Organizations

What do gay baby boomers need as they grow older?

Rita R. Robison / June 24, 2009

June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month. In a proclamation, President Obama said that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and

Today is Flag Day

Rita R. Robison / June 15, 2009

Flag Day is observed on June 14 each year, although it isn't an official federal holiday. Congress authorized a red-white-and-blue

Take action for peace on Memorial Day

Rita R. Robison / May 24, 2009

I believe one of the most important actions citizens of the United States can take on Memorial Day is to

Olympia marches for the species and the earth

Rita R. Robison / April 25, 2009

The sun came out today for the Procession of the Species, the 15th time residents of Olympia, Wash., have gathered

Top 10 Earth Day top 10 lists

Rita R. Robison / April 22, 2009

For Earth Day, I thought I’d review Earth Day top 10 lists and see which ones I thought were tops.

Organic Transitions offers way to survive and thrive in turbulent times

Rita R. Robison / March 21, 2009

The Organic Consumers Association is offering a new grassroots campaign called Organic Transitions. It’s designed to mobilize consumers and local

Public Citizen working for change in Washington in 2009

Rita R. Robison / February 10, 2009

Public Citizen, a citizen advocacy organization, is leading the charge to make sure citizens’ interests are a top priority in

25 things coming back in 2009 are familiar to baby boomers

Rita R. Robison / January 28, 2009

Ironing, mashed potatoes, recreational fishing and camping, and Amway are among the 25 things WalletPop, a finance website, thinks will

Lead, cadmium, arsenic, PVC found in toys tested by consumer group

Rita R. Robison / December 9, 2008

One in three toys tested by The Ecology Center were found to contain "medium" or "high" levels of chemicals. Researchers

This week's top 10 money tips

1. Start earlier to buy an airline ticket because you need to compare the cost of classes within the plane, too.

2. Check out these tips on what to do to avoid over-spending on your cars or cars.

3. Let the FTC know you don’t like surveillance pricing. Prices for products and services need to change based upon supply and demand, not people’s web surfing habits or buying history.

4. Take a look at these seven household expenses, in addition to gasoline, that may rise when oil stays above $100 a barrel including groceries, package and food deliveries, airfares, heating and electricity, household products and clothing, and home repairs and construction.

5. Check out these tips on how to reduce your utility bills in addition to commenting on proposed increases for electricity, gas, water, sewer, and garbage.

6. Expect yields for savings accounts, money market funds, and Treasury bills to be slightly lower due to the recent .25 percent interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve.

7. Build a financial plan by starting with your goals, not someone else’s; be selective about who you listen to; remember that financial planning is about more than investing; and learn the difference between news and noise.

8. Think about September, rather than January, as a better time to set and work toward your big money goals. As the seasons shift, vacations are over and the kids have gone back to school, and you’ve lived enough of the year to know what’s working and what isn’t.

9. Be aware that 63 percent of U.S. consumers have stopped shopping with a retailer or abandoned a purchase because of its return policy, a survey shows.

10. Be aware scammers are using AI to mine information from obituaries to fool family members. Stop and consider if you need to include things such as full names, specific hometowns, employers, schools, and other identifying details.

Sign up for my newsletter and you'll get 10 tips like this every week, for no charge. And, tell your friends and co-workers about it so they can make savvy money choices, too. Here’s the sign up: https://tinyurl.com/makeyourmoneywork. And, for a big bonus, you’ll also get my free e-book on how to optimize their personal finance decisions.

September 17, 2026