Status: U Return-Path: Received: from mx-bracke.atl.sa.earthlink.net ([127.0.0.1]) by mx-bracke.atl.sa.earthlink.net (EarthLink SMTP Server) with SMTP id 1m13ms48j3Nl34i0; Mon, 4 May 2009 14:57:56 -0400 (EDT) Received: from wsmarth-redwing.pas.sa.earthlink.net ([207.217.120.246]) by mx-bracke.atl.sa.earthlink.net (EarthLink SMTP Server) with ESMTP id 1m13mrAN3Nl34i0 for ; Mon, 4 May 2009 14:57:55 -0400 (EDT) Received: from domrl-brush.atl.sa.earthlink.net ([207.69.231.198]) by wsmarth-redwing.pas.sa.earthlink.net with smtp (Exim 3.36 #4) id 1M13MJ-00069s-00 for merileek@earthlink.net; Mon, 04 May 2009 11:57:47 -0700 X-ELNK-Loop: merileek@kerncommunications.com Received: from dukecmmtar04.coxmail.com ([68.99.120.47]) by domrl-brush.atl.sa.earthlink.net (EarthLink SMTP Server) with ESMTP id 1m13mi6om3Nl5vE0 for ; Mon, 4 May 2009 14:57:46 -0400 (EDT) Received: from merilee07cf8a9 ([68.15.13.44]) by dukecmmtar04.coxmail.com (InterMail vM.7.05.02.00 201-2174-114-20060621) with SMTP id <20090504184953.JBVY13196.dukecmmtar04.coxmail.com@merilee07cf8a9>; Mon, 4 May 2009 14:49:53 -0400 Message-ID: <4FFD715B8A2E4E03B07A11D2AE21F5D9@merilee07cf8a9> Reply-To: "Merilee:::Kern Communications" From: "Merilee:::Kern Communications" To: "John" , Subject: Parent & Child Magazine Placement Date: Mon, 4 May 2009 11:57:57 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0F7F_01C9CCAF.90694150"; type="multipart/alternative" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.5512 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5579 X-ELNK-Received-Info: spv=0; X-ELNK-AV: 0 X-ELNK-Info: sbv=0; sbrc=.0; sbf=0b; sbw=010; This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0F7F_01C9CCAF.90694150 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_001_0F80_01C9CCAF.90694150" ------=_NextPart_001_0F80_01C9CCAF.90694150 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3D3751769 The Winning Hand To save a bundle on bills, sometimes all you have to do is ask By Don Rauf=20 In troubled times like these, the cost of raising a family can feel like = a 10-ton weight on your shoulders. Gas, clothing, groceries=E2=80=94they = all add up. But if there is an upside to this down economy, it=E2=80=99s = that more deals are out there for the asking, even for seemingly = set-in-stone prices.=20 =E2=80=9CIn our society, people tend to just take an offer as = is,=E2=80=9D says Eric Bourassa, consumer advocate with Massachusetts = Public Interest Research Group. =E2=80=9CBut it=E2=80=99s fine to say, = =E2=80=98This is expensive for me.=E2=80=99 Consumers should have the = courage in this economy to negotiate.=E2=80=9D Those who do summon the courage are often rewarded. More than 90 percent = of consumers who negotiated for electronics, furniture, and medical = bills got a lower price on at least one purchase over a three-year = period, a 2007 survey of 2,167 U.S. households by Consumer Reports = National Research Center found. =20 We looked at three common family expenses=E2=80=94cable and phone costs, = credit cards, and medical bills=E2=80=94and talked with parents who have = bargained for better deals to help you become a more savvy negotiator. Phone and Cable Costs When Terry Wolfisch Cole, a mother of two in Hartford, CT, told her = phone and Internet provider she might cancel her service if she = couldn=E2=80=99t get a better deal, she was put through to the = =E2=80=9Ccustomer retention=E2=80=9D department and got a $5 credit on = her monthly bill. When she saw the company advertising a lower rate for = the same service, she called again and asked for that. Two calls netted = a $35-per-month savings. Cole then called the =E2=80=9Ccustomer retention=E2=80=9D department at = her cable company and told them she was thinking of pulling the plug on = her $130-a-month service. Presto, her monthly charge was dropped to $95. = Plus, she got an additional premium channel free for six months.