And some of you may be looking for bargains on video games. A new report says 40 percent of homes have video game consoles that consumed 16-billion kilowatt hours a year. That’s about the amount of power the city of San Diego uses in a year.

And get this, about 50% of gamers leave their consoles on all the time! For instance, the report says if you simply turn off a PlayStation 3 when it’s not in use could save you up to 145 dollars a year. In fact, the report says most of the video game consoles use about the same amount of power while you’re playing them, as they do when you’re not.

The National Resources Defense Council says Wii uses less power overall and XBOX 360 users are somewhere in the middle.  PS3 and XBOX 360 have power saving features but they are disabled by default. All you have to do is turn them on.

Here is what NRSC says about the devices:
“Through the incorporation of more user-friendly power management features, we could save approximately 11 billion kWh of electricity per year, cut our nation’s electricity bill by more than $1 billion per year, and avoid emissions of more than 7 million tons of CO2 each year.”

And with the economy as it is, when things go bad with your job could you come up with some quick cash? Consumer Reports says, you may have assets you haven’t thought of. Before you touch your savings account, cash in a CD. You’ll have to pay a penalty if you cash it out before it matures, but you’re only earning about three and a half percent on it anyway and a one and a half percent penalty isn’t that significant.

Consumer Reports also says cash out bonds before you sell stocks. Bonds are the most stable investments but they are also the least expensive investment you have and make the least interest. Bonds also mean you shouldn’t have much in the way of capital gains taxes.
And finally, try borrowing against your life insurance if it has an investment component. That way you are taking the investment you have been saving for early.  And finally, if you have a 401-k account, take a loan from that. You’ll have to pay it back with interest, but everything you pay back is still your money.

ARE STOCKS A GOOD INVESTMENT IN THIS ROCKY ECONOMY?
IN TONIGHT’S WALLET WATCH: KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE TRIES TO ANSWER THAT.
IT SAYS, IT MIGHT BE PRUDENT TO WAIT A FEW MONTHS BEFORE BUYING STOCKS, BECAUSE BULL MARKETS BEGIN SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE THE ECONOMY HITS BOTTOM, AND TYPICALLY WHEN THE NEWS IS BLEAKEST.
KIPLINGER’S SAYS ODDS ARE TILTING TOWARD RECESSION THIS WINTER.
IT EXPECTS STOCKS TO BE LACKLUSTER PERFORMERS, FOR AT LEAST SEVERAL MONTHS.  BUT IT EXPECTS STOCKS WILL BE THE BEST INVESTMENTS LONG TERM.

IF YOU HAVE STOCK OR MUTUAL FUND INVESTMENTS, YOUR GUT MIGHT BE TELLING YOU IT’S TIME TO BAIL OUT.
IN TONIGHT’S WALLET WATCH: MONEY MAGAZINE SAYS IF YOU DO THAT YOU COULD MISS OUT ON THE REBOUND.

IT SAYS INSTEAD OF JUMPING SHIP, YOUR BETTER BET MIGHT BE TO SHIFT INTO LESS RISKY STOCKS, FOR EXAMPLE,
CONSERVATIVE BLUE CHIP FUNDS INSTEAD OF SMALL CAP INVESTMENTS.
THAT COULD LESSEN THE DAMAGE FROM THE BEAR MARKET, WHILE KEEPING YOU IN THE GAME.

IF YOU HAVE STOCK OR MUTUAL FUND INVESTMENTS, YOUR GUT MIGHT BE TELLING YOU IT’S TIME TO BAIL OUT.
IN TONIGHT’S WALLET WATCH: MONEY MAGAZINE SAYS IF YOU DO THAT YOU COULD MISS OUT ON THE REBOUND.

IT SAYS INSTEAD OF JUMPING SHIP, YOUR BETTER BET MIGHT BE TO SHIFT INTO LESS RISKY STOCKS, FOR EXAMPLE,
CONSERVATIVE BLUE CHIP FUNDS INSTEAD OF SMALL CAP INVESTMENTS.
THAT COULD LESSEN THE DAMAGE FROM THE BEAR MARKET, WHILE KEEPING YOU IN THE GAME.

The temperature in the “back yard” of the WNCT Channel 9 Studios in Greenville fell to 32 this morning (Thursday, November 20), making today the fourth consecutive day to feature a temperature of 32 or below.  Here is a list of low temperatures for recent calendar days:

Monday, November 17: 32
Tuesday, November 18: 32
Wednesday, November 19: 27
Thursday, November 20: 32

What’s more: this impressive streak of November chill could continue!  Here are my forecast low temperatures for the next few mornings:

Friday morning: 31
Saturday morning: 24
Sunday morning: 26
Monday morning: 32

Now, if I miss the Friday morning’s forecast by a little bit, the streak of 32-or-less degree days may end at four.  But, if our “back yard” does indeed fall to 32 or lower, then the likelihood that we’ll go on to have seven or eight consecutive 32-degree days is quite high.

Looking back through the temperature records we keep here at Channel 9, I discovered that eight-day stretches of freezing weather are quite rare.  The last time we had one was January of 2005.  To be in the running for a streak like this in mid-November is a loud testiment to the unusual nature of the cold spell we’ve been having!

