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Consumer Liberator
December 2006:
"The Month Of Giving (and Shopping)"

Best Consumer Articles
"Funny Money" Joke
Tipsheet: Bargain Shopping
New Free Software: Picasa

This month's tipsheet is all about bargain hunting, just in time for the holidays. Happy Holidays, everyone! -Editor

Gallery: Christmas Scenes
New Free Ebooks
Best Financial Columns
Useful Consumer Freebies
This Month in SmartCalendar
...& in Consumer Radar
Parting Quotes: Holidays

Best Consumer Articles: (Note: all links below this line open to new windows for your convenience.)

1. Smart Year-End Tax Moves. Kiplinger's suggestions are to
(1) max out your 401(k) contributions,
(2) get a tax break for buying an energy-saving hybrid,
(3) donate to charity,
(4) offset your capital gains by selling losers,
(5) buy mutual funds after dividend distribution, and
(6) odds & ends including sales tax deductions, FSAs, 529s, state income taxes, and the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). Prepaying next years deductible expenses could also lower your tax bill.

2. Planning For Your Retirement. The new Pension Protection Act of 2006 does little -- it mostly tells Americans "You're on your own, pal!" But at least it makes permanent the tax deductions for IRA, Roth IRA, Roth 401(k) and other retirement plans.

3. Homeowner Tax Perks. You can deduct mortgage interest, home equity loan interest, vacation homes, "paid points", and property taxes; but NOT home insurance, homeowner dues or repairs. There's a capital-gains exemption up to $250,000 ($500,000 if married), perhaps more if you've spent money on property improvements which would increase your capital-gains "basis".

4. Just Three Mutual Funds Can Meet Your Needs. Index funds covering U.S. stocks, international markets and the U.S. bond market beat about 65% of U.S. stock-fund managers, with more stable returns.

5. Will The Stock Rally Stumble In January?. It might, if the Fed delays rate cuts, corporate earnings slow, and/or the new Congress upsets Wall Street. Only two bull markets in history have lasted longer than the current rally.

6. Fund Mangers Growing Pessimistic. A survey shows that slightly more fund managers think stocks are overvalued than undervalued.

7. Winterizing Your Home . This article touches on lowering the thermostat, programmable thermostats, caulking & weather-stripping, an energy "self-audit", fireplace care, and water heater maintenance. Investments such as a furnace replacement, insulation, landscaping may also be worthwhile.

8. What The Democratic Victory Means. The Dems will probably pass a higher federal minimum wage and a guest-worker program, but won't change taxes much for now. They'll try to force Bush to shift gears in Iraq and will initiate strong congressional oversight, but not impeachment.

9. Help For Veterans Starting A Business. The Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD) provides financial assistance and outreach to vets interested in starting or expanding a small business. Services include loans, training, counseling and mentoring.

10. To Get Hired, Be Likeable. When polled, personnel managers rated likeability as the most important factor, followed by skills, track record, knowledge of their organization and diversity.

11. How To Negotiate Your Way To A Fairer Salary. The article is slanted towards women; men tend to get better salaries because they negotiate.

12. Secrets of Success From Women, For Women. Here's what accomplished women say when asked for one piece of advice about how to find satisfying work that lets them be who they are.

13. 12 Keys To A Good Car Rental. To save on car rentals, read these tips. It all boils down to knowing how to shop around and avoiding extra fees.

14. How To Buy A Car In 2007. Before buying, read Bankrate's 5 "must do" checks (car-loan rates, your credit score, your city's loan rates, salesman lingo and affordability) and eight more pointers for auto shoppers in 2007:
(1) Cash rebates are usually better than cut-rate financing,
(2) 2007 should have cut-rate prices,
(3) SUV's and trucks will be especially cheap,
(4) when leasing, watch out for mileage penalties,
(5) don't spend too much on a car's options,
(6) all-new models usually don't have design problems like they did years ago, before computer-aided design,
(7) Fed cuts could lower the interest you pay, and
(8) don't spend too much or finance it too long.

15. Kiplinger's 2007 Auto Buyer's Guide. Included are Kiplinger's 2007 Picks for best cars, 2007 Auto Buyer's Guide, Get The Best Deal (how to shop), Test Drive Scorecard to help you judge the cars you test-drive, and When Leasing Makes Sense.

16. Hate Haggling Over Car Prices?. Kiplinger has done a great job of testing services that negotiate car prices for you. Find out which one beat the rest by getting you the lowest price.

Funny Money: The Burglar & The Parrot

A burglar thought up a clever idea: on Christmas Eve, he would climb down the Joneses' chimney in a Santa suit with a bag of cheap toys, leave them there, and steal everything of value. "If I'm caught, I'll just say I'm St. Nick delivering toys and I'll get off scot-free!" he chortled.

