Wow, I wouldn’t normally buy this, but its too cheap not to!”

Be sure you are buying what you can afford.  Oh yea…and don’t trample anyone….
Sam’s club
Acer Aspire One 10.1″ Netbook – $197.00
HP G71 17″ LED Notebook w/Blu-ray – $499.00
Olympus FE-4000 12 MegaPixel Camera – $98.00 ($30 savings)
JVC 1080p Blu-ray Player – $129.00
Garmin Nuvi 255w GPS Navigation System – $119.00 ($10 savings)
Hitachi 42″ 1080p LCD HDTV – $598.00
Phillips 52″ 1080p LCD HDTV – $1198.00 ($50 savings)
Vizio 47″ 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV – $997.00

Staples

Target

KMart

I’ll update these as I find them.  Just got my Google Wave invite…be back in 3 hours.

Its hard to really condone some of these phones simply because, not only are they wicked expensive, but in order to fully realize their potential, you have to buy into data plans that (per MB) are way more expensive than the data connection going to your house. [Remember this?]

Billshrink.com has put together a nice little huge image that captures a lot of the finer details of what these devices shake out at.

(Click to enlarge)

FastUpFront.com has created a list of the best iPhone applications that can save you both time and money in your small business.  Some of the topics are personal assistance, time management, news, business tools, finance, information, file management, and travel tools.  I could list them out here with all the links and what not, but I don’t want to take away from the hard work they did, so a link will just have to do.  You have any to add?

PS – I am still not entirely convinced if the iPhone is a good deal or not; that monthly bill is heavy.  What are you experiences? Worth it?

Tod Philips over at Geeks Are Sexy wrote up a great piece on how he is saving a ton of money on Skype and the unreal taxes being charged to his long distance account.  Almost 30%!!  Check it out.

Yes.  Yes they are.  One in particular to me anyway.  Yesterday, Frank wrote an article about how we shouldn’t have to pay for GPS map updates.  If you read closely you might have read that he mentioned me and my issues with paying for an internet connection.  Its not that I don’t WANT to pay for it actually, I just don’t want to pay through the nose for a shoddy connection that isn’t even really that fast.  Right now I am piggy backing off my neighbor…yea yea I know might not be the most nicest thing but its wide open and free.But I don’t want to do that anymore.  I want my own connection, not only because I feel bad that I can completely demolish my poor unsuspecting neighbor, but because I want to work at home more and I need some more serious juice in order to do it.  Writing a few articles on a laptop is a far cry from this speed demon desktop I built from spare parts (from power button to windows, it boots in about 30 seconds) and the amount of FTPing I need to do.

So the first issue we run into is choice.  Of all the internet service providers, in all the world, we only get one.  And I don’t mean “we” as in me and my fiancée, I mean you as well.  It is very rare to have a choice in who provides you with an internet connection.  I can kind of understand this because there is competition in where they lease these from and ISP’s are very territorial.  Of course thats where the competition stops because all the ISP’s are gouging consumers in this country.  The U.S. is one of the absolute slowest, not to mention what we pay for it.  We put a man in the moon and a robot on Mars?  Sometimes I really wonder…  So lets move on from that issue, and say “ok, I will just make the most with what I have in front of me.”  And that would be  Comcast.

Have you been to Comcast’s website?  Lets talk about it.  For starters, they have a great marketing team.  They post the prices for an internet connection at the lowest amount but you can’t get them.  $19.99 a month for 6 months is not a bad deal when you consider the alternative of $42.95.  But that later price of $42.95 is only for those that get the Comcast cable package.  How much is that?  $29.99!  (For the cheapest package that no sane person would want.)  So I need to spend $62.94 (before taxes, service fees, surcharges, amendments, handling fees, breathing charges and charity donations mind you) in order to get internet for the on going cost of $42.95 and get cable TV.

What’s the problem?  What if I don’t WANT cable TV?  We currently get plenty of HD over the air and its only costs was the antenna.  Virtually free and we really don’t have the time to watch all the crap we want to watch.  So if I stick to my guns and get just the internet: $57.95.  

Dammit.  

