I started using Swagbucks in December 2009. Since then, I have redeemed my bucks for over $100 in amazon.com gift cards. It is easy to use and really doesn’t have to take much time. I have become addicted and always watch for codes (more about those later), but you don’t have to.

What is it?

It is a free service. Just search through swagbucks.com and have a chance to randomly win swagbucks. Not every search will give you  bucks, and you want to be careful to not oversearch. They will think you are a robot and may disable your account if you do it too much. I find if I get a win in the morning, I may get one in the early afternoon and then evening.  I find it easiest to download the toolbar for searching.  You can grab yours here.  This is not always a fast process.  Patience is necessary.

What do I do with the bucks?

Once you have accumulated enough bucks, head over to the Swag Store.  My favorite prize is the $5 amazon.com gift card for only 450 SB.  It seems like a lot, but they have changed things around now where you can win 10, 20, 30, or more in one search.  You can save them for other prizes as well.  Just a note, you can only get 5 of the $5 amazon.com gift cards in a month.  Once you reach the limit, either switch to a different denomination or just wait until next month.

How good are the search results?

I find that the results are pretty good.  There are sponsored links at the top of the results.  I just scroll past and can usually find what I want.  If I still can’t, then I head to google.com.  Here is a link explaining the results.

What about the codes?

Codes are put out randomly (usually only one per day).  This is a unique phrase that is hidden among Swagbucks sites (including their Twitter feed, Facebook page, partner sites).  The phrases have unique numbers and letters at the end that change every 20 seconds so people cannot share them, which is against the rules.

So how do I know a code is out and how do I find it?

To know if a code is out, check the swidget.  I have one posted on the sidebar of my blog.  Click on Swag Codes, then Check if there’s a Swag Code.  It will either tell you that there is no code available and to check later, or give you clues.  If you are stumped on a clue, the Facebook page has lots of help.  Go check them out!  Tattooastronomy has a great blog that breaks down the codes after they expire to help you figure out future ones.  If you don’t want to get the swidget, you can always check out the Facebook page.  People will be posting tons of “Thanks TSG!” messages.  That is your clue that a code is out.

I found the code, now what?

Once you have found the code, do a copy and paste of it.  Make sure to not have any spaces before or after it.  Go to the swagbucks.com homepage.  Find the grey box on the right that says “Enter a Swag Code”.  Paste it in the box, and click Gimme.  If it says it isn’t valid, refresh the page the code was on since it may have changed.  It is also helpful to have two tabs or windows open while doing this to make things go faster.  There is a smaller chance the code will have changed by the time you paste it.

Other Helps?

There is a ton of information on the SwagBucks site.  I have found the most help in their FAQ.  I can try to help answer questions otherwise.

Ready to sign up?  Click here to get started!