WalletPophttp://www.walletpop.comWalletPophttp://www.walletpop.com/media/feedlogo.gifWalletPophttp://www.walletpop.comen-usCopyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Beat the postage increase: Print out your own stamps!http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/13/beat-the-postage-increase-print-out-your-own-stamps/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/13/beat-the-postage-increase-print-out-your-own-stamps/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/13/beat-the-postage-increase-print-out-your-own-stamps/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Well, it's happened: postage has, once again, gone up. If you're like me, you probably send a letter through the mail once or twice a month, which means that the postage rate increase is now burning a massive 2¢ hole in your pocket. On the bright side, I generally pick up any pennies that I see on the sidewalk, so I should be able to make up the difference with about a half mile of walking.

I'm joking about this, but there was a time when the postage change would really have upset me. For a while, I used to sell a lot of items on eBay. One of the ways that I set myself apart from my competitors was by offering a standard fee for shipping and handling. If my buyer lived in the next town over, I made a fair bit of money; if he lived in Montana, I ended up losing dough. When the Postal Service used to up its rates, I had to up my rates, which made my flat rate fee seem a little less like a deal.

My fellow Walletpoppers have suggested some solid ways of undermining the postage increase. For example, Tom Barlow noted that, currently, "Forever" stamps are outperforming numerous stocks, and that buying large amounts of them is a nifty way to save a lot of postage money. However, as Tracy Coenen noted, it really doesn't make that much of a difference for "casual postage users" such as myself. Moreover, as my daughter has a tendency to affix stickers to the cat whenever she gets a chance, I prefer to minimize the number of stamps that I have laying around the house.


Another solution that neither involves a long-term stamp commitment nor a postage-laden kitty is electronic postage. Basically, you open an account with a company that is licensed to sell electronic postage; among others, this includes Stamps.com and Pitney Bowes. You buy the company's proprietary machinery and begin printing out your own stamps. Although electronic postage carries a startup cost, it certainly pays dividends in terms of time and effort, particularly when you consider how long the average post office visit takes (in my neighborhood, it's about an hour).

The postal service is also working to sweeten the deal. Express Mail users who print their own postage save 3% off the price of sending a package, while Priority Mail users will save 8.2%. Beyond that, even regular stamp users will save money by minimizing postage overpayment. Obviously, electronic postage isn't for everyone, but if you send out a lot of mail, it could help you save a lot of money.

Bruce Watson is a freelance writer, blogger, and all-around cheapskate. His favorite stamp was the one for National Proctological Awareness Month. He bought a couple hundred and used them to mail all his bills.

 

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]]>postage hikesPostageHikesBruce Watson2008-05-13T17:30:00+00:00eBay seeks to strangle its Australian sellershttp://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/13/ebay-seeks-to-strangle-its-australian-sellers/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/13/ebay-seeks-to-strangle-its-australian-sellers/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/13/ebay-seeks-to-strangle-its-australian-sellers/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

chessWe should be used to this by now. Yet another money grubbing directive has surfaced from mother eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY), As covered in a story in The New York Times, eBay has decided to test market the strategy of allowing payment for transactions on its site solely through its wanton money portal, PayPal. The company intends to run this test on Australian eBayers. I wonder if our mates Down Under would be willing to tell us how they feel about this strategy?

eBay is claiming that this change in operating procedure will lower the incidences of fraud on the site. That's funny coming from them, when you consider that the worst eBay fraud nightmares generally run through its own PayPal system. I can believe that eBay's own fraud exposure might be cut by funneling everything through PayPal, but that's about eBay's bottom line. It's not about the bottom lines of its loyal patrons. The matter is further examined in this Associated Press article.

BloggingStocks reports that, as it stands right now, PayPal collects 2.9% from every sale which runs through its system in the U.S., plus another .30 cents for any sale under $3,000. The picture gets even gloomier for Australian eBayers, where PayPal charges 4.4% on sales, plus the additional .30 cents. What percentage of eBay Australia's sales currently run through alternate payment means? That's what I want to know.

If this change is enacted by eBay against the entirety of it's operations, it will be just one more step in the inevitable creation of "Wal-Bay", a site where large volumes of foreign made junk will be peddled by a thin crust of well protected sellers. In the meantime, alternate online selling strategies continue to take hold and grow as eBay's own growth has stalled. eBay can fake revenue growth for just so long. It's only a matter of time before things really start to get ugly over there.

 

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]]>Australiablogging stocksBloggingStockseBayPayPalGary E. Sattler2008-05-13T17:00:00+00:00Internet connections go down the tubeshttp://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/13/internet-connections-go-down-the-tubes/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/13/internet-connections-go-down-the-tubes/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/13/internet-connections-go-down-the-tubes/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Recently, Bournemouth became the first English city to get a new form of super-fast internet. While that's great news for the 88,000 homes and businesses that will get new 100 Mbps connections, the real news is how they're going to get it. H2O Networks Ltd, the company that's funding the project, will be bringing the internet cable through Bournemouth's sewer system.

