CTV Vancouver | McLaughlin On Your Side

'Tis the season for giving but also for thieves. Here’s some advice about how to increase home security with some recommended smart home systems.

Peeping hackers have been wreaking havoc on home security cameras. Spying, prying and scaring people in their own homes. Now it's being reported it's a hacking group had been livestreaming the feeds.

Buying used is a good way to save money and to eliminate waste but beware: you could be buying dangerous products. Many end up for resale online and could put you and your family at risk.

Canadians are losing millions of dollars in rental scams. Often it can be prevented if you know the warning signs. Vacancy rates are low, rents are high and finding a place to live in Metro Vancouver is tough. However, it’s gotten even harder as another hurdle has been thrown into the mix.

Property tax assessments are down in B.C.’s lower mainland while other parts of the province are seeing values go up in many cases.

Savvy tech experts have come up with some gadget gift ideas for the holidays. The ones that held up to the test.

Kitchen appliances are always a popular gift idea and we’ve got some recommended small appliance gift ideas that have been put to the test.

We're well into the holiday season now. Where are we headed, planned spending, blown budgets, are you on track?

From deodorant to nail polish remover, perfume and hair-care products, we depend on this items to beautify our appearance. We know to keep dangerous items like laundry pods and batteries away from our children, but what about our beauty products? Children can sometimes get into them and it results in an accidental poisoning - here's how to keep your children safe.

Consumers are in a spendy mood this holiday season. Black Friday sales were hot and now Cyber Monday sales are expected to hit record highs.

Electric cars are growing in popularity and they're also becoming more affordable. But should an electric vehicle be your next ride? We look at the pros and cons.

Black Friday can be enticing but don’t get caught up in the hype. Some deals may be no deal at all.

From almond, to oat, soy and coconut, the plant-based milk industry is booming. It's an attractive alternative to people who want to move away from animal products in their diets, but how does it compare to cows milk? We put them to the test.

Canadian travel app Hopper is predicting great deals for vacationers if you book after Cyber Monday. Travel Tuesday could get you your best deal.

Some of the products sold at a Surrey, B.C. natural health clinic have been found to contain unsafe levels of lead, mercury and other heavy metals, according to health officials.

Save 50 per cent or more on your next grocery bill, on everything from milk to meat and more.

Beware of deer jumping into the road. The fall is a busy time for deer and with fewer hours of daylight the chances of hitting them go up.

A fashionable knitted shoe that’s waterproof was introduced to the market about a year ago and now business has exploded. The Vancouver start-up even had to temporarily halt sales to keep up with demand.

The Better Business Bureau is warning the public to watch out for online pyramid schemes after a Vancouver woman was bilked out of thousands of dollars.

Just how far are you willing to go for a good meal? A new survey shows many Canadians have a driven desire to travel for food.

High insurance rates that had been a roadblock to renting your vehicle on peer to peer apps have gone away. Now you can make money renting your personal vehicle.

The season of frost, snow and salt is nearly upon us - winter. That can be a punishment on your car's finish, but it turns out this time of year is actually best to protect your cars finish. The experts have some car-waxing tips to ensure your car is shiny and protected for months to come.

Beware when buying a new model or a redesigned vehicle. Thousands of surveyed consumers weigh in on reliability.

A Coquitlam couple's European vacation was doomed to fail long before the plane ever left the ground. What you need to know to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.

We've all been there: you're browsing the internet for a new dress, iPhone or airline tickets, and suddenly ads for these exact same products appear in your social media feeds and internet browser. But it's not a coincidence. It's called "targeted advertising" and there's a lot of money to be made in targeting you as a consumer.

A new roof can cost a bundle. How do you get the most for your money and when should you replace it? Waiting too long could end up costing you more in repairs.

When Krystal Yee finished college and entered the workforce, she set a goal much like many other graduates: find a way to save enough to buy a home.

A keychain charger has been recalled by Health Canada over burn and fire concerns.

A peer-to-peer fashion app is helping to keep used clothing out of landfills and make people money. It connects buyers and sellers who love fashion by recycling gently used clothing.

From angry cruise ship passengers to Greenpeace naming plastic polluters, here are your top consumer stories for Oct. 10.