Take Surveys for Cash and Rewards

Opinion Outpost conducts surveys because businesses, governments, and institutions are interested in  views and attitudes of  people who use their products and services. The more they know about what customers and citizens think, the easier it is for them to improve and adapt what they supply. Take Surveys to give your opinion and shape the future. 

Rewards include get cash, Amazon gift cards, game points, donations to your favorite charities, and more. Everyone is also automatically entered to a $10,000 sweepstakes by joining and taking surveys. 

The minimum cash out for Paypal is $10 and only $5 for Amazon gift cards. 

For Foodie fans, Give a Card from Restaurant.com

FTC: I received a Restaurant.com gift card for the purpose of this review. This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.

Thanks to Restaurant.com, the nation's largest dining deals site, you can surprise someone with fun ways to save when it comes to dining.  I have personally enjoyed using Restaurant.com.  Love the different options  you can get from using this site. Who wouldn't love a gift card that involves dinner or lunch?

 This holiday season, Restaurant.com has handpicked delicious dining experiences and gift ideas for every budget and compiled them into an exclusive Restaurant.com Holiday Gift Guide!   Simply pair any Restaurant.com Gift Card with any of these gift bundle ideas below for the ultimate dining experience and holiday treat:

1. The Movie Buff: For the movie-quoting, obsessed friend, surprise them with two tickets to a movie on their must-see “Oscar” list and a $25 Restaurant.com Gift Card. Enjoy a night of appetizers and plot-dissecting debates! Ready to splurge? Stop at the concession stand for some candy, drinks, and a jumbo popcorn to share!

2. The Workaholic: To help someone on your list find much needed tranquility, pair a $50 Restaurant.com Gift Card with soothing bath salts, lavender mist, and a face mask to create an affordable, at-home spa treatment. Ready to splurge? Add a spa gift card and make Dinner reservations for a nice, relaxing evening post-massage.

3. The Romantic: Add some romance into your holiday with a $50 Restaurant.com Gift Card, bouquet of roses, some irresistible chocolate covered strawberries, and a candlelit dinner for two. Ready to splurge? Pick up some bubbly on the way home for a classy touch.

4. The Theatre Lover: Add some dramatic flair to the holidays with two tickets to their must-see show and end the evening with our $100 Restaurant.com Gift Card - perfect for dinner and dessert. Ready to splurge? Buy them a memento from the show and two drinks during intermission!

Be sure to check out Specials by Restaurant.com for more shopping ideas!  Also enter the Sweepstakes Giveaway Details where Five (5) lucky Facebook fans will have a chance to win one of  http://thedish.restaurant.com/holiday-bundle-up-giveaway the gifts featured in our gift guide every Wednesday until December 18, 2013.   Check the following to connect with Restaurant.com socially: Twitter : https://www.twitter.com/Restaurant_com, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restaurantcom

Blog post: http://thedish.restaurant.com

FTC:I received a Restaurant.com gift card for the purpose of this review. This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.

Reasons to Try Opinion Outpost

1. They are part of Survey Sampling International, a well-established global research group. This means quality surveys from quality companies.
2. Last year, their company sent out 29+ million surveys (a whole lot of opportunities).
3. They are one of the few companies that offer desktop (laptop), mobile, land-line phone, and tablet surveys. They can reach you where you want them to.
4. They have much lower "cash out" requirements that most survey companies.
5. 10 points equals $1.00 U.S. dollar. You can cash out when you get 50 points for a $5.00 Amazon card, or 100 points for a $10.00 Paypal payment.
6. If you start now, and wait until Christmas time to cash out, you'll have a nice "nest egg" for holiday shopping.
7. They work with the top consumer brands and retailers, so there's a chance you could get invited to be part of a custom panel or community, offering easier and more frequent opportunities to earn rewards.
8. If you are accepted (and accurately fill out your profile), you will find it easier to qualify for future surveys.
9. Even when you don't qualify for a survey, they will enter you in their yearly sweepstakes (which could be even better)!
10. Opinion Outpost does NOT sell any of your personal information, nor do they every try to sell you a product. They only want your opinion.

 Opinion Outpost conducts surveys because businesses, governments, public bodies, and similar organizations are interested in the views and attitudes of the people who use their products and services. The more they know about what customers and citizens think, the easier it is for them to improve and adapt what they supply. Take Surveys to give your opinion and shape the future.

Rewards include get cash, Amazon gift cards, game points, donations to your favorite charities, and more. Everyone is also automatically entered to a $10,000 sweepstakes by joining and taking surveys.

The minimum cash out for Paypal is $10 and only $5 for Amazon gift cards.

