Travel & Leisure
Ratings & Advice
The latest ratings and advice for Twin Cities area travel & leisure.
Advice
- 30 Tricks Sellers Use to Manipulate You
- 60 Travel Booking Tips
- 65 Things You (Probably) Shouldn't Pay For
- About Checkbook: Why We're Unique
- Airlines that Allow Free Stopovers Let You Design a Vacation with Variety
- Airport Parking Hack
- Amazon Floods Search Results with Ads
- Buy Now, Pay Later Often a Debt Trap
- Cell Phone Services
- Cell Phone Services: How to Avoid a Big Bill When Traveling Abroad
- Cell Phones: Protecting Yours
- Checkbook’s Top Shopping Tips
- Complaining: How to Get Results
- Consumer Quiz
- Credit Cards Have Consumer Protection Superpowers
- DNA Ancestry Services
- E-Read for Free
- Fitness Industry Changed by COVID
- Free Perks You Didn't Know You Have
- Hotel Intel: How to Find the Best Rates for Rooms
- Hotels Gouge Guests With Absurd Resort Fees
- Hotels: Tips for Finding a Sweeter Stay
- Hotels’ ‘Refundable’ and ‘Flexible’ Rates Often Not What They Seem
- How to Make a New Fitness Plan
- Kids' Activity-Kit Services
- Our Editors’ Favorite Websites and Apps
- Paid Loyalty Programs: What Are They, and Should You Join One?
- Parking: Finding the Best Rates
- Rental Car Insurance: Should You Buy It?
- Restaurants Pay Steep Commissions and Fees to Order-and-Delivery Services
- Social Media Headshots: Dos and Don'ts
- Social Media Privacy Tips
- Summer Travel Tips from Christopher Elliott
- Tickets: Saving on Seats for Shows and Sports
- Timeshare Exit Companies Deserve a Time Out
- Tipping Tips
- Travel Insurance
- Travel Websites Mislead by Falsely Declaring Few Hotel Rooms Remain
- Travel: Health and Safety Info for International Trips
- Travel: Help Finding Cheap Flights
- Vacation Home Rentals
Current Issue
- 65 Things You (Probably) Shouldn’t Pay For
-
Veterinarians
Find the best care for your pets.
-
Power Brokers
Hiring the best electricians.
-
Should You Try Acupuncture?
What’s the point?
-
Dealing with Debt
Real-life success stories and advice on finding the right help.
-
Lawn Care
What you can do to get blades of glory.
-
Painless Paint Jobs
Get great work whether you hire a pro or DIY.
-
Avoid a Hotel Horror Show
Finding a sweeter stay.
-
Find a Great Housecleaner
Get help managing your mess.
-
Window Washing Services
Finding a squeegee wiz.
-
Buying Computers
Where to score screens and software.
-
Screen Savers
Computer repair pros.
- Protect Your Computers and Other Devices from Hackers
We aren't loyal to businesses, we're loyal to you.
Easily find ratings, reviews, and advice on local service providers.
Checkbook is nonprofit, independent, and provides unbiased information.
We don't run ads or take referral fees from business that we rate.