Consumer Reports' August issue has all the info about buying tickets through ticket resellers.

If you've bought tickets online, you've probably seen ads for sites such as StubHub and RazorGator. CR found that when shows sell out in record time they can often be found on resale sites such as these --- at inflated prices.

The article includes smart tips for getting a deal to see a popular show:  

1. Buy early. If you're a fan, try to sign up for pre-sales, through venues or promoters or the artists' Web sites or fan clubs. According to CR, sometimes they offer a discount as well! You can also pay to play, by paying for access to alerts  about presales and the passwords themselves at  PresalePassword.net or Presalenow.com.

2. Credit-card promotions. CR sez cards such as  American Express, Visa Signature, and MasterCard snag choice seats and discounts to events such as "The Lion King" on Broadway and the U.S. Open tennis tournament for their cardholders.

3. Go direct to the source. You can usually avoid fees by paying for tickets in person. The magazine points out that the fees are also probably lowest at the official Web site of your team or venue. (P.S.  Sometimes this holds true for airline tickets as well!)

4. Hit reload. Ticketmaster lets customers take their time before finalizing their purchases, which can make it appear as if events are sold out, according to CR. But if they change their minds, those seats become available again.

Still seatless? Then here are CR's tips for going the reseller route: 

Continue reading "Finding tickets to sold-out shows --- without spending a fortune" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

We're all looking to save money on gas. Short of not driving or limiting the amount of time we spend driving, Faithful Reader Bob and his lovely wife, Leslie, gave us a pretty interesting tip about MyGallons.com, which would allow you to lock in gas prices.

The way it works, you sign up for and pay an annual membership fee (the cost of annual membership is $29.95 when enrolling in the auto-refill program, which pre-purchases more fuel for your account when your balance drops below 15 gallons. Cost of annual membership is $39.95 for the manual refill program.) A MyGallons card will be sent to you.

Once you log in, you can access your account to see how many gallons of fuel you have available, your transaction history, th current price for purchasing more fuel, etc. You can also pre-purchase fuel to add to your account at the current price at that very moment in time.

The good thing behind that is that you could lock in a MyGallon price for as many filler ups as you want, while the actual price at the pump keeps climbing. Or you could be unfortunate enough to lock in a price and see real gas prices go down, I guess. At this rate, though, it doesn't really seem like prices are dropping.

Continue reading "Save on gas @ MyGallons.com?" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

Thanks to Reader and Blogger Chris of Fly The World blog for this great tip:

Real has a special offer for a limited time, they are giving a $10 credit for new or old customers at their new MP3 store.

Chris says on his blog that

Continue reading "More free stuff: tunes" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

I know you guys love free stuff so here's one for ya:

Continue reading "Free stuff: gelato" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Planning to celebrate our nation's independence by imbibing at a Baltimore bar?

Do everyone a favor and program this number into your cell phone first: 1-877-963-TAXI.

AAA, Yellow Cab and the Maryland Department of Transportation have partnered for this year's Tipsy?Taxi! program, giving revelers a free cab ride home from bars this weekend ... up to $50. If you live farther away, you'll have to cover the remaining cost. 

Anyone 21 years or older can take advantage of the program for a ride home ONLY ... they won't take you to another party. Don't try to pretend you live at Mother's Federal Hill Grille!

The free rides are available from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Thursday, July 3; from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. Friday, July 4; and 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. July 5July 6.

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

(photo: Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun) 

Posted by Liz Kay at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

Dan Thanh's earlier post shared ideas for saving money using Consumer Reports' six easy steps for reducing bills by such actions as shopping for new insurance policies, avoiding bank fees and paying off your credit cards.

Nora Dunn over at Wise Bread expands on these thoughts with some great tips to save money the easy way.

Some of her thoughts:

1. Change your withholding on your taxes: It's better to have all that money on your paycheck now -- and save it in an interest-bearing account, or use it to pay down debt --- than give the government an interest-free loan.

2. Lower insurance premiums: Shop around for cheaper policies, or at least increase the deductibles on your car and home insurance, which should lower your premiums.

3. Lower credit card payments by transferring credit card debt to cards with lower rates.

4. As Eileen Ambrose suggested, consolidate your student loans.

5. Lower health and child care costs. Set up health and dependent care spending accounts, so you can take pre-tax dollars and set them aside for medical or babysitting bills you are expecting.

And let's not forget Bob's excellent suggestions ...

Continue reading "More cheap tricks: lower bills without sacrificing" »

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

If you could shave $500 from your every day spending without really feeling it, would you do it? C'mon. You'd be crazy not to do it, right?

Consumer Reports Money Lab uncovered six tips that can help you shave oodles of dough from your budget. Consumer Reports, the magazine, will share the news with you in its August issue on sale this week. But me, I care about you readers so much, I'm going to share it with you now (well, mostly because CR gives me permission to).

So, for the Cheap Tricks Thursday, CR says you can save:

Continue reading "How to save $500 using six easy tips" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Baltamour blogger Maryann James highlighted some choice bits from Joe Burris' story about the Denver couple, who, despondent after leaving happenin' Baltimore, decided to have sex for 101 days in a row. It hit bookshelves right on the heels of another book about a couple doing it 365 days in a row.

These books about sex could be a natural response to couples' desire to stay at home during the market's low points, according to psychotherapist Barton Goldsmith.

"Recession is good for relationships," he said. "People don't want to go out so they can cocoon, and sex can be fun for many couples. It beats the hell out of Monopoly. ... Reclaiming the spark of romance is always a timely subject."

Continue reading "The bright side of an economic downturn: recession sex" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The online auction site EBay will have to pay $61 million to LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, home of brands such as Fendi and Marc Jacobs, after the company claimed EBay hadn't done enough to prevent sales of counterfeit goods, according to the Associated Press.

