Category Archives: Money
Freecycle – Share to Care
It seems that every time I turn on the news, there is a news story about someone getting hurt. Maybe this involves a family getting robbed, a student being raped, or a hurricane destorying homes.
Whatever the case maybe, you would think the world is a harsh place to live in and that people by nature are selfish human beings. Last night I watched the news, and there was a news story how a realtor was showing a client a prospective foreclosure home, and when they opened the front door, there were two burglars stripping copper out of the walls! Yes, they were trying to steal the copper to make some fast cash. The ironic part? The burglars asked the realtor for the keys so they can come back later!
*face palms* So where am I going with this? Is there hope? Are there really kind people that exist in this world? Yes, there really are nice people around. It is just a matter of finding them.
Expand Your Creativity. [volume 1]
Have you ever heard the term: “think outside the box”? Okay, do you know the origin of the phrase? Complete this puzzle:
Draw four straight, continuous lines that connect all 9 dots without lifting the pencil off the page (or in this case your finger off the screen):
Here is the solution: Click Here for Solution
If you couldn’t figure it out, you probably assumed you had to stay inside the box. If that’s the case, you know have the first major step in thinking outside the box. Eliminate your assumptions. The rules presented didn’t say you couldn’t draw outside the lines.
How do assumptions affect our ability to create success? Write down or type out your answer or answers, and think about what you came up with. This whole post can be applied to just about any area of your life, if you apply it properly.
This is a core element of the Blue Ocean Strategy. The Blue Ocean Strategy is geared towards business, and is spoken on and written into application towards business. But even if you’re simply drawing a design in a competition, or even just for fun, this will expand the creative processes your brain goes through. (refer to my past posts on the brain: Brain Train [part 1] and Brain Train [part 2])
Some DOs and DON’Ts are as follows:
Follow sequence in your plan – if you plot out steps, follow them step by step.
Focus on the big picture FIRST, focus on numbers SECOND. – If you have a time constraint, first take a look at what needs to be done, what your mission is, then think about the time, or the money involved, then tweak it.
Get into the field – see what other people are doing, and ask questions but listen when they answer.
Build enough time into the project – If you do have a time constraint, and you feel it’s a tight one, plan for it.
Approach field work as an anthropologist – Ask questions about the things they love and hate in the particular field you’re dealing with. If you’re drawing something for a contest, you may think of this as a no brainer, but ask what they look for, what “strikes their fancy” so to speak.
Do this work in a vacuum – Don’t do this work in an environment where the creativity is vacuumed out. If you’re drawing, like our examples are following, set yourself down in an inspiration environment.
Go too fast – Haste makes waste. Going in line with making a time plan, or some sort of schedule (preferably a time plan like a guideline rather than a strict schedule) so you aren’t rushing and lowering the quality of a specific part of the work.
Skip steps – If a baseball player skipped a step while running to home plate, the consequence to his action will be simple – he’ll trip and miss home plate. You’re going for a home run, run through all the bases without missing a step!
Too locked into current mindsets – Take time to think, without thinking about others in the field. If you’re drawing something, don’t think about other people’s drawings. Don’t think about any drawings. Just think about your own. Create a vision in your mind, visualize your completed drawing, and do it. However, you will eventually need to make some sort of comparison, but only to see what has been done, so you aren’t copying something else.
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This is all part of the Blue Ocean Strategy. I highly, highly recommend you research it, buy a book on it if you can find one, or watch some videos online. If the place or company you work for is having any seminars or speakers on Blue Ocean, GO TO IT. You will reap major benefits. It will not be like any seminar or lecture you have ever been to, and it will be fun – guaranteed!
The book “Blue Ocean Strategy” is published by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne and you can find it at any bookseller.
Another great post I stumbled across is here: http://techiteasy.org/2006/12/05/nintendos-wii-the-blue-ocean-strategy/
Please comment with feedback on your experiences or anything you know about Blue Ocean Strategy as well!
[ Source: The Change Agent Group ( changeagentgroup.com ) ]
God speed, and Best wishes.
¥
Staying “off the grid” [volume.1]
We all need a Social Security number, but who said we actually have to use it?
