Writer's Access

Here's another opportunity for the writers out there. Writeraccess.com is somewhat like Demand Studios where you can choose the articles that you would like to write. When you register with writer access, you have to submit a few articles that you have written in order to receive your writer level. The prospective articles will then be listed by level and you will be able to choose from any articles on your level or below, but not above your level.


I submitted a few articles that I have written for Demand Studios in the past. If you have read my blog or work for Demand, you know that some of the editors can be very picky and there are specific guidelines that you must follow in order to have your article approved for publication. With that said, writer access only gave me a level 3 for my writing. Not bad, but the 4s and 5s get paid significantly more for articles. The application process is a bit tedious, as you are expected to give a specific number of articles you have written and been paid for around a certain topic, which can prove to be very time consuming (plus honestly, I haven't kept track of how many articles I have written around one specific subject). 


I have not had much luck with this website for a few reasons. First of all, most of the articles are 4s or 5s, however even when they are level 3 articles they are typically snatched up pretty quickly. Also, article are not always available and the que is cleared out rather fast. They send out emails when there are articles available, however they send them out to all of the levels, so I've wasted a lot of time logging in to browse through the que only to have none in my level. The emails also seem to be sent out around 5am est, so by the time I open the email, the majority of the articles have already been taken. 


So, I basically have no way of increasing my writing level because I can't get any articles unless I am up and online at 5am (which I am not!). Even though I haven't had much luck with this website, I wanted to pass the word along in case anyone else wants to give it a try. If you have had an experience, good or bad, with writer access, feel free to leave a comment and tell me about it!

Sidetick: Getting Paid to be Social

I've recently run across Sidetick. It is a social network that pays. You earn points for doing various things such as responding to a blog, opening messages sent to you, or getting visitors to your page, that you can then trade in for cash. I have already earned around $5 from it and have only spent a few minutes a day on it. I have seen proof of payment from other people, so this is legit. Once you reach $25, you can request payout via paypal.  You can also earn points by getting new people to join under you, and then from people they get to join..etc.. Most of you know how the pyramid scheme works. If you use my link to join, we will automatically be friends, so if you decide to join, be sure to let me know you came from my blog! It makes me feel good to now that someone reads this! haha! Apart from earning potential, you can also use sidetick to promote  your blog or website, so that makes it even better!

Rip Off Scam Alert: Walmart Secret Shopper

Earlier today, my husband opened the front door and there was a U.P.S. envelope in it. Hmm, what could this be?? I thought it was odd, but figured it was a sample or something free that I signed up for. I look at the return address and it doesn’t look familiar at all....

Still thinking it was a freebie or something, I open the envelope and find this:

Wowzers $1,467. Where did this come from??? That’s all that’s in the envelope, just this check, nothing else. I don’t get too excited because I know I’m not expecting something like this. I also notice that the name and address on the check is different from the return address on the envelope. I begin to search the return address on the envelope and it is some sort of fabricating factory. Hmmm..... My husband called them and they had no idea what it was and said a few weeks earlier they had a problem with people hacking into their U.P.S. account or something like that. I then research the return name and address on the check. A bar association? Isn’t that for like.. lawyers?? I find a website for them and my husband calls them and gets the run around because no one knows what is going on or what the check is for.

Then a light bulb went off in my head. I remembered that a few weeks ago, I responded to something somewhere regarding doing secret shopper walmart surveys, where you take a survey about your trip to various walmarts. I filled out the application but then got a very odd email back. The email was full of grammatical errors and sounded extremely unprofessional, saying that I will receive a check in the mail soon and to contact them as soon as I receive it. I immediately deleted it because I knew it sounded way too odd. Luckily, it was still in my trash folder so I pulled it back up and emailed the guy back telling him that I received this check and was it from him? I look in my spam folder and see another email that was sent yesterday, telling me that I should receive my check soon and what I need to do. It stated this was my first “task”, and my directions were to cash the check immediately at my local walmart or bank, then spend $60 at Walmart, keep $40 for gas, $400 for my task “payment”, then send the remaining almost $1,000 via Western Union to:
Cedric Roy
Address:109 Hair St
New Orleans , La 70012

..and when I’m done shopping at Walmart, I’m supposed to answer questions such as: "Smartness of the attendant" ..seriously? Smartness??? … and the end of the assignment went like this: 

You should please make sure you Execute all the

Assignment today immediately you receive the paycheck and get back at us with a details as requested above.

  Happy Shopping.

Warm Regards!

The Hiring Manager

Soo.. you MIGHT be able to cash the check somewhere immediately, but most Walmarts won’t cash out of state checks and most banks will make you wait a few days for the check to clear. IF you somehow find a way to cash it, you get to keep $500 and send the rest to this Cedric guy. In the meantime, the check will end up bouncing and you may be stuck with charges from your bank, and Mr. Cedric gets all of this money.

Yes, I am putting this guy’s information out here for everyone to see. This is obviously a big fat SCAM. I don’t want anyone to fall for this type of thing and get screwed. This just goes to show you, that you DO have to be careful when it comes to trying to earn money via the internet. I also emailed the guy who sent me all of the information back and told him that if he wants to be successful at scamming people, he should try sounding at least a little bit professional. I also let him know that I will be “outing” him and reporting him to the proper authorities. … Don’t fall for this crap!

Citi Kitty Tuna Treats Review and **Giveaway**

A few weeks ago, my 4 kitties received a wonderful gift in the mail; Citi Kitty Tuna Treat flakes.

At first glance, I have to admit they looked a bit odd because they are flakes of Tuna. I wasn't sure how my cats would react to the flakes, but they love them! My oldest cat is 15 and deaf, and she woke out of a deep sleep just from the smell of the flakes. This container I received is going to last quite awhile because it is packed full. You can add the flakes to your cat's food or give it to them as a special treat. What I really like about the Citi Kitty Tuna Treat Flakes is that they are healthy for cats as well as being delicious to them. They are high in protein and have no artificial fillers or additives, and they give your kitty a nice silky coat. They come in a 2 oz, 6 oz, or 1 lb.  plastic container (which I'm sure I will reuse after these are gone), and the treats don't require any kind of refrigeration; you can store them with your other kitty treats. You can find the treats at www.citikitty.com.

GIVEAWAY

Do you have a special kitty that you would like to treat with these Tuna Treat Flakes? Citi Kitty is offering to give away a 2 oz container to one of our readers!

RULES:

1. Follow this blog.
2. Leave a comment telling us about your special cat or cats, along with your email address. If you don't leave your email address, you will not be eligible to win!

Deadline: January 24, 2011

*I was given a free sample of Citi Kitty Tuna Treats for review on this blog.