Myths About Using Coupons

I'm not sure how many of you watch Mythbusters, but every time I am flipping channels and find that it's on, I just can't pass it up. It does the same thing to me that Apollo 13 does for some reason, where I am almost physically incapable of turning away. I love watching Mythbusters because nearly everything they spend their time debunking is stuff I've repeated or heard from somewhere before. I think my favorite episode is the one they did about ninjas, because let's face it, ninjas are cool.

The other day, I stumbled across an article at Get Rich Slowly about busting the myths of saving money with coupons. It's a really interesting look at the perceptions that people have about using coupons to buy things and why more people don't use them. For instance, did you know that generic brands aren't always the cheapest? Or that the average coupon user "is between the ages of 25-34 and earns between $25,000 and $100,000 per year".

Besides those, there plenty of other useful facts and pieces of information about coupon shopping. Personally, I've never done a whole lot of it myself, but after reading this article, I might adjust a few of my thoughts on it. How many of you regularly use coupons to save money when shopping? Tell us in the comments!

To read more, visit Get Rich Slowly.

WhiteFence 101: Home Service Categories

We post quite a bit on this blog about home services and how you can save yourself both time and money when you shop with us or use our tips. Typically, the conversation centers around things like TV, high-speed Internet, electricity or phone, because these are the categories that many people are interested in. However, we may have a few additional categories that you weren't aware of:

Home Security

Appliance Rental

Maid Services

Lawncare

Pest Control

Newspapers

Magazines

Moving

Auto Insurance

Homeowners Insurance

Product Warranty

Credit Cards

Cell Phones

Who knew, right? Entering your address with WhiteFence can help you find the best results for your area for each of these categories. You really can get everything you need for your home, all in one place.

WhiteFence 101: The Different Types of Electricity Plans

For those that don’t spend their day geeking out over home services like I do, shopping for electricity service can be confusing a little at times. The main question is what sort of rate to go with. Should you go with a fixed rate or a variable rate? How about an indexed rate?

Here’s a quick breakdown of the different plans types out there:

• Fixed Rate – As its name implies, a fixed rate plan locks in a rate for a certain time. You’ll have a contract and the rate is guaranteed not to change for the term of the agreement. Typically, contracts last for six, twelve or twenty-four months, though there are other terms out there.
  
  As its name implies, a fixed rate plan locks in a rate for a certain time. You’ll have a contract and the rate is guaranteed not to change for the term of the agreement. Typically, contracts last for six, twelve or twenty-four months, though there are other terms out there.

• Variable Rate – The opposite of a fixed rate plan, a variable rate plan has no contract or fixed price. Your rate will generally fluctuate based on market conditions, but ultimately changes based on the discretion of the provider.
  
  Variable rate plans let you take advantage of prices when they are in decline and let you switch providers freely, but leave you exposed when rates begin to climb. By watching the market each month and being prepared to jump to either a lower variable rate from another provider or fixed rate plan, you can minimize your risks.

• Indexed Rate – An indexed rate is similar to a variable rate, but fluctuates on a pre-published formula that takes into account a specific energy index (such as a natural gas index). You have all of the same benefits and liabilities as a variable rate plan, but cut out the provider’s discretion for a slightly more predictable rate.

Ultimately, you’ll have to decide what type of consumer you are. Are you risk adverse and just want an autopilot plan with no surprises? If so, look at fixed rate plans. But, if you’re a little less risk adverse and willing to monitor rates and switch providers and plans every few months, a variable or indexed rate might be for you.

Traveling Tips to Get You Through the Summer Abroad

Oh, summer. You are just around the corner for many people across the country. However, in Houston, Texas, you are that party guest that showed up just a little too early. Now you're hanging out and eating cheese and crackers while we are still getting ready. At least, that's how I felt about the weather today when I got in my car and saw the first 100 degree reading on the dashboard. It is no doubt the first of many, and yet another reminder that summer is upon us.

When it comes to summer vacations, there are a great amount of "dos" and "do nots" for traveling, spending money and enjoying yourself. We've already covered some ways to save and have a cheap summer vacation somewhere nearby, but what if you're traveling abroad? If you are going to another country, there are a whole new set of rules and guidelines to follow, even some that can lower the burden on your wallet.

A recent Lifehacker post, A Savvy Traveler's Guide to Vacationing Abroad, provides some excellent tips about what to do when you're out of the country. It has useful information about saving money (including checking multiple banks for the best exchange rates), which useful phrases to learn in the country's most used language and some guidelines on staying safe (such as registering with your embassy). The post itself has quite a bit to it, so I would definitely recommend checking it out if you will be one of the many lucky cross-country travelers for the summer.

Source- Lifehacker

The Best Deals on WhiteFence Right Now

Our providers often run promotions to persuade you to choose their services over the competition's. These promotions can add up to some pretty significant savings for the savvy consumer, so it pays to keep an eye open for them.

Here are some of the hottest deals available on WhiteFence right now:

• Get a $200 AT&T reward card on select AT&T U-vesre bundles.
• Save over $20 per month with select Frontier bundles.
• Get $150 back and save $5 per month for 24 months on select Verizon bundles.
• Lock in your price for life with select Windstream bundles.
• Get a $100 Visa gift card when you order home security service from ADT from Security Choice.

