Everyone likes to get something for nothing, and that’s particularly the case during what have been a difficult few months for so many of us. When doing the weekly grocery shopping, those special bonus offers like three for the price of two or special discounts on certain product lines invariably jump out and grab our attention. But there are just as many tempting offers to be found in cyberspace, if you just know where to look and what to look for.
Whether you’re spending money on tangible goods or looking for services like banking, loans or even online gaming, it’s worth spending an extra few minutes to sniff out the bonus offers that are almost certainly available. Let’s take a look at a few examples.
Home electronics
We’ve all spent more time using our gadgets at home than normal over the past year, so it’s no surprise that plenty of households are shopping for upgrades on their existing tech. Shopping malls are not the best idea for all sorts of reasons right now, and ecommerce sites have been busier than ever.
As the market has grown more lucrative it has also become more crowded. That’s good news for buyers, and what is even better is the number of websites that have sprung up that are specifically focused on finding you the best deals, discounts and bonuses. A great example is Slickdeals, a site favored by IT professionals and those generally in the know.
A million tech geeks are unlikely to be wrong, so it is definitely worth a look!
Gaming for grown-ups
So what are we using this tech for exactly? Games represent a great way to wind down and are rapidly overtaking the likes of TV and movies as America’s favorite leisure pursuit. If you consider yourself a little old for Fortnite or Sonic the Hedgehog, there’s one type of gaming that is aimed squarely at sophisticated adults and that is bursting with bonuses and free offers.
We mean, of course, the famous online casinos. You need only Google a phrase like “online bonuses” and the majority of results will be about free spins and other Vegas-style offers. That in itself can be a little overwhelming, but again, there are specialist sites out there that can guide you. For beginners, it’s often best to stick to the basics. For example, the simple match bonus is still very popular due to its enhanced value as you need to deposit something to claim it. The reduced wagering requirement often makes it a better proposition than the no deposit bonuses that claim to offer “money for nothing”.
Movie nights
When the gaming is done, there’s still no real substitute for settling down in front of the big screen to watch a movie in the company of loved ones. Again, it’s something we have to do at home right now, but there are lots of choices out there and some great special offers.
Most of us know who the big players are, and the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBO Max are well established household names. Special deals come and go, so it is really a case of keeping an eye on the marketplace from one month to the next and not getting too comfortable with a single provider, unless you come across a 12-month subscription that is too good to refuse. Right now, Hulu and CBS All Access are both offering one-month free trials, while Disney+ has some tempting bundle offers that throw in the likes of ESPN and Hulu as part of the deal.
Banking on a bonus
“Making your money work harder” sounds like one of those clichés that have made the financial world famous. But in all honesty, that’s exactly what we’ve been trying to achieve with the bonuses and promotions we’ve discussed so far. So can we apply the principle to money itself?
Banks are fully aware of the difficult conditions that so many families are facing, and plenty of them are offering cash bonuses to anyone opening up a new account. It really is a couple of hundred dollars free money, and is surely worth the hour or so it takes to research the options and sign up. A little like the streaming services, the specific offers vary month by month, but right now, HSBC and Chase Bank are among those offering bonuses of $200 or more.
Home internet
Finally, it is impossible to take advantage of any of these deals if you can’t get online in the first place. The amount of streaming, gaming and online social activity we engage in these days means it is vital to have the best possible home internet deal that combines both superfast connections and preferably unlimited data. That way, all the family can connect devices and even if there are movies being streamed across the house all day, you don’t need to worry about the cost.
The Internet is a little like insurance, in that providers tend to offer a great deal with generous extras if you are a new customer, but then they bank on existing customers simply agreeing to renew without properly looking at the cost. Don’t fall into that trap and always use a recognized comparison site to assess all your options every 12 months. Switching providers really isn’t complicated, and it can save you a small fortune.
