Collection Quest

2010-09-17T17:50:00.001-07:00

New post on how to solve Flotsam's Call and the Jewel Vault on MyTribe for Facebook.

So my favorite Facebook game, MyTribe recently added sending gifts and begging for gifts, and that’s pretty much the day I lost interest in the game. It was extra frustrating because there were so many great ways MyTribe could have implemented social trading — trading island resources and crops, for example — but instead it went the way of FarmVille spamming.

Via Simpson's Paradox » MyTribe’s New Mystery

Market Rates

2010-09-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

An anonymous Craig's Lister posted this guide to standard market rates. I guess he or she was also tired of applying to jobs, and wasting time exchanging emails to find out that "the going rate" listed in the ad is 25 cents per blog post. Sure, you can get content for that price... if you want to outsource to second-language speakers or get a copy-pasted article.

Standard Market Writing Rates for Professional Writers

For those of you who are unsure of what to offer a writer for pay ... here is a current standard market writing rate schedule. Of course, all rates can be negotiable to a certain degree, but this should provide you with a strong point of reference. Good luck!

Advertising Material
Copy/Scripts/News Releases
$350 to $500 per page
$750 to $1,000 per project for brochures
$75 to $150 per hour

Articles
$0.40 to $2 per word
$100 to $3,000 per article
$40 to $100 per hour

Corporate/Business Writing
Reports/ Marketing Plans/ Technical Writing
$1 to $2 per word
$300 to $12,000 per project
$50 to $125 per hour

Editing
Varies according to publication/project
$30 to $60 per hour
$500 to $20,000 per project

Ghost Writing
Articles or Books (no credit to writer)
Generally 2-3 times the usual article rate

Books (credit to writer)
$10,000 to $50,000 flat fee
Entire advance + 50% of royalties

Press
News Releases/Studies/Reports
$1 to $3 per word
$500 to $100,000 per project
$50 to $125 per hour

Newsletters
Writing only; layout extra
$0.30 to $1.50 per word
$400 to $6,000 per issue
$50 to $80 per hour

Newspaper Writing
Large Daily Newspapers
$0.30 to $1.00 per word
$250 to $2,500 per article
$330 to $1,250 per column

Smaller Community Newspapers
$0.10 to $0.50 per word
$75 to $1,000 per article
$75 to $500 per column

Online/Web Site Writing
Varies widely; "business" sites pay higher
$1 to $3 per word
$60 to $100 per hour

Periodical Writing
General Interest/Consumer Magazines
$1.00 to $2 per word
$500 to $10,000 per article
$400 to $1,500 per column

Trade/Special Interest Magazines
$0.30 to $2 per word
$500 to $4,000 per article
$300 to $1,000 per column

Scripts
Radio (highly variable)
$40 to $80 per minute of script

Television (highly variable)
$60 to $130 per minute of script

Speech Writing
$500 to $8,000 per speech
$60 to $130 per hour

Teaching/Instruction
$25 to $80 per hour
$200 to $800 per day

Translation/Adaptation
Literary
$0.10 to $0.20 per word

Other
$0.25 to $0.60 per word
$40 to $80 per hour

This is a good starting point for most freelancers. Of course, you can start out low or give good clients a break, but it's good to have a range. Some other advice for writers is to keep your personal and business finances separate, and to get your own custom business cards, with your information, and give then out whenever you can. Good luck!

Monday Funny

2010-09-12T05:53:00.000-07:00

What to do if your child develops superpowers from The Boston Globe:

You may have heard that it could happen at any time. One moment your child might be playing with a toy truck and the next moment he or she is levitating a few feet above the ground. Or your baby might suddenly transform into an ice sculpture. Or - and I have heard this worry expressed by more than one parent - your child might become orange and rock-like, even though he was nowhere near any cosmic rays.

Read the rest at What to do if your child has superpowers - The Boston Globe.

Get Paid To Write Online. Or Not.

2010-09-11T06:49:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of editors looking for writers to submit pieces for exposure. There are a lot of reasons why this is exposure is a good idea, and lots of great writers who got their first clips this way, but I still think it's a bit of a scam. Try offering the electric company an online byline instead of pay and see how long your lights stay on.

Here's a clip from a list of writers' guidelines:

5. I do not pay for guest posts, but you will get credit for your work. Add a two sentence bio with one link at the end of the post.

This one is hilarious to me because it's on a site called Get Paid To Write Online, which usually helps writers to find markets and offers advice to on how to make money writing online. But not here on Get Paid To Write Online, of course.

Via Guest Post On Get Paid To Write Online | Get Paid to Write Online

Amante Pizza

2010-08-30T18:28:00.000-07:00

Food bloggers Boy and Girl Eat Out had a rather disappointing experience at Amante Pizza:

The Boy and I got a doorhanger advert from Amante Pizza the other day. It said they delivered to our area with an $8 minimum order (this becomes important later), and had some tempting pictures. We were pretty excited because we're looking for a go-to pizza stop by our new place.

Via Amante Pizza in Cary

Job Hunting

2010-08-28T06:51:00.000-07:00

The ever-awesome Screw You! presents yet another Elance rant.

In the meantime, here's a little Elance embassadoring for you: If you want to be paid fairly for your talents and don't want to be part of a model that hugely favors buyers over service providers (and if you don't want to be treated like dirt after raking in thousands of dollars for a company), steer clear of Elance.

I'm sure that comment will lure out the paid ambassadors, so bring it on.

Comments like this and the incredibly low pay rates have made me steer clear of Elance. Has anyone had a positive experience there? I also don't like the bidding aspect, it just rubs me the wrong way to see writers competing to make less and less. How can we expect to make decent money when we're willing to undercut each other from low down to ludicrous? Not to mention working for free...

I'm a big fan of Craig's List for one-off writing gigs (or editing, or design, or whatever skill you've got). Sure, there are the incredibly low-paying gigs and requests for free work, but I've connected with some of my best clients through old Craig's List. What do you think? How do you look for side projects?

Via Screw You!: Job-Bidding AmbASSador

Game Reviews

2010-08-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

The new online kids’ game GardenParty World is almost ready, and Victoria from Asylum was nice enough to send me an email introducing me to the beta.

I checked out the game, which is billed as a safe, multiplayer world for kids. Garden Party is a collection of minigames, which can be played interactively or alone, at which you win the local Garden Party currency, Orbs. The concepts of the games were cute, and able to be played interactively or solo, but I’m not really the target demographic, so I found them a bit repetitive and simplistic. I didn’t really like the ratio of orbs to mingames, as I felt forced to play boring minigames to make the cash for the fun part of Garden Party, the garden. I don’t really need a game for the opportunity to do something not-so-fun to make money to do fun things… I think that’s called having a job.

Via Garden Party World on Simpson's Paradox.

Herobits is a new CCG about heroes who – no, wait, it’s not exactly a collectible card game. Although it has many of the elements of your usual CCG, there are no booster packs and no looking for rares in sealed packs (known to jaded gamers as kidding gambling). To play, you need two players, each with one fifty-card deck.

