Corning Ware Coffee Pot Recall

I had no idea!  My Mom gave me her 6 cup CorningWare Cornflower Blue stove top model P 116 years ago after my clear Pyrex tea pot blew up on my stove in the 80's.  Thank goodness, no one got hurt!

So to help others -- yes, they all were recalled, especially the ones with the stainless steel metal rim and spout attached with the screws.  Evidently, the glue becomes loose over time and use and the handle/rim breaks and people can get burned.

There are some on eBay but they are not suppose to be sold because of the recalls that started in 1976.
eBay deletes listings.

Am I late to the party or what?  Well, clueless no more!  
Hope this post helps someone else!

Great site with photos of all stove top models

eBay Community Discussion 

Recall Diagram (click to enlarge) page 1

Recall Diagram (click to enlarge) page 2

CorningWare 411 article

Google Image Link

What is in Your Wallet?

Or what should not be according to this MSN article.

1. Social Security card, leave it home in a safe place.
If you have a medical card with Social Security number on it, make a copy and then black out the number on the copy.  Only take the original with you if you need too for an appointment.
Some states still put social security numbers on licenses though.

2. Blank check, unless you are going to use it right away.

3. Cheat sheet with passwords or pin numbers.

Just a note on the blank check --
I wanted to order some checks online but most companies don't allow you to NOT have the option of removing your address.  I find this dangerous for those who still do have to order checks (usually schools require parents to write checks for this, that, or the other thing).

My parents had checks with ALL sorts of info on them, name, address, phone and SS#!
So check your elderly parents checks if they still write them out.

Banco Santander SA

They bought out Sovereign Bank (formally Shawmut Bank) and are in vast numbers here on the East Coast.  According to this MSN article, this Spanish bank are not liked very much in the UK either.  They plan on expanding their business in the USA, as if we need another bank headache. (Poster comments tell money horror stories.)

However, many customers have had nothing but headaches from them and extremely poor customer service.  Most complain about the outrageous fees they are charged, or unknown surprise outrageous fees, and phone harassment for payments.

There is a class action law suit for their illegal Mafia style business practices which makes Bank of America's consumer issues seem like a picnic/walk in the park.

So from what I have been reading, very scary and stressful.  I just hope any loan I have from my present banks are NOT sold to them!
If you do have an account with them, read the article, check your statements carefully and beware of their bad bully business tactics.  If you are thinking of getting an account there, think twice about it, you would not put your money down a garbage disposal now would you?

Sovereign Bank/BancoSantander SA Complaints

Bank Fees

Bank of America wishing to charge a monthly fee of $5.00 to use a debit card is really outrageous on so many levels.

I think people should take a look at their statements closely because we had a "free" checking account until they changed the rules (notification with very fine print).  Yes, they nationally advertised free checking accounts (to get more customers), and then a few months later, changed our account (already had it for decades), then instituted fees if you had a balance that fell below their regulated balance.  The fee is $15 per month if your daily balance falls below the regulated balance.  Even ONE day, can cost you an extra $15.  Other types of checking accounts had other monthly fees associated with them also.  Even the senior citizens have to pay!

Now CitiBank has announced their new fee schedule.
If you have less than $6000. their EZ checking account charges $15. per month.
If you have $15K in a combo of checking, savings and loans, that is $20. per month.
The mid level plan has no fee but you must qualify by having a combination of $1500. balance (savings, checking, CDs, loans), have direct deposit and pay one bill online per month.

I guess this gives new meaning to "count your pennies".

Extreme Couponing

MSN has a series on this fad of couponing madness based on the TLC Extreme Couponing Show (review of the original show here)

Some suggest that these extreme couponing people (fanatics) ruin it for others by overusing coupons, clearing the shelves and leaving little for other shoppers (like me), and abuse/cheat the system.  Not all, but quite a few.

The show has gotten corporate America to change many of the couponing policies in many stores as well as store policies changing coupon use and limits.

If I have a coupon for a sale item, great, however, I buy mostly the store brands and they don't have coupons.  Besides, my Sunday paper is a pricey $4.00.  Just to get the paper for free weekly, I would have to have at least $4.00 in coupons and to make a savings, at least $4.-8. more in coupons.
I don't buy the Sunday paper and save myself $208. per year.

