For this Consumer Web Site of the Week, we want to know: how are you going to stick to your financial New Year's Resolutions this year?

Sometimes it's good to tell other people about your goals, so that they can help keep you honest by asking about them --- or helping you avoid temptation.

For example, if you want to spend less money eating out, your friends might help you by suggesting other activities than meeting for dinner.

Or you might consider a wider audience: some people start personal finance blogs to post their progress toward reducing debt, saving for something important or just changing their personal habits.

If you're too shy to tell your compatriots how much you owe, you could blog or participate in an online community anonymously or with a handle and get some support from strangers. One option is NetWorthIQ, where you can see where you stand and publicly --- but anonymously --- post your net worth.

You could also ...

... use a site like SmartyPig.com, which is backed by an FDIC-insured bank, to publicly post a goal and make regular payments to it. Friends and family could even contribute to your goals by depositing cash.

Keep in mind, however, that smartypig does charge fees for some transactions.

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Banks, Budgeting, Consumer Web Site of the Week
        

If you're planning on celebrating in Baltimore on New Year's Eve, be sure to save this number in your phone first:  1-877-963-TAXI.

Once again, AAA Mid-Atlantic, the State Highway Administration's Safety Office and Yellow Cab have partnered to a free Tipsy?Taxi! service from 10 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31 until 4 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 1.

Call the toll-free number above for a free ride home from locations within Baltimore City ... up to $50. Passengers (ages 21 and over, please) must cover any additional cost.

And drivers can only take you to a residence --- no pretending you live at another bar!

Remember! Tipsy?Taxi! ... it's the only number you want to drunk dial.

Celebrating in Washington or the DC suburbs this year? Try calling SoberRide, at 800-200-TAXI instead.

The program is funded by a federal grant and (UPDATED) contributions from AAA and Yellow Cab. Last year, Baltimoreans took more than 110 free rides on New Year's Eve, according to AAA. This year, 339 people used the service on St. Patrick's Day, Independence Day weekend and Labor Day, said Lora Rokawski, a spokeswoman for the State Highway Administration.

The service will be available on those holidays next year as well. 

(photo: Elizabeth Malby/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Consumer safety
        

If you're working in an industry deeply affected by the economic downturn, or perhaps one that (cough) has been on the rocks for a while, you'd be interested in this WSJ story about recession-proof jobs.

Not unexpectedly, the article states that you can rely on professions that serve basic needs. For example, medical care and education are two industries that offer services people will always require.

However, one suggestion was a surprise for me: insurance. Apparently, people always need insurance of all kinds, and claims adjusters, underwriters and actuaries are always being hired.

According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics's Occupational Outlook Handbook, the top three professions that are projected to make the most hires ...

... are registered nurses, retail clerks and customer service representatives.

Then again, this report, from last year, doesn't reflect the retail bankruptcies that are predicted after our lousy holiday shopping season.

If you are applying for jobs this year, let the resumes and cover letters at nothired.com be your guide for what *not* to do when seeking employment. Warning: some material may be Not Safe For Work (NSFW).

(photo: Doug Kapustin/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Economy
        

We've told you before that text messages cost cellular service providers almost nothing to transmit, even though the four major providers upped the price for users from 20 cents to 40 cents each. 

Last week, the New York Times (via Gizmodo) confirmed that text messages cost even less --- in fact, pretty much nothing at all.

According to the story, text messages are sent as part of short signal bursts that have to be sent anyway: 

A text message initially travels wirelessly from a handset to the closest base-station tower and is then transferred through wired links to the digital pipes of the telephone network, and then, near its destination, converted back into a wireless signal to traverse the final leg, from tower to handset. In the wired portion of its journey, a file of such infinitesimal size is inconsequential ...

Perhaps the costs for the wireless portion at either end are high — spectrum is finite, after all, and carriers pay dearly for the rights to use it. But text messages are not just tiny; they are also free riders, tucked into what’s called a control channel, space reserved for operation of the wireless network.

That’s why a message is so limited in length: it must not exceed the length of the message used for internal communication between tower and handset to set up a call. The channel uses space whether or not a text message is inserted.

Basically, cell companies make plenty of money selling you text messages, and even more money when you commit to an unlimited plan with a $15 or $20 monthly fee.

Now, don't get me wrong --- the companies can charge whatever they want for a service to cover their own costs and earn profits, and consumers can decide for themselves whether to spend the money on it. But when all four of the major carriers charge the same inflated price for something that costs virtually nothing, you've got to wonder why, as Sen. Herb Kohl, a Wisconsin Democrat, asked in September.

So what are the alternatives for non-aural wireless communication? Folks with smartphones could rely on e-mail. Gchat (through Gmail or Google Talk) lets users send free text messages to U.S. numbers --- if you're sitting at a computer.

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Cellular/Landline/Voice over Internet, Cheap/Frugal
        

We've heard that nonprofits, including performing arts organizations such as the Baltimore Opera Company, have filed for bankruptcy during these tough economic times.

Now, even churches are filing for Chapter Eleven, according to the Wall Street Journal. And although once considered a safe investment, banks and lenders have been foreclosing on church buildings, the story states.

Construction of religious buildings boomed in the last decade or so, and churches borrowed a lot to fund the growth:

"Churches were long considered good credit risks, lenders say. Weekly collections tend to be steady, even during recessions, and churches feel a moral tug to pay debts. Most of the nation's 335,000 churches carry little or no mortgage debt, and are based in buildings that were paid off long ago.

But some churches, especially those not affiliated with major denominations, borrowed briskly to build or expand in recent years. Spending on construction of houses of worship rose to $6.2 billion in 2007 from $3.8 billion in 1997, according to the U.S. Census. Now, churches are seeing congregants lose jobs and savings."

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Economy
        

If you've taken some time to review your financial picture this week and found not-too-pleasant results, you might want to take a look at Eileen's Sunday column, full of reassuring words about the economy from investment professionals across the country.

The comfort sometimes takes the form of a history lesson, or quotations from wise people --- and smart investors --- but also, there's some tough talk about expectations and realities as we go forward. 

And Sunday's Watchdog, about a traffic signal in East Baltimore that's been holding up drivers near the Baltimore County line, reveals an unfortunate reality about this feature in our paper: 

sometimes issues turn out differently than they would seem at the outset.

We strive to select both a variety of types of problems as well as different locations for Watchdog. However, sometimes addresses that at first are reported in one community --- in this case, on the Baltimore County side of the city-county line --- turn out to be within Baltimore city anyway.

Last week's feature about Aisquith Street, closed between E. Baltimore and Fayette streets, is another example. That situation didn't get completely sorted out until the city Department of Public Works followed up on a permit that was issued for work on that roadway --- and determined it could reopen.

But that's why Watchdog exists: to help readers in the five counties around Baltimore, and Baltimore itself, sort out problems and get to the bottom of these sorts of situations.

Woof. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Investments, Watchdog
        

If you had asked Santa to make the rumors of a $99 iPhone come true, I'm sorry to disappoint you.

Beginning Sunday, more than 2,500 Walmart stores will begin selling iPhones, as anticipated, but at nearly the same price point as AT&T --- $197 for an 8-gigabyte phone, and $297 for a 16-gigabyte phone. Okay, you'll get a 1 percent discount on the Jesus phone, as other bloggers have pointed out.

Either purchases, both equipped with 3G, will still require a two-year contract with AT&T. Prices for individual iPhone 3g service plans start at $70 a month.

Will stocking the iPhone at Walmart get the phone into even more American hands? 

I'm not sure that selling the phone at Apple stores and AT&T stores has been the limiting factor. More than a fifth of the country's smartphone owners carry iPhones, and two-fifths carry BlackBerry phones, according to a ChangeWave survey.

(photo: Christopher T. Assaf/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cellular/Landline/Voice over Internet, Cheap/Frugal, Technology
        

Financial aid guru Mark Kantrowitz spotted this IRS special rule that applies to next year only.

The IRS will allow families in 529 college savings plans to change their investments twice a year, instead of just once. Also, you could change your investments under certain cases, say, you were changing the beneficiary or moving from one plan to another.

“This special rule will allow families to adjust their asset allocations in response to turmoil in the stock market,” Kantrowitz writes in an e-mail. “However, selling the investments now will lock in losses and may cause families to miss a possible recovery.” You could, for instance, sell when the market suddenly plunges and miss out when it recovers a day or two later.

Also adds Kantrowitz: “A family can take a deduction for a loss on a 529 college savings plan or other qualified tuition plan (e.g., Coverdell Education Savings Account), but only if they liquidate the account in full and only as a miscellaneous itemized deduction on Schedule A of IRS Form 1040 (i.e., subject to the 2% of AGI threshold). You cannot treat it as a capital loss.”

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 11:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: College/Financial aid
        

Don't forget your receipts if you hit the stores for after-Christmas shopping in the next few days.

With retailers cutting prices repeatedly in a desperate effort to move inventory, you might be eligible for a price adjustment --- a refund of the difference if you purchased an item that's now selling for less.

According to the Associated Press:

Allen Chen, a part-time cashier at a J. Crew store in White Plains, N.Y., said shoppers with two-month-old receipts are asking for partial refunds for items now on sale. Normally, the store's policy is to refund the difference between an item's purchase price and a later sale price only if it goes on sale within seven days of the purchase.

"When I tell them it is past the seven-day policy, they tell me that they will just return it and re-buy it" at the sale price, he said, adding that his store managers are now allowing customers to do so most of the time.

More customers are also bargaining with sales people trying to make room for new products, according to the story.

Need help with a holiday return? More retailers have extended their gift return policies ...

... giving gift recipients more time to bring items back, according to Consumer Reports' Tightwad Tod.

But remember that you'll have more luck if you have a receipt and if the product is in the original packaging.

Also, CR note that retailers are tracking your returns --- the amount, whether you had a receipt, how many stores you return items to, in an effort to protect against theft. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping
        

What are your plans for the day after Christmas?

Dec. 26 may be a Friday but it may not get retailers into the Black, despite desperately slashed prices.

Still, some people will definitely be out with an infusion of Christmas cash and gift cards. 

I'm curious --- did anyone put off big purchases or even postpone gift exchanges in the hopes of taking advantage of post-Christmas discounts? It's a good strategy any year, but if you had the time and/or flexible gift recipients, it seemed especially wise.

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Gift cards, Holiday shopping, Shopping
        

(photo: Jed Kirschbaum/Baltimore Sun)

At this point of the season, you have probably opened presents, eaten lots of food and perhaps grown tired of spending time with family and friends you don't see often enough.

That means it's time for three gifts from all of us here at Consuming Interests. Yeah, it's a little early for the Epiphany (and I'm not claiming we're wise men), but just read on.

First, we offer you the Gift of Safety, courtesy of NPR: don't burn your wrapping paper in a fireplace! Brightly colored paper gets that way thanks to pigments loaded with metals that are not too much fun when burned. But more importantly, it could start a house fire! Instead, just recycle it (if that's an option where you are) or avoid it in the future in favor of other cheap, green gift wrap options.