Is it too much to ask to get a decent connection for under $25?  And not for just the first twenty minutes of the contract.  And so help me if I have to commit to a contract for a connection that constantly goes down.  Can you negotiate with Comcast?  No, You probably have to call in the Navy.

This sounds lame, but I feel as though my frugality is making me a victim.  It doesn’t seem fair that because I don’t want all the bells and whistle I have to pay more.  This brings me back to my original thought: Maybe stealing bandwidth isn’t so bad?  Comcast seems like they are stealing…What would you do?

PS – Sorry about the crap image: you can thank MSPaint.  No photoshop today.

Netflix. What?! Don’t take away my movies!  I know how exciting a movie in your mailbox may make you when you come home for work, but how happy are you shelling out $20+ a month?  Movies are great, don’t get me wrong, but there are better and cheaper methods for renting them.  I’m still a huge fan of Redbox.  Check out their website and see if one of their boxes is close to your home.  Movies are $.99 and free on Mondays.  Some things are worth repeating, Redbox movies are $.99 and free on Mondays.  Are you watching 20+ movies a month with Netflix?  We would never pay for way more food than we could possibly eat month after month, why are videos any different?

Phone Bills. Obviously we can’t live without a phone, but many of us are doubling up on coverage and in the process, doubling up our expenses.  I recently wrote about switching to a pay-as-you-go monthly service on your cell phone, which is a great option for those of us that sparsely use our cell phones.  Home phone lines seem like something we are supposed to have because our parents had them; they give us a sense of stability.  But why have a home phone line that you only use to hang-up on telemarketers?  Ditching this could save you upwards of $30/month.

Satellite Radio. If you would of asked me 10 years ago if people would ever consider paying for radio, I would have said you’re nuts.  Now, I’m one of them paying each month for Sirius/XM radio.  I love listening to talk radio and random radio stations on the way to what can be long commute in and out of Washington, DC, but I’m starting to doubt the worthiness of this expense.  I seem to be looking for better songs more than actually listening and most of the talk shows I enjoy most are on ESPN radio, which is free.

Useless Insurance. Many of us have overlapping insurance coverage and have no idea.  For example, many people pay extra each month on their car insurance for towing and entry into their vehicles when their keys are locked inside.  These same people may also belong to AAA, which provides the same services.  Look deeper into your insurance policies and see where you can cut the fat, or in some cases, cut the insurance completely.  Credit card insurance is one you can probably get rid of, especially if you don’t carry a balance.

Gym Memberships. Lets me honest, are you getting your monies worth?  If you find yourself going to the gym once or twice a week, your likely better off choosing free, but still healthy choices like running, playing recreational sports, and On Demand exercise routines.  Rather than keep shelling out the monthly expense, purchase equipment that will last forever and provide free exercise down the road.  With little to no money you can: run, play tennis, lift dumbbells, do sit-ups and pushups, ride bike, walk, countless abdominal routines, and more.

Magazines/Newspaper Subscriptions. Maybe you love reading the newspaper or getting new magazines in the mail, but do you find yourself struggling to keep up with them?  At times I feel like its work to keep up with the Washington Post and the few magazines I get.  The solution may be to cancel or cutback on the subscriptions.  For example, just get the weekend paper delivered and on the weekdays you actually have time, pay the $.35.  Consider canceling some of you magazines and only keeping your absolute favorite subscriptions.

What have you cut from your monthly budget? $

This is a guest post by Robbin Montero

 Having your parents bear the entire expense of a wedding and reception is not a birthright.

Dowries no longer exist in our culture.  Also long gone by the wayside is the old notion that the bride’s family is financially responsible for the entire cost of the wedding and reception. Having your parents bear the entire expense of a wedding and reception is not a birthright. Their contribution is a gift and, with the skyrocketing cost of weddings, is has become commonplace for both sets of parents and the bridal couple to share in this major expense.

