Woman at door talking to door-to-door salesman who looks annoyed

She Declined an ADT Salesman (Who Showed Up Despite Her No Solicitation Sign) and He Left by Telling Her She’d Hear From Him When “Something Happened”

ByKristin Stones

As new homeowners, she and her partner started getting approached by home security solicitors almost immediately after receiving their keys, a pattern persistent enough that it felt like salespeople specifically watched for them being outside. After one particularly pushy interaction with Vivint, she’d put up a no solicitation sign specifically hoping it would deter future…

Female executive smiling with her arms crossed

12 Ways the Cost of Living Is Forcing People to Redefine Success

ByKristin Stones

For a long time, success followed a fairly predictable script. It meant earning more money, upgrading your lifestyle, and steadily moving toward bigger milestones like a larger home, newer cars, or frequent travel. Those goals were often presented as the natural outcome of working hard. Lately the cost of living has shifted that picture for…

Man looking angrily at his phone

He Let a Plumber Use His Credit Card for Water Heater Materials and Found Out After He Left That $140 in Tools Had Been Charged to the Card Without Any Discussion and the Plumber Kept All Three Items

ByKristin Stones

He’d hired a plumber with strong reviews, over 80 five star ratings on Google, to replace his water heater, agreeing to a clear payment structure upfront. He’d cover the labor directly with the plumber, while paying the store separately for materials needed to complete the job. Once at the store, the plumber called the pro…

Man having engine problems with popped hood

He Owes $15,000 on a Car That Just Blew Its Engine, the Shop Wants $12,000 to Fix It, There Are Already Other Problems They Haven’t Diagnosed, and the Buyback Offer Won’t Even Cover What He Still Owes the Lender

ByKristin Stones

His 2017 Subaru WRX STI had developed a knocking sound in the engine bay on his way to work, prompting him to have it towed to a Subaru shop once he arrived. Once there, the shop started the engine, which produced a loud boom before locking up entirely, confirming a rod knock had completely destroyed…

Man looking exhausted at his laptop

7 Money Decisions People Are Regretting After Years of Inflation

ByKristin Stones

When prices first started climbing, many households assumed the pressure would pass fairly quickly. Budgets stretched a little, but most people believed things would settle down before long. Because of that mindset, a lot of financial decisions continued as usual. Now that inflation has lingered for years, some of those earlier choices look different in…

Man looking worried while looking at a letter

His New Dentist Showed Him a Treatment Plan With $0 Out of Pocket, Overbilled His Insurance and Are Sending Him a $393 Bill

ByKristin Stones

He’d gone into a new dental clinic for a routine checkup, x-rays, and cleaning, and before any actual treatment took place, the office printed out an Active Treatment Plan showing his Priority 1 items, the exam, cleaning, x-rays, diagnostic casts, and caries assessment. Every single line item on that printed plan showed $0.00 under the…