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
- 65 Things You (Probably) Shouldn't Pay For
- 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
- Cell Phone Services
- 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
- Identity and Cyber Theft: How to Protect Yourself
- Kids' Activity-Kit Services
- LeaseWise - Checkbook's Shopping Service for Leasing New Cars
- Medical Alert Devices
- Nannies: Hiring Tips
- Online Privacy: How to Guard Yours
- Organizers
- Parking: Finding the Best Rates
- Passwords: How to Choose Safe Ones
- Payment Apps: Avoiding Trouble and Scams
- Price Matching: What's the Deal?
- Recycling Electronics
- 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
- Vacation Home Rentals
- Vehicle Service Contracts
- Water-Saving Tips
- Wine Prices
Current Issue
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Drain Trust
Ratings of area plumbers for quality and price.
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65 Things You (Probably) Shouldn’t Pay For
Stop wasting money on services and products that might seem useful but are actually bad buys.
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Acupuncture
Should you try the gift of jab?
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Primer Time
How to paint your house or hire someone to do it for you.
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On a Roll
Wallpaper is back. Here's what to do if you want it.
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How to Get the Best Price on a New Car
Websites like TrueCar promise low, upfront pricing. But these companies don't deliver. Here's how to force dealers to compete for your business.
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Vehicle Service Contracts
Don't buy these plans. They are big hassles and bad deals for most drivers.
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Managing Your Mess
How to find a great housecleaner.
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Lawn & Order
How to hire a service (or hire yourself) to make your grass greener.
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Guard Your Online Privacy
These tips from experts are easy and effective.
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Life Insurance for Less
Shop around to save thousands of dollars.
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How to Get Rid of Your Unwanted Stuff
Decluttering strategies plus ideas for how to jettison extra belongings, from books to electronics to sporting goods to toys.
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Clothing Resale Options
Ready to sell your past fashions? Here’s how to get the most for your stuff, your time, and your effort.
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This Whole House
Estate sales can help you offload a ton of stuff.
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Window Washers
Find clear winners for quality and price.
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