=20 ODDS OF WINNING: =E2=80=9CIf a customer calls to disconnect, = we=E2=80=99re not going to just let them go,=E2=80=9D William Kula, a = Verizon spokesman, told The Wall Street Journal. =E2=80=9COur = representatives try very hard in these times to keep customers rather = than have them peel away to rival companies.=E2=80=9D BEFORE YOU BARGAIN: Find out the current promotional rates. WHO TO ASK FOR: If you=E2=80=99re an existing customer, talk to the = department in charge of keeping you as a customer. YOUR OPENING LINE: Cole pointed out that if she left, the company would = likely offer her a special rate to return. =E2=80=9CInstead of going = through all that,=E2=80=9D she told them, =E2=80=9Ccan you offer me a = price break now?=E2=80=9D IF THEY SAY NO: Try for a free add-on, like more channels.=20 Medical Bills John M. McKee, CEO of BusinessSuccessCoach.net, had a client who was = losing sleep over hefty doctor bills. After the client talked honestly = with her providers about her payment difficulties, her doctor reduced = her bill and let her schedule payments over a period of time.=20 ODDS OF WINNING: The 2007 Consumer Reports survey found that 31 percent = of those polled had bargained for a better deal on their medical bills, = and 93 percent got a better price. Just over a third of those who = negotiated on medical expenses saved $100 or more. BEFORE YOU BARGAIN: If possible, negotiate before you receive the = care=E2=80=94and the bills. Offering to pay cash upfront (if you can = afford it) and/or volunteering to come for care during off-peak times = can open doors to a discount. WHO TO ASK FOR: You may need to speak directly with the provider, but = oftentimes you negotiate with the billing staff. YOUR OPENING LINE: Be honest about how much you can afford to pay and in = what time frame. IF THEY SAY NO: Try for an extended payment plan. Credit Card Interest John and Holland Korhumel, the parents of two in Seattle, WA, and the = owners of a construction business, were dismayed to see the interest = rate on their business credit card more than triple, even though = they=E2=80=99d never been late with payments. They were told the hike = would be applied to all construction-related businesses, regardless of = credit history, because it is an industry weakened by the economy. But, = after Holland threatened to roll over the balance to another credit card = issuer, a supervisor slashed the new rate by nearly 50 percent with an = option to renegotiate terms in two months.=20 ODDS OF WINNING: The U.S. Public Interest Research Group studied 50 = consumers who asked card issuers to lower their rates and found that 56 = percent received better deals, with an average reduction going from 16 = percent to 10.47 percent.=20 BEFORE YOU BARGAIN: Compare credit card rates online (try bankrate.com). WHO TO ASK FOR: A supervisor may be the only one who can cut your rate.=20 YOUR OPENING LINE: Emphasize how long you=E2=80=99ve used the card, if = you have a low unpaid balance compared to your credit limit, and a = history of no late payments, says Scott Crawford, CEO of DebtGoal.com.=20 IF THEY SAY NO: Look to competing card companies. =20 ------=_NextPart_001_0F80_01C9CCAF.90694150 Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable =EF=BB=BF
 
