Entry bubble Choosing the Right Cable & Internet

By: Jake | October 22, 2007 | Category: Money

Preparations for the move are going well. I am borrowing a friend's truck the first Saturday in November (if I used a mover I would have used the Protect Your Move Guide).

Now I can focus on utility adjustments. Trash, water and gas are included in the rent at both apartments, but my cable and internet bill have been getting a little high and I've been looking to save some money.

Utility rates like water, electricity and gas are regulated by state utility commissions, but cable and internet are different beasts. Local franchising authorities (LFA) regulate cable prices for the basic services tier (includes most local broadcast stations, as well as the public, educational, and governmental channels) when there is a lack of “effective competition.” The LFA does not regulate what cable companies charge for other cable programming. Internet Service Providers have no government regulating body.

When it comes to cable and internet (like everything else), it's up to the consumer to find the best deal. There are many things to consider when choosing cable and internet. Many cable companies also provide internet service and offer bundle packages with savings on each. With cable you need to decide if you want analog or digital. For my cable service I like having a digital video recorder and I need digital cable to get it. As far as internet goes, I prefer basic broadband internet service with a wireless router.

I spent a week weighing the different options. When all was said and done I stayed with my current provider. Why? Before I switched my service I checked with them to see if they have any moving specials and they actually did.

| Comments [1] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: apartments   cable   internet   moving   utilities  

 

Entry bubble Moving Out!

By: Jake | October 15, 2007 | Category: General

postal stamp: return to sender for better address

The apartment hunt is over! I found a new place in Alexandria and I move in early November. One of the first things I will do is tell various government agencies about my change of address.

I've found in the past the best place to start is the post office. I can change my address at any post office, or go online and do it for a dollar. After changing my address, the U.S. Postal Service will forward my mail to my new address for a year.

Though USPS will not tell people who mail me I have moved, they will forward my address change information to the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS will send my tax forms to the last address change furnished by myself or USPS. The last time I moved I did not change my address with the Internal Revenue Service and my tax forms arrived at my new address (though the IRS also got my new address when I changed for W-2's at work).

If this move were taking place during tax season and I had filed my tax return before changing my address, I would have notified my old post office and the IRS of the change so my refund and any other materials went to my new address. If you are collecting social security benefits,  have a passport or receive other services from federal agencies you should notify them of your address change.

For address changes on the state level, I've found the best place to start is at the state motor vehicles office. I can get my driver's license and car registration updated here, and most department of motor vehicles offices also allow you to update your voter registration.

Many municipalities require you give notice if you have a vehicle in their limits, so they can assess and collect property tax.  In the past I have received bills from former counties, so I will notify my old municipality so they don't send me a personal property tax bill.

After all the address changes are done, the Pueblo website has a moving checklist of things I need to do. I will be addressing things such as choosing a mover and utilities next week.

| Comments [2] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: address   apartments   change   housing   irs   moving   taxes   usps  

 

Entry bubble Apartment Hunt!

By: Jake | September 24, 2007 | Category: Home and Family

Hi! My name is Jake and I’ll be your Monday blogger for Gov Gab. I look forward to writing, but I didn’t really know what to do my first blog about.

For rent signThen it hit me. I was notified a couple weeks ago that my rent will go up substantially next month. It’s too much for me to pay and I need to find a new place. I plan to be a renter and I’ve looked at private rental sites, but there are government sites that have proved useful too.

Every municipality tends to have a website with some sort of rental and housing information. I have lived in Virginia most of my life and I would like to stay here. Both the City of Alexandria and Arlington County have apartment housing websites where I can get rent prices and information about cost of living.

It’s been a while since I put my signature on a lease so I need to jog my memory about what to look for in a lease. The Consumer Action Handbook has a bunch of tips on that. I remember most of these tips, but when the pressure is on to find a new place I don't want to overlook these things and wind up in a bad situation later. The best government resource for looking for housing is the Department of Housing and Urban Development. They have a very useful resources for renters webpage. Alright that'll do it for now. Please feel free to comment below. Have a great week!

| Comments [11] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: apartments   housing   rent