When setting your wedding budget, start by asking what amount, if any, your parents are willing to contribute. They may wish to cover some, if not all, of the services and items on your list. Modern tradition still observes the following financial allocations:

Traditional expenses of groom and/or groom’s parents
The groom’s parents (and/or groom) are responsible for the cost of the bride’s and bridesmaids’ bouquets, all corsages for the ladies and boutonnieres for the gentlemen. The groom bears the expense of the marriage license and officiant’s fee, but not the church or ceremony location charges. The groom or his parents pay for expenses associated with transportation of the bride and groom to the ceremony and reception, and transportation to the wedding night room. 

The entire cost of the honeymoon and the bride’s ring is the responsibility of the groom and/or groom’s parents, as well as any gifts given to the bride. Accommodations for the groomsmen, whether arriving from out-of-town, or if a destination wedding is planned, are also the responsibility of the groom. The groom pays the cost of rental or purchase of his tuxedo.  

Always an optional expense for the groom’s family, it is commonly expected that the groom’s parents are financially responsible for the rehearsal dinner. Depending on circumstances, the groom and groom’s parents can also offer assistance for a next-day brunch, or they can choose to pay for particular wedding items, such as the photography, champagne or cake.

Traditional expenses of the bride’s family
The bride’s family is responsible for all other expenses, which include the engagement party and the rehearsal dinner (if the groom’s parents do not pay). They will cover the entire cost of the reception, including the site rental, catering fees, beverages, wedding cake, all other flowers and decorations for the site. The bride’s dress, invitations, music for the ceremony and reception, cost of the church or ceremony site, photography and/or videography, wedding coordinator, party favors, guest transportation (if needed), and a trousseau for the bride also come under the responsibility of the bride’s family. They are also responsible for the cost of rooms for the bridesmaids at destination weddings, or for the rooms of women in the bridal party who are arriving from out-of-town. 

Of course, times have changed and many brides are professional women who, along with their groom, contribute considerably to the expenses of the wedding. Some are capable of and desire to pay for their own weddings, splitting costs with their future spouse.

Other expenses
Bridesmaids are responsible for the cost of their dresses, any alterations and accessories.  They also pay for shower and wedding gifts, as well as the expense of hosting or co-hosting the bridal shower(s) and bachelorette party.

Groomsmen are responsible for renting their tuxedos, any alterations and accessories.  They also pay for wedding gifts, and hosting or co-hosting a bachelor (or coed bachelor/ bachelorette) party.  

Discuss the budget of your wedding up front with everyone who might participate in covering the expenses. Doing so will help you make the most of a realistic budget so you can have the touches you feel are important to your celebration of marriage. 

“Stress Free, Leave the Details to Me,” is the tried and true philosophy of Robbin Montero, California Wine Country wedding planning expert and owner of A Dream Wedding.  Robbin is the premier wedding planner in the Northern California Wine Country, transforming any vision into the perfectly designed wedding creation. Robbin and her weddings have been featured in The Knot, Brides, Elite Magazine, Your Wedding Day and Vine Napa/Sonoma magazines, and ImportantOccasions.com. Travel & Leisure magazine calls Robbin, “The expert wedding planner in the California Wine Country.” 

©2009 Robbin Montero  

707-579-5886  |  www.a-dreamwedding.com

This article cannot be reprinted without Robbin Montero’s expressed written permission.

Where I live the temperature gets low.  We are talking like 12 degrees Fahrenheit, before the wind starts collecting its due.  Being the apprentice of a Frugal Master (Frank) I have ratched down our heat to 65 (sometimes 68) degrees.  Sure, we can do the usual things where we put on ectra layers but personally I just don’t sleep well wearing socks and I simply feel weird sleeping in a hoodie.  :-)

So what is my latest trick?  Well a little background first…
 When its time for bed, the initial 10 minutes of the sheets are about as cold as you can imagine.  Then if you happen to move around, you almost have to start over and warm up a new spot.  The solution?  We put an electric heating blanket in the bed between the sheet and the comforter and we turn it on about 30 minutes before bed time.  Boom!  When its time to hit the hay, climbing in to a warm bed is awesome.  The gas doesn’t get wasted trying to heat a whole hosue when we spend a majority of our time in about 25% of it.  And we only have about 30 minutes of heating bill to pay for.  

