better

FAMILY M ONEY

Q

is f o r

q

u

a

l i t y

If y o u r budget perm its, now ’s a

good tim e to take advantage of

deals on furniture and other

bigger-ticket item s y o u ’ve been

needing. But keep quality in m ind.

“It's not how m uch yo u pay, it’s

how m uch y o u pay per use that

d eterm ines an item ’s value,” says

M onique Tilfo rd, co -au th o r o f

Your M oney o r Your Life.

A table

o r ch air that will last m any years is

a better value than cheap er item s

that m ight quickly fall apart.

R

is f o r

r e p a i r s

S « ^ school supplies

G et th e supply list early fro m y o u r school’s W eb site so that yo u can take

advantage o f back-to -schoo l sales and y o u r state’s tax-free day. C h e ck with

y o u r state dep artm ent o f revenue to see if and w hen there’s a holiday,

they're usually in August. T ry

Staples.com, OfficeDepot.com, Target,

com,

and

Amazon.com

fo r easy shopping. B u y item s that kids use every

year— pencils, notebooks, lined paper— in bulk at a w arehouse store.

Cultivate a relationship with

a mechanic while your car is

running well—a mechanic

who knows you is less likely

to gouge you when you are

desperate. ►Consider buying

parts such as air filters on the

Internet. And why not learn

how to install them yourself?

is f o r

t e l e

Do you nei

phone and high-speed In tern et, drop tn e lan

and you can save !$200 o r m ore p e r year. I f y<

are a light cell phone user, shave dollars w ith

a prepaid plan. C om pare phones and plans a t

prepaidreview s.com .

dline

ou

is f o r

UTILITIES

Homeowners are eligible to receive $1,500 in federal tax credits this year and next toward the cost of a

new furnace or other energy-saving improvements. Get details at Energystar.gov/taxcredits. Even if you don’t need a new

furnace, it always pays to seal leaky windows, doors, and attics. Here are a few other easy and inexpensive ways to save on energy.

► Replace as many lights as you can with compact fluorescent bulbs; each CFL over its lifetime will save as much as $60. ► Slay

those energy vampires —coffeepots, TVs, and other small appliances that consume electricity even when off—by unplugging them

or plugging them into new-generation power strips that do the job for you automatically. ► Install an Energy Star-rated

programmable thermostat. The device typically saves about $150 per year. ► Set your water heater to 120 degrees and wash full

loads of clothes in cold water; air-dry your clothes whenever possible. ► Conserve water and save money by plugging leaky faucets

and installing aerators and low-flow showerheads. Out in the garden, use drip hoses to deliver water to plants.

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AUGUST 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS

PHOTOS: VEER