Posts Tagged With ‘ finances ’

I’ve written about it before, but it’s worth highlighting again. A Consumer Reports evaluation of peer-to-peer or P2P payment apps found that users could lose money to fraud or scams and face privacy risks because app providers may share their personal information widely and it’s difficult for users to delete their data. More than half of Americans, 64 percent, use a P2P payment app for payments to and from individuals, including four out of five, 81 percent, of the 18 to 29 age group, a Consumer Reports survey found. Two out of five Americans, 40 percent, say they use P2P payment services... Continue Reading

One thing that financial writers recommend when you’re having money problems is to review your subscriptions. Sometimes subscriptions that you aren’t using anymore keep renewing or you didn’t realize you had signed up for one. “Negative option” programs include subscription services that automatically renew unless the consumer cancels, and trial marketing programs that charge a reduced fee for an initial period and then automatically begin charging a higher fee. “Consumers shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to cancel subscriptions they don’t want, and they shouldn’t have to... Continue Reading

Last week, I received an email from the U.S. Postal Service suggesting I might want to pay for my post office box before the rates go up on January 22. The email said I could pay on the website or at my local post office. Being well informed, I didn’t click on the link in email. On the website, however, my payment wasn’t accepted. Thursday at the post office and I tried again to pay with no luck. The clerk said you can only pay for your mail box 30 days in advance; mine is due later. Darn. However, while I was there I spent $155 on stamps: Mississippi river boats, flowers, celebration dots,... Continue Reading

I spent quite a bit on having two Christmas celebrations with my daughters. Now that I’ve got a little cushion in my bank account again, what could I look for at January sales? I know it’s a great time for white goods, sheets and towels, but what other great deals may now be available. Holiday décor, holiday leftovers, small kitchen appliances, fitness gear, gym memberships, beauty items, TVs, soft home goods, Valentine’s Day flowers, winter clothing, and laptops are likely to be on sale in January, according to DealNews. See the details below: Holiday décor Maybe. Lingering items such... Continue Reading

Inflation hurts, and it causes stress. I was going to buy a frozen package of mac and cheese. However, it cost $14.95. I decided I’d make one of my Annie’s organic mac and cheese packages, which cost about $1 from Costco. Although inflation is beginning to slow down, it increased 7.1 percent in November from November 2021. Inflation is rising more quickly in some places than others. In order to determine the cities where inflation is rising the most, WalletHub, a personal finance website compared 23 major metropolitan areas across two key metrics related to the Consumer Price Index, which... Continue Reading

Have you been frustrated because you’ve wanted to repair your electronics or appliances or find a less expensive place for repairs to be made other than through the manufacturer? Eighty-four percent of Americans said they agreed with a policy to require manufacturers to make repair information and parts available either to independent repair professionals or to product owners, according to a 2021 survey by Consumer Reports. Consumer groups have been battling for decades for the right to repair. Two positive actions have occurred recently on this issue: New York New York became the first state... Continue Reading

Don’t get tricked into signing up for a high-cost loan when you buy a used car. Credit Acceptance Corp. misrepresented the cost of credit and turned the car-buying experience into a nightmare for many of its borrowers, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and New York Attorney General’s Office charged in a lawsuit. The borrowers faced unaffordable monthly payments, vehicle repossessions, and debt collection lawsuits. The agencies alleged the company harmed consumers by: Hiding the true cost of credit: The cost of credit was far higher than what borrowers are told. Setting up borrowers... Continue Reading

How was your holiday? Did you get lots of neat presents? Were you able to celebrate with family and friends? Were you exhausted when it was all over? I was fortunate because I was able to celebrate Christmas twice. My daughter from Spain came for an early celebration and my daughter from Sacramento drove up to Washington state for the early festivities, too. We had a great time including lots of wonderful food and presents and a great turkey dinner. Then, when Lisa went home, I flew to California to have a second Christmas with Mona and her family on the farm east of Sacramento. It, too, was... Continue Reading

My best wishes to you and your loved ones for 2023. On New Years eve, I wrote about the top consumer and personal finance stories of 2022. Inflation and higher interest rates topped the list, and I predict that those two issues will continue to confront consumers throughout the new year. My recommendations include: be sure you have an adequate emergency fund; make a budget or review yours to make sure that your expenses aren’t creeping up; cancel subscriptions you don’t use; increase your retirement plan contributions, if you can; keep steady with your investments even if the market continues... Continue Reading

It’s time for my annual article on the top consumer and personal finance articles of the year. As usual, there aren’t many reporters covering this important topic. However, in addition to the best news, health, political, and science stories of the year, there’s a new category: the top climate change stories. Of course, climate change also will be one of my top picks. 1. Inflation and higher interest rates. Consumers were hit hard with inflation in 2021, with a 40-year high tough to accommodate in most budgets. The Federal Reserve reacted in 2022 with four .075-percentage-point interest... Continue Reading