The Frugal Prof

Its Not about the Money. Its about taking charge

17 of the Best Totally Free Stuff Ever- (Freebies, Samples, and Free Stuff)

by

17 Best Free Stuff on the Web

 

17 of the Best Totally Free Stuff Ever- (Freebies, Samples, and Free Stuff)

Being frugal is usually about choices.  And frugal people usually take the extra step to save a dollar or two to find a less expensive way to do things.  Free is always the least expensive way to do anything.  It is also the most fun!

 




*My aim is to recommend products that will truly benefit you.    I believe in transparency and want to disclose that I’ve included certain products and links to those products on this page that I will earn an affiliate commission for any purchases you make.

1. Free Ice Cream

I’ll never pass up an opportunity for free ice cream.

When you download the Slab Happy Rewards app from Marble Slab, you’ll get free ice cream just for signing up. After that, you’ll earn points for each dollar you spend, and you can cash them in for $5 off future purchases.

 

2. Free Credit Score

If you’ve ever tried to get your credit score, you know most services make you sign up for a trial or charge you an outrageous amount of money. But it’s your credit score! Where do they get the nerve?

Credit Sesame will give it to you for free.

Once you get your report, check for errors. Finding and correcting just one could give your credit score a significant boost!

 

3. Free Baby Diapers

Is your family growing? Create a Target baby registry to get over $50 in free baby stuff!

Even better, when your due date is eight weeks away, you’ll get a 15% discount on any items remaining on your registry.

 

Relevant Articles:

45 Ways to Increase your Income

9 Best Ways to Save $7K This Year

11 Legitimate Survey Sites for 2018

 

4. Free $10 Walmart Gift Card

Have you heard of Ebates?

It’s a cash-back site that pays you for shopping online. I use it all the time — it’s an instant way to save on everything you buy.

Right now Ebates is offering a pretty sweet deal: Spend $25 and they’ll send you a free $10 Walmart gift card!

Here’s how it works…

  1. Sign up for Ebates here (you just need to give them a name and email address).
  2. You’ll need to make at least $25 in purchases through Ebates online shopping portal within 90 days of signing up. If you do, Ebates rewards you with a $10 Walmart gift card. Easy!

On top of that, Ebates is currently offering 5% discount on Amazon purchases!

 

 

Want to Get Paid for Sharing Your Amazon Purchase History?

Such an easy way to Earn an extra $36

Shoptracker  is operated by The Harris Poll, a well known survey company that measures U.S. public opinion.

In order to get paid, you must download the shoptracker program.

Then, every month, you will receive a $3 VISA Gift Card.

I did it and it works.  More information about ShopTracker here.

 

5. Free EBooks

Looking for some new reading? BookBub offers email subscribers access to free and discounted ebooks, including bestsellers.

Just enter your email here and browse the company’s archives. Deals are available for a limited-time only and change daily. Choose from over 20 categories and read on any device: Kindle, Nook, iPhone & more.

 

6. Free Godiva Chocolate

Free Godiva chocolate — what could be better?

Oh, maybe the fact this offer isn’t a one-time deal. Once you sign up, you get free chocolate every month at participating locations.

 

7. Blue Bottle Coffee

Want to try a bag of some of the best coffee in the country — completely free?

You can get a 2-ounce trial of Blue Bottle’s famous beans for nothing at all.

It’s part of their monthly subscription service, so you’ll need to enter your credit card info, but you’ll get an email before Blue Bottle charges you and sends you more coffee. Just make sure to cancel your subscription if you don’t want to keep getting coffee.

But after you suck down that sweet freebie, you might actually want to stay subscribed to the service and have beans delivered to your door every month.

 

 

8. Sephora Beauty Products

Oooh, Sephora.

Become a “Beauty Insider,” and you’ll have your choice of a free beauty kit from Fresh or Marc Jacobs on your birthday.

 

9. Free Coffee Mug

Want to be more environmentally friendly with your daily coffee — without shelling out $20 for a travel mug?

Nab a free lightweight travel mug from Au Bon Pain when you subscribe to its eClub!

 

10. Free Movies

Does your family still watch movies with a DVD player? We hope you’re using Redbox to find cheap rentals!

Plus, if you sign up for Redbox’s Text Club, you’ll get free movies and other deals.

 

11. Family First Aid Kit

You can never be too prepared, especially if you’ve got little ones running around.

Order your free family first aid kit from Florida Hospital so you’ll be ready for any scrapes or scratches, should they occur (they will).

 

12. Free Kind Granola Bar

This free Kind granola bar isn’t necessarily a freebie for you, but a gift you give to someone else for being kind.

Get it? You’re doing something kind for someone who did something kind — paying it forward.

Just go to Kind’s site and choose how you want a gift card delivered to a friend, co-worker or acquaintance and you’re done.

 

13. Prenatal Drink Mix

Expecting?

Try this free prenatal drink mix, which also comes with a coupon for $5 off your next purchase.

 

14. Awesome Hair

If you’re looking for even more free haircare products, you’re in luck.

L’Oreal Paris will send you cost-free samples, specific to your hair type. All you have to do is sign up for the company’s email offers on its website.

 

15. Emergen-C Vitamin Drink Mix

Getting sick is the worst. The next time you feel a case of the sniffles coming on, you might want to blast your system with vitamin C to try to stay healthy.

One of our favorite ways? Downing a glass of Emergen-C vitamin supplement drink mix with water — and with that link, you can try a free sample!

 

16.  Banks still offer Free checking accounts with interest.

Some examples of checking accounts offering interest and free checking:

 

17. Here are 300 FREE Ivy League University courses you can take online right now.

 

 

Join 1,148 smart people on my E-mail list.  Subscribe below!

 

Subscribe Now!


 




45 Things You Should Always Buy at a Dollar Store

by

45 Things You Should Always Buy at the Dollar Store (+ 21 Things You Never Should)

Most smart and frugal shoppers love the Dollar Stores:

Whether it’s the 99c Store, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, or newcomer Five Below, there are tons of great bargains. Buying something for a dollar might seem too good to be true, but for the many dollar store loyalists out there, it’s a fact of life.

So, here are 45 things you should Always buy at a dollar store and 21 things you Never should.

 

What to Buy at the Dollar Store

 

Dollar Store Overview:

Dollar Tree currently has 14,000 locations, with plans to open hundreds more in 2018. Comparable sales were up 1.8% at Dollar Tree in the second quarter.

Dollar General currently has about15,000 locations, with plans to open 900 in 2018. Comparable sales were up 3.7% at Dollar General in the second quarter.

While not a traditional dollar store in that its products are priced up to $5, Five Belowcurrently has 625 stores, and it plans to open 50 more this quarter alone. In the second quarter of 2018, Five Below’s comparable sales grew by 2.7%.

 

 

What to Buy at the Dollar Store

Housewares & Decor

The nice thing about buying home decor and decorative wares at a dollar store is they’re cheap and easy to replace if they break, or if you feel like switching things up around the house.

• Reusable food storage containers

• Bins for organizing

• Wine glasses

• Mugs

• Plates

• Silverware

• Kitchen towels

• Vases

• Artificial flowers

• Picture frames

• Candle holders

• Cleaning supplies

• Garbage can or waste basket for a bathroom

 

Want to Get Paid for Sharing Your Amazon Purchase History?

Shoptracker  is operated by The Harris Poll, a well known survey company that measures U.S. public opinion.

I did it and it works.  More information about ShopTracker here.

 

 




 

 

Party & Special Occasion Supplies

Party supplies and wrapping paper are a must-buy at the dollar store, as they’re often priced at a fraction of their cost at other stores.

This is ideal– because who wants to spend a fortune on stuff that will be used once and then end up in the trash can?

Frugal Tip: Stock up on holiday items a few weeks after the holiday. You can score amazing deals on Halloween Costumes, Christmas Decorations and more.

 

Relevant Articles:

11 of The Best Side Hustle Ideas for 2019

9 Best Ways to Save $7K This Year

11 Legitimate Survey Sites

 

 

 

Relevant Articles:

11 of The Best Side Hustle Ideas for 2019

9 Best Ways to Save $7K This Year

11 Legitimate Survey Sites

 

Check your local dollar store for deals on these items:

• Greeting cards

• Gift bags

• Wrapping paper

• Tissue paper

• Balloons

• Holiday decor

• Themed party decorations

• Cups

• Paper plates

• Party utensils

• Napkins

• Table cloth

• Birthday candles

• Large bowls for chips and snacks

 




 

 

Kids’ Gear

These inexpensive items will not only keep your  kids busy on rainy days, but they can also act as perfect goody-bag fillers, stocking stuffers and Easter basket surprises.

