Other tips include reducing your mileage and having a theft-deterrent device installed. You might also want to compare risk classifications for cars if you're shopping for a new one—your insurer should be able to provide you with a comparison chart.

"10 Things That You Can Do To Lower your Auto Insurance Premium" [Mint]
(Photo: TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³)

Their reasoning is simple: if you have an easy way to constantly jot down notes on things like prices or items you want to buy, you'll have higher quality information to make purchasing decisions. Some uses from The Simple Dollar:

• Write down sale prices so you can research their true value.
• Do warehouse price club comparisons.
• Write down recipes or other food ideas.
• Make a simple price book that focuses on the staples. (Real price books require a near-obsessive level of dedication, so I like this idea best of all.)
• Record great gift ideas.
• Keep a master list of "preferred brands" and their average prices.

Lifehacker's Jason Fitzpatrick noted that recording gift ideas lets him come up with great gifts cheaply:

A perfect example of this in action: I was having dinner with a friend some months ago. When the wine was decanted, the particular funnel that the sommelier used caught my friend's eye-it was quite an interesting one. When we were leaving the restaurant I quickly scribbled a few notes about the style of the funnel. A little Google-fu later and I found that it wasn't a particularly pricey item, but it would be much appreciated by my friend and show that I notice things that matter to him.

The problem, of course, is determining which "easy way to constantly jot down notes" works for you. The Simple Dollar recommends a pocket-sized reporter's notebook, which you can buy at any drugstore for around $1. One of the readers over there suggests you avoid clutter in your notebook by keeping temporary items on a removable page:

I keep a loose page in my journal for the "To Do" and "Shopping" lists. I can move that page along the current page so it's easily found, and cleanly remove it when completed.

Lifehacker takes the hardcore (and expensive) Getting Things Done route by suggesting a "notetaker wallet" that carries cards.

Using your phone may be more convenient for some people, and it also gives you the flexibility of snapping photos. It can also be a lot slower to use if you don't have a good note-taking solution. Evernote is a good free option, and it's available for everything but the Android platform (although they're working on that, and in the meantime you can use their mobile site).

"14 Ways a Notebook in Your Pocket Can Save You Money" [The Simple Dollar via Lifehacker]
(Photo: theilr)

"8 Signs You Should Not Buy a House" may be a tough list to absorb if you've been turning a blind eye to immediate financial issues like credit card debt and savings accounts, but following this advice will put you in a much safer position for a new home. Once you've made sure it's the right time to buy, "8 Home Buying Blunders" has some tips that should help protect you from unanticipated problems at closing or after you've moved in.

"8 Signs You Should Not Buy a House" [Morningstar]
"8 Home Buying Blunders" [Morningstar]
(Photo: Smath.)

If you don't have a tire tread depth gauge on hand, you can use a quarter and/or a penny. Place a quarter upside down in the tread; if you see the top of Washington's head, it's time to go tire shopping. If you see the top of Lincoln's head when you use a penny, it's definitely time to replace the tire.

CR's actual tire ratings are for subscribers only, but anyone can watch the video, read through the moderated forums, or read the Tire Buying Guide for basic info.

Video: How to choose the best tires [Consumer Reports Blog: Cars]

RELATED
"Tire buying guide" [Consumer Reports]
Tires & tire-talk forums [Consumer Reports Forums]

Step one, of course, is to cancel any credit card that's been swiped. It's the second step that too many people forget, she writes:

Most people forget this step until it's too late. After I had cancelled my card, it quickly dawned on me how many automatic bill payments I had filtering through that very credit card on a monthly basis.

After you've cancelled your card, you'll have to go through and switch every automatic payment from that credit card to another card or bank account.

This is the catch-22 with those handy-dandy automatic bill payments – they can always come back to haunt you if your credit card changes or expires (or gets hijacked by some scammer halfway across the globe forcing you to cancel your card).

The tongue-in-cheek step 3 is my favorite — track down the jerks who stole your credit to exact sweet revenge.

