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Haggling for health care? Yep, it may be one of the best-keep secrets for frugal-minded consumers looking to save some cold, hard cash with their doctors, dentists and hospitals.

While negotiating for health care is a trend, many consumers don’t know they even have the option. According to a recent poll conducted by Angie’s List, 57 percent revealed that they never negotiated with their doctors and 25 percent said they had no clue it was a viable alternative.

Most important, a majority of those who did reach out for discounts were able to save, with 74 percent of respondents paying less when they approached their health-care provider. Based on those who did score discounts, here’s the savings breakdown: 40 percent on medical bills, 31 percent with hospitals and 18 percent on dental bills.

Not insured or have a high deductible? No problem. Some people have saved up to 50 percent on procedures with their health-care provider by paying upfront and in full. For those who are insured, it’s still possible to negotiate costs not covered by your provider.

Also, some people have zeroed in on savings by scanning their medical bill for errors. In fact, some consumer advocates suggest that 80 percent of medical bills contain errors.

Angie Hicks, founder of Angie’s List, serves up some savings tips for those looking to save on their health care costs.

Need to see the doctor? Find reviews on the best doctors in your area at Angie’s List here.

Our lesson of the day? Savings is never too cool for school.

Back-to-school shopping season is approaching fast and we’ve learned a thing or two on how not to burn a hole in your wallet. Time to whip out that No. 2 pencil. We’ve compiled a few ways to save without sacrificing the fun of the shopping season.

Buy used books
Don’t judge a book by its cover. Instead, save the criticism for the hefty sticker price traditional campus books stores charge for required texts. On a budget? No problem. With college students shelling out hundreds–sometimes thousands–of dollars on textbooks each year, check out used books stores and online shops like half.com and amazon.com as a viable way for frugal-minded collegians to save a few bucks.

Organize before shopping
Make a list of the back-to-school supplies you need … and don’t shop without the list. This will eliminate over spending on items that are unnecessary. If you’re not sure of the supples needed, e-mail the teacher or instructor. Maybe you don’t really need that expensive calculator after all.
One thing you will need to put on your list? An alarm. Check out iHome’s bluetooth clock radio/alarm and speakerphone for iPhone and iPod only $89.99 after mail-in rebate

Procrastinate
Wait to shop. The longer you wait, the better the sales. Putting a hold on back to school shopping may increase your anxiety, but in the end the savings are very rewarding. Kelli Grant, Sr. Consumer Reporter for SmartMoney.com says “buying basic items now while they’re on sale, but wait until after school starts to buy the rest. Once the back-to-school rush has calmed down, retailers will often put traditional back-to-school items on clearance.”

Ask for adjustments
If a purchased item goes on sale around two weeks after you bought it, bring it back with the receipt for a price adjustment. The store will refund or credit you the difference, which may end up being really helpful.

Save with large retailers
Don’t rule out Target, Walmart and Costco. Big retailers such as these usually offer many discounts, especially for back-to-school shoppers looking to save on basic supplies. Best Buy offers great values on computers and electronics perfect for homework and play. Check out their helpful back-to-school checklist here.

Watch your back phone companies. There’s a new player in the wireless broadband world called LightSquared, a soon-to-be-launched nationwide 4G-LTE wireless broadband network that uses satellite coverage to facilitate a whole new experience for the end user, and their goal is to cover 92 percent of the population by 2015.

Yep, the ambitious plan from the private-equity firm Harbinger Capital Partners is to revolutionize communications in the United States.

As the nation’s first wholesale-only network, the LightSquared platform will allow its partners–a laundry list that will include retailers, cable operators and device manufacturers–to offer satellite-only, terrestrial-only or integrated satellite-terrestrial services to consumers.

Philip Falcone, founder and chief executive officer of Harbinger Capital Partners, says the launch of LightSquared marks a significant milestone in the industry. “The business is well positioned to capitalize on key trends; demand for wireless broadband is growing at a rapid pace and there is an increasing need for additional network capacity and reach,” says Falcone. “LightSquared will also make a significant contribution to U.S. job growth and the economy.”

