Harlan Vaughn's Blog, page 31

AncestryDNA Vs 23andMe – Which Ancestry Test Is Best?

Over the holidays, I did something I’ve wanted to do for a long time: starting tracing my ancestry. Because both AncestryDNA and 23andMe had DNA tests on sale for Cyber Monday, I decided to get both – and compare.

Which DNA test reigns supreme?

For the basics, they’re pretty much the same – with an edge to AncestryDNA because of its bigger database.

But the health reports addition to 23andMe blew me away. And it’s worth spending the extra money to unlock a huge amount of personal information you might not even be aware of yet. That’s scary and exhilarating – and makes you consider how much you really want to know.

Dang it, I already let it slip which one I like more. #fairandbalanced

Allbirds 6-Month Review: How Are These Travel Shoes Holding Up?

Also see:

Allbirds: The Perfect Travel Shoe?

A little over 6 months ago, I wondered if Allbirds might be the perfect travel shoe. I tend to replace my shoes about every 6 months. But I’m happy to report the Allbirds still look and feel great. Though there is the usual wear and tear.

My Allbirds held up wonderfully. And I have NOT been kind to them

I’ve worn them nearly every day and along all my travels. I tend to wear out my shoes. But whereas my old New Balances would’ve been literally falling apart at the 6-month mark, the Allbirds still have plenty of life left in them.

I want another pair!

Allbirds 6-Month Review

Link: Allbirds

Six months ago, spending $95 on a pair of shoes seemed like a gamble. But now, I still have great, comfy shoes will plenty more time left on the clock. I’m impressed and satisfied with Allbirds and how they’ve held up.

Dancing in my Allbirds

Use Earny for Automated Visa and MasterCard Price Protection

I wrote about Trim and Paribus to track price changes and get a refund from merchants. Now there’s Earny, which tracks price changes and uses price protection from many bank Visa and MasterCard credit cards – and files the claims for you automatically. In return, they take 25% of the bounty.

Earny automates price protection with several bank Visas and MasterCards

I shop online a lot with my Citi AT&T Access More card (no longer available although you can still product change to it). All Citi personal cards come with Citi Price Rewind, which puts the onus on you to file a claim if you find a lower price. But now Earny automates the work. After you link your cards, nothing else is required to file a claim when Earny finds a lower price.

If you shop online a lot, this could save you big bucks!

What’s Earny?

Link: Earny

Much like Trim and Paribus, Earny wants access to your email to fully work – and your bank login details to get automated price protection. And you need to add your cards individually. Visa and MasterCard cards from these banks are supported:

Most bank cards work, especially from Chase and Citi

Earny tracks the receipts in your inbox and matches the purchases to your cards.  If there’s a price drop, Earny will automate the price refund difference with your bank – but only when you provide your bank login details. Otherwise, it will alert you a lower price was found – and you can file a claim on your own.

Which cards work?

It’s important to note that every card from each bank is NOT supported. Or so they say.

This is the only US Bank card on Earny

I added my US Bank Altitude Reserve card and my US Bank login – it seemed to add the card, even though it’s a Visa?

Is that gonna work? Hmmm…

I don’t know if it will work for the price protection benefit. So it’s best to match the cards as closely as possible to what Earny shows. For my Citi price protection, Earny only showed the Citi AT&T Access card and I have the Citi AT&T Access More card. But it still worked like a charm! In fact, I have gotten several small refunds already:

I didn’t file any of these claims

It’s nothing major so far. A few bucks here and there. But considering it required no work on my part and already saved me ~$14 in the past month or so, it’s an easy win. I LOVE EASY WINS.

It also helps to offset the annual fee on the card, which is a huge added value. Even better if you have a no annual fee card. I imagine now would be a good time to sign up for Earny to take advantage of all the post-Christmas sales and price drops happening.

What else does Earny do?

Earny tracks your purchases from:

Amazon
Best Buy
Bloomingdale’s
Carter’s
Costco
The Gap Group including Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Athleta, and the factory stores
Home Depot
J.Crew
Jet
Kohl’s
Macy’s
Newegg
Nike
Nordstrom
Overstock
Sears
Staples
Target
Walmart
Zappos

Earny tracks purchases from popular merchants like Amazon and Costco – and more!

Note: You need to link your Amazon account separately.

Then, all your purchases appear in a grid, starting with the most recent items.

Your purchases are shown by date and include a picture of the item for easy reference

The automatic price protection is by far the coolest part. I love peeking at my Citi card account and seeing a Price Rewind credit for something I already bought!

