As is usually the case, I’ve got more questions than answers. Luckily, somebody has answers — to these and other puzzling questions.
Planning
Shout Out: ‘Why Top Colleges Squeeze You Dry’
“Based on my experience as the vice president for finance and administration at a prominent college in the early 2000s, I suggest that the answer is simple: Top private institutions charge what they do because a substantial number of people will pay it.”
No More $100 Handouts for Going to the Dentist
Apparently, paying people cash to do things they should be doing—like attending school, keeping a job, and going to the dentist—isn’t all that effective.
Shout Out: ‘Confessions of an Auto Claims Adjuster’
An anonymous former claims adjuster explains how the system works. And he knows what he’s talking about: When a friend totaled a Mini Cooper, his advice helped the friend get $1,500 more than the insurance company’s original offer.
What’s Up? Also, What’s Down
The economy has had its ups and downs—OK, mostly downs of late. Here, some statistics showing the economic fallout on all sorts of things, including cheap booze sales (they’re up), military recruits with college degrees (also up), and excuses for getting out of jury duty (way up).
Health Care Spending Rose 5.7% Last Year
But health insurance premiums? They rose 10%, 15%, even 39%. So where is the money going?
How Going to a Chiropractor Can Increase Your Health Insurance Premiums
Visiting a chiropractor for a routine adjustment might be viewed by your insurer as a sign of some “underlying medical condition,” and give justification for jacking up your rates by as much as 25%.
How Inertia Can Cost You Big Time
When most people receive bills, they dutifully pay them, no questions asked. But by sitting back and complacently paying bills as they’re presented, you’re probably spending hundreds, even thousands more dollars a year than you need to. What should you do instead? Be aware, and be a pain in the butt.
Marriage: A Good Investment for Guys
A new study is out showing that in 1970, an unmarried man was better off financially than the guy who had tied the knot. Today, the reverse is true. Will the news bring on a mad rush of men chomping at the bit to pop the question?
Car Insurance: Proof It Really Pays to Shop Around
There’s not much rhyme or reason to how and why car insurance rates vary so widely, but vary widely is exactly what they do—for the same coverage, same driver history, and so on. This is why you’ve got to go through the rigamarole of getting multiple quotes.
Odd Economic Indicator Round-up: More Jews Moving to Israel, More-Cramped Cubicles, More Smoking and Surfing Porn
Perhaps they’re not quite as odd as the Hot Waitress Index (a theory in which waitresses get increasingly more attractive as the economy gets worse), but these trends are still rather unusual—yet revealing—indicators of how the economy is faring.
Go Green Not Only for Cheaper Utility Bills, but Cheaper Home and Auto Insurance Premiums Too
By taking on strategic home remodeling projects and taking advantage of special insurance discounts, you can save a bundle while doing your bit to minimize your impact on Mother Nature.