April 2009 Archives

For years manufacturers have required retailers to charge minimum prices on certain products. That may be changing.

Maryland has passed a law that will prohibit manufacturers from requiring minimum prices starting October 1st. The move means retailers doing business in Maryland, as well as state officials, can sue manufacturers that impose these minimum pricing agreements.

There's some belief that this could lead to lower prices across the country.

There's a federal bill that would do some of the same things. A subcommittee hearing today will include testimony from eBay and the U.S. Senate is expected to hold hearings on the issue next month.

What do you think? Should retailers be able to charge what they want? Add your thoughts below.

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Ice Cream
Tonight from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Baskin Robbins is having a 31-cent scoop night. Baskin-Robbins ice cream shops will reduce prices of small ice cream scoops to 31 cents and also make a donation to local fire charities. As part of the promotion, the company plans to donate $100,000 to the National Volunteer Fire Council National Junior Firefighter Program.

Family Deals
A reminder for you, starting Thursday, April 30th through May 3rd Just Between Friends of Austin is having its big Spring event. This is a brand new big consignment event that helps families make ends meet. This gives families the chance to earn money, by selling the clothing, toys, and baby equipment their children have outgrown, earn some cash quickly while also saving money on everything they need for their families. They make sure to screen items for safety, so you're not buying recalled products. And you'll find thousands of items at huge discounts. It's held at the Crocket Event Center at 10601 N Lamar Boulevard.

Food Deals
• Carino's is offering an all you can eat pasta and salad deal for $8.99. And Sharon e-mailed me and said her family ate there Monday night when they have a family special--which is a family size platter for the price of a single entrée.

• TGIFridays is launching 16 new menu items that include sandwiches and salads and selling them for just $5 through the end of May. If that's not deal enough for you, the restaurant plans to sell some appetizers on May 5th (Cinco de Mayo) for just 5 cents.

• Whole Foods will donate 5 percent of its net sales today to the Austin Film Festival's Young Filmmakers Program.

• I heard from a few viewers who really like the Restaurant.com deals so thought I'd let you know the last week of the month you'll typically find the best coupon savings codes. And sure enough this week, the company sent out an e-mail saying that through April 30th if you use the code word LUCKY you can save 80 percent. That means those $25 gift certificates that normally sell for $10 can be purchased for just $2. Keep in mind some restaurants require that you spend a certain amount on food, others won't let you include drinks.

• BJ's Wholesale Club is offering a free 60 day pass through June 6th. Unfortunately there are no BJ's in Texas, but all you blog readers from other states like North Carolina may want to check this out.

Online deals
You may not be into Twitter, but bargain hunters may want to check out this version of the social networking site. It's called Cheap Tweet. It lists the best bargains from several different sites and when needed gives you coupons. Type in your city's name and you'll find deals for your area. You'll also find specific categories at the top of the page including a section for Mother's Day deals.

Travel Deals
• Southwest Airlines is having another big airfare sale. One way tickets are selling for as little as $49 one way. You've got to purchase your tickets by May 14th.

• Continental Airlines is also having a special sale to Canada and Florida. Fares are as low as $68 one way. There are lots of roundtrip airfares out of Houston for less than $200.

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More and more families are relying on outside money to help send their kids to school. Scholarships can help, if you know where to look.

Jason Lum is an attorney in Minnesota who I met a few years ago. He paid for his entire Harvard and Berkley educations with scholarships he received. He now teaches parents and students how to search for scholarships.

Here are a few tips he shared with me.

Community Clubs
Jason says students should start by looking to community clubs, i.e. the Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club, etc. Many of those groups offer scholarships for students in each of their respective communities. Jason received a year-long Rotary Club scholarship worth $20,000 to study overseas.

Family connections
Jason says consider your church, your parents work or any military connections. Oftentimes businesses and the military offer scholarships only to family members of people who work there.

College Connection
It's also a good idea to check with the school where you plan to attend. Many schools have scholarships designed specifically for future students.

Go Local
Remember local scholarships often have fewer people entering, so they can be easier to win. Some of the local scholarships can also lead to national scholarships. That is the case with the tall scholarships--local winners are automatically entered into the national scholarship programs.

Ask why you didn't win
If you don't score a scholarship the first time around, don't hesitate to call to find out how you can improve your application the next time around. Jason did this on several occasions and was surprised how open places were to giving feedback. He used their advice and in at least one case re-applied the next year and won.

