Money Management

If you buy something that gets recalled for health and safety reasons, it’s important to follow up and get your money back. Read on to learn what to do. 

Product recalls are pretty common, and if you get a recall notice for something you bought, it’s a good idea to follow up on it. Why? For one, if an item or product is recalled, it’s for a good reason — people have or could be harmed by it (such as by becoming ill, in the case of food recalls). And for another, you might have spent a nice chunk of money on the item in question, and if it’s no longer usable, getting that money put back in your checking account is worth it.

I want to be warm, but not to the point of getting burned

I was recently contacted by Amazon’s Product Safety and Recalls service about an electric blanket I purchased through the site last fall. It was a safety hazard, and other users had experienced theirs catching fire. In a few cases, people were even injured. I spent $46 on the blanket and was keen to get a refund from the manufacturer, especially since my cats and I had enjoyed using it. Thankfully, I didn’t experience any issues with mine.

I was required to cut the cord off the blanket, rendering it inoperable. Then I had to send in photos of the blanket’s model number and the cut-off cord to prove that it was no longer a fire hazard. This turned out to be an exercise in patience and persistence, however (more on that below). If you get a recall notice for a purchase you’ve made, here’s how to ensure you get your money back.

Steps to get a refund from a recall

Money is tight for many people right now, so it’s worth taking these steps to get your money back from a recalled product.

1. Find out about the recall and what to do

Unfortunately, based on where and how you acquired the item, you might not find out it’s been recalled. (Now there’s a thought to keep you up at night.) Some large retailers, like Amazon and Sam’s Club, will follow up with customers if an item they’ve bought has a recall notice. You can also subscribe to emails about recalls on consumer products through Recalls.gov.

Depending on what was recalled and the manufacturer/seller, the procedure to get your money back could vary. The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has a useful database with information about recalls of all kinds, along with how to get in touch with manufacturers.

2. Find your purchase information

In most cases, you will need to actually prove you bought the item in question. For my blanket, this meant looking up my order number on Amazon and sending it to the manufacturer. If you don’t have a receipt or invoice, check out your credit card statements to find a record of the purchase.

3. Follow the procedure to get a refund (and follow up if you need to!)

In some cases, you may need to physically return the item to get your money back. In others, you might have to take photos showing that you destroyed or modified it to render it safe (or inoperable, in the case of my no-longer-electric blanket). If it’s a large item (like a car or other vehicle), you’ll likely have to bring it in for service. And for smaller items, you might only need to throw them away.

Persistence is important here

I initially had trouble submitting the documentation for the blanket, as the website for the manufacturer was slammed and not working properly. I ended up leaving myself a reminder to follow up the next day. Thankfully, I was finally able to get my refund. And now the non-electric blanket lives on my oldest cat’s favorite living room chair, so he can still enjoy it (safely).

A recall on, say, your car might be hard to forget, but a recall on a small home appliance could be hard to remember. So give yourself the best chance of getting that money back (and keeping your family safe) and follow up as needed.

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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon.com. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Falling home prices could make it easier to buy a house for your family. Read on for some of the top-ranked cities in the U.S. by safety, affordability, and more. 

The average American adult moves every five to seven years. One of the biggest reasons is family. Zillow data indicates home prices are falling, so more parents can snag an affordable home. Which is the best city to raise a family in?

Parents want cities that offer safe neighborhoods, clean air, and a place to start fresh. And good schools and plenty of parks (love a good park). Oh, and it would be nice if travel were easy. And let’s not forget affordability: Families have bills to pay!

If only the perfect city existed. (If it does, let me know — I’ll pack my bags.) But some towns beat the bell curve in so many categories that they top “Best of” lists like this one. According to data from Scholaroo, these 10 cities outcompete 148 rivals in 33 metrics, including lowest cost of living, least number of school shootings, and many more.

Here are the top 10 cities for families to get you started.

1. Warwick, Rhode Island

Warwick is ranked the safest city in the U.S., hands down. It has a meager violent crime rate and an abundance of firefighters. The number of recorded property crimes is likewise low, and education is affordable compared to other cities.

