Paper or plastic? That is the question for Natalie Gunshannon, who's suing the McDonald's franchise that forced her to accept her wages in the form of a fee-heavy debit card versus a paycheck or direct deposit.

The class-action lawsuit, filed last week on behalf of Gunshannon and other former and current employees of a McDonald's in Shavertown, Pa., alleges that the payroll debit card, issued by Chase, carries numerous fees.

Among them: 75 cents for online bill payment, $1 for balance inquiries, $1.50 for ATM withdrawals, $5 for teller-assisted cash withdrawals and $15 to replace a lost or stolen card.

There's no charge for using a Chase ATM -- but the closest one is 60 miles from Gunshannon's home in Dallas Township, Pa.  

Children from lower-income families are more likely to suffer accidental injuries or food poisoning, according to a report released today by the Consumer Federation of America (pdf).

Some 44% of children in the U.S. live in poverty.

The category of unintentional injuries is both the Number One cause of death and injury among children from 1-14 -- about 5,000 deaths and more than 5 million emergency room visits. Millions of additional injuries go unreported, the Consumer Federation said.
 

Call it the calculations of the traveling pants. Those jeans you're wearing made a long journey from where they were manufactured in Bangladesh before they made it into the shop you bought them in. And the price you're paying? Let's just say it's a pretty hefty mark-up.

Reuters delved into the manufacturing process and came up with some alarming numbers.
 

This post is by Amelia Granger at U.S. News & World Report.

Solid credit scores take time to build. Everyone has to start somewhere, and as your teenager begins the transition to financial independence, he or she probably doesn't have any credit history.

Lack of credit history can be a hindrance to young adults as they apply for auto loans, shop for interest rates on an auto insurance or go to lease their first apartment. As such, it's important to start building credit as early as possible.

Consider these tips from financial advisers on how to help your teen build credit, while encouraging financial responsibility.

Co-sign for a debit card -– but always review the statement. Jay Freeberg, a financial adviser in Garden City, N.Y., said parents who want to help their child build credit should first consider co-signing for a debit card linked to the teenager's bank account. “This will limit the purchases to the amount in the bank account, and it will also give the child some independence on how they are spending their money,” Freeberg says. “I suggest that parents review each monthly statement -– at least in the beginning –- with the child to discuss the charges, reinforce the link between the actual spending and payment and outline a budget.” 

This post comes from Mikey Rox at partner site Wise Bread.

As Americans we're conditioned to spend money from the time we're wee boys and girls. The power of capitalism makes us want, want, want, so that by the time we're barely legal adults, we're already in debt.

That's what happened to me. As soon as I turned 18, I had creditors ringing my phone off the hook asking if I'd like a credit card. A credit card, you ask? You mean one of those beautiful, shiny pieces of plastic that'll allow me to buy whatever I want without paying for it?! Yes, please. Sign me up for two!

 

You can probably guess how that went down. Three months later the cards were maxed out, and I had creditors ringing my phone off the hook for a different reason. After years of avoiding their persistence while continuing to rack up late fees, I finally settled my bills and made the difficult decision to stop spending money.

 

This post comes from Angela Brandt at partner site Money Talks News. 

The thought of citrus and salt might bring a tasty cocktail to mind. But those ingredients can also be a cheap and natural defense against fleas.

Depending on where you live, fleas can be merely an annoyance, or a headache worse than a hangover if they infest your entire house, including your bed.

Luckily there are many natural and affordable options for protecting your pets, house and yard without resorting to expensive and hazardous chemicals. 

 

This post comes from Gerri Detweiler at Credit.com.

Michelle wants to buy a home but can’t get a loan. The problem? An emergency room bill from six years ago that is listed on her credit reports as severely past due. John is fighting a $406 bill he received after being seen in the ER for what the doctor diagnosed as a case of the flu. And Jerry is struggling to pay over $1,300 in ER co-pays on his limited Social Security income. These are just a few of the stories readers have shared with us describing their debt problems following a medical emergency.

While someone with a serious or chronic medical problem might expect to wind up in the emergency room or hospital periodically, no one plans to get the flu, break a bone or get in a car accident.

More than 54 million people reported having trouble paying medical bills at the start of 2012, according toa survey from the Centers for Disease Control. And medical bills are often cited as a major contributor to bankruptcy.

How can you prepare so that a medical emergency doesn't wipe you out financially? Here are six strategies:

1. Research local hospitals

When our reader Quentin's daughter  injured her ankle, he and his wife took her to the emergency room. They suspected a broken ankle. After X-rays were taken, they were told their daughter had no broken bones, and she was sent home with an ankle brace. Quentin got a bill for $1,500 from the hospital  and an additional $950 from the doctor before discovering the hospital was not a "preferred hospital" nor was the doctor a preferred provider. After an appeal, the insurer agreed to pay the hospital bill, but just $250 of the doctor bill.

 

Do you make $18.79 an hour? If not, good luck finding an affordable apartment.

One common guideline is that a rental shouldn't cost more than 30% of your income. By that standard, you'd have to earn a minimum of $18.79 per hour to afford a decent place to live, according to the 2013 "Out of Reach" study from the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

Trouble is, the average renter earns $14.32 per hour.

Study authors say these numbers highlight the challenges faced by lower-income renters: "Increasing rents, stagnating wages, and a shortage of affordable housing."

How much are they spending? Too much.