Via Upcoming Herobits on Thumb Gods.

You play as one Sim, not a household, and the story is much more linear than the PC versions.
It’s also no longer a sandbox game. Players have limited control over
hotel guests, but important penthouse guests arrive, check in, and send
players on unavoidable missions. I happened to like the penthouse
missions, especially goth cultist Ava Cadarva, but it wasn’t the
almost-unlimited sandbox play style we knew and loved in other Sims games.

Via Visiting Strangetown: Sims 2 on the DS on Simpson’s Paradox.

Although I was super excited to get my review copy of the Princess Bride game, I wasn’t sure whether I would automatically like this game because it’s based on the Princess Bride, or hate it because it’s based on the Princess Bridedifferent. (see also: why I dislike movies based on books I liked)

Via Princess Bride Game on Simpson’s Paradox.

I recently heard about Ancient Secrets over on GameHouse. You play as Kate, a young archeologist, who is following her father’s footsteps in the search for the lost key of the Tekka. Kate needs to gather solves puzzles to gather clues to find pieces of the key. I kind of wish my dad would get some ancient artifacts and leave an worldwide treasure hunt, but, Dad, you probably shouldn’t rely on my Latin skills.

Via Ancient Secrets on Simpson’s Paradox.

Unfortunately, Create-a-Mall took mindless consumerism and crossed
it with repetitive, challengeless gameplay. You play as Kelly, a
corporate drone tasked with leasing stores to create a mall.
Time and resource management games all have some similarities. No
matter what the game theme is, players will need to manage resources
and time to complete goals. But Create-a-Mall felt like a clone of the
repetitive playstyle and unrewarding rewards of Build-A-Lot 2, reskinned as a mall instead of a neighborhood.

Via Create-a-Mall on Simpson’s Paradox.

What makes Nancy Drew: Lights, Camera, Curses! a girls’ game is the female protagonist. It’s not pink, it’s not cutesy, there are no magic animal friends, there is no shopping. Let me repeat that in case you were skimming. This game is not pink.

Via Nancy Drew: Lights, Camera, Curses on Simpson's Paradox.

I was predisposed to like the new Wizard 101 game. It’s not exactly a secret that I love Harry Potter, and the game promises to be a wizard school MMOPRG. The game is adorable from the first loading screen. They’ve got a Wizard 101 gallery on the website, but it doesn’t do justice to the fantastic sketch drawings and handwritten notes, or the cheery game characters.

Via Wizard 101 on Simpson's Paradox.

FriendGiftr

2010-07-06T12:40:00.000-07:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of FriendGiftr. All opinions are 100% mine.

FriendGiftr is a new site that allows people to buy and send gift cards to friends and family. You can either send digital gifts card, I guess that would be a discount code or something similar, or a physical gift card.

When you buy a gift card, you can select the denomination and the retail outlet or restaurant for the gift card. That's why gift cards are so perfect -- you can choose the recipient's favorite shop or cafe but let them pick out the gift. This site goes a step further, and allows the recipient to exchange a gift card from one outlet for a giftcard from another, to really customize the gift. And we all know that's much better than pretending to like a sweater or a stuffed animal or a generic gift. The recipient can also split the gift card across multiple merchants, so they won't end up with the curse of gifts cards: having a couple dollars left after buying what you want. It's great for when you want to give a gift to a friend, while giving your friend the chance to pick their own gift. And, to make it even simpler, you can use FriendGiftr any way you use the internet. You can use the website, go through Facebook, or use your iPhone, BlackBerry or Android.

Moonbase Alpha

2010-07-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

NASA's new educational space game is out on Steam today.

A few days ago, I was invited to check out NASA’s new game, Moonbase Alpha. Fortunately for you, it was still under wraps so you all were spared my clever, clever puns about a Moonbase Alpha beta.

Via Moonbase Alpha on Simpson's Paradox

Twilight

2010-07-04T23:17:00.000-07:00

Voldemort is so evil, that when he killed Cedric Diggory, he turned him into a sparkle vampire.

— Mikohki

Via The Meg

One Deal I Won't Be Taking

2010-06-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

So I blogged a while ago about Today.com, when they first intoduced themselves as a new pay-for-blogs network. I wasn't too impressed with them because I got endless spam comments over there, and my blog was covered in ads, and of course I wasn't making any ad revenue from them. I blogged last September about how annoying the control panels ads were and how I didn't know anyone who'd actually gotten paid.

Today.com also annoyed me because they had an affiliate program that paid better than actually blogging, so two-thirds of the writing gig ads on Craig's List were actually people who wanted you to make a Today.com account with their affiliate link.

My account was canceled as it neared the minimum payout (I was "no longer a good match for the VIP program"), but the blogs are still there, making more ad revenue pennies that I'm definitely never going to see.

So, I was extra surprised to see an email from Today.com in my inbox today. The email invited me, as a valued Today.com member (guess one of us missed a memo), to their new service, BFY.com, which provides users with an Online Presence.

An Online Presence is apparently a website with my very own domain, plus an email address and a $25 advertising credit for only $479.88 per year! HAHAHA! I'm not sure, but I think that's about 4 times the going rate. And I imagine there would be ads all over the control panel, and you'd need to order another $200 of ads to use the $25 credit.

Yeah... that's one "special deal" I won't be taking.

Charter for Father's Day

2010-06-20T20:34:00.000-07:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Charter. All opinions are 100% mine.

So, what are you getting your dad for Father's Day? I hope it's not a tie or something for the grill.

If you're still deciding what to get your father or your husband for Father's Day, how about getting him a Charter entertainment package? He can watch the shows he likes, even if that's YouTube videos, with an entertainment bundle.

Charter has special deals for Father's Day, including a gift card to local retailers -- like the Home Depot for Dad -- in amounts up to $300 depending on which bundle you choose.

In addition to the Father's Day discounts, Charter is also giving away iPod Touches to show off their new mobile app for iPod, iPhone and Blackberry. One hundred winners will each receive an iPod Touch. You don't have to order Charter to be entered into this contest, so hurry and Enter now to win an iPod Touch!!! And with the new mobile app from Charter, all sorts of entertainment options are in your pocket, or at your fingertips.

You can use this app to discover new Charter services, or browse TV and On Demand listings (Guys love flipping channels), or watch trailers right from your iPhone or iTouch. You can view On Demand movie trailers, too, to help you pick a nice movie for tonight... or just wile away time at work or on the bus home. And you can use this app to read the news, check sports news and scores (Guy love sports scores), check the weather, and even manage your Charter services, like support and billing.

Charter is also connected to social networking. You can get updates, fun extras, and facebook only deals on Charter’s Facebook page

Bloggging for M oney

2010-06-12T21:27:00.000-07:00

So, I've been souring on AdSense recently, and wondering what else there is to monetize a blog. I don't want in-post text links because I think they're annoying. What I would like is something easy to install, set-and-forget, with the ability to control which advertisers appears (No "local mom whitens makes $568/hour working from home!") and a high return.

