The 1 Big Mistake You Should Never, Ever Make With Your Passport

The 1 Big Mistake You Should Never, Ever Make With Your Passport

BuzzFeed   Sun, May 5, 2024

A couple of years ago, I was invited to attend a friend’s July wedding in his wife’s hometown in northern Italy. As the date approached, I remarked to another friend who was also planning to travel from the U.S. for the celebration that I was glad I had just renewed my passport since it was due to expire in May. She responded cheerfully that she was all set because her passport wouldn’t expire until September.

She was mistaken. My friend was not all set because Italy, as part of the Schengen Area of European countries, requires visitors to have a passport that is valid for at least three months beyond the date they intend to depart.

Fortunately, she was able to expedite her passport renewal and make it to the wedding, but her situation highlighted a fairly common misconception about international travel.

Having A Current Passport Isn’t Always Enough

“A lot of us just think we need a valid passport to travel the world beyond our borders, but what many people don’t realize [is] that a current passport alone might not be enough,” said Katy Nastro, a spokesperson for the flight alert service Going.

Indeed, many countries require your passport to have a certain duration of validity remaining beyond the intended dates of your trip. The most common lengths are three and six months past the date you fly back to the U.S.

“A lot of countries, namely in Asia and the Middle East, require six months’ validity beyond your travel dates ― meaning if you take a trip to Vietnam in July, for example, your passport needs to be valid up until at least January,” Nastro explained. “If you arrive at the airport and try to get on your flight, some airlines won’t even let you board without this very important bit of time, in which case you run the risk of not being able to take your trip.”

Each country has a different timeline for passport validity, so international travelers need to familiarize themselves with these policies before booking a trip.

“Some may require three months, while others may require six months or even more,” said David Alwadish, the founder and CEO of the passport and visa service ItsEasy.com. “When some countries also require a visa and grant a multiyear paper visa, they may require at least one year or more [of] validity.”

The specific requirement depends on a variety of factors, including the country’s immigration policies, bilateral agreements and security risk considerations.

“Therefore, it’s crucial for travelers to thoroughly check the entry requirements of the specific country they plan to visit to ensure compliance with passport validity regulations,” Alwadish emphasized.

He and Nastro have both observed a lack of understanding around passport validity rules.

“It’s common for people to be unaware of the three- or six-month passport validity rule, particularly among those who don’t travel frequently or haven’t encountered it before,” Alwadish said. “The rule may not be consistently enforced across all countries, causing misconceptions among travelers. The complexity of immigration policies, which can change, adds to the challenge of staying informed. Lastly, passport validity requirements may not be well-publicized, leading to lower awareness among travelers.”

What’s The Reason For These Requirements?

 “These requirements ensure that visitors have a valid passport for the duration of their intended stay, as well as for a buffer period in case of unexpected delays or extensions,” Alwadish explained.

You might’ve planned a two-week sojourn in the South of France, for instance, but maybe after a few days you realize that you actually want to stay for two months. Or perhaps something happens that’s out of your control.

“This is mainly out of precaution,” Nastro said. “Let’s say you fall seriously ill or have an accident and then need to stay in that country longer than intended. If your passport expires during this unplanned time, it can cause a mountain of issues upon trying to exit the country.”

The period of passport validity for international tourists provides an extra cushion in case you sustain an injury that precludes you from flying for a while, or you delay your return for other personal reasons. The point is to account for the fact that plans might change.

“Countries set a minimum of three or six months of passport validity for foreign visitors to facilitate efficient immigration procedures, bolster security measures and improve emergency management,” Alwadish said. “This ensures that visitors have a valid travel document throughout their stay and can respond effectively to unforeseen circumstances. Furthermore, these requirements promote fairness and reciprocity in visa policies, fostering balanced relationships between countries.”

To Read More:

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/1-big-mistake-never-ever-111603933.html

6 Smart Hiding Spots for Your Emergency Cash

6 Smart Hiding Spots for Your Emergency Cash

Life savings ready to to be buried in the back yard.

Those who keep extra money, like an emergency fund, in their homes may be curious about some of the best spaces to store it. Since traditional savings vehicles like high-yield savings accounts are not applicable in this situation, those in possession of excess funds need to get creative with where they keep this money.

Consider stashing your emergency cash into some of these clever spots.

Fake Personal Items

This is a helpful tip for those traveling overseas as well as those seeking hacks for keeping their money safe at home. Consider fake personal items, like the following, to discreetly store any emergency funds:

A hairbrush. Use a round hairbrush with a hollowed-out middle and store cash inside the brush.

Empty lip balm tubes. Do you need to tuck a tiny bit of cash somewhere safe? Store it inside an empty lip balm tube. Try a sunscreen lotion tube or an empty shaving can if you need a larger container for your savings. Always make sure the tubes are cleaned out before use!

Feminine napkins. Carefully open a sanitary napkin and hide folded money inside it. Then, fold it all back up and re-stick the sticker in place. These items are seldom, if ever, suspected for hiding excessive amounts of cash.

Remember, though: When storing emergency cash in fake personal items, keep the items tucked away in places you won’t forget.

The Bathroom

When it comes to hiding emergency cash, there are a number of hidden spaces inside your bathroom where the money can be easily stashed.

One of the most common is the toilet’s water tank. Seal your emergency cash into a jar or another watertight container to ensure it doesn’t get wet and store it carefully inside. A toilet’s water tank also makes for a great place to store other valuable items beyond emergency cash, like jewelry or stock certificates. (Again, we can’t stress enough the importance of storing these items into watertight containers.)