3DParents=20

The Winning Hand

To save a bundle on bills, sometimes all = you have to=20 do is ask

By Don Rauf

In troubled times like these, the cost of = raising a=20 family can feel like a 10-ton weight on your shoulders. Gas, clothing,=20 groceries=E2=80=94they all add up. But if there is an upside to this = down economy, it=E2=80=99s=20 that more deals are out there for the asking, even for seemingly = set-in-stone=20 prices.

=E2=80=9CIn our society, people tend to = just take an offer as=20 is,=E2=80=9D says Eric Bourassa, consumer advocate with Massachusetts = Public Interest=20 Research Group. =E2=80=9CBut it=E2=80=99s fine to say, =E2=80=98This is = expensive for me.=E2=80=99 Consumers=20 should have the courage in this economy to = negotiate.=E2=80=9D

Those who do summon the courage are often = rewarded.=20 More than 90 percent of consumers who negotiated for electronics, = furniture, and=20 medical bills got a lower price on at least one purchase over a = three-year=20 period, a 2007 survey of 2,167 U.S. households by Consumer Reports = National=20 Research Center found.  

We looked at three common family = expenses=E2=80=94cable and=20 phone costs, credit cards, and medical bills=E2=80=94and talked with = parents who have=20 bargained for better deals to help you become a more savvy=20 negotiator.

Phone and Cable Costs
When Terry Wolfisch Cole, a = mother=20 of two in Hartford, CT, told her phone and Internet provider she might = cancel=20 her service if she couldn=E2=80=99t get a better deal, she was put = through to the=20 =E2=80=9Ccustomer retention=E2=80=9D department and got a $5 credit on = her monthly bill. When=20 she saw the company advertising a lower rate for the same service, she = called=20 again and asked for that. Two calls netted a $35-per-month = savings.

Cole then called the =E2=80=9Ccustomer = retention=E2=80=9D department=20 at her cable company and told them she was thinking of pulling the plug = on her=20 $130-a-month service. Presto, her monthly charge was dropped to $95. = Plus, she=20 got an additional premium channel free for six months.

ODDS OF WINNING: =E2=80=9CIf a customer = calls to disconnect,=20 we=E2=80=99re not going to just let them go,=E2=80=9D William Kula, a = Verizon spokesman, told=20 The Wall Street Journal. =E2=80=9COur representatives try very hard in = these times to=20 keep customers rather than have them peel away to rival=20 companies.=E2=80=9D

BEFORE YOU BARGAIN: Find out the current = promotional=20 rates.

WHO TO ASK FOR: If you=E2=80=99re an = existing customer, talk=20 to the department in charge of keeping you as a customer.

YOUR OPENING LINE: Cole pointed out that = if she left,=20 the company would likely offer her a special rate to return. = =E2=80=9CInstead of going=20 through all that,=E2=80=9D she told them, =E2=80=9Ccan you offer me a = price break=20 now?=E2=80=9D

IF THEY SAY NO: Try for a free add-on, = like more=20 channels.

Medical Bills
John M.=20 McKee, CEO of BusinessSuccessCoach.net, had a client who was losing = sleep over=20 hefty doctor bills. After the client talked honestly with her providers = about=20 her payment difficulties, her doctor reduced her bill and let her = schedule=20 payments over a period of time.

ODDS OF WINNING: The 2007 Consumer = Reports survey=20 found that 31 percent of those polled had bargained for a better deal on = their=20 medical bills, and 93 percent got a better price. Just over a third of = those who=20 negotiated on medical expenses saved $100 or more.

BEFORE YOU BARGAIN: If possible, = negotiate before you=20 receive the care=E2=80=94and the bills. Offering to pay cash upfront (if = you can afford=20 it) and/or volunteering to come for care during off-peak times can open = doors to=20 a discount.

WHO TO ASK FOR: You may need to speak = directly with=20 the provider, but oftentimes you negotiate with the billing=20 staff.

YOUR OPENING LINE: Be honest about how = much you can=20 afford to pay and in what time frame.

IF THEY SAY NO: Try for an extended = payment=20 plan.

Credit Card Interest
John and Holland = Korhumel,=20 the parents of two in Seattle, WA, and the owners of a construction = business,=20 were dismayed to see the interest rate on their business credit card = more than=20 triple, even though they=E2=80=99d never been late with payments. They = were told the=20 hike would be applied to all construction-related businesses, regardless = of=20 credit history, because it is an industry weakened by the economy. But, = after=20 Holland threatened to roll over the balance to another credit card = issuer, a=20 supervisor slashed the new rate by nearly 50 percent with an option to=20 renegotiate terms in two months.

