Just saw this post and since it's holiday time and lots of people use computers for just about everything, I thought I'd say a little something.
I am admittedly a techno-idiot; what I can do on the computer is through the careful tutelage of my daughter, over the years, starting back to when she was in nursery school. So, if I know anything at all, it's because I've learned who to ask the right questions!
Now, with that said, I just read this about reliability of laptops and, of course, who doesn't want their money spent wisely? We want the best bang for the buck, so to speak, right?
It looks like Toshiba and Asus are head of the list on reliability, while some big names are very low on that list. Here's the article and I hope it helps someone make a great purchase and have an awesome experience: "1 in 3 laptops die in first three years".
Comments are always welcome and Happy Holidays!
Ta~Jax
Monday, November 23, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
BUYER BEWARE!
Trick or Treat or is the Holiday Shopping Season?
Yes, it's that time of the year when we barely have the pool closed, the patio furniture stored away, the winter wear down from the attic and Christmas carols are playing in every mall.
With every budget affected in some way by current economic trends, just about every one of us is looking for the bargains to abound this holiday season, right? I know our family is looking to shop smart this year. We may forgo personal gifts and make donations to a couple of charities instead and do something for each other rather than buy an item to gift.
Well, I don't know if every family wants to change their gifting tradition but this year's Black Friday may become a bit more brutal than others. A new article suggests that holiday shoppers will basically get tricked into shopping in some stores. This is the trick: You get the ad for a fabulous price for that TV you've been eyeing and make plans to get up at 3 am to be on line Friday after Thanksgiving. What you didn't see was the fine print: "Quantities limited, only 3 per store, no rainchecks" .
If you are first on that line, you might get the treat, however, like the ads for kids' contests read "many will enter, only one will win."
For your reading pleasure, I've included the link in this post. Find out what people in the industry are saying about the dirty little secrets of "Black Friday Doorbusters".
As always, would love to hear any feedback anyone may have!
Wishing everyone, and their families, a truly fabulous Thanksgiving!
Ta~Jax
Yes, it's that time of the year when we barely have the pool closed, the patio furniture stored away, the winter wear down from the attic and Christmas carols are playing in every mall.
With every budget affected in some way by current economic trends, just about every one of us is looking for the bargains to abound this holiday season, right? I know our family is looking to shop smart this year. We may forgo personal gifts and make donations to a couple of charities instead and do something for each other rather than buy an item to gift.
Well, I don't know if every family wants to change their gifting tradition but this year's Black Friday may become a bit more brutal than others. A new article suggests that holiday shoppers will basically get tricked into shopping in some stores. This is the trick: You get the ad for a fabulous price for that TV you've been eyeing and make plans to get up at 3 am to be on line Friday after Thanksgiving. What you didn't see was the fine print: "Quantities limited, only 3 per store, no rainchecks" .
If you are first on that line, you might get the treat, however, like the ads for kids' contests read "many will enter, only one will win."
For your reading pleasure, I've included the link in this post. Find out what people in the industry are saying about the dirty little secrets of "Black Friday Doorbusters".
As always, would love to hear any feedback anyone may have!
Wishing everyone, and their families, a truly fabulous Thanksgiving!
Ta~Jax
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Relief from the $38 cup of Joe!
Consumers have spoken and have been heard!
Effective July 1, 2010 --- of course sooner would be better --- those annoying overdraft fees for small and unimportant purchases will not be covered by overdraft unless you "opt-in" to the overdraft program with your bank.
It's slightly better to have an option to decide whether you are prepared to pay an $30 extra for a $5 cup of coffee as opposed to being stuck paying that much when you thought you'd just simply be declined if the $5 wasn't available in your account!
Now, just remember, you are still accountable for your financial well-being, so if you do "opt-in" stay on top of your deposits and your payments. This new ruling DOES NOT cover important bills like car loan payments and mortgage payments.
I've given you the link here so you have the posted article for yourself: "Fed: banks need customer consent on overdraft fees"
As always, comments are welcome! Anything you'd like to say {Please be nice!} send it to debtcure123@gmail.com.
Ta~Jax
Effective July 1, 2010 --- of course sooner would be better --- those annoying overdraft fees for small and unimportant purchases will not be covered by overdraft unless you "opt-in" to the overdraft program with your bank.
It's slightly better to have an option to decide whether you are prepared to pay an $30 extra for a $5 cup of coffee as opposed to being stuck paying that much when you thought you'd just simply be declined if the $5 wasn't available in your account!
Now, just remember, you are still accountable for your financial well-being, so if you do "opt-in" stay on top of your deposits and your payments. This new ruling DOES NOT cover important bills like car loan payments and mortgage payments.
I've given you the link here so you have the posted article for yourself: "Fed: banks need customer consent on overdraft fees"
As always, comments are welcome! Anything you'd like to say {Please be nice!} send it to debtcure123@gmail.com.
Ta~Jax
Monday, November 2, 2009
Wow! What Will They Think Of Next?
