Every day, you use money and bank cards to pay your daily expenses. But sometimes, you don't have enough cash or you can't find your card back. Two American companies (Venmo and Xipwire) have found a solution for this problem. They made it possible to pay with your cell phone.
How does it work? It isn't difficult. First, you have to register your bank account so Venmo can make a Venmo account. When you go to a shop, you send the amount of payment and also the telephone number of the vendor to Venmo. They send an e-mail to the vendor and he has to accept it before Venmo sends the money.
Xipwire is almost the same. You only have to send a code to the company and they will send a message to the vendor. After this, you have to dial your secret pin code and you've paid for the product. With Xipwire, you also can send money to your friends.
At the moment, both products are free of charge. Next year, you have to pay for a transaction when you're a member of Xipwire.
I believe this is something very special. There was a moment when they tried to use this kind of payment in Belgium. This didn't work because it was too difficult. I would use it if it would come to Belgium.
Conclusion: This is something new. If it works, it will be a huge success. If it won't, it will be another useless attempt to use the cell phone as a mean of payment. We will see what the future brings.
Written by Yorick Stroobant
My source: http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/consumer&id=7410319
donderdag 29 april 2010
Filmmakers fight against piracy
Some filmmakers, represented by the U.S. Copyright Group (USCG), have taken legal action against 20,000 consumers. The filmmakers accuse them of sharing and downloading copyrighted material without permission.
Since the first lawsuit against pirates in 2000, only a few of them pirates were convicted. But the USCG warned that this is just the beginning. They will start more cases against individual consumers.
Piracy has amazingly increased in the last decades. Daily millions of films and songs are downloaded all over the world. The pirates are often very young, mostly between 16 and 24 years old. Filmmakers and musicians are fed up with illegal downloading. Everybody can download their work without paying for it. They definitely want to put an end to these illegal practices.
We all know that illegal downloading is a violation of the law yet we do it nearly every day. Why? We have the feeling that no one can catch us. Do you know people who are already accused of piracy? I don’t! There is no fear. So why should we stop downloading?
I understand the frustration of musicians and filmmakers, they don’t deserve this. But I think it’s already too late to stop it, piracy will only grow more. Those recent lawsuits will punish just a limited part of the illegal downloaders.
By Liesbeth Alliet
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/04/film_piracy.html
zondag 25 april 2010
How to deal with a job loss
Nowadays there are a lot of workers who lost their jobs. If this happens to you, the best thing you can do, is making a plan. Here are some tips you can use which might help you in this unfortunate situation.
Do not panic
If you lose your job and you focus on ‘how will we eat, where will we live’, it will be more difficult to dig out from this situation. The best thing that you can do is to stay calm. You must know that you are not the first person in this situation. Come together with other persons who lost their job can be a good idea. Don’t focus on the negatives but try to help each other to find a way trough this difficult time.
Cut expenses
You need to focus on the essentials to survive with your family and don’t spend on the extras that make your life comfortable. You need to make some choices to help you until you get a regular paying job.
Look for income and work
In spit of the economical crisis there are still jobs on the market. Maybe you might have to settle for a job that pays less or you don’t find a job in the same field that you were before. It is necessary to throw off your priority to find a job that pays. Because you need money for expenses so your family can live and have a small amount of comfortable live. It might be a hard time but you will get through it.
Source: http://www.americanconsumernews.com/2010/04/how-to-deal-with-a-job-loss-3.html
vrijdag 23 april 2010
the shoe box will disappear
Sports brand ‘Puma’ will end the story of the polluting shoe boxes. Puma-shoes will be from now on in environmentally friendly packaging.
Trend watcher Herman Konings said that other companies will follow.
People do a lot with those shoe boxes. One put his old love letters in it, the other his pictures and postcards and another his cat sleeps in it. A shoe box can be multi functional.
The new packaging will be ready at the start of the new year. Puma already asked a patent on it but they will share their technology with others.
Trend watcher Herman Konings said that the time is now to quit with the old fashion shoe boxes. There were times that brands advertised with it but those days are over.
But it’s not only in this sector, also other sectors are looking for recycling bags.
It’s a win win win situation. People live in smaller houses so they don’t have enough place to stock everything. So when the manufacturers make their packaging smaller they respond on the question of the consumers. But smaller packaging is also cheaper for them and they have to use less material.
I think it’s good that they’re looking for better packaging because it’s less polluting. It’s good for the environment. And people will be happy that they doesn’t have to stock those old boxes again. When you can save so much paper just by using recycled plastic than I think that everybody has to look for an idea like that.
