October 3, 2024
Kitchen and bathroom renos are the most common home improvement projects—and they can be mighty expensive. If the layout of your kitchen or bath already works for you, and its cabinets and other features are in decent shape, you might be able to save a bunch of cash by doing what’s called a “light remodel.”
Read More : 71 – Redo Your Kitchen or Bath for Less»September 19, 2024
Prescription drug costs in the U.S. are “significantly higher” than in most other countries, according to a report earlier this year from the Rand Corporation. The average American spends more than $1,400 a year on prescription medications, research shows. For many, that expense is a budget buster. Because of the high cost, more than 9
Read More : 70 – How to Save on Prescription Drugs»July 25, 2024
Whether it’s points, miles, or cash back, it’s nice to be rewarded for shopping. The lure of “getting something extra” can encourage you to apply for new credit cards and spend more to score those rewards. In recent years, many credit card reward programs have become more complex and confusing, and frustrated cardholders are complaining
Read More : 68 – Rewards Cards»March 21, 2024
Feeding the family has never been more expensive. Supermarket prices have been going up for four years now, running well ahead of the overall inflation rate. And while increases are slowing, no one expects the cost of food to drop back to where it was before the pandemic. In this episode, why everything is so
Read More : 59 – Saving Money at the Supermarket»March 7, 2024
You can save a ton of money by comparison shopping. Checkbook’s surveys consistently find huge price differences—sometimes more than twice as much—from company to company for the exact same product or service. And businesses can get away with this because they know most customers won’t bother to shop around. Sometimes consumers don’t compare prices because
Read More : 58 – Misleading Marketing That Gets You to Buy Now and Pay More»February 22, 2024
Are you frustrated with the way companies treat you? If so, you’re not alone: Surveys find that many consumers are fed up with long waits on the phone, customer service agents who can’t solve their problems, unintelligible billing statements, poorly designed websites, and inexperienced or indifferent sales staff. In this episode: Why do so many
Read More : 57 – What Ever Happened to Customer Service?»November 30, 2023
While convenient, online shopping can be risky. E-commerce creates all sorts of new opportunities for cyber criminals to do their dirty work, so you need to be careful. U.S. consumers reported losing $358 million to online scams last year, according to the Federal Trade Commission. In this episode, we talk to John Breyault, a vice
Read More : 52 – Shop Safely Online This Holiday Season»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»