Terri's Consumer Blog

My mom used to say, "The food always tastes better when someone else is cooking it." Maybe that's why I love my mom's cooking so much.

I'm guessing that's also why so many of us like to eat out. Between work and family obligations, deciding what to make for dinner seems more like a chore some days. It is the reason we decided to tackle tonight's subject of ways to save money and still eat out.

So here are some of my favorite sites to help you save.

Restaurant Coupons

You've seen me mention Restaurant.com before on this blog. It really is a way to eat out for less. Right now through Sunday you can save an additional 70 percent by using the code THANKS. That means a $25 gift certificate which normally sells for $10 can be bought for just $3.

The site also has a new dinner of the month club. You buy three $25 gift certificates and instead of spending $75, you'll pay just $30.

A couple of things to keep in mind: the selection of restaurants is limited. However, they do add more all the time. You also should be careful about some of the terms of these certificates. Some restaurants don't let you use them on certain days or certain hours. You also often have to spend an additional amount of money -- usually between $10 and $25 more in order to cash them in.

Kid-Friendly Deals

This is one of my favorite tips. Visit restaurants that offer kid-friendly deals. There are a bunch of them.

Kids eat free every day of the week at Bar Abilene. Kids eat free every Sunday at D'Amico & Sons.

If you are looking for kid friendly deals near your neighborhood, check out Kids Meal Deals.com. You plug in your zip code or your city and they list the deals closest to you.

Alternative to Coupon Books

I've purchased those Happenings Entertainment books before and to be honest I always forget that I have it or for some reason can't find it when I need it. For a fraction of the price of a full book (less than $5 a month) you can access all of those coupons online. You can buy one month or more and print as many coupons as you like.

Valpak has a terrific Web site too. This is the company that usually sends you coupons in a blue envelope. You'll find an even greater selection of coupons online. I found a buy one get one free pizza coupon for Green Mill.

Easy Ways to Cook Restaurant Food at Home

I do enjoy cooking and I'm not afraid to ask the chef for a recipe. You'd be amazed how many are willing to divulge their secrets. Some of my favorite dishes I now make at home. If you're not having any luck, check out copykat.com. This site lets you search for some of your favorite restaurant recipes. Or try top secret recipes.com.

 

This is my last weekday at WCCO with my final newscast coming up this Saturday night. So I wanted to say thanks. Your support for my work both on the air and on the web has meant so much to me over the years. It's always fun to hear your feedback.

There are so many people behind the scenes who make what we do seem effortless and I wish you at home could see how hard they all work. I feel so incredibly fortunate to have worked in a newsroom that's filled with supportive, caring, driven journalists and to be joining a team in Austin, Texas that offers the exact same environment. What can I say? I'm a lucky girl.

For those of you who've enjoyed the tips, I will continue my blog at KVUE starting the week of December 8^th. You'll find the same insightful money saving suggestions and I'll also continue with my "Deals of the Week". Plus I'm still going to be telling the kinds of stories I'm passionate about, so I hope you'll tune in on the web.

Here at WCCO, Bill Hudson will be doing some of the same kinds of stories I've done over the years. So if you have any ideas for him, please send him an e-mail.

Store Savings

Now onto this week's deals--retailers are pulling out all the stops to get you to shop this holiday season, so look for big sales in the stores and online. I've put a few links below to help you find them as well as some more dinner savings.

Black Friday Deals

Many retailers, including Best Buy, have already announced some of their Black Friday deals. They're hoping you shop after Thanksgiving. Here are a few places to check out those ads:

Black-Friday.net

bfads.net

blackfriday.info

For all of you looking to score some deals I really recommend checking out Mommy Savers.com. This site is run by a Minnesota mom and folks from all across the country post their coupon codes and the deals they find.

Best Buy is letting you cash in on those Black Friday deals Thursday online.

Amazon.com is having its own Black Friday sale online. In case you didn't know Amazon also has its own outlet where prices are marked down by as much as 50 percent. One thing to be careful of, some of the products are refurbished so be certain you're okay with that.

It has also launched a new program called Customers Vote where you vote on the item you'd most like to buy at a discount and then see if you're selected to buy it. The buying begins this Friday. Among the items up for a vote, a Harry Potter book: The Tales of Beedle the Bard, Collector's Edition.

Free Coffee

Caribou Coffee is offering a free drink, any kind, any size when you donate one pound of coffee for the Baskets of Hope program. The program provides a full meal for up to eight people per basket and will be delivered December 19 and 20.