Some of the more interesting scholarships

• Duct Tape
Duck Brand duct tape even awards up to $3,000 in scholarships for the best duct tape prom outfits. This company upped its award this year. You can find the complete list of rules at the website above but you need have your pictures in by June 8, 2009.

• FinAid has put together an entire guide on some of the more unusual scholarships.

• Working parents scholarships
Look for some of the unconventional scholarships. For instance, Tyra Banks is partnering up with an organization to give a total of $2 million dollars in scholarships to working moms and dads. You've got to hurry with this one. Entries are due by April 30th.

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Looking for a deal for lunch?

KFC is launching a new grilled chicken menu. So it's offering to give each person one piece of what it calls "unfried" chicken today, Monday, April 27th.

To find a KFC near you go here.

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Lots of families have invested in 529 plans hoping to pay for their children's college education. But you may be wondering how your state's plan is shaping up right now.

Morningstar, Inc. just put together its annual review of the savings plans and found this year several plans "maintained too-aggressive asset allocations for students nearing or in college, while other plans were hamstrung by their allegiances to floundering investment options."

Morningstar also rated the best and the worst plans. Here's a look:

The Best
Ohio College Advantage
Indiana College Choice 529 Direct Savings Plan
Utah Educational Savings Plan Trust
Virginia Education Savings Trust
Virginia College America 529 Savings Plan

The Worst
Nebraska State Farm College Savings Plan
New Jersey Best 529 College Savings Plan
Montana Pacific Life Funds 529 College Savings Plan
Ohio Putnam College Advantage
Nebraska AIM College Savings Plan

You can get more information on 529 plans across the country here.

Here are a few other links that may be helpful in deciding how to save for college:
• Kiplinger's 529 plan guide
• College Savings Plan Guide
• Stay in state or shop around?
• More 529 tips
• College Savings Basics
• How much you should be saving

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Hospitals have patient financial counselors or business office staff who are responsible for working with the patients to come up with a payment plan.

Before the procedure
This is the ideal time to start negotiating is once you decide to have a procedure. Start by talking to the doctor. Your doctor will bill separately from the hospital and may be willing to negotiate with you.

Richard Schirmer with the Texas Hospital Association says, "If the patient does not have any insurance the hospital staff will check to see if the patient qualifies for Medicaid or the hospital's charity care guidelines. Of course this is all before the process. If the patient's financial status changes after discharge they should contact the hospital staff to make them aware of the change and to see what type arrangements can be made."

Talk with the admitting office first. Explain your financial situation and see if you qualify for any of the hospital programs. They may then send you to the billing department. If you are not satisfied with what you're hearing, ask to talk to a supervisor.
Some hospitals will even issue credit cards to help with the cost of your care.

After you get your bill
The Texas Hospital Association says this is the toughest time to begin negotiations, but you should still try if you are having trouble paying your bill. Talk with the billing office and if you are not satisfied with how much the hospital is willing to help, ask to talk to a supervisor.

Set up a payment plan
Remember if you are having trouble paying your bill, hospitals are happy to set up payment plans.

Schirmer says, "Hospitals will bend over backwards if a patient is willing to accept financial responsibility and make payment arrangements. They usually look at the patient's financial status when they are admitted. I would say a large majority (if not all) hospitals will work with the patient to make arrangements for payments including the possibility of some hospitals extending credit."

Years ago, my husband and I had a huge medical bill and we ended up negotiating a payment plan and paid as little as $25 a month. Don't be afraid to ask.

Helpful Sites
• Questions to ask about the cost before you go into the hospital
• Texas Hospital Association
• Texas Price Point - Compare prices at hospitals across the state.
• Texas Health Facts- this site gives you all kinds of information on Texas healthcare including how much people are spending on healthcare and prescriptions.
• State Health Facts- see how much people are spending on healthcare across the country.
• National Conference of State Legislatures- this site walks through some of the efforts state lawmakers have made to encourage hospitals to be more transparent on pricing.

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An Austin based furniture company is hoping to help you stimulate the local economy.

All day today, April 23rd from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. whatever you decide to purchase at the Provencal Home store, the company will give you the amount of your sales tax in the form of a gift card to your favorite locally owned business.

That means if you buy something between $245 and $6,060 you'll get between $20 and $500 back. Provencal will buy you a gift card to the locally owned business of your choice in the amount of your sales tax. They'll then mail the gift card to you or you can stop by and pick it up.

