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September 2009
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Terri Gruca: January 2009 Archives
Then late yesterday the Consumer Product Safety Commission agreed to give those manufacturers more time to prove they've performed those tests. They will now have another year to comply with that part of the rules. My question is this: Does this give companies more time to dump products that they shouldn't be selling to kids? At least one Austin toy store owner complained it already appeared some manufacturers were doing that this past Christmas in order to meet the February deadline. She told me, "I've seen some vendors that have Asian products, putting it on sale and trying to get rid of it." The CPSC says this ruling doesn't affect the following rules: The government says this will simply allow companies to have more time to meet the requirements. It also allows the CPSC more time to finalize the rules to relieve certain materials and products from the testing requirements. According to an article in the Washington Post, "While consumer groups were sympathetic to the plight of business owners, 'to give a 12-month blanket extension to everybody does not seem consistent with the intent of the law,' said Diana Zuckerman, president of the National Research Center for Women & Families. Business groups were also critical of the commission's action yesterday because major retailers such as Wal-Mart and Toys R Us are requiring suppliers to test their products and provide proof that they meet the new lead and phthalate limits, thereby rendering the CPSC moratorium moot for many." I know this issue has generated much debate from parents, stores and resale shops before, so I'm curious what you think. Add your comments below.
I've been curious how much banks collected so I asked the Department of Treasury. I found the list fascinating so you can go here to see the full list of banks that have received money as well as how much they've received. So far the federal government has delivered $293.7 billion of the $700 billion in program funds. Despite recommendations that there be more transparency about how the money is spent, the GAO says there are still few requirements for financial institutions. The GAO previously recommended the 20 largest institutions be monitored monthly. Today's report found that, "While the monthly survey is a step toward greater transparency and accountability for the largest institutions, we continue to believe that additional action is needed to better ensure that all participating institutions are accountable for their use of program funds. This follows reports out this week that show some of those same financial institutions paid out nearly $20 billion dollars in bonuses to managers. Citibank is among the companies that reportedly gave out bonuses after taking $45 billion dollars from the Troubled Asset Relief Program. President Obama called the actions "shameful". What do you think? Add your comments below.
I will tell you I personally have purchased gift certificates from this site and have never been charged this additional fee. So I looked into it. According to Restaurant.com, "There is an offer to receive $10 cash back for becoming a member with Shopping Essentials Plus. When entering Click here to see what the survey looks like. You can also check your credit card statement for this: "AP9*SHOPPINGESSENTIALS 1-888-243-6180." You can call that same number to cancel your membership. I have seen similar deals to this other places where I've shopped online. Sometimes online sites will ask you to fill out a survey or offer you a discount. You can call to cancel the service. I even recommend you dispute the charges with your credit card company if you don't remember signing up. In some cases they'll refund your money. This is something you should pay attention to when you are shopping online. Those surveys or deals that pop up after you pay for an item often contain hidden memberships like these. So your best bet is to avoid clicking on them. Thanks to Todd for the tip. I always appreciate viewer suggestions. So if you ever have any stories ideas, things your friends are talking about or wondering about, or deals you'd like to share (especially ones that involve Austin businesses), please send me an e-mail. Update "I read your recent post about Restaurant.com on KVUE.com and wanted to shed a bit more light on the Shopping Essentials membership offer. Shopping Essentials is in fact a separate company, a service provider. Restaurant.com has agreed to serve this promotional offer to consumers directly after purchase. The offer enables buyers to receive $10 cash back for taking a survey and agreeing via electronic signature to join the Shopping Essentials savings club for a stated monthly fee. Discounts and savings for household brand name retailers are available through membership to the club. I'd like to respectfully point out that the details are listed in several places on the actual page (shown in your post). Details are also provided on the subsequent order confirmation page and again through email if the consumer accepts. We understand that no one likes to be told that