If you’re planning on taking advantage of the Cash 4 Clunkers program you’d better do it sooner rather than later, says Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. The program is running out of money and the administration says that in the next two days they will outline a plan to gracefully wind it down.
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Using A CARS Rebate? Know Your Rights First
By 8.15.09
Jim decided to take advantage of the Cash For Clunkers program and trade his Crown Victoria in on something a little more fuel-efficient. Unfortunately, the dealership where he bought the car wasn’t quite ready to handle one of the most frightening of all creatures: an informed consumer. They counted on their customers to not fully understand all of the program’s rules.
Transportation Secretary Would Like To Ask Continental A Few Questions
By 8.11.09
The horrific tarmac delay in Rochester, MN has come to the attention of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. LaHood apparently has a blog, and on it he’s asking some questions about the delay.
Senate $2 Billion Approves Cash For Clunkers Extension
By 8.7.09
The Senate has approved $2 billion in additional funding for the CARS or Cash for Clunkers program. Of course, the perennial buzzkills at Consumer Reports Cars had to find a downside to the program’s continuation.
Congress May Limit Cash 4 Clunkers To Those Making Less Than $50k
By 8.6.09
As Congress debates whether to add an additional $2 billion to the broke-due-to-extreme-popularity “Cash 4 Clunkers” program, several amendments to the program are being considered. One of them, according to the NYT, is an income limit of $50k per year for individuals, and $75k for joint filers.
Poor Customer Service Preventing Home Owners From Modifying Mortgages?
By 8.4.09
There is currently a $75 billion program called MHA or Making Home Affordable, which aims to modify mortgages so home owners can stay in their homes. According to a new report by the Treasury Department, some banks are starting off so slowly that they’ve yet to modify a single mortgage. Others, like Bank of America, have modified only 4% of the eligible mortgages in its portfolio that are 60 or more days delinquent.
Cash For Clunkers Restarted With $2 More Billion
By 8.1.09
Earlier today, the House approved an additional $2 billion for the Cash for Clunkers program. Don’t celebrate yet, though. Consumer Reports Cars warns that it’s best to wait a while before trying to trade in your inefficient car to make sure that the program stays in place, and that you really will get your rebate. (Photo: G Travels)
More Stores Accepting Food Stamps Now That 39 Million People Use Them
By 7.31.09
We’re going to have to start offering tips for shopping with food stamps now that a record number of consumers —and stores— are using them.
New York State Provides Car Inspection Stickers That Lack One Important Feature
By 7.31.09
Stickers need to stick to things. That’s why they call them stickers. Someone should have explained this to the State of New York.
Why Cash For Clunkers Was Doomed
By 7.31.09
Cash For Clunkers never had a chance. It was smothered at birth by a pile of paperwork and ever-changing rules, as this dealership worker reveals, using a combination of the words “cluster” and “fudge,” except, of course, not fudge.
Cash For Clunkers Runs Dry In 4 Days
By 7.30.09
The government announced this evening that the Cash For Clunkers program is fantastically successful. So successful, in fact, that the program ran through its almost $1 billion budget in four days, and has been suspended.
Houses Passes Strong Food Safety Reform
By 7.30.09
The House of Representatives just passed the bipartisan Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. If enacted, the legislation would strengthen the FDA, increase inspections of food facilities, and hopefully ensure that tragedies like the Peanut Corporation of America salmonella outbreak become a thing of the past.
Homeless? If You Can Prove There's A Relative Who'll Take You In, NYC Will Pay Your Way
By 7.29.09
NYC wants to have less homeless people — even if that means buying them a one way ticket out of town. The NYT says that the Bloomberg administration has paid for 550 homeless people to leave the city — including flying people to “Paris ($6,332), Orlando ($858.40), Johannesburg ($2,550.70), or most frequently, San Juan ($484.20).”
At Least Someone's Getting A Raise: Minimum Wage Rises To $7.25
By 7.25.09
Great news, laid-off Wall Streeters, minimum wage work just a got bit more lucrative! As of yesterday, the new minimum wage is $7.25 per hour.
Vote On Consumer Financial Protection Agency Delayed Until September
By 7.23.09
This week, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) postponed a vote on a bill creating a Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA) until September when lawmakers return from recess. The delay is partly due to other more pressing issues, but mainly due to unexpected (really?) pushback from the financial industry.
Ask The Consumerists: A House Divided Forgot Its Permits
By 7.17.09
Jeffrey and his wife found their dream house. Except they failed to realize the difficulty that one tiny problem with the house might give them. The difficulty? Well, the previous owners doubled the size of the house. Only they sort of forgot to get permits for any of the additions or renovations.
By 7.8.09
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The FDA has issued a new ruling that says egg producers must “test regularly for salmonella and buy chicks from suppliers who do the same,” and that eggs “will have to be refrigerated on the farm and during shipment” as well as by wholesalers and in the store. The rule is meant to cut down on the number of egg-related salmonella cases nationwide, which currently are around 142,000 a year. [Washington Post] (Photo: Andreas Kollegger)
