The Green Cup

Sometimes I wonder why it is so hard for me to share the stuff I discover and learn while I am in Grad School, and other times I know why I don't. 

What my school calls me and my fellow classmates to do is super hard.

We are asked to explore until we reach our depths and then dig even deeper.

Sometimes we have vulnerability hangovers and we wonder if another cup of coffee will help us overcome it.

We are doing hard work; very, very, very hard work.

And while we are doing this work we see all the work that other people are not working on.

And sometimes it is sad to watch, other times anger inducing, and other times laughable because I'm paying to do this and then getting frustrated that others are not.

And then on top of all of this, we sometimes find the urge to share what we are learning with others which is why I am here today.

In class we started talking about a green cup.

Now this green cup is not real, but we all believe it is.

Lost, yet? Okay, let me explain.

The green cup is you or me or any human being in the world.

Then there is a white cup and that's also you or me or any human being in the world.

But the thing with the green cup is that it's not really you or me or any human being in the world. The green cup is the you or me or any human being in the world that has been created in our mind by others.

So the green cup is when you think you're being kind to your best friend telling her that her ex is a total loser and then she yells at you for being un-supportive and mean because you don't respond the way she wants you to. The green cup now tells you you're a mean person while the white cup says you are a kind person.

Or the green cup is when you say no to the 15th event you have been invited to this month because you cannot handle anymore events and everyone says you are being so selfish for putting yourself first. The green cup now tells you that you are a selfish person while the white cup says you know your limit.

And the crazy thing is that we convince ourselves the green cup is really who we are when in all reality we are the white cup.

Okay, you all probably think I'm crazy by now, but think about it.

Why is it so easy to believe that the green cup is reality?

Why do we choose to put others ideas of who we are above our own opinions of ourselves?

In my school, we are being called to question the white and green cup constantly.

We are asked to explore what is truth and what is reality and what is not.

We are called to trust ourselves, to believe in ourselves, and to give ourselves grace in the midst of the chaos that is created when deciding if you are the green cup or the white cup.

It is much easier for me to see the white cup in others, especially those I care most about.

It is easier for me to see their goodness above their occasional badness.

It is easier to see their beauty even if they see ugly.

But it is much harder for me to see my own beauty and goodness.

We are beautiful and we are good and we are the white cup.

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Year 3 of Grad School

I've been wanting to share with all of you what classes I am taking this term and all the learning that comes with it.

I haven't done a video blog in a while so I thought I would share what I'm learning through a video this week!

Hope you enjoy!

Just to summarize:

I am in Psychopathology 1 learning about mental disorders and Practicum 2 counseling my classmates. 

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Seattle Fall Bucket List

What's so beautiful about Fall is that it sends a wave of inspiration through everyone.

It calls for new styles, new looks, new views, new everything.

It's a time to try new things and make new plans for the end of the year.

Fall also has a different experience depending on where you live.

Falls for me used to consist of finally getting to wear a sweatshirt for the first time, jumping in huge piles of leaves, and taking a family Christmas picture in the woods.

Since moving to Seattle, I have gotten to experience a different view of Fall.

Here are some of my every year bucket list of ideas to do in the Fall in Seattle.

1. Starbucks

It's Seattle! What did you expect me to Say?

Grab it before you go on a walk, take a friend to have a long chat, or go and write down your monthly goals. The city of Seattle is alive because of the coffee in our system. Join the party!

2. Enjoy the views.

Explore the city, climb a mountain, take pictures. 

Everywhere you turn is a perfect picture moment.

Document it!

3. Go exploring.

The state of Washington has some pretty wet weather coming up. 

This is the time to use up those few sunny days and to go exploring. 

We have mountains, water, and plenty of safe hikes for all different levels.

4. Ferry Ride

I'm biased as I only tend to ride the ferries during the fall. 

There's just something about transportation via a boat that is fall-like to me.

5. Pumpkins

Patch em', Carve em', paint em', eat em'!

