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http://www.retirementjobs.com
http://www.retiredbrains.com
http://www.yourencore.com
http://www.workforce50.com
http://www.dinosaurexchange.com
http://www.seniors4hire.com
http://www.retireeworkforce.com
If you got electronic gifts for christmas you will have to buy batteries sooner or later. From storing them in the freezer to getting the most out of rechargeable batteries, we have tips to help you get the most money out of your power source.
Ryan Zummo used his gift card to cut the cost of a new flat screen TV
"We needed a TV for the house and I had the Gift Card laying around from Christmas, I got one for a present so we decided to take a little chunk out of the TV with it," said Zummo.
How much of a chunk did it take"
"Not much at all, not nearly enough," Zummo added.
Jimmy Thomas wasted no time in using his three gift cards.
"I was so excited to use them and thought, 'why not use them to buy one big thing that I wanted," asked Thomas.
Thomas pooled the value of his gift cards and knocked $100 off the cost of a Playstation 3.
While the game console was not on sale, Christmas deals can still be found. If you use that card now you can still take advantage of the sales.
Justin Harper's DVDs were still on deep discount.
"Ten bucks apiece," said Harper.
Another reason for using gift cards now, some cards expire over time.
"You file them in your drawer, you put them in your wallet and they are just gone," said Thomas.
If you got a gift card but would rather have the money, there are several web site that can help you.
Sites like www.swapagift.com and www.plasticjungle.com make it easy to sell gift cards as does EBay.
Todd Quattlebaum runs an EBay drop off store in Bellaire and says gift card sellers can expect a pretty good return.
"It can go from 85 to 100 percent of the face value of the gift card, in most cases it's 90 percent or better," said Quattlebaum.
For buyers, gift card selling sites offer a chance to get one hundred dollars in buying power for only 85 to 90 bucks.
If you wanted guitar hero, but got a digital camera, this is your time and nobody knows that better than Barbara Flesch.
"We are going to Target, Academy, Linen and Things, we have quite a ewe things to do," said Flesch.
Flesch made Best Buy her first return stop because she was certain it would take longer to make her exchange.
"We thought we would be out the door, we came prepared to stand in line," Flesch said.
But the typical long wait at the return aisle never materialized.
"We walked right up there was one person in front of us and that was it," said Flesch.
Deana Jones says it's not just this store either.
"I have been to Target this morning and I returned Guitar Hero cause we got the wrong one one of my nephews," said Jones.
Managers tell us the return aisles are running smoothly because Christmas fell on a Tuesday.
They believe most customers are working today and that means consumers who have the day off will see short lines.
"I thought there would be lines but there was not so perhaps we got ahead of the curve," Jones said.
Store manages tell us Saturday will very likely be a very busy day for returns, so if you can get to the store before the weekend, you should have few problems.
Unless of course you do not have a receipt.
If you find don't you may face restocking fees that can be up to 15%, but there are ways around the fee.
Todd Quattlebaum runs EZ Bayer, an Ebay drop off store in Bellaire.
"It is actually a huge time on Ebay and the Internet, January in particular is one of the biggest months," said Todd Quattlebaum.
He adds now is the time to list unwanted gifts.
"We will see a huge amount of electronics and game consoles and that type of thing where people have upgraded to off set some of the cost," said Quattlebaum.
Because it is the holidays and Christmas, we have your waistline in mind. Here is a page that shows you exactly how many calories that piece of Christmas dinner can cost you, plus tips on how to keep the pounds off.
Click here for our holiday food facts.
Metro Transit Authority is getting ready to roll out its "Q Card" and commuters need to know how it will impact them. Metro officials tell us commuters who pay in cash will no longer get free transfers once the "Q Card" comes on line. To avoid paying for each leg of a morning commute, riders need to get a "Q Card" and load it with money. The other "Q Card" issue deals with disappearing discounts. Right now commuters have more than 60 ways to pay for riding the bus or light rail. Weekly, Monthly and Annual passes offer riders a chance to get more rides than they pay for, but those plans go away when the "Q Card" kicks off. Metro officials say costs have gone up and rates have not changed in the last 12 years. Metro officials tell us the changes will generate 10 to 14 million dollars. Metro also points out students get a fifty percent discount under the new structure. The "Q Card" also gives riders five free rides for every fifty they buy. You can load your "Q Card" at transfer stations, on board buses, and at locations through out Houston. Look for more from Metro over the next few days as the transit agency begins a media campaign.
If you need a new car, the state of Texas may have money for you.
A couple of months ago we first told you about a new program designed to get older cars off the road and cut down on pollution.
Now the program is up and running and it will help you put up to $3,500 toward the purchase of a new or used car.
