Netflix’s latest bid for the upcoming Oscars season brings together stellar acting from both well-established and emerging stars, an eerie atmosphere, unsettling sound effects, and a story that’s immensely captivating — even when not much is happening.
And at the center of the action (or lack of, at times) is a perfectly appointed house that perfectly contrasts the chaos the characters are surrounded with.
The postapocalyptic thriller, directed by Mr. Robot’s Sam Esmail, tells the tale of a family that rents a luxurious home for a weekend away with their kids, with their vacation cut short by the appearance of the house’s owners, who are seeking refuge in the middle of the night following an apparent cyberattack.
Starring big screen darlings like Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali, and Myha’la, the movie is based on the National Book Award-nominated novel Leave The World Behind by Rumaan Alam.
The ‘Leave The World Behind’ house in Old WestburyIt was featured in Dwell magazine
And while we don’t want to spoil the movie for those who haven’t had a chance to watch yet, the plot sees the two families “reckon with a looming disaster that grows more terrifying by the minute, forcing everyone to come to terms with their places in a collapsing world.”
The ‘Leave The World Behind’ house in Old Westbury
While most postapocalyptic movies build elaborate sets to serve as a backdrop for the production, Sam Esmail’s movie was filmed on location at a real-life house in Long Island.
You’ll find the Leave The World Behind house in Old Westbury, a charming village in Nassau County, on the North Shore of Long Island in New York.
Known as the Open Corner House, the Long Island residence is a striking modern farmhouse that was completely rebuilt in recent years, after the former French-style home on the property burned down.
So owners Roula and Fotis hired award-winning New York-based The Up Studio to design the 5,200-square-foot contemporary farmhouse as a home for their family.
From the layout — which was restructured to better fit the L-shaped lot and maximize nature views — to the addition of floor-to-ceiling windows, dark steel accents, and warm wood floors, THE UP STUDIO created a bright, light-filled, and modern home for the couple, one they didn’t necessarily expect the entire world to see.
Talking to CURBED Magazine, John Patrick Winberry, a partner at The Up Studio, admitted that he “didn’t know he was designing for a movie apocalypse when he started the project with his team, but the house has a cinematic quality all the same.”
It was featured in Dwell magazine
The house’s beauty didn’t go unnoticed.
Well before it was a glam Airbnb rented by Julia Roberts, the Old Westbury house received plenty of accolades for its stellar design — and was featured in quite a few home design magazines, including Home Adore and Dwell.
You can take a full tour of the Leave The World Behind house and get a better understanding of the design concepts it was based on by watching the full Dwell interview with both the home’s designers and its owners.
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Are you looking for the best game apps to win money? Yes, you can actually play games to win real money on your phone and make extra money. There are lots of apps for both iPhones and Androids that let you do this. If you already spend a lot of time playing games on your…
Are you looking for the best game apps to win money?
Yes, you can actually play games to win real money on your phone and make extra money.
There are lots of apps for both iPhones and Androids that let you do this. If you already spend a lot of time playing games on your phone, then you might as well get paid for it, right?
In this article, I’m going to talk about some really good game apps that let you win actual money prizes. These games include ones like those you might find in a casino as well as easier puzzle games and even arcade style games. So, there’s something for everyone. When you play and collect points or coins, you can get your winnings through easy ways like PayPal and Apple Pay.
Key Takeaways
Playing game apps can be fun and you can even win real money.
The best game apps that pay real money include KashKick, Swagbucks, and InboxDollars.
Popular payout methods include PayPal, Apple Pay, and gift cards.
Game apps pay real money rewards because they make their money from ads and in-app purchases. They give you a portion of their earnings to encourage you to continue playing their games.
Do any game apps actually pay real money?
Yes, some game apps do pay real money or in gift cards. They most likely will never be a main source of income or a full-time job, though – simply just a way to make some extra money.
Why do game apps pay you real money?
Game apps that give out real money usually make money through ads, things you buy in the app, and paid gaming competitions/tournaments. They share a little of what they earn with you to get you to keep playing their games.
Sometimes, game apps have partnered with different game developers and companies so that people will try new games and earn rewards for them. Since the game app is being paid and they want more people to play the game, they then will share some of their earnings with you to get you to keep playing the games in their app.
It’s a win-win! You get to enjoy yourself and make some extra money, and businesses get to showcase their ads and games to a wider audience.
Recommended reading: 30 Best Money Making Apps
Best Game Apps To Win Real Money
Here’s a quick list of the top game apps that pay real cash:
KashKick
Swagbucks
InboxDollars
Below, I dive further into the best game apps to win real money.
1. KashKick
I think the best game app to win real money is KashKick.
KashKick allows you to earn $100 or more by playing popular mobile games like Yahtzee and Monopoly GO. You can also make money by trying new products and services, watching videos, answering surveys, and reading emails.
There are many different games you can play on KashKick such as:
Coin Master
Monopoly GO
Yahtzee
Family Island
Bingo Blitz
Scrabble Go
Solitaire Smash
MGM Slots
For example, here’s how you can make money playing Monopoly Go on KashKick: “Install (make sure to accept tracking requirements on your device!) and reach Board 27 within 8 days from the install date to get $30, reach Board 42 within 12 days for $40 more and reach Board 71 within 24 days for another $50 – for a total of $120!”
Please click here to sign up for KashKick for free.
Recommended reading: KashKick Review
2. Swagbucks
Another favorite game app to win real cash is Swagbucks.
Swagbucks is a very popular rewards site where you can earn money by playing games, taking surveys, watching videos, and shopping online, and you can cash out what you earn with PayPal cash or gift cards.
Swagbucks is a company that I started using years ago, and it has helped me easily earn some extra cash on the side, all from home or while traveling. I have personally earned over 100 free gift cards through Swagbucks, so I know that they are a legit game app that pays you real money!
To play games on Swagbucks, you simply head to the “Play” tab when you are logged in. When I logged in, I had over 20 available games that I could get paid to play, with a total rewards value of $2,264.02 or 226,402 SB points.
Some of the games you can play on Swagbucks include:
Match Masters
Farmville
Lucky Buddies
Dragonscapes Adventure
Wizard of Oz Slots
Solitaire Smash
POP! Slots
Dice Buddies
Swagbucks Live
If you join Swagbucks through my referral link, you can receive a $10 bonus.
Recommended reading: Swagbucks Review
3. InboxDollars
InboxDollars is another good rewards site that pays you cash for taking surveys, shopping online, playing games, and reading certain emails. In fact, InboxDollars has been around since 2000, and they have paid over $80 million in cash and gift cards.
They pay via PayPal cash as well as gift cards to places such as Amazon, Apple, Target, Dunkin’ Donuts, Lowe’s, Barnes & Noble, and Gap.
To play games on InboxDollars, simply head to the tab that says “Games.”
When I log in, I have 8 games available for me to currently play, such as Mahjong Dimensions, Solitaire, Word Wipe, Monkey Bubble Shooter, Pyramid Solitaire, Candy Jam, Pet Hop, and Giant Hamster Run.
Sign up for InboxDollars here and get a free $5 bonus.
4. PrizeRebel
PrizeRebel is a popular rewards site where you can play games (as well as take surveys that pay instantly and more). You can redeem your rewards points for PayPal cash, gift cards, and even cryptocurrency.
Some of the games on PrizeRebel include Bingo Blitz, Solitaire Grand Harvest, Age of Apes, Kingdom Guard, Yahtzee, Woody Sort, Viking Rise, and more.
You can sign up for PrizeRebel here.
5. MyPoints
MyPoints is a rewards platform where you can earn money by playing games, watching videos, and participating in surveys. Your earnings can be redeemed as gift cards or PayPal cash.
To get paid to play games on MyPoints, you log in and head to the “Games” tab, and there you will see games such as Bejeweled, Bingo, Catch 21, Puzzle Match, Wheel of Fortune, and more.
Sign up for MyPoints by clicking here.
6. Blackout Bingo
Blackout Bingo is a highly-rated bingo game app that allows you to win real cash. In fact, there are nearly 90,000 reviews on the App Store alone, with an average of 4.5 out of a 5 star rating.
Over 5,000,000 people have played this bingo app where you can win rewards and cash prizes too.
You play against other players in real time and can cash out your winnings via PayPal.
7. Bingo Cash
Bingo Cash is a fun game of Bingo that you can play for free, and you can play against other people no matter where you are in the world. You get to “travel” to different places in the game and practice your Bingo skills. Plus, you can win really big prizes!
Bingo Cash is a free game that you can play on the popular gaming platform called Papaya.
It’s easy and safe to get your prize money through PayPal. You can choose from lots of cool prizes like Airpods Pro, iPads, and coffee makers!
Note: If you live in AZ, AR, CT, DE, LA, MT, SC, SD, or TN, you can’t join prize tournaments. But don’t worry, you can still play for fun with the game app’s virtual currency.
8. Solitaire Cube
If you like to play solitaire, then this is the game app for you as you can get rewarded for playing just like how you normally do.
Solitaire Cube is a card game app that allows you to test your card skills and win real money. The game is available for free on iOS and Android and is perfect for solitaire fans who want to put their skills to the test.
With this game app, you play against other real players all from your phone. Your rewards can be cashed out for PayPal cash or Apple Pay.
9. Mistplay
Mistplay is one of the most popular game apps to win money, with over 400,000 reviews and an average rating of over 4.1 stars out of 5. There have been over 10,000,000 downloads of this app too!
Mistplay is an app where you can earn money by playing and testing new games on your smartphone. It’s a great option if you enjoy discovering new games and want to make some extra cash.
