"The gambling known as business looks with austere disfavor upon the business known as gambling." - Ambrose Bierce

SavingAdvice.com Blog

Bridging the gap between saving money and investing


Join Now or Login

Making Money

What Are The Chances? Woman Won the Lottery 30 Times in One Day

By Leave a Comment

Woman Won the Lottery 30 Times in One Day

Most of us are floored when we hit $5 on a scratch-off ticket. Could you imagine if you hit multiple lottery tickets in one day? Here’s how one Virginia woman won the lottery 30 times in one day.

The Odds of Winning the Lottery

First, to understand how unbelievable winning 30 times in a single day is you have to understand the odds of winning in the first place.

In Virginia, where the woman won, the odds of hitting the jackpot for the game are one in 10,000. Those aren’t terrible odds when you consider your chances of winning most other sweepstakes and lotteries. For instance, the odds of winning Albertsons Monopoly 1 in 404 million. The chances you’ll win the USA Mega Millions is 1 in 302.6 million.

But, when you consider one in 10,000 odds, winning 30 times in a single day is still kind of unbelievable. Although none of them were million-dollar jackpots, she was still able to collect $150,000 in one day.

How One Woman Won Lottery 30 Times in One Day

So, how she do it?

Pure luck. In fact, she’s even told news outlets she “felt something different” the day she bought the tickets.

That’s right. Deborah Brown collected $150,000 and had no real strategy to win the lottery at all. On February 11, she bought 30 Pick 4 lottery tickets. She played the number 1-0-3-1.

“A couple of times during the day, I saw those numbers,” she said. Each of 30 lottery tickets won her $5,000, bringing her total jackpot to $150,000. “I nearly had a heart attack.”

For now, Brown doesn’t have any clear plans for her winnings. She is considering renovating her home but hasn’t made any concrete plans (yet).

Read More

5 Animal Businesses You Can Do From Home

By 32 Comments

 

animal business ideas

Yesterday, I got a dog. We named him “Peter’s Lucky Biscuit” and he is adorable. We had to get a pure breed because we needed a hypoallergenic breed that would be more likely to be compatible with our son’s allergies.

Our son has always wanted a dog. He did all of the research on hypoallergenic breeds and made a very compelling case for getting either a doodle, a Portuguese Water Dog or, my favorite, a basenji. We loved every aspect of the Labradoodles that we met, except for the price tag. We met with two breeders, and both told us the same price — $2500!

Animal Business Ideas: Dog Breeding?

The breeders we met had one thing in common. Dog breeding was a “second job.” In each case, both the husband and wife had day jobs, and the dogs were their second source of income. Both breeders also involved their children and turned breeding into a family activity — one that pays really well.

The breeder from whom we purchased our Biscuit has dogs who have had litters in each of March, April, and May. She has already sold all of the puppies from the April and May litters — 14 puppies at $2500 each. Admittedly there are some overhead costs for food, toys, veterinarian bills, and stud fees, but a huge portion of that $2500 per animal is profit.

Our breeder told us that she and her husband sat down with their two daughters six years ago and had a family meeting. They considered whether breeding was something they wanted to do together. After unanimously agreeing, they purchased two breeding doodles, did a lot of research, and have not looked back since. The younger daughter, now 13, is in charge of photography and the breeder’s website. The elder daughter, now 17, does a lot of the caregiving for the puppies and she must do a good job of it — she just bought a new Volvo convertible with cash she earned caring for puppies.

I’ve learned a lot about animals this month, some of it unpleasant, but most of it wonderful, and I have learned that there are a lot of ways to turn a love of animals, or at least an interest in them, into ways to make money. Here are five animal business ideas you can operate from your home.

Become a Pet Breeder

Whether you breed cats or dogs, you can earn money raising healthy, pure breed animals. If you own your home, you can certainly earn more than enough to pay your annual mortgage with one litter per year. Raising puppies is a lot of work, but it’s also amazingly rewarding. A window pet door and plenty of puppy potty training pads are worthwhile investments as a breeder. Our breeder told us the joy she gets from putting a puppy in a good home makes her feel wonderful for days, even though it is hard to see her “babies” leave her house.

