Hair loss can be a traumatic experience for a man or a woman.  Most people would do anything or spend any amount of money to re-grow thinning or balding hair.  Looking for a natural cure to hair loss, many Illinois consumers turned to the Natural Hair Growth Institute headquartered in Chicago.  The company claims its products can re-grow hair without the use of chemicals, drugs, hair pieces, or transplants.  It uses a combination of laser light therapy, scalp massage, and topical hair products which the company guarantees will grow back hair within 6 months or it will refund the treatment price which runs approximately $8000-$12,000.   Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan however has filed a lawsuit against the company alleging false advertisement and consumer fraud.

Hair Growth Claims
The National Hair Growth Institute claims on its website to have developed the Bennis Solution, named after the president of the company, who is also named in the lawsuit. The Bennis Solution is made up of several components designed to re-grow hair.  One of the components is a laser light therapy the company claimed to have developed called Orbit Laser Light Therapy.  According to the company website:

“What makes the Bennis Solution unique is its holistic natural approach to reversing hair loss and generating healthy hair growth.  Natural Hair Growth Institute incorporates our proprietary Bennis Orbit Laser Light Technology, Bennis Hair services, chemical free hair care products, scalp detoxification and massage therapies, custom compounded prescriptions and nutritional supplementation together each treatment element creates a synergistic effect intensifying all other components of the program for maximum hair growth.”

The lawsuit disputes the company claims and counters that Orbit Laser Light Therapy is not a Food and Drug Administration approved device and there is no scientific proof it can re-grow hair.  It also cites that The American Hair Loss Association does not endorse low level laser therapy for treatment of hair loss.

Money Back Guarantee
The National Hair Growth Institute claims that if hair growth progress is not made in 6 months it will refund the entire treatment price.  According to the company website:

“Building upon the hair growth experiences from around the world, The National Hair Growth Institute staff is able to closely determine the expected 6 month outcome from each individual and therefore offers every client a 100% money back guarantee if the expected results are not realized.”

However, according to the lawsuit, clients have claimed that when they did not get the promised results they were unable to get a refund. The lawsuit also asserts the claim of 100% money back guarantee for each individual is misleading because according to former clients the contract categorizes potential clients into A and B groups.  Group A clients have been losing hair for the last 7 years, group B clients have been losing hair for more than 7 years.  According to the contract only group A clients qualify for the refund.

A Win or A Loss?
The National Hair Growth Institute boasts many success stories and testimonials to back up its claims and dispute the lawsuit.  The lawsuit however asks the court to stop the company from operating in Illinois and requests full refunds for consumers.  It also asks for civil penalties of $50,000 for each violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act.

With the holiday season already being touted in stores playing Christmas songs, it may be that time to start checking into the travel costs for gathering with family and friends. As travel costs continue to steadily increase, travelers this holiday season can expect to pay double or more just to take their luggage with them. Airlines have found they can earn the extra profit using surcharges during peak travel days surrounding the holidays.

Airlines like Northwest, American, Delta and United have now doubled the cost of the ticket surcharges. During such peak travel times, fliers can expect to pay an extra $20 surcharge  just for flying. This surcharge is in addition to the costs of baggage and taxes. Some airlines are still offering discounted ticket prices depending on where you plan to fly so it becomes much more difficult to make travel arrangements.

Consumers who are looking to fly  really need to check out what  the options are for airfare. Many times the surcharges will be added in with the price of the ticket and the websites will only show you the total price in bold. It is up to the consumer to check out the itemized costs and decide if the travel surcharges are worth it. This will take some time so consumers will need to start planning early. Check out multiple airlines and travel sites in order to find where the discounts lie. Consumers can also check out websites like FareCompare to find the best deals on travel from every airport.

Peak travel days are still predicted to be busy, despite the extra fees but rearranging travel dates to bypass these peak days may save on travel costs. To date, the peak travel days where travelers are likely to be faced with the surcharge are November 29, and 30, December 19, 26, and 27, January 2 and 3, with additional days during spring break time and the Memorial Day weekend. On these days, travelers can also expect to find limited seating on flights.

