Bank of the West is offering $100.00 to open an account. The conditions are that you make either one Direct Deposit within 60 days or 10 online payments. I chose the 10 online payments. I finished my part of the deal at the beginning of the month. Bank of the West will deposit $100.00 into my account within 60 days of the completed transactions.

This is the second Bank Offer that I've participated in. I made $100.00 last year through Washington Mutual/Chase.  I then took the profit I made from that deal and rolled it over to use in opening an account with Bank of the West. I have another offer for Bank of America that I'll join within the next week.

I use my Quick Books program to keep track of our different bank accounts.  

This is an easy way to make some extra cash with a limited amount of time involved. It took me less than 30 minutes to open an account. I would have been using online banking with my other bank account anyway so the only extra time involved was setting up the bill pay.

Be sure to ask for a FREE CHECKING account. They charge for their checks so I asked for 10 over the counter checks. You'll mainly want to use this account to pay bills online and not for writing checks. The bank doesn't like to print out too many checks and may charge you. Fortunately, the man who opened our account told me that I could ask for free over the counter checks when I needed them.

I'm not sure how long this offer will last so if you're interested you might want to jump on it. You'll see the offer listed on their home page.

Bank of the West

Did you receive a flyer in your mailbox for a free $20.00 gas card? Our local AAA is offering this freebie with an auto insurance quote. My husband took the flyer to our local office. The quote took about 10 minutes. No pressure was felt from the saleswoman to change insurance companies. He walked out with 2 - $10.00 gas cards to use at Chevron.

Our current insurance company still offers the best deal but AAA gave my husband some recommendations to lower even that bill.

I used to throw these types of offers in the trash but I'm learning to take notice. So call your local branch and see if they are making this offer available. Twenty dollars for 10 minutes worth of time is pretty decent wages.

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I also watch for 'BANK OFFERS' that come through the mail. I've made $200.00 so far in bank offers and I have another $100.00 offer we'll use soon.

Normally you are asked to open a bank account with a certain amount of cash. Sometimes you'll be asked to make online bill payments or a certain number of deposits. Once I fulfill the requirements from the one bank I will withdraw the money I made and use it on the next offer. Be sure that the bank account you open does not have a minimum balance requirement. You want free checking.

These are small ways to make money but well worth the minimal time investment.

Pinching pennies, tightwad, frugal zealot..depending on the generation you were born in these terms can bring up endearing or negative images! To me.. they are more than a description they are a 'means to an end'!

So what is the end? Currently, that 'end' falls under two categories.. Working at Home & Savings

 Working at Home:  I've shared on my other blog a little about our financial 'adventure' the past 3 years. If you are interested you can read here. When our business failed I immediately assumed that I needed to find a job. I worked part time at a local bible bookstore. Although I enjoyed much about the job I did not like being out of my home nor did my husband. Home has been the 'center' of my duties over the past 35 years. Even when I ran a book business it was on our property. Through FRUGALITY, THRIFTINESS and LIVING WITHIN OUR MEANS (and God's GRACE)  I am able to work from my home by babysitting 3 days a week. It's a perfect fit for our family for this season of life!

 Savings:  We have an emergency fund but I'm now working on a separate savings.  This savings will allow my husband to work shorter days and hopefully take a day off now and then when he is in pain. This is a new plan of mine which will only happen if I tighten my financial belt even tighter. I'll be refining our food budget. My goal is to spend $60.00 a week for 2 people. That should allow me to save $180.00 a month. The 'end' will hopefully be some much needed rest for my husband.

I see a lot of what I do in my home as a trade-off. Some of the things I do to save money are not 'pleasant' but frankly working outside my home was a lot LESS pleasant! So, it's a good trade off.  I'm oftentimes met with a raised eyebrow when I share some of the seemingly drastic ways I am cutting our expenses. It's fine! Really!  It's not a law that everyone has to do what I'm doing to save money. I'm just so thankful that God is showing me a way to stay in my home. We're taking it a day at a time but I'm very thankful that I am home for now!