Americans are being challenged by the highest inflation in 40 years. It’s everywhere. At the grocery store, the gas pump, in rent checks, when you buy prescription drugs, and more. With the mid-term elections coming up soon, I thought everyone would be talking about price gouging and inflation. Read more →

Checked out the latest recalled recently? It’s important to follow recalls to keep you and your loved ones safe from unnecessary injuries and even death. The largest recall from last week is a Magic Chef air fryer with about 11,750 being recalled. The air fryer can overheat, posing fire and burn risks. Read more →

Decades ago, I remember writing about energy efficiency labels being proposed for appliances. It was exciting when the new yellow labels appeared listing the estimated amount of energy an appliance would use in a year. Most people these days recognize the yellow labels and rely on them while shopping. Read more →

Americans are returning to Halloween fun this year, with total spending expected to reach a record $10.6 billion, exceeding last year’s record of $10.1 billion. Usually, it’s easy to write about the most popular Halloween costumes. You read about a dozen lists and get an idea of what’s being purchased. Read more →

Are you planning to dress up for Halloween this year? Have a party? Hand out candy? When I worked in an office and had co-workers, I dressed up often for Halloween. See the photo to the left. I was “Miss Orondo,” Orondo being the rural center where I grew up in Central Washington. Read more →

I can’t urge people strongly enough to vote Nov. 8. You can still register to vote in most states. However, registration closes Oct. 11 in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. So much is at stake in the mid-term elections this year. Read more →

It’s time to take a look at last week’s recalls. Keeping an eye on recalls could help save you or a family member from an injury or even death. For example, children’s products are recalled frequently, more than twice a week, according to KID, Kids in Danger. That means about 100 children’s products recalled each year. Read more →

In 2013, I attended the opening of a Trader Joe’s store in Olympia, Washington. My friends, who traveled to Lakewood to shop at a store there, and other friends were buzzing about it. I was surprised that the store was small, and the vegetables were all shrink wrapped. And, only about a quarter of the fruits and vegetables were organic. Read more →

My daughters are runners, and when they come and visit, they run through a cemetery that’s about 10 blocks from where I live. Recently, they’ve been after me to pick out my grave. Mona even stopped by the office and brought me a map of the different sections of the cemetery. Read more →

On Facebook this week, a woman in a financial group told about how she almost paid $2,500 to a scammer on Zelle. It was the government imposter scam. A guy told her she owed $2,500 because she’d missed a court date. The calls went on for about an hour. A friend on another line kept telling her not to send the money. Read more →