Perhaps the only time you do want to enter debit is when you want cashback. In that case, it's cheaper than using an ATM. Thanks for bringing that up, I'll make a note in the article.
One other thing to keep in mind that I only learned while I was working as a bank teller (and dealing with ranting customers) some of the machines we casually swipe our cards through and pick debit are viewed by some banks as "non-bank ATM's" complete with all the rigmarole of fees from your bank (sometimes as high as $2.50) and ANOTHER fee from the card reader company (sometimes as high as $3.50!).
Balancing your checkbook is all fine and dandy - but if every time you buy a gallon of milk at the gas station on the way home you get a hidden $5 tacked onto your bill... those charges can make for a nasty surprise when you open your statement.
To this day, I always choose credit when I use my debit card - no scary surprises, and I'm protected if my card gets stolen. (The whole idea that someone has to have your pin number anymore to use a debit card is nonsense. With a single swipe you can be charged for their purchases AND any cashback they request) Better off choosing credit OR....
I don't use Debit anymore, but not because of fees or convenience. Identity thieves have figured out ways to hack ATM machines, gas pumps, and yes even store checkout machines. So, not only do they get your credit card number when you swipe the card, they then get your PIN number when you enter it in.
Besides, most of the banks are running promotions & contests for using your card as a credit card instead of a debit card.
Some people seem to forget that unemployment benefits are paid based on the previous income. I too just became unemployed for the first time in my 30 years of a working life. I paid insurance during those 30 years, and I receive the maximum benefit. It is a fraction of the income I had until recently. I'm lucky. I don't have a family to feed and am able to pay for housing and food with the unemployment benefit. So I will not lose the roof over my head right away, but it will be a major adjustment to my quality of life. And the benefits are not enough to keep health insurance coverage. With some big health problems in the past, I can lose my house over a medical bill in a heart beat. Do I like the "vacation time" on "free government money"? It's a lousy vacation worrying about how to pay the bills, and it's not free money, but the money I paid in insurance in the first place. From where I'm standing, I'd rather be gainfully employed!
Your advice is excellent, except on the salary answer: "well, that’s something I’ve thought long and hard about and I think someone with my experience should get between X & Y.”
When you say between "x and y" most reasonable people will (and should for their negotiating position) hear "X!" And you have now anchored low (unless your range is totally bloated).
Give a figure which anchors you higher than your walk away position.
If you don't have a number in hand (and you should) or want to delay the conversation say "before we talk about the salary I would like to explore the entire package." This may buy you some time.
I guess the photo is supposed to illustrate why doing some household chores yourself can be a false economy? Still, it's a disturbing photo. I'd have gone with a guy lying flat on his back with a ladder on top of him and tools scattered about.
If you think about it, you will realize the answer is time. The sad part, is that people squander time more than they squander money. As an example, just think TV . . .
Time is more valuable because you only get so much of it-- time ticks away and is gone forever. Think of time as a decaying asset. Money on the other hand, can made and remade.
Time should be guarded and used sparingly.
BTW-- what's the story with the Texas Chainsaw photo?
I love both of these -- really nice luggage can be expensive but a great gift from parents or a generous friend. I hate to see kids with paper or plastic bags for luggage, not necessarily b/c they can't afford the luggage but hadn't gotten around to buying any when the need arose. LL Bean and Lands' End carry some nice pieces at decent prices.
because you actually have to invest time to make money in the first place. ok you can probably make more money per minute with your time investment than it costs you per minute to outsource the boring tasks and you end up in the black. but don't forget where money comes from!
I totally didn't know about this until about 2 years ago. I called up to get my defensive driving course discount and the customer service agent asked how many miles I had on the car. It was less than 2 years old and I had maybe 17K miles on the car. She told me that since I was obviously driving less than 12,000 miles per year why not reduce my driving quote level to 10K. I asked if it would make a difference and yes, it sure did! Maybe $20 a month doesn't matter to someone else but that's $240 a year and I haven't had to change one dang thing about my driving habits.