Next, here's the gift of laughter:

’Twas the Night Before Christmas (The Year of the Grinch)

’Twas the night before Christmas, my shopping was done
I’d gotten great bargains, gee, aren’t low prices fun!
But less costly gifts are but small consolation
For my four-o-one K’s brutal devastation.

This year of o-eight ranks surely one of the worst!
It all started when the housing bubble did burst.
How could such a mess happen? And, who should we blame?
The fault lies with culprits far too many to name.

But my rhyme needs a villain, and for me that’s a cinch.
It’s none else but that vandal — the nasty old Grinch,
Who’d slinked into town for some real mischief making
And our long expansion he planned to be breaking.

From that first day on, he was brewing up trouble,
Aiming his sights first on the housing price bubble.
So the Grinch posed first as a home mortgage lender
His too easy loan terms sent some on a bender.

Prudence and judgment the Grinch deemed simply passé
Neither income nor job would stand in his loans’ way.
For a Grinch-loan nothing had to be verified.
‘Cause in MBS bundles these risks would he hide.

When agencies scored these loan pools triple-A sound
Investors chased his high yields like fox-hunting hounds.
All this was part of the Grinch’s mean little scheme,
Popping the bubble, he wrecked the home owner’s dream.

With his handiwork done, the Grinch felt elated
He knew what came next as these assets deflated.
The fortunes amassed in the boom years just vanished,
And Wall Street’s wizards from their boardrooms were banished.

Then the Grinch plot did from Wall Street so quickly spread
As surging gasoline prices deepened the dread.
And though the oil price upsurge had no lasting cause,
It surely led soon to a severe spending pause.

When Lehman House failed and the markets did seize
Nothing the Fed did could halt the deep credit freeze.
Though the Treasury and Fed tried ev’ry trick,
Nothing could stop the markets from growing more sick.

There’s not any doubt we’re the grip of recession
That doomsayers warn we’ll lead soon to depression.
With bus’nesses shutting ’and big banks a-failing,
The Grinch felt pure joy and his spirits were sailing.

But that nasty old Grinch shall not our Christmas steal,
We’ll drive him from town or we’ll cut him a deal.
We’ll line up for some help from Tim, Ben and Hank.
We’ll use the might of the Federal Reserve Bank.

Since not all the problems are to Wall Street confined
Some fiscal injections too must now be designed.
The president in waiting has named his new team
And shown us the outlines of a grand fiscal scheme.

A middle class tax cut plays a very key part
In hopes it will give spending a hefty jump-start
On new infrastructure too much more must we spend
“This plan will bring” so he says, “this slump to an end.”

New regs for markets will stop all Grinch-like deceivin’
“This,” says Obama, “will be change you can believe-in.”
In the end we know too the Grinch will change his way,
So a brighter future will start this Christmas Day.
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year!

And finally, the gift of entertainment, perhaps one that will reinforce good workplace skills and multitasking abilities, courtesy of an old friend of mine, Thembi: 

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Odds & Ends
        

Cheap Trick Thursday arrives early this holiday week, to remind you you shouldn't spend an arm and a leg wrapping your presents. Frankly, buying paper for the sole purpose of tearing it off isn't fiscally OR environmentally sound.

But there's definitely important about the custom of gift-giving that requires a disguise of some sort --- the more attractive and unusual the better. You can't skip the reveal!

Instead of buying gift wrap ...

... try these recycled wrapping paper and gift wrap ideas from Baltimore By Hand.

Make gift boxes out of cereal boxes, decorate plain paper with pompoms from excess yarn or cut letters out of pretty paper --- perhaps even magazines? Thursday Bram at Wise Bread shares five ideas for last-minute gift wrap, including your children's drawings, the comics or aluminum foil. 

I'll see her suggestions and raise her with a simpler fabric bag: pillowcases. Either get them on sale at thrift stores or clearance racks, or use the ones you have (especially if you're giving within your own household). This is a perfect idea for gifts that are unusual shapes, such as sporting goods or kitchen items.

You could also try furoshiki, or Japanese fabric folding. as suggested by the Make Blog. 

And save your Christmas cards for gift tags! Just cut out Christmas shapes, punch a hole, and pat yourself on your frugal back. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Greenies, Holiday shopping, Shopping
        

See this jumbo snow globe on the left?

Sure it looks festive and harmless. Just look at the cute little flecks of fake snow flying about the snowman's glass belly.

But when exposed to sunlight, the snow globe's torso apparently becomes a powerful magnifying glass that can ignite nearby combustible materials. So says a recent warning from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which issued a recall of the 7,000 units sold at Hallmark Gold Crown stores in October and November this year.

Apparently, Hallmark received two reports from consumers who claimed the jumbo snow globes ignited nearby materials. The firm then worked with the CPSC to announce a voluntary recall of the item.

The globe, which is made in China, can be returned to any Hallmark store for a full refund of the $100 it cost, the CPSC said.

On a side note, why does a snow globe cost $100? And who are these 7,000 people who actually shelled out 100 bucks for a snow globe?

Posted by Gus Sentementes at 1:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer protection, Consumer safety, Recalls
        

This year the day after Christmas in 2008 mirrors Black Friday in two ways:

a. Dec. 26 falls on a Friday

b. some stores are offering "doorbuster" specials.

JC Penney will open at 5:30 a.m., for example. Sign up for a JC Penney wake-up call, if you're that kind of shopper, and take advantage of more than 100 specials.

Walmart will be open at 6 a.m. and Target opens from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Mondawmin and Towson (call to confirm the hours of your closest Target location).

Crate and Barrel also sent out a circular advertising Dec. 26 sales, according to SlickDeals.

And just like Black Friday, online retailers are trying to clear out their warehouses, particularly seasonal merchandise. Check out ...

... I found these Macys.com coupon codes to save 15 percent off from Dec. 25 through Dec. 30. The same site had BestBuy.com coupon codes as well.

And Neiman Marcus, is already slashing holiday items by 50 percent online ... but I'm still not in the market for a knit penguin and chocolate, even at the closeout price of $70. 

Tony360 recommended www.cybermondaydiscountcodes.com, a list of discounts for coupon codes. Just be sure to check the expiration dates for these deals --- some of them were intended for pre-Christmas sales.

Will these sales and discounts eclipse markdowns and closeouts? We'll have to wait and see. But with the economy putting a damper on what's usually the most wonderful time of the year for retailers, the sales are likely to be fabulous.

UPDATE: Don't see your favorite store listed? Try Googling the name of the store and "coupon" or "discount" to see if it can be located elsewhere --- and come back and share the tip here!

(photo: Amy Davis/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Budgeting, Consumer Web Site of the Week, Holiday shopping, Shopping
        

With reports of dismal sales figures all through the holiday shopping season, you've got to wonder what store shelves will look like on Dec. 26.

BusinessWeek has reported a glut of consumer electronics --- so much inventory that companies such as SanDisk are cutting production. With that news, Consumerist is predicting amazing after-Christmas discounts as retailers try to move product.

You may be able to take advantage of some of the discounts even if you've already gotten something for everyone on your list. Just don't forget to hang on to your receipts and ...

... let the price adjustment policies we reminded you about on Black Friday work their magic. Many major retailers will refund you the difference if a product goes on sale within a short time period (14 days?) after you buy it.

Of course, you'll be standing in line with all the folks returning their holiday haul ... but depending on how much you'll save, it could be worth it.

You could also take advantage of available deals for gifts and other obligations that are on the horizon for 2009.

UPDATE: Don't miss the next post, with links to after-Christmas deals, discounts and coupon codes.

(photo: Amy Davis/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping
        

Last week, regulators approved a far-reaching reform of the credit card industry.

The drawback: the changes don’t take effect until July 2010.

Some cards, though, already comply with certain reforms. And you can find them at BillShrink.com, a free online service that makes card recommendations based on how you use plastic.

BillShrink says it monitors more than 200 of the most popular cards.

There are 15 Citi cards, for instance, that will give you 45 days notice of a change in terms - one of the new reforms. Usually, card issuers give you 15 days notice, not much time to look for a new card or change the way you use the plastic.

Also, according to BillShrink, 14 Capital One cards comply with a new requirement that card issuers will have to send out statements at least 21 days before the due date to give you time to make a payment.

And none so far meet the requirement that interest rates can't be raised arbitrarily, BillShrink says.

Come 2010, an interest rate will only be raised if it was set to expire after a specific period; the rate was variable; or if your payment was more than 30 days late. There's one other way: after the first year, the rate on the card can go up for new purchases only  but only after you’re given 45 days notice of the rate hike.

If you are shopping for cards, a couple of other good free sites for information include Credit.com and CardRatings.com.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 1:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer Web Site of the Week
        

For months, we've been sharing stories of bad businesses with you every Tuesday.

And certainly this year has offered more than its share of examples of businesses who have done wrong by consumers --- starting with the housing crisis, moving onto banking crisis, and did we mention the insurance companies that required a bailout? Last week's auto bailout got in just under the wire.

Then there are the myriad bad medical professionals or airlines who decided to fool with their luggage scales. the auto warranty calls and the shrinking grocery packages still sold at the same price as the larger sizes. And let's not forget the data breaches --- where companies let your personal information get out of their hands.

So, in your opinion, which business do you feel has been the worst this year? And who do you feel has been the best --- and the worst --- consumer advocate in the past 12 months?

Refresh your memories of past Naughty Businesses of the Week, and please share your ideas below. We'll share our picks and hand out virtual wreaths to the best --- and dole out lumps of coal where coal is due.

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

These days consumers have a lot more options than just paper and plastic when it comes to paying for online purchases.

We told you in yesterday's Sun that services such as eBillme, Bill Me Later, Billeo and PayPal let customers make online payments without using a credit card. Bill Me Later asks for your name and birthday and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Billeo saves your bank account information in a toolbar.

Just FYI: Consumer Reports points out ...

... that Bill Me Later offers a discount that requires a credit inquiry that could affect your credit score, which is calculated not only based on the outstanding debts you have but also the number of times you seek credit.

Also, the offer of "no payment for 90 days" requires an initial minimum payment and then full repayment within three months, or the balance is subject to interest rates. 

But credit cards offer some protections for your purchases, especially if the goods aren't delivered as promised, or other problems. What do these services offer? 

PayPal and Bill Me Later offer protections similar to credit cards for billing errors, according to Consumer Reports.

eBillme's Web site also states the service offers buyer protection, as well.

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budgeting, Credit cards, Holiday shopping, Shopping
        

Well, I hope Eileen's column reassured you about what benefits bankrupt or belly-up businesses must pay --- traditional pensions are protected, as are 401(k) plans.

However, there is plenty that isn't guaranteed, like health insurance, and life insurance. So it's worth it to factor that potential uncertainty into your financial plan --- and your emergency fund.

This week's Watchdog sought out the reason why northbound Aisquith Street between Baltimore and Fayette streets has been closed for months. 

It turns out ... 

... that the inspectors for Baltimore's Department of Housing and Community Development requested the road be closed because falling bricks from the building next door were endangering pedestrians and motorists.

For more information about why a road might be closed, check out the traffic advisories posted on the Baltimore Department of Transportation Web site. 

(photo: Glenn Fawcett/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budgeting, Healthcare, Retirement, Watchdog
        

It's the last weekend before the holiday, and hopefully you aren't feeling the pressures of purchasing looming over your head.

I've got a bunch of deadlines to keep track of. However, to buy the procrastinator in me some extra time, I've also negotiated with some people that we're not going to exchange gifts before the holiday. Way to extend the cheer through the Christmas season.

If you are worried, however, Tightwad Tod over at Consumer Reports has last-minute holiday shopping tips for you to ease the stress:

2. "Stick to your budget." Don't spend more than you intended just because the clock is ticking.

3. "Give the gift of time." If you really want to show people you care, the time you share with them is truly more valuable. Or perhaps you can find ways to enrich or ease their life by offering babysitting, computer assistance, lessons or more.

4. "Consider a creative gift." The weekend is a perfect time to try making some of the cheap, last-minute, easy homemade gifts we've suggested, particularly for food. If you're infusing alcohol or vinegar or something that needs a little time to let the flavors blend, just add a gift tag with sample recipes and a suggested date of decanting.

5. "Don't pile up debt." Seriously --- it's not worth it.

6. "Know when to stop." If you've got gifts for everyone on your list, then don't obsess and continue to shop in the hopes of getting something "perfect."

7. "Give an e-gift card." Many retailers like iTunes and Amazon allow you to send gift cards via e-mail, usually just for online purchases. This is a fantastic option for procrastinators such as myself, although you have to keep in mind all the gift card caveats. Also consider Restaurant.com's Feed it Forward campaign, which allows you to send up to 3 FREE gift Restaurant.com certificates worth $10 every day.

Another great option for friends who are farther away from home? Magazine subscriptions. Hope I haven't spoiled any surprises ...

8. "Send it overnight." Yes, you're paying a lot for that extra time, but Tod says that even the U.S. Postal Service, the lowest priced next-day shipping service, performed well in Consumer Reports tests. And it does buy you some extra time!

9. "Consider regifting." As we've told you before, shopping in your own closet is always going to be cheaper than buying something brand new. However, weigh the gift and recipient carefully. 

(photo: stock.xchng)

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping
        

So, hypothetically speaking, you work for a business that has recently declared bankruptcy or otherwise goes kaput.

Unfortunately, given the downward trajectory of our markets lately, this is a reality that affects more and more people every day.

Read Eileen's column Sunday to learn the fate of your 401 (k), pension and other accounts that are tied up with the company's messy finances.

And over in Watchdog ...

... we take a look at a road closure so frustrating that some drivers are willing to drive the wrong way on a one-way street to get where they need to go.

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budgeting, Economy, Personal finance, Retirement, Watchdog
        

Finally! Consumers will see a little relief from onerous credit card practices ...

Credit card companies will no longer be able to charge you higher interest rates for existing balances, to hike rates during the first year after opening a credit account and to charge interest twice on purchases already repaid, a practice known as double-cycle billing. They would also require banks give customers a minimum of 21 days to pay their bills.

"These new regulations are great news for most consumers," wrote Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com and author of The Credit Card Guidebook, in an e-mail. "Consumers have complained for years about many of these practices that are being eliminated with today's reforms.

But, he adds that it's a shame that the new rules won't go into effect until 2010. So watch your bills carefully before that time --- and after as well. 

... as the Consumers Union points out:

"With Congress returning in January, we know who we need to look to. Bills in both the House and Senate would address the problem of unfair rate increases and do more. Also, congress could move up the effective date of these new protections sooner than 2010.

Legislation needs to address:

o The size and duration of penalty interest rates
o Fees for paying over the phone or on the Internet
o Abrupt reductions in credit limits
o Prescreened offers describing interest rates for which the consumer is not likely to qualify
o Over limit fees caused by approved purchases, credit holds and finance charges
o High fees
o Issuing credit cards to young people without adequate income"

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Credit cards
        

At $39 a bottle, Bailout wine seems pricey to me. But the price of the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon might not stay that way.

Crushpad, a winery that lets people create custom wines, will refund you $2 per bottle for every 100 points the Dow drops between your purchase date and Aug. 14.

(photo: Gene Sweeney Jr/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Economy, Odds & Ends
        

Here's a roundup of last-minute holiday gift and food ideas --- some, perhaps more strange than others --- to help you finish up those last few things before the Christmas and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa next week.

If you're feeding a crowd a holiday dinner, consider serving a beautifully seared piece of roast beef, with a recipe from The Sun's You & Taste section. 

You might also be baking up some delicious desserts that require specialized ingredients such as evaporated milk. Consider making your own evaporated milk with nonfat powdered milk, as Erin Huffstetler suggests on her Frugal Living blog. 

And yes, if you've still got a few people on your list, you still have time to make some gifts!

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping
        

Sprint introduced a new device today that Baltimore-area residents can use on both its new high-speed WiMAX wireless broadband network, which for now is only available in our metro area, and its more ubiquitous "3G" cellular/data network, which is available throughout most of the U.S. Remember WiMAX?

In late September/early October, Sprint Nextel Corp. launched its XOHM network, which is based on WiMAX technology that essentially makes it easier to turn a larger geographic expanse into a "hotspot", similar to what you'd find at your local coffee shop.

What was also cool about XOHM was that Sprint broke the telecom mold by allowing users to purchase the wireless/mobile service on a monthly basis -- without being forced into a lengthy contract. (Earlier this month, Sprint announced it had spun off XOHM to another company, Clearwire. Note to Baltimore users: at some point in the future, XOHM will be rebranded as "Clear.")

Tech geeks have been a little ga-ga over the potential future for Sprint's XOHM network. But for the discerning digital mobilista, buying XOHM coverage for your laptop wasn't a huge draw, because the USB plug-in devices on the market could only catch the WiMAX signal. So, if you wandered out of the Baltimore coverage area with your XOHM-enabled computer, you'd be out of luck getting online.

But Sprint's new "dual-mode" USB plug-in device allows XOHM-ers to connect to both of Sprint's data networks: the WiMAX one, which only operates in the Baltimore area, and its 3G (CDMA-based) network. Hit the jump for more details and pricing.

In most parts of the Baltimore area, WiMAX speeds compare favorably and even beat your typical DSL connection at home and it's faster than your typical laptop cellular card/modem. WiMAX is a whole new network Sprint built on Internet protocols and is designed for high-speed data transmission, Sprint officials told me back in September.

I spoke with Todd Rowley, a vice president with Sprint's 4G business units, and he gave me some facts about their new dual-mode device. Per Todd, here's the quick rundown on Sprint's new 3G/4G (WiMAX) USB device for laptops:  

1) For now, it only works with PCs, not Macs. Mac operability will likely be introduced early next year.

2) Built-in GPS: applications are still being developed but the device will eventually enable your laptop to do GPS-y things. One hot little tech field right now is the development of "location-aware" services.

3) Unlike a wireless USB device that is XOHM-only, you have to buy into a contract with this "dual mode" device.

4) The device will retail for $149. Other 3G devices are priced up to $119, according to Sprint's Website as of this afternoon.

5) The monthy service-contract rate is $79.99, with unlimited downloading on WiMAX, but a 5-gigabyte monthly download limit on the 3G network. By comparison, if you just chose Sprint's 3G network for mobile Internet, you'd be paying $59.99 a month. And with XOHM alone, you would pay $45 a month for mobile Internet.

6) Handling the transition from 3G to WiMAX: If you're in a WiMAX area and wander out of it, you'll get dropped out of the network and a connection manager will plug you into the 3G network. Just hit the browser to refresh the page. It isn't 100 percent seamless, but Sprint says it should be painless.

7) Where to buy in the Baltimore area? For now, Sprint retailer stores. Next month, Best Buy. It might be awhile before you see it sold online, because Sprint doesn't want people in, say, Nebraska inadvertently buying a "dual mode" device that can only be used with one mode where they live. Said Rowley: "We think it's a real value package...and the best of both networks."

(Side note: Interestingly, Gizmodo, the gadget blog, today put out their own little independent comparison of the major telecom carrier's 3G data networks, and Sprint's beat out Verizon's and AT&T's.)

Posted by Gus Sentementes at 1:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: WiMAX Watch
        

Okay, I confess: it's a week before Christmas and despite the best of intentions, the procrastinator in me won out. I'm waaay farther behind on the gift-giving journey than I should be at this time.

For those like me who still have a few things to buy, there are still some deals to be had. You should always use a search engine to try to find coupons before you buy something online.

This year, the big push seems to be free shipping. At FreeShippingDay.com, participating retailers have agreed to offer free shipping on Thursday, Dec. 18 with guaranteed delivery by Christmas.

Be aware, however ... 

, that some require a minimum purchase of $50 or more, and some also require a coupon code, like Brookstone. Good to know when buying that portable infrared sauna.

Other free shipping and free gift wrap codes, as well as holiday delivery deadlines, can be found at letterbar.com.

So is free shipping that good a deal? Online stores have an advantage over their brick-and-mortar cousins in that they don't have to pay that overhead, and can pass that savings on to you on the base price. As a result, many stores will not match online prices, according to Consumer Reports. 

So free shipping may preserve that savings --- but only if you don't need things immediately. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping, Shopping
        

It's coming ... the transition from analog to digital broadcast television signals.

Maybe you have cable television or have a satellite and won't be affected by the digital television transition. But, if you rely on over-the-air signals to watch your favorite shows, you might want to tune in at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17 to see whether your television is DTV-ready.

Those who will need to take additional steps will see a message at 5:45 p.m. instructing them to take action.

Most televisions sold after 2004 have digital tuners, but some do not. The on-air test will help you figure out which one you have.

But even if your set is older than that, don't feel pressured to trade it in for a newer model. You can apply for a $40 coupon (two per household) to purchase a digital converter that will translate the signals for your TV.

UPDATE: WBAL and WJZ say the test will only last one minute, so tell your friends and neighbors (particularly seniors or others who aren't as tech-savvy but really like their TV).

(photo: Glenn Fawcett/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Digital television
        

Here's some good news if you're shopping for toys this year.

After recalling more than 21 million tainted toys last year, Mattel Inc. has agreed to a $12 million settlement with 39 states over lead contamination in toys made in China.

Maryland will receive nearly $235,000 as a result.

The toy company will also meet new federal lead standards early, before the regulations take effect next year. Mattel is lowering the acceptable level of lead from 600 parts per million to 90 parts per million.

How are you protecting yourself and your gift recipients from tainted toys this year? 

Although Consumer Reports says that most big retailers aren't stocked with loads of lead-contaminated products, the researchers do recommend skipping the dollar store for children's products after nearly 3 million products were recalled from three dollar store chains last year.

Consumer Reports offered these tips to avoid giving the gift of lead contamination this year:

--- Leave these things out of the stocking: keys, key chains, metal jewelry made for kids as well as cheap beads and artificial pearls.

--- Toys and products with screen-printed or painted surfaces (fabric, plastic, metal) may have high levels of lead, as well as inexpensive seasonal items for Easter, Christmas and Easter.

--- Stay up-to-date on recalls at www.cpsc.gov.

--- Consider home testing, such as Homax Lead Check, Lead Check Household Lead Test Kit, and Lead Inspector, which can detect surface lead.

(photo: Chiaki Kawajiri/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Consumer safety, Holiday shopping, Recalls, Shopping
        

But the timing was off for these sites, such as Mercata, as they took on too much inventory themselves, and didn't have the technology in place to make it work for consumers. Mercata, for one, closed in 2001 after burning through investments from a venture capital firm backed by Microsoft's co-founder Paul Allen.

Fast forward seven years, to 2008. This year, there are two new start-ups tackling the group-buying retail model. And both Websites plan to weave maturing social Web applications, such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, to connect online groups to the deals they're offering each day.

The latest one I came across is Salescoop, started by a small group of young twenty-somethings (of course) living in New York City. Hit the jump to learn more about their efforts.

Salescoop isn't live yet -- the folks behind it say they're looking at a mid-January official launch of their site. I spoke with Dave Ambrose, a Salescoop co-founder, who said their site is a little similar to Woot, but with a twist.

Whereas at Woot, consumers wait till the site posts one new product everyday at midnight, and then a buying frenzy follows, especially if it's something like a coveted electronics product. With Salescoop, Ambrose said, they'll post one item per day at 1 p.m. -- and the more people who buy that one product, the price actually drops. Wherever the price closes at the end of a 24-hour period, you end up paying that final (hopefully lower) price, Ambrose said. 

"You'll see how when more people buy, the prices go lower," Ambrose said about the interactive, real-time graphic their planning for the site.

Salescoop is going after selling products with strong, cult-like followings and luxury items that people would be willing to band together to buy at a discount. The startup will at least initially shy away from the competitive electronics field and baby products.  "We're going after aspirational luxury products," Ambrose said.

 Salescoop isn't alone in this potentially resurgent e-commerce niche. CrowdSprout, another collective buying Website, plans to launch next month as well, with an emphasis on baby products. (I wrote about CrowdSprout recently.)

Officials at both companies say the technology behind their sites will weave new social media applications into their business. So people who find great deals on their sites will be able to quickly broadcast the deal to their various social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

"They become essentially ambassadors for their own product, through their own personal network," Ambrose said. "Through word-of-mouth, they can help lower the price not only for themselves but for the entire group."

Posted by Gus Sentementes at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Technology
        

This holiday season, the Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter (BARCS) is asking more people whether there's room in their hearts --- and their budgets --- for a family pet.

Too many adoptable dogs and cats are being dropped off at the shelter each day. Some are dropped off by people driving U-Hauls, said Jennifer Mead-Brause, the shelter's executive director.

But fewer people are adopting and smaller shelters suffering financial hardships can't take them all, either.

According to today's story, the shelter has waived adoption fees for dogs and cats 2 years and older, and is offering dogs and cats ages 7 months to 2 years for $10. Younger animals are available for the regular rate of $65.

Mead-Brause said the ideal recipients are folks who have been considering getting a pet for some time. 

Be sure to consider the financial commitment of owning a pet --- including vet bills, food, grooming, boarding if you go away, exercise, etc.

Jim at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity broke down the costs of owning a dog, and Wise Bread's Xin Lu warns against the emotional lure of adopting a pet you can't afford.

But ... there's also benefits. Pets provide companionship. A dog may encourage some folks to be less sedentary.

Unfortunately, however, most pets aren't going to contribute to household income (via Consumerist), no matter how popular you think a monkey would be as birthday party entertainment.

(Photo: Amy Davis/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping, Shopping
        

Avalon had the right idea when he or she posted a comment last week about cleaning storm drains: 

"I clean the drains in front of my own house. I also do it in front of the houses of my neighbors. I don't want my neighborhood looking blighted. I don't expect the city to clean it up and I'd probably die waiting for them to cite my neighbors for not keeping the area cleared."

According to the Baltimore's department of public works, residents are responsible for keeping trash from washing down storm drains. And apparently, as highlighted in this week's Watchdog, trash in Baltimore includes bottles, cans, candy wrappers ... and crime scene tape.

By the way, did you see Eileen's column this week about more rewarding sources of unclaimed cash than the space under your sofa cushions? 

It's surprising to think some people fail to collect tax refunds or cash in savings bonds, or just leave valuable objects behind in safe deposit boxes. Her column will help you figure out if you're one of those lucky absent-minded folks!

Posted by Liz Kay at 9:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budgeting, Watchdog
        

We've told you before that pennies add up to dollars, and with that mantra in mind you might go out of your way to pick up the coins passed over in less lean times. Have you broken the piggy bank, gone through the couch cushions or re-checked old coat pockets or purses for nickels and dimes?

Then you'd be surprised to hear about thousands of dollars of unclaimed money that Excellent Eileen has written about in her Sunday column. Be sure to check it out.

As for Watchdog, well ...

we've tackled stopped-up storm drains before, including the Highlandtown one pictured above, that's got corn growing out of it.

But check out Watchdog Sunday to find out what's affecting drainage in West Baltimore.

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Budgeting, Odds & Ends, Watchdog
        

Have your unemployment benefits run out yet you still haven’t found work?

The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation has some good news. The agency today says it’s sending letters to those eligible for an extra seven weeks of benefits, thanks to some emergency action by Congress.

The typical unemployment benefit runs 26 weeks. Congress extended that last summer by 13 weeks. And more recently, lawmakers tacked on an extra seven weeks in emergency relief legislation.

The first week for these extended benefits is the week ending Nov. 29th. State agency officials ask that you don’t call the claims center before you receive word that you are eligible.

If you quit your job, rather than being laid off, you are not eligible for benefits.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Personal finance
        

I've been planning on writing about giving used or second-hand gifts this year, but Erin Huffstetler and BabyCheapskate beat me to it.

Is it out of the question? Do you preach the benefits of avoiding materialism, or do you just gloss over the fact that an item is not new?

For example: about six years years ago, my tiny nephew really wanted a Game Boy. He was very little. I was very practical.

So, instead of purchasing a brand new Game Boy Advance, I went on eBay and bought him an old-school, original Game Boy. You know, the model that first came out in 1989?

When Nephew ripped open the wrapping to reveal the gift Game Boy, the room grew silent.

All the adult guests at the party just stared at the gift. Maybe I'm interpreting the scene incorrectly, but I can only assume they were horrified by my frugal choice, recognizing that it was in no way new.

But Nephew hadn't noticed. He ran off to find an electrical outlet to plug in the handset and played it nonstop. And he wouldn't put it down for a minute, which is how it died in a watery bathtub grave.

I felt vindicated because I knew at some point a more expensive gadget would suffer a similiarly terrible fate. But who could be mad at him? The old school model didn't cost much, and he was like, 2.5 years old. 

Anyway, there is no shortage of regifting horror stories at Regiftable.com. But what should the standards be for giving a second-hand gift? I'd say, such gifts should only be given to people close enough to understand the intent, or too young to understand the stigma.

On the other hand, items that are new in the box or new-with-tags, to use eBay vocabulary, definitely fall within the regiftable category. Truly, the cheapest holiday gifts are bound to be found in your own closet. But what regifting rules do you employ to guard against potential offense?

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping, Shopping
        

Comcast is aiming to satisfy the seemingly unquenchable thirst for high bandwith, as consumers get hooked on high-def televisions and movies, and bigger, more elaborate gaming systems and networks.

Yesterday, they announced the launch of their new DOCSIS 3.0 "wideband" (no, not "broadband", grandpa). The more you pay, the faster you get to surf the Web with your Comcast cable modem.

The pricing plans the company released compete, in many ways, directly against their direct competitor, Verizon's own super-fast FiOS network. (See my story that details Comcast's announcement.)

So for now, if you want to experience presumably the fastest Internet service around, you'll have to pay either Verizon or Comcast $139 a month. Just by a show of hands, anybody signing up for these services in the Baltimore area in this recession? Anybody cutting back on their pricey Internet/cable services?

Check out how blogs, including Engadget, played the news of Comcast's announcement.

I would also appreciate some reader help in tracking down reviews of Comcast's new DOCSIS 3.0 network in the markets outside Baltimore where it's already launched (i.e., Pacific Northwest, Boston area, parts of New Jersey, the Twin Cities.) If you can find good, meaty reviews, please post a link in the comments section.

Posted by Gus Sentementes at 7:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cable/Satellite/TV/Comcast/FiOS
        

Con artists use all sorts of crazy schemes to separate you and your money. But this latest con is one of the lowest.

The Federal Trade Commission is warning of growing scheme where a caller claims to be your grandchild needing money to help them out of a bind. Maybe her car needs fixing or he needs money to get out of jail or a foreign country. Sometimes these callers know family members’ names.

The caller usually begs you not to tell Mom and Dad, but instead urges you to quietly wire the money through Western Union or Money Gram. You might only discover you’ve been ripped off days later when you call your real grandchild, who has no idea what you’re talking about. By then, your money is gone for good.

The FTC says if you get a plea for help from a grandchild, don’t send off the money immediately. Try to verify the identity by asking questions that only a real grandchild will know.

(You: What’s Uncle Henry’s favorite pie?  “Grandchild": Blueberry. You: Aha, there is no Uncle Henry! Anyway, you get the idea.)

And even if your grandchild begs for secrecy, hang up and check out the story with the child’s parents and other relatives.

And, the FTC says, don’t wire money or send a check or money order by overnight delivery or courier. Once that money gets in the hands of a con artist, you likely won’t see it again.

And if you get one of these fake grandchild calls, notify the FTC at 877-382-4357.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 6:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Scams
        

Could this be true?

Despite all the doom and gloom in the economy and rising unemployment, Hewitt Associates found that about four out of 10 companies are giving out holiday bonuses this year.

More than half of those are giving cash, spending an average of $863. Gift cards are also popular, with the average amount at $76 per worker.

And more than 70 percent of employers will throw a holiday party this year. One out of five companies will spend between $10,000 and $25,000 on festivities. Hewitt’s Ken Abosch says gifts and parties would seem to defy logic given the economy but employers want to thank workers.

“With so many companies struggling, employee morale is down across the board,” he says.

No kidding. Are you getting any bonuses or parties this year? How do they compare to Hewitt’s findings?

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Economy
        

Here's a cheap trick that will save you -- and your teenagers! -- time and money.

Say you're a Gmail user who spends more time near a computer than is generally healthy. Why, then, waste thumb energy pecking out text messages to your latest love interest when you could employ all 10 fingers?

Any number, at least, in the United States. Sorry, overseas readers!

This tip will help those of us out there who have not signed up for unlimited text messaging plans. Of course, you may have known you could use e-mail to send text messages, but that requires you to know what cell phone carrier each of your contacts uses, which just isn't practical. 

UPDATE: any Google Talk users out there? Can you now text through GChat as well? 

But the bigger question is: why do text messages cost so danged much in the first place?! 

As Consumer Reports explains, text messages take muuuuch less processing power to transmit than voice calls. In fact, the magazine states that 500 text messages contain less data than a 1-minute voice transmission yet cost up to 20 cents each.

So, you'd think mobile phone service providers would be doing everything they can to encourage us to text instead of call. According to CR, the companies argue that people with text message plans pay less per message, but if you don't text enough to make a plan worthwhile, it amounts to nickel-and-diming.

I say, fight the problem by removing the revenue stream. If you pay per message, use Gmail's Chat function when possible.

Posted by Liz Kay at 8:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cellular/Landline/Voice over Internet, Cheap/Frugal
        

... or just those looking to save a little cash in these trying times.

Chosen carefully, presents you deliver to your friends and loved ones may help them save money all year long.

Consider an attractive insulated bag or bento box to encourage someone to bring lunch from home more often. A reusable water bottle or insulated travel mug will help people to avoid dropping $4 on refreshment when the 4 o'clock slump hits. Package them with some good coffee or intriguing tea bags to personalize the gift.

Or how about making weeknight meal assembly a little easier with a crockpot, as Erin Huffstetler recommends on her Frugal Living blog? Knowing you have a pot of a warm and hearty dish bubbling on your countertop eases the temptation to order takeout or just go out to eat after a long day at work. Check out these slow cooker and crock pot reviews at Consumer Reports so you don't buy an appliance that won't get used. Consider including some non-perishable ingredients or your favorite slow cooking recipes to inspire your chef.

Others might appreciate a gift card to ease the pain of those little expenses that creep up --- for car maintenance such as oil changes, gas cards for fill ups and the like. What about postage stamps, particularly the Forever stamps that will always be valid? I can think of one or two people who are always running out ...

You'll also win with gift certificates or cards for the little treats that frugal folks have avoided, such as movie tickets, spa treatments or (gasp) fancy coffee drinks. A little indulgence once in a while helps maintain resolve in the interim.

Bankrate.com recommends 12 recession-proof gifts, including the gift of health --- either new sneakers or workout gear, or a subscription to yoga or other exercise classes.

And then there are gifts that save energy ... 

... such as surge protectors that kill energy vampires by detecting when electronics are not in use, and powering off. If you are the crafty type, or even if you're not, you could probably assemble a DIY charging stations to keep your chargers from sapping small amounts of energy when left plugged in.

A set of rechargeable batteries and a charger would help any parent innundated with too many chirping, leaping toys this holiday season.

Or how about compact fluorescent light bulbs? The bulbs use far less electricity than traditional incandescents. Plus, you can buy discounted CFLs at Home Depot, Giant, Costco and Sam's Club thanks to a customer-funded BGE subsidy.

Although, I have to admit --- I completely bombed last year when I bought my extremely frugal father a bag full of CFLs for Christmas. He refuses to install the energy saving models until the old ones burn out, even though he could save a significant amount of money right away, especially on his oudoor lights that he keeps on all night. No dice.

Now, all of these things cost money, but you could offer gifts of your expertise, as Bankrate recommends ... I'd certainly accept some "personal shopping" sessions from my better-dressed and more stylish friends, as well as closet-organizing advice from my less-cluttered friends. Do you have a friend who loves one of your recipes? Offer to show him or her how it's done.

Okay, that's all I've got. Got any tips on gifts that save money? Anyone have a dad that's cheaper than mine?

(photo: Jed Kirschbaum/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping, Shopping
        

You'd better pay your electric bills before you deck the halls --- in Thurmont, at least.

A commissioner in this Frederick County town is threatening to publicly expose utility customers who put up Christmas lights even though their electricity bills are past due, according to this WHAG-TV news report discovered via Consumer Reports.

The story states that the city is responsible for the unpaid bills --- which amount to thousands of dollars in an already tight fiscal time --- so the holiday light displays are just a slap in the face.

Folks whose accounts are in the red are not allowed to participate in the town's annual decorating contest. But town officials say they won't publish names in the paper until January 1.

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Energy/Utilities, Odds & Ends
        

Peruse the full text of current issues of magazines such as Women's Health, Popular Science, Jet magazine and more using Google Book Search.

Just announced yesterday on the Official Google Blog (via LifeHacker), the feature expands the free previews of books already available through Google Book Search. 

You can also access the magazine's archives, in full color, with advertising and everything, from the comfort of your computer. No trip to the library necessary.  

What's the downside? 

You can't read these magazines at the gym. It's difficult to read them while waiting to be called for jury duty. And of course, not every magazine is available.

Still, it's a great way to browse. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Consumer Web Site of the Week, Shopping
        

Can Maryland be getting a new college savings plan?

It seems so.

The General Assembly this year gave the thumbs up to creating a college savings plan that would be sold through brokers and financial advisers. The board of College Savings Plans of Maryland is expected to take the matter up for a vote early next year, says executive director Joan Marshall.

Right now, Maryland has a college savings plan managed by T. Rowe Price Associates. You can invest directly through the plan, without having to go through a broker. That saves the cost of a broker commission, leaving you with more money to set aside for college.

Not only that, but the Price plan regularly is named one of the top five college plans in the country by Morningstar.

So, why do residents need another plan?

“Mainly because there are still people who want to work with financial advisers and want to develop a college savings plan that fits with their overall financial plan,” Marshall says.

Right now, many of these Marylanders tend to invest in the Virginia plan that pays a fee to advisers, Marshall says. Launching a new adviser-sold plan could help Maryland recapture some of those customers.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 7:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: College/Financial aid
        

One man's jackpot is the state's misfortune.

More people have hit it big in Maryland's Pick 3 and Pick 4 drawings, according to this story by statehouse reporter Laura Smitherman.

What could be bad about that, especially in these economic times?

Well, Maryland Lottery revenues are now $27 million below projections since July as a result.

And the lottery is the state's third largest source of operating revenue, according to Laura's story. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Odds & Ends
        

You saw September's list of disciplined doctors earlier today. Here's the most recent list of doctors and other medical professionals disciplined by the Maryland Board of Physicians --- this one from October.

Paul A. Acevedo, M.D., License #: D66247
Area of Practice: Neurology (Bethesda, MD)
Indefinite Suspension. The Board took reciprocal action based on action by the District
of Columbia Board of Medicine because of substance abuse issues. Date of Action:
October 22, 2008

Michael L. Beavers , D.O., License #: H57008
Area of Practice: Anesthesiology (Parsonburg, MD)
Reprimand; Probation for 5 years subject to terms and conditions. The physician
violated his September 6, 2007, Order issued by the Board in regard to his impairment
issues. Date of Action: October 24, 2008

Kermit Bonovich, M.D., License #: D05593
Area of Practice: Internal Medicine (Bel Air, MD)
Suspension until terms and conditions are met; should the Board terminate the
suspension, Probation for a minimum of 2 years subject to terms and conditions.
The Board found that the physician failed to meet the standards of quality care and failed
to maintain adequate medical records in regard to his care and treatment of six patients
that included his prescribing practices. Date of Action: October 22, 2008

Myron D. Brenner, M.D., License #: D21657
Area of Practice: Psychiatry (Owings Mills, MD)
Surrender. The physician surrendered his license to avoid disciplinary charges and the
prosecution of the charges based on his unprofessional and sexual relationship with a
female patient while under his care as her treating psychiatrist. Date of Action: October
22, 2008

Patsy Firth, M.D., License #: D39836
Area of Practice: Psychiatry (Bel Air, MD)
Reprimand; Probation for 2 years subject to terms and conditions. The physician
failed to meet the standards of quality care and failed to maintain adequate medical
records in regard to 10 patients receiving residential psyc hiatric services. Date of Action:
October 22, 2008

Bryant K. Howard, P.A., License #: C01008
Area of Practice: Physician Assistant (Whitehall, PA)
Permanent Revocation. The physician was terminated from employment in Maryland
for making inappropriate sexual overtures and contact with 3 female employees;
practiced in Maryland without a delegation agreement; and failed to disclose on his
Maryland renewal application that his employment had been terminated for disciplinary
reasons. Date of Action: October 22, 2008

Monica James, RCP, No License
Area of Practice: Respiratory Care Practice (Accokeek, MD)
Denial of Certification as a Respiratory Care Practitioner. The Board’s action is
based on the applicant’s false response on her Maryland application about a suspension
of license by the District of Columbia medical board, and based on the disciplinary action
by the D.C. board. Date of Action: October 22, 2008

Rachel A. Kuss, MRT, Certificate #: R07204
Area of Practice: Medical Radiation Technology (Prince Frederick, MD)
Administrative Fine of $500. The health care practitioner practiced medical radiation
technology without a certificate, in violation of the Medical Practice Act, Md. Code Ann.,
Health Occ. §14-5B-17(a). Date of Action: October 22, 2008

Sharon Marselas, M.D., License #: D22026
Area of Practice: Neurosurgery (Philadelphia, PA)
Reprimand and terms. The physician failed to meet the standards of quality care and
failed to maintain adequate medical records in regard to her surgery on two patients.
Date of Action: October 22, 2008

Allan R. McClary, M.D., License #: D06988
Area of Practice: Psychiatry (Baltimore, MD)
Administrative fine of $1,000. The physician practiced medicine after his medical
license had lapsed in violation of Md. Code Ann. Health Occ. §14-601. Date of Action:
October 22, 2008

Renee McKenney, P.A., License #: C01040
Area of Practice: Physician Assistant (Philadelphia, PA)
Suspension for a minimum of 1 year; should the Board grant reinstatement the
Board will set terms and conditions to include a Rehabilitation Agreement of at least
5 years. The Board took action based on the practitioner’s relapse in her rehabilitation
program in regard to substance abuse. Date of Action: October 24, 2008

Jose R. Parra, M.D., License #: D59099
Area of Practice: General Surgery (York, PA)
Reprimand; terms and conditions. The physician failed to meet the standards of
quality care in regard to a patient by use of carbon dioxide as a contrast agent in a 2003
arteriogram. Date of Action: October 24, 2008

William A. Rohde, M.D., License #: D14247
Area of Practice: Psychiatry (Boston, MA)
Denial of reinstatement of license; the Board will not consider any application for
reinstatement any earlier than 2 years from the date of the order. The physician was
disciplined by the Massachusetts medical board for acts that would be grounds for
discipline in Maryland, that is failure to provide information and documents to which the
Massachusetts board was entitled and failure to comply with accepted standards of
psychiatric care in his treatment of 15 patients. Date of Action: October 22, 2008

Gregory L. Taylor, M.D., License #: D27556
Area of Practice: Family Practice (Sykesville, MD)
Reinstatement of license granted if physician meets terms and conditions; if granted,
Probation for 5 years subject to terms and conditions. The Board determined that the
physician showed evidence that he could be granted licensure subject to terms and
conditions. Date of Action: October 29, 2008

Milan Wister, M.D., License #: D30339
Area of Practice: Internal Medicine (Baltimore, MD)
Reprimand; and terms. The physician failed to meet the standards of quality care in
regard to a patient, with a pre-existing history of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, who developed
lung cancer. Date of Action: October 22, 2008

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

I was reminded to post the next installment of disciplined doctors (sanctioned by the Maryland Board of Physicians) for Naughty Business of the Week after reading this Consumer Reports health blog post about paying too much for unnecessary medical care.

JOHNSON, Dwight Joseph, M.D., License #: D61970
Area of Practice: Family Medicine (Scranton, AR)
Terms: within 30 days of the date of the Consent Order the physician shall submit
proof of completion of the ethics course and payment of the administrative fine
imposed by the Texas Board. The Board took reciprocal action on disciplinary action
by the Texas Board for unprofessional conduct for inappropriate personal involvement
with a patient not related to the medical care provided. Date of Action: September 3,
2008

Jennifer Leadroot, P.A., Certificate #: C03247
Area of Practice: Physician Assistant (Baltimore, MD)
Administrative Fine of $500. The physician assistant continued to practice after her
certificate lapsed in violation of Md. Code Ann. Health Occ. §15-401. Date of Action:
September 3, 2008

Kristi Marie Yetter, RT, Certificate #: O00561
Area of Practice: Radiation Oncology/Therapy Technology (McAlisterville, PA)
Administrative fine of $500. The healthcare practitioner practiced radiation
oncology/therapy technology without a certificate in violation of Md. Code Ann. Health
Occ. §14-5B-17©. Date of Action: September 3, 2008

Michael W. Burkhart, M.D., License #: D54094
Area of Practice: Family Medicine (Rehoboth Beach, DE)
Reprimand. The Board took reciprocal action based on disciplinary action by the
Delaware Board for the physician’s use of excessive force to restrain an intoxicated
patient in his practice as an emergency room physician. Date of Action: September 11,
2008

Michael Ference, III, M.D., License #: D14238
Area of Practice: Ophthalmology (Bozeman, MT)
Permanent Surrender. The Board took reciprocal action on disciplinary action by the
Texas Board for failure to meet standards of quality care in his practice of
ophthalmology. Date of Action: September 24, 2008

Michael Glen Harper, M.D., License #: D30673
Area of Practice: Neurology (Bethesda, MD)
Summary Suspension. The Board issued its disciplinary action based on a peer review
in which the reviewers opined that the physician failed to meet standards of care with
respect to prescribing narcotic medication for four of the charts reviewed, and a
psychiatric evaluation in which the evaluator concluded that the physician required
ongoing treatment in order to practice safely. Date of Action: September 24, 2008

Zubair A. Latif, M.D., License #: D53779
Area of Practice: Internal Medicine (Newport News, VA)
Reprimand. The Board took reciprocal action on disciplinary action by the Virginia
Medical Board in regard to the physician’s treatment of a patient for weight reduction and
his failure to provide patient records requested by the Virginia Board. Date of Action:
September 24, 2008

Franklin T. Miller, RCP, License #: L04484
Area of Practice: Respiratory Care (Peoria, AZ)
Revocation. The Board took reciprocal action based on disciplinary action by the
Arizona Board for the practitioner expending monies from the Arizona Society of
Respiratory Care without proper authorization and for persona l benefit. Date of Action:
September 25, 2008

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Help may be available if you're having trouble paying your energy bills this winter --- even before you've received a turn-off notice.

Apply to the Maryland Energy Assistance Program, which received more than three times the federal money it was allocated during the last fiscal year.

The Office of Home Energy Programs began distributing its $110 million appropriation last month and hopes to reach an additional 10,000 households --- more than 102,000.

However, state Department of Human Resources officials estimate that that's only about a third of the people who are eligible. 

For more information, call 1-800-352-1446. Another resource for help with this and other issues: www.problemsolver.maryland.gov. 

Income eligibility limits below the jump.

(photo: Jed Kirschbaum/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Budgeting, Energy/Utilities
        

We're all bombarded by Christmas carols and other holiday jingles from well before Thanksgiving through early January in every direction ... but if you still need a little Christmas, right this very minute, head over to Amazon.com's 25 Days of Free.

There, you can download a free holiday MP3 every day for 25 days, and the promotion began Dec. 1. Consider it an Advent calendar for your aural environment. 

The options thus far include songs by Barenaked Ladies, Leigh Nash and today's pick, Mannheim Steamroller. 

Deal posted on Buxr, discovered via Consumerist. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping
        

The Internet is all abuzz with conflicting reports on how much Wal-Mart will be charging when it begins offering the iPhone later in December. Will it be $99 for a 4GB iPhone, as Bloomberg's analysts say, or $197 for the 8GB iPhone model (as MacRumors posted), which is just two dollars cheaper than AT&T has been charging?

And if it's 4GB, will it be one of the discontinued models that Apple stores were selling at a discount back when they rolled out the 8GB versions? 

Also up in the air is ...

... when these phones --- at whatever configuration, and at whatever price point --- would be available. Will it be Dec. 15, in time for stocking-stuffing, or not until Dec. 28, when people will hit the big-box retailer flush with holiday cash?

Apple Insider linked to stories about both possibilities.  

I don't know --- I bought my 4GB iPhone when they were discounted, because I wasn't expecting to use it as an MP3 player anyway. But if I remember correctly, supplies were limited. And according to PC World, the iPhone already has a 30 percent lock on the smartphone market as it is, so how many more people out there would be interested in the older model that doesn't have 3G?

(photo: Christopher T. Assaf/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cellular/Landline/Voice over Internet
        

So did you check out Excellent Eileen's column Sunday about Prosper.com, a peer-to-peer lending site that, under SEC scrutiny, has ceased making loans amid concerns that they've essentially been selling unregulated investments?

As Eileen explained:

Peer-to-peer lending is only a few years old. These Internet sites basically match people who need a loan for, say, $1,000 to $25,000, with dozens or hundreds of strangers willing to lend amounts as small as $50. Lending sites act as the go-between, collecting borrowers' payments and forwarding them, along with interest, to the myriad of lenders.

"It's a great idea for the consumer. It's a great idea for the consumer lender," says Jim Bruene, editor of Online Banking Report. Borrowers can shop for loans from numerous lenders without it dinging their credit score, he says. Lenders can reap better returns than with some other investments. ... because it and other Web sites like it could benefit from the transparency that regulation would provide.

Eileen said it might not be bad news for the company, because regulation would result in greater protections for lenders and loan recipients, as well as more transparency.

That's why Prosper's counterpart Lending Club pursued SEC regulation and completed its process in October. For more info check out Eileen's column on peer-to-peer lending.  

In other news, this week's Watchdog column on a Ridgely's Delight street tree marked for execution, yet remained standing far longer than expected, shed some light on what happens if a tree is shedding bark or otherwise exhibiting signs of sickness. When Elizabeth Conkling's sister called 311 to have the dead branches trimmed, the inspector deemed it both dead and diseased. Then a sign was posted allowing people to protest its removal. Read the column to find out how Watchdog was able to help.

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Consumer protection, Loans, Watchdog
        

If you want to keep your friends, don't lend them money --- at least, not money you need or are expecting to get back.

It's bad news, okay? Say you go out for drinks with friend who forgets wallet and you're like, no worries, I got this. But then if s/he doesn't pick up the tab next time ... it's not worth getting heated. Just don't do it again.

When it comes to big-ticket items like money for cars or trips together, however, forget it. It's definitely not worth the hassle, the heartache, the stress. You don't want to be in that position.

But what if there was a way to avoid all that bad feeling? The concept of peer-to-peer lending --- where regular folks like you and me fund loans to people who need it, and get paid back with interest --- sounds fascinating. Here's a way to earn money with your money and to help out a neighbor (one with Internet access and an entrepreneurial spirit), PLUS a system to manage the payments.

However, as Excellent Eileen will point out in her column this Sunday, peer-to-peer lending has hit an obstacle --- regulators. The biggest company, Prosper.com, has been sidelined while it gets regulatory approval. 

Prosper.com has already promised (in principle, anyway) to give $1 million to 20 states where it has been accused of selling unregistered securities.

Check out Eileen's piece to find out what impact regulation might have on the industry.

So what else are you doing this weekend if you're not bankrolling your friends --- perhaps putting up a Christmas tree, or a holiday bush?

Instead, in this week's Watchdog, a woman in Ridgely's Delight is arguing that a tree should come down ...

... but for good reason! It was labeled both diseased AND dead. She thought it was promised to be executed in early October, but until now, it has remained.

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Loans, Watchdog
        

As time runs out, readers have asked whether Congress has gotten around to giving them some relief on required IRA distributions.

These are withdrawals that investors must make annually after turning 70½.

The problem: withdrawals are determined on the size of the account at the end of the previous year.

A year ago, the market was a lot higher and hotter than today. The result is that older investors could end up now having to take out more from their accounts than they want, and selling stocks in one of the most bearish markets.

With just a few weeks left to the year, Maryland congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger says he plans to introduce legislation — Retirement Fairness and Emergency Relief Act of 2008, H.R. 7278 — that will suspend mandatory withdrawals.

The legislation would also allow younger investors to pull money out of retirement accounts to pay rent, the mortgage, utilities or groceries without incurring a 10 percent early withdrawal penalty.

Ruppersberger is holding a press conference on Monday to talk about his legislation.

It’s not clear yet what relief there would be for older investors who already have taken distributions.

Also, there has been criticism that relief from mandatory IRA distributions helps high-income seniors who don’t need to live off their IRA money and can forego distributions for a year or so.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 1:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Investments
        

If you're a tenant, renter's insurance is a relatively inexpensive way to make sure your belongings remain safe in the event of a tragedy.

The Baltimore County Fire Department sent out a reminder about renter's insurance after five adults and five children were put out of their homes after a fire in Woodlawn. Most of the families didn't have renter's insurance to cover the losses.

You can get renters' insurance for around $200 a year, and policies can offer valuable benefits such as compensation for thefts of your belongings from your car or yourself if you're the victim of crime.

But as always ...

... you've got to read the fine print, especially if you've got a roommate. You might also consider additional protection if you have expensive computer equipment or fine jewelry to protect.

Confused about what insurance policies are right for you? The Maryland Insurance Administration has some advice about what insurance you should consider, depending on your stage of life.

Here's more info on homeowners insurance policies, including renters and condo owners.  

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Insurance
        

Employers have tried all sorts of ways to get workers to diversify their 401(k) accounts without widespread success.

Now, perhaps coming to a 401(k) near you: Re-enrollment.

Basically, this is a do-over. If you are woefully under-diversified, your employer could re-enroll you in the 401(k), pulling money out of your existing investments and re-investing it in a broader portfolio. You would have the right to opt out of the re-enrollment.

