Consumers

Grant awarded for mentoring at-risk youth

2013-06-09 12:45:07

Mixing kids and coffee is typically ill advised, but in the case of Brian and Holly Gray, the combination has yielded pleasant results. Last August the couple opened Creating Unlimited Possibilities — CUPs — Coffeehouse in Southwest...

A better bag tax

2013-06-11 12:52:24

Baltimore has a litter problem in general — trash of all kinds blows down streets, piles up in alleys and parks and clogs streams and the harbor. The company that makes trash-skimming boats uses videos of its products at work clearing massive...

CFPB: Consumers can pay steeply for overdraft protection

2013-06-11 04:00:00

After years of consumers paying steep fees for overdraft protection that, in some cases, they didn't even ask for, the government stepped in three years ago. Now, banks must get consumers OK — or opt-in — �before covering ATM and debit card...

In 'bag war,' studies clash on plastic sack litter

2013-06-11 13:05:00

As Baltimore City Council grapples once again with whether to levy a small fee on plastic and paper shopping bags, groups on both sides of the policy debate already are tossing out conflicting information on whether fees work, and even whether single-...

Attack on wind power a lot of hot air

2013-06-13 06:00:00

Charles Campbell, a retired executive with Gulf Oil, once again gets the facts wrong in his latest attempt to attack wind energy ("Nuclear power is good for the environment," May 28). First, Mr. Campbell falsely claims that Denmark has not seen a...

Regulators and consumer advocates focus on senior identity theft

2013-06-10 17:26:00

Older consumers are no more vulnerable to identity theft than others, but they do tend to be victims of the types of ID theft that are on the rise — cases involving tax returns and medical care. For that reason, the Federal Trade Commission held a...

Jos. A. Bank Clothiers CEO unveils strategy to reverse sales slowdown

2013-06-06 13:49:00

Regular customers of�Jos. A. Bank Clothiers�are shopping in the chain's stores�less often than usual. And this year,�consumers have�bought fewer items at lower prices than in the past, leading to a sharp drop in first quarter profits for the men's apparel...

Housing shows life; can the economy be far behind?

2013-05-28 10:22:00

The latest indicator that the U.S. economy is on the upswing can probably be found on the street where you live: It's the "sold" sign planted in the neighbor's yard. Perhaps you hadn't noticed, but the real estate industry is not the moribund mess you...

Biodiesel is green and farm-friendly

2013-05-29 12:45:00

While the petroleum industry and alternative fuels supporters debate the merits of more domestic drilling versus providing assistance through the federal Renewable Fuels Standard in diversifying the transportation fuels market, it's important to note...

Howard County forum educates on dangers of identity theft

2013-06-06 16:18:32

You make concerted efforts to safeguard information from identity thieves — keeping bank card passwords concealed, buying online goods solely from secure websites and refusing to furnish personal information to anyone you don't know. Adults and...

Under Armour details plan to double revenue by 2016

2013-06-05 16:45:54

Under Armour's Investor Day featured videos set to thumping music, a guest appearance by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and bold promises layered on top of unfettered optimism. Most importantly, though, the event Wednesday at the sports...

Give consumers control of school spending

2013-05-29 09:00:00

It's easy to bash Baltimore schools for wasting federal money on extravagant chicken dinners when that money was supposed to serve some of the neediest children in the state, but this type of behavior, in a slightly more tame fashion, is routine ("Audit...

Occupation: Customer Service Representatives 2010 Total Jobs: 2187.3 2020 Projected Jobs: 2,525.6 Percent Change: +15.5 Median Wage, 2010: $30,460 Photo Caption: Gerry Nendick,a longtime customer service rep for United airlines at Ohare Airport in her suburban Elk Grove Home.

2013-06-13 12:39:05

A new study from the NPD Group shows that although 87% of U.S. consumers reported using another screen while watching TV, a minority are using the applications specifically designed for the programs they're watching.

2013-04-09 09:58:00

A Tesla Model S on display after winning the 2013 World Green Car of the Year award at the New York Auto Show in March. The car has just received a 99 out of 100 rating from Consumer Reports.

2013-03-28 00:00:00