SmartyPig will be giving away not just three, but FOUR $100 gift cards through our monthly Twitter contest, TWICE:

1. Thursday, March 18 at 11am CST. We will tweet a question and give our followers 15 minutes to reply for a chance to win.

2. Tuesday, March 30 at 11am CST. Same format as above!

The format:

1. After 15 minutes, we will be picking 16 random people with a number generator from the pool of correct answers.
2. We'll use an old favorite to help in selecting three gift card winners.
3. We'll post the process here on our blog, so everyone can follow along!

Make sure:

1. You're following us on Twitter or are a fan on Facebook.
   
2. We'll ask the $100 question on Thursday, March 18 AND Tuesday, March 30 at 11am CST.
3. Answer the question correctly for your chance to win!
4. If you are answering via Facebook, you will need to email us the answer (email to be provided at contest time) within the 15 minute time frame.

Remember: if you don't already have a SmartyPig account, it's free to set one up! Winner must be in the US.

Good Luck!

The format:

1. After 15 minutes, we will be picking 20 random people with a number generator from the pool of correct answers.
2. We'll use an old favorite to help in selecting three gift card winners.
3. We'll post the process here on our blog, so everyone can follow along!

Make sure:

1. You're following us on Twitter.
2. We'll ask the $100 question on Thursday, January 28 at 11am CST.
3. Answer the question correctly for your chance to win!

Remember: if you don't already have a SmartyPig account, it's free to set one up! Winner must be in the US.

Good Luck!

Here is a full list of our retail/travel partners (we've added many).

We had over 130 players, randomized our list to 20 and picked the 3 $100 SmartyPig gift card winners by throwing snowballs:

The top 20 were: Clarabela, wmharp, snooptoddd, LadiiRomance, jbrowning, centrachad, RendaInDSM, stevecramer, LynnKB24, violetnell, acousticdryad, CaseyG2782, yestismedoug, flysupes, 3L4Iowa, veddemeg, jessc098. Thank you for playing and good luck next time!

Congrats to our winners: @who8myMnMs, @Etnalla and @rcooper - enjoy your $100!

No matter if the relationship is in good standing or even if you pay your entire bill off every month, it's a cash grab for Wall Street at the expense of Main Street, as congress moves to speed legislation to protect those who need it most. And with the holidays coming, and recent statistics from Consumer Reports indicating that 13.5 million Americans are still carrying debt incurred from last year's holiday season, our leaders in Washington cannot move fast enough.

Watch video

Financial expert and "Today Show" contributor Jean Chatzky has recommended socking away $100 each week starting now until December to ease the eventual pain caused by seasonal spending. Chatzky smartly points out that, by setting a goal like this and sticking to it, by the time the holidays roll around, credit cards might not be the necessary evil they have been in the past.

We could not agree more, and, in fact, this sentiment is exactly what we here at SmartyPig stand for. With expenses like gifts and travel piling up, there has never been a better time to take back control. Credit cards are doing more harm than good, even to the most loyal and responsible customers. Thus, there's no time like the present to stand up for yourself, get back to the basics and finally own the holidays. A little bit at a time can definitely make a whole lot of difference.

Over 150 people responded with the correct answer. We used a great summer method to get the final 3 $100 winners:

Congratulations huied, krotondo and crowbert! Please DM us your address via Twitter, so we may send your $100 SmartyPig gift cards!

Thanks for everyone who played and good luck next month. Here are those that made it into the top 20: joeslacker, chasehunter, kidzmatter2me, BeverlyDennis, kristenbyers, gaiku, calvinlarsen, discDAY, KCutright, AaronRoth, Josh9002, nelswadycki, oski97, jeremyfrank, tardyon, aliat, danielshipton.

A couple of veteran players won $100 today, so it pays off to play every month.

Here are the winners:

Congratulations to CUWarrior, Peteness and PhilKJames!