Mistplay has given away $60,000,000 in rewards for playing games since the site was created too.
You can redeem your points for PayPal cash or gift cards to Visa, Amazon, and more.
Note: This app is currently only available for Android phones on Google Play.
10. Fanduel Fantasy Sports
If you like football, soccer, hockey, baseball, basketball, golf, and other sports, then this is the app for you.
Fanduel Fantasy Sports is a sports betting site where you create your fantasy sports lineup and compete with other players for cash prizes.
With this app, you have a chance to win real money. You simply create your fantasy team, keep an eye on your scores, and compete every day for prizes in lots of different fantasy contests.
Note: Fanduel Fantasy Sports is only open to U.S. residents and users must be 18 or older (19 or older in AL, 21 or older in AZ, IA, LA, MA). Users physically located in DE, ID, HI, MT, NV, and WA are not eligible to participate in paid contests.
11. Cash’em All
If you’re a casual gamer and want to play games in your spare time for a chance to win real cash, give Cash’em All a try.
This app doesn’t bother you with in-app purchases or ad walls. Instead, you earn points, or “coins” as the app calls them, for each second you play their games.
There are many different games that you can play on Cash’em All, such as Candy Crush, Match Masters, Bingo Blitz, Coin Master, and more.
You earn points which then can be exchanged into PayPal cash or gift cards to places such as Netflix, Amazon, and more.
Note: This app is currently only available for Android phones on Google Play.
12. 21 Blitz
21 Blitz is a blackjack and solitaire hybrid card game where you can win real money, and it’s a fun choice for people who like card games. Also, it’s great for practicing blackjack, exercising your brain, or simply having fun.
You can play against real people for free. When you feel ready, you can switch to cash games and have a chance to win real money.
This game is a part of the Skillz platform, which is a popular game app platform where people can win real money through their collection of different games that they have (they have some of the best games to win real money).
13. Pool Payday
Pool Payday is the top pool game app where you can play 1-on-1 pool games and win real cash prizes.
This is a free game app where you can win real money taking pool shots and winning points.
The app is available on iOS devices through the App Store, and you can withdraw your winnings via PayPal cash or Apple Pay.
Note: You can join cash tournaments in most places around the world. However, if you live in AZ, AR, CT, DE, IL, IN, LA, ME, MT, SC, SD, or TN, cash tournaments are not available. But, you can still play for free if you live in these states.
14. Bubble Cash
If you like bubble shooter games, then this is the best bubble shooter game app.
Bubble Cash lets you play against other players in real-time bubble shooter games, with the chance to win cash prizes. Bubble Cash is a bubble shooter game where the more bubbles you pop, the higher your chances of winning.
I know people who spend hours playing these types of games, so this can be a fun way to get rewarded to play a favorite game.
Here’s how to play:
Match three bubbles of the same color to pop and clear the board.
Tap the screen to aim the laser, then lift your finger to shoot the ball.
You can download the app on iOS and Android devices.
15. Solitaire Cash
Solitaire Cash is a card game app where you can play solitaire games for real money.
Once you download the game for free, you can play regular or cash tournaments and have a chance to win real money.
You’ll play against players of similar skill levels, and everyone gets the same deck. So, the game is fair and based on your skills.
The app is available on iOS and Android devices.
16. Rewarded Play
Rewarded Play is an app that pays you for playing games on your phone. If you want to play a variety of games, then this is the app for you.
You can play games such as Scrabble, Yahtzee, Bingo Blitz, Wheel of Fortune, and more.
The way the app works is that they introduce you to new games. Then, the more time you spend playing their games, the more points you can earn. Your points can be redeemed for gift cards to places such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, Nordstrom, and more.
17. Dominoes Gold
Dominoes Gold is one of the best dominoes game apps where you can put your domino skills to the test and win cash prizes.
You play by challenging your opponent in the same games against the computer and see who can win with more points.
The app is available for iOS devices, and you can cash out your winnings via PayPal.
18. AppStation
AppStation is an app that pays you for playing new games on your phone. You can earn coins by trying different games and then redeem them for PayPal cash or gift cards. Games include Fishdom and Match Royal.
Note: Only available for Android users.
19. Jackpocket
Jackpocket is an app that lets you play lottery games and potentially win real cash prizes. You can buy lottery tickets through the app and even be notified if you win. This can be an easy way to play your local lottery games right from your phone.
You can have Powerball, Mega Millions, Cash4Life, and other lottery tickets from NY, NJ, and NH sent directly to your phone.
Just pick your game and numbers (or use Quick Pick), and the app will safely get your ticket from a licensed lottery seller.
If you win less than $600, the money goes directly to your Jackpocket account. For big wins, they make sure to safely deliver you your ticket so that you can redeem your winnings yourself.
20. Cookie Cash
Cookie Cash is a Match 3 puzzle skill game from Papaya Gaming that is for the iPad and iPhone.
With Cookie Cash, you can play as much as you want for free. Then, once you’re ready, you can compete against other players for prizes and real money, such as PayPal cash and Apple Pay.
Note: Cash tournaments are not available in the states of AZ, IA, LA, and SC.
21. Money Well
Money Well has many arcade-style games that you can play to win real money, and this is a very popular game app with over 10,000,000 downloads and an average rating of 4.3 stars out of 5 stars (with over 528,000 reviews!).
You can simply play the games, collect coins, and cash out your earnings for PayPal cash and gift cards to places such as Grubhub and Apple.
22. Bingo Clash
Bingo Clash is a bingo game app from AviaGames with high ratings, and they give real money payouts through PayPal, Apple Pay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Venmo. You can play this game for free and enjoy the competitive nature of real-time bingo.
You’ll play against real players who have similar skills and compete in classic, fun, and fair cash games based on your skills. You can also take part in tournaments with different match styles, and the higher you place, the bigger your prize.
Note: Cash games are not available in the following states of AZ, AR, CT, DE, LA, MT, SC, SD, TN, and VT. But, if you live in one of these states you can still play the game for free.
23. Spades Blitz
Spades Blitz is a card game app where you can win cash earnings by playing and mastering the popular card game of spades.
With Spades Blitz, you compete against real people from around the world in tournaments, where you pay an entry fee to take part.
You can get paid via PayPal cash or check.
Note: The app is available on the App Store and the Galaxy Store. Currently, Spades Blitz is only available for iPhones and Samsung devices.
More Ways To Get Paid To Play Games
There are more ways to get paid to play, other than the game apps listed above. If you like to play games and want to make money, some other ideas to look into include:
Become a Twitch streamer
Twitch is a site where you can make money playing video games, talking, and more.
If you like playing video games, live streaming yourself playing can be a way to make money doing what you love. As you gain followers and subscribers on Twitch, you can earn income through ads shown on your stream, donations from viewers, and monthly subscription fees.
Most Twitch streamers don’t earn a full-time income, but there are some who make well over $100,000 annually. In fact, a few even bring in millions of dollars each year.
To see success on Twitch, I recommend finding ways to keep your audience interested, playing the games that you actually enjoy, and sticking to a regular streaming schedule (because your followers will want to see you consistently!).
You can learn more at How Much Do Twitch Streamers Make?
Play in game tournaments
Playing in gaming tournaments can be a way to make money if you’re really good at a certain game.
Many popular competitive games like Fortnite, League of Legends, and Call of Duty host large-scale tournaments with large prize money.
You’ll need to practice a lot, though, as there are many good players in all games – and you want to be the best in order to actually make some money.
Start a gaming blog
If you love games, then you may be interested in starting a gaming blog.
Starting a gaming blog gives you a platform to share what you know about games, your thoughts on games, and your experiences with other gamers. You can make money from your blog through ways such as affiliate marketing, sponsored content, display ads, or even by selling merchandise.
You can learn more about how to start a blog here.
Become a game creator
If you love gaming and have an interest in design or programming, think about making your own games. Independent game creators can build games for different platforms like PCs, consoles, or even phones.
While a college degree isn’t always required, it can be very helpful. You may want to get a degree in fields like game design, computer science, or graphic design, and also look for courses specific to game design.
First, try finding internships, co-op programs, or beginner-level jobs at companies that make video games. This will give you important experience in the field and let you learn from people who have been doing this for a while.
Sell game merchandise
If there’s a popular game out there, then you may be able to sell merchandise to earn some extra cash.
Some examples of merchandise include T-shirts, posters, or accessories based on popular games.
Of course, you will want to make sure that you can legally do this, as you don’t want to get in trouble for pretending to be a certain game app or anything like that.
My Tips For Playing Game Apps That Pay Real Money
Below are my tips for getting paid to play game apps from your phone.
Be smart about how much time you are spending.
When playing game apps, it can be really, really easy to let time get away from you and play too much (especially if you are a winner!). After all, you are probably having fun and it’s something that you can easily do from your phone.
But, you don’t want to forget about everything else in your life.
You don’t want your game app playing to turn into an obsession (such as with arcade games or trivia games) or into a gambling addiction (as many of the above are similar to casino games).
So, I recommend being careful with any games that require you to pay money (such as to join tournaments) and know your limit. You may want to set a timer for playing and a budget.
You may have to pay taxes.
If you’re winning money from these game apps, then you will need to pay taxes. This means that you will want to save money from any of your winnings for taxes so that you are not surprised at the end of the year with a huge tax bill.
Read real reviews and experience with game apps that pay money.
When you’re trying out different game apps where you win real money, it’s important to read real reviews and experiences. This helps you make a smart choice as reading honest thoughts from other players can give you a clear picture of the app’s pros and cons, how they pay out, how easy they are to play, and if people actually enjoy them.
