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December 2008 Archives


Deals of the Week

2:00 PM Wed, Dec 31, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

This week you'll find deals on music, local businesses and more. Enjoy!

$5 Album downloads
Amazon.com recently started offering mp3 downloads. It has a bunch of albums selling for just $5. We're talking Cold Play and fifty other albums.

Local Business Savings
Over the past few weeks we've all done stories about the local businesses creating an alliance to try to get you to shop local. You can become an Austin Independent Business Alliance member for $35 a year and that gets you lots of savings at area businesses throughout the year. Here's a list of all the local business savings. I'd like to feature more local business savings, so if you know of any you'd like to share send me an e-mail.

Big Retail Savings
Most retailers have drastically cut prices because of dismal holiday sales. Remember to check Retail Me Not.com for more coupon codes if you plan to shop for some of these savings online. Here are a few you may want to check out:
Dick Sporting Goods has 70 percent off.
Old Navy marked many items down by 75 percent.
Bachrach is offering 50% off most items including men's suits and dress shirts.
Ann Taylor Loft is slashing prices by 70%.
Banana Republic is cutting prices 60% and offering an additional 20% on certain items you buy online.
Macy's after Christmas sale ends Tuesday. You can save between 20 percent and 65 percent.

Free Cab Rides
If you're going to be out tonight don't forget you can get a cab ride for free from 11pm to 3am just call 512-657-2999. (The first $30 of your cab fare is free.)

Travel Deals
Southwest Airlines is teaming up with Norweigan Cruise Lines to offer some amazing deals on cruises. You can go on a 3 night cruise to the Bahamas for as little as $149. You can see all the cruise deals here.



Check your Pipes

3:22 PM Tue, Dec 30, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

Nothing causes more problems for homeowners than water issues. It turns out if you've had leaky pipes or pipes that have burst you may be eligible to get some money back.

About 7 million homes have polybutylene pipes; hundreds of thousands have reported leaks. So there is a $1 billion dollar class action.

Not sure what you have in your home? Check under your sink for pipes that are gray in color. They would have been installed between 1978 and 1999. The pipe has been sold under various names, including Qest, Bow, Safeguard and Flex-temp.

You've got to show proof you've had problems by January 31, 2009. You'll need to show photos, plumbing repair receipts, work orders or the actual failed part.

These same pipes could be in your yard service lines. Signs you may have a problem include a wet front yard or a sump pump that continuously runs.

To learn more about the class action visit this website or call 1-800-490-6997.

Most of the pipes that have experienced problems have metal inserts. If you have pipes with plastic inserts you may still be eligible for money. You can learn more about that here.

Here are some great tips for homeowners to help you check to make sure you don't have any leaks.



Get Tech Help Online

3:37 PM Mon, Dec 29, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

Electronics are always big items for the holidays. Lucky for me, my husband is not only a terrific guy, he's also tech savvy. So anytime I get a new gadget, he gets it working then shows me what to do. I admit, I'm pretty spoiled by that.

If you don't have someone like that in your home and can't stand the thought of waiting in line either at the store or on the phone, you may want to check out some of these websites.

PCWorld is one of the best places to go. There are lots of discussion forums that offer troubleshooting help.

Answerbag.com is sort of a catch all place to ask questions about anything. However, you will find an electronics and a computer section.

Secure Experts exchange.com is a fee based site, but they offer a free trial. This site guarantees you'll get an answer to your technical question in an hour.

You can ask experts questions for free at Fixya.com.

Zolved is another good bet.

This next site is one of my favorites name-wise. If you've got a Blackberry, try searching for help on Crackberry.com.

If you're a visual person try ehow.com. You'll find some pretty funny videos on here, but you'll also find step by step tips on lots of things including how to upgrade your computer memory. There's also an entire section on electronics.

Got a site you recommend? Add it to the comment section below.



How to Give the Most

6:16 AM Fri, Dec 26, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

Most people would expect charitable giving to go down with the economy. In fact during the five most recent recessions charitable giving declined about 1.3 percent.

It is why making the most of the money you give is more important than ever. So here are some places to make sure the organizations you support are doing the most with your money.

A good rule of thumb is any charity that spends at least 65 percent on its programs is considered a wise investment. You want 35 percent or less to be spent on fundraising and administrative costs.

Check out charities at Guidestar.org or Give.org. You'll want to check out the charities 501c3 forms. Those highlight how charities allocate their money. Not sure if a charity qualifies for the tax exemption? You can check here.

