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I don't eat any General Mills or Hormel products but Kroger owns some of our supermarkets. It's sad to see companies bilking their customers during difficult times like these.
General Mills and other corporate giants are overcharging American families as their profits soar
After raising prices five times in the past year, General Mills, a corporate giant that manufacturers and markets packaged foods, saw its fourth quarter profits jump 97 percent to $823 million. For its 2022 fiscal year, the company’s profits rose 16 percent to $2.7 billion. General Mills also ...
You never know what can happen even with big kids. When my son was about 12 or 13 he and two friends were swimming in my pool. One kid, who was a pretty big guy, decided to stick his face in the filter. His eyeballs popped almost all the way out and he looked like the guy from Frankenstein. Luckily, after going to the ER, he was okay but I almost had a heart attack.
Now that summer’s here, think safety at the pool and beach and when grilling
With the arrival of summer, consumers are headed to the nearest swimming pools and beaches, and they’re firing up grills for picnics and barbecues. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission or CPSC is urging people to be vigilant about safety as they return to summer activities. It encourage...
Great to know about Prime Day. Thanks.
What to buy and not buy in July
July is one of the better months for sales. The 4th of July is a big shopping holiday so compare prices and see what bargains you can find. Also, be on the lookout the next few weeks because the back to school sales are coming up. Here are suggestions from DealNews.com on what to look for at t...
A thoughtful roundup this time. Thanks.
Bloggers write about joys and sorrows during these challenging times
Photo: VON When life gets tough, I tell my family and friends not to let it steal your joy. That philosophy got me through the Trump years fairly well. However, the massacres this month are weighing heavy on my heart. I hope taking my own advice will help me bounce back soon. Meanwhile, my blo...
I have recently read about those fraudulent tests and the idea of it is infuriating. Not unexpected, though.
Watch out for fake covid tests online
Scammers and fraudsters are always lurking around, and they’re especially adept at taking the latest happenings and pouncing. It’s not a surprise then that fake and unauthorized at-home testing kits are popping up online as scammers take advantage of the increase in demand. In addition to wast...
I try to change my passwords every once in a while. And, it seems like everything now is requiring a text to my phone or some other authentication. It's frustrating but necessary.
Start 2022 by protecting your personal information
Are you making resolutions for the new year? If so, add “protect my personal information” to the list. Scammers and hackers are always looking for new ways to steal your personal information online. You can take steps to help protect your information. Jim Kreidler, consumer education specialis...
And, they all probably think they are being patriotic which is as far from the truth as it can get. Their loyalty is to greed. It's sad.
Keep an eye on your financial institution because regulator found errors in examination of consumer transactions
In its role to check on financial institutions, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that some violated federal law in the first half of 2021. “Today’s report reveals that irresponsible or mismanaged firms harmed Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic," said CFPB Director Rohit Chopr...
Scammers are so awful. I don't know how they live with themselves.
Emotions and vulnerable moments make people more susceptible to fraud, study shows
Nine in 10 Americans experienced a fraud attempt in 2020, with one in seven losing money to a scam. Consumers reported losing more than $3.4 billion to fraud in 2020, according to a fraud database. However, since the vast majority of frauds aren’t reported, the amount lost is likely much highe...
Your casserole looks yummy. We need the recipe. LOL
Bloggers begin easing into fall after summer fun
In the Seattle area, we’ve had record rains Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. That follows the last three months where only about 0.13 inches of rain fell. I went out Sunday when the rain stopped and checked my garden. I picked the last cucumbers and saw that a few zucchini are still growing. I only...
It's amazing what people will do to bilk others for money. You have to be so careful. Tip: Don't post your vaccine card on social media.
Imposter scams, online shopping top FTC’s fraud list for 2020
Fraudsters were busy in 2020. The Federal Trade Commission received more than 2.2 million complaints about fraud, with people reporting they lost nearly $3.3 billion. The top fraud of 2020 was imposter scams. The FTC received nearly 500,000 complaints about imposter scams, and people reported ...
Fun stuff this week. Thanks, Rita
Bloggers look at health and social issues
On Saturday, I received a call from a friend to remind that nine glowing monoliths would be displayed in a local park after dark. She thought I might want to go and take photos. Glowhenge is an art project created by Dave Sederberg owner of Pacific Stage, a lighting, sound, and general staging...
It's awful that there are so many scammers out there. I think the biggest one is the person who is holding up the bill right now. But, luckily, he's going away.
Watch out for scammers, again, for the second round of pandemic stimulus checks
At last, Congress has finally passed a second bill to help the people who are having financial problems due the pandemic. Some people will be getting money by check or direct deposit. The timing and details are still to be determined. As usual, scammers are keeping up on the latest happenings....
I hadn't heard of that app so it's good to know about. I like the convenience of not using checks but know it's important to be careful.
Watch out for scams when you use CashApp
Since people want to avoid using cash during the pandemic, app-based payments are becoming popular. One that’s being widely used is CashApp with 30 million downloads in 2020 so far. Con artists are finding ways to abuse app-based payments because users are unfamiliar with them, the Better Busi...
