I think it is tough for agents with the internet age. Some do a fantastic job. But I think most don’t do anything more than upload the home to the MLS system in their area. I have seen some pretty cool Flat Fee Companies crop up lately. Here is one I like most: http://www.listtrue.com
It looks like they do a ton of things to market your home. I will go with a Flat Fee MLS company when I am selling my home in about two years. Maybe the price and technology will be better then anyways?? Buying a home is different...I would go with a Real Estate Agent for sure!
Thank you so much for this information!! I just started my daughter on formula and have been thinking about buying costco/ kirkland brand. Well, I will be considering Similac per can is $23 and will last me umm maybe a week. Whereas Costco brand formula will last about a month at $23.99!!
I just tried the baking soda way and my hair is kind of dry but that's what I was looking for.
My hair gets very oily very fast, especially when it's hot out. It dried my hair WITH OUT drying my hands out. I think I'm set with this way now.
I find that, when it comes to customers, the nicest most polite age group is teens and young people, whereas the nasty ones are very often old. The typical horrible customer would have to be a middle-aged woman, perhaps middle to upper class, shortish hair. They think they are unique, with their rude comments, facial expressions and actions, but really, they are all the same.
I think that every child should have 2 or 3 chores that are required of them to do as a part of the family, without pay. Other than that, for any of their "wants" they should have chores that they can choose to do for money. With this money that they earn, there should be budgeting rules attached to it--with 10% saved (which they can spend once they get up to a certain amount), and 10% given to charity or church. The rest they can spend on what they want. All basic "needs" should be supplied by mom and dad, "upgrades" in clothing or shoes should be paid for by the kids. All toys, entertainment, special food, etc. has to be paid for by the kids. Only $100-$150 should be spent each time at back-to-school time, birthday, and Christmas. "Need" buying could also be at growth spurts, total wearing out of items and for special events--for example, a communion outfit, sporting equipment, etc.
Where is your research Paul? I mean some of your claims could easily be dubious without some links backing them up. I could just as easily claim that cows on the farm levitate off the ground, eat Captain Crunch cereal and watch TV all day; without some proof I cannot truly assess your claims. Oh, and BTW, vitamin D3 is NOT a steroid, it is a secosteroid - not the same thing my friend.
I'm glad that you wrote this as I found it very helpful. With my new Perkstreet account, I am looking for options to use up the MC gift cards they send me. It's especially a problem because I'm overseas on US military base, where your usual repertoire of stores don't exist( no Walmart, for sure )
Amazon gift cards are a great idea, another one ( that costs you money, however ) that I want to try is to use it to fund a Paypal donation to myself.
Another thing, I noticed the base commissary(grocery store) doesn' accept my Paypal Debit MC, so I'm scared that they won't accept the gift cards either!
Let me put it this way: I'm young enough that I remember me and my brother's childhood. The only way my parents got us to do chores was with cash. Kids are perfectly willing to be stubborn as all hell to make a point, and our point was 'we're broke, pay us'. Theory's all well and good, but application can be more trouble than it's worth.
Besides, kids want things like anybody else. Do you really want to see their alternative strategies for getting the money to pay for them?
Yikes, bitter. These are some of the ways that people are trying to jumpstart our sluggish economy and there are some people who can really benefit and might just get out a little more while looking to make a few extra bucks.
I give my daughter an allowance so she can learn how to use money, but I also want her to understand that money is not free. You have to work for it.
I reduce my daughter's allowance when she doesn't do her chores. I reduce her monthly allowance by 20% if she hasn't completed her chores between Friday and Tuesday.
My husband was rear-ended the first week of college. His front bumper was completely damaged. When he got the money, he built is own bumper (it is awesome!) and used the rest of the money for college tuition.
Interesting idea. I recently discovered a long, thin crack in my windshield, and it's tempting to cash in (apparently my insurance partially covers replacement), but I'm thinking that if it is a safety hazard, I'd rather just fix the car. Now for those with scratches and whatnot, that would be a different story (as long as it's a cosmetic, not a safety issue, I'd use the money for something else).
I don't think kids should be paid...they should help as an able member of the family. I don't want my kids to learn that everything they do has monetary reward.
