"A Primer for Young People Starting Their First Job" [New York Times]
(Photo: webg33k)

AOL lies to their customers and has a policy of refusing to escalate to supervisors:

If you refuse to pay your bill, AOL will threaten to ruin your credit (with AOL):

AOL's abusive relationship with its "members" is not new, but it is surprising how enthusiastically they have embraced the standard lies and deceit peddled by the debt collection industry. According to our tipster, the guide is from 2006, but the tactics and policies remain unchanged.

The only way to fight back against scummy collectors is to know your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Read AOL's full collections guide, complete with other despicable practices, here.

PREVIOUSLY: EXCLUSIVE: Old AOL Cancel Script vs. New
AOL Retention Manual Revealed
Quit AOL By Fax, Mail, or Phone

"The Z Report on BPA In Children's Feeding Products, Third Edition" [Z Recommends]

Their winner in the list-off is Maxim:

The superfluous T&A is more of a lure for some readers than others. But Maxim surprises with its witty and varied gift ideas, which are frequently accompanied by well-written snippets of prose. And as long as you're not a vegetarian, you can't help but love a guide that mentions python filets at $40 a pound.

"Smoking Mittens or Felt Fedora?" [Slate]
(Photo: Getty)

The author also talks about the LightKeeper, a $15-35 device (depending on whether it's the "pro" version) that helps quickly locate burned out bulbs in instances when the entire string is dark. If you've ever spent a half hour methodically removing and replacing each bulb in turn, you can probably understand why this excites us—even though by buying it you've sort of ruined the whole "saving money" aspect of this endeavor. But hey, you still get to be a handyman.

"Christmas Lights and How to Fix Them" [Cyphersbyritter via Make]
(Photo: Scurzuzu)

Here are few of their suggestions:

CLEANING PERSON
How much to tip: The cost of one visit if he or she visits weekly or bi-weekly. If you use a cleaning service that works in a team, a box of chocolates for the team is customary.

LETTER CARRIER
How much to tip: The U.S. Postal service says gifts must be under $20 in value [and should not be cash] . A gift card at Dunkin' Donuts or a similar store that could serve as an off-duty for the carrier's route is acceptable.

BABY SITTER
How much to tip: Nanny or au pair — one week's pay and a small gift from the child; regular sitter — one to two nights' pay; day-care provider — $25 to $70. Only give a holiday tip if you've frequently used the sitter during the year or you had to call on them in an 11th hour emergency.

"Holiday Tipping Tip Sheet" [Kiplinger]
"What You Need to Know About Holiday Tipping" [Kiplinger]
(Photo: Getty)

Life without plastic requires a few components:

• Budget: Every month, NCN writes out a comprehensive budget: "I divide my salary into three major categories - Give, Save, Spend - and then I break those categories into smaller sub-categories. For example: Give - Tithes, Offering, Charity. I then allocate, on paper, all of the funds that I receive for the month into those sub-categories. I spend every dollar, every month, on paper, before the month begins."
• Payments and Spending: NCN makes payments either through his online account or with plain checks. For internet purchases, he uses a debit card.
• Transfers: NCN dips into his high-interest savings account once per month. We do the same, and enjoy the financial discipline imposed by limited trips to the cookie jar.

How I Live Without Using Credit Cards - My Simple System For Living On A Budget [No Credit Needed]
(Photo: danesparza)

For washing machines, they recommend a few Kenmore and Bosch models. None are cheap, but if energy costs remain high, the prices start to look a lot more reasonable when your new washer is 60% more efficient than older models. For toilets, replacing one "made between 1980 and 1994 and you could save as much as $90 a year." If you have a natural-gas furnace that's 15 years old, you can see huge savings ("about $32 per $100 of annual fuel costs") if you spend the extra $1000 for a new one that's 95% efficient.

