Yes, check your credit card statements carefully! This month I had three fradulent charges, two that were $1.00 each and one for $12.95. Apparently there are identity thieves who charge tiny amounts, which are less likely to be detected and reported.
Excellent point. A friend of mine checks her statements religiously... And this month she discovered she was paying a perfect stranger's student loan! It was a bank error, not fraud.
I'm glad you tackled this subject. It seems like Americans do freak out when they hear certain words... "socialism", "terrorism", "Islam", (for example) -- anything they perceive as a threat to their way of life. (The negative comments and unsubscribe threats following this post are a perfect example -- I don't think they could prove your point any better!) Buzzwords get people's attention because they're so emotionally charged... and they sound great in an election, don't they?
It turns out the real threat to your way of life isn't communism or socialism it's greed. As a result, the rest of us have the US to thank for this current economic crisis.
And as for this blog... Andrea, the fact that you're meeting with opposition means you're doing something right, and saying something that needs to be said. Usually the last thing people want to hear is the truth.
my parents had an account with the local bank in our small town, and they could NEVER get their checkbook to balance. turns out, one of the employees was withdrawing small amounts from everyone's accounts. it may not happen often, but it happens.
Don't be a dumbass!! If any of you really have Boardwalk or any of the big winning pieces then start buying everything with a game ticket on it until you get the rest of the pieces! The game isn't on much longer and they're already running out of tickets on some items. The tickets are non-transferable and they do validate the winners, so don't cheat. The online game is separate - there is a number to call on the McDonald's Monopoly site if you win. (Google "McDonalds Monopoly rare pieces" to find out if you have a rare one.)
So, two people on this board claim to have Boardwalk? Very very unlikely.
If you take 2 minutes a day to write down in a spreadsheet (or Quicken, or whatever) the amounts you put on your credit cards that day, then checking your statement at the end of the month is simply a matter of asking, "does their number match my number?" If it does, then you're done. If not, that's when you bring out the fine-toothed comb.
Another "safety" precaution is to setup email alerts on your accounts. I'm not 100% about other banks, but Chase allows me to setup an email alert for a lot of account activities. For example, I receive separate alerts if any of the following occur: 1) deposit to an an account, 2) ATM withdrawal of any amount, 3) transfer btw accounts, etc. I set the alert threshold at $0.01.
If I receive an alert about a transaction that I didn't initiate, it would be time to call the bank.
It is against federal law to use a device to change a traffic light, unless you are a driving an emergency vehicle.
But there are some tricks to make sure you get the light:
1. Don't creep. The sensors at the stop line work on detecting position, not motion. If you creep up beyond the stop line, you LEAVE the detection area, and the signal thinks you turned on red.
2. Stop with your front bumper just short of the stop line. This locates you in the optimum position for detection.
3. The sensors on the approach with the red work like pushing the elevator button. Once a single actuation is recorded, that is enough to eventually bring the green signal.
4. The sensors are most active on the approach with the green signal. They look for an absence of traffic. When cars are no longer passing over the sensor, the signal will change to yellow.
5. Some left turn signals are set to wait until three cars or a long truck are in line before activating.
I enjoyed your post. I wear a hat too, starting in October and until March or April. I also wear two layers on my legs, not just my upper body during the cool seasons. (light adidas track pants that I buy at Target as a base layer, and my regular pants over that).
You've got a woodstove, so that's different, but since I have central heating, what I do is just set it for 52 degrees at night, 60 in the morning until everyone leaves the house (11am), then 52 degrees until 6:30 pm, which is the earliest anyone will get home on most days.
I do this all winter long and this makes more sense to me than arbitrarily waiting to use heat at all.
I agree that 55 degrees in the house is not too cold, you just have to dress properly for it. Down vest and a hat is a good one. And having blankets available on the couch is vital.
On my bed, I actually use two large sleeping bags zipped together. They are washable ones from wiggys.com, and they are warmer, and much lighter in weight, than any blankets or compforters I have ever used, and when they are zipped together there are *zero* drafts on my feet. Which used to be a nemesis of mine.
Regarding drying clothes, I hang a line inside, as I regard our central heating as a huge house-sized "dryer" for clothes. (I got rid of my gas-fired dryer two summers ago, so I line dry everything now). Your dryer strategy does make sense though if it's vented inside. I hope you have CO detectors in the house if it's a gas-fired dryer, though.
Great tips,but living in a large city apartment makes things a bit different. There are a good number of elderly in our building, plus by law - once the temperature hits a certain temperature, the heat comes on.
I wish it was cooler in the winter time. I think a lot of the heat is wasted because the temp gets to near 90. I have to crack open the windows just so I don't sweat. Talk about wasting energy...Perhaps its time to move away from Metropolis ;)
So I am already a winner? I collected boardwalk about a week ago and have yet to find parkplace. I guess I will visit it a few more times if it is that easy to get parkplace.
