Consumer News: Where to trade-in old tech for the most money

Heres what to consider when socking away some cash

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Certificate of deposit (CD) rates have climbed to multi-year highs as banks compete for deposits in a higher interest-rate environment.

• Savers can now earn significantly more on CDs than they could just a few years ago, but rates vary widely among financial institutions.

• Before opening a CD, consumers should compare yields, evaluate term lengths, and understand early withdrawal penalties.

Its been a while since certificates of deposit have been newsworthy. For nearly two decades, the interest paid on CDs has been practically nil.

But after years of historically low returns, CDs are once again attracting attention from savers. Higher interest rates on U.S. Treasury bonds have prompted banks and credit unions to boost CD yields, allowing consumers to earn substantially more on their savings while avoiding the volatility of the stock market.

While the Federal Reserve's aggressive interest rate hikes over the past several years started to lift rates, the spike in Treasury yields in recent weeks has also contributed to the rise. As savers began to actively look at CDs again, banks have found themselves competing more aggressively for deposits, resulting in even higher yields on savings products, including CDs.

A search of the internet shows some six to 12-month CDs are paying an interest rate of between 4.23% and 4.5%.

Whats attractive about CDs

For consumers seeking a safe place to park cash, CDs can provide a guaranteed return for a fixed period. Unlike stocks and mutual funds, CD principal is generally protected by federal deposit insurance when held at insured banks and credit unions within applicable limits.

However, financial advisors say savers should look beyond the advertised annual percentage yield (APY) when selecting a CD.

Compare rates across institutions

One of the biggest mistakes consumers make is accepting the first CD offer from their primary bank. Online banks and credit unions frequently offer higher yields than traditional brick-and-mortar institutions. A difference of even half a percentage point can translate into meaningful additional earnings over time.

Choose the right term length

CDs are available in a variety of terms, ranging from a few months to five years or longer. Longer-term CDs often offer higher yields, but that isn't always the case. In some market environments, shorter-term CDs may provide comparable or even better returns.

Consumers should consider when they may need access to their money before committing to a specific term.

Understand withdrawal penalties

A key feature of CDs is that depositors agree to leave their money untouched for a predetermined period. Withdrawing funds early typically triggers a penalty that can reduce or even eliminate some of the interest earned.

Before opening a CD, consumers should review the institution's early withdrawal policy and ensure the funds won't be needed before maturity.

Consider laddering strategies

Some savers use a strategy known as CD laddering, which involves dividing money among multiple CDs with different maturity dates. This approach can provide periodic access to funds while allowing savers to take advantage of competitive rates across various terms.

A ladder can also reduce the risk of locking all savings into a single rate if interest rates continue to change.

Look beyond the headline yield

The highest advertised rate is not always the best choice. Savers should verify that the institution is federally insured, review minimum deposit requirements, and evaluate account features and customer service.

With CD rates remaining attractive compared with recent years, consumers willing to shop around and carefully evaluate their options may find an opportunity to earn more on their savings while maintaining a relatively low level of risk.

So far, its proving to be a valuable tool

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• New artificial intelligence tools are helping doctors identify serious diseases more quickly and accurately by analyzing medical images.

• Mayo Clinic researchers found AI can predict brain tumor recurrence risk without expensive genetic testing.

• A separate study found AI can improve detection of retinal diseases and may even reveal risks for heart, kidney and vascular conditions through routine eye scans.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly showing up in the doctors office, helping physicians identify disease risks, improve diagnoses and potentially personalize treatment plans without adding costly tests or procedures.

Two newly published studies highlight how AI is transforming patient care in specialties ranging from cancer treatment to ophthalmology, offering doctors new tools to uncover critical health information hidden in routine medical images.

Researchers at Mayo Clinic and collaborating institutions have developed an AI model that can analyze standard pathology slides to classify meningiomas the most common primary brain tumor in adults and predict the likelihood that a tumor will return after treatment.

