@consumerman.bsky.social
Contributing Editor at Checkbook.org, the non-profit that helps consumers get good service and low prices. I also host Checkbook's Consumerpedia.org podcast. My goal: Save you time and money, and help you avoid rip-offs & scams.
Dealing with Debt: Real-Life Success Stories: Americans are struggling to pay their bills; many rely on credit cards to make ends meet. Help is available for those drowning in debt. With hard work and proper guidance, you can be debt-free.
bit.ly/4tn6j2x
My February visit with Nick: A look at the big changes in the federal tax code that could mean a bigger refund for many, how the AI boom has quietly pushed up the price of computers and phones, and the ways marketers are getting sneakier when it comes to kids. radiomisfits.com/ndp426/
06.02.2026 17:56 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
My friend, ace reporter & anchor Gary Horcher
@kiro7seattle.bsky.social, was nice enough to interview me for his investigation into how stores monetize your personal information in exchange for loyalty discounts. It's creepy! bit.ly/3ZF64lJ
My friend, ace reporter & anchor Gary Horcher @kiro7seattle.bsky.social, was nice enough to interview me for his investigation into how stores monetize your personal information in exchange for loyalty discounts. It's creepy! bit.ly/3ZF64lJ
30.01.2026 23:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
2026 Tax Filing Season: Expect the Biggest Changes in Years. Congress made several major changes to the tax code that will affect most taxpayers’ returns – especially compared to last year, when the IRS made only routine inflation adjustments.
bit.ly/4rmjBKM
Free Tax Preparation and Filing Options: Most taxpayers can prepare and file their federal tax returns for free, saving hundreds of dollars. Here are the various ways to do that. bit.ly/4q9EesC
30.01.2026 17:16 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
AI Boom Will Raise Prices for Computers and Smartphones: Planning to purchase a new computer or smartphone this year? Buying soon could save you hundreds of dollars, as manufacturers are forced to pay higher costs for memory chips in the months ahead.
bit.ly/4r83tfI
NEW YouTube video: Checkbook's College of Consumer Knowledge. Play along with the morning team @komonews.bsky.social . Good luck! www.youtube.com/watch?v=zutv...
20.01.2026 21:26 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
A fun way to celebrate our 100th @consumerpedia.org podcast episode – Checkbook’s College of Consumer Knowledge quiz. Our celebrity contestants: Lisa Dent and Steve Bertrand from Chicago’s WGN Radio. Play along to test your consumer IQ. bit.ly/3LvRhXg
15.01.2026 19:10 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Thanks to everyone who listened to Checkbook's Consumerpedia podcast last year. Our next episode - #100 - drops on Thursday, 1/15. Check it out at Consumerpedia.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
12.01.2026 18:54 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Thanks for supporting my consumer reporting this year. I appreciate the kind email notes you send and the social media comments/likes/shares. Social media helps us reach a wider audience with our warnings, tips, and advice. Wishing you and yours a HAPPY & HEALTHY NEW YEAR!
