SwagBucks

There's a new paid to search engine on the horizon that we'll be test driving over the next couple of months - SwagBucks.

Okay, all you hardened money making pros will realise that SwagBucks isn't actually that new, but the reason I'm visiting it now is to fill the void left my Homepages Friends.

Members of SwagBucks use their interface (or browser plugin) to perform web searches. Every so often they are rewarded with SwagBucks, which can subsequently be exchanged for a variety of prizes or even PayPal funds. One of the good things about SwagBucks is that every buck really does have a value and can be instantly redeemed for an MP3 download or similar. After a few days of clocking up SwagBucks you might have enough for a t-shirt, DVD or book from their online store. Currently you can redeem 70 SwagBucks for $5 via PayPal.

It's early days yet, but I'm hoping I can really bring in some extra SwagBucks by promoting the program over at my karaoke blog. I'll let you know how it goes or you can keep an eye on my progress using the widget in the sidebar.

In the meantime if you'd like to try SwagBucks please sign up as our referral.

Another AdBrite Payment

I'm just back from my summer holidays and what better to welcome me home than another check from AdBrite.

This time it's for USD 351.27, which works out at about GBP 215 in my home currency.

I'm a huge fan of AdBrite and with checks like this landing on my doormat every couple of months it's easy to see why.

Anyone interested in learning more about AdBrite, the best AdSense alternative in town, should read our AdBrite review. AdBrite can also be used alongside AdSense as a complimentary revenue stream.

If you find it useful please consider signing up for AdBrite as our referral: Try AdBrite Now

Text Link Ads Revamped

Regular readers of AdSense4Dummies will know that I'm a huge fan of Text Link Ads (TLA). The nice people at TLA have just refreshed their site and improved the affiliate program.

In the past publishers participating in the affiliate program would earn $25 to their PayPal account for every successful publisher or advertiser sign up. This was a nice little bonus but non-recurring.

The new affiliate program pays affiliates a minimum of 10% of their referrals' earnings over two years. This increases to 15% over two years if the affiliate refers more than $5,000 per month of publisher revenue.

The affiliate continues to earn a $25 bonus for each advertiser sign up.

There has never been a better time to try Text Link Ads for yourself. For further information about how the program works read our Text Link Ads review.

Supporting Friends - Charity Begins at Home

It seems Homepages Friends (previously My Search Funds) is undergoing yet another revamp, with the recent unveiling of the new Supporting Friends site.

I have written at length about Homepages Friends so won't go into the fine detail of how the programme works. In a nutshell you sign up, install a search bar in your browser, perform searches and earn a few cents per search.

What makes Supporting Friends different is that all the money earnt goes not to the person performing the searches, but to a charity of their choice instead. This should reduce instances of people making searches just to increase their earnings.

It also means people who honestly use the search box to earn a few dollars are missing out themselves.

I think the people at Homepages Friends (Supporting Friends, or whatever they're called today) have scored an own goal with this one. They have removed the very thing that attracts people to sign up to their site - the prospect of earning cash to their own PayPal account. Furthermore they have probable alienated all of their current members, who have been automatically transferred to the charity version of the site.

They say that charity begins at home.

It seems Homepages Friends have made the costly mistake of forgetting this.