What is there for a medium blog? I bring about 10k unique visitors/month, so I would like something a bit better than AdSense, but I'm not quite up for FM or something like that. Any ideas?

Feed The Rocker

2010-06-05T20:35:00.000-07:00

Feed The Rocker is reviewed on DIYGamer:

Indie studio Red Aphid’s new Facebook
game Feed The Rocker is in a
playable, open beta, but it’s more stable than plenty of other Facebook
games I’ve played. (I’m looking at you, Island Paradise.) I was
pretty excited to check it out, I see a lot of potential in casual
Facebook games for a creative indie studi

Via Feed The Rocker [Review] | DIYgamer

NAS Storage

2010-06-02T05:31:00.001-07:00

The UK site nas storage offers the lowest prices on popular NAS storage options. Whether you need server storage or business storage, you can solutions to your network storage needs at clearance prices from a trusted retailer.

Parallel Lines

2010-05-09T05:31:00.001-07:00

Here's the trailer for what looks like an interesting, experimental film, Parallel Lines.

I thought you just whacked it on the edge of the table and then unwrap it, so all the orange sections fan out, but this guy's more creative than me.

Ginger anodyne clears the palate

2010-01-11T16:58:00.000-08:00

Ginger anodyne clears the palate. Or so I've been told.

Freebie Friday!

2010-01-09T09:03:00.001-08:00

Thanks to i pick up pennies: Freebie Friday for these great freebies!

Freebie Friday is brought to you by The Freebie Blogger. Check out the site for daily information on freebies and samples.
Glade Sense & Spray Gift Pack

Saveur Magazine Subscription

Free Hot Prints Photo Book

Phillip Glass Music Sampler Download

Everlast Bar at GNC Stores

Babara's Bakery Organic Cereal Sample

Emergen C Fizzy Drink Mix Sample

Herbal Tea Sample

Free NeilMed Product

Breakfast & Brunch Recipe Book

Post-It Durable Tabs Sample

Free Lego Model Each Month

Via i pick up pennies: Freebie Friday

The Botox Lady Fell in Love

2010-01-07T05:59:00.000-08:00

From this hilarious new (to me, at least!) site: Postcards From Yo Momma

The Botox Lady Fell in Love

Backstory: My mother is on a volunteer committee and has to interact with older women benefactors who do nothing but argue with each other.

i am laying low… all the cranky ones quit. the botox lady fell in love… mental image… nekkid old everything sags to the side… but the face never moves….hahahahaha

I think I should also add that my mother would never say something like this.

Via The Botox Lady Fell in Love » Postcards From Yo Momma

VisualMD Artwork

2010-01-03T19:41:00.000-08:00

What happens when you unplug:

2009-12-23T06:34:00.000-08:00

Club House Gravy

2009-12-22T06:41:00.000-08:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Club House. All opinions are 100% mine.

With the holidays almost here, you're probably already thinking about your Christmas meal. Are you stressed yet? Or are you proud that you don't serve the overcooked vegetables and dry turkey from certain family gatherings?

I don't cook roasts all that often -- hey, I'm not a fifties housewife! -- but it's definitely part of the holidays. Making the gravy to go with that perfect roast seems to cause a lot of stress, so why try to make it from scratch when you could take the easy way and focus your cooking energies on a perfect roast, veggies, and of course a perfect Christmas dessert.

Club House Gravy offers a mix to make a great gravy. You can just add some of the drippings from your roast to make smooth gravy with a homemade taste quickly and easily. No thin gravy, or cornstarch lumps! And you won't have to stress out over your gravy while you're taking everything else out of the oven and bringing everything else to the table. For more information, check out Club House's newsletter sign-up and contest entry.

In keeping with my new theme of adding more videos, here's a new gravy tips video from Club House gravy. (I tried to bring it over to Collection Quest for you to see it, but I couldn't figure out how to copy and embed it here.) The chef suggests ways to personalize your Club House gravy, which is a great idea. You can still make a special gravy with extra sage or rosemary or wine, however you'd like it, but rely on the Club House mix to make a smooth, basic gravy.

Save Money With Skype

2009-12-21T05:45:00.000-08:00

Save money on international calls when you use Skype instead of a landline! This cute video is called the Magic of Skype, and it uses adorable little cartoon people to tell you all about how you can use Skype to save money.

We all know about using Skype to chat with other Skype users (unless you've been living under a rock like the little guy in this video), but you can also use it to place calls from your computer to any phone. This is very useful when you're traveling and want to call home -- just use Skype and your laptop instead of paying for an expensive hotel call.

Discount Grilled Cheese

2009-12-20T08:32:00.000-08:00

I had to share this very strange discount deal with you:

If you're a fan of grilled cheese, tats and bargains, then you better plan to get inked and head to Melt Bar and Grilled.

The Cleveland-area eatery is offering a 25 percent discount to anyone who comes in with a grilled cheese sandwich tattoo. That's because, as you can guess, folks at the Melt Bar really, really, love their grilled cheese.

Just to clarify, Collection Quest does NOT suggest you go out and get a grilled cheese tattooed on you arm (or anywhere else)! But if you happen to have a grilled-cheese tattoo, well, I suggest going to Cleveland and getting some grilled cheese!

Via Get a Grilled Cheese Tat: There's a Discount in it For You - Tonic

Social Media Video

2009-12-19T05:43:00.000-08:00

Need New Blog Ideas?

2009-12-16T13:39:00.000-08:00

I saw this opp for the Worst Game Ever over on SocialSpark. I've been having some issues with SocialSpark recently. I've keep getting emails telling me I've qualified for an opp, but then I can't actually take the opp because I don't meet the advertisers qualifications. When it happened the second time, I contacted SocialSpark customer service who were very apologetic (Oh, haha, I got that email too, we've very sorry, just a system glitch, etc.). But it's still happening, and now I even completed an opp to find out that my post was rejected because I don't meet the advertisers qualifications. The apology from customer service saying they almost lost their advertising client because of this "misunderstanding" had the opposite effect... was I meant to feel bad for SocialSpark that they'd promised their advertisers and their bloggers something they couldn't deliver?

Anyway, besides that and email from Sponzai, another Izea imprint, telling my account would be deactivated if I did not log in within 150 days (not annoyed about this one, it was funny), I've had good experiences with Izea/SocialSpark. Social Spark also offers a marketplace for bloggers to trade story leads, blog reviews and post reactions, and links. Here's one:

What makes a bad game? Plotholes? Inconsistent difficulty? Unclear instructions? Unlikeable characters or pointless goals? Rant away!

Blog about the worst game you've played (or send me a link to an existing scathing post on your blog), and I'll add your link, and possibly a quote, to an upcoming post on gaming disasters on my gaming site.

Looks like a great way to get some links and traffic and get out of a blogging rut!

