A sour note about e-Harmony

I am sick of dating services that play upon the basic human need to connect; dating services that essentially steal money from hopeful people who believe things they read and hear about how easy it will be for them to meet their true love. For a price.

Many of you may remember, I did a story about The Right One, which wasn’t for many … but they didn’t find that out until spending several thousands of dollars to meet someone.  And despite either no matches or bad ones, TRO refused to refund money, always finding some excuse.

Now, we’re on to e-Harmony .. another bitter disappointment for many for the same reasons.  As we are reporting in a Team 5 Investigates story, they promise great connections based on, and derived from, their scientific approach.  Well, let me tell you something, I had a science kit and lab in my basement when I was 7.  I mixed anything I could find in my mother’s kitchen and I can say for certain, I had as good a shot a scientific match-making as does e-Harmony.  Just my opinion .. but, I think they’re full of .. well, what I could best describe as a mixture of ketchup, powdered sugar and backyard dirt (taken from an area where my puppy has visited). 

While e-Harmony takes money from people, promising true love, what we found was a pile of complaints from coast to coast .. all the same.. about on-line profiles for people who don’t seem to exist .. or, worse, people who do exist.  People who profess love after reading just a few of your e-mails, but forget to tell you until a few days later, that they are in dire straights, or their church is, or their cat has an emergency, and they desperately need a loan.  Right.  So, who are these people ?? And, if e-Harmony is so particular and conscientious about who’s on the site .. how did these creeps make it throught the (alledged) tight security ? I pose the question here, as I did to e-Harmony management .. with little hope of ever getting a straight answer or knowing the truth.

But, I know this, I would not give any dating service one dime, up-front, unless they promised to hold my membership fee in an escrow account that I could access (with interest) if their first 10 or so love candidates didn’t pan out.

I keep waiting for state legislators to write some new laws regulating this industry and protecting consumers, but, alas…

So, it’s up to us to protect ourselves.  Call me before you write a big check to a dating service.  I’ll tell you what they won’t. 

And who knows..maybe I know someone !

Saving big cash on groceries

 

It doesn’t matter where you live or what you eat .. you have to frequent a grocery store at some point in your life. It doesn’t matter where you shop, prices are higher than ever before. I cannot think of one item that has a lower unit price (though I know many of you are much smarter than I and will offer a list of things which I’ve overlooked). So, we have to shop smart.

As I have already documented in this very format .. with downsizing, it is quite likely you are paying more for the same, or less. So, how about paying less for the same, or near to it. Confused?  The explantion comes in two words: private labels.

Undoubtedly you are familiar with generic foods, the chain stores have been quietly offering them for years, and for years they’ve been considered to be inferior to the national brands .. but, all that has changed with private labels aka store brands. 

Sources from several chains tell me they contract with many of the manufacturers who also make the big name brands. For example, Solo makes plastic cups and dishes for just about all the private labels, for about 25% less. McCormack makes the spices for Star Market and Shaw’s. At Roche Bros., all their bread, not made in their store, comes from Gold Medal.  At Stop and Shop, you’ll find only a price difference between Reynolds and the store brand foil and plastic wrap.  Generally, no matter where you shop or what you buy, the private label savings is about 25%, which is a lot!! 

The chain stores have to be careful about how they advertise their private goods, after all, no one wants to put the big companies out of business, that wouldn’t be good!! So, you won’t see a lot of advertising about this .. but, they do want you to try their stuff and are offering refunds if you aren’t satisfied with something.  At Roche Bros., they’re actually offering double your money back.

So, I guess what I am saying is this: try the private labels. All you have to lose is 25% off the bottom line!  Too bad losing weight isn’t as easy.

Closing The Gap at Chico’s

I have to say, I have been a fan of Chico’s, women’s clothing store, for the last several years. I mean, where else can I go and wear a size 2 !! I have also liked their rewards program; that they would look you up in their system and quickly tell you what discount you’d earned. But, alas, after my recent experience last weekend, the love affair is over.

