Update: Family Tree DNA's DNA Day Sale

In addition to the sale on the Family Tree DNA tests mentioned in our Thursday, April 17, 2019, post there are additional sales on some bundled tests (multiple tests for one person), and on Y-DNA SNPs testing and Big Y-700 upgrades for those who have already tested their Y-DNA. See the price chart in the Family Tree DNA Learning Center for more details.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

23andMe Starts its Mother's Day Sale, Ancestry+Health Test is Now $169

23andMe started its Mother's Day Sale yesterday. At its website, you will find the 23andMe Ancestry + Health Service (autosomal DNA) test on sale for $169 (regularly $199) with taxes and shipping extra until May 13, 2019.

23andMe Ancestry Service (autosomal DNA) provides an ethnicity (admixture) report, list of DNA matches, chromosome browser and an internal member messaging system. 23andMe also provides a general look at your Y-DNA haplogroup (if male) and mtDNA haplogroup. No subscription is needed to see/use all the DNA matching features. See the 23andMe website to learn more about the Health service option.

Above: Look for this when buying on Amazon.

As a reminder, 23andMe also sells its test kits on Amazon.com and often at sale prices when it is having a sale. (Make sure the seller shown is 23andMe fulfilled by Amazon and not sold by a third-party unauthorized seller.) Non-Amazon Prime members get free shipping due to the total cost and because it is fulfilled by Amazon; prime members just get quicker 2-day shipping for free.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

AncestryDNA on Sale for $69 for DNA Day

AncestryDNA
As of today, April 19, Ancestry is having a National DNA Day sale. Now the AncestryDNA (autosomal) test regularly $99 is $69, a savings of about 30 percent. Shipping and taxes are extra. This sale ends April 25, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

We are not sure if the FREESHIPDNA code will work with this sale but it does not hurt to try it.

Nearly 15 million AncestryDNA test kits have been sold now according to reports at the end of February during the RootsTech 2019 conference and a press release on February 28, 2019, by Ancestry. As the testing company with the largest "pool" of potential DNA matches it is a good place to start.

AncestryDNA test results provide an ethnicity/admixture report, a migrations report, a DNA match list, shared matches, an internal member messaging system, and automatic updates to results. 

If you do not have a data/records membership subscription you will not have access to some DNA features/tools. With an active paid subscription to Ancestry, the additional DNA features are New Ancestry Discoveries, DNA Circles, Shared Ancestor Hints, full access to matches' public trees, list of surnames in matches' trees, and list of birth locations in matches' trees. Access to these extra features end if you discontinue your data subscription. Some of these extra features require a public family tree linked to the AncestryDNA kit.

Ancestry offers an AncestryDNAInsights subscription (available by calling customer service) for about $49/year which would give access to all of the DNA tools but not any data/records. (Price as of 2016 we are not sure if the pricing has changed since then.)

Also mentioned with this sale is a new add-on to the AncestryDNA autosomal test called AncestryDNA Traits. This add-on which is currently advertised for $20 for new tests (or $9.99 for existing AncestryDNA kits) gives a look at 18 personal traits. These traits are: Sweet Sensitivity, Savory (Umami) Sensitivity, Bitter Sensitivity, Cilantro Aversion, Asparagus Metabolite Detection, Eye Color, Male Hair Loss, Hair Type, Hair Color, Hair Strand Thickness, Iris Patterns, Freckles, Cleft Chin, Unibrow, Finger Length, Skin Pigmentation, Earlobe Shape, and Earwax Type. New traits may be available in the future for additional costs. 

AncestryDNA is the one DNA/genealogy testing site that does not provide a chromosome browser tool which allows you to see the chromosome segments you share in common with a match which is one of the scientific ways to confirm a match is a true match and not a match by chance. To access a chromosome browser you would need to download your kit's DNA data and upload that data to one of the three companies that do provide a chromosome browser: MyHeritageDNA, Family Tree DNA, and the third-party GedMatch.com website.

Want to save on shipping costs? Remember AncestryDNA also sells its test kits on Amazon.com and often at sale prices when it is having a sale. Non-AmazonPrime members get free shipping due to the total cost and because it is fulfilled by Amazon; AmazonPrime members just get quicker 2-day shipping for free. But be cautious and make sure the test kit you are buying is "sold by AncestryDNAOfficial and fulfilled by Amazon" to insure you are buying a genuine test kit. You will find this information just below the sale price. See the image below.

Look for this before adding your item to your cart.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE 

Haven't Upgraded to Family Tree Maker 2017? New Offer Savings for 4 Days Only

A short time ago we received an email announcing Software MacKiev is having a four day sale (up to 50 percent off) on upgrades to Family Tree Maker 2017 for those that have any version Family Tree Maker 2014 or older. Family Tree Maker 2017's regular retail price is $79.95 and is a digital download.
 
With this limited-time offer, upgrade your FTM 2014 or older now in the next four days to the current Family Tree Maker 2017 version and receive the 30th Anniversary Edition (to be released later this year) for free. The offer comes through the Software MacKiev Family Tree Maker mailing list and uses the information you supplied on which version of FTM you currently own. Remember there are thousands on this mail list so emails are sent out in batches. So if you have already purchased FTM 2017, you will not get this offer. If you have not yet registered your older version of Family Tree Maker and signed up for the FTM mailing list, you can do so by signing up for the FTM mailing list which asks which version of FTM you own. 

