Comments on: Are You Earning Your Bargaineering Bucks?

By: dmeanea

dmeanea — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:29:21 +0000

Actually, just putting your username in the search box may return pages on which you did NOT comment, but where your username was in the “New Comments” sidebox when the page was indexed by the search engine. If you’re a frequent commenter, this might muddy your search results.

So, to get a list of only the pages containing your comments, enter “mikestreb says” (WITH the quotes) in the search box. And keep in mind that it’s a google search, so any of the google search tricks should work.

By: centsandthecity

centsandthecity — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:52:00 +0000

Well, after an absolutely HORRIBLE experience with ING on Saturday, I will be bowing out of the bidding wars. I wouldn’t feel right referring anyone to ING after receiving abysmal customer service. I was deleted from my joint account because I failed a set of security questions – none of which belonged to me. I just checked my credit reports, so I know there isn’t anything suspicious there. I have a very common name though, and from some google searches it turns out they use a 3rd party ID verification system outside of the credit report. I was told – as I was in the midst of a panic attack from the shock of being banned for life from ING – that it “wasn’t a big deal” and that I should “just go bank elsewhere.”

By: aua868s

aua868s — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:43:56 +0000

looks like I was not the only one wondering about ‘Rusty’….ha ha

By: Soccer9040

Soccer9040 — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:15:25 +0000

Yes they have an ending date, but the program comes and goes. This isnt the 1st time they have offered this promotion.

By: mikestreb

mikestreb — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:13:32 +0000

How the hell does ‘Rusty’ earn 150 bucks in the last week by only having one post? seems to me like the most he should have is 8 bucks…

By: zapeta

zapeta — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:27:18 +0000

I agree…I wouldn’t have bought the whitestrips but it worked out well for you. As far as I’m concerned the price for each referral isn’t a big deal because I’m essentially getting free money. I’d be commenting either way so its nice to occasionally get something for it.

I was pretty ticked off to see that one of my ING referrals got reversed last week. I don’t know why that happens but its quite irritating.

By: zapeta

zapeta — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:23:09 +0000

Yeah, I think everyone checks out balances before they bid. Since you can see who has bid on an auction its easy to see who is interested in an auction and I usually go check to see how much they’ve got. If it’s a lot more than me I sometimes skip bidding entirely.

By: saladdin

saladdin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:53:09 +0000

My opinion would be that the Ohio referral plan would blow the ING out of the water. I earn $10 for an ING and the Ohio is $50 I think. The only thing that hurts is that the Ohio has an ending date.

saladdin

By: saladdin

saladdin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:48:53 +0000

I do look at balances to help me bid. Not so much now because my balance is shrinking. But In the beginning I messed up on the 3 pack deal and still am kicking myself. I thought the system would auto-update my max bid but it did not.

I don’t really think it matters honestly. If it’s worth all your BB’s then bid it. If I have more, just in real life, I’ll win.

I think a valid arguement can be made that knowing the balances makes the BB Store an efficient market.

saladdin

By: Jim

Jim — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:22:11 +0000

Not really, whether or not he knew you had 70, if he was willing to pay 71 then he’d bid as much as 71 and he’d win, regardless of your balance. This also only assumes two bidders.

By: daemondust

daemondust — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:43:58 +0000

I wonder how much demand there would be for that. I think a lot of why the ING referrals are working out so well here is because of Google. Searching for “ING Direct referral code” yields a link to here on the first page.

By: mikestreb

mikestreb — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:33:20 +0000

Jim, you need to review Ohio’s 529 plan. It would be another great referral page. Do it soon, because the current referral program is over on 12/15/09.

By: daemondust

daemondust — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:32:03 +0000

Is anyone else a little weirded out about being able to see your bidding competition’s “bank balance”? Saladdin can see that my balance is currently 70ßß, that is 326ßß lower than (I assume) his. That gives him a pretty big advantage in his bidding strategy, knowing that if he wanted he could bid 71ßß and definitely win, or if I bid 70ßß and win it would wipe me out for future auctions (for a week or two, given my current pace).

By: daemondust

daemondust — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:26:06 +0000

You’d by the strips yourself if you didn’t win them, so it works for you. I wouldn’t, so it’s in my interest to bid on the ING referrals instead.

The most I spent on a referral was in the low 20′s. So, while my exchange rate isn’t quite as good as yours, but considering it costs me essentially nothing to post, isn’t bad either.

I’m well aware of the tax implications. $7.50 isn’t as good as $10, but it’s a whole lot better than $0.

I’m hoping the deflation hits soon and my ßß are worth something again.

By: mikestreb

mikestreb — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:11:13 +0000

I made out with the Crest White Strips! Much better deal than the ING referrals!!

I won the WhiteStrips for 31 bb – and they cost $35 at walmart ($28 on Amazon). I am looking at an almost dollar for dollar bb to USD conversion!

All of you silly people buying ING referrals are spending on average 38 bb (based on the ‘Recently Ended Actions of between 33-41 bb) for a referral that earns you $10. Don’t forget that ING will 1099 you for the $10 that you earned, so you have to factor in Uncle Sam’s cut. Lets say you make between $33,950 and $82,250 (lets face it, you are able to sock away some cash into ING, so you are making some cash) then your marginal tax rate is 25%, which means that the $10 you earned, the IRS is taking $2.50 leaving you with just $7.50. You are spending over 5 bb to earn $1 USD. haha Suckers!

I’m just kidding. I got real lucky. I was going to buy the whitestrips anyways to prepare for my wedding in a month and a half. It just turned out to be great timing! Thanks Jim.