I know this is a couple years late, but this is happening to me now. I gave them my name and current address but no ssn, dl#, or money. What should I do? Help!!
Thanks for your comment. Wise Bread is a community of writers centered around frugal living and personal finance. Within that, though, our writers sometimes have differing opinions about how to best do things, or they even talk to experts who have differing opinions about the best way to reach a goal.
Hi Paul -- I'm not aware of any CS rating system for insurers. It would be a great idea, but I imagine there are too many variables and consistency is a challenge.
This is a finance blog right? So here's the only real way to buy cars. Either you buy a new card and keep it for 15-20 years (150K+ miles at least). Or you always make very good deals on buying used cars and drive them until it's no longer financially worth it (repairs > another used car). In either case it's ludicrous to repair any cosmetic damage.
From a finance perspective it's just lost money - you are literally throwing it out. Technically if you keep a nice new car, new looking and even put 150K miles on it you will be able to sell it for more than if it's all dinged up...but at that point the difference is going to be small.
I drive a nicer car, an audi, it's all sorts of banged up (mostly from living in NYC for 8 years with it). Most of the damage wasn't something I could collect on (piece of wood on the highway, etc things like that). Even still I'd gladly take the money and not repair. I bought it new, it's got 130K on it now, hope to get it over 200K.
Another plus, again if you are planning on keeping the car long term, something banged up is less likely to be stolen!
Another plus (although this one is at least ethically if not legally grey). If you ever do happen to get into an accident...and it's not your fault...you'll end up getting a lot of incidental damage that wasn't related to the accident repaired:)
I would go so far as to say that repairing your car for minor cosmetic damage is something only for rich people to do, people that can afford to throw money away.
I love my car because of the way it drives, none of the minor cosmetic damage affects the way it drives. People should remember what cars are - a way to get from place to place - not a shiny bauble to show off.
I sort of think this goes both ways in our house. There are certain chores we expect our kids to do just because they're a part of our family, but then again there are certain chores that are out of the normal day to day house running that we do give them an allowance for.
I live in a mid-sized town in Northeastern China. From time to time I wonder what it would be like if I were to retire here.
Many things are unexpensive (food and most services); renting seems preferable to buying if you need a place as rents are low here. But I am unsure as to how China will look in ten years. Judging from the way the town is being redesigned it will be very unpleasant for someone who has difficulty walking if they keep on widening roads and putting fences to keep people from crossing. Also it is extremely noisy and rather dirty.
If you grew up in a quiet and clean neighborhood you may not make it.
In a smaller town I'd say that it is essential to speak Chinese; not reading Chinese puts you at a disadvantage but not speaking is clearly not an option.
I have over two years of having had mostly good experiences in China but if you come here late it'd be very hard. Moneywise the Yuan has gone up and the dollar down so it is also a bit troubling...
Anyway, come and try living here for a month or two!
We had a pretty bad hailstorm a few months back. My car rec'd about 20 pings or so from it. I do still owe on the car. My insurance estimated the damage at $1400. However, my deductible is $1000. Seeing as I couldn't really get the pings fixed for just $400 and didnt have the cash to shell out the deductible amount (I know...unprepared), I took the $400 and got new brakes and new belts...which had been weighing on me for a few months anyway. So I justified it by at least spending on the car for necessary repairs. I must say, I hate seeing those pings...so I just try to ignore them. :)
My car has a mysterious fender dent from a(n assumed) hit-and-run in the parking lot, although it isn’t that bad. I haven’t bothered having it fixed yet, because the quote was less than my deductible and I’d rather have the cash on hand.
With his last car, my S.O. was hit right in the confluence of bumper-headlight-fender-hood. You could barely see any damage (the headlight was loose, but not broken) but the quote to fix it was close to $2k—about 70% of the value of the car itself. He cashed the check from the other person’s insurance and used it when he bought his new car a few months later when a mechanical repair bill was going to hit about $1k. The damage from the accident didn’t even affect his trade-in value.
I can see how it could cause issues though, if you are in a second incident that does further damage—if you’ve already been paid for damage to that area and didn’t have it fixed, have fun fighting.