It's alarming and shameful to think of what many families are going through this year especially as we enter the holiday season. So much could have been avoided.
Survey on Halloween spending and financial fears for 2020
About 22 million more people are having nightmares about money problems this year than last year, and that about 13 million more people are scared about their kids’ financial future, a survey by WalletHub, a personal finance website, shows. The survey also includes findings that 39 percent of...
Your tips apply to all charities. There are good ones and many bad ones. Some non-profits use their proceedings to benefit themselves. They live off them. You really have to be careful.
Watch out for scams during Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Every October, countries across the world observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month to increase support for and awareness of this disease. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among U.S. women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About one in eight U.S. women, a...
That's so good to know. I love that I live in California and this is just another reason why.
California bans 24 toxic chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products
Twenty-four toxic ingredients, including mercury and formaldehyde, are now banned from cosmetics and personal care products in California. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act on Wednesday. These ingredients are already prohibited in cosmetics and other personal care products ...
Online shopping these days can be shady especially ordering from a site that ships from a country like China. I ordered what looked like a beautiful dress and received a butt ugly puke green sweatshirt. It took months to get a refund after threatening to out the company on social media. Another time I ordered a dress and received something that didn't look anything like the original image. Because it was during the pandemic there wasn't a way to return it. For now, it's better to stick to "made in the USA - well-known brands."
Covid-19 complaints flood FTC, other agencies as cases of coronavirus mount
Consumer complaints to the Federal Trade Commission on the coronavirus have grown to more than 200,000, with a total of more than $140 million in fraud losses. Since the coronavirus outbreak began, the top complaint categories are online shopping, travel, credit cards, banks and lenders, and ...
That's sad to hear. We depend on Amazon often so we don't have to go out. I've found Big Lots or stores like it offer some good stuff if you are brave enough to walk in.
Price gouging persists on Amazon, consumer group reports
Despite U.S. PIRG Education Fund calling out Amazon and other online retailers for allowing price gouging in their online websites at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, a new analysis shows that the problem is still serious. Six months later, U.S. PIRG Education Fund revisited whether ...
Great shopping tips.I can imagine there are some great travel deals especially for domestic travel.
What to buy at Labor Day sales
When Labor Day comes, many of us think about the end of summer. This year of the pandemic is so different. Rather than having a big barbecue, we’ll probably have a gathering with our small social group. And, as for shopping, it’s likely that we’ll be looking for bargains online rather than goi...
Renting a room in a house I have about 12" of space in the refrigerator so it definitely cuts back on snacks. Love omelets with tons of vegetables. So yummy!
35 tips for reducing your food costs
Like many people these days, you’re probably feeling the pinch of tough economic times. If you’re looking for ways to reduce your food costs, here are 35 suggestions: Go through your checkbook and credit cards to see how much you’ve spent in the last one to three months on food eaten at hom...
I'm driving a Prius right now but it's a 2007. Still, love the gas mileage. So glad I don't have teenagers anymore.
Consumer Reports, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety team up to offer list of best cars for teens
Photo: Kevauto Teenagers are among the riskiest drivers, but they often end up with vehicles that don’t provide adequate protection in a crash. Often, they drive old cars that lack modern safety features such as side airbags or electronic stability control. And, when teenagers do drive a new ...
It's so insane that people without a good insurance plan have to pay up the nose for drugs. I hope this gets taken care of once and for all because people in pain or at risk of death shouldn't have to stress out about medication payments.
Trump’s executive orders on prescription drug costs are weak, consumer group says
Unable to come to an agreement with Congress on how to curb rising prescription drug prices, President Donald Trump announced four executive orders last week that he said would lower prescription drug prices to American consumers. The orders: Direct federally qualified health centers to pass ...
Thanks for the roundup, Rita. Great posts.
Pandemic continues to alter lives of baby boomers
One of the big things that’s been canceled in my life due to the pandemic is all the celebrations that were being planned in my community to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women winning the vote in the United States. Events and parades have been canceled. So, some scenes with themes were o...
My tax preparer is the brother of one of my high school friends so he's been doing my taxes for a long time. So far, only 1 mistake where I ended up paying more than he had estimated. He is retiring but said he'd still continue to do my taxes. I'm surprised that H & R Block is so expensive.
How to choose an income tax preparer
If you have someone prepare your income taxes, make sure you choose wisely. A paid tax return preparer is largely responsible for the accuracy of your return and, by law, is required to sign the return and include their preparer tax identification number or PTIN on it. Although the preparer al...
Our neighborhood exploded with fireworks even though all the public displays were canceled. It was like a war zone. The next day, I sat in a yard with a couple of friends and we had a little BBQ. Spread apart, of course. It was a nice break until I realized the mosquitos had gotten me.
Facts and Figures for July Fourth 2020
It’s an unusual year for the annual July 4th celebration in the United States. The coronavirus pandemic has changed everything, and now that cases throughout the nation are spiking, it’s time to rethink things again. The best plan for celebrating is to stay home. If you invite people for a bar...
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