Become a Groomer

In my community, several mobile pet groomers are available to groom pets from a van in the owner’s driveway.  One in particular charges anywhere from $50 to $150 per hour depending on the services you choose. There are pet grooming schools in all 50 states. If you love animals and like to be out and about during the day, pet grooming is a great way to earn a living.

Become a Dog Walker

If you live in an urban area, many professionals do not have time to walk their dogs, especially on weekdays. Dog walkers can earn up to $30 per hour and sometimes even more. All you need is a means of traveling to the dogs and a way to advertise your services, and you can set yourself up as a dog walker.

Become a Pet Sitter

When pet owners travel, they do not want to worry about their pets. Pet sitters will visit a pet regularly during the day, feed and water the animal, take the animal for walks, and generally look after the pet while the owner is unable to do so.

Become a Pet Chauffeur

Many pet owners, especially the elderly, are unable to take their pets to veterinary appointments or other appointments (and to be honest, I really cannot figure out what those “other” appointments might be). Pet chauffeurs are drivers who will take pets to those appointments so that the owner does not have to find a way to do so.

Are you an animal lover? Do you already work with animals? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Read More

 

How to Play Albertsons Monopoly Online

By 11 Comments

Albertsons monopoly online

If you’ve visited an Albertsons or Safeway in the past month, you know they’ve kickstarted their Monopoly sweepstakes game for the year. After the game was released on February 9, it has already gotten the attention of millions with its $1 million grand prizes. Additionally, you no longer have to collect physical game pieces. Now, you can play Albertsons Monopoly online!

That’s right! The contest, which has been highly-anticipated each of its nine years, can appeal to even the most tech-savvy amongst us.

How to Play Albertsons Monopoly Online

All you have to do is go shopping at an Albertsons-owned store for your groceries (groceries that you’ll buy anyway). Then, you collect the game pieces and you can play online.

To play online, you simply fill out a submission form. You enter information like your name, email address, address, phone number, etc. When you get a Monopoly game piece, you enter the online code into your “play monopoly” account and begin collecting your game pieces.

You have to get matching game pieces to win or two of the “rare” game pieces. Prizes include two $1 million prizes, four million-dollar vacation homes, and the total pool of smaller prizes are worth more than $200 million. Of course, eight years ago (when it first started), Albertsons had far fewer stores and far fewer Monopoly game pieces being distributed.

Albertsons 2019 Game

No one pays to play Albertsons Monopoly which is an added bonus. From now until May 7, you will have the option of collecting the pieces when you go shopping. Practically 2,300 stores across the United States will be offering game pieces to its customers. In addition to the larger names, a number of small local stores are offering games pieces for shopping as well.

Participating stores include Albertsons®, Safeway®, Pavilions®, Carrs®, Vons®, Randalls®, Eagle®, Pak ‘n Save®, Tom Thumb®, ACME Markets®, Jewel-Osco®, Shaw’s Supermarkets®, Star Markets®, United Supermarkets®, Market Street®, Amigos®, United Express®, Albertsons Market®, Lucky® (Southern California only) and Super Saver® stores (“Market Stores”).

Alternate Methods of Entry

You can also enter through the United States Postal Service by sending a self-addressed envelope to the Albertsons Monopoly at MONOPOLY MON-09 Collect and Win Game Ticket Request, Attn: Promotions Coordinator, P.O. Box 965068, Marietta, GA 30066. These should be handwritten addresses on the envelope and they can also be postmarked no earlier than February 9 and they must also be received before the contest is over (May 7).

However, most people will be playing online and entering to win some really great prizes, including the $1 million grand prizes.

Some previous winners have traded Monopoly pieces in order to win big. Be sure to check out the Albertsons Monopoly game piece thread in the Saving Advice forums!