They also suggest looking at VOC-free interior paints like Yolo Colorhouse. VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, contribute to smog and can also aggravate allergies or respiratory ailments. And if you're looking to replace any countertops, you can check out a few brands made from recycled materials, like IceStone or PaperStone (see article for more information).

"A Shopping Guide to Eco-Friendly Products" [Kiplinger's]
(Photo: MShades)

• Flowers. Avoid national chains and web sites. Instead, call you local florist.
  
• Jewelry. Do your research beforehand. Try to buy from a certified gemologist, and don't fall for promises of huge discounts.
  
• Gift Cards. Avoid them.
  What tips do you have for last minute shoppers? Tell us in the comments. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER

  Mother's Day Guide [Consumer Reports via Get Rich Slowly]
  (Photo: Matt McGee)

And no, we're not just linking this because she said nice things about Consumerist. Well, maybe a little. —MEGHANN MARCO

The Key To Free [Wise Bread]

Knowledge is Power: The median enrollment fee for a gym membership is $150 dollars for an individual and $55 a month in dues, according to the IHRSA.

One way to reduce your monthly fee is to tell your gym of choice that you've found a better deal somewhere else. Say: "It's $15 dollars cheaper down the block, and I'll burn 3 calories walking down there to give THEM my money." Watch them knock $15 off your dues.

Tell them where to shove the Membership Fee. Tell them to reduce or eliminate it. One good way is to tell them you know they just had a off membership sale and you want that deal or you are walking out the door.

Contracts: What is this, a cell phone? We don't think so. Aim for month-to-month. If that's not possible, do not sign up for more than a year.

That's it! Simple, no? If one gym won't bend to your negotiating techniques, go to another one. That's capitalism, baby. —MEGHANN MARCO

From Travis' email: "I know some of the basics of a credit card are simply to pay your bill off in full each month, watch out for fraudulent activity, and things like that, but I have absolutely no clue how to pick a credit card that would suit a student like me without becoming a nightmare in the long run."

No worries Travis, Consumerist to the rescue....

Since it's apparent from your email that you understand why not to get a credit card, we won't talk about interest and APR, blah, blah. You plan on paying off your balance every month, but remember that credit cards are designed to make you forget about your vow to do this. If your debit card offers the protection of a credit card when you use it as one, you don't need to get a separate card to take advantage of those offers...(extended warranties, extra protection, etc.) Ask your bank about what features your debit card offers.

If you're interested in building credit, you might want to avoid cards that have annual fees. That way, if you pay your balance off every month, the credit card costs you nothing... and you can begin earning various benefits like frequent flier miles, depending on the card you choose. Keep in mind some debit cards also have rewards systems built in.

Or, with a card like Discover, you can earn cash back. The most important thing is to make sure you get a card from a company with good customer service. You'll want to make sure that they mail your bills on time, and that if something happens, dealing with the company will be pleasant.

Our best advice to you is to ask around to your responsible friends and family to see they have had any positive experiences with credit card companies. Do the research before applying. Don't just send in any card that comes pre-approved, or you might find yourself arguing about bogus late fees and yelling the word "cocksucker" on the telephone. Also, you can set up your account so that your credit card automatically debits from your checking account, that way you'll never forget to pay the bill.

Good luck to you, and remember, pay it off at the end of the month! Balances are for suckers.

Travis' email below...

Hello,

I've been reading Consumerist for quite some time, now, and it's easily become one of my favorite sites. I love the many different reports the public now gets about how companies misbehave and what some people have to go through just to get some decent service. But, there's one feature on the Consumerist that I think doesn't get enough attention. That'd be the HOWTO: guides we see posted every so often. And well, I have a suggestion..

You see, I'm a terribly naive college student who has next to no understanding of the world and how it operates, but even so, I find myself drawn to applying for a credit card. Now, that's not to say I haven't tried to be smart about my finances: I am living at home and working a good bit to put myself through college without loans, and I use a debit card for nearly all of my transactions at the moment. I simply believe that building credit and getting a few benefits with a credit card (cash back, a reward program, extended warranties on products I buy, etc) would be wonderful, especially if it means saving me money in the long run.

