Terri Gruca: July 2009 Archives

Honda is adding another 440,000 cars to a recall it first issued last week.

The problem is in the airbags. The airbag inflator may be over-pressurized. It can cause metal fragments to pass through the cloth of the airbag cushion when it deploys.

Here are the cars affected:
2001 Honda Civics
2001, 2002 Honda Accords
2002, 2003 Acura TLs.

Honda is sending letters to the owners of the cars. And dealers will replace the airbags free.

You can find more information on the recall here. Acura owners should go here.

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More Austin condos are going up on the auction block. Tonight Noelle Newton featured a story about this growing trend.

Realty Times wrote an article today talking about how this is the fastest growing niche in real estate.

According to the National Association of Auctioneers, "Last year alone, $59 billion was sold in private live-auctions."

I've put links to the two most recent Austin condos to decide to hold auctions below.

• The Sage is auctioning off 23 condos August 22nd at 11a.m. at the Hyatt Regency off Barton Springs Road. Ten of the condos will have no minimums and no reserves.

• Bel Air has 25 condos that will be auctioned off August 9th.

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Update:
The House just agreed to rush $2 billion into the Cash for Clunkers program. You can read the full update here.

You may have missed your chance to cash in on the Cash for Clunkers program. It turns out the program may have been so successful it's out of money.

Now the Obama administration says the program will remain through the weekend. Yesterdayseveral news agencies said the Obama administration was considering suspending the program for fear its run out of money.

The feds only set aside $1 billion dollars and the program has only been up and running a week. Originally it was set to end November 1 or whenever the $1 billion dollars has run out.

When you think about it even if the government only gave everyone $3500 dollar vouchers for their clunker (the least amount you can get if you qualify) that only allows for the sale of about 285,000 cars nationally.

When the program was passed I wrote about some of the concerns people had over when the incentive ends. In Europe a similar program was so successful the government extended it and added more funds to it, but dealers there worry consumers have gotten used to the incentive so they won't buy cars any other way now.

It's a stimulus plan that has obviously worked.

Should the government keep it going? Should the government fork over more money?

Add your thoughts below.

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Alaska Airlines won't start some of its new flights out of Austin until September 2nd, but you can get a great deal on airfare starting today.

You can get fares to Seattle as low as $99 each way through November 18th; from Austin to San Jose for as low as $89 each way for travel from September 2nd to November 18th; and to Portland $99 each way for travel from September 2nd through November 18th.

The sale starts today and ends August 17th.

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My husband and I have pretty different spending habits. When he goes to the store he wants to walk out having made a purchase. I, on the other hand can walk around for hours and leave the store without buying a thing, which drives him crazy.

It turns out that may be why we married. A Northwestern University study titled Fiscal Attraction finds that people who generally spend less tend to marry those who spend more.

The researcher surveyed married adults and found the reason is because money sparks an emotional reaction. "Consumers are likely to deplore these emotional reactions in themselves" so they seek the opposite in a significant other.

It makes sense to me. I remember going through marriage classes at my Catholic Church and my husband and I certainly had differing opinions on how much we could spend without asking the other. However knowing that up front has certainly made us discuss money matters more.

So here's something else to consider. Who do you think is traditionally more responsible? Men or women?

Another recent study by Financial Finesse Inc. found men tend to be more responsible with their money.

The survey of 3,500 workers nationwide found men are nearly twice as likely to pay off their credit card balances each month, have a better knowledge of stocks and bonds and 53 percent of men have an emergency fund in case they lose their jobs compared to 34 percent of women.

The good news is men and women are equally contributing to their retirement accounts.

So what do you think? Who's more responsible with money in your family? Is that what attracted you to your spouse or partner? Or is it what creates tension?

Add your thoughts below.

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This week we'll show you how to score some savings on your birthday and how to save money eating out or traveling. Remember if you know of any great deals send me an e-mail.

Birthday freebies.
One of my faithful blog readers, Tom, sent me a great list of all the restaurants that offer freebies for your birthday. On most of these you have to sign up for the clubs in order to get the deals. I didn't include all of the deals Tom mentioned, just a few of the best:

• Baskin Robbins Birthday Club
Join the Baskin-Robbins Birthday Club on our website and get a coupon for a FREE 2.5 oz ice cream scoop and a coupon for $3.00 off of an ice cream cake for your birthday! The coupon Expires five days after your birthday. To find a store location near you go here.

• Cold Stone Creamery has a great Birthday Club. Sign up and get a coupon for free ice cream on your birthday.

• Join the Firehouse Subs birthday club and get a free sub on your birthday.

• Hollywood Video will give you a free movie rental on your birthday . You've got to have a movie membership account, but then all you need to do is show your Driver's License.

