An anchorman's take on news, money, family, life and a lot more
A new ABC sitcom premieres tonight. “The Neighbors” is about a family that moves into a neighborhood of aliens, without realizing it right away. Kristin and I recently went out to LA and met a few of the stars of the comedy, and I wrote about the trip (and what the show is about) here. Here’s […]
Last weekend I got a call from my sister-in-law in California. She had just returned from a party supply store, and she was a little upset. Her daughter’s 8th birthday was coming up and she was looking for some balloons. The conversation went something like this: Her: “I couldn’t buy any birthday balloons.” Me: “Really?” […]
Mortgage rates have dropped again to record lows on both 30-year and 15-year fixed rates. Freddie Mac reports the average rate for a 30-year mortgage dropped to 3.56%. That’s down from 4.51% this time last year. The rate on 30-year loans has fallen to or matched record lows 11 of the past 12 weeks. The […]
My itinerary says my flight should be leaving tomorrow for San Francisco. I love The City. The cable cars. Embarcadero. Alcatraz. Fisherman’s Wharf. Golden Gate Bridge. Lombard Street. San Francisco is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Trouble is, I didn’t book a trip there. Fake itinerary I received an email yesterday […]
I’m tired of changing light bulbs, especially in those hard to reach spots. Know what I mean? Even ones that claim to last a long time… really don’t. So this claim caught my attention: a light bulb that will glow for 20 years! Can you imagine not having to get the ladder out and replacing […]
You’ve just finished eating out at the restaurant. The bill comes. You look at it. Shock. “How did I spend that much?” Many of you will be going out to eat this weekend… especially on Easter Sunday. But when you go, keep in mind for the restaurant it’s a business, and their goal is to […]
Grumbling about gas prices? They keep climbing, and the peak travel season is still ahead of us. But we live in the part of the country… the central U.S. …. that consistently sports the lowest pump prices. GasBuddy.com keeps track of gas prices. And look who has the lowest this week? The cheapest city for gas […]
No, I’m not running for office. But I do want your vote (see below). I need your help. In return, it may help you, if you wear glasses, and you’re tired of paying a lot for them. A few weeks ago two of my pets teamed up to destroy my glasses. Butters (the cat) knocked […]
Relief is on the way from those annoying robocalls. The federal government is cracking down on the automated sales pitches that interrupt your family dinner. I’ve written about my experiences with human telemarketers before (Telemarketers Beware! My Wife May Answer the Phone), and now we’re getting some help with the unsolicited inhuman variety. New […]
If you’re looking to buy a new car, what are you concerned with most? Price, most likely. But the real cost of owning a vehicle is more than the price you negotiate. Kelley Blue Book looked at the cost of owning 2012 models, both domestic and foreign. Here’s the breakdown in order of cost: Depreciation […]
If Saturday (the day before Christmas) is going to be a gigantic gift BUYING day… Monday (the day after Christmas) will be a huge gift RETURNING day. Retailers estimate that holiday returns will total a record $46.3 billion this year, up 4% from last year and 10% from two years ago. Some retailers have tightened […]
I’m always reminding my boys that cameras are everywhere. You may think you’ll get away with something because no one’s around, but there’s always a chance that there’s a camera pointed your way. Case in point: the FedEx guy who was caught on surveillance camera chucking a computer monitor over a fence. We all know […]