Some things in game app reviews to look out for include:
If the customer service support is helpful (do they actually answer emails if you have an issue?)
If payments are actually being made and if they are on time (if many people are leaving reviews saying that they are not getting their payments, then you may want to do more research before you start playing games on that specific app)
If the game is fun (of course, this is just an opinion and everyone is different, though)
Keep in mind, while winning real money in gaming apps can be exciting, it’s important to remember that it’s not a full-time job with a full-time income. Always focus on having fun first.
Frequently Asked Questions About Playing Game Apps To Win Money
Below are answers to common questions about playing game apps to win real money.
Which games are best for earning real money? What are some popular real cash games?
There are many game apps that can help you earn real money and some of the top game apps are KashKick, Bingo Cash, Blackout Bingo, Solitaire Cash, and Mistplay. You may want to test a few and see which one is a game that you actually like.
How can I find legit cash games?
To find real cash games that you can trust, you should look for ones that are popular and have good reviews by looking at the Apple Store or Google Play Store to read user ratings and reviews. This can give you a good sense of the game’s legitimacy and whether or not they actually pay out the rewards you earn.
Do any game apps offer instant payouts?
Even if some game apps claim to have instant payouts, the actual time it takes can still vary. Usually, it might range from a few minutes to a couple of days for your rewards to show up in your account.
Are there money-making game apps for iPhones?
Yes, there are several money-making game apps available for iPhone users. Some of the popular ones include Solitaire Cube, 21 Blitz, and Blackout Bingo.
Can I earn money directly to my bank account with game apps?
Certain game apps let you transfer your earnings directly to your bank through direct deposits, while others pay through PayPal, Apple Pay, Amazon gift cards, or other cash rewards.
Game Apps To Win Money – Summary
I hope you enjoyed this article on how to play game apps to win money. As you can see, you have many options!
To sum it up, there are game apps that give real money rewards, and they can be a fun way to spend your time. But remember, they shouldn’t be your main source of income. Think of them as a fun way to make a bit of extra money.
Do you play any game apps to win money? Which one is your favorite?
Check your email for an offer on the Bilt Rewards credit card: <Subject: Earn 5K bonus points this month>
Get up to 5,000 bonus points for using your Bilt Mastercard with any of these eligible merchants: AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, Comcast, Xfinity, Spectrum, Spotify, Netflix, and Hulu.
You’ll earn 1,000 points for your first transaction with each eligible merchant. But hurry, this offer is only valid for the next 30 days so start earning today.
P.S. this is in addition to earning 1X Bilt Points when you use the card 5 times each statement period.
Our Verdict
I’m not sure if this is a targeted offer or if it was sent out to all cardholders. Most people should be able to get one or a few of these 1,000 points bonuses. Not clear if prepaid cellular plans will work.
Credit score calculations remain mysterious, but there are several known ways you can potentially help your credit, such as making on-time debt payments and avoiding maxing out your credit card. Still, it can take a few months for those positive behaviors to be reflected in your scores.
The Ava Card aims to take the guesswork — and long wait — out of bumping up your credit score. This isn’t the credit card you apply for if you want to use it like, well, a credit card. The Ava Card, which is issued by Evolve Bank & Trust, puts pretty severe limits on how much you can spend and what you can spend on. The purpose isn’t making purchases. It’s growing your credit and moving on with your life.
Here are five things to know about the Ava Card.
1. You can use the card only for eligible subscription payments
First, a pretty big caveat to be aware of: Even though you’ll get a substantial credit limit (more on that in the next section), you can typically only use the Ava Card to charge up to $25 per month for participating subscription services. Ava’s website notes that you may be able to spend more than $25 “depending on your spend limit,” but it doesn’t get more specific about what would qualify you for that.
On the plus side, the list of eligible participants covers a lot of options: retail memberships like Amazon Prime and Walmart+, streaming services like Spotify, Hulu, Netflix and YouTube Premium, and even other services like cell phone and insurance providers.
2. It’s designed to build credit quickly
Payment history: If you’ve consistently paid bills on time or not.
Credit utilization: The amount of your credit limit that you use, expressed as a percentage. (The lower, the better.)
Length of credit history: Older accounts can be beneficial.
Mix of credit types: This includes credit cards and installment loans such as mortgages and auto loans.
Recent applications: Because applying for credit or a loan results in a hard inquiry, it can temporarily lower your credit scores to do so.
You’re granted a $2,500 credit limit, but as noted above you’ll face big restrictions in terms of how much of it you can use and where. While that’s not ideal for your purchasing power, it means your credit utilization will remain low.
Your bill is due seven days after you use the Ava Card to make that monthly subscription payment. The funds are automatically drawn from the bank account you linked to the card when you signed up. You must pay the bill in full. The Ava Card doesn’t charge interest, so you can’t get into debt with it.
Ava reports to the three major credit bureaus each week, 24 hours after your autopayment is made, in an effort to further speed up credit score gains.
3. It can be paired with another Ava product
In addition to the Ava Card, you can use the Save & Build Credit feature to hopefully accelerate your credit-building even further. This feature functions as a “savings loan” where you put $30 a month for 12 months into your wallet on the Ava app. Ava reports each payment to the credit bureaus as an on-time loan payment. (Note that missing a payment can hurt your credit score.) After 12 months, you get all your money back.
This feature addresses two factors that go into credit scores: payment history and mix of credit.
4. You’ll pay a monthly fee
Ava charges a membership fee of $6 per month if you commit to an annual plan, or $9 a month if you pay month to month. That translates to a yearly cost of $72 for the annual membership, or $108 for monthly payments.
The promise of a quick credit boost might make that cost worthwhile for you, but other options, like $0-annual-fee starter credit cards, could be more cost-effective. That’s assuming you also use those cards carefully by paying your bills on time, charging a small percentage of your credit limit and avoiding debt.
5. There’s no traditional card to graduate to
If the Ava Card helps your credit score, you’re more likely to qualify for a wider selection of credit cards. But you can’t use the Ava Card like a regular card, and there’s no other Ava-branded card to graduate to. So you’ll want to ditch that membership fee and shop around for other cards as soon as you reach your credit score goals.
Cinema has long been a source of heated debate, especially regarding films that tried too hard to be serious and ended up just seeming pretentious. With the arrival of streaming platforms, more accessible movie-making tools and an increased ability for filmmakers to challenge the norm, recent years have seen a wave of new daring cinema—acclaimed as genius by some yet widely disliked by others.
Nowhere is this disparity in opinion more apparent than with these 20 pretentious movies. So what do you think? Are there times when lines should not be crossed regarding artistic expression, or are pushing boundaries necessary? Below are the top 20 pretentious movies shared across online:
1. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
One user posted, “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. A The Holocaust and 9/11 mash-up with an autistic kid as the main character? Pure pretentious as s- Oscar bait.
“I had to read the book in high school, and the best thing I could say about it was that it provided easy pickings for annotation assignments.”
Another user added a story behind the film, “Daily reminder that the author of the book awkwardly flirted with Natalie Portman via email, thought she was as into him as he was into her, and left his wife of 10 years for her, only to be met with bemused puzzlement from Natalie.”
One user replied, “Jesus, those emails were painful to read from both of them. I can’t believe people write like that in their personal emails. He did end up dating Michelle Williams for years after his divorce, so I guess he’s got some game.”
2. Eat Pray Love
One user added, “Eat Pray Love(2010), a pretentious film based on an equally pretentious true story.”
One user replied, “So true, lol. Like I would love to just take off for a year, but unfortunately, I have to work.”
3. Crash
“Crash (2004)—simultaneously the most pretentious movie I’ve ever seen and the stupidest,” one user added.
Another user shared, “I remember seeing it when it came out and found it fairly forgettable. Then it kinda gained this reputation as ‘didn’t deserve the Oscar,’ so I watched it again recently. It tries so hard to be topical (and perhaps it was in a way), but it’s soooo over the top yet surface level at the same time with its message. There are some good performances in the movie, but that can’t save the script.”
4. The Room
One Redditor posted, “I think considering Tommy Wiseau’s intention to make a serious drama, The Room is pretentious. I know he refuted the claim that The Room was supposed to be serious. But sorry, I have severe doubts.”
One user shared, “There’s no way in h*ll that The Room was anything other than a sincere effort by Tommy to make a legitimate dark drama. Making the movie as it is, with the intention of being received as it has been, would make Tommy a comedic genius in three separate areas: writing, acting, and directing. I don’t think he is. Just like some great movies are lightning in a bottle, The Room is lightning in a bottle in the opposite direction.”
5. You People
One online user posted, “You People with Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy. The film goes out of its way to make Jonah Hill a ‘Bumbling Clueless Overly-Cautious Woke White Guy’ and Eddie Murphy a ‘Put Everyone On The Spot Overly Proud Black Man.’ NO self-respecting person (Jonah Hill’s character) would ever dig themselves into a racial awkwardness hole as often as he does. And no self-respecting person (Eddie Murphy’s character) would go out of their way to be so defensive and make Jonah Hill’s character so uncomfortable.
“If it were purely a comedy, it would have made sense to make them both so clueless, but since it was supposed to be a ‘woke’ rom-com, then they could have done well-meaning people more credit by making Jonah Hill more discerning and Eddie Murphy more gracious. Instead, both characters just reinforced stereotypes from beginning to end.”
Another user replied, “First rom-com I watched that was completely lacking both romance and comedy. To call it a movie at all is a compliment to You People and an insult to all other movies ever created.”
