MoneySmart

Here is today's MoneySmart tip of the day:

You can save thousands of dollars booking your wedding on a non-peak day, such as a Friday or Sunday, or in an off season, such as in the dead of winter.

---Samantha Maziarz Christmann

Here is today's MoneySmart tip of the day:

You may find a good bargain on a piece of clothing, but what good does it do you if you end up ruining it after one wash? That's why it's important to always follow a label's laundering instructions.

---Samantha Maziarz Christmann

Here is today's MoneySmart tip of the day:

If you've done major renovations that could affect your home's value, or if you've inherited valuable items, it's time to update your homeowner's insurance.

---Samantha Maziarz Christmann

Here is today's MoneySmart tip of the day:

Have at least 10 percent of your gross income automatically deducted from your paycheck and deposited into a high-interest savings account. You'll barely miss it and it will add up quickly.

---Samantha Maziarz Christmann

Here is today's MoneySmart tip of the day:

Extend the life of your wardrobe with the fabric dye. When colors start to fade after repeated washings, give them a boost with home kits such as Rit and they'll look like new.

---Samantha Maziarz Christmann

Here is today's MoneySmart tip of the day:

If you notice an empty-looking parking lot when checking into a hotel, try to negotiate a better rate. They're more likely to give you a break if they have a lot of empty rooms.

---Samantha Maziarz Christmann

Here is today's MoneySmart tip of the day:

Have breakfast for dinner. Some breakfast foods, such as eggs and oatmeal, make some of the most nutritious, inexpensive meals around.

---Samantha Maziarz Christmann

Many retail stores have brought back layaway--the trusty, incremental payment method of old. And now it's available for online purchases, too.

Sites such as eLayaway.com and Lay-Away.com serve as middlemen for companies such as the Apple Store and KitchenAid, allowing folks to pay for items a little bit at a time before taking possession of them.

The service was revived after credit card companies tightened up on personal credit and recession-battered consumers gave up credit cards altogether.

---Samantha Maziarz Christmann

What teenager couldn't use a better understanding of personal finance?

Starting June 29, a five-week course called Money & Me will teach teens about financial responsibility. The free course will cover such basics as budgeting, credit advantages and pitfalls, responsible checking account habits, how to save for a big purchase and investing for the future.

The class will meet from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on June 29, June 30 and July 1,8 and 9. Meetings will be held at St. Anthony's Church, 160 Court Street in Buffalo.

Graduates of the course who attend all sessions will receive a $10 savings account deposit and a $10 iTunes gift card. They will also receive a letter of reference that can be used for college and employment applications.

For more information, call 847-6960. The course is open to teenagers age 14 to 18.

The class is a product of the New York Credit Union Foundation and is sponsored by the Buffalo Metropolitan Federal Credit Union.

---Samantha Maziarz Christmann

 
Director Kevin Smith has brought a firestorm down on Southwest Airlines after being ejected from a flight for being too fat, demonstrating the power consumers wield with social media.

Southwest got some practice implementing crisis control in the Internet age after Kevin Smith sent out a flurry of Twitter messages to his legion of followers. Fans were furious, the media picked up on the story and the rest was history.

Southwest Airlines has apologized in blogs and defended itself in the face of furious Tweets. The fracas brought so much attention, it crashed their feedback page.

So many public relations people diligently make a daily practice of blogging, Tweeting and Facebooking, mostly to an audience of no one. Only when things fall apart is the importance of having those established networks made clear.

But the true test is whether Southwest's spin control was able to smooth the feathers it ruffled. Are you satisfied by Southwest's reaction? Do you think Smith was making a big deal over nothing? Do you think Smith got the reaction he did only because he's famous, or do you think an average consumer could have made the same impact?

Still, Smith doesn't think Southwest handled things very well. But in a situation like this, who gets the last word?

---Samantha Maziarz Christmann