Articles on Consumer Affairs

Sun Screens Can Really Cost You – By the Ounce or By the Tumor

Some sunscreens might not do everything they claim to. Here's how to make sure your skin is actually protected.

How to Decipher Credit Card Advertising

How do you figure out whether a credit card offer is good or bad? We'll break down the terms and conditions for you.

How to Examine Your Healthcare Plan and Save

I’ve been examining healthcare plans for a couple of decades. I’ve been covered under employer-based plans and private individual plans. As a result, I've learned mu

I Finally Canceled Comcast Cable…Before It Hurt More Than My Wallet

Treat me poorly once, Comcast, shame on you. Provide startlingly awful customer service again, and you lose my business entirely.

10 Examples of Shockingly-Excellent Customer Service

It always gives me a bit of hope when a company actually goes above and beyond the call of duty and provides excellent customer support. Here are a few recent example

5 Ways to Keep Customer Information Safe

If you handle any part of your business online, the chances of someone gaining access to information immediately goes up. Keep customer information safe with these steps.

10 Tips to Save You from an ATM Skimmer

If you don’t yet know the term “skimmer,” put it in your vocabulary. Here are ways to avoid ATM skimmers.

CitiMortgage Told Me to Default on My Loan

Only in the completely screwed-up world of the lending industry would this be a logical and serious piece of advice. But that’s basically what I was told after calling CitiMortg

10 Examples of Tremendous Business Leadership

Here are 10 examples of top-notch leadership from leaders who ultimately led by example, letting their actions (and bottom lines) speak for themselves.

How Helping a Company Can Benefit You

Companies are always looking for customer feedback. In their efforts to reach as many new customers as possible, many companies have created panels that anyone can join to try out

Sometimes, "Too Good To Be True" Is Not True

How many times have you heard people say “if it look’s too good to be true, stay away from it” or words to that effect? Well, I know I’ve said them often myself. But sometimes, rar

16 Things Your Lawyer Won't Tell You

From overbilling to downright incompetence, our recent interviews with legal experts revealed 16 dirty secrets bad attorneys don't want you to know.

New Credit Card Rules: Who Really Benefits?

Credit card industry reform may have good intentions, but will these rules encourage the same behavior that made reform necessary in the first place?

Want Free HBO or Showtime? Just Ask.

Premium channels come with premium prices. Usually, between $10 and $20 a month, depending on the channel and your cable/satellite company. But here's something that applies across

Get Rid of Bad Customers

Bad customers are costing you more than you realize. Here are some types of bad customers and techniques to get rid of them (without alienating your good customers).

Marketing to Women: Who's Doing It Right and Who's Not

Few companies have responded to women’s needs, even if this could mean more sales and access to an increasingly influential market.

More Evidence. More Deals. Would You Ever Trust Toyota Again?

Recently, Xin Lu wrote an article about the falling price of used Toyota cars. And it's not only used cars but brand new cars that are being discounted. There has been talk of yet

Free Diapers: How Persistence Got Me Into a Diaper Study

Some things sound too good to be true. Try, “Diaper Study: Free Diapers, and Get Paid to Use Them.” My overly-analytical (okay, suspicious) mind would question, “What’s the catch?"

9 Ways to Protect Your Pricing and Keep Your Customers

You don't always have to slash prices to stay competitive. There are many great ways you can add value to your goods and services at little or no cost. Here are 9 ways to protec

Used Toyotas Are Being Discounted. Would You Buy One?

Recently Toyota Motor Corp. has been plagued with bad news as it recalled millions of cars and stopped selling several of its products affected with braking issues. These problems