And if your home address is also registered as a business or if you do deliveries with your car or commute to work versus just "recreational" driving you WILL pay more. It all adds up.
Interesting article. I've heard not so great things about the big "organic" companies before. I just started buying Horizon organic milk last week to see how different it tasted from regular milk. And wow. It tastes way different. This is coming from someone who is hypersensitive to water tastes and milk tastes. A few years ago when I drank local, grass-fed, organic cow milk it was phenomenal! I could actually taste the grass.
So, what I'm saying is that even if a lot of Horizon's claims are false, as you say, their milk sure tastes a heck of a lot better than the regular milk. The only question is whether I want to pay extra for the taste...
It's a major search engine firm. Signed so many nondisclosure agreements, I'm not sure I'm allowed to say which one. But since being on the job, I've heard that all/most of them have this type of position, though it may be called different things at different companies.
Yah- i'm not usually one to question things like this, but is that really a picture of a guy running over a girl with a lawn mower??? That seems random...
Of course there is the neighborhood bias too. I know my neighborhood is $15 more a year than one mile away from me because my area includes the highway and the other area doesn't.
Every time you drive fast to get somewhere you're going quicker you are spending money to save time, so I think we've all be there.
Outside of that I go to convenience stores for a Mt Dew when another 3 minute drive would get me 2 liters for the same price. My guiltiest moments where when I bribed my (then girlfriend) to do laundry for me where she got dinner in return. Kind of like a maid!
looks like you need to learn how to freaking spell, go back to college, dude!
Perhaps the only time you do want to enter debit is when you want cashback. In that case, it's cheaper than using an ATM. Thanks for bringing that up, I'll make a note in the article.
If you enter credit instead of debit, can you still get cash back?
One other thing to keep in mind that I only learned while I was working as a bank teller (and dealing with ranting customers) some of the machines we casually swipe our cards through and pick debit are viewed by some banks as "non-bank ATM's" complete with all the rigmarole of fees from your bank (sometimes as high as $2.50) and ANOTHER fee from the card reader company (sometimes as high as $3.50!).
Balancing your checkbook is all fine and dandy - but if every time you buy a gallon of milk at the gas station on the way home you get a hidden $5 tacked onto your bill... those charges can make for a nasty surprise when you open your statement.
To this day, I always choose credit when I use my debit card - no scary surprises, and I'm protected if my card gets stolen. (The whole idea that someone has to have your pin number anymore to use a debit card is nonsense. With a single swipe you can be charged for their purchases AND any cashback they request) Better off choosing credit OR....
just carry cash.
I don't use Debit anymore, but not because of fees or convenience. Identity thieves have figured out ways to hack ATM machines, gas pumps, and yes even store checkout machines. So, not only do they get your credit card number when you swipe the card, they then get your PIN number when you enter it in.
Besides, most of the banks are running promotions & contests for using your card as a credit card instead of a debit card.
Claire7676, you probably did not read the section where I wrote about the installment plan and form 9465.
Some people seem to forget that unemployment benefits are paid based on the previous income. I too just became unemployed for the first time in my 30 years of a working life. I paid insurance during those 30 years, and I receive the maximum benefit. It is a fraction of the income I had until recently. I'm lucky. I don't have a family to feed and am able to pay for housing and food with the unemployment benefit. So I will not lose the roof over my head right away, but it will be a major adjustment to my quality of life. And the benefits are not enough to keep health insurance coverage. With some big health problems in the past, I can lose my house over a medical bill in a heart beat. Do I like the "vacation time" on "free government money"? It's a lousy vacation worrying about how to pay the bills, and it's not free money, but the money I paid in insurance in the first place. From where I'm standing, I'd rather be gainfully employed!
This is a fantastic book. I bought it for my husband for his birthday, and it gets lots of use.
Your advice is excellent, except on the salary answer: "well, that’s something I’ve thought long and hard about and I think someone with my experience should get between X & Y.”
