Dear Readers: In the days following Black Friday -- that nationwide orgy of shopping right after Thanksgiving -- Team Fixer always seems to get letters from people who felt things didn't go as planned.
Dear Fixer: On Aug. 8, I bought two new Samsung A437 cell phones with cameras from AT&T.
The Tip Jar is YOUR place to share tips and advice for fellow Fixer readers. If you've got a tip for avoiding a rip-off or saving some cash, please share it here!
Dear Fixer: In April 2006, I ordered DirecTV. My main concern was whether my picture-in-picture would work, and I was assured it would. I was told I had to pay immediately with a credit card, so I did and was charged $126.68.
Dear Fixer: In May, I attempted to switch our Internet provider to AT&T. They sent me a standard modem, and upon receipt of the modem, I called AT&T to get help with hooking it up.
Dear Fixer: My husband owed the IRS $20,000, and J.K. Harris & Co. claimed they could make a deal and we would only pay pennies on the dollar. Their fee was $5,000, and they wanted that upfront, with 18 percent interest.
Dear Readers: You probably already know by now that The Fixer hates "Christmas creep," the strange retail phenomenon that gives us aisles of Santa ornaments right next to the Halloween displays.
This week's Costly Lesson is one we fear we'll be seeing more of, now that the economy really stinks. Maybe the rest of you can avoid what happened here.
Dear Fixer: We enjoy reading your column and are hoping you can help us figure out why we were charged for two computers when we only bought one.
Dear Fixer: I bought a Hewlett-Packard PDA on May 20, 2006, at Best Buy as a graduation gift for my son.
Chat live with The Fixer at noon as we talk about charitable giving in tight economic times. The Fixer's guest will be Steve Bernas, president and CEO of the local Better Business Bureau, and we'll be chatting about how to make sure your dollars are going to a worthy cause.
Dear Fixer: Monarchy Collection is a high-end clothing company that specializes in men's T-shirts. I've been a big fan of their clothes and have spent more than $1,000 to $2,000 on their clothing line. Their T-shirts are generally close to $100 each.
Dear Fixer: My problem started back in November 2007, when my father purchased a Hewlett-Packard laptop for me for my birthday.
