How many times have you held onto a check for weeks because you didn’t have time to stop by the bank and deposit it? Since I rarely make trips to the bank, I tend to keep them for a long time. I do everything online now…well, almost everything. Checks still present a pesky problem. I have to go to the bank (or find an ATM) to deposit them. It’s so archaic!
Now there’s a bank that’s making that inconvenience a thing of the past. USAA recently introduced a brilliant new feature for its iPhone banking application, a check deposit feature. Customers simply enter the dollar amount, take a picture of both side of the check with their iPhone, and click send. The image goes into USAA’s deposit-taking system just like any other check. Everything is handled electronically. It’s so cool! And it’s about time someone figured out how to do it.
Now I just have to wait for my bank to offer it too! For more info and a demo, check out the video below.
If you’re planning on buying a car before the end of the year, you may want to stay out of the malls on Black Friday and head to the car dealerships instead. According to car pricing researchers from Truecar.com, the day after Thanksgiving is the best day to buy a car. These researchers analyzed day-by-day car prices over several years and found that Black Friday is the day that yields the largest discounts for consumers.
So, what should you expect to pay this year? Truecar.com expects the average new car discount on Nov. 27 to be 7.5% compared to 4.7% which is what buyers tend to receive on a typical day. If you are buying a Suzuki SX4 compact car, you can expect even higher discounts, up to 28% off sticker price! Truecar.com also predicts that Nissan Titan buyers can get 26% off and Ford F-150 truck buyers should receive a 20% discount.
Another factor that may sweeten the deal (or the discount) this year is the fact that Black Friday falls very close to the end of the month. It’s a crucial time for car dealers as they are trying to meet their quotas to receive manufacturer incentives and clear out 2009 models.
If you’re in the market for a new car, don’t wait for Christmas to buy it this year. Take advantage of the discounts and end of the month timing to get the best deal now.
The recession is reportedly coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean people are ready to start spending quite yet. In honor of those who are still watching their wallets, I’m sharing some freebies to get you through the the weekend. It may just help to offset the cost of the candy and costumes you have to pick up for Halloween:
Stop by your local Taco Bell store on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 6 pm to midnight and pick up a Black Jack Taco for free.
If you don’t have a costume yet, dress like a burrito, head to Chipotle, and they will give you a free burrito for dinner (Saturday, 6 pm - close)
La Madeleine is offering a free pastry to customers who print out a coupon from their Web site. You can find the coupon here.
Maggiano’s Little Italy wants you to have leftovers “Today & Tomorrow.” First, choose an entree from a special selection of items priced at $12.95 — then Maggiano’s will give you a second selection to take with you after your meal to enjoy as your dinner the next day. The promotion is available for dine-in only and is good through Nov. 25.
All month long, with a minimum adult purchase of $6, two children can eat free at Boston Market. Kids must be present to eat free.
Enjoy a free game of bowling at the Allen Bowl on Greenville Avenue in Allen, TX. The offer is good through the end of the year, though you will need to print out a coupon to receive your free game. You can get the coupon here.
Not valid during the weekend, but it’s still a great deal: Posadas is offering a free nacho bar Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The nacho bar includes beans, meat, queso, lettuce, tomato, salsa and one sopapillia.
April 15th marks the day many Americans dread — tax day — but don’t fret. A few restaurants are trying to mitigate Tax Day damage by offering free food and discounts to their customers. Finally, a reason to be happy about tax day!
If you’re a fan of PF Chang’s, stop by the restaurant on Wednesday for a great tax day discount. Chang’s is offering 15% off the total bill. This offer applies nationwide to all guests and applies to every order.
McCormick & Schmick’s seafood restaurants are giving out a $10.40 certificate for future use. Many $15 to $20 Entrees will also be discounted to $10.40 on the 15th.
MaggieMoo’s Ice Cream is giving away single-scoop servings to customers at 200 stores in what it calls an “e-cone-omic ice cream stimulus package.”
Cinnabon is offering free Tax Day Bites (small bite-size cinnamon rolls) from 5 to 8 p.m. at its 700 outlets.
Taco Del Mar’s promotion, “Taxes Suck. Tacos Don’t,” is funny, but it’s only being offered in the West. It offers a free taco coupon to people who register on the company website.
Finally, T.G.I. Friday’s is giving out gift cards in honor of tax day. If you spend between $10-$15, you get a $5 gift card; spend more than $25 and receive a $10 card.
Economic woes have people struggling to make ends meet these days. Thousands of workers are losing their jobs; many others are facing foreclosures. So, what do you do when the going gets tough?
Why not put your family up for sale on eBay? That’s what one father from Texas did after he lost his job as an IT recruiter. Loren Guerra offered his wife and three children as a “family of brand ambassadors.” They were willing to advertise a company’s brand through a variety of activities ranging from something as simple as wearing a shirt displaying the company’s name at public events or as bold as wrapping their cars with an advertisement.
Although the bids didn’t reach the minimum of $50,000, they came close. The final one rang in at a whopping $48,100. The highest bidder isn’t required to pay since the sale didn’t hit the minimum, but this father plans to contact the top three bidders to give them another opportunity.
Seriously, if it’s that easy to earn $48,000, I need to put myself up for sale on eBay. With only a few auctions per year, I could replace my salary simply by wearing some ads. No stress, no long hours, all I have to do is become a walking billboard. Hmm…that doesn’t sound like such a bad idea after all.
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Economic woes have people struggling to make ends meet these days. Thousands of workers are losing their jobs; many others are facing foreclosures. So, what do you do when the going gets tough?