CONSUMER UNITED ADVOCATE

Tips to stay in the black during Black Friday

sjbaltrusis@yahoo.com (Sam Baltrusis) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:36:00 +0000

The folks over at CouponShack.com, a leading coupon savings site, offer a few tips to help consumers make the most out of the upcoming Black Friday shopping weekend.

"The best advice I have for consumers this holiday season is the early bird catches the worm so plan ahead on your holiday shopping," says Sok Verdery, CEO of CouponShack.com.

Here are the tips:

Get a notebook and make a list the week before of everyone you have to shop for. Jot down some ideas and set a budget for each person. Create a plan and don't deviate from the plan.
Price compare the Black Friday prices with online prices by using CouponShack.com's coupon price comparison search engine.
Shop for the deal and avoid the add-ons. Some retailers will entice you into the deal and charge you more for the accessories.
Don't buy the extended warranty. It's usually not worth the extra cost and many credit card companies like American Express provide warranties on purchase made with their credit card.
Mark the items of interest and bring the Black Friday ads with you. This keeps you focused and allows you to comparison shop.
Bring cash. Shoppers who pay for purchases with cash are estimated to save about 20% versus using a credit card. If you are disciplined, then this does not matter as much.
Check the store for price-matching policies. If they offer price match, bring the ad or printout with you.
Check the store's return policy. That way, if you find it cheaper elsewhere, you can return it and purchase from the cheaper store.
If the store drops the price of the item at a later date, find out if the store will honor the new lower price.
Once you have decided which stores you will purchase from on Black Friday, check out CouponShack.com for printable coupons to take with you.

Click here for the lowdown.

Morning Deals: Lubriderm, Neutrogena & Bliss products

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:52:00 +0000

Deal Of The Day:

Lubriderm: Text MYSKIN to 467467 to get your free Lubriderm sample

Other Morning Deals:

Neutrogena: Buy any Neutrogena item and get a free Cherry Twist lipstick ($9.49 value) at drugstore.com

Bliss Products: Spend $30 on bliss products and get Youth As We Know It and Soapy Sap shower gel ($17 value) at drugstore.com

Morning Deals: Fuji, luxury hotels & travel packages

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:33:00 +0000

Deal Of The Day:

Fuji: 50 free photo cards from Fuji

Other Morning Deals:

Luxury Hotels: Get $10 discount using promo code "4STAR10" on luxury hotel rooms under $99 at CheapOstay.com

Travel Packages: Save up to $150 with flight and rental car package

Morning Deals: First aid kit, notebooks & pcs

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:18:00 +0000

Deal Of The Day:

First Aid Kit: Free first aid kit from Advocate Health Care

Other Morning Deals:

Notebooks: Save $180 on Compaq Presario Intel Dual-Core 1.86GHz notebook - 2GB RAM, 160GB HDD, 15.4" refurbished and alto notebook stand only $419.99

Desktop PCs: $160 off Averatec D1205XH1E-1 Intel Pentium E5200 2.5GHz desktop pc - 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD, 25.5", only $889.99!

Morning Deals: Body wash, tools & auto supplies

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:27:00 +0000

Deal Of The Day:

Body Wash: Free body wash from Dove

Other Morning Deals:

Tools: Save up to 40% on brand-name, manufacturer-guaranteed reconditioned tools

Auto Supplies: Get $15 off $199 w/code KEEP15 at AutoAnything.com

Morning Deals: Face cream, wreaths & pet treats

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:39:00 +0000

Deal Of The Day:

Face Cream: Free face cream from Garnier

Other Morning Deals:

Wreaths: Looking to buy some wreaths? Check out Flowers.com for great savings this season

Pet treats: This holiday season, buy your dog some treats at PetSmart.com... your wallet will be happy

'Cash for Appliances' program hits New Jersey

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:47:00 +0000

Move over "Cash for Clunkers." There's a new green-driven stimulus project offering a bonus to New Jersey residents who buy a new energy-star rated appliance.

The goal of "Cash for Appliances," a program offering financial incentives for those who buy energy-efficient household electronics, is to provide another way to stimulate the economy in an industry that has seen a 15 percent drop in sales.

So far, "Cash for Appliances" will help residents of the Garden State and is waiting on the the U.S. Department of Energy to sign off on the proposal. Once signed, the rebate plan will closely resemble the expired "Cash for Clunkers" automobile program.

When "Cash for Appliances" is in full gear, how much will you save? Anywhere from $25 to $1200 will be knocked off the price of a new Energy-Star rated appliance thanks to the state's $8.3 million dollars in federal funding. Also, the typical household could save over one-third or about $700 per year by making the switch to the energy-efficient items.

Jeanne Fox, BPU president says, "This proposal will build upon our record of success driven by New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program."