Via Worst Game Ever

Go Viral

2009-12-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

I've written before about ways to monetize your blog. Here's a new way to add an income stream by providing new content to your readers, instead of spamming them with ads. The new Goviral Network lets you earn money by bringing hot new videos to your readers.

It's Easy To Earn Money

2009-12-07T21:22:00.000-08:00

So I'm always on the lookout for alternative income streams and ways to monetize your blog. That's how I stumbled across this site offering an ebook called It's Easy To Earn Money.

The title of the ebook explains that this ebook is about moneymaking tricks. I have read this ebook and felt to share this ebook with my blog users.

The idea behind the ebook is simple the author explains about the strategic failures of people that are behind moneymaking. Nice explanation given in this to highlight a self-improvement plan to get money.

You can get the book here, and it's actually 100% free. Download, read, and let me know what you think!

Via Free Ebook: Its Easy to Earn Money : Infogle.com Blog

Free Shipping and Coupon Codes

2009-12-02T13:04:00.000-08:00

Collection Quest is always trying to help save you money, so we'd like to point all the coupon codes available at www.freecoupons.com/coupon-codes/! Check this site out before you start Christmas shopping online. They offer coupon codes to enter at checkout or coupon links for a free shipping promotion.

Marshmallow shooters

2009-11-30T10:19:00.000-08:00

I saw this over on Want Not » Better than my local drugstore, and it proves that lovely Mir is a woman after my own heart:

So I’m thinking to myself, “Self, what sorts of Cyber Monday deals could they possibly have at drugstore.com that would be worth it? Am I going to gift folks with hair color and antacids?”

But then I went and looked and was appropriately chided for my closed-mindedness. Turns out that they have GPS units and ripsticks and all sorts of things, at great prices for today only.

And I’m not just saying that because they have two different kinds of marshmallow shooters, either.

Marshmallow shooters. On sale. Now that's planning ahead.

Via Want Not » Better than my local drugstore

Win $5000!

2009-11-18T09:34:00.000-08:00

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Incendia Health. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you want $5000? Yeah, who doesn't? You can win this for posting a video on the "You Gotta See This" iLASIK Video Contest. You can also win an HDTV package, valued at $2,500, for second place, or a Flip UltraHD™ camcorder for other categories.

Abbott Medical Optics Inc., a laser vision correction corporation it looking for videos on how better vision could improve your life, or has improved your life. You can make a video about how improved vision has helped you, or someone you know, or how it could help someone else, or even tell a fictional story. So far, people have made videos about daily life, or about performing sports better, or they've made creative, original music videos. (I just started to type something about back when MTV used to play music videos, but then I realized that make me old.)

Here's how to win. First, make a great video in one of these categories:

• “My contacts are getting in the way of my good time”
• “My favorite sport or activity would be so much cooler with better vision”
• “You should see life after the iLASIK® Procedure”

Then, upload your video at www.GottaSeeThisNow.com. You can also browse other entries for inspiration, or to check out the competition. Then, send your friends over to your video to vote for you as the best video. A high number of votes is part of the criteria for winning the $5000 or one of the other prizes. Good luck!

2009-11-15T10:20:00.000-08:00

I saw this over on Thumb Gods » What We’ve Been Talking About On ThumbGods. I know it's not exactly good financial news, but I thought I'd share:

I recently reviewed My Boyfriend, Women’s Murder Club: Games of Passion, and Lost in Blue 2 for the Nintendo DS (more on Lost in Blue 2 here), as well as Mystery of Cleopatra, Tales of Monkey Island: Launch of the Screaming Narwhal, and Nancy Drew Dossier: Resorting To Danger on the computer (Not to mention hints for Resorting To Danger!). I usually take a lot of time with game reivew, but I managed to review Nancy Drew: The Mystery of the Clue-Bender Society for the DS in under 140 characters.

PS ThumbGods also got onto Facebook, and Twitter.

Via Thumb Gods » What We’ve Been Talking About On ThumbGods

Accor Hotels 3-Day Super Sale Asia Pacific!

2009-10-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

Traveling to, well, anywhere in the Asia Pacific area? Accor Hotels is running a sale on over one million hotel rooms with Accor Hotels 3-Day Super Sale Asia Pacific! You need to book online between October 27 and October 30, 2009, for travel between December 2009 and April 2010.

The list of locations includes Thailand, Korea, China (including Hong Kong and the renegade province of Hong Kong), Japan, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Fiji, Indonesia, and India. Hotel rooms start at just $30 per night with this promotion. Let’s be honest, $30 a night isn’t the greatest deal in, say, most of China, where a perfectly nice hotel room can cost 5 or 10 dollars a night, but this offer is for more upscale hotels, like Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Mercure, Suitehotel, Ibis, and so forth. These hotels offer Western amenities, many services for hotel guests, and dedicated staff. Why not treat yourself? And $30 for a good room in a major city is a great deal!

Accor is a major international group and the European leader in hotels, in addition to being a worldwide leader in services for corporate clients and public institutions.

$5 Off Custom Jeans

2009-10-26T06:53:00.000-07:00

We’re looking to spread the Thimbler word on trendy, plus-size
positive sites, and so we’d like to offer you — and your stylish,
plus size readers! — a coupon code for $5 off a Thimbler custom
product. Just enter PFW0905 at checkout and take $5 off your order!
Please feel free to use it yourself and share it with your blog
readers!

Via $5 off Thimbler with this code | Vanessa Reece

MOO cards

2009-10-25T18:40:00.000-07:00

I saw this over on MOO.com Coupons ~ Chris Pirillo. (MOO.com makes cool, creative business cards.):

MOO.com has coupons that are good at all three of their stores (US, UK & EU). Here are the latest ones:

MOO.com - Save 10% on 50 pack of MOO Business Cards using coupon code MOOBIZ10 Posted on 10/25/09 and Expires on 11/30/09
MOO.com - $8 off $40 or 6 off 30 euros or 5 off 25 GBP (new customers) using coupon code MOOCART25 Posted on 10/25/09 and Expires on 10/31/09
MOO.com - 20% off $40 or 30 euros or 25 GBP (new customers) using coupon code RETAILMENOT20 Posted on 10/25/09 and Expires on 10/31/09
MOO.com - 15% off Purchase (new customers) using coupon code RETAILMOO15 Posted on 10/25/09 and Expires on 11/30/09
Find Coupons for over 1100 Stores at Coupons.Lockergnome.com

Via MOO.com Coupons ~ Chris Pirillo

Discount Coffee

2009-09-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

This site offers less expensive coffee! We all know about saving money by skipping the latte, why not make a high-quality cup of coffee at home, to get your early-morning lux caffeine at a lower price?