Read More

Where to Find Rare Game Pieces for Albertsons Monopoly

By 553 Comments

Rare Games Pieces for Albertsons Monopoly

If you’re familiar with the Albertsons’ Monopoly promotion, then you know it’s no secret that your chances of winning the jackpot prize are extremely difficult. This year, the big cash prize is $1,000,000 once again. But, don’t get your hopes up; the odds of winning aren’t great.

Finding Rare Game Pieces

In order to win one of the bigger rewards, such as the vacation home, luxury car or home makeover, you need to find rare and semi-rare pieces. These change every year, and with the competition just starting last week, it may take some time before all the rare pieces are revealed.

However, there are a few places to look and a few things for you to know when beginning your search for rare Monopoly pieces:

  • Get creative. Leave no stone unturned when searching for these items or leads. Many blogs share the full list of items as well as continuously update as the promotion continues. We suspect you will be able to find more of these by the end of February or beginning of March all over the internet. People seem to really ban together for this event as it is knowingly challenging to fill your game board. Some online forums we found were on YouTube.com with a search for Albertsons Monopoly.
  • Get out of the area. You probably will not have much luck if you only shop in the participating stores in your area. If you are really dedicated to winning this year, you are going to need to shovel out some gas money and consider taking a road trip or two (both long and short) to increase your chances of finding these rare game pieces. As a reminder of the game rules, you can even make a small purchase in order to receive a ticket, but there are exceptions such as no tickets provided with purchases of tobacco products and lottery tickets.
  • Start early. The sooner you start, the better as you will believe to collect more over time. However, expect to see a large distribution of tickets in April since the contest ends May 7. You may be able to lock in some last-minute prizes at this time and having some decent tickets to trade will help your chances.
  • Share the wealth. There are participants who are willing to buy, trade and sell tickets they need for this Albertsons’ Monopoly promotion. Individuals will sell on eBay as well as trading sites like this one. Of course, the rare pieces will be a bit costly as the seller may be potentially helping you win $1,000,000. You, too, can cash in, though, by selling tickets you don’t need or even trading groups of tickets with other competitors in order to fill in a color on the board.
  • Be careful. Be quite cautious when you are hunting for areas to buy and sell these rare game pieces. The world is full of scammers, and the internet is no exception. Do your research, review the seller and make sure you are submitting your credit card numbers through a safe and secure site.

What Are The Rare Game Pieces in 2019?

Below, is a list of the rare game marker list for Albertsons’ Monopoly 2019 Collect & Win game.  These may be updated as more information is collected throughout the promotion. All of these have cash value (from $1 million to $5 cash):

  • 336DI
  • 341CJ
  • 397EW
  • 398AX
  • 404BY
  • 411DZ
  • 417E$
  • 419B# or 420C#
  • 302BA
  • 308DB
  • 309AC
  • 315CD
  • 318BE
  • 321AF
  • 327CG
  • 332DH
  • 391CV
  • 388DU
  • 381AT
  • 379CS
  • 374BR
  • 372DQ
  • 365AP
  • 362BO
  • 358BN
  • 353AM
  • 351CL
  • 348DK

The Odds of Winning

Albertsons Play Monopoly promotion site notes that the odds for the top three Collect & Win prizes are as follows:

  • $1,000,000 Cash (30-year annuity) – 404,000,000:1
  • $1,000,000 Vacation Home – 404,000,000:1
  • $100,000 Cash or Luxury Car – 80,800,000:1

Additionally, there are a number of instant win opportunities and small prizes available as well. The odds of winning an instant cash prize of $10,000 are still pretty low at 404,000,000:1. However, the smaller the prize, the more likely you are to win.

These odds are based on finding the rare game piece. Many people have been able to win in the past by trading these game pieces online. Visit the Saving Advice forums Albertsons Monopoly trading thread. 

Read More

Start Making More Money Now With These Passive Income Apps

By Leave a Comment

Passive income apps

Finding a way to increase your earnings is one of the key steps to reaching financial freedom. Most of us don’t have time for a second job though, let alone look for opportunities to get paid. These passive income apps will help you land the perfect hustle.

