Reviews and thoughtful followup of bad experiences as well as good ones are often appreciated by a company that cares about customer service. And for those that don't, some good feedback might make them care.
We have found many companies come to our site and others looking for comments.
You might want to take a look at Measuredup.com which is a site devoted to Customer Service reviews.
I am writing from Measuredup so i should also say their are other competitors out there you might want to try with your comments but of course we think we are the best.
I think from reading your interesting post, its clear that before taking out any form of insurance (especially life insurance in this case).....a considerable amount of research will need to be done
Great post. Frugality can be fun. Quicken is what motivates me. I get pleasure from seeing the line on my graph move upward. I try to outdo what I did previously.
I've gotten into the habit of sending back plastic packaging and plastic items that come unsolicited. I wrote a blog post about this subject a few weeks ago:
Recently, I sent back an automatic TurboTax CD that I received unsolicited because I'd rather download than use extra plastic.
Whenever I send things back, I include a note explaining that plastic is harmful to the environment and I'd rather not receive unsolicited plastic packaging and plastic items.
Recently, a few other bloggers have started doing the same thing!
You know, I don't think I practice the particular gaming scenarious you describe as much as I just feel like I'm "beating the system" or "winning the game" so to speak when I stay focused on the financial goals we've set as a couple. Although, that being said, I do like to problem solve my way to new solutions, so maybe I am on your list . . . either way, great post!
I commented this on another blog but being gone for almost 10 years now and then back in the UK for a weekend I really noticed how over hyped Christmas is. It's a real eye opener. If you want to experience a real traditional Christmas than live in Germany for a few years, beyond few white lights, a small tree and a FEW gifts Christmas would pass almost unnoticed. Personally as a Christian I think the best thing Christians can do is not bring Christ "back into Christmas" as the popular saying goes but to boycott it all together. Christmas in America has nothing to with Family, gifts giving (and has even less to do with Christianity) it's all about spending consumption, debt interest charges and most of all, profits for the retailers.
Rob "just call me scrooge for the next two months" in Madrid
I am attempting to pay off a Hospital Bill by doing it $100.00 per month. The hospital has told me that they are sending me to collections because their policy is for the bill to be paid up in 90 days. I do NOT have $4000.00 and for that reason I cannot pay this bill up in it's entirety without doing so on a monthly basis...my options as far as the hospital is concerned is I agree to pay the bill up in one year's time OR go on an extended timeperiod (over a year's time) and if I do that interest will be added to my unpaid balance...This is ludicrous..This hospital that I am dealing with is on the same network of hospitals that my local town hospital is on yet my local hospital has NO problems with people paying an unpaid hospital bill on a monthly basis till paid in full...How is it possible for a hospital that is on the same "network" have a policy so different (must pay their bill in full by 90 days) yet my local hospital works with their debtors by allowing them to pay something monthly. I am on a fixed income and am 65 years of age (on disability)...what are my options ?...What is going to happen if this bill goes to collections?...I know it will impact my credit rating but at the same time if I am willing to pay $100.00 per month until this bill is satisfied why does this hospital have the right to send me to collections inthat the hospital in my home town which is on the same network as this hospital that is giving me this difficult time is, how can they do that and get away with it?
Kind regards.........a very upset person who is willing to pay her debt but at the same time in a "reasonable" manner.
Reading your list, I would fall under the "full-contact frugality". Generally, I compete against myself (I found three great sweaters at the thrift store and only a fraction of the cost at department stores!), but I do like to hear other people's stories of great deals. Between my family (I was taught young) and my friends, there is always something new to learn and to share even if I keep a few of my frugal methods to myself. I enjoy living frugal and seeing what I can next implement.
I am not so certain about your sporting and gaming ideas. They do not appeal to me, but I can understand a person is more likely to practice frugality if they enjoy the pursuit (and benefits) of it. Does anyone practice the gaming or sporting methods?
I can totally understand where you are coming from. I agree that it is very important to have a reliable and comprehensive life insurance plan. It is a necessity these days (especially with dependents.) I would have to add, however, that for some folks, AD&D may be a good idea. I come from a long line of farmers (an occupation that in some years statistically sees more deaths and injuries than coal miners.) According to Accident Facts published in 1990 by the National Safety Council, farm accidents and other work-related health problems claimed as many as 1300 lives and caused 120,000 injuries a year, most of which are preventable. A large majority of the injuries (more than half) involve a dismemberment of some type. There are many farmers with prosthetics, and their conventional life insurance wouldn't have been able to assist much. (And getting on disability can take a very, very long time in some states (plus require the assitance of a lawyer in many cases.)