I have better things to do with my time.

Ethics of Couponing -- some great tips

The Backlash of Extreme Couponing -- how corporate America is limiting coupon use, and changing store policies

Disappearing Brands

Just a synopsis from an article I read that predicts future brands that are presently or nearly dead and will be gone in the near future, by the end of 2012 --

1.  Sony Pictures -- might mean The Young and Restless may end!

2.  A&W stores -- none around here.

3.  Saab -- never drove one.

4.  American Apparel -- did not buy anything at that store.

5.  Sears  -- they have been having troubles a long time, infrequent buyer there.

6.  Sony Ericsson -- may be re-branded.

7.  Kelloggs Sugar Pops -- not really a healthy choice but most brand cereal have had declining sales.  I prefer oatmeal.

8.  My Space -- not surprising, I have one but I never use it.  I guess Tom will leave me if no buyer is found to possibly keep it going, somehow but really, it died years ago.

9.  Soap Opera Digest -- obvious since many soaps have now been canceled, they have nothing to write about.  Look at it once in a while if the grocery line is too long.

10.  Nokia -- which may be bought up by another company, never owned anything by them.

If they disappear, I won't miss them much.

Complete prediction article: 10 Brands that will Disappear in 2012

10 Retailers Closing Down

Ten retailers have shut down either some or all of their stores and if they have any left, those may eventually be gone too.  It is pretty sad, and many people would be out of work.  Bold print are ones we frequent.  Now we must find better places.

10. B.Dalton Bookstores



9. Liz Claiborne (shut down outlets, sells at Penneys and QVC)


8. Movie Gallery (like Blockbuster)


7. AJWright (owned by TJMaxx/Marshalls, half their stores will convert to TJMaxx or Marshalls stores)


6. PH8 (Bebe Stores rebrand of Bebe Sport line)


5. Borders Bookstores (hanging on by a thread, 275 stores closed out of 633)


4. Blockbuster (of course, still floundering in trouble for a few years now. We quit going there when their prices inflated for rentals.)


3. Quiznos (closed an estimated 1000 stores but rents out space in convenience/gas stations)


2. Nine West (shut down 173 of 940 outlet and specialty stores)


1. F.Y.E. (recently closed about 100 stores)
See the slide show here at MSN Money

Ten Commandments of Frugal Living

The basics simplified:

10. Don't buy things you don't need.
9.   Buy only when you have the money to pay for it.
8.   Purchase value quality items than low priced items.
7.   Be patient about your purchases.
6.   Buy used when you can.
5.   Look a alternatives before buying (like borrowing from someone).
4.   Ignore/don't keep up with the Joneses.
3.   Don't ever pay full price.
2.   Don't waste resources, time, or money.
1.   Learn to fix or do things yourself than paying someone else.

Read more here: The Ten Commandments of Frugal Living

CitiMortgage

Our mortgage was bought out by CitiMortgage and we did not have a say in the matter.

We have nothing but issues with them (always paying on time) because they don't keep their records straight.

This time it is that they say we have no insurance, two months early!  hmmmm ... our policy runs from April 18-April 18 every year and THEY take the payment out of our escrow.
The letter said that if we do not provide the insurance proof within a couple of weeks, they will charge us an inflated  price of $2500.00 for a new policy of their coverage choice.

I called the number they sent.
I listen to all the choices and messages and press 0 to talk to a live person.
The line is busy.

I called my insurance agent to let them know what was going on. 
Seems like there are many customers with similar issues with them that keeps the agents busy in the office I go to.

So much for CitiBank business.
And to think the American Tax Payer bailed them out.
What a waste.

TLC Extreme Couponing

I watched the TLC show Extreme Couponing.


They showcased four people who did extreme couponing as a lifestyle choice. In addition to the couponing, they brought their own bags (save 5 cents per bag) and used store loyalty cards for additional discounts.


They have to check out through several registers as there is a limit of 500 purchases per register.


The way the items have to go through the register is all planned out. They have to know what they are doing but to most, it is like a game.