Planning early for the holiday travel season can certainly pay off in savings because you have more time to research your options and capitalize on getting seats before they are snapped up. If airline travel  is too costly for your budget, consider traveling after the holiday rush is over or using alternative methods of travel if possible.

Our homes can never be too clean, right? Thanks to research and technology we now know a lot more about germs, disease and preventing the spread of sickness than generations that came before us. As a result many homes are stocked with sanitizers and disinfectants that can be used to clean all surfaces and fabrics to ensure our environment is free of dirt and germs. In fact, some products contain chemicals that were originally designed to disinfect hospitals and operating rooms. While this may seem like a good thing, recent studies have suggested that these powerful cleaning agents can actually do more harm than good if not used as directed.

The results of this study have linked overuse of disinfectants and sanitizers to problems such as asthma, hormone imbalances and other health issues. It should be stressed that household cleaners and disinfectants do work and should be used when the need arises, however consumers are encouraged to rethink using them for everyday cleaning. Most homes do not need to be “disinfected” to the same level of an operating room with non-disinfectant cleaners performing the job necessary to create a clean living environment.

The chemicals that cause the most concern in regards to health problems include: chlorine bleach, ammonia, triclosan/triclocarbon, ammonium quaternary compounds and nano-silver. These powerful chemicals can irritate the skin, eyes, throat and lungs. Some of the chemicals on the list have been linked to hormone imbalance, decreased fertility and a slew of other health problems. It is important to remember that these problems are associated with overuse of these products and that most are safe to use in the home when used as directed. This included knowing how much you should use the product, where the product can be used and how to store the product properly.

To be on the safe side, consumers are urged to consider alternatives to powerful cleaners. One of the most effective ways to reduce illness and the spread of germs is by routinely washing your hands with soap and water. There are also several household products that can be added to your cleaning arsenal which have fewer potential side effects. Most households have vinegar on hand which is a great glass and window cleaner in addition the acid found in vinegar destroys bacteria. Another good cleaning and bleaching product is borax which is a naturally occurring substance that has many other uses.

Consumers should know that there are options out there if you want to keep your home clean without risking possible health problems as a result of exposure to powerful chemicals. Sanitizers and disinfectants are a valuable assets to your cleaning routine, however people may not want to use them on a daily basis for routine household cleaning.

The outlook on the recession continues to be bleak. With another 200,000 jobs lost in October, 2009, the unemployment rate now sits at 10.2%. According to the New York Daily News, if you figure in the partially employed and “discouraged” workers, the figure actually sits at 17.5%. The numbers are bleak, and not looking to improve anytime soon.

Now, President Obama, according to Reuters, is warning of another financial crisis known as a double-dip recession. While on a trip to China, he warned the United States about the need to control the rapidly rising deficits the country is facing. With this spending seeming to be out of control, any confidence consumers regain amidst the recession could spiral downward.

According to Investopedia, a double-dip recession occurs when, after a period of growth and recovery, the economy slides back into a recession again. Many times, the second recession is caused by consumers not spending as much due to layoffs and tightening of budgets, thus causing a lessening in the demand for goods. The cycle of more job losses then continues and spirals into the second recession.

President Obama’s current economic dilemma is how to create jobs for those who are unemployed, how to stimulate companies to create jobs and bring on more workers, and how to boost the economy while putting it on track toward long-term deficit reduction, as he promised during his presidential campaign. Many measures have been considered, including the stimulus incentives for individuals through the “cash for clunkers” programs and real estate tax credits. Incentives for companies to hire employees are also being looked at, with tax measures being another possibility.

The bailouts and other government spending programs to help companies in trouble, especially banks and the automotive industry, along with the measures to help individuals has put the national deficit at an all-time high. President Obama expressed concern that if the debt continues to be added onto and jobs continue to be lost instead of created, confidence in the economy would continue to plummet.

