VOLUME 11 #10

• Stay Warm This Winter • Tips To Help You Tackle Poor Customer Service • UCAN • Spare Change • Sales Tactics That Entice You To Spend More • Would Cutting The Cable Cord Pay Off?

It may be tempting to spend more money on goods and services to keep warm as winter approaches. However, consider

your options. You can save money on energy and heating costs by completing a few simple Do-It-Yourself tasks before winter’s first blast arrives.

Check For Leaks

Check for cracks, holes or gaps around ductwork, plumbing pipes, window and door frames, and any electrical outlets and switches. You could keep warm air from escaping by caulking any leaks you may find.

‘This Old House’ magazine suggests using one of four varieties of caulk depending on the project - butyl, latex with silicone, acrylic with silicone or tripolymer.

You may also find additional information by visiting EnergyStar.gov (type Do-It-Yourself Guide to Sealing and Insulating in the search field). In addition, make sure your storm doors close properly. If they don’t, you could tighten seals by weather-stripping around the door.

Plastic sheets of window insulation

may also fit your needs and be more budget-friendly as well.

Heating

Try to heat only the rooms you use. Another idea might be to ‘reverse’ the blades

or rotation of your ceiling fan during the winter months which might help force the rising warm air down into the living area.

Remember that the sun has a very practical purpose! On bright winter days, think about opening the blinds to let the light and heat in. After the sun sets, snug fitting drapes over the windows might keep warmth inside, saving you money.

Mind Your Thermostat

Reduce your heating bill with simple tasks such as turning down your thermostat when you are not home and closing vents and doors to unused rooms. Yahoo Finance suggests setting your home’s thermostat to 65 degrees during the winter months. Prior to going to bed, try lowering your thermostat to 60 degrees.

Watch Water Use

Make sure your gutters and down spouts are clear of any debris that could freeze and prevent proper water drainage, which could lead to expensive repairs later on.

Also, the United States Department of Energy (Energy.gov) suggests lowering your water heater temperature to 120°F as well as insulating your water heater and your hot water pipes.

If you are having trouble paying your utility costs, you may want to contact your local utility company to see if you qualify for a rebate or any assistance programs.

Dress Warmer, Save Money

Warm clothing is essential during fall and winter months. Wearing an extra layer of clothing inside of the house can be a frugal alternative to turning up the heat a few degrees.

Winterize Your Vehicle

Make sure you have essentials such as an ice scraper and windshield wiper fluid. Once snowstorms hit your area, many stores may run out of these items.

Some other necessities to keep in your car in case you are stranded include jumper cables, a snow shovel, rock salt, blankets, and a flashlight.

When temperatures drop, tires lose pressure, so having a pressure gauge and using it when necessary during the winter months would be a wise idea. Check with your repair shop for specifications.

For more tips on general car care and winterizing your vehicle, visit www.carcare.org.

Prepare now: Save Resources, keep Costs

Low this winter

Helpful Web Sites Feature Tips To Keep You WarmU.S. Department of Energy (www.energysavers.gov): This section of the U.S. Department of Energy web site offers consumer tips on saving energy. Discover simple no-cost and low cost tips to winterize your home and you can also find more information about energy assistance programs in your state.

ACEEE (www.aceee.org): The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy is a non-profit organization

dedicated to advancing energy efficiency. You can find information about tax incentives for making your home more energy-efficient and download a checklist with energy saving tips.

ENERGYguide (www.energyguide.com): In addition to providing information on how to lower your energy bills, this site also offers a lot of online tools to calculate your energy usage.

Unless you are a business owner, you may not realize that credit card companies charge businesses

fees (a percentage of the total cost of the sale) to accept credit cards. This information may make you wonder why retailers would bother with credit cards at all.

Research indicates that consumers spend considerably more when using credit cards. Therefore, stores may use many gimmicks to encourage credit card spending. As the holilday season approaches, be aware of sales tactics that may persuade you to splurge with a credit card.

Try To Avoid Using Credit Cards For Small Purchases. In today’s society, consumers can use a credit card to pay for their morning paper or have a pizza delivered. According to Convenience Store News (CSNews.com), an estimated 45 million Americans are willing to use credit or debit cards for

purchases of $5 or less. Consider using cash for small purchases. If a store requires you to make a minimum purchase amount, you will most likely buy more than you need.

Be Cautious About Opening Store Credit Accounts. Employees are usually trained to persuade customers to complete a credit card application at the checkout counter. Sales associates persuade customers by telling them that they can save a certain percentage off of their purchase.

Applicants usually just need to swipe another major credit card along with

entering some other basic information into a pin pad. If approved, the cashier issues a temporary credit card so the customer can use it until they receive the plastic one in the mail.

