The Greggle Spot

Welcome!!! I'm so happy you're here!

Thousands of celebrities, millions of influencers, dozens of global leaders, and even a few heads of state have all unanimously referred to The Greggle Spot as "the single best recommendation list on planet earth". We don't disagree.

There's no shortage of cool, creative, well-marketed products claiming to solve a specific problem in new & innovative ways. Your instagram feed is probably full of them. Unfortunately, products that actually deliver on this promise are few and far between. That's why I created The Greggle Spot.

There is a single requirement for making The Greggle Spot list:

The product/service must have a unique, positive, and measurable impact on my day-to-day life

Some of these products will enhance your daily productivity at work. Some will help you better manage your finances. Other products will help improve your overall health. No matter the domain, all of these products/services will enhance some aspect of your daily life.

All of the products/services listed below are things I use every day, or whenever the need arises (e.g. travel, investing, etc). Products listed in bold are ones that I particularly love. Bold or not, if a product is on this list, it means that I'm so happy with it that I want others to benefit in the same way I have!

Around ~50% of the links below are referral links. This means that when you sign up via The Greggle Spot link, you (and soemtimes me as well) will get some sort of discount and/or benefit that is not available to people who sign up in other ways. So, when you find something intriguing, make sure to click the link below create your account in the same session.

Enough chit chat, let's get to it!

Recommendations of the Month: November 2022

Momentum

Momentum is a beautiful yet powerful Chrome extension that sits quietly in the background while you peruse the net, completely unaffecting any of your existing browser habits or preferences. There is only one place where Momentum shows up to party: the "New Tab" page.
I don't have time at the moment to write about all the awesome things Momentum does, but I can say that I was one of the very first users to install it from their original announcement post, and it's been incredible watching Momentum grow from a pretty-picture Chrome extension into a beautiful productivity tool built by a thriving company.
The good news for you is that my long-term use of their product earned me a spot in their newly-launched "Partner & Affiliate" program, which means when you sign up for Momentum Plus using my super cool affiliate link, you get a discount that's not available anywhere else.

Also, if you wanna know how cool these guys are, check out the affiliate link they hooked me up with: https://momentumdash.com/greggle?fpr=greggle

Moft

Moft is a beautiful company that makes some of the most stylish, functional, and overall best technology cases, stands, and other accessories on the market
I have a Moft case or stand for every expensive piece of technology I own, and they have yet to let me down. Really, can't recommend enough.

Internet Banking

Acorns - Similar to that old "Keep the change" program, except it puts the spare change into an investment account. Now they have a bunch more stuff too, like checking accounts, retirement accounts, and ways to earn bonus investments from retail partners.

There's also a great Acorns Chrome Extension that will automate those bonus investments from partners while shopping online.

Oxygen - Just a great online bank with lots of creative ways to earn cash back. Use this link and we each get $5 just for signing up. Fund your account with at least $500 and we each get a $50 bonus!
Chime - Online banking. It's a great product/service/company, there's just nothing that stands out about them from a normal bank.
Digit - Hooks up to your checking account, studies the activity, then automatically stashes away savings for you at times when it knows you won't notice. It's fantastic. They now offer a checking/savings account option too.

Why so much FinTech?

If this is your first time visiting The Greggle Spot®, you may have noticed that a disproportionate number of products & services recommended here are financially-focused. This is no accident, and the reason for this is simple: The Greggle Spot® was born at the precise moment when banks realized they didn't need huge brick-and-mortar footprints to meet 90% of their customers' needs. As a resut, the market was instantly flooded with dozens of new "internet banks" offering traditional checking/savings accounts with almost identical rates & features, so these banks started competing for customers by offering perks and incentives for signing up. I'm the guy that signed up for every single one of them, so I feel uniquely qualified to differentiate between the underwhelming product offerings versus the truly awesome ones.

FinTech

Robinhood - Fantastic stock trading app and completely free with $0 trading fees. Sign up using this link and we each get one free share of a randomly-picked stock. My coworker used my referral link and got a free share of Apple. Pretty sure I got a free share of Radioshack.

I really do mean free. All you need to do is create your account; there's no requirements to add funds or anything. Most of the free stocks are around $5, however one friend got a free share of Apple through this link (~$200)

Coinbase - Cryptocurrency wallet and online marketplace

Sign up using this link, purchase $100 of any digital currency, and we both get $10 of bitcoin for free. For my friends who took my advice on this in 2014, that free $10 turned into a free $400

Billshark - Upload a PDF of your bills and their team negotiates a better rate on your behalf

There's literally no reason not to try this. If they can't save you money, it doesn't cost you anything. Just upload your internet/cable bill to start. They reduced mine by $10/month.

