Wallet

More pleasures in Petaluma Regarding "A Gem Hidden in Plain Sight," by Avital Andrews, Aug. 5: Guys, you missed the Petaluma Cheese Factory - a must in Petaluma. Rich Fischbeck Irvine :: Thanks for including Della Fattoria in Petaluma. While visiting family in the Bay Area, we stopped at the restaurant for lunch. The food was fabulous. My mother and I enjoyed the best BLTs we'd ever had. My sister-in-law loved her veggie piadina and was happy to see a number of vegetarian dishes on the menu.

Here is today's Consumer Confidential segment from KTLA. Topped things off with latest word from the feds on food prices (they're going up). Also looked at how people are taking pay cuts to land new jobs, and the average $15(!) weekly allowance kids now receive.  

Items stole from Steve Jobs' Palo Alto home last month included expensive jewelry, various Apple products - and, possibly, an unreleased Apple device The home of the late Apple co-founder and his surviving family was broken into last month while unoccupied due to construction. The thief was apparently unaware whose home he'd entered, according to authorities who said he stole $60,000 worth of items. Among those items were iMac and Mac mini computers, three iPads, two iPhones, three iPods and an Apple TV. The San Jose Mercury News also says a "small 'demo-sized' MacBook" was stolen too, which sounds like an unreleased Apple device.

While giving UCLA head football coach Jim Mora a hefty raise, UCLA athletic department officials have upped the ante for assistant coaches as well, with a payroll of $2.08 million, a significant bump from $1.645 million last season. Defensive coordinator Lou Spanos has received a two-year, $1.1-million deal. Offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone will receive $350,000 for this season and $375,000 in 2013. Special teams coach Jeff Ulbrich also received a two-year deal, which will pay him $215,000 in 2012 and $225,000 in 2013.

Wouldn't it be nice to forget your wallet — permanently? That day is coming sooner than you think. In the walletless future there will be no credit cards to lose, no cash to carry and no concert tickets to leave at home. Already, with a few taps on the screen of your smartphone, you can order a meal at a restaurant, loan your friend 20 bucks or even unlock the door to your house (so you can lose the keys too). Nearly half of U.S. consumers own smartphones, and as they have gained popularity the devices have grown to resemble pocket mini-malls, with rows of virtual storefronts where consumers can buy video games, music, books and TV shows.

The growing crop of digital wallet offerings is making it easy to pay for a variety of everyday things with just a few phone taps. Smartphone apps usually email you an electronic receipt, so no more crumpled wads at the bottom of your purse or pocket. But watch out, once you start paying with your phone, it may be hard to go back to pen, paper and plastic. Stores and restaurants Retail stores, coffeehouses and restaurants are increasingly getting wired to accept mobile phone payments.

It's easier to shop for airfares now that airlines and online travel companies are required to include taxes, nonoptional fees and fuel charges in posted ticket prices. But what's the best way to factor in fees such as checked bags, carry-on bags, second checked bags, seat assignments, change fees and others? Enter NerdWallet . The online personal finance site best known for its credit card comparisons launched a new tool Wednesday that helps travelers find and compare airline fees on U.S. carriers.

Here is a roundup of alleged cons, frauds and schemes to watch out for. Beauty queen — Prosecutors in Santa Clara County have accused a former Mrs. Pakistan World of enticing desperate homeowners to pay her tens of thousands of dollars in a loan-modification scam. The Santa Clara County district attorney's office charged Saman Hasnain and her husband, Jawad, with 17 counts of grand theft, accusing them of bilking 17 homeowners, the San Jose Mercury News reported. In the scheme, prosecutors allege, Hasnain and her husband told homeowners that for an advance fee of at least $4,500, they would negotiate with banks to reduce the homeowners' mortgages and forgive overdue payments.

This post has been corrected. See the note at the bottom for details. President Obama's recent stay at the eco-friendly Element Hotel in Summerlin, Nev ., has inspired a deal.  Apparently, the president suggested that his staff might want to miss their flight to stay an extra night, which led Element to resurrect an extended stay deal that has been popular with business travelers. The deal:  Element By Westin is offering a “stay three, stay free” deal in which guests get a free fourth night when they check in on a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday into any of the 10 eco-oriented Element hotels.