Posts Tagged With ‘ finances ’

An “investment opportunity” extremely popular on the social media platform WeChat stole millions from the Chinese community in the United States. Social media posts urged people to “invest” in various household goods and electronics, promising returns of 20-40 percent in one to three months. But it was really a scam, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Using WeChat groups, scammers heavily promoted the investment with pictures and stories about supposed successful investors. To invest, people agreed to over-pay upfront – as much as three times the retail price – to buy items... Continue Reading

I’m upset. I was due to have my teeth cleaned in January. Since I’ve been busy taking the Dean Ornish heart health program and working on my writing, I just called a couple of weeks ago to get an appointment. What did I learn? My dentist, Dr. Attila Talaber, was in Europe and the other staff were just in the office now and then. After a week, someone finally called. The next available appointment is in October. I asked to be put on the waiting list, in hopes that I could get in when a cancelation occurs. The answer? There are 100 people on the waiting list. This kind of customer service is... Continue Reading

Graduations are coming up and many parents and students are thinking about student debt, which totals $1.63 trillion in the United States. Student loan debt is about $37,600 per borrower. “In the short term, students are not overly optimistic about their financial situation, as 88 percent are concerned about the economy and 80 percent are worried about inflation,” said Jill Gonzalez, an analyst for WalletHub, a personal finance website. “Inflation has taken a heavy financial toll on the country, and has made higher education less affordable.” However, students do think that going to college... Continue Reading

Paying off student loans is a big job, especially since it usually takes most people years to achieve it. Consumers need to beware of debt relief companies that promise quick loan forgiveness. Scammers claim they’ll help you, for a fee, but their schemes often leave you deeper in debt. The Federal Trade Commission has stopped two student loan debt relief schemes that it said bilked students out of about $12 million by using deceptive claims about repayment programs and loan forgiveness that didn’t exist. “As Americans struggle with massive student loan debt and uncertainty around the... Continue Reading

Spring is my favorite time of year, and on May Day, when I was a kid, we used to make paper baskets, put flowers in them, and hang them on door knobs. Then we’d ring the bell and run away. One time, I took part in a maypole dance. It was magical. Many countries around the world celebrate International Labor Day on May 1. The United States doesn’t officially recognize International Labor Day although it originated here when workers fought for a shorter work day. Other countries celebrate Labor Day on different dates. In the U.S. and Canada, Labor Day is the first Monday in September. U.S.... Continue Reading

When I worked at The Anchorage Times during the 1980s, I was fortunate to get my dream job writing a consumer action column. However, along with the job as columnist, I also had to be the religion editor. It meant that every week, I had to write a big feature article on religion along with compiling the Church Circuit, a listing of religious events in the anchorage area for that week. In 1986, I interviewed Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of ‘When Bad Things Happen to Good People,’ about his new book “When All You’ve Ever Wanted Isn’t Enough.” Kushner was coming to Anchorage to take... Continue Reading

Photo: Raysonho My newsletter this week has a lot of helpful information so I’m posting a copy here. You have until May 8 to use Bed Bath & Beyond gift cards and rewards and until May 4 to file a claim for an IKEA settlement. You’ll also find tips on how to save money on gas and a list of some store brands that are better than name brands. I also included in my newsletter what I posted about Thursday: You have to ask at Office Depot to get the online price if it’s cheaper. Although I only saved $3, imagine the millions that Office Depot makes every day by having this price difference... Continue Reading

When I was over by Fred Meyer, I stopped to see if the Canon ink I use was cheaper than what I’ve been paying at Office Depot. I looked at Office Depot’s website to compare its price. Fred Meyer wasn’t cheaper. So, when I went over to Office Depot, I was surprised to see that the store price was more than the online price by $3. I asked one of the sales associates about it and he said to ask for the online price at checkout. I did. And I learned that you have to ask for the cheaper online price. It won’t be given to you automatically. Just another way corporations gouge consumers every... Continue Reading

Things will be looking better for sales in May with Mother’s Day and Memorial coming up. Stores will be stocking up on summer clothing, patio furniture, and outdoor cooking items, so spring inventories will start going on sale in May. Look for deals on appliances and mattresses for Memorial Day sales and for Mother’s Day compare prices for reduced prices on flowers and clothing. Here are some suggestions from Offers.com on what deals to look for in May. Appliances and refrigerators Appliance sales abound in May, especially on refrigerators. Stores reduce their prices in May on the previous... Continue Reading

It’s helpful for consumers to take a look at complaints that are received by agencies and organization to know what to watch out for in their financial lives. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau monitors consumer complaints to determine risks in consumer financial markets and to prioritize agency action. In 2022, the CFPB found: During 2022, the CFPB received about 1,287,000 consumer complaints and sent more than 820,000 complaints to about 3,200 companies for review and response. Complaints about credit or consumer reporting increased, accounting for more than 75 percent of all consumer... Continue Reading