Where else in the bathroom can you hide emergency cash? Have you tried using your toilet spring bar? The spring bar is what holds your toilet paper roll in place. Carefully take it apart, roll up extra money, put it inside and reassemble into place.

Fake Electrical Outlets

It’s becoming much more popular for homeowners to construct fake infrastructure in their homes where you can hide emergency cash inside.

To Read More Go to the Original Article Here:

https://www.gobankingrates.com/money/financial-planning/hidden-places-to-stash-your-emergency-cash/

The Day I Put $50,000 in a Shoe Box and Handed It to a Stranger

The Day I Put $50,000 in a Shoe Box and Handed It to a Stranger

I never thought I was the kind of person to fall for a scam.

By Charlotte Cowles

On a Tuesday evening this past October, I put $50,000 in cash in a shoe box, taped it shut as instructed, and carried it to the sidewalk in front of my apartment, my phone clasped to my ear. “Don’t let anyone hurt me,” I told the man on the line, feeling pathetic.

“You won’t be hurt,” he answered. “Just keep doing exactly as I say.”

Three minutes later, a white Mercedes SUV pulled up to the curb. “The back window will open,” said the man on the phone. “Do not look at the driver or talk to him. Put the box through the window, say ‘thank you,’ and go back inside.”

The man on the phone knew my home address, my Social Security number, the names of my family members, and that my 2-year-old son was playing in our living room. He told me my home was being watched, my laptop had been hacked, and we were in imminent danger. “I can help you, but only if you cooperate,” he said. His first orders: I could not tell anyone about our conversation, not even my spouse, or talk to the police or a lawyer.

Now I know this was all a scam — a cruel and violating one but painfully obvious in retrospect. Here’s what I can’t figure out: Why didn’t I just hang up and call 911? Why didn’t I text my husband, or my brother (a lawyer), or my best friend (also a lawyer), or my parents, or one of the many other people who would have helped me? Why did I hand over all that money — the contents of my savings account, strictly for emergencies — without a bigger fight?

When I’ve told people this story, most of them say the same thing: You don’t seem like the type of person this would happen to. What they mean is that I’m not senile, or hysterical, or a rube. But these stereotypes are actually false. Younger adults — Gen Z, millennials, and Gen X — are 34 percent more likely to report losing money to fraud compared with those over 60, according to a recent report from the Federal Trade Commission. Another study found that well-educated people or those with good jobs were just as vulnerable to scams as everyone else.

Still, how could I have been such easy prey? Scam victims tend to be single, lonely, and economically insecure with low financial literacy. I am none of those things. I’m closer to the opposite. I’m a journalist who had a weekly column in the “Business” section of the New York Times. I’ve written a personal-finance column for this magazine for the past seven years. I interview money experts all the time and take their advice seriously. I’m married and talk to my friends, family, and colleagues every day.

And while this is harder to quantify — how do I even put it? — I’m not someone who loses her head. My mother-in-law has described me as even-keeled; my own mom has called me “maddeningly rational.” I am listed as an emergency contact for several friends — and their kids. I vote, floss, cook, and exercise. In other words, I’m not a person who panics under pressure and falls for a conspiracy involving drug smuggling, money laundering, and CIA officers at my door. Until, suddenly, I was.

That morning — it was October 31 — I dressed my toddler in a pizza costume for Halloween and kissed him good-bye before school. I wrote some work emails. At about 12:30 p.m., my phone buzzed. The caller ID said it was Amazon. I answered. A polite woman with a vague accent told me she was calling from Amazon customer service to check some unusual activity on my account. The call was being recorded for quality assurance. Had I recently spent $8,000 on MacBooks and iPads?

I had not. I checked my Amazon account. My order history showed diapers and groceries, no iPads. The woman, who said her name was Krista, told me the purchases had been made under my business account. “I don’t have a business account,” I said. “Hmm,” she said. “Our system shows that you have two.”

Krista and I concurred that I was the victim of identity theft, and she said she would flag the fraudulent accounts and freeze their activity. She provided me with a case-ID number for future reference and recommended that I check my credit cards. I did, and everything looked normal. I thanked her for her help.

Then Krista explained that Amazon had been having a lot of problems with identity theft and false accounts lately. It had become so pervasive that the company was working with a liaison at the Federal Trade Commission and was referring defrauded customers to him. Could she connect me?

“Um, sure?” I said.

Krista transferred the call to a man who identified himself as Calvin Mitchell. He said he was an investigator with the FTC, gave me his badge number, and had me write down his direct phone line in case I needed to contact him again. He also told me our call was being recorded. He asked me to verify the spelling of my name. Then he read me the last four digits of my Social Security number, my home address, and my date of birth to confirm that they were correct. The fact that he had my Social Security number threw me. I was getting nervous.

To Read More Go to the Original Article Here:

https://www.thecut.com/article/amazon-scam-call-ftc-arrest-warrants.html?utm_source=apexmoney&utm_medium=dailynewsletter&utm_campaign=how-to-be-rich

I Lost $11,300 to Identity Fraud

I lost $11,300 to identity fraud.

What I learned: Usual safeguards don’t work.

Janna Herron·Senior Columnist  Sat, Mar 2, 2024,

"Looks like someone is trying to take more than $10,000 from us."