Provencal Home is an Austin-based, family owned furniture retailer that's been here for 15 years.

The company says it's hoping to encourage Austinites to spend at home.
According to a 2003 study, "For every $100 in consumer spending at Borders, the total local economic impact is only $13. The same amount spent with a local merchant yields more than three times the local economic impact."

That same study found, "If each household in Travis County simply redirected just $100 of planned holiday spending from chain stores to locally owned merchants, the local economic impact would reach approximately $10 Million."

To find a list of locally owned businesses in your community check out the American Independent Business Alliance or the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies.

And remember here in Austin you can buy a Go Local card for $10 a year and save at hundreds of locally owned businesses.

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Thursday is take your son or daughter to work day, so McCormick and Schmick is running a special promotion so you can also take them to lunch. The restaurant is giving away a free lunch entrée and beverage for your school aged child.

Restaurant.com is taking 60 percent off its normally low priced gift certificates. That means the $25 gift certificates which normally sell for $10 can be purchased for just $4 through April 26th. All you have to do is type in the discount code BONUS.

Earth Day Deals
• In celebration of Earth Day, H-E-B is giving away free reusable bags. From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. today customers can bring in 5 plastic bags to any HEB for recycling, and receive one reusable bag for free (while supplies last). H-E-B hopes to give out 300,000 reusable bags statewide in a four hour period.

• Here's a reason to sign up for Amy's Ice Creams e-mail offers. The company just sent out a coupon this morning for one free waffle cone when you purchase ice cream. It's part of the company's Earth Day celebration. They figure what better way to help than by cutting down on the cups. The coupon is good through April 24th.

• Home Depot is giving away energy efficient lightbulbs. The company plans to give away a million CFL bulbs.

Kid and Family Deals
Thanks to Kynna for telling me about Mr. Johnny's Kid Events. This site has been promoting kid friendly activities in the Austin area since 1999. Each Friday the site sends out e-mail newsletters called the Weekend Update and you'll often find ticket deals. You can check out some of the deals here. New deals are often being added. One example Kynna shared with me, "Large touring show such as Sesame Street Live and the Circus offer our readers the group rate discount as and Theatres like the Paramount and One World offer 2 for 1 tickets for their family shows."

Thanks to Michael who e-mailed me another great site for Austin families. It's called Austin Family Deals.com. This site lets you sort the deals by day or by city and there are not just restaurant deals, but movie deals here.

Best Buy is having a $5 movie sale. It lasts until April 25th. Check out the deals here.

Mark your calendar
• Mark your calendar. April 29th from 5 to 10pm Baskin-Robbins stores are dropping the price of ice cream scoops to 31 cents to honor America's firefighters. As part of the 31 Cent Scoop Night the company plans to donate $100,000 to support the NVFC National Junior Firefighter Program. You can go here to find a Baskin-Robbins near your home.

• April 30th through May 3rd there's a huge consignment event. It's called Just Between Friends. This group was featured on Good Morning America a few months ago and it is such a great deal. It's a chance to get rid of items your children no longer need or have outgrown and a great opportunity for others to score some deals. It takes place at the Crockett Event Center. You can visit this website for more information on how to participate.

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It's hard to believe that at a time when most airlines are struggling, a new airline is planning its launch. This one will cater to animals.

Pet Airways plans to start service this summer. It doesn't have service yet in Texas, but that could change. And the flights right now seem to only take off and return on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The company will start out serving five cities first--Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. and hopes to add other stops based on demand.

A one-way flight will cost around $149 and the airline is already accepting reservations. You can drop off your pet as early as 72 hours before the flight. They promise to take good care of your animal and make sure they get regular potty breaks and that their pet carriers are safe and secure. In fact the company says a pet attendant goes around and checks on all the pets every 15 minutes.

The company has its own Facebook Fan page and Twitter page as well.

Would you pay the money for your pet to fly on an airline like this? Add your comments below.

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Most women have a tough time finding jeans that fit perfectly--me included. It's probably one of my least favorite things to shop for because it's so difficult to find the perfect fit.

My mom was telling me about a site featured in InStyle magazine that may change that. It's called Make Your Own Jeans.com.
You take your measurements, select the style of jeans you want then this site will make them for you. They're not as expensive as you might think. Prices start at $49.

