25 - Dealing with Debt - Consumerpedia Podcast

November 3, 2022

25 – Dealing with Debt

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Bruce McClary - Senior Vice President at the National Foundation for Credit Counseling

To deal with record inflation, many Americans are making ends meet by piling up record amounts of credit card debt. A trained credit counselor can help you pay down that debt, even if it seems insurmountable, and learn how to have a successful financial future.

In this episode, you’ll hear a real-life success story. Cara, who lives near Boston, was drowning in credit card debt five years ago. Today she is debt-free and has good credit.

We’ll also talk to Bruce McClary, a senior vice president at the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people deal with debt and better manage their finances. Find out how the counseling process works, and why some of the advice provided by for-profit debt relief companies can make your situation worse.

Additional Resources:

To find a nonprofit credit counseling agency, visit the National Foundation for Credit Counseling or call 800-388-2227.

credit cards, finance, money

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Whether it’s points, miles, or cash back, it’s nice to be rewarded for shopping. The lure of “getting something extra” can encourage you to apply for new credit cards and spend more to score those rewards.

In recent years, many credit card reward programs have become more complex and confusing, and frustrated cardholders are complaining to federal regulators.

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Not a Checkbook member? ⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠.

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

credit cards, finance, money

March 7, 2024

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

finance, leisure, money

February 22, 2024

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

finance, money, technology

November 30, 2023

52 – Shop Safely Online This Holiday Season

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): John Breyault - A Vice President at the National Consumers League; Melissa Lanning Trumpower - Executive Director of the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust

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, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

In this episode, we talk to John Breyault, a vice president at the National Consumers League, and Melissa Lanning Trumpower, executive director of the BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, about how to spot the tricks con artists use to fool you and how you can protect yourself. Also, the smart way to pay when shopping online, and how to fight back against porch pirates.

Additional Resources:

⁠Tips for reducing your risk of fraud this holiday shopping season⁠

⁠BBB Scam Tracker⁠ is a free tool anyone can use to report suspected scams. Your reports warn others so they can avoid similar cons.

Fraud victims can report scams to the ⁠National Consumers League’s Fraud.org website⁠. This information is shared with a network of 100 law enforcement partners across the U.S. and Canada.

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

finance, money, technology

November 2, 2023

50 – Finding a Credit Card That’s Right for You

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Sara Rathner - Credit Cards Expert at NerdWallet; Ted Rossman - Senior Industry Analyst at Bankrate.com

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 the terms, conditions, and fees. If you’re not careful, you could choose a card that hurts your financial well-being.

In this episode: How to shop for a credit card—things you should do before you apply for any card, and what to look for when comparing offers. Plus: Is a rewards card really right for you? And how a balance transfer card might help you pay down a large balance on another card.

Additional Resources:

Dealing with Debt

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

credit cards, finance, money

October 19, 2023

49 – Shop Like a Pro

Host: Herb Weisbaum /

Guest(s): Jamie Lettis - Checkbook Associate Editor

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 mislead you. Also, where to find hidden discounts and cash-back offers, and the potential downsides of using buy now, pay later.

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

finance, leisure, money