Consumers' Checkbook

Every time there’s a major foodborne illness outbreak, government regulators and food processors typically reassure consumers by saying something like, “America has the safest food supply in the world.” While that may be true, a 2025 report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) called foodborne illness in the U.S. “a serious and continuing problem.” Each year, about 48 million Americans suffer foodborne illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Putting in bathroom or kitchen tiles used to be a grueling, time-consuming affair involving laying tiles into a thick bed of cement. Such “mud sets” were durable and hard to break, but they’ve most been replaced by “thin sets,” where adhesive is spread in ribs with a notched trowel. It’s faster and less expensive but, because houses move, not necessarily better—flexing floors and shifting walls may eventually crack or buckle the work.

Ask homebuyers what they’re willing to give up to fit their budget, and most will say they’ll readily live with a smaller dining room or home office. But downsizing the square footage of their closets is usually a nonstarter. According to the National Association of Home Builders’ ongoing survey of buyer preferences, storage space is one of the last things homebuyers will sacrifice, even when shrinking nearly everything else about a house.

Private-equity firms and conglomerates have quietly bought up legendary clothing, furniture, and tool brands. As they try to squeeze more profits from these well-known companies, product quality often suffers. It’s a phenomenon tech entrepreneur Keyana Sapp digs into via his online newsletter WorseOnPurpose.com, which includes the Brand Ledger, an adjacent database that tracks ownership of more than 200 major brands.

For several years now, American consumers’ finances have been squeezed by surging housing costs, climbing grocery bills, and costs for insurance, utilities, and childcare that have increased faster than wages. While families struggle to keep up, companies manipulate us to spend money with fake sales, worthless warranties, and search results flooded with ads. Many brands intentionally downgrade the quality of their products and services.

Buying an electric vehicle (EV) is one of the best ways to shield yourself from high gasoline prices. But new EVs still cost significantly more than comparable gas-powered or hybrid vehicles. In May, the average transaction price for all new vehicles was $49,015, while the average new EV sold for $54,532, according to Cox Automotive. Buying a used EV may be an affordable alternative. Because new electrics tend to lose value even faster than conventional cars, used EVs are often bargains.

Consumers’ Checkbook interviews thrifty gardening expert and author Mark Lane, who offers advice on how to grow plants and buy supplies for less. Filling your backyard or front-porch container garden with flowers, veggies, and other growing things can feed both your body and soul. But green thumbing it will also cost you: The 2026 National Gardening Survey found that, on average, American gardeners spend $740 a person each year, a jump of more than 18 percent compared to 2025.

If you need to jettison an entire household of belongings, an estate sale can provide a one-shot solution. Most events take place over two or three days, when an estate sale company (or sometimes, a family member) holds a jumbo tag sale or online auction during which furniture, art, dishes, clothing, and even unopened bottles of Pepsi are game. These liquidators take a big cut of sales proceeds—30 to 50 percent is typical—so don’t expect an estate sale to generate considerable money for you.

Electronic keypads, video doorbells, and other innovations are changing the way consumers get in and out of their homes. But an old-fashioned lock-and-key deadbolt still works as a terrific defense against break-ins. If you need to upgrade your locks—or add new ones—you’ll need a quality locksmith. Here are key pointers and ratings for finding the best locks and help installing them.

“Phishing” scams, where cybercriminals impersonate a trusted entity—such as a bank, government agency, or delivery service—are the number one cyber threat faced by most Americans. These email and text messages, which are designed to trick you into providing sensitive information, such as Social Security numbers, passwords, or credit card numbers, are blamed for most cyber-enabled crimes, according to the FBI’s 2026 Internet Crime Report.