When shopping online at auction sites, remember to choose carefully which payment methods to use....before you bid. Online auctions have become one of the fastest growing internet businesses to date. But with this explosive growth, and widespread popularity we also see a great deal of fraud. Protect yourself by avoiding sellers that only allow wire transfers and money orders for "big-ticket" items. These payment methods do not allow you any means of refund, should the seller not follow through with the sale. By utilizing a trustworthy payment processor, like PayPal (an ebay company) you leave yourself an open door to refund, if need be. But, always read the fine print. Even these methods are looking to limit the amounts of refund. The very best way to guarantee your safe auction purchase is to use a trusted Escrow Service. Escrow Services are "middle-men companies that will hold your funds from the seller until you give the OK that the item is as described. Then, and only then, will they forward your money to the seller, completing the transaction. There is a small fee for this, and a seller should not mind agreeing to their use....if they're confident in the item being sold. Escrow is typically used on transactions over $400.00. For amounts lower than that, you'll just have to rely on the seller's feedback rating and your good judgement.

Know what information the merchant is collecting about you, how it will be used and if they share it with or sell it to others. You can do this by checking the web site to make sure there is a privacy policy posted, and that you're comfortable with the way your personal information is treated under that policy. Look for seals from privacy enforcement organizations like BrowserAccelerator.com, ValidatedSite.com, TrustGage.com, TRUSTe, BBBOnLine or WebTrust. Be cautious if you're asked to supply personal information not needed to make a purchase, such as your Social Security number or personal bank account information.

So which is best for the environment? The best answer is probably neither. The best thing to do is to use reusable canvas bags or bring a backpack to lug your goods back home. Plastic bags are ok as long as they're recycled, but most of them just find their way into landfills since many communities don't have the facilities to recycle plastic bags. Brown paper bags are more easily recycled and more durable so they can be re-used a few times before they get recycled.

Before going to the grocery store a good idea is to plan your meals for the week, and create a list to shop from. It just takes just a few minutes! Also, you should consult the guidelines of MyPyramid (the government nutrition web site) to make sure you are including all the foods you need for good health. Be creative and adventurous! Avoid eating the same foods over and over again and aim to try new fruits or vegetables each week. And remember not to shop hungry. An empty stomach often results in impulse purchases that may not be the healthiest.