HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

We're taking a break. Team CHEAPIOSITY is shopped-out. We're gonna take a break and see a lot of movies.....cheaply, of course.

We'll be back in January with another year of living a first class life at economy prices.

But first, one last thing for the year. Stocking up now on next year's holiday cards, wrapping paper, ornaments, and other seasonal goodies makes a lot of sense. Pricing on all that stuff doesn't get any cheaper than right after the holidays, but you have to hit the stores quickly. Merchants discount their seasonal items up to 90% just to clear those shelves. Check 'em out.

We wish you Happy Holidays, Peace, Love and lots of bargains.

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THE BEST DAYS TO BUY STUFF

Did you know that you can find better deals on certain days of the week? It doesn't only matter where you shop. It matters when you shop and what you're looking to buy.

Here's an article from Smart Money that breaks it down for you.

http://www.smartmoney.com/spend/deal-of-the-day/best-days-of-the-week-for-discounts-1320270169168/?grcc=7da38d5a8fdbcd8680569ec059d7d099Z3&mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_personalfinance

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HOME REMODELING THAT MAKES SENSE

Everyone wants to get the most bang for their buck when they do some remodeling to add value to their home. Here are some suggestions to increase your home's resale value.

Home Remodeling Projects with the Highest Return on Investment:

1. The Kitchen – Whether it’s a major overhaul or a simple makeover, putting a fresh face on your kitchen is your best investment. Maximize your return by limiting your project cost to no more than 20 percent of the value of your home. Expect an 85 percent return on your investment.

2. The Bathroom – An outdated bathroom can spoil a sale. Current trends have homeowners installing large showers instead of garden tubs. A major update could cost less than $20,000, but it should yield an 80 percent return.

3. Decks – A new deck can cost a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on size and materials used. Before you build, look at other homes in your area and build accordingly. If the deck is in good shape, your return could be more than 80 percent.

4. Siding – If your home’s façade is siding and it’s not in good shape, replacing or repairing the siding can bring instant freshness. You’ll likely spend at least $10,000, but you should get at least 80 percent back.

5. Window replacement – The energy efficiency of new windows is a clear benefit to switching out older windows, but in some cases, it’s a safety feature, too. Costs depend on the number of windows you’re replacing, of course, and the type. Expect a return on your investment of at least 70 percent.

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BEST REWARDS CREDIT CARDS IN 2011

Team CHEAPIOSITY loves getting free airline tickets with our mileage rewards. As we like to say, the only thing better than CHEAP is FREE.

If you're someone who enjoys the rewards you get from your credit cards, you're going to love this article. The people at Kiplinger's have done all the leg work for you. Take a look:

http://www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/best-rewards-credit-cards-2011.html

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BLACK FRIDAY 2011

UPDATE 11/23/11:
Here are more websites to check out: http://blackfriday.net/, http://www.fatwallet.com/black-friday, http://gotadeal.com/Black-Friday-Deals.html

Before you buy electronics, check out: http://www.decide.com/

For free shipping: www.freeshipping.org

Team CHEAPIOSITY always tries to remain current. Here's a link to Black Friday circulars a week early....current enough for you????

http://bfads.net/Adscans

Happy Shopping!

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MORE SITES TO FIND DEALS

Here at Team CHEAPIOSITY, we're always more than happy to tell you about sites that offer great deals. Here are a few more:

www.shopittome.com - Think of Shop It To Me as your free personal online shopper. Their mission statement: "Once you tell us your favorite designers (such as Alexander Wang, J.Brand, Black Halo, Diane Von Furstenberg, John Varvatos, Tory Burch, DKNY, Vince) and sizes, we'll take over. We'll work as your personal shopper scouring the Web to find the items you love and send you personalized e-mail alerts that feature the latest markdowns, secret promotion codes, and VIP sale events. Your made-to-order Salemail™ will arrive in your in-box only as often as you like, because we're all about looking after you. We are the trusted personal shopper relied upon by millions of fashion-forward women and men." Sounds good to us.

