ane TREND TRAG MARCH 13, 2008 WONGA OFFERS ONLINE, ON-DEMAND MICROLOANS IN THE U.K. ~ ~ VOLUME 5 ://: ISSUE 3 Wonga a company in Great Britain, has launched a new microloan program that allows users to apply for instant loans of 250-200, repayable within 30 days. The offering is unique in two ways. First, the user interface offers an instant snapshot of what the loan amount will be, what the term of the loan will be and what the repayment will be including interest. Second, Wonga is rewarding good customers with merit points that can be used in future loans to get more favorable terms. Wonga takes the concept of microloans out of its usual context — peer-to- peer loans typically offered from people in developed countries to borrowers in emerging ones — and puts it into a local" banking-consumer relationship. Even though most consumers are turning to cash and debit cards, there is RAZA ANE anes Sua nocd each oe manages sans Transparency of terms is a key best practice, and Wonga amps it with an Gan Bankit is aWeb site, easy-to-navigate application process and ‘calculator. Plus, rewarding from Brazilian Banco ltau successful borrowers with premium terms will keep them coming back. that tries to teach the younger members of Gen Y how to save some money or, Source: Iconoculture atleast, to spenditina BANK TARGETS GEN Y WITH SOCIAL NETWORKING SAVINGS ACCOUNT eae leg An eine barking group has managed to combine nance and social networking by allowing users to display their savings goals and status on Forcxampl tasks how their Facebook or MySpace pages. many minutes do you spen Us beset . ne -based SmartyPig has teamed up with Australia's ANZ to deliver what on your mobile every day’ it calls a “virtual bank account," into which the family and friends of users ‘Then responds by saying rcgyou knew thetiseeae can also contribute money through the Facebook widget. the costs of your calls could ‘SmartyPig users flag savings goals in their account of a certain amount. help you save enough ‘The user can then choose to redeem the saved cash plus interest or put money to buy a laptop?” the money into a gift card to be used at any store of an ANZ retail partner. The ANZ retail partners will also give an extra 6% if the user transfers money into a gift card ‘ANZ general manager of deposits, Mandy Simpson, says the new venture is targeting Generation-Y in an attempt to teach financial responsibility and promote savings, rather than further their reliance on credit. “a big part of this is the social banking side — you can go public with it, and you can share your goal with family and friends.” Source: SmartCompany.com Source: Adverblog LUCKIE & COMPANY 600 vont re Bia sc Wen’ Re Le ‘ aSAVE TO WIN GAME LAUNCHES AT EIGHT MICHIGAN CREDIT UNIONS: Led by the Filene Research Institute, Save to Win ust launchedat eight Michigan credit unions in a pilot project testing consumer response to prize-linked savings. New and existing members ‘compete for monthly and grand prizes by making deposits into one-year, federally insured certificate accounts. At the end of the pilot, one member will take home the $100,000 grand prize, while others share ‘$40,000 in monthly cash prizes, To encourage savings, account holders ear an entry with each $25 deposit, Up to 10 entries per month, ‘One emergency withdrawal is allowed during the certificate’s term, but if the depositor closes the account, all entries are void, ‘Source: Filene.org DISCOVER INTRODUCES BIODEGRADABLE CARD Discover Financial Services recently launched a Now hfadegradable biodegradable Discover Card option the only US. biodegradable consumer creditcard - currently avaliable inthe marketplace. ‘The DiscyveR biodegradable Discover Card is made of biodegradable PVC, a substance that allows 199% of the card plastic to be safely absorbed when exposed to landfill conditions. The card plastic will begin to break down in soil, water, compost or wherever microorganisms are present; with it fully degrading within five years. The biodegradable card can be identified by the biodegradable ‘symbol that will be visible on the back of the card, “The biodegradable Discover Card is another way for environmentally conscious consumers to do their part to help protect our planet,” said Kelly Tufts, director of marketing at Discover. ‘Source: FierceFinance.com FEED THE PIG PSA CAMPAIGN ENCOURAGES SAVINGS In January billboards and broadcast commercials TE suddenly popped up all over the U.S. urging 7 citizens to “feed the pig.” The campaign features a talking pig in a pink suit coat. His name is Benjamin, and he has a disturbing slot in his head, to which he points and intones, “Feed me!” The Ad Council and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants are behind the effort with the point being to encourage Americans to learn how to save more, Coincidentally, the nation of Finland has launched a competing campaign that shows an evil piggy bank with devil's horns. The evil pig urges, “Don't feed the recession,” arguing that economic malaise will continue if people dont begin to spend more freely. Everyone, at least everyone in the U.S., seems to be jumping on the thrift bandwagon. The U.S. Treasury, the National Endowment for Financial Literacy and now the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants have all launched public education campaigns to urge consumers to learn more about managing their personal finances, protecting their credit ratings, and saving more than they spend, Source: Iconoculture, EASE CONTACT ‘S@LUCKIE.COM ‘ FOR MORE INFORM! => avid) STUTTS AT DAV.ING BANK LAUNCHES NEXT GEN ATM FINDER FOR MOBILE PHONES ING has created an application for the Google Phone that allows users to find the nearest ATM. Making good use of the phone's internal GPS and its ‘camera, the application ‘converts the phone into a ‘compass. So looking down the street through the soreens of their phones, users get pointed lterally to the right location in real time, The application is called ING Weawiizer, and it's available for free through Google's ‘Android Market. Right now, though, it’s limited to the T- Mobile G1 phone and ING bank's home stomping ‘grounds — the Netherlands “Augmented reality” may well form the core of Web 3.0, as more and more applications are developed for mobile phones and other PDAs, Source: Iconoculture PNG LAUNCHES IPHONE MOBILE BANKING APP You'd think that seven months after Apple launched the App Store for the iPhone, it would no longer be news when a U.S. bank adds an application to the store. But it is news since the addition of PNC Bank brings the grand total of bank-specific apps to four, five if you count PayPal. Even if you include the several dozen banks supported by Firethorn’s mult-bank app, there are still no more than 40 banks supported, Here are the five App Store participants in order of their appearance: * Bank of America and PayPal were both in the App Store when it first ‘opened in July 2008 + IBC Banklaunched in September 2008 * Chase Bank launched December 2008 * PNC Bank launched late January 2009 ‘* Wells Fargo has an iPhone app that's not yet shown up in the App Store ‘Along with balance and transaction activity, the PNC app includes bill pay, funds transferand an ATM finder with location-based capabilities. ‘Source: Netbanker.com MICROLENDER’S NEW YORK SUCCESS LEADS TO EXPANSION PLANS Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus is expanding his New York state-based Grameen America microl to other parts of the US. The institution has lent $1.2 milion to 440 setf-employed, low-income women (with a 99.5% repayment rate) since its ‘opening in November 2007. Grameen America plans to expand to North Carolina, New Jersey, Nebraska, Louisiana and other U.S. states. Unlike typical lending institutions, Grameen America lends to those who do not have collateral. More than 70% of the borrowers are Latino. Bad credit, low incomes and lack of collateral have made it difficult for Latinos and other minorities to get traditional business loans. Grameen America's mmicro-lending formula can help recession-racked families escape poverty. By offering small lines of credt, Grameen gives lenders a greater return on. their investment with a smaller amount of risk. Minorities tend to be reluctant to borrow from banks. Micro-lending does not saddle borrowers with large debt and the small business success rate builds hope in depressed communities. ‘Source: lconoculture EASE CONTACT ORM Shun SOLUCKIECOM, +> pavip STUTTS AT DAMD