Yea, yea its not that much savings perhaps but its something.  And something is better than nothing right?  Here are MSNBC’s tips for us:

1. Learn to love socks. If your feet are cold, your whole body will feel cold, so make a point of wearing socks around the house in the winter. The next step if you’re still feeling cold: Bundle up in a sweater or a blanket rather than cranking up the heat.

2. Tap heat that’s there anyway. There are plenty of activities you do around the house that generate warmth, such as cooking a meal or taking a shower. When you shower, keep the bathroom door open so steam spreads to other rooms, and don’t turn a ventilation fan on; it will rapidly remove the warm air you’re hoping to keep around.

3. Lower your thermostat. You likely won’t notice a huge difference if you turn it down just a few degrees, a move that can shave 5 percent to 10 percent off your heating bill. It’s especially wise to turn down the heat whenever you leave your home for several hours.

4. Watch that water heater. It’s also not likely to be noticeable if you turn down the thermostat on your water heater to, say, 120 degrees from about 140 degrees.

5. Consider a programmable thermostat. They cost between $30 and $100, but that’s money you’re sure to make back over the course of a year because your heating bills will drop. A programmable thermostat allows you to adjust the heat on a predetermined schedule, so you can lower the heat when you’re not home or when you’re sleeping.

6. Don’t let heat escape unnecessarily. Keep your doors and windows shut when the heat is on. If your home has a fireplace that you aren’t using, be sure the flue is closed and glass doors are in place to minimize heat loss. In addition to those bathroom ventilation fans, turn kitchen ventilation fans off when they aren’t needed.

7. Call for a checkup. Proper maintenance will help your heating unit run more efficiently. Electric and oil heaters should get professional attention at least once a year and gas heaters every other year. Also, here’s a step you can take all on your own: Remember to check the filters in your heating system and make sure they’re clean and clear. Dirty filters lead to higher heating costs.

8. Keep windows covered when it’s dark outside. This will help you reduce heat loss and keep cold air at bay, especially if you have older windows. But be sure to let in the light during the daytime — those rays of sun will help heat your home.

9. Explore outside. Check the exterior of your heating unit. Avoid stacking anything against the heat pump or draping anything over it. Hose the outside unit down to clear it of dirt, leaves and grass clippings. If your indoor unit appears to have excess water around it, see whether the condensate drain and pan are blocked.

10. Light a candle. Not for warmth, but for the purpose of doing a little sleuth work. Hold the flame near windows, doors and light fixtures and look for smoke moving in a horizontal direction. If you see it, that means you’ve spotted an air leak, and it likely means heat is escaping your home easily. To solve that problem, install some low-cost caulking or weather-stripping, or consider adding some insulating material.

This is a guest post from Al Jacobs, who is the publisher of OnTheMoneyTrail.com.  His book is called Nobody’s Fool: A Skeptics Guide to Prosperity.

When economic times are good, you may be inclined to shop with little regard for price or value.  But when conditions turn sour it’s another story.  As your dollars must now be stretched longer and harder, you’d better spend each of them wisely.  

What brand of watch do you wear?  Whether a top-of-the-line Rolex or an economy Timex, recognize both keep excellent time.  The current models all do a better job than the “precision” pocket watch your Great-grand-uncle Elmo used as a railroad engineer.  The only justification for a high-priced model is self-image and the illusion of prosperity.  These are both overrated.

And while on the subject of small mechanical devices which serve a need, consider the hyperbole employed by one firm to convince us of the importance of a $600 ballpoint pen.  The arguments include an appreciation of beauty and workmanship, the profound emotional experience you receive utilizing a fine writing implement, and the implication you will be admired by clients and associates for your taste and culture.  There are two fascinating aspects of this campaign, the first being that the hired pitchmen manage to keep a straight face while reading their lines.  The other is that anyone not certifiably demented actually believes a word of it.

What can be said about wristwatches and ballpoint pens is equally true as to other highly promoted products.  These include magazine offerings, timeshare projects, $300 per ounce bottles of perfume, Las Vegas weekend getaways, and the purchase of lottery tickets, to name just a few.  As a rule of thumb, the more overpriced the merchandise, the more innovative its promotion.  

