SLV Talks News Letter

Inside This Issue…

 

• Don’t Be A Victim To The “Relative In Trouble” Scam…
• How To Save Hundreds On Your Phone Bill…
• Fun Facts and Laughs: What New Car Dealers Won’t Tell You,Useful Health Websites, And More…
• Trivia Challenge:  
• Real Estate Q&A: What Mistakes Should I Avoid When I Invest In Real Estate?…

Michael Sherard

SLV Talks   Insider Tips for Healthy, Wealthy and Happy Living

If you’re not already a subscriber to my free slv talks–newsletter                                                                    email or call me:

Michael Sherard    Phone: 864-443-2221 Email:slvsherard@gmail.com

Have you heard about the “relative in trouble” phone call scam? In this month’s SLV Talks Free consumer newsletter, you’ll learn how to spot this common scam and what you should do to protect yourself if someone tries it on you.

You’ll also learn how to save hundreds of dollars on your phone bill, plus fun facts, a trivia challenge, and lots more.

P.S.

You get a phone call that one of your relatives has had an accident, been robbed, or is stranded in another country. Your loved one needs cash and asks that you wire the money. This scam has been around a while, but the number of people (particularly the elderly) who are falling for it is rising. Do the following so you don’t get scammed:

• Question the caller about the family member in trouble. The call may start with “Hi Grandma!” (Scammers may get family information from social networking sites.) Before saying a name, ask the caller for their middle name. If the caller says, “It’s about your granddaughter,” ask “Which one?” before saying a name.

• Don’t let the caller instill fear. Fear that something bad will happen if the money is not sent can be a motivating factor to comply with the request. Fear can cloud rational thinking.

• Don’t keep the call a secret. Posing to be your relative, the caller may say they are too embarrassed and to not tell others. But don’t be fooled by this trick – let others know about the request immediately. Ask the caller if you can call back – they won’t want to give you a number.

• Try to make contact with the “real” person. Hang up with the impostor and call, email, or text your real relative. If they are on vacation, contact other relatives to find out their itinerary.

If you get a “relative in trouble” call or fall for something else you think is a scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Go to www.ftc.gov/complaint or call 1-877-FTC-HELP. You also can contact your State Attorney General’s office.

 Savannah River Realty

Have you reviewed your phone situation lately? Consider one or all of these options to save hundreds of dollars a year:

Eliminate your landline. First, study your phone bill to see if you’re paying for extras (like caller ID) you may not need. If you decide to ditch your landline because you have a cell phone, make sure you have excellent cell coverage at home. Another option is to switch to VOIP (voice over Internet protocol) like Vonage, Skype, Ooma and even MagicJack. Unlimited local and long distance calls can range from $5 to $20 a month, that can save you over $100 per year.

Bundle your services. You can save $20 or more per month if you get your cable, Internet, and landline from the same provider. There’s an extra $240 each year in your pocket for the same services.

Ask your cell phone provider for a cheaper plan. If you talk to the same people daily, a “favorites” plan may better suit your needs. If you’re sending more text messages, go to an unlimited texting plan. Or, consider a pre-paid cell phone where you only pay for minutes you use. Depending on your talking time, that could save you up to $500 a year.

What New Car Dealers Won’t Tell You . . .

•  Negotiate from the invoice price up instead of from sticker price down (find prices at www.kbb.com).

•  Make an appointment to look at cars on Tuesday or Wednesday, when they’ll spend more time with you.

•  Pay attention to overall costs and not just the monthly payment.

•  Get all promises in writing or the salesperson might “forget.”
Useful Health Websites . . .

•  www.spinehealth.com – Thousands of articles and videos from doctors about back pain, neck pain, and related disorders. A forum for discussion and doctor profiles too.

•  www.kidshealth.org – Most visited site about kid’s health. It’s divided into info for parents, kids and teens.

•  www.agingcare.com – Learn about all aspects of getting older from caregiver information to specific challenges older people experience.

  Learn From The Best Schools . . .

These schools offer free open courseware online on various subjects including history, law and math:

•  Notre Dame: www.ocw.nd.edu

•  Duke Law Center: web.law.duke.edu/cspd/lectures

•  MIT Sloan School of Management: www.ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management

•  Oxford University: www.maths.ox.ac.uk/opencourseware

Quotes To Live By . . .

The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions.

–Oliver Wendell Holmes

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

–Winston Churchill

Wisdom is the quality that keeps you from getting into situations where you need it.

–Doug Larson

What famous singer was told that he should “stick to driving a truck, because you’ll never make it as a singer”?

Other than the regular cast members, what character will you notice on almost every episode of the Seinfeld TV series?

Check in next month for the answer.

THANK YOU… for reading my SLV Talks personal newsletter.  I wanted to produce a newsletter that has great content and is fun and valuable to you.  Help your friends get more out of life by forwarding this email to them…You received this email because you requested it, are on the mailing list , or a friend forwarded it to you. Disclaimer:  The information contained in this email is intended for informational purposes.  It should not substitute as legal, accounting, investment, medical and other professional services advice.  Always seek a competent professional for answers to your specific questions. This email is not intended to solicit real estate properties currently for sale.