It’s hard to trust anything that comes to us via email, phone or text. After a trip to Florida with a rental car, EZPass kindly texted me to let me know that I owed tolls. It sounded legit. It wasn’t. I’ve since read more about this one. Someone pretending to be EZPass texts to say […]
We’re Under Attack! Tips For Keeping Safe Online Read More »
It seems like everything I shop for offers some sort of protection plan or extended warranty. I just booked a 3 day trip to Nantucket. Expedia offered me trip protection for about $50. I looked at the Amazon Fire TV Stick. It’s $59.99. I can protect my purchase for 2 years for $4.49, which is
Do I Need An Extended Warranty? Read More »
I’ve been doing some thinking over the past few days. I’m retired – got nothin’ else to do. I thought about the recent posts I’ve written. My first posts are about mutual funds, budgets, credit cards, loans and retirement plans; helping readers understand them so that they can use them to their advantage. Next I
A Common Theme – Manipulation Read More »
Imagine if that were true. We’ve seen it on TV and movies but really think about how you would react if you noticed that someone were behind you while driving. You saw them again the next day. You go shopping, they’re there. Pick the kids up at school, there they are. Frightening. The Internet Heard
Someone Is Following You! Read More »
I’ve saved for retirement throughout my whole working career. Even when I had first started working and I was buying my first home and starting a family, I made sure to contribute to my 401k. To me, this has always been one of the great features of a 401k. The money magically came out of
How Much Have You Saved? Can You Prove It? Read More »
In keeping with the “someone’s watching me” theme for 2025, let’s talk about Google. I have mixed feelings. They provide gmail, maps, search and lots of other free tools. I have a Nest thermostat and my GOOGL shares from 2013 are up over 1,000%. There is a lot to like. But Google’s parent Alphabet makes
Google Knows More Than it Should. Here’s How to Fight Back. Read More »
Sounds creepy, right? It is. I’ve written a lot about scams, data brokers and the many ways that criminals are trying to take advantage of us. In my first post of 2025, I talked about setting up a credit freeze to protect from identity theft. It’s a great way to ensure that someone who has
Your Internet and Cell Providers Are Watching! Read More »
That’s a troubling thought. Happy New Year to you too! So, how do I know this? I’m mister tinfoil hat. I don’t trust anyone online. Or anywhere. I use a password manager. No duplicate passwords. All passwords look like this: @NqiieeMF3V3LpV_n3pm6VXHkoe-9. I use a VPN, even at home because I don’t trust myself. I was
Someone Has Your SSN Read More »
As paranoid as this sounds, it is, unfortunately, true. OK, maybe not that guy who was helping the old lady across the street today, but there are lots of people who would love to get ahold of your cash. Computers, smartphones and the internet have done wonders for criminals. Today’s Excitement I’ve talked about how
Yes, Everyone Is Trying To Steal Your Money. Here’s What To Do Read More »
There has been a lot of election and political news lately, in case you haven’t noticed. And for those who thought this would die down after the election, I’m sorry. Is there an end? Probably not. Print news is dying. Online news sites struggle with competition from Netflix and a thousand other streaming services as
Stay Calm and Tune Out Read More »