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Posted
Mar 25 2008, 10:53 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from David Wood at partner blog ConsumerAffairs.com. "Protect your home, save money, and avoid the hassles of home repair now!" began the junk e-mail I received about American Home Shield, one of the largest providers of home warranties. Not to be confused with a builder's warranty, a so-called home warranty -- actually a service contract -- is typically purchased for existing homes, especially homes sold by real estate agents. These service contracts generally cost $300 to $600 for a yearly basic-coverage plan that includes items like ceiling fans, water heaters and furnaces. Here's how a home warranty is advertised to work: Instead of calling a repair company when something breaks down, you call the warranty company, which sends out a local contractor to diagnose the problem. You'll pay the contractor a service-call fee, typically $50 to $100, and the contractor informs the warranty company about what needs to be done to fix the problem. Once the OK is given, the contractor repairs or replaces the problem item, and you don't pay a cent more. Or so the ads promise.
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Posted
Jul 27 2009, 07:56 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This guest post comes from "vh" at Funny about Money.
How much do you figure your neighbor's dog (cat, parrot, boa constrictor, tame alligator) costs you? I have to say, I expect my own pets to be destructive and figure the repair bills to be part of the cost of doing business. But one thing we tend not to budget for is the depredations of other people's critters.
While M'hijito's roommate was in Singapore visiting his relatives and hustling for a job, he left his brand-new Infiniti parked in the driveway (Roommate is the scion of a ridiculously wealthy family).
Quick backstory: Some time back, Roommate became enamored of a cat belonging to the old guy who lives in the house behind M'hijito's place. He took to feeding and watering the beast, much to M'hijito's disgust (it uses the vegetable garden as its litter box), and he has thought of it as "his" cat. In his absence, the cat has taken up residence on top of the Infiniti, where it sleeps at night, out of reach of hunting coyotes and stray pit bulls.
So the other day as M'hijito was headed out to work, he noticed a couple of brown mounds on top of the Infiniti. On closer inspection ... oops! Cat mounds!
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Posted
Jul 28 2008, 02:07 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
An article in The New York Times about more Americans than ever living on the verge of financial ruin got "Frugal Zeitgeist" thinking about her own contingency planning for disasters. If a terrorist attack, a catastrophic illness or job loss struck, would she survive financially? This blogger does have a plan -- in fact, several -- and she is worth listening to. She's so financially disciplined that she just paid off the mortgage on her New York City apartment and did it in less than seven years (although some would argue that's not always the best way to use extra money).
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Posted
May 20 2008, 11:18 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
A rash of break-ins at Andy's apartment complex prompted him to think about improving security. He found that the cost of a monitored security system would run about $1,200 for the year, including $500 for installation. Yikes. He came up with some low- and no-cost alternatives and lists them in a post at Saving to Invest. For instance, what would it cost you to turn down your phone ringer before you leave home?
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Posted
Nov 05 2007, 10:45 AM
by
Donna Freedman
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Time to admit to being a dunderhead: I've been way overpaying for auto insurance for the past few years. Worse, I discovered that I didn't have coverage I needed (uninsured driver) and was paying for insurance I probably didn't need (collision). All of this cost me $98 a month, or $1,176 a year. Confession is good for the soul, but it's embarrassing when done in print. I'm doing so in hopes of inspiring readers to check their own policies and make a few calls. As incentive, let me point out that my new plan will save me almost $700 a year. Like I said: way overpaying. How much per month? I've had the nagging feeling that I could do better. But life has been so hectic that "get insurance rate quotes" kept getting pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. When an Allstate ad sheet was delivered with the newspaper, I decided it was time to deal. An Allstate agent here in Seattle told me I could combine renter's and auto insurance for a total of $1,056 a year, or about $88 per month for both
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Posted
Sep 16 2008, 04:20 AM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from partner blog Blueprint for Financial Prosperity. We've made it through four of the seven deadly sins of personal finance and touched on many good topics so far. The first few were easy -- have an emergency fund, don't raid your retirement, budget and plan and project for the future. We're starting to get into the hazier areas of personal finance, where the answers aren't quite so clear-cut and where much of it depends on you and your specific situation. That brings us to today's deadly sin -- being improperly insured.
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Posted
Mar 13 2008, 04:54 AM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from Lana Goodrich at partner blog Wise Bread. What's the first thing people tell you when you start feeling down in the dumps? "Don't worry. Things will get better." But sometimes, being too positive is just a one-way street to being unprepared. Here are four common worries and why dwelling on them can help you save cash. What if I lose my job? You're right to worry. The economy is on shaky ground, and you could be fired or laid off due to any number of circumstances. Take it for granted that you're going to leave your job eventually. This is a good time to set aside money for an emergency fund to cover at least three months' living expenses. Update your resume or portfolio so they're current and highlight your best work. Network with acquaintances and put out your feelers for similar jobs -- even if you have no intention of leaving quite yet. Being ready is the best way to bounce back.
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Posted
Nov 11 2008, 02:13 PM
by
Karen Datko
Filed under: insurance, Consumer Affairs, home insurance, auto insurance, car insurance, insurance companies, insurance rates, homeowners insurance, life insurance, insurance claims, save money
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from Mark Huffman at partner blog ConsumerAffairs.com.
When it comes to selecting the right insurance policy, consumers need as much clear, concise information as possible. A study released by the Consumer Federation of America suggests they aren't getting it from their states.
The study also found that state insurance department Web sites in six states were "excellent," while those in 18 states were deemed to be "inadequate."
CFA is sending the report to all state insurance departments with a personal letter urging the states whose Web sites are not yet excellent to make improvements.
"At a time when consumers are under increasing financial pressure, state insurance departments can do their part by making available current information about the rates, solvency, and complaints of individual insurers as well as tips for consumers to use to secure fairer and faster claims settlements," said J. Robert Hunter, CFA's director of insurance and a former Texas insurance commissioner. "And it's essential that insurance departments widely publicize the availability of their Web sites and related information."
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