Whatever you do, make sure your list includes Pumpkins.

Now you go and create your fall bucket list!

And if you need help along the way, Eventbrite is here to help!

Whether you're planning a small shindig or a blowout event, these are the people to your rescue!

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A Long Engagement

It's been about 9 months since I said "YES!" to marrying the man of my dreams.

I've shared a little bit about our future wedding plans, but today I want to share why we are choosing to have a long engagement.

1.| Schooling.

I am in my 3rd out of 4 years of graduate school at the moment and I really do not want to start a marriage while being in school. Because of school we would have had to get married in the summer and next year I start my internship. I know the first year of marriage is a lot of adjustment, learning how to live with the other sex, and just a lot of work. I do not want to add an internship on top of that.

2.| Brother-in-law and Sister-in-law.

My fiance's brother proposed to his girlfriend three weeks before we got engaged. 

I want them to be able to do all the wedding/marriage stuff first since they are older and got engaged first. Plus, I think it's fair to give my fiance's family a year between weddings.

3.| International Family

My mother's side of the family is all international. In order for any of these relatives who want to come for the wedding in either Seattle or Indiana, we need to give them ample time to save, prepare, and plan. International flights are not cheap and coordinating a big trip like that takes some time.

4.| Money

We really do not want to have debt from one event in our lives.

Yes, it is a major event, but it is not worth going into debt for. 

We are taking the extra time to search thoroughly on all of our vendors/options and saving for the big day.

5.| No rush.

Of course I would love to be married right now, but the timing in our lives is just busy, busy, busy and we need more time to prepare for the day we say "I Do." 

Some days I wish it was here already and other days I am enjoying this period of being engaged and dreaming and planning for out future life together.

Do you know of anyone who has had a long engagement?

Any advice or suggestions for us along the way?

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To the Greatest Woman Alive

Obviously one of these women is me and I am not about to write about how I am the greatest woman alive. The other woman is my mother and today is her birthday. 

For the longest time I always thought my mother's birthday was on October 3rd. 

Why? I have no idea. I just could not get it in my head it was the 2nd of October.

And then I moved away and I never forgot the date again.
Life is weird sometimes.

Anyways, back to the woman above.

I know we all think we have the best mother, but here's why mine is THE best!

1. Hospitality.

There cannot be anyone else more hospitable than my mom.

She has taught me how to throw an awesome party, how to treat people when they come into your home, and how to give them the best goodbyes.

Thanks to her my friends only wanted to have parties at my house which made my house "the cool house."

Oh, we also always had a freezer packed with pizza rolls and fish sticks.

If you haven't had those together, go to the store and try it!

It's awesome!

2. Confidence.

My mom is 5 foot, if that.

But her confidence makes her taller than she seems.

This woman instilled in me to stand taller than I am, think smarter than I am, and be better than I am. She taught me that I determine where I stand, not others.

Thanks to her I do not get walked all over by people.

3. Love

Some people think love means being supported, cared for, desired, etc.

And yes, it does mean that.

But my mother taught me a type of love that I think some never experience.

My mom taught me to love from a distance.

She allowed me to make my own mistakes, to learn how to say "I'm sorry," and to learn how to ask for forgiveness. 

This is love people.

Love cares, desires, hopes for, and pushes you to learn.

I could go on and on, but these are the top reasons why the greatest woman alive is my mother and is the reason to celebrate her today!

Happy Birthday Mom!

I love and miss you tons!

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October Goals

Happy Fall Ya'll!

One of my most favorite things about fall is driving down the road and seeing the leaves on the tree's change colors. Luckily, Seattle has had very few rainy days which means I have been able to enjoy the fall transition more this year!

Of course today is the start of a new month which means new goals to share with you!

My goals were super easy last month and wouldn't you know I actually did a really good job avoiding Starbucks. Apparently you have to not make it a goal to actually succeed at that one!

October Goals

 1.| Eat Breakfast.