6. Seven Pounds
“Seven Pounds,” shared one user.
Another Redditor replied, “Or any Will Smith bazillion Oscar Bait movies.”
Another user commented, “Collateral Beauty takes the cake for me. Even the title is pretentious.”
7. Downsizing
One Redditor posted, “Downsizing. I’m surprised nobody’s mentioned this one. I sit down thinking I’m about to watch a lighthearted comedy starring Matt Damon about people who shrink themselves and get into some hijinks. Turns out. Instead, the movie’s message (pretty early in the film, too) is, ‘You can’t shrink the problems of the world, ST*PID!’ The rest of the movie was a guilt trip about lower-class poverty and environmental issues. It seriously felt like the filmmakers were scolding me. …”
One user responded, “I came here to say this. I went to the theatre to watch it because I was excited to see it. It’s a fun movie with Matt Damon and Kristin Wiig getting shrunk down like a grown-up Honey I Shrunk the Kids.
“She was barely in it, super preachy, meandering, boring, and nothing like what was advertised. Oh, and the ending was stupid, too. I shouldn’t have bothered waiting for it, but they already had $40 or so of my money. At least the snacks were ok. Probably the best part of the movie. They realized what a mess it was and pulled a bait-and-switch with the trailers as a last-ditch effort to save it. I’m still mad if you can’t tell, lol.”
8. Now You See Me
“Now You See Me … I don’t understand how people can be impressed with ‘magic tricks’ that are only possible with special effects. B-, please! I can make f- Godzilla coming out of my pocket if I can use CGI. That s- is not impressive.
“On a side note, what a waste of opportunity when they didn’t call the second movie “Now you don’t,” stated one user.
Another user added, “Also, there were zero clues for the twist. It’s just a ‘surprise this random thing happened. Now be in awe.’”
9. Tenet
One online user shared, “Given the following definition of pretentious: ‘Trying to appear or sound more important or clever than you are’
“I’ll go for Tenet. When people think of pretentious films, they tend to list arty films. But pretension just means having an unearned sense of self-regard, and Tenet has that. It’s a film that is desperate for you to think it’s clever and profound but is ultimately hollow and not half as clever as it thinks it is.
“Edit: I just remembered the main character is literally called ‘Protagonist.’ Proper pretentious first-year film student stuff.”
One user answered, “I upvoted, even though I like Tenet because I can’t argue with your logic.”
10. Bang Bus “Episode 3”
One user posted, “Bang Bus ‘Episode 3′. The premise was already in. There was nothing new about it.”
Another replied, “Is that the one where they pick up a young woman and interview her in a s- van? I’ve only seen the first 10 minutes. I can’t believe there are sequels.”
11. My Dinner With Andre
“I love the movie, but ‘My Dinner With Andre’ is pretty pretentious and self-satirizing at the same time,” one Redditor stated.
Another user replied, “If you were out to dinner and the people at the table next to you were having that conversation, your eyes would roll right out of your head and fall on your plate.”
12. Most Woody Allen Movies
One Redditor shared, “Oof, I’m gonna get hate for this, but I feel like most Woody Allen movies are pretentious …”
Another user also posted, “When I think of pretentious movies, I think of Woody Allen b- s-. Movies about making movies about New York and how cool you have to be to be famous. F- off.”
13. Garden State
“A little obvious, but Garden State. It has all the hallmarks and takes itself way too seriously.
“That being said, it’s made with a lot of heart and ambition, and I do enjoy it, but it’s just the first thing that comes to mind—from the all-white bedroom to the shirt made out of wallpaper print to literally screaming into a void.
“Well-intentioned, entertaining, endearing but ultimately a pretentious cringe fest—sorry Zach!” posted one user.
14. Birdman
One online user posted, “I thought Birdman was pretentious on my first viewing. That being said, I was, like, 19 when I saw it, and I’m 28 now. I may need to watch it again because being pretentious kinda felt like the point of the movie.”
Another user replied, “My favourite part about Birdman was seeing Edward Norton playing himself.”
15. Rubber
“Rubber … I thought it’d be about a sentient tire blowing people up. But it kept cutting to a surrogate audience standing in a field watching the events and doing meta-commentary on film. Also, Lady in the Water … He was writing a movie critic character just to make them an ah you can kill off. Then, making the struggling writer the saviour of the world through his excellent writing and then casting YOURSELF for the role? Lol,” one user posted.
16. Wes Anderson’s Newer Films
One user posted, “Wes Anderson’s newer films are the definition. Bring back Owen to rein him in.”
Another user commented, “I came into this thread specifically to see how soon Asteroid City would come up.”
“Wes Anderson is so confident in his style at this point in his career, that someone calling his latest effort pretentiousness would just read as, ‘Oh good, you saw my film. Thank you, it was very pretentious,’” one user responded.
17. Mother!
“Mother!” shared by one Redditor.
Another user commented, “This is one movie I loved, but I can recommend it to no one.”
18. Cloud Atlas
One Redditor posted, “Cloud Atlas. That movie is the definition of smelling your gas in public. It’s just so g-d- stupid in an ‘I’m 14, and this is deep’” sort of way.”
19. Joker
“Joker. … That movie thinks it’s brighter than it is but fails to hold a consistent theme in a way that says effectively nothing. It doesn’t work as a character study either because the character is also inconsistent. It’s only really grounded by a legendary performance by Joaquin,” stated one user.
One user replied, “That’s because it’s directed by the man who did The Hangover movies, doing his best attempt at Scorsese.”
20. Tree of Life
One user shared “Tree of Life.”
One user commented, “(whispers) ‘What is life?’ (Random shot of a kid walking into the sunset.) (More whispering.) ‘What does it all mean?’ (Camera pans into a blank wall.) (Whispering so quietly that it’s barely audible) ‘What is all this?’ (Dinosaurs explode in the background).”
Another user commented, “I like the movie (it’s more a montage movie than a movie-movie), but this gave me a chuckle. It’s definitely not for everyone!”
What do you think of the movies listed above? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Source: Reddit.
10 Crazy Good Movies Where Women Are the Bad Guys
Are you looking for a movie night with a twist? Look no further than these Reddit-voted top ten films where women take on the destructive bad guy role.
10 Crazy Good Movies Where Women Are the Bad Guys
10 of the Worst TV Series Ever According to the Internet
There’s Seinfeld, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, The Office, and other legendary shows. But have you considered that for each show that garners universal critical acclaim, there is an inverse show lurking on the other end of the IMDb rating scale?
10 of the Worst TV Series Ever According to the Internet
15 Cover Songs that are Better than the Original
Sometimes, a cover of a song ends up doing far better than the original. Some covers are so good that we didn’t even realize the cover version wasn’t actually the original.
15 Cover Songs that are Better than the Original
These 11 Movies Are So Bad You’ll Wish You Could Unsee Them
The movies we love best are a combination of excellent characters, plots, stories and cinematography. But if these factors can make great movies, they can also make terrible movies—the ones that make people cringe, the ones we swear they’ll never watch again.
These 11 Movies Are So Bad You’ll Wish You Could Unsee Them
10 Celebrities Who Are Universally Disliked
People will always have preferences and something to say about celebrities. What you might love may not be the same for others. Whether it’s about their past behaviors, legal issues, or feuds with other celebrities, here is a list of celebrities people just cannot stand.
Financial wellness doesn’t have to be complicated. While you’ll eventually want to work up to a financial plan that includes a detailed budget, savings goals, and a retirement plan, there are small things you can do today to set you off on the right foot. What follows are nine hacks for money that can help you get organized, save more, knock down debt, and master the basics of personal finance.
9 Money Hacks to Help Save You Money
These simple moves can help you boost your financial health, reach your goals, and avoid financial pitfalls like impulsive spending and unmanageable debt spirals.
1. Use Multiple Savings Accounts
Having a different savings account for each one of your goals — whether it’s a new car, a down payment on a house, or even a big vacation — can be a great way to keep track of your progress. If you only have one account, it can be difficult to know what money is earmarked for which goal. For example, if you have $15,000 in your savings account, it may be hard to track that you have $5,000 saved for an emergency fund and $10,000 for a home purchase.
Separate savings accounts makes it easier to prioritize the goals you’re eager to reach, allowing you to fund those accounts first. It also decreases the chances you will raid the account to cover another expense. If an account is clearly labeled Emergency Fund, you may think twice about using it for a trip to Tulum.
And since many banks now offer savings accounts that feature the same interest rate, no matter how low your balance, you don’t need to put all your savings in the same account to get the highest yield.
💡 Quick Tip: Help your money earn more money! Opening a bank account online often gets you higher-than-average rates.
2. Ditch Your Low-Interest Savings Account
Is there anything better than money you don’t have to work for? The interest you’re paid for keeping money in a bank account is basically that. If you’re still using your first savings account, however, chances are you’re getting a low interest rate.
Right now, the best online savings account interest rates are around 5%. Traditional brick-and-mortar banks, on the other hand, generally offer rates that are close to the national average, which is currently 0.46%. If you have a $10,000 savings balance, choosing an account that pays 5% will earn you about $500 in a year. If it stays in a bank account that pays 0.40% APY, you would earn about $40. The difference increases the more you deposit and the longer you keep the money in the account.
Failing to open a high-interest savings account means you’re giving up free money.
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3. Put Saving on Autopilot
Automating your savings is a great way to separate your savings from your spending without any extra effort on your part. If you wait to see what you have left at the end of the month to make a manual transfer to savings, you may forget or, worse, you may have nothing left to move.
