viZZZual.com / Flickr
I share five must read blog posts about saving money every Friday.
Avoid bank fees – Find out which seven banks are still offering free checking and great interest rates. (Wisebread)
Feed Fido – Save money on your pet with these homemade dog food recipes. (Money Crashers)
Tax season is near – The Silicon Valley blogger shows you how life events affect your tax status. (The Digerati Life)
Protect yourself -Avoid identity theft by learning about the eight things you should shred right now. (MainStreet)
Home costs – Save money by getting these five fall maintenance jobs checked off your to-do list. (Bargaineering)
Don't let your credit cards turn into a headache. B Rosen / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
With recent breaches of personal data security from Sony, Michael’s, and a Dallas-based email management company, consumers must take steps to keep their information safe. Think you’re untouchable? Take these easy six steps to make sure.
- Monitor accounts – If you notice something out of the ordinary in your bank or credit card statements, give the company a call. Keep an eye out for charges in other states, online transactions, and gas charges. These transactions are the most commonly made by hackers because (more…)
Don Hankins/Flickr
This post is brought to you by Mint.com, a destination for budgeting software.
A friend needed quick advice after discovering – gasp! – fraudulent charges on her combo credit/debit/ATM card. She wrote:
Someone in Massachusetts has taken money directly out of my checking account for shoes and McDonalds! F—–s! I will get the money it back – eventually – but I’m still mad. It has woken me up. I HAVE to stop using an atm/debit card. It’s just an accident waiting to happen. Any suggestions Ms. Bargain Babe?
Yes! Here are seven steps to take if your identity has been stolen.
1. Call your bank immediately and cancel the card if fraud is evident.
2. Call any one of the three credit reporting agencies and ask them to put a fraud alert on your credit report. TransUnion is at 800-680-7289. Equifax is at 800-525-6285. Experian is at 888-397-3742.
3. Call your other credit and debit cards and check for suspicious charges. Ask the company to raise the identity theft awareness level and be very wary of new purchases, especially ones out of state or abroad. Internet purchases often show up as out of state, so ask if they can distinguish in-person charges from online purchases. For example, my friend can prove that she wasn’t grubbing on McDonald’s in Massachusetts so she will be able to get her money back. If you have travel plans, call and make them aware. (This is wise anytime you plan to use your card abroad.)
4. Request a copy of your credit report to make sure no new accounts have been taken out in your name. You can get one free each year through the FTC.
5. Try to figure out how your identity was stolen. It’s possible the thief has not used all the information s/he has. Change your passwords for all your banking accounts and others that may have been compromised.
6. Consider purchasing identity theft insurance or monitoring protection. Shop around to find what fits your needs and budget.
7. The FTC recommends you file a police report in the area where the theft occurred and you file a complaint with the FTC. You can start both of those steps here.
UPDATE: My friend took some of these steps and found out how her information was stolen.
