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Tiicker Stock Perks: Link Brokerage Account & Earn $71 in Gift Cards

TiiCKER is a new app that helps promote certain brands and companies by encouraging people to become shareholders and investors. You would have to be the age of Warren Buffett to remember back when Wrigley used to give out free packs of gum to shareholders, Dial used to give out soap coupons, Colgate-Palmolive gave out discounts on toothpaste, and Coca-Cola would give out free drinks. While this may be somewhat popular in Japan, from baseball tickets to bags of rice, it is finally back again in the United States.

  • Link a brokerage with $100 worth of ANY stocks held inside, get $11 Amazon gift card or Visa virtual prepaid debit card.
  • Link a brokerage with $50 worth of Amazon (AMZN) stock held inside (partial shares allowed), get $10 Amazon gift card or Visa virtual prepaid debit card.
  • Link a brokerage with $50 worth of Real Good Foods (RGF) held inside, get $50 Instacart gift card. Limited quantities.
  • Go here for the free Tiicker stock perks

In order to prove your ownership, you must link your existing brokerage account via the Plaid service. Plaid says it does not save nor share your username and passwords with anyone, and with many brokerages, you now log in directly on your brokerage website for authentication.

You can now earn perks with owning stocks in a brokerage account such as Ameritrade.

I can report that I was able to sign-up, link my account via Plaid, and grab the first two bonuses in under 5 minutes. Since this is not a brokerage account, no SSN was required. Gift card redemption was instant and easy. Now, 10 shares of RGF costs about $60 and the perk is a $50 Instacart gift card, so you could technically buy the shares for a while just to get the perk.

You may need to refresh or unlink/relink your brokerage account after buying the shares for it to recognize a new purchase, or possibly wait up to 24 hours. In addition, I have noticed this “RealGood” brand at Whole Foods and Costco and may try it now. Regardless you can just link an existing brokerage account that has AMZN shares for the $11 signup and the $10 in Amazon card perk so that is $21 with simply linking for many of us that do not want to mess with anything else.

I was highly skeptical at first but knowing it is using Plaid to link the brokerage account with Tiicker I got my gift cards an disconnected after just until it comes out with new perks. I am excited to see what all perks they come up with. It was the easiest AMZN and VISA gift card freebie possibly ever!

We love freebies!

Missing a direct deposit in your Wells Fargo account?

Wells Fargo customers have reported that their direct deposits were missing from their accounts on Friday morning, according to reports. Customers took to social media to report that their direct deposit funds had disappeared from their Wells Fargo accounts which left some in the negative.

Everyone is uneasy that Silicon Valley Bank and Regional Banks have been showing troubling signs this week. It did not makes things any better when some Wells Fargo customers posted online that their direct deposits and scheduled paychecks were missing from their online banking accounts this morning.

Many expressed their dissatisfaction on Twitter, and questioned where their money is.

One person reported that he woke up to overdraft protection emails, adding, that Wells Fargo ”better have a good explanation because I had a paycheck yesterday.”

“This is likely the last straw for me with Wells Fargo,” another person posted.

A user even reported being “broke on payday” and not able to buy breakfast.

“Not only was my payroll deposit taken back after being posted to my account on Thursday, but my account is also now overdrawn by $1,200. I have bills due and groceries to purchase. Going to spend the day bank shopping I guess,” said one person.

Downdetector.com, an outage monitoring website, indicates that a surge in users experiencing problems occurred at 7 a.m. on Friday morning. There were more than 400 detected reports.

A Downdetector user who has been with Wells Fargo for years posted that the bank has “been good to work with, but would be better if they used email to inform us all. My accounts are ok.”

Wells Fargo says accounts are secure

Wells Fargo sent a message to customers acknowledging the issue and saying that it may be due to a technical problem, and that they are working to resolve it. Some customers are uneasy considering this is not the first time they have had issues the past several years.

The message on the bank’s mobile app and the website said: “If you’re experiencing an issue with our online services, we apologize for the inconvenience. We’re working quickly to resolve it.”

A Wells Fargo spokesperson provided the following statement to ThinkAdvisor: “Wells Fargo is aware that some customers’ direct deposit transactions are not showing on their accounts. However, funds in accounts are accurate and available.”

The bank has not disclosed how many customers have been affected by the issue or provided any additional information about the cause at the time of reporting.

Top Checking & Savings Bonus Offers

We put together a list of the best checking and savings bonus offers. This includes mostly national banks with soft credit pulls when you open an account with a few exceptions. We do live a few with hard pulls and a few from credit unions and regional banks. If you find out of a bank that offers a better bonus then please let us know. See our list of business bonus for new accounts here.