I have never been a big breakfast eater, but I got into a good routine this summer about eating it everyday. But lately I've been waking up not hungry and just skipping breakfast altogether. 

I know it's essential to eat something every morning so my goal is to eat one thing if and when I feel hungry.

2.| Try a little harder at the gym.

I'm over the stage of just going to the gym and making that a goal.

I've accomplished that and now I realized I need to start pushing myself more.

My goal is to at least have one of my workouts during the week leaving me sore the next day.

My current gym rotation is always 20 minutes of cardio and then I focus on my arms, legs, or abs. 

3.| Drink more water.

I do not typically have a problem with this, but I saw how important it was to focus on this after not drinking enough water this weekend. My whole body felt out of it and I got a charlie horse in my leg! I have a Starbucks 24 oz. cup and my goal is to drink at least 3 full cups a day with a hope of doing 4 a day. 

It seems as the month of October may be a focus on health for my goals this month.

What are your goals?

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2 Years

2 years ago I could not have imagined I would be where I am today

with you.

I never would have imagined OkCupid! would be the way I would meet my future husband, but it worked out in our favor. You've taught me to love Sushi, fast cars, tool's, and the color Red.

I've learned more about Mine-craft than I could ever care to know and you've started to speak in psychological lingo.

You've treated me to one too many Starbucks's dates, plenty of Mexican dinners, and ice-cream sundae runs when I am feeling blue.

 You were patient as I cried every few weeks about whether you and I were going to have a future together and created the most beautiful proposal that I never could have imagined. 

You've loved me through all the grad school tears, the tears because I miss my family and friends, and tears for silly things. And the way you comfort and make me feel safe and secure in your arms is something I will never tire of.

 You continually remind me that it is all going to be okay and never judge me when I come home with a shopping bag. 

I love you more than words can say and am so happy to have spent 730 days of my life with you so far.

Happy Anniversary to my ride or die!

I love you!

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My First Job

I have a lot of amazing memories from my first job.

I was 16 and I wanted a job so bad.

Weird, right? Most 16 year old's do not want to work.

But I have always been an independent, hard worker and I think I just needed to have a way to provide for myself.

My parent's eventually agreed to let me search for one and I began to the process.

I cannot remember all the places I applied to.

It eventually came down to the YMCA and a restaurant called Piper's.

I interviewed at the YMCA and remember being super terrified. 

It was my first interview ever and I had no idea I needed to have questions ready to ask them and I just had zero ideas about what I was getting into.

Piper's was a little easier. 

I went in to fill out my application.

Met with one of the owner's and that was it.

YMCA offered me a job, but I wanted to think about it.

For some reason, I wanted the job at Piper's so bad.

I should preference that my best friend worked for the catering side of the restaurant and I thought it would be awesome to work alongside my best friend.

I wanted the job so bad that I emailed the owner practically begging for the job.

She gave me a trial run as a hostess for the upcoming Friday night.

I came in and learned all that a hostess does and next thing I knew I was being offered a job.

I worked for Piper's for 7 years and while it was not always easy, I absolutely loved my job.

I was a hostess and eventually moved to serving.

I bussed a lot of tables, dealt with ridiculous customer requests, and shared a lot of laughs with my co-workers.

Not all people can say they loved their first job and that they miss it, but I can.

Piper's became a home and a family for me.

I will always love my first job.
Thanks to TheLadders for the inspiration for this post!
TheLadders is a great resource to use when searching for a job, seeking career advice, or seeing what's out there for you!

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Welcome to this Blog!

I was so honored to have a spotlight appearance on Angie's Blog this weekend.

It was my first spotlight ever and I am hoping some day when finances are not so tight that I can do that more often.

With that said, I realize I may have had some new visitors to this place and I'd love to let you know more about me.

1.| I am a graduate student studying to get my masters in Counseling Psychology.

I spend most of my days studying between jobs and reading lots of books.

This is the big red building I attend.