I could not help notice the stuff they bought, lots of soda, energy drinks, candy, jarred spaghetti sauce, pre-packaged items, all products containing lots of sugar/perservatives.


Then there are the household products (cleaners, laundry), beauty products (soap, shampoo, toothpaste) which are all chemical based and do have a shelf life. (please, no lit matches near the stash!)

The first gal, she said she spends 70 hours a week making a plan: coupon use, then shopping.


Shopping takes four hours. And on top of this, she works outside the home. When does she sleep?


Her husband seemed supportive but after the shopping spree (register crashed and they had to start over again), they had to physically haul all the stuff to the car, and then in the house, then organize it. It was at this point we see how angry the husband was over the stuff taking over the living space.

Also mentioned that they PAY for a coupon clipping service to get the coupons and that was $70. so really, are you saving if you have to pay for the coupons? Where is the logic?

The lady who was on the Ellen Show, walks through the neighborhood everyday collecting the circulars for her coupon fix. She collects $200 of coupons per day from people in her neighborhood. She has a stockpile but shares with those less fortunate. She says she only buys what she needs or uses.

A young couple who started this found how it saved them when they were out of work. The gal said she scans the registers for young male cashiers since they are more tolerant and easy going than the old lady cashiers.

The last guy, he got $4000. worth of cereal (had to order it) and brings a TRAILER to the store to bring home his stash. He keeps it in the two car garage all orderly like a store (hope he does not have mice). He says he helps his church out by sharing some of his stash.

All of them had half the store employees push their goods out to their car and this happens on a regular basis.

So in all, this is a lot of time, planning, orgainizing to shop, then the hours of shopping, gas to get to the store, moving the stuff from the store to the car to home, sorting and storing the stuff in the house in an orderly fashion and keeping track of your "inventory".

Seems like a lot of time, effort, and work.


Where are your relationships if this is all you are obsessed with do?


One person had enough toilet paper for 40 years! Would you like to be using 40 year old toilet paper from the bottom of the stash?

I think I just will go to the dollar store and get just what I need for the time being.

Frugal Billionaire Tips

I just read Frugal Billionaire Tips (link below) and here is my take on the seven ideas they presented.

1. Keep your home plain and simple and just what you need and don't live beyond your means or beyond what you project your means will be (future earnings). Bigger homes means bigger upkeep costs, utilities, insurance and taxes, and these go up every year. Look at the overall big picture costs times the years you think you will be there.
If the house has an inground pool, take the expense of operating or fixing it into serious account.

2. Use public transportation, walk or ride a bike.
You get exercise and you don't have to pay out for gas, insurance, or upkeep of a car.
Of course, you may have to buy new shoes or fix your bike but those cost less.

3. Buy your clothes off the rack and I say, buy them on sale or with coupons.
Outlet malls are a great place to shop for bargains. Check their site to see if they offer coupons for additional discounts.
Get good quality clothing that has a classic look so that you don't have to spend more money on your wardrobe than you have to for years, just add a few new quality pieces to mix and match.
Upscale consignment shops offer many great bargains on quality used goods in good used shape, new, or never worn.
My husband got a superior quality Italian suit at the consignment shop for $20 on their seasonal sale rack. He has worn this sharp suit for a number of years and it never goes out of style.

4. Don't spend a ton of money getting a hair cut, or having your nails done.
Go to a regular everyday salon and find a good stylist that offers services for a reasonable price. Do your nails or color your hair at home.

5. Drive a regular car. I read that most millionaires drive a Ford.
I also say, buy a good reliable used car that gets lots of mileage, does not cost much to insure or upkeep.
If they offer a warranty/service for a few hundred dollars, buy it.
We got a Windstar van with very low mileage and got the 5 year warranty of parts and oil checks for a few hundred dollars.
Over the 5 years, it needed work that ended up costing more than we paid for the van in the first place.
We were glad we spent the money on the warranty.

6. Skip luxury items -- the article refers to big ticket items like fancy cars, extra cars, boats, planes.
Remember that you have to pay upkeep and insurance on them plus it might take a longer time for you to sell them if the market is slow.

