money – Infographic Expo

Identity Theft: You Should Be Worried [infographic]

October 28, 2014 Admin

I sat down at my computer a few weeks ago to check my online banking account, just like I do every other day. I was hoping I had some extra spending money to go out with that evening, but I was surprised to see my account was in the negative. I saw several charges – some of which were pending – from newegg.com, a site I had never actually used before. I immediately called my bank, who took off the pending charges right away and cancelled my accounts. They told me I was the victim of debit card fraud, and they would work to refund the rest of my money and give me new account information.

I was completely shocked. I went through the whole ‘How could this happen to me?’ moment. Luckily, it could have been worse; I could have had my identity stolen. Whoever got my card information did not actually get ahold of my billing address, which is what saved me from losing more money than I did. But still, I’m being forced to reevaluate where I use my personal information and debit card.

It’s scary to think about how I almost became one of the statistics on this infographic. Unfortunately, the United States is a fraud-friendly country because our cards still use the outdated magnetic strip on the back, as opposed to a microchip inside. And until the day comes that we finally make the switch, my advice for you is to be careful and check your accounts often. Trust me when I say that it can happen to anyone. [via]

Post tags: banking, credit card, crime, debit card, debit card fraud, fraud, identity theft, money, online fraud, security

Cost Of Owning A Pet [Infographic]

May 29, 2014 Admin

22 years old, and college graduation approaches. I can’t think of a more perfect graduation present to myself than a dog. I have a job lined up, a house with a yard- why not?

Well this infographic might make me think twice. It outlines the first year cost of dogs and cats (I’m not a cat person, so personally I’ll be disregarding that but it’s useful info for you cat people).

My first instinct told me that food would probably be the biggest cost. Not quite. Health insurance and reoccurring health related expenses together cost nearly four times the $120 it takes on average to feed a dog for a year. The numbers for cats are significantly lower than that- but it still costs quite a bit more to keep a cat healthy for a year than it does to feed it.

Remember Bob Barker, “Get your pets spayed or neutered!”- that’s good and all, but he never mentioned how much that costs: $200 for a dog and $145 for a cat. I guess that’s s small price to pay to avoid running a puppy mill and or kitten haven, but that’s definitely not chunk change.

Looks like getting a dog might cost a little bit more than I thought- this infographic estimates that it would cost about $1,500 in the first year. Yikes. Good thing I got that job. It’s less than that for a cat- $1,035, but cats are nowhere near as cool as dogs (sorry!). When was the last time you saw a cat fetch? Anyway- if any of you out there are thinking of acquiring a pet, take a look at this infographic first and make sure you can afford it, otherwise you’ll be eating ramen every night to make sure you can feed that furry friend. [Via]

Post tags: adulthood, animals, Cat, Dog, Expenses, finance, lifestyle, money, pet costs, Pets

Incandescent Vs LED Christmas Lights [infographic]

November 9, 2013 J.P. Blackard

As Halloween quickly approaches, it’s time to start thinking about the holiday that matters the most year round. Christmas, is without a doubt, a time that brings families and communities together in celebration, and even competition. We all love to get involved with traditions and festivities that go along with “the most wonderful time of the year.”

Christmas lights bring back so many memories for so many people that the tradition of hanging lights is a fun, yet thoroughly arduous activity. After all the hard work is done, there definitely comes a sense of thankfulness. Once you have your lights up, you can be thankful that you have a roof over head, you can be thankful that your lights will more often than not make others happy, as well as make you feel that you are a part of something bigger than yourself.

Although Christmas lights bring happy feelings and look great, Christmas lights can be expensive. According to this infographic, people can be spending way more than they have to on their electric bill. Although LED lights are more expensive than incandescents, the cost of running them is far below the cost to run incandescents.

Though not traditional, LEDs run with lower wattage, longer life-spans, you can connect more strings, and you never have to replace bulbs. By saving on electricity (money), you have more money to spend on those you care for and more time to enjoy it with them. [via]

Post tags: celebration, christmas, family, happy, led, lights, money, thankfulness, Time, tradition