I think it is tough for agents with the internet age. Some do a fantastic job. But I think most don’t do anything more than upload the home to the MLS system in their area. I have seen some pretty cool Flat Fee Companies crop up lately. Here is one I like most: http://www.listtrue.com
It looks like they do a ton of things to market your home. I will go with a Flat Fee MLS company when I am selling my home in about two years. Maybe the price and technology will be better then anyways?? Buying a home is different...I would go with a Real Estate Agent for sure!
Thank you so much for this information!! I just started my daughter on formula and have been thinking about buying costco/ kirkland brand. Well, I will be considering Similac per can is $23 and will last me umm maybe a week. Whereas Costco brand formula will last about a month at $23.99!!
I just tried the baking soda way and my hair is kind of dry but that's what I was looking for.
My hair gets very oily very fast, especially when it's hot out. It dried my hair WITH OUT drying my hands out. I think I'm set with this way now.
I find that, when it comes to customers, the nicest most polite age group is teens and young people, whereas the nasty ones are very often old. The typical horrible customer would have to be a middle-aged woman, perhaps middle to upper class, shortish hair. They think they are unique, with their rude comments, facial expressions and actions, but really, they are all the same.
I think that every child should have 2 or 3 chores that are required of them to do as a part of the family, without pay. Other than that, for any of their "wants" they should have chores that they can choose to do for money. With this money that they earn, there should be budgeting rules attached to it--with 10% saved (which they can spend once they get up to a certain amount), and 10% given to charity or church. The rest they can spend on what they want. All basic "needs" should be supplied by mom and dad, "upgrades" in clothing or shoes should be paid for by the kids. All toys, entertainment, special food, etc. has to be paid for by the kids. Only $100-$150 should be spent each time at back-to-school time, birthday, and Christmas. "Need" buying could also be at growth spurts, total wearing out of items and for special events--for example, a communion outfit, sporting equipment, etc.
Where is your research Paul? I mean some of your claims could easily be dubious without some links backing them up. I could just as easily claim that cows on the farm levitate off the ground, eat Captain Crunch cereal and watch TV all day; without some proof I cannot truly assess your claims. Oh, and BTW, vitamin D3 is NOT a steroid, it is a secosteroid - not the same thing my friend.
I'm glad that you wrote this as I found it very helpful. With my new Perkstreet account, I am looking for options to use up the MC gift cards they send me. It's especially a problem because I'm overseas on US military base, where your usual repertoire of stores don't exist( no Walmart, for sure )
Amazon gift cards are a great idea, another one ( that costs you money, however ) that I want to try is to use it to fund a Paypal donation to myself.
Another thing, I noticed the base commissary(grocery store) doesn' accept my Paypal Debit MC, so I'm scared that they won't accept the gift cards either!
Let me put it this way: I'm young enough that I remember me and my brother's childhood. The only way my parents got us to do chores was with cash. Kids are perfectly willing to be stubborn as all hell to make a point, and our point was 'we're broke, pay us'. Theory's all well and good, but application can be more trouble than it's worth.
Besides, kids want things like anybody else. Do you really want to see their alternative strategies for getting the money to pay for them?
Yikes, bitter. These are some of the ways that people are trying to jumpstart our sluggish economy and there are some people who can really benefit and might just get out a little more while looking to make a few extra bucks.
If your sand is damp in the bag don't add any water unless you absolutely need it...other wise you end with sand goop.
I give my daughter an allowance so she can learn how to use money, but I also want her to understand that money is not free. You have to work for it.
I reduce my daughter's allowance when she doesn't do her chores. I reduce her monthly allowance by 20% if she hasn't completed her chores between Friday and Tuesday.
My husband was rear-ended the first week of college. His front bumper was completely damaged. When he got the money, he built is own bumper (it is awesome!) and used the rest of the money for college tuition.
Interesting idea. I recently discovered a long, thin crack in my windshield, and it's tempting to cash in (apparently my insurance partially covers replacement), but I'm thinking that if it is a safety hazard, I'd rather just fix the car. Now for those with scratches and whatnot, that would be a different story (as long as it's a cosmetic, not a safety issue, I'd use the money for something else).
I don't think kids should be paid...they should help as an able member of the family. I don't want my kids to learn that everything they do has monetary reward.
I am LOVING all these suggestions! Thank you :)
Lela
I know this is a couple years late, but this is happening to me now. I gave them my name and current address but no ssn, dl#, or money. What should I do? Help!!
