Michael Finney's Consumer Blog

Friday coupon: 2 for 1 Jamba Juice smoothies

“Suus” just sent me this, so I am passing it along. A 2 for 1 coupon for any Jamba Juice smoothie, any kind/any size.

>> Print this coupon

Finney’s Friday Free Stuff: Free heartburn medication

Free heartburn medication! It stops the burn before it starts.

>> Request a free sample

Airlines are upping the checked baggage fees

Most airlines charge at least $15 for the first checked piece of luggage and $25 for a second. If it weighs a lot or is bigger than average you’ll be paying additional fees.  Beginning in August, American Airlines is upping the charge: the first bag will cost $20 and a second bag will cost $30.  American seems to be setting the pace when it comes to baggage fees so I look for other airlines to follow along. Passengers traveling business or first class generally aren’t charged the fee and some airlines -- Southwest is one -- aren’t charging to check luggage. Before booking tickets look up the luggage charges and consider investing in good carry-on luggage, these fees don’t look like they’ll be going away anytime soon.

How long will it take to pay off your debt?

How long will it take you to pay off your debts? How long if you pay $100 a month or $1,000? Here is a totally cool calculator with tables, graphs and the real low down on your payoff reality.

Kiplinger.com calculator

Who can I sue?

Who can I sue? It sounds like a money grubbing question, but there can be a lot of validity to asking it.  If you are injured and lose money because you are out of work, “Who can I sue?” is a great question. Often the answer is no one, at least no one who is worth suing. 

A new website with that name, www.whocanisue.com, helps consumers start the process of figuring out if there is a legal case to pursue. The site gives guidance, information and can hook you up with a local attorney. That attorney may be perfect for you, but whenever you are looking for legal counsel it serves you best to shop around. 

whocanisue.com

Is your sunscreen making you sick? Is it even working?

Three out of five sunscreens don’t work or contain harmful chemicals.

The Environmental Working Group has been looking closely at sunscreen and doesn’t much like what it sees on store shelves.

The Environmental Lobbying and Education Group says many sunscreens can make us sick. 

>> Read the report

In your 20s & 30s? The recession rocks!

If you're in your 20s or 30s, this recession may well be the best thing -- financially -- that will ever happen to you.

What is a real bummer for your parents could be a real deal for you. Cheaper living expenses can be locked in, investing has never looked more promising and then there are those lower expectations that make all this come together.

I’ve been preaching this for months, now Kiplinger agrees with me. Great article, very short, check it out.
>> Read the full article

$150 bonus just for opening a bank account

WT Direct, an FDIC insured bank, is offering a signing bonus of up to $150 to those opening new online accounts. There is a sliding scale starting at $25, depending on how much you deposit.  The account pays an interest rate of 1.76%, but if you add in the bonus money and you are looking at an interest rate ranging, by my calculations, from 2.75% to 3.25%, that is a good deal. Read the fine print, follow the rules and do your own math. 

WT Direct signing bonus

The town credit cards built: Sioux Falls

Look at your credit card bill and there's a good chance it came from Sioux Falls, SD. Credit laws there make this a very good place to do credit card business, but now the credit card business isn't what it used to be and neither is the employment outlook in Sioux Falls.  

Sioux Falls' jobs drop as defaults soar

0% interest credit card deals

0% interest credit card deals are still out there, they just aren't being sent to mail boxes by the millions each week. If you want the best deals you have to seek them out. Still, if you know where to look you can still pick up 0% balance transfers and 0% interest rates. These deals last between 6 and 12 months. Start your search at Capital One, Discover and Citi -- they are the major players in the 0% market.