they didn't read something carefully enough, but it is very important to note that customers must click and accept the offer before any agreement is ever formed. If there is a mistake, cancellation can be made quickly through email, phone or on the Shopping Essentials site through an automated form. And participants can still keep the free $10 rebate associated with the offer, which some choose to do. Currently, complaints like the "tip" you received represent less than 1% of our monthly transactions. The total signals that the great majority of people understands what's presented and chooses to either accept or decline. Still, we watch customer comments like the one you received carefully and reserve the right to change course if too many people do not value the offer or service. We apologize for any misunderstanding your reader and our customer had and would be happy to help that person out swiftly and directly. If you need help call 1.800.979.8985." Stephanie Update Apparently a Defense Department audit that will be made public Friday, "faults the Army for flawed testing procedures before awarding a contract for the armor." "In a Jan. 27 letter to Inspector General Gordon Heddell, Geren said he did not agree that the plates failed the testing. He said his opinion is backed by the Pentagon's top testing director. Hundreds of thousands of body armor sets have been manufactured over the last seven years. The vests are standard gear for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan," reported the AP. According to Military.com this is not the first time the military has recalled body armor. In November 2005 the military recalled 18,000 protective vests because they failed to meet safety tests. Back then the military said they met field tests but not the stricter manufacturing tests. Earlier that same year another recall found similar issues. Some of those vests were reportedly used in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is unclear if there was a reason for this latest audit or if a particular incident sparked it. I called the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Defense to see if it could provide more details. I could not reach anyone and have not received a call back. I'll be sure to pass along any more information once I get it. But I'm curious what you think about this? Add your comments below.
Clothing Deals • Smart Bargains is one of my favorite sites to find deals. It is having a big catwalk clearance sale right now. You'll find some really good deals on shoes and boots right now. Travel Deals • One of my producers says he was able to score an amazing deal for a skiing trip in March. So I thought I'd make sure all of you knew Southwest Airlines is still having an incredible airfare sale. You'll find some flights as cheap as $49 one way. You've got to book your flight 14 day in advance and by February 19th for travel by May 20th. • Airtran is also having a terrific sale right now. I know they don't fly out of Austin, but they do fly out of San Antonio and you can't beat some of the $59 one-way fares. You've got to book by February 10th and looking at the fares you'll find most of the steep savings on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. However some of the deals are good for travel all the way through May. • Disney is offering some off season deals. Right now if you book four nights you get three nights free. This deal is mostly good for travel in March and April, but there are a few nights in June too. • Remember Airfare Watchdog.com has some of the best unadvertised airfares. There's a flight to Orlando right now for $178 roundtrip on Southwest Airlines. Viewer Recommendation I checked out that site, the deals seem good, however there are lots of reports on Consumer Affairs.com from people who've had issues when they've booked flights on this site. The Better Business Bureau also gives the company an F. I appreciate the tip from Marilyn and the other viewer who called with concerns about some of the deals she found. I would be careful when using this site. Since I've not used it before I can't personally vouch for its credibility. If you've had experience with this company and would like to share your thoughts feel free to do so below or send me an e-mail. Food Deals • This is for my Minnesota followers. Caribou is offering a dollar off any drink any size through February 11th. I've seen the temperatures up there. I know you could use a warm cup of coffee. Lots of people have invested in digital televisions. The lucky few have mounted them on the walls of their living rooms. Although tonight there's word some of those wall mounts may not be so sturdy. About 140,000 LCD television wall mounts sold at Best Buy stores are being recalled tonight because they may crack causing televisions to fall. There have been 28 incidents so far, but no television has fallen yet. Here's what they look like. The television wall mounts were manufactured by Milestone and have the following model numbers: NT-TVM103 and NT-TVM104. The model numbers can be found on the UL sticker. They were sold between June 2007 and December 2008 for between $60 and $90.
If you've got any questions call 1-877-277-3707.
