Tag Archives: Money

Money

Last Chance to Save with Bing Cashback

The shopping side of the Bing search engine is losing its cashback feature in a few days.  Microsoft debuted Bing Shopping back in June 2009 and used the cashback program to drive awareness to the ability to search for product prices within Bing.  The program offers cash when making online purchases that begin with a search on Bing, but has been a cost to Microsoft.  Now that the service is well known, Microsoft has decided to pull the plug on Friday, July 30, 2010.

Lots of Last Minute Deals on Bing

The cashback program typically offers 2-25% cash back on purchases, and some retailers are ramping up the offers to entice last minute Bing cashback shoppers.  To try it out, just search for the next purchase you’re planning to make on Bing.  Also, don’t worry how small or large your cashback amount is as Microsoft has said it will remove its current constraint of at least $5 in savings before sending you the money.  Here are a few great deals this week.

Where To Go Now For Good Deals

Once Bing cashback is gone the big question is where to go instead for savings.  Thankfully there are a number of similar sites out there that are similar.  Although, an actual cashback rewards style program will be hard to find, the deal sites below offer great discussions of the latest deals retailers are offering.  To test a site out just click a link below and search for the product you want to buy.  I tried searching for Macbook Pros on Slickdeals.net and was able to find a local retailer offering $200 off the going price everywhere else.

Will you be missing Bing cashback?  I sure will, but thankfully the internet will provide other great ways to save.

Featured, Money

ING Direct Unveils New iPhone App

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ING Direct is my favorite online bank.  They offer decent rates with excellent services.  They have been lagging, though, in the mobile banking market until recently when they unveiled a great new iPhone app.  The app provides core services like checking your balance and transferring money, and it only lacks a few small options that would make it nearly perfect.

Getting Started with ING Mobile

The ING iPhone app is a significant improvement over their previous app offering which simply forwarded the user to their online website.  Now ING customers will find a familiar login screen that requires a username, picture verification, a few questions, and a PIN.  Similar to the online website, you can allow the app to save your username and skip to the PIN when you open the app on your iPhone.  This allows for a quick sign on, but may be a security concern on the mobile platform.

ING Direct iPhone App Features

After logging into the app, you’ll be happy to find a simple and clean interface.  Just swipe right or left at the menu on the top to access accounts balances, bill pay options, customer support, and a “Refer a Friend” link.  The bill pay option allows you to send checks to friends when you owe them money making it easy to pay back friends on the spot (similar to Venmo).  One feature I found lacking was the inability to add a friend to your bill pay list via the mobile app.  Only those people who you have added to your online address book are available which is a significant setback to making this iPhone app very useful.  Additionally, the app doesn’t integrate an ATM finder which exists as a standalone app.

Best Features

  • Account balances
  • Bill pay and friend pay
  • Refer a friend for a commission

Enjoyable Experience

All together this app is a great start for ING Direct as they enter the mobile market, and it is helpful to those concerned about their current balance while considering their next big impulse purchase.  Loyal users will enjoy the friendly comments like “Hang On” and “Sorry, we thought you left & signed ya out” that have made the web version an enjoyable experience.  Since ING users tend to like banking online this is a necessary step to maintaining their online reputation, but until options like adding friends to the bill pay address book are available via the phone this app is incomplete.

Are you an ING customer?  Have you tried the iPhone app from ING or other banks and what do you think/expect from mobile banking?  Let me know your thoughts below.

Find ING DIRECT Mobile on AppStoreHQ.
iPhone apps at AppStoreHQ

Carnival

The Best of Money Carnival #48: My Top 10

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To all my readers new and old, it’s a pleasure to be hosting the Best of Money Carnival this week. This carnival is one of the most well known in the personal finance blogosphere and always features a great collection of personal finance articles. After perusing a long list of outstanding articles, I have picked my favorites. Thanks to all the entries and continue to enter for a chance to be featured.

My Top 10 and Thoughts

Starting with the best, here they are.

