Be Careful Before You Use Groupon

January 28, 2015

My boss is a big fan of Groupon.For those of you not familiar with Groupon, it falls into a category of online commerce sometimes called “deal-of-the-day” websites. There are several of these out there, including LivingSocial and Woot, and they all pretty much offer deep discounts on a variety of goods and services.  My brother was the first person I actually knew who used Groupon to buy $25 worth of food at a local restaurant for $15.  Knowing how careful my brother is before he tries things, if he’s used it and it worked, then it must be legitimate. Continue reading “Be Careful Before You Use Groupon”

Where is Your “Government Waste?”

January 09, 2015

Every year, in the December/January time frame, there are a lot of articles looking back at the prior year or looking forward to the New Year.As a bit of a political junkie, I love reading stories about predictions for the coming year but one of my favorite things to see each year is a look at how the government (mis)spent enormous sums of taxpayer’s dollars. This isn’t a Democratic or a Republican issue; it’s a big organization problem.  Continue reading “Where is Your “Government Waste?””

All I Wanted For Christmas Was… a Flu Shot?

January 07, 2015

For years my friends and colleagues have been telling me to get a flu shot at the onset of flu season and for years I’ve been ignoring them, reluctant to do so for fear of somehow reducing my immunity to the virus or worse yet contracting the flu from the shot itself.  Now before you start sending me nasty emails telling me I’m wrong, let me just say that the Center for Disease Control has beat you to it. The truth is our family has been relatively healthy throughout the years, and my wife and I figured that all the hubbub over the flu shot was to create demand for something I really didn’t think most people needed.  In fact, the only reason I received my first flu shot last year was to appease my loving neighbor who insisted I get one prior to flying out for business. Continue reading “All I Wanted For Christmas Was… a Flu Shot?”

My “NO” Year’s Resolutions!

December 31, 2014

This New Year’s Eve, millions of people across the country will make New Year’s resolutions about things they’d like to do in 2015.  I’m all in favor of this annual tradition but to mix things up a bit, I’m going to suggest a few things that you DON’T want to do in 2015—something I’m calling “No” Year’s resolutions: Continue reading “My “NO” Year’s Resolutions!”

An Unusual Place to Shop This Time of Year

December 24, 2014

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!  Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring…except my wife who found herself making an unexpected, last-minute shopping trip because someone forgot to tell her that they needed formal wear for a Christmas concert the next day. While this may cause the average person to recoil in frustration, read on to see how my wife responded under these less-than-ideal circumstances. What she has to say may just be the little Christmas miracle you’ve been looking for this year. Continue reading “An Unusual Place to Shop This Time of Year”

Finding Some Extra Jingle, Jingle For the Holidays

December 23, 2014

As I pulled into the unmanned toll booth on 90W in Chicago recently, I was glad to find I had quite a bit of change in the bottom of my purse since the toll was $1.90 and took coins only.  That got me thinking about all the loose change many people have in their pockets or car cup holders and all the extra coins sitting around in coffee cans, piggy banks, and like in my house – a huge plastic pretzel jar.  The average household has about $58 in loose change based on the typical amount of coins cashed in at Coinstar. Continue reading “Finding Some Extra Jingle, Jingle For the Holidays”

Happy Holidays Now and in January

December 01, 2014

The holiday season is officially here and I can honestly say that it may take me a few days to fully recover from Thanksgiving dinner (and a few rounds of leftovers). Despite spending about 20 hours in a car, it was fun setting some time aside to do nothing but eat, watch football, and express a little gratitude. In our household, the peaceful tradition of starting an Advent calendar on December 1st is usually countered by the hectic activity of trying to coordinate family logistics for the next month. Continue reading “Happy Holidays Now and in January”

Think Long Term For The Holidays

November 11, 2014

So the weather is cooling down and immediately we start thinking about all of the yummy holiday food and spending time with our loved ones. After we start basking in the glow of chocolate chip cookies and family, it slowly starts to sink in that this time of the year is expensive. Between traveling, Thanksgiving Day meals, and presents, you and your wallet are exhausted by New Year’s. So what is a gift-giving person to do? Continue reading “Think Long Term For The Holidays”

A 5k Vacation

October 28, 2014

One of my favorite commercials is from Mastercard with all the kids begging their parents to “take one more day” of their unused vacation and they present Mom and Dad some pretty compelling reasons why taking at least one more day is priceless.  For those that do decide to take a family vacation, there IS a price, and it’s usually not cheap.  In fact, a recent Forbes article puts the average cost for a family of four at almost $5k after tallying up the cost of airfare, hotel, food, and taxes.  Continue reading “A 5k Vacation”

A Comeback Story

October 10, 2014

America loves an underdog.  I see it in sports all the time, and there are countless movies that end with the little guy triumphing over the big bad guy.As a society, we love to see someone prevailing against the odds.  I saw this article about companies that were left for dead but rebounded to find success again and it reminded me of how much we love a comeback tale in particular. Continue reading “A Comeback Story”

Repair or Replace?