There are two ways to automate your savings: One is to split up your direct deposit and funnel part of it into a savings account; the other is to set up a recurring transfer from your checking account into a savings account for the same day each month (ideally right after you get paid). If you have different savings accounts for different goals, you can choose to have a set amount for each account.
4. Pay Down High-Interest Debts
Credit card annual percentage rates (APRs) are now averaging a record 28.93%, up from 26.72 percent in 2022. To whittle down high-interest debt, consider making at least one extra payment on your credit cards per month. If you have multiple balances, here are two ways to knock them down:
• The snowball method With this approach, you make your extra payment on your smallest debt, while maintaining minimum payments on the others. When that debt is paid off, you focus on paying off the next-smallest debt, and so on.
• The avalanche method Here, you put your extra payment towards the debt with the highest interest rate, while making minimum payments on the others. When that debt is paid off, you focus on the debt with the next-highest rate, and so on. The money you save in interest payments can then go towards saving (and earning interest).
5. Audit Your Subscriptions
There’s a good chance you are paying monthly for things you no longer need or use. To find out, review your credit card or bank statement to see what subscriptions services you’re paying for each month. Do you have cable, but only watch streaming services like Netflix and Hulu? Are you paying for streaming services you never, or rarely, watch? You might also audit your music services — if you are paying for more than one, you might keep your fave and get rid of the others.
The monthly fee for each streaming service may seem small but, when you pay it every month, year after year, it can seriously add up.
Recommended: How to Track Your Monthly Expenses: Step-by-Step Guide
6. Put a Free Budgeting App on Your Phone
Keeping tabs on how much is going in and going out of your accounts is crucial to financial wellness. But who wants to spend hours coming through statements? A budgeting app does the work for you, and many are free (at least for the basic service).
Popular budgeting apps, like Goodbudget, EveryDollar, and PocketGuard, allow you to connect with your financial accounts (including bank accounts, credit cards, and investment accounts) and give you a bird’s eye view of your finances. Right from your phone, you can see what’s in your bank account, your current credit card balance, what you’re spending the most money on, how your spending compares to last month, and more. This can be eye-opening and help you make smarter financial decisions.
💡 Quick Tip: Want a simple way to save more everyday? When you turn on Roundups, all of your debit card purchases are automatically rounded up to the next dollar and deposited into your online savings account.
7. Practice the 3-Day Rule
Online shopping has made it easier than ever to impulse buy. You’re only one click away from a new jacket, blender, or television. So try this smart spending hack: Whenever you see something you want to buy, either online or in-person, DO NOT buy it that day. Put the purchase on pause for at least three days. Tell yourself that if, after three days, you still want the item, and you can afford it, you’ll buy it. This gives you time to reflect. You may well decide that you don’t need or want the item that badly. If you’re worried about missing a “one-day” or “flash” sale, don’t — retailers run sales all the time.
Recommended: How to Stop Spending Money: 7 Strategies to Curb Overspending
8. Use Cash
This may sound counterintuitive, but spending cash can actually help you save money. The reason: When you spend in cash, you actually have to physically give up your money when you spend it, unlike with a credit or debit card.
You might try taking out a set amount of money for discretionary spending for the week, and when the money is done, you’re done spending. Or, consider using the envelope budgeting system, where you take out a certain amount of cash for the week and divide it into envelopes for food, gas, etc. As you see the money go down in each envelope, you’ll have to think hard about every purchase.
9. Gradually Boost Retirement Savings
. You may have heard that you “should” be putting 15% of your income into your 401(k) or other retirement fund each year. It’s a solid goal. But for many young people, it may not be remotely realistic. That said, you shouldn’t give up on the whole idea. Why not try baby steps? You might start by putting just 1% of each paycheck into your retirement fund, then increase it by 1% every three to six months.
While 1% is a small percentage of your annual earnings today, after 20 or 30 years it can make a big difference in your account balance when you retire. That’s because the longer you give your money a chance to grow, the better.
Recommended: When Should You Start Saving for Retirement?
The Takeaway
Getting a better handle on your finances may perennially be on your to-do list. The problem is that this goal can seem too vague and too overwhelming to even know where to begin. The good news is that you don’t have to overhaul your personal finances overnight. Simply adopting some smart money habits (or hacks) can snowball into long-term financial stability and wealth. And there’s no better time to start than today.
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Better banking is here with up to 4.60% APY on SoFi Checking and Savings.
SoFi members with direct deposit activity can earn 4.60% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Direct Deposit means a deposit to an account holder’s SoFi Checking or Savings account, including payroll, pension, or government payments (e.g., Social Security), made by the account holder’s employer, payroll or benefits provider or government agency (“Direct Deposit”) via the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) Network during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Deposits that are not from an employer or government agency, including but not limited to check deposits, peer-to-peer transfers (e.g., transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc.), merchant transactions (e.g., transactions from PayPal, Stripe, Square, etc.), and bank ACH funds transfers and wire transfers from external accounts, do not constitute Direct Deposit activity. There is no minimum Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate.
SoFi members with Qualifying Deposits can earn 4.60% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Qualifying Deposits means one or more deposits that, in the aggregate, are equal to or greater than $5,000 to an account holder’s SoFi Checking and Savings account (“Qualifying Deposits”) during a 30-day Evaluation Period (as defined below). Qualifying Deposits only include those deposits from the following eligible sources: (i) ACH transfers, (ii) inbound wire transfers, (iii) peer-to-peer transfers (i.e., external transfers from PayPal, Venmo, etc. and internal peer-to-peer transfers from a SoFi account belonging to another account holder), (iv) check deposits, (v) instant funding to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, (vi) push payments to your SoFi Bank Debit Card, and (vii) cash deposits. Qualifying Deposits do not include: (i) transfers between an account holder’s Checking account, Savings account, and/or Vaults; (ii) interest payments; (iii) bonuses issued by SoFi Bank or its affiliates; or (iv) credits, reversals, and refunds from SoFi Bank, N.A. (“SoFi Bank”) or from a merchant.
SoFi Bank shall, in its sole discretion, assess each account holder’s Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits throughout each 30-Day Evaluation Period to determine the applicability of rates and may request additional documentation for verification of eligibility. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Upon receiving a Direct Deposit or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits to your account, you will begin earning 4.60% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% on checking balances on or before the following calendar day. You will continue to earn these APYs for (i) the remainder of the current 30-Day Evaluation Period and through the end of the subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period and (ii) any following 30-day Evaluation Periods during which SoFi Bank determines you to have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits without interruption.
SoFi Bank reserves the right to grant a grace period to account holders following a change in Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits activity before adjusting rates. If SoFi Bank grants you a grace period, the dates for such grace period will be reflected on the APY Details page of your account. If SoFi Bank determines that you did not have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits during the current 30-day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, then you will begin earning the rates earned by account holders without either Direct Deposit or Qualifying Deposits until you have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits in a subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period. For the avoidance of doubt, an account holder with both Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits will earn the rates earned by account holders with Direct Deposit.
Members without either Direct Deposit activity or Qualifying Deposits, as determined by SoFi Bank, during a 30-Day Evaluation Period and, if applicable, the grace period, will earn 1.20% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances.
Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 10/24/2023. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet..
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Do you want to get paid to watch ads? While you won’t get rich watching ads (it’s not a full-time job), it’s an easy way to make extra money to cover a phone bill or pay for some groceries. And, it’s something you can do from your couch and in your spare time. If you’re…
Do you want to get paid to watch ads? While you won’t get rich watching ads (it’s not a full-time job), it’s an easy way to make extra money to cover a phone bill or pay for some groceries.
And, it’s something you can do from your couch and in your spare time.
If you’re wondering why companies are even paying people to watch ads, it’s simple.
Companies pay people to watch ads or fill out surveys to get a better idea of what the consumer wants and whether they would buy the product or not. This helps companies improve their product and potentially make way more money. They also pay people to watch their ads so that they can get more eyes on their company.
Today, I’ll help you learn how to get paid to watch ads as well as the best apps and sites to watch ads for money.
13 Best Places To Get Paid To Watch Ads
There are many different places to make money watching ads. Below are some popular options for the best places to make money watching ads.
1. InboxDollars
InboxDollars is one of the top ways to make money watching ads, with over $80,000,000 being paid out to people who use this site (watching ads isn’t the only way, though). Once you sign up for an InboxDollars account, you can start watching ads for extra money.
You can also make money on InboxDollars by:
Cash back shopping
Playing games
Trying out new products and services
Reading emails
Printing coupons
How to sign up for InboxDollars:
Sign up for InboxDollars here and get a free $5 bonus.
Start watching ads by heading to the Videos tab on their site to see what ads are available to you.
The videos open in a different tab or window. Some videos start playing automatically in the new tab or window, while others need you to click the Next button to see the next part of the content.
2. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a website that pays people for watching ads, completing surveys, and more. You can watch ads on a bunch of topics including food, cosmetics, fashion, and more.
Swagbucks pays via points (known as SBs), and they can easily be transferred so that you can get paid either via gift cards (such as to popular retailers like Amazon or Walmart) or get cash back via PayPal.
Swagbucks’ minimum withdrawal amount is also just $3.
You can also make money on Swagbucks by:
Filling out surveys
Playing games
Scanning receipts
Complete daily tasks offered in the app
Referrals (such as with a referral link)
How to sign up for Swagbucks:
Click here to sign up.
Set up an account by entering your email and setting up a password.
Start watching ads or filling out surveys.
