In the United States, if you have trouble with a telecom company you can file a complaint with the FCC

Mr Clean "magic erasers" are just melamine sponges that you can get on eBay for a dollar

Want to get an immediate response from a big company? Call them out on Twitter. Nothing gets corporate damage control moving like bad press.

When buying a car, negotiate the price of the car and not the monthly payments. Focusing on what you pay each month is good way to get ripped off.

If you are shopping online and let your items sit in the shopping cart for a while, sometimes the retailer will contact you with a discount coupon to persuade you into completing your purchase

Diluted vinegar can replace a lot of cleaning products

If a debt collector comes after you, ask them to show proof that you have a debt to pay. Many times all they have is your name on a list with the hopes that they can coerce or scare you into paying. Also, once you pay them so much as a dollar, you're admitting to your debt. So be careful. That's why they ask you to make small, up-front payments in "good faith". Disclaimer – of course you should pay all your debts, just do so responsibly and knowing all of your rights

Store brands and off-name brands are not always cheaper. Even if they are on sale, check the price tag

Repeatedly pressing 0 during an automated phone call will usually get you through to a human

In the US and Canada you are legally allowed to cancel your flight ticket within 24 hours of purchase for a full refund.

Rather than ordering the Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe at Wendy's, order the Jr. Cheeseburger and ask for all the toppings. Toppings are free.

All airfares in the United States are based on one way fares. This means that many times you can get better deals by booking two separate one way flights.

In some states gift cards don't expire even if it says they do

Instant oatmeal is just regular rolled oatmeal cut smaller so that the hot water will work more quickly (along with some sugar and powdered milk). Basically you could make the same thing with a blender

You are not legally required to stop for receipt checkers when leaving a store. The worst that could happen would be at places like Sam's Club where they may revoke your membership.

Some careers in the United States are almost completely unregulated in their qualifications. You can just call yourself a nutritionist, DJ, personal trainer, etc.

Many states have laws on how speed limits are meant to be set, but quite often the limits are set arbitrarily without fulfilling all of the requirements (speed studies, etc). This means that they are unenforceable from a legal standpoint. Next time you get a speeding ticket, look into your state laws.

The jewelry counter in Walmart is perfectly capable of ringing you up (as long as you don't have produce because they won't have scales)

In large chain retail stores if you are having issues or being refused (with regards to returns, etc) ask to speak to customer service. These complaints go straight to district managers so store managers do everything they can to prevent them. Disclaimer – only do this if you legitimately feel that the store should take back what you bought. We do not endorse abusing the system or returning used goods.

If you're signing your kids up for recreation or educational programs, check local city and state governments for financial aid. Many times people don't know about it and it goes to waste!

Boric acid will destroy ants and cockroaches as good as any "professional" chemical. It also leaves a barrier that prevents them from returning for up to a decade. Needless to say, pest controllers don't like that stuff.

You can order most of your medications from India for a fraction of the price elsewhere. Keep in mind that this may go against the laws of whatever country you are currently in, but the fact remains that medication in some countries is drastically cheaper than in others.

While calling tech support in the US, if you don't want to get a call center in India then select the option for Spanish. Those call centers are usually within the country and will typically offer help in English as well

The best way to raise your salary is by changing jobs every 2 years (you don't want to change too often or you'll seem like a loose cannon). At your new job you "innovate" by spreading best practices you learned from your previous job. Take all promotions, even unpaid ones. The only downside? No long lasting work relationships, but that's ok. You can develop those outside of your job anyway.

When you are booking venues, DJs, flowers, etc. for weddings, don't use the term "wedding". At first just say "party". Later on when they find out it is a wedding they may try to up their rates. When that happens, ask them what they do differently for weddings.