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The first thing you’re probably asking is ‘what the hell is phantom energy loss?’ Phantom energy loss is wasted energy from electronics or appliances that are off but in standby mode. Your TV, DVD player, cable box, and stereo system for instance, cause phantom energy loss. These items, even when off, require just a little bit of energy so they can receive a signal at all times for when you decide to grab your remote and turn them on. A device does not necessarily have to be remote-operated to incur phantom energy loss. Any type of wall charger you use for your cell or cordless phone also causes energy loss when plugged in, regardless of whether the phone is fully charged or even connected. The Union of Concerned Scientists offer these tips to fight phantom energy loss: (more…)

Banks make a ton of money from the NSF fees they charge their customers. NSF fees are assessed when you have insufficient funds to cover what you charge or write a check for and your account goes into the negative. If you’re ever in a situation where you’re worried about some charges clearing your bank before a deposit goes through, you have every right to be. Chances are that all the charges will suddenly clear much faster than usual and you’ll end up further in the negative. For every charge you make after going into the negative, you are assessed a fee. The real kicker is that it doesn’t matter how much into the negative you go. You could make 5 charges which total less than $20 but you would still be charged 5 separate insufficient fund fees which are usually upwards of $25. To ensure this doesn’t happen to me, I opened up a $500 line of credit with my bank and pay a $15 annual fee for this overdraft protection. If you are constantly being overdrafted, I highly suggest you think about doing this as well. The best bet is to track your spending, which I do by saving receipts and keeping all my purchases, bills and pending transactions in a simple spreadsheet.