Before you click “purchase” for that new coffee maker, consider this: statistics show that every dollar spent at a locally owned business generates roughly three times more economic activity than the same dollar spent at a national franchise. Additionally, the revenue from shopping locally boosts area employment, and the taxes support schools and emergency services. Furthermore, shopping locally can also save you time and money. Gas is expensive, and shipping and handling fee...

Those last-minute deals online are too good to pass up: 40% off and free, 2-day shipping? Quadruple rewards points? And no long lines at the mall? Online shopping is a great way to snag great deals -- all from the comfort of your own home (and in your pjs with your favorite warm drink!). However, the like any transaction, there are security issues to keep in mind when buying online -- but by following a few basic guidelines, you can greatly minimize your risk! 1. Be careful with your p...

So youre at the checkout, about to click "purchase" on your online order, when a box pops up asking if youd like to pay an extra $70 for an extended warranty. Youre splurging on a brand-new, $600 DSLR camera... so you hesitate. Should you buy the extra insurance? Is the $70 worth it? Probably not, say the experts. Heres why: New products rarely require repairs. According to Consumer Reports, research reveals that most products usually dont break during the two-to-three-year period...

If youve been asked to swipe your credit card lately, you may have noticed a new machine at checkout. Or perhaps you opened the mail to find a brand-new Visa with a shiny microchip embedded in the front. In fact, by the end of the year, your whole wallet will have undergone an overhaul, with all your old credit cards replaced with new-and-improved chip cards. Here are the details: Whats a Microchip Card? These microchip cards have been around in Europe awhile, but are relatively ...