Tag Archives: consumer preferences

Online Privacy?

online-privacyDoes it seem like we all know at least one person who has been hacked or had identity-theft problems? Heck, in South Carolina (where I live) the entire Social Security Department got hacked. Hundreds of thousands of SS numbers were exposed. They had to give free privacy software to EVERYONE in the state!

Now, with that guy running around in exile in Russia, hacker “vigilante” groups like Anonymous, and growing questions about what the government does with the info it collects, people are getting more interested in online privacy. WAY more interested.

In recent days, American Consumer News reports:

  1. Online privacy firm Abine said that downloads of its free DoNotTrackMe browser add-on, which blocks commercial web tracking, increased by 42 percent.
  1. DuckDuckGo is a search engine that, unlike Google, Yahoo and Bing, doesn’t collect or store the data of its users. They got a mention on CNN and Bloomberg, and business went through the roof. Four days in a row of record-breaking traffic, up 33% over the previous week.

Why the focus on commercial web traffic? Because, regardless where the information ends up, commercial traffic is where info-gathering begins.

So, how about you? Are you being more careful? What are you doing? Do you feel safer? Let us know at the MindField Online Facebook page!

BTW, be sure to check out the privacy section of the MindField Online official website!

Facebook Fans Speak (August 2013)

megaphone-kid-croppedIt’s time once again to feature comments from satisfied MindField Online panelists, collected from our over 36,000 Facebook fans.  You will find them at our “Panelist Feedback” page. Here’s a sample from Lorna Marie …

Just want to say hello to everyone! Love MindField! I look forward to each survey opportunity! It is FUN and it makes me feel like I am making a difference in helping Companies provide quality products to American consumers.

Thanks Lorna Marie! So take a look, and have a great weekend!

(photo: southerncrescentsolutions.com)

Wireless Savings!

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Mobile phone and dollar bank notesMy first mobile phone plan (they didn’t call it wireless then) was 15 minutes a month for $8. I kept the phone in the glove box in case of emergency. I mean, who was there to call in 1993?

It’s been a long road from there to today’s “$79 a month 200 meg unlimited text 450 anytime minute nights 4G mocha caramel latte weekend rollover” plans. One thing that hasn’t changed is that the carriers never stop trying to sell you 10% better service for 20% more money!

However, there are savings to be had, according to financial guru Dave Ramsey. Here are some tips from his newsletter:

  • Use Wi-Fi: For email, surfing and texting. I do this every chance I get, it’s free vs. 3G or 4G
  • Skip the insurance: Dave logic – if you can’t afford to replace your phone, you can’t afford the phone to begin with.
  • Negotiate: If you have the patience, fine. I find the phone store too depressing to stretch out the experience by haggling.
  • No contracts: I have done this twice, and it truly is the way to go. If you know somebody who is ditching their iPhone4 for a 5…buy the 4 from him. Used phone = no contract!
  • Read the menu: That is, your phone bill. If you see something that costs money and you never use, get rid of it!

There are more tips at the newsletter (and many other kinds of financial common sense) so check it out.

How about you? Are you happy with your wireless bills? Have any other savings tips? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page. And have a great weekend!

Simplify Your Finances

yoga at sunset #9Go on the web and you will find that there’s an official day, week or month for just about everything. “Talk Like a Pirate Day” (Sept 19) comes to mind.  This week, though, the Official Thing seems pretty useful – or has the potential to be. August 1-7 is “Simplify Your Life Week.”

As Thoreau said, “Simplify, simplify.” Personally, I have always thought it would be…simpler to say it just once, but what do I know? Anyway, you go to one of the semi-official Simplify websites and you will see gems like, “Place an artificial rose on your desk to remind you to stop and smell the roses.” Umm, yeah.

How about some real advice?!? Here you go… Woman’s Day offers “20 Moves to Simplify Your Finances.”

How can we possibly make our finances simple? By knowing the right tricks. Choose to become accountable, and then use every tactic you can to streamline—and destress— your financial life. If you can pare things down in the following areas, you’re well on your way. WomansDay.com

The article has a ton of ideas on simplifying and taking the stress out of Spending, Banking, Bill Paying, Taxes, Credit Cards, and much more. I won’t even excerpt it here.. you MUST check it out.

Do any of these tips speak to you? Got any of your own to share? Let us know at the MindFieldLive Facebook Page!

Organic Food Skeptics

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usda_organic_mediumBefore we begin, I am just starting a conversation here…

A recent poll found that, by and large, consumers were skeptical about the benefits of organic food and not eager to pay more for it.  In fact, the survey found that 59% of consumers believe labeling a food as “organic” is simply an excuse to charge more for it. Consumer Affairs

Now, that may be true or not. There are a LOT of health conscious consumers out there, and a lot of well-meaning vendors trying to serve them. But, even if organic food DOES provide greater health benefits than, well, whatever you call non-organic foods, this article suggests that the whole system is very much under-regulated and under-policed. “Where the food comes from” seems to be the biggest question.

 “It’s one thing to go out and find a farmer and buy directly but if you go to Whole Foods and buy something that’s certified organic, it could be from Turkey. You don’t know if it’s safe. How do you know that the farmer didn’t use Round-Up, that he didn’t cheat, that there weren’t human feces in his fields? (Editor’s note: that’s gross.)  Consumer Affairs

So, a bunch of people think that the organic thing is a waste of money and effort. A bunch of other people completely swear by organic. What do YOU think? Let us know at the MindField Online Facebook page. And have a great weekend!