Mercedes is the latest in a line of builders across the country to declare bankruptcy. Some experts say it's likely just the beginning. It shows you how quickly a builder can fall in these tough economic times. Just last year the company was awarded a National Housing Quality Award. It has built homes in Steiner Ranch and other neighborhoods in Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina and the hard hit Florida. These restructurings can create all kinds of problems for homeowners. According to some real estate experts warranties for homeowners already in homes can even be voided during a restructuring. People who are under contract when a builder declares bankruptcy may have to wait several months to find out if their builder will continue to build their home or if they will lose their deposit. This article by Bankrate.com may help those of you with questions. It also includes some terrific tips for those of you looking to buy a new home. If you are having issues with a builder that has declared bankruptcy send me an e-mail.
However, this weekend there was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal about why buying American made cars is trickier than you might think. It turns out a law passed in the early 1990s called the American Automobile Labeling Act or AALA requires car manufacturers to show the percentage of U.S. and Canadian parts the cars contain, the country of assembly and countries of origin for the engine and transmission. In order for a car to be considered "American made" it must be assembled here with 75 percent of its content sourced from the U.S. You'll find these labels on the window stickers of new cars. You can see the latest list of cars and their content here. To see some of the previous year's lists go here. However, some articles criticize the law. One from Bnet said, "The AALA excludes the value of final assembly work on cars and components performed in this country by foreign manufacturers. If Nissan makes a part for the 300ZX in Tennessee, the value of that part cannot be counted toward the domestic content of the completed car - yet parts made in America or Canada by the Big Three do count toward the domestic value of their finished cars." The article continues saying, "Even worse, if the part involved comes from a wholly owned subsidiary of a Big Three manufacturer - for example, AC-Delco in the case of GM - that manufacturer can claim full credit for the amount of U.S.-Canadian content while the exact same part, if sold to a Japanese manufacturer (which is commonplace in the industry), receives no credit for "domestic" content unless the part has more than 70 percent U.S.-Canadian content." The Wall Street Journal cited an economist's findings that "about 25 percent of the parts used in vehicles assembled in the U.S. came from overseas, and another 25 percent were manufactured here by foreign-owned parts makers." What do you think? Have you ever noticed these labels? Does it make you more likely to buy a car based on where it was assembled or where the parts originated? Add your comments below.
Mortgage rates are already pretty low, in most cases below 5%. Many experts say this could be the first of many builders to up the ante to try to sell homes. Toll Brothers has neighborhoods along the west and east coast, a few in the Midwest and several in Texas. "For loans contracted by Feb. 2, Centex the nations' third largest builder by annual closings and revenue, is offering 3.5% for the first two years," the Wall Street Journal reported. "The rate then locks in at 4.5%." The company is touting the historically low interest rates on their home page and the $7,500 incentive the government offers to new home buyers. Lennar has offered similar deals in recent months.
"We found evidence of an intrusion last week and immediately notified federal law enforcement officials as well as the card brands," said Robert H.B. Baldwin, Jr., Heartland's president and chief financial officer. "We understand that this incident may be the result of a widespread global cyber fraud operation, and we are cooperating closely with the United States Secret Service and Department of Justice." The company processes credit card payments for restaurants, retailers and many other companies. It says the hackers had access for "more than weeks", meaning this case could set a record. Security experts say it's possible that several months worth of transactions were captured. The company says, "no merchant data, cardholder social security numbers, unencrypted personal identification numbers (PIN), addresses or telephone numbers were involved in the breach. Nor were any of Heartland's check management systems; Canadian, payroll, campus solutions or micropayments operations; Give Something Back Network; or the recently acquired Network Services and Chockstone processing platforms." People just