What You May Be Forgetting When You're The Victim Of Identity Theft [Carrie... On the Cheap]
(Photo: scenemissingmagazine)

I'm sure there are sommeliers both real and imagined among our readers who wish I would fall over in a tub of grapes like that poor YouTube lady, as punishment for my ignorance. But my point is, if you want a quality sparkling wine/champagne, don't dismiss "sparkling wine" wholesale and limit yourself only to champagne. You'll be turning yourself into a brand whore and falling under the Champagne Bureau's spell. It's also okay if you want to call it champagne no matter where it's from.

Here are two video clips of a wino wine expert providing an overview of sparkling wines and champagnes, and which houses make the best ones.

• Sparkling Wine vs. Champagne: Part 1
• Sparkling Wine vs. Champagne: Part 2

This article says the real thing to look for are the words "Traditional Method" on the label:

When choosing a bottle from any region other than Champagne, be sure to look for the words ‘Traditional Method' on the label. Among other techniques of making sparkling wine are the Transfer, Tank and Asti methods, none of which involve the care, time and precision of conventional process.

As a general rule of thumb, trade groups probably shouldn't send us self-serving press releases disguised as "consumer alerts."

(Photo: ori2uru)

If you do have symptoms of the H1N1 flu, the website says to call and tell your doctor you might be "very sick" with the flu, and ask if you "need to be seen right now." (We originally posted that you should physically go to the doctor, but that was an overstatement that our reader floraposte brought to our attention.)

And if you don't have H1N1 symptoms, this is a cheap way to put your mind at ease so you can get some rest

You should also check out these myths about H1N1 from Consumer Reports.

"Could I have H1N1 flu (swine flu)?" [H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu) Response Center via "Health Data Management"]
(Photo: iLoveButter)

Sure, you could make friends with a lawyer, invite her to a cookout, then corner her in your kitchen. But this book was co-authored by a lawyer, so it's an even less expensive way to find out some answers—and you don't have to go through the embarrassment of explaining why the relationship didn't work with that ex.

Here are three sample questions:

Q: Hard to believe, but my boyfriend's credit is even worse than mine. If he asks me to become "Mrs. Sucky Credit" does joining in holy matrimony mean I'll be saddled with his debts as well?

A: Ah, romance. Though taking on his debt would be a real sign of true love, luckily for you, debts that were individually incurred before marriage don't become part of your credit history. If you get joint credit cards or joint bank accounts, though, keep in mind that debts accrued during marriage will have your name on them even if you weren't the one who made the purchase. Credit reports are individual, so debt that was brought into the marriage stays on the report of the one who accrued it. But remember you can, even after marriage, continue to get credit cards in your name alone.

At some point you two might want to buy a home or make a big purchase like a car together. To make joint loans possible, you should encourage your mate to regain good credit by paying bills on time and establishing a better record. After all, it would be a shame after getting married to find out that it's till debt do you part.

Q: Uh-oh, after buying that set of fancy cookware I remembered something very important: I can't cook. Now it's sitting there in my kitchen mocking me. Can I just cancel payment and send it back?

A: Anyone who's ever watched late night infomercials knows there's no shortage of truly useless products. And anyone who's ever watched late night infomercials also knows that the later it gets, the better idea these products seem-until you wake up the next day wondering if you really bought it or if it was just a bad dream. While there are protections for consumers against unauthorized charges on your credit card, most people assume you can't dispute a credit card purchase you actually made.

Turns out that's not true. You can dispute a credit card purchase even if you did make it, but before you buy something find out the return policy. Contact the merchant first and put your complaint in writing. If the merchant refuses to take the product back and reverse the charge, then call your credit card company. Often the charge will be removed during the investigation. But if the credit card company ultimately sides with the merchant, you will have to pay the cost and the finance charge.

What you must keep in mind is that there is no legal obligation for a store to take back items you purchased except pursuant to the return policy it has stated. There are, however, a few types of retail contracts that by law you have the right to rescind. If a salesperson comes to your door to sell you a product for more than twenty-five dollars, under federal law you can automatically return it for up to three days after purchase. In many states you also have three days to rescind a health club membership when you realize there's no way you're hauling tail to that gym, and under the law of many states, you have five days to cancel the purchase of a time-share. These are all things to weigh when you're considering making your next purchase, either for that crock of cookery or that unused ab machine now doubling as a towel rack.

