Wondering what to do with your old smartphone when the iPhone 8 & X comes out? While you can certainly sell your old phone immediately after Apple announces the new model, there are plenty of ways to repurpose your iPhone. In general, it’s a good idea to keep an old smartphone as a backup in case your shiny new model breaks for any reason, but you can certainly reuse it elsewhere in your life at the same time.

Here are 20 creative ways to use that old iPhone or Android smartphone that’s collecting dust in a drawer:

1. VR Headset

Utilizing stereoscopic imagery, you can use inexpensive, third party VR head mounts like Google Cardboard, View-Master Virtual Reality or any of the knockoffs sold on Amazon to create a budget VR helmet. While it certainly won’t hold a candle to advanced systems like HTC’s Vive, there’s plenty of fun apps for both iOS and Android users.

2. Dash-mounted Navigation / Camera

While built-in navigation systems have become much more prevalent in new cars, there are plenty of older cars that could use the upgrade. In addition, having a dash-mounted version is likely safer when attempting to pull your smartphone out of your pocket while driving to check Google Maps. If you want to use your phone’s camera, you also have a dashcam.

We really love the MagGrip CD Slot mount, mainly because few people are using physical CD’s anymore. It places your phone in a perfect spot on the dash, elevated above the radio and below your rearview mirror. Some add-on software / hardware you may want to consider:

• ForeverMap 2 on iOS, Scout on Android: Offers offline maps, ideal when you drive into areas without consistent cell phone coverage.
• HUDWay (iOS & Android): If driving in poor conditions, this app uses reflections to create a semi-HUD on your windshield.
• Automatic Pro (hardware): Utilizing a car’s standard diagnostics (OBD-II) port, the Automatic app can display a ton of information related to usage of your vehicle.
• GasBuddy: Helps located the least expensive gas prices in your immediate area.

3. Smart Home Controller

If you are interested in investing in a smart home hub like the Samsung’s SmartThings Hub or the Logitech Harmony Hub, you can use an old smartphone as a controller for all your smart home devices. That’s ideal for guests that want to control smart home functions, specifically because the homeowner doesn’t have to hand over their phone for control.

You also may want to consider wall-mounting your smartphone in a central location around the home. There are a number of options on Amazon. Just be sure to place it near an outlet in order to keep the device powered up.

4. Secondary Home Phone

Utilizing the Wi-Fi calling functionality that was added in iOS 8, you can link it to your new phone over Wi-Fi to transfer calls. Basically, both phones will ring relatively at the same time if on the same Wi-Fi network. This can be useful if you live in a large home and want to dock a phone at a central location for anyone to answer.

5. Universal Remote Control

With select new 4K HDTVs packaged with small tablets to control television functions, utilizing an old smartphone for the same purpose can be cost effective for anyone with an older television. Some of the more popular software options include Peel, iRule and Simple Control.

While the software is free, you will likely want to add an IR blaster to make sure commands are always entered. Pronto makes a popular model, usually between $30 to $40 when on sale. LINK

6. Bedside Alarm Clock / Sleep Tracker

Utilizing a decorative shell, you can insert your old phone into the shell and use an app to display a clock all the time. There are a number of options on Amazon. If you are having trouble sleeping during the night, you may want to use a sleep tracker app like Sleep Cycle (available for iOS and Android). Sleepbot is another good option.

7. Dedicated Skype Station

If you like to use video conferencing apps like Skype to chat with friends and family, creating a specific place in your home to video chat can be very useful. You should probably consider purchasing a smartphone dock to keep the phone charged. You can also find docks with speakers built-in, ideal for hearing the folks you are video chatting with.

8. Baby Monitor

Definitely cheaper than purchasing a dedicated Wi-Fi baby monitor, utilizing an old smartphone to keep an eye on the crib is a smart idea. Likely utilizing a powered smartphone dock (similar to the Skype station above), look at apps like Cloud Baby Monitor for iOS or Dormi for Android.

9. GamePad for Mobile Games

Adding a decent gamepad frame to your older smartphone can be accomplished for less than $10. Look at options like the Logitech Powershell (which comes with additional battery power for charging your mobile device). You can also consider stepping up to a full-sized gamepad, like this Powerlead option, for roughly $30 to $35.

10. Document Scanner / Data Storage

Ideal for turning paper documents into a digital format, there are plenty of apps that can use digital smartphone photos to scan documents. Look at apps like CamScanner or Evernote Scannable to scan all your important documents.

In general, utilizing an old iPhone or Android device as an offline data storage solution could be a great idea for private data. Similar to keeping important paper documents in a safe deposit box, having a digital backup could be very useful. Look at apps like USB + WiFi Flash Drive on iOS and File Manager on Android. For additional security, you may want to consider a Safe Inside locking smartphone case to keep that device secure.

11. Dedicated Voice Recorder

Rather than spending $75 to $100 on a popular voice recorder, just utilize your old smartphone to record your notes. Voice Record Pro is popular on iOS and Easy Voice Recorder Pro is popular on Android. You also may want to consider purchasing an additional microphone, assuming you prefer higher quality recording or have an interest in podcasting (higher quality mics).

12. Kitchen Cookbook

If you spend a ton of time in the kitchen cooking meals, having a dedicated mobile device to watch cooking YouTube videos or read recipes can be extremely useful. You can also consider photo scanning in those old recipes that your grandmother passed down to you, ideal for a digital backup. If you are looking for solid kitchen apps, here’s a great list for shopping helpers, timers and recipe organizers.

13. Upgraded Digital Camera / Camcorder

While having a mobile device in your pocket is great for capturing the right moments, you can really step up your photography game with aftermarket lenses and flash attachements. Photojojo is a great spot to pick up items like lenses, improved flashes and tripods. If you want to your your DSLR lens on your smartphone, there are plenty of clip options on Amazon.

14. Vehicle / Bike Tracker

Creating a makeshift LoJack system for your car or bicycle, just reactive your phone with a cheap pay-as-you-go account and securely attach it on your ride. Then just use apps like Find My iPhone to locate the device if you ride ever gets stolen.

15. Barometer / Weather Center

If you have a an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, it includes an internal barometer sensor. If you are upgrading to the 7, you can definitely use your old phone as a mini weather center. Many Android phones offer a similar sensor. For Android, check out the Barometer app and DS Barometer. On iOS devices, check out Thermo-Hygrometer and Bar-o-Meter.

