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EPISODE 41 ~ FIND YOURS: Unclaimed Money: Why You Should Try A Search By Last Name ONLY

Find unclaimed money with The Easy Money Show

Let’s talk about our find yours topic for this week: the strategy of teaching just your last name when you look for unclaimed money.

This is a strategy for people who want to make sure they’ve turned over every single stone in their search for missing money.

I’ve talked about where you should search, namely every single state to be truly thorough.   

Now let’s talk about how to search.  Searching under JUST your last name is a great strategy.  In fact, on Episode 32, I interviewed Kerry Armstrong who found her grandfather’s lost life insurance policy by searching JUST the name Armstrong. 

Here’s how you do it:  Go to MissingMoney.com OR to unclaimed.org or any other legitimate unclaimed money search site, but instead of using both the first and last name boxes, skip the one for first names, and just put your last name in the last name box.  Yes!  They allow you to do that.  First name is not a required field.  Once your results come up, check the states and addresses to see if they belong to you or relatives.

I myself came up with 192 listings when I searched just Leamy instead of Elisabeth Leamy.  I then looked through them to see if I recognized any of the first names OR addresses.  This is a great way of finding:

•Unclaimed money listed under your first initial and last name.  This is common.

•Money listed under a nickname you don’t usually use for bank accounts.  Like “Liz” for me.  I’ve never called myself that but relatives did.

•Unclaimed money for you where the first name is misspelled in a way you didn’t imagine.  I spotted one for a Rboin Leamy. Surely that was supposed to be Robin Leamy, but some clerk mis-typed it at some point.

•Missing money accidentally listed under your middle name and last name.  I saw a ton of Ann Leamy’s listed and, trust me, I’m going to check those entries out.

•Money for your living relatives

•Money for deceased relatives that you have a right to claim.

I myself didn’t find any money for myself this way, but I did find money for 2 uncles and 4 cousins!  Karma, people!  Give this a try and report back!  I’d be thrilled to interview you for the show if you find something.

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EPISODE 41: GUEST BLOG: 3 Tips for Succeeding With Fertility Treatments

By Michelle Katz

Do you have baby on the brain?  Well, “making a baby” can be as stressful as actually as having a baby with all the infertility options out there such as IVF, IUI, ICI, IVI etc.  If you are headed down this path, one of the key components to having a successful pregnancy is not to stress, but if you are not prepared financially, this may be almost impossible.  One of the less expensive ways to go through this process is through Natural IVF, which is becoming more popular among women who have either a low ovarian reserve or have failed stimulated IVF and are not interested in a donor egg in part because it is less expensive and are afraid of ovarian stimulation drugs.  Here are my top 3 tips for saving money while trying to conceive that perfect baby.

 

1. Set a Budget and find the right team

Remember, it only takes one egg, and while it may seem rare, it can happen to women on their first attempt and at any age. If you look at a place like Dominion Fertility, they have a patient that had her first child at the age of 48 after only two attempts via natural cycle IVF after spending thousands of dollars at another nearby clinic on stimulated IVF and being told she could only get pregnant with a donor egg.  Also understand that if you decide to transfer more than one egg, you might end up with twins, or even triplets or more.  So be sure you set your budget to compensate the extra bundle of joy just in case.  The key is to find a team that make you feel comfortable and work with your budget while laying out ALL of your options so you can make the most informed decision for yourself with as little stress as possible. 

 

2. Price around for your pharmaceuticals

This is where you can spend the most money depending on your treatment (an average of $4,000 – $10,000 per cycle) and why many women opt for a method like natural cycle IVF, because you only need one Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) “trigger shot” along with your antibiotics, etc which may only cost an average of $100 – $500 per cycle.  Also, know that the price of these medications will vary from pharmacy to pharmacy, week to week, and depending on what (HCG) hormone is prescribed such as  Pregnyl, Noveral, Ovidrel etc.  It is always best to price around for these meds BEFORE you start your treatment and inquire if the manufacturer has any special programs based on financial need before your doctor prescribes; this way you can be sure you get the best deal since your doctor may not always know what “special discounts” are going on at that time and can prescribe what is best for budget at that time. 

 

3. The extras add up

Acupuncture, fertility diets, Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) etc are all extras that can kill your budget, so choose the course of your treatment wisely.  There is not enough scientific research to prove that acupuncture or fertility diets actually work, but again, do what is best for you and within your budget.  Some clinics may actually provide a PGD and/or PGS  in an attempt to identify those embryos that are genetically abnormal so that improved embryo selection will—ideally—result in improved pregnancy rates and lower miscarriage rates but you need to ask if this is included in your treatment since the price may vary from  $2500 – $5000 and on up.  If decide to invest in these tests, it can result in selecting the best embryo for your transfer, which may bring you that much closer to a successful pregnancy, thus avoiding the cost of an additional cycle.

