Articles on Consumer Affairs

Will 4.5% mortgage rates jumpstart the housing market?

It seems like everyday the folks in Washington are rolling out a new plan to fix our economy. The Federal Reserve is running out of room to cut their federal funds rate, so now th

Double Coupons – They Could Cost You!

I recently tried (and failed) a recent Super Double Coupon promotion at my local Kmart. The bad news: I was unable to check out due to a glitch in their system, and I left all my

Do we really need help with getting more debt?

Today a new rescue program called the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF) was announced by the Treasury and Federal Reserve to support owners of securities backed by

Don't treat businesses like people

When you fall short of meeting your obligations, it's natural to feel bad. In fact, it's natural to want to not only meet the letter of your obligation, but also the spirit: to d

Will A Dental Discount Plan Save You Money?

Those of us without traditional dental insurance may have been tempted to buy a dental “discount” plan. On paper, it looks good. In practicality, it could save you some, or more

What will you do when gas drops below $1.50 a gallon?

Several months ago, I wrote an article asking what you would do when gas prices skyrocketed. Now, the price of gasoline is in freefall. It’s already dipped below $2/gallon in some

Use only what you need

That’s the advice from a beautifully-executed campaign from Denver Water, right here in my own backyard of Colorado. The campaign (created by Sukle Advertising, a very smart, strat

Musings inspired by the crappiest of films — Demolition Man.

I saw that film about 15 years ago, and I remember liking it at the time. I also liked stone-washed jeans and neon t-shirts, but I have since come to my senses. However, one nugget

Check your statements

If a bogus transaction gets posted to your bank account or credit card, you have almost complete protection--just notify the bank that the transaction wasn't authorized and they ha

Five calls you can make now to save hundreds to thousands of dollars

In the current economic climate, everyone is trying to save a buck. I know some families that have budgets so tight that there is no room for saving, but I think it is possible for

When will the bailouts stop? A summary of 2008 stimulus packages and bailouts in the United States

2008 will probably go down in history as the year of bailouts, crashes, and meltdowns. Here is a quick run down of all the laws and bills congress pushed through with lightning spe

Please Pass the October Surprise

I've always believed that mastery of vocabulary is at least halfway to mastery of the subject. Words are power--the kind of power commonly wielded by eggheads with pocket protector

How a $700 billion bailout became a $800 billion "rescue plan"

You might have thought that the $700 billion bailout bill seemed a bit excessive. You'll be relieved to hear that the bill that the President will sign tonight is worth a mere $800

Download the 451-page bailout proposal

Well folks, I hope you have plenty of time on your hands. The initial 3-page document that Bush and Paulson put forward has grown somewhat. It's hardly surprising, considering how

In times like these, separate the want from the need.

I remember saying to my dad, a long, long time ago, that I really needed a whole bunch of He-Man action figures for Christmas. Oh, and Battlecat, too. My dad looked at me, a hopefu

Now It's Easier than Ever to Cut the Cable

If you're a hard-core sports fan, you're pretty much stuck paying for cable every month. For the rest of us, a raft of technological and entertainment offerings -- including digita

Shadow Government Statistics - Is the government manipulating numbers to make the economy look better than it really is?

About a year ago I wrote an article about the Consumer Price Index that made some friends say that I am a conspiracy theorist, but apparently I am not alone in believing that the g

The most important FREE piece of paper you'll ever receive.

It is the foundation for the way the United States Government is organized. It is the supreme law of the U.S. And It was adopted on September 17th, 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvan

Deposit insurance for money funds

Early this morning, the Treasury announced deposit insurance for money market mutual funds, provided that the fund pays a fee. The money to provide the insurance will come from th

How I got two CEOs to listen to my complaints

Here’s a shining example of how Wise Bread writers not only read each others stories, we also follow the advice. And in my case, it worked like a charm. I’m two for two, and I plan