Still Clickin

Most of the things we buy repeatedly are bought locally. Groceries, clothes, fuel, and flowers are purchased from stores in our neighborhood. The store could be an outlet of a national retailer or a small independent, but it is local. However, many people now make their special purchases, i.e. items that are purchased infrequently or only once, from an online store.

Not too long ago, making a purchase at an online store almost qualified as an adventure. Today, anyone who is reading these words has, in all likelihood, made a number of online purchases. The intent of these comments is to provide an update, for myself as well as you, of the best shopping practices you should use.

• Check on spyware - It is tragic, but necessary to start with that comment. Spyware exists, and if you, or one of your visitors, opened an email that said, “Congratulations, you’ve just (fill in the blanks)”, spyware that can capture your credit card information may be lurking on your system. Do a scan, e.g. PCTools, and check to make sure you are safe.
• Read the reviews - It used to be that you could go to the library, find the category in Consumer Reports, and feel confident that you could discover the basic things you needed to know before making a reasonably informed buying decision. Although you can still use that approach, you can also find a fair amount of information on the Internet. Just enter ‘review (name of specific product)’ into your search engine, and any number of information sites will vie for your attention. Typically, one or two of them are quite through. For example,

1. Consumers Search can be helpful, and
2. cNet provides detailed advise on technology products.

• Find the Best Deal - Once you have identified the specific product you are after, i.e. manufacturer and model number, you can start looking for the online merchant that will best serve your purchasing requirements. Since the price comparison sites all vary slightly in their approach, it is in your best interest to try a few. Even these reviewers are reviewed, and one good comparison can be found at Smart Money. Since some online merchants will offer special deals through one pricing site and not another, it is best to search a few before you make your final decision. For example, try -

1. Price Grabber,
2. Yahoo Shopping,
3. Dealtime,
4. NexTag,
5. Shopzilla, or
6. Street Prices.

For travel deals, try -

1. Kayak, or
2. Travel Zoo

For special deals, try -

1. Fat Wallet, or
2. Finders Cheapers

• Carefully Select Your Merchant - Product price is definitely NOT the only factor. The cost of shipping can change the monetary profile of a deal. Obviously, the best shipping charge is ‘free’. Beyond that, your have to shop online just the way you shop locally, i.e. find a merchant you can trust. The price comparison sites recognize this need and most of them rate their vendors. Choosing a vendor with a high performance rating can seem like wisdom if something happens to the shipment or later to the product.

Once you click, enjoy the anticipation. Your purchase will appear at your door in just a few days.

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What kind of pet person are you? There are bird-lovers, dog-lovers, cat-lovers, and goldfish-lovers. Everyone has their own particular favorite that was usually established during their youth. People that have had pets can even be classified as such. For example, we have dog-people, cat-people, and bird-people. Are you a certain pet-person?

If you are, maybe you are currently pet-less and rethinking that decision. Obviously, there are a number of pros and cons to such a decision, but the choice of the type of pet has a lot to do with most of them. There are a wide variety of pets that seniors may choose.

Dogs -
Dogs need and give love. Many studies indicate that having a dog really can help a senior’s health and attitude. Not only do they offer companionship, but their needs serve as an ongoing encouragement for some good exercise as well. Also, they are probably the best security system available on the market today.

If you are particular about breeds, you can contact the American Kennel Club and get a list of local breeders. Be prepared to open your wallet, however, since many breeds now go for $1,500 or more.

