Dollars and Sense

All things being equal, you might think that everyone pays the same amount for car insurance, mortgages and health care coverage. But that’s not the case. Your gender, income and sometimes even your race can have a lot to do with how much you’re charged.

When fuel prices hit an all-time high a few years ago, many airlines began charging passengers to check their bags. The fees are unpopular, so there are probably lots of frequent fliers happy that airlines are now raking in less money from them. But don’t laugh too hard — what they’re getting still isn’t chump change.

Have you ever bought a cheap airline fare, only to be hit with fees later on that turned it into a far more expensive ticket? Congratulations — you’re a victim of ‘drip pricing.’ And the problem, which spawns several industries, has gotten so pervasive that the Federal Trade Commission is stepping in.

It’s not unusual for college students to graduate with a hefty student loan debt. But according to a new study, many don’t know how much they owe — and some aren’t aware they owe anything at all.

Everyone’s been buzzing about Facebook’s IPO for weeks. But as shares of the social networking site began trading on Friday, analysts warned that not everyone should jump into the fray.

If you’re a Verizon Wireless customer who was grandfathered in with an unlimited data plan after the company eliminated the option for new customers, enjoy it while it lasts — the company will be moving you to a tiered plan soon.

A man in the UK who was upset with his accountant chose a rather unusual way to express his irritation: he paid off his $1,200 bill for services rendered in coins. But the accountant got the last laugh by taking his client to court.

Here’s the good news: Americans have better credit scores now than we have in the past few years. But there’s bad news, too: credit standards are now so high that it may not matter much.