q SMART BUYING
If you’re in the market for any product or service—things like clothes, stereos, educational courses—there are several simple rules you should keep in mind. If you follow them, your dollars will go a lot farther and you’ll be a lot more satisfied with the results.
Shop and Compare
Compare products on the basis of features, warranty protection and price. The best buy isn’t always the least
expensive.Use the Yellow Pages and magazines like Consumer Reports to help you.
Don’t fall for deceptive advertising. Advertisements can provide useful information. Too often, though, ads appeal to your emotions rather than your intelligence. While there are laws against deceptive advertising enforced by the Attorney General, it’s still best to avoid a problem by watching out for deceptive ads rather than getting snared by them and having to rely on a law or someone else to get you out of a mess.
Ask for promises in writing. Contracts don’t have to be in writing to be binding (it’s easier, of course, to make someone stick to something that’s in writing than something that’s based on your recollection of the agreement). If a salesperson makes important claims about a product that are not in your contract or warranty, try to get them in writing.
Read the terms of your contract or warranty carefully. Know what you can expect and what’s expected of you. If you don’t understand something, ask questions or seek help from a friend, parent, teacher, or lawyer.
Never sign a contract with blank spaces. Fill in blank spaces or draw a line through them.
Keep good records. Keep copies of all contracts, receipts, warranties, and all notes or letters you’ve written regarding the product or service, as well as records of payments, maintenance, repairs, and other services. Once you get the basics under your belt, you’re still not out of the woods. The next area you need to explore is warranties.
Warranties: Spoken, Written, and Implied
The warranty (or guarantee) is that part of your contract that specifies the quality and dependability of the product or service. It’s the place where the On Your Own, 2008 Edition
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