http://www.bradsdeals.com/ - BradsDeals is your one-stop source for the latest coupons & deals from thousands of leading retailers. "We give you the answers you need to make informed shopping decisions. Every day, we sort through thousands of coupons, sales and promotions but only publish the best 100 or so for our readers. Our standards are high. We publish only what we would recommend to close friends and family members, so you can recommend them to yours."

http://dealnews.com - Every day, dealnews brings you the best deals available on the hottest items on the Internet. "We scour over 2,000 online retailers and tens of thousands of deals to deliver the best 200+ deals each and every day — the kinds of deals you'd normally only see on Black Friday. We verify that each deal is valid, the lowest total price we could find, and from a reputable retailer. Then and only then do we post it for you. We take getting a bargain seriously, and then share what we find with you."

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2011 FREEBEES

Every year Kiplinger's publishes a list of freebees. Here's their 2011 list. Team CHEAPIOSITY loves free things and we assume you feel likewise.

http://www.kiplinger.com/features/archives/fabulous-freebies-2011.html

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BIZ CLASS FARES TO EUROPE THAT ARE LESS THAN COACH

The title says it all. Go to the article below to find out how:

http://www.moneytalksnews.com/2011/08/23/how-you-can-buy-a-business-class-ticket-to-europe-for-less-than-coach/

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SECRETS AIR TRAVELERS SHOULD KNOW

Business travelers know all too well the downside to travel: canceled or delayed flights, overbooked flights and lost luggage, just to name a few. Yet, travelers do have rights. Some of them are hidden in the fine print, while others reflect recent changes to or enforcement of regulations.

Take a look at this link below to find out more:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/four-secret-rights-that-savvy-air-travelers-know-2011-09-20

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THE VIRTUAL GOFER

Need a Personal Assistant? Who doesn't? It'd be nice to have someone help you do things like: clean out your closet, deliver a package for you, organize your desk, etc. You know those times when you have too much to do and not enough time? Enter the virtual gofer.

Here are some sites that help you do just that and at reasonable prices:

1. Fancy Hands Personal Assistants: http://www.fancyhands.com/

2. Task Rabbit: http://www.taskrabbit.com/

3. Zaarly: http://www.zaarly.com/nearby#loc=9q5cs73wutub

4. Ask Sunday: http://www.asksunday.com/

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DEATH DOSSIER

Here's a cheery little post destined to make your day. Let's talk about death. Yeah yeah. We know.....nobody wants to think about it. Denial ain't just a river in Egypt. Yadda yadda yadda. Still, there are some responsibilities you simply can't afford to put off forever.

Here at Team CHEAPIOSITY, we think it's worse not to have your beneficiaries take advantage of money and items you want them to have. It's the grown up thing to do. Here's a road map.

Did you know that there are 25 Documents you need before you die?

The Wall Street Journal has provided this one-stop shopping article to help all of us cope with the financial part of our inevitable end:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303627104576410234039258092.html

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HOW TO KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN HACKED

We keep reading about how a company or a government or a celebrity or a database somewhere has been hacked. Kinda makes you wonder if you've been hacked too.

What do you do about it......how do you check?

An Australian technology professional and former security consultant, Daniel Grzelak, has built a Web site, “Should I Change My Password?, where you can check whether your information is in 13 publicly available stashes containing more than 800,000 stolen records. He promises to keep it updated as more data becomes available and helps to create a stronger password.

It's not foolproof, but it's a start. Ladies and gentlemen, start your paranoia-fueled engines.

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WHEN DOES FOOD REALLY EXPIRE?

It seems like everything we buy at the grocery has a 'sell by' or 'use by' or expiration date. What do these dates really mean? We found an article to help de-mystify it for you. So before you throw it out and waste money, take a look:

http://www.moneytalksnews.com/2011/07/18/when-does-food-really-expire/

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REPAIR OR REPLACE IT

In the good old days, electronics and appliances were made to last......almost forever. Not any more. Now we live in a disposable world where in many cases it's cheaper to replace an item than to repair it.