I know some of the basics of a credit card are simply to pay your bill off in full each month, watch out for fraudulent activity, and things like that, but I have absolutely no clue how to pick a credit card that would suit a student like me without becoming a nightmare in the long run. Would it be possible to create a how-to on what a credit card virgin should look at or do before furiously digging through the stacks of applications (that companies hand out like candy to us students..) and randomly applying for one? I don't want to fall prey to buying myself into future financial slavery like so many of my peers do at this age.

If it's a possibility, it'd be much appreciated. I'm in over my head with these things, and I don't feel like getting shafted later on down the line because I was too quick to read what I wanted to read, instead of getting all the facts and making a good decision.

P.S.: (What do you think about AMEX Blue?)

—
Travis

Psst, to answer your P.S. Travis, AMEX Blue seems like a fine deal, but keep in mind that comparatively few establishments accept American Express. This is more annoying than you might think.

70% of consumers say they would do something to prevent ID theft if they knew what to do. Here's what:

Don't have 10,000 credit cards. Have a few, and monitor their activity.
Make sure employees swipe your card at the register, and that they only swipe it once.
Don't give your credit card information, SSN, or bank account info to anyone who calls you. It's easy to call someone and say, "Hi, this is People's Gas. We're calling to update your account information. First, can you verify your SSN for security purposes?" Then, you, dumbass, tell a total stranger your SSN. You're so awesome. If it's really People's Gas, call them back.
Take your receipts with you. Shred them. Shred everything, actually.

More tips here.

If these don't work and you still get in trouble, check out the FTC's site on dealing with ID theft. And our article HOW TO: Get Through Having Your Identity Stolen.

No! Thankfully, there's actually a process to the utility bill dispute. If only we'd known. Oh well, Mickey's parole hearing is in a month and he's been on his best behavior.

Details, inside.

Bankrate.com has the full report. Here are some highlights:

1. Start with the source. Gather all your bills, account numbers, passwords, small children, pets, diet pills and a notebook to write down the customer service representative's information. Figure out what you're willing to pay—but be realistic. Don't expect Ed McMahon with a big ass check. Also, call when it's not busy and don't be a jerk to the customer service person. Be polite, but firm. Take down all the customer service person's info BEFORE you start the call. That way, when they act like a jerk, you don't have to say, "Ok, douchebag what's your name? I'm tellin' mom!" You already know.

2. Get an advocate. "You can locate your state's public utilities commission, which oversees utility companies, or get help through the National Association of State Utility Advocates (NASUCA). This organization represents the interest of utility consumers before state and federal regulators in court."

"At the commission you can have an informal investigation and if you are not satisfied you can file a formal complaint," says Janine L. Migden-Ostrander, Ohio Consumers' Counsel.

There you have it. If your utility overcharged you, don't just sit there and take it!

[via BankRate.com]

Related: The $27,933.55 Gas Bill

In the interest of protecting your wallet, and preventing scurvy, BankRate has got 20 tips for smarter supermarketing. Among them:

• Shop Early and Alone: Friends convince you to buy more food, less crowded stores mean you're done faster and buy less.
• Start A Notebook: Most people only really make 20 things for dinner. Keep a notebook so you know what everything should cost—and whether that thing is a good buy at the time.
• Buy Veggies in Season: Don't buy red bell peppers in March. They're like $800!

20 ways to save on groceries [BankRate]

It's an eight point primer to closing dead people's accounts and canceling their contracts, graciously sent in by reader Seth.

The guide covers the importance of having lots of death certificates to send to companies, a fancy thing called Letter Testamentary, and the importance of, above all, keeping one's sense of humor.

The last thing you want interrupting your grieving is a phonecall from the cellphone company asking where your dead son's money is.