16. Home Security Cameras

Rather than purchasing a $200 Nest camera for internal home security, using an old smartphone for recording areas around your home is a less expensive option. Check out a cloud recording option like ManyThing (iOS or Android) for this purpose. In addition to live streaming video as well as motion alerts, you can setup up to five smartphones as security cameras and record up to 30 days of video.

17. Portable Recording Studio

If you are a musician, the ability to record your music anywhere is extremely useful. Look at apps like GarageBand and KORG Gadget (electronica) on iOS as well as Walk Band and FL Studio Mobile on Android. Of course, you also may want to consider some studio quality microphones to get the best audio.

18. Digital Picture Frame

Ideal when paired with a powered dock, using an old iPhone as a photo frame for guests to check out or browse through images is better than handing them your personal phone (in case you have some inappropriate photos in your stream). Of course, you will need to disable dimming as well as screen lock. A fantastic iOS app for this is Picmatic. It includes options for framing photos as well as transition effects and filters.

19. E-Reader

Rather than spending money on a Kindle, you can easily turn your old smartphone into an e-reader with apps like Marvin Classic on iOS or Moon+ Reader on Android.

20. Wireless Music Hub

Great for parties, using a smartphone as a dedicated music controller is definitely handy. Of course, you will need a Wi-Fi connected receiver or standalone speaker system to take advantage. Beyond apps like Pandora or Spotify for listening to streaming music, check out Tune-In Radio for access to live radio stations.

20 Creative Ways to Reuse Your Old iPhone

Looking for the best deals before your next trip to Kohl’s? We’ve identified some of the best product categories that you can find on sale at Kohl’s as well as some of the worst that you will want to avoid. These picks are based on average discounts as well as the potential for additional coupons used in the transaction.

Five Best:

1. Small Kitchen Appliances (Magic Bullet, Waffle Makers, Keurig)

More focused with online sales rather than in-store savings, this is the product category we on sale most often on Ben’s. Kohl’s typically offers greater discounts than other retailers.

Look to stack coupons on these items and add bonus savings with a rebate (Example: 20% off any order coupon + $10 off $30 or more Home coupon + a $20 rebate.)

2. Towels, Bedding, Rugs, Linens, General Home Decor

Look for the best sales on Kohl’s store brand products, then combine those sales with stacked coupons with dollar-off codes on the Home category.

Consider purchasing multiple items to reach the dollar-off coupon minimums. (Example, a recent deal offered 16 of Kohl’s “Big One” bath towels for $36 using stacking coupons; just over $2 per towel.)

3. Outdoor Kids’ Items (Mini-Pools, Inflatable Water Parks)

Similar to small kitchen appliances, these deals are more plentiful online rather than in-store. Look for the bonus addition of Kohl’s Cash on the higher-priced items, ideal for your next trip to Kohl’s.

4. Adult Apparel (Logo t-shirts, Work Clothes)

While we recommend avoiding adult apparel at regular retail prices, the savings in the clearance section when combined with coupons is tremendous.

Specifically, look for the best deals on men’s graphic t-shirts, Dockers slacks and Big & Tall sizes for men as well as women’s underwear / lingerie.

5. Apparel Accessories (Purses, Sterling Jewelry, Gloves)

As long as you aren’t a brand snob, Kohl’s offers excellent prices on quality purses and gloves (often made from real leather). You are also going to find more aggressive sales on sterling silver jewelry when compared to competitors like Macy’s or JC Penney.

Five Worst:

1. Kid’s Toys / Apparel

Unfortunately, Kohl’s is one of the worst retailers to find a significant discount on toys. Retail prices are inflated on toys; thus coupons don’t have much of an impact. Look to Target and Walmart for better deals in-store as well as Amazon for online deals.

The same advice applies to children’s apparel as the base MSRP starts too high for solid sales. For example, Kohl’s sell Carter’s brand of baby and toddler clothing. You are better off going directly to Carter’s for significantly cheaper prices during sale periods.

2. Electronics (TVs and Small Electronics)

Likely an attempt to become more relevant around the Black Friday shopping period, Kohl’s does carry some electronics. Unfortunately, the quality of the off-brand TV models is poor and Kohl’s doesn’t often allow coupons on other small electronics. Prices are usually better at any number of electronic retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon.

3. Shoes

While Kohl’s occasionally offers decent sale prices on lower-end Nike sneakers, these cheaper models are usually poorer quality than models that can be found in a specialized shoe store.

In addition, other brands that Kohl’s carries are lacking in quality. You are typically better off shopping at retailers like Nordstrom Rack and 6pm.

4. Furniture

Retail prices on Kohl’s furniture offerings are usually too high for coupons to have a significant impact on dropping the cost for the consumer. In addition, shipping charges are exorbitant on oversized items, pushing the price tag up even more. Alternatively, look to retailers like Target, IKEA and Walmart for better prices on furniture that’s of similar quality.

5. Wrapping paper, Greeting Cards, Gift Bags

In general, it’s never a good idea to purchase these items at retailers like Kohl’s. You will be paying a premium for these items simply due to the convenience. As long as you have time, hit up a dollar store for significantly better prices.

Check out our latest Deals from Kohl’s

Five Best & Five Worst Things to Buy at Kohl’s

Getting ready to move is always, always a stressful time.  Even if you’re the most prepared person on the face of the planet, something is bound to go wrong.  That said, though… there is a lot to be said about actually being prepared to move, and it really cuts down on the amount of things that can go wrong.  Here’s seven tips to help you save not only money, but time and frustration on your first (or next) apartment move.

Never, Ever Pay for Boxes

Here’s the deal… you should never have to buy a cardboard box.  They’re everywhere!  You simply just need to know where to look, and suddenly you’ll have all the boxes you’ll ever need.  So, for starters, if you have a job, chances are you can get plenty of boxes there.  Retail or food?  Ask for some empty boxes from the inventory deliveries.  Office life?  Printer paper and other goods often comes in boxes.  Also, certain places like liquor stores are well known for stacking their empty boxes near the store entrances for anyone to take.  If you look, you’ll find more than enough boxes to pack up your stuff–just make sure to grab more than you think you’ll need, as you always need more than you think.

