Polk Audio UltraFit 500 (Black and Red) In-ear sports headphones at Crutchfield. Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales | Off-centered stuff for off-centered people. 20 Things You Should Never Buy Used. We all love scoring great deals on Craigslist and Ebay, but many second-hand purchases are actually terrible deals. Stay clear of these 20 used items that will end up costing you money -- or even endanger your health. 1. Cribs and children's furniture: If there's any chance that you'll put your children at risk by buying used, just buy new. Used children's furniture, especially cribs, can be a safety hazard because you can't be certain of a potential recall or if the crib was installed correctly. (See also 7 Baby Items You Don't Need to Buy.) 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
Amy Lu writes at Wise Bread, a blog dedicated to helping readers live large on a small budget. How to Solve Any Customer Service Challenge. Jon Yates wants to help you. As the official problem solver at the Chicago Tribune, he specializes in getting companies--and government bureaucracies--to do what customers want. Whether you've been over-charged by a credit card company or are still missing a tax refund from last year, Yates can probably help. Not surprisingly, Yates is inundated by requests and can't solve all consumer crises on his own.
That's why he wrote his new book, What's Your Problem? Cut Through Red Tape, Challenge the System, and Get Your Money Back, which is designed to help frustrated consumers fix their own problems. With dozens of strategies to overcome even the most stubborn customer service representatives, Yates argues that we can often win the fights we have with companies, as long as we're persistent--and willing to take our business elsewhere, if necessary. How have you applied your problem solving techniques to your own life? Unfortunately, I have failed from time to time.