started receiving letters notifying them of the breach this week. You can get more information here. As a consumer it makes you wonder how these security breaches continue to happen? You may remember in 2005 and 2006 TJX, the parent company of places like TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Home Goods announced hackers had accessed information on 94 million customers. When I was at my last job I received a letter saying that some of my investment information had been compromised. So I signed up for the credit monitoring service. However it makes you wonder what you can really do to protect your information? Do you think stores, credit card companies and the companies who process our transactions are doing enough? Most states require companies to notify consumers when their information has been accessed because of a security breach. Here's a terrific interactive map that allows you to check out your state's status. This is another site that gives more detailed information on each state's laws. However, researchers say these laws have done nothing to reduce the number or the severity of the breaches. Do you have any suggestions for what companies should be doing to protect your information? Add your comments below. Protect Yourself This week you'll find some rare discounts to some of the world's priciest resorts, big discounts on sneakers if you're looking for a little motivation to get working out and a few coupon books to help you save money on groceries. Remember if you ever have any deals, especially local ones that are worth sharing, send me an e-mail. Travel Deals Shoe Deals Restaurant Savings Free Coupon Books Pillsbury has a similar $10 savings offer but you have to sign up for the newsletter. Betty Crocker offers a similar $10 deal with a newsletter. Coffee Maker Here's the catch you are essentially signing up to receive the companies coffee on a monthly basis. So if you don't like the coffee or think it's a good deal, you'll have to cancel the subscription after you get the coffee maker. The coffee costs between $5.95 and $8.35 a bag. I've priced the coffee in stores and through this and you can find cheaper coffee at the local grocery store. I'm not a coffee drinker, so I can't vouch for the taste, but my husband says the coffee is good. Ladies here's your chance to score some free makeup. This is no joke. It is all part of a 2003 California lawsuit filed against department stores and cosmetics manufacturers accusing them of fixing prices. Department stores admitted no wrong doing, but agreed to a settlement. As a result they will give away $175 million in makeup starting today. So each consumer who purchased makeup between May 1994 and July 2003 is eligible for one freebie worth between $18 and $25. Tyler's mom said she went to collect her makeup tonight and there was a line at the makeup counter. The freebies could last as long as a week, but my guess is with the lines people are seeing they'll run out of supplies well before then. The settlement recognizes you likely didn't save your receipt from ten years ago, so it is an honor system. You will have to sign for your freebie. So if you're out during your lunch break today swing by one of these stores and look for a table near the cosmetic counters: The freebies will stop in seven days or when they are all gone, whichever comes first. If there are any cosmetics left, the legal settlement calls for them to be given to charity. The items given away include perfume, mascara and moisturizers. Here are the 20 items to be given away: Not all stores will have all of the items in the legal settlement. Today is a historic day. It's amazing the sea of people on the lawn of the Mall in Washington, DC who lined up so early this morning. So many people want to buy some sort of keepsake as a memory of President elect Barack Obama's inauguration. Clara Tuma's story yesterday showed people waiting in line for nearly an hour to make a purchase at the Austin Obama store. According to estimates by the New York Times, "Consumers have already spent perhaps as much as $200 million on Obamabilia." Obama memorabilia is also among eBay's top sellers. In December the company reported that "more than 111,000 Obama-related items had already been sold on their site." No one discourages that kind of excitement. However, today the Better Business Bureau warns those people who are hoping to make money off those gadgets. "In order for memorabilia to become worth much money, it generally needs to be quite rare," says Carrie A. Hurt, President and CEO of BBB serving Central, Coastal and Southwest Texas. "Unfortunately for Obama collectors, there is a glut of merchandise being sold nationwide. There's nothing wrong with buying a plate or a coin celebrating Barack Obama's inauguration, but consumers need to be aware that the value of the item might be purely