A major shortcut

Currently, determining recurrence risk often requires advanced molecular or genetic testing that may not be available at every medical center. The new AI system extracts similar insights from routine pathology images, potentially making sophisticated tumor analysis more accessible and affordable.

The researchers trained the model using tissue samples, pathology images and clinical data from 672 patients. The findings suggest that AI can identify molecular patterns associated with tumor behavior and recurrence risk that may not be readily visible to the human eye.

For physicians, that information could help guide decisions about follow-up care, imaging schedules and whether additional treatments such as radiation therapy should be considered.

Helping eye doctors diagnose disease faster

In a separate study, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine developed an AI system called OCTCube-M that analyzes three-dimensional retinal scans commonly used in eye clinics. The technology is designed to help physicians process large volumes of imaging data more quickly and identify subtle signs of disease that might otherwise be overlooked.

The system was trained using more than 26,000 retinal scans containing approximately 1.62 million individual image slices. Compared with older AI approaches, OCTCube-M improved detection accuracy for six of eight retinal diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of blindness among older adults.

Researchers estimate the improvement could help identify dozens of additional disease cases for every 1,000 patients screened. The model also significantly improved predictions about how quickly geographic atrophy, a severe form of macular degeneration, is likely to progress.

Looking Beyond the Eye

One of the most intriguing findings from the retinal imaging study is AI's ability to identify signs of health conditions beyond vision problems.

Researchers found that retinal images contain clues associated with cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, stroke and heart attack risk. Because the retina's tiny blood vessels closely mirror those found elsewhere in the body, changes visible in eye scans can provide insights into overall vascular health.

The ability to extract that information from a routine eye exam could eventually help doctors identify high-risk patients earlier and intervene before serious health problems develop.

A tool for doctors, not a replacement

While both studies demonstrate the growing capabilities of AI in healthcare, researchers emphasize that the technology is designed to support physicians rather than replace them.

By rapidly analyzing large amounts of imaging data and highlighting patterns that may be difficult for humans to detect, AI can help doctors make more informed decisions, prioritize high-risk patients and deliver more personalized care.

As healthcare systems face growing patient demands and increasing volumes of medical data, these emerging AI tools could become valuable assistants in improving both the speed and quality of patient care.

How to easily cut 20% to 40% off your Family Dollar bill

• Use the app: Clip digital coupons before you shop and enter your phone number at checkout to automatically apply discounts.

• Stack the $5 off $25 coupon: Shop on Saturdays and combine the coupon with sale items, manufacturer coupons, and BOGO deals for the biggest savings.

• Buy essentials on sale: Focus on products you already use in everyday life, like detergent, paper towels, and toothpaste, and always check the weekly ad before shopping.

Family Dollar may not have the flashy rewards programs or complicated rebate systems you'll find elsewhere, but that's actually part of its appeal.

The savings strategy is surprisingly straightforward and simple. Combine digital coupons, weekly sales, clearance merchandise, and the store's famous $5 off $25 coupon, and you can routinely cut 20% to 40% off your bill.

Here's how savvy shoppers squeeze every dollar possible out of Family Dollar.

Start with the Family Dollar app

If you're not using the Family Dollar app, you're essentially shopping without one of the store's biggest money-saving tools.

Once you create a free Family Dollar account, the app gives shoppers access to:

• Digital manufacturer coupons
• Store coupons
• Weekly ads
• Product-specific promotions
• Saturday-only offers

And unlike traditional couponing, there's no clipping, organizing, or carrying paper coupons around the store. Simply tap the offers you want in the app, or click Clip Coupon on their website, and they're loaded directly to your account.

At checkout, you just enter your phone number and all your eligible discounts are automatically applied.

Before every shopping trip, spend a few minutes browsing all of their available coupons. You'll be surprised how often you discover discounts on products you already planned to buy.

Pro tip: Clip every coupon that remotely interests you. There's no downside, and you never know when you'll spot a great deal while walking the aisles.

