Honda is expanding a recall on certain 2001 Honda Accords and Civics due to a potential defect in the airbags.

About 440,000 additional vehicles are included in the expanded recall, which was first announced in Nov. 2008. The recall requires the replacement of the driver's steering-wheel-mounted airbag inflator.

In some vehicles, airbag inflators can produce over-pressurization of the driver's (front) airbag inflator mechanism during airbag deployment. If an affected inflator deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the cloth airbag cushion material, possibly causing an injury or fatality to people in the car.

Affected consumers will get a recall notice in the mail over the next few months. The notice will include further instructions for scheduling a repair.

Owners may also confirm their vehicle's recall status by visiting the Honda "Owner Link" website at http://www.ahm-ownerlink.com/SEO/HondaRecall.asp or the Acura "My Acura" website at http://www.owners.acura.com/recalls.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 3:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Consumer safety, Recalls
        

Tuesday at noon we will have our weekly Live Chat on personal finance. This week's guest is financial guru Barry Glassman.

He'll take whatever money questions you have. If you can't make the chat, submit your question to me in advance at eileen.ambrose@baltsun.com. I'll make sure Barry gets them, and you can read his responses later on the blog.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Personal finance
        

So, it looks like consumers might be able to trade in their old cars after all.

 Lawmakers are scrambling to give more funding to the popular cash for clunkers program. The Associated Press is reporting that Congress is expected to pass $2 billion in additional funding for the program, officially called the Car Allowance Rebate System.

Consumers are being encouraged to continue to bring their old cars to dealerships in anticipation of the additonal money.

If you plan on buying a car today, or bought one yesterday before the money ran out, we want to talk to you for a story. Please call Eileen Ambrose at 410-332-6984 or Andrea K. Walker at 410-332-6879. 

Posted by Andrea Walker at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

All you consumers itching to get rid of your old car for new and better wheels burned through the government’s  $1 billion Cash for Clunkers  program in less than a week.

Dealers were reserving cars for people before the program officially even started and business just picked up from there.

The car program, which gave consumers a $3,500 or $4,500 incentive to get rid of their old cars for new ones, was created to get less fuel efficient cars off the highway and jump-start car sales. And it did just that. Dealers said they were seeing better sales than they had in months.

Yet dealers worried from the start that the program would run out of money. Some estimates said that the program had enough money to fund about 9 cars for every dealership in the country.

But what now that the program is broke?

Will people stop buying cars, sending the industry into hibernation again? Should the government extend the program and what will that mean for the country’s growing deficit if they do?

Will car companies offer their own incentives?  Chrysler had offered an additional $4,500 in incentives to buyers to get them in the showroom.

How many of you had hoped to take advantage of the program?

Here are more details about the program. Some dealers might still honor the rebate, despite the uncertainty, since *they* are the ones charged with applying for the reimbursement under this program. However, that will take a lot of faith ...

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars
        

Passwords may seem like the bane of our electronic existence, but don't let the tedium of entering (and remembering) passwords leave you vulnerable for identity theft or fraud.

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse has provided these tips for choosing strong passwords that will thwart determined hackers using computing power to get your data.

1. Avoid using dictionary words. These passwords are easy for hackers to figure out using an electronic dictionary.

2. Don’t use personal information. Any part of your name, birthday, Social Security number, or similar information for your loved ones is a bad password choice.

3. Avoid common sequences, such as numbers or letters in sequential order or repetitive numbers or letters.

4. If the web site supports it, try to use special characters, such as $, #, and &. Most passwords are case sensitive, so use a mixture of upper case and lower case letters, as well as numbers. (Here's a tip: try replacing some letters such as "o" or "i" with the numerals "1" or "0". --- lfk.)

5. Passwords become harder to crack with each character that you add, so longer passwords are better than shorter ones. A brute- force attack can easily defeat a password with seven or fewer characters. Microsoft has an online password strength checker at www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/password/checker.mspx

6. To help you easily remember your password, consider using the first letter from each word in a sentence, a phrase, a poem, or a song title as a password. Be sure to add in numbers and/or special characters.

7. Create different passwords for different accounts and applications. That way, if one password is breached, your other accounts won’t be put at risk too. Do not use the same or variations of the same password for different applications.

8. Despite admonitions to the contrary, one easy way to remember your passwords is to write them down and keep them in a securely locked place. Never leave them on a Post-It note on your monitor, in an address book, in a desk drawer, or under your keyboard or mouse pad (or any other obvious place).

9. Consider using a secure password manager. The Firefox browser has a password manager already built in. The Firefox password manager and 4 others are reviewed at http://lifehacker.com/5042616/five-best-password-managers.

10. If you have already established a password that is not strong, change it! Web sites have a variety of procedures that govern how you can change your password. Look for a link (such as "my account") somewhere on the site's homepage that goes to an area of the site that allows password and account management.

The back door to your password. Many sites offer a password reset or recovery system if you should happen to forget your password. While a useful feature, this may offer an additional opportunity to compromise your password. Be cautious when you choose the site security questions and answers that will be used to authenticate you if you forget your password.

Be sure that you don’t pick a question which can be answered by others. Many times, answers to these questions (such as a pet’s name or where you went to high school) can be ascertained by others through social networking or other simple research tools. In fact, this was the method recently used to infiltrate the Twitter employee’s account.

‘Til Death Do Us Part. While the integrity of your passwords is important to maintain your privacy, it’s important to consider what can happen when you die. You may have bank statements, bills, and other important papers that are only accessible online. Your heirs may not be able to access this information without a potentially lengthy and costly court proceeding ordering the Web site to release the information. You may wish to provide a to your attorney or another trusted individual.

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Identity theft
        

Use this Old Navy, Gap and Banana Republic 30 percent off coupon to save money, and the company will donate 5 percent of your purchase price to Teach for America. Coupon valid through Aug. 2 only.

According to the fine print, you can also use this coupon at the Gap Outlet or Banana Republic Factory Store! Thanks to Nancy Johnston over at Read Street for the tip. 

Updated: I also found this Old Navy, Gap and Banana Republic 30 percent off coupon to donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. So, you can pick your charity.

And then if you're shopping at Target.com, don't forget your AAA membership.

AAA members save 10 percent on many purchases at Target.com, a savings tip spotted by savvy traveler Michelle Deal-Zimmerman. However! This deal doesn't apply to some brand name products, including Sony or Apple iPods.

Turns out your AAA membership is also good for 10 percent off at the Gap Outlet and Banana Republic Factory Store, as well as regular-price items at New York & Company and Payless ShoeSource, too!

And don't forget about cheap(er) cheesecake today in honor of National Cheesecake Day.

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Shopping
        

Ah, the often scorned Starbucks coffee break. This "Money Waster" is a highlight of a slideshow on The Sun's business page.

However, at this point, anyone who indulges in a fancy-coffee habit should be aware that treating oneself regularly to a caffa-mocha-javaccino with extra whip can drain your wallet and pack on the pounds.

But what else are you avoiding, or what additional steps are you taking, to help save money?

Are you coloring or cutting your own hair to save cash? Filing your own nails to avoid paying --- and tipping --- a pedicurist?

Are you driving less? How about changing the oil yourself?

Personally, I'm definitely eating out less frequently, and packing up the leftovers right away so I can brown-bag it to work.

Changing some habits can definitely add up over time, if you did them regularly enough to make a dent in your budget. I'm also curious what you *won't* give up to save money --- what's not worth the sacrifice, to help you save some cash?

I can tell you one thing that isn't worth it ...

... giving up your pet.

Frankly, the time to consider whether you can afford a pet is BEFORE you adopt or buy one. And the true costs of welcoming a furry friend into your family are more than just food and vet bills ... decide whether you have the time to walk and otherwise care for it before you commit.

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

National Cheesecake Day is upon us!

Get a free slice of cheesecake after ordering any entree on Thursday, July 30, 2009 at Morton's The Steakhouse locations in Baltimore and Annapolis. 

At The Cheesecake Factory, slices of any of the 30 flavors offered there are half-price.

And at Eli's Cheesecakes, you can enter to win a gift certificate for a free cheesecake. 

(photo: tonydolor/Flickr)

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food
        

This Consumer Web Site of the Week comes via ShopSmart magazine, published by the Consumers Union, which offered tips for shopping at the online police auction site PropertyRoom.com.

We have told you about PropertyRoom.com, which allows police departments across the country to sell items seized from criminals.

It seems they now offer a new service: an opportunity to "steal back" your stolen stuff!

Here's how it works: 

You can register the serial numbers of your items after they have been stolen, or (if you're not a procrastinator like me) you'll enter them *before* they get stolen.

Then if those items ever match those of things that are sold by PropertyRoom.com, they will return them to you.

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer Web Site of the Week, Consumer protection
        

The IRS says it has prosecuted its first successful case against someone fraudulently claiming the first-time homebuyer credit.

Last week, according to the IRS, a Florida tax preparer pled guilty to falsely claiming the credit on a client’s federal tax return, the IRS said. The potential penalty is steep. The preparer now faces the prospect of three years in jail and a $250,000 fine.

The IRS says it has executed seven search warrants and has 24 open investigations involving the credit. Granted, the credit - worth up to $8,000 - is complicated. But watch out for preparers guaranteeing that they can get you the credit even if it’s iffy you would qualify.

You’re responsible for what appears on your return, and you don’t want to get hit with back taxes and penalties because your preparer crossed the line.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Taxes
        

Awhile ago, Mary E. wrote in about a foreign conversion fee she had to pay when she made a purchase in U.S. dollars in Switzerland using her Capital One credit card. But the reason she used that card is Capital One doesn’t charge a conversion fee.

Mary was confused, and I was a bit, too.

But Pam Girardo, a spokeswoman with Capital One, cleared up the confusion.

Girardo explains:

“International merchants offer cardholders the ability to pay in their home currency or the currency of the country. If a cardholder chooses to have the purchase converted to their home currency at the point of sale, the merchant/their bank charge a currency conversion fee (separate from the Bank that issued the credit card). This is what happened to the person in your blog (our cardholder). If the cardholder chooses the currency of the country, the typical currency conversion fees from the issuing bank are charged. Our cardholder would not have been charged a fee if they paid in the currency of the country they were in – Swiss Francs with their Capital One card (since as you know, we do not charge foreign exchange fees).”

Aha! Thanks for the explanation. So folks if you are traveling abroad, you might want to pull out the Capital One card and make purchases in the currency of the country you are in.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 7:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Personal finance
        

I don't travel enough to be overly concerned about frequent flier miles - unless I earned them on Southwest, I typically don't even bother. But I know lots of people do and these people are among the most loyal of any airline's customers. That's why Delta and United are throwing them a bone. A tasty one at that.

United Airlines is dropping the $75-$100 fee they charge when you cash in your frequent flier miles to book a trip less than 21 days in advance. The airline announced the changes Monday and said it plans even more upgrades for its Mileage Plus level customers. An aviation consultant said the airline has near 500 billion outstanding miles as of Dec. 31 and may be motivated to reduce that liability on their balance sheets. Naaww. Something in it for them, too?

Delta Airlines today announced it's going with a rollover plan for SkyMiles Medallion frequent fliers. You know, like your cell phone. Any miles above a certain threshold would be carried over to the next year, making it easier to earn that status, according to The Associated Press. The airline is also creating an even more elite status within the elite: Diamond Medallion status is for customers who fly 125,000 elite miles per year. The New York Times points out that more people qualifying for elite status means more competition for upgrades.

And if that's not enough making good on customer service, Delta is bringing back its 'Red Coats" program - the group of roving agents in crimson jackets who offer instant help to passengers in need. The new army of Red Coats - now in place in New York and headed to Washington, Atlanta, Boston, Memphis, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Newark and beyond - will be able to print boarding passes and issue vouchers to airport clubs.

Photo by Associated Press

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 1:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Airlines
        

As the country tries works to pull itself from a recession, a study released today found that more private investment in minority–owned firms will help the long-term economic health of the country.

