Tuesday, August 18, 2009
11 ways to avoid hurricane costs
By Craig Guillot, Bankrate.com
It's hard to protect a home from a monster Category 5 hurricane, but many readily available products can reduce or minimize the impact and save homeowners big bucks in repairs and insurance premiums.The peace of mind that can result is priceless.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, predicts the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season, although a bit less active than normal, will spawn three to six hurricanes -- one to two of them major. And while the season got off to a slow start with no named storms by early August, it's important to remember Hurricane Andrew roared offshore just south of Miami on Aug. 24, 1992.
"Forecasts of an average season should not lead to complacency," says Claire Wilkinson, vice president for global issues at the Insurance Information Institute. "An average hurricane season was also forecast in 1992 when Hurricane Andrew caused more than $23 billion in property losses.
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
Beware Of Health Clinics Pushing Credit Cards
Some consumers signed up without their knowledge
By Mark Huffman, ConsumerAffairs.com
Health care credit cards are designed to help consumers pay for uninsured health costs. They're supposed to be a better deal than regular credit cards, but they seem to draw the same kinds of complaints from consumers.Amanda, of Newnan, Georgia, got a GE Money CareCredit card nearly two years ago to finance some extensive dental work. The terms were excellent - pay it off in 24 months and there would be no interest charges. She says she rapidly paid down the balance.
"I received a letter in February stating they were reducing my credit limit from $4,000 to $1,000 because of my credit score," she told ConsumerAffairs.com. "Well my credit score hadn't changed until they closed my account."
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
The 10 cheapest cars to own and operate
1. Hyundai Accent
2. Nissan Versa
3. Chevrolet Aveo5 LS
4. Suzuki SX4 Sedan
5. Pontiac G3
6. Mazda3 iSport
7. Honda Fit
8. Pontiac Vibe
9. Toyota Yaris
10. Nissan Sentra
~Sandy G.
"Black Screen Of Death" Afflicts Many Flat Screen TVs
Set power supplies appear prone to fail
By Mark Huffman, ConsumerAffairs.com
Millions of consumers went out and purchased a flat screen television set 12 to 24 months ago, hoping for years of trouble-free viewing. Increasingly, some of these consumers are encountering the same frustrating - and expensive - problem."My children were sitting and watching TV and it all of sudden went black," Angela, of Anaheim, California, told ConsumerAffairs.com. "The sound was still on so I thought maybe the video cord was loose or something. I tried everything and realized that nothing was going to work to fix this problem. Got the same run around as everyone else. The TV costs more to fix than I paid for it."
Angela's lament is one of 61 complaints about Vizio flat screen TVs received at ConsumerAffairs.com in the last 12 months. Many of the complaints describe the same problem; suddenly the picture disappears, leaving a blank screen - "the black screen of death," as it has been dubbed by some consumers.
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
Tougher Safety Requirements For Children's Products Now In Effect
Lead limits, product tracking among areas affected by new regulations
By James Limbach, ConsumerAffairs.comNew requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) aimed at making children's products safer and increasing consumer confidence in the marketplace are now in effect.
To that end, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is launching a program that it says will educate domestic and overseas manufacturers, importers, and distributors of children's products and other consumer goods about what it calls "these important new safety requirements."
CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum is promising that the CPSIA's new requirements "will be "enforced vigorously and fairly." She adds that by ensuring that toys and other children's products meet strict lead limits and can be tracked in the event of a recall, "children will be better protected in their homes."
FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
~Sandy G.
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