Michelle_Williams's Blog

Need a fabulous purse for one night or a loaner love seat for your home? These web sites can help!

You can rent a designer gown by Versace or Badgley Mischka at www.onenightaffair.com  ($45-$200 for 5/nights and they'll alter it for you for under $20).

Need some fancy jewels to match?  You can rent some rocks at www.borrowedbling.com.

My personal favorite, do you want to carry a Kate Spade but can't handle the heft of its price tag? Head to www.bagborroworsteal.com and rent one.

If you need help "staging" your home, you can rent fashionable pieces to fill a room at www.furniturerent.com.

How do I get out this stain?

It's one of those questions that you could ask everyone from your mom to Martha Stewart and you'll get a different answer.

This morning on Good Day Philadelphia we gave you the right answers!

Herb Barndt, Associate Professor of Textile Engineering and Janet Brady, Assistant Professor of Textiles from Philadelphia University www.philadelphiauniversity.com showed me how to get out the most stubborn stains and they did it with stuff you probably have lying around the house, no expensive stain-removers.

Here's some of their Stain Secrets:

Problem:  Red Wine stain on fabric

Solution: Place stained area over bowl, cover stain with table salt (lots of it).  Then turn stained area upside down and place over bowl, pour boiling water over salt-covered stain and watch the red wine disappear!  There may be a ring left behind but if you then put it in the laundry it should come right out.

Problem:  Ball point pen ink on leather

Solution:  Rub peanut butter into stain, yup, peanut butter!  This will take some serious rubbing and time but eventually it will come out.  Then clean off peanut butter with mild soap & water.

Problem: Red candle wax on white fabric (ie. your favorite tablecloth)

Solution: Wait until the wax hardens.  Scrape off with dull knife.  Turn stained area upside down and place over bowl, pour boiling water over and watch wax break up and wash off.

Problem: Felt tip marker on white fabric

Solution: Soak the stain in rubbing alcohol until the stain disappears (no rubbing necessary) then clean off the alcohol with liquid dish detergent.

Problem: Grease (cheese steak splatter, salad dressing, etc)

Solution: Let corn starch soak up the grease, brush off then clean with liquid dish detergent.

Problem: Mustard (the stainmasters say this is one of the toughest)

Solution: Rub the stain with ammonia

Problem: White bleach on black clothing

Solution: Color in with black Sharpie!

If you have any stubborn stain solutions, let us know about them!

What could be better than that?  The check is in the mail!  The government's economic stimulus payments are on their way.  Remember you must file a 2007 tax return in order to receive the payment.

Here are some answers to your frequently asked questions: 

Q. I received a check in the mail from the federal government. How can I tell whether it is my stimulus payment?

A. Look for the words, “2008 Economic Stimulus Payment” on the front of the check, below your address.

Q. I received my stimulus payment, but it was less than what my friends and neighbors received. Why?

A. Your economic stimulus payment will be based on information provided on your 2007 income tax return.

Many, but not all, taxpayers qualify for the maximum basic payment of $600 for singles or $1,200 for married couples. Many parents are also receiving an additional $300 for each qualifying child, born after Dec. 31, 1990.

Your payment may be less than the maximum for one or more of the following reasons:

• You are single and your net income tax liability is less than $600. If you file Form 1040 net income tax liability is the amount shown on Line 57, plus the amount on Line 52.
• You are married and your net income tax liability is less than $1,200.
• You are single and your adjusted gross income (AGI) is more than $75,000. On Form 1040, AGI is the amount on Line 37.
• You are married filing a joint return and your AGI is more than $150,000.
• You owe back taxes.
• You have non-tax federal debts such as unpaid student loans or child-support obligations.

Around the same time you receive your payment, you will receive a notice from the IRS explaining how your payment was figured. It is important to keep this notice as a record of your economic stimulus payment. In addition, you’ll get a separate notice if you owe back taxes or non-tax debts.

Q. The notice I received shows that I should have gotten more than the government actually deposited into my bank account. Did something go wrong?

A. It could be that the amount deposited into your bank account was what remained of your stimulus payment after it was offset for money you owed on back taxes or other debts such as a student loan or child support. If this is the case, you’ll receive an additional notice, providing details on the offset.

So when will you receive yours? 

Economic stimulus payments will be issued according to the last two-digits of the main filer's Social Security number. For joint filers, the payments will go out based on the person listed first on the return. Payments will be made by either direct deposit or paper check, consistent with how people filed their 2007 tax return. 

