Current Events in December 2014

Chrysler Group is expanding a regional field action with a recall to replace front passenger-side air bag inflators in an estimated 208,783 older-model vehicles originally purchased or ever registered in 7 states and 5 U.S. territories.

The vehicles are equipped with front passenger-side air bag inflators from a product family code-named "PSPI."

The company says it is not aware of any injuries or accidents involving PSPI inflators of the type covered by this campaign, nor has its investigation identified a defect in these components.

Further, it says, laboratory tests on nearly 600 such inflators did not result in any failures.

The inflators affected by this campaign differ in design and construction from PSPI inflators used by other auto makers.

Affected by this recall are the following vehicles, provided they were purchased, ever registered or still registered in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan and the U.S. Virgin Islands:

• 2003-2005 Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup
• 2003-2005 Dodge Ram 2500 Pickup
• 2003-2005 Dodge Ram 3500 Pickup
• 2004-2005 Dodge Durango
• 2005 Chrysler 300, 300C, SRT8
• 2005 Dodge Magnum
• 2005 Dodge Dakota Pickup

Affected customers will be notified beginning Feb. 8. Service will be performed free of charge.

This recall covers an estimated 69,668 vehicles also affected by the initial regional field action. The additional 5 states and 3 territories accounts for an incremental gain of approximately 139,115 vehicles.

The regional field action, which remains under way, affects 371,309 older-model vehicles in Florida, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

A third similar action also is continuing, with Chrysler replacing passenger-side air bag inflators from a product-family code-named "SPI," in an estimated 149,150 model-year 2003 pickup trucks registered, ever registered or originally purchased in 7 states and 5 U.S. territories.

The third action covers 39,409 vehicles also affected by the initial regional field action. Affected customers will be notified beginning Jan. 19.

Just like their owners, dogs and cats are living longer than ever and running up some pretty big medical bills in the process. While most humans are covered by some kind of health insurance, many pets are not -- and this can present a big problem when illness or injury strikes.

The same modern diagnostic and treatment procedures used on pet owners -- x-rays, MRIs, chemotherapy and microsurgery -- are now available for dogs, cats and other companion animals, but a major illness can run up a $10,000 bill. 

And, unlike humans, animals have no guaranteed rights. A hospital can't turn away emergencies but animal hospitals can and do. Not only that, but many animal hospitals demand payment upfront, so if your pet gets sick or injured, it means you will either have to cough up a working credit card or quite a lot of cash to get any help. That's not easy and pet owners all too often wind up spending the month's rent money on their sick pet.

Courting disaster

Looked at strictly from a financial standpoint, having an uninsured pet is a financial disaster just waiting to happen. Unless you are wealthy enough to self-insure, having insurance that will at least pay some of the cost of a major illness or accident is essential.

While dogs, cats, humans and other mammals are basically the same inside, the similarities end when it comes to insurance. Leaving aside deductibles and other details, human insurance generally covers everything that can happen to us -- illness, accident and some preventive care.

Pet insurance, on the other hand, is generally broken into three categories:

• preventive;
• accident; and
• comprehensive.

It just so happens that this is also how costs tend to run. Preventive insurance, covering vaccinations and so forth, is the cheapest. Accident insurance covers injuries caused by accidents and is generally mid-range in terms of price. Comprehensive covers everything -- from ear infections to cancer -- and, not surprisingly, is the most expensive.

Older dogs and cats are, of course, more likely to get sick and therefore comprehensive insurance is much more expensive and may even be unavailable for them. Also, purebred animals are more likely to have genetic conditions that predispose them to certain illnesses so comprehensive insurance for them may also be more expensive.

How to prepare

So here's the question every pet owner needs to ask him- or herself: how can I best prepare for a serious accident or illness affecting my pet?

The idea behind insurance is that it helps pay for things you could not otherwise afford. Homeowners insurance pays off when your house burns down. Good thing too, as most of us couldn't afford to rebuild our home from scratch. Cell phone insurance pays off if your iPhone falls in front of a bus.

Which one can you do without?

That's right -- you can do without cell phone insurance but you can't do without homeowners insurance. You can always scrape together enough money for a new cell phone but not for a new house.

Same thing with pets: you don't really need insurance for preventive care because it only amounts to a few hundred dollars a year. Unless you're wealthy, you do need insurance that covers serious illness or injury, even if you have to accept a high deductible to make it affordable.