Let me offer a few other examples of money badly spent, which added up over a lifetime represents a fair chunk of your earnings.  Twenty-four rolls of a popular brand of toilet paper is available at Wal-Mart for $10.19.  Six rolls of the same product, selling at a major market of $6.46, are easily dropped into a shopping cart.  The 250% markup doesn’t seem to bother many housewives.  It should.

And speaking of paper products, where might stationery be bought cheaply?  Except for top-grade rag content or custom-engraved stock, avoid the stationery stores.  Even the major discounters are not the places to go.  A little comparison-shopping reveals paper supply houses offer the lowest prices, and most are open to the general public.

When you fill your car with gasoline, does the lesser-priced regular grade or the higher-priced premium grade end up in your tank?  Don’t base your decision on assurances by the service station manager promoting the more expensive fuel, but on performance you can actually experience.  The fundamental difference between the two grades is octane number burning speed—when in earlier years slower burning helped prevent engine “knock.”  Because of the lower compression ratios of today’s cars, most function satisfactorily on 87-octane fuel.  Unless that causes your auto engine to “ping” when climbing a slight hill, use the cheaper fuel.

I hope this message is coming across clearly.  Don’t make your buying decisions based on urging from shopkeepers or exhortation from advertising.  Sharpen your buying habits with a healthy dose of skepticism.  Look closely at the product, read the specifications, verify the quality, and compare prices.  You’ll often find what is claimed is not what is offered.  In most of your purchases you are less familiar with a product than are its vendors.  You can overcome this disadvantage with a little effort and by educating yourself.  The results are cumulative and your performance will improve with time.

Al Jacobs has been a professional investor for nearly four decades. He is a nationally syndicated columnist and appears regularly on ProducersWeb.com, DrLaura.com and SheKnows.com. He draws on his extensive expertise in real estate, mortgage, and securities investments to counsel millions on how to invest wisely and spend prudently. He is the author of Nobody’s Fool: A Skeptic’s Guide to Prosperity. Subscribe to his financial column, “On the Money Trail,” at no cost or obligation, by visiting www.onthemoneytrail.com.

The Money Life Network has organized another group project entitled “Jumpstart YOUR Economy: Tips for Starting The New Year Off Right,” and we have to say, that we are excited to write about it.  As of late, there has been enormous amount of activity in Washington DC regarding the economy, almost too much.  I can think of about 3 articles right off the top of my head that I want to write simply on the current events and the incredibly dark days ahead, but unfortunately, I also have a full time job in this field and time has been somewhat, shall we say….limited?

So we are going to try and convey a simple and important message that should compliment our compatriots’ articles (which you can find further down in this article).  This is an issue that many people talk about and never seem to get right…
Its a common misconception that the economy initially dried up due to an actual lack of currency or money.  In retrospect it might seem that way, but it actually started due to a lack solvency, or for lack of a better term, consumer confidence.  Now that that has taken a deep hold, the secondary mechanisms are starting rear their heads, almost like clock work: recession, job loss and further plummet of the market.  Welcome to 2009.

So what do we do?  Some might say that its a good idea to buy American and stimulate the economy.  I’ll fill you in on a secret: That’s not going to work. Under normal circumstances, maybe a little but to throw money at this problem, especially through the citizens, its just throwing good money after bad.  My last count has us right about 2 trillion dollars.  Sorry, that needs the respect it deserves, $2 Trillion Dollars.  $2,000,000,000,000.00.

Personally, I can’t be a huge advocate of giving money back to the government at this point.  I would rather save it and be exposed as little risk as possible.  I think a majority of funds should not get any further than a money market, with a healthy proportion for picking up bargains on the 10 year low market.  Keep in mind that the market is probably going to turn this year, are you ready?  If you are on the fence about buying a house, do it.  Rates are extreme and there is a saturation of available houses to look at.  Stay away from short sales, the third party investor involved is not going to be nice to you.  Foreclosures are a great deal if you can get one (Frank and his wife got one, as did my fiance and I), just remember this is a buyers market.

