Ellen Phillips is a retired English teacher who has written two consumer-oriented books. Her Consumer Watch column appears on Saturdays in the Business section of the paper. An expanded version is at www.timesfreepress.com under Local Business.

Recent Stories »

Q. My business banking account doesn't hold but a couple hundred dollars a month. I've been getting a senior no-service charge rate, but now the bank has announced a monthly $5 fee if I don't have a great deal more than that in my account. Do I have any recourse?

Q. We've finally decided to buy a home but need to know what to look for in a home inspector. We've heard horror stories from friends who've picked the wrong inspector, so what should we look out for?

Trying to figure out where to complain (other than regulatory agencies about which I write and talk) can be tough. However, online sites can help you not only to vent, but also to help provide information about companies.

Some folks who're finishing up their tax returns have recently asked about tax deductions for giving to charity. As most of you know, non-cash items are legitimate deductions; however, certain rules must be followed for Uncle Sam to accept your offerings.

Everyone loves to save money and coupons certainly help. However, according to Kiplinger.com, we can save a lot of money on groceries even without coupons.

To continue with “guarding” secrets via protecting your identity from those ever-present ID thieves, we sometimes don’t think it’s vital we do so while shopping.

More stories

videos »         

photos »         

e-edition »

advertisement
advertisement
400 East 11th St., Chattanooga, TN 37403
General Information (423) 756-6900
Copyright, permissions and privacy policy, Ethics policy - Copyright ©2012, Chattanooga Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved.
This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Chattanooga Publishing Company, Inc.