(Nearly) free points: rebates!

I used to do this a while ago but got lazy. I am now back on track! I buy items that are free (or nearly free) after rebates for the sake of earning the points. In this case it is a mixture of office supplies and software from Office Depot and Staples. I am earning 9 and 15 points per dollar spent respectively. And I get my money back!

I am now keeping track of deals like this so I can continue to rake in more. I have some future travel plans that I don't have enough points for. They require quite a lot for the two of us so I have to get everything I can. Even if plans change I won't be upset with having an abundance of points. They are just too valuable for premium cabin international travel.

These rebate deals usually occur once per month. I have built a spreadsheet to keep track so I know how I am doing overall. I just have to be careful with the paperwork since they look for any reason not to fulfill the rebates. It takes a little time but pays off in first class to Bangkok :)

Free Coffee for your birthday!

I just discovered by getting and registering gift cards from both Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks you get a free drink on your birthday. You also get a few coupons and other perks but I focus on the free stuff!

This is great since my birthday is not far away. I like coffee on the road and need it sometimes for long days at the office...like Mondays!

I already had a Dunkin card so I registered it. I got a $5 card from Starbuck (which I will eventually use on the road for work anyway) so I can cash in the free perk too.

Free is good!

When Hotels go Above and Beyond!

I travel a lot for work. I usually have to change hotels every night or maybe 2 days in one spot if my job sites are close enough. That is a lot of packing and unpacking! These days its the little things that hotels do that make me a repeat customer. Here are some examples:

• Free bottle of water at check-in. I have gotten this fairly often lately. It is great after working all day on the road to have some much needed water. I always take it!
• Free dinner. Some hotels order pizza or have some sort of small buffet set up free of charge. This saves me per diem money and is convenient when I need to get work done.
• Free beer! One hotel has a snack cart that goes around and you can have whatever you want for free. Awesome!

As I spend more time on the road these things mean more to me.

Useful and Free: dropbox.com!

Dropbox is an application where you can automatically synchronize your files between computers (any mix of Mac and PC), mobile phones, and the web. It is a free service that provides 2 GB of space. You have the option to pay if you need more space.

http://www.dropbox.com

I love how seamless and easy it is. I just drop the file in my dropbox folder and it syncs to all locations. It is a great way to backup important files automatically and you will always have your more current changes everywhere. It takes out a lot of legwork.

Never be without an important file again!

AT&T Wireless Users: New A-list!

AT&T has finally caught up with the competition. You can add 5 phone numbers to the list for free unlimited calls. You can add 10 numbers if you are on a family plan. Individual plans must be $59.99 or more and family plans $89.99 or more. As an iPhone owner I am very happy to see this. It can be any number with any carrier.

It is very easy to set up and use. You log into your wireless account on AT&T's website and add the A-list feature (free). You can then add numbers to the list which will take 24 hours to activate. It can be changed at any time. Keep in mind that current AT&T wireless numbers are usually covered under the unlimited mobile-to-mobile feature. I personally added my Google Voice number so I can start giving it out and get calls for free!

This will be a good way to save most of my minutes and utilize Google Voice better. I plan to eventually change my official number over to Google Voice so I will always have the same number no matter what city, state, or country I am in since I can forward to anywhere. Just load my account with credit as needed and keep going!

Great Arby's Coupon!

I have found this coupon for Arby's online and have used it multiple times. You get a free RoastBurger sandwich of your choice with any drink purchase. Total cost is $1.59 plus local sales tax and is a good deal. The sandwiches are pretty good!

The coupon expires on July 16, 2009 but seems to keep changing expiration dates every few days. I am not sure how long this will last so get it while you can!

On a side note they also currently have freebie Wednesdays where they offer some sort of free item with purchase (usually a drink) and it changes every Wednesday. This is a great way to have a quick cheap eat on the go. For example, this week's freebie is a regular roast beef with drink purchase.

Enjoy!