Sign up for Swagbucks here (and earn sign-up bonus points).
3. MyPoints
MyPoints is a rewards site that has over 20 million active users on their website. MyPoints has access to tens of thousands of surveys and advertisement videos to watch for extra cash.
Once you create a profile and fill out basic information about yourself, MyPoints will even send you surveys to fill out. Once you fill out online surveys, you get paid via points which can then be redeemed for gift cards, travel miles, and more.
You can also make money on MyPoints by filling out surveys, playing games, and even redeeming coupons.
How to sign up for MyPoints:
Sign up on their website.
Create an account by entering your email and setting up a password.
Start watching ads.
Sign up for MyPoints by clicking here.
4. PrizeRebel
Prize Rebel is a popular survey app that rewards members who answer surveys, watch ads, and try out free samples. Prize Rebel pays out via PayPal cash, Bitcoin, gift cards, and more.
You can also make money on Prize Rebel by:
Trying out free samples
Entering sweepstakes
Trying out new apps
Trying out free trials
How to sign up for Prize Rebel:
Create an account by either entering your info or connecting your Facebook account.
Start watching ads or filling out surveys.
Sign up for Prize Rebel by clicking here.
5. Ibotta
Ibotta is an app (available for Android, Apple, etc.) that gives cash back to customers who make everyday purchases. Once you’re in the Ibotta app, you can start clicking and activating special cash back by clicking the + button next to the item offer.
Some offers will make you watch an ad on their product in return for getting their offer.
For certain retailers, you can even link your store loyalty account to the Ibotta app. This makes it incredibly easy to earn cash back with the app because you don’t have to submit any receipts.
You can also use Ibotta even if you’re shopping online. To shop from your phone, open the Ibotta app, tap online shopping, and browse offers from hundreds of retailers.
New Ibotta users get $10 when they spend $50 at participating online retailers.
How to sign up for Ibotta:
Sign up for an Ibotta account.
Shop and click to activate offers within the app.
Shop at stores like you normally would.
Submit receipts to the Ibotta app.
Please click here to sign up for Ibotta.
Recommended reading: How To Make Money Without A Job
6. iRazoo Rewards
iRazoo Rewards is an app that pays people to watch ads and fill out surveys. New offers are added everyday, making it easy to find new ways to earn iRazoo points within the app.
You can also make money on iRazoo Rewards by:
Answering surveys
Completing offers
Playing games
How to sign up for iRazoo Rewards:
Download the app and create an account.
Fill out the information about yourself.
Start watching ads.
7. Nielsen TV Ratings
Neilson is an information and market research company that you’ve probably seen in commercials in the past as they are popular. Neilson’s job is to give companies information into consumer behavior so that they can create and improve their products.
And, this is why they need you!
Nielson pays out via PayPal Cash, gift cards to stores like Amazon, and more.
How to sign up for Nielsen:
Sign up for an account.
Download the app on your phone or computer.
Earn rewards.
8. Earnably
Earnably is a website that pays you to complete different tasks, such as watching videos.
Earnably pays out via PayPal cash or gift cards. This app stands out more from others because you only need $1 to cash out the rewards that you earn. This means that it is typically easier to get your first payment.
How to sign up for Earnably:
Create an account.
Start watching ads or filling out surveys.
Redeem points for PayPal Cash or gift cards.
9. QuickRewards
QuickRewards pays people to watch informational and entertaining videos on topics like news, lifestyle, pop culture, food, and more.
To get paid to watch videos on Quick Rewards, you simply go to their “Videos” tab when you’re logged in. You’ll then see the daily videos that are available to you, and the amount of points that you can earn for watching each video.
When I was logged in, I was able to earn points for watching movie trailers, food videos (such as cooking tutorials), ads, and more.
There is only a 1 cent minimum needed for redeeming points on QuickRewards. You can earn free PayPal cash, gift cards to Amazon, and more.
You can also make money on QuickRewards by:
Filling out surveys
Playing games
Completing offers
Shopping online
How to sign up for QuickRewards:
Create an account.
Start watching ads.
10. AppTrailers
AppTrailers is a way to make money by watching videos of new apps, celebrity gossip, DIY videos, video ads, and more.
You get points for watching these videos, which you can then redeem for PayPal cash, Amazon gift cards, and more.
You can also make money on App Trailers by playing trivia in the app and entering sweepstakes.
How to sign up for AppTrailers:
Download the app and create an account.
Fill out basic information.
Start watching videos.
11. AdWallet
Unlike the other apps mentioned, AdWallet’s only way to make extra money in the app is by watching ads. After you’ve finished the ad, you’ll complete a short survey. Once you’re logged into the app, you’ll see videos that are ready for you to view them.
The minimum payout for AdWallet is $10 and cash out options are via PayPal cash, gift cards, or donating the funds to a charity.
How to sign up for AdWallet:
Create an account.
Start watching videos.
Redeem points for gift cards or PayPal cash.
12. KashKick
KashKick is an online platform that pays users cash for completing tasks like watching videos. There are no points in KashKick, so you always know exactly how much you’ve earned.
You can also make money on KashKick by:
Completing offers
Trying out new apps
How to sign up for KashKick:
Sign up for a KashKick account.
Review offers in the app.
Start earning money.
Please click here to sign up for KashKick.
13. GrabPoints
GrabPoints is similar to all of the other survey apps and rewards its users for answering surveys, watching videos, and playing games.
To make money watching ads with GrabPoints, you want to pick one of the following video providers: Hideout.TV and Loot.tv. Each of these video providers offers all kinds of videos with topics from entertainment, fashion, sports, and action. How many points you earn depends on the channel.
You can also make money on GrabPoints by:
Taking surveys
Playing games
Downloading apps
How to sign up for GrabPoints:
Create an account.
Start earning points by watching ads or filling out surveys.
Redeem points for cash or gift cards.
FAQ – How To Make Money Watching Ads
Here are answers to common questions about how to watch ads for money.
Can I earn money from watching ads?
Yes, you can earn money from watching ads right from your smartphone or laptop. The amount you earn depends on several things such as the survey site, how long the ad is, and how much time is needed from you.
Ads pay out at around .7 cents per advertisement for Inbox Dollars and related sites. Sites may pay via PayPal cash, Visa gift cards, Amazon gift cards, and more. Withdrawals (payment thresholds) typically start at around $5 to $10, but depend on the specific site.
Recommended reading: 26 Weekly Pay Jobs To Make Money Quickly
Which app pays for watching videos?
There are tons of mobile apps that pay users for watching videos. The top apps that pay for watching ads include Swagbucks, Inbox Dollars, MyPoints, You-Cubez, and Slidejoy. You can search on Google Play and the iOS App Store to look for more. Viggle used to be a popular option for watching short films as well, but it is no longer around.
How to get paid to watch ads on your phone?
To get paid to watch ads, download the app you want to use. You can choose from many apps including MyPoints, Inbox Dollars, Swagbucks, and more. Then, create an account and fill out some basic information. Survey sites want to know information about you to match you to certain surveys.
Once you have the app and information filled out, start browsing the different tasks you can do to make money. This may be watching ads, filling out surveys, printing and redeeming coupons, playing games, etc.
Once you complete the task, you’ll start earning rewards which can then be redeemed for PayPal cash, gift cards, and more depending on the app.
Why are companies paying people to watch ads?
Companies and advertisers pay people to watch ads to get product testing, feedback and insights, and ideas on how to fine-tune their product before the product goes public.
These brands want to know what you’re thinking and what you think about certain products or services. This helps them in the process of making new items for their brand.
Recommended reading: 21 Best Free Surveys That Pay Cash Instantly
Is it worth it to make money by watching ads?
You won’t get rich making money watching ads, but it is an easy way to make extra income to pay off a bill each month.
You may want to think if it’s worth the time and effort to make money watching ads. Try out an app or site listed above for a couple of weeks and see if it’s worth it. You may find that it’s easy enough to do while you’re watching Netflix or waiting in the car to pick up your kids from school.
How To Get Paid To Watch Ads – Summary
If you’re looking to make extra money in your downtime, watching ads is an easy side hustle to start.
By signing up for apps and sites like Inbox Dollars and Swagbucks, you can get paid watching ads, filling out surveys, and even get free products in return for giving feedback to the brand.
Most of us have hopes and plans for the future, and they often require a degree of financial success. Whether your aspiration is relatively small and close to home (say, hosting an amazing 30th birthday party for your sweetie at their favorite restaurant) or considerably grander (owning multiple homes and retiring by age 50), it takes planning and discipline to achieve them.
In a nutshell, smart money habits can start you on the path to achieving financial success and realizing your dreams. Adopting small (and repeated) changes in behavior can be one way to start building good financial habits that can last a lifetime.
Read on to learn six of the most important money habits that can help steer you to financial success and realizing your money goals.
Why Good Money Habits Matter
Good money habits can set you up for financial success. They act like guardrails, keeping you moving towards positives (like an impressive retirement fund) and away from potential challenges (say, too much credit card debt). They are, in fact, similar to other wise habits in your life, whether that means eating well, exercising regularly, not staying up too late watching Netflix, or remembering to call your folks often.
Yes, good habits can require some time and energy to establish, and then you likely need to maintain focus to stay on track. Some will become second nature or no-brainers; others may require more ongoing effort. But by sticking with them, good money habits can guide you to help manage your personal finances well, make smart decisions with your funds, and achieve your future goals.
💡 Quick Tip: Typically, checking accounts don’t earn interest. However, some accounts do, and online banks are more likely than brick-and-mortar banks to offer you the best rates.