• Books

• Coloring books and activity books

• Puzzles

• Craft supplies

• Colored paper

• Stickers

• Flash cards

 

Personal Items:

Believe it or not, you can find a lot of everyday items, even name-brands, at the dollar store for less!

• Tissues

• Lint roller

• Hair accessories such as headbands and hair ties

• Hair brush

• Name brand / dentist recommended toothbrushes

• Name brand make-up, lotion, and toiletries

• Dixie cups

• Books

• Cookbooks

• Pet toys

• Photo albums

• Flower pots

• Watering cans

• Wind chimes or outdoor decor

 

Don’t forget to check for coupons before you shop

Check out my post on how I save 40% using coupons here.

 

 

What NOT To Buy At The Dollar Store

Of course every store varies and there can be some fantastic brands of these below items, but generally, these items should be avoided:

• Power Strips, Electrical Cords and Electronics:

Any time something electrical is made with lesser quality materials, it can lead to electrical fires and a generally subpar device.

• Batteries that Contain Carbon Zinc:

Inferior batteries can cause serious damage since they can leak. Also, they run out of juice a lot sooner than mainstream brands.

• Vitamins and Medication:

Studies have shown that vitamins and medication at the dollar store are often missing essential ingredients and aren’t as strictly regulated by the FDA.

• Plastic Wrap, Oven Mitts and Knives: These items simply don’t work as well as the more expensive variety.

• Toys that can break into small pieces: Any plastic toys that can easily break into smaller pieces aren’t a good idea for your kids.

• Cotton Swabs: They have a tendency to break easier and since the name brand is not much more, you’re better off going with that.

• Off-Brand Makeup, Shampoo and Conditioner, and Lotions: While some people swear by these dollar store products to save money, it really depends on the specific item. Many of these items are filled with chemicals that could be harsh on your skin and dry out your hair. Plus, they may not be allergy tested.

• Candles: Generally, candles don’t burn long and omit a less-than-desirable odor.

• Glue and Crayons: These items simply do not work as well, and you’ll be spending more to replace them.

• Pet Food: Depending on the product, some pet foods you’d find at the dollar store may not be as carefully regulated as other stores.

• Kids’ Floaties (Flotation Devices): With anything involving safety, you’re better off paying more for a stronger, more durable flotation device.

• Some Cleaning Supplies: Much of the feedback on dollar store cleaning supplies is they are more diluted than a regular brand.

 

Even in a retail shopping world dominated by behemoths like Amazon and Wal-Mart, dollar stores provide excellent deals.  And if you can shop after holidays, there are some incredible deals.  Every dollar counts.

 

Banks That Still Offer Free Checking with Interest

by

Banks that offer free checking

 




 

 

When you’re trying to save money, every little bit counts.  And those pesky $12 account fees can really add up.

Americans are still paying $15 billion in fees, including monthly service charges, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has said.

Here are three banks that are offering a free checking account and paying interest on the deposits.  It’s a very good deal.

 

Some Banks still offer Free checking accounts with interest.

Some examples of checking accounts offering interest and free checking:

 




Tips to track down Money owed to you:

  • Unclaimed money from state governments:  

Such as old bank accounts and contents of safe deposit boxes.  Go to Missingmoney.com    MissingMoney.com has the most updated information for the state and provincial offices, their websites with contact information and property listings. Searches and claiming are always FREE. Information goes securely and directly to the state/provincial unclaimed property office.

  • Old Stocks and Bonds: 

Go to SEC.gov  An old stock or bond certificate may still be valuable even if it no longer trades under the name printed on the certificate. The company may have merged with another company or simply changed its name. Keep in mind that due to corporate reorganizations (such as splits, mergers, or reverse mergers), the current share price may not be useful in determining the certificate’s value, if any.

If the name of the transfer agent is printed on the certificate, contacting the transfer agent is the easiest way to learn about the certificate. If the transfer agent whose name appears on the certificate is no longer in existence, contacting the state agency that handles incorporations in the state in which the company was incorporated may prove useful. Certificate holders who have a brokerage account may want to ask their broker if they can assist in researching the certificate.

 

  • Unclaimed Bank Funds:

  •  What is included in Unclaimed Deposits?

  • Unclaimed Deposits may include any item or negotiable instrument deposited in or issued by an FDIC Insured financial institution including
  • checking or savings accounts,
  • cashiers checks,
  • official checks,
  • money orders,
  • Certificates of Deposit,
  • IRA Accounts,
  • and others collectively referred to as “deposits”.
  • Deposits are considered unclaimed if the rightful owner did not assert that the funds belonged to them within 18 months after the failure of the financial institution.
  • Claiming funds held at a Closed Bank: FDIC Website

 

 

 

  • Unclaimed Pension Funds:  PBGC.Gov

  • The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation protects the retirement incomes of nearly 40 million American workers.   Call PBGC toll-free at 1-800-326-LOST (5678). [TTY/ASCII users: call the federal relay service toll-free at 1-800-877-8339 and ask to be connected to 1-800-326-LOST.]

 

  • Unclaimed Tax Refunds:

  • Tax Refunds – The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may owe you money if your refund was unclaimed or undelivered.
  • Credit Union Failures – Find unclaimed deposits from credit unions.
  • SEC Claims Funds – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) lists enforcement cases where a company or person owes investors money.

 

Relevant Articles:

Survey Sites That Actually Pay

Getting Results: How I Paid Off $17K

The Best Personal Finance Books

 

Value Investing

Unclaimed Money Scams:

Beware of people who pretend to be the government and offer to send you unclaimed money for a fee. These scammers use a variety of tricks to get your attention, but their goal is the same: to get you to send them money. Government agencies will not call you about unclaimed money or assets.

There is currently $42 billion in unclaimed funds floating around in the United States, according to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA).

Unclaimed funds are accounts in financial institutions or companies that have had no activity generated or contact with the owner for a year or longer, most commonly in savings or checking accounts, stocks, uncashed dividends, security deposits, IRS refunds and more.

 

Helpful Tips:

  • When doing the search, make sure to type in all the places you have lived. Also, if you’re married, make sure to check under your maiden name as well. Using a first initial and your last name is also encouraged to make sure everything comes up.
  • It’s up to you if you want to use a third-party service to claim your money, but it’s not required. Each state has its own process, which usually takes three to four months and requires information like your social security number and more. If you choose to use a locator business to claim your money in order to avoid doing the paperwork yourself, don’t pay up front. Also, don’t pay the company more than 10 percent or 20 percent of the amount of money you are claiming.

 

Related articles you may enjoy:

How it all began.  What made me say enough.

44 Ways to Create Extra Income

Getting results on your debt free journey

 

State By State List: To search for money owed

To see if you have unclaimed funds, search each state’s comptroller website (listed below). This is the governmental institution that handles the process. From there, each state will vary in its exact process, but you’ll likely be asked to type in your name, which will then generate a list of results. If the information seems like it could be yours based on an address match, for example, then you can say you want to claim it.

To see if you’re owed money, check out every state you’ve lived in below:

 

 How to avoid your State stealing your financial account:

If you fail to contact companies that manage your accounts every few years, the money in those accounts could be taken from you- by your state.  “Unclaimed Property” laws require that financial institutions, including mutual funds, banks, and insurers, forfeit “forgotten” accounts to state governments.  These laws were enacted so governments could safeguard overlooked assets until their rightful owners stepped forward- but the states soon realized that most of these assets were never reclaimed.
What to Do:  Phone Every financial institution where you have an account once every three years.  Yes, three years! Logging into a password protected account should also prevent problems too.  Interacting with an automated phone system will not.
It’s your money and you need to be proactive and protect it.
I hope you found this content helpful. If you did, please share it on social media!
Thanks.

 

11 Ways to Earn More Money in 2018

by

 earn more money in 2018

 11 Ways to earn more money in 2018

    • Imagine how it would feel to create extra income each month? 
    • Extra money for your family
    • Extra money for vacations
    • Extra money to reduce your debt
    • Extra money to have more time to Enjoy your life!




These are all practical ideas that can be implemented to create more income and less stress in your life.  Some are side hustle ideas while others are one-off ideas to save you money.  In my experience of paying off $17K in debt last year, every little bit counts!