Then check out this other site that offers a similar option called indiDenim.com. The custom jeans are much more expensive on this site. Women's jeans start at $145.

I found a few other sites out there:
• Me Jeans.com
• Disney custom jeans for kids

There are lots of testimonials on these web sites, but I'm curious if any of you have tried this. If so, let me know about your experience below.

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I'm guessing this will be something a lot of you have opinions about.

United Airlines started to enforce a new policy yesterday for extremely obese passengers. From now on passengers will be required to purchase a second seat if they can't fit into their seat and there are no empty seats on their flight.

The company's new policy states that this affects passengers who:
• are unable to fit into a single seat in the ticketed cabin;
• are unable to properly buckle the seatbelt using a single seatbelt extender; and/or
• are unable to put the seat's armrests down when seated.

According to an article in USA Today, "We had 700 complaints about this last year," said Robin Urbanski, a United spokeswoman. "Now our employees have a formal policy they can refer to."

It turns out United isn't the only airline with this requirement.

"Continental Airlines said it has the same policy. But some airlines handle the situation differently. American Airlines uses a case-by-case approach. If a flight is full, Delta Air Lines offers a heavy passenger the option of buying a second seat on the next available flight at the lowest fare available, which may not be as cheap as the passenger paid for the first seat."

According to the Southwest Airlines contract of carriage "the airline can remove any passenger who is unable to occupy a seat with the seat belt fastened and anyone unwilling to comply with the seating requirements of the Carrier's Customer of size policy." That means if you encroach an adjacent seat area or are unable to sit in a single seat with the armrests lowered, you may be required to purchase an additional ticket.

What do you think? Discrimination? Or necessary policy?
Add your thoughts below.

Finding the best seat
And if you're looking for the best seat on a flight check out Seat Guru.com.

You start searching by airline, then click on the type of plane. It's a pretty cool site because it graphically lays out the plane and tells you which seats have the best unobstructed views, which ones recline and for those tall passengers which seats offer the most headroom.

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Tax Day Deals
• Between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. tomorrow Maggie Moos is giving away a free single scoop of ice cream. (One per person no mix-ins.) They're calling it their "e-CONE-omic" stimulus package. I bet this sweet treat can help relieve some of the tax day stress. You'll find Maggie Moos in almost every state. To find a Maggie Moos near you here. There's only one in the Austin area, in Round Rock.

• All of T.G.I. Fridays corporate locations are offering tax day deals. So if you head to the restaurant today, April 15th you can get $5 Bonus Bites card when you spend $15 to $25 dollars. You can get a $10 Bonus Bites Card when you spend $25 dollars or more. You will want to call the restaurant to make sure the location is a corporate run restaurant. I called here in Austin and the one on Cesar Chavez is not corporately run, but the restaurant in the Arboretum off 10000 Research Blvd. is corporately owned. To find the location nearest you go here.

• P.F. Chang's has a Tax Relief deal. The restaurant is offering to give all customers 15-percent off their bill tomorrow.

• From 5 to 8pm tomorrow Cinnabon is giving away free bites at participating mall store locations. And if you're really inspired, write up an essay about how those irresistible Cinnabon's saved your day and you could win a $100 gift card.

• McCormick and Schmick's is also having a Tax Relief Day promotion. Select menu items will cost you $10.40. And every tax payer will receive a $10.40 tax relief dinner certificate for a future visit.

• Papa John's is offering a large pizza with three toppings for only $10.40 through tomorrow. You've got to order online here (click on the link at the bottom left hand corner).

• Pizza Hut is offering its Panormous pizza for just $10.

Austin Area Kid Deals
• Thanks to Michael who told me about a web site designed specifically for Austin area families. Austin Family Deals doesn't just feature food deals it also features movie deals and lets you sort by day, by venue and by city.

• This is another great site that our web producer shared with me a while back, it's called KidzAustin.com/dealz.

I'll feature another great site for families next Wednesday. And remember if you have any deals you'd like me to check out or to share send me an e-mail.

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My mom mentioned this to me this weekend so of course I had to pass it along. Apparently in this economy a little love goes a long way. The romance novel business is booming.

Okay, I should probably explain myself. My mom made the suggestion since I like to write. She thought I should use my skills and make some money on the side.