Never miss the famous $5 off $25 coupon

Most weeks, Family Dollar offers a storewide digital coupon worth $5 off a $25 purchase, usually redeemable on Saturdays. Sometimes theyll also have a $10 off $30 coupon thats also good on Saturdays only.

Their app is the easiest place to find this coupon. Just open the app, go to the coupons section, and youll see it above the fold. You can also find it on their website in the digital coupons section. Just hit the "Clip Coupon"button and it automatically gets saved to your account.

It may not sound like much at first glance, but experienced couponers know this is where the real savings begin.

The magic happens when you can combine the storewide coupon with:

• Sale prices
• Manufacturer coupons
• Store promotions
• Clearance merchandise

For example, imagine you're buying laundry detergent, paper towels, shampoo, toothpaste, and dish soap. Several of those items may already have digital coupons attached. Once those discounts come off, the $5 off $25 coupon provides another layer of savings.

Many shoppers specifically plan their Family Dollar trips around Saturdays because of this promotion.

Pro tip: Aim for a cart total of $27-$30 before coupons. This gives you a little cushion in case an item rings up differently than expected.

Learn where the clearance deals hide

Most shoppers walk right past the clearance section without a second glance. That can be a costly mistake.

Some of the best Family Dollar bargains are found on clearance shelves and endcaps near the back or side of the store. Some stores group markdowns together, while others leave them in their regular departments.

Especially look for seasonal merchandise, holiday dcor, toys, school supplies, beauty products, and household goods.

The deepest discounts usually arrive immediately after major holidays. Christmas, Halloween, Valentine's Day, and Easter merchandise can sometimes be marked down 75% to 90%.

Smart shoppers buy ahead and store stuff. Gift bags, wrapping paper, decorations, and seasonal storage items can easily be saved for next year.

Even better, digital coupons occasionally work on clearance merchandise, creating opportunities for even larger discounts.

Stack discounts whenever possible

The biggest savings rarely come from a single coupon. They come from stacking your discounts on a single purchase.

A typical high-value Family Dollar transaction might include:

• An item already on sale
• A manufacturer coupon
• A store promotion
• The $5 off $25 coupon

Each discount layers on top of the previous one and this is where Family Dollar separates itself from many retailers that restrict coupon stacking.

Not every offer can be combined, but enough can that it's worth checking before every purchase.

When you see shoppers brag online about getting carts full of merchandise for surprisingly low totals, stacking is almost always the reason.

Pro tip: Be sure to always read the coupon details carefully. By doing so, youll fully understand which offers can be combined and stacked for maximum savings. Just tap on the individual coupon and the terms of the offer are right below the "Clip Coupon"button.

Shop Saturday mornings

If Family Dollar has a power-shopping day, it's definitely going to be on Saturday.

That's when the following magic happens:

• The $5 off $25 coupon typically activates
• Weekly promotions overlap
• Fresh inventory often arrives
• Popular sale items are still in stock

Waiting until late Saturday afternoon can be risky, as it sometimes means emptier shelves and missed opportunities, so smart shoppers tend to arrive early.

Pro tip: Get in the habit of always checking the app before you leave home. Sometimes additional Saturday-only coupons appear that aren't available earlier in the week.

Focus on household essentials

One of the biggest couponing mistakes is buying things simply because they're on sale.

The smartest shoppers focus on products they already use. At Family Dollar, some of the best deals frequently appear on:

• Laundry detergent
• Dish soap
• Toothpaste
• Paper towels
• Trash bags
• Shampoo
• Cleaning products

These items are regularly featured in sales and digital coupon promotions.

When you combine discounts on products you need anyway, every dollar saved is genuine money staying in your pocket.

Pro tip: Build a small stockpile of household essentials when prices are low. That way you're never forced to pay full price when you run out.

Watch for buy-one-get-one (BOGO) promotions

Be sure to not only focus on coupons, as youll miss out entirely on Family Dollar BOGO deals which are big-time money savers.

