The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the voluntary recall of 400,000 Simplicity Drop Side cribs sold between January 2005 and June 2009, according to the Associated Press.

As the picture from the CPSC shows, the drop side can detach when the hardware breaks, allowing a child to become trapped and potentially suffocate.

One child died as a result of entrapment, and there are 25 other reports of the drop side detatching, according to the CPSC.

Stores will provide refunds or store credit for the cribs.

Unfortunately, this is a familiar problem ...

Continue reading "Simplicity crib recall: spread the word" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer safety, Recalls
        

Hey, gang, I’m having a live chat on noon Tuesday at this site to discuss finding a trustworthy financial adviser after the Bernie Madoff scandal.

Or, we can discuss anything else on your mind.

Tune in at noon for the half-hour chat. You can also submit questions in advance and we’ll address those on Tuesday.

Cheers, and Happy Fourth.  Eileen

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 1:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Personal finance
        

Cheap wedding dress bargains are available to brides who start early and do their research.

As a bride-to-be actively avoiding many decisions about my own pending nuptials (despite the many excellent cheap and frugal wedding tips shared by Consuming Interests readers months ago), let's talk about how an organized non-procrastinator should search for a gown.

First, consider what you're paying for. Check out what the authors of the Bridal Bargains book had to say about wedding dresses -- given the price range, you'd expect things like high-quality fabric and materials such as lace, right?

At the very least, you'd want properly sewn seams. A good friend of mine recently ordered a dress from a popular retailer and found multiple problems: an exposed metal zipper instead of the covered, hidden one pictured in the catalog, poorly stitched seams that bunched in the back and even an unevenly cut hem.

Next, think about how long you'll wear this dress. I like to justify expensive purchases by dividing the price by the number of times I'll wear an item. That won't work for wedding gowns.

Wedding dresses are also cumbersome heirlooms. Some people may preserve their gowns in acid-free boxes, which is a nice tradition if you live in a home with lots of storage, that you never plan to leave. Otherwise, it will be one more thing to carry around as you move through life. And forget about saving it for your kids. Your offspring may not fit into yours or may prefer a different style for their gown.

Finally, don't get pressured into making a deal. With all the pressure to find the "perfect" dress, it's not uncommon for women to find themselves buying more than one, because the style of the dress doesn't match their venue or because they make a hasty decision at a sale that they regret later.

With that in mind, here's some great options for purchasing an inexpensive wedding dress that you will love:

Continue reading "Cheap wedding dresses: something old, something new-with-tags" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Shopping
        

How much is an investment in safety worth?

Because, even though you think you wouldn't leave an infant or a toddler locked in a car, it has already happened to 15 families. Tragically, 15 babies have died of hyperthermia in 2009 after being left in a car. An Ellicott City family's 23-month-old daughter died last week after she was locked in a car for nine hours.

I don't think any of the parents or caregivers would ever say they intended to do it. Safety experts and advocates say people get distracted and make a mistake.

Kids and Cars, a group which advocates for prevention of non-traffic related injuries to children by cars, has frightening statistics that lay out a pretty clear correlation about why it happens, though. After rules banned children riding in the front due to airbag injuries, deaths due to hyperthermia grew.

What does it take to prevent calamities such as these? Acknowledgment that it's possible, as Dr. Laura Jana, an Omaha-based pediatrician who speaks about injury prevention for the American Academy of Pediatrics, said:

"It's the last thing you ever want to imagine happening, and we push it away as if 'it could never happen to me,' said Jana, author of Heading Home With Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality and the mother of three.

"I don't think our brains want us to be able to imagine us doing something like that to our child," "Denial is a very powerful thing."

The pediatrician pointed out that we create failsafe measures to prevent ourselves from forgetting other important tasks. You wouldn't lock your car doors without checking to see if you have your car keys first ... so don't walk away from your car without looking at the front and back seat.

Parents could also leave a a reminder in the front seat to alert them that the child is present (diaper bag makes sense to me) or they could leave their purse or briefcase in the backseat to remind themselves to go back there, she said.

It's a no-brainer to advocate for these types of precautions ...