Amex Platinum Card - Hands down, best credit card out there
Honey - Chrome extension that automatically applies discount codes on the checkout screen for major online retailers

Definitely sign up, it's saved me a ton. Plus, Paypal just paid $4 billion to acquire these guys

Venmo - Come on, don't make me explain this one...
Google Pay - Like Apple Pay, but with a lot more features & capabilities
Wealthfront - Automated Investment Services (robo-advisor)

Great experience so far, good returns plus automated tax-loss harvesting. Use this referral link and we both get an additional $5,000 managed for free.

Mobile Phone

Google Fi - Best service on this list, but it's only applicable for actual adults who pay their own cellphone bill. This excludes about 90% of my friends.

Google Fi has great coverage, no long-term contract, super cheap rates, and you manage the whole thing through an easy-to-use app on your phone. I switched from Verizon, and I'm never going back.
iPhone and Android
My cell phone bill is now ~$40 a month. Proof: Monthly Bill Example and Monthly Bill History

Can't recommend this one enough (hence its own section). Signing up via this link gets you a $20 service credit on your first bill. Also, if you buy a phone through the Google Fi website, they normally have some pretty absurd deals (e.g. $300 bill credit with new phone purchase)

Self Improvement

Exist - Really cool. Aggregates all your personal data and identifies correlations between behavior patterns and mood. In other words, it helps you discover what activities & behaviors ultimately bring you the most happiness
RescueTime - Tracks time spent in various applications (computer & phone) to give you insights into what makes you productive versus what commonly distracts you. Works great with Exist
Fitbit - Activity tracker that you've probably heard of by now
Freshly - Healthy pre-made meal plans delivered to your door. Tons of flexibility with delivery times and number of meals. Sign up through here and get a $90 credit, no strings attached

Unlike Blue Apron, there's no cooking involved, so you don't need to spend 45 minutes zesting a fucking lemon

MyFitnessPal - Really straight-forward app that makes it easy to track a lGot of personal health metrics.

You can scan barcodes to enter nutritional information, sync it with FitBit to integrate your steps, link it to your scale to automatically document your weight, and the list goes on.

23 and Me - I just ordered my first kit from here, so I guess we'll see! If you're also thinking about trying it out, use this link for 20% off your kit
Freshly - Pre-made, healthy meals that arrive to your door every sunday for the week. No cooking or anyting, just microwave. They're awesome

Use thiis referral code and get $120 off your first order

Oura Ring - This has been one my more satisfactory purchases in the realm of self improvement. Highly recommend

Once you're able to get over the initial stigma of a man wearing non-wedding jewelry, the data and insights and incredly helpful, and the ring is unobtrusive. Use this code for $50 off your ring

Tech Misc

Heap - THE BEST product analytics platform I've ever used, hands down. I'd list the reasons, but we'd be here forever. Just go try it out for yourself!

Funny thing: Heap actually used to have a referral program for bringing new customers on board. I say "used to" because they suspiciously cancelled it right before I brought Heap to ~~five~~ six more medium-to-large businesses. Coincidence? You be the judge.

Krisp - Noise-cancelling app that connects directly to every virtual meeting software you could possibly use

This app actually works, and it works on both your speakers and your microphone. In other words, Krisp not only enhances what you hear, but it cancels out background noises from your house/apartment/family and notifications from your computer, so that other meeting participants hear nothing but the sweet, soothing sound of your own voice.
The only downside to Krisp is that they haven't yet figured out how to adopt their product to these new vendor-specific chips like the Apple M1s on the new Macbooks. I recently bought a new Macbook Air with the Apple chip, and Krisp has yet to figure out how to embed their awesome noise cnacelling tech into these new machines. They figured that our in less than two months.
When you sign up for Krisp, make sure to use this link and we'll both receive a rather large credit against the monthly subscription service.

Keybase - A social network, messaging system, and file sharing service, all based on cryptography

Great intro into the crypto world for those who know nothing about it (like me)

Digital Ocean - Simplified cloud hosting
Google Authenticator - Simple Two-Factor Authentication app that works with everything; replaces all those annoying text messages

Available for iPhone and Android
Side note: two-factor auth is important

Google Opinion Rewards - Quick 3-question surveys to earn free money or Google Play credits

These surveys take 5 seconds to complete, and you earn ~$0.25 per survey. I generate enough Google play credits through this app to earn ~1 free movie rental per week
Android and iPhone

Hired - Simple & effective recruiting platform
VistaPrint - Cheapest place online for on-demand printing with super-quick turnaround times
GitHub - Simplified code hosting & collaboration
Otter.ai - Fantastic note taking app that also integrates into your meeting software and transcribes conversations. Get a free month using this sign-up link.
ProtonMail - It's always a good idea to have a secure, encrypted email address, if only for a back-up. Sign up through this link and receive your firs three months free.
Gusto - Easy-to-use payroll/benefits management system
Tile - Handy bluetooth trackers to help you find stuff (keys, wallet, etc)
Capterra - Sign up through this link and earn up to $100 in Amazon giftcards by writing 10 software reviews
FuboTV - The best live TV service you've likely never heard of. They are hands-down the best servicce if you care about sports; they have everything, including games that are locally blacked out on other platforms. Use this link and get $30 off your first month
Netflix - Well, let me tell you all about this streaming entertainment service you've never heard of...
YoutubeTV - Best live TV service out there, integrates perfectly with Google and everything else. I've tried Slong, it's way better.