While I appreciate the humorous potential that a sewer-borne internet system offers, the truth of the matter is that this is an amazingly brilliant idea. Having spent years dealing with incredibly slow dial-up connections, I finally sprung for a cable connection when it came to my neighborhood. In addition to the considerable monthly cost, I also had to pay to have the cable laid across my (landlord's) lawn. Now that I live in the big city, I don't have to shell out cash to have cable laid, but my area of the Bronx only has one internet service provider, which means that I'm stuck with paying the monopoly rate for my internet.


One of the major problems with internet access is the fact that companies often have to lay miles of cable to offer it. In the process, they have to dig up streets, put in conduits, and generally spend a small fortune before they can even offer their services to potential subscribers. Of course, once the subscribers are online, they get to compensate for the considerable capital investment that the providers laid out.

While not every city has an impressive sewer system like Bournemouth's, there are many areas where old sewers, aqueducts, and other conduits are laying empty, waiting to crumble. For example, New York's Croton aqueduct runs from the Public Library at 42nd Street all the way up to northern Westchester County. Rather than dig holes to lay cable, it seems like re-using the last century's infrastructure would be a cheap, green way to go. Besides, until alligators learn to eat cable, the city's sewers should be pretty safe!

Bruce Watson is a freelance writer, blogger, and all-around cheapskate. If he could get a 100 Mbps connection...well, let's just say that Websudoku would have a new master.

 

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]]>bournemouthconnectionshigh-speed internetHigh-speedInternetsewer connectionsSewerConnectionsUKBruce Watson2008-05-13T15:30:00+00:00The right to play on the internet at work isn't protected by the Constitution?http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/13/the-right-to-play-on-the-internet-at-work-isnt-protected-by-the/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/13/the-right-to-play-on-the-internet-at-work-isnt-protected-by-the/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/13/the-right-to-play-on-the-internet-at-work-isnt-protected-by-the/#commentsFiled under: ,

Does it really surprise anyone that employers are cracking down on the use of social networking sites while at work? Much like pornography and eBay, those sites are best used when you're on your own time, not on your company's paid time.

I know, I know. Young workers need access to Facebook or Twitter like the rest of us need oxygen. It's essential to survival. How can you ever get through a day without knowing that your friend is on the way to the coffee shop to meet a friend or that your sister has just bought the cutest new shoes? Updates every few minutes are essential, because you are dying to know what everyone else is doing while you're... uh.... working. Yeah, working.

A survey in England found that employees are spending at least 30 minutes a day on Facebook or MySpace while they're supposed to be working. A couple of survey participants even admitted that they spend up to three hours a day on social networking sites while at work. Yikes.
I'm not surprised by these study results in the least. Many employees now have an attitude of entitlement. They believe the company is lucky that they show up, and the duty to put in a full day's work for that full day's pay is a bunch of silliness. They feel that they should have a right to surf the internet for fun, talk on their cell phones with their friends, and generally do anything but their jobs.

Inevitably, companies are blocking certain sites that encourage irresponsible employees to goof around at work. 43% of employers in England have blocked access to Facebook. Your employer may be next if you can't exercise a bit of self-control. And I don't have any problem with them blocking access to entertainment sites. If it doesn't pertain to your job, you don't need to access it while at work.

Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations for her company Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting, and is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud.

 

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]]>facebookmyspacesocial networkingSocialNetworkingTracy Coenen2008-05-13T13:00:00+00:00Changing cell phone plans? Beware of pro-rating!http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/13/changing-cell-phone-plans-beware-of-pro-rating/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/13/changing-cell-phone-plans-beware-of-pro-rating/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/13/changing-cell-phone-plans-beware-of-pro-rating/#commentsFiled under: ,

Verizon signLast month I shared my quest to save money by reviewing our cell phone bill. I found that we could get unlimited texting on all of our lines without any increase in our monthly rate. This was a huge deal since my sister was as familiar with text overages as the Cookie Monster is with cookies! Due to the amount of texts already sent I decided to do something I should have avoided, I switched plans mid billing cycle. Most places this wouldn't be a huge deal, but Verizon's billing system is arranged to maximize confusion for users and profit for the company.

Since the switch occurred mid month Verizon pro-rated the text message plan on my sister's phone. Normally this means I get some money refunded and it only appears that I was ripped off on the bill. This time however was different. Even though the plan she was on was for 1,500 text messages and we switched to an unlimited plan Verizon decided that the allotment of messages at the time we switched was 913, which just happened to be 403 below what she had already sent resulting in a huge overage.Verizon's unique billing method of refunding $6 only to charge $40 for text message overages is ridiculous! I ended up getting the money refunded after a 20 minute phone call Saturday night. Thankfully the customer service rep I spoke to was kind enough to "pull some strings" and reverse the charge even though the billing system was supposedly in the right. Lessons learned from this adventure include, don't switch your cell phone plan mid month and if Verizon ever screws up your bill restitution is only a phone call away.