The Vanguard Group says the 2006 Pension Protection Act allows employers to do this. That act encourages employers to automatically enroll workers in a 401(k), provided workers' money is invested properly. So far this year, Vanguard says, a tiny number of the 1,800 plans it manages has adopted re-enrollment.

 You might have already experienced a version of this if your employer replaced some mutual funds in the 401(k). You employer takes your money out of a fund being dropped and reinvests it in a new fund that’s most similar to the old one.

Employers need to consider all the ramifications if they re-enroll workers. For instance, dumping a large chunk of company stock that was sitting in 401(k) accounts could negatively affect the stock price.

Has your employer re-enrolled you this year? If so, what did you think? And if not, how would you feel if your employer stepped in to diversify your account for you?

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 7:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Investments
        

I'm sure there will be plenty of people taking advantage of Dollar or Less Days in Downtown Baltimore, where plenty of big-ticket museums and attractions like the National Aquarium will let you through their turnstiles for $1 on Saturday and Sunday.

... books, magazines, DVDs, photographs and more for $1 or less. Okay, multi-album record sets will cost $2.

But Sunday is really a bargain, because all items will be marked down to $1 a box. Pay $1 per box load, all day long!

And Kate over at Charm City Moms tips us off to the Baltimore Parade of Lighted Boats starting at 6 p.m. Sunday through the Inner Harbor and Fells Point.

(photo: Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun) 

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

Apparently, the weak economy is making us more fearful.

A survey of more than 1,000 consumers by Chubb Group of Insurance Cos. found that around four out of 10 people worry that they or one of their family members will be a victim of crime because of the poor economy.

Just as many are more suspicious about the trustworthiness of contractors.  And more than one third are concerned about the backgrounds of long-time household help, such as babysitters, nannies and cleaning staff, Chubb says.

Chubb is a property and casualty insurer catering to the affluent.

Has the recession made you queasier about crime? Or are the rich more paranoid than you and I?

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Insurance
        

Looking for free holiday gifts, or want stocking stuffers that cost absolutely nothing at all?

For every day until Christmas, you can (updated) send 3 $10 Restaurant.com gift certificates as part of its Feed It Forward campaign for the low low price of nothing.

It's a nice gift, especially for folks who may be cutting back on eating out. 

So what's the catch?

The food won't be entirely free, of course.

When you redeem the Restaurant.com certs for $10 coupons to specific restaurants, most of them require minimum purchases of $20. So, your gift recipient have to shell out some dough to use the coupon --- not to mention taking the steps of navigating the site and selecting a restaurant in their area (provided some of the approximately 5,000 participating restaurants are nearby), etc. etc.

Some of the restaurants will also restrict the coupon value to just food purchases (excluding alcohol) or even strictly to entrees.

And readers, we've often warned you about the dangers of sending gift cards --- that some expire, that recipients have to use them before businesses expire, that some recipients never get around to using them. But if you're not spending any money on the gift certificate itself, those perils seem negligible.

UPDATED: After a reader asked, I checked with Restaurant.com and confirmed that the company does not sell e-mails collected through this campaign to third parties, and users can opt in and out of future marketing e-mails. So no fear -- your gift recipients won't be getting a free, $10 gift certificate for spam.

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food, Holiday shopping
        

It was inevitable: virtual wine tastings.

For those of you obsessed with wines and enjoy the tipsy bonhomie of tasting with friends and strangers, you can get at least a virtual fix over at Twitter Taste Live without leaving the comfort of your own home. The events garner so much online traffic that they're featured on Twitter's search Website as a "trending topic" whenever they're happening.

The site is the brainchild of Craig Drollett and his partner, who run the Bin Ends wine shop in Boston. It's been gaining followers since the summer and Drollett told me that they're now trying to organize 2-3 online tastings a month. Sometimes, he's able to offer wine deals on bottles that participants choose to taste, but he's hampered by varying shipping laws (Sorry, Marylanders -- he can't ship to you. But there's a good chance you'll find at least some of the bottles they taste at local stores and distributors.)

The site's all about event programming. Drollett is pulling in hosts from the wine blog world to lead the online tastings. He told me it is more about building on online community of tasters than marketing his own wine shop. Knowledgeable wine makers and distributors also act as hosts on Twitter Taste Live. The events uncork at a prearranged time (the next one is Dec. 13, at 8 p.m.).

All you need is a free account through Twitter to participate -- and a few bottles of wine. "Tweeters" type in their impressions of the wine, in 140 characters or less, and then add the hashtag "#TTL" to each Tweet. That allows the Twitter Taste Live Website to pull each of the participants' comments into their own customized feed. So you can kick back and watch what everyone else thinks of the wine, along with expert commentary from the host.

"There's always been a separation between people producing wines and people tasting wines," said Drollett. Twitter Taste Live is his attempt to connect consumers directly with the industry pros, the winemakers and others who know the most about wines, he said. "It's not about selling wine. It's about taking the relationships on both sides of the fence and bringing them together."

For their last online tasting, Drollett said they had participants from 12 countries, including China. He recommends participating in the event with a small group of friends, maybe gathered around a dining room table with a laptop and tasting the wines during one of their events. Even people who go out to dinner and order one of the wines the site happens to be tasting are encouraged to text their impressions of it with their cellphones.

"Nobody wants to be sitting in their basement in their underwear tasting wine alone," Drollett said.

Um, what's wrong with drinking in your underwear? ;-) 

Posted by Gus Sentementes at 9:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Okay, unless you live on 34th Street, you're probably not blowing your household budget paying for electricity to power animated decorations and lights for your house. But! The less money you waste firing up icicle lights, the more you'll be able to use somewhere else. 

BGE recommends that customers use timers to control when lights are on --- no need to have them going all night, right?

You could also try For significant energy savings, consider decorative LED light sets, which according to the utility company can last up to 30 times longer than traditional miniature lights and use 90 percent less energy:

On average, 300 standard incandescent indoor miniature twinkle lights running for 5 hours per day use approximately .60 kilowatt hour (kWh) and cost approximately nine cents per day.  Seventy-five standard incandescent larger outdoor lights that require C 9 bulbs use approximately 2.63 kWh and cost approximately 39 cents per day. 

Of course, those LED light sets cost more than the others ...

... but they'd be an excellent item to stock up on during after-Christmas sales. 

Other energy-saving tips from Erin Huffstetler at About.com's Frugal Living blog include using fiber-optic decorations and planning your holiday cooking so you bake several dishes at a time, rather than firing up the oven when it's cold.

She also recommends turning down the thermostat when you have guests --- more bodies in the house, the less heat you need!

Here are some more holiday safety tips from BGE:

o Keep ladders and other objects at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines.
o Use nonflammable or flame retardant decorations.
o Only use lights that are Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) approved.
o Ensure lights and extensions cords are approved for outdoor use.
o Check electrical cords for frayed or exposed wiring and replace if necessary.
o Don’t overload extension cords or wall outlets.
o Use candles with extreme caution and never leave them unattended. Be sure they are in stable, nonflammable holders and keep them away from flammable items like trees and other decorations.
o Before using a fireplace, be sure the flue is open and move wrapping paper, gift boxes or other flammable objects away from the firebox.
o If using a live tree, make sure it is fresh and watered regularly.
o If using an artificial tree, be sure it is fire resistant.

(photo: Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

Ever wish you can organize your friends to all buy the same product and, with your collective buying power, command a healthy discount from the retailer?

That's the essential principle that CrowdSprout.com, a Boston startup, is trying to tap into with their soon-to-be-launched Website. From their homepage, in their own words:

"CrowdSprout is groups of buyers banding together, receiving the best prices available on their favorite products by purchasing in volume."

I stumbled upon CrowdSprout a few months ago on Facebook, where I was intrigued by one of their advertisements. Just yesterday, their site popped into my head again, so I went on the 'Net looking for them. Lo and behold, I discovered that they were further along in their site development. (Though their main page still offers a sign-up for their beta test.)

So I shot them an email to get an update on what their doing and their founder and CEO, Chad Jackson, called me this morning. He said he got the idea for CrowdSprout while living in Colorado, where he participated in informal group buys of ski equipment, for steep discounts from local retailers. So he set upon a way to figure out how to build a Website that could capture that kind of activity. "I thought, 'Wow, there's a real opportunity here," Jackson said.

Turns out, when I happened to click on their Website yesterday, they were testing it on the open Internet, Jackson said, laughing. Again -- It's not live yet, but take a look at their FAQ page if you're at all curious about it.

It might get you excited about the prospect of lining up with buyers across the world to buy stuff. For consumers, it's the opposite of eBay, where you're competing with fellow buyers in an auction that might drive up the price.

Jackson said his four-person company is looking at offering group buys for all sorts of stuff -- from technology to toys -- and have been in tons of discussions with retailers and distributors. But for starters, they're planning on offering baby products -- yes, that lucrative market where there's still room for discounting and there's a lot of word-of-mouth buying that goes on, according to Jackson. (Having just had a baby myself, I can tell you that my wife and I relied heavily on the word-of-mouth consumer tips from friends on what to buy/avoid.)

Another possibility that CrowdSprout is considering is teaming up with pro sports teams to sell blocks of tickets -- kind of like the group rate you'd get if you brought a large posse to the local ballpark.

Jackson told me that CrowdSprout has gotten $500,000 in seed funding so far, and hopes to raise more money next year. They expect to fully launch their site in early January -- after the holidays, when retailers and distributors will likely have excess inventory and will be more interested in moving products in their "group buy" format.

For those MBA types out there who are curious about how the site works, CrowdSprout won't hold the inventory -- it's just the technological middleman. They're also betting heavily on online social media, and plan to roll out Facebook applications -- so if you sign up for a product that you want to buy, your Facebook friends will know and can jump in on the deal. They'll be using Twitter, too, Jackson said.

How will CrowdSprout make money? By taking a "minute" transaction fee from each group buy, Jackson said. "It's a volume play," he said.

So the bigger the crowd buying on CrowdSprout, the more this little start-up will make. Let's wait and see if CrowdSprout takes root.

Posted by Gus Sentementes at 3:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

If you’ve been counting on transferring your credit card balances to another card with friendly terms, Bill Hardekopf has some bad news.

Hardekopf is CEO of LowCards.com which tracks credit card deals.

Remember the days when you could transfer balances without a fee to a card with zero interest rate for 12 months? Those deals pretty much went away a few years ago when card issuers started adding a 3 percent transfer fee, not to exceed $50 or $75, Hardekopf says.

But in the past year, he says, the ceiling has come off. If you transfer $5,000, you’ll pay a $150 transfer fee, he says. Ouch!

It gets worse. Hardekopf says favorable interest rates on transfers don’t necessarily last a year anymore. Depending on your credit score, a favorable rate might only last three months.

It gets worse. Instead of 0 percent introductory interest rate, the temporary rate may be 2.99 to 3.99 percent until it kicks up to the standard rate, Hardekopf says.

It gets worse. Some issuers limit how much you can transfer.

There are still issuers that offer good deals, but you must shop around.