Another approach is to take a visit to the local animal shelter. These pets often have that wonderful price of ‘free’, although small donations are very welcome. These pets can vary widely, so you must look carefully to find the right dog for you. The people in the shelters understand animals and can provide you with a wealth of information. Don’t be afraid to ask. Before you “take the plunge”, consider -

• Age - If a dog is older than 18 months, it will not only be housebroken, its teeth will have grown in and it will also be less inclined to eat your slippers. If a dog is older than six, you may find not only health problems but an inability to adapt to new surroundings.
• Size - Golden Retriever mixes and Labrador mixes are great, but if you are going to walk the dog, you may need a smaller dog (who won’t pull you over when it chases after a squirrel). However, if you aren’t used to having a small dog around, you probably shouldn’t get a dog weighing less than 25 pounds. You don’t want to trip over the little thing because you didn’t see it.
• Allergies - If you have avoided dogs because you are allergic, look for dogs that don’t shed. Many terriers and poodles have this trait.
• Temperament - Undoubtedly, the vast majority of dogs have better temperaments than many people. A few, however, may have experienced poor treatment and developed a nasty streak as a consequence. Pay attention to how the dog reacts to you, since initially you are a stranger.

Cats -
“For a balanced ego, a person that has a dog to adore him should have a cat to ignore him.” That old quote is harsh, but contains an element of truth. Cats are much more independent than dogs. As long as they are properly fed and stroked occasionally, cats require far less attention than dogs. They quickly learn how to use a litter box and can amuse themselves for hours with a favorite toy. This independence allows a cat to tolerate much longer absences from their owners than dogs.

If you are looking for a cat at a shelter, many of the same cautions for dogs apply to cats. Their sizes, however, are much smaller. They compensate for their small size by their pronounced ability to quickly leap out of the way.

Other Critters -
For the most part, other small animals kept as pets live in defined enclosures. This reality makes them far less intrusive than dogs or cats. They each offer their own special qualities that can both divert and delight. They still require care, however, and someone else must mind them if you take a trip.

If you do live alone, having another living creature around the mansion has distinct benefits for all involved. Yes, they do require you to expend extra effort and care, but that is a gift. Answering needs is what life is all about.

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Ever since the passage of the Health Care Reform Act on April 23rd, I’ve been looking for a good summary of its components. Of course, any legislation with that many pages will be difficult to summarize, but someone had to take a swing at it. I guess no one will be surprised that it was the AARP that took up the challenge.

At the link, AARP User’s Guide to Health Care Reform, you will find a summary that doesn’t take that long to read. It does, however, have a sufficient sweep and level of detail, that you can develop a sense of the legislation.

Three things to note -

1. Medicare will finally start to cover its most foolish lack, i.e. some preventative services. Catching conditions sooner rather than later should always reduce the cost of their care.
2. The Part-D Donut Hole will be phased out over the next decade.
3. The overpayments for Medicare Advantage Plans will be phased out.

Every senior should read this summary. Thanks AARP, you did a good job!

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A couple of weeks ago, I heard some news commentators talking about Page Plus Cellular. The story-line centered upon a subscriber to their “unlimited” service whose contract was canceled because of overuse. Obviously, there was a disconnect at many levels.

Without question, the marketing crew at Page Plus should change the plan name to “universal” or “vast”, but that is all they should change. I’ve been a customer of Page Plus Cellular for nearly a year, and I could not be more pleased. Their plans are flexible and aggressively priced, and their service is rock solid. I have recommended them on this site, and I continue to recommend them to family and friends.

You have to understand the realities of their business.

Page Plus Cellular is a re-seller. They buy large blocks of time from a network operator, i.e. Verizon, create usage packages for different market niches, and then service their customer base in an efficient and effective manner. This approach allows Verizon to supply users they would otherwise never capture, and users access to services they could otherwise never afford. It is a true win-win.

This service model breaks down whenever certain users lock onto a connection for an extended period of time, because the switch is prevented from reallocating its resources. An occasional incident is never a problem, but continued patterns do upset the apple cart. At the end of the day, any re-seller can only offer as much as it has acquired.

But I continue to find the Page Plus Cellular service compelling. It is so easy to buy one of their phones at the Circle K. Using their standard plan, a senior citizen can have 300 minutes of access to a reliable network for $30 a year. That is a service that offers both peace of mind and value. Who knows how many worries it has eased and lives it has saved.

Thank you Page Plus Cellular for your outstanding service!

NB. Click below to make a comment. Even better, expand on the original article by going to wikiSenior and clicking on ‘edit’.