Current Events in December 2017

Early this morning, a group of about 100 people were gathered in the freezing weather outside FCC Chair Ajit Pai’s office, doing anything they could to lobby him before Thursday’s planned vote to gut net neutrality.

"I think it’s devastating that we have an FCC chair who is just willfully ignoring the facts, the law, the people, the companies, pretty much everyone except the phone and cable companies,” says Candace Clemente, a campaign director with the pro-net neutrality advocacy group Free Press.

Not taking net neutrality seriously

Clemente spoke to ConsumerAffairs shortly after returning back from the protest. She did not see Pai make any attempt to address the crowd, at least while she was there. His social media indicates that he may have other concerns at the moment.

“Restaurant patron arrested after causing ‘disturbance inside when she did not receive what she believed to be an adequate amount of #Sriracha sauce,” Pai wrote on Twitter this morning, sharing an article about a Sriracha-related arrest to his followers.

Clemente -- who points out that Pai most certainly used the open internet to find that story -- sounds unsurprised to learn of the tweet.

A video that leaked last week shows Pai, a former Verizon attorney, making jokes about being a shill for the company, seemingly making light of real concerns consumers and advocacy groups have shared. Advocates say that gutting net neutrality would benefit cable powerhouses at the expense of consumers and companies that do business on the internet.

"I feel like that tweet is really in line with that attitude, of not taking it seriously, treating it like a joke,” Clemente tells ConsumerAffairs.

Consumers urged to make their voices heard

Advocates warn that the issue is not a joke. Everyone from the ACLU to Tim Berners-Lee‏, the man credited with creating the World Wide Web, describes the FCC’s planned vote to kill the current rules as catastrophic to the state of the internet today.

Clemente says the most effective way for consumers to make their voice heard right now is to contact their representatives, because Congress could potentially overturn the FCC vote under the Congressional Review Act.

As it stands, if the FCC goes ahead with gutting net neutrality Thursday, immediate aftermath is uncertain. Many pundits predict the FCC will move forward, despite some commissioners who promise to vote against the consensus.

Implementing the new regulations could take anywhere from one day to one year -- it all depends on how long it takes the FCC to update the Federal Register, Clemente says. Advocacy groups also plan on suing the FCC to overturn the ruling should it not go in their favor.

Meanwhile, Jessica Rosenworcel, one of the FCC commissioners who plans to vote against killing net neutrality, tweeted from her office this morning that the internet at the FCC was temporarily down. “I think we can call this some fierce irony,” she wrote.

The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee has voted to raise its key interest rate .25 percent, the third rate hike this year.

That puts the fed's discount rate in a range of 1.25 to 1.5 percent, and the move will likely affect millions of consumers. The Fed discount rate has almost no bearing on mortgage rates, but it does influence auto loans and credit card rates.

The rate of auto loans, near historic lows, may rise slightly, adding very little to the average car payment. John Ganotis, founder of CreditCardInsider.com, says the impact on credit card rates may be felt more deeply.

"If you're carrying any credit card debt, your interest rate is likely going up with each Fed rate increase,” Ganotis told ConsumerAffairs. "Almost all credit cards have variable APRs, which means they're tied to the Fed rate."

That means when the Fed rate is increased a quarter point, consumers will likely see that same increase in the interest rate they pay on credit card balances.

Peddling into a headwind

"It's like peddling into a progressively stiffer headwind," Greg McBride, CFA, Bankrate.com's chief financial analyst said in an interview. "You have to work harder and harder to pay down that debt."

When interest rates rise on credit card balances, it doesn't necessarily impact the monthly payment, but it does mean consumers will have to spend more to pay off the debt. That usually extends the time it takes to pay off the balance.

While a quarter of a point seems like a small increase, McBride says the cumulative effect is what should concern consumers. He notes this is the fifth interest rate hike in the last two years, meaning the rate has gone up 1.25 percent in that time. The Fed has suggested there may be more rate hikes in 2018.

Interest on bank accounts

If interest rates are going up, it stands to reason that will be good for consumers with money in the bank. Shouldn't they expect to earn more interest -- which has been near zero percent in recent years -- on their deposits?

"Interest rates paid on deposits are not getting back to normal so much as establishing the new normal," McBride said. "And even then, you have to go out and search for it, it's not going to land in your lap."

That's because there aren't uniform increases in rates on deposits among all banks. McBride says consumers will find that online banks, community banks, and credit unions will have the best rates. The large national and regional banks will pay a lot less.

"There's a big difference between what the top yielders are paying and what the average bank is paying," he said. "You really have to shop around."