Guest Name: Michelle Katz

Guest Title: Healthcare Consumer Advocate

Guest Twitter: @michellekatzmsn

Guest Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nursemichellekatz/

Guest’s Website: about.me/michellekatz

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EPISODE 40 ~ TOP TIP: Credit Score: Raise Your Score Almost Instantly By Becoming an Authorized User on Someone Else’s Account

If you need to improve your credit score fast, one way is to be added as an authorized user to another person’s credit card account. This is a perfectly legitimate strategy if the other person is a family member or close associate. Many parents do this for their kids.  Some business partners have too.  Even though the authorized user is not responsible for paying the bill, the account – and all its history – will show up on their credit report.   Ideally, it will be a major credit card account, rather than a podunk store card.  Of course, you should make sure you are added by somebody with a good credit record of their own or this move will hurt instead of helping you.  There are lots of other, more important moves to improve your credit score —like paying your debts in full and on time— but this is a little extra  boost that can make a difference fast.

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EPISODE 40 ~ MAKE MORE: Solar Panels Can MAKE You Money Even If You Live in an Apartment!

Kiran Bhatraju of Arcadia Power is staying on and we’re transitioning from how Arcadia can help you save money to how Arcadia can help you make money.  Thanks for sticking around, Kiran!

My husband and I are actually researching installing solar panels on our roof right now.  Should we do it?  Will it not only save but make us money?

•  When you install a solar panel on your roof, you get money back in the form of tax credits and you save by not having to pay to power 100% of your home with more expensive traditional power.

• D.C. is the best place in the country to install solar panels, if you have the ability to do so!

•  And yes, you can make money. The upfront investment that you make in the panels will end up paying for itself, and then some, in time in the form of these savings.

• How quickly the panels pay for themselves depends on how much power the panel(s) generate each month.

  If we install solar panels, once they’ve paid for themselves, what’s the average amount of money we could make per year per panel?

• This number varies largely state by state. In D.C., prices for installing solar are actually significantly lower than the rest of the country. In 20-years you could be making upwards of 20 thousand dollars in savings with a small 3 kW system

• I recommend checking out EnergySage.com. It’s an excellent tool for evaluating your estimated upfront costs and expected return on investment. 

What if you live in an apartment and don’t own your own roof, so you can’t install solar panels on it?  What’s your solution for people in that situation?

• Great question. The vast majority of Americans can’t do rooftop solar. There’s only about 8% of Americans that can.  

• For the other 92% of Americans who want to tap into solar, we offer a nationwide community solar program on our platform.

• With community solar, anyone can ‘purchase’ a solar panel that is then hosted somewhere else.

• Your investment in one of our panels works the same way that it would if it were in your own home — you get money back every month depending on how much power the panel you purchased generates.

How much does it cost to buy a community solar panel through Arcadia?

• Our community solar panels cost around $100 each, depending on the project.

I know Arcadia describes it as “saving” money, because the less expensive solar power offsets the member’s more expensive traditional power.  But, really, aren’t your members MAKING money off of solar?

• Yes, technically they are!

• It feels like savings after you make an initial investment in community, because we credit your power bill each month with a certain amount of money that correlates with how your panels performed.

• This is money that you are making off of your solar panels, and we are simply crediting it towards your monthly power bill.

And how do they get this money they are making from solar?  Do you send them a check?  Credit their power bill?

• We credit your monthly Arcadia Power statement (i.e. your power bill).

OK, the question everybody’s been waiting for: how much can people make per month by investing in community solar?

• With community solar, it’s roughly an annual return of 3% percent. This is higher than the return that you would see if you invested your money in a savings or checking account, and you can feel good about investing in renewable energy making it onto the U.S. power grid. 

Kiran Bhatraju, CEO of Arcadia Power, thank you so much for joining me on Easy Money.  Folks, if you’re intrigued, I will link you to a list of the states that have deregulated power AND I will link you to Arcadia Power’s own website where you can learn more.

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EPISODE 40 ~ SAVE MORE: Go Green: News flash! Clean Electricity is Now Cheaper Than Traditional

Save more money with The Easy Money Show

People in 30 out of 50 states have the option of switching their gas provider, electric provider or both.  That can save you green and be more green because there may be an alternative supplier that costs less and does more for the environment.  A startup called Arcadia Power has created software that tracks the power companies in many areas and helps you find a better deal.  My guest is Kiran BhaTRAju, CEO of Arcadia Power.  Kiran, welcome to Easy Money.

