Consumer Law

20 personal finance dos and don?ts for 2009

Posted on December 27, 2008
20 personal finance dos and don’ts for 2009 | MSNBC

10 Ways to Tell If You Can Afford It

Posted on December 27, 2008
10 Ways to Tell If You Can Afford It | the Strump

The American Dream?Only This Time in Reverse

Posted on December 26, 2008
The American Dream?Only This Time in Reverse | Newsweek

How to deal with a holiday debt hangover

Posted on December 26, 2008
How to deal with a holiday debt hangover | MSNBC

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Debt Collector?s Unlawful Message on Answering Machine May Give Rise to Stay or Discharge Violation Action

Posted on December 26, 2008
Debt Collector’s Unlawful Message on Answering Machine May Give Rise to Stay or Discharge Violation Action | The BK Blog

Why Isn?t the Bailout Working?

Posted on December 26, 2008
I’m partial to John Stossel’s reporting style and his libertarian leanings. On last Friday’s 20/20 he went in search of our bailout money. Why Isn’t the Bailout Working? | ABC News

In Hard Times, Houses of God Turn to Chapter 11 in Book of Bankruptcy

Posted on December 25, 2008
In Hard Times, Houses of God Turn to Chapter 11 in Book of Bankruptcy | Wall Street Journal

Merry Christmas! 

Posted on December 25, 2008
A Christmas gift to all Caveat Emptor readers.  Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn (R) has published a nice white paper on the worst 2008 federal spending.  Warning - this might bring your temper to a boil (it did mine) so wait until after all your festivities have completed so as to not ruin your Christmas holiday.

Free Christmas music from Amazon MP3

Posted on December 24, 2008
If you will be sitting around with family tonight or tomorrow, but you don’t have a lot of holiday music, Amazon MP3 has got you covered. They have 25 days of free holiday music, a free holiday sampler album, and a lot more free music, all DRM-free, unlike the iTunes music store...

Is Added Warranty Worth the Cost?

Posted on December 24, 2008
I always buy the added warranty on consumer electronics and so far it has served me well. They key is to be well informed before you buy. Is Added Warranty Worth the Cost? | Wall Street journal

It?s a wonderful mortgage crisis

Posted on December 24, 2008
Newsweek analyzes the mortgage crisis though the lens of my favorite holiday movie.  For those who don’t know the story, Frank Capra’s masterpiece is a film about overcoming greed through the power of friendship (with a little help from spirituality), family and love...

Drop in Gas Prices Offers a Bit of Relief for Consumers

Posted on December 24, 2008
Drop in Gas Prices Offers a Bit of Relief for Consumers | New York Times

Developers Ask U.S. for Bailout as Massive Debt Looms

Posted on December 24, 2008
Next in line for bailout money—developers. Developers Ask U.S. for Bailout as Massive Debt Looms | Wall Street Journal

Close the money hole? Consider this debate.

Posted on December 23, 2008
A good discussion on what to do with a real national treasure.  Pardon the language. In The Know: Should The Government Stop Dumping Money Into A Giant Hole?

Where?s the bank bailout money?

Posted on December 23, 2008
Where’s the bank bailout money? Perhaps the banks themselves don’t even know. | cnn.com

America?s least welcome visitors: the evictors

Posted on December 23, 2008
Dateline NBC’s Chris Hansen followed sheriff’s officers in three states (Florida, Nevada and Michigan) in a heart wrenching piece on the victims of the recent mortgage crisis: families.   .msnbcLinks {font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;} ...

Let?s make a deal

Posted on December 23, 2008
It might be too late to haggle over prices for this holiday season but this is sage advice for any time of year - especially in this economy. Let’s make a deal | Star Tribune (via Associated Press)

Credit-card defaults bedevil Target

Posted on December 23, 2008
Credit-card defaults bedevil Target | Star Tribune

Social Security: FDR?s Ponzi scheme.

Posted on December 22, 2008
There has been a lot in the news about Ponzi schemes lately. From Petters to Madoff, these man-made towers of greed are beginning to crumble under their own weight and unsustainable growth. n elementary explanation of the Ponzi scheme is where new investors are brought into an investment to pay the old investors...

Homeownership policy fueled crisis

Posted on December 22, 2008
Now were going to throw the Bush Administration under the bus for adopting what could be termed a most liberal of policies? Homeownership policy fueled crisis #124; Pioneer Press (via New York Times))div class="feedflare" a href="http://feeds.feedburner...

Think again before signing up for that payday loan

Posted on December 22, 2008
Many families are finding it hard to make ends meet this holiday season, let alone buy presents for loved ones. Payday loans may look like a good way to raise funds for presents, but look at that annual percentage rate (APR) before you jump in. Payday loans provide an opportunity to to get quick cash, and [...

Peter Wallison: the roots of the financial crisis

Posted on December 22, 2008
Reason.tv has a posted a partial video of banking expert Peter Wallison#8217;s speech at the American Enterprise Institute#8217;s 40th anniversary. My fellow bloggers will undoubtedly point out that this leans right as does most things AEI but it is a video worth watching...

Center Point Energy shuts off heat in zero-degree weather

Posted on December 22, 2008
Tenants in an 11-unit apartment building in Minneapolis lost heat last Thursday. Happy Holidays from Center Point Energy! Of course, Center Point only shut off the heat because the landlord (Donald Christopher according to Hennepin County Property Records) had more than $10,000 in outstanding bills...

Why Are Debt Collectors Calling on Discharged Debts?

Posted on December 22, 2008
Why Are Debt Collectors Calling on Discharged Debts? #124; Bankruptcy Law Networkdiv class="feedflare" a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/caveatemptorblog/rss?a=M7BSO"img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/caveatemptorblog/rss?i=M7BSO" border="0"/img/a a href="http://feeds...

Macy?s uses racial profiling to stock formalwear

Posted on December 21, 2008
A Consumerist reader who went to Macy’s in search of a plus-sized gown was told that particular Macy’s did not carry plus-sized formalwear because its “upscale” customers tended to be petite. According to the store clerk, herself a woman of color, “[w]omen of color tend to be larger, so there is a much bigger plus [...

Year-end tax planning tips to help consumers save

Posted on December 21, 2008
Year-end tax planning tips to help consumers save | Wallet Pop

20 Unique Ways to Save

Posted on December 21, 2008
20 Unique Ways to Save | Wallet Pop

Last minute gift idea: charitable gifts

Posted on December 21, 2008
If you are struggling to find some last-minute gifts for friends or family, consider a gift with a charitable element. At Heifer Project International, you can buy heifers, pigs, rabbits, a flock of chicks, and a number of other useful gifts for recipients in third-world countries...

$1.6 billion went to bailed-out bank execs

Posted on December 21, 2008
Like to know where your taxpayer funded bailout money is going?  Here#8217;s a start - $1.6 billion went to bailed-out bank execs #124; MSNBCdiv class="feedflare" a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/caveatemptorblog/rss?a=ET51O"img src="http://feeds...

Wall Street Still Flying Corporate Jets

Posted on December 21, 2008
Wall Street Still Flying Corporate Jets #124; ABC Newsdiv class="feedflare" a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/caveatemptorblog/rss?a=TNrMO"img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/caveatemptorblog/rss?i=TNrMO" border="0"/img/a a href="http://feeds...

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