The Frugal Prof

Front loading effort:

My view is that it would take one month of focus and effort to get this “business” off the ground.

It’s hard to describe the reality of this business. Many times, it’s SO easy and profitable!

And sometimes, you’re just not feeling it.

Listing items on EBay can be time consuming. In order to avoid returns, every part of the item description must be accurate. This can be tedious. But it has to be done. And it’s an important part of the business.

Finding items is fun and like a treasure hunt.

But, until the items are photographed, listed, and sold, there is no profit.

Just because your app says an item is worth $50 doesn’t mean anything until you take it home, photograph it, list it, and sell it.

Profits and fees:

I’m really excited that my items are starting to sell on Amazon and I have some cash flow.

In my first month, I’ve sold $209. Keep in mind, until the second week of August, I had no inventory for sale with Amazon.

So, this figure should grow quickly.

But, my Amazon account is still – $72. Due to the Fees.

Professional Account fees are $39.95. Plus shipping for every item.

So, it’s a bit frustrating that the cash flow has yet to turn positive. I expect this should happen soon.

We’ll see.

Want to learn more about what’s selling and how I’m making money?

Check out my recent Youtube Video Below!

EBay:

The EBay items I’ve sold are definitely cash flow positive. But it’s still not much. After fees it’s about $150.

The pipeline:

My profit is in the future pipeline of the items I have listed for sale.

That’s about 100 items on Amazon and 78 on EBay.

If I make an average of $15 on each item, that’s ~$2670 in revenue before fees. And many are listed for much higher profit margins that $15. So, that’s a conservative number.

How long will it take for those items to sell and create that $2670 in revenue?

That’s the really interesting question. I will keep you posted.

Lessons Learned:

I still like selling books. They’re straight forward. Simple. Scan and go.

And I can sell them on Amazon (for most types).

Also, I try to find anything new in Plastic. Those are really good. And the smaller the better. Shipping fees both for EBay and Amazon are huge.

Ignoring shipping costs is a major mistake.

Relevant Articles:

Pricing on EBay:

I’ve switched to “buy it now” listings. And all of my items I will accept best offers. This saves me time and is the best way to go. Also, I am exploring opening an actual EBay store.

Great stuff at garage sales:

I found an awesome scale by accident at a garage sale. If you’re gonna do this, you need a scale. The scale I found was $10. I needed it because I was trying to use a bathroom scale and it was not working well!

I got this scale for $10. Works great. It’s a $55 scale new. There is great stuff at garages sales. It’s kind of amazing.

No free lunch:

I haven’t mentioned it much, but I started to do online Retail Arbitrage.

By using a free online resource keepa.com, you can scan for price drops on Amazon. And I have some deal sites I was using to alert me to deals. So you buy low from one site and sell for a profit on EBay.

I did this with a slow cooker from Amazon. It was $13. And using Keepa, I could see that the data showed its typical selling price on Amazon was ~$50.

Slam dunk, right? Well, not so fast.

These deals are hardly a secret. So other people do the same thing.

So, the slow cooker I bought now has 20 listings on EBay not for $50, but for $22.

This is where I developed my rule about large, heavy items.

So, I’m hoping to sell it closer to Christmas at a better profit. Until then, I have a large and heavy item in my hallway. And I’m not confident that I will make more than $15 on this purchase.

Obviously, I still need to refine my Retail Arbitrage criteria.

Stuff everywhere:

The nice thing about selling items on Amazon is that they store your items.

But for EBay, you need to hold your items until they sell.

Not a problem if you’re selling 10 or 20 items, but I’ve been finding about 10 items everyday.

Books, toys, shirts, video games, and everything in between.

My dining room table is now filled with items I’m selling. And I have a photo lighting setup there as well.

As I scale this business, I will need to use a system to organize my items and keep them in plastic bins. I am developing this now.

Pricing Strategies:

I’ve started to believe that I am guilty of trying to hold out for top dollar.

And I think I need to start pricing items on Amazon and EBay to sell. You feel better getting that high price, but turning inventory and getting cash flow coming in is optimal as well.

Plus, there is a race to the bottom in pricing. I think my ability to price items should improve and I will share my tips with you.

Listing Strategies:

I’m trying to find items that I can list in multiple quantities. If you can sell 5 items from one listing, then it saves a lot of time. And time is money in this business. So, right now I have 2 items with multiple item listings. I’d like to do more of this.

General Tips:

Research is key. It can be fun to buy items, but you have to know what an item is worth. Checking the sold listings on EBay is key.

Sold Listings: Filter a listing using the choices of completed listings and sold items. All of the items will have green prices. These are sold listings. That’s what the real price is.

Mistakes: I have made multiple mistakes so far.

I bought a pair of Lucky Jeans for $5 and they’re just sitting. No one wants them. The market is flooded. I bought a Brooks Brothers short for $5 but it’s not in very good shape. So it’s sitting and no one wants it.

Worst of all, I paid $49.95 for a pair of True Religion Jeans. Luckily, I kept the receipt and tags. I listed them and did not feel like they were going to be profitable. So, I returned them. 99% of the time, you cannot get a return. So I was lucky and , it was a lesson for me.

I need to Keep learning about the true value of items. And item condition is really important.

A great story:

I was a bit hesitant to check out the American Cancer Society thrift shop near me.

The reviews online were pretty negative. Overpriced and crowded is what people said.

So it was pretty low on my list.

Yesterday, I happened to be in the neighborhood, so I decided to check it out. As I walked around the store, I realized the reviews were right. Everything was really overpriced.

But I kept looking. When I got to men’s ties, I couldn’t believe what I found.

An Hermès Tie and an Ike Bahar Tie. 100% Silk.

The sign said $2 each or Two for $2

For an Hermès Tie!

Score!

It turned out they had a bunch of stuff that I can resell for a healthy profit.

Lesson: It always pays to look. There’s always a deal. And the more you know about what items sell for, the easier it is to find very profitable items.

