Edit: I have been checking out the links that I have on the right side of the page, and some of the blogs I read have not up-dated their content in some time. I have decided, because of the long list of sites, to remove any blog that does not update at least once every two weeks. Also, if I have linked to your site, and you wish to be removed, please let me know. Lastly, if I have linked to you, and you’d like to be cool and link back, that would be really, really awesome.
I think it would be cool if the following were available for managing personal fiance…(and some of them may be, and I just don’t know it! If so, please let me know in the “comments” section.)
1. Instant, fluid transfers between all financial institutions. Not “bill pay” but an instant inflow and outflow among checking, savings, and credit accounts. Hit a button, and boom, your “money” is in another account. Hit another button, and it goes into another account.
2. Simple, direct, no fee stock purchases. I do not understand why I can’t purchase stock, any stock, without a fee, directly from an exchange. This should be do-able in our electronic age. Why can’t I simply “zap” money from my account to your account and buy your stock. Why the need for fees?
3. Easy to understand insurance options. I would like to purchase auto, home, and life insurance in one nice, neat package. In other words, I enter my age, my health, my number of autos, and various other information, and “boom”: out shoots my monthly premium for a “total life” policy. Why do I need three or four or more policies? Why not one policy for my entire life.
4. Simple, cashier-less checkout at the grocery store. Put a scanner-scale device in my cart, let me fill up with the items I want, scanning them as I go, and then let me swipe my debit card and hand over my coupons on my way out.
5 Per number 4: Why paper coupons? It is 2005, do we really still need paper coupons. And why coupons anyway. I love to use my coupons, but they are a hassle. There has to be an easier way to get my discount. Perhaps all coupons could reside on a “card” like my grocery discount card, and I could just swipe it. (Kroger already has this functionality, but the coupons they offer at their site are mainly junk.)
6. This one is EASILY doable. Grocery stores should stop selling items with price tags that say: 2/5.00 or 3/9.99. Please, please, please! Just put the PRICE PER ITEM, and then PUT THE PRICE PER OUNCE, FOOT, POUND, whatever. This would be so simple, and I wouldn’t have to bring my calculator with me every time I go grocery shopping.
Well, there are 6…if you have some, post below.
(You can probably tell from my last few posts that I have very little to report on the old debt-reduction front. I can’t get blood from a turnip…)
#4- Stop & Shop has a cool new thing where you basically check out a hand held scanner w/your Stop & Shop card, scan & bag as you go (w/either your own bags [at a 5 cent discount per bag] or with paper or plastic) & then when you’re done you scan your S&S card, give them back their scanner, pay, and leave. I thought it was pretty sweet!