Coupon Deals: Always in Fashion (well...almost)

by Janice Forostiak, Marketing Department

Ah, prom night! The promise of a magical night of dining and dancing with your high school buds, all dressed up in their finest tuxedos and sequined gowns.

As they finished posing for their pictures, I hugged my son and quietly pressed a piece of paper into his hands. He gave me "the look" and said "What's this?"

"It's a coupon for a free Bloomin' Onion, honey. Isn't it great?"

"Mom...I'm not using a coupon for our prom night dinner."

I felt the air leave the room, my hopes dashed. Clearly he was NOT as thrilled as I with saving money. "Cool" had trumped savings.

A friend of mine once said to me "If you have to pay full price, it's not meant to be." Simple as that. Who doesn't love a good bargain? Perhaps my Bloomin' Onion coupon crossed the line...

Nowadays, everyone's getting in on the coupon act. Coupons are cool again! In fact, 96 million adults will use digital coupons this year! (source: Market Research company Emarketer) But, how do you find the best deals? Special websites and mobile apps make saving money easy. Here are a few to try out:

1) SnipSnap: Prepare to save some serious moolah because this app makes it easy to use and offers promo codes online. SnipSnap is the first app to scan, save, and redeem printed coupons on your mobile phone. Just snap a photo of a printed coupon and SnipSnap magically recognizes all the text and images, and turns it into a mobile-ready offer. Works for most retailers and restaurants. (See snipsnap.it for more information.)

2) Coupons.com: Online plus mobile app makes it easy to use promo codes online -- Just drag and drop!

3) The Coupons App: This #1 app from iTunes allows you to coupon shop, update deals, locate cheap gas and share with friends.

4) Retailmenot: Great for shopaholics! Offers thousands of coupons from top retailers ranking them for quality.

5) Groupon: Get incredible deals at 50-70% off retail price on travel, tickets, Broadway shows, merchandise, services and more!

6) Gas Buddy: Finding cheap gas just got better! This app locates the cheapest fuel nearest you.

7) Expedia: Travel cheaper with the Expedia website and app. They have great deals on hotels, vacation packages and more.

8) Shop Savvy: Make sure you always pay the lowest price with this barcode-scanning app. When you're planning to buy something, just take a picture of its barcode with your iPhone's camera and the app will search the web for the lowest price.

These are only a few of the hundreds of money-saving apps! Most are available online or via iTunes. Happy shopping!

Did you know that Signal Financial makes banking easy with our FREE mobile app? You can pay bills, check balances, deposit checks and much more! Click here for information!

Keep Your Pets Safe This Summer!

by Janice Forostiak, Marketing Department

The dog days of summer are now upon us, and nothing beats a Washington summer with its heat and humidity. Thankfully, humans adapt to whatever Mother Nature dishes out. Remember that while you're adjusting to the heat with extra water and cool A/C, remember that your pets are suffering too, and Fido and Kitty may need some extra precautions just like you.

Our friends from the Humane Society caution pet owners about heat safety and offer up the following tips to keep your animals safe on the hottest days of summer:

Heat stroke can affect your pets, just like people, so keep them indoors during the hottest days, make sure they can get to a cool shady spot for outside time, and give them plenty of fresh water.

Give them a haircut! A little less hair in the summer might keep them quite a bit cooler, so don't hesitate to tell the groomer to go a little shorter.

NEVER leave your pet in a parked car Even a comfortably air-conditioned car can rise by 20 degrees in just a few minutes while you run into the store, feeling like an oven in no time. Better to leave your pet at home on hot days.

Watch the humidity Animals pant to evaporate moisture from their lungs, which takes heat away from their body. If the humidity is too high, they are unable to cool themselves, and their temperature can skyrocket to dangerous levels very quickly.

Limit exercise on hot days. Adjust intensity and duration of exercise in accordance with the temperature. Also, remember that asphalt gets very hot and can burn your pet's paws, so walk your dog on the grass if possible. Always carry water with you to keep your dog from dehydrating.

What to do if you suspect heatstroke.If your pet is panting excessively, is disoriented or begins vomiting, he may be suffering from heatstroke. Move your pet into the shade or an air-conditioned area. Apply ice packs or cold towels to the head, neck, and chest or run cool (not cold) water over him. Let him drink small amounts of cool water or lick ice cubes. Take him directly to a veterinarian.

A hot summer doesn't mean we all become shut-ins; with extra precautions for people and pets, we can all go about our business as usual and enjoy the warm-weather months.

Stay cool!

For more information about pet safety and related topics, go to www.humanesociety.org