Q: I just made a ton of money selling my ex-boyfriend's clothes, stereo, TV, and almost-brand-new video game console on eBay! I don't have to pay taxes on the money I earned, do I? (And please keep in mind, having dated that jerk for a year I really do believe I earned the money.)

A: Interesting question, and it's one that a lot of "creative entrepreneurs" find themselves pondering. As you can well imagine, the IRS is not likely to say, "Oh, you made money on your old junk? Good for you and enjoy your pocket change!" Rather, all income-including gambling earnings; lottery, raffle, and horse and dog race winnings; church bingo payouts; profits from illegal activities (recall Al Capone was put away for tax evasion); and small business profits-is taxable. Your first move is to figure out if you're actually making a profit. If you're just looking to clean out your garage, you are likely selling the items for less than you bought them and so would not be making a profit. But if you are buying goods from a wholesaler and reselling, or if you are producing the goods and selling them like a business for more than the cost of manufacturing, then you are running a profitable business. On eBay, one man's trash may be another man's treasure, but to the IRS, that treasure can and will be taxed.

Our readers seem to be pretty interested in what is and isn't allowed under the law, so we thought you might find it interesting. Here's the website and Amazon page.

So Sue Me official site

The story offers up a couple quick fixes:

To be more selective, go to "Settings," then "General" and then "Network." Here you can shut off "Data Roaming" so you won't feast on high-priced data but can still make phone calls.

Also, in your e-mail settings, turn off the "Fetch" option so you won't automatically download e-mail. Do so under "Settings," then "Mail, Contacts, Calendars" and "Fetch New Data."

You should also sign up for a short-term international calling plan, which according to the story can tack on a $5 starting fee and lower your per-minute rate from 99 to 59 cents. The story uses Mexico as an example for such rates.

If you want to go crazy with data, foreign plans start at $25 for 20 megabytes. It's costly, sure, but the up-front expenditures are minimal compared to a fright-night phone bill when you get back from vacation.

Avoid hefty fees: Prepare your iPhone for international travel [AP via Knoxville NewsSentinel]
(Photo: Ninja M.)
(Thanks, Snarkysnake!)

Webmonkey notes that data portability has become an increasingly salient problem as more and more people store their data with various online services. Unfortunately, no open standards have emerged yet, which is why Google decided to put together a team that could at least address its own services.

The name might be a bit of a joke, but the idea is not. The Data Liberation Front wants to make it easier for you to get your data out of Google services and take it wherever you please. In other words, Google wants you to use their services because you like them, not because you're trapped in them.

You might want to bookmark the DLF home page for future reference if you have Google accounts, because they list all of Google's services there with links to how to get your data out of each one of them. That's the "do no evil" good news; the bad news is not every Google product or service makes the process easy—which, to its credit, the DLF openly admits.

The organization also offers some really good advice that we should apply to any online service before signing up:

People usually don't look to see if they can get their data out of a product until they decide one day that they want to leave For this reason, we always encourage people to ask these three questions before starting to use a product that will store their data:

1. Can I get my data out at all?

2. How much is it going to cost to get my data out?

3. How much of my time is it going to take to get my data out?

The ideal answers to these questions are:

1. Yes.

2. Nothing more than I'm already paying.

3. As little as possible.

There shouldn't be an additional charge to export your data. Beyond that, if it takes you many hours to get your data out, it's almost as bad as not being able to get your data out at all.

"Data Liberation Front" [Google]
"Google's ‘Data Liberation Front' Aims to Make Your Data Portable" [Webmonkey]

"23 Powerful Tips and Tools to Eliminate Debt" [Dough Roller] (Photo: mskogly)

The theme is not to be stupid and buy and sell stocks with your brain rather than your heart, playing into foolhardy assumptions by others to benefit your own portfoilio. One of the seven gems in the post says "stocks tend to under-react to both good news and bad news:"

This is because people like to sell at a profit, so they sell stocks on good news when they should keep them, and not at a loss, so they keep stocks reporting bad news when they should sell them.