Just read this little post of Yahoo! Finance and, boy oh boy! They keep finding new ways to stay in black while customers are still in the red!
Who is "they"? The banking industry...you know, the ones who are also charging debit card users and online banking users astronomical account fees to cover purchases and payment. Take a moment to read this article, if you please; I think it's important you know what's happening: "5 Evil Things Credit Card Companies Can Still Do".
This is what's happening - there is legislation that limits some of the fees and rates charges on existing balances, protections for new account holders and how often increases on rates can occur on older accounts. There are still late payment fees that will apply and any other action a bank may have to take on delinquent accounts.
But, in light of the legislation that has been signed into law, our friendly bankers will now be able to charge for not using your card in 12 months, for not carrying a minimum balance or even for not charging enough in a 12 month period!
This is outrageous! I think we don't really need the banks to tell us they want us broke anymore, do we? They have no interest in how you and I live as long as they can charge us for ridiculous and, in many ways, frivolous fees so they may make money.
Obviously, no amount of law-making is going to protect us from these guys so I think it's time we look to alternative ways to bank utilizing more local banks & credit unions since the top players are just going to keep abusing our relationship with them.
Let me know your feedback via email debtcure123@gmail.com
Who is "they"? The banking industry...you know, the ones who are also charging debit card users and online banking users astronomical account fees to cover purchases and payment. Take a moment to read this article, if you please; I think it's important you know what's happening: "5 Evil Things Credit Card Companies Can Still Do".
This is what's happening - there is legislation that limits some of the fees and rates charges on existing balances, protections for new account holders and how often increases on rates can occur on older accounts. There are still late payment fees that will apply and any other action a bank may have to take on delinquent accounts.
But, in light of the legislation that has been signed into law, our friendly bankers will now be able to charge for not using your card in 12 months, for not carrying a minimum balance or even for not charging enough in a 12 month period!
This is outrageous! I think we don't really need the banks to tell us they want us broke anymore, do we? They have no interest in how you and I live as long as they can charge us for ridiculous and, in many ways, frivolous fees so they may make money.
Obviously, no amount of law-making is going to protect us from these guys so I think it's time we look to alternative ways to bank utilizing more local banks & credit unions since the top players are just going to keep abusing our relationship with them.
Let me know your feedback via email debtcure123@gmail.com
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Making the right choice with your finances?
We've all heard the news and read the headlines so it does not bear repeating here. Now we all need to take action to make a few changes in how we think about money and how to use it.
As a financial professional , I've had people tell me that they are in good shape and have a plan for the future. "I've got a 401k for retirement and I have no debt! I'm good!" is what they generally mean which I also know not to be the case for most folks. A few minutes of conversation asking the right questions always reveals the actual situation. Most of us don't understand money, never mind what the options are or what they mean to us.
Now, what I mean to say is simply this - your financial choices may not be bad decisions but they may not be the right ones for you! Taking advice from a source not familiar with your personality and financial ability could take you to a place you had no intention of going.
Here's an article for you to illustrate this "6 Financial Moves That Sound Good But Aren't". The most important thing you must decide when you are faced with a financial choice is whether it will provide you with the result you desire.
Remember, there are things not within your control that may affect how things turn out. It is always best to maintain balance and, if you are unsure about what to do, consult your financial adviser to get an objective opinion.
Hope this helps and we'll post something soon for you with the holiday season just round the bend!
Ta~Jax
As a financial professional , I've had people tell me that they are in good shape and have a plan for the future. "I've got a 401k for retirement and I have no debt! I'm good!" is what they generally mean which I also know not to be the case for most folks. A few minutes of conversation asking the right questions always reveals the actual situation. Most of us don't understand money, never mind what the options are or what they mean to us.
Now, what I mean to say is simply this - your financial choices may not be bad decisions but they may not be the right ones for you! Taking advice from a source not familiar with your personality and financial ability could take you to a place you had no intention of going.
Here's an article for you to illustrate this "6 Financial Moves That Sound Good But Aren't". The most important thing you must decide when you are faced with a financial choice is whether it will provide you with the result you desire.
Remember, there are things not within your control that may affect how things turn out. It is always best to maintain balance and, if you are unsure about what to do, consult your financial adviser to get an objective opinion.
Hope this helps and we'll post something soon for you with the holiday season just round the bend!
Ta~Jax
Thursday, September 10, 2009
$38 Cup of Coffee?
Yep, you read that correctly...$38 for a cup of java! How does one pay $38 for a cup of coffee, you ask.
Remember the post a few weeks ago on "Are you a Joe Lunchbox"? Well, here's the 411 on the hidden and sinister fees that your bank and mine are sneaking into our budgets!
Imagine going into your favorite place to buy a cup of coffee and, as a responsible adult, you know you have cash in your checking account to cover your purchase. You use your debit card to help you keep track of your spending since it's harder to save receipts when you spend cash. So far, you're okay.