Most Recommended: SOFI $50 Bonus for Checking or Savings

  • SOFI Offers a fee-free driven app checking and savings we found better and easier than most of the older banks.
  • Go here to read more about the $50 bonus from SOFI

Chase $300 Bonus – Available In Branch & Online

This checking bonus from Chase can be paired with a $150, $200 or $300 savings bonus as well. You can do one per calendar year max.

  • Direct deposit required, no minimum
  • Soft pull on credit
  • Can’t fund with a credit card

HSBC – Up To $750 Bonus – No Direct Deposit Required

HSBC has been a part of the online banking game for awhile now but their website can be a bit of a hassle. Read more about how we think the $350 bonus is one of the best.

  • Soft pull on credit
  • Direct deposit not required
  • Can’t fund with a credit card

Wells Fargo $200 Checking Bonus

You may live in an area with no direct deposit requirement. Read more here.

  • Soft pull
  • Can fund up to $50 online with a credit card
  • Direct deposit required (in most areas)

Citibank $300 Bonus

Citibank in the past has had bonuses as high as $400 with less strict requirements. You can get the bonus again if you haven’t held a Citi banking account within the past 180 days. You just need to be able to deposit $15,000.

  • Direct deposit not required
  • Can’t fund with a credit card
  • Soft pull

Bank of America $100 Bonus/$300 Bonus

They have  bigger targeted bonuses of up to $300 before, so check to see if you are targeted for this first.  All you have to do is sign into your BOA credit card account and look at offers.

  • Soft pull
  • Can’t fund with a credit card, can fund with a debit card up to $250
  • Requires direct deposits

E*Trade $150 Bonus

E-Trade has been one of our favorite banks for years although it was recently bought by a huge brokerage we hope they keep the no-fee checking at ATMs. They are offering bonuses right now from $50 and up with as little as a $500 deposit. Go here to learn more about the E-Trade bonuses.

Charles Schwab $100 Bonus

This is similar to the Etrade bank where you get ATM fees reimbursed, no fees for foreign transaction withdrawals) and you can also get this account and a brokerage account at the same time for one hard pull. The brokerage account then gives you access to the Charles Schwab credit cards.  See more here at schwab.com/referred.

  • Hard pull to open
  • No requirements for bonus

Christian Community Credit Union – $200 Bonus – Must Be A Member of A Christian Ministry

The Christian Ministry requirement seems to be enforced and will rule out a lot of people, if you are eligible though this is a great deal. Read more here about Christian Loans.

  • Soft pull
  • Direct deposit with no minimum specified
  • Can fund up to $100 for checking account and $500 for CD with a credit card.

Best Saving Account Bonuses

Discover Savings $150/$200 Bonus

Requires a deposit of $15,000 for $150 bonus or $200 for $20,000 bonus, but no minimum deposit length. Great deal, but only once per lifetime.

  • $15,000 deposit required or $20,000 for $200 bonus, no minimum length
  • No credit card funding
  • Soft pull

Chase $200 Savings Bonus – In Branch & Online

They also have bonuses for $300 (requires $25,000 deposit) and $150 (requires $10,000 deposit). Can be combined with the $300 checking bonus listed above as well.

  • $15,000 deposit required must be maintained for 90 days
  • Soft pull
  • Can’t fund with a credit card

Chase $300 Savings Bonus – In Branch

As mentioned above they have a $200 bonus and $150 bonus as well.

  • $25,000 deposit required must be maintained for 90 days
  • Soft pull
  • Can’t fund with a credit card

Fidelity Bank $100 Savings

Can be combined with the $100 checking bonus they also offer.

  • Deposit of $10,000 required for 30 days
  • Soft pull
  • Can fund up to $500 with a credit card

Famous Equifax Class Action Settlement Finally Paying Out

Equifax Class Settlement

Update 12/21/22: After all these years, the settlement – initially touted $125 – is finalized and ends up paying out somewhere between $5 and $24, from the numbers we’ve seen. Not clear what accounts for the variation. Readers report now getting this payment via Paypal or check.

Update 10/6/22: Lots of readers are getting an email to claim payment either by paypal or prepaid card. If you do nothing by Oct 14th they will mail you check. We still don’t know how much the payments are for. Safe to guess that it’s less than $125.

In September of 2017, Equifax announced a data breach that exposed the personal information of 147 million people. The company has agreed to a global settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and 50 U.S. states and territories. The settlement includes up to $425 million to help people affected by the data breach.

The settlement is offering a minimum of $5-$125 per person.