Here are those that made it into the top 20 - thank you for playing and better luck next time! glangley, dawithers, Nicole_1984, ggadventures, davereid, monsterfashion, AdMavericks, 77motivated, ArturoFernandez, rubx, abkadefgee, JenniPullen, LouLou197533, wcdel, casademora, tifferh07, rself.

We have been seeing a lot of new players the past two months and this month was no exception, thanks to everyone for playing!

Here are the winners:

Congratulations to ebranscombe, netcrusher88, markevaul!

Here are those that made it into the top 20 - thank you for playing and better luck next time! ilektrik, CatRocketship, BeverlyDennis, cmebane, swalbers, jessc098, stlcolleen, aaron116, mcnater, PhilKJames, spakys1stp, DwanesWorld, igdesign, wcdel, trenttsd, amoeba09, ashleymc.

"The problem with the credit-card industry isn't just credit-card companies - it's you too," writes Barbara Kiviat in Time magazine. And she could not be more spot on. Though the American personal saving rate has climbed to nearly 5% (from depressing lows of -2% just a few years back) the almost $1 trillion in revolving debt paints a far less rosier picture. Blaming our bad habits on credit card companies is like blaming a drinking problem on the bottle rather than the person boozing. True, these credit card companies are out to make a quick buck off the cardholder, are raising rates on their best companies and have pushed the limits of "fair" practice to the point that Congress is stepping in. (Insert super hero theme music here!) But what we absolutely have to realize though, is that the true culpability is in the hands of the individual. The devil did not make you do it. The dog did not eat your homework.

Simply put, it's high time to steer clear of troublesome plastic. The noise out of Washington is about the rights of credit card users. It's a worthy cause and a good fight, but lost in the shuffle is the fact that you only get tripped up if you make the decision to put those cards to "work". After all, just because you buy the car doesn't mean you can drive it as fast as you want. And if you use SmartyPig, your speed is always regulated to where it should be. You create a goal, you tell us how much, you push a button and then you adjust to what you can afford. And instead of paying 21% interest on what you buy, you earn 3.05% interest on what you're saving for.

When it comes to big-ticket purchases, SmartyPig customers like Stephanie from Poorer Than You realize the importance of saving. After winning $50 in one of our gift card giveaways, Stephanie decided to save her money for a new car. After setting up her account and new goal, she is making a monthly deposit into SmartyPig to help her reach her goal. Her friends and family are able to contribute to her goal as well, allowing her to move one step closer to her new wheels without getting off track or, worse, going off the road of financial sensibility entirely.

It's easy, really: Think about your purchase. Save before spending. Have cash in hand when you buy. Own whatever it is you want - not your credit card company. Saving with SmartyPig is an easy solution to help keep you heading in the right direction.

*This post is featured on Betsy and Warren's site, Married With Luggage. Leave a creative comment on the Married With Luggage site with unique ways to save money for your chance to win a $50 SmartyPig gift card.

In an ideal world, the need to constantly obsess over your finances would never happen. But the world we're currently living in, especially from a financial perspective, is far from ideal. Money makes the world go 'round. And in almost every corner of the globe, money is tight. The good news is your finances don't have to be difficult or demanding at all, especially when it comes to saving. You don't have to obsess over saving money when it's made simple.

Earlier this week, financial guru Suze Orman appeared on the Today Show stressing the importance of saving. We at Smartypig could not agree with Ms. Orman more. Whether it is saving for the eight-month emergency fund she suggested, saving for your children's future education or saving for the dream vacation you've always wanted to take, SmartyPig has made it easier than ever to reach your goals without the constant worry.

You tell us how much you want to save and for how long, and SmartyPig does the rest. Really. Each month, on the day of your choice, SmartyPig deducts the desired amount out of your existing checking or savings account and adds it to your goal. You also earn one of the highest interest rates (3.05% APY), and if your friends and family want to chip in to help out, we've got the social aspect covered too. No worrying about manually transferring funds between accounts or driving to the bank. No worrying about your money working for you. No worrying about staying the course. SmartyPig is simple, smart saving at its best.