Hardekopf says Capital One Platinum Prestige offers zero interest on balance transfers through October of next year; Discover More offers a zero rate for 12 months.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 1:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Credit cards
        

Want fast Internet service? Move to Maryland.

According to PC magazine, Maryland has the country's 10th fastest Internet service, behind states such as Nevada, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Who would have thought?

Apparently, cable Internet service has also far surpassed DSL in terms of speed --- averaging about 565 kbps with Earthlink to 839 kbps nationwide for Cablevision's Optimum Online, compared to DSL connections ranging from 357 to 520 kbps.

See the full list below the jump: 

The PCMag Fastest ISPs in America 2008 - State Ranking:

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Computers
        

With less money to spare this year, people are going to want to make sure that any charitable donations and gifts are going, well, to a good cause.

So don't blindly write a check or drop your change in a basket! Research the proposed recipient of your donation with Charity Navigator (discovered via Consumerist) and find out what percentage of its money the organization spends on organizational and fundraising costs versus actual service.

The site allows you to sort charities by state, to find Maryland charities, as well as by category (i.e. animals, the environment, human services or education) and by rating, if you're still looking for a worthy cause with which to share your cash.

If your wallet can't support a lot of charitable giving this year ...

maybe you can supplement your donations with GoodSearch, a Yahoo!-powered search engine that contributes 50 percent of its revenue from advertising (approximately a penny per query) to the charity of your choice, including schools.

You can sort the list of participating charities by state or nominate your favorite non-profit if it's not listed. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer Web Site of the Week
        

The FDIC survey of overdraft fees released today confirms what consumer advocates have been saying for a long time: automated overdraft programs are big money makers for banks.

These are programs where banks automatically cover you if you overextend yourself, but hit you with a sizable fee for doing so. It used to be that lenders would just return your check or wouldn't let an electronic transaction go through if you didn't have enough money in your account.

The FDIC surveyed 1,171 banks. It found:

- Overdraft fees range from $10 to $38, with the median fee at $27.

- Banks earned $1.97 billion in 2006 from overdraft-related fees, making up 74 percent of the service charges collected on deposit accounts. Put another way, overdraft-related fees accounted for about 6 percent of the banks' total net operating revenues.

- Most of the banks that automatically cover overdrafts when customers make ATM withdrawals of debit-transactions at stores only told customers they didn't have enough money in the bank after their transaction was done. Only a small percentage notified customers beforehand, allowing them to cancel the transaction and avoid the overdraft fee.

- Consumers age 18 to 25 are most likely to trigger automated overdraft protection.

Banks say consumers like overdraft protection because it prevents embarrassment. But given the stiff fees and the fact we're in a recession where every dollar counts, a little embarrassment is worth saving as much as $38.

The FDIC says it conducted the survey so it can get information that can help shape public policy.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 1:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Banks
        

It's good advice: use a gift card soon, because you never know what may happen.

However, there's been an e-mail circulating the Interwebs warning people not to buy gift cards from about 30 retailers, stating that those businesses are in danger of collapse.

That info's a bit misleading, according to a North Carolina TV station's investigation of the gift card e-mail highlighted by Tightwad Tod over at Consumer Reports. 

Some of the stores have in fact ...

... shuttered their brick-and-mortar stores but still maintain an online presence where they accept gift cards. Others are closing some locations and opening others.

Consumer Reports

"takes issue with gift cards that come with expiration dates, transaction fees, and inactivity fees that unfairly diminish a card’s value over time. That’s not the case with all cards. In general, cards issued by individual retailers tend to have fewer strings attached than those issued by credit-card companies like Visa and American Express."

Then again, according to their surveys, one in four people who received a gift card in 2007 has not yet spent it.

(photo: Doug Kapustin/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Gift cards, Holiday shopping
        

Steer clear of the mobile advertising company Carvertising International, warns the Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland.

People from as far away as Canada have been scammed by the scheme that promised to earn $50 to $500 a month in exchange for posting a business logo on their car. 

The problem arises after consumers pay a $109 "membership fee" for the materials, according to the BBB. Consumers complained that they didn't have enough information to start receiving payments. 

It doesn't help that the company's voice mail box is full, its Web site has been taken down and its phone number disconnected, according to the BBB.

The physical address for the business in Bel Air turned out to be a Mailboxes, Etc. store where the business has rented a box, a BBB investigation uncovered.

Here's the BBB's tips to avoid scams like this one:

- Ask questions before joining or sending payment.
- Confirm if business opportunity is legitimate with the Securities Division of the Office of the Maryland Attorney General.
- If an employer is offering a work at home opportunity, note that it is illegal to require upfront money in Maryland.
- Read the entire Web site, including the fine print.
- Know the refund policy.
- Get details about what the position entails before sending off your start up fee if opportunity is outside of Maryland.
- Ask for references.

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Prosper Marketplace may need to borrow $1 million.

That’s the amount that the popular peer-to-peer lending service has agreed in principle to pay to 20 states, including Maryland, to settle complaints that it was selling unregistered securities. The settlement was announced today.

The lending site matches people in need of a loan with regular folks willing to bid on the opportunity to lend them $50, $100 or so.

According to the North American Securities Administrators Association, a group made up of state securities regulators:

“Prosper conducts an electronic auction to fund unsecured promissory notes. The Web site features a list of potential loans and investors bid against each other to finance the loans. Funds from the lowest bidders are pooled together to fund the loans. Prosper issues notes to those lenders funding the loans and services that note.”

Those notes are securities, regulators say, and haven’t been registered with the states.

The states still need to sign off on the settlement. If they do, they also will be agreeing to ending their investigation of Prosper’s securities sales prior to Nov. 24th.

This settlement comes a week after the SEC filed a cease and desist order against Prosper for selling unregistered securities.

Prosper spokeswoman Tiffany Fox said, "We have agreed to settle this matter with the NASAA members, and we are moving ahead with our registration."

Prosper recently announced it would stop making new loans and accepting new investors while it sought to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

On its Web site, Prosper said:

“If you're an existing lender, your current lender agreements will be unaffected; your existing loans will continue to be serviced; you'll be able to track and monitor your loans; and you'll be able to withdraw funds from your Prosper account.

"If you're a borrower with an existing loan, you will continue with your current borrower agreement and be unaffected by the registration process. If you're a borrower seeking a loan, you will still be able to create a new loan listing, which we will endeavor to fulfill through alternative sources....A successful registration can take several months, but we assure you we will do our best to move forward as quickly as possible. 

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 5:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Loans
        

Enrollment starts today for families wanting to sign up for the Maryland Prepaid College Trust.

This plan allows families to pay for college tuition and fees in advance as a hedge against inflation.

The price of contracts is tied to tuition and fees at Maryland's public colleges. For instance, the price of buying four years at a university, for example, went up 1.1 percent in the past year because tution rates remained stable while fees went up slightly.

Four years at a university this season costs $37,001 for a child who is now an infant, or $38,730 for a high school student.

You can pay the amount in a lump sum or making installment payments over years.

The prepaid program also allows you to prepay years at a community college or buy as little as  one semester at a four-year school.

Maryland residents can deduct up to $2,500 a year on contributions to the Maryland plan on their state income tax.

 Enrollment runs through April 6.

For more information, go to the College Savings Plans of Maryland Web site.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 3:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: College/Financial aid
        

Sift through the Twitter chatter for a few minutes today and you'll no doubt find people complaining about the dearth of good deals on "Cyber Monday" -- a.k.a. the first true workday after the Thanksgiving holiday where people supposedly use work time to shop for gifts. (By that standard, isn't every day a Cyber day? ;-)

If you sort through the Twitter grumblings, however, you're bound to find a few discounts and coupon codes you might find useful in your online shopping. Of course, you'll probably have to use 'em by the end of the day today.

Posted by Gus Sentementes at 2:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Yes, you were right to be worried.

For the last year, we've been in a recession --- a reality finally confirmed by economists today. 

The Associated Press has reported that the U.S. officially entered a recession in December, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Here's some basic resources to help make sense of this:

According to HowStuffWorks.com, a recession is a period of economic slowdown --- with less buying, less manufacturing and fewer jobs --- that persists for six months or more. 

Economists working for the Business Cycle Dating Committee of the NBER, a non-profit organization, analyze factors such as "personal income, the national employment rate, sales in manufacturing and trade, and industrial production,"according to the Web site. Gross domestic product is not weighed as heavily. 

Updated: here's the AP story on the news about the official declaration of a recession.

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Economy
        

With the world watching, Sprint Nextel launched its next-generation mobile Internet network in Baltimore, of all places, in late September/early October. It was called XOHM.

Checking my email inbox this morning, I learned that XOHM will soon be no more. (Now don't start hyperventilating yet. Read on.)

Instead, following a multi-billion-dollar deal announced back in May, Sprint finally spun off its XOHM division to Clearwire, a Kirkland, Wash., company whose sole goal is to build out a new wireless data network that Sprint, in part, started work on.

Clearwire said it will replace the XOHM brand name with "Clear" in "the coming months," according to the press release. It said it "expects current XOHM customers will not experience any impact as a result of the transaction, and they will continue to enjoy the current benefits of various notebook computing, portable media and Internet devices, service plans and features."

Here's hoping the transition goes off without a hitch. For all you early adopters in Baltimore who've tried XOHM -- er, soon-to-be Clear -- what are your impressions of it so far?

Posted by Gus Sentementes at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Computers, Technology, WiMAX Watch
        

Happy Cyber Monday, readers!

Perhaps you're spending the morning giving thanks for the wonderful deals and discounts you picked up on Black Friday? According to Ms. Andrea, shoppers spent a lot on Black Friday but slowed over the rest of the long Turkey Day weekend.

Or, maybe you've fired up your computer to search the web for crazy deals online today instead. My Google Reader searches reveal (updated) coupon codes for Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic, as well as JC Penny and Lands End (via MrDealFinder). 

Searching for stuff for your home? Best Buy is shaving 10 percent off appliance prices today (also via MrDealFinder) and Target is offering discounts on furniture, mattresses and more.

If you're on the hunt for more deals,

Shop.com has set up CyberMonday.com to catalog deals in one easy-to-access location.

I've got to be honest and confess my inability to maintain my Buy Nothing Day pledge. I made it all the way until about 4 p.m. Friday before realizing I needed to buy supplies for some homemade gifts.

Then, I found myself in a warehouse store watching my parents, in one of their regularly scheduled fits of exuberant generosity, select a(nother) turkey that my mom baked and entombed in aluminum foil for me to take home to Baltimore.

You folks know I love turkey, and as Jason points out, at this time of year it's definitely cheap meat, but sometimes you can get too much of a good thing ... Even if fresh birds were going for only 50 cents a pound!

If you made it four days without swiping a credit card, more power to you, but whether you did or didn't, we'd love to hear about good --- or lackluster --- deals you found, or how you avoided the chaos of the weekend.  Were crowds large and surly, like the ones in Long Island and California? Did online sites crash?

(photo: Patrick Smith/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Holiday shopping, Shopping