How Much?

Free Credit Monitoring and Identity Theft Protection Services

  • Up to 10 years of free credit monitoring, OR
  • $125 if you decide not to enroll because you already have credit monitoring.

The free credit monitoring includes:

  • At least four years of free credit monitoring of your credit report at all three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) and $1,000,000 of identity theft insurance.
  • Up to six more years of free credit monitoring of your Equifax credit report.

If you were a minor in May 2017, you are eligible for a total of 18 years of free credit monitoring.

Cash Payments (capped at $20,000 per person)

  • For expenses you paid as a result of the breach, like:
    • Losses from unauthorized charges to your accounts
    • The cost of freezing or unfreezing your credit report
    • The cost of credit monitoring
    • Fees you paid to professionals like an accountant or attorney
    • Other expenses like notary fees, document shipping fees and postage, mileage, and phone charges
  • For the time you spent dealing with the breach. You can be compensated $25 per hour up to 20 hours.
  • For the cost of Equifax credit monitoring and related services you had between September 7, 2016, and September 7, 2017, capped at 25 percent of the total amount you paid.

Direct Link | File A Claim Here | Check You Eligibility (requires last 6 of SSN)

Important Settlement Dates

Here are the applicable deadlines:

  • File a claim for Out-of-Pocket Losses or Time Spent – January 22, 2020 (for current losses and time); January 22, 2024 (for future losses and time)
  • File a claim for Credit Monitoring Services or Alternative Reimbursement Compensation – January 22, 2020
  • File a claim for Equifax Subscription Product Reimbursement – January 22, 2020
  • Access to Identity Restoration Services – No deadline. Services will be available for at least 7 years
  • Exclude yourself from the settlement – November 19, 2019
  • Object or comment on the settlement – November 19, 2019

If Eligible, Then Go for it!

Keep in mind that not everyone is eligible for the settlement; only the 147 million whose data was breached. That’s roughly half of all Americans. Check your eligibility here.

Many of us already have free credit monitoring in place from Discover, Credit Karma, etc. So it should/might be possible for us to file a claim for the $125, despite not really having any expenses laid out. If you aren’t subscribed for any credit monitoring services such as automatically with a credit card issuer, then technically you aren’t eligible.

You can self-certify the time you spend, up to 10 hours at $25 per hour, for the time you spent dealing with the breach. That’s another $250 on top of the $125 for credit monitoring. Of course, this is under the penalty of perjury so make sure not to make up stuff.

There’s a pool of $425M and there are 147M people affected so that leaves around $3 per person, not $125 per person. We assume lot of people won’t sign up for the settlement but go for the free credit monitoring instead which is what got us here in the first place.

$90M Facebook Class Action Payout (without proof needed)

Check out this new class action settlement that is available for anyone who visited non-Facebook websites that displayed a Facebook “Like” button between April 22, 2010 and September 26, 2011. Please note, there is no proof of purchase needed to claim what is owed to you, so no need to go digging through old receipts. The deadline for signing up for this settlement is September 22, 2022. Claim up to $50 – $300 without proof (estimate from the $90 million).

Facebook Settlement

This lawsuit alleges that Facebook improperly tracked their users from the United States while visiting other websites that had a Facebook ‘Like’ button on their pages. Facebook has agreed to a $90 million settlement payout to affected users.

Submit a claim at fbinternettrackingsettlement.com.

Who Is Eligible?

Anyone who was a Facebook user in the US and visited non-Facebook websites that displayed the Facebook ‘Like’ button, between April 22, 2010 and September 26, 2011.

How Much?

The total settlement fund is $90 million. There is no stated estimate of how much payout will be, it’ll depend on the number of claimants.

Important Dates

  • Claims must be submitted by September 22, 2022
  • Must have had a Facebook account between Apr. 22, 2010 through Sept. 26, 2011

Final Thoughts

Should be easy enough to fill out if you were affected during the eligible time frame.

Here are more Class Action Settlements that are still available.

Best Investing Apps for Trading with Your Fingertips

What are investment apps?

Investment apps are bringing stock market trading and financial planning to the digital age. Simply put, they offer a platform for investing your money independently, without the need for a stockbroker or financial advisor.

The best investment apps overview

AppBest For
BettermentRobo-advisor and financial advice
StashBeginning investors
AcornsBeginning investors
M1 FinanceAutomated investing
Personal CapitalOverall financial management
RobinhoodStock traders
StockpileNo annual fees
WealthfrontLow cost investing
WeBullLow or No fee trading

The best investment apps

Betterment

Betterment offers personalized investment options. It also automates the investment process from start to finish.