Family Tree Maker 2017 is the only version of FTM that works with Ancestry Hints, provides hints from FamilySearch; merges records from Ancestry or FamilySearch; syncs with an Ancestry online tree; has a color coding feature; has a co-pilot option for the first 48 hours of use to make sure things go right; and a help desk available via LiveChat.

Family Tree Maker, both new purchases and upgrades, do not go on sale very often. If you have been debating on purchasing the FTM 2017 upgrade now is a good time. 

Note there is the option to purchase a copy of the program on DVD or USB in addition to the download. These options add $10 for DVD or $20 for USB to the cost and have additional shipping costs. The USB version includes a set of transfer utilities to upgrade from any previous version. (If your current FTM version is not ancient it should upgrade without problems.) Remember, you can easily copy the FTM download file to your own USB drive if you just want a backup of the program. 

If you go to the Software MacKiev website shopping area directly, you will see FTM 2017 for sale at its normal price of $79.95 for the download only PC/Mac. So you need to use the links from the email offer (sign up and register your version), or above (US customers) that we've provided for your convenience. 

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library! 
LE

National DNA Day Sales are Here

National DNA Day is April 25, 2019, and some sales of DNA test kits are here! Get your or a relative's spit ready!

LivingDNA
The first out of the gate was LivingDNA its autosomal DNA test regularly $99 has been on sale for $59 plus shipping and taxes.

LivingDNA, based in the United Kingdom, offers an ethnicity estimate (80 world regions including 21 in Britain and Ireland); a general look at your Y-DNA haplogroup (if male) and mtDNA haplogroup; and a view of your ancestry in the context of history and the migration of them. LivingDNA results are updated for free as the system and technology are updated. The company is still working on the release of its opt-in Family Matches feature (seeing your DNA matches among those who have tested) which is currently in beta testings. If you have a lot of English and Irish ancestry the more detailed regions for Britain and Ireland in the ethnicity may be of interest to you. The company is still building itself so at a sale price it may be worth a try. Perhaps you will find a clue to direct your search.

FamilyTree DNA
At Family Tree DNA the DNA Day 2019 sale runs until April 25, 2019. Shipping and taxes are extra which vary depending on where the test is shipped. From a while back the shipping cost to Michigan was about $12.95 for one kit which covers the receiving and sending the test. Currently on sale are:

FamilyFinder (autosomal for male or female) regular price $79 ... now $49 (That is 40 percent off!)

mtFull Sequence (for one male or female) regular price $199 ... now $149 

Y-37 (for one male) regular price $169 ... now $129
Y-67 (for one male) regular price $268 ... now $199
Y-111 (for one male) regular price $359 ... now $289
Big Y-700 (for one male) regular price $649 ... now $449

Family Tree DNA provides an ethnicity (admixture) report, list of DNA matches, chromosome browser and allows DNA matches to contact a match directly if that match allows it. Once tested, DNA samples are stored so that additional test types (upgrades) can be added if desired. Family Tree DNA is the only genealogy DNA testing company that offers all three DNA test types: autosomal, Y-DNA and mtDNA. No subscription is needed to see/use all the DNA matching features. See our previous post containing some Reminders and Cautions regarding changes with Family Tree DNA.

MyHeritage 
MyHeritage has also put its autosomal DNA test on sale too though technically for an Easter Sale. MyHeritageDNA (autosomal) tests regularly $79 each are on sale for $69 each until April 21, 2019. Shipping and taxes are extra.

MyHeritageDNA is one of the newer players in the DNA and genealogy testing niche. Its customer base is more international. As of last year, the company has added a chromosome browser feature and has made its internal member messaging feature free. It also offers an ethnicity/admixture report and a list of DNA matches. No data subscription is needed to see/use all the DNA matching features.

Where to Test?
Testing in as many "ponds" as possible is the advice genetic genealogists often give because you never know where someone has tested. Sale times and DNA data transfers are ways to make it easier to fish in multiple ponds to find your DNA matches.

As we learn of additional DNA sales we will be sure to let you know.

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Wednesday, April 10, 2019, at 7pm at MCPL Our MCGG Let's Talk...Genealogy Meets with the Topic of Stranger Things: Odd Sources in your Family Tree

Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 10, 2019, the MCGG Let's Talk...Genealogy discussion group meets at 7 p.m. in the Local History and Genealogy Room of the Mount Clemens Public Library. Our topic for the night is ... Stranger Things: Odd Sources in your Family Tree.
 
Let's share the odd sources of information in our family trees, or the odd/strange/eerie ways we found information.

New attendees are always welcome.

See you soon at the Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Tomorrow, April 5, at 1 p.m. our MCGG Friday Meeting is on The Archives of Michigan with Archivist Kris Rzepczynski

Tomorrow, Friday, April 5, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Mount Clemens Public Library, Kris Rzepczynski, senior archivist at the Archives of Michigan, will present The Archives of Michigan: Projects, Collections and Online Resources.

Learn what is happening at our state's archives directly from one of the archivists.

If you are in the Mt. Clemens area, PLEASE JOIN US.

See you soon at the Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE

Free Access to Civil War Collection on Fold3 April 1 to April 15, 2019

Fold3 is giving free access to its Civil War Collection from April 1 to April 15, 2019. 

Just register for a basic Fold3 membership which is free with no credit card required. If you already have a free Fold3 basic membership, just sign into the website. (You do not need to sign up for a 7-day free trial which requires a credit card.)

See you soon at Mt. Clemens Public Library!
LE