Vacation Financial Safety Tips

by JD on July 2, 2009

Just got back from vacation and the family had a wonderful time. While I was gone I received an email from Debix – an identity theft protection service – that listed some tips on how to protect yourself while on vacation (of course they waited until I already left!).  I thought I would share a few of their tips with you:

  1. Make a copy of your travel documents, for example your passport, drivers license, airline tickets, hotel reservations. Leave it with a trusted friend in the event you need help. Having an advocate at home to help resolve problems can make a difference.
  2. Call your credit/debit card company in advance and let them know you are traveling. In a down economy, credit card companies have increased fraud verification and may call your home phone number to verify unusual transactions. If the card company cannot get a hold of you, they may shut off your card – obviously not a good thing while on vacation.
  3. Clean out your wallet or purse and leave all non-essential information at home. Then make a list of what is still in your wallet. That way if your wallet or purse is stolen, you have minimized what was taken and have a quick list to recover.
  4. Put your mail on hold (you can do this online). Also, put your newspaper on deferred delivery. Anything that piles up at your house gives thieves a clue that you are not home.
  5. Keep an eye on your cell phone. Many people are storing user id’s and passwords and other personal information on their cell phones.
  6. Do not access bank accounts from computers other than your own. Public computers may have spy-ware or malware installed which could record everything you type.

If you are interested, Debix has more information and stories at their site – www.debix.com.

For me, I stop the mail (do not get a paper), have neighbors watch over the house, we carry a little bit of cash that my wife and I split up between us, and we do empty our wallet/purse to minimize loss. I have never called a credit card company to tell them I am traveling and I have never had a problem, but it might not be a bad idea (I guess I would feel a little uncomfortable telling a stranger I am on the road!). Making a copy of my info is a good idea that I might start doing. And as for my cell phone, there is nothing on it. My wife tends to not carry her pocketbook around while on vacation – extra weight plus it is an easier target for thieves. It’s sad we have to take so many precautions, but it is a reality.

I must be getting old because a few years ago they would have mentioned using traveler checks instead of carrying cash – I never hear about those anymore. I guess plastic really is king!

I hope you have a happy and financially safe vacation this year!

Continue Reading 0 comments Other, Smart Money

Michael and Madoff

by JD on June 30, 2009

The King of Pop. The King of Wall Street. Michael Jackson and Bernard Madoff both crashed and burned.

Mr. Jackson was about 500 million dollars in debt -try to get your mind around that number. Mr. Madoff went through billions of other peoples money. Two people who had so much, yet have so little to show for it. One is bankrupt and gone, the other is disgraced and facing 150 years in jail.

Money is a very powerful thing. And although we do not like to think about it much, money has the power to destroy – ourselves, our families, and others.

Besides all the gossip, all the hype, what can we personally learn?

  • It is not how much you make, but how much you spend that determines wealth. Spend less, you get wealthy; spend more, you go broke.
  • Along the same lines, the “just a little bit more money syndrome”  will not help you-if you do not have a plan a little bit more will be spent when you have a little bit more.
  • Friends and Family may not be the best financial advisors.
  • Again, along the same lines, you need to be careful who you trust with your money, even the “experts”.
  • If it is to good to be true, it is. Be cautious and wise – get details.
  • There is evil out there. Everyone wants to separate you from your money.
  • Without a plan, you could be the next victim.
  • Money is powerful – it can tempt you to do things you never dreamed you would do. Respect the power and lure of money. Make boundaries. Set up a hedge of protection.

I am sure there are many more lessons that could be learned. One more is that it is easier to learn from other people’s mistakes than learning from your own. Feel free to add your own insights in the comments.

Continue Reading 0 comments Commentary, Ponderings, Spend Less, Wealth Building

A Penny Saved goes Thesis

June 26, 2009

Thesis the Wordpress framework, that is.  Thesis is all the rage these days, with cool customizability and fancy SEO, and all other sorts of nonsense you probably don’t care much about.  But it’s a fresh new look for A Penny Saved, and hopefully we won’t be experiencing any layout breaks like we’ve seen over the [...]

Happy Father’s Day!

June 21, 2009

I hope all the Dad’s out there are enjoying their special day. Right after my work at church is done our family is heading for vacation! I will not have Internet access, so no blogging until I get back. Have a great week.

A father carries pictures where his money used to be.  ~Author Unknown

End of an Era – No more Palm

June 18, 2009

My wife’s Palm Tungsten E died the other day. So we looked online to see what was out there – not much! Palm has stopped making PDA’s and has put all their eggs in one basket, the Pre smart-phone. Other manufacturers have done the same. Everyone is moving to smart-phones. Now, you can still buy [...]

How I found a job in a bad economy – Part III

June 16, 2009

After developing resumes, cover letters, business cards, and thank you notes, and after setting up my office, networking, and filling our applications, etc. I knew I needed to do more. I needed to get my foot in the door.
I went temping. Working for a temporary employment agency gave me flexibility in work hours, brought some [...]