The Savvy Shopper

It looks like the start of another rainy weekend! Hope the weather reports are correct in that Sunday the sun will come out.

Several items of interest to share with you -

A new group is forming in Rutherford County that focuses on entrepreneurial women. With the present state of our economy more men and women are starting their own businesses and the

Appalachian Women Entrepreneurs is a program that connects rural Western NC women with one another, as well as resources (including training and technical assistance), and with markets - for the purpose of creating new and expanded businesses. The Rutherford County group meets the first Thursday of each month at Foothills Connect Business & Technology Center on Main St, Rutherfordton. The November meeting will take place on Thursday, November 5 at 6:00pm. Members benefit from group support, access to one-on-one business assistance and resources, practical trainings for strengthening business and marketing skills, news updates, and online visibility (member businesses are featured on AWE's website). For details, please contact Anna Levitsky at anna@foothillsconnect.com or 828-288-1650. You may also visit AWE's website at http://www.appalachianwomenentrepreneurs.org/.

There is another program in the works that will be like Cash for Clunkers was for cars, but this time it will be for household appliances. The details aren't final yet but, in North Carolina, the program would cover the purchase of several types of energy-efficient appliances, including clothes washers, dishwashers, water heaters, stoves, freezers and refrigerators. It may also cover heating and cooling systems, as well.

Using federal stimulus dollars, the state would provide rebates on purchases of qualified items during a certain period - most likely March or April of next year, according to Seth Effron of the N.C. State Energy Office. Consumers wouldn't have to apply for rebates, they would simply pay the reduced price (retail price less rebate amount)at the cash register and retailers would deal with the state to obtain the rebate. These items can be sale or reduced items as long as they meet the energy requirements.

Effron said the rebates will be at least equivalent to the sales tax - 7.75 percent, and will not coincide with the tax-free weekend for certain appliance purchases which is scheduled for Nov. 6-8.

More details about the program will be available shortly. The state is submitting its plan to Washington presently. Meanwhile, you can start considering if and what you should purchase and please don't forget - TriLocal. We have several appliance businesses in Ruthford County such as Hendrick's, Ferguson Plumbing, Henson Lumber, Lowe's, etc.

Have a great weekend and be sure to visit the local pumpkin patches, as well as nurseries & fruit stands, for a pumpkin for Halloween - it's only a week away!