Well kids, here goes my last Consumer Sundays post. I just handed in my paperwork at HR, got my boxes packed and am wrapping things up now on this here blog.

Tune in Sunday to find out why Eileen says, in her personal finance column, it's OK to embrace your inner tightwad in these hard economic times.

Liz's Watchdog column tackles a bus that doesn't stop at an unmarked bus stop in Canton.

And me? Well, just for giggles, I looked up the oldest article written by me that I could find in the Sun's archives. Here it is, a story that ran on 3B of the old Maryland section, when I was an intern in 1991:

Catrice Green, a student at Rosemont Elementary School, thought it was just great being a part of a stripe in the American flag."I feel like I am a star," said Shanee Monroe, a senior at City College and president of the student council who was one of the flag's stars. "To be any part of this celebration for the flag is a lifelong experience."

 

    An estimated 3,400 elementary and high school students agreed yesterday that being a part of a human flag was exciting, fun and quite a privilege.

 

    The students from the Baltimore area, as well as teachers and other volunteers, held up red, white and blue placards to create a 117-foot-by-262-foot flag as part of the Living Flag Ceremony at Fort McHenry.

    Catrice's teacher, Beverly Kulick, is an eight-year veteran of the event.

    "We've been coming to this in the rain, the shine, the mud, and even the cold, but it's been a lot of fun every year. We always have a wonderful time," Ms. Kulick said. 

    The National Flag Day Foundation started the Living Flag Ceremony in 1984 in recognition of the human flag created by Baltimore students in 1914 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the composition of "The Star-Spangled Banner."

    The organizers hope that the annual event will promote "The Pause for the Pledge," at 7 p.m. June 14, in which all Americans are encouraged to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

    Besides the elementary schoolchildren who made up the stripes in the flag, 50 middle school and high school students had the honor of holding up the stars. The students had been nominated by principals and superintendents of each school district based on merit, exemplary behavior and leadership skills.

    Overall, the event went smoothly, except for two broken stars that forced the group to only use 48 stars instead of 50.

    "The hardest part of the day was getting the buses in and out," said Ron McCarty, one of the coordinators.

    "Every year the number of volunteers doubles and things get easier to handle. It gets better and better each year and everyone has a even better time than last year," he said.

    "This program is one of national unity," said Lou Koerber, president of the National Flag Day Foundation. "The gathering of all these students, teachers, principals and volunteers is a symbol of the patriotic unity displayed throughout the country."

    "We're trying to start a new tradition," he added. "It is our hope that every state in America will eventually join us and have their own living flag."

ooph. I feel sorry for the poor editor who had to edit that. Not my best work, huh? But hey, I was 19-years-old and still green around the gills. Over the years, I got a chance to cover the Alfred P. Murrah implosion after the Oklahoma City bombing, I got to write about deregulation and Constellation Energy's missteps, I got to cover the city of Annapolis, I got to write about everything under the sun from love to murders and why love can sometimes lead to murder, I created a consumer column and blog, I got to work with some really amazing people, i got to make some amazing friends and I had a blast almost every single step of the way. It most certainly was The Life of Kings, my friends.

You just saw one of the first things I ever wrote for the paper, tune into Consuming Interests, the column on Sunday, to read the very last problem I resolve and my very last piece of writing for the paper. It's been fun everyone. I won't be running the blog anymore, but I will be reading like the rest of you (and full of snarky comments). And finally, you'll find me in Twitterland until I'm up and running in the blogosphere again.

Have a great weekend to everyone! and Happy Trails to you, until we meet again... (Dale Evans Rogers)

-30-

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Complaints, Consumer protection, Consumer safety, Odds & Ends, Personal finance, Watchdog
        

Be careful out there, everyone. Getting a deal isn't worth getting hurt over, or worse, hurting someone else.... Our thoughts go out to the Wal-Mart worker who was trampled to death on Long Island during Black Friday shopping.

PCMag says Apple dropped prices on its MacBook and iPods for Black Friday.

The Boston Globe says Black Friday bargains lured first time shoppers out of bed today.

Eyeballing the crowds, the WSJ reports that shoppers seem to be carrying fewer bags as they're shopping Black Friday this year.

Our sister paper, the LATimes, reported that there were thousands of shoppers out for Black Friday sales on the West Coast.

Rick Broida over at CNet's favorite Black Friday deals.

Forbes says New York shoppers are more cautious on this Black Friday.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Holiday shopping
        

If you haven't tuned in to our Black Friday Twitter widget on the right side of this page, here's a taste of what our friends in Twitterland are spotting out there on Black Friday.

contactjeff: Rehoboth - Eyewitness reports that outlets were jammed at 1 a.m.; Route 1 "looked like summer traffic." BLFRI

DontHateBeHated: In and out of Walmart this morning by 5:35 with everything on my list except the toaster oven BLFRI

contactjeff: Rehoboth - Lots of talk last night about going to outlets for midnight 70% discount deals but sleep sounded better at the time. BLFRI

 

BANV: @consuminterests about 33 shoppers lined up outside Best Buy in Bel Air waiting for Black Friday sales at 9:45pm BLFRI

 

BANV: @consuminterests about a dozen shoppers lined up outside bel air Office Depot waiting for Black Friday sales at 9:45pm BLFRI

 

BANV: @consuminterests 5 people lined up outside bel air target waiting for Black Friday sales at 9:45pm BLFRI

 

trifalatzas: @ConsumInterests #BLFRI About 3 dozen shoppers in line at the Bel Air Best Buy and more are arriving w/ hours to go before the doors open.

 

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Holiday shopping
        

I'm only just waking up from a full day yesterday... so if you're out there shopping, if you've been standing in the cold for hours, if you're just sitting at home enjoying the day with family... or if you're home in your PJs clicking away on the computer, we want to hear from you.

Tune the rest of us in to what's going on today on Black Friday. Is it a mob scene? Are the crowds fairly thin? Are the deals what you expected? Are you avoiding all people today?

We're here, waiting to hear from you.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 6:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Holiday shopping
        

Many of you by now are in a turkey coma. Many of you are probably basking in the warm glow of family. Some are watching the football. Others are maybe getting ready to go stand outside a store for several hours to snag some holiday shopping deals. But hopefully, all of you have had a wonderful day of Thanksgiving.

Since my family gathers in the early afternoon, this is the time when things have settled down, the children have tired out and everyone is just sitting back relaxing. This is my favorite part of the day because it gives me the chance to reflect and really give thanks for all the wonderful things I've been blessed with in my life.

Like my Mama and her good health. After her heart attack more than a year ago, I have to give thanks for the fact that she turned 70 recently and that she's still around to cook a mean bird. I have to give thanks for my family and the closeness we share with each other.

I also give thanks for some other big and small things in my life... like brussels sprouts and green beans... my goofy, big-hearted smart guy... my silly, sweet dawg... my incredibly thoughtful friends... oyster stuffing... pumpkin pie... a wood fire stove...

This Thanksgiving means so much to me because it's also the last one I will spend at The Sun. After more than 18 years here, as an intern, a reporter, a columnist and a blogger, I am moving on to try my hand at something new. My last consumer column will run this Sunday and tomorrow will be my final day of blogging for the paper.

I am grateful for the opportunity I've had to help some of you resolve your consumer problems and answer some questions, to meet all of you here in the blogosphere and chat, swap tips and laugh about the crazy things we encounter as consumers, and to share some thoughts with you occasionally.

I will miss my co-bloggers Gus, Liz and Eileen, but I also know that you readers are in wonderful hands. i will miss John, Momof2, Janna, Holly, Terry, Jay, Evan, AlisaBS, and all the other commenters who stop in to read and leave a thought or two here. You've all been great, witty and wise.

I hope I've been able to enlighten, educate and maybe even entertain you along the way. Thank you for tuning in. I've had a wicked fun time with you all.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 8:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Holiday shopping, Odds & Ends
        

Well, J.D. over at Get Rich Slowly really outdid my list of cheap, easy, homemade Christmas and holiday ideas. 

He's published a list of 34 do-it-yourself gift ideas, many of which are unique and would be welcomed heartily by even the most difficult recipient on your gift list.

We've already said too many times that homemade gifts can be fun to make, reflect more of the sentiment of the season (giving of oneself) and if you plan it right, may even help you save some money.

So, after you rouse yourself from your turkey-induced stupor later today, consider spending some quality time making marble magnets or homemade truffles, or even a secret hollowed-out book for adults to hide valuables from thieves and children to hide treasures from their evil siblings.

(photo: Associated Press)

Posted by Liz Kay at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping
        

Happy Turkey Day!

We know you're getting ready for dinner (don't forget to wear clothes that can expand) and family (don't forget they mean well), but we thought if you had a moment to spare for us, we'd inundate you with some final recommendations for Web sites and tips if you're going to start shopping later tonight or tomorrow.

PC Mag's Top Ten List:

TGI Black Friday -- Displays ad scans and news updates for your perusal, with search functions offering tailored results. For the best Black Friday sales, add the site's Top 40 deals to your RSS readers.

BlackFriday.FM -- Offers news, deals, the ability to creatyour very own shopping list, extensive search functions and videos on shopping advice, as well as Black Friday predictions and history.

Deal News -- Aside from listing daily deals and coupon codes, offers extensive coverage of Black Friday deals. What sets this site apart is that every deal is first verified by each retailer for accuracy before being posted.

Amazon.com -- In place of its weekly Friday deals, a bevy of bargains that will be difficult to pass up are available at Amazon, without the long lines and cold weather.

Mahalo -- A unique Black Friday page of aggregated Black Friday facts, news, blogs, forums and deals. Plus, a list of doorbuster deals at retailers such as Target and Best Buy.

GottaDeal.com -- Displays the Black Friday ads it has currently obtained, so you're not wasting time clicking on stores that don't have any ads available yet.

Black Friday Gear -- Offers downloadable Black Friday ads, as well as Black Friday apparel. For every sale made through the site, $1 will be donated to the Turner Syndrome Charity.

Black Friday Ads -- A comprehensive collection of downloadable ad scans, Black Friday store hours, speculated Black Friday sales, and buying guides written by staff. Mobile site available for shoppers on the go.

iBlackFriday.com -- Divides the ad scans into two sections: those that are available and those that are coming soon. Clicking on "Best Buy" reveals tons of delas on movies, cell phones, MP3 players, and the like, along with prices and the ability to add each item to your shopping wish list.

BradsDeals.com -- Shopping deals, online coupons and codes, Black Friday predictions and in-store printable coupons found by founder Brad Wilson.

Scour.com, a social search engine, 2008 Holiday Season Online Shopper’s Guide to aid consumers in their search for cost-effective gifts saving not only money, but time and anxiety as well:

1.       Earn Rewards – Take advantage of search engines and websites that reward you for searching and shopping such as:

•       MSN Search Perks – Rewards visitors that use Live Search with tickets redeemable for various prizes
•      Scour – Social Search Engine that rewards users with points that are redeemable for cash ($25 VISA gift cards) 
•      MyPoints- Before you buy, see if you can get points for the purchases that are redeemable for other cool products and rewards.

2.       Sometimes a quality product will save you the most money in the long run. These are some sites that have an excellent base of user reviews and product comparisons:

•    ePinions – Product reviews and prices comparison
•    Amazon – Product reviews and special offers
•   Buzzillions – Comparison shopping and even more reviews. 

3.       Clip Coupons - Find additional coupon discounts and special offers with:

•  CouponMountain – Offers online coupon codes and promotions
• FatWallet – Resource for online coupons and cash back offers while you surf for deals.
•  CurrentCodes – Focuses more on current promo codes than sales or discounts.
•  FreeShipping – Before you buy, always check this site for free shipping codes.

Last, but certainly not least, we are lovin us some Tightwad Tod over at the Consumer Reports blog. Check him out for good deal sites, too.

So enjoy your family gatherings and happy shopping, people! Go forth and spend wisely.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 6:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Holiday shopping
        

Before you embark on your Black Friday reconnaissance mission, armed with the Black Friday shopping tips we've been feeding you all week, take a look at your surroundings.

