Don't buy the warranty

You go shopping for a big ticket item – i.e., a sweet flat screen TV -- and what does it come with, if you choose? An extended warranty.
Don’t do it.
The extended warranty, that is.
According to Consumer Reports, stores play on the fact electronics are a big investment, scaring you into buying an extended warranty.
It is basically a way to get you to pay way more for the item than you need to, a very profitable deal for the retailer.
If you are concerned about not having an extended warranty, purchase your electronics with a credit card that offers extended warranty protection. Many credit cards do.

_Vin Mannix, staff writer

Back off with pushy sales people

Resist sales pressure when buying large appliances: I’m in the process of buying a new dishwasher, and I saw a Sears ad for one of them that interested me at 20 percent off, with an extra 5 percent off if I used my Sears credit card to make the purchase. When I called for information, the first person was unable to give me enough detail about the cost, so they transferred me to a salesperson in the appliance department. He was able to tell me more details about the sale, but tried pressuring me, saying I could get a combined 25 percent off the machine, but only for that day. He claimed that the same price might not apply the following day. And when I asked specifics about the machine’s warranty, he was unable to give them. Mushy cost and warranty information and pressure sales tactics do not cut it with me, so I rang off and will buy elsewhere.
Sara Kennedy Staff Writer

Small gifts say a lot

Every year I save big bucks by baking cranberry-pumpkin cakes to give as gifts to family and friends. I make a huge batch and split it into small loaves, which I freeze. Then, when I need one, I just reach in and haul it out, wrap it up and by the time I get to the recipient’s home, it’s defrosted and ready to eat. This year, I have a couple left over and they’ll make nice Valentine’s Day gifts for elderly relatives, who appreciate being remembered. I lavish the little cakes with pink frosting for a festive air.

Sara Kennedy Staff writer

Debt-free holiday shopping tips

The thrifty among us are cruising now, because we didn’t charge anything on credit cards in the way of holiday gifts.Over the weekend, I was in a party store, where all the holiday items were 60 percent off. This is the time to buy for next year. Out comes the debit card. Really gorgeous sets of holiday cards that sold a couple of weeks ago for $19.95 each cost me just $2 per box. I was competing for them with a circuit judge who said she sends 100 cards each year for professional reasons, and she probably saved a bundle. Gift tags, bows, gift wrap, wreaths, etc. all are 60-75 percent off. I buy them now and put them in plastic storage boxes in my attic so that at Thanksgiving next year, when I go up there to get the wreath, they’re all ready and waiting. It has a secondary advantage, too: You’re more likely to write holiday cards if you start early, and if they’re already purchased, you can start while you’re supervising the Thanksgiving turkey in the oven.

Sara Kennedy Staff writer

Try some space heaters, new filters to save on home energy costs

Justin Miante of Sarasota saves money by using space heaters in his home instead of turning on the central heat.
Speaking of heating a house, a tried and true method of saving money is to replace your heating and air conditioning unit’s filter every month rather than every season as most people do, said former Anna Maria Island resident Ciara Knight.
“It reduces the strain on the motor to keep the filter clean,” Knight said.
Richard Dymond Staff writer

Giving dead batteries a second life

Local resident Anna Danilevskaya puts all her dead batteries in the refrigerator for a day or so and says she can reuse them for a bit after they get cold.
“Maybe to run the flashlight on one mission,” Danilevskaya said.
Believe it or not, Danilevskaya takes her twice-dead batteries and throws them on the ground hard. She says she gets a final gasp of life out of them, enough to change the channels on a TV with a remote for one day.

Richard Dymond, staff writer

Check out the fast-food value menus

It may sound unhealthy, but once in a while I go to a fast food restaurant to save some money by ordering from value menus that so many burger joints seem to have now. The kicker is most of those menus offer something that is a little better for you than an order of fries – including salads and baked potatoes, usually for a buck. And if you are like me and have a craving for a burger once in a while, the dollar versions are not only cheaper but smaller and less calories. My favorite value menu item happens to be at Wendy’s – where you can get a filling cup of chili for a little more than a dollar.

Robert Napper

Herald staff writer