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Saving money on your travel plans
Going by the correspondence in my in-box, we all love to travel. (Well, makes sense -- Bundle does have us as the second most spendy city in the U.S. when it comes to travel outlays.)
A few days ago, I ran across a Lifehacker post that pointed to an economics study positing that the cheapest time to purchase tickets was eight weeks before your travel date.
Imagine combining a few calendar alerts with the intention to travel in off-peak months like October or January -- you could really pare back the airfare and use that money toward another, probably-less-frustrating experience than flying from point A to point B. And if you're really determined, consider trying to plan trips to popular destinations during off-peak times of the year -- springtime in India? Belize during the rainy season? San Diego during June gloom? The right balance of flexibility and planning ahead can help you get more out of your travel budget.
| September 03 2010 at 09:33 AM
Airline fees: an update
United announced that if you want or need to change to an earlier flight on the same day, they'll begin charging $75 for a confirmed flight change or $50 for an unconfirmed standby request. This is pricey, but not unusual; Fare Watchdog has a really useful chart detailing which airlines charge same-day flight change fees and what the conditions for making those changes are.
While we're on the subject of airline fees, the U.S. Senate is now mulling legislation that would prohibit airlines from charging carry-on bag fees.
One could argue that people are pushing the limits on carry-ons because airlines are now charging for checked baggage, people just want to be able to bring their stuff along for free, and they'll find a way to do that. One could also argue that if people feel the need to haul along everything but the kitchen sink, they should pay more than someone who packs lightly.
If you were the airlines, what fees would you charge? Tell us how you'd run things at dollarsandsense@sfgate.com.
| April 14 2010 at 11:22 AM
Who's your most trusted retailer?
There are two new, different surveys that have acknowledged retailers for great customer service or overall trustworthiness.
In one, L.L. Bean topped the fourth annual Bloomberg BusinessWeek "customer service champs" list for the way it adapted to the rise of online sales:
It switched to a new bank that agreed to split the cost of free return shipping to holders of the L.L. Bean credit card. It also opened the site to customer ratings and reviews of its wares, even if they're negative. Today shoppers can chat with call center agents through instant messaging and e-mail.
In the other survey, Amazon.com was named the most trusted brand in the U.S., based on survey data by Millward Brown. The two factors that apparently appeal to shoppers: the security measures on the site, and its shipping options.
Do you love the free Super Saver Shipping enough to call Amazon your most trusted retailer/etailer? Who are the national and local retailers you consider trustworthy? Or good at customer service? Tell us at dollarsandsense@sfgate.com.
| February 24 2010 at 01:14 PM
Don't get ripped off when buying your kids' costumes
The other week, I learned that my older nephew had decided that he wants to be a space alien for Halloween. His otherwise-adoring grandmother's reaction: "Of course he'd pick a costume that's hard to make or buy."
While a tadpole costume might be more accurate, an infant dressed as a frog is still pretty darn cute.
For parents who have neither the time nor the inclination to get all DIY on their kids' costumes, store-bought ensembles are an answer. But crafty retailers can smell desperation, and the mark-ups show it -- especially this close to Halloween. So take advantage of these deals if you can: The Disney Store's 40% off Halloween costumes (the princess costumes are still going to be $37 on sale, but if your daughter's in a princess stage, she'll doubtless get a lot of wear out of her Belle dress), or ShinDigz' 50% off costumes sale when you use the coupon code SZQYAJ today.
A baby in a Halloween costume is one of those things that is simultaneously cute and hilarious, and clever, clever retailers take advantage of that "Awwwwwww! Ha!" impulse to rake in the dough on little costumes that are basically felt sacks. But now you can have your cute baby costume without going broke, as Hancock Fabrics is offering finished baby and toddler costumes on sale for $10. Be warned that shipping and handling will cost you another $7, so bear that in mind against what the same costume will cost in a bricks-and-mortar outlet.
When I ran searches on Craigslist, the one for "baby halloween costume" produced results priced at anywhere from $4 to $20, while "child halloween costume" had items ranging from $5 to $25. If you live close to one of the sellers, the financial (and environmental) footprint attached to getting your kid's costume just shrunk a little. No space alien costumes in the bunch, alas. Sometimes, Craigslist works best when you just see what bargains are out there.
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On a housekeeping note: Your stories of what you learned from how your parents handled their money are great. Keep 'em coming at dollarsandsense@sfgate.com, and I'll post a roundup by this Friday.
| October 06 2009 at 12:52 PM
Shop around for the best cheap checking accounts
The news that Wal-Mart's going to cease cutting paper checks for employees who don't have direct deposit has prompted all sorts of reactions -- applause for reducing paper waste, debates over whether ATM fees are more or less ruinous than check-cashing fees and confusion over why people just don't have bank accounts into which to deposit their checks.
The short answer: Because free bank accounts usually come with strings attached. In poking around bank options in the Bay Area, here are the terms for "free" checking from the big ones Read More 'Shop around for the best cheap checking accounts' » :
| September 09 2009 at 03:39 PM
Dollars and Sense is about finding new ways to inject dollars, cents and sensibility into your everyday spending.
By Lisa Schmeiser, Read Bio
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