Are there drawbacks?

Ja. Some peeps are uncomfy sharing their bank logins with 3rd-party services. Earny says:

Earny’s credit card security is handled by MasterCard’s trusted Simplify Commerce. He only works with the most secure and reliable companies to make sure your card information is protected. Earny also never stores your complete credit card information. Instead, he uses a MasterCard generated token to recognize and charge your card whenever he discovers a refund opportunity.

I’ve been using Earny for a few months and have only had a good experience getting back extra cash with zero effort. Ultimately, it’s up to you. Take a look at the FAQs and see how you feel before signing up.

Bottom line

Link: Earny

If you recently shopped for Christmas gifts, now’s the perfect time to set up automatic price protection for sales and price drops with Earny. I’ve gotten a few bucks back pretty reliably every couple of weeks. So if you shop online a lot, it’s super easy to save cash on items you already bought.

I still recommend Trim and Paribus in addition to Earny to cover all your bases. Paribus in particular has earned me several free months of Amazon Prime.

Monaco: A Currency Exchange & Cryptocurrency Rewards Prepaid Card

Recently, a friend recommended now is a good time to buy a little of 4 big cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, the new Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin. So I bought $100 of each, mostly for the sake of curiosity. I do NOT recommend cryptocurrency as an investment (try these platforms instead!).

Monaco will exchange currency and earn crypto rewards with a prepaid debit card

And today, I heard about Monaco, which aims to exchange currency at perfect interchange rates (including crypto). And if you pledge to invest in the card, you can earn “crypto back” rewards – which you can redeem for real crypto.

There are NO fees because your money is always treated as local currency no matter if you’re spending US dollars, a foreign currency, or crypto.

Monaco isn’t available yet in the US. But they expect to launch globally any time now. If you use my link to sign up, you’ll get $10 added to your account for free. Ten US dollars.

Best IRA Accounts: 8 Companies Compared (Self-Directed, Apps, & Roboadvisors)

Also see: 

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

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about Acorns, an app I think is a great place to get started with investing (especially for millennials). Talking about investing is dicey. For one, because it’s personal (duh). For that reason, everyone has an opinion on it. And that’s where the confusion starts.

My view is: it doesn’t matter where you begin, so long as you do. You can always switch things around later. To that end, I feel Acorns has the most approachable interface for a beginner “despite” costing $1 a month. And there’s no minimum to start investing.

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is RIGHT THIS SECOND. Start NOW!

That said, it’s an app and doesn’t let you choose your own funds (you pick from their portfolios). Same with Stash, Wealthsimple, and Betterment. Of course, you’ll get the best deal with a self-directed account – but the minimums are dauntingly high for a beginner, with the exception of TD Ameritrade.

I’ll compare these companies for expenses, account and fund minimums, and quirky extras:

Fidelity
Vanguard
Schwab
TD Ameritrade
Acorns
Stash
Wealthsimple
Betterment

I am focusing on IRAs here – although they all have the option to simply be an investment account (which is why I excluded Robinhood – they do NOT have IRAs).

8 Best IRA Accounts Compared

CompanyFidelityVanguardSchwabTD AmeritradeAcornsStashWealthsimpleBetterment




FundFidelity® Total Market Index Fund - Investor Class (FSTMX)Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares (VTSMX)Schwab Total Stock Market Index Fund® (SWTSX)Schwab Total Stock Market Index Fund® (SWTSX)Depends on your allocationDepends on your allocationDepends on your allocationDepends on your allocation


Expense Ratio0.09%0.15%0.03%0.03%$1 per month under $5,000. 0.25% over $5,000.$1 per month under $5,000. 0.25% over $5,000.0.5% between $0 and $100,000 (free the 1st year up to $5,000). 0.4% for $100,000+0.25%. 0.40% over $100,000.


Account Minimum$0$3,000$1,000 (waived with a $100 monthly auto-deposit)$0$0$5$0$0


Fund Minimum$2,500$3,000$1$0$0$0$0$0


Cool extrasPair it with the Fidelity Visa and earn 2% cashback swept into your account.There a couple of Amex cards that can tie to your Schwab account, but they're kinda meh. Round-Ups and the Found Money shopping portal are really awesome and unique to Acorns. Get $5 free with this link.Get $5 free with this link.Get $50 free when you load your account with $100. (Exclusive for Out and Out readers.)Get your first 90 days managed for free.