These promotions are running as of the date of this blog, but could be removed at any time. Not everyone will qualify for each of these deals. To check availability in your area, just visit WhiteFence.com and enter your address. More details available once you have entered your address.

Your Opinion Matters to the FCC

Have you ever been hit hard by your cell phone bill? Did it leave you thinking "how in the world did I rack up all those charges"? Well the FCC is trying to help stop the cell phone bill shock syndrome and they need your help.

The FCC says that most people get hit hard when they fail to realize they have gone over their minutes or are in an area that is considered roaming. This typically leads to a bill that can be over $300 easily.

Well wouldn't it be nice if you could get a text message that told you that you were close to going over the limit on your minutes? Well get this, the European Union already does this kind of thing and the FCC would like to implement that here in the US. Right now they are getting slack from mobile companies saying that customers can access their accounts online anytime to read up on their cell phone accounts.

So to get both sides of the issue, the FCC wants to hear what you have to say. If you're experiencing cell phone bill shock or you have an opinion on the matter, visit www.fcc.gov to learn more on the topic and how you can leave your comment.

DIRECTV Installation Tutorial

There are several big questions when ordering new services for your home, including the timeline of installation, what you need to do to be ready, what items you will need taken care of, etc. Sometimes, this process can be confusing, but luckily DIRECTV is offering a helpful video to assist your installation worries and make the process easier for you. If you've recently ordered or are planning to check out satellite TV service from DIRECTV, this video should answer some questions for you.

Visit DIRECTV on WhiteFence to find out more about DIRECTV and its offerings.

Electricity Customer Service Links

In the wide world that makes up the deregulated electricity market, there are dozens of providers offering all kinds of different rates on electricity service. While having the power of choice with your electricity gives you control over your billing and usage, there are still any number of issues that you can encounter over the course of your time in a home or apartment. These problems could range from meter misreads to power outages.

Having the right information on hand and knowing who to call when there are questions about your service are key when it comes to your power. That's why we've put together a list of the customer service links for all of our electricity providers. Continue reading below to find the contact information for top electricity companies.

WhiteFence Provider Highlight: Comcast

It’s WhiteFence Provider Highlight time again, when we elaborate on some of the cool features one of our providers offers. Today we’re talking about Comcast, one of the largest communications companies in the country.

Comcast offers a wide variety of products including home phone, high-speed Internet and digital television services. Instead of being satisfied with just the basics, Comcast strives to deliver innovative new features and products. Here are some of the cool things Comcast customers have access to:

• iPhone App – With Comcast's iPhone app, you don't have to be at home to control your services. You can check your Comcast e-mail, listen to home phone Voicemails, manage your DVR and watch on-demand content all right on your iPhone!

• PowerBoost – Ever start downloading a file and wish you could turn up the speed dial for just a second? With Comcast's PowerBoost, you can! PowerBoost is a cool new feature that allows Comcast Internet users to experience faster connection speeds when downloading and uploading large files.
  

• Triple Play Bundles – With Comcast, you can get your phone, TV and Internet services bundled together to save both time and money. Instead of dealing with three different bills each month, you can get all of your communications products together on one bill. And as Eddy found out when he put bundles to the test, they really do add up to big savings.

• XFINITY – As technology continues to evolve and the lines between television and computer start blur, people are getting comfortable with watching shows on their computer. With XFINITY, you have access to almost 20,000 programs on-demand, meaning you can watch your favorite shows ehen you want, how you want.

Ready to compare offers from Comcast? Just head on over to our Comcast page and enter your address to get started!

Note, these features are not available on all Comcast packages.

Are You Overpaying for Electricity Service?

KHOU, one of the local television stations here in Houston, ran a story earlier this week stressing the fact that consumers that don't shop around for electricity service end up paying much more than those that do. As electricity prices continue to fall, KHOU found that many people either don't know about the drops or just don't how to take advantage of them.

Electricity deregulation has allowed consumers to choose their electricity provider, which can be a double-edged sword. Those that are proactive with their electricity service can save on their bills, but those that aren't proactive could end up throwing lots of money away. In fact, a utility rate attorney quoted in the story estimated that Houstonians alone are overpaying billions of dollars on their electricity bills each year.

With summer and higher electricity usage just around the corner, this is the perfect time to take charge of your electricity bill. If you're ready to save, here's what you need to do:

• Figure out what you're paying now – Electricity bills can be pretty confusing, even for the most savvy consumer. Check out this primer to figure out what you're paying now.
• Compare your cost to the average for your city – To see how your bill stacks up with the average for your city, head on over to the WhiteFence Index. Even if you're under the average cost, chances are you could be saving even more.
• Compare your options – It used to be that to find the best deal on electricity service, you'd have to look up what providers serve your area and call each provider for rates. Now, when you enter your address on WhiteFence's electricity page, you'll get an easily compareable list of providers and plans in just seconds. As a bonus, when you shop with WhiteFence, you'll find exclusive rates and promotions. For details on how to compare all of your options, check out this guide.
• Order your new service – Electricity prices change every day, so if you find a great deal, make sure you order your service as soon as you've made a decision.