Ever since the rise of the massively popular online auction site Ebay came to be, there have been swarms of imitators attempting to achieve the same success.

And, of course, there is always a scam in the works that draws people in only to suck them dry under their noses.

Swoopo is one of the most cleverly designed scams that I have seen in quite a while.

On the outside Swoopo looks to be a bargain hunter’s dream. Items constantly being sold up to %75 off the original price. Auctions are always available. You can see current bids in real time instead of refreshing your page on a minute by minute basis. Even the entire purchasing system is on a very secure page.

This is the beauty that hides the beast.

While you’re bidding away at your heart’s desire, trying ever so hard to get that amazing deal on the item you long to have Swoopo is working in the background charging you 60 cents every single time you place a bid. Not to mention every time you make a bid you add more time on the clock for that particular item. So, unlike Ebay, you can’t come in at the last second, make the perfect bid, and be on your way with the item. You have to wait until no one bids on that item again. And don’t forget you’re getting put 60 cents in the hole each time you try to “swoop in” with a bid.

Also, bid increments are locked in at 15 cents. This isn’t something you can change. That’s why most items on Swoopo are sold so cheap. But if you really think about how many bids it takes to buy something like an Xbox 360 for $50 at 15 cents a bid you can see how Swoopo is able to do this:

$50 divided by $.15 = around $333.33.

So, in other words, that Xbox 360 is being sold for $333.33. An item that sells brand new in places like Walmart for $199. Swoopo makes almost $134 in profit. One person gets away with a cheap Xbox while others pay Swoopo an almost %75 over the actual cost of the system.

And there lies the beast under the beauty.

Don’t waste your money playing the lottery on Swoopo, people. It’s not a good investment. Ebay is a much sounder decision in the case of online auctions.

For those of you who have already fallen prey to this elaborate scheme, please make sure you know what you are getting yourself into before plunging head first into disaster next time!

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We all come upon days or even whole weekends where we want to get out the house or just have some fun with friends. But we don’t always have the money to do so or we just don’t want to partake in wasteful spending.

The good news is that we don’t have to break the bank to have some fun once in a while. There are many things that we can do that are very low cost or even free. It’s all a matter of being creative and having the diligence to look for things that we can participate in.

Maybe you’ve tried to figure out something to do and need a little help. Here is a list of 10 free or low-cost things to do:

1. Movie Night with RedBox: Many people overlook the big red movie displays that often showcase in grocery stores and gas stations. The fact of the matter is that if you want to go out to see a movie it’s going to cost you around $10 per person. Not cheap by any means for a couple hours in front of a screen. RedBox has changed that. You can rent a movie for a mere $1 and some change. And the selection is usually pretty good and recent. So get together with some friends and hit up your nearest RedBox and make use of cheap entertainment!
2. Local Entertainment: Most decent size cities almost always have things going on. From free concerts to public picnic days, the list can be endless. Research your town online or find local publications. They will more than likely contain information on events happening around your area.
3. Start Up A Blog: If you’re into writing and connecting with people starting a blog can be a very entertaining project for a weekend. If you’re new I’d suggest starting on a free blogging platform like Wordpress. It’s free and simple to use. Blogs can be made just for fun or even for profit. You’ll learn more as you go along. For more information on blogging check out my post on the subject: Get Paid - Blogging
4. Make Videos for YouTube: If you have a camcorder or even just a cell phone that takes simple videos this can be easy entertainment. You can be as creative, professional, or as stupid with it as you want. Make a few videos with your friends, edit them if ya want, and then post on YouTube. You never know, you might even find yourself becoming a viral video sensation online.
5. Sports: The oldest past time of American culture. Just grab a football, frisbee, volleyball, or whatever suits your interest and get together with a group of people for some recreational scrimmages. This is completely free and can be entertaining for hours on end. Or until you pass out
6. Hold A Yard Sale: This is more along the lines of making a weekend productive and profitable. What better way to spend a weekend than making it a weekend that puts more cash in your pocket? Grab your old belongings that no longer hold value to you, slap a price sticker on them, and reap the rewards.
7. House Cleaning: If you have nothing else to do, make your day productive and get some cleaning done. This may not sound like a blast, but it does invest in your family’s good health.
8. A Day At The Park: Take a trip out to your local public park and have a good time. Bring along some sports equipment, pack up a picnic, or just go to relax.
9. Game Night: Organize a night of gaming fun. Get together with a group of friends, break out the cards and board games, and enjoy yourself. It’s free, it’s easy, and it can be great time to spend with friends and family. You can also use this for a couples activity and make the night a fun double date.
10. Go Bowling on Discount Days: Check out the schedule for your local bowling alleys and find out what days they offer specials on. At our local bowling alley Tuesdays are $1.50 a game nights. Makes for a cheap way to have a few hours of fun.

These are just 10 ways to entertain yourself and friends for a night or a weekend. There are many more that you can find, especially if you live in larger cities or near natural attractions such as lakes and beaches. If you look well enough, you can find tons of ways to have fun for cheap or even for free.

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