I looked at a home based business as a second job, but decided that frugality would be my second job. I started to do my own home maintenance, I took time to shop more carefully, etc. For me, that was more enjoyable that a job. There's no stress and it can be done on my own schedule.
Anyone with a decent background in (professional) cooking or baking can usually pickup some extra work around the holidays with catering companies. You may even be able to talk your way in if you're just a really experienced home cook, but some professional kitchen service is better. Caterers are super busy from Thanksgiving to New Year's, and often willing to accommodate weird hours or short hours. It may help if you make it clear that you're not looking for a permanent position. They may only want the extra help for that short term rush. I did this several times when I was younger.
I found back in 1978 that I did not have the time to properly research individual stocks.I could not bring myself to pay an investment advisor so I began investing in different types of mutual funds. I have been investing twice a month or dollar cost averaging now for the last thirty years.
As I have gotten older I have invested in the money market or short term bond funds for liquidity and safety reasons and less in the more agressive growth funds. My appetite for risk has changed over the years and I have continued to adjust my portfolio as I get closer to my retirement.
If you have a long term investment horizon this investment strategy, although a little old fashioned compared to the newer types of investments available today, has worked very well for me.
we'll the board walk is the actuall winner seein' as they only make 3 of them worldwide., all u had to do was go buy some meals and u would have had parkplace within a week.
It's pretty unbelievable how he totally avoided the question...lol. I have been playing the stupid online version and after reading your attempt to find out if the dice numbers are rolled at random( which I also have been wondering, seeing as how I am only missing 1 property for every set that I own.) But I wont be buying anymore McDonalds that's for sure.
The USA is not socialist. You completely missed the point of the definition. Socialism isn't purely about spreading wealth around. It is about transferring the ownership of the means of production to those that produce and taking it from those that just own. It is about empowering the working class, which in turn is about equality.
Great blog info. I just wanted to let you and your bloggers know that Equity Express is now offering free biweekly conversions on existing and new mortgages. Normally costing a few hundred dollars, it’s now free to the consumer to help ease expenses in these trying economic times. I'm actually saving over $60,000 and cut 7 years off of my loan. People this is a no brainer!Equity Express (888) 438-5536
Again, we Wise Bread bloggers are allowed to post about whatever we want on the Extra Commentary section (I know this is tough for some of you to grasp, but it doesn't go up on the main page, so you really have to click to get to it).
You'll notice that there are a range of topics posted there.
You no likey? No one is holding a gun to your head forcing you to read my writing. The truth is, most people who have written here expressing their intent to never read Wise Bread again aren't going anywhere. In fact, they'll probably be MORE likely to read now just to see if what I have written will provoke ANOTHER outraged response.
Anyway, I appreciate the people who have taken the time to write comments that express their opinion on the subject matter. It means a lot to me, whether you think I'm crazy or have a point.
1. I'm MORE upset about the socialistic programs already in place than the potential for new ones.
2. This just pisses me off, because I have the choice of (not literally) more evil or less evil.
3. Great - That just means there's no where I can go to escape it. ...Now I'm completely at ease about socialism.
People get upset when socialism comes up because this country was never supposed to be run that way. And before you ask who says that, the Constitution says that. Have you read it lately?
I don't WANT the government to 'have my back'. If I want to 'spread the wealth around' there are plenty of good charities. I have no problem paying taxes to support road work and defense and such things. I don't believe the government has ANY business interfering in marriage, retirement plans, food with trans fat, etc. I'm a fully capable adult and I DON'T need a babysitter!
Leaving out the entire issue of the 16th amendment and income taxes, I think taxing the 'upper classes' goes completely against the idea of upwards social movement that is such a huge part of who America is. That idea of working to better yourself and leaving your children better off than you were...that's pretty ingrained in our culture. Then why, I ask, does the government make this more difficult for people?
Not to mention the difficulty there seems to be in defining who the middle - upper class is. I'm worried about Obama getting elected and me hitting that ceiling where the tax increases start. Is it just me, or should that probably not be a worry for someone fresh out of school in an entry level position?
It's not just that people disagree with the sentiment...it's also because this is not a political forum. If Andrea has a personal blog then it's all well and good, but she is blogging here under the banner of Wise Bread, and WB is, according to this website, about frugal living, not socio-economic opinions. Andrea doesn't say anything about how socialism is frugal, or how it gets us more coupons. This website is not Andrea's mouthpiece...it is where people go for tips on saving money.
Yes, check your credit card statements carefully! This month I had three fradulent charges, two that were $1.00 each and one for $12.95. Apparently there are identity thieves who charge tiny amounts, which are less likely to be detected and reported.