Tools I recommend:

These are very helpful tools to get started:

Quality Shipping Tape- Will save you money. Don’t buy the cheap stuff.
Label Scraper (amazingly helpful to remove price tags quickly and without danging the item).
Poly Mailer Bags for shipping. These will allow you to send items First Class mail and save money.
Good Bubble Wrap If items break, you wind up losing money. So bubble wrap protects your investment.
Mister Clean Magic Eraser– To clean up books – These are handy for many different items including cleaning shoes.
Quality and affordable shipping scale
A higher quality shipping scale
Quality Lights for Ebay: These were on sale ~$35 and they are great for the money.
Better pictures = higher profits on Ebay. Lighting is very important.
Shirt Folder: Makes it easier to fit clothes in the poly bag and saves money over time. Makes everything much more polished. More here.
Dolly/ Cart for Books & Boxes: Here
Air Pillows for Shipping Here
Thank you stickers: Because positive feedback is important here.

Next Steps:

I started selling on Postmark. And I just sold my first item.

Will give you all the details next update.

Let me know what you think in the comments!

Making Money with Amazon FBA Profit Plus Tips and Advice: Update #3

August 20, 2018 by Frugal Prof

Amazon FBA Update #3: My First $1,000 Plus Tips and Advice

Overview: I’ve been so busy.

This Amazon FBA / Retail Arbitrage has proven to be a really good side hustle / business.

And it’s going really well.

Am I making money? Yes, we’ll get to that.

Am I making mistakes that you can learn from? Yes.

So let’s get to it.

I began focusing on books and textbooks.

It seemed like the most straight forward place to begin.

Disclaimer: 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. You pay nothing.

Relevant Articles:

Learn from the Amazon App:

I use the Amazon app to tell me the rank (how quickly a book sells).

Less than 50,000 means it’s flying off the shelves.

Less than 250,000 is a solid seller.

1M still pretty good.

Over 1.5M. Questionable.

Over 2M must be a huge profit margin to buy.

Amazon charges fees to store books in their inventory. So, it becomes a cost benefit analysis of what is worth selling.

The good news: all of the info is on their app.

Where am I finding inventory to sell?

Or how am I sourcing inventory for Amazon FBA.

Garage sales worked out really well for me. Everything is very cheap. I live in a nice area and people want their stuff gone. The problem is garage sales are only on the weekend.

I needed more inventory for my Amazon FBA store.

Goodwill: They are a bunch around my area and I went to almost all of them.

Each day I would take about an hour and check them out and buy undervalued books.

It was really easy. And very profitable. Especially textbooks and nonfiction.

Because it’s August, I have been stocking up on popular textbooks that will be in demand very soon.

Many of these are selling for $2 at Goodwill and selling for $30 or more on Amazon. – Not on EBay.

Gating Issues on Amazon:

One issue I’ve been having is that Amazon restricts ie “gates” some product categories for new sellers. Sometimes there is a great profitable book and I’m restricted from selling it.

What do I do? I check on EBay and see if it’s worth selling. And profitable. Some are. Some aren’t.

Books are heavy and expensive to ship, so you have to be careful to include the total costs. But, I’ve found some gems that I’m selling on Amazon and EBay.

Free Books? Yes.

I’ve been learning a lot via YouTube and one of the thrifters (that’s what they call themselves) mentioned Facebook Marketplace. So, I tried it out.

A girl near me was moving and giving away a stack of college textbooks. Perfect timing.

I arranged to meet her and got three bags of books and dvds for FREE.

Score.

It can’t be that easy. It’s not. I decide to venture out into Retail Arbitrage at my local Ross Stores. All the youtube thrifters talk a lot about jeans and I’m trying to venture out from just books.

Even though I like books and it’s very profitable.

So I found a new pair of True Religion Jeans that looked like a great Deal at $49.95. Retail was ~$220 new.

I checked a eBay and it seemed they were all selling for much more. The retail for these jeans was around $200, so I thought it was a good deal.

Unfortunately, when I got home, the comps were right around what I paid. – $50. So, I listed them for $69.95 and I’m determined to wait to see if they can sell.

With clothes, you have to take a bunch of pictures and provide measurements.

Books seem much better to me.

My strategy: stick with what’s profitable and keep learning about other areas/ product categories.

Maybe ill leave the jeans to the young thrifters.

Observations: it’s really fun because it feels like a treasure hunt.

And it’s been very profitable. I can make $75-$100 in gross profit in an hour many days.

Profit margins: I think after expenses the Net profit margins should be in the 35%-40% range.

Expenses:

Amazon FBA fees

UPS Shipping fees

Amazon Storage fees

Gas/ parking

Boxes / Shipping supplies/ ink

Taxes

Relevant Articles:

My strategy: Products that I cant sell on Amazon FBA can be sold on Ebay. If I find a very profitable product (like a new toy from Disney), I will check the comps on EBay and sell it via EBay.

So, I am also making a lot more money from EBay. Which is great.

My post on How to sell on Ebay here

Amazon FBA restrictions: Amazon restricts many great brands and products for new sellers:

Disney,
Mattel,
Barbie Dolls,
DVD’s
anything Star Wars,
etc… lots of restrictions with Amazon FBA.

Amazon FBA New seller profit hold back:

One other thing is that for new sellers like me, Amazon is holding back my money from sales for 30 days.

So, factor that in if you’re thinking of getting started.

Your cash flow from sales will be delayed for at least 30 days.

Capital needs:

I think you could get started with as little as $500.

You could start with only $250, but it would be tight in my opinion.

Do I need a new laser printer?

Some thrifters on YouTube recommend this printer. Try to get it on sale for around $99 or less.

But, you probably don’t need it until you are up and running and have cash flow.

I have been using my HP Jet printer and it’s been fine.

Advantages: Find your advantage.

I have some big advantages and I try to exploit them.

You have some too.

Find them. Use them.

I’m used to being up really early. So, I can be at a garage sale at 7:45 AM on a Saturday or Sunday no problem. It’s a big advantage for me.

Also, I control my own schedule, so I can hit a used bookstore whenever I want.

I have a bunch of disadvantages too!

I’m not young or very hip anymore.

I don’t know anything about which video games. Which are hot or valuable? I don’t know.

If you know video games, that could be your advantage.

Use what you know to make money.

Keep Learning: another advantage I have is that I know a fair amount about men’s clothes. (from overspending most of my life!)