Betterment wants to make investing effortless and affordable for everyone. Based on your finances, needs, goals, and lifestyle, they give you a personalized portfolio of low-cost index funds.

They help you decide how much to invest and sync with your bank so that you have the option of regular automatic contributions. This robo-advisor makes financial decisions using a complex algorithm, but what’s great about Betterment is that you also have the option of speaking to a financial expert.

Pricing

$0 minimum and 0.25 percent annual fee for the standard account; $100,000 minimum and 0.40 percent annual fee for the premium account.

Pros

  • No prior experience required
  • Simple and effortless investing
  • Personalized
  • Financial advisor
  • Low fees

Cons

  • Rigid formula is not great for DIY-ers
  • Limited to managing Betterment accounts only

Stash

Stash is an easy investing app that’s accessible to everyone. You can start investing with as little as 1 cent!

Inspired by the weight loss industry, their philosophy is about making small, easy steps. Stash allows you to invest in fractions of shares, which means you can start with as small an investment as you want.

They offer you a choice of roughly 1800 single stocks and ETFs. So there is a lot to choose from based on your desired risk, financial situation, and lifestyle. What’s great about Stash is how easy they make the whole process. They explain everything along the way and they even offer financial advisory services.

Stash offers three different plans:

  • Beginner – This plan is $1/month and offers a personal investment account, debit account access, and free financial education.
  • Growth – This plan is $3/month and offers all the features of the beginner plan, plus tax benefits for retirement investing.
  • Stash+ – This is a $9/month plan that offers everything the other two plans offer, plus a debit card, an investing account for two of your children, and monthly market insights.

Pros

  • Low barrier to entry
  • Easy to use
  • Includes personal financial advisor

Cons

  • The cost can add up if you’re a small investor
  • Limited to their chosen portfolios

Open an account with Stash today. Special promotion: Sign up and add $5 to your investment account and get $5 added to your Stash banking account! 

Acorns

Acorns allows you to choose from portfolios made by Nobel-Prize winning economist, and automatically invest your spare change.

Acorns links with your credit and debit card and automatically “rounds up” the spare change to the next dollar on every purchase.

For example, if you bought a latte for $3.60, they’d automatically deposit 40 cents to your investment account, which can potentially add up to quite a lot every month. Based on your desired risk, Acorns gives you the choice of five different portfolio options, which were created by Nobel Prize-winning economist Harry Markowitz.

This is a little different from robo-investors like Betterment that offer custom portfolios instead of the choice of a few pre-configured ones.

Pricing

$1 monthly fee for accounts with balance under $5,000; 0.25 percent of the balance annually on accounts over $5,000.

Pros

  • Easy way to invest without even noticing
  • No minimum balance

Cons

  • Your monthly spare change may not be enough for a solid routine investment
  • $1/month fee may not be worth it if you’re not investing enough

M1 Finance

M1 Finance offers automated investing in pre-selected portfolios, or you can choose from any stock or ETF.

M1 is meant for people who like the idea of automating their investments, but still want some say on where their money is going. M1 Finance allows investors to choose from any stock or ETF.

Unlike robo-investors, you’re not restricted to their pre-selected ETFs, but they do offer preset templates for beginners. You can also set up recurring automatic deposits on a weekly or monthly basis, or any custom time frame you desire.

Pricing

Free of charge; $100 minimum to open an account and $500 minimum to open a retirement account.

Pros

  • Offers an alternative to rigid robo-advisor formula
  • Simple, user-friendly
  • Free

Cons

  • Limited to 1 trade a day
  • Can be confusing for beginners
  • No human financial advisor

Personal Capital

Personal Capital is like a personal financial manager that offers advice, wealth management, and free financial tools

Personal Capital not only works as an asset manager service, but also provides helpful free financial tools. Personal Capital links to your financial accounts to summarize your finances and help you plan and budget your finances. You get a ton of features including a handy retirement planner or bill notification.

Personal Capital invests your money in a preselected portfolio of individual securities and ETFs, specifically to minimize added expenses and taxes. Every account also gets a dedicated advisor.

Pricing

0.89 percent fee for $1 million deposited or less; you need at least $100,000 to start using the service.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Consolidates all your financial information
  • Free finance tools
  • Easy to use and set up

Cons

  • High minimum
  • Can’t customize your investment
  • More expensive than most robo-advisors

Robinhood

Robinhood is a simple stock trading platform with no transaction fee.

Robinhood offers a platform for buying and selling stocks and ETFs in real time. The best part is that you invest in anything with zero transaction fees. You can also schedule recurring deposits if you want.

