About Harlan

Just a dude living in Memphis, traveling, and working toward financial independence.

More articles by Harlan »

Don’t Forget the Pups: First BarkBox FREE With 6+ Months of Toys & Treats 🐶

by Harlan 3 Comments

a dog playing with a toy

With all the holiday deals out there, here’s another I wanted to share: BarkBox. I’ve had this monthly subscription since December 2013 for my 8-year-old Corgi/Shepherd mix who is also the love of my life, Fenwick.

It’s worth every last freakin’ cent. Every month, they stuff the boxes with:

  • 2 high-quality chew toys
  • At least 2 bags of treats
  • Something to snack on, like a bully stick

I have been continually impressed with the quality of the treats and toys. And Fenwick loves opening his BarkBox every month. It saves me on having to buy treats (I have bags and bags of extras). And if your dog likes to rip up toys or chew the hell out of ’em, they’ll get that moment of bliss every month.

barkbox free trial

Fenwick can’t decide which BarkBox toy to play with first!

I estimate each box is worth $40+. And I’d have to buy treats anyway.

The 12-month plan is $20 a box. And the 6-month plan is $25 a box. If you wanna try it out, you get double toys and treats in your first box when you sign-up with my link.

Get a BarkBox subscription

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Trim + Paribus: 2 MUSTS for Online Holiday Shopping (Save Money & Time)

by Harlan 2 Comments

a screenshot of a phone

If you plan on purchasing gifts online this holiday season, there are two major things to watch for: price drops and missed delivery dates.

Price drops are extremely common with the onslaught of Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals – and often there are even more as “the big day” draws near.

Trim is useful to:

  • Track price changes on Amazon
  • Set spending alerts
  • Monitor your monthly subscriptions
  • Get the best price on your cable/internet bill
track price changes

Trim lets you know when a price on Amazon decreases

And I wrote about Paribus waaaay back in May 2015. Not only has their service improved – it’s now completely free.

It’s helpful for tracking price drops at tons of merchants. And helps you get a little something if there’s a late delivery.

Both of these tools can save you money in the background while you go about your shopping. They’re even better when their powers combine.

Trim aims to help your overall financial life

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Need a Drink? Get a Free Cocktail Every Day for $10 a Month (in AZ, CA, FL, NJ, NY, TX, HKG)

by Harlan 1 Comment

a man holding a drink

How I did not discover by now is beyond me. If you need a nice stiff drink this holiday season, here’s an extremely good deal.

With the Hooch app, you get 1 drink per day (in select cities) for ~$10 a month. The list of bars is pretty solid – and more importantly, the drinks are good!

hooch app review

I am loving Hooch so far. A drink a day for $10 a month!

And if you use my link to sign-up, your first month is only $1! Plus, they have a great deal on gift memberships until November 26th, 2017 (Sunday)!

I tried the app myself. Here’s what I think so far.

Out and Out’s Hooch app review

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New Credit Card Checklist: What to Do When You Receive Your New Card

by Harlan 1 Comment

a man holding up a credit card

Getting a new credit card is a big step for lots of peeps. It’s a new account, new financial history, and something else to track.

New Credit Card Checklist

Did you know your new credit card came with a checklist? It does. Sorry 

Some of you might be like “Ugh,” but I’m like “Yay!” Even though I have 33 credit cards right now (yep!).

Here are the steps I take with each new card. And you should, too. It’ll help maximize your benefits, earn more rewards, and keep track of what’s what!

So ya got a new card, eh?

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Acorns: A Simple Way for Beginners to Invest (And You Should!)

by Harlan 14 Comments

a white cell phone with a green screen

Lately, I’m concerned with helping my 24-year-old brother develop healthy financial habits. I didn’t take control of my financial life until I was nearly 30. And god I wish I could get back those early years. Why?

Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe.

The earlier you start, the longer your money grows. It’s a simple concept. But so many peeps put off investing.

It’s perceived as complicated, overwhelming, and something to fear. The financial industry made sure you feel that way so you’ll overpay some bozo to manage your finances. Don’t get tricked. Get smart – and fast. Your financial future is an out-of-control emergency you can’t afford to sleep on.

It doesn’t matter where you start. Just as long as you do start.

acorns app review

Am I crazy about Acorns? No. But it’s a great place to begin

Acorns is a micro-investing app that will fit the bill nicely. Here’s my review.

Why Acorns?

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My Free Anniversary Night in Downtown Austin – Thanks to the Chase Hyatt Card!

by Harlan 4 Comments

a group of tall buildings

Say what you will about Chase, but their hotel cards that come with a free anniversary night are worth every penny.

