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Q1: "Ben,
I've been seeing a spike in the number of unsolicited e-mails-also known as
"spams"- the last few weeks promoting "Homeland
Survival & Safety Kits." What's your take on
these?
A1: "I
hate 'em.
First off, I despise companies that
promote their services through the use of spam, junk faxes or unsolicited
telemarketing phone calls.
Number 2: I have a major dislike of
companies that try to cash in on the fears of a nation at war. We saw a stream
of companies ride the coattails of the September 11th tragedy, popping up with
stuff ranging from bogus anthrax detection or vaccine merchandise to fake
charities to low-lifes promoting their "commemorative" or
"limited-edition" coins or plaques or other crap. I hate 'em all and
urge consumers to avoid doing business with any and all of 'em."
Q2: "Okay, let's
talk about the contents of these "Homeland Survival & Safety
Kits." Aren't they valid supplies that the federal government is urging
Americans to stock up on anyway? Are they worth it?"
A2:
"Hell no they're not worth it! It's a buncha over-priced stuff that you
and I can go to the store and buy for a fraction of what they're
charging..."
Q3: "Give me an
example..."
A3:
"Look at what they're selling in these 'kits:'
 Food
& Water: "Water paks" and "special energy
bars" Trust me kids, you can buy these items on your own at any sporting
goods store or WalMart for a fraction of the cost they're peddling this stuff
for."
 First
Aid kit: They break out a list of everything included in the
First Aid kit, a first aid kit you can buy at places like [again] WalMart, or
Walgreen's or Eckerd's for a fraction of what they're packaging this entire
"Homeland Survival & Safety Kit" for.
 Survival
Gear: The always effective against bioterrorism duct tape and
plastic sheeting, space blankets and ponchos-you know how cheapo these items
can be-but they're pitching all of these knick-knacks in a comprehensive kit
that's the best example of "consumer terrorism" I've seen in awhile.
Q4: "How much are
they selling these kits for?"
A4:
"One-person kits go for $39.99...but who's going underground by
themselves? You've gotta get enough for everyone...the four-person/family kit
goes for $69.99 plus the always necessary tax, shipping and handling of
course. I've estimated that I can get the same stuff-or better quality-for
about half of what they're hocking their kit for. Plus if you buy it yourself,
you can be assured that those special "food bars" are something you
like and not a buncha pressed sawdust tasting garbage."
Q5: "Okay Ben, we
know these kits aren't such a good deal. Let's talk travel then. We've all
seen the stories that international travel is way down, but there was a story
earlier this week in about "gonzo travelers" heading to global hot
spots. As the summer vacation season approaches many people are still
considering travel outside U.S. borders. Where do we look for travel alerts to
certain parts of the world or specific countries?"
A5:
"Piece of cake. Our State
Department does a terrific job of keeping this information
current and updates it as the changing climate dictates. Before you book? Look!" Here's
the State Deparment's special section devoted to this. And
here's another resource worth taking a look at; it's a relatively new site,
called the National Infrastructure
Protection Center, or NIPC.
As reported on their website, the mission
statement is straightforward enough: "NIPC's
current mission is to serve as the U.S. government's focal point for threat
assessment, warning, investigation, and response for threats or attacks
against our critical infrastructures. These infrastructures, which include
telecommunications, energy, banking and finance, water systems, government
operations, and emergency services, are the foundation upon which our
industrialized society is based. These missions will continue on in the new
department under the Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection
Directorate, where we will be joined by several other government agencies
engaged in this vital business."
Q6: "What
countries are riskiest and can we get our money back from the airlines or
travel tour operators if we chicken out?"
Q7:
"Let's just say that even though they'll make you a heckuva deal on
hotels and airfares to entice tourism dollars, booking that family
reunion/family vacation for Istanbul, Turkey or Tehran might not be such a
good idea. Especially if you're carrying an American passport.
But getting back to our ability to get our money back if we
chicken out? Nothing's chiseled in granite in this department. Every airline,
every tour operator, everybody even remotely connected to the world of travel
is going to have their own rules-rules that can change on a moment's notice I
might add-posted on their website. But you've GOT
to look before you leap, or in this case, before you buy, and actually print
out the cancellation rules and guidelines right BEFORE
you pull the trigger and buy an airplane ticket or sign-up for a tour.
By printing their rules out, you're giving yourself an
added level of documentation if you do decide to cancel your travel plans,
since the printed page will have the date you printed this information on the
bottom of the page-nice documentation to have at the ready if you get into any
sort of challenge with an airline or a credit card company if you have a
change of travel heart."
Q8: "And here's
an instance where using a credit card makes the most sense, right?"
A8:
"Absolutely! Using a credit card for travel gives you an added level of
insulation you simply can't get if you write a check or use a debit card.
- The credit card gives you an extra
buffer against the airline or tour operator if you change your mind and don't
go on the trip. In theory, the credit card company will protect you on
disputed transactions...something you don't have by paying cash or using a
debit card.
- Many of the "precious metal"
credit cards also include travel insurance which may come in handy. Additional
insurance coverage if you're sick or injured or in distress while out of the
country. But because deals and offers change continuously, make sure you know
what perks your credit card is offering before you sign up.
- Oh yeah, and this
is a huge extra benefit of using a credit card to pay instead of cash or a
debit card: What happens if
the airline you've bought a ticket on goes bankrupt? It's a fact of life for
the airline industry today...and with United Airlines making noise about
liquidation, and Fort Worth-based American Airlines talking about being forced
to seek refuge in bankruptcy court, this is a huge consideration for anyone
thinking about spending some dough on an airline ticket. Use credit cards for
this one, kids."
Q9: "Real quick:
How do you feel about travel insurance?"
A9:
"Real quick, huh? Good luck! Actually, there's several types to be
considered. There's insurance that'll cover you if you get sick or injured or
lose your luggage or need to be brought back in an air ambulance, and then
there's trip cancellation insurance. Everyone needs to do their homework and
understand what it is exactly before they buy. Tour operators especially have
so many terms and conditions and "certain circumstances" criteria
that have to be met in order to get a refund or have the right of
re-scheduling a trip without any sort of financial penalty, you've got to know
precisely what their rules are-from both the airline or tour operator
perspective-as well as the travel insurance company's rules and terms and
conditions before you spend a dime. And NEVER
depend on the word of someone on the phone. I don't care if they work for a
travel agency or tour operator or airline, don't trust 'em. Ask them where on
their website the policy is outlined, and then go find it and print it out.
Because believe it or not: Sometimes people are wrong. [Imagine that!]
There's a really good
article about travel insurance available on the Wall Street Journal's website
from a couple of weeks ago; it'll cost you a coupla
bucks to get it if you don't already subscribe, but if you're
serious about travel insurance, you need to read this terrific, in-depth
article about the things you've gotta look for in this form of insurance.
Here's
the link.....
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