The good people at Consumer Reports did some research and this is what they came up with:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2011/august/shopping/repair-or-replace-it/overview/index.htm

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FLASH SALE TRAVEL SITES

Sometimes you're looking for a vacation package at the last minute.
Sometimes you want to plan ahead.
Now there are sites the specialize in these 'flash' sale vacations, and the discounts are pretty darn good. Here are some terrific places to start your hunt for a travel offer you can't refuse.

http://www.spire.com/

http://www.jetsetter.com/

http://www.sniqueaway.com/

https://www.vacationist.com/

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HAPPY LABOR DAY

Team Cheapiosity is taking the week off.

We'll be back next week with more good stuff.

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NEED A REMINDER?

Do you forget to do things on your mental to-do list? Do you want yet another text message? Never fear, Dear Readers, Team CHEAPIOSITY has the solution:

http://ohdontforget.com/reminders

Set up your reminder for yourself (and whoever else you want to annoy) and Voilà! A text. The basic service is free, but for additional fees, you can add premium features! Now you have no excuse to forget.....unless you forget to take your cellphone with you.

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WHEN TO START SOCIAL SECURITY

As Baby Boomers reach retirement age, one important question to answer is when to apply for Social Security......62, 66, 70?

Take a look at the article below to help figure it out:

http://moneywatch.bnet.com/retirement-planning/blog/money-life/boost-your-social-security-payout-by-100000/3826/?tag=fd-banner-feature;fd-banner-thumb

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SHOULD YOU RENT TO OWN?

NO! Don't do it. Rent-A-Centers are massive rip-offs.

Yes, they sound appealing, but you end up paying massive interest charges. The cheap becomes expensive.

Read this article if you don't believe us:

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/06/23/rent-to-own-deals-are-a-massive-ripoff-consumer-reports-finds/

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HOMEOWNER MONEY HELP

Yes, we were promised more access to money for home loans to help grow the economy. Will somebody please tell this to the Banks?

There's a new Federal Program to help.

Here's an article from Smart Money about it:

http://www.smartmoney.com/spend/real-estate/more-money-for-struggling-homeowners-1309312646029/

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THINGS THAT REALLY RUIN YOUR CREDIT

Everyone is concerned about low FICO scores. These are the scores that affect whether of not you can get credit. Here are 7 things that ruin your credit scores, which we urge you to avoid:

1. Public records. Bankruptcies, judgments, liens — all of these rank up there as some of the most damaging.

2. Severe late payment. This is the most common offense. Anything past 90 days constitutes "severe," but all late payments stay on your report for seven years, if reported.

3. Charge-off. This can happen if you're 30 days late, although credit card lenders often give you a few months. The debt is generally then sold to a collection agency. A charge-off will stay on your file for seven years from the date the account is terminally — 180 days — past due.

4. Collections. This is probably the second most common offense, after a severe late payment. It can be triggered by unpaid medical bills, utilities, credit card debt, you name it, and they're all equal in terms of the impact on your score. The notation will stay on for seven years, regardless of whether you pay it off, but you should still pay.

5. Settlement. You've seen the ads by companies to help you settle your debt for less than you owe. You can also try to do this yourself by calling and making an offer. Short sales, too, fall into this category. Settlement will stay on your file for seven years.

6. Repossession. Any asset that secures a loan can be repossessed. This, too, will stay on your file for seven years.

7. Foreclosure. Foreclosure stays on your report for seven years. If you want to lessen the blow (slightly), try a deed in lieu of foreclosure — with that, you're waving the white flag, telling the lender you can't pay, and turning in the keys.

Finally, let's clear up a few myths about what doesn't hurt your score. Your income is not a factor. Having many credit cards, as long as you manage them wisely, won't hurt you — and in fact, it might help you. And the fact that you ran up your credit card bill a couple months ago, but paid it off in full, won't affect your score when you check it now.

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PROTECT AGAINST ID THEFT

Two new services to help protect and warn you about ID theft have just been introduced.