I would say that for most paper-pushers, the need for AD&D is wishy-washy. But for where I live, it has much better payout odds than the Nebraska lottery.
Awesome topic, Nora. I love hearing about insurance (I'm kind of a nut that way..)
I guess people living in the states will be worried about getting poorer. Well that's true if you compare yourself to other countries strictly by purchasing parity. That's not entirely true if you live in the states. In terms of what goods you can purchase in the states it's not that bad. The states still has one of the highest living standards in the world. You will become poorer if inflation starts rising (hopefully the fed will keep it down).
As someone living overseas (Australia) you could believe all the doom and gloom news or you can see opportunities. Assets in the states are about 20% cheaper than they normally are (dollar movements). Why not buy a piece of company in the states? It's on sale. I'd prefer to own solid company in the states than a dodgy one somewhere in asia.
America has a lot of good things going for it. Two party democracy, rule of law, entrepreneurial spirit, mostly honest leadership. I bet you in 10 years the dollar will be higher and so will the stock market.
The same cannot be said of a lot of emerging economies. Dictatorships, cronyism, poor rule of law, fragile institutions. People who have come from these countries know this. That's why they emigrated to countries like the states.
Count me in . . . I won a $750.00 prepaid credit card in the 2007 game but the website mysteriously "froze" and wouldnt load the web page for me to claim the prize. . . . Happened to my girlfriend also on Chance. . . .anybody else have this problem ??? lets get together
Dover has so many cool things besides reprints of classics. They have an extensive catalog of neat stuff that they've designed or that's in the public domain, from antique paper dolls to special-interest cut-and-paste dioramas (my 6yo was all over the dino diorama).
American Science and Surplus is a great source for kids, although many of the prices aren't bargain-basement as they used to be. You can also put together kits of neat stuff - for fingerprinting, sets of magnets, brine shrimp or triops eggs and a jar, low-voltage electrical components, etc. etc.
Living within your means is the most fundamental principle for financial success. If you do that, it almost doesn't matter what else you do--eventually you'll be comfortably well off. Contrariwise, if you don't do that, it pretty much doesn't matter how much of a financial genius you are--life is going to be difficult until you master it.
It's interesting to think about the difference between caring about what other people think about our stuff, and dealing with our own feelings about other people's stuff. I think for a lot of us, these are two different hurdles to get over, even though the answer in both cases is to live according to our own values and not according to someone else's.
I work in product development - listening to the customer and creating better stuff in my job!
In addition to offering unsolicited feedback as the author suggests, also take the time to fill out customer satisfaction surveys. We hear most often from those with complaints, so positive feedback is especially nice!
On a related topic: I had a bad experience with a bottle of Kendall Jackson wine (dry cork) several years ago. My partner wrote and email to complain and a few weeks later we got four bottles of wine, a food pairing guide, a corkscrew, and other stuff in the mail. I still drink KJ Chardonnay today!.
I had an unsatisfactory experience at Qdoba. I sent them feedback at their corporate website. They sent a gift certificate. Months later, nothing changed. So I just stopped going. Sometimes complaining doesn't do any good. It's hit or miss.
Really enjoyed your article and as the manager of a UK toy retail company - I liked your common sense attitude. Thanks. Really good stuff. Will recommend it to my staff.
i know what you mean about daycare costs. when i go back to work i will have to work nights and weekend nights while my family watches my kids so i can be home during days to avoid daycare costs!
and i know what you mean about all the stuff kids get. i think some of the kids are gonna go thru more shock than the adults!
I always raised my girls frugal cause we never had alot!
but my kids know other kids who get whatever they want. one in particular used to bug me to buy starbucks and i was constantly saying no 24/7...my kids were horrified/ we had to finally stop inviting this kid out with us on outings cause whenever i or my daughters said no this girl( neighbor kid) would throw a tantrum cause she didnt get her dolce latte or iced mocha! my girls were so horrified by the girls behavior and found it so inapropriate it was one of the many reasons they stopped being friends with the girl.
and the sad thing there are so many kids like that....the parents give them whatever they want thou they cant afford it...to shut them up or makeup for ignoring them! I think if we have a recessions some of those households are gonna have kids experiencing even more withdrawls and meltdowns than the parents!
