Archive for the ‘Best and Worst Websites’ Category
Do you ever just want to recycle your old, grimy pots and pans? Maybe you don’t want to spend a lot of money on kitchen gear. But a few years ago, an extensive report came out on the dangers of and cancer-causing ties to using non-stick frying pans. At first, consumers were suspicious that the startling revelation about the cancer-causing possibility of our everyday frying pans may have been instigated by the industry’s goal to create a profit motive, forcing all Americans to purge their stock of frying pans.
GET RID OF YOUR OLD NON-STICK FRYING PANS?
Before you make any rash decisions, consider the facts: At high heat, which non-stick frying pans are prone to reacting to by getting even hotter, the coating on the non-stick frying pan breaks apart, causing toxic particles and cancer-causing gasses to be emitted–these gasses and particles can cause extreme illnesses, even thyroid disease, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a prominent nonprofit environmental research and advocacy organization, financed by the Rockefeller family, among other well-known families. Teflon has been known to kill birds because of its toxicity.
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Let’s face it—we don’t all have lucrative college savings accounts. If you can’t absorb the cost of going to a physical university right now, you may be looking at your online options for the best value. Though online education may cost less than an a physical university or college you have to understand what you are getting for your money and how your degree will be perceived.
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Watch Twin Cities Live on ABC in Minneapolis where I talk about the best and worst in holiday gift returns this year. Many new return policies this year. Some stores are more lenient, while others are making their return policies more vague. If you need to make returns you won’t want to miss this show
This holiday season has been the first in years to have decent return policies across the board—well almost. If you’ve been wondering how long you have to return your holiday presents, policies have changed somewhat this year—more favorable to customers.
In an aggressive bid to win loyal shoppers, stores have pulled all the stops when it comes to returns this season.
BIGGEST TRENDS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
- Vague return policies—need to really read the policy carefully, and even then, you may be missing some of the facts (Ex: Target and Victoria’s Secret).
- Returns at store/department manager’s discretion: this policy hasn’t been in place for more than a decade
- Receipts not crucial in many stores (Target, Macy’s)
- Extended time for returns; now 90-120 (Target- 90 days) days instead of 14-30, with the exception of electronics/games (14 days the norm, and restocking fees after that)
- Stores are not locking into return policies—Policies are changing all the time—even after the holidays, allowing flexibility for the stores; a wait and see approach. Good and bad.
- Tracking the number of returns—Wal-Mart, Target—could hurt your chances for a refund.
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SAVING MONEY ON EVERYTHING WE BUY
Comparison shopping is hard in this economy, as retailers beef up their efforts to hide true savings. You need to be smarter, take charge and respond quickly to the rapidly changing retail environment.
IMMEDIATE SAVINGS ON THE EVERYDAY THINGS WE LOVE
Don’t feel like you have to give up “getting” the things you love to get, especially for kids.
CLOTHES, BOOKS, VIDEO GAMES:
We will always want to keep our wardrobes fresh and our kids occupied with the things they love. And you can’t get everything at the libraries. Some favorite sites:
- Swaptree.com: simply borrow books, over 8,000 videos, music, video games (400+), and offer your own inventory to borrow. Only cost is shipping and something to swap. Great site for kids.
- Swapstyle.com: over 30,000 members and 7,000 clothing items is easy when you trade clothes for free! Only cost is shipping. Keep your wardrobe fresh, but don’t count on getting exactly what you are looking for—hit or miss.
EATING OUT:
Even though the economy is not good we still want and need to eat out. Socialization and saving time is a big part of our lives, and an important way to relax and unwind.
- Restaurant.com: On this site, you buy a coupon for say, $10 and then save $25 in the restaurant. This is an incentive for you to actually go to the restaurant within a short period of time. There are about 50 restaurants in the Minneapolis area, for example. Promotions all the time for $0 coupons for say, $25 off at your favorite restaurants. Wide range of restaurant prices. Site has saved restaurant-goers $75 million.
- Momsview.com: Coupons for chain and fast food restaurants that you can print right off computer. Many say chains are more expensive than local eateries, but with this site you can really save a bundle. Coupons expire quickly, so check frequently. Hundreds of choices in all major cities.
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With the economy being tight right now we need to save money anywhere we can. These are some of my favorite values right now.
- Best in kids’ furnishings/dorm room necessities: Wal-Mart: $30-40 bedding. Free shipping to your local store. Satin, very soft bedding, luscious colors and highly functional accessories.
- Best value in fixing up your outdoor furniture: Chaircarepatio.com. No matter what kind of furniture you have outdoors, it gets weathered and awful-looking after a few seasons. You can get replacement straps and slings in hundreds of colors for only a few dollars each, along with easy-to-use directions and hardware tools. I love this place based in Dallas.
- Best website for saving money on your prescriptions: I-saverx.net. Up to 80% savings on basic prescriptions! Must become a member (free), and savings on shipping, too. Also check your own insurance company! Insurance companies often team up with private online pharmaceutical companies or state-run agencies that sell medications. Make sure they are certified and, in fact, take prescriptions! Also, Walgreens and CVS have websites that list the drugs they offer for less—maybe generic, as well as $30-50 discount cards just for “joining”. They also provide a list of meds offered for your pets! Continue reading »
With the average price of staples going up now, like bread and flour, we’re all looking for ways to save money on the basics, like groceries, prescriptions and toiletries. Saving money can be challenging if you have a large family that uses up your stock.
Here’s some real ways you can start saving:
GROCERIES:
- Get coupons online instead of clipping coupons from the paper: will save you time. Great source is coupons.com or coupons.smartsource.com. Can get coupons for a variety of food all on one site.
- Lower the quantity you purchase. It is a fact that we waste 15% of all the food we buy, and we spend, on average, 15% of our salary on food.
- Shop in only one store. Temptations go up the more stores you shop at.
- For produce bargains, shop at the very end of the day.
- Stay away from wholesale clubs that charge a membership fee, and whose large supply of products will be wasted . . . instead, for the basics, try a discount grocery store like the Dollar Store or Aldi’s. Can even get toiletries and detergents cheaper those places.
- When spend $250 at Dominick’s, get 125 miles on United…really adds up to defray travel costs.
ORGANIC FOOD:
- Buy bulk only in peak season.
- Even Wal-Mart carries organic packaged foods—don’t have to go to higher priced stores to buy organic.
- Join local farmer coops—pay fee but get weekly deliveries. Go to the National Agricultural Library to find local farmers selling in your neighborhood.
- Organic companies now offering coupons: Stonyfield Farm and Cascadian Farm.
***Watch out for savings programs like Upromise. They may save a few percentage points on your purchases, but the interest rate on their cards is high.
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Home shopping expert and Random House author Jennifer Litwin announced her favorite holiday gifts for every room in the house, including gifts for both the cost-conscious shopper and the deep pocket spender.
KITCHEN
Less Expensive: One of my favorite magazines is This Old House, which can give your recipient ideas for every room of the house, along with ideas and resources for shopping.
Only $16 for 10 issues.
More Expensive: Cupcakes have made a huge comeback (at least in our house), and I love the Cupcake Carrying Case by Oneida, a great case for transporting messy cupcakes.
$19.99 at Cooking.com.
Holds 24 cupcakes. Continue reading »
