Consumer United Advocate

Consumer United, 181 South St. Boston, MA · 617-482-4700 ·  www.consumerunited.com

In This Issue
Bottoms Up
Penny Pinching
Consumer Woes
GREEN BEER?
Green Beer
Green beer is no longer reserved for St. Patrick's Day and food-color concoctions gone awry. Learn more here.
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Restaurant.com
Score $25 gift cards to restaurants around the country until Sunday, Sept. 13 for only $1 using Consumer United's special promo code NINETY here
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Penny Pinching Is The Post-Recession Norm
Penny Pinching Will pre-recession consumer spending ever return? The answer seems to be "no." Researchers suggest that frugality is the new norm. Even after the recession is over, consumers will be pinching their pennies for awhile. The research firm AlixPartners conducted a study and reports Americans will spend at about 86 percent of their pre-recession level once a new normal is in place. This means consumers will turn into their own handymen, continue to bring a bagged lunch to work and re-set their priorities in order to keep the family budget on track. Read more here.
How To Maintain A Top-Notch Credit Score
Credit ScoreBad credit can hurt your chances of getting a decent mortgage or car loan, so we've decided to lay down the basics on getting and maintaining a top-notch credit score. What is an ideal credit score? A good credit score is 750, that's 100 points higher than last year's positive credit score. If your credit score isn't this high, it's time to follow these four basic rules. And stick to them! You credit score will only grow. Click here for more information.
Top 10 List Of Consumer Complaints
Consumer ComplaintsWhat has Americans really fuming? According to the annual non-scientific poll conducted by the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), credit cards and predatory lending/mortgages topped the national top 10 list of consumer complaints. "With the recession and increased foreclosure rates, consumers need to be on high alert," says Hawaii Attorney General Mark Bennett, who co-chairs the NAAG Consumer Protection Committee. Click here for the lowdown.
DVD Kiosks Have Movie Studios Seeing Red
DVD KiosksMove over Netflix. Redbox, an Illinois-based company that rents movies for $1 a day via kiosks in stores like Wal-Mart and fast-food restaurants, is under fire from movie studios claiming that the vending company is cannibalizing DVD sales and is devaluing the overall packaged product. Three film studios--20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers and Universal--are lobbying against the growing kiosk giant refusing to sell DVDs to them until 28 days after their initial release date. Redbox is fighting back against the month-long blackout period, suing the trio on antitrust grounds. Learn more here.
Reduced Demand Lowers Electricity Prices
Energy Saver LEDAs the demand for electricity drops, so does the cost of consumers' energy bills. Energy consumption fell 1.6 percent in 2008, and 2.7 percent this year. The last time energy consumption fell two years in a row? 1949. How has this happened? Americans are having a tough time finding jobs, so they keep their pockets full and spend less. Because of the ripple effect, retailers report declining sales. Read more here.
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When you need help with repairs around the house, Angie's List members will help you decide which service companies to trust and which to avoid. As a Consumer United member, you qualify to save on Angie's List membership rates. Use promo code "SAVE TEN" for $10 off here.
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