Here's the back story to that story. According to U.S. News & World Report, there are ten things that are thriving in this recession. One of them happens to be those inexpensive Harlequin romance novels. "Harlequin, still the biggest name in serial romances, saw a $3 million gain, year to year, in North American sales in the fourth quarter of 2008. (By contrast, book sales in the general marketplace are down slightly.)"

Here are a few of the other things the magazine says are booming:
• Home gardening: "A National Gardening Association poll shows that the number of households planning to grow their own food in 2009 has increased by 19 percent from 2008."
• DVD home delivery service: "Home DVD delivery climbed 26 percent in the fourth quarter from the same time last year."
• Public Universities: "It's been a record-breaking year at the University of Texas, numbers are up 6 percent."
• Chocolate: "Analysts say that, like the oft-quoted "lipstick index," rising chocolate sales show that when Americans are cutting their spending elsewhere, they feel more entitled to small indulgences."
• McDonald's: "Same-store sales in the United States rose 6.8 percent in February 2009."
• Home brewed coffee: "The economy must be bad when even Starbucks, purveyor of $4 lattes, introduces its first value menu. But while the powerhouse's profits fell 69 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, revenue at Vermont's Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, which ships gourmet blends to the door, climbed 56 percent," the magazine reported.

I admit it I love my chocolate fix. I always have. Unfortunately I can't say the recession has made me eat more or less of it. I do like a good escape, so give me an interesting novel and I'm there. As for the coffee and the fast food--those are both things I could live without.

What about you? What do you find yourself indulging in these days?

Share your thoughts below.

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You know how I like a deal. One of my favorite sites for families sent out an e-mail this weekend on a deal I wanted to share. The site is Kids Meal Deals.com. In case you're not familiar with the site, it is a great place to find restaurants that offer kid meal deals, no matter where you live. All you have to do is plug in your zip code and up pop the list of restaurants.

So here are the deals:
All day Tuesday, kids 12 and under eat FREE from the kids menu at Lone Star Steakhouse.

Texas Land & Cattle Steak house lets kids 12 and under eat FREE from the kids menu Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
At both of these restaurants you are limited to two free kid meals per adult entrée purchased and you can't combine this with other coupons or discounts. The deals are also only good for dine-in.

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Burger King launched a new ad this week that's sparking some serious discussion. It showcases the King with Sponge Bob Square Pants and some dancers in short shorts with a focus on, well you should just watch it.

Here's the 30 second version:

There's also a shorter 15 second version:

It's supposed to be an ad for 99 cent kid's meals when you buy a value meal. But some parents say it's over the top and sends kids the wrong message.

What do you think? Over the top? Inappropriate? Or funny?

Share your thoughts below.

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New York was the first to push for a ban on transfats. California followed and there are bills pending in Texas. Now New York is taking aim at salt.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced this week the city is launching a nationwide campaign to pressure the food industry and restaurant chains to cut salt intake by half over the next decade.

According to the New York Department of Health this can "lower health care costs and prevent 150,000 premature deaths every year."

Yet according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, "it is unlikely dietary salt intake has a clinically significant effect on BP in the majority of individuals in a large defined population, but do not exclude the possibility of a clinically significant effect in a small subgroup of salt-sensitive individuals."

I'm curious what you think about the government mandating all of these food changes. Will this help people eat healthier? Do you think the government is crossing a line by telling restaurants what they can serve?

Share your thoughts by adding your comments below.

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This week you'll find all kinds of savings on food, even a few freebies and some terrific coupon sites. I get a lot of the ideas from viewers, so if you spot a deal that's too good to pass up or know of a business offering special savings send me an e-mail and let me know.

Food savings
• Breakfast
A reminder that Denny's is giving away free breakfast sandwich's today through 2pm. All you have to do is buy a grand slam and you get the sandwich free. Go here to find the Denny's nearest you.

• Dinner
Dream Dinners is an "assemble and freeze" business where guests make one month's worth of dinners to take home and cook. Kristine e-mailed me to tell me that during the month of April, all three Austin area Dream Dinners are offering $50 worth of free food.

When first time guests order $199+ worth of dinners, they will receive an additional $50 worth of dinners at no additional charge!

Here's how to get the deal:
1. Visit the website www.dreamdinners.com.
2. Create an Account.
3. Select one of the Austin locations.
4. Select a session time.
5. Choose your dinners from April's menu.
6. Enter KVUE in the notes & submit order.
*This offer cannot be combined with any other offer, coupon or discount.