Consumers aren't the only ones thrilled. According to an article in New Jersey's Star Ledger, appliance stores such as Mrs. G TV and Appliance welcome the news as well.

Debbie Schaeffer, president of the electronics store says, "I think people are waiting, absolutely," she says."Rebates stimulate the economy and our business. We’re looking forward to them coming sooner rather than later."

Beware of so-called free credit report sites

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:09:00 +0000

Looking for a free credit report from monitoring groups like FreeCreditReport.com? Think again.

The site's TV ads feature slackers singing in their shabby apartments or waiting tables in pirate costumes. If only they had used FreeCreditReport.com, they wouldn't be in such a financial mess.

It also has a Web site name that implies the report is free. Contrary to its misleading URL, FreeCreditReport.com charges a credit-monitoring service that costs $14.95 a month, automatically taken from consumers' credit cards.

The Federal Trade Commission isn't amused. The government is now producing its own spoofs on FreeCreditReport.com singing, "Other sites may turn your head; say they're free, don't be misled. Once you’re in their tangled web, they’ll sell you something else instead.” In the parody, the F.T.C. is focusing on the free-credit-report slogan.

Experian, the company that owns FreeCreditReport.com, has already paid $1.25 million to settle charges for misleading consumers who ended up having to pay a monthly subscription fee. Due to the legal issues, it now has a disclosure on its home page saying it's not affiliated with the annual free credit report program. This disclosure is in fine print on the side of the home page, on a subdued background.

FreeCreditReport.com diverts consumers from the government-mandated free credit report site, and are drawing a lot of F.T.C. attention. This expanding niche is near $1 billion in sales for which millions of people have signed up. The consumer pays to see real-time updates about changes in their credit.

But for most consumers, changes in credit can be easily monitored by a quick peek at their credit card statement every few months. Edgar Dworsky, founder of ConsumerWorld.org and a former member of Experian's consumer advisory panel asks, “Does the average person really need to see their credit reports more than once every four months? Do you need to look at it daily?” He responds to his own question, "That's paranoia."

The three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion are required to offer reports through the authorized AnnualCreditReport.com but the three groups also make money from their own credit reports.

According to a Yahoo Finance article, Experian is the largest player for credit card monitoring, and their market share is more than twice that of its three main competitors combined. The company invests heavily in marketing and its slacker commercials. In 2008 alone, $54 million was spent, TNS Media reports.

Looking for an alternative? Credit Karma, a site that helps consumers demystify the credit-score game, boasts free credit checks, educational guides and tools.

For more information, click here.

Free trial at Bally Total Fitness

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:19:00 +0000

Free 7 day trial at Bally Total Fitness

Check out our twtqpon here

Morning Deals: Bags, safety products & toys

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:34:00 +0000

Deal Of The Day:

Bag: Free bag from Dansko

Other Morning Deals:

Safety Products: Buy three emergency preparedness products and get 20% off at Drugstore.com while supplies last

Toys: Spend $100 on select toys and get $20 off your next order- sneak peek at Holiday's hottest toys at drugstore.com!

New iPhone app does the driving for you

sjbaltrusis@yahoo.com (Sam Baltrusis) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:57:00 +0000

Remember the remote-controlled BMW in the James Bond flick "Tomorrow Never Dies" in 1997? The ultimate 007 gadget may become a reality thanks to a crew of researchers at Germany's Freie Universitat of Berlin.

The team of artificial intelligence scientists unveiled an iPhone app called the iDriver that allows users to remotely control their car by operating the steering, brakes and accelerator while navigating the vehicle from an iPhone screen.

A street view is transmitted from a tiny dashboard video camera to the remote-control device where the driver directs the vehicle via signals sent from the car's transmission.

Scientists showcased the computer-driven test car, nicknamed the "Spirit of Berlin," at the city's Tempelhof airport.

An era of automatic cars navigating the streets? Not so fast.

While the crew of German researchers have successfully tackled the technical aspects of driving a car from a mobile-phone application, a spokesperson from Freie University said not to expect a release of iDriver this year.

Click here for the lowdown.

Morning Deals: Coffee, Black Friday & hotels

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:15:00 +0000

Deal Of The Day:

Coffee: Free Folger's coffee sample from All You magazine

Other Morning Deals:

Black Friday: Looking for Black Friday savings? Save up to 50% on all hotel bookings at CheapOstay.com

Hotels: Cheap weekend hotels deals at CheapOstay.com- Save up to 50% plus a $10 instant discount

Free credit report at Smart Credit

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:12:00 +0000

Check your smart credit report now and fix your problems online for free today

To see our twtQpon, click here

Morning Deals: Flu packs, LCDs & OnSale.com

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:12:00 +0000

Deal Of The Day:

Flu Packs: Free flu pack from FreeFluPak.com

Other Morning Deals:

LCDs: $1080 off Sony KLH-40X1 40" 720p LCD HD display now only $719.99

OnSale.com: Free shipping on most open box specials! Hurry, limited availability only!