Pay Attention to Your Area, and How That Affects Rental Prices

It may not be immediately obvious, but the rental industry goes through high points and low points, much like any service industry.  During certain points of the year, a bunch of rental companies will offer movie in deals to get their apartments filled, but what time of the year depends on the area you live in.  For example, I live in a town with multiple universities–as such, a lot of rental places offer deals during the summer, at first to get people in place of the students that graduated and left in the spring, and then to rope into new students coming to the town in the fall.  If you pay attention to the trends, and have the time to wait until rental companies bring out the deals, you can save a lot of money on your move in costs… which is important as it’s usually the most costly part of the moving process!

Always Try and Find Ways to Save on Transportation

You don’t need a car in every city in the U S of A.  If you’re moving to a new city, or even staying in the same town, do some research on the transportation options available to you.  How are the bus and/or subway systems?  Are there a lot of bike friendly roads or trails?  Is the weather fair enough to consider the possibility of a scooter or moped?  If you are a student living on or near a college campus, for example, you probably won’t need much transportation for what you need other than your own two feet.  Even if you’re in an area with poor public transportation support, there are still other options available like carpooling that will help you save money on pricey transportation costs.

Think about Apartment Size and Figure Out What Sizes are Right for You

While it’s always great to have a huge, spacious apartment, it’s not always a financially viable option.  Especially for your first apartment, it’s important to know what size is both right for you, and appropriately priced.  For example, if this is your first apartment and you’re living alone, maybe a studio apartment is best–they are the cheapest option available, and if it’s your first place, you probably don’t have as much furniture.  On the flip side, if you’re moving in with a roommate, it’s important to have enough space for each person living there to be comfortable.

What do You Actually Need?

Cluttered living spaces are never great, but they can be an absolute nightmare when trying to move.  If you have a lot of stuff, there’s never a better time than when packing to ask yourself “do I need this?”  Something like tools and basic cooking utensils?  Yes, you are probably going to need those.  But that rice cooker you used one time, or the inflatable Pepsi man?  Maybe not so much.  It’s important to be able to distinguish things you need, things that maybe you don’t need but like, and just stuff you don’t need.  None of that “oh I might need it in the future!” stuff either… oftentimes you either never need it, or you’ve lost it when you do need it.

If you need help decluttering your space (while you’re moving or anytime), it might be worth it to check out The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, as it has a bunch of good stuff.  As for what to do with your clutter… you can sell a lot of it on sites like Craigslist, earning you a bit extra moving money, and saving a bunch of time on packing stuff you really don’t need!

Roommates Are a Possibility

No matter where you live, it will always be cheaper if you live with at least one other person.  Sure, a two bedroom apartment will cost more than a one bedroom or studio, but once you cut your rent and all apartment expenses in half (or more!), it’s easy to see how much you’ll save.  Of course, there’s a lot of consider about roommates other than the cost–you have to make sure you and your roommate get along!  As for finding a roommate, if you don’t have a friend or a friend of a friend to ask, you can always check Craigslist–just make sure to meet up with them a few times to make sure you two match in terms of living philosophies.

Keep An Eye Out for Furniture Deals

The biggest expense for an apartment, aside from the rent and move in fees, has to be furniture.  While it would be great to have matching living rooms and kitchen sets, getting brand new full sets of furniture is extremely expensive, and not viable for most people moving.  Instead, it’s best to piece together your furniture collection via other means.  There are a lot of options available to the bargain hunter, provided you keep a regular eye out.  Some great examples include Craigslist, local Goodwill locations, and garage sales.  You can even pick up furniture off the side of the road if you want, but be careful if you do… make sure it hasn’t been rained on or have any kind of bugs in it!

What tips have helped you save money on moving?  Let us know in the comments!

7 Ways to Save When Moving into an Apartment

According to a 2016 study, nearly 70 percent of seniors achieving an undergraduate degree will leave college with more than $35,000 of student loan debt! Resulting in monthly payments around $350 (average in 2012), that’s a decent chunk of money that students have to repay over terms usually ranging from 10 to 20 years.

Common interest rates for student loans are between 4% to 10% per year. As an example, let’s say your $35,000 student loan has a 7% interest rate. If you choose to pay that over a 20 year period ($270-ish a month), you will pay the original loan balance plus another $30,000 in interest; basically paying $65,000 for your education! If the rate was 10%, you would be end up paying over $80,000!

This is where refinancing can come into play (and impact your financial future significantly). There are a number of popular third party lenders (like SoFi and Earnest) that are offering refinancing services to help you bring down your rates. However, there are pros and cons to the process.

Pros:

You will pay significantly less money over the life of the loan.

As an example, let’s say you decide to refinance your 7% student loan and bring the rate down to 5% over the same 20 year term. Paying $230 a month, you will pay $55,000 over the next 20 years; $10,000 better than your old rate). If you shift that to a 10-year term, you will come out even better paying $44,000 over the life of the loan. The downside is that your payment would go up slightly. But that’s a $10,000 to $20,000 difference in your bank account over that time period!

Savings are even more evident for future doctors and lawyers graduating with a few hundred thousand in debt. Let’s someone with $250,000 in debt shifted from 7% at 20 years to 5% at 10 years. While their payment would move up by about $700 a month, the total interest paid over time would drop by nearly $150,000! They would end up paying around $318,000 for their graduate education instead of $465,000.

You can focus on a single monthly payment rather than payments across a collection of loans.

Basically identical to consolidation, you can roll all your loans into a single loan with a single payment. However, you would want to avoid doing that if one of your loans has a lower interest rate than the refinancing rate. You could refinance the rest of the loans though.

You can remove a cosigner from your original loans.

If you had a parent or friend cosigner your original paperwork for a federal or private loan, refinancing will remove them and release them of any further responsibility. Once a cosigner is released, it’s possible that their credit score would be impacted positively.

You can still claim student loan interest as a tax deduction.

Even if you refinance, you will have the ability to claim up to $2,500 in student loan interest off your taxes each year (assuming you make less than a specific income threshold, $80K for single filers, $160K for joint).

Cons:

You lose protection benefits on your federal loans.

Easily the most risky issue with refinancing, federal loans come with a variety of attractive repayment plans (full list); particularly ideal for someone starting at their first job. For instance, Income-Based Repayment sets your monthly payment at a maximum of 10 percent of your discretionary income. This can be ideal for a recent graduate that’s trying to pay all their living expenses for the first time and a student loan payment as well.

