From Kim Komando at Komando.com

Linda wrote in from Rogers, AR. She catches my show on KFAY 1030 AM. She is looking for some ways to make money at home. She’s heard quite a bit about the Google Home Business Kit. She would like more information, along with my opinion of it.

Google has a lot of cool services, Linda. But it doesn’t offer a work-from-home kit. The sites promoting these kits simply capitalize on Google’s name. That should be your first clue that something is wrong. The sites are full of unsubstantiated claims. They don’t say what’s in the kit. Nor do they tell you what type of work you would be doing. That is another hallmark of a scam.

I have a pretty good idea of what’s in the kit. It will help you set up a site to sell the kit to more people. You may pay $30 for the kit. Or, you may only pay a few dollars for shipping and handling. Either way, you’re enrolled in a monthly subscription. Good luck trying to cancel that!

I would stay away from this one. There are much better ways to make money from home.

Want to work from home? Start a blog or open an online store. Or, there are sites where you can sell your photos, crafts and music. Visit my Money Center to get started.

This isn’t the only online scam going, of course. I have some great tips that will protect you from other scams:

• Watch out for sweetheart scams
• Avoiding the latest threats and scams
• Give to a charity, not a scammer

For more great tips and information, please visit Komando.com

***Please note:  I am not affiliated with Kim Komando or Komando.com in any way, nor am I receiving any compensation for this post.

~Sandy G.

Financial data is easy target for scammers

From ConsumerAffairs.com

Scammers often target job-seekers because they are usually very likely to provide requested information. But law enforcement officials are warning job applicants about a recent scam in which criminals posing as employers ask for copies of their personal credit reports.

“Credit reports contain a wealth of background information about consumers, including social security numbers, summaries of bank and credit card accounts, employment history, current and previous addresses and other details that are extremely valuable to con artists,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett. “Falling for Internet job schemes can be a double threat — leaving victims unemployed and struggling to untangle a web of financial problems caused by identity theft.”

“Corbett noted that con artists are using Internet postings and email messages to circulate ads for high paying part-time work as personal assistants, check processors and a variety of other work-at-home positions.

FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

~Sandy G.

By Scott Allen, Mental_Floss.com

During difficult economic times, the cost of higher education leaves many students wondering if they can afford to go to college. For those who want to avoid being saddled with huge loans, the U.S. government offers one of the best deals around: Enroll at one of the five service academies tuition-free and receive free room and board. (And you thought the Grand Slam promotion at Denny’s was cool.) But if military service isn’t for you, here are eight other schools that offer tuition-free educations:

1. College of the Ozarks

 

Several schools share the “Linebacker U” and “Quarterback U” monikers in reference to the NFL talent that their college football programs produce, but the only “Hard Work U” is located in Point Lookout, Missouri. In 1973, a Wall Street Journal reporter bestowed that title on the College of the Ozarks, where students pay no tuition and work at least 15 hours a week at a campus work station. Jobs are taken seriously at the school of 1,400; students are graded on their work performance in addition to their academics.

2. Deep Springs College

 

Deep Springs is a two-year, all-male liberal arts college located on a cattle ranch and alfalfa farm in the Inyo-White Mountains of California’s High Desert. To get an idea of just how isolated the school is, consider the explanation for its policy forbidding smoking in any of the school’s buildings or near hay bales: “We’re 45 minutes from the nearest emergency services, so a fire could be disastrous.” Every student admitted – 10 to 15 per year – receives free tuition, room, and board, and works at least 20 hours a week on the ranch. The manual labor ranges from washing dishes to milking cows. Most students complete their degrees at prestigious four-year schools after leaving Deep Springs.

FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

~Sandy G.

By Alonna Friedman, InStyle.com

Hair myths circulate like urban legends, but which horror stories are just hype? Before you toss your favorite shampoo or swear off color, separate fact from fiction.

