Crowdtap- What is it anyways?

Alot of people have asked me what Crowdtap is and how I get FREE stuff from places like Old Navy. In this post I will give you all the details about how it works and how to increase your chances to get free stuff too.

In their words:

"Crowdtap is the Influencer Marketing platform, enabling leading brands to easily identify, activate and manage their influential consumers for real-time insights and powerful online and offline peer-to-peer marketing."

What does this mean to us?  Lots of times Crowdtap members are the first to know about a new product coming out, we get to view trailers for movies before anyone else , and leave our input on new product names, package styling, and our overall opinions on the brand.

What I LOVE the most about Crowdtap:
◆ Unlike other sites, this one only requires a few minutes of my time
◆ They don't fill up my inbox with emails
◆ It is EASY!!

The perks:
◆ For everything you do you get points, which are redeemable for all kinds of different gift cards
◆ FREE stuff. Of course, my favorite is the Old Navy Style Council. All throughout the year they have sample and shares or parties, where they send coupons for you AND your friends  to get totally free items.
◆ Can donate to a charity of your choice using virtual points

A few people have signed up, and then ask me why they never get selected for any of the sample and shares or parties. When I first started with Crowdtap about a year ago, I was wondering the same thing. I wasn't getting chosen for anything , and wasn't getting alot of offers. After a few months I figured out why.  I was kind of forgetting about it, and didn't visit the site every day, and sometimes not at all during a week. I also wasn't checking my email regularly. When there' s a new discussion or sample and share  they will send an email to let you know, and you generally need to find that email and follow the link provided within 24 hours, because they only have so many open spots for each thing. You have to be active with the site to get the rewards.  I spend maybe 10 minutes a day , when I have quick hits and discussions.

 Here's a walk thru of the things I ALWAYS make sure to do when I log-in.

Check the Quick- Hits [polls]- Mine are empty today because they usually don't have any on weekends

The more quickhits you do, the more "actions " you will get, because the polls are to match you up with things that you may be interested in.

Next, I go to my actions. There I will see any new discussions, sample and shares, or parties that I can participate in

This section is really important, and you will have the opportunity to accept or decline the action. If you accept it, you need to complete it , or it will make you less likely to get more offers [especially the good ones] in the future. For everything you do, you get points, and a better chance for more offers.

Here is an example of how a party or sample and share action works :

For each action/party/sample&share you accept there will be discussions. It is very important to participate in these , and only take a few seconds. You get points for answering their questions, and for comments on others' posts .

They tell you what they want you to do during your sampling or party, and you fill out a report once you have completed it [which takes maybe 3 mins to do ] . The more detailed you are, the more points you get. They will always tell you a time frame you have to complete an action, as well as different things they may want you to do, and what to expect to get in your kit

 They also have missions for you to complete, which are usually so many quick hits, web shares , referrals and other things. Each time you complete a mission you get more points which helps you level up , which helps you to get more actions to participate in and closer to redeeming for gift cards. 

Another great thing is that you can donate your points to a charity of your choice . My chairty is the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. If you want to keep your points for gift cards, that's ok. Everytime someone gives  a webshare that you do a thumbs up they will donate to your chosen charity on your behalf.

I was a member of Crowdtap for a few months before I started being active with it. A month into participating regularly I got my first sample and share from Old Navy., and my most recent one made my Third from them alone .Don't get discouraged, just get active and you will start getting accepted.

I hope you found this post to be informative, and if you have more questions, or I left something out don't hesitate to ask!  If you're not a member yet, and want to sign up you can do so HERE

I will be sharing my review on my Old Navy Beach Bum Party soon!

Cash in Your Points Today

 It's March 1st ... Aka The First of the Month... Aka the day you need to cash in your Crowdtap Points [or wait another month].
                                        

 Crowdtap has made some changes over the last couple of months, and one of them is that they changed the points system- how many you need to cash in for different things. It's still pretty easy to get points . However, you can only cash in once a mth [for Amazon cards].   The first day of the month at 12 noon and 8 Pm , EST , the store will be stocked with Amazon cards.

For those of you who still aren't sure what Crowdtap is,  please read my post from last Summer about Crowdtap- It's very informative :  What is Crowdtap Anyway?  <--- click there.


I will be cashing in for a $10 Amazon card today. What are you getting?

Old Navy Dress - One Reader Will Win!

 As most of you who have been reading my blog for a while know, I am a member of the Old Navy Style Council, thanks to Crowdtap.
  I have gotten to try a few different things for free with Old Navy. Last year when I first joined Crowd Tap I got a Free Old Navy coat for myself and my daughter. During this past spring I got a Free pair of Old Navy shorts for me and my daughter, and this past summer I got  Free summer accessories for myself, my daughter and my niece.
  This fall/winter I am getting an Old Navy dress for FREE- and you could too!
  I was sent these wonderful coupons, one for myself and one for someone else.

These coupons are good for Women's dresses only [not childrens'], so please keep this in mind before entering.

