A Word of Advice

Contains Consumer Affairs' fortnightly column. Please contact us if you wish to use any article more than three months old.

2013

11 March 2012 – Patch and protect
25 February 2013 – Curved and clear? Keep it in the shade
11 February 2013 – Mind your membership
25 January 2013 – 15 things debt collectors can't do
14 January 2013 – Do's and don'ts of daily deals

2012

17 December 2012 – Online tips for Santa
3 December 2012 – Verify your vouchers
19 November 2012 – Buying for the littlies
5 November 2012 – Agency agreements
22 October 2012 – Help with your loan
8 October 2012 – Switch on safely
24 September 2012 – Argument insurance
10 September 2012 – 10 Questions before you borrow
27 August 2012 – When you've bought a lemon
14 August 2012 – Safely does it on ladders
30 July 2012 – Doing right by your diesel
18 July 2012 – Smart Move
2 July 2012 – Losing contact
18 June 2012 – In a fix
01 June 2012 – Cheap at half the price?
21 May 2012 – Measure for measure
7 May 2012 – Good cover or covered off
23 April 2012 – All Power
5 April 2012 – Meter mechanics
26 March 2012 – Buyer's Remorse
12 March 2012 – Nice but not savvy
27 February 2012 – Dealing with loan stress
13 February 2012 – When tradespeople come knocking
30 January 2012 – Pay-to-bid auctions
9 January 2012 – Health and wealth

2011

12 December 2011 – Baby on holiday
28 November 2011 – Christmas choices
14 November 2011 – Unbelievable discounts
31 October 2011 – Stop whingeing and start complaining
17 October 2011 – How to wear a baby
3 October 2011 – What lurks beyond the tick box
19 September 2011 – Get an estimate
5 September 2011 – Toddler-proofing your house
22 August 2011 – Share your debt responsibilities
8 August 2011 – Shopping overseas from your couch
25 July 2011 – Fun in the sun or snow
11 July 2011 – Download dilemma
27 June 2011 – Frustrated contracts in disaster zones
13 June 2011 – Advertising-free home
30 May 2011 – Power up with powerswitch
16 May 2011 – Prism power
2 May 2011 – Three days to cancel
11 April 2011 – Fair measure firewood
28 March 2011 – Service expectations
14 March 2011 – Fit for the road
14 February 2011 – Avoid a bogus flattie
31 January 2011 – No surprises
17 January 2011 – The real deal

2010

20 December 2010 – Playing it safe
6 December 2010 – "Argument insurance"
22 November 2010 – Don't crack at Christmas
8 November 2010 – Repossession risk
26 October 2010 – Preparing your case
October 2010 – Help you didn't ask for
27 September 2010 – Safe ways to pay
13 September 2010 – Scam stories
23 August 2010 – A big cow pushed me (shop breakages)
9 August 2010 – Reading your credit contract
26 July 2010 – Fit for purpose
12 July 2010 – Credit credibility
28 June 2010 – Right to return
14 June 2010 – Safe and happy holidaying
31 May 2010 – Power switching
17 May 2010 – Winter heating – keep yourself and your family warm and safe
6 May 2010 – Protecting your privacy
26 April 2010 – Buying privately
12 April 2010 – Maybe layby
29 March 2010 – Find out the True Cost of your car loan
5 March 2010 – Confident complaining
3 March 2010 – Beat the scammers – Fraud Awareness Week 2010
22 February 2010 – Rental wrangles
8 February 2010 – Little fingers in hinges
26 January 2010 – Phone complaint: who do you call?
11 January 2010 – Before the fitness phase fades

Remember, if you plan to use an article or information from articles more than three months old, please contact us to verify the currency and accuracy of the information. We want you to be certain the information you use is not out of date.

2009

14 December 2009 - Swimming safely through summer
30 November 2009 - Tackling dodgy ticket deals
16 November 2009 Managing Christmas expectations
2 November 2009 - Throwing money away
19 October 2009 - Virtual shopping spree
5 October 2009 - Men (or women) in trees
21 September 2009 - Easy payments
7 September 2009 - What to do with unsafe products
31 August 2009 - Big ticket items
17 August 2009 - Have a safe spring break
3 August 2009 - Mind your T’s and C’s
20 July 2009 - Keeping babies out of trouble
6 July 2009 - Out of business, out of luck?
22 June 2009 - Job Scams
8 June 2009 - Keep your car
25 May 2009 - Switch to cheaper power
11 May 2009 - Protecting your eyes
27 April 2009 - Would you like a store card?
14 April 2009 - Repairs
30 March 2009 - Get your winter heating sorted
16 March 2009 - Your rights regarding repossessions
27 February 2009 - Money for nothing
23 February 2009 - Buying second-hand goods
9 February 2009 - Difficulty with debts
26 January 2009 - Don’t want to DIY?
12 January 2009 - Summer bargain hunting