• More savings at Restaurant.com. Through April 13th if you use the coupon code "SEASON" you can save 60 percent. That means the $25 certificates that normally cost $10 will cost you just $4.

Free Sub
Quiznos recently announced their new sandwich called the Toasty Torpedo. For a limited time the company will give you a coupon for a free sandwich as long as you play their "Toast and Destroy" game. You also have to provide some personal information like your e-mail address. You'll get the coupon immediately after playing and scoring some points.

Coupons on your iPhone
Luke has sent me great tips before and this is one iPhone users will love. Coupon Sherpa is an iPhone application with in-store coupons to more than 100 merchants. All you have to do is show your iPhone at checkout and you get the discount. A barcode appears that the cashier can scan. You can save money on everything from clothing, restaurants, jewelry, sporting goods, books and more. It's possible some retailers will not accept the coupons from your phone. In that case you'll need to e-mail the coupon to yourself and print it out. So no need to worry about forgetting your coupons at home--they'll be on your phone.

Coupon Book
Those Entertainment books are always packed with savings, but if you haven't had the chance to buy one yet for this year, now's your chance to get a great deal. For a limited time the company is offering to give you a book for just $15. They originally cost $25. To find the book nearest you go here. You can find a link to the Austin book here.

Travel
• American Airlines has drastically dropped prices on airfare to Hawaii. You can fly from Dallas to Hawaii direct for $511 roundtrip. You've got to book your flight by April 10th and travel by May 25th.

• Check out the latest airfare deals on Airfare watchdog.com.

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How financially happy are you? Apparently most people in the state of Texas are relatively happy.

Mainstreet.com recently rated states based on key financial factors like average non-mortgage debt relative to the average annual income, foreclosure numbers and unemployment rate.

Texas ranks 13th, scoring well in lower average unemployment and non-mortgage debt as a percentage of income.

The study found that people in the Midwest are the most financially content. Nebraska ranked 1st, followed by Iowa, Kansas, Hawaii and Louisiana.

Oregon was 51st in the survey, which also included Washington, D.C. Florida was 50, followed by California, 49, and Nevada, 48. You can see how your state ranks here.

Do you agree with the findings? Share your thoughts below.

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Denny's is doing it again. This Wednesday, when you buy a grand slam breakfast (that includes pancakes, eggs and breakfast meat) you can get a free Grand Slamwich. The freebie will be offered from 6am to 2pm on April 8th at Denny's restaurants.

This follows a deal the chain offered earlier this year. In February Denny's restaurants were packed when they offered free grand slam breakfasts. Restaurants across the country had lines stretching out the door. So IHOP followed suit a few weeks later by offering free pancakes in honor of National Pancake Day.

So mark your calendar and set your alarm, chances are it will be busy.

I'll let you know if any other restaurant follows suit this time.

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We all love a good coupon. But apparently this week news of a coupon circulating the web caused big problems for one of the nation's biggest pizza chains.

According to Business Week Domino's "prepared an Internet coupon for an ad campaign that was considered in December but not approved."

The coupon was supposed to be titled "bailout".

Someone figured out that when they typed in the word "bailout" into the Domino's promo code window it was good for a free medium pizza. Monday night word began to spread online and before it could be deactivated 11,000 free pizzas had been delivered.

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Today Evenflo expanded a recall for high chairs tonight. The company is adding 90,000 more Majestic High Chairs because plastic caps and metal screws on both sides of the chair can loosen and fall out.

The original recall in December involved 95,000 Majestic High Chairs.

For the models added by this expanded recall, Evenflo has received 16 reports of seatbacks reclining, falling back and/or detaching unexpectedly, resulting in five reports of bumps and bruises to the head and five reports of other injuries including bruises and abrasions. For the models added by this expanded recall, Evenflo has received 145 reports of plastic caps and screws falling out of the high chairs, including one incident in which a cap and/or screws were found in a child's hand or mouth but were removed before choking occurred.

Look for these model numbers: 3001395, 3001395A, 3001604, 3001700, 3001713, 3001713A, 3001730A, 3001732, 3001733, 3001742, 3001742A, 3001756, 3001821A, 3001840A, 3001845, 30011848, 3001852, 3001932, 3002719 and 3003845 manufactured between January 23, 2007 and December 31, 2008. The model number and date of manufacture are located on a white label/sticker on the seatback. "Evenflo" is printed on the label and on the front of the tray. Models showing a year of manufacture of 2009 in red ink are not included in the recall.

