The Chronic Consumer

Usually I’m all about saving money whenever and wherever possible. I love a good bargain as much as the next person, and my rather limited funds makes it imperative that I take advantage of all the discounts I can find.

But I’ve learned the hard way that cutting corners on car insurance isn’t always the smart play. Doing so can lead to unanticipated complications if you ever get into an accident and actually have to make use of your policy. I’m saying this after spending the past two years with a cut-rate, no-frills outfit that was NEVER available to talk me through problems I was having with my policy.

So now I’m looking at going back to a well-known company that can provide customers with a truly comprehensive policy at reasonable rates, and that won’t give them the runaround when it comes time to submit car insurance claims. After all, insurers are supposed to be there in customers’ time of need in order to help, not hinder, the process.

I can’t wait until my current policy expires so I can change providers!

Central Coast Nutraceuticals, makers and purveyors of ACAI Pure, an acai berry supplement, have been told by the FTC to stop selling their products over the Internet. The injunction comes amid numerous complaints from consumers alleging deceptive billing practices. Apparently, the company allegedly offered a free trial in which consumers were asked to provide a credit or debit card number in order to pay a $1.99 shipping fee. But instead of just charging that amount, the company charged the price of a whole bottle of supplements, and also enrolled the unsuspecting consumer in an automatic renewal scheme. Moreover, when customers tried to get refunds, they were only given partial refunds most of the time.

All told, the company allegedly scammed some $30 million in this manner. Their assets are now frozen and have been handed over to a receiver.

Online shopping is a great convenience, and I love it, but scams like this are a good reminder to be very vigilant of the charges on your card.

I’ve talked about my son’s problems with reading, writing, and spelling a few times on this blog, so it should come as no surprise to you that I’ve bought and tested a variety of products that aim to help kids with these skills. One of my recent purchases was this app called Word Magic, which works with both the iPhone and iPad.

Word Magic is a game that helps kids with spelling and word recognition by showing them a picture, and then having them try to guess the correct way to spell the word. So for example, if the word is “wand” as in the picture over there, a voice will say “wand”, and your child must choose the missing letter. There are three options to choose from, so you can play with the first letter missing, the last letter missing, or a random letter missing.

There are various reinforcements (such as stickers and other rewards) given for correct answers, which is fun for kids and helps keep them going.

I think this is a pretty good app for $.99, but don’t think the description in the App Store is accurate. The description says that it is ideal for ages 3-6, but I think it is far too easy for all but a very remedial 6-year-old. The app would be A LOT better if there were a level that left ALL the letters out, thereby allowing the kid to try to spell the whole word.

I don’t feel so bad about this purchase because it was only $.99, but I would recommend it for preschool and kindergarten kids only. If your first-grader can’t solve these puzzles, then you’ll need to provide a lot more help than just this game!

Wow, I just came across a website that sells THE coolest kids toys I’ve ever seen! They’ve got a mini battery-operated Ferrari, like the one in the picture, plus a wide assortment of other power wheels, such as SUVs, motorcycles, quads, go-karts, dune buggies, and more. Looking through the Kids Wheels site makes me wish I could relive my childhood because back when I was young, the most exotic ride available was a Big Wheel. How is that fair?!

I know it’s barely the middle of August, but I’m already shopping around for blankets and stuff for winter. That’s because during spring cleaning this year I tossed out a bunch of old bedding that we’d had for way too long, which means I’m basically starting from scratch in terms of gearing up for cold weather.

Anyway, my list includes a new down comforter, an electric blanket, several regular blankets, and flannel sheets. Hopefully I’ll be able to catch a White Sale between now and November so I can be ready when the weather takes a turn for the worst!

We’re thinking about getting a new TV for the bedroom. Right now we have a 15-year-old CRT (I think that’s what they’re called) model that is truly awful these days. We need to upgrade to an affordable LCD TV or plasma television soon. Actually, it would probably help if we knew the difference between LCD and plasma, which is why we ought to read some tv reviews before we go any further. The last time we bought a new TV was about 5 years ago, and we know the technology has changed significantly since then. Heck, we’ve been seeing 3D TVs in electronic store showrooms, so that could be an option too!

I’ll post again to let you know what we end up buying!

If you’re anything like me, then you love shopping online, but hate paying shipping fees. I have been known to scrap potential purchases if the shipping fees are too high. For instance, I cannot understand the logic of paying $8 for shipping on a $20 t-shirt. That’s 40% of the cost of the product! This mostly happens when places only offer UPS as an option, and I HATE it!

Anyway, I know I’m late to the party, but I’ll be using FreeShipping.org from now on. They specialize in offering free shipping codes for a variety of websites, which gives me a better chance of not having to pay ridiculous fees. I just found them and haven’t had the opportunity to try out any of the codes yet, but I definitely will!!

One of the products I allowed myself to buy after the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup was this Patrick Kane Stanley Cup Finals Locker Room Tee. It’s from Reebok, and is pretty cool, IMO. As you can see from the pic, it says “Blackhawks Hockey” in white across the front, and also features the player’s number, Hawks Indian Head logo, Reebok logo, and NHL shield. The left sleeve has the Stanley Cup Finals logo, and the back has the player’s name and number.

These are the same shirts the players wore in the locker room during the series, and is where I first noticed them. I actually wanted a hooded sweatshirt instead, but didn’t want to spend that much money. This tee was around $22; the hoodies were considerably more expensive.

Anyway, I love this shirt. It is extremely comfortable and has been through the wash several times already without showing any ill effects. It’s one of my favorites for sure! I highly recommend it to any fan who wants something to commemorate the Stanley Cup win. I believe other available players include Toews, Hossa, Keith, Seabrook, and Sharp, so pick your fave and order a shirt now.