Who really needs another coffee mug, candle, or video game for the Holidays? This year, with the economy officially in a recession, give the people you love a gift they can really use—a sense of finanical security.

I know what you’re thinking: Financial gifts are about as exciting as a Cuban election. But here are six creative gift ideas for the adults and kids in your life that they just may appreciate. These gifts will provide your loved ones with financial knowledge and money-management skills, safeguard their financial security, and maybe even provide a little entertainment value!

1. The Mail Boss Locking Security Mailbox

Give the gift of peace of mind and mail security with the Mail Boss locking security mailbox for ultimate mail and identity theft protection. The MailBoss mailbox can’t be pried open like other locking mailboxes, and with its 12- and 14-gauge powder-coated galvanized steel construction, its built to last for decades! Available for $199 online and $149-$169 in a store near you, the MailBoss won’t break your bank, and just may save the bank of the lucky recipient of this “recession proof” holiday gift.

2. Monopoly - A Classic Boardgame

Monopoly real estate trading games ($12-$35) are fun to play at any age, and educate children in finance and real estate matters. Kids will learn money management skills including counting, adding, budgeting and negotiating. This classic board game also teaches some valuable lessons about personal finance; for example, investments earn income!

3. A Cross-Cut Paper Shredder

Help the people you love protect their most valuable asset: their identity. Ripping up personal documents with sensitive information just won’t cut it—resourceful identity thieves have been known to piece them back together. There are many models available for relatively low cost ($45-$65). Look for a cross-cut model for ultimate security so pieces are illegible and can’t be reassembled. (See our review of the Powershred P-57Cs by Fellowes here). As a bonus, the shredded paper is great for safely packaging delicate items!

4. Financial Page Turners

Help the young adults in your life to get a solid understanding of personal finance with one of these financial page turners. These easy-to-understand books provide practical money smarts and a healthy dose of “kick-in-the-pants” inspiration:

• Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties By Beth Kobliner ($15)
  This collection of life’s basic fiscal lessons is practically a financial Bible for the twenty- and thirty-somethings. It includes helpful information on buying insurance, paying off debt, buying a home, saving money on taxes, managing daily finances, and investing for the long term.
• Debt-Free By 30 By Jason Anthony and Karl Cluck ($14)
  This book, written by self-described money misfits who spent their twenties piling up debt, is a first-hand tale of the path to financial freedom. Filled with light jokes and blunt language, this book is a kick in the behind for financial slackers. It covers the basics of paying debt and gives you the tools to pull it off.

5. Piggy Bank
Teach young kids the value of a penny saved with the Money Savvy Pig from msgen.com ($16). This four-chamber piggy bank has compartments for savings, investing, spending and donating. Small kids will think it’s especially fun to pick up spare coins lying around and drop them in the brightly colored banks for savings, investing, spending or donating. It’s never too early to learn how to save money!

MailTheft.org is an informative website that offers information on mail theft and identity theft, as well as ID Theft prevention tips. MailTheft.org reports that the first step in prevention is a secure locking mailbox. Below are some of the facts and information they provide on mail identity theft:

• Postal Inspectors report that Identity/Mail Theft has become the #1 white-collar crime in the country.
• New reports indicate that mail theft is up 71% versus last year.
• According U.S. Postal Inspectors, it takes a minimum of 44 months to recover from Identity Theft.
• One in three cases involving identity theft occurs via the mail!
• For the criminal, the mailbox is the gateway to financial fraud, and victims are left with empty bank accounts and shattered credit ratings.
• Parcel Packages are at their most vulnerable when left unattended on your doorstep. With Internet shoppers increasing daily, more and more parcel packages never find their rightful owner due to thieves who follow these trucks and grab packages left unattended.
• Police and the US Postal Service say that “deterring mail thieves is as easy as locking outside mailboxes and warn to never leave bills in mailboxes for postal workers to pick up. Postal Inspectors term this “Red Flagging” and recommend that you always take outgoing mail to a Postal drop box or US Post Office.
• “The unlocked mailbox”, according to one Postal Inspector, “comes from the days when you left your house unlocked.”
• According to local Police Chiefs, mail theft is one of the nonviolent ways drug users use to support their drug habits when they steal your bank checks and credit card statements from your mailbox.
• A mail thief can get up to $1,000 per box for a box of reissued and/or new checks you receive through the mail.
• Mail theft has become so common that some states are considering legislation for stiffer penalties since current laws consider it only a misdemeanor theft.
• For the sophisticated criminals, mail can be extremely valuable. Stolen checks are chemically “washed” of their ink, so the thief can make out a new amount and a new payee.

For more than forty years, Pacific Northwest homeowners, farmers, ranchers and gardeners have depended on the AgriShop garden stores founded by Jack Jones. Now, they can also depend on AgriShop to offer a security locking mailbox for identity theft prevention.