The Fed's decision to boost its key interest rate appears to be in response to continued signs of increased economic growth. Policymakers have set a goal of keeping inflation at no more than two percent.

Boosting rates is one tool for keeping wages and prices from rising too quickly. Neither have shown signs of doing so, however, and inflation remains below two percent.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that can occur in some individuals each year during fall and winter. When the sun is up less and it’s too cold to spend much time outside, sufferers may experience an unpleasant drop in their mood and energy level. 

Doctors believe SAD is directly linked to this limited exposure to sunlight, which can alter a person’s circadian rhythm. Changes to the circadian rhythm affect sleep-wake cycles – a critical basis for good energy and mood. 

In an interview with ConsumerAffairs, Dr. David Earnest, a circadian rhythms expert at the Texas A&M College of Medicine, explained that SAD is different from other types of clinical depression.

“SAD differs from depression in that symptoms usually are less severe and SAD is ‘seasonal’, with typical onset of most symptoms during the late Fall and Winter due to the changes in day length,” he said.

Treating the symptoms

Symptoms of SAD include lethargy, low energy, sluggishness, feeling down or depressed, sleep problems (usually excessive sleep), loss of interest in social activities, and changes in appetite, Earnest said.

Here are a few expert-recommended activities consumers can try to ease the symptoms of winter depression:

• Light therapy. Studies show light therapy is an effective treatment for SAD. Commercially available light boxes help to lower melatonin levels in the bloodstream when the natural light of a winter or rainy day isn’t sufficient to do so.
• Allow more light indoors. For people struggling with SAD, doctors recommend keeping blinds open and sitting close to windows when possible. Bright, open-spaced environments are better when it comes to combating the symptoms of SAD. 
• Get outside. Individuals in northern regions should try to get some exercise and outdoor exposure to natural sunlight during the morning and late afternoon, says Earnest.
• Take daily walks. Exercise and spending more time outdoors can help keep depressive symptoms at bay, and daily walks are one way to accomplish both. Aerobic exercise (such as biking, running, or swimming) has also be found to help manage symptoms of SAD. Aim to exercise at least three times per week for at least 60 minutes.
• Maintain a healthy diet. Try to limit starches and sugars and avoid eating heavy meals or drinking fluids right before bed. 
• Practice good sleep hygiene. Creating a regular light-dark cycle is a key part of combating seasonal affective disorder. Set a time to routinely go to bed each night and minimize light exposure (including blue light emitted from devices) during the two hours prior to that time. 
• Supplements. Several over-the-counter natural products–including Hyperium extract (better known as St. John’s Wort), melatonin, and Vitamin D–have been found to be effective at treating the effects of SAD. Talk to your doctor before taking any new supplement.

Offering children too many toys at playtime may limit their creativity, according to a new study from the University of Toledo.

Researchers found that toddlers who were given the opportunity to play with just a few toys at a time engaged in longer periods of play, which in turn translated to better focus and more creativity during playtime.

In light of these findings, the study authors say parents and caregivers may want to consider offering toddlers opportunities to play with just a few toys at a time.

“This might mean putting some toys away (out of sight, out of mind) in a busy playroom or bedroom, or it could mean taking a few select toys into an otherwise uncluttered area to play,” study author Alexia E. Metz told ConsumerAffairs.

Benefits of fewer toys

Metz says giving kids access to fewer toys may do two things:

• Reduce competition for the toddlers’ attention. The researchers say limiting toys can help toddlers practice focusing. “Focus is a bit like a muscle… it gets stronger when you use it,” Metz said.

• Give kids a chance to play with a toy in a more creative fashion. Kids will have time to explore all the things that can be done with the toy, and may even invent some new things.

“Together, these may support several aspects of development: attention, problem solving, ideation (coming up with a  novel way to use an item), motor planning (similarly, coming up with a novel way to use one’s motor skills), motor skills, and creativity,” Metz said.

Limiting toys around the holidays

Around the holidays, a time when many children will be unwrapping dozens of new toys, the study authors say parents can do a few things to curb adverse effects related to having access to too many toys.

There’s nothing wrong with giving kids gifts to celebrate the holiday, the study authors said. However, once the excitement has died down, parents should watch for signs that their children are overwhelmed by the number of toys.

In that case, the researchers suggest that parents put some of the toys away for a later time. “It could even be framed (for children old enough to understand) as a way to make the special occasion last,” she said.

Parents can also take steps to prepare their home environment for the influx of new toys in advance of the holiday.

