Food activists want FDA to limit sugars in drinks
A Washington-based nutrition activist group has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require beverage bottlers to limit the amount of high fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners in their products.
FDA urged to regulates sweeteners
The Center for Science in the Public Interest filed the petition on Wednesday, February 13. It was signed by health advocates and scientists across the nation.
Contributing to obesity epidemic
The consumption of sugary soda and other drinks by Americans has risen sharply over the last 50 years, according to the Boston Globe. Now, says the Center for Science in the Public Interest, that is linked with an [...]
Are paid dating sites better than free ones?
Looking for love on line is convenient, relatively easy and allows love-seekers to meet more potential matches much more quickly than would be possible otherwise. But it can also get expensive, even before the dating begins, if you choose to use a paid dating site over one of the free ones. But is the expense worth it? Do paid dating sites give members a better shot at finding a match than their unpaid competitors?
Do you get what you pay for on dating sites?
The most common argument for using paid sites, like Match.com or eHarmony, is that they attract a more [...]
How to tell if you will get the marriage penalty at tax time
Every year, millions of people get married, despite the warnings of their peers and against their better judgment. Later on, some will get hit come tax time with the dreaded “marriage penalty,” where the dual incomes results in tax being due the IRS, but luckily there is a way to know if it will happen.
Cupid is stupid as marriage penalty takes bite out of newly wedded wallets
People who are looking at tying the knot, jumping the broom, getting married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout, should know about something called the “marriage penalty.” The marriage penalty isn’t so [...]
Raising minimum wage among Obama proposals in SOTU
For those who haven’t heard, the president gave a State of the Union address recently and made a number of proposals for a number of things. Among other proposals was the idea of raising the minimum wage, or rather Federal minimum wage, to $9 per hour by 2015.
State of the Union included many proposals, raising minimum wage among them
The other night, President Obama took to the podium on the floor of the House of Representatives to give the annual State of the Union address, where the occupant of the White House gives an update to Congress on where things are [...]
Controversy courted as Marker’s Mark watering down whiskey
One of the most popular whiskey makers in the nation, Maker’s Mark, is courting controversy among spirit snobs by announcing it was lowering the alcohol content. In essence, it’s watering down whiskey, which on the face appears an adulteration but is less of a big deal than some might think.
Venerated small batch firm watering down whiskey to boost volume
A bit of a trend over the past few years is small-batch bourbon, essentially the microbrew to the larger distilleries’ macrobrew, the Sierra Nevada and Deschutes among the Budweisers. Bourbon, for the low and uninitiated, is made from a mix of grains [...]
Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 would begin online sales tax
Online retailers have managed to put up enough resistance to keep this from happening, but Congress has remained undeterred. California Congresswoman Jackie Speier has introduced the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013. The proposed legislation is another attempt to institute a national online sales tax.
Not the first attempt at an online sales tax
A small handful of bills have been introduced over the past few years that would institute an online sales tax, but none have passed. There’s been more discussion and little action, for the most part. But Rep. Speier’s bill, if passed, would make it a federal law that online [...]
Finding a reputable tax preparer
In the wake of judge’s decision last month, the IRS has backed off on its plans to mandate competency standards for tax preparers. Some in the industry would have welcomed the regulation. Others are glad to see it overruled. But, without help from the federal tax service, what can taxpayers do to ensure that they are hiring a reputable and competent tax preparer?
Standards for tax preparers shot down
Last month, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled in favor of a lawsuit that challenged IRS plans, set to go into effect next year, that would have mandated tax preparers who are not [...]
How much will healthcare costs set back your retirement?
The rising cost of healthcare is a concern for us all. But it is an especially immediate concern for retirees, who worry about getting by in the coming years at an age when health issues are increasingly common. A recent report, estimating those costs for the average retired couple, should cause many to take stock.
Healthcare costs largest challenge for retirees
The report by Fidelity Investments found that, as of 2012, a 65-year-old retired couple should sock away at least $240,000, earmarked for future healthcare costs. That is up by 4 percent from 2011′s $230,000 estimate.
The Fidelity Retiree Health Care Costs Estimate [...]
Impulse buying hooks retailers use to reel you in
How do retailers get you to buy? Frequently, it has little to do with the quality of their wares. Here are some retailer tricks that contribute to your impulse buying habits.
Retailer tricks for impulse buying No. 1 – Leading you by the nose
Sometimes called the “Cinnabon Effect,” this is an olfactory path that retailers take to cement their message and products into your brain. Baked goods are the primary component of scent marketing, whether it’s fresh-baked cookies, bagels, bread or cinnamon buns. A 1997 study of ambient odors found that pleasant odors including such things as vanilla and cinnamon improved [...]
