Fake Email Alert for Paypal Users

I get fake/phishy emails to my inbox quite frequently. I received another today claiming it was from paypal.  I thought this was a good time to remind you not to click on links in emails that claim to be from your bank, paypal, Craigslist, etc. 

Even ones that look real, such as this one, are usually scams to get your info.  Take a look at the email I recently received.  It looks pretty legitimate.  It also contained two links within the email for me to use to sign in to my paypal account. 

Rather than clicking on the links, I opened a new window and typed in the paypal address myself.  Sure enough, there were no messages from paypal showing on my account.  Beware of this fradulent emails that are designed to steal your information and your money.

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Notification of Limited Account Access RXI-992‏

Hello Karen Weideman,

As part of our security measures, we regularly screen activity in the PayPal
system. We recently contacted you after noticing an issue on your account.

We requested information from you for the following reason:

A recent review of your account determined that we require some additional
information from you in order to provide you with secure service.

Case ID Number: PP-758-524-697

This is a second reminder to log in to PayPal as soon as possible. Once you log
in, you will be provided with steps to restore your account access.

Be sure to log in securely by using the following link:
Click here to login and restore your account access

Once you log in, you will be provided with steps to restore your
account access. We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure account
safety.

In accordance with PayPal’s User Agreement, your account access will remain
limited until the issue has been resolved. Unfortunately, if access to your
account remains limited for an extended period of time, it may result in further
limitations or eventual account closure. We encourage you to log in to your
PayPal account as soon as possible to help avoid this.

To review your account and some or all of the information that PayPal used to
make its decision to limit your account access, please visit the Resolution
Center. If, after reviewing your account information, you seek further
clarification regarding your account access, please contact PayPal by visiting
the Help Center and clicking “Contact Us”.

We thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please understand that
this is a security measure intended to help protect you and your account. We
apologize for any inconvenience.

Thanks,

PayPal Account Review Department

Please do not reply to this email. This mailbox is not monitored and you
will not receive a response. For assistance, log in to your PayPal account
and click the Help link in the top right corner of any PayPal page.

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Copyright © 1999-2010 PayPal. All rights reserved.

PayPal Email ID PP522

Professional Tax Help May Be Needed

Each year I procrastinate getting my taxes done.  All of the itemizations and deductions are confusing and many times overwhelming.  Thankfully, I have an established relationship with an accountant in our area.  She is so nice and doesn’t mind me emailing her with questions.  All of this craziness is making a flat tax sound all the more appealing.  Why do we all have to go through this each year?  But that’s another rant for another day. Back to this whole tax mess . . .

The adoption tax credit has changed, there are rules about purchasing a new home, selling a home, and what if you receive a monthly housing allowance? 

If you’re the common man (like me), this sounds like a foreign language to you.  Don’t give up just yet.  You want your taxes done correctly and you want to receive your money without delay.  Forms that are filed incorrectly can delay refunds.

All of these new  laws and extended tax credits make it really hard for a person to file their own taxes.  I am known for being a thrifty tightwad money saving cheapskate, but here’s one time I cringe and shell out the money to a professional.   

Of course, there are some ways to save money on your tax preparation expenses.  Have your papers organized and deductions itemized by category.  Don’t make the tax preparer search through your papers.  Since they usually charge by the hour, this will only cost them time which costs you money.

Remember that the IRS has set up a handy YouTube channel to help answer some of your questions.

Will you hire a professional this year?

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Should You Purchase Cell Phone Insurance?

There are many of you wondering if you should purchase the cell phone insurance.  Most financial advisors, such as Clark Howard, say that in most cases you should not get the insurance. 

If you have a regular cheapo cell phone (like me), then I wouldn’t recommend getting the insurance.  A simple math sentence of $5 x 12 months will tell you that it’s just not worth the money.  You can purchase the cheap phones on ebay or Craigslist usually for less than $50.  The ordinary phones with no bells or whistles are generally easy to come by and last a few years.  The problem with the expensive phones and Smartphones is that are known to have problems.

Take my husband’s phone(ssssss) for example.  He has had probably a DOZEN phones from Verizon.  He first started out with the Blackberry.  After getting about five Blackberry Storms and two Storm 2s, Verizon gave him a Droid. After having a few Droids, they told him the problems were from the things he had downloaded on to his phone and for him to take off all of the applications.  HUH?  What’s the point of having a data phone if you can’t have apps on it? 