Some brands that can be sold for good money on EBay include:

Brooks Brothers,
Thomas Pink,
Hugo Boss,
Charles Tyrwhit.

I’m still learning about items that can make me a profit on Amazon.

I’ve done really well with random items:

Board games,
household items,
books,
And even an avocado planter!

Seriously. I made $20 buying one at a garage sale.

Let’s talk profits from Amazon FBA and EBay:

I have already sent in 2.5 boxes each week for the past 4 weeks.
Each box has ~12 items.
I have already started making sales in my Amazon FBA account.
In the last week, I have sold $111 worth of items. Which is amazing.
Again, Amazon will hold this money for another 3 weeks before they pay me.

Based on my sourcing for the past month, I project that when these items will sell on Amazon FBA as well as EBay, I should comfortably clear at least $1,000.

That’s a pretty conservative estimate.

If some of the more valuable books sell, it could be double that estimate.

Plus, I am learning and getting better so I expect the profitability to rise as I keep going.

Sourcing Spots for Amazon FBA and Ebay Retail Arbitrage

Where have I been able to make money the last few weeks:

Bed, Bath and Beyond
CVS
Goodwill
Bookstores
Thrift Shops
Marshalls
Ross Stores
Online Stores like Best Buy
Amazon

Tools I recommend:

These are very helpful tools to get started:

Quality Shipping Tape- Will save you money. Don’t buy the cheap stuff.
Label Scraper (amazingly helpful to remove price tags quickly and without danging the item).
Poly Mailer Bags for shipping. These will allow you to send items First Class mail and save money.
Good Bubble Wrap If items break, you wind up losing money. So bubble wrap protects your investment.
Mister Clean Magic Eraser– To clean up books – These are handy for many different items including cleaning shoes.
Quality and affordable shipping scale
A higher quality shipping scale
Quality Lights for Ebay: These were on sale ~$35 and they are great for the money.
Better pictures = higher profits on Ebay. Lighting is very important.
Shirt Folder: Makes it easier to fit clothes in the poly bag and saves money over time. Makes everything much more polished. More here.
Thank you stickers: A classy touch. And positive feedback is important. I use these. More here.

FREE Stuff:

Also, the USPS has tons of free Boxes and Envelopes. (For use with their shipping).

Next Blog Post:

Updates on what sold on Amazon and Ebay.
Profit and Loss Details.
Tips and Strategies that are working.
Plus, I’ve joined Postmark and will discuss how that is going.

Special Bonus:

Here is a special behind the scenes YouTube video of what I bought and how much I made!

(Please like and subscribe!)

Feel free to ask a question in the comment section below and

Join my E-mail list to get the latest update!

Amazon FBA Week 2: $274 Worth of Beginners Luck with Retail Arbitrage

July 30, 2018 by Frugal Prof

Week 2: Amazon FBA / Retail Arbitrage Experiment:

It’s week 2 and Ive been busy learning about Amazon FBA. I guess the headline is $275 worth of beginners luck from a box of old books at a a garage sale. But, let’s review everything I’ve been learning: the good and the bad.

Getting set up: The Amazon FBA platform was a little trickier than I expected. I decided to use a professional seller account and pay $39.95 per month. Go big or go home, right?

Well, I decided to use an LLC and Amazon wanted documentation like a drivers license and copies of my bank statements. And there were a few days of back and forth with documents. Don’t let this deter you from starting– just know it may take a few days.

“Congrats you’re now an Amazon FBA seller.”

And within 5 Minutes, Amazon charged my credit card their $39.95 professional seller fee. Time to get busy!

I immediately downloaded the Amazon seller app – loaded with helpful information and plotted my strategy as I waited for the weekend.

As I said in the launch post, I’m trying to do this as a normal side hustle, so mainly on the weekend.

Read the Launch post here. and find side hustle ideas here.

I watched a bunch of YouTube videos of people walking into stores and making big profits. In reality, it was not so easy. Would you like me to make a Youtube video series? Let me know in the comments.

Saturday: My first stop was my local 99 cent store. I started thinking about doing Amazon FBA when I was there. They had a bunch of Star Wars items for 99c that were worth $9 or $10 on EBay. Piece of cake, right?

Well, Not so fast. The Star Wars Items we’re gone and then it took me a long time to scan the other items. All of the name brand items like Despicable Me napkins and Disney Toys were “restricted” to me said the Amazon app.

I bought some stuff anyway. My thought process was that I could see if I was able to flip these items on EBay. Tips to sell on Ebay here.

Takeaway: I got a bunch of items that I’m listing on EBay and none that I could use for Amazon FBA. I will give updates on how the items are selling. Most items were 99c and Im looking to sell them for ~$5-$7.

Nothing great- but if you sell 1,000 items at a $5 profit, then it’s $5,000.

Relevant Articles:

Scan Everything: It took a while to scan items. The advice from retail Arbitrage Youtubers was to “scan everything.” Because you never know what can sell and be profitable. Good advice and soon I will know from experience which items can be sold profitably.

For now, I rely on the Amazon and EBay apps. This also means when my WiFi is down, my business stops. More on this later.

Restrictions: As a new Amazon seller, many categories are restricted. It may take a while for me to get “ungated.” This is the term for being allowed to sell in certain categories like groceries or personal care. Amazon is strict with selling brands like Star Wars and Disney because they are cracking down on counterfeits.

I get it, but I am paying Amazon $39.95 a month for the professional service, and if too many categories are restricted, it may not be worth it for me. We will see.

Sunday: On the way to the grocery store, I notice a family setting up a garage sale. Perfect timing. Luckily, I had my phone with me so I could scan.

It was only 7 A.M., so I was one of the first people there. I went straight to the books, since that is one of the better categories for new Amazon FBA re-sellers like me.

Cook books: lots of cook books. Julia Child, Frugal Gourmet, Food and Wine. Too many.

Boxes of cook books. My head was spinning. I’m the first one here. I get my pick of all these great books.

It’s 7 A.M. and I have my pick of the whole garage sale.

I have an unanticipated problem: cash.

It’s a garage sale. All they take is cash. I only have $13 in my car. It’s 7 AM on a Sunday.