5 Passive Income Apps

Passive income always sounds a little pyramid-schemey. In reality, every billionaire in the world has sources of passive income (and they usually have more than one). Of course, you’re probably not able to make Warren Buffett-sized investments quite yet.


That’s where these passive income apps come into play. Everyday people can get started making passive income with these apps immediately and begin changing their financial future for the better. But how much can you really earn from an app?

Ibotta/Ebates

Ibotta and Ebates are both passive income apps that help you get paid while you shop. While this isn’t a traditional passive income source, it is a great way to rack up some extra cash without lifting a finger. Both apps allow you to earn cash back every time you shop. If you sign up for both, you can earn double the rewards.

For Ebates users, you will need to go through the website to learn about cashback deals. Find the store you want to shop, buy what you want, and then receive your money via PayPal or check.

Ibotta, on the other hand, will pay you for just about everything you buy. From eggs to clothing to furniture, Ibotta wants to help you earn cash back. To earn money with the app, you will need to add offers to your account and then go shopping. When you get home, snap a photo of your receipt and you’ll get your cash back rewards. Cash is usually deposited into your Ibotta account within 48 hours.

The amount of money you’ll be able to make with either of these apps will vary. If you are able to cash in on some of the triple cash back rewards or pick out the best offers, you can earn more.

Airbnb

Airbnb is a great passive income app if you have a rental property or space that typically remains empty. You can download the app on iPhone or Android devices (or visit their website) and apply to be an Airbnb host.

The amount of money you’ll be able to make with this passive income source will vary depending on your location and how much you charge. If your area is a popular tourist area or somewhere large events take place, you may be able to charge more than Airbnb locations in the middle of nowhere. Scout the Airbnb spots near you to see what people are charging.

Acorns/Stockpile

Investing is one of the most popular forms of passive income. Unless you are day trading, investments are usually a “set it and forget it” way to make extra money. Many people use their investments to prepare for retirement and establish financial freedom. Acorns and Stockpile make is easy for everyone to get started in the market.

Acorns allows you to invest your spare change. When you swipe a linked credit or debit card, Acorns rounds up to the nearest dollar and invests the change for you. You can also create a recurring deposit for your Acorns account as well and manage your risk portfolio from the app.

Passive income apps
Stockpile is another company looking to get more people investing in the stock market. When you sign up, Stockpile gives you $5 in free stock in a large company (like Apple). You can manage your portfolio, set up recurring deposits, and monitor your investments through the app and website.

Of course, there is no guarantee when it comes to investing your money. You could earn a moderate amount of money, but you also have the possibility of losing cash as well.

Cross Media Panel

Cross Media Panel pays you for your browsing data. The company likes to analyze what sites you visit, how often you visit them, and what actions are taken on the site. You will need to have access to Google Chrome on your device (computer, phone, or tablet). You get $2 when you register your first device and a weekly payment of $1 per device (maximum of three).

That means simply by registering three devices, you will earn $12 per month or $144 per year. Users are able to cash out once their account balance has reached $5. Payment is made in the form of an electronic gift card (your choice). Most users receive the gift card within 48 hours of submitting the cash out request.

ShopTracker

ShopTracker is another great passive income app that can help you earn an additional $36 per year. The company wants to track your Amazon purchases and record the data they receive. As soon as you sign up and link your Amazon account, you’ll earn your first $3.

You’ll need about 10 spare minutes to set up your account. ShopTracker has users complete a short survey before linking your account. After that, the app does that rest! For every additional month that you keep your account linked to ShopTracker, you’ll earn another $3. Payment is available in the form of a Visa gift card. You can cash out at any time.

Finding the Right Passive Income Source

Passive income apps

There are a plethora of passive income ideas to be had. People are earning passive income through online shops, ebooks, blogs, rental properties, and other investments. Finding the right source of additional income can be hard though. Here are a few questions to ask yourself.