Some individual elements of these services may be valuable, while others are worth exactly what you are paying -- nothing.

The first is AllClear ID Free. It keeps checking the Internet and reports of breaches to see if your information is found. It also helps if you are a victim of ID theft.

ID Safe also does some online scanning, covers you for $50,000 of out-of-pocket costs, and gives you a free credit score monthly.

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A BACKGROUND CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY A HOME

There's CarFax for cars and now comes BuildFax for homes. By paying $39.99 (it's free through 7/31/11) you can run a background check on the home you're planning to buy. This can also supplement your inspection report. Here's the link to the site:

http://www.buildfax.com/public/industry/homebuyer.html

Basically, the site will access electronic public records. You can get the same information for free at your city's Buildings Department. It really depends if you have the time or it's worth 40 bucks to have someone do it for you. You decide.

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ARE YOUR REWARDS MILES A MESS?

Are your rewards miles a mess? Don't let them expire.....you paid for them....use them.

The Frugal Traveler at the NY Times, gives you help. Take a look:

http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/12/are-your-miles-a-mess-heres-how-to-put-them-to-use/?hpw

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HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

We're taking the week off to celebrate the 4th of July. We'll be back next week with more tips CHEAPIOSITY-style. In the meantime, check your local newspapers for holiday sales. May The Fourth Be With You.

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FINDING A MANAGER TO COMPLAIN TO

Calling to complain and get satisfaction grows more and more frustrating. Reaching someone whose first language is English is increasingly rare. Calling these Call Centers becomes a match of wits and patience. It drives Team CHEAPIOSITY crazy, and we're sure it does you as well.

Spend some time preparing and researching; we promise your time spent will pay off.

Here are some of our own personal (and oft-proven) tips on how to get a Manager on the phone in case the first customer service person you reach offers no help. It's gotten to the point where sometimes we have to say, "Is this customer service?" When the voice at the other end replies, "Yes," we answer, "Well I'm the customer; where's the service?"

But we digress.....Here are five ways to reach a manager quickly and directly:

1. Knock on the front door
In almost every case, our recommendation is to use the online form to contact the company first. Send a brief, polite email through the site. Keep a copy for yourself, just in case the browser “eats” your note, which has been known to happen. Your grievance might be addressed in a timely manner, but it probably won’t be. If it isn’t, then at least you have a (virtual) paper trail to prove you tried to get your problem resolved through channels.

Companies (and consumer advocates) frown on people who go straight to the top without giving the customer-service department a chance to help. Be sure to keep all the emails between you and the company.

2. Ask for a manager
Before going on a wild goose-chase in search of the right name, why not ask? If your email correspondence is hitting a dead end, then ask if you can have the email reviewed by a supervisor. You never know – it could be forwarded to someone in authority who can give your complaint the attention and consideration it deserves.

Don't hold your breath. Usually, you’re told that the answer from the company is “final” and that a manager is unavailable. The company is wrong on both counts.

3. Go hunting!
Start with a simple search, using terms like the company name and “vice president” — in quotes – and “customer service.” Often, that yields a name of a current vice president in charge of service, but an email address may not be readily available. Ironically, companies go to great lengths to conceal the phone numbers and email addresses of their top customer-service managers because they don’t want people contacting them. (That backfires when angry customers take them to court, but we digress.) In order to find an email address, add the term “email” or “e-mail” to the search. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t.

4. Search the site
Assuming that you've found a name but no email address, your next step is to search the company’s site. You can do that by typing the prefix “site:” followed by the company URL and then “e-mail.” This will only search the company’s site, yielding any instances of the word “email.” You won’t find the name of your manager, but you will find out the company’s email convention, which is usually either firstname.lastname@company.com or firstinitiallastname@company.com. Now try the same thing for a phone number. You should be able to get the main company number, and that’s all you need.