Charity Navigator is another terrific resource. It even lists the highest and lowest rated charities in particular categories.

Each year Forbes magazine takes a look at the biggest charities. They examine their commitment to their cause, their fundraising efficiency and dependency on donors--meaning how badly they need your money in order to break even.

It also lists the most efficient large charities.

Products with a Cause
One recent survey found 85 percent of shoppers say they have a more positive image of a company or product when it supports a cause they believe in. Shop Smart magazine also found another survey that showed "86 percent of shoppers are very or somewhat likely to switch to a similar brand if it's associated with a cause."

The truth is we all want to feel good when we shop especially at a time when so many of us are looking to save. However you want to make sure you know how much of the money you are spending on a product is really going to help the charity. Some companies give a set amount. Once that amount is reached your contribution may not matter. And some companies raise the prices on their products in order to reach their goal. For example in October, Aveda sold a limited edition hand lotion that cost $2 more. You did get an ounce more lotion and Aveda donated $4 to the Susan G. Komen for Cure Foundation. It's important to pay attention to those things.

Other companies like Newman's Own and MAC makeup pay for the production costs to produce their products then donate the rest of the money to charity.

Other ways to Give
GoodSearch.com is a search engine that let's you earn money for your favorite cause just by going through this site. You must first designate a charity you would like to support. Advertisers pay a fee for people clicking on their ads, so anytime you click on an ad using the search, a portion of that money goes to your favorite charity or school. Charities don't get rich on this. In fact it's about a penny a search, but it's something.

Don't Almost Give" is a neat site that helps you find ways to donate and volunteer for some of your favorite organizations.

USA Today also recently put together an article about companies that give.



Deals of the Week

4:31 PM Wed, Dec 24, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

This week you can score some deals on food, a vacation and music. Remember if you ever have any deal suggestions send me an b>e-mail.

Restaurant Deals
You can save 80 percent more on Restaurant.com gift certificates through tomorrow, Christmas Day by typing in the code HOLIDAY as you check out.

Free Music Downloads
Amazon.com is offering a free holiday sampler for you to download. It includes a Bing Crosby classic as well as a tune from the Beach Boys.

Vacation Deals
Now is a great time to score some serious savings on a vacation.

Ski.com is running lots of ski package specials.
• Repositioning cruises are where you can often score some of the best deals. That's when companies try to move the ships from one destination to another. They often don't stop off in as many locations, but you can still enjoy the cruise ship amenities. I found this deal on Royal Caribbean for just $399 a person for a 7 night cruise in the Caribbean. You can see more of the hot deals here.

Carnival also has deals starting as low as $299 a person.

Southwest Airlines is also having an end of the year blow out sale. You've got until December 29th to book the deal and you must book at least 14 days in advance.



Should the Government Bail out Retailers?

10:00 PM Tue, Dec 23, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

This afternoon the retail industry asked for a bailout of sorts from the federal government. Okay, they didn't ask for money specifically, they asked for three national tax-free shopping holidays for 2009.

In a letter the National Retail Federation wrote to President-elect Barack Obama: "The situation is critical. In October, consumer confidence was at its lowest level in the 41 years records have been kept."

"We urge you to act quickly on legislation to help stimulate consumer spending as one of the first priorities of your new administration."

So here's the proposal:
Three tax free holidays held in March, July and October 2009, each would last 10 days.

The NRF says those tax-free shopping days would save the average family $175 and help millions of retail workers keep their jobs.

What do you think? Would you be more likely to shop on those tax-free days? Do you think the government should make this part of its economic stimulus plan?

Add your comments below.



Travel Delay and Security Checkpoint information

4:06 PM Tue, Dec 23, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

I hope you are all enjoying time with family this holiday. If you've got family coming into town or maybe you're heading out of town for the holidays, let's hope you pack your patience. The weather across the country has made travel a bit challenging this week. So I thought I'd try to help. There are several really great websites that can help you keep track of flight delays and even security checkpoint times at airports across the country.

The Federal Aviation Administration has an entire map of the country that is updated every 15 seconds that shows you which airports are experiencing delays.

Fly Stats also has a section devoted to flight delays. Here you can plug in the airport you're flying into and even see the security wait times. Not every airport is connected to the security wait time section.

However, one of the best features is the section on ground delays. It lets you link directly to flights that are flying in or out of your airport so that you can see how long they are being delayed, even the reason for the delays.

Here's to safe and happy travels!



