How to be the best customer
Posted 12 hours 10 min ago by Torley Wong
We've no shortage of "How to do good customer service" articles designed to be applied from the company's side. But what about customers?
Consumer Affairs
Making Home Affordable expanded again - borrowers allowed to refinance loans up to 125 percent of value
Posted 1 day 10 hours ago by Xin Lu
When the Obama administration first announced the details of the Making Home Affordable program in March, the guidelines for the refinance portion stated that the loan refinanced cannot be more than 105% of the value of the home. Now a new expansion of the program allows the loan to value ratio to be up to 125%. Will this help consumers or just worsen the situation?
DIY Plastic Surgery: This Is Not A Hoax.
Posted 1 day 12 hours ago by Paul Michael
I do a lot of research on the Internet for information about home-made solutions to everyday problems. In fact, I'll be posting one soon that covers recipes for home-made car wax, air freshener and even glue. But on my travels, I discovered a horrifying fact - in these tough economic times, people out there are taking medical matters into their own hands. DIY plastic surgery is on the rise.
Are the new home appraisal rules good for consumers?
Posted 3 days 9 hours ago by Xin Lu
On May 1st a new set of home appraisal rules called the Home Valuation Code of Conduct was put into effect by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in order to distance realtors and mortgage brokers from appraisers. This was put in place because during the housing bubble appraisal fraud was rampant and some appraisers felt pressured by realtors and brokers to hit the desired numbers. How is this affecting consumers?
Can't Afford A Home Alarm System? You Probably Already Have One.
Posted 3 days 13 hours ago by Paul Michael
Home alarm systems can be expensive. A basic alarm system can be hundreds of dollars. Move up to the home-monitoring systems of ADT and Brink's, and you're talking big money. Installation can cost over $1000, and the monthly monitoring fee can be upwards of $40 a month. But, chances are, you already own a pretty good alternative.
How Dissatisfied Do You Need to Be to Use a Satisfaction-Guaranteed Rebate?
Posted 1 week 6 days ago by Linsey Knerl
Many brands offer them: satisfaction-guaranteed rebates. While this helps to build reputation in the industry and gives genuinely disgruntled consumers an easy fix for their problems, is there a possibility that it’s too easy to get money back on the products you buy? We look at both sides of the issue to help decide when “attainable” may not always be “ethical.”
Times Are Tough; Would You Consider A DIY Funeral?
Posted 2 weeks 24 min ago by Paul Michael
It's never pleasant to think about death and funerals, but if there is one certainty in life, it's that we're all going to bite the dust at some point. And just like most things in life, death is an expensive business. But did you know that there are options to the usual funeral...you really can Do It Yourself, if you have the stomach for it.
Rebel with a Cause: ING Direct CEO Arkadi Kulhmann Talks Shop
Posted 2 weeks 2 days ago by Linsey Knerl
According to Arkadi Kuhlmann, CEO and President of ING Direct and author of "The Orange Code: How ING Direct Succeeded by Being a Rebel with a Cause", credit cards are the opium of consumerism… it can be very difficult to manage a credit card well. Are the credit card companies like drug pushers? Listen to his opinions on today’s current economy, what consumers and parents can do to prepare for an uncertain future, and how his wisdom has made ING Direct a successful business model that still works today!
Recalled Robes, Cribs, and Hooded Sweatshirts: Top Safety Concerns You Should Know About
Posted 3 weeks 14 hours ago by Linsey Knerl
This isn’t the first time I’ve written about recalls. Sadly, they seem to pop up every day – either an indication of our products getting junkier, or a sign that the government is becoming better aware of safety concerns, in general. These alerts top my list of “recalls you really should know about.” If Grandma wears a robe, you must read this!
$8000 housing tax credit can now be turned into cash at closing according to FHA
Posted 3 weeks 3 days ago by Xin Lu
As part of the Obama stimulus plan passed in January, first time home buyers in 2009 are entitled to a tax credit of up to $8000 that they do not have to repay. This tax credit was supposed to be given to the taxpayer after they file their 2009 taxes in 2010, but it seems that a new set of FHA guidelines is allowing many to take the money during closing. Here are some of the details.
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