Self-Directed Accounts
Expert-level: Fidelity, Vanguard, Schwab (Options 1, 2, and 3)

Link: Fidelity
Link: Vanguard
Link: Schwab

I am admittedly a Fidelity fanboy. I’ve reached the point in my investments where I qualify for lower expense ratios of .035% with the FSTVX Total Market index fund. And I put money into my account with the Fidelity Visa here and there. It’s what I like, what I’m used to, and where I started.

That said, you need $2,500 to grab shares of the FSTMX Total Market index fund, which can seem dauntingly high for a beginner.

Same for Vanguard – you need at least $3,000 to start with their funds.

Schwab is better – they’ll waive the $1,000 minimum if you agree to a $100 monthly auto-deposit. And you can begin investing in their SWTSX Total Market index fund with only $1 (but really $100 with the auto-deposit, eh?). Of the 3, this is by far the most approachable if you can handle the monthly commitment.

TD Ameritrade knocks my socks off (Option 4)

Link: TD Ameritrade

So I didn’t know this before but… you can start investing with a single buckaroo in the Total Market index fund with the lowest expense ratio (the Schwab fund)!

WOW

There are no account or fund minimums with TD Ameritrade. You can literally set-up an account, choose a fund, and start investing.

This is as cheap and simple as it gets. They have a great website, an app, and excellent customer service. So what’s the hitch?

There are many schools of thought on asset allocation and which funds to select. Peeps get anxious about having to choose a fund (or funds). I recommend choosing a Total Market or S&P 500 index fund, and a total bond fund, and calling it a day.

That’s really all there is to it. Stick your money in there and let it sit for 5, 10, or 20+ years. Again, you can always switch things around later. But if you haven’t started yet, you have an out-of-control raging emergency. Start NOW.

Apps
Acorns (Option 5)

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

Here’s my full review of Acorns. This one is the one I recommend.

I was chatting with a friend who said, “Ugh, I hate talking about money. It stresses me out but I knew I needed to invest.”

She chose Acorns. Why?, I asked her. “It was the easiest. It plugs into my debit card. I never have to think about it. And I like their app.”

A shopping portal that funds your IRA… amazing

Fair ’nuff. I love geeking out on index funds, but realize not everyone does. Plus, when I dug into Acorns a little more, I loved their Round-Ups and Found Money features. Really easy ways to save consistently, which is the most important part about investing.

It costs $1 a month which is a high percentage ratio on a “small” account. But also on a practical level… it’s $1 a month. If this is the app that gets you to invest, I’m all for it.

You can get $5 for free to start and your first month free when you sign-up with my link.

They’ll select a balanced portfolio for you after you answer a few questions – that takes the stress and guesswork out of selecting funds. The whole process takes 5 minutes. Please open an IRA today if you don’t already have one (or a 401k). Your future is too important not to save.

Stash (Option 6)

Link: Stash

Stash is basically the same as Acorns with regard to pricing and accessibility.

Stash is more socially-conscious but pretty much the same as Acorns

The biggest difference is the portfolio selection. You can invest in foreign markets, certain sectors (like green energy), or causes you believe in. If you want, you can also choose allocations like “Aggressive” or “Moderate,” which are pretty typical.

You also get $5 free and your first month free when you use my link.

If you’re torn between Stash and Acorns, I’d recommend downloading them both and keep the one you like best. And delete the other. No love lost. They’re honestly very similar – just pick one and commit until your balance starts to grow – and it will, over time.

Roboadvisors
Wealthsimple and Betterment (Options 7 and 8)

Link: Wealthsimple
Link: Betterment

So what’s the difference between an app and a roboadvisor? With the former, you do everything within an app. With the latter, you can reach a real live human if you need more help managing things.

The fees are comparable. So if you think you’ll need guidance, go with a roboadvisor. Same dealio with the asset allocation: answer a few questions and they’ll generate a mix based on your horizon and risk tolerance.

Get $50 free when you invest $100 – exclusive for Out and Out readers

If you want to check out Wealthsimple, you’ll get $50 when you invest $100. So you get a 50% bonus right away – this is exclusive to Out and Out readers!

Or, you can get 75,000 Drop points (worth $75 in gift cards) when you sign-up through Drop. But you must invest at least $500 to earn the bonus. And you can only use Drop points for gift cards.

You can get an additional $400 for becoming an Airbnb host. So sign-up with my link for $50 when you invest $100, or $75 in gift cards when you invest $500. Then get another $400!

DCTA has all the details on exactly how you can do this. It’s convoluted, but might be worth it. Some worthwhile comments on Doctor of Credit as well.