To profit: If you have to invest actively, then these trends are worth exploiting.

So, commenters, what stock-related maxims do you let your investments live by? Or do you just stick to index funds?

7 ways to profit from other people's folly [Monevator]
(Photo: Great Beyond)

You should click through to read the detailed list, including some reasoning behind these tips, but here's a quick summary:

• "Start with the basics." Approach your first home purchase conservatively.
• "Consider your income."
• "Bow to unknowns." We're talking starting a family, or realizing in 5 years that you never wanted the career you're currently in and need to switch paths.
• "Map out expenses." A lot of home buyers are stunned by the annual cost of maintenance.
• "Buy best (or cheapest)." If you can't afford the ideal home, it's better to go cheap and save up rather than settle for a mediocre substitute that will drain your accounts while keeping you stuck in a home you don't like.
• "Stretch the house." The longer you live in one house, the longer you put off the expense of moving to a newer/bigger one.
• "The eight-hour rule." If you can't sleep at night due to worries about how to pay for the upcoming mortgage, you don't need that mortgage.

"7 New Rules for First-Time Home Buyers" [New York Times]
(Photo: PinkMoose)

I recently moved and started a checking account with Bank of America. I needed to send a friend who is incarcerated some money for commissary so he can buy food.

I went to BoA and asked for either a cashier's check or money order whichever was cheaper as the prison will accept either. The cashier told me that it would be $7.00 for a Cashier's Check or
$5.00 for a Money Order. Sympathetically she suggested that I go to the post office and get a money order there for $1.10

These are the changes BoA applies if you have an account. If you don't have an account they will simply refuse to provide either a money order or cashier's check.

Props to the BofA teller for the customer service that went above and beyond. So, Consumerists, is Bank of America alone on these exorbitant fees, or have any of you found yourselves in similar situations while trying to give prisoner friends money for cigarettes and shivs — uh, I mean food?

(Photo: The Cornballer)

Well-Heeled advises you prepare exhaustively for the fair, boning up on the top two or three companies that interest you, focusing on them at the fair, then following up with short, polite e-mails afterward.

The key to it all, she writes, are knowing what you're getting into before you head out into the fray. Here are her top three pre-fair preparation tips:

1. Determine if this job fair is worth your time and effort. Look at the requirements for attendance – for example, some fairs require a 4-year degree, others don't. Some fairs are specialized (i.e. teaching professionals or high-tech workers only), others are general. Look at the location (is it 15 minutes away? 3 hours away?).

2. Go over the company list and pick 2-3 companies that are your top choices.

3. Spend 30-40 minutes researching your top choices, particularly on any programs / specific functions you are interested in. Spend another 10-15 minutes studying a few other companies that you are interested in.

She follows up with some key advice to avoid getting a speeding ticket on the way home. It's advice she says she learned the hard way last week.

Do you have any additional advice for job fair navigating or job seeking in general?

Making The Most Out Of Job Fairs [Well-Heeled, with a Mission]
(Photo: Lisa Pisa)

What matters to me, though, is I don't like to listen to podcasts or talk shows; for me, headphone time is music time. Thankfully, the Personal Finance Hour website provides detailed written summaries of each show, written by one of their loyal fans, Brian of MyNextBuck.com. They're not transcripts, which would take too long and spoil the point of reading a summary instead of listening, and yet they're detailed enough that you don't have to listen to get a lot of the good stuff out of any particular episode.

Of course, you can also tune in live on Monday nights to listen, or download any previous episodes from the Blog Talk Radio page.