Best scores: Safety, Leisure

2. Charleston, West Virginia

Charleston offers families a safe place to raise kids. Compared to rival cities, the city is spoiled with hospitals and public schools for parents to choose from. Alcoholism rates are low, and the city scores No. 1 for longest-lasting marriages. Coincidence?

Best scores: Education, Safety

3. Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Fort Lauderdale offers Florida parents plenty of schools to enroll their children, beating out all competitors to rank No. 1 in the number of public schools on offer. The city has many museums, movie theaters, and restaurants for adults and kids to relax and socialize.

Best scores: Education, Leisure

4. Yonkers, New York

Looking for a breath of fresh air? Yonkers has the best air quality of all ranked cities. They’re flush with police officers, and crime rates are low across the board — the city even scores No. 1 for lowest property crime rates, which means Yonkers residents are unlikely to face robbery.

Best scores: Safety, Healthcare

5. Burlington, Vermont

Sick kids get fast care in Burlington, which is ranked No. 1 for healthcare. The city offers many hospitals and pediatricians, and an above-average number of residents own healthcare insurance. The city is rich in recreational areas and friendly firefighters.

Best scores: Healthcare, Leisure

6. Chicago, Illinois

Chicago boasts a robust healthcare system, with plenty of hospitals and pediatricians. They also offer an above-average number of public schools flush with full-time teachers, indicating a healthy educational environment for kids.

Best scores: Healthcare, Education

7. Charleston, South Carolina

There are plenty of pediatricians in Charleston, and the city rocks an above-average number of residents with health insurance. Always a good sign. Crime rates are low, probably partly due to the above-average number of watch groups hosted by concerned neighbors.

Best scores: Healthcare, Safety

8. Virginia Beach, Virginia

Virginia Beach offers a safe place to settle. It’s low on crime and stuffed with friendly 911 responders to call upon in an emergency. Residents earn above-average wages compared to other cities measured, a good sign for parents looking to support their kids.

Best scores: Safety, Finances

9. Casper, Wyoming

Fans of social leisure activities may consider Casper, a top contender. It has more recreational areas than any city but Hartford, Connecticut, and there are museums aplenty. The cost of living is low, homeownership is relatively high, and parents can hire nannies for affordable prices.

Best scores: Leisure, Finances

10. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Foodies, movie buffs, and museum explorers may be pleased to find an assortment of all the above in Pittsburgh. The city scores above average on healthcare metrics like number of hospitals/pediatricians, and emergency personnel are plentiful.

Best scores: Leisure, Healthcare

Families should consider two other things: cheap moving costs and low interest rates.

Make moving cheap

A local move costs $1,250, but moves over 1,000 miles go for an average of $4,890. Families can reduce moving costs by enlisting friends to help transport a favorite couch, old chinaware, and clunky home office equipment. Don’t need the futon you picked up from a garage sale 10 years back? Sell it online — and put that bonus income toward decorating your new place.

Lower your interest rates

The biggest cost of homeownership typically boils down to the mortgage. Today’s mortgage rates are high, making loans more expensive than they’ve been since the early 2000s. A great mortgage lender can help offset this by offering reasonable interest rates.

How much can you afford? Plug your dream home into a mortgage calculator for a clear answer for whether it fits into your budget.

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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Cole Tretheway has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Zillow Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Overspending on a wedding dress could have serious financial consequences. Read on to learn more. 

My friend Maggie likes to joke that she got married in the nick of time. And no, it’s not because she was secretly pregnant. Rather, she and her husband tied the knot in early 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Many people told them it wasn’t a good idea to have a wintertime wedding, but clearly, they somehow knew better.

Now, there were certain aspects of her wedding that Maggie was very relaxed about. She didn’t care about having the fanciest venue and hired a DJ to save on the cost of a band. She also had a friend videotape her big day to save money on a videographer. She even made her own centerpieces, knowing that she and her husband would largely be footing the bill for their wedding with minimal help from their parents.