Excellent point. A friend of mine checks her statements religiously... And this month she discovered she was paying a perfect stranger's student loan! It was a bank error, not fraud.
I'm glad you tackled this subject. It seems like Americans do freak out when they hear certain words... "socialism", "terrorism", "Islam", (for example) -- anything they perceive as a threat to their way of life. (The negative comments and unsubscribe threats following this post are a perfect example -- I don't think they could prove your point any better!) Buzzwords get people's attention because they're so emotionally charged... and they sound great in an election, don't they?
It turns out the real threat to your way of life isn't communism or socialism it's greed. As a result, the rest of us have the US to thank for this current economic crisis.
And as for this blog... Andrea, the fact that you're meeting with opposition means you're doing something right, and saying something that needs to be said. Usually the last thing people want to hear is the truth.
my parents had an account with the local bank in our small town, and they could NEVER get their checkbook to balance. turns out, one of the employees was withdrawing small amounts from everyone's accounts. it may not happen often, but it happens.
Don't be a dumbass!! If any of you really have Boardwalk or any of the big winning pieces then start buying everything with a game ticket on it until you get the rest of the pieces! The game isn't on much longer and they're already running out of tickets on some items. The tickets are non-transferable and they do validate the winners, so don't cheat. The online game is separate - there is a number to call on the McDonald's Monopoly site if you win. (Google "McDonalds Monopoly rare pieces" to find out if you have a rare one.)
So, two people on this board claim to have Boardwalk? Very very unlikely.
If you take 2 minutes a day to write down in a spreadsheet (or Quicken, or whatever) the amounts you put on your credit cards that day, then checking your statement at the end of the month is simply a matter of asking, "does their number match my number?" If it does, then you're done. If not, that's when you bring out the fine-toothed comb.
Another "safety" precaution is to setup email alerts on your accounts. I'm not 100% about other banks, but Chase allows me to setup an email alert for a lot of account activities. For example, I receive separate alerts if any of the following occur: 1) deposit to an an account, 2) ATM withdrawal of any amount, 3) transfer btw accounts, etc. I set the alert threshold at $0.01.
If I receive an alert about a transaction that I didn't initiate, it would be time to call the bank.
That used to happen to me years ago when I played too... go back and check it, I guarantee it's Parkplace.
It is against federal law to use a device to change a traffic light, unless you are a driving an emergency vehicle.
But there are some tricks to make sure you get the light:
1. Don't creep. The sensors at the stop line work on detecting position, not motion. If you creep up beyond the stop line, you LEAVE the detection area, and the signal thinks you turned on red.
2. Stop with your front bumper just short of the stop line. This locates you in the optimum position for detection.
3. The sensors on the approach with the red work like pushing the elevator button. Once a single actuation is recorded, that is enough to eventually bring the green signal.
4. The sensors are most active on the approach with the green signal. They look for an absence of traffic. When cars are no longer passing over the sensor, the signal will change to yellow.
5. Some left turn signals are set to wait until three cars or a long truck are in line before activating.
I enjoyed your post. I wear a hat too, starting in October and until March or April. I also wear two layers on my legs, not just my upper body during the cool seasons. (light adidas track pants that I buy at Target as a base layer, and my regular pants over that).
You've got a woodstove, so that's different, but since I have central heating, what I do is just set it for 52 degrees at night, 60 in the morning until everyone leaves the house (11am), then 52 degrees until 6:30 pm, which is the earliest anyone will get home on most days.
I do this all winter long and this makes more sense to me than arbitrarily waiting to use heat at all.
I agree that 55 degrees in the house is not too cold, you just have to dress properly for it. Down vest and a hat is a good one. And having blankets available on the couch is vital.
On my bed, I actually use two large sleeping bags zipped together. They are washable ones from wiggys.com, and they are warmer, and much lighter in weight, than any blankets or compforters I have ever used, and when they are zipped together there are *zero* drafts on my feet. Which used to be a nemesis of mine.
Regarding drying clothes, I hang a line inside, as I regard our central heating as a huge house-sized "dryer" for clothes. (I got rid of my gas-fired dryer two summers ago, so I line dry everything now). Your dryer strategy does make sense though if it's vented inside. I hope you have CO detectors in the house if it's a gas-fired dryer, though.
Great tips,but living in a large city apartment makes things a bit different. There are a good number of elderly in our building, plus by law - once the temperature hits a certain temperature, the heat comes on.
I wish it was cooler in the winter time. I think a lot of the heat is wasted because the temp gets to near 90. I have to crack open the windows just so I don't sweat. Talk about wasting energy...Perhaps its time to move away from Metropolis ;)
So I am already a winner? I collected boardwalk about a week ago and have yet to find parkplace. I guess I will visit it a few more times if it is that easy to get parkplace.
