Consumer United Advocate

Consumer United, 181 South St. Boston, MA 617-482-4700   www.consumerunited.com

In This Issue
Savings 101
Back To Campus
Banking Tips
SCHOOL DAZE
Savings 101
Our lesson of the day? Savings is never too cool for school. Time to whip out that No. 2 pencil. Learn more here.
HOTELS.COM
Hotels.com Savings
Looking for a last-minute hotel this weekend? Click here to get an extra $20 off with a three-night booking through Hotels.com.
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Greetings!

Welcome to our bi-weekly newsletter. Stuff Magazine highlighted Consumer United in its "Hot 100" list, adding that our group "helps shoppers band together to negotiate better deals on everything from utilities to health insurance." Learn more here. Now, let's get started.
BBB Warns Against Debt-Collection Fraud
Fraud Phone A new wave of fraud is impacting those hardest hit by the recession. Scammers are calling unsuspecting people and falsely claiming that they have defaulted on payday loans and are in danger of being arrested. The callers have been telling their victims that they're in positions of legal authority representing organizations with official-sounding names such as the "Financial Accountability Association" or the "Federal Legislation of Unsecured Loans." They threaten that adverse action will be taken if they don't pay immediately. Read more here.
Stores Shift To Electricity-Saving Lights
Energy Saver LEDThere's a push for energy-efficient lighting and, at various retail outlets across the country, the bulbs are gaining some traction in parking lots. LED lighting is currently being tested in hopes to offer a stark new look to parking lots of retail stores and shopping malls in the U.S. Last year, Wal-Mart, DOE and 11 other major retailers began to collaborate on how to make LED lighting successful in various retail parking lots throughout the nation. Click here for more information.
Credit Unions Serve Up Student Loans
Student LoansLoans may be one of the least desirable forms of student debt, but the most cost-effective place to get them may be your local credit union. In response to consumer demand, credit unions are starting to jump at the opportunity to offer student loans and, compared to similar products from bigger banks, they're usually a better deal with more favorable terms. Why credit unions? Many private lenders are leaving the industry because they're now being denied access to much-needed credit. Click here for the lowdown.
Businesses Offer Tweet Deals Via Twitter
Tweet DealsFrom freebies to financial advice, a rush for Twitter-exclusive deals has the micro-blogging world all in a flutter. Twitter.com is a social network where users can send 140-character messages or "tweets" to friends, family and followers. Twitter is being used to communicate about one's day, and to keep up to date with social relationships. However, the benefits of Twitter don't stop there. The service is also used to find or promote deals, coupons, and savings for consumers. Learn more here.
Tips To Get More From Personal Banking
Banking Tips With all of the fees and low interest rates on savings accounts, banking can be surprising expensive. Consumer United has compiled a list of tips to help you avoid hidden fees and needless hassles. A lot of banks stagger the order in which checks are deposited and accounts are debited in order to charge as many overdraft fees as possible. Keep a "cushion" in your checking account to ensure that any crafty banking practices won't dent your wallet. Read more here.
Save
 50%
Looking for back-to-school savings? Buy one school supply with our service partner, Drugstore.com, and get the second 50 percent off. The discount will be applied to the item of equal or lesser value when you click on the promotional link here.
Drugstore.com