"this i promise you" {my entry into Amazon Associates}

If that title didn't cause you to start humming the N Sync song, you missed the perfect chance to relive the glory of 90's boy bands!  Oh well, this post really has nothing to do with Justin Timberlake, but you should find the song on youtube so just in case you feel like singing along, here's a link. ;)

For a couple months I've considered joining the Amazon Associates program and about two weeks ago I finally took the jump.  Before I started using it on the blog, however, I wanted to explain clearly what it was and why I decided to join.

If you don't know anything about Amazon Associates, here's a quick summary.  I earn a very small commission (usually 4%) for items that someone purchases on Amazon after reading about it on my blog.

Why did I decide to join Amazon Associates?  Glad you asked!

1.  I do this anyway!  Since the beginning of my blog I've been linking to Amazon for books, movies, music and other products.  I've never gotten any commission or reward for doing this - I just wanted a quick link for readers to learn more about the products I recommend.

2.  I adore Amazon.  Truly, I do.  We've used Amazon to do 100% of our Christmas shopping for the past two years and often use it for birthdays too.  All three members of my family have Amazon wish lists and we used it for our baby registry too.  I am joining the Associates team because I trust Amazon is a good company.

3.  Student loans are pesky and weighty.  My husband and I both have student loans that it looks like we'll be paying off for awhile to come.  I am SO glad that I got the education that I did, but it does make our finances strained at times.  I decided to give Amazon Associates a try to see if I could earn a little extra income for our family.

And now the important question: How does all this affect you?

Awesome news!  It doesn't.  You pay the EXACT same price.  Promise.  You pay what you would normally pay and I earn 4% for recommending it to you.

So here's what I want to you know:

1.  I will be HONEST - I will only recommend things that I would normally link to.  I won't start writing weird posts just to link to expensive items.

2.  I will include a disclaimer every time I post an Amazon Associate link (usually at the bottom of the post just like I do with book reviews).  And I'll probably include a link back to this page so newer readers can see what Amazon Associates is all about.  If you'd rather I didn't get your commission, simply visit the normal Amazon site and search for the product yourself.  :)

Questions, complaints, comments?  Leave a comment here on the blog or send me an email.  I'd love to get some feedback on this!