News

2008

October

30

• Cuentas claras, amistades largas. La economía está difícil y a todos nos ha tocado apretarnos el cinturón y cuidar la billetera. A muchos les han recortado horas de trabajo, otros han caído en la fila de desempleados y hay…

29

• Poll finds consumers concerned about credit in current economy (Most Americans want to avoid taking on new debt in next 12 months, study says). A new poll released today by Consumer Action finds that consumers are beginning to feel strain in the current economy, and that many are changing how they use and plan to use credit.

• Consumers feel the next crisis: it’s credit cards. First came the mortgage crisis. Now comes the credit card crisis. After years of flooding Americans with credit card offers and sky-high credit lines, lenders are sharply curtailing both, just as an eroding economy squeezes…

28

• Home loans no longer a sure thing. Jonathan Schecter is set to close next month on the purchase of an apartment in New York City, but it's been an adventure getting there. He began home-shopping a year ago. Schecter's lender said in…

• Election: Your health insurance at stake. Both presidential candidates want to turn employer-sponsored health insurance on its head. A principal goal: to make sure more Americans get coverage. But in helping the 45 million uninsured, both Republican nominee John McCain and…

• ATM and bounced check fees rise again. Reporting from New York -- You could be in for higher fees if you don't keep an eye on your checking account. Fees for bounced checks and withdrawing cash from an out-of-network ATM rose again…

• Foreclosures open door to disorder. Among the many harsh lessons for mortgage lenders in the housing bust is this one about evictions: Selling a house is far easier than taking it back. Clever opportunists and struggling families have figured this…

• Coming to Detroit's rescue?. The Bush administration is in negotiations to broaden its $700 billion financial rescue plan to include U.S. auto companies, potentially opening the door to an array of industries to seek federal aid. Detroit's Big Three…

27

• E-tailers push email discounts to lure shoppers. NEW YORK - Online retailers - grappling with a sharp drop in consumer spending from even their most gung-ho Web enthusiasts - are becoming pushier with e-mails that pitch the latest deals. With pleas like,…

• Some stores resurrect layaway for holidays. CHICAGO - A payment method that became decidedly passe in the 1980s is being promoted again this holiday season as a way for budget-conscious shoppers to buy gifts without breaking the bank. Layaway - the…

26

• Consider buying flood insurance. If you own a home in California, chances are you already have some type of fire insurance. But many people don't realize that it's flood insurance -- not fire insurance -- that protects them from…

• Snipping, clipping and crimping: Coupons return. Talia Holston used to spend about $150 a week to feed herself and her three children. Then she started using coupons, trolling the Internet for the best ones. Now, she spends about $200 a month…

• Crises help create a teachable moment. Unemployment is rising. The stock market is setting all sorts of records - mostly bad. And the economy might be headed into a prolonged recession. What better time to teach your children about finances and…

• Stay out of debt in rollercoaster economy. In the face of an unpredictable economy, can you withstand a fiscal crisis? Here are four steps to take to protect your household from falling into debt during low financial times. · Step 1: Prepare…

• Even gold isn't a sure bet. Gold is for rich guys - buying physical gold, that is. The metal's highest and best investment use is as an insurance policy against a currency collapse. For that purpose, you need a lot of…

• Still time for a health savings account. It's not too late to set up a health-savings account this year and contribute the maximum amount - as long as you get moving by Dec. 1. Health-savings accounts are tax-favored, individual accounts used in…

25

• Trying for a bigger tax credit. Reluctant potential home buyers could be in line for some additional tax and financing enticements, either through a post-election lame duck congressional session or from the new Congress arriving in January. Though House and Senate…

24

• 4 programs to help troubled homeowners. Assistance is growing to help financially distressed homeowners, but the nation's mounting caseload of foreclosures and mortgage delinquencies is rising faster. The Bush administration should have a plan for a systematic approach to help homeowners…

• California law puts brakes on home defaults. The number of people losing their homes in California hit a record high of nearly 80,000 in the last three months, but a new state law appears to be dramatically slowing the foreclosure process --…

• Countrywide mortgage rates may be slashed. With calls growing for stronger action to help troubled homeowners, consumer advocates are hailing a mortgage-modification program being implemented by Bank of America Corp.'s Countrywide unit as the most ambitious effort yet to avert foreclosures.…