The ING Direct Cafe! It's at 17th and Walnut, right in the heart of shopping that I can't afford. I went in for some free WiFi (I write better while outside my house) and got my standard cup of black coffee. Not because I don't LIKE lattes, cappuccino, mochas or whatever, but because plain ole java is usually the cheapest thing on the menu and I can drink it slowly. With an extra shot it was only $1.50. A BUCK FIFTY!
Why didn't I know about this before? I thought it was just a BANK. Turns out they have an ingenious marketing scheme - there's only a couple of cafes nationwide, but they serve good coffee, below cost, and just give you bright orange ING swag. I got a stress ball and an egg of silly putty and my free WiFi. They even have computers where you can use their internet for FREE. And unlike the library, there's no random bums or perverts hogging the computers.
For the record, I only know of the bums and perverts because my computer broke down in October and I had to go to the Independence Free Library to check email for a while. My purse looked like I owned STOCK in Purell, put it that way.
I have a dormant-but-still-active account with ING Direct, and since they basically gave me coffee, I will give them a shameless plug....it really is a good company. It's based in Wilmington (about 20 minutes from here), and it's like the Google of banking - everyone who works there loves it so much, I'm almost worried for them should they get a company directive to swig down some Kool-Aid. But they DO make it easy to do banking - as long as you're a customer who doesn't demand tons of TLC, they give you plenty of good benefits - higher-interest savings, high-interest checking, no minimum balances on either, and free stress balls and stuff. I love it. When I HAD money, I used to go to ingdirect.com and set up random accounts that would take $5 - $15 out of my main checking account every week or so - kind of making it painless to save. I'll tell you what - it was a helluva lot easier to ease into self-employment that way.
My dirty little secret? I used to name the accounts very odd names. A sampling:
-Mad Cash
-Go to hell, insurance!
-Received for sexual services rendered
-I swear, I'm going to just drive til the money runs out
-Bribes from congressmen
-Down payment on a house, my ass. I'm buying candy and comic books.
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1 comment:
Oh my gosh...I have 5 random accounts at ING now...my names are not as funny as yours are but I do have random ones....including the one to get a new car :-)
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