The research found that firms that received private equity investment were able to hire more people, had higher rates of revenue growth, paid higher wages and were more likely to be able to provide employees with health insurance.

The study, which looked at the impact of private investments on seven minority firms, was released by the National Association of Investment Companies in conjunction with Boston Consulting Group.

The financial health of minority-owned businesses and those that cater to minorities only becomes more crucial as the population becomes more diverse, the study concluded.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 12:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Investments
        

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Personal finance
        

Today at noon is a live half-hour chat on the Consuming Interests blog with Pikesville bankruptcy lawyer Jeff Sirody. He'll answer questions about the dos and don'ts of filing for bankruptcy.

If you can't make the chat, submit your questions early to eileen.ambrose@baltsun.com and you can check out Sirody's answers later on the blog. See ya at noon!

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 8:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Baltimore Gas & Electric wants all its customers to have "smart meters", which they say will help people save by telling them how much energy they're using on a hour-by-hour basis. Under their plan, people would earn rebates by conserving energy on critical peak period days --- days of highest energy demand. And BGE would save through automated meter reading and automated disconnection/reconnection of service.

The Maryland Public Service Commission has the final say in the $500 million proposal, which BGE predicts will save the company millions and consumers billions. BGE has requested to speed up the review process, which the company feels would helps its application for federal stimulus grants for smart grid investments. That money is to be awarded in October. Check out the BGE proposal submitted to the PSC here.

AARP Maryland and the state Office of the People's Counsel, which advocates for consumers, feel that a full hearing with sworn witnesses and on-the-record testimony by experts would better serve Maryland residents. They want time to vet the savings claims that BGE has made. And AARP worries that proposals to charge higher rates for peak use in the summer would adversely affect sensitive populations such as seniors, as Jay Hancock explains over at his blog.

How much could you really save?

Annapolis resident Shirley Norlem, a retiree who volunteered for BGE's "smart meter" pilot last summer, said she saved about $15 for each critical peak period last year (about 12 total). She would turn off appliances and unplug chargers when she knew the peak period was coming. Then Norlem would check the meter right before 2 p.m. and after 7 p.m. to see what she used. BGE would also send her letters and emails detailing her savings.

“I think if you’re going to offer money for what they save, then people will do it,” Norlem told me. “You can enlist the children and make it a game for them.”

But will other Maryland residents like Norlem?

Erfan Ibrahim of the Electric Power Research Institute was doubtful. Most people don’t have a true financial incentive to make a change, he said.

“As long as electric bills are in the 5 to 10 percent range of take-home income, it’s not going to be a big deal to override,” Ibrahim said.

And Richard Bingham, who writes for Electric Contractor magazine, agreed. These meters require people to change their lifestyles to save, and most don't go out of their way to conserve as it is. People aren't home at 2 p.m. to turn off their appliances, and they're not likely to avoid watching TV or put off cooking dinner to save money, he predicts.

Neither of the two men say they oppose smart grid improvements --- they just want everyone to have realistic expectations.

BGE says that customers could automate some of their savings by also signing up for Peak Rewards and getting "smart" thermostats that would communicate with their new meters, adjusting temperatures based on the electric prices, as well as switches for their air conditioning and hot water heaters.

What do you think? Would knowing how much you were spending affect how you consumed energy? Would you be able to reduce your bills with the help of a smart meter?

(photo: Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Energy/Utilities
        

Anyone who has tried to pick up somebody from Baltimore Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport knows it can be a pain.

Wait more than a few minutes outside the terminal and you’ll get flashed by the lights of a police car, or worse they’ll write you a ticket. The strict enforcement is because of federal guidelines associated with homeland security.

The airport used to give people a half hour of free parking in the hourly garage to make it a little easier. But as of a week ago, that grace period has been eliminated. You’ll now pay $2 each for the first two half hours and $4 per hour after that.

The airport needs to raise revenue in this tough economic climate, said airport spokesman Jonathan Dean. The parking change is expected to bring $500,000 annually in additional funds.

Dean notes there is still a cell phone lot where you can wait if you’re picking up passengers.

But is that enough? Tell us what you think about the changes in parking at the airport.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 12:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Airlines, Cars, Travel
        

Want to get a bargain and help a charity at the same time?

The Mall in Columbia is having “Girls Night Out” Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Donate $5 to Habitat for Humanity of Howard County and get discounts and other offers from 25 stores throughout the mall, including Aveda, Banana Republic, Martin + Osa and Sephora.

There will also be free food samples and prizes, such as mall gift cards and tickets to an Alan Jackson concert. Register for the event at the management office on the lower level by Sears.

Baltimore’s Lotus Jewelry Studio has joined with the Kennedy Krieger Institute to design a line of handcrafted sterling silver jewelry. Proceeds from the sale of the jewelry will go to Kennedy Krieger, which provides services to children and adolescents with brain and spinal cord injuries or disorders.

The jewelry can be bought at the Lotus Jewelry Studio website or at 2910 on the Square, a gallery in Canton.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: charity
        

The Debtors Assistance Project is a bankruptcy assistance program that emerged to address a huge contradiction: people consider bankruptcy if they owe creditors lots of money, but can't afford the legal advice to steer them through a process that has grown more complicated (and thus expensive).

The Sun's personal finance columnist Eileen Ambrose talks in her column Sunday about the growing number of DIY bankruptcy filers working without a lawyer, known in legalese as filing "pro se". 

She talked to Jeff Sirody, a lawyer who volunteers with the Debtors Assistance Project, giving free bankruptcy advice in 30-minute sessions scheduled through the program. The bankruptcy court in Maryland also offers these tips for people filing for bankruptcy on their own.

Got some bankruptcy questions? Sirody will be Eileen's guest for her live chat at noon Tuesday about filing for bankruptcy. E-mail your queries to her at eileen.ambrose@baltsun.com beforehand, then tune in at noon to get the answers from the legal expert. 

Can't make that time? You can still send your questions and check back later for the transcript.

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Debt, Personal finance
        

I love lists, travel and saving money - who doesn't? - so the Frugal Traveler's "Top 10 Travel Gadgets under $50" caught my attention. It's a great collection of very useful stuff to take on any trip. I have tried the #5 (Travel Space bags - love em) and #10 (the Ecojot travel journals).

The only thing I would add to the list is a travel pillow. I like the Happy Company's Down to Earth organic cotton pillow ($22) made with recycled memory foam. It's very crushable and easy to pack - and even lightly scented. Another pillow I've heard good things about but never tried is the TravelRest travel pillow. Looks strange, but it might work.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Travel
        

This economy is no joke. If you're straining financially due to debt caused by medical bills, a job loss or other dilemmas, perhaps you've considered filing for bankruptcy.

Got questions about how it works: what debt would be covered, or how your credit history might be affected?

Send them to Sun personal finance columnist Eileen Ambrose at eileen.ambrose@baltsun.com. She is hosting a live chat at noon Tuesday with Jeff Sirody, a bankruptcy lawyer in Pikesville.

Sirody will be available for the half-hour to answer any questions you have about the process, benefits and drawbacks.

UPDATE: And don't forget, Eileen will take questions on other personal finance topics as well. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Budgeting, Debt, Personal finance
        

The federal government’s “Cash for Clunkers” program officially starts today. Trade in your old heap for a more fuel efficient vehicle and you can get a $3,500 or a $4,500 credit. Chrysler is offering an additional $4,500 in incentives on top of that.

The Maryland Automobile Dealers Association said this morning that they know of more than 140 dealers in the state who are participating in the program. And that number could grow. The organization will post a list of those dealerships on its website later this morning.

Consuming Interests wants to hear what you think about the program. Car owners, is the deal enticing you to go out and buy a new car? Any of you headed out today? Car dealers, what has the response been from consumers about the program? Do you think this will help jumpstart sales?

Posted by Andrea Walker at 9:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

Hilton opened its new Homewood Suites on Wednesday on Philadelphia Road in Bel Air . The all-suite hotel has 92 rooms on five floors. Guests of the hotel receive a free hot breakfast, nightly reception and 24-hour snack pantry. The hotel also has a swimming pool, sports court, whirlpool and meeting space.

The Baltimore region is having a rash of hotel openings. Near Arundel Mills, the Element and Aloft hotels opened side-by-side a little more than six months ago. There's also an Aloft hotel that opened at BWI Marshall Airport. A new Country Inn & Suites opened in Rosedale earlier this year. In the city, the Fairfield Inn & Suites and Kimpton's Hotel Monaco Baltimore open this month. (See our story on green hotels here.)  And of course, the giant Hilton Baltimore, a convention center hotel with nearly 800 rooms, opened last summer.

And there are more hotels on deck: In September, the new Holiday Inn Express & Suites opens on Gay Street in downtown Baltimore. (It was supposed to open this month.) Hotel Indigo, a boutique hotel, from the same group that owns Holiday Inn, is scheduled to open by the end of the year. And I'm probably forgetting a couple.

With travel slowing this year, I guess it's a good sign that hospitality groups have confidence in Baltimore as a market. Or, all of these projects began years ago before the economy went bust. Glass half-full. Glass half-empty. Take your pick.

Photo courtesy of Aloft Hotels

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 7:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Travel
        

More bodies are going unclaimed because families can't afford the funeral costs, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Certainly, many people are struggling financially, so it's not surprising that the added unexpected cost of putting someone in their final resting place might be just too much. In Los Angeles, the fee to claim a body from the coroner is $200; claiming the ashes costs $352 to $466.

And, frankly, most people are lucky enough not to have a lot of experience planning funerals, so they are in uncharted territory at a time when they are very emotionally vulnerable. 

The best advice, of course, is to have conversations with your loved ones about their wishes before they pass, so that you don't make choices that you can't afford.

Where should you start?

The Federal Trade Commission has a lot of advice about your rights when planning a funeral.

Here are links to two brochures: Paying Final Respects: Your Rights When Buying Funeral Goods & Services and Funerals:  A Consumer Guide. The former includes a price list and a checklist of questions to ask funeral professionals, and you can get a hard copy by calling 1-877-382-4357.

Tips to remember: you can call to get price quotes over the phone; you can't be charged for embalming you didn't authorize; and the funeral home can't refuse a casket you buy from another supplier (check online) nor can it charge you an extra fee for handling it.

The Maryland Cooperative Extension also offers a Funeral Planning Advice brochure. You can order a copy by calling 410-222-6756. Some of their tips? Consider renting a casket and using a less expensive one for burial. Maryland doesn't require a casket for cremation, either. You can also donate your body to the Anatomy Board of Maryland.

Here's some information from the Funeral Consumers Alliance (via Consumerist).

The Maryland Office of Cemetery Oversight has some state-specific details, including this tip: embalming is not required, although the funeral home may require it if extended viewing is requested.

Some people are turning to DIY funerals --- building their own coffins and preparing the body themselves --- in an attempt to save money and help the environment by avoiding embalming chemicals. Advocates don't discount the emotional advantage of taking care of these needs, either. Here's a 1997 NPR story about DIY funerals, and Smithsonian Magazine wrote about DIY funerals in March.

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Economy
        

Erin Andrews has been all over the news lately in a way I'm certain she couldn't imagine and would probably love to go away. That's not happening. People are still searching the internet looking for the infamous "peeping Tom" clips that show the ESPN sportscaster in the buff.

The video was possibly taken through a makeshift hole in a wall at some as yet unnamed hotel. Kinda scary for those women who often travel solo for business, adventure or pleasure. Although I've read that the culprit could be a co-worker, that doesn't ease the feeling that women traveling alone can be seen as easy prey. When I'm traveling alone, i always use the double locks and sometimes I bring along a doorstop, too. I also refuse to stay on the first floor. And always park directly under a light or use valet, if it's available.

SmarterTravel.com offers these tips for hotel safety for women. (You can read more here.) An even more exhaustive list of safety tips are offered by Kevin Coffey at Corporate Travel Safety. They're helpful, but maybe a piece of tape over the peephole is a good idea, too:

1. Arrive during the daylight hours.

2. Ask for a room close to the elevator - that way you can avoid walking down dimly lit hallways. You're also closer to getting help.