Read my debt free story here.

*My aim is to recommend products that will truly benefit you.    I believe in transparency and want to disclose that I’ve included certain products and links to those products on this page that I will earn an affiliate commission for any purchases you make.

 

 

1.  Paid Consumer Research:  is conducted by major companies through Paid Online Surveys:

Companies need to understand consumer behavior and trends and they pay you for your time for consumer research via Paid Online Surveys.  These consumer research sites are 100% FREE to join and always pay.

1. Sign Up. 

2. Confirm your e-mail. 

3.  Earn Money. 

4.  Do them quickly to avoid burnout.

 

 

 

Survey Junkie:  (Great Surveys, Little Time, Great Payout)

You  can earn anywhere from $12 – $18 per hour from Survey Junkie!

Survey Junkie has one of the strongest reputations on the web, and they have always paid on-time and the right amount. Not only that, but they have excellent customer service if you ever have an issue.

Taking surveys in your spare time can be a great way to earn some extra dough fast. Check out Survey Junkie  which will pay you instantly with cash via Paypal. They have over 6,000,000 members and they have an 8.9/10 rating on Trust Pilot.

 

  • American Consumer Opinion:   Easy to sign up. 6 Million Members.
  • Reviews of American Consumer Opinion:  
    • “American Consumer Opinion Panel has been one of the best, and probably THE best, panel that I have worked with in some time…” J.D., Texas –
    • “I do surveys for several different companies and, I have to say, American Consumer Opinion ranks at the top as they have a very good site with no junk [that] seems to be well managed.”  H.B., Tennessee –
  • Begin earning at American Consumer Opinion:  

Vindale Research: ($2 Registration Bonus)

Vindale Research is by far one of the best survey sites due to the fact that surveys can pay as much as $75 per survey. However, these surveys are quite rare and people usually earn closer to $10 – $12 per hour.  More about Vindale Research here.

While there are plenty of high-paying surveys, there are also plenty of low-paying ones. To make it worth your while, don’t bother taking surveys that don’t pay well.

When you complete your profile you get a $2 sign-up bonus. Furthermore, there are usually plenty of surveys to take and you can setup email notifications when new surveys come out. Sometimes you can even take the same survey 2-3 times a day.

 

In this post we reviewed the details of 17 of the Best work at home companies hiring.  These are legit companies that appreciate the talent of people who choose to work at home.  I hope you found something that suits your skill set.

  •  

2.  Become a Certified Closing Agent.

You Earn Extra Income,  Set your Own Hours, and the Income is Fantastic!

($75-$200 per appointment).

• First of all, it’s great money! You can make $75 to $200 in a single signing, and a signing takes about an hour. Total work time including preparing and driving to the signing is about an hour and a half to two hours when you’re starting out. And a lot less as you become more experienced. Part time loan signing agents generally do one to three signings per week – about $300 to $500 dollars extra a week and full time agents can do 3-8 signings in a day which is about $400 to over $1,000  dollars in a day.

You can start part-time and work around your existing work schedule.

• You can get started with absolutely zero experience.

You can work from home and be your own boss.

You have the ability to make money almost immediately.

What is required: In order to earn 9X more than an Uber driver, you need to invest your time and money to become a loan signing agent.  Pretty straight forward.

But, the truth is that 95% of people want to make $100 an hour but won’t invest their time and money to make it happen. 
Learn More about the Loan Signing System here.

  • Relevant Articles:
  • 45 Ways to Increase your Income
  • 9 Best Ways to Save $7K This Year
  • 11 Legitimate Survey Sites for 2018
  •  
  • 3. Cash Back at Ibotta
  • How Does Ibotta Work?
  • What is Ibotta?
  • Ibotta is a cash-back app that grants you rewards (in real-life dollars — not points or gift cards) on your everyday purchases. It turns couponing into a bit of a game, and you can do it all from your phone. No scrappy newspaper coupons required.
  • It also features rewards across retailers: from Amazon to Forever 21 to Walmart.
  • Here’s how to use Ibotta:
  • 1. Download the free app and sign up.
  • 2. Explore cash-back offers.
  • What’s great about it:
  • Ibotta is a great way to find cash back not only on grocery staples but also at online retailers and through travel sites. You can also use it to discover new brands.
  • For example, if you only bought Viva paper towels before downloading the app. But if you can get $3 back on a pack of Bounty, why not?
  • “Ibotta is more portable than coupons, and it introduces me to brands I’d otherwise not try.”
  • 3. If you’re shopping in store, add offers to your account before heading out. Do this by tapping the little plus sign next to the offer.
  • 4. Once you hit $20, you can cash out through PayPal or Venmo. You can also opt to receive your rewards as a gift card.
  • 4. Get Paid for Sharing Your Amazon Purchase History
  • Such an easy way to Earn an extra $36
  • Shoptracker  is operated by The Harris Poll, a well known survey company that measures U.S. public opinion.
  • In this case, it wants to see what products Amazon users purchase. When you sign up for ShopTracker, it tracks your Amazon purchases from your computer.
  • All it wants to see is your order information, including the order date, product title, category, ISBN number, release date, condition, seller, list price per unit, quantity and other details.
  • Shoptracker will send you a $3 Visa Gift card every month but only if you download their software, which takes about 5 minutes. Here is more info about ShopTracker
  • 5.  Get paid for graphic design work:  99 Designs, is a leading site for all things design.
  • 6. Get paid for shopping:
  • It’s easy to join and I get cash back from nearly All of my purchases.
  • Every quarter they send me cash back from my purchases!
  • How it works: 
  • Before you make a purchase,
  • simply visit the Ebates site,
  • find the store,
  • and use their link to make a purchase.
  • You’ll see discount codes (usually between 3%-10%)
  • You will recieve cashback for your purchase.
  • They pay you via Paypal.  Probably the best way to get cash back.  It’s great.
  • They have a browser extension that makes it so easy to save.
  • Ebates Cash Back
  • Start earning cash back this month at  Ebates: 
  • 7. Decluttr:   Fast, easy way to sell CD’s, video games, electronics and more.
  • Easy to use and  Rated “Excellent” as a trustworthy site.  Give it a try.
  • 8. AirBnb :   Fund your next  travel excursion by renting a room with Airbnb
  • AirBnb Tips:  Make your space available during high-demand times.  Think: concerts, conventions and sporting events.  Be a good host and make sure your place is stocked with the toiletries you’d expect at a hotel — toilet paper, soap and towels.  Be personable. A lot of travelers turn to Airbnb for the personal touch they won’t find at commercial properties.
  • 9. Become a DJ:  Sure Calvin Harris makes nearly $50M and is on top of Forbes  annual list of the world’s highest paid DJs.  But, did you know the average DJ for a wedding can earn between $600-$3000?  Pretty good money!  With some basic equipment, you could be making money this weekend.  Find DJ Equipment  Here.
  • 10.  Write Corporate Slogans and Taglines
  • Product slogans can be very short, like Nike’s “Just Do It.” They’re rarely much longer than Hallmark’s “When you care enough to send the very best.”
  • Although companies usually have their own teams of writers and marketers, they often run competitions that pay big prizes to outsiders who can come up with a catchy line. Watch for these opportunities on television and in print, but your best chance of finding them may be online. Try one or more of these platforms:
  • Slogan Slingers helps companies create slogan contests in which their registered writers compete. It’s free to sign up as a writer, and the company claims you can “make up to $999 per contest (minus our small admin fee).”
  •  
  • 11. Create a course and teach others :
  • Before you think that you have nothing to teach, I want to tell you that you most likely do!
  • Online courses are extremely popular right now, and you don’t need to have a blog in order to be successful with an online course.
  • Teachable is one of the Best companies.  More about Teachable here.
  • 12. Start a Blog.  I’ve written a whole post about how to get started.  Read more here.
  • 13. Do Errands: Task Rabbit
  • Help people fix things around their home – If you are a handy person, you may be able to get paid to repair broken items around a person’s home. Word of mouth is big when it comes to finding clients, but you can also post Craigslist advertisements that show your services, post flyers to bulletin boards around your town, and more.



The Best Way to Pay College Athletes

by

 

The Best Way to Pay College Athletes

 




You can’t watch the Final Four without thinking about and debating the issue of The Best Way to Pay College Athletes.

