SmartyPig®

SmartyPig Blog

SmartyPig®: Posts tagged 'smartypig'

The following posts are associated with the tag you have selected. You may subscribe to the RSS feed for this tag to receive future updates relevant to the topic(s) of your interest.

http://blog.smartypig.com/tag/smartypig.rss

August 31, 2010 • Posted by Sarah Foss

Back to School Savings at SmartyPig

Joining the ranks of holiday shopping and Black Friday, back-to-school shopping has become a ritual event in most homes as a way to kick off the new school year. The National Retail Federation anticipates back-to-school spending to grow to $55.1 billion this year. And while most students' lists include inexpensive, yet essential items like pencils, notebooks, and folders; a lot of shopping lists also include more costly items like new shoes, clothes and electronics. Many Families are delaying these purchases, however, large and small alike, in anticipation of a greater deal. According to USA Today, "62% of consumers say they held off until at least August to make that initial purchase." And more than half of consumers are waiting until just days before classes begin or, in a growing number of cases, the week after school starts to get the greatest deal.

Well, it's always deal time here at SmartyPig. Our long list of retailers like Macy's for clothes, Staples for supplies and Amazon.com and Wal-Mart for everything, can provide up to 12% cash back on your back-to-school supplies (or any supplies) when redeemed using a SmartyPig savings account. You can purchase a backpack, clothing or shoes at Gap, Kohl's, Land's End, Banana Republic, L.L. Bean and Old Navy. Or help your college student purchase a new laptop or dorm furniture with discounts at Best Buy and Overstock.com.

Best of all? You don't have to wait for classes to start to save at SmartyPig. We provide cash back and a high interest rate to take your money even further. No need to get schooled by bank fees, non-existent rewards and low-to-no interest on your savings, take advantage of our deals and keep your family well stocked any time of year.

Wishing you a great first day and, as always, best of luck with your goals!

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

 

Tags: smartypig   •  usa today   •  black friday   •  back-to-school

0 Comments | |

August 27, 2010 • Posted by Sarah Foss

A Safe Bet: You

Despite the odds of winning the lottery being approximately 120 million to one, Americans are spending more on it than movie tickets and music, some $25 billion annually. And the number is growing rapidly. Why? Desperate times call for desperate measures. Forget about one step at a time. People typically want the quick win, the fast buck. It's the type of thinking that got us into this economic mess to begin with: Flipping houses, living on plastic, going for broke - and often ending up there.

At SmartyPig we are of the opinion that there is no such thing as instant financial gratification in this day and age, and that desperation is not a strategy. To us, the safest bet out there is on you thinking about and treating money differently than you have before. Can you get rich in this economy without winning the lottery? Doubtful. But we can get you on the road to making the most money for your money. We offer a high interest rate on the money you save and cash back when it's time to spend it. It's as easy as 1-2-3.

Sadly enough, too many Americans are dreaming of getting rich quick in today's tough economy. But in all actuality, the only pot of gold almost every single one of us will likely every run across, is the one we create for ourselves. True it's raining out there. Hard. Very hard. And while some banks may offer you an umbrella in the form of no-to-low interest savings with ZERO rewards and fees to boot, SmartyPig wants to be a rainbow, helping you realize your goals and dreams. It's not the lottery, but it's a 100%, sure-fire way to earn the easiest money out there. With those odds, it should make betting on YOU the obvious choice.

Wishing you the best of luck with your goals!

Sarah Foss, SmartyPig Media Mad Woman
SFoss@smartypig.com

Tags: smartypig

0 Comments | |

August 26, 2010 • Posted by Sarah Foss

Who Serves Smart Savers? We do.

We all received yet another glaring reminder that personal savings should be at the top of our priority list when earlier this week the FED released its quarterly report on household debt. The numbers on foreclosures, consumer debt and bankruptcies listed in the report are downright frightening and should serve as a wake-up call to those who have not yet started to change the way they think about money. In quarter two, new bankruptcies rose over 34%, while $1.3 trillion of consumer debt is delinquent and $986 billion is seriously delinquent.

The personal saving rate has jumped recently, true, giving a slight indication that some of those in debt are trying to change their ways, trying to get out from under. However with this good news comes some really bad news: Interest rates remain near 0% and are having a huge affect on people actually trying to save. From the NY Times: "For consumers who are cutting debt and trying to save, it is dispiriting indeed that they generate so little on their money."

