Free Books and Gift Card

In the mail today, I received 3 items:

1. $10 TJ MAXX/Marshalls/HomeGoods gift card - I got this gift card by filling out a brief survey a little while ago about my plans for college and what I know about college Credit by Examination. The survey was emailed to my school email address. When I filled it out, I received a $10 credit for giftcertificates.com, which I redeemed for this gift card!
2. None Like You by Jen Wilkin - I got this book by being selected in a drawing on my friend Sarah's blog: http://smylinggirl.blogspot.com/
3. Handle With Prayer - I'm on Charles Stanley's Ministry's mailing list, and every so often I'll be able to mail in a request form for a free book. This was one of those books. 

Excited to read both of the books and go shopping!

Savings:

$10 - Gift Card

$10.21 - None Like Him price on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/None-Like-Him-Different-Thats/dp/1433549832

$12.22 - Handle With Prayer price on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Handle-Prayer-Unwrap-Source-Strength/dp/1434709442

Total Savings: $32.43

$10 TJ MAXX/Marshalls/HomeGoods Gift Card

2 Christian Books - None Like Him by Jen Wilkin and Handle With Prayer by Charles Stanley.

Kroger Mints

Every Friday, Kroger is offering a free item coupon that you can download to your Kroger card. This week I got a package of free mints! 

Earnings = $2.00

Samples Today

Requested free shampoo and tea samples today... along with other samples.

STEM poster contest

Molly and Max each entered a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) poster design contest. They each entered in their age group (Max: 7th-9th grade, Molly: 10th-12th). Max won first place in his age group, with a prize of $150, and Molly won third place in her age group, with a prize of $50.

Poster designs are below:

Max's STEM poster

Molly's STEM poster

Earnings: $200

Toothbrush

Our first free item - a toothbrush! We had just been talking about our ideas for this challenge and how we'd like to get things for free, like toothbrushes (as free samples). Then we came across this toothbrush on the snow in the Hiller's parking lot - perfect! Well, maybe not perfect, but it's a start.

Earnings: Laughs :)

The Challenge

We are going to try to create a lifestyle that supports itself without having to go to work. We will spend our time doing what we enjoy and love doing, and will use those things to support themselves financially. For example: if there is a movie that we want to see, we will try to find a place that will buy a movie review from us and use the payment to cancel out the cost of the tickets.

We will also try to win things through drawings/raffles/contests, find opportunities to acquire free things, complete surveys, claim rebates, take advantage of reward programs, and use coupons to help create this lifestyle.