12 On Your Side: This week's consumer roundup from Marilyn Moritz!

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Categories: Internet News Media Age: 19 until 30 year 31 until 64 years 65 and older

5 years ago

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Credit card rates, laundromat tech and unboolievable spending on pets.

Hi everybody,

It's scary how much people are spending on Halloween stuff -- for their furbabies.

Get this -- people are spending some $490 million on pet costumes, according to the National Retail Federation.

I know you're wondering, so here are the top 10 pet costumes this year: A pumpkin, hot dog, superhero, bumblebee, cat (hmmm), witch, lion, dog (again, hmmmm), devil and shark. They are cute, but can you really put a cat in a costume? Not mine!

Before long, we'll be hitting the stores for holiday shopping, and the checkout clerk is likely to ask you if you want to save money by signing up for a store credit card. It will only take a minute, I promise!

Certainly, there are promotions and cash back offers to be had. But be sure to check out the interest rates. On average, APRs for retail credit cards that you use only at one store are up. And, some are around a whopping 30%.

Store-only credit card rates average 27%

I had a chance to check out a new spin on digital literacy.

It's a program called Wash and Learn and it's an effort by the international non-profit called Libraries Without Borders. They've launched here at two West Side laundromats and put tablets and a laptop or two inside for people to use for free. It's a way for people who may not have computers or Wi-Fi at home to have access and learn. Check out it.

West Side laundromats putting new spin on digital literacy

Have a great weekend!