 

Many people agree that college athletes should be compensated.  Few people can agree on the best way to do it.  Should all athletes be compensated?  And by what formula?  What about the traditionalists who view a free college education as an incredibly valuable form of compensation already?  These are all legitimate and challenging questions.

 

The Fab Five Problem:  Many college basketball fans realized the current system was unfair when hearing the story of Michigan’s Fab Five.  Jalen Rose, the team’s star, couldn’t even afford to buy his own jersey.  Yet, his school, the University of a Michigan, was making millions from his success.

Pay College Athletes

 

A new system would alleviate this unfortunate situation without upending the entire scholarship system.  Sports has merged into entertainment.  It is a logical extension to compensate college athletes not as athletes, but as entertainers.

 

The best way to compensate college athletes is to pay them for their value from television appearances.  Entertainers who belong to the Screen Actors Guild are compensated this way.  This would be in the form of extra compensation for those appearing on regional or national TV broadcasts.

 

Yes, most of the recipients would come from high profile sports like basketball and football.  But let’s be honest, those are the sports creating the most economic value for the schools from their TV contracts.

 

I envision something along the lines of $15,000- $20,000 per nationally televised game and a lesser amount for a regionally televised game.  There would be larger incentives for reaching milestones like the Final Four and Bowl games.  This would be extra compensation in addition to receiving a scholarship.  For the average student athlete, no change would be needed.

 

Will this system fully compensate these athletes?  No, it won’t. It will fill the gap for a few athletes who are creating extraordinary value for their universities.  The only way for an athlete to receive full compensation as an athlete is to get an agent and go pro.

 

A few high profile sports generate the majority of the revenues at major Universities.  Ending the student scholarship system could leave athletes in less lucrative sports with no scholarship and a low paying “job” as an athlete.  Ending the current scholarship system would force the NCAA to decide, “how much compensation does an athlete in a low revenue sport deserve?” Attempting to pay all amateur athletes presents a no-win situation for the NCAA.

 

By compensating only those athletes that appear on television, the athletes who are generating the most revenue and creating the most value for the University and it’s brand, would be given a “bonus” payment.  The scholarship system should remain intact.

 

College athletes deserve to receive bonus income for creating economic value at a high level.  A change in the current system can be accomplished without destroying the current student-athlete system.   Rewarding a few exceptional athletes is much easier than trying to place a value on every college athlete in every sport.

 




 

11 Legitimate Paid Survey Sites to Make Extra Money

by

paid survey sites

 

 Legitimate paid surveys really come in handy to create extra income.

  • Imagine how it would feel to create an extra $700 in income each month? 
  • Extra money for your family
  • Extra money for vacations
  • Extra money to reduce your debt
  • Extra money to have more time to Enjoy your life!

 

How it Works:

1. Sign Up With as Many As Possible

2.  Confirm Your E-Mail!

3.  Start Earning

Cash surveys

*My aim is to recommend products that will truly benefit you.    I believe in transparency and want to disclose that I’ve included certain products and links to those products on this page that I will earn an affiliate commission for any purchases you make.  Results can vary person to person.

 

The Highest Paying Survey Sites:




1. Survey Junkie (Great Surveys, Little Time, Great Payout)

Survey Junkie has one of the strongest reputations on the web. Although they don’t come with a sign-up bonus, by sticking to the higher-paying ones, you can earn anywhere from $12 – $18 per hour.

Survey Junkie has one of the strongest reputations on the web.

Benefits:

  • Stick to higher-paying surveys and earn $12 – $18 per hour
  • Strong reputation for a survey site
  • Will always know how long a survey takes and how much it pays
  • Great customer support
  • Plenty of surveys to choose and they frequently update their site with knew ones

Join Survey Junkie Here

 

2.  American Consumer Opinion (Can make $175/mo with it)

Paid Surveys: Money Making Potential Level: Very High

Many reviewers recommend  ACOP and think it is the best due to high paying surveys.

ACOP is very straightforward. All you need to do is fill out the demographic questions truthfully to determine the surveys you will be qualified for and start taking surveys. That’s it.

 

Why sign up?

  • ▪ Incentive range in value from 100 to 5,000 points per survey.
  • ▪ Test and own new products for FREE.
  • ▪ More than 7M active members, $30,146,900 paid out, and 20M+ surveys taken.

This site is super easy to use and is a money magnet.  Get a chance to earn hundreds of dollars every month and FREE products.

Click here to start using ACOP for FREE

 

 

3. Vindale Research ($2 Registration Bonus/ Up to $75/ Survey)

Paid Surveys: Money Making Potential Level: Very High

Do you want to earn up to $75 per survey? If you do, then, this is right for you.

Multiple $10, $15, and $75 payouts for individual surveys.

Vindale Research is one of the online surveys that pay cash. Yes, cash. If you are looking for surveys for cash only, this is the site for you.

Take surveys now with Vindale Research for FREE.

Vindale Research is by far one of my favorite survey sites due to the fact that surveys can pay as much as $75 per survey.  People usually earn closer to $10 – $12 per hour.

When you complete your profile you get a $2 sign-up bonus. There are usually plenty of surveys to take and you can setup email notifications when new surveys come out. Sometimes you can even take the same survey 2-3 times a day.

Benefits:

  • $2 registration bonus when you verify your email and complete your profile
  • One of the best referral programs – earn $5 per referral
  • All payments are awarded in cash
  • Potential to earn roughly $10 – $12 per hour
  • Highest-paying survey at around $75 per hour, although this is quite rare

Join Vindale Research for Free

Desktop Version Here

Mobile Version Join Here

 

 




 

 

4. Inbox Dollars

 

paid surveys

 

InboxDollars  is the mobile and online loyalty club that pays cash!

Members have earned over $30 million in cash since 2006.

InboxDollars earn cash with the official InboxDollars mobile app.

In the current version of InboxDollars mobile app, members can earn cash for:

– Searching the web
– Reading email
– Taking surveys
– Downloading apps
– Purchasing Groupons

Sign up for Inbox Dollars:  Here

 

 

5.  SwagBucks:  (Possible to make $1,500 in a few months; Earn $10 sign up bonus instantly)

 

Swagbucks is the “make money whatever it is that you do over the internet” juggernaut in the industry. 

There are a lot of ways you can earn from Swagbucks. Name what you do online and Swagbucks for sure has that to help you earn money.

Next thing you know, you” have a ton of points in your Swagbucks account redeemable for cash, gift cards, among others.

No kidding my nephew has made over $1,500 with Swagbucks The thing with that is he has only been using Swagbucks for a few months. If he can make this, you could make it, too.

Swagbucks tops all sites about when it comes to cash back and free rewards. With Swagbucks, you earn more than what you spend. You wouldn’t know all the great offers until you sign up. Some previous offers included:

 

Click here to start with  SwagBucks: for FREE and receive $10 bonus when you sign up

 

 

Cash surveys

 

 

6. Global Test Market (Great International Survey Site)

Global Test Market: is a great survey site for international users since they’re currently available to 49 different countries. Expect to earn at a rate of roughly $10 per hour.

Stick to the high-paying surveys that they have. Otherwise, it’s not worth your time. Complete about 1-2 surveys per week and earn an extra $10 – $20 per month.

You need a minimum of $10 to cash out to either PayPal or for gift cards. Each time you refer your friend you get a bonus of 100 points.

  • Best international survey site on this list – available to over 49 countries
  • Can easily make an extra $20 per month by taking a short amount of surveys
  • Only need a balance of $10 to cash out
  • Great reputation for always paying out on time

Join Global Test Market Here

 

 

 

7. Nielsen

You certainly know Nielsen because they’ve been in business over 90 Years!

You can Join Nielsen and enter to win prizes, rewards, and cash.

They give away $10,000 Each Month!

Nielsen is a professional research company and the world’s leading provider of media and marketing information, including the Nielsen TV ratings. Filling out our survey and registering your devices is an opportunity to become a part of important research insights.

Join Nielsen Here

 

 

8.  Harris Poll

With over 50 years in the business, the Harris Poll is among the world’s oldest online market research companies. It’s fun, simple and membership is 100% free!

Become a member of the Harris Poll Online and you will have the opportunity to influence important decision makers in government, corporations, and non-profit organizations.

Join the Harris Poll Here

 

 

9. Shoptracker ($3 Sign-up Bonus + $36/Year With Little Effort)

This is actually an app rather than a site, but we decided to include it since the survey you do take is on the web. The best part about this program is that you only have to take a survey once.