3. For hotel registration, use your first initial instead of your full name and skip the Mr./Mrs/Ms. box.

4. Don't hang out a breakfast order for room service on your door knob - it gives a clue that you're traveling alone and also means you're expecting someone at the door.

5. Exude confidence and use common sense. Don't walk around late at night or drink with strange men.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 6:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Travel
        

Get a free Baja Fresh burrito until 9 p.m. today (July 22) with the purchase of a drink. Print out the free Baja Fresh burrito coupon to get it.

The coupon is a company promotion through the Baja Fresh Facebook page. Not every location is participating --- unfortunately, Rosslyn and Clarendon in Virginia are among them.

Thanks to Sun Intern Lindsay Deutsch for spotting the tip.

Nearby locations include Timonium, Columbia, Hunt Valley, Arundel Mills/Hanover, Bel Air and Annapolis. Let us know if you find out one of these locations is not accepting the coupon!

Posted by Liz Kay at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food
        

Chrysler must really want to move some cars because it is sweetening the deal on the federal Cash for Clunkers program.

The car company said today it is offering buyers $4,500 in incentives, which would be in addition to the $3,500 or $4,500 people can get under the government program. Chrysler's offer is in cash, or 0 percent financing for 72 months through GMAC Financial Services, according to a press release.

And while the cash for clunkers program is aimed at older cars that don’t have the best fuel efficiency, Chrysler’s incentives are available to anyone.

Read what my colleague Eileen Ambrose has written about the government's car program.

(photo courtesy of getty images)

Posted by Andrea Walker at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars
        

Apparently it's opposites day in the snack food aisle. Or maybe those bags of Tostitos just ate from the other side of the Caterpillar's mushroom?

Commodity costs have returned to moderate levels, so manufacturers are attempting to lure hungry consumers back from store brands that offered better value.

Can't they just cut prices instead? Well, food companies have, in effect, cut the unit price of these chips. But since consumers have a better memory for the total price of an item, this leaves the foodmakers room to reverse their reversed course and play with the package quantities once hard times return again.

Anyone spotted any examples of product expansion? Have the half-gallons of ice cream from my youth been restored? Please share your findings --- and thoughts about these practices --- below.

(photo: Associated Press)

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food
        

When buying a car, you want to go in armed with the right information. Is your dealer offering you as good a price as some other customer?

Consumer Reports suggested this option to get a feel for what other customers are paying. TrueCar, which catalogs prices by zip code, aims to tell you the prices charged in your area, in addition to rebates and other factors.

The site offers a gauge of what it considers a "good" price as well as a "great" price -- typically close to or under invoice price.

Unfortunately, TrueCar does not reveal the source of its data, so you might want to take it with a grain of salt. According to CR:

TrueCar says 

it collects sales data on more than 25 percent of all new vehicles sold and that sales information is generally up to a few weeks old (some data may be as old as eight weeks).

Still, the geographic organization of the data puts it one step above other sites that rely on users to report what they've paid. You also run into the problem of lurkers -- people who read reviews but don't weigh in after they make a purchase.

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Consumer Web Site of the Week
        

On Tuesday at noon, we will have a live chat on this blog about bankruptcy.

Jeff Sirody, a bankruptcy lawyer in Pikesville, will be our live chat guest and be available for the half-hour to answer any questions you have.

If you can't make the chat, submit your questions beforehand to eileen.ambrose@baltsun.com, and I'll forward them to Jeff.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 8:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Personal finance
        

Honestly, I don't like critters much when I'm on the ground so finding them on a plane at 35,000 feet would freak me out. But this Indiana Arizona man who had a scorpion drop on him from the overhead luggage compartment on a Southwest flight from Phoenix to Indianapolis seems to have kept his cool. Me, I would have been one of the people on my chair screaming. (I know that doesn't help but it makes me feel better. Thanks, hon.)

According to this video report, the flier simply brushed the venomous scorpion off his leg, ending up with a sting to his hand. He then checked his luggage and found that not only was there a big scorpion but also several scorpion babies - both dead and alive - tucked away in his baggage. Gross. The airline says no one else was hurt and the airplane later was fumigated.

Here's the moral of the story: you're visiting the desert Southwest - home to rattlesnakes and scorpions - be careful where you leave your bags. Maybe give them an extra shake before packing for your trip home. And please don't take any specimens.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Travel
        

Continental is cutting some 1,700 jobs, according to the Associated Press, but that's not enough to keep the Houston-based airline afloat in this economy. They also need your hard cash - enough to raise $100 million in revenue by slapping passengers with extra fees. It's the way of the travel world now and not so surprising - some airlines are in big trouble. (Southwest posted a $54 million profit in the second quarter, but said the demand for travel was weak.)

If you fly Continental and check your bags at the airport, you'll now need to pay $20 for the first checked bag and $30 for the second, a $5 increase. The changes take effect for flights on or after Aug. 19. The airline also boosted the fee for booking a ticket over the phone to $20. So let your fingers do the talking. 

Continental also said more "revenue-raising measures" were to come. Can't wait. I'm bored with baggage fees. Surely, there must be more creative ways to pick our pockets. Here are some ideas: charge by the inch for the overhead bin space; charge passengers by weight including shoes; make the seat-back table - and the bathroom - require a swipe of your credit card. Any other ideas?

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 2:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Airlines
        

OK, let's get this out of the way up front: there's a lot of fine print with this promotional offer. You've been warned. I don't like it either, but it's not my party. If you follow the rules, all should be fine.

Intercontinental Hotel Group, owners of Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and Candlewood Suites, to name a few, is offering a free night for every two nights you stay by Aug. 15. You have to join their Priority Choice Club and register for the offer. Book your room using your member number.

After you pay for your stay, they will email you the information about your free night. You can earn a maximum of 4 free nights, which can be redeemed now through Dec. 26. When you go to use your free night, make sure the date is certain, because if you cancel your reservation you will forfeit the free night. Got it? There's more.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 1:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Travel
        

Posted by Phill McGowan at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Kids used to getting a new wardrobe for school might be finding themselves wearing the same gear from last year instead.

That’s because parents are more cash-strapped then ever and aren’t planning to spend a lot on back-to-school this year, according to a survey released today.

Back to school spending will drop 8.5 to 12 percent, according to the survey by America’s Research Group. More than half of parents are trying to get their kids to wear what they wore last year. And 34 percent of parents said they will spend less than last year. The survey consisted of 1,000 telephone interviews conducted July 6 to 10.

So what are your plans for back-to-school shopping? What will your kids be wearing? Anyone have tips on how to save on back-to-school gear?

Posted by Andrea Walker at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Budgeting, Shopping
        

Christmas in July. Hardly a new concept, but one that has seemed to gain a few new adapters this year, among them Toys R Us and Sears.

Some, like Sears, are using it to promote their Christmas lines and get people to shop for their ornaments and trees before other stores put their inventory out. Others are using it to clear out regular merchandise, by selling items at discounts typical for the holiday season. Toys R Us, for instance has steep discounts at many of its stores throughout this week. In theory, parents could pack away the toys they buy for Christmas.

But the question is: Are people thinking about Christmas when they’re lounging by the pool, drink in hand, reading chick lit? Retailers have been pushing holidays up for years now, selling Thanksgiving stuff before Halloween is over and putting out Valentine’s chocolate before we’ve barely opened our last Christmas gift.

But does it really put retailers ahead of the game? Will more budget-conscious consumers think about holiday shopping earlier this year to spread their spending out? What are your thoughts on the idea?

(Photo by Amy Davis/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Andrea Walker at 9:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Shopping
        

Every six months, the Maryland Department of Agriculture releases a list of naughty Maryland businesses that have committed weights and measures violations.

But these MDA inspectors do more than just test scales! According to the weights and measures program Web site,

"Electronic scanning devices at the check-out counters in retail stores are inspected periodically in order to audit and verify prices stored in the retailer's computer."

That explains several penalties paid by two big-box stores in Owings Mills for "price verification" violations.

Have you been overcharged by a price scanner error? To file a complaint about this or other problems, print out MDA's weights and measures complaint form (here's a .pdf version), fill it out and fax it to 410-841-2765. The office address is:

Maryland Weights and Measures
50 Harry S. Truman Parkway
Annapolis, Maryland 21401 

Check the list below the jump to find a number of stores with weights and measures violations in the Baltimore area, including shops in Westminster and Glen Burnie.

(photo: Jo Jakeman/Flickr)

Safeway #1089, Gaithersburg – On February 11, MDA received $750.00 for a civil penalty for short weight.

BJ’s Wholesale Club #132, Bowie – On March 12, MDA received $750.00 for a civil penalty for short weight.

Fresh World, Glen Burnie – On April 10, MDA received $500.00 for a civil penalty for short weight. 

Giant Food #132, Bethesda – On April 27, MDA received $750.00 for a civil penalty for short weight.

Bloom #2708, Rockville – On April 27, MDA received $2,000.00 for a civil penalty for short weight. 

Super Fresh #943, Silver Spring – On April 28, MDA received $1,000.00 for a civil penalty for short weight. 

K- Mart, Frederick – On May 19, MDA received $500.00 for a civil penalty for price verification. 

Staples #7289, Owings Mills – On May 19, MDA received $500.00 for a civil penalty assessed for price verification. 

Petco #1771, Forestville – On May 19, MDA received $500.00 for a civil penalty assessed for price verification.

Mor For Less, Cumberland – On May 19, MDA received $500.00 for a civil penalty assessed for short weight. 

Tropical Market, Baltimore – On May 20, MDA received $250.00 for a civil penalty assessed for short weight. 

Target #1045, Owings Mills – On May 20, MDA received $500.00 for a civil penalty assessed for price verification. 

Weis Market #111, Westminster – On June 3, MDA received $750.00 for a civil penalty assessed for short weight. 

Advanced Auto Parts, Frederick – On June 17, MDA received $500.00 for a civil penalty assessed for price verification. 

Advanced Auto Parts, Westminster – On June 23, MDA received $500.00 for a civil penalty assessed for price verification. 

Giant Food #198, Potomac – On June 23, MDA received $1,000.00 for a civil penalty assessed for short weight. 

Giant Food #152, Silver Spring – On June 23, MDA received $500.00 for a civil penalty assessed for short weight. 

Giant Food #342, Marlow Heights – On June 23, MDA received $750.00 for a civil penalty assessed for short weight.

Han Ah Reum, Wheaton – On June 23, MDA received $2,000.00 for a civil penalty assessed for short weight. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer protection, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

It's such a logical answer.

Reader Tom Wishon contacted us with a very, very good guess as to why anyone would bother scraping, gouging or otherwise obscuring the hours of operation on Fells Point parking meter machines, which issue parking meter slips for your dashboard.

These meter machines are slowly replacing traditional parking meters around the city. Usually, the hours of enforcement are posted on a sticker inside the glass window of those old-school models, safe from tampering hands. But the hours are printed on stickers posted on the front of the new meter machines.

Wishon's hypothesis?

If I had to bet on why this is happening, I would say the odds-on favorite is: Beat that ticket! If you get a ticket you could go to court and say that the hours were scratched off so you didn't know if you had to pay or not .... Maybe take a photo with your handy cell.

That would also explain why vandals had targeted clusters of the machines --- Watchdog spotted three affected on Broadway at Pratt Street last week, four or five vandalized machines at Aliceanna Street several months ago.

Reader Matthew Lesko also wrote to say that the Baltimore Parking Authority should add the hours of operation to the display screens of the machines.

All these meters have a screen that should be capable of displaying "hours-in-effect", which would mean no sticker is necessary. In this humble reader's opinion, the city's failing to take this approach means you should take them to task for not having a means to use the meters in this fashion.

Baltimore Parking Authority spokeswoman Tiffany James said that the meter manager is already considering taking this approach.

And just FYI --- the hours of operation for the meter pictured, on the 200 block of S. Broadway, should be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. On the 600 block of S. Broadway, north of Aliceanna Street, it's 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Both meters are in effect Monday through Saturday.

