Tracy Davidson

The end of summer is approaching fast and everyone wants to get out and enjoy those last few days in the sun.
But if all your summer fun depleted your Labor Day travel funds, consider these ideas for road trip savings:
There are still plenty of great deals to be found if you book a room now [...]

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — A hot new smartphone can be Incredible, Vibrant, Epic or just “eh,” but no matter how it stacks up, it’s a safe bet that it will start selling at $199.
On the four major wireless networks — Verizon Wireless (VZ, Fortune 500), AT&T, Sprint (S, Fortune 500) and T-Mobile — there are [...]

Remember how everyone complained that banks weren’t doing enough to help troubled borrowers?
Well …
Banks have realized that foreclosing on home after home after home may not be in anyone’s best interest — least of all their own. So they’ve ramped up the number of loan modifications they’re handing out to their delinquent clients.
Banks are doing [...]

If you have a collection of old video games, iPods and other electronics that are collecting dust in your basement, you’ll soon be able to take them to your local Target and trade them in for a Target gift card. The new Target Electronics Trade-In program has already launched in Northern California and will expand [...]

There is something for everyone in this week’s wild and wacky list of Friday Freebies. Want to lose weight? Take advantage of free yoga classes and a seven-day free gym membership. Got a student at home? There are many free and practically-free deals on back-to-school supplies for the upcoming school year. And don’t forget about [...]

Consumers are reportedly getting a head start on their back-to-school shopping this year. The National Retail Federation (NRF) says more families have already completed their school shopping for this year, compared to 2009, as they try and take advantage of discounts.
“It’s good to see consumers responding to back-to-school sales and promotions,” NRF chief executive Matthew [...]

USA TODAY
Target (TGT) is about to seriously personalize the way it tells digital and mobile customers about hot deals.
The retail giant, with 1,743 stores in 49 states, on Friday will announce “My TargetWeekly,” a fully customizable version of its weekly ad. The ad now appears on Target.com, where it draws more than 1.2 million visitors [...]

USA TODAY-
Hoping to cash in on a common traveler complaint, some hotel companies are offering to pay for the checked-baggage fees charged by some U.S. airlines.
Kimpton Hotels and chains run by InterContinental Hotels Group, including Holiday Inn, introduced the promotion to spur weekend and leisure business.
Although hotel companies are showing signs of recovery, the industry [...]

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Adam Goldstein was a whiz-kid MIT engineering student with an enviable network of tech contacts and a decade of industry experience. He also had a lofty dream: To reinvent Internet flight search.
So he called up his old friend, Reddit co-founder Steve Huffman, and embarked on a summer project. It culminated in [...]

With summer heat inspiring thousands to shop for air conditioners, the search is on for a consumer brand that combines low prices and efficient energy consumption. For many purchasers, that quest points to Energy Star, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) appliance-rating program, which represents a gold standard for energy-efficient value. Created in 1992, the distinctive [...]