Monthly Archives: November 2008

Pegboard sure is handy for storing a wide variety of tools. In addition to a large wall rack, I’ve found a few other places in my shop where I could tuck in a smaller piece for even more storage.

Continue reading: “SHOPNOTES: Vertical Tool Hangers”.

Publisher Ziff Davis has printed the last edition of PC Magazine and announced it would go online-only, but fans can get a free one-year “subscription” emailed to them every month at GoReadGreen.com, along with a few other mag titles. [via]

Normally I release these on Wednesdays, but this has been no ordinary week!  So here's the latest episode of the small table build.

In this episode we're cutting and shaping the legs.  A simple job of ripping each one to size and then cutting the double taper that give them their shape.

Sorry no schwag this week, but I’ll get back on track next week, I promise!

Hendrik's back in November and we're taking your questions on table saws.  Whether it's regarding setting up, safety or cutting, get your questions in early. 

Comments, questions or schwag entries – drop me a line at mattsbasementworkshop@gmail.com,  or head over to the website where you can also leave your comments, or leave me a voicemail at 231 354-2338.

Since I've been back from WIA I've been enjoying reading and watching all of the posts and pics my fellow bloggers and podcaster have been posting, and I know you will too.  So checkout all of these links and see what really happened behind the scenes…

Furnitude
The Village Carpenter
The Way of the Galoot
The Folding Rule
Philsville
Woodworking Magazine

With more to come soon!!

To download directly to your computer Right Click on direct download, choose "Save Target as"

This is Tip #13 of of the Save $1,000 in 30 Days Challenge. (See past tips.)

Today’s tips is to negotiate your car insurance. Most of us pick a rate once, then never go back again. But if you do, you can save hundreds of dollars each year.

First, check to see if you have the right amount of coverage. Nobody teaches us about this stuff, so when you bought car insurance, you may not have known which coverage options to choose.

Second, figure out what kind of coverage you currently have and how much you’re paying. Don’t be lazy — do this. If you don’t have your current info in front of you, how can you hope to save? Either call your car insurance company or use their website.

Third, it’s time to start shopping around. I prefer the phone because I can usually sweet-talk the rep into telling me about other deals that the websites don’t offer. Computers, however, seem to be immune to my charm.

I made it easy for you. Here are the phone numbers of the big insurers:

Geico: 1-800-861-8380

AAA: (866) 539-8033

Allstate: 866 704 9900

Progressive: 1-800-776-4737

21st Century Insurance: Don’t use this worthless insurance company. I used to use them, but they sent me multiple envelopes in the mail EVERY SINGLE WEEK until I finally canceled them. The rates were great, but the hassle wasn’t worth it.

Fourth, be an expert caller by asking these questions.

With each call, you should say, “AAA (or whoever) is offering to insure me for $XXX less” (silence). See what they do. (Note: Getting lower rates using this technique is much harder to do with car insurance companies than banks, so don’t expect very much from this.)

How much would I save if I insure my car and house with you?

What about renewal discounts? How long have I been a member with you? What can you offer me as a discount for long-term membership?

Can I save money by pre-paying my entire year up front?

Let’s check my car. I know other firms offer discounts for features like anti-lock breaks. What about you?

What kind of low-mileage discounts do you offer?

If I enrolled in a defensive-driving course, what kind of discount would you offer? Oh, really? Which courses qualify?

What about discounts for my employer? (Tell them the specific name of your employer?)

Some insurance companies offer discounts for low-risk occupations (engineers). What kind of competitive rates do you offer?

Am I paying for roadside assistance? What other additional “benefits” am I paying for? (If you already pay for AAA, you don’t need roadside assistance through your car insurance. Also, check your credit card: They may offer roadside assistance (but call them and ask how much it really costs if you have to use it – some of their offers for “roadside assistance” really mean “we will assist you by calling someone for you and then charging you out the ass”).

Can you walk me through the deductible changes I could make to save money? (Deductibles are what you pay before your insurance policy kicks in. By requesting higher deductibles, you can lower your costs substantially. For example, increasing your deductible from $200 to $500 could reduce your collision and comprehensive coverage cost by 15 to 30 percent. Going to a $1,000 deductible can save you more than 40%. Before choosing a higher deductible, be sure you have enough money set aside to pay it if you have a claim. More details here.

AAA, Costco, credit cards, large employers, associations (AARP, teachers’ union): Many of these offer discounts on car insurance. Log onto their website and browse to “perks.”

Read more ways to save on car insurance.

It seems like a lot of work, but the savings are substantial. I took screenshots of the different rates that different insurance companies were offering me:

Well, as you can tell, that slideshow is completely worthless since you can’t see anything — but the difference between the lowest quote (Geico, which I use) and the highest (Progressive) is $734 per year. That’s a lot for a few phone calls.

Don’t forget: Insurance is not a commodity. If you pick the cheapest provider to save $50/year and they end up not fulfilling your claim — which you could have reasonably known by searching out reviews for the company — it’s your fault. Pick a good company because it can be worth thousands of dollars.

As you’ve seen, “negotiating” your car insurance is mostly about keeping up with the changing rates and making sure you’re wringing every last benefit from your policy, so set a calendar reminder to do this once per year.

Try it out and let me know what you find in the comments.

