Back-to-school shopping savings tips

Our lesson of the day? Savings is never too cool for school.

Back-to-school shopping season is approaching fast and we've learned a thing or two on how not to burn a hole in your wallet. Time to whip out that No. 2 pencil. We've compiled a few ways to save without sacrificing the fun of the shopping season.

Buy used books
Don't judge a book by its cover. Instead, save the criticism for the hefty sticker price traditional campus books stores charge for required texts. On a budget? No problem. With college students shelling out hundreds--sometimes thousands--of dollars on textbooks each year, check out used books stores and online shops like half.com and amazon.com as a viable way for frugal-minded collegians to save a few bucks.

Organize before shopping
Make a list of the back-to-school supplies you need ... and don't shop without the list. This will eliminate over spending on items that are unnecessary. If you're not sure of the supples needed, e-mail the teacher or instructor. Maybe you don't really need that expensive calculator after all.
One thing you will need to put on your list? An alarm. Check out iHome's bluetooth clock radio/alarm and speakerphone for iPhone and iPod only $89.99 after mail-in rebate

Procrastinate
Wait to shop. The longer you wait, the better the sales. Putting a hold on back to school shopping may increase your anxiety, but in the end the savings are very rewarding. Kelli Grant, Sr. Consumer Reporter for SmartMoney.com says "buying basic items now while they're on sale, but wait until after school starts to buy the rest. Once the back-to-school rush has calmed down, retailers will often put traditional back-to-school items on clearance."

Ask for adjustments
If a purchased item goes on sale around two weeks after you bought it, bring it back with the receipt for a price adjustment. The store will refund or credit you the difference, which may end up being really helpful.

Save with large retailers
Don't rule out Target, Walmart and Costco. Big retailers such as these usually offer many discounts, especially for back-to-school shoppers looking to save on basic supplies. Best Buy offers great values on computers and electronics perfect for homework and play. Check out their helpful back-to-school checklist here.

Inside Consumer United :: Seth Urbanowski

Seth Urbanowski joined Consumer United in July of last year. Originally from Granville near Springfield, MA, Urbanowski attended Emmanuel College in Boston and spearheads Consumer United's home insurance division helping members in New York and Pennsylvania.

A die-hard beach enthusiast during the summer and skier in the winter, Urbanowski believes in Consumer United's vision to help members save on basic services and enjoys interacting with members throughout the Northeast. “The best part about my job is getting to speak with so many different people each day. They all have different needs and personalities and I enjoy both the challenges and rewards that brings,” he says.

How does Urbanowski save money? “One way I regularly save money is by purchasing most of my groceries and household goods in bulk. I'm able to take advantage of sales to their fullest and reduce trips to the store which conserves gas.”

As far as financial advice, Urbanowski says he turned to his father for help. “He advised me to switch my savings account from a traditional bank to a high-yield Internet savings account. Many of these are offered through well-known national banks but they can only be serviced online or over the phone. The advantage is clear because they often pay interest two or three times that of traditional banks.”

Tips to negotiate for lower health care costs

Haggling for health care? Yep, it may be one of the best-keep secrets for frugal-minded consumers looking to save some cold, hard cash with their doctors, dentists and hospitals.

While negotiating for health care is a trend, many consumers don't know they even have the option. According to a recent poll conducted by Angie's List, 57 percent revealed that they never negotiated with their doctors and 25 percent said they had no clue it was a viable alternative.

Most important, a majority of those who did reach out for discounts were able to save, with 74 percent of respondents paying less when they approached their health-care provider. Based on those who did score discounts, here's the savings breakdown: 40 percent on medical bills, 31 percent with hospitals and 18 percent on dental bills.

Not insured or have a high deductible? No problem. Some people have saved up to 50 percent on procedures with their health-care provider by paying upfront and in full. For those who are insured, it's still possible to negotiate costs not covered by your provider.

Also, some people have zeroed in on savings by scanning their medical bill for errors. In fact, some consumer advocates suggest that 80 percent of medical bills contain errors.

Angie Hicks, founder of Angie's List, serves up some savings tips for those looking to save on their health care costs.

