$2>>>$5000!

[Gailete]

Okay,I'm trying! I'm starting with the $2 it cost me for opening mine and hubbies ING accounts. With referrals and interest we already up to $90.09 in a week. I also sent books to ebookdrop which I will count when I get the check. My husband and I already sell books, crafts, sewing patterns etc on ebay and Amazon so any income from those sources is already spoken for and won't be part of this challenge. So my biggest challenge is figuring out what I can do to hit $5000--which I DON"T expect to hit by the end of the year. I'm looking at all this as a game and I want to play for as long as I can. I just have to find more ways to get freebie money.


Current total: $90.09

[Gailete]

Re: $2>>>$5000!

I feel dumb--wasn't sure if we are supposed to hit reply or how we continue our thread. If I did it wrong, someone please advise.

I got another ING referral, so total is now $100.09! Pretty good for one week of looking for free money!

Prior $90.09
Current $100.09

Gail

[Gailete]

Re: $2>>>$5000!

Just got my first check from ebookdrop.com for $44.41! I also signed up for Sharebuilder yesterday and after I got thoroughly confused, I did get an email from them saying I was eligible for the $50 freebie so once that is credited to my account, I will be up to almost $200! I actually plan on using that account to invest the freebie money I get and see how well it grows over the long term. Looking forward to it. This is such a fun game--especially since if I hadn't played it, I would be almost $200 poorer.

Prior Total $100.09
Added $44.41
Current Total $144.50

[niki_the_tiger]

Re: $2>>>$5000!

I checked out Ebookdrop.com and most of the books I have they said they don't need. Also, some of the newer books they were going to give me like $1 for... I could get at least 5x that on ebay... how many books did you have to send to get $44?

[Gailete]

Re: $2>>>$5000!

Hi, I had to post a bunch, but from my own small on-line book business, I had a bunch of duplicate books that just were not selling but they were willing to take so I took the money and invested it! Now when listing books if I find they have no value for the fixed price sites (I don't bother listing any book less than $7.50) I check if I can get anything for it on ebookdrop--most are not showing up, but I figure it is worthwhile to check before putting them in the donate box.

I assume they are another online business and have a data base that tells them if the book is 'worth' anything online and then indicates buy or not. If I checked some of my more valuable books $30+, I suspect they would give me a couple dollars for them. Some other people here have made quite a bit with them so maybe they might share what kind of books that seem to be purchased. I got rid of an art book and photography books.

Gail

[mjrube94]

Re: $2>>>$5000!

One of the resonders to my post told me he called customer service to find out exactly what they do. Apparently, they buy these books in order to sell them to mom-and-pop outfits that are not big enough/technical enough to have their own website. It sounds like most of what they look for are requests from these stores, which is why not everything sells. I've also found that things they wouldn't buy the first time I checked, they would buy at some later point, so I've decided to go back every quarter or so and check the ISBNs again. It takes less than an hour, and if something opens up, why not? I've had the most luck with old textbooks.

[Gailete]

Re: $2>>>$5000!

Don't have much to add yet as I'm waiting for rebates, etc. to get here. I don't count money received until it is in my grubby hands so to speak. The trip we just took should be worth quite a bit in refunds/rebates/cash from our credit card. I decided as the money comes in to invest it in stocks via Sharebuilders for the long term. Of course the first share I bought is currently down but I expect that to change. I plan on only buying companies that I am familiar with and that pay dividends so that over the years, my number of shares will grow even if I can't add anything else to the pot. I want to get about 10 shares of stocks in several different industries.

I'm really trying to think outside the box on this challenge and look at it for the long term.

Gail

[Gailete]

Re: $2>>>$5000!

Got notified that my Sharebuilders bonus came through >> $50! I invested it in Home Depot. Currently with our 2 ING accounts and our Sharebuilder account our $2 has turned into $190.28 (including interest and subtracting current loss on stock purchased). I sent away for some rebates yesterday that when they come back will be added to the challenge. I'm planning to add my cash back money from credit card use as it is also 'free' money and that is what I've been structuring my challenge on. Get it all invested and see where it goes over the years.

Currently $190.28

Gail

[wundergrl21]

Re: $2>>>$5000!

Can you send me an invite link to ING? $10 more for you!

Wundergrl21@gmail.com

Anna

[Gailete]

Re: $2>>>$5000!

Thanks to Anna, I got another $10 ING referral. So my savings challenge is $200.28!

Gail

[wundergrl21]

Re: $2>>>$5000!

Just saw how to invite a friend at the bottom of the ING page! Thanks again for the referral!

Anna

[Gailete]

Re: $2>>>$5000!

Got my Discover card rebate ($120) last week and deposited it in the bank along with a check for $1.66 from the cable company (for what I don't really know). My Christmas Club check should be sent out at the end of the week and will be close to $180. I have been depositing all my rebate/refund checks, survey checks, spare change, etc. into this account and then at the end of the year I buy myself a present. This year it is going into my $5000 challenge. Once it is here I'll transfer it plus the Discover card money, etc. into my Sharebuilder account and buy some more stocks. Since every transaction there costs $4, I decided to wait and do a big sum all at once to avoid all the little $4 that add up and don't increase my challenge money at all. My Discover card already has another $20 worth of rebate on it, plus my other credit card has around $160, so I will have those cashed in November for my November investment.

Strange how I feel just a bit like a tycoon, being able to buy shares in the stock market. It was especially fun, to note the other day my shares went up $1.10 in one day! I do remember to keep my mind on the long term goal of what things will be worth in 10-15 years though.

Gail

[Gailete]

Re: $2>>>$5000!

Just checked the totals of my ING account, my DH's ING account and our Sharebuilders account, plus a rebate check not yet cashed but here (still have several rebates outstanding.

Are you ready? My $2 has grown to $547.34!!!!!

This includes interest and a stock increase (current for today) and all the cash rebates from our credit card, etc. Two months ago, I would have never thought I could get this far. By the end of this month I should have around $200 or more to put in my Sharebuilders account. To get to $5000 any time soon, though, I will need to figure out some more free cash sources, but a great beginning I think.

Gail

[Gailete]

Re: $2>>>$5000!

Got another cash rebate for $20 from Discover and $5 from an online survey, so got to deposit $52.59 into my Sharebuilder account that brings my current total to $572.34. Now I have to decide what my next stock investment will be. Decisions Decisions!! I also have to request my cash rebate from my other credit card--I should get about $160 from it, plus I still have a $10 rebate outstanding.

Gail

[Gailete]

Re: $2>>>$5000!

Talked with hubby today on where we will invest the next bit of money at Sharebuilders and decided on a local company that does well and treats its people right (according to employee comments in a local newspaper write-up). No a very scientific approach to investing, but as far as I'm concerned as good as anyone else's reasons for investing in a particular stock. I have Sharebuilders set to invest the money next Tuesday and it will be in in time to get an extra dividend the company is declaring, so more money there!

Gail