How to not get Scammed!

1) Use your brain and common sense.
2) Do your research
3) Use referrals
4) Use methods of payment with fraud protection
5) Get it in writing
6) Read the return policies
7) Read the description fully and examine the item before you buy

Example A) A man calls asking for money for the local police department who is sposoring a program for seat belt safety in schools. (You think he is for real because he as a CB radio as background noise.) Take his number and tell him you have to call him back. You then call the local police department and they confirm that they will never call and ask you for money and that they sponsor no non-profits.

This is a real scam out there and the CA number on your Visa forwards to a number in New Jersey. It is difficult to prosecute across state lines but your best bet is the fraud protection on your Visa. Capital One for instance has a zero deductible on fraud protection unlike HSBC which has a $50 deductible for out of state transactions.
This is a real scam that has happened to me and a handful of people I know.

You can also contact the Attorney General in your state for further assistance and to report a claim. You are very likely not the only victim.

Example B) You buy insurance and are unhappy with their decision on your claim or they refuse to pay. You can report them to the Insurance Commissioner of the state you live in. And by the way, even if you don't put a beneficiary on file all life insurance must pay out to a beneficiary upon your death (provided you have made all of your payments before your death and the policy is still active) and it is their job to locate one. You also checked the credit rating of the insurance company before you bought the policy. You are also smart and know that each state has a back up plan for insurance and there is something called re-insurance which guarantees insurance policies along with the state insurance fund that insurance companies must pay into in order to sell insurance in each state. (For some reason insurance agents aren't allowed to tell you this.) Beyond that insurance companies must have 3-4 times the assets to back up each policy that they write.

Example C) If a bank promises you a rate of return with zero downside as in you don't have to keep your money for any period of time but will get say 10% interest (APR) without any risk of losing money it is a ponzie scheme! Even if your uncle has invested here and got 10% back, stay away. Duh!

Example D) You bought the stupid maintenance guarantee on that sewing machine and it breaks down. You have your receipt and the store is still in business 3 years later (lucky you!) but the policy has changed at the store regarding their guarantees. They still have to honor your original contract and fix your machine. In fact depending on your agreement they may have to give you a free rental but they won't honor this unless you have all the proof and it hasn't disintegrated in time because you were smart knowing the ink would fade on the receipt and photocopied that shit! In fact you were so smart you file the photo copy of the receipt with the manual.

Example E) A cute guy tells you you are beautiful and asks you to buy magazines in a mall or door-to-door. This is a scam, don't do it! You will never receive the magazines. Whatever you do don't pay in cash.

Example F) A guy flags you down saying he has a huge deal on speakers, that he is a delivery guy and got an extra shipment and even shows you the speakers and a FedEx receipt. Don't buy these as inside the plastic speakers is nothing!!!!

Example G) You have over-paid your student loans when you can and now can't make payments on your loans and despite a financial hardship application the loan company tells you you owe late fees and they never received any application. They also try to make their own rules instead of following federal law which states you only apply every year, not every 6 months! They also want you to pay the interest for you during that time but you know the law and the federal government pays that interest per your loan agreement! But you were smart and kept a copy of that app, certified those letters sent and filed a complaint with the Ombudsman in Washington DC that governs student loan complaints. Even your smart lawyer aunt told you not to bother and that no one has ever won a case against a student loan company. But you prevailed! And besides no late fees since you had over-paid for years you actually get to defer your loans interest-free for two whole years! Bite it, Campus Partners!

to be continued...

How to save Big!

OK Christmas season is upon us so it is time for blatant consumption of food, and for women this includes shoes and clothes.

I have been living off a single shoe string since I was twelve (actually much earlier than that.) So for me this recession is well, status quo. In fact I actually get to wear clothes without defects or not pre-owned for once in my life. Hurray!!! Bring it!

Here is how you save big.

(1) Whatever you want to buy, Google it. Say I want boots.
I Google "womens tall boots" and a list comes up.

You decide you want boots on sale for half off at RalphLauren.com, Macys.com, Shoes.com, Piperlime.com, Amazon.com, etc. You get the point.

Don't chose the site called cheapUggs.com from China. Chose reliable sites, duh!
And pay via Paypal funded by your Visa that has fraud protection in all 50 states, or just pay with your Visa or Mastercard. It's very simple (don't tell me how your friend got ripped off in China or Nigeria from a fraudulent site. Use common sense here. If it is too good to be true it is!)

(2) Next you Google the site plus the discount code (type into Google search engine tab: (Store + discount code) .

For example, I type in "Ralph Lauren + discount code"
I then pick from the 1st few listings (not the ads at the top) a site. I like RetailMeNot.com (some sites will then require you to type in the store on their search tab)

I already found the boots were 50% off on RalphLauren.com but now I find a code BZR29362 10% at Ralph Lauren. I then go to the site which if I'm lucky also has free shipping and get 60% off retail.