October 07, 2014

After being towed to the auto repair shop, my stepson got the bad news last week that his beloved 2005 sporty Monte Carlo needs a new transmission.  He can pay $2,600 for a new one or $1,800 for a rebuilt transmission, but either way, the cost of the repair is almost what the car is worth, according to Kelly Blue Book.  No matter how much he loves his car, he’s come to the realization that it doesn’t make sense to dump any more money into a clunker car with over 160,000 miles.  He’s seen a lot of good times in the Monte Carlo, but now as a new dad of a toddler, having a two-door sports car has become a drag.  Continue reading “Repair or Replace?”

iMistake?

October 03, 2014

I read this article about Apple selling 10 Million iPhone 6’s on the first week of sales and it made me think about the number of people I see in coaching sessions who have the newest version of cool technology.  Having the latest iPhone or Galaxy or iPad or whatever the technology might be is seen as being on the leading edge.  There’s a bit of a “cool factor” involved.  Continue reading “iMistake?”

Teetotal Up Your Savings By Dropping Your Drinking

September 30, 2014

With football season in full swing, my husband stocks up on his favorite Yuengling beer, the unofficial state drink in PA. A case costs around $18 and goes pretty quick with his two sons over to watch the game on Sundays. With 17 weeks in the season, that’s over $300 – which is a bit under what the average U.S. household spent on wine, beer, and other alcoholic beverages in 2013, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as reported in a recent Reuters article.  That amounts to about 1% of the typical household expenditures but keep in mind that the average includes non-drinkers too so that means some households are spending WAY more than that already hefty amount on alcohol. Continue reading “Teetotal Up Your Savings By Dropping Your Drinking”

Power Tools Aren’t Just for Professionals

September 16, 2014

Are you an HGTV fan like me? If so, you’ll probably be watching the premier tonight of The Jennie Garth Project, where the recently divorced 90210 star takes on a rehab of a 1970s ranch home in Hollywood Hills.  Based on the previews, she’s not afraid to pick up a power tool to get the job done. Continue reading “Power Tools Aren’t Just for Professionals”

The New Cell Phone Plan That’s Allset to Save You Money

September 04, 2014

A couple of years ago, I wrote about prepaid cell phone plans and how they can save you money. I ended up switching from the LG Optimus V on Virgin Mobile to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus on Ting. However, I’ve recently had some problems with my phone losing data connection and battery power so I decided to upgrade again. That’s when I discovered Verizon’s new “Allset” prepaid plan. Here’s why I think it offers the best deal in cell phone plans right now: Continue reading “The New Cell Phone Plan That’s Allset to Save You Money”

We’re Not Gonna Take It Anymore! (Part 3)

August 27, 2014

Several weeks ago, I introduced the idea of challenging corporate financial policies that put the company ahead of the customer. I talked about how cancellation policies are not set in stone and how consumers have nothing to lose by requesting a refund of unused services despite what the cancellation policy says. Last week, I continued the discussion by challenging the notion that new-customer deals should only be available to new customers while existing customers should be satisfied with the status quo. For this week’s blog post, I’m taking on the notion that some deals are only good “for a limited time.” Continue reading “We’re Not Gonna Take It Anymore! (Part 3)”

We’re Not Gonna Take It Anymore! (Part 2)

August 20, 2014

Last week, I shared with you how cancellation policies can intimidate you into not asking for a refund when you do not intend on using a prepaid service. Another policy that drives me nuts and may be intimidating consumers into settling for less is the policy that it’s okay to offer better options to new customers only. Since when is it okay to treat new friends better than old ones? Continue reading “We’re Not Gonna Take It Anymore! (Part 2)”

Does Your Summer Include a Sales Tax Holiday?

August 12, 2014

I’m lucky to be only a 20 minute drive from the Delaware line, which is known for tax-free shopping all year long. Whenever I need to make a big purchase, I head out of Pennsylvania to avoid the 6% sales tax.  If you live in a state that has a high sales tax, you may not have that option.  Continue reading “Does Your Summer Include a Sales Tax Holiday?”

My Back to School Checklist

August 11, 2014

It is hard to believe that summer is winding down and school is right around the corner. I talk to many other parents this time of year who have a wide range of thoughts regarding the back to school routine. Some ask “where did all of the time go” while others cannot wait to get their cute little monsters out of the house and out of their hair. If you are a parent with school-aged children, you are likely experiencing a similar feeling of disappointment/relief. Continue reading “My Back to School Checklist”