Financial Tips and Tricks

Program Yourself To Be A Better Consumer With SaveEveryWay’s Free Money-Saving Reminders

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:58:16 +0000

Research has shown that signing up for text message reminders to save money can increase your savings balance by 16%. SaveEveryWay makes the experimental a reality. You can sing up there for free to...

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Who Is This Banner Ad Targeting?

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:45:38 +0000

The man at left appears in banner ads for mortgage refinancing. He looks like a person most people would avoid. So why does this ad network think that he will persuade us to refinance our mortgages?...

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Fight At Delta JFK Among Passengers, Not Directed At Airline?

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:15:33 +0000

Remember that passenger fight at Delta JFK last week ? According to an airport employee who witnessed the fight, it wasn't passengers venting on airport employees. Rather, the travelers (described as...

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Would You Try The Taco Bell Diet?

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:45:49 +0000

A direct answer to Subway's Jared , Taco Bell's new spokeswoman Christine says she lost 54 pounds in two years in part by substituting the restaurant's lighter fare for her usual fast food splurges....

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Trucker Fired By Text Message

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:15:24 +0000

Randy was a trucker until he got a couple texts notifying him otherwise , South Carolina's WTLX reports. Randy tells WTLX he found the insensitive fate befell a colleague before the digital...

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Shrink Ray Renders Mini Coke Cans Even More Mini

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:00:06 +0000

Sure, you can call Coke's new 7.5-ounce mini can an exciting new marketing ploy, giving customers a nice, even, guilt-free 90-calorie gulp of soda. But reader Josh sees the change for what it is: a...

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Tiger Woods’ Off-Road Adventure Cost Shareholders $12B

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:37:42 +0000

A new study says that Tiger Woods spectacular fall from grace has cost shareholders of the firms that used him as a spokesperson to lose $12 billion in value. From Yahoo!: Total shareholder losses...

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Sony Replaces Customer’s Broken Reader

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:13:09 +0000

Earlier this week, I posted about Kate's bad experience getting her Sony Reader upgraded. She hadn't asked for an update, but was told by Sony to send it in, she says. What she got back was a busted...

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Hey, Corvette Owners, Your Roofs May Fly Off

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:30:28 +0000

If you're a Corvette owner who really, really likes to feel the wind in your hair as you drive, you may not want to partake in a recall that prevents roofs from flying off as you speed down the...

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Perfume Packaging Defeats Pen, Can Opener And Knives

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:00:30 +0000

Film critic Jen Johans can tear movies apart, but even her sharpest barbs were no match for impenetrable DKNY perfume packaging . She tried wedging the top open with a pen, but no dice. Then moved to...

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Demi Moore’s Hipflesh Reappears, Is Angry At The Internet

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:31:51 +0000

Here's how you solve all of your PR problems. Send threatening legal letters to the internet. It always works. Two new developments in the Demi Moore hip fiasco: 1) The Korean version of the cover...

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Demi Moore’s Hipflesh Reappears, Is Angry At The Internet

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:31:51 +0000

Investing In Bonds: Make Money The Boring Way

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:42:33 +0000

Could your Scottrade (or other investment) portfolio use a dose of bonds? We often cover the world of equity investing here, and we’ve also discussed safer investments like the stable...

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Investing In Bonds: Make Money The Boring Way

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:42:33 +0000

28-Year-Old Pleads Guilty To Stealing Over 130 Million Credit And Debit Card Numbers

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:33:11 +0000

Albert Gonzelez pleaded guilty today to "conspiracy to engage in wire fraud for his role in stealing more than 130 million credit and debit card numbers from Heartland Payment Systems," reports...

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HP Ink Costs More Than Human Blood

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:00:58 +0000

As this graph shows, printer ink is rather expensive, and costs more than things like human blood or a barrel of crude oil. [via ReflectionOf. Me ] Related posts:Chase Cannot Find A Human Being To...

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Self-Described Toy Tester Will Go Through Your Stuff If You Pay Her

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:48:01 +0000

Every time there's a warning or recall over lead-tainted toys--and it hasn't happened much this past year, but check out our archives from a couple of years ago--lots of people get up in arms about...

