SavvySugar

What and When to Buy: the Biggest Discounts

Emily Co — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:35:45 PST

You might want to hold off those purchases until it's the right season for it. Some months have bigger discounts for certain items - Consumer Reports magazine revealed a calendar guide for the best deals. For example, if you're looking to buy a backpack you should buy it in August for the deepest discounts. If you're eyeing a new couch, maybe you should hold off purchasing it until June or July. Read on for when to buy electronics, clothing, furniture, toys, and more!

5 Firms With Good Customer Policies and 5 That Need Improvement

Emily Co — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:15:37 PST

Consumer Reports released their annual Naughty & Nice Holiday List that judges the customer service policies of several companies. The list is based upon opinions of editors and reporters of the personal finance magazine and isn't a reflection of a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" for the companies, says the magazine. Read on for a list of naughty and nice companies followed by supporting praises and complaints.

Nice:

Amazon: The company encourages customers to share feedback about and photos of the products. This information is shared with the retailers who will modify the products according to the feedback in order to receive Amazon's “Certified Frustration-Free” logo.
American Express: If you buy an item and can't return it within 90 days, Amex will refund the full price up to $300 per purchase. Each account can be reimbursed up to $1,000 every year.
Costco: Great return policy and free tech support. It also automatically extends the warranty of TVs and computers to two years after the purchase date.
Microsoft: If you don't like your new Microsoft software or piece of hardware, you can get a refund if you return it within 45 days. The firm will also reimburse the costs of shipping for up to $7.
REI: Great return policies - accepts returns at all times and for all reasons. You can return the item at any REI store or by mail.

Naughty:

AirTran: Flights don't include the price of the seat. If you want to select your seat, you'll have to pay an extra $6 to $20 each way.
American Apparel: Two different return policies for items bought in-store and online. You have 45 days to return an online purchase for a refund or credit. On the other hand, you only have 30 days to return an item bought at the store for credit.
RadioShack: The company sometimes charges different prices for the same product.
Southwest Airlines: You need to pay $10 to check in earlier than the standard 24 hours before departure. Consumer Reports says, "It’s another reminder that a basic ticket doesn’t buy much these days, and how price-conscious customers can get penalized if they don’t go for the upgrade."
Verizon Wireless: The alert system for notifying customers who are reaching their monthly allotment of minutes isn't always reliable.

Who's on your list of naughty and nice companies?

5 Companies With Bad Customer Service, 5 With Good

Emily Co — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 13:23:56 PDT

If you've ever been so frustrated with a customer service rep that you hung up the phone in anger, you're not alone. According to a Consumer Reports survey, about two-thirds of consumers say that they've walked out of a store or ended a phone call before the issue was resolved because they were so frustrated with the customer service. Some of the top gripes include not being able to get a real person on the phone, dealing with a bad mannered sales rep, too many phone steps required, and having to wait on the phone for a long time. July's issue of the consumer magazine listed some of the companies and rated them as having the worst customer service:

Walmart
AT&T
US Airways
Dell
Charter

And some of the companies with the best customer service include:

Are You a Fan of Prepackaged Diet Plans?

Leta Shy — Wed, 11 May 2011 16:49:18 PDT

Consumer Reports recently came out with its latest diet ratings, and Jenny Craig is on top. The diet program took top billing in part because most people on it stay on it for a while; a recent study found that 92 percent of dieters on the plan stayed on it for two years.

Three of the top four, actually, also featured branded prepackaged meals. Rated just behind Jenny Craig was Slim Fast, which offers branded meal replacement bars and shakes to help you lose weight. The Zone's delivered meals also were rated highly, coming in fourth. And while third-place Weight Watchers doesn't require product-endorsed meals as part of the diet, it does sell optional frozen meals and includes meetings or online counseling for support.

The diets that came in last, however, were the low-carb Atkins program and Ornish, the diet that emphasizes whole grains, fruits, and vegetables while limiting animal products. While there are support plans available for both diets, the main tenets of both can just be followed by buying a book.

Finding a diet that works for you can no doubt be a challenge; some people may love the convenience of knowing what and how much to eat, others may scoff at eating processed or frozen foods. Are you a fan of prepackaged diet programs like Jenny Craig and Slim Fast? What do you like about them?