Written by: Lamon Sofie (2FV4)
Source: http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=GB62OUTNR
Trend watcher Herman Konings said that other companies will follow.
People do a lot with those shoe boxes. One put his old love letters in it, the other his pictures and postcards and another his cat sleeps in it. A shoe box can be multi functional.
And now it’s going to end because the shoes manufacturers are looking for a environmentally friendly and place saving likelihoods. Puma is the first, with it’s ‘Clever little bag’. It’s nothing more but a folded cardboard in a bright red pocket. The bag is made out of recycled plastic and they can recycle it again. With that bag Puma will economize up to 65% of paper.
The new packaging will be ready at the start of the new year. Puma already asked a patent on it but they will share their technology with others.
Trend watcher Herman Konings said that the time is now to quit with the old fashion shoe boxes. There were times that brands advertised with it but those days are over.
But it’s not only in this sector, also other sectors are looking for recycling bags.
It’s a win win win situation. People live in smaller houses so they don’t have enough place to stock everything. So when the manufacturers make their packaging smaller they respond on the question of the consumers. But smaller packaging is also cheaper for them and they have to use less material.
I think it’s good that they’re looking for better packaging because it’s less polluting. It’s good for the environment. And people will be happy that they doesn’t have to stock those old boxes again. When you can save so much paper just by using recycled plastic than I think that everybody has to look for an idea like that.
Written by: Lamon Sofie (2FV4)
Source: http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=GB62OUTNR
donderdag 22 april 2010
Goodbye winter, hello allergies!
After a very long winter, spring has finally arrived. Away with the caps, the shawls and the warm coats! We’ve longed for sun and warmer weather for such a long time. Unfortunately allergy sufferers aren’t so happy with this weather change.
Because of the long duration of the winter, the pollen allergy sufferers will sneeze and blow one’s nose more than ever before. Therefore Rite Aid, one of the leading drugstore chains in the United States, offers allergy information to the consumers for free. Anyone who suffers from allergies can pick up an allergy guide in his local Rite Aid pharmacy or can visit their website. Rite Aid works together with the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) to provide this information. This allergy information consists of the causes, the symptoms, solutions, etc.
On the one hand I’m glad to know that Rite Aid provides this information at no cost to the American consumer. I’m also sensitive to pollen and I know how annoying an allergy can be. So all the information to decrease or avoid the allergic reactions is welcome. On the other hand I think that Rite Aid only wants to attract more clients and sell more products. It’s a very smart marketing trick. It also builds up the image of the company because the consumers have the feeling that the company really cares about their health.
My belief: whatever happens, enjoy the sun and the warmer temperatures!
By Liesbeth Alliet
http://www.americanconsumernews.com/2010/03/allergy-sufferers-find-relief-at-rite-aid-nyse-rad.html
woensdag 21 april 2010
Sport drinks bad for teeth
Before or after a workout, you use a sport drink to get more energy. But are they good for your health? No, they aren't. It has been proven that the combination of acidic components, sugars and additives affects the teeth. Even more, it could lead to erosive tooth wear.
There are 2 kinds of sport drinks. First, we have the isotonic drinks. It's best to use them while you're doing a workout because the becerage ensures that the person rebalances his body fluid. The second type of sport drinks are the hypertonic drinks. You use these after you finished your workout because they rebalance your glucose level.
The reason why sport drinks have a bad influence on your teeth is because of the acidic components and the fact that while you're running, the spittle in your mouth reduces so that the spittle can't protect your teeth against the acidic components.
The problem is that the information on the bottle isn't always right. If you should believe it, you would have to drink the beverage constantly while you're doing a workout. Another reason why it's such a big problem is because of the imitation goods. They don't have the same substance as the normal sport drinks.
I also use sport drinks. Before a match, I drink one and it really gives me more energy. It's strange to hear that it's dangerous for your teeth. I never thought that it would have an influence on them.
I think that we can conclude that you may use sport drinks but not too much. If you want use something else, it's best that you use water
Written by yorick stroobant
This blog is based on the article 'Sportdrankjes slecht voor tanden' in Het Laatste Nieuws,p.81, Saturday 27th of March
There are 2 kinds of sport drinks. First, we have the isotonic drinks. It's best to use them while you're doing a workout because the becerage ensures that the person rebalances his body fluid. The second type of sport drinks are the hypertonic drinks. You use these after you finished your workout because they rebalance your glucose level.
The reason why sport drinks have a bad influence on your teeth is because of the acidic components and the fact that while you're running, the spittle in your mouth reduces so that the spittle can't protect your teeth against the acidic components.