Robinhood offers a super simple user interface that’s easy to use. You can see a simple overview of your investment performance with helpful charts and stats.

Pricing

Free; no minimum.They do charge a monthly fee!!

Pros

  • Absolutely free
  • Easy to use
  • Easy to sign up
  • Perfect for investment DIY-ers

Cons

  • You must do your own research
  • Easier to make rushed uncalculated decisions
  • No personalized investment recommendations

Stockpile

Stockpile is an investment brokerage app that allows you to buy fractional shares and offers stock gift cards.

If you want to buy a specific stock of ETF, but don’t want to pay for an entire share, Stockpile allows you to buy share fractions. What’s especially unique about Stockpile is that you can buy stocks and ETFs in the form of gift cards.

Trade can take up to a few days to get completed, it’s not ideal as a live trading platform. However, it’s a great option for casual investors or novices. It’s also a good way to learn about investing. Stockpile offers a bunch of learning resources and even lets kids create their own accounts with adult supervision.

Pricing

No minimum; $0.99 per trade; $2,000 maximum for gift card.

Gift cards cost $2.99 for the first stock and $0.99 for each additional stock, plus a three percent credit or debit card fee. The plastic cards cost $4.95-7.95 depending on the value of your gift.

Pros

  • Not limited to expensive stock buy-in cost
  • Unique gift card option
  • Low fee per trade and no annual fees
  • User-friendly interface
  • Allows minors to participate
  • Great way to learn about trading

Cons

  • Longer processing time
  • Not all stocks are available
  • Gift recipients are stuck using this platform
  • High gift card fee
  • No live customer support
  • Limited research tools

Wealthfront

Wealthfront is a robo-advisor that automates everything with the goal of keeping costs low. You can also get financial advice through the app.

How it works

Wealthfront looks to make you money with minimal effort from you. They create a custom portfolio for you based on your finances, goals, lifestyle, and risk level. They try to keep costs as low as possible by strategically choosing low-cost ETFs that minimize tax obligation.

Their whole interface is super simple. No complicated jargon, and the app has great resources. It can even answer your very specific questions about your goals and aspirations, like whether you can afford to take a year off to travel.

Pricing

$500 minimum investment; free for the first $10,000; 0.25 percent of your invested assets afterwards.

Pros

  • Low, straight-forward fees
  • Easy to use
  • Simple for new investors
  • Custom portfolios

Cons

  • No face time with financial advisor
  • High minimum investment
  • Stuck with rigid robo-advisor formula

Wealthsimple

Wealthsimple is actually based in Canada, but it’s available in the US. Wealthsimple is a robo-advisor that offers special investment portfolios you may not find elsewhere. These include SRI (socially responsible investing) portfolios and a Halal portfolio, consistent with Islamic Halal principles.

Wealthsimple offers three different SRI portfolio types for you to choose from. They include:

  • Conservative: More heavily invested in Local Initiatives and Affordable Housing, since those are bond funds. It essentially creates an allocation in which 65 percent of the portfolio is invested in bonds, and 35 percent in stocks.
  • Balanced: Has an even split of 50 percent stocks and 50 percent bonds. With the three different portfolio allocations, not only can you invest in SRI, but you can do so based on your own personal investment risk tolerance.
  • Growth: Has a higher concentration in the stock sectors, and particularly Low Carbon, which represents more than 46 percent of the portfolio. Local Initiatives and Affordable Housing represent just 20 percent of the portfolio combined. That results in a portfolio mix of 80 percent stocks, and 20 percent bonds.

Pricing

There’s no minimum investment required. Wealthsimple charges 0.50 percent per year of account balances up to $100,000; 0.40 percent per year for balances greater than $100,000. There is no additional cost for SRI investing.

Pros

  • Offers SRI investing
  • Offers Halal investing
  • No minimum investment requires

Cons

  • Higher fees than other investing platforms
  • Relatively new

How do investment apps work?

Investing apps allow you to start investing in a matter of minutes. There are many investing apps out there to satisfy the needs of all types of investors. Some apps help new investors effortlessly set up an investment portfolio from scratch. Others offer a simple bare-bones platform for quick low-fee trading.

The pros and cons of using an investment app

Pros

Simplicity for all

Investment apps empower anyone of any means or skill level to start investing easily. Your app can help you set up an investing account and offer financial advice based on your lifestyle and income.

They can also automate the whole process so that you can continue building your investment without much effort.

Cheaper

By replacing human advisors with an algorithm, apps have much lower overhead and can afford to keep their fees significantly lower. Some apps even offer free trading.