Next I then buy stuff using the same procedure above for Ann Taylor Loft. I get say 30-40% off plus an additional 20-30% off using a code. I wait until the stuff arrives.
Then when they mail it they send you coupons good for $25 per $50 spent. If I use them in the store I can double these up. So I return a few items I don't like or weren't on sale at the store where I don't pay return shipping.

(3) I then buy new stuff using my store credit along with their current sale for 40% off. (I couldn't find my receipt so I got a bit back on my returns even with 40% off.) More important, I used the coupons I got in the mail, after the 40% off so I got another $100 off.

(4) On top of that I opened a store card which gets you 15% off plus more coupons. All in all I paid around $100 for $430 retail.

(5) Next I go to Macys.com and make a purchase on sale items using their discount code. I have to make a return and realize the item I bought that wasn't on sale is now on sale. I ask for a credit of the difference in sale price since I had just received the item in the mail that day. Done! Then using my store card on their clearance I got another 20% off so $50 slacks were $24 and I walk out the door with them for around $10.99... not sure how they did their math but that's what happened!

If you shop at Banana Republic and Old Navy you should know that they have sales every Monday, along with most appliance web sites. Find the code on their site or in tip#1.
Keep stuff you like in your basket and watch the prices change from day to day until you get it on sale at the price you want, then follow the code tip and get an additional discount (I just got over 5 items for under $40.)

(6) I also thrift shop at Goodwill and Out of the Closet and at ebay.com
Nothing is too thrifty for me. I'd rather sit at home than get crushed in the crowds on Black Friday and now you don't have to either!

(7) Note: If you are shopping for bedding, kitchen gear or jewelry Ross is still my all time favorite. The key is to return something. Hold on to the return item until you have found what you want to buy. This puts you in the return line which is about an hour shorter than the regular line!

(8) My family would do this every weekend when I was a kid. You buy a paper the night before (now just look it up online) and find every garage sale you want to hit. Mark a route hitting every one preferably between 8-9am (if you are insane you hit them at 5-7am an upset the sellers.) This is still an insane method for shopping but is how I got all of my clothes as a kid. Of course if this is how you shop for your kids it is guaranteed to piss them off. Good luck!

(9) Check your local craigslist for virtural yard sales. For photo equipment, furniture and free junk the Craigslist Los Angeles is like no other.

(10) Find a good financial advisor and invest the difference. If you don't know one I can help.

Am I missing something? Let me know in the comments section below.

Happy shopping!

How to Wash Your Cat

Well washing your cat should be done by everyone. At least everyone who owns a cat. I've owned cats in the past and am now allergic. Why you may ask? Well because no one washes their damn cats! I used to wash my damn cats.

So, this is how you wash your cat.

No, you say? Your cat washes him or herself? No! Not true. Your cat licks its paws and spreads saliva all over your cat. Your friends are allergic to the dander caused by fleas as well as proteins in the cat saliva which is now all over your cat and now your cat is rubbing him/herself all over your furniture. Your friends come over, sit on the furniture and feel like hell from allergies. Soooooooo, go wash your damn cat!


So, this is how you wash your cat:

Get the tub water luke warm as in perfectly warm like well, urine temperature.
Have the soap, a few towels and cat all in the same room with you with no escape routes. Take off the collar. Firmly grip your cat by it's front shoulders so that you have control over the cat and his/her paws. Get your other hand on his haunches so you have control over his back feet. Have an awareness of where those nails are all all times. Say soothing things to the cat in a soothing tone of voice, it's OK, good kitty, etc.

The 1st couple time the kitty may put up a fight but when the water temperature is just right your cat will relax and almost enjoy the bath.

So get the cat wet but never the ears. I will say it again. Keep the water out of the cat's ears. Soap up the cat (neck and tail right away if you are using a flea shampoo... and near the rear to block those flea escape routes...)

Next wait five minutes for the flea soap to do it's magic. (Your cat will be a bit pissy and howly but it will get over it.)

Next rinse the cat under the same nice warm water (tub's tap will do.) A yogurt container is helpful to splash water under the cat (Keeping your grip near it's neck/on his front haunches with at least one hand.)

Once the cat is rinsed you turn off the tap, wrap the cat in a couple towels and hug the cat, once again saying soothing things in a soothing voice...good kitty, etc.

And that's it! It's that easy. You are done! The cat will wriggle away, sulk and dry itself. Cat's may eventually prefer the bath over the snuggles afterward.

You make get a few scratches the 1st time but I'm sure you are used to these since you already live with a cat!

So, go wash your cats!!!!!!! Your friends will thank you, and maybe even your cat.
The world would be rid of cat allergies if everyone washed their cats once a month.
You can do it, go wash your cat!

OK so, if you absolutely cannot wash your cat just trade it in for a damn dog. You can tell the local pound I said so.

My art-related postings art at:  www.adventuresindogland.blogspot.com

My stock pics & economic musings are at: www.orangeyellowdog.blogspot.com 

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