As he was tiptoeing through the living room on Christmas Eve, suddenly he heard a loud voice say, "Jesus is watching you!

Frozen in his tracks, the burglar looked all around and finally spotted a bird cage in a dark corner and in that cage was a parrot.

He asked the parrot, "Was that you who said Jesus is watching me?"

"Yes," said the parrot.

The burglar breathed a sigh of relief, then asked "What's your name?"

"Socrates" said the bird.

"That's a stupid name for a parrot," sneered the burglar. "What kind of idiot would name a parrot Socrates?"

The parrot said, "The same idiot who named the Rottweiller Jesus."

Monthly Tipsheet: Bargain Shopping

by David Snell
In this month's tipsheet:

Save money and stay safe while shopping online,
Read some money-saving Christmas ideas, and
Shop "cheac" (cheap+chic) with these gift-idea lists
Follow-up on last month's Earthquakes tipsheet

1. Smart Online Shopping

You can almost always find lower prices online than in retail stores. You'll also save on auto expenses of about $0.25 to $0.50 per mile if your local retail destination isn’t nearby. On the other hand, shipping costs will raise the price of online shopping by about 5-10%; however most online stores offer free shipping with a minimum amount of purchase, and most people can avoid paying sales tax by ordering from out-of-state locations. Most online shopping is safe, but it's wise to observe at least some of the following precautions when shopping online:

Store selection:

Some people shop only at well-established online stores like Amazon.com, Buy.com and Target.com. Some sites are fake knock-offs of other sites, so make sure your browser's address bar contains the domain name (e.g. it contains "amazon.com/").

Don't buy anything from someone you don't know who emails you. Even if you think you know the source, remember that spammers are often "phishers" who can fake a fairly realistic-looking web site in order to get your credit card number.

If you're suspicious of a store, visit sites such as Bizrate, Complaints.com and the Better Business Bureau to make sure they're legit and consumer-friendly.

Make sure the Web store lists contact information, including a street address.

Smart browsing:

Most online stores have a security program in place, which is detected by spotting closed padlock icon on the lower bar of the browser window and an "https://" in the address bar rather than "http://".

Don't use a shared computer if it's used by anyone you don't know or don't trust -- they might be able to get enough of your personal info to commit ID theft.

Maintain good computer security, including an always-on firewall, antivirus and antispyware protection, and security patches for your operating system.

Type site addresses yourself (or use your Favorites menu), rather than clicking on links which may be phony. Before buying, check that the URL in the address bar has a reputable domain name.

McAfee's Site Advisor plug-in can help tell whether a site is dangerous or safe.

Use Consumer Radar to shop -- it will help you save money, find product reviews, track your shipments and more. The Radar Help Page has more on that.

Use consumer guides such as Consumer Reports, Consumer World, Consumer Search, Amazon.com, Epinions and ConsumerGuide to decide which products are best.

Saving money:

Shop early online, to have the best chance of finding good deals and free shipping. They tend to disappear as Christmas gets near.

Check which states the store charges sales tax: this info may be on the store's policy page, or you can test for it by adding an item to the shopping cart without giving out your credit card. Some online stores are located in states where there is no sales tax, in which case nobody has to pay them any sales tax.

Use shopping agents like Froogle, PriceGrabber and MySimon to compare prices for you. Froogle may have a bare-bones home page but it's probably the most complete, because it does not charge businesses any fee to list their products.

Coupons for $5 to $10 or even more are common at many online stores. Use coupon sites such as FatWallet, DealCatcher and MyCoupons in addition to the shopping agents. FatWallet has a nice added benefit: it pays you rebates when you shop at scores of popular sites such as Amazon.com.

Shop for private-party deals at EBay, CraigsList and your Local Newspaper, which sometimes offer new products at very low prices.

When completing your purchase:

Pay by credit card, definitely NOT by debit card. This helps ensure that the maximum you'll lose is $50 by federal law.

If you dedicate one credit card to online shopping only, you can more easily track your purchases and limit your vulnerability.

Use Paypal if possible, especially on eBay: you're protected from fraud up to $1,000.

You can track the progress of your packages using UPS, Federal Express and/or the Post Office whenever you're given a tracking number for a product you ordered.

After receiving the goods, check your credit reports regularly and your credit-card statements as soon as you receive them, to catch fraud problems early.

2. Money-Saving Christmas Ideas

To save money this Christmas, you might adopt one or more of these ideas:

Gifting:

Give gifts only to the kids.

You could have a "Secret Santa" event so everyone buys only one other person a gift.

Look for two-for-one deals from magazines and museums trying to expand their audience.

Give gifts that cost you little, such as photo albums, homemade treat baskets, or regifts.

Consider alternatives such as gift certificates offering services or favors.

Save gift wrapping from year to year to reuse, or buy it at 75% off after Christmas.

