Many parents have by now found out the Disney Movie Rewards program is quite rewarding if you learn to keep up with it. You can actually get rewarded for the purchases you make. Just taking a few minutes each time you buy a movie to go online to the Disney Movie Rewards account has earned some fun, free merchandise delivered to my home and online.
(more…)
Everyone in the world will be celebrating the end of this never-ending election cycle from hell. We all deserve a freebie from having to sit through hours upon endless hours of debates and pundits on TV trying to tell us what to think or who to vote for this year. Here is some relief from doughnuts to free rides below:
Krispy Kreme is offering a free doughnut of your choice to anyone wearing a sticker indicating he or she voted. The offer is good only on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8.
7-Eleven – Get a free cup of coffee on election day at participating stores. Deal is available via the 7-Eleven mobile app.
Chuck E. Cheese – Get a free personal size pepperoni pizza with any pizza purchase with coupon code #5253.
Firehouse Subs – Firehouse is offering a free medium drink if you wear you “I voted” sticker on Nov. 8.
Gold’s Gym – Bring a valid “I voted” sticker and get free access to Gold’s Gym on election day.
Great American Cookie Company – You can nab one free cookie at participating locations when you show your “I voted” sticker.
Schlotzksy’s –Buy one Mac and get one free on election day with code 4207.
Uber – Need a Free Ride to the Poll? First-time Uber users can get $20 off their ride with the promo code “UberVip4me.” The Uber app also has information on polling locations.
YMCA – Some YMCA locations are offer childcare so parents can vote on election day. The service is free for YMCA members, nominal charge for others.
Zipcar – More than 7,000 Zipcars across the country will be free from 6-10 p.m. on election day. These cars can be reserved online or through the mobile app.
Postmates – Free delivery until Election Day with code 478n for $10 off then enter VOTE16 for no delivery fee from all Postmates Plus locations.
In what could be the future of the mobile banking and purchasing experience a new contender, Zerocard, combines debit-style functionality with the cash rewards of a credit card. Zero gives you up to 3% cash back on all of your Zerocard purchases, based on your annual spending or referrals, plus you’ll earn high interest rates on your deposits, so that you can earn more money with your online banking experience. Not everyone gets 3% back as it is a tiered cash back based on things such as spending or how many friends you have referred.
The great news is this card puts most other cards to shame when it comes to earning cash back but the Zerocard is not out yet.
Simply Register for the Zerocard Waitlist Now by entering your email address, and you’ll automatically be provided with Zerocard Magnesium level which is 2% cash back on all purchases when you share it on Facebook or Tweet it. Plus, you just have to refer 3 more people to sign up for the wait list to automatically receive Zerocard Carbon level (3% cash back on all purchases).
Zerocard provides higher cash back rates than traditional credit cards, from 1% to 3% on all of your unlimited purchases, while the Zero app provides a way for users to benefit from debit-style functionality via the Zero banking experience.
Zerocard 1%-3% Rebate Earning Levels
You start with Zerocard Quartz (1% rebate) and earn progressively more cash back as you level up to Zerocard Carbon (3% rebate). You can level up and maintain status by meeting a minimum annual spend requirement or by referring others to become Zero customers.
Zerocard Quartz – 1% Cash Back: Base Card for which All Users Qualify.
Zerocard Graphite – 1.5% Cash Back: Requires $25,000 in annual spending or qualified referrals (also qualify with Twitter share after registering for wait list).
Zerocard Magnesium – 2% Cash Back: Requires $50,000 in annual spending or qualified referrals (also qualify with Facebook share after registering for wait list).
Zerocard Carbon – 3% Cash Back: Requires $100,000 in annual spending or qualified referrals (or refer 3 friends).
Zero automatically deposits your cash back at the end of every month with no limits on how much you can earn.
