Folks, I'm still out of town, but don't miss Hanah Cho's excellent article in Sunday's paper describing how to buy foreclosed houses in Maryland. You might enjoy lower prices, but you'll certainly work hard for the savings.

However, given the pressure on the market, you might discover that buying houses in the traditional way might just be the more inexpensive route, especially given the length of time that might be required to buy a foreclosure.

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Home/Real Estate, How To
        

Job hunting? Polishing up your resume just in case you need it?

Attendance at the Enoch Pratt Free Library's Job and Career Center events has surged, according to the library.

Library staff also offer free resume reviews. Test study guides for graduate entrance exams and licensing or certification tests are available at the center. 

If you need the basics or a refresher on topics such as writing resumes or cover letters, interviewing or networking, check out some of the upcoming programs:

Continue reading "Job and career advice at the Enoch Pratt Free Library" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 3:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: How To
        

Maryland residents can review their credit reports from each of the three credit reporting bureaus twice a year. But what about the other organizations keeping tabs on your habits, including your insurance claims, your employment record and your rental history?

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you're entitled to not only the credit reports but also other specialty reports, about your check-cashing history, your personal medical history if you have private insurance and other information. Details from these reports can affect whether you're approved for an insurance policy, the premium you're charged, your chances for getting a job or even a new lease on a home or apartment.

To check for errors ... 

Continue reading "Save money on insurance: Consumer Web Site of the Week" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Consumer Web Site of the Week, Credit reports, How To, Identity theft, Insurance
        

How can you avoid turning credit repair into credit despair? Here are a few suggestions from the Federal Trade Commission:

Avoid any company that wants you to pay for credit repair services before they provide any services. It is against the law.

Avoid any credit repair company that will not tell you your legal rights and what you can do, yourself, for free.

Avoid any credit repair company that tells you not to contact a credit reporting company directly.

Avoid any credit repair company that advises you to dispute all of the information in your credit report.

Avoid any company that suggests creating a 'new' credit identity - and then, a new credit report - by applying for an Employer Identification Number to use instead of your Social Security number. That is against the law. If you follow illegal advice and commit fraud, you also may be subject to prosecution.

Be safe out there.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 9:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Consumer protection, Consumer safety, Credit reports, Debt, How To, Personal finance
        

Our counterparts over at the Chicago Tribune have put together a consumer guide to help all of us wade through the legions of customer service representatives, store managers and others who stand in the way of consumer justice.

The tips are pretty basic --- keep all receipts, take notes on your calls, get the names of people you speak with --- but can help you get a lot farther in resolving issues with warranties that are not honored or returns that are rejected or other conflicts.

Continue reading "How to solve consumer problems on your own" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, How To
        

Ethan Ewing, president of free online consumer portal Bills.com, shares with us the top ten "mistakes others are making" for people who are concerned with their financial futures :

1. Casually using a credit card: People who pay for their food with a credit card spend 30 percent more on average than people who pay with cash, according to a Visa study of 100,000 restaurant transactions. Those who want to avoid overspending should pay with cash when shopping or dining. (oh geez. I rarely ever carry cash with me.)

2. Buying too much house: "The bigger the house, the bigger the headaches," Ewing said. A mini-mansion comes with mansion-sized tax payments, insurance, maintenance, upkeep, repairs and yard work, and owners of more luxurious homes are more likely to feel pressure to upgrade everything from appliances to furnishings to the cars that go in the garage. Realtors sometimes encourage buyers to purchase as much house as they can "stretch" to, but Ewing said, "Take a realistic look at your needs and your budget to choose the house that is the right size for both. Ideally, all home costs -- including insurance, taxes and maintenance – should amount to less than 35 percent of your budget." (whew. I have a tiny house, one that I could afford even if my day job as your consumer columnist took a sudden nose dive.)

Continue reading "10 Ways to Avoid Worst Financial Mistakes" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budgeting, Economy, How To, Personal finance
        

While I was trying to meet my Sunday column deadline today, I got this urgent e-mail from Reader Rodney:

Hello, I'm in an auto repair shop and I'm very very concerned. The owner started alot of repairs on his own without any authorization at all. The vehicle is there because it wouldn't start. An injector pump was sent out and completed and when I asked the price for it; he told me he had no idea! When I pressed him that he must at least have a ballpark figure; he replied that they range from $500 to $12,000!!! Of course I should have never let that go. When I pressed for an estimate; he told me that he would know more later in the week. This guy scares me to death and I have a lot of experience with auto repair facilities. Isn'it there al law that work has to be athorized by the customer? Thank you very much.

