Consumerpedia

Home warranty companies promise to save you thousands of dollars if you need an expensive repair. But Checkbook found these plans are terrible deals for most homeowners. Warranty companies are the subject of thousands of complaints to consumer agencies. After paying $400 to $1,000 for the coverage, consumers find that home warranty contracts often have numerous fine-print exclusions that stick the...

Some companies try to boost business by doing things that are meant to mislead and manipulate customers. These include pre-checked boxes that obligate you to more than you bargained for, hard-to-find disclosures, and confusing cancellation policies. These practices are called “dark patterns,” and as more commerce moves online, they’re growing in scale and sophistication. The Federal Trade Commissi...

For most aging adults, there really is no place like home. Surveys done by AAPR consistently find that nearly 80% of those 50 and older prefer to age in place rather than move in with relatives or into senior communities. The aging-in-place movement can help you stay safe and comfortable in your home as you grow older. But it’s something you’ll need to plan for, the sooner, the better. In this epi...

It takes some extra effort to be a good consumer; to make sure you’re getting a good price on quality merchandise, to find top-notch service providers, and to protect yourself from liars and cheats who want to rip you off or steal your identity. But the time it takes to do it right is nothing compared to the hassles of dealing with problems that can result from making poor choices. To celebrate Na...

Auto insurance companies base their premiums on a host of factors, such as the vehicle, driving record, and, in most states, your age, gender, marital status, and credit history. Some also offer discounts if you agree to install telematic technology on your car, which monitors when and where you drive—and how safe or reckless you drive to get there. Is it worth giving up your privacy to see your i...

If you find going to the grocery store a hassle, having your avocados, Doritos, and whatnot delivered is a convenient and time-saving option. And these services are a great help to those who can’t get to local markets due to physical impairments or a lack of transportation. But you’re going to pay to have someone gather your groceries and bring them to you.  At some stores, extra costs for de...

Americans lose billions of dollars each year to fraud. Anyone, even a savvy consumer, can get swindled by professional con artists. The best way to fight back is to understand the tricks fraudsters use to manipulate you. In this episode, Sam Levine, Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, explains how dishonest businesses and scammers try to lie, cheat, and mislea...

Keeping your house comfortable requires the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems to be properly installed and maintained. And when they need repairs or new equipment, you want a company you can trust to do quality work at a fair price. In this episode, we’ll go over the things you should know about your HVAC before having work done, plus what you can do to maintain your system...

It seems like every big company—from Google and Amazon to telephone and cable TV operators—now sells home security services and equipment. Rather than spend thousands of dollars to have a security company install a system, you can do it yourself for a couple of hundred dollars and monitor things on your smartphone. But does any of this tech do any good? In this episode, we’ll look at the pros and...

Social media was designed to bring us together, but it often fosters scams, spreads misinformation, and amplifies hate. The problem isn’t going to go away, so we need to become better consumers of what shows up on our feeds. In this episode, Emmy-award winning sportscaster and journalist Bob Costas talks about social media responsibility. Bob tackled the subject head-on in a recent episode of his...

The holiday shopping season is in full swing—and you need a plan. The super shoppers at Checkbook.org are here to help. With inflation driving up prices, it’s more important than ever to be a savvy holiday shopper. The National Retail Federation expects the average shopper to spend about $833 on gifts and other holiday items this year, up a few dollars from last year. Read our full report on holid...

Consumers' Checkbook’s researchers spent 33 weeks tracking sale prices at 25 major retailers and found that most stores’ discount claims aren’t really discounts at all. And the shady sales practice is worse than ever before. Checkbook discovered that most stores’ sale prices—even those that advertise big savings—are bogus discounts, with retailers offering the same “sale price” more than half the...

To deal with record inflation, many Americans are making ends meet by piling up record amounts of credit card debt. A trained credit counselor can help you pay down that debt, even if it seems insurmountable, and learn how to have a successful financial future. In this episode, you’ll hear a real-life success story. Cara, who lives near Boston, was drowning in credit card debt five years ago. Toda...