sentimental." There are some items that are likely to be extremely valuable over time. For example, some experts say items associated with President-elect Obama's senatorial seat will be more sought after and thus more valuable than items from the presidential race. The BBB suggests keeping these things in mind as you make your purchases: I'm a huge peanut butter fan. For all the rest of you I thought you'd want to know that this weekend the Food and Drug Administration warned consumers to avoid eating food containing peanut butter unless they knew it couldn't be linked to a Virginia company. "Product samples from Peanut Corp. of America in Lynchburg, Va., were tested positive in Minnesota and Connecticut for the bacteria that have sickened at least 474 people in 43 states and may have contributed to six deaths," said officials from the FDA and federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Peanut Corp. isn't linked to any major national brand name peanut butter but it did sell products to 85 food distributors and manufacturers. Several more manufactures have begun recalling products. Including Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products which is voluntarily recalling some Wal-Mart Bakery brands of PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES, PEANUT BUTTER NO-BAKE COOKIES and PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE NO-BAKE COOKIES because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. On Saturday, Kellogg Co. recalled "certain Austin® and Keebler® branded Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers and select snack-size packs of Famous Amos® Peanut Butter Cookies and Keebler® Soft Batch Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies because the products have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella." On Sunday, McKee Foods Corp. announced a voluntary nationwide recall of its Little Debbie Peanut Butter Toasty and Peanut Butter Cheese sandwich crackers, which were manufactured for McKee by Kellogg. McKee said it has not received any complaints of illness about the products, which were made on or after July 1, 2008. You can keep up with the latest on the FDA's investigation here. Texas Update This is the second time in nearly two years that peanut butter has been linked to a salmonella outbreak. In 2007 Peter Pan peanut butter produced by ConAgra Foods Inc. was linked a salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 625 people in 47 states. The company recalled all the peanut butter and eventually traced the contamination to a leaky roof and faulty sprinkler head at its Georgia plant. It took months for Peter Pan peanut butter to return to store shelves. ConAgra said it doesn't buy any ingredients from Peanut Corp. and is not part of this latest salmonella investigation. We love being rewarded. It's why credit card companies offer reward programs and why many stores do the same. Whether its cash back or added savings we like the notion of getting something for nothing. However a story out of today's Wall Street Journal says those reward programs are getting less rewarding. According to the paper, American Express eliminated its double miles for shopping on its Delta SkyMiles card and "in March Citigroup's Citibank will drop its popular redemption option for airline tickets in its ThankYou Rewards program." Credit card companies always preface these programs saying they can make changes at any time. In the current economic climate it's no wonder they're scaling back. Does it make you less likely to sign up? If you do take advantage of these programs, you'll want to check to see if your favorite rewards are being eliminated or altered. You can see the list compiled by the Wall Street Journal here. Web Site to Help Remember if you ever have any suggestions, either add your thoughts below in the comment section or send me an e-mail. Dozens of products are recalled every week, but tonight the Consumer Product Safety Commission made a rare move. It recalled a product without help from the company that manufactured it.
The agency also said, "Simplicity Inc. and SFCA Inc. have not responded to CPSC's request to recall these products nor have they been responsive to consumer complaints recently received." The play yards were sold with a bassinet, changing table, and mobile features. They have a Rainforest patterned fabric, Rainforest themed artwork and have a Fisher-Price logo. The Simplicity Inc. model numbers are 5310 RNF, 5310RNFC, and 5310RNFW. You'll find the model number on a sticker on one of the legs underneath the play yard. You should stop using the play yards immediately. Fisher-Price has voluntarily agreed to help consumers, even though it did not manufacture or sell the play yards. Here's how to see if you have one of the affected play yards: look for this monkey logo on the upper left hand side.
