Money & Finances

Should You Buy The Optional Extended Warranty or Service Protection Plan?

(...not if you're buying a digital camera... and it's from Sears!)

You hear it all the time. Whenever you buy something of value at the department store, they ask:

"Would you like to purchase an extended warranty on that?"

"We've got an optional service protection plan that will fully cover the product beyond the standard manufacturer's warranty. Are you interested?"

As a rule, we never buy into such "protection plans", "insurance", or "extended warranties" -- believing that the odds of something going wrong that the standard manufacturer's warranty wouldn't already cover are quite slim. Not to mention the fact that such protection plans are quite expensive, relatively speaking.

A CBC Report on Extended Warranties

Smart Money: Extended Warranty Rip-Offs

When Service Contracts Make Sense

Consumer Reports: Extended Warranties Aren't Worth The Cost

However, there have been two occasions in my lifetime when I've purchased an extended warranty. Both were at Sears. One experience (on a bicycle) was good. The other (on a digital camera) was not so good.

Here's what you need to know...

Continue reading: Buy The Extended Warranty?

Find The Cheapest Gas Prices In Your Neighborhood

I've mentioned before how much fun it is (and informative too!) to check out the GasBuddy website and see the lowest and highest prices for gas in your area.

Now, I think I've found one better...

Continue reading: Gas Buddy Finds Cheapest Gas

Yes, You Have To Pay Taxes On Downloaded Songs

For all my bloggy, techie, gadget-loving friends... many of whom have downloaded a song or two via iTunes (and other music download sites)...

Did you know you have to pay taxes on all those songs ?!?!?

Yep, 15 states and Washington D.C. require their residents to pay taxes on downloads of music, movies and electronic books.

Those states are...

Continue reading: Pay Taxes On Song Downloads

Thinking Of A Career Change?... Try A Vocation Vacation First & Test Drive Your Dream Job

For a couple hundred dollars, you can "try out" a profession for a day or two and enjoy some time away from home.

It's called a Vocation Vacation and it enables you to break outside of your comfort zone... get away from your daily routine... and try something new at the same time.

Continue reading: Try A Vocation Vacation!

Keep The Change: How Bank of America Rounds Up Purchases and Puts the Difference Into Your Savings Account!

Bank of America has started a new "kickback" program where you can literally save by spending!

It's called "Keep the Change".

In effect, Bank of America is giving its debit card users up to 99 cents per purchase and transferring that amount into the user's savings account.

Sounds great, right?

"Every time you buy something with a Bank of America Visa debit card, we'll round up your purchase to the nearest dollar amount and transfer the difference from your checking to your savings account free of charge. Because every bag of groceries, every coffee and every tank of gas adds up to more savings for you. So you get to keep the change and grow your savings. What could be easier?" --Bank of America

Truth is, the "Keep the Change" program just may be a better deal for the bank than for you.

Here's why...

Continue reading: Bank of America: Keep The Change!

Do YOU Have The Next Million Dollar Idea?...

How many times have you said, "Now, why didn't I think of that?"

This guy put his one-of-a-kind idea into action when he set out to create a "million dollar homepage".

It's been a huge success. And it's a great example of how you can "think outside the box" and succeed when others might tell you otherwise.

--> Here is Alex's take on things... via his own million dollar blog.

One thing's for sure, Alex Tew certainly has spurred on other people to think of creative "million dollar ideas"...

Continue reading: Got The Next Million Dollar Idea?

WARNING: Here's Why You Should Never Use A Debit Card To Pay At The Pump!

Did you know this?...

If you use a DEBIT card to pump gas, and you are not asked to enter your PIN, then the moment you scan your card, $50 or so is "frozen" from your bank account in order to pay for whatever amount of gas you should eventually pump there. THEN, even if you only pump say, $20... the remaining $30 that was "frozen" is not immediately available to you?

It's true. It's called debit card blocking.

It happened to my friend the other day. And it showed up clear as day on her "bounced check" notice.

Continue reading: Don't Use Debit Cards For Gas!

Skype Is Not Your Typical VoIP... It's Much More Than An Internet Phone!

Maybe you've heard the phrase "voice over Internet Protocol" ... otherwise known as VoIP.

Maybe you've heard of "Skype"... otherwise known as the fastest, easiest, and clearest way to talk to other people -- all over the world -- for FREE right from your computer (...rather than on a traditional telephone line).

I had heard about both some time ago, but I didn't think much about them at the time.

I mean... I've got a cellphone. I've got plenty of free roaming minutes each month. And I've even got rollover minutes coming out of my ears. Jim does too.

BUT... Some of our friends & relatives don't!

So it made sense when a friend of ours recently asked us to sign up with Skype(for free) so we could chat with him at length about a tricky computer issue he was having.

I'm not kidding when I say that in less than 5 minutes we were up & running, and eager to explore all that Skypehas to offer... but just then our friend "Skyped us" (a.k.a. phoned us) -- before we could even think of what to do next!

(If someone knows your email address, they can look you up in Skypequick & easy.)

Continue reading: Skype Internet Phone Service

How To Beat A Speeding Ticket

Got a traffic ticket?... Been there, done that.

Here's one way that we learned, firsthand, to beat a speeding ticket!

As mentioned earlier, Jim got his umpteenth speeding ticket over the Thanksgiving holiday. (You may recall the numerous instances in which I have berated him on this website for his careless driving and repeated speeding tickets.)

Now, I have a new twist to the story:
Jim was able to talk his way OUT of this speeding ticket. Here's how...

Continue reading: Beat A Speeding Ticket

I Got A Traffic Ticket On Thanksgiving Day...

Have you ever been stopped for a traffic violation on a holiday?

If so, was the police officer that stopped you cordial and willing to hear what you had to say? Or was the cop somewhat brash and matter-of-fact with you?

Based on the fact that Jim and I have each received a ticket on Thanksgiving, you might want to be EXTRA cautious when driving during the holidays... especially Thanksgiving!

My guess is since they're not at all happy about having to work on a holiday, so they're ticket-happy instead.

Case in point:

I got pulled over on Thanksgiving morning several years ago -- en route from Orlando to Tampa to celebrate the holiday with my relatives.

Wait til you hear what I was charged with!...

Continue reading: Failure To Yield Traffic Ticket