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What is your "Free Gift" threshold?
02-24-2010, 02:44 PM
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#1
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 739
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What is your "Free Gift" threshold?
I was given a certificate to mail in to get a $10 gift card at a place of my choice (Barnes and Noble, Amazon, etc). I chose to toss it out and the wife asked why.
I explained that getting out an envelope, pen, paper, spending time writing address, purchase info, doing the envelope and stamp, then posting it, was to much effort for $10.
What is your threshold, and BTW, any tips on where the freebies are these days?
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02-24-2010, 02:45 PM
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#2
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: North Oregon Coast
Posts: 16,483
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I would have done that for $10. And if it's not something I'm interested in, if it were transferable I'd give it to a friend who could use it and they could jump through the hoops.
__________________
"Hey, for every ten dollars, that's another hour that I have to be in the work place. That's an hour of my life. And my life is a very finite thing. I have only 'x' number of hours left before I'm dead. So how do I want to use these hours of my life? Do I want to use them just spending it on more crap and more stuff, or do I want to start getting a handle on it and using my life more intelligently?" -- Joe Dominguez (1938 - 1997)
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02-24-2010, 03:11 PM
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#3
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Gone but not forgotten
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Sarasota,fl.
Posts: 11,447
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I 've done it for $3.00 . I bought Hasbro games for my SO's grand kids that had a $3.00 rebate . The rebate came and it was the monopoly guy on a $3.00 visa card .It was so cute I hated to use it . I often do surveys for $10.00 amazon gift cards .
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02-24-2010, 03:26 PM
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#4
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 739
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I think the $10 must have been my threshold cause I almost sent it in but if it were $15 for sure I would have.
But it really looked like about a 20 minute effort. Finding things, doing the writing and stuff. So I was a bit guilty to just toss away $10.
Next time. But $3? I hope that was a while ago.
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02-24-2010, 04:13 PM
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#5
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 12,566
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I still kneel down to pick up a penny off the floor. So, yes, a $10 debit card would be worth my time. I would even take the time to turn the card in at the bank for cash.
It's not like I'm being paid for my time off. When I'm home, I have to do plenty of tedious chores for no pay.
Moe, do you have to buy something at Amazon to be offered the survey where they pay you $10? I have never gotten that offer when I've been on the Amazon site.
Amethyst
__________________
If you understood everything I say, you'd be me ~ Miles Davis
'There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way.’ Christopher Morley.
Even a blind clock finds an acorn twice a day.
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02-24-2010, 04:14 PM
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#6
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,525
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Moemg
I often do surveys for $10.00 amazon gift cards .
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Do you mind sharing where you can do those surveys?
I do online survey through E-Rewards (I think that is their name) and very small amounts of money get credited and you can get different things. I am currently getting a subscription to Prevention magazine, which I enjoy reading, for free.
I definitely would have done the $10.00 certificate. I do coupons on a hit or miss basis. It feels good when I have a bunch of coupons and use them. It feels like free money.
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02-24-2010, 04:30 PM
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#7
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,323
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I, also, still pick up a penny in the street. For $10 I'd sing a little song with it while I mailed it in.
__________________
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02-24-2010, 04:56 PM
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#8
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Gone but not forgotten
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Sarasota,fl.
Posts: 11,447
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Amethyst
Moe, do you have to buy something at Amazon to be offered the survey where they pay you $10? I have never gotten that offer when I've been on the Amazon site.
Amethyst
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It is not through Amazon . It's not E rewards but something similar to that .It may be called E surveys . The surveys take around twenty minutes and they pay you with an Amazon gift card . If I think of the name of it I'll PM it to you .
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02-24-2010, 04:59 PM
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#9
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Gone but not forgotten
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Sarasota,fl.
Posts: 11,447
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It was Dec.2008 . Hey $3.00 is enough for lunch at Checkers !
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02-24-2010, 05:16 PM
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#10
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: East Nowhere, 43N Latitude, NY
Posts: 9,037
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zero
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...too much effort for $10.
What is your threshold, and BTW, any tips on where the freebies are these days?
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Threshold unknown to date.
I am a sucker for any kind of freebie, as long as I don't have to give out anything more than my address and my public (not private home) email.
For instance...