Guest Post: 5 Tips For Using Up Your Gift Card Balance

by

Andrea Woroch

If the answer to the question "What's in your wallet?" includes gift cards with a useless balance -- say $2.34 -- you'll be pleased to hear about a bill passed May 25 by the Oregon legislature. Fed up with the serious amount of unused plastic in their wallets, house members voted to require businesses let customers exchange their gift cards for cash, if the balance is under $5.

According to The Oregonian, the state's citizens are presently encumbered with $100 million worth of unredeemed gift cards.

It may not be long before other states follow suit but, until then, here are five ways to deal with pesky balances on those glorified plastic coupons.

1. Know The Balance
This is easier than it sounds. Check your gift card balance to determine if your balance is $2.50 or $25. GiftcardGranny.com, which also allows you to buy and sell discount gift cards, offers a simple method of checking your balance for more than 300 merchants. You could also call the retailer's 1-800 number, but this method could mean a lot of time spent on hold.
Some cards require you to register your card to check your balance, but this can be useful if that piece of plastic is lost or stolen.

2. Keep Track of the Balance
Some gift cards have a little box on the back where you can note your remaining balance. If your card doesn't have one of these, write the total amount on a sticky note and wrap it around the card.

3. Add to the Balance
Amazon and Walmart allow you to add any increment to a gift card, so if the balance is $2.95 and you want to make an online purchase, calculate the total cost at checkout then go back and buy a gift card for the remaining amount. With any luck, this policy will catch on with other merchants and services.

4. Know a Merchant's Policies
Some stores allow card holders to pay for purchases in multiple ways, so you can empty the card and fork over cash or use a credit card to complete the transaction. You'll also want to check whether a store takes less-frequently accepted gift cards, such as Discover and American Express.

5. Know Your Spending Habits
Will you likely spend $50 at a store and never visit again? Then purchase a card with a $50 balance and avoid a dangling balance. Merchants with whom you shop more frequently, such as grocery stores, may call for a $100 gift card, since you know you'll use up the balance. Keep in mind you can buy discount cards for less than the face value, which can save you anywhere from 15% to 50%.

Consumer Savings Expert, Andrea Woroch,  has been featured as a media expert source on NBC's Today Show, FOX & Friends, MSNBC, ABC News NOW and many more. To view recent interviews or find more information, visit AndreaWoroch.com.

List of 66 Teacher Discounts

Teacher discounts don't often receive the same attention as those specifically for students, but educators need not frown -- there are plenty to be had.

Along with classroom supplies and other learned goodies like books, numerous teacher discounts are offered nationwide, ranging from laptops and Photoshop to museum entry and cell phone plans. Gift Card Granny has compiled a list of 66 top-notch discounts spanning nine categories, both online and off. A sampling:

• The Container Store: The organizational aficionados provide a 15 percent discount on all items through the Organized Teacher Program. Register online for a free discount card to use for in-store and online purchases. If you visit a store, be sure to have your school ID.
• Borders: Register for the Classroom Discount Card, a brand-spanking-new program that entitles librarians and teachers 25-percent off most purchases. The discount is for those who teach preschool to high school and available in-store only.
• The Limited: Show a school ID or valid pay stub when you shop at any The Limited location and snag 15-percent off your entire order. The offer is good for all items on the racks, walls or tables. In other words, everything.
• Bose: The Bose offer is prime, particularly for those in need of sonic stimulation. Variable discounts are available on all music systems and accessories. Call the Customer Focused Development Team at 1-800-353-4027 for pricing and to place an order.
• Cell Phone Companies (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile): This discount is a tad tricky to redeem but can save loads on a personal cell phone bill, sometimes up to 20 percent a month. Visit your providers business or discount portal and input your .edu e-mail address to check if your institution is registered. Example: Search "Verizon business discount" in an engine and click on the first result to check your discount or register.
• National Park Service: Show a valid school ID at a slew of National Park Service visitor centers across the nation and receive 15-percent off any purchase. The discount doesn't apply to park entry or camping fees.
• John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art: Present a valid school ID at the box office to snag a discounted day pass at the estate-turned-gallery in Sarasota, Fla. The museum, named for John Ringling of Ringling Brothers circus fame, is located at 5401 Bay Shore Road.

The Gift Card Granny list provides information where a deal can be redeemed, how to register for certain reward programs and, of course, the extent of a discount. Rules and conditions change from store to store, yet nearly all of the 66 deals are available year-round for teachers of every brand, including elementary school, high school, university and home school. Download "The Complete List of 66 Teacher Discounts" to sooth these oft-neglected educators with something more rewarding than the routine "apple for teacher."