Food Deals
Restaurant.com is extending its latest coupon offer. So you can save 80 percent through Friday, July 31st if you use the code word NAPKIN. That means the $25 gift certificates that normally sell for $10 can be purchased for just $2. This is the biggest discount the site offers each month and it adds new restaurants all the time, so check it out. Remember to read the fine print because some of the restaurants require you to spend a certain amount in order to use the certificates.

• Amy's Ice Cream at the Arboretum is having another fun promotion Thursday, July 30th from 7 p.m. to midnight. If you pay for your order ENTIRELY in Hawaii quarters you get 50 percent off your order. I'm thinking that will be pretty hard to do, but if you wear a Hawaiian shirt, a grass skirt or a coconut bra you can get a free crushn' with your ice cream (that's the stuff they mix into the ice cream).

Travel Deals
• Continental Airlines is offering some pretty good fares to California. Roundtrip airfare from Houston to Los Angeles is just $218. You've got to purchase by Friday.

• Southwest Airlines announced its latest three day sale on Tuesday. Fares are as low as $57 one way from Austin (to Houston, but there are some other pretty good deals to Florida too). You've got to purchase by Thursday but the deals are good for travel through December 16th.

• Royal Caribbean is having an amazing sale. They're doing a promotion for as little as $80 a day. I didn't find any deals that were that good, but there are still some pretty good prices and still some cruises you can take through the end of the year.

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Your car may have been eligible for the Cash for Clunkers program last week, but not this week.

According to USA Today," The government rejiggered gas mileage figures on about 100 older vehicles last week in a way that changed whether they would be eligible for up to $4,500 in sales inducements."

Consumers started posting concerns about the changes on Edmunds.com.

The Wall Street Journal lists the cars that are no longer eligible and the ones that are now eligible because of the change.

The EPA sets and approves the fuel economy ratings for cars nationwide. You can find the ratings here.

The mileage standards were changed in 2008 to reflect more city driving and harsher driving conditions. That means your mileage may be lower than it was listed when the car was made.

"About half the 100 suddenly did not qualify because their combined mileage rating was revised upward; others unexpectedly got in," USA Today reported.

"As a result of the review, roughly an equal number of vehicles became eligible as those found to be not eligible," said the EPA in a statement. "Eligibility for about 100 vehicles was affected."

Anyone experienced this problem?

How do you feel about this?

Let me know by adding your comments below.

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I'm not the most patient person in the world. It's a good thing my husband makes up for that.

It turns out I'm not alone and more companies are beginning to recognize that. Or maybe it's that our obsession with Twitter and Facebook and knowing what everyone is doing every second of every day is finally catching on in the business world too.

USA Today says a host of businesses will now allow you to track items after you make a purchase--whether it is a package or a pizza.

We're all familiar with the FedEx, UPS and U.S. Postal Service tracking systems. Domino's pizza tracker shows you when the pizza is in the oven, in the box and when it's on the road.

The CDC has an entire site dedicated to tracking illnesses and environmental hazards.

MIT students have developed a system to track trash. The thinking with this system is to get people to think twice about buying things that sit in a landfill or to encourage people to do more recycling. It is pretty fascinating.

And how about this--a site that lets you track your child's sleep patterns to help you get your newborn on more of a schedule or for those who just want to share the information with family. You do have to pay to use Trixie Tracker-- about $8 a month.

Some people worry we're tracking too much or that companies are gathering too much information. What do you think?

Add your thoughts below.

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Now may be a good time to give yourself a car insurance makeover.

Texas has more insurance companies than many states so a few years ago the state set up this web site to make it easier for you to compare rates.

Now two insurance providers are offering a different type of car insurance. It's a pay as you drive service.

Progressive Insurance launched its My Rate program this week in Texas. Drivers who sign up receive a small wireless device that plugs into the port of their car.

Michael Anderson of Anderson Insurance Partners, which sells Progressive Insurance said, "Periodically it will transmit information to Progressive. They look at when you drive, how much you drive and how you drive."

Cars driven less often, in less risky ways and at less risky times of day can receive a lower premium.

There is no GPS component to the device so there's no worry of anyone tracking your location.

"Progressive has been an industry pioneer in using technology to more accurately price car insurance," said Richard Hutchinson, Progressive's general manager of usage-based insurance. "Our initial foray into usage-based insurance started here in Texas ten years ago with a program called Autograph. MyRate is the latest product innovation to put drivers in control of their auto insurance rates."

"MyRate is designed for safe drivers," said Hutchinson. "It's for people who drive fewer miles than average, at low-risk times of day and keep alert for others on the road. They don't make fast lane changes or follow too closely behind other drivers so they don't have to over-react or slam on the brakes."

