Consumerist
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utilities
Here's A Cheap Way To Install Solar Panels On Your House
Cool Tools has an interesting suggestion for home owners who want to incorporate solar technology, but can't afford the steep investment costs: let the solar panel company finance it for you. The trade-off is you won't save as much money as you would if you paid for them outright, but you will save some money, and the company that's paying for the panels has a financial incentive to keep them working properly over the course of the agreement. More » -
auto bailout
Time Is Running Out For Chrysler! Bankruptcy "95% Certain"
With a week to go before the deadline runs out on Chrysler's bailout — it's looking less and less likely that the automaker will be saved from liquidation. More » -
auto bailout
The New Car Deals Are Piling Up — But Do You Care?
BusinessWeek did a little math and discovered that if you lined up all the new financing deals, tax incentives and discounts — a new car might actually be cheaper than a late model used one. But do you care? More » -
toyota
Yes, It's Official: That Stupid "Saved By Zero" Commercial Isn't Working
You, dear consumer, have abruptly stopped purchasing automobiles. GM's sales are down 45%. Ford has sunk by 30% and Toyota, yes, that Toyota is down 23%. More » -
car shopping
Consumer Reports: 10 Car Shopping Mistakes And How To Avoid Them
Consumer Reports has compiled a list of common car shopping mistakes from their Smart Buyer's Guide to Buying or Leasing a Car, which, of course, you can find in bookstores. More » -
Mothers Cookies
Mother's Cookies Goes Out Of Business, Kills Off Circus Animals
If you're a fan of those pink and white frosted Circus Animal cookies from Mother's, either stock up or start priming your nostalgia, because this week the company closed its doors abruptly. They've cited the expected reasons—the rising cost of raw materials, and an inability to borrow in the frozen credit market. More » -
toyota
Toyota: Bad Economy, Bad Car Sales, Cheap Financing
Toyota, long resistant to the sort of interest-free financing deals that their domestic counterparts survive on, is offering 0% interest financing on 11 of their vehicles, including Corolla and Camry, the Tundra full-size pickup truck, Matrix; RAV4, Highlander, FJ Cruiser, 4Runner and Sequoia SUVs; Sienna minivan; and Tacoma pickup truck. More » -
cars
How Hard Is It To Get A Car Loan These Days?
Having trouble getting a car loan? You're not alone. "Gas at $4 a gallon changed the type of vehicles people buy. The credit crunch, however, has changed their ability to buy," says a car dealer. Higher interest rates, higher down payments, fewer loans, and high aversion to dings on your credit report, this Kicking Tires post has more from the front lines about banks' new level of pickiness when it comes to putting you in your next jalopy. More » -
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home depot
Home Depot Asks: "Why Pay Cash Even If You Could?"
Reader Dan thought we'd be interested in this sign he spotted in his local Home Depot. It reads: "Why pay cash even if you could?" More » -
fannie mae
Not Good: Fannie Mae Loses $2.3 Billion
Fannie Mae is the nation's largest mortgage finance company and it's just not doing too well, says the AP. Increasing losses from foreclosures are wiping out Fannie's revenue. More » -
prius
UPDATE: Consumer Takes Sleazy Prius Salesman To Court
23 months after we first posted her story, Angela Weigold writes in with the latest update about a Prius salesmen who left multiple harassing phone messages daily, calling Anela a "whore" and put her phone number on online escort websites. More » -
In an effort to spur sales, General Motors is offering no-interest, six-year loans on new vehicle purchases through June 30th. Unfortunately, only the slow-selling models (i.e., not very fuel efficient) are included in the sale. Oh, also they're raising prices on 2009 models. [New York Times]
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hospitals
Hospitals To Patients: "How About You Put That Liposuction On Your Credit Card?"
A Consumer Reports study finds that medical professionals are pushing high-interest lines of credit and financing options on patients. Credit agencies are even partnering with hospitals to offer branded credit cards so patients can finance elective cosmetic surgeries like liposuction and hair removal. More » -
credit cards
New Car? Put It On The Credit Card
Why should dealers tell you what you can and can't charge to your credit card? Cars represent a jackpot of credit rewards that every consumer is entitled to collect. There's nothing stopping from charging your new car straight to your credit card, if you storm the dealership armed with the right tools... More » -
bait and switch
Dell Reduces Instant Discount By $200 Somewhere Between Shopping Cart And Order Confirmation
Before we get to the typical bad-company shenanigans—in this case, Dell's $599 discount mysteriously shrank to $400 between when he placed it in his shopping cart and when he reached the confirmation screen—we want to share this bit of ridiculousness. Dell's CSR Vanessa gives us the scoop on Dell's sophisticated order fulfillment system:
More »Jack: Can you look at sales history today and verify whether you sold this system at $599 off today? This was to be my third dell purchase, now I will not purchase again!
ATG Vanessa: There isn't a cart history unfortunately.
Jack: Sales history! Actual people who purchased this system today!
ATG Vanessa: We don't keep record of that.
Jack: You're telling me dell does not know what it has sold today?
ATG Vanessa: Remember this is done online and there's some confidential information we usually erase to protect customers.
Jack: Like what computers you have to build?
ATG Vanessa: So no, there isn't a record where you can see how much have been sold.
Jack: How do you know what you have to ship?
ATG Vanessa: It depends on what we have available at the moment. -
success stories
Another EECB Scores Direct Hit On Best Buy And HSBC, Saves You $180
EECBs are scoring direct hits on HSBC and Best Buy. Reader Chad was having the same problem with his Best Buy credit card that reader Jason wrote in about. After he saw Jason's successful EECB he launched one of his own. Reade Chad's letter and Best Buy's response inside. More » -
credit
Citibank Will Apply Your "No Interest Financing" Payments Anyway It Wants
Reader D has a Worst Company In America-themed success story. D writes:The information on your website helped me get an error corrected with how Sears/Citibank credited my Sears credit card payments. Since you have Sears and Citibank going against each other today in your "worst company" tournament, I thought you might like to hear my story.
More »
financing
New York, 2:35 PM
Sun Jul 5
6 posts in the last 24 hours
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