Make Some Extra Cash With Plastic Jungle
So it’s now the start of a new year and a new decade. The holidays are over, and the reality of 2010 is starting to sink in. So what to do with all those useless gift cards? Sure, you could just spend, spend, spend, but aren’t you tired of spending. Wouldn’t you rather have some cash?
You can do just that with Plastic Jungle. Sell your unwanted and unused gift cards that are just laying around for up to 90% of the balance or up to 95% if you take an Amazon.com gift card ($25 minimum). Or you can buy gift cards at up to a 35% discount. Free shipping whether you buy or sell. With over 1400 retailers you should be able to find your retailer and sell that gift card you’re never going to use.
So I decided to try it out. This is actually my second time using the service, but the first time reviewing it. I had a $100 Chilli’s gift card which I am never going to use, so I decided to sell it.
The process is simple. Just click on “sell cards” and start typing your merchant. It will come up with a list of matching names. Then enter the card balance and click “See Offers”.
You will then see Plastic Jungle’s cash offer and Amazon.com gift card offer. You get more money with Amazon, but if you’d rather use the cash to pay down debt or something else like save it, take the cash offer. You’re going to get less with the cash offer. These numbers also change depending on supply and demand.
Then type in your card number and PIN (if applicable) and click “Continue”.
On this screen, you can add another gift card or even choose to donate part of the money to charity. A nice idea if you weren’t going to use the gift cards anyway and would like to do some giving. Next click “Continue”.
Here you can print out a prepaid envelope label and the receipt. They’ll also send the receipt to your email. Include the receipt along with your gift card(s) in the envelope and just drop it in the mail. As soon as Plastic Jungle receives your shipment and verifies the balance on the card(s), they’ll send you either a check or an Amazon.com gift card (depending on what you chose). And that’s it! Extra cash for the new year!
Now if you have gift cards that you would’ve used anyway, go ahead and use them. You’ll lose money by selling them for cash. But if they’re just gathering dust in your wallet, why not sell them for some extra green and use Plastic Jungle? They are the largest gift card card exchange site on the Internet.
Loading ...Happy Birthday, Jesus and Merry Christmas!
Today the entire world is celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ! Non-Christians and Christians alike are singing about Him this Christmas season. Don’t forget the real reason for the season. And why don’t you tell Jesus “Happy Birthday” today? And maybe even give Him a gift? He gave Himself as a gift to all humanity. Can’t we return the favor by giving our lives to Him? God bless!
Get Your Free Tax Questions Answered
From now until January 31, 2010, TurboTax is answering your tax questions! Just go to freetaxquestion.com from 8am to 5pm Pacific time to request your tax advice. All you do is submit a personal, federal tax-related question online and a tax expert will call you back at the time you request.
You can also ask questions on their “Live Community” message boards. What a great way to get a jump on your taxes or to plan any tax-saving moves before the end of the year!
Happy Turkey Day!
After all the great food, family, and fun today, remember to think about thankfulness. Being thankful is being content with who God made you to be and what God has given you. I’m thankful for my life, for I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for Him. I’m thankful to be able to worship a God like ours in a country like ours. I’m thankful for the people in my life who have been there from the beginning. What are you thankful for?
Did They Say That? Winston Churchil on Giving
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
Sir Winston Churchill
Our lives are defined by what we give. Winston Churchill says it best. What are we giving today? How are we impacting someone’s life through our giving. We can change someone’s world just by giving. And it doesn’t always have to be money. Give a smile, a compliment, buy a lunch, give your time. There are so many ways to give.
Verse of the Day: Give Your Worries
7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)
From the Life Application Bible:
Carrying your worries, stresses, and daily struggles by yourself shows that you have not trusted God fully with your life. It takes humility, however, to recognize that God cares, to admit your need, and to let others in God’s family help you.
Sometimes we think that struggles caused by our own sin and foolishness are not God’s concern. But when we turn to God in repentance, he will bear the weight even of those struggles. Letting God have your anxieties calls for action, not passivity. Don’t submit to circumstances but to the Lord, who controls circumstances.
Sorry…
Sorry for the lack of updates recently. I’ve been on vacation overseas for the past couple weeks. I’ll get on new updates shortly. Thanks for being a reader!
Verse of the Day: Don’t Just Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk
23 Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty.
Proverbs 14:23 (NLT)
Don’t just talk the talk, you have to walk the walk. Do what you say you’ll do. That’s called integrity. Someone who does what they say they’ll do. Just talking and not following up with your words is not right.
Work brings profit. As Dave Ramsey says, “work is a sure-fire money-making scheme.” Don’t just talk about working. Go out there and do it!
Verse of the Day: Whatever You Do…
10 Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NLT)
Give everything you’ve got in everything you do. Don’t do things half-heartedly. If you’re going to do it, go all out. That’s what it’s saying in this verse. You might as well do it big, because you might regret it later.
Did They Say That? Money Costs Too Much
“Money often costs too much.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
That is deep. What is money costing you? Your time? Your health? The time with your family? The saying goes, “Time is money.” But what are you sacrificing to gain earthly riches? Because it’s not about that. We have a higher goal. We have a higher motivation. A higher call. As Christians, we have an eternal perspective. Riches in heaven are worth far more than earthly riches that fade away and that we can’t take with us.
