Remember how kids (and adults, too) used to save pennies, coins, and notes in physical piggybanks some decades ago PiggyBank.NG is an innovative, digital, and new-school version with an improved, fun, and rewarding model of saving. Basically, Piggybank.NG is a platform available on Web, Android, and iOS that allows individuals with debit cards easily save and invest money with ease.
Asides from curtailing excessive and uncontrolled spending by allowing users save periodically towards specific goals or targets, PiggyBank.NG adds a bit of fun, reward and convenience to the used-to-be-difficult act of saving. But before delving to the details of the saving platform, let’s have a look at the fintech startup’s history.
Piggybank: About and Features
Piggybank.NG Logo
Basically, Piggybank.ng is an app the helps users save and better utilize (spare) monies they do not want to touch and spend superabundantly. On Piggybank.ng, saving is:
Flexible: Users can save money daily, weekly, and monthly. Actually, you can save anytime.
Rewarding: Unlike the traditional pink rubber pig-shaped physical piggybanks where you get exactly what you save, Piggybank.ng pays up to 12.4% interest per annum on any amount you save on the platform.
Convenient: Piggybank.ng saves you the stress and hassle of having to remember to save as it automatically deducts specifies amounts from your bank account at specified periods.
Safe and Secure: While Piggybank is literally not a bank, it is a partner with United Bank for Africa (UBA), a renowned and trusted bank in Nigeria and Africa. That said, Piggybank.ng doesn’t have access to your savings as funds are monitored and held by UBA. More like you are saving in a bank, but not directly.
Also, PiggyTech Global Limited, the company behind Piggybank.ng recently acquired a microfinance bank (Gold Microfinance Bank Limited) which is licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Drives commitment: Unlike regular bank saving accounts and traditional piggybanks where you have access to your money and can break your savings anytime, Piggybank.ng fosters saving commitment and discipline.
Features
Ever since the company launched in 2016, Piggybank has, year-on-year, introduced a number of features and plans to even help its users spend less exorbitantly, save better and achieve their saving targets more conveniently.
1. AutoSaveAutosave is one of the earliest features of Piggybank.ng platform right from inception. Basically, with AutoSave, Piggybank.ng automatically debit a fixed amount of money (as set by the user) from a users debit card. Auto-debits period can be customized to be daily, weekly, or monthly. As a cherry on top, users have the ability to set the exact hour they want the set-amount debited from their accounts.
Interestingly, there’s a ‘modify AutoSave instruction’ button that allows users edit the amount and frequency of their AutoSave plan.
2. Quick Save
Piggybank.ng Quick Save
Quick Save enables users add funds to their saving plans anytime and any day. Should you prefer to save any amount you can afford to stash any given time you have spare cash, the Quick Save feature comes in handy; amount, time, and frequency aren’t fixed here.
Quick Save can also be used by individuals on AutoSave plans. For example, you save N10,000 every month. But on Month 2, you had no money in your bank debit card. You can use the Quick Save feature to add N20,000 (i.e Month 2 + Month 3) to your AutoSave plan to keep up with your saving target.
NOTE: Quick Save on Piggybank.ng has a limit of NGN 500,000 per deposit. This means you can only add up to N500,000 at once. You can, however, use the Quick Save often multiple time in a day. So if you need to save NGN 2 million, you’d have to spread it into four (4) NGN 500,000 Quick Save deposits.
3. SafeLockSafeLock is actually more than a feature on Piggybank.ng. See it is a short-term investment sub-product within the app which allows you earn money for —wait for it— saving money. Yeah, Piggybank.ng pays you for saving. How rewarding.
Here’s how SafeLock works: you set aside a fixed sum from your normal (Core) savings account which you would not have access to until after a set period (10 – 1,000 days). Depending on the duration of SafeLock, users can earn as much as 34% interest on a SafeLock-ed sum.
4. Target SavingAlso called Savings Challenge, Target Savings allows you save towards a personal or group goal and get paid 10% interest once you hit your target.
5. Flex AccountThe Flex Account is where all interests from your saving plans and targets are paid by Piggybank.ng. Earnings from this account can be withdrawn anytime and likewise, transferred to other saving plans.
WithdrawalWithdrawing saved funds on Piggybank.ng is absolutely FREE but works by dates. You have the choice of setting your own custom withdrawal dates of going by Piggybank’s withdrawal dates;
31st March 30th June 30th September 31st DecemberIf you set a custom free withdrawal date, the next that which you’d be able to withdraw saving for free will be automatically set to 3 months after the last withdrawal. Choosing to request for funds outside your custom withdrawal date or that of Piggybank’s will attract a penalty fee of 5% of the withdrawal amount.