That's the message my husband typed to me on a Monday morning in October. By the time I wrote back, he was on the phone with our bank. The weekend before, someone walked into a bank branch, pretended to be one of us, and took thousands of dollars from our checking account.

We joined the tens of millions of Americans who each year are victims of identity fraud, where criminals steal a bank or credit card number and use the personal information to achieve illegal financial gain.

We were lucky in so many ways, most notably that our bank reimbursed our losses within 36 hours.

What we learned is this: The many steps we take to safeguard our personal data don’t always work.

Experts suggest creating strong passwords with extra layers of authentication, changing them often, and not using the same one on multiple accounts.

Having text alerts on your credit and debit cards for all transactions can also thwart illegal activity in real time, as can email alerts when someone tries to change an email or address associated with your account.

You should do all these — and we did — but they wouldn't have prevented the fraud we experienced. Our data was already out there for the picking.

Hacks that expose the personal financial information of Americans soared to a record high of 3,205 in 2023, according to the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center. That total includes breaches of companies across many industries such as healthcare, utilities, financial services, and transportation.

A well-known example of this was the massive Equifax data breach in 2017 that affected 147 million Americans — including us. That motivated us to freeze our credit reports at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

“At this point, all of our information is out on the dark web," Suzanne Sando, senior analyst for fraud and security at Javelin Strategy & Research, told me. "It's now just a matter of when is it going to be used against me."

'Huge time suck'Here’s what else we learned: Knowing how to respond to one of these frauds after they happen is also crucial — and time consuming.

Because of my past reporting on this subject, I knew we needed to act quickly. We checked our other accounts — bank, credit, and retirement — for any suspicious activity. There was none. We then met up at our local bank branch to shut down the old account, establish another, and identify which upcoming transactions to allow to go through.

It took more than two hours, and we weren’t close to done.  "Fixing a run-in with identity fraud, it's a huge time suck," Sando said, "and people don't necessarily have the time to do it."

My husband fortunately was able to take the day off and spent the afternoon undoing automatic transactions from the old account and rerouting them to the new one. I also took off the day from work and headed to our local police precinct to file a report to provide to other financial institutions if the fraud followed us elsewhere.

Our local precinct took our report immediately. That’s not often the case for identity theft, according to Identity Theft Resource Center CEO Eva Velasquez, because it’s so hard to solve these cases.

Several factors worked in our favor, she said. In New York, the total amount stolen — which ended up being $11,300 — made the crime a Class D felony, which includes thefts of more than $3,000 but less than $50,000.

The bank also gave me copies of the withdrawal slips, which became critical evidence. The criminal made the withdrawals under my maiden name, albeit misspelled on each slip. It’s a name that hadn't appeared on my checking account for well over a decade.

 To Read More Go to the Original Article Here:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/i-lost-11300-to-identity-fraud-what-i-learned-usual-safeguards-dont-work-220720605.html

Outsmarting Pickpockets and Thieves

Outsmarting Pickpockets and Thieves

By Rick Steves 

A money belt tucked underneath your clothes keeps your essentials on you as securely and thoughtlessly as your underweaCrowded transit lines that cover tourist sights are happy hunting grounds for pickpockets — stay in physical contact with your bags.

While Europe has little violent crime, it does have its share of petty purse snatching, pickpocketing, phone grabbing, and general ripping off of tourists — especially in places where tourists gather. Thieves target vacationers — not because they're mean, but because they're smart. Travelers have all the good stuff in their bags and wallets. Loaded down with valuables, jetlagged, and bumbling around in a strange new environment, we stick out like jeweled thumbs. If I were a European street thief, I'd specialize in Americans — my card would say "Yanks R Us."

If you're not constantly on guard, you'll have something stolen. One summer, four out of five of my traveling companions lost cameras in one way or another. (Don't look at me.) But in more than 4,800 days of travel, I've been pickpocketed only once (on the Paris Métro, on a rare day I didn't wear my money belt) and mugged a single time (in a part of London where only fools and thieves tread).

My various rental cars have been broken into a total of six times (broken locks, shattered windows, lots of nonessential stuff taken), and one car was hot-wired (and abandoned a few blocks away after the thief found nothing to take). Not one of my hotel rooms has ever been rifled through, and I simply don't let thoughts of petty crime — or the rare instance of it — spoil the fun of being abroad.

Many tourists get indignant when pickpocketed or ripped off. If it happens to you, it's best to get over it quickly. You're rich and thieves aren't. You let your guard down and they grabbed your camera. It ruins your day and you have to buy a new one, while they sell it for a week's wages on their scale. It's wise to keep a material loss in perspective.

There probably aren't more thieves in Europe than in the US. We just notice them more because they target tourists. But remember, nearly all crimes suffered by tourists are nonviolent and avoidable. Be aware of the possible pitfalls of traveling, but relax and have fun. Limit your vulnerability rather than your travels.

If you exercise adequate discretion, stay aware of your belongings, and avoid putting yourself into risky situations (such as unlit, deserted areas at night), your travels should be about as dangerous as hometown grocery shopping. Don't travel fearfully — travel carefully.

Here's some advice given to me by a thief who won the lotto.

Be prepared. Before you go, take steps to minimize your loss in case of theft. Make copies of key documents, and store them online. Consider getting theft insurance for expensive electronics. Leave your fancy bling at home. Luxurious luggage lures thieves. The thief chooses the most impressive suitcase in the pile — never mine.