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Self-Described Toy Tester Will Go Through Your Stuff If You Pay Her

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:48:01 +0000

New Jersey Wants To Stop Unsolicited Text Message Ads

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:25:43 +0000

New Jersey isn't content with going after unsolicited junk mail checks and credit card offers --it appears to be aiming for Least Friendly Junk Marketing State in the Union. The latest target:...

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RC2 Agrees To Pay $1.25 Million Over Lead Toys

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:05:33 +0000

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has just worked out another penalty settlement with a toy company over those lead-tainted toys that graced shelves from 2005 to 2007. Reuters says RC2...

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Target Is Out Of PrePaid AT&T Cards, So How About Some WalkieTalkies?

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:57:03 +0000

Reader David spotted this odd suggestion on Christmas Eve at his local Target. Not the most practical idea they've ever had, but then again: Target is crazy. Related posts:Arizona Target Store...

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How To Save Money Using A "Clean" Credit Card

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:22:57 +0000

If you're the type of person who carries debt on your credit card from month to month, you should always have one "clean" credit card in your wallet, says Bob Sullivan of Red Tape Chronicles in his...

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What does AAR stand for in relation to financial planning or leadership?

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:49:38 +0000

I have a test tomorrow on leadership and financial planning and one of the questions is "What does AAR stand for", so if you could tell me then that would be awesome Related Financial...

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"Moldy Smelling" Tylenol Recalled

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:20:58 +0000

All TYLENOL® Arthritis Pain Caplet 100 count bottles with the distinctive red EZ-OPEN caps have been recalled after consumer complaints of "an unusual moldy, musty, or mildew-like odor that was...

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Best Buy Enters Customer’s Home Without Permission

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:02:09 +0000

Michelle says that she explicitly told Best Buy's delivery guys that she was 8 minutes away and that they were not to enter her home (her teenage son was there alone) until she arrived. Guess what...

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Lady Foot Locker Wouldn’t Let Me Keep My Receipt After A Return

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:15:18 +0000

Michael says Lady Foot Locker wouldn't let him keep his receipt after he returned an item, and that this wasn't the first time. He writes: I've just had an experience at Lady Foot Locker today which...

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I Wonder Why This Ornament Didn’t Sell

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:53:12 +0000

Josh sent us this photo of an ornament he found on the post-Christmas discount racks a few days ago. He notes, "Just goes to show you that typographic layout matters." Related...

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UPS Is Making My Mom Wait Two Weeks For Her Birthday Present

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:30:52 +0000

Laurie says a birthday present she ordered for her mom has been stuck in UPS shipping limbo for more than a week, and that it will take at least another week to get to her in New York, even though...

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Giant Mold Universe Found Inside Chef Boyardee Can

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:27:19 +0000

Larry says that he opened a can of chef boyardee recently online to find a horrible giant mold world growing inside. When he contacted the store he bought it from, Walmart, a low-level employee was...

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Broadview Security Systems Protect You From Hordes Of Scary Guys In Black Sweatshirts

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:59:31 +0000

The ads for Broadview Security address an important issue for modern women: someone is always lurking outside waiting to rape you. Did I say address? I meant to say something more like stoke flames...

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UPS Tells Me My Package Took ‘The Scenic Route’

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:45:58 +0000

CMT ordered a Neweg package that took what a UPS CSR told him was a "scenic route" from California to Tennessee, seemingly circling his city before eventually meandering in. He writes: Below is the...

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What Were The Top Ads Of 2009?

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:14:00 +0000

What were the top ads on TV this year for you? For me, it's got to be GEICO's googly-eyes-on-a-pile-of-money bits. At first I didn't like them but after the 20th viewing or so, I got it. This ad...

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Not All Fired Target Employees Who Went Zhu Zhu Crazy Got Their Jobs Back

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:00:52 +0000

Target fired employees for prematurely buying Zhu Zhu Pets, then hired them back . Ellen says her son, a former New Jersey Target employee, got the former treatment, but not the latter. She writes:...

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Debt Consolidation Calculator: See How To Erase Debt Faster

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:08:50 +0000

I use a debt consolidation calculator to illustrate how much you can save with the right kind of personal loan. The other day, I wrote about some ideas on how to become debt free faster . If...