Continue reading "Don't get ripped off by your auto mechanic" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 4:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cars, Consumer protection, How To
        

A judge has ordered a Tennessee man undergo a mental evaluation after he was accused of holding a Comcast technician hostage until he fixed his television (via Consumerist).   

John Weatherly disputes the claim that he deadbolted the door of his home and threatened the repairman with a German Shepherd. He was charged with kidnapping and resisting arrest, according to the Tennessean. Weatherly says he was mad that the technician had disconnected his surround-sound system but told him to leave it alone because the set was still under warranty.

Continue reading "Angry customer holds Comcast tech hostage" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: How To, Odds & Ends
        

Apparently, PB plumbing was installed in about six million homes between between January 1, 1978 and July 31, 1995, the dates for installations covered by the settlement.

More than 330,000 homeowners have had their plumbing systems replaced under the free program so far, but tens of thousands more may be eligible for the free plumbing replacement.

Continue reading "Polybutylene Pipe Class Action" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)
Categories: Complaints, How To
        

I can't remember where I read it or saw it, but I remember someone talking about how they found bugs in their cereal because they let the box sit for too long in their cupboard and to this day, I always always always check my cereal first before I eat it. I like to get protein in my diet, but not through buggy cereal, thanks.

So to help you avoid finding critters in your corn pops, or to help you stop wasting money because you can't eat your food before it spoils, ShopSmart (the sister mag to Consumer Reports) is offering you tips to help you store everything from butter to whole wheat flour.

Continue reading "More Cheap Tricks: Storing Food Tips" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 4:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, How To
        

Are you a haggler?

Are price tags merely a starting point for you? Do sales people groan when they see you walk up to the register? Do you firmly believe in never paying full price?

Well, my friend, you might be a haggler.

A lot of people are embarrassed to ask for a better price. Some people think it's unseemly to shop with a flea market or bazaar-like mentality. Some just feel downright foolish to bargain for anything, period.

I have to confess that I go back and forth about this. Sometimes, I'm too embarrassed to ask for a better deal on that dress, those shoes or that book I want. And then there are times where I have no qualms about asking if that's the best price I can get for the TV, fruit or flowers I'm about to buy.

The thing I have learned, however, is that it never ever hurts to ask. I might seem petty, but I've had good results pointing out stains or missing buttons, scratches on products or just simply asking if that's the final price.

Continue reading "Haggle like a Pro" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, How To
        

If you're in the market for anything from refrigerators to computers, there's nothing preventing you from running out to buy it RightNow. But if you're a Smart Shopper, you'll wait for certain times of the year to get what you want and save money.

For instance, did you know you shouldn't buy furniture in the late fall? Or that January or March is the best time to buy that HD TV you've been eyeing? Check out Consumer Report's sister mag, Shop Smart, for tips like these:

Appliances: Because sales happen in January, stores are open to haggling in December. For refrigerators, snag sales and get discounts when new models arrive in May and June.

Continue reading "Time your spending to grab the best deals on products" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, How To, Shopping
        

Still wondering whether you to go road trippin' this weekend? The Sun has an excellent fuel cost calculator to help you gauge how much you'll spend on fuel if you load up the kids for a weekend getaway. (Updated: AAA also has a fuel cost calculator that automatically plugs in estimated distances and fuel costs --- more of a ballpark figure.)

Of course, this doesn't include tolls, lower gas mileage due to AC/idling in traffic, and any number of other contingencies ... like if you add a detour to see Tulsa's Giant Oil Man to your itinerary.

Then again, you could always get someone else to drive ...  

Continue reading "How expensive is your road trip?" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars, Gas prices, How To, Travel
        

I've hired a number of home contractors since I bought my home in the city several years ago, I didn't follow my own advice at all in three instances. (hey guys, I am human. I make mistakes, too). I was really fortunate that those experiences didn't turn out to be huge disasters.

