The holiday shopping crunch is here and a new poll reflects the disconnect between the kinds of gift items Americans value versus what they buy and a Minnesota-based company stressed there are benefits to sticking with U.S.-made purchases.

The survey from the Alliance for American Manufacturing found 77% of Americans favor gifts made in the United States, although 21% of holiday purchases are projected to come from Chinese shopping apps.

Patti Steger, owner of Steger Designs, a specialty winter boot and outdoor clothing company headquartered in far northern Minnesota, said all its manufacturing is local, helping regional economies.

"The people who work for me like to get a paid a good wage, and they like their benefits and they like their vacation pay," Steger outlined.

Just like buying food and wondering what type of work went into producing it, Steger argued shoppers should have the same curiosity when buying a gift, even if it costs a little more. Online retailers are not required to reveal product origin, which the alliance said puts U.S. manufacturers at a disadvantage, due to the rise of imports from questionable sources.

Steger pointed out just like overseas retailers, a number of U.S. based manufacturers like hers have a strong online presence. She added prioritizing domestic companies emphasizing quality and transparency about their products are a smart investment for consumers.

"I think people who buy things that they're going to wear for one winter and then throw away, that's just bad economics," Steger contended.

Meanwhile, the Alliance for American Manufacturing has released its 11th annual Holiday Gift Guide, which aims to get the word out about the wide variety of American-made products.

Scott Paul, president of the alliance, said it provides options for shoppers who want to by American.

"The really cool thing about this is that, every year for the past 11 years, we have been able to find gift ideas from every single state," Paul emphasized.

American-made holiday shopping is limited somewhat by availability but almost 90% of shoppers surveyed say they are more likely to buy U.S.-made products, if offered by major retailers.

Military borrowers pay higher costs and face greater financial risks than civilian borrowers when taking out credit to buy a car - according to a new report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The report found service members tend to borrow larger sums, at higher interest rates over longer terms.

Rosemary Shahan, president of the Sacramento-based nonprofit Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, said yo-yo scams are common - where the victim signs an initial contract on good terms but then the dealer claims the financing fell through.

"And then they say, 'If you don't agree to sign this other contract where we're charging you for a lot of worthless add-ons you don't really want and a higher interest rate,'" said Shahan, "'then we'll report the vehicle stolen, and you'll be in trouble with your command, and it'll ruin your career.' "

The report finds many service members are young and far from family members who might help them negotiate a large purchase.

Last year under former President Joe Biden, the Federal Trade Commission finalized the CARS rule, which would combat dishonest sales tactics. Automakers sued and last month a federal judge put it on hold.

Shahan said the CARS rule would require dealers to tell you the price up front before you even go to the lot.

"It also has additional protections for military service members," said Shahan. "It prohibits car dealers from representing that they're somehow affiliated with the military, or have been approved by the military when that's not true, and would also require them to be more honest about the price of the add-ons and actually get your affirmative approval before adding them."

The Federal Trade Commission under the Trump administration will now have to decide whether to stand behind the rule and fight for it in court, or withdraw it.

Tax season is in full swing and locations are available across Idaho to assist people with preparing their returns.

The AARP Foundation's Tax-Aide program offers in-person help to people with low and moderate incomes. They don't have to be AARP members.

There are 27 sites available across the Gem State. Tax-aide State Coordinator for AARP Idaho, Karen Cummings, said the program can help people get back money they didn't know they were owed.

"It saves a lot of money and it refunds a lot of money from the IRS," said Cummings. "Some people wouldn't normally, maybe even go get a paid preparer, because it wouldn't be worth their time if they don't have a filing requirement. So, we help a lot of people."

Because filing taxes primarily involves computers now, Cummings said the tax-aide program is especially helpful for people who aren't very computer literate.

Last year in Idaho, volunteers filed more than 14,500 federal returns and nearly 14,000 state returns, with refunds totaling $16.7 million.

Cummings also noted that everyone involved gains something from the experience.

"We both benefit," said Cummings. "Both the volunteers feel good about helping the community and the community is extremely grateful that we're there to help them out."

Volunteers for the program pass IRS-certified tests. The program can help in most cases, although not complex ones.

Most sites will assist people through April 15.

Colorado lawmakers are working to ensure all Coloradans with health coverage for ambulance services are not hit with surprise bills or charged higher out-of-network rates.

Rep. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, said when patients are in their most vulnerable moments, their focus should be on their health, not navigating coverage loopholes or worrying about affording a bill.

"When people call 911, they don't have a choice on who is going to show up," McCormick pointed out. "They don't have the ability to shop around."

The bill would close a gap in surprise-billing protections passed in 2019 to include the nearly 75% of Colorado ambulance services that are operated by cities, special districts and other political subdivisions. First responders and consumer advocates support House Bill 1088. Some insurance companies are lobbying against the measure and claimed it could lead to higher premiums paid by individuals and their employers.

McCormick underscored the measure would apply to people who already have coverage for ambulance services listed in their insurance plans.

"If indeed these services are covered, if (insurers) are saying it's going to raise premiums, it doesn't make any sense because they should have been covering it all along," McCormick contended. "We do have data that shows that it will not raise premiums."

McCormick noted the bill also provides assurances to ambulance agencies across the state by requiring insurance carriers to pay the full rates set at the local level by cities and other governing bodies. Currently, insurance companies get to decide how much of the rate to pay.

"This is very much a local control issue," McCormick stressed. "It will also create a public-facing website of rates that have been adopted by these political subdivisions."


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