Friday, August 14, 2015

Summer’s coming to an end, and if your bank account’s depleted after vacation spending, consumer bloggers at the Huffington Post offer seven ideas for socking away some money in the weeks before Labor Day when back-to-school expenses pile up.

• Lower your cooling costs – Fans cost less to operate than air conditioning. Raise your thermostat by four degrees and you will likely feel no reduction in comfort if you turn on a fan in the room you’re in. Also, replace or clean dirty filters in your air conditioning system and grill outdoors instead of turning on the oven in the last days of summer heat.
• Freeze your gym membership – if you’re not using it because you are exercising outdoors, putting your gym membership on hold can extend your membership term, avoiding early termination fees and saving a few bucks now and in the long run.
• Get freebies from the library – When kids complain about having nothing to do, make a trip to the library. Check out books and movies for free and take advantage of free programs like craft workshops and story times.
• Cut food costs with seasonal produce – Produce is abundant, and usually cheap, as summer winds to a close. Serve more salads, fruit and veggies now and save a bit on hefty meat costs.
• Get a rewards credit card - If you are going to do some back-to-school shopping, book holiday travel or take a trip before Labor Day, take some of the sting out of that extra spending by using a credit card with cash rewards. Cash back cards let you earn back a percentage -- typically between one or two percent and up to five percent on certain purchases.
• Take advantage of sales-tax holidays – Seventeen states have back-to-school sales tax holidays in August, offering consumers an opportunity to avoid sales tax on clothing, footwear and school supplies. Take advantage of them if you can.
• Snag summer clothing on clearance – Shop before Labor Day for the best selection. Much of what’s on sale now at savings of 50 percent or more can be worn well into the autumn months, especially if you layer the pieces.

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