FOUR great money-saving tips from www.seniorark.com. SeniorARK is a
free, not-for-profit Senior survival site. No ads, no pop-ups, no
registration. Just straightforward fun and information. It is loaded
with nearly 5,000 tips, links, humor, recipes, and more. This is a
must-have site for Seniors, near Seniors, and caregivers of Seniors. Or
for ANYONE just wanting to have fun or save $$$$. ALSO A HUGE
CAREGIVERS SECTION.

Tip #23 on the Utility Tips Page:
http://www.seniorark.com/senior_tips_utilities.htm
23. Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power
strips or better yet, surge protectors; turn the power strips off when
the equipment is not in use (TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use
several watts of power, up to 40% of the power they use when running.).


Tip#20 on the Transportation Tips Page:
http://www.seniorark.com/senior_tips_transportation.htm
20. Your debit card might be a convenient way to pay for gas, but it's
a no-win proposition. When you swipe a debit card at the pump, the bank
doesn't know how much money you'll be spending until you've finished
pumping. So to make sure you have the funds to cover the purchase, some
stations ask banks to automatically set aside some of your money: That
amount used to be $20, but with gas prices going up, stations have
started asking banks to hold $50, even $100. That means even if you
just topped off your tank for $10, you could be out $100 until the
station sends over its bulk transactions, which can take up to three
days. If your funds are running low, you might end up bouncing a check
in the meantime - even though you had the money in your account.

AND A COMPUTER TIP #7 from the Computer Tips Page
http://www.seniorark.com/senior_tips_computers.htm
7. Look for high speed connections at prices lower than some dialups. I
use Verizon DSL at $17.99 per month plus those pesky taxes. And this is
not just an introductory rate. The first month is even free. I am sure
this will be duplicated by others soon if not already. It is fast, but
they offer even faster at higher rates. I have used their service at
both rates, and find NO difference in actual performance. The $14.95
service is more than enough for most users. No matter how fast your
service, you only get information as fast as it will go from and
through other pipelines.

AND TO SAVE ON TAXES, Tip #5 On the Tax Tips Page:
http://www.seniorark.com/senior_tips_tax.htm
5. In many states you will not have to pay sales tax on items that are
purchased from, and installed permanently in your home by the same
company. For example, in Pennsylvania if you purchase a hot water tank
from Sears, and Sears installs it for you, you will pay no sales tax on
the tank or installation. If you purchase the tank and you and a friend
install it, you must pay sales tax on the tank. At some businesses, you
must educate them on this savings. It is easier for them to just
collect the tax than deal with the exemption. The revenue office of
your state will be able to tell you if this applies where you live.