If you’re unsure what living “off the grid” refers to, think of M. Night Shymalan’s The Village. Complete disconnection from the rest of the world, especially corporations and the government. That’s true living off the grid, however, today that’s near, if not impossible for almost everyone, so I’ll bring you monthly tips on how to keep yourself as best off the grid as possible.
What’s the benefit from staying “off the grid”? Hopefully you’ll find your own personal reason(s) as you read through these posts. I can think of one thing that most of us can enjoy with little to no fear of having a shaded knock at our doors.
First, the basics;
Before I begin, I want to say: stop, using, Google. They index everything you search, and while it may be anonymous, if you have to use it, do it at a library.
- Financial: No checks, no credit cards. Green = good, pay for everything in cash and change only. Don’t get a bank account, get a piggy bank. Also, loans or anything that require your information to truly optional places of financial standing are something you should avoid. Save your money and store it securely.
- Security: Invest in a good ol’ fashioned Louisville Slugger, not an alarm system. Some alarm companies (Brinks, ADT, not necessarily them however) have the capability of monitoring the activity of their systems without any malicious activity having to go on, not to mention that’s another place where some of your most sensitive information goes. Look at the bright side, an alarm system offers no physical defense. Baseball bats, now, that’s another story. Be creative with a homemade alarm system. Get in the green mentality and recycle those noisy soda cans in a unique way.
- Health: This one’s tough. Hospitals are nice, but if you can manage to find the right free clinic and take good care of yourself, you won’t have to give anything more than your name and a place for them to send the bill, which brings me to my next point.
- Mail: Get a post office box, and have ALL of your mail go to that. An average post office box costs a little over $100 a year. Not bad at all for personal security. Not to mention any spam that you catch is diffused by the simple change of your box number, instead of having to move.
While that may be a short list, it takes a good effort to implement into your life. Please comment on this post with your experiences or if you have any suggestions.
[ Source: experience ]
God speed, and Best wishes.
¥
First Sale Doctrine == $null? && RIAA == /diffused?
Hey faithful Underground readers. Normally I would post a life post, unfortunately it’s going to have to be delayed one week.
Currently, I am undergoing a project which collects the landmark events of digital history relating to piracy, laws on the electronic frontier, and the serious lack of competence and open minds in authority and political figures in today’s world.
I stumbled across this post yesterday, and felt it was my duty to link it and spread the news as much as possible. It’s yet again, a prime example of the ludicrous behaviors we see from the very people we entrust our sustenance and security to.
Essentially, Universal Media Group is [quoted] “saying that merely by putting some fine print on a CD, it can effectively ‘own’ that CD forever.”
I’ll let you read the article and decide for yourself.
Another few day old piece of news, is posted here by the magnificent crew over at Ars Technica, about some interesting RIAA developments. This adds a great outlook on the recent Andersen vs. RIAA case from a few weeks ago:
[ Sources: Article stumbled upon @ Silicon Valley.com ; LARGE PDF file of court case – EFF.org RIAA working diffusal – ArsTechnica.com ]
God speed, and Best wishes.
¥
American Express Gift Cards – Not as Great As You Would Think
Awhile back I received a $100 American Express Gift card from work, and I thought this was going to be awesome. After reading around a bit, I soon realized this card is not as versatile as you would think it would be. Why? Not all online stores accept this, and the same can be said for retail stores as well.
Plus, there are restrictions on it as well. You can’t use it with Ebay, or Paypal. I tried using this on ZipZoomFly, and it did not work, but it did extract my funds? When this happens, it is called “pending transactions”. After 6 business days, my funds were relocated back onto my gift card, but I still felt shafted that I had to wait so long.
However, I can confirm this card works on NewEgg and Amazon.com so far which is great. The only major caveat to the gift card is how you want to do transactions. Say you have $10 left on the card, and you buy a $30 sweater. What you are supposed to do is pay the cashier $20 first, and then use the gift card to pay the remaining balance. Not all retailers do split transactions like this, so this is a pain. I guess what American Express wants to happen is for you to use the card as much or as little as you can with enough money left over that you just toss it.
See the complaints on the gift card here. You will see it is embarrassing to whip out the gift card only to have it declined in your face. Ooops!
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/credit_cards/amex_gift_cards.html
Save money on gas.