Need to see the doctor? Find reviews on the best doctors in your area at Angie’s List here.

Weekly Deals: Back-to-school savings

Deal Of The Week:
Best Buy: Heading back to school? Find great values on computers and electronics perfect for homework and play here until Saturday, July 31.

Other Weekly Deals:
Restaurant.com: Before heading back to school, take 80% off $25 gift certificates from Restaurant.com with Consumer United's special code PLATE though Saturday, July 31 here.

HDTVs: Score a BRAVIA HDTV for a price that will make you a dorm-room hero. Sale $404.99-$989.99 until Saturday, July 31 here.

GiftCards.com: With students heading back to school, save 25 percent on a slew of gift cards here.

Identity theft services may not be best protection

There are plenty of identity theft services out there. For $10 or $15 per month, they’ll help to make sure that your identity isn't stolen.

They primarily do this by monitoring your credit report to make sure there is no suspicious activity. The problem is it’s too late once you find a problem on your credit report. The best way to protect yourself is to take a proactive approach to make sure you are protecting your information, and to also monitor your reports.

These tips from US Reports will help you protect yourself regardless of whether you decide to use a service or not.

Your Mail:
Securely dispose of any mail or old credit cards by cross-shredding them. To cut down the amount of shredding you’ll need to do, opt out of credit offers at OptOutPrescreen.com . If you’re mailbox is easily accessible by others, it might be a good idea to use a PO BOX for any sensitive information (bank statements, bills, insurance documents etc).

Your Computer:
Make sure your computer is protected with anti-virus software and run regular checks. Keep any passwords in secure places, change them often, and make sure they are complex and not easily guessed. Combinations of numbers and letters are ideal, and easily remembered if you use anagrams (Ex: Consumer United 4 Life 2 Lower Monthly Bills is Great= CU4L2LMBIGr8).

The unfortunate reality is that, even with these precautions in place, your identity still can be stolen. On top of preventative measures, keep an eye out to make sure nothing has happened. The sooner you catch an issue, the less likely it is that it will become a major issue.

Monitor Your Credit:
You can review each of your three credit reports once annually for free at www.annualcreditreport.com . If you check one agency each time and spread it out over the course of the year, you’ll get a snapshot every 3 months. Although sometimes information will show up on one credit report and not another, you’ll likely see any major or continued abuse on all three.

Identity Theft Services:
They can help monitor your credit report (often all three bureaus and monthly). If you do opt for the protection of a service, make sure you’re not paying for something you already have through your credit card or even auto insurance carrier. Make sure that they monitor all three reports and ask about what help they provide if something did happen (a suspect entry on your report, a lost wallet).

Check your Home Insurance:
Homeowners or renter’s insurance usually provides an endorsement that will reimburse you for identity theft, up to a given amount. Coverage varies by insurance carrier, but is often included or only a few dollars per year.

Javelin Strategies, an independent research firm, reports that a reported 11.1 million Americans were affected by identity theft in 2009. By using this two-fold approach of limiting your exposure, and monitoring to catch issues earlier, you’re less likely to become part of this growing problem.

--Lana Petersson

Protect yourself from debit card fraud

Believe you're immune to debit card fraud? Think again.

Unfortunately, when a criminal gains access to your debit card number and, in some cases, PIN, to make unauthorized purchases, there's a chance that your savings may be completely wiped out.

From PIN thefts to thieves stealing debit card numbers, to shady employees to hackers, debit card fraud can happen to you, so it's important to lower the threat. It's time to protect yourself.

How is debit card fraud detected? It's easy to finger, as long as you're signed up for online banking. Checking your balances and transactions daily can save consumers from the impacts of fraud. The sooner one detects the unauthorized activity, the easier it will be to get your money back from your bank.

Fearful of banking online? Hold on to the receipts of all of your debit card transactions, or better yet, use phone banking at least weekly to keep everything in check. Thanks to an article by Yahoo Finance, we've compiled some easy ways to keep your money protected:

Go paperless

Yep, time to move from the brick-and-mortar establishment and handle transactions online. It's easy to do. Log on to online banking, and simply check the box that says "go paperless." This will end all risk of bank information being stolen from your mailbox.

