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2 years ago

13 – Thinking About Buying an Electric Vehicle? Here’s What You Need to Know

Host: Herb Weisbaum /
Guest(s): Paul Eisenstein - Automotive Journalist and Publisher of TheDetroitBureau.com; Mike Monticello - Manager of Road Tests & Reviews at Consumer Reports Auto

Higher gas prices have a lot of people thinking about making the switch to electric vehicles, and automakers are racing to provide customers with options—sedans, sports cars, SUVs, and trucks.

In this episode, we look at where things stand right now, what’s coming down the road, and things to consider before buying a plug-in hybrid or fully electric vehicle.

Special Guests: Paul Eisenstein, Automotive Journalist and Publisher of thedetroitbureau.com, and Mike Monticello, Manager of Road Tests & Reviews at Consumer Reports Autos

Additional resources:

How to Decide If a Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrid, or Fully Electric Car Is Right for You

Most & Least Satisfying Electric Vehicles and Hybrids

With Chevrolet’s Under-$30,000 Equinox EV, Battery-Electric Vehicles Go Mainstream

How Much Do Cold Temperatures Affect an Electric Vehicle’s Driving Range?

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19 hours ago

61 – Medical Data Breaches Hit Record High

Host: Herb Weisbaum /
Guest(s): Eva Velasquez - President and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center; James Lee - Chief Operating Officer at the Identity Theft Resource Center

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 Americans had their medical records breached, according to the federal government.

In this episode, we’ll look at how hackers are getting their hands on this highly sensitive personal information, what they’re able to do with it, and how you can protect yourself.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

2 weeks ago

60 – Avoid a Big Cell Phone Bill When Traveling Abroad

Host: Herb Weisbaum /
Guest(s): Kevin Brasler - Checkbook's Executive Editor; Dani Dredger - Checkbook Senior Manager of Digital Marketing

Travel outside the U.S. and you’ll need to make sure your cell 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 this episode, what the major phone companies charge to use their roaming services when you’re in a foreign country, and how to pay less by switching to a local wireless carrier at your destination. Plus, the pros and cons of turning off your cell service and relying on Wi-Fi.

Read Checkbook’s full report on how to save money while using a phone internationally.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

4 weeks ago

59 – Saving Money at the Supermarket

Host: Herb Weisbaum /
Guest(s): Abha Bhattarai - Washington Post Reporter; Edgar Dworsky - Publisher, ConsumerWorld.org; Jamie Lettis - Checkbook Associate Editor

Feeding the family has never been more expensive. Supermarket prices have been going up for four years now, running well ahead of the overall inflation rate. And while increases are slowing, no one expects the cost of food to drop back to where it was before the pandemic.

In this episode, why everything is so pricey, the tricks food manufacturers use to disguise their price hikes—shrinkflation and skimpflation—and how to get the most for your money when you go to the supermarket.

⁠Read Checkbook’s full report on grocery stores and delivery services⁠.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

1 month ago

58 – Misleading Marketing That Gets You to Buy Now and Pay More

Host: Herb Weisbaum /
Guest(s): Kevin Brasler - Checkbook's Executive Editor

You can save a ton of money by comparison shopping.

Checkbook’s surveys consistently find huge price differences—sometimes more than twice as much—from company to company for the exact same product or service. And businesses can get away with this because they know most customers won’t bother to shop around.

Sometimes consumers don’t compare prices because they’re in a rush or they don’t want to scour the internet for the best deal. But we often find buyers don’t compare prices because they’ve been duped into thinking they already have.

In this episode, some of the common manipulative marketing techniques sellers use to convince you to pay up and pay too much.

Read Checkbook’s full report on the 30 Tricks Sellers Use to Manipulate You.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

2 months ago

57 – What Ever Happened to Customer Service?

Host: Herb Weisbaum /
Guest(s): Jon Picoult - Founder of Watermark Consulting and author of "From Impressed to Obsessed"; Forrest Morgeson - Associate Professor of Marketing at Michigan State University, Director of Research Emeritus at the American Customer Satisfaction Index

Are you frustrated with the way companies treat you? If so, you’re not alone: Surveys find that many consumers are fed up with long waits on the phone, customer service agents who can’t solve their problems, unintelligible billing statements, poorly designed websites, and inexperienced or indifferent sales staff.

In this episode: Why do so many companies see customer service as a costly problem, rather than a way to retain their customers? Why is it so difficult, if not impossible, to resolve issues via phone? Is there anything you can do to get your problems solved after the sale?

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

2 months ago

56 – A Crash Course on Auto Insurance

Host: Herb Weisbaum /
Guest(s): Kevin Brasler - Checkbook's Executive Editor

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 they find a better deal.

In this episode: Which insurance companies have the best prices? Which ones provide the best customer service? Do price comparison websites work? Plus, why do many insurance companies use credit scores to set their rates?

⁠Read Checkbook’s full report on auto insurance.⁠

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support