Received a Gift Card for the Holidays?

Some people claim that a Gift Card is an impersonal and unthoughtful gift--I'm guessing these are the same people that are done holiday shopping by November 15th and have these impressive handmade name cards to mark everyone's place at the Holiday dinner table. Inspiring perhaps but not realistic for me--Gift Cards are a staple of Holiday giving--and the fact that I can conveniently get them while shopping for groceries brings a smile of relief to my day.  I must not be the only gift card buyer since the National Retail Federation estimated that the total gift card spending for the holidays will be over $24 billion.  Here are some tips if you were lucky enough to receive a Gift Card for the Holidays:

1) Spend it--chances are if you don't use it soon after getting it, you will lose it. By shopping right after the Holidays, you may get some great sales/bargains.
2) Know your rights--Gift Cards used to have expiration fees and other complicated terms that could make them challenging to use, but things have changed.  New Federal Trade Commission rules went into effect in August 2010 that say that a gift card can not expire for at least 5 years from the date it was purchased. You may face inactivity fees though if you don't use the card for a year--another reason to spend it quickly. See all the new rules at the FTC's website.
3) Treat the card as if it were cash--if you lose it, you may be out of luck or you may pay a fee to  replace it.
4) The Gift Card is only good if the store is still in business--again, back to Tip #1.
5) If you received a Gift Card for a restaurant, don't forget to tip you waiter/waitress on the full amount of the check, not the remaining amount once the Gift Card is deducted (can you tell I used to be in the restaurant business?)
6) Spend the full value--why leave $2 on it--you probably won't go back to use those $2.

Charitable Giving-Do Your Homework First!

If you are in a position to help a charity this Holiday season--choose it wisely. There are so many requests for help, some of which have no intention of actually helping the cause you want to support.  Never give your credit card or checking account information out to someone calling you on the phone asking you to support their charity. You have no proof of who is on the other end of that phone and what they are doing with your financial information. Instead, ask them to send you something in writing and check them out first. Check to see if your state requires charities to be registered by going to the National Association of State Charity Officials' website . If it does, check the information on that charity to see how much of its funds go to the actual charitable work and how much goes to "administration". It's actually possible that a charity is properly registered but puts 90% of its money into "administration"--hardly a group I would want to support. Also, check out the charity through the Better Business Bureau's website and Guidestar's website. Make sure your good intentions to help others actually turn into reality.

For more information on giving to charities, check the Federal Trade Commission's information.

One Way to Make the Holidays Enjoyable

An almost unavoidable aspect of the Holidays is shopping. Like many, I look forward to shopping--it's the only time of year I can let my inner shopaholic emerge--going into stores with holiday music playing, the thrill of tracking down a good deal, the irrational joy involved with buying, the ability to spend money and justify it since it's gifts for others--what's not to like? The bills that come in after the Holidays--that's what's not to like.

While we need it year round, during the Holiday season we really need to develop that inner voice of caution that starts with telling us to create a budget of what we can afford to spend on gifts, holiday trimmings, parties, food and items involved in gift giving and entertaining. Call it a Spending Plan since we're clearly going to spend and it may make us more inclined to develop it if we're not as negative about it as we are about "budgets". Be honest when coming up with--if you are going to get your pets gifts but hate to admit what you spend on them, put them on the Spending plan anyway.

Once you've taken the admirable step of creating your Spending Plan, check it at least every week. It's way too easy to start shopping and let our good intentions slip away but if you're looking at your plan every week, you can reign in your impulses before it's too late.

When your shopping is done, and you're on track with your Spending Plan--congratulate yourself and celebrate your success in being financially responsible (in a small, affordable way of course!). The Holidays will be even more enjoyable when you aren't stressed about if you have overspent-AND-January will be a lot happier if you're aren't dreading credit card bills! Check some other Holidays Shopping Tips on FTC's website.

Stop Calling Me! How to Remove Your Name from Telemarketing Lists

Don't Throw Your Phone Out-Learn to Stop Those Calls

As the Holiday season approaches, you will probably see an increase in telemarketing calls.  You can’t avoid unwanted calls completely, but according to the nonprofit National Consumers League, you can reduce the number of calls you receive.  

Don’t provide information that isn’t necessary for the transaction.  Don’t just fill in the blanks on order forms, warranty forms, etc. without considering whether you want to limit the information you supply.

Think twice before entering contests.  Entry forms are often used to build marketing lists.

Know the privacy policy.  Look for explanations about what personal information the company collects, how is it used, and what control you have over it.  If you don’t know what the privacy policy is, ask.

Know when your personal information is being collected.  Be aware of Automatic Number Identification, which shows the number you’re dialing from when you call a company’s 800 number.  Ask what information is being collected and tell the company if you don’t want to be put on a marketing list.

Understand that unlisted and unpublished phone numbers don’t guarantee privacy.  Marketers may get your number if you’ve given it to others or they may dial you randomly.

Know your rights.  Federal law allows you to tell telemarketers not to call you again.  Ask your state consumer protection agency if you have “Do Not Call” rights under state law.

Industry associations can help.  Call 888-567-8688 to get off marketing lists for preapproved credit and insurance offers (this does not affect your ability to apply for credit or insurance).  The Direct Marketing Association’s Telephone Preference Service will remove you from many major companies’ telemarketing lists.  

Report violations of your federal “Do Not Call” rights to the Federal Trade Commission, 877-382-4357 or http://www.ftc.gov/ and the Federal Communications Commission, 888-225-5322 or http://www.fcc.gov/cib.  You can also sue in small claims court under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act for $500.   For more tips go to NCL's Privacy Site.

This Fall--Get Your Home Ready for Winter

With temperatures dropping, we need to work on our fall “to-do” list to maintain our homes and save money.

If you are buying firewood, make sure you select a licensed firewood dealer. A cord of wood is defined as eight feet long by four feet high and four feet wide. Ask specifically for dry, seasoned wood. Have your chimney cleaned by a licensed chimney sweep. Make sure the fireplace damper is in the closed position when the fireplace is not in use.

Clean your rain gutters and downspouts.  Have the seals around any openings in the roof—such as chimney, skylights, and plumbing vent pipes inspected for signs of deterioration. Roof leaks are the most common source of water damage in the home.

Inspect exterior walls, foundation, patio, steps and walkways for cracks or deterioration that could present a tripping/slipping hazard or allow water to seep in and freeze. Major signs of deterioration should be repaired professionally (ck my previous blog article for hiring a contractor). However, cracks less than ¼ inch wide can usually be caulked by the average handy homeowner.

Shut off water valve to outside faucet, drain water and disconnect hoses. This will prevent freezing pipes.

Keep warm in and cold air out by inspecting insulation to ensure that the layer over the heated part of the house is at least six inches thick. Put storm windows on or use plastic sealant if necessary. Visually inspect and replace damaged or missing weather-stripping around doors and windows.

Check the furnace to ensure that the air circulation fan and the burner are operating properly. Replace dirty air filters and check the operation of the thermostat. To further conserve fuel, it is recommended that thermostat settings not exceed 72 degrees during the day and 65 degrees at night.

Change your batteries in your smoke detector and use a carbon monoxide detector if you have a wood fireplace or gas appliances.

Doing your work now will help ensure that your home is ready for winter and save you hard earned dollars. No one wants to wake up Christmas morning without heat (been there)!