Preparing your child for gifts in advance

“Parents (and children if they are able) can weed through ‘old’ toys (donating them, passing them along to younger siblings/cousins/friends, or throwing out broken/incomplete ones), to make room for new ones,” Metz said.

“Young children may not even notice if changes are made gradually, as long as parents do not take away favorite toys or those that the children routinely play with.”

For the toys that are kept, she recommends leaving just a few visible and within reach at a time. Storing others on a shelf or in a toy box might also help to reduce the temptation to take out too many toys.

The reduction in toys should ideally be done in a manner that doesn’t feel like a punishment, Metz advised.

The full study is set to be published in an upcoming edition of the journal Infant Behavior and Development.

A mid-year slowdown in new car sales has resulted in some of this year's most popular models going for attractive prices at the end of the year, according to Kelley Blue Book (KBB).

Every December brings end-of-the-year discounts, with the deepest price cuts usually going to the slowest-selling vehicles. That's not the case this year.

KBB's best new car deals for December include a popular truck and several SUVs and sedans. Dealers seem to still have plenty of 2017's best-selling models in stock.

“Good deals are everywhere toward the end of the year, and the fact that this month’s list includes a number of SUVs is a reflection of their increasing popularity,” Jason Allan, managing editor for Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com, told ConsumerAffairs.

The deals are broken down by leases and purchases. Consumers often prefer a lease because the monthly payments are much lower.

Best lease deals

This month a 2017 Honda Civic has a $169 monthly payment on a 36-month lease, with $1,999 due at signing. Kia's small SUV, the Sportage, has a lease payment of $199 a month, with $2,399 down, for 36 months.

Kia's midsize sedan, the Optima, can be leased for $179 a month for 24 months, with $1,999 due at signing. The Toyota Highlander, a mid-size SUV, normally carries a $33,000 price tag. This month it can be leased for $329 a month for 36 months after a $1,999 down payment.

A leased vehicle may have a lower payment but the disadvantage is a limit on miles and the fact that the vehicle must be turned in at the end of the lease. Luckily, those who prefer to purchase a vehicle will find plenty of bargains too.

Purchase bargains

The 2017 Honda Accord can be purchased for just under $21,000 and qualified buyers can finance it at 0.9 percent. The Chevrolet Impala sells for $26,600 and GM is offering 3.9 percent financing, along with $2,000 cash back.

KBB also identified an attractive purchase deal this month on Honda's full-size SUV, the Pilot. It can be purchased for just under $30,000 with 0.9 percent financing for qualified buyers.

Another SUV, the Ford Expedition, can be purchased this month for around $45,000 with up to $7,000 cash back; the Chevy Tahoe is in the same price range, with 3.9 percent financing.

If you're in the market for a pick-up, the Ford F-150 is selling for just over $35,000, and this month Ford is offering zero percent financing.

Allan says the bargains are even better this month because of the added value they represent. Every vehicle on the list, he says, is a current or former KBB Best Buy winner. Half of those cars are also on KBB's list of the 10 Most Awarded Cars of 2017.

Government agencies are warning consumers to be wary of a type of loan scam targeting holiday shoppers needing extra cash. advance fee loan scams, especially around the holidays.

Scammers are advertising significant holiday loans for consumers with little or no credit and charging a hefty “advance fee” upfront–a practice that is illegal. Consumers who pay the fee soon find the lender has disappeared with their money.

For many consumers, especially those in desperate need of cash, and advance fee may sound reasonable, but they soon wind up with even less than they had.

'Guaranteed' loan approval

Authorities in Pennsylvania say they have seen cases where scammers have enticed victims with "guaranteed" approval of not just loans, but credit cards.

Chris Hodge, chief of consumer services for the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, says her office usually sees a spike in these complaints just after the holidays.

"Right now, people are spending money but next month they have to think about how they're going to pay their bills," Hodge told ConsumerAffairs.

The bogus loan offer may come in many different forms. It could be in an email, a brochure, or an internet ad, but it will likely follow a very established pattern.

Citing an actual complaint her office received, Hodge says a consumer says she was approved for a loan with a company, but only informed of the fee after the fact.

"The consumer then received a phone call saying the company had wired the funds to their bank, and just needed a $300 payment to process the loan," Hodge said. "That was the first mention of any fee."

In a legitimate loan, Hodge says the lender will disclose all fees upfront. The fees are then deducted from the loan amount the borrower receives. The borrowers pays no money out of pocket.

Six signs of an advance fee loan scam

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has also tracked these advance fee loan scams. It says there are six signs that a loan offer is a scam.

