Get consumer advice on product purchases, financial planning, recalls, scams, fraud and more. Take a look at our articles, blog posts, Q&As, videos and radio shows for consumer advice on a wide variety of topics.
Shopping for Auto Insurance: More Options Make the Process Less Painful
Consumers today have more tools available than ever to help them shop, compare, and ultimately purchase automobile insurance. Drivers can now research and buy auto insurance coverage through an insurance professional, over the phone, by mail, and on the Internet. Before you begin shopping, however, you need to investigate the basis for the cost of [...]
Extreme weather and home landscaping plans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8wstP5PxlY Extreme weather and water shortages are convincing people to change their home landscaping plans, leading to fewer lush yards but more long-term benefits for homeowners. After the severe water shortages in California, water usage restrictions have gone into effect for homeowners in certain parts of the state. In Texas, homeowners have seen the [...]
Ep. 25: Community Development and Your Home
Is there a way to have community development without pushing lower income residents out? Is it worth remodeling your home if it’s in a neighborhood experiencing skyrocketing land values? Get answers to these questions by listening to this week’s episode of the Ilyce Glink Show. You can click the audio link below to listen to [...]
Move-In Maintenance : How First-Time Homeowners Can Get To Know Their Home
It feels good to close on your first home. But once you’ve got everything moved in, you become a homeowner and that means lots of homeowner responsibilities and sometimes spending money on those responsibilities. From the moment you move in—actually from the home inspection—you should consider how to maintain your home in order to avoid [...]
Reverse Mortgages, Using a Property Management Company & 5 Ways to Boost Home Value Without Remodeling
Why are seniors struggling to understand reverse mortgages? Should you use a property management company for your rental property? Get answers to these questions by listening to this week’s Ilyce Glink Show. You can click the audio link below to listen to the full show, or download the podcast via iTunes. On this week’s show I talk to Peter [...]
Paying for Home Renovations: Tapping Home Equity vs. Using Savings
Figuring out how to pay for a home renovation is one of the first steps in any remodeling process. When they’re done wrestling with the cost of a home renovation, most homeowners have to decide how to fund a remodeling project. And in some cases, the options can be paying for it in cash or [...]
How to Power Your Home with a Battery
https://youtu.be/EmF7XDcYaVQ Elon Musk has created reusable rockets and award-winning electric cars. Now he wants to help you power your home with a battery. In May, Musk’s company Tesla introduced the PowerWall, a massive lithium ion battery you hang on the wall of your house or garage. It comes in two models, 10 kilowatt [...]
What to Consider When Choosing Healthcare Plans
If you’re looking for the most cost-effective insurance plan, you might be drawn to a high-deductible health plan. Because the deductible for this type of plan can be as much as $1,000 or more, you typically pay lower monthly premiums, which can leave you with more money for other expenses. But if you get sick, [...]
What Auto Insurance Do You Need When Leasing a Car?
When you lease a car, you’re really just renting it long-term. Because your leased car belongs to someone else—a lessor that wants the car back, whole, at the end of the lease—you may be required to carry more auto insurance than you’d normally purchase. Must-have insurance policies for leased cars In general, a lessee will [...]
Tax Deductions and Travel: Mixing Business with Pleasure
If you travel regularly for business, there may be times when you decide to bring the family along. After satisfying your work commitments, you have the opportunity to enjoy some quality family time even when you’re on the road, and, as an added bonus, a portion of your vacation might lower your tax liability. While [...]