Ch-ch-ch-changes

Change is good. Saving money is even better. [Image] ThePennyHoarder.com July 23rd, 2019 Brought to you by: [Rakuten]( If you need something cute to get you through the rest of this week, have we got a viral post for you: In the midst of all this internet chatter about storming Area 51 (don’t ask us — we’re just filling you in on what the young people on the World Wide Web are talking about), there’s an animal shelter in Oklahoma capitalizing on the latest internet craze with a campaign asking people to “storm” their shelter and adopt their lifeforms er, dogs and cats. When you’re done here, look it up — the photos they’re using to promote it are out of this world adorable. Today, we’re talking about how to save money and why Ebates-now-Rakuten is an awesome tool for helping you do just that. But first… All in the Family? Spotted in The Penny Hoarder Community this week: one frustrated member struggling to break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle — a way of life they learned from their parents. Now this community member wants to know, “How much did you learn about money/finances from your family or how you were raised?” Head on over to [this thread in our online community]( to share your experience and thoughts on the matter. Not a member yet? That’s OK — [creating an account is easy]( Here Comes the Groom… Yeah, that’s right. While most wedding planning advice is geared to brides, we’re talking about [a few ways grooms can save money]( on their big day, too. Because no one wants to say “I do” to wedding debt. Just the Ticket Picture this: Your favorite band in the entire world — nay, the entire universe (we’re counting the extra-terrestrial musical groups jamming out in Area 51 right now) — is coming to your city. You grab your laptop, search for the best seats you can get without busting your budget into next year and realize… they’re all sold out. Every single last ticket. But wait, what’s this? There are some being resold! You breathe a sigh of relief and click over to the resale page — and now your exhalation is more of a frustrated yelp than a relieved sigh. They’re being resold for quadruple the price. Oof. These days, it’s nearly impossible to nab concert tickets to big-name shows before they sell out, seemingly instantaneously. But notice we said nearly impossible — because we’ve got [tips and tricks for scoring concert tickets at face value]( before the bots can buy them all and hike up the prices. [Image] [Rakuten]( Parting Is Such Swee — Wait, This Is Awesome! You know when you were 18 and it was time to say goodbye to that trusty old sweatshirt you’d had since you were 12 — but that you really loved? Then you got a brand new sweatshirt, same style but with your soon-to-be college’s logo splashed across it, and it was just as comfy as (or maybe even comfier than) the one you were used to? Now, imagine you found money in the front pocket of the new sweatshirt, and you’ll understand why people are so excited about the whole “Ebates changing their name to Rakuten” thing. Wait, wait, back up. Ebates is what now? That’s right: [Ebates is now Rakuten]( (that’s RACK-uh-ten), and it’s the same cash back site you know and love — just with a different name. Same cash-back opportunities at the same 2,500+ stores, same promotions and coupons, same secure account and same promise to not share your info with any third parties. Same everything. If you’re already an Ebates member, you’re all set. Over the next week, you’ll be automatically transitioned to the Rakuten brand — no need to create a new account. If you haven’t used Ebates-now-Rakuten before, here’s the short version: You sign up, use the Rakuten portal when you need to buy something and earn cash back. Make your first purchase through the site within 90 days and spend at least $25, and Rakuten will add a $10 cash bonus to your account. (For every friend who signs up and does the same using your link, you’ll earn an extra $25.) Each payment period that your cash back total is at least $5, Rakuten will send you a “Big Fat Check.” Pretty sweet, right? To learn more and create your account, check out [the spiffy new Rakuten (old Ebates) site](. [Learn More]( [Image] WORD OF THE DAY Refurbished electronics (n): Electronics, like a smartphone or laptop, that were purchased and then returned for some reason, given a tuneup and put back up for sale, usually at a significant discount. Sometimes, electronics are returned due to a faulty or missing part — but sometimes, it’s just that a customer realized they couldn’t afford or didn’t actually want the item. So how can you tell if a refurbished item is actually a great deal or if it’s a dud that’s been buffed and polished? Is the discount worth the risk of a defective product? We’ve all been tempted by those cheaper prices on refurbished electronics. Here’s [how to decide if buying refurbished rather than new will save you money]( in the long run. [The Penny Hoarder] [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( The Penny Hoarder | 490 1st Ave S, Suite 800 | Saint Petersburg, Florida 33701 | United States You can [update your mailing preferences here]( or [unsubscribe]( from all email from The Penny Hoarder. Questions? View our [Privacy Policy]( . Having trouble reading this email? You can [view it online](.