In an effort to gather even more information for Google Maps and to promote advertising on it, Google is offering now work (as an independent contractor) under the role of Google Business Referral Representative:

As a Google Business Referral Representative, you’ll visit local businesses to collect information (such as hours of operation, types of payment accepted, etc.) for Google Maps, and tell them about Google Maps and Google AdWords. You’ll also take a few digital photos of the business that will appear on the Google Maps listing along with the business information. After the visit, you submit the business’ info and photo(s) to Google through your Local Business Referrals Center, and we’ll pay you up to $10 for each listing that is approved by Google and verified by the business.

I think you can see an example here for the best pizza in Portland. $10 a pop? Seems easy enough on the surface; However, digging deeper I found a lot of variables that may affect your payday.

Referrals are approved by Google based on the completeness and quality of data supplied by representatives. Businesses verify their information either by sending us a response postcard or verifying their information online.

You only get $2 for each business approved by Google, and then $8 more if the business actually verifies your information. What are Google’s quality expectations? (Do you have to do an entire spiel about Adwords?) What is the likelihood that the business will verify their info? Also, it’s not clear if you can just pick any old business. You may end up earning at lot less than you think, and still owe self-employment taxes.

On the other hand, it may be fun for those that have the right combination of free time and efficiency. Get a crowded location, sell it right, and maybe make $20-$50 an hour. Soon we’ll all be working for Google in some way… Found via DumbLittleMan.

I’m running low, but hopefully with these offers below, my streak of at over 5 years of not having to pay for razors can continue… Credit goes to Bargainshare. In my opinion, all razors are uni-sex. 🙂

Free Schick Quattro Razor (don’t forget to check the box)
Free Gillette Fusion Power Razor via Sam’s Club.

Also: Regular free samples from Wal-Mart and StartSampling

Chase Bank is offering a $75 $100 bonus for opening a “Free Checking” account with direct deposit. Thanks to SoonToBeKSGrad, who found it from the post office when moving. Chase will likely perform a hard credit check, they did for me. Selected fine print below:

Offer valid from 08/01/07 through 10/31/07. A $100 minimum opening deposit of new money … Reward will be automatically deposited into your new account within 10 days of account opening …. Chase Free Checking has no monthly service fee when you have a monthly direct deposit. Checking account must remain open for six months or the reward will be debited from the account at closing.

Could you use a new checking account at one of the big banks? Reader Susie provides some incentives for two accounts with no minimum balance or direct deposit requirements:

$100 Bonus from Bank of America for opening a MyAccess Checking account. The fine print suggests that you need a BofA credit card to qualify.

You will receive your $100 credit to your new account within 50 days of opening your new personal checking account online. […] This is a special offer to Bank of America credit card customers and only valid only for new MyAccess Checking? accounts. You must use the Offer Code CH100CTA and fund your account with the $25 minimum opening deposit requirement within 30 days in order to qualify for this offer.

$50 Bonus from Wachovia Bank for opening up a Free Checking account.

To be eligible for the offer, you must open a new Free Checking account online in good faith between 6/30/2007 and 10/31/2007 by clicking the ?Get Offer? button on this promotional landing page. By doing so, you are eligible to receive a $25 bonus for depositing at least $100 in new funds into the account as well as an additional $25 bonus for posting $100 in direct deposits into the same account, within 90 days of the account opening date.

TradeKing.com has a new $50 sign-up bonus expired! for new accounts as part of celebrating National Friendship Day. If you get a referral from an existing account holder, fund it with at least $1,000, and make a trade before August 30, both people will get $50. I actually opened an account several months ago for the sign-up bonus myself, and am up over 20% with my single share of VDE. 🙂

Anyways, if you’d like a referral just hoot me an e-mail, and I’ll be happy to send you one. I only need your e-mail address. This offer expires on August 9th.

For more information on TradeKing, please check out my TradeKing Broker Review.

KeyBank is once again offering a free iPod Nano for opening a checking account and making either two direct deposits or automated payments of $100 or more. Last time around, online ACH transfers from another bank worked fine as a direct deposit, there was no hard credit pull done, and I got my iPod as promised. The catch is that I think you must live in an area that KeyBank serves to open an account. They state that the value of the iPod will be reported on a 1099-INT, although I can’t recall if I got one for 2006.

Selected Fine Print:

You must open a Key Express Free Checking (this is the basic banking account in NY) or a Key Advantage Checking Account between July 21, 2007 and August 24, 2007, and make a combination of two direct deposits and/or automated payments each of $100 or more by October 26, 2007 and you will receive your iPod? by December 15, 2007. Automated payments excludes Key Bill Pay and debit card automated payments. Offer available to individuals without an existing checking account at KeyBank as of July 20, 2007…

In celebration of getting $29 million in new financing from investors, Obopay is offering a free $15 Prepaid MasterCard for signing up for their service. They seem to also be a money transfer service like PayPal mobile.

Never carry cash again.

Send money instantly from your cell phone, online, and even AOL Instant Messanger.

Receive money in 10 seconds and spend it with Obopay Prepaid MasterCard?.

The $15 offer expires at the end of July 13th.. The $15 promo is expired, but they are still offering $10 free. There are no monthly maintenance fees for the card. Thanks to Sri for the tip.

Bank of America is offering 25,000 Worldpoints for signing up for the University of Iowa WorldPoints MasterCard and spending $250. You can redeem 25,000 Worldpoints for $250 cash or a plane ticket. Via Fatwallet.

?To qualify for this offer, your new account must be used to make any combination of purchase, cash advance or balance transfer transactions totaling at least $250 (exclusive of transaction fees, if any). Please allow 8-12 weeks for the 25,000 bonus points to be credited to your account after qualifying.

Alternatively, American Express has their New Business Gold Rewards Card® from American Express OPEN which offers 3X points on airfare, 2X points on advertising, gas, and shipping and 1X point on everything else.

Here’s a good promotion from Citibank if you are a brand new customer: You can get a $100 signup bonus for opening a Citibank Ultimate Savings account that pay 4.65% APY with no minimum balance requirements.

To qualify for this offer you must apply for and open a new Ultimate Savings Account by 08/31/2007. $100 will be credited to your Ultimate Savings Account within 90 days from the end of the statement period in which your account was opened. Account must be in good standing at the time of the $100 credit.

Keep in mind that Citibank has historically always done a hard credit pull for new bank applicants (for no good reason). Thanks to Vijay and Sharon for the tip.

Now, there are certainly other online banks that may be more convenient or pay more interest, so you may just want to sign up for the Benjamin.