Consumers need to be wary of sham charities attempting to take advantage of them and ensure they’re giving to legitimate charitable organizations. Fraudulent organizations can try to take advantage of consumers’ good intentions, especially following natural disasters. Given the significant impact of the flooding in Texas, it’s essential for consumers... Read more →

During these turbulent financial times, it’s more important than ever that your money is working as well as it can for you. The original promoter of April as Financial Literacy Month is Jump$tart, a national organization that partners with other groups to promote financial literacy. During April, organizations across the... Read more →

Unsafe consumer products led to more injuries in 2024 than in any of the previous seven years. The Consumer Product Safety Commission or CPSC linked 869 injuries to products recalled during the year, according to “Safe At Home in 2025?,” an analysis by U.S. PIRG Education Fund, a research organization,... Read more →

Consumers and consumer groups are encouraging Americans to not spend money Friday on discretionary spending. The national economic blackout is a way for Americans to boycott major retailers that are perceived as aligning with the Trump administration’s current policies. Some retailers are being targeted including Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy.... Read more →

My daughter Lisa is visiting from Madrid, and we took a road trip to Portland, Oregon, to spend time with my oldest daughter Mona, who was visiting a friend near Portland. I’d read an atmospheric river was headed to the Pacific Northwest in a New York Times article. Although I... Read more →

Our hearts go out people suffering from the effects of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. And although we want to help, we need to be careful not to waste our money by being tricked by scammers. No one knows how long recovery will take. If you’re considering donating to help... Read more →

Video doorbells sold on digital marketplaces such as Amazon, Walmart, Temu, Sears, and Shein may have flaws, said Consumer Reports. As part of routine testing, it examined Eken and Tuck video doorbells that looked like the same product under different brand names. A deeper look by testing organization’s researchers revealed security vulnerabilities. Read more →

Winter is far from over with heavy rains causing extensive damage in California and Nevada this week. At least three people died from fallen tree incidents in northern California on Sunday and more than 200,000 households remained without power Monday night. Dealing with the aftermath of flooding, wind damage, or other storm destruction isn’t easy. Read more →

For about a week now, weather forecasters here in the Seattle area have been predicting about 6 inches of snow, unusual for this moderate climate. Fortunately, it looks like most of the area will get only a couple of inches, which should melt quickly. However, winter storms are impacting much of the country this week. Protect yourself with these tips:  Read more →

On Saturday, I wrote about One Health Day. I hadn’t heard of it before, but it’s a global campaign that recognizes the close connection between the health of people, animals, and the environment and the role this connection plays in the spread of diseases. Several times, I’ve written that people shouldn’t allow pets to sleep in bed with them. Read more →