Auto Insurance Savings Tips :: New Jersey

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:06:00 +0000

Attention Garden State! Think you have no control over the cost of your auto insurance? Think again. Here are great ways New Jersey drivers can save big.

*Choose your plan wisely
Shopping around for your plan will guarantee optimum savings. Some insurance companies offer more savings than others, so make sure you do your research before settling down on one company.

*Own a home
Some insurance companies offer discounts if you are a homeowner. If you are a Consumer United member, High Point offers up to 15% off your insurance if you're a homeowner.

*Multi-car discount
If you are applying more than one vehicle for an auto insurance policy, some companies are bound to give you a discount. High Point Auto Insurance offers up to 10% off multi-car policies.

*Drive safely
Safe driving is bound to get you a discount. If you have been violation and accident free for over three years, High Point Auto Insurance offers up to 12% off your policy. You can also receive a $100 reduced deductible each year for having no "at-fault" accidents with High Point.

*Bundle your plans
Insurance companies that offer other kinds of coverage, like home or life insurance, can be a source of additional savings.

*Join a group
Are you a member of a credit union or civic organization? In recent years, many insurers have offered discounts to groups to attract new customers.

*Paid-in-full discount
Shoppers who pay in full will most likely receive a discount on their policy. At High Point Insurance, a paid in full premium will save up to 13%.

*Insure your kids
With High Point Insurance, you can receive a discount if your child in the household drives, is insured, and is under the age of 19. The policy must be inforced at least two years for the discount to apply.

Click here to learn more about Consumer United's deal with New Jersey's High Point.

What to do now to save money at tax time

sjbaltrusis@yahoo.com (Sam Baltrusis) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:01:00 +0000

At a time when many Americans continue to keep a close eye on their budgets, one place to look for some extra savings may be your tax return.

Though returns are not due until April, as the year nears its end, it makes sense to analyze where credits and deductions could come from. Mortgages and higher education are two categories that can offer much-needed breaks for many families.

In many cases, the interest on a mortgage can be taken as a tax deduction. The interest can sometimes come from more than one property or mortgage, but in general the amount mortgaged cannot be more than $1 million. On the other hand, if the interest is particularly low, it also may not make sense to itemize the deduction. A free tax planning program offered by Turbo Tax may help some homeowners make decisions about what to deduct.

The interest on student loan debt can also be deducted based on a $2,500 break offered to individuals earning less than $55,000. Individuals earning up to $70,000 are qualified for a gradually reduced deduction. The deduction for student loans can be taken each year that you are making payments on the loan as long as you continue to earn less than $70,000.

In addition, if you make contributions to a traditional IRA, you can deduct that contribution if you meet income requirements. The money remains untaxed until it is withdrawn. This can be a particularly important incentive to add to put some money away at a time when saving seems difficult.

Click here for Turbo Tax’s website to learn more about their free tax preparation program.

--Bridget O'Sullivan

Morning Deals: Lipstick, tickets, contact lenses

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:59:00 +0000

Deal Of The Day:

Lipstick: Free lipstick from Neutrogena

Other Morning Deals:

Tickets: Michael Jackson's This Is It tickets on sale now at Fandango!

Contact Lenses: Save up to 70% plus an additional $5 off any order over $50! Enter ACLS5 in the instruction field of the AC Lens order form

'Backseat Driver' wins fuel-saving video contest

sjbaltrusis@yahoo.com (Sam Baltrusis) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:38:00 +0000

A video featuring two buddies preparing to carpool who get fuel-efficiency tips from a literal backseat driver snagged the top prize in the Drive Smarter Challenge video contest.

David Markus, a California-based freelance videographer and aspiring film director, walked off with the $5,000 prize for his "Backseat Smart Driver" short while taking a humorous approach to serve up driving tips to help motorists spend less on gasoline.

"At an early age, my father gave me tips to drive more efficiently -- accelerate slowly, inflate tires -- so when I started filming, I already knew most of the tips," says Markus. My friends actually tease that I 'drive like a grandma.'"

Click here for the lowdown on the Drive Smarter Challenge.

Morning Deals: Power Bar, Angie's List & travel guides

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Deal Of The Day:

Power Bar: Free energy blast sample

Other Morning Deals:

Angie's List: Find reviews on the services you need at Angie’s List– from electrician to physician– use coupon code SAVE TEN for $10 off!

Travel Guides: Save 10% off your next purchase at Lonely Planet! Use coupon code CJCOUPON10

'Smart meters' get green light thanks to grants

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:42:00 +0000

Say "bye-bye" to the old-school way of measuring household energy usage. At least 18 million American homes will turn on the national switch of electronic "smart meters" that show customers how much their power use costs them at any given time, allowing them to adjust that use accordingly.