People who use direct deposit also will be among the first to receive the payments starting April 28. Direct deposits will be made daily and completed by the dates listed in a schedule the IRS just released.  Click here to find out when you will get your check:

http://www.irs.gov/irs/article/0,,id=180250,00.htm
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People who file a return after April 15 will receive their economic stimulus payment, but probably about two weeks later than the schedule shows. A return must be filed by October 15 in order to receive a stimulus payment this year.

Organic food is one of the fastest-growing categories in the industry but can cost twice as much!   So is it worth it?

You decide!

Here's what organic means:

Animals have NOT been treated with: antibiotics, growth hormones or feed made from animal byproducts.

Animals must have been fed organic feed for at least a year.

Animals must have access to the outdoors.

Food hasn't been genetically modified or irradiated.

Fertilizer does not contain sewage sludge or synthetic ingredients.

Produce hasn't been contaminated with synthetic chemicals used as pesticides.

'100% Organic' means the product must contain 100% organic ingredients.

'Organic' with the USDA label means at least 95% of the ingredients are organically produced.

'Natural' or 'All Natural' does NOT mean organic.  There is no standard definition for this term except with meat and poultry products. 

It is possible to live a green lifestyle without sacrificing comfort or style! I witnessed proof of that today right here in Philadelphia. First I toured a Fishtown rowhome that is green from top to bottom! Then I went 'shopping' at Greenable, a new store on Market Street in Old City that is like a mini Home Depot for the earth-conscious. Environmentally unsustainable building practices are at the root of many of today's environmental issues and Onion Flats Developers and Greenable are helping educate and revamp the way we build. The green building revolution is a powerful thing that can immediately reduce air and water pollution and the depletion of our natural resources.

Not to mention, these homes and building materials are stunning and really not much more expensive.

This green revolution can get annoying however! It seems like every company is busily painting themselves a shade of green and slapping 'green' labels on all their products. Which ones are really truly environmentally responsible and which are worth your money.

After spending the day with the owners of Onion Flats and Greenable, I can tell you that these people are dedicated to this cause and not just trying to cash in. They would be more than happy if you walked in their offices or shop to just chat. They would be thrilled to answer any questions you may have about their services or simply about other green ideas.

Check them out!

The two Fishtown rowhomes that now available from Onion Flats are located at 1317 Berks & 1318 East Hewson and listed at $594,900.

It's the first residential Leed-H Gold Certified project in Philadelphia.

A free electric car and designated parking spot is included!

www.onionflats.com

Greenable is Philadelphia's premier resource for interior and exterior green building products and for residential & commercial projects. Whether it is simply a can of paint, a green roof installation, or an entire residential or commercial design project, Greenable does it all. Located in Old City on Market Street between Front and 2nd.

www.greenable.net

If you're green you can get money back from the government - check out www.dsirusa.org for a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.

With the new 2008 models and even some 2009 models already being featured in dealers showroorms, many folks are looking forward to getting behind the wheel of a shiny new SUV, sports car, or convertible, but which cars receive the most complaints from consumers?  It's a common inquiry we receive from prospective car buyers year after year, so Lemon Law attorney and Consumer Advocate Craig Thor Kimmel teamed up the Center for Auto Safety to promote their Car Complaint Index.  This is an objective list, which shows which vehicles receive the most complaints per sales. 

2008 Car Complaint Index

Cars at the top of the 2008 Car Complaint Index:

Toyota FJ Cruiser

Dodge Nitro

Lexus ES

Hyundai Entourage

Toyota Camry

2008 Best Bets

A sample of the Best Bets:

Honda Civic

Chrysler Sebring

Kia Optima

Nissan Altima

Honda CR-V

For the full 2008 Car Complaint Index:

www.lemonlaw.com/carcomplaintindex.html

For 2008 Best Bets:

www.lemonlaw.com/bestbuys.html

If you have any complaints about your vehicle, feel free to vent here! 

Are you keeping track of our Deal or Dud test results?

So far ...

Deal 3

Dud 0

This week 'Bodyguardz' joins the list of products put to the Fox 29 Deal or Dud test, along with the 'Magic Sponge' and 'Hang and Level.'

Mike Della Polla from the RadioShack at Aramingo and Tioga helped us out with the Bodyguardz Deal or Dud test and called it a 'Deal.'

He covered his razor phone with the Bodyguardz and put it through a series of tests including keys, loose change and even nails!

