Squeaky wheel still gets results
Got a gripe? Whether it's a faulty cellphone, a cranky washing machine or a designer dress that falls apart, inevitably something goes wrong with something you've bought. What do you do?
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Got a gripe? Whether it's a faulty cellphone, a cranky washing machine or a designer dress that falls apart, inevitably something goes wrong with something you've bought. What do you do?

It's commencement season, which is the time when middle-aged crabs like me offer our sage wisdom to you, our graduating young 'uns. We do this not only out of a sense of duty but also because we are deluded enough to think you might pay attention.
The number of coupons used by Americans to stock their pantries plummeted in 2012, down 17 percent. After surging during the Great Recession, the old-fashioned savings tool seems to have lost favor among consumers. Or has it?
Homeowners who endured years of declining home values will discover that the game has changed in their favor this spring. Low mortgage rates are attracting more buyers.
It's probably been a long time since you shopped at J.C. Penney. That's the case for most of us. But for the sake of its employees and shareholders, it needs to figure out how to bring buyers back. And soon.
For new college graduates, competition for top jobs is fierce. But parents and other veteran employees with workplace experience can help by sharing their knowledge.
The mortgage interest deduction, widely viewed as a tax break for a broad slice of middle-class America, benefits the residents of some states far more than others, according to a new report by the Pew Charitable Trusts.
Q: The head of our department has been pressuring employees to purchase products from her husband, who recently began selling diet supplements through a multilevel marketing company.
Q: I am 59 years old and about $25,000 in debt. My bank account has a negative balance of $800. I fell into this mess by helping family, and now I'm wondering how to get out. I don't make enough to cover all my bills, and most of the time, I can't even afford groceries. I work 30 hours a week. Because I have to work a variety of schedules, I can't get another part-time job. I hide it from my grown-up kids because I'm ashamed, and I don't want them to find out.
Through her Pembroke Pines, Fla.-based company, Sandy Tavarez advises people on spring cleaning with a financial finish: garage and estate sales. Her job has many challenges, but chief among them, she says, is helping people become realistic about the dollars their belongings will fetch.

Mom is back! After a significant drop-off during the Great Recessepression, Mother's Day spending is set to jump by 11 percent this year, according to a new survey by the National Retail Federation, which averages out this year's spending to $168.94 per person.
It's not something that happens often in this tough job market. But if you are in the fortunate position to be offered a position on the spot, you still should think a few things over before making a final decision.
The tone of Wall Street in the week ahead will be set from a convention center in Middle America even before the opening bell Monday. When the world's highest-profile long-term investor spends his weekend eating Dilly Bars and pontificating about elephants, it has the potential to move the market.
If you want to sell your home this spring, prepare for pent-up buyer demand. Spring might be an even livelier selling season this year because homebuyers want to act before interest rates or home prices rise.
Jobs for teenagers and even young adults are scarce nearly four years after the official end of the Great Recession. It is a trend that has some researchers ...
Sixteen-year-old Gabriel Aguilar, of Chicago, an avid shopper, prefers to patronize specialty shops such as Urban Outfitters or Forever 21 for party and hang- ...
Now would be a good time to watch interest rates — and Congress — if you're planning on tapping into the federal student loan program to send your ...
Q: Six months ago, I was fired from a company where I worked for two years. My co-workers were a tight clique of women who blamed me whenever something went ...
Q: I have a judgment and collections account on my credit report for an old debt. The collections account is scheduled to expire from my report in September. ...
While we’re waiting for the daffodils to defrost, we must as well get in the seasonal mood with a little spring cleaning. And just like the floors and windows, ...
From retirement to saving to paying off debt, our modern-day money worries are many. But some of that concern is fueled more by rumor than reality.
Recent images of a cruise ship limping back to port after an engine malfunction didn't do the cruise industry any favors heading into the summer vacation ...
The average U.S. rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage fell last week to its lowest level on record, making refinancing and home-buying more attractive to those ...
Washington — Need to refinance your mortgage? Just put it on your shopping list next time you visit Costco, alongside the jumbo paper towels and the 6- ...
For young people today, the American dream of working hard, saving money and becoming richer than their parents may be out of reach, according to a recent ...
Nearly eight months after taking effect, the federal government's 401(k) fee-disclosure mandate, designed to help workers and their employers better understand ...
Q. In the aftermath of my divorce and unemployment in 2009, I was unable to keep up with payments on about $9,000 of credit card debt. Eventually, I settled ...
Where do you hope to be in three years? Aren't you overqualified for this position? Job seekers likely to face tough interview questions can practice certain ...
Q. The verbal abuse that I receive from my boss has been escalating for several years. About once a week, he begins shouting, cursing and banging on my desk. ...
There is little that is riveting about a cost-benefit analysis. Still, we perform them all the time without applying such a formal, academic-sounding name to ...
Daniel Howes Now, after Gov. Rick Snyder pulled the Belle Isle lease deal over City Council’s inaction? Now, after Mayor Dave Bing said he would be forced to close 50 city parks...
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