Where do you stash your cash?  Money markets have the best rates while still being the safest with respect to risk, but it might pay to check and see if your bank is offering a similar product that you can get into easily.  These may also be called Cash Rserve Funds.

Do you have a broker?  Are your investments conservative and long term?  Why do you have a broker?  Ditch ‘em!  With a fair amount of homework, you will probably know as much as they do in a matter of months.  And you will save a bundle on management fees.

Budgeting is also a must.  Spend some time living simply and get as much cash together that you can.  Set aside what you will need for bills for a month and set the remainder to automatically redirect to a high yielding savings account.  Set this and forget it!  If you are near 30 years old, you need to be putting away at least $1,000 a month to have significant savings when you retire.  Want to travel and relax later in life?  Better start ramping that number up a little more because that $1,000 is only going to cover the bare minimum.  With the economy the way it is, its time to be scared.

What do our other frugal friends have for us?  Take a look and get them in your email daily!

• SenseToSave.com Maximize your money – review your tax exemptions now!
• BibleMoneyMatters.com Doing Your First Budget
• FreeFromBroke.com 9 Reasons You Need An Online High-Yield Savings Account
• PTMoney.com 52 Ways to Make Extra Money
• MyInvestingBlog.com Tips to Finding a Fit Financial Helper
• Remodelingthislife.com Prepare For a Year of Holidays

Not to leave on a sour note, one positive advantage to all of this is that there can be some great bargains to be had.  Just do the proper information gathering and due diligence.  If you ever have a question, you know where to reach us.  :) $

Our biggest life expense is taxes.  As soon as we receive our paycheck we are taxed.  Our biggest expense is the federal tax, followed by a few other bills not always associated with taxes, but basically are like Medicare.  Then, your state takes its fair share.

With the money you have left you are taxed.  We pay sales tax on items that we HAVE to have to survive like food and utility bills.  Of course, we also pay taxes on toys that we just want.  Then we about twice a year we are asked to pay yet another hefty tax bill, coming in the form of property tax.

Taxes have you taxed?  Wait, there’s more.  Let’s say you are lucky enough to have a few dollars left to invest in the stock market.  Hopefully you don’t make too much because your profits are taxed.  If your investments aren’t in a tax sheltered account, then you pay taxes twice on the same amount.  Once when you received your paycheck and yet again when you sell your investment.

As you can see, taxes are one of the biggest expenses of our lives, and it takes proper planning to keep paying the piper.  Get a jump start on 2009 by appropriately stocking away money for future bills. $

For many a new year brings a new hope.  It means that your taxes are just about ready to be filed, and new resolutions are ready to be attempted.  My take on resolutions are that they shouldn’t be tied to jsut the beginning of the year but should be laid in place and maintained with discipline year round.  For me there is less pressure and my goals are much more attainable.

• How is your emergency fund?
• Are you ready to max out your IRA?
• Have you started looking to see if you can get any deductions on your taxes?  (W-2’s will be out soon!)
• Make a list of what you will need to get for the holidays next year and stick to it.  Purchase slowly over the course of the year and stop when the list has been completed.
• Start a new calendar with your bills and their due dates.  Display where you will see it often.  When I have something long term I need to be ready for, I will use a dry erase marker on our bathroom mirror.  Its easy to clean when I am done, and I see it everyday, and not everyone else has to see it.
• Check out Mint.com and see how it can get you started.  Its a secure as logging in to your own bank, but don’t feel obligated to act on their credit card suggestions.
• Set your own credit cards to be paid automatically and make a note in your budget that that money is already spent.  You should be at least below 49% especially if you are eyeing the real estate market.

That should be enough to get your year kicked off, and speaking of which, I am going to go back to watching Penn State struggle against the formidable Trojans.  JoePa: Maybe we need you downstairs with the team?

Imagine now that everyone has bought everyone else at least one gift.  Thats a fair amount of multiplying and you can see how this takes about 9 hours to complete. 

Is there a better way?  Some in my family have proposed a Secret Santa Christmas where everyone gets to pull a name from a hat and they focus on one person.  While this would make sense and be more akin to the corporate sized family I have, it has never passed muster.  I think the reason is because there would be far less crying, yelling and drama and then it wouldn’t truly be “Christmas.”  Did I mention the strong Irish background?  Please sprinkle in the proper amounts of volume and alcohol to this scene.