Armed with the new gadget, utility companies will be able to know when a meter is in need of repair. Also, the new meters eliminate the need for meter-readers and automatically notify energy providers when the power goes out.

With 18 million more smart meters, the nation's total will be up to 40 million, thanks to $400 thousand to $200 million dollars in stimulus grants according to the Department of Energy.

On Tuesday, 100 utility projects were named that will share $3.4 billion in federal stimulus funding. The goal? To lower energy use, make the electric power grid more robust and speed deployment of advanced technology, a Wall Street Journal article reports. President Obama firmly believes in automating utility substations and installing advanced digital meters throughout the U.S.

How will smart meters help the consumer? According to Department of Energy officials, they'll automate the energy consumption process. The new meters will instantly tell customers how much it costs to consume power at peak times - such as hot summer afternoons. And they will be able to interact with smart thermostats and other household devices to reduce power use automatically.

Also, advanced digital meters are slotted to handle the ups and downs of uneven bursts of energy from solar power systems or wind turbines, allowing greater efficiency of electricity.

In California and Texas, however, millions of smart meters have already been installed by utility companies. Will these states be penalized because they have advanced in smart meters before the stimulus grants were offered?

Morning Deals: Chai, glucose monitor & toys

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:25:00 +0000

Deal Of The Day:

Chai: Free sample of Oregon Chai

Other Morning Deals:

Glucose Monitor: Save 75% on the Lifescan Ultra Mini blood glucose monitor- just $4.99 at drugstore.com. Offer ends November 30, 2009

Toys: Spend $100 on select toys and get $20 off your next order. Sneak peek at Holiday's hottest toys at drugstore.com!

Rising home prices indicate signs of recovery

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:30:00 +0000

U.S. home prices rose in August for the third straight month, indicating housing recovery after a steep three-year decline. But, will it last?

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index shows a dramatic turnaround. For three months straight--June, July and August--home prices in 15 metro cities were on the rise. San Francisco, Minneapolis and San Diego led the turnaround.

However, prices are still extremely low compared to 2006. For example, an Associated Press article reports that Miami's prices have climbed for three months in a row, however they're still only half the price of an average price for a Southern Florida home in 2006.

What does this mean? Zach Pandl, an economist at Nomura Global Economist believes prices are still destined to bottom out before they begin to recover for good in 2010.

"We need to see flat to rising prices in the winter months," Pandl says. "That would be a very encouraging sign that prices have bottomed out." This is likely to be true. As foreclosures and unemployment rise, and a tax credit for first-time homebuyers expires next month, home prices may fall once again.

An expired tax credit due next month has caused congress to consider prolonging the tax credit into next year. An increase of the credit is in the works as well. The increased tax credit will help first-time buyers, by saving them 10 percent of the sales price, up to $8,000. What's backing supporters? This month of October, the U.S. economy has declined once again, and the Consumer Confidence Index fell 6 points from September, now down to its lowest level since May.

Although the rising home prices are widespread, they're certainly not everywhere. Seattle, Las Vegas and Charlotte N.C. have fallen to their lowest levels since August. The largest feast-to-famine city? Las Vegas. After the city's peak in August 2006, home prices have since fallen 56 percent.

10% off at Exterior Accents

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:26:00 +0000

Take 10% off any order at Exterior-Accents.com!

Check out our twtQpon here

Renters willing to live with ghosts to save money

sjbaltrusis@yahoo.com (Sam Baltrusis) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:22:00 +0000

Willing to play host to a ghost? A recent survey commissioned by Wakefield Research on behalf of Rent.com found that 11 percent of renters believed that their home had ghostly guests, while others insisted they would endure paranormal activity to save money.

Here's the lowdown from the Rent.com press release:

In fact, 69 percent of renters would be willing to crash with Casper for the right price. More than half (51 percent) of renters would share their home with a ghost in exchange for free rent, and over one quarter (27 percent) would do it for half-price.

Three in 10 people who have rented (30 percent) said they’d bunk with the boogeyman if they received free utilities, while nearly one in four (23 percent) would do it in exchange for a free flat-screen TV with cable.

Overall, 31 percent of renters said no deal. Nothing, “not even a million bucks,” would convince them to conquer their phasmophobia (fear of ghosts). However, a greater percentage of males than females are willing to live with ghosts for any given tradeoff (74 percent vs. 64 percent).

Click here for the ghostly details.

Morning Deals: Sam's Club, hotels & travel packages

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle S.) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:47:00 +0000

Deal Of The Day:

Sam's Club: Free day pass at Sam's Club

Other Morning Deals:

Hotels: No Hotels.com change or cancel fees on lodging bookings

Travel Packages: Save up to $325 on big city packages, from $269 per person