WTVM - ConsumerWatch

Gas prices starting to retreat, expected to continue

Suzanne Bratton — Wed, 6 Mar 2013 00:21:00 EST

For the first time this year gas prices are finally starting to fall after seeing record high numbers.

Most expensive states to raise a child

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 11:02:00 EST

Planning a family in one of these 5 states? You may be surprised to learn that they're the most expensive states to raise a child.

TSYS plans to acquire prepaid card provider NetSpend

Fadell Pitts — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 06:41:00 EST

Columbus-based TSYS will acquire NetSpend, a leading provider of prepaid debit cards.

WSJ: OfficeMax, Office Depot in merger talks

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:53:00 EST

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that OfficeMax Inc. and Office Depot Inc. are talking about combining their companies.

A glance at Carnival's decisions for disabled ship

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 10:47:00 EST

Since an engine-room fire left the Carnival Triumph powerless in the Gulf of Mexico four days ago, Carnival Cruise Lines officials have been faced with a barrage of questions about the ship and their strategy to safely return passengers to shore.

RECALL: Check your Lean Cuisine for glass fragments

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 11:36:00 EST

Nestlé Prepared Foods Company has announced a voluntary recall of LEAN CUISINE Culinary Collection Mushroom Mezzaluna Ravioli.

6 important money questions to ask before saying "I do"

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 14:00:00 EST

But planning your wedding, you need to have a heart-to-heart about finances. The two of you can start by asking -- and answering -- these questions.

Saab's new owners set goal: 120,000 vehicles a year by 2016

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 10:00:00 EST

According to Bloomberg news, Saab's long-quiet assembly lines will return to action this summer, and the company hopes to meet some pretty lofty production goals within three years.

The new consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:00 EDT

Microsoft is the last of the three big video game console makers to unveil its latest gaming system. The unveiling comes nearly eight years after the Xbox 360 went on sale. It follows last fall's debut of Nintendo's...

Cockroaches becoming more resistant to pesticides

Fri, 3 May 2013 17:10:00 EDT

Research shows that cockroaches are far more hazardous to human health than most people think - and they've grown increasingly resistant to pesticides. America Now shares advice from an expert on the best way to rid your home of roaches!

Building toward recovery

Wed, 1 May 2013 09:00:00 EDT

Construction leads the way, but the recovery is affecting a broader base of businesses, according to a new study.

Economy may have lasting effect on young people's outlook

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 11:31:00 EST

Happiness seems be a generational thing, new research suggests. Life satisfaction generally increases with age, but a person's overall level of satisfaction appears to depend on when he or she was born.

What the new mortgage rules mean for borrowers

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 10:19:00 EST

The CFPB has rolled out long-awaited new rules for residential mortgages. So what will be the impact on mortgage borrowers?

New qualified mortgage rules released

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 10:44:00 EST

Long-awaited "qualified mortgage" rules have been issued by the CFPB, setting forth guidelines to protect borrowers from predatory lending.

House joins Senate to OK bill that avoids fiscal cliff

Wed, 2 Jan 2013 14:23:00 EST

The House of Representatives settled on an 11th-hour agreement that averted widespread tax increases and spending cuts that were set to kick in Jan. 1.

Fiscal cliff: Mortgage deduction is safe for most

Mon, 3 Dec 2012 10:39:00 EST

Should you be worried that Congress will take away your mortgage interest deduction as part of the "fiscal cliff" negotiations? For the great majority of homeowners, the answer is "no."

Bank of America to forgive 150,000 second liens

Tue, 2 Oct 2012 17:01:00 EDT

Bank of America is erasing the debt on 150,000 second liens for mortgage borrowers in financial difficulty.

Young cancer survivors say costs hinder follow-up care

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 10:46:00 EDT

Many teen and young adult cancer survivors in the United States go without routine medical care because it's too expensive, a new study finds.

Family health insurance premiums jump 4 percent in 2012

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 14:33:00 EDT

U.S. families are paying 4 percent more in annual premiums for their employer-sponsored family health coverage this year.