6 Good Money Habits to Adopt
Here’s a closer look at six key money habits that can help you develop financial success.
1. Set Financial Goals
Formulating your financial goals can be an important step. Goals can guide you as you go about building a financial plan for the years ahead.
One person’s goals might be to pay off their student loans and save for a down payment on a house; another might want to sock away enough cash to start their own business down the road; and yet another might want to achieve a lifestyle where they can pay for their child’s college education and take ski vacations every winter.
Putting pen to paper or opening a document on your laptop can be a helpful way to focus and define specific financial goals to work towards. This can give you clarity and boost your motivation vs. simply saving in the abstract.
Once you have goals in mind, you can begin saving toward them and tracking your progress.
2. Budget Well and Track Your Spending
If you are just winging it in terms of your finances, it’s probably wise to prioritize setting up a budget. The word “budget” can cause a knee-jerk reaction because it smacks of deprivation (as in, no more lattes, ever!) but that’s not what it’s about.
Rather, a budget involves understanding how much money you have coming in and where it’s going (typically towards spending and saving). It can help you be more aware of your finances and balance them, too.
Out of the various techniques, the 50/30/20 budget rule is a popular option. It spells out that 50% of your take-home pay goes towards your needs (housing, food, and healthcare, for instance), 30% towards your wants (dining out, those lattes mentioned above, travel), and 20% towards savings.
There are plenty of other different budgeting methods to try and tools you can use to track your spending, which is an important facet of good budgeting. Your bank may even offer a convenient system for this. By tracking your spending, you can see where you may be spending too much (say, your once-a-week takeout habit has crept up to four times a week), be more mindful with money, and optimize your finances. Perhaps you can put more towards debt payments, for example, than you realized.
It can also be wise to get in the habit of checking in with your money regularly; many people find that a couple of times a week is a good frequency.
💡 Quick Tip: If you’re saving for a short-term goal — whether it’s a vacation, a wedding, or the down payment on a house — consider opening a high-yield savings account. The higher APY that you’ll earn will help your money grow faster, but the funds stay liquid, so they are easy to access when you reach your goal.
3. Consolidate Debt
As you work on your budget, you may want to cultivate another money habit to develop financial success. That involves dealing with debt.
This might mean paying off credit card balances in full and making all other necessary debt payments on time, such as mortgage installments and student loan payments. Calendar reminders can help ensure that all payments get made on time, as can automating your payments (more on that below). It may even help to arrange to have all payments due on the same day. Some lenders are willing to move a monthly due date.
If you have student loan debt, you might look into refinancing options. You might, say, be able to lower your monthly payment, though that could extend the term of your loan and cost you more in interest over the life of the loan. However, doing so may be the right move for some people. (Also keep in mind that if you refinance federal loans as private student loans you will lose access to federal benefits and protections.)
Facing and managing your debt is an important step, regardless of the specific solution you decide upon. It’s a habit that allows you to take control of your money. And it can keep your debt-to-income ratio low, which can be an important factor when you want to borrow money at as low a rate as possible.
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4. Know When to Consider Balance Transfer vs. Personal Loans
Building on the idea of consolidating debt is the next financial habit. This one involves knowing the warning signs when your debt is getting uncomfortably high and then taking steps to rein it in.
Sometimes, the steps above aren’t enough. If that’s the case, it’s wise to consider your options vs. taking a wait and see approach. Currently, credit card interest rates are over 20% which can be hard for some people to pay off.
So if you see your balance rising to a level you are worried about, consider the following options as you take control of your debt:
• You might try a balance-transfer credit card, which can give you a reprieve from high interest accruing for a period of time (often 18 months), allowing you to pay down your debt.
• You might consider taking out a personal loan and using those funds to pay off your credit card debt. The goal here is to have a lower monthly payment on the personal loan than what your credit card bill amounted to.
• Contact a nonprofit credit counseling service, such as the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, or nfcc.org. Getting in this habit before debt gets deeper can help you in the long run.
5. Automate Your Finances
It can be a good idea to save money right after getting paid — before the cash sits in checking long enough to spark the urge to spend it. So why not make it simple and save automatically upfront?
A person interested in saving might begin by automating just one kind of transaction. For example, they may opt to have $50 moved from a checking account to a different savings-oriented account each month. If that money remains unspent each month, those monthly automatic savings would total to $600 at the end of the year.
That could be a good way to start an emergency fund without expending much effort. You can also automate payments of, say, your utilities and housing costs or your car loan. Paying bills on time this way can help build your credit.
There are also numerous ways to automate your investments. A workplace plan, like a 401(k), may already be doing this. For someone who’s on their own, mutual funds can make auto-investment really easy. Alternatively, a robo-advisor service can automatically invest contributions on behalf of the investor. (Note: This automation may be challenging for those paid irregularly, such as freelancers and seasonal workers.)
By embracing automation, you can nail an important money habit. You can pay yourself first and stash cash away in savings. And you can avoid such bad money habits as not saving enough, paying bills late, or forgetting to pay them at all.
Recommended: How to Become Financially Independent
6. Investing Early and Often
“I invested too much money for retirement,” said no one, ever. Arguably, there’s no other financial goal that requires more habitual action — spread over decades — than saving and investing for retirement.
It can be tempting to push off planning for retirement until tomorrow. After all, when someone’s in their 20s or 30s, retirement is likely decades and decades away. Psychologically, it’s simple to presume that it’s just not worth thinking about in the now.
But, for many, retirement can be one of life’s biggest and most important expenses. It can secure your comfortable future. Investing early, often, and wisely, can help accomplish that goal.
Adopting this habit ASAP can be a big help; it allows for more time for money to grow via compounding. Compound returns are earnings on both the original amount invested (the principal) and the money earned via investing (the profit). The more months (or years) a person invests, the higher the potential for profits to compound. Note: It is important to note that all investing carries risk as the stock market can fluctuate.
Being consistent about moving money into your portfolio is important, too. Luckily, there are easy and affordable ways to get started investing. First, open an account, like a brokerage or a retirement account. (Investing in a 401(k) also counts as investing.) Then, investors can purchase investments like stocks and funds to achieve their goals. Or investors can use an automated investing service.
The Takeaway
Building good financial habits can be rewarding. There are more technological tools than ever to help with budgeting or expense tracking. From digital apps to automatic investing, building healthy financial habits has never been more accessible.
Interested in opening an online bank account? When you sign up for a SoFi Checking and Savings account with direct deposit, you’ll get a competitive annual percentage yield (APY), pay zero account fees, and enjoy an array of rewards, such as access to the Allpoint Network of 55,000+ fee-free ATMs globally. Qualifying accounts can even access their paycheck up to two days early.
Better banking is here with up to 4.60% APY on SoFi Checking and Savings.
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SoFi Bank shall, in its sole discretion, assess each account holder’s Direct Deposit activity and Qualifying Deposits throughout each 30-Day Evaluation Period to determine the applicability of rates and may request additional documentation for verification of eligibility. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Upon receiving a Direct Deposit or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits to your account, you will begin earning 4.60% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% on checking balances on or before the following calendar day. You will continue to earn these APYs for (i) the remainder of the current 30-Day Evaluation Period and through the end of the subsequent 30-Day Evaluation Period and (ii) any following 30-day Evaluation Periods during which SoFi Bank determines you to have Direct Deposit activity or $5,000 in Qualifying Deposits without interruption.
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The thing that drew me to early retirement is freedom, and that’s still the best part of it.
Back in 2005, the primary reason for this freedom-seeking was being able to devote my best hours to being a Dad – I had a feeling my career in tech would be too demanding to sustain once the full-time job of raising children kicked in.
Eighteen years later, wow has that guess ever turned out to be right. Early retirement has proved to be the most amazing, worthwhile adventure and it’s still just getting started. It was an astonishing thirteen years ago that I wrote to you about Little MM starting kindergarten, and now he’s done with high school.
It has given me the space to enjoy so many new experiences, working hard and playing hard sometimes, but also slowing things way down when necessary, to deal with and grow through some real hardships.
But now, with that child-raising phase finally almost done, I’m cashing in a few of those Freedom Chips for a particularly big change: moving to a warm sunny place for the winter to try out a new life in the walkable, bikeable, car-free community you’ve probably heard me raving about in the past: Culdesac Tempe.
So on the first of December I’ll be packing up the essential clothes, tools and gadgets, and throwing my very best mountain bike onto the Model Y to make the epic road trip across the mountains. Just in time to escape the incoming Colorado winter. And my son will be joining me for the trip!
We’ve booked ourselves a spacious two bedroom apartment there, for four full months. Little MM will be roughly alternating his months between Arizona and Colorado so he can still have time with both parents, while I’ll be there the whole time.
A big part of the fun is that this will force me to invent a whole new life for myself, away from the easy comforts of the big community and plentiful construction sites that keep me so busy here. It will be both a big change and a significant challenge, which is exactly what all of us need on a regular basis to keep life full of meaning and joy.
So What Are You Going to Do in Arizona?
The exact details are still in the works, and I’d love to hear your ideas and feedback (see the “get in touch” note below. But here’s what I’ve got so far:
Meet as many new people as possible, and answer the burning question we all have: what kind of people choose to move to a car-free neighborhood in the center of a super-car-based metropolis?
And of course hang out with existing friends who live in the area – did you know our own Coverage Critic (aka Chris Smith) already lives in Culdesac?
Share some of the experiences, whether good or bad, here on MMM and on places like Twitter and Instagram so you can live vicariously through this experience.