Let's say your dog comes down with cancer and the treatment is expected to cost $8,000. A policy with a $250 deductible might cost you several hundred dollars a year but it could save you thousands -- and it might also save your pet's life. (Obviously, you need to have the insurance before your pet gets sick. The insurance company won't issue a policy on a burning house and it won't knowingly insure a sick pet either). 

Grim option

After all, when a pet becomes seriously ill, if you can't afford to pay thousands of dollars for treatment, the only humane option is to keep the poor creature as comfortable as possible as it nears the Rainbow Bridge -- hospice care, in other words.

This may also be the only realistic option with an older animal that no longer qualifies for comprehensive insurance but, hey, we all die and if it happens after a long life of gnawing on bones, chasing balls and sitting in laps, it's not so bad.

So for all those reasons, having insurance on your pet is just another cost of being human in the 21st century. It's not really optional.

Which plan is best? Well, taking into account all the things we talked about above, it's the one that provides the best and most affordable coverage for your specific animal at its current stage of life. The plan that's best today may not be best five years from now, so an annual review is highly recommended.

There are many pet insurers out there and they all have their fans and their detractors. Check our site for consumer comments on specific companies but keep in mind that some of those who complain about their plan may be guilty of not picking the right plan or simply not taking the time to understand exactly what is covered. If you buy preventive care it won't cover cancer. 

VPI

Like their parent company, Nationwide Insurance, VPI says it's on your side. It makes it easy to calculate a quote for your pet online. I put in the stats for my dog, Tater, who is 12, and found that -- again, like humans -- full private health coverage is not available for the senior set (and there's no Medicare for dogs, yet). I could pick up an emergency care plan for $8.55 a month that covers only injuries, but none of those pesky age-related ailments. 

Our cat, Lucy, is another story. She's only 2 years old so VPI is on our side bigtime, offering major medical comprehensive with a $250 deductible for $16.95 a month -- $200 a year, in round numbers. You can add a wellness plan to that, covering vaccinations, flea and heartworm treatment and other preventive measures for anywhere from $19 to $29 a month.

VPI plans are widely accepted around the country and are recommended by many veterinarians. Not all consumers are pleased, as the reviews on our site indicate. One thing that comes through loud and clear reading through the consumer postings is that it's vital to keep your plan up to date and to know what is covered and what isn't. 

ASPCA

You might say this is the AARP of pet insurance. ASPCA, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, is a charity not an insurance company. So, just as AARP chose UnitedHealth and other companies to issue its various insurance packages, ASPCA chose Hartville Pet Insurance, itself part of a larger conglomerate.

That being said, the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance site does a pretty good job of describing the various plans available and takes a very complete medical history of your pet in its online application process. It would be reasonable to think that this results in a premium that accurately reflects your pet's health status, which could save your money if your pet's outlook is good and cost you money it it's not so good.

Keep in mind that, just as with humans, pet insurance companies don't pay for treating pre-existing conditions. It's always possible to argue about this so it's wise to err on the side of complete honesty when filling out applications. Anything that can be used against you will be, by any insurance company. 

24PetWatch

24PetWatch takes insurance one step beyond -- offering microchips and pet recovery assistance if your four-legged friend goes missing. It offers comprehensive insurance covering dogs up to a coverage limit of $20,000. Various deductibles are available; there is a 20% co-pay -- meaning the insurance pays 80% of covered expenses and you pay the rest.

24PetWatch also offers such extras as trip cancellation coverage, kennel and boarding reimbursement and even a $1,000 accidental death benefit.

Whether it takes a step beyond the ordinary in processing claims may be an issue, according to the reviews submitted to us by policyholders. 

The company is part of Praetorian Insurance Company, which in turn is a division of Australia's QBE Insurance Group, one of the world's largest international insurers and reinsurers.

AKC Pet Insurance

As the name implies, this company is affiliated with AKC, the American Kennel Club, and is often recommended by breeders. It offers the usual range of policies and explains them in very clear and easily understood terms on its website.

Unlike some other insurers, AKC offers coverage that specifically covers inherited and congenital conditions and their secondary complications, as well as arthritis and diabetes. This can be a big plus if your canine pal is a purebred, since all those years of selective breeding can result in a higher incidence of genetic issues.

AKC gets more than its share of positive reviews from our readers. That, plus its plans that accommodate purebreds, certainly make it worth a look if you're in the market for a policy.

Petplan

We were a little surprised when we got around to looking at Petplan. As we plugged in the information for our 12-year-old pug, Tater, we expected to see the usual results -- accident and preventive coverage only. But Petplan actually came up with three comprehensive coverage plans. Admittedly, they cost in the neighborhood of $200 a month with annual coverage ranging from $10,000 to $22,000.

