Tag Archives: earn cash and prizes

A Sam-tastic Opportunity Just Got Better!

 

sams connect thing 3As Benjamin Franklin once said, “Bro! Why buy a can of Axe Body Spray when you can buy a whole case, Bro?” Buying in bulk can be a great deal, especially if you have a large crew. And Sam’s Club is one of the premier names in the biz. So it’s big news when a giant like that teams up with MindField Online.

MindField Online Announces “Member Connect” with Sam’s Club

MindField Online has been proud to be associated with Sam’s Club for almost two years ago. Now the partnership gets even better with the Sam’s Member Connect Panel!

The Member ConnectPanel is open for MindField Panelists who are also Sam’s Club members. So, if you aren’t a Sam’s member, but someone else in the household is, then that person can participate and get the incentive. So go to the Sam’s Member Connect page at the MindField website and give it a shot!

To take part, head over to the “Welcome Sam’s Club Member!” page at the MindField Online website. First, click the box that says, “I have read and accepted the Member Terms of Agreement, Privacy Policy and Data Quality Statement.” And congrats on being among the 2% of people that ACTUALLY READ the Member Terms of Agreement, Privacy Policy and Data Quality Statement before accepting! Then fill out the required info. Also, do the thing about setting your email privileges to accept MindField emails.

We also want to extend a huge welcome to Sam’s Club Members who are joining MindField for the first time through the Member Connect Panel.   Any questions about the Sam’s Member Connect Panel? Hit us up at the MindField Online Facebook page, and we will try to get you an answer ASAP!

How to Spend Your Tax Refund?

MW-BV866_pftaxr_20140304115214_MGThe tax-filing panic has passed for another year. Now, we play the Waiting Game (“I’m SICK of the Waiting Game! I want to play Hungry Hungry Hippos!” Homer Simpson) Anyway, if yours is the average American family, you’re likely to get about a $2,600 refund from Uncle Sam.

What to do with that money? The urge to splurge will always be there. It’s natural to want that big flat screen TV or that getaway vacation. But, how about some more… responsible ideas?

It’s The Consumerist to the rescue. They have an ongoing series of financial self-help articles with the umbrella heading “How Not to S*ck at….” And this week’s topic is spending your tax return. Here are some bullet points highlighting “How Not to S*ck at Spending Your Tax Refund.”

  • Pay Down Debt
  • Emergency Fund
  • Boost Your Retirement Nest Egg
  • Save For College
  • Create a Fund For Anything (pay cash for the thing you want instead of credit.)
  • Give It Away
  • Make Additional Mortgage Payments
  • Do Those Home Repairs

Of course, more tips and lots more detail at the original piece, so check it out! Now, the big question is… how will YOU spend YOUR tax return? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Tax Day Freebies!

Merely a serving suggestion...
Merely a serving suggestion…

And now, a tradition not nearly as annoying as those corporate April Fools’ Day pranks we talked about previously: the Tax Day Freebie! Restaurants, bars, hotels and other retailers love to capitalize on our tax day grief, offering various freebies, 2-for-1’s and “$10.40”-themed deals on April 15. And the list grows every year! Here are some samples:

  • Free curly fries at Arby’s
  • “Sing for Your Supper” at Hard Rock Café
  • Dinner for 2 for $10.40 at Boston Market
  • A big ol’ bag of bagels and cream cheese from Bruegger’s for $10.40
  • Free document shredding at Office Depot
  • Free sandwich at Schlotzky’s Deli
  • Half-off fro-yo at PinkBerry
  • Free coffee at Micky D’s
  • Free shave ice from Kona
  • Half-off lunch at Sonny’s BBQ
  • Half-price drinks and slushees at Sonic

…and on and on. Here are some links. What’s your favorite Tax Day deal or freebie? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Links to Tax Day Deals!

The Thrill of the Hunt?

saveWhen it comes to groceries, do you experience the thrill of the hunt? Trekking from store to store, tracking down that bargain, snaring it, bagging and tagging it, taking a photo with it, and so on? Whatever, man. No judgment here!

But if you’re like me (i.e., a DUDE) the answer is “No”. I have one store for the weekly haul, and one store for the quick, one-or-two-item grab without the 3-mile walk. I barely think about the fact that there are at least 4 other grocery stores I could visit, not to mention the CVS’s, Dollar Stores and Big Lots that have grocery items now.

