I get annoyed with giveaways and reviews on blogs. That's not what I go to my favorite blog sites to read about. If I wanted a new rice cooker I'd go to the store and buy one.

I feel the same way. I don't like reading about how awesome a product is. Of course you think it's awesome. They're paying you to think that! LOL.

Not sure if I would turn down the money to do a review or giveaway though. So I can kind of see why they do it.

I think as long as it's a product/service/site that you truly are enthusiastic about and would be recommending to your friends anyway - go for it!  I've done a couple of giveaways. a couple of sponsored posts, and a couple of reviews where the product being reviewed was donated, but I've turned down a LOT more.  I've actually had readers thank me for pointing them toward good deals on scrubs for work and sheets for kids moving into dorms, so I know I'm selecting things my readers are interested in :)

I don't do anything for money on my family blog. I would just feel really, really weird having pictures of my kids on a blog that earned money. I know it's not "stage mom" behavior, but it sort of feels like the beginning of a slippery slope...

But, on my "fun" blog, I do have ads turned on and an Amazon Associates account. I don't do it for the money, I absolutely LOVE what I write about, but if I get some kick back from Amazon for doing what I would do anyway, what's wrong with that?

I think if you change your content or your POV just so that you can get the ads and such, then you have a problem. As long as you are being you, why not get paid for it? Isn't that capitalism?

If a blogger is just doing the giveaway or review because they love the product, than why didn't they do it before someone offered to pay them for it. I give my friends my opinions about products, but I don't have a free one in my back pocket while I'm talking to them.

The way I see it, giveaways and reviews are just another part of blogging. It's not selling out to place an ad on your blog that directs people to a toy store, for example, it's called finding a way to make some extra money. To each his own. It's not like anyone is forcing anyone to buy anything. Readers make their own choices.

I don't think you become a sell-out until you start selling something either you don't believe in or that has nothing to do with your blog.

I have a very good friend with a travel blog and she has given away vacations, etc and that fits her niche.

I personally don't like to do very many reviews or give-aways just because that isn't why i got into blogging and it's not what people come to my blog for.

I think if reviews and give aways are a focus for your blog there is nothing wrong with it but random paid reviews in a blog that is otherwise not about reviews bother me. It's one thing if you are a photographer or scrapper & print a lot & rave about how much you loved your old HP printer & it died and now printerless and somehow HP reads it and offers you a new printer in exchange for a review. But if you are that person and out of the blue you start post reviews for toothpaste & shoes without ever having mentioned a love of those things, I find it annoying

I do reader appreciation giveaways once a year or so, but they are either things I've purchased with my own money or things I've made. I like to let subscribers know I'm thankful for their loyalty. I don't do ads on the blog and I never will. I just like the community. If I write a review on something it's literally something I love. I've never been contacted by a company to review a product. I agree; when the tone of a blog changes because a writer is looking for  ad money it is a complete turn off.