Jumbo Snow Globe Fire Hazard

3:16 PM Tue, Dec 23, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

My brother-in-law collects snow globes. They are one of my favorite holiday decorations and it's why I was surprised to see today's recall of 7,000 jumbo snow globes that were sold at Hallmark.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission these snow globes act as a magnifying glass when exposed to sunlight. Twice these decorations have ignited nearby combustible materials. So Hallmark is recalling them.

If you have one of these you should obviously keep it away from the sun or you can return it to a Hallmark store for a full refund.

I checked and this is the first of its kind recall for the Consumer Product Safety Commission.



Best Colleges for Making Money

2:58 PM Mon, Dec 22, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

Most of us like knowing we're making a good investment with our money. Picking the right school is part of that. Smart Money just ranked schools based on their value and how much money you can expect to make once you graduate. Texas schools did really well and the rankings overall may give parents more reason to look at public schools.

Both Texas A&M and the University of Texas were in the top five of public schools nationally.

The study looked at tuition costs versus what students can expect to make once they graduate. It found students at Texas A&M can expect to get an average 315% return on their investment. Students who graduate from the University of Texas get an average of 305% return on their investment.

There's something important for all parents to keep in mind. Part of why UT ranked so high is that according to the study, "82% of freshman who applied for need based aid received some kind of financial package." If you've got a child who is getting close to entering school here are some terrific resources to help you find financial aid and scholarships.

FinAid.org is a terrific resource that can help you determine how much college will cost as well as places to get financial help.

There's an entire section on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), including a section that helps estimate how much your child may qualify for in financial aid. You'll also find some great tips on how to maximize your aid eligibility.

For more financial aid information check out FAFSA4caster.

The U.S. Department of Education is another good place to get information. It provides $83 billion this year to students across the country. You'll find a bunch of resources here for finding financial aid.

At College Board your child can register for the SAT, or check their SAT scores. This site also helps you determine whether your child is taking the right classes to get into the school of their choice. There is another section on how to find scholarships.

This site offers some nice insight into the expenses and how to save. There's a helpful section that outlines how much you should be saving based on your child's age.

Here are some good resources on 529 plans:
Saving for College
Texas 529 and College Savings Plans
Kiplinger's Guide to the Best 529 Plans
College Savings Plans Network

Got tips you'd like to share? Add your comments below.



Last Minute Shopping Deals

8:52 PM Fri, Dec 19, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

I'm happy to say I finished my holiday shopping. I'm sad for the 20.5% of people the National Retail Federation says have yet to start. You're probably not surprised they also say the biggest procrastinators are men (24.2%). I'm here to help guys.

Lots of online retailers are upping the ante this weekend to help you get those gifts to their destinations on time. So no excuses.

Blue Nile.com is a jewelry site and is offering free Fed Ex delivery with lots of different orders through December 23rd. You can order gift certificates online up until December 24th and have them e-mailed to that special person in your life.

Zappos.com is offering free shipping as long as you order by 1pm on December 23rd.

Gap.com, Banana Republic.com, even Old Navy.com are offering free shipping if you spend more than $100 and use your store credit card before Sunday.

Wal-Mart is having some incredible online specials. Remember you can often get these gifts delivered to a store for pickup and avoid having to wait or pay extra for shipping.

K-Mart.com is offering free shipping on jewelry and clothing as long as you buy it by Saturday, December 20th.

Remember you can always find the free shipping promotional codes and the deadlines to meet them at free shipping.org.



Does music make you spend more?

4:36 PM Fri, Dec 19, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

Ever stop to listen to the music when you go out to eat? You might after you hear what a recent study found. According to the study, "when restaurants play classical music, diners are influenced to indulge more, specifically by buying fancy coffees, pricey wines, and luxurious desserts".

The researchers took over a restaurant in England and then controlled the music for 18 nights. They alternated between silence, pop tunes and classical music. The study found, "When classical music was played, patrons spent on average $40 per person compared to the $35 they spent when there was no music." That's not a huge difference, but it was people consistently spent more over the entire 18 day period. Other studies have found similar trends.

For example one study found that dimming the lights makes people eat more.

Places like Target and even some grocery stores play no music at all. That too is a conscious decision. Marketers say silence gives shoppers less of a time reference so they forget how long their shopping.

Time is crucial. Stores want to keep you shopping for at least 11 and a half minutes, because research has shown if you're in the store that long, you're more likely to make a purchase.

