Saturday, February 27, 2010

Watch for Gold Coin Investment Scams. Be Careful buying "Gold"




We are seeing many gold coin investment scams in the newspaper and television, and even in some magazines.  You may think these are great buys, but most of them are scams, and you will have nothing of value for your hard-earned money.

Watch the language.  It is clever, but tricky.  I like the one that says, "Purest gold coin ever struck by the U. S. Government."  They are talking about the coin on which this coin is based, not the coin they are selling.

Non-currency and non-monetary minting are not U. S. Government coins.

If you want to buy gold coins, be sure you are buying GOLD.  Many of these coins are gold CLAD, and the gold is less than found on a piece of older jewelry. 

We have written an article to help the consumer review offers for gold coins.  Be sure to review information available before spending your money.  Most of the scams really encourage the buyer to act fast.  They want you to buy without reading or thinking it through. Don't do it.

See you soon with more consumer issues to help protect your money.

Linda
cajunC








Saturday, February 20, 2010

Save Money in a Savings Account? Maybe Not.

save

Saving Money Just Got More Difficult

We all have less money to save than ever, and making any money off a savings account seems more like Sisyphus of Greek mythology, destined forever to roll the rock uphill. When I checked the rates for Certificates of Deposit last week, our local bank was offering .9 percent interest for a one-year CD.  Maybe this is not the best use for my money, or yours.

This little enlightenment got me to thinking about what we should be doing with our money right now, until the interest rate improves. Here are some considerations.

If you have a mortgage on your home and the interest rate is 4, 5 or 6 percent, it would be better use of your money to pay on the principal.  You can do this by making your regular payment and sending a separate payment marked as "principal only."

This is probably the best use of your money unless you have outstanding credit card debt.  If you have credit card debt, consider paying that indebtedness, since the interest rate on credit cards seems to be at an all-time high.

We have written an article about saving money the smart way to share.   We hope you find it useful in considering smart moves for making your money work for you.

See you soon, with more consumer information and tips for frugal living.

Linda
cajunC





Monday, February 15, 2010

Stop Unwanted Telephone Calls for FREE

stop
Have Freedom to PLAY.  Stop the Unwanted Telephone Calls.

Telephone calls are interruptions in the activities and thoughts of the day, and some of us even like to take a nap occasionally.  With telemarketers trying to make every dime, the telephone has become their second way to get you to listen--the first probably being email.

We are on the Do Not Call lists for the Federal Government as well as the Texas Do Not Call list, but even those did not stop the constant interruptions of telemarketer telephone calls.  We finally found a way to get some peace and quiet, and still keep a telephone available for emergencies and for our kids and relatives to call us.  We have written an article about how to stop the unwanted telephone calls for free, and you can try it to see if it works for you. 





We hope you have as much success as we have had--we probably do not get three telemarketer calls a week now, and we just let them hang up.  They don't seem to like the answering machine.

See you soon with more consumer issues and help.

Linda
cajunC

Friday, February 12, 2010

Find Free Health Information Online

health
Free Health Information for Senior Citizens and Younger

Got a bug?

The Federal government provides several health information sites on the internet for free, but many people do not know about these informative sites that are easy to use, and are in layman's terms.  They have several that are directed at senior citizens and aging, including one for Alzheimer's Disease, but Medline is one of the ones that has lots of great medical and drug information for any age.



We have written an article about free medical and health information online with links to some of theses free sites in the Resources.  Take just a minute to review what these websites have to offer so that the next time you need medical information, you will know where to look for free.

See you soon, and stay well!

Linda
cajunC

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Get a Tan and Use Tanning Beds Safely

TANNING BED SAFETY is IMPORTANT to your HEALTH

If you or your children like to get a tan as soon as the first sun appears in the spring, it is time for a talk.  The FDA and World Health Organization are both warning of the dangers of tanning beds, and those under sixteen are restricted as to use.

One of the issues with tanning beds is that the warnings are not easily found.  This may change and there may be new guidelines placed on the warnings, but for the present time, it is difficult to find a warning on a tanning bed.

Know the risks for yourself or your children.  Melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are skin cancers that are related to tanning beds and to too much exposure to the sun.  
Do not substitute the sunshine for tanning in a tanning bed, and do not let your children do this.  There is a reason they are restricted from use of a tanning bed--it is not good for them.  Tanning can be accomplished in early morning or late evening sun, but one serious sunburn can do two things:

--create wrinkling of the skin that is not attractive
--develop skin cancer later in life

We have written an article about safety in the use of tanning beds for you as a consumer.

When we were young, there were no restrictions on tanning beds and no warnings about getting sunburned.  The warnings are there now, and the studies have been completed that indicate that there is a risk.  Be a smart consumer and follow the guidelines of using the tanning bed no more than once a week.  Don't let your kids under sixteen spend time in the sun without sunscreen, and encourage your older kids to skip the tan.  Remember, Snow White was beautiful. 

See you soon!

Linda
cajunC

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Avoid DIY or Do it Yourself Dangers

SOME DO IT YOURSELF PROJECTS ARE DANGEROUS FROM THE START.

Other projects get dangerous after time.  But even others are dangerous without any warning, and even with reading how to do it.  Just recently the CPSC  recalled some of the Oxmoor House books that had information for the do-it-yourselfer about electrical wiring.  These include Sunset and Lowe's, so be aware that even if you read it in a book, it can still be dangerous.  Many of the book writers are writers, and they write on any subject, not necessarily one they are really knowledgeable about, so when reading books about how to do something, use your own good judgment, and always keep your mind on the job.

We have written an article for the consumer about how to avoid DIY Do it Yourself Dangers that we hope you will read.  It may save you a lot of work.  It could even save your life.

We like to share consumer safety information, and try to stay informed so we can help others as well as ourselves.

We hope your new year is in full swing, and that you are getting ready for a great spring season.  We will see you again soon, maybe with some income tax information, since tax season is just on the horizon.  Here is the URL for the article above in case the link does not work in your browser.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5909372_avoid-diy-do-yourself-danger.html
Linda
cajunC