The Jones family built the AgriShop business on quality, from John Deere tractor equipment and garden products to customer service. The Mail Boss locking security mailbox, now available in the PNW AgriShop locations, is the newest high quality product available in these fine lawn and garden stores.

AgriShop has three locations in the Pacific Northwest offering the Mail Boss Locking Security Mailbox:

• AgriShop of Redmond
  18014 Redmond Fall City Hwy
  Redmond, WA 98052
  425-883-4444
   
• AgriShop of Auburn
  308 West Main Street
  Auburn, WA 98001
  253-833-0870
   
• AgriShop of Tacoma
  2012 South 12th Street
  Tacoma, WA 98405
  253-272-9331
   

SOLUS ID Theft Protection, like LifeLock, offers a “comprehensive identity theft protection solution” focused on prevention, detection and restoration. Their website also links to a very informative blog with identity theft protection news and tips. One of their identity theft specialists Julie Knubley recently published an article titled “Fight Back Against Mail Theft With Locking Mailboxes” (Oct 28, 2008) that emphasizes a critical point: Most identity theft originates from mail theft and a locking mailbox is a critical component in identity theft prevention.

“Believe it or not, most identity theft originates from mail theft. If you value your financial records and wish to prevent identity theft, locking mailboxes have become a necessity in today’s world, and a good one can prevent your mail from being stolen and reduce the risk of identity theft. In a matter of seconds a thief can walk or drive up to your house, open your mailbox and walk or drive away with credit card statements, bank statements, and a number of other personal letters that have information about you and your family. You lock your front door and your car, so what not lock your mailbox? Locking secure mailboxes come in many different types but not all of them are created equal. Poor quality mailboxes offer little more than a moment’s annoyance to an experienced mail thief.”

If this sounds familiar, its because we’ve said it here many times before.

• From our section on Other Locking Mailboxes—”While many locking mailboxes appear secure, they offer only a moment’s deterrence to mail and identity thieves.”
• From our “Mail Boss Video” article—”Most locking mailboxes appear secure, but offer only a moment of deterrence to mail thieves.”
• From our article “Keep Your Mail Safe“—It is important to know that not all locking mailboxes will deter an experienced mailbox thief.”

The article continues:

“When choosing a locking mailbox, look for the following: Be sure you get one that will last, and that is made of solid weatherproof material. Are they all keyed individually, or are there just a few tumbler styles to choose from? Choose a security mailbox that is approved for use by the Postmaster general. Get a mailbox large enough for all your mail; especially while away on vacation. Get one that will not need professional installation, unless you’re prepared to pay much more for it. Consider where you want the mail retrieval door. Some are located in the rear. Be sure all exposed lock surfaces are tamper and wrench proof. Is the construction welded together, or just pop-riveted?”

The Mail Boss would be the perfect first defense in identity theft protection, according to this ID Theft Protection expert’s guidelines in choosing a locking mailbox.

• 12- and 14-gauge galvanized steel construction built to last
• Heavy-duty powder coated finish prevents weather damage
• Keyed individually for ultimate security
• USPS Approved by the Post Master General
• High capacity mail storage holds several days of mail
• Patent-pending Fast-Trak Mounting Plate allows for quick & easy installation
• Patented anti-pry latch prevents leveraged entry
• No pop-rivets, all welded steel construction with stainless steel hinges

The article concludes:

“There is no sure-fire way to prevent mail theft. Preventing such identity theft requires security products, especially a locking mailbox. Security products like the lcoking mailboxes are one giant step in the right direction when it comes to identity-theft protection.”

Many months ago now, my mailbox (your Mail Boss) along with two of my neighbors’ mailboxes were victims of a hit and run. The neighbors’ mailboxes were demolished but mine was fine except the little red flag broke.

When I spoke to your rep I mentioned the neighbor had taken photos for the police and I promised to try and get the neighbor to forward those to you, but alas they were no longer available.

Anyway, you sent me a replacement flag free of charge, and I don’t think I ever properly thanked you - I’ve been waiting on my neighbor to come up with the pics.

In any event, I sing the praises of your mailbox to everyone I know—I can’t tell you what security and peace of mind it’s brought to me knowing we can’t have our mail stolen anymore—and in a metal to metal clash with a moving vehicle the mailbox won! So sorry about the pics - thanks again for the flag - and I am your customer for life!

Sincerely,

Leyh T.P.
Seattle, WA

For 3 years running, Arizona has been the state with the most reported most identity theft victims by population in the nation (FTC 2007). Now, the Grand Canyon State has one more local hardware store providing real mail identity theft protection for homeowners.

