I am assuming since you are reading this blog, you are a fan of Shop at Home.  One of my favorite aspects is the online shopping.  If I am going to be buying something online anyway, why not get a percentage of it back for myself?

But, I must say, the piece of ShopAtHome that has benefited my family the most is their Refer a Friend program.  And, thankfully, not only has the program benefited me but also the friends I told.  For every friend referred, the referrer gets $5 when your friend shops and they also get $5 free to shop their first time.  It is wonderful to know I have financially benefited my family but also am helping others save a little bit extra when they shop, too.

For those of you who have not utilized the Refer a Friend program of Shop at Home or any other company, I hope these helpful tips can help you see the many different ways you can benefit yourself.

First of all, although ShopAtHome’s Refer a Friend might be the one we are most familiar with, there are many others.  Whenever you are a member of any online website, always check to see if they have a Refer a Friend program.  What type of sites and companies have I found that may have Refer a Friend programs?

-          Banks

-          Cable/Satellite

-          Survey Sites

-          Photo Sites

-          Credit Cards

-         Market Research Companies

-          Mystery Shopping Sites

-          Web Search Sites

-          Shopping Sites

So, how can you benefit from these programs yourself?  Here are some of the easy methods that can help you tell others about them yourself thus earning your family extra money.

-          Use an Email Signature

• This is something that will automatically attach itself to the bottom of every email you send to friends, family or anyone.  They are easy to set up you just never know when someone might click on the link.

For example, if you use Yahoo Mail, you would go under Options – Mail Options in the upper right side of your screen.  Then choose the option for Signature.  You can then select Signature and type whatever you want and save it.

Here is an example of what mine would look like if referring Shop at Home.  This signature would automatically appear at the bottom of every email I send out.

Carrie

I earn money when I shop at my favorite online stores.

Here is $5 Free so you can try it, too.

-          Utilize Social Media

• If you have a Facebook, Twitter or other social media account, you have an advantage allowing you to share your Refer a Friend programs with many people at once.

Many of the Refer a Friend sites offer Facebook Connect options where they will automatically share via your wall thus referring people.  But if they do not, it is very easy to log in and quickly leave a quick comment on your wall.

Did you recently shop via Shop at Home and earned 6% back?  Leave a comment stating what happened and linking with your refer a friend embedded link.  Here is an example of something I might leave on my wall:

Did you earn for a survey you just took?  Let everyone know and attach your Refer a Friend link.  You just don’t know!  Maybe someone will register.

-          Create ONE page where you list all your Refer a Friend programs.

• Blogger is free to set up and quick.  You can create one page and only update it when you find a new Refer a Friend program you like.

Go to Blogger.com and click on the Create a Blog button.  You can pick a name, a web address and set it up in minutes.  They even have basic designs to pick from on their site.  Then, just add your links and you have another great resource to share your Refer a Friend links with everyone.  In fact, you may want your Email Signature to point directly to this new site you created.

-          Business Cards

• If you do decide to quickly set up a spot for all your Refer a Friend links, consider ordering Free Business Cards that link to your blogspot address.

Why would you do this?  If you go out to eat, pay bills via the mail or any other number of activites, you have use of business cards for your Refer a Friend programs.  Everytime you pay your bill and leave your tip, stick a card in.  Paying a bill?  Drop a card in the envelope.  It is quick and easy.

Want to know where to get Free Business Cards?  Log into your Shop at Home account and search either VistaPrint or Overnight Prints.  Both companies offer this option.

And, don’t forget about the good old fashioned Word of Mouth technique.  If you are talking to someone and sharing about the programs you use, make sure to let them know you will send them an email with the details.

I hope this post encourages you to utilize Shop at Home’s Refer a Friend program and begin sharing all the wonderful programs you use with others!