If you have anything remotely similar going on, and can compromise with the other theory of having multiple gifts being opened at once, read on…

We are instituting a method that could be considered a loophole in that we have gotten all the women of the family a certain gift that they *must* open all at once for a greater effect.  It is a brilliant idea that cuts down on both time, money and crying tears.  That’s about as much as I can get into as some of them are readers of this site…hehe.  See ya tomorrow!

Bonds: Investinginbonds.com. A one-stop shop, this free site provides historical prices and call information for specific issues, plus a wealth of market data.

Stocks and funds: Morningstar.com. For copious commentary and statistics on both stocks and funds, this site is hard to top. The juicy stuff will cost you $159 per year for a premium membership.

Credit reports: AnnualCreditReport.com. Forget copycat sites. This is the official Web site where you can get a free report from each of the three credit bureaus once a year.

Credit score: myFICO.com. Buy your score from one credit bureau for $15.95 or from all three for $47.85. Plus, get advice on how to raise your score, and use the site’s EZ Error Correct system to dispute mistakes.

Tax calculator: Kiplinger.com. If you got a tax refund, give yourself a pay raise by using our easy tax-withholding calculator.

Social Security calculator: http://www.ssa.gov/estimator. Type your name, Social Security number, birth date, birthplace and mother’s name into this secure site, and it will show your estimated benefits based on your up-to-date earnings record.

Health insurance: eHealthInsurance.com. Provides immediate quotes for most major health insurers and compares policies. For personalized attention, call 800-977-8860 or find a local broker through http://www.nahu.org.

Health insurance: Coverageforall.org. Offers strategies for finding coverage, especially for people with medical conditions or modest incomes.

Medicare: Medicare.gov. Chock-full of detailed information about Medicare, with excellent tools to help you pick the best Part D plan or Medicare Advantage policy based on your specific medications and health condition.

Life insurance: AccuQuote.com. An easy way to get term-insurance rates from many of the top companies. Call 800-442-9899 for personalized help, especially if you have a medical condition.

Life insurance: Insure.com. Use this site to see the detailed criteria you must meet to qualify for each company’s term-insurance rates.

Auto insurance: InsWeb.com. Lets you compare price quotes from several major insurers (the number varies by state). Also a good resource for money-saving tips on every kind of insurance. For personal help, contact an agent through the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America.

Homeowners insurance: AccuCoverage.com. For a fee of $7.95, you can calculate how much coverage you need. Plug in data about your home’s age, building materials and other details, and get an immediate estimate of its replacement cost.

Customer Service: http://Naic.org/cis. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners maintains complaint records for each insurer in every state. Focus on the complaint ratio: the number of complaints for every dollar the insurer collects in premiums.

I can understand why that is I guess, they make a tiny bit more money that way, even after taking some of the penalties off.  Multiply my scenario by zillions of people and it just seems silly to not do it that way.  Either, way, I am not terribly grumpy about it since I am steadily bringing it down.  Before the gentleman got off the phone he asked if there was anything else he could help me with: poor guy didn’t realize that he was talking to a personal finance blogger and that I think about this stuff all the time.  After giving him my list of demands, i heard him sigh and I looked at the clock.  Poor sap was probably about to get off work, so I told him that I would call back with this little To-Do list on Friday.  I can’t wait.  It’s in my Outlook calendar and everything.  Heres what we are going to do:

1. Lower my interest rate on my credit card.  Its already pretty good, but I am going to give it a shot anyway.  After all I am their best customer right?
2. Increase my car payment.  Yes, my vehicle loan is through them as well.  I want to add a hundred or two to the monthly payment as that automatically gets applied to the principle.  I ultimately want to find out how much faster I can pay it off.
3. Whats the advantage of their checking account?  How does the whole deposit online thing work?  What are the terms for ATM fees?  When can I tell Suntrust to go and …. well you get the idea.
4. Money Market competitive?  Minimum to get in?  
5. What are the terms for their CDs?