Choosing your first credit card is serious business. Reader Travis writes in with a question: How should he choose his first credit card? It’s a good question.
advice
Preparing to Fall Back
Howdy kids! Fall Back Day is Sunday and this here is the very last Halloween that will fall after the end of Daylight Savings Time. Why? The Energy Policy Act of 2005, extends Daylight Savings Time by 4 weeks! The result? An estimated energy savings of 1% nationally.
![HOWTO: Dispute a Utility Bill](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/battleofthephone.jpg?w=300&h=210&crop=1)
HOWTO: Dispute a Utility Bill
While it doesn’t compare to Michelle’s $27,933.55 bill, last year we received what can only be called a totally bullshit $170 electric bill for a month when everyone was out of town. The problem was–we had no idea how to dispute it. Call in our Uncle Mickey? Scream colorful metaphors into the telephone?
![Ask The Consumerists: Know A Good Bank?](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/cartoonhappybank.jpg?w=200&h=116&crop=1)
Ask The Consumerists: Know A Good Bank?
A request for aid from one of your fellow readers, Laura:
Hotel Reviews and Travel Advice From Trusted Strangers
If you’re looking for sound travel and especially hotel advice from other engaged consumers, TravelPost may be a site for you to check out, as Lifehacker did.
![Tax Man Tells How to Best Him](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/monst32r.jpg?w=200&h=133&crop=1)
Tax Man Tells How to Best Him
Andrew works for the IRS and he writes us about The Taxpayer Advocate, a handy, free service to help you with the arcane and seemingly hopeless tax troubles.
![Snag Sweet Tech Deals](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/iliketvs-thumb.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Snag Sweet Tech Deals
Scoring consumer tech bargains has gotten harder but are still there for the savy, reports The New York Times.
Consumers Need Advice: Verizon Service “Upgrade” Brought Negative Changes
Reader Adam Higley wrote in to ask the throbbing hive-mind of Consumerist readers for their wide-ranging expertise in solving an issue he’s having with his Verizon DSL service, after the local exchange was upgraded from copper to fiber. Ever since that upgrade, he finds he is unable to access certain web sites and forums — specifically, a private forum he set up for friends. The problem appears to be that Verizon has blocked certain ports on their end which they are absolutely unwilling to open, citing their refusal as a security measure. Does anyone have any decent advice for Adam?