I realize if I’m going to do this Amazon FBA /re-selling thing I will need to keep extra cash in my car for garage sales/ Estate sales.

I keep trying to scan books without attracting attention to myself. I find three that are good and I try to remember the others, so I can do a tactical retreat, research, and return better prepared.

Tactical retreat: I Buy three books that seem good for $3 including an old French restaurant guide. I tell the owners I may come back and they tell me if I buy more books, they will give me a discount.

It’s 7:40 and more people are now perusing the garage sale. My window for the big score is closing. Did I blow my chance?

I’m too new to know if I’ve missed an obvious diamond in the rough. There are some old French cook books. Other cook books seem brand new. Beautiful, glossy pages.

I quickly head home to get cash and use a strong wi-fi signal to research re-sale prices on the Amazon app.

Julia Child, Martha Stewart, Food and Wine. All the books are $1.

It’s impossible to mess it up. Right?

What am I missing? Is it really this easy? Did I just get lucky?

“Buy everything. Go back and Buy everything. What are you waiting for?”

Don’t mess this up.

It’s now nearly 8:00 AM and I’m trying to decide the smartest thing to do.

I have a wad of cash at home. I grab $60, a water, quickly put my grocery food in the fridge, and race back to the garage sale.

I’m trying to decide the best strategy. I decide to buy as many as I can, since everything seems like profit. I have a large beach bag that will hold a lot of books.

Do I buy a box or try to negotiate a deal for ALL of the books?

Back at the garage sale: I decide to buy a lot of books.

There are now many people going through the items.

I am back. I tell the woman I am learning to cook. I add the most beautiful glossy books in the best shape to my bag. That is my strategy. The bag gets heavy quickly. Big, heavy cook books.

Which ones do I pick? It’s hard to scan a book with an owner behind you. It’s strange.

“Hello I’m here to pick your inventory clean and re-sell on Amazon for a profit.”

It’s not very neighborly.

I try to stick to the books in the best condition. Some seem new.

I add a gigantic Julia Child book.

And The Frugal Gourmet cookbook.

Gordon Ramsey’s book is not worth that much. I leave it. I am learning.

I have about 40 large, heavy cook books in my bag. We agree on $25. I am leaving about 75 books. I tell the woman I may come back later.

Will the best books be gone?

Have I bought all the best books?

I shoulder my bag of 35 pounds of cook books back to my car.

Even though I know nothing, I am still pretty confident that I have crushed it at this garage sale.

Relevant Articles:

The Big Score:

As I hoped, This French book was worth a lot according to my Amazon seller app.

It was one of the first three that I bought.

When I got home, I was able to check the Amazon seller app again. I was ecstatic.

A Beginners luck home run.

$274.47 for a non Amazon FBA seller.

Amazon FBA: Theoretically, I should always be able to get a higher price because my items will include free shipping and Amazon customer service.

It was thrilling.

I paid $1 for a book worth $247.47!

I’m loving Amazon FBA.

I’ve scanned one book and I’m up Big.

And I still have 30 big glossy cook books to go.

I’m trying not to calculate my potential profits.

$600?

$1,000?

Is this just a one time beginners luck situation?

I keep scanning the books I bought using my IPad in the kitchen.

Back to reality: The big glossy books I scan are not giving me such great results.

The Amazon profitability calculator shows me the potential profit after Amazon’s fees. These books are old and heavy. Amazon charges a lot to store them. As I check Amazon, I realize there are lots of copies of these books. And lots of sellers.

I realize some of these books are not profitable.

Many of these beautiful, glossy cook books with MSRP of 29.95 or $39.95 are worth about $8.

Is it possible to lose money on a .50c book? Yes.

After Amazon fees, they are worth almost nothing. No profit.

This Williams Sonoma cook book is worth only .12 after fees. I thought a brand name like Williams Sonoma would be valuable. I was wrong. I keep learning.

Not so easy: I’m quickly coming back to earth. It’s not going to be that easy.

Julia Child is not very profitable. Martha Stewart same.

I realize that I now have a box of beautiful old glossy cook books that aren’t worth anything.

I’m not sure what I’m going to do with them. Maybe a giveaway on the Frugal Prof blog? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

I watch more YouTube videos to learn more about valuing and selling books.

I learn that a book will sell quickly at a rank of 1M or less.

My French $275 book has a rank of 5Million.

Ugh. It will take a long time to sell.

It Might never sell.

I try to stay positive.

And keep scanning.

I start scanning books I have in my home.

One of my coffee table books could be worth $100. Nice.

A book I own on psychology is worth $30.

Some are high sellers and worth a fair amount.

I’m building a box of books to send to Amazon.

I set a goal to prepare my first box to send to Amazon by the end of the weekend.

I try to assess what Ive learned.

I think Ive made a solid profit. But, I’ve made a lot of mistakes as well.

Now, I need to learn how to add inventory to the Amazon juggernaut.

I want to see how long it takes to sell these books.

And I will definitely be sharing the results with you.

Part 2 Here!

Tools I recommend:

These are very helpful tools to get started:

Quality Shipping Tape- Will save you money. Don’t buy the cheap stuff.
Label Scraper (amazingly helpful to remove price tags quickly and without danging the item).
Poly Mailer Bags for shipping. These will allow you to send items First Class mail and save money.
Good Bubble Wrap If items break, you wind up losing money. So bubble wrap protects your investment.
Mister Clean Magic Eraser– To clean up books – These are handy for many different items including cleaning shoes.
Quality and affordable shipping scale
A higher quality shipping scale
Quality Lights for Ebay: These were on sale ~$35 and they are great for the money.
Better pictures = higher profits on Ebay. Lighting is very important.
Shirt Folder: Makes it easier to fit clothes in the poly bag and saves money over time. Makes everything much more polished. More here.
Thank you stickers: A classy touch. And positive feedback is important. I use these. More here.

Get notified of the next installment of the series here.

Next post: Preparing my first shipment.

Best Savings Account Rates in 2019: Ignoring your Cash Could Cost You

July 24, 2018 by Frugal Prof

Best Savings Account Rates in 2019:

If you want to grow your savings, one smart strategy is to keep your money in an account earning the most interest.

