Posted July 2, 2009 - 09:58 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.
Posted June 30, 2009 - 13:34 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?
Posted June 30, 2009 - 08:50 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.
Posted June 20, 2009 - 18:55 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.”
Posted June 19, 2009 - 22:12 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.
Posted June 17, 2009 - 15:42 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!
Posted June 12, 2009 - 07:59 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!
Posted June 9, 2009 - 20:38 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.
Posted June 8, 2009 - 15:25 by Paul Michael
I don’t own a lot of stuff that’s considered top of the line. Hardly anything in fact. But I do have the “Rolls Royce” of vacuum cleaners – The Dyson DC14 Complete (well, it was top of the line when we bought it, costing over $500). And it sucks. Boy, does it suck.
Posted May 29, 2009 - 14:02 by Xin Lu
This week my husband received an unsolicited Visa debit card from a firm called netSpend. It was certainly an odd experience to receive a card that looked official instead of a pre-approved credit application packet. This is my story of shock, anger, and finally disgust at the practices of this financial firm.
Have more to say? Join the discussions at Wise Bread's Finance and Frugality Forums.
© 2009
Wise Bread |
About |
Advertise |
Contact |
Forums | Financial Blogs | Login |
Subscribe
User Agreement |
Privacy Policy |
Copyright
A Killer Aces Media FairBlog™
Subscribe to all Wise Bread articles
All comments