Personal Finance Hour
Personal Finance Hour w/JD & Jim [Blog Talk Radio]
(Photo: tranchis)

The advice ranges from sneaky (place your phone into roam mode to trick the cell phone company into thinking your contract is more trouble than it's worth) to the outrageous (move to a blackout area). Other hints include finding a friend to take over your plan and whining incessantly to customer service. Of course, there's also the ever-popular pastime of watching for materially adverse changes to your cellphone contract and using them as an excuse to rip up your service agreement. Watch and learn!

How to Get Out of Your Cell Phone Contract for Free [SpendLess TV, via Bargain Babe]
(Photo: FastFords)

Or you can view the guide online, should you prefer not to destroy trees or encourage the spending of our hard-earned tax dollars.

The post offers standard but rock-solid advice on mistakes to avoid, such as failing to diversify investments and haphazardly choosing funds. It ends with what may be the most important piece of 401(k) advice of all — increasing your contribution to max out your employer's match:

A big mistake often made is not knowing what kind of match the company is offering resulting in leaving free money on the table.

If a company is matching dollar for dollar up to – say five percent, it's silly to only put in three. You're leaving an additional two percent out there that could be matched.

At the very least you should be putting enough into your 401k to take full advantage of any money they are going to give you.

This assumes some employer out there still offers a 401(k) match. Many dropped the perk due to the recession, and it will be interesting to see how many reinstitute the match when things perk up.

Previously: The Basics Of Insurance, Taxes, And 401(k)s For First-Time Employees

Redeeming Riches [Do You Make These 4 Common 401k Mistakes?]
(Photo: krodinjw)

Hoping retailers secure their side of things is another matter, but that's why step 5 of this chart is "monitor your credit report."

"5 Easy Steps To Preventing Identity Theft" [Visual Economics]

Naturally, they suggest you closely track where your money goes, which is an easy thing to do in this era of free personal finance websites like Mint and Wesabe. But they also address the issue of understanding why you spend (or don't spend) money, so that you don't end up being a slave to your emotions or habits:

• Know yourself. Nathan Dungan literally wrote the textbook on personal finance and speaks at colleges nationwide. What does he think is most important for students to understand? Themselves. "Know your money temperament ... the lens through which you view and do money," he said. If having money makes you want to spend it, it's best to know that and figure out a way that works for you to keep that natural tendency in check.
  
  
• Keep money out of reach to stay out of trouble. Each year, Solheim asks students about a bad financial experience. "I have quite a few that will say ... 'The first time I got my financial aid I just had a good time ... and then was stretched at the end to make ends meet,'" she said. If you're a student receiving a lump sum from the Bank of Mom and Dad or the financial aid office, figure out how much you'll need each month and put the rest in savings. That way you won't feel artificially flush when you see that big bank balance.

"Experts offer advice for college and beyond" [San Jose Mercury News]

Her reasoning: It's cheap — Palmer says her insurance in Washington, D.C. (by no means a region free of criminal activity), costs about $100 a year — comprehensive and necessary because renters are more at risk of being robbed. She cites Bureau of Justice Statistic figures that say renters are 50 percent more likely to be burglarized.

She writes:

Most college-age adults, however, don't bother to get renters insurance. According to a new study from Allstate Insurance, two in three say they have no insurance protection whatsoever. At the same time, about half said their belongings are worth more than $10,000 and the vast majority said that they could only afford to replace some of those items if they had to.

Of course, this only goes for those who own stuff worth stealing, as well as those who don't secretly wish many of the things they own would be stolen or break so they'd have an excuse to buy newer, better stuff.

Whether or not you go the insurance route, it's a good idea to catalog the valuable stuff you own. A video sweep with a camera will do the trick, and you can also go an extra mile and make a spreadsheet with serial numbers of your electronic devices. These things have a way of turning up at pawn shops.

Why Renters Insurance Is Worth Its (Low) Cost [U.S. News & World Report]
(Photo: jaycoxfilm)

Reporter Samantha Maziarz Christmann identifies one particularly nefarious ruse involving adorable puppies:

Also known as the Cameroon pet scam, this one preys on animal lovers with soft hearts. The scammer posts an ad online for a purebred puppy, free to a good home. Often claiming to be a missionary in Africa, the scammer says they are unable to care for their pet overseas and wants to assure she is taken in by a loving owner. All you have to do is wire the money (it's almost always wired or a money order) to ship the pup to her new home. The advertised breeds are often expensive ones that are hard to get your hands on, such as English bulldogs and Yorkshire terriers.

