Lets talk Black Friday/Cyber Monday

Black Friday! It is usually a holiday I love to participate in and get crazy spending my money on people I love for the holidays. Together with my husband and brother-in-law I've camped out overnight, gone out early- but never sacraficed a family Thanksgiving dinner. We've never headed out before 10pm Thanksgiving night and usually not until 3-4am on Black Friday. We've gone out with nothing in mind- just the experience and fun together.

Last year I had the two guys with me and it made me feel safe from the shoving and crowding. I still got a little jostled when doors first opened, but nothing much more serious than a nudge you may get at a grocery store on accident.

This year we all stayed home for various reasons. You could tell from news reports ahead of time that things were getting bad for Black Friday. Deals were available earlier and earlier- it became black friday week, not black friday day. People camped out earlier, stores went from early AM openings to just staying open. Looses some of the fun. On facebook I posted we werent going out and many people were dissapointed that they wouldnt see the photo "play-by-play" of the morning we are famous amongst our friends for posting online. I was angry that companys were forcing employees to miss Thanksgiving with their families for black friday set up and working on thanksgiving (when many "doorbuster" deals began). It became to much ugliness.

And lets go into the "doorbuster deals" term. It isnt just cute words. In 2004 my husband and I were at a mall and due to lack of good planning the enterance we were at didn't have a staff member to open the door. It was supposed to be opened at mall open and when people saw customers inside while we were still locked out things got ugly. The double doors to the mall were being banged on and pushed in. The look of terror on the poor salesgirl's face when she had to unlock them was so sad. She got security to help her just in case (smart girl). I was afriad we were going to see her trampled, but she got out of the way quick. It easily could have been a newsreport scene!

I did go out in the afternoon/early evening when deals were gone but the crazy was still there. I just came home, hopped on my computer, and did my shopping online. Easy, quick, and nooone to judge my lack of fashion and makeup for the day.

is black friday dead? It is for me, and I have a feeling it soon will be for many. What do you readers think? Did you go out?

Swagbucks 5for5 promotion!

Swagbucks is having another sign-up bonus week as well as a referral promotion that will last through the end of the year. When you sign up a new account with Swagbucks, and use the code 5for5, you will get an additional 70 Swagbucks added onto the normal 30 you get when you sign up for a total of 100 at sign-up. It only takes 450 to get a $5 Amazon card (my favorite way to use my points), so you’ll already be almost 1/4 of the way to your first reward.

Once you’ve signed up, you can refer other people. During this promotion, you have to get 5 or more new referrals that aren’t related or living at the same address. Once you’ve done that, and each of them gets their first 50 earned (not sign-up bonus) Swagbucks, you’ll get a bonus 500 for referring them.

So, if you’ve been putting off signing up for Swagbucks, this week might be the week to do it. The 5for5 sign-up code is only good through 12 PM Pacific on Monday the 17th of October 2011. The referral bonus is live through the end of the year.

My take on Swagbucks is this: You aren’t going to get rich by using it, but I average $25 amazon card every month! If nothing else, thats $300 and covers Christmas shopping! With very little extra work by me. I just use their search when I have to search for something online.

Nov2- Are you swaggin?

I love swagbucks on a crazy level. Last year I saved up amazon gift cards from swagbucks to surprise my Husband with a kindle. This year I can do my full Christmas shopping thanks to swagbucks...but I'm not the only one!

A blog reader who joined swagbucks via my refferal link has earned over $1,000 in swagbuck amazon giftcards this year! Thats amazing, and she will be able to shop for Christmas and pay for her plane tickets to see family. You go girl!

Its not to late to start earning for holiday shopping, and if you have joined I'd love to hear how you're doing.

I would appreciate if you used my referral link:http://swagbucks.com/refer/LilSarahBug and if you do they give you 30 swagbuck points to start!

In non-swagbucks news Pinecone research has been really going strong with surveys, each one guarantees a $3 check payment and very often a product sent to try! This morning I had four emails from them, all with the possibility of product testing. Check those emails!

Nov 1st- WERE BACK!!!

Guess whose back? I know you missed us. Or, more likely, in the two month absence you forgot this blogs existence. Either way here is it up and running again. Lets start off with an online freebie:

CLICK HERE to request your own Jiffy Recipe Book, Free!

CLICK HERE for a free sample of Dove Nourishing Oil Care Leave-in Smoothing Cream