Consumer News

Business NW Natural customers will see credit on June bills

By Portland Business Journal Published: May 24, 2012 at 11:19 AM PDT

The Public Utility Commission of Oregon has approved a consumer credit request from Northwest Natural Gas Co, which will save you money on your next natural gas bill.

Problem Solvers 'Free-quent' flyer shares tips on how to fly around the world for free (Video)

By Matt Markovich Published: May 24, 2012 at 8:30 AM PDT

Wouldn't it be wonderful to take 52 vacations in 52 weeks for free and that includes all the flights and hotels. Scott Ford of Portland, Oregon claims to have done just that.

Problem Solvers 'I'll have just a bit of fat with my green salad'

By Herb Weisbaum Published: May 24, 2012 at 8:28 AM PDT

You're watching your weight, so you want a nice healthy lunch. A green salad with fat-free dressing fits the bill. But that may not be your best option.

Local & Regional Did you buy recalled lettuce?

By KATU.com Staff Published: May 22, 2012 at 3:03 PM PDT Last Updated: May 22, 2012 at 4:30 PM PDT

Pacific Coast Fruit Company voluntarily recalled several brands of bagged lettuce sold at Fred Meyer, Avanti and Evergreen stories in Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Idaho, the FDA said in a statement.

Problem Solvers Online ratings and reviews: Which ones to believe? (Video)

By Herb Weisbaum Published: May 22, 2012 at 8:07 AM PDT

A lot of people these days won't make a major purchase or hire a company before they go online and check the ratings and reviews. And that's good. But with so much information out there, it can be difficult to know what you can trust. And that's important.

Problem Solvers Suspicious offers escalate via email, phone and text (Video)

By Connie Thompson Published: May 21, 2012 at 9:13 AM PDT

Scammers and schemers have been especially busy this week with tricky text messages, phony phone calls and email offers that'll have your bank coming after you.

Problem Solvers Free service helps monitor your bills for fraud, unauthorized charges (Video)

By Herb Weisbaum Published: May 21, 2012 at 9:12 AM PDT

You know you should check your credit card statement every month to look for errors or fraudulent charges

Life & Style Beware of slug bait - some can kill your dog (Video)

By Erica Nochlin KATU News and KATU.com Staff Published: May 19, 2012 at 1:04 PM PDT

A common item in your garden is also one of the most common ways that a pet can get poisoned.

Problem Solvers Safeway launches new couponing app (Video)

By Connie Thompson Published: May 18, 2012 at 9:33 AM PDT

With new grocery stores going up in almost every neighborhood, food retailers are doing everything they can to get you to shop with them, instead of the competition.

Problem Solvers Which are the cheapest cars to own? (Audio)

By Herb Weisbaum Published: May 15, 2012 at 8:04 AM PDT

When it comes to the true cost of a car, there's a lot more than the price you negotiate and the interest on the loan. There's the insurance, taxes, fuel, service and repairs, as well as depreciation.

Problem Solvers Exploring eco-friendly options for home-related projects (Video)

By Molly Shen Published: May 14, 2012 at 9:38 AM PDT

Whether you're hiring a contractor for major work or a house cleaner to help you out, you might be looking to go "green." Angie's List says most people want to hire eco-friendly workers, but many aren't sure they're getting the real deal.

Problem Solvers The Pasta Boat: Does it work? (Video)

By Connie Thompson Published: May 11, 2012 at 9:51 AM PDT

Even people who love to cook appreciate things that save time and hassle in the kitchen. So I was curious about a product called the Pasta Boat.

Problem Solvers Do you really know your bank's overdraft protection policy? (Video)

By Herb Weisbaum Published: May 10, 2012 at 8:21 AM PDT

If you make a purchase at the store with your debit card and you overdraw your checking account, will you get hit with a fee? What if you overdraft because of an ATM withdrawal? Are you sure?

Problem Solvers The best travel rewards credit cards

By Herb Weisbaum Published: May 9, 2012 at 9:15 AM PDT

CardHub.com just picked these three travel cards as the best because they offer huge bonuses for signing up and using them.

Problem Solvers Report: Law on credit-reporting fails consumers

By Associated Press Published: May 8, 2012 at 8:11 AM PDT

Americans are virtually powerless to correct damaging mistakes in their credit reports due to loopholes and obstacles in the federal law governing credit-reporting agencies, an Ohio newspaper reported Sunday.

Problem Solvers 'Grandparent Scam' targeting more than just grandparents (Video)

By Connie Thompson Published: May 8, 2012 at 8:11 AM PDT

Emergency phone calls are catching thousands of people off guard with desperate cries for help. The caller is counting on you to panic, then try to help someone you love get out of a frightening situation.

Problem Solvers Study: Many gardening products have high levels of toxic chemicals (Video)

By Connie Thompson Published: May 7, 2012 at 8:43 AM PDT

Researchers at the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Ecology Center tested nearly 200 garden essentials -- gloves, knee pads, hand tools, and hoses -- for heavy metals and chemicals known to pose a health risk. The results? The organization reports nearly two out of three products tested contained chemical levels of high concern.

Problem Solvers Survey: Many Facebook users not using privacy settings (Video)

By Matt Markovich and Consumer Reports Published: May 7, 2012 at 8:42 AM PDT

It appears millions of people aren't using the privacy settings on Facebook, and that can potentially lead to theft of the user's identity and property.

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