Tag Archives: prize giveaway

A Few of our 25K Fans Speak…

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On the occasion of reaching 25,00 Facebook fans, MindField Online took a moment to revisit some of the nice Facebook comments we get from friends like you…like this gem from Wendy:

Wendy says: Just finished my first successful survey with MindField Online internet panels…. WOW! What a GREAT survey experience! I can honestly say, as a person who takes surveys with several survey sites on a regular basis, that “THIS” is the best single survey experience I have had yet! I look forward to hopefully receiving MANY MANY MORE Surveys with this awesome survey site!

Thanks Wendy! You can check out the rest of the updated list at our Panelist Reviews Page.  And have a great weekend!

The Return of the Saturday Sale?

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A while back we told you about JC Penney’s new tactic: canning the big weekend sale and the coupon circular in favor of the Wal-Mart, “low-prices-always” model. Well, nobody’s buying it.

By offering year-around low prices, JCP wanted to change the customer’s belief that ‘the coupon is the golden key that unlocks the door to the biggest discounts’. But experts say consumers have a strong relationship with their coupons and aren’t likely to give them up anytime soon. “We learned coupons are a drug. They really drove traffic.” Consumer Affairs

In fact, business is down 20%, a loss of $160 million. Of course, JCPenney’s CEO says, no, this is still the right idea. You just haven’t caught on yet. It’s YOUR fault, dummies! (I may have added that last bit.)

So what’s the deal? (I’m asking.) Are you a JCP fan? Have you strayed? Do you miss The Big Saturday Sale? Is there less urgency to get there without some big sale that expires at 9pm? Let us know. And have a great weekend!

Poller Bear has a Winner!

Ever seen this guy in your MindField travels? The Poller Bear is a special internal poll that MindField Online uses to find ways to improve our services and company, to make it a better experience for members like you. We also use it to get insights on how to get new business and new clients, so that we can get more survey opportunities for our members.

So, once in a while you will receive a Poller Bear invitation, or see it on Live Now! And regularly someone wins a nice incentive. The latest winner is:

Diane Z. of Spring Hill, Florida!

Diane won $50! She said, “Thank you! I never win anything so this a nice surprise!”

REMINDER: The Cinco de MindField drawing for $50 is tomorrow, Sat May 12! We will announce the winner as soon as we contact and hear back from them! Good Luck!! And have a great weekend!

Cinco de MindField Celebration!!

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Did you know that May 5th is the official birthday of MindField Online Internet Panels? We just turned eight years old! And to celebrate, we have another giveaway opportunity! But first, let’s look at a MindField snapshot…

Today, MindField is honored to have 1.4 million active panelists, and we are pleased to have paid out almost $4,000,000 (four million!) member credits.

Lately, we have made vast improvements to the panelist experience including:

  • The Facebook merge
  • No-limit Amazon cash-out
  • PayPal cash-out
  • LiveNow! Listings of active surveys
  • Annual holiday “Make it Rain” drawings,
  • Live moderator for Facebook and MindfieldLive.com and specialized research community sites,
  • And so much more!

And we are keeping it up! Very soon, we will be expanding our targeting and pre-screening capabilities to make the live user experience even better and hopefully eliminate (to the best of our ability) the disappointment that comes with disqualification for MindField hosted surveys.

New Corporate Partner merge opportunities will include linking your membership and rewards information at the places you shop at everyday with your MindField Online account to increase your experience at both MindField and the merchant you are already purchasing from.  It’s only getting better . . . and better.

So, anyway, you’ve been patient. What’s in it for YOU? Well, after this week-long fiesta, some lucky member is going to win $50 on May 12!

To earn entries, all you have to do is:

  • “Like” this blog post, and
  • “Like” and “Share” the Facebook post (it will be re-posted every day.)
  • And re-tweet (RT) the Twitter post (same deal.)

You can only like the blog once, but with the others, you can enter up to 3 times a day!

Vamos, amigos! Help us celebrate Cinco de MindField, all week long!!

Topics, Anyone?

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"Come on, Lucky Writing Necktie...inspire me!"

Here at MindFieldLive.com, we post twice a week on topics related to the MindField Online member experience. We also pick up on various consumer-related topics from around the web like saving money, avoiding ripoffs, tax-time tips, etc. and pass them along to you.

Sometimes it’s easier than others for your humble blogger to come up with ideas. So once in a while – that is, we did it once, and it’s been a while – we like to ask if you have any ideas for blog topics.  More consumer stuff? Articles about mobile retail? Saving for retirement? Finding the right daycare? Or maybe questions about MindField Online? Maybe even a question about MindField about something other than qualifying?

So leave a comment below, and give us your thoughts! And have a great weekend!

MindField Fans Give a Shoutout!

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Time once again to update our ever-expanding list of satisfied member comments that have appeared on the MindField Online Facebook page in the past few months, including this gem from Katherine:

MindField is a great site. I’ve been a member for a few years and they have the most amazing surveys and they really value your opinion. And while you’re at it you can earn some cash. I ♥ you guys…

The little heart thingy says it all. Thanks Katherine! And thanks to all our members for their participation! Check out the latest batch of satisfied user comments at our Panelist Reviews page!

(photo: southerncrescentsolutions.com)

Never Retire?