Zero Financial Mobile Banking
Zero acts like a traditional debit card in the sense that when you make deposits, your balance in the Zero app goes up, and when you spend on your Zerocard, your balance goes down. In addition to cash back earned on Zerocard spending, you will earn interest on deposits made to Zero at a higher rate than leading savings accounts. Zerocard will be issued by a partner bank as a solid metal physical card and is usable anywhere credit cards are accepted, with free ATM access in over 50,000 locations. In addition, Zerocard will be usable via mobile payment systems such as Apple Wallet and Android Pay.
Zero does not charge any of the typical fees that traditional banks charge, including no overdraft fees, no bill pay service fees, no stop payment fees, no wire transfer fees, no add-on ATM fees, and no inactivity fees. You will be able to send checks using Zero’s Bill Pay feature, which issues and sends a physical check on your behalf, and you will have the ability to receive direct deposits and send and receive ACH and wire transfers as well.
The Zero App displays Zerocard purchases, along with other deposits and withdrawals, in one place with a real-time net balance to help users better manage your finances. Deposits are FDIC-insured up to $250,000 via Zero’s partner institution, and the zero liability policy protects you if your card is ever lost, stolen, or fraudulently used. Those of you seeking to move your relationship with Wells Fargo this may be a great time to look into this once it starts up.
Zerocard Debit-Style Rewards Card
Zerocard is technically a credit card, since all cards have to be classified as one type or the other, but the user experience presented by the Zero app provides debit-style functionality. Also, unlike traditional debit cards, you can earn a flat 1% to 3% cash back rate, depending on which level Zerocard you have, on all of your spending with no exceptions based on purchase category or merchant type.
Similar to a credit card a bill is generated each month. Although, you don’t have to worry about it or pay it manually if you agree to the recommended terms of the Zero banking experience. These include automatic payments in full and paperless statements.
Our Take on the “Debit/Credit” issue with the card:
While this is a debit-style rewards card you do not get to pay taxes and health insurance and such like you can with a true debit card. Mainly because is coded as a credit card. This may carry Visa Infinite benefits but we are not certain of this yet.
There are 2 ways to level up your earning power with Zerocard:
1. Register for the Zerocard Waitlist to gain early access and take advantage of the referral program. The early access referral program allows users to level up faster if you successfully invite friends to also sign up.
People who level up via waiting list referrals unlock the ability to initially receive a higher level card (i.e., Zerocard Carbon) and will maintain it for the remainder of the calendar year in which you become a customer, plus all of the following calendar year.
2. Meet Annual Spending Levels.
Current minimum annual spending requirements are $25,000 for Zerocard Graphite, $50,000 for Zerocard Magnesium, and $100,000 for Zerocard Carbon. Higher level Zerocard status is earned by meeting the minimum annual spending requirements in a given calendar year.
How long will benefits last?
Customers will enjoy the benefits of higher level Zerocard status from the day that it is earned through the end of the following calendar year. This is similar to other elite programs offered by Marriott or travel programs.
How To Qualify for Zerocard
Obtaining Zerocard requires that you apply once they begin accepting applications, and approval is based on a variety of factors. You must be a permanent resident of the United States, at least 18 years old (or 19 if in you are in Alabama or Nebraska), and have a valid social security number. You will need a physical address (but you can later add a PO Box as a mailing address if you are approved). You must also satisfy certain other underwriting criteria and pass a credit check, although you’re welcome to apply even with a thin credit history or no credit history. If approved, Zero will mail you a physical Zerocard and give you immediate access to your Zerocard for a mobile payment system such as Apple Wallet or Android Pay.
Zero will begin accepting applications in early 2017 with plans to support iOS first, followed by Android.
Postmates is one of my favorite delivery services for late night munchies or even lunch. They also offer many freebies such as free lattes and free burgers. Whether your using the delivery service for lunch, dinner, or even coffee delivered to your door in the morning you can have a chance to win a meet and greet with Lady Gaga. She’s promoting her new album Joanne and wants to meet her little monsters!
Here is how to get your $10 Free Credit on Postmates and a Chance To Meet Lady Gaga:
1. Download the app (Apple or Android stores) or head over to Postmates.com to sign up.
2. Select your location then and add any free offers to your cart or the meal that you wish to have delivered or good from any local business. Add them to your cart, and create an account.