If you plan on moving into a public service career or teaching, you would also be forgoing loan forgiveness options like PSLF. Basically, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer. That’s can be huge savings, possibly better than refinancing if you plan on sticking with the same line of work for ten years.

Of course, these federal benefits do not apply to private loans. In addition, if you see a greater opportunity to make more money in the private sector (compared to public service), you may actually be doing yourself a disservice to utilize a loan forgiveness program.

You lose deferment and forbearance options.

If you lost your job for some reason, federal loans have the option of postponing your payments. that can also be used when reentering college, such as attending a graduate program. A refinanced loan won’t offer the same option and will continue to require payments over time.

So What Should You Do?

I’d say refinancing your student loans is most ideal when you have a stable career, a decent emergency fund built up, and consistent cash flow each month. The potential to save tens of thousands of dollars over the life of loan can impact your financial future in an extremely positive way, especially if you invest that money into your retirement.

Personally, I’ve helped my wife refinance her graduate school student loans twice, each time a different company. The first time, we reduced rates between 7% and 8.5% on multiple loans down to a 6% fixed rate. The second time, we reduced the rate down to 4.4%, a move that will save us an additional $30,000 over the next 6 years.

Assuming you have a majority of federal loans, take a look at the full list of federal benefits to see if you want to give those options up in favor of saving money. If you have private loans, refinancing is a no-brainer; especially if your interest rates are high.

More Resources:

• 11 Best Companies to Refinance Your Student Loans: NerdWallet
• /r/StudentLoans subreddit for asking questions: Reddit
• Student Loan Payment Calculators: FinAid – SLHero
• Fixed vs. variable student loan interest rates: Credible

Refinancing Student Loan Debt could save you Thousands

During your teen-age years, if you ever asked your dad for 20 bucks to go to the movies, you probably received a lecture about spending and saving money at the movies. And if grandpa was around, he probably contributed.

They might tell you a story about how they could buy popcorn, see a double feature — with a good opening cartoon — and still receive change from a $1 bill. (You may have already figured this out, but grandpa was telling the truth; dad was lying for effect.)

Those days are long gone. Average movie tickets are up to $9 apiece, but if you’re going to a 3D movie with reclining seats at night as an adult, you’ll play several dollars more than the average. And, based on the concession stand prices, who knew popcorn had become such a rare and valuable commodity? (Oil producers are jealous of movie popcorn producers in today’s economy.) It all adds up in a hurry.

Still, we pay these prices, because we love movies. To help you enjoy movies even more, we’ve compiled a list of nine ways that you can save money at the movies today. (That’s one tip for each dollar you’re spending on an average ticket.) These tips won’t allow you to go for $1 like grandpa did, but you’ll hopefully save enough that you’ll be able to tell your grandkids some of your own stories about how cheap things were in your day.

1. Join the Theater’s Loyalty Club

You will have to give out some personal information to join the loyalty club, but the rewards are worth it for frequent movie goers. Many theater chains offer discounts based on how much you spend over time. Others have special discounted tickets and concessions nights for loyalty club members.

2. Try a Monthly Pass

One interesting idea that may be worth it for frequent movie goers is MoviePass. It allows you to pay a monthly subscription fee and you then can see one movie per 24 hours all month long. You’ll manage all aspects of using MoviePass with a smartphone app.

Subscription prices vary depending on where you live, whether you want to lock into an annual contract, and whether you want to see fewer movies per month.

Not all theaters work with MoviePass, and even if your local theater does honor MoviePass, it may have restrictions. And you cannot see the same movie more than once. But on the plus side, some theaters will credit your ticket purchases at full price for their loyalty programs, rather than what you’re actually paying through MoviePass, which is great.

Before signing up, read through the details closely to ensure it’s a good deal for you at your local theater. And if your theater does not participate in MoviePass, it never hurts to ask if they will partner with the service or if they have their own monthly pass deal.

3. The Earlier, the Better

If you don’t mind going to the movies a little earlier than most people, you could save 15%-25% for a matinee movie ticket. Even if you only go to the movies every other week, you could save around $50-$60 per person annually. Most theaters offer these slight discounts before 6 p.m. on weekdays and before 4 p.m. on weekends. So consider flipping the traditional script and going to the movies first before going to a late dinner. (And you probably won’t have to fight for the best seats if you go earlier.)

4. Special Discount Nights

If you’re a senior citizen, a member of the military, or a student, your local theater chain may have a special night of the week where you’ll receive a discount. It probably will be on a weeknight, so don’t plan on this idea for a cheap Friday night date. My local theater chain offers $5 movie tickets on Tuesday nights for students, for example, which is half price. Some discounts for seniors are available at all times and can be as much as one-third off the regularly priced ticket. You just have to see what’s available at your local theater and then ask for the discount.

5. Gift Card Discounts

Don’t feel guilty about using this tip! There’s nothing wrong with buying a gift for yourself on occasion.

Around the holidays, your local theater chain may offer a discount for gift cards purchased in bulk. If you buy $100 in gift cards, you may receive a $10 gift card for free, for example. That’s like receiving a nearly 10% discount on your tickets.

Another option for cheap gift cards is a local warehouse club. They often sell gift cards for many places like restaurants and movie theaters at a discount to the face value of the gift cards. These discounts range from 5% to 15%.

Finally, you can visit sites like CardCash to find discounted gift cards for movie theaters. Just make sure the gift card is for your local theater chain and not a theater 30 miles away.

6. Avoid Extra Fees

Purchasing your tickets from online movie reservation sites can be convenient. But you may pay an extra $1 or $2 for the tickets. Sure, this doesn’t seem like much, but on a $10 ticket, that’s a 10%-20% surcharge. Buy from the box office or the theater’s own web site to avoid the surcharge. Or perhaps the theater has a mobile app that allows you to purchase tickets directly.

You’ll also pay added fees to see a movie in 3D or in IMAX resolution. Sometimes this extra feature is worth it, but not always. If you’re really fired up about seeing a particular movie, go ahead an splurge for 3D or IMAX. But if you’re unsure if you’ll like the movie, go for the traditional 2D and save a few dollars.