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Watchdog
        

Readers have been submitting questions to the blog about the first-time homebuyer credit. IRS spokesman Jim Dupree has been answering them. This time around, Dupree has some bad news for questioners:

Q. My husband and I separated in May 2009. He is residing in the home I co-signed for because we were married. He has 6 months to assume the mortgage in his name only. I have purchased a residence in my name. Do I qualify for the credit?

A. No. Section 36(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code requires that the taxpayer and the taxpayer’s spouse not have an ownership interest in a principal residence within the three years prior to the date of purchase. While individuals do not have to be married to get the credit, marriage (and legal separation) imputes ownership of a previous home upon the other spouse. The taxpayer may not take the credit even if filed on a separate return.

Q. In March, I became officially divorced. During the previous three years my former spouse owned a home that I lived in as my principal residence. I was not on the deed. Do I qualify for the first-time homebuyer credit?

A. Eligibility for the first-time homebuyer credit is determined on the date of purchase. If your wife had ownership interest in a principal residence within the prior three years, neither taxpayer may take the first-time homebuyer credit. Section 36(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code requires that the taxpayer and the taxpayer’s spouse not have an ownership interest in a principal residence within the prior three years from the date of purchase.

Q. We had a trailer on a lot that we owned. But in 2008, we got a new house. Can we get the new home credit? Does owning a trailer count as a home?

A. Taxpayers who have had an ownership interest in a principal residence at any time during the three years ending on the purchase date of the new residence cannot claim the first-time homebuyer credit. A principal residence may include a house trailer or a mobile home, whether or not it is on a foundation. Thus, a taxpayer will not qualify for the first-time homebuyer credit if the taxpayer has owned and used a house trailer or mobile home (whether or not on a foundation) as a principal residence at any time during the three years ending on the date he or she purchases the new home.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 1:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Taxes
        

I fell for it. The lure of a 20 percent discount on the spot and the promise of more coupons in my mailbox convinced me to open a Macy’s credit card even though I knew better. What I didn’t know is that I was opening two credit cards in one.

My new credit card is used as a Macy’s card when I shop at the department store. But it can also be used as a Visa card anywhere else.

How did I find this out? I paid my bill online, only to get a paper bill saying I hadn’t paid. I was charged a late fee and an exorbitant interest rate on the “unpaid” balance.

 When I called Macy’s, the customer service guy said I paid the Visa bill, but not the Macy’s. Can we say, confusion? I didn’t even know I had a Visa bill. And with a very high limit too.

The guy transferred my payment to the Macy’s bill. But I have to say I’m still a little peeved. Like a lot of people, I’m not using much credit these days. And I definitely don’t want that much open credit.

It just reminded me to be very, very careful with credit cards. Credit card companies are raising interest rates and cutting limits as they prepare for more stringent rules to take effect in February. Banks also say they are seeing higher default rates because of the economy. Read what my colleague Eileen Ambrose recently wrote about one man’s experience. 

Here are tips from Consumers Union about credit card traps to avoid.

(Photo courtesy of AP)

Posted by Andrea Walker at 9:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Banks, Consumer protection, Credit cards, Debt, Shopping
        

UPDATED: Got questions about paying fall college tuition bills, student loans or the first-time homebuyer's credit? Check out Eileen's live chat about personal finance at 12 p.m. Tuesday, July 21 and pose your questions to the expert herself!

Sun business columnist Eileen Ambrose has some excellent ideas for families struggling to pay college costs after their financial situations changed due to job loss, declining investment value, home foreclosures or other problems.

The first step is important: call the college's financial aid office right away and tell them you're having a problem. Several local schools have extended aid adjustment deadlines or even raised money specifically to assist students who are struggling, according to Eileen.

Check her column for more ideas of financial aid sources. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: College/Financial aid, Student loans
        

Hey, gang, I'm hosting a nother live chat at noon Tuesday. The topic: What are your options if you don't have the means to pay college tuition bills coming due for the fall semester.

As always, the chat will entertain any other financial questions you may have.

And, you can always submit questions beforehand by sending them to me at eileen.ambrose@baltsun.com Talk to you Tuesday!

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 1:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Personal finance
        

There’s some small tasks I’ve been wanting to do around the house for awhile – add phone jacks to the guest bedroom and basement, redo the basement floor which has an ugly green carpet the previous owners probably put down in the 70s.

But I’m not so handy and neither is the boyfriend. I’ve been afraid to call a contractor because I’m worried I’ll get the one bad apple that will overcharge me, rob me or do a bad job. I have gotten some recommendations from friends, but wanted more choices.

I discovered Service Magic while searching online. The 10-year-old company has a database with thousands of contractors, handymen, electricians, roofers ect., including 851 in the Baltimore area. What I really liked about the company is they screen the contractors. They run a background check, look for bankruptcy and liens, check sex offender lists and make sure the companies are properly insured among other things.

They also have a ratings and review process. If they notice a good number of people aren’t happy with a certain contractor, they’ll rescreen the company. Service Magic also guarantees the service. If you’re not happy with the work, they will try to work it out with the contractor. If that fails, they’ll have someone else come in and fix the problem.

The best thing about the service is it’s free. They stay in business by charging the contractors to be on the list.

I’m going to try Service Magic and report back on my experience. In the meantime, anyone else have tips on finding a handyman. See what my colleagues have written in the past about finding a contractor.

Posted by Andrea Walker at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Home/Real Estate
        

Head out to a national park or monument this weekend and get free admission. In June, the National Park Service designated several fee-free weekends for summer 2009 and there are only two remaining. The waiver applies only to the entrance fee.

Here in Maryland, you can get in free at Assateague National Seashore, Antietam National Battlefield, C&O Canal Historic Park, Fort McHenry National Monument, Fort Washington Park and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.

Speaking of Antietam, this weekend is a 6th annual event focusing on the New Hampshire Infantry and featuring living history volunteers, weapons demonstrations, and stories of the common soldiers who fought with this unit.

Photo by Wessel Kok, Special to the Baltimore Sun

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Travel
        

Watch out for the modern Willie Loman.

In May, we heard warnings about beguiling teenagers and college students selling magazines door-to-door for charities that don't actually exist.

June brought us security system companies pitching 'free' alarm equipment in exchange for a monthly fee for the service itself.

Now, in Howard County, water purification companies are plying their wares by leaving free tests of home drinking water at their doors, a scam that nearly always results in recommendations that homeowners invest in a purification system.

Just remember ...

use the same comparison shopping methods for products pitched door-to-door as you would for those items at a store. Don't sign a contract for a home security system without checking the features and prices charged by other companies, for example ... and don't donate to a charity without vetting it first online through sites such as Charity Navigator.

I don't think most consumers would trust water quality tests conducted by a company that wants to sell you a purification system ... but unfortunately these testing notices left on people's doors probably seemed official and didn't indicate they were left by a private company. Best advice: give your friends and neighbors a heads up to avoid them.

And if Howard County residents who use public water service (not well water) are curious about the quality of their home drinking water, they can check the Howard County water quality annual report.

(photo: Lee J. Cobb and Mildred Dunnock as Willy and Linda Loman in the original production of "Death Of A  Salesman" by Arthur Miller)

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Consumer protection, Shopping
        

Happy Friday, everyone ... here's some deals to enjoy:

Save $5 off $25 purchases at Walgreens on Friday, July 17, discovered via @bitofwhitt.

Save $5 off $50 purchases at Sears, and get free breakfast at Ikea on Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19, courtesy of FrugalPlus.com.

On Tuesday, July 21, get a free Starbucks pastry with the purchase of any beverage, courtesy of dealnews. Just print out the Starbucks free pastry coupon or display it on a Web-enabled phone.

Of course, like the McDonalds free breakfast sandwich offer we told you about in June, a free pastry with beverage purchase deal is not that great if you don't ordinarily spend a lot of money at the coffee shop sometimes referred to as Fourbucks. It's your call.

Here's another offer:

In other news, we've been reminding you to get a coupon for a free chocolate bar from Mars ... you can register any Friday until September! And don't forget about the free McDonalds McCafe Mocha drinks on Mondays through Aug. 3.  

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food
        

WhiteFence, a comparison shopping Web site where consumers can sign up for services, released a survey today stating Baltimore had the highest average utility bill among 21 major metropolitan areas. Utility bills included phones, Internet, television as well as electricy and natural gas.

But BGE says the survey is flawed. Here's the company's reponse from Wayne Harbaugh, vice president of BGE Pricing and Regulatory Services:

"The WhiteFence Index has some serious deficiencies, including some just plain incorrect information and some very misleading data. For instance, it states that the average home electric bill in New York City is $53 a month, while the average electric bill in Baltimore is $182 per month. In fact, ConEd, which serves New York City, has some of the highest electric prices in the country. According to the latest Edison Electric Institute’s Semi-Annual Bill Comparison, a 1,000 kWh residential bill in New York is $219.98, while the same bill for 1,000 kWh in Baltimore is $154.96. New York’s electric rates are more than 40% higher than in Baltimore -- not considerably lower, as this index would imply.

"There are also problems with the index’s comparison of natural gas costs. For example, WhiteFence states that the average natural gas bill in New York City is only $16/month vs. $29/month in Baltimore. For those of us in Baltimore, this would seem to be a real bargain. Digging a little deeper into the facts, one would find that much of the residential heating use in New York City is provided by a large central steam system. In most NY City homes, natural gas is only used for cooking and the occasional gas fireplace, while in Baltimore most of the homes are also heated by natural gas.

"Natural gas prices in Baltimore are lower than in New York City, but since New York City residents have very low gas usage (little or no heating), their bills appear to be lower in the WhiteFence comparison.

"WhiteFence has a serious omission in their index in that they do not include the costs of steam, nor do they include oil bills. Since heating and air conditioning usage represents over 50% of the energy usage in a home, cities where a large proportion of the heating requirements are supplied by either steam or oil are artificially advantaged in this poorly constructed index.

"This fact is irrefutable: BGE’s rates are the same or lower than other utilities in Maryland, and are in the middle of the pack when compared with utilities throughout the mid-Atlantic and Northeast."

What do readers think? 

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 5:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Energy/Utilities
        

A reader called The Sun earlier to report problems with Comcast Digital Voice phone service in Westminster.

Jaye Linnen, a Comcast spokeswoman, returned my call at 4:30 p.m. to say the problem arose due to scheduled overnight maintenance to users of a specific modem, which affected Comcast high-speed Internet and digital voice phone service.

She said service had been restored to all affected customers in Carroll County by that time, however.

Linnen would not share how many were affected, but said that if anyone was continuing to have problems, they should call 1-800-COMCAST.

For the more computer-savvy out there ... 

... we've also recommended folks use e-mail and Twitter to get Comcast's attention.

However, if your Internet is down, that might not be the best option. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 5:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cable/Satellite/TV/Comcast/FiOS, Cellular/Landline/Voice over Internet
        

I would like to be a better steward of the environment. But I’m not that good at recycling, to the dismay of certain of my friends. And I wouldn’t know an environmentally-friendly product from one whose fate is destined for a landfill.

Now Wal-Mart is touting an idea that it thinks will make it easier for people to live a greener lifestyle. The retailer announced today that it is creating an index that will rank the sustainability of the products you use. CEO Mike Duke said in a statement that consumers want to know “the materials in the product are safe” and that they are “produced in a responsible way.”

Wal-Mart’s new initiatives will be done in three phases. It will survey its 100,000-plus suppliers around the world to determine those company’s sustainability practices. The retailer will then create a consortium of universities to work with suppliers to develop a database looking at the lifecycle of products. It will turn to technology companies to power the index.

Lastly, it will take all the information and create ratings on the sustainability of products that are easy for consumers to read.

So what do you think of Wal-Mart’s plan? Is it something you would use?

(Photo courtesy of AP)

Posted by Andrea Walker at 5:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Greenies
        

My colleague Sarah over at the RealityCheck blog is celebrating her 9th anniversary today and I figured she deserved something special. Since this was waiting in my inbox, I think it's serendipity: Gaylord National Resort at the National Harbor in Prince George's County is offering a two-night wedding anniversary package with the second night free.

