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Larky, Blues Partner To Give Members Easier Access To Discounts

DETROIT (WWJ) -- Larky, the free web site and mobile service that helps consumers get every discount they deserve from their memberships, has partnered with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to make finding and using member discounts easier.

The partnership will help BCBSM members save more money by alerting them at the right time and place to member discounts available through Healthy Blue Xtras, an exclusive savings program for BCBSM members. Many members are aware that they are offered discounts through BCBSM, but don't know exactly what they are, or they forget to use them at the time of purchase. The Larky app helps solve that problem.

All of the Blues' Healthy Blue Xtras rewards will be accessible from the Larky web site and mobile app. Blues members who sign up for the free service can view, search, and browse their discounts on the Larky web site and mobile app, and GPS technology then enables users to receive alerts on their smartphone when they are physically near a discount opportunity. The application alerts are customizable, and allow Blues' members to add other memberships, such as AAA, Costco, AARP, USAA, and many more. No account numbers or passwords are needed.

Andrew Bank, co-founder of Larky, noted that "72 percent of consumers we surveyed said that they 'knew they deserved some member discounts but didn't know what they were or how to get them.' Our passion is to ensure that consumers aren't leaving money on the table, and we're thrilled to work with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to ensure their members get all the discounts they deserve."

Larky launched in April 2013 to praise from frugal finance experts such as Lifehacker and Good Housekeeping. Their free web site and mobile app allows consumers to view all available membership perks and discounts, from thousands of organizations, in a single spot and receive location-aware mobile alerts when they are near a member discount. Using Larky can help the average consumer save $1,000 or more per year by getting all the discounts they deserve from their memberships.

"When the Blues launched the Healthy Blue Xtras program, we set out to provide added-value to our members by offering discounts on everything from groceries to fitness gear to yoga and gym packages to help them embrace and maintain a healthy lifestyle," said Kathryn Levine, vice president of corporate marketing and customer experience for the Blues. "There are over 90 partners in the program to date, and our partnership with Larky now gives members easier access to those opportunities to make healthy lifestyle choices that are healthy for the pocketbook too."

The Healthy Blue Xtras discount program from BCBSM offers valuable discounts at unique merchants focused on health, wellness, outdoor recreation, and more. Members enjoy savings at places like Plum Market, Moosejaw Mountaineering, and Weight Watchers, but find it difficult to keep track of all their discounts, forgetting to use them at the right time and place. The Larky and Health Blue Xtras pairing delivers the savings opportunity at precisely the right moment to help fill this need.

More at ww.bcbsm.com. or www.larky.com.

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