There's a right way and a wrong way to hire contractors as I wrote about in my Tuesday column (I'll post the Q&A column in the jump to keep it on the blog permanently), and I definitely took some chances when I hired the guy to help renovate my first floor, who then recommended someone to install my central air.   

Continue reading "How to Find a Good Contractor" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Home/Real Estate, How To
        

OK, Montgomery Burns is not lecherous. He's creepy, sometimes scary and diabolical. Lecherous, not so much. But he does make for a nice photo to illustrate our post last week on rating bad bosses. (sorry we didn't include it with the original post. we ran out of time)

When it comes to bad bosses, some of us said we worked for glad-handlers. Some said we worked for win-at-any-cost bosses. But one commenter shared a story about her boss and then asked a question that we weren't sure how to respond to. Self Medicating wrote that she works for someone who is a:

Cross between Likeable Loser and Glad Handler.

Plus he stares at female employees' breasts and talks to us like we're stupid, no matter what degree of professional accomplishment or general intelligence and demonstrated competence.

Continue reading "How to deal with a lecherous boss" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 8:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: How To
        

The Maryland Department of the Environment wants to help you save gas money.

April is National Car Care Month, and some repair shops will be inspecting cars for free, according to an MDE news release. They're looking for common problems that decrease fuel mileage and performance to help both the environment and your pocketbook.

With just a little more than a week left, MDE, the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC), and Precision Tune Auto Care will offer a free Car Care Clinic from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 20th at the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Washington Boulevard in Halethorpe. Apparently more will be scheduled elsewhere in the Baltimore metro area, and information about them will be posted at www.baltometro.com. (We'll try to keep you posted as well.) 

Here are some problems that can cause gas pains, according to MDE:

Continue reading "Save your gas money" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Gas prices, How To
        

We've been talking a lot about managing our money and the slowing economy. For anyone who thinks you may need some help getting your finances back in order, here's good advice on how to find a credit counselor from writer Gregory Karp at our sister paper, The Morning Call, in Allentown, Pa.:

Determine whether you're a good candidate. Sometimes a credit-counseling agency doesn't do anything you couldn't do for yourself.

Evaluate all of your options before entering credit counseling, including developing a better spending and savings plan and negotiating with creditors yourself.

Enlisting a credit counselor will be noted on your credit report. It can do significant damage to your ability to borrow money at good interest rates, because creditors will see that notation.

But credit counseling doesn't directly affect your three-digit credit score. Many distressed people seeking counseling have badly dinged up their creditworthiness, so an additional bad mark is perhaps only incremental.

 

Continue reading "How to find a credit counselor" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Debt, How To, Personal finance
        

I often sit here daydreaming about winning the lottery. I wonder if I'd quit my job? I wonder if I'd buy a fancy new car or a villa in Europe somewhere? When I'm not in la-la land, I actually temper my dreams with reality and figure I'd just invest my winnings wisely so my family and i could retire in comfort.

These days, it's hard not to think about reality. What with the mortgage crisis, soaring energy prices and increasingly expensive food prices, we keep talking about saving for the future and being financially literate enough so that you manage your money wisely.  

In that discussion about saving, Reader Don and I discovered that we are both worriers. We worry about whether we're saving enough for retirement. We worry about whether there will be any Social Security benefits left for us when we retire. We worry about whether we'll ever be able to retire. Don's banking on winning the lottery to lift him out of his worries. Me? I don't even play so i know I'll never win. That means I better have a plan B.

When I asked Don if he's got a plan B, he said: I haven't, and that's the scary part, my 401K has $655 in it, and that'll last me a week of retirement. We are truly the spend now, worry later generation and i am a prime example. I'm starting to think lottery tickets so any advice would be much welcomed!

Continue reading "How to start saving for the future" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 8:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Budgeting, How To, Investments, Personal finance
        

Digital TV is coming. Are you prepared? (If not, check out our earlier posts for help.) Better yet, are broadcasters and the technology behind it prepared?!

Read my esteemed colleague and tech guru Whiz's terrific column today. If you aren't nervous about the conversion before you read it, I'm betting you will be after you're done.

No worries, though. Whiz wouldn't leave you hanging. He offers tips to find out if your signal is acceptable, how to buy a digital converter box and then how to test it when you get it home.