Considering that we spent close to $10,000 on the final illness of Tater's pal, Chester (as recounted in a story earlier this year), this would seem to be a bargain, although it would take some research to ensure that Tater would be covered for his pre-existing conditions. Basically, being an old pug is a pretty serious pre-existing condition all by itself.

It's hard to find critics of Petplan, which by the way is officially AGCS Marine Insurance Company, a member of the Allianz Group. There are very few consumer comments, good or bad, on the web. The scattered complaints we found had to do with high premiums and unexpectedly high increases in those premiums each year.

One pet owner who moved from California to Virginia found it odd that her premium nearly doubled. She's not alone. Many California refugees are shocked to learn that the tough consumer protections in their former home don't apply in reddish-tinged states like Virginia, which sometimes seem bent on penalizing anyone who dares live there. 

Which one is best?

There's really no simple answer to that question. We've covered only a few companies here. There is plenty of information floating around out there, much of it of dubious value. The more research you do, the better. 

As the former Californian mentioned above will now tell you, insurance premiums, coverage and regulation vary widely from one state to another. Some states regulate insurance companies closely, others basically sit back and let the good times roll. 

Beyond geographic considerations, rates vary for different breeds, different ages and your pet's overall condition at the time you apply. You also want to be sure that your vet is onboard with your choice, assuming you are happy with your vet and want to stay with her or him. 

After talking to your vet, reviewing online comments and filling out applications at a number of sites, you should eventually come up with a couple of options that seem to fit your needs. Remember that no plan will cover every eventuality and it's not likely that any affordable plan will pay 100% of every vet bill. 

Also, be prepared for hassles in getting reimbursed. Insurance companies are not charities and they put everyone through the ringer before releasing any money. 

Life's not fair and the world's not perfect but a good pet insurance plan can smooth out some of the rough spots.

Giving someone a gift card was supposed to simplify things. But somehow, it hasn't. There are now nearly as many opinions about gift cards as there are the products themselves.

We are told that it's better to give a store-branded gift card because they carry fewer fees than ones issued by credit card companies and can be used anywhere.

Last month we reported on a National Retail Federation survey that found most consumers would rather receive a gift card than a nicely wrapped present, while e-gifting firm CashStar did its own survey that found most of us feel guilty about asking for a gift card.

It's not personal

Mary Steffel, researcher and assistant professor of marketing the University of Cincinnati's business school says it's even more complex than that. She's come up with a list of ways consumers make mistakes when they buy gift cards. The first, she says, is trying to make the gift card overly personal, which on the face of it, seems like a contradiction in terms.

"Givers often fail to anticipate that the gifts they prefer to give are not necessarily the ones recipients prefer to receive," she said.

But how in the world does one personalize a gift card? Easy, says Steffel.

“For example, a giver might personalize a gift card for a friend who loves sports by getting him a gift card for his favorite sporting goods store or a local sports venue,” Steffel said. “However, the sports lover might prefer a more general card, like a Visa or Mastercard-backed gift card, as it would allow him to purchase sporting equipment, tickets to a sporting event or anything else that he might want or need.”

Has the data

Steffel says she has data to back this up. She found that when people get very specific types of gift cards, they take longer to use them. Or they might not even use them at all.

This is especially tricky, she says, when choosing a gift card for a significant other. The gift card giver, perhaps feeling a little pressure, tends to over-think it.

“Ironically, these attempts to be thoughtful can backfire,” Steffel said. “We find that givers tend to choose more specific, less versatile gift cards when shopping for romantic partners than friends, but that recipients prefer more versatile gift cards regardless of how close they are to the giver.”

Maybe a sweater's not so bad

If all this conflicting advice about gift cards makes your head hurt, you might take the advice of another professor. Back in 2006, Gettysburg College philosophy professor Steven Gimbel told us that giving a “bad” gift was preferable to giving a gift card.

"Giving a good gift is a very difficult task because it requires thought on several different levels. To start, there is the care that gives rise to the desire to give the gift," Gimbel said. "A good gift is also something that the recipient will use to make their life better and something someone wants."

Gimbel's advice? Shoot to give a good gift -- not a gift card -- even if your gift ends up to be a bad one.

"A bad gift is still a bad gift, but sometimes the bad gifts are the best ones to get. Sometimes it is the thought of a bad gift that counts," Gimbel said.

Everybody wants to be remembered as a good host after their holiday party is over. A step in the right direction is to avoid sending your guests home with a foodborne illness.