Use my newly liberated extra free time to visit their kickass on-site gym to get in extra good shape.
Use more of that free time to write more blog posts and sweep some of the cobwebs off of this neglected online persona of mine.
Look at the weather app on my phone periodically to cackle at the blizzards I’m missing in Colorado and celebrate my good fortune in comparison (the typical “winter” day in Tempe is typically in the mid-70s which means sandals and palm trees and outdoor dining the whole time)
Host a few meetups in Culdesac’s outdoor plazas like we did last March
Start a quirky free handyman business where I help new residents set up their IKEA furniture and move heavy stuff and hang paintings, as a combo of meeting people and being useful and exercising my compulsion to build stuff.
Ride bikes! A lot. Explore the distant corners of the Phoenix metro area and the surrounding desert valley and mountain trails on mountain bikes, regular bikes, and the e-bike that comes included with the first 200 Culdesac apartments.
And perhaps most importantly, help my almost-adult son get all sorts of new experiences during his visits, by living in a brand new city for the first time since he was born waaaay back in the same era as my own early retirement.
Is There a Bigger Picture To All This?
Okay, you’re onto me. If I’m going to go to the trouble of typing shit into the computer and sharing it with you, there’s usually a purpose behind it other than just journaling my own personal life, and this another one of those cases.
First of all, there are the first-layer selfish goals: I want to have the best winter ever, meet a bunch of smart new people, and I also want Culdesac to be a huge success so they will build more neighborhoods like this around the country and set an example that permanently improves the way US cities build and expand themselves in the future.
But even if you don’t care about all that, I also want to use this as a little statement about trying deliberate life changes.
By throwing myself into a new community which aligns so nicely with my own values, I hope to serve as a reminder that maybe you might want to try the same thing. Or just try anything new.
In a comfortable, prosperous country like ours, some of the built in tendencies of Human nature tend to work against us, saying,
“Hey – I’ve noticed we have plenty of food and reasonable shelter and that’s good enough. So let’s just double down on the Netflix, comfort foods, and occasional luxury purchases and that will keep us safe.”
Instead, I want you to set your life treadmill to just a bit of a steeper, healthier incline setting.
That means questioning the status quo and doing your best to keep at least one little experiment on the go in the background. Maybe that means forcing yourself to move to a better place, or taking steps towards getting a new job that gives you a better work-life balance.
The biggest move I ever made was leaving family and friends and my old job behind to move to the US, alone, at age 24. Looking back, I’m shocked I had the courage (and the organizational skills) to pull that off back then. I’ve become older and a bit slower, and so comfortable that it’s hard to imagine doing something so bold now.
But even today 24 years later, I thank my past self every single day for doing it. My present life is an incredibly different and better thing because of that past bit of courage.
The spirit of positive experimentation might also mean starting to challenge your body more regularly – giving it harder work and exposing it to a wider swath of temperatures and movements. Or joining new Meetup groups to expand your circle of friends and experiences.
It doesn’t really matter exactly what you do, as long as you point your feet in what feels like a good direction and just start moving. Create some purposeful change, which will surely feel a bit difficult, simply because change is hard. And hard things are good.
Future Arizona Neighbors: I’ll see you in four weeks!
Further reading:I’ve been reading books, doing life experiments, and writing about the value of strategic hardship for a while now. But the latest is a book called Dopamine Nation by the talented psychiatrist/author named Dr. Anna Lembke.
To summarize: your brain creates a baseline for happiness based on the HARDEST thing you do, and then compares everything else to that. So if you do hard things, life in general seems fantastic because of this perspective. If you eliminate all hardship, suddenly even the pleasures of life seem bland, and you live a spoiled and unmotivated life.
To get in touch: send me a DM on Instagram or use the email address “newsletter” at the domain of this website. (Newsletter subscribers can also just reply to this post if you received it via email.)
Interested in stopping by for your own Mini Culdesac Experiment? They have a few short-term rentals available at rather reasonable rates (less than nearby hotels) – check em out at book.culdesac.com
What will you do with your car?
I’m bringing the car just as a convenient electric moving truck to carry two people and four months of living supplies. Once I get there, I’ll find a safe place to store it offsite* and live the full car-free lifestyle of Culdesac, much like I do when I’m here at home. I typically only use cars to carry really heavy stuff or for trips to other cities and states, but it’s even easier to accomplish this in Tempe with its location right on the light rail and with their onsite bike, scooter and even car sharing lots.
What about your house?
My place in Colorado is currently set up as a two bedroom house on the main floor, plus an apartment with a separate entrance on the walkout lower level. When I’m at home, I use the whole thing as one home – the apartment just makes a great place to host a fairly constant stream of visiting friends. But for the winter I’m hoping to rent out one of these spaces to a friend or trusted acquaintance who will take good care of everything, while I leave the other section free for the occasional visits I’ll be paying to this area over the winter. Aside from keeping an eye on the place, it will be a great way to practice the age-old Mustachian technique of making money while taking vacations!
What Happens at the End of March?
As it stands, I have no plans beyond this point. I’ll head back to Colorado for my home base, but with this being a new phase of life I’ll be layering on new adventures. Aside from the two mountain properties that I’ve been helping to build out, I just teamed up with a friend to help him create an intentional (and somewhat experimental!) living community in Denver called Wild Life Ranch.
We’ll have to cover more of that in a future article, but the basic idea is that he is converting a 13-acre former horse ranch in a relatively prime part of the Denver area, into a future village of higher-end tiny houses and other dwellings. These will be arranged around nice common amenities with a big emphasis on people actually enjoying the process of living together, as opposed to just living separately side-by-side as we tend to do in normal neighborhoods.
*Got any suggestions or want to rent or barter me a nearby driveway space at your place? Please get in touch!
In today’s hyper-connected world, travelers enjoy internet access wherever they are. In-flight Wi-Fi used to be a novelty, but now it’s necessary to stay competitive with other airlines.
JetBlue Airways offers all passengers free Wi-Fi so they can stream videos and music, send and receive emails, shop online and more.
Learn more about JetBlue Wi-Fi, including how to connect, how much it costs and how it compares to other airlines.
Does JetBlue have Wi-Fi?
Yes, JetBlue has Wi-Fi — cheekily called Fly-Fi — on most of its flights, with service provided through Viasat.
However, the availability of Fly-Fi on JetBlue flights varies based on the type of plane and which route it is flying. Additionally, weather and other variables may affect your ability to log in and use the internet during your trip.
JetBlue Fly-Fi internet is available on all JetBlue-operated flights across the contiguous United States. It’s also available on re-styled Airbus A320, A321neo and A220 aircraft that fly to its Caribbean and Central America destinations.
Additionally, JetBlue offers expanded transatlantic coverage on Airbus A321 long-haul flights.
How much does Fly-Fi cost?
JetBlue does not charge to access its in-flight Wi-Fi service. Fly-Fi is free for all passengers, even if you don’t have elite status or hold the airline’s credit card.
You can also connect as many devices to Wi-Fi as you’d like without extra charges.
JetBlue Fly-Fi cost vs. other airlines
While JetBlue customers get free Wi-Fi on unlimited devices, other airlines may charge fees for every device you connect. Here’s a quick summary of how much you’ll pay per device to connect to in-flight Wi-Fi on other airlines:
American Airlines: Starting at $10 per device.
Delta Air Lines: Free, with a SkyMiles account.
Southwest Airlines: $8 per device; free for A-List Preferred members.
United Airlines: $10 for access on U.S. domestic and short-haul international flights. This cost is reduced to $8 for MileagePlus members, and all T-Mobile customers get free Wi-Fi on all flights. Costs for long-haul international flights vary based on destination.
How to connect to JetBlue Wi-Fi
Follow these simple steps to connect to JetBlue Wi-Fi:
Connect to the “Fly-Fi” Wi-Fi network.
If you’re not automatically redirected to the Fly-Fi page, open your browser and go to www.flyfi.com.
Follow the instructions and watch a short advertisement to connect.
What services does JetBlue offer on Fly-Fi?
Once you’re connected to Fly-Fi on your JetBlue flight, you can use many internet services, including:
Text messaging.
Internet browsing, including email.
Streaming movies or TV shows.
SiriusXM music and radio shows.
DirecTV channels (not available outside the continental U.S.).
🤓Nerdy Tip
When shopping on Amazon through the in-flight portal, you’ll earn 3 TrueBlue points for every dollar you spend. However, rewards are not available on transatlantic flights.
JetBlue Fly-Fi recapped
Free Wi-Fi from JetBlue is one of the many reasons why its customers rate the airline so highly. With JetBlue Fly-Fi, you can stream videos, browse the internet, shop online and more at speeds up to 20 Mbps.
Passengers can link an unlimited number of devices, so you can easily switch between your mobile phone, tablet and laptop without paying extra.
Frequently asked questions
Is JetBlue free Wi-Fi available to everyone?
Yes, all JetBlue passengers can connect to Fly-Fi free of charge. It doesn’t matter if you have Mosaic elite status or if this is your first JetBlue flight. Everyone gets in-flight Wi-Fi for free.
What speed is JetBlue Fly-Fi?
JetBlue Fly-Fi speeds can be up to 20 Mbps. However, internet speeds may vary based on the weather, your route, how many passengers are connected and other factors.
Can I stream movies on Wi-Fi from JetBlue?
JetBlue Fly-Fi offers movies, TV channels and music through Amazon, Netflix and DirecTV. You can also send and receive text or chat messages, but voice calls are not permitted.
(Top photo courtesy of JetBlue Airways)
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for: