Things To Do In SW Florida

By Anna Helhoski | NerdWallet

Four years ago, in February 2020, the economy plunged into a recession as the pandemic began to take hold. What followed was one of the fastest economic comebacks in modern history.

Today, the economy is booming, marked by high growth, persistently low unemployment, rising wages, high consumer spending and slowing price increases.

Still, the virus killed over 1.17 million people in the U.S. alone. The emergency is over, but COVID remains with us.

But it’s undeniable that the massive stimulus in response to the pandemic emergency is what prompted that quick economic rebound, says Scott Fulford, senior economist at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). NerdWallet spoke with Fulford on how he explored this cause and effect in his book “The Pandemic Paradox.”

The following interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity. Fulford speaks on behalf of himself and not as a representative of the CFPB.

Before and after

NerdWallet: In broad strokes, what is the pandemic paradox? read more

If you intend to buy a new home or take out a loan so for any other reason, you obviously want to have the best credit rating to get the lowest interest possible.

Here are some ways for you to improve your credit score.

– Pay your bills on time. Whenever you pay a bill late, it can harm your credit score. Use automatic monthly payments with reliable service companies.

– Pay your credit card bill in full each month rather than carry a balance.

– Keep your credit usage below 30% of your credit limit. One way to do this is to ask some of your creditors to increase your limit.

– Don’t apply for too many new accounts. Even if you apply for a new account and are not approved, it can hurt your credit score.

– Review your credit report, and dispute any errors. There are three credit reporting agencies, Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. At no cost, once a year, you can request a credit report from these companies. If any errors in the report hurt your credit rating, ask for a correction to be made as soon as possible. read more

Two Central Florida restaurants shut down the week of Feb. 4-10, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Orange

Amura Sushi at 7786 W. Sand Lake Road in Orlando shut down on Feb. 6. Inspectors found 36 violations, 10 of which were a high priority.

Those violations included insects, a stop-sale due to spoiled food, an employee failing to wash their hands before touching food and an employee touching ready-to-eat food with their bare hands.

A second inspection the same day found 11 inspections, two of which were a high priority for insects and selling spoiled food.

Officials issued a time extension for both and the restaurant met inspection standards.

Osceola

La Fuente Bar & Restaurant at 1166 E. Vine St. in Kissimmee shut down on Feb. 6. Inspectors found 11 violations, three of which were a high priority.

Those violations included roaches, a stop-sale on food due to temperature abuse and food held at the wrong temperatures.

A second inspection on Feb. 7 found five violations. The restaurant remained closed. read more

DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: My husband and I rented a car on Turo for a week while we were visiting San Diego. We paid for “minimum protection,” just to be on the safe side. We did not take any photos of the car in the app before or after because we took great care of the car.

The day after we returned the car, I received a bill from Turo claiming $3,000 in damages (which just so happens to be the maximum amount I would be required to pay with the protection plan I purchased).

The owner took photos, and there are some minor scuffs on the black interior trim. The invoice covered the cost of replacing three interior panels. This seems like a complete scam, especially since normal wear and tear does not qualify as damage. I don’t think I should have to pay the $3,000. Can you help me?

— Nancy Epstein, Boston

ANSWER: You’re right — your Turo bill looked suspicious. Not only did it coincidentally cover your entire deductible, but the evidence of the damage looked inconclusive.

First, let’s look at a few details about your rental. Turo is like Airbnb for cars, so you are renting someone else’s vehicle. This was a later model of the BMW 4 Series, so any repairs are bound to be expensive. You also selected the bare-bones coverage with a high deductible, which meant you were on the hook for damages of less than $3,000. read more