Here’s How I Saved Some Cash This Week
Are you guilty, like me, of ignoring your to-do list? I hate packing, so I usually keep procrastinating it. But this time, it gave me a chance to focus on some small financial tasks I had been avoiding. And guess what? I managed to save nearly $100 for just two hours of effort!
Firstly, I decided to cancel my Chase Sapphire card which I used for my Hawaii trip. Surprisingly, the cancellation was smooth and quick – a five-minute win! A check on Credit Karma showed that despite opening and closing several accounts for the trip, my credit score was still in great shape.
Next, I had a less-than-perfect experience with SpotHero, an app that helps find cheap parking spaces. My recent city visit for a show was a bit of a letdown since the parking attendant refused to acknowledge my reservation due to the lot being full. My email contact with the company didn’t have a response, but a direct call saved me $26 as they fully refunded my reservation cost.
Remember that time when I goofed up and tried to pay my Chase credit card with the wrong bank account? I wrote to them about the fee occurred by this mistake, and they graciously waived it off, saving me another $25. TD Bank surprised me too by crediting my account with the $35 overdraft fee.
That brings my total savings to $86: a feel-good start to my new year!
The most exciting part? I landed a windfall due to a lawsuit against Peggybank, a video transferring company. It’s a lucky day for those of us who kept the paperwork proving how much the company cost us. If things go well, I might get $65.89 back, although I’m not holding out hope for a refund on my original $29 Groupon.
Unfortunately, Groupon hasn’t been helpful in resolving this issue, arguing that the unused voucher can serve as credit. Despite the Peggybank fiasco, they are refusing to refund my $29. They’ve lost a customer in me, but there are other deal sites out there.
I’ve sent in all the Peggybank paperwork already and can’t wait for some closure on that debacle this summer.
Lastly, to shake things up a bit, I decided to join Swagbucks and downloaded BevRAGE, an app that provides discounts on alcoholic beverages. With a bit of luck, these might help me save a few more dollars!
So that’s it! I’m sharing my experience to inspire others to see how little tasks (and bad experiences) can lead to surprising savings.