7. Download the Theater’s App

Some theater chains will push discounts to you through their app every few weeks. And if you’re a loyalty club member, it may work in conjunction with the app for other discounts and reminders of special deals. (Just don’t use the app during the movie — rude!)

You also can follow all of your theater’s social media accounts, as they may occasionally announce ticket and concession discounts. But in most cases, using the app and signing up for the loyalty club is an easier way to receive consistent discounts from a particular theater chain.

8. Save Money on Snacks

One of the great things about the theater experience is the snacks. It’s just part of the cost of the movies for many people. But they’re expensive, so it helps to save a bit of money here.

You may receive discounts on snacks as a loyalty club member. And some theaters offer a snack bundle — aimed at kids — for a much lower price than buying the items individually.

Let’s be honest: No one needs as much popcorn as most theaters serve. But perhaps sharing a bucket among a family isn’t overdoing it too much. If your kids will fight over the tub, bring some paper lunch sacks and divvy up the tub, so everyone receives a fair share. And if you have a really big family (or if you’re addicted to movie theater popcorn), many theaters now offer free refills on the largest tub of popcorn.

Finally, quietly bring your own snacks. For example, you can buy theater sized candy boxes at grocery stores usually for around $1. This can be as much as a 75% discount versus what you’ll pay at the theater for the same box. Understandably, theaters don’t tell you to bring your own snacks. But as long as you aren’t obnoxiously flaunting the fact that you brought your own candy, most theaters will look the other way.

9. Deal Sites

There are movie deals floating around the Internet, if you just know where to look. Admittedly, it can be a huge hassle to track multiple sites. But that’s where we at Ben’s Bargains enter the picture, ready to help you save money. We regularly collect special deals on movie tickets, so check with us before you buy those tickets and you’ll be saving money at the movies!

Try These 9 Tricks for Saving Money at the Movies

If you’re interested in installing a smart thermostat in your home, congratulations! This is a great way to control your home’s heating and cooling more efficiently, saving you some money over the long run. (And you’ll save even more if your AC unit is clean and running at top efficiency!) But performing this type of DIY installation isn’t for everyone. Learn how to install a smart thermostat — and whether this is a task you can handle — with our tips.

Time Required

If you have the right wiring in place, you can expect this process to take about 20-45 minutes. If you need an electrician to change some wiring, that task could take an additional up to 60 minutes, depending how easy it is to fish a wire through your wall and connect it to the HVAC unit.

Tools Required

If you’re ready to tackle the process of how to install a smart thermostat, you may need the following list of tools.

• Philips screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver
• Masking tape
• Voltage tester
• Level
• Drywall repair spackle
• Paint brush and touch-up paint
• WiFi network password
• Smartphone

Savings

Certainly, you could pay to have a smart thermostat installed. Many electricians will do the job, as will heating and cooling system technicians. Electronics stores or hardware stores often will provide technicians too. However, if you need to change out wiring, only an electrician will do this part of the job.

If you purchase the smart thermostat at a store that offers installation, you may receive a break on the cost of installing it. Such technicians may also help you download the right app and connect the unit to your home WiFi network. Without a price break, anywhere from $50 to $100 is a common cost to install a smart thermostat.

If you need to have wiring added to accommodate the smart thermostat, you could pay another $75 to $200. However, some electricians will give you a break on the cost of the installation of the thermostat, because they already will be at the home to install the new wiring.

As long as you have the right type of wiring, this is a pretty easy installation process. So it’s worth saving some money to try it yourself. But if you’re at all uncomfortable around electrical wires, it’s probably worth spending a bit more to have it installed for you.

Do You Have the Correct Wiring?

If you live in an older home or you have an older furnace/AC system, the wiring needed to hook up a smart thermostat may not be present. To check your wiring situation, you’ll have to remove the current thermostat from the wall mount, as described in the next section. (After cutting the power, of course.)

Look at the wiring. You need to see multiple wires available, rather than a large cable with two copper wires inside it. If this is what you see, it’s likely a high voltage setup that’s common in older wiring systems. Most smart thermostats cannot work with high voltage wiring.

If you have small wires of multiple colors available — either separate or within one cable sleeve — this is a low voltage system, which works with smart thermostats. Each wire connects to a certain terminal on the smart thermostat. The “C” wire, short for common or continuous, is the most important wire to find. If you have a low voltage system, but you don’t have a C wire available, you will need to install one that connects to your HVAC unit.

It’s possible — but unlikely — that your smart thermostat doesn’t need a C wire to provide continuous electrical power. Read through the installation materials with your smart thermostat to see if a C wire is required.

A few smart thermostats can work with a high voltage system, but will still need a C wire. (Again this is possible, but unlikely.) You can try to install a C wire yourself and connect it to your HVAC system, but we wouldn’t recommend it. This is a job better served by hiring an electrician. And if you need to convert a high voltage system to a low voltage system, this again is something an electrician needs to handle.

Disconnecting Your Current Thermostat

To disconnect your current thermostat, turn off the circuit breaker for it. It may be the same breaker as for the furnace. It’s also possible that your furnace, AC unit, heat pump, and thermostat wiring are all on separate breakers. (Hopefully your system is well labeled.)

Additionally, turn off the switch that’s mounted near the furnace. (This switch will look like a light switch.) It’s important to cut all power to the HVAC unit and the thermostat before beginning this process, or you could cause damage to the unit.

Understand that some thermostats have batteries to power a display screen. So even if you cut the power at the circuit breaker, the thermostat may still appear to have power. Remove any batteries from the thermostat too. We’d suggesting using a voltage tester to ensure the power is off to the wiring for the thermostat before disconnecting the wires.

Remove the thermostat’s face plate, if it has one. Otherwise, the thermostat should lift away from the mounting bracket.

Once you can see the wires, use the voltage tester. After you’ve ensured the power is off, look at how the wires are connected to the current thermostat. If there are no labels on the wires, use masking tape to wrap around the wires and create your own labels. The labels you create must match what’s printed on the terminals of the current thermostat.

You may also want to snap a photo of how the wires are connected to the current thermostat, so you can see which wire colors connect to which terminals of the current thermostat. The photo will be a backup for you, should the labels fall off the wires.

Now disconnect the wires from the terminals on the current thermostat. Most will be connected via a screw, although some may fit into a clip.