They say that people generally only know the prices of 4 items, and I can’t even claim that! So, this news from Walmart is interesting… Starting last month, Walmart began testing the “Savings Catcher” in Atlanta, Charlotte, Lexington, Dallas, Huntsville, San Diego and Minneapolis. You go to the website, enter some info from your receipt, and it scans the prices of the different competing stores near you. If it finds a lower price at, say, Kroger, it sends you an e-coupon for the difference. It may be for 27 cents for one item, but for a $100 receipt, or for a whole month, it could add up.

It’s just a test for now, and only in a few cities but, if you want to learn more, visit the Savings Catcher site. So, what do you think? Would you give up the thrill of the “bargain safari” and let the computer do the work? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

To Cash or Not to Cash?

Yep. All singles. Sigh....
Yep. All singles. Sigh….

Quick question: who still carries cash? I don’t mean that you have a twenty for emergencies, but that cash is your primary way of getting around. My wife is the “20 for an emergency” type, while I am cash. I will whip out the debit card for $80 worth of groceries, or the AmEx for Sunday brunch, but that’s so I don’t use up my precious cash! (Though, at brunch, I almost always leave the tip in cash.)

Is it generational? I worked at a place where I was a good (!) 15 years older than the rest, and NONE of them carried cash. Is it gender? My wife would NEVER carry as much cash as I do. Is it convenience? Our bank has very few branches, and getting to the ATM is a drag, so I never come away with less than $100.

At any rate, money guru Dave Ramsey has compiled a list of the pros and cons of carrying cash.

Pros include:

  • If you’re on a strict budget, and you see your cash dwindling, it helps you spend less.
  • Cash can give you bargaining power on a purchase.
  • Convenience, of course. And others…

As for the Cons of cash:

  • If it gets stolen, it’s GONE.
  • It’s bulky and messy. (My wife marvels at the way a piece of paper with 4 corners and 2 sides can somehow be crammed 97 different ways in my wallet!)
  • It’s useless online, which is becoming a primary way we shop. And others…

So, cash or no cash? What do YOU do? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and have a great weekend!

April Shower of Savings!

I just said that!
I just said that!

It’s almost April, and time to look at the months best bargains! Here are some highlights:

  • Electronics: It’s the end of the fiscal year in Japan, and everything must go!
  • Seasonal stuff: Spring clothing, Easter candy (after Easter, natch), Mother’s Day jewelry
  • Travel: Book cruises now, even if you aren’t traveling for months
  • Health: The New Year’s Resolution crowd has faded out, so there are bargains on athletic shoes and gym memberships.
  • Tax Time: Many retailers (especially fast food) offer a free cup of coffee here, a donut there. Check it out!
  • Home Improvement: Like we said, spring cleaning and projects, projects, projects!

Again, just the highlights. Here are a couple of helpful links for your Friday browsing pleasure.

ABC News: April Bargains to spend your tax refund on
Best Travel Deals: Best Travel Deals for April
Ben’s Bargains: Waste Not, Want Not: Best Deals to Buy in April
DealNews.com: The Best and Worst Things to Buy in April

Have you got any spending (or saving) secrets for April? Share them over at the MindField Online Facebook page. And have a great weekend!

Spring Home Improvement Fun?

Savings Tip #1: Find a bunch of giant $100 bills in the yard
Savings Tip #1: Find a bunch of giant $100 bills in the yard

It’s been a tough winter for just about everybody. And, trust me, I know it’s relative. If I tell you that here in Charleston SC, we had a cold snap where “it got down to 19 degrees one night!” many of you will laugh. But that’s a big deal here! Anyway, as spring finally breaks, we emerge from our caves to find that our lawns, landscaping, patios and home exteriors look decidedly more beat-to-crap than we remember them. Disgusted, we go back inside to the dank grizzly den we burrowed into all winter long, only to see that it has suffered a similar fate.

I’m pretty sure this is where the whole Spring Cleaning thing came from. I believe it’s as much as a psychological need as a physical one.

Of course, that takes money. That is, if you (I) have any left after watching your (my) heating bills more than double over the winter. A lot of folks use their tax refunds and – even in 2014 – over half of us plan to get one.

How will we spend? According to Zillow.com, about 60% will take on some kind of project, but we will only spend $700 on average – which is the lowest since Zillow started their survey. So, since we are being so conservative, here are some links to help you spend wisely!