Free Bluetooth

Qwest is giving away free Bluetooth wireless headsets for anyone who purchases a Verizon Wireless phone. The catch—you've got to sign a two year agreement.

Free Christmas Song Downloads

Oprah is letting you download 8 free Christmas songs for the next 48 hours. Then remember...

Oprah's Favorite Things Show with a Twist

This is always one of my favorite shows and this year Oprah has the cost conscious consumer in mind. Her Favorite Things will be recession-friendly this year. You can see them for yourself today at 4pm right here on WCCO. She'll even show you one gift that costs you nothing.

Eat Out Savings

From now through Sunday, November 30^th you can save 70 percent more on gift certificates through Restaurant.com. Just type in the code THANKS. I just used another one of these certificates last night with my husband and M&S in downtown Minneapolis. These certificates really are easy to use. Remember with the code a $25 gift certificate costs just $3.

Tonight at ten, I'll show you more great ways to eat out and still save money.

 

Between Circuit City and Linens 'N Things shoppers are seeing more going out of business or liquidation sales. Sonya, one of the producers I work with here, says the lines were so long at Linens 'N Things this weekend, she couldn't find a parking space.

However it's important you pay attention to make sure you're really getting a deal.

A few years ago Consumer Reports did a story about these liquidation sales and warned people that "going out of business is itself big business."

The Dallas Morning News and Good Morning America both recently looked at whether you're really getting a good deal at these sales. Their findings are fascinating.

The Dallas Morning News found: "In the video game department, where $59.99 is the standard new-release game price, customers were grabbing games for 10 percent off. But boxes of Rock Band Special Edition weren't moving priced at $139.99 with 10 percent off. It's available from Amazon.com for $99.99."

Good Morning America found televisions selling for more at the closing Circuit City stores as well as items at Linens 'N Things that had be re-priced. "When we shopped at the Linens 'n Things liquidation sale, we noticed something strange. On product after product we could peel back the surface price tags to reveal the old prices below. For example, the surface price tag on a Calphalon saucepan said $124.99. But the one underneath said $109.99. Rachael Ray cookware? $199 on the new label, $179 on the old. The tag on a curtain scarf said $39.99 on the top, but peel it back carefully and there was another price tag for $27.99 below," the report found.

Liquidation sales are run by liquidation companies and there are lots of sales going on right now. Many sales go on the web; others are live auctions of products. There are state and federal rules for these sales.

What have you noticed? Have you gotten any deals? Add your comments below.

A lot of folks rely on frozen meals to get through the day, so if you're one of those you'll want to make sure you don't have any of these meals in your freezer. Nestle is recalling 879,565 pounds of frozen chicken meals because they may contain bits of plastic. One person was injured.

These are the items being recalled:

• 9.5-ounce packages of “LEAN CUISINE PESTO CHICKEN WITH BOW TIE PASTA” brand frozen meals. Printed on each side of each package is a production code of “8280595912” as well as a use-by date of “Best Before MAY 2010.”

• 10.5-ounce packages of “LEAN CUISINE CHICKEN MEDITERRANEAN” brand frozen meals. Printed on the side of each package is a production code of “8231595912” or “8241595912” as well as a use-by date of “Best before SEP 2010”; a production code of “8263595912,” “8269595911” or “8274595912,” as well as a use-by date of “Best before OCT 2010”; or, a production code of “8291595912” or “8301595912” as well as a use-by date of “Best before NOV 2010.”

• 12.5-ounce packages of “LEAN CUISINE CHICKEN TUSCAN” brand frozen meals. Printed on the side of each package is a production code of “8234595911” and a use-by date of “Best before SEP 2009”; a production code of “8253595911” or “8269595912” as well as a use-by date of “Best before OCT 2009”; or, a production code of “8292595911” or “8296595911” as well as a use-by date of “Best before NOV 2009.”

Each product has the establishment number “EST P-9018." You can learn more about food recalls here.

 

Car Deals

This weekend we’ve been reporting that six Denny Hecker dealerships closed. A third of Hecker’s employees are now out of work. It’s a tough time for many industries, but car dealerships are struggling to entice people to buy.

So I spoke with Phil Reed of Edmunds.com today to get his perspective. He said while this is bad news for the industry, it can be good news for consumers.

“Now is a great time to buy a car, especially if you can pay cash or have good credit. If you have a credit score of 700 you will have no problem securing a loan. If it’s more like 600 or below, you’ll need a bigger down payment,” said Reed.