It was last Saturday morning, I was at the store in Mashpee. I found a great black top, the kind that will cover anything, if you get my {mid} drift, for $98.00. It was a little pricey, but, fear not, I thought, knowing it would be much more affordable once my discount was applied. So, I stood in great anticipation as the sales lady (a very nice woman, by the way) looked me up in the system. Indeed, their records confirmed: I was entitled to a $20.00 break. I was simply delighted. For about 11 seconds. The afore-mentioned very nice woman explained that while I was entitled to the price break, I couldn’t take it on the (stunningly sliming) black top .. because (and this is the part that got me) it was only redeemable for purchases totaling $100.00 or more and this top was only $98.00 ! Huh??? Honestly, I couldn’t believe it. The saleslady (at this point, beginning to lose a bit of that lovely, nice quality) explained that she was truly sorry, but she couldn’t help me. Her advice, “Go pick out a piece of jewelry that will boost the total to over $100.00″, so I could get the $20.00 savings. Again, I say, “HUH?”. It’s not that I don’t think Chico’s jewelry is great. I do. I actually have several pieces that you may have seen me wear on TV (though not recently), but, I did not go to Chico’s to buy jewelry last Saturday morning, nor did I want to spend another dime for something I neither wanted nor needed. What I wanted was $20.00 off my $98.00 top (which, honestly, at this point, was starting to look frayed in places). I thought I had the perfect solution: why didn’t the (now, really a little cranky) saleswoman just charge me $100.00 for the top .. THEN apply the coupon ?? I thought it made perfect sense. I was really happy to spend $2-dollars to save $18.00. No dice. My (now, completely exasperated) salesperson wouldn’t budge. “They won’t let us”, was her only explanation. So, I walked. The black top (that I actually no longer liked) didn’t. It was a matter of principle.

Okay, Mr. or Ms. Chico’s .. I get it .. your coupon program is great marketing. You offer savings after a customer reaches a certain total, then you price your clothes accordingly, making it necessary for her to buy more than she’d like. Some retailing analysts might call that genius, but, honestly, I call it wrong.

You lost a $100.00 sale Saturday. I spent it, instead, at the Gap. I didn’t know they had nice tops there. I do now.

The Tickets You Don’t Know You Get

It may seem unlikely that you would get a legitimate parking ticket and never know it.  There is always the chance that a good (no, wonderful) Samaritan would see it on your windshield and, for no particular reason, take it and pay it herself.  But that’s highly unlikely.  What is more the usual occurrence is that you try to renew your license or car registration and discover you can’t, because of an outstanding lien, applied because of a parking ticket you never paid, and perhaps, never knew about.  How does that happen?  Ask my dear friend (and co-worker) J.C. Monahan because that is exactly what happened to her.  It should come as no surprise to you that J.C. is one smart cookie, not to mention diligent (and a very good credit risk) who, when told of the outstanding ticket set about proving she was not where the city of Boston said she was, when they said she was there (got that?).  J.C. went to her appointments book to see where she was on the day in question and found the answer: in fact she had been in Boston, shopping and dining (yes, she eats occasionally) with a friend, and she’d left her car with a valet!!! It was the valet who got the ticket and, apparently, ignored it.  J.C. called the valet company, Boston Valet.  They acknowledged the problem, apologized, and promised to pay the fine.  While we’re still awaiting proof of payment, this situation gave me a very good opportunity to remind you, this could, and does, happen.

  You may not be as organized as J.C. (honestly, who is?) and may not be able to to trace, or prove, your alibi on any given day, but if you discover a similar situation, appeal.  The folks at the Boston Parking office tell us about 60% of all parking tickets challenged annually are forgiven; they’re taken on a case by case basis (and, one might imagine, the mood of the sitting magistrate on any given day), so, it makes sense to fight, as they say, City Hall.  And, it’s also a good idea, before giving the valet the key (and the small fortune it costs to valet a car in the city of Boston), to ask if the car is being left on the street or a private garage or lot.  Happy motoring. 