World broadband domination? Perhaps. The new entrant to the wireless market is slotted to launch the LightSquared service in the second half of 2011 in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver and Baltimore.

Click here for the lowdown.

Renting a car this summer travel season? Get your motor running.

But, before heading out on the highway, make sure you avoid the games car rental companies are playing to raise revenue from unsuspecting consumers. Yep, rental groups are getting creative with a slew of odd add-on fees and wacky rules in an apparent attempt to lift their profits.

The folks over at CNN serve up a list of six odd rules consumers should steer clear when shopping for a summer car rental:

1. The price game
Agents are charging exorbitant late fees, like $1,000 a day with one example in Dayton, Ohio, and are even raising rates if patrons return their rentals early. The remedy? Secure a rate online using a site like Priceline or CheapOair.

2. Age limits often apply
Under 25-years-old? You may have to shell out additional cash. Car rental companies often add a $20 a day or more surcharge to your bill. If you’re younger than 21, it may be almost impossible to score an auto.

3. Additional drivers cost more
Plan to share the wheel with another driver? Buyer beware. If there’s a second driver, car rental groups often charge additional fees running about $10 to $12 per day.

4. Child safety seats cost more
Even though safety seats for children is a requirement, some car rental companies are tagging on a surcharge for upgrading car seats for kids.

5. Car sizes redefined
Some sneaky car rental companies are changing the class of the vehicle–from compact to a mid-size auto– in an attempt to raise rates for unsuspecting consumers.

6. Short trips penalized
Plan to drive under 75 miles in a rented car? You may be penalized. Rental companies are charging an automatic refueling service charge for those taking shorter trips.

Click here for the lowdown.

One man’s junk is another man’s treasure? Not quite. These days, it seems as though the onslaught of junk mail never ends. We receive unwanted phone calls daily, constantly receive spam and our home mailbox is chock full of catalogs and advertisements that heads straight to the slush pile.

Want to do your part for the environment while you also save energy and money? Consumer United has teamed up with ENERGY STAR as a pledge driver for their “Change the World” campaign.

Nearly two million people across the nation have pledged to take small, energy-saving steps that can change the world. If every American household took part in the pledge, we would save more than $18 billion in annual energy costs and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 18 million cars.

On the hunt for energy-efficient appliance rebates? The Department of Energy (DOE) has approved the appliance rebate programs for the states and territories linked or listed here as of July 2, 2010.

Need energy-saving inspiration? Take an online room-by-room tour of ENERGY STAR @ home here and learn how you can help fight global warming, while saving energy and money in your own home.

Click here to learn more.

Sometimes, it’s hard to tell what’s right and wrong when it comes to conserving energy.

Should we ditch the dishwasher and wash our dishes by hand? Is it better to turn your computer off when not in use or leave it on all day? These can be tricky questions. We’ve compiled a list of our favorites from an article here.

Here’s a list clarifying what’s true and false regarding energy conservation:

False. Instead, un-plug your appliances or use a power strip. When appliances are turned off, a phenomenon known as “phantom load” occurs and energy is still slowly drained.

True. A full fridge is a happy fridge. The more space used inside the fridge, the less work required to keep the temperature constant.

False. Get this, handwashing dishes uses more energy than loading and running your dishwasher. To save water when dishwashing, scrape the plates clean but don’t bother pre-rinsing by hand.

Fill your tank only half-way with gas
True. The lighter your car, the better the fuel efficiency. If you have a lot of stuff in your car, ditch it. This will help with your gas mileage.

True. Darker vehicles suck in the heat, and lighter vehicles reflect. Robert Sinclair Jr. of AAA says, “It’s one of those esoteric gas saving tips.”

Car travel is on the rise according to a recent report from AAA Southern New England, with a 17.1 percent increase in auto travel this past Fourth of July weekend.

