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Today's topics:
* SMOKING BAN LAWS RESULTS ~ CHEAPSKATE EXCERCISE PITS FAILING ! - 2 messages,
2 authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/2bcbe8e5cc3c1395?hl=en
* Any suggestions ? Which is the best ? - 2 messages, 2 authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/b2db3351435f37ac?hl=en
* You can make money online ,but also interesting - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/9ea539d5b4a390c3?hl=en
* hi friends,when our you life change!@##@sooo lets ggggggggggggoooo - 1
messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/34abc7f97f6d5183?hl=en
* get a fully loaded car for just $2599 - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/7e13dbaab912cac1?hl=en
* very easy to earn $10000 per month - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/6d6de445ef0c4890?hl=en
* Kathy Kristoff: 'No-interest' deals often too good to be true - 1 messages,
1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/231eab3c3ce94cdc?hl=en
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TOPIC: SMOKING BAN LAWS RESULTS ~ CHEAPSKATE EXCERCISE PITS FAILING !
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/2bcbe8e5cc3c1395?hl=en
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== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, May 26 2008 7:40 pm
From: George Grapman
Robert wrote:
> On Mon, 26 May 2008 12:59:08 -0700 (PDT), rms1@my-deja.com wrote:
>
>> On May 18, 6:11 pm, "David L. Martel" <marte...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>>> Betten,
>>>
>>> I live near Durham, NC where you suggest that South Square Mall is being
>>> damaged by the smoking ban. South Square Mall closed and was torn down years
>>> ago. It's been replaced by a Super Target. I've only been in there a few
>>> times but it seems to be doing well.
>>> NC has been smoking in State buildings but I don't think smoking is
>>> banned elsewhere. This is a tobacco growing State.
>> Malls in general have been on the decline. Only those who won't
>> examine all the reasons why will blame that on smoking bans.
>
> Malls and suburbs were built for the same reason: white flight. Middle class whites wanted
> to avoid diversity. In Levittown NY, the prototypical suburb, every deed contained this
> restriction, "not to permit the premises to be used or occupied by any
> person other than members of the caucasian race." The feds made Levitt remove that
> restriction after a few years, but it continued de facto. In the 60s, there wasn't a
> single black student in the Levittown schools.
>
> Now, it seems half of mall shoppers are not middle class white Americans.
>
> In 1995, 38% of retail sales were in malls, In 2002, it fell below 20%.
>
Reminds me of the fear campaign when San Francisco enacted a ban. The
tobacco people warned that smokers would stop going to restaurants and bars.
== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, May 26 2008 9:26 pm
From: "Rod Speed"
Robert <no@e.mail> wrote
> rms1@my-deja.com wrote
>> David L. Martel <marte...@earthlink.net> wrote
>>> I live near Durham, NC where you suggest that South Square Mall is
>>> being damaged by the smoking ban. South Square Mall closed and
>>> was torn down years ago. It's been replaced by a Super Target.
>>> I've only been in there a few times but it seems to be doing well.
>>> NC has been smoking in State buildings but I don't think smoking
>>> is banned elsewhere. This is a tobacco growing State.
>> Malls in general have been on the decline. Only those who won't
>> examine all the reasons why will blame that on smoking bans.
> Malls and suburbs were built for the same reason: white flight.
Have fun explaining how come they happened even in countrys with no one but whites in them.
> Middle class whites wanted to avoid diversity.
Have fun explaining how come they happened even in countrys with no one but whites in them.
> In Levittown NY, the prototypical suburb, every deed contained
> this restriction, "not to permit the premises to be used or occupied
> by any person other than members of the caucasian race."
Have fun explaining how come suburbs happened
even in countrys with no one but caucasians in them.
> The feds made Levitt remove that restriction after a few
> years, but it continued de facto. In the 60s, there wasn't
> a single black student in the Levittown schools.
Have fun explaining how come suburbs happened
even in countrys with no one but caucasians in them.
> Now, it seems half of mall shoppers are not middle class white Americans.
They never ever were.
> In 1995, 38% of retail sales were in malls, In 2002, it fell below 20%.
==============================================================================
TOPIC: Any suggestions ? Which is the best ?
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/b2db3351435f37ac?hl=en
==============================================================================
== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, May 26 2008 9:40 pm
From: The Real Bev
Annie Woughman wrote:
> "Logan Shaw" <lshaw-usenet@austin.rr.com> wrote:
>>
>> Oh, the cash back comes in the form of a check that you must request from
>> their web site (or phone). They mail you a real live check. For some
>> reason, you can't just have it credited to your account balance.