The majority of states now have some level of deregulated power, which means you can switch providers and potentially save big money.   I’m going to list off the states real quick so people will know their options.  First, states with deregulated gas AND electric:

• California*

• Connecticut

• Illinois

• Maine

• Maryland

• Massachusetts

• Michigan*

• New Hampshire

• New Jersey

• New York

• Ohio

• Pennsylvania

• Rhode Island

• Virginia

• Washington, D.C.

Those are the states that you work primarily with, right?  Now states with deregulated electric only:

• Delaware

• Oregon

• Texas

And, finally states with deregulated gas only:

• Colorado

• Florida

• Georgia

• Indiana

• Iowa

• Kentucky

• Montana

• Nebraska

• New Mexico

• South Dakota

• West Virginia

• Wyoming

Arcadia can help you find an alternative in the 15 states with deregulated gas AND electric and I know you’re always looking to expand.  Meanwhile, if a listener does not live in one of the deregulated states, does Arcadia Power still have options to help them save money and save the planet?

• Yes! Absolutely. By connecting your local utility account to Arcadia Power, you are automatically supporting clean energy, for free.

• We also offer efficiency tips on our dashboard that can help anyone save on their monthly bills.

• Everyone can also sign-up for our community solar program, and sign-up to get home efficiency products – such as a Nest Thermostat – through us at no upfront cost

for consumers to tap into what Arcadia Power offers, they need to become Arcadia members.  Is there a cost for that?

• Not at all. Signing-up for Arcadia Power is completely free.

• Anyone can connect their local utility account to our online energy platform to get free access to clean energy, improve their home efficiency and find ways to save.

You’re called Arcadia Power, but are you a power company?  A utility yourselves?

• Great question, we are neither.

• We integrate directly with utilities, but Arcadia Power is an online energy platform, not a power provider.

• We built Arcadia Power to bring homeowners and renters across the U.S. a cleaner, better and more affordable energy experience.

 Once somebody joins Arcadia Power, they can sign up for your Price Alert software.  What does this software do for them?

•  Prices for renewable, clean energy has been dropping for years, but utilities still rely mostly on fossil fuels.

• With Price Alerts, we monitor the energy market in your area for the best rates for clean energy. Companies like Google and Amazon have been benefitting from these declining costs for year. Now we are able to pass those lower rates onto consumers.  

• When your contract is up with your current provider, we will have already looked to see if there is a new, lower rate available for you. If we have find one, we’ll switch you to it.  We do give people a chance to opt out, but most people want the new plan that will save them money.   

• The coolest part about Price Alerts is that as more and more people connect their utility accounts to Arcadia Power, the amount of savings for everyone will go up.

• We use the collective purchasing power of all of our members in a given state to negotiate and find them lower prices for power in the market.  

I know green energy is Arcadia’s goal.  But will Arcadia tell its members about a cheaper power option, even if it’s not greener?

• We only work with power providers who we trust, and who we know use renewable resources.

• We make sure that everyone who has an Arcadia Power account is automatically supporting renewable energy – regardless of what plan they are on.

 Does Arcadia continue to monitor power prices for members and re-switch them again if necessary?

• Absolutely. The process is continual, as long as you are connected to the Arcadia Power energy platform.

• Once a contract that you are on runs out, we will let you know if we have found you another, lower clean energy rate.

Once Arcadia switches me to a different power company, do I get my power bills from that company or from Arcadia?

• From the moment your sign-up for Arcadia Power, you will start receiving a monthly clean energy statement from us and will no longer pay your power bill through your utility company.

• We manage your utility account for you, so that we can provide you with a better energy experience.  

What kind of savings are most Arcadia members seeing thanks to your Price Alert software?  Give it to me in percentages and dollars!

• Right now, average homeowner savings with Price Alerts is 5-10% a year, but some people have saved as much as 30 percent. And as more people connect their utility accounts in your area, that savings will continue to go up.

How does helping customers save money on power further Arcadia’s goal of promoting green power?

• “Green” or clean power is cheaper than fossil fuels and has been for a while. Large companies have been benefitting from these declining costs for years.

• Our mission is to make these lower costs accessible for the everyday person.

• By saving people money on their energy bills, we hope to make it easier for them to support clean energy. Lower monthly costs and cleaner energy should go hand in hand.

Speaking of investing in clean energy, let’s talk about your wind power project. Arcadia gives clients a way of investing in wind power without putting a windmill in their backyard.  Is this project meant to save people money or more to save the planet?

•  Our wind plan is not a savings plan, but it’s the only nationwide free way that homeowners and renters can access clean energy.

• Again, in the same way that companies like Amazon and Google have been “purchasing” clean energy, we are able to purchase clean wind power for our Arcadia Power members.

• We do this so that anyone, whether they rent or own, or live in an apartment or house, can know that their monthly electricity bill is supporting renewable energy.  

You are trying to help customers save power and money any way you can. Tell me about your on-bill financing idea.

