I have been doing 0% balance transfers for a while now, but my original three-part series (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) about how to do them is getting a bit dated. I have also made several follow-up posts to it (like how to get a check directly and tips to manage payments), but they are hard to find for newer readers. Finally, many answers to questions are buried in the comments.
In addition, right now is a great time do this activity as the difference between what you're borrowing at (0%) and what you are earning in interest (over 5%) is the biggest that I can remember. For every $20k you borrow, you can earn $1,000 of interest.
KeyBank is offering a free 1 GB iPod Nano for opening a checking account and either starting direct deposit or opening a credit card. No special link, it's right splat on their front page. (I better not hear "We are not aware of this offer" later on!) I'm going for the direct deposit as credit checks are valuable. The catch is that you must live in an area that KeyBank serves to open an account. Worth a shot!
This week's Carnival of Investing is up at Stock Market Beat. For more information on participating and hosting schedule, please check out the main Carnival of Investing page. My Money Blog also participated in the Carnival of Personal Finance at Savvy Saver.
Emigrant Direct released their new site today... and promptly got hammered by the millions of people eagerly waiting to type in their 10-digit access code. I finally just got through.
Most importantly, with the new website you also get a different account number! This is extremely important for those that have externally linked their Emigrant account with other 3rd parties, such as TreasuryDirect or credit card bill-payment systems, and they most likely quite possibly won't work anymore. Transfers initiated at Emigrant's website will still work.
I always read my junk mail. You never know when you'll get a juicy targetted offer not available to the general public. It may be extra cashback on a specific category, or just 0% APR with no balance transfer fees from a bank that usually charges fees. Besides, I have to open it to shred it anyways, and after a while you become a pro at sifting through the fine print instantly.
In this case, I got my Discover Miles card back when it was offering a 5,000 mile signup bonus. Now, it's offering a 12,000 miles bonus over 12 months. I cashed in my bonus miles and have been happily earning 5+% interest on my borrowed free money. But for some reason, ...
Schick is offering both a free Quattro Titanium and Intuition (promo code INTSMP06) razor, depending on what you plan on shaving. I usually don't post too much 'Free Sample' stuff, but razors are expensive, and due to these offers I haven't had to buy one in years. I use a free Quattro right now, and it's very nice. Links via Bargainshare.
As a thank you and an additional incentive for the $20 Unwired Buyer Bonus, I am offering everyone who allows me to refer them and qualifies for the $20 bonus, to participate in my ING Direct Share The Referral Love Program. You send me your ING referral, someone else gets their $25 ING Direct bonus, you get another $10. This is retroactive, so if you've already qualified for the $20 (not just signed up) through my referral, get your extra ten bucks!
If you're like me, you get 10+ phishing e-mails a day, asking you to login to some fake bank account site. Heck, my PayPal account was "suspended" five times just today. (Although it was really was frozen once.) Combine this with all the other stories of private information stolen from laptops, and you've got lots of potential headaches.
This MSNBC article entitled 'Know your rights on bank account fraud' clearly outlines what your legal rights are if you do become a victim of idenity theft through your bank account. Although it's from 2005, I learned a lot of new and useful stuff from this article. To quote:
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Whether your group is traveling for vacation, missionary work, or temporary business, international health insurance can provide high quality travel medical insurance at affordable prices. Many sponsoring organizations are seeking ways to limit their liability should ...
Children who learn proper dental hygiene at an early age are much more likely to continue those habits throughout their lives, said Christopher Luebke, campus director for the Mesa career college. Its really a win/win situation for all as the children will learn how to care for their teeth, and our students will receive hands-on experience working in their field. Our students are ready to reach out and help more children than ever during Februarys National Childrens Dental Health Month.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for Dental Assistants is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2012. PMI is one of the premier medical career colleges in the western United States. The privately owned, accredited ...
