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12 On Your Side: Space heaters, price hikes and sales

This week’s consumer roundup from Marilyn Moritz!

fireplace (Copyright 2021 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.)

Brrrrrrrrr, y’all!

Now, this is fuzzy-socks-by-the-fireplace weather. As long as you don’t have to venture out much and you have heat, it’s okay for a day or two. I much prefer heat to cold, though. (Remind me of that in August, right?)

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If you’re plugging in a space heater, some reminders: turn it off when you leave or go to sleep and don’t use power strips or extension cords. The heater’s strong current can be too much for them and cause them to overheat and spark a fire.

I know a lot of you stocked up on soup fixin’s and other groceries before the cold arrived. And, I expect you noticed higher prices on some things. Kraft Heinz is the latest food manufacturer to announce it’s going to raise some prices next month. That includes Oscar Mayer lunch meats, hot dogs and Capri-Sun juices. You’ll probably notice the price of Tide and some fabric softeners going up soon, too. Procter and Gamble announced increases coming at the end of this month. We have some ways to cut costs here.

As you spend more time on social media – and ‘fess up, you know you are – be aware of scammers who have nothing better to do than to try to rip people off. The Federal Trade Commission says last year was a doozy as the bad guys used all kinds of tactics like investment schemes and bogus online product sales. You can check out that story here.

Here’s a parent alert about popular infant loungers. The Consumer Product Safety Commission urges parents not to use Leachco Podsters or the Bummzie because of the risk of suffocation. The products are not intended for sleep, which the company states. But, it’s so tempting for a parent to leave a baby where they fall asleep.

If you’re thinking about a new mattress or a new TV, February is a good time to snag a deal. Oh, and once Samsung comes out with its new cell phone, look for prices to fall on older models.

Girl Scout cookie sales are on, and mine have already been delivered. I remember in the olden days selling them for 50 cents a box! Times and prices have changed a bit in xx years.

Enjoy your weekend, and put those Thin Mints in the fridge. They’re even better cold. Or, just put them on the back porch today.

Stay warm!

Marilyn

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