In this day and age gas is on just about everyone’s minds, especially with consistent rising prices. I personally have a few ways of saving on gas, but nothing concrete or enough to actually save me some decent money. Here are 13 ways to significantly reduce your gas costs, brought to you by the great folks at About.com:
1: Choice of car. Granted this is very limited for people, 4 door sedans are usually the best bet, and cheaper than the popular SUV pick.
2: Upkeep. Believe it or not, if your car is in bad condition it can increase the gas use by up to 25%.
3: Steel-belted radial tires. They can actually pay for themselves in short time and decrease gas consumption by 10%
4: Gas tier. From the horses mouth itself, having a good friend with several Mobil franchises, I know now that unless your manual specifically states you need a certain level of gas, for example premium or unleaded, get the cheapest one. They’re all the same, save for differences most cars won’t notice.
5: Tire pressure. Every pound of under inflation causes up to 6% more gas usage.
6: Don’t top of your gas tank when pumping gas. Stop when it tells you to.
7: Don’t idle your car to warm it up. Running the engine makes it warm up faster, I also can confirm this. It works wonders on the way to work! I just bundle up before opening the garage door. 🙂
8: Combine your errands. Take the time it takes to drive between destinations each time you come and go from your home, and plan your trips out to save the gas of traveling from home often. This is probably the one you’ll remember and use the most.
9: Accelerate gently. Putting the pedal to the medal will burn your tires, and a hole in your pocket.
10: Watch traffic jams carefully. Plan your stop-and-goes.
11: Coast to stopped traffic ahead of you and apply brakes gradually. Don’t speed up and slam on the brakes.
12: Speed limits are there for more than you think! Driving faster, i.e.: 70 MPH takes more gas than 50 MPH.
13: Maintain a steady speed on the highway. Avoid slowing down and speeding up to match other cars. Cruise control is your friend! Careful not to fall asleep though.
[ Source: http://financialplan.about.com/cs/cars/a/SaveGas.htm ]
God speed and Best wishes.
¥
For the Ladies.
I stumbled upon an article with a link to this site yesterday:
http://www.uPumpItUp.com/
Mandy Moore has always seemed to be quite the sweetheart. Her goal for this site “…is aimed at helping women balance their “wellness” by sharing such stories to challenge and inspire each other to better their lives.” Having just launched it I felt it was perfect for the weekly Life post. For you lovely, loyal ladies visiting us at The Underground, this post goes out to you. Keep making the world run as well as you do.
[ Source: Mandy Moore aims to inspire life balance online @ Reuters ]
God Speed, and Best wishes.
¥
[MMM] Money Making Mondays- Issue 3
Welcome the the Third Issue of MMM or Money Making Mondays! This is were I show everyone how to make money off of the FREEBIE Sites, among other things!
For MMM, I will try to scope out and find all the FREEBIE sites that are giving away the best stuff around!
Now I know most of you will think that this is just another way for me to get referrals for my own Freebie accounts but I am really not. I am trying to spread my knowledge to others so that they themselves can get stuff for free! If you want to get me referrals, that is Great but if you don’t that’s Fine to!
LAST WEEK’S SITE WAS: Anything4Free.com (Rating 9/10)
So, for my Third Issue of MMM, I’m going to talk about…
PrizeRebel.com
Overview:
Prizerebel.com is probably one of the more knoticed freebie sites on The Underground Blog. Thanks to Voltaire, the majority of the Call of Duty 4 Multiplayer seekers have something to look at while they read the long, and popular, post he has here, or even on every page in the blog news section to the right —–>.
How do you make money?:
This site if offer based. It has a small referral set up but for the most part, you are on your own. You do offers from a long list, each with its own point value assigned to it for its compleation. Once you have collected enough points, you are able to choose from their prize guide or custom order an item if it is not on the prize guide.
How do I cash out?:
Cashing out is done through their “Availabe Prizes” section. They have a long list of available prizes to choose from. You can also custom order items through a support ticket system. All custom and regular prizes are fulfilled from amazon.com. That means that you can custom order anything on amazon.com but if amazon.com doesn’t have it, they probably can’t help you on that perticular item. I have personally used this site and cashed out on it with no problems. I received the prize within about a week of ordering it.
