Best Lawn Mowers

The May issue of Consumer Reports lists some top lawn mowers available for under $1000, including gas powered mowers and push mowers. Some of the top mowers tested are from Honda, Toro and Black and Decker. I won't bore you with all of the technical specifics, but you can read the editor's top picks here.

McDonalds Adding DVD Rentals

McDonalds is dipping its toe in the water of the DVD rental business. Machines run by McDonald's Corp. subsidiary Redbox Automated Retail have popped up in hundreds of Golden Arches restaurants in six cities in an experiment to see whether they drive more customers into the stores.

Each "Redbox" holds 500 disks and includes a touch screen so customers can pick a movie, and a credit-card reader for paying the $1-a-night fee. They don't take cash. Each box is about the size of a soda machine, so they won't take up much room in the restaurant. Customers return the movies at the machine, and each contains about 60 titles. Employees will monitor selections to make sure each machine is stocked with popular titles.

There are 750 machines in 5 cities, including Minneapolis and Denver where the program started two years ago. Reviews on the program vary by retail analysts, where some predict only a small market share and others predict millions of dollars in losses. Redbox is not turning a profit at this time.

Get $25 When You Subscribe To Showtime

Showtime is offering a promotion where a consumer will get a $25.00 check when subscribing to Showtime. Is it a good deal? Maybe, as there is a catch. You have to send Showtime copies of your first three bills with Showtime added on. If Showtime is inexpensive in your area ($5.00 per month with Wave Broadband, for example) it is not a bad deal. If Showtime is $12-13 dollars per month (Comcast, Direct TV) you will break even. As always, there is some fine print, but click here for a link to Showtime for the form to send in on the offer.

Study On Gas Prices

Let me clarify one point before I get started. Politically, I am an independent. I have voted for Presidents named Bush and Clinton, in addition to voting for various local candidates in both parties. I am not registered for either political party, but I am extremely disappointed with how the economy has been handled with President Bush's second term. Like most Americans, I am feeling the sting of rising prices thanks to the increasing cost of fuel, and my government is doing little to stop what many feel is the price gouging. I remember President Bush's father made a call for the oil companies not to profiteer from the first Gulf War in 1991, and the sting of rising prices was short lived.

Reading this study from the Foundation of Taxpayer and Consumer Rights makes me angry, and makes me want to get politically active for the first time in my life. Not many Americans will see this study, but it makes some excellent points as to why we should not swallow the explanation from the oil companies about the rising prices. For people who read this study, it should be a wakeup call to lose our reliance on foreign oil and look at alternative fuels like bio-deisel and ethanol. Our government is reacting instead of proacting, and this needs to be remembered come election time. Politicians can blather all they want about religious rights, conservative views and the moral high ground, but the sometimes forget that citizens vote with the checkbooks, and mine has seen better days. Lets remind officials in November, shall we?

A Cheap Guide To Theme Parks

With the high cost of gas, it is not a stretch to think that families will make a few big outings to a local theme park rather than go on an extended vacation. Even if you go just once this summer, there are some ways to stretch your budget and not have too much impact on your wallet.

You can click on this link for the full article from MSN, but if you want the "Cliff Notes" version, here it comes. First, plan in advance. Don't expect to show up at the gate and buy tickets. You will waste valuable entertainment time. Second, buy your tickets from the park's website or through local partners. Grocery stores like Safeway and Albertson's will team up with theme parks like Six Flags to offer discount tickets available while grocery shopping. Next, check clubs or organizations where you already have a membership. AAA, Costco, and even some credit card providers will be able to offer you discounts to major theme parks.

Free RV DVD

Hmm, big surprise that there is a big promotioinal push for recreational vehicles (RV's) with the new Robin Williams movie coming out soon. Anyway, for some people, the ability to travel by RV is strong, even with the high cost of gas. Visit goRVing.com to get a free DVD or cd-Rom.

A Definition Of "Organic" Foods

Here is a link to a Consumer Reports article on what to look for on a definition of organic foods. People like the way these foods are produced, on smaller farms with organic materials. It is good to read that the labeling laws are backing up the organic claims unlike years ago with the word "light" which could have meant any nymber of things. Anyway, if you are interested in organic food, it is a good read.

Free Copy Of Every Day With Rachael Ray

Rachael Ray, one of the stars of The Food Network, has launched her own magazine, called Every Day With Rachael Ray. This link will tell you how to get a free copy of her magazine, which has many helpful ideas for quick and easy food items, and other household hints.

Save Money On Gas

Gas prices are going to be bad again for a period of time. There is no getting around it. You have probably seen on the news tips to save gas while driving, such as inflating your tires to the recommended pressure, don't stop/start like a rabbit, etc. The solutions I want to pass along are more tangible, where you can see results right away.

My first suggestion is to pay cash. This may be hard if you are used to paying by a debit card. But, some stations, like AM/PM charge less per gallon since they only accept cash. (Debit cards are accepted at AM/PM, but with a $.60 cent surcharge.) Others will give a discount for cash payments. One 76 Station in Mill Creek, Washington knocks $.10 off the price by paying cash.