To do that, the Agriculture Department’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) offers these tips on protecting yourself, your family and your guests from illnesses that may well spoil their holiday.

During holiday grocery shopping

• Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood away from other foods in your grocery cart.
• Buy cold foods last.
• Ask the cashier to place your raw meat, poultry and seafood in a separate bag.

During food preparation

• Use separate cutting boards for raw meat and ready-to-eat items like vegetables or bread.
• Prepare uncooked recipes before recipes requiring raw meat to reduce cross-contamination. Store them out of the way while preparing meat dishes to ensure they don’t become contaminated after preparation.
• Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of dishes to ensure they are fully cooked and safe to eat. Fresh beef, pork, veal, and lamb should be cooked to 145 ˚F with a three minute rest time; fish should be cooked to 145 ˚F; ground beef, veal and lamb should be cooked to 160 ˚F; egg dishes should be cooked to 160 ˚F; and all poultry should be cooked to 165 ˚F.

When cooking for groups

• Keep hot food hot and cold food cold, using chafing dishes or crock pots and ice trays. Hot items should remain above 140 ˚F and cold items should remain below 40 ˚F.
• Use several small plates when serving food.
• Discard perishable foods left out for 2 hours or more.

When cooking a holiday roast

• Use separate cutting boards, plates and utensils for raw roasts and cooked roasts to avoid cross-contamination.
• Wash items such as cutting boards that have touched raw meat with warm water and soap, or place them in a dishwasher.
• To ensure the juiciest possible roast this holiday, use a meat thermometer. Once it has reached the USDA recommended internal temperature of 145 F, the roast is safe to eat.
• Remember all cuts of pork, beef, veal, and lamb need a three minute rest time before cutting or consuming.

If you have specific food safety questions you can call the USDA Meat and Poultry hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or chat live with a food safety specialist at AskKaren.gov.

These services are available from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, in English and Spanish.

It's pretty widely known that using cocaine increases the risk of heart disease but Spanish researchers have now put some numbers behind that assumption. They found that for those in the 19-49 age bracket, the risk of sudden cardiovascular death is quadrupled among cocaine users.

In fact, for those under 50, cocaine becomes the main risk factor for sudden cardiac death, according to researchers at the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country, the Basque Institute of Forensic Medicine, and CIBERSAM.

The study, published in Addiction, is the first to be conducted using forensic samples taken from deceased individuals.

Researchers analyzed the cases of 437 people who died of sudden cardiovascular death and whose death was not due to disease or acute intoxication. To conduct the research, they also studied the cases of another 126 people who died of different causes.

Those sudied had died either instantly or within six hours of being stricken and all were beneath the age of 50, thus reducing the influence of age-related cardiovascular disease.

Research data

In all the cases, a full post-mortem examination plus toxicological and histopathological studies were conducted, and the clinical data and circumstances of the deaths were reviewed. Gas chromatography and liquid spectrometry were conducted to detect therapeutic drugs, drug abuse and ethanol. A time link was established between recent cocaine consumption and death, and the researchers took into consideration obesity, hypertension, diabetes and smoking in relation to other risk values for suffering a heart attack.

The analysis of the data shows that cocaine consumption multiplies the risk of dying by four compared with non-consumption. Specifically, the percentage of cases among the deceased owing to sudden death in which drug consumption was detected was nearly 10%, while among the people who had died of other causes it was 2%. In comparison with the estimated data in the general population, the proportion of people who used cocaine recently was between 13 and 58 times higher in the cases of sudden death than in the general population. 

Cocaine increases heart rate and blood pressure and also diminishes coronary blood flow, is related to the formation of clots, and cardiac arrhythmias, it can increase ventricular irritability and lower the fibrillation threshold, among other effects. 

The doctors Benito Morentin, Javier Ballesteros, Luis F. Callado and J. Javier Meana were the primary researchers. 

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has taken action against two student “debt relief” scams that illegally tricked borrowers into paying upfront fees for federal loan benefits.

The CFPB, in a joint filing with Florida’s Attorney General, shut down College Education Services and separately filed a lawsuit against Student Loan Processing.US for illegally marketing student debt relief services.

The Bureau is issuing a consumer advisory warning student loan borrowers to be wary of paying high fees for free federal loan benefits.

“Student loans are already a significant debt for many Americans. College Education Services and Student Loan Processing.US added to that hardship by taking advantage of troubled borrowers and failing to describe their services honestly,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “When scam artists prey on student loan borrowers, we will take action to halt their illegal activity.”

