Wow, Christmas is here already!  It seems like September was just last week and now we’re looking smack dab in the face of the Holiday season!  Since the big day (Christmas) is coming up soon, I just recently got done ordering Christmas cards.  As it turns out, I was actually able to create and order my own customized photo cards without having to pay a cent.  Am I cheap?  No, just smart.

Don’t worry, the plan of this post is to share the secret.  How in the world was I able to order customized Christmas cards without spending any money?  Sign up with Zazzle!

I’ve been signed up with Zazzle for a couple of years now and I haven’t even gotten all of the use out of it as I should have.  Let me explain exactly what Zazzle is, and how it can help you be able to create and order your own free personalized Christmas cards.

What is Zazzle?

Zazzle is a website storefront that specializes in selling personalized products.  Check out the list of all the products they offer.  They sell anything from t-shirts and clothes to business cards, skateboards, shoes and ipod cases.  The cool part is that any product can be customized by your own photos, drawings or any kind of artwork.

You can also choose from the many other designs they have.  Another cool part about Zazzle is that anyone can design products and have them put up for sale by Zazzle.  This brings me to the second part of what makes Zazzle so cool.

How can Zazzle get me free Christmas cards?

This title may come across a little deceiving because Zazzle can do more than just get you free Christmas cards.  Zazzle actually allows users to design their own products, have Zazzle take care of selling, producing (and the quality is top notch) and shipping the products, and the designer gets to earn a commission on every product sold with their design.  This is cool because you have the ability to earn money just by designing products people want to buy.

Remember the QR Code shirt I blogged about?

As I mentioned before, I haven’t really taken much advantage of Zazzle as I should have (so far) because I don’t really have a lot of products up for sale but I have made money from them.  I have a shirt or two that I have designed that people buy every so often so commissions add up after a while.  If you have a knack for designing and you really get into it, you can earn even more than I have.

All of that being said, this year I had enough money saved up as commissions from Zazzle that instead of getting a check, I opted to order Christmas stuff instead.  Yes, you can choose to spend the money purchasing from Zazzle instead of waiting for a check to eventually be sent.  In the past I’ve ordered a mouse pad, business cards, and this year some Christmas cards.  It might not seem like much but creating a few designs and sitting back and let people buy them isn’t all that much work for some free stuff, know what I mean?

You can even earn referral commissions!

I almost forgot to mention the other way to earn money from Zazzle.  If you have a website, you can put ads up and refer people to the site and earn a commission off what they buy.  You can also promote the designs that other people have created and earn the referral commissions.  In fact, I don’t even think you need a website, as long as you find a way to share the referral links so customers can find the products.  Check out the referral program and see if there is a way you too can earn a bit of cash from Zazzle that way.

All of that being said, I personally wouldn’t go thinking that you can earn an easy living off of designing and referring for Zazzle.  It is a simple way to earn a few bucks and get some free, high quality stuff.

Tell me what you think.  Have you tried Zazzle?  Is your experience a good one or a bad one?  Do you think you’ll try Zazzle for yourself now that you know?

Oh, and you won’t have time to earn enough for some free stuff for this Christmas but sign up now and get busy and you have a good chance for next year!  I just wanted to share how I was able to do it this year

In the tradition of all things free and cheap, I’d like to announce that I just heard on the radio that people traveling the New York State Thruway this New Years have the opportunity to pull over for a free coffee or tea at Thruway Travel Plazas!

The free beverages will be provided at all 27 travel plazas along the Thruway from 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 31, until 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, New Year’s Day (January 1, 2009).

Thruway officials are trying to help to curtail drowsy driving noting that popular tactics such as blaring music and lowering the window are ineffective.  Frequent stops and caffenated drinks, however, offer better short-term advantages.  So drink more coffee and stop often – and enjoy the free coffee!

New Year’s Travelers to Receive Free Coffee and Tea at Thruway Travel Plazas

What can be better than free coffee!!