I'm sitting in my living room and I can see things that I've:

a. bought and never opened (books, games);

b. purchased and don't like (a chair);

c. acquired and can't use (disintegrating yarn unsuitable for the baby hat it was intended to become).

And trust me, I've got a small place!

Ever wonder how much money you could have saved if you had kept the cash in your wallet instead of dropping it on some item that proved itself useless far sooner than you ever imagined?

Indulge your voyeuristic urges in the spirit of Buy Nothing Day by checking out the videos folks have uploaded over at Spendster.org ...

... where they're keeping a running total of money people are confessing to have wasted on stuff that they never needed, according to a Marketplace story.

The site, set up by the National Endowment for Financial Education, defines a Spendster as "someone, who in a moment of weakness buys something they think they really need and realize later they made a bad choice."

And as they point out that even the most frugal people make unwise purchasing decisions occasionally, they offer advice on how to avoid making impulse purchases and how to turn your crap into cash by selling things on Craigslist and eBay.

What's the most pointless purchase you've ever made, the one you regret the most? How do you stop yourself from buying when you know you shouldn't?

I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours ...

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer Web Site of the Week, Holiday shopping
        

Depending on the item, you can pay a premium of 10 percent or even more for the convenience of shopping online in your pajamas and having things delivered to your home.

To combat that problem, bookmark this Consumer Web Site of the Week for acquisitions all year 'round, not just holiday shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday: freeshipping.org catalogs codes for free transport for your precious purchases from online retailers so you don't have to pay those pesky costs.

And when it comes to coupons or promotions, why stop at one?

Don't forget that sometimes you can enter multiple coupon or promotion codes for a single purchase, and reap the benefits. For example, Consumerist alerts us to the deal over at Nike.com, where you can use "NOVCLEAR" on clearance items and add "GIVENIKE" to get them delivered to you for free.

Thank you, savvy shopper Kelly B., for sharing this tip!

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer Web Site of the Week
        

You know I love my Macbook like crazy, but it was also crazy-expensive compared to other laptops out there. I also know lots of people who are head-over-heels in love with all that is Apple, but we all realize that it can put a dent in the pocket to purchase such in-demand gadgets.

Thanks to ShoppingBlog.com's Black Friday tweet on Twitter for bringing this to our attention, but we're excited to hear that many blogs like AppleInsider are reporting that "Apple is reminding its store employees that they have 'the authority to match the prices of other authorized retailers.'"

Any AppleLover knows that the company rarely ever offers discounts outside of Back To School and Black Friday promotions. But this year, AppleInsider says the company is announcing the price-match plan to employees and even plans on promoting the policy given the current economic situation.

Every little bit of savings helps.

So don't forget, if you're giving the gift of Apple this year, Apple will price-match authorized dealer sales. Just bring proof of the sale to an Apple store (the ad or print out the Web page) and get the better deal.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 4:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Holiday shopping, Technology
        

If all that shopping on Friday leaves your legs a little wobbly from hunger or you're feeling tired from spending too much dough (now now, remember to be sensible about it), you might want to head on over to Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

Why? Because Ruth's Chris is inviting shoppers to come relax, savor and save with them on Friday and Saturday because they're offering one complimentary Petit Filet or New York Strip Steak with the purchase of another entrée.

Restaurants are open for dinner on Friday and Saturday from 5 pm to 11 pm. Here are the many locations:

Annapolis - Eastport Ruth’s Chris Steak House 301 Severn Avenue 410.990.0033

Baltimore - Ruth’s Chris Steak House (Pier 5) 711 Eastern Ave 410.230.0033

Baltimore - Ruth’s Chris Steak House (Water Street) 600 Water Street 410.783.0033

Pikesville - Ruth’s Chris Steak House 777 Reisterstown Rd. 410.837.0033

(Photo via Ruth's Chris Web site)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food, Holiday shopping
        

We've been posting a lot about how to strategize for Black Friday. We've posted a lot about deals you can find if you're shopping on the big day. We've asked for a lot of tips about where you should go in person and online to do your holiday shopping.

But now, we want to take the time to recognize a small, but growing group of people out there who will do nothing of the sort on Black Friday except sleep off their turkey comas, spend some quality time with family and not spend a single dime on holiday shopping.

Who are these crazy people, you ask? These are the Buy Nothing Day people who ask you to:

Take the Plunge! As the planet starts heating up, maybe it’s time to finally go cold turkey. Take the personal challenge by locking up your debit card, your credit cards, your money clip, and see what it feels like to opt out of consumer culture completely, even if only for 24 hours. Like the millions of people who have done this fast before you, you may be rewarded with a life-changing epiphany. While you’re at it, what better time to point out real alternatives to unbridled consumption – and the climate uncertainty that it entails – by taking your BND spirit to the streets?

Several years ago, I interviewed some local people who follow this movement. Here's the story from 2004:

While much of the country spent yesterday waiting in lines to purchase holiday gifts, Julia Notar was in her Baltimore home sleeping off all the turkey she ate the day before.

 

    While shoppers drove through parking lots waiting for a space to open up close to the store, Notar watched television and caught up with her parents and her cousins visiting from Princeton, N.J. And while many racked up even more credit card debt taking advantage of post-Thanksgiving Day sales, Notar hung out with her childhood friends and listened to music.

 

    Consider it a tiny snub against what's become known as Black Friday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year as consumers heed the call to spend, spend, spend.

 

    "I just figure all of us buy things on an almost daily basis," said Notar, a freshman at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she is studying biology. "What could be the harm in taking one day off and thinking about the things we buy? Do we really need all those things?

 

    "We're supposed to be giving thanks for what we have on Thanksgiving," Notar said. "I find it kind of ironic that we rush out shopping right afterward to go out and buy more."

 

    She wasn't the only one who chose to observe the little-known celebration called Buy Nothing Day. An estimated 1 million people around the world were expected to participate in the anti-consumerism holiday that was started in the early 1990s by Vancouver, Canada-based Adbusters Media Foundation, which aims to reduce the influence marketers have on the culture.

 

    Far from a sweeping revolution, the holiday has managed to gain a small but fervent group of followers.

 

    In Vancouver, participants held a shopaholics anonymous meeting. In New York, the activist and performance artist known as Reverend Billy and his Church of Stop Shopping members "exorcised" cash registers at Times Square businesses. Spoof ads for Buy Nothing Day ran on some radio stations in Los Angeles, while in other cities participants put up posters, marched around stores and demonstrated in some fashion, according to the Adbusters advocacy group.

 

    "What we're trying to do is wake people up," said Kalle Lasn, director of the foundation and editor in chief of its magazine, Adbusters. "We just want to point out that we are now consuming 300 percent more than since the end of World War II. But studies have shown we're no happier.

 

    "There's a pressure to live the American dream, to max out the credit cards for the holidays and pressure to consume," Lasn said. "We're just trying to get people to think before they buy."

 

    That won't be easy.

 

    The National Retail Federation is projecting almost $220 billion in sales this holiday shopping season, which is a slight bump up from last year.

 

    The NRF also says that consumers are expected to spend an average of $702 on the holidays, including an extra $89 on non-gift items for themselves or family members.

 

    Buy Nothing Day participants realize their act of defiance barely makes a dent in the holiday shopping blitzkrieg, but say it's worth it if their point reaches just one person who decides to abstain instead of purchasing yet another cashmere sweater.

 

    Even supporters of the movement can find it hard to make it through a single day without spending money, Lasn said. "We estimated that about 1 million actually took the personal plunge and said, `OK, I won't buy anything,'" Lasn said. "A third of them probably made it through the day. People have good intentions. They start off right, but then they succumb to a Mars bar or a cup of coffee.

 

    "They learn that buying stuff is like smoking," Lasn said. "Going cold turkey isn't easy."

 

    Notar agreed.

 

    Last year, she and her friends dressed up like sheep and wore matching T-shirts that said "Consumer Sheep" on the front and "Baaa Nothing Day" on the back. They walked through Towson Town Center, trying to persuade Black Friday shoppers not to shop. What they mostly got were strange looks and annoyed reactions from people. They also got kicked out of Abercrombie & Fitch.

 

    This year, she and her friends are taking a quieter route since she had no time to plan a demonstration after her mid-term exams at UCLA.

 

    "I know some of my friends hit the sales in the morning," Notar said. "But I'm still friends with them. I won't hold it against them. I don't see this changing the world or anything big, but maybe we'll get people thinking a little. Maybe they'll even join us next year."

 

    Notar should take heart. She had some company in Maryland this year. Jason Szech from Linthicum is taking a pass on Black Friday, too.

 

    He hung out with some friends.

 

    "I've read news reports of women being trampled on their way to buying DVD players at Wal-Mart," said Szech, a 21-year-old salesman at a music store who used his scheduled day off to stay away from the stores. "It seems absurd to me. Americans feel like they need products to keep them happy, you know, like the latest SUV or Burberry dog coat. It's ridiculous.

 

    "I'm not going to refrain totally from the entire holiday thing and the exchange-of-gifts thing, though," Szech added. "I'm just not going to base it on this one day."

Anyone out there participating in Buy Nothing Day this year? Holler at us and let us know what you plan on doing that day in lieu of shopping.

(image via adbusters.org)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 1:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Holiday shopping
        

If you're in or around downtown at noon today, here's the perfect way to reward yourself if you've spent the last few weeks brown-bagging it.

Help yourself to some free samples from restaurants such as The Dogwood, Fin Steaks and Seafood, Lebanese Taverna, Meli and Corks and others at the Holiday Lunch Party organized by the Downtown Partnership.

Six buildings will host different restaurants, check below the jump for the location nearest you. 

Here's the locations: 

--- 250 West Pratt Street

--- 7 St. Paul Street (Wachovia Tower)

--- 1 E. Pratt Street (Verizon building)

--- 500 E. Pratt Street (Lockwood Building)

--- 2 Hopkins Plaza (PNC Bank Building)

--- 111 S. Calvert Street (Harborplace Tower)

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping
        

If you're already cheesed off about all the extra charges you encounter when flying these days, how ticked off would you be if you found out you got charged extra for checking an "overweight" bag because the airline's scale was inaccurate? The Today Show had an interesting segment yesterday about all the inaccurate airline scales they spotted at four different airports.

So many people are in a rush when they're at the airport so how many would actually notice that a scale is off? Most people just lug their bags in, plop it on the scale, show their ID and rush off to wait in the security line. Would you notice if the scale didn't start at zero? I can't say for sure that I would.

I want to give airlines the benefit of the doubt here and hope they really double check the scales before they charge customers an extra fee for overweight baggage. But who knows? Things get busy, no one's paying attention, and next thing you know, you're on the floor repacking your bags so you can avoid the extra fee... or worse, you're paying the airilne that extra fee, which can get costly depending on who you are flying.

It's frustrating enough to fly these days. If airlines are going to charge people for heavy bags, they should go above and beyond to make sure those scales are accurate.

Just what you need to worry about while you're flying away for the holidays, right?

Just do yourself a favor at the airport and take a moment to make sure the scale is on zero before you put your luggage on there to weigh it. If you think an airline has inaccurate scales and a complaint to airline personnel doesn't get help, call the state's Weights and Measures Division, which inspects and regulates measuring devices used for commercial transactions. Don't pay more than you have to this holiday to fly.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Airlines, Complaints, Consumer protection, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Retailing Whiz Andrea just passed this on to us from BJ's Wholesale Club... Prices are valid Friday, November 28 thru Sunday, November 30, while supplies last.