  1. The Winner! 11 Great 40 Dollar Investments – A great simple list of ways to spend 40 dollars well. A nice article without all the overwhelming information you see in other blogs.
  2. It’s Never Too Early to Teach Children Good Money Habits – Teaching your children about finance should be a top priority today (or when you have them).
  3. How To Get More Value Out of Your College Education – Too many people go to college because everyone else is going. Understanding why college is important and how to get the most out of it can set you far ahead of the crowd.
  4. What is a 529 College Savings Plan? – In line with the last two articles, be sure to save for your kids college one day. Here’s a good summary on how to get started and what to expect.
  5. Wipe Away Debt Problems With Debt Snowflakes – An interesting micro version on the popular “Snowball” theory Dave Ramsey followers know of.
  6. 5 Ways to Ask Your Boss for a Raise – Learning how to get the most money for your work make improve your balance sheet than any other savings advice.
  7. When Your Dual Income is Cut in Half – In a recession it’s important to know how to react when you lose a job. Here are some ideas to consider.
  8. Costs In Buying A Home Besides Your Mortgage – Buying a house comes with a lot of responsibility. Be prepared with this great checklist before committing.
  9. Living frugally for early retirement – We often overwhelm are lives with too much stuff. Here’s a fun perspective on a simple life in retirement.
  10. Avoiding Online Money Making Scams – A few good reminders on what to avoid when walking through the financial world online.

Be sure to check out all the posts. If you would like to take part in a similar carnival that’s just getting started take a look at the Find Time, Save Money, and Have Fun Carnival page.

Featured, Life

Understanding Car Costs and When to Drive

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Flickr PhotoDu.de

In America, driving is one of the most popular ways of getting around. After trying out my local public transportation system recently, I realized that my car provides a ton of value in convenience and comfort. Often times though, we forget the costs of a car and how different factors impact the cost. We pay for gas and maintenance separate from each trip so it can be difficult to associate the two. I’ll try to provide a simple overview of the costs of driving so that you can make better decisions on when to drive and when to fly or even skip a trip.

Continue reading Understanding Car Costs and When to Drive →

Carnival

Find Time, Save Money, and Have Fun Blog Carnival – 1st Edition

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Welcome to the 1st Edition of the Find Time, Save Money, and Have Fun Blog Carnival from Obsessed Analytic.  Each edition will feature the best blog posts online with great ideas for you.  This week features great posts regarding saving money with planning, time wasters, tips for young people, and party games.  Be sure to check them out and vote on your favorites below.  Also, if you have a blog submit your posts or host in the future to help attract readers.

Best Overall

Continue reading Find Time, Save Money, and Have Fun Blog Carnival – 1st Edition →

Money, Technology

How to Sell and Recycle Used Electronics

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Most of us have a bunch of old electronics lying around. If they still work you may be able to recoup some value from them by selling them online, and if they don’t work you can recycle them for free. There are a score of websites out there that you can use to sell or recycle your old electronics which is great both for you and the environment.

When I bought an iPhone, one of the selling points was that it replaced my regular cell phone and iPod. These still worked well and I didn’t want them to just go to waste. I knew they had some value but wasn’t sure how to get it from them. Here are some tips I found when researching ways to extract value from old electronics.

What You Can Sell or Recycle Online

Almost any electronic you have can be sold online. The better the condition the more money, but even if it is broken you will probably enjoy clearing out space in your office or closets by getting rid of old electronics. Here are some of the most common items you can sell online.

  • Cell phones
  • iPods
  • Digital cameras
  • PDAs
  • Gaming devices
  • DVDs
  • Computers

Where to Sell Them

Online recycling sites ask questions regarding the condition of your device to determine value and will pay for your shipping costs. They do almost all the work for you making the process of cleaning out your old electronics extremely easy. I tested the interfaces and value calculators with an old iPod mini that I am planning to sell or recycle.

  • BuyMyTronics.com – offers great value, erases all data, and is environmentally friendly
  • NextWorth.com – offers the simplest interface and good value
  • Gazelle.com – offers good value and tries to predict value trends of your product
  • YouRenew.com – offers low value but will always recycle

For a little more work and potentially more value, check out the online auction site eBay. On eBay you will have to go through the process of setting up an auction, receiving money, and shipping the item, but it may be worth it. Research recent auctions to determine the going price and decide if it’s worth your time.

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Related Articles

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Top 5 Ways to Trade in Your iPod