Awesome – https://stroopels.com Sat, 28 Jan 2023 21:00:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 https://stroopels.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/cropped-S-1-1-32x32.png Awesome – https://stroopels.com 32 32 Turn your EIP card into a direct deposit https://stroopels.com/turn-your-eip-card-into-a-direct-deposit/ https://stroopels.com/turn-your-eip-card-into-a-direct-deposit/#comments Mon, 18 Jan 2021 00:22:31 +0000 http://stroopels.com/?p=434 If you got an EIP card instead of the stimulus check that you were hoping for, there is an easy way to get that balance transferred into your bank for free. You can also use it like a normal debit card at stores, or withdraw cash at an ATM. However, ATM withdrawals cost money, both from the ATM owner, and from your EIP card after the first withdrawal. Checking your balance also comes with fees (25 cents per transaction). Basically, getting that cash into your account is the best way to go. See the full fee structure here.

So, let’s get into it. First, you will need to call the number on your card and activate it. You will need to know the last 6 digits of your social security number for this process. You will also create a 4 digit pin number to protect your funds.

Next, you need to create an online account with the issuing bank. You will need to have your card with you for this part. You will also need your checking account number and your banks routing number.

  • Go to EIPcard.com
  • Select “Login,” then “register now”
  • Follow the prompts until you have an account, then login to your account.
  • Click on “Money out”
  • Click “Transfers in U.S.”
  • Follow the steps to create a transfer to your bank.
  • Wait a few days, typically 2-3 and your money should be in your checking account.

You can also transfer funds via the Money Network Mobile App

  1. Be sure you have activated your EIP Card before attempting to transfer funds.
  2. Download the Money Network Mobile App2 and register for mobile access by clicking “New User?”. Follow the steps to create your User ID and Password. Be sure to have your EIP Card handy.
  3. Click the top left menu and click “Send Money to an External Bank Account” under Move Money Out.
  4. Follow the steps to set up your destination bank account prior to completing your ACH transfer.
  5. Transfers should post to your bank account in 2-3 business days.
]]>
https://stroopels.com/turn-your-eip-card-into-a-direct-deposit/feed/ 1
What whiteboard can I use on WGU proctored tests? https://stroopels.com/what-whiteboard-can-i-use-on-wgu-proctored-tests/ https://stroopels.com/what-whiteboard-can-i-use-on-wgu-proctored-tests/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2020 10:28:37 +0000 http://stroopels.com/?p=411
This one is the best for tests! It has a grid on the back, and is blank on the front. Regardless of what level of math you’re in, this will be helpful at all stages of your schooling.

WGU has a fairly easy to follow whiteboard policy. They allow you to use any whiteboard that meets the following criteria:

  • May not have logos, letters, or other designs printed on them, with the exception of grid lines.
  • You must be able to erase the whiteboard completely before and after your exam.
  • It cannot be electronic, or have a memory.
  • It cannot be mounted to a wall
  • It must be of a size that can remain fully in view of the proctor during the exam
  • You may only use one whiteboard during the exam
  • Preferred size, 9 x 12 inches or smaller.
  • We recommend this whiteboard from Amazon.

Markers to use during the exam:

  • These dry erase markers are the best, as they are easy to erase, and write with a fine point, making it easier to see your work.

Best eraser:

Having a proper eraser is much nicer than using a cloth during exams. When every minute counts, having a proper eraser speeds up downtime between questions.

]]>
https://stroopels.com/what-whiteboard-can-i-use-on-wgu-proctored-tests/feed/ 1
Calculators that are allowed on WGU proctored tests https://stroopels.com/calculators-that-are-allowed-on-wgu-proctored-tests/ Fri, 05 Jun 2020 03:46:32 +0000 http://stroopels.com/?p=401 WGU has a pretty easy to follow policy on which calculators it allows on WGU proctored tests. Below, you will find a list of calculators that are recommended by WGU, and which are allowed to be used in your comprehensive math test at the end of the class. Below the list of approved calculators is more information about specific requirements.

