Last August in 2012, we released I Need a Bargain API for the first time. The REST API lets you interact with INAB bargain database by sending our server HTTP requests, allowing your customers to access discount shopping information right from within your web or mobile app. Today, we released a minor upgrade API version 1.0.1.

What's New?

V1.0.1 is a minor improvement over previous V1.0.0 in two API's: /api/deals and /api/search. Both API call return deal information with 2 extra piece of information, 'description' and 'source' fields. For example, 

The 'description' field describes what the deal is about, the 'source' field shows where (the website name) the offer was found published on. The improvement is based on a feedback from an iOS app developer. We hope to see more app mashup with our API soon.

Think of buying a book at a discount? Beside Amazon, where else can you try to explore?

As one book store after another faces the fate of being closed down, a traditional book store is hard to locate in town nowadays. Today, I was lucky enough to walk into a plaza and saw a sign of "Half Price Books." It is a new store just got opened recently that I had not noticed before. I ditched the furniture store that I was planning to go. Instead, I followed my instinct and walked into this book store. I couldn't believe my eyes. I saw a wide range of books, LP, CD, audio books on the shelf.

The top 3 non-merchant shopping apps for June 2012 are: RedLaser, Out of Milk Shopping List, and SavingStar Grocery eCoupons.

Nielsen, a company that provides clients the most complete understanding of what consumers watch and buy, has just released "Top 10 Shopping Apps for June 2012 (Smartphones, U.S.)" Among the top 10 shopping apps, 7 apps are either merchant-specific, marketplace, or group buying apps like Group and LivingSocial. What's interesting to know is the 4 apps that have nothing to do with any specific online store or marketplace. These are the 4 most popular needs met by smartphone apps that helps online consumers the most in June 2012:

Some of you may be familiar with Bing rewards. According to Bing.com:

Use Bing. Get Rewarded. Join Bing Rewards to start earning credits toward free rewards.

Once you sign on Windows Live account, you're entitled to earn 1 credit per 2 Bing searches up to 15 credits per day. Once you accumulate 525 credits, you'll be able to redeem a $5 Amazon gift card. Put the earned credits into perspective, if you're the type of person who performs a lot of searches on Bing.com every day, and you like to use Bing anyway, you'll probably earn one $5 Amazon card every couple months.

Similarly, the I Need a Bargain Rewards that we quietly launched this week rewards your visits to INeedaBargain.com. Every day you visit our site, you'll instantly be rewarded with 100 pts. Your rewarding balance is always shown at the bottom of the page on INeedaBargain.com.

As I write this, we had just released our API for software developers as seen on ProgrammableWeb, and one developer had signed up for an API key. 

Whether you call it a Coupon API, Bargain API, Discount API, or Sale API, our API covers them all. The API is best suited for integrating something you see on INeedABargain.com (INAB) into your website or mobile app.

To tap into shopping deals mentioned by numerous bargain sources, our REST API lets you interact with INAB bargain database by sending our server HTTP requests, allowing your customers to access discount shopping and coupon information from within your app. The end result is that shoppers get to see deals, bargain sources get more visitors, and merchants get to ring up potential sales. All parties benefit, free of charge.

In today's sluggish economy, many people are relying on frugality to stretch the monthly budget. The good news is that enjoying an exciting and fulfilling dating life does not require spending large sums of money. There are even areas where single people have an opportunity for dating while making some extra money in the process. You just need to know where to look.

Is it worth it to pay extra 10% to 15% for the travel delay protection and luggage lost insurance?

I had no idea since when I had enrolled in these insurance plans or protection plans via American Express. As a AE card holder, they said some time back at some point, I 'agreed' to enroll in these programs (baggage insurance, airflight insurance, travel delay) therefore every time I charged my flight tickets on my AE card, the corresponding fees will be posted, automatically, without my consent. This is bad ... and wrong.

So, if you tend to use AE card for travel related purchases, check your AE statement and see if you notice these charges after you booked your flight tickets. Recently, I was charged with extra $100+ for my planned trip and I had to call to cancel the charge before the flight. I'm glad I caught these unexpected charges. If you do want these protection plans, just make sure you know you had them and remember you're entitled to claim.

Prescription drugs are a major expense regardless of the quality of your health insurance plan. Fortunately, you can often save a tremendous amount of money by using a few of these cost-saving tips when buying your prescriptions.

Buy online

Over the last several years, more and more Americans have realized that they can save a tremendous amount of money buy purchasing drugs through a safe, popular Canadian pharmacy online. Make sure to choose a reputable pharmacy that provides proof of its certifications. Canadian pharmacies should have a certification from the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA). They should always ask for your prescription or for your physician's contact information before shipping you drugs.

There are several ways to turn an old car into money depending on your level of automotive expertise, the age of the vehicle and a few other factors.

No matter how digital our lives get, sometimes we just need to print things. Like all technologies,
printing has become more advanced, and more people are thinking about the best ways to save
money when they print things out. These thoughts almost always end up on ink.