File Transfers

2009-09-02T08:27:00.000-07:00

Group Logic ftp servers help companies of all sizes to save money on file shipping and mailing costs. This company has focused on usability and practicality of file and information transfer. If an employee can use Windows or a Mac interface – and really, everyone can! – then that employee can send a file with no hassle. Sending a file to another user’s computer is as easy as dragging and dropping the file to a new location. You can also use this method for folders, not just individual files. There’s nothing to zip or unzip, and the sender and receiver can also track the status of their file transfers with easy-to-read dashboards. Instead of wondering whether a file got lost in the mail, users can see whether the files are in the queue, in-process or delivered to the recipient.

Simple Way To Publish Your Facebook Page to Twitter

2009-08-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

I found this really helpful so I thought I'd share. Free, clear, non-condescending directions to Publish Your Facebook Page to Twitter from the Wild Apricot Blog, a new discovery for me.

Mink Toad Bag?!?

2009-08-25T15:17:00.001-07:00

I... have no words. Oh wait, yes I do. Those words are HOW MANY EUROS?!?

I’ve got a photo here but you really should go to the site for the interactive picture, where you can zoom in on the scary Muppet face. This fur toad bag can be yours for 552 Euros! And it’s in stock!

Via Thimbler » Mink Toad.

Free Parentsconnect Widget!

2009-08-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

Want to know what's going on in your area? I just added the local activities widget from ParentsConnect.com. You can add it too, either from my sidebar, or from the Yovia page here. Either way, don't forget to go back to the Yovia site and leave your name, email and your blog's URL so you can enter to win the $1000 prize for the blog with the most widget visits! Adding the widget is free and it’s very easy to install. You can just choose to add it automatically to more major blogging platforms, like Blogger, Wordpress or Typepad, or add it to your social networking profile on Facebook. Or you can the widget as code so you can put it on your custom site (or if you don’t feel comfortable logging in to your blog or profile through a third-party application).

This new widget from Parents Connect offers local, family-friends activities in your area. It finds by zip code, which makes it good for finding kid-friendly activities and events close to home, or you can also use it to find things to do and see near Grandma’s house. You can try it out now and see what’s going on near you!

Don’t forget to add it to your own site and try for the $1000 prize!

FHTM Tools

2009-08-18T17:07:00.001-07:00

If you're looking for extra sources of income, have you tried MLM? FHTM Comprehensive Training provides the FHTM tools and training to help your MLM business grow. (This isn't a place to sign up for a MLM business, but I bet you could google and find one yourself. This is just a training for people who are working in sales to help increase their sales.)

Cheap Web Hosting

2009-08-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

Looking for a hosting provider? If you're interested in moving off wordpress.com or blogspot.com (both of which i LOVE, but it may be time for more flexibility), you can check out this list of web hosting reviews and ratings.

The rating are interesting ifyou're shoppingaround. If you've had a fantastic or a terrible experience with a hosting provider, you can leave a review to encourage others to use a great product (or warn newbies away from an awful company, most commenters have written in to share a horror story or problem they've had), and you can also read what others have said.

This site is well-organized, and there's even a web hosting blog. You can use this site as a resource to help find the cheapest provider, or look for one who offers a free domain name, or unlimited space, or whatever you're looking for. My personal favorite webhost is Hostmonster, which made fourth on the top ten list for web hosting, with four and half out of five possible stars. I use it for my main site, and have had pretty good experiences with their 24/7 tech support chat. Also, it's cheap, which is a major concern for me and probably most people who have a smallish hobby blog. And Collection Quest is all about the cheap!

Monetize Your Blog

2009-08-15T15:59:00.000-07:00

I should warn you, these are NOT ways to make a bajillion dollars and retire to Bali, but these are all great ways to make a few extra dollars from your blogging hobby.

First, join PayPerPost! This is an awesome way to have companies (usually fun new companies) pay you to blog about them or to share their press releases with your readers.

I'm a big fan of PayPerPost because you can choose which sponsored topics to talk about, and you write your own posts. Some of the paid-blog systems have an all-or-nothing deal, where once you've signed up, you have to take every offered post. PPP lets you decide to take only opps related to products you really use, or only opps for companies you're comfortable advertising, or whatever you want. Just scroll through the list of available opportunities and take the ones that make your blog's focus and your own interests!

Join PPP v 4.0, the newest version of PPP that allows you to set your own price for blog reviews. Right now this has very few actual opportunities, but I signed up anyway, so that I'll be in the loop when the site takes off and advertisers start signing up.

Sign up for Sponsored Conversations. These are usually more like freebies for bloggers than cash, but can't complain about free stuff! If you ever talk about products on your blog, this is a great way to monetize your reviewing hobby!

And, finally, there's Google AdSense. If you've got a Gmail account or a Blogspot blog, you're halfway to running Google ads already. This is a slower way to earn income, but Google is a reliable company so even if it takes months to earn your first $100 (and your first check), they don't have scams and hidden fees and ways to make it harder for you to get your cash. Also, you can set your Google ad boxes, pick the colors, and then forget about it as the growing popularity of your blog produces another income stream for you!

What do you think? How do you monetize your blog? If you know a great way to get paid to blog, please share in the comments!

Testing my post-by-email options

2009-08-15T14:05:00.001-07:00

If you can see this, it must have worked!

Caffeine + Soap = ???

2009-08-12T15:03:00.000-07:00

Would you like to try Free Caffeinated Soap? I'm not entirely sure how that works, but I like not being stinky and I also like being awake, so that sounds good.

How about an alternative to your morning cup o’ joe that you have to be naked to enjoy? Well here you go, peppermint-scented caffeinated soap! Jump in your morning shower and suds up and you’ll get a bit of caffeine right through your skin served up with a nice therapeutic peppermint aroma.

Free Photo Frame

2009-08-10T15:02:00.001-07:00

Free Photo Frame for filling out a survey! Details:

Please complete the following survey to receive a free sample of our photo frame in 3 - 4 weeks. Only one sample per household. If you have already received an offer from our company, you may not be eligible. Offer valid only to persons 18 years or older and live in the United States. Offer good while supplies last.

I don't know how real this one is -- seems a bit expensive to ship something like this. But it's worth a try. I'll tell you in 3-4 weeks if it was legit!

Stouffer’s Contest!

2009-08-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

It’s about time for another contest here on Collection Quest.

Stouffer’s are launching new Stouffers-panini dishes, and -- because you might just overlook them in the freezer aisle, unless you eat frozen lunches almost every day, like me - they’re also launching a contest. You can win one of three Grand Prizes, which is a trip to the destination of your choice, either India, Greece, Italy or France. (valued at $10, 000!) The four destination countries correspond to the four new menu options. The new menu options are Bistro Meatballs & Peppers, Bistro Chicken Souvlaki, Lean Cuisine Grilled Vegetables & Goat Cheese and Lean Cuisine Mango Chicken Tikka… please don’t make me spell out which country goes with which food.

If you don’t win the trip, you could still win the second prize, which is a Sony Digital Camcorders. Twelve of these will be given away, and they are valued at $500 each.

There are also daily prizes of coupons for free Stouffer’s products. When you register here, you get one entry into the contest automatically, and after that you can enter with UPC codes from Stouffer’s products. You can enter one UPC code per day for many chances to win a prize. Good luck, Questers!

