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Consumer Affairs

Gas Prices Still Falling As Holiday Weekend Begins

At the start of the Memorial Day weekend, motorists will find gasoline prices that are steadily moving lower and 15 cents a gallon less than they were at the start of last year's holiday weekend that marks the start of summer driving season.

The national average price of self-serve regular today is $3.666 per gallon, down from $3.713 last Friday, according to AAA's Fuel Gauge Survey. Fuel prices are nearly 18 cents a gallon lower than they were a month ago.

For the first time in m...

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Be Careful With Daily Deal Websites

A tough economy and an increasingly mobile, interconnected consumer universe has made daily deal websites like Groupon a hot commodity. Consumers like them and so do businesses.

But they may not be such a good deal for either consumers or businesses. For consumers,they may lead to more impulse buys.

"I would advise users to use discretion," said Esther Swilley, assistant professor of marketing at Kansas State University. "Make sure it's something you really need or want, and you'r...

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Feds Propose Prepaid Card Rules

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is previewing proposed rules to protect consumers in the fast-growing prepaid card market.  The agency is seeking input on how to ensure that consumers’ funds on prepaid cards are safe and that card terms and fees are transparent.

“The people who use prepaid cards are, in many instances, the most vulnerable among us,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “All consumers need, and deserve, products which are ...

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The Self-Driving Car Comes Closer to Being On California Roads

First Nevada, now California. This week a bill passed in the California Senate that would permit self-driving cars to be tested within the Golden State. The bill is now on its way to the State Assembly to potentially become law. Self-driving cars recently became legal in Nevada and are being considered in Florida, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Hawaii.

While totally autonomous vehicles may not become widespread quickly, there's growing support for using technology to improve traffic safety...

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Will We Soon Go Over the Fiscal Cliff?

A big adjustment in tax rates is headed your way at the end of the year, along with huge cuts in government spending that could impact the overall economy.

It's going to happen unless Congress acts. Given Congress' recent history, that's like saying it's probably going to happen.

Last year, when Democrats and Republicans in Congress were once again at an impasse on raising the U.S. government debt ceiling, agreement was reached only after the two sides tacked on another provision:...

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