Infant Seats, Car Seats, Booster Seats and Seat Belts

By now, every parent knows the importance of properly restraining adults and children in a motor vehicle. However I see many parents losing sight of what's really important as they rush to move their kids to the next level of motor vehicle restraint, i.e. infant seat, car/convertible seat, booster seat, or nothing at all. Parents should move their child up to the next level of restraint as late as possible--not as soon as they reach the next legal minimum!

Infants, for example, should be in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least one year of age and 20 pounds. The key words are "at least". This is a minimum standard and does not mean it is a good idea to turn them forward-facing as soon as they turn one! Your child is still much safer staying rear-facing to allow their bodies to further develop and strengthen.

Likewise, a child can legally (in most states) ride in a car without a booster seat once they are 4 ft. 9 in. (57") tall and 8 years of age but that doesn't make it smart to do it when they reach that height, weight or age. Remember that seat belts in modern motor vehicles are designed and optimized for a typical American adult weighing between something like 102-215 lbs. So ask yourself this question: Is your child closer to a small adult of say 5 ft. 4 " (64") and 102 lbs, or are they closer to 4 ft. 9 in. (57") tall and 60 lbs? If the latter, then they should stay in that booster seat!

In determining what is best for your child, don't let state or federal laws drive your decision-making--they represent the bare minimums for dumb-dumb parents who don't otherwise want to think about child safety. And don't let peer pressure or the kids themselves make these decisions for you--your child's life may depend on it!

And finally, remember, regardless of age, height, weight or the restraint method, a few general safety principles always apply:

1. The back seat is always safer than the front.
2. The middle of the rear is safer than the rear sides.
3. Facing rearward is safer than facing forward.
4. Seat belts should fit properly (over the shoulder and not the neck, and around the hip bones).

For more information, see the AAP's car safety page.

Cancel that service for better pricing!

Whenever competition exists for a particular service, a really good way to keep your costs down is to threaten to cancel your service. Drive a hard bargain and say you're leaving for their competitor due to better pricing or superior offerings. To keep your business, they will almost certainly lower your rate and/or offer free or reduce-priced bonuses. Here are some examples:

XM Satellite Radio: We've had a $7.99/mo. promotional rate for years. Every time my year is up, XM tries to force me to a regular plan where monthly rates are usually $12.99/mo and up. I simply threaten to cancel, and whine and belly-ache about not listening to the service much, etc. etc.

Verizon vs. Comcast: With each provider, I call right after my initial one-year contract is up and my low promotional rates are scheduled to go up to the significantly higher regular prices. Before I call, I research the best current deal being offered by their competitor. Then, I call my current provider and tell them I am switching to the competitor due to their special promotion. Without exception, the offer is matched or bettered.

Credit cards: Many of the best credit cards are benefit cards that offer cash rebates, airline miles and/or other perks. Many of them also have high annual fees and/or interest rates. I will usually partake in some of the better cards because they will typically waive the first year's annual fees. In many cases, if you call after the first year and tell them you'd like to cancel the card because of the annual fee, they will waive it again. Also, if your credit is good and you don't fully pay your balance monthly, the interest rate is also negotiable if you bargain with them.

Bricks and Mortar Banks

I've noticed many new bank branches springing up recently near where I work and live. As someone who banks and pays bills almost completely online, writes about 4 checks a year, and uses less than $400 cash annually, it befuddles me as to why banks still have bricks and mortar branches to expand their business and to service customers. Over ten years ago, around the time of the first true Internet banks, I boldly predicted that, within 10-15 years, traditional banks would go the way of the dinosaurs. Judging by the steady expansion of bank branches, I was wrong.

I don't have or need a local bank because I don't need or want to pay for their bricks and mortar presence. I get better rates, better service, and more accurate record-keeping by doing everything electronically. Thus I don't pay for something I don't use. However the vast majority of Americans still value their local bank presence to make deposits, visit their tellers, use the drive-thru, talk with bank staff for credit lines, loans, mortgages or investments, use the safety deposit box, and partake of various other services. Go figure...