So what are you waiting for? It's time to put down the plastic and avoid future debt. Financial sensibility for your family is just a few clicks away.

Over the past couple of weeks we've told you stories of the unique ways SmartyPig customers are using the site to save money (here and here). And now it's time to turn the tables. We want to hear from YOU! We want to know what you're saving for and you could win a SmartyPig gift card just by leaving a comment!

Here's how it works:

1. Leave a comment in the space below telling us what you're saving money for.
2. We'll leave the comments open until Wednesday, May 6th, 12PM CST.
3. At that time, we'll put all of the entries into a random number generator to select first, second and third place winners. ($100, $50 and $25, respectively)

Good Luck!

There's something very personal and very optimistic about setting a financial goal using SmartyPig (or any goal for that matter), whether it be a weekend vacation, presents for holidays, an emergency saving account or the down payment on a new home. No matter the size, the goal belongs to you. You created it for a reason - to get from here to there without the heavy burden of debt.

We're sincerely touched to read testimonials and receive phone calls from SmartyPig users letting us know just how the site has positively affected their lives. From the parent overjoyed that their child finally understands the importance of saving money, to the soldier overseas who cannot wait to get home, to the happy just-married couple who are starting life in better financial shape than they'd hoped, these stories are more than uplifting and make us strive to make SmartyPig everything it can be.

Recently, though, one story we read was of particular interest to us. A gentleman named Sam Mahlstadt has started using SmartyPig to change not only his life but potentially the lives of many others. Recently married, Sam and his wife moved halfway across the country to Winston Salem, North Carolina to ensure that his goal becomes a reality.

See, Sam is helping to build a church in his community and he knew that SmartyPig and its use of social media could help him reach his goal faster. Sam said that rather than a "big ask" of reaching out just once to friends and family for money, he could link his goal to the social media sites he frequents and to his blog where others could continue to read about and potentially contribute to his goal.

Sam, like many of our users, has an uphill battle. But we don't set goals that are easy. We set goals to make our lives better, to push ourselves. Sam's goal will affect many for years and years to come because he has been able to participate in something that he values greatly: the helping of others. Understanding that it is always easier to accomplish something when there's a common cause is the secret to our social way to save. Hearing a story like Sam's, well, that makes it all the more sweet.

The format:

1. After 15 minutes, we will be picking 20 random people with a number generator from the pool of correct answers.
2. We'll be bringing back a trusted method in selecting three gift card winners.
3. We'll post the process here on our blog, so everyone can follow along!

Make sure:

1. You're following us on Twitter.
2. We'll ask the $100 question on Thursday, April 23rd at 11am CST.
3. Answer the question correctly for your chance to win!

Remember: if you don't already have a SmartyPig account, it's free to set one up! Winner must be in the US.

Good Luck!

The SmartyPig team hit the road last weekend, headed to South By Southwest in Austin, Texas, and joined in the festivities to spread the word about our being the leader in the social banking space.

SXSW is a conference and festival event for entertainment and related media industry professionals. During the conference, co-founder Mike Ferrari had a chance to speak on a panel with other up-and-coming financial sites. Mike showcased our recent release of OFX integration and spoke of SmartyPig's rapid growth as one of the most innovative financial websites in global financial services today.

To say the least, the reaction has been terrific! We've been all over the online map and in the press regarding how simple and smart it is to use SmartyPig - now even more so after the OFX integration, as we've made it even easier for SmartyPig members to track their saving habits beyond SmartyPig.com. Especially in a trying economy, we understand that people want options to help them organize their finances and keep on the right track. With SmartyPig, we can even make the money go farther than ever.

We're looking forward to the upcoming months and appreciate customer feedback as we grow. We also tip our hat to the SXSW folks for including us at its most successful interactive event ever! The opportunity to speak to so many people about helping save the world by helping the world save has us itching for 2010.

Be sure to look for more exciting news in the next few weeks at SmartyPig, where Saving Will Never be the Same!