A second recession would deliver a much more serious blow to the economy and would likely end up lasting longer than the first. Consumers’ confidence in the economy would play a big factor, with many more tightening their belts and cutting spending. Companies would also continue to be reluctant to hire new employees in the face of such a bleak outlook.

President Obama faces the daunting task of trying to rebuild the country’s confidence in the economy amidst continuing staggering job losses each month. Not only must he answer to the rising public demand for more jobs and help for the unemployed, but he must also find a way to stimulate the economy into growth without continuing to feed the ever-growing national deficit. It is an unenviable task amidst a scenario that is unlikely to improve anytime soon.

Thanksgiving is traditionally the most traveled holiday of the year. Digital marketing firm Zeta Interactive conducted a survey and found that 84% of people are positive about holiday travel – with buzz words like “enjoy”, “rest” and “relax” surrounding blog posts about 2009 travel plans. Last year, the same marketing firm found only about 68% of people had positive opinions about the upcoming holiday travel season.

Despite the positive outlook, the 2009 holiday travel season will differ from previous years in a variety of ways, including:

Traveling because you have to – this year, less people are using Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holidays to get away on a relaxing vacation. If people are traveling, it’s typically to visit family for the holidays rather than take a trip.

Being extra careful not to miss your flight – it used to be if you missed your flight, there would be another one leaving soon after that you would have a good chance of getting a ticket for. In an effort to reduce expenses, airlines have reduced their flight schedules, meaning every seat on every flight is pretty much taken. If you miss the holiday flight, you might not have the opportunity to get another one until 2010!

More opportunities to be left behind – also due to the airlines booking each flight to full capacity, you can expect an increase in the number of over-booked flights. This means the airlines sell more tickets than they have seats on the plan – assuming a few people won’t show up for the scheduled flight! While this has happened from time to time before airlines started cutting back their flight schedules – during the 2009 holiday season there is likely an increased opportunity for over bookings. Make sure you know the airlines policy if you aren’t able to get on the flight you have a ticket for.

You’ll probably have to pay to bring your luggage – most airlines have begun charging a fee for checked baggage. During the holidays, travelers tend to bring extra luggage to carry gifts to the people they’re traveling to visit so be sure to budget for the extra expense – or do your shopping after you arrive to your destination. Alternatively, you could mail your gifts ahead of time so they arrive about the same time you do! If you can pack lighter, you can get away with just your carry-on luggage but keep in mind other travelers are likely doing the same and therefore those overhead bins are going to fill up quickly.

During the majority of the 20th century, General Motors was one of the automobile industry’s biggest companies. General Motors was the largest car maker in the world between 1931 and 2008 (surpassed by Toyota in 2008). By fall of 2008, General Motors was begging the government for it’s share of the bailout to stay afload – despite having experienced two years of steep cutbacks in dealerships and employees nationwide.

G.M received $9 million in federal aid through President Bush in December of 2008. President Obama pushed Rick Wagoner, the chief executive out in March 2009, and gave the company 90 days to restructure itself and become a smaller company that could financially support itself.

General Motors filed bankruptcy on June 1st, and on July 10th, the assets of the company were sold to a government-owned company called Vehicle Acquisition Company– including the Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac brands of vehicles. The Vehicle Acquisition Company will be renamed General Motors Company, with the federal government maintaining almost 61% ownership and the Canadian government, health care trust for the United Auto Workers union and individual bondholders owning the remainder of the company.

Now, the NY Times reports that even though the company is still losing money, it’s becoming more stabilized after the bankruptcy and has begun to return some fo the $50 billion it’s received through various federal government programs. Analysts of the industry feel it’s too soon to speak whether or not G.M will fully recover just because they’ve stabilized the company.

As reported in NY Times article:

“I’d say their grade is incomplete,” said David E. Cole, director of the Center for Automotive Research. “They have done what they needed to do in the bankruptcy, but what’s critical is getting the fundamentals of the business on the right track.”

Paying back a portion of its government loans is only a first step in the rehabilitation of G.M., which collapsed after years of heavy losses and bad decisions in the marketplace.