AT&T Is the Worst Cell Provider (Yet Again), Consumer Reports Says

Emily Co — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 12:00:41 PST

AT&T's service is so terrible, that it continually holds the spot for the worst-rated cell phone provider in a Consumer Reports poll. Out of the 58,000 people surveyed, many complained about the service's dropped calls. This might mean that it'll be hard for the network to retain users if the rumor of Verizon selling iPhones holds true. In fact, a GeekSugar quiz revealed that 59 percent of readers will be switching to Verizon as soon as the iPhone makes it way over.

I must admit, I haven't had the best experiences dealing with the customer service reps at AT&T, but now I know it's not just me. What are your gripes about your carrier?

Generic and Name-Brand Foods Battle It Out

SavvySugar — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 08:00:20 PDT

We all have our favorite name-brand foods - Kraft, Skippy, Campbell's, you name it. October's issue of Consumer Reports revealed results of a taste test between some famous household names and lesser-known store brands. In fact, by choosing store brands, consumers would be saving about 30 percent of their grocery cash, the magazine said. Do you think you know better? Take the quiz to guess which one tastes better. You'll be surprised!

Question 1 of 5

Guess which yummy chicken soup brand tastes better?

How Do You Research Before You Buy?

SavvySugar — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 06:00:32 PDT

Despite Consumer Reports’ iPhone 4 burn last week, the phone’s rep doesn’t seem to be suffering much - in fact, lots of you claim you haven't even noticed the reported issues yourselves. Which tells us that although Consumer Reports used to be the gold standard for deciding where to spend our hard-earned cash, in our social-networking-heavy world, it may not carry so much weight.

When I have a purchasing decision to make, I tend to look up reviews on Yelp and Amazon, and take them with a grain of salt. Some of my friends ask around among the experts in their social circles, and others rely on Twitter for opinions on everything from newly released movies to new smartphones.

How about you? When you have a big (or small) purchase to make, how do you research before you buy?

Daily Tech: Sony Debuts Festive DSC-TX1 Cameras

GeekSugar — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:10:07 PST

SonyStyle Japan is getting these snowflake-engraved TX1 cameras - Engadget
The Xbox Live Avatar Marketplace pet shop opens tomorrow -Kotaku
Consumer Reports ranks Verizon as the top wireless phone carrier in the US - The New York Times
Check out some child-friendly earphones - CNET
A groom updates his Facebook and Twitter profiles at the altar - TechCrunch
Microsoft launches its own Google Maps competitor - Gizmodo
Log in for your chance to win a HP Envy Laptop - GeekSugar
Submit your Cool Captures for your chance to win a CanvasPop print - GeekSugar

Consumer Reports: How to Make Pricey Appliances Last

SavvySugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:00:28 PST

The cost of maintaining a home and appliances is often a major deterrent for those debating whether to rent or purchase a home. The unexpected expense of fixing leaky gutters and broken dishwashers can be budget breaking if it comes at the wrong time of month. Not to mention it's a huge pain. Consumer Reports has put together a great guide for how to extend the useful life of appliances and pricey goodies. Obviously, the key is maintenance and keeping a watchful eye on appliances so they don't break down unexpectedly and leave you in a pricey pinch. Consumer Reports suggests:

Cell phones
Don't stow in your car's glove compartment during the summer. Otherwise, batteries may overheat, possibly ruining the phone. If you've been known to drop your cell phone, treat it to a protective case.

Clothes dryers
Clean the lint filter after each use and the entire air duct yearly. If your dryer breaks, think about replacing it if repairs will cost more than half the price of a comparable new model. But don't expect much gain in performance or efficiency, since dryer technology hasn't changed much.

Clothes washers
Don't overload. If your washer breaks, think about replacing it if repairs will cost more than half the price of a comparable model. If you're replacing, consider a high-efficiency washer, which should save money over time. Also consider a front-loader, which is less punishing to clothes than a top-loader.

Dishwashers
Check the filter regularly and remove any debris.

To see additional suggestions and reminders,

Will Health Risks Keep You Out of Your Skinny Jeans?

TresSugar — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:00:00 PDT

We've heard that skinny jeans can cause tingling thigh syndrome, but in news that will surprise absolutely no one who wears skinny jeans (I even sit half-lotus while meditating in mine!), Consumer Reports physicians say that wearing skinny jeans could also give you bladder infections, yeast infections, blood clots and even fertility problems!

“Once you have those symptoms," NYU assistant professor of neurology Dr. Keith Stiller says with a straight face, "it’s probably not a good idea to for you to keep wearing those clothes.” (Ya think?) What about you - will anything come between you and your ~~Calvins~~ skinnies?