Never a Lack of Ideas

"But will my new cell phone get a good signal in my home?" That's the first question you should ask when you see those coverage maps from the major wireless providers.  Sure, it's great if your phone works in a ton of places around the US, but what matters most is if it works perfectly in your home. How can you be sure that it will? That's easy: have a "wireless signal party" and test it out. Invite a bunch of friends over for a party. Have your friends who use Verizon dress in red. AT&T friends dress in blue. T-Mobile friends dress in pink. You get the idea.  Then, have them show you how good their signal is in your house. Make phone calls from their phones to check how good their reception is. Put Your Money Where Your Coverage Map Is If wireless companies are so sure that they have the best network, then I think they would be willing to sponsor these types of parties. Imagine if Verizon said: We're so sure our coverage is the best ...

Mail-In Rebates are a Pain Nobody likes submitting rebate forms. Sure, we all like the idea of paying a lower price for something. And in principle, it seems so easy to get a rebate – just cut out a UPC code, photocopy a receipt, and mail in a rebate claim. But let’s be honest, it’s a pain and many times we forget to file the rebate until it’s too late. According to Businessweek , 40% of rebate claims are never submitted. Having to fill out a rebate claim is one of my biggest beefs with buying a new cell phone. Almost every phone out there is advertised at a price that includes some sort of mail-in rebate. A Surprise from Verizon My most recent visit to the local Verizon Wireless store showed me how a company can take the pain out of filling out a rebate form – and it only cost them 42 cents. After purchasing two new Blackberry phones, the salesman pulled out a pre-stamped envelope and handed it to my wife and me. He told us to use it to submit the rebate claim. He then showed us wher...