All of this science has transformed over the years so that now stores ask for your opinion. You'll see survey requests on many of your receipts. Target actually heard that shoppers didn't like the curbs outside the stores because they were difficult to navigate with shopping carts. As a result Target stores have no curbs outside the store leading to the parking lot.

What do you think? Does music make you spend more or eat more? Add your comments below.



Tricks to Scoring Travel Deals

4:51 PM Thu, Dec 18, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

This holiday season brings with it extra joy because there are some terrific travel deals. Cruise lines are offering up big on board credits and resorts are slashing prices. Here are some of the deals I found tonight.

Home Away features vacation condos and homes. I found this condo in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico renting for $99 a night through May 2009.

Vacation Roost has some terrific deals if you like to ski.

Below you'll find some of my favorite travel saving websites that could help you plan your next vacation.

Remember if you have any secrets you'd like to share, drop me an e-mail.

Travel Tricks
• Unadvertised Deals
I was just telling some of my co-workers that this is one of my all time favorite travel websites. Take a look at Airfarewatchdog.com. This site searches for the best unadvertised deals--we're talking the deals you won't find on other travel sites. You can even sign up to receive e-mail alerts for your specific area.

There's also a great section here that lists the best fares of the day. It's great to check here. A few summers ago there was roundtrip airfare from New York to London for less than $200.

• Start Searching Saturday morning.
Many times you will find sales early Saturday morning. So get up early the sales don't last. Some travel experts say airlines don't want you to know this because they often only want to sell a few seats at the cheaper price or only have a few seats to sell at that price. Historically fare mistakes have also happened Saturday mornings, like $1.86 fares out of Hilton Head, S.C. that USAir honored.

Some airlines drop fares if they have trouble filling seats and because many airlines won't match prices over the weekend.

• Other Times Flight Prices Tend to Change
George Hobica of Airfarewatchdog says flight prices tend to change at 9am, 11:30am and 7pm Central Time during the week, about 4pm on the weekends.

• Search outside the City
Often you'll find better deals if you connect in another city. So start looking at airfare from bigger cities like New York or Chicago which typically have more choices and better fares. Then search for a flight from Minneapolis to these cities--and leave enough time to make your connection.

• The Rule of 7's
Airfare prices tend to be cheaper 7, 14 or 21 days out from your trip. Airlines typically look at these dates to see how their seats are filling up and then may drop their fares based on availability.

• Keep Checking
Once you've booked a flight keep checking airfare. As long as you have purchased from an airline directly, if the fare drops they will re-issue you a new ticket at the cheaper price. The catch you often have to pay a fee of between $50 and $100. Then they'll give you a travel voucher for the remaining amount you saved.

If you don't have time to check--sign up for a free e-mail alert at yapta.com This site will scan travel sites for you. There are some really cool features on this site, including a play by play of the airfare prices for the flight you've booked. When it drops the site will send you an e-mail. Then all you have to do is call the airline and pocket the savings.

Farecast.com offers an airfare predictor. It looks at historical data and helps you decide whether you should buy now or later.

• Score better seats for cheap
If you really want to fly first class without paying first class prices--when you shop for tickets on airline sites click on first class with restrictions or first class non-refundable. Hobica says you can often find first class seats for half the price.

Last Minute Deals
Most of the big travel sites have last minute travel deals. Below you'll find a list of some other sites worth browsing:
Last Miniute Travel.com
Last Minute.com
AOL Last Minute Deals

There are a couple of things to keep in mind with these sites. You want to be sure you know where you are staying. Some sites do a better job of giving you hotel names. The other caution is that some consumers say they have been double billed when booking through these sites. One traveler says they were charged by the hotel and by the website for their room and then had to fight for a refund.

Here is a look at the information I've collected from various travel experts over the past several years during our Best Times stories.
The cheapest days to travel:
• Tuesday
• Wednesday
• Saturday

The cheapest time of day to travel:
• Evening except on Fridays and Sundays

The most expensive days to travel:
• Monday
• Friday
• Sunday

Other sites worth checking out
Air-fare.com tracks fares that have dropped 20-percent or more from the following day.
Farecompare.com helps you compare airfare from different sites. They also have a lot of historical data on different flights that show when you can expect the cheapest airfare.
Bestfares.com lists all kinds of deals under its Snooze you Lose tab. Some are only available for members who pay a $60 yearly fee.



Deals of the Week

4:16 PM Wed, Dec 17, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

This week's deals of the week will help you find free shipping at hundreds of online sites, save even more money than last week's restaurant deals did and get a subscription to some of the most popular magazines for just $5. Enjoy! Remember if you ever have any deals you'd like me to share, send me an e-mail.

