Deals | Online Savings Blog

How to Get Free Movie Rentals at Redbox
07.28.08 | Deals | 0 Comments | by junger

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One of my favorite ways to get movies is through Redbox, the DVD-rental kiosk found in many supermarkets, McDonalds and other places near you.

Their prices — $1/day with returns before 9 PM — are perfect for casual movie watchers who watch movies the night they get them and don't want to be in a monthly subscription with Netflix or Blockbuster.

The selection is great: new movies from a number of genres sure to please any member of the family.

But the best part? You can rent movies for free — over and over and over again.

Redbox offer promo codes for free one-night rentals, and I've been using the same promo code over and over and over to get multiple free rentals.

In order to get the free rentals, here's what you need to do:

1. Find your local Redbox (look here)
2. Double check they have the movie you want in stock (do it here)
3. Head over to the Redbox, and select "Rent with a Promo Code"
4. Enter the code "Breakroom" and choose your movie
5. Swipe your credit/debit card (in case you decide to keep the movie for more than one night) and get the movie
6. Head home and enjoy!

You won't be charged for the movie as long as you return the DVD before 9 PM the next day.

Here's the trick to multiple free movies. In order to use this promo code over and over and over again, you need to use a different debit or credit card every time.

The Redbox doesn't know you're the same customer if you're using a different card, so you've got as many free movies as you have debit or credit cards.

Once you run out of cards to use, don't run away from Redbox — thank them for their great offering by sticking around as a customer. I've been using them for a year now and I've had no complaints.
Money Saving Links: 5/30/08
05.30.08 | Savings Links | 1 Comment | by junger

I just got back from my trip to California (which was awesome!) so I apologize for the lack of posts — we'll be back on track next week.

Money and Values hosted the 153rd Carnival of Personal Finance, which included Automate Your Finances, Feel Comfortable.

Here are a couple of great links from that roundup.

Using the web to save money - Money & Fitness Blog

Using the web to save moneyThere is no doubt in my mind that I have saved hundreds and thousands of dollars by making purchases on websites rather than in Best Buy, Target, or any number of stores. I have used a number of different websites that have helped me over time and I thought it would be a good article to write about for those money savers out there.

To Stimulate Or Not To Stimulate? - The Happy Rock

So it looks like there is potential for the stimulus checks to infuse economy with a little money, but there is plenty of debt as to whether our government borrowing money to give to people to spend will do anything to truly stimulate the US economy.

Plan Ahead: 6 Steps to Secure Your Financial Future - My Dollar Plan

Ever since I can remember I’ve been a planner. Planning ahead has allowed us many rewards that we otherwise wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity for.
We're Going On Vacation: How We're Saving For It
04.03.08 | Consumerism, Money | 0 Comments | by junger

For the first time since we've been married, Debbie and I are no longer on school vacation schedules. Debbie's new job, while in a preschool, is technically more of a daycare-type position, so she works year-round without spring/winter/summer breaks.

It's different for her, since she has always worked on school schedules — but now she actually accrues vacation days. So, we've been looking to head out of town for a vacation for awhile now, and we finally settled.

At the end of May, we'll be flying across the country to Los Angeles and driving up the California coast.

We love California, so it'll be exciting — but could also get expensive. We got a great deal of flights via Airtran, but we still need places to stay, a rental car, and things to see.

Yahoo! Finance has a great article on last-minute ways to save for vacations — we'll be heeding many of these tips.

1. Start with a spending plan
2. Sacrifice now for fun later
3. Build cash with a 'Pantry Week'
4. Eat out less, save big
5. Make a savings wall chart
6. Sell your stuff
7. Use your tax refund — now
8. Let credit cards pay you back

The biggest thing we'll be doing is cutting back on our spending in April in preparation and trying to put that money aside for the trip. We're also on the lookout for great deals, including hotel stays with included tickets to attractions and cheap rental cars.

It helps that May is one of the two months I'll receive a third paycheck (thanks to three Fridays), but we don't want to count on that entirely for paying for the trip.
Replacing My Heat and AC: Is Now the Right Time?
03.31.08 | Money | 0 Comments | by Tom Valenti

My house's furnace and air conditioning unit are a little over 20 years old. Since many other things in the house have gone bad since I bought it last year, I'm amazed neither of these two has died yet.

I have heard that now is a good time to the best prices from contractors on replacements, so I am in the process of getting quotes. I figure I could spend my tax refund on them to avoid problems in the future, since with this economy it looks like I will own this house for at least the next three years.

The first quote I received came in at $3600 for everything, which I thought was pretty good (research online had told me to expect a cost of between $4500 and $5500). The second quote came in at $7600, for equipment of the same specs but different manufacturer.

I did some research, and everything I've read states that the manufacturer of the $3600 quote is very reliable, if not the best in the industry. Assuming this first company checks out, was this second company looking to make around $4000 more in profit off of me?

It's unbelievable that a company can try that, but I guess they are used to working in situations where heat is in immediate need, and people go with the first company who answers their call.

This certainly is a lesson that one should be prepared for potential emergency situations like a broken furnace or AC unit. It's also important to have funds set aside for such emergencies or capital expenditures.

Even though I may be cutting short the lives of my existing units, I'd rather be safe (getting a good deal now) than sorry (being taken advantage of when it's January and the heat won't work).

Tom Valenti is a marketer and project manager who currently works for a financial institution in New Jersey. For more info, visit him at http://tomvalenti.com.

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