Read up and pay attention or you’ll have good reason to complain too.
Internet
Group-Buying Sites for Beginners
“Here’s how sites like Groupon and LivingSocial work: They ask retailers in a city to offer steep discounts ranging from around 50% to 90% off on things that would appeal to locals. Examples include 79% off spa services, 54% off at paintball, 57% off at a restaurant with Malaysian cuisine and half off for doggie day care. The site …
Why Cable TV Bills Are More Annoying Than Ever
“Cable TV was always a bad model for the consumer because, in a sense, you’re paying twice. When you watch The Daily Show, for example, you pay the cable company to bring Comedy Central’s programming into your home. But you also contribute to Comedy Central’s bottom line by watching its ads. However, the Internet allows you to connect …
Advertisers Are About to Know Even More About You. And It’s Sorta Scary
Consumers: Thanks to the web, and the long string of digital data one produces with each click, market researchers know more about your behavior than ever before. And they will soon be able to get inside your brain and get even better at predicting your buying habits.
With Internet Access, “Unlimited Usage” and “Speeds Up to” Are Meaningless
A Comcast brochure offered high-speed Internet service with these words: “Unlimited usage for a flat monthly fee.” But as one consumer recently found out, the service is unlimited only so long as limits his usage to 250 GB per month. So it’s not “unlimited” at all.
The Problem with a Special One-Year Internet-Phone-TV Bundle for $85 a Month
While the introductory price lasts for 12 months, you have to sign a contract for two years—and during that second year, there’s an automatic price hike.
Do You Spend Less than $2,000 Annually on Internet, TV, Cell Phone Service, and Video Games?
If so, you’re in the minority. All of these expenses traditionally fall into the entertainment category, as “discretionary” spending. But more and more, they’re viewed as indispensable, right up there with electricity, water, and food.