Specifically, Family Dollar frequently offers:

• Buy one, get one free
• Buy one, get one 50% off
• Buy two, save $4
• Spend-and-save promotions

These deals become even more powerful when you can pair them with their digital coupons.

For example, if a product has a BOGO deal attached to it, and also qualifies for a manufacturer coupon, your final cost can be way lower than you expectlike 50-70% lower than expected.

Pro tip: Its smart to calculate the final price before checking out. Some BOGO deals are outstanding, while others aren't quite as attractive as they first appear.

Let the weekly ad guide your shopping

One of the easiest ways to overspend is to create a shopping list before you check the Family Dollar weekly ad.

Instead, reverse the process and always check their weekly ad first, then made your list based on the deals you find.

Specifically, be sure to review any weekly specials, digital coupons, clearance buys, andBOGOpromotions. Then create your shopping list.

By doing it this way, youll typically spend less because you're planning purchases around discounts rather than just throwing convenience items in the cart. Many successful couponers aren't necessarily using more coupons than everyone else. They're simply timing their purchases better.

Pro tip: If an item isn't urgently needed and isn't on sale, wait. Family Dollar promotions rotate constantly, especially on household essentials.

Use Family Dollar for fill-in trips

Family Dollar works best when you understand its strengths.

Trying to do all of your grocery shopping there isn't always the most economical approach and will often cost you more in the long run.

Instead,Family Dollar works best for:

• Household essentials
• Health and beauty products
• Snacks
• Cleaning supplies
• Emergency purchases

Combining Family Dollar with stores like Walmart, Aldi, or your local grocery chain often produces the lowest overall spending.

Think of Family Dollar as more of a deal store, not necessarily a one-stop shopping destination.

Experts say comparing mortgage offers can pay off in a big way over the life of a loan

• Skipping mortgage rate shopping could cost homebuyers more than $62,000 over the life of a loan.

• Borrowers who negotiate often win, with most reporting lower monthly payments after asking for a better deal.

• Comparing multiple lenders and reviewing APR, fees, and closing costs can lead to significant long-term savings.

Buying a home is expensive enough without paying more than you have to.

Yet new research from LendingTree suggests that many homebuyers may be doing exactly that by failing to compare mortgage offers from multiple lenders. According to the analysis, borrowers who shop around could save an average of $62,572 over the life of a 30-year fixed mortgage simply by choosing the best available loan offer.

The findings highlight just how much mortgage rates and terms can vary from one lender to another and why taking the time to gather multiple quotes may be one of the smartest financial moves a homebuyer can make.

To break down what this means for homebuyers, ConsumerAffairs spoke with LendingTree's Chief Consumer Finance Analyst, Matt Schulz.

Homebuyers are skipping the comparison

Many homebuyers dont think about the savings opportunities available by skipping the mortgage rate comparison. Schulz explained that the primary reason is that consumers dont know how much money is at stake.

Theres so much work that goes into buying a home, and mortgage shopping can feel like just another item on an already overwhelming to-do list, he said. Some people also assume that rates won't vary much from lender to lender or that their real estate agent's recommendation is automatically the best option. Unfortunately, that can be a costly mistake when shopping around can save the average borrower more than $62,000 over the life of a loan."

Know your negotiating power

One of the findings from the study was about negotiating for a lower mortgage. The survey revealed that women and baby boomers were less likely to negotiate.

A lot of it comes down to comfort level and expectations, Schulz said. Younger borrowers have grown up comparison-shopping online for everything and are often more accustomed to pushing for a better deal. Meanwhile, some older borrowers may assume rates and fees are largely fixed or may not feel the savings justify the effort."

However, its also important to note that when you do negotiate, it typically turns out in your favor. The survey found that 93% of homebuyers were able to lower their monthly payments.

"The most powerful tool is having competing offers in hand, Schulz said. It's much easier to negotiate when you can tell a lender that another company has offered a lower rate or lower fees.