For general majors, especially those taking courses C278, C459, C463, C784, C955, C957, L121, C958, C959, or C960, WGU recommends these calculators:

For business courses/majors, WGU recommends this calculator:

Here is a list of other permitted calculators (not inclusive, see below list for details):

*In a testing environment, an embedded calculator may also be used.

Calculators that are NOT allowed:

  • Calculators that have CAS systems
  • HP calculators that aren’t listed above
  • Computer calculators
  • PDA’s
  • Calculators that include an electronic writing pad
  • pen-input device calulators
  • QWERTY calculators (such as some TI-Nspires)

WGU calculator general rules, per their website: “You may use one basic, scientific, business/financial, or graphing calculator, unless it has a built-in computer algebra system (CAS)… Calculators with paper tape are allowed if the tape is removed and they are not prohibited for other reasons. Calculators with memory, including permitted graphing calculators, must have their memory cleared prior to beginning an assessment. Programs stored in a calculator’s memory are considered material not approved for use during an assessment.”

As of June 04, 2020, this information was accurate. Please verify with WGU if you aren’t sure. We are not affiliated with WGU, we are just passing along helpful information.

]]>
The Best Baby Registry Ever https://stroopels.com/the-best-baby-registry-ever/ Fri, 22 May 2020 08:29:11 +0000 http://stroopels.com/?p=390 As a new parent, getting all of the things you need for your baby can be difficult. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first or 5th, new babies need a lot of things. When looking for the best registry, there were so many terrible ones. I finally found the best baby registry on the internet. Here are all the details:

*NOTE* To get these all of these discounts, you’ll need to have Amazon Prime. You can get 30 days for free, and then pay monthly and cancel anytime if you want, or get the annual subscription at a discount after your trial ends. Click here to sign up for the FREE 30 day trial.

Get a free $35 gift for your baby:

When you register (sign up here), you are able to add all the items that you want for your new baby. As soon as somebody buys an item from your registry, you are able to redeem a credit for the Amazon baby welcome gift. This gift is awesome, and the items change often. Regardless of what it is though, it is free baby stuff. So, that’s pretty awesome.

Once you’ve signed up, and somebody buys a gift ($10+ value), a “Claim Now’ button will appear on the side of your screen in the registry. You click it and it will give you more information.

You can get that expensive stroller you want, even your friend can’t fund it by themself:

With an Amazon registry, you can add items to your hearts desire, from inexpensive items, to high end items. Your friends and family can contribute any amount that they are comfortable with towards your registry, and you can buy the item with the balance. You can allow them to contribute toward a particular item, or just towards your registry in general.

1: Sign up for a baby registry using this link

2: Read the details here after you’ve signed up.

You can get the diapers you want, and your friends won’t have to guess which size or brand you need at the moment:

The registry gives you the ability to enable a diaper fund. This function, similar to the one above, lets people contribute toward a diaper fund which will convert into an amazon gift balance for you. When you need more diapers, just order the exact kind you like from Amazon. It sure beats having a box of diapers that don’t fit your new baby.

1: Sign up for a baby registry using this link

2: Read the details here after you’ve signed up.

90 day return policy:

Items sent from your baby registry have a much more generous return policy. You can return items up to 3 months after the date that they were shipped.

10-15% discount on items:

With your registry, you can receive a huge discount (up to $300) off of items on your registry. If you are not a Prime member, it is 10%, but if you are a Prime member, it’s 15%. You can sign up for a FREE trial of Prime right here. You’re welcome.

To use the discount, once you create your registry, a message will appear at the top of your registry once you’re eligible (60 days before through 15 days after your due date). Click the message and follow the instructions.

Get 20-40% off of diapers for a year!

Once at least $500 in items are purchased from your registry, you will be able to automatically save 20% on diapers for a year. This includes items that you buy yourself from the registry. If you combine this discount with subscribe and save (which you can cancel anytime), you can save an additional 20% on diapers. You can save up to $300.