I'm in year 3 out of 4 which means this year is filled with studying Psychopathology, practicing counseling on classmates, and gearing up to apply for internships!

2.| I'm from Indiana but moved to Washington!

Both of these places are home to me. My entire family is in Indiana, but I am growing my family in Washington.

3.| I got engaged this year on my birthday!

This man is the love of my life. He is Washington born and bred and I'm the mid-west girl.

We met on a dating app, started dating a month after our first date and have been inseparable since.

4.| Blogging on this site can be sparse some months and very busy other months.

Because my head is typically wrapped up in a book from August until June it can be difficult for me to get the creative side of me rolling. But there are also months where this is the space where I get away from the psychological mindset. I've been blogging for 6 years now and I just have never been one to blog consistently. I try hard to, but I believe this space is more for me than anyone else. 

Welcome if you're new, hello again if you're returning, and I'll see you soon!

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Currently...September

Currently

|Listening|

Best of Kygo.

I'm obsessed with all the songs!

|Eating|

From home a lot.

I ate out a lot with my nanny kids and I missed eating at home so much.

Leftovers are my jam!

|Drinking|

Lots of water and homemade iced mocha's.

Can you believe I didn't say Starbucks?

|Wearing|

It's finally not hot which means sweaters, jackets, and these two new target shirts

|Feeling|

Very happy I started school assignments early.

So much reading and so little time!

|Wanting|

Saturday to be here quicker so that I can go explore Portland for the first time ever!

Send me suggestions if you have any!

|Needing|

My in-laws cats to stop waking me up at 5 a.m.

|Thinking|

How grateful I am to breathe in a new day and to start with a clean slate.

|Enjoying|

The weather, the season, people, and life.

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September Goals

First off, let me just admit that I failed as a blogger this month.

I blogged a total of two times. 

With vacations, long work days, and throwing myself into school work I just lost the time.

And I'll be honest, it was nice not to make this a priority in my life.

This is a space for me to simply share with others.

Maybe some day it'll become a business for me, but for now it's just my journal I'm sharing with everyone.

Okay Recap of August Goals:

August Goals

1.| No Starbucks! 

I'm going to allow myself Starbucks on my trip to Washington D.C.

But I will make my espresso at home for this month.

Haha once again this never happens. I'll be sure not to make it a goal this month.

2.| Stick to my 30 Day Strength Builder challenge!

I am on week two this week and so far I'm going strong.

Other than a week of being sick, I am still finishing up my challenge!

3.|Get a head start on school work.

Just waiting on the syllabus to come out

I would say I worked hard and I got a lot of reading down. Hopefully the stress will be minimal this term.

4.| Save, Save, Save

I've got a Christmas plane ticket to save for and my wedding.

I'm going to do my best at avoiding my urge to new school year clothes shop.

I think I did good at this? Not a ton of side job money this month, but I did make $100 in poshmark sales so that helps!

September Goals:

1.| Stay on top of gym time.

After being sick for a week, I kind of lost the motivation to push myself to the gym, but I am determined to use the gym as a stress reliever for school.

2.| Watch what I eat.

Summer nanny meant eating out a lot and not focusing on what I ate. I want to be more conscious of what I am filling myself with and ensure it's energy boosting and only a cheat meal every once in a while.

3.| Enjoy the fall weather.

This is the season I love and I want to make the most out of it.

What are you planning on achieving this month?

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Current Loves

I'm on Vacation this week! 

No I did not go any where because I'm going to Washington D.C. in a few weeks.

So this is a stay-cation and I'm living it up pretending to be a housewife.

I thought I would share with you a few of the things I am currently loving.

1.| My new bag from Target. 

I tried to talk myself out of this because it's more of a weekend tote bag, but I love Aztec prints and I just couldn't resist. 

You can find it here. And it's on sale!

2.| I'm always loving this guy, but I am currently practicing my wifely duties and cooking delicious meals that he wants to gulf down and I love that!

It also happens to be 1 year and 10 months we've been dating.