Consumers should ask directly whether the lender can match or beat a competing offer, and they shouldn't focus solely on the interest rate. Closing costs, lender fees and discount points can also be negotiable. Most importantly, don't be afraid to ask. The data shows that people who negotiate are overwhelmingly successful."

What to look for in an offer

Mortgage interest rates have been relatively high as of late. However, there are other factors to consider when looking at the final monthly payment.

Schulz encourages consumers to pay close attention to the APR, not just the interest rate.

The APR incorporates many of the loan's fees and gives a more complete picture of the cost, he said. They should also carefully review lender fees, closing costs, discount points, prepayment penalties, and whether the loan has any features that could increase costs later. If something isn't clear in a loan estimate, that's a signal to ask questions. A mortgage is too important and too expensive to sign without fully understanding the details."

Take your time and do your homework

One of the biggest takeaways for consumers: taking a few extra minutes to get numbers from different lenders can make all the difference.

"This study is just further proof of how monumental the savings can be when you take the time to shop around, Schulz said. In a time when affordability remains one of the biggest challenges facing homebuyers, that's an opportunity people simply can't afford to ignore. Getting at least three mortgage quotes should be as routine as getting a home inspection. It's one of the smartest financial moves a buyer can make."

Learn what you can do to recognize warning signs from the most popular and reduce the risk of fraud

• Older Americans lose an estimated $28 billion each year to financial exploitation, with investment among the most costly and common schemes.

• Artificial intelligence is helping scammers create more convincing and personalized fraud attempts, making it harder for victims to spot red flags.

• Experts recommend monitoring financial accounts and setting up trusted contacts to help detect suspicious activity before significant losses occur.

Every year, scammers steal billions of dollars from older Americans, often targeting them through phone calls, emails, text messages, and social media.

In fact, elder financial exploitation is estimated to cost U.S. seniors more than $28 billion annually, making it one of the most common forms of elder abuse. As technology evolves and fraud tactics become more sophisticated, experts say families need to be proactive about protecting their loved ones.

In recognition of Elder Abuse Awareness Day, ConsumerAffairs spoke with Al Pascual, CEO and co-founder of scam detection company Scamentic, who shared practical steps families can take to help older adults avoid becoming victims. From learning how to spot common scam tactics to using financial alerts and monitoring tools, these strategies can help seniors stay safer in an increasingly digital world.

The most common

Pascual explained that investment are most frequently targeting older adults.

They are the perfect target as these often start through online friendships, or even romances, he said. With their savings and retirements, scammers know that lonely older victims are worth the time and effort in cultivating a relationship. Note that investments are consistently among the highest loss recorded by the FTC.

Additionally, Pascual encourages consumers to be vigilant if an older adult in their lives suddenly finds a new friend or love interest and then becomes distant.

Often scammers encourage victims to cut ties with friends and family to prevent them from stepping in and stopping the scam, he explained.

Targeting seniors with AI

AI has made it easier for to go according to plan, as its getting harder and harder for consumers to tell the real from the fake.

AI has basically brought spear phishing to the masses as criminals can craft far more targeted attacks at scale, Pascual said. As an example, after an e-commerce data breach, scammers will use information such as the card number itself, and phone number or email to send convincing bank impersonation .

The first four digits of a card number specifies the issuing bank, telling the scammer exactly who they need to impersonate to have the best chance at getting a victim to respond. And with AI, they can automate the work of doing that research, crafting the communications, and even continuing the conversation when victims begin to engage.

Protect your loved ones

If you or a loved one could be vulnerable to one of these , Pascual offered some practical advice.

• Monitor the financial accounts of a family member who you suspect is being targeted. This is a critical step because the faster a scam payment is detected, the greater the chance it can be stopped or reversed.

• Add 'Trusted Contacts. Some institutions allow older account holders to add 'Trusted Contacts' who are notified when suspicious activity is occurring on their account. Pascual highly encourages everyone to set that up if it is available before a scam happens because their family members will generally be more apt to allow it under the auspices of keeping bad guys out of the account.