It is not a tragedy to live within your means. The tragedy is that no matter how well people do financially in this country, nearly everyone manages to be broke most of the time.
I never really had this problem until recently when I started wishing I could refinance to magically have piles of money for renovating my not-quite-big-enough house. But of course it's not magic; I would lose my low payments and/or the certainty of having my house paid off in six years. So I'll just keep saving.
On the other hand, when my boyfriend had blue collar jobs, we twice got a good opportunity to visit Europe: once when my sister lived there for a while with her military husband and one when a friend got a postdoc there. With free lodging and free tour guides, we used our savings to visit. However, my boyfriend's blue collar co-workers suddenly started treating him very differently, like he was too special to hang with them. "Oh, you get to go to Europe!" He tried to explain that they could also go to Europe if they wanted to, but they couldn't even imagine such a thing. It's very sad when you compare their shiny new vehicles to our sturdy old ones, etc.--they don't even see that they have made a choice.
Most of my friends are richer, and I know they have fancier toys because they work more hours and have more stress. I mostly have no trouble feeling happy with how rich I am compared to, say, my student years or my parents' early married years, not to mention folks in third-world countries. I've also managed to train myself not to even want some of the fancy toys. Partly it's because electronics always break. Partly my living room is way too small to be able to sit far enough away from some of these big-screen TVs. Partly it's because I fear video game addiction. But also it's because I really don't like most TV or care about having a fancy car, etc.
I wonder sometimes if it's me or if the Haves and Have Not So Muchs are farther apart down here in the deep South. For the life of me, I can't figure out how the Haves do it. I'm yankee born, and I can say that class/race/social lines are much clearer in many areas than they are up north...but still, huge houses in gated communities w/all that football/cheerleading stuff the kids do and the private schools (god forbid public). I am honest to god mystified. Our daycare costs would be more than my teaching salary, so I'm home, but so are the Have Moms. You all have said it all, I just have to say thanks for letting me know I'm not crazy in this particular area.
Reviews and thoughtful followup of bad experiences as well as good ones are often appreciated by a company that cares about customer service. And for those that don't, some good feedback might make them care.
We have found many companies come to our site and others looking for comments.
You might want to take a look at Measuredup.com which is a site devoted to Customer Service reviews.
I am writing from Measuredup so i should also say their are other competitors out there you might want to try with your comments but of course we think we are the best.
Thanks,
You're my new favorite poster!
good post,
I think from reading your interesting post, its clear that before taking out any form of insurance (especially life insurance in this case).....a considerable amount of research will need to be done
Great post. Frugality can be fun. Quicken is what motivates me. I get pleasure from seeing the line on my graph move upward. I try to outdo what I did previously.
I've gotten into the habit of sending back plastic packaging and plastic items that come unsolicited. I wrote a blog post about this subject a few weeks ago:
http://www.fakeplasticfish.com/2007/10/sending-things-back.html
Recently, I sent back an automatic TurboTax CD that I received unsolicited because I'd rather download than use extra plastic.
Whenever I send things back, I include a note explaining that plastic is harmful to the environment and I'd rather not receive unsolicited plastic packaging and plastic items.
Recently, a few other bloggers have started doing the same thing!
You know, I don't think I practice the particular gaming scenarious you describe as much as I just feel like I'm "beating the system" or "winning the game" so to speak when I stay focused on the financial goals we've set as a couple. Although, that being said, I do like to problem solve my way to new solutions, so maybe I am on your list . . . either way, great post!
I commented this on another blog but being gone for almost 10 years now and then back in the UK for a weekend I really noticed how over hyped Christmas is. It's a real eye opener. If you want to experience a real traditional Christmas than live in Germany for a few years, beyond few white lights, a small tree and a FEW gifts Christmas would pass almost unnoticed. Personally as a Christian I think the best thing Christians can do is not bring Christ "back into Christmas" as the popular saying goes but to boycott it all together. Christmas in America has nothing to with Family, gifts giving (and has even less to do with Christianity) it's all about spending consumption, debt interest charges and most of all, profits for the retailers.
Rob "just call me scrooge for the next two months" in Madrid
PS I don't have kids, can you tell:)
did anything happen to the paint?
