Posts Tagged With ‘ Rita Robinson ’

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

As always, there’s a lot to consider on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I’m so glad that King Day was finally established. After a 15-year battle, legislation was signed in 1983 creating a federal holiday marking King’s birthday. The federal holiday was first observed in 1986, making 2023 the 37th anniversary of the King federal holiday. The holiday has been recognized in each state since 2000.  In 2019, a survey showed that 45 percent of employers give all or most employees a paid day off for King Day. That percentage doubled since 1990, according to the survey. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day... Continue Reading

Another issue that should have been adequately addressed decades ago was also included in the congressional end-of-year spending bill. Starting in mid-2023, all new dressers and other clothing storage furniture in the United States will have to meet strong stability requirements before going to market. Tip-overs of unstable dressers have taken the lives of hundreds of children since 2000. “This hard-fought victory would not have been possible without the courageous parent advocates who shared their stories, transformed their grief into action, and successfully urged Congress to ensure that... Continue Reading

Today I received an email saying that my Social Security number was going to be suspended. Scam. Ironically, it was “signed” by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. I wonder if he was chosen for the scam because he’s a Tea Party conservative from Texas who people may think would come after them in other states. I checked for other documents with Paxton’s signature. It was an exact copy. Social Security recipients may be seeing a big increase in this old government imposter scam because in their benefits are going up this month. Don’t take the bait. Your Social Security number is never... Continue Reading

Of the many consumer laws I’ve reported on over the years, weak laws on personal care products such as cosmetics are among the most frustrating. The United States has lagged behind the rest of the world in regulating the contaminants and ingredients in personal care products. More than 80 other countries have taken action to protect their citizens from chemicals linked to cancer and reproductive harm. Late last year, Congress passed the first update since 1938 to the federal law regulating personal care products, with key cosmetics reform provisions included in end-of-year spending legislation. “Although... 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

When travel blogger Gabby Petito went missing in 2021 then was found murdered in a national park, the news media and social media went wild. For weeks, the headlines blared. Now the same media blitz is occurring over the deaths of four University of Idaho students in Moscow, Idaho. In America, there’s just too interest in murders. Recently, I’ve stopped watching TV programs about murder. Since I don’t like comedies such as “Modern Family” and “The Big Bang Theory,” I found myself watching programs such as “NCIS.” Since I have English ancestors, I liked listening to English accents... Continue Reading

I hope keeping up with recalls is one of the items on your “good consumer” list. On May 5, 2021, the Peloton Tread+ treadmill was recalled because incidents associated with pull under and entrapment in the rear of the treadmills, and the Peloton Tread was recalled because the console on the Tread could detach and fall, posing a risk of injury to consumers. Why are the Peloton recalls back in the news again? Peloton Interactive Inc. has agreed to pay a $19 million dollar civil penalty to resolve charges that it failed to immediately report to a federal safety agency that its Tread+ treadmill... Continue Reading