The "Unforgettable Anniversary Weekend Package" includes atrium-view room, access to the spa's sauna, steamroom and whirlpool areas, a complimentary dessert selection (probably not wedding cake) and late check-out. The package is available any weekend during your anniversary month and you'll have to show proof in the form of a marriage certificate. Rates for the first night start at about $199.

The offer is good through August 2010. Also, it's available only by phone, so you have to call 301-965-2000.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 4:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Travel
        

Maryland Dish Network subscribers will share $325,000 in restitution under a settlement concerning the satellite television company’s marketing and billing practices.

Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler through his Consumer Protection division joined 45 other states and Washington in suing the company for not adequately disclosing all the terms of its contract, making telemarketing calls to consumers who requested not to get them, failing to disclose the availability of rebates, credits and free offers and not telling consumers they were purchasing used equipment.

The company also made inaccurate comparisons to competitors’ prices and charged consumer credit cards and debited bank accounts without proper permission. Under the settlement, Dish Network has agreed to change its marketing and billing practices and make sure consumers clearly understand what they are buying.

It also must change its practice of debiting consumer bank accounts and make sure third parties it hires to market its products follow terms of the settlement. Dish Network also agreed to pay $5.991 million in total restitution to consumers across the country, including the $325,000 to Maryland.

Eligible are consumers who filed complaints with the Attorney General’s Office or with Dish Network between January 1, 2004 and July 9, 2009. Complaints can be filed with the Office of the Attorney General at http://ui-blogs.trb.com/cgi-bin/mt/www.oag.state.md.us/Consumer/complaint.htmor by telephone at 410-528-8662.

Consumers who haven’t yet filed complaints but feel they were unfairly treated by the company in the time period can also file complaints with the Attorney General’s Office, Dish Network or the Better Business Bureau within the next 150 days to see if they are eligible for restitution. It is not known how many Marylanders will receive restitution.

(Picture courtesy of Associated Press)

Posted by Andrea Walker at 3:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cable/Satellite/TV/Comcast/FiOS, Complaints, Consumer protection, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

New figures from WhiteFence.com show that Baltimore residents pay the highest utility bills in the country.

Like we didn’t already know that, or at least had a strong feeling we dished out a lot of money for utilities.

WhiteFence, a site that allows you to comparison shop for home services, reports that in June the average utility bill for Baltimore was $353.93. Utilities include electricity, natural gas, phone, Internet and television).

The national average was $263.83.

Our closest competitor was Houston, where residents there paid an average $335.91.

Even cities noted for not being cheap fared better than us. New Yorkers paid an average of $197.07; Angelenos paid $184.25.

And if you look at the average bills for the past six months, Baltimore still ranks No. 1 at an average of $362.01. The national six-month average was $286.27.

Do you believe these figures that Baltimore residents pay the highest utility bills?

UPDATE:  Some readers, including Constellation Energy, question the validity of this survey.  One reader points out that not every place in the nation was surveyed. And, indeed, 21 major areas were in the survey. Also, WhiteFence gets its data on phone, Internet and TV from consumers placing orders on WhiteFence, so it leaves out others who order services elsewhere.

WhiteFence also published its methodology:

"The data available in the WhiteFence Index is derived from the hundreds of thousands of orders that are placed on any one of WhiteFence's Web sites each month for television, phone and high-speed Internet. We are then able to determine popular packages and plans that customers order each day. WhiteFence can also determine the average cost for these communications products based on what our customer base orders through any one of our hundreds of Web sites.

The method for getting the averages for electricity and natural gas differs from the communication categories. As the majority of the United States electricity and natural gas service is regulated, these rates are general public knowledge — but not always the easiest information to find. Due to our widespread relationships with service providers and our knowledge of the energy industry, WhiteFence has been able to get the actual price for each city published in the WhiteFence Index. The price for electricity or gas is based on a unit of measurement either a kWh for electricity or a therm for natural gas. Extensive research was done to ensure that we had accurate usage history for each area in the Index for electricity and natural gas by month. This can vary if you use more or less than the average for your area, what season it may be as well as if you use only electricity or a combination of gas and electric."

UPDATED AGAIN: Check out what BGE had to say about WhiteFence's survey of utility prices. 

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (62)
Categories: Energy/Utilities
        

If you're headed down to College Park next week and you like bagels you might want to stop by the new Einstein Bros. Bagels.

The restaurant is giving free bagels for a year to 100 people. To get the deal you have to be one of the first 100 people in line at their new store at 10280 Baltimore Ave. in College Park on July 24.

You have to be at least 18 with an ID to participate. Do that and you'll get coupons for one free Breakfast Sandwich a week for a year. You sure better like bagels for that.

Residents in the area will also get coupons in the mail for other free food.

<i>Don't miss other free offers in the near future, including free McDonalds McCafe Mocha coffee drinks on Mondays through Aug. 3 and free chocolate coupons from Mars --- register for one any Friday through September. --- Liz </i>

Posted by Andrea Walker at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food
        

Heads up: Annapolis Police believe a skimming device had been installed on a Bank of America ATM in Annapolis between June 25 and July 5 to steal customers' debit card information, and they're looking for two suspects.

Bank employees reported that a customer spotted a suspicious box on the ATM on July 5. Annapolis detectives also noted several reports of bank fraud in which the victims had used that Church Circle ATM.

Skimmers are devices that copy the information from the magnetic stripe on ATM users' cards. The Annapolis Police have surveillance images of two suspects they believe installed the device onto the ATM.

Later, the card numbers were used to make online purchases, including cell phones in the United Kingdom as well as memberships to porn and other sites. 

If you, too, were prey to these criminals, contact the Annapolis Police at 410-268-9000.

Nicole Nastacie, spokeswoman for Bank of America, said the company does not comment on specific incidents but does work with law enforcement as well as monitors its ATMs for unusual activity. Anyone who spots fraudulent charges should contact their bank. 

How can you protect yourself from skimmers?

We've given you tips to protect yourself from skimming devices before, but just to rehash:

1. Always check the ATM for anything that looks unusual, such as a new box for brochures. Officer Ray Weaver said in some cases, the criminals placed an "out-of-order" sign over the real card reader, directing customers to use the skimmer instead.

2. Always cover your hand when entering your PIN. Sometimes the thieves install a camera in or near the ATM to record your keystrokes. They use that information along with the card numbers from the magnetic stripe to drain your account.

3. Check your statements carefully. Be on the lookout for odd purchases and charges, because the sooner you report fraud, the sooner you can get  your money back.

4. Consider asking your bank for an ordinary ATM card, one that is not backed by a credit card brand and thus cannot be stolen and used in stores or online. You could always hang onto the debit card, leaving it in a safe place for emergencies, but just use the plain-vanilla card occasionally.

I know a lot of Consuming Interests readers prefer their debit cards -- they can be convenient, and that way you're not spending money you don't have. But this potential for theft worries me, because when your bank account is compromised, that money is gone, until the bank refunds you. And a landlord/mortgage lender/loan shark might not be sympathetic to your plight as a victim of crime.

Photos courtesy of Annapolis Police.

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer protection, Credit cards, Identity theft
        

Are you a baby boomer who started a business later in life?

If so, our awesome colleague Hanah Cho would like to talk to you for a story about older entrepreneurs.

Turns out that contrary to popular belief, it's not twenty-somethings who start businesses, but more frequently people over 40. One study found that the average age of U.S.-born technology founders was 39, and it's similar across other industries too.

If you or someone you know started a business long after their 10th college reunion, Hanah would like to talk to you. Contact her directly at hanah.cho@baltsun.com.

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

What’s going on with shopping in downtown Baltimore?

On Monday, I wrote about some significant retailers abandoning The Harborplace and The Gallery shopping complex in downtown Baltimore. J. Crew, Aveda, Origins, White House Black Market. Some other retailers are leaving for the hipper Harbor East area. Moving in recently are less caliber stores. We’re talking “A Dollar” and “News Stand,” which despite its name has very few newspapers and no magazines.

Management blamed the problem on the economy and retailers choosing to downsize. And to be fair, almost every retailer, except Wal-Mart, is suffering. But retailers in most cases are choosing to close the underperforming stores. So it still begs the question if the stores would have stayed if people were shopping at the complex in the first place?

Several readers, after seeing the story, also questioned whether crime is a problem.

So all you Baltimore shop-a-holics, where do you shop downtown, or do you still head to the suburbs to make your purchases? What do you think needs to be done to improve the Harborplace and the Gallery?

Posted by Andrea Walker at 1:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

It's been light years - well, not really - just 40 years since Apollo 11's grand moon landing on July 20, 1969. Museums across the country are celebrating the anniversary with events and exhibits and more.

At the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, where you can see the capsule (command module) that carried the astronauts back to Earth, a new exhibit of paintings by Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean opens Thursday, which is also "Countdown to the Moon" family day at the museum with special lectures and more. On Sunday, the museum hosts a book signing with three astronauts: Buzz Aldrin, Alan Bean and Michael Collins. Best of all, admission to the museum is free.

But the best celebration, I think, takes place at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida: They're unveiling a 55-pound chocolate-marshmallow Moon Pie on Monday. And, yep, the public is invited to eat it! Happy Birthday, Moon.

Photo by AP/Smithsonian Institution, Eric Long

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Travel
        

A big thank you to Jim Dupree of the IRS for answering these complicated questions on the first-time homebuyer credit:

Q. My wife and I separated in December and will be divorced in July 2009. We lived in her home for 20+ years and she is selling it now. I want to buy a condo for $85,000 (2br, 1-1/2 bath!) in August. Since I have not owned a home during this period, do I qualify for the First-Time Homebuyer Credit? May I refile the joint 2008 tax return or claim the credit on the 2009 return. The AGI limit for single may impact the 2009 return and credit amount. During our marriage the mortgages were paid from a joint checking account.

A. No. The purchase date determines whether a taxpayer is a first-time homebuyer. Since your wife had ownership interest in a principal residence within the prior three years, and you were legally married, you can’t take the first-time homebuyer credit.

Section 36(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code requires that the taxpayer and the taxpayer’s spouse not have an ownership interest in a principal residence within the prior three years from the date of purchase. While individuals do not have to be married to get the credit, marriage (and legal separation) imputes ownership of a previous home upon the other spouse.

Q. My husband and I are closing on a house in 2 weeks. We file separate returns due to his taxes going towards back child support. I am the primary on the mortgage and he is the secondary on the mortgage, if I do not out him on the deed, will I be able to claim the full 8000.00 credit?

A. For a married person to be eligible for the first-time homebuyer credit, both the taxpayer and the taxpayer’s spouse must not have had an ownership interest in a principal residence at any time during the three year sending on the purchase date of the residence. Further, if a married person files a separate return, the amount of the credit is limited to $4,000. These rules apply even if only one spouse is the owner of the residence.

In the second scenario, if both the taxpayer and her spouse have not had an ownership interest in a principal residence at any time during the last three years and all the other requirements are met, the taxpayer may take the first-time homebuyer credit either on a joint return for a maximum credit of $8,000 or on a married filing separate return for a maximum credit of $4,000, even if the taxpayer is the sole owner of the residence.

For the taxpayer’s spouse to claim the first-time homebuyer credit on his own married filing separate return for a maximum credit of $4,000, that spouse must own the property and meet all other requirements. If both spouses qualify for the credit, then each spouse may claim a maximum credit of $4,000 on their respective married filing separate returns.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 11:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Taxes
        

Pet Airways, the new airline that only allows pets on board, took its first flight from BWI Airport Tuesday. I have to admit that I don’t have a pet so I was a little skeptical about the idea. But there seemed to be plenty of people willing to pay a little money to ensure their pets travel as comfortably as they do.

The airline, which is serving 5 major cities initially, is booked for the first two months. And there were plenty of the furry friends flying from BWI yesterday, including a Bernese Mountain Dog and four cats.