What you don't know is how your bank may process your transactions. They may decide to process your mortgage/rent payment first, car insurance next and lesser purchases after that. Because your timing and theirs may not be the same for your deposits vs. payments, you could end up paying $4 for a coffee with a $34 overdraft fee making your coffee purchase total $38! Not to mention, the overdraft fees because you didn't have the money available to process your mortgage/rent payment or your car insurance which is a result of the timing of the bank processing your transactions!
This truly is a conspiracy for banks to make up for the profits they are not making by overcharging customers and, so far, we have very little government protection to keep them from charging us for this "protection". Sounds to me, using banking online and debit cards need a little scrutiny and we need to go back to paper checks for some payments.
Here's the entire article for your perusal: "Overspending on Debit Cards is a Boon for Banks". I know there aren't many choices available to us when it comes to using debit cards vs credit but at least they're working on the credit card issues...maybe we can look at prepaid debit cards as a serious alternative to this insane world of fees. Try this link "Free Prepaid Credit/Debit Cards" for a post on how they work and a few can help you build a credit history.
If you have any questions or comments, I am always happy to hear from you!
Ta~
Jax
Remember the post a few weeks ago on "Are you a Joe Lunchbox"? Well, here's the 411 on the hidden and sinister fees that your bank and mine are sneaking into our budgets!
Imagine going into your favorite place to buy a cup of coffee and, as a responsible adult, you know you have cash in your checking account to cover your purchase. You use your debit card to help you keep track of your spending since it's harder to save receipts when you spend cash. So far, you're okay.
What you don't know is how your bank may process your transactions. They may decide to process your mortgage/rent payment first, car insurance next and lesser purchases after that. Because your timing and theirs may not be the same for your deposits vs. payments, you could end up paying $4 for a coffee with a $34 overdraft fee making your coffee purchase total $38! Not to mention, the overdraft fees because you didn't have the money available to process your mortgage/rent payment or your car insurance which is a result of the timing of the bank processing your transactions!
This truly is a conspiracy for banks to make up for the profits they are not making by overcharging customers and, so far, we have very little government protection to keep them from charging us for this "protection". Sounds to me, using banking online and debit cards need a little scrutiny and we need to go back to paper checks for some payments.
Here's the entire article for your perusal: "Overspending on Debit Cards is a Boon for Banks". I know there aren't many choices available to us when it comes to using debit cards vs credit but at least they're working on the credit card issues...maybe we can look at prepaid debit cards as a serious alternative to this insane world of fees. Try this link "Free Prepaid Credit/Debit Cards" for a post on how they work and a few can help you build a credit history.
If you have any questions or comments, I am always happy to hear from you!
Ta~
Jax
Thursday, September 3, 2009
"Let It Be Easy!"
Today, I'm doing a book review because I was so impressed with the simplicity of the information yet the profoundness of the writer's knowledge and wisdom. I've been on a journey of increasing my awareness of the world and my place in it and this book just said it all in very few words.
I just read through, on my first pass, a book my great friend Laura recommended I read, "Let It Be Easy", by Tolly Burkan. If you are a student of personal development, this is a must read! It takes all of the other books and concepts and condenses it into 11 different areas in which to improve your life and live to your potential.
"Let It Be Easy" is only 130 pages long so you're able to read it in a very short period of time. However, as I stated earlier, this is just a first pass and I can see myself reading this multiple times to concentrate on one area at a time. If you are a student of personal development, I know you understand re-reading the same book to "see" what you may have overlooked before or what you now "get" that you didn't previously!
As a financial adviser, this particular sentence struck me as the one thing I see in the world around me: "Many people allow their quality of life to deteriorate because their financial prosperity has misled them into believing that they were winning, when they were actually losing" ["Let It Be Easy", Burkan, 2005]. This book is not on finance but about your entire lifestyle and how it affects you and your place in the Universe.
The last advice it gives is to share the book with your circle of friends and, so, I hope you will all take the time to grab a copy of this awesome little book and "Let It Be Easy" for you!
As always, share your thoughts as they are welcome!
Ta~
Jax
I just read through, on my first pass, a book my great friend Laura recommended I read, "Let It Be Easy", by Tolly Burkan. If you are a student of personal development, this is a must read! It takes all of the other books and concepts and condenses it into 11 different areas in which to improve your life and live to your potential.
"Let It Be Easy" is only 130 pages long so you're able to read it in a very short period of time. However, as I stated earlier, this is just a first pass and I can see myself reading this multiple times to concentrate on one area at a time. If you are a student of personal development, I know you understand re-reading the same book to "see" what you may have overlooked before or what you now "get" that you didn't previously!
As a financial adviser, this particular sentence struck me as the one thing I see in the world around me: "Many people allow their quality of life to deteriorate because their financial prosperity has misled them into believing that they were winning, when they were actually losing" ["Let It Be Easy", Burkan, 2005]. This book is not on finance but about your entire lifestyle and how it affects you and your place in the Universe.
The last advice it gives is to share the book with your circle of friends and, so, I hope you will all take the time to grab a copy of this awesome little book and "Let It Be Easy" for you!
As always, share your thoughts as they are welcome!
Ta~
Jax
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