While there is no limit to the amount users can withdraw, a N3,000 minimum withdrawal limit is in place on the platform. Withdrawal is almost instant and takes not more than 3 working hours. Funds are sent to the bank account you have set to your Piggybank.ng account at the time of withdrawal. Lastly, it is worth noting that you can only make a withdrawal request only once in 24 hours.
Benefits of the Piggybank.ng servicesWhile the archaic and traditional rubber pigs, wooden and metal piggybanks are still very much in use (albeit not as common as they used to be), saving money with Piggybank, comes with its advantages:
It’s a cleaner and less burdensome approach to saving Automates the saving process as a fixed amount(s) is automatically deducted from your bank account at specified dates; you can no longer forget to save. Helps keep a better track of your savings as users can easily see how much they’ve saved up and how far (or close) they are to meeting their savings target. One app, multiple savings targets. Improve management and planning of finances. Withdrawing funds is just as easy and fast as depositing them. Mouth-watering interests and (referal) bonusesNeed more Piggybank.NG information? The platform’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page has all you need.
The post PiggyBank.NG – What there is to know about the Automated Savings Platform appeared first on Nigeria Technology Guide.
Everyone wants to become creative and innovative in making their houses look presentable and livable. One of the innovations that most people use nowadays is solar tiles. Solar tiles are roofing materials that act as solar panels which means that not only will your house look good, you’ll also save a ton when it comes to electric bills.
Solar tiles have a lot of benefits. That’s why more people are using this kind of material instead of using the traditional ones. Roofings like these can be a good investment especially to those homeowners who are planning on selling their house. To know more about the benefits it gives, here’s a list of advantages of using solar tiles as home roofing.
It Helps You Save Energy And MoneySolar tiles as roofing don’t only make your home look enticing it also enables you to save money and energy. Solar tiles are handy tools for people who are on a tight budget. The good thing about solar tiles is that they can be charged anytime as long as the sun is out, and the power that is stored in each tile can be used to power appliances in the house.
Using solar tiles as roofing can lessen the electricity bill you usually have. In some places, every excess energy that is generated by the tiles will be sent back to the grid, and after some time, you will receive payments or credits for the excess power is generated. When upgrading your roof, ask experts first for you to know what are the do’s and don’ts.
It’s Environmental FriendlyThe energies generated by these tiles are not harmful to the environment because it doesn’t come from fossil fuel. Solar energy is a type of energy which is also known as renewable energy because the energy it gets is naturally replenished by sunlight.
Using fossil fuels to produce electricity harms the environment by producing harmful substances such as carbon dioxide. If you’re planning to save energy, money, and the environment at the same time, then you better start this practice before it’s too late.
Easy To Install And Less MaintenanceSolar tiles are not that hard to maintain and install. If you don’t know what to do, you can contact the company where you bought one and ask them to send someone to do the job for you. Solar tiles are easy to install and worrying about its maintenance shouldn’t’ be a problem at all. You don’t have to grind, cut, or drill it to mount it.
Solar tiles also don’t need that intense cleaning. You can try placing it in a slanting position so that when it rains, the rainwater will wash down the dirt from the tiles making it clean. And you’re planning on cleaning it during broad daylight, don’t spray water on it if it’s still hot because it may damage the tile.
Adds Value To Your PropertySelling your home can be a bit difficult. Adding details like solar tiles as your roofing can help you get more potential buyers. Some people prefer houses that have solar tiles in it because they know that they can save energy and it makes the house look modernized.
The value of your home would still depend on how much solar tiles you have installed in it. Some people are willing to buy a property even if it cost a lot because they want a house that has solar tiles also. Using solar tiles as roofing can be an excellent investment for your the future of your family.
TakeawayYou should be wise and practical when it comes to expenses. Solar tiles not only make your home look attractive, but it can also make your life better. This is the best alternative for fossil fuels.
Saving the environment can’t be done overnight, but it’s better if the change you want to see in the world starts with you first. Being aware helps you and other people around you. If you’re planning on getting one, you can ask local contractors to help you look for one, or you can contact companies that sell this kind of roofing.
More on Power Supply How to Buy an Inverter Solar Charge Controller Solar Inverter Buy a Generator Inverter Battery Compare Inverter Prices in Nigeria Solar Power Inverter PricesThe post Tiles of the Sun: 4 Benefits Of Using Solar Tiles As Your Roofing Material appeared first on Nigeria Technology Guide.
With over 500 languages spoken and more than 250 ethnic groups across Nigeria, the flavors we use in our recipes may vary a bit, but we all share a common love for continuing the tradition of our family recipes.