Except at SmartyPig.

With an industry leading APY and up to 12% cash back for people with saving goals, we effectively offer the opportunity for a double-digit yield. So while smart savers' actions go mostly unrewarded, we have partnered with a top bank and top merchants to give anyone who wants a break from this terrible economy, the most money for his or her money. Whether you're saving for socks and underwear so as to get cash back from a preferred retailer, an affordable wedding you'd like friends and family members to help with using our shared goals program, or holiday gifts without the burden of even more debt, we're here to help you get there smarter and faster than you'd ever think possible in this continued downturn.

We thank you for being a SmartyPig customer, and best of luck with your goals.

Sarah Foss

 

Tags: smartypig   •  cash back

0 Comments | |

August 9, 2010 • Posted by Jon Gaskell

Less Is Officially The New More

My Sundays are reserved for family - and the New York Times - if I'm lucky enough for the rest of my crew to go down for naps. Yesterday, when my wife came to find me after waking up, my five year old in tow, I handed her the Business section of the paper and pointed at the front page. "Read this," I said. The article, by Stephanie Rosenbloom, is titled, "But will it make you happy?" It is all about a populace slowly awakening to something that should be old hat: It's time to get back to basics when it comes to finances.

Your grandparents have probably always thought that you don't know the value of a buck. Your grandparents have always been right. They were a part of the cash-in-hand generation, paying cash for the stuff they wanted. My grandfather paid for his only house, every car and everything else he ever owned with cash. He wasn't well-to-do by a long shot. He was an ironworker who never had a credit card. When he bought something like a new TV it was an event.

"Before credit cards and cell phones enabled consumers to have almost anything they wanted at any time, the experience of shopping was richer," Wendy Liebmann of WSL Strategic Retail says in the story. "You saved for it, you anticipated it." Added Rosenbloom: "In other words, waiting for something and working hard to get it made it feel more valuable and more stimulating... In fact, scholars have found that anticipation increases happiness."

My grandfather was on to something. Although he probably would have waved his hand in dismissal or pointed at his head to indicate that it is simple common sense.

"We're moving from a conspicuous consumption - which is 'buy without regard' - to a calculated consumption," Marshal Cohen, an analyst, told Rosenbloom. What Mr. Cohen really means, however, is that we are "moving back" to it.

From coupons to cutting up credit cards to analyzing daily spending, this so-called new awareness is morphing into a movement that is actually no more complicated than the ceramic piggy bank my five year old adds change and the occasional dollar bill to. It is a concept that we've built our business around - this concept that my grandfather would have argued is no real concept at all: Save for the stuff you want.

Jon Gaskell, SmartyPig co-founder

 

Tags: smartypig   •  new york times   •  stephanie rosenbloom

0 Comments | |

August 6, 2010 • Posted by Michael Ferrari

Sync with Facebook and Twitter

Last year we launched some new sharing features that were a first in the banking industry. We've made a recent enhancement to this service that we are excited to share with you.

As you may know, SmartyPig users have the option to securely connect their existing Twitter and/or Facebook account to goals that they have chosen to share with friends and family. When Twitter is connected to a shared SmartyPig goal, SmartyPig will automatically post to that Twitter account any time funds are added toward meeting that goal. The Facebook connect feature works similarly, posting to the Facebook user's wall every time funds are added toward meeting a goal that he or she has chosen to share.

Twitter

 

Facebook

The best part about this connectivity is that the posts and tweets happen automatically. So even if you are not logged in to your SmartyPig, Twitter or Facebook account, SmartyPig will continue to post tweets and wall posts on your behalf when funds have been added to your goal.

 

Even better, you now have the ability to designate the specific time at which you would like SmartyPig to post to your Twitter and/or Facebook account for your recurring scheduled contributions. Are your friends more active in the morning? Would you prefer to send information at night? The choice is yours! Share your dreams and aspirations with your social network. Chances are you'll get encouragement and possibly a little cash from friends or family members who want to help you on your way!

As always, good luck with your goals!

Mike Ferrari, SmartyPig co-founder
@mferrari

 

Tags: smartypig   •  twitter   •  facebook

0 Comments | |