Web design is a very sought after skill - almost everyone wants to have some sort of online presence. Web design is also something you can learn fairly quickly and to the computer literate it isn’t overly hard. If you want to be really good however, that’s another story, but generally speaking if you have an interest in web design you can teach yourself the ropes pretty easil through books, tutorial websites and trial and error.

The bad news is that there’s a lot of competition when it comes to getting work. When I first started offering web design to people in exchange for money I got very little out of it in the monetary department. At one point I even found myself working for free just so I could get some experience.

With websites such as oDesk, Guru and RentaCoder that allow you to apply to web design jobs, I’d say that there are more opportunities to get web design work - but websites like this don’t make it any easier. I’ve often found that by quoting a reasonable price for a web design project I’ll be declined simply because I won’t work for $5 USD an hour or less. My minimum hourly rate is actually £10 which is more like $19 USD.

So - if it’s so hard to get work - what chance does a student or graduate have of getting their first few jobs? Well, for students and recent graduates in the UK, there is Student Gems, a website where businesses and individuals can find students to work on various jobs, including web design projects, by matching their needs with student skills. Though still in beta, the site has quite a following already so if you’re in the UK and looking for work, check it out!

Ashleigh
x x x

Posted on Thursday the 7th of August, 2008.
Earn Money, Freelancing, Web Design

It is possible to get something for nothing, even in this day and age. Whilst it’s a little difficult to understand and most people are too wary to bother with it, I’m currently 2 referrals away from getting a blue 8GB iPod Nano for free.

How? I signed up to a program called FreebieJeebies. I didn’t have to pay any money to join and to be eligible for the free iPod (or any other free item, an iPod is just what I chose) all I had to do was take part in a DVD rental service trial which cost me nothing. I watched a DVD, sent it back and then cancelled the trial before the two weeks were up. The result being that I was then well on my way to getting an iPod for free. Not interested in an iPod? You can use this system to get a free games console or even a flat screen television!

Now, because people are so wary, I’m willing to pay anyone who signs up using my referral link £10 by either bank transfer or PayPal. If you’re interested and would like to be £10 richer just for watching a DVD, follow these instructions carefully.

1. Sign up to FreebieJeebies. Select the item you’d like for free by clicking on it, input your email address and click ‘Go!’.

2. Complete the LoveFILM DVD rental service trial offer. It costs nothing and you’ll get to watch DVDs. If you can’t find it, it’s in the middle at the top of the ‘Offers’ page. Just click on the banner and you’ll be taken to the LoveFILM website.

3. Once at the LoveFILM website, click “Start Free Trial” and sign up to LoveFILM by filling in your details on the next page. Be sure not to touch the promotional code section!

4. After filling out your details you’ll be asked to choose a monthly plan. I recommend choosing the cheapest one though it doesn’t really matter which one you choose - you’re not going to be charged for it. LoveFILM only asks for your payment details to confirm you are a resident of the UK.

5. Wait to receive your first DVD. Watch it and return it.

6. If you’d like to continue with the DVD rental service, that’s your choice, otherwise you can cancel by clicking My Account at the top right of the page. Remember, you MUST receive 1 DVD before you cancel your LoveFILM account for the offer to credit through FreebieJeebies.

7. Once you’ve completed all of the above steps, email me at leviiathan@gmail.com and let me know that you’ve signed up to FreebieJeebies using my referral link and tell me the email address you used to sign up. Once you are listed as green in my account I’ll forward on £10 to you either by bank transfer or PayPal. After you’ve done this I’ll also provide you with a LoveFILM code to reactivate your account and get 3 months FREE unlimited DVD and game rentals.

Happy DVD watching!

Posted on Thursday the 31st of July, 2008.
Earn Money, Free Stuff

On the 28th of July it was my 21st birthday. Apart from the $1500 towards a plane ticket back to Melbourne, Australia, that my mother gave me and some PSP games and stationary that I aquired during my birthday shopping spree, my boyfriend bought me an AZOO Day & Night aquarium. It arrived today and I got to work sorting out the gravel and filling it up with water.

My Stargate Aquarium

Posted on Wednesday the 30th of July, 2008.
Miscellaneous

Needle craft needn’t be soley about flowers and fancy antique looking designs. After realising this, I’ve recently gotten into cross stitch. I started with a cross stitch project of the pokemon Mew, then went onto making my own cross stitch pattern of Link, Navi and Zelda and at current I am working on a cheek in tongue Stargate themed piece. I’ve really enjoyed myself and the end result is cute little cross stitched works that I plan to frame and hang up around my bedroom. For those who enjoy both crafts and games - I highly recommend taking up cross stitch as a hobby. There really is nothing more satisfying than stitching up a cute cross stitch piece of Link!

Cross Stitch Mew - [PATTERN]

Ashleigh
x x x

Posted on Saturday the 26th of July, 2008.
Free Stuff, Miscellaneous