Consumer Affairs
Watching out for Chicago consumers and their money with product news, spending trends, and recall updates.
Short-term, limited-duration insurance policies don’t have to follow Affordable Care Act rules because they are intended to be only temporary coverage, as Tim Winard learned, to his dismay.
Chicago-area dealerships say they’ve seen an uptick in sales and foot traffic as President Donald Trump’s new taxes on cars and car parts assembled outside the U.S. kick in.
A typical homeowner in Illinois is paying almost $1,000 more per year for home insurance, an increase that also affects potential homebuyers.
The judge said the court “can and must act” to save the agency from being shuttered.
Readers aren’t happy about QR codes, tipping protocol and prices. We also asked readers to tell us how they describe a Chicago spring to someone who’s never seen it.
The FDA relies on food companies to determine whether their ingredients are safe. Europe is tougher. At least 950 substances in our food are not permitted there.
Because of the president’s threat, a previously untariffed $15 bottle of Italian Prosecco could cost $45.
Under proposed legislation, Illinois would explore the viability of reducing reliance on the state’s gas tax by putting in place a “road usage charge,” essentially a tax on the number of miles driven.
The declines were larger than economists expected, and most expect inflation to remain elevated this year as President Trump’s tariffs kick in.
A butcher offers some advice, consumers lament what’s happening in grocery stories, and readers discuss some bad news about construction costs.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been plunged into turmoil after the White House ordered the agency in February to halt nearly all its work.
Before you start planning for a windfall, budget experts say huge savings from Elon Musk’ DOGE efforts are highly unlikely.
The utility will resume work on its long-delayed, over-budget program, but the Illinois Commerce Commission has ordered it to prioritize the highest-risk pipes and to bring in an outside monitor for yearly reports.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was created by Congress to be a watchdog over the financial industry. Now it’s been neutered.
The Postal Service gave no reason for the reversal, but said it would work with Customs and Border Protection to implement a collection process for the new China tariffs to avoid delivery disruptions.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell has said it is harder to gauge where inflation is headed, in part because of uncertainty about policies President Donald Trump will adopt.
Business owners and influencers received a temporary reprieve but still face uncertainty as Trump’s order lifts after 75 days.
The Citizens Utility Board and other advocates hope their “unprecedented” ad buy will help slash spending on the utility’s pipeline replacement program — but Peoples Gas says the groups are “playing politics with Chicagoans’ safety.”
The complaint said the Deerfield-based pharmacy chain helped fuel the U.S. opioid crisis and