In these early weeks of 2023, you may be looking at your home projects for the coming year. While some people may feel comfortable tackling the jobs themselves, many homeowners hire contractors to do most or all of the work. Finding trustworthy contractors can be hard, but Better Business Bureau is here to help.

With tax season just getting under way, some consumers rush to file taxes as soon as their employers provide a W-2. While you may get your refund fast that way, you could be missing important deductions or leave yourself in a position where you need to file an amended return.

If this is your year to take control of your weight and fitness, more power to you. Most likely, you’ll need a commitment to exercise regularly. Better Business Bureau (BBB) has tips to help you determine which gym or health club is the best place to keep you on track.

Are you considering a New Year’s resolution to lose weight or save money for retirement? What about resolving to be a savvy consumer as well? Better Business Bureau suggests trying out new habits that can help you avoid scams and find trustworthy businesses that offer the services or products you need.

When shopping for a team jersey or other sports memorabilia, watch out for fakes. Scammers know that authentic game-used and/or autographed items can fetch big bucks – especially for items commemorating big games. When shopping online, it can be hard to trust that a seller or product is genuine.

Better Business Bureau warns online shoppers searching for gifts and other merchandise to arm themselves with research and use credit cards to dodge scammers.

Puppy scams remain consistently profitable for scammers because their multi-tiered setup allows them to convincingly go back to a consumer several times to ask for money, according to an update of a BBB study.

Delivery scams and theft are particularly prevalent during the holidays when more packages are shipped, but they can happen year-round.

No one enjoys taking things back to stores or sending products back to online retailers, and doing so after the holidays can be especially onerous. Knowing store policies and planning ahead can reduce the stress of returning gifts. You’ll help yourself and gift recipients if you find out how a store handles returns before you buy.

Better Business Bureau® (BBB®) advises consumers to read and understand the terms of an installment purchase before clicking "Buy.” Otherwise, they could be surprised by fees or other charges that could add to the cost of their purchases.