Swagbucks have suggested (I quote) “Get your pom-poms ready, folks, because starting on Monday Swagbucks is holding Spirit Week!” How American is that? do we even have pom poms in this country? I guess the closest thing would be the dodgy pies you can buy down the football ground. They probably don’t shake so well…

Anyway, every day next week Swagbucks will be celebrating a different holiday.  Each day will be filled with fun, activities, and surprises.  They’ll be announcing every holiday the evening before in the Swagbucks blog.  Make sure you keep track of each day’s Swag Codes, as you will need them at the end of the week in order to earn a big, juicy reward. It’s the most fun you can have getting your reward points for free stuff!

If you’re not already signed up to Swagbucks, you can do so here. Let me know if you do and if you’re lucky I may share my top tips for finding Swag Codes.

Watermelon Rind was another of my Christmas wishes as I only have one other green and even that’s more of a turquoise. Watermelon Rind is part of the 2009 Summer Days collection but I can’t help feeling this is more of a winter color, or at least it is on my nails. At lot of people say this is a turquoisy colour so maybe I should just wait for some sunlight. Obviously I couldn’t get any pics in the sunlight as I don’t think I’ve seen the sun in a few months and I’ve since gotten bored and changed my polish.

On Monday Li’l Mister turned two. We had a party on Sunday. In reality we did what we always do: go to mum’s for tea, the only difference being we had tea and cake (courtesy of Beth – have you guessed what it is yet?).

Li’l Mister was of course impressed with the unwrapping of the presents, as was TB who took it into his head to help. Probably a good thing as I wrapped everything when I was doing the Christmas presents. All the prezzies were covered in sellotape in an attempt to foil any small child rummaging under the Christmas tree. Still it made for fun unwrapping.

When TB turned one I bought him a potty. One of the first things he did with it was put it on his head. Being a year older, I had high hopes for Li’l Mister and his first potty. His childminder is potty training one of the other kids so he should be well aware of what a potty is. I was right, he got the word right. Unfortunately, one of the first things he did with it was put it on TB’s head. Why do I get the feeling there’s going to be trouble when this kid actually starts potty training.

I’ve mentioned before how using Swagbucks is like getting money for nothing. That can only be a good thing, right?

Swagbucks is making Friday the 13th a lucky day this week, as they hold a Swag Code Extravaganza, which means more opportunities to get reward points towards free stuff! It starts at 12:00 and throughout the day there will be 8 different Swag Codes. If you can get them all you’ll have an extra 60 Swag Bucks in your account. You can guarantee that if all the codes are released before my bedtime, I’ll be grabbing them.

See you there!

War on charity muggers: move by council for first street ban.

Islington could become the first borough to ban chuggers after years of complaints from residents who say they are fed up with being hassled in the streets.

Evening Standard, 9 January 2012

At lunch time today I popped out to M&S to grab some soup. It’s a 100m walk. I was subjected to attempted chugging seven, yes seven times on the way there and back. In the 400m between Finsbury Square and London Wall I can tell you of six chugging spots, each of which usually contains a different charity with at least four chuggers on the attack.

I’m not talking about people who stand by shaking a collecting tin either. These people are single-minded in their attack. It’s not possible to just walk past; they shout, they call, they jump in your path desperately vying for your attention. A mobile phone on your ear is no defence and neither is avoiding eye contact or politely saying ‘no thanks’. Many of these people hold no compunction in following you down the road calling at you.

The chuggers who tread the pavements of City Road seem to have forgotten all notion of good manners. I can’t remember the last time I heard one of them ask ‘excuse me’. In recent weeks I’ve heard phrases such as:

“You gonna come and talk to me darlin’?”

“Who bought you flowers then?” (While running out to buy flowers for a colleague)

“Aw thanks! You bought me lunch!” (When picking up food for a working lunch)

I have to question how much commission these chuggers are earning. Say, for example, that I sign up to donate £5 a month, what percentage of this would go to the chugger, to the agency employing them, and finally to the charity I would be supporting? I know of someone who worked for a face to face marketing company and had spent time pounding the streets as a chugger. Although this was a number of years ago now, I’m sure today’s figures would be just as disgusting. Yet, at the same time, charities would have us believe that face to face marketing is one of the most cost effective and successful forms of marketing employed.

When it comes down to it, I would imagine that most chuggers on the streets are little more than salespeople. You would probably find that they have been trained alongside people who are now trying to convince you to switch your energy supplier or just answer a quick survey.

I point blank refuse to donate to charity via chuggers. With schemes such as payroll giving and the ability to set up regular donations via a charity’s website there is no need for me to line the pockets of these people and potentially keep additional funds away from a charity. At least if I avoid chuggers I can take time to carefully consider which charity I wish to donate to.

I’d love to hear what you think about chuggers. Have I got it all wrong? Should chuggers be given free reign on the streets or should they be removed entirely? Regardless of what any of us think, we’ll all have to try to avoid the chuggers at one time or another – have a chuckle at Darlo’s top avoidance tips.