Miscellaneous:

Have a potluck so you don't have to do so much cooking and grocery shopping.

Instead of buying Christmas cards, design a holiday letter using a word processor that lets you paste in graphics. You can search for "Christmas wallpaper" online to find good graphics.

Cut down your own Christmas tree -- the Forest Service charges only a few dollars.

Shopping:

To snag an early sale price, try shopping the evening before the sale is supposed to start: most stores will have programmed the sale prices into their cash registers by then.

If you prefer to shop local, try ShopLocal.com which compares prices at local retailers and a number of online stores.

Ask the retailer for a complimentary gift box or gift wrapping.

Save receipts, in case the gift isn't needed or wanted (maybe someone else will give the exact same thing!)

Resolve to pay only with cash and resist buy-now-and-pay-later sales pitches.

You can find inexpensive new items at dollar stores or even rummage sales.

A new company called Frucall offers a free service that lets you compare prices and even buy from your cell phone. You just call call 1-888-DO-FRUCALL (1-888-36-378-2255), and type in the barcode number seen on the item you're shopping for: usually you'd use this service when you're in a store and you want to see if the store's price is competitive. In a few seconds, an automated voice reportsthe competition's prices. It's wise to sign up first online, so you can use their free tools including a history of your searches. One warning: sometimes their quotes for shipping costs are inaccurate.

3. Christmas Gift Idea Lists

We don't pretend to know what you should give, but there's no shortage of people who do!

"Cheac" (Cheap + Chic) Holiday Gifts
The Hottest Holiday Toys
Personalize Gift Cards With Any Of Your Photos
2006 Gift Card Study: Comparison Chart
2006 Gift Card Study: Article

4. Earthquakes Follow-up

There was some interest expressed in what the earthquake risks are outside of America. Here's a World Earthquake Risk Map that covers risks everywhere. The key to colors on this extra-large map is at its bottom center.

The Japan earthquake in November 2006 caused a tsunami (tidal wave) which destroyed some docks in California. Tsunamis can sometimes flow inland for a two miles or more, if the terrain is sufficiently low-lying. They often come in successive waves, and there is no way to tell which wave will be the strongest. If you feel an earthquake or hear a warning siren, get inland quickly! A map of historical tsunamis is available online (however, it isn't updated to include the Sumatran tsunami of 2005 that killed over 250,000.) The Pacific Northwest is the most at-risk area: it's offshore geology is very similar to Sumatra's. Big tsunamis rarely occur in the Atlantic ocean because of its relatively peaceful geology. Tsunami preparedness is handled by state governments: here's a list of state agencies where you can find maps (often called "inundation maps") that show where the dangerous areas are.

New Free Software:

Best Digital Photo Organizer: Picasa

Picasa can scan your entire hard drive for photos and videos, and even orgnizes them into folders. Editing features included most needed functions including red-eye reduction and labeling. You can import your images from your camera, send photos to your web printing services, make photo CDs, print photos or upload them to blogs or instant-messaging programs. Picasa was recently picked up by Google. For Windows 2000 or later.

Download at: http://picasa.google.com/ (4 MB)

Art Gallery: Christmas Scenes

This month showcases a mix of Christmas pictures, some telling the original story of Jesus' birth, others showing more modern Chrismas scenes. They may load slowly even for broadband connections: a good way to save time is to click each thumbnail, one right after the other, pressing [Alt] Tab as soon as each window opens to return to this page. You can then read some other part of this newsletter, and the pictures will all load within a minute or three.

	In Luc-Olivier Merson's The Arrival At Bethlehem (1897), Joseph and the soon-expecting Mary journey to Bethlehem to take part in King Herod's census. They asked for a room at the inn and found none, so they had to sleep with the animals in a cave below it.

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) painted a contemplative-looking Santa in Christmas - Santa Reading Mail in 1935.

	Here is Adoration of the Magi (1633) by Nicolas Poussin. After Mary gives birth in a manger, three wise men follow a star to honor the King of Peace. Many villagers look on; Joseph is seen holding a shepherd's staff.

Rockwell painted the merry Christmas Dance in 1950.

	In Sandro Botticelli's The Madonna of the Book (1483), Jesus and Mary are given ornate halos and depicted holding the Bible opened to the Book of Hours. Look closely and you can see that Jesus holds a crown of thorns and three nails.
All images courtesy Art Renewal Museum.

New Free EBooks:

1. 101 Ways to Build Happy, Lasting Relationships

32 Pages. Type: .rtf. Author: Dennis Lively and Gene Barry. Published: 2006.

With divorce becoming more and more common, these tips for building relationships that are happy and lasting will help any relationship.

Find out the way to rekindle the excitement you felt at the beginning.
Uncover the 5-second secret that will bring romance to your life every day.
Get ahead of the game by dealing with your relationship problems before they become a crisis.