The problem is that the information on the bottle isn't always right. If you should believe it, you would have to drink the beverage constantly while you're doing a workout. Another reason why it's such a big problem is because of the imitation goods. They don't have the same substance as the normal sport drinks.
I also use sport drinks. Before a match, I drink one and it really gives me more energy. It's strange to hear that it's dangerous for your teeth. I never thought that it would have an influence on them.
I think that we can conclude that you may use sport drinks but not too much. If you want use something else, it's best that you use water
Written by yorick stroobant
This blog is based on the article 'Sportdrankjes slecht voor tanden' in Het Laatste Nieuws,p.81, Saturday 27th of March
maandag 19 april 2010
What does the Flemings consume the most?
the flemings love to travel, they go frequently to the barber and they buy a lot of accessories. The are the biggest spenders of Belgium. You can read it in the Household inquiry.
The inquiry makes an analysis about the incoms and expenses of the Belgian families and that gives a lot of information about the nutrition habit, the medical care and real estate, the spendings in the hotel and catering industrie and the spending on clothes.
3700 families divided in the 3 districts were asked to map their finances of 2008.
The families in the Flemish district spended average € 34 075 that’s € 1 089 more of the national average. Of the € 34 075 is € 8 068 spend on real estate and € 5 153 on food, tobacco and drinks.
Most of the money for food is spend on fresh meat. The Walloons spend the most on fresh meat. We Belgians like to eat fresh meat and I think it’s true because everybody here like to eat a good steak.
The Flemings spend more in the hotel and catering industrie just about € 1 940 in 2008.
The medical care spendings are roughly the same in the 3 districts. The national average amounts € 1 565.
We spend € 1 592 on clothes. It’s less than in 2007 but stil we spend € 409 more than the inhabitants of brussels.
I think that it’s logical that the most of our money goes to our house. A lot of people have to pay off their houses. Also clothes and food are very important in normal life. Just like medical care. So I think the results only confirm what we already knew.
Written by: Sofie Lamon
Source: http://netto.tijd.be/budget_en_vrije_tijd/budget/Wat_consumeren_Vlamingen_het_meest-.8903026-2214.art
The inquiry makes an analysis about the incoms and expenses of the Belgian families and that gives a lot of information about the nutrition habit, the medical care and real estate, the spendings in the hotel and catering industrie and the spending on clothes.
3700 families divided in the 3 districts were asked to map their finances of 2008.
The families in the Flemish district spended average € 34 075 that’s € 1 089 more of the national average. Of the € 34 075 is € 8 068 spend on real estate and € 5 153 on food, tobacco and drinks.
Most of the money for food is spend on fresh meat. The Walloons spend the most on fresh meat. We Belgians like to eat fresh meat and I think it’s true because everybody here like to eat a good steak.
The Flemings spend more in the hotel and catering industrie just about € 1 940 in 2008.
The medical care spendings are roughly the same in the 3 districts. The national average amounts € 1 565.
We spend € 1 592 on clothes. It’s less than in 2007 but stil we spend € 409 more than the inhabitants of brussels.
I think that it’s logical that the most of our money goes to our house. A lot of people have to pay off their houses. Also clothes and food are very important in normal life. Just like medical care. So I think the results only confirm what we already knew.
Written by: Sofie Lamon
Source: http://netto.tijd.be/budget_en_vrije_tijd/budget/Wat_consumeren_Vlamingen_het_meest-.8903026-2214.art
maandag 12 april 2010
Watch out for "skimmers"
Attorney General Cordray warns all consumers to be very careful when using credit cards or debit cards.
There was a man in Washington DC that wanted to withdrawal some money from a local ATM that he used frequently. But he hesitated, because the card slot looked different. So he started to pull it and it came loose. It turned out to be a "skimmer". A fake card slot that is installed there by thieves. The skimmer reads all kind of card information from the magnetic strip, like debit card numbers and private account information.
Skimmers are used very often by thieves, they just install them over the actual card slot of the ATM. It's also often used at card slots at gas pumps. The goal is to make unaothorized withdrawals with the stolen information.
Consumers can avoid those scams, but it's not possible to completely mitigate the risks. There is some advice you can use though:
There was a man in Washington DC that wanted to withdrawal some money from a local ATM that he used frequently. But he hesitated, because the card slot looked different. So he started to pull it and it came loose. It turned out to be a "skimmer". A fake card slot that is installed there by thieves. The skimmer reads all kind of card information from the magnetic strip, like debit card numbers and private account information.
Skimmers are used very often by thieves, they just install them over the actual card slot of the ATM. It's also often used at card slots at gas pumps. The goal is to make unaothorized withdrawals with the stolen information.