I looked at a home based business as a second job, but decided that frugality would be my second job. I started to do my own home maintenance, I took time to shop more carefully, etc. For me, that was more enjoyable that a job. There's no stress and it can be done on my own schedule.
Anyone with a decent background in (professional) cooking or baking can usually pickup some extra work around the holidays with catering companies. You may even be able to talk your way in if you're just a really experienced home cook, but some professional kitchen service is better. Caterers are super busy from Thanksgiving to New Year's, and often willing to accommodate weird hours or short hours. It may help if you make it clear that you're not looking for a permanent position. They may only want the extra help for that short term rush. I did this several times when I was younger.
Well, Hell send me board walk I have about 10 park place's !
I found back in 1978 that I did not have the time to properly research individual stocks.I could not bring myself to pay an investment advisor so I began investing in different types of mutual funds. I have been investing twice a month or dollar cost averaging now for the last thirty years.
As I have gotten older I have invested in the money market or short term bond funds for liquidity and safety reasons and less in the more agressive growth funds. My appetite for risk has changed over the years and I have continued to adjust my portfolio as I get closer to my retirement.
If you have a long term investment horizon this investment strategy, although a little old fashioned compared to the newer types of investments available today, has worked very well for me.
we'll the board walk is the actuall winner seein' as they only make 3 of them worldwide., all u had to do was go buy some meals and u would have had parkplace within a week.
It's pretty unbelievable how he totally avoided the question...lol. I have been playing the stupid online version and after reading your attempt to find out if the dice numbers are rolled at random( which I also have been wondering, seeing as how I am only missing 1 property for every set that I own.) But I wont be buying anymore McDonalds that's for sure.
The USA is not socialist. You completely missed the point of the definition. Socialism isn't purely about spreading wealth around. It is about transferring the ownership of the means of production to those that produce and taking it from those that just own. It is about empowering the working class, which in turn is about equality.
yo i have park place
im fine with spliting it with anyone with boardwalk
Great blog info. I just wanted to let you and your bloggers know that Equity Express is now offering free biweekly conversions on existing and new mortgages. Normally costing a few hundred dollars, it’s now free to the consumer to help ease expenses in these trying economic times. I'm actually saving over $60,000 and cut 7 years off of my loan. People this is a no brainer!Equity Express (888) 438-5536
ive noticed this multiple times. totally rigged!!
Again, we Wise Bread bloggers are allowed to post about whatever we want on the Extra Commentary section (I know this is tough for some of you to grasp, but it doesn't go up on the main page, so you really have to click to get to it).
http://www.wisebread.com/topic/extra-commentary
You'll notice that there are a range of topics posted there.
You no likey? No one is holding a gun to your head forcing you to read my writing. The truth is, most people who have written here expressing their intent to never read Wise Bread again aren't going anywhere. In fact, they'll probably be MORE likely to read now just to see if what I have written will provoke ANOTHER outraged response.
Anyway, I appreciate the people who have taken the time to write comments that express their opinion on the subject matter. It means a lot to me, whether you think I'm crazy or have a point.
Someone very wise sent me this link last night:
http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/10/28/ten-comments-you-think-are-cool-and-insightful-but-arent/
Unsubscribers take note: we know you're full of it.
1. I'm MORE upset about the socialistic programs already in place than the potential for new ones.
2. This just pisses me off, because I have the choice of (not literally) more evil or less evil.
3. Great - That just means there's no where I can go to escape it. ...Now I'm completely at ease about socialism.
People get upset when socialism comes up because this country was never supposed to be run that way. And before you ask who says that, the Constitution says that. Have you read it lately?
I don't WANT the government to 'have my back'. If I want to 'spread the wealth around' there are plenty of good charities. I have no problem paying taxes to support road work and defense and such things. I don't believe the government has ANY business interfering in marriage, retirement plans, food with trans fat, etc. I'm a fully capable adult and I DON'T need a babysitter!
Leaving out the entire issue of the 16th amendment and income taxes, I think taxing the 'upper classes' goes completely against the idea of upwards social movement that is such a huge part of who America is. That idea of working to better yourself and leaving your children better off than you were...that's pretty ingrained in our culture. Then why, I ask, does the government make this more difficult for people?
Not to mention the difficulty there seems to be in defining who the middle - upper class is. I'm worried about Obama getting elected and me hitting that ceiling where the tax increases start. Is it just me, or should that probably not be a worry for someone fresh out of school in an entry level position?
It's not just that people disagree with the sentiment...it's also because this is not a political forum. If Andrea has a personal blog then it's all well and good, but she is blogging here under the banner of Wise Bread, and WB is, according to this website, about frugal living, not socio-economic opinions. Andrea doesn't say anything about how socialism is frugal, or how it gets us more coupons. This website is not Andrea's mouthpiece...it is where people go for tips on saving money.