The U.S. Department of Education offers numerous plans to borrowers with federal student loans to make payments more affordable. These include options that let borrowers set their monthly payment based on their income. Monthly payments under these plans can be as low as zero dollars per month for unemployed or very low-wage borrowers.

The Department of Education does not charge any fees to apply for or enroll in these plans, for which many student loan borrowers qualify.

College Education Services

College Education Services, its owner, Marcia Elena Vargas, and advisor and employee, Frank Liz, marketed and advertised debt relief services to student loan borrowers with loans in default. Based in Tampa, Florida, the company advertised through Internet ads and operated websites including CollegeDefaultedStudentLoan.com and HelpStudentLoanDefault.com. The company reaped millions of dollars in advance fees from thousands of consumers before it ceased operations around February 2013.

Student Loan Processing.US

Student Loan Processing.US, a fictitious business name of Irvine Web Works, Inc., is headquartered in Laguna Nigel, California, with an office in Dallas, Texas.

The CFPB alleges that since at least July 2011, the company and its owner, James Krause, has been marketing and advertising services to advise and assist borrowers applying for Department of Education federal student loan repayment programs. The company operates websites under the names StudentLoanProcessing.us, StudentLoanProcessing.org, and slpus.org. 

Consumers warned 

As student loan borrowers run into roadblocks while trying to get help from their loan servicers, such as lost paperwork or payment processing problems, they may grow discouraged with their prospects of an alternative payment plan.

In its consumer advisory, the CFPB warns students to avoid paying for plans that they can easily get for free. The services offered by third-party debt relief providers are not a substitute for high-quality student loan servicing and may cost borrowers thousands of dollars and drive them further into debt.

The CFPB’s consumer advisory points out that enrollment in alternative repayment programs, like the Income-Based Repayment program or the Pay As You Earn program, is available at no cost to federal student loan borrowers. Companies offering special services do not have the ability to negotiate with creditors in order to obtain a “special deal” under the federal student loan programs. The advisory also provides warning signs that a company offering student loan debt relief may be a scam. These signs include:

· Pressure to pay high upfront fees: Consumers should avoid companies that require payment before they actually do anything, especially if they try to get a credit card number, bank account information, or require that consumers sign a contract.

· Requests for a Federal Student Aid PIN: Consumers should be cautious of companies that ask for their Federal Student Aid PIN. This unique ID is the equivalent of a consumer’s signature and giving it away is giving a company the power to perform actions on the consumer’s student loan. Honest companies will work with consumers to come up with a plan without the PIN.

If you use your car, van, pickup or panel truck for business purposes, you'll like this: Starting Nan. 1, the optional standard mileage rate is rising to 57.5 cents per mile from 56 cents in 2014.

At the same time it made than announcement, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said the amount you are allowed for medical or moving purposes is dropping 0.5 cent from 2014 -- to 23 cents in 2015 per mile driven. And the amount per mile driven in service of charitable organizations will be 14 cents.

How it's figured

The standard mileage rate for business is based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile, including depreciation, insurance, repairs, tires, maintenance, gas and oil. The rate for medical and moving purposes is based on the variable costs, such as gas and oil. The charitable rate is set by law.

Taxpayers always have the option of claiming deductions based on the actual costs of using a vehicle rather than the standard mileage rates.

Prohibitions

A taxpayer may not use the business standard mileage rate for a vehicle after claiming accelerated depreciation, including the Section 179 expense deduction, on that vehicle. Likewise, the standard rate is not available to fleet owners (more than four vehicles used simultaneously).

Details on these and other special rules are in Revenue Procedure 2010-51, the instructions to Form 1040 and various online IRS publications including Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax.

Besides the standard mileage rates, Notice 2014-79, posted on IRS.gov, also includes the basis reduction amounts for those choosing the business standard mileage rate, as well as the maximum standard automobile cost that may be used in computing an allowance under a fixed and variable rate plan.

Uvex Sports of Germany is recalling about 46,800 bicycle helmets.

The helmet’s chinstrap anchor can fail, causing the helmet to slide off, posing a head injury hazard. The bicycle helmets also do not comply with the impact requirements of the CPSC safety standards for bicycle helmets.

No incidents or injuries have been reported.

This recall involves seven models of UVEX helmets, which come in a variety of colors with different colored chin straps. The helmets have a model number inside the helmet under the fitting pad on the top right side.

The affected helmet model numbers are XB017, XB022, XB025, XB027, XB032, XB036 and XB038.