Although the Federal Reserve has been raising interest rates, recent hikes largely haven’t trickled down to consumers in the form of better savings yields.

The average savings account offers a paltry 0.6 percent annual return, according to personal finance website ValuePenguin.

Relevant Articles:

Some CDs, or certificates of deposit, are also more generous than others.

“If you’re not seeking out the best returns on savings accounts and CDs, you’re leaving money on the table,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate.com.

“It’s the only place in the investment universe where you can get extra returns without extra risks.”

These accounts are protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, a government agency that provides deposit insurance, for up to $250,000.

Savings accounts

Online banks, McBride said, are currently in an “arms race” to lure people with the best rates.

Although current rates of around 1.75 percent still seem low — one could find savings accounts with a 4 percent annual percentage yield in 2006 — experts say they make sense in the current environment.

“When banks are giving car loans for 3 percent and mortgages for 4 percent, no one is getting 10 percent on savings,” McBride said.

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:

Ally Bank Interest Checking: Offering (.1% to .60% annual percentage yield depending on balance amount)
Capital One 360 Checking: (.20% to 1%) Capital One
FNBO Direct Online Checking: (.65% annual yield) FNBO Direct
More info

Here are some of the banks with the best savings accounts:

Synchrony Bank offers a savings account with a 1.85 percent annual return — and its accounts come with an optional ATM card, although like with most online savings accounts, there is a limit of six withdrawals or transfers in a month. Although this restriction might feel like a nuisance, it’s actually helpful to people, McBride said.

“Too easy access can defeat the purpose of saving,” he said.

Dollar Savings Direct, a division of Emigrant Bank, offer an annual rate of 1.80 percent on its savings accounts. “It’s a smaller internet bank, but it’s still a legitimate, FDIC [Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation] insured bank,” said Ken Tumin, founder of the website DepositAccounts.com.

Marcus by Goldman Sachs offers online savings accounts with an annual rate of 1.80 percent as well. “Goldman Sachs seems to be a little hungrier for deposits,” McBride said.

Barclay’s savings accounts earn 1.75 percent a year, as do those at American Express and Discover.

Certificates of deposit

For savers who won’t need their money for an extended period of time, interest rates on CDs can be worth a look.

People generally can withdraw their CD interest at any time throughout the term. There are penalties for redeeming the original deposit. “If it helps you to think, ‘I can’t get that money,’ it’s worth it,” said Seaman.

Savers should look for CDs with the lowest penalties, said Allan Roth, founder of financial advisory firm Wealth Logic. That way they can gain the benefit of a high interest savings account without the restrictions of a CD. “If you need the money, you break the CD,” he said.

Here are some CDs with the best rates:

Ablebanking, an online wing of NorthEast bank, offers a 2.5 percent rate on a one-year CD, and 2.8 percent rate on a two-year account. You need to deposit at least $1,000.

Marcus by Goldman Sachs also offers certificates of deposits with higher-than-average returns, although there is a $500 minimum deposit. A one-year CD comes with a 2.45 percent rate; a five-year CD with a 3 percent interest rate and a six-year CD has a 3.1 percent annual rate.

Synchrony Bank offers a 2.4 percent rate on a one-year CD, and 2.85 percent rate for a five-year one, but you’ll have to deposit at least $2,000.

Barclays offers a 2.4 percent yield on a one-year CD — and there is no minimum opening deposit.

If you can make your way to Teaneck, New Jersey, Cross River Bank offers a 2.63 percent rate on a 12-month CD, and 3.56 percent rate on a four-year CD. You have to open the account at the branch but anyone can do so.

Savers can also “ladder” their CDs, in which a person deposits money into, say, a one-, two- and three-year CD, so that they’re not tying up too much of their money at once and can reinvest their savings should rates rise.

Ally Investment Account Deal:

Ally Invest $3,500 Bonus – You can earn $3,500 brokerage bonus + 90 days of free trading from Ally Invest when you deposit $10,000 or more into a new brokerage account by November 30, 2018.

Accounts will receive the specified credit, depending on the initial deposit amount, deposited into the account within 10 days of meeting the qualifying requirements. Once the account is credited, the bonus and initial qualifying deposit is not available for withdrawal for 300 days after the requirements have been met.

With a Ally Invest account, you can gain access to the trading tools, guidance, and resources that can get you the best start for retirement. This site is known for giving great pricing for trades and knowledgeable support to all of its customers.

To earn the 90 days of free trading, you must fund your account with$10,000 must remain in the account (minus any trading losses) for a minimum of 90 days from date of funding account or Ally Invest may charge the account for the cost of the trades credited to the account. Receive $500 in commission credit to your new account for equity, ETF and option trades executed within 90 days of funding the new account.

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My Amazon FBA Retail Arbitrage Experiment

July 16, 2018 by Frugal Prof

amazon FBA experiment

Follow My Amazon FBA Retail Arbitrage Experiment

I’m beginning something new and I’m excited to share it with you.

I’ve decided to begin an FBA Arbitrage side hustle. What is Amazon FBA? Basically, I’m going to buy items and try to re-sell them on Amazon for a profit.

And Id like you to follow along!

amazon fba

The experiment: I’m going to try to find items and inventory at a lower price and then sell or re-sell these items on Amazon for a profit. By sourcing items that are at clearance prices and heavily discounted, theoretically, I can make a profit.

That’s the theory.

But, let’s see if this retail arbitrage really works!

Creating Passive Income: I’m a big fan of having multiple income streams. I love my business, but this year has been very slow and I’ve learned that it can’t hurt to have additional streams of income.

In fact, it is a very smart thing to do if you have the extra time and energy to devote to a side business.

Tools I recommend:

These are the minimum tools to get started:

Quality Shipping Tape

Label Scraper (amazingly helpful to remove price tags quickly and without danging the item)

Poly Mailer Bags for shipping

Good Bubble Wrap

Mister Clean Magic Eraser– To clean up books – Find the cheapest option

An acceptable and affordable shipping scale

A higher quality shipping scale

Quality Lights for Ebay: These were on sale ~$35 and they are great for the money.

