Savvy Money Saving and Earning Tips for Mustachians

[onecoolcat]

wanted to chime in with a Thank You and plug for the Francois et Mimi suggestion.

It took a couple weeks before I heard anything from them, but in the past few weeks I've gotten emails for:

Wired headphones
Bluetooth speaker
Bluetooth headphones
Non-slip cutting board
Micro-fiber sheet set

I've already received the wired headphones, cutting board, and sheets.  I'm sleeping on the sheets, they are awesome, the cutting board really is non slip (I was always using a piece of rubber-like shelf liner under the cutting board) and the headphones seem quality.  Although I begrudgingly let my partner take the headphones to work today - if they can hold up in a shop environment that breaks phones and causes my tub to look like I killed a motor in there (the grease stays everywhere!) then they will really have passed the test.

I'm really jealous you got the sheet set and i didn't!

[Bracken_Joy]

Paribus

Sing up and give them your Amazon login and if prices drop within 7 days of a purchase, they e-mail Amazon to request a refund of the difference, in line with their price match policy. I've done this and gotten $3 refunded so far when prices dropped on toothbrushes and a magnetic knife strip I ordered. They keep 25% of everything you save; 20% if you sign up through my link. They support other stores too.

https://paribus.co/i/0d3XIq

Signed up for Paribus, eBates, and Google Opinion.

Thanks all!

[a-scho]

If you do mystery shopping, you can pay for your shop with gift cards from a discount site, like Raise, and make a little more money. For example, If I am doing a Five Guys Burger and Fries and I spend 12.00, paying with a discount gift card purchased from Raise at 22% off, I get reimbursed the 12 dollars I spent, but get to "make" 3.52. Not much, but it adds up quickly if you're eating out every day. BUT, make extra sure that the shop guidelines allow gift cards.

I also put all mystery shops on a credit card to make another 1%. Except for the shops that are cash only. Mystery shopping is also a great way to manufacture spend for credit card bonuses.

[onecoolcat]

If you do mystery shopping, you can pay for your shop with gift cards from a discount site, like Raise, and make a little more money. For example, If I am doing a Five Guys Burger and Fries and I spend 12.00, paying with a discount gift card purchased from Raise at 22% off, I get reimbursed the 12 dollars I spent, but get to "make" 3.52. Not much, but it adds up quickly if you're eating out every day. BUT, make extra sure that the shop guidelines allow gift cards.

I also put all mystery shops on a credit card to make another 1%. Except for the shops that are cash only. Mystery shopping is also a great way to manufacture spend for credit card bonuses.

What are your favorite MSC's for fast casual / fine dinning restaurants?  I'm looking to expand my eating out horizons, lol.  You can share the MSC name as long as you don't say who their clients are.

[onehair]

I don't mystery shop but I am a Nielsen control panel member so they give me points for shopping for groceries clothing and eating out.  I wish they had a scan category for spices and some other purchases I make and some of the stores I visit but I will keep nagging until they add Harris Teeter and Food Lion back in.  Combining that with Receipt Hog it works quite well for me plus Walmart Savings Catcher.

[a-scho]

If you do mystery shopping, you can pay for your shop with gift cards from a discount site, like Raise, and make a little more money. For example, If I am doing a Five Guys Burger and Fries and I spend 12.00, paying with a discount gift card purchased from Raise at 22% off, I get reimbursed the 12 dollars I spent, but get to "make" 3.52. Not much, but it adds up quickly if you're eating out every day. BUT, make extra sure that the shop guidelines allow gift cards.

I also put all mystery shops on a credit card to make another 1%. Except for the shops that are cash only. Mystery shopping is also a great way to manufacture spend for credit card bonuses.

Most of my food shops are Marketforce, Strategic Reflections, and once in awhile Sinclair. I don't do fine dining/semi fancy places anymore because the hour long reports with just reimbursement and no pay get to be a slog. Plus the food is only minimally better taste/quality wise than the fast food joints where you get paid. Oh, there's also DJC'S and Service Sense.
What are your favorite MSC's for fast casual / fine dinning restaurants?  I'm looking to expand my eating out horizons, lol.  You can share the MSC name as long as you don't say who their clients are.

[onecoolcat]

If you do mystery shopping, you can pay for your shop with gift cards from a discount site, like Raise, and make a little more money. For example, If I am doing a Five Guys Burger and Fries and I spend 12.00, paying with a discount gift card purchased from Raise at 22% off, I get reimbursed the 12 dollars I spent, but get to "make" 3.52. Not much, but it adds up quickly if you're eating out every day. BUT, make extra sure that the shop guidelines allow gift cards.