Betterment is another solid and popular option

Lastly but not leastly, there’s Betterment, a perennial fave due to its ease of use, transparency, and straightforward fee structure. I can’t knock Betterment – I love what they’re doing.

Both Betterment and Wealthsimple are reputable, ethical companies devoted to financial good, which I love. They’re both geared toward “wealth management” as opposed to having a simple IRA account. That said, I think either would be fine if you want a human touch without exorbitant fees.

Bottom line

If this all sounds like gobbledy-gook, I’d recommend starting with Acorns and going from there. Remember, you can always make changes later while you give yourself time to research. But starting right this second is critical if you don’t have anything invested.

Don’t put off saving for your future because you’re waiting for some perfect moment – many of these options let you start investing with a single dollar. There’s no reason to delay. And you can set-up Acorns in 5 minutes.

If you want the best and cheapest option, I was blown away by TD Ameritrade – no account or fund minimums! But you’ll need to choose a fund to invest in, which can be overwhelming. Though I recommend the Schwab Total Market index fund and calling it a day.

7 Holiday Gift Ideas for Travelers (Many With Discounts)

Also see: 

6 Last-Minute Stocking Stuffer Gift Ideas for the Frequent Traveler

Merry merry! What a year it’s been. Some amazing products and services crossed my path this year. And I want to share them in case you need some gift ideas for the travelers in your life.

I have personally used them all. And can attest to their quality. It can be a challenge to shop when you don’t know exactly what to get someone. Consider these!

(And for good measure, here are some stocking stuffer ideas.)

Holiday Gift Ideas for Travelers
1. A new blazer and/or chinos

Link: Bluffworks
Link: Review: Bluff Works Travel Pants for Men

I wrote about Bluffworks travel pants last year. Here’s an update: they have held up beautifully. They simply look and fit as great as the day I got them.

I’ve taken them overseas, worn them around town, to meetings, and around the house. Even on sale (which they are right now), they’ll run you about $100. But man, they just might be worth it if you want (to gift) a nice pair of versatile, great-looking chinos.

When I got mine, Bluffworks only made pants. Now they’ve added blazers and shirts to the oeuvre.

In Bluffworks blazer and chinos

I have a Bluffworks blazer (this one specifically) and love how soft and comfy it is. They’re:

Made to get washed in a regular washing machine
Wrinkle-free
Super soft and lightweight
Filled with little pockets for keys, cards, and more
Just a tiny bit stretchy when you move

This may be the most comfortable blazer I’ve ever worn. And it’s not too hot, even on a Texas evening.

My Total Rewards Diamond Experience at Harrah’s New Orleans (Thanks to FoundersCard)

Also see: 

Confirmed: FoundersCard Gets You Total Rewards Diamond Status Through 2018
18 FoundersCard Travel Benefits (Status, Discounts, and Freebies)

This past weekend, I flew to New Orleans for a few days. I usually stay at a Hyatt (here are my reviews of the Hyatt Regency and Hyatt Centric French Quarter), but stayed at the Sheraton on Canal Street this time (for lounge access, mostly – review soon).

When I realized there was a Harrah’s only 2 blocks down Canal, I decided to pay a visit to grab some free drinks and a free $100 dinner at the steakhouse on property – thanks to my free Total Rewards Diamond elite status from FoundersCard. (Because Harrah’s uses the Total Rewards program and this one has a private lounge for elite members.)

There are private lines everywhere for Diamond members

I went 2 days in a row. And between me and my guest, we had 4 drinks, 2 entrees, and a whole $100 dinner – all completely free.

The Palm Room

Link: The Palm Room

This lounge is only for Diamond and Seven Star members.

It’s kinda funny. When I walked into Harrah’s – the lights, the carpet, the jangly music, the whole casino experience – it’s always like walking into another realm. Those places are designed to limit your access to the outside world.

I’m not much of a gambler. I stuck a fiver into the nickel slots and ordered a free drink until the funds ran out (didn’t hit the jackpot this time, darn). Then resumed my mission to access The Palm Room.

Rolling up to the Palm Room with my Total Rewards Diamond elite status

I flashed my sparkly Diamond card at the small check-in desk. Then was shown to a table and given a menu. Amazing.

Two food items and 4 drinks a day!

I could select any 2 food items and grab 4 drinks that day. Here were the options:

Palm Room New Orleans menu

I was saving my appetite for my upcoming $100 free dinner, but ordered an old fashioned and the pralines.

Why does free food taste so much better?

Nothing fancy, but it hit the spot.