24/7 access

Gain access to your financial information, make adjustments, or buy and sell anywhere you can connect to the Internet. You don’t have to wait for the work day to start. The app works around the clock for you.

Cons

Enables bad decisions

The convenience of using these apps allows people to invest impulsively, instead of making a calculated investment decision. The benefit of investing the traditional way is that you have the advice of an expert to help second guess your decisions.

Lacks a human element

Although some apps give you the option of speaking to an advisor, many use algorithms to help guide you. What you’re missing is conversations that can reveal much more nuanced information. Advisors not only know about the market, but can offer advice that’s tailored specifically to you.

Many investors are finding that the massive advantages of investment apps make the risks worth taking.

AppPriceMinimum Investment Requirement
BettermentStandard Account: $0 minimum and 0.25 percent annual feeNone
Stash$1/month for balances under $5,000; 0.25 percent for balance of $5,000+$5
Acorns$1 monthly fee for accounts with balance under $5,000; 0.25 percent of the balance annually on accounts over $5,000None – your purchases are rounded up to the nearest dollar
M1 FinanceFree$100 minimum to open an account and $500 minimum to open a retirement account
Personal Capital0.89 percent fee for $1 million deposited or less$100,000
WealthfrontFree for the first $10,000; 0.25 percent of your invested assets afterwards$500
Wealthsimple0.50 percent per year of account balances up to $100,000; 0.40 percent per year for balances greater than $100,000. There is no additional cost for SRI investing.None
RobinhoodFreeNone
Stockpile$0.99 per tradeNone

Investment apps FAQs

Don’t I need a financial advisor?

Financial advisors can be incredibly helpful resources. They also give you peace of mind that your financial decisions are backed by an expert. However, many apps can provide the same type of advice with an algorithm.

Are investment apps secure?

We don’t suggest anything that we haven’t personally vetted, all of these apps come with robust built-in security features.

How much money do I need to invest?

This really depends on how much you feel comfortable investing. There are many investment apps geared to a variety of investors. Apps like Stash have no minimum investment. You could invest as little as $5.

Why should I invest?

Whether or not you are saving up for something, investing allows you to squeeze the most out of your money. Investing doesn’t require much knowledge or a huge time commitment. Plus, a bunch of these apps make it easy for anyone can start investing.

What can I trade on these apps?

There are many trading options, depending on what app you choose. Robo-advisors like Betterment only trade ETFs, while live trading apps like Robinhood allow you to buy and sell stocks in seconds.

Communication Federal Credit Union $222 Checking Bonus – Not worth the Hard Inquiry

Communication Federal Credit Union (CFCU) is offering members a bonus of $222 when they sign up for their first PayMe Checking account or Performance checking account. These are both free accounts that can be opened online. You’ll need to set up direct deposit and use your debit card to earn the bonus, but it’s relatively low effort and and easy bonus to earn.

The CFCU Personal Checking promotion requires you to set up direct deposits and make purchases using the account’s card in order to earn the $222 bonus.

We do not recommend this bank if you are planning on taking out a new line of credit such as a mortgage or credit card in the near future. Communications Federal does a hard pull and this can stay on your credit report for two years. I opened up an account for this $222 over the weekend and got an instant notification from Credit Karma stating a hard pull was done by CFCU. I was shocked that a credit union checking account that I used a credit card to find would do this. Credit Karma actually thought I had three mortgage inquiries by opening up this ONE account. Absurd.

There are so many better offers out there you can trust such as SOFI with a lower bonus of $100 and more bonuses here.

If you do wish to go ahead with the $222 bonus then read below for the steps to take so you do not do something wrong in the application process.

Full requirements to receive this bonus are:

  1. Become a member of Communication Federal Credit Union.
  2. Open your first PayMe Checking or Performance Checking account with promo code “222”.
  3. Within the first 90 days, receive direct deposits totaling $2,222.
  4. Within the same 90 days, make 22 debit card purchases of at least $2 and enroll in eStatements.
  5. Bonus paid to Primary Share within 90 days of requirements being met.

Deal at a Glance:

  • Bonus amount: $222
  • Availability: Oklahoma & Kansas
  • Direct deposit required: Yes, $2,222+ within 90 days
  • Additional requirements: See below
  • Hard/soft pull: HARD PULL VERIFIED.
  • ChexSystems: Unknown
  • Credit card funding: Can fund each account up to $500 (Visa & Mastercard). Might be able to fund more
  • Monthly fees: None
  • Early account termination fee: Unknown
  • Household limit: None listed
  • Expiration date: April 30, 2022

Get $70 in Bonuses With Invstr App ($30 BTC + $40 Bonus)

The Offer

Direct Link to offer

  • Swagbucks is offering 4,000 SB (worth $40) when you sign up for the Invstr banking and investing app and deposit $5.
  • Invstr also offers new users $30 worth of bitcoin when you fund a new account with $100 or more.