When you say between "x and y" most reasonable people will (and should for their negotiating position) hear "X!" And you have now anchored low (unless your range is totally bloated).
Give a figure which anchors you higher than your walk away position.
If you don't have a number in hand (and you should) or want to delay the conversation say "before we talk about the salary I would like to explore the entire package." This may buy you some time.
Best of luck -
j
I guess the photo is supposed to illustrate why doing some household chores yourself can be a false economy? Still, it's a disturbing photo. I'd have gone with a guy lying flat on his back with a ladder on top of him and tools scattered about.
Time or money-- what's more valuable?
If you think about it, you will realize the answer is time. The sad part, is that people squander time more than they squander money. As an example, just think TV . . .
Time is more valuable because you only get so much of it-- time ticks away and is gone forever. Think of time as a decaying asset. Money on the other hand, can made and remade.
Time should be guarded and used sparingly.
BTW-- what's the story with the Texas Chainsaw photo?
I love both of these -- really nice luggage can be expensive but a great gift from parents or a generous friend. I hate to see kids with paper or plastic bags for luggage, not necessarily b/c they can't afford the luggage but hadn't gotten around to buying any when the need arose. LL Bean and Lands' End carry some nice pieces at decent prices.
"Oh, the places you'll go" is a great for recent grads but also for not-so-recent ones.
A great article i have read......people always say "time is money" but you proved them wrong......from now i will always remeber your article.
because you actually have to invest time to make money in the first place. ok you can probably make more money per minute with your time investment than it costs you per minute to outsource the boring tasks and you end up in the black. but don't forget where money comes from!
Uhhh... I couldn't even concentrate on the content. You photo is really messed up.
This will do the same thing.
http://cleantechnica.com/2008/11/06/outlet-switch-fights-vampire-energy-...
Requires a little more work but is very cheap comparatively.
I totally didn't know about this until about 2 years ago. I called up to get my defensive driving course discount and the customer service agent asked how many miles I had on the car. It was less than 2 years old and I had maybe 17K miles on the car. She told me that since I was obviously driving less than 12,000 miles per year why not reduce my driving quote level to 10K. I asked if it would make a difference and yes, it sure did! Maybe $20 a month doesn't matter to someone else but that's $240 a year and I haven't had to change one dang thing about my driving habits.
And if your home address is also registered as a business or if you do deliveries with your car or commute to work versus just "recreational" driving you WILL pay more. It all adds up.
Interesting article. I've heard not so great things about the big "organic" companies before. I just started buying Horizon organic milk last week to see how different it tasted from regular milk. And wow. It tastes way different. This is coming from someone who is hypersensitive to water tastes and milk tastes. A few years ago when I drank local, grass-fed, organic cow milk it was phenomenal! I could actually taste the grass.
So, what I'm saying is that even if a lot of Horizon's claims are false, as you say, their milk sure tastes a heck of a lot better than the regular milk. The only question is whether I want to pay extra for the taste...
It's a major search engine firm. Signed so many nondisclosure agreements, I'm not sure I'm allowed to say which one. But since being on the job, I've heard that all/most of them have this type of position, though it may be called different things at different companies.
What the heck is with the photo? Seriously disturbing. Not sure if it is supposed to be funny, but it's definitely not.
Yah- i'm not usually one to question things like this, but is that really a picture of a guy running over a girl with a lawn mower??? That seems random...
I always wonder if it is a fair exchange driving to save time.
Of course there is the neighborhood bias too. I know my neighborhood is $15 more a year than one mile away from me because my area includes the highway and the other area doesn't.
Margaret Garcia-Couoh
Um, what's up with that photo? It's slightly disturbing!
Every time you drive fast to get somewhere you're going quicker you are spending money to save time, so I think we've all be there.
Outside of that I go to convenience stores for a Mt Dew when another 3 minute drive would get me 2 liters for the same price. My guiltiest moments where when I bribed my (then girlfriend) to do laundry for me where she got dinner in return. Kind of like a maid!