Swagbucks redux: Extra points for newbies, and bigger wins on Tax Day.

thI’ve written before about Swagbucks, the rewards site that awards points for doing things like online searches, playing games, taking surveys, watching short videos and keeping an eye out for special codes.

You can trade the points (“Swagbucks,” or SBs for short) for gift cards or other goods, or use them to enter contests. My favorite premium is the Amazon gift card, which let me do a fair amount of birthday and Christmas shopping for free last year.

I’m something of a brand evangelist for the site, and not just because I get extra points for referring newbies. Of all the programs out there, this is my favorite because it’s easy, it pays out things people want and it has a sense of fun.

So yes, I think you should join, with or without my referral link – and through May 31 newcomers can get an extra incentive.

Normally you get 30 SBs when you sign up. But through April 30, Swagbucks newcomers can obtain a bonus by registering at this link, clicking the text that reads “I have a sign-up code,” and using the code THRIVING70.

Note: This is a sign-up code, good only when you sign up. When you are filling out the form, click on “I have a sign-up code” — the code is case-sensitive, so it’s all upper-case, no space between “THRIVING” and “70.”

Some of you existing members may be miffed by that bonus, offered as it is only to new users. Although Swagbucks won’t retrofit the extra 70 onto your accounts, the site is offering a special event on Monday, April 15.

A fruitful day

Starting at 12:01 a.m. on tax day, “Double Stuffed Swagbucks” is offering double payout on certain opps, including the daily poll, NOSO, toolbar installation, games wins (up to 20 total) and SBTV (up to 300 total).

(Hint: Among the things you can watch on SBTV are movie previews; look under “Entertainment.” Another easy/fun category is “Food,” which can make you think you can cook what they’re showing – or it can just make you hungry.)

In addition, all the Shop & Earn stores will offer double SBs per dollar spent, you’ll get double entries if you enter the “Swagstakes” for the iPad Mini, iPod Touch or iPod Nano, and Swagbucks will release Swag Codes totaling 30 SBs during the day. Stay tuned.

Speaking of Swag Codes: As of Friday, it is now legal to share active codes. I’ll put them up on Facebook and Twitter when I see them, henceforth and forevermore.

Let me conclude with my own version of the Swagbucks daily poll:

When you read the phrase “Double Stuffed Swagbucks,” did you think of…

A. Oreos (even though they spell it differently)

B. Pizza

C. Really chubby plush animals

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26 thoughts on “Swagbucks redux: Extra points for newbies, and bigger wins on Tax Day.”

  1. I’ve been doing Swagbucks for some time now, and I think I may have learned of them from your column.

    My only complaints are that, one, they NEVER let me take a survey. Apparently as an old white woman in the suburbs I’m not on anyone’s list to sell things to. 😉

    Secondly, lately they have been insisting I “sign in” every single day. It’s so irritating that I have temporarily stopped using them.

    Have you had either of these problems?

    Reply
    • I only get asked to sign in if I’ve closed my browser. And yeah, I rarely get to do surveys either. Sometimes, but not as often as the target demographics folks.
      Don’t forget to do the daily survey (28-31 extra SBs per month), and to check in either at my Facebook page or the Swagbucks Facebook page for Swagcodes. They almost always have at least one per day, and sometimes more than one — and on the “Swagbucks Extravaganza” days they’ll post multiple codes.

      Reply
      • Okay this is REALLY embarassing,(but I AM 64) but what do you mean by closing your browser?

        Isn’t your browser closed every time you get off your computer?

        Reply
  2. Tried to sign up using the code you gave us but it did not register the code..I did sign up but did not get the extra credits 🙁

    Reply
    • Please send your sign-up name to me at SurvivingAndThriving (at) live (dot) com. I’ll contact Swagbucks and find out how to get that credited.
      Thanks.

      Reply
      • I too signed up a minute ago and it looks like I didn’t get my sign up bonus either having used your THRIVING70 code. My sign-up name is Cama3221. Thanks!

        Reply
    • Just not crazy about the double-stuf (or however they spell it) brand of Oreos. Too much sugar. Lately I’ve become much fonder of the Golden Oreos anyway. Fortunately I hardly ever buy them (twice a year, maybe) because they’re way too easy to eat.

      Reply
  3. Signed up for Swagbucks. Watched several videos this morning, but I don’t seem to have received credit. How do you know if they give you credit and what do you do if they do not? At the rate I’m going, it will be years before I can redeem my points.

    Reply
    • Sometimes you have to do a second step, e.g., hitting “continue,” to get the credit. It also helps to refresh the page, or the click on the little green box with your SB total to have it refresh with the new number.
      Also: Some surveys don’t credit right away, and others do. If you take any, prepare to wait a bit.
      If it keeps happening, there’s a “contact us” or help section at the very bottom of the page.
      Thanks for reading (and for joining!).

      Reply
  4. OREOS of course…Very fond memories of this treat with milk with DD’s, Crazy thing …one was a “dipper” (dipped the cookie in the milk)the other was not. You are a “super-fan” of the SwagBucks…I’ll have to look into this.

    Reply
  5. So Donna, I just had to run by and THANK YOU for turning me on to SwagBucks, I’m having a lot of fun learning my way around! After hitting 28 SBs on a search this morning, I sent a screen shot to my DF and captioned it “WINNING!” I’m going to sock away my bucks until Christmas and put them toward a toy purchase for the granddarlings. Just a little love from Missouri (forecast high 72 degrees today, and no whale on the menu!)

    Reply
    • You’re so welcome — and I, too, tend to stockpile until Christmas.
      Don’t forget to check the Swagbucks Facebook page periodically — when you see “thanks for the code” comments, start looking for it via the Swagbucks widget on this site or just based on the hints in the comments. In fact, some people actually post the code with their thank-yous, since that’s now permissible.
      And don’t forget to recommend your own friends join, in order to receive referral bucks. See the FAQ section of the site for more.
      Thanks for reading, and for leaving a comment.

      Reply
  6. I want to thank you so much for telling me about Swagbucks. People on the page told me about other sites. Between all of them (there are 5 now) I bring how 140.00 a month. That doesn’t count the Walmart gift cards I buy groceries with. I stock pile them to go grocery shopping with. This has come in so handy. I’m for one glad your back, you have wonderful ideas that are practical. Thanks Cathy

    Reply
    • So glad that you’re able to bring in a little extra each month. It can come in very handy indeed.
      Thanks for your kind words, and for reading Surviving and Thriving.

      Reply
    • I have not had a problem with spam since signing up for Swagbucks. Some people do start separate e-mails just for offers like this, though.

      Reply

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