The chairs were sold at Toys 'R Us, Babies 'R Us, Walmart.com and Burlington Coat Factory from January 2007 through March 2009 for between $80 and $110.

You should call Evenflo at (800) 233-5921 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site for a free repair kit.

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More and more companies are trying to help you ease your spending worries by covering you in the event you get laid off.

Car
Hyundai started this trend at the beginning of the year with its Hyundai Assurance Plus program. It allows people who bought a car and then lose their job to have their payments covered for three months. If that's not enough you simply bring it back to the dealership. You must have made two payments to be eligible for the refund.

Smart Money put together a list of all the companies offering layoff protection programs and what you have to do to qualify.

Rent
They include Goldberg Companies which owns properties in Dallas and San Antonio. This company has a Layoff Proof Lease for tenants who sign a 12-month lease and have made at least three rent payments before losing their job.

Vacation
• Want to go on vacation? JetBlue has a promise program. So if you book a flight before June 1st and lose your job you can get a full refund.

• I mentioned this next program a while ago here on my blog, but it's worth another mention. Norwegian Cruise Lines offers an insurance plan that starts at around $30 that provides you with a full refund on any trip you've booked if you get laid off on or after May 1st. The catch you must have been working at your current job at least a year.

Childcare
There's even a plan for people in need of child care help. Aupair in America will refund your money if you lose your job, but you can decide to retain the au pair for the period of time remaining on your 12-month contract or void it. Your income must result in a loss of at least 25-percent of the family's income.

Many of these companies say they think this is a great way to ease people's minds and encourages them to spend at a time when they seem to be watching their wallets. I'd like to know what you think. Do these programs make you more likely to spend money?

Share your thoughts by clicking on the "add your comment" section below.

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Free Legal Help
I know there are so many people out there who often need a little legal advice, but don't have the money to pay a lawyer. The first Tuesday of every month
LegalLine offers free legal advice.

The hotline is 512-472-8303 from 5:30 to 7:30pm. LegalLine is staffed by attorney volunteers who answer legal questions and give brief legal advice. It is sponsored by the Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas and Austin Young Lawyers Association.

If you're 60 or older there is a hotline set up just for you. It's called the Legal Hotline for Older Texans 1-800-622-2520 or 512-477-3950. The Hotline offers legal advice and referrals and is staffed by volunteer attorneys. The primary focus is to help low income Texans whose access to legal assistance is otherwise limited.

Plant Swap
Fort Worth-based Calloway's Nursery (and its Houston counterpart, Cornelius Nursery) is an independent chain and is having a free plant swap April 4 from noon to 2 p.m. at both locations.

This event is held twice a year and is really popular among gardeners. You can go here to post what you want and to look at what others need.

Spa Discounts
In case you missed it last week when I mentioned this in my blog here's a way for you to pamper yourself without breaking the bank. Several Austin area spas are taking part in Spa Week. It runs April 13-19th, but you can book appointments now.

The event started about 6 years ago as a way to make the spa experience an affordable one. Several spas agree to charge $50 for services that sometimes cost as much as $100. Here is a list of all the spas offering deals in Austin. You can find a list of participating spas all across Texas here. And remember states from California, to Minnesota to North Carolina all take part. You can see all the participating states here.

Free Museum Passes
Remember since this is the first weekend of the month it's your chance to get into dozens of museums across the country free. It's a program set up by Bank of America called Museums on Us. You do have to have a Bank of America debit or credit card. There are several Texas museums as well as dozens of others across the country that participate the first full weekend of every month.

Travel Deals

Airlines continue to slash prices in hopes of enticing people to fly. Here are some of the best deals being offered this week.

• Southwest Airlines is having a huge airfare sale through April 6th. If you haven't made plans to get away yet for summer, this could be a great time to look. You'll find fares as low as $49 one-way through August 14th.

• Continental has round trip air fares as low as $119 if you're willing to drive to Houston.

• Airtran is offering fares as low as $39 one way through April 9th. In San Antonio fares are as low as $69 one way and these deals are good for travel through October 30th.

• Airfare watchdog.com found some incredible fares--some are good for travel through the end of the year. We're talking $158 round trip to places like Los Angeles or $138 roundtrip airfare to Las Vegas through June 17th.

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