Consumers can avoid those scams, but it's not possible to completely mitigate the risks. There is some advice you can use though:
- Use 1 ATM at 1 gas pump on regular basis. That way it's easier to notice when something is wrong.
- Use an ATM that is located in a very public place or inside a bank lobby. Thieves often don't mess with those machines because the risk of getting caught is too high.
I think every consumer should follow the above advice. It's vey important to use the same ATM on regular basis, that way you can easily see if thieves have messed with it. Of course it's not always possible to use the same ATM, but then you must try to use a very public one.
If the thieves manage to read your card information, they can withdrawal all the money from your debit card. It will happen very fast, so before you know it, you go no money left on your card. And once it's gone, it's gone forever.
Written by Dieter De Smet
Source: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/04/atm_skimmers.html (April 9, 2010)
vrijdag 9 april 2010
Going Out of Town? Don't Tell All Your Online 'Friends'
It's springtime again and a lot of people are discussing their travel plans.
But be warned, don't post your travel plan details on Facebook or MySpace.
There was a recent burglary in Kentucky with a rather odd cause. A woman posted on Facebook that she and her husband were gone for the evening. While they were away, one of her so called "friends" broke into her house.
Attorney General Jack Conway wanrs about the dangers that exist on the internet. Not only kids have to be cautious about what they do on the internet, also parents need to be careful.
Parents and kids shouldn't put too much personal information on Facebook or MySpace. Even an age or your hobby's could be enough for burglars to search contact with you.
You also have to be careful with what you post. Posting wrong things can jeopardize your employment (saying bad things about your boss) and your relationship with friends and family.
Mr. Conway also gives some tips for parents:
But be warned, don't post your travel plan details on Facebook or MySpace.
There was a recent burglary in Kentucky with a rather odd cause. A woman posted on Facebook that she and her husband were gone for the evening. While they were away, one of her so called "friends" broke into her house.
Attorney General Jack Conway wanrs about the dangers that exist on the internet. Not only kids have to be cautious about what they do on the internet, also parents need to be careful.
Parents and kids shouldn't put too much personal information on Facebook or MySpace. Even an age or your hobby's could be enough for burglars to search contact with you.
You also have to be careful with what you post. Posting wrong things can jeopardize your employment (saying bad things about your boss) and your relationship with friends and family.
Mr. Conway also gives some tips for parents:
- Be a "friend" to your child on social networking sites like Facebook or MySpace.
- Ask to see their profile page to make sure it does not contain personal information that could compromise their safety.
- Keep the computer in a public area of the home such as family room or kitchen.
And some tips for kids:
- Protect your password and make sure you really know who someone is before you allow them to be an online friend.
- Blur or morph your photos a bit so they won't be abused by cyberbullies or predators.
- Remember, what you post online stays online forever.
I agree with Mr. Conway to not post too much information about yourself on social networking sites. I myself hardly post anything on Facebook, but there are other people that post every move they make on it. Those are easy victims for burglars. The burglars know where they are at any given moment and they don't have to do anything for it. The "victims" give all the necessary information voluntary.
So I think it's very important to follow the tips Mr. Conway gave. They are very helpful to lower the risk of "cyber-abuse".
Written by Dieter De Smet
Source: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2010/04/spring_break_postings.html (April 2, 2010)
zondag 4 april 2010
Save money on groceries
A visit to the supermarket costs more and more. It seems that the prices of almost everything rose. But smart grocery shoppers find a way to cut back. Here you find four tips to save money on groceries.
Buy non-brand name products
Most of the time, consumers are seduced by the packaging of the brand name products. But private-labels are so close in quality that we hardly feel the difference. Buying non-brand name products can have a positive impact on the grocery bill total.
Be a coupon cutter
Cutting coupons can be a very annoying job but it will help you save money. But you have to pay attention. If the price of the item on the coupon is not in line with the private-label, it’s better to buy the private-label and don’t use the coupon.
Ask to match the price
In some stores and big retailers you can use a price guarantee matching. This advantage can help you to lower your bill.
Comparison shop
Before you go out for shopping, check the ads and circulars in your local paper. So you can quickly get an idea of the best prices. Most shops have a reputation of being lower on some items and higher on others. So, it’s an advantage to know the stores in which you buy your products. You can also talk with family members and friends about their experiences with prices in different stores.
Try these suggestions and see how much you will save on your next grocery bill. You will be definitely surprised.