I also say skip every day high priced luxury items and buy your soap and shampoo at the discount or dollar store.
A few good examples:
Expensive shampoos vs shampoos that cost $1.00 (Suave, White Rain). They do the same job without the price tag.
Soap -- 8 bars of Dial in our area costs between $4-6. I found 8 bars of Dial Soap at the local WalMart for $2.97, however, it is not always priced low there so we stocked up.
Toothpaste -- beware -- I found a double value pack of Colgate Total for $4.80 but if I got two of the same size that were single sales, they were only $2.00 each.
And of course, with any of these items, if you can throw in a coupon, you get them cheaper.
Put your savings in the bank and always remember that compounding is your best friend.

Tips from Frugal Billionaires

Secrets of Extreme Savers

Secrets of Extreme Savers

My "Magic 7" secrets revealed:

1. Buy used cars less than 5 years old with low mileage and if possible, a warranty. Pay cash only.

2. Don't buy drinks on the go -- like coffee. Bring water instead, and it is better for you.

3. Use coupons when you can.

4. Shop from flyers and with a list and estimate your costs before you shop -- add 10% for any extras on special.

5. Buy store brands rather than national ones unless you have a coupon.

6. Use a credit card with cash bonus rebates to pay your medical, dental, oil, gas or big ticket items. Pay off every month to avoid finance charges. Earn back enough that one of the bills is actually paid for by the rebate.

7. Shop the extreme sales, before the new season items arrive and last season's items are marked down 50-90%.

Become a Savvy Cheapskate

Become a Savvy Cheapskate

There is a link of 21 things you can live without on the page and that article is just as interesting.

Eight Signs You Are an Energy Hogger

Saw this article at MSN. This is a quick snyopsis with my comments -- the article had annoying pop up ads.

Not turning the power off your computer when not in use.

Long hot showers. Cut showers to 5 minutes (I tell the kids this all the time.) and use an energy efficient low flow shower head (Yes we do use those.). Tankless water heaters can provide constant hot water on demand but are a bit more expensive (YIKES!). They will pay for themselves with the savings you reap by using them.

Leaving the TV on when no one is watching it. Plug it into a power strip and turn the power strip off so you save energy.

Letting or leaving your car to idle. (Here in cold weather this is a must or you will not get very far with a cold engine.)

Air conditioners on too high blasting frigid air while others in the house may be wearing heavy sweaters and winter coats to keep warm. Conserve energy by lowering the temp 4 degrees and use a ceiling fan in addition to the AC to circulate the cool air.

Opening the refrigerator too long looking for something to eat and being indecisive while wasting energy. How about kids not shutting the frig door all the way?

Excessive and unnecessary lighting. Use those energy saving compact fluorescent lights and save energy and money. Although expensive, we did notice a difference in our electric bill.

Drinking bottled water (Guilty!). Municipal water may be better for you. You really don't know where that water came from. Also, it takes energy (17 million barrels of oil per year) to make those water bottles and move them around, and recycle them. All that oil could run a million cars per year.

8 Signs You Are an Energy Hogging Jerk not pleasant but the original title.

Frugal or Tight?

Where is the line?

Are you a BF ("born frugal" - you are sensible) or a FC ("frugality converts" = after lossing lots of money/things)?

How about a "frugalista" or a "frugalite"?

Are you a "secret millionaire"?

Or are you just a regular old tightward like Mr. Scrooge?

Frugal or Tight - Where is the line? article at MSN MoneyCentral

Banking Credit Card Fees

Watch out! The new bill does not go into effect till February 2010 so the CC companies are now sending out surprises to customers - higher interest and other fees so check your statements carefully.

Interesting article and comments.

New Credit Card Fees

Advice: Use sparingly or not at all and if you do use them, pay them off every month to avoid the higher ridiculous interest rates and fees.

If you are making a minimum payment, try to increase it so more principal gets paid off lowering the interest you pay.

Don't cancel your paid off accounts as it will have a negative effect on your FICO score (lowering your score and making you look like a bad risk) -- just cut them up and throw them out. That way you don't use them at all.

Less for More

Anyone else notice how you are getting the same product, paying the same price but if you look at the label, you are getting less of the product?

