Frugal, Wealthy and Wise

The Essential Frugal, Wealth and Wise

Recently, I’ve been reviewing previous postings on Frugal, Wealthy and Wise. I’ve identified a handful of articles that sharply focus on the essential elements required to become Frugal, Wealthy and Wise. These particular articles sum up the mindset and actions required to live below your means and build wealth over time.

I present you: the Essential Frugal, Wealthy and Wise:

Keep Your Finances Weird

A Fable: Pennies a Day and the Power of Compounding

Catch the Little Foxes…

You can’t spend what you ain’t got: Why You Need to Automate Your Savings

Running the Marathon to Financial Independence

Personal Finance Class at Tenth Pres this Summer

For readers in the Philadelphia area: I will be teaching a class on personal finance at Tenth Presbyterian Church starting Sunday, June 9, 9:00 – 10:15 AM. Location is in the 1710 Spruce Street Boardroom. There will be 6 sessions running through July 14.

The class will be interactive and tailored to the financial questions, needs challenges and goals of the individuals attending. Bring your questions!

Here are some of the topics to be covered:

A Biblical perspective on money, wealth, stewardship and contentment
Practical suggestions on becoming savvy consumers, cutting costs, stretching dollars and living below your means.
Getting out of debt, staying out if debt. Good debt vs. bad debt
Saving and investing: the power of compounding, the importance of an emergency fund, long term investment for college and retirement. Saving for a house.
Legal essentials, particularly for families with young children.

Please join us. Directions and parking can be found on Tenth’s website. Regards, Paul

Is Verizon FIOS Pricing Misleading?

Verizon is offering a fantastic deal on high-speed Internet connections. But the firm is leaving existing FIOS customers out in the cold. Totally.

We’ve had FIOS service at the Frugal, Wealthy and Wise House since 2012. Currently we are paying $74.99 per month for a 50 Mbs network connection and a phone line – no TV package, of course. (But $74.99 does morph into $87.59 after the extraneous fees are piled on.)

Last week, I encountered this offer (above) on Verizon’s website: a phone line plus a so-called Gigabibit connection for the same price I am currently paying: $74.99 a month.

Folks, this is a network connection 20 times faster than my current connection for the SAME price.

Now I can understand that Verizon is running promotions to attract new subscribers. If they were offering, say, 75 Mbs for 74.99 per month to new customers, I could deal with it. But we are talking about a difference of 20 times the network speed. Here’s what that looks like on a graph:

**Intrigued (and miffed), I took action. I did what any Frugal and Wise individual would do. I called Verizon for a better deal. But it was all for naught.**

I communicated with three customer service agents that day (one by messaging, two by phone). All three thanked me for being a ‘long-time Verizon customer’. Yeah. Right. And they certainly would be glad to set me up with a Gigabit connection for… a mere: $124.99 per month plus taxes and fees. That’s 67% more than a new customer would pay. Is this because I am such a loyal, long-time customer???

Is Verizon purposely pulling a Bait and Switch?

I’m no a legal expert. But this I do know. Verizon is continually sending out mass mailings and newspaper stuffers heralding their great FIOS deals. These promotional materials reach both FIOS and non-FIOS households alike.

The Final Straw: Stonewalled by Ms. Johnson

The last customer agent I spoke to was Ms. Johnson. (I don’t know which of the many Ms. Johnsons at Version she is; she refused to provide her first name.) Presumably, Ms. Johnson had the authority to make pricing concessions. No such luck. She completely stonewalled me. I inqured about getting a smaller network speed increase for the same monthly fee. Would not do. I mentioned that I had a blog on personal finance, that my experience with Verizon would be posted and that I would also be contacting the CEO of Verizon as well as registering complaints with numerous state and federal regulatory commissions. Ms. Johnson absolutely refused to do anything. But she did assure me that I was a ‘valued Verizon customer’. So, Ms. Johnson, I am being true to my word.

Why is Verizon so intent on alienating its existing FIOS customer base?

Taking such a hard, uncompromising stand with current FIOS customers can’t be good for business. And telling current customers that they are valued is pure bunk.

At this point I see no option but to take this cause directly Frugal, Wealthy and Wise readers, Verizon senior management and the appropriate regulatory agencies.

A Call to Action

If you are not a FIOS customer but have FIOS available to you, go for it! The FIOS Gigabit plans are great deals!
If you are an existing FIOS customer left out in the cold, press Verizon for a better deal. Call 877-359-7871 and mention that you are interested in a gigabit internet package. Insist on speaking to someone who has the authority to provide you a better deal. The more folks doing this, the better. If you are successful, post here! We would love to leverage and replicate your success.

This is not a one-off rant. I believe that existing FIOS customers deserve a bit of accommodation.

MORE Do-It-Yourself Auto Maintenance

Photo credit: Infinite Jeff via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

Dear Readers,

In the original post, I was remiss by not mentioning another inexpensive, easy, yet essential maintenance task: changing your wiper blades.

Think about it. How many times have you been caught driving in a rain or snowstorm and…. the wipers are terrible. You can barely see out the windshield!

Plan on changing wiper blades at least twice a year; one of those times should be in the Fall, after the intense summer sun but before inclement winter weather. Mark it on you calendars.

A pair of wiper blades will cost $20 – $40 depending upon size and type. Bosch, Rain-X, Anco and Michelin brands get good ratings – you might also want to check a recent Consumer Reports review at the library. Don’t forget the rear wiper blade on your van or SUV. Granted they are not as critical and usually last a bit longer.

Blades are sold in 1′ increments. Google the blade size for your make and model. Alternatively, AutoZone, Pep Boys and Amazon have searches by year, make and model. Note the the driver side and passenger side blades may be different lengths.

