Archive for November, 2010
Monday, November 29th, 2010
The American Express Small Business Saturday promotion that was initially for Saturday, 11/27 has been extended all the way to the end of the year, 12/31/2010. Sign up at their special Facebook page if you haven’t already. Basically, enroll on their site, and spend $25 or more at any local small business that accept American Express and you’ll get a $25 credit back on your statement. Registration is now open to the first 300,000.
To be eligible for this offer, you must register your eligible American Express Card between November 8, 2010 and December 31, 2010. You may only register one Card for this offer. Using your registered American Express Card, you must spend $25 or more at one or more participating small business merchants between 11/27/2010 and 12/31/2010 to receive the $25 statement credit.
Eligible merchants include any independently owned small businesses that accept the American Express Card. Purchases made online, at large, national chains, at franchised business locations and at government agencies are not eligible.
Posted in Credit Cards, Deals & Offers | 11 Comments »
Thursday, November 25th, 2010
I know a lot of folks have some version of the Chase Freedom Visa or Mastercard, whether from farther back or recently for their $100 cash promo offer or their rotating 5% rewards.
Just got a note that they are offering 8% cashback on select stores from 11/26 to 11/30. The Apple store usually only discounts prices on Black Friday, so in combination this could be a good deal if you were planning a Mac purchase anyway. Some other big names on their list as well. (Insert warning about not spending too much during holidays here.)
We are excited to announce a special, limited-time promotion for existing Chase Freedom cardholders!
For 5 days only, Chase Freedom cardholders can earn 8% bonus cash back for every dollar spent when shopping at the following select merchants: Apple Online Store, Gap, Toys “R” Us, Barnes & Noble, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Sears and Macy’s. This promotion is valid from November 26th through November 30th.
Posted in Credit Cards, Deals & Offers | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
Somehow I thought it was a good idea to fly on Thanksgiving Eve. No TSA nightmares. Flight was full. Volunteered quickly for the bump (you can ask to put your name on the list when checking in), and got $400 each in transferable flight credit for the two of us, plus first class re-booking on the next flight 3 hours later. Now I’m pecking away on my smartphone. I hope everyone else has safe travels.
Happy Thanksgiving! It’s still my favorite holiday.
Posted in Funny | 10 Comments »
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
The new Continental Airlines OnePass Plus Card from Chase has improved their sign-up incentive to include 30,000 free miles and a pretty nice mix of perks for travelers.
Sign-Up Bonus: Free Flight
- 25,000 Bonus Miles after first purchase (no minimum amount) for first-time Continental Airlines personal Cardmembers. That’s enough already for one free roundtrip airfare within the continental US.
- 5,000 More Bonus Miles for adding an authorized user to your account. This is another easy one to get. Remember, just because you add someone doesn’t mean you have to give them the card.
- No annual fee the first year. The regular annual fee is $95, but is waived the first year.
- If you spend $25,000 on the card annually, you’ll get another 10,000 bonus miles. Since you earn 1 miles per $1 spent as well, this works out to 1.4 miles/dollar when you reach that mark.
Travel Perks
- Free checked bag. If you fly on Continental, you and a companion will each get your first checked bag for free. That’s a savings of $50 roundtrip, per person.
- Primary rental car insurance. Almost all personal credit cards only offer secondary rental car insurance, which means you have to file a claim with your own auto insurance first, which means you have to pay the deductible and possibly face higher future premiums. With primary collision damage waiver (CDW) even for personal use, you get coverage for damage or theft without having to make a claim.
- Additional travel insurance that isn’t on all cards, like trip cancellation insurance up to $1500 for a illness with doctor’s note , delayed baggage coverage up to $300 if you have baggage delayed more than 18 hours and need to buy items to get by.
- If you decide to keep this card past the first year, you’ll get two free passes to their First-Class airport lounge.
As you may have heard, Continental and United are merging, and the resulting airline is supposed to have the name United. Here’s a chance to rack up some miles that will eventually merge together.