  • How much are you willing to invest in making money? Most of the aforementioned apps are fairly hands-off passive income opportunities that require very little time or startup cash (if any). However, some income sources require a bit more involvement. An online store, for instance, will need to be updated and maintained. It may also require a certain amount of initial investment of time and money.
  • What are your desired earnings? If you are looking to make a killing in passive income, you’ll likely need to put a bit of time (and maybe an initial cash investment) into your income source. For instance, some bloggers have been able to retire early on income they’ve made from their blogs. Before that success, many of them poured a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into those blogs. So, seriously think about what your goals are for your earnings with passive income.
  • Will you need your passive income immediately? Passive income is not typically a “get $500 fast” way of making money – not unless you’re making some amazing investments. So, if you’ll need the money from your passive income source immediately, you may want to consider a side hustle instead of something that will take a while to build up. Read this post about 10 side hustles to get a few ideas.

Deciding to earn more to better your financial future is a no-brainer. Consider the apps above if you’re looking for a quick way to get your passive income flowing. Once you get started, you’ll be continuously looking for ways to make even more.

Readers, how do you earn passive income? Have you used any of the apps mentioned above?

Read More

How to Safely Trade Monopoly Pieces From Albertsons

By 51 Comments

Safely trade monopoly pieces

Albertsons Monopoly has been back for a few weeks and folks are already looking to trade rare and semi-rare game pieces for a chance to win $1 million. There are a number of other large prizes to be had this year as well. While collecting the pieces while you shop is traditionally how people have won, you can also trade your game pieces to better your chances at winning. Here is how (and where) you can safely trade Monopoly pieces.

Ways to Get Monopoly Game Pieces From Albertsons

Of course, there is the “traditional” way of winning the Monopoly game. The traditional way includes shopping at the company’s stores and collecting pieces as you go. You buy certain products (marked on the shelves) and when you go to checkout, you receive your Monopoly pieces.

You can also receive Monopoly pieces in the mail. You can send a pre-addressed envelope and receive two pieces through the United States Postal Service. In theory, you could get two Monopoly pieces for less time, effort (and potentially less money) by getting the Monopoly game pieces the traditional way by just buying a few cheap items in an Albertsons-owned store.

Trading Albertsons Monopoly Pieces

Another way you can get pieces is to trade online. Many websites have opened forums for trading Monopoly pieces. Many people have also started comment trading underneath articles which cover the Albertsons Monopoly Game. However, there are a few people out there trying to scam you through the Albertsons Monopoly Game.

There are a few ways you can be scammed when trading Monopoly pieces. You can always get conned out of a very valuable piece if someone promises you money. You can also be conned out of money (people who want upfront payment for rare pieces). Chances are, if someone is offering you a rare game piece, it may be a scam.

How to Safely Trade Monopoly Pieces

There are a few ways you can guard yourself against the scams that surround the Albertsons Monopoly Game. First, make sure that when you are trading with someone they can provide you a legitimate email address. You should also be sure that they can provide a telephone number. If you are trading pieces, and even possibly money, with the person, they should be willing to give you that information.

Also, make sure that you are trading on a reputable website or forum. There are forums that are made specifically for trading Albertsons Monopoly game pieces. You can also find articles about the Monopoly Game that have open commenting about trading pieces with others on the website. Keep in mind that if someone is offering up a rare game piece that it is more than likely a scam.

Visit the Saving Advice Forums

Another place you can safely trade Monopoly pieces is our very own Saving Advice forums. We have an Albertsons thread dedicated to folks interested in trading their game pieces. Join in on the discussion.

If you run into someone that you believe is trying to pull over a scam on Monopoly game piece traders, alert the site’s administrator as soon as possible. By alerting the administrator, you can prevent both yourself and others from losing money (and possibly losing prizes) because of someone else’s selfish desires.

When you are looking to trade or buy Monopoly game pieces, keep these things in mind (especially if you are trading large amounts of money or valuable pieces).

Read More