Use your credit card instead

When you are ready to make a purchase, take out your credit card instead. If you insist on using your debit card, select credit instead of debit. Why? This way you won't be exposed to PIN theft.

Sign up for banking alerts

Sign up for banking alerts to know when your account has changed. When a transactions occurs that wasn't made by you, you will know instantly.

Spread out your money

Remember your grandfather telling you to put some money in your shoe just in case? It's the truth. Spread out your money so if debit-card fraud hits, you aren't stuck with nothing.

Destroy old cards

For obvious reasons. Use a shredder!

Keep your computer protected

Use firewalls and anti-virus on your computer in order to stay protected. Make sure to update your protection regularly.

If debit card theft has happened to you, call your bank immediately. In the case that your bank isn't cooperative, call a consumer advocacy group such as Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. Click here to see a list of agencies that may be able to help.

Wireless broadband network slotted to launch

Watch your back phone companies. There's a new player in the wireless broadband world called LightSquared, a soon-to-be-launched nationwide 4G-LTE wireless broadband network that uses satellite coverage to facilitate a whole new experience for the end user, and their goal is to cover 92 percent of the population by 2015.

Yep, the ambitious plan from the private-equity firm Harbinger Capital Partners is to revolutionize communications in the United States.

As the nation's first wholesale-only network, the LightSquared platform will allow its partners--a laundry list that will include retailers, cable operators and device manufacturers--to offer satellite-only, terrestrial-only or integrated satellite-terrestrial services to consumers.

Philip Falcone, founder and chief executive officer of Harbinger Capital Partners, says the launch of LightSquared marks a significant milestone in the industry. "The business is well positioned to capitalize on key trends; demand for wireless broadband is growing at a rapid pace and there is an increasing need for additional network capacity and reach," says Falcone. "LightSquared will also make a significant contribution to U.S. job growth and the economy."

World broadband domination? Perhaps. The new entrant to the wireless market is slotted to launch the LightSquared service in the second half of 2011 in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver and Baltimore.

Click here for the lowdown.

Weekly Deals: Sizzling summer savings

Deal Of The Week:
Restaurant.com: Take 70% off $25 gift certificates from Restaurant.com with Consumer United's special code TASTY though Thursday, July 22 here.

Other Weekly Deals:
Best Buy: Free $50 gift card with a select Lexmark Platinum Multifunction Printer, plus $100 off here until Saturday, July 24.

OnSale: Save $149 on a notebook. HP Smart Buy Elitebook 2540p Intel Core i5-540M 2.53GHz Notebook - 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD, 12.1" WXGA, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g/n, 6-cell Li-ion - ships with Windows XP Pro downgraded from Windows 7 Pro (WH281UT#ABA) here.

CheapOair: Book your flight tickets for summer at CheapOair and redeem $10 off by using promo code SUMMER10. Book now here.

Consumerism? Freegans aren't buying it

Vying to be the ultimate budget-conscious consumer? Check out "freeganism," a lifestyle of alternative-living strategies focused on minimal participation in the conventional economy and limited use of its resources.

A global movement starting in the 1990s, freeganism was born out of environmentalism and anti-globalization. Freegans don't judge a book by its cover. Freegans value kindness, humanity, freedom, sharing, generosity and truth in a society that is heavily dominated by materialism, power, competition and conformity. Most freegans are very well informed, not only of current events blaring from the TV set.

However, not everyone is buying the concept.

Freeganism is a radical belief and practice. Money is not given to corporations. Focused on the ethics of eating, freegans "forage" for food in corporate dumpsters, and are known to shoplift from major corporations. A large portion of this food is given to the hungry on the streets. The rest of the food is taken for themselves. The downside to the movement is a political statement, questioning the current system of money distribution. However, Freegans proudly give their money to local businesses and local farms.