There are lots of incentives and rebates. You can find a link to them here. Be sure to change the zip code so you see the deals for your particular area.

Edmunds.com also has a tool to help you figure out how much you should be paying whether you want a new or a used car. The guide tells you the amount of each option on a car and even what people in your area have paid recently (Just click on the TMV pricing report at the bottom of each page. You'll need to select the color of the car and your zip code).

Reed also said it’s tougher than ever to get a lease for a domestic car because leasing is based on the resale value of the vehicle.

“You can find a lease, but it will be so expensive you wouldn’t want it,” he said.

He said until people feel comfortable they won’t lose their jobs, the car business is not likely to see much of a turn around.

Black Friday Deals

Wal-Mart wants you to have a preview of their Black Friday deals in hopes that it will get you more excited about shopping after Thanksgiving. Black Friday.net typically gives consumers a preview. You can get a sneak peak at all of the Black Friday sales fliers here.

Tonight I shared with you some ways to save on prescriptions. Below you will find links to various sites mentioned in the story, as well as a few I couldn't fit in. All of them are great resources to check to help you save. And be sure to add your thoughts in the comment section if you've tried something that has worked for you.

Several pharmacists I've spoken with say the first thing you should do is ask your doctor or pharmacist if they have any coupons or vouchers. More often in these days instead of giving samples, drug reps provide doctors and pharmacists with coupons or vouchers. So if you need help, ask.

Fairview and several other hospitals and doctors offices across the Twin Cities utilize Pharmacist Medication Therapy Management programs. It gives them one-on-one access to a trained pharmacist who can look at all of the prescriptions they are taking and then they consult with your doctors to find out what may be interacting and what medicines you may be able to eliminate. If you are interested in a service like this ask your doctor or pharmacist. Insurance does not always cover the cost of these programs. Many patients pay $150 an hour to take part.

Pharmaceutical Company Patient Assistance Programs

The Partnership for Prescription Assistance is another great place to start. Here you’ll type in your medication and find out if the companies that make the product offer prescription assistance. This is a great resource for patients or caregivers.

To look up pharmaceutical company programs for your specific medicine go here. Plug in the name of the company that manufacturers your medicine then search for prescription help. Below you will find a few of the more known pharmaceutical company prescription assistance programs.

AstraZeneca has several different prescription help programs. One is for people without insurance, another for people with Medicare D. There’s also a program for healthcare facilities.

GlaxoSmithKline

The GSK access program provides prescription medications at no cost to Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan enrollees who meet the eligibility requirements. Eligibility is based on annual household income and proof that the applicant has spent $600 or more for prescription medicines for the year.

Jazz Pharmaceuticals offers patient assistance programs for certain drugs.

Johnson & Johnson has a program called Access 2 Wellness. It offers more than 1,000 prescription medications, for free or at a discount, to those who qualify. This helps not just patients but even caregivers save money.

Novartis has a program for people who have no third party insurance coverage for their medicines.

Merck says even people who don't meet their income or insurance requirements may qualify for help with their program. The company even has a vaccine assistance program.

Pfizer has several prescription help programs. You’ll need to fill out a questionnaire to see if you qualify and as is the case with many of these programs there is an application you fill out as well.

Roche Pharmaceuticals has offered a prescription assistance program since 2000.

Consumer Reports has also put together a terrific guide to help you make better decisions about which medicines you choose to take. It will help you talk to your doctor about your prescriptions, and find the most effective, safest medicines as well as those that give you the best value for your health care dollar.

You can find a few more ways to save by checking out this article from the Pharmacy Checker site.

Minnesota Pharmacists Offer Assistance

Debra Leyes is a pharmacist in Parkers Prairie Minnesota at Trumm Drug. She e-mailed me when she heard I was working on this story to offer some of her advice. Deb says she has helped countless consumers.

"Some of my customers call me the 'coupon queen', others refer to me as the 'half it lady', as I have been able to cut the cost of their medications by half and yet they are taking the exact same medications that their doctors prescribed," she said.

"The coupons/vouchers/rebates listed below can only be used if patients have insurance through there work, or insurance agency or no insurance at all.  If a person has a federally funded or state funded insurance (ie. medicare or medicaid) they usually don't qualify for these," said Leyes.

These medicines must be prescribed by a doctor and "Some of these are a one time savings. But more and more drug companies are coming up with loyalty programs.  On these you can often save up to $240 per year," she said.