You can also review the information online as well which can help you change your behaviors.

Progressive offers this plan in many different states. To find out if yours is one of them go here.

And Progressive isn't alone in offering this type of insurance in Texas. MileMeter started offering pay as you drive insurance in Texas earlier this year.

Some insurance agents estimate drivers who don't put a lot of miles on their car have the potential to save as much as 30 percent on their car insurance by changing their insurance to this type of plan.

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New research from the National Conference of State Legislators finds Texas relied more heavily on stimulus money than any other state to help balance its budget.

According to the report, "25 of the reporting states used federal ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) funds as part of their solution to close FY 2010 budget gaps." Texas relied on stimulus money for "96.7 percent of the total budget solution".

However, because of that Texas projects the general fund budget will be the second highest in the country after fiscal year 2010.

Does it worry you that the state is relying so heavily on stimulus money?

Or do you think that's what it's designed for?

Add your thoughts below.

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There's a big reason to check your gas grill. The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Fiesta are recalling 88,000 gas grills because they may catch fire.

The problem is with Blue Ember grills. The hose of the gas tank may sit too close to the firebox. The grills were sold at home improvement stores nationwide from November 2006 through June 2008.

Here's what they look like:

There have been 161 reports of fires with nine injuries including two people who suffered serious burns.

You should stop using the grill immediately if you have one of these. And go here to see the affected model numbers.

The company has put together a video to help you determine if your grill is affected.

If you have one of these grills call (866)740-7849 for more information.

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Deals of the Week
This week you'll find a few freebies, lots of meal deals and fall travel savings. Enjoy!

Freebies
• Thursday, July 23rd Estee Lauder is giving away free 7-day supply of its new Advanced Night Repair skin cream. No purchase is necessary, but you have to go to an Estee Lauder counter between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on July 23rd to take advantage of the deal.

• McAlister's Deli is giving away free tea all day Thursday, July 23rd. The deli has been putting together some pretty funny videos as part of the promotion. Check it out below:

Deals
• Borders is having a buy 4 get the 5th book free sale.
Restaurant.com is offering 80 percent off their already low gift certificates. That means the $25 gift certificates that normally sell for $10 can be purchased for just $2 through July 28th. All you have to do is use the code NAPKIN.

• I don't know how many of you have checked out the half price deals we have right here on KVUE.com. If you haven't--you should. Here's the link. The deals offered here constantly change, so check back often.

• Redbox is already known for low priced movie rentals. The kiosks can be found outside drug stores, in grocery stores and outside of fast food restaurants and let you rent movies for $1. However, if you sign up for the company's e-mail you will get a code to use for a free movie rental. There's also another site where people post some of those coupon codes.

• You can get a 2009 Entertainment coupon book for just $8 right now. It's true the 2010 books come out in a few months, but you can usually use the coupons in this book through November.

Travel Deals
• Southwest Airlines is having a fall sale. You'll find flights as low as $49 one way. You've got to book by July 30th for travel between August 18th and November 18th.

• Continental Airlines is having a Las Vegas sale. Roundtrip airfare from Austin is as low as$183 . The really cool part is if you click on the city from which you plan to depart and the site shows you the dates you can get the cheapest airfare.

• Airfarewatchdog.com has some pretty good deals right now too. I found airfare to Denver for $130 round trip.

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Travel insurance can save you if you ever have to cancel your trip because of an illness in the family, sometimes if there's a hurricane that spoils your vacation. With fewer people traveling some places are taking it a step further. They want to guarantee sunshine.

I'm not kidding.

The Marriott in Fort Lauderdale will give you a $50 resort credit if there is less than a 75 percent chance of sunshine during your stay. All you have to do is use the code SF8 when making your online reservation. The offer is good through September 27, 2009.

The Oaseas Resorts in Florida charges you as little as $25 and if it rains more than ¾" a day during your vacation they give you $250 to spend on shopping, dining or other rainy day activities. Of course that doesn't include potential hurricanes or tropical storms.

Priceline started the trend last year with its Sunshine Guarantee.

And now it's catching on overseas. According to Reuters, two French travel agencies Pierre et Vacances and FranceLoc will allow you to recover part of the cost of your trip if you suffer at least four days of rain in any one week. In fact you could get as much as $556 back.

According to the companies a trial run last year resulted in 10 percent of people getting money back.

Paying an extra $25 seems reasonable to me. Although we could just tell people to visit us in Austin. We've certainly had no shortage of sunshine.

Would you pay a little extra for guaranteed sunshine on your next vacation?

Add your thoughts below.

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It seems every time my husband and I are at the pool someone is talking about sunscreen and how confusing things seem to be these days. When I was a kid you could really only find SPF up to 30, now you see 75 even 140.

