Productopia | Sage McHugh

Since earthquakes were once considered a West Coast phenomenon, the quake that hit the East Coast last year shook everyone with surprise. It goes to show that earthquakes cannot be predicted and therefore you should always be prepared.

According to ready.gov, "there are actually 45 states and territories throughout the United States that are at moderate to high risk for earthquakes including the New Madrid fault line in Central U.S." With that in mind, we put together some useful links along with a list of helpful tips so you can be fully prepared if disaster strikes. Read more

In an attempt to thwart online competition, several brick-and-mortar stores are offering price match guarantees to boost holiday sales and encourage shoppers to make in-store purchases.

According to a national survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of CouponCabin.com, "more than four-in-ten (43 percent) of smartphone or tablet owners have 'showroomed,' i.e. used their device to research and examine merchandise in a brick and mortar store without purchasing it there, then gone online to search for a lower price." Of those participants who showroomed a particular product, 97 percent say they subsequently bought the same item online for a lower price at one time or another. Although some stores already offer price match guarantees for local competitors' brick-and-mortar stores, they are now stepping up their game to compete with online retailers.

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Halloween is lurking right around the corner. And when it comes to ensuring a child's safety while trick or treating, some parents might have a case of the heebie jeebies. There's no better way to avoid scary scenarios than to prepare yourself ahead of time. We suggest putting together a Halloween safety kit to make the evening easier, safer and more fun for all. Here are some items you should have readily available just in case things get spooky:

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Countless consumers have been duped by fake gift cards and coupons; finding themselves victims of credit card fraud and identity theft. In one of the biggest internet hoaxes to date, some 37,000 unsuspecting Facebook users tried to score $1,000 IKEA gift cards through a bogus fan page. In order to claim the gift card, they were asked to provide personal information such as their name, address, date of birth and phone number. Some users were redirected to a page that asked them to supply credit card info as well.

And more recently, police raided a home in Arizona and thwarted a multi-million counterfeit coupon operation. They found an estimated $25 to $30 million dollars in fake coupons, many of which were sold online.

Frito-Lay took a hit when a phony coupon offering a free $5 bag of Doritos began circulating. The fake was accepted at some grocery stores before Frito-Lay caught on.

Before you provide any personal information online or grant access to your hard-earned cash, read these tips on how to spot fake coupons and gift cards: Read more