Use this code and get $45 off your first month!

Travel

Uber - On-demand transportation
Lyft - Same as Uber
Tripcase - Easy travel planning

You can forward any hotel/flight/train confirmation emails to trips@tripcase.com and it generates a useful, shareable itinerary for you

National Car Rental - Simple and easy rental cars
Spin Electric Scooters - If you live in Pittsburgh, you've probably seen these things lying around everywhere. If you're new to sign up, make sure to enter the code GREGORYALLEN6 to get your first two rides for free.

Delivery

DoorDash - On-demand food delivery (primarily for restaurants that don't operate their own delivery fleet)
Caviar - DoorDash imitator
Rinse - Same as the fallen Washio; on-demand laundry delivery. Cheaper than the laundromat across the street, they deliver right to your doorstep, and they offer same-day wash & fold for $5 extra
Seamless - On-demand food delivery
GrubHub - Same as Seamless (GrubHub actually acquired Seamless in 2013)
Drizly - On-demand alcohol delivery
Instacart - On-demand grocery delivery
ReadyRefresh - Scheduled water delivery. Save $50 with this link
Primantis Rewards - Sign up for Primanti Bros rewards program through this link and you get a free sandwich as well as a $5 coupon every month

Lifestyle

Vacation - Jus the coolest leasure and lifestyle brand in the world. They sell three different awesome types of sunscreen, apparel, candles, cologne, basically everything awesome

What's even cooler is that this whole company started from the best internet radio station in existence: Poolsuite (Formerly Poolside.fm)
Hands down the best internet radio & music app ever created. Not only does Poolsuite introduce you to some downright groovy tunes, but the 80's Miami Beach Poolside motif throughout the entire product is simply perfect. Apple thinks so too, since they won "Best Designed App of 2020". It's wonderful, it's free, so check it out! They currently have an iPhone app and a Mac app and are working on an Android version next.

Gametime - My new favorite way to buy sporting tickets, concern tickets, you name it. Super easy interface and prices drop the day-of the event

HomeAdvisor by Angi - Every time i need a small project done around the house, this is my go-to resource. Make sure and use when signing up to receive $30 off your first order!

Desktop Software

The list below contains my favorite software products & tools. Unfortunately, most of these links do not contain referral codes.

Just like the lists above, the collection below is highly curated. The criteria for inclusion in this list is as follows:

The product/tool must be useful enough to become part of my daily workflow
The product/tool must be enjoyable to use

You can check out the Honorable Mentions list below this one for examples of products that came very close but eventually fell short. I encourage you to create your own list using these same two benchmarks. You might be surprised how few products are able to meet this simple set of criteria.

Software (Products, Tools, Applications, Utilities)

Setapp - An alternate app store that makes a growing list of smaller, utility applications available for a single monthly price of $9.99

A number of the applications listed below are available via Setapp, and it's cheaper than purchasing them individually

Boxy Suite - Simple, performant, beautiful, usefool desktop clients for Inbox by Gmail, Gmail, and Google Calendar
Bartender 3 - Cleans up your top menu bar by consolidating all app icons behind a single, expandable icon. Simple, but effective
Atom - A great text editor, built by GitHub. Definitely try out the Beta version
DaisyDisk - Beautiful & powerful disk space analysis tool
Skitch - Tool to quickly create & annotate screenshots
iTerm2 - A powerful, user-friendly terminal replacement for Macs
HyperDock - Shows multi-window previews when hovering over application icons in the dock
Magnet - Window & workspace management tool
Alfred - Productivity app for macOS
Hazel - Powerful tool for cleaning & automating your workspace

Honorable Mentions

Stuff that seemed super cool, but then once I installed it, I never actually used it

Shift - Full-featured desktop app that puts all your email/calendar/store & other popular apps into one place. In fact, Shift is so feature-rich that it ends up feeling like a more structured & limited web browser
Airtable - Really cool tool that's hard to describe. Kind of like Google sheets, mixed with a real database, mixed with Trello maybe? I can definitely see a few side projects where this tool would be perfect, but who has time for side projects anyways?
Kite - Smart copilot for programmers. I don't write enough python for this to actually be useful
goPuff - On-demand snack delivery. I actually used goPuff a lot at one point, but they started getting ~50% of my orders wrong, and their customer service is so terrible that I couldn't put up with it anymore
MeUndies - A new pair of underwear delivered every month. I had a MeUndies subscription for almost two years, but now I have too much underwear
Chime - Online banking. It's a great product/service/company, there's just nothing that stands out about them from a normal bank.
Stash - Pretty much the same thing as Acorns, with less features and a clunkier interface