The Environmental Working Group recently studied sunscreens and put together some helpful tips on things to look for next time you buy sunscreen.

The scariest part is what the group found after examining 500 different sunscreens--that 3 of 5 don't protect skin from sun damage or contain hazardous chemicals or both. You can read the full report here.

Plug in the name of your sunscreen and you can see how it rates. That was eye opening for me.

You'll also find an entire section on the best skin moisturizers with SPF.

New UT research may make it easier to detect skin cancer
A few months ago The University of Texas licensed a new technology that could change the way doctors diagnose skin cancer. The Austin Business Journal did a story on this back in February.

It's a pen-sized probe that uses weak pulses of light and then sends pictures back to a computer system to be analyzed. The light measures the cellular and molecular signatures of skin cancer without the need for biopsy.

According to assistant professor in the UT Department of Biomedical Engineering Dr. James Tunnell, "Within a second, it can take a measurement and tell you whether or not it's cancer. And you can move the probe around quickly to different spots of the skin."
Dr. Tunnell said a prototype has been tested with 80 patients at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) with good results.

The University says "the device could be on the market shortly after the development and completion of clinical trials."

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You know how much I love a freebie and this one is pretty sweet because it involves chocolate.

Mars launched a Chocolate Relief Act this summer. It wants to give away 250,000 free chocolate bars. You do have to sign up on the web site and then the company sends you a coupon within 6 weeks.

The company is doing this because earlier this year there was a movement to allow companies to substitute other things like vegetable oil in place of cocoa butter.

Friday and free chocolate--I call that a great start to the weekend. Enjoy!

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Dish Network subscribers may be getting some money back.

The company agreed to pay nearly $6 million to settle charges that it improperly marketed, promoted and sold its products and services. Yet as part of the agreement the company denies doing anything wrong.

This is part of a settlement with 46 different states including Texas.

Customers have complained that Dish Network advertised rebates without disclosing limitations on rebate offers; represented that equipment was new when, in fact it was used or refurbished; and electronically debited customers' bank accounts and credit cards without authorization.

Dish has agreed to pay restitution to customers who filed complaints between Jan. 1, 2004 and July 9, 2009. However, people can also file complaints over the next five months with their state's attorney general, Dish or Better Business Bureau to qualify, as long as the problem occurred within the past two years.

Texans who believe they have been deceived by deceptive or fraudulent business practices may call the Attorney General's toll-free complaint line at (800) 252-8011 or complaint online.

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Ever wonder the environmental cost of the products you buy? Wal-Mart has so it is hosting a sustainability meeting today with plans to demand all its suppliers to measure the environmental cost of making their products. The idea is so the big box retailer can calculate and post an eco-rating for each item.

According to USA Today, "Shoppers won't see green ratings on products for several years."

This move falls in line with other changes Wal-Mart has made over the years. The company wants to reduce packaging waste globally by 5 percent by 2013.

The retailer is in large part responsible for changing the packaging of many products you currently buy. The company started this push several years ago and now many manufacturers now pack products without bulky boxes or packing products or using recycled materials.

The idea is not only to be more environmentally friendly but to help save money by cutting down on trash disposal while giving more shelf room.

Would an eco-rating help you decide what to purchase?

Add your thoughts below.

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This week you'll find a few freebies, some cool treats and some amazing travel deals. Enjoy!

Freebies
• Dish Network is offering two free pay per view movies for Dish Network subscribers. All you have to do is fill out the form above and they'll credit your account. Take advantage of these freebies by September 30th.

• Remember McDonald's gives away free mochas every Monday through August 3rd.

Ice Cream
• The Arboretum Amy's Ice Cream shop is saluting Elvis. Come by Thursday, July 16th from 7pm until midnight and sing at least 30 seconds of an Elvis song and win a free Crush'n with the purchase of ice cream. If you have a rhinestone jumpsuit--they'll give you ice cream free. And be sure to say "Thank you very much!"

• Baskin Robbins is offering free soft serve cones. The company sent out this coupon this week. It's good through Friday July 17th.

• Thanks to Tom for telling me about this Freddy's Frozen Custard deal. You pay $2.99 for a t-shirt and each time your child wears it into the restaurant, they get free custard with a kid's meal. There are locations in Texas and mainly the Southwest.

• Remember Ben & Jerry's has a terrific deal each and every Monday--it's buy one get one free sundaes.

Food Deals
• Through next Monday, July 20th Restaurant.com is offering 60 percent off gift certificates. Use the code KITCHEN.

