Consumer Topics

Why You Shouldn’t Overreact to the ‘Genetic Informant’ Hype

Police in California believe that they’ve cracked a decades-old case involving multiple rapes and murders in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Finding their suspect involved more than just the modern ability to extract DNA from crime scene samples. Since the DNA didn’t match anyone in their law enforcement databases, police turned to a free online database of DNA called GEDMATCH.

On GEDMATCH, people researching their genealogy voluntarily post their ancestral DNA profiles to help in building their family trees.…

May 7, 2018 0 comment

Consumer Topics

10 Foods You Need to Avoid at Chain Restaurants

Current and former workers at chain restaurants have spilled the beans! This post will list the top 10 foods you shouldn’t eat at chain restaurants. I’ll let you in on some secrets that restaurants don’t want you to know.

I’ve sorted through dozens of Reddit posts and consulted with a close friend who spent her college years as a chain restaurant waitress.…

February 6, 2018 5 comments

Consumer Topics

10 Secrets Waiters and Waitresses Want You to Know

When you eat in a sit-down restaurant, you probably don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the waiter or waitress serving your food.

I’ve researched what waiters and waitresses wish their customers knew, and I’ve interviewed a close friend who waitressed the whole time she was in college at a popular chain restaurant. I’ll call her F.W. in this post.…

January 30, 2018 9 comments

Consumer Topics How-To Technology

How We Saved $1200+ by Cutting the Cord (and Still Watch Great Programming)

If you’re looking for an easy way to save over $100 a month, look no further than your cable or satellite bill. Your family can cut the cord on pay TV, save tons of money, and still watch quality TV.

In fact, most of the award-winning, highly acclaimed shows aren’t on network stations. They’re on streaming services like Netflix and Amazon or premium channels you buy without a pay TV subscription.…

October 31, 2017 4 comments

Consumer Topics Technology

Is Buying a Walmart Care Plan Worth It? Part 2

Shortly after buying a laptop from Walmart.com for my then 11-year-old daughter for Christmas 2015, I wrote a Walmart Care Plan review based on my experience at that point.

I purchased a two-year Walmart Care Plan, administered by Asurion, with the laptop. It covers both functional issues and accidental damage.

I’m skeptical about buying extended warranties. However, in this case, I felt like the Walmart Care Plan was a good bet.…

August 1, 2017 9 comments

Consumer Topics

10 Awesome Things You Didn’t Know You Could Buy on Amazon

I’ve been buying items from Amazon almost since its beginnings as the world’s largest bookstore. Over the years, Amazon became a place you could buy many other items besides books. The also company came up with innovations such as Amazon Prime, Amazon Instant Video, Amazon Kindle devices and Kindle ebooks, and Amazon Alexa-enabled devices such as the Amazon Echo, to name just a few.…

June 21, 2017 5 comments

Consumer Topics

Watch Out For These Scam Phone Numbers

You might think the state and federal do-not-call lists would have cut down on the number of annoying, unwanted phone calls you receive. Instead, scams are worse than ever. Why?

For one thing, scammers don’t follow the do-not-call rules. In fact, if you respond to a sales call with anything other than a hangup, you could make things worse for yourself.…

May 8, 2017 1 comment

Bargains & Finds Consumer Topics

How to Shop at a Dollar Store Online

The term “dollar store” can describe stores that sell everything for $1 such as Dollar Tree, along with low-cost stores like Dollar General and Family Dollar (now owned by the same company as Dollar Tree).

Customers and investors alike love dollar stores. Dollar stores continue to thrive while many other brick-and-mortar stores struggle to stay alive and, in many cases, fade away.…

April 5, 2017 1 comment

Consumer Topics Home & DIY

5 Reasons Not to Have a Yard Sale to Sell Your Stuff

That old stand-by, the yard sale or garage sale, is one of the worst possible ways to sell your stuff if you actually want to make some money.

I know there are some people who succeed at yard sales and have them year after year. Believe it or not, yard sales in rural areas can prove more successful than those in urban areas.…

April 4, 2017 0 comment

Consumer Topics Home & DIY

How to Choose The Right Home Warranty Company

This is a guest post by Jonathan Peterson.

In a home warranty, the company is of equal importance to the warranty plan. The company is responsible for explaining the warranty plan to consumers, issuing payments for claims filed, and directing you to a repair professional in your area.

The company will replace an appliance, install new pipes, or install new electrical wires if the issue cannot be resolved through a repair.…

March 31, 2017 1 comment