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September 20, 2005
Potential $10 Emigrant Direct Savings Opening Bonus
Ok, here's the deal. Emigrant Direct's representatives have contacted me to set up a referral deal where if someone clicks on a specific link to Emigrant and signs up for an account, I get $20. I want to give some of it back to you, the readers, and make it like VirtualBank and ING Direct referral bonuses where both of us benefit. I've contacted them to do this, because right now I have no way of tracking who opens an account through one of my links. In the meantime, I'm sure the recent rate hike to 4% APY will inspire many of you to open an account, so I'd like try to do this now with the Honor System.
Here's how I envision it. You must follow these directions accurately or things will fall apart. For those that are interested in opening an account with Emigrant Direct and want to get a $10 bonus:
1. Click on this referral link which will bring you to Emigrant Direct's website, and open an account. Do not just go to EmigrantDirect.com and open an account.
2. E-mail me at jonathan@mymoneyblog.com and tell me you opened an account. No names required, just e-mail. I will create an Excel file and track things.
3. Go through the opening process, which can take a while since it involves snail-mail.
4. Once you have fully opened your account and have online access, e-mail me again. Please don't forget to do this, as you must let me know you completed the entire opening process.
5. For every account opened properly, I will get $20. Since I have to pay taxes on this, I'll get a little less than $15 net. For your bonus, I will either send you $10 Cash via PayPal or e-mail you a $10 Amazon.com Gift Certificate, your choice. This will happen after I get paid from them, not when you tell me you finished opening the account.
For this to work, I must match up the referrals that Emigrant tells me with the accounts that you tell me you opened. If the numbers don't match up, I'll have to figure out the fairest way to profit-share.
So, to recap, your choices are:
1. Open an account at EmigrantDirect.com, and get only a great rate and no bonus.
2. Open an account using this specific link, and follow some simple directions to get a $10 free bonus at no additional cost to you along with the same great rate.
Your pick!
[added 9/23/05: This offer is only valid for the first 100 referrals, as that is the maximum allowed on my contract. There is still plenty of referrals, and I will update when the limit is close to being reached.] (Now at 1,000 - See 4th Update)
[added 10/02/05: Please read my Emigrant Direct Referral Bonus Update for updates on this program.]
[added 10/07/05: Please read my Emigrant Direct Referral Bonus Update #2 for additional updates. (20 left)]
[added 10/17/05: Please read my Emigrant Direct Referral Bonus Update #3 for another update.
[added 10/19/05: Emigrant Direct Referral Bonus Update #4 - Limit increased to 1,000 Referrals! (Over 880 left!)
Posted at September 20, 2005 06:48 PM to Deals & Offers
Comments
wow, this is interesting, so EmigrantDirect is your blog reader and know you have been advertising for them?
Posted by: Jay at September 20, 2005 08:37 PM
Well, they know I exist and that I have been talking about their savings account at least. Maybe it's the fact that I moved a big chunk of my cash away from there to Presidential ;)
Posted by: Jonathan at September 20, 2005 09:24 PM
Figures. I opened an ED account not two weeks ago so I can't take advantage of the promo. HSBC just did the same thing to me.
Well at least ED is up to 4%, though with the Fed rate hike yesterday, the others will probably match it soon. Let's see if ED stays on top for a bit.
Posted by: Ninja Pigeon at September 21, 2005 02:29 AM
Ninja Pigeon, It'll be interesting to see if other banks match this move, as the Fed rate hike was only a quarter point, yet ED bumped their rate a half point.
Posted by: fivecentnickel.com at September 21, 2005 06:15 AM
EmigrantDirect has been very good in listening and responding to its customers' needs and I'm sure they know that the financial blog community has helped them greatly as far as getting their name out.
Posted by: Brian at September 21, 2005 11:17 AM
Weird, I just tried to open an account, but they've got a problem with the "open now" button within their site. I'll try again later.
Posted by: Madame X at September 21, 2005 11:21 AM
Do you know anything about the "MyPoints program." Is it worthwhile?
Posted by: E at September 21, 2005 01:43 PM
doh I just open one a few days ago
was looking around to see if there's any bonus etc. didn't see any so I went ahead and open an account.
hopefully the process is easier this time though.
good offer though! if I know anyone thats interested, I'll send 'em ur way.
Posted by: Cap at September 21, 2005 04:12 PM
Hmm, I just tried to open an account too and got the "unable to process" window. I wonder if this is similar to Brian's problem from yesterday...
Posted by: Jeremy at September 22, 2005 08:34 AM
ok...that's funny (or not) I was probably signing up as you were posting this (or at least before the updated feed registered on bloglines! heh) having just been finally motivated by your rate hike post.
ah well.
Posted by: Caitlin at September 22, 2005 03:11 PM
Hi Jay,
You said you have Presidential account? How is it? I talked with them twice, about the online checking account and online saving, their customer service was bad. Their web doesn't look professional, either, so I wonder how about the account?
Posted by: lin at September 23, 2005 08:34 AM
Hi- Just opened an account with emigrant- let me know what I need to do to get the $10 bucks~ Thanks for this offer- Too Bad, ING cannot keep up...
Ryan.
Posted by: Ryan at September 23, 2005 02:10 PM
I've used ED since March (when it was less than 3%, I believe). The customer service is good, but doesn't "feel" right. The web site is sometimes flakey. I don't know if I'd leave ALL my money with them, but I do have all my "not gonna touch it soon" money there, and have more directly deposited with each paycheck. They are responsive to messages posted on their site. I told them when ING bumped their rate to 3.2, and they went up to 3.5 the next day. They are committed to being the highest rate High-rate Savings account out there. They have never charged me a fee of any kind, and they guarantee their rate will not go down through 2005 (they have had that guarantee all year, and the rate has gone up over 1% in that time).
Fact is, I tell people about ING, but I keep my money with ED. My ING account only has they money they put in there from referrals.
Posted by: Michael Blackburn at September 29, 2005 11:15 AM
Ryan - Please read and follow the directions above exactly.
Posted by: Jonathan at October 2, 2005 09:37 PM