Continue reading "Kids in hot cars: balancing safety with reality" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Consumer safety
        

The Federal Trade Commission announced a crackdown on companies that allegedly have used the economic downturn to prey on consumers desperate for work or needing relief from debt.

Along with the FTC, the Department of Justice, 13 states and the District of Columbia were involved in the sweep called “Operation Short Change.”

The FTC’s David Vladeck said in a news conference today: “Thousands of people have been swindled out of millions of dollars by scammers who are exploiting the economic downturn. Their scams may promise job placement, access to free government grant money, or the chance to work at home. In fact, the scams have one thing in common--they raise people’s hopes and then drive them deeper into a hole.”

Read more about the crackdown and the schemes the FTC says it has uncovered.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 12:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer protection
        

"Knowing is half the battle" was a lesson instilled in me after every episode of G.I.Joe that I watched as a small child.

Now that I'm somewhat older, I can see how knowledge can innoculate us against a variety of ills, including the fraud perpetrated by the nefarious types who send out fake checks for sweepstakes prizes, work-at-home schemes or Craigslist purchases.

That's the message imparted by this terribly sad Wall Street Journal story about a man who repeatedly fell prey to con artists ...

Continue reading "Protect yourself from scams: Consumer Web site of the Week" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: CWSotW, Scams
        

As reported this morning, the Cash for Clunkers program, which under the law is supposed to apply to new car sales starting today, is a bit delayed.

The government must get the rules drawn up and have until July 24 to do so.

Meanwhile, you can sign up for email updates at http://www.cars.gov/- that's the official government site for the program. Also, you can check the fuel economy of your old vehicle at another government site.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 8:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars
        

Insurance is what you rely upon in case of disaster. However, with the downward spiral of the economy comes increased claims and diminished investment returns --- and less stable firms might not be able to weather the storm.

I didn't know much about the mechanics of life insurance before reading a column about understanding what happens when your life insurance company fails by the Kathy M. Kristoff in the Los Angeles Times. Don't get caught unawares --- see how much protection is available for your coverage, no matter what calamities might befall your company.

Posted by Liz Kay at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Insurance
        

If you're a golf or history fan, or simply enjoy being pampered, the Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Va., has a terrific, but limited offer: buy three nights and get two free. Sounds good to me. I've never stayed at The Homestead but I've read good things about it. The resort is set against a backdrop of the Allegheny Mountains and has been welcoming guests since before the American Revolution. That's good enough for me. 

A classic room is $200 per night plus a 15% daily resort charge, covering internet access, gratuities, etc. Tax is additional. So the savings are about $400. The deal is only good if you book in the next 7 days or by July 6. Call 800-838-1766. You can also book online here.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Travel
        

Learn a lesson from Mildred Jones.

The Pasadena resident got a visit last month from a person who said he was from the marketing department for a home security system company.

He wanted to put his company's sign in her yard and to install a security system in their house for free to attract sales from her neighbors. All she and her daughter would only be responsible for the monthly payment for the security service.

The salesman also mentioned that there had been several break-ins just a few blocks away.

Ms. Jones and her daughter talked it over and decided to sign up, after the representative said they could cancel the contract within a month. He reviewed the contract with them, and although there was a clause referring to locking in a price for 60 months, he reassured them that that just meant if they kept with the product. The equipment was installed that evening.

Fast forward a few weeks, and Ms. Jones and her daughter learned the truth: 

Continue reading "Home security system sales: Naughty Businesses of the Week" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Card companies don’t nickel and dime you. It’s more like $10 or $30.

Bankrate.com released its first Credit Card Study that looks at the terms offered by major credit card issuers.

Among the findings:

— Late fees averaged from a low of $20.70 to as much as $38.50

— Go over your limit and pay an average fee of $32

— You’ll pay at least 3 percent on cash advances, or more if your card comes from Bank of America, Wells Fargo or US Bank

— If you talk to a human while making a payment over the phone, you’ll pay $10 to $15

— Grace periods now run from 20 to 25 days

 Makes you want to use cash.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 2:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Credit cards
        

TV pitchman Billy Mays died Sunday at his home in Tampa after complaining to his family that he didn't feel well. The day before Mays was on a US Airways flight from Philadelphia that had a rough landing in Tampa. By rough I mean the the tires blew out and, according to passengers including Mays, items fell from the ceiling. Some passengers had bumps or bruises, but the airline said there were no serious injuries.