You may want to think twice about opening up a store account at a register. Checkout lines and retail stores are usually busy and hectic. This type of environment may cause you to make impulsive decisions. If you really want a

credit card from a particular store, it may be best to think about the choice before you make a snap decision just to save 10 or 20 percent. Keeping a revolving balance on the card can quickly surpass that amount of savings.

Buy Now And Pay Later. Stores that sell furniture and large appliances are notorious for offering deferred payment sales. Receiving your purchase now and not paying for it may seem like a wonderful option. These sales also promote that there will be “no interest” during the deferment period, which also may sound like a great deal.

However, many consumers fail to read the fine print before signing the paperwork. In most cases, these contracts state that if you wait until after the deferment period to start making payments, you will be paying the accrued interest from the date of your purchase, which can result in an outrageous amount of money.

Before agreeing to this type of contract, be sure that you can pay off the balance within the deferment period.

Consider the fact that your situation may change during this time and you may not be able to make payments as early as you would like.

Also, consider how long it will take to pay off the balance if you simply pay the minimum. Online calculators such as “The True Cost of Paying the Minimum” on Bankrate.com can help you discover how much interest will accrue.

If it will take you ten years to pay off a piece of furniture by simply paying the minimum, consider what it will look like at that time.

As you strive to settle your debts, most of you have made a commitment to rely on cash

instead of credit cards. After you complete your debt negotiation

program, you will probably want to re-establish your credit. As you probably know, credit

cards can cause serious financial problems if they are not used

properly. Periodically, this column will discuss a credit

card issue and give you tips on responsible credit card use.

This month’s topic is sales tactics to make you spend more

with credit.

Credit Corner: Sales TacticsThat Entice You To Spend More

Recycle, Repurpose These Unusual Items

Earth-minded, frugal savers already know the benefits of repurposing common household items. However, here are a few things you can recycle that you may not have considered before.

Bicycles

According to SavingAdvice.com, over 15 million bicycles are thrown out each year. Bikes for the World (BikesForTheWorld.org) is a non-profit organization that collects donated bicycles to give to people who have no method of transportation.

Running Shoes

Have an old pair of athletic shoes sitting around the house that you no longer need? Consider sending them to Recycled Runners (RecycledRunners.com).

This organization will send your old shoes to people in need or recycle them for use in various building materials.

Towels And Linens

Consider sending your old towels and linens to places like your local animal shelter or the Hospitality Industry Partnership for Pets (HipForPets.com) H.I.P will take your old linens and towels to make homeless and rescue animals comfortable and warm until they’re adopted.

Mattresses

Old mattresses can be used to make fiber for scrap metal, wood chips, clothing and foam products. You can ask the mattress retailer if they take

them for recycling or you can look for a mattress recycling center. Also try contacting Goodwill.org for more information on mattress recycling centers.

Eyeglasses

Have a pair of eyeglasses that you no longer need? There are a variety of places, including your local Lions Club as well as New Eyes for the Needy (NewEyesForTheNeedy.org) that can repurpose them to those who can’t afford eyeglasses.

spare change

If you are a victim of collector harassment, you may have considered filing a complaint with the Federal

Trade Commission (FTC), the government organization that oversees the collections industry.

Although this is an appropriate course of action, you may have to wait a long time for your problem to be solved. Many individuals do not realize that the FTC does not get involved with the individual cases of consumers. Instead, they look for patterns of violations which could eventually result in action against a collection agency.

However, filing a claim with the FTC can help this government agency pinpoint unscrupulous collection agencies. If you feel you have been a victim of disturbing collection activity, contact UCAN right away. Our staff understands your difficult financial situation and is trained to offer you personalized and sensitive attention.

When you first contact the knowledgeable consumer advocates at United Consumer Advocacy Network (UCAN), we will immediately assess the problem and determine the best course of action.

However, if we feel that a collector has violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), especially if the violation has caused undue harm or ill effects to you, we may refer your particular case to our attorney network for a free consultation. Your assigned attorney will decide whether or not to file a claim against the collector.

If your case results in legal proceedings and you receive a settlement, your attorney will collect their fees only from any settlement paid.

Please call us at 1-877-462-8226 or email UCAN at info@ucan.net. Our FAX number is 1-877-895-7577.

Normal business hours are Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST and Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST.

CornerUCAN Offers Personalized Service

“All customer service people were very friendly and treated me with the respect

that I needed to have in my current situation. Thank you again for all of your

hard work!” - E.A.

Cable may be a budget-friendly

addition to your life that you enjoy and use frequently. However, have you ever wondered if cutting your cable cord completely would pay off until you resolved your debt?