Technological advancements in kitchen appliances, with updated energy-saving and convenience features, can make the heart of our homes even more enjoyable – as well as budget friendly. There are so many new energy-saving refrigerators, ovens and other kitchen tools, large and small, that can help keep the bills from heating up.
Knowing the expense of these new kitchen tools is a smart investment for long term savings, and might be just the push you need to get cooking on the purchase of some updated appliances.
Improve the heart of your homeWhen it’s time to get new appliances in your kitchen, you want to be sure you make the best choices for this central heart of your home and its design, that will last and save you money. Your most used machines are your refrigerator, range or cooking spot, and dishwasher.
Energy saving features are now built into most newer appliance models, with timers that will turn on and off your stove if you forget, quiet and water-saving dishwashers that use as little water as needed to clean the dishes, and even motion-sensor sinks that put out water only when you’re actively working with your hands under the faucet.
Solar power has a bright futureMini grids that provide solar power are increasing in popularity all over the country, making it easier to run all machines in your house throughout the day and the night, worry-free.
Cutting down the need for generators and gasoline can be a great stress-reliever along with the ability to run televisions, wash clothes, keep your food refrigerated and cook all at the same time. First things first.
Take your energy source into consideration before purchasing anything new for your home to be sure you are making the right choice, and installing new appliances that work with your energy source.
Depending on how tech-savvy you are – and how tech-savvy you want your home to be – you can find appliances, and almost every gadget for your kitchen, that can be programmed by you from your smart phone.
There are many “smart” features beyond the ability to turn things on and off, such as refrigerators you can see inside (yes, on your phone screen) to know when you are out of milk. Just remember, when it’s time to make changes to your kitchen, you do have the power to conserve energy and save money in a number of ways.
Related Topics How to Buy a Refrigerator How to Buy an Air Conditioner How to Buy Inverter How to Buy a GeneratorThe post Save Energy and Lower Costs With High-Tech Appliance appeared first on Nigeria Technology Guide.
We all love technology. And we most definitely love seeing products and innovations born out of technology. This is why hundreds of technology shows are hosted around the world annually by different brands, bodies, and organizations to showcase the next generation of tech products to expect in the future. The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is arguably the biggest of such events.
The CES event was established by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and has been taking place for more than half a century since it was established in 1967. This years edition was no different from previous editions as quite a number (a lot, actually) technological innovations were unveiled by more than 5,000 companies to the over-180,000 people in attendance.
The CES 2019 edition took place Las Vegas, Nevada from January 8 – 11 after a two-day January 6 – 7 pre-event conference. Like every other CES events, the 2019 edition also saw the birth of hundreds of thousands of new tech products that identifying all of them and picking “the best” could become overwhelming — from TVs to robots, smartphones, PCs, smart home gadgets, accessories, 5G network, cars, AR and VR etc. It’s always a lot!
However, we have listed some of the techs that caught the eyes of many at the event.
CES 2019: Highlight Tech Tech by GoogleOut of the 5,000+ companies that grace the CES event every year, Google is always known to standout with a couple of products. Interestingly, this year was no different as Google did have a lot to offer, directly and in conjunction with its partners.
Smart Clock
The Lenovo Smart Clock, for example, is a smart alarm clock designed with a touch sensor and 4-inch display that does more than just waking you up from bed every morning. Placed on your bed stand, the Smart Clock can show you feeds from your security camera, play music, give you traffic information, search and surf the web, and even control other Google Home devices.
However, this should not be confused with Google’s Smart Display though, which was also born out of a Google-Lenovo partnership. Unlike the Google Assistant-powered Smart Display, the Smart Clock has no camera, cannot show pictures and play videos etc.
InterpreterTo further push its smart virtual Assistant above that of archrivals like Alexa and Siri, Google introduced an “Interpreter mode” as a new feature to its Smart Home and Smart Display devices. What Interpreter does is to facilitate smooth conversation by translating, real-time, between two people. The Interpreter is more like a refined version of Google’s Translate app.
At the moment, Interpreter can translate 27 languages via voice and on-screen texts. The Interpreter mode will debut on Google’s Smart Display devices after which it will roll out to other Google Assistant devices and smartphones later in the future.
Google Assistant ConnectGoogle earlier announced that its Google Assistant will be on 1 billion devices (Phones, headphones, tablets, Smart home products Smart displays etc.) by the end of January. With the introduction of Google Assistant Connect, that figure would keep rising and even further skyrocket Google’s Assistant usage and penetration in homes and gadgets.
