Tips

success stories
EECB Convinces Best Buy To Pay For Damage To Car

Here's a good example of how to write an effective Executive Email Carpet Bomb, or EECB, to break through the "please hold" purgatory of the company's phone system. Alicia's car's bumper was scratched by a Best Buy employee, and calling consumer relations as directed proved fruitless. Now she's got a check in her hands from Best Buy to pay for the repairs.

We have quite a few stories now about Best Buy responding favorably to EECBs, which goes to show that if you can find a way to reach the company's executives—and you write a good EECB—your odds of having your problem favorably resolved improves considerably. More »

6:34 PM on Thu Nov 20 2008
By Chris Walters
10,631 views, 48 comments

Most discussed Mless: ...46" TV in a Fit? wow... more »
If you have an account with Mint, and you've enabled mobile alerts, you can now text "Bal" or "Balance" to 696-468 (MyMint) and receive a summary of all of your accounts. [Mint]

7 comments
Are you so loaded that you exceed the FDIC's guarantee limit for deposits? Consider the Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service. Deposit the funds at one of 2,500 CDARS member banks and they'll automatically spread your cash among other member banks as needed to stay within FDIC coverage limits. Kiplinger says, "You'll earn one rate (set by the home bank) and get one statement and one form at tax time." [Kiplinger]

20 comments
success stories
Reader Talks Citibank Down To A Lower Interest Rate On Her Credit Card
Nicole was hit with a surprise 6 point interest rate increase on her Citicard, so she fought back. Her story is a good reminder that you should look at all of your options and be prepared to argue on your behalf, even if you're not in a position where you can just pay off the entire balance and walk away. More »

1:27 PM on Mon Nov 17 2008
By Chris Walters
7,112 views, 47 comments

Most discussed h3llc4t: I like how she casually threw in that the rep didn't have an accent. Classy. more »
bailout
Alert: You Cannot Buy Consumerist With Doodle Money
Our post last Friday gave people some great business ideas. We appreciate the offers, but we must insist that you do not try to purchase Consumerist with doodle currency that you have minted yourself, probably while drinking. You can, however, try to bail out the auto industry with it if you want. More »

1:07 PM on Mon Nov 17 2008
By Chris Walters
13,743 views, 73 comments

Most discussed avenger339: First order of business - 'shop the "DO NOT SPEND" out of the spider. UNLIMITED MONEY more »
late payments
Alert: You Cannot Send A Drawing Of A Spider As Payment
David didn't have the money to pay his account (for some mystery service—we don't know what), so he decided to see if they'd accept a drawing instead. Turns out they won't. The email exchange that follows is hilarious, and much more entertaining for both parties than the old put-the-wrong-check-in-the-envelope trick. More »

1:12 PM on Fri Nov 14 2008
By Chris Walters
113,850 views, 77 comments

Most discussed balilanai: Fake but creative. No evidence that this was not made up for entertainment. The company name is not mentioned and more »

cars
Never Get Locked Out Your Car: Drill Hole Through Key, Screw To License Plate
On Meghann's post about a reader who fell for a locksmith scam, the aptly named commenter "yetiwisdom" left a great tip for never getting locked out your car again: More »

5:54 PM on Thu Nov 13 2008
By Ben Popken
54,399 views, 181 comments
save some money
Save $1,000 In 30 Days?
Ramit over at I Will Teach You To Be Rich has thrown down a challenge. Can you save $1,000 in 30 days? He, like us, is annoyed with crappy frugality tips that will save you $1 a week, and promises to post decent money saving tips every day in November. If you follow them, he thinks you'll be able to save $1,000 in 30 days. More »

1:14 PM on Tue Nov 4 2008
By Meg Marco
18,735 views, 112 comments

Most discussed Ajh: What if you don't MAKE $1000 in 30 days? more »
Here are 11 secrets to detailing your car like a professional. [CNN]

7 comments
personal finance
Test Your Personal Finance Skills With These Quizzes
Kiplinger has two quizzes named "Financial Truth or Bunk?", and they go through some of the more popular tips you've heard about personal finance, including lines like:
- You can't lose money investing in bonds.
- Stay-at-home moms or dads need life insurance, too.
- Don't buy a red car — it'll cost more to insure.
- Dollar-cost averaging boosts investment returns.
- The percentage of stock in your portfolio should equal 100 minus your age.
More »
11:14 AM on Thu Oct 9 2008
By Chris Walters
4,858 views, 38 comments

Most discussed floraposte: I got an utterly bogus 83%, including scoring correctly on one question that I didn't understand any of. However, more »

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