Shoptracker works by paying you to allow them track your Amazon purchases. Simply install the app and link your Amazon account. First take a short 3-question survey on your Amazon purchases, and you immediately get a $3 Visa gift card as a sign-up bonus.

The great thing about Shoptracker is that once you’re all setup, there’s no more work on your part – just the initial survey and leaving the app installed on your smartphone.

For every month that you leave the app installed on your phone, you get another $3 Visa gift card. Leave the app installed for an entire year and you can easily make an extra $36/year with almost no work. The only think you have to do is cash out.

Shoptracker is part of the The Harris Poll  Survey Company that was founded in 1963, definitely making this one of the more reputable and secure apps to use.

 

 

10. You Gov: ($2 Sign-up Bonus)

When it comes to taking the most interesting surveys on the web, YouGov is where it’s at. There are times I tend to get tired from taking so many online surveys. This is when I look to YouGov.

You get to share your opinions about current events and take polls on issues that are current. Not only that, you get to see the opinions of others who take the same survey. In short, it’s more like a small community.

YouGov comes with a registration bonus of $2 and I can usually earn around $8 – $10 per hour. There’s quite a few surveys available, and I use this site to keep me on my toes.

Benefits:

  • $2 sign-up bonus
  • One of the most interesting survey sites on the web
  • Can cash out to PayPal or for gift cards
  • This survey site is more like a small community
  • Most surveys are geared toward politics are current events
  • You’re able to see the opinions of others as well
  • Earn at a rate of roughly $8 – $10 per hour

Click here to Join You Gov:  for free.

 

The Highest ranked Survey Sites:

 

Relevant Articles:

45 Ways to Increase your Income

9 Best Ways to Save $7K This Year

11 Legitimate Survey Sites for 2018

 

 

 



 

 

 

7 Ways to Minimize Your Chance of an IRS Tax Audit

by

How Does Debt Consolidation Work

Financial Freedom

7 Ways to Minimize your chance of an IRS Tax Audit




I am sure we agree that anything related to Taxes are not your favorite topic.  However, there are ways to lessen your chances of having a problem with the IRS.  And there are steps you can take to increase your odds of avoiding a costly and stressful tax audit.

To be candid, there is no way of being sure that your federal tax return won’t be audited.  Even overpaying won’t protect you from IRS scrutiny.  Some returns are pulled out by random selection.

Others are chosen by IRS computers, which analyze returns to to score the likelihood of collecting further. Computers select a return for audit if medical expenses, contributions, property taxes, etc … represent an unusually high percentage of the taxpayer’s income (according to nationwide models.)

Returns also invite scrutiny when figures do not agree with other information received by the IRS, such as when a corporation reports on FORM 1099 that it paid $2,000 in dividends to a taxpayer, but that taxpayer reports only $1,000.

And returns may also be selected for audit because of tips received by “tax informants.”

 

Relevant Articles:

The Best Personal Finance Books

Survey Sites That Actually Pay

It’s not about the Money.  It’s about Taking Charge.

 

But your chances of being audited can be Greatly Reduced if you follow these 7 suggestions:

  • Answer All questions on the tax return form
  • Complete All schedules that are Required

Include Full Documentation of items that are likely to be questioned, such as large casualty losses, or large moving expenses.  If the IRS asks for supplied substantiation, expect this request to lead to additional questions on other areas of the return at the same time.

1. Send Tax Returns and other documents to the right office at the right time so that the correspondence and personal contact aren’t necessary.  Once begun, such correspondence or contact is often difficult to end- one thing leads to another.

2. Don’t deduct a type of item that had been disallowed on a previous tax return.  The IRS may remember this and look fo r a repeat.

3. Don’t use a tax preparer of a dubious character.  If the IRS, through its investigators, find a preparer who is grossly incompetent or worse, the name of all his/ her clients will be obtained.  All of them, however, innocent, will have their tax returns checked by experts.

4. Be certain that the return has the right signatures and identifying numbers.  If it is a corporate return, the title of the signer should be one of the officers authorized by law to sign.

Many Audits are triggered by…

Information returns from banks, investments, or employers that show payments (dividends, interest, salaries, or fees) that differ from those that were reported.

5. Unusually large deductions.  The computer flags deductions that are much larger than the average amount taken by most taxpayers in the same income group.

Suggestions:

Provide some details on extra large deductions.  Big casualty loss?  Describe the hurricane or flood, maybe even enclose a newspaper article.  Give dates and details of a long illness that produced large medical deductions.

6. Unbelievable numbers:

Examples:  Claiming that you held IBM stock for 25 years and sold it at a loss.  Business expenses that are out of line with the amount of gross income or the nature of the business … Mortgage interest and property tax deductions that are unusual for your area.

7. Large Round numbers raise questions as to whether you picked an exaggerated number out of the air without supporting documentation.

8. Home office:  This set-up usually receives closer scrutiny.

When are Taxes Due:

Every year since 1955, taxes have been due on April 15 … except for sometimes. Like the last two years. And this year.

Tax Day falls on April 17 for 2018.

That’s the deadline for filing your 2017 federal tax return, the last day to make a contribution to an individual retirement account for it to count against 2017 income, the deadline to file a tax extension, and the day when quarterly estimated tax payments are due for those who make them.

Make sure you are taking full advantage of all the tax savings available to you beyond a standard deduction:

Fund an IRA

Health Savings Accounts:  (Basically an IRA type vehicle to pay health-care related expenses)

-Must have a high deductible health plan

-Annual deductible above $1,300 ($2,600 for families)

Withdrawals:  Can be made tax-free to pay qualified medical bills.  Unused HSA money can be carried over to subsequent years to grow tax-deferred through investments in mutual funds, stocks, bonds, etc… – potentially for decades.  Money withdrawn before age 65 that is not used for health related expenses is subject to income tax and a 20% penalty.  After age 65, you pay only income tax.

Student-Loan Interest:  You can deduct up to $2,500 worth of interest paid on student loans, regardless of how many students there are in the family and whether the loan financed higher education for you, your spouse, and or dependent, provided your income is below a set amount.

Alimony:  Alimony is 100% deductible for the payer and is considered income for the recipient.

Nobody wants to have scrutiny and the stress of an IRS audit.  So, by being careful to avoid these 7 mistakes can lessen the probability of an audit.

 

*Legal Disclaimer: The Frugal Prof is not a certified accountant and the information provided should not be construed as accounting advice.  Please consult with your own tax preparer.

 




5 Books to Help you Achieve Early Retirement

by

5 Books to Help you Achieve Early Retirement




For most people, it’s scary to think about retirement. And the following retirement statistics should scare the average person.  However, you are not the average person.  If you are engaged enough in your financial future to be reading this personal finance blog, then I hope you are above average when it comes to taking control of your financial life and planning for retirement.

And if you need some tips on getting started and how I took control of my financial life and paid off $17K in debt, read my story here.

  • *Affiliate Disclosure:  This page contains links to products and companies that I endorse. I may receive a small fee, but the reader is never charged anything.

 

How much do you need to retire comfortably?
It depends. According to many financial experts, you should plan on needing about 80% of your pre-retirement salary once you retire, including income from Social Security, pensions, and any other savings.

And, you may need this income for longer than you think:

  • The average American retires at age 63.
  • The average retirement lasts 18 years, but many last much longer. Plus, who knows what the retirement life expectancy will be by the time you get there? I recommend that you err on the side of caution and plan on a 30-year retirement.
  • You’ll need $1,060,751 in savings if you expect to draw $5,000 per month for 30 years, assuming 6% annual investment returns and 2% inflation.

 

Value Investing

Relevant Articles:

45 Ways to Increase your Income

9 Best Ways to Save $7K This Year

11 Legitimate Paid Survey Sites for 2018

 

Americans know they won’t have enough money, but still won’t save
The vast majority of those in the prime of their careers are aware they have a problem with their retirement savings.

  • The average 50 year old has $42,797 saved. If you look at the retirement “number” from the previous section, it’s easy to see that this isn’t even close.
  • The average net worth (assets minus debts) of a 55-64 year old is $45,447.
  • 45% of Americans have saved nothing for retirement, including 40% of Baby Boomers.
  • 38% don’t actively save for retirement at all.
  • 20% of Americans tap into their 401(k) assets early,.
  • 80% of Americans between the ages of 30 and 54 believe they will not have enough saved for retirement.