Not good enough? Currently, there are also other ways to rack up $500+ in credit card bonuses…
Posted in Credit Cards, Deals & Offers | 7 Comments »
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
Time for another Groupon nationwide deal for 11/24, this time to save money on bidding on hotels on Priceline.com. You have two options:
- For $20, you get $40 toward a bid on any three-star or better hotel on Priceline.com
- For $40, you get $80 toward a bid on any three-star or better hotel on Priceline.com
So if you bought the $80 bid and won a 2 night stay for $100 total, you’d only end up paying $60 for it. More fine print:
Expires Mar 25, 2011. Limit 1 per person. Valid only for option purchased. Valid only for 3-star or better hotels on Name Your Own Price. Exact hotel shown only after purchase. $1 minimum bid/night req’d. Taxes and fees not incl’d. Not valid w/ other offers.
Here is the Groupon deal link from Ft. Lauderdale, but anyone can buy and use it. If you don’t have a Groupon account already, please use my sign-up link first. It’s free for you, and I’ll get some Groupon credit for future deals. Groupon is a popular group-buying site where in major metro areas you get one deal per day from a local retailer as long as enough people sign up for it, along with occasional nationwide offers.
You can also get up to another 2% back on your Priceline purchase through cashback shopping portals such as eBates ($5 bonus), Mr. Rebates ($5 bonus), and BigCrumbs.
Finally, a while back I wrote about some tips on using Priceline here. By using databases that include actual winning bids, you can see what is available and optimize your bidding. Good luck!
Posted in Deals & Offers | 2 Comments »
Monday, November 22nd, 2010
A couple of months ago, I decided to start clearing out all my old DVDs. I’ve never had much of a collection, but I never watched these anymore. I wasn’t looking to absolutely maximize my price, I knew these weren’t the hottest titles anymore and was looking for the most convenient option. I found the website SecondSpin.com and used them. Here’s my experience:
Day 0 – Checking Prices
I typed in the UPC numbers from the back of the DVDs, and they told me their offer upfront with no commitment. I didn’t waste much time comparing prices across the web, but overall I did get more than if I sold for the lowest price as an individual seller at Amazon.com (and definitely more than what they were offering directly for gift cards). I agreed to sell back 9 DVDs for a total price of $23 plus their shipping credit. If you sell back 5 items or more, they reimburse you for the cost of USPS Media Mail postage.
Day 1 – DVDs Shipped out
I packed and shipped the DVDs via Media Mail out at the Post Office to their address in Itasca, IL. I was reimbursed for $3.16 in postage (up to 3 pounds), but actually had to pay $3.55 (up to 4 pounds). Perhaps I packed it too well.
Day 28 – Shipment Finally Received
I knew Media Mail could be slow. But nearly a month later, I receive an e-mail from SecondSpin that they have not received my DVDs yet, and that my price quote is about to expire. However, they agree to extend the quote for another 2 weeks as a courtesy. I get a little worried that they are lost in the mail, and I didn’t buy any tracking since the value was so low.
Later that very same day, I receive another e-mail that they have indeed received my shipment successfully. 2 of 9 items were rejected for being “severely scratched”, but that only reduced my payout by $1.40. (More on this below.)
Day 29 – Payment Received
You can elect to receive payment by check, PayPal, or store credit. I chose PayPal, and received my payment electronically without problem. I’m relatively happy, and figured that my rejected DVDs were just going to be trashed.
Day 60 – Rejects Come Home Again
I was surprised to find a package from SecondSpin.com in the mailbox. They had sent back the two rejected DVDs, postmarked at about Day 45. The postage they paid for USPS Media Mail: $2.38. If they had simply bought the DVDs at the price I already agreed to (even to junk them later), it would have cost them only $1.40. It actually cost them 98 cents more to reject my DVDs and send them back. I guess they want to make a point that you shouldn’t send them scratched DVDs?
I checked the DVDs, and there were slight visible scratches but nothing that would affect playback, nor what I would call “severe”. If you use Netflix, you know what I mean. However, I respect their decision not to resell them. I’ll just throw them on next year’s garage sale pile.
Overall, I was satisfied with the process. It took a month, but Media Mail is slow and I wasn’t in a rush.