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Mac Cloner Psystar Sells T-Shirts, Vows Comeback

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 21:53:28 +0000

You may not be able to buy Mac clones from Hackintosh-maker Psystar anymore , but if you're looking to relive those glory days of running OS X on generic hardware, Psystar has a t-shirt for you. And...

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TSA Gets Some Damned Sense, Eases Flight Restrictions

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:38:02 +0000

Good news, people who are in the unfortunate position of having to do business with an airline in the near future: the TSA's embarrassingly reactionary new "security rules" have been eased as of this...

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Comcast Introduces Literal Nicknames For Customer Service

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:08:51 +0000

Check out the nickname for the Comcast CSR who helped Lauren set up her new account. Lauren adds, "'Nem' did a good job setting me up, though. I can't wait to see what the service tech's name is!...

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Sony Asks Customer For Her Reader, Breaks It, Then Sends It Back

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:46:52 +0000

I'm not usually amused at the customer service horror stories that arrive in our in box, but this one is just so over the top that I can't help but laugh incredulously. The lesson here, which Kate...

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Everything You Wanted To Know About BestBuy.com

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 18:25:19 +0000

Someone who says he's worked with BestBuy.com for a couple of years now sent us an exhaustive list of topics related to buying from the website. Learn about the Satisfaction Matrix that determines...

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AT&T Says Fraud. Consumerist Says O RLY?

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:44:11 +0000

AT&T online customer service reps have apparently changed their tune since we first reported yesterday that they were telling potential iPhone buyers that New York "is not ready for the iPhone."...

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Sex In A Commercial Is The Equivalent Of A Gambler’s Tell

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:17:50 +0000

Over at Ditchwalk today, Mark Barrett points out that sex in mainstream advertising is a tell . There are two things it immediately communicates: that the product is "indistinguishable from its...

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Watch Out For Undisclosed Resort Fees When Using Sites Like Priceline

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:50:06 +0000

Travel consumer advocate Christopher Elliott has a new post about an undisclosed $15/day "resort fee" that Trump International Hotel Las Vegas plans to tack onto a customer's bill. The surprise is...

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I Bought My Bro A Downloadable Video Game He Already Owned, Can’t Get My Money Back

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:30:23 +0000

Ario thought he had bought his brother a downloadable PC game via Steam , but was dismayed to find out his brother already owned the game, so he threw his money away. Ario has struggled to get a...

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BofA Locked Our Account Down While We Went Away

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 14:00:25 +0000

Alex says Bank of America's efforts to protect him and his wife from fraud have stranded them in Salt Lake City without access to their accounts. He says the bank mixed up his and his wife's security...

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Pepsi Will Make Like Dallas Cowboys, Miss Super Bowl

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:30:15 +0000

Pepsi is backing out of the insane Super Bowl ad buying derby this year, announcing it will instead spend its pound of flesh on online ads, ESPN reports: The withdrawal ends a 23-year run of Pepsi...

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Best Of Return Policies, Worst Of Return Polices

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:00:42 +0000

To aid you in your post-Christmas return-a-thon, WalletPop has put together a capsule list of the best and worst return policies . This is all subjective, but the post works as a quick, informative...

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Papa John’s Delivery Guy Freaked Out When I Forgot To Tip

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:30:59 +0000

Arcturus meant to leave a tip for the Papa John's delivery dude as he ordered over the phone, but he forgot, and then the delivery guy acted in a way that will ensure Arcturus never forgets to tip...

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If You Want The One On The Left, Cough Up An Extra $100

admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:00:37 +0000

Jesse found identical sets of Six Feet Under on DVD, one for $249.99 and the other for $149.99. The more expensive set was most likely a labeling error that would have been caught at checkout --...

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Next Time You Fly, Prepare To Be Patted Down And Computerless

admin — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 23:30:28 +0000

Are we not allowed to have electronics with us in the cabin when we fly now? Is it true that we can't get up in the last hour of a flight, and everyone gets patted down now? Most importantly, what...

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Next Time You Fly, Prepare To Be Patted Down And Computerless

admin — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 23:30:28 +0000