Social Security should be a supplement, not your sole income source
Social Security isn’t intended to be a sole retirement plan, but a supplement to other sources of retirement savings. Still, many Americans end up dependent on it.

  • 36% of American adults over 65 are completely dependent on Social Security.
  • 63% are dependent (but not necessarily completely reliant) on Social Security, relatives, friends, or charity at age 65.
  • Social Security is running out of money, and will only be able to cover 77% of promised benefits beginning in 2034.

The best place to start in order to live a comfortable retirement is with these books on personal finance.

The reason you should read these classic personal finance books is because they work and will help you to improve your financial future.  The future is made up of the decisions we make today.  And these books will help you make better decisions.

 

Ray Krok Success Quote

 

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

The book has sold 5 Million Copies.

When you get serious about getting out of debt, this is a great book to read.

That is because It’s the simplest, most straightforward game plan for completely making over your money habits. And it’s based on results.

The Total Money Makeover: will enable you to:

  • Design a  plan for paying off  debt—
  • Recognize the 10 most dangerous money myths
  • Secure a big, fat nest egg for emergencies and retirement

The book provides a game plan that’s worked for Millions of people to become financially free.

Also, it’s really inspiring and motivational.  I recommend it all the time.

More on the Total Money Makeover here

 

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

In Rich Dad Poor Dad, the #1 Personal Finance book of all time, Robert Kiyosaki shares the story of his two dads:

  • His real father, whom he calls his ‘poor dad,’
  • The father of his best friend, the man who became his mentor and his ‘rich dad.’
  • One man was well educated and an employee all his life,
  • The other’s education was “street smarts” over traditional classroom education and he took the path of entrepreneurship… a road that led him to become one of the wealthiest men in Hawaii.
  • Robert’s poor dad struggled financially all his life, and these two dads—these very different points of view of money, investing, and employment—shaped Robert’s thinking about money.”

Published in 1997, Robert Kiyosaki reflects on a mindset that many wealthy people adopt:

Financial success isn’t just about saving money, it is about putting money to work to actively grow.

While both had successful careers, (the poor dad) “left bills to be paid,” while (the rich dad) “died with tens of millions of dollars for his family, charities and his church,” Kiyosaki writes.

 

Ryan Broyles, formerly a wide receiver for the NFL Detroit Lions, wrote  that the book changed his outlook as well.

The Poor Dad’s philosophy basically reinforced the way I already thought about money:  Make money to live, and save some along the way,” Broyles writes.

“But the Rich Dad’s lessons — making your money work for you by investing it and acquiring income-generating assets — made me realize that I needed to make changes in how I thought about money if I ever wanted to be that Rich Dad and not have to work for somebody else.

More on Rich Dad at  Amazon .

 

Relevant Articles:

Survey Sites That Actually Pay

Getting Results: How I Paid Off $17K

The Best Personal Finance Books

 

 

The Millionaire Next Door:

The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy by Thomas J. Staley

The investment classic that explores the seven traits necessary to become a Millionaire.  This is an in depth exploration of the ordinary people who have achieved an extraordinary level of wealth and how they did it.

Truly inspirational for those on a debt free journey.  Read more about my debt free journey here.

 

  • The implication of The Millionaire Next Door.... is that nearly anybody with a steady job can amass a tidy fortune. (Forbes)

 

Why its a great personal finance book: Imagine being able to sit down with 50 millionaires who made their wealth from a normal job.

  • And ask them how they did it.
  • What were their habits?
  • What was their mindset?
  • That’s what this book is.
  • How did you do it?

If you want to be wealthy, this book is the answer to most of your questions.

More about  The Millionaire Next Door

 

The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham

I included The Intelligent Investor because investing is an important part of personal finance.  Even if you intend to focus on passive investing, this investment classic is worth a read.  It is the essence of the value philosophy both in business and in life.  And if you intend to be an active investor in the stock market, this classic is simply a must read.

If you can gain an extra 1% of return saving for retirement, it will be a huge benefit to your ability to retire early.  And this is the book that can certainly do it.

Legacy:  Ben Graham is an investment legend.  His disciplined approach to investing has impacted generations of investors.

His book, The Intelligent Investor and Security Analysis have become a blueprint for investment success for generations of high profile Money Managers including Warren Buffett, Seth Klarman, Mario Gabelli, and Leon Cooperman.

“By far the best book on investing ever written.” — Warren E. Buffett

 

 Warren Buffett and Benjamin Graham:

After reading “The Intelligent Investor” at age 19, Warren Buffett enrolled in Columbia Business School in order to study under Graham, and they subsequently developed a lifelong friendship.

One of the best in-depth profiles of Warren Buffett was done by Roger Lowenstein, a Wall Street Journal reporter. Buffett: Making of an American Capitalist.Here

 

The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason

“The most inspiring guide to wealth ever written.”

At some point in all of our lives we realize that we’re making money, but our money never lasts.  We have no control of our money.   This book is about the conversation between fathers and sons (or daughters) about money.

How to succeed financially.  The principles are timeless.  Our money problems are the same.  The answers are straight forward and timeless.  More information about the Richest Man in Babylon here.

 

Conclusion:

The retirement statistics are scary.  But you have the ability to take control of your financial future.  These Personal finance books can enable you to accumulate wealth and live comfortably in retirement.

Each book offers a practical guide to take control of your personal finances.

And There is a reason why many of these are the Best Selling personal finance books of all time …  they work.

The earlier you begin to take action, the better the quality of your retirement will be.

So, get started today.

 




 

 

 

Facebook Stock (FB): Insider Selling and 9 Serious Risks for Shareholders

by

How Does Debt Consolidation Work

Financial Freedom

Facebook Stock (FB): Insider Selling and 9 Serious Risks for Shareholders

Thesis:

Up until now, money managers competing with the S&P 500 (SPY) had to own Facebook (:FB) shares due to the performance. That trend could be reversing as risks to the business model appear.  The medium-term risks to Facebook stocks are significant:

    • Increased regulation,
    • Unhealthy product,
    • No barriers to entry,
    • Competition for younger users
    • Trends away from social media
    • Depression Link
    • Privacy issues
    • Few barriers to entry
    • Extreme valuation,
    • Insider selling.
    • Business strategy of copying or buying better competitors
    • “Facebook is for old people”




 

Insider Selling:

Mark Zuckerberg will sell up to $12.7 billion in Facebook stock over the next 18 months

  • Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will sell up to 75 million shares of Facebook over the next 18 months, he said in a post on Friday.
  • At the current Facebook share price of $170, that means Zuckerberg could sell up to $12.7 billion in Facebook stock.
  • He could also sell as few as 35 million shares of Facebook, which would work out to just under $6 billion in Facebook stock.
  • Zuckerberg is selling some of his Facebook shares to fund the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the philanthropic organization he formed in late 2015.

The significant selling begs the question of how committed Mark Zuckerberg is to continue as CEO of Facebook.  It seems as if his interests in philanthropy and politics make it unclear whether he will continue to be with the company beyond three to five years from now.  Especially in light of regulatory battles in Europe and the growing political scandal involving Cambridge Analytica. 

 

1. Risk: Unhealthy Product for User

Investors can make money in companies that sell products that are unhealthy:

  • cigarette companies,
  • liquor companies,
  • soda,
  • burgers, on and on.

The real issue is that we now live in an information age. And investors used to be protected by the lack of customer knowledge.

It should be startling to any investor in Facebook not only how quickly everyone in the world realized the product was linked to depression, but how fast the research supported it.  In previous generations, this type of information would have been hidden from the the public for decades.

Using Facebook actually makes you feel depressed, research says

“Exposure to the carefully curated images from others’ lives leads to negative self-comparison, and the sheer quantity of social media interaction may detract from more meaningful real-life experiences,” the report says.

Exploring Facebook Depression (via Psychology Today) Facebook seems to be a perfect social tool for staying in contact with friends and family members without ever needing to leave the house. So why do so many Facebook users report feeling depressed and lonely?

Risk:  Consumers’ reaction to an unhealthy product.

The expectation for investors is continued growth and expansion. A change in consumer behavior or parents attempting to curb social media use is a known risk being ignored by shareholders.

As we see from the soda industry, when consumers deem a product to be unhealthy, there are consequences for growth and valuation.

Without a diversified offering, Pepsi Stock and Coke Stock (:KO) would have suffered significant losses as soda consumption declines. Facebook is a pure play in social media.