Televisions

• Sharp® AQUOS® 52” 1080p LCD HDTV (BJ’s Member pricing – including $300 coupon –$1399.99)
• Samsung® 46” 1080p LCD HDTV (BJ’s Member pricing – including $200 coupon - $1099.99)
• Samsung® 32” LCD HDTV (BJ’s Member pricing - including $100 coupon - $499.99)
• Sylvania® 37” LCD HDTV (BJ’s Member pricing - including $80 coupon - $599.99)
• Sylvania® 22” LCD TV (BJ’s Member pricing – including $40 coupon - $289.99)

Computers

• Sony® VGC-JS1100/SC, Intel® Dual Core Processor, All-in-One PC (BJ’s Member pricing – including $100 coupon - $849.99)
• Sony® 16.4” Notebook (BJ’s Member pricing – including $200 coupon - $799.99)
• HP® Desktop Bundle (BJ’s Member pricing – including $100 coupon - $799.99)
• HP® D7260 Printer with 3.5” Touch Screen LCD (BJ’s Member pricing – including $50 coupon - $49.99)

GPS Systems

• Magellan® RoadMate® 1412 GPS (BJ’s Member pricing – including $100 coupon - $149.99)
• Magellan® RoadMate® 1200 GPS (BJ’s Member pricing – including $30 coupon - $99.99)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 5:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Holiday shopping
        

Awesome Black Friday deals we spotted on various Web sites today:

From eBay: $1 Holiday Door Busters. Beginning today through Dec. 8, 100 must-have gifts, such as digital cameras and GPS devices, and one luxury item, including a brand new Chevrolet Corvette, will be listed each day on eBay.com for $1 fixed price.

From TechChuck: Wal-Mart is about the drop the price on the Magnavox NB500MG9 Blu-ray player to $128 on Black Friday. That's about half the price.

From TheBlackFriday.com: Sharp 42-inch 1080p LCD-HDTV $799. $25 Restaurant.com gift certificates.

From Jos. A. Bank viz the Baltimore Business Journal: The company announced its early “doorbusters” deals ranging from an $895 cashmere topcoat marked down to $299 to cashmere scarves marked down from $120 to $29.

From Dell viz InformationWeek: Dell offers $349 Black Friday laptop

(Photo courtesy of NextStopWonderland)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budgeting, Cheap/Frugal, Economy, Holiday shopping
        

Are you ready for some shopping? No, seriously. I'm saying you need to prepare if you're going to brave holiday shopping this week, online or off. Here are three useful tools offered by many retailer Web sites that Consumer Reports Money Adviser sats cab help you find good deals this week:

RSS Feeds- RSS, or Really Simple Syndication, allows retailers to send Web pages with news about sales and promotions directly to your PC. Wal-Mart, for example, has multiple feeds, including price rollbacks, clearance, and upcoming music and video release dates. To use feeds, you need an RSS reader. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser has one built in. So do personal home pages like My Yahoo, My AOL, and iGoogle. They can be found at Best Buy, CircuitCity, CompUSA, Overstock.com, RadioShack, Sears, and Target.

Widgets- These are store icons that you place on your computer desktop or embed on your personal Web page. Click on them to access the stores’ specials. You can download a widget from the retailer’s Web site, and some widgets can be installed on your iGoogle or Yahoo home page. They can be found at Charlotte Russe and Sears.

Cell phone sale alerts- If you’re always on the go, you can have text messages about sales sent to your cell phone. Or you can shop online with a Web-enabled cell phone by signing up at the retailer Web site. Century 21 Department Store, Sears, and Urban Outfitters offer cell-phone alerts. Amazon.com and Overstock.com let you shop by Web phone. And while you’re shopping in one store, FruCall.com lets you check prices at many others before you buy.

(Getty Images)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cellular/Landline/Voice over Internet, Computers, Holiday shopping, Marketing/Advertising
        

Starting next year, you will get less money for using your car or truck for work.

The IRS today released the new mileage reimbursement rate, which reflects the recent decline in gas prices as well as other driving-related costs.

Next year, you’ll get 55 cents per mile, down from 58½ cents. The business mileage rate at the beginning of this year was 50½ cents, but was raised 8 cents mid-year as gas prices soared.

Similarly, the mileage rate if you use your vehicle for medical trips or moving will be 24 cents per mile next year, down 3 cents. The rate early this year started at 19 cents per mile, but was also raised as gas prices hit new heights.

You can deduct mileage if you use your car while helping out a charity. The rate, which can only be changed by Congress, will remain unchanged at 14 cents per mile.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Gas prices
        

As times get tougher financially, more and more people are tapping unusual resources to get the cash to get by day by day --- including their own veins.

According to the Chicago Tribune, selling blood plasma has grown increasingly popular. Donors are technically compensated $25 to $40 for the time spent donating the fluid, separated from blood.

For-profit blood banks use this raw material to manufacture drugs and other products for people with diseases such as hemophilia, immunodeficiency disorders or burn victims.  

According to the story: 

"Whatever their motivation, plasma donors are a valuable resource for an industry that has grown to nearly $10 billion a year, said Patrick Robert, president of Market Research Bureau and publisher of International Blood/Plasma News.

Each liter of plasma can be worth as much as $200 before the manufacturing process and as much as $500 after, analysts said. About two-thirds of a liter of plasma is taken on each visit, depending on the donor's weight."

More good news: there are more centers being built across the country, according to the article. 

Thinking of giving it a try? It can take longer than donating whole blood --- up to 45 minutes to an hour, according to this fact sheet about plasma. Also, the medical screening is more intense, so factor in some paperwork time. 

(photo: Steve Ruark/special to the Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

While I was out running errands over the weekend, I stopped by a Marshall's and the line at the layaway counter was full of people, who had their arms and carts full of merchandise. The store in Towson was packed because there was a 25 percent sale on already marked down prices.

At first, it made me think that maybe retailers won't be hurt as badly from the long-suffering economy as everyone is predicting. But then, I thought, if big sales are already being offered before Black Friday then how much money will retailers really make if they keep slashing prices to lure customers into stores?

I don't know the answer to that. But I do know I was heartened to see so many people taking advantage of the layaway plan since I do think it's the most useful tool out there right now for people trying to avoid racking up more debt, but who still want to be able to buy nice things for the holidays. 

Put some money down, make some payments over the few weeks until it's paid off and then take your goodies home with you worry-free. That's awesome. 

You know what else is awesome? Liz alerting the Department of Transportation's Adrienne Barnes to the dangerous crosswalk at Pratt and Eutaw streets. DOT will repaint those lines so drivers will see there is, indeed, a crosswalk there where they are supposed to let pedestrians have the right of way. DOT will also re-examine the timing of the lights to make sure impatient drivers aren't blowing through red lights because the green light is too short.

All around, those are all excellent ideas that will make things safer for pedestrians and drivers. If you've got a similar problem, Randall Scott, chief of the traffic division, Baltimore Department of Transportation can take care of the problem. Call 443-984-2150. City residents can also call 311 to report problems.

Finally, Eileen tackled the very complicated problem of tax planning this coming year as a new administration takes office. Should you defer your income? Sell your stocks? Review your deductions? Maybe, maybe and definitely. If you read Eileen's column you know what you have to do. Don't you feel better prepared for the week already?

(Bob Larson/Contra Costa Times)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Economy, Holiday shopping, Taxes, Watchdog
        

Happy Friday, folks! We had a Thanksgiving dinner for lunch at work yesterday, we had intermittent snow today and I just got some good news that I will share with you guys next week. So yes, it's a Happy Friday, indeed.

Are you ready for what we've got in store for you on Sunday? For Watchdog, Liz is writing about crosswalks -- something that is near and dear to my heart. Why? Because every day I walk my dog, I put our lives in danger when we cross the road to go to Patterson Park because no one -- no, wait, maybe two people in all the years I've been living in my home -- stops for us at the crosswalk.

It's scary. Even if we're already in the crosswalk, sometimes, drivers speed up just to put a little scare in me, I guess. Seriously, people, please slow down. Don't flatten me and my dawg on Patterson Park Avenue. I'd be really cross about that, really.

My crosswalk is not the crosswalk Liz is writing about, though. See? Pedestrians are scared of crosswalks everywhere. Liz reports that people are too chicken to cross the downtown intersection at Pratt and Eutaw because the crosswalk lines are faded and drivers are a tad impatient.

Find out who Liz calls on to help her fix this problem.

I reached back into my memory to recall that almost extinct creature, the layaway plan. Remember, we mentioned layaway plans making a comeback last month as KMart has been trumpeting its layaway service. Find out in my Consuming Interests Sunday column what kind of protections Marylanders have under layaway plans and how you might be able to make holiday shopping a little more sane and manageable for your wallet this year.

And Eileen is looking into the future so she can help you with your year-end tax planning. Even with just six weeks left, Eileen's personal finance column will tell you what steps to take before year’s end to lessen your tax bill in the spring.

Check us out on Sunday. 'Til then, have a great weekend!

(Image courtesy of stockxchng.com)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

This will be interesting if it's true. Consumer Reports' latest holiday shopping poll showed that 26 percent of Americans say they will hit the malls on Black Friday -- that's up 5 percentage points from 2007.

It may be a young person's game, though. CR says that the biggest percentage of those planning on fighting the crowds and hunting for big deals are between the ages of 18 and 34.  

That's surprising to us since most of the commenters here are saying they're cutting back this year. Reader Don said:

Don't buy into the hype. Just tell family/friends you're not exchanging gifts so there's no guilt. This holiday shouldn't be about spending your bank account on "stuff".

Reader WillClark4HOF also said:

Shopping? Who can afford to go shopping this holiday season?

So many others have talked about trying to save more this year, making handmade gifts and buying only for the kids to make shopping more manageable. So the idea that more people will hit the malls this year seems out of whack with the chatter we're hearing. But, perhaps, there will be crowds because everyone knows there will likely be really good deals out there.

If you know you're going to find a bargain, it might be more tempting to head out on Black Friday. Anyone out there thinking about hitting the malls the day after Thanksgiving? Tell us why and where you're headed.

(AP Photo)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Budgeting, Economy, Holiday shopping
        

Be sure to download a free 20 oz. Dr. Pepper coupon on Sunday, if you'd like to be a Pepper too.

The company will offer coupons at www.drpepper.com, honoring its agreement to give away a free Dr. Pepper if Guns N Roses released its Chinese Democracy album in 2008. The album, according to the Associated Press story, had been promised since 1994.

The hair band made the deadline with six weeks left to spare.

You can snag your own Dr Pepper coupon starting at 12:01 a.m. Sunday. They will be available for 24 hours and won't expire until Feb. 28.

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Odds & Ends
        

Trying to map out where to start your Black Friday shopping?

Check out Consuming Interests' list of Black Friday store hours and route yourself toward some good deals. Looking for a particular store? Don't forget you can use your browser's search function (or hit Ctrl + F) to find its name, or check bfads.net for an alphabetized Black Friday store hours list. And please give us a heads up in the comments if we've missed your favorite destination!

Apparently, JCPenny is so eager to see you in its store, they're setting up wake up calls to those who sign up at jcp.com.

(photo: David Hobby/Baltimore Sun)

7 a.m.

Kmart (closes 9 p.m.)

FRIDAY, Nov. 28 (Black Friday)

12 a.m.

Disney Store (Arundel Mills; ends 10 a.m.)

Rite Aid

Bath & Body Works

4 a.m.

JC Penny (ends 1 p.m.)

Kohl's (ends 11:59 p.m.)

5 a.m.

Best Buy

Circuit City (ends 11 a.m.)

Dick's Sporting Goods (ends 2 p.m.)

Sam's Club

Sears

Sports Authority (ends 3 p.m.)

6 a.m.

Bass Pro Shops (sale ends 11 a.m.)

Burlington Coat Factory

CVS

Home Depot 

Kmart (ends 11 a.m.)

Lowes

Radio Shack

Staples

Target 

7 a.m.

Ace Hardware

Office Max

Walgreens (ends 2 p.m.)

9 a.m.

Costco

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping
        

Finding a sugar daddy might not be as lucrative as it used to be.

I'd like to thank my many social-networking friends who posted a link to this WSJ blog post about the rich cutting back on payments to their mistresses and kept men.

About 80 percent of the 191 people who elected to answer the question said they would cut back on the lavish gifts, dinners and trips they showered on the other halves of their extramarital affairs. 

Surprisingly,

... (to me, anyway) women actually maintained their payments to paramours, or even increased them, during hard financial times, according to the survey. A third of the respondents were women, and all had net worths of more than $20 million.

Still think you have a potential future as a sugar daddy or "sugar baby"? (the new term for the object of a sugar daddy's attention ... not sure it's an improvement over 'kept woman')? Click the link above to read how to find a one --- and Maryann's take on them --- over at Baltamour.

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Odds & Ends
        

Are you wondering where to start as you plan for Black Friday? Are you overwhelmed by all the Web sites? Are you seeing great deals already for the holiday shopping season? We want to hear from you.

We're asking all you social-networking do-bees to tweet us about what you're thinking, seeing and hearing.

On Twitter, just include #BLACK (update** plese use BLFRI) in your tweet and then back here on the blog, you can monitor the live discussion of Black Friday and holiday shopping. Join in the conversation.

Even if you hate holiday shopping, or if you love it, you have a place to vent here. If you just feel like sharing your best tips on which stores have the best deals and merchandise or if you have a memory of which places had the biggest crowds last year, tell us about it.

To paraphrase from the cheesetastic Jerry Maguire, "Help us Help you."

(ed note: er... we seem to be experiencing some technical difficulties... please bear with us as we kick something really hard to vent our frustrations... -- DD)

(update: Fixed. I banged my head on the wall while Gus tinkered with Twitter. Thanks for your patience, everyone. Please use BLFRI in your tweets. -- DD)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Holiday shopping
        

Consuming Interests readers are too smart to approach a day like Black Friday without a plan of attack.

ConsumerWorld.org compiled some really intelligent Black Friday shopping tips so you can take advantage of great deals that might be out there ... and avoid any promises of savings that are just too good to be true.

1. Read the ads in the paper and online. Newspapers will be chock-full of details at major retailers. Some of those advertisements have already been posted on the Internet as well, at sites like bfads.net or blackfriday.gottadeal.com. 

2. Do your research. Compare prices to evaluate how much you'll be saving, especially looking for differences between online and in-store prices. Read reviews of products that seem to be good deals online to see if they're worth even that discounted price. (ed note: I gotta say, I love ConsumerSearch for comparing product reviews and prices. -- DD)

This research should extend to your credit card as well. See if price protection or an extended warranty is a benefit --- no need to be tempted by a heavy sales pitch at a store if your plastic gives it to you for free!

3. Look for coupons and rebates for further discounts. Put your search engine to work sussing out "triple plays", ConsumerWorld recommends. An item might be on sale, but it will be even cheaper if you have a store coupon and if the manufacturer offers a rebate. This piece of advice is ESPECIALLY important if you're buying online. Just google the store name and "coupon" or "promotion code" and see what you can find.

4. Map out your trip. If you plan to hit multiple stores, figure out when each opens and plan to get there well beforehand. If necessary, print out directions and make contingency plans for parking or traffic issues.

5. Case the joint and handle the merchandise. Before the day of the sale, take a walk through the store to plot your quickest route to the most popular items so you don't waste time wandering the aisles. While you're there, examine your future purchases to avoid surprises and having to make last-minute, game-day decisions.

Another idea, from Marvelous Marcia in our newsroom: stake out cash registers in low-traffic locations that might have shorter lines. Last year she walked right up to the checkout line in the sporting goods department of WalMart, which was completely empty.

6. Shop early, or order online instead. Are you more of a night owl, or is the weather less than hospitable? Does the pressure of waking up early from your turkey stupor sound unappealing? Then consider visiting stores offering big sales on Thanksgiving or opening at midnight. Some retailers will make their Black Friday deals available online, as well, so no need to change out of your pyjamas.

But no matter what your strategy is ...

Check return policies. Don't be surprised later on if you've picked up something as final sale or if stores plan to charge a restocking fee to prevent you from being too free with your returns.

Save your receipts, and ask for gift receipts for all presents. You might get a great deal on some item, but who knows whether there will be further markdowns later in the holiday shopping season? Use sites like Priceprotectr.com to keep track of sales so you can ask for price adjustments if there are future markdowns.

We'll offer plenty more tips on ways to get the most for your money through next week and the rest of the holiday season, but please let us know what ideas have worked for you in the past. We'd love to hear what you'll be doing on the day after Thanksgiving, even if it doesn't involve making a lot of purchases.

(ed note: And for those of you expecting to find the best deals at Circuit City or any other business that's having a liquidation sale, please doublecheck those prices since liquidators often mark up prices and then drop them to make it seem like you're getting a deal when you're really not. Retail reporter Andrea Walker says you have to remember that Circuit City is trying to make some money. So check that deal before you purchase it. -- DD)

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Consumer protection, Holiday shopping
        

After a full day of eating turkey, the last thing I want to do is stand outside in the cold with a long line of people who are all waiting for the chance to fight off other shoppers just to grab the last hot deal on a store shelf.

That just doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun to me. 

But for others, like my dear 21-year-old nephew and his girlfriend, it's the best thing in the world. Last year, those crazy kids snagged GPS systems and some other sweet deals after braving 32 degree weather standing in line from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.

This year, they're making plans to do it again, which got us thinking here that with a little planning on both our parts, some guidance on deals from our end, and some tips from everyone in Twitterland, we want to be your local go-to shopping assistant for Black Friday.

Why start now when Black Friday is more than a week away? Pshaw, my friends. Take Marty Katz's advice in the New York Times yesterday, shopping on Black Friday requires a strategy session. My nephew and his girlfriend did research online to compare prices, they hunted out the best stores for what they were looking for, chose a place, went early, took turns waiting in line while the other one warmed up in the car, and then when they finally got into the store, he got in line with a few items while his girlfriend grabbed the rest of their goodies.

Some people use phones to keep tabs with someone at home to price-check items. Some grab their goods and head to a not-so-popular part of a store to check-out so they can avoid the long lines. Others shop online.

What we want to know is how you plan on preparing or not preparing for Black Friday. Every day, we'll try to post deals, tips, advice on the shopping season to lead you up to the big day. By joining forces with our online compatriots, we'll have a features Holiday Shopping page where you can read all the stories that Andrea Walker, our wonderful retail reporter extraordinaire has been writing about holiday shopping.

We'll also post a list of planned opening times for local stores, and this is the cool part, tech whiz Gus is setting up a Twitter widget so that you can talk in real time about what your plans are, what deals your finding, which sites are you using most often to plan your shopping. We're hoping on the big day, you'll let us know through Twitter where you are and what you're seeing out there.

Just in case you think we're all fluff and no stuff, Andrea and Hanah Cho will also analyze how the big day went and let you know whether the crowd met or fell below expectations. They'll tell you how this will affect retailers and the economy.

So whether you plan on braving the cold, shopping from your home, or just observing all this wackiness from afar, tune in here and tell us what you're thinking. We've got a lot of fun things planned.

(Sun Photographer Jed Kirschbaum)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 12:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

If you're looking for some extra cash for holiday gifts, perhaps you might consider shaking out the sofa cushions and breaking your piggy bank after hearing about this deal from Coinstar.

Ordinarily, you take your metal money to a Coinstar machine and convert it into more easily stored bills in exchange for a fee of 8.9 percent. Or, you could exchange your coins for a valuable gift card to Amazon.com, iTunes or Old Navy or some other retailer* that you could use to buy something special for yourself or a loved one at this time of year. 

And if you do that ...

.. you could mail in the bottom half of your receipt to Coinstar and get another gift card to the same retailer worth $10 (discovered via Erin Huffstetler's Frugal Living blog).

More details on the Coinstar $10 holiday bonus gift cards here, but the offer expires Dec. 7, so get your spare change to a machine soon! Don't forget to double-check that your local Coinstar machine offers gift cards --- not all of them do.

Or, you could just haul your water cooler jug full of pennies to banks that offer free coin-counting to their members, like The Columbia Bank. Often those banks also charge percentage fees to non-members, like 5 percent. And then you're not committed to spending this cold metal money at a specific retailer. Are there any others out there?

Or you could roll your coins, or save them for parking meters, or (gasp) use them in brick-and-mortar stores. 

What do you do with your coins? 

*You could select a Circuit City gift card ... but why would you deliberately choose a card for a bankrupt business?

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

Megabus.com, the express city-to-city bus service that offers fares for as low as $1 on the Internet, is giving away 100,000 free seats starting today.

If you were thinking about taking a winter getaway, but couldn't afford it, if you were planning a trip and wanted to shave some expenses, if you weren't even thinking of going anywhere, do check this out.

The free seats can be booked on their Web site for travel beginning Wed., Jan. 14, through Wed., March 18, 2009.  Customers must enter the promo code greenbus for the opportunity to receive a free seat.

Free seats will be available on a limited number of departure dates and times throughout megabus.com's Midwest and Northeast routes to 29 cities.

Be patient. Lots of people are signing up so the Web site is running slow. Please let us know if you snag a free seat to somewhere cool.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Budgeting, Cheap/Frugal, Gas prices, Travel
        

How big a geek am I? I can't remember what day it was last week, but I spent half an hour watching the guys from PBS' This Old House talk about the coming digital television transition on Maryland Public Television.

Thinking I already knew everything I needed to know about DTV, I was surprised to find out that you still need an antenna to hook up to the converter box to get digital TV broadcasts. So yay PBS and This Old House dudes for teaching me that important piece of information.

You do know about the DTV transition, right? Come Feb. 17, 2009, broadcast television channels will stop broadcasting on analog airwaves and start broadcasting only in digital.

That means if you aren't getting your TV through cable or satellite and you're still relying on those ol' rabbit ears, you're going to lose your picture unless you've purchased a digital converter box. They're a bit pricey, but if you sign up for the converter box coupon program, it'll give you $40 off each box.

At my house, I've got satellite TV for now. But to see what all the fuss is about, I signed up my fella for the coupon program over the summer. They came in the mail about a month later and over the past weekend, we used one of the coupons to get a Zenith converter box. So instead of the $60 price tag, the box cost $20.

It took me ten minutes to set it up. I hooked up the antenna to the converter set box, and then using a cable that came with the box, I hooked up the box to the TV. It was a cinch. It took me a little longer as I tried to figure out how to program his universal remote to work the converter set box, but try as I might it didn't work. I ended up deciding his universal remote wasn't advanced enough to work with the set box. So I just set the DTV remote to control his TV, too. The result of all this effort was amazing.

Even on his Flintstones-era Zenith television (no joke, it's ancient), the picture quality was crisp. The color was better (shades of blue and purple while watching the Giants-Ravens game instead of indistinguishable purplish-blue guys playing other blueish-purple guys) and we could SEE CLUMPS OF GRASS ON THE FIELD. I swear. Amazing.

Before I hooked up the set box, he fussed me out about the box and another remote.

HIM: I don't need this.

ME: Yea, but won't you miss MPT when you lose it next year?

HIM: I'll watch it on my computer.

ME: Just give me a second to set it up.

HIM: How am I going to be a Luddite if we set this up?

Ignoring him, I set up the box. Then I turn it on and tune in all the channels.

BOTH OF US: Wow.

ME: Look at the field and the grass.

HIM: I hate to admit this, but the picture looks great. So much better.

ME: Do you see the clumps of grass?

HIM: Even the color looks better.

ME: Look at the clumps of grass on the field on your TV.

HIM: I can't believe you can see such a difference in the picture.

ME:

HIM: OK OK OK, you were right. I can't wait for NOVA Science Wednesday.

ME: hehehehe, I know.

If a converter box can improve his picture like that, I'm sold. I'm ready to go back and buy another box for my television and cut the satellite.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Digital television, Technology
        

With food and energy prices as high as they are, no one* wants to buy too much turkey and spend too long baking it.

To help, Butterball has created several turkey cooking calculators to help cooks plan how much turkey to buy, based on the number of adults and children eating, and whether you want leftovers, as well as how long to let the bird defrost safely (in the fridge) and how long to bake it in the oven.

There's also Thanksgiving turkey food-safety tips to help newbies, or anyone, avoid the hospital during the holiday season.

If you would like a more detailed planning estimate for meals including side dishes, check out this Thanksgiving Calculator on Instructables.com, although your own mileage may vary based on your family recipes.

* No one, that is, except me. I love turkey. I love turkey meals and sandwiches after Thanksgiving, and I'm ready to eat it again by the time Christmas rolls around. No need to concoct strange turkey-based dishes to "use up" leftovers from this glorious meal ... I enjoy the remains best in their original form. (ed note: oooh. me, too, Liz, me too.-- DD)

(photo: Doug Kapustin/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Consumer Web Site of the Week, Food, Holiday shopping
        

Maybe you listened to our advice and already requested your government coupon worth $40 toward the cost of a digital television converter box.

The boxes will allow owners of older televisions who rely on over-the-air television signals to continue to watch their favorite shows after Feb. 17, 2009, when a government-mandated switch from analog to digital television signals goes into effect.

However, if you got your coupon too early, it may have expired before you got a chance to redeem it. Most stores started stocking the converters only within the last few months, although consumers could request coupons since February.

So what can you do with an expired coupon?

Apex Digital will give you $10 off the cost of the DT250 converter box with an expired converter coupon, according to the Orange County Register Gadget blog. Just enter the coupon number as well as the code "APEXSAVE10".

However, that blog also points out that Best Buy sells the DT250 converter box for $49.00, $10 less than the manufacturer is charging.

Check out digital converter box reviews by The Sun and Consumer Reports, as well. 

(photo: Glenn Fawcett/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Digital television, Shopping
        

Here are the details from Chris' Fly The World blogspot:

Papa John’s is offering a free medium pizza with any online pizza order for any Facebook user for a limited time this week.

It is another free promotion in Facebook to convert users to customers. Papa John’s Pizza, Inc., based in Louisville, Kentucky is one of the largest pizza chains in the U.S. They are trying to use Facebook marketing to lure more customers.

For a limited time, if you are a Facebook user and become a Papa John’s Pizza fan, then Papa John’s will offer a free medium pizza with any online order.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food, Technology
        

After all we've told you about Blue Hippo, the Woodlawn-based company that sells computers and other electronics to people with poor or no credit, you'd be surprised to hear people were still having problems with them, right? 

After all, the Maryland Attorney General's office had Blue Hippo pay restitution to wronged customers last year for violations of the Consumer Protection Act, including charging inflated prices and not delivering products.

They also settled with the Federal Trade Commission in February, agreeing to pay $3.5 million to possibly $5 million to consumers for possible violations of the Mail Order Rule, Truth in Lending Act and the Electronic Fund Transfer Act.

Blue Hippo didn't admit any wrongdoing in either case. 

But despite this and other legal actions against Blue Hippo, The Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland warns consumers ...

... that it still receives the more complaints than any other company.

In the last 12 months, there have been more than 1,500 complaints as well as more than 12,500 inquiries about the company, according to the BBB. The BBB rated Blue Hippo as an "unsatisfactory business", as well.

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Complaints, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

C'mon. How can we choose any other business but Citigroup for this week's Naughty Business?

Blaming a difficult economic environment, Citigroup is laying off thousands of employees and announced last Friday that it will start raising interest rates on card holders after executive pledged in 2007 to Congress that it would not raise rates at any time for any reason on customers until an account expired.

So much for promises.

We understand that companies are hurting under the credit crunch, but hey, so are consumers, OK? How does raising anyone's interest rate make it easier for cardholders to continue using their cards to spend or pay back what they owe?

It's the start of the holiday shopping season, if I were a Citigroup group card holder, I would really think twice about using that card if I knew my interest rate was going up.

Bill Hardekopf, CEO of Lowcards.com says, "Nearly 20% of the Citi customers could receive a notice in their November billing statement or a letter from Citigroup saying that their rate has increased 2-3%."

"Many households are stretching to find extra money for holiday purchases," Hardekopf says. "If you plan on using credit cards for your holiday shopping and you are one of the Citi customers that gets this notice, remove that Citi card from your wallet or purse because that rate increase will just add to the cost of your purchases."

If you get a non-descript white envelope in the mail from Citigroup, be sure to read it carefully. If you decide you don't want to live with the increase, you have until January to decline it.

If you decline it, you can pay down the balance on the old pricing terms, and you can continue to make charges until you card expires. After that you have to reapply for a card or find a different lender. Just keep in mind that while on average, it could be a 2 to 3 percent increase for most, some card holders might see much higher increases.

So who gets hurt for Citi's bad investment decisions? Seventy thousand employees and millions of card holders.

(AP Photo)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)
Categories: Credit cards, Economy, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Are you one of our nation's finest? Are you living near a Golden Corral restaurant? And finally, are you hungry?

If the answer is yes to all three questions, get on over to the Golden Corral because it's Military Appreciation Monday. Here's what the Web site said:

The 2008 Military Appreciation Monday dinner will be held on Monday, November 17, 2008 from 5 pm to 9 pm in all Golden Corral Restaurants.

The free “thank you” dinner is available to any person who has ever served in the United States Military. If you are a veteran, retired, currently serving, in the National Guard or Reserves, you are invited to participate in Golden Corral’s Military Appreciation Monday dinner.

There's still time. So hurry. And full disclosure people, I used to work at the Aberdeen Golden Corral as a hostess when I was still in high school many, many moons ago. I filled the salad bar and showed people to their seats. I could never be a waitress because I have a hard enough time walking without trying to balance food on my arms at the same time.

Definitely fun times and my boss, Mr. C, was and still is a very cool boss. Plus, it's still one of my mom's favorite places to eat. I know some of the Foodies out there might disagree (hey, don't get ornery with me. I love the Sandbox, I swear), but it's good 'eatin, really.

Thanks to Chris over at Fly The World blogspot for the great tip. If anyone deserves a free "thank you" dinner, it's definitely the men and women of our military. Nice job, Golden Corral.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 5:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

I stopped to get gas yesterday because my tank was on empty and guess how much it cost me to fill 'er up? 29 buckeroos. Let me repeat that, twenty-nine whole dollars for mid-grade gas, too.

This time last year, it cost me almost twice that, I believe.

I gotta confess, it made me smile... not because I envision driving more or going back to my gas guzzling days. But only because I didn't think I'd see prices going below $2 a gallon anytime this year or anytime in the near future.

AAA MidAtlantic's Weekend Gas Watch says "wholesale prices for gas are so low in some part s of the country that retail pump prices have dipped to as low as $1.75 a gallon." As you can see, it's dropped even lower in Missouri.

While I hope that lowered gas prices won't make people think they should go out and buy SUVs again, I do wonder if this reprieve in energy expenses will help boost what is expected to be a grim holiday shopping season this year?

For me, I doubt low gas prices will make me spend more on gifts this season. There's too much uncertainty out there. I don't know how long gas prices will stay low, so if I blow my wad on the holidays and rack up a lot of debt, and then gas prices go back up, I'll feel like a jerk for not thinking ahead. And really, do you think you'll save enough on gas to go blow a lot of money on presents this year?

What's the thought out there? Will low gas prices help the holiday shopping season or will it have no effect at all?

(Getty Images)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 1:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Economy, Gas prices, Holiday shopping, Shopping
        

I hope you didn't miss Andrea Walker's story this weekend about the lengths retailers are going to lure customers into their stores this holiday shopping season.

Many have extended late-night shopping hours, Sears will offer layaway plans, and K-mart has been hosting "Black Friday" weekends well before the day after Thanksgiving.

Kmart has always had layaway but just resumed promoting the credit-free option last year.

Here are some techniques the shoppers Andrea met are employing to ease the holiday spending crunch:

"Monica Stein, 38, is one of many shoppers planning to buy fewer gifts this year. Her family has decided to buy only for the children. The stay-at-home mother began shopping last month and will parcel her spending to avoid a huge credit card bill in January. She has taken advantage of the early sales, buying clothes at Old Navy and toys at Wal-Mart.

... Mamie Rader, a 57-year-old nurse who lives in Timonium, said the economy has made her nervous, even though it has had a minimal effect on her lifestyle ... The knitter said she'll give away more handmade gifts this year and is looking for bargains.

She also plans to cut out unneeded gifts to adults and instead will buy for a needy family." 

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping
        

Good morning everyone. How was your weekend?

I spent most of it watching football. My team won so it was a good day. Plus, I got to see that great game between the Steelers and the Chargers. How crazy was the last play with the lateral throws that ended up in a interception and touchdown that wasn't? Final score: Steelers 11, Chargers 10.

I can't remember who told me this, but it's supposed to be the first time there has ever been a final score of 10-11 in NFL history. Whether that's true or not, it was still a cool game.

Speaking of football, I sure hope you spent some time with the paper on Sunday catching up on consumer news. What did you think of Patricia Wynn's plight after she won 102.7 Jack FM's Ultimate SuperBowl Contest? Would you have been as patient? Did you wonder what either of these companies were thinking?

The whole point of having a radio contest and being a sponsor in a radio contest is publicity, right? Why would you risk bad publicity and bad word of mouth by not making good on the prize right away? Whether the remodeling business had personnel issues should not matter when it comes to the company's rep. And whether a sponsor balked on a prize or went belly-up shouldn't affect the prize winner either. The radio station should step in and work that out quickly for its listener.

That was an easily avoidable mess. 

Reading Liz's Watchdog column made me feel better, though. Living in the city, it always puts a smile on my face when I see trees being planted. It really brightens up a street. So while those dead-looking trees look like they're headed for the mulcher, they're just dormant and waiting to be planted. Don't forget that if you see a problem with a city tree, you can call Rebecca Feldberg, city arborist, at 410-396-6109.

And last, but not least, Eileen gave everyone some really good tips before you rush into those mutual funds that are opening themselves up to new investors right now:

Find out why the fund is reopening. You might not want to invest if other shareholders are bailing out because the fund is severely underperforming compared with its peers.

And you still need to check the fund's basics. Has the fund manager changed since it first closed? If so, what is the new fund manager's track record?

Don't overlook fees. High fees eat away your return.

And beware of capital gains distributions, something you need to consider when buying a mutual fund near the end of the year through a taxable account. Funds must distribute gains to shareholders annually by year's end. So even if you are invested in the fund for a few weeks, you could get hit with taxes.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Investments, Watchdog
        

Is it live or is it Memorex? Do you remember those commercials? Are they still on anymore? And if they're not, is that a sign of my age?

Anyhoo, that catchphrase popped into my head when Liz told me she's writing about lots and lots of dead-looking, unplanted trees in Druid Hill Park for Watchdog this weekend. Find out for sure if they're alive or if they're dead on Sunday, and why they're lying all over the park.

I'm going to tell you the sorry tale of Patricia Wynn and the oh-so-fabulous Ultimate SuperBowl Contest prize she won from 102.7 Jack FM earlier this year.

Find out in my Consuming Interests column why it didn't turn out to be quite so fabulous for her. And find out what rights you have when contest prizes go wrong.

Finally, find out why mutual funds are opening themselves up to new money from investors again. Eileen tells you why investment companies close funds to investors and why they're opening up the spigot again in her Sunday personal finance column.

Tune in and check us out this weekend.

(photo from jenkintowntrees.org)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 1:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Investments, Watchdog
        

We gave you lots of homemade holiday gift ideas that you could get started working on this weekend, but here are some other options this weekend in case you're not that crafty or you prefer a present that will do more good.

If you're a fan of crafty gifts but aren't that crafty yourself, check out Charm City Craft Mafia's Holiday Heap, at 2640 St. Paul Street from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15. 

And First & Franklin Presbyterian Church in Mount Vernon will host an "Alternative Market" with representatives from local, regional and international non-profit charitable organizations will receive donations.

According to a press release, each group is working for change in areas such as education and conflict resolution, the environment, hunger and disaster relief, medial assistance and self-sufficiency development.

"Those seeking the perfect gift that never needs to be returned, or a way to honor a special friend or family member, will find an organization to suit all ages, genders and interests," according to the news release. 

The nonprofits include:

Habitat for Humanity’s local Sandtown Chapter; Heifer Project International; Women for Afghan Women; Patrick Allison House, a local residential program breaking the cycle of homelessness; Shepherd’s Clinic, a Baltimore volunteer-driven health clinic for those who cannot afford insurance (pictured above), and That All May Freely Serve Baltimore, working via education, reconciliation and advocacy for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons.

After donating cash or a check, shoppers will receive a gift card and information about the charity to give the gift recipient.

Sales of baked goods and fair-trade coffee will support the church’s food pantry.

The Alternative Market will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Sunday, November 16 at 210 West Madison Street in Mount Vernon. For more information: 410-728-5545.

