What's On Your Mind? Memory Lane, Marriott, Rescue One

As is clear from the review below, some consumers are still confused about how "trial offers" are supposed to work.

"I signed up for a free trial offer to Classmates and never signed for any automatic payments on my credit card," John, of Homosassa, Fla., told ConsumerAffairs.com. "I have been billed twice for $39.00 for this service of which I disputed the charges with Diners Club. They got nowhere with the Classmates aka. Memory Lane and have redebited my account for the last $39.00 charge."

That's correct. When John signed up for the "free trial," he was agreeing to subscribe to the service when the trial ended, if he didn't cancel first. That's how this works. The dead giveaway is Memory Lane asked for his credit card information. John should have asked himself why they would need his credit card for a "free trial." Rule of thumb: If they ask for your credit card, they plan on charging you -- free trial or no free trial.

Pleasant surprise

Travel can be tiring and stressful, so when things go wrong, often the effects appear to be magnified. But when things go right, Montmini, of Cumberland, R.I., says it can be wonderful.

"We just arrived at the Gateway Center, Ga., Fairfield Inn," Monmini said. "We were greeted by the manager who thanked us for choosing Fairfield and suggested restaurants for our dining. The rooms are immaculate and decor is beautiful."

We often hear from consumers who have had a bad experience. We like to pass on the kudos from consumers who report good ones.

Money not well-spent

With unemployment still near nine percent an increasing number of people are desperate to find a job. But desperation can lead to bad decisions - such as paying a company to find you a job.

"I paid $400 on Nov 10 and I haven't received any job since then," Michael, of Long Island, N.Y., said. "I was told two weeks ago a company would call me directly. I haven't heard anything. Today I went personally to Rescue One and was told that the company I'm supposed to work for said they called me. I don't even know the name of the company or its location."

Finding a job is hard. Your best bet are job fairs, the classifieds, or a referral from someone you know. Some municipalities operate employment offices that can help with placement, but be very wary of any for-profit company that guarantees it can find you a job in exchange for an upfront fee.