I also put all mystery shops on a credit card to make another 1%. Except for the shops that are cash only. Mystery shopping is also a great way to manufacture spend for credit card bonuses.

Most of my food shops are Marketforce, Strategic Reflections, and once in awhile Sinclair. I don't do fine dining/semi fancy places anymore because the hour long reports with just reimbursement and no pay get to be a slog. Plus the food is only minimally better taste/quality wise than the fast food joints where you get paid. Oh, there's also DJC'S and Service Sense.
What are your favorite MSC's for fast casual / fine dinning restaurants?  I'm looking to expand my eating out horizons, lol.  You can share the MSC name as long as you don't say who their clients are.

You may want to consider NSS, Intellishop, and A Closer Look.

[jjface]

The Francois et Mimi suggestion was great - I've received bluetooth headphones, a charger and mixing bowls already!  Thank you!

[onecoolcat]

The Francois et Mimi suggestion was great - I've received bluetooth headphones, a charger and mixing bowls already!  Thank you!

Great!  Check out Amazon Review Trader as well.  There are loads of free/cheap items, the vast majority is crap but there are a handful of gems.

[onecoolcat]

The mystery shopping is starting to pay dividends.  The checks have started to trickle in and I have been paid by MarcketForce, Realty Based Group, Sinclair, and BARE International.  Highly recommend mystery shopping to my fellow mustachians!  Get paid (very little) to eat out for free!  As long as you can front the cost it will pay off in the long run. 

Also, eBates has a pretty good promo going on right now with Kohls.  $10 off $40 spent on men's clothes and 3% cashback.

Finally, I have a question.  When I logged onto my Chase account I saw an add for the Marriott Rewards credit card that offered 80,000 signing bonus when you spend $3,000 in the first three months.  That seemed like an amazing deal, has anyone had experience with this credit card?  I'm thinking about signing up for it but I just paid my car insurance premium for the next 6 months just last week, doh!

[Bracken_Joy]

The mystery shopping is starting to pay dividends.  The checks have started to trickle in and I have been paid by MarcketForce, Realty Based Group, Sinclair, and BARE International.  Highly recommend mystery shopping to my fellow mustachians!  Get paid (very little) to eat out for free!  As long as you can front the cost it will pay off in the long run. 

Also, eBates has a pretty good promo going on right now with Kohls.  $10 off $40 spent on men's clothes and 3% cashback.

Finally, I have a question.  When I logged onto my Chase account I saw an add for the Marriott Rewards credit card that offered 80,000 signing bonus when you spend $3,000 in the first three months.  That seemed like an amazing deal, has anyone had experience with this credit card?  I'm thinking about signing up for it but I just paid my car insurance premium for the next 6 months just last week, doh!

If there's another company with a similar rate, they're required to refund you on the remaining policy time if you switch. So you could get the refund and sign up with someone else so you can do the spending again =)

[onecoolcat]

The mystery shopping is starting to pay dividends.  The checks have started to trickle in and I have been paid by MarcketForce, Realty Based Group, Sinclair, and BARE International.  Highly recommend mystery shopping to my fellow mustachians!  Get paid (very little) to eat out for free!  As long as you can front the cost it will pay off in the long run. 

Also, eBates has a pretty good promo going on right now with Kohls.  $10 off $40 spent on men's clothes and 3% cashback.

Finally, I have a question.  When I logged onto my Chase account I saw an add for the Marriott Rewards credit card that offered 80,000 signing bonus when you spend $3,000 in the first three months.  That seemed like an amazing deal, has anyone had experience with this credit card?  I'm thinking about signing up for it but I just paid my car insurance premium for the next 6 months just last week, doh!

If there's another company with a similar rate, they're required to refund you on the remaining policy time if you switch. So you could get the refund and sign up with someone else so you can do the spending again =)

Yeah, I might do this but I need to find a new credit card first.  I'm thinking about the AMEX card that offers 35k points or the Marriott card but I need to do my research.  Does anyone have any suggestions?  I have already opened/closed accounts for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, AAdvantage, and AMEX Premier Reward Gold card.  Looking for two new cards with the best sign on bonus for this quarter.

[Tyson]

Here in Colorado we have a ton of stuff going on, and there's a helpful website that can direct you toward free activities in real time - http://www.denver.org/events/free-denver-events/

Maybe other cities have a similar website?

[Bracken_Joy]

Wow guys. Did the Francois et Mimi sign up from this thread. Today I just received a free $60 pair of headphones 2 days after using my code for them.

How is this a real thing? I have amazon prime, so I didn't even pay S&H.

[Vanguards and Lentils]

Wow guys. Did the Francois et Mimi sign up from this thread. Today I just received a free $60 pair of headphones 2 days after using my code for them.