• Our on-bill financing will allow anyone to purchase energy-efficient products, such as smart thermostats and LED lighting, at no upfront cost.

• These efficiency products will help you save on your monthly energy costs, and we want to make it as easy as possible for anyone to purchase them for their home.

OK, important question I ask of all companies I interview: How does Arcadia make money?

•  We have a shared savings model, meaning that every time we connect a member to a lower-cost clean energy plan we make a profit.

• Those profits are what enable us to provide free clean energy for anyone.

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EPISODE 40 ~ FIND YOURS: Unclaimed Money: Don’t Pay A “Finder” For Access To Your Own Money

Find unclaimed money with The Easy Money Show

I’m happy to say that this week’s “Find Yours” blog came from one of you.  Let’s check it out.

Hi, this is Patrick in California.  I got a letter in the mail saying I am owed unclaimed money and this company can claim it for me.  I don’t want to pay them a percentage, but I have no idea where the unclaimed money is, so I feel like I may have to.  What should I do?”

Thanks for bringing up such an important unclaimed money topic, Patrick!  The letter you received was from what we call a “finder”  and I don’t think you should EVER have to pay a Finder for access to your own money.  These are opportunists who try to profit from other people’s unclaimed money by finding their accounts and asking for a cut.  The good news is that finders are usually only interested in good-sized amounts of  money, so you may have a nice nest egg waiting out there for you somewhere. 

If the Finder told you the amount of money you are owed, they either found the money in California or Texas, which are the only states that publish the amounts people are owed right online.   OR they submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to some other state and got a list of names and amounts of unclaimed money that way.  Many states will divulge that information in response to a FOIA request.

OK, deep breath, here’s what you do.  You search the way I always suggest you search: First you check the website MissingMoney.com, which automatically searches its 40 member states for you.  Then, if you don’t find the money there, you check unclaimed.org (remember, .org) and check the other 10 states that don’t participate with MissingMoney.  As a reminder, those states are: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Oregon, South Carolina and Wyoming.  Remember, sometimes the money is held where the company is based or incorporated, rather than where you live, so it can be important to check those 10 states even if you’ve never set foot in them.  Keep checking until you find your money.

I estimate that the combination of  MissingMoney.com and unclaimed.org will turn up 90 percent of unclaimed money.

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EPISODE 40 ~ GUEST BLOG: How and Why Clean Energy Can Save You Money

By Kiran Bhatraju, CEO, Arcadia Power

Did you know that the Fortune 500, on average, pay almost 25 percent less for power than you do at your home, and are often the largest purchasers of renewable energy? If Amazon and Google were enjoying low, fixed-priced power from renewables, then why can’t we get the same in our homes?

Arcadia Power was built with the mission to make renewable energy universally accessible. For three years, we have been giving homeowners and renters across the country access to affordable wind power, community solar, and home efficiency products. But, we knew that this was only the beginning.

We had to find a way to help the everyone save money on cleaner energy options.

Read More

BONUS INFO: Live in Washington, DC? We’ve Got Some Big Community Solar News for You

For the past two years, Arcadia Power members have been saving with solar power through our nationwide Community Solar program. By “purchasing” a panel hosted at one of our partner’s community solar sites, Arcadia Power members will access upwards of $300,000 in solar savings in the next 10 years.

We believe that everyone – regardless of where they live, or whether they rent or own – should be able to access, and benefit from, clean energy. If you can’t put a panel on your roof that should not stop you from being able to get solar savings.

We are now partnering with developers to build entirely new community solar projects in your local communities.

Read More

Guest Bio:  Kiran Bhatraju, is cofounder and CEO of Arcadia Power. Previously, Kiran was a founder of an energy efficiency technology company and worked as a policy aide on Capitol Hill. He is on the board of the Environmental Voter Project and is a published author.

Guest Contact: 

www.arcadiapower.com

Follow Arcadia Power on Facebook and Medium.

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EPISODE 39 ~ TOP TIP: Carpet Cleaning: Go With The Cleaning Service That Prices By Square Foot NOT By Room

Carpet cleaners who advertise “3 rooms for $29.95” or some other low, set price, don’t really mean it.  They are hustlers who want into your house.  They’ll drag all their equipment into your house to make you feel obligated.  And then they’ll upsell you like crazy.  Want stains removed?  That costs extra.  Furniture moved?  More money.  Closets adjoining rooms included?  Pay up.  Some have even been known to take their revenge if you don’t pay more by soaking your carpets with dirty water and then not sucking it back up.  Reputable carpet cleaners charge by the square foot and it costs a good deal more than 10 bucks a room.  Oh, and for the best, most thorough job, you should hire a carpet cleaner with truck-mounted equipment, which is far more powerful than portable equipment..

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