The best body shops not only do great work but employ staff who can explain and justify exactly what needs to be done. An articulate representative at the body shop will be the key to getting all the work you need performed and paid for by your insurance company. In this episode, we’ll walk you through the collision repair process from the estimate to the guarantee. We’ll also explain the differen...

U.S. airlines are failing their customers by prioritizing profits over realistic schedules, resulting in too many cancellations and long delays, according to consumer advocates. They say more could and should be done to protect passengers. In this episode, we explain what domestic airlines are required to do when your flight is delayed or canceled (spoiler: not much). We also discuss how the Depar...

Physicians are at the center of your healthcare experiences. They set up diagnostic procedures, devise treatment plans, guide you through care decisions, prescribe medications, authorize hospital admissions, refer to other physicians and other providers…and much more. In this episode, we talk about how to find good doctors and the best medical facilities near you, how to take charge of your medica...

You're driving along when a pebble kicked up by the vehicle in front of you hits your windshield... and cracks it. Chances are that little rock just cost you $800 to $1,500 or more, depending on your ride. These days, a windshield is more than a big piece of glass; there's a lot of technology embedded in it or located behind it. These sensors feed data to software controlling automatic wipers, lan...

False or deceptive advertising costs American consumer billions of dollars a year. Companies big and small now use blatant lies, clever wording, and fine print to confuse or mislead us. Truth in Advertising (TINA.org) , a consumer advocacy group based in Connecticut, points the finger at bad actors and calls them out for their deception. It also works to empower people to protect themselves agains...

Most American don't even have simple wills, and even fewer have living wills or designated healthcare surrogates. While doing this work might seem sobering, once you've made an estate plan, you'll find it calming and reassuring to you and your family. The goal is to communicate your end-of-life healthcare wishes, document what you have and who gets it after you die, and set up a trouble-free way t...

After more than 45 years, Robert Krughoff, Consumers' Checkbook’s founder and president, is retiring. Robert joins us to chat about how he got the idea for Checkbook, and the challenges he faced getting it started—and gathering all the relevant data he needed to help members. Plus, what he learned as he became one of the world’s foremost consumer experts and advocates. Special Guest: Robert Krugho...

Rising demand for fewer seats has airfare soaring. Hear advice from seasoned traveler Kevin Brasler, Checkbook’s executive editor, in this episode. He shares strategies for finding low rates and warns about common problems when searching for deals. We also tackle frequent air-travel booking questions, such as: When is the best time to book? Should I avoid basic economy tickets?

Grieving for a loved one is acutely difficult just after the loss, and it's not a time when you want to sit across the desk from a salesperson in a high-pressure, time-sensitive situation. You’re vulnerable to making hasty, costly decisions that might not make sense if you'd just had a little more time. Funeral homes provide important services, but they are businesses with a goal of maximizing eac...

For years, we’ve been promised that new technology would stop those annoying robocalls. But the phones keep ringing—and now, we’re being flooded with spam texts. Fraudsters use these bogus calls and texts to steal our money and personal information. In this episode, we talk how to spot a robocall scam, how con artists use them to trick you, and ways to protect yourself. Special Guests: Aaron Foss,...

Even the greenest thumbs need help sometimes—and a lot of it—with where to buy plants, how to keep the lawn lush, and how to keep the landscape in shape. The best-run garden centers, landscape contractors, and lawn-care services have the answers. In this episode: How to find great lawn-care services, and what to consider when hiring a landscaper. Plus, for DIYers, how garden centers rate for price...

Higher gas prices have a lot of people thinking about making the switch to electric vehicles, and automakers are racing to provide customers with options—sedans, sports cars, SUVs, and trucks. In this episode, we look at where things stand right now, what’s coming down the road, and things to consider before buying a plug-in hybrid or fully electric vehicle. Special Guests: Paul Eisenstein, Automo...