Mays said in an interview that something hit him in the head. He wasn't specific, but frequent fliers know how overcrowded the overhead bins can get. Getting them to close sometimes requires brute force. Still, Mays told a local TV station that he had a "hard head," so he probably didn't think too much about it. But then he didn't wake up the next morning. (Brings to mind Natasha Richardson.)

The infomercial celeb was 50 years old so there are many natural causes of death out there and an autopsy is scheduled. For the sake of the airlines, I hope his death had nothing to do with a head injury.

UPDATE: Autopsy results apparently show Mays died of heart disease. There was no head trauma. Whew.

AP Photo

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Airlines
        

With the stock market up 30 percent compared to its lows earlier this year, more investors are wondering whether it's time to invest in stocks again, wrote personal finance columnist Eileen Ambrose in her Sunday column.

But that's the wrong question, she says ...

Continue reading "Invest in the stock market again: Consumer Sundays" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Take $5 off online Target purchases of $50 or more with coupon via momsview.com. Valid through Saturday, June 27.

Get a free 12-oz. Seattle's Best Coffee beverage at Borders stores through July 2, via Miss Bargainista.

And sign up for a free sample of Yoplait Whips yogurt, thanks to TheSavvyShopper.

The site recommends that you try the product frozen, which forces me to ask: has anyone ever tried to freeze yogurt at home? Can it be done either in the container or is an ice cream maker necessary? Could one use the coffee can ice cream maker method?

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food, Shopping
        

IRS spokesman Jim Dupree has some bad news for readers wondering if they would qualify for the first-time homebuyer credit.

Q. I live and work in Southern Louisiana eight months of the year but do not want to buy a house here due to the associated risk. Can I buy a house in another state and establish that house as my principal residence in order to receive the credit? I wouldn’t be living in the house but four months per year.

Dupree: A home must be purchased as the taxpayer’s principal residence for purposes of the first-time homebuyer credit to qualify.

In the case of a taxpayer using more than one property as a residence, whether a particular property is a principal residence depends on all the facts and circumstances.

Section 1.121-1(b)(2) of the Income Tax Regulations governs the definition "principal residence" for purposes of the first-time homebuyer credit. It provides that if a taxpayer alternates between 2 properties, using each as a residence for successive periods of time, the property that the taxpayer uses a majority of the time during the year ordinarily will be considered the taxpayer’s principal residence.

In addition to the taxpayer’s use of the property, relevant factors in determining a taxpayer’s principal residence, include, but are not limited to--

(i) The taxpayer’s place of employment;

(ii) The principal place of abode of the taxpayer’s family members;

(iii) The address listed on the taxpayer’s federal and state tax returns, driver’s license, automobile registration, and voter registration card;

(iv) The taxpayer’s mailing address for bills and correspondence;

(v) The location of the taxpayer’s banks; and

(vi) The location of religious organizations and recreational clubs with which the taxpayer is affiliated.

Q. I’m buying a house now. Do I qualify even though I had a trailer that I bought in 1989 and paid off in 2001?

Dupree: Sorry. If you owned and lived in a trailer as your principal residence at any time during the three years prior to the date of purchase of your new home, you would not qualify.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Taxes
        

Whoa, summer temperatures are definitely here. A few simple steps will help keep your air conditioner working at its peak so you can keep cool without sweating too much over your bills.

Consumer Reports recommends washing the filter (dry it thoroughly before using!) of room air conditioners, vacuuming the coils inside and out and checking the seals. They also advise against "short-cycling" --- turning the AC back on within 10 minutes of turning it off.

They recommend calling in professionals for maintaining central AC systems, though.

Also, let's be reasonable with the thermostat ...