• The lender doesn't care about your credit history
• Fees aren't disclosed until the very end of the process
• The loan offer comes in a telephone call
• The company's name is similar to a legitimate financial services company
• The lender isn't registered in your state
• The lender wants the fees paid in a wire transfer, often to an individual instead of a company

The FTC says that legitimate lenders never "guarantee" that a consumer will be approved for a loan or credit card.

And if the salesperson even says you are "likely" to be approved, even if you have bad credit, the FTC says that's a sure sign of a scam.

Ed Novak, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and securities, say the agency operates a hotline at 1-800-PA-BANKS to answer consumers' questions about dubious loan offers. Novak says the agency welcomes calls from consumers no matter where they live.

While spring and summer are typically regarded as prime seasons for moving, relocating during winter has benefits for those on a tight budget.

Since moving during winter isn’t a popular idea, buyers (and renters) can enjoy less market competition and seasonal price drops across many areas pertaining to moving. 

"Moving during certain times of the year can result in significant savings, and the winter is one of those times," Mike Keaton, senior director of communications for the American Moving & Storage Association, tells ConsumerAffairs. 

"Most moves happen during the late spring and summer months, so moving companies have greater capacity and more flexibility on moving dates during the off-season. They’re often able to offer bigger discounts during these times when they’re less busy." 

Financial breaks

Although you might have to bundle up on moving day, moving during cold weather has its advantages -- namely, lower moving costs.

Due to decreased demand, most moving companies tend to charge less in late fall and winter. Companies often lower their rates by as much as 30 percent compared to the peak summer months, according to moving industry consultant Vasilka Atanasova.

“We do generally see slower rent growth and often even a seasonal price drop in the winter months. This year, our national rent index has fallen by 0.1 percent in each of the past three months, and rents have decreased over the past month in 66 of the nation's 100 largest cities,” Sydney Bennet, senior research associate at ApartmentList.com, told ConsumerAffairs.

She says that’s a big change from the spring and summer months, noting that those seasons are “the busiest time of the year for renters to move.”

In the winter, consumers are also more likely to encounter motivated sellers who are willing to negotiate on various aspects of a move, such as selling price and even what household appliances and items are included in the sale.

For those who plan to rent a new home or apartment, moving during winter may also pay off in the form of lease specials. For example, some property management companies may lower the rent or offer a month or two of free rent in an effort to fill vacancies. Many of these deals tend to pop up in February and March, since they are slower months for the rental industry.

Top cities for job seekers

Between saving for a downpayment and footing the bill for moving costs, leaving one residence for another can be an expensive endeavor.

To help offset the cost of moving, it can be beneficial to consider putting down roots in a city with a strong job market and/or relatively high average annual salary. A batch of recent studies highlight a few cities that have been ranked highly by young job seekers.

• Austin, Texas. Millennials have been flocking to Austin for years, perhaps due to the city’s booming job market. A recent study by LinkedIn showed there are 23,000+ jobs in Austin. The most popular industries include IT and Services, Computer Software, and Internet.

• Richmond, Va. Richmond constantly ranks on the US News & World Report list of the Best Places to Live. Millennials tend to thrive in this city thanks to affordable housing costs and a strong job market (just 4 percent unemployment for their age group).

• Raleigh-Durham, N.C. Recent data shows there are 21,000+ jobs available in the Raleigh-Durham area. Raleigh also boasts strong job growth and a high quality of life, making it an ideal place for millennials to call home.

• Nashville, Tenn. In a recent study, Nashville ranked as the best place for millennial job seekers in the state of Tennessee. The city is rife with job opportunities and has a median annual salary of $40,353.

• Miami, Fla. Miami took the top spot on Indeed.com’s 2017 list of best cities for job-seekers. The career site evaluated 50 metropolitan areas in the U.S. and found Miami scored high across four different metrics: work/life balance, salary compared to cost of living, job postings (weighted to interest), and job security/advancement.

A new study finds window blinds and their cords continue to be a major safety hazard to children. 

From 1990 through 2015, almost 17,000 young children were treated in hospital emergency rooms across the U.S. for window blind-related injuries. That works out to about two children per day. 

While the majority of children were treated and released, the study found that there was about one child death each month–usually strangulation from a small child accidentally entangling themselves in a window blind cord. 

Researchers blame ineffective voluntary safety standards for window blind cords. In an effort to reduce injuries and fatalities, experts are calling on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to eliminate products that pose a risk of strangulation to children.

Could happen to any parent

Linda Kaiser’s story is just one example of how window cord strangulation can happen to the best of parents. Kaiser and her husband Matt lost their daughter to a window cord strangulation incident back in 2002. 