Do you have any cell phone billing horror stories? How much do you need to be over-billed to call up and demand money back?

 

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]]>billingcell phoneCellPhonefeaturedpro rateProRatetextingverizon wirelessVerizonWirelessJosh Smith2008-05-13T12:00:00+00:00Train your brain, And gain as you agehttp://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/09/train-your-brain-and-gain-as-you-age/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/09/train-your-brain-and-gain-as-you-age/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/09/train-your-brain-and-gain-as-you-age/#commentsFiled under: , ,

What fun is retiring well-off if you're not all there to enjoy the ride?

Anyone unfortunate to have witnessed the ravages of Alzheimer's certainly understands. But almost all of us have experienced some kind of preview of diminished capacity to come -- glasses "lost" perched right atop our brows; forgetting whether or not you just took that vitamin; mentally misplacing long-burned-in info, like your mom's birthday. It starts earlier than most of us want to admit.

There's good news, in the form of research showing the brain has more plasticity than previously thought. In laymen's terms, our aging brains can likely benefit from regular exercise, to help stave off what was previously written off as inevitable, age-induced, mental atrophy.


Send your brain to the gym by doing fun and challenging stuff like:

- playing chess
- doing Sudoku and crossword puzzles
- balancing your checkbook without a calculator
- learning or regularly playing a musical instrument
- learning a foreign language, or diving deep into some other new-to-you subject
- reading a book while holding it upside down
- playing Bridge
- writing a novel or short story
- adding up a column of stock prices (you gain even if your portfolio loses)
- memorizing numbers in your everyday life - credit cards, etc.

If you're techie at heart, the Times story suggests looking at Nintendo's Brain Age 2 for DS ($19.99); PositScience's Brain Fitness Program ($395); MindFit ($149); Luminosity.com; Happy-Neuron.com.

Just do it. So you can enjoy it, later.

Randy Burnham is a Westport, CT-based clinical psychologist and co-founder of My Next Phase (www.mynextphase.com), a consulting firm expert in non-financial planning products and processes.

 

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]]>alzheimersalzheimers diseaseAlzheimersDiseasebrain trainingbraintrainingnintendo dsNintendoDsretirementRandy Burnham2008-05-09T09:00:00+00:00Click here to protect your computerhttp://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/08/click-here-to-protect-your-computer/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/08/click-here-to-protect-your-computer/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/08/click-here-to-protect-your-computer/#commentsFiled under:

Have you ever been surfing the internet, when suddenly a box pops up, suggesting your computer might be infected with a virus and you should "click here to protect your computer"?

The absolute worst thing you can do is click there. At best, these are shady advertising tactics that mislead consumers and scare them into buying software or services they may not even need. At worst, they're the product of malicious criminals who want to infect your computer with a Trojan horse and corrupt your data and/or spy on you.

These Trojan horses are often set up to log your keystrokes (keep track of everything you're typing) so that the criminals can steal your logins and passwords. With so much online banking and online bill paying, you can imagine what might happen if someone had access to all your passwords. Consider your bank account emptied, and credit cards maxed out.

So what do you do if one of these mysterious boxes pops up? Whatever you do, don't click on the box. Try to close it, and make sure that nothing is being installed on your computer. When in doubt, shut off your internet connection until you can close out the box and restart your computer if necessary. Install popup blocking software and a firewall (legitimate stuff) that will help protect your computer in the future.

Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations for her company Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting, and is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud.

 

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]]>computer securityComputerSecuritytrojan horseTrojanHorsevirusTracy Coenen2008-05-08T18:00:00+00:00On-hold music gives way to marketing pitcheshttp://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/07/on-hold-music-gives-way-to-marketing-pitches/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/07/on-hold-music-gives-way-to-marketing-pitches/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/07/on-hold-music-gives-way-to-marketing-pitches/#commentsFiled under: ,

Mexicans working in the U.S. no longer have to wait in boredom while their phone calls home from New York connect. Companies like VoodooDox (owned by Disney and others) are selling advertising to fill those idle seconds.

Unfortunately, the marketing seems to work. According to Advertising Age, 12% or more of the time callers respond to the whispered pitches for products such as money wiring (callers are prompted to press "1" if they want more info on the product advertised). Among the clients that use the service are radio stations, to torment callers waiting on the line to win free tickets to a concert.

I lump this together with spam, telemarketing and door-to-door solicting as types of marketing for which we can only blame ourselves. These would disappear overnight if we simply didn't respond. If we do respond to this new ad type, guess what? On-hold times will just increase, more time to wring a buck from our wallets.