Swagbucks.com is offering a $40 Amazon Gift Card + $30 in Bitcoin for Free with the Invstr app. Follow the instructions below.

Directions

  • Click the link to Sign Up for Swagbucks and claim deal
    • Returning users login first, then click the link to claim deal
    • New users: You will need a mobile to verify your account.
    • New users: Check email to verify and create a password for Swagbucks
  • Install Invstr via download link by Email, SMS, or QR code
  • Deposit $5 or more in your Invstr+ account to receive the $40 Bonus
  •  Get Free $30 Bitcoin if you Deposit $100 or more within first 5 days of opening account
  • Get 4,000 SB within 32 days
  • Redeem your 4,000 SB for $40 worth of Amazon or PayPal gift cards
    • Note: This offer is only available to new Invstr customers.

About Swagbucks

Swagbucks is an online rewards program that allows members to earn gift cards and cash back through their online activities. So far, Swagbucks has already paid out over $664.3 million in cash and free gift cards. If you’re new to Swagbucks then please read our review. 

About Invstr

Invstr is a financial app similar to Robinhood and Sofi offering self-directed trading, digital banking, educational resources, and market analytics. The app is best for active traders looking to place commission-free investments in stocks, ETFs, crypto, and ADRs. You only need $5 to start investing, and you can purchase fractional shares of stocks and other investments.

Our Verdict

I’m not sure it’s worth opening a new financial account for $40, though with the $30 crypto bonus it gets more interesting. In any case, it’s a good deal for someone who is interested in trying out the app, one which I don’t know much about. Compare more investment bonuses here.

How To Make Everyday Purchases With Bitcoin Anywhere

Many think it’s impossible to actually use Bitcoin (BTC) on day-to-day purchases, but a lot has changed in the last few years.

Two years ago it was not so simple to go buy a cup of coffee using Bitcoin. My father asked me the other day if you could actually buy things with Bitcoin or Ethereum like you can with purchases using cash or a debit or credit card. It turns out things are changing to make this a thing. While it is still a foreign concept to many, there are plenty of ways to use Bitcoin on your day-to-day purchases.

Don’t miss out on these Crypto Bonuses for free BTC, ETH, and more.

Today’s advancements, like crypto cards and the lightning network, make it relatively easy to use Bitcoin for everyday activities. People could live their entire lives using nothing but Bitcoin if they wanted to. So, how do you make everyday purchases with Bitcoin?

Crypto Spending Facts:

  • Crypto debit cards allow you to spend your cryptocurrency at any location that accepts Visa or Mastercard by instantly converting crypto in your account to dollars.
  • There are a number of services that let you convert your Bitcoin into gift cards for purchases or even pay others Bitcoin to make purchases for you.
  • Some businesses accept Bitcoin directly without the need for cards or conversion to dollars.
  • If you don’t wish to use a card, there are many sites that let you find businesses that accept direct payments in Bitcoin in close proximity to you. 

Crypto Cards

Many services offer crypto debit cards where every purchase converts crypto you hold with the platform to dollars for purchases. This allows you to effectively spend your crypto at any location that accepts Mastercard or Visa. 

Crypto cards are offered by almost every leading exchange including Coinbase, Gemini, BlockFi, Crypto.com, Nexo and more. The card serves as a middleman between your crypto account and the merchant. When you go to make a purchase, crypto in your account is converted to dollars, allowing you to make use of your crypto whether the store actually accepts crypto or not. 

Payment Services

There are also various services that allow you to use Bitcoin for payment in roundabout methods. Some of these involve first buying gift cards with Bitcoin that you can then use anywhere or paying others looking to earn Bitcoin to make a purchase in dollars for you.

Bitrefill:

Bitrefill is a service that lets you buy gift cards with your crypto with over 4,000 different retailers and businesses. This works with everything from DoorDash to Amazon. You can simply buy a gift card or refill an existing on with Bitcoin. The site also accepts lightning network payments.

There are a number of other digital gift card services that allow you to pay with cryptocurrency including Moon, Fold and CoinPayments.

Purse.io:

Purse.io is an Amazon-only system that works by matching those who wish to spend Bitcoin on something with those who are looking to earn Bitcoin. You select a product you want to buy and then send Bitcoin to a “purse” that acts as an escrow account. When the buyer has received the order the Bitcoin within the purse is released to the earner who bought the product with dollars. 

