Online Shopping Tip

 Promo codes can save shipping costs as well as provide discounts on your online purchases.  Retailmenot is my favorite place to look for these.You can also just Google "promo code _________" inserting the company's name in your search.  Your search results will display other companies offering promo codes, but some of them require several steps and even a login before you get a code. Retailmenot does not require this, and that is why it is my favorite.

How does it work? 

1. Go to Retailmenot
2. Enter the name of the online company from whom you want to make the purchase
3. Peruse the different offers; some offer free shipping, others offer discounts on your purchase total, and still others are just for certain items on the website
4. Click Show Coupon Code
5. Click Copy
6. Go back to the website where you are making a purchase.  Paste or enter the code into the "Promo Code" box when you are checking out with your purchase.

If you are familiar with adding extensions to your browser,
Retailmenot can be added to your Chrome browser which makes it even easier to locate and apply promo codes.

I'm going to repeat one last caution I shared last week:
Don't let the Black Friday mentality get you in its grips, particularly with technology items. Remember - If it sounds and looks too good to be true, it probably is. If you are purchasing technology items, look at the specs before you buy; the price may be really good only because it is an OLDER model. 

Don't click that link.....and other shopping reminders for the holidays

 For many of us, online gift purchasing will probably be a larger part of our holiday season this year.  My Facebook feed is one again overflowing with "Sponsored" ads.  It also seems that almost every other post is about something I "don't want to miss out on" this holiday season.  And those "50% of everything in Target" coupons are beginning to surface. Plus the "Black Friday" emails arrive daily in my Inbox.

How can you shop safely this year?  Some things to keep in mind:

First, I'd like to encourage you to shop locally this year.  Many small businesses continue to struggle during this time, and many have increased their online presence through Facebook or websites to assist you with contactless shopping. A local gift shop featuring many artists, unique gifts and a TON of jigsaw puzzles provides a very complete online inventory and the owner will bring your purchase to your car upon request. Other local businesses are also offering curbside pickup.   Just do a Google Search or Facebook search for a local business you'd like to patronize. Make "Small Business Saturday" extend for the whole season and give your local economy a boost!

If you choose to do other online shopping, keep the below tips in mind:

1) I don't click on any "Sponsored" ad or advertisement on Facebook OR anywhere online. Yes, I get very tempted, but I don't do it. If it is a product I want to pursue, I enter the name of the item or website in my browser to do a search for the product or go directly to the website. Repeat after me:   Do not buy from the link on Facebook or other social media websites.

2) Many ads are for products that are not quality items.  If you are indeed interested in an item in one of the ads, do your own search on Amazon or Google for that product, and before buying check out multiple reviews by others who have purchased the item. 

3) Many ads are scams OR are phishing for your personal data.  Some links such as "50% of everything in Target" will direct you to a fake site that looks like Target and will ask you to log in with your username and password.  Your login will not work, but they will have captured your information so that they can now use it on the "real" Target website.

Don't let the Black Friday mentality get you in its grips.  Remember - If it sounds and looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Many of our neighbors have decorated for Christmas, and I guess it is only 38 days away, but for these next several days I plan on finding excuses to be outside and enjoy the beautiful fall weather and temperatures.  Christmas shopping and decorating can wait.  

COVID Tracking

COVID contact tracking has been available for awhile using several different methods and you may have read different pros and cons about utilizing the tools available to us.  When the tool became available in the newest iPhone operating systems, I have to say I was skeptical but in the past couple of weeks I've spent some time reading more about it.  I think it may be something you want to look at.

Something you should know: the latest iPhone and Android operating systems allow you to turn COVID tracking on and off.  YOU get to choose whether to activate this tool. The two links below will give device-specific information if you are interested in reading more:

On the iPhone - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33OPJDmW7Mc 
On Android phones - https://support.google.com/android/answer/9888358?hl=en 

Maybe you don't want to use the COVID tracking but want to know your COVID risk before making plans?  I used this website last week in considering the risk of getting a haircut.  The site - from Brown Alpert Medical School -  allows you to choose your activity and then mark the appropriate factors: zip code, number of people in the group, masks or no masks, length of time you will be there, etc. You do not have to login or have an account to access this information. The ability to manipulate the factors produces some interesting information and also suggests ways to lower your risk if you choose to participate in activities.  I found it interesting!  https://mycovidrisk.app  

Election 2020

This morning a memory popped into my head - as a teenager staying up way past midnight watching the TV with my parents on election night to find out who our next president was going to be. There were a few channels on our TV but more than likely we were tuned into CBS.  

