MyCardBlog

PNC Bank is offering $150 sing up bonus for celebrating its first branch entering the New York City. (WE has seen similar promotion from WaMu before.) Usually, PNC bank (and National City Bank) is offering $75 bonus. This $150 bonus is twice of what we typically can get. Since this promotion is available at the new branch only, there is no online account opening options. This address of this new PNC branch is located at 340 Madison Street between 43rd and 44th Street. Of course, direct deposit is required to get the bonus.

There are 3 checking accounts that are eligible to get the bonus: Free Checking, Performance Checking and Performance Select Checking.

Branch Location and Hours:
PNC Bank Madison Branch
340 Madison Avenue
Telephone: 212-661-1064
Hours: Monday – Friday: 7am-7pm

Attached is a scanned flyer of this promotion.

Microsoft via Digital River has the Windows 7 home premium and Windows 7 professional for sale at $29.99. This is a download version, if you want to order a CD you have to pay $13 more. This promotion is aimed to students only. You must have to have a valid edu email address to purchase Windows 7 products. Obviously, this is a great deal if you are using Windows Vista and want to switch to the new Windows 7 operation system. Normal price for a Windows 7 home premium would be $119.99!

YOU have to enter your school address ended with edu to star the purchase. After submit your email address, a link to place the order will be provided and you have to click the link to make the purchase.

Here are some instructions after enter your email address:

To Purchase:

1. Check your email inbox.
2. Click on the link in the email to access to the store.
3. Purchase your license/product key.
4. IMPORTANT! Hold on to your confirmation email. You will need this if you need to restart the installation process.
5. Checkout and download Windows 7!

If you do not receive the email:

1. Check your junk or spam folder.
2. Add “studentwindows.us@digitalriver.com” to your email contacts list or whitelist.
3. Request your university IT department add “studentwindows.us@digitalriver.com” to their email whitelist.
4. Click here to resend your password.
5. If the above actions do not work, contact Customer Service.

This promotion ends on Jan 3rd, 2010.

Although credit card market is still not in a good shape, Chase seems to be the only one credit card issuer that keeps introducing more and more credit card products into the market. Other than the Chase Sapphire Card that I mentioned few months ago, Chase also brought the Chase Slate Credit Card. Unlike the Chase Sapphire Card, the Chase Slate Card does not provide any sign up bonus. One obvious benefit of this Chase Slate Card is the 0% Intro APR and $0 annual fee. All other credit card features are similar to Chase credit card products. It is said that this Chase Slate Card is introduced to replace the previous Chase Platinum Card.

There is one, however, new feature that Chase launched together with this Chase Slate Card-the Chase BluePrint. Chase BluePrint is a unique feature that unveiled by Chase recently to manage your finances on your terms. With Chase BluePrint, Chase credit cardholders are offered versatile flexibility and customization for their existing Chase credit card accounts. After enrollment in the BluePrint program, cardholders can select special financing terms for individual purchases.

There are 4 points listed by Chase about the Chase BluePrint:

Full Pay: With Full Pay, the Chase credit cardholder can choose one or more of 14 categories of purchases for which the credit card issuer will waive the interest on the interval between the date of purchase and the billing due date, even if you don’t pay it off at the end of the month. (Most credit cards have this feature.)

Split It: If the Chase credit cardholders want to put a larger purchase on his/her credit card, he can set up a payment schedule much like an installment loan, based either on how long he wishes to take to pay it off or how much he wishes to pay per month.

Finish It: Chase offers a unique way to cardholders to pay off the credit card balances. Cardholders and Chase can work out a plan to pay off the balance gradually.

Track It: This feature allow the cardholder to track expenditures and payments conveniently. (Not new to me.)

Only the Chase Sapphire Card, Chase Freedom Card, Chase Slate Card, Chase Ink Card and Chase Platinum Card have this feature.

More information about the new Chase Slate Card and Chase BluePrint program can be found at Chase.com.

Chase is the only bank that consistently offers $100 sign up bonus for its new customers all year round. Like I mentioned in other posts, you can always get a $100 chase coupon for opening a new checking account with direct deposit at USPS stores (moving kit). Today Izzi told me that, actually, we can get a $100 coupon online from Chase. This coupon is also offering debit card purchases as the requirement to get the $100 bonus.

Here is how to get a $100 Chase coupon:

• Go to https://coupon.chaseinformation.com/
• Enter your email address and click “GET YOUR COUPON”
• The coupon will be delivered to your email instantly

This offer expired on October 16, 2009.

How to get the $100 bonus?

1. Print out the coupon that we e-mail you.
2. Take it to a Chase branch near you.
3. Open your new Chase Checking^SM account and set up direct deposit or make five debit card purchases.

California residents can also get $100 bonus from WaMu through this link: http://reward.wamu.com/AspxFiles/D_Offer.aspx?Offer=3596790

For those who do not like Chase, Bank of America is also offering $100 bonus. Read more…

Today I received an email from Mint.com which I have been using for more than 2 years now that Mint.com to be acquired by Intuit, maker of Quicken. This email was sent out by the CEO of Mint.com, Aron Patzer, tilted as “Ready for the next Evolution”.