Better pictures = higher profits on Ebay. Lighting is very important.

Best Banks Offering Cash for New Accounts in 2018

July 10, 2018 by Frugal Prof

Banks Offering Cash Bonuses for New Accounts in 2018

Some banks are offering large cash bonuses for opening new checking and savings accounts these days. If you’re looking for a new banking relationship, now is a great time to open a new online bank account.

In a low interest rate environment, Depositors are always looking for ways to add yield and enhance returns. The competition for new deposits is fierce.

Larger banks are facing pressure from online banks, which can offer higher returns because they don’t have the expenses of maintaining a physical presence.

Here are some of the best offers:

Chase is offering $200 for new customers. You’ll have to visit a branch to open the new checking account and deposit at least $25 — and then have a direct deposit made within 60 days.

Also, if you close the account before six months, they will claw back your bonus.

If you deposit $1,500 into a new checking account with HSBC by June 29, you can score $200.

Have $100,000 lying around? HSBC will give you $750 for handing it over in a new checking account. You’ll have to maintain that balance for at least 90 days, but part of it can go into a savings or investment account.

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SunTrust, an Atlanta-headquartered bank, will give you $500 if you open an online checking account with it by July 31.

Though to qualify you have to have an address in one of these locations:

Alabama,
Arkansas,
Georgia,
Florida,
Maryland,
Mississippi,
North Carolina,
South Carolina,
Tennessee,
Virginia,
West Virginia
and the District of Columbia.

And within 60 days, you’ll need to have deposited $2,000 (and $100 within two weeks). You’ll also have to put the account to use, making at least 10 debt purchases within 60 days.

Great Offer From Fidelity Investments: Get a $200 Bonus When You Deposit $200

Fidelity Investments has a very generous offer for a bonus of $200. The offer is available nationwide and can be done online.

The Offer

Open a spending account + investing account and they will match your first deposit up to $200 so you can spend today while saving for tomorrow.

In order to receive the cash bonus, you must open and fund a new eligible Fidelity Brokerage Account and Fidelity Cash Management account on or after 6/21/18. Deposits of $50 to $99 may receive $50, deposits of $100 to $149 may receive $100, deposits of $150 to $199 may receive $150, and deposits of $200 or more may receive $200. (double check to see that the offer is still valid).

Offer page

Key Terms

• New accounts must be funded within 60 days
• Funding must come from an external, non-Fidelity source via any standard monetary transfer method (a standard Transfer of Assets form, check, electronic funds transfer, ADM deposit, etc.).
• Account holders must maintain the minimum qualifying account balance (minus any losses related to trading or market volatility, or margin debit balances) at Fidelity for at least nine months from the date on which the bonus award is credited to the account, or Fidelity may charge the account the cost of the bonus award.
• In addition, account holders must not use qualifying deposits to purchase insurance or annuity products offered or distributed by Fidelity within 60 days of receiving a bonus award, or Fidelity may charge the account the cost of the bonus award.
• Customers must register at https://communications.fidelity.com/pi/start-your-stack/?ccsource=offer.
• Accounts have no fees
• No expiration date

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:

Ally Bank Interest Checking: Offering (.1% to .60% annual percentage yield depending on balance amount)
Capital One 360 Checking: (.20% to 1%) Capital One
FNBO Direct Online Checking: (.65% annual yield) FNBO Direct
More info
(I have no relationship with these companies)

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 Savings Bonds: TreasuryHunt.gov

Savings Bonds
- Search for Savings Bonds That Stopped Earning Interest – Treasury Hunt allows you to search for bonds issued since 1974 that have matured and are no longer earning interest.
- Calculate the Value – Find the value of your paper savings bond.
- Replace a Savings Bond – Replace a lost, stolen, or destroyed paper savings bond.

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.

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How to Get $888 in Free Manufacturer Coupons

July 9, 2018 by Frugal Prof

How to Get $888 in Free Manufacturer Coupons

There’s something so satisfying about that “ding ding ding” the barcode scanner makes as the clerk rings up your coupons at the end of a shopping haul.

It’s like you’re on a gameshow.

“Let’s see how much we can save on this grocery trip!” an imaginary announcer boasts in the background.

Disclaimer; I believe in transparency and want to disclose that I’ve included certain products and links to those products that I will earn an affiliate commission for purchases you make. The reader pays nothing.

All right, so it’s not that exciting, but finding a gold mine of coupons can help you save hundreds of dollars a year on groceries.

If you’re not sure where to start, don’t fret; I’ve got you covered.

How to Snag Free Coupons Before Your Next Grocery Run

Read How I save 40% on my groceries here.

Below, you’ll find four different coupon request forms. Click through, and fill out your information. Then, you’ll start getting coupons delivered to your inbox.

All totaled, you could save more than $900 a year!

Ready? Let’s do this.

1. Pillsbury Coupons – Up to $250 in Free Coupons

Sign up for Pillsbury.com emails to receive up to $250 in yearly coupons, access to free product samples (quantities limited, one per member) and the easiest recipes sent right to your inbox.

Because of the high value of these coupons, they’ve limited it to one set of coupons per person, so if you need more, get someone else in your household to sign up, too.

2. Betty Crocker Coupons – Up to $250 in Free Coupons

Give Betty Crocker your email address, and it’ll send you up to $250 worth of coupons that can help you get deeply discounted or free canned goods, cereal and yogurt.

In addition to coupons, Betty Crocker’s free email delivers the best of Betty’s 15,000 kitchen-tested recipes, how-tos and more — straight to your inbox!

Most people get bored making the same food week after week, so wouldn’t it be nice to occasionally be surprised with simple recipes you can make on a budget?

3. Coupons.com

Cash surveys

4. Pampers Coupons — Turn Dirty Diapers Into Rewards

Parents, let’s get real for a second. You funnel a ton of money into diapers, and you don’t get crap in return. OK, well, that’s a poor choice of words, but you get where we’re going with this… They all end up in the trash.

It’s time to change that. (No pun intended on that one.)

Sign up for Pampers Rewards, and earn points each time you buy a new batch of diapers.