And look for this Rainforest logo on the bottom right hand side. You can get more information here or contact Fisher-Price at 1-800-432-5437. It never fails each time I get to the grocery store I realize I've forgotten my reusable grocery bags. So I opt for plastic figuring at least I can toss them back into the recycle bins next time I'm in the store. If some Texas lawmakers have their way stores will be required to recycle plastic bags and provide reusable bags for sale. Austin and other Texas cities have sought to reduce plastic bag use and most stores I've been to already offer this. Some lawmakers think that's enough, that retailers shouldn't be mandated to make these changes. Earlier this year the Star Tribune reported that biodegradable bags may not be as green as people think either. According to the article some stores were using "Biodegradable bags that purportedly break down when exposed to sunlight, oxygen, soil, moisture and microbes." One expert said, "Biodegradable bags are still petroleum-based, and while they do break down into smaller particles, chemicals eventually show up in the food chain and our bodies. And it's unclear whether biodegradable bags can be recycled." What do you think? Which bags do you use? Why? Add your comments below. This week we've got some of the best places to find bargains on books, kid toys and the latest in travel deals. Book Bargains You can also compare textbook prices on Best Web Buys.com. This site also has a new mobile web site so you can check prices while you're in the store. You just get the ISBN number off the book. That's the 10 to 13-digit ISBN or the International Standard Book Number. (Every book is assigned one of these. You can find it by looking for the bar code on the book.) The site then shows you a selection of books that meet your search criteria. Click on the selection and up pops a long list of places that are selling the book and the various prices. Also check out these sites: Kid Toy Deal Here are a few more deal sites worth checking out: Travel Deals Southwest Airlines is also having an airfare sale. You'll find rates as cheap as $59 one way. You have until January 19th to purchase tickets. Continental Airlines is offering some savings for people hoping to visit Jamaica this summer Let's face it none of us looks forward to tax season. This year the IRS is hoping to make things a bit easier for you, especially if you've been hit by financial hardship this year. The government says it has trained IRS workers to offer more assistance. For example if you have paid your taxes on time and in full in years past yet you've lost your job or faced huge medical bills this year you may be able to negotiate with the IRS to pay less than what you owe. They've posted an entire list of "What if?" scenarios and options available to you. Here's a list of changes: This weekend my husband and I were talking about how addicted some of our friends are toFacebook. I don't know about you, but I really haven't completely grasped the concept of telling everyone what I'm doing every second of every day. Between Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, I feel a bit overwhelmed. I do have a Facebook page a Twitter account and a LinkedIn account, but I don't do a great job keeping up. I rarely update them. I'm lucky if I check Facebook once a week. All the pictures on my page were added by my friends. I think there are some things I like to keep private. However, apparently I'm in the minority. And now more and more companies are trying to capitalize on the popularity of these websites. Time Warner has a Twitter account. It allows the company to keep track of what people are saying or complaining about. We even have a Twitter page here at KVUE that keeps you up to date on the news and weather of the day. Elise Hu is one of my favorite on Twitter. Burger King has started a promotion called "Whopper Sacrifice". Here's how it works-- install the "Whopper Sacrifice" on your Facebook page, get rid of ten friends and Burger King will send you a coupon for a free Whopper. Burger King claims nearly 190,000 friends have been sacrificed. I've heard of people getting jobs using these social networking sites and it can be fun to catch up with old friends. However I have a tough time keeping up. What about you? Do you think we've become too self absorbed? Add your comments below. The beginning of the year is always a great time to take stock of your insurance coverage. You might be amazed how much things have changed since you last looked at your plans. It's why my colleague, Olga Campos will touch on this today at 5. One of the items Olga mentioned to me is that the value of your jewelry can change overtime. So it's important to make sure you have an updated appraisal for any jewelry you have insured. My husband and I were able to save on our car insurance when we lived within walking distance of work. It turns out we didn't drive our car that much, so knowing our we were keeping our mileage low helped us save some money. Below are a few tips compiled from several insurance industry experts: Below are some great resources including a few worksheets to determine how to save: All week long we've been hearing how confused you are about the new safety rules for children's products. Apparently the Consumer Product Safety Commission has been hearing from you too. The Commission issued a press release this afternoon to help parents and resale shop owners understand what's required under the new rules starting February 10th. I spoke with Julie Vallese of the CPSC this afternoon. "The new safety law does not require resellers to test children's products in their current inventory for lead," she said. However, resellers cannot sell children's products that exceed the lead limit. According to the CPSC "unless they have testing or other information to indicate the products being sold have less than the new limit. Those resellers that do sell products in violation of the new limits could face civil and/or criminal penalties." Vallese said the Consumer Product Safety Commission is looking for a good faith effort on the part of the shop owners. She said they are asking store owners and parents to pay particular attention to the products that may cause harm, toys with small parts or anything a child might put in their mouth--those would be considered a danger. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was passed after several years of recalls for toys and children's jewelry that contained high levels of lead. According to the new law, "starting February 10, 2009 children's products cannot be sold if they contain more than 600 parts per million (ppm) total lead. Certain children's products manufactured on or after February 10, 2009 cannot be sold if they contain more than 0.1% of certain specific phthalates or if they fail to meet new mandatory standards for toys." Phthalates are chemicals found in many plastics and also many beauty products. They are known to make products more pliable. The CDC says it is unknown the effects phthalates can have, however some studies show they have been linked to birth defects. Manufacturers and importers will have to certify that children's products made after February 10th meet the new safety standards. Under those new rules children's products with more than 600 ppm total lead cannot lawfully be sold in the United States on or after February 10, 2009, even if they were manufactured before that date. The total lead limit drops to 300 ppm on August 14, 2009. Lead exposure can cause the most problems in children under the age of six. According to the Centers for Disease Control lead poisoning often occurs with no obvious symptoms or symptoms that mimic the flu. If left untreated it can lead to learning disabilities, behavioral problems and at very high levels, seizures, coma even death. I did the first investigation on this issue back in 2004. If you'd like to read more go here. It seems every day we're hearing about more people being laid off from their jobs. My husband and I have had three family members who've lost their jobs in the past year. Lucky for us all of them are starting the new year gainfully employed. So if you're curious what might be the best career you may be interested in this new study. It may not be that surprising that math and science majors stand to make the most money but they also apparently enjoy some of the least stressful jobs. According to Career Cast the top five jobs are Mathematician, Actuary, Statistician, Biologist and Software Engineer. Good news for some of my co-workers Meteorologist ranks 15. If you want to know what jobs to avoid, the worst jobs according to this study are Lumberjack, Dairy Farmer, Taxi Driver, Seaman, EMT and Garbage Collector. Looking for the most satisfying job? This same study ranked Clergy, Physical Therapist, Firefighter, School Principal and Artist as tops. However what's more interesting is that a "full 88% of all American workers say they're 'satisfied' at work. In addition, 50% of those people are 'very satisfied'." According to this same study, "dating back to 1972 the nation's overall level of job satisfaction has never dipped below 80%." That's remarkable considering how much everyone seems to be stressing out these days. So I'm curious are you satisfied with your job? What would make you happier at work? Add your comments below. And if you're in the market for a job you can read the entire list of best, worst and most satisfying jobs plus find job postings for those careers here. By now you know I'm always looking for a bargain. Until now there was no one place to look to find healthcare pricing information. However, today a new national website called Healthcare Blue Book.com launched. It provides free pricing information on all kinds of health procedures. You'll find information on surgeries, hospital stays, lab tests even dental care. The pricing information is an average negotiated price that health plans pay to their network providers in a specific market. You plug in your zip code, pick a procedure and up pops a price. For most of us we'll look at this and think okay I'm not really sure what to do with this information. Here's what's neat. The goal is to get people to print off this information and share it with their doctor before a procedure. That way you can ensure you're getting a fair price. I did a quick search tonight and found the typical cost across the country for an amalgam dental filling is $58. In the Austin area the cost is $60. Texas has its own website for hospital pricing information called TX Price Point.org. This site allows you to select a county, a city, even a hospital and then a specific procedure and see the average cost. The Federal government has its own site for that lets you see how hospitals compare. You'll even find a section that shows how much Medicaid paid certain hospitals for certain procedures. These are terrific tools to help you at least be more aware of what you are paying for your healthcare. For people who don't have insurance you should definitely check out these sites. This week you'll find deals to help you start the New Year off by eating healthier and maybe even help you do a little traveling (or at least help you travel for less). Enjoy! And remember if you ever have any deals you'd like me share send me an e-mail. Fruit Sale Watch and Jewelry Auction Airfare Deals AirTran is also having a huge New Year's airfare sale. If you're willing to fly out of Dallas, Houston or San Antonio you can