I'm curious whether any readers have given or received charitable donations in their name as gifts and how they were received.

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping, Shopping
        

We are all over that. We rant and rave and wag our fingers about what should and should not have taken place. We shake our heads and mutter about the lack of good customer service or good service, period.

But what happens when companies do right? Why is it that we so seldom hear about good customer service? Why is it that it's so much easier to complain about a business than share a good story about one? Think I'm exaggerating?

Check out the Naughty Businesses category to the right of this blog. Then the Complaints category. There are so many posts, I don't have the energy to count them all. Then check out the Above and Beyond category. There are just four posts.

So, if you guys don't mind humoring me today, perhaps you can share a good story, a good encounter, a good experience you had with a business.

It doesn't have to be a local business, it doesn't have to be a big retailer. It can be anyone, even a nice encounter with the ice cream guy that rolls through your neighborhood. Just share some good customer service stories with us.

I'll pick the best stories and use them in a future column. Help me find a nice holiday story to write about for once. Add your comment here or write to consuminginterests(at)baltsun.com. I wanna hear from you.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Above and Beyond, Complaints
        

There are a number of benefits to making holiday gifts. You can save money, if you plan it right. You limit your exposure to the chaos that is the mall starting the day after Thanksgiving. If you make enough, you can have a spare gift on hand to give to people you forgot or to offer as a hostess gift, thus avoiding unexpected last-minute expenditures. And, you can present something to the recipient with more meaning than a prepackaged gift set, because you invested the time in crafting.

The challenge, however, is to make something people actually want. Over at soundmoneymatters, they list seven homemade gifts that don't suck, such as consumable items like homemade cookies, breads and candy, or homemade soaps and bath items.

Here are my other tips: pick one idea and run with it, to minimize the start-up costs. You could make several batches of baked goods with the base ingredients, for example.

Also, consider how you want to package your goods. We spent most of the month while the homemade limoncello was steeping last year hunting down inexpensive yet attractive containers in which to bottle it. Raid your recycling bin for cans and jars (remove the labels or just wrap with holiday paper) that could work. Oatmeal containers can store cookies. It's all good ... and green. Thrift stores and dollars stores also stock inexpensive tins and containers.

So, here's a list of ideas that you can use for instructions and inspiration when planning your holiday giving:  

GIFTS OF MEMORIES

Some of the best reader responses about homemade gifts suggested ways to help your loved ones cherish their memories, like aeb's personalized calendar with family photos and important dates, as well as the photo album Jelena assembled for her father-in-law and personalized handmade books that Pigtown makes. Visit nationaldayoflistening.com for tips on recording family stories for prosperity.

You could also archive the family's favorite recipes by making a personalized cookbook, an idea from bankrate.com.

FOOD GIFTS

Assemble the non-perishable ingredients for a unique recipe gift like Janna's Autumn Beef Stew, made with a bottle of stout. If you like, round it out with fixins to make it a cold winter night in, such as a gift card for a movie rental, as one Stretcher reader did.

Allrecipes.com has a list of great flavored liquors, fruitcakes, gifts in a jar and other edible gifts. 

Chowhound readers offer links to their favorite edible food gift recipes as well.

Whole Foods Markets has posted an extensive list of homemade food gifts, discovered via Cheap Healthy Good. Some highlights include a candied lemon peel recipe, for rimming cocktail glasses and adding to desserts; a chile oil recipe for adding some fire to your favorite food and a maple sugar walnut recipe for a sweet snack.

Got friends with pets, or are your own friends furry? Bake them some dog biscuit gifts. 

BATH and BEAUTY GIFTS, and GIFTS THAT KIDS CAN MAKE

Here's an attractive --- and easy! --- scented bath salts recipe from Mormonchic.com. The last item at homemadesimple is a bubbly bath jelly recipe. 

HOME DECOR GIFTS

Assemble a plant such as a paper white narcissus gift (third item) suggested by a Stretcher reader.

Replace the boring blank face of a cheap clock with a favorite cartoon character or unique image and you've got a beautiful personalized clock gift, or others from instructables.com.

Give away handmade wine charms with beading supplies from the craft store. To cut costs, look for interesting yet inexpensive items from office supply or dollar stores to stretch the decorations. 

(photo: Associated Press)

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Greenies, Holiday shopping, Shopping
        

Momof2 got me wondering yesterday if I really had the flu last year after I got the flu shot or if I just had a really really bad cold?

So (index finger to my chin and eyes scrunched in deep thought), I said: hmmmm.

Seeing as how I'm not a doctor and I don't even play one on TV, I went to WebMD, which is a great site. Be warned, though, if you spend enough time on there you're going to convince yourself that you have some rare, incurable disease. I'm not kidding.

WebMD says that the way to tell the difference between a cold and the flu is that when you have the flu, you feel flu symptoms sooner than you would cold symptoms, and they come on with much greater intensity.

With the flu, WebMD says you may feel very weak and fatigued for up to 2 or 3 weeks. You'll have muscle aches and periods of chills and sweats as fever comes and goes. You may also have a stuffy or runny nose, headache, and sore throat.

Momof2 suggested that we post the symptoms so everyone can tell the difference. Great idea! Here's what WebMD says, but really, you should check with a medical professional to be absolutely sure:

Based on WebMD and having given this much thought yesterday, I am going to say I officially had the flu last year. I could not move for days. If it weren't for my friends and family bringing me medicine and soup, I was sure I was going to die because I ached so badly and I didn't have the energy to get up for days. So thanks Momof2. I'm convinced I had the flu... but still undecided about whether the flu shot did me in or not.

It depends on whether or not I get sick this year... hehehe....

(Photo courtesy of stockxchng.com)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Healthcare
        

The other day, we were talking about Starbuck's abysmal earnings report and how it really might be true that consumers are taking seriously that advice about how cutting one cup of coffee from your daily expenses will help you save lots in the long run.

Reader Don said he's been limiting the number of nights he goes out every week. Vegas Charlie said he and his friends are hanging around at home more. And the wonderful aeb says that packing lunches, bringing coffee from home has done wonders for the budget, although reining in shopping hasn't been quite so easy.

It's made me think some more about what I consider necessary and what I consider expendable. For me, getting my hair done every two or three months at the Annapolis salon I've been going to for years is necessary. I've tried to find a local place and less expensive salon, but then I'm unhappy for weeks and weeks as I wait for my hair to grow back to cover the bad cut.

I've tried to stop buying coffee out as much so I bring a thermos from home occasionally. I'm not always good about this, though, because I enjoy catching up with my work spouse and fellow blogger Gus during our much-needed mid-afternoon coffee breaks. I need my home Internet connection so I can't get rid of that. I could go with cheaper service but then I wouldn't be a mobile as I'd like to be with my laptop. Car maintenance is necessary to avoid bigger problems down the road so I don't try to cheap my way out of oil changes and such.

Things that I see as expendable, though? The first to go would be eating out or meeting friends for drinks. I don't go out much as it is, but I'd cut back even more. Next would be shopping. No more clothes and shoes when money is tight. Those are all extravagances to me.

As I'm eyeing my expenses at home, I'm already being pretty efficient about heating my house. I've already gotten rid of the home phone I never, ever answered and I'm preparing to get rid of satellite TV. Now, I'm trying to be less wasteful with food that I almost always have to throw out because I can't eat it fast enough. I'm trying to buy stuff that doesn't go bad quickly or buying just enough to last me a few days.

Everyone has different priorities.

Virgin Mobile USA just released a survey that showed that people would stop eating out first, going to concerts or shopping for clothes before they cut back on their cell phone service (no surprise there, probably, coming from a cellular company... but there's probably truth to this since most consumers are smart about picking plans that already meet their needs.)

Here's what the survey found:

• 88 percent will eat out less
• 86 percent will spend less on entertainment
• 82 percent will spend less on clothes
• 79 percent will delay major purchases such as cars, electronics and furniture
• 71 percent will cancel or spend less on vacations
• 41 percent will spend less on food and groceries
• 32 percent will spend less on mobile phone service
• 25 percent will spend less on cable or satellite service
• 18 percent will delay paying other bills
• 7 percent will delay paying rent or mortgage

For me, foregoing rent or mortgage and paying my bills aren't an option. I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing I owe money or knowing I could lose my home. How about rest of you out there? Which expenses can't you live without and which would you give up first?         

(KRT Photo -- Richard Marshall/St. Paul Pioneer Press)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Budgeting, Cheap/Frugal, Debt, Economy, Personal finance
        

Are you drowning in junk mail? Do you come home to a mailbox brimming with credit card offers, catalogs, donation requests and sales circulars?

There's a few options out there to keep the clutter from entering your home, but the newest --- the Direct Marketing Association's revamped DMAchoice.org --- might not be the only stop you need to make to shut down the flow.

The organization used to charge $1 for something similar, but now the site allows consumers to decline mail from individual sources they don't want for free, and to request mail from companies they do. You can also request to stop all mail within certain categories --- catalogs, magazines,  and other offers, including those addressed to "current resident".

That is, unless you've patronized one of those businesses before. Then you'll have to contact them directly.

You can use the site to track your company requests (stop sending notices, start sending notices, etc.) so you can follow up later.

Personally ...

... I didn't find all the companies that irk me with their mailings through the DMAchoice Web site, but for those that are listed, it did have contact information (phone and sometimes online) for contacting them directly, if not a means to contact them through the Web site. According to DMA, it is the largest collection of such information, with 3,400 organizations represented.

The site also states that companies may offer ways to decrease or otherwise adjust the number of mailings you receive, if you contact them yourself.

For credit offers, the DMA site directs users to optoutprescreen.com, which is run by the major credit bureaus. You don't *have* to enter your Social Security number --- although the site recommends it.

Some other options include Catalog Choice, to stop receiving individual catalogs and GreenDimes, which offers free and pay junk-mail-banishing services to guarantee an end to junk mail in 90 days. (discovered via Get Rich Slowly).

Consumer Reports also recommends getting off data brokers' mailing lists to end junk mail as well. You should also call your bank or financial institutions to opt out of convenience checks, CR says. As we read at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity, it's one way to protect yourself from identity theft, as well. 

(photo: John Makely/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Consumer Web Site of the Week
        

You may have "Googled" the phrase "flu symptoms" the last time you thought you were coming down with the bug. If so, your query probably became part of a vast storehouse of information that Google's philanthropic arm is mining in an effort to identify flu trends as they emerge across the United States.

Google's calling the project/application simply: Google Flu Trends.

The basic thinking behind it is that people who search for certain flu-related keywords and phrases are at the leading edge of a flu outbreak.

The Google folks say their experimental system can offer a one- to two-week heads-up on where a flu outbreak is spreading, which could come in very handy for anyone working in the field of public health. (And for those of us who try every measure to avoid the flu each year.)

Google offers some interesting graphs -- using the Mid-Atlantic region as an example -- which show the relationship between their search query analysis and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The application also allows you to plug in your zip code and search for a place to get a flu shot near you. Pretty handy.

But the question remains whether this will evolve into a serious tool for epidemiologists -- or if it'll just be another curious Web attraction that most of us peruse on our lunch breaks.

The New York Times wrote about the new Google tool. Thomas Claburn over at InformationWeek has some interesting thoughts on how Google can continue to mine its vast data warehouse of searches to come up with new applications.

Here at Consuming Interests, we've recently blogged about where to find a free flu shot in Baltimore. We've also covered the debate on whether to get or skip the flu shot, here and here. Hope you stay healthy!

Posted by Gus Sentementes at 9:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Computers, Healthcare, Technology
        

In response to concerns about the higher costs of everything, Wegmans has lowered prices on groceries. The store is famous for its one-stop shopping --- offering specialty ingredients, prepared foods and basic staples under one (very large) roof, but the savings will be found mostly on its store brands (discovered via Consumerist). 

According to this Allentown Morning Call story, Wegmans is trying "to play itself up as a destination for savings."

The Rochester, N.Y.-based chain has also posted other tips, including recipes that cost under $3 per serving.  

It's not the only supermarket that's trying to retain its customers as the economy heads south. We've already told you about Whole Foods Markets striving to educate consumers about ways to save.

(photo: Christopher T. Assaf/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food, Shopping
        

Holy Smokes. Did you see the news on Starbucks? I figured they were hurting, but their earnings report yesterday surprised me. The AP reported that:

Fewer U.S. customers and venti-sized costs for closing poorly performing stores led to lower sales and profit in the fourth quarter at Starbucks Corp., the company said yesterday. Seattle-based Starbucks said profit fell 97 percent to $5.4 million, or a penny a share, from $158.5 million, or 21 cents per share, a year earlier. The coffee retailer earned 10 cents per share when the costs from closing about 600 stores in the U.S. and 61 locations in Australia are excluded. Analysts expected profit of 13 cents per share, according to a poll by Thomson Reuters. Starbucks began shutting the U.S. and Australian stores this summer as part of a campaign to reverse falling profits

We talk a lot here about the little things that people can do to cut back on expenses... and almost always, we explain that even a small thing like buying a cup of coffee every day adds up. Just think, if you're spending at a minimum $2 every day, five days a week every month, that's $40 you're shelling out every month for a cup a' joe.

Most of those fancy coffee drinks are more than $2 so you do the math.

In these economic times, are you finding yourself cutting back on little things? Are you brewing your coffee at home? Packing your lunch? Eating at home more? Waiting longer to get your hair cut? I finally made it to my hairdresser last Saturday (believe me, I needed it. I was starting to resemble Sasquatch with all that hair!) and he told me that business has really been suffering for the shop. Fewer and fewer people coming in for haircuts, colorings or perms.

I was also talking to a good friend of mine from Harford County who owns a pizza shop near Bel Air and he said the car shop he went to recently to get an oil change told him that people are waiting longer to get their oil changed...! That's probably not a good idea since that's a small expense that will keep you from having a major car expense down the road.

Are you guys hearing similar stories? Let us know. Also, are you finding yourself making decisions on which expenses can wait and which can't? We want to hear about it.

(Getty Images)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Budgeting, Economy, Food
        

I got a flu shot. Reader Holly did not get a flu shot. Let's see which one of us stays healthy this year. Holly, please let us know if you come down with the flu and I'll do likewise. This will just be our incredibly unscientific test of the flu shot and whether it makes you sick or not. 

Meanwhile, if you're thinking you want to join in our totally unscientific experiment, or you just haven't gotten around to getting a flu shot yet, click on the jump to get a list of free shots available in the Baltimore. If you're not a city resident, just search online for your local health department for a list of free clinics in your jurisdiction. I'm not sure if FluMist, the nasal spray is offered at these clinics so you may want to check. Also, Medicare Part B pays for the flu shot so don't forget your Medicare cards, seniors.

November 2008

Monday, November 24; 10 am - 1 pm New Psalmist Baptist Church 4501 Old Frederick Ave - 21229

Saturday, November 8; 10 am -- 1 pm St. Joseph Monastery Parish 251 S. Morley St - 21229

December 2008

Friday, December 12; 10 am – 1 pm Enoch Pratt Library 400 Cathedral St - 21201

(Sun Photographer Jed Kirschbaum)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Healthcare
        

Are you convinced the flu shot gives you the flu? Do you think you're not at risk? Do you believe the shot is ineffective? Consumer Reports says stop with your namby-pamby flimsy excuses. Here's why:

1. Excuse: It’s better to build your own natural immunities (67 percent).

Reality: The body’s innate immune response against the flu virus is short-lived, usually just a few months. Moreover, the virus that causes the flu often changes from year to year. So any protection your body develops during one flu season is usually gone by the next. (That also explains why, unlike most other vaccines, you need a fresh flu shot each year.)

2. Excuse: You don’t get sick (45 percent).

Reality. Just because you haven’t had the flu in the past doesn’t mean you won’t get it this year. And just one bout of the disease may have you running for the flu shot next year. Indeed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year the flu sends some 225,000 people to the hospital, and causes the death of 35,000.

3. Excuse: You or someone you know has gotten sick from the vaccine (41 percent).

Reality: The nasal-spay version of the vaccine (FluMist) is made from a weakened virus, so you can develop at least mild symptoms from it. In fact, the government doesn’t recommend the nasal spray for people under 2 or over 49, and we recommend against the nasal spray unless you have a good reason for avoiding the injection. The shot, in contrast, is made from an inactivated virus, so it’s impossible to get the disease from it. If you do develop the flu after getting the shot, you were just one of the unlucky ones who were not protected by the vaccination (see question 8 below).

4. Excuse: You are worried about the side effects (35 percent).

Reality: Side effects are uncommon and usually mild, including soreness or redness at the injection site, aches, and mild fever. A small number of people do have a more serious allergic reaction to the shot. And research suggests that roughly 1 out of every 1 million people vaccinated might develop Guillain-Barre syndrome, a neurological disorder. But the shot's protection against illness, hospitalization, and death far outweighs the risk. Still, if you've had Guillain-Barre syndrome, avoid the spray vaccine and discuss with your doctor whether to get a shot. Finally, there is no convincing evidence linking the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal with autism or other health problems. However, if you're concerned, ask for a preservative-free vaccine, such as Fluzone.

5. Excuse: You’re not part of an at-risk population (29 percent).

Reality: The flu shot is especially important for certain groups of  people—including pregnant women, those over age 50, and anyone with weakened immunity or chronic illness. But if you’ve been in a movie theater, or a crowded elevator, or a shopping mall, you’re at risk too.

6. Excuse: Medicine is now available for treating the flu (28 percent).

Reality: For the antiviral drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) to work, you have to start taking them within two days of the onset of symptoms. Even then, the drugs typically shorten the duration by only a day or so.

7. Excuse: You don’t like getting shots (27 percent).

Reality. Many people find that lying down for their shots helps them relax. And rising up slowly afterward helps prevent fainting, a problem that occurs in a small percentage of people who get the shot. Or, if necessary, talk with your doctor about getting the nasal spray.

8. Excuse: It’s ineffective (26 percent).

Reality: The shot generally prevents the flu in about 60 percent of healthy people in their 60s, though that varies depending on how well the vaccine matches the virus that actually emerges. And it has been shown to reduce hospitalizations from pneumonia or other complications by 27 to 70 percent, and deaths by up to 80 percent. Younger adults and children typically benefit even more from the shots, though for maximum protection children under the age of 9 who have not been previously vaccinated should receive two shots over the course of the season. People of any age who are frail or suffer from a chronic disease typically get somewhat less protection from the shot—though the benefits for them still vastly outweigh the risks.

9: Excuse: You don’t like going to the doctor (23 percent).

Reality: You don’t have to. Nearly a quarter of the people in our survey got the shot at work. Seven percent got the shot at a pharmacy. Health fairs run by insurance companies, colleges, or public-health clinics also often offer the vaccine. 

10. Excuse: It costs too much (11 percent).

Reality: Nearly two-thirds of the people in our survey had no out-of-pocket expenses, and 90 percent of those who did had to pay less than $30.

11. Excuse: You don’t have the time (16 percent).

Reality: It usually takes just a few minutes, especially if you get it done at work, a pharmacy, or a health fair.

12. Excuse: You would rather get sick than go to work (5 percent).

Reality: Time to look for a new job.

hehe. The last one made me chuckle. Thanks Consumer Reports. So did this convince anyone out there to get a flu shot?

(photo from ConsumerReports.org)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 1:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Consumer protection, Healthcare, Insurance
        

If the answer is yes, you are skipping the flu shot, Consumer Reports says that decision could be a big mistake, especially if you want to stay healthy this year.

According to a survey of 2,011 adults conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center in October, more than half of Americans said they were foregoing a shot this year. The survey also found that parents who skip the shot also seldom get their kids vaccinated, even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone age 6 months and over should get the shot each year.

Says CR:

People who get vaccinated cut their risk of developing the disease by roughly 20 to 90 percent, depending on their age and overall health, as well as how well the vaccine matches the flu virus that actually emerges. And even when the shot doesn’t prevent the flu it often makes the symptoms less severe, making it less likely that you’ll have to skip work or that your kids will miss school, or that you’ll have to be hospitalized.

Another reason why you should get the flu shot, CR says, is the added urgency this year that people weakened by the disease are also prone to bacterial pneumonia, including a form stemming from increasingly common antibiotic-resistant bacteria. More people than usual died of such infections last flu season, CR says.

I got my flu shot a couple weeks ago when they had a clinic at the paper. It cost me ten bucks. I'm afraid of shots, so I yelped a tiny bit when the nurse stuck me in the arm... but I figured I'd give the shot another chance. Last year, good friend and former Mutts blogger John, who now runs the delightful ohmidog.com, dragged me down there and bought me a shot (ah, if only it were Captain Morgan instead).

I promptly got the flu a few weeks later. (hehehe) It knocked me flat for a week. Of course, I was convinced the shot gave me the flu, but CR says that's a bunch of hooey. Stay tuned for the next post on why CR says the shot does NOT give you the flu and why your 12 excuses to not get a shot are too flimsy to use.

(Sun Photographer Monica Lopossay)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Healthcare
        

Eileen's excellent column today about regret-free holiday spending offers good advice for reining in shopping so you're not starting the new year with loads of debt.

The key is planning your holiday budget: if you start early, you'll have the flexibility to compare prices and explore less expensive options, rather than paying for convenience (i.e. expedited shipping) or buying items in a panic, as Mandy Walker, senior project editor with Consumer Reports, warned Eileen.

Some excellent gift ideas take time, such as infused liquors. Last year the significant other and I gave away bottles of homemade limoncello, a lovely sweet --- and strong! --- cordial. It required more than a month to steep, so we started well before we planned to give it away.

Crafty gifts don't have to take long ...

... but at the rate that I knit, I should have some scarves ready for bikini season. And depending on the project, supplies may be pricey.

So then, please share some of the best homemade holiday gifts you have given or received --- easy, quick, cheap or unique --- and how you kept costs down? We'll post our favorites on Thursday so you can tackle them over the weekend. 

(photo: Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping, Shopping
        

Everyone should keep your scam detectors on high alert these days, especially in tough economic times. Why? Because there's always someone out there trying to take advantage of you, even when you're looking for a job.

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission charged a nationwide marketing operation with violating federal law by deceiving consumers into buying materials they thought would help them land federal postal jobs.

A federal judge issued a preliminary order prohibiting U.S. Work Alliance, Inc., d/b/a Exam Services, Tyler Franklin Long, and Brenda Long, all based in Norcross, Georgia, from misrepresenting that they are affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Postal Service.

According to the FTC’s complaint, the defendants falsely advertised that postal jobs paying an average of $20 per hour or $57,000 per year are available. Consumers were told to call a toll-free number in response to the defendants’ ads, answer some questions to “qualify for a position,” and then informed that jobs are open in their geographic area.

Consumers were also told that, for a fee ranging from $120 to $140, they will receive a book recounting the history of the postal service, exam instructions, and some “practice exams" that will help them pass the postal exam. They're also told that if they pass they’ll be hired by the USPS. The materials they receive include nothing about exam dates or job openings.

According to the complaint, typical ads say:

U.S. Postal Service now Hiring. Avg. Pay $20hr or $57K annually
including Federal Benefits & OT. Paid Training, Vacations.
PT/FT 1-800-538-1859. USWA.

Just remember that you never have to pay for information about job vacancies or employment opportunities with the U.S. government or U.S. Postal Service. Postal Service hiring takes place at the local level through 85 district offices. If someone tells you that postal jobs are available, check with the USPS to determine if hiring is taking place and if an exam is required for eligibility. The tests usually are offered every few years in any particular district because of the high volume of applicants.

Federal agencies and the USPS never charge application fees or guarantee that an applicant will be hired. The FTC says that if positions require a competitive examination - and many do not - hiring agencies typically offer free sample questions to consumers who sign up for the exam.

Be safe out there.

(AP Photo)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Consumer protection, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Anyone looking to get their TV and movie needs through other methods outside of pay TV must be ever so hopeful that more and more choice is coming. Today, Google-owned YouTube and Metro Goldwyn Mayer announced a new partnership that allows the video-sharing website to host some full-length television shows and films from the famous Hollywood studio.

YouTube's new partnership, of course, is an effort to do battle against increasingly popular Hulu.com, which has already created an extensive list of movies and shows available to viewers.

According to this AFP story:

Another channel, youtube.com/impact, will feature clips from action movies such as "Rocky" and "The Magificent Seven" and full-length films such as "Lone Wolf McQuade" and "Bulletproof Monk." YouTube and MGM said in a joint statement that the videos will be free but will contain advertising. They said new channels would be launched "in the near future."

Doesn't sound like much of a selection yet... which is why PCWorld dubbed this YouTube-MGM marriage "unimpressive," but we're all hoping that the selection will increase exponentially and more studios will sign on.

The most interesting thing that PCWorld wondered about, though, is the quality of the video you'll be seeing on YouTube. With the high-quality video you can find on hulu and Fancast these days, it would be tragic if YouTube didn't offer something similar or better.

It really does make you wonder how this is going to affect the habits of TV and movie watchers. We've told you about Netflix's partnership with Mac and Netflix's recent coupling with TiVO, does any of this make you want to take the plunge and cut off your ties with pay TV? If you're going to do it, what kind of combinations would work for you? Or do you think these options aren't comparable yet to what you get through cable or satellite?

Shoot us a comment. We want to hear what you think.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 4:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cable/Satellite/TV/Comcast/FiOS, Digital television, Technology
        

Last week, retail scribe Andrea Walker told you that Tweeter might be going out of business and that Circuit City is closing several locations as it struggles with the poor economy.

So we knew it would only be a matter of time before we'd hear about either electronics store filing for bankruptcy. Little did we know Circuit City would do it this quickly and beat Tweeter to the courthouse.

Here's what Bloomberg said about Circuit City:

The chain sought Chapter 11 protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Richmond, Virginia, today after suppliers concerned about declining sales at almost 1,500 U.S. and Canadian stores cut off credit and demanded up-front cash for shipments. The company owes $119 million to Hewlett-Packard Co., the world's largest maker of personal computers, and $116 million to Samsung Electronics Co., the top maker of flat-panel displays, according to a filing.

This might seem sudden to some, but observers of tech retailers have been seeing this one coming for quite some time now. Also, if you've ever shopped at Circuit City, you're probably familiar with its fairly non-existent customer service. It's a shame because I remember when it used to be THE place to shop for electronics back in the day.

Now, if you're thinking of rushing on over to Circuit City to snap up some deals on electronics, go right ahead but be sure to remember that you won't be able to return merchandise if you find something wrong with it. Also, if you buy extended warranties, make sure you ask who will be responsible for the warranty once Circuit City disappears and where you should take your product for repair... In other words, is there a business named to cover your warranty?

Please don't forget to check prices to make sure you're truly getting a bargain on that "sale" or "discounted" item. There are plenty of instances where a liquidation sale doesn't necessarily offer you the best price out there.

Finally, if you have a gift card or store credit at Circuit City, get over there quick and spend it before you're left holding perfectly useless plastic.

(Sun Photographer Lloyd Fox)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Consumer protection, Economy, Shopping, Technology
        

We here at Consuming Interests are big fans of generic products, especially when it comes to groceries or beauty products that are virtually identical to name brands.

But Trent over at The Simple Dollar posed an interesting question recently after observing the behavior of his 2-year-old son, a consumer in his own right.

Said son was introduced to Fruity Cheerios at his grandmother's house and seems to prefer them, asking specifically for the "red box" when it's time for breakfast over similarly shaped and colored generic alternatives.

Usually, the family matches manufacturer's coupons to store sales and are able to buy boxes for far less than their original price. But, sometimes they can't.

So, as an experiment ...

Trent put some generic colorful Os in an emptied Fruity Cheerios box, and found they were consumed with as much gusto as the original contents.

Commenters criticized this subterfuge, preferring another approach that Trent is already doing: modeling his own preference for the generic by eating it in front of his son. Because, the readers there said, if you're willing to lie about cereal, how is your son going to trust you when it comes to anything else?

This is also a question some parents ask themselves when it comes time to talk to their offspring about the guy in the red suit. 

Others suggested another tactic: excising some of the power of the marketing by storing cereal in unmarked containers, so son can chose breakfast without the influence of cartoon characters or other incidental factors.

(photo: Liz Malby/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Shopping
        

A jolly good morning to everyone out there!

We know the Obamas are set to visit the White House today. Think they'll talk about taxes at all? Eileen gave us a primer yesterday on what we can expect for our taxes and investments under an Obama administration.

How many people plan on selling investments to avoid higher taxes later? Do you think he'll be forced to raise taxes during the recession?

I'm still wondering what Acer was thinking when it figured putting a customer through eight repairs on a high-end laptop was OK? And then replacing the bad laptop with a just-as-bad refurb... only to completely blow Aaron Shepard off when all he asked for was a refund of the money he spent shipping his laptop back multiple times for repair.

When is that ever good business practice? I'm not sure what Shepard is going to do, but I think he should take Eric Friedman's (the Montgomery County Consumer Protection Office Director) advice and sue the company in small claim's court.

I'm rarely ever a fan of lawsuits, but in this egregious case, it might be warranted. What do you guys think? Would you chalk this up to a loss or would you head to court? 

I'm thinking I would have lost my temper so fast I would have chucked my laptop out the window. That wouldn't have solved my problem, of course, but I would have felt an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction for about two seconds. 

I'm also still undecided about whether a barrier is needed behind the ESPN Zone. It seems that common sense should make you be that much more careful driving near water, but that accident recently where the SUV driver went right into the drink is still bizarre to me. Why in the world was he driving that fast? Did he not see the water was there? If you happen to be the driver of that SUV, we're glad you're OK but would you mind letting us know what happened? 

We're curious. I think the witness Ryan Orzech makes a good point about delivery trucks that misjudge the side and roll a wheel over the side. That would scare the bejeezus out of me. I guess we'll just wait and see what the Department of Transporation decides after it monitors that site for awhile. 

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Computers, Economy, Investments, Taxes, Watchdog
        

HMIF! Holy Moly It's Friday! Whew. Finally. Happy Friday people!

Now that the elections are over, the whole country is waiting to see what happens next. I keep telling Eileen to use her Magic 8 Ball to guide us, but she says it keeps saying, "Ask Again Later."

So for her Sunday personal finance column, Eileen's just going to rely on experts to tell you what investors can expect under a Barack Obama presidency.

Remember that dude who drove his SUV into the Inner Harbor last week?

Thank goodness the man wasn't hurt. But in Watchdog this Sunday, Liz is going to look into whether the roadway behind the ESPN Zone needs a barrier, big flashing lights that scream, "Don't Drive Through Here" or a bed of marshmallows to keep people from taking a dip into the water.

As for me, I'm wondering if computer lemon laws are necessary? I'll tell you about a guy in my Consuming Interests column on Sunday that bought a $2,250 laptop that he had to send back for repair eight times.

For that kind of money, I'd expect someone to show up on my door with a tool box and flowers. But I have high expectations like that. Find out how Acer reacted to this guy's complaint.

See ya Sunday.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Computers, Investments, Watchdog
        

If you pay your Comcast bill via phone, you might have noticed something new this month.

Comcast has started charging a $2 “convenience fee” for those using the company’s automated voice system.

When asked about the fee, Comcast spokeswoman Aimee Metrick noted that consumers still have other ways to pay their bills for little or no money. Those include online payments, automatic transfer of funds and traditional mail.

She also added Comcast recently started offering an “Ecobill,” a paperless online billing program that allows customers to view and pay their bills online at no charge.

Metrick didn’t say why Comcast added the $2 fee. But it got us wondering here: How many other companies are starting to add fees for previously free services during this recession?

We need your help. Have you noticed any other new fees that nickel and dime consumers? If so, let us know.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 1:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cable/Satellite/TV/Comcast/FiOS
        

Now that Halloween is fully behind us, Consuming Interests rolls out a new occasional feature: holiday horrors.

Here, we'll chronicle the worst attempts of retailers to encourage us to buy buy buy, especially when they imply that shopping --- buying new, buying more, obligations to buy --- is an integral part of the way Americans celebrate.

Case in point: Best Buy's "Black Friday" essay contest, discovered via Consumerist. All you have to do to become a "Black Friday VIP" is explain in 250 words or less what you do to make Black Friday a fun and special day.

Somehow, I'm guessing they're be biased in favor of family traditions that involve waiting outside big-box retailers all night to wrestle the best deals out of the hands and carts of other customers. Certainly gets the heart pumping after eating all that turkey the day before, right?

But the winners -- in 25 cities, including D.C. and Philadelphia -- will receive ...

... a $1,000 Best Buy gift card, the chance to buy up to four "doorbuster" specials, a limo ride to and from Best Buy with your purchases, special treatment for yourself and three guests as well as early entrance to the store at 4:30 a.m., a full half hour before it opens to the hoi polloi. Winners will also receive a camcorder to record the experience for posterity.

I'm curious about frugal holiday rituals --- things you do every year that do *not* revolve around a trip to the mall? Do you read the same book or watch the same movie or play the same board game with your family? Make ornaments or cookies or volunteer for a charity?

And if you encounter anything on your travels that falls into the "Holiday Horrors" category ... we'll give the idea a good home. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Holiday shopping
        

How many of you are still trying to pay off what you spent last holiday season? Consumer Reports says 12 million Americans are still carrying debt from last year, which is causing 76 percent of consumers to say they're cutting back spending this year on gifts, travel, entertaining, decorations, charitable giving, holiday cards, and tipping, according to a new Holiday Shopping Poll.

Among the poll results? About 59 percent said they will be giving fewer gifts, and nearly half (49 percent) will be cutting their travel plans.

Most consumers (84 percent) said they were willing to sacrifice buying gifts for themselves this year. But Fido will still make it out OK. Only 23 percent of respondents plan to cut back on gifts for their pets this season — far fewer than those willing to cut back on buying for friends and families (40 percent), service providers (30 percent) or co-workers (29 percent).

hehehe... You can blame the dog if you don't get a gift this year!

The one piece of good news from all this is that consumers remain optimistic that this holiday will still be as good as in year's past. Eighty-eight percent expect their holidays to be at least as happy as last year and 28 percent expect to be even happier than last year.

Ah, optimism. I'm going to try not to remember that Oscar Wilde said, "The basis of optimism is sheer terror."

So how's about it? Are you guys planning on cutting back on holiday spending this year? Have you already started mentally debating which family, friend or co-worker gets cut from your list? Do you have any plans on how to save on gifts this year. Or are you just going to spend like there's no tomorrow because hey, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa only happen once a year?!

(AP Photo)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Budgeting, Debt, Economy, Holiday shopping, Shopping
        

We all know electricity prices are already putting a big dent in our pockets. We know that natural gas prices will rise by 10 to 30 percent this winter. Factor in a bad economy and that could cause many people to decide between heating their home or buying food, medicine or what have you.

Well, if you think you might get squeezed this winter, avail yourself of some assistance that might be available to you out there.

Today, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., BGE is holding an Energy Assistance Expo at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Edgewater to assist qualifying customers to apply for grants through the Office of Home Energy Programs. Click the jump for details.

Customers applying for energy assistance at the expo should bring the following items with them for fast and efficient processing:

    * Photo identification (driver’s license, age of majority card, etc.)
    * Proof of income for the last 30 days for all household members
    * Proof of residence (rent book, lease, mortgage, etc.)
    * Social Security cards for all household members
    * For heating assistance, bring your BGE and/or oil bill

Eligible applicants must have an existing BGE account or be in the process of applying for a new account. New income eligibility guidelines for the current enrollment period are as follows:

Household Size             Maximum Monthly Gross Income

           1                                     $1,516.65

           2                                     $2,041.65

           3                                     $2,566.65

           4                                     $3,091.65

           5                                     $3,616.65

           6                                     $4,141.65

For each additional person in the household, add $525.00. If you think you're eligible and you think you could use some help this winter, go check it out. Or go to the Maryland Office of Home Energy Programs online at http://www.dhr.state.md.us/meap/.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 6:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Budgeting, Energy/Utilities