Once you wire the money, you might be solicited for more funds to "cover unforeseen expenses," such as customs charges or necessary vaccines. Either way, you'll never see your puppy - or your cash.

Christmann's advice: "Do business only with people you can research and do business with in person. If you want a purebred dog, contact a reliable breeder."

Sadly, the article goes on to deflate my dreams of making millions by wiring some good-faith money to Nigerian princes. Surely my good pal the Honorable Dr. Jason Biggs, Phd, ESQ is on the level though.

Hold onto your money: Wise up to scam artists [Buffalo News]
(Photo: Brian Jackson Now)

From the Telegraph:

[The prosecutor] said: "There was an argument about a furniture order and they did not deliver a mattress with a bedroom set.

"Staff in the store were trying to help him, but they weren't getting anywhere with customer service because it was a telephone order from Tesco Direct, not from them.

"The staff were on the phone trying to help him, but [the customer] was intoxicated and was getting agitated.

"Then he went and got in his car and had a conversation with at least one security guard and asked him how long it would take to evacuate the store.

"He said he was going to drive his car in there. A little while later he drives the car up to the glass and nudges it, and then reverses a bit and puts his foot down."

Man drove Rolls Royce into Tesco [Telegraph]
(Photo: PA)

Someone wrote in to "Dear Prudence" on Slate recently (see third question) asking whether she should keep silent on a double refund.

A giant bottom-feeding corporation [...] just e-mailed to let me know that they will be crediting my card back for a purchase I have returned, to the tune of $300. Only problem is that they have already credited me back the full amount, several months ago. Husband thinks I need to fess up about the double payment. I think I should take the money and donate it to charity. What say you?

We don't always think "Dear Prudence" is a font of wisdom—we're still scowling at her for some really, really lame sexual advice she gave a few years ago (and yes, we read far too many advice columns, and by "we" I mean just me). But Prudence gives just the right answer to this question:

Here's a way to make everyone happy: You call their 800 number and tell them you've received double credit for the return of a purchase; then you donate some money to charity, anyway.

"Dear Prudence" [Slate]
(Photo: soylentgreen23)

Here are a few of them:

• Petrified Forest National Park in Holbrook, Arizona, which Harper describes as a dull detour with little to see: "Then you drive back up to Interstate 40 and continue on your way, an hour closer to the grave."
• The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, which is mostly no longer there, although he says they do have "an exceedingly well-provisioned gift shop."
• RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, which Harper describes as a Ramada Inn crossed with a rusty old ship.

To be fair, the Alamo's basement is pretty cool, but it's difficult to get in as it's not open to the public. As for the rest, save your tourist dollars and time and look for more interesting spots on your next trip.

"U.S.'s Most Over-Rated Tourist Attractions" [Yahoo! Travel]
(Photo: Andrew Currie)

Update: So now I'm curious: what are the tourist destinations that are worth visiting? The place where either it's worth the price of admission several times over, or it's cool because it's free and filled with awesomeness? My nerd vote for 2009 goes to the Central Library in Seattle (because I was just there). You can spend a couple of hours on a self-guided tour and just marvel at the architecture. Or complain about it, that's fun too.

* It is too a word! It's the type of mindless clomping tourists do as they move through a tourist trap.

And unlike vampires, debt collectors aren't allowed to lie to you. Examiner , well, examines the particulars of what debt collectors can and cannot do. One of the can nots, under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, is fib:

Debt collectors may not lie when they are trying to collect a debt. Among other false statements that are prohibited, they cannot falsely claim that they are attorneys or government representatives; that you have committed a crime; or represent that they operate or work for a credit reporting company.

That also are prohibited from saying that you will be arrested if you don't pay your debt and saying they'll seize, garnish, attach, or sell your property or wages unless they are permitted by law to take the action and intend to do so.

