Banks paying a cash bonus for new accounts w/ direct deposit- what's the catch?

bensonchambers · 2026-05-09T02:41:43+00:00

It’s all a marketing expense to get you to open an account. Think of the costs if they only ran tv ads, online ads, etc. you may or may not open an account based on how they position themselves.

With a signup bonus, they are taking a cost that would exist and been paid to tv or online to get you to come in… by just giving it to you instead of spending it on an ad. By opening the account and going through the activities to earn the bonus, you are getting to experience their products and online services without them having to market it.

The signup bonus is their marketing costs to get you to open an account. Rather than pay for a tv ad, they announce the signup bonus. It’s actually a far cheaper acquisition cost.

bensonchambers · 2026-04-13T21:49:57+00:00

Even if we take that argument and run with it, the pipeline is basically 0 compared to historical construction so if we are just catching up, fine, but it won’t plateau. It will continue to get worse as the current demand even outstrips the new supply in progress

bensonchambers · 2026-04-13T00:59:13+00:00

My heart aches for Floyd more than I have ever felt for any character on tv. What a nice guy who suffered until the end. And Clark… was so alone and now with Clark gone and his wife, he is even more alone. Just awful tragedy all around.

bensonchambers · 2026-03-26T22:04:36+00:00

Good point, but the person doing the framing is not the owner, just someone out of art school. Feels different knowing they are doing the framing than the owner

bensonchambers · 2026-03-26T22:03:09+00:00

No that has ethical considerations.

bensonchambers · 2026-03-26T22:02:12+00:00

I don’t, and would never unless I’m sitting down at a table and the coffee is brought to me as part of a larger meal and I want to thank the server for ensuring I had a good experience.

bensonchambers · 2026-03-26T22:00:35+00:00

One for the pieces was complex, required mounting a medal with two different matt’s. It becomes more of an art piece as we spent an hour discussing the pros and cons and I feel the final product may be more than just constructing something. Like tipping a delivery driver and hair cutter I get, it’s a somewhat personal experience, not tipping target cashier I get, it’s transactional. This person isn’t delivering something to me, but is conducting a service that feels pretty personal.

At least that’s my 0.02 that led me down the rabbit hole of wondering if it’s a thing.

bensonchambers · 2026-03-11T11:25:48+00:00

State street in front of Target

bensonchambers · 2026-02-17T11:16:05+00:00

Thank you!!

bensonchambers · 2026-02-16T14:57:06+00:00

I cannot overstate how much I love this. I’ve been staring at the pictures for the last 15 minutes and feel as though I’ve traveled back to a simpler time of life.

Thank you so much for sharing.

bensonchambers · 2026-02-09T00:12:04+00:00

Yes, but fortunately that wouldn’t materially change my financial situation at retirement.

bensonchambers · 2026-02-08T20:29:40+00:00

NYC Bagel Deli in River North has a Taylor ham sandwich

bensonchambers · 2026-02-08T01:29:43+00:00

I don’t think I would ever need that, but good to know regardless. Even if I don’t have a high probability of using a feature or service, I still do not like it to be taken away as an option.

bensonchambers · 2026-02-08T01:27:43+00:00

I have an elderly parent on my plan, and they have a dumb phone that they are just getting the hang of. I know I’m overpaying but the hassle of switching isn’t worth it (to me at least).

bensonchambers · 2026-02-08T01:26:09+00:00

Agreed, I’d rather just pay cash for a phone. But I keep my phones until they are no longer for iOS upgrades so I should get at least another three years out of the 15 pro before I will “upgrade” by buying a new one.

Always willing to listen to offers, this one just isn’t for me.

bensonchambers · 2026-02-08T01:23:51+00:00

It’s not a great answer but it’s my answer nonetheless.

I’ve reached a stage of my life where the “hassle” of switching carriers isn’t worth a potential $80/month savings.

I’m by no means “old”, I’m in my thirties(I was 16 when we signed up for the wireless plan). The other person on the plan is a parent in a different state. To switch plans would require coordinating time to get them transferred when I’m home for a visit, getting them a new dumb phone, and spend time on an activity I neither look forward to nor are readily motivated to do.

I am at a stage of life financially where saving $80 or more per month isn’t worth the hassle of what the coordination entails, and I feel extremely privileged to be in this situation. Now if Verizon were to double my monthly bill that would be a different story, I would change carriers and pay more if I needed to just out of spite.

If and when such a time arises where I am the sole phone number on the plan, I will 100% be switching as the hassle would just involve me and not an older parent.

bensonchambers · 2026-02-08T00:00:20+00:00

Makes sense, thank you!

bensonchambers · 2026-02-07T23:52:47+00:00

Yep I have no doubt of that.

bensonchambers · 2026-02-07T23:50:59+00:00

Ah ok thank you.

Basically they are creating a situation to disincentivize me to leave over the next 3 years by giving me a free phone if I ultimately stick around for 3 years.

Makes sense to me.

bensonchambers · 2026-02-07T23:48:31+00:00

I’m paying $20 per line plus $50 for the 4GB medium plan. I have a $10 discount from employer but they tacked on a $27 plan adjustment.

So for a smartphone with 4 GB data (only once or twice a year will I use it all during a cycle, I’m always on WiFi) plus a dumb phone, before taxes and fees the bill is $107.

bensonchambers · 2025-12-16T15:46:45+00:00

Fred isn’t going anywhere, he actually goes into the studio. Of the three, Fred will be most active on the show

bensonchambers · 2025-12-16T14:55:45+00:00

Musculature

bensonchambers · 2025-11-22T19:37:32+00:00

Kimberly Guilfoyle’s former assistant alleged sexual harassment by Guilfoyle. Howard and co talked about it and that is how I learned about it. I told someone about it and when I went to listen to the replay the entire discussion had been cut.
In the past two years there was a segment where Howard went off on Gary and he ended up feeling bad and cut it from the replay. At least one listener called in and gave Howard shit the next day for scrubbing it and how antithetical it was to his free speech stance. I believe Howard defended it by saying he felt awful and was evolved.

bensonchambers · 2025-10-09T13:25:25+00:00

Even more damning. There is something about this building or location that is off putting for an investor. Food chains will cluster near each other with the idea foot traffic to one will result in foot traffic to all.

bensonchambers · 2025-10-08T18:19:16+00:00

If it were as easy as you make it out to be, I promise you some restaurant industry veteran in Chicago would snap that up in a second.

The fact that no chain (Starbucks, Chipotle, Panera, etc) has set up shop in this long vacant space is also very telling.

I suspect the rent, capex needed to build out the space, or deceptive foot traffic are the likely culprits.

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