You can check past weather data with the Storm Team 9 Almanac.  Thanks for checking into my blog!

IF YOU’VE INVESTED IN STOCKS, YOU’RE PROBABLY THINKING ABOUT LESS RISKY WAYS TO SAVE YOUR MONEY.

IN WALLET WATCH: SMART MONEY SAYS YOU CAN LOOK AT INVESTMENTS THAT OFFER INCOME WITH LESS RISK.

GINNIE MAES ARE GOVERNMENT BACKED BONDS, FROM THE GOVERNMENT NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION.
UNLIKE ITS COUSINS FANNIE MAE AND FREDDIE MAC, IT AVOIDED RISKY MORTGAGES.
AND MUNICIPAL BONDS, WHICH HELP STATES AND TOWNS PAY FOR SCHOOLS AND SEWERS.
SOME PAY AS MUCH AS SIX PERCENT A YEAR.

Zac Brown Band, say hello to the world.  World, say hello to the Zac Brown Band.  This southern fried country band has given the coutnry music world an impressive debut record in ‘The Foundation.’ It is a record that will definitely help win new fans and converts to country music.  Much like Rascal Flatts, the Zac Brown Band easily straddles the fence between country and mainstream pop sucess while still paying homage to the classic sounds that built the coutnry music industry.

It is difficult to know where to being with this record.  That is because a debut such as this is so rare for any industry.  The band is quite young.  But it knows what made country music the popular genre that it is today.  It thumbs its nose at the modern coutnry movement, opting more for a classic country/bluegrass sound.  Songs like the album’s lead single, “Chicken Fried”, show that classic country influence.  It does not stop there, either.  Whether it is the album’s Jimmy Buffet/Toby Keith-esque opener, “Toes”, or the straight bluegrass of “Mary” and “It’s Not Okay”, the more modern coutnry feel of “Different Kind of Fine”, or even the slower coutnry/western feel of “Free” and “Highway 20 Ride”, the Zac Brown Band has crafted a debut record that, for any genre, is a solid album from start to finish.  This is a record that country fans new and old will enjoy.

The Zac Brown Band is a country band of a different kind.  Even in the country music industry, new bands and artists ahve received the label of “nu-country.” The Zac Brown Band is not one of the bands that critics will be able to lump in with the mass of new country acts, though.  First impressions are always the most important.  And The Zac Brown Band has made the best possible first impression on ‘The Foundation.’ ‘The Foundation’ is only the band’s debut record.  But it more than creates hope that this band will see many more albums to come.

HELP’S AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO PAY HEATING BILLS.

IN TONIGHT’S WALLET WATCH:
THE FEDERAL LOW INCOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PROVIDES A ONE TIME CASH PAYMENT FOR HOME HEATING.
THE NUMBER TO CALL IS 800 662 7030.
GREENVILLE UTILITIES HAS THE NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR PROGRAM, WHICH HELPS LOW INCOME FAMILIES.
THE PITT COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES SCREENS APPLICANTS.
PROGRESS ENERGY’S “ENERGY NEIGHBOR FUND” ALSO HELPS WITH HEATING PAYMENTS:
YOUR COUNTY’S DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES HAS INFORMATION.

Hello Snowlovers!  Did you get a chance to see the snow showers/flurries today, November 18th?  For those of us that haven’t seen snowflakes in a while, this was a treat.  Of course, nothing was sticking and there wasn’t enough to scare anyone into going to the grocery store, but it was a little novelty november weather event.  I got reports and some pictures of snow from many counties around the East including, but not limited to, Beaufort County, Pitt County, Pamlico County, Craven County, Duplin County, Greene County, Nash County, Edgecombe County, Onslow County, Lenoir County, Hyde County, and Martin County.  If you have a report of snow flurries or showers, please add it here. 

Today’s snow showers were caused by the arrival of arctic air.  When very cold air moves in, the air at the surface is warmer and this causes an unstable atmosphere.  The relative warmth at the ground causes the air to rise into showers.  The snow showers disapated as soon as the surface air got colder.  At that point, the temperature difference between the surface air and that above was less, so the instability was less.  Did I lose ya?  Anyway, it will be sunny and chilly Wednesday with no more snow showers.  But the season is very young and we are off to a great start for snowlovers.  Good luck!  I think we are due.

Phillip Williams

Everyone is looking for a way to save a buck or two during these tight economic times. If you are building a business, how about a used vehicle auction?
If you don’t mind the color yellow the Pitt County DOT is auctioning off its used flat beds, dump trucks, mowers, SUV’s and tankers tomorrow beginning at 9 am at the Pitt County fair grounds. Gates open at 8 am. As always, you need to check out the stuff you plan to buy ahead of time. Here is a website to go to for more on that click here.
You will need to keep a couple of things in mind. Sales are final; you have to have a valid driver’s license and pay with a certified or cashiers check, money order or cash. Now you can use a personal check but you have to have a “letter of Guarantee” from the bank.