Some thermostats make use of jumpers, which are short wires that connect one terminal to another. (You can see a jumper connecting the Rh and Rc terminals in the photo above.) You can remove any jumpers without labeling them. If your smart thermostat requires jumpers (which is rare), the unit’s instructions will tell you how to install them.

One problem you may find is that the wires coming out of the wall are very short. Once you disconnect them, it’s possible they could fall back into the wall. If you’re concerned about this, tape the cable to a pencil or screwdriver as you disconnect it so it can’t fall back into the wall.

Now carefully remove the mounting bracket from the wall. As you’re jostling the bracket, this is another time when a wire could slip back into the hole in the wall, so be very careful with this step.

Connecting the Smart Thermostat

The guidelines here for hooking up your smart thermostat are general in nature. Follow the instructions with your particular model of thermostat if there is a difference from our guidelines.

Attach the new mounting bracket to the wall. Make sure you center it properly so the wires from the wall are centered on the bracket. It’s important that the mounting bracket is level. (Some smart thermostat mounting brackets have built-in levels, as shown in the picture here.)

Most smart thermostats weigh very little, meaning you won’t need to drill into a stud or use drywall anchors. However, if your system ships with drywall anchors or if the instructions recommend using them, do it.

If the new bracket is quite a bit smaller than the bracket for the current thermostat, you may have to patch a few holes in your drywall. Depending on the last time the wall was painted, you may have to do some touch-up painting too.

Most smart thermostats will have you connect the wires to the mounting bracket/base plate. Each terminal on the base plate should be labeled clearly, so you know which wires to connect. You’ll either connect the wires to a terminal with a screw or with a built-in clip. After connecting a wire to a terminal, tug on it to ensure it’s tightly connected.

Make sure any extra length of wire is tucked back into the wall, so there’s room for the face plate.

It’s possible you may have extra wires that have nothing to connect to on the base plate. This is rare, but possible. Use a wire nut to protect the exposed area of the extra wire.

Next you’ll pop the face plate onto the mounting bracket/base plate. If the face plate requires batteries (which is rare) install them first. With a smart thermostat, there should be only one way to connect the face plate. If it doesn’t seem to fit quite right, look closely at the instructions. You shouldn’t have to use a significant amount of force to snap the face plate onto the base plate.

With everything hooked up, turn on the circuit breaker again. You should see the screen light up.

Connecting to the Network

Now you can make a connection between your home WiFi network and the smart thermostat. Most devices should give you on screen prompts for making the connection. Have your WiFi password handy. You’ll also may need to have the smartphone app for your particular model of smart thermostat installed before you can connect the thermostat to your WiFi network.

You’re then ready to use the unit! Take bit of time to study how the smartphone app works so you’re of the receiving all energy savings you can reap from using your new smart thermostat properly!

Saving Money With DIY: How to Install a Smart Thermostat

It seems like the school year starts sooner every year. With tax holidays, sales flyers and special promotions to keep track of, it’s tough to make sure you’re saving money when filling up your shopping basket with back-to-school clothes, electronics and more. Be sure to check out the main Ben’s Bargains deal feed updated multiple times daily with the latest back-to-school deals for the new school year.

With nearly two decades of experience under our belt, we have seen countless back-to-school sales and promotions. In order to give you an accurate forecast on when you will be able to get the best deals on back-to-school shopping, we compiled historical data on all back-to-school sales and deals.

Specifically, we looked at the popularity of each deal within our community, the volume of deals within a product category and the average price of those deals. On a monthly basis, our data set included between 4,100 to 4,400 deals. That’s approximately 17,000 deals over the four-month period between July and October.

While we have provided a handy guide below to help figure out when to start shopping for  back-to-school products, here are a few of the highlights:

1. When shopping for back-to-school clothing and shoes, there’s no better month than August. Specifically, prices of apparel deals are about 18 percent lower than September and October. Shoes are discounted at an even larger margin, approximately 30 percent cheaper than waiting until September or October.

2. If you can wait until early October to purchase a new laptop for your student, you will end up saving nearly 10 percent over prices in July and August. Obviously, waiting until the Black Friday shopping period would offer even greater savings, but your student would be without a laptop until the end of November. Keep an eye on Amazon, Newegg, Dell, HP and Lenovo for the best deals.

3. Mid to late September is the best time to purchase mobile devices like smartphones, tablets and eReaders. Many manufacturers introduce new models prior to the fourth quarter, thus previous generation models are heavily discounted. Smartphones are a particularly good buy during September at Best Buy and Amazon, about 15 percent less than other back-to-school shopping months.

4. If you’re outfitting a dorm room or college apartment with home theater gear like televisions, headphones, media players or speakers, September is your best best. However, if you need furniture, kitchen appliances or tools for that first place away from home, it’s best to wait until October in order to save the most money. Of course, your college student will have to get by on cheap Craigslist couches and a handheld can opener until then.

Ben’s Bargains Back-to-School Shopping Guide

(Click to expand)

6 More Back-to-School Shopping Tips

1. Take an inventory of what you already have. There’s no reason to purchase a duplicate of something that you purchased last year, as long as it’s still useful. For example, with computers, look to upgrade your current hardware over purchasing an entirely new laptop or desktop computer. Simply adding an SSD hard drive or more RAM can significantly boost the performance of your computer without breaking the bank. Simple tutorials for both upgrades can be found on YouTube.

Regarding basic school supplies, set up a central location within the home to collect and store all supplies. This will help you see what you have and restock as the school year progresses. Watch for major back-to-school sales at Office Depot, OfficeMax and Staples during the first half of August.

2. Figure out what you shouldn’t buy. Put yourself in the shoes of your student. Do they really need a printer or can they print off their assignments in a computer lab? Do they really need a USB flash drive or can they simply use a service like Dropbox to share data between computers? Are the majority of school assignments going to be submitted digitally? If so, reduce the portion of your budget dedicated to office supplies.

3. Don’t pay sales tax if you don’t have to. Be sure to check out the list of 2018 sales tax holidays to see if your state participates. While mostly offered in Southern states, some states offer huge savings for families. For instance, South Carolina has no cap on back-to-school purchases that qualify for the no sales tax benefit.

