Financial Services
Ratings & Advice
The latest ratings and advice for San Francisco Bay Area financial services.
Advice
- 30 Tricks Sellers Use to Make You Pay Up
- 65 Things You (Probably) Shouldn't Pay For
- About Checkbook: Why We're Unique
- Budgeting Websites
- Buy Now, Pay Later Often a Debt Trap
- Buying Used Stuff
- Car Buying Strategies
- CarBargains - Checkbook's Shopping Service for New Cars
- Cashback Shopping Portals
- Complaining: How to Get Results
- Consumers’ Notebook
- Credit Cards Provide Strong Protections for Consumers
- Credit Cards: Selecting the Best
- Credit Score Boost Offered by Experian Likely Not Useful
- Dealing with Your Digital Clutter
- Estate Planning Tasks & Tips
- Extended Product Warranties: Should You Buy Them?
- Financial Documents: Create a Paper Trail for Your Heirs
- Free Perks You Didn't Know You Have
- Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees & Annuitants
- Home Warranties
- Homeowners Insurance
- Identity and Cyber Theft: How to Protect Yourself
- Identity Theft: Are You Protecting Your Kids?
- Identity Theft: Are Your Investment and Retirement Accounts Protected?
- LeaseWise - Checkbook's Shopping Service for Leasing New Cars
- Life Insurance
- Online Privacy: How to Guard Yours
- Parking: Finding the Best Rates
- Passwords: How to Choose Safe Ones
- Payment Apps: Avoiding Trouble and Scams
- Pet Insurance
- Phishing Scams: Is Your Financial Institution Helping Cyberthieves?
- Price Matching: What's the Deal?
- Prices: Where Have All the Bargains Gone?
- Sale Prices Are Rarely Real Deals
- Savings Apps
- Stop Unwanted Calls, Mail, and More
- Timeshare Exit Companies Deserve a Time Out
- Travel Insurance
- Vehicle Service Contracts
- Water & Sewer Line Warranties
- Wills and Living Wills: Help with Preparing Yours
Current Issue
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HVAC Contractors
Ratings of area heating and air-conditioning services so you’ll know who’s cool, who’s hot...and who’s not.
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Are Heat Pumps the Future of HVAC?
Improved technology, generous tax credits and rebates, and lower utility bills might have us reconsider how to heat and cool our homes.
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Checking Out Area Grocery Stores for Price and Quality
Where can you find the best produce and meat? Which stores offer the lowest prices? How much more will you pay for delivery?
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‘Sale’ Prices Are Rarely Real Deals
Our researchers tracked prices at 25 major retailers for 33 weeks and found most advertised discounts are bogus. Stores are increasingly using fake sales to mislead consumers.
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Safe at Home
Home security strategies, gadgets, and installers.
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Locks and Locksmiths
Battening down your hatches and latches.
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Don’t Hire Duct Cleaning Companies
Ignore deceptive ads and claims; you likely don’t need their services.
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Hardware Stores
Do it yourself but don’t go it alone.
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Can a Chiropractor Really Cure Your Back Pain?
Before taking a crack at chiropractic, talk to your doctor and try other treatment options.
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Closet Calls
Finding and installing closet systems.
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Auto Detailers
Restoring pride in your ride.
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Ready to Hit the Gym Again?
How COVID changed the fitness industry, possibly forever.
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