Mobile payment technology reduces the need to handle your cards or cash; if you have a payment app such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, or PayPal on your phone, become familiar with it before your trip.

If your phone disappears, you're out not just the cost of the device — but also the photos and personal data stored on it. It's smart to take extra precautions before your trip: Make sure you've got a "find my phone"-type app, back up your data, and enable password protection. While traveling, use the Wi-Fi at your hotel to back up your phone and its photos each night. If you don't know how to sync your stuff to the cloud, learn before your trip.

Wear a money belt. A money belt is a small, zippered fabric pouch on an elastic strap that fastens around your waist. I almost never travel without one — it's where I put anything I really, really don't want to lose.

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/theft-scams/outsmarting-pickpockets

Gen Zers Report Having Fallen For Scams More Than Any Other Generation

Gen Zers Report Having Fallen For Scams More Than Any Other Generation

Americans think their older loved ones are more vulnerable to scammers–but Gen Zers report having fallen for scams more than any other generation

Michael Steinbach  Fri, February 9, 2024

While fraudsters’ tactics have evolved throughout my career as head of financial crimes and fraud prevention at Citi and during the more than two decades I spent at the FBI, one thing has stayed the same: No one thinks they’re going to be scammed.

Most Americans overrate their abilities to avoid scams, according to a recent Citi survey. Some 90% of U.S. adults believe they’re able to spot financial scams–but more than a quarter (27%) report having fallen victim.

Today's scammers are nimble and aided by sophisticated tools. They often deal in volume, and it only takes one successful attempt to profit. Ultimately, all ages and demographics are at risk.

No One Is Immune

While Citi’s survey revealed that three in four Americans are concerned about an older loved one falling victim to a scam, the survey suggests digitally native generations are at risk, too. A third of Gen Z respondents report having been a victim of a financial scam–more than any other generation.

Whether Gen Zers are more vulnerable to scammers or more aware of the fact that they’ve been scammed is unclear. What is clear, though, is that fraudsters are getting better at targeting everyone, regardless of their digital fluency–so preparedness is crucial.

To achieve a happy, fraud-free new year, remain vigilant, listen to your instincts, and learn to spot red flags. While scammers are constantly updating their tactics, here are some ways they might try to sabotage your financial goals:

Claiming to be from your bank’s fraud department, asking you to move money to keep it safe from fraudsters. Never share your debit pin, one-time password, or login credentials verbally or through an email or text–even with someone claiming to be from your bank. Importantly, your bank will never ask you to move your money or initiate a transaction to “correct” a fraudulent one.

Pretending to be the delivery company behind your recent purchase and claiming, via email or text, that they can’t deliver your package. They want you to click the link so they can capture the personal and financial information you enter. Or the link could infect your device with harmful malware to steal your information. Remember: Don’t click any links they send. Instead, verify with the shipment company’s website.

Taking advantage of your decision to use public Wi-Fi. Using a public network makes you more vulnerable to hackers, who can more easily access the personal information you share online. Use a private Wi-Fi network.

Protecting yourself from scammers

While scams are rampant, the good news is that everyone can take steps to minimize their risk. First, look to trusted sources to arm yourself with information. When asked about the resources they trust most for scam prevention information, 55% of Americans cited their bank among their top three, along with taking advice from friends and family (44%) and listening to their instincts by drawing on their own past experiences (41%).

There are simple steps you can take to shore up your digital defenses:

Enable face or fingerprint logins on your smartphone and banking apps. These can prevent scammers from gaining access should they get ahold of your devices.

 To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/americans-think-older-loved-ones-163358786.html

"Strategy to Retain Wealth" by Quantum Warrior

"Strategy to Retain Wealth" by Quantum Warrior

 Emailed to Recaps   11/19/2013  From Archives

 (Dinar Recaps Note: This post is for informational purposes only.  It is not legal, tax or investment advice.  Dinar Recaps advises that everyone do their own due diligence and seek local Professional tax, legal and/or investment advisers.)

Strategy to Retain Wealth by Quantum Warrior

The "recipe" below is my personal one- if it does not suit you, don't do it. If you don't like the ideas, fair enough, we all have that right, but please don't complain to Recaps or me, just read something else. The usual disclaimers apply- do your own due diligence, every situation is different.

Like all of you, I am not wealthy now (except possibly spguru :-) ). However, I have spent considerable time working on my strategy to retain the wealth, there are lots of comments in many posts (including my earlier one) about not behaving like a lottery winner. What does that mean? Simply spending like the money will never run out. It will.

To retain my wealth, I plan to do the following- your figure out your own plan, but these ideas are presented in case they will help clarify the thinking process for those who need the help.

There are some simple rules:

Work on yourself FIRST, then work on your money

Personal Crash Course in the Value of Money

Generate Cash flow from Capital (i.e. Protect Your Capital)

Do NOT ever get into debt, for any reason

When to buy the toys

Legacy - Meaning & Fulfilment

As you'll see you can't really do one of these without the others. But the effort it takes to follow this "recipe" is far less than the pain and consequences of losing all that wealth after having waited for so long, when many others have given up already.

Work on yourself FIRST

(Just to avoid the obvious comments- do your exchange first, especially if there is a 30 day window, then start here, OK? :-) )

The obvious question here is "Why?" Well the answer is simple, "Who's going to manage your wealth then?" If you seriously think some Financial Planner has more interest in your long term financial health than you, think again. Or just simply give them all your money and save yourself the future heartache.

