Though it’s trick and treat time there could be something much more sinister heading for your doorstep.
If you own a home you will inevitably receive unsolicited visitors offering all manner of services to improve your property, eg roof repairs, wall coatings, drive resurfacing etc etc. Should you express any interest in what’s being described you will receive a visit from a sales person who will explain, at length, the many merits of their particular offering. Often the sales person will act as a pseudo-professional, making a cursory inspection and informing you of the many bad faults afflicting the home you’ve long and happily inhabited.
The visit will conclude with a very special offer, available for today only. One of the favorite tricks is to say your home will be a “display” property and thus eligible for a large “discount”. If you can’t afford to pay cash (or even if you can!) you’ll be offered financing at some stratosperic interest rate.
Of course these visits are aimed at only one thing, relieving you of as much of your hard-earned money as they can get away with. Often the salesperson will drone on and on until you’re semi-hypontized and ready to agree to almost anything just to be rid of them.
personalmoneymanagement101′s advice is to say no to all unsolicited callers. If you do deal with a door-knocker, never agree to anything on the day. If you are tempted by a “now or never” offer make certain there is a “cooling off” period in which you can change your mind. But at risk of repeating myself the best advice is just say no. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
If you do have a problem, a need or a desire (as we all do sometimes) that you’re unable or unwilling to tackle yourself, seek out reputable operators that can assess your needs and give you detailed quotations. A minimum of three quotations should be the norm.
The best way to find tradespeople is through personal recommendation. Alternatively look for established operators with a trading history, those that come recommended by local consumer groups, and those that are members of recognized associations.