4. Team up with other families for bulk purchases. Reach out to other families within your school’s community and talk about purchasing school supplies in bulk. Many times, warehouse clubs like Sam’s Club and Costco will offer great deals, but the quantity is too big for the traditional family. Joining forces with another family can cut down the cost even more and allow you to split up the supplies.

5. College students should investigate textbook rentals. Textbook rentals are extremely helpful in order to avoid insane textbook prices at the college bookstore. While the go-to retailer is Amazon for physical textbook rentals, be sure to check out the Google Play store if your student has an Android device and wants to rent a digital textbook. Chegg is also an option.

6. For big ticket items, set up a deal alert. If you are shopping for something expensive like a laptop, let us do the work for you with a deal alert and send you an email notification when something hits your price point. With the 17,000+ deals we publish during the back-to-school period, we can definitely help you save money this year. You can also take a quick look at the main Ben’s Bargains deal feed to see the best deals on any given day.

The Best Time to Find Amazing Back-To-School Deals

These days, the data that you have on your computer or smartphone is almost certainly more valuable to you than the device itself. Think about what you’d lose with a data crash, and it’s almost enough to invoke a panic attack. So we know you’ve heard it dozens of times, but maybe this time it’ll sink in: You must back up your data on a regular basis. Fortunately, these days backing up data can be inexpensive. We’ll show you the four easiest and cheapest data backup and data storage methods and help you figure out which option is best for you.

Cloud Storage

If you’re still a little fuzzy on understanding the cloud, the easiest way to describe it is a data storage site that’s in a remote location.

When you upload data to the cloud, you’re simply creating a copy of your data in another location. This is a great option for many reasons.

• Remote location. If you suffer a catastrophe at your home, the data is stored in a safe location remotely.
• Automatic uploads. Most cloud storage services offer an automatic uploading of your data each time you make a change. Once the service is set up, it works automatically.
• Large storage levels. With cloud storage, you’ll have access to an almost unlimited amount of storage space that you easily can expand as needed.

Most cloud storage sites give you a certain amount of data storage for free, so check into these offerings first. For example, Google Drive offers 15GB of storage for free, while Microsoft OneDrive has 1TB of free storage for people who own Microsoft Office software licenses. Many other options are available too.

You may be able to just save your most important files in your cloud backup system, allowing you to remain under the free storage limit, meaning you have no cost to use the service.

If you need more space, you’ll pay a monthly fee for extra storage space beyond the free amount. Most people can easily survive with a storage amount that’ll cost less than $10 monthly, sometimes far less. Because this is such a competitive market, shop around. Prices change constantly.

The downside to cloud storage is that you lose physical control of your data. Although cloud storage services have multiple layers of security for protecting your data, some people just can’t shake their dislike for the idea of handing control of their data to someone else.

USB Flash Drive

Although cloud storage is easy and convenient, the cost of storing data on a USB flash drive has dropped tremendously in recent years, making it cheaper than cloud storage for those with storage needs above the free limits that a cloud provider offers.

If you’re paying $5 a month for 64GB of storage in the cloud, you can make that up in a few months with a USB flash drive. Some advantages of USB flash drives include the following.

• Large capacities. It’s easy to find a flash drive with 64GB or more storage.
• Fast uploads. If you have a USB 3.0 slot on your computer, pairing it with a USB 3.0 flash drive yields extremely fast read/write speeds.
• Small and portable. USB drives don’t take up much room and are easy to carry with you.

Our favorite USB flash drive right now is the 64GB Samsung USB 3.0 Flash Drive.

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The biggest downside to a USB flash drive is that creating backup copies is not an automatic process. You have to remember to make backups. Additionally, the flash drive probably will be in the same location as your computer most of the time, so a fire would destroy both copies potentially.

And unlike the cloud, you must have the USB drive in your possession to obtain the backup data. With the cloud, you can access your backups anywhere you have an Internet connection by just entering a user name and password.

SD Memory Card

Everything we just wrote about USB flash drives can be applied to SD memory cards too. Most computers have an SD card slot, and you can easily copy files to it, just as you can a USB flash drive.

Prices on average are a little higher for an SD memory card than a USB flash drive for the same amount of storage, although the two types of storage mediums have become very close in price in the past several months.

We really like the price point and performance of the SanDisk 64GB Ultra SDXC UHS-I memory card.

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External Hard Drive

The most bang for your storage buck, though, belongs to external hard drives. These devices connect to your computer through a USB connection and allow you to copy huge amounts of data to them as a backup method.

It’s common to find external hard drives with 1TB of storage capacity (that’s roughly 1,000GB). Such devices are larger than memory cards or USB flash drives but cost far less per GB than those devices.

You again have to remember to perform data backups with external hard drives, rather than it being an automated process as it is with the cloud. But these devices are clearly the cheapest option for anyone with huge data storage needs, such as for a collection of photos or videos.

We really like the Seagate Expansion 1TB Portable External Hard Drive, which has a thin case and is available in data sizes up to 4TB.

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Other Options

Here are some other data backup and storage options that didn’t make our top four list, but that have some advantages.

• Optical discs. Some people still like to back up to CDs and DVDs. Although you can use these optical discs, they aren’t as convenient for data storage and backups as the methods listed here. However, if you need to be able to show what your files looked like on a particular date for archival purposes, a writable DVD-R option, such as the Verbatim 50-disc spindle, offers 4.7GB of storage per disc.

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• Online backup services. Some online backup services will store data for you automatically, just like the cloud services we mentioned earlier. However, these services go one step further by guiding you through the process of restoring your data after a crash. These services all charge monthly fees, so you’ll pay for the simplicity they offer.
• Network Attached Storage. If you have a network at home, you can place an NAS box on the network to handle backup storage options. These are difficult to set up for the average person, and they aren’t as cheap as some other options, but backups can be run as an automated process on the network if desired.