• Culver's is celebrating its 25th Anniversary with $1 Daily Deals all week long. You've still got the rest of the week and the weekend to enjoy the deals. Here's the list of specials:
Wednesday - $1 ButterBurgers
Thursday - $1 one-scoop cake cone
Friday - $1 short shakes and malts
Saturday - $1 one-scoop hot fudge sundae
Sunday - $1 one-scoop turtle sundae

Call your local Culver's shop to make sure its participating. Thanks to Tom for sending me information about that deal.

• Flemings started a new promotion. You can get the new Prime Sirloin burger for just $6 until 7 p.m. They've got locations all across the country including Texas, and North Carolina.

Sales
• A reminder that this is the first ever Austin Fashion Week. If you buy a $20 passport you can save 10 percent at all of these boutiques across Austin.

• Little Tikes is having a Christmas in July sale. I know it seems awfully early to be thinking about Christmas, but you can save 50 percent on most of the on-line items by buying before the end of July.

Travel Deals
• Angela Kocherga talked about some of the amazing Mexican vacation deals available right now last night during our 10 p.m. newscast. If you haven't taken a look at some of the deals you should. Mexico's own site has some pretty good terrific deals--many feature all-inclusive resorts. You'll find the best savings between now and the fall.

• Travel Zoo has some pretty good deals advertised right now. For example, the Riu is offering some 3 night deals at the all-inclusive resort with airfare for less than $400.

You can find more Mexican vacation deals from Travel Zoo here.

• Royal Caribbean is giving away a different cruise every day through July 17th. You have to sign up using your e-mail, so you'll be getting some promotions from then, but hey, you might walk away with a vacation too.

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This is the time of year when a lot of students are thinking about college and how they're going to pay for it. Starting this month the new federal student loan payment program allows you to pay based on your salary and your family size.

This can really help when you're facing financial hardship, which so many families are facing these days. However it's not for everyone.

Use this calculator to help you figure out your monthly payments.

According to the U.S. Department of Education this plan also allows people to be forgiven for any amount that remains unpaid after 25 years. If you are a public servant your loans are forgiven after 10 years of work in the field.

Other resources
If you're looking for other loan forgiveness programs FinAid.org has a list here.

This site outlines the specific loan forgiveness programs in each state for teaching.

You can find some terrific resources right here in Texas too.

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For years Target has not allowed price matching, but times are changing. The retailer announced yesterday it will in fact match its competitors prices--putting its policies in line with those of its biggest competitor Wal-Mart. Target even touted it in its most recent ad.

Here's how it works. You have seven days from the time you make your purchase to bring in the competitors ad and your receipt back to the store and then you can receive an adjustment. No copies of ads are allowed. However, this means you can take adavantage of this even if you find a lower price a week after you've made the purchase.

You've still got to do your homework, but it's another example of why shopping around can save you money.

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Doesn't it seem like Christmas starts earlier and earlier at retail stores? This year Sears may have topped them all.

It has opened up a Christmas lane section on its website. You'll find everything you need for Christmas there--from decorations to gifts. The retailer is also adding Christmas boutiques in 372 stores nationwide.

The hope is it will attract shoppers early. What do you think about Christmas in July? Is this too early for you?

Let us know what you think by adding your comments below.

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There's a pretty important recall that should force everyone to take a closer look at their smoke alarms, especially if you've bought new ones in the last two years.

Kidde is recalling 94,000 Dual Sensor Smoke Alarms because it may not warn you of a fire. The firm has received two reports where the smoke alarms malfunctioned.

The recall involves the Kidde dual sensor smoke alarms model PI2000. They can be identified by two buttons, "HUSH" and "PUSH AND HOLD TO TEST WEEKLY", which are located on the front center of the alarm. (See the pictures below)

Only date codes 2008 Aug.01 through 2009 May 04 are included in this recall. Retail, department and hardware stores sold the alarms. They were also sold through electrical distributors nationwide from August 2008 through May 2009 for between $30 and $40.

You can call Kidde at (877) 524-2086 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the company's Web site to get a free replacement.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is also interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product.

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With as busy as we are these days it can be tough to make smart choices when you're eating out.

Real Simple magazine had a great suggestion this month. It's a free website called Good food near you.com.

You simply plug in your zip code and get information on local dining spots. You can also scroll through the menu items at popular chains and sort by calories, carbs or fat.

The site doesn't list all the restaurants in your area, but it at least gives you some choices.

Want to take this information with you? You can. They have applications you can download for iPhone or Blackberry.

More Helpful Information
There are lots of ways to arm yourself so you can make healthy choices. My mom has been watching labels a lot lately. She commented how surprising it is when you really stop to look at what you're eating.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest certainly agrees. Each year it comes up with a list of the best and worst foods. Here's a look at this year's top ten. You may be surprised to see some popular frozen meals on this year's rankings. They've also come out with a list of the best and worst fast foods.

