Michael Finney's Consumer Blog

Tips to make your smartphone battery last

Want your smartphone battery to last. Don't use the phone till it runs out of power. The new style batteries last much longer if you use a little, then charge a little, then use a little again. Here's the science behind charging and discharging, as explained by Battery University.  

Super Bowl Sunday is a great day to avoid the crowds

If you want to ski without crowds or get into the finest restaurants without reservations, this Sunday is your day. However, there is one drawback: you'll miss the Super Bowl. While sports bars are packed and supermarkets are shoulder to shoulder with customers pregame, the rest of the world is pretty quiet. You can almost hear the crickets chirping. So if you are willing to miss the big game and chance having nothing to talk about on Monday this is a great day to get into that restaurant, play that round of golf, or visit Disneyland with fewer fellow travelers.

Wear red to Macy's and save 20%

It is always a party at Macy's! The department store is fighting heart disease by pairing up with the American Heart Association over the next few days. Wear red clothing into the store -- a scarf or sneakers will do -- and you get an extra 20% off. If you forget red and see something you want, buy a fundraising $2 Red Dress Pin. The American Heart Association gets a donation and you get a discount. Sale runs Feb. 2-6.

>> More on Macy's Wear Red Sale

Paying more for less at the grocery store

You have no doubt noticed cereal boxes are skinnier and your candy bars are smaller, but the package isn’t. Quarts of ice cream aren’t really quarts anymore and that pound of coffee, isn’t a pound either.  If you are thinking you are paying more at the grocery store you are right, you just aren’t paying more per item… the items are getting smaller.  

>>Here’s one columnist’s take from Watsonville

What to buy/not buy in September

September is an odd month for making purchases. Back to school sales are done and the holiday’s are still months away. So is it a good time to buy or not? The folks over at dealnews.com have been looking into that question and are making recommendations. If you are looking to buy clothes, now is the time to go shopping. The price of cotton and labor has jumped up, but those increases haven’t yet reached the stores. Come October you’ll be paying as much as 110% more.  A purchase you might want to put off is a big screen TV. Dealnews.com says last year TV prices increased during September and dropped in October. The best deals this year are expected in November and December.

USDA reconsidering rules on 'plump' chickens

Have you seen the TV ads showing chickens’ getting plumped. Funny commercials and it points out that it is now legal in California to inject water into meats then charge consumers for it. My reporting on the issue is getting results. Here’s portions of a note I recently received saying the federal government is now reconsidering its rules.

“This is to acknowledge and thank you and the “ABC-7 On Your Side” Team for sticking with the story… The California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association (CACASA) has advocated for the last three years for USDA to review their previous decision… in California alone, consumers spent an estimated $246 million on solutions added to ready-to-cook poultry.”

Consumers turning down cheap credit

Credit is cheap, way cheap, but consumers aren't buying. The last time interest rates were this low consumers piled on debt, not this time. Look at us being so smart. Who knew? 

>>Get more details at nytimes.com

 

Are you suffering from sticker swoon?

You know about sticker shock, that's where the price of an item is shockingly high. Do you know about sticker swoon? That's where the price is amazingly low. It is a new term that explains a lot about how products are marketed and why we are being inundated with sneaky fees. Consumers want low prices, so companies are making sure we get them... then come the add-ons.

Think about the last airline ticket you bought for Seattle. The carrier could just tell you a flight to Seattle will cost you $300, but then it wouldn't seem like a deal. So instead the airline says the ticket will cost you $159 and then starts hitting you with fees. Extra for baggage, leg room, talking with an agent; fees to print a boarding pass, fees not to.

Car companies have been doing this for years... now other industries are in the game.

You know about sticker shock, that's where the price of an item is shockingly high. Do you know about sticker swoon? That's where the price is amazingly low. It is a new term that explains a lot about how products are marketed and why we are being inundated with sneaky fees. Consumers want low prices, so companies are making sure we get them... then come the add-ons.

 

Think about the last airline ticket you bought for Seattle. The carrier could just tell you a flight to Seattle will cost you $300, but then it wouldn't seem like a deal. So instead the airline says the ticket will cost you $159 and then starts hitting you with fees. Extra for baggage, leg room, talking with an agent; fees to print a boarding pass, fees not to.

 

Car companies have been doing this for years... now other industries are in the game. 

Free Stuff: Free bowling this weekend!

Help set a new world record! Free Bowling this weekend. Woo-hoo!

>>Get more details at http://www.gobowling.com/Promotions.aspx?PID=0549da7d-b7d1-4b19-b3d0-  
2e42cb94cc3d

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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: Toilet paper roll cover. Huh?

Finney's Friday Free Stuff. Remember how your grandmother used to cover her extra roll of toilet paper? Well, Cottonelle thinks you should do that too.

>>Get more details at https://www.cottonelle.com/respect-the-roll/roll-cover-offer.aspx

NOTE: More freebies to come! Check the blog again at 3 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