So, if you find yourself being pitched in this way while on hold, do us all a favor and stick your hand in your pocket.

 

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]]>advertisingaudio adsAudioAdson-hold advertisingOn-holdAdvertisingtelephone advertisingTelephoneAdvertisingvoodoodoxTom Barlow2008-05-07T08:30:00+00:00Can you smell me now?http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/05/can-you-smell-me-now/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/05/can-you-smell-me-now/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/05/can-you-smell-me-now/#commentsFiled under:

Sometimes the sound of one's voice is inadequate to express all the emotions humans experience. Luckily, a new invention patented by a German firm will enhance your cell phone presence with scent.

The scent chip, developed by ConVisual (they may need a name update, huh?), reproduces around 100 different smells. Of course, those on the receiving end of the call will also need the chip, to decode the eau d' squawk and create its facsimile. The tech could be available as soon as 2010.

100 different smells may seem a small selection, but this is, in fact, 25% of the 400 different odor molecules the nose is capable of detecting. The brain is able to define millions of different scents within varying combinations and quantities of these 400 molecules. If the phone can reproduce even a small fraction of these combinations, how long before our callers each have their own assigned scent tones?

This smells like trouble to me.

 

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]]>cell phoneCellPhoneodorodor phoneOdorPhonephone technologyPhoneTechnologyscentsmellsmell phoneSmellPhoneTom Barlow2008-05-05T11:30:00+00:00GTA IV plus 4 months of Xbox Live $59.82 at Walmarthttp://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/03/gta-iv-plus-4-months-of-xbox-live-59-82-at-walmart/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/03/gta-iv-plus-4-months-of-xbox-live-59-82-at-walmart/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/03/gta-iv-plus-4-months-of-xbox-live-59-82-at-walmart/#commentsFiled under: ,

gtaThe Daily Deal for Saturday, May 3, 2008

In case you haven't already picked up a copy of Grand Theft Auto 4 for the Xbox 360, Walmart is running a spectacular deal right now. The standard version of the game is available with one free month of Xbox Live anywhere, but Walmart is throwing in a extra 3 months of Xbox Live for free! Xbox Live is Microsoft's Internet gaming platform which you need a subscription to to enjoy online gaming such as GTA IV's cops and robbers multi-player. Normally 4 months of Xbox Live would cost more then $20 extra so the savings are significant.

Grand Theft Auto 4 is an amazing game, for adults, it is rated Mature so you won't likely be giving it to your ten year old for his birthday. The game is netting A+ and 10/10 on many review sites and is at the least a candidate for "Game of the Year'. After you factor in shipping the whole package shouldn't cost much more than $62. This deal won't last long so be sure to order quickly!

If you want to play online after you pick this up be sure to send me a friend request, my gamertag is Ca1vin on Xbox Live.

 

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]]>bargaingrand theft auto ivGrandTheftAutoIvgtagtaivxbox liveXboxLiveJosh Smith2008-05-03T00:00:00+00:00Huge HDTV price cuts this monthhttp://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/02/huge-hdtv-price-cuts-this-month/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/02/huge-hdtv-price-cuts-this-month/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/05/02/huge-hdtv-price-cuts-this-month/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sony HDTVAccording to HD Guru, Sony is planning huge price cuts on their 2008 model HD TVs in May. Apparently Sony has been deeply saddened by loosing the number one spot to a slew of rivals and is taking steps to gain back the bragging rights. This is great news for consumers who will see price cuts between 20 and 25% on current models including the Bravia Line beginning in May.

This is awesome news even if you aren't interested in inflating Sony's ego. A move like this should force other major manufacturers to drop price, including Toshiba, Panasonic and even resellers like Westinghouse. Similarly this downward trend in pricing could force plasma TV prices to drop in order to remain competitive. A situation like this could do a lot stimulate the economy; mix the stimulus package with concern for the digital TV switchover, toss in drastically reduced prices and many consumers will easily find a reason to buy a new TV.

If you are in the market for a TV, you better wait a week or so until prices start dropping. If you aren't looking for a Sony brand LCD, put your purchase on hold until the end of the month to let manufacturers and retailers catch up to the price drops. There are few things more annoying than seeing the TV you just set up at home 25% cheaper a week later. If you have already purchased an HD TV be sure to check on the price guarantee many big box retailers have. If it looks like you will run out of time before your new Sony's price is corrected you may want to return it and pick one up when the price drops, watch out for restocking fees if you go this route.