1. True or False? Frequent Trims Make Your Hair Grow Faster

FALSE.   “Hair grows from the roots, not the tips,” says Michael Wright, senior research scientist at Nexxus Salon Hair Care. A trim removes split ends to prevent them from moving farther up the hair shaft, saving you from having to cut more to eliminate the damage. Keep your hair healthy in the first place with conditioning treatments and sun and heat protectors, says Saurabh Desai, principal scientist at Aveeno Nourish+.

2. True or False? Brushing Your Hair Often Makes It Healthier                                                                               

FALSE.   Brushing your hair 100 times before bed won’t make your hair look any better. In fact, it might make it look worse. “Over-brushing can dull hair by destroying the cuticle, as well as causing split ends and breakage,” says Desai. And using the wrong tool could further harm hair. In general, plastic and metal bristles can weaken the hair cuticle and cause damage or static and flyaways, so consider switching to a gentle brush with natural boar bristles. “Stick to just enough brushing to keep your hair from becoming tangled — the brush should be able to move through the hair with ease,” says N.Y.C. celebrity hairstylist Miok. For some, that might mean as little as a few strokes just once or twice a day.

FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

~Sandy G.

By Jada A. Graves, U.S. News & World Report

Knowing where to place your bets with a used car can be tricky. The horror stories are all too common — the pieced-together parts, the unexplained and unexpected sounds and smells, the bodies in the trunk …

Okay. Maybe the last one isn’t quite as common.

But buying used doesn’t have to be such a gamble if you do your research. There’s a wealth of online information available that can make it easier to avoid a lemon. With the federal government’s vehicle defect notices and J.D. Power and Associates’ reliability data the most common mechanical issues are all easy to trace. In addition, U.S. News’ used car listings make the search easier for the best used car options in your area.

But we’ve already done at that research to help you narrow down your choices. Check out our list of the best and worst used cars. Remember, while this list is a good start, all used cars are different. Before buying, make sure you give any used car — even one on our best list — a thorough inspection.

FOR COMPLETE STORY AND LIST OF BEST & WORST USED CARS, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

~Sandy G.

From Kim Komando’s Tip Of The Day

Q.   I am at an age where orientation plays major tricks on my mind. At times, when I am done shopping, I’ve forgotten where I parked. Is there a GPS device that will help me find my car? This device needs to be very user-friendly and simple.   —Linda in Honolulu, listening on KHVH 830 AM

A.   We all need a little help finding our car from time to time. That’s true no matter our age.

If you already have a GPS unit, you should be set. Add a waypoint in the GPS unit before leaving your car. Take the GPS unit with you. To find your car, navigate to the waypoint.

The steps for adding a waypoint vary. Manually adding one every time you park can quickly become a hassle.

Some GPS units automatically add waypoints when removed from their mounts.

Garmin makes a number of GPS units with this feature. They start around $400. Look for units featuring Garmin Locate. I could not find a similar feature from other manufacturers.

You needn’t purchase a full-fledged GPS unit. There are GPS gadgets designed specifically to help you return to a location.

FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

***Please note:  I am not affiliated with Kim Komando or Komando.com in any way, nor am I receiving any compensation for this post.

~Sandy G.

8 ‘freebies’ for new-home buyers

By Fred Minnick, Bankrate.com

In this tough economy, builders would rather give stuff away than sit on unsold homes and condos. And that’s great news for new-construction homebuyers.

Rhonda Duffy, owner of Duffy Realty in Atlanta, says a builder’s whole career could rest on whether he or she sells one house.

“Builders used up all their construction loan money, and they’re sitting on properties. So they can’t build any more houses because they’ve got to sell these first,” says Duffy.

These desperate times translate into 5-percent to 20-percent discounts immediately off the asking price, says Jason Pohlonski, owner of Pohlonski Real Estate Investments in Chicago. Later in the year, prices could drop to 40 percent below the original price, Pohlonski says.

The seller’s concessions don’t stop at the asking price. Brian Lewis, executive vice president of Halstead Property in New York City, says it’s been more than a decade since buyers have felt this kind of power, and they’re using it to score great deals. “They are not necessarily falling in love with homes. They are falling in love with deals,” Lewis says.