“After losing my daughter, Cheyenne, in 2002 and realizing children were strangling so often I felt compelled to start an organization that would educate, research and test window products for safety,” Kaiser told ConsumerAffairs. 

She ultimately formed Parents for Window Blind Safety, an organization dedicated to educating consumers about the hazard of window covering cords. 

“In 2005, we developed a seal of approval program, testing window covering products for Safety. Products that meet our stringent criteria were able to use our label on their products so that parents could recognize which products were safe for their home.”

Industry standard requires warning labels on both cordless and corded products, but Kaiser believes a new labeling system is needed. 

“It is a difficult industry to advocate and educate due to the various products that are manufactured and the countless ways safety tips are misused,” she said. 

Keeping kids safe 

Tying up cords, cutting cords short or using breakaway devices isn’t enough to keep kids safe, says Kaiser. Her safety tips for window coverings are simple: 

• Go cordless
• Look for window coverings with no outer cords, and tight inner cords
• Products with cords that cannot be pulled any longer than 12 inches are also safe but aren’t widely available as of now
• Cords inside of wands that restrict the cords are safe options as well

“If you cannot go cordless, safety should be a top priority,” Kaiser said. “Cut the cords 2 inches above the headrail. Tape cord tassels behind slats so kids do not see them. Only use the window blind to allow light in until you can purchase safe window coverings.”

Parents should also move cribs, beds, couches, and other furniture away from windows so children cannot climb on them to get to the window or window blind cords. Grandparents and other caregivers should also be told to remove window blinds with cords to help keep kids safer.

Kids who use smartphones and other digital devices before bed may be at risk of suffering from sleep and nutrition problems, a new study suggests.

After surveying 234 parents of eight- to 17-year-olds about their kids’ technology use and sleep habits, researchers from the Penn State College of Medicine found that using technology before bed was linked with less sleep, poorer sleep quality, and more fatigue in the morning.

Additionally, young people who watched TV or used their cell phones before bed tended to have a higher body mass index (BMI). The researchers believe this may be because kids who engaged with screen media before bed were more likely to be tired in the morning and to skip breakfast -- two risk factors for obesity.

Sleep is critical

Kids who watched TV or played video games before bed got an average of 30 minutes less sleep than those who did not, while kids who used their smartphone or a computer before bed averaged an hour less sleep than those who did not.

In an interview with ConsumerAffairs, lead author and medical student Caitlyn Fuller said the results of the study showed a loop pattern between technology use, poor sleep, and higher BMIs.

“We saw technology before bed being associated with less sleep and higher BMIs,” Fuller said. “We also saw this technology use being associated with more fatigue in the morning, which circling back, is another risk factor for higher BMIs.”

Overweight and obese children were more likely to have trouble falling asleep and trouble staying asleep than their normal BMI counterparts, she added.

“The results of this study solidify some well-established data concerning childhood obesity – namely that children who watch more television and have a more sedentary lifestyle are more likely to have an overweight or obese BMI compared with those who are more active,” Fuller said.

Limiting technology use

Past studies have found that teens are particularly likely to struggle with technology addiction. This study suggested kids often have a difficult time self-regulating their screen time, which can take a toll on both the quality and quantity of sleep they get.

“When children were reported by their parents to use one form of technology at bedtime, they more than likely used another form of technology as well,” Fuller said.

Curbing technology use at bedtime can help “encourage childhood development and promote mental health during the childhood and adolescent years,” she said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that parents set boundaries for technology use, such as requiring kids to put away their devices during meal times and keeping phones out of bedrooms at night. For help creating a family media use plan, click here.

The full study has been published in the journal Global Pediatric Health.

Consumers who travel frequently on business may face greater health risks brought on by high levels of stress and unhealthy habits, according to a new report.

A study by On Call International, a travel risk management firm, found business travelers are less likely than leisure travelers to exercise while on the road. Nearly half of business travelers also admitted to eating unhealthy food while traveling.

"Because employees are on-the-go trying to make meetings and flights, they’ll opt for what’s quick instead of what’s healthy when it comes to their food choices,” Dr. William Siegart, Chief Medical Officer at On Call International, told ConsumerAffairs.

"Business travelers will often trade regular, healthier habits such as exercise for poorer choices such as excessive drinking – 16 percent of respondents in our survey said they are more likely to drink more on a business trip."

Building pressure

Performance pressure is one major factor adding to unhealthy stress levels. Siegart says business travelers are often under pressure to be on time for meetings and flights. Then there's the pressure that comes from the trip's objective.