3. Use this promo code 478n and you should get $10 in credits to cover the delivery fee.
4. Then enter code MEETGAGA and place an order.
Gaga & the night of your life…
Get flown to a secret location to meet Gaga herself, where she’ll sign and hand-deliver the iconic pink hat from her album cover.Then, Gaga gets on stage live – see her perform tracks from the album, before it comes out. Plus, score free Postmates through the Super Bowl, where Gaga will headline!
You Can Enter now through Wednesday to Meet Gaga!
Chipotle is offering a buy 1, get 1 free coupon (BOGO). This can be redeemed for a burrito, bowl, salad, or order of tacos of your choice. It’s simple all you do is play a game that is easy to win by matching cards. Once you win the BOGO coupon that will be sent to you via text message you have until 11/30/16 to redeem it.
Step 1
Go to ALoveStoryGame and Play Now. It’s a simple card match game
Step 2
Fill out the form and they will text you the BOGO coupon
Step 3
Go to your local Chipotle to use the coupon by 11/30/16
For Extra Credit you can read more about their rewards program here.
We have used the Hotel Tonight app for awhile now. It is one of the simpler a free mobile apps when searching for discounted hotel rooms up to 7 days in advance. We have liked it because it’s not part of the Expedia and corporate portfolio yet that is and because it’s simple.
It works best for booking hotels last minute. If you haven’t already signed-up for Hotel Tonight, you can use my promotion code “DSANDERS1” to earn a $25 credit on your first booking.
Hotel Tonight just started a new loyalty program dubbed HT Perks.
The HT Perks Program
There are 3 levels to Hotel Tonight’s HT Perks program. The more you spend, the higher your status. And the higher your status, the more of a discount you’ll receive.
Level 1
Spend $100+ with Hotel Tonight
Extra-discounted rates
Level 2
Spend $750+ with Hotel Tonight
5% off Level 1 rates
Exclusive offers and surprises
Level 3
Spend $5,000+ with Hotel Tonight
10% off Level 1 rates
With this level you get more exclusive offers and surprises than Level 2 and VIP customer support.
All of your past bookings you’ve made count towards your status and your status will never expire. That that’s pretty awesome for an app. Now if they can just upgrade my rooms for me!
New AMEX Offers for the Fall include a hotel, newspaper, and luggage and handbag retailer. If you do not have an American Express card you can sign up here for one of our favorites.
Best Western
Click Here to Tweet #AmexBW to get $20 back on $100 purchase after registering your qualified AMEX card. Expires November 30, 2016.
10% off Cable & Satellite TV
10% off your cable or satellite TV bill after registering your qualified AMEX card online
Maximum $30 in statement credits. Valid for bill payments made directly to your cable or satellite TV provider (like Charter, Comcast, Cox, or DirecTV)
Expires January 31, 2017
The Washington Post
$50 back on a $50+ purchase
Check your AMEX account to register
Must be a single purchase
Valid for online yearly subscriptions, reprints and permissions and gift subscriptions only
NOT valid on print subscriptions
Expires December 28, 2016
Kipling USA
$25 back on a $125+ purchase
Check your AMEX account to register
Valid in-store or online so you can get that perfect suitcase or handbag for your next trip.
Expires November 15, 2016
See MORE AMEX offers here that expire before December 31, 2016.
Get this free point offer while it lasts. All you have to do is sign up with your contact information to get 500 Free Virgin America Elevate Points. If you are not signed up for the Elevate program you can get an additional 1,000 points for signing below. Virgin America is frequently referred to as America’s #1 airlines when it comes to customer service. You should sign up before their merger completes with Alaska Airlines. The points may be worth even more one the merger is complete.
When you enter your name and email it signs you up for a newsletter for their hotel program and you get 500 points. Use an email that you can unsubscribe easily such as with the new ios10 that does a really quick unsubscribe. Or use an email set aside for promos and free offers.