 

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]]>bargainHDTVprice dropPriceDropSonyJosh Smith2008-05-02T10:00:00+00:00Beat eBay's selling charges with Wigixhttp://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/30/beat-ebays-selling-charges-with-wigix/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/30/beat-ebays-selling-charges-with-wigix/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/30/beat-ebays-selling-charges-with-wigix/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you've ever bought an item off eBay, then you probably know about the misery of snipers. Just when you think that you're about to get the cell phone you wanted at an incredibly cheap price, some scumbucket sweeps in and outbids you by a lousy fifty cents. You find yourself staring at the screen, empty handed, as you beat your breast, tear out your hair, and cry to the heavens, wondering how the universe could be so cruel.

Having been both a buyer and a seller, I have learned that the misery of eBay cuts both ways. No matter how much research you do, how carefully you craft your posting, the ultimate price of your item depends upon the whims of the markets. Sometimes, last-minute bidding will drive your item's price through the roof. Other times, it just lies there like a slug, not doing much at all.

What makes this even worse is the fact that most items have a reasonable range values, a truth that seems to elude many eBay patrons. As a buyer, you often find yourself getting outbid on items because some maroon in Outer Bumpkinville hasn't done his research and is willing to massively overpay on a cell phone. On the other hand, as a seller, you sometimes find yourself getting rid of items for far less than they're worth because your listing isn't as slick as one put up by a professional salesman.

Ideally, eBay would pair buyers and sellers in an exchange-style market, where they would be able to determine the best price for an item at any given time. They wouldn't be undermined by the pressures of uninformed buyers or boring webpages. In the absence of these distractions, the ultimate sale would lack some of the drama of eBay, but would be a little more satisfying for all concerned.

Of course, the exchange method has some inherent limitations. First off, the items in question would have to be identical, or at least easily graded. Otherwise, the exchange structure wouldn't work. After all, if every item was different, then the exchange's attempt to derive a perfect, consistent price would be undermined by inconsistencies in the product. Thus, while this wouldn't be a useful method for selling art or curios, it would be perfect for selling things like cell phones, clocks, computers, and other mass-produced consumer goods.

There have already been attempts to develop this sort of exchange structure. For example, Yoonew has set up an exchange for sports tickets, in which users can sell ticket futures for championship games. However, people who are interested in selling other items have been out of luck. Until now.

James Chong, a former Charles Schwab online designer, is in the process of unveiling Wigix, a new online trading platform. Basically an online exchange, Wigix makes it possible to buy and sell an almost endless variety of items, from first-generation iPods to Burberry bags. The site doesn't charge listing fees, and only collects a payment on transactions that go through. While the site won't offer the incredible bargains and occasional windfalls that one sometimes gets on eBay, it will offer a consistently reasonable price for any of the items that it lists.

According to a recent interview, Chong hopes to add in additional features, such as a ticker that constantly updates the prices of items and a feature that makes it possible to view the history of price fluctuations. This would be very useful; in addition to letting you know how well your cell phone is holding its value, the history analysis could give you useful information about the health of a company. For example, if all Verizon cell phones started dropping in price, it could indicate a problem with Verizon's stock.

I'm looking forward to seeing where Wigix goes. Learning from eBay, Chong is apparently trying to build numerous levels of interactivity into Wigix. Ultimately, some users will become "homesteaders," working on the site and sharing some of the revenue. This is a pretty revolutionary concept for eCommerce, and I hope it works out. Of course, eBay will probably end up buying Wigix in a couple of years, after which it will either integrate the site into its existing structure or will allow it to wither on the vine, as it did with Half.com. In the meanwhile, though, it's nice to see someone putting a fresh face on interactive sales!

Bruce Watson is a freelance writer, blogger, and all-around cheapskate. Right now, he's wondering how much an Amazon Kindle Personal Reader is going for on Wigix...

 

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]]>ebayonline auctionsOnlineAuctionsselling onlineSellingOnlinewigixBruce Watson2008-04-30T12:30:00+00:00Is genetic testing right for you?http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/29/is-genetic-testing-right-for-you/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/29/is-genetic-testing-right-for-you/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/29/is-genetic-testing-right-for-you/#commentsFiled under: , ,

There's a lot of confusion out there about genetic testing, which probably explains why the American College of Medical Genetics recently issued a statement and some guidelines aimed at consumers thinking of paying for a genetic test, according to ScienceDaily.com.

Apparently, the college is worried because some folks might order the tests on their own, without a doctor's involvement, and suddenly they're convinced that they're going to die of some terrible disease within the month. They don't say that, of course. They give a dry, very grown-up and responsible commentary:

"Just because a genetic test exists, it does not mean it is right for everyone or even right for anyone," says Michael S. Watson, PhD, FACMG, executive director of the American College of Medical Genetics. "Medical genetic counseling, testing and treatments offer tremendous possibilities for the future of health care and genetic medicine will continue to play an increasing role in the timely prevention, diagnosis and treatment of genetic disorders but as in any new and changing field, there is a lot of misinformation out there and more research to be done. Consumers need to be cautious and always involve their health care provider, and in some cases a medical geneticist or genetic counselor, in their decisions about genetic testing."

