Want to get more out of recommended without the guesswork? Below we walk through the essentials in plain language, with practical steps you can use right away.
Key Takeaways
- Full disclaimer: some of the companies and services on this page offer compensation for referrals.
- Signing up through one of those links provides this blog credit for your business.
- Running this website is, unfortunately, not free, and your support is greatly appreciated.
- Worth noting: it’s a bit of a win-win, since numerous of the links below include special deals and pricing for readers of this site.
Is Recommended Worth It?
I promise to only recommend services on this site that I have either personally used myself or would feel comfortable recommending to my own mother. 🙂 If the company does happen to offer referral compensation, an has been included. But if you pick not to apply my links, don’t worry, that’s cool too. The Money Wizard’s (still growing) Tool Box: Vanguard: My preferred method of investing my after tax dollars is into Vanguard Index Funds.
- Don’t just take my word for it, Vanguard index funds are also recommended by THE investor himself, Mr.
- Warren Buffet, as the single best investment strategy for casual investors.
- More importantly, set it and forget it here, and you’ll outperform nearly all professional money managers.
- Yes, investing genuinely can be that straightforward.
Where the Real Savings Hide
Personal Capital: I hate logging into a million accounts track changes to my net worth, and personal capital solves this problem by providing up to the minute details of all your accounts, in one place. Personal Capital is my favorite tool for fast tracking my spending and net worth.
- Remember that plus: Their budget tracker also automatically records all of your spending Their portfolio analyzer double checks my investment decisions And their fee analyzer makes sure I’m not getting ripped off.
- Did I mention it’s all FREE Ebates: Same as above, but with different payouts for different vendors.
- On average, I find Mr.
- Rebates pays greater, but it is worth cross checking the two sites to be sure you’re maximizing your rewards. through my link and get a free $10 gift card.
A Closer Look at Recommended
As a rule, credit Sesame: I can’t imagine anything quite as financially devastating as getting your ID stolen. Or equally annoying, having an inaccurate credit report that costs you thousands on any loan or mortgage you receive.
- Thankfully, Credit Sesame is an awesome service that assists you monitor your credit report for suspicious activity, for free. SoFi: SoFi, short for Social Finance, is a completely legit company changing the game of student loans.
- SoFi offers refinancing of student loans, with a recent study showing the average user saved nearly $19,000 by refinancing with the company.
- In short, pretty exciting stuff, and my own brother and sister in law will be the next two users.
- Money Wizards signing up through this page get $100 free.
What to Know About Recommended
Read my full review here. LendEdu: LendEdu is an awesome website that allows you to compare your student loan refinancing rates throughout all of the nation’s top lenders, including SoFi.
- Worth noting: all you have to do is answer a few straightforward questions, and it’s completely free.
- If you’re tired of student loans, it’s definitely worth the 5 minutes. My full review here.
- Rebates: I’ll be honest, when I first saw this website and it’s 1990s era site design, I thought for sure this was scam city.
- Several successful cashouts later, and I’m here to confirm that Mr.
How Recommended Really Works
More importantly, rebates is the real deal. If you do any amount of shopping online, you should be applying Mr.
- Rebates to earn free cash back on all your purchases.
- Rebates gets a commission for referring you to several reputable online sellers, and then shares a portion of that commission with you.
- Remember that these aren’t unheard of vendors either, we’re talking 1-10% cash back at eBay, Groupon, Target, Best Purchase, Bed Bath & Beyond, nearly each Hotel chain, rental car company, and hundreds of others.
- You’ll get a free $7.50 after your first purchase by signing up through my link: Amazon.com: Who doesn’t love amazon?
Getting the Most From Recommended
The time savings and skipped gas money can make Amazon a pretty frugal shopping choice. If you’re already planning on purchasing something, beginning your shopping session through my links will send a few pennies towards this site.
- As a rule, thanks for the support!
- Audible: Audible has been my latest addiction.
- I love how Audiobooks can completely transform a waste of time into a learning/self-improvement experience.
- You’ll find me listening to audiobooks while driving to work, flying on a plane, at the gym, or cleaning up near the house. Amazon is giving away two free audiobooks just for beginning a free trail of their new service.
Tips That Make a Difference
In short, website/Blog Recommendations Siteground: This site began it’s life hosted on a shared hosting package at Bluehost.com. Most bloggers still recommend Bluehost (no doubt since Bluehost offers some of the highest affiliate payments in the industry…) Though, I don’t believe in selling out my readers for a few bucks.
- My own experience with Bluehost was less than stellar, and I’m not alone there.
- I’ve since met several tech gurus who all agree - SiteGround is the best low cost web host.
- Worth noting: if I were beginning a site right now, I’d definitely go with SiteGround.
- Genesis/StudioPress: This site runs on the Genesis framework with the Metro Pro child theme.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I save money on recommended?
Compare prices across a few retailers, look for active coupon codes, and time bigger buys around sales events. But if you pick not to apply my links, don’t worry, that’s cool too. The Money Wizard’s (still growing) Tool Box: Vanguard: My preferred method of investing my after tax dollars is into Vanguard Index Funds.
Is it worth shopping around for recommended?
Usually yes. Don’t just take my word for it, Vanguard index funds are also recommended by THE investor himself, Mr.
What should I check before buying?
Read the terms, confirm any code still works, and factor in shipping or returns. Warren Buffet, as the single best investment strategy for casual investors.
Smart Ways to Save More on Recommended
- Sign up for the retailer newsletter to catch first time and seasonal discounts.
- Compare the final price including shipping, not just the headline number.
- Check for student, military, or first order offers you may qualify for.
- Time non urgent purchases around major sale events for the deepest cuts.
- Leave items in your cart for a day; some stores send a follow up discount.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line on recommended: a little research goes a long way. Compare your options, watch for seasonal offers, and never pay full price when a better deal is a click away.
Originally published at mymoneywizard.com.