[table caption=”Cheapest Data Backup Cost Comparison Table” width=”480″ colwidth=”50|20|20|20|20|20|20″ colalign=”left|center|center|center|center|center|center”]

Data Storage Option,Microsoft OneDrive,Google Drive,Dropbox,USB Flash,Memory Card,Ext. Hard Drive

Typical Storage Size,50GB,100GB,1TB,64GB,64GB,1TB

Cost per GB first month*,$0.04*,$0.02*,$0.01*,$0.31,$0.34,$0.06

Cost per GB first year*,$0.48*,$0.24*,$0.12*,$0.31,$0.34,$0.06

Requires fast Internet,Yes,Yes,Yes,No,No,No

Local storage option,No,No,No,Yes,Yes,Yes

Easy and fast for huge storage needs,No,No,No,No,No,Yes

Automated backup possible,Yes,Yes,Yes,No,No,No

One-time upfront fee,No,No,No,Yes,Yes,Yes

Repeatable monthly cost,Yes,Yes,Yes,No,No,No

[/table]

*If you aren’t using all of the data you’ve paid for with the cloud storage systems that carry monthly fees, your cost per GB used is higher. For example, if you’re only using 50GB of your 100GB plan from Google Drive, your cost per GB used is double what’s listed here because you’re leaving half of the storage you’re paying for unused. And if you’re only using 125GB of your 1TB with Dropbox, you’re cost per GB used is several times higher than what’s listed in the chart because so much storage space that you’re paying for is going unused.

The 4 Easiest and Cheapest Data Backup and Storage Methods

Looking for some great gift ideas for Dad and want to save a little money at the same time? Kristin Cook, Managing Editor of Ben’s Bargains, says “Father’s Day sales have really begun to kick-off since Memorial Sales have ended. Expect to see some sales coincide with early back-to-school deals on items like laptops.”

We’ve put together a solid list of options for you based on the type of dad you have. All of these products are on sale in June as well, ideal for anyone that’s on a budget. Check out our picks:

Chef Dad: Dishware / Pots / Pans

If your Dad loves to whip up meals for the family, June is a fantastic month to find deals on pots & pans as well as general dishware. Why? It’s wedding season and promotions on popular registry items are abundant. Look for great deals on high quality pots & pans sets, usually in the 40 to 50 percent off range at stores like Kohl’s, Wayfair and Macy’s.

Workout Dad: Fitness Gear / Gym Memberships

If your Dad loves to go for a morning run or bike ride, June is a killer month to find deals on fitness related items. That includes sneakers as well as general apparel. Look for sales between 40 to 60 percent off from stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods and REI.

Interestingly, this is also a month when your local gym lower rates to get more memberships, specifically because the weather is warmer and more people are running outside instead of the treadmill. You can also find lots of deals on sports magazine subscriptions to ESPN, Sport’s Illustrated and Runner’s World at sites like DiscountMags.com.

Tech Dad: Laptops

If Dad’s old laptop is more trouble than it’s worth, June usually kicks off the start of back-to-school sales and that includes laptops. Look for great deals on touchscreen and SSD Windows 10 laptops in the $400 to $550 range as well as less expensive 15-inch standard laptops in the $300 to $350 range. The majority of June sales will come from the Microsoft Store, eBay, Best Buy and Dell.

Be aware that this advice doesn’t apply to Apple MacBooks. Apple generally announces new MacBooks at the WWDC conference in June, thus discounts on previous generation models usually don’t hit until late August / early September.

Garage Dad: Tools / Hardware

If your Dad loves spending time tinkering in the garage, this is a fantastic month for snagging tools and other hardware at a major discount. Look for great deals on hand tools from 40 to 65 percent off as well as power tools / combo sets between 25 to 40 percent off at stores like Sears, Home Depot, eBay and Lowes.

Outdoors Dad: Fishing Trips (National Fishing Week)

While the end of fishing season (September) is the best time to buy discounted fishing gear, June is actually the best month to plan an inexpensive fishing trip due to National Fishing Week in early June. Nearly all states run promotional free fishing days during June, excellent for anyone that wants to fish without getting a license. You can find a full list of promotional days to plan a trip with Dad at TakeMeFishing.org.

How to Save Money while buying a Father’s Day Gift

If the lead up to Father’s Day usually involves dad telling you he doesn’t need you to buy him anything, and then you purchasing him something anyway, well, first, your dad probably is displeased to know that he raised a disobedient child.

And secondly, let us try to translate what dad actually means. He means he doesn’t want you to waste your hard-earned money on a gift for him that isn’t practical.

So we have the answer: Buy him something inexpensive — say less than $10 — to ease his mind. Additionally, make sure it’s practical, something he really can use. We’ve developed a list of the five must have tech gadgets for less than $10 that work great for the dad who doesn’t want anything. (On the down side, dad won’t be able to add to his collection of ugly ties in the back of the closet.)

1. USB Hub

Everyone has plenty of USB powered devices these days. So adding a USB hub to your collection of tech gadgets will give you plenty of places to plug in your devices.

The Sabrent 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub offers four output ports and one USB input port with 5Gbps speeds for USB 3.0 devices. Each port has an LED light for indicating its power status, which is helpful for ensuring you’ve connected your device correctly.

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2. Smartphone Screen Protector

Dads probably don’t take care of their phones like they should, shoving them in a pocket … or worse. So take better care of the phone with a screen protector. Glass protectors provide the most protection for a reasonable price, preventing scratches. Just make sure you pick the protector that matches the phone.

For iPhone 6 and 7:

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For Galaxy S7:

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3. USB Phone Charger for Car

If dad spends a lot of time in the car, make sure his smartphone is always ready to go with a USB phone charger. This unit plugs into the 12V power outlet on the car, and provides power to devices through a USB connection.

The Anker 24W Dual USB Car Charger PowerDrive 2 is a nice charger with a great price point and two USB ports.

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4. Earbud Headphones

Don’t expect great audio quality with earbud headphones that cost less than $10. Then again, with the dinosaur music dad listens to, perfect audio quality probably isn’t a priority.

The best thing about inexpensive earbud headphones is that if they break, you don’t have to feel bad. We like the MEE Audio RX18 headphones, as they deliver a controlled bass level. And they’re available in multiple colors, should dad appreciate pink or purple headphones. (They’re also available in black in case that’s more his style.)

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5. USB Thumb Drive

Everyone needs to make backup copies of their data more often than they do. So a USB thumb drive is a very practical gift that will help push dad in the right direction concerning backing up his data.

Additionally, USB thumb drives offer a ton of storage space for inexpensive prices right now. We love the SanDisk Cruzer Blade flash drive, as it offers 32GB of storage space for less than $10. It’s a USB 2.0 device, so it’s not the fastest model on the market, which is why it carries a low price right now.

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5 Useful Tech Gadgets Under $10 for Father’s Day