The Evolution of Cashing Out

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The statistics don’t lie: in business, in government and in our day-to-day lives, we are using fewer and fewer checks, and more electronic payments. The examples are all around us, starting at the top – the Federal Reserve:

In the 1990s, the number of paper checks processed by the Fed (was) 19 billion. Since then, it has only gone down. In 2000 the number was 16 billion; in 2007, 10 billion and in 2011, just 6.8 billion checks – and of those, almost all were electronic images – were processed by the Federal Reserve.  3pointAlliance.com

In fact the volume of checks the Fed processes is only one-third of what it was 20 years ago. Whereas they once had 45 check-clearing centers in the US, now they have ONE. Meanwhile, the cost of processing checks has gone up by 55% in recent years.

So, that’s the spirit behind the announcement you saw on the MindField Online news page last week:

The ability to cash out using checks will no longer be available starting today. Very few of our members still use this service and it has become too costly and unreliable to maintain effectively.

“Costly and unreliable.” What’s that mean? Well, as we said, the cost of processing checks – even when there are NO problems, is rising. When there ARE problems, though, it gets ridiculous. The Post Office loses your check? Someone swipes it from your mailbox? Suddenly, your $5 cash out check costs MindField $20 to replace!

Is this a huge problem? No, but it’s big enough to be a distraction. And, ultimately, it’s an unnecessary distraction when there are so many other efficient, reliable solutions out there:

We continue to look for exciting cash out options to add to PayPal, Amazon, WalMart and Sam’s online options. We are also looking to add some charitable giving options like St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Make A Wish, or Wounded Warrior programs.

In the end, it’s the price of progress. Check distribution is an avoidable expense, and thousands and thousands of companies have realized it. But we want to hear YOUR thoughts:

If you have cash out ideas, please send them to our support desk, [email protected]. We’d love to know which retailers and charities are of interest to you.

4th of July Spending Revisited

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See what I did there?
See what I did there?

So, fellow MindField-ers… having a good holiday weekend so far? Did you manage to get Friday off? I hope so! Last Friday, we did a post about 4th of July spending. I thought I would actually track my own this year, just for fun. First, the agenda…

Starting out from the suburbs of Charleston SC, it’s:

  • July 4: Cookout at in-laws
  • July 5: Antiquing in West Columbia SC
  • July 6: Going to the beach at Kiawah SC
  • July 7: Charleston Harbor tour and dining downtown

And here is my spending, real and projected:

  • Cookout: 4 bags of chips, sodas and my homemade guacamole… $21
  • Antiquing: Maybe $50, meals $25
  • Beach: Sodas, snack, parking fee…$12. Lunch after, $20
  • Harbor tour for 2: $20 (thanks Groupon!) Meals $40
  • Gas for the weekend: 450 miles, at 30 miles per gallon, times $3.15 per gallon (it’s CHEAP in SC)…$47

Total Independence Day 2013 spending: $235

How does that sound to you? High? Low? About right? We had talked about spending the weekend in Asheville NC, which probably would have brought it up to at least $500, which is more in line with the numbers we reported last week. Fortunately, I am a CHEAPO! Wife is too, so at least we’re compatible!

So, what are YOUR plans. Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page. And have a great weekend!

BONUS: If it’s been since 9th grade that you have read the Declaration of Independence, you really should revisit the old girl. Read it HERE.

Summer Survival with Bored Kids

Activities-to-Fight-Summer-Boredom-MainPhotoAs they say, “Insanity is hereditary – you get it from your kids.” That is never truer than the summertime. So, your kids have been out of school nearly a month…have you gone crazy yet? Spoiler alert: it’s coming.

Never fear – MindField Online presents ten links to help keep your little darlings occupied and out of your hair!

Did they miss any? What kinds of things do YOU do? Let us know over at the MindField Facebook page!

Independence Day by the Numbers!

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redwhiteyouBy this time next Friday, we will still be on the front end of the long Independence Day weekend – though, sadly, not as long as last year, when it fell on Wednesday! So, are you staying home (more of us are) ? Or taking a trip (fewer, and spending more) ? Either way, there’s a price tag on your “4th Fun” – because this is America, dang it!

Continuing a long MindFieldLive tradition, it’s Independence Day by the Numbers!

$300: Average spent on holiday parties

$39: Average spent on fireworks

40 million: Number of us taking a July 4th trip this year. Down 300K from last year

613: Average miles traveled per trip

$747: Average amount families spend per trip. Same as last year

3 million: Number of us flying – up 10%

84%: The percentage of travelers going by car, vs. plane

$3.60: Average price of a gallon of gas. Up 11% from last year

BTW, if you ARE entertaining at home, here’s an article that tells you how to save some bux!

What are YOUR plans this year? Hit us up on Facebook, and have a great weekend!

Source, Source, Source,

Outlaw Tipping?

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tipsFor me, when it comes to leaving a tip, dining out can lead to stressing out. There are so many factors. Like, service was poor, but I still have to leave 15%? What if the service was competent, but not particularly friendly? Or friendly but incompetent? Or, it was both friendly AND competent – so how high do I go?

Part of my confusion is that I never worked in the service (or  hospitality) industry. Someone who HAS, however, has written an article in Esquire entitled “Why Tipping Should Be Outlawed.”

The friendships I’ve formed with restaurant employees over the years have made me think seriously about why hospitality workers are singled out among America’s professionals to endure a pass-the-hat system of compensation. Why should a server’s pay depend upon the generosity – not to mention dubious arithmetic skills – of people like me?

The author lists a few reasons. Here are the highlights:

  • People don’t even understand what a tip is
  • Doctors don’t live on tips. Nor do flight attendants
  • The percentage basis makes no sense
  • Better service doesn’t actually beget better tips
  • It perpetuates racism and sexism
  • Smart people have been trying to end the tipping practice for a century

These are solely the opinion of the author, and he/she gives plenty of reasoning behind the bullet points, so check out the original piece.

Any hospitality workers out there, past or present? What do you think? Leave your opinion here or at the Facebook page. And have a great first weekend of the summer!