2. Essential Guide To Organizing Your Home

32 Pages. Type: .pdf. Author: Various. Published: 2005.

A disorganized house can cost you time when you can’t find what you need. It is also stressful to be in disorganized environments. Make your home function right with this guide.

Get started with decluttering fast, using a timer.
Find out what to do in each room.
Learn the tricks that you can use to keep your home clean.

Best Financial Columns:

Liz Pulliam Weston: 10 Times You Can't Afford To Skimp. Weston says
(1) Skimping on car maintenance leads to high repair bills,
(2) Buy classic clothes that will always look good,
(3) Buy lots of computer memory,
(4) Get smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and escape ladders,
(5) Get solid locks for doors and windows,
(6) Get regular health checkups,
(7) Get broadband internet to save time,
(8) Get home inspections when home-hunting,
(9) Get a good mattress and sleep well, and
(10) Buy a safe care for your kid. And she says don't steal -- that's the ultimate cheap idea.

Robert Kiyosaki: What You Can Learn From The Trumpster. Robert and Donald Trump co-wrote a book Why We Want You to Be Rich that's out now. Kiyosaki says he got tougher, kinder, richer, and less petty; and he learned about collaboration, partnership and loyalty.

Liz Pulliam Weston: 12 Steps You Must Take By Age 60. Liz advises you how to
(1) Set a retirement date,
(2) Decide where you're going to live,
(3) Consider long-term-care insurance,
(4) Include medical costs in your calculations,
(5) Cut your debts,
(6) Make a retirement budget,
(7) Check up on your Social Security and pension,
(8) Be careful with retirement account withdrawals,
(9) Think about an annuity for guaranteed income,
(10) Use online retirement tools to test your retirement and estate planning,
(11) See an unbiased fee-only financial planner, and
(12) Review your estate plans.

Marshall Loeb: How To Avoid Identity Theft This Holiday Season. Protect yourself from ID thieves who raid your trash, crooks "shoulder surfing" you at ATMs, checkers "skimming" your credit card, and online fraud by spammers or shady sites.

Gerri Willis: Avoiding Stock Scams. Don't fall prey to e-mails from unknown senders touting a stock. Oftentimes they make it look like you're getting a great tip accidentally, by addressing it to someone else.

Useful Consumer Freebies:

Free Printable Calendars

There are quite a few places on the Web that allow you to request a free calendar through the mail. We tried about five of them, hoping to pass on the opportunity to our readers, but we never received the goods. But you can still print your own calendar:

You can print your own Consumer SmartCalendar each month. It's best to do it in "Landscape" mode, which is usually accessed using the Preferences button that appears whenever you print a web page. The advantage of the SmartCalendar is the great tips for home maintenance, investing, shopping, taxes and college planning.
It's fairly easy to print customized calendars from TimeAndDate.com for a number of months or an entire year. You can also select which day starts the week, whether to show moon phases, and different sets of holidays for different cultures.
Online calendars include Calendars Net, AOL Calendar and Yahoo! Calendar. You can print it and/or add appointments and events that can be made visible and printable by others you want to allow to see it.

Christmas Freebies Site

ChristmasFreebies.com has a collection of holiday "gifts, samples, digital holiday cards, freebies for children, and free Christmas software. We also offer such goodies as free services that'll make sure a child's letter gets to Santa, as well as free Christmas clipart, games and contests."

This Month In SmartCalendar:

Shopping:
Good month for car bargains
December 26: Post-holiday sales begin
Taxes:
Pre-pay deductible bills
Offset capital gains by selling losers
Review last year's tax return for deductions
Delay taxes by pushing income into next year
Home:
Clean furnace filter(s)
Flush water heater & test valve
Keep ice and snow away from vents
Look in attic for water leaks
Test ground outlets having red test button
Financial:
Good month to get a home loan deal
Maximize your retirement contributions
Convert an IRA or start a retirement plan
December 26: "Santa Claus rally" begins
College Preparation:
Take the month off

... And In Consumer Radar:


	Holiday Quotes "Let us more and more prefer to raise funds of love, of kindness, of understanding, of peace. Money will come if we seek first the Kingdom of God -- the rest will be given." ~ Mother Teresa (1910-1997), Catholic sainthood candidate "We do not want riches, we want peace and love. " ~ Chief Red Cloud (1822 - 1909), Sioux Chieftain "Adults are just children who earn money." ~ Kenneth Branaugh (1951 - ), Irish-British Shakespearean actor

Next Month: Ponce de Leon spent years searching the Southwest for the mythical Fountain of Youth, and departed from the New World empty-handed. We'll see how close the CFA can get to finding it... it may be more real than you would think!

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Consumer LiberatorDecember 2006:"The Month Of Giving (and Shopping)"