In 2016, I had H&R Block prepare my taxes. It was upsetting because neither the receptionist nor the tax preparer would give me an estimate of what it would cost to prepare my taxes. The tax preparer said he’d do my taxes, then, at the end, if I thought it was too expensive, I could reject the work. I paid $472, which I thought was too high. Read more →
About 100 infants have died in Fisher Price Rock ‘n Play infant sleepers. And, unfortunately, kids are continuing to die because the deadly sleepers are still being used and sold second hand. The CPSC is upset with Mattel and Meta for not doing enough to keep the dangerous infant sleepers away from consumers. Read more →
As a researcher, I was surprised several years ago when I ran across a study on pets that are allowed to sleep in their owners’ beds. It found E.coli, a bacteria that can cause illness, on the pillows, sheets, and blankets. The CDC recommends taking precautions to help reduce the risk of getting sick from germs pet can carry. Read more →
Happy Easter if Easter is a day you celebrate. For me, I’m trying to concentrate today on the wonders of spring and the yearly renewal of the earth. Here are some recent photos: In late February, we have a snow storm, but fortunately, the power didn’t go out at my house. In early April, I head to the capital grounds because I read that the cherry blossoms are at full bloom. Read more →
Sixty-three percent of Americans identify themselves as Christians, and 43 percent plan to attend church on Easter Sunday, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. Easter is a big donation day for U.S. churches, as it usually has the year’s highest attendance rates. It’s also a significant money-maker for candy companies. Read more →
April isn’t one of the best months of the year to look for deals, but, as always, compare prices to see where and how much you can save. Check out this list of the best things to buy in April from DealNews.com and also several items you should hold off on until later. Read more →
It was upsetting to deal with possible leak in the water pipe that goes from my house to the meter box near the street. I had a repair made in 2019 for a leak and I didn’t know if that repair had failed or, since my home is about 45 years old, the water pipes were splitting due to age. Plastic pipes have a life span of about 50 years. Read more →
As a fan of the FIRE (financial independence retire early) movement, I thought I’d try a side hustle, one of the FIRE recommendations. Since I have pinecones that fall on my driveway all year around, I decided to collect them and sell them on craigslist. I have two kinds of pinecones; those from European pine and Douglas fir trees. Read more →