Here’s how it works:

1 Register for Pampers Rewards here. You’ll earn 100 bonus points just for registering and signing into the mobile app.

2 In the packs of diapers you buy, you’ll find a code. Scan the code with the app, and earn more points. You’ll get another 50 bonus points for the first code you scan.

3 Exchange points for rewards, like $5 off Pampers diapers or pants (700 points). Or $30 off your first order of Hello Fresh (30 points). You can even enter sweepstakes, like a chance to win a $250 gift card to Lowe’s (30 points) or free Cheerios for a year (30 points).

You’ll also receive weekly customized emails with tips and coupons that are tailored to each stage of your pregnancy or your baby’s development.

Go ahead and sign up for a Pampers rewards account for free coupons and chances to win awesome prizes.

5. Enfamil coupons — Get up to $400 in Free Baby Gifts and Coupons

Expecting — or already have — a little one at home?

Join Enfamil Family Beginnings to get up to $400 in free gifts and a chance to win a $25,000 college scholarship for your baby*.

Your gifts will include things like coupons for baby necessities, free samples of Enfamil formula and other goodies.

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11 Great Work at Home WAHM Jobs With Awesome Pay

July 2, 2018 by Frugal Prof

So many people wish they could find the right job that will allow them to work at home. In this post you will find 11 of the best stay at home jobs offering awesome pay. These are legit work at home jobs. Real companies and great opportunities.

Disclosure: 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.

Top Industries offering work from home jobs:

Education,
Health care,
Human Resources,
Pharmaceuticals, research, and the non profit sector.

1. Certified Closing Agent

Benefits:

You Earn Extra Income,
Set your Own Hours
The Income is Exceptional.

•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.

2. Travel Agent at AAA Club Alliance

AAA has come a long way from fixing tires. Over the years, the organization has consistently added products like auto and home insurance and travel packages.

AAA Club Alliance is now hiring travel agents to work with its New Jersey call center. This work-from-home job allows candidates to reside “anywhere in our footprint,” which includes all or parts of New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Florida, Missouri, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon and California.

But note: Since those hired must attend a five- to eight-week training program in Hamilton, New Jersey, location could be an issue.

The gig pays $17 an hour and features some solid benefits, including nearly four weeks of paid vacation accrued over the first year, travel discounts and tuition reimbursement. And — wait for it — all calls are incoming, so you won’t have to cold call.

Travel Agent at AAA Club Alliance

Pay: $17/hr

Responsibilities include:
Assisting customers with various AAA travel product questions
Fielding all calls for the retail offices when their lines are full
Meeting sales quotas for preferred airlines and vendors
Staying in the loop on internet travel sales trends and tools to book travel
Operating airline reservation and booking systems
Applicants for this position must have:
A high school diploma
A flexible schedule within a 24/7 operation (overtime may be required during peak periods)
Demonstrated sales and customer support knowledge
Travel school accreditation with 18 months experience preferred

Benefits include:

401(k) with 7% match
About four weeks paid time off in the first year (plus paid holidays)
Medical, dental and vision insurance
Tuition reimbursement and paid training
Travel discounts
Complimentary AAA Premier membership

Apply here for the Travel Agent position at AAA Club Alliance.

3. Hilton, Remote Reservation Sales

Part-time job answering back-to-back calls for worldwide reservations. Open nights, weekends and holidays; flexible schedule required. (Glassdoor salary estimate: $10/hr)

This isn’t likely to be the job that gets you rich. At an estimated $10 an hour, and on a part-time schedule, you probably wouldn’t even hit the $21,000 annual salary you’ll find estimated on Glassdoor. But, if you needed part-time, work-from-home work at an entry level, it could make sense.

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4. Hertz, ExpressRent Sales Specialist

Fast-paced, sales driven, inbound call center position performed through a videolink system. Full-time position, with with possible shifts 8 am-8 pm EST, 7 days a week. Bonuses available. (Salary estimate from GlassDoor, $11/hr)

The estimated hourly rate isn’t much higher, but the fact that this is a full-time position obviously increases potential annual earnings.

5. Westat, Field Recruiter

Seeking individuals in FL to act as field recruiters for individuals to participate in a Social Security Administration study. Requires local travel. (Salary estimate from Glassdoor, $15/hr)

The estimated potential salary seems about the same as the previous job, but given the local travel requirement, you should be able to either get reimbursed for mileage or take a tax deduction. Do that right and you should come out ahead.

6. Capital One, Senior Customer Service Representative

Field inbound calls and provide customer service in FL or VA. Requires H.S. degree, GED, or military service experience. (Salary estimate from GlassDoor, $33,000)

According to the job listing, this comes with the potential for medical insurance, paid time off, maternity leave, a retirement plan, and even continuing education.

Survey Junkie: You can earn points through Survey Junkie and redeem them for cash or gift cards. They give you 25 points just for filling out your profile. Expect to make about $3 per survey.

7. Rosetta Stone, British English Online Language Instructor

Seeking a native British English speaker to conduct energetic online courses. Voice audition required; teaching experience desired. (Salary estimate from GlassDoor, $17.50/hr)

As the salaries increase, of course the job requirements and skills increase, too. They’re pretty specific about wanting native British English speakers here. Maybe you can binge watch episodes of The Crown or Downton Abbey to fake it–but I doubt that will work. If you can work out 40 hours a week doing this, you’d hit $35,000 per year.

American Consumer Panel: 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 –

More about American Consumer Opinion:

8. Great Au Pair Services Manager

Responsible for overseeing operations and fiscal matters for Great Au Pair USA. Provides high level customer services and conflict resolution, reporting to the Vice President of Program Operations. (Salary estimate from GlassDoor, $36,000)

I think the key phrases here are “high level customer services” and “conflict resolution. For this kind of position, the estimated pay is good, but it seems like you’ll earn it. Of course, you’ll be working from home.

9. Xerox Applications Evangelist, Global Imaging Services

Lead the business apps expansion for small and medium businesses. Full time, regular virtual employee; does require travel. (Salary estimate from GlassDoor, $48,000)

This might be more accurately a “don’t work in the office” job than a “work from home” job. But the estimated salary looks like it’s higher, in order to compensate.

