money

Not much beats hearing a live band on a hot summer’s night. Well, assuming they’re good. Here’s how to sniff out summer music that’s worth a schlep across town (or across country!).

Check Your Local Digs. For starters, check the racks at the entrance of local restaurants and shops for free papers covering local arts. These are usually chock full of concert listings, helping you find who’s playing at random dive bars, wine bars, restaurant bars, tiki bars, and wherever else alcohol is served. (Let’s face it -- all bands sound better with booze.) You may catch some fun up-and-comers on tour too -- like some locals that can seriously rock out.

Scan The Park. Your local parks may have some grooves up their sleeves. (Yes, really.) Check for summer symphony performances, open mic nights, outdoor concerts, and other fun local festivals.

Summer Festivals -- Road Trip, Baby! Speaking of festivals, check www.festivalfinder.com to find out where your favorite bands are playing this year.

Enter Contests. And now for a bit of shameless self-promotion: Every year TheNest.com gives away the hottest summer concert tickets for tour stops all across the country. Enter for tickets every Wednesday, when a new artist is revealed.

And The Obvious... Oh, come on. If Lady Gaga or Katy Perry is coming to town, you know it already. But if you’re just plain clueless, read the listings in any newspaper. And glance at that billboard on your way to work. Or there’s always Ticketmaster.com. Now rock on!

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Get more insurance tips by visiting TheNest.com.

We promise: After swearing off that $5 latte habit, these simple cutbacks won’t hurt a bit. Here are 4 simple steps you can take to start saving cash today.

1. Seek Cheap Thrills
You think your morning latte is a right, not a choice? Get over it. Coffee can be made at home just like movies can be rented from the library (or Netflix). Skip the pricey gym membership (you know you won’t go) and get a great yoga DVD. When it comes to dining out, why not head into the kitchen together instead.

2. Stop Phoning It In
If you and your spouse are on different providers because he just had to have an iPhone whereas you’re glued to your BlackBerry, investigate a family plan on the same network. Look at old bills to determine how your monthly minutes break down and pick the tier (most companies have levels of minutes per month) that makes the most sense. If you text more than you call, get a plan with unlimited in-network messaging. While you’re at it, review all of your bills -- landline, cable, Internet -- and see if you can consolidate them into a “triple play” to save money.

3. Quit Being a Lazy Luncher
If you eat out for lunch five times a week and spend about $5 a clip (at the very least!), you’re looking at about $1,300 a year in sandwiches, soups, and other fast foods. So start brown-bagging it. If you want to make vegetarian chili in your slow cooker on Sunday, make sure you have plastic containers on hand so you can dish it out for lunches (or dinners) in the coming week.

4. Keep the Airwaves Open
If you share a checking account and both hit up the ATM a few times a week without mentioning it to one another, you’ll be greeted with an “insufficient funds” message sooner than you think. Keep each other in the loop and say something as simple as “I’ll be taking out $80 today.” A little more conversation goes a long way toward helping you save for the house or vacation you’re lusting after.

Save more by cutting your bills- find out how here.

When you're evaluating savings options, consider the interest rate and whether or not you'll be able to withdraw your money when you need it (and at what cost). If the focus is on getting the best interest rate, go to Bankrate.com to compare rates on one- to five-year CDs. Banks are eager to attract deposits to shore up their balance sheets, so there are more high-yield CDs available than ever.

The average overnight rate on a one-year CD stands at almost two-and-a-half percent and climbs to almost three percent for a five-year commitment. Just be aware that if you go with a CD, you'll pay a penalty if you have to pull out your money before the certificate comes due.
If you’d rather not have your money locked in, consider a money market deposit account (which is different from a money market fund). There are some high-yield options available, especially from online banks, and Bankrate.com ranks those as well.

Nestpert Pam Krueger, cohost of MoneyTrack on PBS and author of The MoneyTrack Method

Start saving now with our savings calculator!

Click here to chat with other Nesties about money matters

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