The phone survived, in fact it didn't have a scratch on it!

RadioShack doesn't carry Bodyguardz but you can find them online at www.bodyguardz.com

The price ranges depending on the size of the gadget, most cell phone protectors cost around $25 bucks.

Here's their product description:  Looking for a product to protect your device from scratches, but not hide the beauty of it? Look no further, introducing BodyGuardz scratch-proof transparent skins. Designed to custom fit each particular device, these protectors are made from the same material that is used to protect the front of automobiles from stones and other abrasive elements. Tough and durable, you can be assured that your device is protected by BodyGuardz.

BodyGuardz protective film is the toughest film on the market today and requires no special care or maintenance. Each pack includes two complete BodyGuardz - that's right, two, providing you a spare just when you need it.

It's costing you more to feed your family, the price of the basics like milk, cheese and bread continue to go up. So you can't afford to waste money at the grocery store!

You can't afford to waste time either!  Have you ever walked out of the grocery store with a huge bill and even though you spent all that money when you get home you realize you didn't even get what you really needed!?!  With gas prices the way they are, you definitely don't want to turn around and drive back to the store!

Well now there's a gadget that will make sure that doesn't happen again. The SmartShopper will definitely save you time and aggravation and maybe money too!

SmartShopper is a voice recorder with voice recognition software that attaches to a refrigerator with magnets or mounts onto a wall. It keeps your shopping list stored, just press the button and say the item you run out of as you go about your week. Then, when you're ready to go shopping just press print and the list prints out by categories (deli, meats, frozen foods, vegetables, baking goods, etc), which saves you time and makes for a faster shopping experience. You can indicate quantity, mark it with a coupon to remind you that you have a coupon for that item. It operates on standard AA batteries, uses thermal paper which doesn't require ink cartridges or replacements.

Here's the catch - it costs $149.

Is it worth it? Depends on how you use it. Experts say you are destined to overspend on groceries if you don't shop with a list but the SmartShopper could help pay for itself if it helps you stick to your list and only buy what you need (not what you're hungry for at that moment!)

Check it out for yourself at www.smartshopperusa.com

Tech companies always seem to be in the fast lane. Now automakers are finally catching on and catching up so we can take our gadgets on the go!

Even better, new advances means you can use your phone, IPod or GPS system without even lifting a finger!  Voice activation makes it all possible.  Shout out a demand and your dashboard will make it happen!

Check out my story for a 'test drive' but here is a brief summary and some other 'extra cool' features I didn't have time to mention in my piece.

Ford now offers 'Sync.' Developed with Microsoft, Sync allows consumers to bring nearly any mobile phone or digital media player in their vehicles and operate them by voice command or by using the steering wheel or radio controls.

Extra cool: I loved the fact that anytime you updated information on your cell phone, like adding a contact to your address book, your vehicle gets the update too.

The Chrysler Town and Country minivan is equipped with an dual-DVD entertainment system so passengers in every row each have their own screen. So little Johnny in the second row can watch cartoons while Suzy in the third row can watch a Disney DVD (using headsets) and mom and dad can listen to something completely different up front!

Extra cool: I liked the fact that if you forgot the kids' DVDs they can still be entertained on a long trip by Disney, Nickelodeon or the Cartoon channel, all available on satellite TV.

The Mercedes-C class offers a navigation system with voice recognition that includes real-time traffic.

Extra cool: The glove box has a built-in charger for your IPod and it's air-conditioned (yup, the glove box has AC) so your gadget doesn't overheat! Plus the Mercedes has a hard drive that can record CDs to its own internal memory.

There are some 13 million errors in credit reports every year so it's in your best interest to check yours for any mistakes!  You are entitled to one free credit report from each of the big three credit agencies but you have to know where to go.  There are plenty of companies that say "free" but they can end up costing you money, big money! 

You've probably seen the catchy ads for freecreditreport.com but the site doesn't necessarily spell savings.   If you click on freecreditreport.com's web site to order your credit report you can be billed $14.95 a month for a credit monitoring service after a free trial.  So essentially your "free" credit report ends up costing $180 a year!

Experts say www.annualcreditreport.com is the site you should be using.  It's the only site that is truly free and run by all three credit reporting agencies and the government.  Keep in mind, the credit reports are free but your score is not.

You probably only think of haggling at the car dealership but this slow economy means you should try your luck at the big box stores too! Although stores like Best Buy and Home Depot don't have official policies that allow haggling, it doesn't hurt to ask.