So if you are thinking about doing any genetic testing, here are their recommendations, please take these suggestions to heart first.

1. A knowledgeable health professional should be involved in the process of ordering and interpreting a genetic test.
2. The consumer should be fully informed regarding what the test can and cannot say about his or her health.
3. The scientific evidence on which a test is based should be clearly stated.
4. The clinical testing laboratory must be accredited by CLIA, the State and/or other applicable accrediting agencies.
5. Privacy concerns must be addressed.

Probably the most important reason to think carefully about doing genetic testing is due to #5, which I'm pretty sure refers to the age-old question: "If I get a genetic test that shows I was predisposed to have a disease, will my health insurance carrier deny me coverage because they consider that evidence of a pre-existing condition?"

And, of course, we know that a health insurance company would never, ever do that.

Geoff Williams is a business journalist and the author of C.C. Pyle's Amazing Foot Race: The True Story of the 1928 Coast-to-Coast Run Across America (Rodale).

 

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]]>dna testingDnaTestinggenetic testingGeneticTestingparentage testingParentageTestingpaternity testingPaternityTestingGeoff Williams2008-04-29T11:30:00+00:00Telecommuting could save America $4.5 billionhttp://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/28/telecommuting-could-save-america-4-5-billion/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/28/telecommuting-could-save-america-4-5-billion/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/28/telecommuting-could-save-america-4-5-billion/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The American Electronics Association released a report last week as part of Earth Day celebrations making a strong case for telecommuting. The study found that if all employees in the U.S. whose positions allowed it worked from home two days a week the demand for gasoline would drop by 1.35 billion gallons!

The report also addresses many of the concerns managers have with their underlings telecommuting, dispelling several, and providing additional reasons for companies to support working from home. The strongest reasons other than cost savings are that working from home improves both employee retention and productivity.

For many employees, the technology to enable telecommuting is already available. Possibly one of the biggest hurdles is the need for a secure connection to the work network, known as a VPN, but in recent years these have become more common. Off the shelf solutions such as LogMeIn and GoToMyPC provide secure connections and are easy to set up, providing a link to a computer already on the network. This leaves just the need for a laptop, miscellaneous office equipment and a high speed Internet connection to complete the telecommuter's home office.

I would love to be able to work from home for a few days a week at my day job as a database administrator. I currently commute about 40 miles round trip, and while I carpool, I am still spending a nice chunk of my monthly take home on gas. In my case, the technology is all in place, and as for home office equipment, I'd be willing to use my own technology to work from home a few days a week. Unfortunately working from home is still looked at warily by my employer, though given the green initiatives in place at work; this report may be just what I need. I guess I'll be doing a mass emailing in the morning! I think I'll need support from the president to get this one green lit.

What do you all think? Do your employers allow you to telecommute? Why or why not? Let's hear from you.

 

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]]>benefitsfeaturedsaving moneySavingMoneytelecommutingVPNwork from homeWorkFromHomeJosh Smith2008-04-28T17:00:00+00:00Cash for junk cell phones, PaceButler.comhttp://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/27/cash-for-junk-cell-phones-pacebutler-com/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/27/cash-for-junk-cell-phones-pacebutler-com/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/27/cash-for-junk-cell-phones-pacebutler-com/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

phoneThe Daily Deal for Sunday, April 27, 2008

I went into work Friday and set my lunch box down next to an advertisement that caught my eye right away. It claimed that you can turn used cell phones into real money. After researching the offer a little bit, I've determined that it sure looks legitimate to me. Pace Butler Corporation claims it will buy your used cell phones for cold hard cash.

The company website is clear and simple. The process works in four easy steps. Just gather the cell phones that you want to sell, print out a prepaid postage shipping label, box the phones up and ship them, then get a check. The company states that your check will be issued within four business days.

Many of the phones on their payment list will only garner you a few dollars, and some only pay .50 cents. However, there are models which will get you as much as $50. You can check out their payment values on this list (PDF file). Just a few of the higher paying models are Motorola's Q9m and Q9h, each paying $50. If you have a Nextel i580, that model pays $30. The LG CU515 and CU575 each get you $35. There's a whole range of the Blackberry 8000 series which will net you anywhere from $10 to $50 apiece.

Nowhere on the website did I see mention of cell phone condition as a requirement for payment but I assume that they want the phones to be all in one piece. They also offer assistance with cell phone collection drives and will help you with cell phone collection fund raisers. If you just want to find out where to send your dead cell phones to keep them out of the landfill, they have a link to help with shipping 3 or more phones for recycling.

I think Pace Butler is really in step with responsible consumerism and assuming that it's completely legitimate, I believe this whole concept is an extremely timely idea.


