Michael Finney's Consumer Blog

10 bike-related recalls to check out

Now that spring is here, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is reminding consumers to check to see if their bicycles, bicycle components or accessories have been recalled before using them.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12177.html

Family savings shifting

Families with no savings at all are growing in number while those families with $50,000 and more grows too.  A new study from the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan shows that in 2009 18.5% of families had no savings.  In 2011 that number jumped to 23.4%.  At the same time those families with savings of $50,000 or more -the highest category- increased from 11.8% to 14.6%. The rich get richer. the middle class get middle classier, while working families fall backwards.  

 

Has your Best Buy account been hacked?

Our friends over at The Consumerist are asking this question: Has your Best Buy account been hacked? "Have phantom orders been placed using your Best Buy website account that you had nothing to do with? Since the wee hours of this morning, we've heard from two separate readers who write that their accounts and credit cards were used to order downloadable content that was delivered to another person's email address."

Details --> http://consumerist.com/2012/05/has-your-best-buy-account-been-hacked.html

 

Free stuff: Make mom a gift at Michael's

Finney's Mother's Day Free Stuff! Make mom an apron, t-shirt or button at Michael's! Here's when and where.

>> Details here

NOTE: More freebies to come! Watch ABC7 News at 5 PM for Finney's Friday Free Stuff. Details regarding those offers will be posted at ABC7NEWS.COM at 5:30 PM.

Sign up tor receive Finney's Friday Free Stuff and Michael Finney's Consumer Blog newsletters!

This giveaway is not conducted by 7 On Your Side. If there are technical problems or issues with the product, concerns should be directed to the offering supplier.

 

 

 

 

Free stuff: Pregnancy wristband

Finney's Mother's Day Free Stuff! This item is for Moms-to-be: Free Pregnancy wristband.

>>http://www.babiesonline.com/wristband/

NOTE: More freebies to come! Check the blog again at noon!

Sign up tor receive Finney's Friday Free Stuff and Michael Finney's Consumer Blog newsletters!

This giveaway is not conducted by 7 On Your Side. If there are technical problems or issues with the product, concerns should be directed to the offering supplier.

 

 

0% balance transfer fee credit cards are back

Credit card deals just keep getting better and one of the best deals ever is making a comeback:  Zero percent balance transfers. For years now these cost nothing transfers have been hard to come by with most banks charging at least 3% for a transfer. Now many major banks are offering zero percent transfer fees and zero percent interest for a year and more. Now make sure you read the fine print, but if you are carrying debt this could be the fastest, cheapest way to pay it off.  To learn more check out Bankrate.com, credit.com, creditcards.com, or the many other credit card sites. 

 

Are you confused about your credit score?

It used to be easy. There was one credit score. It was a number between 300 and 850; the higher the better. No more. Now there are more than a thousand credit scoring equations. Often when you are offered a credit score you are getting one that isn’t much used. The gold standard for credit scores is still the FICO score.  That’s the one that runs between 300 and 850. To see your score you must log on and pay at www.myfico.com. The site also gives you a ton of information on improving your score. Oh, one more thing: Consumer groups are pushing congress to make free credit scores available to consumers.

 

Fake bills going out to Verizon customers

The Daily Globe says, “Verizon customers are receiving fake emails almost identical to the real alerts many customers get to remind them of monthly payments, according to the Better Business Bureau”.

Story here --> http://www.dglobe.com/event/article/id/56917/

Mother’s Day shopping? Watch out for this!

When you go out shopping for Mother’s Day be careful when buying jewelry. The beginning of May the price in some stores goes up. They know you want to buy something nice for Mom. “Supply and demand” or “calendar pricing” no matter what you call it, shop around.

Free Stuff: Free meal on Buca di Beppo!

Finney’s Friday Free Stuff. Nurses & Teachers! Free meal on Buca di Beppo!

http://offers.bucadibeppo.com/Coupons/TeacherAppreciation2012/

http://offers.bucadibeppo.com/Coupons/NurseAppreciation2012/

NOTE: More freebies to come! Watch ABC7 News at 5 PM for Finney's Friday Free Stuff. Details regarding those offers will be posted at ABC7NEWS.COM at 5:30 PM.

Sign up tor receive Finney's Friday Free Stuff and Michael Finney's Consumer Blog newsletters!

This giveaway is not conducted by 7 On Your Side. If there are technical problems or issues with the product, concerns should be directed to the offering supplier.