Installation is usually straightforward. If you are unsure, find a YouTube video for your particular car. So there you have it. Do your car and yourself a favor by regularly replacing your wiper blades.

Cheers, Paul

Do-It-Yourself Auto Maintenance

Modern automobiles do not require significant maintenance. Meanwhile, the days of the ‘shade tree mechanic’ are over, as fewer maintenance or repair tasks can still be performed by individual owners. Nonetheless opportunities still abound to save on auto maintenance.

First and foremost, become familiar with your car’s maintenance schedule
Photo credit: wistechcolleges via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

This is usually found in the back of the owner’s manual. Don’t have an owner’s manual? You should be able to get a maintenance schedule for your make and model online. Even if you have a mechanic do everything on your car, you still need to be familiar with the maintenance schedule.
Cabin filter – modern cars have a cabin filter for the ventilation system. It is typically behind the glove box. Trust me. It does get dirty! Here’s a photo of one from our Subaru: So…. the Subaru dealer charges $60 to change it. A replacement filter from Walmart or AutoZone costs $15 – $25. It takes 15 minutes to change it: 5 minutes to watch the YouTube video on how to change it and 10 minutes to actually do the swap-out. Savings: $35 -$45! P.S. vacuum out the leaves and debris before inserting the new filter.
Air filter – generally quick and easy to change but it can be a bit messy in the engine compartment. Be careful not to scrape your knuckles. If you can’t figure out how to do it, watch a YouTube video.
Oil changes – oil changes are often a loss leader for auto shops (be on guard if the shop recommends a bunch of other repairs while you’re in for an oil change).
Photo credit: swainboat via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

The opportunity to save money by doing it yourself is not as significant. But maybe you want to bond with your car. Be warned: it can be messy; it’s often difficult to access the filler plug or oil filter without a lift. And it’s absolutely essential that you recycle the used oil, not pour it down the drain or gutter.
Other repairs – we once owned a 1994 Infiniti J-30 (list price new: $37,000). We bought it for $8500 when it was 9 years old and kept it for 11 years.) A power window motor went out. I bought a used motor assembly on Ebay for $40 and it took an hour or so to replace. I’m sure a dealer would have charged at least $500 for the repair!
YouTube is Your Shop Manual – not sure how to do something on your car? There’s probably a YouTube video out there that will show you the way! Even if you decide to take the car to the shop, it’s still worthwhile to have an idea of what gets done.
Subaru Window – building on the point above, the driver’s window on our Subaru lost its automatic function and wasn’t working properly. A YouTube video pointed out that it simply needed to be reset rather requiring repair. It was a 30 second fix.

A car is a major expenditure for most households. Yet, if a modern car that is well maintained, it should last 150,000 – 200,000 miles – or more. Keep yours in good condition and save a bit of money along the way by doing the simple tasks yourself.

Photo credit: ATOMIC Hot Links via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Cheers, Paul

12 Ways to Go Co-op and Save Money

Logo: People’s Food Co-Op La Crosse WI www.pfc.coop

Mention the word ‘co-op’ and readers of a certain age will recall hippies in a college town selling granola.

Photo credit: Carol Browne via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

But cooperative efforts are still relevant today. And they can save you considerable money and time.

Here are twelve ideas for co-op efforts you can organize with neighbors and friends; they can benefit all parties involved!

Baby Sitting – alternate date nights with another family who has children of similar ages. With the going rate for a babysitter at $10 per hour, a date night might cost $30 or more just for the babysitting. By alternating baby-sitting duties once a month, two families would each save $360 per year!
Photo credit: JohnLafornara via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA
Pet Sitting – use the same strategy as co-op baby sitting. Boarding fees can range from $20 – $50 a day, or higher. (This arrangement would be contingent on all the pooches or kitties getting along.)
Tools – Form a tool co-op; borrow and lend tools with neighbors and friends. Frequently an expensive tool is purchased for a project and then gathers dust for years. I’m guilty; I once bought a mitre saw for a project. The saw then sat in the garage for 10 years until I sold it on CraigsList. But do exercise consideration when borrowing: return the tool promptly in good condition. Lend as well as borrow. When returning a tool, give the lender a $10 -$25 gift card to Lowe’s or Home Depot. That’s still far cheaper than renting.
Rent tools together – a variation on #3. Join with neighbors when renting a specialty tool (say, a tiller, log splitter or lawn aerator) Typically, a full-day rental is not that much more than a half-day rental.
Gardening – community gardens yield a bounty of benefits: a source of fresh produce, savings on groceries, a great experience for kids, bringing a neighborhood together and reducing crime.
Gourmet Supper Club – rather than dining out at high end restaurants, form a gourmet club that rotates hosting. It’s an opportunity to practice and showcase your culinary skills.
Clothing Exchange – particularly worthwhile for infant and children’s clothing.
Toy Exchange – we all get excited about new toys (or at least toys that are new to us).
Books, Magazines, Videos – share magazine subscriptions, books, DVDs and CDs
Education – home schoolers are known for co-op organizations that teach art, music, drama and science. Swapping books and other educational materials is another option. Do you have a particular skill or expertise? Share it by teaching and mentoring others.
Car Pooling – save on auto expenses – whether commuting, shuttling kids or running errands.
Banking – Credit Unions are a type of co-op; they are owned by their depositors – review my posting on Credit Unions: Credit Unions are Divine. They Can Show Your Finances a Better Way.

I’m sure these twelve ideas are just the tip of the iceberg. What co-op ideas would you like to share? Cheers, Paul