Free Shipping
Thursday December 18th is the first annual Free Shipping Day. It's a day when participating merchants give free shipping to online shoppers with guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve. There are over 200 participating retailers including JCPenney, Macy's, Kmart, Apple and, Bloomingdale's, and the list is growing every day. To see the complete list and to take advantage of the deals go here.

Remember Amazon.com's Free Super Saving Shipping on toys also ends today.

Restaurant savings
Through December 22nd you can save 80% on the gift certificates at Restaurant.com by typing in the code word SANTA before checking out. If you haven't checked out this site before it sells $25 gift certificates for $10, $10 gift certificates for $3. This 80% savings is on top of that. So you can get that same $25 gift certificate for $2.

Magazine Subscriptions
One of my favorite gifts to get is a magazine subscription. My mom has done this for me several years in a row. It's one of those gifts that keeps giving throughout the year. This holiday season you can do the same for someone in your family for a fraction of what it would normally cost.

Hearst is having a $5 magazine holiday sale. That means you can get all kinds of magazines including 6 issues of Cosmo, 6 issues of O, Oprah's magazine or twelve issues of one of my favorites, Smart Money Magazine, for just $5.



Retailers fight to sell products for less

2:57 PM Tue, Dec 16, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

This year more than any other people are looking to save money. Retailers know this and have boosted their sales like never before. Yet as a consumer you may not realize in some cases retailers hands are tied when it comes to dropping prices.

They must abide by MAP or the "minimum advertised price" rules. That means a retailer agrees not to advertise a product for a price lower than the price a manufacturer sets. It explains why you always see iPods selling for the same price no matter the retailer.

According to the Wall Street Journal a number of big retailers including Costco and eBay are calling for an end to MAP. They plan to push lawmakers to restrict the practice. The Federal Trade Commission also plans to hold hearings on the issue next year.

According to some trade sites manufacturers pay to monitor pricing. The manufacturers say it prevents deep discounters from hurting the brands.

What do you think? Would you like to see stores have some flexibility in pricing? Add your comments below.



Toy Buying Tips

4:59 PM Mon, Dec 15, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

I was amazed the other day when I was shopping and saw how much stores were marking down toys. It turns out maybe I shouldn't be so surprised. This year President Bush signed the Consumer Product Safety Act into law. Eventually it will mean all but trace amounts of lead will be allowed in toys. However most of the requirements don't take effect until next year.

Check toys that were recently tested
Healthy Toys is an independent organization that a few weeks ago announced the results of tests involving 1500 toys. You can search the list of toys by name, by brand or product code. You can also check out the list of toys that were rated best and worst.

It is interesting to read some of the letters written and posted on the Toy Industry Association's website. Manufacturers are concerned about the cost of conducting the tests that will now be required and so according to several consumer experts and at least one toy store owner I spoke with many of those manufacturers are lowering the price of the toys they have in inventory in hopes of selling it off before the new rules take effect February 10th.

The story I did in May 2004 started this entire government investigation into lead in toys.

As a parent here are the things to keep in mind:
• The children who've suffered lead poisoning or died as a result of these toys with high levels of lead, swallowed or mouthed the toys.
• Younger children are more susceptible to the effects of lead because their bodies, in particular their nervous systems are still developing.
• Younger children also are the ones who tend to put toys in their mouths.
• throw out any toys where the paint has begun to wear off or breakdown. Also toss out any toys that break or appear damaged.
• Read labels. Some manufacturers have already begun following the new stricter standards. So look for labels that say they've been tested.

Here are some more resources to help you make smart decisions about the toys you buy for your children:
Trouble in Toyland report
Tips for Toy Safety
USPIRG
TexPIRG

What are you noticing at stores? Add your comments below.



Online Money Saving Sites

4:01 PM Fri, Dec 12, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

I grew up in a coupon clipping family. My parents always had a little coupon book they take with them to the grocery store. It's a habit that stuck with me.

That probably explains why I look for savings when I shop online too. So I thought I would pass along some of my favorite online savings sites. I don't buy anything without first checking these two sites:
Retail me not.com highlights all of the discount and promo codes for hundreds of stores. I never shop online without checking here first.
Free Shipping.org tells you where to find free shipping at more than 850 stores including some of the bigger retailers like Macy's and Target. It even tells you if there are any catches to scoring the savings.

