Tip #247: Finance - How to Avoid ATM Fees

Remember when a cellphone "feature" was free long-distance calls. When you got it, it was like, "OMG, I can now call anyone!!" You still only had local friends, but the freedom you felt knowing that when you did get that friend in San Francisco, you could call them, for free.

What about ATMs? They've been around since the 80's, but sadly this feature has never been introduced. In fact, people usually go with *insert large Bank Name Here* simply because of their availability of ATMs.

What if you could use any ATM? Imagine the feeling of freedom! Sure, you'll still probably only use the one near your home/work, but that one time you need to get cash in that *insert too hip bar that only takes cash for some reason*, you're gonna feel like a king not paying a $3 transaction fee.

Well this feature is available, but no one told you about it. So I figured I'd share the wealth, so to speak:
http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/banking_lending/checking

Enjoy.


*This magical system works because Charles Schwab doesn't charge you an ATM fee, and when those a-hole ATMs do, CS automatically reimburses you each month. No minium balance, no limit on fees. Simple, magic.

Remember Half.com?

I recently listed a lot of my books on Half.com, in an attempt to get rid of some of my crap. Do you remember Half.com? It used to be a big deal back in the day. Turns out, it's still around and kicking - and man there are some cheap books! Take Catch 22, which I've been meaning to read, $6 will get me a book at my door in good condition. Anyways, just thought I'd share.

Bringing the Aaahh to Online Reading

Most of us read news online, and we've gotten used to how it's presented to us.

However, in David Pogue's 'Pogie Awards' [link] I was introduced to a web simplifying tool called Readability - lab.arc90.com/experiments/readability.

-You simply add it to your Bookmark bar, and then click for calm.

-Don't worry, you can always go back to the original version.

Oh The Internets

I got a bit nostalgic this morning about my last trip to the vineyard, so I pulled up Fearn's email and decided to track down this 'chateau brandeau' place. Their website proved useless, but I was amazed to find the following two results:

Flickr: WWOOFing at Chateau Brandeau

Pictures people have taken whilst working at Chateau Brandeau, in Bordeaux, France ...Feed – Subscribe to WWOOFing at Chateau Brandeau discussion threads ...
www.flickr.com/groups/brandeau/ - 30k - Cached - Similar pages

Anna Takes a Trip: Wwoofing at Chateau Brandeau, otherwise ...

I spent almost two weeks working (volunteering in exchange for room and board, really) atChateau Brandeau, in Castillion, France. ...
goquest.blogspot.com/2008/06/wwoofing-at-chateau-brandeau-otherwise.html - 70k -Cached - Similar pages

Properly indexed content at my fingertips.

Amazing. I wonder what future generations will think 

when they realize that most of what we've done is not

indexed and easily accessible to others. 

They'll probably shake their heads and go back to their iPods. Hah.

Happy New Year

Best Reusable Bag

It seems like reusable bags have become the 't-shirt' of the 2000's. I'm slowly amasing a collection of half-a-dozen, for that time that I make the massive shopping spree to the supermarket. Problem is, the only time I've used my bags are when I specifically plan ahead to use my bags. Not very convenient.

Last weekend I discovered the 'Chico Bag' (www.chicobag.com), a reusable bag that stuffs into itself. Its small, convenient, and durable enough for most grocery store trips. I started keeping mine in my backpack, and have actually used it!

I'm buying some for all my friends.

Tea Spoons

Update 1/3/09: The teastick is good in theory, but poor in execution. Stick to the teaball.

If you're ever in Tealuxe and looking at a "tea spoon", don't get one. They break way too easily. See case and point below:

Instead I have my trusty tea ball or gold tea filter:

Although I've been curious to try one of these. Hase anyone tried it?