No disrespect intended there are many good financial planners out there, but it really is your wealth, so you ought to be more aware than anyone else, for them it is a job, for you it is your future.

Wealth Magnifies Who We Are: If you are a kind considerate person now, chances are you still will be when you have more money than you've ever had. Unless you have some hidden aspects of your character that will come out and sabotage you. Which they will. How much you work on you will determine how much self-sabotage you engage in.

Having lived in the US (the country most infected by this problem in my experience), there is a "disease" if I can put that way, I've observed and not just from when I lived there, but from comments in many posts in Dinarland over the years.

The disease: The Happiness Pill = Either take a pill to solve the problem or hire someone to do it for you. To put this somewhat graphically, no one can go to the toilet for you. Only you can do what you've got to do.

There are no short cuts, no free lunches. If you want the benefits of your wealth, you're going to have to change something about your beliefs or what has happened to you with money in the past will only happen again. Only bigger, with more zeros.

You are capable of solving and learning all these things, else you would not be here with this potential wealth in your hands. It is time to believe in you.

You can't buy a pill to fix the issues you may have, you can't hire an expert to fix you. Only you can empower you. It is no one else's responsibility but your own. This applies to your health and your wealth. Your beliefs create your reality. 100% of the time. You may disagree, but this is like gravity, it is still there, even if you disagree with it.

It has been shown again, and again, that most illnesses start with emotional upsets that eventually become physical. Medication by and large only suppresses symptoms, it rarely cures. Doctors are great if you've broken your leg or something like that. Modern medicine is now beginning to recognise many illnesses (back pain, stomach issues, etc.) are "psychosomatic" in origin.

In other words, based on our belief system. Change that and the physical symptoms disappear. Please, do your own research on this one. Don't take my word for it.

Long term medical care is not the strong point of western medicine. Look at the "Food Matters" video and form your own opinion. Again, I am not disrespecting doctors, they do an amazing job with what they know. They key is there is more to us than medicine understands. Emotional health is vital to physical and mental well-being, that will never come out of a bottle.

Correct diet and exercise can fix almost anything, food for thought as it were. After all, you want to be healthy to enjoy your wealth right?

If you think this is just hokum, how many people have posted they have become ill, or even people have died over the stress of waiting for the RV to solve their problems? Stress is directly linked to hugely suppressing our immune system, which then means areas where we are physically weak are more at risk.

Managing your emotions, health and mental state will be an essential component in managing your future wealth. If you make clear decisions, make sure you manage risks well, then you'll be more than comfortable, if you are unsure of yourself, you'll end up with even more stress after the RV than you were before because you don't know how to handle the wealth properly and with the fear of losing it all.

This means looking within and being ruthlessly honest about your strengths and weaknesses, and allowing for them in your plans. Some people have a weakness for fame, others for sex, others for drink or drugs, others for the good opinion of others, others for greed. You get the picture. Clear the obsessions or the obsessions will clear you out.

Sadly for many, religion today is infected with the idea that "money is the root of all evil". Not just Christianity, but Buddhism & Hinduism have his issue, to name a few.

There is nothing wrong with money. It is neutral- it only reflects the nature of the person using it.

This is the most important step and probably the hardest. I could list loads of resources on this topic, but it makes more sense for you to do that work on your own, since what works for me, may not work for you. Also, if you take this point seriously, you'll do something, if not, you won't. Your action or inaction on this point will simply reflect your beliefs back to you about where you're at in terms of introspection, or looking within.

For the record, with due respect to psychologists, I am absolutely 100% not suggesting you get a shrink. My personal experience is most psychologists are at least as screwed up as their patients, not all but many. The other problem, again, in my opinion and no disrespect intended, is psychology has way too many theories and attempts to shoehorn all human experience into one or another theory.

We are all much, much bigger than just our minds, emotions or our bodies. There are lots of good psychologists out there doing great work, but there is a lot of noise out there too, finding the right one, is kind of like being a princess kissing frogs to see if one turns into a prince.

If you are really stuck, the SEDONA process works very well. it is astonishingly simple:

Feel whatever the emotion is you want to deal with (this includes resistance, blockages, negative and positive emotions). Feel it as strongly as you can

Ask yourself "Could I release this? - The only answer is Yes or No, either is fine, just be honest with yourself

Next, ask "Would I release this?" Again, only answer Yes or No. If in doubt, the answer is always a No.

Lastly, ask "When would I release this?" Again, be honest.

Repeat until the feeling is released, this may take a number of "loops"

If you find resistance, release the resistance using the same process

If the resistance is another emotion, release that with the same process

As you can see, the process is controlled 100% by you, and you can tell when it works, since you will feel lighter and more at ease. Clear ALL the emotion, even only a small "amount" is left. A good clue you've let go of it is if you sigh deeply. The body, mind and emotions are deeply connected.

Just remember some emotions run deeper and are more tangled than others, so may require much more spadework.

The two most important emotional attitudes to consciously develop are forgiveness and gratitude. This especially includes forgiving yourself. If something bad happens to you, ask: "What can I learn from this?" or "What buried assumptions do I have that attracted this to me?"

If you still have an emotional blockage, come back and work through it again. The process is simple, no said it would be easy. But then the things worth doing are never easy.