Here are a few of my other bookmarked favorites:
Price Grabber is a terrific shopping comparison site.
Mommy Savers is a great place to see where other moms have found savings. It's also a terrific resource on what's happening around the country or if you need help finding an answer on a particular topic.

Got any money saving secrets? I'd love to hear from you. Drop me an e-mail or add your comments below.



Deals of the Week

8:22 AM Wed, Dec 10, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

For those of you who are new to my blog, each Wednesday I post deals of the week. These are items I've come across that I think are worth checking out. This week you'll see that I've got deals to help you eat out for less, pamper yourself and even treat your kids to a fun day at the museum. Enjoy and remember if you ever have any deals you think I should mention send me an e-mail.

Through tomorrow, December 11th you can save 70 percent off any gift certificates you buy on Restaurant.com. Simply type in the word ONLINE in the promotional code box as you make your purchase. If you are not familiar with this site this is a great way to save money eating out. There are dozens of restaurants and you get $25 gift certificates for $10, but with these promotional codes that same gift certificate will cost you just $3. Keep in mind you often have to spend at least $35 at the restaurant to use those $25 gift certificates, which means you get a $35 dinner for $13. Some restaurants also will not let you use the gift certificates toward drinks or during happy hours.

The Crossings spa is offering a buy a gift certificate get one for yourself deal.

The Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau is a great place to check for discounts to some of the most popular destinations. For example, there's this buy one get one free coupon to the Austin Children's Museum.

Target is also offering free shipping on lots of products you buy online, including toys. You've got to order by Saturday, December 13th.



Find Deals on Electronics

10:55 AM Tue, Dec 09, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

During most holidays the boys in my family are all talking about the newest iPod or video game machine they're hoping to get. There aren't many new gadgets to be found this season, but TVs and digital cameras continue to be top sellers. So if you've got something like that on your shopping list I've got some great places for you to check out to make sure you're getting the best deal.

Zing Sale helps track items will tell you which stores are offering the best deals and it will even track sales for you then send out an e-mail alert when the item you want goes on sale.

Newegg provides a similar benefit and will even offer up suggestions to those shoppers struggling to find something to buy. The daily deals section offers up the best deals on tvs and digital cameras.

You may also want to check out Tiger Direct. This site has a separate section for closeout deals.

Got a suggestion? Add your thoughts in the comment section below.



Shop with a Cause

10:38 AM Mon, Dec 08, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

Most of us are tightening the purse strings this holiday season. So if you're finding it tough to give to your favorite charities you may want to shop using these sites.

iGive.com offers items from more than 700 name brand stores. You select your state and even search through hundreds of charities to decide which you'd like to support. Then just shop away.

Goodshop.com is powered by GoodSearch.com. You'll find more than 500 stores. You choose the cause then click on the retailer of your choice and shop like you normally would. Retailers determine how much they donate to charity. If you don't find the charity of your choice on the site you can add it.

One word of caution charities that I've checked don't tend to make a ton of money through the GoodSearch.com site. For example, the Susan G. Komen breast cancer foundation has made a little more than $115 from the shopping links this year, about $1100 from people searching on GoodSearch.com.

You may also want to search the charity of your choice to see what they offer. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure has its own shop online. They even offer inspiring holiday cards. Some of these cards give as much as 59 percent to help with breast cancer research. One of my favorites here is the Better Homes and Gardens limited edition pink cookbook which sells for $19.99 and includes recipes from some of the Food Network stars.

Greatergood.com links you to several websites that sell items to support various charitable groups. The site says it donates between 5 and 30 percent to the charity.

If you like to shop on eBay you may want to check out the site's section where sellers agree to give a portion or all of the proceeds to charity. You can also learn how to donate a portion of what you selling something on eBay here.



Welcome

10:34 AM Mon, Dec 08, 2008 |
Terri Gruca

I grew up in a family of five kids. My parents were the masters of making money stretch. It is really what has made me the shopper I am today and it is the sole reason for this blog. You will find all kinds of helpful consumer information and money saving tips. The first of which will begin Monday, December 8th, my first day at KVUE. Each Wednesday I will post deals of the week. This has become a reader favorite and it's a great place to get the scoop on where to find the best deals locally, nationally and on the web.

So check back often and feel free to send me an e-mail if you have a question or a topic or a deal you'd like to see me mention.
For those who've visited my blog before, thank you for your faithful following. I promise to continue to provide you with the same great information as I've shared with you the past four years.


Terri Gruca anchors KVUE's 6 and 10pm newscasts. She brings you the latest consumer news and tells you where to find the best deals.


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