SavvySugar

Staples Offers Free Printed Resumes and Business Cards

SavvySugar — Tue, 12 May 2009 04:30:10 -0700

You'll have to do the hard part and write a resume on your own, but Staples will let you print 20 of them free of charge through June 13. It's part of a promotion the chain is calling the Career Stimulus Program. On top of the stack of resumes, the program also includes 40 free business cards. Pass those puppies out at your next networking event and you may end up finding someone who wants to see your resume. It sure can't hurt. Find a participating Staples location and let the career stimulating begin.

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Your Two Cents: Do You Use Your Business Cards?

SavvySugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:00:06 -0700

Family and friends were the primary recipients of my business cards when I got my first batch from my first job out of college, but I've started using them more as I've gotten older.

Networking situations require an exchange of contact information, and business cards are usually the way to go. Do you use your business cards?

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Ten of the Most Creative Business Cards

SavvySugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:33:00 -0700

Most business cards that make their way into networking hands are about the basics - personal information on a business looking platform. Self-employed workers have the freedom to create whatever kind of cards they'd like, and many have succeeded in making truly memorable cards without being cheesy. Oddee named the 10 most creative business cards and included cards from various professions ranging from a couples therapist to an acupuncturist. While these unique cards make it difficult to choose, my favorite is the personal trainer's creation. Which do you prefer?

View 10 Photos ›

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Straightforward Credit Cards Could Be the New Trend

SavvySugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:30:13 -0700

Bank of America announced a new credit card that comes with, wait for it, a simple one-page explanation of terms and conditions. The BankAmericard Basic Visa card will be available in October and features a fixed rate tied to prime and a flat fee of $39 for late payments. Here's more:

The fixed rate is equal to the prime rate plus a margin of 14 percent, and the rate is the same whether you're making a purchase or taking a cash advance.
The rate isn't tied to a customer's payment history or credit rating like most credit cards.
There are no fees for going over the credit card limit.

The BankAmericard Basic Visa card doesn't come with a decent interest rate any way you look at it - the APR surpasses 17 percent - but it seems like it might be an option for people who have had credit problems in the past. According to The Wall Street Journal, simplification is now the primary focus for credit card companies and we can expect more cards with straightforward fees and policies in the coming months.

I'm Asking: Who Are Your Finance-Savvy Role Models?

SavvySugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:30:22 -0700

Lately, there's been a whole lotta hoopla surrounding Ivanka Trump - her wedding, for one, her new book, The Trump Card, another. But, it's not just that. I've seen her face cropping up next to finance-related advice columns in Glamour and appearing on daytime talk shows to chat, obviously, about the Donald and The Apprentice, but also to talk shop about her own career successes.

Overall, her rep as a young female business icon seems well-deserved, if not, totally destined. Clearly, Ivanka has learned quite a bit from dad - and she seems to know what she's talking about. So, while I've never been of fan of Mr. Trump, his (more down-to-Earth) daughter seems to have a handle on the business world and a fresh perspective on the economy - when she dishes out advice, it just might be worth taking. What do you think, does Ivanka make for a savvy role model? If not, tell me, who do you look to for business advice?

Brilliant or Baffling? Business Card Scanner

SavvySugar — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 11:09:03 -0800

If you're a busy networking bee then your wallet may soon become home to more than just cash and old receipts. You'd be surprised how quickly a business card collection can grow into a small stack that sits, unorganized, in your wallet. A solution may be to get a business card scanner ($150) that would easily organize all of your contacts. There's even a button that lets you send your contacts to your electronic address book once they've been scanned.

Sears Offers Payment Help For Jobless Buyers - With a Catch

SavvySugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 04:30:16 -0700

Sears may be a bit late to the game of providing greater purchasing security, but the company has announced a buyer protection program for those worried about losing their jobs. Starting Monday and until Aug. 1, the free program will cover home appliance purchases of more than $399. Here's the bigger catch: the coverage only applies to purchases made on a Sears card.

If you're employed and in the market for a new backyard grill, I could see how the Sears offer might be appealing. As long as the customer/cardholder was employed full-time for at least 60 days before buying the appliance, the program will credit 1/12th of the purchase price every month the person is unemployed. Still no luck finding a job after a year of searching? That's OK, Sears will take care of the remaining balance.

Sears is trying to look like the good guy helping out worried consumers who need new washing machines, but the fact that a store card must be part of the picture complicates the company's intentions. What's your opinion about the buyers program?

Creative Business Cards

SavvySugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:38:32 -0700

Ten of the most creative business cards, as featured on Oddee.

View Slideshow ›

When a Credit Card Company Can Suddenly Cancel Your Card

SavvySugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:30:34 -0700

Credit card companies are beginning to clean up the profile of their average customer, and they're not doing so by offering lower interest rates that make it easier to pay off debt. Instead, they're just canceling the cards of those customers who are simply bad for business. There are few things more humiliating than discovering that your card is no longer active when you're attempting to make a purchase, but there are certain situations when your credit card issuer can legally cancel your account without warning. Find out what they are when you read more.

According to The Wall Street Journal, an issuer can cancel your credit card without notice if you've defaulted or are delinquent on the account, or if you haven't used the card in more than a year. If you have any cards that have been idle in your wallet for a while but they're important to your credit history, then use them now to make necessary purchases but pay the bills off immediately.

Credit card issuers are allowed to close your account - and send notice within 30 days of cancellation - if they've reassessed your financial situation and concluded that you're too risky to keep as a customer. Even if you've stayed on top of your bills recently, a late bill from your past could give the company reason to close your account.

Have any of your credit cards been suddenly canceled by your credit card company?

Pay-What-You-Want Taxi Service: Brilliant or Baffling?

SavvySugar — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 08:30:16 -0700

The Great Recession has inspired businesses and entrepreneurs to build more creative marketing schemes and business plans. Pay-what-you-want restaurants are no longer a rarity and have generally shown that people will pay a fair price, even when they're not given a bill.

One innovative guy in Vermont took this idea and is driving with it in his Vermont-based part-time business, Recession Ride Taxi. Eric Hagen's taxi sign reads "Pay What You Want!" and he also offers pay-what-you-can bottles of water, Gatorade, and soda, and a free ride after six paid fares. Hagen told the Burlington Free Press that he's satisfied with the way business has been going; while he's received payment in the form of a CD from a musician and a $10 supermarket card, most patrons pay in cash.

What do you think of his idea: is it brilliant or baffling?