This coupon here, the one promising a free cheeseburger and drink? It’s fake. It didn’t come from Wendy’s, and it certainly isn’t a special offer for Allstate customers. If you try to redeem it, you will either leave hungry or short a few dollars.
BLOGS
The One Question To Ask Before Buying Fitness Equipment
By 8.1.09
Are you motivated? Because if you’re not, don’t bother. Put down your credit card, walk away from the pretty advertisements, you’re just going to waste money. Seem overly simplistic? Maybe it is, but it’s a reality most of us don’t have the courage to face. Paul Michael over at Wise Bread offers up his own story as proof…
Mortgage Mod Scams Using Paperthin Lawyers As Legit Front
By 7.24.09
“Let me put it this way. It’s like food stamps,” said the mortgage modification telemarketer trying to talk consumer advocate and Red Tape Chronicles blogger Bob Sullivan into a new loan. Following the trail of who this guy works for lead Sullivan to discover a new kind of mortgage modification scammer.
Are You Missing Out On Secret Credit Card Perks?
By 7.20.09
Assuming you still have a credit card, you might not be getting the full use out of it. Most credit cards have certain perks that not everyone knows about.
Buy Tchotchkes At Yard Sale, Make Up A Story About 'Em, Sell Both On eBay
By 7.20.09
Have you ever picked up something at a yard sale and wondered where the heck it came from? Like a disturbing clown painting that the owner has a hard time parting with, or a queer Hummel knockoff. The bloggers at Significant Objects seem to have.
Crackpots Detail Insane Ideas For Banking Reform
By 7.18.09
Credit Slips has this wild idea about reforming the banking system by letting some fairy-tale character named “Bob” run around issuing loans to qualified people in his community. We normally love Credit Slips as a well-researched piece of scholarly work masquerading as a blog, like cauliflower disguised as Cheetos, but this “community banking” idea? Ridiculous, right?! Grab a juice box and hit the jump to see what happens when economists take a stab at children’s fiction.
By 7.14.09
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The Huffington Post is having a “Capture The Recession” photo contest. I’d argue that their Flickr pool is nowhere near as cool as ours, but it’s not shabby. Users can rate the pictures and choose the most recession-riffic. [Huffington Post]
How I Lost 100.4 Pounds In 6 Months
By 7.14.09
Reader Tyler started 344pounds.com to document his weight loss journey. We’ve checked in with him before when he lost 32 and then 54.6 pounds. Now that he’s hit the hundred-pound-loss mark, Tyler wrote this feature for us to share his methods.
Beware Buying Advice From Bloggers On The Take
By 7.13.09
As review blogs have emerged, seizing marketshare and mindshare away from traditional publications, it’s become the Wild West out there as far as journalistic ethics are concerned.
Thrift Lodge: Come For The Bed, Stay For The Hypodermic Needles!
By 7.13.09
Xmitter was checking his Thrift Lodge bed for bed bugs when he discovered a bag filled with hypodermic needles. The clerk on duty refused to offer either an apology or a refund, and explained that “you can even find needles [in] 5 star hotels.” When told that this was an inappropriate response, the clerk asked: “Is this a test?”
By 7.9.09
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Hey, look! Comcast has their very own blog! It features mostly regular company news about Comcast services and the adventures of employees and executives, but at least it allows comments. Even Consumerist favorite Frank Eliason, Director of Digital Care (aka @comcastcares on Twitter) has joined in the fun.
Royal Caribbean: Give Us $800 Or Find Another Ship
By 7.5.09
Royal Caribbean told Mary Hoefs at check-in that her family wouldn’t be allowed to board unless they paid $800 on the spot, even though Mary had paid for the cruise in full four months earlier. Royal Caribbean later refunded $400, but why did they choose to kick off Mary’s cruise with extortion? The answer, inside…
How The Recession Destroys Friends
By 6.12.09
Like a tornado, the recession hits unevenly. One house might get turned into splinters, while another is left untouched. Similarily, one friend can still be afford salads and Starbucks for lunch every day while the other has to brown-bag it. The Double-X blog asks its readers, “how do friends in newly different socioeconomic strata adjust?” Answer: most of the time, they don’t.
Meet The New iPhone, Not Quite The Same As The Old iPhone
By 6.9.09
Another year, another iPhone. Next up to drive early adopters furious is the newly announced iPhone 3G S, which opens applications faster, goes easier on the battery, packs a sharper camera, records video, includes voice control and adds a compass that points to the inevitable reality that Apple will announce a fourth iPhone next year.
Pay Off Debt Like You're Training For A Marathon
By 6.8.09
How is paying off all your loans and becoming debt-free like training for a marathon? JD, a personal finance blogger who is training for a marathon shares his tips. For instance, running first thing in the morning is a lot like the idea of “paying yourself first.” To wit:
Live Apple WWDC Keynote Coverage
By 6.8.09
To keep up with latest goings-on at the greatest consumer product _____fest (fill in the blank) in the world, Gizmodo has live-blog coverage of the Apple WWDC Keynote address. The magic-making kicks off at 1 eastern. [Gizmodo] (Photo: James Young Art)
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Of Fixing Credit Report Errors
By 6.8.09
A great way to improve your credit score is to get rid of errors on your credit report that are dragging you down, but how do you start?
Beware Credit Cards Charging Foreign Transaction Fees On Domestic Purchases
By 6.7.09
Banks are increasingly charging foreign transaction fees on domestic purchases, a dangerous practice that’s likely to expand as banks look for new ways to generate profit. Tripso tells us the story of Sunil, who bought tickets with Qatar airlines, which sounds ever so expensively foreign. Citi charged a 2% foreign transaction fee, even though the tickets were bought in U.S. dollars and processed by the airline’s central reservation system based in Washington D.C.