Posted in Frugal Living, Reviews | 5 Comments »
Monday, November 22nd, 2010
Amazon.com is offering $3 in free MP3 downloads with the code GET3MP3S. No purchase required. See directions and details at this link. It should increase your gift card balance by $3 for music purchases only. You must redeem the code by November 29, 2010 11:59 PM PST. Promotional offer limited to one Amazon MP3 promotional credit per customer.
It may ask you to install the AmazonMP3 Downloader software, but you can go to “skip” this for individual songs. Entire album purchases may require installation. Get some nice holiday songs!
Posted in Deals & Offers | 9 Comments »
Friday, November 19th, 2010
The following is a guest post from reader Daniel Gershburg, Esq., who writes about the inner workings of debt settlement agencies. Daniel is a bankruptcy attorney in New York and New Jersey.
Over the past several years, our economy has gone into the tank. Rampant unemployment, underemployment, in fact a near collapse of the financial system have completely reshaped our financial lives. Millions of Americans are in credit card debt over their heads and can’t afford to pay even the minimums. And the creditors have, in many cases, several cut credit lines and hiked our interest rates. In a situation like this, a debtor basically has three options.
The first option is to file for Bankruptcy. While I think it’s the soundest option, both with regards to ones credit and future financial well being, I’m also a Bankruptcy attorney, so of course I feel that way.
The second option is to try and settle with credit card companies and bring down your interest and pay off your debt….good luck with that. They’re about as interested in settling with you now as you are in buying an investment property in Las Vegas.
The third option, and the option I’d like to discuss in depth here, is employing a Debt Settlement company to try and settle the debt for you. This not only, in my opinion, is the worst option of the lot, but based on what these companies claim, may border on fraud. Literally, fraud. Here’s why:
The promise of bailouts
Turn on the radio or the TV and you’ll hear absolute nonsense about how debt settlement companies can reduce the amount you pay to your creditors by up to 80%. One, called the Obama Credit Card Relief Program (I’m serious) promises to Cut Up To 70% Off Credit Card Debts under “Bailout Relief”. Again, absurd. The claims that many of them make aren’t even mathematically feasible based on most people’s budgets.
Many of these companies also make claims that they are Not for Profit companies. You hear that and you think of people planting trees, feeding the homeless in soup kitchens, and you begin to almost subconsciously trust these companies. The IRS did a little research into these feel good claims. Here’s what they found:
Over the past two years, the IRS has been auditing 63 credit counseling agencies, representing more than half of the revenue in the industry. To date, the audits of 41 organizations, representing more than 40 percent of the revenue in the industry, have been completed. All of the completed audits have resulted in revocation, proposed revocation or other termination of tax-exempt status. [Source: IRS.gov]
How do debt settlement companies really work?
Read the rest of this entry…
Posted in Credit Cards, Debt | 24 Comments »
Friday, November 19th, 2010
Here’s another Groupon national deal, this time for $50 gift card for $25 at Nordstrom Rack, which seems like a nice name for Nordstrom Outlet. I think I’ve been to one before, it’s like a fancier Ross’s or TJ Maxx. Shoes, clothes, accessories, etc. List of store locations. This one is good until midnight 11/22.
Limit 1/person. Valid at all Nordstrom Rack locations. In-store only. Not valid for gift cards. Not valid with other offers or discounts. EXPIRES ON 12/31/10.
If you don’t have a Groupon account already, please use my sign-up link first. It’s free for you, and I’ll get some Groupon credit for future deals. Groupon is a popular group-buying site where in major metro areas you get one deal per day from a local retailer as long as enough people sign up for it, along with occasional nationwide offers.
Posted in Deals & Offers, General | 3 Comments »
Thursday, November 18th, 2010
This is Groupon’s national deal today (update: extended through Sunday 11/20), and seeing that 1,000 has already been bought, I guess people like it. $25 for $50 of stuff at American Apparel. I’ve never bought anything from them before – what would make a good gift value?
$50 minimum purchase. In-store only. Not valid on Multi-Packs, California Select Vintage, Multibrand products, or shoes. Not valid at outlet locations. Not valid with other offers or sale items.