Consider Package/Bundle Deals

If you live in an area with a single cable provider, you may be able to save by eliminating a cable-phone-Internet package in favor of a phone-Internet bundle. Free broadcast channels may be adequate to fill you in on the local and national news.

Video service sites like Hulu and Netflix carry a wide variety of current and past programs. Some shows on Hulu are free to watch from your computer, while viewing newer shows or streaming usually requires an extra monthly fee or subscription.

Good Candidates For Cord Cutting

If you use the Internet very little or not at all, and enjoy watching movies occasionally, you may be a good candidate for cord cutting. Remember that you could join your local video rental store or subscribe to NetFlix to get your movie fix.

For the occasions that you need Internet access, remember that most local libraries allow members to reserve time on computers. Libraries also offer DVD movie rentals for very low cost.

Weigh Pros, Cons

If you are considering the move to cut cable, consider your individual viewing habits.

For example, an avid sports fan might be

better off keeping cable while others may be fine with watching sporting events with a friend elsewhere.

Also, ask yourself how much you use cable now. What do you prefer to watch and enjoy?

Can you fill this need adequately even if you forego cable for a while?

Be sure you research all of your options before you make your final decision.

In addition, remember to call your provider to see if there are any savings options you can take advantage of.

How much you can actually save may also depend on where you live and your particular provider’s requirements,

Eliminating Cable Isn’t For Everyone

If you have considered eliminating cable, you should first question how much you would actually save, if anything, by doing so. Other options, such as video on-demand subscriptions, could add costs. Also, keep in mind that most service providers charge higher rates for Internet service if cable isn’t part of the package. So if you are online a lot, cutting cable may not make sense.

If you are still in doubt, remember that some cable providers allow you to suspend services for a certain amount of time, for example, six months. This might give you the opportunity to try going without cable to see if you actually save money by doing so while still being considered a customer by your provider.

Would Cutting The Cable Cord Pay Off?

oUR cLIENTS sAY...

The Road to Financial Freedom (RTFF) is published by The Premier Institute for Financial Freedom. Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.com and iStock.com. While articles in the RTFF newsletter are factual and accurate, they are not intended to replace the advice of professional financial, accounting, and/or legal advisers. As with all decisions regarding your finances, the advice, techniques, ideas and suggestions offered herein

should be followed under the supervision of the appropriate competent professional.

CORPORATE OFFICES1061 Main Street • Banco Park, Suite 19 • North Huntingdon, PA 15642

Phone: (800) 256-7273 • FAX: (724) 861-1039

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You’ve probably seen them - television commercials, ranging from five minutes or longer, promoting everything from cosmetics and exercise equipment to cooking utensils and household gadgets.

These infomercials usually feature a persuasive salesperson, hired specifically to get you to spend money.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) reminds consumers that, if an advertised item is something they really need, they may want to listen carefully to the wording and terminology in advertisements and infomercials before deciding to make a purchase.

• When you hear the word ‘free’... In some cases, infomercials insinuate consumers will be getting something ‘free’ or ‘extra’ if they call in to order an item within a certain period of time.

In many cases, these promotions can entice shoppers to spend over their budget. If you are interested in obtaining a free gift, the BBB suggests

calculating the cost of the products as a whole to see if the ‘free’ item is really free and worth what

you will spend. Also, if you are ordering an item that needs shipped,

you may want to take these fees into consideration as well.

For a consumer to receive a free gift,

the BBB says that advertisers must be clear in disclosing what the conditions are of the ‘free’ gift. Advertisers may not increase the price of an advertised item or decrease the quantity or quality of the item in conjunction with the free offer.

Sometimes, companies offer free shipping on catalogue or website purchases. You should also think carefully when considering these promotions.

As in the ‘free gift’ offer, some free shipping offers require consumers to spend a specific

amount of money which may cause you to go over budget and purchase items you don’t need.

Consider reading the fine print at the bottom of television ads. If you cannot read the print, most television promotions can be ordered

online where terms and conditions of your purchase may be more accessible for you to read.

• Claims like ‘best,’ ‘most’ and ‘top’ are usually objective. Different consumers have different experiences with products depending on their needs. In many cases, these claims are used by advertisers to persuade consumers into buying their product.

If you are considering an item in which an advertiser uses these claims, it may be a good idea to ask friends, family or someone you know if they have used the product and what they think of it.

Also, many Internet retail sites allow customers the opportunity to write reviews about products. You may want to read the product reviews before you make a decision to spend money.

• Hearing phrases such as ‘Our prices can’t be beat.’ Keep in mind prices for products and services fluctuate regularly.

Advertisers may use this phrase as a way to get you into the store quickly, taking advantage of the fact that many shoppers do not have time to do price comparisons.

Buyer Beware:Protect Your Budget

With These Tips