Special thanks to:

• Social Times, Kristen Nicole
• LA Times, Dan Frost
• Fast Company, Anya Kamenetz
• Venture Beat, Anthony Ha
• Shankrila.com

When we began to build SmartyPig the national saving rate was -1 percent, the worst it had been since the Great Depression. People were spending more money than they made. Think about that? Think that has anything to do with where we find ourselves currently with regard to the economy? Now, some are saying, the personal saving rate will grow to 8% over the next few years. They also say that is bad for the economy. That it is too many people spending too little money.

SmartyPig is where the happy medium exists. Somewhere between those living beyond their means and those stuffing their mattresses with their paychecks each week exists the sensible saving set. See, we are all about saving before spending: You decide you want to take a vacation. You want to put a little away each month. You want to earn one of the best interest rates in the country. You want a travel agency or cruise line waiting with a cash boost for you just before you are ready to set sail. You want to stimulate the economy without sinking your own ship. You want SmartyPig.

Look, it's not all bad news out there. It may seem like it. But the silver lining is fairly easy to identify: people have changed their financial behavior. And from what they're telling us, SmartyPig makes the transition a much less painful one.

Says Pohler while thumbing through Parnell's self-help book, Don't Buy Stuff You Cannot Afford, "Look honey, there's a whole section here on how to buy expensive things with money you've saved." To which Martin replies, "And where would you get this saved money?" At SmartyPig, we've got your answer.

From the drawing board to our launch last spring until now, SmartyPig has been, and always will be about helping people save money for specific goals - items that otherwise, most could not purchase out of pocket. We simply want to help people move away from the "buy now, pay later" credit card mindset that has gone a long way toward ensuring our rough economic ride. We understand that credit cards aren't solely destructive and not everyone abuses them, but in this post from a few days ago it shows how delinquency rates are on the rise. Average debt has increased, while credit card companies continue to gouge customers with up to 24% interest in some instances. There's no way around the simple fact we all need to work on our fiscal fitness, we need to depend less on plastic, and we need to "Not Buy Stuff We Cannot Afford."

Says Martin at one point during the skit, "So I buy something I want and then hope that I can pay for it, right?" Parnell replies, "No. You make sure you have the money, then you buy it." We couldn't agree more.

It is a sentiment that has stuck with me, and it makes me wonder about today's youth and their spending habits. Are they thinking of how they're spending money and where it's going? According to Experion, 96% of college seniors are carrying credit cards and will spend nearly twenty-five cents of every dollar paying back debt. Young Americans now have the second highest rate of bankruptcy behind those ages 35-44. Why experience the painful effects of debt when avoiding it all together can be reality?

Though dealing finances as a young adult can be difficult, learning the value of a dollar at a young age is crucial, especially now during these tough economic times. Share your SmartyPig goal with your children. Make them a co-owner on your account and help them set up a goal. Not only will they be saving money with the pig but they'll also be earning interest, which is an important and educational piece all in itself. They'll be able to watch the pig fill-up each time money is put into the goal excitedly waiting until they've reached their target.

Take for example that $4 latte. Five lattes a week at four bucks a pop is $80 in one month. Over the course of a year, that adds up to be $960. I didn't believe it at first. Almost one thousand dollars! All the possibilities $960 holds: a vacation, home improvement, or just boosting your emergency fund.

I know first hand how hard not spending money at the drop of a hat is. My vice is that latte - hot, caffeinated, frothy, freshly brewed safety net that kick starts me in the morning while kicking me in my pocketbook. Now, I haven't given up on the morning Joe completely. I've traded the trips to the coffee shop for coffee brewed at home. The saving is substantial. Instead of spending $80 a month on caffeine, I'm putting a little more than $70 into my SmartyPig account each month. With that money, I'm planning a great vacation at the end of the year. And since SmartyPig has partnered with top retailers like Apple Vacations, Pleasant Holidays, Royal Caribbean and Sandals, I'll get an additional boost on the cash I've already saved. Most importantly, I'll own the trip when I get back. No credit card bills, no hassles.

