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HOW BUY NOW, PAY LATER
CAN QUICKLY BECOME A DEBT TRAP
- These point-of-sale loans may seem like a responsible way to pay, but they can result in costly fees and damaged credit. Complaints about late fees, unexpected withdrawals from bank accounts, and problems returning merchandise are on the rise.

CONSUMER ADVOCATES URGE SUPERMARKETS
TO STOP DIGITAL DISCOUNT DISCRIMINATION
- A coalition of consumer advocates is urging supermarkets to create workarounds for “digital-only” discounts that they say “discriminate” against millions of seniors and lower-income shoppers who are not connected or tech savvy.

Consumerpedia, Episode 26: SALE PRICES ARE RARELY REAL DEALS – Consumers’ Checkbook’s researchers spent 33 weeks tracking sale prices at 25 major retailers and found that most stores’ discount claims aren’t really discounts at all.

DOT FINES 6 AIRLINES AND ORDERS THEM TO REFUND $600 MILLION TO STRANDED PASSENGERS – The U.S. Department of Transportation has ordered six airlines to pay $600 million in refunds to passengers who had their flights canceled or significantly delayed during the pandemic. Only one of the six, Frontier, is a U.S. airline.

CAN YOU TRUST ONLINE REVIEWS FOR WARRANTY COMPANIES? – ConsumerWorld.org found something curious when it looked into online reviews for one of the largest home warranty companies. Ratings were significantly higher on websites that were paid a commission for sales generated from their site.

DEALING WITH DEBT: THE SMART WAY TO GET YOUR FINANCES BACK IN ORDER – Credit card debt is on the rise, and many people are falling deeper in debt. Help is available! But watch out for the scammers who promise debt relief, and only make your situation worse.

STUDENT LOAN PAYMENTS ABOUT TO RESUME – HERE’S HOW TO GET READY FOR JANUARY START – The pandemic-related payment pause on federal student loan debt will end on December 31. Here are few things federal student loan borrowers should do now to get ready.

Consumerpedia, Episode 25: DEALING WITH DEBT – Many Americans are making ends meet by piling up record amounts of credit card debt. A trained credit counselor can help you pay down that debt, even if it seems insurmountable, and learn how to have a successful financial future.

FTC MAY REQUIRE FUNERAL HOMES TO DISCLOSE PRICES ON THEIR WEBSITES – The FTC is updating its Funeral Rule, first enacted in 1984. One proposed change: Require funeral homes to display their price information online and by other electronic means, such as text and email.

Consumerpedia, Episode 24: HOW TO FIND A GOOD AUTO BODY SHOP – Learn about the collision repair process from the estimate to the guarantee, and the differences between the three types of parts that might be used. Also, how to deal with the insurance company—especially if the shop wants to do one thing and they want to do something else.

COURT RULING PUTS TEMPORARY HOLD ON STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM – A federal appeals court has temporarily stopped President Biden’s federal student loan debt relief program. The White House encourages borrowers to continue applying for relief.

STOP THIEF! PROTECT YOURSELF FROM IDENTITY THEFT – Here’s a webinar I did for BECU. It provides specific steps you can take to fight back against ID Theft. There are things you can do.

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