I realize that people need to be paid, overhead needs to be taken care of, and shipping costs all add into the product price. Also, if you use coupons, that is built in too as "advertising costs" for print ads and TV/Radio.

The dog food that I buy went from 16 oz cans to 12 oz cans and now costs 40 cents more.

The dry food went from $12. a bag to $17. -- They seem to be the same size.

Some granola bars (store brand) sells for $1.99 had 12 in a pack, went to 10 and now is only 8 for the same price.

Yogurt drinks -- were 12 oz, went to 10 oz, and now are 7 oz, basically still costs 10 cents an ounce. I like to get one while shopping and drink it after I load the car up.

Sunny D -- at the discount store -- use to be $2.00 a gallon but now is $3.00 a gallon. No discount there. Other places around here, it sells for more.

Tuna fish, the cans seem the same size but they are only about 6 oz now for more money.

Even some pasta -- no longer in 16 oz boxes!

I had to laugh at the reasoning behind why baby food now is sold in smaller portions, the company said because "babies prefered less". I laughed so hard, how did they figure that out?

Even the newspaper has less pages (and much less news) but still basically costs the same.

Dollar Deals and Duds

I just read a few articles on shopping at various dollar stores. Here is a compiled list of the deals and duds and what to watch out for.

Deals
Cleaners (household)
Shampoo, soap
Spices
Kitchen utensils and gadgets
Party goods, wrapping paper, gift bags, cards, ribbon

Duds
Vitamins (near expiration dates, or manufactured in outside the USA)
Toothpaste (may be tainted or has a label look alike to a major company, read label)
Batteries (drain fast, low life)
Electrical products, Christmas lights (shoddy manufacturing could cause overheating, may not be UL compliant, or made in other countries)
Jewelry and lunchboxes (may contain lead)

Comparing
Some of the snack food is priced accordingly, meaning, you will get less at the dollar store than if you bought the package at the grocery store.

For instance -- a store brand 16 oz jar of nuts would cost $1.60 at the local grocery store. At the dollar store, for one dollar you would get 10 oz of the same type of product. If you had a coupon, that $1.60 jar could cost less and you would get more.

BUT . . . in smaller packages, the price per oz or pound is usually higher so you may actually only get 8 oz for a dollar.

Read labels carefully and compare prices.

There have been many items recalled by the dollar type stores due to lead, small parts (especially in toys) or some other safety reason.

You can check on recalled items at:

The Consumer Product Safety Commission

Recalls.gov

Toxic Dryer Sheets

Bonnie Hunt on her TV show mentioned how dryer sheets can be toxic to your health and to reconsider using them.

If you get a rash or welts, feel stuffy, watery eyes, sneezing just from wearing your clothing, you could have an environmental allergy to a household product. You will have to remove potential items from your life to find out what it is that is bothering you. Sometimes it could be what other people use also.

Soaps, shampoos, conditioners, perfumes, shaving cream etc, can all have the same allergic result.

Even dry cleaning can do this to you.

Getting back to the dryer sheets, use 1/4 cup of vinegar in your laundry for light fabrics (cottons) and 1/2 cup for heavier fabrics (jeans, bedspreads, etc) instead of fabric softeners. Vinegar is a natural product and less expensive.

As for the dryer sheets -- those spikey dryer balls work really well. I have found them to "fluff up" the towels a bit better than the stiffness dryer sheets tend to do to them due to the residue the dryer sheets leave.

Here is an article on fabric softener and dryer sheets with some alternatives ...

Articles listed below on the subject by Dr. Anne Steinemann, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Professor of Public Affairs at the University of Washington, can be found at: CleanerIndoorAir

Toxic Chemicals in Scented Laundry Detergent and Fabric Softener by Dr. Anne Steinemann
Toxic Chemicals Emitted by Air Fresheners by Dr. Anne Steinemann
Toxic Chemicals Emitted by Dryer Sheets and Scented Laundry Products by Dr. Anne Steinemann

Hope this helps someone.

Spending Money

15 Ways Stores Get You to Spend Money and other consumer spending articles.

I say, if you don't want to spend money, don't go to the store and stay away from online stores. LOL