But one thing Maggie wasn’t willing to compromise on was her dress. She wanted to find the perfect one, and once she did, she decided money wasn’t going to be an issue.

In the end, she found a dress she loved — with a $4,000 price tag. And while she insisted it was worth the money back then, she’s since changed her tune.

A $4,000 wedding mistake

Buying a wedding dress isn’t the same thing as buying a cocktail dress. You’re going to spend considerably more, even if you try your best to keep your costs down.

The average cost of a wedding dress in 2022 was $1,900, according to The Knot. So while my friend did pay about double for hers, it’s not like she spent $4,000 on a purchase that would normally cost $300.

Still, buying that wedding dress is a move Maggie regrets to this day. And the reason is that she’s still paying for it.

Maggie charged her wedding dress, among other expenses related to her big day, on a credit card — because she felt she had no other choice. Three years later, she’s still carrying that balance. And while she’s not sure exactly how much interest she’d paid on that dress over time (namely because she’s added to that balance in different ways), she knows it’s a lot of money.

Not only has that $4,000 wedding dress cost Maggie a bunch in credit card interest, but it’s also prevented her from meeting certain goals. She and her husband, for example, won’t attempt to buy a house until they’re free of their credit card debt. That’s a smart move. But since they still have that lingering balance, clearly, homeownership is not yet in the cards.

A lesson learned the hard way

Maggie admits that if she could go back in time, she’d choose a more budget-friendly dress for her wedding. But at the time, she felt that since she was compromising and being frugal in so many other ways, she deserved this one splurge.

As her friend, I’ve told her time and time again not to beat herself up. I’m also working with her to try to help her budget more carefully this year so she can eliminate that credit card balance and move on.

A wedding is a huge milestone. And it’s unfortunate that not everyone gets help paying for one. But Maggie’s advice to anyone in a similar situation is to remember that it’s not worth taking on tons of debt for a single day. And she’s also asked me to send this message to other budget-constrained brides: “No matter what dress you end up with, you’re going to get loads of compliments.”

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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Sometimes, public conveniences can be dangerous. Keep reading to learn how your personal and financial info could be at risk and how to keep it safe. 

What Happened

The FBI’s Detroit office recently shed light on a way for hackers and fraudsters to steal your personal and financial data, as reported by WKRC Cincinnati. In some places, such as airports, hotel lobbies, and malls, free charging stations for cellphones are available for free public use. If your phone’s battery is dying, this can be an easy way to top it off while away from home. But you may want to think twice, based on this warning from the FBI.

As noted by FBI Denver on Twitter, “Bad actors have figured out ways to use public USB ports to introduce malware and monitoring software onto devices.” This practice is known as “juice jacking,” and isn’t new. In tweeting this reminder about juice jacking, the FBI is intending to mitigate any potential harm to consumers by reminding them to be vigilant about protecting their data.

So What

Juice jacking is a particularly insidious means of accessing your personal data. According to a recent statement by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the malware is installed via USB port and is then transmitted to phones via charging cables left for use by travelers. It can then lock your device or even pull data and passwords off your phone and export them to a hacker.

Think about all the information contained in your phone, which might include social media accounts, financial log-ins (including those for mobile banking and credit card apps), and more. If a hacker gains access to these while your phone is charging, they can sell the information to others or use it to drain your checking account themselves.

Now What

If you’re traveling and lack the usual convenience of an easily accessible phone charger, you may have limited options if your phone’s battery is dying. The best way to mitigate this potential threat is to avoid using public charging stations and plan ahead for a potential “low battery” warning. This includes carrying your own phone charger and looking for a free wall outlet, or even purchasing a portable charger or external phone battery that you can use to top off your battery — with no risk of scams involved.

If you’ve got no choice but to use a public charging station, consider using your own charge-only cable (which lacks data pins and therefore doesn’t allow data to be transmitted). And when you plug in, if you get a pop-up on your phone asking if you want to share data or charge only, choose “charge only.” Don’t put your financial information at risk in exchange for a quick battery charge.

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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 Read More