Amanda Walker, editor of Consumer Reports 'Shop Smart' magazine tells me you can even bargain on big ticket items, "Those items probably have been marked up so there's a bigger margin so they've got more wiggle room, mattresses, refrigerators big tvs, expensive computers as well."

So how do you haggle successfully and with dignity? First, be polite and make it seem like a team-effort, ask the salesperson to "work with you" on the price Also, be discreet, don't broadcast to other shoppers that you're getting a deal and ask for a manager if the salesperson isn't empowered to make a decision about a sale. Finally, ask to match the lowest price. Many stores, including super markets, will match other stores' prices or coupons as long as you have a circular to prove what the competitor is charging.

The web really give shoppers the upper hand. A quick Google search before you leave the house can tell you if there's a better price out there.

Or check out www.review2buy.com The website and text message service lets you access product reviews and price comparisons and have them sent right on your phone when and where you need it most, in the store aisle! So doing your homework before you haggle is easier than ever!

Teri kicked my butt when it came to saving money at the grocery store!

Use her advice to save your family cash too!

Check out www.TheGroceryGame.com and are more smart shopping suggestions from Teri Gault, the CEO and Founder:  

Stockpiling vs. Need Shopping - Buy more than you need of a fairly priced item to save the most.  Stockpile those items that are useful to your family, even if you don't yet need them.  If you don't have certain items in your stockpile that you must have right away, you may have to purchase them as Need Items, and will have to pay a higher price.  Your Need List gets shorter as your stockpile grows.

Two Different Supermarkets - Determine which market is good for stockpiling and which one is good for Need Shopping.  If you have a market that doubles coupons, that market will be your Stockpiling Market.  Whether or not you have a market that doubles coupons, your stockpiling market will most likely be a market with higher over-all prices, because they will probably bottom out lower than other markets when they hit their Rock Bottom Sales.  As for Need Shopping, go to a market with no frills, just the lowest everyday prices.

Categorical Sales Trends - Sales Trends run in categories in the supermarkets.  This week may feature paper goods and deli products, and next week sales may be only on frozen foods and toiletries.  Stockpiling properly will eliminate over-paying on categories that are not on sale in any given week.  Categorical sales trends typically cycle through all product categories within a 12-week period, so stockpile more than you need while the price is right, purchasing enough to last until the next Rock Bottom Sale.

Grocery Hopping - Going to a number of markets to use coupons each week is not productive.  Each major supermarket will run most of the same sales on the same items within a few weeks of one another.  If you choose the right market for stockpiling, all the best deals should eventually come to you in one weekly stop.

The Coupon File - Less is more!  Get your coupons from the Sunday paper and supplement it with some  online coupons.  Don’t forget to toss out expired coupons, as well as those that you will never use.  Use a simple cancelled check file to organize your select coupons.

Coupon Redemption - Be careful to read everything on the coupon.  You don't want surprises at checkout.  Also, look for phrases like "good on any..." of that manufacturer's products, not just the pictured item featured on the coupon.  Some of the best deals are found when a coupon may be honored for an item less extravagant than the featured item.

Shopping Days and 72-hour Sales - In most areas, the best days to shop are on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.  Most markets' sales weeks begin on Wednesday and end on Tuesday.  Since new coupons arrive with the current week's sales on Sunday, wait until then to shop.  Also, from time to time, markets run special 72-hour sales, most often on Sunday through Tuesday.   Please note, some grocery stores are changing their sales cycles.

Smaller Package Equals Better Value - Do the math.  Most often when a smaller package and a larger package of the same name brand product are both on sale, the better deal is the smaller package, if you have a coupon. 

Warehouse Club Stores - The only Warehouse Club Store items that are beneficial to stockpile are eggs, butter, and cheese.  If you have a market that doubles coupons, you can easily beat Warehouse Club Store prices on other categories by using your coupons at your stockpiling market in conjunction with a Rock Bottom Sale. 

Buy a freezer! – Freezers are the first items members buy from their $1 Trial so that they can stockpile the meats that are on special, as well as other great freezer items. Teri has other great uses for the freezer, “When my fruit gets ripe, I press it into ice trays. Then once frozen, I empty the frozen fruit cubes into ziploc baggies for storage in the freezer. When my kids want a great healthy treat, I put them in a blender with juice or yogurt, for delicious smoothies!” The ice cube method also works for preparing healthy and time-efficient baby food.