Q: I was just solicited by a young man selling magazines in Mt. Lebanon. He claimed to be working toward a scholarship. I bought a magazine for my daughter for $35. I checked on the Internet. The subscription directly from the magazine sells for $15. The young man asked me to write out my check to cash and they took the money out of my bank account within minutes. Would you help alert people that this company is going door to door so they won't fall for this?

STACIE HILL
Mt. Lebanon

A: You bet, Stacie. If these salespeople are going door to door in Mt. Lebanon, you can bet that lots of other neighborhood residents will be hearing the same pitch. There's no question that the deal you made at your door wasn't a good one financially, but there is still a chance you could get the magazine for which you overpaid.

The company in question is AM Press Associates or Mags R Us in Miami, Fla. The Better Business Bureau of Southeast Florida reports this company has an unsatisfactory record because consumers complain and the company doesn't answer. According to the BBB, consumer complaints allege this company failed to deliver the ordered magazine subscriptions.

I called the company and was assured that consumers do get their magazines -- at least most of them.

"We have close to half a million customers," said Jeanne Leonard, field coordinator for Mags R Us. "It takes from 90 to 120 days to start getting the magazines because the orders come back to us."

Leonard admitted "we don't have the greatest reputation," but insists Mags R Us is legitimate. She explained that some checks are cashed right away because it helps supervisors meet expenses in the field. Leonard said magazine subscriptions are not discounted because if they were, there would be no money to help the young people selling them.

If you want to ask this company questions about your subscription or if you have complaints, you can call Mags R Us toll free at 1-866-667-4346.

ARLENE ABERNETHY
Bellevue

A: It's not the deal I would recommend, Arlene, but it's your choice.

I would not and do not recommend MX Energy. My main problem with MX Energy is that you are locking into a three-year deal you can't exit without paying a $50 cancellation fee. That's a hefty fee for natural gas customers who are shopping around to save pennies per ccf, or hundred cubic feet of gas. I think the hefty cancellation fee negates the idea behind gas choice, which is to give consumers the opportunity to shop around for savings.

Another problem is that MX Energy is charging more than Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania. Columbia Gas just raised its rates from 64.9 cents to 82.2 cents per ccf.

Rather than lock in for three years at MX Energy's 87.2 cents per ccf, I suggest you call Dominion Peoples Plus at 1-888-284-3584 and lock in at 78 cents for two years.

Dominion Peoples Plus does not charge a cancellation fee. If you want out, you call and say so. If Dominion Peoples Plus or anyone else comes out with a better deal, you can switch to it. That's your choice.

If you decide to switch, you should call MX Energy to cancel and Dominion Peoples Plus to join up. You do not have to call Columbia Gas at all and should probably avoid it just to make sure you don't get switched back to Columbia by mistake.

Your biggest savings comes from avoiding the regulated utility company's gas adjustment charge. That disappears from your bill after one year with a gas supplier.