All of the phones were sent back for issues such as locking up, not receiving data, the phone staying lit up, etc.  The problem is that when you send back your phone, you’re not getting a new phone; you’re getting a “refurbished” phone.  I have no clue what qualifies these phones as refurbished because they have many issues.  Just a few months ago, we dropped off another Verizon phone at a Charlotte, NC FedEx location to be shipped back and the representative at this location told my husband that they ship approximately 30 phones from that location each day!  Ok, ok, this is moving towards the craziness of Verizon so I’ll move on.

Basically, the advice is this:  If you have a regular cell phone, then the insurance probably isn’t worth the money.  If you have a more expensive phone, I’d strongly consider it.

Do you have insurance on your cell phone? What kind of experiences have you had?

Edited:  Be sure to read the fine print on cell phone insurance policies. Some charge a $35 deductible.

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5 Reasons to Live a Thrifty Lifestyle

I am a thrifty tightwad money saving bargain hunting cheapskate. It’s become second nature to me. In everything I purchase, I am looking for ways to save money.  Many times I don’t even realize I’m doing it and then it eventually becomes obvious to me when I see the things that others are purchasing. I realize that many of us are trying to live a more frugal lifestyle these days. Here are some reasons to save.

No regrets -  Have you ever purchased something and then later are left with buyer’s remorse?  It’s an awful feeling.  Or maybe you have been in a financial hard place and wish you had all the money back that you had frivilously spent. I’ve been there too. If only we could undo our mistakes.  Unfortunately, we can’t have a do-over but we can learn from our errors.

Debt free life -  Saving money allows you to have more money in your wallet.  This enables you to pay cash for your purchases, save for the future, and live a debt free life.  If you have high credit card payments, then you may not have the money to pay cash for every day purchases or you may not have saved for unexpected emergencies, so then you’ll end up charging those things you need.  It all a vicious cycle.

Save for other purchases - By saving money on everything I buy, I am able to put money into my savings account for future purchases.  Last year my husband and I purchased a new mattress set for our bedroom and put a down payment on our house.  This year we purchased a used mini van, upgraded my kitchen appliances to stainless, and purchased an HE washer and dryer.  All of these things were paid for with cash.  Trust me, it’s not because we are rich.  We are everyday people.  We just save money in every way we can, look for the best deals, weigh our options, and pay cash for purchases.

Helping the environment - People that are seeking to save money and live frugally are usually environmental friendly.  They spend less, consume less products, buy used, and try to use the things they already have.

Helping others - By living a thrifty lifestyle, I am able to help others in need.  It may be by giving food and toiletries that I have purchased for really cheap or free with sales and coupons.  It may be by using extra money that we have because we haven’t spent the money on extravagant items or car payments.

Why do you live a thrifty lifestyle?

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Financial Quote 8/28/10

“This would be a much better world if more married couples were as deeply in love as they are in debt.” ~Earl Wilson

Have You Set Up Boundaries in Your Life?

While traveling today, I was able to listen to part of the Clark Howard Show and a portion of the Dave Ramsey Show.  This is a rare occurrence for me, so I was thrilled to hear some financial advice.  It’s a shame I was driving, because there was plenty of information that I could have jotted down to share with you.  I do remember one particular bit about parenting and boundaries.

One of the callers on the Dave Ramsey Show said that her son had been living in her basement for two years, rent free.  She said that he worked full-time and whenever she asked him to help out with the bills, he said he couldn’t afford it.  The lady was seeking advice and basically, Dave Ramsey told her this:

1.  Immediately buy the book Boundaries.  Read it.  (Boundaries can be purchased through Amazon and through CBD, which also has a workbook.)

2.  Talk to your spouse and agree upon a plan.

3.  Sit down with your child and apologize.  Tell them you’re sorry that you have failed them and allowed them to live this way.  Let them know that you’re going to do the right thing and help them be responsible.

4.  Give your child 90 days to move out.  Have them sign a contract with the date to move out.

5.  As a gift, offer to pay for Financial Peace University Classes for your child.  (These are great classes!!!!) The caller said she had offered these to her son but he was not interested.