Get $100 in Baby bucks

Prime members get $100 to use towards select products once they get at least $1000 of products purchased from their registry. The $100 is valid for 90 days and can only be used on select products. But, hey, it’s still $100 worth of free stuff. A lot of it is good stuff that you will definitely need, although it may not be the brand you like.

To sign up for the Amazon baby registry, click here.

]]>
Tips for College students https://stroopels.com/tips-for-college-students/ Thu, 21 May 2020 06:06:26 +0000 http://stroopels.com/?p=384 As a long time student, I have searched high and low for ways to save money, make money, and be successful in my courses – all at the same time. It can be stressful, so I created this guide. Please comment if you have any suggestions so that I can add them to the article.

How can I pay for college without scholarships?

Paying for school can be tricky, especially if you’re not working. The first, most important step, is to apply for FAFSA. The application process can be done in under an hour. The best part about FAFSA, is that you can get FREE MONEY! This money, called a pell grant, is 100% free if you qualify. As long as you maintain good grades throughout your time as a student, you can continue to get this money every semester. The amount depends on your financial situation, but it often covers more than 40% of your tuition.

Another part of FAFSA is student loans. You will notice that there are Subsidizes and Unsubsidized student loans available. The difference is simple, but important.

  • Subsidized Loans: A subsidized loan is one in which the lending agency does not charge you interest while you are a student. Instead, the U.S. Department of Education pays the interest while you’re enrolled. After you finish school, or if you are not enrolled, you will begin to pay the interest on the loans.
  • Unsubsidized Loans: This option is less popular because you accrue interest on the loan from day 1. Even when you are a student, interest accrues. These loans, while not as enticing as subsidized loans, still offer value because the interest rates are typically very low in comparison to paying with a credit card for example.

To sign up for FAFSA, simply apply on their site by clicking here.

How can I responsibly develop and grow a credit score while in school?

It is important to think about raising your credit score while you’re in school. After all, in a few short years you may want to buy a car and a house. Using credit responsibly can help you in that process. But, it is very important to get a card that is designed with your needs in mind. Particularly, you want a card with no annual fee, great benefits, and one that has rewards. Below are a few cards that I have enjoyed having, and which helped me a lot as a student:

  • Discover IT card: The Discover IT card is great because it lets you check you FICO credit score for free. You just login to your account and you can view your score. It also offers 1-5% cashback on purchases. As an added bonus, if you apply through this link, and make a purchases in the first 90 days, you will get $50. Talk about awesome.
  • Capital One Quicksilver card: This card is great for the student who dreams of traveling. It does not charge a foreign transaction fee when you travel to most countries, and it is a Visa, so it is accepted nearly everywhere credit cards are accepted. If you apply through this link, and spend $500 in the first 90 days, you will get $150. Just think about the books, parking pass, and lunches you will need in your first term. Spending $500 in the first 3 months happens faster than any student wants to admit, but at least in this scenario you will get $150 back.

*When you apply for a credit card through the unique links provided, you are subject to the terms and conditions of the card issuer. Not everybody is accepted for credit. Additionally, when using the unique links, the owner of this site may receive a commission or reward for referring you. This does not affect your own offer from the card issuer. None of your data is transmitted or shared with this site when you apply for credit through a card issuer.

Take advantage of free software from your university

Many universities, such as WGU, offer loads of free software to students such as the Microsoft suite of products. WGU offers students the ability to download programs like Microsoft Word, Power Point, Excel, and other useful programs. These programs are integral to making student life easier, and cheaper. Reach out to your advisor at your university and ask which programs are included with your tuition.

]]>
Best web camera for WGU students https://stroopels.com/best-web-camera-for-wgu-students/ https://stroopels.com/best-web-camera-for-wgu-students/#comments Tue, 31 Dec 2019 04:32:12 +0000 http://stroopels.com/?p=367 Searching for a camera that meets all of the requirements of WGU is difficult. As a student myself, I want to give you advice on which web camera I have found is the best for taking WGU proctored assessments.

