Free $150 from Fidelity

[sengsational]

Well, it takes about 5 min, but try this instead. Pull out 15 $20 bills from your wallet and throw them in the fireplace. If you don't feel regret, then you didn't need to bother with this offer.

I think your model lacks all of the details I'm considering.

What if there were 15 banks that each offered $10 to open an account that required a deposit of $3.33? This is equivalent to the Fidelity offer from a dollars and cents standpoint, but I doubt we'd all rush out to open those 15 accounts. I conclude that your model is lacking in something, based on this observation. I think the "something" is the overhead associated with having another account to keep track of.

I suppose I could open it, collect the $150, and later close the account if my prediction that I wouldn't use the account came true.

 

[Aerides]

I suppose I could open it, collect the $150, and later close the account if my prediction that I wouldn't use the account came true.

That's exactly what I plan to do. 2 minutes to open, 2 to close, well worth the effort for $150 (and same for DH).

 

[Amethyst]

I already have a Fidelity account. Opened the new account, no problem. Then I wanted to link my bank to deposit the $50. Problem. Never before have I had to enter anything except the routing and account numbers. However, now "Your bank wants you to enter the challenge questions you agreed on previously."
I don't have any record of having agreed on any challenge questions with a financial institution to which I've belonged since 1981....
I figure I have a few days to straighten this out. But it's starting to be too much work for the pay....

 

[Fermion]

Fidelity didn't have the Plaid thing with your bank? With mine it was instant.

But for this deal, since we already had a joint account at Fidel, I just xfer'd $50 to each of our individual accounts...literally took 5 min total to make $300.

 

[Amethyst]

I was able to set up Plaid with a different bank account, that I don't use very much.

Fidelity didn't have the Plaid thing with your bank? With mine it was instant.

But for this deal, since we already had a joint account at Fidel, I just xfer'd $50 to each of our individual accounts...literally took 5 min total to make $300.

 

[Amethyst]

Yep, just passed on the info to someone and got that exact response. This person is a hard worker, too. Just very suspicious of electronic transfers, and of banks in general.

I have a couple of friends who could really use an extra $150. I'm going to try a little experiment, and tell them about it, to see if they jump on it or not. I have a gut feeling that they won't...probably "too much trouble"

 

[Dreamer]

Thanks Tennant. I just opened accounts for myself and DH.

 

[jollystomper]

I already have a Fidelity account. Opened the new account, no problem. Then I wanted to link my bank to deposit the $50. Problem. Never before have I had to enter anything except the routing and account numbers. However, now "Your bank wants you to enter the challenge questions you agreed on previously."
I don't have any record of having agreed on any challenge questions with a financial institution to which I've belonged since 1981....
I figure I have a few days to straighten this out. But it's starting to be too much work for the pay....

Interesting. I also have a Fidelity account, but when I initiated the transfer from a bank linked to my current accounts, I receiver a popup window along the lines of "this bank is already linked to these other accounts, do you want to link it to this one?" clicked yes, received "success" message, and transfer request was completed.

 

[Fermion]

This was an unusually good deal...keep em coming. Thanks.

 

[Sunset]

I appreciate OP finding this great offer.

I have tried repeatedly but fail to sign up as I get a webpage saying: "We couldn't verify your identity"

I unfroze my credit scores and a 1/2 hour later still get the same message !!!

 

[RetireAge50]

I wasn’t going to do it until I saw those 15 $20’s starting to burn. I already had a Fidelity HSA so went ahead and opened the Cash account and transferred the $50 from already linked bank. Done in under 5 minutes.

 

[sengsational]

You can close it in 90 days

Ok, I've done it. Peer pressure. Sigh.

 

[Aerides]

If you just did it for yourself, now go back and do it again for spouse, each kid/grandkid, etc.

Anyone happen to know if I can do it for my niece/nephew? Would make a nice little extra gift to them.

 

[Andre1969]

Anyone happen to know if I can do it for my niece/nephew? Would make a nice little extra gift to them.

As long as you have their full name, address, SSN, and date of birth, I'd think you should be able to do it. Although, I guess you'd need to either have access to their email, or at least set up a new email account to use for them. You'll also have to provide a cell phone, so they can send a 6-digit verification code, but you might be able to use your own number.

And, I'm presuming it would let you fund the initial $50, through your own bank account, even though it's for someone else?

 

[4legsgood]

Okay, did it too. I already had a roth with them, but opened another after confirming it's been more than a year since I grabbed similar offer. Roth because that is the best kind of money. I then set up a partial transfer in kind from my tda roth to add funds to the new account. I guess the transfer has to happen within a couple of weeks but that shouldn't be a problem.

 

[rodi]

Thanks for this. Both DH and I signed up.

 

[georgemoe]

DW and I added. Thank you!

 

[big-papa]

Helped daughter set up her very first investment account, pretty easy. Except that it wouldn't let her link a bank, claiming her account was "ineligible". Quick customer service help via chat revealed that they needed some additional ID info. Once that clears she'll be good to go!

 

[ITTN]

Two more say thanks.

 

[VanWinkle]

offer over now.....darn't

But I did find 100 bonus for 50 deposit at Fidelity.

 

[sengsational]

I called Fidelity and they said no changes will be made to the other accounts and I will continue to receive paper statements.

I haven't tried to change them back but Fidelity DID switch all my accounts to electronic.

 

[Al18]

Yup, Fidelity switched all my accounts to electronic also. I’ll wait 25 days to receive the $150 and then switch them back to paper.

 

[Fermion]

all you tree killers out there!

Seriously though...all I end up doing with paper copies is shredding them.

 

[mn54]

all you tree killers out there!
Seriously though...all I end up doing with paper copies is shredding them.

they do make a nice fire in the fireplace right about now.

 

[sengsational]

all you tree killers out there!

Seriously though...all I end up doing with paper copies is shredding them.

True. And my 20+ page statement is challenging my shredder. I had paper selected as a protest to Fidelity not offering a reasonable machine readable statement (a PDF is printable, not machine readable, and the CSV is not a complete statement).