By buying the newest, most hyped, most eagerly anticipated gadgets on the market, you get the thrill of being on the cutting edge. You get bragging rights in tech-obsessed circles. You’re a magnet for stares from strangers, who may be puzzled, jealous, or both. You also get to pay a premium compared to consumers willing to wait a little …
Fees
You Will Be Living in a Place that Resembles Europe. Or Perhaps China or Australia
Because of changes to health care, the credit card industry, personal savings habits, and other parts of the economy, observers say that in the near future the U.S. may not look like the U.S. as we now know it. Instead, it may look a lot like … somewhere else.
How to Break Your Cell-Phone, Gym, Apartment, or Car Lease Contract
All of them are actually leases, and you’ll endure more than your fair share of headaches by trying to break any such contract.
Looking into the Crystal Ball and Seeing More and More Credit Card Fees
Some credit card industry observers are asked to predict what’s in store for plastic with the new year and new legislation.
Getting Literally Nickeled and Dimed at the Grocery Store
Go reusable or pay up: The movement to charge shoppers for plastic bags at supermarkets, convenience stores, liquor stores, and anywhere else you’ve been asked “paper or plastic?” is gaining momentum.
In the Future: No More … Well, No More Lots of Things
When the calendar changes, it’s a natural time to look back and look forward, to gauge trends, scratch one’s head, and make predictions that will appear laughable in a few years. According to various prognosticators, because of new technology, rising costs, changing cultural attitudes and spending habits, and the ever-present desire to …
Hey Verizon, Your Explanation for the Highest-Ever Cell-Phone Fee ($350!) Doesn’t Explain Much
Perhaps the FCC actually is stepping up efforts to protect consumers from sketchy practices in the wireless industry. After Verizon failed to adequately justify reasons for its highest-ever $350 early termination fee, the FCC commissioner seems ready for a scrap: “It is hard for me to believe that the public interest is being well …
Time to Swap Your Credit Card for a Charge Card?
Yes, there are differences between credit cards and old-fashioned charge cards. Big differences, the main one being it’s extremely unlikely you’ll dig yourself into major debt using a charge card—hence a surge in charge cards’ popularity.
When Credit Card Rates Hit the Roof, It’s Time to Bust Out the Scissors
Survey results released this week say that 39% of consumers who had the terms of their credit cards changed either stopped using the card or cancelled the account entirely.
No Sh** Report: ‘FCC Needs to Improve Oversight of Wireless Phone Services’
After surveying customers and speaking with consumer protection and industry groups, something called the U.S. General Accountability Office has come to a total no-sh** conclusion: Customers are confused and frustrated with their wireless bills and contracts, and they need help dealing with their wireless providers.
Cell-Phone Bill Watch: Introducing the $350 Early Termination Fee
For some smartphones, the fee for jumping ship and canceling your service plan early is now a whopping $350.
Why You Should Think Twice Before Accepting (or Making) a Collect Call
There are no regulations whatsoever for how much pay phones can charge for collect calls. The result? A conversation that lasts a few minutes can cost the person accepting a collect call nearly $50.