First, you may have noticed on WGU’s website that they give a few choices for acceptable cameras. I decided to try those and see which one I liked the best. It’s important to get one that is going to work well for you, for a long time. It also needs to be high quality, because if the proctors decide that it doesn’t match the specifications set by WGU, then you can encounter problems. Don’t be tempted to buy a cheap, basic one, because the chances are high that it won’t meet the specs.

Before we get into it, if you don’t have Prime, get it free for 6 months, then half off while you are a student. This will make shipping free if you choose to buy any of the cameras below.

Free Amazon Prime for 6 months, then half off for students.

Top picks:

#1

Logitech C920S webcamera
Logitech web camera

This Logitech web camera is the best of the best. A huge advantage to this camera is that it will be great for other uses in your time as a student. This camera is capable of streaming in 1080P, making it great for meetings, Skype calls, and of course, WGU proctored assessments.

It has a built in connector on the bottom so you can easily connect it to a tripod without extra accessories. It is also able to rest on your computer screen which is great if any of your courses want you to make a video or join a conference call. It meets all of WGU’s web camera requirements.

It features a 5 foot usb cable to connect to your laptop or desktop computer. It also has two built in mics, a privacy shutter, a 78 degree field of view, low light correction, and autofocus.

You will need to purchase a tripod as well. We recommend this one:

AmazonBasics tripod
This AmazonBasics tripod raises your web camera to the height required by Western Governors University. It is simple, super portable, and low cost.

#2

This one is decent for proctored assessments, but it has some issues that make it less suitable for a student overall. One huge issue that we encountered was that the cord length is only 3 feet long. That makes it very difficult to get the tripod setup, or to connect it to a monitor. Our number 1 option shown above has a 5 foot cord, which is much easier to work with.

This camera is also limited in the sense that it can record in 1080P, but can only stream in 720P. It really bothers me that its capabilities are scaled back during streaming. When you are on conference calls, the 720P quality is disappointing.

#3

Webcam 1000

The last camera we checked out was the Webcam 1000. This one was hard to love. Although it technically meets the specifications for WGU proctored tests, we felt like it lacked in quality. It’s not, as far as we can tell, made by any recognized brand like Logitech. The video quality was quite poor in our tests.

The adjustable neck is a nice feature that is built in. But, for me, I kind of disliked it as well because I would get it set up in the exact position before signing into the testing site. Then, when they had me show them each wall and the desk area, the neck would sometimes get misconfigured and I would have reconfigure it all over again. With a tripod, I can get the angle and height configured and then it’s ready to go again after showing the testing area. I also found that the video signal would cut out occasionally with this camera. It seemed to be a quality issue with the USB plug. I had to wiggle it around to get it to work again. In the meantime, the proctor was worried that I was cheating because my camera was off and made me end the test. I had to go through a big process to be able to take the test again which was a waste of my time.

Remember to get a free trial of Amazon Student while you’re here!

Have any other cameras that you love? Let us know in the comment section:

]]>
https://stroopels.com/best-web-camera-for-wgu-students/feed/ 5
Don’t join Movie Club https://stroopels.com/dont-join-movie-club/ Sun, 23 Dec 2018 21:03:25 +0000 http://stroopels.com/?p=299 Movie Club promises a great monthly cost with a few cool benefits. But, is it worth it? Not to me. Here’s why:

The monthly cost is $8.99 for one admission to a regular 2d film, and 20% off of concessions. So, if you’re seeing a film after 6:00 every month, then you save a few bucks.

However, Movie Club doesn’t take into account that matinee films cost less than $8.99. For example, in my area, a matinee is $7.50. Which means as a Movie Club member, I would lose $1.49 each time I saw a matinee film.