Click here to check apply for a voucher:
Or call:
800-913-3321
What do you think of this?
I created a big list of headlines from the various sections on abc13.com. You can subscribe to RSS feeds here too:
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/feature?section=news/local&id=5829181
Half Price Books
Clear Lake
18111 Egret Bay Blvd.
Houston, TX
77058-3241
(281) 335-1283
Copperfield
15754 FM 529
Houston, TX
77095-2572
(832) 593-9885
Kirby/Rice Village
2537 University Blvd.
Houston, TX
77005-3228
(713) 524-6635
Montrose
1011 Westheimer Rd.
Houston, TX
77006-2724
(713) 520-1084
Buffalo Exchange
1618 Westheimer
Houston, TX 77006
(713) 523-8701
249 W. 19th Street, Houston Heights
Houston, TX 77008
(713) 868-2400
Braeswood Pawn
8545 Braeswood
Houston, Texas 77071
(713) 988-1650
Looking for gift idea for Dad? How about a new cordless drill?
For simple jobs, Consumer Reports recommends the $80, 12-volt Hitachi, model number ds12dvf3.
It weighs just over 3 pounds and has 2 speeds. Plus it comes with two batteries and recharges quickly.
For bigger projects, Consumer Reports recommends a Craftsman, model number 11561. While it's nearly 2 pounds heavier, it's got very good speed and power and it is 95 dollars.
Attention Christmas shoppers! The savings are here! A pair of national chain stores are closing at the first of the year, The Bombay Company and CompUSA. The store liquidation has started at Bombay where you can find 30, 40 and 50% discounts. CompUSA will begin discounting merchandise Wednesday December 12th. Here are the local addresses for both companies.
The Bombay Company
2335 Post Oak
770 W. Sam Houston Pkwy N.
2500 Rice Blvd.
CompUSA
5115 Westheimer
330 FM 1960
11687 Westheimer
The Guild Shop
2009 Dunlavy
Houston, Texas 77006
phone: (713) 528-5095
For Consignors
· Donations are accepted any weekday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m
· Proceeds go to charity
· Consignments are taken Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays from 9:30 to 12:30 and on Saturdays from 10:00 to 11:30.
· There are four departments to which you can consign: Clothing, Furniture, Household, and Jewelry
· It is the Guild Shop's exclusive right to price all items
· The Guild Shop commission schedule is 2/3 of the sales price to the consignor and 1/3 to the shop
· Consignment Checks are issued on the 15th of each month.
My Big Sisters Upscale Resale
939 South Mason Rd.
Katy, TX 77450
281-398-5009
For Consignors:
· All clothing must be plus size
· Items must be in style
· Make an appointment
· No more than 25 pieces at a time
Gucci and Prada on the cheap.
More Than You Can Imagine
2817 Westheimer
Houston, TX 77098
Phone: (713) 668-8811
www.morethanyoucanimagine.com
For Consignors:
• Must make an appointment
• Split between you and the shop is 50-50
• Items must be in "like new" condition
• Items must be in style
• The shop owner determines the price
Twice New
2005-D West Gray
Houston, TX 77019
Phone: (713) 523-2212
www.twicenew.com
For Consignors:
• Split between you and the shop is 40-60
• Items must be dry cleaned or laundered on a hanger
• Items consigned for 90 days then items are donated to charity
Men's Resale By the Village
2437 Bissonnet St
Houston, TX 77005
For Consignors:
· Pick items that are in style and in mint condition
· No holes and no stains
· Clothing must be dry cleaned
· Pick up your check on the tenth of every month
· Items donated after 90 days
From our story on how you can make money and save money on consignment:
Crayons Children's Resale
15969 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77082
(281) 556-9086
For Consignors:
· The split between you and the shop is fifty-fifty
· Must make an appointment
· Bring clothes and items that are in "like new" condition.
· After ninety days, if your items haven't sold, you can pick them up or they are donated to charity.
Young and the Restless 2505 Ella Boulevard Houston, Texas 77008 713-861-7647 http://www.youngandrestless.net/
For Consignors: You make 40% of the sale No appointment necessary Clothes must be laundered, stain and wrinkle free Toys and baby equipment must be clean and include batteries
Consumer Reports just tested several digital picture frames and found two they recommend as best buys. They are the Smartparts Frame Syncpix, model number SPX8 costing $180 and the Westinghouse Digital Frame, model number DPF-0802 for $125.
Another tip, smaller frames are good for close up pictures, but as good for wide shots or landscapes.
You might have noticed that abc13.com has relaunched with a brand new look and a lot more features. We have a new blog dedicated to the new site and its features where you can leave comments and ask questions. Let us know what you think. Enjoy!
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