The article also says debt collectors can't charge you interest or harass you, and advises that sending a certified letter to a debt collector makes it so he can no longer contact you once he's received it other than to confirm receipt.

Either that or stock up on holy water.

Consumer 101: How to push back when the debt collector calls [Examiner]
(Photo: hagner_james)

The Phoenix New Times says that after customer noticed she had been cruelly denied condiments, she stormed back into the KFC and began a shouting match with the employees inside. One of the workers then followed the woman back out to her car to take down her license plate number.

When the customer began to back out of her parking space, the employee hit her trunk in order to let her know that she was standing back there and did not want to die.

At that point, according to police, the customer ran her car into the employee.

The employee is ok, and the customer has been arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, plus disorderly conduct. Over some condiments. Sigh.

Customer Allegedly Bumps KFC Employee With Car After Condiments Dispute [Phoenix New Times]
(Photo:Morton Fox)

The article, titled "Whys And Wherefores Of Income Needed To Maintain An Automobile Properly," begins with some advice that remains true more than 100 years later:

"No one should own an automobile, some one has said, unless he is able to lay aside an endowment fund sufficiently large to provide for every emergency that may be required in its annual maintenance."

It turns out, however, that maintaining a car used to be quite a bit more expensive than it is now.

"A rough estimate, and one which works out very well in practice, is that the annual cost is about one-half the retail price of the car," says the Times.

They also advise paying your chauffeur at least $100 a month, and not to be cheap about it because you really want to have a driver who is also a fully qualified mechanic. Charles M. Schwab apparently paid his driver $250 a month. Do you really want to be a cheapskate, Mr. New Car Owner?

The article also contains some lovely advice about speeding:

"Judgment in driving is the secret of the life of a car," said a tourist whose expense bill for the last three or four years reveals a very small amount for repairs. "The ratio of expense mounts up in proportion to the speed. If the man who has a car that can go forty miles an hour will be content to keep it within an average to twenty-five to thirty miles an hour, which is fast enough to automobile enjoyment, his car will last longer and his expense bill will be much less at the end of a year than will be the case if he is anxious to go the limit at every conceivable opportunity. Excess speed means harder wear upon the tires, upon the bearings, the transmission, the brakes and all operating parts. Incidentally, the reasonable driver will not be in danger of being held up the local constables and fined from $50 to $100 for over speeding."

So keep it under 40, kids.

Whys And Wherefores Of Income Needed To Maintain An Automobile Properly [NYT]

On the bright side, if you're looking for work try to remember that there are people out there who do say stuff like this, so if you can learn from this list you'll already be one step ahead of them.

"43 Things Actually Said in Job Interviews" [AOL Jobs]

RELATED
"Take A Coffee Break Before Your Next Job Interview"
(Photo: Oskars)

We've covered executive email carpet bombs (EECBs) plenty of times before, and we try to publish unlisted numbers to helpful offices when we get them. We've also talked a lot about how the chargeback is your friend. But EECBs and chargebacks are both pretty severe actions, and we figured there had to be some middle-ground you could try first, so we asked an AT&T representative what you should try if the CSR keeps refusing to help you.

We'll admit, this isn't some silver bullet that will solve your problems. However, it does provide you with a couple of "official" routes to try when the front line of customer service fails.

Our reps are trained that escalation is part of the process, and they are explicitly instructed to escalate every time it's requested.

Each time you call, make note of the rep's name and the time and date you call. If you ask to be connected to a supervisor and you are not connected, hang up and call back in, THEN IMMEDIATELY ask to speak to a supervisor. We want to know when our protocol isn't followed, and we want to resolve your issue.

Alternately, customers can log into their AT&T On-line Wireless Account and click on "Contact Us." Then there is a box titled "Customer Service" where you can select "Click Here to Email Us." After answering some questions via the drop-down box, you can then describe the issue and request contact from a manager. [emphasis ours]

(Photo: ッ Zach Hoeken ッ)

One of the more controversial pieces of advice on the list is to avoid paying for books. Particularly those of Jodi Picoult:

Some books are nice to have - like your favorite one, for example. But really, buying the newest hardcover Jodi Picoult because you can not wait to get it from the library - not very smart. Open up an account with your local library or arrange a book swap with some friends.

