SmartyPig

Imagine a fender bender, busted appliance or hefty medical bill surprising you this month. Could you come up with the $2,000 or so dollars to cover this “surprise” in a pinch? If you said no, you’re not alone. Nearly half of Americans say they’d more than likely have a tough time coming up with that type of change in a tight spot. Personal finance expert Farnoosh Torabi lists several “out-of-the-box” ways of saving for this type of expense.

Many of us collect change, so why not stash an extra two dollars in the pot each day? Savings like this could add up to more than $700 each year! Taking Torabi’s second tip and stashing those daily dollars in a “hard-to-reach” savings account, like those offered at SmartyPig. This will help to eliminate impulse spending. Because really that’s half the battle, right? Farnoosh is known for her creative ways to bulk up your savings, but have you ever thought to “tip yourself?” Say you cut your own hair or do your own laundry, save the money you would have otherwise spent and reward yourself with it! And lastly, “save the savings.” You save $500 for a new dryer and find a discounted model for $400. Saving that $100 is a nice start to a new goal.

Take it from Farnoosh and start saving creatively today! You’ll thank her on your next “rainy day.”

Wishing you successful saving.

Sarah Foss, SmartyPig’s Media Mad Woman
SFoss@SmartyPig.com

Why do you love SmartyPig? Shauna at Penny Pinchers hearts the pig and tells us (and the rest of the internet) her “8 reasons” why.  A favorite of many; set and separate goals. Shauna keeps her rainy day, Christmas and emergency funds all in SmartyPig’s safe keeping. But when it comes time to cash out one or another, the rest “stays put.” Or as she puts it, “simple genius.” Smart Shauna also takes advantage of SmartyPig’s refer a friend bonuses and cash back options from our Cash Rewards Card and Retailer Gift Card Providers. She really makes her money work for her, right?

To help keep her goals on track, Shauna uses social sharing and asks her friends to donate and view her goals to ensure accountability always. She also notes SmartyPig’s “out of sight, out of mind” existence helping her money to stay put, even in moments of weekness. All of this on top of the obvious competitive interest, FDIC assurance and contribution flexibility – we’re sold!

Thanks to the “cute little piggy” by Shauna’s side, she’s reached an emergency goal, a new home flooring goal AND purchased new appliances. And the saving isn’t stopping there. So, take it from Shauna and start a goal today or share the wealth with your friends. Then remember to tell us why you love SmartyPig!

Wishing you successful saving.

Sarah Foss, SmartyPig’s Media Mad Woman
SFoss@SmartyPig.com

“Cool deals and insane bargains?” Fox News, please tell me more. Their recent selection of “OnSale” perks include budgeting favorites, travel discounts and entertainment deals. “Those looking for help getting their finances in order will definitely want to check out these two sites. The first is called SmartyPig, and it adds a social element to saving,” says Ann Hynek Fox News expert. Hynek goes on to discuss all of the facets that make saving with SmartyPig fun and easy: goal-based saving, recurring payments, contribution options and social sharing for moral or financial support.

If those items weren’t enough to convince you, what about our mobile applications that make saving on the go a snap? And then there’s our SmartyPig Cash Rewards card, the card that helps you save while you spend. We have cash-back options, too, and, of course, fun incentives to motivate you along the way. We appreciate the spotlight from Fox News and hope you take them up on their advice!

Wishing you successful saving.

Sarah Foss, SmartyPig’s Media Mad Woman 
SFoss@SmartyPig.com

Each month we do a fun trivia contest on our Facebook and Twitter communities to give away three $100 SmartyPig Gift cards. Make sure to fan us on those pages so you don’t miss out on all the fun.

Today’s trivia question: “This morning a government report revised it’s original estimate of American economic growth in Q2 down to 1%. What was the original estimate?”

The answer: 1.3%

We went outside the office to find out which three winners would receive a $100 SmartyPig gift card as their pize:

Congratulations to our winners: Marc Patterson, Jody Otwell, and @parterburn!

Guest post by Julia Scott, CEO of BargainBabe.com

On average, parents of children in grades K-12 shell out $603.63 on clothes, school supplies and electronics, according to the National Retail Federation. Here are 6 ways to get that number drastically lower. No algebra required!

1. Hit up the office supply chains on Sunday. That is the first day of the new weekly sale cycle, when stores have lots of stock. We post the hottest back to school deals, like free mechanical pencils and penny comp books, every Thursday, so you can plan your shopping trip.

2. Coupons, of course! The office supply chains compete for your dollars by releasing high-value coupons. Here is a $5 off $25 Staples coupon that is good through Aug. 27, 2011. A rival Office Depot coupon for $10 off $50 doesn’t expire until Aug. 28, 2011. Major retailers like JC Penney, Kohl’s, Macy’s, and others issue coupons via email, snail mail, and social media.

3. Shop the outlets. On top of great prices, outlets offer coupons (sign up for the outlet email list before you go) and you can get all your shopping done on one trip. Here at BargainBabe.com we saved $90.38 by driving a little further to an outlet.

4. Nix unnecessary expenses. Retailers are in the business of selling, so zoning in on what is a true essential is well, essential. A lot of back to college expenses can be avoided.

5. Shop for value, not just low prices. Poor quality clothes will fall apart before finals, so look for loose buttons and thread, cranky zippers, and more telltale signs of cheaply made clothing. Then run! (Small imperfections are a great way to score a discount, but only worthwhile if you can repair the blemish.)

6. Avoid uber fashionable pieces that will fade quickly. The price of dressing on the cutting edge is constant attacks on your credit card. As quickly as plaid vests go in style, they sweep out. Stick to the basic trends of fall fashion and you’ll be mixing and matching for years.

Julia Scott
CEO, BargainBabe.com
Twitter @bargainbabe
Facebook.com/BargainBabe