 

The Airlines won’t tell you ….

I got an e-mail recently from a (now former) Delta flyer, angry that his flight from Atlanta to Boston cost him double when he got to the check-in counter.  He discovered he had more than the allowable 1bag per passenger (he had 2), and, as if that wasn’t enough of a problem, both were over the weight limit. Despite having purchased his ticket months in advance, he had to come up with an additional $335.00 in order to board the plane.  The writer was furious,  because of the added expense of course, but, also because no one told him before he got to the airport. As the irate (former) Delta Airlines fan complained to me, “Couldn’t they have contacted me BEFORE the day of my flight?”.  Yes sir, I believe they could have.

     I admit, I do like to think that everyone who is able reads newspapers and watches television, but, alas, I have constant reminders: that is not the case.  So, it is understandable a few people may have missed the recent reports that in these weak economic times of high gas prices and decreased business, the airlines are doing everything possible to boost revenues without increasing fares.

I am not suggesting Delta (or the others) bother ticket holders with daily updates on industry activity in the days leading up to their trips, but, I do think they could give us a heads-up when a new rule and/or fee has been implemented that could cost us a bundle.

There is no doubt Delta (and every other airline for that matter) knows who is, and who is about to be, on all of its flights at any given moment. They make sure they get all of our contact information when selling us a ticket (and do who-knows-what-with-it). They’re suppose to call us with cancelations or other information that would affect our experience in the friendly skies, so, I don’t think it’s a stretch to expect a friendly reminder about new, costly luggage rules.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that a $300.00 flight home from Chicago cost double … and the airlines shouldn’t assume everyone knows their business.

P.S. To all my pals at Delta (and the other airlines): I hope this doesn’t affect my always delightful flying experience or abilty to buy a beer.

So many people are buried in credit card debt these days. In a perfect world, the companies who are all too happy to extend your credit would also help you dig your way out, but, that isn’t reality. They are in the big money business and are only too thrilled to extend you way beyond your limits; even beyond what they know you can afford. And, it isn’t illegal for a credit card company to take advantage of consumers, so, we are pretty much on our own and need to be diligent about what we charge, and our ability to pay the bill.
But, this isn’t about that. Today’s missive includes suggestions about what you can do to eliminate your big balance(s).
1) The first thing: try to lower your rate.
Of course, ask your credit card company. I honestly don’t think it’ll work, but try. If it doesn’t, find a better deal. Shop around. State chartered banks (savings and loan institutions, trust companies and credit unions) usually have the lowest rates. Go through the phone book (still have one of those?) and call around and ask about rates. When you find one, call your existing company and threaten to pay off (transfer) your balance and close the account if they don’t match the rate.
If you do find a transfer deal, make sure you read the fine print. The cover letter may offer 0% financing, but that is usually for a very specific period of time and if you don’t pay off the balance before the expiration, you could end up with a higher rate and worse deal than you started with.
2) Investigate a personal loan.
Again, state chartered banks usually have the best deals .. but ask around. You may be able to consolidate your debt and pay it off at a rate much lower than what credit cards charge
3) Homeowners, ask about an equity line of credit
This is actually my least favorite option because you really have to understand what you are signing. Many of these loans are variable rates which, as I am sure you have heard, start low, and then escalate. They are also usually tied to the prime lending rate .. and who knows where that’ll go in coming years. You don’t ever want to do anything to jeopardize your home, so, if you decide on this option, make sure you know exactly what the costs will be for the life of the loan.
Again, I believe for the most part, credit card companies charge usurious rates, should be ashamed of how they treat consumers and probably regularly congratulate themselves on dodging any new regulation.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to admit, I am cranky. Lucky enough to have my mother’s genes, I am rarely sick. In nearly 30 years here at WCVB, I don’t think I’ve had a sick week … ever. Until now. It wasn’t exactly a full week, but even the 4 day s I was forced to stay home this week has me still feeling out of sorts. The only good part about the fever, cough and resulting infection was the fast-track antibiotic I (happily) responded to, quickly.
But, I really wanted to write today about Sharper Image and their new (revised) plan to accept the gift cards they initially refused to honor, when they first filed for bankruptcy protection. They’ll take them now, but, in order to get full value (of the money already spent in their stores on the gift card), you have to spend twice the amount. In other words, if you have a $50 gift card, you have to put it toward something $100.00 0r more. Fine, if there is something you really want and intended to buy anyway.. but, not so fine if you are spending the extra cash just to feel like you aren’t losing anything.
So, I have another idea. When all of this happened a couple of weeks ago, Brookstone saw it as a marketing bonanza and quickly welcomed Sharper Image customers, offering to accept their gift cards..which they are doing AT FULL VALUE .. FOR FULL VALUE.
Attention Sharper Image shoppers: just on principal, you might want to check out the goods at Brookstone.
Have a good weekend.

