Things are busy, here in my corner of the USA. I’m behind in reporting on what’s happening for National Consumer Protection Week. A lot of my time has been taken up since the first of the year taking part in the Dean Ornish heart health program. It ends Wednesday. I’ll be reporting on its many benefits soon. Read more →

I’m approaching the 200th issue of my newsletter Helpful Money Tips for You. This week’s newsletter tips are especially valuable, so I’m posting a copy of the newsletter below. You can sign up for my newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/makeyourmoneywork. It’s free, so get it now and tell your friends about it, too. Read more →

How was your holiday? Did you get lots of neat presents? Were you able to celebrate with family and friends? Were you exhausted when it was all over? I was fortunate because I was able to celebrate Christmas twice. My daughter from Spain came for an early celebration and my daughter from Sacramento drove up to Washington state, too. Read more →

My best wishes to you and your loved ones for 2023. On New Years eve, I wrote about the top consumer and personal finance stories of 2022. Inflation and higher interest rates topped the list, and I predict that those two issues will continue to confront consumers throughout the new year. My recommendations include: Read more →

It’s time for my annual article on the top consumer and personal finance articles of the year. As usual, there aren’t many reporters covering this important topic. However, in addition to the best news, health, political, and science stories of the year, there’s a new category: the top climate change stories. Read more →

Unfortunately, I got caught up in the Southwest Airlines holiday flight cancellation debacle around Christmas. Scheduled to return home at 10:45 Monday Dec. 26, I was shocked when my daughter came in my room just as I finished dressing and began packing to go to the airport and said my flight had been canceled. Read more →

On a recent trip, I learned a valuable lesson. Most airlines won’t reimburse you for electronics if they’re in a checked bag that gets lost. How did I find that out? When I arrived at the Southwest ticket counter at SeaTac Airport, I had three items plus a bag I was going to check. Read more →

This year at Thanksgiving, I’m thinking about my mom and dad. They met on a wheat ranch during the Great Depression and had virtually nothing with which to start their married lives. When I was married in the 1960s, my former husband and I also had nothing. However, we did get college degrees. 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 →

Like most Washingtonians, I admire the accomplishments of The Boeing Co. However, when allegations were made about a “culture of concealment” and a flawed regulatory system, which led to two crashes, I was shocked. The SEC charged Boeing and a former CEO with making misleading statements after crashes in 2018 and 2019. Read more →