I am attempting to pay off a Hospital Bill by doing it $100.00 per month. The hospital has told me that they are sending me to collections because their policy is for the bill to be paid up in 90 days. I do NOT have $4000.00 and for that reason I cannot pay this bill up in it's entirety without doing so on a monthly basis...my options as far as the hospital is concerned is I agree to pay the bill up in one year's time OR go on an extended timeperiod (over a year's time) and if I do that interest will be added to my unpaid balance...This is ludicrous..This hospital that I am dealing with is on the same network of hospitals that my local town hospital is on yet my local hospital has NO problems with people paying an unpaid hospital bill on a monthly basis till paid in full...How is it possible for a hospital that is on the same "network" have a policy so different (must pay their bill in full by 90 days) yet my local hospital works with their debtors by allowing them to pay something monthly. I am on a fixed income and am 65 years of age (on disability)...what are my options ?...What is going to happen if this bill goes to collections?...I know it will impact my credit rating but at the same time if I am willing to pay $100.00 per month until this bill is satisfied why does this hospital have the right to send me to collections inthat the hospital in my home town which is on the same network as this hospital that is giving me this difficult time is, how can they do that and get away with it?
Kind regards.........a very upset person who is willing to pay her debt but at the same time in a "reasonable" manner.
Reading your list, I would fall under the "full-contact frugality". Generally, I compete against myself (I found three great sweaters at the thrift store and only a fraction of the cost at department stores!), but I do like to hear other people's stories of great deals. Between my family (I was taught young) and my friends, there is always something new to learn and to share even if I keep a few of my frugal methods to myself. I enjoy living frugal and seeing what I can next implement.
I am not so certain about your sporting and gaming ideas. They do not appeal to me, but I can understand a person is more likely to practice frugality if they enjoy the pursuit (and benefits) of it. Does anyone practice the gaming or sporting methods?
Nora,
I can totally understand where you are coming from. I agree that it is very important to have a reliable and comprehensive life insurance plan. It is a necessity these days (especially with dependents.) I would have to add, however, that for some folks, AD&D may be a good idea. I come from a long line of farmers (an occupation that in some years statistically sees more deaths and injuries than coal miners.) According to Accident Facts published in 1990 by the National Safety Council, farm accidents and other work-related health problems claimed as many as 1300 lives and caused 120,000 injuries a year, most of which are preventable. A large majority of the injuries (more than half) involve a dismemberment of some type. There are many farmers with prosthetics, and their conventional life insurance wouldn't have been able to assist much. (And getting on disability can take a very, very long time in some states (plus require the assitance of a lawyer in many cases.)
I would say that for most paper-pushers, the need for AD&D is wishy-washy. But for where I live, it has much better payout odds than the Nebraska lottery.
Awesome topic, Nora. I love hearing about insurance (I'm kind of a nut that way..)
:)
I guess people living in the states will be worried about getting poorer. Well that's true if you compare yourself to other countries strictly by purchasing parity. That's not entirely true if you live in the states. In terms of what goods you can purchase in the states it's not that bad. The states still has one of the highest living standards in the world. You will become poorer if inflation starts rising (hopefully the fed will keep it down).
As someone living overseas (Australia) you could believe all the doom and gloom news or you can see opportunities. Assets in the states are about 20% cheaper than they normally are (dollar movements). Why not buy a piece of company in the states? It's on sale. I'd prefer to own solid company in the states than a dodgy one somewhere in asia.
America has a lot of good things going for it. Two party democracy, rule of law, entrepreneurial spirit, mostly honest leadership. I bet you in 10 years the dollar will be higher and so will the stock market.
The same cannot be said of a lot of emerging economies. Dictatorships, cronyism, poor rule of law, fragile institutions. People who have come from these countries know this. That's why they emigrated to countries like the states.
Count me in . . . I won a $750.00 prepaid credit card in the 2007 game but the website mysteriously "froze" and wouldnt load the web page for me to claim the prize. . . . Happened to my girlfriend also on Chance. . . .anybody else have this problem ??? lets get together
Mark
I couldn't agree more with your post. And, not only is living within your means a happy way to live, living below your means feels even better.
Dover has so many cool things besides reprints of classics. They have an extensive catalog of neat stuff that they've designed or that's in the public domain, from antique paper dolls to special-interest cut-and-paste dioramas (my 6yo was all over the dino diorama).
American Science and Surplus is a great source for kids, although many of the prices aren't bargain-basement as they used to be. You can also put together kits of neat stuff - for fingerprinting, sets of magnets, brine shrimp or triops eggs and a jar, low-voltage electrical components, etc. etc.
I apologize profusely for the calculation error. It is being fixed. THank you for noticing!