6.  Guide your child along the way, helping them to manage their money.  Do not pay their bills for them, but let them know you’ll be there for them if they’re hungry.

7.  If at the end of the 90 days your child has been working hard and you feel they need additional time, you can offer them an additional 30 days.

I think the reason that this story stood out to me so much is that I know of a few families that have been in this situation.  Let me just say, if your child is 25 or even 30 years old, works full-time, has lived at home for years and has NOTHING to show for it, there is a big problem!  I am not normally this direct and opinionated on my websites, but you are ENABLING your child to fail! You’re not doing them or yourself any favors.  We should be training our children to become adults, to be self-supporting, and successful in life.  Some people are more motivated than others.  Unmotivated children sometimes need a push in the right direction.  Paying their bills for them and not requiring anything of them is not doing anyone any favors.

The world is full of people that moved out at a young age, got married young, put themselves through college, or whatever the circumstance may be.  Many times success comes from having no other option but to succeed or fail.

Based upon the Amazon reviews of this book, it is also a good book for those that feel like they can’t say “no”, are a doormat, or those with problems parenting.  I have not read this book, but it has received positive reviews.

Do you know of a family that has failed to set up boundaries with their children?

As always, please use common sense with this approach. I don’t think this type of plan would apply to an 18 year old that just finished high school, a full-time college student, a child with medical bills, or someone going through a hardship.  This is for children whom are not in school and are unmotivated to move out of their parents’ home.

Image: CBD

Thrifty Teenager Buys House with Cash

When we think of teenagers and money, it usually brings thoughts of expensive name brand clothing, lattes, movie nights, accessories, and more. This is not the case for Lindsay Binegar of Ohio.

Lindsay has been saving her 4-H earnings since she was 4-years-old. Lindsay recently used her earnings from the past 15 years to pay cash for a house!

I hope Lindsay’s story inspires us all to realize that if we live beneath our means and save, we too can stay out of debt and have financial goals. Enjoy the story!

U-Stream Live Chat with Suze Orman

Join personal finance expert Suze Orman in an exclusive U-Stream live chat this Friday, April 9, 2010 at 4:00 PM EST.  This is Suze’s very first U-Stream chat and she wants you to be there to ask her questions!

Suze will be hosting on open forum where participants can ask questions on matters relating to children and personal finance.  This would be a great opportunity to ask questions about how to budget for your family, plan for your child’s college education and teach your children about finances from a young age.  She’ll also be talking about her recently updated and revised The Road To Wealth. This new edition includes an entire new section about changes to student financial aid.

Suze also will be discussing and taking questions about her brand new Protection Portfolio a state-of-the-art program gives you all the tools you need to protect your valuable documents, assets, and personal information.

When: Friday April 9, 2010 at 4:00PM EST
Where: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/suze-live

Looking to Get Rich Quick?

 

The next time someone asks you over to “share something” with you, to invite you into their newest opportunity, or to get rich quickly, you might want to remember this video from The Consumerist.

31 Tips for a Successful Yard Sale

Yard sales are a lot of work, but they can be very profitable. Here are some tips to get you started.

1.  Go through closets, dressers, toys, cupboards, cabinets, bookcases, etc before the yard sale. Take out items that you no longer want and add them to your yard sale pile. It’s good to do this at least once a year. You may want to wait until spring when you’re doing your spring cleaning.

2.  Find a decluttering buddy. I don’t know about you, but it is easier for me to get rid of things when I have some moral support. It helps to have someone that can honestly say, “That doesn’t look good on you. That’s out of style. You haven’t used that in years.” Sometimes a little nudge is all we need. Unfortunately, I don’t have a decluttering buddy.

4.   Price as you go. As you find things in your home that you want to add to your yard sale, go ahead and take the few seconds to put a price on it. This will save a lot of time and aggravation on yard sale day.

4.   Spread the word. Let you friends, family, and Sunday School class know that you’ll be having a yard sale.

5.   If possible, post signs. We like to use the fluorescent poster board and thick black permanent markers for our signs. We have found that we do better with signs than with advertising. People stop by and say that they saw our signs.

6.  Put your signs up the day before the sale so that people see them on their way home from work. Then they’ll think, “I’m going there tomorrow.” Otherwise, they might not be out and about the day of the sale.

