Personal Services
Ratings & Advice
The latest ratings and advice for Washington, DC area personal services.
Advice
- 30 Tricks Sellers Use to Make You Pay Up
- About Checkbook: Why We're Unique
- Aging In Place
- Airlines that Allow Free Stopovers Let You Design a Vacation with Variety
- Buying Used Stuff
- CarBargains - Checkbook's Shopping Service for New Cars
- Child Care: Tips for Saving
- Closet Organizers
- Clothing Rental
- Clothing Resale Options
- Complaining: How to Get Results
- Computer Backup Options
- Computer Problems: Can You Get Your Data Back After a Device Failure?
- Computers & Devices: How to Keep Yours Safe
- Consumers' Notebook
- Credit Cards Provide Strong Protections for Consumers
- Credit Cards: Selecting the Best
- Cruises: How to Get the Best Deal
- Dealing with Your Digital Clutter
- Decluttering Strategies
- Defective Products: Strategies to Get a Refund or Replacement
- DNA Ancestry Services
- Elder Villages
- Email Addresses for Temporary Use
- Emergencies: Many 911 Centers Now Accept Texts
- eRead for Free
- Extended Product Warranties: Should You Buy Them?
- Facebook Privacy Settings Checkup
- Free Perks You Didn't Know You Have
- Getting Home Repairs During the COVID-19 Outbreak
- Getting Rid of Your Unwanted Stuff
- Grilling Safety
- Grocery Delivery
- Happy Returns and Gift Card Tips
- Help at Home for Seniors
- Hotel Deals
- Hotels Gouge Guests With Absurd Resort Fees
- Kids' Activity-Kit Services
- LeaseWise - Checkbook's Shopping Service for Leasing New Cars
- Medical Alert Devices
- Nannies: Hiring Tips
- Organizers
- Parking: Finding the Best Rates
- Passwords: How to Choose Safe Ones
- Payment Apps: Avoiding Trouble and Scams
- Price Matching: What's the Deal?
- Rental Car Insurance: Should You Buy It?
- Restaurants Pay Steep Commissions and Fees to Order-and-Delivery Services
- Sale Prices: At Many Stores, the Sale Price Isn't Special
- Self Storage Facilities
- Shopping Online: Our Top Tips for Saving Money
- Smartphone Photos Apps and Tools
- Social Media Headshots: Do's and Don'ts
- Stop Unwanted Calls, Mail, and More
- 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 Rooms Remain
- Travel: Health and Safety Info for International Trips
- Travel: Help Finding Cheap Flights
- Travel: Hidden Fees Can Make Vacation Rentals a Rip Off
- Water-Saving Tips
- Wine Prices
Current Issue
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How to Save Energy at Home
32 changes that will cut costs and help the planet.
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Popular Mechanics
Ratings of local auto repair shops for quality and price.
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On the Road Again, Despite Dangerous Defects
Our investigation found used-car dealers often sell vehicles without addressing known life-threatening problems.
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Do You Need Coverage for Water and Sewer Line Repairs?
Warranty companies, with help from their public utility partners, pitch nightmare scenarios. But these programs stink.
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Bug Off!
How to banish household pests.
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Surviving the Crash
Ratings of computer repair shops.
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How to Protect Your Computers and Devices
15 steps to take to keep your digital devices safe.
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Where to Buy Computers and Devices
Top grades for upgrades, plus how major retailers compare on price.
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What to Do About Defective Products
Strategies for getting a refund or free replacement if you bought something that broke down too soon.
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Why You Should Skip the Extended Warranty
Purchase protection. Service contracts. AppleCare. Whatever retailers call them, these plans are usually bad buys.
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Hear Here
Where to shop for the right hearing aid.
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