If the business traveler is making a key presentation, or has been sent to close a major deal with a client, Siegart says the stress can snowball.

"Stress can lead to its own health issues, including headaches, gastrointestinal distress, and chest pain," he said. "Maintaining a regular sleep schedule during business trips can also be difficult – especially if you factor in stress, jet lag, and fatigue. Sleep deprivation can negatively impact both physical and mental health."

According to the Mayo Clinic, elevated stress levels have been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and even diabetes.

Reducing stress-related health risks

Siegart says there are things both employers and business travelers can do to minimize these stress-related health risks.

For business travelers, he recommends creating an itinerary that provides ample time to get to meetings and to and from airports. He says that will go a long way toward removing the stress from business travel.

Travelers should also do their best to maintain healthy habits, particularly at meal time. Picking healthier meal items will help prevent unhealthy weight gain and other physical problems.

Siegart says companies can do their part by encouraging their traveling employees to be mindful of the health risks they could possibly face.

"I’d recommend hosting pre-travel health workshops to reinforce the value of eating right while on-the-go and finding time for quick exercises that can be done from a hotel room or an airport," he said.

He also suggests that employers reinforce that business and travel can often go together. This will help employees relax after business is done so they can remain engaged, happy, and healthy in the long-run.

"Business traveling should not just be about meetings and presentations," Siegart said. "Take advantage of being in a new environment and give yourself time to unwind by exploring the local area and what it has to offer."

The Trump administration is scrapping an Obama-era proposal that would have required airlines to disclose baggage fees upfront, alongside listed airfare prices. 

Though passengers rarely fly without luggage, airlines officially characterize carry-on and checked bags as “optional” services. This label allows airlines to keep bag fees hidden when customers are booking plane tickets online or over the telephone. 

The Obama administration last year proposed a requirement that airlines list their baggage fees at the start of the booking process, a measure intended to make shopping for tickets easier and more transparent for consumers. The Department of Transportation also proposed a requirement that airlines disclose how much they earn annually in optional service fees. 

In 2015, airlines earned a reported $3.8 billion in baggage fees. Unsurprisingly, the industry was opposed to the fee transparency measures. 

"Dictating to the airline industry distribution and commercial practices would only benefit those third parties who distribute tickets, not the flying public,” lobbying group Airlines for America said at the time. 

The Department of Transportation announced this week that it is withdrawing both proposals because they provide “limited public benefit.”

A new survey of consumers who carry chronic balances on their credit cards shows much of their spending is on basic daily needs–making ends meet.

The research from credit card site CompareCards.com found 42 percent of consumers in the survey group reported their shortage of cash at the end of the month was a significant driver in running up debt.

Aside from gasoline and groceries, consumers reported that emergency expenses such as car repairs and medical care went on credit cards because money was not available.

Bruce McClary, a vice president at the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, which represents non-profit credit counselors, says the survey should raise some warning flags.

'Disturbing'

"What I find disturbing about this survey is that it shows consumers are rolling over more than $5,000 in balances from month to month, coupled with the fact that much of that debt–some 42 percent–is related to simply making ends meet, covering expenses that would ordinarily have been covered using cash," McClary told ConsumerAffairs.

The survey focused on reasons for credit card debt and the stress that it causes among consumers. Millennials are more likely than older consumers to feel stress, yet baby boomers are having a harder time than millennials paying off their debt.

Also disturbing, the survey found about 28 percent of consumers had two or more credit cards with a balance they can't pay off in full.

"We are clearly in a trend where more people are falling behind on their credit card payments and people are carrying larger balances," McClary said. "That combination can be very dangerous."

The survey can be subject to different interpretations. Despite a soaring stock market and improving job market, a sizable group of consumers may still be struggling financially.

At the same time, McClary says some consumers with job security may have become too comfortable with debt over the last few years and are now in over their heads. He says it's easy to do.

Long term costs

"Consumers should think about the long term costs of the things they're buying on credit, he said. "If their credit card is simply charging them the average interest rate, which right now is around 16 percent, you can be adding a lot to the cost of the item you're buying."

McClary cites the example of carrying a $1,000 balance and paying the minimum $25 a month at 16 percent APR. At that rate, he says consumers would pay an additional $400 by the time they paid off the balance.

It might be difficult, but McClary says consumers struggling with credit card debt can turn it around.

"In my 20 years of non-profit credit counseling I have always found that there is the possibility of finding room in the budget for savings," McClary said. It's just a matter of where you look and how hard you're willing to work to make those adjustments."