 

Soda Consumption Falls to 30-Year Low In The U.S.

… also reported that annual per capita consumption of carbonated soft drinks dropped to about 650 eight-ounce servings in 2015 – the lowest since 1985.

The industry has found itself out of favor as consumers seek beverage alternatives to soda that they deem healthier, notably juices and flavored waters. Those alternatives don’t contain as many calories as soda, and also don’t include ingredients like the sweetener aspartame, which has fallen out of favor in recent years.

The changes in soda consumption happened over a long time period. However, we know about the effects of social media now.  Facebook needs growth and engagement to sustain the stock at these levels.

 

 

2. Risks: Social media loses momentum

The hottest topic for discussion on social media is the best strategy to leave social media. Again, since the valuation of Facebook is predicated on continued growth in users and engagement, these are clear risks to the shares at this level.

Google Search Results:

Social media break: 98,000,000 results

Kylie Jenner: 33,000,000 results

FB Market Cap Chart

3. Risks: Competition, New Trends, and Innovation:

Instagram was a very good acquisition for Facebook. And copying Snapchat (SNAP),  appears to be successful for now, although its user metrics are being questioned by some.

Regardless, the issue for Facebook shareholders is if buying and cloning competitors will be enough in the future to stave off competitors, sustain growth, and justify current valuations.




Noted investor Andrew Left of Citron on competition:

the continued rise of Snapchat as well as the Pokemon Go craze as demonstrative of how “volatile and fragile” Facebook might be to new trends.

“We all are addicted to our phones, that we know, but what it shows is that people will do different things with their phone if given a choice … the company lives and dies on engagement levels,” he said.

 

4. Cloning and buying competitors

Instagram: Good and Bad

Facebook buys Instagram for $1B

Instagram was an excellent acquisition at a very reasonable cost to Facebook. It was a great acquisition due to an unbelievable price: $1B. That’s the good news, but also the bad news. Since Snapchat has gone public, everyone in the space now realizes that Instagram left at least $49B on the table and more like $79B.

Next time: Facebook is not going to buy its next competitor at such a discounted price ever again, in my opinion. Continuing to buy or clone competitors is a risky and difficult business strategy.

Investing - Wall Street

You Pay A Very High Price In The Stock Market For A Cheery Consensus – Warren Buffett

 

‘As sweet as Cookie Layer Crunch’ – analysts are still incredibly bullish on Facebook post-earnings

  • Deutsche Bank: “Results as sweet as cookie layer crunch”
  • Stifel: “The best is yet to come”
  • Citi: “4Q16 results were ahead of even the most bullish expectations”
  • Goldman Sachs: “More beats to come”
  • Pacific Crest: “Significant room for growth in excess of current estimates over the next several years.”
  • Raymond James: “We reiterate our strong buy rating”

 

Groupthink:

What’s amazing about Facebook is the amount of group-think involved, thinking that they can just evolve, evolve, evolve, without any hurdles in the way,” Left said in an interview with Bloomberg TV.

“I just think that expectations and investor expectations are a little bit outpaced the realities of what they’re going to face in the next 12 to 24 months.” Andrew Left, Citron

 

5. Risk: Younger users

“Facebook is for old people”

Three Reasons Young People Think Facebook Is Lame

Facebook no longer discusses teen user rates.

Bloomberg notes that Facebook first warned investors a year ago that teens weren’t as active on the social network as they had been in the past. The company stopped discussing usage rates among teens on its earning calls after 2013’s numbers, alarming investors. Even as Facebook and its investors try to overlook the decline, with rising advertising revenues a welcome distraction,

The Verge reports that young Americans are not only crucial to the company’s advertising success but serve as an indicator of its future popularity.

Facebook Losing Teen Audience. Now, It’s Just Old People Socializing

Facebook isn’t the only social network apparently turning off young users. Twitter is also experiencing a notable decline in its demographic of 18- to 34-year-olds.

Again, since the real Facebook customer is advertisers, losing a younger user is problematic, since they are most sought after by advertisers.

 

6. Premium Valuation:

The issue for investors is whether the price to growth and price to sales are in line with a company facing medium-term and long-term threats and competition.

Again, we see the large move in the shares since the election and compare the market cap to revenue and income.

Valuation:

The company needs to keep growing users and engagement to sustain this valuation. 14-15x sales is an incredible figure and assumes sustained growth and engagement.

Estimates for earnings in 2018 of $6.72 (via Marketsmith) suggest 24% growth over 2017. The P/E of 41 suggests a premium to the actual growth rate in earnings.

Value Investing

Cash Flow:

As a value investor, it’s hard to imagine paying 35X cash flow for any investment. And this valuation assumes that none of these risk factors will impact earnings in the future.

Institutional Demand: Technical Buying

Institutions feel pressure to own Facebook:

Money managers that index to the S&P 500 are under pressure to own the shares, since they are such a large component in the index.

the top five S&P 500 stocks by market capitalization represent 12 to 13 percent of the index’s overall weight, and all of them – technology-related stocks – are trading in positive territory year to date.

Five companies have become the pillars of the stock market in 2017, and their names shouldn’t sound unfamiliar, either. Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook are carrying a load of weight on their shoulders.

Due to market cap weightings in the index, Facebook has a larger influence on the index than JPMorgan (JPM) or Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)

 

Related articles: 

If I ran Berkshire Hathaway

Benjamin Graham:  Dean of Wall Street

 

Institutional demand has not only helped the shares but also pushed the valuation to extreme levels. If trends reversed and Facebook lagged the indexes, money managers would feel less pressure to own the shares relative to the index.  In fact, Facebook shares have outpaced the S&P 500 over the past 3 years by nearly 6X.

8. Medium-Term Risk: More users start to dislike Facebook:

Targeted Ads, privacy issues, and manipulation of users.

Survey: Facebook scores low in customer satisfaction

End Users of Facebook don’t like the company due to issues with Targeted Ads and Privacy Issues.

Some Americans still love to hate Facebook and other social media services.

That’s according to an annual survey from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) released Tuesday.

Social media companies are the fourth-lowest scoring with consumers after Internet service providers, subscription television companies, and airlines.

Facebook and LinkedIn ranked the lowest of the seven companies surveyed. Twitter didn’t fare much better.

 

9. Manipulation of end-user:

Brain Hacking: A recent 60 Minutes piece caused a stir by suggesting social media companies were working on algorithms to make their productmore addictive for the end user (and especially kids).

The silicon engineer suggested that social media on a phone was similar to a slot machine. And users would be rewarded with likes, share etc…

Tristan Harris: And it’s not because anyone is evil or has bad intentions. It’s because the game is getting attention at all costs. And the problem is it becomes this race to the bottom of the brainstem, where if I go lower on the brainstem to get you, you know, using my product, I win. But it doesn’t end up in the world we want to live in. We don’t end up feeling good about how we’re using all this stuff.

 

Conclusion:

Optimism by Wall Street ignores looming risks to Facebook shares: an unhealthy product, no barriers to entry, competition, younger users looking elsewhere all loom as risks to the growth model and valuation.

 

 

Subscribe to my newsletter for more analysis and join 1,478 other smart investors. 

 



9 Best Ways to Save Money and Add $7K to Your Bank Account This Year

by

 

 

Here are 9 Ways to Save Money This Year and Add an Extra $7,000 to your bank account

 

Imagine growing your bank account and having extra money for emergencies, paying down debt, and the  little extras for your family.  And realizing at the end of the year, you’ve still got a pile of cash leftover.  I’m sure it sounds good.  So, here are the 9 Best ways to save an extra $7,000 this year.

 

*My aim is to recommend products that will truly benefit you.    I believe in transparency and want to disclose that I’ve included certain products and links to those products on this page that I will earn an affiliate commission for any purchases you make.

 

1. Earn Giftcards for watching videos

SwagBucks offers Giftcards for watching videos and completing online surveys.  Its been featured on the Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, and The Penny Hoarder.  They’ve paid out nearly $400M dollars to date.

More about Swagbucks Here

 

get paid for shopping

 

2. Get paid for Shopping:

Get Cash Back on your shopping purchases:

I use Rakuten and they give me cash back for nearly all of my purchases.  They gets a commission from stores you shop at and they share the commission with you.

Average cash back is about 7%, which is great.  Right now, they’re offering a Free $10 Gift Card when you join and spend $25.