Nick Simmons, from Wisconsin, has been on both sides of the spectrum but has finally found some peace and happiness living purposefully and sparingly. Simmons started a business salvaging, building and repairing bicycles. Simmons says, "It's not about being a martyr for any political or moral reason. It's about knowing how to survive and knowing how to give yourself a decent life," adding that he's not ready to put himself back on the financial grid.

Of course, freeganism isn't for everyone.

Interested in the lifestyle but not ready to take the dumpster-diving plunge? Maybe volunteer at a local shelter, start a compost, recycle your trash and, while you're at it, shop for free at Freecycle.com.

Click here for more details.

Weekly Deals: Save up to 50% on hotel rentals

Deal Of The Week:
Hotel: Save up to 50 percent on hotels compared to other online travel sites with Priceline's exclusive Name Your Own Price® here.

Other Weekly Deals:
Camcorders: Take $20 to $100 off select digital camcorders plus free shipping from Best Buy until Saturday, July 17 here.

Restaurant.com: Take 60% off $25 gift certificates from Restaurant.com with Consumer United's special code VACATION though Monday, July 19 here.

CheapOair: Book your flight tickets for summer at CheapOair and redeem $10 off by using promo code SUMMER10. Book now here.

Six tricks to avoid when renting a car

Renting a car this summer travel season? Get your motor running.

But, before heading out on the highway, make sure you avoid the games car rental companies are playing to raise revenue from unsuspecting consumers. Yep, rental groups are getting creative with a slew of odd add-on fees and wacky rules in an apparent attempt to lift their profits.

The folks over at CNN serve up a list of six odd rules consumers should steer clear when shopping for a summer car rental:

1. The price game
Agents are charging exorbitant late fees, like $1,000 a day with one example in Dayton, Ohio, and are even raising rates if patrons return their rentals early. The remedy? Secure a rate online using a site like Priceline or CheapOair.

2. Age limits often apply
Under 25-years-old? You may have to shell out additional cash. Car rental companies often add a $20 a day or more surcharge to your bill. If you're younger than 21, it may be almost impossible to score an auto.

3. Additional drivers cost more
Plan to share the wheel with another driver? Buyer beware. If there's a second driver, car rental groups often charge additional fees running about $10 to $12 per day.

4. Child safety seats cost more
Even though safety seats for children is a requirement, some car rental companies are tagging on a surcharge for upgrading car seats for kids.

5. Car sizes redefined
Some sneaky car rental companies are changing the class of the vehicle--from compact to a mid-size auto-- in an attempt to raise rates for unsuspecting consumers.

6. Short trips penalized
Plan to drive under 75 miles in a rented car? You may be penalized. Rental companies are charging an automatic refueling service charge for those taking shorter trips.

Click here for the lowdown.

Weekly Deals: Save on major appliances

Deal Of The Week:
Best Buy: Take 15 to 25 percent off major appliances here until Saturday, July 10.

Other Weekly Deals:
CheapOair: Book your flight tickets for summer at CheapOair and redeem $10 off by using promo code SUMMER10. Book now here.

TiVo: Get three months of free TiVo service here all summer long with the purchase of any TiVo Premiere or TiVO Premiere XL box.

DVD Player: Audiovox D1788 - DVD player - portable - display: 7 in - black (D1788) only $79.99 here.

More people are traveling by car this summer

Car travel is on the rise according to a recent report from AAA Southern New England, with a 17.1 percent increase in auto travel this past Fourth of July weekend.

AAA cites an improved economy for the increase.

“The landscape of the U.S. economy is in a much different place than it was one year ago,” Lloyd P. Albert, AAA Southern New England senior vice president of public and government affairs, says in a news release. “It’s encouraging to see such growth this summer as Americans take to the road to visit family, friends and great vacation destinations.”

Here are a few tips to help you save before taking a summer road trip:

Get your motor running
Before you take your trip, make sure to plan accordingly. The last thing you want is to take the wrong route, waste gas, time and money on tolls. Here are a few tips before you take the trip:

• Get a customized traveling map with low gas prices along the route. This will be very handy and can be found here.
• Make sure the car is your best bet. Check out bus lines along your chosen route and trains. There may be last minute deals on other methods of transportation.
• Inflate your tires! This can save you 3 percent on your gas mileage.
• Investigate your vehicle's oil. Choosing the right oil for your vehicle can save you money. Using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil improves gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent.