Verde Valley Ace Hardware, located in Cottonwood Arizona, has just added the Mail Boss locking security mailbox to its extensive line of over 60,000 products. The MailBoss high security locking mailbox is the best defense against the epidemic of mail identity theft, and is available at your local Verde Valley Ace Hardware for $169.

For more information, contact Verde Valley Ace Hardware:

545 South 12^th Street
Cottonwood, AZ 86326
(928) 634-7868

A recent article in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette showcased the Mail Boss locking security mailbox as a solution in mail identity theft prevention.

As we all know, the economy is down and unpredictable right now, so much so that many of us are living in a state of fear. Sure, President Elect Obama says he can fix the economy, “but it will be a hard and long road and we all must sacrifice.”

We are worried about our jobs, our retirement, and everything else financial. Anybody who has anything is concerned about keeping it, as they should be. This is especially true in a hard economy with unemployment and crime on the rise.

There are so many questions right now with no real answers. Should we bail out publicly traded companies with taxpayer money that doesn’t even exist? for one… I can’t answer these difficult questions, and I can’t help you with your job or your retirement account, but I can help you protect yourself against identity theft.

Identity theft, and the loss of time and money required to address it, is the last thing anyone needs right now. The first investment in securing your private information should be a locking security mailbox. Don’t mistake any old mailbox with a lock on it for a secure mailbox. I am talking about the Mail Boss locking security mailbox. An identity thief cannot just walk by with a screw driver and pop the MailBoss open. It is truly secure, very functional and will endure the worst weather conditions because it is electro-galvanized and powder-coated.

Now that you have made sure you will actually receive every piece of mail that is delivered to you, you must guard this information so it does not get into criminal hands. I suggest a cross-cut paper shredder be used to shred all documents with personal information of any kind before they are thrown away. This includes your name, address, date of birth, account numbers, etc. Organized identity thieves will accumulate information on people patiently over time; when they have enough information in their data base, they will start to use it fraudulently. So don’t make the mistake of thinking that they need to get all the information at once. Identity thieves are patient, and then they get you when you’re least expecting it.

A little common sense can save you a lot of time and money. Why not secure what you can so that you have less to worry about? God knows the less we have to worry about in times like this, the more productive we can be. Especially now, we need to be as productive as possible.

Arizona consistently ranks as one of the worst states in the nation for identity theft. This year brings more bad news for the Grand Canyon State. According to the most recent studies by the FTC, Arizona again had the most identity theft victims (per 100,000 population) in the United States (FTC 2007). This surely comes as no surprise to Doris Dederer, Ph.D., Arizona native and owner of The Mailbox Doctor, our Mail Boss Dealer of the Week.

In response to the epidemic of mail identity theft in Arizona, Doris Lederer set out to find a contemporary locking mailbox for her own home. When she discovered that there was simply nothing available on the market to complement her contemporary home, she set out designing and testing her own stainless steel locking mailboxes for the discriminating homeowner. Thus, The Mailbox Doctor was born in 2005.

Now, The Mailbox Doctor has expanded to carry an extensive line of contemporary locking mailboxes and accessories, as well as other secure locking mailboxes including the Mail Boss security locking mailbox product line.

Lederer has had great success with the Mail Boss product line. She says, “My customers really appreciate the sturdy steel construction of the MailBoss, especially compared to the Oasis. The secure mounting mechanism is a great feature too.”

The Mailbox Doctor not only offers an extensive product line of locking mailboxes for the discriminating homeowner; she also offers mailbox installation services in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. From the basic curbside set-up to a custom brick or stucco column installation, The Mailbox Doctor is up for the challenge.

For more information, contact The Mailbox Doctor:

4900 E. Cheryl Drive
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
Phone: 480-266-9565

While browsing Criggo, a weblog that reports funny or strange newspaper messages, I found this Crime Brief:

“A woman [...] reported Oct. 15 that someone must have stolen her mail, because she did not receive birthday cards from some of her friends.”

This is amusing, because it obviously begs the question of whether this woman’s so-called “friends” actually sent her birthday cards. Of course, this woman thought they had (hence the filing of a police report). But I can’t help but think that the police officer who handled this case was probably skeptical.

Let’s think about this: A woman’s friends said they sent her birthday cards. She doesn’t get them. The logical assumption, then, is that the cards must have been stolen from her mailbox.

Of course, there is another possibility to consider. Maybe, Miss Birthday Girl actually has some bad (lying) friends. And while nobody wants to accept that their friends suck, the possibility nevertheless exists. The problem, however, is Miss Birthday Girl has no way of knowing whether (a) her mail was stolen; or (b) she should find some new friends.

We can’t help but think that if she had a Mail Boss locking security mailbox (in which her mail—alleged birthday cards included—would have been secure until she retrieved it), she would have the solution to her problem in the form of (a) heart-felt Hallmark mementos; or (b) a reality check.