Epinions closes the review writing platform

Word broke earlier this month that Epinions is no longer paying writers. February 25, 2014 was the last day that writers could edit content on the review writing platform. Writers are being referred to a FAQ for answers. Yesterday marked the final payout and the end of an era in online writing.

I have written off an on for them since 2001. They were one of the first online writing sites that paid and several people launched new careers because of it. Readers could turn to Epinions for unbiased product reviews long before other review sites developed.

Selling to make money online

A growing pile of medical bills is causing me to evaluate how we're going to become debt free. We're fortunate to have insurance but gee whiz! It's scary that the hospital is generating the statements with lightening speed. They're hitting all at once and I'm starting to look at what we can sell from home to make money.

Are you in the same boat? If so, be sure to leave a comment below. This post might create income generating ideas that we can all use.

It's a no-brainer that to make money you must have a product to sell. My mother used to say "you've got the gift of gab". She didn't mean it as a complement but it's become a productive skill. :-)

My blogs and content writing sites like Yahoo! Voices, RedGage and ExpertsPages earn money. I'm using the funds to reduce debt and pay off the medical bills. Some sites make more than others and blogging is my top priority.

Blogging earns the most income and the content sites come in next. While RedGage is the rock bottom, it's also the only fully transparent site. Flipping through the photos that are posted helps me earn income from home. Take a look at my work by pasting this link into your browser. http://www.redgage.com/youvebeenreviewed

My coyote mug on Zazzle

eBay is the answer to what can I sell online from stuff around the house. I have successfully done this in the past and may do so again. Every time you list something your reputation is at stake. Look at what you have to sell from home and post only the very best items. Accurately calculate shipping by packing and weighing the boxes ahead of time.



Clint Barber seems to have a unique way to make money from home. His site is What can I sell to make money online? You might find it interesting. Copy and paste this url into browser http://whatcaniselltomakemoneyonline.com/about-me/

My Zazzle store is rapidly rising to the top of my charts. You can find my travel photos on postcards, mugs, mousepads and note cards. Last week I sold a few hundred note cards. It's validating that you like the products so much and the money helps. Mugs are great gifts and cards are a good way to keep in touch. Why not take a look at the store?  You might find something that you like there. My Zazzle url is http://www.zazzle.com/gaylecrabtree

Without you, the medical bills would sink my ship. Amazon store sales on My Out of Debt Journey, page views on RedGage, Yahoo! Voices and the content sites all help me make money online from home. I'm looking forward to reading your comments in the section below. Sing out and let us all know what you think.

My RedGage earnings are adding up

It's become ever more clear that increasing my income is necessary to get out of debt. Redgage is a website that helps me earn money on my photos. Each time a photo is viewed it earns a little bit. Right now the payout is .73 per 1,000 page views. It doesn't sound like much but it adds up.

I've been a member for a couple of years but have only recently ramped up the time I spend on RedGage. The minimum withdrawal amount is $25 and I've hit that twice so far. You can view my current earnings on www.redgage.com/youvebeenreviewed.

Bonuses are another way that my articles and photos produce extra earnings. A bonus can range from a few dollars up to a $25 daily raffle win. You never know if you going to get a bonus or win the raffle but it can't hurt to try.

Granted, I'm not going to get rich from RedGage. However; the amount that I've earned will put a half tank of gas in the car, make a co-pay or pick up a prescription. Who knows where it will take me beyond that?

Top reasons to write online at the Yahoo Contributor Network

This article continues discussing the online writing sites that I use. It is the second in a series. Read the first article on this link. Writing online has been helping me get out of debt. I hope it helps you also.

My favorite writing site is...

The Yahoo Contributor Network (YCN)! Ever since 2008, YCN (formerly Associated Content) has been and still is my favorite online writing site. The company and has a long history of buying content and paying reliably via Pay Pal. Community members help you along the way. It's hard to ask for more.

Getting started is easy
They will ask for a photo of yourself and a  writing sample of your work. Expect the process to take up to two weeks to get set up with them. At some point you will need to provide tax information. Once you are set-up and the paperwork processed you are good to go.

Writers may create articles on any and submit them. There are three different options for payment. Here is the breakdown

Exclusive –

The company makes an offer on the work you created. They then own the rights to it. Most of the work is also eligible for performance payments.

Non-exclusive with an upfront payment –

This is the same as above except the writer owns the rights to the work. Articles are eligible for performance payments.

Display Only –

Typically these are photos, recipes, short stories or poetry. Articles declined for upfront payment may be submitted as 'display only'. The writer owns all rights to the work and can take it down or adjust it as desired. Articles only earn performance bonuses.

Performance bonuses – 

This income is based solely on the performance of the articles. Currently, payment ranges from $1.50 to $2.00 per a combined 1,000 page views.

I submit all my articles for an up-front payment offer. Sometimes they don't receive an upfront offer and can be submitted as Display Only. When they do receive an offer the amount is usually between $2.00 - $4.00. Three articles a day at an average of $3.00 per day is $9.00. Done for a month the amount is around $270.