Retirement stirs up a range of images and emotions. Some can’t wait to punch the clock for the last time. Others dread being shuffled out the door. Some fear they can’t afford to retire. But a new article asks: why do we have to retire at all?

Retirement is, quite frankly, often a default choice that we’ve been brainwashed into accepting. Saying that it’s time to retire becomes less and less relevant with each passing year. Not only are we living longer, but the quality of our lives in older age can also improve. Physically taxing jobs are disappearing. Knowledge jobs can be done quite well by older people.  USNews.com

Says the article:

  • There is no physical reason to retire.
  • Working can support healthy better physical and mental aging.
  • Challenging, meaningful work boosts well being and happiness.
  • A chance to share experiences and mentor younger workers.
  • Bottom line: shorter retirement means less chance of outliving your money.

Demographically speaking, we are getting older, and there will be fewer younger workers to replace us. If you want to stick around, you should have more opportunities to do it. So, if the old bones haven’t given out yet, and you don’t WANT to retire, staying on the job could have a lot of benefits! What do YOU think of non-retirement retirement?  Read the article!

Brand Nostalgia is a Thing Now

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In recent years, there has been renewed interest around the world in branding that evokes nostalgia. There are probably hundreds of long-gone or hard-to-find brands, products and businesses that trigger happy memories and remind us of “back in the day.”    Mainstreet.com

Some examples?

  • Woolworth’s: Died in 1997. Are you old enough to remember eating at the Woolworth lunch counter? Sure you want to admit that?
  • McCall’s Magazine: 135 years as a ladies publishing institution until Rosie O’Donnell drove it off a cliff in 2005.
  • Tab Diet Cola: Launched in 1963 to tremendous success. Then in the early 80’s, the saccharin cancer scare (later debunked) hurt sales, and Coca-Cola concentrated on launching Diet Coke. Tab is still around but really hard to find. There is a fan site that can help, though.
  • Pan Am Airlines: Gone for over 20 years now, Pan Am practically invented “classic” air travel. The jumbo jet, computerized reservations, and serving meals (now known as a bag of peanuts.) Given what an unbearable pain in the butt it is to fly these days, this particular bit of nostalgia is easy to understand!

So, the moral here is that whether they go out of business, or shrink to insignificance, these brands never truly die. Nostalgia keeps them alive in our consciousness. And sometimes that can lead to rebirth. For instance…

Amiga PC’s: Launched in ’85 and eventually driven out by Microsoft and Apple. But geeks loved ‘em so much there are still a half-million in use. Some super nerds have even started a company to produce brand new look-alike machines with all new software!

So, which brands do you remember? Which would you like to see reborn? There’s plenty more in the original article!

Helpful Tips to Avoid an Audit

It’s a word that causes much anxiety this time of year: AUDIT, as in IRS. I found an article that helps explain who gets audited, why, how to avoid it and what to do if it happens. Here are some highlights:

Most audited tax returns are selected for review either because the filer is part of a target group or because a computer program selects the return. The computer system selects many returns randomly, but there are red flags that will draw the Internal Revenue Service’s attention.            MSN Money

So, what are some red flags the IRS looks for?

  1. Math mistakes: usually spotted by the computer, a human checks it, and sometimes they let it slide. But ya nevah know, so check your math, Einstein!
  2. Mismatched interest & dividend reporting: Whoops! If the amounts reported in supporting documents don’t match the amounts on your return, you will hear about it!
  3. You’re on the IRS hit list: Too much cash income? Small business owner? Self employed?
  4. You have a big mouth: Going on Facebook and yakking about the big scam-ola you pulled on Uncle Sam? Not good.
  5. You’re exceptional: IRS computers can actually predict which returns are most likely to generate revenue from an audit, i.e. which ones are worth their time. Any big weird deductions, too much charity giving, etc. and you are likely to stick out.
  6. You have the wrong preparer: I knew one with papers stacked to the ceiling – you know, other people’s returns lying out in the open. Also, she had a huge parrot, which is weird.

So, what do you do if your number is pulled? Well, you read the rest of the article!

Planning Your STAYcation?

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Yesterday we did a fun little exercise; asking what you are paying for gas. We had over 160 responses, which was our biggest turnout ever on Facebook. THANKS! In the end, I believe the “winner” was $4.75/gal in East Los Angeles. So, um, congrats…?

With prices like that (and heading higher) and Spring Break around the corner, an old family standby is back: the Staycation. Basically, it’s where you find interesting things to do in your town or within a couple hours from home.

I found an old Consumer Reports article online. It’s from 2009 but I figured hey, it’s still the same recession! Here are some ideas:

  • Behind-the-scenes tours: Police and fire stations, movie theaters, TV Stations, etc.
  • Museums, observatories, planetariums
  • Scenic train rides
  • Water parks
  • Zoos and aquariums
  • Sporting events (as well as stadium tours)
  • Camping (hiking, biking, wilderness viewing areas, state parks)
  • Regional amusement parks
  • City festivals
  • Family fun centers (with bowling, miniature golf, go karts, laser tag, etc.)
  • Community theater and touring Broadway productions
  • Historic home tours
  • Concerts
  • In-town Bed and Breakfasts

Depending on where you live, your mileage may vary when it comes to finding local fun. But if you have more time than money (and there’s a lot of that going around) you may find excitement at your doorstep. Good luck! Here is that article again.