Mars (candy makers) did a free chocolate coupon giveaway a while back. All I had to do is register, login every Friday, and lo and behold, a coupon for $0.85 would arrive by snail mail. I did this for about 3 months. I really enjoyed paying $0.15 for a single package of M&Ms. It was so retro! They finally stopped the promotion.
There is a free website at www.heyitsfree.com that is pretty funny. [If I just violated a forum rule, please edit the link out] The webmaster is a real character.
__________________
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney
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02-24-2010, 06:03 PM
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#11
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hooverville
Posts: 22,983
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Moemg
It is not through Amazon . It's not E rewards but something similar to that .It may be called E surveys . The surveys take around twenty minutes and they pay you with an Amazon gift card . If I think of the name of it I'll PM it to you .
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Me too, please.
Ha
__________________
"As a general rule, the more dangerous or inappropriate a conversation, the more interesting it is."-Scott Adams
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02-24-2010, 06:05 PM
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#12
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hooverville
Posts: 22,983
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I used to but I decided that it is not worth the slightly increased risk of being mugged. I like to walk down the street with my eyes checking what is going on at the people level, not on the pavement.
Ha
__________________
"As a general rule, the more dangerous or inappropriate a conversation, the more interesting it is."-Scott Adams
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02-24-2010, 08:02 PM
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#13
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Independence
Posts: 7,271
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Quote:
Originally Posted by haha
I used to but I decided that it is not worth the slightly increased risk of being mugged. I like to walk down the street with my eyes checking what is going on at the people level, not on the pavement.
Ha
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I'd look.
The Money Floor (Alas, Only Pennies) - Neatorama
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02-24-2010, 08:25 PM
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#14
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 1,688
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It depends how much it takes to get the "free" or "discount" goods. More than a few minutes work for US$10 is not currently worth it to me given working hours etc
I expect my approach to change once I stop working - having no income should affect my perspective
__________________
Budgeting is a skill practised by people who are bad at politics.
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02-24-2010, 08:49 PM
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#15
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 739
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Quote:
Originally Posted by traineeinvestor
It depends how much it takes to get the "free" or "discount" goods. More than a few minutes work for US$10 is not currently worth it to me given working hours etc
I expect my approach to change once I stop working - having no income should affect my perspective
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"Discount" goods. Is Golden Computing still operating? I used to fly to HK, get a room at Chung King Mansions $16-20, hit Golden Computing for a few, "errr, ummm" disks and fly out feeling like I had scored bigtime. Maybe some antibiotics and a few other more exotic meds.
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02-24-2010, 09:40 PM
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#16
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Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Eastern WV Panhandle
Posts: 25,290
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zero
But it really looked like about a 20 minute effort. Finding things, doing the writing and stuff. So I was a bit guilty to just toss away $10.
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Lessee... $10 for 20 minutes is $30/hour, tax free.
Yup, I'd do it.
__________________
When I was a kid I wanted to be older. This is not what I expected.
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02-25-2010, 05:36 AM
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#17
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Pocono Mtns.
Posts: 899
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walt34
Lessee... $10 for 20 minutes is $30/hour, tax free.
Yup, I'd do it.
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How is that tax free?
Is that not required to be claimed on federal, state and local income tax returns?
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02-25-2010, 05:40 AM
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#18
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 898
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I wouldn't give my information to a marketer for $10.
__________________
Money's just something you need in case you don't die tomorrow.
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02-25-2010, 06:23 AM
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#19
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Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Eastern WV Panhandle
Posts: 25,290
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cantlogin
How is that tax free?
Is that not required to be claimed on federal, state and local income tax returns?
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Sure it's required. But does anyone actually remember to? Doing the tax return this year I included a source for $8.34, but only because we received the 1099DIV for it as a reminder. But the only way the store would be able to do that is to get my SS # and that ain't gonna happen.
Confession: I didn't report the free Coke from Jerry's Sub Shop as income either. Somehow I don't think the IRS cares.
__________________
When I was a kid I wanted to be older. This is not what I expected.
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02-25-2010, 07:24 AM
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#20
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 13,127
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I received a gift card from Staples for $10 off on purchased over $75. I could go and stock up on printer paper. My LBYM tells me to make a purchase, but my body tells me the idea of hauling all the paper isn't worth saving the $10
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