Homeowners could pay less to sell their homes after a realtors’ group agreed to cut commissions to settle lawsuits filed against it. On Friday, the National Association of Realtors agreed to pay $418 million in damages and to eliminate its rules on commissions. The $418 million agreement will make it easier for home buyers to negotiate fees with their own agents.
On Monday, I went with my daughter to arrange my funeral. Now, I’m a senior who’s spry, as my daughter says, so this is just advance planning not the need for a funeral soon. Should you arrange a funeral in advance? Not unless you have some safeguards in case the funeral home goes out of business or won’t help you if you move away.
How’s your Presidents’ Day going? I got lucky and my daughter is visiting from Madrid. We’ve been checking out the sights in Seattle and getting together with her friends. If you need some ideas for activities for the holiday, consider the following: (1) Read biographies of Washington and Lincoln. (2) Ask five friends who their favorite president is and why.
It’s important to know about and reduce your exposure to pesticides. Growing up on a farm, I saw the effects pesticide exposure can have on health. A little-known pesticide, chlormequat, was found in four out of five people tested, in a new study by the Environmental Working Group. Its research tested 96 people for chlormequat, finding it in 77 of them.
Although I’ve written a number of times about how to eat less plastic, it’s time to take a look at it again. Recent research offers more information for your consideration. Consumer Reports recent research showed that in addition to plastic leaching from containers into food, there’s actually chemicals from plastic in food.
Giving Tuesday is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Founded in 2012, it’s a global generosity movement that inspires people to give back. Every morning I get out of bed and check the news for the latest on what will help people in their financial and consumer lives. Since 2008, I’ve written more than 9,000 blog articles and offer a weekly newsletter, too.
Influencers are required to let consumers clearly know that they’re being paid for their content. After the WHO classified artificial sweeteners such as aspartame as a possible carcinogens, influencers – including some dietitians – began posting content criticizing action. Aspartame is used in products such as diet soda, yogurt, and chewing gum.
World Against Toys Causing Harm announced its 51st annual nominees for the “10 Worst Toys” of the year. Although intended for fun and entertainment, many toys contain hidden hazards unnecessarily putting children at risk of harm. Making safe toys needs to be the top priority in the design, manufacture, and marketing of children’s playthings.
It’s amazing that as we’re all suffering from inflation so little is said about corporate price gouging and the role it’s playing in price increases. Fortunately, there’s a watchdog group that keeps researching inflation. Here’s the latest from Accountable.US: The increase in basic prices having risen at the smallest rate since September 2021.