10. Amazon, Connect Specialty Consultant

Amazon Web Services is looking to hire consultants with experience in enterprise call centers. Requires 10+ years experience as an IT enterprise architect in customer-facing roles. (Salary estimate by GlassDoor: $113,000)

A caveat on this one: it’s a little difficult to find the exact same job on Glassdor, so the estimate here is for a position that seems somewhat similar. Of course, at these higher salary levels, we’re probably talking about a range, to be honest–with room for negotiation.

Quality Survey Companies that really pay:

The great thing about paid surveys is that you can do them anytime. Many people enjoy doing paid surveys at home. These are legit paid surveys. These survey companies are free to join and free to use! You get paid to answer surveys and to test products. It’s best to sign up for as many as you can, as that way you can make the most money and earn the most cash.

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

The only downside about Survey Junkie is that they don’t come with a sign-up bonus. However, 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, and I don’t see them going away anytime soon. 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.

You always know how long and how much a survey will pay. There are plenty of surveys, so stay away from the ones that don’t pay well to earn a decent amount.

Some survey sites are known to take you halfway through a survey only to tell you that you’re not eligible to proceed, hence wasting your time. Survey Junkie usually tells you this within the first 2 questions.

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 from and they frequently update their site with new ones

You can earn points through Survey Junkie and redeem them for cash or gift cards. They give you 25 points just for filling out your profile. Expect to make about $3 per survey.

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 11 of the Best work at home companies hiring with awesome pay. 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.

How to Cut the Cord With Cable and Still Watch Sports

June 29, 2018 by Frugal Prof

How to Cut the Cord With Cable and Still Watch Sports

One of the most common ways people cut back on their spending is by cutting the cord on cable. So, let’s look at the best ways to cut the cord and still watch sports.

If you’re tired of paying for cable TV service every month, it’s never been easier to switch.

Disclaimer; I believe in transparency and want to disclose that I’ve included certain products and links to those products that I will earn an affiliate commission for any purchases you make. The reader pays nothing.

Services like YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, DirecTV Now, and Playstation Vue all offer bundles that—just like cable—allow you to livestream channels like ESPN, HGTV, FX, and more.

If you’re into sports, ESPN alone doesn’t cut it.

Though not every service offers every channel, for most people it should be easy to find a bundle that nets you all the channels you’re getting now, without the hassle of a cable subscription or price agreement.

The only problem? There are so many options it can be tricky finding one that works for you.

I will walk you through the available services, which sports channels they offer, and what it’ll cost you to get them.

Pricing and Availability

Hulu with Live TV costs $40 for more than 50 channels, which is the largest starting price and one of the stronger selections. The largest starting package is offered by DirecTV Now, which offers more than 60 channels for $40 per month.

At $40 per month for more than 50 channels, YouTube TV is not expensive, but not the most affordable option.

That title goes to Sling TV, which starts at $25 per month for 29 channels.

Per a price hike announced on July 3, PS Vue’s pricing will change starting July 24, rising by $5 per month to $45 per month, for its more-than-45 channels. PS Vue discontinued its more affordable Slim packages in July 2017.

YouTube TV offers six login accounts, but only three concurrent streams so while you can share it with your whole family, you might need to ask who’s using it. Hulu with Live TV is slightly below that, starting with six profiles and two concurrent streams.
PS Vue offers five concurrent streams, the most, though it limits them by kind of device. Only one PS4 and one PS3 can stream at the same time, with three additional devices (iOS, Android, and web) at the same time. Not only does it support those devices, but PS Vue also streams on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Android TV. Previously, the capability to stream to 5 devices was limited to those who signed up via a gaming console, streaming device or smart TV, but on Feb. 27, PS Vue extended this 5-device cap to those who sign up via a mobile device.
Sling TV’s entry level Orange package ($25 per month) offers one stream at a time, while its $25 Sling Blue includes three streams at once and its $40 Orange + Blue service allows four streams at once. DirecTV NOW offers up to 2 simultaneous streams.

For starters, let’s look at the available streaming services and what their base packages cost:

Sling TV

Cost: $25-40/mo depending on bundle, $5 and up for add-on packages

Available on: Windows, Macs, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast

Streams on mobile?: Yes, on Android, Windows, and iOS

Local Broadcast?: Some markets and some plans only

DVR and On Demand?: Cloud DVR with 50 hours storage for $5/mo

With Sling TV there are two base packages, Blue and Orange (both $25/mo).

This is a bit frustrating because Blue includes ESPN (but not FOX or FS1), and Orange includes FOX and FS1/2 (but not ESPN).

You can pay $5/mo with either package to add more sports channels but those add-on bundles are different too. You can get an “Orange+Blue” bundle for $40/mo and get ESPN and the Fox channels (plus $5 more for extra sports channels), but it’s a confusing mess.

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Cut the cord

Hulu Live TV

Cost: $40/mo

Available on: Apple TV, Xbox One, Chromecast, Fire TV, Android, iOS, and Mac/PC

Streams on mobile?: Yes, on Android & iOS apps

Local Broadcast?: Yes, widely available

DVR and On Demand?: Yes: 50 hrs DVR standard, 200 hrs DVR for $15/month

Hulu Live TV’s combination of local broadcast channels, a wide array of regional sports networks, and sports cable channels like ESPN and FS1/2 for just $40 is a great fit for lots of people.

The only issue is that the coverage of regional sports networks could be a bit spotty.

In Boston, you don’t get NESN, for example, which is included in other services, so your experience may vary.

DirecTV Now

Cost: $35-70/mo depending on bundle selection

Available on: Windows, Macs, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast

Streams on mobile?: Yes, on Android, Windows, and iOS with restrictions

Local Broadcast?: Yes, but not in all markets (now including CBS)

DVR and On Demand?: On Demand is available but delayed, Cloud DVR in “Beta”

DirecTV Now comes in 5 different bundles, so it can be a bit confusing to compare with the competition.

The $50/mo “Just Right” bundle is the cheapest that includes regional sports networks, and it also gets you ESPN, FS1, and networks like YES.

That’s not as cheap as Hulu or Youtube TV, though, and you need to jump up another $10 to get FS2—something you get with other cheaper bundles already.

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