More about Rakuten Here

 

How it works: 

  • Before you checkout from an online store,  (download the browser extension below).
  • Find your store  – You’ll see discount codes (usually between 4%-12%)
  • And you’ll get cashback for your purchase!
  • Just use their link to make your purchase.
  •  And each quarter, they send you the money.
  • They pay via Paypal.  Probably the best way to get cash back.  It’s great.

They have a browser extension that makes it so easy to save.

Browser Extension for Rakuten Here

3. Get Paid For Surveys:

These companies are ranked in terms of Quality, Reputation, Earning Potential, and other factors.

For those who want to earn up to the $650+/month mark, I suggest trying out all of the sites on the list and only sticking with the ones that work best for you.

 

Survey Junkie:  (Great Surveys, Little Time, Great Payout)

You  can earn anywhere from $12 – $18 per hour from Survey Junkie!

Survey Junkie has one of the strongest reputations on the web, and they have always paid on-time and the right amount. Not only that, but they have excellent customer service if you ever have an issue.

Taking surveys in your spare time can be a great way to earn some extra dough fast. Check out Survey Junkie  which will pay you instantly with cash via Paypal. They have over 6,000,000 members and they have an 8.9/10 rating on Trust Pilot.

 

American Consumer Opinion:   Easy to sign up. 6 Million Members.

Reviews of American Consumer Opinion:  

  • “American Consumer Opinion Panel has been one of the best, and probably THE best, panel that I have worked with in some time…” J.D., Texas –
  • “I do surveys for several different companies and, I have to say, American Consumer Opinion ranks at the top as they have a very good site with no junk [that] seems to be well managed.”  H.B., Tennessee –

Begin earning at American Consumer Opinion:  

 

 

Vindale Research   $2 Registration Bonus/ Up to $75 Survey

 11 Survey Sites that could pay you $750 this month.

  • Ipsos- :  is very straightforward. All you need to do is fill out the demographic questions truthfully to determine the surveys you will be qualified for and start taking surveys. That’s it.
  • Ipsos- ▪More rewards: The more you take surveys, the more rewards you get through its Loyalty program. You won’t see that elsewhere.▪More points: Earn extra points for surveys completed on top of the points you receive from taking those surveys. That’s double the benefits of  taking surveys. Again, you won’t see that elsewhere.▪Time: Ipsos values your time. If you are disqualified, you’d know it right away. I can’t say the same thing for others.

Other Quality Survey Sites:  The more you join, the more you can earn.

  • Global Test Market:  Paid over $32M in rewards. Global Test Market is a great survey site for international users since they’re currently available to 49 different countries. Expect to earn at a rate of roughly $10 per hour. Avoid their low paying surveys.
  • Panda Research: You get a $3 sign-up bonus, and there are many ways you can earn cash with this website:
    • Reading emails (the simplest way to earn extra cash), Taking surveys, Clipping and using coupons, and Referring friends.
  • Point Club Surveys:  Get a $5 Bonus when you sign up.  Share your honest opinions and earn rewards so you can pick up dinner for the family tonight.

 




 

4.  Become a Certified Closing Agent.

You Earn Extra Income,  Set your Own Hours, and the Income is Fantastic ($75-$200 per appointment).

• First of all, it’s great money!

You can make $75 to $200 in a single signing, and a signing takes about an hour.

  • You can start part-time and work around your existing work schedule since most signings occur on evenings and weekends.  Simply pick up work when you want, and keep your day job
  •  You can get started with absolutely zero experience. There’s no resume checking prior to a loan signing. You are hired simply based on your location in proximity to the loan signing.
  • You can work from home and be your own boss. Owning your own business can allow you to take advantage its many benefits, such as tax write-offs.
  • You have the ability to make money almost immediately.  In fact, they’ve had students make money within their very first week of getting started. [click here to see some testimonials]

 

 

Learn More about the Loan Signing System here.

 

 

5. Consolidate Your Debt to Lower Your Bills

Refinance Your High Interest Debt:   SoFi:

SoFi doesn’t have the expensive overhead of traditional banks and is able to offer great rates to refinance your debt.  In addition, they just hired a very respected CFO away from Twitter.

Refinancing is a great solution for working graduates who have high-interest Loans, Graduate PLUS loans, and/or private loans.  Refinancing student loans with SoFi saves borrowers $4662f a month—or $30,0692 over the life of the loan.

They’ve refinanced $14B in student loans for nearly 500,000 customers and 98% would recommend them to a friend.

Check to see how much you can save on your loans with SoFi:

 

Check your credit:

I would suggest you use a free service to check your credit score periodically.  Credit Sesame is free to signup and takes only 90 seconds.  If you want to keep a closer eye on your credit, get your credit score and “credit report card” for free from Credit Sesame.

This website breaks down exactly what’s on your credit report in layman’s terms, how it affects your score and how you might address it.  Once you know what’s in your credit history, Credit Sesame shares personalized resources and recommendations so you can figure out how to fix it — a better score could mean even better interest rates.  Can you knock your monthly payment down $100?

Once you get your report, check for errors. Finding and correcting just one could give your credit score a significant boost

 

6. Start a Career as a Freelance Writer

Maggie Linnders can teach you everything you need to know to begin a freelance writing career.  Work from anywhere.  You don’t have to be a great writer.  She can  show you exactly how to get started, how to find high-paying clients and jobs, and ultimately, how to run a successful freelance business from anywhere in the world.

(Plus, if you already have some writing experience, She can show you how to scale your freelancing business to a six-figure income too.)

If you enjoy writing, want to be your own boss, and have more control over your life as well as earn a great income, then look into Maggie’s Freelance Academy here.

 

 

7. Sell unused items on Ebay:

I’ve written a complete post on how I used Ebay to make $493 in one month.  Lots of tips and help to get started.

Ebay is still one of the simplest ways to increase cash quickly.  Find items you and your family are no longer using, take pictures, list them, and get cash.  An extra $150 per month is possible from a minimal amount of work.

8. Rent out a Room on Airbnb:

Have a spare room? Might as well use Airbnb to make some money by renting it out.

AirBnb :   Fund your next travel excursion by renting a room with Airbnb

If you’re a good host with a desirable space, you could add hundreds — even thousands — of dollars to your savings account with Airbnb.

AirBnb Tips:  Make your space available during high-demand times in your area. Think: concerts, conventions and sporting events.  Be a good host and make sure your place is stocked with the toiletries you’d expect at a hotel — toilet paper, soap and towels.  Be personable. A lot of travelers turn to Airbnb for the personal touch they won’t find at commercial properties.

If you can rent your place for $100 a night just 10 nights a year, you’ll bank a cool $1,000 over the year.

 

9. Sell All Your Stuff With These Apps

Are your closets and shelves packed to the brim with stuff you never use — or even look at?

You can sell virtually anything on Letgo. This intuitive app lets you snap a photo and upload your item in less than 30 seconds. Not only does it remove a lot of the hassle of selling things online, it’s 100% free to use.

But there are also apps for selling more specific stuff to people who might actually be looking for it.

Decluttr:   Fast, easy way to sell CD’s, video games, electronics and more.  Easy to use and  Rated “Excellent” as a trustworthy site.  Give it a try.  Have a bunch of movies or CDs collecting dust on a shelf? Decluttr will pay you for them!

Decluttr buys your old CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays and video games, plus hardware like cell phones, tablets, game consoles and iPods. Plus, enter FREE5 at checkout to get an extra $5 for your trade-ins!

Set a goal to make an extra $100 decluttering your place this month, and add it to your bank account — every little bit helps!

 

Bonus:  Negotiate Discounts on Your Subscriptions

We all sign up for stuff. Sometimes it’s easier to put subscriptions on a recurring payment and forget about it — yes you Netflix.

These kinds of payments can be smart for paying bills and cutting down debt, but getting rid of the subscriptions you’re not using and socking away the savings could help you roll over the $7,000 mark this month.

Review my post on how to negotiate discounts with the companies you’re currently using.  You’ll be surprised by how many of them will work with you.  I was able to cut my XM Sirius bill in half and save over $100 just from one phone call.  Read more negotiating tips here.

 

I’m sure you agree there are many ideas here that can get the ball rolling to help you have a huge surplus in your bank account come the end of the year.  There is no need to do them all at once.  Begin with one per month and the cash and savings will snowball in your favor.   Put all these strategies to use and you could save more than $7,000 this year!