The lounge wasn’t huge. Just a big room really, with another door that led into its own little kitchen. There were private bathrooms in there, though, which is handy because locating restrooms in casinos can be a project.

Our server was friendly and stopped to ask if we wanted anything else. I was mostly just checking it out. But made a mental note to swing by the next day and collect my free drinks and entrees.

Some tables, a small bar area, and a little kitchen… just a big, cozy room

I did go back the next day and it was much more crowded. I sat on a couch and couldn’t balance everything in my hands to snap more pics. But between my two experiences, it seems hit or miss with the crowd levels.

Either way, I enjoyed both visits. And it was nice to have a little cave to chill out and grab a couple free drinks.

$100 Celebration Dinner

I approached the Diamond elite line and kind of nervously asked the desk agent if I had any remaining Diamond benefits left for the year. I’d heard mixed reports of Diamond members not getting their free dinner. “Let me check on that.” A few minutes later: “You haven’t had your Celebration Dinner yet!”

She printed out a voucher and handed it to me like I knew what to do with it. (NOT a casino pro lol.)

Score!

“W-where can I use it?”

She said I could take it to:

BH Steak
The Buffet
…or the sports bar (I forget the name)

I thanked her and set off in search of free dinner.

I saw the sports place advertise their big screens and games and “a place to cheer” or something and was like… pass.

Then took a look at the buffet.

HUGE spread at the buffet

But opted for the steakhouse in the end.

We got:

Our haul

A $50 steak
The famous shrimp BBQ
A gigantic burger
And a nice cocktail

Very coincidentally, it added up to exactly $100. There’s no tax on the reward dinner, so my grand total was $0!

Bout to dig into my free delicious steak

The steak was so soft and buttery. It looks small in the picture, but the portions were perfect. Combined with the appetizer and drink I had at The Palm Room, the overall experience was amazing.

I left a $20 as tip (20%) and left sated. Afterward, we strolled over the French Quarter, which is only 2 blocks east of Harrah’s. So it was easy to pop in, grab drinks and dinner, and continue the fun.

Interested in FoundersCard?

Link: Sign up for FoundersCard
Link: Sneak peak at FoundersCard bennies

Right now, you can sign up and lock in a rate of $495 per year.

If you use my promo code “FCHARLAN818” you can get the $495 rate ($100 off the normal rate).

You also get tons of other benefits, so take a look and see if it’s worth it for you.

Most peeps seem to only want the Total Rewards Diamond status, so if that’s you, you get:

Access to Diamond Lounges
No resort fees
$100 Celebration Dinner
Guaranteed Room with 72 hours notice in Atlantic City and Las Vegas
Access to Priority lines at hotel check-in, restaurants, casino cages and the Total Rewards Center
Use of VIP Reservations Hotline
Diamond Aspirations eligibility
Receive 20% discounts at casino gift shops

The Diamond Lounge access and lack of resort fees in Vegas is easily enough to cover the FoundersCard membership fee. I personally love the card and am going on my 3rd year with it – and this was my first time accessing the Diamond lounges and getting the $100 Celebration Dinner.

I do NOT know if this benefit will come back for 2018 with status through early 2019. But as soon as I know, I’ll have a post on it (in case you wanna hold off to make sure).

Bottom line

I had a great experience at Harrah’s in New Orleans as a Total Rewards Diamond member, with access to The Palm Room and a free $100 dinner at BH Steak. And the elite status came free as a FoundersCard perk. I didn’t have any issue accessing the perks even though it was my first time using them.

It was a bit odd bouncing up into a casino with no intention whatsoever of gambling. But it was a nice time – and added a bit of fun to the weekend. The location is fantastic – only 2 blocks from the French Quarter.

Obviously, it would be even easier to maximize in Las Vegas. And after this experience, I’m wondering if I shouldn’t spend a weekend in Vegas sometime soon…

Any questions about the perks or FoundersCard, lemme know! 

OUT AND OUT - Investing. Positivity. Oh, and travel.

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

With all the holiday deals out there, here’s another I wanted to share: BarkBox. I’ve had this monthly subscription since December 2013 for my 7-year-old Corgi/Shepherd mix who is also the love of my life, Fenwick.

I wouldn’t share this if I didn’t truly love it. But it’s worth every last freakin’ cent. Every month, they stuff the boxes with:

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

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

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

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

The 12-month plan is $20 a box. And the 6-month plan is $25 a box. If you wanna try it out, your first box is completely free when you sign-up with my link. This is better than the best publicly available offer to get your first box for $5! To get the free box, you must subscribe to a 6- or 12- month plan.