The helmets, manufactured in Germany, were sold at sporting goods and bicycle specialty stores nationwide from September 2009, through June 2014, for about $100 to $260.

Consumers should stop using the helmets and contact UVEX for a free compliant helmet or a refund of the purchase price.

Consumers may contact UVEX Sports toll-free at (844) 767-0656 from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.  

Ford Motor Company is recalling 618 model year 2014 F-150 vehicles manufactured March 1, 2014, to March 13, 2014.

The brake pedal position switch man not be properly adjusted. As a result, the brake lights may illuminate with a delay or not at all. If the brake lights fail to illuminate, or illuminate after a delay, there is an increased risk of a crash.

Until the vehicle has been remedied, owners are advised not to use their cruise control system.

Ford has notified owners, and dealers will adjust the brake pedal position switch, free of charge. The recall began on November 24, 2014.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14C09.

Del Monte Fresh Produce is recalling fresh cut fruit containing Gala red apples grown in Pennsylvania.

The product, distributed to a limited number of customers in a few states in North East U.S., may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

A total of 3,051 consumer packages containing fresh cut red apples were distributed to Giant Eagle, Amazon Fresh, Sunoco, Peter’s Fruit, Wegmans, Sheetz and 7-Eleven and have “Best If Enjoyed By” dates of 12/3/14, 12/6/14, 12/7/14 and 12/8/14.

The fresh cut red apples have a red color skin. The recalled fresh cut fruit packages containing red apples were distributed for sale in clear plastic containers with one of the following labels and markings:

Consumers who posses the recalled product should dispose of it in an appropriate waste container.

Consumers may call 1-800-659-6500 (operating 24 hours a day) for more information, or email Del Monte Fresh at Contact-US-Executive-Office@freshdelmonte.com.

Chrysler Group is recalling 667 model year 2014-2015 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured October 25, 2013, to August 22, 2014.

The vehicles may be equipped with tire placard labels which contain inaccurate seating capacity and occupant/cargo combined weight information. This could lead the operator to overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install a correct tire placard label, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P70.

Auto leases have surged in 2014. According to Experian, leases on new cars increased to more than 29%of the financing market in the third quarter, up from just 7.1% a year earlier.

With the average transaction price of a new vehicle approaching $34,000, according to Kelly Blue Book (KBB), it's little wonder more consumers are turning to leases, which typically come with much lower monthly payments than purchases.

“The higher cost of new vehicles is definitely increasing the lease rate on today’s cars,” Karl Brauer, senior analyst at Kelley Blue Book, told ConsumerAffairs. “This is especially true in non-luxury brands, where leasing has historically been low but is much higher today. This confirms that many new car shoppers who would normally buy from a volume brand are now leasing from those same volume brands to reduce their monthly payment.”

The reason lease payments are lower is simple. The buyer is only paying the difference between the price of the new car and its value at the end of the lease period, when it is returned.

Because they aren't paying for the entire vehicle, the payments are lower. On the downside, they are absorbing one of the biggest costs – the depreciation on a new car.

Things to consider

In addition, Brauer says there are other things a consumer needs to think about when considering a lease, including the restrictions a lease agreement entails.

“Chief among these are the mileage restrictions, which can add up quickly during the lease return process if the vehicle’s mileage exceeds the contract limit,” he said.

On the typical 3-year lease, drivers are restricted to 36,000 miles, which equates to 1,000 miles per month. Regular out-of-town trips can easily put you over that limit.

“Another restriction centers on modifications to the vehicle,” Brauer said. “Essentially, a lessee must keep the car 100% original, meaning no upgraded wheels or audio equipment.”

But in many instances, that isn't a problem. And when it comes down to the choice between a $200 payment and a $500 payment, for many it's a no-brainer.

“For buyers who can stay within mileage limits and don’t plan on modifying the vehicle a lease can be a good option, though it also means you have to keep the same car during the lease term, and you must find a new car when the lease ends or buy the leased vehicle at the end of the term if you want to keep driving it,” Brauer said.

2015s might be cheaper to lease

There are many attractive lease offers at the end of the year but some might be easy to overlook. When the calendar gets ready to turn dealers are motivated to close out the current model year – in this case the 2014s.

But that may not be where the best lease deals are. You might find a lower payment on the 2015 models.

An analysis by nationwide car lease marketplace, Swapalease.com, shows consumers can lease a 2015 Toyota Camry for $293.71 per month, compared to a new 2014 model priced at $319.22.