I wrote how I got $500 in value from the IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card earlier this year. And I’ve used my World of Hyatt Credit Card free night certificate at the Hyatt Centric in New Orleans and the Hyatt at the Bellevue in Philadelphia. I also wrote about 5 worthwhile Category 4 hotels where you can get a lot of bang for your Hyatt free night cert.

hyatt anniversary night

A view of Texas hill country – paid for with my Hyatt free night certificate

And this past weekend, I got a stay worth ~$284 at the Hyatt Place Austin Downtown (full review soon!) in exchange for my $75 annual fee.

With values like this, a card with a valuable free night each cardmember year is a no-brainer to keep year after year. Especially when you can get outsized value in popular areas like downtown Austin.

A cute lil weekend trip

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How (and Why!) to Use Mint.com to Track Your Credit Card Spending

by Harlan 4 Comments

a screenshot of a computer

With over 30 credit cards in my sock drawer wallet now, I have a lot to keep track of. Especially minimum spending requirements and limited-time promotions. I’ve long advocated everyone use Mint.com to track transactions on all their accounts.

Especially because you can see your transactions at a glance – that’s helpful to monitor any unwanted activity if you have several accounts.

mint card spending

Mint.com is the (free!) ace in your hole

But there’s another extremely helpful use: you can track your spending on a particular account based on date or timeframe. Which helps you know how close you are to meeting a spending threshold. Here’s how.

Mint.com – an easy way to track your spending

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Costco Members: 2 Dozen Kirkland Golf Balls for ~$35! (Limit 2)

by Harlan 2 Comments

a website page of a golf ball

Quick!

If you’ve been on the hunt for the Kirkland Signature 4-piece Urethane Cover Golf Ball, here’s your chance because they’re back in stock!

Kirkland Signature Golf Balls

Kirkland Signature Golf Balls are a hot item in the resell community

They’re ~$30 for 2 dozen, shipping is ~$5, some states have taxes – and the limit is 2 per membership. If you’ve been looking for these either to resell or just have as gifts or to use, go go go!

The elusive Kirkland Signature Golf Balls are back

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I Had to Use (My Chase Visa’s) Primary Rental Car Insurance – and Saved $692!

by Harlan 13 Comments

a car with a door open

It finally happened – I had to file a claim to use my card’s collision damage waiver benefit. I knew the day would arrive sooner or later.

After I hiked down from Granite Park Chalet, I found my rental car had a little *DING* on the front passenger side door. The parking lot was packed, and it was obvious someone parked too close and opened their door too hard into my rental car. It was nearly imperceptible to the point where I thought about not saying anything about it.

Primary Rental Car Insurance

See that little dent? Yeah, I nearly didn’t either… *grumble*

But, I was responsible and filed a proper report when I returned the car. I wasn’t expecting to ever hear anything about it again. Until one day, I got a random call saying they filed a claim against me. In a near-panic, I filed my own claim online through Chase in just a few minutes.

THANK GODS I waived the CDW and put the charge on my Chase Sapphire Reserve card. Taking those small steps saved me nearly $700 – for a little ding on a car door.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Primary Rental Car Insurance

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Last Day: Get 5,000 Drop Points ($5) for Out and Out Readers!

by Harlan Leave A Comment

a white cell phone with a screen showing a cash rewards program

Special Drop Offer for Out and Out Readers: 5,000 Point Sign-Up Bonus!

Just a quick reminder. Spencer from Straight to the Points set up a special promotion code for Out and Out readers for downloading the Drop app.

Get 5,000 Drop Points

Get early access to Drop!

You get:

  • Early access to the app
  • Higher earning rates if you sign-up today
  • 5,000 Drop points with promotion code “outandout” – worth a $5 gift certificate at tons of merchants

There’s also an ongoing offer to earn extra points with Plastiq. If you haven’t already, take a minute this Saturday and get $5 free for downloading!

After you link your banks, the points add up automatically. The only reason you’d want to interact with the app is to activate special offers and redeem your points.

There’s currently a waitlist for the public – but the promotion code above also gets you early access. It’s a pretty cool deal, so definitely take advantage if you haven’t already!

a screenshot of a cell phone

Boom

You can also search “earn with Drop” or “Drop loyalty” in your device’s app store to find the app. Follow the prompts and under the “Account” section under Settings, there’s a box that says, “Have a code?” Click it and enter “outandout” to activate your bonus. 👍🏻

Oh and if you can’t find the Plastiq offer listed under “Ongoing Offers” shoot Drop a quick email (inside the app) and ask them to add it for you. Other readers have had success that way.

Thank you for reading – hope you all have a good weekend! 😺