G.M.’s management and its new board must show that the company can create value for its biggest shareholder, the United States government, by attracting consumers with cars that they want to buy without resorting to deep discounts.

G.M.’s results showed a healthier balance sheet, ample cash, and factory production much more in line with consumer demand — improvements it owes largely to the bankruptcy process, the helping hand of the federal government and a modest increase in car sales.

The 60-day money-back guarantee has been part of General Motors new aggressive marketing campaign to bring car shoppers back to the show room floor. Even after losing four of it’s brands, G.M is holding onto about a fifth of the overall car market in the United States. In the third-quarter, G.M reported profits in China and South American international markets, but the comeback won’t be declared until G.M turns a profit at home – in North America.

In the past, retailers have prepared for the holiday shopping season by stocking their shelves with plenty of backup products safely tucked away in the storeroom. Each year a new “must have” product reigns supreme with consumers willing to wait hours just for the chance to get their hands on the season’s prized possession. This holiday shopping season will undoubtedly reflect changes in the economy in addition to reduced consumer spending habits. Consumers can expect a different shopping experience this year, one that requires a different strategy if you plan on picking up that special gift.

Manufacturers have cut back production to meet the decreased demand from retailers who are worried about buying more than consumers are willing to buy. This affects consumers who traditionally look toward outlet store to offer deeply discounted prices. Outlet stores rely on the excess inventory from the main store to stock their shelves, excess inventory that may not exist this holiday season. Retailers are discounting heavily this year making it just as lucrative to shop directly at the store versus the outlet location.

Other changes this holiday season may be noticed when a store sells out of a favorite product. In past years, that store would likely reorder items that sold quickly to satisfy consumer demands. With fewer products available from the manufacturer, many stores will have difficulty restocking certain equipment in time for the holiday. Consumers who count on last minute discounts on these products should consider buying items when they are available or risk going home empty handed.

Retailers who are already fighting for survival in a weak economy face an uncertain future after this holiday season. Large department stores have lost many customers who have decided to stretch their dollars even farther by shopping at discount stores. Consumer sales are expected to improve this year versus last year’s numbers, however no one expects to see the same carefree, credit fueled shopping that was common before the recession. If large retailers cannot turn their numbers around, many will be out of business in the near future. This will limit the options available to consumers when the economy recovers.

The best strategy for holiday shopping this season is simple and straight forward. Make your Christmas list early and buy products when you find them. Shopping around or waiting until Christmas Eve will leave many people leaving the store empty handed. Shopping online might improve your chances of finding a popular item quickly, however it does not change the fact that fewer items have been produced. Avoid limited inventory or bare shelves by getting out there early and securing your purchases while merchandise is available.

Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) News, Topix and other news search services have replaced the morning newspaper for many consumers, but one titan in the media industry won’t have any of it. Rupert Murdoch, CEO of News Corporation, recently commented to one its news channels that he might remove News Corp. paper’s content from Google’s index in hopes of promoting the notion of paying for content online.

Murdoch has been much more vocal than other media executives in his negative views of Google and its effect on the industry. Murdoch said that News Corp. newspapers which include The New York Post, The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires could be removed from Google’s index all together, but commented that the company would have to implement a pay-wall when the move happens.

“I think we will [remove our websites from Google’s search index] but that’s when we start charging,” Murdoch said. He continued, “The people who simply just pick up everything and run with it – steal our stories, we say they steal our stories – they just take them. That’s Google, that’s Microsoft, that’s Ask.com, a whole lot of people … they shouldn’t have had it free all the time, and I think we’ve been asleep.”

Although Murdoch has been making a lot of press about implementing a subscription model on his content sites, consumers wanting free access to information may have won a small victory. News Corp. was originally planning on making all of its newspaper sites on a subscription model by next June, but it now seems that those plans have been delayed.

During a conference Call to News Corp. investors to discuss financial results, he told his investors that he couldn’t promise to meet his self-imposed deadline, but commented that it was a work in progress and that the company was working “very hard” to deliver a subscription solution.