According to court documents cited by Bloomberg News, 90% of the Louis Vuitton and Dior-labeled perfumes, watches and handbags on EBay were fakes. 

A spokeswoman for eBay said they plan to appeal, and the protesting brands disapprove of the site's sales techniques even for legitimate goods, because it allows them to distributes products directly to consumers without going to exclusive shops.  

This isn't the first time EBay has been sued --- Tiffany, Rolex and L'oreal have all taken the auction site to court. The site relies on the companies to report when counterfeit items are posted for sale.  

According to Bloomburg News, the ruling also bars the sales of the company's perfumes on eBay.  

(photo: Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun) 

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

What's the easiest money you ever made?

Did you negotiate with the cable company or your cell phone provider for a lower rate? Argue your way out of bank fees? Sell a prized movie or CD collection for some fast cash?

Like Dan Thanh, the news that big job changes may be coming for us at The Sun has put the fire under my heels to find new ways to cut expenses and direct more money to the rainy day fund.

So, please share any ideas you have for battening down the hatches during rough times. I'm particularly curious about low-impact changes ...

Continue reading "Cheap tricks: calling for quick fixes" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Interested in saving energy and money by switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs, but worried about what you'd do with them when they burn out?

Home Depot just announced that they will recycle compact fluorescent light bulbs for free.  Just bring the unbroken bulbs to the returns desk at any store. 

Each swirly-headed bulb uses a fraction of the electricity of a traditional incandescent light bulb. However, they contain a small amount of mercury --- 100 times less than the amount inside an old mercury thermometer. This still presents a disposal conundrum, however. Different communities have rules about whether they should be collected with normal household trash or saved for hazardous waste collection.

Because the bulbs contain mercury, you should take precautions if one breaks, such as these steps recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for cleaning up broken CFLs.

Seriously, give them a try. The bulbs will help you save on energy costs so you'll have more green to pay for all those other rising bills.

And remember you can pick up discounted CFLs at these Home Depot, Giant and Costco stores. All BG&E ratepayers are subsidizing the cost of these bulbs for other consumers, so you should take advantage!

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

I have no experience with Virgin. I've never tried Virgin. I don't know of anyone, personally, who uses Virgin. (heck, I don't even like virgin daquiris or daquiris for that matter... but I digress)

I thought I'd put this offer out there for those of you looking for cell phone deals. Everyone out there has an unlimited plan offer out there, it seems. Now Virgin's throwing its hat into the ring, too.

 Virgin Mobile USA will unveil its new "Totally Unlimited" calling plan for $79.99 on July 1, the lowest priced and first unlimited nationwide calling plan without roaming charges or an annual contract that can be purchased by cash or credit. Bob Stohrer, chief marketing officer of Virgin Mobile USA, said, "It is simply not necessary to sign a two-year contract to get real worth with your wireless plan. This offer surpasses the regional carriers unlimited calling plans as well, as most addd on roaming charges that can cost customers as much as 79 cents per minute."

Continue reading "Virgin Mobile's "totally unlimited" deal" »

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Here's a cheap weekend tip: if you find yourself in Annapolis, you can borrow a bike for free through the Free Wheelin' program organized by the Annapolis Department of Transportation, according to this Washington Post story.

The bikes, maintained by Capital Bicycles, are available for 24 hours from the harbor master's office.

The funniest part? The bikes are free, but you have to leave a credit card and ... a driver's license.

And don't worry about riding too far. Anyone borrowing a bike can hop on board an Annapolis Transit bus for free, and put their bus on the rack in front.

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

 
... via food blogger extraordinaire Elizabeth Large: a free medium iced coffee at Au Bon Pain, from 2 p.m. until close. Thanks to faithful reader Bob for pointing it out. 

(photo: Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun) 

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Continue reading "Cheap Trick Thursday: shopping for clothes" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
                    

It may be a once-in-a-lifetime situation, but here's proof that thrift stores can be a place to shop for very valuable stuff!

Check out John Woestendiek's story about a painting by French Impressionist Edouard-Leon Cortes that was donated to a Goodwill Super Store in Easton, on the Eastern Shore.

Employees set it aside for a closer look, and the item ended up sold at Sotheby's for $40,000.

The moral of this story:  

Continue reading "Treasures at thrift stores" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

At Consuming Interests, we're usually urging you to avoid retail therapy. The surest way to keep the money in your pocket is to not spend it in the first place.

But sometimes ... when the seasons change, when a buckle breaks, when a special occasion looms on the horizon ... you've just got to go shopping.

Ladies and gentlemen, how do you satisfy the hunter-gatherer urges for new clothes when they well up inside of you?

Are there particular consignment shops or thrift stores or outlets that you target? Do you rummage online through pages and pages of discounted merchandise at specific Web sites? Have you signed up for coupons for every clothing store you have ever shopped at? 

Continue reading "Cheap tricks: calling for frugal clothes shopping tips" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
                    

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The high price of gas might make you stop paying at the pump.

Some gas station owners have banned credit-card transactions entirely. Others are charging more for the privilege of paying with plastic.

I have heard of stations locally --- on Falls Road in Hampden, on York Road in Timonium and near Taylor Avenue in Towson --- that have set two different prices per gallon of gas: one for those paying with cash and another for credit cards.

The difference can be as much as 10 or 12 cents a gallon. One of my friends, faced with the prospect of paying nine cents more per gallon, said she got back in her car and drove to another station.

She wisely did not pay the extra fees to use the ATM at the station, which would have charged her a fee --- along with her bank.

Why the difference?

Continue reading "Gas more expensive when paying with credit cards?" »

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)