St. Stanislaus School benefit, 9 to 4 in Kolbe Hall, Adams. Bake sale, snack bar, games, Chinese auctions, money raffle, crafts, and pierogi.
Blackinton Union Church, 1373 Massachusetts Ave., North Adams; 10 to 2. Crafts table, bake sale, Chinese auction, the Christmas table, and kid's grab bag. Lunch $4, $2 kids.
First Congregational Church, North Adams, 9-2.
Nov. 28 Becket Federated Church, Route 8, holiday bazaar from 9-3. Lunch, crafts, baked goods, holiday and other items. Information: Mary Peltier, Parish House, 413-623-5217.
Dec. 5
Holiday Fair at First Congregational Church, 25 Park Place, Lee, from 10 to 3; handcrafted items, raffles, children's shop, bake sale, cut Christmas trees and lunch from 11 to 1. Includes angel-themed goods from SERRV. Information, 413-243-1033 or www.ucc-lee.org.
Dec. 12-13
North Adams Country Club, crafts 9-4; food from That's a Wrap from 11-2. Information: Sheryl Morehouse at 413-822-3329.
Planning a bazaar this season? Submit information to info@iberkshires.com to have it listed here.
We're trying out blogs to offer shorter, easy-to-find news. Let us know what you think.
Send press releases and announcements to info@iberkshires.com. Need to contact someone at iBerkshires? Here's how.
Mammography Dispute The government's issued controversial new guidelines stating that women shouldn't get annual mammograms until age 50, rather than age 40.
iBerkshires will be meeting with local medical experts Monday. Have a question you'd like answered on this issue? Send it info@iberkshires.com with "mammogram" in the subject line.
By Paula Fleming Better Business Bureau 08:56AM / Thursday, May 21, 2009
NATICK, Mass.
A tried and true way to save money in a tough economy is clipping coupons. Because of the Internet, however, a savvy consumer no longer has to wield a pair of scissors in order to reap rewards. The popularity of online coupons is on the rise and Better Business Bureau offers the following advice for identifying a deal and avoiding deceptive offers.
The number of American adults using online coupons rose by 39 percent to 36 million between 2005 and 2008, according to a survey conducted by Simmons/Experian Research and Coupons, Inc. The survey also found that online users account for nearly one-quarter (24 percent) of the total 148 million consumers who use coupons.
According to the CEO of Coupons.com, a popular online coupon Web site, the company is seeing a huge increase in popularity due to the recession. In March of 2009, the company experienced a 192 percent increase in the value of coupons printed from its site when compared with the previous year. The total value of the coupons printed out in that month alone was $57 million.
"We're all looking for ways to save money and redeeming online coupons is growing in popularity as a result," said Paula Fleming, vice president of communications and marketing for BBB. "Some coupons, however, are not as great a deal as they may appear and consumers should use caution when clicking on coupons online."
BBB offers the following advice on redeeming online coupons:
■ Consumers should check to see if the coupon is being offered directly by the store or if it is being offered by a third-party such as a partner or affiliate. If it is via a third-party, they might ask for additional info or require that the consumer sign up for additional services to redeem the coupon. If so, BBB recommends using extreme caution before divulging any personal information and consumers can check the company out, free of charge, at bbb.org.
■ BBB advises coupon clickers to be wary of pop-up ad coupon offers that require you to immediately click to redeem. Clicking on the ad may automatically sign the consumer up for services they were not interested in receiving, causing them to be billed every month.
■ Carefully read the terms and conditions for the use of the coupon, check for the expiration date, limitations of use and whether it is an online coupon good for only online purchases or if it can also be redeemed at the physical store location.
■ Because some stores are concerned about fraud related to online coupons, not all businesses are eager to redeem them. BBB recommends contacting the store where you wish to use the coupon directly to find out whether the coupon is being honored or not.
■ Be extremely cautious if the coupon requires that the consumer call the company to redeem the value of the coupon, and/or has any requirement to give personal information.
■ Don't fall for phony coupons via e-mail. Many fake coupons have been making the rounds via e-mail and just because it may come from a friend or family member, don’t assume the coupon is legitimate.
Paula Fleming is vice president of communications and marketing for BBB in Boston. BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. For more guidance finding work and avoiding money-making scams, go tobbb.org.
