CashCrate is a professional GPT website that has been thriving for the past three years of operation. I was one of the first members at this website, and since the beginning it has been a reliable source of cash flow. Sure, they may not have the frills offered by the likes of TreasureTrooper or SWATcash, but with their clean-and-simple layout and high payout ratios, CashCrate is a name you can trust.

Jimvesting gives CashCrate a 4-out-of-5 rating

CashCrate is nothing special, and this remains a part of their charm. While other websites promise to get you involved in contests that require a lot of your time, CashCrate is their in the background updating offers and making you money. Their main campaign promises “up to 75% payout ratios,” which we know to be above average. Currently, only check payments are accepted, which is a big downside for many people. But with a low $10 minimum, it’s easy to get paid. Some previous payouts:

As an alternative to what I call a “game” (such as a treasure hunt), CashCrate offers a point-based rewards system. By collecting “points,” you can redeem them for rewards in the “prize shop” for things like gift cards and iPods! There are a variety of ways to earn points too. A percentage of every cash offer gets you points, and you can do offers for points exclusively if you choose. I don’t know the conversion ratio of points-to-money, but it doesn’t seem very good. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s round two of our look toward the 2008 stock market. One of the more obvious plays is in energy, where the rising cost of oil is highlighted almost daily. But don’t assume that the rising price of the commodity will boost oil companies! Never confuse the two, although they might interact on paper. We’ve got some winners… let’s get started.

Oil Equipment, Services & Distribution – Jimvesting picks THREE!
On December 14, 2007, Jim Cramer said that “drillers and oil producers are in a quick, shallow decline, and they’ll soon be flush with cash.” This sentiment holds true in three companies, which each offer unique areas of growth in 2008.

Jimvesting picks Transocean (NYSE: RIG)
The play with Transocean centers on their drilling capabilities. Their oil rigs can reach depths no other drills can. Add this to their locked in 2008 contracts, and you have quite a find! RIG is the leading provider of contract drilling services for the oil and gas industry. Acquiring rival Global-SantaFe (GSF) last year sets RIG up with some major growth benefits. But it is their solid fundamentals and a tried-and-true business strategy that makes this trade.

Jimvesting picks Halliburton (NYSE: HAL)
Halliburton has seen solid growth in the third quarter from the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Margin growth is expected to continue next year, and they trade at a discount to their peers with a P/E around 14.1 versus the industry’s 18.8. HAL carries slightly more risk than RIG and SLB because of an added political exposure, but Bush’s time in office will prove golden for Halliburton. An outperforming company in an outperforming sector, HAL gets my bid. Read the rest of this entry »

Treasure Trooper used to be the king of GPT (get paid to) websites on the internet. Over the last two years, they have lost a major share in the market to competing businesses due to a supreme lack of bonuses and incentives. If you want to be paid, rest assured with Treasure Trooper, but if you are trying to “make a living off GPT,” (as they claim you can), you need to look elsewhere.

Jimvesting gives Treasure Trooper a 3-out-of-5 rating

A lot of people give me grief over my apparent disdain toward the self-proclaimed “#1 GPT service,” yet everything that they do has begun to irritate me. Now that I have seen that the grass is greener with other GPT sites like CashCrate, SWATcash and InboxDollars, looking at Treasure Trooper is a slap in the face. Why? Treasure Trooper is stealing your money!

Stealing money? Let me explain. GPT websites function by giving clients incentivized offers and taking a cut from the profit. In the case of Treasure Trooper, they have manufactured a way to take an enlarged cut and give NONE of it back to the members. Websites like SWATcash give back money in the tens of thousands every month, the best Treasure Trooper has gotten up to is a $25 gift card to Red Lobster. Here’s another example. December 2007, Treasure Trooper announced that a “last member to post” contest winner was announced, claiming a $5 prize; yet the same contest at SWATcash offers a $1000 prize to the eventual winner!

Before I get too far ahead of myself, let me back it up by saying that I have indeed earned money with Treasure Trooper, almost $300 to be exact. They do an excellent job of involving members Read the rest of this entry »