asking regular customers to join in and better their company through surveys. Oh my gosh my heart leapt, I hit the button and joined right in! This program, much like the Something Extra program, cost me no more than I'm already spending. This particular area of the site asks people like you and me what we think of their products. Talk about their program and products, share your experiences, and reap the rewards of discounted or free products. 

In my eyes, it really doesn't get any better than that. 

I love the idea of being rewarded for the things I'm already doing, or interested in. Free is free and getting money back after I have already saved money, even better. If you have any noteworthy survey sites please share! I'm always looking for something that helps me enjoy my few quiet moments but still benefits my entire family.