Continue reading "Cool tips for air conditioner care" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Energy/Utilities
        

We've told you how mobile phone companies have been suing the annoying culprits behind the automated extended car warranty calls that plague us morning, noon and night. 

Well, in a complaint filed in an Atlanta federal court, AT&T Mobility has named a Maryland company, Volcano Leads, as one of nine responsible for millions of these calls during just a few months.

Justin Ramsey, the owner of Volcano Leads, denied the allegations when reached yesterday by business reporter Lorraine Mirabella, saying his business never owned an auto-dialer.

AT&T says the companies violated the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and hopes to prevent them from making future calls, as well as fining them $500 for each violation of the act.

See below for a copy of the complaint as well as a sampling of the numbers they were calling from --- perhaps they are among the ones you've set to silent ring tones!

Continue reading "Extended auto warranty call lawsuit names Maryland company" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Cellular/Landline/Voice over Internet, Scams, Warranties
        

And, with many businesses treating July 3 as a holiday (because July 4 falls on a weekend) hopefully you'll have a little more free time to chip away at some of those nagging tasks.

Here's a couple of ideas for some mid-year maintenance:

--- Check your credit reports: We've told you that Marylanders can check your credit reports twice a year, from each of the three credit reporting bureaus. With this set up, you could look at one report every two months --- but no worries if you haven't seen any, yet. Just review all three now, and put staggered reminders on your calendar to check one every two months from now on.

--- Start tucking away money for retirement. Have you set up your 401(k) payments? How about setting aside money through automatic withdrawals for an IRA? If it's one of those things you've been meaning to get around to, don't waste any more time.

--- Review your goals: If you made any promises to yourself to save money, take a look at your progress and make adjustments if necessary. Did you plan to brown-bag lunches instead of buying them, but find yourself on the cafeteria line instead? Examine what impediments are preventing you from achieving these goals (i.e. no time in the morning? Can you pack dinner leftovers the night before?) and make sure your expectations are both reasonable and quantifiable. Pledging to bring lunch three times a week can help you get into the habit.

Smart Money magazine also has other easy tips to avoid wasting money by procrastinating ...

Continue reading "Mid-year financial resolutions: Cheap Trick Thursday" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Personal finance
        

The government has a site for the Car Allowance Rebate System, better known as Cash for Clunkers.

It certainly doesn't have all the details just yet, and, in fact, the president hasn't signed the legislation into law.

But transportation officials answer some frequent questions on the site and say they are scrambling to sign up dealers willing to participate.

The program - worth $3,500 or $4,500 depending on what type of vehicle you own and what you buy - applies to sales of new fuel-efficient cars starting in July.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 9:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

Well, the time has come. Utilities such as Baltimore Gas & Electric, Pepco and Delmarva Power have plan to shut off customers who have outstanding balances. Others such as Allegheny Power and Washington Gas Light have already begun.

The terminations come, utility company representatives say, after weeks of trying to contact customers through letters to negotiate payment plans to avoid termination, as directed by the Maryland Public Service Commission in April.

Theresa Czarski of the Office of the People's Counsel, which advocates for consumers, said she and other members of a work group planning implementation of the payment plans urged utilities to indicate on the outside of the envelopes so consumers would understand that these letters were more than just another overdue bill notice.

If you or someone you know is in danger of having their service cut off, don't ignore the payment requests --- call the company. You can get an extension and you can work out a payment plan. The weather's already gotten way hotter.

Here are some sources if you need assistance to pay your energy bills:

Continue reading "Utilities to start turning off service for past-due bills" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Economy, Energy/Utilities
        

It seems the Wild Wild West atmosphere of blogging is slowly being tamed, or at least attempts are being made.

Last week, I wrote about the rising number of libel lawsuits against comments made on blogs and Twitter.

But the Federal Trade Commission is also looking at setting up endorsement guidelines for bloggers who promote products after receiving gifts or trips from the manufacturer.

Bloggers, if you earn commissions on the sales of products you promote, be prepared to come under FTC oversight.

Below is Associated Press business writer Deborah Yao’s article on the topic. Let us know what you think.