Leyes said "Your doctor or pharmacist might be able to get coupons off the web or from their drug representatives."

Below are sites Leyes has used to help her patients get coupons for various popular prescriptions. Remember you will need a prescription before you can collect these coupons.

Zomig-migraine treatment.

Maxalt-migraine treatment.

Actos- blood sugar control medicine for people with Type 2 diabetes.

Avandia-blood sugar control for people with Type 2 diabetes.

Humalog-insulin pen.

Levemir-blood sugar control.

NovoLog-blood sugar control.

Travantanz – eye drops taken for glaucoma.

Lumigan-glaucoma treatment.

Restasis-chronic dry eye treatment.

Tekturna- high blood pressure medicine.

Diovan-high blood pressure medicine.

Advair – asthma medicine.

Proventil HFA- inhaler.

Prevacid- heartburn medicine.

Nexium-acid reflux disease medicine.

AcipHex-acid reflux medicine.

Vyvanse- ADHD treatment.

Crestor-cholesterol lowering drug.

Boniva-osteoporosis treatment.

Ambien CR-extended release sleep medicine.

Lunesta-sleep aid.

7 nights free of Lunesta.

Alli-weight loss help.

Cymbalta-depression.

Pristiq-depression treatment.

Enablex- is for an overactive bladder.

Detrol LA-overactive bladder.

Frova-menstral migraines. 

Femara-this is a tablet postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer often take.

Birth Control Pills

NuvaRing-birth control.

Ortho TriCyclen

Yaz-birth control pill

Levitra- Erectile dysfunction medicine.

Cialis-Erectile dysfunction medicine.

Avodart-enlarged prostate treatment. 

Valtrex-genital herpes.

 

Last night CBS' 60 Minutes interviewed President elect Barack Obama. One of the big topics of discussion was whether he can live without his Blackberry? There is some concern about the risk of hackers. Plus part of the Presidential Records Act requires each President's correspondence to be entered into the public record.

So Obama has said he will likely give up his Blackberry. Before George W. Bush took office he sent a farewell e-mail to friends and relatives saying he was shutting down e-mail communications.

 

About three years ago I did a story about patriotic clothing and where it was made. We weren’t too surprised to find most of the stuff came from Vietnam, China even Jordan not the USA. But with the lead in toy scare of season’s past and the economic downturn, more people than ever are wondering if buying American-made products are the answer.

What do you think? I know a lot of shoppers would like to buy local, but when times get tough, we look to save money. And unfortunately more times than not, the products not made here are cheaper.

However, tonight a public policy think tank released a study it says shows how important it is to buy local. Matt Entenza, the chair of Minnesota 2020 said, “If just 25% of gifts purchased this season were purchased from local stores with local goods we would infuse hundreds of millions of dollars back into our local economy.”

“If you buy a product that is made in Minnesota, 68 cents of every dollar remains here in the local economy,” said researcher Lee Egerstrom. “If you buy something from one of the big box stores, not based here in Minnesota, it drops to 43 cents.”

It is certainly a different way of looking at how we all play a role in what happens here economically.

“If you want to look at how you can help stimulate the economy this season you can think about how much of it do you want to stay at home, how much of it do you want to be unintended foreign aid to China and other countries that  are exporting to our stores,” Egerstrom said.

Minnesota 2020 has put together a gift guide of more than 300 products made in Minnesota.

Here are a few sites that list companies with products that are “Made in the USA”. No one site is all inclusive, but they can at least direct you to some places you may not have considered:

Made in USA.org

Buy American Mart.com.

 

A few years ago my husband coaxed me into taking a quick trip to Hawaii. Okay, I admit it, he didn’t have to say much. I’ve always dreamed of vacationing in Hawaii. But here’s the deal, he wanted to go to Hawaii so he would get his elite status with Northwest Airlines. So we hopped on a plane and literally spent less than a day on the ground in Hawaii. I’ve always told him he owed me more than that. It turns out this may be my best chance-- or yours-- to get to paradise.

Hawaii’s tourism department is advertising all kinds of sales right now. Some of the deals include as much as $500 off your airfare by booking a stay at certain hotels, one night free, or three night vacations starting at $349.

Visit individual hotel sites and you’ll find other deals, like the Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa, which is offering stays for as little as $169 a night through March 1, 2009. Earlier this week the Wall Street Journal showed a picture of this resort where the pool was virtually empty.

So if you can manage to score a decent deal on airfare, now may be the time to visit Hawaii. (Now if only I can convince my husband of that!)