Sergey Podlesnov / Shutterstock.com Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on The Penny Hoarder. You might think a treasure hunt means diving in the ocean to find sunken ships or exploring ancient ruins in faraway countries looking for hidden chambers full of gold and jewels. But fortunately, you can also become a treasure hunter in … Read more
Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on ConsumerWorld.org. Despite media reports of some fashion retailers adding new fees for online customer returns this holiday season, the dozen mass merchandisers and retail chains in Consumer World’s 19th annual return policy survey did not do so, and most still offer completely free returns. A number of large … Read more
Wileydoc / Shutterstock.com Homebuyers finally are getting some relief from sky-high housing costs, according to the latest market report from real estate marketplace Zillow. Nationwide, the typical home value slipped 0.2% in October to $357,733 and is now down 0.5% from its peak in June. In addition, mortgage rates have come down from their highs, … Read more
Hoping to improve the quality of your sleep? You might think living like a bat and spending more time in darkness would help. However, a new study suggests just the opposite. It found students at the University of Washington tended to fall asleep later at night and wake up later in the morning during winter, … Read more
Elliott Cowand Jr / Shutterstock.com Workers in funky shirts, bells ringing, the cozy-sized stores. There’s just something different about Trader Joe’s compared with its much larger grocery competitors. And its die-hard customer base would agree. From its humble beginnings in Pasadena, California, in 1967, TJ’s has grown to more than 500 stores nationwide, under the … Read more
Trong Nguyen / Shutterstock.com We love shopping for Costco bargains, but it turns out some of the warehouse store’s Kirkland Signature house brand offerings are not the sweet deals they seem to be. Often it’s just too much of a good thing. You won’t use up the item before it goes bad. Or you might … Read more
J Dennis / Shutterstock.com Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on LawnStarter. City living has its advantages, but with greater population density often comes an assortment of problems such as pests, litter, and pollution that can turn any city from sparkling to filthy. Some cities are dirtier than others. How does your city compare with … Read more
RealPeopleStudio / Shutterstock.com As 2022 winds to a close, there is no need to sugarcoat it: This was one of the toughest years ever for U.S. investors. Not only did stocks tumble, but bonds recorded one of their worst performances in history. Whether you prefer stocks or bonds, there was nowhere to hide this year … Read more
If you love dark chocolate bars, beware: That sweet treat might contain unwanted heavy metals such as lead and cadmium. Past research has indicated the presence of such heavy metals — which have been linked to health issues in both children and adults — in dark chocolate. Recently, Consumer Reports set out discover the amount … Read more
Watsachol Wisednok / Shutterstock.com Tis the season to celebrate good cheer, and few things make folks happier than sinking their teeth into a decadent Christmas cookie. However, where you live apparently plays a big role in which Christmas cookie you like best. Recently, Axios cited Google Trends data that reveals America has three main favorite … Read more