The hectic holiday shopping season is underway, and for many, that will put a strain on the family budget. Checkbook wants to make this stressful time a little easier. Our annual holiday helper is packed with timely advice: Super shoppers share tips about how they find the best prices and avoid fake sales. Plus, how to avoid
The process has changed for anyone looking to hire a real estate agent; new rules took effect in August that are designed to bring transparency and competition to the marketplace. Consumer advocates hope agents will be more willing to negotiate their commissions, but the new process and unfamiliar paperwork could create confusion for a while. In this
Kitchen and bathroom renos are the most common home improvement projects—and they can be mighty expensive. If the layout of your kitchen or bath already works for you, and its cabinets and other features are in decent shape, you might be able to save a bunch of cash by doing what’s called a “light remodel.” In this
Prescription drug costs in the U.S. are “significantly higher” than in most other countries, according to a report earlier this year from the Rand Corporation. The average American spends more than $1,400 a year on prescription medications, research shows. For many, that expense is a budget buster. Because of the high cost, more than 9 million Americans
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
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
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
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
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 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