Living within your means is the most fundamental principle for financial success. If you do that, it almost doesn't matter what else you do--eventually you'll be comfortably well off. Contrariwise, if you don't do that, it pretty much doesn't matter how much of a financial genius you are--life is going to be difficult until you master it.
Thanks, everyone, for the good comments.
Thanks for all the good comments.
It's interesting to think about the difference between caring about what other people think about our stuff, and dealing with our own feelings about other people's stuff. I think for a lot of us, these are two different hurdles to get over, even though the answer in both cases is to live according to our own values and not according to someone else's.
I work in product development - listening to the customer and creating better stuff in my job!
In addition to offering unsolicited feedback as the author suggests, also take the time to fill out customer satisfaction surveys. We hear most often from those with complaints, so positive feedback is especially nice!
On a related topic: I had a bad experience with a bottle of Kendall Jackson wine (dry cork) several years ago. My partner wrote and email to complain and a few weeks later we got four bottles of wine, a food pairing guide, a corkscrew, and other stuff in the mail. I still drink KJ Chardonnay today!.
I had an unsatisfactory experience at Qdoba. I sent them feedback at their corporate website. They sent a gift certificate. Months later, nothing changed. So I just stopped going. Sometimes complaining doesn't do any good. It's hit or miss.
Really enjoyed your article and as the manager of a UK toy retail company - I liked your common sense attitude. Thanks. Really good stuff. Will recommend it to my staff.
i know what you mean about daycare costs. when i go back to work i will have to work nights and weekend nights while my family watches my kids so i can be home during days to avoid daycare costs!
and i know what you mean about all the stuff kids get. i think some of the kids are gonna go thru more shock than the adults!
I always raised my girls frugal cause we never had alot!
but my kids know other kids who get whatever they want. one in particular used to bug me to buy starbucks and i was constantly saying no 24/7...my kids were horrified/ we had to finally stop inviting this kid out with us on outings cause whenever i or my daughters said no this girl( neighbor kid) would throw a tantrum cause she didnt get her dolce latte or iced mocha! my girls were so horrified by the girls behavior and found it so inapropriate it was one of the many reasons they stopped being friends with the girl.
and the sad thing there are so many kids like that....the parents give them whatever they want thou they cant afford it...to shut them up or makeup for ignoring them! I think if we have a recessions some of those households are gonna have kids experiencing even more withdrawls and meltdowns than the parents!
I think thats so sad!
It is not a tragedy to live within your means. The tragedy is that no matter how well people do financially in this country, nearly everyone manages to be broke most of the time.
I never really had this problem until recently when I started wishing I could refinance to magically have piles of money for renovating my not-quite-big-enough house. But of course it's not magic; I would lose my low payments and/or the certainty of having my house paid off in six years. So I'll just keep saving.
On the other hand, when my boyfriend had blue collar jobs, we twice got a good opportunity to visit Europe: once when my sister lived there for a while with her military husband and one when a friend got a postdoc there. With free lodging and free tour guides, we used our savings to visit. However, my boyfriend's blue collar co-workers suddenly started treating him very differently, like he was too special to hang with them. "Oh, you get to go to Europe!" He tried to explain that they could also go to Europe if they wanted to, but they couldn't even imagine such a thing. It's very sad when you compare their shiny new vehicles to our sturdy old ones, etc.--they don't even see that they have made a choice.
Most of my friends are richer, and I know they have fancier toys because they work more hours and have more stress. I mostly have no trouble feeling happy with how rich I am compared to, say, my student years or my parents' early married years, not to mention folks in third-world countries. I've also managed to train myself not to even want some of the fancy toys. Partly it's because electronics always break. Partly my living room is way too small to be able to sit far enough away from some of these big-screen TVs. Partly it's because I fear video game addiction. But also it's because I really don't like most TV or care about having a fancy car, etc.
I wonder sometimes if it's me or if the Haves and Have Not So Muchs are farther apart down here in the deep South. For the life of me, I can't figure out how the Haves do it. I'm yankee born, and I can say that class/race/social lines are much clearer in many areas than they are up north...but still, huge houses in gated communities w/all that football/cheerleading stuff the kids do and the private schools (god forbid public). I am honest to god mystified. Our daycare costs would be more than my teaching salary, so I'm home, but so are the Have Moms. You all have said it all, I just have to say thanks for letting me know I'm not crazy in this particular area.
Have you priced kids' toys this year? Have Mercy.
leslie