For help, he suggests contacting a non-profit credit counselor. While some consumers may have little or no discretionary spending that can be cut, a credit counselor can suggest tactical moves that can save money on existing financial obligations.

The world’s financial institutions are sounding the alarm on Bitcoin as one trading site revealed that hackers stole more than $70 million worth of the cryptocurrency. Despite the hack and institutional warnings, Bitcoin’s value is continuing to soar, reaching $17,000 on Thursday.

Bitcoin is purchased and traded through third-party sites that come with their own potential security issues. On Thursday, trading site NiceHash revealed a “security breach” that resulted in hackers stealing 4,700 bitcoins, or nearly $75 million worth of the currency.

“While the full scope of what happened is not yet known, we recommend, as a precaution, that you change your online passwords,” NiceHash wrote on its website. It’s unclear what security measures NiceHash took to protect consumers before the hack; the firm has not yet returned inquiries from ConsumerAffairs.

Lacking proper regulation

Regulators in China and India have both issued strong statements against Bitcoin. “One day you’ll see bitcoin’s dead body float away in front of you,” the People’s Bank of China warned on Sunday.

Financial institutions in the U.S. have been more hesitant in their language but are still voicing their own concerns.

The Futures Industry Association, the lobbying group that represents Wall Street and other international financial institutions, wrote a letter to federal regulators on Thursday saying that the process of trading Bitcoin assets has lacked transparency and proper regulation.

“While we are firm supporters of innovation and competition in markets, we nevertheless believe that such developments have brought to light concerns with the process in which these novel products have come to market,” the association wrote in an open letter to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

The “people’s currency"

It’s hardly the first warning from Wall Street. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon famously described Bitcoin as “not a real thing” and “a fraud,” criticisms echoed by other Wall Street billionaires in recent years.

Boosters of the cryptocurrency have countered that banks who sound the alarm on Bitcoin are acting only in self-interest. Bitcoin supporters characterize the banking industry’s concerns as an effort of the establishment to suppress a more democratic currency system.

“Bitcoin, the ‘people’s currency,’ has the potential to become a new currency, free of the control of big governments and big banks,” wrote economics professor and Forbes columnist Panos Mourdoukoutas earlier this year.

As consumers prepare to celebrate the holidays, they may face a number of hidden hazards. A recent analysis of data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) regarding holiday-related ER visits showed injuries tend to skyrocket in the weeks surrounding Christmas.

Many seemingly harmless holiday items and activities -- like cooking, decorating, and unwrapping gifts -- have the potential to turn a joyful holiday gathering into a scary trip to the emergency room.

In an interview with ConsumerAffairs, Laura Adams, senior insurance analyst for InsuranceQuotes.com, explained that while head injuries are the most common kind of injury around the holidays (over 550,000 registered cases since 2006), unwrapping presents is actually the most dangerous activity.

Common holiday dangers

Opening gifts can be a risky activity if you’re using a sharp object to get the job done. Serious lacerations and wounds have occurred when eager gift openers used knives to cut through packaging.

Wrapping paper itself can even cause bodily harm. One man checked into the ER after he scratched his eye with wrapping paper, according to the NEISS data.

Adams says head injuries have been the most common concern since 2006 during the days surrounding Christmas, with thrown basketballs causing the most head injuries among those aged 5- 24.

Other health hazards may lurk in the kitchen. Broiler fires are responsible for the largest number of kitchen-related ER visits around the holiday season, but burns from open flames or touching hot objects are also prevalent this time of year.

“Staying alert and cautious while baking those Christmas cookies in the kitchen is essential, as burns are a very common injury,” Adams said.

Tips for staying safe

Adams points out that seniors over the age of 65 are especially susceptible to injury around the holidays, noting that the demographic accounted for “300,000 of all registered injuries since 2006.”

To help ensure you and your loved ones stay safe, be sure to take the following precautions:

• Take care while opening presents. Lacerations account for over 750,000 injuries over the holidays. To reduce the risk of injury, be careful when using sharp objects to unwrap gifts.

• Avoid ornament dangers. Keep weighted or breakable decorations out of the hands of small children to help avoid cuts or lesions.

• Stay safe in the kitchen. Christmas and Christmas Eve ranked as the most dangerous days for home cooking fires in 2013, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Never leave the stove or oven unattended, and be sure to avoid distractions in the kitchen if you are the cook.

• Position your tree safely. If you decide to invest in an artificial tree, Adams says it’s important to make sure it is positioned in a well-ventilated area and away from other items -- such as near furniture, pillows, and gifts -- that may catch fire more quickly in the event of an emergency.