5. Put it all together
If you’re trying to call the VP, phone the main number, dial “O” and ask for the person by name, or use the automated phone tree to dial by last name. You may get through to an executive assistant, or you may get voice mail. Either way, leave a short, polite message with your relevant details. Now it’s time to guess the email address of your vice president. Use the naming convention from the last tip. Now visit this site (verify-email.org/) to see if the email address works. Once you’ve verified it, you’re free to send an email.

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WHEN IT PAYS NOT TO BE CHEAP

Yes, you read the title correctly. There are times to spend more because you save in the long run. It's hard for us diehard CHEAPIOSITY hates to admit it, but it is true.

Here are some things to spend on:

1. Paint: Even though you can find a gallon of paint for as little as $11, cheaper paint will take several coats to cover a single wall, and it likely won't hold up for an extended period of time.
2. Gas Grills: Look for features such as premium-quality burners, stainless-steel grates, and heavy-duty construction. You should realistically expect to spend at least $150 for a quality product.
3. Big-Screen TVs: If you're investing in a really big screen television—50 inches or more—you'll want to own it for a while. So go for as big a screen as you can afford from a reliable brand.
4. Blu-Ray Players: Instead of replacing one cheap DVD player with another cheap DVD player, consider trading up to a Blu-ray player, which supplies true high definition to your high-def TV.
5. Fire Protection: Aerosols such as First Alert Tundra are much cheaper than traditional fire extinguishers and may look like they're easier to use, but they're a lot less effective as well--a true safety concern in the event of an emergency.
6. Mattresses: Can you really afford to not get a good night's rest? Don't spend below $800 for a queen-size set or you'll risk years of sleepless nights and suffer all the effects associated with sleep deprivation.
7. Grass Seed: Inexpensive blends may contain a large percentage of weeds and annual grass seeds, which will die after one season. Spend more for the good stuff.
8. Canister Vacuums: Cheaper vacuums can be both ineffective and frustrating, so expect to spend around $200 and up for a quality product.

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HOW TO FIX OR KILL WEB DATA ABOUT YOU

Web security becomes more and more a problem as technology gets better. It always amazes us how much personal information is available on the Web about us.

Take a look at this New York Times article about how to fix or kill web data about you:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/technology/personaltech/14basics.html?_r=2&ref=technology

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FREE STUFF FOR YOUR PC and MOBILE

PC World has a great article about the best free stuff for your PC or mobile.

Take a look:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/223503/article.html

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HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY

We'll be back next week with more good stuff.

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BUYING BACK USED GADGETS

Did you know that stores like Radio Shack and Target will buy back old gadgets? Not only that but there are websites that do the same.

Some electronics stores like Best Buy are offering to buy back your old gadget when a new one is available. The jury is still out on that one.....call TEAM CHEAPIOSITY skeptical, but when it sounds too good to be true......you know the rest.

Take a look:

http://www.azcentral.com/business/consumer/articles/2011/02/02/20110202target-radioshack-buy-back-used-gadgets.html

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HOW TO GET THE LAST DROP OUT OF CERTAIN ITEMS

Team CHEAPIOSITY believes in good to the last drop:

The way some products are packaged—tubes of toothpaste, jars of mayonnaise—encourages wastefulness. Being thrifty, we consider this sort of thing not just an annoyance but a challenge.

Bananas. Don’t toss overripe bananas. Peel them and put them in a sealed bag in the freezer. You can use them later in banana bread or blend them in smoothies.

Bar soap. Use sudsy water to “glue” the last sliver to a new bar.

Condiments. Remove the mayonnaise coating the sides and contoured bottom of the jar with a pliable, long-handled rubber spatula. For tangy condiments like ketchup, mustard, and barbecue sauce, add a few drops of cider vinegar and swish it around. Also, store the bottles upside down for easier extraction. Many now come with large flat lids.

Cookies. Put broken cookies in a food processor and grind into crumbs. Then keep them in a plastic bag in your freezer. When you have enough, use them to make a crust for cream pie or cheesecake.

Cornflakes. Don’t toss out the broken pieces and crumbs that settle at the bottom of the box. Grind them until fine in a food processor, then use the crumbs to coat fish or chicken before cooking.