The Google Assistant Connect is a chipset that would allow developers easily build and incorporate Google Assistants functionalities into their gadgets and devices. The chip is a small and inexpensive tool which would allow gadgets control other smart home products using Google virtual home assistants (Google Home Hub, Google Home, Google Smart Display etc.).
The chip will be small and inexpensive because it doesn’t actually do the computing. Instead, it acts as either a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth bridge to a nearby Google smart device like a Google Home smart speaker.
The Google Assistant Connect would allow developers incorporated Google Assistant features on their device at very little cost but for end users to utilize the features, they would need a Google Assistant-powered product. Win-Win.
Tech-driven Beauty ProductsNeutrogena, as a skincare brand, is a regular attendee at the CES event. This year at the CES 2019, Neutrogena showcased something similar to a ‘smart facemask’ which it calls MaskiD.
The MaskiD is a specially customized printed sheet mask designed to be used with its Skin360 product. There’s a MaskiD app that which allows a user take and upload a photo which Neutrogena then uses to create a custom facemask based on measurements of facial detail and other problems or blemishes on the face. The facemask is unique and cannot be found in any retail store. Instead, custom facemask will be created and ordered on neutrogena.com through the MaskiD app.
A company called Comper also showcased a product called “Smarkin”, a handheld device that analyzes your skin to help curb skin irritation and eliminate fatty cells from the skin.
LG: TVs are now ‘rollable’While there were a lot of TVs showcased at the CES 2019 event from brands like Sony, TCL, HiSense and more, LG easily swept everyone at the showcase off their feet with its Signature OLED TV R. The ‘R’ in the device’s name stands for “Rollable”. Yes, the Signature OLED TV R has 3mm OLED panel that emanates from (and retracts into) a sturdily-built horizontal base at the click of a button.
This is the first time we would be seeing the rollable or foldable display technology manifest in full-form in the TV ecosystem. The LG Signature OLED TV R comes with a 65-inch OLED panel made out of plastic which, of course, produces OLED-standard deep blacks, brilliant image, and true colors.
5 roll-up OLED TVs at LG’s #CES2019 booth. Mesmerizing. pic.twitter.com/0k56LVuABb
— David Katzmaier (@dkatzmaier) January 8, 2019
The roll-up TV from LG was only showcased at the event but is expected to go on sale before the end of 2019. There’s no solid pricing and sales information but there are speculations that the TV could cost anywhere between $10,000 – $20,000.
LG aside, Sony also showcased improved and bigger 85- and 95-inch variants of its Z9G Master LCD Series.
Samsung 219-inch ‘The Wall’ TV
Samsung “The Wall” and “The Windows” are another TV duo that stood out at the CES 2019. ‘The Wall” is a ginormous TV with a 219-inch display and a resolution higher than 4K. In addition, the Wall is powered by an unspecified Samsung processor, comes with a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, can be controlled using a tablet, and like the Q9F QLED TV, has the ability to blend with the surrounding wall to mimic the style and decor of your home’s interior — also similar to what Philips did with the 65OLED803 TV Ambilight Lighting Technology.
On the other hand, “The Window” is a 75-inch UHD 4K TV. Although it was only the prototype with a brightness of 1,000 nits that was showcased at the CES 2019, the real deal is expected to launch later with 4,000nits brightness.
LaptopsFrom gaming PCs to workstations and regular notebooks, laptops also took the center stage at the CES 2019. Lenovo, HP, and Razer all showcased laptops with OLED and AMOLED displays. Unlike TVs, OLED displays aren’t something you regularly come across on laptops. Razer showcased two prototype models of its 15-inch Blade 15 laptop, one with a 240Hz display.
Acer Swift 7 unveiled at CES 2019
Acer also stood out among other brands as it announced even slimmer models of some of its already slim laptops. In 2018, the Acer Swift 7 was the world’s thinnest laptop. The new Acer Swift 7 (2019) is even thinner with less body, less bezel and more screen.
There were also a number of interesting gaming laptops. Asus unveiled the ROG Mothership, a 17-inch detachable gaming laptop. Samsung’s Odyssey 2, Acer’s Triton 900, and Alienware Area-15m are other noteworthy gaming PC unveiled at the CES 2019.
A lot of other interesting tech were showcased at the CES 2019: robots, health tech and sensors, chipsets and graphics card, cars, autonomous motorcycles etc. There was also a lot of talks about the upcoming 5G technology but no practical application or tangible application just yet. But overall, the CES 2019 was an interesting and eye-opening event, and we expect many of the tech and products unveiled to manifest in their full form in the coming months.
What is/are your favourite tech/product(s) from the CES 2019?
The post CES 2019 Roundup: Roll-up TVs, Gaming Laptops and more appeared first on Nigeria Technology Guide.
