Show Try these money-savi- n to keepcool have maybe ao'something useful Summer “BUY STRAW HATS IN THE line winter” goes die “for summer will surelycome” And it's here! oft-quot- ed Finally! (Well almost) Herewith a picnic1 basket of assonedsummermoneyrips: Cool Off For Less If yours is among the 85 of American households that have air conditioners and huge electric bills set the thermostat as high as you're comfortable— 78 degrees is recommended With the “wind chill” from a fan you might be able to set it even a little higher Higher still when no one’s ' home And change your air conditioner’s filter regularly so it doesn’t have to work so hard “We don’t have AC” says Jim Skin-ne- ll a Rhode Island engineer whose family has found ceiling fans adequate to the task Sue Hoell a Montana teal estate appraiser offers more simple advice “Sip ice water to keep coed” By Andrew Tobias S300 a week our neighbor spends on propane Check out eertMergygpvrspec for energy-savin-g foct sheets induding the one on pool cxwm Take An Armchair College Tour Picture an enormous sheet of bubble wrap Cut to the size of your pool it’s easy to put on as the sun sets and pull off the next time you’re ready to plunge Ours cost about $200 raises the perature by at least 10 degrees extends the swim- ming season by several weeks and even saves on the cost of water and chemicals Sure beats the water tem- - specify two or three stars and bidalot lower To decide just how much to bid I first go to expediacom or botdtcom to see what kind of deals they’re offering Then I bid at least 30 less at i V! Is this the summer you and your teen plan to Priceline' fiddrPriceline love is The part I where comes back scout out colleges? One waytp narrow the and cut travel and lodging costs—is to do at least with a message oo the effect of “Are you kidding some of your“touring” Our computer shows the odds of your getting a room at that price are one in a million!” They give me a chance to raise my bid but I hold firm— and moments later the room is almost invariably mine Travel Smart Priceline also has become a mote interesting place to go for airfares In addition to its traditional setup of naming your own price” (but gambling on what flights you might get) it now offers what for me is the much more congenial alternative of picking specific flights And be sure to check out also the budget carriers that serve your area If you’re going on along road crip you might consider a bargain-price- d rental to spare wear on your own car and so that— in the event of a breakdown— you’re not stuck 600 miles from home But no matter whose car it is keep the tires properly inflated and fill up with the cheapest e gas you can find (gas is gas) unless the manual specifies a higher octane (as few do) And if the kids are with you on a family vacation give each one a predetermined sum that has to last die whole trip You’d still pay all the basics this would be for the extras They’ll leam to manage their money and you’ll be spued the begging low-price- W&rm The Fool Without Getting Soaked Ifyou’re not as spoiled as I am Priceline are when I think I may have to change the dates of my mp (Priceline offers nrfwdf) or when I need to stay at a specific hotel because that’s where the meeting is Otherwise I specify the dry and neighborhood the number of “stars” I want— I prefer fourvstar hotels— and then name my price stayed in a $300 room for $89 Many is the time Ie no-nam- PASS 14 Q£3 d May 2 2004 FARADS |