Screwed By The Town Of Cary

2009-08-05T17:36:00.001-07:00

Today's funny: Screwed By The Town Of Cary picture

This is a picture of a house in Cary, NC, where the homeowner was having a dispute with the town of Cary. When the town widened the road, they also made his yard smaller and changed the slant from a gentle slop to a dramatic incline. This made the house's basement flood. The homeowner asked the town to fix what they've caused, but their attempt didn't work. He says he's been Screwed By The Town Of Cary and he now wants them to buy his house. And give him another 80K for pain and suffering.

I was with him until the 80K extra. I don't know if a flooded basement is 80 thousand dollars of trauma. Anyway, check out the photo and see what he did next!

New Fashion and Fit Survey!

2009-08-05T10:47:00.001-07:00

New survey from Thimbler custom jeans! Details:

CARY - Thimbler.com — the only place on the web where you can buy, sell, design, tailor and customize clothes for shoppers of any size — today released an online survey to get at the heart of what shoppers really want and need from an online fashion marketplace. Survey questions range from specific brands to fit issues and encourage shoppers to share experiences, anecdotes and ideas. Survey participants randomly chosen twice weekly will win a pair of Thimbler customized blue jeans (value $87).

Thimbler.com is a true hybrid online shopping experience, merging fashionable clothing tailored to fit any size with innovative and independent designers to create a truly unique fashion marketplace where customers AND designers can let their individuality and creativity shine.

“We are in the business of serving our customers better than anyone else, so it’s absolutely critical for us to continually seek their input,” said Charles Tse, founder and CEO of Thimbler.com. “We live in a digital era, where people can customize their own news feeds from Time magazine and other news sites. We simply follow that model by encouraging feedback and allowing our customers and designers to customize their Thimbler experience.”

Chassie, Thimbler’s Plus Size Diva agrees. “Thimbler custom-made clothing is made to fit you, not a fit model. Thimbler’s clothes are tailored to perfection and give you a high fashion look for a reasonable price. But beware. Once you wear Thimbler’s custom-made clothing, you will want to stop buying off the rack! Thimbler is divine inspiration for Plus Size women and couture you can afford!”

Via the Thimbler Blog

Armani Exchange

2009-08-02T16:14:00.000-07:00

If I could shop at the Armani Exchange -- let's assume that this isn't a budget-y blog, but a how-should-I-spend-my-piles-of-money blog -- I would definitely get these ones, called Potassium Straight-Leg.

And I love the Christian Louboutins she's wearing with it.

(Shut up. I can totally talk about designer shoes on my saving-money blog. I think we're all clipping coupons for the grocery store so we can afford the finer things in life, aren't we?)

This Armani Exchange site offers New Premium Denim starting at $98. Which is still way more than I usually pay for a pay of jeans, but a very good price for Armani.

I also like these Wing-Printed Boot Cut jeans.

Or maybe these...

Oh, right, this is a blog about discounts and freebies... so I should let you know that customers who purchase a full price pair of denim from Armani Exchange, whether that's in store or online, will receive a gift card, good for $20 off you next purchase of $100 or more. So you can save money buying another pair of Armani jeans. Check out --or follow -- the A|X Blog for more promos and news!

Don't worry, freebie hunters, I've got something for you too! Don't miss the text A|X contest to win free jeans! Just text "DENIM2" to ARMANI (276264) for your chance to win a free pair of jeans!

New PayPerPost program!

2009-07-30T12:38:00.001-07:00

PayPerPost v4.0 is in beta now! Don't forget, if you'd like to join 3.0 'classic' PayPerPost, I have a sign-up form in my sidebar.

Free from Natural 10 Beauty

2009-07-30T12:24:00.000-07:00

Free Samples: Natural 10 Beauty - Nail Care Samples:

'Trying Our Products is as Easy as 1-2-FREE!

1. You send us an e-mail to n10.info@gmail.com.

* Tell us about the condition of your nails and the problems you experience.
* Include your 'Ship-To' address.

2. Natural 10 Beauty will send you the following:

* A FREE sample from Natural 10 Beauty's nail care line that is specifically chosen for you and most suitable for your nail condition.
* Helpful Tips on improving your particular nail problem.

And when we say FREE, we mean FREE. This is NOT an auto-ship program. You don’t even pay shipping & handling. At no point will you be asked to enter a credit card number. We just want to help you discover a better way to beautiful natural nails. '

I wonder what they will send me if I tell them I bite my nails and can't stop....

Sent Virtual Jeans

2009-07-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

Are you on Facebook? You can send virtual jeans and other Thimbler fashions to your Facebook friends!

Virtual Thimbler on Facebook!

New Craftsman Farms Blog Widgets

2009-07-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

You can now add content and pictures from the Stickley Museum Craftsman Farms Blog to your own site or blog by installing the New Craftsman Farms Blog Widgets!

The Stickley Museum At Craftsman Farms ?great free widgetsWidgetbox

"Frozen Novelties"

2009-07-23T11:10:00.000-07:00

Fill in a form and get a coupon for Minute Maid "frozen novelties"... Yum!

Free Jeans! (Well.. if you're Obama...)

2009-07-22T08:47:00.000-07:00

Thimbler » Thimbler.com Offers to Make President Obama Jeans that Fit!:

"The President is not alone in his dislike of shopping, says Charles Tse, founder and CEO of Thimbler.com. “Sadly our research has shown us that fit and style issues remain the biggest disappointments in the shopping experience. That’s why we created Thimbler—so we can provide real clothes tailored to fit real bodies.”

As for what to do in the case of Obama’s real body, Tse suggested that a better, more proportioned fit through the hips and thighs, along with Thimbler’s medium wash, would have improved Obama’s overall silhouette. “He’s tall and slender, so the key for him is getting the proportions right for his unique size,” Tse said of Obama. “But let’s face it, we all have fit issues. Even world leaders. That’s why the world needs Thimbler.”"

The Onion meets China Daily

2009-07-21T20:26:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't seen this, the Onion was sold to the Chinese. Hilarious!

Well, I've Sold The Paper To The Chinese | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Free Bodycology

2009-07-21T15:38:00.000-07:00

Free Bodycology Bath and Body lotions!

Collision Repair

2009-07-13T09:38:00.000-07:00

Have you been in a major car accident or a little fenderbender? Collision Repair Experts can help you get your drivable again, or help smooth out a dent or two, at a low price. Collision Repair Experts are the largest network of auto repair experts, with many body shops all over the country. Collision Repair Experts will help your vehicle get back to it’s pre-accident condition, whether that’s a major overhaul, getting a couple new parts, or just touching up the paint. You can also check the website for testimonials and information so you don’t have to worry about where you’re dropping off your car.

Play Create-a-Mall For Free

2009-07-12T09:06:00.001-07:00

Ok, so this game wasn't exactly everyone's cup of tea.

