Sunday, July 30, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Debit or Credit Depends on Fees, Rewards
When the clerk asks you how you want to pay for your purchase, "debit or credit", there is a lot more to think about if you choose "debit." If you choose "debit", the next question is do you hit the debit or credit button on the card reader? Which you choose may determine if you are charged a fee or get rewards for dollar every spent. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.What Does "Organic" Really Mean?
If you think "organic" food is always better, you may be paying a lot more money than you need to, particularly in cases where no laws govern the use of that term. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Friday, July 28, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.While You Watch TiVo, It Watches You
The advantage of TiVo besides watching the programs you want when you want to watch them is less obvious. TiVo is reporting to advertisers which commercials you watch and which you skip. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.New Sticker on Fruit Indicates Ripeness
A professor has developed a small sticker that can be affixed to a piece of fruit (or a vegetable) and it changes color when the produce is ripe. It may next year before this hits supermarkets. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Get the Skinny on Trans Fats
The dirty word in nutrition and health circles these days is trans fats. Do you know what they are and what all the controversy is about? This article explains. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Gov't to Revamp Food Pyramid Again
Next March, the food pyramid will look different again. This time it will be emphasizing how many cups of fruits and vegetables you should be eating each day (and that will vary by age and exercise level). For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Naive Consumers Get Socked with Extra Fees
Two economics professors say that savvy consumers do well to find bargain prices, if they can avoid all the add ons that companies try to get you to buy. Unfortunately, the less sophisticated customers take both the low priced bait and the higher priced extras. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Meat with a 21 Day Shelf Life?
Some supermarkets take the air out of meat packages and replace it with carbon monoxide. The result is meat that stays red looking. The problem: that can mask visible signs of spoilage. Watch this video. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Prescription Errors Sicken, Kill Patients
[Free regis. req.] A major study, just released says that 1.5 million Americans are getting sick or die from prescription errors every year. Many of the errors take place in hospitals. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Did Dell Charge You Sales Tax Improperly?
Dell has just settled a class action lawsuit in Washington state alleging that they charged sales tax was not was owed on service contracts (often bundled with a computer purchase). Similar suits are still pending in other states. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Banks Target Current Customers with New Rewards
Collecting points is no longer limited to just credit cards. Now banks are offering their own point programs to encourage existing customers to do more business with them. You might get points for taking out a new mortgage, or adding direct deposit or other services. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Monday, July 17, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Memory Dots on Products to Offer Info, Sound
Little dots the size of a hole punch will soon adorn many products and broadcast sound or information about that product. Peek into the future. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.She Sued Coke Over Points Promotion/Obesity
[*** free regis. req.] A diet book author is suing Coca Cola saying that participating in their current points collection promotion will make kids fat. She contends that top prizes require the purchases of thousands of bottles of soda, and that can lead to obesity. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
New CA Car Insurance Rates Based on Personal History
[*** free reqis. req.] A new system of setting car insurance rates in California is set to take effect in 30 days. It will base rates primarily on the insured's driving record, years of driving, number of miles driven, etc., rather than place of residence. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Dell to Cut Back on Rebates, Sales
Dell announced that they will be offering fewer rebates on computers and go to a paperless system on August 1. They will also have fewer sales on Dimension desktops and Inspiron laptops. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Uninsured Pay Through Nose for Prescriptions
A study by US PIRG found that on average, those without health insurance pay 60% more than the government pays for the same drugs. In some cities, like Boston, the unisured pay almost 75% more. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.AZ-AG Sues Wal-mart, AutoZone for Pricing Errors
[.pdf format] The Arizona AG has filed lawsuits against both Wal-mart and AutoZone for failing to post proper price signs, and for scanner overcharges. AZ did away with item pricing about a dozen years ago, and since then some companies can't even get the simple task of posting a price sign right. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Should You Convert Traditional IRA to Roth?
The WSJ examines the pros and cons of converting your tradtional IRA to a Roth IRA. Roth IRAs offer the magic of tax-free withdrawals, but some conversions to a Roth can be costly. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Sharper Image to Offer Refunds on Breath Analyzers
A California DA's office has gotten a settlement from the Sharper Image over the DA's claim that the breath analyzers they sold were not accurate. Sales will stop in California, and consumers will be entitled to a refund. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Friday, July 07, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Cingular Sued on Behalf of Former AT&T Customers
A class action was filed this week against Cingular claiming that former AT&T Wireless customers had their contracts degraded after Cingular bought AT&T, and had to pay fees to switch to Cingular services. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Liver Problems Found w/Maximum Tylenol Dose
A new study reveals that people who took the maximum dosage of Tylenol for two weeks showed signs of possible liver damage. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Carbon Monoxide Added to Beef for Red Color
More and more supermarkets are using case ready beef, that comes prepackaged from the manufacturer. The secret in the packaging is that carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are added to keep the meat looking red and fresh even if it isn't. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.Fun Sites to Teach Kids About Money
If your kids get tired of messing around reading MySpace.com this summer, why not tell them about some fun sites that will teach them a thing or two or three about money. The Wall Street Journal offers these suggestions. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Note: Some news links may expire one week after posting.OfficeMax to End Most Rebates
In a blow to bargain hunters, OfficeMax is following Best Buy's lead and is eliminating most rebates starting July 2. Some that are included on software boxes will be continued to be advertised, however. For more consumer news, visit Consumer World.