Total savings: $25 to $100 per month

Last thing to do
1. Check out the other tips in the Save $1,000 in 30 Days Challenge
2. Leave a comment on this post describing how much you’re saving with this tip and any unusual techniques you use to make this tip work.
3. Want to submit your own savings tip? Submit a money tip here. Most of the tips you guys submit are absolutely horrible, so if I use your tip, I’ll send you something cool.

Has this ever happened to you? You just finished the construction of a nice new project in cherry, alder, maple, or birch. After the first coat of stain, you notice something a little weird. The wood looks like crap! How can this happen?!?!? You sanded the project for hours, you bought the best oil-based stain you could find, and despite all that effort, you are left with a final result that just looks terrible. Well, you are not alone. Eventually, we all have to fight blotchiness. Knowing which woods exhibit this property and how to handle it is the key to success. So join me Thursday evening at 8pm Eastern for a live demonstration of my favorite way to deal with a blotch-prone wood.

Related Posts

• November 5, 2008 — Wood Talk Online #45
• August 25, 2008 — Episode 61- IWF 2008
• July 24, 2008 — Demo Night 7/23/08 – Greene & Greene Style Joint

iPhone/iPod touch only: With Mocha VNC Lite, iPhone and iPod touch users already have a tool for connecting remotely to their desktops, but what about those who like to get things done over a command line? Free iPhone app TouchTerm provides SSH-encrypted terminal access to any Linux, OS X, or even Windows system running a server, making mobile rebooting or service starting over Wi-Fi or EDGE/3G connections possible. The app supports landscape mode, a must for serious two-thumb typing, can save connections for easy access. The $11.99 pro version adds advanced gesture and copy/paste support, amongst other features, but the basic free edition can get the job done. TouchTerm is a free download for iPhones and iPod touch models running the 2.0 firmware only.

Looking for recipes from legends like James Beard and Julia Child, or current celebri-chefs like Mario Batali and Daniel Boulud? Try Cookstr, which has created a database of recipes from well-regarded authors and chefs. The search feature works quite well, and particularly nice are the Refine Search tools like Skill level, Kid Friendly, or One Pot if your not particularly confident, have fussy little ones or don’t want to do a sink full of dishes. The Dietary Consideration options include twenty settings, in case you need to whip up something low fat, peanut-free and halal. Suggested menus and cooking tips are promised for the future. Looking for more culinary inspiration? Find recipes based on what you have in the larder at Allrecipes or search based on what you’re craving right now at Cookthink.

Article by Zen Habits contributor Jonathan Mead.

While I’ve never been a big fan of fear mongering, it’s clear that the US economy is in a little more than a slump. There are many ways we can live more frugally, and that includes spending less on groceries and being more conscious of the things we buy.

I’m not recommending that we buy less quality foods for the sake of cutting costs. I won’t recommend buying conventional over organic in order to save money. I don’t think you should have to sacrifice quality in order to have less of an impact on your wallet. There are, however, some great frugal tips that I’ve learned to help save money at the market.

1. Don’t buy plastic wrap, tin foil, sandwich bags, etc. For everything that you could think of needing  – a sandwich baggy, tin foil, or other disposable nonsense – there is a non-disposable alternative. Use tupperware instead.
2. Buy in bulk. Certain things like rice, beans and grains are much cheaper when purchased in bulk.
3. Don’t buy in bulk. Sometimes when you buy in bulk, you’ll have a tendency to eat things faster. If you have a 400 count box of twinkies, you’ll likely eat them much quicker than one with only 4. Try to buy things in bulk that you know won’t tempt you to binge on.
4. Don’t buy pre-made. If you cook something often, you’ll save a lot more buying the ingredients and cooking yourself, than buying it frozen.
5. Shop at farmer’s markets. Often local farmers can match or beat supermarket prices because they don’t have to pay overhead and transportation costs. Check this site out to do a search for a farmers market in your area.
6. Grow your own. I know I’m not the only one who doesn’t have the time or space (I live in an apartment) to grow much of my own food. Little things like herbs or indoor tomatoes, however, can be easily grown in your kitchen without much hassle. Basil, oregano, cherry tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts and mint are easily grown in your kitchen window.
7. Eat leftovers, instead of eating out. The convenience of eating out is often hard to resist. One way to avoid this temptation is preparing meals that can be eaten more than one day. Try making casseroles or lasagna that will last 2 or 3 days.
8. Eat out intelligently. Take advantage of restaurants that have 2 for 1 buffet, or lunch specials. Or make eating out a ritual on a certain day of the week. My wife and I only eat out on Fridays. Having a set day that we only eat out
9. Use coupons. It never hurts to do a little old fashioned coupon clipping. Now, however, you don’t have to clip them, you can print them.
10. Don’t shop hungry. If you don’t follow any of these tips, follow this one. Every time that I have spent way more than I expected at the grocery store, it was because I went there hungry. When you shop hungry, everything looks good and you want to buy everything. After you get home and eat, you’ll probably find yourself wondering what you’re going to do with all of that food. And much of it inevitably spoils and goes bad. If you do nothing else, don’t shop hungry.

Do you have any tips for saving money on food? Share with us in the comments.

This article was written by Zen Habits contributor Jonathan Mead of the Illuminated Mind blog. For more ways to improve your life, grab a subscription to Illuminated MInd.

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