Maybe they figure you'll forget.
> I have the Citi dividend card also, but it has a cap of $300 rewards per
> year. So my favorite is the Chase Freedom rewards card. It doesn't have a
> rewards limit, has online reward shopping deals AND if you wait until your
> reward total is $200, you get $250. I've done that once and am just about
> ready for my second $250.
Really? I didn't see that in the small print, but it's nice to know.
--
Cheers,
Bev
===================================================
Salesmen welcome -- dog food is expensive
== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, May 26 2008 10:21 pm
From: clams_casino
The Real Bev wrote:
> Annie Woughman wrote:
>
>> "Logan Shaw" <lshaw-usenet@austin.rr.com> wrote:
>
> >>
>
>>> Oh, the cash back comes in the form of a check that you must request
>>> from
>>> their web site (or phone). They mail you a real live check. For some
>>> reason, you can't just have it credited to your account balance.
>>
>
> Maybe they figure you'll forget.
>
>> I have the Citi dividend card also, but it has a cap of $300 rewards
>> per year. So my favorite is the Chase Freedom rewards card. It
>> doesn't have a rewards limit, has online reward shopping deals AND if
>> you wait until your reward total is $200, you get $250. I've done
>> that once and am just about ready for my second $250.
>
>
> Really? I didn't see that in the small print, but it's nice to know.
>
What I liked was they credited me $100 for signing up which was part of
the first $250 (just needed $100 to get the first $250 rebate check).
==============================================================================
TOPIC: You can make money online ,but also interesting
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/9ea539d5b4a390c3?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, May 26 2008 9:46 pm
From: 848638160@qq.com
You can make money online ,but also interesting
http://popotj.cn/
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TOPIC: hi friends,when our you life change!@##@sooo lets ggggggggggggoooo
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/34abc7f97f6d5183?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, May 26 2008 10:36 pm
From: sathya
hi friends
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TOPIC: get a fully loaded car for just $2599
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/7e13dbaab912cac1?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, May 26 2008 10:48 pm
From: joy junior
http://zubinonline.blogspot.com
heres the dream of city men the 4 seater compact.city car named nano
is ready to hit the global car market.will nano became a threat for
the global car giants.because nano costs only $2500..many experts
saying that nano replaces bikes from low end customers. fully loaded
nano features music system , ac, alloy wheels ,power steering
\windows,and the basic model is just a4 seater compact car. Its fuel
efficiency will promot this car .especially todays fuel crisis willnot
affect nanos market because it gives more than 25 km/liter
http://zubinonline.blogspot.com
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TOPIC: very easy to earn $10000 per month
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/6d6de445ef0c4890?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, May 26 2008 10:49 pm
From: joy junior
http://earningwebmoney.blogspot.com
theres an absolute site which gives the brief about how can we earn
money from google ads .. I'm earning more than $300 per month without
working in any means. Try it out
http://earningwebmoney.blogspot.com
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TOPIC: Kathy Kristoff: 'No-interest' deals often too good to be true
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/231eab3c3ce94cdc?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, May 26 2008 10:58 pm
From: Ablang
EP said:
I knew an operator at the plant that bought a car on this premise. It
Turned out exactly the same way for him and he now owes more for the
Car than he paid for it, if that makes sense. Obviously it does to the
Lender. Credit is a trap that has to be dealt with swiftly. i.e. don't
Charge more than you can pay at the end of the month. Remember the
Default rate ? There was NO definition of what a default rate is in
The contract, you just have to be bitten once to find out. Times that
By every individual in the country and it spells big bux for the CC
Companies. A sheep in wolves clothing and buyer beware.
========================================================================
Kathy Kristoff: 'No-interest' deals often too good to be true
Personal Finance by Kathy Kristoff
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 05.18.2008
When Best Buy offered Mike Walker the chance to take home a television
set
and make no payments, interest or otherwise, for 12 months, it seemed
like a
great deal.
Walker had shopped with Best Buy for years and had great faith in the
retailer, so he barely glanced at the 13-page booklet that came with
his new
Best Buy credit card. It wasn't until a few weeks ago - when the 12
months
were nearly up - that he found the catch.
