Other Things I’m Doing For Our Future

You may think me a bit stalk-y, but last week I bookmarked another great article from Moolanomy.com. Yes, I’m a bit obsessed right now.

In the article, he recommends various ways to earn money without even really trying. Notably, through the eBates and Upromise programs. I bookmarked the article when I first read it, and finally revisited the site last night to look into the specific recommendations. In the end, I signed up for both eBates and Upromise.

As most of you know, I do a lot of shopping online. And while I’ve curbed using my credit cards, I still shop online at stores that allow me to use my PayPal account or my debit card. Lately the thing I’ve been buying the most is fabric for my blanket-making business. So how stoked was I that fabric.com and joann.com are both offering $$ when shopped through eBates? eBates is basically an online rebate and discount coupon service that has hundreds of merchants in its network. When you want to go shopping, one only needs to login to Ebates to see if the stuff you want is available from any of the eBates merchants. If it is, just follow the link Ebates provides to take you to the merchant’s site. eBates makes the connection between your shopping and your eBates account, and next thing you’ll earn a few bucks via Ebates. Not only that, but you can get discounts. Last night I signed up for eBates, used their link to fabric.com and not only got a code for 15% off my total order, but a small percentage of my money spent will be put into my eBates account. That ROCKS. They have stores like Barnes & Noble, Target, Wal-Mart, Overstock, and lots of others that I shop from – making the eBates account a nobrainer for me. It should be for you too.

The second thing I signed up for last night was Upromise.com. Basically, most everyone knows Upromise for its College Savings programs. Those who do the grocery shopping have probably seen the Upromise labels on certain items at the grocery store. Well, when you sign up and activate your Upromise account, you’ll earn money toward your college savings plan. Additionally, it has an online shopping program similar to eBates. Money earned through the Upromise shopping program is also added to your 529 Plan. I signed up last night and put in my debit, credit, and grocery store card numbers for tracking. Now, whenever I use those things, a small percentage will be donated to my Upromise account, which can later be moved into my children’s 529 college plans. Also, when eBates doesn’t have a connection with a certain store I want to shop with, I can look at Upromise to see if THEY have a connection with the store I’m hoping to shop from.

I’m just so happy to have found some awesome blogs that provide such great advice for earning and saving money for the future. It also makes me wish I had started on the path to being debt-free a LONG time ago.

But one step at a time – I have to just take it one step at a time.