A 2015 Chevrolet Malibu lease is priced at $246.21 per month, while a new 2014 model is priced at $319.74.

If this seems counter-intuitive, you have to remember how leases are structured. You are paying the difference between the new car price and the residual price – what the car is worth when you turn it in.

A 2015 model purchased in December 2014 is going to be worth more in December 2017 than a 2014 model purchased this month. A higher residual value equates to a lower monthly payment for the consumer.

If you plan to shop for a lease in December, ask the dealer to do a side-by-side comparison of a new 2014 model lease versus a 2015 model lease, especially for the same vehicle make and model.

The newer model doesn't always work out to be cheaper, but the Swapalease analysis shows it often does.

First, gasoline prices plunged, giving motorists a little breathing room in their fuel budgets. Now, it appears that getting a mortgage to buy a home is getting a little easier after five years of restrictive lending standards.

Things may be finally looking up for consumers.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) latest Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI) shows an increase of 1.2% in November. An increase means more money is available in the pipeline for mortgages.

“Credit availability increased in November, largely due to the addition of jumbo loan programs that permit cash-out refinancing,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s Chief Economist. “Home price appreciation and larger equity cushions have likely made some lenders more willing to allow certain borrowers to take cash out, while still low mortgage rates may make this a more attractive opportunity for some.”

Obstacles remain

While that's a hopeful sign – especially for first-time buyers – would-be homeowners can still face obstacles. A report by J.D. Power and Associates finds a decline in customer satisfaction with the mortgage process.

Six areas appear to give consumers heartburn; loan offerings; application/approval process; interaction; closing; onboarding; and problem resolution. JD Power notes that 58% of survey respondents were first-time buyers, suggesting lack of experience and uncertainty about the process could have caused some discomfort.

“Recent National Association of Realtors data indicates the percentage of first-time home buyers is well below historical norms. With many prospective borrowers looking for guidance and reassurance, it is imperative that lenders are fully prepared to provide the detail and information these customers desire or the borrowers may decide to stay on the sidelines,” said Craig Martin, director of the mortgage practice at J.D. Power. “The loan representative is the face of the organization for most borrowers and is relied upon to provide effective explanations, set accurate expectations and ensure consumers have confidence that they are making a good decision.”

Failure to communicate

In fact, 54% of first-time home buyers said they didn't fully understand the different loan options available to them. Only 41% of first-time buyers and 56 percent of experienced mortgage customers indicate their representative completely explained the types of loans, terms, special programs, fees and options to reduce their down payment.

George Ferger, a Realtor in Pompano Beach, Fla., says loan officers need to be more proactive, especially with first-time buyers. Lack of experience and uncertainty about the process may keep first-timers from asking the right questions that could result in the right loan. Buyers may also be reluctant to share key financial information that could help the lender provide better guidance.

His advice?

Buyers should look for a lender who will take the time with them. Ask for referrals from people who have recently purchased a home.

He says it will all work out best for everyone if buyers are upfront with their lender. Be willing to provide basic information your lender needs -- income, debts and obligations such as child support or student loan.

Let the lender know what your plans are. If you plan to only live in the house a couple or years the loan she may recommend may be different from one that would be suitable if you plan to settle down for the next decade.

Finally, Be flexible about your goals and don't try to get a loan that's beyond your means. You'll build equity and wealth much more quickly if you buy a home you can comfortably afford.

For as long as there's been Internet dating, there have been Internet-dating scammers. It's an updated version of an age-old problem: looking for love already leaves you emotionally vulnerable, but you must take care not to let that vulnerability bleed over into other realms of your life as well.

The most common online-dating scam involves a fake romantic persona who is always overseas — never anywhere on the North American continent, let alone someplace local enough that you can meet up in person. He or she claims to fall in love with you right away – assuming you can actually “fall in love” with somebody you've never met, or been in the same room with – then eventually asks you for money. (This person usually claims to have an impressive, upper-middle-class or better job – an engineer, a physician, an independently wealthy contractor or business owner – but there's always some complicated explanation why he claims to suffer a temporary cash shortfall requiring your help.)

Last summer, for example, a woman in Indiana lost $150,000 to a dating scammer before finally coming to her senses. This week we heard from a woman we'll call “Tina” who had a sadly typical story: she met and spoke to a man online, never in person, and then he asked her for money after claiming to fall in love with her. She wanted to take out a loan and send it to this man she thought she loved – but luckily, she had enough reservations to seek a second opinion first.

Here's what she said in her initial email:

Hi Jennifer
I found your name on Internet as I'm about to loan and transfer some money to a third party as requested by the person I chat with online.