Second, buy gas from a grocery store or shopping club like Costco or Sam's Club. Stores like Safeway will give you $.03 off when you use your membership card to buy gas, and often raise the reward to $.06 when you hit a shopping plateau. For example, Safeway will knock $.06 cents off when you buy $50.00 in groceries, and you will get the gas discount for the month. Many times these stores will use gas as a "loss leader" and charge lower that other stations in order to get you to buy other groceries.

Third, some Union 76/Conoco stations have a program called "Tank Back" where you buy items in the store, and you will save at the pump. The best part is they don't ask for your name, but will give you the card. (This is different that the grocery stores that ask for your name and address.) Items will vary by store, and you will need a different card if you get gas at different stores. Some items in the program are coffee, cigarettes, sodas, beer, car washes, and even oil changes. For example, if I buy a 32 oz. Mountain Dew, I present my card and will get the discount added to the card. These rewards have to be used within one month, and have a limit of 10-15 gallons (depending on the store). The card I used to get gas this morning had a discount of $.21, which helped lighten the load to my wallet. If you buy these items anyway, why not get a discount? A car wash will give me a $.20 cent discount per gallon, and an oil change will give me $.35 cents off per gallon.

Contact Lens Solution Sales Suspended

Sales of ReNu contact lens solution have been suspended by parent company Bausch & Lomb while it investigates a fungal outbreak in the solution that causes temporary blindness due to the infection. The Centers For Disease Control have reported 109 cases of Fusarium keratitis infection. Symptoms can include blurry vision, pain or redness, increased sensitivity to light and excessive discharge from the eye. It is not transmitted from person to person.

Save Money On Your Heating Bill

Since this is April, heat is gradually a non-issue in most parts of the country, but here is the list from Good Housekeeping.

1. Lower your thermostat. If you lower your thermostat by two degrees, you won't really feel it. If enough people do that in the US, demand would decrease by 5-7 percent. That would save more natural gas than what was lost in Hurricane Katrina.

2. Get a programmable thermostat. It could save you $100 per year.
3. Turn down your water heater.
4. Draw your shades and/or curtains.
5. Get energy efficient light bulbs. Your local power provider could provide you coupons to help reduce the cost.
6. Unplug your electronics. (Take that one with a grain of salt, as you may not be able to reprogram your television or VCR.)
7. When you need new appliances, get the most energy efficient. Do you really need an ice maker?
8. Plant a tree. You will be happy you did during the summer with the extra shade.

Banking Information

If you are considering changing banks, it appears to be a good time to do so. Washington Mutual, Wells Fargo and Bank Of America are all national banks trying to come up with creative incentives to get your business. Here are some highlights:

Washington Mutual:
Open with as little as $1
Free ID Theft service with toll-free access to identity theft recovery specialists and $5,000 to help offset certain recovery costs. (This sounds really helpful.)
Free checks for life
Free ATM cash withdrawals-no surcharge for using a non-WaMu ATM
One free waiver of an Overdraft/Non-Sufficient Funds fee per year
No direct deposit requirement
Free email alert when account balance is low
Free Personal Bill Pay
Free rewards - earn 3¢ with each debit purchase transaction, up to $250 a year.

Bank of America's Keep The Change: For customers who have checking and savings accounts, this program rounds up every debit card purchase to the nearest dollar amount and transfers the difference from customers' checking accounts to their savings accounts. At the end of each year, Bank of America will pay a 5% bonus on the total amount that has been transferred into the savings account, up to $250.

Wells Fargo's Savings Incentive Bonus Program: Checking and savings account customers will receive $25 bonus per year when they set up recurring monthly transfer of at least $25 from their checking accounts to their savings accounts. If the savings is used as a down payment on a home or auto loan with Wells Fargo, the customer could qualify for an additional bonus worth up to $250.

Lipton Live Well Challenge

Lipton Teas are giving away one bike per day in a contest to get more people to drink their tea products. If you are a tea fan, especially with their new Green Tea brands, you may want to visit Lipton Live Well Challenge website. They will list some of the nutritional benefits of tea along with some other lifestyle suggestions. Entry codes are available under the bottle caps of Lipton Green Tea bottles.

Track Your IRS Refund

Curious as to when your IRS tax refund is coming to your bank account? Visit the IRS online, and log in to their secure section of their website. Enter in your personal identifying information, and you can find out when your check was sent. Click here to visit the IRS website.

Favorite Family Resorts

These resorts are the top 10 for family amenities according to the May issue of Child magazine.

The Breakers, Palm Beach, FL
Winnetu Oceanside Resort, Martha's Vineyard, MA
Kingsmill Resort & Spa, Williamsburg, VA
Loews Coronado Bay Resort and Spa, San Diego, CA
Colony Beach & Tennis Resort, Longboat Key, FL
The Ritz Carlton, Amelia Island, FL
The Tyler Place Family Resort, Highgate Springs, VT
Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, Ojai, CA
Four Seasons Lana'i, Manele Bay, HI
and tied for the 10th spot

Club Med Sandpiper, Port St. Lucie, FL
Nickelodeon Family Suites, Orlando, FL