25.12.2025 19:23 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
NEW Consumerpedia podcast: How Marketers Target & Sometimes Trick Kids. In this episode, what’s being done to protect our children from the deceptive marketing? Is anyone enforcing the rules? And how parents can talk to their kids about advertising. bit.ly/4911xOG
18.12.2025 21:26 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Visited with the morning team @kironewsradio.bsky.social to discuss virtual cards: What they are and how they provide an added layer of fraud protection. bit.ly/4pwN7Nq
15.12.2025 02:59 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
How Marketers Trick Kids, and Why Parents Should Worry: America’s children have enormous spending power, which is why companies spend billions of dollars a year marketing to minors, sometimes in ways that are misleading, deceptive, or illegal. bit.ly/48R6867
14.12.2025 20:40 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Shopping local isn’t just for Small Business Saturday! In this Consumerpedia episode, experts share tips and challenges for buying local—and why it matters. Listen now wherever you get podcasts. t.co/rUlulZO1p4
@consumerpedia.org
@consumerman.bsky.social
Virtual Credit Cards Help Fight Fraud: These 16 digit numbers are a proxy for your actual card number when you shop online. The merchant or scammer who receives the virtual code never gets your credit card number. bit.ly/49ZFwlG
08.12.2025 18:50 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Toy Safety: Counterfeit toys and AI chatbots pose new threats to child safety. youtu.be/Tv6bD6umqkU?... via @YouTube
07.12.2025 19:30 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
NEW @consumerpedia.org podcast episode: The Benefits of Shopping Locally. In this episode: The benefits and challenges of shopping at small, independent stores, ways to spend more in your community, and whether it costs more to avoid the big chain stores. bit.ly/4oFqEwz
04.12.2025 23:47 — 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
My December visit with Nick: How to really save money on holiday shopping, and why "sales" at most major retailers are bogus. Also, buying safe toys and how AI-connected toys pose new challenges for parents. (I start at 10:30 into the segment) radiomisfits.com/ndp408/
03.12.2025 19:23 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Shared advice on how to avoid fake sales with the morning team @KIRONewsradio. Here's how to find the real deals. bit.ly/48qohHO
02.12.2025 22:34 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
NEW EPISODE!!
For The People. December.
With @consumerman.bsky.social talking holiday shopping, @carguytom.bsky.social from Consumer Guide Automotive chatting about the latest in auto news, and more.
SUBSCRIBE. DOWNLOAD. LISTEN.
From @radiomisfits.com
radiomisfits.com/ndp408/
ATTENTION HOLIDAY SHOPPERS: BEWARE OF FAKE SALES. We share the results of a 6-month Checkbook investigation on the latest episode of the Consumerpedia podcast.
www.instagram.com/reel/DRiSJJq...
Unsafe Toys: How to Spot the Hidden Risks That Could Harm Your Child. The annual “Trouble in Toyland” report from U.S. PIRG highlights hidden dangers in toys, ranging from toxic chemicals to artificial intelligence that can engage in “disturbing conversations” with kids. bit.ly/4pAGBVD
26.11.2025 21:42 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
LAUNDRY QUESTIONS NEEDED. I'm interviewing the laundry expert at Consumer Reports for an upcoming @MyConsumerpedia podcast episode — and he'd like to answer your wash day questions: Use this link to submit: bit.ly/4a9fzQx
21.11.2025 22:32 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
NEW Consumerpedia episode: SALE PRICES ARE USUALLY FAKE DISCOUNTS. Researchers at Consumers’ Checkbook tracked prices at 25 major retailers for 6 months and found that most advertised markdowns were bogus. Find out which retailers run fake sales most often. bit.ly/49zhmOG
21.11.2025 18:10 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Tariffs, higher prices, and fake discounts make holiday shopping tough this year. Get shopping tips from experts on Consumerpedia. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or through the link in the comments. www.facebook.com/share/r/18Ah...
18.11.2025 19:00 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Talked about strategies to avoid holiday debt with the morning tea @komonews.bsky.social (ARC Seattle). Planning ahead and knowing the cost of credit can prevent lingering debt that lasts long after the holiday decorations are taken down. bit.ly/43yVBuE
17.11.2025 09:23 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Joined the morning team at @komonews.bsky.social (ARC Seattle) to share Checkbook’s Holiday Shopping Tips 2025: How to find the best deals, avoid the fake sales, and steer clear of online scams. bit.ly/4hRAnxU
13.11.2025 20:06 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Enjoyed being on the Talking Real Money podcast today to discuss the latest robocall scam attack, how AI-enabled fraud is becoming increasingly difficult to spot, my nightmare airline experience, and some early holiday shopping tips. bit.ly/3JVKbdE
10.11.2025 22:27 — 👍 3 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Holiday Shopping Tips 2025: Checkbook asked shopping experts for their advice on how to find the best deals and avoid the bogus sales. Plus, the smart ways (and the really costly ways) to pay for your holiday purchases.
bit.ly/49OXHKy