Are there charges in your financial life you don't give much thought to? Incremental dollars spent out with colleagues for lunch or an after-work cocktail that could satisfy you so much more down the road? Imagine if you eliminated that spending, or just cut back a little on certain things you don't necessarily need and socked that money away for a new computer or family trip or even an umbrella for those rainy days? The reward for more common sense would really pay.

And while some mornings I really wish I had a latte in my hand, I simply snap out of it and into the dream of white sandy beaches and bright blue water as far as the eye can see. I'll gladly trade that Joe for the promise of paradise any day.

But there is hope. If you are experiencing the pain of a horrible holiday hangover, SmartyPig can help. Start saving for the 2009 holidays now and prevent next year's debt from ever happening. In an article on MSNBC, it suggests the same plan of attack. "You probably did all of your holiday spending in the last six weeks - or less," writes Sharon Epperson. "Tally up your expenses for this holiday season, including gifts, travel, entertaining. Divide the total by 10 and contribute that amount to your savings each month from January to October. Next November you can start spending that amount, paying cash for your holiday purchases."

SmartyPig makes this process quite simple. Enter the total amount you want to save, when you want to save it by and SmartyPig will do the rest. Every month on the day of your choice, SmartyPig will pull those funds from your checking or savings account into your constantly growing SmartyPig account. You'll also be earning one of the highest annual percentage yields in the market; and SmartyPig has teamed up with some of the country's top retailers who will give you up to an additional 6% cash boost on top of what you've already saved. Most importantly, you'll be satisfied knowing that your spending cash for the holidays at the end of the year is being taken care of now.

Most people don't ever get to own the holidays. Using SmartyPig gives you the opportunity to do exactly that. No bills, no hassles, no worries - just an enjoyable holiday season.

With banks bracing for the next meltdown in the form of people not being able to pay their credit card debt, and Congress pushing hard for a Credit Card Bill of Rights, I thought it might be good time to touch on the topic of plastic. In a recent survey, 35 percent of Ladies Home Journal Readers indicated their top money worry was paying off credit card debt. For years, it seems, people have been living large, buying now and figuring out how to pay for things later. Later has finally arrived.

I read an article recently where the author suggests that consumers should use credit cards for big-ticket purchases such as a refrigerator or home repairs. And while this author does make great points about the benefits and responsible use of credit cards, author and smart-money guy Dave Ramsey says credit cards are never a good idea. Don't believe Dave? Ask Thomas Jefferson who said, "Never spend your money before you have it."

At SmartyPig, we take the words of both men seriously. If you don't have the money to spend on an item, the solution is simple: save up for it instead. We know that in these difficult economic times emergencies do happen. But if you want to charge a new plasma screen TV or a family trip, wait it out. Start a SmartyPig goal instead. Then, when you've met your goal, the TV or the trip is all yours without a single credit card bill. Simply put, using cards in this economy, is an accident waiting to happen. Too much can go wrong.

That's why we are working non-stop to make it easier for you to save money and stay away from your plastic. We've recently added new features to help the goal saving process, and we hope these improvements will further motivate you to keep saving and meet your goals. As Mr. Ramsey states, "There is NO positive side to credit card use." We could not agree more.

We were likewise ecstatic to be featured on American Public Media's NPR featured program "Future Tense" which showcases the latest technology topics in daily five-minute capsules. "Future Tense" is heard in the United States during broadcasts of the CBC's "As it Happens. " Have a listen below: RealAudio - MP3 - iTunes

We will showcase SmartyPig at Finovate in a couple of weeks where we will be featured, along with a few dozen other start-ups, that are "innovating at the intersection of finance and technology" to an audience of hundreds of press, bloggers, analysts, VCs, industry leaders and banking executives. So we are definitely hoping to keep the buzz going.

We could not be more grateful for the kind words, the suggestions to make SmartyPig better, and, especially, the recommendations from our customers to others, telling them to help reverse the mindset of "buy now and pay later" by using SmartyPig.

Thanks!
- The SmartyPig Team