How is this a real thing? I have amazon prime, so I didn't even pay S&H.

I signed up for it too. I like what I've gotten so far but I think the "regular prices" on these things are really misleading. Besides the stuff that claims to be made in the EU, I get the impression that it's cheap stuff from China with very nice looking labels placed on them.

[Bracken_Joy]

Wow guys. Did the Francois et Mimi sign up from this thread. Today I just received a free $60 pair of headphones 2 days after using my code for them.

How is this a real thing? I have amazon prime, so I didn't even pay S&H.

I signed up for it too. I like what I've gotten so far but I think the "regular prices" on these things are really misleading. Besides the stuff that claims to be made in the EU, I get the impression that it's cheap stuff from China with very nice looking labels placed on them.

Well, the sound on the headphones we got are pretty good. DH is a headphone snob and he traded out for these for his daily listeners. Very bass heavy, but he likes EDM, so he appreciates it.

[onecoolcat]

The Francois products are all really good quality.  They send out cutting boards and bowls as well.  Make sure you leave a review on Amazon for the products you receive so they continue doing this!

[Bracken_Joy]

The Francois products are all really good quality.  They send out cutting boards and bowls as well.  Make sure you leave a review on Amazon for the products you receive so they continue doing this!

Good reminder. I went and did that =)

Can't wait to get kitchen gear from them. I'm a mixing bowl junky =D One area where I am NOT a minimalist!

[Fitzy]

American Express Hilton HHonors is currently offering 75,000 Hilton points after $1,000 spend in 90 days.  It says I'm not eligible as I'm currently an account holder, but for those who don't have it and can make the $1,000 spend, it's a great deal.  And there's NO annual fee, so it's something you can use then keep dormant in your account forever.

I found it on the homepage of thepointsguy.com.

[onecoolcat]

American Express Hilton HHonors is currently offering 75,000 Hilton points after $1,000 spend in 90 days.  It says I'm not eligible as I'm currently an account holder, but for those who don't have it and can make the $1,000 spend, it's a great deal.  And there's NO annual fee, so it's something you can use then keep dormant in your account forever.

I found it on the homepage of thepointsguy.com.

Any idea of the dollar worth of the HH Points?

[Fitzy]

Any idea of the dollar worth of the HH Points?

The Points Guy values 75,000 Hilton points at $375.

Here's a link of what one can do with 75,000 points (albeit using a now expired Citibank offer, but still 75,000 points):

http://thepointsguy.com/2016/03/how-to-use-75k-points-hilton-visa-signature/

[dandypandys]

Paribus

https://paribus.co/i/0d3XIq

great thread, i signed up for pinch me, bing, Francois products but was scared by the paribus site and giving my passwords

[RedmondStash]

Commenting to follow because this thread is awesome!

[Dillydally]

For U.S. residents who need to purchase a full price prescription out of pocket, I have used  http://www.goodrx.com. I did not trust that it would work, but the discount was so much, I actually felt angry. I had originally called around to several pharmacies for the price and was quoted an amount that varied approximately $160 - $110 between walgreens, cvs, costco, etc. I wound up finding the http://www.goodrx.com coupon, used it at cvs and made the purchase for $44. Once the coupon was in their system, it was good for refills of the same prescription as well. Great coupon site, terrible pharmaceutical industry. The original price is jacked up so high, it was hard to accept what a huge discount I was getting for simply giving them a coupon code.

Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk

[onecoolcat]

For U.S. residents who need to purchase a full price prescription out of pocket, I have used  http://www.goodrx.com. I did not trust that it would work, but the discount was so much, I actually felt angry. I had originally called around to several pharmacies for the price and was quoted an amount that varied approximately $160 - $110 between walgreens, cvs, costco, etc. I wound up finding the http://www.goodrx.com coupon, used it at cvs and made the purchase for $44. Once the coupon was in their system, it was good for refills of the same prescription as well. Great coupon site, terrible pharmaceutical industry. The orinal price is jacked up so high, it was hard to accept what a huge discount i was getting for simply giving them a coupon code. What an insane rip off.

Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk

Wow, that's a massive discount.  What a tremendous savvy money saving tip!  does it work with many pharmaceuticals?

[Dillydally]

So far I have used it for two different prescriptions, but I assume it will work for any/all prescriptions.

[onecoolcat]

Pinecone Research.  This site will pay you $3 for completing 10 minute surveys maybe once a week.  They occasionally send you products to test for their research.  New users may register for the site on a limited basis.  They are currently accepting applicants if your profile fits their current needs.  You may be able to register at the following site:  http://centerpointscreener.com/

[onecoolcat]

Bump.  Any fyi, I received two products in the mail from Pinecone Research to test.  I actually enjoy the suspense of getting a box and having no idea what it is.