So, is there a niche for this kind of business? Read what my colleague Jill Rosen had to say about Pet Airways on the unleashed blog.

(Photo courtesy of Associated Press)

Posted by Andrea Walker at 9:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Airlines, Pets, Travel
        

Here at Consuming Interests we're always encouraging readers to try to bargain down recurring expenses such as a cable or cell phone bill, or to complain about unwarranted fees.

But sometimes the most difficult part of the battle is simply navigating through the menus of the telephone tree to reach a customer service representative with the power to effect the change you seek.

Next time you're dreading the "Please listen carefully as our menu options have changed" recording, try Fonolo instead.

Intrepid garden blogger and community coordinator Maryann James passed along this Lifehacker review of Fonolo, which uses deep dialing to help you skip through early menus to reach the right department. Here's an explanation of how Fonolo works.

Basically, Fonolo has transcripts of the different phone menu options for 500+ companies. Search for the one you want, and click through the options until you find the right menu for you. Then, Fonolo will place the call for you and connect you directly to that location --- no listening to hold music required!

Another new feature: Fonolo will allow you to record conversations with these companies. It's a useful feature, but remember under Maryland law both parties must consent to have a telephone conversation recorded, so be sure to state that you are recording at the beginning of your call.

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer Web Site of the Week
        

In keeping with Consuming Interests' annual tradition, here's the list of Maryland lawyers disciplined by the Maryland Attorney Grievance Commission in the last fiscal year (ending June 2009).

ALLEGANY COUNTY

THOMAS, C. Trent - Commission reprimand by consent for failure to act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing his client and failure to respond to requests for production of documents and evidence of causation in a timely manner, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.3.

WASSER, Nathan H. - Disbarred by consent on February 3, 2009 for misappropriation of escrow funds, failure to safekeep client property and illegal conduct, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 1.5(a) and 8.4(b),(c) and (d).

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

ROUSE, Joseph H. - Commission reprimand by consent for failure to substantively pursue the administration of an estate.

TANKO, Louis P., Jr. - 60-day Suspension on April 17, 2009 for misleading the Court by filing documents requesting expungement of cases which he knew were not entitled to be expunged and not alerting the court to the timing requirements, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 3.3 and 8.4(d).

BALTIMORE CITY

BUTLER, Anthony Ignatius, Jr. - Commission reprimand for failure to diligently pursue his client’s collection cases and failure to communicate with the client.

BUTLER, Anthony Ignatius, Jr. - Suspended for 30 days by consent on November 26, 2008, effective as of December 1, 2008 for his failure to follow the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and repeatedly missing deadlines.

GARDNER, Paul W., III - Commission Reprimand for failure to deposit a client’s retainer into an attorney trust account, maintained pursuant to Maryland Rules, Title 16, Chapter 600 for safekeeping. The client’s retainer payment was in anticipation of future legal services yet to be rendered, pursuant to the retainer agreement, to be withdrawn only as fees were earned.

JONES, Rodney M. - Commission reprimand for failure to act with diligence and promptness in representing his client, resulting in a direct criminal contempt hearing, in which the Court issued an Order of Contempt. His misconduct is a violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.3.

PETTIT, A. Dwight - Reprimand by Commission on July 16, 2008 for being remiss and negligent in supervising his employee over a long period of time and in monitoring his cases.

BALTIMORE COUNTY

DOUGLAS, Yalonda M. - Disbarred by consent for engaging in fraudulent conduct in connection with the receipt of a loan to refinance property, handling the settlement on the refinance, and signing another lawyer’s name to the settlement statement for the transaction.

GLASS, Joseph E. - Commission reprimand for failing to adequately communicate the terms of the fee agreement to his client before or within a reasonable time after the engagement.

JORDAN, Cynthia - 30-day Suspension on April 6, 2009 for making a false reports to police and her insurance company that her automobile had been stolen by an unknown individual, when she knew it had been taken by a friend who abandoned it after having an accident, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 8.4(b), (c) and (d).

McLAUGHLIN, J. Michael - Commission reprimand for failure to respond to a lawful demand for information from a disciplinary authority, the Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland.

PAWLAK, Thomas F. - Indefinite Suspension on April 14, 2009 for a lack of competence and diligence by failing to handle an estate matter for over a decade and for failing to respond to Bar Counsel, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 1.1, 1.3 and 8.1(b).

POWELL, Roger N. - Commission reprimand for the wrongful disbursement of funds from his escrow account.

TURNER, Robert C. - 90-day Suspension by consent for engaging in a conflict of interest and neglecting his clients’ cases.

WEINRAUCH, Aaron D. - Disbarred by consent for failure to withhold income taxes and failure to pursue cases after taking fees.

CARROLL COUNTY

NEE, Dawn Allison - Commission reprimand for creating her own mediation services to be performed outside of her employment with the firm. In doing so, she used the firm’s malpractice policy information without the firm’s knowledge, in order to offer such services as a court-appointed mediator, which conduct violated Maryland Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4(c).

DORCHESTER COUNTY

BOHLEN, Lawrence G. - Commission Reprimand for commingling his personal funds with his clients’ funds held in his escrow account, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct 1.15(a) and 16-607.

FREDERICK COUNTY

BRENNAN, Richard A. - Disbarred by consent on January 28, 2009 for various violations, including lack of diligence and communication, misappropriation of client funds in connection with his “debt settlement” business, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.16, 8.4 and the Annotated Code of MD, Business Occupations and Professions Article, Section 10-306.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

ALEXANDER, David, Jr. - Disbarred by consent for failure to diligently pursue his clients’ matters, failure to forward client files timely upon termination, failure to refund unused retainer fees upon termination, misappropriated escrow monies, and failure to respond to Bar Counsel’s office.

BYRD, Ralph T. - Disbarred on April 14, 2009 for filing false business reports and disobeying court orders in his bankruptcy, as well as multiple violations with respect to District Court practices, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 1.1, 1.3, 1.4(a)(2), 3.3(a)(1), 3.4(c) and 8.4(b), (c) and (d).

GARCIA, Jose Expedito - Interim Suspension by Consent on March 17, 2009, effective immediately, until the case is decided on the merits and subject to further order of the Court of Appeals.

GARRETT, Dwayne L. - Reprimand by Consent by the Court of Appeals on May 4, 2009 for failure to respond to Bar Counsel, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 8.1(b).

HALL, Ralph Edward, Jr. - Indefinite Suspension on April 15, 2009 (with the right to reapply after 24 months) for engaging in a sexual relationship with his client which constituted conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice and a conflict of interest; failure to advise the client about the possible negative implications on the representation; and failure to act with reasonable diligence and promptness, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 1.3, 1.4(b), 1.7 and 8.4(d).

HUANG, Paul C. - Commission Reprimand for violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 8.4(d), relating to the services of prostitutes sent to him by an escort service between 1995 and 2003; on approximately 6 occasions, he gratuitously reported to the escort service owner on the performance of her employees. His conduct does not involve dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.

LARA, Joel D. - Commission reprimand for engaging in professional misconduct in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4(a) , 1.6(d) and 8.1(b). He failed to act with reasonable diligence and failed to keep his client reasonably informed about the status of the matter; upon being discharged by his client, he ignored requests of client and client’s new attorney for papers, including medical records from his file. He also failed to respond to lawful demands for information from the office of Bar Counsel concerning the complaint.

MEI, Howard Teng-Hao - Disbarred by consent on November 10, 2008 for entering into a relationship with an agency by assisting them in filing asylum applications that contained false information for the applicants; failure to represent clients who were referred to him by the agency in their asylum matters promptly and with reasonable diligence; and failure to communicate with his clients. He also shared fees with the non-lawyer agency and knowingly made a false statement about his relationship with a former client while representing her.

SCHWARTZ, Bradley David - Disbarred by Consent on March 23, 2009 for misuse of client funds, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 1.15, 8.4(b), (c) and (d), 16-609, and MD Annotated Code, Business Occupations and Professions Article 10-306.

UGWUONYE, Ephraim, Jr. - 90-day Suspension by the Court of Appeals on July 24, 2008 for failure to act with diligence and competence in representing a client by failing to respond to a notice of contemplated dismissal for lack of service. With regard to another client, he took a fee for a frivolous case and failed to return an unearned fee (which he had deposited in his operating account).

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

AZUEWAH, Ndukwe - Commission Reprimand for employing the services of an unpaid, non-lawyer assistant with no training as a legal assistant who provided legal advice/assistance to one or more clients, during which time he failed to make reasonable efforts to ensure that his assistant’s conduct was compatible with his professional obligations, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 5.3.

FORD, Brian K. - Disbarred by consent for misappropriating trust funds from his title company.

HALL, John Morgan, Jr. - Commission reprimand for violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3 and 1.4 by failing to: inform the client that he had not filed a claim on her behalf; advise the client that he was not going to represent her; and advise the client to seek the advice of another lawyer.

HECHT, Ross D. - Commission reprimand for failure to respond timely to Bar Counsel’s request for information concerning complaints and failure to provide written notice to his client that he was declining to represent her, causing confusing and misunderstanding.

McCLAIN, Charles E., Sr. - Disbarred by Court of Appeals on September 8, 2008 in connection with his representation of a client in a case in which the Circuit Court had ordered the sale of property owned as tenants in common by the client and another person. The Respondent made false and misleading representations to the Circuit Court and the Court of Special Appeals, in violation of Rules 8.4(c) and 3.3(a), failed to provide competent representation, in violation of Rule 1.1, failed to make reasonable efforts to expedite litigation, in violation of Rule 3.2, brought or defended a proceeding without a basis in law and/or fact which was not frivolous, in violation of Rule 3.1, used means that had no substantial purpose other than to delay or burden a third person, in violation of Rule 4.4(a), made a statement that he knew to be false and/or made a statement with reckless disregard of the truth concerning the qualifications of integrity of a judge, in violation of Rule 8.2(a), and engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice, in violation of Rule 8.4(d).

MOORE, Richard A. - Commission reprimand for failure to keep an account on the insurance proceeds of his sister and claiming “under the penalties of perjury” that he was the sole heir to his mother’s estate, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 1.15(a), 3.3 and 8.4(a), (c) and (d).

RHODES, Laura K. - Commission reprimand for failure to diligently represent her client, failure to keep her client adequately informed, and failure to expedite litigation.

RYAN, Michael W., Jr. - Disbarred by consent for a series of violations of multiple Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct dealing with competence, diligence, communication and safekeeping property.

SHAKIR, Saladin Eric - Indefinite Suspension by consent for failing to provide diligent representation, failing to adequately communicate, charging an unreasonable and/or excessive fee, failing to hold a pre-paid fee in trust until earned, failing to promptly refund the unearned portion of a pre-paid fee, and failing to timely respond to lawful demands for information from Bar Counsel’s office.

SHRYOCK, Charles M., III - Disbarred on March 18, 2009 for misconduct, including the unauthorized practice of law while indefinitely suspended, committing in the process a criminal act bearing on his trustworthiness and fitness to practice law, conduct involving dishonesty and misrepresentation, and failure to cooperate with Bar Counsel’s investigation, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 5.5, 8.1(b) and 8.4(a), (b) and (c).

TAYLOR, Michael F. - Reprimand by Court of Appeals on September 4, 2008 for misuse of attorney trust account and violation of Rules of Professional Conduct 1.15 and Maryland Rule 16-607.

UGWANYI, Chinyere M. - Commission Reprimand for violating the requirements of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 5.3(d)(3) relating to the hiring of a disbarred attorney and also for giving the disbarred attorney the title of “Director of Litigation & Negotiations” which could give the mistaken impression that he is an attorney licensed to practice law.

QUEEN ANNE’S COUNTY

COPPER, Catherine R. - Disbarred by consent on November 25, 2008 for misrepresentation to her client regarding the status of his legal matter and claimed the case settled when she never did any work on the case.

