Heat your home for less

It's that time of year: cozy couch time, watching the snow fall…and trying not to cry when you open your energy bill. Yes, heating your home can take up a huge chunk of the household budget, so I decided to tackle the topic for my column in the February issue of Redbook.

I found there are ways to spend less—if you're willing to invest a little time and money up front. The good news: small, feasible changes you make today can show up on your energy bill as soon as next month. Here are two to try now:

• Cool down: Install a programmable thermostat (you can get a good one for $50) and set it to drop a few degrees while no one’s home. Savings: Cut heating costs by up to 10 percent.

• Lighten up: Replace all the old-school incandescent light bulbs in your home with new compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. Savings: $50-$150 a year on electric bills.

For more DIY tips, check out the Alliance to Save Energy website, ase.org, and the joint website of the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, energystar.gov.

And to see how a home energy audit could save you big bucks in the long-term, check out my column in the February issue of Redbook or on RedbookMag.com!



One-up your savings strategies

Looking for ways to refresh your savings habits for 2012? Aren't we all. Let's face it: While brown-bagging lunches and passing on lattes can make a difference, sometimes you need to "one-up" your strategies to stay motivated. That's why I tackled the topic in my January Redbook column.

One savings helper that I learned about after writing the column: SaveUp, a new website that sets up a rewards system—much like those offered by retailers—in which you earn points for saving rather than spending. You link your savings accounts and any debts you're trying to pay off (credit cards, student loans) to your SaveUp account, and each time you stash cash or make a payment, you get credits, which you can use to enter drawings for fun prizes like cameras, cars, or even a $2 million jackpot. You can also earn credits by watching personal finance videos on the site—music to my financial literacy-attuned ears.

Check out the January issue of Redbook for more cost-cutting tips!

What savings tips will you test out in 2012?



Watch out for more bank fees

Sure, it's really great that Bank of America canceled plans to start charging a monthly fee for paying with your debit card. Consumer pushback worked—what a victory!—proving that you are your own best advocate. Now, more than ever, it's time to watch your bank like a hawk. For tips on how to avoid fees, plus how to decide if it's time to switch banks, read my blog post on RedbookMag.com.

Has your bank increased fees? Are you considering switching banks? Leave a comment on RedbookMag.com and I'll respond there.



Beat holiday debt now

I know it's only October, and some may argue it's too soon to think about holiday gifts. But if you're still paying off a credit card balance from last year's gift-buying frenzy, or wondering how on earth you'll spend wisely this year, you'll want to check out my stick-to-your-holiday-budget tips in the November issue of Redbook!

We decided to tackle the topic a month early this year because to avoid overspending your goal should be this: To knock out your entire gift list before Thanksgiving. Seriously!

This year's holiday spending surveys show that we'll all spend between $700 and $800 to play Santa—that's fairly level with what we dropped in 2010. And 81 percent of shoppers say they'll shop online this year, up from 54 percent last year, according to a survey by SymphonyIRI. That's good news. The Internet offers terrific deals, and shopping from the comfort of your own home can make you less likely to overspend.

Now, some not-so-great news (for our wallets, at least): Consumers plan to use holiday shopping sprees as an excuse to spend more on themselves this year—$130, to be exact, compared to $112 last year, according to the National Retail Federation. That's fine if you want to snag a deal on something you really need. But steer clear of unnecessary splurges if you want to start 2012 on the right track.

For more holiday budget tips, check out my latest in Redbook!

Have you started ticking gifts off your list yet?



Stop getting overcharged!

One thing you learn when you're a personal finance writer: Behind every purchase lies the potential to get ripped off. That's why I decided to tackle this topic for my September Redbook column.

Some might call me a pessimist, but I say I'm a realist. Case in point: A couple weeks ago, New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs revealed that two-thirds of the supermarkets they inspected over the last year were overcharging customers at the register. And that's not the only example. Down in Georgia, Countrywide customers are just now getting reimbursed after paying marked-up fees associated with their home loans from 2005 to 2008. Last but not least, a lawsuit filed in May alleges that AT&T fleeced iPhone users for data by up to 300 percent. And that’s just the overcharge news from this summer!

Look under the rug of any company you do business with, and you're likely to find lots of money that could have been yours—if you'd only done due diligence by comparison shopping, pre-researching a purchase, or reading carefully through each line of your receipt.

Check out the current issue of Redbook to discover the three most common overcharge offenders. You'll be richer for it!

Have you been overcharged lately?