Posts Tagged With ‘ Rita Robinson ’

It’s Halloween, time to get the treats ready, and maybe a costume for you and the kids, too. I got a kick out of reading an article from my blog coach, J. Money at Budgets Are Sexy, on some good – and frugal costumes. Among them are static cling, wear normal clothes and safety pin socks and lint to it and Christmas tree, wear all green, wrap yourself in Christmas lights, and then plug yourself into the wall. This year, 69 percent of Americans plan to celebrate Halloween this year, with the average person expected to spend $100 on the spooky holiday. Forty-seven percent plan to dress... Continue Reading

For years, I’ve suggested that consumers consider banking with a credit union rather than a bank. Why? Consumers often can’t trust banks not to gouge them with high interest rates and fees. It was great to listen to President Biden speak on the radio and on television about the action his administration is taking on “junk fees.” Junk fees can weaken market competition, raise costs for consumers and businesses, and hit the most vulnerable Americans hardest. Biden is calling on federal agencies to reduce or eliminate hidden fees, charges, and add-ons from banking services,... Continue Reading

Recently, I wrote about how price-gouging by corporations is responsible for a third or more of the inflation consumers are experiencing these days. Now, another instance of corporate wrongdoing that’s costing consumers millions has been exposed. Tyson Foods, the largest chicken producer in the nation, will pay $10.5 million to settle a lawsuit from the Washington State Attorney General’s Office over price-fixing on chicken products. It’s the third and largest resolution in state’s lawsuit against 19 chicken producers, Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a statement... Continue Reading

Getting older in America is a challenge many ways. And, it seems that the older I get, the more ageism I face, especially from the medical community. My blogger friends are thinking and writing about aging, too. Here are their thoughts on the topic: Aging Aging is no territory for sissies. The senior years can be challenging. So when Carol Cassara of Carol A. Cassara Writer found herself unusually blue, she decided to unpack what’s going on with a therapist. She’s sharing it on her blog this week in “Why I Looked for a Therapist.” When Tom Sightings of Sightings Over... Continue Reading

Do you know what a toy gel gun is? They shoot gellets, small, colorful water-hydrated balls that pop on contact and immediately begin to disintegrate, leaving no stain, no mess, and no clean up. Toy gels guns are being used for games like paintball and have gained popularity because they make less mess.   However, some toy gel guns looks like real guns and are causing concerns among law enforcement officials because incidents have occurred in which these toy guns have been mistaken for real guns. In addition, in the past year, TikTok has shown a challenge involving toy guns that fire... Continue Reading

Michelle Singletary, financial writer for The Washington Post, has been recommending buying Series I Bonds for months now. Singletary says for investors with money to spare and who are looking for safety, inflation has been good for Series I Bonds, which the Treasury Department announced will be paying 9.62 percent until the end of October. So, I thought I’d try it. I was apprehensive because I’d read so much about how clunky the TreasuryDirect.gov website is. Buyers are advised to have all the needed information at hand when they set up an account: your Social Security number, bank... Continue Reading

I’m fortunate that my first college degree included classes in nutrition. I learned the value of eating fruits and vegetables for health and avoiding junk food. However, the recent debate on low-carb or a vegetarian diet, and dozens of spinoffs, has added confusion for the American public, and even me. A recent proposal by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to allow food companies to add the word “healthy” on their packaging has value, but doesn’t go far enough, in my opinion. The FDA says more than 80 percent of people in the U.S. aren’t eating enough vegetables,... Continue Reading

It’s good news that a new federal safety standard for clothing storage units has finally been adopted that will reduce injuries and deaths from dresser and other clothing storage unit tip-overs. In writing about consumer product safety for decades, it’s been discouraging to read about and report on tip-over deaths through the years, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s notoriously long rule making process, and the failure of Congress to pass the STURDY Act. STURDY stands for Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth. Prior to the adoption tip-over standard... Continue Reading