• score.org - help working from home
• cspc.gov - Consumer Product Safety Comission

Americans are getting smarter about saving money on their energy costs. New data shows that consumers are replacing old appliances with energy efficient ones about half the time, according to the Washington Post. We’ve been spoiled with cheap energy for years in the States, but that is not the case now. People who heat their homes with natural gas are going to get eaten up this winter. So, it’s important to take all of the shortcuts and precautions that you can. Weather stripping, insulation and fixing faulty duct work are three things you can do to save money. Solar energy is also something to consider. If you live in an area with good sun, Congress has started offering tax breaks in 2006 and 2007. You could cover a good portion of the cost with these credits. If it costs you $3,000, for example, to put in a system, you get $1,000 from the Feds. Think about all of these things before we get into the heart of winter.

You are going to find more opportunities to work full-time or part-time from your home in the years to come. It’s known in the industry as having a “remote workplace.” Some employers, of course, won’t consider it at all. Others are at the other extreme and will do everything they can to encourage people to work from their homes. Companies that jump into the trend with both feet have come up with solid procedures to monitor your work and save tons of money with work-at-home programs. Sun Microsystems has about half of its workforce at home now and has saved $300 million a year as a result. The company doesn’t need office space, computer or phones, so it saves a ton of money. Another technology company, Agilent, has closed 50 U.S. sales offices and reduced their cost by 60 percent. About 12 percent of U.S. workers are now working remotely, and as many as 40 percent are expected to work at least part-time from home in the next few years. Everyone benefits. So, what’s the disadvantage of working from home? You may end up working too much. And, showing your face around the boss and other people at work is always advantageous. But the new mantra in the workplace seems to be: "If you want to keep them, let them go."

Do you have a teenager who plays video games all the time and is putting on a little weight in the process? Well, companies are now devising and developing exercise games that combine video games with exercise. Some look like elliptical machines or Nordic machines. Others are mat-type games that require people to jump around on certain spots of the pad. It’s a great way to keep teens fit while they have fun. If you have a son or daughter who is especially sedentary, consider getting one of these devices. Some are very expensive, including “The Kilowatt” which is $500. You hook it up to the television and kids jump around while interacting with the TV. If we’re going to get kids to exercise in today’s society, we have to reach kids where they are.

The junk hauling business is getting huge these days because people have too much stuff. When these businesses first started in the States, it was kind of a joke. Paying to have junk hauled away is a hard concept for Clark to grasp. But the first company – 1-800-GOT-JUNK – now has several competitors. And they all are doing well. It costs about $375 to have one of these business come to your home and take your junk. If you must hire someone to take you’re junk, you need to stop buying things. Just because something is a deal doesn’t mean you need to buy it. We are a nation of shoppers and it’s eating up our finances. Take some time to clean out your closet every once in a while and give away anything you haven’t worn in two years.

Of all the online shopping sites, which ones offer the lowest price and best merchandise? Well, according to Consumer Reports, Yahoo Shopping and Froogle.com are the best. Both got great scores in terms of having the lowest prices and the largest selection. The other top site is Froogle.com, one of the many side projects of google.com. Product availability is good on almost all shopping sites, but four sites got bad ratings on prices. They were Shopzilla, Pricegrabber, Become.com and Nexttag.com. The good thing about the Web is that there are many layers. You peel them away and can continue to get great deals. You just have to keep on looking.