Robert C Mitchell's Blog

Do you use Skype?  Skype allows audio, video and chat over the Internet, it’s a great way to stay in touch with family and friends.  If you do and you’re like me, you probably use the free version of Skype, which allows free Skype-to-Skype calling.  You can download Skype here.  But on occasion, especially when I’m sitting in front of the computer, I need to make a call.  Instead of rummaging around looking for a phone, You can use Skype.  Now I know what your saying, “yeah, but I have to pay for minutes to call a landline”.  True!  But what if you could get free minutes?  Sounds pretty good, right?

Microsoft’s Bing search engine has a rewards program, where you can earn points for doing searches.  These reward points can be redeemed for different items, one being 60 minutes of Skype credit.  Not bad for something we do on a daily basis.

So how does it work?  The first thing is to head on over to Bing Rewards.  Here you can read over the program and find out more about how it works.  Click  “Join Now” anywhere on the page.

This will direct you to the signup page.  The nice thing here is you can use your Facebook account, if you have one, to connect you to the program.  If you don’t use Facebook, you will need to create a Microsoft Account.  If you use Hotmail, you already have a Microsoft Account, so use that.

Once your account is created, you will have the option to select your goal.  Click the redeem link at the top menu bar on the page and locate Skype.  Click the icon and then select “Select as Goal”.  When you first create the account, you are placed in the Member status by default.  The more you search and earn, you can achieve other levels, that will allow you to redeem your reward points for less.  For example, the Member Status needs 100 points for the Skype minutes, but Gold status can redeem at 90 points.  Here I’m specifically mentioning the Skype reward, but if you see others you like, by all means select it.

Earning points is easy.  In the rewards dashboard, you will see many different items that will earn you points.  The most important, is the daily searches.  By default, you can earn 1 point for every 2 searches you do, up to 15 points a day.  This will increase as you achieve higher statuses.  Everyday on the main Bing page, you will find items to search for.  At the bottom of the page, you will see what’s trending.  Click each one and it will search it.  When your done that, click the links that are in the middle of the picture being displayed on the page.  There are usually 4 and they are only visible when you move your mouse over them.  These will also gain you points.

Don’t forget about the daily offer that you can find at the top right of the page under the badge and current point count.  This is the easy way to earn daily points.  Not to mention the regular searches you may do.  Before you know it, you will earn enough points to add 60 minutes of Skype credit to your account.