Seth writes:

Some years back I went through a period when I was the executor (or administrator) of three estates, so I've run into my share of "so and so is dead and now I want to do such and such" sort of problems. Despite my best efforts, all three parties were still dead when I closed their estates, but I learned so much I almost quit my job to start an executor's services company.

Among the things I learned:

1) Always get LOTS of death certificates. Even savage beasts, like airlines, will massively adjust their attitudes if you toss one of these their way. Figure out how many you think you'll need then get some extras. You will need them.

2) Get a good supply of Letters Testamentary, but not too many, because these expire in 30, 60 or 90 days, depending on the paranoia levels of the institution you are dealing with. Having a Letter Testamentary is like owning someone's account.

3) Debts do not terminate with death, though most contracts do. If you are absolutely desperate to get out of that cellular plan, dying might work for you. Your estate will still have to pay the final bill, but I believe the estate gets to keep the phone. It is possible that I will learn otherwise if I keep reading Consumerist.

4) Death certificates are NOT public records. They are generally issued to family members and those posing as family members with little checking, but if you don't have the same last name or address as the deceased, you'll have to provide FRESH letters testamentary.

5) Many types of stock options vest completely immediately upon death, even if the death occurred before the initial public offering.

6) If you ask nicely, most phone companies will change the voice mail recording and replace it with their standard one. A lot of people think it is creepy when a dead person answers the phone, so this was good news. The phone companies will still ask you to send them a death certificate. I don't know if they'll restore the original message if you fail to do so after 30 days, but nothing is impossible.

7) It doesn't matter if the testator has signed each page of the will. The only signature that matters is the one at the bottom. For some people signing each page, but not at the bottom is perfectly in character, and one can imagine laughing with the deceased about the oversight.

8) Keeping one's sense of humor is absolutely essential when dealing with death. It doesn't lessen the blow, but it does help when dealing with airlines, phone companies, tax auditors, insurers, banks, brokers, and bureaucrats.

The first rules are the most important and basic, but bear repeating, as they are often forgotten.

When dealing with customer service over the phone

#1 Be nice.
#2 Write everything down.

FiveCentNickel has more in their step-by-step primer. We've covered every item individually at some point, but it's nice to have one handy locale.

Solving Customer Service Problems [Five Cent Nickel]

1) If you plan on spending a large amount on an online purchase, then learn about the product you are purchasing. Even if you're spending a small amount of money, learn about the product you are purchasing. Is this accessory intended for the device I have? Google it. Find out if the specifications match. Will this product do what I want? Google it. Learn about its features before you hand over your digits. The product page on the online store is not the final word on the product. What are the other consumers saying about this? Have they had any problems with this product? What are they doing with the product? Will the media you have work with this product? All of these questions can be answered with a five-minute web search. Flex your research skills, and don't blame the company or the underpaid and overworked employee because you didn't take the time to learn about your purchase.

2) If you plan on spending money with an online retailer, then learn about the company and their policies. Every retailer worth their weight will have a Sales and Refund Policies page, and the link is usually at the bottom of the main page, if not every page on the site. Click that link and you can learn a lot about what your experience might be. Can you return that product if you decide you don't want it? Which items are returnable and which are not? Will there be a restock fee, and how can you avoid the restock fee? What are the terms and conditions of the rebates offered? What happens if your product is lost or damaged in transit? Will someone need to be present to sign for the package? Knowing this information not only allows you to anticipate different scenarios, it also empowers you should you need to contact a representative of the company. A knowledgeable consumer makes a good representative empathetic and willing to help, and shuts down the blame-shifting and evasion tactics of a bad representative.

3) When given the opportunity to review your order, review your order. Did you use the right credit card? Did you enter that coupon they e-mailed? Did you check out the rebates being offered? Did you get the discount you expected? Are the billing and shipping addresses correct? Should you consider a faster shipping method? If it says on the product page that it "Will Ship Within 24 Hours", that means that it will leave the warehouse within 24 hours and arrive an additional day or an additional year later, depending on the shipping method you select.