Writes Yao:

Savvy consumers often go online for independent consumer reviews of products and services, scouring through comments from everyday Joes and Janes to help them find a gem or shun a lemon.

Continue reading "FTC to issue guidelines to bloggers promoting consumer products" »

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer protection
        

Clearly food and drug dating is a problem that many retailers struggle with, given the reports of supermarkets that don't move expired yogurt from their dairy aisles and the drug stores that can't keep up with the expired over-the-counter medicine and infant formula on their shelves.

But are consumers really in danger when they use products past these dates? What do they really mean, anyway?

According to a food dating primer from the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, in most situations the dating gives people a sense of when the item will be at its peak quality -- that the texture, flavor and color have not deteriorated.

You really shouldn't buy infant formula after the "use by" date, however. Federal regulations require infant formula and baby food to be labeled with dates because after that point, the product starts to break down and might not deliver nutrients as promised.

For other products with a "use by" date, follow that date.

But you can keep milk for about a week past its sell-by date, and eggs as many as three to five weeks, according to the USDA. The USDA site has a chart to give you guidelines about when to use products after the package has been opened.

If this all seems too confusing, we also told you about the site StillTasty.com, a searchable database that should eliminate the need for the sniff test in front of the open fridge door.

As for medicine ...

Continue reading "Food and drug expiration dates: what happens in your own kitchen" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

Some people aren't that excited about the Cash for Clunkers program recently approved by Congress.

Writes George Cook:

"If these people don't have a 700 beacon score on the credit application they will not get financing. Plus, if they do have a high 700 score,they would not be driving a clunker. In other words, the $4,000 means nothing if they cannot get approved. Remember also half of that money goes to tax and tags. This has not been thought out by our illustrious LEADERS."

Cook isn't the only one who has made that point. But am I the only one that drives my car into the ground before buying another? Or, as Cook suggests, do people with good credit scores only drive newer cars? What do you think?

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 2:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

Supermarkets aren't the only place you have to watch out for expired products.

We told you last week about the Carney Safeway stocking expired yogurt. But in early June, a survey of 20 CVS stores in the Baltimore area showed that 15 of the 20 had some sort of out-of-date products on their shelves and available for sale, including dairy products, infant formula and over-the-counter medicine.

The survey was conducted by Change to Win, a coalition of unions and workers fighting for affordable health care and retirement benefits. The group held a rally in front of a Harford Road CVS today (the second in two months) to draw attention to the problem.

However, a CVS spokesman disputed the group's findings, saying they have no way of verifying that these expired products were in fact found on their shelves. The spokesman, Mike DeAngelis, said ...

Continue reading "Expired food and drugs: Naughty Business of the Week" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Consumer safety, Food
        

Maryland and nearly 40 other states have reached a $9.75 million settlement with TJX Cos., which suffered a massive data breach in 2005 and 2006.

Under the settlement, TJX — which denied any wrongdoing — agreed to improve its security practices and to pay a $5.5 million penalty and $1.75 million in attorney costs to the states. The retailer also agreed to set up a $2.5 million data security fund that can be used by the states to finance their security initiatives, according to Maryland’s Attorney General.

Maryland’s share of the settlement will be $92,790, says spokeswoman Raquel Guillory.

Security breaches several years ago led to the theft of 100 million credit card transactions involving consumers who shopped at company stores TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, A.J. Write and Marshall’s stores.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Identity theft
        

You may have heard that more than 130 Zicam nasal spray users had lost their sense of smell, according to the Associated Press. The Food and Drug Administration has recommended people stop using the product, which contains zinc. Zinc can cause temporary or permanent damage to nerves needed to smell, the store states.

Consumers might have missed the tiny "homeopathic" label on the packaging of the product, marketed as a cold remedy. But these and other homeopathic products are on pharmacy shelves without Food and Drug Administration testing for side effects or efficacy, according to the Associated Press.

The Associated Press analyzed FDA side effect reports and found more than 800 situations where people may have gotten ill from homeopathic remedies.

What are these products? According the AP story: 

Continue reading "Zicam users lose sense of smell: Naughty Business of the Week" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer safety, Healthcare, Marketing/Advertising