Getting Started-With an Edge

A friend told me she made a few extra bucks and received some very good discounts by participating in online surveys; so I figured what the heck, I'll give it a shot. Now, I'm not completely stupid, I know a lot of them are a complete waste of time. I filled one out a while ago just to find out that, at the very end, you had to have a credit card-what the hell!? Anyway, I figured I might be able to save others some time by posting reviews and logs on my experiences...so here goes!

My Points.com 8-5-09: I'm on the opening page of the website and am a little lost on where to click for earning points that don't require money; I thought all they wanted was my opinion? Well, I've certainly got enough of that to go around...I keep looking... No, I don't want to print grocery coupons...I don't even have a printer hooked up! Where's a surveys that gives me points...? Why do they put adds on the top? I'm here to make money, not spend it!
Okay, so finally, I click on a button that says "tell us and earn money," that sound better, so I answer the question they ask and...I think I'm going to get five point...yes...no...yeah, I think I did, though another window popped up and asked me to download a 'mypoints' toolbar for another 300 points. What the hell, I'm in. If my computer crashes or goes crazy, at least you all will have learned...besides, I've got a warranty, why not test it?
So, this toolbar looks like it will make me a lot of points...75 a month just for having it on my computer, 10 for every five searches. I wonder how good their searches are? We shall see...
I can never remember, am I supposed to run or save when downloading a file? Does it matter? Whichever way it is supposed to be, mypoints provides faulty directions as there is no Install button on that box for XP.
Done downloading...now it says I have to use the toolbar for 30 days before I get the points...geesh, there's always a catch...still, I'll give it a go-thirty days, here I come! Oh, and here's how you get the points (they are not 75 plus the number of searches, they are simply applied based on the searches themselves). Here's the chart:
10 Points for 1-10 searches
25 Points for 11-20 searches
50 Points for 21 to 30 searches
75 Points for 31 or more searches
Oh, well, I'm a sucker; it's not like they're asking me for money yet...by the way, what can I use these points for?
Ha, I'm gonna use the search bar 31 times now just to get it out of the way. And to bore you further (or maybe entertain you depending on...you know, the simple minded thing...which, by the way, if you're reading this, you may want to reevaluate that...), I am going to list my searches:
1. Daisy May
First interesting result: something about Chef Adam Perry and
grilling fruit...sound yummy. http://www.daisymaysbbq.com/news.html
2. Silver Sulfide
What is it anyway? And why are these people selling it?
Sponsored By http://www.SaltLakeMetals.com/
Okay, intermission here, cause I'm confused...I just scrolled down and it says I do get 100 points for downloading the toolbar and keeping it for 30 days...So confused...but I do have 110 points since signing up...I think I got 100 just for joining...

So, now my searchbar has dissapeared...what happened...? Do I need to open a new window...? Oh, yeah, hey, it came back with the new window...so on we go! (Cool side note: it displays a counter for the amount of points you have earned.)
3. dadada (yes, that's what I put in...)
Came up with a Police video from their song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMikAeK8rL0
Along with the German band Trio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Da_Da_Da
There is no way I am going to list all 30-something searches here...I'll just do it really quickly and hope I keep an accurate count...where was I again?...3, right?

I am punching in random letters to see what happens...this is going to take forever...I'm on four, that's progress, right? Uh-huh. Yeah, it won't let me do random...it says "there's an unexpected error." I wonder if they count that? Probably not, so 4 doesn't count...Time to dig out the old pen and paper for a little tallying.
I'm looking up my family members' names to see how famous they are...I mean, how famous the people who have their names are...anyway, you should try it; it's kinda cool. Hey guess what? This girl, she's written a really cool story on webook called Waiting for the Mailman (www.webook.com/project/waiting-for-the-mailman.com), shares my name...oh, wait that's me! LOL! I shock myself sometimes...
Anyway...I'm at ten...still troubled about the results I got when I looked up my own name! I typed in Faith Green and it knew my middle name...so what if my x husband tried to find my address. Oh, well, you jerk, I live with my shot gun haulin' daddy now! Haha. But really, with the economy the way it is, my parents and I 'came up' with the idea of living together in their 14 room farmhouse and splitting the bills. I say 'came up with' because I think that statement is a joke-didn't our ancestors do this just a few generations ago? Maybe it wouldn't work if we didn't get along, but doesn't it make sense on the economic level (as long as the house is as big as this one)? I mean, why waste money on seperate living arrangements and, later, nursing homes? But that's for another blog...here we go again...
While waiting for my search to go (it's actually quite fast by the way) I found a summary on my account page. Here is what I have gotten points for so far:
Pending (06-07-09)
Publishers Clearing House Web Offer Registration
Earn +100 Points
(When did I do that? Oh, wait...I think that's the very first thing I did.
I didn't realize it had anything to do with this site...sorry guys. I
think it comes up as a window when you go to mypoints.com)

2. 05-07-09
New Member Profile Completed
Earn +5 Points
(Now that I did do. It's just filling in your name, etc. when you
sign up.)
3. 05-07-09
MyPoints Toolbar
(We know I did that; we'll see if they come through on their end
of the bargain...)
4. 05-07-09
MyPoints Questionnaire
+5 Points
(that was the few questions I clicked yes or no to under 'tell
us and earn money')
Back to searching...
'Sorry, there were no results returned for frog.' Can you believe that?! What, there are no websites about frong-I doubt that.
Did you know you can type the word rewards with very few fingers and only one hand...the word only too...that's kinda cool...simple minds...
Up to twenty, I need to stop getting side-tracked. It's almost eleven pm and I need to finish this before bed...sigh...
Another cool thing: there is a web search and a merchant search, so if you like online shopping, the toolbar may really be worth it.
On a totally seperate note...I really like my Acer computer mouse. I'm using it on my bed, on top of the comforter, with no solid base, and it is working very well...the little things in life....ahhh.
Omg...I just thought of something...I've been using the search bar on the website instead of the one on the toolbar...I don't know if that makes a difference, but I don't want to take any chances...I'll pick this up again in the morning...Night all!