Spokeo.com Evolved into a Scam or Search Engine?
Spokeo.com claims to do something simple: aggregate all the publicly available information about a person and sell it to anyone who is willing to pay with payday loans or otherwise. Many are asking if it’s a scam, or if Spokeo really does offer a legitimate service. The answer is … sort of. So I “Spokeoed” myself to see what comes up.
What Spokeo.com Finds
Spokeo itself is a search engine that aggregates social networking information, phone book information, and many other areas you may have entered personal information to get an all inclusive picture of you. Any information considered public on Facebook, [...]
How to prepare for a renters insurance policy
If apartment living is your style, you’re going to want to invest in renters insurance. Much like homeowners insurance, this insurance for renters covers all of your possessions in the event of catastrophes like fire, theft or other loss. But you’ll have to take inventory before buying coverage. Here are some tips for taking stock of your possessions and getting the most from renters insurance.
Renters insurance tip No. 1 – Get your camera
The easiest way to prove what you own to an insurer is to provide photographic proof. Go through each room of your apartment and take digital shots. Video [...]
Tips and tricks to help you start exercising now
I have something I feel I must get out of the way before continuing: I’m fat. Like many people, I find excuses to keep from engaging in a regular exercise program. So while I won’t claim to be an authority from experience on the matter, I can say that I plan to utilize many of the following techniques to help myself. These are some of the best tips today to start exercising, find continued inspiration to exercise and lose weight.
Start exercising tip No. 1 – Apps
Yes, when it comes time to start exercising, there’s an app for that. Health and [...]
American Express Blue Sky offers enticing airline rewards
How can you earn a free airline flight on a rewards card without delving into frequent flier miles? One way is to use the American Express Blue Sky credit card. Cash back and a variety of other benefits make Blue Sky more valuable, as some of the rewards can be used to book a flight at any time. Advance reservations and shorter-distance trips give AMEX holders real value for their dollars.
American Express Blue Sky Preferred on points
For every dollar spent on an American Express Blue Sky Preferred credit card, the cardholder earns 1.33 cents per dollar. That applies to all [...]
Know what data brokers have on you
What makes you think you can go around all willy nilly, spreading your personal data and expecting that there will be no repercussions? Silly consumer. Corporations and data brokers freely exchange money for public data and purchase information. Do you know just how much they know about you?
ProPublica knows data brokering
New York City-based journalism non-profit ProPublica monitors businesses who regularly use data brokering, as well as the marketing firms (aka data brokers) who supply them with valuable demographic information. The information gleaned about consumers is used to tailor specific email and snail mail marketing and coupon mailers. Some call it [...]
What not to do in a cubicle if you value your job
If you are an office worker, you may be spending most of your waking life inside those sardine cans of woe known as cubicles. If you’re stuck in a cubicle can and depend upon the income you receive for stewing in corporate preservative juices, conduct yourself like a good little fish and display admirable workplace behavior. Here are some not-so-obvious tips for what not to do at your cubicle (because sexual activity, illicit drug abuse and criminal faux pas are obvious to eagle-eyed employers). Avoid these things because you fear unemployment and drowning in debt.
What not to do in a [...]
How to save your headphones and save money
If you’re like most people, you know that if you listen to books, music and talk while on the go, your headphones are going to break. Sometimes it’s simple wear and tear, but other times it’s poor quality and manufacturing that lead to broken cabling and cracked earpiece. Or it’s a matter of misplacement.
Rather than allowing yourself to go into debt during the process of constantly replacing your ear speakers before they should reasonably need to be, learn how to save your headphones in order to maximize your listening investment.
Learn to coil your headphone cables properly
Broken cabling is a common [...]
Tips for saving money on vet bills
![Spc. Jerome Jackson, patient administrator for the 51st Medical Detachment (Veterinary Medicine), registers a military working dog at the veterinary clinic at Balad Airfield, Iraq. [Photo courtesy of the 51st Medical Detachment (Veterinary Medicine)]](http://personalmoneynetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/saving_money_on_vet_bills-287x215.jpg)
Pet care can be expensive. Once basic upkeep and maintenance are taken into account, there are still those times when a veterinarian is required. For anyone who has experienced the horror of vet bills, remember that taking some preventative steps can soften the blow next time. Here are some common-sense tips for saving money on vet bills.
Saving money on vet bills – Preventative pet care at home
Just like with human beings, pets need regular care and maintenance. Proper exercise, nutrition, hydration, cleanliness and more all contribute to long-term health. Literally, the right balance can extend a pet’s lifespan.
“Preventative care is [...]
Pot tourism in Colorado one step closer
Last November, voters in both Colorado and Washington state made the recreational use of marijuana legal for adults within state borders. That begs the question, will the states, like Amsterdam, breed a new industry of pot tourism?