Some experts say the freebies are built into the price. Nonetheless, Lewis says, “Ask for everything you want.”

FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

~Sandy G.

From Komando.com

It’s great to be able to share photos online. But are you sharing more than just images?

Your photo files actually contain hidden information. This is called EXIF data. Most of it is pretty innocuous. It includes the date and time the photo was taken. The model and serial number of the camera are recorded. And depending on the camera, the settings you used may also be stored.

But many people geotag photos. This mates photos with GPS data. Each photo is tagged with the location it was taken. This lets you stick your vacation photos on a map. It’s pretty neat.

Some digital cameras and camera phones automatically geotag photos. Or, you can buy a separate GPS device. For some examples, check out this tip.

GPS information is stored in the EXIF data. The data goes with your photos when they’re uploaded to photo-sharing sites.

Photo navigation

Navigation companies have started looking at this data. Garmin’s nuvi 265T lets you download geotagged photos to the device. It will direct you to where the photo was taken.

That’s great for sight-seeing vacations. But could it be used by criminals?

Imagine uploading photos of your kids at school. Theoretically, predators could get those photos online. They would know what your kids look like. And they’d have precise directions to their school.

Need another scary scenario? Thieves could get directions to your house. And they’d know exactly what was worth taking.

Don’t panic

Don’t panic just yet. Photo navigation is still limited. It appears on a handful of devices from Garmin, Mio and Navman. And the Navman unit is hard to find in the United States.

Furthermore, these devices can’t pull from just any photo-sharing site. Mio and Navman devices use NavPix. And Garmin relies on Google’s Panoramio. It’s doubtful you use either. And they have strict guidelines that often exclude personal snapshots. They’re mostly for photos of landmarks and tourist attractions.

But manufacturers are looking to expand into more popular sites like Flickr. And you may have plenty of personal photos there.

What to do

The most important thing is to know exactly what is geotagged. Your trip to the Grand Canyon is probably fine. Your kids playing in the backyard probably shouldn’t be tagged.

Worrying about turning geotagging on and off is a little annoying. And it’s easy to forget. A better idea is to edit EXIF data on your computer. You can remove geotagging before uploading your photos.

Many photo-editing programs let you edit EXIF data. But finding the right tools can sometimes be hard. There are several programs that make it easy. Try EXIF-O-Matic, XnView or Irfanview. Or you can edit it right in Windows Explorer with Microsoft Photo Info.

You may need to go through your photo-sharing accounts. Pull down inappropriately tagged photos. Clean them, then upload them again. Also, be discriminating when uploading photos. Don’t post anything you wouldn’t want the whole world seeing.

More tips on GPS:

• GPS units help with travel
• Using GPS to track the teens while driving
• Find GPS for your laptop

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND OTHER GREAT TIPS, PLEASE CHECK OUT KOMANDO.COM

***Please note:  I am not affiliated with Kim Komando or Komando.com in any way, nor am I receiving any compensation for this post.

~Sandy G.

Be courteous by using BCC

From Komando.com

This week, I got an e-mail from Bob. He suggested that I remind people to use BCC. That’s a good idea! Spammers just hate BCC!

Bob is referring specifically to e-mails that spread Internet legends. We’ve all received them, and they’re almost all hoaxes. But people insist on telling everyone they know.

Once the letters make a few stops, they are loaded with e-mail addresses. Spammers can collect those addresses. Next thing, you’ll be getting spam to expand certain body parts.

I don’t recommend that you pass Internet legends on. After all, your friends are probably busy. They may think your e-mail is less than pressing.

But if you’re going to pass them on, employ a couple courtesies. First, use BCC. That stands for blind carbon copy. Every e-mail program offers this option. By using it, only your e-mail address will show.

Let me tell you how it works in Microsoft Outlook. Click New to open a blank e-mail form. Rather than putting an address in the box, click on To:. A window will open. At the bottom, you’ll see To, CC, and BCC. Put your address in the To: box. In the BCC: box, enter all of the other addresses.

Anyone who sees this e-mail will see only your address. The others will be hidden. The people on your list will be grateful.

FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

**This is a good idea for all emails, not just the Internet legends.

~Sandy G.

FROM KOMANDO TIP OF THE DAY 

How high is your cell phone bill? If your children have cell phones, it’s probably not cheap. And if they’re heavy texters (aren’t they all?), it could get worse. U.S. cellular providers are hiking their messaging fees.

It might be time to reevaluate your current plan. Some providers have per-message fees as high as 20 cents. Some children send upward of 1,000 text messages a month. It can be a hefty addition to your bill.

Service providers are promoting their messaging bundles. These give you a certain number of texts for a monthly charge. But choosing among bundles isn’t easy. You’ll need to evaluate your usage. Your bill should contain this information. And remember that your texting will fluctuate month to month.

Per-message fees

If you don’t choose a bundle, you’ll pay the per-message fee. Or, if you exceed your bundled messages, you’ll start paying the per-message fee.

Before you get started, you must understand your options. And that can be confusing. So, let me show you what’s out there.

In general, there are two types of plans, single and family. Family plans can have multiple lines on one bill. There are different messaging options and restrictions for both.

FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

***Please note:  I am not affiliated with Kim Komando or Komando.com in any way, nor am I receiving any compensation for this post.

~Sandy G.

Is overclocking a good idea?

From Kim Komando’s Tip Of The Day

Q.   My son is an avid gamer. We have a relatively new computer, but he says it isn’t fast enough for his games. So he wants to overclock the machine so it will run faster. I’m not sure what overclocking is. Can you explain it to me? Should I let him do it?

A.   Many gamers and computer geeks overclock their machines. I really don’t recommend it, though. Overclocking can damage your computer. And you can kiss your warranty goodbye.

Done correctly, overclocking increases a computer’s performance. Basically, computer hardware is tweaked to run at a higher clock rate. That is the rate at which a computer performs operations. It is measured in cycles per second (hertz).

Several components can be overclocked–the processor, the memory and the graphics processor. Overclocking is done by changing settings on the motherboard.

Before selling a component, manufacturers perform functionality tests for worst-case conditions. A component must be able to operate at or above a given clock rate under these conditions.

Take, for example, a 2.0 gigahertz processor. It must operate at 2.0 GHz, even at the highest allowed temperature and lowest power voltages.

The processor could potentially run at 3.0 GHz. For this to happen, the temperature at which the machine operates would likely need to decrease. And the power voltage might need a boost.

That’s where overclocking comes in. Many motherboards allow you to change these settings. You do it through the BIOS.

You can overclock a processor one of two ways. The easiest way is to increase the CPU multiplier. Say you change the multiplier for that 2.0 GHz processor to 1.5. The processor would run at 3.0 GHz.

On most processors the multiplier is locked. So, overclockers often have to take the second approach. They change the speed of the front side bus (FSB).

The FSB is the system clock. Changing the speed of the FSB changes the CPU clock rate. It also changes how fast data moves between the RAM and processor.

Changing the FSB is tricky. It can cause the system to crash. So overclockers generally need to change the RAM and voltage settings.

Overclocking involves a lot of trial and error—mostly error. Basically, you must increase the speeds and voltages until the computer fails. Then you scale the settings back to the highest speed that doesn’t cause the computer to crash.

As I said, overclocking can damage a computer. As you increase voltage and component speeds, heat increases. The heat can cause components to fail, or even melt.

To counteract the heat, overclockers add sophisticated cooling systems. Many are liquid-based. They act much like a car’s radiator.

Your son must do his research before overclocking your computer. There are many sites online dedicated to overclocking. He can probably find the optimum settings for overclocking your components.

But, again, I wouldn’t do it. His alternative might be a computer designed for gaming. Or, look at gaming consoles—they’re much cheaper than gaming computers.

FOR MORE TIPS AND INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT KOMANDO.COM

***Please note:  I am not affiliated with Kim Komando or Komando.com in any way, nor am I receiving any compensation for this post.

~Sandy G.

