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Consumers' Checkbook
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Episodes of Consumerpedia
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It's going to be a busy summer for travel, especially for those headed abroad. It's late in the booking season, but some deals may still be available.In this episode, we'll look at what you can expect to pay for airfare, hotel rooms, and renta
Data breaches are now an annoyingly normal part of life: You change your stolen passwords, cancel your compromised credit cards. But it can be a significantly more serious problem when hackers get your medical data. Last year, about 1 in 3 Amer
Travel outside the U.S. and you’ll need to make sure yourcell phone works wherever you’re headed. With a little advance planning, you can also lower the cost of using your phone on that trip—in some cases, by $100 a line a week or more.In thi
Feeding the family has never been more expensive. Supermarket prices have been going up for four years now, running well ahead of the overall inflation rate. And while increases are slowing, no one expects the cost of food to drop back to where
You can save a ton of money by comparison shopping. Checkbook’s surveys consistently find huge price differences—sometimes more than twice as much—from company to company for the exact same product or service. And businesses can get away with
Are you frustrated with the way companies treat you? If so, you’re not alone: Surveys find that many consumers are fed up with long waits on the phone, customer service agents who can’t solve their problems, unintelligible billing statements, p
Most drivers find a policy, pay the premium, and never think about it again. Big mistake! Checkbook shoppers find huge price differences from company to company. Most drivers will save $500 to $1,000 a year by shopping around and switching if t
Manufacturers often make it difficult or impossible to fix their products when they break, or even take them to an independent repair shop of your choosing. Consumer advocates say these repair restrictions limit competition, drive up the cost o
You don’t necessarily have to join a gym to get more exercise there are scads of other workout options, many of which are free. If you decide that joining a club is the best choice for you, shop around and avoid making any long-term financial c
Smart toys are cool. With their onboard cameras, microphones, and sensors… plus the ability to pair with other devices or connect to the internet, they can do some amazing things. They can also collect data on your child—including pictures and
While convenient, online shopping can be risky. E-commerce creates all sorts of new opportunities for cyber criminals to do their dirty work, so you need to be careful. U.S. consumers reported losing $358 million to online scams last year, acco
Roofing work is expensive. If you hire the wrong contractor, you can overspend by thousands of dollars and still get terrible work done. It takes time to find a good roofer who will do the job for the best price—you don’t just hire the first co
The market is flooded with credit card offers, and some of the signup bonuses are mighty appealing. But slow down—applying for a credit card is something that shouldn’t be rushed. You need to cut through the marketing hype and understand all th
Whether you enjoy shopping or just grin and bear it, there are things you can do to score the best prices and make the process easier.In this episode, we explain how to ignore the flood of marketing hype and avoid the fake sales designed to mi
Artificial intelligence has been around for decades, but the world changed in November with the introduction of ChatGPT, the AI app that lets anyone harness the power of this amazing supercomputing technology—including criminals.In this episod
Today’s windows are technological marvels. They provide better insulation, reduce drafts, are easier to clean, and help lower home energy bills. But all these benefits come with very high price tags. Window companies generate numerous complain
Wearable devices, health apps, and online medical resources can help us stay fit and healthy. They also collect highly personal information that you might assume is confidential. In most cases, this data can be—and often is—shared and sold with
“Buyer beware!” It’s more important than ever for you to heed this warning when buying goods and services. Consumers’ Checkbook regularly reports on scams and shameful selling practices that continue to become more rampant. Unfortunately, even
Sooner or later all appliances will need to be repaired or replaced. But when the fridge is on the fritz or the oven is burnt out, how do you decide what to do? New home appliances are expensive, but it’s not always easy to know how much repair
The Consumer Financial Bureau (CFPB) is one of the newest federal regulatory agencies. Its prime directive is to ensure that financial products offered to you are fair, transparent, and competitive. The CFPB’s jurisdiction includes mortgages, a
In the last year or so, we’re finally beginning to see a robust market for electric vehicles. More manufacturers are now in the game, which provides buyers with more choices. So, should you go electric now, or wait, or maybe split the differenc
There’s a lot to consider when booking a hotel room: location, amenities, and quality. But for most of us, the deciding factor is price. In many cases, your room will cost significantly more than your flights. So, how do you find the best deal?
Most homeowners pay too much to insure their houses. They waste money on worthless optional coverage—or worse—stick with the same insurers year after year without checking if lower premiums are available from other companies.The potential savi
Companies always say their top priority is customer service, but all too often they fall short of that goal. What bugs you as a consumer? Is it the fine print in advertisements? Fake discounts? Maybe problems making returns or repair people who
Demand for plane tickets, hotel rooms, vacation rentals, and other travel services is up—way up. If your summer getaway involves flights, brace yourself for problems; like last year, planes will be packed, and the system will be stretched to it
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