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Bad Ideas
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Bad Ideas
scams
Traveling Gas Sellers Rip Off Homeowners In Michigan
Universal Gas & Electric, a Canadian company, sends out door-to-door salesmen who lie to homeowners about the imaginary "savings" they'll enjoy if they switch gas suppliers, when in reality Universal is currently about 50% higher than the default supplier. One former Universal employee says, "I'd have people ask, 'What am I paying now?' and they'd look at the bill and it's right there in front of them and they don't know where to look and I would avoid telling them that." More »
heating
Gas Company Abandons Plan To Report Delinquent Customers To Credit Agencies
Last fall, CenterPoint Energy—Minnesota's largest natural gas supplier—announced it was considering reporting the payment histories of its customers to credit reporting agencies in an effort to reduce delinquencies. Advocates said this was a stupid idea, because the people who can't pay their gas bills are too poor to pay their gas bills, and derogatory credit only makes life worse for them. Now they've said they won't (at least for now). Good.More »
how to
Get 100 Gallons Of Heating Oil For Free
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez wants to give you 100 gallons of free heating oil to help survive the cold cruel capitalist winter. The hogshead of liquid warmth is available to anyone enduring a financial hardship who fills out a handy online form. More »
shopping
Best Time To Shop For Seasonal Bargains
Bankrate informs us that winter is the best season to shop for certain seasonal bargains, including:Air conditioners, bicycles and outdoor gear, boats, and carpet and flooring. More »
shopping
8 Sensible Gift Ideas For Outdoor Enthusiasts
Here are some practical gift ideas that your family can use the next time they go looking for a Christmas tree and get trapped in the snow for three days. Unlike too many of the "gift lists" the media spits out each December, these are fairly affordable items—most of them are priced between $20-$40. Or if you're really on a budget, you can go for the $4 gift and give your loved one a Spork XM, made from a "durable polycarbonate that brings its weight down to a half-ounce." More »
financial advice
How $100/Barrel Oil Will Affect You
Oil is poised to break the century mark, and SmartMoney has a short article that examines the effects it will have on the average American's budget. A couple of reasons why we haven't felt more of these effects so far is that the rising cost has largely been eaten by oil refining companies and their gas stations, and because consumers have actually begun to reduce their gas consumption. However, if the price-per-barrel continues to rise, the U.S. faces a cold winter, and the dollar continues its anemic performance, you can look forward to the following consequences: More »
Not freezing to death is expensive! SmartMoney offers up its own advice on how to cut heating costs this winter—mostly the usual stuff about shopping around for a supplier, upgrading old equipment, and winter-proofing your house. Also: new insulation may qualify you for a one-time tax credit of $500 if you do it before the end of the year. [SmartMoney]
energy
Heating Costs Will Break New Records This Winter
If you're poor, maybe you just shouldn't have a winter this year. Government energy officials have announced that prices this winter for heating oil, electricity, propane and natural gas will all be at record highs: 28% more for heating oil, 30% more for propane, 7% for electricity, and 5% for natural gas. More »
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