Plus, there are the performance bonuses. These are paid monthly on the second Wednesday of each month. 

Articles submitted for upfront payment may take two weeks to be approved. Payment for the individual articles usually takes about two days after an offer is accepted. It may take longer on weekends and holidays. The very general rule of thumb is that if you write almost every day you'll get paid almost every day. (After the two week approval time in the queue.)

An online community is available with forums. Feedback from other writers in the forum can help you write more effectively and earn more money. Forums are valuable for craft development. As with any job the better you are the more money you earn. (next...)

Are you doing any online writing for Factoidz

Another site that I enjoy writing for is a British company called Factoidz. The articles earn page views only. Payment is generated on the first day of the month. Earnings are only based on the amount of the traffic that the articles generate.

Factoidz may not be the site for you if you aren't sure that you can provide solid income earning articles. Writers should be able to create interesting content in an SEO friendly format.

Factoidz - http://www.factoidz.com

There are no thresholds for this site. However, it doesn't pay very well. Earnings are only for page views. In the past year I've earned anywhere from $3.00 in a month up to $60 once. Earnings are inconsistent and are paid monthly.

This company also pays a one-time referral bonus for each writer that you sign up. Right now it is $10.00 for every person who registers under your specific link and publishes 20 articles.

As with Examiner, if you decide to write for Factoidz it is not a requirement that you use my link. In case you want to do so the link http://factoidz.com/earn-revenue-now/2Y4548

Ghostwriting online for Textbroker

This article is the third in the series of online writing sites that I use. As you probably know my family is trying to get out of debt. Each of the online writing sites in this series have allowed me to make extra money to pay those pesky bills. They are legitimate and pay regularly via Pay Pal. 

Here is more about Textbroker - http://www.textbroker.com

Textbroker is a ghostwriting site that definitely has its advantages. After submitting a writing sample and being approved you are assigned a star value and cleared to accept available tasks on your level. Each task has a clearly defined payout and details. Most tasks are in the $1.00 - $4.00 dollar range although some tasks do pay more. 

Clients register with Textbroker and give instructions on what articles are needed and when. Once you complete an order the client owns it. You will be paid for it but your name will never appear on the work nor will credit be given. That's the way that all ghostwriting works. 

After being approved, writers sign into Textbroker to choose the tasks that are available on their level. Once the work is submitted the client can choose to keep it or ask for a revision. These requests are rare. I've been writing on this site since February 2009 and have only been asked for one revision.

Payouts are made on Friday but must be requested by Thursday. There is a $10 threshold. Writers may request payout every week or wait until funds accumulate for awhile before requesting a payout. Waiting has been a nice way for me to save for something special. It's still nice to know that the money can be requested for a Friday payout when needed. (next...)

See my work on Examiner

Examiner is another site that I enjoy writing on. Local content that doesn't go on You've Been Reviewed  is posted here. Pay is steady and the tutorials are great.

Examiner - http://www.examiner.com

It can take two weeks to get set up with this company. Payments are paid out monthly. Keep this in mind if you are trying to make money for Christmas or a bill.  The minimum threshold to receive a payment is $10. I've been able to hit that mark without problem. Earnings of less than that will roll over until the threshold is reached. 

Examiner articles will earn page views. The amount of the page views is not published or shared by Examiner. You will see updated earnings on your reporting page. Each article written can earn a $1.00 up front payment. This caps at five articles per week. 

Writing 10 articles in a month automatically puts you at the $10 threshold for payment. Performance views will add to that. Payment is monthly. Tutorials are available that will walk you through every step of the publishing process.

After you are approved, you can recruit others who might be a good fit for publishing on Examiner. The company pays a one-time referral bonus for each writer that you sign-up. Right now it's $50 but can change or be discontinued at any time. The person who registers must be accepted and publish on Examiner before you receive a referral bonus.

If you decide to write for Examiner you are welcome to do so through the link above. The company won't tell me who (if anyone) registered through the referral link. If you sign up and want a 'thank you' let me know. I appreciate it! (next...)

A successful yard sale is a one day small business

Question: When is a successful yard sale not a yard sale?

Answer: When it's a one day small business.

I wrote something similar to this yard sale article a few years ago. Clients would come into the ministry center asking for help with a bill or gas money. A few dollars made a big difference for some but others needed to develop skills. That's when we decided to create a flier on how to have a successful yard sale. 

Not everyone took us up on it. Those who did looked at successful yard sales in a new way. Clients who didn't have much to sell were helped when we gave a bag or two of excess clothing or other items. The rule was that they had to 'give back' to our organization later in some way and always did.

A successful yard sale is a weekend small business. This article may help you understand why that is. Feel free to share the link to this series with anyone who may be interested. Comments are always welcome. Please post them below.

Start-up money

This is the money you need to get started. Posterboard, magic markers, tables, scissors, pens and tape have to come from somewhere. Take an inventory of what you already have and compare it with what you may need. Anything that you spend will cut into your yard sale profits. Decide how much to spend and where to get the best deal. (Next...)