 

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]]>batteriesbatteryBlackberrycell phoneCellPhonecollectionfund raisingFundRaisingland fillLandFillLGlg electronicsLgElectronicsmotorolamotorola razrMotorolaRazrNextelPace ButlerPaceButlerrecycleGary E. Sattler2008-04-27T00:01:00+00:00McAfee Virus Scan Plus 2008 OEM with SiteAdvisor™, AntiVirus, AntiSpyware & Firewall - Essential & Proactive PC Protectionhttp://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/26/mcafee-virus-scan-plus-2008-oem-with-siteadvisor-antivirus-an/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/26/mcafee-virus-scan-plus-2008-oem-with-siteadvisor-antivirus-an/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/26/mcafee-virus-scan-plus-2008-oem-with-siteadvisor-antivirus-an/#commentsFiled under: ,

If your computer needs new anti-virus protection, I have got a deal for you.

Yesbuy.net is offering McAfee Virus Scan Plus 2008 OEM with SiteAdvisor[TM], AntiVirus, AntiSpyware & Firewall - Essential & Proactive PC Protection for $8.45 with free shipping.

This software will set you back $23.49 on Amazon. Here are a few of the features:
  • 3-in-1 PC protection from viruses, hackers, and spyware
  • Integrated anti-virus, firewall, and anti-spyware technologies
  • Essential protection for surfing the Web and downloading files safely
  • Simplifies security with the new and improved McAfee SecurityCenter
  • Blocks and removes threats automatically; shields PC around the clock
Caveat emptor: the Amazon reviews vary wildly. Some reviewers call it "outstanding, while others describe the customer service as horrendously bad. The 9 reviews resulted in an average of 3 stars, hardly anything to brag about. But for $8.45, it's worth a try.

 

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]]>anti-viruscomputerMcAfeePCZac Bissonnette2008-04-26T00:00:00+00:00Find cheap new music at Amie Streethttp://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/25/find-cheap-new-music-at-amie-street/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/25/find-cheap-new-music-at-amie-street/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/25/find-cheap-new-music-at-amie-street/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

recordFinding new music that isn't played on Top 40 radio can be difficult, especially in areas without an independent record store or a radio station not owned by Clear Channel. Purchasing a new album can be exciting but you also risk not enjoying the new artist. Purchase enough new music and you're bound to waste a significant chunk of change on duds.

A few months ago I found a cool new website which carries loads of independent artists and prices their songs in a manner which is great for anyone searching for new artists. Amie Street has a community driven pricing model with songs ranging from free to 98 cents. This model makes checking out a new artist easier than grabbing your morning coffee at Starbucks. The catalog covers a large range of music and even includes some well known artists, though you will likely be paying full price for their albums. As the artist or song becomes more popular the price will rise so you are rewarded for trying something new!Another cool aspect is the "Rec" feature Amie Street uses for recommending new artists. After you purchase new music you have the opportunity to use your recommendations to gain store credit for songs which rise in price after you recommend them. The music is DRM free and samples are available for all of the tracks.

Amie Street has provided a special link for WalletPop readers, if you click here to join Amie Street; you get $3 in store credit and 3 "Rec's" for free.

I received no compensation for writing this post and I will not blog about anything I am paid to promote. That's how we roll here at WalletPop!

 

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]]>albumsartistscommunityDRMindependentMusicJosh Smith2008-04-25T14:00:00+00:00Nano tech the next big thinghttp://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/25/nano-tech-the-next-big-thing/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/25/nano-tech-the-next-big-thing/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/25/nano-tech-the-next-big-thing/#commentsFiled under:

You've probably heard the term nanotechnology, and perhaps seen products that boast of nanotech. If not, you will soon; according to The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, there are hundreds of products already on the market that use this tech, including toothpastes, wound dressings, food storage containers, pencils, sun screens, ice axes and face cream.

So just what is nanotech? While the term has been co-opted by the sci-fi entertainment industry as an precursor to the nouveau boogey-man (thanks for nothing, StarGate!), the reality is nothing of the sort. Simply put, nanotech takes ordinary compounds and elements and creates very, very, very tiny particles of them, in structures they don't normally occur. Think of rolling out dough, then rolling it into balls for biscuits.

The classic example is the carbon nanotube. To understand the value of the nanotube, first imagine a flat sheet of clay drain tile material. Sit down on it, without any support beneath, and you'd probably end up on the ground with broken tile underneath. Shape that same sheet into a tube, such as a drain pipe, and it will support your weight just fine.


Another reason that nanotech is so valuable is that some materials have different properties at that scale. Silver, for example, becomes an anti-bacterial, the idea behind the Nano Silver Baby Mug Cup. The nano-sized chunks of titanium oxide in a sunscreen allow you to avoid that slathered-in-mayonnaise look at the beach that comes from older sunscreens containing much larger chunks of the oxide.

