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Consumer

Amazon.com’s Month of Black Friday Deals

by Flexo

When a sales approach reveals itself to be significantly profitable for a company, you can bet those who run that company will want to expand that approach. Last year’s “Black Friday” day-after-Thanksgiving sale on Amazon.com was popular, and this year the major online retailer is extending the event throughout the week leading up to Thanksgiving, ... Continue reading this article…

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Spirituality and Money: Knowing is Only Half the Battle

by Ellen Cooper-Davis
Pants

This article is written by Consumerism Commentary’s columnist, Ellen Cooper-Davis. Ellen’s column looks at the role of spirituality within the context of personal finance. For an introduction to this column, see Ellen’s first article, The Pastor and the Purse. Your feedback is welcome. It’s time for a little geography lesson. Look at the tag in ... Continue reading this article…

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Best Holiday Toys 2011

by Flexo

Christmas and Hanukkah are right around the corner, and if you have children, they might already be looking forward to the holiday season. Gift-giving is a big part of the holiday season, as it has been for a long time. Commercialism is the most popular American religion as we approach the end of the year. ... Continue reading this article…

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Google Wallet Not Ready for Prime Time

by Flexo

Simplification is usually a good choice for finances whenever it is available, and the bulky wallet is due for a technological upgrade, simplifying back pockets of men’s jeans everywhere. I’ve received the occasional comment about my “George Costanza” wallet; as I collect receipts from my day-to-day transactions, the leather becomes increasingly distended. Google’s first in ... Continue reading this article…

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UPS Premium Service

by Flexo
UPS Truck

Delivery company — or logistics company, depending on how you look at it — UPS is taking a page from Amazon.com’s Prime service and offering better delivery options for customers willing to pay a fee. When I didn’t work out of my home, I’d often come back after work to be greeted by the familiar ... Continue reading this article…

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Honda Recalls One Million Cars

by Flexo
Honda CR-V

As an owner of a Honda Civic, I was concerned with the car maker’s latest round of recalls. My 2004 Honda Civic manual transmission LX sedan was not affected by the recall, but it wasn’t too long ago that both Honda and Toyota were issuing recalls. At the time, I reacted by buying shares in ... Continue reading this article…

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Department of Justice Blocks AT&T Acquisition of T-Mobile

by Flexo
Cell Phone

Earlier this year, AT&T announced its plans to acquire T-Mobile, a plan that would change the landscape of wireless service in the United States and pave the way for an industry dominated by two large players: the new AT&T and Verizon Wireless. Today, the U.S. Justice Department stepped in, issuing a complaint to block the ... Continue reading this article…

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How to Hedge Against Gasoline Price Increases

by Flexo
Gas Pump Fuel | crowt59

When gasoline prices at the pump increased to the point where the cost was a major news item engendering backlash among the public, oil companies were sporting big profits. Consumers reacted by buying more fuel-efficient cars and traveling less, but there is another approach for investors — an approach that mimics what commodities and hedge ... Continue reading this article…

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Retail Marketers Attract Shoppers With 13 to 20 Seasons

by Flexo
Cadbury Egg Easter

I always wondered why stores like Target and Wal-Mart added groceries to their already wide variety of products for sale. I figured these stores were attempting to be more of a one-stop-shop for all shopping needs, keeping customers in the store longer, and providing less of a reason to go to the supermarket, grocery store, ... Continue reading this article…

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Extreme Couponing: Woman Arrested for Stealing Newspapers

by Flexo
Grocery shopping

I’ve spoken out against the concept of “extreme couponing” a few times already. In search of ratings, television shows — and in particular, “reality” television shows, use creative editing to make practitioners seem crazier than they are, but the concept has caught on so well, some people, in real reality, stop at very little in ... Continue reading this article…

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Why I Still Drive My Old Honda Civic

by Flexo
Honda Civic

After noticing, month after month, that I include the value of my 2004 Honda Civic in my monthly net worth updates, a reader wrote in to Consumerism Commentary to ask why I haven’t given into my desires and purchased something newer or more exciting. I’ve had a bit of a storied past with cars, but ... Continue reading this article…

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Verizon Wireless Roaming Charges Class Action Lawsuit

by Flexo

I received a notice in the mail stating that I could receive benefits from Verizon Wireless as a result of a class action settlement. The lawsuit alleges that the mobile phone company failed to provide free roaming as part of Verizon’s “America’s Choice II” calling plan. The plan documentation stipulated that there would be no ... Continue reading this article…

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The Best Back-to-School Shopping Tips

by Flexo
Back to School

The best way to get the most for your money when shopping for school supplies is to start early. While there are some good deals and good sales during the summer before the school year starts, you can only take advantage of them if you’re prepared. Some deals aren’t ask great as they’re advertised to ... Continue reading this article…

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Sales Tax Holidays, 2011

by Flexo

For several years, many states offer sales tax holidays, several dates set aside during which merchants will not charge customers sales tax. Each year, the dates and the participating states change. I’ve updated this list for 2011 as we’re approach the back-to-school shopping season. Consumers should take advantage of the few days their state offers ... Continue reading this article…

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Most Americans Can’t Pay for Car Repairs, 4 Tips to Help

by Flexo
Hail damage to a car

According to a recent survey by AAA, 62 percent of American drivers would not be able to pay $2,000 for car repairs without going into debt with a credit card or asking for money from friends or family. While the savings rate is positive, it’s not common for consumers to put aside a portion of ... Continue reading this article…

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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

by Flexo

Last November, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau began to take shape after being a part of a bill in Congress signed into law in July 2010. Now, a year later, the bureau is ready to launch. Elizabeth Warren was appointed by President Obama to assemble the bureau, and in this role, Congress pressed her on ... Continue reading this article…

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Extreme Couponing Fuzzy Math

by Flexo
Walmart Grocery Shopping

I’m a big fan of saving money on necessary spending. Grocery shopping is expensive, and food and household staples present an excellent opportunity to find coupons and save money with every visit. The savings can be substantial if you’re willing to put in the time to find the right coupons, dumpster-dive to collect other people’s ... Continue reading this article…

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Netflix Increases Subscription Price for Some Customers

by Flexo

My Facebook feed exploded the other day with news that Netflix was changing its pricing scheme. For some customers, those who subscribe to unlimited streaming and DVD plans, the new price would be a 50 percent increase. I subscribe to Netflix. A few months ago I re-instated my account to take advantage of the streaming-only option ... Continue reading this article…

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What is Value? It’s Often a Lie.

by Flexo

“Buy now! A $2,000 value, only $79.95! This week only!” What is value, really? When a product is on sale, why do we say that product is worth more than we pay? It’s psychological. We’re getting a deal. We presume the company is taking a loss in order to bring us a special offer, figuring ... Continue reading this article…

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The True Cost of Rent to Own

by Flexo
Refrigerator

The debate pitting the concept of buying versus the concept of renting will never end. With a primary home, there may be a plethora of financial calculators and endless real estate analysts to help you make the decision. There are financial considerations as well as non-financial considerations, and pundits on either side who swear their ... Continue reading this article…

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