Salt can be just as bad for you, so check out how much salt this group found in some of the foods we eat at restaurants. It's pretty shocking.

The site also has a terrific guide on the kinds of labels to watch for when you go out to eat. They have even listed some of the menus that have included nutritional information.

Kid Menus
If you've got kids you may be interested in checking out this information on kid menus. You may realize why kids are having a tougher time than ever with their weight when you read the nutritional information.

They've also posted helpful information on the salt that's in some of the most popular kid foods.

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This week you'll find all kinds of food deals, some freebies and fantastic travel savings. Remember if you know of a deal worth mentioning send me e-mail.

Free Way to Cool Off Saturday
Saturday you can swim for free at Barton Springs Pool.The Austin City Council directed the City Manager to implement an annual free swim day at Barton Springs Pool on the second Saturday in July. Barton Springs Pool will be open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, July 11. You will have to pay $3 to park at Zilker Park from Barton Springs Road. However, parking is free on the south Barton Springs Pool entrance parking lot off Robert E. Lee Road.

Food Deals
• Austin Music Café just opened about a month ago and the owners are introducing new all natural freshly made pizzas. I had one the other day (the margarita with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil-- it was amazing.) Starting today you can get one of those pizzas for half price (normally they cost $12 you can get them for just $6 all day and night.) Thanks to Tony for telling me about the deal.

• Now for a really sweet deal-- Hershey is closing down its online store, so it's marking down everything by 25 percent. You've got to buy items by July 31st. You can get all kinds of really cool products including personalized Hershey kisses. You'll find prices as low as $10 and as high as $150 depending on the item.

• This is a pretty funny deal. Chick-Fil-A is celebrating its 5th annual cow appreciation day. Dress up like a cow on Friday, July 10th-- get a free meal. I'm being serious. If you don't have a cow costume, check out this costume starter kit. I think it might be fun just to go to the restaurant that day and see all the people who do dress up.

• Restaurant.com is letting you take 70 percent off certificates through July 13th. All you have to do is use the code SEVENTY. So the $25 gift certificates that normally cost $10 are just $3 for that limited time. If you haven't checked this site in a while, there are a few more Austin restaurants that have been added.

• Starbucks is celebrating National Ice Cream month by giving away coupons for a free pint of Starbucks ice cream.

Here's how it works: Between now and July 19th visit the Starbucks facebook page, log in and follow the instructions. You pretty much have to share a coupon in order to get the free pint for yourself. And the company gives away 800 coupons at the top of every hour--so you may have to check back a few times. The company's goal is to give away coupons for 20,000 pints of Starbucks ice cream.

If you miss out on the coupon for the free pint, the company does direct you to this coupon site for $1 off any pint of Starbucks ice cream. A little warning for you--you have to install a coupon printer--the same thing many coupon sites require.

• McDonald's is celebrating Free Mocha Mondays. If you stop into McDonald's between 7a.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday's you'll receive a free McCafe Mocha. It's only good through August 3rd.

Clothing Deals
Thanks to all the folks who've sent in information about Austin's first Fashion Week. It all starts Monday, July 13th and runs until Sunday, July 19th. It will feature more than 120 events. But here's the really cool part. You can buy a passport for $20 and get a 10 percent discount at all the participating boutiques.

Travel Deals
• Southwest Airlines is having an amazing sale. Ticket prices are $30, $60 and $90 dollars one way. There are some restrictions. You have to buy the tickets by 1:59 a.m. Thursday (12:59 PST). You've got to travel between September 9th and November 18th. You can't travel on Fridays or Sundays.

• American Airlines has already matched deals on routes where they compete with Southwest. It also has some specials of its own.

• Airtran is also having a sale. You've got to book your tickets by Thursday, July 9th. You'll find airfare for as little as $69 one way out of Houston and as little as $59 one way out of San Antonio.

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I've never been a coffee drinker. Love the smell of it, but never developed a taste for it. However after reading what I'm about to share with you, I'm thinking I should reconsider.

Researchers at the University of Florida believe heavy coffee drinkers may help cure Alzheimer's disease.

They just published a study in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. They used mice that were bred to develop Alzheimer's and fed half of the mice a heavy diet of caffeine once they saw signs of the disease. And the mice that were fed the caffeine performed much better on memory tests than those that didn't receive the caffeine.

How much were they given?
The mice were given the equivalent of five 8 oz cups of coffee a day. That's equivalent to about 500 milligrams of caffeine or about the same amount of caffeine that can be found in two "specialty" coffees like a latte or cappuccino or 14 cups of tea or 20 soft drinks.