Pot tourism not going to happens, says Governor
Late last year, Colorado’s governor John Hickenlooper, who opposed the legal marijuana initiative, said that marijuana tourism was not likely to emerge in his state.
“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” he said. “They’re going to flock here to buy marijuana as if they’re going to take it back? On an airplane? That seems unlikely to me.”
But Hickenlooper [...]
Spare yourself these retirement savings excuses
If you think that saving for retirement is a boring chore that has little to do with your young life, reconsider before it’s too late. It’s always a good time for sound financial planning and investment in your future. Be wary of the following excuses for not saving for retirement.
Postponing retirement savings excuse No. 1 – Not earning enough
Nearly everyone believes that they don’t make enough money to stock some away for retirement. All of those people are wrong. Setting aside a small amount each paycheck adds up over time, even if the amount is very small. As income increases, [...]
Are paid dating sites better than free ones?
Looking for love on line is convenient, relatively easy and allows love-seekers to meet more potential matches much more quickly than would be possible otherwise. But it can also get expensive, even before the dating begins, if you choose to use a paid dating site over one of the free ones. But is the expense worth it? Do paid dating sites give members a better shot at finding a match than their unpaid competitors?
Do you get what you pay for on dating sites?
The most common argument for using paid sites, like Match.com or eHarmony, is that they attract a more [...]
Flip the script today – earn more!
You’ve heard it countless time before: “Spend less than you earn!” A little healthy austerity never hurt anyone! But consider for a moment whether or not the reverse can be true. Can you ramp up your personal finance with the reverse philosophy that you should earn more rather than spending less? Yes, you can – focusing on creating a surplus has its advantages.
Earn more! Change your personal finance story
At first, it comes down to the power of language. By defining your financial situation in terms of money earned rather than money saved, the mind is arguably given a sharper focus [...]
Avoid getting soaked by gyms and health clubs
Last year, the Better Business Bureau logged about 9,400 complaints against gyms, health clubs and fitness consultants. That is an increase of about 15 percent from the year before. Here are some things to look for to avoid getting soaked before you sweat.
Health clubs love the New Year
Losing weight, getting fit or joining a gym are some of the most commonly-sworn New Year’s resolutions each year. So is it any wonder that so many gyms and health clubs offer tantalizing specials to get new members in January?
However, New Year’s resolutions are also notoriously fickle promises we make to ourselves. And [...]
Marriage and credit myths that fool most people
When you marry, are your credit scores affected? The melding of credit doesn’t involve mysterious elves, however. Here are some common marriage and credit myths, dispelled for the discerning consumer.
Marriage and credit myth No. 1 – Credit reports merge
This is perhaps the most common myth surrounding marriage. As credit reports are attached to each person’s Social Security number, they remain separate and individual. Just as two Social Security numbers don’t merge into one, your credit reports don’t, either. Your shared credit habits on loans and dual credit cards may affect your credit scores, however.
Marriage and credit myth No. 2 – [...]
Hands-off dinners anyone can make
Quick meals don’t automatically have to mean fast food. With a few fast, nutritious meal prep tips, you can prepare hands-off dinners that satisfy your time and nutrition needs.
Hands-off dinners tip No. 1 – You’ve got the (cook) time
Think that preparing nutritious meals takes a lot of time to cook? Then you’ll be surprised to learn that a roast or stew can cook in less time than your average 30-minute meal. Do the research online and you’ll find plenty of options.
Hands-off dinners tip No. 2 – Steal time for food prep
It is always worth your while to steal spare moments [...]
Monopoly has a new cat and still teaches values
One of the most popular and enduring boardgames, Monopoly, enjoyed its 78th birthday on February 6. Hasbro, which sells the game, marked the day by retiring the old flat iron token in favor of a new cat. Meanwhile, it is still a great way to teach your kids some fundamental personal finance lessons.
History of Monopoly
Charles Darrow, “an unemployed steam-radiator repairman and part-time dog walker from Philadelphia,” sold the Monopoly game to Parker Brothers in 1935, and it soon became a runaway hit. Darrow based the game’s city location on 1920s-era Atlantic City, though many of the street names were altered. [...]
Breaking the ice – How to talk to a woman in any situation
Is there a hidden secret to breaking the ice in the dating sphere? If you have self-confidence and a good sense of what constitutes sexual harassment, not really. So before you plunk down money for that dating self-help book, here’s how to talk to a woman without seeming like a creepy stalker with a Selena Gomez shrine in your parents’ basement. Make the obvious small adjustments yourself, depending upon your sexual preference.
How to talk to a woman – On the street
It all begins with paying attention to whether or not she wants to engage in conversation with you in the [...]
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