We haven't met nor talk face to face (video conferencing). We voice chat for few times now.

We both feel connected and in love as you probably know why I'm helping this guy to help him because I feel for him and I think I love him.

I know what I'm about to do is stupid (my head tells me not to do it) but everything I asked this guy to produce to prove his identity he always pass and satisfy my curiosity. He said he is 49 years old, single ... never been married and no kids. He's good looking and will not have problem finding a girlfriend (which still this is a puzzle to me).

Recently he sent me a letter from Malaysian embassy awarding him the job to contain the avian flu virus in Malaysia. He was awarded a contract award certificate stating the job order number, including the 30% initial payment with 70% to be given upon completion of the project in Malaysia.

Because he need about 2mil US dollars and from the initial deposit from the embassy, he still needs US$400K ....

He sent me a copy of the check [for] the 30% down payment. He said his bank loaned him US$250 and he only have US$50K savings. I offered him to loan him US40K , he was grateful and he told me if I can send the money straight to the recruitment agency in Malaysia. He said he will need 100 workers to help him with his project to contain the Avian Flu Virus (as this is a sensitive project the Malaysian government required him to complete the work between 2 to 3 weeks).

I asked him to send me his flight details and again he's got a business class ticket to Malaysia .... I also asked him to provide me a copy of his driving license to prove his identity .... The picture he sent me (taken during thanksgiving and his final interview at the Washington, D.C. Malaysian Embassy) is same guy in his driving license.

Do you think I can trust him with these evidence and send the money to the Malaysia recruitment agency to help him find the workers for this avian flu project?

Is there any other documents I should ask him to provide me? I would really appreciate of you can get back to me before I send the money tomorrow .... Many thanks, Tina

No, no, a thousand times no. It's tempting to wax snarkastic in such circumstances – "If he wants 40K, all he has to do is sell the scrap metal he'll get after melting down all the alarm bells ringing throughout his ridiculous story" – but love (or proximity) can often blind people to things which seem spectacularly obvious from a distance. Since answering each individual question and pointing out the massive plot flaws in Tina's secondhand story would take too long, I sent this response instead:

Hello, Ms. [name redacted]. Thank you for writing. I hope you will not be foolish enough to send this scam artist any money at all, not so much as a penny or a dime. He's a lying thief — and you already know this!

What I am going to write sounds harsh, but unfortunately it is the truth: this man — assuming it really is a man, not a woman or even a whole team of scam artists working together — does not love you, nor respect you, nor give a damn about your well-being. There's a good chance he's laughing at you, even as I type this. He is not looking for a wife, a girlfriend, or even a casual sex partner; he's looking for money. You will never meet him face-to-face, and in reality, he looks nothing like the handsome photos you've seen.

As for his alleged sensitive-secret job fighting bird flu for the Malaysian government, his claims of needing money for that don't even pass the smell test: if the Malaysian government hired him to do a job, the government will pay money to HIM, not expect him to pay money to them — let alone borrow money from some foreign woman he's never met (and never will meet).

The documents he's shown you to "prove" his identity are all fakes. With Photoshop or similar software, it's not even difficult to make convincing-looking forgeries — especially if you're only seeing photos or e-copies of them, not receiving physical paper documents.

There is no point in your asking for additional documentation — he'll be able to provide convincing-looking fakes for anything. And he will always have convincing-sounding excuses for why he cannot meet you in person. Any money you send him will be gone forever — not to fight bird flu in Malaysia, but to enrich this liar and his wife or girlfriend.

I hope you do not send him any money at all, let alone $40,000. You'll never see any of that money again. If you want to help fight bird flu or otherwise benefit the people of Malaysia, there are some legitimate reputable charities which you can donate to, but please, do NOT give any money to this lying thief.

Take care,
Jennifer

Fortunately, Tina wrote back to say that she'd changed her mind about giving money to the scammer. Unfortunately, the scammer (whoever he or she is) remains at large, and probably has additional targets on the hook elsewhere.

Dear Ms Abel

Thank you for replying to be promptly. I am glad I found you before it's too late.

I was about to take a loan at the bank for him to help him complete in procuring and securing the workers he'll need in Malaysia

I think I am just going to disconnect my account.

Good idea. And Tina, along with anyone else who tries online dating, needs to always remember: if you've never so much as been in the same room with somebody, you definitely don't know them well enough to trust them with your money. Besides, True Love sure as hell never asks you to go into debt for their sake, or do anything else to hurt yourself.