Get a BarkBox free trial

Link: BarkBox

Even better, you can cancel any time.

I started 4 years ago with a free box and never looked back. Even through bouts of unemployment, changing apartments, and moving from New York to Dallas, Fenwick’s BarkBox has always been a constant in our lives.

Who could say no to that little face?

He loves playing with his toys and looooves his treats. $20 a month is totally worth it for my baby dog.

BarkBox pricing

You get the best deal when you spring for the 12-month subscription. You pay as you go, not upfront. And you can cancel whenever. I’ve always found the customer support to be fast and responsive when I’ve had to change address/missed a box/etc.

If you have a multi-dog household, even better. You’ll wind up with so many extras!

I actually can’t use the treats fast enough! When I travel, I use Rover to book Fenwick’s favorite sitters and always throw in an extra bag to share with other dogs.

If you have more than one pup at home, they can definitely share the surplus of treats and toys!

BarkBox would make an excellent gift for your dog or for someone you know who has a dog. I actually tell people to get Fenwick gifts instead of me – and he’s a very spoiled pup!

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

With all the holiday deals out there, here’s another I wanted to share: BarkBox. I’ve had this monthly subscription since December 2013 for my 7-year-old Corgi/Shepherd mix who is also the love of my life, Fenwick.

I wouldn’t share this if I didn’t truly love it. But it’s worth every last freakin’ cent. Every month, they stuff the boxes with:

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

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

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

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

The 12-month plan is $20 a box. And the 6-month plan is $25 a box. If you wanna try it out, your first box is completely free when you sign-up with my link. This is better than the best publicly available offer to get your first box for $5! To get the free box, you must subscribe to a 6- or 12- month plan.

Get a BarkBox free trial

Link: BarkBox

Even better, you can cancel any time.

I started 4 years ago with a free box and never looked back. Even through bouts of unemployment, changing apartments, and moving from New York to Dallas, Fenwick’s BarkBox has always been a constant in our lives.

Who could say no to that little face?

He loves playing with his toys and looooves his treats. $20 a month is totally worth it for my baby dog.

BarkBox pricing

You get the best deal when you spring for the 12-month subscription. You pay as you go, not upfront. And you can cancel whenever. I’ve always found the customer support to be fast and responsive when I’ve had to change address/missed a box/etc.

If you have a multi-dog household, even better. You’ll wind up with so many extras!

I actually can’t use the treats fast enough! When I travel, I use Rover to book Fenwick’s favorite sitters and always throw in an extra bag to share with other dogs.

If you have more than one pup at home, they can definitely share the surplus of treats and toys!

BarkBox would make an excellent gift for your dog or for someone you know who has a dog. I actually tell people to get Fenwick gifts instead of me – and he’s a very spoiled pup!

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

With all the holiday deals out there, here’s another I wanted to share: BarkBox. I’ve had this monthly subscription since December 2013 for my 7-year-old Corgi/Shepherd mix who is also the love of my life, Fenwick.

I wouldn’t share this if I didn’t truly love it. But it’s worth every last freakin’ cent. Every month, they stuff the boxes with:

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

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

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

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

The 12-month plan is $20 a box. And the 6-month plan is $25 a box. If you wanna try it out, your first box is completely free when you sign-up with my link. This is better than the best publicly available offer to get your first box for $5! To get the free box, you must subscribe to a 6- or 12- month plan.

Get a BarkBox free trial

Link: BarkBox

Even better, you can cancel any time.

I started 4 years ago with a free box and never looked back. Even through bouts of unemployment, changing apartments, and moving from New York to Dallas, Fenwick’s BarkBox has always been a constant in our lives.

Who could say no to that little face?

He loves playing with his toys and looooves his treats. $20 a month is totally worth it for my baby dog.

BarkBox pricing

You get the best deal when you spring for the 12-month subscription. You pay as you go, not upfront. And you can cancel whenever. I’ve always found the customer support to be fast and responsive when I’ve had to change address/missed a box/etc.

If you have a multi-dog household, even better. You’ll wind up with so many extras!

I actually can’t use the treats fast enough! When I travel, I use Rover to book Fenwick’s favorite sitters and always throw in an extra bag to share with other dogs.

If you have more than one pup at home, they can definitely share the surplus of treats and toys!

BarkBox would make an excellent gift for your dog or for someone you know who has a dog. I actually tell people to get Fenwick gifts instead of me – and he’s a very spoiled pup!