jformont's blog

RISKY PLACES FOR ATM

If you are like us and rarely have cash and use your ATM then you need to be aware of the 4 riskiest places to use your ATM card.

First, here’s something you should know. Debit cards may look identical to credit cards, but there's one key difference. With credit cards, users who spot fraudulent charges on their bill can simply decline the charges and not pay the bill. On the other hand, debit cards draw money directly from your checking account, rather than from an intermediary such as a credit card company.

You know...I am an adoptive mom.  I have a soon to be 8 year old son, Garrett.  I love him.  I wanted a child.  I waited a long time to have this particular little boy come to me...I feel by the Grace of God I was given Garrett in my life....and what I saw yesterday just makes my blood boil.  In Wisconsin, Senate Bill 507, introduced by Republican Senator Glenn Grothman, moves to amend existing state law by "requiring the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board to emphasize nonmarital paren

Not sure what you paid at the pump over the weekend, but it looks like gas prices are on average of $3.55 a gallon. By the way, that’s a bargain compared to what Nascar pays. They pay $8.26 a gallon!

But we have some gas saving tips to help you out.

Gas prices have already cracked $4 in a trio of states, and some experts are predicting they could skyrocket to $6 by the spring.

Short of buying a bicycle and pedaling to work every morning, what can you do to keep high gas prices from eating a hole in your budget?

This is the week...the week to EAT so that others can also eat. It's Knoxville Restaurant Week!  All to benefit  Second Harvest Food Bank.

From February 26-March 2, more than 30 restaurants are pitching it to offer three-course dinners at special prices. 

Diners can choose from $25 meal options and $35 meals. Beverages, taxes and gratuities are not included in the prices.

Five dollars from each meal goes to Second Harvest to help the hungry in East Tennessee.

SCAM CALLERS

I’m not sure why this is increasing lately on my cell phone, but I am getting calls from a company called “card holder services”.

The automated voice says “Hello. This is Rachel from cardholder services. There are no problems currently with your credit card account but it’s important that you act fast in order to reduce your interest rates.”

And then she goes on to say, “Please consider this your final notice. Press 1 to talk to a representative about lowering your interest rates or press 2 to receive no further calls.”

25 WORDS A 2 YEAR-OLD SHOULD KNOW

If you are a parent of a 2 year old, researchers have identified 25 “must have” words that every child should be saying when they turn 2.

The researchers came up with the 25 words because they were the most commonly said of a list of 310 words that kids master when they kids start to speak.

And here’s what’s crazy, they say kids who haven’t mastered them might not just be late talkers — they could be showing signs of autism, developmental delays or hearing problems .

NO LUNCH FOR YOU

If you send your child to school with a packed lunch, most likely you are packing your child’s favorite foods and it’s probably healthy.

That’s what a mother of a preschooler in North Carolina was doing when she packed her child’s lunch.

However, the state agent who inspect school lunches at the school felt that the preschoolers lunch did not have enough nutritional value and made the child eat chicken nuggets.

SPRING BREAK WARNING

Spring break is just around the corner and I'll bet you can't wait to head out on vacation.  The sand, the surf, and the sea... BUT before you book your accommodations, take heed!  The State Department has issued a newly expanded TRAVEL warning:

DON'T HEAD TO MEXICO... 

They are warning that because of the high instances of drug cartel violence especially with Americans...

carjackings, kidnappings, gun battles and Highway robberies... that is best to stay out of the area. 

2012 Grammy Results