Head out on the highway

• Don't run the AC on Max. We know driving in the heat can be uncomfortable. By turning down the AC however, you can improve your mpg by 5 to 25 percent.
• Keep items off your roof, and fill the trunk instead. A roof covered in items increases weight and aerodynamic drag, and will hurt mileage by up to 5 percent.
• Drive sensibly and keep your speed in check. Gas mileage can be lowered by 33 percent by increasing speed and braking heavily.
• Buy a GPS for your trip. The price of a GPS is very low, and is guaranteed to keep you on track. This will save you time, miles, and peace! Check out OnSale.com for low prices on a new GPS.

Fact versus fiction regarding energy efficiency

Sometimes, it's hard to tell what's right and wrong when it comes to conserving energy.

Should we ditch the dishwasher and wash our dishes by hand? Is it better to turn your computer off when not in use or leave it on all day? These can be tricky questions. We've compiled a list of our favorites from an article here.

Here's a list clarifying what's true and false regarding energy conservation:

When your appliance are off, no energy is used

False. Instead, un-plug your appliances or use a power strip. When appliances are turned off, a phenomenon known as "phantom load" occurs and energy is still slowly drained.

Fill your refrigerator with food to combat energy waste

True. A full fridge is a happy fridge. The more space used inside the fridge, the less work required to keep the temperature constant.

Ditch the dishwasher and handwash your dishes

False. Get this, handwashing dishes uses more energy than loading and running your dishwasher. To save water when dishwashing, scrape the plates clean but don't bother pre-rinsing by hand.

Fill your tank only half-way with gas
True. The lighter your car, the better the fuel efficiency. If you have a lot of stuff in your car, ditch it. This will help with your gas mileage.

Buy a light colored car if you live somewhere warm

True. Darker vehicles suck in the heat, and lighter vehicles reflect. Robert Sinclair Jr. of AAA says, "It's one of those esoteric gas saving tips."

Take the ENERGY STAR pledge and save money

Want to do your part for the environment while you also save energy and money? Consumer United has teamed up with ENERGY STAR as a pledge driver for their "Change the World" campaign.

Nearly two million people across the nation have pledged to take small, energy-saving steps that can change the world. If every American household took part in the pledge, we would save more than $18 billion in annual energy costs and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 18 million cars.

Join Consumer United's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Take the ENERGY STAR pledge here.

On the hunt for energy-efficient appliance rebates? The Department of Energy (DOE) has approved the appliance rebate programs for the states and territories linked or listed here as of July 2, 2010.

Need energy-saving inspiration? Take an online room-by-room tour of ENERGY STAR @ home here and learn how you can help fight global warming, while saving energy and money in your own home.

Click here to learn more.

Stop junk mail, phone calls and e-mail

One man's junk is another man's treasure? Not quite. These days, it seems as though the onslaught of junk mail never ends. We receive unwanted phone calls daily, constantly receive spam and our home mailbox is chock full of catalogs and advertisements that heads straight to the slush pile.

Here are a few ways to put an end to junk mail:

Telephone marketing calls
"Please permanently remove me from your calling list" are the magic words when trying to rid telemarketers from calling you. According to federal law, if the same telemarketers call again, they're crossing the legal line. If you wish to quote the law to the telemarketer, you may do so here.

Electronic mail

SPAM is a very hard to conquer. First off, never reply to spam. An article on Obviously.com says, "The offers to remove your name from a list are generally untrue, and often result in your name getting added to yet another list. Many internet providers have policies against SPAM, and will take action. " Consumerist.com recommends OptOutPrescreen.com and AbacusOptOut in order to dramatically reduce your spam.

Paper junk mail

Want to end the endless onslaught of catalogs and paper junk mail? Consumerist.com recommends DMAchoice.org used by DMA member merchants for direct mail, such as letters, flyers and brochures. Once at the site, you can add your name to the "do not call" list. You can also recycle your junk mail, even though it should not exist in the first place.