Flip the script today – earn more!
You’ve heard it countless time before: “Spend less than you earn!” A little healthy austerity never hurt anyone! But consider for a moment whether or not the reverse can be true. Can you ramp up your personal finance with the reverse philosophy that you should earn more rather than spending less? Yes, you can – focusing on creating a surplus has its advantages.
Earn more! Change your personal finance story
At first, it comes down to the power of language. By defining your financial situation in terms of money earned rather than money saved, the mind is arguably given a sharper focus [...]
Avoid getting soaked by gyms and health clubs
Last year, the Better Business Bureau logged about 9,400 complaints against gyms, health clubs and fitness consultants. That is an increase of about 15 percent from the year before. Here are some things to look for to avoid getting soaked before you sweat.
Health clubs love the New Year
Losing weight, getting fit or joining a gym are some of the most commonly-sworn New Year’s resolutions each year. So is it any wonder that so many gyms and health clubs offer tantalizing specials to get new members in January?
However, New Year’s resolutions are also notoriously fickle promises we make to ourselves. And [...]
Food stamp cuts could kick in as well as budget sequestration
A lapsing law could lead to a reduction of SNAP benefits, often erroneously referred to as “food stamps,” by a small amount. The “food stamp cuts” as it were, come as a large round of automatic spending cuts threaten many entitlement programs.
Food stamp cuts still don’t involve any stamps
The media is shot through with idiots. Not one single actual “stamp” has been issued by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in more than a decade yet the dummies who the entertainment industrial complex deign to inundate us with continue to refer to SNAP as “food stamps.” Since the benefits are distributed [...]
Purchase by hashtag in Twitter American Express venture
The lines between social networking and real life continue to blur, as advertising and now commerce are taking place on social media sites. For instance, a Twitter-American Express joint venture is allowing people to make purchases via Twitter hashtag.
Twitter American Express venture could be real dangerous
The reason why people compartmentalize things is that some separation between things is frankly necessary, both for safety purposes and so they don’t get annoying, i.e. diminishing marginal utility. For instance, if one has children, going to work during the week gets one a break from them and makes one that much more grateful to [...]
Marriage and credit myths that fool most people
When you marry, are your credit scores affected? The melding of credit doesn’t involve mysterious elves, however. Here are some common marriage and credit myths, dispelled for the discerning consumer.
Marriage and credit myth No. 1 – Credit reports merge
This is perhaps the most common myth surrounding marriage. As credit reports are attached to each person’s Social Security number, they remain separate and individual. Just as two Social Security numbers don’t merge into one, your credit reports don’t, either. Your shared credit habits on loans and dual credit cards may affect your credit scores, however.
Marriage and credit myth No. 2 – [...]
Hands-off dinners anyone can make
Quick meals don’t automatically have to mean fast food. With a few fast, nutritious meal prep tips, you can prepare hands-off dinners that satisfy your time and nutrition needs.
Hands-off dinners tip No. 1 – You’ve got the (cook) time
Think that preparing nutritious meals takes a lot of time to cook? Then you’ll be surprised to learn that a roast or stew can cook in less time than your average 30-minute meal. Do the research online and you’ll find plenty of options.
Hands-off dinners tip No. 2 – Steal time for food prep
It is always worth your while to steal spare moments [...]
Some interest-bearing checking still available, even for non-rich
Contrary to popular belief, there are some interest-bearing checking accounts available and some are even available for the non-hoi-toi set. It is somewhat rare and not many accounts offer very good yields, but they can be found.
Community banks a good place to start for interest-bearing checking
Interest-bearing checking is thought to be an endangered species. It isn’t so much that nobody offers it, but no one offers it for free and most accounts have such a lousy yield that it’s almost pointless unless one is rich enough to have the minimum balance required to qualify for the accounts that get a [...]
FTC study finds millions could have credit report errors
A groundbreaking study by the Federal Trade Commission has found that credit report errors are far more common than many realize. Among other findings, the FTC found up to 26 percent of Americans have credit report errors and just over 2 percent of Americans have serious errors.
Many likely unaware of extant credit report errors
It is likely that many people aren’t aware of errors on their credit report. Granted, dealing the credit reporting industry in and of itself is not the easiest prospect. Congress thankfully mandated that everyone get a free report from each of the three main bureaus every year, [...]
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