$$ TIPS & STRATEGIES to save Time & Money $$

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This page will be always be a work in progress so please come back often to see if anything has changed.

Hopefully this page will provide a helpful resource that might help someone at anytime.

We are looking for Tips & Strategies!

If you know of or have used any please send us an email.

Disclaimer: I will only promote a product or idea that I personally use or would consider using! We will do our best to vet products or ideas submitted by others that we add and will note that.

PLEASE NOTE; There may be postings that we may receive a commission from.

It’s Your Money;

Time is Money, Do your research!

It’s been suggested many times that insurance, cell phone and internet / TV providers be reviewed yearly for quality and price. Many providers offer new customers deep discounts that may make changing worth while if the quality of service is equally comparable. Do your research, it’s your money!

While Amazon can sometimes be the lowest price, they are NOT always. Additionally, I did not know this but Amazon has allegedly allowed counterfeit products to be sold on their site. (example)

When it comes to cars, I have always supported Chevy’s and that’s what we drag raced. With car repairs becoming impossible for the DIYer and repair prices very expensive, I have found it imperative to get a good warranty. Currently Hyundai & Kia have 10 Year / 100,000 mile warranties. The last three cars I bought were through Darcy Hyundai in Joliet. Their service is great, see if they are able to help you.

HOT TOPIC 2/5/2024;

Third Federal Saving and Loan in Ohio Has 30 day CDs for 5.40% Home Equity Line of Credit for 7.29%

Ideas Needed, for Internet and TV, what are you doing?

Television content provider; Currently I use Comcast for both internet & TV, I am not happy with the TV portion. I believe Comcast is NOT transparent with their fees and pricing, what do you think? Recently, my bill rose rose and I inquired why using their chat platform. I was told that my modem rental, Broadcast TV and Regional Sport fees went up. They are now $25.50. The chat person explained that they use the most current modem technology and they are continuously improving TV services. It was almost as if his response was an automated response that was cut and pasted into the chat. When you look at a Comcast bill, you might get the impression that the Broadcast TV and Regional Sports Fees are mandated by a government entity. You’d be wrong! I asked the chat person if the fees were Fed, State, or Local government mandated. I got the run around for a several minutes with misdirection and what appeared to be cut and paste answers. Finally he essentially admitted the fees were Comcast fees but only after I informed him that I was going to post the chat content. Comcast has recently failed to get a LAWSUIT dropped regarding the transparency of these fees as false advertising.

When shopping for these kind of services, you must consider the additional fees. Taxes, mandated government fess, and the not so obvious and sometimes unnecessary fees. This can easily add $25-$45 to your monthly bill, which can cost you an additional $300-$500 per year.

I know for certain, I’ll be buying a modem and quit giving Comcast that free rental money on something that has long ago been paid in full. I’ll update this when I do so.

July 19th, 2018, for the last month I have been trying out Direct TV Now. You stream from your computer and it’s only $35 per month ( now $50 ), Comcast was costing me almost $100 per month. While Direct TV Now is not perfect and sometimes tries to buffer, it’s my understanding so many people have switched to them that they are working to upgrade their servers to address the occasional buffering.

This week, I CUT THE CORD WITH COMCAST!!! This will save me almost $800 per year. BTW I did keep the Comcast internet, it works really well. By keeping the internet, I am not leaving Comcast and will not have to pay an early termination fee for dropping the $100 per month TV service. I still haven’t bought the modem, but will do so very soon.

I bought a new modem and router, gave Comcast back their stuff and my internet is way quicker, unbelievable.

UPDATE: 2/20/2020 I am back with Comcast for TV. They had a 300 download Internet and a Premium TV package for $99 a month fixed for Two years. I signed up know it will never be completely fixed because of the above mentioned fees that Comcast plays with. Still, it’s the best deal for now and remember what I stated, you have to reevaluate insurance, cell phone and internet / TV providers yearly.

Update: As of late 2022 we have cut the cord with Comcast again because of high prices & none required fees, (Regional & sports broadcast). Between our digital antenna & Hulu we have over 200 channels & save $50 per month!

5 Social Security myths debunked;

May 9, 2018 – Fidelity Viewpoints – Focus on the facts before you claim this valuable retirement income benefit.

Looking for Information on Mortgages, Credit Cards Auto Loans, Try Starting here:

HOT TOPIC 4/24/2020;

Third Federal Saving and Loan in Ohio Has 30 year fixed rates as low as 2.84% (with three points). If you plan on staying in your current residence 3-4 years minimum, it’s hard to believe you could get a better rate.

Bankrate, Bank rate is a decent place to start but do not forget about some of your local banks and credit unions. Do you have special circumstances, i.e. self employment, recent foreclosure or BK? Did you know you there are banks that are considered portfolio lenders that will look at your circumstances when regular lenders won’t. If you really want to save some money on Mortgages and are extremely disciplined financially contact me for a special product I use.

This site has a lot of really good information and tutorials about various mortgage products including reverse mortgages. The Mortgage Professor.

Water Filters; Recently, I needed to replace a refrigerator water filter. Walmart had the filter I needed, it was approx $47 plus tax, for the recommended Every Drop water filter, ouch!. These filters are suppose to last 6 months or 300 gallons. We drink a lot of water here and replacements are much more frequent. I did a little research online, I found some cheaper filters for $21-$27. Most are made out of the USA and I do not feel good about using them. I found Zuma Filters (made in the USA). A pack of 4 was $69.95 to my door. That’s $17.48 per filter. My approx savings? $30 a filter or approx. $60-$120 per year!

Auto Insurance; GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company founded 1936) When I switched to GEICO, it saved us approx $1000 on 5 vehicles. They are the second largest auto insurer in the US. If your not comfortable with not having an agent at a local office or managing your insurance online, GEICO may not be for you. Obviously, savings may vary according to your credit rating and driving record.

It’s Your Time;

How to Get Out of a Meeting You Know Will Waste Your Time.

5 time-saving strategies that are actually making you less productive.

30 Time-Saving Hacks, Strategies, and Techniques.