Product Recalls

A product recall is a request to return an item that has a flaw that causes it to be unsafe or to perform unsatisfactorily. Some products are recalled because of their deficiencies and some may have safety concerns. Recalls are a result of a manufacturer's desire and responsibility to produce items that are of high quality and meet the needs of the buyers.

When a manufacturer is negligent by distributing products that are defective, usafe or not properly checked, the manufacturer may be exposed to legal penalties and bad publicity. It can be very costly for the manufacturer to replace or pay for damages that the product may have caused.

Consumer protection laws have specific guidelines that come into play during product recalls. These requirements allow the consumer to see how much the manufacturer has to pay. There are also instances where a recall may be mandatory because of problems with the product that have caused significant problems. The company may also call for a voluntary recall to avoid future problems.

A person should be aware of product recalls because they are usually for their protection. Some people just ignore product recalls out of ignorance or unwilling to be bothered with the hassle.

While many recalled products have caused harm or damage to their users, other's may work fine at first, but later show signs of reduced effectiveness. In any case, it's important to remember that you as a consumer have rights to products that are safe and perform as expected. Sometimes, manufacturers fail to live up to this responsibility as a result of negligence or unforeseen complications. It's good to know that there are laws to protect consumers and it is wise to take advantage of these to insure your own safety and access to products that work as intended.

How to Choose an Attorney

If you are having legal difficulties, you may have to face some tough legal decisions. If you were involved in an accident then you may have to decide whether or not to file criminal charges or sue the other party. If you have a small business and you were involved in a bad deal, then you have to decide whether it is worth the time and money to seek a legal solution. There are no clear cut answers or solutions when facing most of these issues. In cases like this, getting a qualified and competent lawyer is of great importance. We will examine the advantages and disadvantages of a prepaid legal plan as opposed to hiring your own lawyer. We will also discuss some simple steps to help you choose a good attorney.

One of the most important factors is a lawyer’s legal ability, someone who can explain the law to you and present you with options, explain consequences of each decision you make and give you ideas on the best course of action.

Increasingly, many lawyers are becoming more and more specialized and you will likely get better information from an attorney who specializes in a particular field of the law than a generalist who deals with a broad range of legal issues. Building rapport is also important: your relationship with your lawyer can make or break your case. You need a lawyer who gives you good advice that you can trust, someone with enough perspective to step back from an issue and look at it from all sides.

On the other hand, client lawyer relationships are much more limited within a pre paid legal plan. Because of the preventive nature of most plans, your contact with your lawyer will often be limited. You usually don't get to talk to your lawyer in person as most of the consultation is done over the phone even when you get to talk to them, it’s difficult to build rapport when your office consultations are limited to a certain number of hours a year.

The good news is you still have other options. When you sign up for a legal plan, or are shopping around to personally hire a lawyer, there are a number of steps you can take to increase the likelihood of getting a good lawyer. First, it's a good idea to ask for referrals from previous clients. Ask around about good attorneys in the network. Once you get a few names, check their educational background, their qualifications and their professional track record with your state’s bar association.

After you receive your referrals, don’t be shy about setting up interviews with the attorneys. Most don’t mind answering questions about what they do and their qualifications. Ask tough questions: How long have they been in practice? How satisfied are their previous clients? How many legal problems of interest to you have they taken recently?

A little research and diligence can be very helpful in finding a lawyer that meets your needs and is appropriate for your situation.

Great Ways to Save Money-Insurance

Unfortunately, you need to have it for your home, car, boat, motorcycle and even for your life. It's insurance, and it can be very expensive and troublesome.

The next time you need insurance, be willing to shop around and negotiate. Some people think the price of insurance doesn't change much form one company to another. However, prices can be very different so to ensure you get the best
deal, you need to shop around and consider all your options.

Use the Internet or telephone, it doesn't matter how you do it just make sure that you get quotes from different insurance companies before making your final decision. If you have questions or concerns or you're having trouble finding a good agent, do your research and talk to several agents. They can provide information on the kinds of discounts for which you are qualified and the levels of insurance that you need.

Yes, buying insurance can be stressful and time consuming, but a little education can go a long ways in making the task easier and can pay off handsomely in the money that you save.

Great Ways to Save Money-Landscaping

If you are planning on doing some landscaping, shopping for plants can be very expensive even when they are on sale. Before you go out and start spending your hard earned money, look around your yard to see if you have existing plants
that can be split or that you can get starts from.

Also, if you have a good relationship with any of your neighbors, you might ask them if they have any plants you could use as a starter. Perhaps you could work out a trade, so that both of you will have more to plant without spending any extra money.