Currently one of Murdoch’s publications, the Wall Street Journal, has a partial paywall in place. Web users without a subscription can only read the first paragraph on an article if they don’t have a subscription, however consumers can get around that block by visiting an article from a link posted on Google News.

Many advocates of free and open information have decried Murdoch’s position as out of touch with his readers, contending that web-users would rather view free, ad-supported content, than paying a monthly subscription.

Despite an economy that’s still struggling, the majority of Americans are still planning to use their credit cards during the holiday shopping season – starting with Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In a survey conducted by MarketLive and the E-Tailing Group released on October 19th, it was found that more than half of consumers surveyed intend to do their holiday shopping online (59% – up from 49% last year). The primary method of making payments for online purchases are credit cards.

Due to the increase in the number of online shoppers who are likely to use credit cards on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, here are some tips for using your credit cards wisely as recommended by BillShrink.com, the free online service that saves people money on everyday bills, has compiled recommendations on the best credit cards for different types of holiday shoppers, coupled with tips on how to how to avoid getting hurt by issuers’ sneaky fine print.

Skip the Retailer’s Credit Card Offers

The holiday season prompts retailers to increase marketing efforts for their store credit cards. If you’re shopping in person, don’t be surprised if at every check out you’re asked if you’d like to pay for your purchases with a new credit card. Most will have a 0% promotional offer, or will save you 20% off that day’s purchase – but don’t be tempted! A single late payment on this card can cause that 0% interest rate to jump over 20%; and the 20% you might save from today’s purchase will not make up for the amount you’ll pay in interest and fees over time if you don’t pay the balance off in full.

Take Advantage of your Credit Card Return Policy

If you’re a savvy shopper getting your holiday shopping done early, you may find that by the time your gift exchange happens you’re already beyond the retailers 14-30 day return period. If your credit card offers return protection, your card issuer will take back most items the store won’t accept, up to 90 days after the purchase date.

Pretend Your Credit Card is a Debit Card

While many people rely on credit cards when they don’t have the cash to shop – ideally you should make sure you have enough money in the bank to cover everything you pay for with your credit card. Keep track of spending just like you would your debit card, and you’ll know exactly how much your holiday shopping is costing you and whether you have enough money to afford what you’re buying.

Currently about 50% of American workers have employers that offer some form of retirement plan, whether it be a 403(b) plan, a 401(k) plan, the thrift savings plan or even a Roth 401(k), but there’s still a significant percentage of people that don’t have any form of employer sponsored retirement plans.

Employers that do offer a 401(k) plan often mandate that their employees make contributions at some level. Often employers will also provide a match and increase your overall level of contributions. Although these techniques can be a bit heavy handed, they do force consumers to be disciplined and save for retirement when they otherwise may not have.

There’s a potential danger with 401(k) plans. Often employees have their 401(k) plans tied up in their employer’s stock, which leaves the employee’s ability to retire at the mercy of the success of the company that he or she works at. There are also employers that automatically put their employee’s retirement savings by default into ultra-safe holdings which won’t keep pace with inflation over time. Employers will often take a conservative approach to avoid being litigated against for choosing investments that are too risky if the employer’s investment choices don’t pan out.

If you find yourself working for an employer that doesn’t offer a 40(k) plan or if you are self employed, you have to plan for your retirement on your own. Self employer individuals have options to set themselves up on a simplified employee pension (SEP) retirement plan. Almost everyone can set themselves up with an IRA or a Roth IRA. Typically most investment advisors will suggest that investors choose the Roth IRA option because it allows for decades of tax free growth.

There are many mutual fund providers that offer Roth IRA retirement accounts and can be opened for as little as a few hundred dollars. Some of these companies include Vanguard, Fidelity and T Rowe Price. Charles Schwab even offers an option where one can open up a Roth IRA for just $100.00

The day of the pension plan where your employer simply takes care of you when you retire is over. You’re responsible for your own retirement and making sure you can spend your golden years in comfort.