Michael Finney's Consumer Blog

Schedule a call to interrupt you!

Get out of a boring meeting or date going nowhere, and look good doing it. With Popularity Dialer you can schedule a phone call to interrupt you. The call is so realistic you won't get caught. You decide if the call is from a cousin or boss, male or female and when the call comes in the recording on the the side offers a one sided conversation.  Sweet!

Tricks warehouse stores play on you

You know supermarkets use tricks to get you to buy more, but did you know that warehouse stores do too? Think those huge carts are accidental and what is at eye level is by chance? Here's a list of the ways they get you from one of my buds over at The Consumerist.

Are you getting what you pay for when you hire a plumber?

Many plumbers play off your fear of the unknown to charge you more. Some plumbers charge by the hour, others by the job. By the hour is pretty straightforward -- they work, you pay for the time.  Those charging by the job are really selling plumbing... and insurance. They say paying by the job means a guaranteed price and peace of mind. You are betting -- just like with insurance -- that something is going to go horribly wrong. Now, who is in a better position to make that bet? The plumber who does this work every day or you? So when hiring a plumber ask them how they charge. Then ask yourself, do you want to pay for plumbing or insurance?

Stupid credit card tricks

You can watch ABC7's new talk show, 7Live, weekdays at 3 on Ch. 7 and 7LiveOnline.com

Free Tech Support!

Most of us are used to having tech guys keeping our computers going at work for free, so we don’t much like paying for tech support in our homes. Well, now you don’t have to because you have a tech support guy too: techguy.org.  If you have a problem with your operating, system, hardware or software these guys can help you out. For free! Techguy.org is run by volunteers and paid for with donations. Here’s another source for free tech support: Costco. Many Costco members don’t seem to know it but all electronics bought at the Costco come with free tech support.

Vulture real estate investing

Stop whining about real estate prices and make them work for you! It is called vulture real estate investing, because you swoop in and grab the carcass of someone else’s failed real estate dreams. There is big money to be made now. Not by buying and flipping, but buying and renting.

>>Learn more at money.cnn.com

 

New way to book hotel rooms can save you money

There is a new website called Getaroom.com. It uses both the telephone and the Internet to score you a hotel room deal. Here’s how it works. You look on the website of the hotel where you want to stay. Then go to Getaroom.com and compare the rate. Now you call the phone number on Getaroom.com and the service representative will tell you a new lower “unpublished” price. You won’t be given the actually price, instead you will be told what percentage cheaper it is than the published price, something like, “10 to 15 percent below the published rate.” If that sounds like a deal you go ahead and book.

Why do it this way? Hotels like to keep a high "lowest published price" so by not telling you the price; the website is maintaining that “lowest published rate.”

Companies hiring technicians rather than tradesmen

If you have hired a plumber or electrician lately you know they don’t come cheap. These are highly trained professionals that really know their stuff. Too bad they don’t work on your projects. Many companies hire technicians rather than the more expensive tradesmen. Many of the technicians  know their stuff, but they are not as highly trained and tested. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hire them, it means you should know – and pay - the difference. 

 

How to get the best deal at a garage sale

Getting the best deal at a garage sale means arriving early or so you’ve been told, but actually that’s not true. Many of the best items are sold first, but the best deals are found at the end of the day. That’s when the family putting on the sale is tired from dealing with the public and dreading putting everything away. Arrive then with a low ball offer and you are likely to hear ‘yes.’

Do a background check on yourself

Amazing! Just what “they” know about you.  Here’s how to do a background check on yourself.

>>Details on background checks at Consumerist.com