Five Auto Maintenance Myths

Hit the brakes! You may be spending unnecessarily on car maintenance. Here’s how you can save money: For starters...make sure you read your owner’s manual! Most newer cars require a lot less maintenance than your family’s first car. Here are 6 more tips… 1. Oil Change. Some newer cars call for oil changes every 10,000 miles; the industry recommends every 7,500 miles. If you follow the factory schedule, your car will be in good shape well past the warranty period. 2. Lubricating The Chassis. Cars built in the past 10 years don’t require lubrication. Adding grease may end up costing you $$$. 3. Standard Tune-up. New cars have computer-controlled engines making the standard tune-up unnecessary. (No points and rotors...and some don’t have the standard distributor caps). 4. Flushing The Automatic Transmission System. Check your owner’s manual, but most manufacturers say it’s not needed until 60,000 miles. 5. Draining The Radiator. Most cars have closed systems and no longer need the radiator flushed twice a year. A new car’s coolant can last up to two years before it needs changing. 6. Changing Filters. Filters need replacing, but not at every oil change. Check your owner’s manual for recommended replacement intervals For more information, or to find a mechanic in your area, check the Car Talk section of http://www.cars.com.

Why You Should BCC…

Do you send or forward emails with all the original contacts showing? Here’s what you should do instead and why. If you’re sending an email, put your email in the To field and your distribution list in the Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) area. And if it’s a joke or other forwarded email that has been sent to a long list of recipients, delete all the email addresses in the body of the email itself before you hit send. It protects the privacy of people’s email addresses. Some of your recipients may prefer to keep their email address private. And if a person “replies to all,” it can be confusing and annoying. Those long forwarded email lists can be a bit tedious. Save your friends some time. You and your recipients will have less exposure to spammers. Spammers love to get their hands on valid email addresses. In fact, some of those innocent-looking emails (“pass this message on and you’ll have good luck for 5 years”) are actually started by spammers who are using the email as a tool to benefit themselves. Encourage your friends to use BCC as well. That’s what friends are for!

Free Trial? Maybe Not!

The next time you sign up for a free trial offer, be sure to read the fine print. While these offers can be a great way to try out a product, you might be agreeing to buy additional products and services if you don’t cancel within a specified time. It’s called the “negative option feature,” and it requires the customer to cancel or opt-out of a recurring charge for future products. While it’s not illegal, some questionable online merchants pre-check the consent box or bury the details under terms and conditions, making returns difficult. If this has happened to you, you’re not alone. A Visa survey showed 29 percent of American consumers have been victims of this option. The Better Business Bureau says it has received thousands of complaints from people who learned the hard way by signing up for online trial offers for acai berry supplements, detox products, teeth whiteners, free government grants and debt consolidation services. Best advice? Before you buy, read the offer carefully, pay attention to pre-checked boxes and check out the business at www.bbb.org.