I am looking forward to trying on some of their sweater dresses ..I am thinking something I can wear to a holiday dinner, and to the movies as well.. Something I can pair with boots.  All of us ladies deserve to be treated to something nice for ourselves every once in a while, and that is why I want to give away my extra coupon to one of you ladies!

Entries are going to be super easy, and only require a few things.

 These coupons are only good through 11/21, so this is going to be a quick giveaway- I plan to get the coupon in the mail by tomorrow so that the winner will have plenty of time to get her dress. 

Here's How to enter:

1.) Use this link to join Crowdtap and sign up HERE  [this way you can possibly get these deals for yourself and friends in the future too!]

2.) Take a look at the Old Navy Dresses Here

3.) Leave a comment with which dress you would like to have, as well as the name you signed up under with Crowdtap 

4) Would you agree to take pictures of you dress shopping at Old Navy and a picture of the dress you take home with you, and give me permission to post them on my blog [ ones that you would email me] along with the review of my dress? Please tell me yes or no in the comments. 

[answering no will not affect your odds of winning]

5) Share the facebook post about the giveaway on your page ,or with your friends.

             A winner will be chosen via random.org  sometime this evening
[ not giving a definite time, but will be before 10PM est ], and will be announced on my page and blog. The winner will have until Midnight to contact me either via fb message or email with their mailing info .  I will get the coupon in the mail tomorrow!

* If you are already a member of Crowdtap and got the Old Navy Dresses offer, please do not try to win this, this is for someone who has not already gotten one! Please be fair :)

Have you Tapped IN today?

Saturday is the day I love to tap into Crowdtap. It's usually the day that I can get some extra quiet time where I can catch up on my discussions and completing reports on my actions that are due.

For whatever reason , which I am definitely not complaining about, by Saturday it is like my step son finally needs a break from me too, and doesn't need me to come watch him while he plays, every 5 minutes.  I take full advantage of those times, and will let him play his video games all he wants while I catch up on my reviews and other things that require me to actually think. Don't worry, we do take breaks for snacks and meals .

Saturdays are also great for Crowdtapping because chances are you have missed logging in within the past couples days, and there are usually a few quickhits to do, as well as new webshares and reports to complete and discussions to catch up on. Since Sundays are usually slow on Crowdtap, I catch up on Saturday, and don't worry about it on Sunday, unless I have an email from them that there is something new to do.

If you haven't signed up for crowdtap yet, you can use the picture below to sign up.

If you aren't yet  convinced that you should sign up for Crowdtap, watch for a post coming up in a bit about my Old Navy Beach Bum Party, where I got $40 worth of Old Navy Accessories for FREE

Till Then, Stay Cool and Try to Beat the Heat  [It's 102° here right now ]

Old Navy Beach Bum Party

   One of my favorite perks  from Crowdtap is being a member of the Old Navy Style Council. Every season they have sample and shares and parties.  The Old Navy Beach Bum Party  I got to be a part of has been my favorite thus far.  I got to take 3 people to Old Navy with me to try our their Beach Accessories  and we all got to take home 4 things for FREE! I took my sister , niece and daughter. My niece was the only one willing to have fun taking pics with me though .  I made a video montage [not the greatest quality though] showing the fun we had , you can view it below .




Make a video of your own at Animoto.
Here is everything I personally got :

Flip Flops Beach Towel  Reg Price : $12.50

Flip Flops Reg Price : 2/$5

Sun Glasses Reg Price : $9.95

Beach Bag Reg Price : $9.95

All for FREE, thanks to Old Navy and Crowdtap!

If you still haven't joined Crowdtap, you're missing out! Click the picture below to sign up so that you can have opportunities like this too!

Old Navy Style Council - Women's Best Tees Sampling

As A Crowdtap member I have been lucky to become a member of the Old Navy Style Council , which means I frequently get to try out Old Navy clothes for FREE.
 My most recent sample and share was for the Old Navy Women's Best Tees.

The fine print on the coupons stated that I could only choose from the "perfect" or "Vintage" tees.  This did narrow down the options to choose from a bit, but my Old Navy store in Kingsport,TN had a decent assortment of Perfect and Vintage Tees to choose from.  There were several different colors to choose from, in either solids or stripes.

I also received a coupon to give a friend to get two tees of her choosing. This time I wanted to share with my Mom. She was unable to go with me, so the store did allow me to use the second coupon in a separate transaction.

When I arrived at my Local Kingsport Old Navy I walked around the store first to browse and see what choices they had. There was a huge variety of different types of tees, so I knew I would need to be shown the exact ones I could choose from.  I went to the store manager and let him know I was a member of the Style Council and showed him my coupons. Even though we had come in 30 minutes before closing he was more than happy to show me where the Perfect and Vintage tees were, and what all I could choose from. [As is usual for my Style Council visits, I was told my coupons were the only ones they had seen at that store]

If you are wondering what the difference between the Perfect Tee and the Vintage tee are , here ya go- straight from the Old Navy website.

Here are the ones I chose :

(L) Vintage Tee in what I thought was a lavender in the store, but in natural light it looks to be more of a pink. (R) Perfect Henley Tee in Pink

 I got my Mom two of the Vintage Tees, one in the same color as pictured above and one in the color of Cantaloupe. 