This is not an instant "magic pill", it will take work, in some cases a lot of work, to clear emotional blockages. It took however many years you've been alive to get the way you are now, it is natural and normal to take a little time to clear this up. The effort is worth it, you'll feel better much faster as you clear the habit of feeling the way you currently do. Because it is just a habit, and habits can be changed.

This is really all you need- we are already in our true nature, amazing, we just deeply, passionately believe we are not. You and only you are in 100% responsible for your life, no one else, not God, not your mother in law, not your boss, YOU. God set up the rules for you to win at this game, but you must play the game to win.

That is scary at first, until you realize that with that responsibility comes control, you can change what you like. This means YOU are in full control of your life. Sure, things may happen that you don't like, but they are reflections of you back to you, of you. Change your patterns, change your world. Sometimes stuff just happens and it's not about us at all, "Suck it up, Princess" and deal with it in an emotionally healthy way.

Personal Crash Course in Managing the Value of Money

Set aside 10% of your capital (after allowing for taxes)- and then spend it as completely stupidly and recklessly as you can. 10% may be quite a lot of money. By doing this, it will clear the "addiction" of spending like a lottery winner, and hopefully you'll see how fast 10% of your wealth can disappear.

Especially, if you are the quiet, careful type, do this- there may well be a suppressed spendaholic in there. If you are a spendaholic, then this may cause you to sober up a bit.

I once read that Anthony Robbins cured someone of smoking in half an hour, by getting him to smoke 20 packets of cigarettes in that time. Same idea but without the cigarettes.

Generate Cash flow from Capital (i.e. Protect Your Capital)

After you have cleared all (and I mean all your debts, credit cards, money from friends, etc) the next rule is: Never Spend the Capital- only use it to buy assets that generate cash flow. Your homework is to figure out which assets are right for you.

If you are going to start a business, you'd better really be prepared to know what you're doing and a successful business is almost never about the product, it is an important ingredient but not the most important.

Work ON the business NOT in the business. My preferred approach is to buy into existing, viable businesses for long term cash flow growth. There are other assets you can buy into, but the ones that really make money with lower risk are almost never sold by financial planners, in my opinion. You do your own due diligence.

For financial products, e.g. stocks and shares, again, clear, unemotional thought and a system that you follow 100% of the time (that is proven to work) are key. There are great buys out there, but you need to clear your mind, manage your emotions and find a winning strategy.

To be good at this, you'll need to learn to read a balance sheet. You'll also need to get your emotions, opinions and other biases out of the way. Your goals an and certainly should include the spiritual dimension, but the application of those goals should be clear sighted and meeting your objective of generating cash flow, cleanly, legally and ethically.

Do NOT Ever Get into Debt for ANY Reason

This is really simple: If you can't afford it, don't buy it, save until you can. We've all suffered at the hands of the banks. They are in business for them, not us. Just because you have more money, doesn't mean you can't lose it.

As a safety net, to avoid ever being back where you are now, don't borrow money period. Make sure your cash flow "engine" can at least get you financially free, even if not rich. By staying out of debt, you never put at risk your cash flow assets, which you would otherwise use as collateral for loans.

By avoiding the temptation of "free" money (it's never free, always got strings attached), you avoid the risk of losing your assets that support your cash flow. After all, there many people in Dinarland who were doing really well 10 years ago and are now really struggling. The world changes unpredictably. Debt is a great way to lose it all real fast.

When to buy the Toys

Well, you've probably picked up by now, that my suggestion is "never". The thing about the toys is we want to buy the "lifestyle" not the toy as such. So rent them when you need them, based on your on-going cash flow. If you absolutely must have one, than have a business that supports owning them by the profit from it's cash flow, the operating costs of owning the asset.

Toys follow a well known progression:

More Toys - the usual suspects: cars, planes, boats, men, women, parties etc.

Bigger Toys -  bigger versions of what you already have

Better Toys - e.g. owning a sports team

The problem is toys do not fill the void we are trying to fill. What fills that void, is meaning and fulfilment See Legacy below.

Also, if you really must own the toy, see Rule #1 - Work on Yourself FIRST. Why must you own it? Is it show off? To say "I've arrived?" What is your motivation? As long as you are clear about what your motivation is and why want to do it, and you are willing to accept the consequences of that choice, then go ahead, Enjoy!

Remember, very few boats, planes or fancy cars actually appreciate in value over time. See rule #3 - Protect your Capital

By all means use the cash flow you generate from your capital to get the lifestyle you want, just in my view, spending your RV capital to get it, is the slippery road to losing it.

Yes, generating the cash flow will take time. Allow for that in your planning. Include in your thinking that inflation is usually double what the official figures are- so your cash flow must grow by that, plus some extra to keep money in motion.

Money stored in banks dies. Money needs motion to grow. Our job is to be smart, caring gardeners, who will continue to harvest abundance for decades to come.

Legacy - Meaning & Fulfilment

Do you remember your great-grand parents names? Chances are not. Maybe not even all your grand-parents either. Why? Whilst they may have been great people, they did not leave a legacy.

Contrast that with George Washington, Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Confucius and many more besides. We still speak their names hundreds or even thousands of years after their death. Why? Because they inspired ideas and change that outlasted their lifetimes and still affect us today.

They did not do thinking "In 2013 kids in schools will know my name! Yay!" they did it because they passionately believed in something that helped either a section of humanity, or humanity as a whole to grow and see itself in a new, better light.