7.  Let friends and neighbors be a part. You can advertise the yard sale as a multi-family yard sale. This will let customers know that there will be more things and a bigger selection to choose from. Participants can also share in the advertising expenses.

8.   Put a price on everything. Some people will walk away rather than asking the prices for things. Even if the item is 25 cents, you need a price on it. All those 25 cent items add up.

9.   To save time, buy the premade price stickers. You can purchase these in the office supply departments at most stores. Recently, I even saw these in Dollar Tree.

10.  If you’re selling an expensive item, take the time to print a copy of what the item cost new. I’m doing this with toys that were expensive. This helps the person to see that they are getting a good deal.

11.   Advertise your yard sale, garage sale, or moving sale on Craigslist. It’s free!!!! Specify what you will be selling. Sometimes you can sell things before the yard sale starts.

12.  Get up early the day of the sale. If your sale starts at 7 am, you may consider getting up at 5 am. This will allow you time to get everything organized and set out before customers begin to arrive. Some early morning commuters may even see you outside and stop on their way to work.

13.  Specify if you don’t want “early birds”. Some people are pretty serious about shopping yard sales. They’ll come out as early as you’ll let them.

14.   Look through purses, wallets, pant pockets, coat pockets, etc to make sure there is no money or credit cards. Someone once told me they paid $1 for a purse that had $10 inside.

15.  Put attractive items in clear view. A lot of people are looking for furniture, so it would be wise to put the furniture where drivers can see it from the road.

16.   Don’t pick a holiday weekend to have your sale. I remember we did this one time and we made less than $100. It was such a waste of our time.

17.  Don’t have continual yard sales. You’ve seen people before who seem to be always having a yard sale. It gets old and then people don’t drop by their sale anymore. Plus, it’s tacky and your neighbors will be really annoyed.

18.   Have change. It’s hard to determine how much change you’ll need and what kind of bills to get. It seems as though first thing in the morning you’ll have customer after customer with $20 bills. It’s really frustrating.

19.   Guard your money. Unfortunately, sometimes thieves show up at yard sales. Usually every hour or so, I take my wad of cash out of my pocket or fanny pack (lol) and put it inside my house.

20.   Have bags available for your customer’s purchases. I can’t stand plastic bags and I don’t understand it, but some people do like anything they purchase to be put into a bag. It’s a courtesy.

21.   Be friendly. Greet each person or group that comes to your sell.

22.  Group like items together. All of the Christmas items should be together in one area, the kitchen stuff in another area, baby clothes in another, and so on.

23.  Sell miscellaneous items together. When we were moving, we sold a lot of odd things together in lots. We sold a large box of half used spray paint. It is better to sell it to someone that can use it, rather than throwing it away.

24.  Get some baggies and rubber bands. The baggies and rubber bands will help to secure like items together or keep you from losing the pieces. Come sell day, it will be hard to make sure your customers get all the parts that go with their items.

25.   Have an extra person around to help out. For me, this would be my husband. This insures that you’ll get potty breaks and be able to eat. It also helps so that you can talk to customers while someone else collects money or answers questions.

26.  Check with your local government or homeowner’s association to see if there are any restrictions. Some areas require you to have a yard sale permit. Yep, just another way to make money.

27.  When the yard sale is over, clean up your area and take down your signs. Don’t you just hate seeing signs that are several weeks old or searching for a yard sale that was probably last week?

28.  Advertise. This could be in your local paper or in a free online ad. Regardless of where you decide, you’ll need help letting the public know of the sale.

29.  Check your yard and make sure it’s safe. Wrap up garden hoses, fill any holes, and tape down extension cords or cables. You don’t want you visitors tripping and getting hurt.

30.  Have a strategy in place for what you’ll do with the leftover items. Will you put them back in your house for another yard sale later in the summer? Will you give them to charity? Have a plan in place.

31.  If possible, get someone to watch the kids. I can’t tell you the number of yard sales I’ve been to where the person’s children were out in the yard digging through their old stuff and getting upset that mom was getting rid of it. If you can’t get a sitter, then you need to have some discussions with your children before the day. Perhaps they could even help decide what they would like to sell.

What tips do you have for making your yard sale a success?

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