2008

22 December 2008 - Returning rubbish presents
8 December 2008 - Buying safe toys for Christmas
24 November 2008 - Protect your privacy
10 November 2008 - Tips for avoiding a debt-laden Christmas
28 October 2008 - Stop the spam!
13 October 2008 - Shopping securely online
29 September 2008 - Mobile phone problems
15 September 2008 - Don’t be stung by inheritance scams
1 September 2008 - Staying safe around the home
25 August 2008 - Food labelling – what to look out for
11 August 2008 - When goods go bad
28 July 2008 - Are you pumping the perfect petrol?
4 July 2008 - Stay warm…and safe this winter
30 June 2008 - Beware of ‘free’ holiday vouchers
16 June 2008 - Kids’ nightwear - ‘Low fire danger’ doesn’t mean there’s no fire danger
3 June 2008 - Switch and Save
19 May 2008 - Ditch the direct mail?
5 May 2008 - Are you getting the right amount of firewood?
21 April 2008 - Building work and home improvements
7 April 2008 - Stay safe socialising online
25 March 2008 - Getting a fair deal in the summer sale season
10 March 2008 - Promised easy money, great prizes, true love, or a scam? Part II
25 February 2008 - Promised easy money, great prizes, true love, or a scam? PART I
11 February 2008 - Reporting Unsafe Products
29 January 2008 - Internet Shopping
14 January 2008 - New Year’s health kick?

2007

17 December 2007 - Season of the sales
3 December 2007 - Easing the Christmas financial pressure
19 November 2007 - Santa’s shopping safely, are you?
5 November 2007 - Extended warranties
23 October 2007 - Time for a holiday? (2 of 2)
8 October 2007 - Time for a holiday? (1 of 2)
24 September 2007 - You Break, You Pay
10 September 2007 - Don’t be a money mule
27 August 2007- Ensuring your insurance is up to scratch
13 August 2007 - Keeping Baby Safe
30 July 2007 - The Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal (2/2)
16 July 2007 - The Disputes Tribunal (1 of 2)
2 July 2007 - How to avoid identity theft
18 June 2007 - Heating your bed safely
5 June 2007 - When businesses go bust
21 May 2007 - How to save money on your power bills
7 May 2007 - How to complain effectively about bad services
23 April 2007 - How to complain effectively about bad goods
10 April 2007 - Getting ready for winter
26 March 2007 - Scams Target You – Protect Yourself (Part 2 of 2)
12 March 2007 - Scams Target You – Protect Yourself (Part 1 of 2)
26th February 2007 - Internet auctions (Part 2 of 2)
12th February 2007 - Internet auctions (Part 1 of 2)
26 January 2007 - Phones, texts and faxes
12 January 2007 - Lottery scams - don’t chance your luck

2006

15 December 2006 - Dealing with door to door sales
1 December 2006 - Returning Christmas turkeys
17 November 2006 - Shopping for safe Christmas toys
3 November 2006 - Work from Home Scams
20 October 2006 - Keeping the Kids Safe
6 October 2006 - Getting Ready for Christmas
22 September 2006 - Buying on Layby
8 September 2006 - Extended Warranties & Lifetime Guarantees
25 August 2006 - Internet Shopping
11 August 2006 - Reporting Unsafe Products
28 July 2006 - Pyramid Selling Schemes
14 July 2006 - Don’t Overexercise Your Wallet
30 June 2006 - Keeping Safe this Winter – Part 4
16 June 2006 - Keeping Safe this Winter - Part 3
2 June 2006 - Keeping Safe this winter – Part 2, Heating your bed
19 May 2006 - Keeping Safe this winter – Part 1
5 May 2006 - For face-to-face consumer advice see Citizens Advice
21 April 2006 - Firewood – staying out of the cold
7 April 2006 - Electricity - Don't pay more than you have to
24 March 2006 - Car trouble with your recently purchased car?
10 March 2006 - Thinking about buying a used car?
24 February 2006 - Protect yourself against scams
10 February 2006 - Lifesavers – RCDs and electrical safety
27 January 2006 - Door to Door Sales – Your Rights

2005

9 December 2005 - Product safety- your rights and making a complaint
25 November 2005- Christmas tips for avoiding loans and credit traps
11 November 2005 - What are your rights when a business closes down?
28 October 2005 - Cheque Overpayment Scams
14 October 2005 - ACE Consumer – an online educational resource
30 September 2005 - Gas and electrical safety in recreational vehicles
16 September 2005 - Buying electrical goods? Look for the C-tick
2 September 2005 - Lower sulphur diesel
19 August 2005 - When goods go bad
5 August 2005 - Extended warranties
22 July 2005 - Reasonable Debt Collection Fees
8 July 2005 - Hot tips for staying safe with LPG
24 June 2005 - New law for selling secondhand goods
10 June 2005 - Online auctions – know your rights when things go wrong (Part 3 of 3)
27 May 2005 - Online auction tips for sellers (Part 2 of 3)
13 May 2005 - Riding the online auction trend – and avoiding problems (Part 1 of 3)
29 April 2005 - The power to switch – comparing electricity prices
15 April 2005 - Tips for avoiding loans and credit traps
1 April 2005 - Watch out for loan and credit traps: new credit law 1 April 2005
18 March 2005 - Made to measure – be informed when buying firewood
4 March 2005 - The personal touch: where to go for face-to-face consumer advice
18 February 2005 - Check before you drive – or how to make the private purchase of a car run smoothly
4 February 2005 - Recalling unsafe products
21 January 2005 - Sale items that aren't - what to do if you think you've been ripped off
14 January 2005 - Getting a fair deal in the summer sale season

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Last updated 11 March 2013