BTC accepted locations in the Chicago area.

Locating Businesses That Accept Bitcoin

Some Bitcoin users prefer to keep their Bitcoin in self custody and off of third-party platforms that may offer cards. If this is your preference, you’ll need your own wallet and to find store locations that will accept Bitcoin directly. Stores like this are rare, but it’s becoming increasingly common. Some of the top names include Microsoft, AT&T, AMC Theaters, and other names in entertainment and sports such as the Dallas Mavericks.

Coinmap: 

There are a number of sites that actually make this very easy. One site, called coinmap, lets you enter your address and see store locations that accept Bitcoin within close proximity. 

Spendabit:

Another site, spendabit.co, lets you enter in any product you are looking for, from coffee mugs to sweatpants. The site then shows you all of the merchants that are willing to accept Bitcoin in exchange for the product.

You can soon invest crypto in this 401k

Some employers may soon offer you the option to invest in bitcoin and other digital currencies through your 401k.

There is increasing discussion at financial service firms about how they could best provide a relatively safe crypto option in 401ks and other employer retirement plans. Fidelity Investments, one of the largest plan providers, is seeing growing interest in the idea. “We believe retirement investors increasingly view digital assets, and bitcoin in particular, as an investment worthy of consideration for long-term investing,” said Dave Gray, Fidelity’s head of workplace products and platforms.

It may be a long wait for most 401k plans but some are becoming more and more open to the idea. The Plan Sponsor Council of America recently asked its members if they were or are considering adding crypto to their menu of investment choices. Only about 2% said yes. “Plan sponsors are overwhelmingly not considering, and will not consider, cryptocurrency a prudent investment option in a retirement plan,” the organization said.

That question was asked soon after a blog post from an official at the US Department of Labor was published, warning fiduciaries “to exercise extreme caution” before adding a cryptocurrency option to their plans. The Labor Department oversees employer retirement plans to ensure they meet minimum standards of protection for plan participants set by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA.

At this early stage in the history of cryptocurrencies the Department of Labor has serious concerns about plans’ decisions to expose participants to direct investments in cryptocurrencies or related products, such as NFTs, coins, and crypto assets.

While the DOL did not explicitly ban plans from doing so, it said it will investigate any plans offering crypto or related products. “The plan fiduciaries … should expect to be questioned about how they can square their actions with their duties of prudence and loyalty in light of the risks described above.”
If your plan ever does offer crypto, which is an extremely volatile asset class, you might want to proceed with caution.

Taking risk, of course, is necessary to generate growth in your retirement savings over time. But you also need to make sure your nest egg is not so exposed to a high-risk asset that your hard earned savings are at risk of getting erased. The risk you take has to be balanced with your time horizon, your risk tolerance and a risk-return analysis of the assets you choose. With all of this on the table you also have to worry about the tax implications of crypto that may really complicate things with an IRA or 401k.

ForUsAll to Launch Crypto Investment Option

A small player in the 401k provider universe — ForUsAll — said it will be launching a cryptocurrency investment option for clients in the second quarter of this year. ForUsAll, which primarily services small- to mid-size employers, said over 120 of its 400 clients to date have signed up for the new option, which will be available to participants through a self-directed account on Coinbase.

While there is extreme volatility in cryptocurrencies and a risk of theft and loss in that space, ForUsAll believes the guardrails it is placing around its crypto option will comply with ERISA standards and allay the Labor Department’s concerns.

Participants may only invest 5% of their current 401k balance and 5% of their contributions going forward (as well as 5% of their employer matches) to their crypto account. Participants will get automatic notices whenever the value of their crypto investments exceed 5% of their total 401k portfolio. But it will be up to them to decide whether to relocate.

However, before opening an account, participants must go through ForUsAll’s educational materials about crypto investing and take an interactive quiz to demonstrate that they understand its risks and the importance of not taking excessive bets on crypto with their retirement savings.

Furthermore, they will only be able to select from a curated list of cryptocurrencies vetted by ForUsAll to ensure they are of institutional investing quality. There will be nothing overly speculative, such as meme coins like Doge or Shiba Inu.

Although it may be less hassle a crypto option may not be right for every employer plan. For employers that don’t have employees who are sufficiently sophisticated investors, this may not be appropriate.
But for those that do, ForUsAll believes its crypto option will provide individuals a safer way to invest in a space where institutions and finance professionals are already investing for both diversification and growth potential. It’s designed to be a lot easier to invest in cryptocurrencies prudently.