Contrast that with ALL of the media choices available to us today as we monitor a record-setting number of votes being recorded and reported.  What tools are you going to use to following the election results - the TV, computer or smartphone?

Many of us will probably turn to our favorite news media channels on our TV's or smartphones trying to find the "predicted" winners.  Do you know why some media predict winners early in the evening and others much later on?  I found these two resources to be helpful in understanding that:
NPR - National Public Radio

Associated Press 

The results of Election 2020 will be reported starting today and in the days ahead, but there's work to be done despite the outcome.  And WE are an important part of helping bring our nation together. Pastor Adam Hamilton, Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, KS shared a message on Sunday and it's a message for all of us :  
"Jesus, Politics and Religion – Loving Your Neighbor with Whom You Disagree” 

The weather is going to provide a beautiful day for Election 2020.  Enjoy this fall weather while you can.....and before becoming glued to media tonight to watch the results! 

Facebook - what happens to your account when you die?

 Using technology requires responsibility on our part to regularly check the settings on the accounts we use, particularly in the area of security and privacy settings.  But, have you ever thought about what happens to those accounts when you die?

Facebook allows you to choose what will happen with your account upon your death:  Do  you want the account deleted or do you want someone to monitor and post in it? 

To access those settings on a desktop or laptop computer:

1. Go to  your account on Facebook.com
2. Click on the downward arrow in the upper right-hand corner of the Facebook page.
3. Select Settings & Privacy.
4. Settings
5. Memorialization Settings
6. Edit

To access those settings on a mobile device or phone:

1. Open the Facebook app
2. Tap on Menu (usually indicated by 3 short lines), scroll down and tap on Settings & Privacy
3. Tap on Settings
4. Personal Information
5. Memorialization Settings

If you want to read more about Memorialization Settings, you can click here.

From the Facebook Memorialization page:

Hope you all have a terrific Tech Tuesday in spite of the wintry weather conditions you may be experiencing!  Maybe use the time indoors to review not only Memorialization Settings on Facebook but also some of the other Privacy settings?

Track your Advance Ballot now

Have you requested an Advance Ballot this year?  Do you remember if you requested one?  Has the Election Office recorded it as being received?

If you live in Kansas, these are all questions you can answer by using this website and entering your identifying information:  https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/VoterView

Most states have an equivalent site and here are a few for those of you I know who live in other states:
Maryland: https://voterservices.elections.maryland.gov/VoterSearch
Iowa: https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/absenteeballotstatus/absentee/search 
Missouri: Missouri does not have ballot tracking available.
Illinois:  It appears Illinois does not have ballot tracking available, but you might check with your county.

If you live in a different state, simply do a Google search for "track ballot in (name of state)"

Don't wait until Election Day to check on the status of your ballot. 

Do you know where the Ballot Drop Box is located near you?   Use Google Maps and do a search for "Ballot drop box near me" on your phone or mobile device.

One last thing about the election that I had not thought about until I read a friend's posting on Facebook yesterday: 
"One reason to vote early—if you were thinking about waiting until Election Day— is that there is a possibility you may be in quarantine on Election Day and then unable to vote. I hadn’t considered that potential in our Covid World."

After 7 months, now is not the time to be lax.  Please follow the suggested guidelines both for you and others. As the weather turns cooler and COVID cases seem to be on the increase once again, be wise. 

Jeline

Unusual Amazon purchases? Not really.

Several people, including my brother, have told me in the past couple of weeks they've been alerted to alleged purchases on their credit cards or "unusual" purchases on their Amazon accounts only to eventually find out the claim was false. What should you do if this happens to you?

Let's start with what you DO NOT DO:
1) Do not give the caller or sender of the email your requested personal information.  They are trying to access your username, password, credit card number, etc. so that they may indeed make purchases with that information.
2) Don't click on any link in the email you've been sent "warning" you of this problem/purchase.
3) Do not panic; it is NOT an emergency.

What SHOULD YOU DO?
1) Hang up if you receive a phone call alerting you to this kind of activity.
2) If concerned, log in to your bank account, credit card or Amazon account to view recent activity.  Enter the URL in the browser; DO NOT use a link provided in the email.
3) If you have questions about your credit card being used, call the number located on the back of your card NOT the one in the email.
4) Stay calm and know there are customer service departments, not the caller on the phone, to answer your questions if you feel the need to contact someone about the alleged charge.

Scammers are professional criminals.  Their goal is to steal your identity and financial information. They know what they are doing and hope that you don't.  If you do slip up and give out your bank account info or credit card information, immediately contact those companies.  More than likely, they will then monitor your account for unusual activity rather than close the account.

Stay alert, be cautious, and keep your personal information private.