Follow these steps to get the 1,500 Free Virgin America Points:
If you are like me you do not have the best of vision especially when it comes to trying to read a restaurant menu in the dark. This is one of the biggest things I have trouble with when traveling to a foreign country or anywhere. It’s worse in a foreign country because of the language barrier on top of not being able to see the small menu print and find the English version if there is any.
You can use your iPhone as a magnifying glass to help with this problem in the new ios 10 update. This is a feature that no one really talks about but can be extremely useful.
Use Your iPhone As a Magnifying Glass
A new Accessibility function in iOS 10 allows you to use your iPhone as a high-tech magnifying glass. You can focus, zoom, turn on the LED light, use special light filters and even freeze the image.
How to Start using a Magnifying Glass on iPhone
Go into Settings -> then General -> then Accessibility -> Magnifier (Turn On)
It will be especially helpful ordering food in a theater grill when I can’t see the menu in the dark. Other uses are to check out anomalies on your skin that you can’t see that well. Although you can always just take a photo to have for your dermatologist or doctor. You can use it for the back of your TV or other electronics to see part numbers or other small print information you are seeking.
The summer of 2016 is a great time to be alive according to many on Twitter as Chiptopia Summer Rewards will be available for a three month period from July through September. The program is basically Chipotle Rewards but it’s not exactly the easiest rewards program to follow as they have came out with a 3-minute video to explain parts of it. It also has tiered levels where you can earn more than just the typical free entrees.
Chiptopia Rewards has three status levels:
Kids Eat FREE on Sundays!
Every Sunday in September kid’s can eat FREE whenever you buy a burrito, bowl, an order of tacos or a salad – NO coupon needed! The free kid’s meal comes with a Dragons Love Tacos activity sheet and includes fruit or kid’s chips AND an organic apple or milk drink. These kid’s meals are priced at $3.75-$4.75 at my local restaurant, so this is a nice discount! Please note that this offer is only for kids 12 and under and not valid for catering orders. You may try and see if this will work on a delivery order.
Your purchase total resets to zero every month so don’t plan on carrying over your totals for one month to another. When you redeem for a free entree that counts towards the next status level. If you drive for Postmates or have a family and want to add up more than one purchase per day that wouldn’t count towards status.
You will receive additional rewards if you qualified for status for all three months, as follows:
Basically if you eat Chipotle four times in a month you’ll get a free entree. It’s best not to sweat all the other tiers and obstacles when all you get is an $8 or so award. Although this program does compare higher to other restauraunt programs such as Pei Wei. Chipotle’s is very generous with its rewards, offering a free entrée after roughly $24 of spend. This compares to a reward threshold of $90 of likely spend at Domino’s Pizza, $40 at Dunkin’ Donuts, and $62 at Starbucks.
What’s the Catch?
The only cons to this rewards program is that only one entree a day counts, the resetting each month of entrees, and that it only lasts for the summer (for now only 3 months long promotion).
New Menu Items Announced
The Mexican fast-food chain also announced it’s adding a spicy chicken and pork chorizo to the menu in select cities including Columbus, Ohio, New York City and Sacramento and San Diego Calif. It’s the first new meat rollout since the company’s founding in 1993. The chorizo is a take on the classic Mexican sausage, seasoned with paprika, toasted cumin and chipotle peppers. They expect to expand chorizo to all of its U.S. location by this fall.
Additional 5% Back on Fast Food or Restaurants on Chipotle using a Credit Card?
Bad news for those of you who have one of the worst credit cards in the U.S. Bank Cash+ Card which once was one of our favorite cards. They took away the 5% for restaurants and downgraded it to only 2%. Chipotle comes up as a restaurant with this credit card so you will only get 1%-2%. You will not get 5% on Chipotle transactions with this particular card. However, if you use a Chase Freedom card which offers 5% back on restaurant/fast food purchases for the 3rd quarter (July-September 2016) you will get the full 5% back up to $1,500. If they run this promotion again perhaps in the Spring that is around the time that Discover Card will also offer the 5% back promo again on restaurants which include fast food.