Also, Walmart and Target are having HUGE home improvement sales this weekend.
How about you? Any home improvement plans? I plan to smash my thumb with a hammer and cuss a lot. Share your plans and savings tips with us over at the MindField Online Facebook page. And have a great weekend!

Extreme Cutting Back is Extreme!

336Caught a 2am rebroadcast of Kathie Lee and Hoda (Link here if you can bear it) interviewing a couple that moved with their two kids into a 336 square foot house they built. Apparently, this is a thing now, so they say. The couple really didn’t seem to be too smug about it (unlike, say, the enviro-hipsters at my old job who ride their single-gear bikes to work every day even though it’s 88 degrees in Charleston by 9am and you smell like a mule the entire day.) Anyhoo, these folks lost everything in the Crash, had to start over, and didn’t want to be in debt ever again.

Yeah, but 336 square feet? “It brought us closer together…” Geez, you think?

How about some more practical tips on cutting back? Try “54 Ways to Save Money” from AmericaSaves.org. Ideas include everything from keep a jar of change to buying the new light bulbs to only using YOUR bank’s ATM, and 51 more!. Some good stuff there.

So, what about you? Could you have a fire sale and move your family into 336 sq ft? What ways have you cut back? Are you saving much? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

St. Pat’s 2014!

This-cat-like-Guinness-too-228x300Let go of my Lucky Charms, and listen up! Here’s where all your “green” will go this year on St. Patrick’s Day, according to MSNMoney.com:

Who is celebrating?

  • 55% of Americans will celebrate, up from 48% in 2007
  • 58% of men, 53% of women
  • 77% of 18-24 year-olds
  • 133 million people total
  • 34.1 million U.S. residents claim Irish ancestry
  • 24.1% claim Irish ancestry in the “most Irish” city: Boston

How are we celebrating?

  • 83% will wear green
  • 34% make a special dinner
  • 30% attend a party at a bar or restaurant
  • 22% decorate the home or office
  • 17% attend a private party
  • 2 million – number of attendees at NYC St Pat’s parade, America’s largest

How much are we spending?

  • $4.8 billion in spending
  • $36 per person
  • $255 million spent on beer

How about you? Any special plans for St Pat’s (other than possibly calling in sick on Tuesday?) Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page! Have a good weekend and a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Consumer Culture Hall of Fame!

1981905_710425518979512_1357359628_nIf you asked me what the biggest consumer trends of the past however-many years would be, I would say cell phones are at the top of the list. I remember in 1985 being fascinated by the ONE guy I knew with a cell phone… it looked like something Radar might use to call Sparky at the 8063rd on M*A*S*H: a big blocky unit, the size of a VCR, with a shoulder strap and a wired handset.

Turns out I am correct – or, rather, one-twelfth correct. Cell phones are on the list, as compiled by the London Globe and Mail. What else is on the list? Lots of things, not just technology but also trends. Here are the highlights…

  • Everyone is a designer: And don’t I know it! For many years, I was a Professional Video Producer. Now, any Joe with a camera and a laptop can make videos that I needed a ROOM full of technology to achieve!
  • Brands are keepers of culture: Sadly true. I was looking at my second-grade class picture. Know what I didn’t see? Nike, Spider-Man, Dora, or Red Bull t-shirts!
  • Everything you need fits in your pocket: See the picture above. A guy from 1990 carries 200 pounds of crap – a camcorder, VCR, TV, telephone, dictionary, road atlas, etc. – in contrast with carrying a smartphone.
  • Life is a project to be optimized.: “I’m living life to the fullest – even with my mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis!” See also: Viagra.
  •  Technology never sleeps: Oof, I am guilty of this one. Wake up at 3:45am. Hit the bathroom. Then, check the iPhone for emails or texts.
  • Scarcity is something to embrace: Ehh, not so sure about this one. There is a certain stripe of people who think that the itty-bitty SmartCar is cool, but I don’t know any of them.
  • Connectivity is like oxygen: Want to see a super freakout? Tell somebody that the WiFi is down!
  • Nothing is from one place any more: Remember “American Made”? Now it’s “Assembled in America from parts from who knows where”… and we’re OK with that!
  • Crowds know more than experts: Who do you trust to give you the lowdown on that new restaurant – the trained culinary expert, or a bunch of Joes who post on Yelp?

So, those are the highlights. Check out the original piece for further insights. So. what do you think? Are these relevant? Are there other cultural and technological phenomena you would add to the list? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!