6/13/09

Today's the day to revisit your local library. Sign up for a free membership card and check out the variety of resources available to you and your family. Beyond just books, libraries also have archives of magazines, CDs and DVDs and a wealth of digital research materials. P.S. -- Support your local library's used-book sale, which raises money for its nonprofit work; you get books at a discount and will help raise money for a great cause.

6/12/09

If you're shopping for a new computer, consider a refurbished model to save the environment and a few bucks, too. Many major computer manufacturers often receive returns on computers due to minor technical glitches. Apple, for example, repairs these computers and puts them through a rigorous process to restore them to good as new; bugs are fixed, while cords and cables are replaced. Everything's completely tested. It also comes with a one-year warranty. For some computers, savings can be up to 50 percent off the retail price.

6/11/09

Lots of children need a nightlight to sleep; perhaps you need one to get around a dark hallway late at night. Instead of buying traditional night lights, which use mini incandescent bulbs, look for LED nightlights, which use the latest in lighting technology and can last up to 30,000 hours and just use pennies a month to operate. They are so energy-efficient and safe that you can leave them on 24 hours a day.