What did the caffeine do?
Research has shown that clumps form in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. It's those clumps that interrupt normal memory function.

According to the researchers at the University of Florida those clumps are "sometimes caused by two enzymes and heavy doses of caffeine, it appears, prevents those enzymes from forming."In fact the research found there was a 50 percent reduction in those clumps in the mice given the caffeine.

Researchers say the fact that they have been able to reverse the effects of Alzheimer's is significant.

They hope to launch clinical trials on people soon.

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Starting today Sears is offering to help shoppers who lose their jobs after making a big purchase. They call it the Sears Buyer Protection Program.

There are a few things you have to do in order to qualify. You must have purchased a major appliance that costs more than $399 using your Sears credit card. You've got to remain employed the first 60 days after making a purchase.

That means if you lose your job 61 days after the purchase or within the year, Sears will credit their account for the purchase and even allow you to keep the appliance. The deal is they credit 1/12th of the purchase price for each month you are unemployed.

The program is available starting today through August 1, 2009.

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It's not all that surprising that our record breaking heat is starting to hit our pocketbooks. Many Austinites are just started to get their firsts electric bills of the summer.

Austin Energy does charge more for electricity during the summer months because of the demand. You pay the same for the first 500 kWh but after that between May and October you pay 7.82 cents per kWh versus the 6.02 cents you pay November through April.

What's average?
So what's average? Austin Energy says the average homeowner uses about 1,000 kWh per month for a home that's about 1700 square feet. The average bill during the summer is $154 between June and September. It's $69 for October through May.

What if your bill is higher?
If your bill is higher than average there are several things you can do to help improve the efficiency of your home. And there are some pretty big incentives to make those changes now.

Rebates and Tax Credit
You can get up to $1,575 dollars worth of rebates for air conditioning, attic insulation, solar screens, caulking and weather stripping.

You can find a list of all of the incentives provided locally here.
That's not all. Making improvements to your home may also allow you to earn some tax credits--up to 30 percent of the cost of many upgrades like windows, insulation and roofs. Austin Energy says you can get the tax credit on top of the rebate, which in some cases can cut your costs in half.

Here's a list of all the federal tax credits being offered right now.

More Energy Savings Advice
The Department of Energy has put together some terrific guides to help you save money cooling your home. You can find them here.

There's also a guide on how to do your own home energy audit.

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There are a couple of recalls parents need to know about because they involve products for small children.

Cribs
The first is a crib recall. Simplicity is recalling 400,000 cribs after an eight month old child from Houston suffocated between the drop side and the crib mattress because a plastic connector on the drop side broke. The Consumer Product Safety Commission knows of 25 other incidents where this has happened.

Here's a look at what can happen.

The recalled model numbers include but may not be limited to: 8050, 8325, 8620, 8745, 8748, 8755, 8756, 8765, 8778, 8810, and 8994, 8995, 8996. The cribs were sold nationwide at department stores and children's stores from January 2005 through June 2009 for between $150 and $300.

If you have one of these you should stop using the crib immediately and return it to where you bought it for a refund or store credit.

This recall ties in with another crib recall issued last year in which a million cribs were recalled.

The CPSC is also interested in hearing from any other families who may have experienced problems with their cribs. Go here to report any problems.

Baby Floats
Then with summer in full swing you may want to check your inflatable baby float. Aqua Leisure is recalling 4 million baby floats because the leg straps can tear, causing children to unexpectedly fall into the water. There have been 31 reports of this happening.

The floats were sold in a variety of styles and colors.

The names and model numbers are located on the packaging. A date between 08/02 and 07/08 is molded on the valves of recalled products. Products not included in the recall can be identified with the lettering "NP" molded on the valve.

There are more than a dozen different makes and models. Here's the list:

• Baby & Me Combo, ET 9105
• Deluxe Baby Boat, ET-9110, ET9110EU, ET-9110KM, ET-9110SU, ET-9110WG, ET-9110WM, ET-9110WMUS, LT-9110L
• Deluxe Toddler Racer - ET-9215, ET-9215DG, ET-9125DOL, ET-9215SU, LT-9215L
• Cozy Crab Sunshade Float/Crabby Baby Boat - ET-9215, ET-9215DG, ET-9125DOL, ET-9215SU, LT-9215L
• Ticklish Turtle Sunshade Float/Baby Boat - SA-3224, SA-3224AU, SA-3224KR, SA-3224LD, SA-3224WM
• Toddler Race Boat - SA-3225
• Aquarium Baby Float - LD- 3236, SA-3236
• Baby Adjustable Sunshade Boat, Adjustable Canopy Sunshade Float, Child's Baby Boat with Canopy - SA-3240, LD-3242, LT-3242L, SA-3242, SA-3242/43-1A, SA-3242/43TG, SA-3242AU, SA-3242WM, SA-3242WM, TG-3242
• Sunshade Wave Rider Float, Child's Wave Rider - LT-3243L, SA-3243, SA-3243DOL, SA-3243WM, SA-3243WM
• Sunshade Buggy, Sunshade Water Buggy (Girl/Boy) - SA-3244,SA-3244TG, SA-3244WM
WM-3244
• Kiddie Cabin Cruiser - LD-3248, SA-3248, SA-3248DG, SA-3248DOL
• Sing-Along Wave Rider - SA-3252, WM-3252
• Quacker Float - TR-7420
• Squirtin' Tootin' Tugboat - SA- 7431

