Tag Archives: money

Friday Tidbits -04-12-13

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I’m offline much of this weekend (starting today) going to Ladies Rock Camp, so here is a selection of tidbits previously posted to my Facebook Page as they didn’t turn into full blog posts:

Quick iPhone tip  If you need to charge up your iPhone while away from your computer and lacking a direct outlet plug, before plugging into another person’s computer make sure to do this: open iTunes on the computer, go to Preferences -> Devices and enable the checkbox for “Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically.” Why? so that things like your voice memos don’t get transferred to their computer!

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Don’t Use A Debit Card As A Credit Card

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If you have a debit (aka “ATM”) card associated with your checking account chances are that it sports a MasterCard or Visa logo. You may use it to pay for purchases as if it is a credit card when the merchant does not use a debit keypad for entering your PIN to authenticate the transaction. You may also use it for most other transactions that require a credit card online.

This is very convenient, especially if you only want to spend real money in your checking account rather than accumulate debt on a credit card. But there’s a very good reason NOT to use your debit card as a credit card.

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Math Tip For Your Holiday Discount Shopping

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Don’t make this mistake when shopping:

Twitter exchange with AFP re calculating sale prices

In other words, a percentage discount on an already-discounted item is not additive. Another example:

– A leather coat’s original retail price is $400

– The store has marked it as being 25% off: 25% of $400 = $100, so the price is now $300

– The store gives you a coupon/code good for 25% off one purchase

– Do you now get 50% off the coat’s original $400 price? No! Unless the offer specifically states the % off is off of the original price, it is calculated on the current purchasing price.

– So NOT 50% of $400 = $200

– But:

  •  25% of $400 = $100, so current price = $300
  • 25% of $300 = $75, so your price with coupon = $225