This is the content:

Thank you for being a part of what’s becoming a revolution in active personal financial management. I’m excited to say that Mint.com and Intuit are coming together to take personal finance to the next level. Mint.com has entered into an agreement to be purchased by Intuit. Once the acquisition closes, Mint.com will have the opportunity to spread that revolution to more people, more quickly, together with one of the world’s strongest software brands. The acquisition is expected to close by the end of 2009.

What’s not going to change

Mint.com will stay the way you like it: free, easy-to-use and constantly improving.

What will change

As outlined in today’s press release and my blog post, after the acquisition closes, the Mint.com team will contribute to improving the financial lives of tens of millions of consumers and small businesses. I’ll personally be taking on the role of GM of Intuit’s Personal Finance group responsible for online, desktop and mobile consumer personal finance offerings. Joining Intuit enables us to bring our vision of helping consumers understand and do more with their money to millions of Intuit customers.  This is a compelling combination of our innovative product, technology, and industry leading user interface design with one of the most trusted brands in software.
I look forward to executing on that vision — for you.<
Thanks for your support,
Aaron Patzer
Founder and CEO

As far as I know Intuit paid Mint.com for $170 million! Intuit is the NO. 1 maker of personal finance softwares like Quicken, QuickBooks, and TurboTax. As more and more customers are switching their service from desktop to internet, this move will also make the Intuit to take the NO. 1 place in the internet-based personal finance provider. Mint.com claims to have ~1.5 million users tracking nearly $50 billion in assets and $200 billion in transactions.

Bank of America is offering $100 bonus to new customers for opening a new MyAccess Checking Account. This is the latest checking account bonus from Bank of America which is $25 more than I posted two months ago. The promotion page can be found at the bank of america website.

How to get the $100 bonus?

• This offer is available only to new customers who open a qualifying personal checking account with a minimum balance of $500
• The new checking account must be open for at least 30 days
• You must make a minimum of one transaction with the newly assigned check card

The MyAccess Checking Account features no monthly maintenance fee (when opened online). You must use the code: AOU260909 when you open the new account.

Fine print:

To take advantage of this offer, you must use the Offer Code provided to open your qualifying new Bank of America personal checking account by 11/30/09. Bank of America may terminate the offer before this date. This offer is available only to new customers who open a new qualifying personal checking account. The new customer will receive the incentive upon verification of qualification in the incentive programs. We will deposit the $100 incentive directly into your new checking account within 90 days of its opening; if unable to do so, a check will be issued. The new customer is not eligible for this offer if they were a signer on a Bank of America checking account that was closed within the last three months.

HSBC Direct Online Savings Account owners now have a chance to get $50 bonus for using your HSBC Debit MasterCard. This is a good time to open a new online payment account (in order to use your debit card) and use your debit card to get $50 free money. Following is the rule:

• Promotion page is here at HSBC Direct.
• Open a new online payment account (checking).
• Make 3 debit card transactions to get $50 bonus.

Important notices are highlighted in the fine print:

To earn a bonus, you must open an Online Payment Account by September 30, 2009, and make three debit card purchases with your HSBC Debit MasterCard^® with PayPass^TM by October 31, 2009. ATM transactions and cash withdrawals do not qualify. Bonus will be deposited into your Online Payment Account by December 31, 2009. Account adjustment transactions/returns are not considered eligible for this offer. Transactions from unauthorized card use or made with lost, fraudulent HSBC Debit MasterCard with PayPass cards are void. To be eligible you must have been an existing HSBC Direct Online Savings Account customer as of September 8, 2009. Limit one bonus per household. The $50 bonus will be reported on IRS Form 1099.

Good luck to get the $50 bonus from HSBC!

WaMu (currently Chase) is offering $100 sign up bonus for opening a new checking account and make necessary banking activities in selected states. The promotion page can be found at http://reward.wamu.com/AspxFiles/D_Offer.aspx?Offer=3596790. This is a great time for new customers currently are not banking with WaMu. The required banking activities are very simple: direct deposit or debit card transactions.

Here is how to get it:

• Open a new WaMu free checking account at above promotion page.
• Setup direct deposit to the new checking account or make 5 $10 debit card transactions.
• Wait for the $100 bonus deposited to your account.

Fine print:

Offer valid 9/8/09 – 10/16/09. To qualify for the reward, you must open a new checking account with a $100 minimum opening deposit of new money (money not currently held by this bank). Also, within 60 calendar days of account opening, you must initiate a monthly direct deposit which includes payroll, pension, Social Security or other government benefits or have at least five debit card purchases (using your PIN or signature) posted to your account. The reward will be deposited into your new account within 2 weeks after the initial direct deposit or the five debit card purchases have posted to your account. Limit one personal checking account-related reward/premium per customer, per calendar year. Offer not available on account conversions or in combination with any other offer. Reward is not considered part of the minimum opening balance. Account is subject to approval. Offer limited to one per household. Employees of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and our affiliates are not eligible. Reward is considered interest and will be reported on IRS Form 1099-INT.

The promotion period is 09/08-10/16. And people in the following states are not eligible: NC, AR, CT, IL, DE, FL, IA, IN, LA, MD, MO, NE, NJ, NY, TX, PA, VA, WA, WI Read more…