Issuer may help jobless cardholder

By Leslie McFadden

Dear Credit Card Adviser,

Like many Americans, I have just recently been laid off from my job. I was employed with the same company for nine years and have a credit score in the 740s. Is there any way for me to have the credit card company help me through this difficult period by reducing or eliminating the interest portion of my payments? They have, in fact, done the opposite during the past two months by doubling my interest rate for absolutely no reason, as I have a perfect payment history. I would like to try and find a way out of this mess that would not damage my good credit, or at least not destroy it too much. I feel if the credit card company could eliminate my interest portion for 12 to 18 months, I could salvage this mess until I get back into employment.
– Tom

Dear Tom,

I don’t know that you’ll get your card company to withhold finance charges for a year or so, but you might get a temporary reduction in the interest rate if you call and explain your situation. You didn’t tell me who your issuer is, but some of the major card companies are offering hardship programs for struggling borrowers.

They’re working with consumers directly in an effort to salvage accounts headed for default.

Several chief players teamed up last week to raise awareness about their hardship programs in a campaign called Help With My Credit. On the Web site, Helpwithmycredit.org, participating companies provide direct phone numbers to their loss-mitigation departments. You could also call the number on the back of your card.

I contacted several card companies about their hardship programs and they supplied the following information.

FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

~Sandy G.

Top ways to trim college costs

By Joseph Hurley, CPA

Dear College Money Guru,

I’m only 15 years old, but after watching my parents put my sister through college, I realize they’re going to need help. Since I don’t have a college fund, how can I save or put away money strictly for college?
– Tori

Dear Tori,

It’s wonderful (but, alas, not too common) that you are thinking ahead and looking to save for college. Many parents struggle to afford college for their children, and your folks will appreciate anything you do to help.

The most effective way to help your parents is to make colleges want you as their student. That means taking on a challenging high school curriculum, achieving high grades, scoring well on standardized tests, such as the SAT and ACT, and becoming a leader outside the classroom in one or more activities for which you demonstrate a passion.

Those activities can involve music, sports, volunteerism, politics, international travel and just about anything else that will make your college application stand out.

Most of the Ivy League schools have recently revised their aid policies and are spending more of their endowments to make college affordable for moderate-income families.

For example, if Harvard accepts you for admission, and your family income is below $180,000, your annual cost at that school will be capped at 10 percent of your family income. And Harvard is just one example.

FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

~Sandy G.

Check taxpayer rights with one click

By Kay Bell

Few people are looking for a fight with the Internal Revenue Service. But if you do happen to have problems with the agency this tax season — or anytime — there’s a Web site you can visit for help.

The IRS has placed all taxpayer rights information in one Internet location. Its Taxpayer Rights Corner consolidates data that previously was scattered throughout the agency’s main Web site.

Created as a “one-stop taxpayer shop,” the site was created by the reorganized agency to meet congressional orders that taxpayers receive better treatment. Web topics range from basic taxpayer information, to details on IRS examination and collection procedures, to a how-to on getting help from the IRS.

FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.    

FOR TAXPAYER RIGHTS, CLICK HERE.

~Sandy G.

By Jenny McCune

Interest rates haven’t been this low for decades, tempting some consumers to take on additional debt to ease existing credit woes. The goal is to consolidate various higher-interest balances into one, easier-to-handle and less-costly package.

But be careful of what looks to be a quick fix.

“You’re getting symptomatic relief, not a credit cure,” says Chris Viale, general manager of Cambridge Credit Corp., a nonprofit credit counseling agency based in Agawam, Mass.

This fighting-fire-with-fire approach can take several forms. There are debt-consolidation loans, balance transfers to a zero-percent credit card and home equity loans or lines of credit.

But, says Viale, 70 percent of Americans who take out a home equity loan or other type of loan to pay off credit cards end up with the same (if not higher) debt load within two years.

Viale’s statistics underscore a major problem with debt consolidation: It feeds upon the tendencies that got you in trouble in the first place. By taking on yet another creditor, you’re adding the proverbial fuel to the fire. In this case, it’s your money that’s burning.

FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

~Sandy G.