That sounds like a great bachelorette party! I love the reminder to find something unique that the bride will love. Thanks for sharing!
I would choose to repair the car if it was under $2,000 to actually fix the problem
Hi Squishy,
Thanks for your comment. Wise Bread is a community of writers centered around frugal living and personal finance. Within that, though, our writers sometimes have differing opinions about how to best do things, or they even talk to experts who have differing opinions about the best way to reach a goal.
Best,
Meg
Hi Paul -- I'm not aware of any CS rating system for insurers. It would be a great idea, but I imagine there are too many variables and consistency is a challenge.
This is a finance blog right? So here's the only real way to buy cars. Either you buy a new card and keep it for 15-20 years (150K+ miles at least). Or you always make very good deals on buying used cars and drive them until it's no longer financially worth it (repairs > another used car). In either case it's ludicrous to repair any cosmetic damage.
From a finance perspective it's just lost money - you are literally throwing it out. Technically if you keep a nice new car, new looking and even put 150K miles on it you will be able to sell it for more than if it's all dinged up...but at that point the difference is going to be small.
I drive a nicer car, an audi, it's all sorts of banged up (mostly from living in NYC for 8 years with it). Most of the damage wasn't something I could collect on (piece of wood on the highway, etc things like that). Even still I'd gladly take the money and not repair. I bought it new, it's got 130K on it now, hope to get it over 200K.
Another plus, again if you are planning on keeping the car long term, something banged up is less likely to be stolen!
Another plus (although this one is at least ethically if not legally grey). If you ever do happen to get into an accident...and it's not your fault...you'll end up getting a lot of incidental damage that wasn't related to the accident repaired:)
I would go so far as to say that repairing your car for minor cosmetic damage is something only for rich people to do, people that can afford to throw money away.
I love my car because of the way it drives, none of the minor cosmetic damage affects the way it drives. People should remember what cars are - a way to get from place to place - not a shiny bauble to show off.
I sort of think this goes both ways in our house. There are certain chores we expect our kids to do just because they're a part of our family, but then again there are certain chores that are out of the normal day to day house running that we do give them an allowance for.
I live in a mid-sized town in Northeastern China. From time to time I wonder what it would be like if I were to retire here.
Many things are unexpensive (food and most services); renting seems preferable to buying if you need a place as rents are low here. But I am unsure as to how China will look in ten years. Judging from the way the town is being redesigned it will be very unpleasant for someone who has difficulty walking if they keep on widening roads and putting fences to keep people from crossing. Also it is extremely noisy and rather dirty.
If you grew up in a quiet and clean neighborhood you may not make it.
In a smaller town I'd say that it is essential to speak Chinese; not reading Chinese puts you at a disadvantage but not speaking is clearly not an option.
I have over two years of having had mostly good experiences in China but if you come here late it'd be very hard. Moneywise the Yuan has gone up and the dollar down so it is also a bit troubling...
Anyway, come and try living here for a month or two!
We had a pretty bad hailstorm a few months back. My car rec'd about 20 pings or so from it. I do still owe on the car. My insurance estimated the damage at $1400. However, my deductible is $1000. Seeing as I couldn't really get the pings fixed for just $400 and didnt have the cash to shell out the deductible amount (I know...unprepared), I took the $400 and got new brakes and new belts...which had been weighing on me for a few months anyway. So I justified it by at least spending on the car for necessary repairs. I must say, I hate seeing those pings...so I just try to ignore them. :)
My car has a mysterious fender dent from a(n assumed) hit-and-run in the parking lot, although it isn’t that bad. I haven’t bothered having it fixed yet, because the quote was less than my deductible and I’d rather have the cash on hand.
With his last car, my S.O. was hit right in the confluence of bumper-headlight-fender-hood. You could barely see any damage (the headlight was loose, but not broken) but the quote to fix it was close to $2k—about 70% of the value of the car itself. He cashed the check from the other person’s insurance and used it when he bought his new car a few months later when a mechanical repair bill was going to hit about $1k. The damage from the accident didn’t even affect his trade-in value.
I can see how it could cause issues though, if you are in a second incident that does further damage—if you’ve already been paid for damage to that area and didn’t have it fixed, have fun fighting.