ODDS OF WINNING: The U.S. Public Interest = Research=20 Group studied 50 consumers who asked card issuers to lower their rates = and found=20 that 56 percent received better deals, with an average reduction going = from 16=20 percent to 10.47 percent.

BEFORE YOU BARGAIN: Compare credit card = rates online=20 (try bankrate.com).

WHO TO ASK FOR: A supervisor may be the = only one who=20 can cut your rate.

YOUR OPENING LINE: Emphasize how long = you=E2=80=99ve used the=20 card, if you have a low unpaid balance compared to your credit limit, = and a=20 history of no late payments, says Scott Crawford, CEO of DebtGoal.com.=20

IF THEY SAY NO: Look to competing card = companies.=20  

------=_NextPart_001_0F80_01C9CCAF.90694150-- ------=_NextPart_000_0F7F_01C9CCAF.90694150 Content-Type: image/gif; name="channel_parents_bot.gif" Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 Content-Location: http://www2.scholastic.com/content/presentation/www/images/channel_parents_bot.gif R0lGODlh3gAPAOYAAKPR6Eai0KrH1TF3mmiz2o7H4+vz98LX4svl8tHh6X2pv5W5y1iQrRtojzOZ zP///wAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACH5 BAAAAAAALAAAAADeAA8AAAf/gA+Cg4SFhoeIiYqLjI2Oj5CRkpOUlZaXmJmam5ydnp+goaKjpKWm p6ipqqusra6eDAmDsYIGCgwMCwaCCQwCgwe0t7i4hgfDv4LDxIS9uAoHgwa+hMS5uw/WDAoPAgzY vQne1tzNuMmFBgvPuwLl3eXU7oXLuoa3hArvD+uFx7gLCuWqpk2WvG+8aGnb1yCaoIYPEjTItWAA wgMNBuwyMAAiwAUgCwmYuEBBg3gUQwJrAJIBxAcmGRA6CXLAgIcKQC74tWCiIIwHDoCkiU7QgJwN sEljMKClxn6CoLLkJ5NgSZuyqk3l57NWg5fdSCoYgG6kxkE6152d2rMq0Ac0/0EWBevx7AOO3DAe hdkx2sBDHKs+wPjrr7EGs7hx7JkVrkOJ0cBG7Rjw7UOHhRoIkKg0aoPGu6BSfRhQtKC/025Ws2kg gU3B6/DdtSit2tiAIjWT5kd5METJM3MOjYxb2U2gLBt6TInZd+NsMrcFPdAZ46C9FbO9e8kYrnB7 63oGpdt8ls2ipwWjbdqyKlv12YqPfJ7LmmjNGHdhlGUgaFbO2TXT1CDvifdWXPYQaM1vRfXkG0wn OZaNRecQkh9BExJTFEa4YPXAgBfC9dVXuE1EjCz9jDUSZsDxZdE0xWlnSEXE0AZXafAZZtlpurAG lQCqbeNbaF9VhQ9H6OA1E/+OfK0IlzXPkfeherRZN80uHsVIiAFb3TWVYf6wBFI7I5JIWjCCAddP alJmJkBqdhnX2WhRucdkNcWNJVBpd3Y0okZcFrdmmV1BlxmTbEZWHoEsRjOSAgkE89mDM/kFzXT0 NCUOU7uAaSFiBE2np4SulbjAdChW5VqbhGCXUWeBHZDAOurAZidV01kalEnogdkPYdMNeFukxVQ0 3XxNToflnasSh2qljAoCZJFZWQetS2XO6CdC8SFi7U+T1kKWhFzJQqhMojl5mSHTkuVpL1+NK5pU pRGazYjU7ElIP8WsZxy1i9kmYpnE0RlWZGXCp8icmDD8SiQO1/IwYBNXbPEFxRgnEggAOw== ------=_NextPart_000_0F7F_01C9CCAF.90694150--