Clark has been thinking of changing his high-speed Internet service because it’s getting so expensive. For most people it’s a two horse race, and Clark is one of those folks. Right now, it’s either the local monopoly phone company or the local monopoly cable company. Recently, the phone company cut the rates and he was about to switch, but he decided to call his current company first to see if they would offer him a better deal. He’s currently paying about $43 a month, which is outrageous. When he told the “customer retention specialist” that he was about to cancel, she offered him three months for $9.99 a month. She told him to call back again in 90 days to see if he could get the same deal. He was so excited about saving $100 in a four minute phone call that he told everyone. Then his Smart Money magazine arrived and knocked him down a notch. The issue, which is about saving on cable and Internet service, says not to take any three-month offers and to keep fighting for more. The reporter was able to get a discount on service for an entire year! Phone companies are also reducing costs, so you may want to consider switching companies all together, as Clark was about to do. Also, if you can, cut your home phone line to the minimum line cost. You don’t use it much anyway, thanks to cell phones, and you can usually get it down to between $17 and $20 a month total. Also, consider scaling back your cable or satellite service. Get just the broadcast channels. You may also be paying way too much for your cell phone service. Now that you can take your number with you, consider switching to Metro PCS or Cricket. They offer unlimited calling in your local area for one low price.
Americans spend a lot less on food than most people on the planet. We have the most competitive supermarket business in the world and we have the most efficient farming in the world. So, prices are very low. But that’s not good enough for some people. Those are the people who travel to Aldi to get a deal. The German supermarket chain is different than any other store, and people either love it or they hate it. Granted, the hours and the selection are the pits. You even have to pay to rent a shopping cart. But the prices are fantastic. There are more than 800 stores in the U.S. and that number is growing. Aldi has been in the U.S. for 30 years and it’s still an invisible entity. Also, check-out lines are usually very long and you must bag your own groceries. If you’re still interested, check out aldi.com.
Parents have so much to do with how much their kids are affected by “affluenza,” as Clark calls it. Affluenza is the disease Clark thinks kids contract when they’re spoiled by parents, whether rich or poor. It’s more than just a parent’s influence however, Clark read recently that retailers are now displaying décor for dorm rooms on college campuses in an effort to get teens to spruce up their rooms and spend money. In fact, Bed, Bath and Beyond has a line called “Dorm Décor” that they sell specifically for college dorm rooms. Linens & Things is also in on the game. To Clark, decorating for dorms is another sign of unhealthy affluenza. When your kids finish school, they’re going to be struggling to pay bills. So, when you set in motion the idea that you can “just buy” something, your kids are in for a rude awakening when they discover that things don’t work that way. You may think you’re just being good to your kids if you provide them with this kind of treat. But it’s really not good for them in the long run. Don't starve them of everything, but don't give them everything either.
The quarterly University of Michigan customer satisfaction survey is out, and this time it’s all about computers, appliances and cars. One computer company stands out above the rest and that is Apple. People simply love the design and the ease of use with Apple computers. On the other hand, Dell has dropped significantly in the rankings. Dell seriously needs to do something about its ailing customer service. In the appliance industry, the three biggies all ranked high. That is Whirlpool, GM and Maytag. As for automobiles, Toyota was tops. Toyota is on its way to becoming the biggest automaker in the world because its cars are so reliable and affordable. The only downfall is the buying experience, according to customers. The lowest score in the survey went to Ford motor Company.
Gas prices are moving up and it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. Do you feel like a sitting duck? There are things you can do, but you have to be a bit of a free thinker. If you have a diesel car, or can convert your car to a diesel, it will run on restaurant grease, for example. Another man, who recently sent pictures to Clark, runs his diesel Volkswagen Beetle on vegetable oil. Cars in Brazil are “multi-fuel” vehicles, meaning they can run on sugar cane and other types of fuel. The country made it a national policy to break away from foreign oil sources, and it’s working. The powers-that-be in the U.S. are trying to block the use of sugar as a fuel source and luckily it hasn’t happened yet. But they’ll continue to try. Our country should be in favor of any initiatives that reduce our dependence on foreign oil. So Clark doesn’t get it. In the meantime, consider converting your car if you really want to save money. In other car news, have you heard of “plug-in hybrids?” These cars can get up to 250 miles per gallon. So, some people are converting their regular hybrids to be plug-in hybrids, which allows them to run solely on electricity for quite a long time. All this news may frustrate you, but it’s becoming a reality. The answer is not to dig for more oil, but to come up with new ways to run our vehicles.
The average wedding costs about $20,000 these days, but some people spend $50,000 to $70,000 on a wedding. Do you have to spend that much? No way! There are outfits and Web sites out there dedicated to helping you spend as little as possible on your wedding while still having a nice one. One site, called indiebride.com does just that. In addition to offering deals on dresses and accessories, the site also has a forum where people talk about their successes and even the second thoughts associated with weddings.