Since the bookselling community snapped at the Sun for the tip, we can expect car wash companies (the Sun says to wash them yourself) and bars (the Sun says get drunk at home) to follow suit.

Money Wasters To Avoid [Baltimore Sun]
(Photo: sallyvillarreal)

1. Pay Yourself First: No, not with an Xbox, but by saving religiously. Finance your emergency fund, retirement accounts, and general savings account before buying toys.

2. Harness The Power Of Compounding: J.D. over at Get Rich Slowly writes, "I wish somebody had shown me a chart demonstrating the difference between paying a credit card company 18.9% a month on $10,000 versus a bank paying me 3% interest on the same amount."

3. Avoid Lifestyle Inflation: More money should mean more saving, not more spending. When you get a raise, resist the urge to live a better life, because once you start, it's impossible to go back.

4. Avoid The Chains Of Debt: Again, J.D. says it best: "Debt is slavery." For young people, there is no such thing as "good" debt. Unless you're buying a house or earning a career-making degree, you should not be in debt, period.

5. Save On Things Big And Small: Scrutinize the big buys, yes, but also the little ones. They add up faster than you would expect. Consider your grocery list—you do shop with a list, right?—it's not a series of huge line items, but lots of little missed chances to save.

What We Wish We Knew When We Were Younger [Get Rich Slowly]
(Photo: Material Boy)

But who believes crazy old newspapers anymore? Here's a Daily Show clip of Nobel Prize winning Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, Steven Chu. (The NYT told us about it). Around the 6:25 mark, he says when you're re-roofing, make it white:

"White Roofs Catch on as Energy Cost Cutters" [New York Times]
(Photo: Christopher Dick)

Chicago Tribune columnist Gail Marksjarvis — who hopes to retire in a couple years — says despite conventional wisdom, the tax shelters mortgages offer don't make up for what you'll likely lose on interest unless your investments soar.

The lack of a house payment makes it far easier to enjoy the good post-career life, Marksjarvis writes:

Some retirees think they should keep making mortgage payments for the tax deductions. But Park Ridge, Ill., financial planner Gary Bowyer said retirees often are subject to low tax rates, and avoiding mortgage interest is a better deal than the deduction. Even without a mortgage deduction, you can claim the standard deduction on taxes - $11,400 for couples this year.

Bowyer recommends racking up an emergency savings fund of up to $48,000 and dividing investments between stock mutual funds and bonds.

Also, be sure stock up on pants that you belt up above your belly, you know, just to keep the tradition going.

It's wise to pay off mortgage before retiring [Chicago Tribune, via BND]
(Photo: Ingsoc)

So there you have it. Using grocery lists, buying in bulk, and comparing unit pricing have always been the best way to save at the supermarket. Add to the savings by leveraging the relatively newfangled powers of the internet to help find coupons.

Buying Food: Grocery Shopping Tips from 1950 [Get Rich Slowly]

"2009 Consumer Action Handbook" [ConsumerAction]

Chief among Freedman's advice is to ensure you'll have a roof over your head even after the worst-case scenario:

How long could you keep a roof over your head if you lost your job? Would a month's worth of unemployment checks cover a month's worth of housing? Or suppose your rent goes up just as your hours get cut at work — what then?

Think about this now. Right now. Maybe you could seek out cheaper digs or move in with a family member. Maybe you could take in a housemate or two. You could start searching for a job that will let you live rent-free, such as live-in nanny or apartment house manager.

Freedman also recommends coupon clipping, scoping out the post-employment health care scene and drop any pretenses when it comes to finding new work. You can overcome fears of unemployment by strategizing ways to mitigate the worst-case scenario.

Swallow your pride — and seek aid [MSN Money, via Boston Gal's Open Wallet]
(Photo: Kevin Dean, BetaArt.com)