Shopping
Consumer Guide

Are Your Gift Cards Losing Value?

Gift cards are a terrific option when we need a last minute gift or we are simply stuck for a gift idea for someone. In fact, one study indicates that more than 80% of teenaged shoppers select gift cards more than any other item when it comes time to pick a gift for a friend. They're easy to purchase, and fit easily inside a greeting card. And, while it's true that there isn't much that can beat the convenience of a gift card, you should be aware of some hidden caveats.

Safe Online Shopping: Phishing for Victims

The impact that computers have had on the way we live and on our culture has been tremendous. In addition to allowing virtually instantaneous communication with people all over the world, computers allow us to complete a myriad of tasks including shopping and banking without ever having to leave our homes.

Computers have also impacted the way we speak; words and phrases such as “IM”, “dot com” and “hyperlink”, virtually unheard of ten years ago, are mainstays of today’s lexicon. And, unfortunately, there is another computer-related term that is becoming all too common: phishing.

Flat Panel TV: The Waiting Game

Being a man, I’m biologically driven to want to latest and greatest electronics…all the time…now. Having a wife, I’m required not to buy the latest and greatest electronics when they cost several thousand dollars.  In a nutshell, that’s basically why I don’t have a plasma TV (that and I can’t get my traditional picture tube Sony to give up the ghost).  But my patience has rewarded me as plasma and LCD TV’s have fallen in price just like all electronics generally do.

Buying a Treadmill

My first lesson in treadmill buying was that there are more treadmill companies and models than I ever dreamed of.  I thought that I'd simply go down to the local sporting goods store, plop down a few hundred bucks, and drive home with a serviceable machine.  Needless to say I was quite wrong.  Fortunately, I decided to do a bit of research on the web before heading out.  After weeding through the propaganda...er-marketing materials that the various companies put out, I came across a tremendous resource for treadmill buying Treadmill Doctor.  What makes treadmill Doctor so great is that they don't sell treadmills, they repair them and they rate them-almost ALL of them.