The American Hotel & Lodging Association, an industry trade group, is backing proposed legislation that would require third party booking sites to make clear to consumers that they are not dealing directly with the hotel.

The group's vice president for government affairs, Maryam Cope, says an increasing number of scammers and fly-by-night operators are showing up in search engines and tricking consumers into thinking they're booking a reservation at a hotel.

"They pretend to be the hotel's site from beginning to end," Cope told ConsumerAffairs. "They really target people who are searching for a hotel online via Google."

How it works

Consumers will often find a string of links to hotel websites while searching for hotels in a particular city, including some that aren’t legitimate. If you happen to click on one of these scam links, you might go to a website that has pictures of the hotel, the hotel's logo, and information about the property.

Cope says many of these bogus sites will have a "call now" button. If you click it, you'll be directed to a call center where you’ll be answered with a generic response like "reservations center."

The operator might pressure you by saying something like "there are only two rooms left" and will ask for a credit card number to secure the reservation. "You have no idea that during the whole process, you've never talked to the hotel," Cope said.

You have no idea, that is, until you show up after a long trip, ready to check into your room, and are told by a confused desk clerk that you don't have a reservation.

By that time, the scammer has taken the charge on the victim's credit card. Consumers who are taken in by the scam may be understandably upset. Cope says it isn't pleasant for the people working at the hotel's front desk either.

"It's very difficult for the hotel because the front desk staff is dealing with someone who has traveled all day," she said. "They're tired and just want a place to lay their head. They're confronted with this problem that they don't have a reservation and the hotel never had anything to do with it."

Avoiding the scam

Cope says the scam seems to be growing and is concerned that holiday travelers can get burned if they aren't careful.

Cope says there are three red flags that travelers should be aware of:

• No confirmation email: hotels will send you an email confirming your reservations. Scammers won't.

• Being charged in advance: Check your credit card statement. You should not be charged in advance before you check in.

• The hotel doesn't exist: Google the name of the hotel. There are cases where scammers have booked reservations at non-existent properties.

Cope says with so many consumers booking reservations on their smartphones, the small screens don't clearly show the websites, making it easier to confuse a scam site with the hotel's actual website.

As a failsafe measure, she suggests calling the hotel directly or, better yet, downloading the hotel's app and booking through it.

Earlier this week, AMD and Qualcomm Technologies announced that they are partnering to launch the first Windows 10 PCs to be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon processors.

By equipping PCs with LTE modems, Qualcomm hopes to provide consumers with devices that always stay connected to the internet without relying on Wi-Fi. What’s more, the battery life of the new devices is measured in days, rather than hours.

Qualcomm says it believes the Always Connected PC is “the future of personal computing.”

"Combining AMD processors with our cutting-edge LTE connectivity technology results in Always Connected Client Notebooks for consumers in a mobile-first future,” said Alex Katouzian, senior vice president and general manager of mobile at Qualcomm Technologies.

What consumers can expect

In an interview with ConsumerAffairs, Brett Howse, tech writer at Anandtech.com, broke down the potential pros and cons of the new devices.

The always-on nature of the PCs will give them the ability to wake up instantly, the same way a smartphone or mobile tablet does. While Howse thinks the power management of the Qualcomm chips will likely be the biggest boon for consumers, he isn’t certain whether their cellular capabilities will be a big draw.

“I'm not sure if the cellular connection is going to be as big of a deal for home users, but that depends on how much they use their laptop outside the home right now,” he said.

“As for performance, the initial devices are certainly going to have a performance deficit compared to Intel Core or AMD Ryzen CPUs. We've not had a chance to test any yet though so it's hard to place how far below a Core chip they will be.”

Tech experts say it remains to be seen whether Qualcomm and AMD have found a way to create power-efficient PCs that run well. If the devices take a long time to load an application or perform other tasks, then Always Connected PCs may not find a large audience.

Pricing

In terms of cost, Howse says that consumers should expect a price point that is lower than traditional laptop models. However, he points out that only two of the premium models have been announced so far, so that could change.

Other experts have pointed out that some consumers may be deterred by the fact that the LTE service will require yet another monthly bill.

The first of the AMD-powered “Always Connected” notebooks are expected to hit the market early next year.

BMW of North America is recalling 3,188 model year 2018 230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive, M2, and X3 xDrive 30i SAV vehicles.

Thee vehicles may have an error in the software for the instrument panel, causing the display to not illuminate properly.

As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Control and Displays."

If the display does not illuminate during start up or does not illuminate various control and warning symbols while the vehicle is being driven, the risk of a crash can increase.

What to do

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster display software, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin January 8, 2018.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.