ST. MARY’S COUNTY

LAWRENCE, John Douglas, Jr. - Indefinite Suspension by Consent on May 1, 2009 for placing unearned, flat fees in a non-attorney escrow account and used same for his personal and business purposes, failing to promptly refund unearned fees to his client and attempting to negotiate a refund in exchange for his client not reporting him to the Attorney Grievance Commission, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 1.15(a), 1.16(d) and 8.4(d).

TALBOT COUNTY

FARRIS, Peter Daniel - Indefinite Suspension by consent for failure to take action in an estate case.

WICOMICO COUNTY

SNYDER, Albert R. - Reprimand by Court of Appeals for giving incorrect advice to a client in an immigration matter, then delayed returning his fee, as he had promised.

WORCESTER COUNTY

FARNAN, Michael T. - Indefinite Suspension for chronically violating traffic laws in violation of Maryland Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4(d).

OUT OF STATE

HALL, Carey Bartlow - Suspended for eighteen months on October 31, 2008, effective as of May 6, 2008 based on a previous suspension from the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania as well as in New Jersey.

HARRIS, Robert John - Suspended for 60 days by consent for his neglect of his clients’ cases.

KIMMEL, Craig - Suspended indefinitely for failure to supervise an associate and failure to communicate with a client.

MITTENDORF, Robert E. - Disbarred by consent in three matters, for agreeing to represent his clients, abandoning the representations after accepting prepaid fees, failing to communicate with his clients and Bar Counsel, and failing to return the unearned portions of the fees.

QUEEN, Thomas Howard - Reprimand by Court of Appeals on March 12, 2009 for incompetence, lack of diligence and failure to respond to demands for information from Bar Counsel, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 1.1, 1.3 and 8.1(b).

SILVERMAN, Robert - Suspended indefinitely for failure to supervise an associate and failure to communicate with a client.

WHITE, Jeffrey T. - Disbarred by consent for misappropriating funds.

ZIMMER, David Howard - Disbarred by consent on May 5, 2009 for failure to respond to Bar Counsel and for his continued pro hac vice representation of several plaintiffs in a federal court in Georgia after he had been decertified in Maryland for failing to comply with mandatory pro bono legal service reporting requirements, in violation of Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 8.1(b) and 8.4(d).

(photo: Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 3:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Posted by Phill McGowan at 11:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Baltimore Gas & Electric has proposed switching all its customers to "smart grid" technology -- particularly advanced meters that provide frequently updated information about energy consumption -- that the company says will encourage them to conserve when it matters most, at peak times when we're paying the most.

Company officials said the initiative could result in demand reductions of 500 megawatts --- the amount of electricity generated by a new power plant, without having to pay to build it (or fuel it). 

The program has a hefty price tag: $500 million, to be funded through bill surcharges that start at 38 cents for electric customers and 44 cents per month in the first year. These are expected to increase to an average of $1.24 and $1.52 respectively over the five-year program --- or perhaps less, if BGE receives federal stimulus grants for smart grid technology of up to $200 million for smart grid technology. 

They submitted the initiative to the Maryland Public Service Commission on Monday, which will ultimately decide whether to give it a green light.

The Sun's business columnist Jay Hancock said the smart grid proposal will be worth it if it works out as planned -- with federal stimulus grants, and if the savings pans out.

And, he points out, the smart metering pricing could have been set up so that people who continue to use energy during peak periods pay more. Instead, they set up incentives: rebates to reward those who cut back at critical times, instead of penalties.

Still, consumer advocates such as the Office of the People's Counsel want to be able to carefully vet the terms of any potential deals before they are on the hook for the price of this program. They want to know why it has to be rolled out so quickly, instead of just installing the "smart" meters as the existing ones grow obsolete. There are also concerns about smart grid security. And they're just working out the standards for these smart grid devices now.

Most importantly, they question whether the actual savings will match the predictions.

How does BGE say the initiative would work? 

In pilot programs, about 3,000 BGE customers got devices that showed them detailed information about their consumption. They also got lighted orbs that glowed green most of the time, but started to flash when critical peak periods (when demand and costs are high) were predicted due to high temperatures, for example.

When the peak times arrived (between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.), the orbs switched to red, as a signal to consumers to conserve. During the tests, customers saw the light and reduced their energy consumption by about a third in the peak periods, which translated into cash back on their bills.

BGE says by reducing demand at these peak times, the company would pay less for the energy used by other customers who won't (or can't, for health or other reasons) --- cut their consumption during those times.

BGE also says that even those customers who don't change their consumption behavior would see savings, because these new meters would also serve as two-way communication hubs, allowing the company to read the meters remotely and get information about outages and other problems. That would eliminate about 100 meter-reader jobs and other costs, for about $600 million in savings, according to BGE.

What do you think about the proposal?

(photo: Jed Kirschbaum/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Energy/Utilities, Greenies
        

A Southwest Airlines jet headed to Baltimore from Nashville was forced to make an emergency landing Monday evening in West Virginia after a football-sized hole opened in the fuselage causing the cabin to lose pressure.

The incident led Southwest to order an overnight inspection of its entire fleet of Boeing 737-300s. Flight 2294 made a safe landing at Yeager Airport in Charleston, W. Va. There were no injuries among the 126 passengers and five crew members, a Southwest spokeswoman said.

The plane departed Nashville at 4:05 p.m. and was about 30 minutes into the flight when the cabin depressurized, activating oxygen masks throughout the aircraft. According to passenger and crew reports, a hole was seen about mid-cabin in the top of the plane.

"We heard a loud pop, and one of the panels [on the ceiling] was sucked up tight against the ceiling. You could definitely tell there was a hole there," passenger Steve Hall of Murfreesboro, Tenn., told the Charleston Gazette. Hall said passengers put on the oxygen masks and the flight continued for about 20 or 30 minutes before landing at Yeager, a regional airport.

The NTSB is investigating the cause of the incident. Southwest said it is sending maintenance personnel to Charleston to assess the aircraft. In addition, out of "an abundance of caution," the airline ordered a review of its planes overnight. The review may cause some delays in the airline's scheduled flights Tuesday.

<i> If you were on the flight, we'd love to talk to you! E-mail me at liz.kay@baltsun.com. --- Liz Kay.</i>

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 5:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Travel
        

Stop by for a live chat tomorrow at noon on what Michael Jackson can teach us all about estate planning or other personal finance questions on your mind.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 2:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

So the "staycation" has made it into the books. The Merriam-Webster dictionary to be specific. Last week, the publisher announced some 100 "new" words have made it into this year's Collegiate editions. I have no problem with "locavore," "flash mob," or "Reggaeton." But staycation? It's more like a "frenemy" (also being added).

The dictionary defines staycation as "a vacation spent at home or nearby." If I spend my vacation at home, it's no longer a vacation. It's housecleaning, organizing, garden-tending, catching up on laundry and bills. It's 5 days that make me wish I was at work. Don't get me wrong. A day trip is great. It's fun to explore your home state. Maryland has so much to do that you could probably staycate here for the rest of your life. But my point is a staycation sounds like something it's not.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 12:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Travel
        

A week ago, I wrote about the Rev. Nathaniel Pierce who was upset that Chase had changed his credit card terms on him, essentially raising his minimum monthly payment from 2 percent of the balance due to 5 percent.

Here’s the update:

Pierce says he got a letter from Chase late last week, suggesting he contact its Proactive Solution Team if the change in terms will present a hardship for him. Pierce called and was told he qualified for one of Chase repayment plans. His minimum monthly payment goes back to 2 percent and his interest rate of 3.99 percent was also cut in half.

But as part of the payment plan, Pierce must close his account, so he can’t use the card any more. Pierce took the offer.

He wrote in an email, “Well, as I told the very nice woman member of the PS team, I was planning to close the account anyway because I did not want to do business with a bank which unilaterally changed the terms of our deal executed three years ago.”

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (35)
Categories: Credit cards
        

(photo: Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

Baltimore couples, describe your most memorable romantic moment in 50 words or less to win a free wedding from one of the Harbor Magic hotels (warning: site has music): the Admiral Fell Inn or the Pier Five Hotel.

Submit your entry at www.yourmemorablemoments.com/FreeWedding by Monday, June July 27 to be considered.

The winners will be announced at a party with complimentary champagne, reception and exhibits by wedding vendors at either the Admiral Fell Inn or Pier Five Hotel.

There's a perk for entering ... 

... because the top 10 finalists for each hotel will each receive a $100 travel gift card courtesy of
www.YourMemorableMoments.com.

The grand prize winner wil be randomly selected from the finalists to receive a "Free Deluxe Wedding Reception for 100 people" at either Pier 5 or the Admiral Fell Inn, including a welcome reception, four-course dinner with wine, champagne toast, wedding cake and complimentary suite for the bride and groom the night of the wedding.

You must be present to win, and you must enter the contest to RSVP for the party. UPDATED: just fill out the contest form without filling out the story part to RSVP without entering. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

Earlier this week, I posted a comment from Mary, who was charged a fee by her credit card for a foreign currency conversion, even though she made her purchase in Switzerland in U.S. dollars.

I asked if anyone knew of a card that didn't do this.

Curtis Arnold, founder of CreditRatings.com wrote in: "Just wanted to let you know that we track these for the NY State Banking Dept. every quarter and also that the Charles Schwab credit card does NOT charge any currency fees.

And he provided the link.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 5:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Credit cards
        

One more guest post from Andrea K. Walker:

Saturday is 7-Eleven’s 82nd birthday and the convenience store chain is giving away free Slurpees Saturday to celebrate.  The chain is giving away 5 million of the 11.77.11-ounce frozen drinks --- a nice summer treat for cash-strapped consumers.

Thanks to Sun community coordinator Maryann James for the tip. And if you're still in the mood for something chilly, don't miss free McDonalds McCafe Mocha drinks on Mondays through August 3.

(photo: Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)

Here are some random Slurpee facts from the company: 

• Slurpee drinks are all served at 28 degrees.
• Slurpee was "invented" when some sodas were put in a freezer to cool them down - and they became all slushy.
• Winnipeg, Canada is generally thought to be the Slurpee capital of the world, due to their amazing Slurpee fanaticism.
• When Slurpee first hit the market, it wasn't self-serve. The machine was behind the counter and the clerk served the product to you.
• At Slurpee, we call it a BrainFreeze. The scientific name for it is Sphenopalatine Ganglioneuralgia. Really.
• Sugar is the anti-freezing agent in most Slurpee drinks.
• American Slurpee is injected with air. Canadian Slurpee is not.
• Every day more than 11.6 million Slurpee drinks are consumed around the world.
• In 2004, 7-Eleven created an edible Slurpee straw.
• Only one private individual owns a bona fide Slurpee machine. The rest are in 7-Eleven.

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food
        

Looks like something is finally about to get started on the much-anticipated Wegmans super-sized, gourmet supermarket coming to Columbia soon, reports colleague Larry Carson, who covers Howard County.

Crews began erecting fencing Friday around a large warehouse in east Columbia where the 160,000 square foot Wegmans supermarket and parking garage are to be built, Larry reports.

Jo Natale, a company spokeswoman in Rochester, N.Y., told Larry that demolition of the warehouse, last used as a filming studio for the Baltimore-based HBO series "The Wire," should be complete by August’s end.

The firm has also applied for a grading permit, Natale said, to prepare the site for construction.

"There is no construction schedule or opening date yet," she said, adding that the store will not be ready to open in 2010. Plans for building a Wegmans on this site, on Snowden River Parkway have been discussed since 2004.

Wegmans already has a store in Hunt Valley, and plans to build several more in Maryland.

Posted by Liz Kay at 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Food, Shopping
        

Hey gang, on Tuesday at noon I'm having another live chat on the blog. The topic is estate planning lessons you can take away from Michael Jackson. Yes, there are some.

But the chat is open to other personal finance questions, too.

You can post your questions then, or if you like, submit them here beforehand and we'll put them up on Tuesday.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Personal finance
        

Another dispatch from elite retail reporter Andrea K. Walker:

If you liked the nouveau style of the former Ixia restaurant in Mount Vernon, today could be your last day to take a piece of it home with you.

