April 19th, 2023 Rita Robison
Did you get your taxes done on time? I expected to get mine completed at H&R Block on Sunday, but due to a glitch, they weren’t completed until Monday. Read all about my experience at “H&R Block Doing Better About Disclosing Prices, But Price Still High.” I paid $488. At least I was able to […]
Read More
April 18th, 2023 Rita Robison
For decades, the U.S. regulators have lagged behind other countries in banning dangerous chemicals. Last week, the California Assembly’s Health Committee approved a bill to ban five harmful chemicals from candy, cereals, and other processed food. If passed, California would be the first state to regulate food additives. The bill would end the use of […]
Read More
April 18th, 2023 Rita Robison
In 2016, I had H&R Block prepare my taxes. It was upsetting because neither the receptionist nor the tax preparer would give me an estimate of what it would cost to prepare my taxes. The tax preparer said he’d do my taxes, then, at the end, if I thought it was too expensive, I could […]
Read More
April 14th, 2023 Rita Robison
About 100 infants have died in Fisher Price Rock ‘n Play infant sleepers. And, unfortunately, kids are continuing to die because the deadly sleepers are still being used and sold second hand. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is upset with Mattel and Meta for not doing enough to keep the dangerous infant sleepers away […]
Read More
April 12th, 2023 Rita Robison
As a researcher, I was surprised several years ago when I ran across a study on pets that are allowed to sleep in their owners’ beds. It found E.coli, a bacteria that can cause illness, on the pillows, sheets, and blankets. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends taking precautions to help reduce the […]
Read More
April 9th, 2023 Rita Robison
Happy Easter if Easter is a day you celebrate. For me, I’m trying to concentrate today on the wonders of spring and the yearly renewal of the earth. Here are some recent photos: In late February, we have a snow storm, but fortunately, the power didn’t go out at my house. In early April, I […]
Read More
April 8th, 2023 Rita Robison
Sixty-three percent of Americans identify themselves as Christians, and 43 percent plan to attend church on Easter Sunday, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. Easter is a big donation day for U.S. churches, as it usually has the year’s highest attendance rates. It’s also a significant money-maker for candy companies. Projected Easter spending on candy […]
Read More
April 7th, 2023 Rita Robison
April isn’t one of the best months of the year to look for deals, but, as always, compare prices to see where and how much you can save. Check out this list of the best things to buy in April from DealNews.com and also several items you should hold off on until later. Cookware With […]
Read More
April 4th, 2023 Rita Robison
It was upsetting to deal with possible leak in the water pipe that goes from my house to the meter box near the street. I had a repair made in 2019 for a leak and I didn’t know if that repair had failed or, since my home is about 45 years old, the water pipes […]
Read More
April 1st, 2023 Rita Robison
As a fan of the FIRE (financial independence retire early) movement, I thought I’d try a side hustle, one of the FIRE recommendations. Since I have pinecones that fall on my driveway all year around, I decided to collect them and sell them on craigslist. I have two kinds of pinecones; those from European pine […]
Read More