Hair gel. Carefully cut the tube from top to bottom with a utility knife. Squeeze both ends and scoop out the gel with a finger.

Honey. If the last of the honey has turned solid, put the bottle in a small pot of boiling water until the thick gunk returns to its original viscosity. You can use the same technique on maple syrup that has started to harden.

Laundry detergent. When the bottle seems empty, use water as the machine fills to swish out the remaining liquid detergent and pour it in with the load.

Pump-top hand lotion. Unscrew the pump top and pour what you can into another (nonpump) bottle. Recap the original bottle and soak it in a basin of very hot—but not boiling—water for a few minutes. When the lotion thins a little, shake and then pour it into the new nonpump bottle. Store the bottle upside down until you use up all the lotion.

Shampoo. Store the bottle upside down to prevent as much product from settling as you can. When no more will come out of the bottle, add a few drops of water and swish it around.

Sugar. If a bag of granulated white sugar becomes rock hard, which usually happens over time from exposure to humidity, pummel it with a rolling pin and then toss the chunks in a food processor. Avoid the problem by pouring bagged sugar into a sealed container as soon as you open it.

Toothpaste. Put a binder clip at the end of the tube to dispense the toothpaste more efficiently. When you can’t squeeze any more out, run the smooth, hard side of your toothbrush handle over the flattened tube.

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CHEAP AND NUTRITIOUS

Everyone is nutrition conscious these days. Here are fruits and veggies that won't bust your budget and still give you good nutrition:

VEGETABLES

1. Cabbage
2. Collard greens
3. Mustard greens
4. Turnip greens
5. Carrots
6. Cauliflower heads
7. Brussels sprouts
8. Broccoli florets
9. Spinach
10. Cauliflower florets

FRUITS

1. Watermelon
2. Plums
3. Oranges
4. Apples
5. Strawberries
6. Cantaloupe
7. Grapefruit
8. Bananas
9. Kiwi
10. Peaches

Lots of vitamins and minerals in both lists. Bright green leafy veggies especially pack a wallop, and bright colored fruits do the same.

Eat healthy and don't break the bank.

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HOW TO SELL GROUPONS OR OTHER PREPAID COUPONS

Ever buy a Groupon coupon or deal of the day coupon and realize you'll never use it? You can always try to unload 'em on eBay or Craigslist.

Good news for all you well-intentioned impulse bargain shoppers: you're not alone. Now there are secondary websites specifically designed to sell your prepaid coupons and deals. Some sites charge a fee; others act as a Craigslist-style cyber-bulletin board. Take your pick. And be careful out there. A bargain's only a bargain if you needed it in the first place.

http://www.lifesta.com/ This site charges a fee based on the price of the coupon. They also have a moneyback guarantee if the coupon is fake or expired. It's simple to use.

http://www.dealsgoround.com/ This site charges a 10% fee but is otherwise similar to Lifesta.

http://couprecoup.com/ This site does not charge a fee, but it also doesn't offer a moneyback guarantee, so all sales are at your own risk.

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PAYING FOR COLLEGE

It's never too early to look into paying for college.

One site you should know about is: www.fastweb.com
Mark Kantrowitz is the site guru and really makes his site one-stop shopping.

Another helpful site is: http://www.collegeboard.org/

Between these two websites, you should have everything you need to know.

Never ever pay for help......if someone wants money, it's probably a scam.

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CHEAP CRUISING

Travel experts always say that cruises are the best travel value because everything is included. We don't disagree.

Here's a NY Times article to help you out. Take a look:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/travel/13pracdeals.html?ex=1312866000&en=1fe6a234a3753945&ei=5087&WT.mc_id=TR-D-I-NYT-MOD-MOD-M188-ROS-0211-HDR&WT.mc_ev=click

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FREE MUSIC

Getting free music via the Internet is pretty easy these days. No more vinyl, 8-tracks, cassettes, or CDs necessary. Just tune in to one of the sites below and you're all set. If you can't find something to listen to after checking them all out.....we give up!