So nanotech is not something to be feared. I think of it as a modern-day equivalent of the invention of the arch, without which we wouldn't have had the aqueducts, Notre Dame or the Gateway to the West.

 

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]]>nanonano technano technologyNanoTechNanoTechnologyTom Barlow2008-04-25T12:00:00+00:00Stop receiving junk mail and get a buck for doing sohttp://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/25/stop-receiving-junk-mail-and-get-a-buck-for-doing-so/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/25/stop-receiving-junk-mail-and-get-a-buck-for-doing-so/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/25/stop-receiving-junk-mail-and-get-a-buck-for-doing-so/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Josh blogged recently about Catalog Choice, a service that helped him decrease the number of catalogs he received. Another service, GreenDimes, goes this one better. If you sign up, it will help you reduce your junk mail AND pay YOU a dollar for the privilege.

Why the largesse? The company has a war chest of $5 million it has allocated to cut down on the environmental damage wrought by the avalanche of credit card offers, catalogs and sale flyers that jam the nation's mail boxes.

The company's efforts are not all altruism, though. It also sells upgraded services. A $20 premium package will keep your box clean for 3-5 years. It also offers a limited number of environmentally sensitive products such as high-efficiency light bulbs.

I'm fascinated by the for-profit aspect of GreenDimes, and will watch with interest to see if it can make money combating mail proliferation. The fact is that we get junk mail because consumers respond. As a reformed mass mailer, I know the sad fact is that direct mail packages that contain a lot of pieces, including hard-to-recycle decals and the like, work better than bare-bones pitches. Given this, the market GreenDimes is basing its business on should provide it with a steady stream of potential customers.

 

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]]>GreenDimesgreendimes.comTom Barlow2008-04-25T11:00:00+00:00Nonprofit prediction markets: Betting your way to a better worldhttp://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/24/nonprofit-prediction-markets-betting-your-way-to-a-better-world/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/24/nonprofit-prediction-markets-betting-your-way-to-a-better-world/http://www.walletpop.com/2008/04/24/nonprofit-prediction-markets-betting-your-way-to-a-better-world/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you haven't gotten involved in a prediction market yet, this is going to blow your mind...

Essentially, prediction markets are based on the idea that large groups are better than individuals when it comes to determining unknown variables or predicting the possibility of an event. Whether the question is the weight of a pig, the release date on a piece of software, or the identity of the next President, prediction markets, in all likelihood, will be better at "guessing" the outcome than any single individual.

Although they have been around for decades, prediction markets have become really popular over the last few years, due in large part to James Surowiecki's 2004 book, The Wisdom of Crowds, which offered a very detailed historical analysis of both the strengths and weaknesses of these markets. When it came out, Suroweicki's book had a revolutionary effect, changing the way that people looked at everything from elections to how people in crowds react to each other. The repercussions of his research are still playing out.

Prediction markets have proven particularly useful in the workplace. Basically, in a prediction market, individuals make a prediction about the future. They then buy a contract based on that prediction. The contract prices, in turn, fluctuate based on the pressures of the market. Thus, by observing the prices of various contracts, it is possible to predict the outcome of an event. For example, if I were to offer contracts about the Democratic party's Presidential candidate, some people would buy Hilary Clinton contracts and others would buy Barack Obama contracts. As they bought and sold the contracts, the prices would go up or down; the higher the price, the higher the chances of the particular event occurring. Thus, if the price of a $1 Obama contract was $0.89, this would indicate that the crowd thought that Obama had an 89% chance of winning the nomination.

By the way, if you're really interested in prediction markets, Jed Christiansen at Mercury Research and Consulting has produced a video that offers an outstanding explanation.

Recently, NewsFutures, a prediction market coordinator, has opened Bet 2 Give, an online prediction market in which bettors can weigh in on a variety of different events and donate their winnings to charitable causes. Although Bet 2 Give only opened late last year, it's already given more than $1500 to various non-profit groups.

Here are some of Bet 2 Give's current predictions:

  • Chance that the avian flu will reach Europe before it reaches the U.S: 80%
  • Chance that Osama bin Laden will be captured before George Bush leaves office: 15%
  • Chance that the Democrat nominee will win the U.S. Presidency in 2008: 65%
  • Chance that the Republican nominee will win the U.S. Presidency in 2008: 40%
  • Chance that Hilary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee for President in 2008: 20%

Obviously, there are some shortcomings to the prediction market model, but it is still an interesting indicator of future events. Besides, this is the most interesting method I've seen for making charitable contributions.

Bruce Watson is a freelance writer, blogger, and all-around cheapskate. According to Bet2Give, his current chances of winning the Nobel Peace Prize are pegged at way below 1%.

 

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]]>charityfeaturedgivingPredictionBruce Watson2008-04-24T09:00:00+00:00