The only game that really matters
Who’s going to win the big game? No, not that game. I’m talking about the game businesses play with us.
Commentary
Elliott Advocacy is a nonprofit organization that mediates cases between consumers and businesses. These are commentary articles that detail our efforts and provide educational information for consumers.
If you’re on the road 365 days a year, heed this travel packing advice
What should you pack for your next trip? Well, I’m not a fashion writer, but I do know what kind of clothes travel well. And you’ll want to heed my travel packing tips.
Maybe these debt-collection scammers should have looked me up before they tried this
Note to any debt-collection scammers reading this: Choose your targets carefully. Very carefully. If you don’t, you might end up sending a bogus notice to a consumer advocate. And he might write something about it.
Retargeting — in a world of personalized ads, here’s how to resist the come-ons — and come out on top
To get an idea of how smart marketers have become, spend a few minutes online. Just hint that you might be interested in a product by doing a search or browsing a big site like Amazon.com. It’s enough to trigger a never-ending cascade of ads that seems to follow you around, no matter where you go.
If hotel alarm clocks set you off, you’re not alone
Mention alarm clocks to a frequent hotel guest and you’ll probably get an earful. Those ever-present digital clock radios frequently evoke feelings of confusion, frustration and even rage.
Ready to buy? Here’s the exact moment when you should make your offer
Negotiating a deal is part art, part science.
The science part you probably already know. In the last few weeks, I’ve reviewed the best time to book an airline ticket or buy a car, a house, and a computer, among other things.
But one big question still looms: At what point during the actual negotiation do you pull the trigger? Do it too early and you could overpay. Do it too late and you might miss your opportunity altogether.
Get out of my store! What to do when you’re denied service
When Arlene Morzinsky tried to check in for her recent JetBlue Airways flight to New Orleans, the airline told her that her business wasn’t welcome.
What to do when you need more than travel insurance
If you’ve shopped around for travel insurance, maybe you’ve stumbled across something that looks a lot like insurance, works a lot like insurance, but isn’t quite insurance.
Hotels offer perks if you book direct. But should you?
Skip your travel agent and those comparison booking sites. That’s what more hotels want you to do, and they’re pulling out all the stops to persuade you to do it.
But should you?
Check out these sites for objective travel insurance information
Elaine Karlson is planning a vacation to Cooperstown, N.Y., to visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and to watch her grandson compete in a baseball game. And she’s worried.
First, there’s the price difference between the refundable airline tickets and the nonrefundable ones — the refundable ones are three times as expensive. There’s also the question of what to do if she and her husband have to cancel.
Instead of paying extra for the less restricted ticket, she’s considering travel insurance.