Another great idea is the next time you plan to purchase a lawnmower, look for one that mulches leaves. This way you can avoid spending a small fortune on prepackaged mulch for your flowerbeds every year. Instead you can simply use the mulch you make while mowing your lawn.

Great Ways to Save Money-Dollar Stores

It's a good idea to try dollar stores first. You can save a lot of money on everyday item like laundry detergent, deodorant and other necessary items.

At first glance you might think that most items at the dollar store are of low quality. Sometimes they are, but have you visited your local dollar store lately? Oftentimes, they get new items on a regular basis or have items that do the job well enough for your particular needs. This can result in nice savings to help you purchase better quality items when they really make a differenc.

Chances are that you have more than one dollar store in your area including Dollar Tree, Dollar General or Just A Dollar. You might be surprised at some of the great deals and bargains you can find. The merchandise changes often and sometimes you
can find better deals than other times so it pays to shop often and at more than one store.

The Advantages of Working at Home on eBay

There are numerous advantages to working at home on eBay. You can start an eBay business without much money. You can also work your own hours. If you are looking to build an online business you can do this with eBay while still working your current job.

The main advantage of working from home is flexibility and being your own boss. The same holds true for an eBay business. An eBay business will allow you to build it gradually. This is a very good thing for individuals with little or no business experience. You can get a really good feel for how eBay works by selling a few items and building the business one sale at a time. There are many tools on eBay's website for you to use on their website. These tools are designed to help you make the most of your eBay selling experience. Market research is available for free and there is also an in depth 90 day history available for a fee. Forums are available on eBay. These forums can help you in many ways. Sometimes there are workshops on different aspects of buying and selling. You can chat with other users and get quick responses to your questions.

The advantages of working from home on eBay continue with the ability to earn good income at a part-time or full-time level. It all depends on the level of commitment you can provide. You are the one in charge of your online business. Listing only what you have the time to ship is the best way to keep things manageable. Another helpful hint is to only ship products once a week. This is the beauty of working from home. You set the hours, you are in charge. However, if you want to make money you must work at it. The extra money you make at selling on eBay can go into a savings account, IRA, or towards expanding your eBay business. This is especially true if you are employed outside of your home. A gradual build up of an eBay business can protect you from the devastating effects of layoffs and outsourcing.

You can take your eBay business to the next level with many online tools both in and out of eBay. Using these tools helps to automate the tedious task of listing your items for sale. Once you start selling more than 3 or 4 items a week you will understand that automating this process offers huge savings in time and money. The advantages of working from home on eBay and taking the business full time are many. By the time you are ready to work full time you will likely be a power seller. This is where you really start to make money as you receive discounts as a power seller that others don't. One of the benefits to having a full time eBay business is that you are not as dependent on your current employment if you choose to still work.

The advantages of working from home on eBay are numerous. You can have a great second income with a little bit of research and effort. Why not give eBay a try? You may decide that it is better than you expect.

Are Prepaid Legal Services Worth It?

Perhaps you have health, life, car and house insurance, but what about legal coverage? Is it really necessary to add that too?

The question is not if you'll need a lawyer, but when: according to the American Bar Association “Americans have come to view legal assistance as a necessity”. Yet, most Americans have not used a lawyer more than once due to high attorney fees and the inconvenience involved in the search for legal services.

Prepaid legal insurance could be the answer you have been looking for. The concept is simple, for a fixed monthly subscription, you get telephone access to advice from a lawyer. You pay a fixed amount in advance each month to cover the cost of legal services in the future. These services span various areas of the law, anywhere from reviews of simple legal documents and the writing of a simple will to more comprehensive coverage of trials, divorce, bankruptcy and real estate issues.

Prepaid legal coverage is a very attractive proposition for people who don’t have the resources to retain a lawyer on a regular basis whenever they need assistance. You effectively have a network of attorneys you can use as retainer to seek preliminary advice about what the issues are and how the procedures work whenever legal matters arise. Services not covered by the plan are available to members for a discount on regular hourly rates or flat fees.

A hard fact is that many new subscribers drop out of a prepaid plan after their first year. One reason could be that many members do not require any legal assistance during their first year. Another reason is the scope of services offered, which are very basic and limited in nature. Most plans have certain caps or maximums as far as benefits provided are concerned, and purport to offer discounts on standard attorney fees instead. However, by simply calling around by yourself you could probably negotiate a lower rate.

Another problem with pre-paid legal plans is the likelihood of getting assigned a novice attorney. Because of the cost, many companies behind per-paid services assign trainees or inexperienced attorneys to handle phone consultation and drafting of legal documents. You are also much less likely to build rapport and understanding, two of the most important attributes of choosing a good attorney, because over 90% of the work is done over the phone.