If you've already gone through this ordeal and want to share it with the rest of us, do let us know whether you agree with Whiz or if you think the technology works brilliantly for you.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 12:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Digital television, How To
        

Don't miss science reporter and weather blogger Frank Roylance's story about smoke detectors today.

Last year 23 people died in Baltimore due to fire --- more than any year since 2001. It's not clear whether there were working smoke detectors in many of these homes.

While fire officials emphasize that while any detector is better than none, some say ionizing alarms, the most common --- and cheapest --- variety of smoke detectors, are less likely to trigger during certain types of smoldering fires. Plus, they are more likely to sound due to cooking smoke, and as a result people often disable them ... so they're not functioning when fires actually occur.

"Every night before I fall asleep I say a prayer for the two or three people I know are going to die that night because they have the wrong smoke detector," said Deputy Chief Joseph M. Fleming of the Boston Fire Department.

Fleming is an outspoken advocate for alarms that use an alternative "photoelectric" technology to sense smoke. Photoelectrics cost slightly more, he said, but they're quicker to sense smoldering fires and less prone to nuisance alarms. Although ionization alarms are faster at detecting flaming fires, he said, the advantage is a small one. 

A dual alarm might be your best option, according to the Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports.

Continue reading "Smoke detectors save lives" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer safety, How To
        

Remember that De Beers class action suit I told you about in January? Diamond buyers have until May 19 to file a claim and get some money back.

Here's that site again for those who missed it last time to read up on whether you qualify and how to file your claim. (sorry that took so long reader kristina, i've been away and didn't get a chance to look that up for you until last night.) p>

https://diamondsclassaction.com/Consumer.htm

Do check it out. You may be owed some money back.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 12:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: How To
        

You know how your mom always said there is a lid for every pot? Well, Satoshi Fujita is out there trying to prove your mama was right.

Who is the amazing Satoshi, you ask? Not to encroach upon the territory of  my wonderful colleague Maryann and her BaltAmour dating blog, but you gotta read the great Wired story about the dating guru for geeks.

He runs the PickUp School for Men Who Can't Get Any.

And you know, you can't get anymore direct than that when you're talking about geeklove. According to the story, the great Satoshi (who wears a wonderfully wacky wig) teaches more than a hundred students a month. Some of his classes -- like How to Use Magic to Gain Popularity and How to Seduce Women -- attract dozens of students. Each class costs $280 or 30,000 Yen.

His students are, according to the story,  

Continue reading "The UberGeek Guru of Love" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 8:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: How To, Odds & Ends
        

Just in case you missed my colleague Chris Emery's story on digital TV coming and how to obtain a TV converter box, read it here.

As Chris told us, households that use "rabbit ears" or a roof-top antenna to receive broadcasts on an older, analog TV will need a converter box. Coupons expire 90 days after they are mailed. Who can apply? Each U.S. household can apply for two $40 coupons to be used separately to purchase a TV converter box. Applications must include a home address. Applications that use post office box as address will be rejected.

How to apply:

Continue reading "Get yourself a digital converter box" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Digital television, How To
        

 
Yesterday, we told you that people who own older televisions will have to buy a digital converter box to continue to watch broadcast channels after February 17, 2009. But how do you know whether you need it?

All televisions purchased before 1998 have analog tuners, according to www.dtv2009.gov, a Web site about the coupon program we discussed yesterday. It's run by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. 

Some giant screen projection televisions --- 42 inches or larger -- purchased before 2004 might have digital tuners, and most televisions sold after 2004 at major retailers have them, as well.

But not all!

Continue reading "How old is old?" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cable/Satellite/TV/Comcast/FiOS, Consumer protection, Digital television, How To
        

Here at Consuming Interests, we get help from all our colleagues and you, dear readers, to share good consumer tips, advice and warnings to our small (but growing) and very savvy shopper community.

Jerry's Gems comes courtesy of PhotogPhenom and Bargain Hunter Jerry who sits a few desks away from me. Retail Dynamo Andrea Walker tells us about sales around town. Reader Jane recently told us about what a headache it can be to request a credit freeze. Financial Sage Eileen Ambrose tells you often about how to save wisely and care for your nest egg. Reader Bob and Reader Sean recently told us where we can find biodegrable poop bags.

