Consumer United Advocate

Consumer United, 181 South St. Boston, MA · 617-482-4700 ·  www.consumerunited.com
In This Issue
Financial Fitness
Check, Please!
Battery Operated
HOLIDAY SAVINGS
Holiday Shopping
Plan early to avoid a "Bah! Humbug!" holiday season. Keep the joy ... and a budget. Learn more here.
RESTAURANT.COM
Restaurant.com
Score $25 gift cards to restaurants around the country until Sunday, Sept. 27 for only $3 using Consumer United's special promo code TREAT here. 
Join Our Mailing List
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.
Savings Boot Camp For Financial Fitness
Boot Camp Are your finances out of shape? Don't fret. We've enrolled you into savings boot camp and have assembled a few cost-saving tips to battle that post-recession bulge. No weights or cardio work necessary. We promise. Time to whip out the military fatigues and coupons. Read more here.
Intuit Gobbles Up Mint.com For $170 Million
Mint.comGoliath devours David? Personal finance giant Intuit snagged Mint.com, an online start-up that offers free financial advice and easy-to-use budget planning tools, for $170 million on Monday, Sept. 14. Intuit, maker of financial software applications Quicken and TurboTax, hopes the move will tap into the growing online market--spearheaded by sites like Mint, Wesabe and SmartyPig--and ultimately leverage its presence to Web-savvy consumers disenfranchised by Intuit's classic PC offerings. Learn more here.
Grocery Stores Dropping Checks As Option
CheckbookIn an era of debit cards and direct deposit, a handful of grocery stores--including three Whole Food shops and Tesco offshoot Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market on the West Coast--are banning the use of personal checks at its stores as a way to cut operation costs.Yep, checks are out at some grocery store checkouts. Click here for more information.
Parents Slashing College-Savings Accounts
College SavingsIn the current economic downturn, consumers are cutting back on non-essential extravagances. However, is it smart to cut the college fund? According to a Gallup survey, 47 percent of parents who have previously been saving for their kid's education are putting less cash away ... or not saving at all. Click here for the lowdown.
Are Rechargeable Batteries Cost Effective?
BatterySure, rechargeable batteries are more eco-friendly compared to their disposable counterparts. On paper, it's a no-brainer. However, in the rechargeable-versus-disposable debate, the rechargeable option may not be the most cost effective. It's a given that each battery we buy now will save us money in the future, right? Not exactly. Read more here.
Save
 $10
When you need help with repairs around the house, Angie's List members will help you decide which service companies to trust and which to avoid. As a Consumer United member, you qualify to save on Angie's List membership rates. Use promo code "SAVE TEN" for $10 off here.
Angie's List