In last week’s column, I wrote about January white sales and end-of-season clearance sales and I touched upon some of the various ways to take advantage of current sales. I also mentioned that I had begun to gather information on the best time to save money on purchases. After researching multiple venues to find the best information, I narrowed it down to the following 4 ‘expert’ organizations: allthingsfrugal.com, Consumer reports.org, Kiplinger.com and walletpop.com. These four were chosen based on reputation, expertise, industry knowledge and logic (with a bit of my opinion thrown in). …
In a recent business news article, I reported on weather and other factors affecting price and availability of produce. While doing research for that article I came across information that has been reported of late; the price of raw cotton is going up. Cotton 24/7.com reports that the worldwide demand for cotton has increased while production (due to extreme weather conditions worldwide) and stockpiles have decreased. Commodities traders speculate that this trend will continue. One obvious conclusion that has been reported since fall of 2010 is that this will affect us (the retail consumer) …
I looked from the computer screen to my husband’s face and back at the computer screen and said, “I thought I was going to, because it is the reason why I chose to write this article.” He then went on to say that, he agreed that it did indeed show how I had “fried” my hair with my home permanent. The decision was made; the not so flattering picture would stay. Back in October, I was bored with my hairstyle and decided to give myself a perm. I had done this before and it had turned out okay. So, I wasn’t overly concerned that it would turn out bad however; I should have paid better attention …
This year I decided to make one resolution that will reap many rewards. I am going to do a home energy audit to save some green for our planet and myself. We can spend wisely right in our own homes, right now. A few simple things such as programming a thermostat or turning a dial will not even require tools. However, an energy audit will require use of a computer or telephone. Programmable Thermostats These days most homes have programmable thermostats that make it easy to save on energy bills, that is, if you actually program them. For the technically challenged, the energy.gov website …
A few days before Christmas while making a grocery list and gathering coupons I realized that I was dumping more, about to expire, coupons than I was taking with me. This got me to wondering what else might be around the house that I need to use or lose by Friday. After all, a good deal isn't all that good if you haven't utilized its full potential. I started making a list of everything I could think of that might have the last day of the year as a cutoff date. I focused in on three specific areas. Since this started with coupons, my first list item was an obvious choice. 1) Prepaid …
The clock is ticking. Have you found gifts for everyone on your list? If you're in need of some last minute gifts with a personal touch, I have a few ideas and local deals to share. Add a little bit of yourself into these gifts: Hallmark has an online coupon that you can download and use for $10.00 off when you purchase two of their record-able storybooks ($29.95), with Voice Save Technology, you just read aloud from the book until you've got it right, then save, wrap and give a keepsake gift that will be cherished for years. Titles vary from "Frosty the Snowman" to "The Night before …
As I watched recent news stories of the storms hitting the Midwest and East coast, especially my hometown of Western New York with drivers stuck in cars overnight, I was prompted to think about what emergency supplies I have in my own car. Zilch, zero, nada that's what emergency supplies are in the car that I use when I travel to do stories in villages and townships that are many miles from home. However, such is not the case with the family car (actually van); there are jumper cables, tools, blankets, and flares in the back. While in the glove box a flashlight and emergency hammer (knocks …
In light of current economic conditions and with the holidays upon us, I have been thinking about different ways to spend time with our friends and families without spending much money. Employers have scaled back on holiday parties and many of us are on increasingly tightening budgets. With these things in mind, I thought it would be wise to look at different ways to celebrate at home. Let us start by thinking about celebrating while conserving money. Why not have parties at your house in which the central theme of the party is an exchange of traditions rather than gifts? If we were to …
While this week's column will be more about giving and saving than spending, it will still be about spending wisely, not just spending money but time as well. During this time of year, there are many reminders to spend time thinking about those things that we are thankful for. When we go shopping, we see the Salvation Army bell ringers with their kettles. Every year during the holidays, I make it a point to fill my purse with loose change. As I venture from store to store in search of terrific deals for items on my list, I will always have a little something to put in each kettle I pass. …
I cannot help but wonder how I will write about spending wisely when I can't really see the wisdom in going out at midnight in below freezing temperatures to stand in line and freeze our bottoms off. Only to have deals dangled in front of us like carrots for a horse. I would be remiss not to mention the overwhelming feeling of a lack of wisdom here. A few weeks back I wrote Shades of Black Friday. Since that article, I have seen and heard more stories about "Black Friday" than I even care to try to conjure up a metaphor about. We cannot even escape the Black Friday promos on the weather …
For many of us, these have become necessities and doing without them can affect our personal and professional lives. If you work from home, enjoy surfing the web, downloading music or watching videos on your computer you'll need a broadband service provider. In outlying areas like Huntley, Comcast is the major provider of cable television services. Comcast also offers phone and Internet services over their cable infrastructure. If you are like me, you have endured the high cost, fluctuating quality, and extreme frustration with Comcast's customer service out here in the suburbs, because of …
As beautiful as our weather is, it might be hard for some of you to think about buying winter clothing. While others have already purchased winter-wear, for various reasons, the rest of us have yet to begin our shopping. Then there are the lucky or smart ones whose children either have not outgrown last year's clothing or have grown into slightly oversized outfits from last winter. Historically, I have been one of the smart or lucky ones. Unfortunately, for my bank account and me, I am not one of them this year. In years past, my trick was to purchase a slightly larger size. By doing this, I…
With the elections over, like so many others, I was looking forward to a break from all the campaigning. However, this year we will have no "break" from the commercials. As most of you are well aware, the campaigning for our hard-earned cash had already overlapped the campaigning for our votes. Now that the votes are cast, the retail sales' campaigns have fully taken over the commercial breaks. So, how can we take advantage of sales with the big name retailers and stay in or around Huntley? Well, Walmart is one good example and the fact that Toys R Us has a temporary space at the Huntley …
I love to save money or rather the idea of saving money. I do mean LOVE, and not just in the sense of "I got a good deal on that" but more in the obsessive sense of hunting down a deal only to have spent more time, gas or energy in doing so. This can be problematic if you aren't the type who calculates the cost of gas and wear and tear on your vehicle. This is especially true if your significant other is the type who will do the calculations. As my husband has pointed out to me on countless occasions, the amount saved on a specific item doesn't matter if the cost of acquiring the item …