Where else, I ask you, are you going to find oddly entertaining and useful advice like that? Well, I've mentioned her a few times in this blog already, but our Uber Consumer Reporter Liz has brought us a really delightful story today about the wonderful volunteers at the Office of the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.

These men and women do what I do (help resolve consumer complaints and answer consumer questions) on an entirely different level that's wider in scope and far more authoritative. Really. This is the office I call when I'm confused about consumer rights. The groovy thing about the volunteers is that they do it for the love of helping others and they really know what they're talking about since some of them have been there for decades now.

As an extra to Liz's story, she says the volunteer mediators and paid staff had some advice to share with us:

Continue reading "Help us help you" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer protection, How To
        

Commenter Mike of Sherwick Forest wrote recently on a post about a surcharge we're all paying on our electricity bills to get cheaper or free energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs:

The problem that I see with all of this is that there is no oversight of the PSC, and no consultation of the public. From an energy reduction standpoint the bulbs are great, but read the package and you'll wonder what genius came up with replacing a bulb whose only risk was cutting yourself if it broke. You will need an EPA HAZMAT team to clean up after these CFLs break.

I hear that complaint a lot, too, but I have to say, that's not entirely true. Yes, there is mercury in fluorescent lights. But no, not enough to need a HAZMAT team to come clean it up if the light breaks. Are there problems with CFLs? Sure. Some people don't think they're as bright as the incandescent bulbs. They don't work with dimmers, or at least none that I've seen. They're more expensive. But they're NOT hazardous to your health (not unless you decide to eat one or break a bunch of 'em up and roll around in it, I'm thinking).  

Here's what consumer writer Liz Kay wanted to share with everyone about CFLs, which I'm a heeeeUUUUGE fan of (really. As I told you before, I swapped almost all the lights in my house with 'em):

Continue reading "Fluorescent lights will NOT kill you" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer protection, Energy/Utilities, How To
        

If you've been putting off making a New Year's Resolution to exercise since you figure it's the first one you'll break, here's something you can do that will be good for you and won't require too much sweat. It will, however, require a little bit of time.

Now that you've received some holiday gifts -- possibly some pricey, some not -- it might not be a bad idea to make an up-to-date home inventory of your personal possessions.

Why in the world would anyone want to do that? For starters, the Insurance Information Institute, an industry tradegroup, says that taking stock of what you own helps you make the most of your insurance dollars. Senior V.P. of III Jeanne M. Salvatore says, "A home inventory lists all your personal possessions and their estimated value. This helps you to purchase the right amount of insurance and will make the claims process faster and easier if there is a fire, hurricane or other tyupe of disaster."

No one expects the worst to happen, of course. But when it does, the last thing you want to do is try to piece together the remnants of your life or remember every single item of value that you've lost.

For those of you who don't know where to start, the III has developed a software program called, Know Your Stuff, that allows you to enter, edit, print and store a home inventory. The newest version of this software can store multiple photographs of rooms and objects, and can handle large inventory files securely.

Continue reading "Inventory your home in the new year" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer protection, Home/Real Estate, How To
        

I meant to remind everyone of this last week, but I figure better late than never... Marylanders now have a new tool to stop identity theft. Thanks to a new state law that went into effect on New Year's Day, consumers here now have the ability to put a security freeze on your credit reports to stop thieves from opening fraudulent new accounts in your name.

By placing a freeze on your reports, it prevents a credit reporting bureau from releasing information about your credit history. If a creditor can't check your credit history, it's unlikely they'd extend new credit to you or anyone else trying to open accounts in your name. The freeze lessens your chances of becoming a victim.

As my colleague Eileen wrote on Dec. 9, "Marylanders can't be charged more than $5 to freeze a report or to have a freeze lifted. That is half the amount that credit bureaus are charging residents in most other states."

And victims of identity theft don't have to pay any fee, no matter where they live.

Do keep in mind that putting a freeze in place will make it harder for you to get instant credit. So if you're shopping for a car or like signing up for new credit cards (a bad habit!) often, you might want to hold off on putting a freeze on your reports. You can lift the freeze, of course, but you'll have to pay each time you ask to lift it.

