The best way to get into the holiday spirit is to focus on what really matters–and protect your long-term finances in the proces.

Reduce spending. Cut back on extravagant gifts to ensure the holiday season is more economical for everyone.
Set limits. It’s smart to shop with cash, but safer to access your cash with a debit […]

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Six in ten electrical contractors have significant concerns about counterfeit products, including circuit breakers that fail to trip when overloaded, extension cords that overheat and ground fault circuit interrupters that unsuccessful prevent burns and electric shocks.

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The stores Internet shoppers love the most, according to a survey by STORES Magazine.

Amazon.com Seattle books
eBay.com San Jose, CA auction
Walmart.com Bentonville, AR general merchandise
BestBuy.com Richfield, MN electronics
JCPenney.com Plano, TX apparel
Target.com Minneapolis general merchandise
Google.com Mountainview, CA information
Overstock.com Salt Lake City general merchandise
Kohls.com Menomonee Falls, WI apparel.
Sears.com Hoffman Estates, […]

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All a Connecticut volunteer fire department wanted to do was raise money to buy new equipment. But a raffle created more embarrassment than profit.

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Kerrie Campbell, a partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in Washington, DC, specializes in consumer product safety counseling and represents major manufacturers and retailers in investigation, enforcement and penalty proceedings before the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. She discusses the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, which President George W. Bush signed into […]

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It’s an enticing offer: a late model, low mileage car for a fraction of its retail value. But the offer is not what it seems-and consumers who respond can potentially lose far more than they hoped to gain.
Larry Heenan is one of many potential car buyers who stumbled onto the questionable ad in the past […]

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Consumers often struggle between replacement or repair of electronic equipment. From an environmental standpoint, it’s usually better to reuse than replace it. But from an economic standpoint, that may not make sense.

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The top 15 green-centric brands, according to Outlaw Consulting and the 21 to 29 year olds it surveyed:

Whole Foods
Trader Joe’s
Toyota
Honda
Google
Aveda
Zipcar
American […]

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President Bush has signed sweeping product reform legislation that will overhaul the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The House and Senate overwhelmingly approved the bi-partisan Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 late last month.
Consumer groups are already describing the measure as the most significant improvements to the Consumer Product Safety Commission since it was […]

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This semester, think before you flip the light switch. You may not need to turn on the lights every time you enter a room.

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