Radio Tuna

Last.fm

Map of Metal

Search by Record Label

Maximum RockNRoll

iTunes

nuTsie.com

Live365

Pandora.com

Grooveshark

Blip.fm

Mixcloud

Stereomood.com

Jango

Spotify.com

mp3.com

MeeMix.com

AmazingTunes.com

AOLRadio

Discogs.com

Shoutcast.com

Deezer.com

iLike.com

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HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF EVERY GALLON OF GAS

Here are some tips to know when you're buying gas. With prices skyrocketing, every little bit helps:

Only buy gasoline in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground, the more dense the gasoline. When it gets warmer, gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum product play an important role. A one-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

When you're filling up, do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look, you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. You should be pumping on low mode, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL. The reason for this: the more gas you have in your tank, the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation.

Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up; most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.

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A NEW WAY TO BUY POSTAGE

Postal rates continue to climb, and we've got a drawer full of Forever stamps because that's how we roll. But we wondered if we could do even better.

Everyone already knows to stock up on the Forever stamps, since they're good at face value even if/when the rates go up. Right?

But we bet you didn't know this:

If you go to a stamp and coin store, many will sell you unused stamps at at least 10% off face value. Apparently, stamps don't expire, so you can still use old stamps to mail new things. (Just make sure you're buying United States postage, not foreign stamps, and make sure that they're not canceled.)

Recently, Team CHEAPIOSITY bought some vintage postage stamps at our local stamp/coin store, and our discount was about 15% off face value. Cool. We used the stamps on some letters, and nothing has returned postage due, so we're concluding that our little scheme works just fine. Why the bargain, you ask?

Apparently, baby boomers and their parents started collecting stamps and coins as a post-war hobby (and investment), but so many of them did that there's a glut on the market. So many stamps were issued and saved that they haven't increased in value at all. Only stamp collections that date back to the 1940's and before have started to appreciate. Bad news for the baby boomer collectors, but good news for us bargain hunters who still traffic in snail mail.

And with Valentine's Day right around the corner, what could be more thoughtfully retro and hip than a Valentine's card sent with vintage postage stamps? You don't have to thank us.

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HOW TO AVOID MOST FEES

Let's face it, we are all getting nickeled and dimed and dollared to death with fees from airlines, banks, and everyone else who knows how to manipulate an overly trusting consumer using very small type and obfuscating language.

Here's a straightforward and user-friendly article from PopWallet on how to avoid the most egregious fees out there:

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/01/19/how-to-avoid-getting-nickel-and-dimed-with-fees/

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2011 COST CUTTING TIPS

Who doesn't want to save money? Who? Who? Who?

We've already told you about many of the following tips, but we figure a cost-cutting refresher course never hurt anyone. Take a look at this article from The NY Times:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/travel/09pracsave.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Ftravel%2Findex.jsonp

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FREE CALLS

Yes, we all know about calling 800-FREE411 for directory assistance..

And yes, we know about free calling using Skype or Google Voice.

Thanks to a new service called FreePhone2Phone.com, you can make national and international calls for free. Listen to a 10- or 12-second ad and get 10 minutes of free calling to any of 55 countries. According to the company, 85 percent of all calls are under 10 minutes long, so most calls are covered.

Here’s the fine print:

Each call is limited to 10 minutes. A warning tone beeps every 5 seconds for the last half minute, and then you’re cut off.

If you try to call the same number again the same day, your call is limited to five minutes; this prevents you from exploiting the system by calling back over and over all day.

Calls overseas are mostly limited to landline numbers. Calling cellphones overseas is limited to a few industrialized countries.

There’s no reason you can’t make free phone calls to numbers in the United States, too, but this trick makes more sense if you have a landline.

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PERSONAL FINANCE TIPS FOR 2011

BankRate.com did an article on Personal Financial Tips for the new year. We thought it was worth sharing. We also thought that might not be the most provocative subject so we went a little overboard sexing up the graphics. We're sorry if we offend, but if you're still reading this, we weren't entirely wrong.