score some amazing airfare deals. Many are less than $100 one way, in some cities you can find fares as low as $39 one way. You've got to book your seats by January 15th. You can check out all the deals here. Continental Airlines also has some amazing deals right now. New Way to find Ski Deals Check out Store Deals Last night Shelton Green did a story about the confusion over the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Many parents and resale shops were concerned about what it might mean for people who like to buy second-hand products and clothing. Late yesterday the Consumer Product Safety Commission voted to tentatively exempt: The commission also tentatively approved a rule to clarify how it determines exclusions from the law. Once a notice of the rules is printed in the Federal Register there will be a 30-day public comment period. You can keep up with the latest on this issue here. Hearing all the talk that car manufacturers have lost in the last year you may be surprised at Hyndai's new offer. The company announced a new program called the Hyundai Assurance program. If you buy a car and lose your income in the next year, the company will take the car back. Sounds crazy, but sales at Hyundai were down 48% last month, among the worst for all auto makers. The company says through the program it will absorb as much as $7,500 in negative equity for buyers who walk away from their loans. If you pay cash, you don't qualify. What do you think about this? Is this a good move by Hyundai? Add your comments below. If you were one of those people counting on that converter box coupon to help you with the digital transition you'll now have to join the list. The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration just announced the coupon program ran out of money so anyone still in need of a coupon for a digital converter box will now be placed on a waiting list. There are already 103,000 people on a waiting list. There was $1.34 billion dollars set aside for the TV converter box coupon program. The NTIA says 12.6 million households that rely on television with an antenna have requested coupons, based on consumers self-reporting. If you're one of those still hoping for a coupon go here. "Households need to consider all of their options and act now to be prepared for the February 17 transition to digital television," said Acting NTIA Administrator Meredith Attwell Baker. "We are working with Congress, the incoming Administration and other stakeholders to ensure everyone is prepared for the transition and no one is left in the dark." Remember it's only people who watch television using an antenna that need to purchase a digital converter box. According to The Nielsen Company that's about 14.3 million households. Anyone who already has cable or satellite will automatically make the switch and begin receiving the digital television signal starting February 17th. My sister-in-law just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. We're all super excited for them. It's the first grandbaby on my husband's side of the family. It got me thinking about this article I read this weekend. The New York Times talked about a growing trend among companies that allow women to bring their babies to work. According to the Parenting in the Workplace Institute there are at least 120 companies across the country, two of them here in Austin, that allow mom's to bring their babies to work. They say the babies typically stay until they are about 8 months old. I feel fortunate that my own mother was able to stay home while we were young. Once we were all in school she worked as a teacher so her schedule match ours. I know it's a decision many of my own siblings and friends have struggled with once they have had children. I'm curious what you think? Do you think moms should be able to bring their babies to work? Would it be a distraction? Or a benefit? Add your comments below. My parents always taught me to find something you love doing and then it won't feel like work. It's why I feel so fortunate to do what I do. Unlike me, a lot of my friends can't say they look forward to going to work everyday. It turns out where you work may be just as important as what you do when it comes to your salary. The Business Journal recently looked at salaries across the country to see who's making the most money in certain professions across the country. It found some interesting trends, like the fact that dentists make more in Charlotte, NC than anywhere else in the country. (That makes me wonder if patients in Charlotte also pay more?) So I thought you might be interested to read about which professions stand out in Austin. According to the story, "Austin and Bridgeport-Stamford, Conn., are tied for second place. Each is No. 1 on three pay scales -- Austin for education administrators (colleges and universities), industrial production managers, and purchasing managers; Bridgeport-Stamford for education administrators (elementary and secondary schools), general and operations managers, and securities and financial services sales agents." Considering Austin is home to one of the biggest universities in the country it's not all that surprising it would rank high for education administrators. You can see the complete rundown of salaries in the top 100 metro areas here. The Department of Labor puts together a list of salaries for all kinds of professions each year. It's always important to do what you love, but it doesn't hurt to know how much or how little you'll be making doing it. |
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Terri Gruca anchors KVUE's 6 and 10pm newscasts. She brings you the latest consumer news and tells you where to find the best deals.
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