To see pictures of all of them go here.

For a full refund call Aqua-Leisure toll-free at (866) 807-3998 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the company's web site.

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More homeowners will soon qualify for more government help. The Obama administration is expanding a program to help more homeowners avoid foreclosure.

The changes mean borrowers who owe 25 percent more than their home's market value will qualify for government help refinancing their mortgages. Currently the program helps borrowers who owe five percent more than their homes are worth.

The goal is to help homeowners who've been making their mortgage payments on time, but they've been unable to refinance because property values have declined.

You can get more information and see if you qualify for the Relief Refinance Mortgage program here.

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Ever wonder what people who work in the White House make? Today Congress received the annual report of staff salaries.

The more than a dozen assistants to the president each make $172,000 a year. I was surprised how little the speech writers make in comparison--around $45,000 a year.

You can check out the list for yourself here.

You can check all of the Congressional salaries here.

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This week you'll find deals on everything from food, to furniture even family fun. Enjoy!

Food
• Thanks to Marcia for telling me about the deal Mama Fu's is offering. On July 4th you get $5 off any purchase of $20 and all you have to do is say "Red, White and Fu". This deal is also a good reminder to sign up for Twitter alerts from some of your favorite eateries. More of them are sending out deals like this.

• Cru is having a Red, White & Cru special for July 4th. You get a three course meal for just $19.76. My husband and I ate brunch here this past weekend and the food was terrific. You can check out the menu for July 4th here. Reservations are recommended. There are two locations in Austin as well as locations in Dallas, Houston and Denver.

• Max's Wine Dive is a new restaurant downtown that's offering a brunch deal starting July 5th. The all day Sunday brunch includes all you can eat fried chicken and waffles for $25. The brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can find the full brunch menu here.

• I've written about Kids Meal Deals.com before, however they have a new way to search while you're on the road. It's a mobile application you can get with your cell phone. If you're not familiar with the site it's a terrific place to find deals at restaurants across the country and specifically places that offer discounts or free food just for kids.

• Don't forget the buy one get one free ice cream sundaes each Monday all summer long (through August 31st) at Ben & Jerry's Ice cream stores. All you have to do is mention the offer.

Movies
• July 4th is usually a popular time to watch movies. So I wanted to remind you about the summer movie deals I've written about here before. Regal Cinemas has a free family fun festival each summer. These movies are free every Tuesday and Wednesday. They are first come first serve with the movies slated to start at 10 a.m. Find participating theaters here and the schedule of movies here.

• AMC movie theaters also host a movie summer camp. There are theaters located at Barton Creek Shopping Center. Every Wednesday between now and August 5th you'll find movies that cost just $1. The shows start at 10 a.m. Theaters across the country participate. To find one near you go here. Today's movie is Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. You can see the complete summer schedule of movies here.

Clothing and Shoes
• Adelante a local clothing shop located off 38th Street near Seton Hospital, is having a big July 4th blow out sale. You can save between 30 and 50 percent on spring clothing and shoes and 50 percent off jewelry. The shop is closed Saturday, but the savings start today and run through Sunday, July 5th.

• Beginning today through July 4th, Shoe Carnival is giving customers a card to buy one pair of shoes and get a second pair of equal or lesser value for half off. You can use the card through January 19, 2010.

Furniture
Historically July 4th like Memorial Day is a big time for furniture sales. Louis Shanks, which is known for its high end furniture, is having a big sale this weekend. It's essentially a buy one get one free sale. You buy something and get something of equal or lesser value free. Only the items that are in stock are eligible for the sale. That means no special orders.

Travel
Southwest is advertising a bunch of last minute July 4th hotel deals. If you haven't made plans yet this weekend there's some pretty good deals here. The airline even has some last minute flight deals, but hurry you've got to book by July 2nd and three days before you leave.

Travel Zoo also has some last minute July 4th deals.

Royal Caribbean has some amazing cruise deals. For example a four night Bahamas cruise for as little as $209 a person.

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