AAA cites an improved economy for the increase.“The landscape of the U.S. economy is in a much different place than it was one year ago,” Lloyd P. Albert, AAA Southern New England senior vice president of public and government affairs, says in a news release. “It’s encouraging to see such growth this summer as Americans take to the road to visit family, friends and great vacation destinations.”

Here are a few tips to help you save before taking a summer road trip:

Get your motor running
Before you take your trip, make sure to plan accordingly. The last thing you want is to take the wrong route, waste gas, time and money on tolls. Here are a few tips before you take the trip:

• Get a customized traveling map with low gas prices along the route. This will be very handy and can be found here.
• Make sure the car is your best bet. Check out bus lines along your chosen route and trains. There may be last minute deals on other methods of transportation.
• Inflate your tires! This can save you 3 percent on your gas mileage.
• Investigate your vehicle’s oil. Choosing the right oil for your vehicle can save you money. Using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil improves gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent.

Head out on the highway

• Don’t run the AC on Max. We know driving in the heat can be uncomfortable. By turning down the AC however, you can improve your mpg by 5 to 25 percent.
• Keep items off your roof, and fill the trunk instead. A roof covered in items increases weight and aerodynamic drag, and will hurt mileage by up to 5 percent.
• Drive sensibly and keep your speed in check. Gas mileage can be lowered by 33 percent by increasing speed and braking heavily.
• Buy a GPS for your trip. The price of a GPS is very low, and is guaranteed to keep you on track. This will save you time, miles, and peace! Check out OnSale.com for low prices on a new GPS.

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Instead, save the criticism for the hefty sticker price traditional campus books stores charge for required texts.

On a budget? No problem.

With college students shelling out hundreds–sometimes thousands–of dollars on textbooks each year, an alternative is used books stores and online shops like half.com and amazon.com as a viable way for frugal-minded collegians to save a few bucks.

Also, students returning to the halls this fall may find it easier to shop and compare prices for textbooks thanks to a federal law that kicks in July 1 that requires universities to serve up its required book list upon registration.

The law, included as part of the federal Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, requires publishers to provide faculty with details about their selected books, including information about previous editions, any substantial revisions and alternative formats.

“Textbooks are a significant part of college costs,” says Elsa Magee, acting president of the New York Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC). “A report revealed the average college student spends $1,000 a year on books, so it’s imperative for students to use all available resources to save money on this expense.”

HESC serves up a few tips for budget-savvy students:

Shop Early
Get the book list as soon as you can and note the ISBN (the book’s unique identifying number) and the edition required by the professor. Campus bookstores often have used books available at reduced prices, but supplies dwindle as the start of classes gets closer. Some college towns have independent bookstores near campus that carry used textbooks, so check them out, too.

Consider Online Shopping
Most of the large online booksellers like Amazon.com and Half.com carry new and used textbooks at competitive prices that could save you money over purchases made at a traditional bricks-and-mortar store.

Textbook Rentals
Renting books online can save hundreds of dollars over the cost of purchasing and may be a good idea if you don’t plan to keep the book after the end of the class. Online companies such as Chegg, Campus Book Rentals, BookRenter and others promise savings up to 90 percent over the retail cost of books.

Click here for the lowdown from HESC.

Say “bye-bye” to debit-card swipe fees? With Congress finalizing its financial-overhaul legislation this week, retailers are positioned to save billions on so-called interchange fees charged by banks.

“Every dollar we pay the credit-card companies is a dollar we can’t pass on to consumers or use to hire employees or build more stores,” argues Scott Mason, vice president of government affairs for home-improvement retailer Lowe’s. “Literally you are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars.

Banks for credit-card companies like Visa and MasterCard charge retailers roughly 1-to-2 percent on the entire transaction amount. While the legislation will impact small businesses like gas stations and restaurants, retail giants like Wal-Mart are slotted to save hundreds of millions annually if the overhaul bill becomes reality.

Click here for the lowdown.