If you don’t have a Groupon account already, please use my sign-up link first. It’s free for you, and I’ll get some Groupon credit for future deals. Groupon is a popular group-buying site where in major metro areas you get one deal per day from a local retailer as long as enough people sign up for it, along with occasional nationwide offers.
Posted in Deals & Offers | 6 Comments »
Wednesday, November 17th, 2010
The American Express Platinum Card has more than doubled their usual promotion, offering the following for new cardholders:
- 25,000 bonus Membership Rewards points for spending $1,000 within 3 months. MR points are very versatile. First, they could be converted to 25,000 frequent flier miles in a number of programs in various increments (worth a free roundtrip domestic coach ticket). Or, you can simply get $250 in gift cards at several stores like Home Depot, Crate & Barrel, Banana Republic/Gap/Old Navy, or Macy’s.
- The annual fee is $450 a year. It is not waived for this offer, so in my view this just about offsets the bonus above. Which still leaves all of the following below:
- $200 airline fee credit annually, to “cover incidental fees with your favorite airline. ” Each year, you pick an airline like American or Delta. Then, whenever you charge an airline fee from them onto the Platinum card like checked baggage fees, overweight fees, ticket booking/change fees, in-flight food, it will be refunded to you. (Inflight WiFi not eligible.) This feature starts 12/1/2010, so you have $200 for December 2010 and another $200 for all of 2011.
- Free Airport Private Lounge Access.Get access to the first-class lounges, even if you are flying coach. Relax on comfortable couches, get free drinks and snacks, free computer access and WiFi, and sometimes free meals and showers. You also get preferred re-booking help if your flight is delayed.Valid for American Airlines Admirals Club, Continental Presidents Club, Delta Sky Club, US Airways Clubs, and more. You just need a same-day ticket, except for US Airways. You can access any US Airways lounge, even if you’re flying on another airline! Even better, access is valid for you and two companions, or your spouse and children under 21.
Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by American Express. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of American Express, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express. This site may be compensated through American Express Affiliate Program.
Posted in Credit Cards, Deals & Offers | 14 Comments »
Wednesday, November 17th, 2010
We decided to actually light up our house a little more this year, and were quickly faced with a decision: LED or old-school incandescent lights? Would the electricity savings of the LED lights make up for the added cost? Or is it purely an eco-friendly play? Then we realized that the true eco-friendly thing to do would be not to light up our house. Bah-humbug! Anyhow, some quick research led to the following energy savings comparison:
Factors
Amount of electricity used. Looking at the box of regular incandescent lights, they use 40.8 watts per 100 light strand (0.0408 kW). The 100-light strand of LEDs used 8 watts (0.008 kW). You should be able to find these on any box of lights, especially the traditional kind as they can draw too much current if you connect too many together.
Cost of electricity. Here is a link to the average cost of electricity by state. The nationwide average is 12 cents per kWh (kilowatt-hour), but can range from 9 cents in some states like West Virginia to 28 cents in Hawaii.
Time used. How many days x how many hours per day do you plan to run the lights. I figure 45 days from right before Thanksgiving until a little after New Years. From sunset to bedtime is about 6 hours. So that’s 45 days x 6 hours = 270 hours.
The Numbers
Conclusion
Using these numbers, it would be reasonable to say that each 100-light strand would save $1 in electricity per year. Costs will vary, but I saw a set of 100 of cheap incandescents for under $3 at the megastore, while the cheapest 100 LEDs cost closer to $12. The means it would take nearly a decade to break even on purely a electrical savings basis. Given my natural talent in creating tangles in these string lights, I don’t know if I can see them lasting that long. You definitely aren’t going to save the world by buying LED holiday lights.
If you already had a set of incandescents, I can’t imagine being able to justify throwing them out for a new set of LEDs, since even the LED lights are mostly made out of plastic and thus fossil fuels. Since we didn’t have any lights to start with, we just decided to buy a set of each (LED & old-school) to compare the “light quality”. The brightness of the two modern sets we bought were comparable, and look very similar from a distance.
Now, I’ve also seen the solar-powered LED light kits, but from the package they use less than 3 watts of energy, which means they are significantly dimmer. However, the lack of power plug does make it mighty convenient.
Posted in Frugal Living | 25 Comments »