Unfortunately, Create-a-Mall took mindless consumerism and crossed
it with repetitive, challengeless gameplay. You play as Kelly, a
corporate drone tasked with leasing stores to create a mall.
Time and resource management games all have some similarities. No
matter what the game theme is, players will need to manage resources
and time to complete goals. But Create-a-Mall felt like a clone of the
repetitive playstyle and unrewarding rewards of Build-A-Lot 2, reskinned as a mall instead of a neighborhood.

Via Simpson’s Paradox » Create-a-Mall.

That said, you can play this game for an hour for free and see if you agree with the review.

Free Clean Energy Sticker From MoveOn

2009-07-12T09:00:00.001-07:00

You can put this where your Obama Hope sticker used to be! Yes, one sticker is really free (although you will be signing up for a lifetime of MoveOn spam) and you can buy more inexpensively if you want to put them up all over your school or office.

Via MoveOn.org Political Action: Free clean energy stickers by Shepard Fairey.

$5 Off Jeans

2009-07-08T09:17:00.001-07:00

Use coupon code PFW0905 at checkout and take $5 off on any Thimbler custom product!

StickerJunkie Promo Code

2009-07-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

Want stickers? Use the promo code "SUMMERTIME" to take $12 off your order. That's 100 Stickers for as low as $13!

Free Jeans!

2009-07-04T08:24:00.001-07:00

I mentioned this before, but there are still spots to enter:

Do you want new custom jeans? Do you have a blog? Thimbler is looking for fifteen trend-setting, plus-size bloggers (to order a FREE pair of jeans from Thimbler and then blog honestly about your new jeans and the Thimbler shopping experience. That’s right, free jeans for blogging about your free jeans!

Via Free Jeans For Fifteen Bloggers at Thimbler.

Spreety TV

2009-07-04T07:51:00.000-07:00

Spreety is a new web site offering popular TV shows to watch online. Did I mention the free and legal part? You can watch the History Channel or my favorite TV show, House, without paying a huge cable bill or being a sneaky downloader. So if you want to watch shows without paying OR pirating, check out Spreety TV Online : Watch TV Shows Online Free

Best Of Time Discount Watches

2009-06-29T13:23:00.000-07:00

Collection Quest is all about saving you money. I try to find real freebies, online sales, and coupon code discounts, and share that information with you!

Best Of Time watches at www.bestoftime.com is a new site for genuine Rolex watches for sale at below retail price. These are genuine Rolex watches, not designer inspired Rolexes, Rolex-style watches or replica watches. They’re all used, sorry, I mean “pre-owned”, but with a long-lasting quality item like a Rolex, pre-owned isn't a problem. These watches are in good or even like-new condition, and you know a Rolex will last for years to come.

I always love secondhand shopping for the great bargains, and I’ve gotten a lot of nice designer labels that have only been worn once or twice. This seems like the online equivalent, and they specialize in stylish watches. If you’re in the market for a new watch, why not check out a pre-owned watch for a great bargain on Rolex name?

Amazon Associates

2009-06-29T06:44:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to know if anyone's had any experience with Amazon associates? I've seen non-intrusive, relevant "what I'm reading" widgets on some blogs and I've been thinking of adding one myself. Anyone have any success stories? (Or horror stories, I'm all about the warnings)

Mavenlink

2009-06-28T23:37:00.000-07:00

Mavenlink seems to be what Get-A-Freelancer and Elance want to be, a marketplace for freelancers and independent contractors to connect with small businesses in need of services. Elance and Get-A-Freelancer, though, both seemed to be full of “offers” of work at far, far below minimum wage. We’re not talking $5 or $10 articles, or $100 for a website, or other lowball offers for beginners, these budgets are so low they can only be outsourced to other countries where the exchange rate makes 2USD an hour a good salary.
Mavenlink seems to be offering reasonable freelance budgets, like $4000 for a webpage redesign, or $500 to create handoutsand it looks like freelancers submit proposals, and not just try to underbid each other. Could this be the freelance portal we’ve been waiting for?
I also liked how many clients included real names and how many bidders used full names and photos. It always gives me a weird feeling when job offers don’t include the company name (hello, Craig’s List!), especially if the would-be employer seems cagey about revealing it.
Unfortunately for me, most of the projects were a bit too technical for me, but it’s still a great setup for a freelance web developer or a web designer. Hopefully there will be more content-writing gigs in the future.

Free Stickers

2009-06-28T11:53:00.001-07:00

Want some stickers from Stickers from Off-Road.com?

Via Off-Road.com.

Learn.com

2009-06-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

My dream job would be a book reviewer. I would get to read new books before anyone else, I’d be able to meet authors, and influence what books become popular. When I like a book, lots of other people will read it too, so I’ll be able to talk about it! Pretty sweet life, don’t you agree?
The best part is that I’d be able to lie on the couch and read, and that would be my day at work. I would be happy to work nights and weekends in my dream job!

What’s your dream job? What will you have to do to get your dream job? The new Learn.com offers Elearning solutions to help you land a better job. Job seekers can choose a class or two to help them learn a new topic (or increase their skills in one area) or they can pick a Job Profile and just learn everything required for that career.

Learn.com also offers a class in making the perfect pot of tea. (Follow that link for the course listing, but you'll need to sign in to do the course) which would be an essential part of becoming a book reviewer. How can you read all day without tea? Now that I can make a perfect pot of tea, I can read and write happily for longer periods and thus I can read and review more books! See? This is a Learn.com course that helps me to get the skills needed for my dream job. Another way to say that is that I took this Learn.com course and gained a skill for my dream job. Or if that's not clear enough, maybe I could say that I took a class on Learn.com on how to make perfect tea, which is a skill I'll need as a famous book reviewer. I hope I have made it clear.

Learn.com has also created and utilized a Skill Score ranking to connect trained job-seekers with employers looking for employees with a certain skill ranking. This Skill Score is a number reflecting the would-be employee’s skill and knowledge level in their desired field, so headhunters and employers have a quantitative method of evaluating skills, not just resumes vagueness. From the press release:

"We believe the Skill Score will become as important as a credit score within the next few years," said Learn.com President and CEO Jim Riley. He continued, "This new tool not only gives job seekers an important edge in today's economy, it also helps employers make better decisions about whom they hire."

You can find your skill score at My.Learn.com, or check out the classes on offer at Learn.com

Free Jeans Update

2009-06-20T10:45:00.001-07:00

I posted the other day about Free Jeans For Fifteen Bloggers, and I just wanted to add that it's now been opened up to non-plus-size jeans-wearers. Leave a comment to be enter... I'm about to go enter!

Via Free Jeans For Fifteen Bloggers at Thimbler.

