Here’s a new credit card scam for you. Cleverly enough, it convinces its victims to call a voicemail system and input the access data for their credit cards.
Victims in Kent County, MI reported receiving cell-phone texts and recorded calls that said that one of their credit cards had been deactivated. They were directed to please call (616) 855-1134 to set everything right again.
It’s almost to the point that I don’t want to read the Business section anymore. Are you with me? And cognizant as I am that “if it bleeds, it leads,” it’s time for a feel-good financial-services story. So I emailed Liz Pulliam Weston, nationally syndicated personal-finance writer and author of many books, to “get her thoughts on the best and worst financial products and services of 2009.”
Tell you what: the woman’s smart with a capital MART, but I was surprised by her answer.
Now, here at Wallet Blog we’re no strangers to high-yield, interest-bearing checking accounts. Wrote about Focus Bank back in May and yes, their offer still stands. But how could I be content, knowing that I’ve only alerted you to one 4.51% checking account? Time to rectify that situation with a few other options.
For instance: Bank of the Sierra, based in my beloved California, also offers a 4.51% yield checking account. And you don’t have to be a millionaire to enjoy their top interest rate; you can open the account with only $50, and you’ll earn 4.51% APY on balances up to $25,000, so long as you meet the minimum qualifications for that statement cycle. (Qualifications include a minimum of 12 Sierra Check Card purchases per statement cycle, minimum of one direct deposit/automatic payment monthly, one Sierra BillPay payment per cycle, eStatements, and you must open the account line.) And, if that’s not enough, there are no monthly fees, you can earn up to $25 in ATM refunds each statement cycle, and there is a beautiful picture of Sequoia redwoods on their Sierra Reward Checking Web page. Click here to learn more and to open an account. Please note that the account is available nationwide, but you must be a U.S. resident or a U.S. resident alien to apply.
OK, the economy might be bouncing back but my wallet sure isn’t, so I went trolling on the Internet for some free samples. Call it cheapskate retail therapy. There are plenty of places where you can sign up for free stuff, but at what cost?
The first site I went to was Thunderfap.com. They list an appealing “fall sample pack” on their home page, along with other items that would be of interest to pretty much anyone who has pets, kids, or a pulse.
Here at Wallet Blog, we get lots of PR pitches. It’s flattering, really. But one company I never expected to hear from, especially in November, is Coppertone. Nevertheless, it’s fun to be surprised (especially as I just winter-proofed my double-paned windows against the encroaching Nor’easters).
Their pitch was helpful and informative, and I live to be helpful and informative, so let’s talk about some little-known ways to maximize your FSA spending.
So, my husband and I have been delighted with our choice to buy a CSA farmshare. Our summer has been chock-full of mostly local, mostly organic vegetables, and it’s pushed me to become a more adventurous cook and eater (yes, I ate the beets. Call the press).
But now, there’s a new buy-local buzzword in town. It’s called “cowpooling.” This is where neighbors pool their money to purchase all of the meat from one local cow.
If you haven’t received a notice from your credit card company that your rates are increasing, well, you probably don’t have a credit card. What some people are missing among the fine print is that many cards are changing their rate structure from a fixed rate to a variable one. So, what’s the difference, why is this happening, and is this a big deal?
According to the OCC, a fixed-rate credit card means that the Annual Percentage Rate on the account “is not tied to an index that may change periodically.” Variable rates are generally tied to an index rate, such as the Prime Rate.
Getting ready to shell out your hard-earned ducats for some holiday gifts? Here’s a round-up of what’ll be “in store” for the day after Thanksgiving. Click the store name to see the entire list of Black Friday incentives.
Best Buy: Twenty to 50-percent off many appliances, and a slew of digital camera offers that you can also access via eBay.
National Geographic magazine is a national treasure and as such, those of us in the US should support it. At $15/year, you’ll receive the best journalistic and nature photography ever, and you’ll learn something, too.
Visit this link and subscribe all your nieces and nephews. They’ll receive 12 issues for $15. Even if they don’t read, they’ll enjoy the beautiful pictures. Also, you can repurpose them into dioramas, collages, and other art projects. National Geographic employs the best photographers worldwide and has also awarded more than 8,000 grants for exploration, research, and conservation efforts.
My clutter is costing me money. I figured this out a few days ago when, struck by the mad desire to clean my apartment, I found not one, not two, but three unopened packages of swim diapers. At about $8 apiece, that’s $24 wasted dollars.
Enough was enough. So far I’ve decluttered my office, the nursery, and half of my bedroom, and as a result I’ve taken 11 tall kitchen garbage bags worth of stuff to my local Goodwill. (Yes, I could have had a garage sale, but I wanted this stuff out of my place pronto.)
Last year around holiday-time, we heard a lot about layaway: “It’s coming back!” “Helloooo, 1980s, your purchase-plan just called.” In particular, Kmart earned buzz with its layaway program last year, and now offers layaway items on Sears’ purchases as well.
But is layaway really a big deal?
Last week, banking powerhouse JP Morgan Chase launched a charge card for small businesses. This is the first charge card to be offered by any major Visa/MasterCard issuer, as American Express locked up that marketplace a long time ago.
The new charge card is called Ink Bold, and, as with any charge card, monthly balances must be paid in full each billing period. Ink Bold most closely resembles the Gold Card from American Express OPEN. Let’s compare some typical features:
If you or someone you buy for is planning to dress in costume for Halloween, you can save big money by taking care of those needs right now instead of a couple of days prior to October 31st.
For the younger set, Toys “R” Us/Babies “R” Us lets you save $10 on purchases of $30 or more if you’re a new “Bill Me Later” customer, subject to credit approval.
For a very limited time, Restaurant.com is offering gift certificates worth $25 for the price of $1. Just enter the Discount Code NINETY at checkout and hit “apply.” Oh, and be sure to say “no thanks” when they ask if you want to complete the survey, because if you click “yes” you’ll get charged an additional twenty bucks.
This offer is good for 99 hours starting 9/9/09, so act quickly!
Yeah, between summer vacations and back-to-school, my wallet’s pretty tapped out. Yours too? How about a nice change of pace: free stuff!
Disclosure: Some links point to CardHub.com or FindHub.com, which are both owned by the same parent company as this blog.