What I LOVE about these tees : They are very comfortable. The vintage tees are especially soft . I got the tees in size large, because I expected them to be a tad bit form fitting. 

What I dislike: These tees are made long [I couldn't find petite in the colors and size I chose, but did see it available in other colors and sizes ], so with me being 5ft2 and having a little weight I don't need, they aren't as flattering on me as I would like, so I did not take full length pictures to share with you all, but the following pictures do show how they fit. 

As you can see, this vintage tee  is  a bit on the see-through side, so I would recommend wearing a tank underneath , or at least a white bra [as I clearly did not when first trying this on ]



The Henley tee has a deeper plunging neckline. If I were taller, I think this one would work better on me. The angle is a bit weird here, but I was trying to get the DH to get a better view/more flattering pic of me lol.

My mom is tall- 5ft 7, so these tees naturally fit her differently, and more as they should. I do not have pics of her in her tees to post though, sorry. [She isn't keen on having her photos posted online]

My experience at my store was great as always. The manager and other employees are always super nice and helpful, and seem to get as excited as I am about the coupons.

If you would like to be on the Old Navy Style Council , be sure to sign up to Crowdtap .

Last Chance Christmas Cash from Crowdtap

 Last day to redeem Crowdtap Points before Christmas . Grab that Christmas Cash when they restock at 8pm est tonight!
Not a Member?  JOIN NOW|REDEEM HERE

Old Navy Tees- So excited!

                                                              
I have been a  member of Crowdtap for going on two years now.  If you aren't familiar with Crowdtap, or want more info on how it works or how to be more likely to be accepted for a Party or Sample and Share, check out a previous post I made HERE. It gives all the details.
  On to the good news : I was just accepted to do the Old Navy Tees Sample and Share.  I am so excited. I mean, who doesn't LOVE Old Navy? And getting to try their clothes for FREE is even better! I will get coupons for me to get 2 free tees, and a coupon for a friend to get 2 free tees. I usually always take my 16 yr old daughter with me, because we all know how much teenagers love clothes. Once I receive my coupons and go shopping I will be making a post showing what we got and reviewing the tees! There are still spots left to get in on this Sample and Share, so if you are already a member  , check your actions to see if you have the invite, or if you got accepted. If you aren't a member yet and want a chance to be Style Council Member[and chances for sample and shares from other Brands], you can sign up HERE. Have questions? I will be glad to help- Now, get to tappin'!

Crowd Tap : Old Navy Beach Bum Hosted Party

 I am so excited because I just got my acceptance email to host an Old Navy Beach Bum Party from Crowd Tap 

                                                    

 This means I will get to take three of my friends with me to Old Navy to shop for FREE beach accessories using coupons I will be getting. This will be my third Old Navy shopping party since signing up for Crowd Tap , and I've been a member for almost a year now.

What is Crowd Tap ? It's a wonderful website where Brands collaborate with us- the consumers- to get feedback on their products. This includes clothing, laundry detergents, movies - and the list goes on and on.

How do you get selected? Based upon my experience the more "quick hits" [polls] you answer, and the more you share with your friends the better chance you have. 

 What I love about Crowd Tap : They aren't spammy at all. The only emails you get from them are alerts that you have quick hits, discussions or party offers.  You can also redeem your points that are earned from quick hits, signing in, discussions and polls  for gift cards . I  just redeemed mine for a $10 Amazon Gift Card [and I'm already to the halfway point for another one]. 

You can also choose to donate some or all of your virtual points to a charity of your choice. the charity I chose is the . 

When I first joined Crowd Tap I got kind of discouraged at first because I was applying to host different things and wasn't getting picked. I also was only logging in to the site maybe once a month. Finally I book marked the site , and started checking my email more frequently.  Within a month I got picked to do the Old Navy Outerwear Sample and Share . I got a beautiful wool- blend coat [one for me, and one for my daughter] , an $89 value [each] for FREE . I have been a daily "tapper" ever since.  It's really quick, and really easy - I usually only spend 10-20 mins a day with it , depending on how many discussions I have. 

Also, it isn't just for the females! Guys can sign up too and get the same perks . Right now they have TONS of things going on, including a McCormick Grill Mates Ambassador Party.  

 What are you waiting for? Here is the link to sign up:  http://bit.ly/my6kWi
 [or click on the word "crowdtap" anywhere in this post]

If you need help or have any questions, feel free to ask me .

                                                      

Saturday Share Day

I would like to declare Saturdays as Share day for Family Freebies& Savings. If you have anything that you need help to get points or votes for , feel free to post it on the page. I will help you all reach the goals you need , and encourage everyone here to help each other out too. This includes Crowdtap Web Shares, voting contests you may be entered in along with anything else you want to share .If you have a blog and have giveaways you need entries for feel free to post them on my page on Saturdays. I will be sharing reviews, as this is the day I use to catch up on writing my reviews. I also have a couple of giveaways I am working on. Post anything you feel like sharing [as long as it is family friendly]. Let's make this First Day of Saturday Sharing a success and share away !