4) Ship your product to a location where someone you know can sign for it. Most retailers will allow you to ship a package to a different address than the billing address, some will allow you to request a signature as proof of delivery, and some will require a signature as proof of delivery. If you can get the item shipped to your office or to a neighbor's house, do so, and be sure to notify your credit card company of the alternate shipping address to avoid delays related to fraud prevention.

5) Realize that shit happens. For whatever reason, you decided not to walk into a store and put your hands on the product before you forked over your money, and in doing so you opened your purchase up to more risk. Items are damaged in transit, lost, stolen, misrouted; orders are picked by the warehouse incorrectly, specifications don't match, and electronics are sometimes dead on arrival. Because you did not physically go to a store and inspect the product before buying it, you did not have the benefit of ensuring that you received the correct, functioning item, and you may not have the benefit of taking it back and exchanging it immediately. If you absolutely need the product tomorrow, or even in the next two weeks, consider purchasing it somewhere that offers instant gratification.

6) Document everything. Names of representatives, order numbers, policies you read online versus policies as explained by representatives, product information pulled from the retailer's website, invoices, order confirmation pages, shipping notifications, tracking numbers, everything. Provide the company with a valid phone number and an e-mail address you regularly check so they can contact you if problems arise.

7) Should you have to call the company, be friendly. Even the best Customer Service Representative might be less helpful if you're not willing to accept her help. The person to whom you are speaking did not personally take your product off the FedEx truck and smash it. Don't treat her like she did. If you are calm and friendly and if she is a good CSR, she will listen to your problem, apologize for it, and already be working to fix it. If you are abrasive and confrontational, she will stare at the wall while you finish your diatribe and do whatever it takes to get you off the phone quickly. Your friendliness, genuine or not, is the best tool you have to decide the outcome when dealing with a call-center.

8) Know your CSR. Call-centers attract some people who are very bright, committed, kind, and hardworking, and they attract some who are not. Was there inflection in his voice when they answered the phone, or was he monotone? Did he sound like he was listening to you? If he gave you feedback while you spoke, even small "mmhmm"s or "ok"s, he was actively listening to you. If there was a lot of dead air, or if the CSR spat scripted responses, then you were speaking with a person whose ability to interact with people has been mechanized to a freezing point. Don't be afraid to hang up and call back, and...

9) Don't be afraid to ask for a supervisor! Supervisor is the magic word in a call-center. Even the good CSR who views you as a human being and empathizes with your problem can only do so much. If you ask for a supervisor, she may be authorized to do more without even connecting you with one. If what she offers will not satisfy
your problem, a supervisor will be able to offer more. A good CSR will be upfront about her limitations, and might even steer you towards asking for a supervisor by saying things such as "I'm really only authorized to..." or "I only have the power to...." She likely can't tell you to ask for a supervisor, even if your situation demands one.

Thanks Joey, but that sounds like a lot of work. We're going to go live in the woods instead.

So then, before your next trip, check out these lists of the Best and Worst Hotels for WiFi. And by the by, hotels? WiFi or die.

Best WiFi Hotels [HotelChatter]

Worst WiFi Hotels [HotelChatter]

Avoid WiFi Hell: Worst Hotels for WiFi Service [Gizmodo]

"Tis the season of tax deductions and all that (dropped off a bag of stuff at Goodwill on Saturday— it was a freakin' madhouse. But I digress...). I've found Charity Navigator to be a tremendous help when trying to find the biggest bang for my charitable buck."

Don't be fooled, this is not a guide to somehow getting more money off your taxes. Rather, it's like a Hoover's for charities, so you can see which ones will be able to do the most good with your donation, based on their organizational efficiency, reputation, expenses and so on.

Get those deducts in with confidence.