Back-to-school season is here. You know the time has come when Staples airs their commercial depicting a gleeful dad jumping for joy with his depressed children slowly following behind him, to the tune of Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”  This time around, many parents are monitoring their budget more closely, so we probably won’t see them happily tossing random glitter pens or a high-end stapler into their shopping cart.  Better yet, taking your child(ren) back-to-school shopping can still be a fun adventure while staying within budget as well.

• Stores such as TJ Maxx or Ross have name brand backpacks, shoes, and clothing for prices lower than retail.  For the college bound, they also carry kitchen utensils, wall décor, bedding, cookbooks, coffee, etcetera.
• Visit locally-owned clothing consignment stores such as Buffalo Exchange to put together trendy outfits for the new school year.  If your teenager has clothing that is still in good condition you may be able to trade them in for cash or store credit.  To find a local consignment store near you, check out Local First Arizona.
• For the tech-savvy who may be looking to upgrade their iPod, try Bookman’s Entertainment Exchange. Bookman’s base each of their store’s inventory solely on what their customers turn in. College-bound students may be able to find all their needed textbooks in one location and maybe even have some cash leftover to purchase a few CDs or find an old issue of Fangoria featuring one of their all-time favorite movies!

Do you have any other ideas for saving money during the back-to-school shopping season? Share your thoughts by commenting on this article.

Stephanie Nishioka is the Marketing Coordinator for Arizona Central Credit Union, where she has worked since March 2008. She is an Arizona native and currently resides in Surprise with her fiancé and Shiba Inu.

In an economic downturn, the need for social services increases. In tandem, the non-profit organizations that provide these services often struggle with their own budgets and program cuts. This is why it is so important to remain philanthropic even in the toughest of times. A recently unemployed woman gave a $500 check to a local non-profit. She was quoted in The Chronicle of Philanthropy as stating, “I can afford to ride this out, but some of the people who were laid off with me can’t.”

Americans are among the most generous people in the world. Why do we give? We like to feel a part of something larger than ourselves. We want our contribution to make a difference. We are somehow emotionally attached to a specific cause. According to the Arizona Grantmaking Forum’s 2008 Arizona Giving Report, individuals as a group give more in total than private and public foundations and corporations.

It is also important for us to patronize locally-owned businesses that give back to our community. They recognize that they are investing in the future…OUR future, the future of the community, and the future workforce. They realize that dollars spent in prevention today can mean less spent on remediation later. Do you know that more tax dollars are spent annually for one person in prison than are spent to support, guide, help, and mentor one child in foster care?

Be philanthropic. Invest in Arizona’s future…YOUR future.

Judy Myers is a community volunteer, a mother of two intelligent and poised daughters and “Grammy” to Kaylie and Thomas. She has been a volunteer member of Angel Charity for Children, Inc. since 2004.

As car manufacturers struggle to sell vehicles in today’s economy, buyers are benefiting from some of the most aggressive pricing and incentives in recent memory. Now the federal government is jumping into the fray with its so-called “Cash for Clunkers” program.

Officially known as the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), the Cash for Clunkers program was created to help remove inefficient, higher-polluting vehicles from the roadways while providing an economic stimulus for consumers and auto manufacturers.

Here’s a quick rundown of the program:

• Your trade-in cannot be more than 25 years old and must be in drivable condition. In the case of very large pickups and vans (8,500 to 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight), they must have been made since 2001.
• You must have owned your clunker for at least one year and it must be registered and insured for the last 12 months.
• Your clunker must get 18 miles per gallon (MPG) combined fuel economy or less.
• The new vehicle you’re purchasing must have a combined fuel economy of at least 22 MPG for passenger vehicles. For small trucks and SUVs, the new vehicle must have a combined fuel economy of at least 18 MPG.
• If your new vehicle achieves 4 to 9 MPG better fuel economy than your trade-in, the credit is $3,500.
• If the new vehicle has a combined fuel economy value that is at least 10 MPG higher than the traded-in vehicle, the credit is $4,500.
• Your clunker credit is subtracted from the price of the vehicle, and the dealership is reimbursed by the federal government.
• The program doesn’t require a voucher or additional paperwork on your part.

To see if your vehicle might qualify, try out one of the many online “clunker calculators,” like the one at the Kelley Blue Book website.

Keep in mind, the “Cash for Clunkers” credit you receive is in place of your vehicle’s trade-in-value; you don’t receive both. So, if your clunker is worth more than the credit, you’re better off taking the trade-in value as opposed to the clunker credit.

You can use your clunker credit to purchase or lease a new vehicle; used vehicles do not qualify. That’s an important consideration. Depending on your budget, it might make more sense to purchase a quality pre-owned vehicle. Don’t forget, in addition to that new car smell, you’ll also be facing higher monthly payments, increased insurance rates, higher registration fees and greater depreciation expense when your purchase new over used.

The Cash for Clunkers program officially started July 1, so if you just purchased and traded in vehicles that would have qualified under the program, you may still be eligible for the rebate. Check with the dealership where you purchased your vehicle.

CARS is scheduled to end Nov. 1 or whenever the $1 billion set aside for this program is depleted, so you need to act fairly quickly. For more information, visit www.cars.gov, the federal government’s official “Cash for Clunkers” website.

David Kexel is the Vice President of Marketing & Business Development for Arizona Central Credit Union, where he has worked since 1999. He has 12 years of experience in financial services marketing and has lived in Arizona for 21 years.

