Spend and Save - Shop and Donate
June 2012:
Today more than ever people are choosing to be socially aware, environmentally responsible and politically involved. 'Be Green' and 'Donate to Charity' are part of daily language and we act, not just talk. Now that smartphones, smartcars, and smart-everything-you-do, not to mention all the i-(fill in the blank) have become a 5th major bodily appendage, convenience must also be a part of the language of giving.
When I engage the internet to do my shopping for Fashion, Food and Travel I exercise my opportunities to maximize my benefits of spending. Here are two websites specifically designed to save money for your child's higher education tuition expenses and donate to your favorite cause, and they are very convenient to use.
UPROMISE (click) began almost a decade ago in conjunction with SallieMae student loans to allow the savings towards a college tuition fund by using the same money spent during your regular shopping activities. Once you sign up and set up an account for the benefit of your named student the savings begin immediately. Register online with Upromise all your debit cards, credit cards, grocery and drugstore loyalty cards. Friends and family can also sign up and register all of their cards towards savings to benefit your student. A percentage of your purchases from participating retailers are credited to your account. When making an online purchase, sign in to your Upromise account first and locate the retailer you intend to make your purchase. Upromise will direct your webpage to the retailers website to continue to make your purchase in the usual manner, THAT's IT. You have just earned 1% to 25% towards that college fund and there are over 600 participating online retailers. Thousands of participating restaurants pay up to 8% contributing savings, you can even link your Upromise savings to your IRS 529 College Savings Fund (click). To date, over $600,000,000,00 have been saved for college by people like you.
GOODSEARCH (click) is so simple. Earn money towards your favorite charity or Alma Mater you designate each time you make an online search inquiry. Make Goodsearch your home page and leave the other G----e search engine behind. Every search inquiry you make earns a penny and you know you how often you "search" in a day. It only begins here, GoodSearch also offers the following earnings branches towards building your donation to that favorite cause: Good Dining earns up to 6% from participating restaurants in the United States, Good Shop participating retailers offer up to 15% savings along with thousands of discount coupons. If your favorite charity or school is not listed, you may submit their information online to Good Seach to be included. I therefore challenge all Chaminade University, of Honolulu Alumni and faculty (Gary, Tim, Kateri, Tom, Jenn, Levi, Cassandra, and Blaze) to sign up, I did the homework for you and Chaminade is now listed. Chaminade University-Honolulu is my selected charity.