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/top-100-personal-finance-tips-for-2011.aspx

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FINDING CHEAP HOTEL RATES

Everyone's always looking for a good deal on a hotel. You can drive yourself crazy checking out sites like Hotels.Com, Expedia, Travelocity, etc. Very often you will find good deals on these sites, but taking another step can help you find even better deals.

These sites are call aggregators; you're probably familiar with Kayak, which we've talked about before. Sites like Kayak are not in the business of selling the rooms or flights or cars; they direct you to the sellers' site. On Expedia, you actually buy the service from them as an intermediary. Kayak has become cluttered with pop-ups for sites like Expedia or Priceline and others. While we like Kayak and still use it, there are other aggregators that we want to make you aware of:

www.Momondo.com The results appear on a map at the destination city. Particularly good for European cities, hotels, and flights.

www.hotelscombined.com

www.hotelly.com combs 48 travel sites, so you don't have to.

www.Hotelicopter.com combs some 30 sites.

www.Wego.com combs 42 sites.

So try these next time you're booking a room and save more dough. You're welcome.

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DISCOUNT SPORTS AND CONCERT TICKETS

Did you know that thousands of sports and concert tickets go unsold each year? Here's a way to get your hands on some of those tickets at a discount.

Go to: https://www.scorebig.com/

You can save 10-70% off the ticket price. We like that.

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AVOIDING AIRLINE FEES

Airlines have really gone crazy with all the new fees. Pay for a pillow or blanket or meal or baggage or booking a seat. It's getting ridiculous. As you can well imagine, Team CHEAPIOSITY hates these creative and well-hidden fees, so when we saw this article in the New York Times, we simply had to share it with you.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/travel/05pracfees.html

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TECH BRANDS TO TRUST

PC World did an article about trustworthy Tech Brands, and because Team CHEAPIOSITY cares about both quality and price, we wanted to share:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/211074/the_tech_brands_you_can_trust.html?tk=hp_fv

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BEFORE YOU BUY USED

Many times people buy used items without realizing that they've been recalled or are faulty. Your friends at CHEAPIOSITY don't want you to get stuck with a lemon or have something electrical blow up on you.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission has a websiteto protect you from making a mistake:
www.saferproducts.gov

They get over 16,000 complaints a year. We think it's a good resource to use before you buy used.

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MORE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT BOOKING TRAVEL

People are always asking Team CHEAPIOSITY about how to get the best travel deals. Over the years, we've told you most of this information, but it never hurts to review. Here are some sites we like to use:

www.AirfareWatchdog.com - tells you about deals that automated websites might miss.

www.AutoSlash.com - tells you the best car rental deals.

www.AwardWallet.com - tells when your miles will expire so you don't lose them. It will consolidates all your accounts on one page.

www.bing.com/travel - uses historical data to predict when prices will go up or down for air fares, hotels, etc.

www.BookYourAward.com - tells you all the tricks you need to know to get what you want for the least amount of award points.

www.EVReward.com - tells you which online retailers have associations with rewards programs, so you can get the most amount of rewards points with each purchase.

www.FareCompare.com - tells you when there are price drops and discounts on routes you are interested in.

www.ITASoftware.com - helps you find the best combination of low price, good routing and best schedule for your itinerary. It doesn't tell you about budget airlines, but keep reading....we'll tell you about that below.

www.SeatExpert.com and www.SeatGuru.com - gives you the pros and cons of each seat on an aircraft.

www.TripIt.com - organizes all your electronic reservations in one place.

www.WhichBudget.com - this site will help you with multiple destinations on your trip.

www.Yapta.com - alerts you by email when there are price drops to a specific destination.

www.Zoombu.com - provides you with 3 detailed door-to-door options from Point A to Point B.

www.HopStop.com - gives you step by step plans for city sightseeing.

If you can't travel more cheaply after trying all these sites...........we give up!!

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