Personally I think there are different people concerning visiting supermarkets. Some of them do it quickly and some take there time. If you do it quickly you will pay less attention to the prices and otherwise some people take time to cut the coupons and compare between different shops. It’s possible that the quality of private-labels is in the line of the original products but in my eyes there is still a difference. Obviously, if there is a big price difference, the private label is more attractive but if the difference is negligible, the original is more accepted to the public. It’s also a way of expressing yourself to the public and that’s an endless discussion…
By Karen Mechelinck – 2FV 4
April 4th, 2010
Source: http://www.americanconsumernews.com/2010/04/save-money-on-grocerie
Polaroid film again available
Good news for fans of Polaroid cameras. At the end of March, you can buy Polaroid films again. This was informed by Florian Kaps from Vienna and André Bosman from Almelo. Both are projectleader and enterpreneur of the company 'Impossible'.The reason why a former company who produced Polaroid films stopped producing the films is because of the high sales and popularity of the digital cameras. But now Kaps and Bosman believe that there's a market for the product.
There are some little problems with the production of the films. The first problem is that at the moment, you can only take black and white photographs. In the future, you will be able to take color photos.
The second problem is the fact that the company doesn't find all the parts for producing the films. This is caused by the fact that that Polaroid films are very old and there's a chemical process that takes place inside the Polaroid camera so they have to find materials that have the same properties as the old ones.
Ibelieve that this is a big opportunity because Polaroid cameras are very famous. There a kind of heritage.
The popularity of Polaroid cameras are not extinguished. At a party, you can see some people walking around with Polaroid cameras. They take pictures and give them to the portrayed people.
Another reason why this could be success is the connection with Lady Gaga. She uses a Polaroid camera in her new music video ' Telephone'.
I think that we can conclude that some things never go out of date. If something is very popular, it stays forever.
Written by Yorick Stroobant
vrijdag 2 april 2010
Should you buy an old or new home?
With the economical crisis raging hard homebuyers tend to buy more existing and cheaper houses.
But is that really the way to go? Or is it better to buy a new house?
A study from the US Commerce Department shows that homebuyers bought 374,000 brand new houses versus the resale of 5.1 million existing homes. So new homes make up for about 7% of the total home sales.
The reason why homebuyers tend to buy already existing homes is because they are cheaper than brand new houses. This is a really important point during the economical crisis.
But homebuyers focus too much on the price and location and don't really care about the home's condition. Which is also an important factor.
An already existing house is a lot cheaper, but it can be made of old and bad materials. The key question for buyers is if the materials were replaced or upgraded lately. If they are more than a decade old, buyers should take into account the replacement costs.
If you buy an existing home, you should take into consideration that this already has a certain style. You may not like certain parts of the house, like the kitchen is outdated or the living oom needs an update,... . Replacing or updating those parts will cost you a lot of money.
Looking at the numbers I think a lot of people are fooled by the price difference between an existing and a new house. But this is because of the economical crisis. People are really stuggling to survive and they'll be happy if they can save money. But most of the time it's a trap. The homebuyers are so focused on price and location that they forget to take into consideration the condition and age of the house, that mistake will cost them a lot of money.
So don't be fooled by the cheaper price of an already existing home. In the end it will cost you more, thanks to a lot of repairs and replacement costs, than a brand new home.
Written by Dieter De Smet
Source: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/real-estate/should-you-buy-an-old-or-new-home-1.aspx (March 31, 2010)
But is that really the way to go? Or is it better to buy a new house?
A study from the US Commerce Department shows that homebuyers bought 374,000 brand new houses versus the resale of 5.1 million existing homes. So new homes make up for about 7% of the total home sales.
The reason why homebuyers tend to buy already existing homes is because they are cheaper than brand new houses. This is a really important point during the economical crisis.
But homebuyers focus too much on the price and location and don't really care about the home's condition. Which is also an important factor.
An already existing house is a lot cheaper, but it can be made of old and bad materials. The key question for buyers is if the materials were replaced or upgraded lately. If they are more than a decade old, buyers should take into account the replacement costs.
If you buy an existing home, you should take into consideration that this already has a certain style. You may not like certain parts of the house, like the kitchen is outdated or the living oom needs an update,... . Replacing or updating those parts will cost you a lot of money.
Looking at the numbers I think a lot of people are fooled by the price difference between an existing and a new house. But this is because of the economical crisis. People are really stuggling to survive and they'll be happy if they can save money. But most of the time it's a trap. The homebuyers are so focused on price and location that they forget to take into consideration the condition and age of the house, that mistake will cost them a lot of money.
So don't be fooled by the cheaper price of an already existing home. In the end it will cost you more, thanks to a lot of repairs and replacement costs, than a brand new home.
Written by Dieter De Smet
Source: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/real-estate/should-you-buy-an-old-or-new-home-1.aspx (March 31, 2010)
Abonneren op:
Reacties (Atom)