To request a freeze:

Continue reading "Security freeze is now available" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Consumer protection, Credit reports, How To, Personal finance
        

Thanks to everyone for their concern and well-wishes. It's been an extremely difficult week for my family. After a wonderful Christmas and a great New Year's Eve, we received news that my uncle in Philly died suddenly of a heart attack on New Year's morning. He was 63 and my Mama's younger and only brother.

It was a devastating loss for us since he had just come down to visit with us on Christmas Eve and brought us that traditional Vietnamese roasted pig I told you about previously. He told us that night he wasn't feeling well and was tired, but we all thought it would pass. He didn't make a big deal of it so his death was a shock.

Last week, wWe spent the rest of the week organizing his office, home and paperwork, as well as planning his final arrangements. It was rough-going, but we did have a beautiful Buddhist memorial service for him on Saturday with just the family and his close friends. He would have loved it, I think.

We weren't looking to learn any lessons from such a painful loss, but my family did discover two things I thought I'd share.

Continue reading "Preparing for the worst" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 1:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: How To
        

In this job of mine, I get to hear a lot about bad businesses. I hear story after story about businesses that failed to fix things once a problem was pointed out to them. I am often drowning in stories about thoughtless, rude, inexplicable behavior from businesses toward their customers. So it's really nice to hear something nice about a business once in awhile.

Bargain Hunter Jerry must have known I needed an end-of-the-year pick-me-up because he shared this story with me:

Having an email provider that stores all my emails paid off today. Back in September, I booked flights for my mother during Southwest Airlines' buy-two-get-one-free promotion offering a free ticket to Rapid Rewards members for booking and completing two flights between qualifying cities before Nov. 15th. I managed to get her tickets between St. Louis and Baltimore and Kansas City and Tucson for just over $300 total, not shabby considering she was also getting a free ticket out of the deal.

Continue reading "Southwest owns up to mistake" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Airlines, Complaints, How To, Jerry's Gems, Travel
        

It's going to be cold this weekend. So these Top Ten Tips to Control Your Home's Heating Bills from the Edison Electric Insititute (a D.C.-based association of electric utilities) might be useful. Try to use some of them before you electric bill comes in the mail next month and blows your socks off.

To keep it mildly entertaining, I'll tell you which ones I do and then you can all yell at me about the others that I should be doing, too.

1. Lower your thermostat setting a degree or two (save up to 3 percent per degree on heating costs). I do this! I keep my house at a cool 68. What? It works, I tell you. Who needs heat? Actually, I do. I'm a cold weather wussy. I layer up like an eskimo indoors and out!

2. Regularly clean or replace the filter in your air conditioner and furnace (save up to 15 percent on annual energy costs). I do this, too!

3. Shut the door and vents in unused rooms (save up to 3 percent on heating costs). Geez. I am 3 for 3, so far! What can I say? I used to be this paper's energy reporter!

4. Lower the water heater's temperature to 120 degrees (save up to 10 percent on water heating costs; check temp with a thermometer under a tap). OK, I didn't do the thermometer thingy, but I did lower the temp on my water heater three years ago, right after the Glenn Thompson, fuel operation supervisor for the state's weatherization program, scolded me for not doing so.

Continue reading "Ten Tips to save on your heating bills" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 4:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Energy/Utilities, How To
        

Every year, I forget what the proper etiquette is for tipping during the holidays. Who should I tip? My hairdresser? The sanitation-recycling collectors I rarely see? The coffee shop owner who pours me a small, black, no sugar, no cream cup of coffee every once in awhile?

Thank goodness for Consumer Reports. They pulled together some general advice for clueless people like me.

In the December issue, a recent CR survey found "that the traditional list of holiday tip recipients is growing and gratuity amounts are increasing." Last season, respondents were most likely to tip child care providers (62 percent), housekeepers-cleaners (61 percent) and child's teacher (59 percent).

Consumers also tipped: hairdressers (54%), newspaper carriers (47%) manicurists/pedicurists (44%), barbers (40%), gardeners/lawn-care crews (32%) mail carriers (31%), school-bus drivers (31%), apartment building caretakers (30%) fitness trainer/instructors (26%), and sanitation/recycling collectors (15%).

How much should you tip? 

Continue reading "Holiday tipping" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: How To