Recalls were in the news last week more than usual. Italian pork sausage contaminated with thin blue rubber. Catastrophic engine failure on some Ford Broncos. Pine-Sol cleaners that may contain bacteria. Nearly every vehicle Rivian has produced this year. I picked out a wall-mounted basketball hoop to write about. Read more →

In the past several years, I haven’t had many trick-or-treaters. We’ll see what happens tonight. I’m not in much of a holiday-celebratory mood. Typepad, the platform for my blog, has been migrating data all weekend, so I haven’t been able to post anything or see how many page views I have. Read more →

It’s Halloween, time to get the treats ready, and maybe a costume for you and the kids, too. I got a kick out of reading an article from my blog coach, J. Money at Budgets Are Sexy, on some good – and frugal costumes. Among them is static cling, wear normal clothes and safety pin socks and lint to it. Read more →

For years, I’ve suggested that consumers consider banking with a credit union rather than a bank. Why? Consumers often can’t trust banks not to gouge them with high interest rates and fees. It was great to listen to President Biden speak on the radio and on television about the action his administration is taking on “junk fees.” Read more →

Recently, I wrote about how price-gouging by corporations is responsible for a third or more of the inflation consumers are experiencing these days. Now, another instance of corporate wrongdoing that’s costing consumers millions has been exposed. Tyson Foods, the largest chicken producer in the nation, will pay $10.5 million to settle a lawsuit. Read more →

Getting older in America is a challenge many ways. And, it seems that the older I get, the more ageism I face, especially from the medical community. My blogger friends are thinking and writing about aging, too. Here are their thoughts on the topic: Read more →

Do you know what a toy gel gun is? They shoot gellets, small, colorful water-hydrated balls that pop on contact and immediately begin to disintegrate, leaving no stain, no mess, and no clean up. Toy gels guns are being used for games like paintball and have gained popularity because they make less mess.   Read more →

Michelle Singletary, financial writer for The Washington Post, has been recommending buying Series I Bonds for months now. Singletary says for investors with money to spare and who are looking for safety, inflation has been good for Series I Bonds, which the Treasury Department announced will be paying 9.62 percent until the end of October. Read more →

I’m fortunate that my first college degree included classes in nutrition. I learned the value of eating fruits and vegetables for health and avoiding junk food. However, the recent debate on low-carb or a vegetarian diet, and dozens of spinoffs, has added confusion for the American public, and even me. Read more →

It’s good news that a new federal safety standard for clothing storage units has finally been adopted that will reduce injuries and deaths from furniture tip-overs. In writing about consumer product safety for decades, it’s been discouraging to read about and report on tip-over deaths through the years. Read more →