[onecoolcat]

TheMilesBroker.  Use this broker to sell unused airline miles.  I have used it in the past and received a paypal transfer within minutes.  First, you submit a request for a quote on their website.  They will respond and let you know whether they can offer you payment.  If they can use them they will give you a firm offer.  When I accepted what I thought was a reasonable offer, I was instructed to convert my points to another reward account that they had access to.  Within just a couple minutes I received an email from Paypal telling me they sent me the agreed upon amount.  There is some potential downside to doing this.  Selling points is against the Terms of Use for every credit card and if they catch you can be sure that they will close your account and probably not give you access to open another.  That said, I had a positive experience with TheMilesBroker.  Link here:  https://www.themilesbroker.com/

[sun and sand]

I love the idea of mystery shopping. Can I do this in Ontario?

[tj]

TheMilesBroker.  Use this broker to sell unused airline miles.  I have used it in the past and received a paypal transfer within minutes.  First, you submit a request for a quote on their website.  They will respond and let you know whether they can offer you payment.  If they can use them they will give you a firm offer.  When I accepted what I thought was a reasonable offer, I was instructed to convert my points to another reward account that they had access to.  Within just a couple minutes I received an email from Paypal telling me they sent me the agreed upon amount.  There is some potential downside to doing this.  Selling points is against the Terms of Use for every credit card and if they catch you can be sure that they will close your account and probably not give you access to open another.  That said, I had a positive experience with TheMilesBroker.  Link here:  https://www.themilesbroker.com/

\

Here is the 8 page fatwallet thread about the various brokers:

https://www.fatwallet.com/forums/finance/1284655/

[onecoolcat]

Anyone have anything to add?  I need more savvy tips (that don't involve selling tradelines :p)!

[Loretta]

I received a pretty red phone case from Francois i Mimi this week, woot! 

I recently signed up for a site called Crowdtap,  Basically pimping out my Twitter account and completing some surveys has netted me an Amazon gift card.

[MasterStache]

RE: Ebates

I don't know if this was brought up but I have found TopCashBack to be far more profitable than Ebates. For instance they have deals on occasion on cash back for gift cards. And if you are rehabbing a house (Like I am) they offer better cash back, like 6% at Lowes. I racked in over $130 cash back over the summer working on my house.

[onecoolcat]

RE: Ebates

I don't know if this was brought up but I have found TopCashBack to be far more profitable than Ebates. For instance they have deals on occasion on cash back for gift cards. And if you are rehabbing a house (Like I am) they offer better cash back, like 6% at Lowes. I racked in over $130 cash back over the summer working on my house.

Do you have a referral link?

[tj]

RE: Ebates

I don't know if this was brought up but I have found TopCashBack to be far more profitable than Ebates. For instance they have deals on occasion on cash back for gift cards. And if you are rehabbing a house (Like I am) they offer better cash back, like 6% at Lowes. I racked in over $130 cash back over the summer working on my house.

Do you have a referral link?

I have one. We both get $10 if you use it:

https://www.topcashback.com/ref/tjguitar85

[onecoolcat]

RE: Ebates

I don't know if this was brought up but I have found TopCashBack to be far more profitable than Ebates. For instance they have deals on occasion on cash back for gift cards. And if you are rehabbing a house (Like I am) they offer better cash back, like 6% at Lowes. I racked in over $130 cash back over the summer working on my house.

Do you have a referral link?

I have one. We both get $10 if you use it:

https://www.topcashback.com/ref/tjguitar85

Nice.  I checked and it advertises cashback rates that are twice as much as ebates.  Has anyone received a check yet?

[tj]

RE: Ebates

I don't know if this was brought up but I have found TopCashBack to be far more profitable than Ebates. For instance they have deals on occasion on cash back for gift cards. And if you are rehabbing a house (Like I am) they offer better cash back, like 6% at Lowes. I racked in over $130 cash back over the summer working on my house.

Do you have a referral link?

I have one. We both get $10 if you use it:

https://www.topcashback.com/ref/tjguitar85

Nice.  I checked and it advertises cashback rates that are twice as much as ebates.  Has anyone received a check yet?

They don't send checks. You can redeem by Amazon gift card, PayPal or ACH and there is no minimum pay out. If you want an AmEx Gift card I think there is a minimum for that.

[onecoolcat]

Credit Card Offer
Barclay Arrival Plus Card - You earn 50,000 bonus miles when you spend $3,000 within the first 90 days of having the account.  Two points per every dollar you spend.  Annual fee of $89 is waived the first year.  Zero foreign transaction fees!

I used this card in Ireland recently and it was awesome.  Very nice card to churn!