Now, maybe you’re thinking that you could just buy the ticket separately and use your credit towards a future viewing. Well, in theory that would work, but don’t plan on buying your matinee online because your forced to use your credit for the ticket. If you use a different account to bypass that measure, guess what – you will pay $1.70 in “Online fees.” It’s a lose lose situation.

In my opinion the only way to win with Movie Club is if you see one non-matinee film every month. Otherwise, it’s a no from me. But wait, there are other options! AMC A-list is a goldmine of awesomeness, where the you really come out on top. Read our article about that here:

]]>
Using Gift cards to skip fees https://stroopels.com/enjoy-the-movie-skip-the-fees/ Wed, 28 Nov 2018 03:31:49 +0000 http://stroopels.com/?p=290 Buy a gift card for the theatre chain which you are wanting tickets from. When you go to buy your tickets, enter the gift card information as your form of payment, and your processing fees often disappear.

Previously, this trick worked at Cinemark. But in May, 2018, they decided to remove this capability and charge fees regardless of your payment method. The only way to avoid Cinemark fees now is to join Movie Club, which is possibly the worst customer program of any theatre out there. If you join Movie Club, there aren’t any fees. HOWEVER, in my opinion, Movie Club is not a good value – at all. Read more about Movie Club here.

Important tip: buying tickets through third party websites like Fandango means you will usually pay more fees than you would if you bought them from the theatre chain themselves.

Personally, I don’t like Fandango at all. If you ever need to exchange or return a movie ticket, theaters are much more willing and able to help you if you bought the ticket directly from them, and not from a third party. Sometimes they won’t even try if you’ve gone through a third party.

At the moment, Facebook will cover your fee’s through select sites. See the details here.

]]>
Don’t miss Target’s exclusive sale next week https://stroopels.com/dont-miss-targets-exclusive-sale-next-week/ Thu, 15 Nov 2018 05:17:05 +0000 http://stroopels.com/?p=273 Target is having a special sale next week, and you have to have a Red Card to participate. Red Card’s are free, and easy to get, so don’t stress. They have a debit card option, which you simply link to your checking account and it will draw its funds from that. They also have a credit card option, which can only be used at Target stores and on their website.

Apply in store, or online. If you apply online, be sure to save the number that they provide after verifying your checking account, because it is your debit card number and you can add it to the Target app’s digital wallet. That way you can use your account before your physical card arrives.

Here’s their site: Target Red Card

]]>
One time use debit cards https://stroopels.com/privacy-cards/ Sun, 21 Oct 2018 06:56:11 +0000 http://stroopels.com/?p=254 Have you ever purchased something from a website that you weren’t so sure about? Maybe you signed up for a subscription that you didn’t really intend to continue? There is an awesome solution for both of those situations! It’s called Privacy.com. They also have an app, called “Privacy.”

How it works:

  • Sign up – It’s completely free
  • Link your checking account
  • Create digital cards that work like normal debit cards on most websites.

Each card can be set to be used one time and then stop working, or it can be set to be used more than once (like for subscriptions you actually want to renew). You can set a “spend limit” on the amount that can be debited from the card as well, just in case you’re worried a site might try to charge you more than you agreed upon. You can even pause your cards.

Some things these cards are not good for:

We don’t recommend using these cards for reservations such as hotels, cars, airfare purchases, pre-order sales, backordered items, merchants you spend with regularly (like Amazon), or other things that may require you to present a physical card at any point in your transaction.

Wait, are there fee’s?

Nope. When you make a transaction with regular debit and credit cards, merchants/websites pay a small fee called an interchange. When you use a privacy card, a portion of that fee is shared with Privacy. That means that using Privacy is free.

What name and billing address should you use?

You can use the information associated with your debit account, or if you’ve changed information, you can put that instead. Privacy will validate whatever information you provide to the merchant.

How do refunds work?

Refunds are applied back to your checking account, even if they card has been closed or paused. Privacy knows who the card belonged to, and they will get things sorted for you.

]]>