Overall Rating of Site:
This is a hard site to rate. Although it is very easy to get points, a lot of the offers mess up and don’t give credit because of cookie problems. The referral program only gives 20% of the referrals points to your account but it is an understandable amount none-the-less. I will give this site an 8/10. I can think of easier sites to get free stuff on but this one stands out with its vast selection of no-credit card-required offers. It may take longer to get the item but it can be worth the time and effort in the end!
Helpful Tips to this site:
When using this site you will have to do some work with the cookies on your computer to make sure that you will get credit for the offers on the site. For a good checklist of things to do, go to the Prize Rebel FAQ then look in the “How can I increase my chance of getting credited?” section.
In the words of our very own Versatile1, If you didn’t think there would be a MMM Issue today, “You have no faith. Thank you.”- Source
Thank you for reading the Third Issue of MMM!
Next Week I will have another site for all you try out if you choose to do so!
~Musicmasteria
My refferal link for this site (for those who want to help me out): http://www.prizerebel.com/index.php?r=53769
[MMM] Money Making Mondays- Issue 2
Welcome the the Second issue of MMM or Money Making Mondays! This is were I show everyone how to make money off of the FREEBIE Sites!
For MMM, I will try to scope out and find all the FREEBIE sites that are giving away the best stuff around!
Now I know most of you will think that this is just another way for me to get referrals for my own Freebie accounts but I am really not. I am trying to spread my knowledge to others so that they themselves can get stuff for free! If you want to get me referrals, that is Great but if don’t that’s Fine to!
LAST WEEK’S SITE WAS: AWSurveys.com (Rating 8/10)
I added a proof picture to Issue 1 of MMM, for those who wanted to see it.
So, for my Second Issue of MMM, I’m actually going to switch it up and talk about…
Anything4Free.com
Overview:
Anything4Free.com sounds like a freebie site but it is actually a Support Site created by People who are trying to help everyone get the referrals they need on almost ANY freebie site. They offer:
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A extensive Freebie FAQ
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A VERY Popular AND Useful Forum
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Including a Referral Trading Section– Referral 4 Cash, Referral 4 Referral, and Referral 4 Other
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AND MUCH MORE!
-More things can be found on the Resources List
How do you make money?:
Use all the tools they provide on the site to help you with almost ANY Freebie Site. Anything4Free.com does not actually give out freebies for referrals but helps you trade referrals with others, among other things.
How do I cash out?:
No cashing out is done on Anything4Free.com but once you receive enough referrals on another site, using this site, your friends, and other method of gathering referrals, you can cash out on there.
Overall Rating of Site:
I give this site a…. 9/10. It is PURE GOLD when it comes to its Guides, FAQ’s and other tools BUT the Referral Trading can get very costly if you are doing Referral 4 Cash Trades (the majority of people). There are probably much cheaper ways of getting referrals but they would be much slower than this site. So overall, this site is an Excellent source of help for other freebie sites but the costs can get a little high in the Referral Trading.
Helpful Tips to this site:
Stick to the Referral 4 Referral Trades if you can. Always try to trade with a member who has a high “TR”. “TR” is the feedback system they have at Anything4free.com and the higher the “TR” the better the trader.
Thank you for reading the Second Issue of MMM!
Next Week I will have another site for all you try out if you choose to do so!
~Musicmasteria
Amazon.com Black Friday Madness.
(click for enlarged image)
As if Amazon.com couldn’t get any better, they’ve finally put down a wicked competition in the Black Friday madness this year.
They have a unique system where you, the consumer vote on what incredible deals you’ll get. There are 8 rounds, each of 3 items under a specific category. For example, the first round consists of the Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3 (40 GB model) and the new Xbox 360 Arcade system that is replacing the Core system. Each are sold at incredibly lower prices (over 50%!) but you’re only able to get that deal on the one you vote for, if you show up at a specified time and are offered that deal.
You can vote once in each round, careful though, you can’t change your vote. You have to be a registered user but it’s free and you only need your basic information until you buy the product. I would recommend setting up your account for one-click buying however as these deals are highly limited to about an average of 500-1,000 pieces of inventory per item.
Head over to this url to get started: [ http://promotions.amazon.com/gp/holiday/amazon-customers-vote ]
Happy shopping viewers of The Underground!
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