Free Online Billiards

2009-06-20T10:42:00.001-07:00

So, I know I usually talk about free samples in the mail, but how about some free online games? This site, multiplayer games,8c1.net.http://www.8c1.net, offers free multiplayer online billiards. I poked around a bit and it seems to be really free, not the usual free-to-play with extras available from the cash shop. (I actually like the cash shop business model, except when those “extras” are actually necessary to pay the game, then I feel scammed). Anyway, 8c1.net offers multiplayer billiards games and online chat with other players, either your offline friends or new players you’ve met.

By the way, anyone know what 8c1 means? I imagine it’s a pool term but I don’t recognize it.

$10,000 For Not Using FireFox!

2009-06-17T17:46:00.001-07:00

Microsoft is offering $10,000 as a prize for not using Firefox! Yes, really! From the site:

We've buried $10,000 somewhere on the Internet and if you're the first one to find it, you get to keep it.
But you'll never find it using old Firefox.
(So get rid of it, or get lost.)

A shot at $10,000 or a stable browser that works? I think I'll stick with my working browser instead. Nice try, Microsoft!

My boyfriend just read this and said "Something you can get on IE and not Firefox? I wonder if it's a virus or a popup!"

Via Ten Grand is Buried Here | Microsoft Australia.

Web Hosting

2009-06-17T08:12:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a new hosting provider? When you're interested in moving off free blog sites like wordpress.com or blogspot.com -- both of which I LOVE, but I have to admit they’re not as flexible as creating your own site -- you can check out this list of web hosting reviews and ratings.

Web Hosting Geeks offers independent reviews of different hosting companies and different packages, and they even have a web hosting geeks blog. All this info in one place means you can research and find a cheap site that offers what you need, and not pay for features you’ll never use. I mean, who needs 500 email address for a hobby blog? It’s targeted to people who are moderately technically knowledgeable but who doesn’t have a lot of time to do extensive research.

Instead of asking all your friends to tell you what they use and whether they'd recommend their current hosting provider, you can read the comments and reviews here. You can use this list to find the cheapest provider, or look for one who offers a free domain name, or unlimited space, or whatever you need in a new web site. If you've had a fantastic or a terrible experience with a specific hosting provider, you can share your experience by leaving a review for others.

There's also a collection of web hosting awards. My personal favorite is Hostmonster, which made fourth on the top ten list for web hosting providers. I use them for my main site, because they offer 24/7 chat help (haven’t used it but isn’t it always good to know it’s there?) and it's cheap. Price is always a big concern on Collection Quest!

Free Jeans!

2009-06-17T07:58:00.001-07:00

I saw this over on Free Jeans For Fifteen Bloggers at Thimbler

Do you want new jeans? Do you have a blog? Thimbler is looking for fifteen trend-setting, plus-size bloggers to order a FREE pair of jeans from Thimbler and then blog honestly about your new jeans and the Thimbler shopping experience. That’s right, free jeans for blogging about your free jeans!
We’re looking for bloggers who usually have trouble finding jeans that fit. Is that you?
Leave a comment w/ your URL at Free Jeans For Fifteen Bloggers at Thimbler to be considered!

And, hey Thimbler, what about those of us not-plus-size girls who still have trouble finding jeans?

22 Free Songs On iTunes

2009-06-11T10:17:00.001-07:00

Yeah, that's right, 22 songs completely free. Want to add to your iTunes? You can get all 22 songs in this summer soundtrack package:

ANJULIE - Boom
CRYSTAL ANTLERS - Andrew
GAY BLADES - O Shot
HEARTS REVOLUTION - Ultraviolence
LaROUX - In For The Kill
LISSY TRULLIE - Self Taught Learner
LITTLE BOOTS - Meddle (Ebola Remix)
MAPEI - Public Enemy
OF MONTREAL - For Our Elegant Caste
PASSION PIT - I've Got Your Number
PHOENIX - 1901
PLASTISCINES - Barcelona
SANTIGOLD - LES Artistes
SPINNERETTE - Ghetto Love
STARDEATH AND WHITEDWARFS - I Can't Get Away
SUCKERS - It Gets Your Body Movin'
THE HORRORS - Sea Within a Sea
THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART - The Tenure Itch
THE SOFT PACK - Bright Side
THUNDERHEIST - Jerk It
TINY MASTERS OF TODAY - Skeletons
WHITE LIES - Death (Crystal Castles Remix)

All of these are completely free to download, until August 31st, 2009. I think I HAVE To download this because I've never heard of any of these bands and it's making me feel old.

Get the download here: NYLON + iTUNES - NYLON MAGAZINE.

Scrubs, The Nursing Magazine

2009-06-11T10:11:00.001-07:00

Scrubs is not just a TV show, it's also the name of a new magazine for nurses. This is a lifestyle magazine for nurses, with uplifting stories and features, not just clinical pieces. Guy nurses, you're covered too! The first piece I saw an article on 'What Nurses Can Tell Patients About Swine Flu’ which must come up all the time at doctors' offices and hospitals. When there's a health-related scare like this, nurses need to walk a careful line of giving patients good advice about hand-washing and reasonable preventative care, without needlessly worrying patients. Very thought-provoking.

And there's a cool piece on how to wake up looking younger. Let's be honest, even those of us who aren't nurses sometimes wake up looking scary. My own patented secret is to put a cold washcloth on puffy eyes, set the alarm for an extra 3 minutes, and lie back down. No more old-lady eyes by the time I'm out of the shower! The article suggests keeping the head elevated when sleeping to prevent puffy eyes from happening, I'm going to try this one tonight. (I can't say I'll be taking any moisturizing advice, though, my skin tends towards too much oil, not too little)

There's also a nice article on at-home manicures. Everything's done at home, better for busy nurses to sneak a manicure into their schedules, but I really like it because it's an attractive mani on the cheap. Hey, even if you're not in the ER, you still want to look good while you're busy!

Free Crabtree & Evelyn Lotion

2009-06-11T09:55:00.000-07:00

I try to be frugal, but I almost never do rebates or complicated freebies. If there are multiple parts of the process, especially if one part involves waiting for a certain date or event, I try to avoid it because I'll probably forget. BUT if you have smelled anything from Crabtree & Evelyn, you'll know this is totally worth it! From the June issue of Self magazine, page 37:

Register at http://www.self.com/challenge for your free get-fit guide.

Sign up ON June 11 and you'll score a free Hand Therapy Cream from Crabtree & Evelyn!

I can smell it already.

Via Free Samples: Self - Crabtree & Evelyn Hand Cream (In-Store).

Let's Pretend

2009-06-11T06:57:00.000-07:00

So... let's say money is no object. How would you decorate your home? Would you have rustic furniture? Modern styles? As for me, I would go with an Asian aesthetic and try to keep things clutter-free in my office/study. I think simple lines and harmonious, natural colors are a good way to aid concentration and be more productive. And let's be honest, I want my home office to be as UNLIKE a cubicle as possible!

Organize Your Closets!

2009-06-10T20:01:00.000-07:00

I'm always wary of freebies that seem too big to be true, but here is a sample of a closet organizer. If your closet is like mine, then it's worth a shot!

Via Free Easy Closet Sample Kit.