Religions come and go, civilizations come and go, but the magic, the best of us, the human race, endures. If we commit ourselves to do the best we can, without expecting anything in return, for all the life on our planet, in whatever form we can, then we create a legacy that is worth having.

Conclusion

As you can see, all the points are connected. Each one supports and strengthens the others. But the first one, is the crucial starting point.

Hopefully you will find something useful in here, to help you grow and keep your wealth, have a fantastic lifestyle (you deserve it), one based on sustainable wealth, not greed that will allow you to give the best of you to helping others grow into the best they can be.

Leaving These 13 Things by the Front Door Could Keep You Safe

Leaving These 13 Things by the Front Door Could Keep You Safe

Glenda Taylor  Tue, January 16, 2024  Bob Vila

The front door area of your home should be welcoming, but only to welcomed visitors. As the most visible entry to a home, this zone can be vulnerable to break-ins. Doing all you can to deter criminals and secure the front door can keep loved ones and property safer. In addition to stopping unwanted visitors, a front entry can help first responders find you if an emergency arises. Learning how to protect yourself and your property doesn’t have to be difficult (or cost-prohibitive), so the following items range from simple DIY steps to long-term solutions.

1. Privacy Film

Entry doors with clear glass inserts or sidelights are beautiful when the sun sparkles through, but they also give unwanted visitors a clear view inside. Obscuring a would-be burglar’s view doesn’t have to involve heavy drapery, though. Installing frosted privacy film, like this privacy window film from Gila, on the inside of the glass can add a decorative element to a window while allowing light to penetrate into the entryway and protecting the contents of your home from curious eyes.

2. Old Boots  A pair of black muddy boots by a glass front door.

This trick is simple, but highly effective: Keep a spare pair of shoes or boots (the bigger, the better) in your entry closet and set them just outside your front door when you leave. The boots make it look as though someone in the house just left their boots on the doorstep. You can pick up a slightly worn looking pair (an essential part of the illusion) at a thrift store for just a few bucks. Bring the boots indoors when you return.

3. Security Sign

Whether you pay an alarm security company to monitor your home or not, burglars have no way of knowing. Realistic security yard signs such as the SmartSign security alert yard sign will give would-be thieves reason to think again before breaking into your home. Put the sign in the yard by the front steps so it won’t be missed, and put the security stickers that come with it in windows around your home.

4. Visible House Numbers

In case of a break-in or a medical emergency, first responders need to be able to locate your home as quickly as possible. Small house numbers are difficult to see and can make it tough for emergency workers to find an address. To be seen easily from the street, house numbers, like these from QT House Numbers, should be at least 6 inches high. For the best visibility, install the numbers on a surface in a contrasting color.

5. Fake Video Camera

A video surveillance system is an asset to any home security plan, but installing one can cost $1,000 or more. If that’s out of your budget, don’t worry. Many of today’s dummy cameras such as F. Finders & Co.’s fake CCTV camera are virtually impossible to distinguish from the real thing. For authenticity’s sake, make sure the camera you choose has a wire and a blinking red light that flashes at night.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/leaving-13-things-front-door-164140700.html

Bravo’s Andy Cohen Reveals Red Flags He Missed As Scammers Duped Him, Stole His Money

 Bravo’s Andy Cohen Reveals Red Flags He Missed As Scammers Duped Him, Stole His Money

Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press  Tue, January 16, 2024

One can hear about a long list of too-trusting Grandmas, job-hunters hit by scams, widows hurt when looking for love, and so many others who sadly lost big money to crafty cyber predators. But then, maybe, it really resonates when a pop culture celebrity who rang in the New Year with millions watching CNN talks about seeing money vanish from his own bank account.

Lots. Of. Money.

Andy Cohen, the high-energy, buzz-generating executive producer of the "Real Housewives" franchise and co-host with Anderson Cooper of CNN's New Year's Eve live coverage from Time's Square, has gone public with how he lost his debit card one day, received what claimed to be email from his bank's fraud department another day and then shockingly discovered shortly afterward that cyber crooks made off with his money using three wire transfers out two of his bank accounts.

"When money is wired, it's out the door and gone," Cohen told me via email.

"Typically," he told me, "banks will not return money if you've given someone access to your account and then the transfers have been completed."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD9gt1VJ2kM

Scammers pretend to be all sorts of people, including bankers

Cohen told his story of how he became a victim of a sophisticated, bank-related imposter fraud on his podcast, "Daddy Diaries" and later on the "Today" show. It's a scam that has hurt plenty of consumers — and will no doubt hit more unless tighter protections are put in place and consumers stop responding to emails, texts and phone calls that appear to be legitimate but aren't.

The potential dollars lost to these types of scams are far greater than money that can be lost when scammers demand that someone go out and buy gift cards to handle a problem, which is still an ongoing scam.

In 2022, consumers reported losing nearly $8.8 billion to all sorts of fraud, up 30% from 2021, according to data released in February 2023 by the Federal Trade Commission. Investment scams ranked No. 1 but imposter scams came in second place with losses of $2.6 billion reported, up from $2.4 billion in 2021.

Based on fraud reports associated with various types of payment methods, consumers reported losing $311 million via wire transfer in 2022 and $1.587 billion via bank transfer or payment. By contrast, money reported lost to scammers through gift cards was $228 million.

A year ago, I wrote about how scammers pretend to be from your bank to drain your savings by impersonating the so-called fraud department from banks and credit unions.

