Tausi Insider

Photo : SNAB ( Shutterstock ) Whether you love or hate Apple, we can all agree on one thing: Their products are expensive . Apple’s iPhones can easily cost over $1,000 , and MacBooks require a mortgage just to look at them. The thing is, you don’t need to buy these devices new in order to get the perks of buying new. The better way to shop Apple is to shop refurbished . If you haven’t heard of Apple’s Certified Refurbished store, that’s likely because Apple doesn’t advertise it much. After all, the company would prefer you to buy one of its latest products on the front page of its site. But if you’re not going to do that, it’d still like to sell you something, even if that something is previously used. With the Certified Refurbished store, Apple sells used devices at a discount. Depending on the device, the price cut can be modest or generous. As of this article, you can pick up a refurbished M1 MacBook Air for 15% off, leaving it $849 instead of $999. Apple lists this refurbi...

How Rakuten Works Formally known as Ebates, Rakuten is a cash back rewards app that earns you money when shopping with participating retailers. It’s fairly simple to use: If you’re on a website that supports Rakuten, you’ll see a pop-up appear letting you know how much cash back the stores allows, and offering a button that activates Rakuten then and there. Then, you continue to shop on the site, and anything you buy contributes to your Rakuten cash back. You’ll receive the cash back in the form of a check (no gimmicks!), but you do need to earn at least $15 before the check will be sent. Unfortunately, Rakuten’s biggest deals have come and gone following Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but there are still plenty of opportunities to take advantage of. If you’re already going to shop with these stores, why not make a little cash on the side? Not to mention, the app searches for available coupon codes to add at checkout, a feature central to another app you may have heard of ... ...

Samsung is having some neat deals right now, especially if you qualify for their Samsung Offer Programs , which adds up to 30% on some previously-discounted TVs . To qualify , you need an active student email and go through a verification process, though some p eople have noted being able to use family or friends who are still in school . Some employers are also eligible, as well as government workers, first responders, and veterans. If you do mange to get the verification, you can get a 75" Class QN85B Samsung Neo QLED 4K Smart TV for $1,259. The same model sells for $1,797 on Amazon, which has been the lowest price since its release in March , according to Camelcamelcamel . The same model is also available in 55", 65", 85", and 98" sizes at similar discounts. https://www.tausiinsider.com/6-of-the-best-tv-deals-you-can-still-get-before-christmas/?feed_id=328440&_unique_id=6424feb81c0e1

Several surveys released this holiday season indicate shoppers are willing to gift second-hand items. recep-bg/iStockPhoto / Getty Images At a mug swap in Guelph, Ont., in early December, plenty of people came out to hunt down the right used mug for those on their Christmas list: One mother and daughter took home 10 to give as presents. Those who attended were looking for gifts that didn’t stress their bank accounts, says organizer Steph Clarke of the Guelph Tool Library, which held the event. Ms. Clarke believes most people have no qualms about gifting things that were previously used. “It’s becoming more about the intent or the spirit of the gift,” she said. “If you find something that’s perfect for your loved one, it doesn’t matter as much if it’s second hand.” With soaring inflation and higher interest rates depleting household budgets this holiday season, there are signs that Canadians are increasingly turning to second-hand items as gifts. A practice once deemed uncouth is beco...

Photo : Jukov studio ( Shutterstock ) It’s less than a week before Christmas, which marks the official start of “Amazon and Starbucks gift card” season. There’s nothing wrong with gift cards per se, but these two in particular are so commonly gifted that they practically scream “I panicked and got this at the last minute”—which is exactly what you don’t want in a last-minute gift. On top of being predictable, Amazon and Starbucks have spent most of 2022 engaging in blatant union-busting, which is a great reason to not give them your money. For this exact reason, unionized Starbucks workers are asking customers to skip the gift cards this year: In a Dec. 16 press release from Starbucks Workers United , partner Nabretta Hardin pointed out that “Each year, [Starbucks] makes over a hundred million dollars from gift cards that are never even used by customers.” That’s free money for Starbucks to spend on whatever they like, and by now, it’s obvious that they really like union-busti...

Screenshot : Last of Us TV Show vs Game Comparison/IGN If you’re reading this, you’ve probably already watched the first episode of HBO’s new post-apocalyptic fungal zombie drama show The Last Of Us , which premiered on Jan. 15. You probably also already know the show is based on a hugely popular video game released for the PlayStation 3 back in 2013. But if you have yet to play the game, perhaps you didn’t know how cheap it is right now. But first, a note on the different versions floating around. The PlayStation 3 original was remastered and adapted for the PlayStation 4 a year later, in 2014. A sequel, The Last of Us, Part II , was released for PlayStation 4 in June 2020. And recently, a remake of the 2013 game was released for the PlayStation 5 this past summer, retitled The Last of Us, Part I . The good news is that all these games are available for you to play right now, though they’re not all “cheap,” especially if you don’t already own a PlayStation. (At least until March...