It’s July in Arizona! Besides being hot, it’s clear that this year everyone is trying to spend money wisely. GetAZmoving and Homeminders are pleased to provide a free subscription to Homeminders (a $58 value) along with these four tips to save money and make your home safer for your family.

Air Conditioning – Change your filters!
Your A/C system can’t run efficiently if it doesn’t have proper air flow. An old, dirty filter reduces the effectiveness of your system – air-flow is reduced and stress is placed on your system, which will shorten its life. With cooling costs over $200 per month for the average Phoenix home and a new HVAC system running over $5,000, you can really save money with this simple task. In Arizona, you should change your filters every 30 days during the hot season.

Bonus: a clean air filter (especially the HEPA filters) can improve the air quality for you and your family – which should make you breathe easier!

Air Conditioning – Programmable thermostats
Thermostat technology has improved – both in the accuracy of the temperature reading and the introduction of scheduled timers that let you automatically raise the temperature if you’re going to be away for more than eight hours. You can even alter the temperature during the night – as your body temperature cools while you sleep, you may not need to cool the house to the same temperature – and still feel comfortable. Check the EnergyStar® website and your local hardware store. Installation is easy and for less than $50, you may save over $100 this year.

Water heater – Flush away the sediment at the bottom of your system!
Arizona is infamous for the hard water that flows through our pipes. Many homeowners opt for a water softener to reduce mineral buildup, but even if you have a water treatment system, you should drain your water heater at least once per year (two times per year is better). The elements that heat your water can become caked (or even submerged) in sediment. Draining the water on a periodic basis will improve the efficiency of your heater and extend its useful life. Don’t forget to look for leaks or corrosion (early signs that a leak may be imminent) while you’re flushing the system.

Homeminders experts weigh in on the benefits of draining your water heater.

Roof – Check yours before (and after) the Monsoons hit
While our homes don’t go through the extreme cold temperatures other areas of the country experience, our sun and monsoon winds can wreak havoc and loosen or blow away shingles and tiles. Before and after each storm, survey your home (from the ground – use binoculars) to see if any damage has occurred. Only if you have the proper equipment and physical capabilities should you climb on your roof. If anything seems amiss, be sure to have repairs completed immediately. With the heavy rain our monsoons can bring, even a small leak can cause significant internal damage and even ruin your personal belongings. While insurance may cover repairs, your deductible may still drain thousands of dollars from your wallet, and you don’t need the frustration of going through major repairs.

Sign-up now for Homeminders and save even more time and money with getAZmoving’s FREE offer.
Homeminders is a web-service that helps you save time and money while making your home a safer place. Ethix Media, LLC., makers of Homeminders (a Scottsdale based company) is excited to partner with getAZmoving.org to offer a FREE two-year subscription to all getAZmoving readers (a $58 value). No credit card is required and it only takes two minutes to register. This offer can be redeemed through September 7, 2009 using promo code: getazmoving at www.homeminders.com/getazmoving.

Jack Cleeves launched Homeminders in 2005. He also has vast experience in residential and commercial construction and home maintenance industries.

In today’s economic environment, many businesses are forced to make tough decisions to keep their financials out of the red, such as layoffs or reductions in salary, benefits and hours. It’s important to have effective working relationships in general, but especially now, when tensions and stresses have increased at work due to the changing environment.

As much as we would like it to be, the workplace is not “all business.” It is a social network and, as such, it is a hotbed of emotions, not to mention stress and conflict. Being effective is a constant work in progress and takes a conscious effort on your part to remain successful. Here are few tips on building effective working relationships.

Recognize the importance of sensitivity. One major barrier that blocks effective working relationships is behaving in ways that are insensitive and uncaring concerning the needs of others. To be effective, you must establish relationships based on trust and respect. Be sensitive to the opinions and feelings of others when communicating with them.

Build relationships informally. Use informal interactions with your peers and supervisors as an opportunity to build valuable working relationships. Use common courtesy such as smiling and saying “hello” when you encounter people casually. Treat your coworkers with respect and be non-judgmental in your dealings with them.

Share credit for accomplishments, ideas and contributions. How often do you accomplish a goal or complete a project with no help from others? Take the time, and expend the energy, to thank, reward and recognize the contributions of the people who help you succeed.

Don’t play the blame game. You alienate everyone when you place blame. Yes, you may need to identify who was involved in a problem. But shouting, “not my fault” and publicly identifying and blaming others will earn you a reputation for being a poor team player.

Make efforts to improve poor working relationships. Consider the peers you work with regularly and identify the individuals with whom you have poor working relationships.

• Identify interpersonal barriers. What gets in the way of your working relationships with those individuals? Determine how you can remove these barriers.
• Be willing to adapt. Resolving interpersonal differences requires asking yourself what aspects of the other person’s style can be dealt with by simply acknowledging them and being prepared to face them. Other problems may require an ability to adapt your style when interacting with others.

If you regularly work on these few things, you will develop effective work relationships. Coworkers will value you as a colleague and bosses will believe you play on the right team. You’ll accomplish your work goals, and you may even experience fun, recognition, and personal motivation.

Cori Colvin is the Operations Trainer for Arizona Central Credit Union, where she as worked since 2007. She is an Arizona native, born and raised in Tucson and has resided in Phoenix since 2004.