9 things to consider before loaning money to a loved one

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 10:40:00 EDT

Perhaps the only thing more difficult than watching someone you love struggle financially is having that person ask you for money.

Pizza on Mars: NASA funds development of 3D printer that can knock out pizza

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:10:00 EDT

NASA has awarded a mechanical engineer a grant worth $125,000 to help him create a 3D printer for food.

Heart attack? Doctors soon may have an app for that

Mon, 20 May 2013 11:25:00 EDT

There are apps that turn your smartphone into a metal detector, a musical instrument and a GPS system, and now there's an app that may help doctors save your life if you're having a heart attack.

Cellphone use may reveal your dominant brain

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:03:00 EDT

New research suggests the dominant side of your brain may make the call on which ear you choose to use while talking on your cellphone.

How to stay anonymous online

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:00:00 EDT

Pretty soon, just about everything we do on the Web will be logged, analyzed, and used for things outside of our control. Here are some ways to help stop that.

Cellphone calls during blood pressure readings may skew results

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:48:00 EDT

New Italian research offers some cautionary advice for patients with high blood pressure: The next time you take a blood pressure reading, turn off your cellphone.

Six tips to bombproof your password

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:07:00 EDT

How can we make our passwords more hack-resistant and manage all the passwords we need?

Facebook cuts off Social Roulette, app with 1-in-6 chance of killing your Facebook account

Tue, 14 May 2013 14:53:00 EDT

True to its name, Social Roulette is a game of roulette in which you're gambling your digital life. After giving the app permissions, you then take a one-in-six chance of letting it delete your Facebook account.

Emergency medical cat care at your fingertips

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:30:00 EDT

In recent years, veterinarians have stepped in to provide a quick, cost-effective place on the Internet for owners to have their questions answered and get solid advice no matter the time of the day.

Nearly half of high schoolers text while driving

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:03:00 EDT

Close to half of U.S high school students text while driving, a habit that dramatically increases their risk of getting into a potentially fatal car crash, a new study shows.

How to handle and prevent identity theft

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:54:00 EDT

Every year, identity thieves misuse the personal information of more than 11 million Americans. This makes identity theft one of the fastest-growing crimes in the country.

Obama administration to add 10,000 hybrids to government fleet

Sun, 5 May 2013 14:00:00 EDT

President Barack Obama may not achieve his goal of 1 million plug-in electric cars on U.S. roads by the end of 2015. But his administration continues to try to green the U.S. vehicle fleet.

Americans are driving less, have been since 2005

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EDT

There's a far more effective way of reducing pollution and dependency on oil than buying more efficient cars or going electric: Driving less.

Tips for better green cleaning

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 17:31:00 EDT

Green cleaning is so popular. Every blogger is posting their "totally ah-may-zinggg" homemade cleaner recipe that involves three magical ingredients.

12 uses for takeout containers

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:55:00 EDT

From gardening to household storage, plastic, paper, and Styrofoam takeout containers offer a myriad of household uses.

Household uses for rubbing alcohol

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:16:00 EST

Although it's not perfect for every cleaning job, rubbing alcohol is a fairly cheap and relatively environmentally-friendly solution to some tough cleaning challenges.

Ten ways to upcycle an old T-shirt

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:21:00 EST

T-shirts come and go. It's also pretty easy to acquire them without meaning to.

10 clever uses for burned-out light bulbs

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 16:46:00 EST

I'm slowly making the switch over to energy-saving compact fluorescent lamps (which last, I think, roughly 800 years), replacing each old incandescent bulb as it expires.

What is the best way to e-cycle your electronics?

Mon, 5 Nov 2012 15:44:00 EST

Most of us couldn't imagine living without our computers, iPods, cell phones and other electronic gadgets. But what happens to all the old electronics we no longer want?

Conservation with kids

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 14:00:00 EDT

Check out these tips from eco-minded moms on encouraging conservation and reducing waste among the younger set.

2013 green car buyers guide: Hybrids, diesels and plug-ins

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 15:25:00 EDT

With gas prices high and new fuel-economy standards in effect, automakers are rolling out new green cars of every type. Here are the ones you should be looking at.