If you jumped on the old TextPayMe $5 bonus (now expired), you may be interested in the new TextPayMe $5 bonus. Apparently they decided to chuck out the old system completely when they created their new system linked with Amazon Payments (kind of like Google Checkout). There are a few things to watch out for. You need to add a cell phone number and verify a bank account before you get the bonus. There is also a $10 minimum for bank account withdrawals, and a $1 minimum for withdrawal into an Amazon.com gift certificate. So either send the $5 to a friend’s account and take all $10 out, or just treat it as a $5 gift certificate. You can use the exact same number as last time, I just got my $5:
(I also apparently had 12 cents left over from Mechanical Turk.)
In addition, you can also make some more money by taking advantage of the fact that you can send money using credit cards with no fees during their beta period. Here are some details from their help section:
You can make a payment using credit cards, your bank accounts or account balance. Accepted credit cards are Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and Diners Club. […] During the Beta Period, TextPayMe will not charge any fees for sending and receiving payments on the website or on your mobile phone. […] Personal Accounts may receive up to $500 per month. The receiving limit may be raised or removed entirely once a credit card and verified bank account have been registered in the account. […] Personal Accounts may send up to $500 per month once a credit card or verified bank account is registered in the account. Once both are registered, the sending limit may be raised or removed entirely.
“send $500 to someone by charging it on the card, have them send it back”
ethical?
Give someone my bank account # for $5?
No thanks.
I didn’t need to add a bank acount to get the $5 bonus!
will the bank see the CC transaction as a cash advance?
Yeah I’ll pass on the 5 dollars… just not worth all that hazzle.
can this be done using paypal?
You know, another way would be to get the $5 would be to send $10 into the account, and take the $15 out of the account.
Another way to get $5 would be to become youth coach at the YMCA. That way, you still get a tiny amount of money for 30 minutes of time, but you also have done something beneficial for someone besides yourself.
The $5 spiff doesn’t need to verify a bank account–plus the security behind this is that Amazon is the true source behind this, I think that makes it much better. Once I saw that I was definitely less concerned about some random-fly-by-night website setting this up–but then I also didn’t need to verify the account to get the $5.
About the ethics of sending someone $500 and then having them give it back, why not do this with a significant other or even a family member. I’m 22, I plan on doing this with my Dad, sending him money to make the money off it and then all I do is get it back and pay the credit card off.. Does this count as a cash advance is also my question! Hey a penny saved is a penny earned (especially when you’re going through college!)
I can’t believe that someone with your recently reported elevated household income would go to so much trouble for a lousy $5. Unless it gives you satisfaction simply to get something for nothing. Hasn’t the time come to drop some of this this penny-ante stuff and concentrate on larger fish?
“TextPayMe will not charge any fees for sending and receiving payments on the website or on your mobile phone.” However, all payments go through Amazon payment system as far as I understand, and here is their fee schedule https://payments.amazon.com/sdui/sdui/about?nodeId=5965
Namely, 2.9% + $0.30 on credit card transactions over $10. I don’t see a word saying Amazon would drop their fees if you send money via TextPayMe. Am I overlooking something?
mike, it is not about money so much as it is about sport. You know, some people play golf for example. How weird is that?
Thanks. I’ll probably save the $5 until I buy something at Amazon.
Shrug, to each their own. I can understand that many people won’t care, which is fine – but I also know that some will.
I like trying out new financial services and seeing what’s out there, I like free money, and other people like it too. Wasn’t much trouble, took 5 minutes. Not like I spent all day on this – I do have to go make that ‘elevated household income’, you know 😀 (which didn’t just appear from thin air…)
I don’t think it will count as a cash advance, as it’s designed to be a person-to-person payment service and later on they definitely will be charging fees for this service.
From the Amazon Payments site:
TextPayMe is a Provider Application, and all fees are paid by them. After the Beta period I’m sure they will be passing them along to users.
About 1 min work and now I have $5 to spend on Amazon. That’s like a free book. Cool.
Tried sending $10 with credit card and it worked. CC statement shows $10 charge and my bank acct. is $10 richer now. No fees indeed. However, I’ve just tried to repeat it and it doesn’t work anymore. Declined w/o reason 🙁
I tried to send to my friend $100 dollars from my registered credit card. the website keeps saying the payment request was cancelled because the credit card declines.
Could someone shed light on how to pay friends via credit card?
They have Midwest Wireless, but not US Cellular? What a joke.