I know some people think it's silly to remember these dates, but it's fun to think about all that has happened since we started dating so I will continue to celebrate each month!

3.| I found this book at a garage sale and snagged it up. 

I cooked my first recipe from it last night and it is true that they only take 30 minutes and it's so much better than take-out. I highly suggest finding it. Plus the woman cooks with wine which I got to do for the first time last night and it was awesome!

4.| Eventrix.com is teaching me how to bar-tend and barista this week. 

And I got an awesome deal on groupon for the class. 

I will definitely look into more classes with them.

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Vulnerability

If there is one thing I have learned from the last two years of being in graduate school, living in Seattle, and forming a relationship with my soon-to-be-husband, it is that communication requires a lot of vulnerability.

I always thought I was really good at stating my needs, wants, and desires, but truth is I am not.

And I started to wonder why that was the other day.

Why do I feel scared when I'm about to tell my fiance how I really feel about something?

Why do I avoid stating my beliefs in class?

Why is it so easy for me to give advice to others but not accept my own?

And I pondered and realized because vulnerability is right around the corner about to pop out at me when I am in these moments. 

When I tell my fiance my feelings or my hurt I am being vulnerable.

When I speak my truth in class I am being vulnerable.

When I accept my own advice I am being vulnerable. 

And it is so scary.

Vulnerability is hard.

It requires you to stop hiding, to be transparent, and to be wholly you.

It asks you to step onto new terrain with someone or something and hope that you won't be left alone, that you will be understood and heard and known.

But there is beauty when your vulnerability is held and known.

When your fiance listens, responds, and allows your needs to be validated. Your wants allowed. And your desire accepted.

It is beautiful when you are able to share your truth and feel confident that your truth is yours to have and it does not matter if its not the same for another.

And it is beautiful when you can take your own advice and run with it to the end.

I'm not sure where you are in life but I hope you're engaging your vulnerability and that you are discovering people who push you to be vulnerable, who require it of you, and ask it of you.

Because I truly believe that your vulnerability is beautiful, it is welcomed, and it is desired.

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You Probably Don't Know...Link-up!

I feel like I share a lot on here so you may already know some of this stuff, but here it goes!

You probably don't know...

1. That I'm half-British. 

This was the cool fact I shared about myself as a kid.

Whether half-British is a thing or not, I say I am.

My father's American and my mother is British.

Therefore I'm half-British.

2. I'm having two weddings.

Because I'm clearly royalty!

(read above if you don't get that)

I'm from Indiana; Brad's from Washington.

Therefore two weddings have to happen to appease both sides.

Plus, who would not want to wear their dress as many times as possible?!

3. I went on a mission trip to Nicaragua my senior year of high school.

We tested the water in the community to learn that the water was actually making the community sick. Since our testing, they built a new water system and a road to allow more access tot he community we worked with.

If you're interested in the work that we did and that is still being done, visit Hope Road Nicaragua. 

4. I am a planner.

I do not work well with people who are last minute, spontaneous, etc.

I like my calender's, all 6 of them. 

It's pure joy to plan out the year and fill those calender's up!

5. I love giraffes.

I think I'm obsessed with them because they are tall and I am very short.

I could watch them all day at the zoo.

This makes me laugh every time!

What don't I know about you?

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What I Learned from a Year of Counseling

Today I finished my 40th hour of counseling required of my masters program. Since last July, I have been seeing the same woman every Monday at 10 a.m. I'll be honest and say it was not always easy. When is working on improving who you are ever easy? But I will say it is worth it. A year of counseling teaches you a lot and today I share some of the things I've discovered.

1.    It is possible for a stranger to see who you truly are.

            -I was skeptical at times with my counselor. I thought "There's no way this lady really knows all of me and can even begin the life I've traveled." And guess what, she never admitted she did know all of me or could understand the live I've traveled. She did try to know all of me and try to see life from my shoes. A complete stranger cared enough about me to try and sometimes trying makes all the difference.

2. Whether you think you need counseling or not, just do it.

            -There were so many times I was ready to quit. Some days I felt like I was digging for anything to talk about and other days I had a list of things. But even on those days I felt I had nothing to bring, there was something there. Sometimes it was something I was not saying, sometimes it was something in my unconscious, and often it was just myself lying to myself that I was fine and did not need someone to talk to.

3. It is NOT about the other.

            -What I mean by this is that counseling is not about fixing the other, you know that person who cut you off in traffic, or your mom who yelled at you again, or your boyfriend who cheated on you for the 5th time (Just so you know these do not refer to me, just topics that can come up in counseling). Counseling is about you. It is about exploring who you are, learning your style of relating, discovering more about yourself that you did not know existed, and being real and honest about your life. It is not about your counselor and their agenda; it is simply for you and what you desire.

4. Push through.

            -I learned that if it is not important to me that I will give it up very easily. There were many Monday's where counseling was not a priority for me, but I came. Often I complained about how it was frustrating to be doing something that I am not necessarily choosing. But I pushed through and learned that this is a way I hide sometimes. If you feel like giving it up, maybe it is time for you to give it up, but challenge yourself to push through and I bet you'll discover something about yourself you did not know was there.

5. You're okay.

            -To hear someone say "You're okay" is a beautiful, caring statement. It rings in your ears as acceptance of who you are. It gives you hope that you will overcome or work through whatever is going on in your life. And it gives you some peace about life.

6. The tissue box may become your best friend.

            -Thank God for Kleenexes and a counselor who places them in a convenient place. Welcome this box and accept it. It is there to heal, to hold, and to let you breathe. 

There was so much more I learned along the way, but sharing all is not necessary.

I am thankful for this past year of self-work and having someone who met with me every Monday.

Until next time...

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Ways to Save Money in College

Reminiscing about college always brings back good memories.

Especially when you come across links that just make you crack up!

This week I found myself cracking up at this website sharing ways to save money in college.

Of if it were only that easy!

I decided to share the ways I wish I would have saved money in college.

1.) Budget

Oh dear lord I learned this concept way too late in life.

Whatever you do, be honest about your income and what you can spend money on.

It is not worth the late night taco bell run to go into debt!

2.) Stop driving so much!

For some reason, getting off campus was the thing to do. Walking somewhere seemed crazy especially in the cold. But my campus was small and lots was in walking distance. I could have saved pennies if I would have just walked more often!

3.) Stick to a meal plan!

Junior and Senior year we lived in an apartment and house which meant we cooked more often.

This was also the year I discovered Pinterest and found myself wanting to cook all the recipes I found. There is nothing wrong with that, but when you are on a college budget you cannot always afford to buy ingredients for one meal only. Staples is how you survive a college food budget.

4.) Do not date guys who go to different schools or live far away.

For the two main guys I dated in college, they both went to different colleges so in order to see them it meant driving. And if I'm honest, I did the majority of the driving. Ladies, make friends in college and maybe worry about the dating thing later on. I probably lost $500 in gas money from visiting boyfriends. 

I am sure there are many more ways, but this is definitely what I would have said to my past self!

What are ways you save or would save? 

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Fight Song

Press play NOW!

I discovered this song the other day and I cannot get enough of it.

It's my song for the period of life I feel like I am right now.

I think we are always fighting for ourselves for different reasons.

Sometimes its for a job we've been seeking, sometimes its for health, and other times its to get the best deal possible. 

Right now I've just been fighting to be a better me. 

That means I've been trying to eat better.

I've been recording the food I eat, recording my workouts, weighing in every week, and making smart food choices. 

I am fighting for a healthier me.

I've also been fighting for my voice.

School has taught me that I am often afraid to let myself be heard whether that's my thoughts, feelings or ideas. 

I'm fighting for myself to be able to trust that what I have to say is important and meaningful.

I'm fighting for my relationship.

Nothing is wrong with Brad and I, but I am fighting to be a better fiance everyday.

I'm trying to be more conscious with my words asking myself if I am being encouraging, if I am listening, and if I am building him up rather than tearing him down. 

I could keep going on with the things I am fighting for, but it's not necessary.

I hope this song encourages you like it did me.

What are you fighting for?

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The Journey to Becoming a Psychologist

Oh, dear Lord, if you would have told me two years ago that the amount of personal work that comes with pursuing a masters in counseling degree I would have questioned you. And that's exactly what I did two years ago. I thought I had done all the work. I went to college and matured, right?

I have wanted to scream this so many times. It is a lie that you mature, find your identity, and any other cliche line they feed you when deciding to pursue a career, a degree, or anything after high school. Maturity comes when you do self-work and for me maturity is coming with pursuing my masters. I totally thought I knew myself through and through. I was going into this work to help others discover themselves, not me. 

Oh Rachel, you were so wrong. 

My masters program requires 40 hours of personal counseling.

I am on the last 4 hours of my 40 required and I am in this odd place.

On the one hand I am so excited to being almost done. I have been dying for the day when I can stop spending around $200 a month to work on myself.

Then there is the other part of me who, as much as it is hard to admit, does not want to end because there is still so much work to do.

And now I have thrown myself in to group counseling on top of individual counseling and I am wondering what in the world I was thinking. Yes, I am learning a lot, but my goodness it is hard. For any of you that do not believe in counseling, go to one group therapy session and you'll see how difficult the work people are doing is. It is good work, but it is so hard to do.

I am not really sure where I was going with this post other then to share part of my life at the moment and this journey I am on to begin my dream career. Be kind to those that pursue to better themselves, to those that go to counseling, leave counseling, or even consider counseling. The journey is not an easy one, but it is a brave one.

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Swagbucks

About a month ago, I took some pinterest advice and re-introduced myself to Swagbucks

I used to do this in college, but I really didn't have the time to spend on it.

Now I sometimes still do not have the time, but I often find myself doing something on the computer which creates time for me. I am a huge multi-tasker so I am that girl with multiple browsers open at one time. 

Swagbucks is basically a website that allows you to earn their "swagbucks" which can then be exchanged for gift cards. The gift cards can be to Starbucks, Target, Amazon, restaurants, and many more places. I love Starbucks, shop frequently at Target, and do most of my Christmas and school shopping through Amazon. It was a no brainer for me to start using Swagbucks. 

It's hard to explain the site without seeing it for yourself, but I will talk about the ways you can earn bucks.

1.) Just going to the website each day earns you just one swagbuck. Do that once a day and you've almost earned a $5 gift card. It may not be much, but you're on the computer anyways so why not visit and earn yourself a gift card.

These are just a few of the gift cards you could earn. 

2.) Surveys: This is where you earn the most bucks. Some surveys take five minutes others can take 50 minutes, but on average they are 20 minutes. The surveys can be frustrating at times because you do not always qualify for them or you're taking a survey and it decides you are not qualified halfway through. Good news is that you typically in at least 1 swagbuck for attempting the survey. While these surveys may not be as much fun as the Family Feud surveys, they are still worth your time if you have some. Plus these are perfect for binge watching Netflix Saturday's.

3.) Watching video's: Watch 10 swagbuck video's in a row and you can earn 3 swagbucks. I do this everyday when I am at my computer. I open a browser for the video and click on a new video about every minute. It's easier to click next while reading emails, doing school assignments, etc.

4.) Shopping: Are you a shopaholic? If you love buying the clothes, why not reward yourself at the same time to get a gift card to buy more clothes later? GENIUS! 

You can earn bucks for what you buy online. Recently, I bought a plane ticket through Expedia and earned Swagbucks through my purchase. 

There are many other ways to earn Swagbucks but these would be where I would direct you to. 

Check out the website for yourself and give it a try. Worst case scenario is that you hate it and you move on. 

Click here to try it out for yourself!

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