The upscale Mount Vernon restaurant, which closed late last month, has been selling off everything in the restaurant. Today is technically the last day of the sale, although restaurant designer and spokesman David Briskie said they might extend it into Monday or Tuesday.

What’s up for grabs? Wedgewod China, upholstered furniture, leather bar stools and one-of-a-kind art. Just to name a few things.

The sale lasts until about 5 p.m. Briskie said whatever doesn’t go will be put into storage for the next venture.

“Any designer should come because there are great deals,” Briskie said. “We paid a fortune for it and and we’re letting it go well below cost.”

(photo: Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Shopping
        

Get a free McDonalds McCafe Mocha on Mondays at participating McDonalds locations through August 3!

That's right, stop into any participating McDonalds location between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on July 13, July 20, July 27 or Aug. 3 and enjoy a free McCafe 8 oz. Mocha or 7 oz. Iced Mocha while supplies last.

Thanks to intrepid business reporter @hanahcho for the tip! 

The McDonalds site does not list which locations are participating, and warns that the offer is only valid while supplies last, so please report back here when you find Golden Arches that recognize the deal.

And if you can't wait utnil Monday, get a free Slurpee drink from 7-Eleven on Saturday ... 7/11.

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food
        

On the heels of a recall of 400,000 Simplicity drop-side cribs, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a voluntary recall of nearly 1 million play yards made by Kolcraft Enterprises, Inc.

The yards, which were sold under the brand names Kolcraft, Carter’s, Sesame Street, Jeep, Contours, Care Bear and Eric Carle, have side rails that can fail to latch properly, causing a fall hazard, according to the CPSC. There have been nearly 350 reports of this happening, with 21 injuries to children reported (including one concussion).

The model numbers and pictures of affected units are available on the CPSC's Kolcraft play yard recall Web site. They were sold at retailers and online from January 2000 through January 2009.

Some of the models have changing tables, vibrating areas or parent organizers. 

The CPSC also announced this week the voluntary recall of about 94,000 Kidde PI200 dual-sensor smoke alarms, sold between August 1, 2008 and May 4, 2009.

In two situations the smoke alarms, which have "HUSH" and "PUSH TO TEST WEEKLY" buttons on the front, have been damaged by electrostatic discharge during installation and failed to respond to smoke.

Anyone who owns one of the affected Kidde smoke alarms can contact the company for a free replacement by calling (877) 524-2086 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or by going to the Kidde smoke alarm recall Web site.

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer safety, Recalls
        

To kick off DIY@Artscape, on Tuesday, July 14, there will be a free screening of Handmade Nation, a documentary exploring do-it-yourself culture.

The free Handmade Nation screening starts at 7 p.m. at the University of Baltimore auditorium, 21 W. Mount Royal Ave. A question-and-answer session with the director will follow the 65-minute film. 

Discovered via The Broken Plate Company via Baltimore DIY Squad.

Then on Thursday ... 

... July 16, head to the Charles Theatre for a free showing of Food, Inc., sponsored by Chipotle Mexican Grill. 

The documentary Food, Inc. is about industrial food production and its impact on workers, human health and the environment.

Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis so get there early.

And don't miss other free & cheap summer movies in Baltimore and beyond. There are lots of outdoor screenings to choose from!

Posted by Liz Kay at 3:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food, Greenies
        

I'm writing an article about investing in a bear market, and am looking to speaking to those in their 20s and 30s about whether they have cut back on investing or are putting even more money in the market because they have years for stocks to turn around.

Send me an email if you'd like to talk at eileen.ambrose@baltsun.com. Thanks.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 3:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Personal finance
        

(art by Regina Boyce)

Last night I had a fascinating discussion with attendees of a community conversation organized by Art On Purpose, a local arts organization.

The group had held art workshops at several library branches exploring themes from Edgar Allan Poe’s work, including love and loss, madness and obsession, and fear and terror.

Several Baltimore residents created pieces addressing fear about the economy, and so for last night’s talk at the Waverly branch library, we dug deeper into what money provides and what folks were doing differently in the face of economic uncertainty.

We talked about priorities, and I offered up my frugal philosophy for life: how money gives us choices, whether it’s the kind of food we eat, the place we live and the health care we can enjoy. It’s better to start saving early, because you can’t take a loan for retirement.

Several attendees talked about the struggle to budget, how jarring it can be to suddenly become aware of how little money remains after addressing fixed expenses such as rent and utilities.

Another guest spoke about blowing up fixed expenses such as utilities altogether and going entirely without gas and electricity for most of last summer.

An experiment like that would certainly make you appreciate the simpler things. Another guest shared a story about a group of pre-teen girls who put aside their fancy video cell phones for more than hour to play with an old-fashioned deck of cards.

What are you doing differently because of the recession/economy, whether it's finding more economical entertainment, or cutting back on extras and rethinking eessentials?

You can see more art from the Art On Purpose workshops at other branch libraries this month as well as at the Baltimore Museum of Art this fall. The events are free and open to the public.

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Personal finance
        

Credit card companies are clamping down on any consumer who suddenly seems like a financial risk.

But according to Robert Manning, author of Credit Card Nation, card companies are doing data mining to look at where we spend our money to determine if we might have lost our job or appear to be having money problems.

In an interview with Marketplace, Manning compiled a list of 10 things you shouldn’t buy with your credit card lest it send up red flags to your card company.

Among them:

Purchases at 99 cent stores or Wal-Mart, if you never shopped those bargain places before. From the card issuer’s viewpoint, it’s suspicious that you are suddenly a discount shopper.

Retread tires. What, you can’t afford new ones?

Porn or strip clubs. Are you trying to take your mind off financial problems?

Marriage counseling. Could it be that you are your spouse are fighting about money?

Taxes. Bad sign if you add debt on a card to pay off another debt obligation.

Check out the list and tell us what you think. Do you really believe card companies are scanning statements for such purchases?

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Credit cards
        

The restaurants at the Tremont hotels --- Tug's Bar and Grille, the Grand Cafe and the Plaza Deli --- will host a complimentary wine and cheese tasting from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, July 9.

The restaurants and cafes plan to offer similar events every Tuesday and Thursday in July, according to the Downtown Partnership.

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food
        

I'm wearing my Watchdog hat while sharing this Consumer Web Site of the Week: Baltimore Housing's list of active code violations.

On this site, you can search for code violations at specific city addresses, or find code violations within a specific neighborhood. Addresses with stepped-up code enforcement and court orders are listed there too.

From the Code Enforcement Legal section page, choose "case tracking" to see court orders and outcomes. 

Other goodies from the Baltimore Department of Housing and Community Development Web site include links to the Housing Code Enforcement handbook as well as the Permits and Inspections handbook.

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer Web Site of the Week, Watchdog
        

Restoration Hardware Warehouse Sale in Edgewood! July 8 through July 12! 

RH will throw open its doors for a final closeout sale, letting visitors peruse its stock of more than 5,000 discontinued, returned or otherwise rejected furniture, lighting and home accessories.

Discounts range from 50 to 75 percent off. 

Hours of the sale are ... 

... 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, July 8 to July 12. On Sunday, it's open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Here's the address: 1701 Trimble Road, Edgewood. The number is 410-671-9687.

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Shopping
        

OK, I get a lot of airfare sales in my inbox. I'm sure you do too. I don't even look at all of them, so I can't say this one is the best. But it's certainly one I haven't seen from Southwest before and the price is right.

Here's the deal: One-way fares are based on the distance you're traveling. Travel up to 400 miles is $30 each way. For example, BWI to Boston or New York. (Take that Megabus.com. Well, not really, but it's close.)  Travel between 400-650 miles is $60 = BWI to Fort Lauderdale or Milwaukee. Anything more than 750 miles is $90 = BWI to San Diego or Seattle.

You have to travel between Sept. 9 and Nov. 18. Great for a fall leaf-peeping trip. (I can't believe I said "leaf-peeping" and it's not even August yet. Groan.) Book now - sale only lasts 48 hours - through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday.

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 1:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Airlines
        

World travelers, check your credit card. You might be charged a foreign exchange conversion fee even when making purchases in U.S. dollars.

Here's an email I got from Mary E.:

For our occasional international travel, we purposely keep a Capitol One Visa credit card that charges no foreign currency conversion fee. On a recent trip in Switzerland, several times when we used the card, we were asked whether we wanted to pay in U.S. dollars or Swiss francs. We did not know which would be to our advantage. In each case, we were told by the business that it would usually be to our advantage to pay in dollars. We chose dollars, but noticed when presented with the receipt that the transaction processing entity charged a currency conversion fee that was included in the exchange rate. Would we have been better off paying in Swiss francs, since our Capitol One card charges no conversion fee?

I'm somewhat familiar with Mary's issue because of an article I wrote yesterday on credit card issuers changing terms on consumers before credit card reforms kick in February.

In my reporting, Greg McBride of Bankrate.com told me that issuers have been getting more creative with fees. One of them is foreign conversion fees.

Usually, you only trigger a fee when you are making a purchase in a foreign currency. But McBride says card issuers have started adding the fee even if you are making purchases with U.S. dollars outside the country. The Caribbean, for example, is one place where you have the option of paying in dollars or other currency.

"Now we are seeing issuers assess the fee regardless of the currency...as long as the transaction takes place on foreign soil," McBride says.

If any of you know of a card that doesn't charge a foreign coversion fee, let us know. We'll pass the word onto Mary.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Credit cards
        

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 11:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Yeah, you can save reward points, you can win it, you can get your Mom to pay for it, but here's a really cool way to earn a one-night stay at more than 50 hotels across the U.S.: Just spend 8 hours as a volunteer or doing community service between now and the end of the year.

The group you volunteer with has to be a 501c3 organization - a place like Habitat for Humanity, for example - and you'll need a letter from the organization proving that you did the work. Then make your reservation at least 48 hours in advance at places like the Hilton Garden Inn in Orlando, the Marriott in Charlotte, the Renaissance Pittsburgh, the Doubletree Atlanta etc.

You'll have to pay the taxes and rooms are limited at each hotel - but the offer is good through Dec. 20. Plenty of time to "give a day and get a night" from Sage Hospitality, the group that operates the hotels. (They also offer 50% off for military and first responders.)

Posted by Michelle Deal-Zimmerman at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Travel
        

Costco has reached a settlement agreement with consumers who were short-changed on their membership renewals, with agreements that expired fewer than 12 months from the re-up date, according to Consumer Reports.

Basically, consumers would come in to the warehouse retailer months after their memberships had lapsed and sign up for another year. But the company would back-date the new agreement to when the original membership ended, so consumers who didn't spot the error would pay for a full annual membership that would expire in fewer than 12 months.

It's like paying to resume a subscription to a magazine and only getting 8 or 10 issues!

Under the terms of the Costco settlement agreement ...

... folks who renewed a Costco membership between May 2001 and May 2009 that expired in fewer than 12 months would receive anywhere from one to four months' free membership. Eligible members, both former and current, will receive a postcard in the mail.

Costco has also changed its policy, and if you renew more than two months after your old membership expired, your expiration date will be a year from the date you make the agreement.

This still seems shady to me.

I could see, perhaps, renewals lasting fewer than 12 months being reasonable if there was some incentive to restart right away, i.e. if renewing members paid a smaller annual fee than those who were starting afresh. However, that's not the case -- you pay the same for 12 months of membership whether or not your data is in their system already.

(photo: Paul Sakuma/Associated Press)

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food, Naughty businesses/NBotW, Shopping
        

Airlines keep trying to get your attention for that all-important safety info at the beginning of each flight. Typically, we're fidgeting, popping gum, checking our bags, talking - anything except listening to the flight attendants or watching the video. Seems to be a problem for airlines everywhere. First, Delta had the beautiful blonde with the sexy voice talking about oxygen masks and exit doors. Now comes Air New Zealand with an in-flight safety video that features flight crew wearing nothing but body paint. It's part of the airline's "Nothing to Hide" campaign to promote their no-hidden-fees airfares. Take a peek, it's in pretty good taste. Nothing you'll want to hide from the kids. You can read more about the video from this NYT story.