SmartyPig Review: The Piggy Bank of the Future
I’ve been using SmartyPig for over a year now and I recently completed a goal so I think I have some good insight into this revolutionary service. The basic concept is similar to a piggy bank. Save up for something we need or want to buy. So instead of using credit cards or debt to pay for something, how about paying cash for it? What a concept. It’s something many people can’t grasp and are the exact people who are in trouble today.
This is what I teach. This is what the Bible teaches. Live debt free. SmartyPig can help you.
The reason SmartyPig works is that it makes saving automatic. All you have to do is to set a goal and set the date you want to accomplish it. SmartyPig will automatically calculate your monthly contribution plus interest that it would take to fulfill your goal. You can add money in addition to the monthly amounts at any time. They’re currently paying 2.01% which is pretty high compared to most savings accounts. Interest accrues daily, but is paid quarterly. When I started, the interest was at 4.30% which was high back then. Their rate is still competitive in my opinion and management has expressed that they want to stay competitive with their interest rate.
Once you’ve set up your goal, monthly recurring amounts will be transferred into your SmartyPig account. Once you’ve completed a goal or you’ve decided to stop a goal, they will allow you to do 3 things with it. You have a choice between transferring your money back to your linked account or receive a SmartyPig debit card, or receive a gift card from participating retailers. Honestly, I would probably just transfer the money back into my linked account. That takes 2 business days. I probably wouldn’t even consider the debit card as it takes 10-15 business days and it’s not the same as cash even though it can be used for ATM withdrawals.
The other option only makes sense in certain cases. If you had something specific to buy that you know you can get at one of SmartyPig’s participating retailers, it makes sense. The great thing is that the retailers are offering a percentage boosts to your money. Current retailers include Amazon (1.75% boost), Best Buy (0.75% boost), Home Depot (1.00% boost), Lowe’s (1.00% boost), Macy’s (3.75% boost), Overstock (6.00% boost), Sears (2.50% boost), and others. As you can see, you can get a better deal if you get a gift card, but it only makes sense if you’re sure you can get the item that you’re looking for at a great deal. It can take 7-10 business days to receive the gift card.
Not only is SmartyPig a virtual piggy bank, they’ve also made it social. You can share goals with family and friends and they can contribute to your goals. Funds that are added by credit card are charged 2.9%. However, if they have a SmartyPig account, it’s free to send money to family and friends as long as it’s from their SmartyPig balance.
The other great thing about SmartyPig is their willingness to listen to the customers. I have seen many changes that have come about because customers have complained. For example, in the early days, people were complaining because there was no option to transfer the money back into the savings account. A recent change that has come about is reduced ACH transfer times. It used to take a little longer and they’ve recently sped the process up. The company is very accessible through their blog as well as email.
The account is free to sign up and is FDIC insured up to $250,000 (until the end of 2013). You must be 18 to open an account and the process doesn’t take long at all. You’ll pick your user name, password, security questions, input your personal and bank information, and verify your account.
Now I wouldn’t use SmartyPig as a traditional savings account. Because it’s not. It’s not quite as liquid as a regular savings account. So don’t put your emergency fund there. If you need to save for a specific goal, however, SmartyPig makes a lot of sense. Next time you want or need something, think SmartyPig. Whether it’s a new car, a new washer, a family vacation, Christmas money, or even a wedding, give SmartyPig a try. It’s made saving automatic and fun. I just bought my MacBook Pro without using my credit card because I saved with SmartyPig! I can’t wait until it arrives. Remember, debt free is the only way to be!
Verse of the Day: Instructions to the Rich
17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. 19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NLT)
From the Life Application Bible:
Ephesus was a wealthy city, and the Ephesian church probably had many wealthy members. Paul advised Timothy to deal with any potential problems by teaching that having riches carries great responsibility. Those who have money must be generous, but they must not be arrogant just because they have a lot to give. They must be careful not to put their hope in money instead of in the living God for their security. Even if we don’t have material wealth, we can be rich in good deeds. No matter how poor we are, we have something to share with someone.
FREEDOM!!!!
Do you know what freedom feels like? It’s an amazing feeling! There’s nothing holding you back. Nothing following behind you. Complete freedom. Liberty. Independence. Dependence on God alone and not on credit cards, auto loans or payday loans.
I just sent my final two credit card payments today and I am now completely debt free! There are no words to describe this feeling. Now my income can go to investing, saving, and giving without just funneling it to the banks. Be debt free! Live debt free! There’s nothing like it.
Did They Say That? Master of Money
“If money be not thy servant, it will be thy master. The covetous man cannot so properly be said to possess wealth, as that may be said to possess him.”
Sir Francis Bacon
This is so true and the Bible talks about it, too! Don’t let money have you. You must be the master of your money; not a servant to it. That only happens when you become a giver. Giving with no strings attached frees you up and allows you to be self-less and not selfish.
Cash for Clunkers Ends
The Cash for Clunkers program is now dead. There is no more money left for the program. Dealers will have until tonight to file any claims for deals made and many dealers have already stopped doing Clunker deals since last Thursday and Friday.
The controversial program offered rebates of up to $4,500 to those people who were trading in cars that had 18 MPG or less to purchase brand new cars. The original money for the program ran out quickly and additional funds were approved by Congress to extend the program.