November 2, 2023
The market is flooded with credit card offers, and some of the signup bonuses are mighty appealing. But slow down—applying for a credit card is something that shouldn’t be rushed. You need to cut through the marketing hype and understand all the terms, conditions, and fees. If you’re not careful, you could choose a card
Read More : 50 – Finding a Credit Card That’s Right for You»October 19, 2023
Whether you enjoy shopping or just grin and bear it, there are things you can do to score the best prices and make the process easier. In this episode, we explain how to ignore the flood of marketing hype and avoid the fake sales designed to mislead you. Also, where to find hidden discounts and
Read More : 49 – Shop Like a Pro»August 10, 2023
“Buyer beware!” It’s more important than ever for you to heed this warning when buying goods and services. Consumers’ Checkbook regularly reports on scams and shameful selling practices that continue to become more rampant. Unfortunately, even “reputable” businesses treat consumers unfairly, often by using new technologies. In this episode, we discuss how many companies prioritize
Read More : 45 – Even ‘Good’ Companies Often Treat Their Customers Poorly»July 13, 2023
The Consumer Financial Bureau (CFPB) is one of the newest federal regulatory agencies. Its prime directive is to ensure that financial products offered to you are fair, transparent, and competitive. The CFPB’s jurisdiction includes mortgages, auto loans, student loans, credit cards, credit reporting, and debt collection. In this episode, a look at the initiatives and
Read More : 43 – The CFPB: Protecting Consumers in the Financial Marketplace»May 18, 2023
Companies always say their top priority is customer service, but all too often they fall short of that goal. What bugs you as a consumer? Is it the fine print in advertisements? Fake discounts? Maybe problems making returns or repair people who can’t make the fix? Something a little different in this episode. We’ll hear
Read More : 39 – Got a Gripe?»April 6, 2023
Some companies try to boost business by doing things that are meant to mislead and manipulate customers. These include pre-checked boxes that obligate you to more than you bargained for, hard-to-find disclosures, and confusing cancellation policies. These practices are called “dark patterns,” and as more commerce moves online, they’re growing in scale and sophistication. The
Read More : 36 – Dark Patterns: Sales Tactics Designed to Deceive»March 9, 2023
It takes some extra effort to be a good consumer; to make sure you’re getting a good price on quality merchandise, to find top-notch service providers, and to protect yourself from liars and cheats who want to rip you off or steal your identity. But the time it takes to do it right is nothing
Read More : 34 – How to Be a Smarter Consumer»January 26, 2023
Americans lose billions of dollars each year to fraud. Anyone, even a savvy consumer, can get swindled by professional con artists. The best way to fight back is to understand the tricks fraudsters use to manipulate you. In this episode, Sam Levine, Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, explains how dishonest
Read More : 31 – Watch Out for These Common Fraud Tricks & Traps»November 28, 2022
The holiday shopping season is in full swing—and you need a plan. The super shoppers at Checkbook.org are here to help. With inflation driving up prices, it’s more important than ever to be a savvy holiday shopper. The National Retail Federation expects the average shopper to spend about $833 on gifts and other holiday items
Read More : 27 – Checkbook’s Top Holiday Shopping Tips»November 17, 2022
Consumers’ Checkbook’s researchers spent 33 weeks tracking sale prices at 25 major retailers and found that most stores’ discount claims aren’t really discounts at all. And the shady sales practice is worse than ever before. Checkbook discovered that most stores’ sale prices—even those that advertise big savings—are bogus discounts, with retailers offering the same “sale
Read More : 26 – Sale Prices Are Rarely Real Deals»