The company had been tracking the "deferred" interest on his
outstanding
balance. If any balance remained on the card at the end of the 12
months,
Best Buy would retroactively charge him interest for the whole year.
"I'd been slowly paying down the balance, thinking that I would owe
interest
on whatever amount I had left on the card at the end of the no-
interest
period," Walker said. "But that's not what they do. This 'no interest
for 12
months' isn't what it seems."
A Best Buy spokeswoman said the company wasn't hiding anything, and
that if
Walker had read the paperwork he would have known what he was getting
into.
Walker acknowledged that Best Buy had in fact made full disclosure,
though
in the fine print. The big print said "no interest," he said, and
nobody
called the fine print to his attention.
"They're creating a trap for people."
Consumer advocates agreed - adding that it is a common trap.
Buy-now, pay-later come-ons are a popular way to get consumers to part
with
cash that they haven't quite earned yet, said Gail Hillebrand, staff
attorney with Consumers Union in San Francisco.
"These programs pay off for the credit companies because people get
stuck in
them," she said. "It's very dangerous to think that you are one of the
few
people who won't get tricked."
Fly now, pay later
American Airlines, for example, has a fly-now, pay-later program that
offers
six months of "no payments, no interest." Read the fine print and
you'll
find that finance charges accrue on the promotional balance at rates
as high
as 25.96 percent from Day One. If the entire balance isn't paid in
full by
the end of the promotion period, the carrier's paperwork says,
"Finance
charges for the entire promotional period will be added to your
account."
The same essential pitch is made by many retailers, including Guitar
Center,
Sears, Office Max, Home Depot and Ethan Allen: Big letters proclaim
that the
credit is free, and small letters note when and how the company can
take
that promise away.
Even if the print were bigger, people might not understand the offer,
Hillebrand said.
"It is hard to imagine a disclosure that could effectively communicate
that
'this deal is not what we claim it is,' " she said. "People think that
zero
means zero."
The interest charges are nothing to sneeze at. The bulk of the
advertised
offers note that the interest, when charged, ranges from 20 percent to
26
percent, turning a $1,000 purchase into more than a $1,200 debt.
It's worth mentioning that there are numerous efforts afoot to curb
what
regulators are calling "abusive and misleading" credit-marketing
tactics.
Bank, thrift and credit union regulators proposed rules recently that
would
bar some retroactive rate increases on credit cards and stop banks
from
charging customers late fees when they send their bills out too late
for the
consumer to return a payment in time.
In addition, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., and Sen. Christopher Dodd,
D-Conn., have introduced legislation that would ban retroactive rate
increases, provide warning for future rate increases and demand better
credit-card billing practices and disclosures.
Misplaced trust in Best Buy
None of the proposals would curb the "zero interest" deals that have
Walker
riled.
What gets to the Los Angeles businessman most is that he so trusted
Best Buy
that he didn't have his guard up.
"If a credit-card company approaches me, I am really leery," he said.
"But
when I am dealing with (what) I think is an upstanding consumer retail
store, I'm not looking for a trap. When I find out they're as
duplicitous as
the credit-card company, that's what I don't like."
Best Buy spokeswoman Kelly Groehler said she was sorry that Walker was
dissatisfied but added that the terms of the deal were spelled out in
the
contract.
In fact, people walking into a retail store may have to be more
cautious
about applying for credit than those walking into a bank or responding
to a
credit-card solicitation by mail, said Bill Hardekopf, chief executive
of
credit-card shopping site LowCards.com.
"Retail cards tend to be costlier than normal credit cards, even
though they
look great," he said.
They tend to charge higher interest rates than multipurpose cards,
such as
Visa and MasterCard accounts issued by banks, and have just as many
fees and
traps, he said. "You've got to read the disclosures. All of them. Even
if
you have to take them home with you to do it."
That's particularly challenging when somebody is trying to talk you
into an
impulse purchase, Hardekopf acknowledged. But it's far less costly
than
finding out later that your no-interest deal dramatically boosted the
price
of your TV.
What do you do if you already bought and now realize you can't pay in
time?
Consider transferring the balance, said Ben Woolsey, director of
marketing
and consumer search at CreditCards.com. Some card companies offer
promotional deals in which they don't charge for balance transfers -
and
they might provide a promotional rate for a set time, too, making it
easier
to pay the balance.
But before you switch, read the fine print.
"You need to be cautious and suspicious of everything," Hardekopf
warned.
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/239192
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