Comments for Saving Freak

Comment on Switching to Swagbucks by Paul

Paul — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:35:01 +0000

This was actually something I questioned when I started this site. “How often should I inform people that I receive some benefit to them signing up for a service?” I consulted a few other webmasters (who have MANY more readers than I do) and the general consensus is that if you are asking someone to purchase something and you are receiving a commission for the sale you should disclose that you may be biased. In the case of services like swagbucks or cash duck where the person is not purchasing anything and the only benefit I get is a referral credit I do not feel I should have to say every single time that I gain some benefit.

The reasoning behind this is that these little boosts to my income pay for this site and for the time I spend researching these types of programs for my benefit and the benefit of all the readers.

As far as honesty I do not recommend programs that I do not use and am satisfied with myself. This site is all the ways that I save make and spend money on a regular basis. People are free to signup or not signup as they like.

And as for you insulting commission sales people I am disheartened at how cynical you are Kevin. Just so you understand, commission sales people make our economy work. When it all comes down to it nothing happens until somebody sells something; NOTHING! There would be no industry or anything without people who can sell. Have you ever gone into an electronics store with people who are only on hourly? It is an awful experience. I am not saying to buy into everything salespeople tell you but a little trust with the right person opens up a world of savings to you.

Comment on Switching to Swagbucks by Kevin

Kevin — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:05:38 +0000

I feel that many of your blog posts, such as this one, are deceptive. You fail to disclose that you receive referral points everytime one of your readers clicks that link and signs up. It is a conflict of interest to your advise and reporting. I don’t think anyone minds you making money, which is why people read your blog despite half the page being ads. But in the spirit of good, ethical reporting you should disclose that you are basically getting kickbacks by recommending this service (and cashduck).

Comment on Paycheck to Paycheck Budgetting by Carnival of Personal Finance 134: Building on the Basics

Carnival of Personal Finance 134: Building on the Basics — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:37:00 +0000

[...] Paul, a.k.a. Saving Freak shows us a great way to budget even if you’re living paycheck to paycheck: Paycheck to Paycheck Budgeting. [...]

Comment on Investing 101 — LA Times by Writer's Coin

Writer's Coin — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:56:50 +0000

Another great source for newcomers to start reading up on. Thanks!

Comment on Understanding Shopping Boards by Liz

Liz — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 07:18:54 +0000

Boards like this are definitely a great resource. You do have to be careful, though, because some of the larger ones can lead to deal abuse. fatwallet, which can be a great resource, is also one of the biggest culprits here - some deals are intended only for certain customers, while others are intended for a limited audience until they are exposed to much larger one. Great deals can disappear quickly this way, and are often taken away from the people they were originally intended for.

For instance, a couple of Victoria’s Secret coupon codes were leaked a while ago, intended only for holders of their credit card, but a lot of people were able to use it and it caused all sorts of chaos. As a cardholder, I finally did get my order, but there was a while when it seemed like all the orders would get canceled.

Comment on Searching the Web for Fun and Prizes by Understanding Shopping Boards | Saving Freak

Understanding Shopping Boards | Saving Freak — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:11:34 +0000

[...] are very easy to find just go to Blingo (we don’t use Google on this website find out why here) and type in shopping boards. A bunch of different forums will pop up. My favorite is [...]

Comment on Free Sample and Coupon Roundup #31 by Liz

Liz — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 03:58:49 +0000

Very cool samples! I should try out the Whitestrips for my wedding, although the $7 off makes me nervous - that means it must be expensive to begin with.

Comment on Alternative Vehicles Pt. 3 by Liz

Liz — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:24:33 +0000

This is a really informative article. I didn’t even know that such things existed; I wonder if it’s practical to bring this to a consumer level across the board. It might be necessary if fuel costs keep rising.

Comment on Alternative Vehicles pt.2 by Paul

Paul — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:08:14 +0000

You will find that I do not believe in the man made global warming myth. This is because I have not seen a single shred of evidence that man is causing any heating. In fact the earth has not gotten any hotter over the last eight years. Also calling CO2 a polutant is ridiculous. A single cow puts out more CO2 than a car or light truck. What does that mean for an elephant? I just do not see any logic in the arguments made by environmentalist other than the possibility that they hate capitalism (a system I love).

That being said biodiesel is made from vegetable oil and its biproducts are not considered a polutant.

Comment on Alternative Vehicles pt.2 by Todd Helmkamp

Todd Helmkamp — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 20:53:22 +0000

Good information, Paul! But how much does it damage the environment? Is it really worth the cost to the earth? Or is biodiesel not made with fossil fuels?