While consumers must take steps to protect themselves, the level of ongoing fraud indicates a deeper, much broader problem with what I'd call cracks in the financial services system that crooks can readily hack. Clearly, much more work needs to be done to stop bad actors, too.

The scam that Andy Cohen encountered even appears to have added a new layer — where somehow the bad guy enables call forwarding to prevent the victim from even getting a phone call from their bank, according to Teresa Murray, who directs the Consumer Watchdog office for U.S. PIRG, a nonprofit advocacy group.

Some bank-related scams, Murray said, have evolved to the point where criminals start out by already having some information about a victim, including their name, phone number and where they bank. You could end up dealing with legitimate phone calls and phony texts, which direct you to authorize activity when you think you're trying to stop fraud.

We're wired to act fast, and crooks know it

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://news.yahoo.com/finance/news/bravo-andy-cohen-reveals-red-154920579.html

Here’s Why Nearly Every Purchase Should Be On a Credit Card

Experts: Here’s Why Nearly Every Purchase Should Be On a Credit Card

October 4, 2023 By Heather Taylor

How do you know which purchases, whether they’re big or small, should be put on a credit card? This decision often depends on the type of purchase and how responsible the cardholder is with their credit card use. GOBankingRates asked experts to list the purchases you should put on a credit card versus those where you may need to exercise caution.

Put These Purchases on a Credit Card

Experts agreed that when used responsibly, credit cards should be the go-to form of payment for most everyday purchases as well as some larger ones.

Responsible credit card use helps you build your credit. Plus, credit cards typically come with benefits that you’d miss out on if you pay with your debit card, cash, checks or payment apps. Those benefits may include reward points, miles or cash.

Cash-back credit cards, in particular, are great everyday cards because they often have simple reward structures that allow you to rack up cash back on a wide range of purchases. For example, the cashRewards Credit Card from Navy Federal Credit Union pays 1.75% cash back on all purchases for cardholders with direct deposit. (Those who don’t sign up for direct deposit still pocket 1.50% cash back.) Plus, the card charges no annual fee, so you keep all that cash back you’re earning.

If you’re considering a cash-back card, don’t forget to check for sign-up bonuses, which give you another way to cash in. Navy Federal’s cashRewards Credit Card is currently offering $250 bonus cash back when you spend $2,500 within your first 90 days of opening an account. (Offer ends Jan. 1, 2024) For a limited time, you can also get a one-time $98 statement credit when you pay $49 or more for an annual Walmart+ membership using your cashRewards Credit Card.

Now, let’s take a closer look at the purchases you should be putting on your credit card as long as you can afford the costs.

Travel Purchases

Use a credit card for travel purchases largely out of necessity, said Freddie Huynh, who is the vice president of data optimization with Freedom Debt Relief. Most domestic airlines, hotels and rental car companies request a credit card to hold reservations or for payment. This is also true for those planning international travel.

In the event a debit card is accepted, Huynh said they may place a hold on the bank account associated with this card. This means the cardholder will be unable to access this amount of money until the company releases the hold.

Online Purchases

https://www.gobankingrates.com/money/finance/why-nearly-every-purchase-should-be-on-credit-card/?utm_term=incontent_link_6&utm_campaign=1249378&utm_source=yahoo.com&utm_content=9&utm_medium=rss

New Grocery Store Scams: Watch Out for These Money Traps at the Checkout Line

New Grocery Store Scams: Watch Out for These Money Traps at the Checkout Line

Andrew Lisa  Fri, October 27, 2023

Between shoplifting, return scams and even acts of violence, crime is on the rise at grocery stores. But now, criminals are targeting not just supermarkets, but unsuspecting shoppers who are simply there to buy food.

The next time you’re in the grocery store, stay alert, be aware of your surroundings and watch out for these scams — which often take place at or near the checkout line.

Beware of These Supermarket Scams

Law enforcement organizations are warning shoppers to be vigilant when grocery shopping. Both individuals and groups of criminals are targeting people with the following scams near the checkout line.

Distraction Theft

The Bethel Park Police Department issued a crime watch alert on Facebook about an increase in so-called distraction thefts.

The scam — which is not unique to small-town Pennsylvania — involves organized groups of thieves who target shoppers, typically women with purses open and exposed in shopping carts. One member of the group distracts the shopper and another swipes money, a wallet, credit cards or other valuables from the open bag.

BPPD received reports of three such crimes in a single weekend.

The Found Money Scam

The Elkhart, Indiana, Police Department issued its own Facebook warning about a scam similar to distraction theft — but this one targets shoppers at self-checkout.

Here, too, the scam involves multiple criminals working in tandem. One drops a $10 bill by the victim’s feet, points it out and uses the seemingly kind gesture as a cover to stand close and watch as the victim punches a pin number into the keypad.

The scammer then follows the victim to the parking lot, where a cooperating suspect approaches the victim and says the $10 bill belongs to them. While the victim is distracted, the original suspect swipes the victim’s card associated with the pin number they observed inside.

The Gift Card Scam

USA Today recently reported on a clever new scam involving gift cards, which are often placed close to the register for shoppers to grab as last-minute presents on the way out.

Criminals open gift cards, copy the information and replace them in a way that makes the packaging look undisturbed. When an unsuspecting customer buys the gift card, it’s automatically activated and the scammer spends the funds before the purchaser or card recipient ever has a chance.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/grocery-store-scams-watch-money-140005952.html