Instant money is always nice, when you get a gift, or see your name on the state’s unclaimed property list .. or maybe you’re lucky enough to win the lottery … but NOT when we’re talking about your tax return. Some commercial tax preparers, like H&R Block, entice people by offering an instant refund. Hear an offer like that and you assume it means you can get your government check immediately. You can’t. What you get is the equivalent of a loan. Your return is prepared. Your refund is computed, and what happens essentially is, you get a cash advance .. and, like at any bank or lending institution, there are fees attached. In other words, it’ll cost you to get an instant refund, and it could be a lot. Make sure you know exactly what an instant rebate will cost. Ask. It could be a lot and worth waiting the few weeks for your government check.

Today’s storm is especially difficult for people planning to fly out of Logan. Not because it’s so hard getting to the airport … but, because you may not be sure your flight will leave on time, or at all. There haven’t been any wide-spread changes or alternations to the day’s departure screen, but there have been cancellations here and there .. and the question of refunds always pops up.
I am happy to tell you, some of the airlines, like Delta, have loosened their general policies, so it is easier to get a full refund if you decide you don’t want to make a trip .. but, the terms and conditions are important; you can’t simply ask for your money back.. it needs to be within a specified period of time. Check with the individual airline.
Now, having said that, it is different when there are weather related problems. Laws are sketchy on this; the FAA gives the airlines a lot of slack when setting policies .. they mostly have the freedom to come up with whatever they like, with one caveat: they must get you to the destination for which you paid. If they can’t, they have to give you a refund. However, if a flight is simply delayed, it’s harder. Most airlines will accept a weather-related itinerary change free of charge, but they won’t automatically issue a refund. Of course, it never hurts to ask. And as I said earlier, check with the individual airline to see what its policy is .. because they vary between carriers.

Tje Sharper Image isn’t

By now you’ve probably heard the Sharper Image is in financial trouble and has filed for bankruptcy protection. Company officials say they want to re-organize. The idea is to close nearly half their stores and come up with a plan that will bring the once cutting-edge retailer back to its prominence. In the meantime, the same company spokespeople are saying it will be business as usual. Well, it’s not, exactly.
When I hear “business as usual”, I think just that: go into a store and you won’t notice anything different. Well, a quick check at the Sharper Image at the Natick Collection, and things ARE different. One big change: they are no longer accepting gift cards .. so, that pile you got over the holidays .. I am sorry to tell you, they are worthless. That credit you received when you returned the things you didn’t want: worthless. How can you retrieve the value? You can’t.
Unless otherwise noted by a court, that’s what a bankruptcy filing is .. protection for the business, not the consumer.
As you may have heard me say so many times before, this is one big reason I don’t like the a-fore-mentioned means of gifting. When you receive a card, use it ASAP .. in case something like this happens.